The Dance

Posted on Thu Sep 17th, 2020 @ 9:57pm by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Chief Petty Officer Remal Kajun

Mission: Welcome Aboard!
Location: Captain's Quarters

He allowed her to sob for a minute or so before rubbing her shoulder. "Do you remember the house on the beach we share on our honeymoon and the way the moon danced on the waves?" He could see it in his mind like an image he had just seen yesterday.

She quietened a little as his words then the memory washed over her. “ It was as though we were the only two people in the universe” She remembered, a smile turning up the corners of her lips.

"I've thought a lot about those days, too much really and I have come to the singular conclusion that somewhere along the way I failed." They turned to look each other in the eyes and as she was about to interject or correct him, he continued. "Failed as a husband, a provider and as a fighter. I didn't fight hard enough to be the man you needed me to be, instead I played it safe by joining the Counselors guild." He trailed off at the end, regrets aplenty filling his throat.

“ You think YOU failed? Ahhh pots n kettles n dark colours” Rhenora quipped, trying to lighten the mood “ I was the one who couldn’t keep my feet on the ground and couldn’t keep my ass from getting kicked from one side of the galaxy to the other, you had every right to leave” She wiped the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her somewhat tattered uniform.

He chuckled lightly at her pots and kettles comment. They were a pair alright, driven apart by reasons neither of them could really convey using conventional words. "Do you remember the question I asked you that made you decide to leave in the first place?" He was leading her down a path that led to the true reason he traveled from Tallor Prime to Starbase 234 in the first place.

Rhenora nodded her head sagely, it was the one thing she had struggled with over the years, her inability to settle down, to lay roots into the soil and not leave.

“I….” Her words drifted off into a frustrated sigh. Could she give up Command and settle down with him now? It was something that would need to be faced but tore her heart into many pieces. She had never been good with feelings.

He suddenly became serious, stoic as he spoke, "And can I assume if I asked again, now, your answer would be the same?" He paused knowing those words, that question carried the weight of a thousand stars. "Before you answer you should also know I bought that house by the beach."

The words hit like a brick, threatening to pull her under the tidalwave of guilt that followed. “You want to move back to Bajor?” The words were hesitant and almost whispered.

"Judging just by the sound of your voice am I to take that as a no or a possible maybe?" He rocked his hands back and forth as a sign of uncertainty.

"I….I like the idea of a retreat or a place to holiday, I'm not sure I could…" her voice trailed off as she kept her eyes low.

He heaved a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear. I guess that's settled then, only one question left for me to ask? Can I move here to be with you? That is if you'll have me back in your life again."

If jaws could hit the floor hers would have. She was expecting divorce papers, or the 'there's someone else' line. She wasn't expecting him to want her back in his life.

"Wow, this is unexpected, a definite yes but unexpected. I was sure you were here to divorce me." She admitted.

He chuckled openly. "Sorry for the deception but I had to be sure you wanted me back. I mean I own the house but I rented it to this nice young couple from the Northern Province. And as far as the Councilors Guild, I was bored of them anyway. Always talking about nothing. Although I did learn a few things."

He smiled down at her. "Are you aware the humans used to do a mating dance named after a flightless bird they raised as livestock? Called it the chicken dance or something. Humans are fascinating aren't they, weird but fascinating."

The Captain couldn't help but laugh, the nervous tension finally starting to dissipate. She moved closer and lent in to brush his lips with her's, a confused yearning that needed to be explored.

There was a moment on contact, hesitant at first then an old familiarity that took both of them by surprise.

"Captain Kaylen please report to the bridge"...

OFF