ILLUMINARRPG: (4, 1900) SFI Michael Weston and CMO Lt. Dr. Quinna Solice

[Kris Bailey]

Mission: Death in the Shadows

Day 4

Stardate: 2446.02.04

(USS Illuminar-Deck 2- CMO Quarters- SFI Michael Weston/CMO Dr. Quinna
Solice-1900)

Michael stood outside the door to Quinna’a quarters wondering why he was so
nervous.  After all, he’d spent time in the company of many women over the
course of his career.  But this night was not in the course of his career.
He rarely spent time in the company of someone he liked or cared about what
happened to them.  Just having a connection with another person was
dangerous enough, forget any romantic entanglements.  And was that what
this was?  A romantic entanglement?  Was he even still capable of having
one of those?

Finally, he took a deep breath and pressed the door chime, holding
something behind his back.  He felt silly, but it seemed appropriate.

Quinna had been looking at herself in the mirror.  She had not really taken
a good look at herself in days. “Come,”  she called out as she stepped
around the corner to see Michael standing there.  She then searched him
with her eyes to see if his body told a story about his meeting with the
Captain.  She wondered how long they would have before he ended up
leaving.  “Hi,”  Quinna greeted.

Michael stood up and smiled down at the doctor.  It was the first time he’d
ever seen her in clothes that weren’t part of a uniform, or surgical in
nature.  She seemed to be wearing a flowing gown that appeared to be
Vulcan-like in origin.  It made his own outfit look a little…
underdressed.  She looked dazzling.

“Hi back at you,” he replied.  “I love your outfit.  Vulcan?”

“Just a treat a Vulcan helped me with.  Will you help me with this?  Quinna
passes off a bracelet.  She could not seem to get it latched.  She had
never seemed to have problems in the past.  She moved closer to Michael and
handed him the bracelet.  Before he could do anything, Quinna put her hand
on his cheek and leaned into a kiss.

Michael took the bracelet, and they kiss and returned it.  But now his
hands were full and he felt a little fumble.  He brought his right hand
from behind his back holding a single red rose.

“I discovered the ship had a rose garden,” he said, holding the flower
out.  “I hope I don’t get in trouble for picking one.”

Quinna took a step back, she looked at the rose, “It’s beautiful,”  Quinna
said.

He took hold of her wrist and clasped the bracelet on it.  Now his hands
were free, and he used the moment to hold onto Quinna’s braceleted hand.

Quinna was able to quickly locate a place to put the rose.  The wine bottle
on the table was the perfect place to stick the rose.  “So what do you have
planned?”

“Well,” he said, “I was thinking about dinner.  But unless you want me to
cook for you and I’m not sure what you like?  I was thinking, and I was
wondering how you felt about picnics.”

Quinna was surprised.  She always enjoyed them, when she had them.  “Any
special place you have in mind for the picnic or maybe I should close my
eyes and take your hand?”  Playing coy was not Quinna’s forte.

Michael smiled.  It was cute that she seemed as lost as he felt.  “I
thought about the shuttle bay, but I understand it’s a little preoccupied.
But I think I can find a good place in your holodeck, assuming they’re
working.”

“One is in use as a temporary sickbay, but…”  Quinna wanted off Deck 5.  It
was too close to work.  She thought about the Arboretum but it was too
Typical.  She did read about small chambers on the Jeffries tube system
where there were viewports.  She wondered if that was too intimate of
location, but she shrugged.  “How is your shoulder.  Feel like crawling?”

Michael gave Quinna a quizzical look.  “Now there’s a question I don’t get
asked every day.  My shoulder is fine.  I suppose it depends on the reason
for the crawl.”  He gave her a little growl.

“Follow me,” Quinna took his hand, “Um, where is the food?”

“Well,” he said stepping towards the door.  It slid open and he reached
around the corner and brought back a rather sizable wicker basket.  “I
wasn’t sure what you liked, so I packed a little of everything.  This is
going to be an evening of discovery.”

Then he pulled out a bottle of a translucent blue liquid and winked.
“This...took a bit of procuring.  But I think you’ll enjoy it.”  He placed
the bottle back in the basket and closed it.  “The rest will be revealed at
our site.”

“Well then, let's go.”  Quinna led the way as she did have the ship
schematics memorized.  They took the turbolift to deck 12.  There, they
entered the closest Jefferies tube. Within 5 minutes, they were in an
opening.  There was a view of space.

(USS Illuminar-Deck 12- Jeffries Tube 17 B- SFI Michael Weston/CMO Dr.
Quinna Solice-1915)

Michael had to admit that he was happy when they finally stopped.  His
shoulder was starting to ache from the weight of the basket, as he crawled
through the tube.  However, when he managed to catch his breath he had to
admit that the view was spectacular, and he wasn’t really looking at the
stars.

“This is quite a little place you have here,” he said admiringly.  “Do you
bring all your man friends here?”

“Actually I take them to another place, but you deserved your own special
spot.”  Quinna teased.  “I am sorry, you look like you are in agony.  Do
you have a pain killer with you?”

Michael shook his head, “No, I’m okay.”  He leaned his back against the
wall of the tube.  “I’m not used to this.  I’m used to being fairly
indestructible.  It’s already passing.”

Then he reached around into the basket and pulled out a red, plaid blanket,
and tossed it one-handed across the floor.  He moved the basket to the
middle of the blanket then scooted himself into the middle.  All the time
he kept talking.

“Really?  Another place?  I’d like to see that place.  And find out who you
took there, and what their intentions were.  I don’t do well with
competition.”

Quinna smiled, “You are leagues above your competition,”  Quinn moved close
to Michael.  “So what do you have here?”  Quinna pointed to the basket.

Michael made a huge display of removing each item from the basket.  First,
he pulled out a large serving plate.  Then he pulled out a long stick of
meat, a variety of cheeses, and a round of sourdough bread.

“For the food tonight I present … a Telarian salami, several forms of
cheese, from a sharp cheddar to a more mellow Vulcan cheese, and San
Francisco sourdough.”

“You must have my number, I never can say no to a good cheese,”  Quinna
replied.  The smell of the food was intoxicating.

Then he pulled out the bottle again followed by a pair of large wine
glasses.  “Andorian wine is difficult to get hold of these days.  But
apparently, somebody on this ship knows somebody.”

He opened the bottle and poured the blue liquid into the cups until they
were half-filled.  He handed one glass to Quinna.  Then he swirled the wine
in his glass and took a sip.  He smiled approvingly at the sweet taste of
the wine.

Quinna took a sip, it was some of the best wine she has had since Bajor.
She was being spoiled by Michael.  She wanted this moment to last because
she knew that he would be leaving soon.  “The bouquet of the wine is
pleasing,  I have not had anything like this.  You certainly have
connections onboard.”

Michael gave a wicked smile, “I wish they were my connections.  I just know
where people tend to hide stuff.  I’m pretty sure that when they find it
gone they’re not going to be happy.”

He held his glass in the air between them, “Here’s to … discovery.”

“To Discovery.”  the glasses clanged.  Quinna knew now that Michael had
some answers that she was wanting, “So how was your meeting with the
captain?”

And so the discovery began.  “I think all in all it went well.  I will need
that weapon back when we get back to … reality.  But there was some bad
news.  You aren’t rid of me just yet.  I’ve hitched a ride for a little
while.  At least until this mission is over.”

Quinna was shocked, “Wow that answered the question I did not want to ask.
So we have some time together then.”  Quinna reached over and touched
Michael’s hand.  “I think I can handle that bad news.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” Michael admitted.  “But I should tell you
that the longer I am here the more of a danger I present, to you and to the
others on the ship.”

“You know, some people are worth the danger.  I know it has been just you
for a long time.”  Quinna said, “You will realize that sticking around may
not be a bad thing.”

Smiling Michael looked into Quinna’s eyes and softly says, “I kinda getting
that idea.”

He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips.  As he felt her
return the kiss it became stronger and impassioned.  When they separated
they were both a little out of breath.  Without moving his eyes from
Quinna’s he asked, “Are you still hungry?”

Quinna looked at the food and then back at Michael, “No, I am quite full
right now”

“Good,” Michael said as he reached over and pulled Quinna to him.  He
rolled her onto her back and brought their lips together in a manner that
meant they were not going to separate for a while.

(Reply none)

(Posted by Al Muir and Kris B)
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