Ryan sat in the command chair staring
out at the viewscreen which displayed an uncharted nebula that the Ronin had
just discovered. The Science department were busy charting it and running scans.
Engineering and operations were working on getting the ship up to spec. Even
with a state of the art ship, there are still a few 'kinks' to iron out. For
command personnel however, there wasn't much happening. To make up for his day
off the day before, he was now making up by doing the night shift too. The bridge
was near empty. He was the only senior officer there.
As he sat there, he let out a huge sneeze.
"Bless you captain" said one of the crew.
"Thank you" replied Ryan as he let out another sneeze. He turned around and saw the black furry face of Torasu staring at him from the upper platform. "Damn cat! How did it get up here?" He picked it up while letting out another sneeze. He put it in the turbolift and sent it down to deck thirteen.
Ryan returned to his chair and began to fiddle with the console on the arm of his chair. He found his mind beginning to wander. Torasu had brought Karissa back into Ryans mind. He smiled as a vision of her grew in his mind.
He focused his concentration again and got back to looking over some crew performance reports. The first profile came up.. Ensign Giles... performance adequate, medical status, perfect. First officers recomendation... a transfer to alpha shift for excellent conduct. Ryan ok'd the transfer and brought up the next name. Crewman Arbok... medical records perfect, first officers recomendation.. none. Ryan tapped the button for the next crew member. Lieutenant Commander Bentara. Ryan was suddenly gripped by her record photo. He stared at it and remembered the chat a day before and staring into those same dark eyes.
*If only... if only things were different...* he said to himself. They had agreed that they wouldn't pursue this any further the day before for their careers sakes. Ryan wished there were a wa around it, but it was just one of the sacrifices he would have to make as a commanding officer.
He switched off the crew bios and relaxed in his chair. The swirling of the nebula on screen was almost hypnotic as he stared at it. Again, he began to think of Karissa. he imagined him walking to her quarters and with no respect any more for starfleet procedures, he would take her in his arms and kiss her deeply then head for the bedroom. He sighed and roled his head to the side where her chair was. Another three hours or so and Alpha shift would come on duty and she would be seated there right next to him. Ryan, struggling now to keep awake, headed over to the replicator and replicated himself a cup of coffee. He returned to his chair and slowly drank it all. He placed the cup back in the replicator and once more returned to his chair. The coffee didn't have much affect and he soon found himself dozing off again.
He was suddenly interrupted by a voice he knew only too well from the back of the bridge. "Captain, may I speak to you?" asked Karissa stepping out of the turbolift.
"Isn't it a bit late Commander?"
"It's important" she said with a mischevious look on her sweet face.
"Step into my ready room" said Ryan leading the way. As soon as they were both inside, and the doors were shut, Karissa threw her arms around him and he hugged back.
"I can't fight it anymore Ryan" she said as she kissed him "I need you"
"I need you too" he replied between kisses
"Starfleet?"
"Too hell with them!"
They moved to the large sofa along the windows in the ready room and Ryan slowly lowered her onto the sofa kissing her gently down her neck. She unzipped his tunic and pulled him on top of her. They kissed again, as they began to undress each other.
"Captain Evans"" shouted Pike form the door way.
"Captain Evans!" shouted Pike again. Ryan awoke with a start back in his chair on the bridge. "Captain, may I discuss something with you?"
"Of course Admiral" said Ryan regaining his composure and straightening himself in his chair. "Ask away"
"I was just wondering if you had any advice for me as to what I should get Tyran and Dinara as a wedding present?"
"Wedding?? Ohh man! I forgot all about that!"
"Well then isn't it a good job I turned up. I would have spoken to Kira, but he's in bed right now."
"To be honest, I don't know Admiral. I don't know either of them well enough. I'm stuck as to what to get them myself."
"Ok then, I'll speak to Kira in the morning then. I'll leave you get back to your dream"
"Thank you" replied Ryan.
"Don't have too much fun now."
"Ohh, I won't" said Ryan
mischieviously under his breath. Although he didn't fall asleep again, his mind
stayed on Karissa the whole night.