Coffee time

Posted on Sun Oct 18th, 2020 @ 11:06pm by Ensign Wulfgar Duergar

Mission: Survival of the fittest
Location: Ten Forward - Deck 10

Wulfgar walked into Ten Forward, the ships lounge, and looked around. Other than helping repair some of the systems in the area, this was his first time coming here. He had sent a message to Jane that he would meet her here at 1000 hours but he was about twenty minutes early. He selected an empty table and took a seat that offered him a great view of the room as well as out the view ports into the uncharted expanses of the Delta Quadrant. He sat back in his seat and waited for Jane to show up.

It took a few moments but soon she was there smiling at him from the frame of brown hair that hung loosely about her shoulders and back. "Well well well, I was beginning to think that I had run you off for good Mr. Deurgar." She teased.

"You could never run me off. Your the first person I've met that I can consider my friend." Wulfgar said as he stood up. He waved the hostess over. "I'll have a coffee, black with 5 sugar and extra caffeine. What about you Jane? What's your poison?" He asked looking back at Jane as he took his seat again.

"Hot chocolate with carmel light cinnamon and whipped cream. Shot of kaluah and single malt whiskey please non synthetic." Jane replied as she settled herself into the chair opposite of him. Her smile was dazzling. He considers her to be his friend. Her heart was doing somersaults again. She had promised her parents she'd try. They were so worried about her being alone all the time. But she wasn't really ever alone or really lonely. Still she understood their concerns. She watched the host leave to retrieve their drinks. "So five sugars eh... I take it you are planning on a long day." She tossed out in an effort to get the conversation started.

Wulfgar raised an eyebrow at her order. 'A bit early for alcohol.' He thought to himself as he took a sip of his coffee when the hostess had brought them their order. "Aye, been have to rebuild a few parts and modify others to fit our class of ship. It's been some long hours in those Jeffries tubes replacing and repairing quit a few systems." He told her. His face showed a bit of concern as he looked at her spiked hot chocolate. "Isn't it a bit early for a drink like that Jane?" He ask after a short pause.

The disapproval was obvious in his dark eyes. It made her blush a deep crimson. "Yes,. I suppose you are right. How silly of me." She looked around to try and wave the hostess back. Her eyes stopped a moment going wide she turned back around and shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Hey ummm. Would you mind maybe going for a walk instead?" She asked there was an almost pleading quality to her voice.

Wulfgar raised an eyebrow at the sudden shifting at furtive glance. He looked the way she had looked but only seen other crew members going about their own business though he thought that when he had looked, one man had seemed to have avert his gaze from their position. 'Curious.' He thought to himself as he returned his gaze back to Jane. "Sure, where would you like to go?" He finally asked before taking a long drink from his coffee.

Jane thought for a moment. There was a guilty tone to her voice when she asked him. "I have always been curious about engineering. Though I understand only authorized personel are allowed. But I'm pretty tiny I won't get in anyone's way. Or perhaps we can go to your quarters and play a board game or something? It's a bit crowded in here is all." Jane averted her eyes. She knew she had no real reason to be nervous... It was a public place and normally she loved such spaces. However the last week or so a certain client kept showing up coincidentally wherever she was in such places and in her office after other clients left. At first she was thrilled to be of help. But after last night she had been playing with the idea that maybe she should tell someone about it. Which is where a great deal of her guilt came in. He hadn't done anything wrong yet. Just invaded her personal space a little. Maybe she just needed to remind him of her personal vs proffecinal space? He was probably just lonely.. the guilt rolled her over like a violent current. her mind chided her for reading more into it then there was. Perhaps she should introduce him to some new friends? Still there was another voice in her head screaming how indecent and wrong it had been for him to let himself into her personal quarters,. No matter what the excuse. She felt very torn at what to do.... She looked up at Wulfgar then. "Anywhere but here right now. Please."

"Sure, let's go." Wulfgar said as he downed the rest of his coffee. He stood up and glanced briefly in the direction that Jane had looked. Watching her, he could tell she wanted to look as if something over there scared her. The only thing that direction were a few crew mates chatting or eating. Then one fought his eye. He wasn't eating or visiting but Wulfgar had seen him glance away from them when he looked. "Come on, I have an idea." He said with a smile as he offered Jane his hand to help her up.

Relief seemed to rush through her as she took his offered hand. Again the little voice in her mind screamed at her to simply say something. But she couldn't. Nothing bad had happened...'yet' confidentiality demanded that she keep her silence unless she felt threatened. Did she feel threatened? Or was it all in her head? At the moment it didn't matter. She stood up, a smile blossoming as she did. "An idea,? My curiosity is peaked. Lead the way."

"Maybe." Wulfgar said with a wink and a grin. He glanced back towards the other spot where that one guy was. The hostess was delivering a cup of coffe but the man was looking their way with his eyes narrowed a bit. That caught Wulfgar of balance a bit. 'Why would that person have a look like that at us?' He thought to himself as he escorted Jane from 10 forward.

When they got into the hall he turned them to the right and began walking next to her. He had maintained his light hold on her hand as they left but meant to release it in the halls only to realize he didn't want to let go just yet. "Where are you from?" He asked as they walled.

She could feel his hand resting so comfortably in her own as they walked along the hall. She liked it. It helped ease the anxiety from before. Nor did Wulfgar seem to mind that she hadn't yet let him go. His question caught her off guard. People didn't often ask her about herself. Either they already knew what they wanted from her file, or it had rarely come up. "Well I was born on a cruise ship. The lunar Crusier3 orbiting the planet Betazed. My father was an ambassador of sorts and was stationed there along with my mother. Both human, my mother was a musician so fit in well amongst the artisans before getting home sick I suppose. At age five they just up and left Betazed in a big hurry. I remember my nanny was very upset and it was night. I think but could be mistaken that we were fleeing. From what I couldn't tell you. We traveled two or so years on a couple of ships before settling down again on Earth. My father had bought a little cabin tucked away in Northern California a place they literally called Paradise. How about you? Where are you from?" Jane asked letting their still joined hands swing a little as they walked.

Wulfgar thought a minute as they reached the Turbo lift. When the doors opened they stepped in and he spoke. "Engineering." He turned to look at Jane and smiled. "I was born in Seattle Washington and grew up in the Tacoma area in Washington. My mother is a nurse and my father is a mechanic. I have a little sister as well. She's seven years younger than me. My mother use to bake cookies for my father and I and my little sister would help. I remember the first time she helped make them she added salt instead of sugar. Boy were they terrible." He let out a chuckle as the memory and the taste played through his mind. "My father and I were sick for two days afterwards but we ate every last cookie she made us. I think we went through a whole gallon of milk that day." He brought her hand up and sniffed them for the cookie smell he had caught last time.

"Oatmeal raisin today." He heard her say. And indeed her hands seemed perfumed with the warm scent. Her tone seemed a bit awe stricken if not warm and tender. Jane's cheeks were painted in a crimson veil that she hid by ducking her head and looking away shyly.

Wulfgar smiled as he straightened. "Chocolate chip are my all time favorite though white chocolate macadamia nut is a very close second." He released her hand a bit hesitantly as the doors opened to reveal main engineering.

He led her in and started pointing out the consoles and explaining what they did.

Jane followed him. Strolling comfortably along enjoying the sound of excitement in her friends voice as he spoke about the thing he so obviously loved doing. It didn't matter that half of what he told her made absolutely no sense at all. It was enough to just listen. It seemed over far too soon. Before she knew it they were back on the lift.

Wulfgar kept glancing at her as they rode the lift back up. He wanted to hold her hand again but before he could bring himself to, they had reached her quarters. "Here we are. I hope you had a good time and that we can hang out again." He said with a smile.

"I had a great time too. Do you really need to go?" Jane asked. "I could make some coffee, we could play a game or two, I'll even cook you dinner." She offered almost hurriedly before her frail nerves gave out.

"I think I can stay for a bit more, I'm not due on shift for another hour." Wulfgar said with a smile at Jane. He was glad she had asked as he didn't want this to end. She was the first person who wasn't an engineer or family that he truly felt comfortable around.

His exceptence of her invitation filled her with genuine joy. Shed half expected him to hurry off like most of her potential friends seemed inclined to do. She opened the door to her office/ quarters and reaching out she took him by the hand and lead him inside. It smelled of lavender and a hint of mint with the underlined scent of honeysuckle. Although the further in she pulled him increased the warm sweet scent of fresh baked cookies from that morning. The room was blue, shimmering metallic blue from the wall hangings that were draped along the walls giving the feel of living in a music box. The furniture was softer blue and grey's. A coffee nook was set up on a desk that had been moved against the wall the couch back resting against it. She took him through her office to the wall hanging that closed off her private quarters and moved it aside and began to unlock the door. Locking it was now a very big habit of hers.

Wulfgar looked around and inhaled the scents that were Jane's office. A smile spread across his face as he took it all in, especially the feeling of her holding his hand. His fingers slid between her fingers, intertwining them. "Blue is my favorite color." He said to her as she unlocked the inner door.

She smiled over her shoulder at him. Her fingers comfortably intwined with his made her feel safe and gave her great comfort. Jane was so thankful for his company. There was a warmth and gentle laughter to her sweet voice as she drew him through the curtains and door with a simple, "it's mine too. "

End.

Ensign Wulfgar Duergar
Engineering Officer

Ensign Jane Doe
Counselor