<USS Avalon> Avalon Log 040902A--Souvenirs and Invitations

 
Even though she had been stationed  at HQ for six years and gone through the 
Academy, Vilya really hadn’t visited  the surrounding area except for the 
park.  She certainly had never taken a ride on the refurbished historical cable 
 
cars.  Ming, however, seemed to be  quite familiar with both.  As he  
predicted, she was intrigued with the cars themselves and how they  worked.  
Leaning out a window to try and see  the mechanisms on top, she said, “This 
is just fascinating!   I wonder of the devices have  changed much over the 
years.”  
“I don’t think they have,” Ming  called out to her. 
“This is so wonderful!  I can’t believe I’ve never done this  before.”  
She 
felt so exhilarated by  the experience that, when she finally sat back down 
inside, she reached over to  hug him, much to his delight.  “Thank you!” 
“Oh, you are very welcome,” Ming  said, keeping an arm around her after 
returning the hug.  “I hope you like Chinese food because  were going to 
Chinatown.
” 
“The spicier, the better,” Vilya  stated. 
Vilya could not recall when she’d  had a more enjoyable evening.  Ming  
delighted their waiter by ordering in what was apparently perfect Chinese.  The 
waiter, in turn, tried his Bajoran  on Vilya.  It wasn’t as good as  Ming’s 
Chinese but she made sure the waiter knew that the effort was  appreciated. 
Conversation over dinner centered,  for the most part, on comparisons between 
their religious beliefs.  Vilya supposed that, while his beliefs  were 
definitely different from hers, that they weren’t so different as to be  
incompatible. 
As they were leaving the building,  an elderly woman holding a holo camera 
approached them.  Brandishing it, she said something to  Ming in Chinese.  
Vilya 
looked at  him curiously. 
"She’s one of those folks who takes  pictures of tourists and then gets them 
to buy copies,” Ming told  her. 
“Oh! I want one then,” Vilya  replied.  At his somewhat surprised  look, 
she 
added, “I can’t remember when I’ve had a nicer day.  I’d like something 
to 
remember it  by.” 
Ming held up two fingers to the  elderly woman to tell her how many copies 
then out his arm around Vilya to  pose.  A few seconds later, the  woman handed 
him two disks.  After  he paid her, she said something else to him.  Whatever 
it was, Vilya could see that it  made him flush bright red beneath the light 
tan of his complexion. 
“What did she say to you?  You’re all red,” Vilya  stated. 
Ming chuckled softly and said, “I’ll  tell you as soon as my face goes back 
to normal.  Any way, I’ll walk you back to your  place if you’d like.  I 
know 
you’re  a Starfleet officer and that this area is completely safe but…” 
“But you have good manners.  You’re very charming,” she said as she  
tucked 
a hand around his arm. 
The walk to her building was, for  the most part, in silence.  It was a  
companionable silence and one that gave Vilya time to think. 
“You know,” she began carefully as  the stopped in front of her building, 
“I’
d ask you p but what I have in mind  might cause you to break one of those 
commandments you were talking  about.” 
“So—ask me up,” Ming said with a  slight shrug.  He reached to touch  her 
chin with one finger.  “If I  choose to break the one I think you have in 
mind, 
then it’s between me, God, and  anyone I choose to confess to.  And  you.” 
“Does this mean you’re choosing  to?” 
“I am.” 
“In that case, I’m inviting you  up.” 
Li Vilya, Ensign
Starfleet Academy-Engineering  and Survival Education
 
"As I make my slow pilgrimage through the  world, a certain sense of 
beautiful mystery seems to gather and grow." 
-_A. C.  Benson_ (http://www.quoteland.com/qldb/author/531)

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