A Walk In The Park

Posted on Sat Jan 21st, 2023 @ 8:57am by Ensign Peter Novak & Ensign Avis Larant

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: A Fool’s Errand
Location: Deck 20: Rec Room 1 "Henderson Field"; Deck 18: Arboretum
Timeline: M1 MD12 (2268.27.05) 2000

As the two young officers stepped into the corridor and Peter felt a weight lift as the doors closed behind them, "So do you put every potential date through the gauntlet?" he asked with a smile.

"Gauntlet? Heh, most don't last anywhere near that long, more like ambush," Avis smirked.

"Trust me, I'm actually not that mean all the time....most of the time anyhow," she was in a relaxed good mood as they strolled.

"Well that's good to hear," Peter responded. The corridors were rather deserted. He was tacitly leading the walk as he had a destination in mind. "I'm not mean," he said, "Except when I'm in bouncer mode. That's what I feel like most of the time on duty..." He sighed.

"Hey, it's our job. You have to expect rough stuff and we definitely can't afford to be walked all over," she pointed out.

"So do you like it so far? Your assignment," she was curious after his sigh.

"Yeah, it's different than I thought it would be," Peter responded, "First shipboard assignment and a Constitution at that... But I always wanted to be a small town cop back home like my Dad was, but I don't know. Home probably won't ever feel like home again... Sorry, that was incredibly depressing."

Avis glanced his way then, "You left on bad terms then? And, it's OK. We all have highs and lows."

"I'm from Deneva," Peter responded in a matter of fact tone.

Avis blinked, "Oh." She knew all about that doomed colony world.

A year ago Deneva was invaded by parasites which led to the death of all one million colonists except for one person, Peter Kirk, the nephew of Captain James T. Kirk of the Enterprise. After graduation from the academy, Peter volunteered for the clean up effort on the planet. It was a difficult assignment, but the right one for him. "Like I said, incredibly depressing," he added.

"Yes, I can only imagine. I'm sorry for your loss," other than that there was really nothing else to say, nothing that could possibly change the past.

"Thanks, I still try to keep tabs on home and the rest of the colonies, why I asked about the report when I first snuck up on you," Peter responded as they continued walking and approached a turbolift.

She wanted to snark that he did indeed then sneak up on her but her teasing might not be appropriate given his sad revelations about his family and home world.

"I understand," she was not about however to bring up her own personal background. The whole topic was anathema to her.

"Say, where are we going anyhow? Don't tell me it's to your room?" she wondered aloud.

"No, not on a first date, if this even is a first date," he responded with a smirk. "I thought the arboretum would be a nicer walk than the dour corridors of the ship," he said.

"Hmmmm, a first date huh," Avis gave a little shrug but kept abreast of him as he entered the turbolift, "I have not seen that place yet, so sure."

"It's the only place with any green aboard ship, other than the captain's bathrobe," Peter joked as the turbolift doors closed. He grabbed the handle and gave the instruction Deck 18 which was two decks above them.

"Well, I must admit I have not seen our captain in his bathrobe," she looked at him strangely. Why had he?

Peter saw her confused face, "Oh, sorry, his green command wrap around tunic thing," he said, "Always looked like a bathrobe to me."

"Oh, OK, I get it," Avis nodded.

The turbolift stopped and the doors opened, "Although I wouldn't mind seeing you in your bathrobe," he admitted and then laughed.

"Play your cards right and you can see me with no clothes at all on," she then teased. Or was it just a tease?

"Well that's a distraction that I won't be able to shake," Peter responded with a smile as they reached the arboretum. "Ah, trees," he said as the doors closed behind them.

"Yes, I have no idea what kind. Even on my home world I never paid much attention to flora. So do you like trees, plants, and such? " she asked as she then looked around. It was a nice difference than the other sterile decks though, she had to admit.

"Eh a little bit," Peter responded, "I think it's one of those you don't notice until you're spending 24 hours a day on a Starship with nothing but grey, red, yellow and blue... Gets to be a bit much."

"Wise observation," Avis found herself agreeing.

"You know when you stop to think of it we should all be terrified as we are all hurtling along in space at a hard to comprehend rate of speed. If there is one we learn quickly being out in space is how huge the universe is and how insignificant we are."

"We are depressing," Peter commented with a laugh, "Maybe we should have finished that bottle." He sighed, "I always thought growing up on a colony gave a different perspective since we were always out in space versus being on Earth. Although when you're on Earth and look at the night sky the stars are all wrong."

"Hey sorry, I didn't mean to sound depressing. God only knows most people might call me a lot of things but 'depressing' is not one of them," Avis backtracked.

"So, what do you enjoy doing on your free time then? You know ...for fun or mental stimulation," she inquired.

"Well I enjoy making use of our ship's lovely Olympic size swimming pool. I enjoy reading when I can," Peter responded, "I've played the piano for a decade. I'm more of a dilettante these days... How about you?"

"You a dilettante? Would not have guessed that," Avis seemed genuinely suprised, "I love swimming too but then you knew that already."

"Back on my home world, we had a swimming hole, out of the way pond. We'd skinny dip in it. Matter of fact I lost my virginity there," she grinned.

"Damn, naughty naughty," Peter teased and then laughed, "Wild times I'm sure."

"I've been a naughty girl since an early age. If you're looking for a saint, you picked the wrong date then," she replied matter of factly.

Peter smiled, "No one is a saint," he responded, "I'm not even sure the saints were truly saints. I wouldn't want to date one anyway... Kinda boring. Although I can be boring too I suppose."

"Oh, good to know. Well, don't get boring too fast though or I might have to dump you," she smiled but often times it was hard to tell with Avis whether she was doing more teasing or serious.

"Heh, we all have our moments," Peter responded, "I'm sure you do too."

"Me? No, I'm never boring," Avis declared.

He leaned against a massive oak tree, "No idea how they managed to grow this thing so fast. Sheesh."

"Yes, they had to have transplanted it I suppose," she touched the bark, it really was amazing.

Peter walked up to the tree and looked at Avis, "So, are you going to give me an official date?" He asked, looking into her eyes.

"So that's what you want from me then?" she paused for a deliberate moment then gave a slight nod, "Sure."

"Wonderful!" Peter exclaimed. The young man was beaming ear to ear.

 

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