[USS Charon, Holodeck One]
Stopping himself before Brent began to pout he quieted down as the pianist came out and bowed to the audience. The audience was silent and awaited the beginning. The pianist began with Chopin the Nocturne 20 before going through a wide array of them, switching off to other classical composers for the piano from around Earth in all times. A slow steady smile seemed to almost cross over Brent's face as he watched his expression growing calmer and calmer as the hauntingly beautiful music played across the auditorium. His right hand slowly and ever so subtly moving to the sounds of the piano.
Well, there were certainly types of Whiskey that Sakarra did not object to, as far as the taste was concerned. Unfortunately the types she favored had a tendency to produce unfortunate effects rather rapidly. She gave the glass in her hand another look and then tilted her head inquisitively at the light change in Brent's voice.
But before she could formulate a question, the music began to permeate the hall and she leaned back in her chair, eyes closed and breathing deeply.
In the holographic environment it was easy to separate artificial scents from those of a living being right next to her and while usually she would have been perfectly able to keep her focus on the music alone, something kept tugging at her consciousness. During a brief pause in the music, she opened her eyes and glanced over at the tall human, realizing there was a faint smile playing across her lips, echoing the one on his face as his hands ceased to follow the movements of the pianist.
Startled, Sakarra blinked and did the most unwise thing under the circumstances – instead of simply composing herself, she decided to take a sip of the champagne and presently the sensation exploding in her nose prompted a brief and muffled but most undignified little sneeze.
Ah, just splendid.
"Perhaps the whiskey might have been preferable after all."
Brent wasn't quite sure what the sound he had just heard was until he put it together. He turned and saw the bare imprint of lips against the champagne glass and chuckled a little bit at the circumstances. He put his hand over his mouth as he silenced the good natured chuckle before looking back over at Sakarra. "That little sneeze was adorable you know," he said before shaking his head ever so slightly.
He motioned for the waiter to take away the tray of champagne. "Here. I am sorry, I did not even mean for this to be here," he placed his glass on the tray and motioned that Sakarra could do the same if she so wished. "Here I owe you a drink of some good whiskey the next time I see you hm?" As soon as the brief respite had began it was over and Brent was silent again as the wonderful music filled the halls.
Rather gratefully, the young woman followed Brent's lead in handing the glass back to the waiter and folded her slender fingers in her lap.
This time she kept her eyes open when the music started again, and followed the movements of his right hand – perfectly in sync with the music.
Fascinating.
Relaxed, and even though she'd rather have jumped into the audience from their lofty box than admit it, happier than she had been in quite some time, Sakarra let the perfection of this moment settle in her mind. Slowly and deliberately, she exhaled.
The music drifted across the concert hall for at least two hours before finally the pianist stopped. He stood up his breath labored just like in a real concert hall before he bowed to the audience who gave him a roarous applause for his exceptional performance. Brent joined in as soon as the applause began, only then did it seem like he came out of his trance from the music that relaxed content smile on his face fading as he looked to Sakarra. "I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did," he said softly as he turned and looked to the Vulcan sitting next to him.
He would never admit it but for the first time he had actually been distracted during the playing of this set of solos. He had wondered if Sakarra was enjoying it as much as he was, and he wondered if he could get her to go do something like this again with him. She said that she enjoyed the type of music though... Her presence even just being here was enough to calm him down. He needed it, perhaps it was since he became an officer, Brent had felt wound up. Right now after listening to the music here with her the tension had melted away.
For several long moments, all that Sakarra was able to do was nod in confirmation.
At long last though the sound of the still ongoing applause was enough to make her fully aware of her surroundings again, and like a woman waking from a pleasant dream, she blinked languidly.
"Yes."
There seemed to be a subtle change in his body language, but her analytic mind still refused to fully reassert itself and so she had to rely on … intuition. She lifted her face to return the gaze out of eyes the color of the Alarmante Sea at dawn and found only a reflection of how she … felt.
Deeply relaxed, and wonderfully content in the here and now.
"Yes, I did. Thank you, … for ..." she made a small gesture with her hand, encompassing the concert hall before them " … this."
"The pleasure was mine. I enjoyed your company," he said softly. He offered her his arm as a good gentleman should while the people down below began to 'leave' the concert hall. "Let me walk you to your quarters," he said in the same soft voice. "It is not every day that I get to share this little passion of mine with a fellow lover of music."
Again, the young woman could muster little more than a gracious nod and carefully accepted the offered arm, her fingertips brushing across the unfamiliar fabric of the tuxedo.
She did not even bother to throw the coat back over her shoulders but kept it loosely slung over her other arm as they made their way out of the holodeck and into the cold, empty corridor.
Sakarra exhaled once more as behind them the program dissolved and Brent retrieved a data crystal before slowly walking towards the turbolift, a silent Vulcan by his side.
A murmured "Deck three" set the lift in motion and they emerged into yet another empty hallway. She realized that of course by now Charon would have switched to night illumination and chided herself good humouredly for still walking around as if in a daze. It truly was a good thing no one could see her like this. No one but Brent, she corrected herself, but for some reason, she did not mind if he thought her a bit silly. He had seen her weaker than a newborn Sehlat in sickbay, and disoriented after her healing trance, not to mention soaked and amused after their enterprise of bathing the Captain's children.
He would hardly be shocked to see there was a softer side to a Vulcan, rare though it was that it emerged.
She stopped in front of her quarters and looked up at him once again before inclining her head slowly in a wordless thank you.
Brent let her take her arm back as she bowed and he moved in front of her. "Thank you Sakarra. I always enjoy your company." The dim light added to her beauty, the raven hair that she had and the black dress that she wore. He smiled at her before once again leaning in and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Until the next time," he asked, hoping that she might respond in the positive.
This time, she had half expected it, although it sure had not been her rational mind coming to that conclusion. And rather than subdue the shock, she simply allowed it to happen, from the brief whisper of human breath traveling across her skin to the gentle brush of lips against her warm cheek.
Without thinking, she returned the friendly gesture by lightly placing her fingertips against his shoulder and her dark eyes were illuminated by a silent smile.
"Until then." She said quietly and turned for the door. When it obediently swished open, Sakarra paused and looked over her shoulder "Good night, Brent."
Fabric rustling loudly in the silence, she walked into her warm quarters, not even feeling the chill of the corridor she had just left.
As the door began to close Brent spoke up. "Good night Sakarra," he said back to her as she turned to bid him good night. When the door closed he stared at the door for a few moments before he reached into his pocket and withdrew the crystal that contained the program. "Thank you," he said softly and kissed the data crystal before he broke out into a large grin and turned to leave, heading back to his own quarters.
[End Log]
Brevet 1st Lieutenant Brent Warren
Marine Commander
Lt Cmdr Sakarra Tyrax
Chief Helm Officer
USS-Charon
