For a short period after they left the holodeck (see "Shore Leave without Leaving the Ship" for reference), Walker and Talea discussed various matters, some personal, some ship-related, then he smiled over at her. "Hope you don't mind, but I've some things to check into at McKinley. Will return shortly."
At Talea's nod, although he sensed she was still troubled, he headed to the transporter room he'd initially responded to her unease from and beamed across, striding confidently down the corridor to the jewelry and clothing stores. Within six minutes, he saw two rings he really liked, and sent an image of them to Talea, who expressed some puzzlement, then, after apparently figuring out what he was doing, pointed out a third set he'd not consciously looked at. On closer examination, he liked them more himself. Within a very few minutes, he brokered a buy of the rings, properly sized for him and Talea, and with the knowledge that the Betrothal rings, for that was what they were, would have their stones replaced later with the more expensive and much rarer LifeStones. The signets were black onyx with diamond initials, as Regellian ones tended to appear prior to link-setting, so he was happy with that.
Eight minutes passed before he found a bridal gown he thought appropriate for her, but he knew quite well that it wasn't the man's prerogative to choose the dress, or, indeed, to see his bride in it until the day of the wedding! Making holographic prints of several different dresses, he departed that store and returned to the ship. Wouldn't do for the current Chief of Security, albeit the acting Chief, to run afoul of the Captain's stated limit for shore leave.
On his return to Talea's quarters, he tapped the chime in a beat-code that identified him, based on the RSMC tap-codes, rather than the more expressive tonal codes. She called out, "Enter, Walker," and the door slid aside. Why he had half-expected her to be dressed in little more than a robe, he wasn't sure, but he chuckled at himself all the same.
She was, in fact, dressed in the same dress she'd worn for the holodeck, and said quietly, "Why don't we head over to the officers' lounge and relax for a while?" She didn't want to admit she needed to talk to Bobby, but that would handle itself, or so she hoped. If he was too angry at her lack of answer to his earlier request, she would accept the outcome, although it would sadden her to know he'd been offended and would not want to allow her to make up for the mistake.
She had also put on a very subtle perfume that only those with sensitive noses would detect, but her natural scent was only enhanced in a positive way by it, not covered. The rinse she'd used for her hair earlier was still active, and her hair was all but afloat from the fact she had released it from the queue while Walker was gone. It actually felt good to look pretty, and she decided she didn't want to analyze that too much, lest it come back to haunt her. This attraction she felt toward Walker was rather stronger than Doctor Cazook was apparently thinking it was, too. She was, in fact, trying to work out a safe way to test their congruency factor, but wasn't sure what techniques were used in lieu of the Eldaren Council's formal testing procedures.
Like so many, she had seen a rather curious holo-video of what (at first glance) seemed to be a sword fight between two Humans, but which had lasted far too long and had resulted in a rather curious effect: The fight had been stopped after both had started literally glowing. Talea knew what the glow was, of course, and was intrigued. Was that also a possible way for her and Walker to test their congruency? Was it even permissible, especially given the current tensions between Fleet and Marines aboard right now? She simply didn't know.
Heading to the lounge Bobby Woodward was the manager and bartender of, Talea also wondered if the exocomps were puzzled at the delays. Certainly, she would have preferred they had already sent off the miscreants and the scavengers both, but life was rarely so neat.
On arrival, she and Walker sat at her usual table, her sensitive nose noting that the scents of alcohol and synthehol seemed to be muted, and her other senses telling her the airflow in the lounge was different. Had the lounge been changed for her benefit and Walker's? She could not be certain.
As they settled in, she asked, "What say you to us sparring at full speed a little later, to test something?"
Walker raised one eyebrow, not having seen the video she had. "Say what? Sparring with swords is typically not done at full combat speed."
Talea nodded. "True. However, in order to test for something I've begun to suspect, we need to be at full combat speed, perhaps with a goal of first-blood, to lend some credence to the matter." At his look of alarm, she smiled. "I'm not angry with you. Havens forbid! It is just that to my knowledge, such a thing can prove something we both wonder about, especially given our rapidly-developing bond."
Walker looked stunned. He'd not realized she'd noticed it herself until now, and that in itself was rather foolish, since it implied that he was underestimating her. "I didn't realize you'd noticed it too."
She chuckled. "Rather difficult to miss, when you telepathically contacted me through psionic shields that would normally block such. Only thing I can think of that would bypass those would be either a strong Betrothal Link or us being further along than that, and that rather concerns me."
Walker nodded. "Aye. True." The two then fell silent as they waited for someone to approach with a menu PADD.
