Maruu was surprised. "Wow. Well, we'll deal with it. So I guess you want to..."
"Yeah. That'd be a good idea."
"Yeah." He paused. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yeah." Nori started to leave. "Good night." She left the room as Maruu dropped on the bed and placed his hands over his face.
Nori stopped outside of Maruu's quarters and leaned up against the wall and caught her breath. She held out her hands in front of her and looked down to see them shaking very rapidly. All of a sudden Nori ran to her quarters. Once she got inside of her quarters she leaned up against the wall and slid down it, she put her arms on her knees and rested her head down on her arms and started to cry.
Oh, God, what he must think of me right now; he probable hates me now. I wanted to let it happen but, I was to scared. Oh, God, I don't even know what to do in his bed. Nori stood up and started to pace back and forth in her quarters. I mean what he expects of me and all that. Mother never lived long enough to explain all this stuff to me.
Just then Nori's thoughts were interrupted by her door chimes. "Commander, it is me, Benton. I have something here that I would like you to take a look at before I present it to the captain. Let me know what you think of it."
Nori quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. "Go away."
"Commander? Is everything ok?"
"Just go away."
Benton took four steps away from Nori's door. He tapped his com badge. "Benton to Lt. Commander K'Lara."
[K'Lara here, what is it, Lieutenant?]
"Can you meet me in front of Lt. Commander Nori's quarters straight away?"
[On my way. K'Lara out.]
Two minutes later K'Lara was standing at Nori's quarters with Benton. "So, what is it, Lieutenant?"
"I came here to speak with Nori, and she told me to go away."
"I don't see anything wrong with that."
"No, Ma'am, there isn't, but she sounded very upset, as if she had been crying."
K'Lara made a stern face at Benton then stepped to Nori's door and rang the chimes.
"I told you to go away," yelled Nori. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE, BENTON!!!"
"Dana, it is me, K'Lara. Are you okay?"
K'Lara turned and looked at Benton and raised her eye brows. She then turned back to the door. "Dana?"
Just then Nori's door slid open. Nori reached out and grabbed K'Lara's shirt by the shoulder part and pulled her into her room. The door slid closed with Benton on the outside. K'Lara looked at Nori's face; she could tell Nori had been crying pretty hard by the redness around Nori's eyes and on her cheeks.
"Oh, my God, Dana, what the hell is going on? Who did this to you? Tell me, I'll make them sorry they were ever born."
Nori shook her head no as the tears fell out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "Oh K'Lara, I need your help. I need you to help me. That is if it isn't already too late."
"Too late? To late for what? Dana, what is going on?"
"Okay, well, you know that I love the captain and all. Well..." Nori sat down and explained everything that happened that night. "Well on top of it all, K'Lara, I have never been touched by anyone in...well...you know. You see, my mother died before I was old enough for the talk of girls. And if you would have seen Stephen's face when he found out that I was never touched by anyone else. Then like a scared rabbit I left him standing there; he probably hates me or thinks I am a little child and won't want to be bothered with me ever again. Not to mention I will probably be the laughing stock of the entire ship." Nori was so upset and she was talking so fast, it was almost impossible for K'Lara to understand her.
"Hey!!! Hey!!! Hey!!! Slow down, Girl, and come up for air in between sentences." As she put her hands on Nori's shoulders, K'Lara said, "Okay, first of all, I want you to sit down and listen to me. And don't interrupt me. Now, what? You are 18 years old right?"
"Nineteen now."
"And you have never been touched? Let me tell you something, Nori, that isn't something to be ashamed of, not at all. And that is why you think Stephen won't like you anymore? As far as that goes I can guarantee you that almost every guy would kill to have a virgin." For the next hour, K'Lara filled Nori in on everything that she knew about a boy-and-girl relationship. "Okay, now do you feel better about yourself?"
"Yes, oh thank you so much K'Lara." Standing in front of the door now, Nori wrapped her arms around K'Lara and gave her a hug. Then she stepped back and looked at her and said thank you again.
When the door opened up, and K'Lara walked out of Nori's quarters, she turned her head to the right and saw Lt. Benton leaning up against the wall. "Benton! What are you still doing here? I figured you would have been long gone by now."
"I still need this material observed before I present it to the captain."
Nori smiled. "Benton, can it wait?"
"I imagine so. I will return tomorrow morning if you wish."
Nori nodded. "Thank you, Benton. Goodnight."
K'Lara smiled. "Okay, goodnight, Dana. Come on, Benton, I'll buy you a drink." They both walked off to the lounge.