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First Date (short story)
superhombre777
Member Posts: 147 Arc User
Part 1 of 3 - Amanda
Strawberry Point, San Francisco Bay, Earth
I have been slowly getting to know Isabella Hillel. She's not the kind of person to just open up and spill the beans on her troubles. But, I'm working on her. This lunch outside of San Francisco was her idea, and it came as a pleasant surprise.
We sat on a bench overlooking the bay. Our conversation was good for the first half hour or so. She talked about her daughter's growth and the conflicting feelings that come every time she returns to Earth. I talked about the usual "safe" topics for a while. Then I decided to actually get to know her and ask a tough question: how her relationship with Yair was.
A sheet of hostility instantly draped her. "Amanda, I know I haven't been open with you, but I'm sick of talking about my troubles with Yair. Why don't we talk about something fun? Maybe you can tell me about your first date with Miguel?"
I gave her a fake smile - I know, exactly what I was trying to avoid. "Sure, but that story isn't a picture perfect romance. I already told you about how I met him - by running into him in a hallway after I beamed aboard. How much longer do you have a babysitter for?"
"You are stalling. Get started!"
"Alright, I'm starting," I replied. "After our first meeting, I didn't see him for several months. I was working in a small office on deck 4, where we 'integrated the scientists into the mission profile.' That's a fancy way of saying that we told Ph.D.s that they couldn't use the main deflector because we were in a combat zone.
"It was kind of awkward since I came in as the senior officer. But after a few weeks, people started warming up to me...especially Doctor Hastings, the exobiologist. He seemed like a nice guy, so I went on a date with him. It didn't take long for me to realize that he immediately became infatuated with the latest woman that he met."
Isabella rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"
"Yes, that was a poor decision," I said. "Please don't remind me.
"I got to know Cui Li pretty well after I broke up with Hastings. Do you remember her? She was married to Lieutenant Commander Mou Li, the weapons officer. Cui apologized for not warning me about Hastings - apparently he goes after every new woman he meets. At first I felt terrible, but we had some fun together, so I got over it."
"And this is about Miguel how?"
I sighed. "You just don't appreciate a storyteller at work, do you?"
"Obviously not."
"Ok. Cui invited me to dinner with her family a few times, and I really enjoyed getting to know her. So when she was half an hour late for her shift one morning, I got concerned. She didn't respond to a hail, so I asked the computer where she was. Then I ran to the Infirmary to see why she was there.
"Her husband had been injured on an away mission. I tried to comfort her, but Miguel got in my way and asked me to leave. It was the first time I had seen him in several months, and I had totally forgotten about him.
"I told him that I was Cui's friend and then gave him some choice words when he said that the situation was under control. I know that a lot of people assume that I'm always quiet and nice, but when someone is preventing me from caring for my friend, they are going to get a piece of my mind. He replied by saying that he was the acting captain since Carter and V'Rain were at a conference for the weekend. He threatened to have me removed if I didn't leave on my own. I almost hit him."
"And now you want to marry the guy? Amanda, I don't understand you."
"Hang on. I'm almost done. So I went back to the office, finished my shift, and then headed to my quarters. I hadn't calmed down from the confrontation in the Infirmary, and I knew that Cui didn't need a hot-headed friend.
"Someone came to my quarters a few minutes later and pressed the chime. I opened the door and found Miguel there. He apologized for questioning me in sickbay and asked me if there was anything that he could help me with. I replied without thinking and told him that I'd like company for dinner."
"He didn't come into your quarters and f**k you, did he? I'll hunt him down..." Isabella clenched her fist and fumed at the thought.
"No, not at all," I replied. "He walked me to the cafeteria on deck eight and kept me company. He was the perfect gentleman. Then he walked me back to my quarters and told me to call him if I needed anything else. He didn't lay a hand on me, but that's when he won my heart."
Isabella released her fist. "Most women wouldn't consider that a date, you know."
"I know. This was the first time I got to see him for who he truly is. He wasn't trying to woo me. Later on, once he figured out that I wanted him, he tried to emphasize how strong and kind he was. He didn't realize that I already knew those things."
"Well, I'm truly happy for you," she said. "It's about time for me to head back to pick up Emily. I've enjoyed this time. Would you like to come pick her up with me?"
Continued below...
Strawberry Point, San Francisco Bay, Earth
I have been slowly getting to know Isabella Hillel. She's not the kind of person to just open up and spill the beans on her troubles. But, I'm working on her. This lunch outside of San Francisco was her idea, and it came as a pleasant surprise.
We sat on a bench overlooking the bay. Our conversation was good for the first half hour or so. She talked about her daughter's growth and the conflicting feelings that come every time she returns to Earth. I talked about the usual "safe" topics for a while. Then I decided to actually get to know her and ask a tough question: how her relationship with Yair was.
A sheet of hostility instantly draped her. "Amanda, I know I haven't been open with you, but I'm sick of talking about my troubles with Yair. Why don't we talk about something fun? Maybe you can tell me about your first date with Miguel?"
I gave her a fake smile - I know, exactly what I was trying to avoid. "Sure, but that story isn't a picture perfect romance. I already told you about how I met him - by running into him in a hallway after I beamed aboard. How much longer do you have a babysitter for?"
"You are stalling. Get started!"
"Alright, I'm starting," I replied. "After our first meeting, I didn't see him for several months. I was working in a small office on deck 4, where we 'integrated the scientists into the mission profile.' That's a fancy way of saying that we told Ph.D.s that they couldn't use the main deflector because we were in a combat zone.
"It was kind of awkward since I came in as the senior officer. But after a few weeks, people started warming up to me...especially Doctor Hastings, the exobiologist. He seemed like a nice guy, so I went on a date with him. It didn't take long for me to realize that he immediately became infatuated with the latest woman that he met."
Isabella rolled her eyes. "Seriously?"
"Yes, that was a poor decision," I said. "Please don't remind me.
"I got to know Cui Li pretty well after I broke up with Hastings. Do you remember her? She was married to Lieutenant Commander Mou Li, the weapons officer. Cui apologized for not warning me about Hastings - apparently he goes after every new woman he meets. At first I felt terrible, but we had some fun together, so I got over it."
"And this is about Miguel how?"
I sighed. "You just don't appreciate a storyteller at work, do you?"
"Obviously not."
"Ok. Cui invited me to dinner with her family a few times, and I really enjoyed getting to know her. So when she was half an hour late for her shift one morning, I got concerned. She didn't respond to a hail, so I asked the computer where she was. Then I ran to the Infirmary to see why she was there.
"Her husband had been injured on an away mission. I tried to comfort her, but Miguel got in my way and asked me to leave. It was the first time I had seen him in several months, and I had totally forgotten about him.
"I told him that I was Cui's friend and then gave him some choice words when he said that the situation was under control. I know that a lot of people assume that I'm always quiet and nice, but when someone is preventing me from caring for my friend, they are going to get a piece of my mind. He replied by saying that he was the acting captain since Carter and V'Rain were at a conference for the weekend. He threatened to have me removed if I didn't leave on my own. I almost hit him."
"And now you want to marry the guy? Amanda, I don't understand you."
"Hang on. I'm almost done. So I went back to the office, finished my shift, and then headed to my quarters. I hadn't calmed down from the confrontation in the Infirmary, and I knew that Cui didn't need a hot-headed friend.
"Someone came to my quarters a few minutes later and pressed the chime. I opened the door and found Miguel there. He apologized for questioning me in sickbay and asked me if there was anything that he could help me with. I replied without thinking and told him that I'd like company for dinner."
"He didn't come into your quarters and f**k you, did he? I'll hunt him down..." Isabella clenched her fist and fumed at the thought.
"No, not at all," I replied. "He walked me to the cafeteria on deck eight and kept me company. He was the perfect gentleman. Then he walked me back to my quarters and told me to call him if I needed anything else. He didn't lay a hand on me, but that's when he won my heart."
Isabella released her fist. "Most women wouldn't consider that a date, you know."
"I know. This was the first time I got to see him for who he truly is. He wasn't trying to woo me. Later on, once he figured out that I wanted him, he tried to emphasize how strong and kind he was. He didn't realize that I already knew those things."
"Well, I'm truly happy for you," she said. "It's about time for me to head back to pick up Emily. I've enjoyed this time. Would you like to come pick her up with me?"
---
Continued below...
Post edited by superhombre777 on
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San Antonio Riverwalk, Earth
Normally when the Ferengi is buying the drinks, it's time to be weary. A sales pitch will soon follow, possibly for some amazing property on a little-known world that was actually destroyed by the Borg shortly after the sales photos were taken. Or there are some rare, collectible coins from Andor that date back four hundred years before they developed warp technology. Or the dabo wheel has been making winners a lot more than normal, so maybe you should go over there before the owner can get it reprogrammed.
But in this case, it was Mrent, Miguel Jarvis' roommate for the first year at the Academy. Mrent, the roommate who was there when Miguel's grandmother died. Mrent, the friend who used his "exclusive" Ferengi connections to set up a three-week tour of Tellarite, Bajoran and W'renthen archaeological digs, free of charge. This time he had come through again.
The former roommates were joined by Esquejo and Spencer. Last time Nichols was still alive. The time before that, Richter and Mary Anne were with them. Time and circumstances had taken a toll, and there was a time for mourning. But tonight was a celebration.
They discussed the former years and watched the bar's patrons slowly filter out. It was almost time to head their separate ways again. As usual, they saved the most important conversation for the end.
Spencer turned to face Jarvis. "Are you sure you want to do this? She seems like a really great gal, but after Tracy, don't you want to wait some more?"
"I'm positive," Miguel replied. "And if you say Tracy's name again, I'll make you regret it. Remember how we played that prank on Snyder, the Catholic kid? All of the water he came in contact with turned red for three days! Now that I've been a chief engineer for a few years, I can think of much worse things to do to you, and I have more tools at my disposal."
"Only raising the dead would beat the Snyder prank," Mrent interjected before realizing that his comment was inappropriate. "Ok, way to kill the conversation again. Anyway, I'm glad that you are happy. It sounds like she will really enjoy the trip. Your first date was some sort of day trip like this, right?"
"The first date was dumb luck," Jarvis said. "We were parked at a colony on the outskirts of what was formerly the Thallonian Empire. I had some time off, and I suggested that we do the historical tour of that system. That's when I learned that she is a huge history buff. I had never heard of the Thallonians and thought that the whole thing was somehow related to Tholians. But hey, I'm really glad it worked out."
"Just don't tell her that a Ferengi helped you with the planning," Esquejo said. "Yeah, she might want to marry you afterwards, but just because she'll think you are too dumb to take care of yourself!"
Jarvis smiled. "And to think that you are the first officer of a ship! I've told you at least three times now that the trip isn't for another eleven months, which should be after the wedding. Keep the details straight, man." He lightly punched Esquejo on the arm. "It's a good thing that they have you doing supply runs. Otherwise you might have a hard time remembering which cultures are our allies and which are our enemies."
"Allies, enemies, friends, lovers, whatever," Mrent said. "As long as they have latinum, who cares? The hundred and forty-seventh..."
"...Rule of Acquisition says this: if you can rob a man, woman, or child, living or dead, rob them!"
They shared a laugh at Spencer's interruption. Afterwards they realized that the bar was almost entirely empty and the staff was quietly cleaning around them. They said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Jarvis wondered if who would be around for their next reunion and almost let the sorrow overwhelm him. Then he thought about tomorrow's plans and decided to return to the Executor with a smile on his face.
Machu Piccu, Peru, Earth
Miguel and Amanda spent the morning walking through ancient ruins and talking about the people who lived here many centuries ago. He was pretty sure that she had figured out his plan, but that was fine. They ate a modest lunch away from the other tourists. He decided that it was the right time.
"This reminds me of our first date," he said.
"What? Why would you say that?" Amanda looked genuinely confused.
"That trip through Thallonian Empire ruins was fun, but not as good as this."
She sighed and grabbed his hand. "You crack me up. That was our sixth or seventh date. Remember all those meals in the cafeteria where were conveniently alone? Those counted. And the first date was after Cui Li's husband was injured and you wouldn't let me comfort her. I wanted to hurt you badly, but you convinced me otherwise."
Now it was his turn to be confused. "Sometimes I don't understand you at all." There goes the romantic moment...
"I still love you anyway."
"I appreciate that."
She put her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence for a while, and then she sat up. "So, when are you going to ask the question? You don't have to kneel or anything."