Taking a Break...Deflowering Akira

Posted on Fri Jul 14th, 2017 @ 10:36pm by Chief Warrant Officer Daytona Ral & Akira Zhuri

Mission: Death is in the Details
Location: Holodeck/Daytona's Quarters
Timeline: Current (After Selen VI blows up, before the Hera slingshots back to 2394)

Clio had decided it to call it a day, so Daytona was now free to relax a bit. It felt good to get out of the Intelligence Center for a while. He arrived at his quarters, entered, and looked around. He wondered what he could do with his precious spare time. Akira came to his mind quickly, but, out of fear of bothering her too much, he tried to think of other activities. It didn't work. His mind and his heart kept coming back around to Akira. So it looked like he was going to try and track her down and see if he could entice her to spend a little time with him.

Daytona's muscles were sore and he felt like he needed a shower. He went to the head and stripped down. He took a sonic shower, letting the sound clean him, letting the vibrations relax his muscles. After a while he shut down the shower, stepped out, and got dressed into some comfortable civilian clothing, casual, but nice. A somewhat baggy, white, collarless shirt that buttoned up the front. He tucked this into a pair of loose, comfortable looking khaki colored pants. On his feet he put a pair of comfortable sandals.

Daytona thought about what to do with Akira, then the idea hit him. He'd use the holoprogram of his clan's land on Rigel V. They kept riding kesheks there. He could take her for a ride...and there was a cave with hot springs. The clan had carved tubs into the pools so people could sit comfortably in them. And there was a lake, if they just wanted to go swimming...yes, this might be fun, for both of them. Daytona went to his computer and called up his electronic mail program. He typed a message to Akira.

Hello, beautiful. Commander Enaes has set me free for the day. Can you get away from work for a while? If you can, I have a surprise for you.

At his call, Akira immediately appeared in his quarters. "I am supposed to be off duty, but I've been assisting with the repair efforts of the Beta shift crew, although we have hit a lull, so I can spare a moment while we wait for supplies," Akira said factually, as though there was nothing wrong with her sudden appearance.

Daytona was startled at Akira's appearance, but pleased that she felt comfortable just popping into his quarters. Daytona walked over to Akira and pulled her gently into a hug, then kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"It sounds like you've been busy," he said, still holding her. "If you truly have a moment...well, maybe several moments, then come with me to the holodeck. It's on its own power source, so it won't drain any power from systems we need. You've been working very hard these last few days. I think you need a break. I know I do. Sorting through incomplete records that pre-date the Federation, going down numerous rabbit holes only to find that we've hit a dead end, or just taken the wrong path, is getting to me. So, I would like to take you away to do something you've probably never done before. Are you interested?"

Akira smiled sweetly in response to the kiss. "The Hera took a lot of damage, but she's stable for the moment, and until Warrant Officer Nexi returns with supplies, there's not much that can be done for a while," she said. "And I appreciate that you want to take care of me, but I do not require rest." Even still she smiled again for him. "But I have enough time to see what this surprise is."

"Excellent," he said. "I need to change into a different pair of pants and shoes. Stay here just one moment."

Daytona stole another quick kiss and then dashed off to his bedroom. He took off his sandals and his pants. He quickly put on a sturdier pair of pants made of a material similar to denim but still khaki in color and a pair of what appeared to the Rigelian version of 'cowboy boots' made of hide from some sturdy animal native to Rigel V.

"Okay," he said. "You'll want to wear something similar...well, I suppose you could keep the uniform if you're attached to it, but when we get there, you're going to at least want boots similar to mine. Oh, and I know you can blink down to the holodeck, but if you're willing, I'd love to walk there with you."

Now Akira was really curious! She looked at his attire, analyzing it so she could approximate appropriate clothing for herself. With a shimmer, her uniform was replaced by dark blue denim pants and a simple loose tunic style shirt printed with a purple paisley pattern. "Is this better?" she asked.

"You look fantastic," he said, taking in her appearance with an approving glance. "Absolutely perfect. This should be a lot of fun. Shall we?"

Daytona offered Akira his arm.

Akira smiled and hooked her hand in the crook of his arm. "So what is this surprise?" she asked with the insatiable curiosity of a child.

"Now Akira, my sweet," Daytona said with mock seriousness as they exited his quarters and headed for the holodeck. "If I told you what the surprise was, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it? You'll just have to wait until we get there!"

Akira is so beautiful when she smiles. I wonder if she knows that I am completely at her mercy? Am I being a fool? Maybe. But, if so, I'm a happy fool for the moment!

Akira pouted adorably; but she wanted to know now! She had never considered herself to be all that impatient before, but walking from his quarters to the holodeck was taking FOREVER!

Oh Gods, that pout! Be strong, Daytona! Just keep thinking about the look she'll (hopefully) have on her face as you reveal the surprise! Don't give in...don't give...I think I can...I think I can...

"We're almost there," Daytona said. "Look there's the door now! Alright, give me just a minute..."

Daytona tapped a few of the controls on the panel outside the holodeck. Once he was satisfied that the correct program had loaded and was up and running, he opened the door. Daytona held out his hand to Akira and when she took it, he led her into a holographic world she'd probably never seen before. There was a farmhouse, a large one, with corrals and a barn. Various domestic animals, analogous to bovine, porcine animals on earth, as well as something like Earth's goats and sheep, and even several somethings that resembled chickens running about. The animals in the corrals drew most of the attention. The equines within resembled a cross between Earth horses and Earth Zebras, but their colors were more vibrant. There were white, dark and light brown, buckskin, and black. but there were also a few blues, reds and purples. The color of the animals' stripes always seemed to compliment their dominant color. Some of them nibbled at hay, while others periodically pranced majestically around their corral.

Around the farm were a few hands tending to things. They seemed happy and they'd been programmed to be helpful, with a few exceptions for flavor, but they were also programmed not to crowd visitors. The farm was set in a clearing. There were fields of various crops seen in the distance. It seemed that the farmers had only cleared the areas they needed of trees. Trees could be seen all around, bordering the cleared areas.

"I grew up here," Daytona said. "Nearby, there's a lake and also a cave with hot springs in it. I figured you'd never seen a place like this before. I also assume you've never been riding before...I mean that you've never ridden an equine. When you get your mobile emitter sorted out, I'll take you to my real home, if you'd like. Until then, though, how would you like to learn to ride a keshek? Those are the equines in the corrals. They can be incredibly ornery, but if you train them from a young age for riding, they can be very gentle. Most of ours were that way. So, would you like to go riding with me?"

"I've never been off the ship before," Akira remarked as she took it all in with wide-eyed wonder. She knew the sky wasn't real, she was painfully aware of the boundaries of the walls, but it was still beautiful, and for a moment she could imagine it was real. She approached the corrals, watching the beasts within with rapt fascination. "You mean we can ride these?" she asked, pointing to one of the colorful keshek. "What is the purpose of doing this?" she asked with curiosity.

Daytona smiled. It looked like his plan was working.

"Well," he said. "Once riding keshek was a common mode of transportation. In some areas of the planet, riding a keshek, or riding in a wagon or cart pulled by one is still a common mode of travel. That's especially true on the larger homesteads and ranches. They can cover a lot of terrain, including some places that it would be difficult to get to in a vehicle. They're also useful for herding other domesticated animals, like the bovines. Herders ride them for such a purpose. But it's also just a lot of fun. The animals will get their exercise and we'll have an enjoyable evening. Here, wait a moment."

Daytona put his hands on the top of the corral fencing and pushed off, gracefully swung his body, legs first, over the top of the fencing. He stuck the landing, something he was grateful for. He hadn't done that in a while and it was equally likely he could have broken his ass attempting to show off for Akira. He picked up a bridle and walked slowly up to a purple keshek, speaking soothing words to it as he got closer. The animal looked wary, then changed its mind and let him approach. He slipped the bridle over the keshek's head and set it in place. Then he led the gorgeous animal over to fence near where Akira was standing.

"Come on over an meet Kiaera," he said. "She's as sweet and as gentle as...well...you. If you reach inside that box hanging off the fence there, you'll find a treat we sometimes offer these animals. Feed her one and pet her and she'll be your friend for life. Seriously, the software is programmed so that the animals and the people remember what happened on my previous visits. Go ahead. It's perfectly safe, well, here anyway. If you ever get to see the real thing it would be good to be a bit more wary. We have a saying: no animal bites until it does. But, never mind that. In here, they're completely friendly."

Daytona was babbling a bit, and he knew it. Akira made him want to share everything with her, including his secrets. He'd have to be careful about that.

Akira was wary and nervous, so the beast was likewise wary and nervous, but she did as instructed and reached into the box for a treat, pulling out what looked to be a piece of some sort of root vegetable. Akira hesitantly stuck her hand through the fence, offering the vegetable to the beautiful creature. Akira squeaked in surprise when she felt the silky soft of Kiaera's muzzle against her hand, the beast sniffing for the treat, eventually gobbling it up right from her hand. Akira quickly drew her hand back, her eyes wide with surprise.

"She tried to eat me!" Akira insisted, uncertain if she wanted to give this riding thing a try.

Daytona laughed.

"No...oh my," he said. "No, she didn't. She was eating the treat. She's an herbivore. She doesn't eat people...well...she might eat a plant person if she thought they would taste good, but she's certainly not going to eat you. I promise. Here, come closer."

Daytona brought Kiaera's head close to the fence so Akira could reach her muzzle.

"Go ahead and pet her," he said, a gentle smile on his face, the affection he had for Akira evident in his expression. Daytona was clearly enjoying sharing this new experience with her. "Her muzzle is very soft. I swear she won't try to eat you."

Akira reached through the fence to try to pet the keshek, squeaking when her hand came into contact with the soft muzzle. The keshek mouthed around looking for another treat, causing Akira whine softly. But Kiaera didn't try to eat Akira, instead she simply rubbed her muzzle against Akira's hand to try to get a nice pat from the hand when she didn't find food. Akira eventually quieted down and started to rub her hand along the keshek's nose and then up to her forehead. "Wow..." Akira said in amazement as she continued to pet Kiaera.

Score one for the quadragenarian!

"See," Daytona said. "She likes you. Would you like me to bring her out so you can get to know her a little better? You could even curry comb and brush her if you'd like. She'd love that."

"O-okay," Akira said, still wary of the keshek. Akira stepped away as Daytona opened the enclosure and walked Kieara out; somehow the keshek seemed bigger now that the safety of the fence had been removed. Daytona had do more coaxing with Akira than Kieara to get them back together, but soon Akira was getting up close and personal with this majestic beast! "So you grew up doing this?" Akira asked as Daytona showed her how to brush the keshek with long strokes to remove dirt and shed hair, making the purple striped coat shine.

"Yes I did," Daytona replied. "It was a good life, but I always felt that I belonged somewhere else. Sometimes I go back, in fact, I make a point of going back periodically, to say goodbye to the elders, to congratulate the adults on their successes, and to meet the children who will be the adults and elders someday, so that there will always be someone there who remembers me. But yes, I did grow up doing this, and I loved it. It was hard work at times, but I loved it."

"To say goodbye?" It was more of a thought than an actual question, but she paused and looked up at Daytona. "Because you live so long?"

"Yes," Daytona said. "My father's people live a good two hundred years or more. There was someone in my family who lived to the ripe old age of two hundred and seventy-seven. So when I meet a young Rigelian family member, I have quite some time with them...so to speak, but eventually they pass and another generation moves in. I'm only four hundred and twenty-two, as you know, so it was only around two hundred years ago that my siblings and childhood comrades passed. My parents, except my mother, of course, a bit before that, my grandparents some time before that. But some of my nieces and nephews are still around. They are pretty elderly, but I visit them sometimes. And I'm known to their children and their children's children. So I maintain the connection to my family."

Daytona grinned at Akira.

"So," he said. "It looks like you two are getting along great. Shall I saddle her up for you? I'll lead you around the corral at first, till you get used to it. If you get comfortable enough today to go for an easy ride on the property, I'll saddle up my own ride and we can take an easy ride around the property. Kiaera is well trained. She'll just follow my horse in the absence of any instructions from you. But I'll teach you all about that. So, what do you say? Want to give it a try?"

"Mmm, okay," Akira said, still uneasy about this whole thing. She moved stiffly off to the side while Daytona saddled the keshek, then brought over a step stool to help her mount up. It took her a few tries and a few laughs to get her up in the saddle, but she made it up there, looking more than a little frightened, especially when Kieara started to move on her own. "Oooh, OOOH! Daytona, help!" Akira exclaimed. In truth, the keshek was behaving beautifully and had only moved a matter of inches, still well within reach of Daytona, but it still gave Akira a scare, enough so that she held tight to the saddle with trembling hands.

Daytona laughed, but kindly, with Akira and not at her.

"I've got you," he said, taking the reins firmly in hand. "Now, just set your feet in the stirrups like...yes, that's it. Perfect. Now, this may feel a bit weird at first, but just relax and your body will start to roll with Kiaera's movements. Ready? Here we go."

Daytona started walking and made a clicking noise with his tongue. Kiaera followed dutifully along behind him at a slow and gentle pace, as though she sensed Akira's nervousness and was adjusting her pace and movements accordingly. As they clopped along, several of the farm hands waved to Daytona and to Akira. Some made encouraging comments to her or told her how well she was doing.

Well, no one has said anything about her falling out of the saddle, so...

"How's it going back there?" Daytona called over his shoulder. "Feeling anymore comfortable?"

"Uhhh, I don't think so, no," Akira said as Daytona continued to lead her around. She was still very stiff in the saddle and she had not yet figured out how to 'roll' with Kiaera's movements as he instructed. "How is this supposed to be enjoyable?" she asked.

Daytona stopped Kiaera at the nearest post and tied her off. He walked back to Akira and put his hand on hers.

"We can stop if you want to," he said. "I thought you might like this, but if you don't, or you just don't want to do this anymore right now, that's fine. Besides, there are other nice things about this place I can show you that don't require equine power to get to...especially because I control the entire environment here. So, would you like me to help you down?"

"Yes please," Akira said readily, holding her arms out to Daytona so that he could get her back on solid ground. "I'm sorry I do not like the keshek riding," she said, saddened as though she had somehow disappointed him.

Daytona lifted Akira down to the ground. When she was on solid ground he hugged her.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he said. "You don't have to like everything I show you, and I'm not upset. Part of getting to know someone is figuring out what they like and don't like, sometimes by trial and error. If you have time, we could take a walk, or I could just adjust the program so we're at the lake. It's very nice over there. we could relax there for a while, we could go in the water if you'd like, all the way in or just wade in and get our feet wet. But no more keshek, I promise!"

"It's hard to know what I like and don't like; I haven't tried many things yet," Akira said, holding him tightly. "But a walk does sound nice. And what is so nice about a lake? Why are we getting our feet wet? That doesn't sound very practical, walking around with wet feet..." Not that wet feet would really bother her all that much, aside from feeling weird, but Daytona was a biological, wet feet surely could not be good!

Daytona smiled, careful not to laugh, and held Akira. After a moment, he kissed her on the top of the head, but he didn't let her go. He wouldn't, until she was ready to relax the powerful grip she had him in.

"You are correct, my dear," he said. "Wet feet are not very practical. But, on a warm summer's day, wet feet are one of the joys of life. Lakes, well, lakes are nice because they look pretty and are fun to swim in or sail on or just splash in along the edges, and because a nice breeze usually blows off of them to cool you off. But we'll take baby steps. Your Aunt Maica warned me about getting you over stimulated. So let's just walk to the lake and see what there is to see. If things start to seem overwhelming, well...you can grab me and hug me like you're hugging me now and I'll hug you and things will feel better for both of us."

Warm, cool? She could name off the temperature in Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin, but she couldn't say with any real understanding if it was warm or cool. "Aunt Maica thinks you're my boyfriend," Akira stated as they started walking. "I don't know what that means. you're male and I would like to think that we are friends, but the way she said it seemed to imply more than just your gender and the status of our friendship. Also, it is my understanding that babies are not capable of walking, that when they take their first steps they are called toddlers, hence the etymology of the name, they 'toddle'."

Daytona took a brief moment to stop himself from guffawing so loudly that he was certain Akira would never talk to him again.

"Ah...okay...where to start?" he said, taking her hand in his as they walked. "Let's start with the phrase 'baby steps'. It's a figure of speech. Humans use it quite a bit, but even my people have a similar phrase. Babies take very hesitant, slow first steps before they figure out how to toddle around and become toddlers. So a baby step is basically a tentative act that is the first stage of a...well...a challenging process. You seemed to be finding the idea of going to the lake challenging, or at least overwhelming, so I suggested that we work our way up to it slowly, by taking a leisurely walk there and seeing how you felt when you got there, rather than planning anything out in advance. As for the concept of 'boyfriend' that's a little weird in Federation Standard. On the face of it, boyfriend sounds like a 'boy' who is your 'friend'. In fact the female version of the word can be used to refer to a 'girl' who is your 'friend', but that usually only if the person using the term is female, and then not all the time. The terms 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' usually imply an...uhm...well...a romantic relationship."

Daytona wasn't sure what was going to happen next. He was a little afraid Akira was going to laugh at the idea. That would hurt. Or that she might say something about how the idea was absurd, and that would hurt just as much if not more. He quickly asked a question in the hopes of forestalling any heartbreak he might be about to suffer.

"Uhm...what were you two talking about when she said I was...uhm...your boyfriend?" he asked.

"I'm sure the lake is lovely, I just don't understand what's so great about being wet," Akira replied bluntly. "I'm sorry, I am still learning to understand colloquialisms, there's just so many, but your explanations make sense. As for what Aunt Maica and I were talking about, she made a comment about my appearance and I mentioned that I showed you my altered appearance, she asked if you were my boyfriend and then I told her how you touched my butt; she said I'm in love," she continued to rattle off. Then she paused and looked at him. "So we are in a romantic relationship? We are courting?"

"I hope so," Daytona said without hesitation. "Spending time with you makes me feel alive in a way I haven't felt in a very long time. Holding your hand, touching your face, kissing you...these all send thrills through my body like nothing I have ever experienced. Your laugh brightens my day and when you smile, particularly when you smile at me, I am completely at your mercy. The way your mind works is at once intriguing to me and a bit perplexing, but that just makes me want to know you even more. I know we haven't had much time to get to know each other yet, so I am trying to take that time. These all indicate to me that I am at least courting you. What you told your aunt about how I make you feel, that tells me that my affection for you is well received. Whether because the feelings are new and you like them, or because you are truly attracted to me...I can't answer that for you. That's part of what getting to know each other will help both of us figure out."

"You make me feel things too, a lot of which I don't understand, but I like it," Akira said to him with a shy smile. Hesitantly, she reached out to take his hand as they had done on their arboretum date. "I like getting to know you, Daytona; I want to do more of this courting."

"I'm glad," Daytona said, smiling. He took her hand in his, brought it to his lips and kissed it, before lowering to his side and walking with her hand in hand down a path leading away from the farmhouse."Because I do too. So, tell me about something interesting about your day. Anything at all. Personal or work related. If it's something technical, something about the work you did today, don't worry about whether I'm going to understand it or not. If I don't, I'll ask questions."

"Oh, uh... well, what qualifies as interesting?" Akira asked. "I have done a great deal of work today, much of which I find utterly fascinating, but I've been informed that much of what I consider fascinating is rather mundane for biologicals, like installing new EPS conduits. So if I'm to answer this question without listing everything I have done today, I need to narrow the parameters."

Daytona chuckled. Nothing was ever simple with Akira.

"Hmm..." he said. "Parameters, parameters...okay, tell me about an interaction you had with someone. Someone in your department, some other department, someone you bumped into in the corridor, anyone. Tell whether or not you enjoyed the interaction and why, or if the interaction confused you. Does that help?"

"Hmmm...." Akira hummed as she thought about this. "Well, there was this individual in Main Engineering, he spoke quite strangely; he was speaking Standard English, but with an inflection and speech patterns that were definitely not normal. Oh, he made the warp core activate which allowed the ship to go to warp, even though it shouldn't have been possible! I still do not know how he did it, the results defy all known laws of physics."

Daytona nodded in understanding.

"That," he said. "Was a Scotsman, that is to day, he or his family originate from the country in the British Isles known as Scotland. For some reason, Scottish engineers are able to perform great engineering feats, most often in less time than they told you they would be able to do so. The most famous of them so far is Captain Montgomery Scott, former chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise 1701 and 1701-A. He was active from the 2240s through the 2290s. It's my understanding that Captain Picard and Company found him saved in a transporter pattern buffer on the ship that was taking him to a retirement colony. The thing had crashed on a Dyson Sphere or something like that. They got him out and loaned him a shuttle and he took off to find new adventures. If he's still alive, he's got to be about one hundred years old, give or take. I met him once, actually. He was on leave on Rigel II when I was assigned to the system by Starfleet Intelligence. I recognized him right away. All of the Enterprise senior staff of that era were famous by then. Anyway, I bought him a drink. One drink turned into two, two into three, etc. I soon realized that if I didn't stop, I was going to get very, very drunk. So I made some excuse about having to leave and made a hasty retreat. So, did our Scottish engineer tell you how he managed to get the warp engines online? Or did he keep that as a trade secret?"

"Well, he tried to explain it to me, but between the speech patterns and his choice of lingo to refer to some of the technology, I just couldn't understand him!" Akira replied. "I didn't get to talk to him for long, I had plenty of work that demanded my attention, but that was still interesting. Later during repairs, I found a spatula being used as a conductive shunt. I thought that was rather odd, but I replaced it with the proper materials. For some reason, I kept the spatula; I don't really know why, but it was amusing and now it's sitting in my quarters."

Daytona laughed. He was glad he'd gotten Akira talking. He'd been worried that she was going to shut down on him.

"A spatula?" Daytona said. "Now that is amusing. I suppose, if you need a conductive shunt in an emergency and a spatula is all you could find, then why not a spatula? Where did you find the spatula being used as a conductive shunt? And if it wasn't in someone's personal quarters, the mess hall, or the lounge, why was a spatula there to use in the first place?"

"That's the truly perplexing thing, it was in a Jefferies tube, but it wasn't on the residential decks or near the mess hall or the lounge! I plan to scour the logs later to see when it was placed and by whom, but with such an unusual repair, it's unlikely we'll ever know how it got there." Akira smiled as they neared the lake. She was still painfully aware that it was not real, but it was based on a real place, and given its significance to Daytona's upbringing, she felt something... honored? Yes, she felt honored that he was sharing this place with her. "You were right, the lake is beautiful," she remarked softly.

"I'm glad you like it," Daytona said. "If you ever want to give swimming a try, I'll gladly take you here. Or if you ever want to try soaking away your troubles in a hot springs, there's a cave up that path. People usually find soaking in the springs relaxing...but, actually, I have no idea how you experience things like temperature. I know you have a sense of touch. I can tell that you react positively when we hold hands and when we kiss, but I don't really understand how all of that works."

Akira looked up at him with a perplexed expression. "You know, I don't understand how that works either," she stated. "I know I have both sensor capabilities and sensory perception, but some of the sensory perception is closed off until I reach certain stages of development that can handle it. When I was created, I had access to my full sensory capabilities, but Mother Andy realized that it was too much sensory information and it was slowing my ability to process new input because I was fixating on sensory experiences, so she created gateways to limit the sensory input, several of which I have developed far enough to unlock. And I cannot fathom how your touch causes me to react the way it does; I understand in concept the biochemistry in play for biologicals, and I'm amazed... but I have no idea how it works for me."

"Well," Daytona said. "I'm just glad that it does work. My ego would be terribly bruised if my kisses had no effect on you."

He gave Akira a squeeze and smiled at her to let her know he was joking...mostly. For a moment Dayton just held her and looked out at the lake. It was peaceful and the sun was just starting to set. After a moment, he spoke again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "About the keshek. In retrospect, that was really thoughtless of me. I wanted to give you an experience that you'd never had before, but I didn't think about the fact that since you had never seen an animal up close before, Kiaera might be a bit intimidating. I should have started with kittens. Small, cute, fluffy, cuddly, kittens. Would you like to meet a kitten? Or maybe a cat if there are not kittens aboard? I'd be happy to check around and see if anyone has a domestic feline kitten, or at least a cat that you can meet. They're small and generally friendly, though at times a bit stand offish when they grow to adulthood. However, if they're socialized well, they are usually friendly and often cuddly, even when they grow up. What do you think of that idea?"

Akira thought about this for a moment. "Yes, I would be willing to try interacting with a cat or a kitten. The way you describe it does sounds fascinating and enjoyable! As for the keshek, I am sorry as well. I had no idea I would react as I did, but I just did not know what to make of her, and riding her was not all that comfortable, but I suspect that was because I was not doing it right. I fear that all that stems from... something else." Akira paused, looking away from Daytona with a hint of embarrassment. "I didn't know if I should tell you; you went through so much trouble and I didn't want to appear ungrateful, but I am finding the holodeck to be wholly unsettling. Because I too am a hologram, I am hyper aware that this setting is not real. And... The last time I was in a holodeck, I was trapped as the Katana's systems failed. I was so scared; Father had already disappeared and the environment was crashing, I knew I would be next at any minute! Then he reappeared and held me, but then... I do not know how to describe what I experienced after that, but... our matrices crashed, and an Officer was able to retrieve us from the holodeck's memory and transfer us to the Hera, another holodeck where Father and I could be untangled and put back together. The limbo we existed in, it was..." Akira shivered with a soft, frightened gasp as for a moment she relived that feeling.

Daytona gently pulled Akira into a hug and held her close. He ran his fingers through her and kissed her on the forehead.

"I am so deeply sorry, Akira," he said. "I should have realized. I never would have brought you to the holodeck if I knew that was how you felt. We can leave right now if that would make you feel better. We could go to the Arboretum again, or...maybe listen to music in my quarters for a while or in yours...or...whatever you'd like to do, even if you just want to go back to work. And you should never be afraid to share your thoughts and feelings with me, especially if I've do something that makes you uncomfortable...I hope you know that I would never intentionally do anything to upset you."

"I did not know it would feel this way until now," Akira admitted, sniffling in his arms. "I am sorry, I just wanted to see this secret, and it was so sweet and thoughtful, but I do want to leave."

"Absolutely," Daytona said. "Computer, end program."

Daytona's holoprogram ended, exposing the blank walls of the holodeck. Daytona escorted Akira to the door, which opened when they got in range of the sensor and they exited the holodeck.

"Again," he said. "I'm very sorry. I promise, I'll make this evening up to you. Would you like to do something else? Or do you need to get back?"

Daytona was heartbroken by even the idea that he had caused Akira pain. If she wanted to spend more time with him that evening, he'd let her pick something she'd like to do. If she needed to get back to work, or wanted to because she just needed to get back to something she understood, Daytona would be sad and a bit discouraged, but would not let those feelings keep him from his pursuit of Akira.

"I... well... Can I just spend some time with you?" Akira asked meekly, already feeling more at ease now that they were no longer in the holodeck. "We can go to your quarters or mine, or even the arboretum, I have no preference at the moment."

"I'd like nothing more," Daytona said. "Why don't we go back to my quarters? I'll put on a little music, dim the lights, and we can sit together, maybe talk, or maybe play a game. Just a nice quiet evening. How does that sound?"

Daytona smiled as he waited for Akira's response, but successfully held back any laughter or chuckles.

Even money she's going to ask me what the purpose of dimming the lights is. She's really so adorably clueless sometimes.

"I fail to see what the lack of intensity of light has to do with anything," Akira remarked curiously, as predicted. But otherwise his suggestion sounded nice. "What kind of music do you listen to?" she then asked as they started walking.

"Tonight," Daytona said. "I think...Earth Jazz. And the lights...you know, I made a bet with myself that you would say something about that. Bright, artificial lights can seem harsh and glaring. Lowering the intensity of the lights in a room creates a more relaxing and intimate atmosphere."

"Oh," Akira replied, then nodded in acceptance; who was she to argue, he was the one with all the life experience. "Tell me about Earth jazz, I'm not sure I've come across it yet."

"It's a genre of music that started in New Orleans, in the state of Louisiana, in the United States of America, in the late nineteenth century," Daytona said. "Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation."

Daytona chuckled.

"That barely means anything to me," he said. "I imagine that just sounded like a bunch of words to you. Jazz is...difficult to describe to someone who hasn't listened to it. For example, Fats Waller, a jazz musician who played a type of jazz known as swing jazz was once asked by a woman to define the swing as it applied to his kind of music. He replied by saying 'If you gotta ask, you'll never know!' Jazz is...a feeling deep in your soul put to music or, rather, brought to life through music. It can be fast, slow, erratic, organized, disorganized. It can be sad, happy, joyful, hopeful, sorrowful, angry, even silly. For example there's a song that was recorded in the twenty-first century by two bassists and a drummer called 'Taco with a Pork Chop' of all things. It can't really be described. It needs to be experienced."

"I will have to take your word for it, because I don't understand a thing you just said," Akira said with a giggle. "Without any context, I'm afraid, I just won't be able to understand. But I am looking forward to listening to some of this!"

"Good," Daytona said. "I look forward to sharing it with you. And here we are. I'm afraid my quarters aren't as grand as yours, but...what's that Terran phrase? Home, be it ever so humble? Please, after you."

The doors to Daytona's quarters opened and they entered. Daytona's quarters were rather simple. He'd accumulated a few things over the years, but most of those he kept in storage. He traveled light by necessity. This was really his first time being assigned to a starship for any length of time in over a century. His quarters were like a small studio apartment: a small main room and a separate bedroom. As a Chief Warrant Officer with more time in grade than anyone on the ship, he was the more equal pig, and therefore was afforded slightly better quarters than the other single warrant officers aboard. There was a couch on one wall, and there was a small table with a few chairs that he took his meals at if he didn't use the mess hall or lounge, or played solitaire. Ever since he'd learned that game, he'd loved it. Playing alone occupied his mind and challenged his memory. It was a good escape. Playing head to head solitaire against an opponent could also be challenging and it was a fun way to while the hours with a friend or someone closer. Daytona gave the computer instructions to dim the lights, then selected a song to listen to.

"Computer," he said. "Play a selection of Ahmad Jamal's music, including his performances with his trio. Include Ahmad's Blues, But Not For Me, and Poinciana. Turn up the bass a bit. I want to feel the music as well as hear it."

The music started and Daytona closed his eyes and moved his body to the rhythm of the music, snapping his fingers to the beat for a moment.

"Ah..." he said. "But For Me. So, shall we cuddle up on the couch and listen to the music? Or if you'd rather, I can teach you a card game I like to play. But...maybe one new thing at a time? Your call."

Akira smiled as she heard the piano and the bass, and she watched with fascination as Daytona swayed and snapped his fingers. Attempting to do as he did, she swayed, but she didn't understand that she was supposed to move to the beat, and when she attempted to snap her fingers, they made no sound. Curious... She was performing the same motion, why did her fingers not make that pleasing clicking sound?

"Hm?" Akira looked at Datyona, realizing with some delay that he had been speaking to her. "Oh, uh, I'm sorry, what were you saying?" she asked.

Daytona looked at Akira trying to do what he was doing and smiled, his affection for her evident in his expression.

"Here," Daytona said. He moved close to her and took her right hand in his left and slipped his right hand around and put it on the small of her back. He held her close and just swayed with her to the music. "Just follow my lead. Move with me...that's it...good."

Akira tilted her head curiously and moved with him as the music continued to spill through his quarters. "You are moving in time with the beat of the music," she remarked when she realized this, then smiled. Though as they continued to sway, she became more and more aware of their closeness and her cheeks grew rosy. And there was a sensation... She couldn't with any certainty say what this feeling was, but it was remarkably similar to feelings of ambient warmth she felt before Mother Andy gated those sensations. But the odd thing about it, the temperature in the room hadn't changed, so why was she feeling warm?

The temperature had gone up for Daytona as well, but he knew exactly why. Holding Akira like this, feeling her move so near him, it was maddening, yet it felt so good that he wanted it to never end. He pulled her a little closer so that their bodies were touching.

"You're...." Daytona said. He was having a little trouble getting words out. He swallowed and tried again. "You're getting it now. You're doing great."

Daytona decided that he could kiss her. That wouldn't be too much stimulation would it? Besides, if anyone was being overstimulated at this point, it was probably Daytona, wasn't it? Daytona leaned in and kissed Akira, a bit more passionately than he intended, but not harshly.

Wow, he had never kissed her like this before! And Akira had all this information in her matrix about intimacy, but she was finding that the experience itself was so different than information stored in a database. She was tentative yet responsive as Daytona explored her lips with his own. Then one of her hands, as if with a mind of its own, came to rest on the back of his neck as they continued to kiss.

Daytona pulled Akira in closer to him and continued to kiss her, breaking now and then, both to catch his breath and to nuzzle and kiss her neck. She may not need to breathe, but he did. Her 'skin' was soft and very smooth as were her lips and her tongue. Kissing Akira was like kissing satin, if satin were alive, and warm, and so very beautiful. Just as exciting was the feel of Akira's hand on the back of his neck. He was very sensitive back there and the feel of Akira's fingers resting there was very enjoyable.

While she didn't need to breathe, Akira's chest still rose and fell as though her breath was quickened by the heat of the moment. "I feel strange..." she said in a breathy tone as he nuzzled into her neck and her fingers found their way into his hair. "Warm..." Their lips met again and for a moment it felt like her knees were about to give out on her. "Is 'fuzzy' an adequate description of how one feels?," she continued when their lips parted again. Her other hand came up to gently trace his lips with her fingertips, her eyes full of so much wonder and amazement. "My head, it feels kind of light and... spinny."

"Mine," Daytona started to say. He cleared his throat. His voice still sounded hoarse when he managed to speak again. "Mine, too. And...fuzzy, yes...that's an...adequate description of this feeling."

Daytona stood there for a moment and let Akira's soft fingertips caress his lips and face. He kept his right hand on the small of her back to hold her close to him, but brought his left up to her face and caressed her cheek gently. His hand trembling slightly, he glided the pad of his thumb across her lips.

"You are so beautiful, Akira Zhuri," he said.

"Am I?" she asked softly, her blue cheeks beautifully flushed and rosy from their activities. Then she noticed his hand trembling and she took his hand in hers. "You are shaking; are you unwell?" she asked curiously.

"Ah," Daytona said. "No. I'm just very...aroused by you, by all of the kissing and touching. This is a good thing. I'm also a bit nervous, afraid I'm going to do or say something that's going to cause this feeling between us to end, that might push you away."

"Aroused is good?" she asked with curious tilt of her head.

Daytona laughed.

"It is," he said. "Especially if your partner feels the same way. And, from what you described, you are feeling that way, at least you were a moment ago. How do you feel right now?"

"I feel..." Akira said, ever so softly, "like I want to do more of this kissing."

Daytona chuckled. He leaned in close to her, resting his forehead on hers for a moment.

"So would I," he said. He led her over to the couch and sat down, pulling her into his lap in a bold move uncharacteristic of their relationship so far, so that she was astride him, facing him and began kissing her again. As if they had a mind of their own, Daytona’s hands began to roam over Akira’s body.

Akira's cheeks flushed crimson, but she responded eagerly when Dayton kissed her again. This certainly hadn't been how she expected this evening to end, but she was not going to complain, not one tiny bit!

“You are attempting to initiate sexual relations,” she remarked softly, clearly not a question, but still being new to this whole thing she needed to say it to help her process the moment.

“I am,” Daytona said.

But there wasn’t enough room the way they were, Daytona couldn’t get to enough of her, so with surprising grace he rose from the couch with Akira in his arms and carried her to the bedroom where Akira was more than eager to find out what would happen next.


[LATER]

Daytona was dreaming. It was something he did with some frequency. Well, he probably had more dreams than he remembered having. Much of the time, that was for the best. Many of his dreams were not very nice. This one started out very nice. He was with Akira at his home on Rigel V, for real this time. He had no idea how it was that Akira was there, but she was and that was all that mattered. One of the homestead’s felines had given birth to a litter of kittens and he was introducing them to Akira, watching her laugh as the kittens climbed on her and tried to snuggle with her in bizarre positions. She looked up at him, with kittens hanging all over her, and smiled at him. It wasn’t the smile she shared with everyone else. This was a smile for him and him alone and when she smiled at him like that, all was right in the world. Then he heard someone call his name. Actually, they called him Detective Chief Inspector Ral. Suddenly, it was the late 2150s and he was in the old apartment he'd rented in Rigel V’s capital when he was a policeman there. He was trying to make out what they were saying...then he recognized the dream. It was the one where he was called to identify the body of an unidentified woman. They weren’t going to tell him more than that, but he knew who it was. This was a memory. He would go to the morgue and they would pull back the sheet and there would be his battered and bruised and very dead daughter. He knew this dream. He started to move strangely in his sleep and even whimper. He didn’t want to see this, but suddenly he was in the morgue standing near the table. Like always, there was a body under a sheet...only...the body didn’t look right. It was the wrong size. It was too small to be his daughter. The profile looked familiar. He knew this body intimately, but he couldn’t remember where from. The medical examiner asked if he was ready. He wanted to scream that he wasn’t but he felt himself nod yes. The medical examiner pulled back the sheet from the body’s face and...no! This wasn’t his daughter’s face...and his daughter didn’t have spots...it was Akira! Like his daughter she was battered and abused. Something he had done, probably something pig-headed, had gotten Akira killed. Daytona collapsed to the floor, screaming in horror, begging the universe to give Akira back to him, promising the Prime Number anything, even his life to bring her back.

Back in reality, Daytona tossed and turned more violently and muttered to himself. If anyone was awake to listen, they would have heard the words: Akira, No, Please, and the phrase: Please don’t leave me…

Akira was dreaming too, only she’d never done it before, so her subconscious (yes, she had one of those) was still trying to figure out how this dream-thing worked, and so she was simply doing some maintenance in a Jefferies tube. Nothing complex, but she enjoyed things like this, even the stuff most people found tedious, and she could often be found humming a little tune, as she was in the dream now. But then she heard something, a voice and it was… begging, no pleading, and calling out for her! Akira dropped her tools and started to search the tubes, only to realize that the voice was not in the crawlways, there was no echo of it existing in this space; in fact, it was almost felt like she was being squeezed, and she could hear the voice as though the person was speaking right into her ear!

It was then that she snapped awake with a gasp and she sat up, her eyes darting about. Where was she? Then she saw Daytona and it all came rushing back to her. But why did he look so distressed? He was calling out to her, but she was right here!

“Daytona,” she said in a soft, frightened tone. “Daytona, wake up,” she continued, nudging at his shoulder, but it was not enough to free him from his nightmare. “Daytona, I’m here, you’re not alone, I’m here,” she said a bit louder, tears springing to her eyes. With both hands on his shoulders, she moved him a little more, certainly not trying to hurt him but she needed to get his attention to break whatever cycle his brain seemed to be stuck in!

In his nightmare, Daytona was sobbing and calling out to Akira, begging her to come back to him, begging the doctor to bring her back to him. He was sorry, he was so sorry! He felt hands on his shoulders. He thought someone was trying to restrain him, to take him somewhere that he could fight out his grief frenzy, but they just seemed to be moving him slightly. Suddenly he heard Akira’s voice. He looked frantically around for her. He began to search the room, but the lights dimmed and it was pitch black. He saw a door... a Starfleet door, like a holodeck exit suspended in an active holosimulation. The door opened and Daytona saw a small woman with dark hair like Akira’s walk past the open door. She was alive? He had to know! Daytona ran for the door, but it was as though he was running through some kind of viscous matter. It seemed to take forever, but he finally reached the door. When he stepped through there was a flash of bright light and suddenly he was awake, sucking air and looking around frantically. His eyes fell on Akira and before he knew it he had pulled her to him and was holding her tight against him.

Akira was surprised when he grabbed her, but she did not try to fight it or pull away. She had never tried to comfort anyone before, but she’d already had a few good examples set for her by her Father and Mother Maica and Aunt Maica, so she put one arm around him as best she could and started to run her fingers through his hair. “I’m here, Daytona, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere,” she said softly, biting back the shudder in her voice. She was crying as well, but she didn’t want him to hear it in her voice, she was supposed to be comforting him.

Slowly, Daytona’s breathing and heart rate began to return to normal, and he eased his death grip on Akira. This was one time where Akira being a photonic lifeform had spared her from painful broken bones. Daytona had been frantic when he awoke from his nightmare. He’d hugged her like he would hug another Rigelian, one who had the stronger bones and muscles to withstand the pressure of such a hug. If Akira had been flesh and blood, she’d likely be nursing a few broken ribs right now. But now Daytona relaxed his grip. With a shudder he got himself under control. He held Akira and arms’ length for a moment and looked at her. She appeared to be unharmed. He touched her face with a gentle caress that would be familiar to Akira by now, and pulled her into a much warmer and gentler hug.

“I’m sorry if I frightened you,” he said softly. Concern for Akira was evident in his eyes and his tone of voice, as was a touch of fear. If she knew what he had been dreaming about, would she think him a monster? “I didn’t...I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“No,” she replied softly with a slight shake of her head. She was still combing her fingers through his hair, willing his body to relax. “You are hurting,” she said, not a question but an observation.

Akira’s fingers in his hair felt fantastic. Her touch soothed Daytona and his body began to relax.

“You are correct,” he said. “I was having a nightmare about something bad that happened a long time ago. The dream is about...is normally about...my daughter. You know Deshok was responsible for her death. Well, when they found her body, I was called to the morgue to identify it. I have this dream from time to time. The sheet over her body is pulled back to reveal her face, I cry. I blame myself. I beg the Prime Number and even the old Vulcan gods to return my daughter to me, that I”ll do everything differently this time around if they give me another chance. I wake up in terror. That’s the usual pattern. But this time...when they pulled back the sheet...it was you on the table, in your Asian, very unblue, form. I knew when I saw you that you were dead because of me, just like my daughter. Then I heard your voice and I went frantically looking for you. A holodeck door opened and I saw you, or someone who looked very much like you, walk by, but when I tried to pursue you, I woke up here.”

“Her,” Akira said, still holding him, still tenderly stroking his hair. “You said you were called to the morgue to identify ‘it’, I assume you mean ‘the body’, but just because she died doesn’t mean she stopped being your daughter.” that was probably the wrong thing to say, but she didn’t know what she was doing. “What you saw sounds unsettling, and I’m sorry that my presence in this vision caused you additional distress, but I am here and I am fine. I wish I knew what to say to make this better, but… I don’t… I don’t know what I’m doing…”

Daytona tensed when it sounded like Akira was saying that the battered and bruised corpse he’d seen in the morgue two centuries ago was his daughter. That couldn’t have been his daughter, anymore than the one in the dream could have been Akira...not really. His daughter had been, and Akira was, so much more. Then he relaxed, the tension in his muscles easing. Akira was trying her best. Given her lack of experience, she was doing a fine job.

“Shh…” he said. “You’re doing fine. I’m already starting to feel a bit better. That wasn’t my daughter on that table two hundred years ago. Whatever my daughter was had left that body. Nor was that corpse on the table in my dream really you. You...you are so much more than that. I…”

Daytona kissed Akira on the neck. “I thought I’d lost you. I thought some damned fool thing I had done had resulted in your death, just like with my daughter. I thought...I thought I’d lost you, so soon after finally finding you…”

“You have nothing fear in finding me like that; I cannot be damaged in that way,” Akira said. No, he only had to fear a cascade failure that could shred her matrix like her Father’s… “Daytona, I have a question to ask, one I have a feeling you will not want to answer, but please feel free not to if that is what you wish, I do understand,” she started with some hesitation. “All those years ago, the you on the station, you went there to kill Deshok… What did you feel when you found him dead?” she asked.

Daytona was silent for a moment. What had he felt? He’d felt…

“Lost,” he said, finally settling on a word. “My daughter had been my anchor and my arrogance had cost her her life. Her death filled me with anger and rage, which I directed at Deshok. When I found him dead, there was no one left to direct that anger but at myself..”

“Did you help Deshok hurt her?” Akira then asked.

“No...but,” he said. “Deshok and the Syndicate went after her to get to me, because I wouldn’t take bribes and I didn’t respond to their other threats.”

“So that’s it, then?” Akira asked with a curious tilt of her head. “You are responsible for his actions, all of his actions, including the ones that led up to bribery and threats, therefore you are responsible for her death?”

Daytona disengaged himself from Akira’s grasp and looked at her strangely.

“Yes!” Daytona said. “I mean...maybe? If I hadn’t pursued Deshok and the Syndicate with such vigor, they would have simply written me off as the cost of doing business. All I needed to do was keep my head down, solve a few crimes here and there, arrest a few criminals, get a few stray convictions and otherwise just go with the flow. But...I couldn’t. I felt the need to do something and was arrogant enough to believe that I could make a difference. That earned me special attention from Deshok and the Syndicate. That was what made them decide to go after my daughter. No, I’m not responsible for Deshok’s other crimes. He would have committed those anyway. He was a criminal. That’s what criminals do. But it was the actions I took against him in response that brought him to my daughter’s doorstep.”

Daytona was starting to feel a bit foolish as he began to see his private logic through another’s eyes.

“So you are not responsible for his actions, except when they affect you, and you should have not done your job and allowed others to get hurt?” she asked to be sure she was hearing him right. “Meaning Deshok was not responsible for any of his actions, his victims were… I see now.”

“What?” Daytona said. “No! I mean...by the Prime Number, I must appear a complete idiot to you right now!”

Daytona sighed.

“It’s not that I should have let others be hurt,” he said. “It’s that in trying, not even in succeeding all the time, but just in trying to keep others safe, I put my daughter at risk. I brought the evil that I tried to protect my daughter and others like her from into her life. At least I feel that way most of the time. But what really makes me feel that I’m responsible is that when she was abducted, I refused to back down and instead attempted to find and rescue her using all of the resources at my disposal. They...abused her to punish me for that. And then, when she couldn’t take anymore, she tried to escape and was killed in the process. That decision, that arrogant belief that I was so good at my job that I could find my daughter before it was too late, that is what I am truly responsible for. I made a judgement call, it was the wrong one, and, whether this is true or not, I feel like it cost my daughter her life.”

“‘The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing’,” Akira quoted as she laid back on the bed, looking up at him with sad eyes. “I suppose you think we also should not go after the Master. After all, it was our pursuit of him that cost the lives of a number of Officers, not to mention the lives of Selen IV.”

“What?” Daytona sputtered. “No! We didn’t kill them! The demon killed them! I mean, we brought her there, and she got the weapons from us...but...but…”

Daytona gave up. He smiled and shook his head.

“Clearly,” he said.”You aren’t going to let me wallow in my own self-pity this morning.”

Daytona lay down next to Akira. He leaned over her and kissed her deeply.

“Thank you,” he said after pulling his lips reluctantly away from hers. “I think I feel a bit better now. In just a little bit, I’m going to do my level best to encourage you to engage in an old Rigelian cure-all for bad feelings. Don’t worry, it will be fun for you, too. But first, how did you sleep? This was your first time sleeping, wasn’t it?”

Akira hummed into the kiss, pleased that he was relenting to her logic. “I am glad you are feeling better, and I did not mean to upset you, but… it just seems to me that if you are going to have a philosophy or belief, even if it is the belief that you are somehow responsible for something that you are not, it must apply for all aspects of your life or it means nothing,”Akira said with a weak smile. “And just know, if something were to ever happen to me, I would never find you at fault,” she added, hoping that would appease his injured pride. “As for sleep, I do not know how to respond; I have never slept before, so I do not know if I was doing it right.”

Daytona smiled down at his lover.

“You can’t really do it right or wrong when you sleep,” Daytona said. “It just sort of happens. You can do things to tire the body and relax the mind and spirit that can help you have a better night’s sleep. If those don’t work, you can try other tricks, incense, soft music, various teas, even chemical sedatives…”

“Or a Rigellian cure-all” Akira chimed in.

Daytona laughed.

“Or that,” Daytona said. “We did that last night and I don’t know about you but my body was tired and my mind and spirit were relaxed when we were through.”

Daytona’s eyes had been drinking in Akira as they talked. They finally settled on her feet. Why, Daytona wasn’t sure. Maybe it was her toes. She had cute toes. He leaned over and kissed Akira’s toes one by one.

Akira squeaked, her toes wiggling at the tickling attention. “What are you doing?” she said with laughter.

Daytona grinned.

“I can’t help myself,” he said. “You have very adorable feet and toes. I noticed last night but I was a bit preoccupied. Now, how else can I make you laugh?”

[LATER]

Daytona lay down on his side, pulling Akira down next to him, her back to his chest, her body pressed close to his, his arms around her, and just held her while the both of them came slowly back to reality.

Being in his arms like this… Akira felt so adored in the loving tenderness of his embrace. She just wished she could tell him so, but she was so past incoherent that words would not be possible for a while longer.

Daytona drifted off to sleep holding Akira close. His mind was completely clear, his spirit at peace, his heart warm. He felt safe with Akira here with him. He had woken them both up far too early to worry about work, so they would be able to grab a few hours of much needed rest. Daytona slept very well, and didn’t have even one nightmare, but rather dreamed of pleasant times ahead with his heart’s mistress.