Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Achilleas Petrakos (Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim: On the Holodeck again - Bajor

Posted by Ensign Iyun Riani (Scientist) in Side Sim: On the Holodeck again - Bajor

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Achilleas Petrakos (Chief Science Officer) in Side Sim: On the Holodeck again - Bajor
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Achilleas sighed before he sat next to Ria and handed her one of the towels, “I have to admit I’m very confused with how I feel. I’ve enjoyed these outings with you so much. We both have an incredibly large amount of things in common. We both miss our home and family and it’s the first time on a ship posting. I am in awe every time we discuss science theories as you push me to really work my mind. Every minute I spend with you has me liking you just more and more.”

CSO Petrakos

Lifting her gaze enough that she could kind of peer at Achilleas’ face, Ria was silent for a moment or two. She then reached timidly for his hand, lightly resting hers on top of his. “I like you too. A lot,” she admitted in an equally soft whisper. “But isn’t this against Starfleet regulations? You are my superior officer. I’m your subordinate. I don’t want to hurt your feelings or push you away. Yet I’m worried and I struggle with figuring out what I’m thinking and feeling. And I also don’t want you to get in trouble because of me.”

~Ensign Iyun, Scientist

Achilleas turned his hand over to interlock his fingers with hers before he nodded and sighed again, “I’ve been thinking about that too. I wouldn’t want anything like a hidden relationship as we could both get into trouble and I’d much rather stand proud next to you in social settings. Instead we could appeal to the Captain for an exception. As long as a relationship doesn’t harm the running of the ship or the crew, then there is precedent for it being allowed. You don’t need to give me an answer now, but do you think you would want to try asking the Captain with me?”

CSO Petrakos

Ria wondered if Achilleas was able to read minds. He had said exactly the right things. But even though she wasn’t sure what to say, what to do. She wanted to say yes, but she’d ever been one to make friends easily, let alone even consider being in a relationship with someone. Yet here she was, just a few weeks after they had first met, feeling like she had been completely swept off her feet. It scared her and yet she also felt happy. Thus she wasn’t sure how to answer his question. And while he had said that she didn’t have to answer right away, she got the impression that that was what he wanted. So after a few moments of silence during which she looked at their intertwined hands, she looked shyly up and smiled ever so slightly while giving a small nod.

~Ensign Iyun, Scientist

Achilleas smiled back and squeezed her hand tightly, “I feel like rushing with you to meet her right now, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself. Oh geez now I’m not even sure what the next step is. Call my family? Call your family? Take leave? No, we just got here and that would look bad.” He had started to babble and ramble on a bit.

CSO Petrakos

Ria looked like a deer in headlights as she stared silently at Achilleas. What she wanted to say was ‘you are moving too fast’. She even nearly pulled her hand out of his. But she didn’t know how without hurting his feelings. So she just sat there and stared wordlessly at him.

~Ensign Iyun, Scientist

Achilleas was still talking plans and everything when he looked over to Ria and saw her expression. He immediately stopped mid-word when he came to the realization that he was getting swept up in his own fervor and not considering her feelings at all. He lowered his head a bit and said, “Sorry. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’m sure it really shows. What do you think?” He furtively looked at her.

CSO Petrakos

“You don’t have to apologise,” Ria whispered softly the moment she found her voice again. “It’s okay.” She then turned her head to look at ‘her’ river again. For a while she chewed silently on her lower lip while fidgeting with the one of the braid.

Eventually Ria inhaled deeply and then slowly exhaled again before saying, “I’d rather take it a bit more slowly. “I like your enthusiasm and eagerness. And at the same time …” She signed softly and was silent again for a couple of moments.

“At the same time I feel like you’re moving too fast,” Ria said hesitantly, almost reluctantly. Looking nervously at Achilleas again, she continued, “I’m soor. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

~Ensign Iyun, Scientist

“No, no, this is good to know. I wouldn’t want anything for us to be one-sided. I value your opinion and feelings. I’ll try my best to not get carried away, but I’m sorry in advance if I do.” Achilleas grinned wryly at that, “You may need to reign me in if I get out of hand. If you don’t feel you can say it then maybe something non-verbal can work. Pull my sleeve, squeeze my hand, pinch my nose, I don’t know but we’ll work something out.”

“I can try,” Ria replied timidly, wondering if she would be able to do either of those things, but hoping she would as he seemed to genuinely want her to let him know when things were moving to fast or she was feeling uncomfortable.

He brought her hand that was in his up to his mouth and lightly kissed the back of it. “How fast or slow is comfortable for you?”

CSO Petrakos

At first Ria smiled tenderly at Achilleas, but then her expression became bashful once again and she dropped her gaze to her lap. “I … I don’t know,” she replied in a barely audible whisper. “I … I don’t have … much experience when … when it comes to … to matters of the heart.”

~Ensign Iyun, Scientist

Achilleas smiled as Ria’s bashfulness was very endearing, “Then we’ll just need to proceed a step at a time and if I go too fast or you’re uncomfortable please let me know. This is all new to me too, so I have no experience to draw from. My siblings are not a good example to learn from as their first relationship never worked out. I will not follow in their footsteps.”

CSO Petrakos

“I’ll try,” Ria nodded and smiled tenderly, if shyly at Achilleas. And then, for the first time since falling into the river, consciously noticed herself shiver. Not much and maybe not enough for Achilleas to notice. Yet she did and she also realised how cold she was starting to feel. She didn’t want to leave, yet she also didn’t want to risk getting sick. So after a moment’s hesitation she asked apologetically, “We still have a little time left, but would you mind if we left a little earlier. I’m starting to feel a little cold.” Which was pretty much an understatement. For if Achilleas looked closely at her, he’d notice that her lips and the skin under her nails was turning slightly blue.

~Ensign Iyun, Scientist