Meeting New Faces

Posted on 13 Apr 2016 @ 5:54pm by Lieutenant JG Randolf Eklund & Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov
Edited on on 16 Apr 2016 @ 9:13pm

3,293 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Holodeck
Timeline: MD 01 0830

[ON]

Randy glided across the ice, feeling the wind in his face. He'd already worked out, so this was just for pure enjoyment. He loved the sound of the ice beneath his skates, the feel of the smooth surface as he flew across it, and the play of his muscles as he balanced and propelled himself. He never understood how his brothers hadn't seen the beauty of skating as he had, only focusing on it as far as it applied to hockey and competition.

Years ago Randy had seen the skaters enjoying themselves before his pee wee hockey league had taken over the ice, and he'd been entranced. he knew it wasn't something he was supposed to like, though. His brothers and father had made that clear, but he couldn't help himself. Even that young, he'd known he was different. He'd secretly watched holos, and every moment he had to himself where he could reach the ice had been spent practicing and teaching himself the spins, positions, jumps, and anything else he could. He now knew it was nothing to be embarrassed by or ashamed of, but it was still something he tended to keep to himself.

Access to holodeck technology had opened up new opportunities. He'd been able to create teachers for himself and even a few partners. Today, though, he was simply enjoying himself. Losing himself in music and movement, losing his attention to his surroundings in the deep thoughts and problems he was pondering, and losing his sense of time.

Keval had, had an especially grueling day in Operations and he just wanted to relax. The way he did that, if he weren't painting, was to to do some free climbing, so he'd reserved some time in the holodeck and as soon as his shift ended, he made his way there.

Running a few minutes late and assuming the place was empty he barged in. only do find himself in someone else's program. A lone, rather attractive figure skating my himself.

"I'm sorry," he said,"did I interrupt something, I thought I was supposed to have the holodeck now."

His concentration lost, Randy didn't exactly stick the landing he'd been practicing, unless landing on his butt, legs still crossed was considered 'sticking it.' This was one of the many reasons he didn't ever skate like this in front of anyone else. Luckily, he had plenty of practice at falling on the ice, so beyond a bruise or two the only thing truly hurt was his pride. As fickle luck would have it, though, he slid to a stop right at the feet of the man who had distracted him.

Only then did Randy realize how hard he was breathing. That was a sure sign he'd been at it far longer than he'd thought. "Damn it," he muttered to himself. He rubbed off his hands on his pants before he looked up. And up. From this angle, all he saw was blue legs heading up, shorts and a climbing harness, a broad chest hidden behind a shirt, then a bit more blue skin farther up. It was a face, blue skinned and very handsome. There was a look of concern on that face along with more than a hint of laughing humor in the golden eyes. The shockingly white hair was perfectly mussed, and the agitated antennae pulled it all together.

"I'm sorry," Randy apologized as he started to rise. He was grateful he'd spent enough time on the ice that he didn't stumble while doing so. "I must have lost track of the time. I," he flushed a bit pink, "I am usually very good about being done before anyone else shows up." He looked at the man again now that he was standing. He wasn't as tall as he'd looked while Randy was flat on his back at the man's feet, but he was still powerfully broad and handsome. "It's Chief zh'Erinov, isn't it?" Randy recognized the man for the personnel files he'd been reviewing. "Randy Eklund, Security," he said holding out his hand.

"That's right," Keval responded with an easy smile, displaying white, even teeth. He held out his hand, "and don't worry about it Mr, Eklund, the cold air feels really good and refreshing. I used to skate a bit myself. I'm the one that should apologize, you were looking pretty good out there until I caused a distraction."

"Thanks," Randy nodded a bit shyly. "I don't normally skate in front of other people. I guess I just lost track of time." He took a moment to take in everything Keval was wearing. "I'm glad you're Andorian, otherwise you'd be freezing." Now that he'd stopped exercising even Randy was beginning to feel a bit of the chill, though it wasn't all that bad to him. "I'm guessing mountain climbing? Certainly not anything to do with ice." He reached down to put the guards over his blades.

"No, nothing to do with skating, its been too long. Compared to back home, his is positively balmy. Do you want to join me he asked,"I mean it never hurts to have a climbing buddy to watch your six."

"I haven't climbed in a while," Randy mused, "but sure. Why not? It's an entirely different use of muscles, and you never know when the skills might come in handy." He looked down at himself in thermal layers and skates. "I might need to replicate a change of clothes and some shoes, though." He chuckled softly.

"Well you can do it while I'm changing the program. I promise not to peek while you change."

Randy smiled while walking over to the arch. He had had a confusing couple of days, so it was nice to be able to push himself a bit and work out some of the stress. He looked over at where the Chief was checking his own gear. He thought to himself that the man had a very nice six to watch as he stowed his skates, which were not replicated, and began to change into some warm weather clothes and climbing gear. "Where are you planning on taking me, Chief?"

"Spiderock," Keval responded as the ice rink disappeared replace by a stark, but beautiful desert and the temperature soared from below zero to close to 90 in the span of three minutes.

Randy's system was struggling to compensate as a bit of sweat appeared on his brow. Luckily, the environment was fairly arid, so it evaporated quickly. "Wow!" He looked around them. "It's really beautiful here. I think some classmates came here while I was at the Academy, but I had to study for an exam and didn't go. Have you been here before?" Randy busied himself putting on and testing his own climbing gear.

Keval watched the other man, both of his antenna curling forward. "Yeah, I love it," he said as he stepped closer to Randy, "It's not as nice as the real thing, but it will do. Here, I think you missed a spot." He leaned in and adjusted a strap just below the Security Officer's left collarbone.

The sun and heat had heated his skin, so when Keval's cool fingers touched him is raised a bit of goose flesh. "Thanks," Randy replied. "Like I said, it's been a while. I know, it's the holodeck, safety protocols, blah blah blah. I think I've fallen on my backside in front of you enough for one day, though. I'd like to prove I can at least climb a rock without slipping."


"Oh, I don't mind, the Andorian responded, "it was kind of nice to... helping you out. And I have the safety protocols saved at seventy percent, just to make it more realistic, so doing things right is key. I always treat it like it was real.

"And to be honest with you, watching you fall down was cute in a way."

Randy snorted, which probably wasn't the cutest way to laugh, but it was what happened. "Well, at 70% I could still get pretty banged up, so I'll do my best to not be that particular kind of cute again while we're climbing." He probably just meant it in the 'oh how cute, look at the silly man falling down' kind of way, but it was still nice to hear. He chose to interpret it in a way that helped soothe his bruised ego.

"Well I've done this enough times, I would free climb if it were just up to me, but I'm not going do that with an inexperienced partner. So, we're going to be tied together. And I'll take the lead. Just do what i do, I'll keep you safe."

Randy suppressed a small smile. "You know, I'm in Security; that's usually my line. But I...appreciate it." Like he said, it was usually his job to protect others. It was surprisingly nice for someone else to be offering to protect him for once. "I'll do my best not to let you down."

"Well, I'll make a deal with you, if we're ever in combat, I'll let you protect me. Oh, and I am sure you won't be letting me down."

"Good. I'm glad we've got that settled, then," Randy caught himself smiling again. He checked his equipment again. Even though he'd be following in Keval's path, he needed to make sure he had anything he might need. "So, have you been climbing long? I only started at the Academy, so it's still fairly new to me."

"Well," the Andorian responded as he started up the path to the cliff face, "I started back when I was in High School. It was a family thing. And besides, I think I'm a little older than you. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He wasn't quite sure where it was coming from, but after the week he'd had Randy needed a little distraction. "Oh! And older man? And an experienced one as well? Perhaps I'd be safer keeping both feet here firmly on the ground. But who wants to spend his life being safe?" He gave Keval a sidelong grin as he finished checking all his equipment was secure. "And you probably aren't that much older than me. It's the hair, I think. The blond makes me look like I'm still a kid."

Keval smirked at the security officer, he couldn't help himself. Running a hand through his own hair he said, "There's nothing wrong with older, more experienced men, " he said, "they have a lot to offer. And I guess the hair does make you look younger than you are, but there's nothing wrong with that either."

"At least we're lucky you're blue. Now you won't have to deal with the embarrassment of everyone thinking you're my father, right?" Randy was having trouble holding in the laughter at this point.

"I'm not that old. But I might suggest that a father son kind of thing requires a different kind of program."

"True," Randy thought. "Rock climbing is so much harder with a walker, I would think. We could always go for some aqua-aerobics if your heart can't handle this kind of exertion, da." Randy was greatly enjoying teasing this man. He hoped he wasn't pushing it too far.

"Oh, don't worry about me," the Andorian returned with a mock frown, "I think I can manage to get whatever needs to be up, up. And we'll see who needs a walker at the end of the day."

"Alright then," Randy said, his cheeks pinking a little at how he'd first taking Keval's words. "Let's get to climbing. I think I'm going to enjoy the view." He paused for a beat. "Once we get to the top."

Keval laughed, "Only when we get to the top?"

"Well, certainly once we get to the top. Anything along the way," he just smiled, "I'll let you know as things develop. Alright?"

"Sounds good to me." Keval said as he checked his equipment for the final time, before starting to climb.

Randy suppressed a smile as he began to follow. At first his mind wandered to watching Keval, watching his body move, more than it was watching where he was going and what he was doing. After he slipped once, though only slightly, he started paying more attention to what he needed to do to keep himself from needing a trip to sickbay. "Sorry about that. I guess I was just enjoying the view a little too much. Won't happen again, at least not while we're hanging off a cliff face."

Keval had felt the slight tug on the rope and had glanced down to see Randy regain his grip. "Well nothing wrong with enjoying the view, as long as you keep your head in the game."

Randy didn't know if the man was saying things specifically designed to be taken more than one way, or if it was just his own currently unfocused brain. He'd already had a workout before Keval had walked into the holodeck, then he couldn't resist sticking around for another one. when the Andorian had offered. Now he knew that if he didn't get his head out of the gutter and back into the game as Keval had said, that he could end up endangering them both.

"Right," he took a deep breath before checking his own holds. He moved up carefully but quickly, using the same holds Keval had just vacated. "Physical exertion after you thought you were done? That's the first thing they list on the position description for Security. You keep focused on our path; I'll keep focused on following you."

Keval nodded but didn't bother to reply verbally, deciding to take his own advice on focusing. He continued climbing until he reached the top. Then he held out his hand for Randy.

Randy was generally a proud man, and proud of his physical abilities, but a long climb after his other workout combined to overpower that pride. He gladly took Keval's hand and allowed the other man to help him reach the summit. He just stood there for a moment, hands on his knees, making sure his legs were going to hold him before he straightened and looked around them. "Wow, that view really is amazing." He turned back to Keval, he exhaustion overpowering his sense, "and this one is pretty amazing, too."

Keval turned a slightly deeper shade of blue. "Thanks," he replied, "I'm flattered and I'm pretty impressed with both views too. I'm assuming you're single?"

Randy sighed, "Thanks, and I'll go with yes, I'm single. Had dinner with someone not too long ago, but he's been burned and doesn't want to be anything more than friends right now. And friends are good. I'm new here, so I need friends." He left unsaid that he also wanted someone that was more than a friend. "How about you?"

"I've been burned too. More than once, but I think my helpless romantic succeeds my cynic. So I'm willing to give a relationship a chance. I mean with someone.

"I'm sort of seeing someone too, but its not serious at all."

"Of course," Randy sighed. "All the good ones generally are already seeing someone or getting over someone...or me. I'm not sure how 'not serious' it is, but I've been on the other end of that before. I certainly thought it was serious when he apparently didn't. I'm not saying you're that kind of a guy, and I'm not even sure you were asking because you're interested, but once you figure out how serious it actually is, let me know if you are interested."

"I think it's pretty much casual for both of us, which I kind of vowed I didn't want to do. I've never really been one of the nice shoe's let's fuck types. But sometimes things just happen."

Randy nodded. "I appreciate the honesty, and I do get that. I enjoy sex as much as anyone else, but I prefer to to mean something, too. And I prefer not to share. I grew up with two older brothers and a baby sister, so sometimes I was forced to share; I make up for that now." He winked at Keval to let him know he was tying to make light of his selfishness. "And, like I said, I kind of went on a date recently myself, so I'm really in no position to judge."

"Anyone I should know? I hope its not the same guy."

"I'm fairly certain it's not the same guy," Randy laughed. "But as for you knowing him, well, I've only just met you. How would I know who you should or shouldn't know?" His eyes sparkled with mischief. "I suppose it's possible, though. But until it becomes relevant, I think I'll allow him his privacy. He's working out a lot of personal issues, and I'd rather not give him more to deal with. I'll just say that it isn't even 'not serious' between us, in fact it isn't anything other than friendship at the moment, so..."

"So, why don't we do this. An impromptu meeting in the holodeck and some rather harmless flirting between two rather cute guys doesn't give either of us much to go on.

"Sooooo, why don't we have an actual date. You know just to see it there's any possible spark."

"That..." Randy pondered it for a minute, "is not a bad idea." He wasn't dating anyone. Keval said he had been casually seeing someone, but not seriously. Randy would take him at his word on that. "As long as you are sure you're unattached, and I am sure I am unattached, then there is no problem. What did you have in mind? Dinner, perhaps?"

"Yeah, just something simple like that. Are you free on Saturday night?"

"Not anymore," Randy smiled. It was fun having somebody who teased him right back, especially someone as attractive as Keval. "I'm on Beta shift, so my nights and days are a bit turned around. I'll make sure to get in a bit of a nap to reset myself, though. I'd hate to fall asleep in the middle of dinner. That might give you the wrong impression."

He considered for a moment and then offered, "would you like to meet up in the Mess Hall, or...well, I grew up cooking. If you're willing to risk me poisoning you, we could meet in my quarters. I haven't been assigned a roommate yet, so we might have a bit more privacy."

Keval's left antennae curled forward and a smile played at his lips. "I love cooking too." he said, "and more privacy isn't a bad thing either."

"Alright. How about this? Come over around 1730. You can make some of your favorites, I'll make some of mine, and we'll eat around 1900?" Randy suggested. "Nothing like sharing a kitchen to help two people figure out if they can get along."

"That is an awesome idea, I'll see you then. Now, would you like to just end the program here, or would you like to repel down to the bottom."

"We can repel, but I think that will just about do it for me today." Randy got a wicked look in his eye, "Are you wanting to reverse our positions on the way down? Perhaps check out the view in return?"

"You sir, have a warped and twisted way of thinking. And it sounds like a perfect idea."

"Thanks," Randy smiled. "I suppose you could say I was inspired by the view on the way up."


[OFF]


Lt.jg Randolf Eklund
Asst. Chief Sec/Tac
USS Galileo

CPO Keval zh'Erinov
Operations
PNPC Jared Nicholas
USS Galileo

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