Take 5

Posted on Tue Jan 28th, 2020 @ 2:48am by Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Sonak

Mission: Bachelorette Bash
Location: USS Hera, Deck 8, Commander Paris & Mr. Sonak's quarters
Timeline: 2397
Tags: GNO

Departing the conference room, scanning it over before sealing the doors, Rita Paris stepped out onto the bridge, and there he was.

Time slowed down in her perception, as it sometimes did with literary license and TV special effects, and she drank him in visually. The erect and balanced posture. The confidence in his movements, as he was so hyper-aware of all parts of his body at all times. The way the crisp blue tunic set off those steel grey eyes with that precise dark hair. Those sharply expressive brows that perched, moving and changing his expression from thought to thought as he communicated with an enlisted technician... about a scan, the reasoning behind it, and why it was significant that it be performed in sequence. All of this she realized just from walking this close to him, as his telepathy anchored them in the bond of t'hy'la. She was mildly curious, thus his mind obliged her to provide the answer.

I am preparing for a girl's night out of legend. Baroness' bachelorette party. Come with me to quarters for 5 minutes?" All of this she expressed as a feeling, a need for him, without having to mentally articulate her desire for his presence in their privacy. In point of fact, she never stopped walking.

He finished his recommendation to the crewman and within seconds was turning his expressionless face towards hers, standing beside her at the turbnolift entrance.

''I am all yours, Commander. ''

...as you know, now and forever his mind added for her alone.

You are far and away the most romantic Vulcan I've ever met, Mr. Sonak, she thought to him as they stepped into the turbolift. Even after all this time, Rita still spoke to the ship's computer as she would any member of the crew."Deck 8, officer country please."

"This is going to be an exhausting affair.... so many individuals of disproportionate power concentrated in one spot is just begging the universe for mischief before you add me and my talent for trouble to the mix," she managed as the turbolift took them to their destination. As the doors slid open, and Rita strode out onto Deck 8 with Sonak in step beside her, she continued speaking. "So today I need to manage the juxtaposition of being ready for anything the cosmos might throw at us, while remaining open to having a good time and insuring everyone enjoys themselves."

''A definite challenge to be certain, '' the Vulcan stated in typical Vulcan knack for stating the obvious.

"So, I'm supposed to bring along this Asgardian armor, which I've experimented with a bit, but am overall unfamiliar. Because that's what was requested, and these are powerful diplomatic allies," Rita continued as they strode into their quarters. Pivoting as the door close behind them, she faced him. "So... some centering and focus would be ideal. Besides, I'm going out for a night of drinking and adventure. While it may be the single ladies mourning the loss of 'bachelorettehood', I'm a very happily married gal."

Stepping into his personal space, her bright blue eyes sought out his steel-grey gaze, a hopeful smile in place.

He let her come close, appreciating the vivaciousness of his wife as the fascinating experience that it always was. But his mind stayed focused.

''How may I be of service?''

"Help me center, so in this storm of chaos I know I am walking into, I can be the calm eye of the storm. Usually that's you, but I can't bring you along on a bachelorette party, because... tradition, I guess? Somehow bringing my husband along on a girl's night out seems to be the ultimate in having lost touch. Anyway... center. Help me, please?" With that she came in, and gently pressed herself to him, her hands rising, tracing his flat and smooth uniformed chest to snake her fingers about his neck, seeking the base of his skull with her fingertips. Closing her eyes, she gently urged his head forward, so that their foreheads could touch.

As always, there was the deepening of sensation. When he was near now, as it had once been, she was aware of him, always. In recent memory she had not experimented thoroughly, but she felt as though she could feel him throughout most of the ship. Which was impressive given the Hera's size. When she came closer she became that much more aware, sensing the vastness of his mind as if it had its own gravity. When they touched, they were one- she knew the clear and precise workings of his structured and organized mind, and he knew her compassion, her excitement, her zest for life and exploring the unknown. Bringing his forehead to hers was not necessary for them to know one another's minds, but it was as physically close as their minds could manage.

Prepared. For literally anything with two gods and a demigod, along with the crew. And that enormous valkyrie. Going to have a fun night out. While this was her stated goal, anxieties burbled about her mind as she couldn't help but concoct scenarios of what could go wrong, which was in addition to her background anxiety at being transported by Bifrost, which in her mind invented a hundred new weird things that could go wrong with her and a transport system. Taking a shuddering intake of breath, she drew strength from his presence.

Calm. I need to be calm and I'm very much NOT calm. If I am off it'll make all of them uneasy and aside from ruining the party it will undermine them. I must be calm, and... I am SO not calm, she stated simply, organizing her thoughts to use her words and communicate logically with the Kolinahr.

You are Human. Your greatest asset is your compassion. Do not fight your nature, your emotions; channel them. Consider your problem and assign it to someone else; to me if you wish to. Now, if I was the one with the problem, how would you go about to help me?

Uuuuugh… I would tell you… the frustrated and anxious woman searched her mind for the answer. I would tell you that you cannot prepare for every eventuality. I’d tell you that improvisation is your strong suit. I’d tell you that anxiety serves no purpose and that you need to let it go. I would tell you to just be aware and that’s all you can do to be prepared for such a bizarre outing. All of which I understand intellectually, but isn’t helping me find my center.

And if you had to, and assuming that I would have emotions myself, how would you help me find my center, emotionally he insisted.

Growing more frustrated, she opened her eyes, pulled back and looked at him. "If I had that answer, why would I be asking for you for help? Am I irritating you? Am I wasting your time?" Anger was rising in her, as she found herself resentful over the seemingly pointless exercise. "If your answer is 'get pissed off and walk out and let that carry you through', then congratulations, you've accomplished it."


At that he just stared at her, in silence.


Searching his eyes, tears welled up in her own as she turned and walked away.