Slightly Awkward

Posted on 03 Jul 2013 @ 11:25am by Ensign Im'er Mor'an & Lieutenant Jacob Pendleton
Edited on on 12 Jul 2013 @ 1:42am

2,482 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Observation Lounge
Timeline: MD 12 - 2300 hrs

ON

Sitting by herself in the lounge, Mor'an sipped her tea contentedly. This was the first few moments she had to herself outside of her quarters in quite some time and she was glad for it. Thoughts were darting around inside her head, everything from the last away mission where they had found the artifacts, to the roses that Jacob had left outside her door; she was trying to contemplate them all at once. She gazed out the window, motionless.

On the other side of the Lounge, Jacob sat. His eyes were focused on his fold out keyboard. Working out some lyrical and stanza changes he looked at his mjusic sheets and put his fingers to the keyboard; his voice, deep, clear and sweet:

"My baby makes me proud
Lord, don't she make me proud
She never makes a scene
By hanging all over me in a crowd
'Cause people like to talk
Lord, don't they love to talk
But when they turn out the lights
I know she'll be leaving with me
And when we get behind closed doors
Then she lets her hair hang down
And she makes me glad that I'm a man
Oh, no-one knows what goes on behind closed doors
My baby makes me smile
Lord, don't she make me smile
She's never far away
Or too tired to say: "I want you"
She's always a lady, just like a lady should be
But when they turn out the lights
She's still a baby to me
'Cause when we get behind closed doors
Then she lets her hair hang down
And she makes me glad that I'm a man
Oh, no-one knows what goes on behind closed doors
Behind closed doors."
(OOC: http://youtu.be/O3iEFfA4TmI)

Looking over her shoulder in surprise, Mor'an caught sight of Jacob. She hadn't realized he was in the Lounge. The sound of his deep voice was unexpectedly pleasant as it drifted over the Lounge, filling it. She had never known a man to sing in public for no reason, so this musical performance from Jacob was surprising. Unsure of whether she should greet him or not, Mor'an opted to remain quite. Maybe he didn't know she was here.

Jacob smiled to himself as he finished; he then looked back at his sheet music and did some writing, made notes and notations, played a line or two of parts of the music and went back to his editing. It was clear he was practicing and editing his music as if he were either getting ready for a concert or just doing it to relax and unwind.

Mor'an curled up on the couch, mug of tea cocooned in her hands, and observed Jacob as he played the bits of music. She was certain now that he was unaware of her presence and she decided that, for the time being, she would keep it that way. The song he was playing was foreign to her ears, but she found that she liked it a great deal.

Jacob spread out his musical sheets as he rearranged them, put some away and added more to the mix. He shuffled the sheets around until he was apparently satisfied with one that he seemed to like. He wrote some items on the sheet and then began to play:

"What - a - difference you've made in my life
What a difference you've made in my life
You're my sunshine day-ay and ni-ight
Oh what a difference you've ma-a-ade in my li-iiife

What a change you have made in my heart
What a change you have made in my heart
You replaced all the bro-oken par-ar-arts
Oh what a change you have ma-a-ade in my hear-eart

Love to me was just a word in a song
That had been way over-used
But now I've joined in the singin'
'Cause you've shown me love's true meanin'
That's why I want to sprea-ead the new-ews

What a difference you've made in my life
What a difference you've made in my life
You're my sunshine day-ay and ni-ight
Oh what a difference you've ma-a-ade in my li-iiife

What a difference you've made in my life (listen to it)
What a difference you've made in my life
You're my sunshine day-ay and ni-i-i-ight
Oh what a difference you've ma-a-ade, yeah-eah

What a difference you've made in my li-ife
Difference you've made in my li-ife
What a difference you've made in my li-ife
You're my sunshine day-ay and ni-ight
Oh what a difference you've ma-a-ade

Go ahead and sing it

What a difference you've made in my life
What a difference you've made in my life, yeah-heah-eah-eah-heah
You're my sunshine day-ay and ni-ight
Oh yeah, sing it to me
What a difference you've ma-a-ade

What a difference you've made in my life, woh-oh-oh-oh
What a difference you've made in my-y-y-y life
You're my sunshine day-ay and ni-ight
Oh what a difference you've ma-a-ade
What a difference you've ma-a-ade, in my li-i-i-iiife-iiiiiii-hi-ife"
(OOC: http://youtu.be/ax3h5kpwCGI)

Afterwards he looked back at the sheet and made a single notation to the top, smiling, he rotated his neck around as his muscles were tight from sitting that long. A waitress soon appeared with a tray that held two of Jacob's ubiquitous soda's that he was always seen drinking. He thanked her, but she lingered, obviously ogling his massive muscular body. She played with her hair and leaned in enough to expose her neck and upper chest to him in a very seductive way; however, Jacob hardly took notice of her advancements and kept working on his music sheets, finally the waitress asked, "Why did you put this 'Mor'an' next to the title of the song?" Jacob replied, "Because this one I want to dedicate to someone special when we have a crew talent show." He smiled at the waitress and went back to work. The waitress looked disappointed for a bit and then walked back to the bar.

Ears sharp as ever, Mor'an picked up the quick exchange between Jacob and the waitress. She grinned. "Then I shall thank you in advance," she said, her voice low yet able to carry across the way to Jacob.

Jacob's face went white as he looked up to see the lovely Mor'an sitting all the way across the Lounge. He gulped, blushed and then tried to act with some sense of dignity as he spoken in a broken voice, "Umm... oh.. well... I.. um.. that.. I mean this was.. um.. yes.. this was meant to be heard at a later time.. um.. but.. now that you've heard it.. I guess you like it.. um.." His voice trailed off as his thoughts of what to say failed him completely.

Mor'an uncurled from her seat and padded over to sit next to Jacob. "I did not know that you could sing so well," she said, peering at the papers strewn about. She wasn't sure what else to say. Her mind went back to the roses left outside her door. Should she thank him for the flowers, the poem and now the song?

Jacob smiled, "Thank you for saying that. I come here to the Lounge when its late or not very populated to work on my music. It is much better than being stuck in my room."

"Well, when I cannot sleep I, too, come here," Mor'an said, "To think or meditate." She sipped from her mug of tea and tucked her feet under her. When she sat in this manner she looked smaller than usual, almost childlike. "How long have you been working on my song?"

Jacob looked into her lovely eyes, "About two days to get it just right. I wanted it to be perfect when the time came. I wanted you to really like it..."

"It would appear that I have heard it whether it is ready or not," Mor'an said with a grin, "Was it ready? Or did I hear it prematurely?"

Jacob smiled wider, "It's ready. More than ready. I... I actually couldn't wait for you to hear it to be honest. I was just hoping it would be at an all staff get together or something like that.. I like to show my talents to others... not just that I am a big, strong guy or that I am just a scientist, you know?"

"I understand," Mor'an said with a nod, "It is like when people first meet me. They see me and think that I just a wisp of girl. They do not understand that there is so much more to me and my people." She laughed gently. "I am not sure if that makes sense."

"Perfect sense actually." Jacob replied, "More than perception, more than just object to judge... too easy to make assumptions.. it is not something I do. I cannot simply judge people on that first impression nonsense. I need to know more. Maybe its the scientist or the curiosity in me, but that is how I am." He looked her deep in the eyes, "From what you have shared with me so far, I believe I really have a liking for your people..."

"It the novelty that you find appealing," Mor'an said in a low voice, "We are different from your race, just as the Vulcans or the Klingons are. In a few decades we will be no more fascinating then your next door neighbors." She grinned. "That is, if the elders will allow or culture to be shared with the Federation."

Jacob replied in a low voice, "I hope that your elders will share your culture with us... I would be very sad if your culture wasn't something we could learn about and from." He continued to look her right in her eyes and felt himself "falling" into them. He finally said after a few moments in a mischievous voice, "I... heard... you got some flowers.. heard they were pretty too.. must have been from some nice guy..." a sly smirk crossed his face.

Raising an eyebrow, Mor'an smirked at Jacob. "Please," she said, "Do not flatter yourself. To be honest, though, I was not quite sure what to make of them. Is it normal in your culture?"

"Yes, yes it is... I was taking a chance you see.. a chance to get your attention.." Jacob looked down a moment and mustering all his courage then continued, "... I find you.. I find you to be an incredible woman Mor'an. I am.. fascinated by you.. you are.. powerful, confident, intelligent.. and.. of course.. beautiful...." He blushed and his heart began beating at near light speed it seemed as he spoke.

"Well, thank you," Mor'an said with a smile. "You must realize, though, that things are not done that way in my culture. I live in a culture centered around rituals. There are rules to be followed and people to ask permission of." She shrugged delicately, as though that explained everything that she was missing the words for.

Jacob nodded, "I see. Culture is a beautiful thing indeed. And I even though I am not versed in your culture, I deeply respect whatever is expected of me. So, educate me Mor'an, what would a man like me have to do to win your hand and your heart?"

"I do not know that my elders will allow that," Mor'an said, "Regardless of what you may be willing to do." She glanced away for a moment. "Let us not think about that right now," she went on with a smile. "Tell me about this song you are singing for me." In truth, she wasn't sure how to respond to Jacob and was trying to cover that fact.

Jacob's expression became sad but he obliged her, "Earth has had many a musical love affair; its culture is filled with many varieties of musical form as unique as the people that come from my world, and for some of us, music is the very fabric of life. It fills our days, our nights, our work, our leisure... all of it.. it fills our very spirit... for me, the earlier days of Earth's music are my favorite times. From the early to middle of the Twentieth Century to the late Twenty First Century music are the poems and the prose of my life... this song, a beautiful popular and country ballad from the decade of the Nineteen Eighties, and sung by a person who who was blind and yet also a brilliant pianist by the name of Ronnie Milsap, exudes all the emotion I was feeling at the time..." He paused for a moment and then looked at her again, "I have trouble expressing myself in emotional times like these.. and so music becomes my words and my expression..."

Mor'an nodded. "I understand," she said. She leaned down to place her now empty mug on the floor in front of her. Hand now free, she wrapped the robe she had been wearing closer around her and nestled down into the couch, resting her head on the back of it. "Music is am integral part of my culture as well," she said, eyes downcast as though she was remembering something, though she did not expand any further. "It is wordless, though, much like our everyday lives, our rituals and training."

"Wordless huh?" Jacob replied in great interest, "So then, is it only melody? Only rhythm then?"

"No," Mor'an said slowly, "We have an...unspoken language. But it is not a signed language either. It is a...a mental language." She looked up at Jacob, hoping he was understanding her bumbling attempt at an explanation. "All you would be able to hear is the medley, but I would be able to 'hear' so much more."

He nodded, "That must be quite a wonderful experience. I certainly wish I could experience that."

He never would and Mor'an knew that. She didn't say anything, however, letting silence settled over them. After a moment, sure uncurled from her position on the couch.

"I must be getting back to my quarters," she said, standing and picking up her mug from the floor.

Jacob stood up with her and looked at her, "I.. ok.. might you be up for having dinner with me tomorrow?"

"I suppose," Mor'an said slowly, as though pondering his question, "Shall I meet you in the mess hall?"

"That would be wonderful. 1900 hours?" He replied with a hopeful tone in his voice.

"Yes," Mor'an said, "Yes, that will work." Without another sound, she inclined her head towards Jacob in farewell, turned and padded silently from the room.

Jacob watched her until she disappeared, saddened not to have her company he sat back at his flexible keyboard and just began to play a sad bluesy tune of his own creation.

OFF

Lieutenant Jacob Pendleton
Chief Research Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign Im'er Mor'an
Operations Officer
USS Galileo

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