Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Side Sim - They Won’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Posted by Lieutenant Xam Ra’Ti (Tactical Officer) in Side Sim - They Won’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Side Sim - They Won’t Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
When their lips finally parted, he slowly opened his eyes and said softly “Rende, I…” and then he stopped. His finger tips brushed her cheek and slowly his fingers slid across her temple, running through her hair. His eyes were wide, staring into hers, and the look was one of surprise… and something else much deeper. On the back of her head he grasped her hair firmly but gently pulled her mouth to his and he kissed her with a renewed sense of urgency; as if he thought she may slip away from him forever and this was the last kiss they would share.

Ra’Ti, Chief Tactical Officer

She stretched out against him, relaxing into the hold of his arms. She watched his eyes, the notes carried on his voice made her heart race. She wasn’t an adept empath, but strong emotions registered. The deeper she was connected to someone the clearer she could identify the feelings she was hearing. However she was never quite confident of her interpretation.

His urgency was matched by a need of her own. Her arms stole around him, holding him close against her. She should stop this for his sake. No matter what they had hinted at, it wasn’t what they agreed to. It was far too late for her though. Her heart belonged to him now. He kissed her like he was losing her, and all the while she kissed him like she belonged to him.

Cpt. Asam, CO

The next four days were a wonderful, beautiful escape from their normal reality. But as they sat next to one another at the fire late the last night before they had to go back to the resort- and having only one night there before they had to return to the Sentinel- Xam stared into the fire. They had been very quiet for a while, neither one of them speaking. Xam sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair. “Well… at least we don’t have to pack all this up.” he said with a half-hearyed smile.

Ra’Ti, Chief Tactical Officer

“You’re going to keep it all right? It would be a shame if you didn’t have this to come back to.” Rende looked over at him, stood up, walked over to him and took his hand, pulling him up. “Come on, let’s go to the hammock. We need to talk.” This wasn’t going to get better by being silent, by just hoping and avoiding it. Whatever they would or would not do, they had to decide.

“Anytime a woman or a Captain says ‘We need to talk.’, it makes me nervous.” he replied. He stood up and followed her.

She climbed the ladder and settled back into the hammock.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Xam climbed in, but instead of laying next to her, he sat cross-legged facing her. The normal mischievous grin was not there, but there was an odd playful resignation to him. “So… let’s chat, shall we?” he said with a small smile.

Ra’Ti, Tactical

She sat up, crosse-legged, in front of him, in difference to the space he seemed to be creating. She was miserable. Even more so than when she arrived on Risa a week ago, and she didn’t think that was possible. “You sound like I just told you I have to kill your dog.” There was no humor in the statement. How to say what needed to be said. “I told you I was lonely and grieving. You asked what would happen when my husband came back. He’s not, I told you that, but I wasn’t mourning the loss of my marriage. Even after two centuries, this time of year is hard for me. I’ll never get over the loss of my son. And yes, I was lonely because I was wallowing in the grief the anniversary reminds me of. I missed El, but to be fair, not because of him, but because he understands the grief and he shares it.”

Xam remained silent, but looked directly at her, listening to every word and watching her eyes looking at him.

“I told you I didn’t want to use you, but I let you convince me to go with you anyway. What I had thought would be a single night has turned into…” she paused and looked around the site and then back to his eyes, “Well, I haven’t lived as much in the last century as I have in this last week. That’s because of you. You’re a damn fine officer, and an even more incredible man. I’m still your captain though.”

And there it was. Xam visibly deflated just a bit. He didn’t disagree… he couldn’t. She was his CO. He was her direct report. She was a Captain. He was just a Lieutenant. Of course she would make that choice. More people depended on her than just him. And just because they had a fling doesn’t mean that she would choose everyone else over him. So.. fling it was.

She was rambling a bit, but everything she said was true. She was putting it off, for her sake more than his, but it had to be said. “I have to make those hard choices. Life or Death decisions and give people those orders. Whatever you decide, I don’t want you to think, if it ever comes down to it, that I want to give you an order like that, or I’m using it out of hurt feelings. If anything happens to you, by my order or happenstance, I’d stop breathing.” Her cheeks puffed out as she blew out a breath. “I didn’t expect to fall in love with you, Xam, but I did. But I’ll respect whatever you want to do.”

Cpt. Asam, CO

Silence. Xam stared at her, mouth open. His brain was suddenly a flood of static. Love? was the only phrase that his mind could hear over the white noise. She loves me? he thought. For almost a full minute he just stared at her, trying to come to terms with what she had said. Finally, he smiled and leaned forward and KISSED her, pushing her back on her back and almost attacking her in his sudden contact. He held her lips on his for a long time and then said “Rende… I love you too.” and he kissed her again.

She wasn’t sure she heard him right. It wasn’t what she was expecting, that was certain. She knew there had been genuine affection forming between them, but he had made it clear early on, that he didn’t do commitments, of any length. But Rende knew she had to tell him, the truth, whatever his reaction might be. No what ifs or uncertainties. The only thing she could do was smile against his lips as he kissed her again. The moment was heaven; who cared about needing to breathe?

It was several minutes later when he pulled back and said “You win.” and he grinned. “The moon. I won the whole moon.”

Ra’Ti, Chief Tactical Officer

She gazed up at him confused. She won, but he won the whole moon? Was he being poetic? Then she remembered their deal from days earlier. She laughed. “The whole moon? Why are you serving in Star Fleet?” She had one hand around his back and the other in his hair, but she went still and very serious. “So does this mean you aren’t resigning or asking for a transfer?”

Cpt. Asam, CO

He grinned at her and said “No, love… I’m with you wherever you go from here on.” and he kissed her again. “But as to why I’m in Star Fleet?” and he shrugged. “It’s a better prison than my other options.” and he smiled bigger. “And the guards are a lot sexier, too.”

Ra’Ti, Chief Tactical Officer