Posted by Lieutenant Commander Ryder Raauhl (Executive Officer) in There’s a first time for everything

(snip)

She listened as he talked. “I don’t know about that. It certainly puts priority on different things, but it’s just as important. There is very little on this ship simply for leisure. Not that our ‘mission’ leaves much time for that, but when that time appears it’s important to do something you enjoy.” She’d gone rounds and rounds in discussion with her staff over that one. The entire ship was aimed for one purpose. They had their deck, that was it, to provide a place for leisure and a place to relax. They’d discussed till they were all blue in the face on how to do that. Watkins had suggested turning the lobby area into a potted arboretum. “Speaking of plants. Our new Dr. Knox gave me a Aesadai Plant. Apparently, it releases a soothing scent to those in it’s proximity and it changes each time you come near it. I have no idea what to do with it. I’m afraid the thing is going to die.” She sat on the mat, her back leaned against a large root, facing him. She was staring up at the canopy of branches when he asked her about wine. She blinked, lifting her head and turning to look at him to see if he was joking. Last time she’d had a drink, he hadn’t said a word, but she knew what he’d been thinking about it anyway. And he had been right, it wasn’t unfair or judgmental. It was why she didn’t touch the stuff. Totally dead pan, “Why not, if you think that’s a good idea.” The corner of her mouth twitched just a little before repressing the grin.
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

Raauhl pulled out the bottle and poured each of them a drink, handing hers with a smile. “You can drop the plant of in my office if you’d like, it’ll make a nice addition or my quarters maybe my wudsters would be better given that you spend some time there.” He thought about that comment for a moment and then wondered if he should suggest she move in but knew that may just scare her off.

• LtCmdr Raauhl, XO

Casela took the glass, swirling the wine slowly to inhale the aroma. She took a sip, tasting the flavor. It was full bodied but not overly dry. It was good. “So in addition to making jewelry you know wine, too.” It wasn’t stated as a question, but it offered an opportunity for him to share. She considered. “I’ll bring it with me tomorrow.” And of course they both knew she’d be there, she always was. She watched him curiously as he continued to dig through the basket. “What is it Ryder?” When he glanced at her she grinned just a bit. “You were thinking something that you thought was a good idea, but then you changed your mind. Your expression gave you away.” She didn’t need to be Betazoid to know. She spent enough time with him by now that she knew his body language and his expressions. She rarely used those skills, seeing them more as weapons than a talent. Though with Juliet on board now she’d used her telepathy more. But, she knew Ryder and he was thinking something.
Lt. Synthi-er, CNS

Ryder paled slightly at the thought of telling her what he was thinking but knew he couldn’t hide it anyway either in his mind or as she pointed out within his expressions. “Well, I was thinking you spend a lot of time in my quartes, the captain knows of our relationship and has given his blessing… I dont know maybe it would be moving to fast” He shrugged sipping, well more gulping his wine.

• LtCmdr Raauhl, XO

She’d never known Ryder to be so vague in all their time. He was nervous over something. But then, as he said the captain knew, and as she’d said to Cobb, who really wanted to be associated, connected, to her? “Speaking of Cobb, warning would have been nice.” She took a sip of the wine and glanced over the rim of the glass at him. “He cornered me, in my office, and gave me quite the ribbing about our relationship. But as I told him, I’ve always gone after what I wanted.”

She now had a very clear idea of what she wanted. She stared out at the massive trees the look on her face haunted. She didn’t tell anyone about Sandman and the dream world he’d put her in. How acting like it didn’t matter to her that Ryder was being tortured in front of her, had felt like ripping a piece of her soul out. Or that Evil Hampton had not only made her live the deaths of those in the corridors but the deaths of those on the ship that mattered to her. That she had lived his death hundreds of times, Rauuhl’s death as well. It put a new perspective on what she wanted.

Her life was all hard edges and risk and violence and half truths and intrigue. Even still here on Levi as far away as she could get from the section’s control. Ryder was not like that. He was calm, truthful, no nonsense and incredibly gentle around her. And she found she didn’t just like that about him but she wanted it. At the end of every day. But there was risk, from her job, her past and maybe he didn’t be want that. Maybe that was the source of his nervousness. He’d changed his mind and decided they may not be worth it anymore?

Without using her telepathy his vagueness made it hard to determine what he was thinking. “You asked me that the other night, if I was uncomfortable with how fast our relationship was moving. And you had wanted to be able to know what I was thinking. And I’ll tell you again that the level of seriousness of it surprised me, I wasn’t expecting it but that doesn’t mean I would change it.” Casela was blunt and brash, and didn’t shy away from what needed to be done or said. She looked at him. “Spit it out, Ryder. Is it for you? Too fast and you aren’t sure of what you want. Or is it something more?” Cobb had teased her about Ryder asking his approval, hinting at the old Earth custom of asking a father’s blessing. “I’m not going to blindly run away. We’re worth it to at least talk about it. And I think you’d better before you drink any more wine like it’s water and you’ve been in the desert for 10 days.”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS

“Well I was thinking, perhaps you should move some of your stuff into my room? Its bigger and well you spend a lot of time there anyway whether I’m there or not” He shrugged, he never struggled with words or conversation especially with Casela, he was the usual confident type but asking her to move in with him after a few months was a big step but in their profession, things tend to go fast a lot. “I mean you don’t have to if you don’t want to, I just figured it was… Practical?” He really should stop speaking he thought as he looked to Casela, searching her eyes for her answer.

• Lt Cmdr Raauhl, XO

Practical? Well it certainly would be that. Her father, though, would tell her that in matters such as these, there was no practical, only the heart and what was right or wrong for the two involved. “Practical would be keeping my quarters. There are many things I do, as an operative, that you probably don’t want to be reminded of. Many times I’m called in the middle of the night for RTF or counseling. Fenrir stays with me and not to mention Gen tends to just pop in whenever she needs to.” Speaking of Gen that’s probably something they should talk about if she was moving in with Ryder. “But this isn’t a practical decision. This is about what we want.” She didn’t need to ask him what he wanted. He wouldn’t be asking her, suggesting she move in with him if he didn’t want it. Did she want it? He’s a good match for you, Casela. Why are you hesitating? She pondered that question quite a bit lately. She put the wine down and turned to look at him. “If none of that bothers you, then yes Ryder I want to.”
Lt Synthi-er, CNS