Making Memories - Part Five

Posted on 07 Apr 2016 @ 1:24am by Master Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin & Ensign Aidan Crehan

3,413 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Location: New Risa
Timeline: MD-5

A little bit later, the oven dinged and she smiled. "If you will release me, Sir Knight, I must get the Knish or it will burn."

”If I must, I must,” he said. “But I will miss you.” He grinned and moved his arms.

Mila got up and went to pull the tray out to reveal golden flakey Knish as she took them out and set them on top of the unit. "All we are needing now is something to drink while I serve these up."

Aidan watched her walk into the kitchenette and smiled. Then he got up and followed her in, watching her pull the tray out. “Certainly,” he said, “what would you like?” He walked over to the replicator.

"Kompot juice," she said. "It is mix of apricot, cherry, blueberry and sugar mixed with water. It is traditional to go with Knish." She put one pastry on each plate and got two forks for them.

“Two twelve ounce glasses of Kompot juice,” he ordered at the replicator. The two glasses shimmered into existence and Aidan took them over to the table. He took a long whiff. “Those smell terrific!”

"They are," Mila said as she picked up the plates and carried them to the table. "They have a very fruity taste, but not too sweet and not too tart."

"I cannot wait to try it," he said. Aidan walked over to the chair where Mila had been sitting during their time here. He pulled the chair out and waited for her to come around. Yes, he would continue being her knight.

She sat in the offered chair and smiled. "As now, as always," she said with a smile while she waited for him to take a seat and try the Knish. "I hope you like it."

Aidan walked around the table and sat down. He picked up his fork and cut into the pastry. A wisp of steam rose from it along with a delicious smell. He put the fork into the flaky crust and took a bite. After swallowing, he took a drink of the Kompot juice. “I like it, Mila. I like it a lot. You were right, the juice is perfect with it.”

Mila smiled and took a bite of her own. "I am glad that you like it," she said. "It is a recipe which goes back nearly six hundred years. It turned out very well, but that is because you helped me with it."

“Oh I doubt that,” he said. “I am of the opinion that it turned out very well and tasty because of you.” He took another bite. Remembering that he was barefoot, he tried that ‘footsie’ thing again, though more gentle this time. He slid his leg over and rubbed Mila’s leg.

She smiled and rubbed her foot against his leg in return. "You are getting better at that, Sir Knight," she said after taking a drink of her Kompot juice. "I am glad that you are enjoying yourself."

He chuckled a bit and said, “I am thoroughly enjoying myself, Printsessa. And thank you. I thought I would get in some practice.” He took quick drink of the juice and remembered something. “Oh, I was going to say something earlier when we were preparing the Knish, you mimed cracking that whip rather well.” He smirked in his infamous roguish way. “Practice much?”

"Only when peasants act like Knights," Mila said with a laugh, then brought a hand up to her throat. She paused and took a drink. "I think I have given myself a sore throat from laughing so much these past two days, but it is worth it."

"We have certainly been having lots of fun," said Aidan. "But I wonder if we should forego our swim later. I would not want you to further damage your throat or your beautiful voice. I would very much like to hear you sing again soon."

"Da," she agreed. "It may be good idea." She took another small bite of her knish. "Maybe I should find local clinic and get it checked, but later."

Aidan had swallowed another bite of his knish. “Yes,” he said, “that might be a good idea for later. Or we could leave early and you could have it checked out in Sickbay. But then you would miss out on another terrific night’s sleep on that soft, comfortable, non-Starfleet issue bed. And you might as well enjoy it as long as you can.” He cut another piece of knish and left it on his plate while taking a drink.

"I wish you would take it for one night, Aidan," Mila said as she took another sip of her juice. "You paid for it, after all."

He smiled and rubbed her leg again. “I know, but I also paid for the divan. And you are the one who is not feeling well,” he said. “Besides, let a man dote on a beautiful woman by spending his credits on her.” He picked up the bite he had cut earlier and chewed it.

"You are a very kind, generous man, Sir Knight," she said as she ate a bit more of his knish.

“Not all men have gone the way of Klingons when it comes to manners, generosity, and kindness,” he said. “Especially with a woman.” Aidan watched as she ate a bit of his knish, and smiled. “I can cut part of this one off, if you want more, Printsessa?”

Mila looked up at him and smiled. "Wait until you are done with it and discover how filling even one is. As for the generosity and kindness, I would prefer to think that it unique to you, my gallant Sir Knight."

She had caught him off guard several times these two days. She had even made him speechless when she walked out of the bedroom. But this had to be the first time that she had made him dip his head to try and hide the slight coloring of his cheeks. “Thank you, Mila. You are too kind…my sweet Printsessa.” He cut another piece of knish.

"Merely truthful," she said. "But it is good to see that you can blush after you have made me blush so many times."

He finished swallowing that bite. “Heh, well, uh,” he stammered a bit. “Honestly, it was hearing you refer to me as your gallant Sir Knight.” He took a drink and continued, “This really is good. And I am beginning to see what you mean about it being filling.”

"Well, you did ask me to be your girlfriend, did you not?" Mila asked him. "That would make you my boyfriend and gallant Sir Knight."

He breathed deeply and smiled. “Indeed it does, Mila, indeed it does. You are my girlfriend. You are my sweet Printsessa. And I am enjoying you and everything I am learning about you."

At that time, Chow came up and tugged at her before he gave a hoot. "I...I am sorry, Chow," she said. "I forgot to feed you. I am being selfish, but I will make it up to you." She got up and picked the little monkey up to put on her shoulder, then went to the replicator. "Seedless grapes, strawberry yogurt and pistachio nuts," she ordered. When it materialized, she took the bowls and set them by the window, at which point Chow hopped off and began to eat. She went back to the replicator to get a bowl of water and brought that back next, then took one of the nuts.

Mila came back to the table and sat down with the nut still in her hands. "Do you wish to learn something else?" she asked him.

Aidan had to think about that for a minute. There were many things about her he would like to learn. But seeing Chow perched on her shoulder reminded him of something. “Yes as a matter of fact, how did you come by Chow?”

She rolled the pistachio nut in her hand and gave a smile. "I was serving on USS Nebuchadnezzar at the time and taking my P01 Leadership Training Course Continuum to become Petty Officer First Class at a starbase. One of the people with me had several Capuchin babies that they were giving away but many people could not take them aboard the ships they were on. I asked my Captain, who I had saved from several embarrassing situations prior to my testing and he agreed. Since then, I have had him trained and certified as a companion and he even has an official Starfleet service number and chip. He has been with me for two years now."

“That is great,” said Aidan. “And I imagine that he has been a terrific companion for all of those two years.” He took the last bite of his knish, swallowed, and sat back. “I like this way of getting to know one another. So it would seem it is my turn, is there something you would like to learn about me?”

Mila finished her knish and took a drink of her juice as she thought for a moment. "How many careers have you had before you decided to join Starfleet?"

“Ah, okay,” replied Aidan. “To begin with, on El-Auria, I worked in a veterinary office, not the medical aspect, though. It was ‘patient care.’ After the Borg and our rescue from the Nexus, we went to Earth. For two years, I worked in a bookstore that was owned and operated by another El-Aurian couple that was with us. After that, I began traveling. I visited two Federation worlds and became attached to a cultural anthropology team. Then I visited four more worlds and spent years studying their evolution, histories, cultural development, and so on. Some of them were ancient cultures and dead aliens. The last world was Iconia. That is what made me decide to join Starfleet.”

"I have heard of the Iconians," she said as he finished telling her what he had done. "It must be amazing to have all the time that you need to do everything you've always wanted to do." She stopped, realizing that he would continue on long after she was gone, but shoved it aside. "I think it is why I joined Starfleet."

He sighed, knowing that most people did not realize that there was a downside to having all that time. “To do what you’ve always wanted to do?” he asked. “Is that why you joined Starfleet?”

"That, and I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life after I graduated high school," Mila admitted.

“Has Starfleet helped you figured out what you want in your life, then?” asked Aidan.

"No," she said. "But that does not mean that I will stop looking."

“I like your determination,” said Aidan. “Would you like some help and support as you continue looking? Because I am here for you, Printsessa.”

Mila got up and kissed him before she gathered their plates. "I would be honored with you by my side, Sir Knight," she said with a smile.

Aidan nodded, “Then let it be.” He got up and took their glasses to the recycler. “Join me on the couch?” he asked.

After she put the plates in the recycler, she yawned and covered her mouth. "I think I shall. I am tired after all of today's activities and my throat still feels sore. Would you get me a cup of tea with honey, please?"

“Of course,” said Aidan. He retrieved a cup of chamomile tea with honey from the replicator and went into the living room, setting on an end table. "Perhaps it would be a good idea to go on to bed after you are finished with the tea."

Mila took the tea and smiled. "Thank you, Aidan. I have no had this much fun in a long time and I am not used to it. I will be okay in the morning."

“You’re welcome, Mila. And I am glad that I could be here to help you have all of this fun,” said Aidan. He sat down on the couch. “Thanks for sharing shore leave with me. And for allowing me to get to know you. And for becoming my girlfriend. You are the sweetest, most surprising woman I have ever met.”

She smiled and took a sip of her tea. "Thank you for making this my best shore leave in eleven years, Aidan. You do not know how many times I have simply stayed on ships rather than go simply because I did not have someone to go with."

“Well now you do,” he said, as he put his arm around her. “So there is no reason for you to stay on the ship. We can enjoy all of our future shore leaves together. Well, us and Chow. We cannot leave him out. How is the tea, by the way?”

"It is very good," Camila said. "Thank you. I am used to strong Russian tea, but I am hoping this will help with my throat." She set the cup down and brought her right hand up, which seemed to be empty, but when she flipped it and let it sit in the air palm up, there was a pistachio nut in it.

“I’m sure it will,” he said. He watched as she set her tea down and did something with her hand. “What…where did that come from?” he asked, watching pistachio nut appear out of nowhere. “How did you…do that?”

"Ask not how it was done, but instead how you did not see it before now," she said cryptically.

Aidan looked at Mila, a quizzical look on his face, and then to her hand. He couldn’t figure it out for anything. “Do you mean that you have had that nut with you all along and I missed it? But…how?”

"I have had it since dinner when I fed Chow," Mila said. "I even played with it in front of you after I sat back down."

Aidan shook his head. “I can’t believe I missed that,” he said. “You told me that you liked doing slight of hand, but I did not expect you to be so good at it.” He rubbed her leg with his other hand. “But then you have had my rapt attention since we met in the shuttle yesterday.”

She closed her hand and blew on it and when she opened it, the nut was gone again. "You are too sweet, Sir Knight."

Aidan looked at her. “And you are very talented, Printsessa.” He half expected to see the nut go flying out of her hand. “Where is it?” he asked.

"If I told you that," Mila said with a wink. "It would not be a mystery." Meanwhile, Chow hopped down with a yogurt mustache and scampered to the edge of the couch on the floor to retrieve the nut. He came out and held it up as if it were a trophy. "Chow! You are not supposed to spoil the trick!" Chow hooted and promptly ate it, then jumped on the back of the couch again.

Once Aidan had calmed down from laughing so hard, he looked at Mila. “I promise I will not tell. Some things must remain a mystery until the proper time for their revelation.” He leaned down, kissed her, and then whispered in her ear. “Including purple.”

She returned the kiss, then blushed. "But you have seen me wear purple twice today, have you not? It is not such a mystery." Of course, she knew what he was talking about, but merely winked.

Aidan chuckled. “Indeed I have, Printsessa.” He returned her wink and pulled her in close for a hug. “Don’t let your tea get cold,” he said.

Mila dutifully reached for her tea and took another sip before she sighed. "I should not be so tired, but if I fall asleep, I fear I will not wake up again until we are back on the ship. Then I would not get to spend the rest of shore leave with you, Sir Knight."

“Do not fear, my Mila. If you fall asleep, I will carry you to the bed and pull up the covers to keep you warm. And if you seem to be sleeping for long periods of time, I will gently wake you so that you can get a drink and see how you feel. Chow and I will watch over you,” he said. “And as far as shore leave, do not worry about it. There will be others for us to enjoy together. You are my Printsessa, my girlfriend. I will take care of you and be here for you.” Aidan rubbed her leg and kissed the top of her head.

She smiled and snuggled against him. "You are both my heroes," she said as she reached up with her other arm to pet Chow. "I just do not wish to ruin what fun we have been having together."

“You would not ruin anything, let alone the fun we are having together,” replied Aidan. “Just being with you is enjoyable, Mila. And I would not trade any of our time together for all the latinum on Ferenginar.”

"You are too sweet," Mila said. "And I would not trade you for anything, period."

Aidan blushed a little once again. “Thank you, Mila. But I think you are sweeter than me. You’re not feeling too tired yet, are you?”

"Nyet," she said but yawned immediately after it. "I'm sorry, Sir Knight. I should not have lied."

“That is quite alright, Printsessa,” said Aidan. “Can I take you to the bed?”

Despite the fact that her throat was sore and she felt exhausted, Mila had to laugh. "Why, Sir Knight, I had no idea you were so eager to get me into bed."

Aidan realized how it sounded after Mila’s statement and started laughing. “Well…, it seems I have stuck my foot in my mouth. And so long as it is in there, I might as well keep going. I am sure I could find another drink in the replicator here other than tea that would help you sleep. One that might be on the menu at a certain restaurant…. What was it again, Purple something or other?”

She laughed again, but brought a hand to her throat and stopped quickly. "A Purple Panty Dropper...and I swear I did not know the waiter would bring it or that it even existed."

“Uh-huh,” he laughed, and saw her put her hand to her throat. “You really need to rest that beautiful voice.” Then he leaned down and kissed her. Pausing a moment afterwards near her ear, he whispered, “I do not need the aid of the Purple Panty Dropper.” Then he kissed her on the cheek and hugged her.

Mila returned the kiss and hoped that if she was sick that she wouldn't give it to him. "Very well," she agreed. "But we shall see about dropping panties at another time."

Aidan chuckled. “Of course, Mila. The best things in life are worth waiting for. And you are the best thing that has come into my life in a very long time. So you are worth waiting for. Now, are you able to make it in there or are you so tired that you wish to be carried?”

"I think I would like being carried," she said. "If you will lay with me for a while?"

“Anything you want, Printsessa.” He smiled and stood, reaching for her hand.

Mila took his hand and looked at Chow "Come on, Chow. It is time to rest." Dutifully, the little simian hopped off the couch and waited for her.

Aidan picked her up in his arms. He cradled her legs over his left arm and held her back with his right. He looked at her and smiled. Aidan carried Mila into the bedroom and gingerly put her on the bed. He pulled the covers up over her and walked around to the other side to crawl in, on top of the covers.

Chow followed them and curled up next to her and she smiled as she lay one hand on him and one arm on Aidan, then closed her eye and went to sleep.

The End

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