"Opportunity Knocks?"

[Peyton Summers 0]

"Opportunity Knocks?"

Joint Log by Lieutenant Trichon Light & Ensign Peyton Summers

Stardate 0407.21

 

Peyton made her way down the corridor, desperate to get away from the madness behind her. First the kiss, then the sudden appearance of practically EVERYONE on the ship.. and the Aaron 'water' accident. She shook her head.. it seemed the whole place had gone crazy in a blink of an eye.

 

Trich looked around trying to find Peyton. She had ran off after Aaron "spilled" his water on him. Not only that but it seemed that he couldn't find a quiet moment to talk to Peyton at all.

 

She paused after she rounded another corner, stopping for a moment to glance around; it seemed like this place went around in circles. Peyton leaned against the wall and sighed a bit. She was getting in over her head, the last thing she wanted to do was get close to someone. It was something she felt she couldn't risk again.

 

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"You are so beautiful when you are dirty." Dominic Foster mused, as Peyton walked past him in his dormitory. Her face, hands and uniform was horribly smudged in black; having been crawling through grime and engineering parts all day. She had enjoyed every moment of it though, and rolled her eyes at his comment. She disappeared into his bedroom and began to change her clothing.

 

"And you are beautiful when you feed me lame lines like that.." She responded, cleaning herself up a bit. This had become the routine for over a year. It had only take a few weeks since the beginning of her Academy days for them to become inseparable. He was a 3rd year when she arrived .. and now, in her 2nd year, he would be leaving at the end of this term for assignment. Both of then hadn't really talked about it much.

 

"Maybe it's lame ... but you love it and you know it, Peyton." Dominic rose from his chair as she reentered the room; switched into a pair of khaki pants and a light blue tank top. Her face was washed and her hair brushed out. She put her hands on her hips.

 

"Yeah, yeah ..maybe. Good thing I've been keeping clothes around your place. We got incredibly and wonderfully filthy today. It was exciting.." She walked over to him and slipped her hand around his neck, gazing up at his amazing green eyes. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips and then winked.

 

"Well, don't get used to it.. in a few months you'll have to move those things back into your own dorm. I can't believe I'll be leaving so soon .. but who knows, maybe you can request assignment to wherever I am when you graduate." Dominic looked at her expectantly.

 

Peyton pulled away and walked over to his replicator, getting her usual iced tea. She sipped it a bit and glanced at him, "Perhaps .. but I don't want to just go to a ship merely because you are there. I want the best in the fleet."

 

"What, you don't think I wouldn't be placed on the best ship in the fleet? C'mon now, Peyton .. this is ME we are talking about here." He gave her his award winning smile. Ah, yes, she could feel his ego from all away across the room. She rolled her eyes again.

 

"I wasn't saying that .. I was just saying, I am going to follow my instincts with my assignments when I receive them. I need to lead my own life.."

 

Dominic frowned, "And your own life doesn't include me?"

 

"I didn't say that either... listen, why are we even having this discussion? No need to worry about it now. I still have two years to go."

 

"Peyton.. don't you think we've come to a plateau in our relationship? I mean, I still have never met your parents .. or really know anything about your past before the Academy. I want to know everything."

 

She looked at him. Everything? Perhaps they HAD reached a plateau of sorts. And for weeks she had pondered telling him everything about her. Even the fact that Peyton was not even her real name. That her blonde hair was originally dark brown ... that she was an heiress to a throne she had abandoned..and that death surely awaited her if she was to be found by her people. Desperately she wanted to him tell him .. but was it the right thing to do?

 

"Peyton? Are you listening? Tell me all about you.. I think I deserve that much."

 

"Okay, Dom .. but, I think you need to sit down for this. Because .. it might change everything ..."

 

He sat down and Peyton stood before him, beginning to reveal a secret that would nearly change her future forever ..........

 

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Trichon rounded the corner and saw Petyon leaning against a wall. "Hey there you are. You ran off awfully fast."

 

Her eyes blinked, her mind brought back to reality. She was still there on the ship, and suddenly Trichon stood before her, "Obviously not fast enough, eh?"

 

Peyton smirked a bit. Her attitude never failed in any situation.

 

"Its just well you know.." his voice trailed off.

 

She glanced at him. It was the first time she had seem him like that. His ego didn't seem to prevalent at the moment. Almost like a different person, ".. why did you kiss me, Trichon?"

 

"It felt like the right thing."

 

Peyton laughed a little. Sometimes the right thing was never really the right thing to begin with, "But you hate me.. I hate you.. .. right?"

 

Trichon grinned, "Yeah kinda funny huh."

 

She shook her head. "I don't understand. You are an arrogant, self-centered man. You obsessed with a shuttle and you shake your tail like you are Rico Suave around the Arcadia .. but .. there's something about you..." She trailed off this time; can't help but be honest at that point. There was nowhere to run...

 

"I cant help it. Its who I am Peyton."

 

Rolling her eyes, she nodded, "Quite obvious. So it's confusing to me.. why I seem to like you."

 

"It's funny the way that works doesn't it?"

 

Her eyes refocused at him. There, she had admitted to it. Now she waited for his head to expand before her eyes.

 

"Tell me about it.. now.. what to do.."

 

"Well that is a question isn't it? Do we start dating or do we go slow?"

 

She smirked. Dating. He already had visions of the future in his head. But was there really a future? "Trichon.. we should really think about this. You have no idea what you are getting into. None at all."

 

"That's the fun part of these types of things Peyton. You just let go and see what happens."

 

Part of her wanted to tell him right there. The real her. The girl behind Peyton. Yes, Peyton was her ..to a point. But still only a fragment. A piece. She wasn't sure he could truly handle it. And besides .. she knew what had happened last time. "It's a rough ride, Trichon. Believe me.. can you handle that?"

 

"I've handled far worse." he sighed, "A few months ago I thought I was going to die on that Romulan ship. You change after something like that Petyon. I've learned that life is precious and we have to live every minute we have.

 

She nodded, "For once, we agree on something. Life is indeed precious. Opportunity is life's greatest gift. And maybe .. I don't know, this is an opportunity?"

 

"Your exactly right about that."

 

Peyton had left her life behind for freedom to do as she wished. She had to try and not be afraid of the past catching up to her .. or else she'd lose the present. And ultimately the future.