Some Time to Relax Prt I

Posted on Thu Jun 30th, 2022 @ 6:21pm by Sergeant David Novak

Mission: In-Between (S1:E2-S1:E3)
Location: Holodeck One
Timeline: Mission Day 25 at 1830
3427 words - 6.9 OF Standard Post Measure

For Dana it had seemed like a very long day waiting for the time of her evening date with David, now she stood outside the doors of holodeck one. She wasn’t sure exactly what David had in mind for their date so she’d arrived dressed in a mid length figure hugging dress with a plunge neckline. She just hoped David would find it appropriate.

A few moments later, David rounded the corner in a pair of grey dress pants and a white button-up. He had polished his shoes and styled his hair as well. He offered Dana a wink when he saw her, and a small smile.

"Damn, you look good." he said, touching her waist. "You almost make me want to skip to the end of the date."

Dana blushed. “Well at least now I know what to wear to grab your interest!” She smiled warmly. “You’re looking quite dashing yourself.”

"I hope you brought your appetite. I'm taking you to a favorite spot of mine." he said, turning to the computer terminal and dialing in the program. When the doors opened they were faced with a blast of warm, dry air and a dark sidewalk lit by streetlights and establishments on either side. "You ready?"

Dana nodded enthusiastically, “You bet I am!” She gently took hold of David’s hand waiting for him to lead her where he wanted her to go.

They walked through the doors together onto the busy street. The arch disappeared and they were left among beeping automobiles in heavy traffic and a sidewalk full of pedestrians of all stripes, traveling fast. David turned to her and smiled.

"A period piece. New York, early 21st century." he said, giving her hand a squeeze. "The restaurant is just down the street here."

They walked together for a while until they came to the establishment. A tasteful neon sign out front announced that they were there, and several people went in before them. When they stepped in together, they could hear rock music and the roar of talking patrons from the other room. The smell of meat and various sauces hit their noses right away.

"I reserved the holodeck for the next five hours, by the way." David said, winking at her. Before she could respond, the young blonde hostess who seemed slightly overwhelmed welcomed them. David smiled back, presenting the gentlemanly charm he held so well. "Table for two, please."

Callie couldn’t help but grin at the fact that David had reserved the holodeck for so long, at least they didn’t have to rush. She held onto David’s arm as the waitress lead them to a table in a secluded corner. “Perfect” she smiled and nodded her approval.

The table was tall and made of a light wood and accompanied by two tall stools, one on each side. David pulled out the stool close to the corner for her and took her hand, helping her into the seat, and then sat down himself. The waitress had dropped off menus for them, and so he opened his right away. He looked around, even though he already knew what he wanted. Extreme hot wings.

"I figured it might be a turn on to see you eating with your hands, so..." he said, joking.

Dana grinned. “Ohh that can be arranged later...” she gave him a wry look.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, his shoed foot meeting hers under the table. His face was suggestive, but also slightly silly. "I didn't know you were such a fan of meat. But what if you can't handle all the sauce?"

Dana ran her foot suggestively between David’s legs. “Ohh I’m sure I’ll be able to handle every bit of sauce that it comes with...”

The waitress cleared her throat and approached with an awkward kind of determination. She had clearly heard the last part.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked, eyeing David more than Dana.

"Oh, yeah." he said, smiling. He wasn't embarrassed. Besides the fact she was just a hologram, he tended to be quite comfortable in his own shoes. "I'll have the lava hot chicken."

"Bone in or bone out?" she asked, her expression calming a bit with the question. Her eyes lingered on his.

"Bone in, are you crazy?" he said in an amused sort of way. "And celery with ranch."

She waitress giggled at his joke too much, her pen moving over the paper pad in her other hand as she smiled.

"Anything to drink for you, hun?" she asked.

"Whatever beer you have on tap." he said, then looked at Dana, a smile on his face. "Your turn, Dana."

The waitress looked at Dana, all the girlish energy she had seeming to wane a bit and a more business-like expression returning to her face. Her pen was ready over the pad.

Dana offered a smile. “I’ll go for the Kentucky fried platter please, with an ice cold Pepsi.”

The waitress smiled at them both and then left. As soon as she was gone, David looked at Dana.

"So, we've been attending alot of events together. The girls on the lower decks are starting to talk." he said, matter-of-factly.

“Is that so?” Dana smiled as she sat looking at David. “Perhaps we should consider making our relationship common knowledge? We don’t have anything to hide.”

"We've been walking down the hall eyeing each other like pieces of meat, I think people can tell." he said, dodging the subject a bit. He had never resolved the hesitancy he felt from before. He had been spending time with Dana because he liked to, and he thought she understood that he still wasn't ready. He should have known. It wasn't really fair for him to keep being so intimate with her...to make love to her, if he wasn't ready to commit, was it?

“You’re dodging my question David” Dana looked at David, she knew he was still hesitant to put his heart fully into their relationship. “I got into this relationship knowing you were still in love with your girl back home, I guess I was hoping you’d love me more.”

“I’m not in love with her, I just…”he paused, several thoughts surging into his mind at once. Dana was sweet, and smart, and sexy, but it was more complicated than that. “We’ve only known each other for a couple weeks, Dana. I don’t really know you and you don’t really know me. And at the risk of ruining this date, I gotta say… I don’t know if you want me for me or…just a warm body…a piece of meat.”

Dana looked at David in shock, and surprise. “You think I’m using you for sex!?...just to fill my bed!?” She couldn’t blame him for thinking it, she had slept with him pretty early on. “Perhaps that’s true for other women but it’s not for me!” She stood up the twinkle of tears glinting in her eyes “If you’ll excuse me...I need a few minutes alone.”

"That's not what I meant, Dana. Wait!" he exclaimed as she walked away in the direction of the restrooms. It had been loud enough to attract the attention of the entire restaurant. This time, he was slightly embarrassed, even though they were only holograms. He sighed and leaned against the wall. Women were so complicated.

Entering the restroom Dana walked across to the sink to splash some water on her face, she didn’t want to be seen crying like a baby. Maybe she had pushed things too fast with David, should she back off? She wasn’t sure what to do, or what to say anymore. What could she say to David to convince him he wasn’t just a piece of meat, as he’d put it.

While Dana was gone, the waitress returned with a large tray containing their food. She placed their food down methodically, taking a longer time than she had at other tables, and when it was done, she regarded David with some interest.

"Trouble in paradise?" she asked, putting on a look of false concern.

"You might say that." he said in response, looking at her with less interest.

"Well, when I get off my shift, I wouldn't mind talking it over with you." she said, leaning in and revealing chevage as subtly as she could. "You shouldn't have to work through this alone, right?"

David observed the chevage for several seconds, then he looked back up at her and smiled.

"Computer, randomize character; male." he said, and then turned his gaze down to his beer as the transformation occurred. He lifted the glass to his lips and sipped it, then turned to the character. "Bring me like...three more of these, please.

"That sorta night, huh?" the waiter said, now a rather hefty and squat man with a large double chin. "Will do, champ."

Returning from the restroom Dana paused by the table, she wasn’t sure exactly what to say instead she simply stood in-front of David, “You want to know what you mean to me?” She leant in giving him a passionate kiss that she let linger. Pulling back she looked into his eyes. “I don’t care that we’ve only been together for a short time, I love you David.”

He returned the kiss, despite his confusion, but when she told him that she loved him, he furrowed his brow.

"I'm going to be very honest with you, Dana. I don't want to hurt you, but its clear we need to talk about this." he said, looking concerned, guiding her into her seat across from him over their untouched food. "Before you came aboard, you were an Alliance Slave. You were abused, you were demeaned. You told me how little romance there was for you there. I guess, above my personal problems...I'm worried you think you love me because....well, because I've been kind to you."

He sighed, shaking his head in dismissal of the feelings that were welling up inside him.

"Don't get me wrong, I have feelings for you too and...I'm hardly one to talk as I'm not ready for a commitment of any kind....but that's there to. It's hard to know where to start. It just feels like there is something standing between us being more than...intimate friends."

It hurt hearing him say that, it hurt more than Dana knew how to describe. “I...what am I supposed to say? Does it even matter?” She paused wiping away a few tears. “I am not imagining how I feel for you David, yes you’ve been kind to me, but I’m not feeling what I’m feeling because of that!” She pushed away the plate of food on the table, instead she picked up her glass and downed what she could of her drink. “I’m sorry I’m not hungry anymore.”

He watched her for several long moments. She seemed twice as far away from him as she was; a trick of the brain.

"I can't commit....and you want commitment." he started. "I don't know where we go from here. I like you and I don't want to stop dating you. I like seeing you. I like talking to you. I like kissing you. Hell, I really like making love to you. But I'm not ready to...say love."

“You don’t have to be” Dana was confused, she wanted to keep on seeing David, but how much hurt would that bring knowing he didn’t feel for her what she felt for him. “You were my first David, the first man who ever touched me like that, the first man I ever made love to...” she finished off the last of her drink. “I’d like to go home now.”

He sighed. Programming this restaurant and the street it was on hadn't been easy, and since he shadowed the Captain whenever he was off Deck One or outside his quarters, free time wasn't exactly one of the things he had alot of. She hadn't even tasted the food or gotten to see the impressive hotel room he had planned for them. Of course, there was more at stake than just that, but still.

He pushed his stool back and stood up, placing his hands in his pockets.

"I'll walk you back." he said simply, his eyes cast down in either sadness or irritation.

Dana started towards the door before pausing. “You said you reserved the holodeck for five hours?” As much as it hurt she couldn’t face leaving him. “Maybe...you could show me what else you had planned? There’s plenty of time to eat.”

“I thought you wanted to go home.” He said, his eyebrow cocking and his hands moving from his pockets to his hips.

“I can go if you want me to?” Dana gazed at him waiting to see what he’d say.

“Of course I don’t want you to. But I don’t want you to stay because you pity me; I don’t need that.” He said, crossing his arms over his defined chest. “I want you to stay because you want that.”

Dana turned and walked back towards him. “I want that, you know I do. I want to be with you!” She sighed. “I can’t make you love me, and I wouldn’t. True love needs to come from the heart.”

David grabbed her hand then and smiled at her. Despite the tension and high feelings, he was determined to show her a good time if such a thing were still possible. Turning, he lead her toward the front door, ignoring the hostess who was making an attempt to flag them down to inquire why there were leaving without eating or paying. Stepping out on the street, David gestured to the stone-face of the building they'd just left. In giant neon letters, the name of the restaurant was on display. He was nudged by a careless passer-by on the street and he stepped back against the wall, pulling Dana with her. Cars beeped and tall buildings lined the large road, each lit with lights through windows, some of which revealed subtle activity beyond.

"I'm not too talented. Just one New York City Street. I did some work to make it seem real...the voices...the smells. But beyond that, I focused my energy on the restaurant and the hotel room." he looked at her and winked. "I figure you might not want to see that one anymore."

Dana grinned. “Oh I want to see that one most of all.” She looked around. “I do appreciate all of this, I’m sorry if I seem...too attached.”

She was way more interested in remaining than he had thought. He displayed an involuntary smile at her suggestion and shrugged off the rest. He held her hand tighter, but didn’t respond verbally, instead leading her down the busy street to a large hotel in the middle with a brightly lit awning. Nodding at the bellman, they walked through the revolving door and into an ornate lobby all decked out with red carpets, marble floors, and gold. It was one of those places where a night in their cheapest room probably cost 2,000 Imperial Crowns. He pulled her past the receptionists in the lobby and went directly into a waiting elevator. As the doors closed, he turned to her and looked her in the eyes intimately.

“I didn’t know I was your first.” He said gently as the lift began to move. “Everything makes sense now. I thought we were on the same page, and we weren’t. I’m sorry for that.”

Dana nodded. “It’s okay, I should have told you at the time. You just...made everything so special for me.” She smiled warmly. “You’re the first man whose ever looked at me as a woman.”

He looked at her, confused. She was beautiful and bright, and he couldn't understand why any man wouldn't notice that.

"I don't get that at all, Dana." he said, simply, putting a hand on the small of her back as the lift doors opened to a well-decorated but small entry way. At the end was a wooden door. He lead her out and reached for the nob, pulling it open.

“Haven’t you noticed anything different about me?” Dana gave him a curious look. “You’ve seen me without my clothes on before David, haven’t you noticed the implants?”

"Sure I have. Metal over your ear...along your spine...on your hand. I figured you just had an adventurous adolescence." he said, chuckling.

The door opened to reveal a cozy modern penthouse design of surprising size. There were expensive looking couches and chairs all over the living room and a roaring fireplace danced flame in the background. The second floor could be viewed via a wrap-around balcony and the far wall was a floor to ceiling window which provided a nighttime view of the New York City skyline.

"This is it..." he said, smiling.

Dana’s jaw practically hit the floor as she stood looking around the room in awe. “Ohh my....” She grinned like a giddy little school girl as she turned to look at him. In typical excited child style she made her way around the entire apartment, checking out everything with a grin on her face.

“There’s a beautiful Master Suite upstairs and an open-air balcony outside. There’s a hot tub out there, too. Just…try not to hot the banister.”

“Now that I have to see!” Dana grinned as she held out her hand. “Would you like to show me?”

With a grin, David grab that hand and let her quickly over to the polished wooden stairs surrounded on either side by glass banisters. They took it all the way to the top floor and walked around the balcony which overlooked the living room until I reached two white double doors. He grabbed the handle and pushed them open, leading to a large room with dark metal frames holding a soy round window to the New York Skyline. In the center, a black platform supported a large bed with a tall gray headboard which, it’s self, sported a long painting of the ocean.

“Here it is. Fresh from my imagination.” He said, regretting the evening hadn’t gone as he had planned. He had wanted to give her a great meal and then impress her with all this. Now he worried it was more a tour than a meaningful experience, but he pushed those feelings away and smiled, putting his hand on a nearby wooden desk. “It’s kind of a dream house for me; way more than I could afford on Terra.”

Dana was astounded, she could never have imagined such an amazing place. “This is...” She shook her head at a loss for words. “Look I...I’m sorry if I spoilt your plans, you had dinner all sorted. If you want we can go back and have dinner, then come back again?”

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you serious?" he said, then smiled gently, exhaling a shallow sigh. "Yeah, I'd like that, actually. I didn't think there was any way to turn this around but...I'd like to."

He reached out and put a hand on her hip, looking her in the eyes with that same smile. The stress and sadness that had been there before was melting away.

"But I don't want to if you're just trying to salvage my work. I don't need a pity date. If you want to go home, I won't be mad."

Dana looked up into David’s eyes. “I want to...very much!” She smiled before leaning in for a kiss. “We’d best get going before I decide to stay here, and skip ahead a few steps.” She grinned playfully.

“Don’t tempt me with a good time.” He said, smiling and grabbing her bottom with one of his strong hands. He leaned in and kissed her; the kiss matured and grew in passion. He wasn’t sure he wanted extreme chicken wings as much anymore, but he still wanted to give her the whole experience. Despite his arousal, he pulled back from the kiss. “Let’s go.”

{TBC}