Date night

Posted on Wed Jan 29th, 2025 @ 12:29pm by Commander Shr'Nesh Karadis & Lieutenant Drevas

2,284 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: The 'Eagle continues.
Location: Holodeck, USS Blackeagle
Timeline: Current.

It'd been a while since Drevas had had time to just sit down, relax and enjoy himself. No, really. Their last mission had taken a toll on everyone involved, leaving most without the time or energy to breathe. Now that the opportunity had come, though, Drevas' mind was on someone else. When Shr'nesh had written to him asking to meet her in her quarters with a winky face attached, somehow the Kelpien knew instantly that there was something on her mind - likely involving as little clothes as possible and aching pelvises.

Whatever the case was, he wasn't one to turn down invitations like that. With a small lemon meringue pie boxed up and carried in his hand, he'd made his way up decks to her quarters, in off duty attire consisting of a dark gray t-shirt and jeans, and rang the doorbell.

Inside her quarters, Karadis was in her bedroom when she heard the door chime. Calling out for the door to open, she walked out into the open area and watched as Drevas came in. She looked at him, and though her face didn't register it, she was a little disappointed in his dress sense.

She herself was in a bathrobe, she had wanted to see what he was wearing before she got dressed.

"Have a seat, I'll be out in a few moments" she said, returning to her bedroom.

This Drevas did happily, settling down on the sofa with the box placed in front of him on the table.

As she said, Karadis came back out into the open area dressed in black leggings and a white silk blouse. She noticed he had brought something with him which was boxed.

"A surprise?" she asked, pointing at it.

"Indeed. I heard you quite like this type of pie..." Drevas smiled at her and flipped the box open to reveal the slice of lemon meringue pie inside. "I haven't had time to make it by hand, but I assure you it'll be just as good."

~Not as good as the 'pie' your wanting to eat~ she thought to herself.

Karadis put her finger into the pie, drew it out and slowly put it into her mouth. Drawing it out very slowly and pushing it back in, she murmured, "Mmmmmhhhhmmmm...very tasty, lemon meringue, a good choice. So, what's on your mind for us to do this evening then, the night is young and we're growing older" she quipped.

Point number one of dating Shr'nesh - somehow or other, she'll always find ways to make things sexual in the most roundabout ways. Such as sampling that lemon meringue pie in a manner so deliberately slow and showy that it simply had to be intentional. Go figure, right? "I was thinking of taking you to Kaminar. There is a lovely walking trail near my home town, if you feel so inclined." Drevas answered. "If not, we can certainly stay and... well, see where the night takes us."

"The walk sounds lovely, I'd be very happy to do that, and we can take in the sights of your home town" Karadis replied, "It would be nice to see where you grew up."

"Would you like to sample the local fare? Most non Kelpiens find our cuisine quite enjoyable." Drevas offered. "I know just the market stall in the town center. Do you like seafood?"

"I would love to sample it, and yes, I love seafood" Karadis asked, "Is there a speciality dish, or would you rather keep that as a surprise?"

"I think I'd like to keep it a surprise - for now, at least. Though rest assured you will love it. I hope you don't mind that it can be quite herbal-tasting, however." Drevas stood up and offered her his arm to take. "Shall we?"

"I'm open to new things, many new things" Karadis replied, placing her arm through his, "and I think we shall. Once we're back though, I think we need to discuss something, and she looked him up and down...you need to be more adventurous."

When Shr'nesh used the word adventurous, the word took on a rather liberal meaning, to say the least. She could've meant anything from a more colorful shirt to an outfit that barely covered any part of his body - and he wouldn't have been surprised if the latter was what she really had in mind. Drevas did not mind an upgrade to his wardrobe, nor was he body shy - but there was a hard line in the proverbial sand when it came to what he considered too much, and then he'd need to put his hoof down and let her know. Of course, until that time came, Drevas was more than happy to let her suggest additions to his wardrobe.

The couple were out of her quarters and below decks in front of the holodeck in a few short minutes; Drevas typed commands into the holodeck control panel and hit the door control panel. The scent that immediately gusted through the holodeck was briny, a little herby and a little spicy too, tickling at the nostrils. Lying ahead of them was what appeared to be a busy marketplace of sorts, filled with Kelpiens and a handful of other species milling around. Drevas led her to one stall in particular: a food cart peddling what appeared to be some kind of thick seafood stew the color of beetroots. "How spicy would you like it?" Drevas turned to Shr'nesh to ask.

"Oh, I like it as spicy as it comes" Karadis answered, "the question you should be asking yourself is, how spicy do you like it?"

Drevas' response was a slight smile, and nothing else. He spoke with the vendor briefly, and, in short order, he carried a bowl of stew that was indeed reddish in color - though this time it certainly had an orangish tinge to it, in addition to what looked like a scraggly orangish chilli as a garnish on top. "Well, this is the highest level Kelpien vendors normally serve. Beyond that..." Drevas made a hissing noise through his teeth. "Either way. Here." He handed her a spoon to eat with. "The calamari used in here tend to be the part most offworlders like about the dish."

Karadis took the bowl and sniffed at the contents within. The Klingon's sense of smell was quite heightened and she bared her teeth in what was almost an evil smile, "It smells good, let's hope it's tastes as good as it smells."

Taking the spoon Drevas had handed her, she took some of the stew and placed it in her mouth. She let the spices settle on her tongue, and chewed the fish content slowly, allowing it's taste to mix in with the spices. Finally swallowing the food, she took another spoonful and did the same, this time chewing a little faster. Looking at Drevas, she smiled and said, "It certainly doesn't disappoint Drevas, this was a good choice, I like it, I like it a lot. It could be a little more spicy, but the balance is more or less right. Are you going to have some yourself?"

Drevas smiled back at her and ate a spoonful himself. One could see his cheeks redden some almost immediately, but he did not let on. "There is a lovely dessert that one of these stallholders sells as well. Better than lemon meringue pie in my personal opinion." He led her onwards through the bustling market, passing the bowl between them to eat from as they walked. "Though it isn't quite as easy to make. Have you ever had steamed rice dumplings with fruit?"

"I can't say I have" Karadis replied, "though I'm not one for desserts, unless it's my just if you know what I mean. I'm more of a main course girl, like the dish we just shared. So, it's up to you if you want to have the dessert, I would be just as happy settling for the pie, wouldn't you like some of my pie instead?"

"Of course I would." Drevas smiled back at her. Indeed, Shr'nesh seemed to always find ways to make things sexual in some way - whether that was good or bad, he wasn't entirely sure. "Before then, however. The hike is still ahead of us, unless you'd like to stay and explore the town first?"

"No, I think we should go on the hike" Karadis replied, "but please tell me there's things to see along the way and it's not just all hills, grass and flowery fields, that would be soooooooo boring!"

"No, not at all. Come. You'll like it. Computer, bring us to the edge of town, please." The scene shifted around them at Drevas' request, placing the couple at the start of a forest trail. A gust of wind breezed by, ruffling their clothes and leaving a mildly floral scent behind. Drevas took Shr'nesh by the hand as they progressed onward, pushing onward through the trees on a dirt path that seemed quite well-beaten indeed. Drevas made sure to point out some of the local wildlife along the way; mostly small insects, some of which seemed to glow faintly as they flitted by in small cloudlike groups.

"There is a spot here some couples go to when they want to be alone." Drevas suggested along the way. "We could detour to have a look if you'd like,"

Karadis was very interested in what Drevas pointed out to her. Despite her seeming the hard unfeeling Klingon she was perceived as, she did have an interest in nature, not that she shared it with anyone. Regarding the place he pointed out, she was indeed interested, "Yes, a small detour to there would be lovely" she answered, "but what do we do when we get there?"

"You'll see, my dear." Drevas offered no further comment on the subject beyond pointing out some more types of wildlife before the two detoured to the left, walking down another forest path before the two emerged into what seemed to be a forest clearing. Contained within seemed to be a cluster of tall, glowing mushroom-like flora, tall enough to sit two beneath the caps at least. Drevas sat beneath the tallest and smiled, patting the spot next to him. "There is an event that takes place here, but we'll need to wait... well, a few minutes more, if you'd like."

"I'm not a Targ" Karadis replied, gesturing that the patting of the ground he did was not on. She did however take a seat on the ground, "What kind of event are you talking about, and please don't say it's a surprise, I hate cliches?"

Avoid that, then. In Drevas' thus far sparing love life, his previous partners hadn't really minded the gesture. If anything they thought it was quite cute. Of course, with a prideful Klingon, maybe it shouldn't be terribly surprising that Shr'nesh might take that the wrong way.

"Computer, fast forward program timing by five minutes." The computer beeped and, right on cue, the mushroom like structure they were currently sitting under began to glow a brilliant light blue color, starting at the base and rippling upward in a manner that was almost mesmerising to watch. The others followed suit, each their own vibrant color of red or orange or blue.

"Our teachers used to tell us that the reason each of these mushrooms does this is when it passes nutrients up its stem to the cap, depending on the type of liquid travelling up it, different types of cells become stimulated... something like that. I've never been outstanding at the sciences." Drevas murmured as he watched the display take place. "The authorities close off this clearing, and some other areas like it, in the spring, however. That's when these large fungi spread their spores - and those can get everywhere. Including one's lungs."

Karadis stood up again and walked across to the giant mushroom like plants. Her fascination on their colour change was plain to see on her face. She reached out and touched one of the leaves, it had an almost flesh like feel, but smooth with it. "Nature in all it's beauty" she whispered to herself, then caught the fact that she was allowing herself to break free from the characteristics that she normally showed.

She turned back to Drevas, "Tell me, what happens to anyone who does breathe in the spores?"

"Usually? Nothing. Though the authorities prefer to close off this grove and others like it at such times." Drevas smiled and walked up next to her. "I have heard it said that some individuals who are allergic tend to suffer the usual symptoms you might expect. Otherwise, yes. This is one of the most beautiful sights Kaminar has to offer."

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or so I've been told" Karadis replied, "and what does your eye tell you Drevas?" she asked.

There was chirrup from her COMM badge, and just before she thought Drevas was about to reply, she held up her hand for him to wait.

"Karadis here" she said after she tapped the badge.

"Sir, Commodore Kerr wants to see you, he was most insistent" the reply came back.

"Tell him I'm on my way now, Karadis out" she answered, closing the link. She looked at Drevas, "Sorry, we'll have to finish this some other time."

She stood up and made her way to the holodeck exit and as she went she said "Computer, exit." The doors appeared and opened before her allowing her to leave.

 

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