== Personal Quarters ==
James stepped into his quarters and turned on the lights. He quickly grabbed some errant laundry laying around and tossed it into the corner and out of sight. He hadn’t expected company. “Well lieutenant, I’m going to go jump in the shower for a moment. Make yourself comfortable.”
"Please call me Erin." She said softly as she moved to sit on the couch and wait, it shouldn't take him to long, it never took guys to long they were always ready while complaining about how long women took to get ready. She smiled at that thought her last boyfriend had taken forever to get ready for anything. Constantly checking mirrors to make sure he looked perfect. it had gotten quite annoying after awhile...
James pulled off his sticky uniform and jumped into the shower. It felt great removing the layers of grime that caked his body. He had little time to enjoy the sensation and didn’t want to keep the lieutenant, Erin, waiting. Jumping out of the shower he quickly pulled on a fresh uniform and ran a hand through his short, spiky hair which always did about what it wanted to. A touch of cologne completed his transformation from grungy engineering technician crawling about the bowels of the ship to a clean and pressed Starfleet officer.
“Ready”, James asked stepping around the corner with a smile.
Erin returned the smile he looked yummy. "Yes, you look very handsome." She said softly as she moved to get off the couch and reached for his hand starting to lead him out.
“So where would you like to go for lunch”, he asked.
"I was thinking Italiano?" She asked with a soft smile.
“Then Italian it is”, he replied taking her hand. The two left the quarters and headed off to the Eris deck.
Standing in front of one of the replicators James couldn’t make up his mind what he wanted. He was hungry after crawling around the tubes of the deflector array, but he couldn’t decide from the endless Italian options presented on the screen before him.
Noticing Erin had already ordered his anxiety increased. “Ravioli – too heavy. Pasta – too many carbs. Lasagna – heavy and full of carbs. He scrolled through the seemingly endless menu on the replicator seeing nothing that sounded a sound lunch choice. He had to return to work soon and didn’t want a meal so heavy he’d be comatose in an hour. Sandwiches, pizza, meatballs – all of it too much and too robust.
James pondered the selection for a time until a voice behind him cleared his throat. James turned and saw what he thought was the ship’s ambassador impatiently glaring at him from behind.
“Are you going to order lieutenant or do menus just tend to fascinate you”, Ian Lamont asked the anxious looking lieutenant.
James shot a glance at Erin who wore a smile and was indicating for him to join her at a table she had selected. He looked at the ambassador, whose name he didn’t know, and rubbed his spiky hair.
“Pardon me sir, uh would you have any suggestions on Italian cuisine? I’m not very good at this and…” He motioned toward Andrews with his head.
Lamont took note of the attractive female the lieutenant was subtly motioning toward. “What are you in the mood for?”
“I’m not sure”, James answered. “Uh, I have to return to duty, want something Italian but light.
Lamont thought for a moment. “I’d suggest a salad or seafood. Perhaps grilled fish or shrimp and some assorted greens with a light vinaigrette dressing? You might also bring the young lady there a tiramisu for dessert if you are so inclined.”
“Yeah..yeah, that sounds great”, James said with a smile.
Lamont nodded with a slight bow pleased he could help the confused lieutenant with an obvious lack of culinary proficiency.
“Thanks”, the lieutenant said to the ambassador.
“No need to thank me. Just hurry up and order lieutenant. The natives are getting restless behind me. I would hate to have to mediate a diplomatic incident in the mess hall.”
James looked around the ambassador where a grumbling line of crewmen had formed waiting for a turn at the replicator station. Punching up a few items that looked good, James ordered some fish and a salad and replicated a tiramisu dessert for Erin. He had no idea if she would like it, but he’d trust the ambassador’s recommendation. Grabbing his tray that shimmered into existence, James quickly headed toward Erin and took a seat.
“I ordered you a surprise”, he said with a smile. “I hope you don’t mind. It’s a famous Italian dessert. We can share it if you’d like?”
"A surprise?" She smiled softly. "Sharing is definitely good." She smiled softly.
James nodded and began to enjoy his fish and salad. The dish was light, but extremely flavorful. The ambassador’s suggestion was spot on, but then again someone like him probably knew a lot about food and entertaining more so than an engineering technician who would eat almost anything so long as it wasn’t still moving.
“So where did you grow up”, James asked between a bite of greens attempting to engage in conversation with his lovely lunch date. “I’m from Wyoming back on Earth. Home is full of tall mountains and wide open plains. Haven’t been back in three years. I really miss it sometimes. How about you?”
Erin had a crispy and grilled tuscan salad, just because she had said italian did not mean that she wanted the heavy stuff. "On Vulcan mostly though I thankfully didn't complete my training that would have allowed me complete control over my emotions. I like to feel." she said softly. Whenever mom and I came to earth to visit with her parents. we never stayed in one place long enough. they were constantly taking me places to show me what their world was like that the vulcan books could not." she said with a smile at the memory she had so enjoyed her time with her grandparents. "I have to visit them next Shoreleave." She said softly thinking it was long over due...
“Been awhile since I’ve seen my parents as well. Don’t get the chance to get home as often as I would like. I try to write and send the occasional video message just to let them know I’m ok. They weren’t all that thrilled when I enlisted and was accepted to the academy. I know they worry about me. I can always hear it in Mom’s voice anyway. However, I know they’re also proud.”
"My father wasn't too thrilled either. he was hoping I'd become a diplomatic on Vulcan. my mother and two brothers however are proud of my accomplisments." She said softly.
“So why didn’t you finish the uh, whats it called, the cold-uh-nar on Vulcan? You mentioned you were thankful not have finished it. Isn’t that what most Vulcans strive for?”
James blushed slightly realizing the stupidity of his question. “I..I’m sorry lieutenant...I mean Erin. I didn’t mean to ask something so personal. I guess I’m just interested. You don’t have to answer.” He took a sip of his water mentally beating himself up for letting slip a question that might make the lieutenant uncomfortable.
"I didn't complete it because I'm a child of two worlds and I happen to like having and showing emotions, don't you?" She asked softly. She rolled her eyes stood and moved around the table to stand before him. "You can ask any personal question you wish to." She told him and kissed him lightly on the lips wondering if that would help get it through his thick skull.
James’s eyes snapped open at the sudden touch of the woman’s lips upon his own, but his surprise soon waned as he pulled her closer into the embrace. After a few moments he pulled away with a large smile. “I would say that expressing your emotions doesn’t seem to be a problem. For either of us.” Smiling he stood and pulled Erin close. “We could finish lunch. There’s a dessert there I’m sure we’d both enjoy or…” He smiled gazing into her eyes. “We could forget about lunch and we could spend some time together asking each other personal questions, among other things.” His voice rang with a hint of playfulness.
Erin smiled and kissed him again softly on the lips to convey her answer. She wasn't really hungry anymore anyways... well at least not for food...
“You’re right”, James said breaking the embrace. “Dessert is so overrated.”
== [ A Very Short Time Later ] ==
James led Erin through the doors to his quarters barely waiting for them to close as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and pulled her into a warm embrace. The two continued enjoying one another until James felt his couch press into the small of his back. With a large smile he pulled himself from Erin’s tender embrace and quickly picked her up dropping her onto the couch’s soft cushions. Like a eagle diving from above to capture its prey, James leapt atop the lieutenant and again pulled her close.
“So tell me lieutenant”, James asked playfully gazing into Erin’s eyes. “Is becoming involved with a fellow co-worker the logical thing to do?”
"Oh no. Logically becoming involved with ones co-worker would be flawed. Though if we were to follow logic, you would be most ideal as well, intellectually, chemically, physically, even sexually you are quite appealing. Besides, no one ever said I was logical." She said with a soft growl nipping his lower lip.
James laughed at the answer. “I didn’t think so either. But then again, who am I to argue with Vulcan logic.” Leaning over he pressed his lips against hers enjoying the warmth and softness between their bodies.
Erin smiled and kissed him back licking his lower lip as she tasted and teased just enjoying the feel of him so close. She sucked his lower lip between her own teasingly before pulling away and smiling up at him before kissing him again softly and slowly savoring him.
James passionately returned Erin’s own fervor with his own before pulling back with a wide smile. “Looks like I found something I’m hungry for after all”, he said softly, “and it’s so positively exquisite that I highly doubt even the Ambassador would have been able to recommend it. In fact, it’s so delectable that I believe I am going to have to have seconds.” His body lowered once again to hers as he pulled her tight into a passionate embrace.
She did enjoy his way with words. She kissed him back and held him as close to her as he was embracing her. She wondered where this night would go and hoped it would outlast time itself.
=========================
Lt Erin Anderson
Assistant Engineer
USS Charon (apb D'Vana)
Lt. James Faltanis
Engineering Specialist
(APB Tav)
