[USS Charon, Eris Deck Main Lounge]
Brent blinked at her admission. "Oh. Then I guess I'm the one to be sorry then. I didn't mean to cause that, I was just trying to be helpful is all," he said omitting the part about how it was pretty blatant flirting to most humans. He nodded though and made a note to keep that in mind.
He heard what she said that she would be willing to sing for him and that made him grin. "You would? Really? I'd be honored to hear you sing sometime Sakarra." Brent motioned for one of the waitresses to come and take the bottle away from them less they be tempted to drink more than they already had. "You'll have to tell me when and what piece you will be performing."
"Please, do not apologize for something intended as courtesy. I am usually perfectly capable of shielding from other's thoughts and feelings, unless the contact is surprising, intense or both. The fact I am somewhat …" one slanted brow rose marginally with barely contained humor "… incapacitated at the moment is something you could not have known."
Even though the whiskey had been removed from their table, the number of curious glances directed towards them had apparently only increased. In fact, it had reached a point where even the young Vulcan could no longer fail to notice.
"Would you object to moving our conversation to the lounge upstairs? We seem to attract an undue amount of attention, although I am not certain for what reason."
It wasn't exactly as if they were sharing a table with happily guffawing Klingons.
"Not at all," Brent said and stood up casting a few glances around wondering just what they were looking at. Oh right he had just hit on a Vulcan. Maybe Brent should have picked a more secluded place for this meeting. "I'm sorry about the attention. Perhaps next time we should pick a better place for it? Since this place seems to be a bit popular."
He hesitated for a moment to help her up. He didn't want to trigger something again in her by simply touching her but he didn't know if she was incapacitated physically as well as mentally. "Do you need help or are you well enough to walk," he asked her in a very quiet voice.
This time, it took quite a bit of effort to stop the corners of her mouth from twitching.
"I am quite well. Perhaps a bit too well, all things considered."
With a fluid motion that qualified as positively exuberant for a Vulcan but would simply be seen as cheerful elegance by a Betazoid, Sakarra got out of her chair and as if on cue, the rest of her hair came undone. A waterfall of black spilled down to her waist, and it was only her still very much intact sense of decency that prevented her from uttering a colorful metaphor. Or laugh. Possibly both.
"How did you put it? I should have expected that."
Small, slender hands moved to twist the unruly hair back into its former shape and the young Vulcan's sensitive ears picked up the sigh emanating from Mr Grax as well as the muffled 'ow' when his shin became the recipient of yet another kick.
Tilting her head towards Brent, Sakarra indicated she was ready to leave and he politely motioned for her to walk up the stairs first.
Thankfully, the lounge was much less crowded than the mess hall and the young woman's favorite table was unoccupied. With the same fluid grace that held slightly more ease than one would expect, Sakarra settled in her favorite spot after Brent had nodded, obviously finding the location suitable. It was a splendid view from the large window, the stars shining even brighter because the lights were more subdued here and the seating arrangements provided a fair amount of privacy.
"It seems I must apologize again, Brent. At least part of the attention we attracted may have been due to an unwise choice in hairstyle. I hope I have not made you the target of undue gossip. Mr Grax and his friends can be somewhat … exuberant in that aspect."
"Rumors and gossip? I never really touched the stuff myself," he said as Brent took a seat opposite of Sakarra. He had to admit that she looked pretty good with her hair down. However given all of the fuss that she made about it happening, Brent figured that it would be best to tell her that some other time. He looked out at the stars as well... For him the endeavor was normally one filled with apprehension. A marine was always extremely vulnerable until he set his boots down planetside...
"The owners downstairs seemed to know you. Do you come out here often? Or do you know them from someplace else. You don't owe me an apology, if people talk, they talk. It's not like I can stop them from doing that."
He was right of course, although on occasion the antics of certain people prying into private matters could be mildly exasperating.
"It is difficult to not be known when one is the ship's second officer." Sakarra nodded to a holographic waitress who had silently approached and brought another glass of tea, courtesy of Miss Betty, before turning towards the young Marine.
"And of course Mr Tisdale was my 'roommate' if you will after the events at Lyrilia when the crew had to share quarters due to several decks becoming uninhabitable. Apparently, he and his associates see this as sufficient reason to consider me an honorary member of their circle. I will admit I am not certain how to interpret their behavior; however I do not believe it is meant to convey anything other than a strange type of affection."
Eyes shining with regained good humor, the young Vulcan leaned slightly forward, resting her chin on loosely folded fingers. "As for your earlier question – I had not quite planned a full 'performance' as you put it, but if you have any preference, please feel free to make a request."
"Ahh you had to room with that old man? That had to have been interesting? I suppose he considers you a wayward daughter now of some kind? Only want what's best for you but does so by butting in at random and perhaps inopportune times?" Brent said wondering if he had hit it on the mark. He had a DI like that back in Basic, one from his home planet who had kicked Brent's ass up and down the field countless times till he learned discipline and respect. Brent still felt indebted to the man, but somehow he doubted that Sakarra felt the same way with this Mr. Tisdale.
"No no. I didn't mean to sound like I was expecting anything. Just you, and singing. Maybe even a glass of that whiskey before or afterwards. Since I would assume that it would be in a private setting," he said with a smile before turning to the holowaitress and ordering a simple lemonade.
"Your assessment is … astonishingly close to what I suspect as well. At least I have no other explanation for the repeated 'butting in', which incidentally is a most appropriate phrase to describe the Commander's behavior." Stifling a small sigh, the young Vulcan remembered Mr Tisdale's last unannounced visit and his repeated attempts to get her to join in 'Poker Night'.
"He seems to be under the impression I require assistance in 'loosening up' although I cannot say I know for sure what that means."
She studied Brent's endearing smile with a marginally tilted head, wondering not for the first time how one with such an impressive stature could radiate such gentleness.
"A private setting would certainly be preferable, yes. However, I am accustomed to entertaining specific requests." The usually so serene and unmoved features on Sakarra's face shifted ever so subtly, matching the warm undertone in her voice "You may consider it a family tradition that my foremother or I would play the lyre on certain evenings, and of course anyone present would be free to ask for her or his personal favorite."
Brent laughed softly as she confirmed his beliefs about the man downstairs. "Ahh. You have my sympathies then Sakarra. I hope that soon enough he sees the error in his ways and learns to leave you alone to explore your personal life on your own."
When she mentioned the request that made him think and he took on a serious look as he was thinking it over. "Do you have any experiences in singing songs from Earth? It would be of a similar vein to what we listened to in the holodeck. I must admit that my knowledge of Vulcan and Betazoid music is... Well quite limited, and by quite limited I mean I don't know any of it."
"As do I." she murmured, hiding the beginnings of a smile behind steepled fingers "Although the laws of probability suggest that when dealing with such a determined individual, the hope is likely to remain just that – hope."
With her composure more or less intact again, she reached for her tea and realized she was humming a quiet little melody as she reviewed some songs in her head. Raising an amused brow at herself, the young Vulcan looked back up at Brent.
"Obviously, the answer to that would be yes. And while I am certainly partial to songs by Berlioz, I will admit to favoring operas by Bizet, Puccini and Verdi." Safe to assume he had already recognized the telltale melody of 'Carmen' due to her small lapse in concentration, but once again Sakarra found she did not at all mind showing a usually quite private side of herself – in this case a tendency to indicate a state of quiet joy in an audible fashion.
"But I am also more than willing to learn something new if you would like to point out an interesting piece."
[To be continued …]
Brevet 1st Lieutenant Brent Warren
Marine Commander
Lt Cmdr Sakarra Tyrax
Chief Helm Officer
USS Charon
