First dates (Part 2 of 3)

Posted on 20 Aug 2016 @ 1:41am by Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov & Lieutenant JG Randolf Eklund
Edited on on 20 Aug 2016 @ 1:42am

2,387 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: USS Galileo - Eklund Quarters
Timeline: MD 27 - 2040 local

[CONTINUED]

"I'm pretty open," Randy said. "I never really traveled before I joined Starfleet, so just about any place will be new for me. I spent a lot of time in San Francisco at the Academy, but other than that and a few away missions on my previous ships, pretty much all I know is a little patch of rural Minnesota. I'm guessing you've seen some pretty impressive places, though. Why don't you surprise me."

"I have a few ideas, "Keval responded, "I think you'll like it. A little romantic, but then that's the idea isn't it."

"A little romantic sounds perfect, actually," Randy pulled the vegetables out of the oven while Keval finished the salad. In just a few minutes, everything was ready and on the table. "So we'll eat, then go for a nice walk. God, it sounds like what my family thought of as 'dating' back on the farm." He laughed. "I think it's hilarious that I left all that behind just to come out here into space to do exactly what they'd want me to be doing...well, except that you'd be a woman...and human. So maybe not exactly what they'd want, but close enough."

Keval smiled across the table from Randy. After taking a bite, chewing and swallowing, he said, "Close enough, works for me. I have never had any desire to be a woman just so you know. I'm not exactly the feminine type. Doesn't seem like you are either."

Randy laughed at that. "No, definitely not a woman here. And if I wanted to date a woman, I would. Love and respect many of them, just not attracted to any of them. So," he grinned across the table at Keval, "I'm not at all disappointed that you're very much a man."

Keval continued to smile, "Once again, the feeling is mutual. any plans for the future?"

"The future?" Randy paused. This wasn't exactly where he'd imagined this discussion heading, but he thought about it. He'd dated several people for quite a while before realizing that they wanted vastly different things in life. Maybe talking about this in the early days of dating wasn't such a bad idea.

"Well, I love the work I do, love security. I'm just one of those people who feels a need to protect others. That's why I got into this department in the first place. And, I hate sounding vain, but I think I'm good at it. I've run teams in the past, but this is my first real command position. I hope I'm up to it. I'd not really given much thought to becoming a security chief. I'm still not sure that's what I want, but I've been surprised at how much I enjoy some parts of the job. Maybe it's something I need to pursue after all."

He paused and looked up at Keval. He hadn't really voiced a lot of those observations before. It felt good to have them out there, and a lot more intimate than he'd expected. "What about you? Oh, and was...that the kind of thing you meant, or were you meaning the future more personally?" Randy had seen way too many holo rom-coms where one character had been asked some vague question about professional issues only to answer in an embarrassingly personal way. He hadn't wanted tonight to turn into one of those cheesy movies...though they did generally turn out to have happy endings.

Keval remained smiling as Randy spoke, even leaning back a little in his chair, his right antennae curled forward. "Professionally is what I meant," he replied, "though I wouldn't have minded hearing about some of your more personal goals.

And while I like being in Starfleet, it's not ultimately where I want to wind up. Someday, I'd like to go back to the private sector. I helped run Eagle Communications, was the CTO till things went to hell, thanks to my dad. At first, I really hated being there, but it kind of grew on me.

I'm not saying I'm ready to leave tomorrow or anything. In fact, I'm even considering becoming an officer. But I just don't see myself staying here for more than ten years or so."

"Ten years," Randy turned that over in his head. "That's a good time frame. I'm not sure exactly where I'll be in ten years, but I can't imagine myself working outside of something security related. Maybe not throwing myself in front of phaser fire anymore, but still. Like I said, I'm a protector. But...I imagine I'll want more out of life than just that, too. I told you I was raised in a pretty conservative community, right?" He waited for Keval's nod before going on.

"Well, I may have left the community, but that doesn't mean they've left me. I think their values of home and family are good ones, just not that easy to apply the way they want to me, and certainly not right now. But someday, when I find the right guy, I want that. I want a family, a home. Maybe those are the things I can protect once I start getting too old to keep throwing myself into combat situations." He grinned at that. There was a reason that most of the front line security personnel were young.

"Well, we're both looking for the same thing," Keval said, "I'm a helpless romantic at times and I want to find the right guy to settle down with myself. I haven't had much luck so far."

"I should hope not," Randy chuckled. "If you'd found 'the one' and were sitting here on a date with me, I'd have to kick your ass." He smiled, showing he was just teasing. "And you can see that I clearly haven't had much luck, either. Having an assigned roommate is about the most long term relationship I've had in years."

The Andorian finished his food and sat down his silverware, "Well don't take this the wrong way," he said, but I'm kind of glad you haven't found someone yet."

"I promise to not take it the wrong way if you do the same." Randy smiled. "I'm kind of glad you haven't found someone yet, too."

Keval's smile broadened, "Do you need help with the dishes, or would you like to take our walk first?"

Randy thought for a moment. "I appreciate the offer, but let me just store the leftovers, then I'll recycle the dishes and things. I'm looking forward to our walk. No need to spend the evening doing dishes." He quickly put away anything that might spoil and sent the dishes and things back through the replicator. They were dematerialized leaving the kitchen area once again clean in just moments. "See? All ready, and...all yours."

Keval nodded in agreement and the two men made their exit. It was only their first date and the Andorian had no idea how Randy felt about public displays of affection so he made no attempt at holding his hand.

They reached the holodeck and before entering the Operations officer punched in the code to run his program. As the doors opened a briny odor wafted towards them on a warm breeze. The sun was just starting to set, red shafts of sunlight radiating off of the aquamarine surface. Pond fronds swayed gently above them as the doors slid shut.

"I love sunsets," Keval said, "I hope this okay. I didn't want it to come off as to cliche or corny."

"You are a romantic," Randy grinned, "luckily I grew up on a farm, so I happen to like corn." As they walked into the holodeck, he slid his hand into Keval's. "But it's even more romantic if you hold my hand while we walk, don't you think?" He kicked off his shoes as they started, wanting to feel the sand between his toes. "So," he tried to change the subject a bit rather than focus on his own hopeless romantic tendencies, "is this someplace you've been? Someplace special to you?"

The corners of Keval's lips turned up as Randy's fingers entwined with his. "Yes, it is more romantic. yeah I've been here before. It's where I went after the trial." He too kicked his shoes off and water rolled over their feet as they walked along.

"It's beautiful," Randy said softly. He wasn't sure if Keval had positive or negative connections with this place considering the circumstances, but he'd brought Randy here on a date, so that seemed positive. "I didn't grow up anywhere near the ocean. There was a pond we would go swimming in during the summer, but no tide or waves or sand. Just some mud and rocks for a beach and whatever ripples the occasional breeze might kick up."

"I grew up near San Francisco, in the Marina district, and I've always loved the beach. It wasn't as warm as here which I actually kind of like, but most people found it to be too cold. So did you to a lot skinny dipping when you were a kid?"

"As a kid?" Randy raised one eyebrow. "Not really. Later on? No comment." At that he smiled a bit wickedly. Of course he'd gone skinny dipping as a teenager whenever he thought he and Garrett could get away from both their parents and his siblings. "And I'm guessing your home planet was a bit too chilly for a lot of skinny dipping. Is that a habit you picked up during your misspent youth on Earth?"

"Well my home planet would be a bit too chilly for humans to go skinny dipping, but not us Andorians. And I never did go skinny dipping. I've just heard about it. And I was very good growing up. I was what you call a Boy Scout."

Randy let out a mock gasp. "You scouted for boys growing up? That sounds downright naughty, if you ask me. Precocious, but naughty." He laughed at the thought of Keval showing up in his Boy Scout troop meeting and how much it would have surprised his community, but excited him. "And if you've never been skinny dipping, then you don't know what you've been missing. Your adoptive family clearly feel down on the job of properly educating you. Maybe we'll have to have a remedial class sometime."

Keval stopped in mid-stride, he had to, he was laughing too much. "Your mind pretty much stays in the gutter doesn't it?" he asked after he had recovered, "but that remedial class sounds like a good idea. I think you should be in charge of our second date."

"I can do that," Randy smiled. "And just because I think you should have a go at skinny dipping, that doesn't mean my mind was in the gutter. I went a few times with my brothers when we were hot but didn't have swimsuits with us. And there was nothing sexy about that. Of course...you don't look anything like any of my brothers, thank the gods."

"It was the comment about my scouting for boys that made me think your mind was in the gutter, but I'm glad to know that I don't look like your brothers, or that you don't either apparently."

Then, as the sun slid into the ocean, Keval closed the distance between the two of them and brushed his lips against Randy's.

Randy didn't get the chance to explain that he actually looked a lot like his brothers, but he just wasn't enough of a narcissist to find that look attractive. Instead, his mouth was too busy being kissed. And his arms were soon full of male muscle as they slipped around Keval. When he came up for air, reluctantly, he sighed and lowered his arms to wrap around Keval's waist. "That was...very nice. I don't remember a badge for learning that in Boy Scouts, though. I would have definitely worked at getting that badge." He grinned wickedly at the handsome blue-skinned devil in his arms.

Keval blushed a slightly deeper shade of blue. "I don't think there was a merit badge for it either. But we could create one of our own. And I'm not usually this, well, forward on a first date. It just seemed like the thing to do though."

"It was certainly romantic," Randy grinned. "And it's adorable when you blush. Did you know that?" Randy tightened his arms around Keval to keep the man close. "And just how dark can your blushes get, I wonder. What if I were to suggest a merit badge for," he leaned forward to whisper something extremely fun, but extremely naughty in Keval's ear. Before he pulled back, he nipped at the man's earlobe for emphasis. Sorry...that just seemed like the thing to do." His grin was wicked.

Randy had always been the biggest flirt of all his siblings. It had gotten him into more trouble and more fist fights than he cared to remember, but it had also worked in his favor quite a few times, too. His grandmother had told him 'if you walk down the street asking people to kiss you, nine times out of ten they will slap you in the face...but that tenth time...!' He'd perhaps taken that philosophy a bit too much to heart.

Keval did turn an even deeper shade of blue at the tawdry suggestion, but his grin was just as wicked. "I think we might have to wait for the second date for that. Maybe the third, but I sure like the idea."

Randy nodded, enjoying the effect he was having on Keval. "That works. It will give me time to design the badge."

Keval chuckled, his skin losing some of its deep sheen, "It will have an interesting look for sure. I can't wait to see it."

"See it?" Randy teased. "You're only interested in seeing it?" He turned to take Keval's hand and start walking along the beach again. "I must be losing my touch." He turned his head to the side and smiled at Keval, eyes full of mischief.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

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

CPO Keval Grayson
Operations Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Nicholas]

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