Posted by Lieutenant Alita Claire (Chief Security Officer) in Alita’s Quarters

Posted by Ensign Celador Theinna (Security Officer) in Alita’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Alita Claire (Chief Security Officer) in Alita’s Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻
After Alita realized that the chances of her spontaneously swapping bodies with another member of the crew for a second time was highly improbable, she made a beeline for her quarters. If anybody needed her, they could comm her. If they were brave, they could follow her.

Stepping into her quarters she decided there was an exception to that rule.

=^=Cel, I’m going to take a shower and probably start cooking. If you want to talk, or just don’t want to really be alone, you know my door code. If you don’t, that’s okay too.=^=

• Alita

Celador was sitting in his quarters, he had been off duty for a few minutes. He heard Alita’s call. He didn’t respond to it, but sat there, on the floor staring at the wall.

‘What are you going to do?’ Squared asked. ‘You heard her. She is waiting for you.’

Celador ignored Squared. He sat there for a few moments, trying not to think of anything.

Suddenly, as if the floor suddenly turned hot he bolted up. Walked out the door towards Alita’s quarters. As he walked he got nervous. What does he say, how does he feel, what is this? He didn’t know the answer to those questions. Squared was unusually quiet during the trip, however, Cel could feel the amusement coming his counterpart.

A few minutes later he approached the door and stood outside. As Alita said, he knew the code. Did that mean he could just walk in? Should he ring the bell, or should he just walk away. Did he want to talk? Those thoughts came and went through his normally calm and orderly mind. Was it time to trust again, to open up to someone other then squared? Was he ready for that? He didn’t know. Maybe it was the after effects of the transformation.

He stared at the door panel. He hated this, was he reading to much into it, or was it an open invitation? Deciding it was the latter he entered the door code....

-Cel

True to her word, Alita’s quarters already smelled like a restaurant in full dinner service. At the moment it was mostly just cut vegetables, caramelizing onions, and grilling meat.

Cel was stiff coming when he opened the door to Alita’s room, tense, unsure. Twenty some odd years in prison, mainly solitary confinement can have that effect. The smell of all the cooking made him hungry, something that he wasn’t sure he was until that moment.

She heard the door open, turned, and saw Cel. For some reason she froze on the spot but it was Alita that had invited him. Why was she reacting this way?

He looked around the room, a tense look on his face as he did, his eyes settled on Alita.

She had been sharing strange and intimate things with people since the moment she boarded the Wolverine and met the CO. Why should Cel be any different?

Against her better judgement, she walked towards him and embraced him. Holding him for a few moments before stepping back quickly.

“I’m, um, I’m so sorry. That was… Well that was, as far under your skin as I ever want to be again.” she said stumbling over words and blushing in sheer embarrassment.

• Alita

Cel was caught by surprise by the hug, but it had the effect of softening him, bringing back to reality. He returned the hug, then looked at her.

“I ah, yeah. I …” He was at a loss for word. ” That was a unique experience. I’m not sure I would like a repeat of.” He continued, pulling himself together.

“It’s ok,” He continued, taking a deep breath, he had gone from tense to nervous. Why, he didn’t know. “You ok?” he asked concerned at the invitation.

-Cel

Alita had walked back to where everything was sizzling and demanding attention but her eyes were still in Cel.

“If I think about what happened for too long, I’m a complete disaster. It was scary and weird and I wanna say that I feel violated.” she paused and held up a spatula indicating silence, “But I don’t want you to take that the way that it probably sounded. The universe did it, not you.” she said in desperation before laughing again.

“And how are you doing?”

• Alita

Cel walked into the room and stood near the door, listening as they shut behind him. “Physically I’m fine. I would say that this ranks up as the second strangest thing that has ever happened to me.” He replied flatly.

‘Dropping hints are we?” Squared warned.

‘Quiet’ Celador replied mentally.

“It was a violation for sure. I’m not looking forward to the counseling sessions.” He said sadly looking at the floor. “We are going to be ok.” He looked up at her with a slight smile. “I think when we are back in federation space, I’m going to see if I’m allowed to go someplace quiet, like Risa. Get away from all this.”

“Need any help?” He asked stepping further into her room.

-Cel

Alita put the spatula down and picked up a long set of cooking chopsticks loosely tied together at one end.

“Oh damn… The counseling sessions… No. I’m not looking forward tot hat either. You know, if you can’t get to Risa, I would be happy to take you tot he family home on Earth. I’ll even leave for a few days if it’s me you need to get away from.” she said jokingly.

In a strange way, Cel had become family, or maybe not, she wasn’t certain yet.

“Yes, I could probably use some help. Start with that bottle of whiskey on the table. Pour me a drink and one for yourself if you like and then I’ll show you how to make the perfect steak.”

When Alita got in this type of mood she could usually make enough food to serve a small restaurant. Some would get eaten, some would get shared, some would get tucked away and used as gifts later.

• Alita

Cel moved to the bottle and poured two glasses. He brought a glass over to Alita, setting it down next to her as he stood close.

“I don’t know what I’m allowed to do due to my probation, but I promise, it’s not you I want to get away from.” He said as he watched her cook. “So tell me, how do I cook the perfect steak?”

-Cel

Alita was surprised to hear that. She hadn’t even thought about Cel’s probation. It was something that never crossed her mind. As soon as she had offered the family home on Earth though, she had immediately gotten upset with herself for still trying to make everybody like her. Recent events had shown that that would never happen.

“Well as far a s a get away, we’ll work something out. Considering the amount of time we just spent together, I’m surprised you don’t actually want to get away from me.”

“Never.” He said confidently with a smile.

Alita picked up her glass and took a long drink noting that her alcohol consumption has risen drastically since joining the Wolverine.

“As far as cooking the perfect steak goes, you start by choosing your cut of meat. I chose bone in rib eye today.” she said beginning to explain how to season and the importance of a cast iron skillet.

• Alita

Celador followed her instructions as best he could, but it was obvious that he hadn’t so much as cook pasta, much less a steak. While he was refilling his glass, he accidentally let the butter burn on the skillet.

-Cel

Alita caught the burning butter.

“That’s okay, we just try again. This time add a drop of olive oil as well. The smoke points will even out. Less chance of burning.” she said good naturedly.

It seemed the Cel and Alita’s relationship had changed which was perfectly understandable given all they’d been through. Alita wasn’t certain what it had changed into yet.

“Thanks” Cel replied sheepishly as he added the olive oil.

“Now don’t forget, I only have a few rules in my kitchen. One is if it won’t kill you, you eat your mistakes.”

• Alita

“I’ll remember that.” He said, a part of him wanted to run and leave her room. Was he scared of where this might be leading? Was it time to take the next step? Or wait and see.

“What else are we having with dinner?” he asked, deciding to hold off, see how the night plays out.

-Cel

Alita glanced around the kitchen. She had several things in various stages of readiness. A large stir fry of vegies and shrimp in a wok, potatoes boiling for mashed potatoes or a potato salad (she hadn’t decided), several loaves of bread and a peach pie in the oven.

“You know, I haven’t the faintest idea. I just got out of the shower and started working. Any suggestions?” she asked.

As Alita stood watching Cel, questions and thoughts clouded her mind. Were they different now than before? Of course they had to be, but how? Could he tell that she had recently inhabited his body? Alita hadn’t inventoried her thoughts enough to answer that questions for herself. Would they even want to know?

• Alita

Cel looked at all the food. He knew he was stalling, not sure how to bring up the topic. What they went through, what they shared. Was it a violation? How did it compare to what happened to him earlier.

Reading this thoughts Squared chimed in. ’ this had nothing to do with us.’ He stated to Celadors mind.

Cel didnt answer Squared. Then a thought occured to him, was Squared inside Alita now too, or could she hear him too while they were in each others bodies? When that thought occurred, he could feel Squared tense up.

“Do you feel any residual effects from what happened?” He asked cautiously.

-Cel

Alita looked at Cel for a few long seconds. She had been wanting to ask that since he’d walked through the door but now wasn’t quite certain how to answer it. She had gained empathic abilities but that had nothing to do with Cel and she wasn’t ready to discuss it.

“Well, I know you were there and I’m not sure it’s because I was seeing through the eyes of a child, but I seemed to gain a much different perspective on people. How beautiful, complicated, or ugly they really are. I feel close to you though, in a way I don’t know how to explain. It just is I guess.” she said lamely.

• Alita

Cel placed his steak on the grill and watched it sizzle for a moment, staring, deep in thought. After a moment he nodded. “I agree. It does put a new perspective on life. I felt insecure, helpless.”

He flipped his steak, still staring at it. “I feel a little embarressed by what happened on the holodeck, I don’t know what I was thinking. I apologize. I wasn’t sure you wanted to see me again after that.”

-Cel