Failure to Launch - Part 2

Posted on 16 Aug 2016 @ 10:16pm by Ensign Miraj Derani & Commander Luke Wyatt

2,827 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 11 - Divinum Mundi
Location: USS Galileo Bridge/Hanger Bay
Timeline: MD 30 1700

Previously, on Failure to Launch

Miraj looked around the cosy and intimate interior of the runabout. The last time she’d been in here it had not been as much fun. Now it felt relaxed. And it was a lot of effort for thirty minutes. Her jaw dropped and she felt a little giddy. “its great!” she squeaked. “it's just...i mean...no one's ever” she stopped suddenly. “is this a date?”

And now, the conclusion...

Luke let out a nervous chuckle “A date? I didn’t mean for it to come out that way” He looked around and shook his head “It does kinda feel that way though doesn’t it” Feeling a nervous tinge in the air he continued “I honestly didn’t have any other motives than getting to know you more, we spent a lot of time in that cave and shared quite the experience. We just didn't have much time to stop and talk, maybe I should have gone with one of the other ideas” He thought forgetting the moment and where he was as if he was in his own little bubble.

“no!” she said quickly. “this is great. Its just ive not really done many dates. Or any.” she admitted

“Really? Not one single date?” He asked not believing the woman “Then maybe this is a date, your first date” he beamed holding out a glass he had just poured for her, his own drink in his other hand.

"Not really. Before I got to the academy i didn't really meet anyone outside my dad's crew, or my brothers, and to them i was just the boss's kid, or baby sister. And at the academy," she sighed and took a sip of the drink. "I was just too busy. I mean i hung out occasionally. But i was bottom of every class that didn't involve flying. All my spare time was taken up with extra tuition or extra practise or extra studying to just pass. I never really got a social life. "


“That sucks” He said as he sipped on his own glass of port. “How do you like the drink, I was given it when I became a senior NCO in the marine corp” He smiled sipping at his again. “It sounds like you had a suckish time at the academy” He added trying to draw more out of her.

“It could have been a lot worse. They could have thrown me out and then I wouldn’t get to fly ships of the line. And the drink is good.” it was, warm and smooth and fruity. She took another mouthful. “Why did you join the marines?”

Frowning Luke thought about his reasons to join “I guess I was doing it to be different, to rebel. I didn't want some office job or security job back on Earth I wanted to do something that meant something so I enlisted as soon as I was old enough. Of course if I knew back then all of the things I'd seen and done I think I would chosen different” he admitted finishing his drink and topping his up before offering it to Miraj. “What about you?”

“I want to fly ships of the line. Well, ones that actually work. I’ve flown a fair few during salvage with my dad but they’ve been half dad and in pain. Only starfleet people can fly starfleet ships. Ideally I want to test pilot a Dauntless when they get one to work. Five years I reckon. And to do that, I have to be in starfleet.” She settled down into the cushions and sat cross legged, setting the glass of tawny liquid in front of her, already feeling a light buzz from the alcohol. “I need a thousand official hours at the conn to qualify for the flight test team.. Previous experience and Academy tours don’t count. Quantum slipstream would be so awesome, can you imagine? Makes warp 10 look like a stroll, and needs real hands on the helm to ride it. No flying by computer.” She gave a happy sigh. “Now I just have to wait until the engineers figure out the tech.”

“Wow” said look admiringly “That's some ambition, I wish I had the same kind now I just wish to get through each day and eventually settle down on a rock somewhere and build a nice home for me and my family” he admitted. “I hope that you will one day fulfill it and I wish I would be there too see it” he set his own drink down smiling at Miraj before letting out a sigh.

“If they get it to work, no-one will be able to see it. You'll be there and back again before anyone can complete the synapse flash that leads to a blink.” She took another mouthful of port and her eyes glazed for a moment, imagining the thrill of a dive through uncharted physics. “Have to say, I can’t imagine living on a planet. I was born in space. Lived in space. The academy was the longest I ever spent planetside in my life. It was horrible. Doesn’t feel right. Doesn’t…” she thought about the sensation, then tried to approximate it in sound. “Vvvrrrr.”

“Vvvrrr?” Luke said with a puzzled face. “Come on? How can you by like the idea of one day building your dream home and settling on some planet somewhere, either in a busy city or some outback suburban area! Space can be just so I forgiven sometimes” he said trying to persuade her.

She shook her head. “Looking at the same sky night after night is boring. Always bound by gravity and your own body. Never seeing the endless universe all around you, or feeling a ship alive and inflight under your back. Only time you’d get me to stop on a planet without a fight would be when i’m taken to one in a box.” she drained her port, “though i’d haunt you if you did. I want to be shot out into space.”

Luke held out his hand in the shape of a pistol “Well” he teased, “I can always make that possible after all you did shoot me first I think I should atleast be able to have one shot” his eyes lingered on here for a moment longer than usual his cheeks flushing again.

The drink must be getting to her. It had to be the reason why she went so red when he looked at her. “i'm sorry about your leg.” she glanced down at his calf where she'd managed to put two nails from a pneumatic nail gun during their escape. “i probably shouldn't be allowed weapons even in life or death situations. Thank goodness it wasn't an actual phaser. You'd be walking round with a peg leg now.”

Luke diverted his eyes to look anywhere than her but he couldn't help but find her frame at each angle. “Nah there's nothing wrong, I didn't get permanently injured and besides with the training I'll give you, you'll be good as any marine” he waited a moment before drinking another drink and subsequently the last of his glass the warmth trickling down his throat. “You shouldn't worry too much about it, you're a smart woman… And I think I'd look great with a peg leg!”

She laughed. “probably. But id rather have an eye patch. I need my feet for flying and eye patches are way sexier. Plus no chance of getting splinters somewhere uncomfortable.”

“Miraj I don't think they make legs braces out of wood anymore… I know you was born a pirate and all but really?” He asked before Leaning over. luke placed one hand over her eye and chuckled “I don't know about sexy” he teased.

Her stomach fluttered at his touch and she suddenly felt burning hot. “well it wouldn't be that big. It would be a lot smaller. And black. And less fleshy.” she was babbling. Hell’s bells he was close to her. And his hand was so warm. “and eyepatches are cool. It makes anyone look...scoundrelly.”

Luke for some reason couldn't remove his hand from her eye as he looked at her face which seemed to have gone up in temperature under his palm. “Yeah... scoundrelly” he said slowly his heart racing and slowing.

He was still touching her! Was that good? was it bad? was it even allowed? this was uncharted territory. she put her own hand over his left eye. "I don't think one would make a difference to you though. You’re scoundrelly all over."

He chuckled, his hand falling away from her eye and onto the pillow almost bridging the game between them. “Oh? How figures?” Luke asked simply trying to make sense of the situation he put himself in with something as innocent as wanting help Miraj with some training and get to know the woman.

She waved a hand in his general direction, taking in his whole body. “you are. You've got the stubble and,” and the muscles and the arms and the body and the everything. she couldn't get any redder but the butterflies in her stomach got very excited “and the hair. Very roguish. In the days of sail short hair was considered the sign of the criminal classes so you're obviously a scallywag.”

His smile grew at this as she explained her words caressing his ears. A laughter escaped when she called him a scallywag “A scallywag? I guess I've been called worst” Luke retorts an unfamiliar though running his mind, he wasn't one to be irrational especially towards a woman but something about Miraj wanted to him to just burst open with his deepest desires. He had to hold them back.

Miraj grinned, "My big brother called me that whenever i'd get into the jeffries tubes looking for the sweet spot." She reached for her glass and found it empty. "What sort of names do you get called?"

Seeing her glass empty and his not faring much better he picked up the bottle and offered to pour her out another glass “I don't carry many nicknames, which is odd because the marines everyone has nicknames but by the time I got to gunnery sergeant I was always just Gunny or Luke” he admitted filling his own glass idly. “I can see you were the troublesome younger sister then?” He added his eyes slowly glancing over her lips and the thought of how soft they would be nipped at the recess of his mind. Stop, he told himself.

“i was perfect,” she protested. “I never got into trouble, I never had to be rescued from odd places and i never locked myself inside my brothers new shuttle until he let me fly it.” she laughed. “i was an angel.”

Luke must have been more lost in his own mind than he thought as red liquid spiller over the edge of her glass dropping into her lap and down the front of her uniform. “Shit!” He said placing the cap on and the bottle on the floor in a fluid motion before picking up a bit of the blanket and patting down the wet parts of her shirt the closeness suddenly hitting him as a wave off something indescribable washed over. His attempt to dry slowed down, as did the world. “I’m so Sorry” he said.

“Its nothing.” She struggled out of the jacket, tangling his hands in it. For a moment they were locked together, before in one awkward move, she managed to get her arm out of her jacket with a sharp tug and she fell backwards, and was only saved from cracking her head on the deck by one of the cushions. “Ow.”

Luke still tangled in the jacket which was subsequently also holding him up whilst his other hand tried desperately to dry the stain of her jacket fell forward in the same direction as Miraj. His elbows just managing to stop his descent and crushing her under his weight his head bumping some stacked boxes. Now dangerously close, closer than he had wanted to be Luke looked down into Miraj’s eyes her pink hair splayed in a halo around her head. “Miraj… I”

Miraj looked up at him, seeing his dark eyes scant inches from her own, and she could feel the heat of his body. For a moment she froze, and then he said her name, and she realised that this handsome, strong man, at least as old as her brother and probably just as experienced wouldn’t be thinking of her any differently. Just a troublesome kid, getting into trouble.

“Sorry,” she said, and looked away, trying to figure out how to extricate herself from the situation. “I didn’t mean to make a mess. Sorry.” She tried to sit up, pushing herself up on her elbows.

Lifting up off her he sat on his feet slightly raised by them “No, It was me who is sorry. I should have been pay attention. Shall we get you dried and into some new clothes?” He offered slowly packing up, how close was he to letting his emotions slip and kissing Miraj. How would she have reacted? More importantly how could he let himself think like that.

She nodded, not trusting herself to say anything, and scrambled ot her feet, her hert sinking into her feet that this was over so soon. “You’re still going to show me how to last more than five seconds, next time i annoy some criminal types? Yes?” Please say yes, please say yes

Luke was a little confused why she had asked, as if she didn’t believe he would go through with his word. “Of course, I promised then and I keep my promises besides” he shrugged dismissing the thought before looking at her from the waist up, gods he was a fool “We still have to get you cleaned up anyway. I can clean up here after and my quarters are on this deck, just a short walk. You can replicate something or I’m sure Abbey has a spare top laying around I haven't allowed myself to clear her stuff out yet” He admitted rambling ever so slightly.

“Abbey?” her moment of relief that she hadn’t botched it completely when he confirmed he would still teach her evaporated. “You have a girlfriend?”

Luke stopped dead “Girlfriend?” He turned around from where he was picking up some of the pillows and the bottle of port to return to his cabinet. “You think I would do this if I had a girlfriend” he commented before going back to the bottle of port avoiding the question about Abbey.

Miraj groaned inwardly. She was back at Square completely botched it. “No!” she stuttered “I didn't mean to insult you just when you said you had some clothes i just kind of assumed you had an ex or something. I mean, I did kind of assume you must have a partner at one point or other because it seems like everyone does.”

He shrugged “It’s not your fault… again” Luke leant against the door frame and sighed “I had a wife, but she passed in an explosion done by pirates a few years back” He admitted “We were never really close anyway but we had a daughter Abbey. She recently passed away when we were in the mirror universe” Somehow Luke managed to keep his cool whislt talking about his failed relationship and his precious daughter. “I’ve never been able to say that allowed all at once before” He said before going on “I think somehow you’re easy to talk to”

Miraj just wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. She’d not imagined her question would have brought up such painful memories for him. And he had a daughter? Lost a daughter. She couldn't imagine how much that must hurt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up.” then her brain processed his last words, and a little bit of a smile began to light her face again. “Well, you can talk to me whenever. I mean, once I’m not a sticky mess.”

Luke feeling his chest fill up he smiled at Miraj “Well to be fair you make sticky mess a good look” he stepped out from the shuttle “shall we?” He offered his hand if she wanted to take it.

She took his hand, a squeezed his fingers slightly, glad that they were now on a more weatherly course after a little bit of rough sailing, and stepped out to the main hangar. “Absolutely.”

[OFF]


Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Luke Wyatt
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Galileo

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