Dinner With Elegances Part 1

Posted on 26 May 2016 @ 5:17am by Ensign Aidan Crehan & Senior Chief Petty Officer Mila Rasputin

2,844 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Outbreak
Location: Mila's Quarters
Timeline: MD 10 Evening

Aidan’s last visit to sickbay had resulted in some great news; Mila had responded positively to the cure. She was being released! So that meant that he had to prepare a welcome home meal for her. He expected that she must be pretty tired of replicated Sickbay food and had planned a special dinner for the two of them. One that was fit for a Printsessa. His idea was to do as they had done in the hotel on New Risa and replicate the ingredients. Then he would use his holodeck time to create a chef’s kitchen, cook the meal, and then deliver it to her. It would be perfect.

He sat down at his console and began a message to her. “Computer, begin recording a message to send.” It beeped and an image of him appeared. “Hello Printsessa. I hope that I have not woken you, but I wanted to be the first to say ‘welcome home.’ I trust that you are feeling better and have been able to get some much needed sleep. I have a surprise that I would like to bring to you in a little bit, around 1800 hours. Please let me know if this will work for you.” He paused. “Computer, end message and send.” Aidan then went back to planning.

Mila had been laying down on her couch in her quarters when her terminal beeped. With a weary sigh, she got to her feet and headed for it, hoping that it would not be the Captain wondering where some PADD or another was. While the other Yeomans had did a good job, it was her job to delegate what the Captain received first and the proper order of things. She sat at the terminal and pulled up the message, a smile coming across her lips as she heard Aidan's voice. "Computer, record message and respond to Cadet Aidan Crehan." She paused until it beeped and took a breath. "Sir Knight, I would be delighted to meet with you at that time. I have held out hope that I would have the opportunity and welcome the opportunity to spend more time in your wonderful presence." She signed it with a purple carnation and sent it.

She got up and took a breath, then headed into her bedroom to see what she had to wear for such an occasion before she realized she had no idea what the occasion would be. Still, she opened her wardrobe and looked for something nice to wear for him when he came to her quarters. Finally, she settled on a hollow-backed lace up minidress and headed into the bathroom to freshen up.

Her hair looked frizzed and she stripped and got into the sonic shower while she ran a brush through it and worked it into some semblance of order until it no longer felt like a rat's nest to her fingers. She got out and stood before a mirror as she worked it into a French braid and finally pulled on a matching pair of deep purple undergarments and the dress before she headed back to the living room to see if he had messaged her again.

Aidan’s terminal beeped an incoming message. He smiled as he heard Mila’s voice and was pleased at her response. Then he saw that she had signed it with a purple carnation and wide grin crept across his face. She was something else. “Computer, record a message to respond to current sender, Senior Chief Mila Rasputin.” It beeped its confirmation and he began. “Then allow me to fulfill that hope for you. I will see you at the appointed time, Printsesaa. Until then.” He paused and said, “Computer end message and send.”

Aidan had already gathered the necessary ingredients after he sent the first message. Now he was packing them up to carry them to the holodeck. Planning enough time to cook it all and get back to his quarters with time left to shower and change was crucial.

Mila went to the replicator and ordered a double Raktajino to take the edge off of how she felt and took a long drink before she made her way back to the couch. "Computer. Background music. Russian. Random." She settled down and waited eagerly for Aidan to show up.

She laughed when it began to play the very song she had sung for Aidan on shore leave and leaned back, knowing there was a reason for it. "He is coming back to me." she whispered to the room.

***1755 Hours***

It hadn’t taken him long to cook the meal with the three ovens and multiple cooking surfaces in the chef’s kitchen. Not to mention all of the kitchen utensils at the ready. The holo-deck made everything a whole lot easier, especially when it came to the cleanup. He had been back to the room, showered, changed, and had everything packed up.

Now, Aidan, who still had Chow with him and was also returning him tonight, was heading down the corridor to Mila’s room. He was wearing a pair of dark blue denim jeans, a white button down shirt, and a black sports coat. It wasn’t fancy, but it wasn’t casual. And she deserved more than casual from him this evening. After all, it was his mistake in Sickbay that led her to jump on the biobed to begin with. He would spend the rest of his life making it up to her if necessary. And that was saying a lot.

He walked up to the door of her room and stood there. He had a small pack over his back, a warming container in one hand, and a slightly smaller cooling container in the other. Aidan was unable to ring the door chime. He looked over to Chow, who was perched on his shoulder. “Would you care to do the honors, my friend? I do not seem to be able to touch the pad.” He held his arm out towards the panel.

Chow gave a hoot and cocked his head to the side, then walked down Aidan's arm carefully. With his weight a total of seven pounds, he reached out to press the panel where Aidan had pointed, then jumped down.

Mila got up when the chime rang and activated the door, smiling when she saw Aidan before Chow jumped up with a happy hoot and climbed up her like he was going after a bowl full of pistachio pudding. "Why, hello Chow...and.." her voice softened as she thought about what she had been told what she had done in medical. "My very own knight in shining armor. You are very handsome, Aidan and I am grateful to see you again. Please, come in."

She stepped aside and gave Chow a pet as he chittered and hooted and patted the side of her and made a dozen other motions as she listened to him. "You met new people and had good food and slept? No holodeck? Why, we shall have to fix that at out first opportunity."

When the doors slid open and Aidan saw Mila, his jaw dropped for a moment. “Va va voom,” he said, “and you are most beautiful. Thank you for allowing me to come down.” He walked into her room. “I will put these over there first,” he said, gesturing towards the table and counter. “Then I will be able to greet you properly.” Aidan set the containers and bag on the counter and turned around. She was more than beautiful, especially in that purple minidress. He walked over to Mila, took each of her hands in one of his, and kissed the back of them. He slowly ran his hand up her arms. “I cooked dinner,” he said softly. “Russian. I hope it will be good and to your liking.”

"It smells wonderful," Mila said as Chow hopped down and scampered about the quarters to make sure everything was where he last saw it. She smiled when she kissed her hands and looked into his eyes. "Aidan, I must apologize for what happened in Sickbay. Is there any way that I can ever make it up to you?"

“I am sure that we can find something,” he said. "If you insist." He pulled her in for a hug and wrapped his arms around her. It was then that he realized her dress was open in the back. “You have no need to apologize, Mila. You were very sick and hallucinating. If anyone needs to apologize, it is I. I am the one who made the mistake of saying what I did and caused you to jump on the biobed.” He then pulled back out of the hug. “Which is why I am here tonight, to start trying to make it up to you.” He paused as he heard the background music playing. “Is that…is that the song that you sang to me in the hotel on New Risa?”

"Da," she said, her voice heavy as he took her in his arms before a sob shook her petite frame and she started to cry. "I never wanted to hurt you, Aidan, sick or not. I am so sorry!" she said before sobs. "I was not myself, but I should have told you. I should go into counseling." She pulled back and looked at him. "How can you want to be with me?"

“Mila,” he said in calm voice, “I know you would never want to hurt me.” He watched the tears roll down her soft cheeks and wiped them away with his thumbs. “I know you were not yourself, it was the virus. Many people on board were affected and have a long road ahead of them. But only of them is traveling that road with me. Whether you go to counseling or not is a decision you will need to make. And whatever it is, I will support you, Mila. I will be here, always, waiting for you.” He pulled her in close again and held her. Just held her, and whispered, “I will always want to be with you. No matter what or where. As to the how can I…,” he sighed. “How can I want to be with you? It’s simple; you’re beautiful on the inside and the outside. And I like both. I like you, very much.”

She sniffled and nodded before she hiccuped. "What makes you so special, Sir Knight?" she asked him. "I go crazy and you still want to be with me. You are unlike any man I have ever met and I would search the galaxy twice and never find another like you." She stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. "I am liking you very, very much as well, Aidan and I would hate if I did something to drive you away from me."

He returned her kiss, hands on her shoulders. “You make me special, Printsessa. And as far as you doing something to drive me away, I wish you all the luck in the galaxy trying to find it.” He smiled down at her. “Now for that hiccup, I brought along a drink to go with dinner. I can pour you some or get you a glass of water; whichever you want. I am here tonight for you.”

"Now you are going to make me cry for a different reason, Aidan," Mila said with a smile before she hiccuped again. "I would like a glass of water, please. I always hiccup when I cry, and it is embarrassing. Shall I help you with it?" She indicated the meal he had brought with him.

Aidan walked over the replicator and ordered up a glass of cold water. He carried it back and handed it to Mila. “Each of us has our own unique things about us that are embarrassing. And the more time we spend together, the more you will learn of all of mine.” He turned to look at the containers with the meal in them. “Normally, I would not mind you helping, but as I said, I am here tonight for you. All you need to do is have a seat here,” he said, gesturing to the couch, “and I will do the rest.” He smiled at her and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

She started to go to the couch, then stopped as Chow hooted. "Oh. I am sorry, Chow. Have you eaten today?" She started to head to the replicator then looked at Aidan. "Or did you feed him today? He can get greedy at times and I must control what he eats. Also, I hope he did not give you a hard time. Thank you for watching him for me. Did he get his bed?"

“I fed him once, but he has not had his second meal. And no, he did not give me a hard time. I rather enjoyed learning how to better communicate with him.” He paused a second and smiled. “I also enjoyed his tour of your quarters when I came to pick him up. Oh, and yes, he got his bed. I just had to roll it up so that it would fit inside my bag.” Aidan walked over to the bag, removed Chow’s bed, unrolled it, and set it on the floor.

Then he went to unpacking their dinner. From the warming container, Aidan first removed their appetizer, Norwegian smoked salmon on squares of toast with garnish. He plated them masterfully on small saucers he brought with him and set them on the table. Next, was the roasted duck breast with swede puree, baby carrots, and brussel sprouts. Aidan plated them and drizzled the rose wine sauce over the duck breast. He then removed the dessert form the cooling container. After he plated it, medovik cake made with Bashkir honey, he put it on the counter. Next, he poured two glasses of a unique purple drink that he had found, Viniq Shimmery Vodka. As a final touch, he removed two candles and their simple, yet elegant, candlesticks from the cooling container, set them on the table, and lit the candles. The picture he drew of her, he would save for later.

Then he walked around to chair and pulled it out for Mila. “Dinner is served, Printsessa.”

Mila replicated Chow a bowl of pistachio pudding, grapes and yogurt and set them down for him, then went to sit in the offered seat as she looked over everything. "My Father would be very impressed," she said. "You have gone out of your way to make an excellent meal and I plan on enjoying every bite. Your presence makes it even better, Aidan, and I thank you. It is clear that you put much thought into this meal and anything less than my full appreciation cannot be offered."

Aidan walked around to his seat as she spoke. Sitting, he dipped his head, “Thank you, Mila. It was nothing at all, really. I did it for you and with you in mind the entire time.” He took a bite of the smoked salmon and toast. It was just as good as it looked and smelled. “Oh,” he said, after swallowing, “I see the royal house still stands and in as much glory as ever. I like your purple dress. It fits you very well.” That last little bit he added a roguish wink.

"It smells delicious and I am sure that it will taste even better," she told him before she blushed. "It is just something which I had in my closet for special occasion." When in truth, she had purchased it years before in the hope that there would be a special occasion which never came to pass. "However, I now have a reason to wear it and you are the first person to have seen me with it. Also...I could not think of something more suitably purple to wear in your presence."

Aidan smiled; he liked to see her blush. “Then I am honored to be the first to see you with it. I also appreciate your thoughtfulness.” He took a sip to the Vodka, unsure of what it would taste like. For the rest of the meal, Aidan planned on taking a drink as opposed to a sip. “One of the things that Chow pointed out to me is your Betazoid Poker Champion trophy. That must have been a challenge.”

Mila smiled and looked over at the trophy. "One of the rules for the championship was that everyone had to wear a telepathic and empathic inhibitor," she said as she took a sip of the vodka and gave an approving nod before she took a bite of the smoked salmon. "After that, it was just a matter of working the cards until the combinations came into play. Many people do not have the patience for such games, but it is a fine mathematical challenge and mentally stimulating to pit yourself against other, equally skilled opponents."

TBC

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