Second Chance Romance

Posted on 13 Aug 2013 @ 7:11pm by Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov & Commander Andreus Kohl

2,609 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Mess Hall & Kohl's Quarters
Timeline: MD -02 - 2222 hours

[ON]

Keval was tired of all the meetings he had been attending. He knew of course they were needed, but they usually digressed into long BS sessions, with people talking just to fill the time or talking just to hear them talk.

He was off duty now and would be for the next 48 hours so he wanted to make the most of it. He could have fixed himself something to eat, but didn't really have the kind of access to the galley that he needed to do so. The lounge then was the logical choice. Fresh food, hopefully and people around but no real pressure to talk with anyone if he didn't want to.

Having claimed one of the coveted tables beside a viewport was Andreus Kohl. Unfortunately, the Argelian medical officer was letting the view go to waste. Kohl was starting to become one of those hideously annoying people who comes to a social venue, gobbles up valuable real-estate, and then stares at a PADD. Working in his personal time. Truly tragic.

Keval looked around him as he entered and his face brightened when he saw Kohl. He walked over to where he was sitting. "Finding anything interesting?" he asked, because I make a much more interesting read, trust me."

A few seconds passed before Kohl lifted his sapphire eyes from the display on his PADD. He tilted his head back slightly, so he could consider the Andorian standing before him. Kohl rubbed the stubble on his chin, and he asked, "Pardon me?"

Keval gave the man a small grin. "Well I am sure that whatever your reading is relevant and no doubt pressing, but isn't one on one conversation much more satisfying? Especially when there are two witty and avuncular guys like us."

Wobbling the PADD between his hands, Kohl dryly said, "That would be true, if the entire hierarchy of satisfaction came from pleasure..." Kohl cocked an eyebrow challengingly at Keval and laid the PADD down on the table flat.

Keval's smile broadened slightly, he had at least gotten the other man's attention. "Actually I always thought that one should have balance in their life. Satisfaction comes from many sources pleasure is only one of them. Still it is an important one and I don't seem to recall any complaints about pleasure the last time we met, or didn't you have fun?"

"I had fun," Kohl said, but it came out defensively. He shook his head slightly, "But fun doesn't override my responsibilities. ...I'm not on Argelius Two anymore."

Both of he antennae moved forward slightly as Keval answered, "No fun doesn't override your responsibilities. That is why I talked about balance. You can't work 24/7.

Listen to me. I know about responsibility. I used to run a major corporation. If you don' spend time relaxing, having fun you'll burn yourself out and then you won't be good for anyone. Worse yet, you'll make an error that could cost someone their life.

Whatever is on that PADD can wait."

As he listened, Kohl looked up at Keval with impassive eyes. Kohl reached for his tumbler and he gave the synthetic whiskey a swirl. When Keval concluded, Kohl downed the last of his drink. For a heartbeat, Kohl closed his eyes and he grimaced, and then he said, "Do I look like someone who doesn't stop for fun? ...I don't think you'd be standing here if I did."

"No, you don't and no I wouldn't ," Keval admitted. "Speaking of which, are you going going to invite me to sit down or should I just sand here?"

Kohl cocked an eyebrow at Keval and then he gaze turned down towards the PADD on the table. "You should probably keep standing," Kohl said, "if you're going to give me sass."

"Who said I was going to be giving you... oh wait, you said sass," Keval said with a grin. "Seriously, I'll try to be good. Can I sit?"

Kohl slowly rolled his head back, as if to exaggerate just how tall Keval was standing. He looked to Keval through half-lidded eyes, and he replied, "Only if you bring me another drink..."

"That works for me," Keval said. "You drinking anything special or should I just get a bottle of Andorran Ale?"

"Well now," Kohl remarked. He sat up straighter, and he chewed on his lower lip, as he gave that question a ponder. Then he nodded at Keval. "Andorian ale sounds like the cure for what ails me."

Keval turned on his heel and walked away. He returned a few minutes later and sat the bottle of blue liquid on the table along with two glasses. Then without waiting for further invitation he sat down across the small table for Kohl. After pouring two glasses, he slid one across to the CMO.

"What is it exactly that ails you? There may be multiple cures."

As he watched the glasses fill, Kohl poured all of his focus and consideration into the bottom of his glass. His eyes were wide --he didn't blink one-- while he reached over and cupped his hand around the glass. Kohl pulled the glass close. He held it close and stared down into it. "It's my name," Kohl finally said. "The Captain knows my name now."

Keval sat back in his chair, the smirk that had been building suddenly gone. It took him a few seconds to respond. "And why would that be a problem?" he asked seriously.

"It used to be..." Kohl said ponderously, "When I failed or screwed up, all I'd get was a lecture from Pola. I'd flirt with her a little, and then I could get on with my work. That was the last I would hear about it. I'm a battlefield medic. But now. Now, the Captain knows my name. If I fail her, there's going to be demotions and court martial."

Each of Keval's antennae bent sideways as he leaned forward slightly. He reached out his hand and put it on the medic's right forearm. "Andreus, look I know I come off as being a smart ass and a flirt sometimes, but I can be serious. You have to give yourself more credit. We all make mistakes sometimes, but you're not going to fail, not in the way you think.

You're not going to be demoted and you're not going to fail. You're too good for that."

Lifting his glass, Kohl clasped it by the base with the pads of his fingers. He held the glass up to the light, so he could examine the colour and the texture of the ale. His timbre wasn't so dark, when he asked, "And what makes you think I'm a good officer?"

"First you really care about people, you really can't fake that, at least not for very long. Second, you're not cocky and don't think you're better than anyone else. Third you are really good with working with people. You know when to separate business from pleasure. Fourth you don't take yourself too seriously, but you do take your job seriously.

I don't know if you're good at organization or not, but I am good at that and if you need help in that area all you have to do is ask."

Kohl smiled faintly at Keval's words, but then he drown it. He brought the ale to his lips and took a pull. As Kohl set the glass on the table, he licked his lips and then he said, "I'm pretty organized."

As Kohl's tongue flicked across his lips, Keval was momentarily distracted by the movement and he had to restrain himself from thinking some rather carnal thoughts.

The conversation though had turned a bit serious however and he really didn't want to go there at the moment, or so he told himself. But then again perhaps Kohl just needed a distraction.

"So what can I do to help?" he asked looking into the other man's eyes his antennae curling back slightly, "I can help professionally or personally."

Shaking his head lightly, Kohl replied, "I don't know. I didn't think I was otherwise helpless."

"I didn't meant to suggest that you were helpless, indeed you are quite sufficient. It's just that everyone could use a hand."

This time, Kohl shook his head more definitively. He smirked at Keval and threw back another sip of ale. "I'm teasing you," Kohl blithely said. "I enjoy wordplay, even at the expense of communication."

"Well, I hope that playing with words are not the only thing you enjoy playing with," he replied returning the smirk as he swallowed some of his own drink, "Because I know I do."

"Well," replied Kohl, elongating the vowel in consideration; "No. I can't say I limit myself to words alone."

"And what else do you enjoy playing with?" he deadpanned.

"It's going to sound dirty," Kohl said. He shared a diffident smile with Keval, and then his eyes favoured the tabletop between them. "But I quite enjoy clay and ceramics."

That hadn't exactly been the direction Keval had wanted to go, but he thought it might be better to dial the flirting back a bit. Especially since he was and artist himself and actually interested in sculpture. "I sketch myself, but tell me more about your art."

Kohl smiled gently at that. In his younger days he may have boggled at such a question, but he had learned sensitivity to the differences between cultures one might find in the most unexpected of places. "I sculpt," Kohl said succinctly. He nursed his glass between his hands and he took another sip. "I don't know how to put a visual medium into words."

"Nor do I, which means the simplest answer is to invite me back to your place so I can see them myself." He did seem to appear genuinely curious and sincere in his desire to see Kohl's work, though there was still a faint hint of an ulterior motive in his voice.

In response, Kohl threw back his glass of ale and drank the last of it. As he was doing so, he pushed back his chair and got to his feet. He was no stranger to drinking on the move. He breathed out and he left his empty glass on the table. Wiping his lips with the back of his hand, Kohl set off towards the exit.

Keval followed close on his heels. His curiosity piqued. Was this just going to be a platonic meeting with Keval as a witness to Kohl's artistic prowess, or was it going to be, more free form, building on their encounter i the pool. He was hoping for the latter, but would have been happy with the former as well.

He wasn't sure what if anything he expected, or what Kohl might be looking for. Time would tell he supposed.

Kohl didn't look back. He didn't look over his shoulder to make sure Keval had understood to follow and that Kohl wasn't storming off. Kohl made his way out of the mess hall and moved quickly along the passageway sections that would lead to his quarters.

After an initial glance at Kohl's six, Keval was keeping his eyes focused on the back of the head of the swiftly moving CMO.

The doors to Kohl's quarters opened for him automatically, as soon as the computer recognized him approaching. He stepped inside the darkened compartment and stopped just inside the doorway. He moved to the left to make way for Keval.

Keval paused briefly till he saw Kohl stand aside, then he followed him into the room. As he doors swished shut behind them he said, "Now what?"

"Lights," was all Kohl said. As the illumination rose, the most obvious example of Kohl's sculpting was the purple, space-cephalopod that was mounted to the ceiling.

Keval stopped and looked up admiring the work. Both antennae were curled slightly forward. "That detail is amazing," he said after a short pause. Though I guess that shouldn't be a surprise, considering the artist."

"That was the shape of it," Kohl said distantly. He raised a hand and pointed at the sculpture, even though Keval was already looking at it. "That was the shape of my grief, when my father was killed."

Keval placed a hand on Kohl's shoulders. "I am sorry to hear that, Do you want to talk about it?"

"...No," Kohl said, but he sounded like he only realized he felt that way when he said it. "It's all there, you see. Anything I might say is right there." He pointed at the sculpture again.

Keval took a second look. The piece looked like it held a certain melancholy but he could not be sure. Sculptures were sometimes a bit harder for him to decipher than a drawing. However since some of his sketches were dark he could relate.

"That really is an interesting work. I can see some of the angst there, but I have to admit I probably don't see ever nuance. Show me more, what is that over on the table?"

At that question, Kohl laughed a little self-consciously. "It's not art, exactly," Kohl answered. He padded towards the side table at the piece Keval had indicated. "It's a wine carafe, I molded it from a kind of malleable crystal that grows in the caves of Alpha Eridani Two."

Keval gave him a wry grin as he took a second look, "Well it look almost s if it is alive. I've never see a carafe quite like it. What is your favorite piece? The one you just showed me, or is there another one?"

"There is no favourite," Kohl answered with a strength of conviction he hadn't displayed all evening. As he made eye-contact with Keval, Kohl was full present for the first time in their conversation. "They each represent my experience of different times and places I've visited. Do you have one favourite stardate in your life's experience?"

Keval studied the other man before replying. "No, not exactly. I have good memories and some bad ones. I think my sketches reflect that some are dark and some the opposite.

But still, I have one sketch, one I did when I was climbing the Eiger, is my favorite. I'm not sure why, but it is. But I guess other than that one, you're right they all reflect different parts of me."

First Kohl nodded at Keval's words, and then he said, "We'll have to go visit your quarters one night then. I'd be pleased to see more of you."

It took several moments for the words to sink in. I'd like to see more of you too." There was a bit of awkward silence. Keval wasn't sure what to do next. So many options ran through his head.

"So, uhh, what next?" he asked, "More talk, a drink, you want me to leave, a kiss, more? You tell me."

Replying to Keval's question, Kohl nodded towards the doors. "I'll walk you back to the mess hall," Kohl said warmly. He clapped Keval on the shoulder and he moved towards the doorway.

Keval's antennae which had been curling forward slightly, straightened, then curled back slightly. He was slightly disappointed given what had taken place in the holodeck, yet on the bright side Kohl had said he wanted to see more of him, so he decided not to push it. There would always be a second chance and when it was time to visit his quarters he would be sure to take the initiative.


[OFF]

Lieutenant Andreus Kohl
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo


PO First Class Keval Grayson
Operations
USS Galileo

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