Tempest Pt 4

Posted on 04 Feb 2014 @ 6:44pm by Lieutenant Jared Nicholas & Lieutenant Min Zhao

1,849 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: San Francisco
Timeline: MD 07: 1530-2130

OLD:

Min grinned. "Let me find my clothes and we can get out of here." She leaned over and gave Jared a quick peck on the cheek before getting out bed.

That Jared was willing to hang out with her after their little encounter suggested that, as he said, he was interested in more then just a quick fling, a good sign for the future. That said, it could also mean he was willing to put in the leg work for a good sexual partner but wasn't interested in anything more then that.

~That's the uncertainty of jumping into bed with a guy hours after meeting him,~ Min chided herself. ~Only time will tell tho won't it.~

NEW:

The sex had been good. No, not good, but great. One reason as that they had both cared about pleasing each other. A second was because they had so much in common, but the third, the most important if it were true, was that three might be something more to it than just the sex.

He couldn't be sure of course, only time would tell. "Do you like the ballet?" he called out to her.

Min stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing her face in a towel after a quick refresh. Picking up her clothes, she began changing into them. "I've never been to one actually. My folks weren't much for cultural activities, I suppose because father was always doing some sort of diplomatic function or another and it felt too much like work to him."

"There is a showing of Swan Lake a little later this evening. We could get an early dinner attend the ballet and maybe go for a walk in the moonlight down on the beach later."

"We could." Min remarked as she finished slipping back into her outfit. Looking herself over in the mirror she was satisfied everything was in place. "Sounds like fun actually."

"Great, let me just grab a shower real quick and we'll head out."

Min was a little disapointed Jared hadn't mentioned the shower earlier as she'd have enjoyed joining him, but now fully dressed, she didn't want to undress as that might come across as to eager.

She gave him a quick peck on the cheek as he passed by her.

He smile as she gave him a spontaneous kiss and had he read her mind, he would have been kicking himself for not thinking to mention the shower idea to her earlier.

He finished with his shower, shaved quickly, though it was not really necessary, changed his clothes and walked back out to join her.

"So are you ready?"

Min nodded. "Computer. Save and end program."

As the hotel room vanished to show the walls of the holodeck, Min slipped in beside Jared, slipping her hand around his side. "Shall we?"

"Sure," he replied enjoying her hand around him. "You know, I could get used to that. You're hand where you have it that is."

"It certainly feels right from here," Min grinned as she reached up and pecked Jared on the cheek. "Take a walk through SF before we sit down for a bite?"

"Yeah that sounds like fun," he responded. as they began to walk along he said, "You know, we all have a past and both of us have, well baggage. I don't think we should let any of that get in the way of our developing our relationship.

"I can't promise anything but I will try." Min hugged Jared closer as they walked along.

It was a warm night and there weren't that many pedestrians around so they had the street mostly to themselves. Jared didn't know where things might go in their budding relationship, but for the moment that didn't matter.

They made small talk until the reached the restaurant, a nice little bistro. Jared held the door for her as they entered.

Min glanced around as she stepped in. The place had a feel of understated elegance and a little touch of history she recognized as coming from San Francisco's 20th & 21st Centuries, often considered the one of the high points of the city's cultural history.

Min found a quiet place off to one side where her and Jared wouldn't be disturbed.

Jared moved with her, then held her chair out so she could take a seat. He then sat beside her. "I've heard the food is really good here. Real fresh food and regional dishes. I hope that it 's reputation is well deserved."

"Worth a try." She glanced at a passing dish being carried by one of the staff.

"So what do you do in your down time Jared?" Min grinned. "When you're not romancing naive young girls like myself I mean."

"Well, I guess I'm kind of like those old time engineers from back in the day. Except instead of being absorbed by engines, my addiction is languages, their differences and similarities. Their particular nuances.

An old Terran planes? Oh I wish I could go back in time and fly those someplace other than a holodeck.

And then of course when I'm not romancing naive young girls, I'm romancing naive young boys. At least up until now."

Min just nodded at the comment. She knew his taste's ran both ways but the exact choice of words was a little creepy and she could only assume his remark was just him responding to her smart ass remark in kind.

"I've never flown in one but I have flown in their cousins the helicopter. Several programs I run on the holodeck we need them to reach areas of pristine snow." She smiled. "Only holodeck program I really miss right now is a snowboarding one."

"Really? "I've never tried that before. Do you think you could show me?"

Min shook her head. "As much as I want to, Doc says I should avoid any activity that places the baby at risk of injury. Even the holodeck is pushing it tho perhaps if we were to hit up a couple of places up in the Canadian Rockies, the terrain is easier."

Jared nodded. "I was actually thinking a bit later after the baby was born and you had a chance to recover. But I really wouldn't mind playing something out in the holodeck if you want. We could even switch to that for our next date,if you'd like.

"The more extreme stuff will have to wait for sure. I think it actually would be fun to get out on some easier stuff on the holodeck. No helicopters tho, just lifts."

Min glanced up as a young lady came to their table. "Can I help you two?" She said with a bit of a ditzy smile.

Jared returned the smile as he moved to cover Min's hand with his own. "Yes, " he said, "We'd like to see a couple of menus, please. We'll just have water for now, but if you have a wine menu we'd like to see that too."

Min nodded when the girl glanced at her. She turned back to Jared. "So planes huh? You'd enjoy talking with my brother. He's got what he claims is one of the best holodeck flight programs this side of North America. Not sure what all he has but it's quite the collection if the program list is any indication."

"I'd love to talk with your brother sometime then, but how is he going to react to me, to us. Especially since we haven't decided what us, is."

Min took Jared's hand and gave it a little squeeze. "You let me handle my brother. As far as he's concerned, we're friends and shipmates. Once we've had time to figure out things between us, then we can decide what to do about him."

"I think i can handle that," he said as he found his fingers almost automatically entwining with hers., "We better hurry, I'm enjoying this time with you, but we're going to be late for the ballet if we don't hurry."

"That depends on how fast the service is." Min let their hands stay intertwined as she looked over the menu. Something fast & light was in the cards and she spotted something. Closing her menu with her free hand, "I've decided. You?"

"Well the Chicken Marsala looks pretty good I like that kind of sauce better than tomato, and it comes with angel hair pasta. That is light but filling. But we could also get something else and share it with each other.

"I'm going to try their Caesar salad with a Cajun spice chicken. It's a standby for me."

"That's a good choice too. How about a bottle of Chianti to go with our food. Are you able to drink the real thing?"

"Best if I didn't. Doc says the baby has enough on their plate being of two worlds. They don't know how it would react to certain substances."

After the waiter had come and taken their order he turned his gaze upon her. "you know I've enjoyed myself more than I have in a long time. And I'm not just talking about the sex, I'm talking about everything. And I'm kind hoping you feel he same way."

"I've enjoyed our time together so far Jared. And yes, I do hope this is the first of many."

"Me too,' Jared said as he reached over and stole a kiss from her.

After the waiter came back with the bottle and poured a glass for Jared, Min passed, she raised her glass of water to Jared. "The first of hopefully many great days ahead."


Jared brought his glass to hers touching it lightly. "To many more great days... and nights, he said with a slight smirk.

"And nights." Min smiled as she took a sip from her glass.


Their dinner came and they ate it slowly, taking their time and getting to know each other a little more. They were about ten minutes late for the start of the ballet, but Jared didn't mind.

He held her hand as the ballet played out torn between the beauty on the stage and the one he was sitting beside.

As the lights slowly came up in the auditorium, Min glanced over at Jared. "You were right, that was wonderful."

He gave her a broad smile, "It is one of my favorites, remembering that I got to see it with you will only make it even more special."

As they exited the hall, Min settled into Jared's side as they walked down the street. "Thank you for a wonderful day Jared. It's been a while since a guy treated out like you have. "

"Well its been awhile since a woman, well for that matter has made me feel like you make me feel. Rather than just put you in a cab, I'd like to walk you back home if that's okay and you're up to it."

"I would enjoy the walk."

OFF:

JP by:

Lt j.g. Min Zhao
Asst Chief of Operations
USS Galileo

&&

Lieutenant Jared Nicholas
Language Specialist
USSGalileo

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