Forever And Always

Posted on Sat Sep 8th, 2018 @ 9:31pm by Commander Rita Paris

Mission: Holographic Horrors
Location: USS Hera, Deck 8, Lieutenant Paris' Quarters
Timeline: 2395

The two lovers stood together and held one another, in mutual silence which needed no words to fill it. It was a full moment before she spoke again.

“I tried to give up hope that you were coming, and just accept that and build a life for myself. But I couldn’t. Somehow, despite all logic, I knew you would come for me… and you did.” Pulling back slightly, her eyes sought out his, peering into them as if trying to memorize them once more as she ran her fingers through his hair. “Two years… I fell apart over two months without you, and you went two years without me. You must have been so lonely… I’m sorry, love.”

In her heart he could feel it- the wish that she could have been there for him, knowing how her heart had keened for him. Her immeasurable gratitude at his accomplishment of such a fantastic and improbable feat. Her pride in knowing that she’d helped. The joy that his presence and proximity inspired within her. And her love for him, which had grown that much stronger for the experience.

“You are so impossibly strong, Sonak of Vulcan. A hundred years, another dimension and a top-secret starship… yet here you are.”

"You give me too much credit," he protested softly. "To me, devoid of emotions, it was a work to accomplish, a goal to achieve; a most important one to be certain, but still one where my intellect could focus entirely, and support my expectations with growing probabilities recalculated at each step. You, on the other hand, had to deal with a flood of emotions and feelings that are not that easily processed. People have not lost their mind thinking too much; some do when they cannot deal with loss, grief or despair."

“I... I thought about giving up. I cried every night and I had nightmares. I was so scared all of the time, and it kept getting worse,” Rita rambled a bit, then traced a finger down his nose with a wistful little smile. “I even tried to figure out how to do a slingshot in a runabout, thinking if I was at least in the right era...”

His grey eyes plunged deeply into hers.

"Strength, courage and valor are not born out of ignorance. They are genuine only when you truly face yourself and your weaknesses- and prevail, as you did."

Reaching up, her hand caressed his cheek lovingly as tears ran down her face, flush with so many emotions at once. “You did all of that just for me. I don’t think I have ever heard of anyone going so far and through so much just for one human girl, Mister Sonak of Vulcan. My hero,” Paris said the words with no irony nor sarcasm- when she spoke, she always spoke from the heart.

Here, behind closed doors, she owed nothing to decorum or duty. Despite her display on the flight deck, they were both quite adept at remaining professional on duty. But here in private they could just be two star-crossed lovers, reunited after impossible circumstance had torn them apart. Here, she could cling to him like a shipwreck survivor in a storm, holding fast to her salvation.

"It is with great... satisfaction that I am with you again, Rita Paris."

“For as long as we have, I want to spend it with you,” the lost navigator said, repeating the words she knew he would remember, from their very first night spent together. Then, they had both been heading back to Earth for a Starfleet court-martial, to face charges for a crime that bore the death penalty. Years later and so very far from where they had started, the words were even more heartfelt today.

“I assigned you quarters on Deck 9, and you are welcome to use them as you see fit. But I want you to stay here, with me. In these enormous quarters that are so much more room than I will ever need. If anything, our time apart has proven to me just how much I need you, and just how close to me I like you. I want you now, and always, and you will always be in my heart.” Bright blue eyes flickering between his steel grey gaze, she laid bare her feelings, as she always did with him.

But then, he frowned.

"Will not the captain object to such... proximity between officers? You and I know that we can and will be most professional while pursuing this intimate relationship; Michael knew it as well. But Captain Telvan might not be so... tolerant. It is not an easy thing to manage for most, and could be conductive to some disruption in ship operations; for example, if others not permitted such a relationship look upon ours as favoritism."

That question brought forth a bashful smile and a giggle. "Captain Telvan is very much aware of you, and specifically who you are to me. After all, it's not like I have been at all shy about speaking of you." Rita paused to run her hand across his slender but firmly muscled chest.

"The Captain lives onboard with her wife- Starfleet has changed a little in that regard since our day, my love," the old-school officer replied. "So long as we comport ourselves professionally outside these quarters, I am very confident that the important thing to the captain will be that two of her officers are healthy, happy and productive. I suspect her hand in much of this- you never showed up in my searches for you when I came aboard, despite being at Starfleet Academy at the time. Plus she was rather insistent that I not be late to meet your shuttle. I'll have to review all of the facts, but I believe she knew you were coming, and has played her part in our reunion since the night I arrived in this reality. After all, she marked me as off-duty the moment you arrived on board. Our captain is rather a clever woman."

"So I have seen," he agreed. "Of course she was in the know; any transfer to a ship has to be approved by the captain. This ship most of all."

"Truth be told, if she objected and denied our relationship, I would resign my commission, because in this future it seems there are... options," those bright blue eyes fairly twinkled with mischief at that. "But in summary, no, Sonak. The captain will not object, nor will the crew will have anything to say. Because we are both excellent officers who will serve the Hera well- that is important to them. How we spend our time off duty, where and with whom is far less important."

He nodded.

"I fully appreciate to see that, in this universe, Starfleet personnel not only abide by the higher moral standards of the Federation we pledged to uphold, but that they have even reached such a high level of maturity. This is most... promising."

His eyes went to hers. His face was a blank jade mask and yet, to her it was as if he was smiling.

Gazing at him, without reaching down she expertly removed her explorer's boots so that she was no longer at eye level with him, but a bit shorter. Folding his fingers into the appropriate configuration, she placed her index and middle finger against his in the manner of his ancient people, no longer an endangered species in this place and time. “Promise me you will stay with me forever?”

It was a child’s request, one that an adult would realize was impractical and impossible to uphold. Logic dictated that he inform her of this fact, and explain and enlighten her as to a more appropriate version of the request to put forth, which he then might be able to reasonably assure her that he would strive to accomplish.

But he was a Vulcan; and Vulcans knew of things even beyond the material universe.

"So long as our Katra, our spirit endures, it will be so, Rita Paris. Apart from me and never parted, touched and not touched."

With a sigh, she folded herself against him, holding him to her tenderly as she rested her head on his shoulder. The stoic kolinahr always knew just what to say to melt her heart, although what she felt in his own heart did not feel emotionless to her. But she had long since moved past caring if she would 'damage' him with her feelings and emotions. Instead, she simply loved him and supported his personal journey, wherever that might take him. For she would be there beside him, always.

"Forever and always, Sonak of Vulcan," she promised in return. "You'll be in my heart."


Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=git6DCXSqjE