Posted by Commander Dr. Royal Sinclair (Executive Officer) in Resort- Finding Our Own Paradise

Posted by Lieutenant Corinne Dalton (Scientist) in Resort- Finding Our Own Paradise

Posted by Commander Dr. Royal Sinclair (Executive Officer) in Resort- Finding Our Own Paradise
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Royal grinned and said “There are three restaurants, but one isn’t advertised. Very posh. Very elegant. And very strict on the dress code. Black tie and the like.” He let go of her and said “Be right back.” and he walked off the balcony and into his room. A moment later he returned with a large box which he set on the bed. “Happy vacation, Cori. I’m really happy to be here with you.”

Cmdr. Royal Sinclair, XO

She didn’t even try to mask her surprise as she lived over to the bed and rested her hands on the box. Cori wasn’t used to getting gifts, and in fact it was so rare that she could remember each one given even if it was in the form of an experience.

Cori lifted the box to see what inside.

~Corinne Dalton

Inside was a deep blue evening gown with a soft iridescent sheen, and a pair of matching heels. “Made just for you. I hope you like it.” Royal said. “Oh, and there’s something else. Underneath. Be careful when you open it. It may have shifted a little.”

Cmdr. Royal Sinclair, XO

She broke into a grin and lifted the lid gently. Setting it to the side, she unfolded the tissue on top and gasped, her eyes going wide. The swath of beaded sapphire material shimmered in the natural light pouring in from the windows and balcony. With a delicate grip, she lifted it, the subsequent dress unfurling swiftly, the weight more than she had been expecting. Cori took a step back, holding the dress up to her body, the little cap sleeves she could tell would sit just off her shoulders. “It’s sunning!” she breathed, looking up at him with awe. “I’ve… never worn anything like this before. Costumes for dance, yes, but not a gown that I wear out. Thank you,” she said, stepping over and planting a tender kiss on his cheek.

With great gentleness, Cori laid the dress on the bed and went hunting for the other item he had mentioned.

~Corinne Dalton

The other item turned out to be a wooden box. It was polished a deep, dark red and there were no visible screws or nails. Even the hinged side of the lid seemed to be carved out of the wood itself. On the top of the lid was a large tree; one that was familiar because Royal had a framed picture of it on his bedroom wall: Yggdrasil, Tree of Life, The World Tree.

Lifting the box out, Cori smiled. “This box is beautiful,” she said softly before pulling the top open.

The lid rose smoothly to reveal a bed of crimson satin. Nestled inside it was one of Royal’s models that he made as a hobby… it was the Ogawa. “Pull the saucer straight off.” Royal said quietly.

Cori quirked a glance in his direction. The model was impeccably made and it brought a smile to her face. She was surprised there was more and took a moment to figure out how the saucer slid off.

When the saucer came away from the rest of the ship, it revealed a small brass hook on the inside; on which was hooked a delicate silver chain. As the saucer moved away from the body, it became apparent the body was hollow and the chain had been laid inside. When it finally came free, there hung a pendant with a single stone of brilliant blue surrounded by a setting of silver, copper, and gold all put together in a Damascene fashion.

“All of that is the processed remnants of the cube.” Royal said and he stepped towards Cori and set his hands on her shoulders. “I had the parts recycled into the stone and the setting. Because while it may not have seemed like it at the time… that cube wasn’t a prison. It was a gift. And it was because it brought you back to me, Cori. And that makes it beautiful in my eyes.”

Cmdr. Royal Sinclair, XO

Mouth agape, Cori set the model on the bed and held the pendant aloft with her right hand, letting it rest against the palm of her left. “Oh, Royal…” she whispered. tearing up. Her chest felt tight, but not painful and she swallowed. When she turned to gaze at him, she beamed through her tears. “This is the most extraordinary gift. Thank you.” She carefully undid the clasp and turned around, bringing the chain around her neck. “Help me with it?” She could do it herself, but she wanted this moment to be about the two of them, about the significance of not just the pendant, but them being in that room at that precise moment in time. The sheer number of variables that had to align to make that happen were utterly extraordinary.

~Corinne Dalton

Royal took the chain and gently pulled it around her neck, fastening the clasp and letting the pendant fall down on her chest slowly. He put his hands on her shoulders again and gently turned her to face him. “No matter what. No matter who or anything… I’m never gonna lose you again, Cori. Nae… You’re stuck with me, I’m sorry to say.” and he grinned.

Cmdr. Royal Sinclair, XO

Her vibrant blue eyes gazed up at him, still shining with tears. His words sounded like a promise. No, a vow. A small shiver went down her spine. Promises were easily broken, but the way he spoke made her believe it was the absolute truth. “There are far worse fates in the Universe,” she said, breaking into a slight smirk before reaching up on her tip toes to kiss him on the lips.

~Corinne Dalton

He kissed her back, softly at first and then slowly becoming more… earnest. He then slowly bent down slightly and scooped her up off the floor, cradling her against his chest as they kissed. “You know…” he said with a grin as he looked to her, “… you look really damn good in the swimsuit. Just sayin’.”

Cmdr. Royal Sinclair, XO

Cori drapped her arms around his neck as he held her. She could feel the warmth of his body and the thump of his heart. Or was that hers?

Yes, they kissed (and quite well she thought), and they had slept next to each other, but his simple statement made heat touch her cheeks. She wasn’t embarrassed, but they were taking it slow and there was a difference between flirting with innuendo and the way he was looking at her now. She could feel the moment of hesitation and knew that this moment wasn’t quite the right one. However, her mind did enjoy the brief slip into daydreaming, so as she met his gaze again, she leaned in and brushed her lips against his. “Yes, I know,” she said. “And I can’t wait for you to see me in that dress you got me.”

~Corinne Dalton

“That’s tomorrow night.” he said with a grin. He kissed her softly, smiled as he did so…

She returned that kiss, her arms, pulling her even closer (if that was possible).

And then tossed her up in the air so she fell on the bed on the opposite side of the dress box. “I’m gonna throw on my suit and we’ll hurt the pool.” he said and then turned and walked into his room.

Cmdr. Royal Sinclair, XO

Cori laughed wildly as she found herself lying on the bed. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so light and carefree. Yes, there were things she still had to work through, and questions she wanted answered, but for right now, for these few days, Corinne Dalton was just happy to spend time with Royal and get to know him better than she had before.

Slipping off the bed, she carefully hung up the dress in the closet and took off the necklace, placing it back in the ship and into the box. She set it on the side counter, feeling best it was protected there. Tying her hair up in a ponytail, she sauntered over to Royal’s and knocked on the door still in her bathing suit and sarong, with the addition of a pair of flip flops and sunglasses.

“Ready to hit the water? It’s been years since I swam. You’d be amazed at how boring swimming when you’re holographic. I’m curious to see how my body feels outside of the Ogawa’s swim spas.”

~Corinne Dalton