To be or not to be (part the first)

Posted on Sat Jan 1st, 2022 @ 5:47am by Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr & Commander Samantha Howard
Edited on on Wed Jan 5th, 2022 @ 11:10am

Mission: Sinister Intentions
Location: Sam's Quarters
Timeline: Before T’Vall goes walkabout

Sam sat in her quarters, a mixture of feelings coursing through her body. She knew she had hurt Valev by not responding to his advances but she also felt overwhelmed by them. She did have feelings for him but they were still developing, unlike his seemed to be. She felt as though she were lost at sea and looking for direction, unable to find it in the tides of emotion.

Valev T’ghrek sat in his quarters looking into space. He knew he had lost his chance. He had gone too far too fast pushing Sam with his enthusiasm and plans. His life was so prescribed and set. Every day was worked out to the ninth degree by his aides and his life had not been his own for over twenty years. He had felt free for the first time over the last few days with Sam.

If a Vulcan could have been seen to be having fun then he had. Planning his ‘dates’ as he had taken Sam out of her comfort zone, too far as it now seemed. Yet, he felt the need to see her again, to talk to her and set things right. He dressed and set out for her quarters. Outside he stood for a while receiving strange looks from crew members. He pressed the chime and waited.

Somehow she knew it was him, who else would be chiming her at this hour? She froze for a minute, was she ready to tell him what she was thinking and feeling? Or could he already feel it through the bond they had established on their first night. Her head swam with the implications and considerations.

"Come in" she finally called, rising and ordering two glasses of wine from the replicator.

The door opened and he stood there looking at her. “Sam” he said hesitantly. “I had to come and see you, to explain and to try and make amends.”

she placed the wine in his hand, partially so she could start on her own. There was almost a spark as their fingers touched ever so slightly.

"I just need to slow things down a bit" she blurted as she took a long sip of the wine, the alcohol giving her boldness. "You have everything planned, I don't even know who I am at the moment...or ever"

He took a sip feeling the spark as their fingers touched. “I needed to explain to you why. My life has been one of plans, if it not as an Ambassador then as the leader of my House. I wanted you in my life so much I packaged and fitted you in forgetting your needs. I want you in my life in whatever way you can fit me in.”

She led the way to the couch and plonked down into it, folding her legs underneath her and curling against one of the cushions. "I want you in my life,. It I also want to be courted, persued, the lingering desire from one date to the next. Having an entire dating period done in two days was a bit much" she couldn't believe she was saying what she was. Normally she was reserved, quiet when it came to her opinion and now she was giving out willingly.

He sat next to her. “I understand and will do whatever you want. I need your complete honesty or it is not an equal relationship and I do want that with you. To have a relationship.” He nearly told her he loved her but stopped short. It seemed that was what she did not want. He sipped the wine resisting the need to take her in his arms. “There is so much I do not know about you and you about me.”

"It has been so fast, there's been no time to just talk about things. About hopes and dreams, career and futures" Sam continued, sipping the wine and feeling her body relax. "I want my career, but I also want a family, that I do know. The rest is still unclear"

“I want to hear it all, your hopes and dreams and your future, which I desperately want to be a part of. I want you to think about me and include me in those. If you want me to I can stay for two weeks before I need to go back to Risa, or I can leave now and return at a later date.”

"Stay" the words were out before she could either stop them or consider them fully. " I need to at least know what your favourite colour is"

“Very well, two weeks to begin to get to know each other, blue my favourite colour is blue, dark blue, light blue any colour of blue. And yours?”

She mused over the question, adding a sip of wine into the equation. "Purple, I think, it's been so long since anyone has asked my favourite colour" she giggled a little.

“The colour of royalty Queen Sam, “ he bowed his head.”and what does my queen want from her subject?”

"We're equals remember?" She laughed at his antics " but what I do want is honour, loyalty, communication, and unconditional love."

“I can give you all of those, you make it easy. I only have one request, that is to be true to me whilst we are together, no other men…or women, just you and me?”

"Considering Ive been on my own for the last 15 years, I don't think that will be a problem" Sam admitted, blushing a little at the admission. She'd been so involved in her work and career that everything else took a back seat.

He took her hand and kissed it feeling it’s warmth play on his lips. He found himself scared to say anything in case it was the wrong thing.

"Please Valev, say something." She pleaded as she bared her soul to him. "I'm not going to go running off, I just need us to slow things down just a little."

He sat back. “What would you like to know about me Sam, in the first instant I mean?”

It was a broad question, one she should have been prepared for but ultimately wasn't. "Geez, loaded or what?" She laughed as she emptied the wine glass "why are you attracted to me? There's a thousand prettier, smarter, more intelligent women out there, why me?" She finally settled on. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn't eaten in a long time.

He heard her stomach rumble. “Why don’t we talk over food, I have a lot left over, or we can walk to the mess, or we can use your replicator?”

"There was leftovers?" She asked, her stomach growling in anticipation. " I guess that means a dinner date then" she quipped, rising to her feet and extending her hand to him.

“My quarters then.” He said taking her hand and tucking it into his arm. “Shall we go?” He asked as they sauntered out into the corridor. “My quarters are not as exciting as the holodeck but they have the food, and as I am staying for a couple of weeks I can do some interior design. Before I leave you must visit my ship the T’Planna H’ath and see the differences. But, for now once we have satisfied your stomach, I will satisfy your curiosity as to ‘why you’ .

"Sounds like a deal" Sam followed his lead, accepting the offered arm and trying hard not to blush as they passed several crewman in the corridor. She realised she was starving and her stomach growled in a most unladylike manner. "I hope you know what you're getting into, I get the Hangries"

Valve noted her blush and dropped his arm so she could walk on her own, it was obviously too soon for her to let others know she might be involved. He reckoned that when she was ready she would do so.

One of the things he loved about her was her honesty and her grumbling stomach. They entered his bare quarters apart from some now replicated fabrics and throws.

“Please sit Sam and I will prepare something. He busied himself in the small kitchen and doom smells of heating and cooking food wafted out.

She curled up on the lounge and contented herself with observing him as he busied himself in the kitchen, delicious promisings drifting out and making her mouth water

"Whatever it is you're cooking, I'll have seconds" she called hungrily

he placed fresh cooked scrambled eggs, toast, thin slices of steak, a little stir fried mollusc with nepthe. Tea and orange juice, fresh squeezed. He handed her a plate and silverware. “Help yourself” he said. “Pouring himself some tea he sat opposite her and crossing his legs he enjoyed watching her load her plate.

She was on her feet and at the table the minute he emerged from the kitchen area, unabashedly hungry. She loaded her plate quickly, taking portions of all the offerings and trying to to salivate over it. "You realise the way to a woman's heart is through her stomach" she said around a mouth full of food.

“So, in answer to your question, ‘why you?’ Well in no particular order you are beautiful to me, you have a grace and a strength I have not seen in a human for …well ever. You are incredibly intelligent and you care deeply about your profession and your patients.” He paused to sip tea and think. “You like me, that is important and you never ask me why I do not smile. You are interested in places other than here…such as Vulcan. I could go on but as you are blushing now I think I had better stop and let you finish your food.

She regarded him with eyes that couldn't believe what her ears were hearing. No-one had spoken so elequantly and never about her. She had shared meals with interested men before but none had treated her in such a way.

"I don't know what else to say other than 'thank you' she said honestly. "This food is delicious by the way, I'm so glad you can cook, I believe there is water somewhere I've burnt."

Valev actually smiled, well as much as a Vulcan can smile.”one thing you should never do is thank me, I have a wonderful time when you are with me. We are so different and to me you are like a fine wine I have just discovered.” He sipped his tea. “There is so much we should know about each other, I want to know about the young Sam, brothers, sisters, parents, as much as you want to tell me.” He took a little portion of steak from her plate and popped it into his mouth. “There is so much more food, help yourself.”

" Oh I will trust me" Sam guarded the rest of the plate like a starving child. "What's wrong with thanking someone? Thanking shows gratitude and I am grateful to have you around" She protested around another mouthful of food.

Another smile tried to escape around his lips. “I am glad to be here Sam if only to provide you with sustenance which you clearly are not getting!” He poured himself another tea and offered her one.

" You're doing more than feeding me, which is more than anyone else has ever done" She retorted as she finished with her plate and accepted the cup of tea. She moved to the couch, curling her legs underneath her and leaning against the cushions, the cup of tea in her hands. "So two weeks... then what?" she asked.

“I think that depends on how the next two weeks go don’t you. I have some appointments on Risa that will keep me there for six weeks. Then there is nothing to keep me for six months unless there is diplomatic incident. I usually spend some time on Vulcan getting House of O’Kaan affairs in order spend some time at the beach house then maybe go to Earth to see friends. I suppose my life is fairly nomadic. I presume you get leave, but I am pretty sure you have never taken any?”

"Leave? What's that?" Sam snorted as she took a sip of the tea and looked at Valev over the rim. " I would love to have you around for another two weeks. Shall we see where it takes us?" She asked with a crooked grin.

“I shall have to make plans not to make plans then Sam, and I need to be guided by you around your duties, but you have to answer my questions about you. Whenever I ask you questions you very successfully turn the conversation round. You are a closed book to me. Please open you life to me and I will do the same to you. What do you say?”

"You don't enjoy a mystery, or peeling the layers of an onion?" Sam replied coyly. "To be entirely truthful Ive never been comfortable talking about myself" she admitted after a beat, hastily taking another sip of tea. "I was born one of the southern continents on Earth, a hot and dry place it was"

“To most people talking about oneself is not a comfortable thing. To a Vulcan it just ‘is’ a series of facts that have led you to the person you are today. So we never mind talking about ourselves. To some people that means Vulcans are arrogant, always talking about how they are better than others.” He looked troubled. “That is something I have had to contend with during my life.”

He sipped his tea. “I spent three years in school in a city called London on Earth. My father sent me there as he and my mother were travelling.” He looked up to the ceiling obviously disturbed by the memories.

“I was what you would call a ‘sensitive boy’. One of the children I became friends with took me out of school to meet some of his other ‘friends’. They were a racist gang. They fractured my scull, broke both my legs and lacerated my heart. “

I only lived as he had a change of heart and called a medical team but I spent 6 months in a coma. After that my parents took me everywhere with them. That was just as bad, I had no friends other than adults.” He stood and poured himself another tea, sat down and sat quietly filled with his memories. After a few minutes he looked at her. “This is the first time I have spoken about this. I am sorry to have brought the conversation down.”

"Please don't apologise, it's part of what makes you who you are. My history is nowhere near that exciting. My parents were doctors, my brother is an engineer, and then there's me. We didn't move around much, I wanted a little bit more than a village practice so I joined Starfleet" Sam revealed some of her own history.

“So what about men, women in your life ?” All he wanted to do was take her in his arms that minute.

"Or complete lack there of" Sam looked down at her empty tea, "It's been pretty lonely, but I've always had my work to keep me busy I guess" She admitted. " So... meet me for breakfast tomorrow morning?"

“I would love that Sam, By the way my ship arrives tomorrow so I can offload a few of my possessions some books, papers for two weeks. Can I give you dinner on board and show you round?”
It means I can see you twice in one day?”

"I'd like that - but right now I really need to get some sleep, as much as I have enjoyed our conversation. I'd love a tour of your ship though then it arrives" She smiled at him.

He stood and drew her to her feet. I will bid you good night then Sam, I hope you sleep well, do you wish me to walk you home?” He kissed her cheek and then her lips gently.

" It's ok, I'm just up the corridor. I expect you at my door at 0700 tomorrow morning though" She squeezed his hand.

~ 0655 The next morning ~
Valev stood outside Sam’s quarters for a few minutes composing himself. He wondered what to expect given her seeming aversion to cooking. Eating however was another thing. He had never seen a woman eat as much as Sam and he loved it. It was so refreshing to see someone at home with themself despite her blushing, which he also loved. He kept asking himself why she had not responded to his overt effort to sleep with her again and he feared she had decided that part of their relationship was not to be and that saddened him. He sighed and pressed her door chime.