The Course of True Love

Posted on Wed Nov 27th, 2024 @ 1:52pm by Lieutenant Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Stormy Knight
Edited on on Sun Dec 8th, 2024 @ 8:15am

2,827 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: A Silence of Friends
Location: Stormy's Quarters

ON

Stormy checked to be sure both of them were free and invited Tyler to dinner. She replicated the ingredients for her mother's beef stew and Navajo fry bread. Once she had the stew simmering and the dough ready, she changed into a pair if slim-fitting slacks and a silk shirt and waited for Tyler.

Date number one was a hit and now they moved onto date number two. Tyler Malbrooke was smitten and there was no way around it. He wore his cowboy boots, a red plaid shirt, jeans and of course his cowboy hat. He had replicated a beautiful bouquet of lilies and while he knew the real ones were better, there was simply nowhere to get them. When he arrived at the door he made sure he looked good and rang the door chime. He knew precisely what he would do when she opened the door, now he hoped she would not be taken aback when he did it.

She took one more look at the table to be sure everything was ready and turned, hesitating for a moment. There was no reason to be nervous, she told herself, but she was. "Come in," she said, walking toward the door to greet him.

Tyler stepped into the quarters and looked around. He knew that you could learn a lot about a person by how they decorated their personal space. However, he did not take long to look around. He walked right up to Stormy and kissed her while dipping her. When the kiss broke he smirked. "Now that is how a cowboy greets his lady."

Stormy had decorated her quarters with three prints. One of the forest near her home in Montana, another of a desert scape in front of a red rock canyon, and the third of what was still referred to as the Mystic Mountain Nebula. A small bookshelf contained some of the favorite books she liked to travel with along with a sketch pad and pencils. Above them hung her guitar and banjo. A woven blanket in shades of brown, tan, and cream draped over the back of her couch.

It wasn't much as she sent most of her collectables home for her parents to store in her old bedroom.

When Tyler kissed her, she forgot about everything else and enjoyed the moment. Her life had been turned upside down since she first met him on the holodeck, and she had no desire to change it back. When she was upright again, she smiled. "I could definitely get used to having a cowboy around." Well, this one particular cowboy. He took her breath away.

"Well little lady I am glad to oblige." Tyler said with his best country twang and a wink. He took another look around and noticed the banjo and guitar. With excitement and a smile, he walked over toward them. "Say, you play? I haven't heard some good banjo in some time. A dying artform if you ask me."

She looked at her banjo and smiled. "I do play. Mostly here in the evenings. My dad is a fan of banjo music and cowboy poetry."

"Sounds like your dad and I would get along. Say, I would love to hear you play sometime." Tyler said with a smile before he changed the subject. "So, this archaeological expedition is keeping me and my team busy with the preparations. There seems to be a lot of requests from the team. But nothing that we cannot handle. I just wish they would make a plan and stick to it."

"What sort of requests? In my experience, plans like this are set months in advance, then everything is checked and double-checked. I wonder what's necessitated the changes?" She'd been given a basic list of what they'd brought with them and was checking it against the supplies to make sure everything was up to standard, but she had yet to finish, or to meet the team lead.

"It is more some minor infighting among the scientists. Disagreements on how things should be handled and the like. When that sort of thing happens it is always my teams that are stuck in the middle. Nothing that we can't handle, but damned frustrating nonetheless. We do the work with a smile, but I would be lying if I said I did not want to give them what my mother would call a good tongue thrashing. I think once we get there all of this should die down as the scientists realize exactly why they are here." Tyler smiled at his own sarcasm. He liked most scientists but there was something about this team that really worked his last nerve.

She put a hand on his arm in sympathy. "I'm sorry. That does sound incredibly frustrating. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon when someone--or several someones--want to prove their importance by making changes and demands." It was hard for her, too, when she had to work with people like that. "I've started going over the equipment. For a year-long research assignment, they don't have the best equipment."

"Yeah, I noticed that. I have been working with the ship's Quartermaster on making a list of possible upgrades for them. Once we have the list together going to take it to the Captain for approval. Perhaps you should take a look, if you have been working directly with them you would have some good insight." As much as Tyler was infatuated with her, he appreciated the chance to simply vent about work.

"I'll be happy to look at anything you think I could help with." She shook her head. "It feels like they were in a hurry to get out there. But as long as we can fill in the gaps and make sure everything is up to spec, they should be okay."

A melodic trill sounded from the tiny kitchenette. "That's the oil for the frybread. Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Starved... This ship brings an appetite." Tyler said with a broad smile. "Looking forward to the food. What are we having?"

"Beef stew, Navajo fry bread--which is sort of like scones, but bigger, and dessert, if you have room for it." She put the lilies in a vase. "Have a seat while I fry the bread."

Tyler sat on the couch and put his arm up on the back of the couch. "Well, it certainly smells good. Growing up in Oklahoma I have encounter a fair amount of Navajo and other Native American cultures. But I had never tried the cuisine. So, it should be a learning experience."

She flattened two rounds of dough and set them in the hot oil. "There are a number of tribes where I grew up, so I tried to learn what I could about them. The Navajo are farther south. They still have a large area that belongs exclusively to them. My folks have a lot of Native American art in their home. I still love watching the different tribes dance." She checked the bread and turned it over. A minute later, she took them both out and set them on a stack of paper towels while she cooked two more.

She ladled two bowls of stew and took them over to the coffee table, then went back and brought two plates with two pieces of fry bread and a small cup of honey butter and set them by the stew. Finally, she brought a bottle of white wine and two glasses to the table and sat beside Tyler.
"I hope you like it."

"I am sure I will." He said with a smile. Tyler poured the wine and allowed it to breathe for a moment. In the meantime, he took a taste of the stew. "This is delicious. You are the total package." He smiled and tucked back into the meal.

It took Stormy a minute to recognize the phrase, then she chuckled. Package of what, she wasn't sure, but she appreciated the compliment. "Thank you." She took a bite and closed her eyes, letting the flavors of beef, vegetables, and spices in a meaty broth dance across her taste buds for a moment while she chewed and swallowed. "Mom's a great cook. This is her recipe." She tore off a piece of bread and dipped it in the honey-butter and took a bite. There was a reason she didn't make this very often. She'd eat it every other day if she could.

The mention of her mother prompted Tyler to realize that in all the magic of a new relationship he never asked about her family. "Well then if she cooks like this I would love to meet her. How are your parents? Brothers? Sisters?" He decided that there was no time like the present to start getting to know them. Besides the best way to get to know a partner or perspective partner is to get to know their family.

She hadn't asked about his family, either. It wasn't for lack of interest. It was more that she got sidetracked by a very charming officer. But she would answer his question first. "I have two parents and two siblings. My mother writes poetry and stories about life in a small town. She also teaches poetry and literature at the local college. My father and younger brother are foresters. I grew up around trees and still feel most at home there and visit when I can. My sister didn't like living in a small town on the edge of a forest, so when she finished school she moved to Risa where she still works as a singer. Now," she said, giving him her full attention. "What about your family? You've told me about the ranch, but what does your family do now?"

Tyler took a couple of bites of food before he answered. Partially because he was hungry and partially because he thought of how he would answer. "Well, sadly mom is no longer with us. She passed away back in fifty eight. But she spent most of her life serving as a Yeoman for various Admirals. As for dad, well, he is a professor of history at UCLA. I have a sister who is an attorney in the Judge Advocate General's office, and as for me I am here. Other than that, there is not much to tell. My Dad and I don't talk much. I try to talk to my sister as often as I can, but both of our careers can take a toll."

Stormy took a bite of her stew and nodded. "I understand. Sometimes I don't talk to my folks until I'm on shore leave because our schedules differ. I haven't heard from my sister in a while. She's several years older than I am and we were never close. My parents get Christmas cards, so I know she's doing well." She picked up her glass and took a sip. "I love Starfleet, but it can be lonely at times." Then, to counter that, she smiled. "At least they warn us in the Academy."

"Yeah, it can get quite lonely out here. But then again the company can be infinitely better here as well." He smirked in that boyish kind of way. The kind of facial expression that said what was spoken was fact and he was flirting all at the same time. The fact was he never expected to meet a woman on this or any assignment, and yet he already felt like he could not leave this ship unless Stormy was with him.

"I'm not sure I agree about the company out here; but once in a while, you can meet someone at the right time in the right place." She took a sip of her drink to distract herself so she wouldn't blush at his comment.

"I would agree with that. Sometimes you meet someone and the sparks just fly. It was like that when I first met you on the holodeck." Tyler was pretty sure he knew that this would become a relationship. However, in typical operations manner he had to check and triple check. There was something he thought she may be holding back for.

She nodded. "I felt the same way. I kept watching you. You were different from anyone I'd met before." She chuckled. "Different in a good way." She still found herself gravitating toward him when he was around and thinking about him when he wasn't. Her dad would laugh when she told him she'd fallen for a cowboy.

"Well thank you. Thank you very much." Tyler said with a broad smile and raised his glass for a toast and a sip of his drink.

Stormy raised her glass to him and took a sip. She was certain she was blushing, but pretended she wasn't. She wanted to change the subject because she'd probably said too much already. "I made trifle for dessert. We can have it now or later."

Tyler smirked as he thought about the answer he wanted to give. She blushed under his attention, and that was something he seemed to enjoy. However, he held the comment to himself. "Let’s have it now. That and a cup of coffee would do great." At this point he would do just about anything to prolong his time with her.

With a nod, Stormy picked up the dirty dishes and recycled them, taking the time to calm her heightened emotions. Then she took the trifle out of her tiny refrigerator and filled two bowls. "This is one of my favorite desserts," she said, setting his bowl down. "Man--or woman--cannot live by chocolate alone."

"I would agree. Baked goods always did the trick for me. Give me pie, a cookie, or a piece of cake any day." Tyler said with a smile as he looked at the dessert she laid out. "But, this looks absolutely out of this world. Thank you." A guy certainly could get used to this. He thought.

"Well, there is cake in this, but next time, I'll make sure dessert is a pie." She closed her eyes as she savored her first bite. Sadly, she liked dessert a bit too much and was careful not to make it too often. "As long as you help me eat it, that is. I can't possibly eat an entire pie." Or maybe she could make dessert for the science department some time.

"Helping you eat it would not only be a good excuse to spend time with you. But, it would be a delicious one as well." Tyler said with a flirtatious smile. He took two bites of the dessert and found it to be beyond delicious. He also found his thoughts wandering to whether or not he should ask her about the relationship. Was it too soon? Was asking too old fashioned? These as well as a few other thoughts wandered through his mind.

She laughed at his comment. "You don't need an excuse to spend time with me." At least she thought they had. In truth, she wasn't sure. While they'd both expressed their interest, they really hadn't spent much time with each other. So, she played it safe and focused on her dessert. At least for now.

Tyler took a few more bites of the dessert and allowed some of the time to pass in silence. Truth was he used the time to organize his thoughts, and as if he found a resolution, he thought it best to stop beating around the proverbial bush and come out and ask. "Hey Stormy... I gotta ask... Where do you see this going? I mean us... Is there an us?" It was a little cliché but it was the only way he could think of in the spur of the moment.

She set down her spoon. It was a blunt question, but she appreciated it. There was nothing worse than wondering if you were just wasting your time hoping for something that wouldn't work out. "I hope there's an us." She sighed. She needed to explain what she meant. "I know this has happened faster than either of us expected--or faster than I expected." She shook her head. "I do not do breakfast on a first date, but you're not like anyone I've met before and...I'd really like this to go somewhere."

Despite all of his training in complex mathematics and computer sciences Tyler was at heart a simple man, and he felt that everything should be just as simple as he was. Of course, he knew that was not the case. But, here perhaps it was. "Then allow me to say there is officially an us." Leaned over and embraced her. While he held her in his arms he kissed her and felt that he could live in that moment for the rest of his life and die happy.

OFF

Lieutenant Stormy Knight
Chief Science Officer

Lieutenant Tyler Malbrooke
Chief Operations Officer

 

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