Red Wine, Is Just Fine [Part One]

Posted on Mon Oct 31st, 2022 @ 7:08am by Commander Liala Ziyal & Commander Raiden Kosugi
Edited on on Mon Oct 31st, 2022 @ 6:11pm

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Various Location
3138 words - 6.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Raiden had just gotten off Beta shift, he had been given double shifts by Captain Hawkins. He didn't mind it, as it didn't give him time to dwell on thoughts of a personal nature, instead he was more thinking on a professional level.
He showered and changed into some work out clothing, he needed to get himself more tired out than he was.

Arriving to the holosuite Raiden accessed his personal training program for his martial arts. There were several settings, and he chose level four for a warm up. In this setting, he had several opponents, all circling around him, and he in the center. it was reminiscent of the practice arena back home. Then as if on a signal, they attacked.

Raiden had to move through the onslaught, blocking punches to the sides, twisting to block another which flew towards his head. He was doing rather well until one slid through his defenses and hit his left cheek, moving his head towards one side his body twisting in that direction, causing him to grunt out in pain. This sparked something inside him and Raiden went into aggressive mode. Going with that punch he swung round and slugged an opponent in the throat and continued on. End result for level four, Raiden stood panting, covered in perspiration with his foe on the ground. it wasn't enough...

Level five, he lowered the safety level wanting more of a challenge. In his hands, Raiden held a katana, his stance at the ready. His eyes looked to the left and then to the right, as other sword wielding foe came towards him. Then he attacked, the katana slashing through the air towards the opponent. Swords blocked, slices deflected, Raiden barely deflected on some, feeling the sting of a blade as it nicked his flesh. He didn't feel the pain until after this scenario was finished. Gritting his teeth, Raiden called up the healer that was part of the program, his wounds taken care of.

Level six, he put on a blindfold this part of the program was to hone his skills when fighting blind.

The scene that was there, was a cobble stone courtyard, with seats that rose above like spectator seats, the seats were empty, the setting was at night. The scent of the sun warmed stone could still be caught, a flickering torch was set inside a sconce, a sound of a night bird trilled in the distance. Several opponents approached him, and Raiden cocked his head as he heard the movements. A strike then another, coming from all sides one after another, Raiden listening as he turned to block the blow. A slight sound and he twisted around to feel his fist connect with his target or so he thought.

Liala had been worried about Raiden. Yes, he'd been busy with all the long shifts David had given him and some small part felt like she was to blame for a bit of that. The comment David made before he left her a few days ago still rang in her ears and then the double shifts for the new XO came and it was almost a strange coincidence to not put the two together in some way. She knew David thought he was being humorous but there was very little she could do but try and appeal to his softer nature, the nature she knew was there.

Finding out where Raiden was proved harder than she'd anticipated but not asking the computer always did make things harder than they needed to be. Sometimes though she just liked doing things the old-fashioned way. She knew Raiden liked to keep himself active by doing martial arts in an environment he could control, and she found herself in the holodeck.

A strange backdrop, not one she recognised and even still harder to find a man that she knew was not in that big a space. After all, holodecks still had limits, walls that stopped even the most intrepid boundary pusher.

Liala saw him fighting and for a moment she watched in awe of his skills, even with a blindfold on he was most impressive as the sweat glistened on his showing skin. Then there came a lull in activity and she approached him. She chose not to speak to not scare him and as she got in close, she stood on a stone that made a crunching noise only to look back up and see Raiden's fist connect with her nose.

"Vokari!" she squealed in pain as she grabbed her nose with her right hand. Her eyes began to water, and blood could be seen escaping through the gaps in her fingers.

Hearing a female cry out, which was not part of the program, Raiden bellowed, "Freeze program!" he thought he had locked access to the holosuite but apparently, he hadn't. Ripping off his blindfold Raiden looked to see who he had hit. Color drained from his face, and he gasped out.

"Liala what the hell are you doing here?!" his hand fumbling for a kerchief, then growled out "Computer first aid kit and some towels." The items appearing. He grabbed one of the towels and handed it to Liala, to help staunch the bleeding then led her to a nearby stone step. "Let's have a look." silently cursing himself once more.

She could barely hear his words over the loud beating of her own heart. The hit to her face had caused her heart to beat faster, louder and the adrenaline in her system in overdrive as her body either told her to run or fight back. Sadly, or fortuitously for Raiden, she chose neither and simply let him lead her to a place to sit as she held a towel at her nose.

"I came to see how you were!" she said in a louder voice than was her usual. There was also a nice little nasal sound, much like when someone tries to speak when they have the common cold. "I know you'd been on long shifts, and I'd not seen you for a while..." She could feel her nose throbbing.

IT HAD ITS OWN PULSE!

"I'm sorry, I've been busy trying to learn the ropes of my new position." Raiden gruffly said, "I-" he stopped to open up a cold pack to help soothe her injured nose, "I am going to be killed from what happened here, or probably sent to scrub the latrine with a toothbrush or clean out the filters down in the depths of the ship." he huffed, "I am sorry I didn't put the lock on the door. This wouldn't have happened if I had done so. I am sorry I've injured you." his words drifting away as he hardly looked Liala in the eyes, feeling a great amount of shame.

"I know, I know." Liala said tipping her head back. "That's why I've not tried to bother you. Learning the XO role is hard, I've been there." she added closing her eyes as a streak of pain shot through her head. Listening to him worry was the last thing she wanted, and for her to be the cause of it by startling him, was the opposite effect of what she was going for.

"Raiden, look at me." she said taking his face in her non-bloody hand. "You are fine. I am fine. What David doesn't know what hurt him, and I won't tell him... so no scrubbing the decks." she tried to smile forgetting for a moment her face would move if she did so resulting in a wince of momentary pain.

Raiden slightly flinched when she placed her hand upon his face, then made himself not pull away. "Look Liala, can't hide this from the Captain, the man has that instinct, he just knows and will know. You've got to realize that he values honesty above all else. " Looking her right in the eyes. "Now let's get you cleaned up." he glanced upwards towards the ceiling. "Computer bowl of warm water, and a washcloth. " it appearing next to them both. He carefully wet the washcloth to wipe away the blood from her face, taking very careful measures to be very gentle.

"I know but I can just say I fell over, walked into a wall or something... I mean I can be a bit of a klutz at times." he tried to bring a little levity to the situation. The feelings of shame and annoyance (at himself) were pouring out of him like a dam breaking under pressure.

He began to clean up her face. Liala had stopped the bleeding for now and it looked like she had been feasting on bodies. She had removed her hand from his face, the small feeling of electricity that had passed from skin to skin had passed and she felt it would just have been weird to hold it there.

"Liala, no, do not lie for me either. It will be put in a report and given to the Captain." Raiden said softly, "Here wash your hands, and your blood didn't get on your clothing, did it?" him having a look, with his eyes. "I think that I won't be continuing my exercises tonight." he stated. "Probably get something to eat and drink before going to bed. Do you want to grab a bite to eat? I'm buying." Raiden trying to make a joke.

"It wouldn't be a lie if he never asked about it." she mumbled to herself and looked down at her uniform to check. Fortunately, she had caught her face before anything had fallen down on it.

"I would think that is the least you could do for trying to ruin my face..." she joked back. "Do you not want me to be pretty?" she asked half rhetorically.

Raiden froze for a moment at Liala's question, even though it was a rhetorical one. "Liala, you are beautiful, I wouldn't want to do any harm to you other than what I accidentally did." he applied some pain killer to her nose with a hypospray from the med kit. "That should help as well." Putting it away. "Where would you like to go get something to eat? The Canteen?"

"Raiden, I was kidding." she said with a slight painful giggle. Thankfully he applied some painkiller soon after. "I know you're a gentle man most of the time. I am not scared of you." she added just for emphasis.

"But sure. I mean we could go to one of the lounges, something a bit warmer with nicer drinks?" Liala suggested.

"That sounds good, um look I need to change into something a bit more nicer than a tank top with some tears in it. And even more important, get a shower. I reek." he looked at Liala then said. "I can drop you off at your quarters and I'll go to mine and get ready."

"That sounds like a good idea... you are kind of smelly." she smirked at him. "That and I have a little medkit in my quarters just to touch this up before I show my face in public. I'll be ready for when you come and get me? You'll take longer to get ready..."


A Little While Later...


Half an hour later, Raiden showed up at Liala's quarters, pressing the chime. He was dressed all in a rich black, his long-sleeved dress shirt, no tie, slacks and all the way to his shoes. Upon his left pinky, he wore a ring of jade that was the only adornment he wore this night. Raiden felt nervous and didn't know why, then again it could be due to what happened earlier and worried that them just going out to get something to eat, and a drink, still could become disastrous.

Liala had a small dermal regenerator in her personal medkit back in her quarters. She simply had run it over her nose to help with an inflammation that might happen and also to stop any bruising from rising. There had been a few strange looks as she walked the corridors with her half-bloodied nose, but she powered through and made it home for a quick costume change.

The chime rang from her door, and it opened to reveal the man she had been waiting for... it had only been half an hour or so after all. "Well, don't you look handsome?" she asked rhetorically. He scrubbed up not too badly from a ripped and sweaty tank top.

Liala wore a cream blouse top with an old-fashioned simplicity to it. Tight blue jeans with ruby red heels. She had a thing for Dorothy of Oz. Ever since reading it when she was a little bit younger, she was enamoured with the story and loved a good pair of ruby red heels. Also, she did like old fashioned style of clothing. She also wore a crystalline necklace and matching bangle, small pearl drop earrings and had sprayed some nice smelling perfume. She had hoped it wasn't too much.

When she opened the door, Raiden just stood there, lost in the whole vision that was before him. She was beautiful. Barely remembering to close his mouth, Raiden returned her greeting. "You look sensational and thank you." giving a self-conscious chuckle. "Shall we?" Raiden offering his arm with a crooked elbow towards her. "I am wishing I thought of bringing a flower as another apology for what I did."

His words made her blush slightly, a small crimson colour forming on her cheeks at the sounds of his voice. It was nice to be seen in more than a Starfleet uniform, but it seemed to mean more coming from him with how she dressed now.

"Your company, and the offer of dinner, is more than enough." Liala spoke softly as she took his arm. "If I had known this is what it took, I'd have snuck up on you a while ago." she joked as they began to walk down the corridor.

"Took to do what? Us going out and having a meal together?" Raiden went silent as they walked, his mind going over the past. "Great Scott, this is definitely the first time I've gone to eat a meal with you, Liala. I have certainly been lacking in manners and even in doing any socializing. I wish I had thought of it without smacking you in the nose." he was still in a state of remorse in that happening.

"We've been quite busy escaping planetary unrest, finding the Gladiator and now trying to stop the Unholy Trinity." she squeezed his arm a little for reassurance. "Do you remember the first time we met?" she asked him trying to get his mind off the nose smacking.

That did the trick as Raiden's mind flashed back to when they first met. "I snuck in on your performance, the scenery was beautiful besides yourself." he smiled softly stealing a glance towards her. "You were playing the Vokari, and you were so intense, and was caught up in that sublime music, definitely enraptured as you poured your heart and soul out into it. I know I was caught up in it, being sent to the heavens." the tip of his ears going a little bit pink.

"Well thank you." she was now blushing as they came up on the doors of where Raiden had been leading them. "You are the only person to see, and hear, me perform for a long time. I always put my heart and soul into every performance... that's why I keep it to myself. Sometimes baring your soul can be quite an 'intimate' act." she added looking at the lounge in front of them.

They stepped inside, Raiden looking around to find a table. "Would you like to sit to where we can look at the stars whilst we eat?" nodding towards a table that had a nice view but also somewhat cozy. He felt like he wanted a solid wall against his back as it were. At least tonight that is. There were times he would sit in the center to where he could easily move if needed. Tonight, he needed to see the stars, as he no longer got to gaze out as he flew the ship at least for now.

Liala got the feeling he was asking more for himself. She could see his eyes fall on the stars, the feeling of longing, of missing them in front of him. "Yes, I think it would be nice for both of us. That way if I start to bore you, you have something to look at." she smiled a little as they moved in to sit down.

Raiden narrowed his eyes at this, "Liala..." he growled slightly. He didn't say anything more only shook his head slightly at her comment. When they sat down, he took a look at the menu for a moment then looked at her. "You know, you are not boring, I just like looking at the stars as well and with the stars as a backdrop for your beauty it's the best of two worlds." flashing an engaging smile.

"Don't you growl at me mister." she slapped him lightly on the shoulder just before they sat down. "I know I'm not boring, but I can't be interesting all the time." she smiled softly. "And the more sweet talk you throw my way the wider my smile is going to get. I might even forget there are stars at all."

Raiden quirked up an eyebrow as to what Liala had said, then he chuckled quietly. "I wouldn't want you to forget the stars though, as they are reflecting in your beautiful eyes" And yes he could see them doing so, finding himself almost becoming lost in her gaze. His almost reverie was interrupted by the server who came up to their table wanting to know what they would like to drink or eat.

Raiden gestured towards Liala. "Lady's choice first." he responded.

I'd never forget them." Liala smiled. "They are what carry us." She added as she gazed out the window for a moment. Raiden's words still continued and Liala still listened. She liked he was complimenting her, saying she had beautiful eyes. Her fantasy broken by the arrival of a server.

"Can I have a glass of red wine please? She asked, her eyes offering up Raiden hoping it was acceptable.

Raiden raised an eyebrow at that. "Er, if you want to have wine, have some wine. " a bit of a confused expression in his eyes. He looked at the server. "A red wine please, the real stuff, a bottle of it and two glasses. If you have that." the server nodded, "And we'll figure out what we want to eat while you get the wine."

TBC