<USS Banshee> "A New Old Friend"
- From: Victor Andros <victor_andros@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: ussbanshee@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2005 16:18:18 -0800 (PST)
"A New Old Friend"
"So, talk to me. I never knew you were into those
sorts of things."
Victor Andros looked around nervously. He was on
shore leave on a large starbase, but he had taken the
extra precaution of taking his leave on Starbase 17, a
precious few hours away from the Banshee, should
anything require his attention. He cleared his throat,
but not loudly enough that anybody but the two people
sitting at the cafe table could hear it. "What ever
are you referring to?" Victor replied.
"I'm referring to what you were shagging in the
holosuite."
"Shagging. There's a word I have not heard used in a
long time," he said.
"Don't try to distract me. Tell me what was going
on."
"I think it was pretty obvious, or do you just not
want to admit it to yourself?" he said.
"Love, I've known for a long time you like boys
better, that's not what I'm talking about."
"Are you jealous, then, maybe?" Victor leaned forward
and set his delicate coffee cup down. "Do you wish it
was you that I was-"
"Yes, alright, does that make you happy? I know you
don't do girls, but I can dream, can't I?"
"My dear, it doesn't count as dreaming when your eyes
are not closed."
"Let me get my hands on you and you won't want to
close your eyes."
"Dearie, your hands on me won't make me do a thing,"
he said.
"Oh, now that was just cold. And you still haven't
answered my question."
"You should know as well as anybody else that
holograms make you feel just as good as the real
thing."
"For the record, no they don't, love, but that's not
what I was talking about."
"Then what were you referring to?" Victor asked
before she could continue.
"I didn't know you liked blondes."
Victor spared her a withering stare. "It's a pleasure
I've not been able to indulge in a while, okay, Len?"
"That's all well and dandy, but you still haven't
answered my first question."
"What was your question again?"
"What was going on with you in the holosuite? I
thought you had a boyfriend to take care of those
sorts of things."
Victor finally looked up at the woman sitting across
the table from him. Rosalinda had soft, wavy chestnut
brown hair that was usually cut just below her
shoulders, but it had started to find it's way down
her back. Her bright blue eyes were perhaps what
showed her age the most. Where they once looked wide
and innocent, they showed the wisdom gained through
more than ten years of Starfleet service, even though
they currently shined with laughter. "I do, but he's
off on Earth visiting his family."
"Oh, really? Where's he from?"
"Northern South America."
"That's nice. It's still mostly unspoiled there."
"Yeah, it was pretty when we went."
"'We'?" she leaned in conspiratorially. "Does this
mean you already met his parents?"
"Yeah, kinda weird, but he's young and old-fashioned.
Enough about me, though, what have you been up to?"
"Well, after they decommissioned the Lexington, I
transferred to the Intrepid, but I didn't last too
long there, and here I am now."
"Enjoying yourself here?" he asked.
"So why aren't you off with your boyfriend?" she
said.
Victor gave Len an awkward shrug. "I've done the
parents thing."
"So you have no interest in being a part of the
family?" she asked.
"His family? No, thank you. I'm thirteen years older
than he is, you know? Why would I want to do that to
myself?"
"Because you care about him? Because his feelings
matter to you? I mean, if you're off cavorting with a
hologram, I doubt it's because the sex is good," she
said with a wink.
"You're right. We don't have anything in common other
than the fact that we know a lot of the same people
because we are on the same ship," he said.
"Are you too comfortable?" she asked.
"'Too comfortable?" he said. "You mean, as in, we're
so used to seeing each other it doesn't do anything
anymore?"
"Something like that, yes."
"For me, yeah. I can't speak for him, but I suppose
something like that works both ways, huh?"
Len stood up from the table and gestured towards the
exit with a flick of her head, "Come on, let's go
someplace more comfortable."
Victor stood and made lecherous eyes at Len, "What
did you have in mind?"
"Oh, nothing like that. Not that you'd be interested
anyway," she pouted. "I wanted to head for the
observation deck."
The two walked and talked like the old friends who
needed to catch up that they were. Once they reached
the observation deck, they both ceased their speaking
for a few minutes to take in the awe-inspiring gaze of
the swath of stars that greeted them. Without the
harsh glare of an atmosphere to hinder their view,
they could see all the stars in their full, naked
glory. From the redness of Betelgeuse to the bright
white of Polaris, they were all there and
recognizable. All too quickly, however, the seasoned
space-farers sat at a small plastic table and the
stars soon took a backseat to conversation.
"Dearie," Rosa began, "those sorts of things do not
work both ways."
Victor looked at her puzzled, "What are you talking
about?"
"Just because your heart doesn't go pitter-patter
when you see him anymore doesn't mean his doesn't.
There are two of you in this relationship, ya know?"
Victor sighed. "Of course I know that. I just wish
there was something I could do about this."
Rosa leaned forward and laid her hand on his. "Just
give it time, love."
"I have given it time. Too much time, I think,"
Victor said. "Wait, I have an idea."
"What's that?"
"Why don't you transfer to the Banshee?" he said.
"Really? You mean it?" she asked.
"Of course."
Rosa stood up and smiled. "I'd love to. I go start
filling out the paperwork." With that she ran off.
Victor waited until she had left before he turned his
gaze back towards the observation deck and gazed out
at the stars, willing them to tell him what he was
supposed to do.
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