Even Senior Staff Need to Eat

[Guest Cdr Dacotah]

Hayden followed the maitre'd across the restaurant, glancing back to still find her stranger watching her. They wove through the myriad of tables toward a secluded area near the dance floor. She smiled as she saw Koshic in all his finery. "I must say, you do cut a handsome figure."

 

 

Koshic's deeply tanned features were hightened by the low lights, and he looked up to see Hayden in her own finery. "And your looking lovely as always."

 

 

 

She settled into the chair the maitre'd held for her. "Lovely? I may have to go back to the bar. Back there I was told I was beautiful. Must be the lighting." An easy playful smile tugged at her lips. Koshic grinned boyishly as he unfolded the menu. "Yes," he said playfully. "But that was probably from some cheap Ferengi trader."

 

 

Settling her napkin in her lap she gave him a mock look of disdain. "Are you calling me cheap?"

 

 

Glancing up from the menu, "There isn't a cheap bone in your body."

 

 

She gave him a genuine smile, "You got that right, sweetheart. Of course one knows their own kind, 'eh? She looked out past her menu. "This restaurant is beautiful. Have you been here before?"

 

 

"Once a few years back," he said thumbing through the thick pages. "The Beef Wellington was fabulous.

 

 

Closing her menu, she set it down beside her plate and picked up her wine glass. "Beef Wellington is nice, but I believe I’m in the mood for something a little more," she gave him an impish look, "spicy."

 

 

Koshic smirked, noticing the waiter was standing beside the table. "Are you ready to order," he said in thick Italian accent.

 

 

Hayden smiled up at the waiter, "I believe the gentleman will order for us."

 

 

Lifting his eyebrow's ever so slightly, Koshic looked back at the menu. "We will have the Shrimp in Tasso Cream over Rice Cakes..." The waiter smiled and scribbled that down, "And can I interest you in something from the wine cellar?

 

 

Koshic glanced to Hayden, fermented drinks were her specialty.

 

 

She smiled at him, enjoying their playfulness, "A Sancerre would be lovely."

 

 

“Oh we have a excellent Vintage, straight from France,” the waiter said smiling and went off to the kitchen leaving the two alone in the seculsion of each other. Koshic smiled warmly at Hayden.

 

 

 

Hayden looked at him as the waiter returned with a chilled bottle of wine and two glasses. She took her own and sipped it lightly. “Why haven’t we done this before?”

 

 

 

"I am not sure," he said delicately. "Untill a few months ago, we barely knew each other socially.

 

 

 

"I believe the correct answer would be, 'I didn't have the guts to ask you until now.'" She batted her eyes at him.

 

In mock sheepishness he nodded. "Well you know," he said. "Would you really want to be seen wineing and dinning with a lowely Assistant Science Officer. Timeing Hayden, it's all about timing."

 

"Oh I see, " she said trying to maintain a serious facade, "and now that you've risen in the ranks you feel that now you can ... make your move?" She dissolved into laughter.

 

Koshic smirked chuckling lightly. "Oh you've got me all figured out."

 

 

The waiter returned pushing a small hand cart with a chilled bottle of the Sancerre and two glasses in hand. He smiled as the two laughed together.

 

 

She settled back into her chair, sipping her wine, studying him over the rim. He had a beautiful laugh. It was a sound that reached out and surrounded you, "I would daresay, Koshic that I have as figured out as you have me."

 

Sipping his own glass, he studied Hayden's features. The enigma beneath her facade was truly mesmerizing. "Which is to say, not at all."

 

 

She nibbled slowly on a piece of crusty bread to cleanse her palette. "We all have faces we willingly show the world. I'm curious about the Koshic that the world doesn't see."

 

 

 

“Isn’t amazing,” he said running his fingers gently along the lip of the glass. “How even when you can feel someone thoughts and feelings, that you still don’t know them?”

 

 

She closed her eyes briefly, letting her innermost thoughts fill her head. "It is an interesting gift, you have. Although I care to venture that at times you don't find it such a ... gift."

 

 

"There are times," he said slowly placing the glass down. "But when you come accross a mind with clarity of perception, and the empath song is in harmony, it's worth it."

 

 

Javier, their waiter arrived, "Senor, Senora,dinner is served." He placed the dishes before them and refilled the wine glasses.

 

 

"A mind like that is a rare thing." she said quietly, looking down at her dinner enjoying the aroma and the beautiful preparation. "A lovely choice, Koshic. I hope it's as good to the palette as it is to the eyes and nose."

 

 

He nodded, letting the aroma's fill his nostrils. "Then we can get down to...business. Besides, we should enjoy the good food while it lasts, Great Goddess only knows what kind of food they'll have at the wedding."

 

 

Hayden paused before digging her fork in and glanced up, "Oh sure, take all the fun out this by bringing up business."

 

 

Smirking as he placed his own fork in a bite of shrimp, "No one said it couldn't be fun. Not like anyone we know is going to be here," he jested.

 

 

She let the flavors roll over her tongue and smiled, "Yea, not a soul. You know," she said looking about not recognizing anyone in the dining room, "this a rarity. No one staring at us, no one asking for permission to do this, or requests to do that." She looked up at him, her green eyes bright with sincerity. "Thank you."

 

 

"Blessed relief," he returned the sincerity in his own emerald eyes. "At least your not having to help plan the wedding...are you?"

 

 

"No, and that's just fine. Trichon is like family to me, but I'm not much of a fan of weddings"

 

 

Koshic continued eating, savoring the flavors of real food, like the serenity of the restaurant, it was rare. "Ditto...last one I went to...well," he looked down at his plate. "Didn't really have much of a happy ending."

 

 

She nodded, setting her fork down. "I know exactly what you mean. The last wedding I attended the crystal altar exploded. It was a fiasco."

 

He smirked. "I got left on the alter."

 

 

Hayden opened her mouth and then closed it, "Koshic, I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. Actually I do know what to say, but it wouldn’t' be very ladylike and I'm trying to impersonate a lady tonight."

 

 

 

He held up a hand, covering the deep feelings that simmered below the surface. "Really, don't think another thing about it. Pre-arranged marriages are always a fiasco

 

She shook her head as she picked up the wine glass again, "Pre-arranged or not, to be left at the altar is a huge hit to the ego. Did you love her?"

 

"At the time, yes."

 

Hayden subtly raised the corner of her eyebrow, "And now?

 

 

 

He'd really never talked at any length about Hecua and that whole fiasco to anyone, yet he found himself bringing it up with Hayden. There was a certain comfortableness that pervaded her. "I haven't spoken with her in over two years," he glanced at the food again. "It was odd seeing her again...Coreth said she always asks about me at Council Meetings... "Technically we're still betrothed, but on the bright side...had she not left me on the alter. I'd be in a palace on Elasia listening to some politician drone on and one."

 

 

She gave him a look of mock horror and looked around the room, "She's not going to hunt me down in a fit of jealous rage is she?"

 

 

"Since she was dating another Regent at the time, and Yviardiain at that, I doubt it." The last statement was playful, almost joking.

 

 

"Oh well, whew. That's all I need is an old fiance mucking up the works. So why keep up the technicality? If you don't mind me asking?"

 

He rolled his eyes. "Under Elasian law, once the Dohlman has been formally engaged to her ArcRoyale, they are bonded for life."

 

 

 

Dinner had long since been forgotten. It had been a long time since she had felt any interest in getting to know more about another person, other than their job qualifications. She smiled as she realized that all fun and flirtatiousness aside, she really did like this man. He was smart, and quick witted, and obviously loved and lived the good life. She took in his chiseled features and emerald eyes. "I'm sorry, you said 'bonded for life'?" She chided herself for letting her mind get off track and not pay attention to the conversation.

 

 

Hayden's features captivated him. He'd really never paid that much attention to anyone for many years, let alone the Arcadia. And now he found himself at dinner with a woman who understood and enjoyed life as much as he did. "It's really all a technicality. The whole process is so archaic and hush-hush."

 

 

"Can't you change this technicality? If it's really as archaic as you say, and no one follows it anymore, why keep yourself in a position where you can't get involved with someone?"

 

 

He'd asked himself that a million times. "Why do you think I am here, and not still on Elasia?"

 

 

Hayden scooted back in her chair as Javier cleared away the dinner dishes, "Senora, Senor, can I interest you in dessert?"

 

Hayden looked across at Koshic, raising an eyebrow. "Dessert?"

 

 

 

"Why not," he grinned. "Nothing wrong with a little indulgence now and then."

 

 

She nodded, "Now and then. Javier, sapodillas please, and don't skimp on the rum butter." She winked at the waiter and then turned to Koshic. "You want to know why I think you're here? Other than to have a wonderful night out with me?"

 

 

His eyes locked onto her, "of course."

 

"Well, a night out with me might just be enough," she said impishly, "however; I think it's easier for you to be here, on Arcadia, than dealing with situations on Elasia." Her eyes held his, "But then, I'm not the Ship's Counselor. I only go with what I feel."

 

 

"And you said you didn't have me figured out." He glanced away. "There are just so many...memories there. My father, her...the pressure they put on me. None of that matters here. And then there is the night out with you," he smiled sheepishly.

 

 

The Latin band started their evening set, in the corner of the room. Hayden reached for Koshic's hand, "I'm a long way from figuring you out, bit it's a start."

 

 

He felt himself pulled to the dance floor. Dancing...now this was something he could do.

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited August 27, 2005 by Cdr Dacotah