Dinner for two

Posted on Sat Oct 28th, 2023 @ 2:00pm by Cadet Senior Grade René Rouen & Cadet Senior Grade Toareth Darqa

3,443 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: **ARCHIVED** 1 - Cruising through the galaxy
Location: René’s Quarters
Timeline: MD 4, 1900 hours

René stepped back and surveyed the table. The plates and silverware were set and the serving dishes (with temperature control) were keeping the various dishes heated or chilled as needed. He had debated dinner by candlelight, but decided that trying to make it a romantic setting would be him projecting his expectations and desires.

'Stupid' was the word Toareth used from the moment in the exam room all the way until she was done with her shift, trekking all the way back to her quarters and getting ready in front of her mirror. Stupid. Stupid. "Stupid. Stupid," and, "foolish girl," she said to her reflection. Toareth stepped to the side to continue getting ready. "Why can't I just keep my mouth shut?"

"Well, you are a social creature. You need friends."

"They don't need to know my life story."

"Well you did want to get in good with Security. You know...for when..."

"Not like this."

Toareth opened her wardrobe. "I need to be careful otherwise I might start talking to myself." Amongst her uniforms and Starfleet issued PT outfits, Toareth had a rather small selection of casual wear; bardot tops, cargo pants, crop tops, tight leggings, everything in black and nothing to look 'good' in. 'Good' as in other people's definition of good. Toareth was not really one to dress to impress but she also did not want to appear too revealing or too casual. And she certainly did not seem to have the time to replicate anything.

She did have a dress, however. One time, she caved in to peer pressure to get herself a dress...just in case. But, the case never came up and the dress remained unworn. It was black, of course, with a v-neck and a low cut on the back.

"Stupid," she said, "and foolish," then snatched it up and started putting it on. She put on her black onyx bohemian waist chain...felt like that kind of night...her casual boots then set off.

René stepped into his small bedroom and checked his appearance in the mirror. He wore a motorcycle riding jacket over a t-shirt with images of one of his favorite 20th century bands. The four members of the KISS band prominently displayed on his chest. His pants were blue denim jeans. He had considered black motorcycle riding boots, but opted for black running shoes if Toar wanted to dance when they got to Club Whisper. He had stepped back out to the living area as the door chime rang.

Toareth was already having second thoughts...as well as third, fourth and fifth. It had taken several seconds of hovering her finger over the chime to René's before she finally pressed it. And even that was more or less by accident. Toareth was taken aback by the audacity of René. For being head of Security, he was a trusting sort as the door immediately started to slide open.

She stood there, clearly somewhat uncomfortable, partly from the situation but mostly because this was her first time wearing this dress. She could not find any words.

René turned to the open door and saw Toar standing just outside in a beautiful dress. He was speechless for a moment. He blinked several times, as if his brain was a rebooting computer. He stepped forward and gestured for her to enter. "Please, come in."

Toareth stepped forward and inside. She was clearly not used to so much air breezing around her legs as she walked. "Thank you," she said. "I...uh..." and she found herself at a complete loss for words. First she thought to comment on how she was wanting to turn back and forget about it all. Secondly, her inner voice wanted her to shout how stupid and foolish she felt and possibly looked. Thirdly, "I have never worn this before."

Rene stood in silence for a moment, just admiring how gorgeous she looked in the dress. "You look...," he paused for another moment "...amazing." He was about to say stunning, but caught himself before saying something that might cause her to think he was an incorrigible flirt. "He gestured to the table. "Dinner is prepared if you want to eat or if you would prefer to sit for a moment. Maybe have a glass of wine?"

She thought quickly and decided on, "Sit, dine, and wine? Is that an option?"

"Of course." René went to the table and pulled a chair out for Toar. "Please, have a seat."

Toar sat as he offered. Having never worn that particular dress, or any dress for that matter, she had to hop up and around a couple of times to straighten things out and avoid bunch of the material she was sitting upon. It was an awkward sight to behold but Toar got herself comfortable.

René took the bottle of wine from the ice bucket and removed the cork. He poured a generous amount into Toareth's wine glass. "It's a red burgundy. Pairs well with the beef bourguignon. My family has a vineyard and winery in Normandy. Finest wines in all of France, but I may be a bit prejudiced in that regard." He took a seat in the chair opposite her. He poured himself a glass and raised it. "Please, make a toast if you like."

She grabbed her own glass and raised it. Pondering on a toast, Toareth's eyes seemed to drift into space itself. Though those reddish eyes looked right into René's, they did not seem to be looking at him. Toareth's thoughts took her back to a time before or around the time René was born. it was the only thing that came to her mind for her to make a toast to. "To the past," she said, "may it rest in peace. And may the memories we make for ourselves today replace that which resides behind us."

René couldn't help but give Toar a charming smile and nod. She was a beautiful woman in a beautiful dress having a private dinner with him in his quarters. A good start to what he hoped might turn out to be a romantic night for the two of them. "Hopefully we both will have pleasant memories of this night." He lightly touched his glass to hers and took a sip, his eyes never wavering from hers.

Toareth pursed her lips, tilted the glass back and inhaled as she drew some of the wind into her mouth. She closed her eyes and held the wine. Inhaling more through her nose, she swallowed. She exhaled and opened her eyes. "Your boasting of your family's wine is not unwarranted." She placed the glass down and, "let us not hope for pleasant memories this night. Let us, however make that happen."

René uncovered the first bowl, a traditional French onion soup covered with melted cheese. He used a ladle to serve them each a large bowl. He then held a platter of sliced French bread up for her.

She took a slice of bread and, tearing off a bit, sopped up some of the soup with it before mouthing it. She chewed and smiled at him with a smile of affirmation that the food was good and enjoyable. She picked up her fork and went after the beef.

Toareth knew the question he asked of her earlier but forbade her from answering at the time. Unsure if he wanted to touch on the subject yet or not, she did not bring it up. As there was little else on her mind for the moment, she said nothing, letting René bring up a topic to discuss.

René took a few spoonfuls of the soup and then, like Toar, dipped his own slice of bread and chewed. He was thankful that she hadn't dashed off already and her smile was reassuring at least. She had looked a bit nervous when the door had opened. He thought for a moment she was going to run. He decided to start the conversation with small talk. "How was the rest of your shift? Kez looked a bit like the Cheshire Cat grinning when I stepped out of the exam room."

"Kez," Toar shook her head. "That one is a man-child if I ever saw one. He knows what he is doing and knows his job well." She pointed forcefully at René and said, "Do not let him know I said that." She thought back to the previous hours. "Shift was alright. Nothing else to say really. I ran some simulations and looked over some other projects I have been working on. I've been researching Orion female pheromones. Moreso now than usual seeing as how we have an Orion female on board. I say that because...we El'Aurians have an adverse effect on their pheromones. It is the women that are effected...sensually and the men who find distaste for the Orion. That...and we have something of a hypersensitivity to the pheromones. You can bet that, when I met Mila, the situation was a bit...heated...until I hit myself with a hypospray."

Rene had never met an Orion female before and, considering his flirtatious nature at times, he would probably be affected twice as bad. He pondered Toar's statement about a hypospray. "Hmmm. It might be useful to inoculate all the males on board if Orion pheromones are that potent. That, or I may need to invest in some nose plugs...or a clothes pin." He gave a weak chuckle.

"Well, pheromones is nothing we can inoculate against. Attempting to leads to unwanted side effects. There is medication that can mitigate and even completely remove the effects, but only temporary. Orion females however do actually have a great deal of control over their pheromone excretion. It is just that us El'Aurians are hypersensitive. Even a little bit and we lose ourselves."

René glanced curiously at Toar. He could only wonder what she meant by losing control. "So, Orion females can use their pheromones to actually seduce humanoid males, is there a means to eliminate the effecRegulations unless ordered to do so ast make it so, if needed, I could at least resist the urge to, um, loose control?"

"The only means of eliminating it's effects is to not be around Orion females. And yes, they can use them to seduce humanoid males...in my case El-Aurian females...but there is normally the need for intent on their part. It it strictly against SF Regulations unless ordered to do so or if the situation demands otherwise." Toareth continued. "Regulations do enable a ship's CMO to program into the replication matrix the needed medication and dosage per individual and race to combat pheromone effectiveness. So, most personnel receive the medication with their food and they do not even know it." Toareth put her utensils down. "That remind me. I did find something anomalous in your physical. Your primary joints, knees, wrist, fingers, do show an increased degree of cartilage and tendon degradation. By only a degree of 5% more than the average group of 1000 individuals of your race and age." She saw she had his complete attention; something of a worried look spread across his face. "Nothing to worry about right now, but, in another 20 years or more, you might start to feel a little arthritic. Another 10 years and you may start experiencing joint limitation and stiffness. I do not know if anything rheumatological runs in your family. I have already implemented a prescription for you into the replication matrix. This includes a 25% reduction in your starch intake; starting with e 5% reduction right now and tacking on another 5% every month until you are at 25%. I have also programmed the replicator to increase your polyphenolic flavonoids by 5% right now. This only works if you use the replimat at least once a day. That, and if you do not use your security codes to override my prescription."

René's expression had grown worried when Toar described her diagnosis of his condition. He was partially relieved that she had a treatment but wondered if it would be enough to give him back full muscle control. He glanced at the rapier mounted on the wall of his quarters and turned back to her. "Will I still be able to continue fencing?"

"Of course," she replied. "Again, you may not feel any effects for another 20 years or more. I figured we would get on this now to make that 20 years more like 40 years. So no change of life style or interests is needed. You are free to continue as you will." Toareth also glanced at the weapon mounted on the wall. "Is that the weapon, circa 1600's, that injured you before?"

"More or less." René gave a nod of his head towards the sword while maintaining eye contact with his beautiful dinner companion. "Slightly different design, but essentially the same capabilities. The sword on the wall is a painstakingly maintained and fully functional rapier that has been handed down from father to son for over seven hundred and fifty years. One of ancestors was in the King's Musketeers and served as the personal bodyguard for Louis XIII."

"It is a family heirloom then," she said, half questioningly. Toareth eyed the rapier far longer than she intended. It was not the rapier itself but the fact that it was an heirloom that she found herself coveting. " I am sure," she finally tore her eyes from it and looked back at her food, "that is has a great deal of sentimental value." She jabbed at another piece of beef rather forcefully. "Will follow you anywhere and everywhere." She mouthed it and chewed. "You will only give it up to your own offspring."

René was wondering what had caused such a reaction from Toar. It was if she was feeling sorrow for something she'd lost in the past. He finally commented on her statement. "I do hope to have a child someday that will love fencing as much as I do." He let her contemplate on her past as they finished their main course. He poured another glass of wine for each of them and cleared the dinner plates from the table to a cart.

All the while, Toareth's mind swam with thoughts. It appeared almost seconds had passed when René returned.

He brought a serving dish, two small dessert plates and spoons. "Do you trust me?"

"I do," she said. "You have yet to give me a reason not to."

René smiled. "Close your eyes and open your mouth. I have a surprise dessert for you."

That sounded a bit strange at first but Toareth figured that was her having to work around Kez so much. She threw that thought away and surrendered herself to René trust. "Very well," and she obeyed.

René lifted the cover from the final serving dish and used a spoon to dip a modest bit of the silky chocolate mousse. He placed the handle of the spoon in Toar's hand and guided her hand to her mouth. He hoped she would like the dessert. It was one of the more involved dishes he had prepared in the galley.

The spoon hit the side of her mouth first before she adjusted her aim. A small bit of cold creamy residue remained behind. The dessert goodness entered her mouth and she removed the spoon. A sensation hit her.

What René saw first was a heavy squint and a grimace followed by a tough purse of her lips as though something awfully sour hit her tongue. A subsequent yet also, satisfying hum escaped her nostrils. Her face almost immediately relaxed and her eyes opened. He could see her move the dessert around in her mouth, chewing lightly before swallowing.

René was not ready for this reaction. Her initial response seemed as if she had eaten something sour before relenting to something sweet. "My apologies. I didn't think about how your reaction would be."

"Quite alright," she replied. "I rather enjoy sour foods. We just not expecting that is all." She pointed back and forth between them. "Humans and El-Aurians...differing tastebuds and flavor receptors. It is another way to tell us apart from humans." She eyed the remaining dessert. "I do want more," she said.

René used a serving spoon and provided a generous amount. He was learning something new about Toar every time he saw her. He looked at her near empty glass. He picked up the bottle. "More wine?"

"Water...please," as she mouthed another spoonful of the sour/sweet goodness. "Going to need to keep my head clear if we are going to Club Whisper after this." She thought about the last time she was in a group that had enough alcohol in their systems to impair their judgments. Though she knew she was among colleagues aboard the Stardancer, that was exactly what the pirates she had been dealing with those years ago thought too. Someone had ill intent. In Toar's case those years ago, she was the one with the ill intent. And she swore to herself she would never allow herself to become as vulnerable. "I would advise you do the same. Though I understand if you have a higher tolerance. I...made myself a promise long ago to never let myself become impaired."

René picked up the bottle of wine and replaced the cork. He also retrieved the two empty wine glasses. He placed the wine glasses in the replicator and recycled them and placed the wine bottle back in his refrigerator. He ordered up two waters and returned to the table. He handed one to her. "I only have one glass of wine with dinner myself. I like the taste, but I refrain from over indulgence."

"As you should," said Toareth as she continued working slowly at her dessert. "So, one of your ancestors was a king's bodyguard. I seems security runs in your family. Was that trait passed down? Were more of your ancestors since then security practitioners?"

"Some, but the tradition passed down from generation to generation is to pursue one's passion." René held Toar's gaze. "My father always wanted to learn and compete in fencing. He was the first person to ever win the European Championship ten years in a row. My mother is an accomplished musician and she teaches music at university. Jaques, my older brother is a shrewd negotiator and pursues a career in politics he is the executive assistant to the Minister of State. My youngest sister, Sabine, hasn't found her passion yet. She is taking a break year before going to university. She wants to travel Europe and Asia to try and discover herself."

Toareth envisioned things as René spoke. All the while, in the back of her mind, thoughts of her own family and family history swirled. René's narrative brought some happiness. Toar's lingering thoughts brought some sadness, but not enough to completely destroy the small smile spread across her lips. "That is very honorable. When you can, do tell them...all...that my best wishes go with them. Especially Sabine as she is still searching. Tell them..." Toareth never had any confidence in this, but, "...tell them an El-Aurian's blessing is a sign of good luck and that what they seek shall eventually be found."

René held Toar's gaze for the span of several heartbeats. He very much appreciated her kind words for his family. He would pass along her well wishes on his next video letter home. He was beginning to realize that Toar was an exceptional example of her species reputation for being good listeners. He fought the urge to reach across the table and give her a hand a gentle squeeze lest she misinterpreted his intentions. "I will let my family know. Thank you. "

"And be sure," Toareth interjected, "to also tell them not to piss off an El-Aurian. I hear our curses as just as effective."

René gave a smirk and allowed a slight mischievous twinkle in his eyes and tone to leak out. "Remind me to never piss you off."

Toareth, too, found a similar humor. She, however, thought back some years to the last time she had cursed someone; a Romulan warlord. She really did not want her words to come to pass and had little chance of ever telling him that. Her eyes never left René but her attention finally returned to him. "I will keep that in mind."

René finished his dessert and gestured at Toar's. "If you are done. We could head to Club Whisper. Though I should warn you. The Rouen men are famed for our dancing and charm."

 

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