Posted by Captain Orvos Legen (Commanding Officer) in Holodeck- All Sorts of Knowing

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Janna Kingston (Counsellor) in Holodeck- All Sorts of Knowing

(snip)

Orvos felt her fingers slink between his and he held onto her hand, his thumb naturally moving from side to side in a comforting gesture. “There is something you don’t know of, and I don’t honestly know how you’ll handle it. I am what you might call…fake married? There was this whole thing with Marishka and it got somewhat out of hand, but…” he stammered.

Janna blinked. “Fake married?” Wait, what?

He took another deep breathe and calmed his nerves, keeping his mind focused. “Marishka and I had happened to be on leave for a bit while the Athena was at starbase. To make a long story short, I kept a pair of klingons from attempting to whisk her away by claiming she and I were married. And we attempted to prove it through some…public display of affection…and while they were skeptical, they let it be. However, she convinced me that I apparently started something with that. We believe they may be observing us somehow. Some sort of informant or something. If they determine that it is not a legitimate marriage, they could attempt to take her once more when she’s not on the ship. So, we occasionally show up at each other’s quarters and have a meal together. While her pheromones make things difficult for me in the concentration department, especially when she’s being intentionally provocative, I would hope that by this point you’ve been made well aware of my lack of actual intimacy.” He looked her in the eyes and said a bit lower. “There’s no way we could have done what we just did earlier…to…with…each other…if I had already been doing things like that with someone else. It would have been much more physically exhausting. I just want you to know that. It’s all a ruse if you were even aware.”

Orvos paused and not only watched her expression but allowed his mind to reach out to hers gently and slowly. She would be able to sense the unique difference to how he spoke of Marishka in comparison to her. There was something much more with Janna than he had experienced with anyone else. Mentally, emotionally, and yes even physically.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Her brain was tripping along path of thought as she tried to work through this, and her face went through several expressions before she finally settled into a frown. “Oh, I have… questions,” she said, her understanding and compassion warring with her confusion. “Why was marriage the only way to dissuade them. She’s a member of the Athena’s crew and under our protection and thus the Federation’s. They have no legal right to touch her, regardless of whether they were following a custom or something. And how long is this charade supposed to last?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Orvos shook his head as he stared at the sand. “It wasn’t a situation in which you could reason with them. They didn’t care if they had a legal right or not. Me pretending I was her mate was the only thing keeping them from doing anything further. They’re beliefs are very entrenched in honor and codes of conduct among their people. All they had to do was capture her without adequate pursuit, and Marishka would no longer be with us. Starfleet is spread thin. I did what I thought would change the potential outcome of the situation. Unfortunately, that led to us believing that there was a potential mole on the crew. Someone who be watching or even attempting something on my life. I admit, the latter is unlikely given we’re on a starship of my own command. But we maintained the appearance quietly until we could determine if someone was helping them. But, we do have a plan though.”

It was an explanation and even a reasonable one. Too bad feelings were reasonable. It wasn’t jealousy either. Or at least, she didn’t think it was. “Okay…” Janna said.

This time he brought his eyes up to hers. “I’ve maintained it due to our close friendship. But I never wanted this to be…a thing…if you and I ever, well” His eyes looked into hers, hoping for compassion though he felt he deserved none. “This fake marriage is coming to end if my beliefs are correct. I don’t want anything to hinder us. I’ve had strong feelings for you for some time now. And to finally…express them…has changed me…a lot.”

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Janna slipped her hand into his. “I think we can safely say this is much more than friendship Orvos. Everything changed in the Nexus.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out. “I too have had feelings for you for awhile, well before the Nexus. I do trust you, Orvos, but I’m not going to lie and say I’m not uneasy about this situation with Marishka. You believe it’s coming to an end? How? What’s changed? Besides, us, I guess?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS