Not An Average Night Out Part 2

Posted on Sun 9th Dec, 2012 @ 10:37pm by Commander Brian Windsong & Lieutenant Samantha O'Dell

5,236 words; about a 26 minute read

Mission: http://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/3
Location: Holodeck

Samantha took in a deep breath. "We don't know how your brother is going to react this could be one scenario and I don't even know if I've got him right in this, Brian." She offered. "I've only been able to use information we have in the computers and the latest intel from your home." She offered. "He could be innocent."

Samantha didn't think so but there was no way of knowing for sure. "I just don't want you getting emotionally hurt in this. Are you sure you want to continue?"

"Yes, I am sure I would like to continue, I mean I know this is just a game and all and I have to tell you I'm not really comfortable with it. You've done a really good job at putting this program together, but when the real thing comes along I can't be breaking down, I have to be strong."

It was a backwards sort of compliment, he was uncomfortable but she'd done a good job. "I'm sorry you're uncomfortable, I wanted to give you the chance to get comfortable with ricardo and Kale together so that when it really happens you're not intimidated." She offered. "I figured this was good practice." Now she wasn't so sure. "I'm here with you if it helps in any way."

He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. He needed her, needed her touch, needed to hug her and hold her close. Beating Ricardo was vital to him even if it was only a faux copy of the man. If an image was going to get the best of him then he had no chance going up against the real thing.

But before that he needed to connect with something real, something good and that meant Samantha. He didn't like to be vlunerable, and as a result almost never let down his guard. But he felt safe around her.

Samantha wrapped her arms around him, hugging him back. There was a warmth to his hugs she couldn't explain. It just made her feel good inside a feeling she'd never had not even with her family. It was difficult to place, but oh so very welcoming. She smirked as the embrace ebbed albeit unwillingly from both sides. "All right." She took let out a deep breath. "Computer resume program."

The city re-materialized around them, Kale beside Samantha and Brian was now with his back to Ricardo. The younger of the brothers looked stunned that Brian's back was to him. "I think the two of them dueling would be very nicely, big brother. It will be just like old times, only this time you can hear her screams of death instead of watching them."

"I don't think so little brother," he said. Then reaching out with his mind he shoved Ricardo back into Kale. "RUN SAM!" he called out and began sprinting towards the bazzar with only his memory for a guide.

Ricardo went sailing into Kale and the two of them landed in a hep in the dirt and dust. Samantha was running at the word go, with both her sword and Brian's in her hands. She didn't look back she just followed Brian's lead, she knew she'd get lost in the tents and carts of the bazaar traders and merchants if she looked back.

"Your eyes," he called out as they entered a narrow cobblestone street that was no wider than an alley and lined with pushcarts filled with a variety of fruits, vegetables, fresh(and not so fresh)fish and an assortment of candy.

"Go ahead." She called out. He knew these alleyways and roads as if he'd never left the planet. She was amazed at his instinct. But she knew he was not as confident. She gave him permission to use her eyesight to see what was in front of them and around them. And behind her somewhere in the masses of carts and vendors Samantha heard Kale's roar.

The bazzar was truly a maze and easy to get lost in They made their way towards the center where the carts disappeared, replaced by more permanent booths and narrow store fronts, and the streets turned to mere paths that one had to travel in single file. Spotting a clothier Brian grabbed Sam's hand and ducked inside.

With a flick of her wrist her sword collapsed and she slipped it into the sheath on her back just as he pulled into the clothier. Samantha looked around having never really seen Akadian attire except what Brian wore on rare occasion. "Remind me to spend some serious time here, when given the chance." She said softly and out loud.

"I've never known a woman who didn't like to shop," he joked, "Now is as good of time as any to look around. We need to look like natives. So pick out somethings and then we need to find someone to do something with your hair. The eyes we can't really do anything with, so we will have to hope they don't give you too close an inspection."

Samantha looked at him "Whats wrong with my eyes?" She asked. She assumed Akadians were not blonde in nature and she quickly scanned through the clothes to find something that was going to work as a cover and workable in.

"Nothing except they are too human. Akadains eyes are different. Feral someone at the Academy said. Kind of like an Earth cat. And you're a bitt tall, not that I mind, I like taller women, but it makes it harder to pass for native."

Samantha made a mental note that when the time came she was going to need to get implants or contacts or something for her eyes. "I missed that information in my research." She added as she found something to wear. Perfect... "Taller women, huh." She smirked at him.

He would have sent a quick mental thought towards her, but wasn't sure how well she had programmed the scenario, didn't know if it was designed so that Ricardo or Kale could pick up thoughts, but he wasn't taking any chances, besides it made sense to keep it as realistic as possible for when the time really came.

So instead he just leaned up slightly and whispered his intentions in her ear.

Samantha couldn't help but turn a little pink... "You says the sweetest things." She couldn't think of anything else to say. "Ok I found something to wear." She was pulling the tunic on over her uniform and the slacks over her trousers backs. Her boots were a dead giveaway, if her height and eyes didn't catch the attention first. There were some scratches on her arm from Kale trying to wrestle her out of the doorway but that was minor and the bleeding had already stopped. "Now what?"

"We make our way out of the bazzar and find a place to stay for the night."

Samantha nodded. "All right." She handed his his sword. "Here... just in case." She took his hand in hers and put the sword into his palm. She didn't know if he was still using her eyes or not. "Whenever you're ready." The tunic she'd found had a hood she'd taken her hair and twisted it up right without the use of anything else somehow managed to keep it up and under the hood.

It took about ten minutes to work their way out of the bazzar area, but they were still in a much older section of town. An area that time had forgotten long ago.The streets were much wider than in the market area, but they were still cobblestone and twisted. They came to an open air restaurant.

The wind had shifted and carried with it the hint of brine infused water, mixed with the pleasant odor of meat being cooked over an open fire. "What do you say we grab something to eat here before we go on Just remember that Akadians don't change their hands while eating their food like many Earth cultures. So be careful when we sit down. One alternative is to just eat the meat with your hands. And no your probably don't want to know what kind of meat it is.'

Samantha looked at him as if he had two heads. "Change my hands?" She wasn't worried about what meat she'd be eating. It was to blend in and she had a strong stomach. Besides, it was necessary and if she was going with him on this venture Samantha had to learn to blend in.

"Yes, change your hands. Back at the Academy there were people who would have the fork in their left hand when they cut the meat, then use the right to pick up the meat and put it in their mouth."

Samantha smirked, she hadn't realized it but he was right, some people did do that. "I'll follow your lead." She retorted as she followed him. "Just don't get me drunk."

He grinned at her as they stepped up to a counter. "Two for dinner," he said in Akadain, "And a bottle of your best wine."

Samantha did her best to blend in and due the ventures programming there were no indicators from the people at the restaurant that she was out of place in any way. It was at that time Samantha realized she was actually taller than everyone including Brian. Although only by mere inches. She was above average for a human female too, but still... it made her feel awkward.

She made another note to master the Akadian language...

A rather protly looking man in a purple fez led the way to a table that was on a corner. They could sitll see the hustle and bustle taking place on the streets, but they were effectively screened from any casual observers.

The man sat two meus in front of them and shortly thereafter a waiter appeared setting a plate of warm fresh bread with a plate of olive oil and vinegar and another plate of dates on the center of the table. "I'll give you two a few minutes to look at the menus and decide" It was hard to tell both from the clothing and the voice whether the speaker was male or female.

Samantha smiled as she took the menu, it was all in akadian and there for Sam couldn't read any of it. She looked up at Brian with a small frown. "I think you are going to have to order for us both. Do you need my eyes?"

"Yes,"he replied, "That would be helpful." he was suddenly looking down at her menu from her perspective. "You know, I could get used to seeing again Sam. I am going to have you look in the mirror sometime so I know exactly who I am starting to fall in love with."

Samantha felt her cheeks flush with the thought of him falling in love with her. She could only hope he liked what he saw. "I'm all yours, you can use my eyes whenever you like, for whatever you like." She teased. "Even in the shower."

"Ohhh, I do like that idea. A shower is one of my favorite places to make love. Of course I'm Akadain,we have many favorite places."

Samantha couldn't help but giggle, "I'm looking forward to exploring each and every one of them with you... and maybe making a few new favorite places."

"Promises, promises my dear. Any particular place that you had in mind?"

Samantha couldn't help but smile even if he couldn't see her smile. "Well the barn on my family farm is one of many... definitely under a starry Akadian sky is another."

"Stary sky it is, there is a nice hotel not far from here that has a rooftop terrace. we'd have to be a bit sneaky though, or we'd get caught."

Samantha smirked again. "This is supposed to be a training program. Are you really going to want to play, while we're here for here?"

Brian shurgged, "Proably not, but you can't blame a guy for tyring can you? Certainly can't do it when the real thing comes along not if Cara or Paul come along."

Samantha looked a little surprised. "And you give up way to easily..." she teased him. She hadn't realized that the Major and Paul were coming. "I didn't know this was a joint effort, I'd have programmed them into the scenario." Samantha tried not to sound disappointed that they were tagging along, but it was a mixed bag of feelings. It was nice to know she wasn't the only one willing to risk her career to help him.

"Well I'm glad you didn't program them in. I kind of like it being just the two of us, but they've both offered their help. Cara is no compeition to you, or for you rather. I've made it clear to her there isn't anything romantic or physical between us anymore.

Paul and I are semi-bonded so it would be kind of hard to keep him away and you and I should talk about being bonded sometime soon."

Samantha had to stop for a whole moment how had she missed Brian and Paul being semi-bonded... she wasn't really worried about Cara, the Major and her were on good terms. And talking about bonding he did say he was starting to fall for her. Samantha's head was swimming Samantha wasn't even sure how long she was silent until she shook her head to break her thoughts. "I didn't realize you and Paul were together." She said it so casually it sounded like innocent conversation.

Sam wasn't hurt by the knowledge, she was taken back but not hurt. She'd expected it, hell Brian was handsome and Akadian, keeping him all to herself was impossible and she knew that much.

Brian looked towards her for several long moments trying to stiffle a smile and shook his head. "Paul went through alot, maybe more than I did when he was on that weird ship. He almost killed Colonel Drake. it left him with some emotional pain and self-doubt. By bonding with him I was able to share of his pain, and he some of mine. It was mutually benefical. We are friends, but we are not together as you put it."

She reached across the table and smacked in him play. "you're laughing at me." And when he explained himself she could see why. She really had issues with trust and rightly so. "When you're ready to talk about being bonded, we will."

His hand reached out, finding her face and tracing her jawline with his left index finger. Then he found himself cupping her chin and drawing closer for a deep intimate kiss.

Samantha loved that he had to find her face, there was something more intimate about the fact that he had to find her to kiss her and she loved the sensation of his fingers on her skin even in the slightest of encounters. Samantha leaned forward to meet his lips. There was a fire in his touch something Samantha couldn't explain in rational terms, a spark... a warming sensation that drew her into him. She trusted him, felt safe with him. Even when they were in the midst of danger it just felt like it was natural to be close by. She'd given into it being his Akadian magnetism and assumed everyone felt that way around him. Still it was enticing.

Their kiss was chaste at first, soft and tender but grew and blossomed into something more intimate more passionate.

For a moment, Brian forgot they were on a mission, albeit a fictional one, forgot they were in the holodeck. The desire to be with her, to have her against him, their skin touching, to be of one flesh with her sparked within him. He held the kiss for as long as possible, what seemed like an eternity, finally breaking it. "Wow," was all he could say.

She smiled as her eyes opened she hadn't realized she'd closed them, but they had been closed. "hmmmm," the soft sound of agreement escaped her lips. Wow was right. It didn't matter that she had never really kissed anyone before him, or that she'd already been more open with him than anyone else... ever. He just brought that out in her, Samantha felt comfortable with Brian. "I hope that's a good wow."

He quirked a brow at her. "I'm not sure," he teased, "Perhaps we should try it again just to make sure."

Samantha could see he was teasing still the chance to kiss his again was not something she was going to pass up. Samantha leaned against him, brushed her cheek against his softly kissed his skin just close enough to his ear for him to hear her breath and then moved back to taste his lips again.

After that kiss, which had begun where the first had left off and deepened and blossomed from there, finally broke Brian said, "Oh yes that was defintetly a good wow. Perhaps we should remember where we left off for after we eat."

Samantha smirked as she settled back into her seat. "I think that starry Akadian night might just be in our future after all..." She took a deep breath and re-focused. "Do you ever vacation here?"

"Yes, my parents own a resort on the outskirts of the city. I had a lot of fun growing up here. It was like a second home to me."

Samantha couldn't help but smirk, "I bet under the right circumstances Akadia is a fantastic place to visit." she admitted. Samantha saw the waiter coming back over with the wine and two glasses. "Do you know what we're having?"

"They have a smorgasboard, maybe we should get that, it will give you a sample of all thinks Akadain, just watch out for those little green peppers that look like a small s. They pack quite a punch."

Samantha couldn't help but chuckle some at the warning. "Fair enough."

The waiter came over with the wine and offered the label to Brian to inspect.

Brian examined the bottle and nodded. As the waiter poured a small portion into his glass Brian sampled it and again nodded. The waiter than poured each of their glasses about halfway full of an amber colored liquid.

Samantha looked at him with a small smile. "You know in this environment you look less like a diplomat and more like an aristocrat." Samantha admitted to him. The way he held his glass, the way he sampled it took in the wine she hadn't seen this side of him. "One of these days you're going to have to tell me how this man became the fleeter I know."

"Aristocrat? Really? I never really thought of myself like that. I've usually found my family's wealth and position... I don't know embarrassing? There is a big disparity between the rich and the not so rich, not that those outside the Counsel member families would be considered poor and I don't really believe in redistributing people's wealth, but still growing up 'privalleged' just seemed, I don' know wrong."

"Maybe Aristocratic is the wrong term, well brought up definitely though." she shook her head. "Not that I'm saying it's a bad thing in any way shape or form. It's just not the same guy who I swing swords with is all." Sam said. "I have zillions of questions though." She laughed at her own curiosity. "later... maybe in a bathtub full of bubbles." Sam hinted as an idea formed, she wondered if he'd dare to explore her thoughts, she'd given him full permission.

"I didn't realize there was a gap between upper and lower classes here. The data starfleet has suggests there isn't much of a middle class but not a huge lower class." she offered. "Maybe the data is flawed."

"No, more a matter or perspective I think, There are the 10 ruling famlies that make up the Council and there is everyone else. Everyone else is still well off mind you, even by Federation standards. Akadia is very rich in terms of natural resoruces and everyone shares in profits. So you have what Earth used to have millionaires and billionaires, then you have those who would have earned $100,000 a year in old Terran terms.

The person making the $100,000 doesn't really want for anything, have nice homes etc, but they are just not on the same level as the millionaires and billionires in our analogy and there is no way for someone not born in the quote right family unquote to make it into the top echelon. Does that make sense to you?"

"Humans used to marry into power." She offered. "Couldn't someone get in that way?"

'On a temporary basis maybe, but they would loose any gains if they divorced or their spouse died. Any children would inherit from their father though. So the children of a woman marrying into power would receive the family name and all that went with it. If a man married into power his kids would be SOL."

Samantha shrugged her shoulders. It was a curioisity question and nothing more really. "So you don't like the idea of being born into a noble family?"

"I don't have any real objections, but I just think it can be a bit pretntious."

Samantha could understand that, "You'd like my parent's farm. Open fields in the middle of nowhere. Nothing buy open space and a big bright sky." She smirked. "Sometimes i miss it."

"That sounds like it would be a wonerful place. Maybe we could visit there sometime and not in a holodeck like this."

Samantha smirked and nodded, not that he could see either but still. "I'd like that." Was all she said, not sure if her parents would like her "dating" an off worlder. Yeah her parents could be like that sometimes. The smell of the food was overwhelming as it arrived. Samantha wasn't sure what most of it was but it she smelt wonderful.

The smells were both familiar and comforting to Brian the first thing that he tried was a pastry filled with mea, spices and vegetables.

Samantha wasn't sure what she tried first, it was green and leafy but tasted a lot like spinach which she loved. She wanted to comment on the deliciousness of the meal but was sure she'd stick out if she did. "So you said you knew a place we could hide?"

"I know a few places. I think the inn I have in mind will be good for a couple of days. It is run by one of my best friends. His family opposed our coming into the Federation, but it never effected our relationship."

Samantha made a sound of curiosity as the question popped in her head. But again it wasn't a topic that was necessary and would have blown her cover had things been real. "You've kept in touch with your friends around here, good to know." Sam stopped. "Won't Ricardo know that too?"

"It's been a little over a year since I saw him, but I'm sure he'll remember me. And while its possible that Ricardo knows we are friendly, I rather doubt it. He always had a hard time separating the personal from the professional."

Samantha chuckled. "He strikes me as the sort of man that doesn't lose well." She offered. "Where as you don't lose often." She added. "Let me guess you were the brother that was friends with everyone, liked by everyone got straight A's and was the pride of the family."

"Except for the straight A part. I was more a class clown type."

Samantha chuckled behind her wine glass... she could see that too. "The handsomest class clown I know of." she admitted.

"Flattery my dear will get you everywhere," he smirked his face flushing green.

Samantha chuckled. "Goodie... because there are so many places I haven't been yet." It was a poorly hidden undertone, but a nicely said one. She wanted to explore everything about their relationship. Samantha was overly curious and liked learning everything she could about something once she dove into it. Brian was definitely someone she wanted to know as much as as she could. "I've been the overly chatty one lately... is there anything about me you want to know?" She admitted he knew a lot about human culture.. there probably wasn't much.

Brian arched his brow at the inuendo and smiled there were plenty of places he could take Samantha, that he planned to take her. "Well tell me about this family farm of yours. I want to know what it was like growing up there."

Sam smirked. "Some of the smells aren't so pleasant and others are." She admitted. "I grew up far away from starfleet and the world of modern technology. My parents felt that good hard labor and excerise made for strong minds." She said. "I was riding horses before I could write my name." Sam admitted. "My parents farm is a working old world farm, cows and milk, chickens and eggs." She added. "When I was a kid it was hell on earth, all I wanted to do was get away." She laughed at herself in hindsight. "And for the longest time here recently all I've wanted to do is go back. Sometimes I think my dad was right. Humans really aren't meant to be out here."

"But humans have a thirst for knowledge for exploration. Think of Magellan, Columbus, Byrd, Glenn, Armstrong, Archer, Kirk, Picard and all those that followed them. Think of all the discoveries that were made because of exploration. Things taken for granted today and if that fails think of this. If you had not made the decison to step out and explore we would never have met."

Samantha smirked and reached across the table for his hand she took his hand in hers. "Before coming to the Protector I had no friends, my mentality was a lot different." Sam admitted. "Since coming here you've silenced every regret." She offered him the compliment. "I just lost focus that was all." She squeezed his hand slightly. "I couldn't be happier now." She chuckled again. "My dad and his ideals can just stay back on the farm."

He smiled broadly at that, "Thanks, I can't say I've dealt with all my demons quite yet, I still need to avenge what happened to me, but you're the first person since Morgan that I've slept with that I really feel something for. It's just difficult for me to adjust to your human culture and views on sexuality."

Samantha looked at him her head tilted to the side. "you shouldn't have to adjust to our culture, Brian." She sighed. "If you need to have partners besides me, I'm all right with that." She couldn't believe she was admitting that. "I love you, Brian and I know that. I just don't want to be a fly by night romance." She offered. "Humans have a very different opinion of a women who has a loose relationship with a man, we tend to look at women like that as trashy." Sam said. "I gave myself to you, you're the first for me. Ideally in my goofy innocent girly mind I suppose I wish you were the last for me, but I'm not naive enough to think you might lose interest."

A look of relief washed over him and he came to a decision. "I don't know that I will but I appreciate the freedom. I promise that if and when that happens I will be honest with you and I won't try to hide things from you. You're not going to be some fling that I forget, you weren't a conquest or a mark on my bed pan as I believe you say. I really do care for you.

In fact I want to ask you a question."

Samantha had thought they were having a conversation, and that he didn't need to state that he had a question for her. "You can ask me anything, Brian." She liked that he cared for her and hoped some day he'd drop the "L" word. But she said she could wait and she could.

"I think we should talk more about bonding. What it means to an Akadian, because I think I would like to do so with you shortly."

Samantha looked almost amused. "You think you would? Or you want to?" He seemed unsure of himself.

"I want to, I just don't know how soon. We need to talk about what it entails. Though this may not be the place."

Samantha smirked some. "I told you, when you're ready we'll talk about it. If you want to wait until after this mess and you have your sight back.. we will wait. I'm your friend first and foremost Brian. I'm not going anywhere." As soon as she said it her ears heard it.. Kale's voice... not loud but loud enough. Frustrated from having lost Brian and Samantha. "What timing.." She murmured.

"What's going on," Brian asked, then he sensed the presence not real of course, but real enough and close. He would have looked for exits if he could, instead he was feeling a little trapped.

Samantha had her head covered and could not be seen, but in putting on the Akadian clothes had covered up her sword. She couldn't reach for it. She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. "Genius." She told herself. "Just stay low maybe he won't see us."

"Let's hope you're right," Brian said. "There would need to be a discussion on bonding in the near future, but for now they had other more pressing issues to deal with. For a moment the voices passed by on the street and Brian thought their problems were over tha Kale had passed them by, buth then he heard footsteps halt and voices lower. The footsteps reversed themselves and he heard someone einter the restaruant.

Samantha drew her knife from her boot, slowly. Just to be safe, she suddenly remembered her Intelligence training. "I'm going to distract them." She offered. "I will meet you at the hotel you told me about." Samantha whispered.

"Be careful," he told her wishing momentarily that they had not set the saftey protcols so low, but he quickly dimissed that thought. This needed to be as real as possible. That was the best training."

"you too." She hesitated for a second and then moved from the table she got several tables away from Brian before standing up hide enough for anyone to see her, as she did she lowered her hood. "Come on your big fat ogre." She called out seeing Kale in the crowded restaurant. She moved through the crowd and towards the exit.

Kale grinned and snarled looking in the direction she'd come from, there were people everywhere and none looked like Brian. So kale had little choice but to give chase. He was not allow and the two flunkies that where with him ran after her as she got clear of the crowds. She disappeared into the twists and turns of the streets and buildings before too long.

Lt. Commander Brian Windsong
Chief Diplmotaic Officer
SB Protector

Lt. Samantha O'Dell
Chief Intelligence officer
SB Protector

 

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