Posted by Lieutenant Duncan Rhodes (Chief Science Officer) in Lily and Duncan - First Night

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jessica Teller (XO) in Lily and Duncan - First Night

Posted by Lieutenant Duncan Rhodes (Chief Science Officer) in Lily and Duncan - First Night

Snip

Duncan looked at Lily dubiously for a moment, while the Frontier Folk was a great organization for kids to hang out and have fun, and learn some very basic things about the outdoors, they had a reputation much bigger than their ability in most cases. The field trip was going to turn out so interesting if this Ms Locksley did indeed come along with him.

“Alright,” he said, cautiously and on the lookout of her hand went for the whistle, “let me show you where I really wanted to bring you tonight.” Duncan reached down and took her hand, then glanced her way with a dashing smile, and pressed the control for the door to open.

The double doors swished open without a sound, betraying how old and unused they looked. Beyond them was a large room, which was almost empty. It was made to look much, much bigger than it was by the floor to wall window that circled the entire room aside from the small area they entered from. Within the room itself were tables and a long bar on one side, and a large area with plush couches and seats, in good condition although also old. The room was dimly lit, with enough light to see by but wasn’t dak by any means and dark enough, that even in the doorway Lily and Duncan were framed by the light of Gamma Tiltium that shone through the windows at them, the planet huge and blue before them. Duncan stepped forwards with Lily and the doors slid closed behind him, leaving them alone in the silent, big room. “This is an old observation lounge,” Duncan explained quietly. “It hasn’t been used in a long time, not while the station has more important repairs and upgrades to do and most of the population is kept away from the lower levels.”

“So no one comes down here,” she asked already formulating a plan in her mind.

He slipped his arm around Lily’s waist and smiled down at her softly, then moved forward towards the large window on the opposite side of the room. The furniture they passed looked expensive, almost antique and the layout mimicked the officers lounge at the top of the station. This room had clearly been made to have much more atmosphere than the crew lounge, either that or Duncan had spent time himself making it like it was. “Shall we play a little Music?” Duncan said and as he passed a machine that looked much like a jukebox, ran his fingers over some of the old looking keys.

Lt Rhodes, CSO

“Yeah yeah yeah,” Lily said pulling away from him and moving closer to the large window. She stood so close to the window her nose almost touched it. Reaching out she let her fingertips rest on the glass. A deep contented sigh escaped her body making her shoulders rise and fall as if she was in a yoga class and not on an impromptu date. “God it is beautiful,” she said in a low tone. It was the quietest Duncan would have heard ever come from her mouth.

Duncan smiled softly to himself, Lily appeared for all intents and purposes to be an outgoing and social woman who was maybe, a little naive. Her little speech in the school about volcanoes and shown him that there was far more to her than her appearance and fairy like attitude of flitting from one topic to another. There was a mind behind her eyes that was intelligent and keen and this room was where he had wanted to bring her all night. The huge vision of Gamma Tiltium from the windows was enough to wow anyone with a keen mind, open heart and romantic soul. If Lily had been superficial and only interested in Duncan for material reasons, wealth for example, the beautiful and breathtaking scenery wouldn’t have phased her and she wouldn’t have left him to look at it. Her reaction was, to Duncan, perfect. She was a woman that was worth him putting his time into. “Gamma Tiltium,” he said although he didn’t need to name it. “This is the best place on the station to view it, and you are the first one to look at it from here like I did.” He made a few adjustments to the Juke box, and set it to softly play in the background. It was going to take some time to begin working, it was an antique and Duncan had not yet got it working perfectly but, this bar/club and everything in it was his work.

“I never tire of looking at it. The planet or any planet for that matter in space. It all looks so peaceful and beautiful yet chaotic and dangerous. I mean that storm,” she pointed to a swirl of clouds in the lower hemisphere, “is a hurricane right?” The question was rhetorical but she still asked it all the same.

“Yes, it is.” He said to her, and a few steps carried him to her where he stood just behind her, his hand on the glass beside her as he looked over her shoulder at the planet. “It’s a big one, wild and powerful.” His voice was soft, meant only for her and his hand rested on her hip as they looked out the window together.

Lily leaned back into Duncan’s body so that he was holding her up but not embracing her. He gave her a sense of security as she thought about what was going on the planet below. She wanted physical contact with him yet they had not known each other long enough to do anything more than what they were doing now.

“Down there people are preparing for a disaster. They are huddled together and bunkered down waiting for it to pass. The winds are howling and sheets of rain are pounding roofs and windows. Up here, however, we are safe and enjoying the wonder of it’s beauty.” Turning around she leaned her back against the glass and looked at Duncan. “But are we,” she said in a low tone that was soft and inviting. “Are we safe up here or is this room chaotic and dangerous in its own way?” Lily bit her lip as her gaze never left the eyes of the handsome science chief. There was no doubt that she and Rhodes had a mutual attraction for one another. She could tell by the way he looked at her yet Lily had no idea what this attraction really meant. It caused her heart to beat faster at times but that could be just because of his accent. He had a great accent. Simple words they both used sounded different because of this. It also gave him an air of refinement when he spoke.

Duncan’s smile widened, and he relaxed a little more closer to her while his eyes searched hers. “I don’t think any room on this station or that storm down there has quite the same amount of chaotic energy and magnetism that exists in this spot around us right now.” His own words were soft, but they held a tone that hinted at the passion that he was feeling and the look in his eyes matched it. “Right now, I don’t think anything else exists other than the two of us. I think that might just be the most dangerous, chaotic and amazing thing I have ever felt.” Duncan lifted one had, and moved a lock of her dark brown hair away from her cheek and behind her ear, his fingertips delicately threading their way through the delicate strands as his eyes held hers.

Lily pressed her lips to his. It was more than a peck but far less than a passionate kiss. Sure they did not know each other well enough for physical contact but the night held promise. She did not encourage more from him yet enjoyed the sensation. It made her lips tingle and head spin. One day they might do more but for now, this was enough to fuel the fire her imagination and leave her wanting for more. If it was doing that for her it surely would be doing that for him.

Turning around she looked back out the window. “You are a Taurus or Virgo or Capricorn,” Lily said in a questioning tone but sounding self-assured even if she didn’t know the answer. “I say that because you are grounded and down to earth even if your semi-rigid posture belies a more formal upbringing. You seem to be conservative yet realistic. You keep your emotions in check until you can’t and then you blow but only when you feel passionate about a subject. You are practical and loyal and stable. Anyone in your circle knows that they are safe with you. How far off am I?” Lily asked letting a long pause of silence fill the air between them as she looked at the storm. Clearly, she was waiting for an answer this time. There was so much to learn about Duncan Rhodes and for the first time tonight they were alone. She would use this time to find out more about the man that made hours seem to pass like minutes when she was in his presence.

He stepped in so that his body was closer to her and his arms slid gently around her waist, like this, he held her back to him and watched the giant orb of the planet with her. In the near silence, the only thing that did indeed exist was the world they were watching, like ancient gods looking over their universe, and the two of them together. He could feel her against him, the softness of her skin and the curves of her body. He could feel each breath she took and after a moment, found himself matching the rise and fall of her chest with his own.

“You do me too much justice,” he told her. “I’m just a man like any other. There is nothing special about me, Lily. I breathe, I live and I laugh like any other. The only thing that makes me different right now, is that I am here with the most beautiful woman I can imagine who has me completely entranced by the way that you you make me feel.”

Lily broke out laughing so hard her body shook. “Should I add or subtract humble,” she teased. “Duncan insert middle name I will learn before the night is over Rhodes you are not like any other man. Trust me I would know. You are this weird combination of aloof and interested. A friend yet total man that wants more. Insanely easy on the eyes but carry yourself like you have no idea how hot you are. As for your intelligence, I want to see how smart. Vocabulary is a sign of intelligence so tell me how I make you feel. Put it in words but only adjectives. No sentences. Make it like a haiku which is a Japanese poem of seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five, traditionally evoking images of the natural world. I will go first to give you an example. Wherever you go.....Duncan Rhodes cheif science O…I am at your side.” Lily nodded her head as if to encourage Duncan to speak not since she was not facing him.

He turned her to face him, so that they were still pressed up close to each other and he ran his hands down her arms softly while he looked down into her eyes. “I don’t want to talk about myself tonight, I want to give my time to you and get to know you. Lily Locksley, waitress at the local coffee shop, who can take my attention and make me want to learn every little detail I can about you.” Duncan’s smile broke into a grin as he took her hand, “Lily Locksley who can get me detention on her first night at school and still make me want to spent every minute with you.”

Lt Duncan Rhodes, CSO

“Well duh. I mean who would want some chick that doesn’t get you thrown in jail at least once. You have had that once right?”

Lily