[ Thomas Ravon | Observation Lounge | Deck 10 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ After a short stop at the bridge to discuss certain matters with Cameron Henshaw concerning Lone wolves flight patterns and movements, Thomas Ravon made his way back to one of the transporter rooms. He took the scenic route though as he took a moment to stop at the observation lounge. This part of the ship giving a more soothing and wide view than most viewports, even the whole vibe on the deck was just calming. It wasn't very crowded today as most crew would probably be down on the planet or at the shipyards.
Just as that moment Though he crossed paths once more with Zyrao who came out of one of the various entrances or exits of the deck. He smiled faintly as he saw her and waved her over "Hey Zy, care to join me for a minute?" he asked her as he took a seat in one of the comfortable couches, leaving enough room for her to join "How have you been? Got assigned to quarters already?" he asked her curious, having pulled some strings to see if they could expedite the matter of housing.
He crossed one of his legs over the other as he gazed out of the wide window. Dressed in the standard Starfleet uniform he looked sideways to the El-Aurian he had met days ago. She was a welcome change from the usual people that he had met so far, more straight forward, to the point. A trait he kind of liked about her.
[Zyrao Natauna – Klingon Liaison | Overtime | A Detour Most Welcome | Friends in Far-Off Places]@Nolan Zyrao had been working heavily lately. Working on the fact that they were still very much in Klingon space, that they very much had lots to do, and that they were working together with them on many different aspects. There was the missions, the training, the repair work, and all of this had to be connected through Zyrao who was the
Theurgy's own Klingon Liaison. Not only for her adept use of the language and her deep knowledge of the customs, but also because of her connection to Martok. Part of her, wondered if that was the only reason she found refuge on the ship solely because of her connections. It was the thing that resounded in her mind when she was having a low minded moment. She tried not to allow herself those dark spots, they tended to be a rabbit hole that she had trouble coming back out of because there were many dark spots upon her book of life.
Walking across the observation deck, she didn't have time to enjoy the beauty of the scenery. As much as she had a love hate relationship with the stars she was nose deep in the PADD in her hand. One hand held a great deal. There was the PADD in her hand that she was using the finger of the other hand to type on. The hand with her PADD also held a small bag of snacks that she had brought back with her from the surface along with some other things from her old apartment that she was moving into the
Theurgy Quarters she had finally been signed. Having heard 'moved up from requests up top' she had a feeling that Thomas Ravon had held to his word and pushed her applications through to get her stuff done. Occasionally, as she walked through the corridors of the ship while she read more information on what was needed for her to do, she would let her left hand dip into the bag, extract a crunchy puffy disk and slide it into her mouth. All while walking.
She didn't see Ravon, she was too busy going through the next day's information. Her schedule, and what she needed to be liaison for. It was a stout list, there was still so much more to do and the fighters would be going to do some flight training and battle scrimmages with the Klingon Defense. It made her blood yearn to be part of it, of course, she missed battle. All this, governmental, political, desk work, was really not what kept her moving forward. Perhaps it would change once the
Theurgy headed off again.
It was then she heard her name. The slender well built El-Aurian stopped in mid-stride to look over and see that it was Thomas that had called out her name. He was just now sitting on one of the couches that was sitting around so that people could enjoy the view if they so wanted to. She thought about it for a moment, and it was clear, that was what she was doing. Her head cocked slightly to the side before she gave a bit of a nod.
“I think that would be nice, thank you for the invitation.”
Altering her initial course, she headed over to the couch and lowered herself down beside him letting her long legs stretch out in front of her as she leaned back into the cushions of her couch. She tossed her PADD to the cushion on her left, since Thomas took the cushion on her right, and looked out at the lovely scenery. She had never been up here except to get from one side to the other on her way throughout the ship. She put the bag of snacks with a large Klingon label on the front that promised honor, and death, and whatever else lured Klingon to the salty crunch snack. She dug into the bag and popped it into her mouth as he asked if she had Quarters yet. Zyrao looked over at him and swallowed the mouth full of snack and gave a nod.
“Yeah, thanks to you, I believe. I was assigned the next day. So, thank you.” she said looking at him before shifting the bag in his direction. “Salty, crunchy, but it won't kill you if you want.” she said offering him some if he wanted.
“It has been extremely busy on board this ship lately, I assume you are much the same?” she wondered out loud her grey eyes studying his face. Hoping it was less crazy than before, but then her eyes shifted up to the side of his eye. “Is that... do I detect newly regenerated skin?”
[ Thomas Ravon | Observation Lounge | Deck 10 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ The liason officer/strategist stopped in her wake and looked who had called out to her. When she spotted Thomas she accepted the invitation and Thomas smirked as he was curious about the bag of snacks she was holding. He watched her come closer and eventually settle herself down besides him as she tossed her PADD aside and continued to eat. She told him about her assigned quarters and Ravon chuckled a little "It's fine, hope you're getting settled in alright?" he asked her.
The bag was pushed towards him and Zyrao explained what was inside of it as Thomas peeked in the bag and eventually fished out one of the treats. Inspecting it before taking a bit out of it and eventually popping it in his mouth altogether. It had an odd taste, one he didn't exactly was familiar with, though it wan't bad. "Thank fuck it won't kill me though." he joked as chewed on it and swallowed it down.
"Combat patrols and paperwork, thus is the boring life of a senior officer." he informed her "You know for just a split second, I wish I was back out there." he nodded towards the open space besides Aldea "Not on a combat patrol but on a proper combat mission. Thrills and danger keeping you on edge." he chuckled for a moment before he turned his head to look at Zyrao's features. She noticed the new skin that had been regenerated the day before and the pilot nodded "Why yes... Interesting story about that." he snorted with a shake of his head.
"So the girl that brought me in the gym to blow off steam is apparently dating one of my pilots. A Klingon pilot. I had summoned him to my office for a sit down, since he had a reprimand on his file that I wanted to discuss with him. The girl came up as a subject, he lost his temper and broke my face." Ravon ran down the facts as he remembered them "So I had to put him in the brig and get my face fixed by... This is comedy really,
that girl." Ravon sighed and shrugged his shoulders "Still, Khorin is a good guy. Just... Klingon. Which I tried to point out to him... Don't be impulsive. But he's a Savi project so on meds now to keep his condition in check." Ravon murmured to himself before shaking his head and looking at Zyrao "Anyway, boring stuff... Anything exciting happen on your end?" he asked her with a grin.
[Zyrao Natauna – Klingon Liaison | Time for a Break | Couch Confessions | That Girl Again | Can I Punch Her in the Face Yet?]@Nolan Zyrao nodded as he mentioned that he hoped she was settling in well. “I have been bringing some of my things from the apartment I once had here on the surface. My collections on the
Hakkarl were destroyed when the ship exploded, so I have had to start from scratch a little bit.” she admitted though she had started from nothing so many times this was nothing new. As much as she mourned her books and her avid tea collections, she knew that there was nothing she could do but continue to purchase what was available in Aldea from across the universe and spend her KDF pay on it. She was not going to be ready to leave with the
Theurgy if she did not have her tea leaves and cups in their places so that she could continue to be herself.
Besides, good tea had been known to keep her from murdering people.
He took one of the small crunchy snack from her bag. He admitted it wouldn't kill him. “Well it's Klingon so- it might.” she grinned, a little joke, but then she took another and popped it into her own mouth as well letting the satisfying crunch between her teeth. He was eating his and the look on his face was intriguing because she could not tell whether he liked it or not, but she didn't really care either way she was merely sharing.
He told her he had been doing the boring work. Paperwork, which earned him a side ways smirk, and combat patrols, which earned him a small chuckle. He told her that for a split second he wished he was back out there. Out there in the danger, doing what needs to be done. Fighting for his life, chemicals pumping through his veins, hyping him up in the heat of the battle. She gave a nod. “I don't think I have resonated more with a statement. I'm used to being on the front line when I can. I miss the fire in my chest, the way your brain just fires without you really requesting anything of it because it knows it's fight or die. The stakes are high and you have to perform or else.” she sighed. “I appreciate my job here but it has little excitement.”
At the mention of his face he told her there was an interesting story about that. Zyrao rose her dark brow and listened as he told her about that woman, again. She really didn't like this girl, and was pretty sure, should they ever cross paths there would be some words said. They likely wouldn't help the situation, and Zyrao didn't seek out the woman. But, she had her ways. Still, she hoped that she didn't have to do that, that Thom would get over this woman and move on. There was nothing Zyrao could do to help, random sex with others wouldn't really cure the heart, it would actually do the opposite. So, no, that wasn't something she was interested in helping him find. No, he was going to have to get over this woman somehow on his own. She could only offer some advice and a listening ear.
So he had confronted the male involved, a Klingon apparently, and the Klingon lost his cool. Not unlikely, if he was dealing with a Klingon. Depending on the kind of bond this woman had with the Klingon, if she was his chosen mate .. Thom was lucky he wasn't dead. If she was just a dabble, then he was probably just dealing with a really pissed off Klingon. It was hard to say without knowing either one of them. But it did narrow down her choices if it came to her desiring to track this woman down and have some words with her.
“I hate to say you're lucky he only broke your face, but, you are.” she gave an honest nod. “I'm going to say that I do not like this girl, it's okay if you're mad at me about stating such. Just don't break my face. I need to use it's power of beauty from time to time.” she looked over at him and winked.
Zyrao sighed softly. He asked if there was anything going on, on her end, and she thought about it for a moment. “Nothing, truly. I have been moving and setting up my Quarters. However, on the surface I ran into an old friend. Her name is Chloe, and some years ago I rescued her from the Cardassian slave traders. The Klingon I was with at the time were going to claim her as their own, but, I suppose I took pity on her in the beginning. She was so emaciated and so scared. I took her into my own Quarters, and taught her how to be a person again. She's faring well now. It does my heart good to see her in such a state.” she admitted her voice softening only slightly upon mentioning Chloe.
“Have you had any time to enjoy yourself during this trip to Aldea?”
[ Thomas Ravon | Observation Lounge | Deck 10 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ "Didn't know you had an apartment down on the planet." Thomas replied a bit in surprise. He couldn't help but wonder when and why the strategist had been on Aldea before. Probably it had to do with the Klingon ties the planet had. She had spoken of collection and them being destroyed on the planet. Ravon's eyes narrowed slightly "What exactly did you collect?" he asked curiously as he wondered what a woman like Zyro would collect. He had a few ideas from books, to ornaments that held importance in the galaxy. Perhaps some sort of weapon collection that she had gathered over the years.
Thomas nodded as Zyrao stated that she was used to be on the front lines of well, to feel that rush of adrenaline pump through one. It was a feeling that was specific and just unable to be replaceable by anything else. A laugh escaped the pilot's lips as she mentioned that life aboard the ship was lacking some excitement "You know people have enjoyed and blessed the downtime. Even though this is temporary peace time, I'm rather sure the action will pick up again. Along with the fear and horrors that await..." he said a little distant as his eyes gazed to the black of space.
A nod was given to the remark that he was lucky to be alive. Khorin could've easily killed him in hindsight. The head of the man turned to the woman besides him as she stated that she'd opt to not like Zephyr. What surprised him more was the fact that Zy said that it would be fine for him to be mad at her for that. The head tilting slightly of the SCO as he shook his head slowly "Why would I be mad?" he asked her before he chuckled teasingly "I'm pretty sure if your face is banged up, you'd be able to use other assets of your body to use."
Zyrao mentioned meeting up with an old acquaintance and Thom simply nodded as he took another salty cracker and chewed on it "Sounds like she's had quite some life experience... Plus I didn't know you were a rebellious slave rescuer with Klingon henchmen." he smirked "Sounds like you did raise her to be a fine individual. I'm sure she'd be full of praise for you if I ever get to meet her." he noticed how the woman had a certain effect on Zyrao. He couldn't quite place the feeling that fit best with her current state.
"Well, if you consider getting kidnapped by thugs on Aldea as R&R, sure... I had a good time." he snickered before shaking his head "After that I've not been down on the planet since. Had some Klingon delicacies on the station, but other than that, I've not explored things much further." he admitted "Why, are you suggesting me some fun down on the planet?" he asked her with a daring and a tinge of playfulness in his voice.
[Zyrao Natauna | A Little Backstory | A Little Bonding | Snack Time | Breaks From Paperwork]@Nolan She smirked.
“My team was stationed here often, or at least we came here often enough that I could afford and keep up a place down on the surface. I haven't seen it for well over a year so it was nice to get back in there and check my things out again. I have my collections, or at least, what of them I left behind while traveling.” she admitted with a shrug of a singular shoulder.
Her tea was important to her, and it was something she didn't want to be without when she was on the
Theurgy. She had already gotten some black market tea, those sold legally, and some pulled from her collection in her old apartment. She was cleaning out the apartment fully though as she doubted she would be back on Aldea. Leaving with the
Theurgy probably meant not returning to the Klingon planet any time soon, and she really didn't want to take up the space any longer. Her precious collection of books, that which wasn't destroyed on the
Hakkarl, had already been transported up thanks to the help of an Engineer and Thea.
She took another crunchy triangular chip and bit into it letting the flavors of the bold seasoning spill across her tongue. He asked her what she collected and she gave a bit of a smirk. “You'll think me odd, but then, I'm certain I don't care. I collect tea, tea cups, and of course, books. Not the replicated of any of the kinds, no, it's all real or nothing. There's nothing like real tea from real leaves in a real cup. Or the feel of real unreplicated pages of a book. I lost a great deal of my favorites on the
Hakkarl when it exploded, there are things I will never replace.”
She took another chip, but before she bit into it, she asked. “Do you entertain any collections? Somehow, having seen your Quarters, I'm thinking no.” she chuckled biting into the chip then.
The subject turned to how short a time that peace would likely last. She gave a quick nod at that. “Yes, the fear, the adrenaline, the blood pumping battle fueled fury. All the good stuff.” She grinned over at him and nudged his arm with her elbow. But, she could tell that he wouldn't really mind the peace. He loved the action of battle but his heart and mind warred with the peace times. There was something to be said about battling it out in the skies or on the ground. That kind of thing made you realize you were alive. But, there was something to be said of the serenity of peace. Perhaps that was why there were pockets of peace almost always after a conflict. To allow the minds and hearts of people to rest before the next wave.
He asked why he should be mad at her for not liking this girl of his and Zyrao gave a shrug. “Because you're rather hung up on this girl yet.” she told him taking another crunchy snack and offering him the bag again. He told her that even if he busted up her face she had plenty of other assets she could use to tempt people. A laugh escaped her lips, not just a chuckle, and she looked over at him with her full confident way. “I see you have been making notes of my assets.” she winked over at him.
She confessed a bit to him about Chloe, her sweet Chloe, who she was glad to see all grown up and making a life of her own. He over aggrandized what she had done, she had only made sure that Chloe hadn't fallen prey to another slavery system, but instead earned her freedom. She didn't want anyone else to go through more than they had to, and Zyrao had been her fair share of a slave herself. “She might be full of praise or still pissed off that I left her on Aldea. She needed to find a life of her own, one that wasn't mine. So I let her stay on Aldea, much to her protest, and she got mad at me. But, I think we have worked through it at this point.”
Her brow rose as he mentioned his 'fun times' on the planet surface. She thought about what kinds of things she could show him but honestly, it was mostly bars and Klingon fight arenas. Though the glassed walkways were her favorite things, just as the sunset was about to go down. When everything took on the hue of bronze and just glistened. It was a whole different world out there.
“You know, before you go, you should watch the sunset, just once. On one of the glassed walkways. I don't have the words to describe it, but I have seen a lot of the universe that it's still one of my favorite sites. If you have time in a day or so, let me know, I'll take you to the best spot.” she offered. Zyrao shifted herself and popped her boots up on the low table in front of them. Leaning lower on the couch allowed her neck and head to rest on the cushion behind her. Letting the muscles of her neck and shoulders relax.
“Alternatively, there are the Klingon fighting arenas. And the underground ones, too.” she said her eyes glancing over at him with their grey depths.
[ Thomas Ravon | Observation Lounge | Deck 10 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Zyrao revealed why she had place on Aldea, it made perfect sense too. He wondered if she'd feel bad for leaving a place like that behind. A place one could possibly call home. Then again, he wasn't sure if Aldea felt like home to her. If anywhere felt home to her for that matter. Next she shared what she collected and he frowned slightly as she told him he might think of her odd as she revealed what she collected. He honestly didn't see her as tea leaves collector and he was surprised in a way that she only collected the real thing.
Books were an ancient thing in the current era. He had seen a few of them in the Academy and some species still used them as well. All in all though, they were hard to get he figured or perhaps he didn't know where to look for them. He never had kept an eye out for them as he usually looked for the digital copies if he needed to do some reading. His eyes went over Zyrao as he studied her whilst she spoke of her collections. It would be a mystery for him to know many books she had lost with the destruction of the
Hakkarl. As for the tea leaves and cups, it perhaps fitted the profile of Zyrao after all in hindsight.
He shook his head at her question if he collected anything "I'm not really into material things, not for collecting at least." he smirked "Perhaps the patches of my previous squadrons and such... But nothing as extensive as a tea collection or book collection for that matter." he chuckled lightly as he stretched himself. The topic quickly turned to the boredom of peacetime and Zyrao seemed to be quite like Thomas in some fashion. The pilot having a cocky grin on his face as she called war time 'The good stuff'.
There was no denying that Zephyr still had a good grasp on Thom's life. Though he felt that he was coming down from his amorous feeling for the woman. She was special, his first real love. It would probably hurt still for a while and whenever he'd see her with Khorin, it might sting even more. Yet he had to move on, grow out of it. Zyrao was easy going and as she noted that he had paid attention to her other assets he had to laugh as he looked at her "Well, where else would I have been looking at during the shower after our spar?" he teased her, chuckling "Initially though I wanted to notice where my blows had been most effective, see where any bruising and what else would show. But... I got a good view of your body and I think if you're honest, you probably did the same to me. Just checking out the wares." he called her out on it.
He couldn't add much about this Chloe she was talking about and he had to laugh a little as she told him Chloe had been pissed for getting ditched on Aldea by Zyrao "Good to hear you guys worked through your differences or squabbles." he reflected upon what he said as he gazed out to the planet before them "I suppose in our line of work... Life is short.." his eyes rolling back as he looked at Zyrao "Well except for you..." he grinned "Usually life expectancy for people who actively seek out danger is low. So you know... I'll grieve for the loss of love, yet I'll have to move on as life is just too short to not live up to the fullest of it." he concluded as he shrugged again and shook his head.
Zyrao made a suggestion for alternatives of fun time and Thomas wondered why that specific site was her favorite. Considering the woman had been around for quite some time, perhaps it would be the effort to go and watch. He agreed with a nod "I'll let you know when I'm free in the next few days. I'll forward you a few dates perhaps so you can match in your schedule?" he suggested to her. The alternative to go to the fighting arena's made him smirk "As long as I don't have to go fight Klingons I'm good with it. I'll have El-Aurians for lunch though." he answered with a nudge of his shoulder against hers.
"Either way, if you're taking me out to Aldea. Perhaps I can give you a taste of what space flight in a fighter is? Not the simulator bull crap, but the real fucking thing. Could prove insightful if we're to work together. You'll be able to know what the ships are able to do, what payloads they could have and so on. Plus you'll get to feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins if I fly it properly." he grinned widely.
[Zyrao Natauna | Tea is a Way of Life | Planning New Events | I Can't Promise I Won't Fight in the Ring]@Nolan He didn't collect much, other than the patches from his missions that he would place on his jacket. She had never done such, taking mission patches or awards, ribbons, things like that. The few times in her long life she had ever earned such things she had felt undeserving. Too many people had died, if she had only been a little quicker, a little bit faster out of the gate to start actions, things might have been different. If only she had put her life more on the line, this badge could have gone to another. Thus, they had always ended up in the drawer beside her bed. Never looked at, never worn, never celebrated. She supposed if they were only badges and patches about missions and not really because you survived, then it might be something she would do something with. But, she doubted it.
Some things didn't need a reminder.
Now tea, that was different. Tea was not merely a collection, it was a way of life. The differing teas for differing moods. She preferred the leaves because it gave the proper steep and the flavors of the leaves did not come through when it was replicated. Many things didn't, but she found that her tea was merely colored and lackluster water when it was replicated. The subtle tastes of the leaves would never come through properly.
He admitted that he had window shopped at the goods she had to offer when they were sharing a shower after their spar. She had to admit, that spar had burned out more of her anger, frustration, and energy than she liked to admit. That release of endorphins and the sheer amount of physicality that had been called to it was amazing. She had felt her blood truly pumping in her veins for the first time since leaving the Klingon behind and joining with the
Theurgy. To know that there was someone on board that fought no holds barred like she did on this ship oddly made her feel that much more at home. There was something to be said about being bruised, bleeding, and still fighting that just resonated with her core. She supposed she probably shouldn't look too deeply into what caused that, but, just utilize it as much as she could.
“I won't lie that my gaze was not completely without interest.” she chuckled darkly and put another piece of snack into her mouth chewing on it softly while she looked out at the view. Her grey eyes reflecting the beauty of the world back at her, the stars, the orange glow of the planet below, and of course the low lighting in the room. “I would not be a true woman if I couldn't take the time to appreciate your hot but wounded body.” she grinned.
Of course she was teasing him, she did find him attractive but she knew his heart beat for another. And while she didn't mind senseless, unattached, needed sex, she was hoping to find someone she could walk beside at least for longer than a night. She didn't hold day dreams of marriage, children, and lifelong commitment. It had never played in her cards, so unless it fell into her lap, she was not expecting that from the world. Though she grew tired of one night stands, and here was the first time she had sampled a few women. She found them entertaining but even more flighty than the men in their increasing desires for multiple and different partners in a day. Young, she supposed, or something.
He mentioned that it was time to move on and not let the past bother him, life was short, especially in their line of work. Except for her. She chuckled again and shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe I'm just
really fucking good.” she winked over at him and hoped he was listening to his own advice. Letting the little girl that broke his heart by going with a Klingon go, would be the best for him. Whether he chose to entertain her, or entertain other women, he would need to start moving forward. Being stuck in the past would not get him anywhere, as she had learned with Calyn. Though she had to mourn him while being a slave, it was different and she had the time to mourn. Here, he was right, they were on the seat of danger all the time and she had heard the stories of the
Theurgy through the various staff and by just sitting around listening as she was talented in doing. She knew what kind of dangers this ship entertained and found them harrowing. This ship was not a joke and the danger it represented, the path it chose to fly, would only get more of them killed.
“Wise words, I hope you take them to heart yourself.” Zyrao was not one for holding back on her thoughts. She was calm and matter of fact about it, there was no joviality or teasing. Just honest truth. Zyrao had gotten a bad rap at first for not holding back on her thoughts, but now she found that there were those that actively sought her out because of that very thing. She had found in her long life there was no fucking reason to withhold perfectly pertinent information when it could change the course of what went on here. To hold back was to get someone killed and it would not happen on her watch.
He mentioned being interested in heading down to the planet soon for their fun as long as he didn't have to fight a Klingon. “Oh if anyone fights one, it'll probably be me.” she chuckled with a shrug and shook her head. “But, no, you don't, we can just watch. It's quite interesting.” she admitted as she looked over into his eyes. He told her that in return he would like to take her out in his space fighter. So she could see what they were capable of, which would better suit her job, and it would also be fun. She grinned a wide grin.
“I have not been in a fighter in too long. I would very much like that.” she admitted with a grin as the PADD beside her chimed and she reached over thumbing her finger across it's thumb pad only to see that she was needed somewhere. She sighed softly and brushed a hand through her thick, short, hair and looked over at Thom.
“Tomorrow, send me a time, I have a bit of freedom then.” she said as she rose putting the snacks in his lap incase he got hungry or brave. “Don't let anyone make you bloody that isn't me.” she winked, a little flirty, at him and turned to head off on her duties.
[ Thomas Ravon | Observation Lounge | Deck 10 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ There was some playful banter between the two of them, masked teasing and some playfulness, but all in all the two relaxed where they were. They shared a Klingon snack that could possibly be lethal if unchecked and in the end Zyrao left the bag with Thomas to indulge in before she left. The two had yet to set a date and time for their next encounter. Ravon watched the short haired El-Aurian leave as she was seemingly needed elsewhere. A grin having formed on his features after she had told him to not get bloodied by anyone else but her. His mind still stirred over the things they had talked to, lost love and how one's vision about it could change.
With a sigh Ravon ate another snack before he pushed himself out of the seats and walked out in an opposite direction of where Natuana had taken her leave. There were still matters to attend and things to do.
The next day...Returning from his latest combat patrol, Thomas still stood in his flight suit as he had dismissed the rest of the pilots. One of the Val'ravns had been undergoing specific repairs after the battle of the Apertures otherwise known as the Borg encounter. The hsip had suffered various damages and malfunctions post battle and had been decommissioned until further notice. The deck crews however had done a splendid job to get her space worthy, though Ravon figured he'd be the one to get her out in the cold confines of space to check if she'c be up for the task needed. The only thing was that he'd need a co pilot to fly along. His suggestion he had made to Zyrao came to mind and he figured he might as well ping her a message to see if she was available or not.
[PADD MESSAGE]
Miss Natuana,
Would you be able to free some time to understand the mechanics and abilities of the Lone Wolves squadron? I'm currently in the fighter assault bay and would be conducting a test flight in about thirty minutes. If convenient, I'll meet you there.
If inconvenient. Your loss.
Thomas Ravon
[END OF MESSAGE]
Ravon figured he'd have to fix her a flight suit in case she'd show up and he started already with the pre diagnostic checks as he plugged his PADD into the access hatch of the fighter to get a reading of all of the systems. He studied the readouts, finding a few anomalies and discrepancies that could be helped on the spot whilst some would need further repairs. Most however would not prevent the ship from being space worthy.
[Zyrao Natauna | Itching for Excitement | Desk Jobs Blow | Need Air | Someone Give Me a Reason to Punch Your Face In]@Nolan Zyrao sat in her Quarters, behind the desk that she used when she was working on official Klingon things that needed to be done. She was still sitting there, to the point where she was ready to throw the stack of PADDs that populated her desk on the ground and shoot them with her disruptor until they were nothing but a darkened stain on the deck plating. She had little time to be down on the surface and bringing some of her things back, but had enough time to at least bring some of her things. When she had free time, which was rare, she tended to decorate and set up her place. As she brushed a hand through her short hair and sat back in her high backed chair trying to release the tension from her neck and shoulders, her grey eyes cast around the room and what she had been able to accomplish so far.
Her bedding which did not have his own room, instead, more of an alcove through a mostly closed archway allowed her bedding to be seen. The large bed sat in the center of the arch way flanked by two lamps on either side that were mounted on the walls. Over the head board was one of her champion Bat'leth from one of the tournaments she had been part of a long time ago. The bed itself was made to military precision. Not a single wrinkle, completely even on all sides with sheets and blankets, two perfectly plump pillows on the top tucked into the blankets as well.
In the main living area, where she now sat, her desk faced a large view screen panel on the wall. She could see the back of her couch from where she sat. A massive rug gave a hint of home to the whole room, with it's deep reds, blacks, and blue colors. Mixed with a bit of cream it just set the room off. A couple of simple throw pillows both in the navy color, the same navy in her bedroom, sat on the couch. There was a singular throw on the back of the couch that was a color blocked blanket in the dark red and dark blue alternatively that hung down ready to be used at any point. The replicator sat to the side, and next to it was a specially built wall shelving unit that held her collection of tea cups, her teas, and the pot that she used when she needed it. The tins were arranged in alphabetical order, and by color, when appropriate. Her room lacked any other décor, there was nothing on the tables, though her desk was busy, it was also organized severely so that she never lost anything.
Pinching the bridge of her nose feeling the pressure of the oncoming stress headache she wondered what she could do with a break this evening. Maybe she should take a walk. Maybe she should head down to the planet and get her books, there was a shelf to the left of her desk for the ones that she did not wish to leave behind. Her eyes wandered to the empty shelf just waiting for her collection and she gave a sigh. That was what needed to be done. She truly needed to let the apartment down on Aldea go.
Her PADD, personal, gave a ping, and she groaned softly as she looked over at the offender sitting on the edge of her desk blinking urgently with it's notification light.
Those devices are the subjects of my nightmares these days. she thought ruefully. Reaching over with one of her tattooed arms she picked up the PADD and flicked her thumb over the lock pad. It opened and she pulled down the screen for messages. Her dark brow rose when she noticed the sender, one Thomas Ravon.
Well hello...Her eyes raced across the text there inviting her to head out on a flight with him if she wasn't too busy. Her lips quirked in amusement when he mentioned that it was her loss if it was inconvenient to join him. Oh he was trying to be cute, and it was working. For a moment, Zyrao thought about what to write, and realized that everything either sounded too dry, or overly enthusiastic, so she decided not to answer and instead leave the man in suspense. Her eyes shifted over towards the stack of work that awaited and yet, could wait longer, and decided that she would rather leave this shit behind and have a little break before she really did stain her rug.
Raising herself up from her chair she decided to clean up a little. She had been working all day, and had hit the gym earlier, so she wasn't certain that she didn't smell like the Klingon she represented. A quick five minute trip to the refresher and some newly replicated clothing and she was set. She had opted for some comfortable black pants, with pockets, much like the pants of her flight suit. Only without the rest of the suit. Instead, she went for a blood red tank top with a simple open hoodie in black over the whole ensemble. It was one of the things she could appreciate about the Fleet, these hoodies, and this one had a large wolf emblem on the front if it was closed, but it wasn't.
Using the turbolift system she headed off towards Ravon, sliding her PADD into her pocket and closing the pocket so as not to lose it. It wasn't long before she found herself on the fighter assault bay, and stepping out to look around for Thom. The place was massive, and she did not know him well enough to know which fighter was his, or where he would be. So she hailed a nearby officer.
“You can assist me.” she stated, it wasn't a question. “I need to know where Thomas Ravon is.”
The young woman, blonde hair twisted up into a bun behind her head neatly looked around with vivid green eyes. Then she pointed. “That's his fighter, the third one down there. He'll probably be over there.”
“Perfect, thank you.” Zyrao said simply.
The girl just kind of stared at her, likely intimidated, as many were by her mere presence. She slid her hands into the pockets of her pants and strolled across the deck. She moved leisurely as if she had no real reason to rush. Though she was intrigued at this flight they were going on, she was more intrigued by the invitation and the man that sent it, she wanted to make sure that everyone knew she was here by choice and on her own time. Grey eyes shifted around the fighter looking for Thom, and at first she didn't see him, but then she realized she saw him leaning against the fighter looking at his PADD.
I could use a great stress reliever right now, and it only involves the cockpit. she thought sizing up Ravon from the back for a moment as she silently strolled up before she stopped and leaned against the fighter casually.
“I hope you're not here to test my mechanical knowledge.” she broke the silence for a moment a playful grin on her face as she looked over at Thom. “How far do we get to push your baby today?” she asked patting the fuselage a couple times.
[ Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ The screen on the PADD had several green lights though a few reds and orange blinking lights were present as well. Ravon clenched his jaws together at the end result and was somewhat caught off guard as Zyrao spoke up and asked him if he'd be here to test her mechanical knowledge. Ravon's head snapped to the source of the words and he lowered the PADD slightly as he laughed and shook his head "Well, that's too bad, nothing more sexy than a girl knowing her mechanical stuff." he teased her which apparently happened so easily around her. He shook his head again "But no, I didn't ask you here for your knowledge on fighter engineering. I did however call you to check if you were still on for that offer to fly you around?"
As she patted the bird and asked how far they'd take it he grinned almost devilishly "Starters, this ain't my bird. My baby is sitting right over there." he said as he nodded to his fighter at the end of the bay, closest to the wall "Secondly, we're taking this ship here for stress testing." he informed her "So while we'll be seeing the sights and all that, we'll also be doing combat maneuvers and high demanding actions that will test the ship to certain limits." he concluded with a smile "Or would that be too much for a girl like you?" he teased her again, expecting any sort of physical reaction to be flung towards him, though in his suit he'd either not feel it or be able to dodge it just in time.
After hearing her reply he had to laugh and nodded "Alright, anyway, time to get you in a flight suit before we head out there. Follow me." he instructed her as he unhooked the PADD, sending the readout to an flight deck post so the deckhands knew what still had to be done to meet Ravon's specifications for the ship. They marched over the deck and Ravon looked next to him at Zyrao as he explained her the essentials of the flight suit. How it would help survive decompression in the cockpit, provide her with needed oxygen and act as a life support in the worst case scenario. They entered the wolves' changing rooms and he sized her up before replicating her a flight suit. "Should fit you. You can let the gears lock in a tad tighter if you like. As for what to wear underneath, some prefer to go in with a tank top and shorts though others just go with their underwear or nude. Call is yours. Just give me a shout if you need a hand." he smiled as he showed her how she could get into the suit.
He didn't leave the room though and walked over to his locker and opened it up as he took out his helmet and moved some stuff around. He had seen Zyrao nude before, thus he figured there'd be no reason to go and wait outside until she was ready or required assistance to help her in the suit. Then again, he wasn't going to look at her every move and action whilst she changed and he leaned against his locker while filling out the flight details for the test flight to mission control. He did glance up a few times to see how far along she was getting yet remained silent for the most of it.
[Zyrao Natauna | Flying is Freedom | Good Company | Getting Things Done | Lets Blow This Place]@Nolan She grinned over at him and his little comeback at her words. She gavve a little bit of a grin and then a nod. “Oh I know my way around a Bird of Prey, but this is uncharted territory I'm afraid.” she admitted looking over at him. Liking the way that he was teasing her, that he wasn't afraid of her, he wasn't intimidated by her. Instead, he was just enjoying himself with her and being who he was. It was nice, to have him close like this and to be building a relationship with him that was easy. He claimed not to have called her because of her mechanical knowledge but instead to see if she was game for flying. Her brow perked and a smile crossed her face.
“You bet your ass I am. It's been too long.”
He claimed that this was not his baby, and her brow rose even higher. Following his pointed direction she noticed the bird in the back of the fighter bay that was apparently his own. Her eyes shifted over to him again when he stated they would be taking this particular one out for testing. That it needed to go through combat maneuvers and high demanding actions to test it's worth and limits. She gave him a quick and simple nod.
“I'm completely game, lets do it. Though, I wonder if you can fly hard enough to give me a thrill.” she challenged with a bit of a mischievous grin on her face as she did so. Once he laughed at her little comment he told her to come with him to get into a flight suit. She pushed off the bird and followed him across the deck. She shoved her hands into the pockets of her pants as she walked, the muscles on her arms just underneath her tattoos, showed in the lighting of the deck. As they walked, he explained how the whole thing went, how to get her flight suit on, working, and fitted to her body. He explained how it would help her survive being out in space and she allowed him to talk and to educate her though some of these things she knew, she just was enjoying the company.
In the locker room he looked her up and down before he replicated her a flight suit and handed it to her. Stating it should fit well enough. The gears could lock it in a tad tighter and he explained what could go underneath, or didn't have to. She chuckled, softly taking it from him and turning to one of the benches in the room that was used for strapping boots on or taking them off. There was no need to be shy, he had seen it all anyway and she wasn't overly shy about her form. Living with Klingon did that as well. She stripped down and folded her clothing carefully placing it on the bench since she had no where else to put it. She was very meticulous about how she folded them and placed her boots on the deck plating just below but tucked underneath the bench and out of the way so that she didn't trip anyone up. Stepping into the flight suit she began to pull it up and over the curves of her body before zipping it up into place.
Once it was up, she used the gears as he had instructed to get it to fit her like a glove. Which was the look she was going for. She liked to make sure that it was fully on her body and knew that it was as fitted as possible. Thom was changing in the same room, and she would lie if she said her eyes didn't wander from time to time across the room and over his form. Finally finished, she turned and stepped into her boots again, tying them up quickly and tightly before she walked over to Thom who had likely finished before her since he was used to it far more than she was.
“Ready to for a ride?” she asked with a bit of a grin with her little teasing tone to her voice. She waited for him to lead the way to the fighter they were going to be testing out today. Once they were underneath it, she let him come up on his own first and he held a hand down for her. She took it and used it to help hoist herself up into the fighter with him and popping into the seat behind him. Grabbing the straps she buckled herself into the seat and clasped them tightly making sure that she was strapped tightly and securely so that she wouldn't have to worry about whatever maneuvers would be taking place today.
She grabbed the comm unit that was hanging on the side, and put it on her ear and the small mic over towards her mouth so they could speak while they were on board.
“Show me what you got, Flyboy.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ It would look like that the El-Aurian didn't need a lot of help to get ready. She adapted well to the flight suits and managed to lock herself in without any help from Thomas. The pilot doing the same in the meantime, losing little time about it as this was a pretty natural action to him. Once Zyrao told him that she was ready to go, he smirked and offered her a helmet before he slid his on. Her comment had been rewarded with a grin and a wink before his face was blocked out of sight.
As the taxiing began, Zyrao challenged Thomas once more to show her what he got and he tilted his head slightly sideways before he gave a nod "Just let me know when it's too much." he warned her before they were lined up for departure. She could hear him talk to the mission controller before the ship took off with full power. It was enough to cause the both of them to get pushed in their seats as the ship hurdled itself out of the fighter bay. Thom could heard laughing as the ship rocketed away from the Aldean shipyard. They were making their way to the dark pockets of space once more.
Once far enough Thomas flicked a few switches and punched in a few buttons before he cleared his throat "Welcome to the Federation's newest prototype. Supposedly they'd want these to replace the warp fighters they currently have. I think they're still doubting between this design and the Valkyrie one." with the introduction done, he rolled the ship into a barrel roll before he began to test the simplest maneuvers first. A steep climb followed by another barrel roll before going into a deep dive. A few systems began to blare which indicated the stress the pilot was putting the ship through. He pushed the ship to maximum sub light speed before yanking the stick. Knowing all too well that this could cause for the person in the backseat to be thrown around a bit. The testing had caused him to feel his gut sink a few times which was the best feeling one could get in his opinion
After yanking left and right he eventually came level again as they made their way to a small debris field "Still doing alright back there?" he asked Zyrao, listening to her reply first before he sped up to the debris field. He asked her to flip on the weapon systems and when given control he fired the initial rounds to see if the cannon calibration was on point. After that, he tore them through the field, testing the deflector shields and integrity of the ship as some of the smaller debris scraped along the ship. Once that was over her flipped the ship around so they could both see Aldea in the distance as he let go of the controls for now "Not regretting your choice?" he teased her "Or are you used to rougher rides?"
[Zyrao Natauna | Feels Good to be Back | Been a While | Lets Do This | Ravon Likes Rough Rides]@Nolan The fighter began to power up underneath her and Zyrao could feel the not so subtle vibrations underneath her seat. She had put her helmet on before they entered the cockpit which effectively hid her own face from him but she would be behind him anyway. As the fighter began to taxi out towards the vacuum of space, she made sure that all the harnesses and buckles were all tightened and in place. If her gut feeling about Thom's flying was right, she was going to need them to keep her body in place. Some of the buckles were a little different, in design, to what she was used to but she was managing well enough.
“Give it your best shot.”
He lined them up and waited for the go ahead for them to head out on their journey. As he began to head out, the power alone sent her back into the confines of her seat. The soft material coming up to surround her a little bit to make it a less harsh punishment on her body. She didn't mind though, the G's alone felt thrilling and she remembered how good it felt to fly. To be moving faster than should be possible. It was perfection in itself. She could hear his voice in her ear again welcoming her to the Federation's newest prototype. They had wanted to replace the warp fighters with this and that he believed they were doubting themselves. Trying to pick through this one and the Valkyrie. Her brows rose, though he couldn't see her from where she was behind him.
“Well so far, I'm a fan.” she chuckled into the mic as they continued with his maneuvers. Unlike most people that would probably be screaming or holding onto things as he did all sorts of crazy maneuvers, Zyrao was along for the ride. She was watching his flight patterns on the screens in front of her, she was figuring out what he was doing just a little bit before he actually did it. Sometimes she took her time to enjoy the view out of what little of the clear dome she could actually see out of. Allowing her to see the distant stars speeding past them, to see the beauty of Aldea moving past them so quickly.
The only thing he did that surprised her was pushing the fighter to nearly light speed only to stop it fast causing her body to jolt against the harnesses. She was glad, again, that she had tightened them on her body fully so that she didn't have to worry about hefty bruises. She might be a little sore after this, but she would be just fine and found herself overly unconcerned. As the fighter came level again Zyrao looked around and realized that they were much further than they had been. Shame that there was no way to have some private moments out here. At least, not that she could think of with them being behind one another.
“I'm still breathing, anyway.” she teased. “That last maneuver was a good one.” she admitted.
The flight began again, towards the debris field and he asked to flip on the weapons systems. She was still learning some of the words in Standard, she had only been on board for less than a month and it wasn't easy to take on a new language. But, she was working hard, studying harder, and had started with the words most important to her job and her liaison responbilities. So she knew the words weapons systems, and so forth. It was no big deal for her gloved hand to flip the three differing switches that enabled the systems, the targeting system, and the shared view screen. He began to fire into the debris field and she watched on screen and off as small remnants of the past began to take the hits. Once he felt that he was done with weapons he pushed them into the debris field likely to test the ship and her hull, though getting thrust out into the vacuum of space didn't sound all that interesting to her should the hull fail. Though she figured that they wouldn't have let them take out the fighter if there was a risk of that at all. They turned around and she could see Aldea over his shoulder and out the front windows. The bright orange planet was quite lovely on it's own, and she was glad that she had spent some of her life living there. She was felt a little trepidation about going with the
Theurgy, it was a decision that she could not take back suddenly. Zyrao could only hope it was the right choice.
“Definitely not regretting my choice.” she grinned, even though he couldn't see it he could likely hear it in her voice. “I like my rides rough.” she reminded him with a dark and fun chuckle through the coms unit.
Zyrao allowed herself the moments of enjoying the view before them. She had yet to see it from this far away, not really. She was always on a ship, being busy, or on the planet's surface much the same. Sometimes she forgot to enjoy the moments of beauty that surrounded the universe. As hard as life could be, there was something to be said about the moments that you could just sit and enjoy the lovely view. Life went on, no matter what happened, in some way life would move forward. The universe constantly created new beauty, and right now, she was enjoying the view.
“How did you end up addicted to the adrenaline of flying fighters?” she asked over the mic. “Have you ever dabbled in tactics or security?” she inquired while they sat with one another enjoying the view.
[ Thomas Ravon | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ With the high endurance testing the time for rest had seemingly arrived as Thomas kept the ship steady. He had chuckled and laughed and some comments of Zyrao, yet not replied to all of them. He was glad that she didn't regret the choice to fly along with him in the back of the fighter. Her comment about enjoying her rides rough had caused him to smirk, even though she might not notice it. "Good to know." he replied her with a teasing tone. The fighter was positioned perfectly though as the sun glared through the cockpit into the two of them. Slowly but surely the sun was setting behind the planet, offering the two of them a unique sunset so to speak.
"How can one not get addicted to the adrenaline pumping through your veins in a fighter?" he bounced Zyrao's question back before he laughed "I had a skill for it apparently to my teachers in the Academy. Natural born flyboy." he chuckled "Good thing I enjoy it, makes pleasure and work combine-able." he shrugged before he set the ship to an automatic state to stay in the current position. He tapped on a few buttons and with a beep his face appeared in the lower left section of Zyrao's HUD. The same would happen with him so he'd be able to see Zyrao. A smug grin on his face, though she could tell that he had properly enjoyed the flight himself.
"As for security of tactics... I've had the ground basics of security and what else. Nothing as fancy as the advanced security classes, though I'll be able to fend for myself during combat." he continued to answer her questions "Tactics on the other hand... It comes with the territory. I won't say that i'm a strategic mastermind, though I do have a few patterns and tricks up my sleeve when I fly out with the squadron. I mean, I'd be a poor SCO if I would opt for a frontal assault every single time when we'd engage in combat."
The sun was halfway behind Aldea by the meantime and the lights on the planet could be barely made out from their position "What about you? Don't miss the ground action as a strategist?" he asked her as he looked into her eyes through the feed he was receiving.
[Zyrao Natauna – Klingon Liaison | Time Stands Still | Chatter | Deeper Appreciation]@Nolan He was right, there was something to be said about adrenaline. When it pumped through her veins, when she was in battle, when she was in a fight with meaning. There were so many times that it was perfection, pushing herself, knowing that her life was at stake. That was when it pumped the most, when she knew that a wrong move could end her life. The hyper awareness that came from all of that together. As much as she really liked the art of tactics and strategy because it stretched her mental muscles as much as it could, it was the thrill of the battle that she got off of. So, unlike some who might not exactly be able to understand Ravon and his need for it, Zyrao understood it completely. A smile played on her lips as he spoke, though he couldn't see it because there was no camera footage of one another even in the HUD.
Except of course that was when he pushed some buttons up front and suddenly his grin filled the corner of her vision so he likely saw her smile before it faded away. Zyrao was normally a fairly guarded person, so to see a true and open smile, was pretty rare for her. She had a life time of hardship, losing people, losing herself, changing herself, and coming to terms with how her life was as a rogue. She had no home, she had no place to return to, every place was just being somewhere. Finding a place to rest her head and get through to the next day. Drex's ship was the one place that had seemed most like a home, and that, too, was gone now. Now, she was on the
Theurgy and she had never felt more like a stranger, never felt more unwanted, than she did now on a ship that she was supposed to be helping as much possible.
He began to speak, as her smile returned to a more neutral face, that security was something that he was good at, though he hadn't taken any special classes or anything. Tactics came with the job of flying and being able to read battle patterns in space so that he could chose where to go. A frontal assault was not always the best method of winning a fight. A slight smirk filled her features. “It rarely is, actually.”
He asked if she missed the excitement of being on the ground, of being in the action, a fore-longing look crossed her face as her voice dipped in tone. “Every day.” she stated looking out the view of Aldea in the distance while she tried to think about it. “I have been in space battles, and ground battles, I have lead insurrections, and betrayals, I have battled the Borg with my own hands, I have done many things and yet here I sit now.. behind a desk. Untrusted, and yet with a job to do. I know I must earn my place here, earn the trust, and yet I have ideas and thoughts and plans that would only assist the ship in battles.”
She would have brushed a hand through her hair but she couldn't because of the helmet she wore. Her grey eyes had a distant look within them. “I have spoken to Commander Cross who stated he would ask Ives if I could assist in tactical when my Klingon expertise wasn't needed. I look forward to that, should it come to fruition. I understand the trepidation regarding my presence here. However, they asked that I should stay, and yet treat me as though, I am unwelcome. Ives is kind and good, and Commander Cross has been as well. Then there is Jennifer. Yet, I feel as though the rest of the ship is unsure of what to make of me.” she gave a simple shrug. “I had thought I had worked hard enough to prove myself helping the
Theurgy survive and saving some of the crew myself.”
A slight smirk quirked at her lips. Her eyes returned to Thom's face in her view.
“So outside of battle, what gets your heart racing?” she inquired changing the tone of the conversation.
[ Thomas Ravon | Kestrel | Open space | Somewhere in view of Aldea ] Attn: @BZ As the face of Zyrao appeared in his helmet, he could see her smile before it faded away slowly. Come to think of it, he had always seen her grin, though never actually seen her smile. Perhaps he did when they were trying to fake kill one another on the sparring mat the first time they met. Regardless, it was a nice smile to look at and Thomas had to chuckle as she confirmed that a frontal assault was rarely a good idea. He looked up at Aldea once more as the sun was still in the process of creeping behind the planet.
Zyrao admitted that she did miss the thrill of battle, that adrenaline pumping addiction that so many of their brother and sister in arms had. Now however, it seemed like the ferocious fighting woman had been reduced to a desk duty girl. A punishment perhaps or a more safer place, depending how you looked at it. She also spoke about the lack of trust and the plans that she had for Thea to assist her. Thomas gave a nod, yet didn't answer just yet. There seemed to be a very few that trusted her and as she mentioned Dewitt, Thomas couldn't help but think about the woman from a different perspective. The redhead and himself had been crossing the lines of work and pleasure a couple of times these past few weeks.
"Like you said, trust has to be earned. We'd be a joke of a crew if we were to trust everyone in just a heartbeat." he answered her as he looked in her eyes "For what its worth... With the track record we're having, I'm pretty sure you'll have copious moments to prove yourself to the others or to change their mind about you at least." he grinned before the sun dipped behind the planet entirely. He engaged the thrusters once more and flew back on a standard speed to the drydock.
"Outside battles..." he repeated after her as he had to think about it "Well... I do like a good poker game. Besides that, I like to get my hands dirty with working on ships. Just puts my mind at ease to tinker I suppose." he smiled faintly. He remained silent for a few seconds before he teasingly added "Otherwise... When I'm not overly heartbroken... I do enjoy some female company and whatever might flow out of that." It seemed like Thomas was growing out of his heartbroken state as he could manage to make jokes about it. He knew he had to move on and he was doing so at his own pace.
"What about you? What really gets you going besides sitting at a desk while thinking about tactical solutions?" he asked her with a stupid grin on his face. He was definitely teasing her and perhaps even on the edge of provoking her. The talks he had with Zyrao had been different from the talks he'd have with his peers. They were a pleasant change from what conversations he usually had. Zyrao was straight forward and he appreciated it, she didn't take any shit and could handle the shit that was flung to her should a problem arise. A complete opposite of Zephyr, yet not a bad thing per se.
[Zyrao Natauna – Klingon Liaison | Riding the Waves | Chasing the Sun | Only Gets Better When You're With Someone]@Nolan The sun was setting over the Aldean planet and it was lovely. The way that the like peeked over the horizon of the planet, shimmering like a starburst against the darkness of the space around it. There was something beautiful about seeing the sunset across a planet, knowing that the people on the planet were currently experiencing it but there was another level of magic when it came from this far. Her eyes shifted over to it, and Thom's face in the corner of her vision was still there. It was nice to see his face, had she known he could turn it on whenever he wanted she might have been a little more careful with her smile earlier. It wasn't that she didn't like to have it seen, it was just that, she felt that a smile really showed her. The inner Zyrao the one that she gave to the world but still hid parts of it away. She didn't like to put all her cards on the table at the beginning, but instead, allow those around her to earn them as she felt more comfortable. Besides, she had been alive for such a long time, she was not even remotely like the young woman battling the Borg. Oh the core was still there, the drive to fight, the drive to push herself in the line of protecting others. But, the shell had morphed, changed, and moved with her life. Differing things causing her psyche to change through all of the challenges she had faced and all the shit she had conquered.
As they began to head back towards the
Theurgy he told her that it was true trust would take time. It would be something that she would have more of a chance to earn as they headed back out among the stars and continued with their lives. The track record of the
Theurgy spoke volumes, and it was one of those things that wasn't going to change. The ship attracted trouble in a way that she didn't think any ship could actually manage. This one seemed to be hell bent on almost dying before it came through to the other side stronger than before. Being on board, Zyrao had heard many stories, both horror and triumph. She was glad to be part of the ship, glad to be on board something that could be so amazing, and yet worried about the chance they would eventually cross something they could not defeat.
She began to learn a little bit about Thomas. There were things she would learn just being around him, but some things, she felt he could just talk about for her. He enjoyed poker, and tinkering with ship and fighters. When he wasn't overly heartbroken he enjoyed the company of a woman. Zyrao found herself intrigued that he hadn't actually made a pass at her, for someone that liked the company of women. But, there was a reason for that. Either he was more interested than a tryst, or he wasn't interested at all. Either was fine, really, she found Thomas easy to talk to and very good looking but Zyrao was not the desperate sort and she certainly wasn't going to chase after someone that could find what he needed elsewhere.
He earned himself another classic Zyrao grin. “A fine man like you likely has plenty of lovely women at his door.” she stated. “On a more serious note, I am glad to hear that your heart is on the mend. I do not enjoy watching you suffer.”
He inquired as to her own hobbies and she thought about which to pull out. “Well, I enjoy books, the paper kind, not the ones on my PADD, I like things tangible if possible. I know that's old school but then, I'm old.” she said with a mocking grin on her face. “I like tea, real leaves, and I tend to collect much of both. When I'm not strategizing for the ship, I'm usually playing strategy games, or exploring. I like fighting, and working out, and boxing. I like to find people stupid enough to challenge me in a ring just because I'm a female. I prefer hands on things, and I am always hungry to learn new things.”
Thinking of that.
“Perhaps you could teach me some of your tinkering. If you wouldn't mind taking me under your wing.” she stated simply as they began to ask for clearance of the Assault bay to see if they could land safely. Once they got permission, Thomas began to glide the fighter into place.
[ Thomas Ravon | Valravn | Open space | Somewhere in view of Aldea ] Attn: @BZ The HUD showed how far they were still off from the
Theurgy as the two continued having their talks. It was nice to get to know someone truly, in the privacy of the cockpit, they were sure nobody would be listening in. Zyrao's comment about having a lot of lovely ladies waiting at his door made the pilot laugh. It had been a genuine laugh, one he hadn't had in quite a while. He shook his head and shrugged, unsure if she'd see the latter "Perhaps, though..." he answered before he seemed to look straight in her eyes "As much as I like the company of women, I only really chase those rare few for more than just fun." he informed her, making sure it was subtle enough to not call her one of those rare few. Zyrao had been fun to be around. In fact she was probably the first who he openly talked about Zephyr. Than again, she was the first one to feel his anger as well that night in the gymnasium. He felt like he could trust Zyrao, like he could open up to her in confidence and be himself around her.
Thomas had given those feelings some thoughts as of late, yet he didn't quite find it to be the right time to make his move just yet. Obviously, he had felt some attraction to Zyrao and it helped in a way that Zyrao was new, different. She wasn't like any of the other women he had met before and it was a refreshing fact. Something that made him want to explore her more deeply. He smiled at her words that his heart was on the mend and he furrowed his brows when she told him she did not enjoy watching him suffer "You know, you could've fooled me with the whole not suffering part. I mean, our regular sparring sessions really consist out of just bringing more suffering." he teased her.
Zyrao opened up about her fascination of paper books and authentic tea. A curious hobby to have, though one that Thomas didn't judged upon. Strategy games sounded like fun, though he doubted he could actually win from her, at least fair and square. The more physical aspects he had known and felt at first hand as he laughed and nodded. His eyes looking at her through the little frame more often as the approach was set and the docking sequence started.
"Sure, I can help you get your fingers dirty with grease and oil." he snickered "Just let me know when you want to give it a try." he winked at her as the
Theurgy became bigger and bigger with their final approach. He left the camera feed on as he focused on the landing bit, not wanting to scrape the deck below with the landing gear. The ship was placed on its designated pad and with a thump they locked onto the deck before the engines were shut down and the systems began to shut down one by one. The video feed suddenly cutting off as the canopy opened and Thomas stood up, removing his helmet and turning around to take a look at Zyrao.
The two of them had a little chat once more as they changed back into their regular clothes and after saying their goodbyes. They agreed that the next time they'd meet, it would be on Aldean soil. To watch a sunset as Zyrao had convinced him that it would be a spectacle to see.
[Zyrao Natauna | Moving Forward | Healing Hearts | Sunset Medication | Copper Colored Memories]@Nolan It was half an hour til the sun would begin it's descent. Zyrao had wanted to make sure that they had plenty of time to get to the small stretch of sand she had in mind. She had come here, long ago, when she still lived on the planet. She had even brought Chloe here, once, as a special treat before she had left the young woman on the planet. At some point, she would have to tell Ravon what she had done, but the story of Chloe and her life could wait, it was little consequence to the man standing on the shuttle landing pad beside her. She had known of this spot and picked the landing zone to the closest. She had spent careful calculations of average walk time, versus the shape they were in, their desire to get to said destination, and the terrain they would be traversing. Working all of that with a clock of how long it would take for the sun to begin truly dropping from the sky for one of the most rare and beautiful sights in the universe, well there was a full on plethora of mathematics on the desktop in her Quarters.
She picked up the bag she had replicated, filled, and brought with her for their little foray. There was no reason not to come prepared and it was an edict she tried to live by. Though Zyrao was the sort that could live off of almost nothing and make it lats longer than most she didn't need to in this situation. So she put the bag over her shoulder and nodded for the man beside her to follow.
Over the last week or so, the two of them had been running into each other. There had been the spar in the gym that had started it all. The blood, the pound of skin, the crack of bones, the knuckles torn and bloody and the shower afterwards. It had all started everything. Then, there was the drinking in his Quarters, real alcohol, talking, really talking. Doing everything they could to get to know each other and her learning about his heart being crushed by an unusual named woman. There was the few run ins, in corridors, and small areas of the ship. Then, the flight he had taken her on, as they talked and sat watching the sunset over the Aldean planet itself. She had assured him the one down on the planet was even better, and now she had the chance to prove it.
It wasn't a long walk until they were in the sand, and Zyrao leaned down and stepped out of the shoes she had been wearing, dangling them by the laces as they headed still further, waiting only until he took his own off. “Have you ever felt sand like this?” she asked as they walked, the sand was soft, different from the sands of Earth that were more gritty, this was soft and gentle and it caressed the skin instead of being harsh with it.
They had a ways to walk, to a small jetty that jutted out into the ocean. The waves would lick at the massive golden rocks and the sunshine would shimmer on them almost making them glow as it went down and filled the whole area with the copper sheen. She could see the shadow of the jetty off in the distance, it wouldn't take more than fifteen or so minutes to get that far. And they were walking at a pace that she had accounted for in her calculations.
It was odd, she had never truly felt a presence before. But, as Thomas walked beside her she could feel him there, it was the strangest sensation for her. It was as though she was hyper aware of him being there. She looked over, grey eyes studying him in his borrowed Aldean robes that could be cast off if desired once they got to their special spot. She herself wore a small pair of shorts, ripped at the ends with small denim fringe hanging down around the edges of her tattooed legs. Then she wore a large oversized sweatshirt on top that had a large Klingon logo on it, the house that she had belonged to during all her years with them. It was best, and no one would ask questions. They would know her by the tattoos and the marking on her sweatshirt for who she was, so there would be no one that would bother them. She would love for them to fucking try.
“When is the last time you were planet-side, before Aldea?” she asked curiously, as they walked on, she was pretty sure she had heard he had been on the planet before, and rumor had it, with a certain Science officer that he was heartbroken over. She didn't like seeing him upset, and part of her wanted to see how many times her fist could connect with that woman's face before it was rearranged and unrecognizable. However, she had a feeling that Thomas would not appreciate her pro-bono plastic surgery.
“Before Aldea, this time anyway, it has been some time for me. Drex hardly ever docked anywhere, we went from mission to mission, and only had our boots hit the surface if the fight could not be settled in the stars.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Some Beach | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ The produced Aldean Chlamys had been more to Ravon's taste than the one he had worn on his first trip to Aldea. This one had been manufactured to fit his size and body structure. It fit like a glove as the dark orange had been highlighted with red streaks that stretched open if he'd walk or extend his reach. The inside of the fabric was soft and warm enough that the pilot chose to not wear anything underneath besides a blue swim short that would reach just above his knees. The shuttle trip down to the planet had been an easy one as he had been sitting next to Zyrao who wore something entirely else than a chlamys. A thought that had made Thomas chuckle a while on their way down to the planet.
While Thomas ought to move around without a care to his mind, the trip did serve as a reminder of the situation he had found himself in with Zephyr. It was a thought that had crossed his mind on the landing pad, yet one he banished as he served with a different company. Perhaps even a better company if that similar situation would arise? Regardless Zyrao had come prepared as she was hauling a bag along with her. The suggestion to carry to bag for her had rose up in Ravon's mind, though he figured he could find some resistance by the rather independent strong woman that Zyrao was.
When they reached the sand Zyrao removed her footwear and Thomas followed shortly after as the sand felt ever so soft against the skin. The sand still warm from the sun's rays throughout the day, though it would presumably cool down as night would fall. Zyrao's question about the sand made Thomas look up at her and he shook his head "Not really, I've felt Terran sand before, but this is obviously different... More pleasant I might dare say." he smirked as he did ink his feet into the sand before continuing his way with the tattooed woman.
The area they were in was rather different from where he had been the first time over on Aldean soil. The color that the sun cast over the area made it all look so surreal. Whilst the temperatures were still pleasantly warm, it wasn't overly hot. The pace they were having wasn't that high either even though they were making good progress. Zyrao's question made Thomas look up at her as she asked when he had been planetside before Aldea. He had to think it over before he chuckled again and shook his head.
"The last time I had my boots on the ground would be when I crash landed my ship on an asteroid. Lets just say that the environment was a complete opposite of where we are now. Ice and rocks with a maelstrom of sorts and a very hostile environment." he explained it to her before shrugging "As for an actual planet..." he thought again and rubbed the back of his neck "I suppose that would be Theta Eridani, before it all got fucking fire and death..." he sighed, the memory about their escape not such a pleasant one "Come to think of it, my shore leaves never really end well, so here's to hoping that it'll be different." he concluded with a grin.
"So your planet side experiences usually involved blood, fighting and victory?" he teased her as the jetty came closer into sight. Ravon assumed that it would be their destination as they closed the distance and the soft sand was replaced by warm wood as they made their way onto the jetty. The wood was still warm as it seemed to have been a rather warm day on Aldea. Reaching the end of the jetty, Thom looked over the Aldean ocean as he breathed in the air. It smelled nice, exotic even and it almost felt like actual shore leave. He looked over at Zyrao after he looked around them, the water being deep enough to dive into. "Say, you know the planet... What's the water temperature right now?" he inquired her, the teasing tone audible as his eyes burned with mischief as she could probably tell that he was readying himself to either jump in the water or better yet, start a struggle that would have her end up in the water herself. The suspicion being confirmed rather quickly as Ravon dashed forward, grabbing Zyrao by the arms in an attempt to push her over the edge. His grip strong however as he'd not let go of her should she managed to tip him over first.
[Zyrao Natauna | You Don't Know Who You're Dealing With | A Fight or Something More | Riding the Waves | Playful Antics]@Nolan She did not know what Terran sand felt like, but she had heard from some people that had commented about the Aldean sand that it was much harsher and more coarse. She wasn't sure if that was the truth but she doubted that she would get the same message from multiple source while she worked around the ship. It wasn't as though she had asked but she always had her ear peeled for various things and people liked to talk. Especially, about Aldea because getting to spend some time on warm sunny beaches was a extremely rare treat for the crew of the
Theurgy. She was just glad that it was a pleasurable experience for him, and that they were able to spend time together. Outside of rank, outside of the ship, and outside of her being judged for having been Klingon and new for a while. No, this was nice and she most definitely enjoyed the fact that she was spending her time with Thomas. He had been growing on her a bit lately, especially after their flight.
He described to her the last place his boots had hit some kind of soil only it wasn't soil at all it was an ice planet. She rose her brow listening as he explained the hostile environment and one she was not interested in visiting herself. He told her then, about another planet he had seen here but it was all fire and death, and her brow rose even higher. “Your luck and planetary adventures leaves a lot to be desired.” she teased a little bit as they walked towards their destination.
She chuckled as he asked her about her own. “Here? Yes. I was brought here living the Klingon way. Fight clubs, championships, I hold a title, I'll have you know.” she grinned at him pretty proud of the championship that she had won. “Lots of Klingon food and blood, fighting and ass kicking, and of course proving my honor and worth.”
“The other times I have been on a planet have been because I was someone's property. Outside of El-Auria, that was my life. Aldea was a welcome home outside of living that kind of life style for so long. The ship and the apartment I had here, were the things that kept me grounded for a while. Knowing that I could finally have a piece of the world that was mine again.”
Slavery was not something that she liked ot talk about but it was part of her past and part of her life. It was largely part of how she became who she was now, and honestly, she didn't really want to hide from it. While she didn't want to go in depth of all the things that she had been forced to do while being a slave she was just very glad that she was done with it all. That she could put it behind her and live to tell the tales rather than still be in the throws of the suffrage. She knew that she would probably talk to the right person about it from time to time, but right now, she didn't want to push herself to talk right now and ruin their moment. Talk of slavery was the kind of talk to have over booze and in bed with someone you cared greatly for. That you could truly open yourself up to.
As they got to the end of the jetty where she planned for them to spend the sunset and some of the evening until the stars came out, she put down the bag. Inside were towels, blankets, food, drinks, and some snacks as well for when they were ready. She didn't really have a full plan for the evening outside of the very loose one she had created in her mind. But, it was just about getting to know more about Ravon and getting to spend more time with him. Outside the ship seemed to be easier right now because neither of them were held to any kind of stigma or standard. Zyrao pulled out a large blanket and unfolded it, carefully placing it on the ground, as Thomas looked out over the ocean that had a copper tone to it because of the sunlight and the colors of the sun itself. It was just about to really start getting beautiful but they had a good ten minutes or so before it was time to really enjoy the glow. Thomas looked over at her and asked if she knew the temperature of the water. She stood up and shrugged off the sweatshirt she had been wearing and tossed it on the ground showing off the tank top that she wore underneath which was white, loose, and ragged at the hem. She looked out at the water and then back at the man she was spending her time with.
“Well, the water will still be warm, since Aldea has two su-” she was in the middle of explaining everything to him when he launched at her. She nearly twisted out of his grasp but instead just shifted her body to take the brunt of his hit and then they were in the air. Flying through it for just a moment before the both of them crashed into the water with a large splash and water spraying everywhere. Zyrao kicked him away from her under the water and then surface tossing her short hair out of her hair water spraying everywhere again in a lovely arch.
“You really shouldn't attack a woman raised Klingon for so very long.” she said with a grin on her face as she ducked under the water again and swam over towards him. He would be expecting her to come on with a frontal assault, as he probably didn't expect that she had a plan, but she did. She swam around and past him enough he shouldn't feel the water moving around him until she came up behind him popping up quickly and grabbing him around the chest. Knocking his knees out from behind him with her feet carefully placed in his knee joints they both crashed again into the ocean.
Zyrao popped up again and this time when he came up for air she splashed him right in the face.
[ Thomas Ravon | Some Beach | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ Whilst Zyrao talked about her championship title that she earned on the planet, Ravon's brows rose as he was certainly interested in what she was telling him. He was curious to what title she held and if she ever needed to be challenged again if that be the case. For now though he simply enjoyed the company and her comment about his planetary adventures leaving much to be desired had him laughing as he shook his head. They were making their way on the jetty as they continued to converse.
It was good to really get to know her in a way he hadn't even known people aboard the
Theurgy. It was very different, but then again Zyrao had made a connection with him that very few others had. Obviously they both nearly killed one another in hand to hand combat, but after that, they truly connected with talks and playful banter. Mixed with an occasional physical fight of course, to learn more about one another and to improve their hand to hand combat skills. Thomas could truly tell that he learned a few tricks from the woman through their sparring sessions. Of course there were the shuttle flight, the run ins and what else, but they all seemed to have contributed to this moment. This idyllic jetty with the water shimmering thanks to the sun and the soft gentle breeze against their skin.
As Zyrao laid out the blanket on the jetty and Thom got a peek as to what she had been dragging along he had asked her about the water temperature on the planet. The reply she made was interrupted by his actions. He hit her right on, the momentum he had built up, enough to get her off her feet. He had anticipated that she'd block it, making him strafe past her, though his arms were open to ensure he'd drag her along. The little airtime they had was just enough for Thomas to see the world go inverted. The ocean being where the sky should be as the sun seemingly rose up to the sea before his vision blurred as they hit the water.
What she had told him was true, the water was quite warm. They rolled around in the water and Thomas exhaled in order to avoid over pressure. Zy gave him a kick to break free and surfaced first before Thom surfaced and laughed as he spurted out some water like he were a fountain. He looked at Zyrao, still laughing as she grinned yet warned him for attacking a woman trained by Klingons. He was about to make a comment about expecting more about a champion, yet The woman had submerged herself once more. The anticipated frontal charge didn't come and the sunlight hindered his vision to look onto the water to see where she was.
She gave a nudge to his knees and they gave in as he was brought to his knees on the sand whilst the water quickly rose to his lips and eventually submerged him entirely. Bubbles of air being let out as he was in between a scream and a laugh. They rolled around again and Thom twisted himself around to face Zyrao once more before pushing himself away from her. When he surfaced and gasped for air, he was met by a splash of water which made him cough, yet never ceased to stop his laughter "Champion my ass!" he coughed with a grin as he teased her and swam back in case she'd splash him again.
"Besides, I need to keep our ship's strategist on high alert don't I?" he carried on to tease her before he swam over to the jetty and hoisted himself out of the water after latching himself on to the woodwork. His robes were soaked, already semi loose and by his hips as he hauled himself out of the water. His bare chest, wet and glistening against the sunlight as he kicked the robes off, revealing the swim short. He crouched and readied himself for the pull as he reached his hand out to Zyrao to help her up "Come on."
As Zyrao took his hand for support, he ought to have seen it coming. Probably he did, yet Zyrao was in the better position to simply tug him back over the edge of the jetty and sent him crashing back in the water. Ravon used the moment though to loop underwater and come up right behind Zyrao. His arms wrapped around her, holding her around her stomach as his body pressed against her back. His face just on her right shoulder as he couldn't help but still enjoy himself with a laugh "Think we can actually enjoy the sunset in peace now miss Natauna?" he asked her before awaiting her answer.
[Zyrao Natauna | Water Warfare | Wet Grievances | Building More Than Friendships | Unintended Romance]@Nolan Everything was wet, and slick, and fun. It was this kind of environment that was enjoyable, though she definitely preferred the bloody beat down of the gym to the subtle fights in the ocean she also knew that the ocean could be a warzone in itself. She had fought here, and were she in a different frame of mind they could both be bloody and bleeding, however she would rather not have to go visit Sickbay afterwards to make sure they hadn't been infected with any bacteria floating among the golden waters. He teased her about her championship title earning a dark grin from her but she didn't mind, she was used to people being shocked and making fun of her because she was not Klingon in the biological sense and yet she was at heart which was why she had ended up being considered one. Thomas pulled himself up on the jetty and the sunlight that was starting to slide towards the horizon glistened off his chest.
It was no secret that Thomas was good looking, he knew it, many of the women on the ship knew it, and Zyrao knew and appreciated it. Especially now that his muscles were slicked with beads of water slowly cascading downwards. With the absence of his needless Aldean robes, which had fallen in a thick wet sound onto the wooden deck, she could get the chance to appreciate it as she had when they had showered together. Although this time without the bleeding and the bruising that she had lay upon him and he on her. The days of aches and pains after their first meeting was a fond memory for her and each time she moved to feel one of those pained moments rear up, a grin would spread across her face. It wasn't often she could find someone that wanted to fight with her or once they realized what they were getting into, would actually throw their whole selves into it. That fight, their first meeting, was a fond memory for her.
Thomas reached a hand down to help her out of the water. Where she stood it came up to her chest, but wasn't so deep she couldn't reach. However, she wasn't done with his little surprise attack yet, and so as she reached up for him she did so prepping her body for the ultimate pull. Using her arm strength and him in a less desirable position, she pulled him down into the water with a cry of surprise and a smile on her face. He surfaced behind her and wrapped his arms around her from behind holding her against him. Their heights were comparable and she felt her backside against his front just perfectly. His chin landed on her shoulder so that she could hear the words he softly confessed in her ears.
Zyrao had not had her heart pitter patter in a very long time. She had used her body to get what she wanted, what she needed, and to escape from places that she no longer wanted to be changed to. She had not allowed herself to open up to any kind of full relationship. She had thought, hoped, perhaps with Sera or Jennifer, and yet, neither had really fit right. One was finding new partners nightly and the other only wished for someone to entertain her when she was not working. Zyrao was old enough that she wished for something she could build on. A new home to create, to feel less a nomadic rogue and more someone that held a central pillar in the center of her life. Not someone that would be a weakness, but a strength, with their addition to her life.
For the first time in over a century, Zyrao felt her heart skip a beat.
“I believe I have won the fight, so yes.” she said, as she couldn't help but egg him on just a little bit. Though she was a bit loathe to leave the warmth of his chest against her back, she knew that if she stayed any longer it would be awkward or seen as something else. So, she stepped out of his arms and waded closer to the jetty before she actually rose herself upwards utilizing the muscles in her arms to prop herself up on the jetty turning herself so she could sit on the wood and offer Thomas the hand. This time, neither of them pulled the other in, she only helped him come out of the water a little quicker. Raising up she brushed her wet hair out of her face and headed to the bags tossing him a towel and using one herself. They were nothing fancy, both grey in color, but soft and warm and ready to absorb the water. She wrapped it around herself, for a moment to get rid of as much moisture as she could before she pulled off the tiny shorts she had been wearing to show that she was wearing a red bikini bottom underneath which was also wet but would dry faster. She left the wet tank top though. Laying her shorts out to dry if they would in the dying light, she took a seat on the blanket and looked expectantly over at the man waiting for him to join.
Her long tattooed legs crossed in front of her. Once he sat beside her on the large blanket, she began to pull out all manner of snacks and food. Stuff she had eaten off Aldea, stuff she had asked around and found out humans liked. There were chips, and little finger foods, some manner of fried bird in strips, and some kind of root vegetable fried as well. Then there were the Klingon fruit snacks that she favored herself, the chip like snacks she had eaten that day she had run into Thomas on the other deck, and some other Klingon delicacies. She then pulled out a bottle of dry bubbly liquid and opened it, pulling the cork pretty quickly getting two plastic glasses filled handing him one.
“I figured, we could eat while we watch.” she stated softly. “Though, it will cool as the sun declines, we will appreciate the blanket better then, especially since someone decided a swim was in order.” Zyrao teased him. “I did some research on Terran cuisine and found these were popular, so I hope they are what you would expect.” it was true she had done some actual research as she had with calculating how long it would take to arrive. Though he didn't need to know how prepared she had been. She pointed to the chicken tenders and french fries that she had brought still warm in the specialized travel containers that she had replicated to make sure they weren't cold once they arrived.
[ Thomas Ravon | Some Beach | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ Zyrao claimed victory and Thomas could feel the urge to defy that claim. Though he knew, just like her probably, that the two of them could fight this out without finding a victor and missing the sunset they came for. So he rolled his eyes and poked her sides with his hands as he agreed "You win this round." he could feel how her rear was perfectly pressed up against his groin and it did cause for a rush of pleasure to rush through the pilot's body. A feeling he hadn't anticipated yet which felt enjoyable never the less.
It didn't take long after admitting defeat that Zyrao moved away from him and moved closer to the jetty to hoist herself up. Thomas followed her lead and took the help she offered to come out of the water himself. He ruffled through his hair, sprinkling some water around on the jetty before catching the tossed towel Zyrao offered him. He wrapped it over his shoulders to conserve some warmth and dry off his torso. His eyes looked up to the Klingon trained woman as she shed her shorts as they were soaked like his clothes. WHilst she shed the shorts, Thomas found himself staring at the woman as he looked up her toned inked legs. The bikini bottom looking quite good on her. The white tank top she wore revealed that that she was wearing a matching red bikini top underneath and the sight reminded him of something the Terrans had called a wet T-shirt party or such. He had to chuckle to himself as he carried on with drying himself off.
By the time he was done Zyrao had installed herself on the blanket. It didn't take long for Thom to join her, taking a seat like he head learned from Ji. His legs underneath him and finding the balance to not hurt your knees or shins. He took the time to appreciate the sun on his skin as he left the towel hanging over his back. He closed his eyes for mere seconds before opening them as his nose picked up a few familiar smells. Zyrao had splayed out an assortment of snacks and fingerfood. A smile crept onto Ravon's face as he recognized the fries and chicken tenders. He couldn't quite manage the right position and shifted, leaving his one leg to be stretched out whilst the other was placed in an angle. He laid down a bit, his head closer to Zyrao and simply enjoying the scenery, company and food.
"Such a strategic foresight to provide us with snacks and a warmer after the sun set." he teased her back after laughing as she mentioned someone wanted a swim "We're at an ocean, I can't remember the last time I swam in an actual sea or ocean. It's obligatory to take a dip." he pointed out at her as he took a piece of chicken and started to chew on it. They were just warm enough to feel it warm you up in your core after swallowing it. He looked up at Zyrao as she talked about doing research about Terran cuisine "Trying to impress me miss Natauna?" he teased her again before he sat more upright.
He scanned over the different foods and decided to give her a piece of the chicken to taste "These taste pretty good, though I have a special template in my quarters on how to replicate chicken with a particular nice sauce and spicing." he mentioned to her. He reached the piece of chicken up to Zyrao's mouth as he looked into her eyes [colorgrey]"Did you ever taste chicken before?"[/color] he inquired curiously as Zyrao had traveled large portions of the universe. He wasn't sure if she'd have encountered this particular food in her life. Whilst he listened to her he ate a bit of everything himself and occasionally fed Zyrao something he really found good of taste and as Zyrao would offer him some food, he gladly accepted it as well.
As they talked about cuisine and how Thomas was certainly not a kitchen cooking miracle, the sun had begun with her slow but steady descent towards the waterline. As the sun declined, the temperatures dropped surely but steadily as well. The Aldean robes Thomas had brought along were still rather wet and he sat upright again as he moved a bit closer to Zyrao. He took a sip from the drink she had brought along and left the glass hanging by his fingertips between his legs as his elbows had found support on his knees. The setting sun provided with a variety of color schemes that shimmered over the bay they were in. A true spectacle to be honest as Thomas looked at the changing color of the sun "I'll admit it. You're right that I should've seen this." he whispered as he placed an arm around Zyrao's shoulder pulling her closer as they could enjoy the spectacle together.
[Zyrao Natauna | Forethought | Always Planning | More Than You Know | Golden Reflections]@Nolan He seemed to notice the sheer amount of thought that went into what she had put together for them. If only he knew the half of what she had done to prepare. The way she had calculated their walking patterns and speed, the way she had researched Terran cuisine because it was the only place she knew for sure he had been on for long enough to sample the food. She knew that he had attended the Academy it was in his records which she had been able to get her hands on just enough to know that, but was unable to know more than that. She didn't want to dive too deep because she didn't want to breach his trust and she certainly didn't want to get in trouble. He seemed pleased by the fried bird and the fried root vegetables. It was good to see a smile on his face. She didn't think he was likely over the young woman that had brought him such misery he sought blood and pain, but he seemed to be seeking less of that and seeming more pleased with what he currently had instead.
She was glad for that.
He admitted that when they were at the ocean it was clearly something that had to be done, taking a plunge in the warm water. Her brow rose. He was right though, the fact that they weren't likely to see another beautiful ocean with soft sand in their near future made it even more cherished. He asked her if she was trying to impress him and she only grinned.
“Only trying to make sure there was something palatable for you.” she said as if it were no big deal, as if the planning she had done wasn't painstaking in all it's avenues. He would likely, learn that she was one that almost planned too much when it was her show, than was necessary. But, it was in her nature to think of outcomes, escapes, and things like that for all the scenario and how to best set the day to be as productive as possible while still retraining the goal.
As he bit into the food and claimed it was good she gave a bit of a nod. He told her that he had his own templates in his Quarters to produce them and some dipping sauces that he liked. “You'll have to share those templates with me for the future.” she stated as she picked up her favorite spiced fruit and began to eat it with her fingers. It was her favorite thing and Drex had always had it ready for her after their fucking in his offices or where ever he sought her out. It was her favorite thing to eat. However, a moment later a piece of fried bird appeared in front of her, and the grey eyes that belonged to the El-Aurian slid over to assess the man feeding her before she leaned that last bit forward and took the bite.
“I have not tasted your fried bird before.” she stated. Then she began to chew, she chewed slowly tilting her head to the side slightly as she let the flavors of the bird and the sauces meld over her tongue together along with the crisp crust, the tender interior, before giving a nod. “It's unusual, almost bland but not, the crust is rich and crunchy which is flavored and the sauce allows the bird to be tasteful. This is intriguing, I think.” she said having swallowed the food and weighed in on her opinions of it.
They shared various things, after the fried bird taste, she fed him some of her spiced Klingon fruit bites, and hoped that he liked them. They continued sharing food, feeding themselves and each other. He leaned back with the drink in his hand, and Zyrao put aside her dish, to pick up her own glass. The sun had finally reached the point of true beauty. He admitted that she was right he should see it, causing her to offer him another one of those rare, true, smiles.
“Of course I was correct, you should know this by now.” she winked at him playfully. She was surprised though, when his arm fell around her and he held her closer than they had been moments ago. Zyrao decided not to worry too much about it, or read too much into it, because he was still likely hung up on the little Scientist that had crushed his heart. They were just friends, even though, once more she felt as though her being was being tugged towards him, she told her being to calm down it was unnecessary to get attached to someone that could not unattach himself from his previous heart's desire.
“There are some things, Thomas, you have to see with your own eyes to truly believe and appreciate. In the universe, there is such beauty hidden among the evil and the darkness. Among those that would do the most harm to the ones you care for. Yet .. there are places such as this where beauty reminds you of hope, and hope will give you another step. Every step is a way forward. It will not always be a quick trip but it will be worthwhile in the end.” she stated softly, her voice gentle, but there was a great deal of belief in her words.
[ Thomas Ravon | Some Beach | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ As Zyrao mentioned that he'd have to share the templates of the chicken and various sauces he had stored within the
Theurgy's systems, he had to laugh and nod "I'll forward the recipes over to your database when we get back. You can be the judge of it yourself." he smiled as his eyes gazed to the horizon as the colors changed at every moments notice now. When he did offer her a piece of chicken, he could tell she investigated it first before taking a chomp out of it. The pilot couldn't help but chuckle as she analyze the food almost and he couldn't help but laugh a little "Glad you enjoy the bird." he concluded with a smirk.
In turn, Thomas was offered more adventurous options by the El-Aurian as she fed him what she seemed to have a knack for. It tasted quite different in comparison to the chicken. Though it wasn't bad per se, he took few more himself as it seemed to fall in good flavor with his as he eventually came to a stop with feeding Zyrao and himself. Obviously when she pointed out that she was always right, the pilot shot her a sideways look before shaking his head "What's that?" he teased her as he shook his head.
As Thom held Zyrao closer, she began to take in an almost philosophical way. Heh adn't expected it from her and as the final rays of sunlight dissipated under the waterline he spoke up "Well... That's.... Quite..." he seemed to be weighing his words, as if choosing what he'd say to her "Wise? Or should I say... Deep?" he smirked lightly. Not wanting to cause any offense to her he wasn't sure what to answer to her "I mean, who knew that behind all that sexy badass danger hid a wise philosophizing elder." he now teased her as the temperatures began to drop quite sensibly.
As the sun had gone over the horizon, a new spectacle began to unfold. The various shades of blue, purple and black mixed through the skies in various degrees and forms before darkness was all that remained. The stars came out of hiding and the constellations were all wrong from what he had observed from Earth. It did remind him of times with Zephyr, though he felt that this moment with Zyrao was different. Better?
He could feel the cooler air descend on his skin and tugged the blanket closer against him, by doing so getting somewhat closer to Zyrao for warmth as their bodies did store up some of the heat from the sun. Thomas looked up at the night sky as his hand slid down Zyrao's shoulder, moving over her back now before eventually moving back to hold his glass "You know... what you said earlier..." he whispered as the sound of the ocean's waves were creating a rather nice ambient sound behind them "I've seen my share of evil and destruction... Perhaps I've even gazed at the beauty of the universe at times as well." he laughed softly before he shrugged "Moving forward is essential I suppose, us war dogs can relate to that. If you're standing still, you're a prime target and dead in the next moment... Though right now, I think I'd be happy to stand still, here... With you."
He tugged the blanket closer around them, his side pressed against hers as he turned his head to face hers. He looked at her skin in the night sky, the little light provided in contrast to her face. He could smell the ocean on her and he slowly reached his hand out to caress her cheek before turning her head to face his. His eyes looked into hers as he narrowed his for a second "Thank you." he whispered "For bringing me here. To get me to this point."
The pilot left a moment of reprieve to let the words sink in, yet before he allowed the strategist to reply, he leaned in as he stole a kiss from her under the Aldean night sky.
[Zyrao Natauna | Aldean Sunsets | Copper Colored Kisses | A First Move | Surprising a Tactician, A Special Skill]@Nolan The sunset was lovely, the way that it almost made the water glow from underneath. Giving it a streak of warm golden tones across the ocean lapping as the waves moved and undunlated. The surf itself was pretty mild today, no real whitecaps and the breeze was gentle, likely the reason. It was nice to just sit out here, fresh air, on a planet she knew well, a place that would almost but not quite call home. She wasn't sure if she would ever, truly, find a home. She supposed, technically, it wasn't impossible to eventually label a place as home. But, here, she was completely unsure of having one. She had a Quarters, and on Aldea she had an apartment, but neither of them had she ever used the term 'home' when describing. Home was something that she would have to find at some point. She found that when you had a place to call your own, a place to lay your head, a place that bled the stress from your body.. it was home.
She had yet to find all of that in a singular place.
Thomas seemed taken back by her speech. She chuckled softly as she could tell he was seeking for the words he wanted to use. It was adorable that she had actually made him mostly speechless. He finally found the words wise and deep causing her to actually laugh out loud without forethought. She hadn't intended for it to be like that, but he was searching so hard for a word that was likely not to piss her off and yet describe the wording that she had used. Thomas told her that who knew behind the sexy badass danger hid a philosophizing elder. Again, another laugh. “Well, I am old.” she reminded him with a grin bumping into his body with her own since his arm was still around her.
The temperature began to drop and she pulled out one of the blankets from the bag to put around their shoulders since they were both a bit damp and had taken off most of their clothing earlier because it was wet. The purples, blues, and blacks began to fill the area around then and she found it was really quite beautiful. It always had been, and this time with company, made it even better. She almost thought about putting her head on his shoulder, but then, they were not that way. Though his hand moved over her back nicely it eventually moved back to his drink. Zyrao was not the sort of hopeful young girl that would read into each and every move he made. If he made a move, she would know it and then they could move from there. Figuring out exactly what they were, how this was all going to go. But, right now she was firmly in the friend category though she would be lying if she said she did not wish to be more than.
Not enough to be putting labels on it, just enough to get a chance to experience the chance for such a thing. She had not found anyone that was more than a passing interest. Most of the people she tended to attract where those that wanted to bed her and go. Which had been fine, but Zyrao was trying to find someone that she could build something with at some point. Not necessarily immediately, but at least somewhat.
Thomas said that she was right, he had seen his share of evil and destruction. He had seen the beauty of the universe too, but moving forward was always key. Especially for the soldiers they tended to be. Though, he said he would be happy to stand still here, with her. Her brow rose, because that last bit there surprised her. She had not expected the commentary where he enjoyed watching the sunset with her. He reached over for her, and his hand cupped her cheek slightly. It surprised her, again, apparently she could not read Thomas as well as she thought, though she hadn't been looking either. Now she was, her grey eyes searched his lovely orbs as he caressed her cheek. She felt her heart slide up into her throat and continued to look at him. He thanked her for bringing him here and to getting him to this point.
“I have done nothing you could not do for yourself.” she stated simply, but further words were lost when he closed the distance and kissed her. Zyrao was not as surprised by this action because she had seen it coming. In his words, the touch on her face, and the look in his eyes. Her plump lips kissed him back, her fingers brushing just barely his strong jawline while their lips stayed together in a fairly chaste but romantic kiss, especially for a first kiss. Zyrao leaned in and deepened it just a little, adding a little of her own passion. Nothing that would make him feel pressured for anything, but as first kisses went she hoped he would remember this one. She didn't even use her tongue, and yet, kissed him thoroughly. As the kiss ended, her teeth softly grabbed onto his lower lip pulling it just slightly out with her before letting it go back to it's regular position.
A smile crossed her face as she turned back to face the ocean. He had started something he could not take back, and she hoped that he was actually ready for this. If she was going to pursue him, then he would know such, and she hoped that he would do the same back. “Come lay with me.” she stated simply after several moments of charged silence where she held herself back from doing what would come naturally. Kissing him again, taking him here on this jetty. No, she wished to wait, to continue to let him run the course at the moment. Once she was certain his heart was mended she would concern herself with actually being a bit more forefront. Zyrao pulled the blanket out from around them, and lay down ontop of their still damp blanket. Once Ravon lay beside her, she put the blanket over the both of them, laying on her back she looked up.
“The stars will be out soon, if you don't mind staying a little longer.”
[ Thomas Ravon | A jetty in the dark | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ It was funny how life could hand you moments like these. Moments where almost impossible things seemed to happen. With the loss of Zephyr to Khorin, Thomas had figured that he'd never fully trust anyone again to give his heart to. Perhaps Skye if she'd been alive still. He had never expected to feel these things again. Especially not for a woman who was a complete opposite of the woman he had fallen so hard for. Yet here they were, lips against one another as all of it felt oh so right. The sun had darted under the horizon and Thomas' heart felt like it was beating in his throat as he gave in to the moment.
The moment of their kiss was one that would probably return more than once in Ravon's memory. It was a fairly simple action, one that did bring warm feelings to him on the jetty. The warm blanket around them did provide with warmth as did Zyrao's body. However the kiss brought that extra bit of warmth on the inside. Zyrao broke the kiss before deepening it just that little bit. He gave in to it and poured just enough passion into it as well to feel himself lost in the moment. Not a bad thing per definition, though as Zyrao tugged at his lower lip with her teeth, it did make the pilot smirk slightly.
A silence hung in the air and the two looked at one another under the night sky before Zyrao requested him to lay with her on the slightly damp blanket. He kept looking at her and after a few seconds joined besides her as he looked up the sky and smiled content. Zyrao wrapped the blanket around them, the two of them close against one another. He didn't try to overthink the situation, not trying to think what he should have to do next or anything. He just let the moment move on its own pace as he gave a slight nod "I'm fine with waiting for stars to start shine." he answered her as he did nestle himself closer against her, his arm moving up to wrap around her once more to get her in a more comfortable position.
Sure the jetty wasn't the softest position to lay on, though the blanket helped. Ravon figured Zyrao wouldn't mind a bit more warmth against his and being able to rest her head against his body. He ran circles against her shoulder before running his fingers through her hair. A new silence arose and it was broken as the first stars began to flicker against the night sky. Strongest stars coming into view as slowly but surely the other stars came out of hiding "I forgot how magical it is to see stars appear out of nowhere..." he whispered as he broke the silence "Never really had given it much thought when I grew up aboard a station... Yet on Earth, it always did get my attention when I as out." he confessed to her.
[Zyrao Natauna | Starlight Company | Anywhere Can be Beautiful | The Right Company Changes Everything]@Nolan Zyrao was not a romantic woman. She wasn't the sort that you brought home flowers, jewelry, and things like that. Though, to be fair, she had never experienced a true relationship that wasn't built on the need to survive. It was sad to think, to look back, and realize that any time she had built a relationship it was out of survival and not true desire to be with someone. The only person she had wished for an actual relationship with was back on El-Auria two hundred years ago. After that, when she was held prisoner or kept as a slave for various races, she had used her body and the power that it held to get what she wanted. Usually freedom, and if not freedom, power until she could find the freedom she desired in some way or another.
This was something new to the woman. She had wished to find a place, here on the ship, not out of convenience or necessity, but instead, because she wished to find someone that could benefit her life. Here on the
Theurgy she had slept with quite a few people, yet, nothing had stood it's ground. Which was fine, she wasn't against trysts, she wasn't against a single night of fun and sated physicality, but she had hoped at some point she might snag someone that could be a partner in a larger sense.
As Thomas lay beside her Zyrao knew that she was thinking too far ahead. He was likely still hung up on the young woman who had stolen and broken his heart. It was hard to recover from your first love, Zyrao knew that all too well. She still remembered her El-Aurian partner with fondness though the love feelings she had hidden for such a long time and never confessed had faded over the centuries. Thomas didn't have centuries, and likely, it wouldn't take that long anyway for him to pass his emotions. Perhaps, instead, he just needed someone else to focus on. She would hate to be what she had heard was considered a rebound. But, if that was the case then, she would move on.
She was surprised when his arm came down close to her, as if he was hoping she would lay on it. For a moment, Zyrao studied his face in the darkness as her eyes had adjusted some time ago. It wasn't that she didn't like the gesture it just surprised her, which was hard to do, considering her past. Maybe he was more over the young heart breaker than she had realized. That or he believed himself to be. She lifted her head slightly and he put his arm underneath her pulling her close to his warmth. Zyrao turned onto her side slightly to make it more comfortable and rested her head in the hollow of his shoulder pressing her body against his warmth. The only things that were still wet on her was her shirt and her bathing suit bottoms. Under the blanket though the wind could not reach their wet clothing and it was much warmer.
His fingers danced over her decorated skin and then raked through her short hair. Zyrao had never, honestly, had a situation like this. Most would call it romantic and yet Zy was hesitant to do that because she was still unsure of his standing. Over time, perhaps, she would grow more comfortable with standing beside him. She quite liked Thomas, she quite liked how they worked together, and played together, and enjoyed life in the little moments when they could find one another on board the ship. Now with this new leave having unfolded she was treading water she had never known before. Zyrao had played at it before, when it was necessary, but it was never in earnest as it was now.
Thomas' voice slid into a whisper as he talked about the stars and having not watched them come out like this in a long time. A small almost smile crossed the El-Aurian's lips for a moment. He continued talking about how he had grown up on a station and hadn't actually seen the phenomenon since Earth.
“I've always held a fondness and love for the stars myself.” she stated calmly in a quiet voice. “When I was held captive, when I was a slave, when I was a gladiator, these were sometimes the only good moment of the day. Even though it proved another day had passed, there was something in the quiet beauty that could be soothing.” Zyrao confessed.
She still had the scars and the tattoos of her life long torture. She could have them removed with Starfleet medicine if she wanted, but she didn't. There was no need to erase the past. No longer did she wake up nightly from her nightmares, though they plagued her from time to time, she no longer cried out or cried, she woke up drank tea and slept again. She no longer sought anyone to place salve on the wounds, instead, she had pushed past them herself; alone.
“I have an apartment.” she stated, after a few moments of silence had passed. “Here on the planet.” she clarified. “If you would wish to stay the night. There is not much in it, any longer, most has been moved somewhat to the
Theurgy, and a great deal of my belongings were lost with the
Hakkarl.” Zyrao's voice mourned the loss of her items slightly, her books and teas that she had collected from around the universe had gone into nothing when the ship had taken the brunt of the triggered protective systems around SuD Lang.
[ Thomas Ravon | A jetty in the dark | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ Feeling Zyrao's warmth against him seemed to relax Ravon's body somewhat as he kept looking at the sky. He wasn't aware of the internal struggle or thoughts going on inside Zyrao's head as he simply moved along with the moment. He could feel the moistness of her shirt and bottoms against his skin. A slight moment of coldness before it grew pleasantly warm. Heh ad told her about the stars and she filled in her own experience with star gazing. It made Thomas turn his head towards her as she spoke of her life as slave or gladiator once more and he pressed his lips together as he listened intrigued to her. When she was done he gazed back up to the stars.
A silence fell between them once more and the temperatures continued to drop slowly but surely. The soft breeze from before now effectively cooled down their bodies as Zyrao spoke up about having an apartment on the planet. Thom looked back into her eyes, as good as he could in the dark of night and underneath the night sky. Was she inviting him over to sleep with her or just at her place? He gave it some thought as she spoke of the destruction of most of her collection and possessions when the
Hakkarl was lost at Sud Lang. She wasn't the only one who had lost something at Sud Lang as Thomas still had a pilot mission in action during that particular mission.
It served him to stay silent for a little while longer than he'd expect to reply to Zyrao's suggestion "An apartment you say, planetside." he summarized it as he smiled and shrugged "I can spend a bit more time on the ground I suppose, Though I think I'll have to leave just after sunrise if I want to make it to my patrol shift." he answered her as he was still on active duty. Waiting for her response and agreement, he slowly got up with her and started to help her pack the items they had laid out to dine. His robes were still rather damp and he simply tugged them on "I hope you still have a shower at your place cause I'll need it to warm up a bit." he grinned at her before walking back over the beach with her. He helped her carry the bag as he insisted to carry it as they talked furthermore about her collection. He was curious as to why she favored the hard copies of paper no less.
After a good trek they had arrived in Aldea Prime and moved up with the elevator to Zyrao's place. With a chime the elevator opened the doors as they walked to the door of the apartment. Thomas hanging back a little for Zyrao to open the door, before following her lead into the apartment. The place had indeed been lacking personal stuff as most of it had been vacated to the
Theurgy. Though the temperature inside had been more comfortable than outside at this time of day. Ravon's eyes looked for the bathroom as he inspected the apartment further and noticed the couch and the single bed in the bedroom.
He thought back the first time he had Zyrao in his room, where he had neglected to ask her to sleep in with him in his bed. He wasn't quite sure where her mindset was. Sure the two of them had seen one another naked and had explored one another's body more than once in combat. Yet there was something different with sleeping next to one another supposedly. Not that they couldn't just sleep next to one another and just do that, but after the shared kiss earlier on today. He wasn't sure what the right thing was as he didn't want to rush thing for both him and her.
The robes however were becoming quite a nuisance as the dampness of it had shaved and scraped against his skin. He started to tug it off again as he nodded to the bathroom "I'll grab a quick shower if you don't mind and I'll take the couch if you prefer it to sleep." he suggested, his eyes moving over Zyrao before coming to a stop at her eyes. Since eyes could tell so much about a person, he wanted to see how Zy would react to his suggestion.
[Zyrao Natauna | Nothing More Than a Building | Nothing More Than Sleep | This is Not a Push]@Nolan He seemed intrigued by the prospect of her apartment. It seemed easier than returning back to the ship and separating. Not that she was pushing for anything to happen but she might as well allow him into her domain. She gave a nod as he pursued forward and confessed that he would likely need to leave just after sunrise if he wanted to make his shift. Her dark eyes, shimmering slightly in the darkness, looked over at him. She was unsure if he was saying that so they didn't spend all night exploring one another or if he really had the shift. But, she wasn't overly worried about it either way. They had only just kissed, and while some kisses could lead to more after the first, she still knew that Thom was fairly fragile and did not intend to push forward unless he did.
“Leave when necessary.”
They rose and began to put the blankets and food back into the bags. She didn't want to leave any evidence of their time behind. Pulling the bags up onto her shoulders, bulkier now that things had been just shoved in there for the time being, they began to walk towards the city. Martok had set her up nicely in the city with a great view of the beach from her balcony so it wasn't very far at all. He told her that he hoped she still had a shower and a chuckle came from the El-Aurian.
“Well I didn't move it to the
Theurgy if that's what you're implying.” she teased.
Once inside her building they rode the elevator up to her floor which only contained a couple of large units. She palmed the door and her biosigns were read before it slid open and they stepped into the spartan environment. It wasn't much different when decorated, really, but she appreciated clean lines and lack of clutter. She moved over to the replicator and got rid of all the food and the wet blankets that she had gotten together for the day. The temperature in the room adjusted to their wet cold bodies and began to warm up slightly. There was a couch in what had once been the living area but instead of facing a large video screen it faced a large bank of windows that lead out to a balcony and a perfect view of the beach. A bit further on was a bed, still made to military perfection, waiting with a singular lamp on an empty table nearby.
He spoke and her eyes turned to catch him as he mentioned taking a shower. She pointed just past the bedroom to a small almost hidden door the way a book shelf was positioned, though empty, to where the bathroom actually was. “If you don't mind, I'll join you for the shower, I'm quite chilled myself.”
The two entered the bathroom and shed their wet clothing into the sink so that they wouldn't have to worry about puddles from their still damp clothes. The water in her shower was warm and a welcome relief on their chilled bodies. Stepping under the stream neither of them made it sexual they just cleaned themselves, though Zyrao's eyes wandered when they could because Thomas was a very good looking man. Once they finished, she replicated herself some clothing, just a simple tank top and underwear in a simple black color. Her replicator still had all her favorites and sizes saved. She stepped to the side allowing him to get what he needed while she dressed herself and stepped out into the room. Replicating a few blankets and a couple pillows she got the room more comfortable unsure of exactly what Thom liked she left the rest folded on the corner of the bed perfectly aligned with the corner.
When he came out Zyrao was making the couch with two small blankets and a singular pillow. As he emerged dressed she motioned to the bed. “You have a shift, I do not, I'll sleep here tonight.” she stated calmly as she slid down onto the couch. If he tried to fight her about it, she would only shrug and state. “I have slept far worse, Thomas.” as she killed the lights to the room so that the darkness descended into the Quarters. For a long while Zyrao would lay awake staring at the ceiling and listening to the breathing of Thom across the room.
[ Thomas Ravon | Apartment Block | Zyrao's place | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ The El Aurian joked that her shower hadn't been moved to the starship above and Thomas shook his head at her giving her a look which subtly said
'Wise ass' . He had looked around the rather simple rooms and as Zyrao mentioned that she'd join him in the shower, he gave her a nod as it was her apartment after all and he surely wouldn't mind having some company. The two of them showered together and it would be a lie if Thomas hadn't glanced Zyrao over more than once. Her toned body always nice to gaze at, though he didn't make a move.
When Thomas emerged from the bathroom with a towel around his waist, Zyrao was preparing the couch for the night it seemed. His suspicion confirmed hen she stated that he had a shift the next day whilst she didn't. Thus he was entitled to her bed. It made the pilot smirk, yet he didn't object as he gave her a slight nod and walked over to the replicator.
'Never argue with a woman that's a strategist, at least when you know you won't get the upper hand.' it was a thought that amused him as he replicated himself some shorts and a tank top to sleep. He dropped the towel to the floor and changed into his night clothing before recycling the replicator out of habit. Afterwards he walked over to the bed and glanced over his shoulder, the need to protest winning from his previous thought "Are you sure? This is your place after all, I can sleep perfectly on a couch." he said trying to convince her though he got his answer and he shrugged as he placed the pillows and blankets as he installed himself in the bed.
Ravon attempted to sleep as he stirred and rolled around in the bed and eventually found himself staring up at the ceiling as well. His mind bugging him as he sat up and glanced over at the couch. He could hear Zyrao's breathing as well and he assumed she wasn't asleep just yet "You know, this bed is big enough for the both of us right? So do me a favor and join me. To ease my conscience." he suggested with a faint smile. His conscience was just fine, though he at least wanted her to get more decent sleep than on a couch "Plus we're both adults right? Nothing wrong with sleeping together." he added, not aiming to have this turn out into anything sexual. He respected Zyrao too much for that, not that he wouldn't want to. Yet now was not the time for it.
[Zyrao Natauna | First Night | Sleeping is Awkward | Big Steps]@Nolan She could tell that Thomas was uncomfortable with the whole situation. The fact that she had decided to take the couch before he could offer it for himself. She knew him well enough to know that would have been his first move, but Zyrao was older, and she had slept on the floor of Breen mines, in filth, she had slept in nearly empty escape pods with dying people beside her, she had slept in far worse than a couch. It didn't bother her in the least to give up her bed to him, besides, it was a good one and he could probably use a decent amount of sleep before his shift. Flying was different than fighting Klingon idiocy.
“Positively.” she answered his final inquiry before he climbed up into the bed. Zyrao was the sort of person that worked and lived with military precision. Her bed was always made sharply and lacked any kind of wrinkles or loose sheets. Every day the sheets were pulled to, tucked perfectly, the pillows plumped then squared, it was just how she was. She could not stand for disarray it made her feel uncomfortable and unsettled. She could not sleep without her Quarters being neat, but oddly could sleep elsewhere without the same issue. She supposed it was something psychological but didn't desire to pursue the knowledge one way or the other.
Zy pulled back the large comforter from the couch and slid underneath, the apartment was set to get cool as she preferred to sleep cold than warm, and the thick blanket helped. It was folded in half just properly so that it wouldn't fall to the floor. Sliding between the layers, Zyrao lay back on her back with one arm curled underneath her head against the pillow as she looked up at the ceiling of her Quarters. Normally, before bed she had a cup of tea, read from one of her books for a little while in the dim lighting. It brought back memories of teaching Chloe to read a couple languages and reading them to her when she was too frustrated to do it herself. It brought back memories of all the times that tea and books had given her a peace of mind that she could not find elsewhere. Relaxation and the ability to take herself somewhere else for a little while.
She was uncertain how long had passed when she could hear Thomas shifting up in the bed area, and she was pretty sure he was sitting up though her eyes did not cast that way. He began to speak about how big her bed was, and how it could easily fit the both of them. So perhaps she would be willing to join him to ease his conscience. For a moment, she was silent, and though she wasn't asleep she didnt answer. But, a moment later a soft chuckle excited her chest as a smile crossed her face.
“For your conscience only then.” she teased slightly.
Sitting up she twisted her body and let her legs out of the blanket. Standing up she carefully folded the blankets and sheets to the end of the couch so that she could take care of them in the morning. Picking up the pillow she crossed the Quarters and towards the bed where he still sat waiting for her to come and join him. Dropping her pillow in the spot beside him she pulled the blankets back long enough to slide between the warm sheets and lay down. It was more comfortable than the couch, for certain. Zyrao turned on her side to face him as Thomas lay back down beside her, facing her as well. Zyrao curled one arm up underneath her head to support.
“You seem to be in much better spirits these days.” she stated into the dark room looking at his form in the darkness with her grey eyes. They almost seemed black in the nearly dark apartment. “The kiss, by the ocean, was quite the surprise.” there was a smile on her voice though, as she said it, surprised but welcome for sure.
[ Thomas Ravon | Apartment Block | Zyrao's place | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ After calling out to her that they could easily share the bed, there was silence. It made the pilot wonder for a second if she had already fallen asleep or if she was just thinking over the suggestion. He was about to let himself drop back down on his back when Zyrao's reply came to do so for his conscious only. It made the pilot laugh softly and shake his head as he scooted over a little to give her some room to join him.
He could hear her bare feet tapping over the floor as eventually he could make out her figure in the dark. He could feel the bed shift as she joined him and he laid back down, turning on his side to face her. His arm underneath his head as well as he tried to make out her face more properly. She stated that he was in far better spirits lately. She mentioned the kiss and Thomas had to smile as she called it quite a surprise. The way she said it made him feel more comfortable as it seemed like she had enjoyed it herself.
"One might say I'm full of surprises." he answered her softly as he reached out with his free hand. he managed to cup her face slightly before moving the hand up to run through her hair "But I do feel better lately... I feel..." he paused as he wasn't sure how he had to describe it "I suppose.... Reborn could be a right term." he whispered as she shrugged "Either way, I feel happier around you... At ease..." he carried on as he slowly edged closer to her.
"Plus, kissing you really felt nice." he said a tad tauntingly to her before leaning in to kiss her once more. The two bodies melting against one another as they just kissed and touched one another. It wasn't frantic or overly sexual, yet more explorative and easy going. Thomas wasn't going to push for anything sexual, he just enjoyed the way they kissed, the way their bodies felt against one another. He deepened the kiss every now and again though before they eventually broke off as air became more needed.
"I really like you Zyrao." he confessed to her as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close against him "But I don't want to rush things. If it's okay with you, I'd like to take this one step at a time. I don't want to ruin things between us by rushing it." he whispered as he hugged her and grinned "Plus, don't think this means I won't hit you as hard or hold back when we'll go sparring again."
[Zyrao Natauna | Surprises Keep Coming | Learning One Another | First Night | Another Step]@Nolan Her eyes had adjusted well enough to the darkness around them. So she could see him, completely at ease, when he lay there beside her. Laying in the same position she was, facing her. He was a very good looking man, she had to admit, and honestly, she was glad that their paths had crossed that day in the gym. If nothing else, he had been someone that allowed her to feel desired on the ship. Desired in a way that was not sexual at all times, it grew tiresome to be tonight's special, and yet never anything more than that. Zyrao was not implicitly looking for a romantic relationship. She was old enough to feel that if one happened, then it happened, but she wasn't going to go actively searching for one. However, any sort of normal relationship was just as amazing. She would take a true friendship as well, finding that she sought to make connections.
Perhaps it was the loss of her people, perhaps that had made her covet actual relationships more than any other thing. Of course, those tied with having a purpose in her life. Honestly though, having a true friend, someone that she could spend time with, talk to, and enjoy experiencing life with was something that made life worth living. She had met many people after stepping onboard the
Theurgy but she could not call any of them friends. Perhaps Dewitt, but, even then there was the underlying sexual needs that populated that relationship.
He claimed he was full of surprises, and a slow grin crossed her face. She didn't disagree, they had shared quite a lot of activities together recently. From his flight around Aldea, to her sunset, and general conversations when they had time to run into one another. His hand reached up to cup her cheek, and she was glad a moment he could not see the color in her face since it was such a rare thing to have someone do this to her. As his hand slid through her short, still damp, hair he began to tell her that he felt more settled, reborn, he claimed was the word. Happier when she was around and more at ease.
“I am glad that I could assist you in your healing.” she said confidently, having hoped that it would be the case.
Kissing her had been nice. Another chuckle exited her lips, but it was caught dead to rights when he closed the distance between them. He had been getting closer by the moment and now their lips melded together. The kiss by the ocean was chaste and gentle, as was this first one. However, as their lips continued to meld together she could tell that he was getting more than just a good feeling from it, he was enjoying it. She was too, her heart was beating a bit in her chest. Her own hand slid up to his elbow cupping it slightly before sliding her palm up to his shoulder and then to the back of his neck. Their lips were dancing together slow and surely allowing for chaste and deep to switch back and forth between one and another to just enjoy the feeling growing between them. The kissing softly ended as their lungs cried for air. She lay her head back on the pillow but they were only a few inches from kissing again if they so desired.
Thomas admitted to liking her, and wrapped her in his arms pulling her closer. She shifted herself on the bed so that he could hold her as he wanted. Allowing her body and his to continue staying with one another. Touching in every way possible through their clothing. He admitted he did not wish to rush things and wanted to take things one step at a time. He feared ruining what they had just started developing by rushing everything. It wasn't something she wanted either, honestly, she quite liked Thomas and the time they spent together. The last thing she wanted was for that to get all messed up because they jumped into something too quickly and burned out before they had really smoldered.
“I am fine with taking it one step at a time, Thomas.” she admitted to him. “I do not desire for this to be one and done, instead, I would appreciate the slow build and the longevity rather than a fast paced regret.” she confessed.
He hugged her to him and Zyrao found her head resting on his chest, one of her arms looping over his waist to hug onto him as well. He promised her that this didn't mean he was holding his punches during their next sparring match.
“If I ever catch you holding your punches as we grow closer, I will castrate you and hang your hairless balls over our bed.” she stated with enough seriousness to her voice he would know she was totally being truthful. She wouldn't actually castrate him, and honestly, it was probably a very Klingon threat, but that was just her way. Still she looked up at him and smiled. “I hope you never hold your punches verbal or otherwise, because I can assure you, Thomas, I won't.”
Zyrao lay her head back on his chest listening to the thrumming of his heart beneath his rib cage. It had been a while since she slept with a man who she actually desired and not someone she was using for the position she needed. Her eyes fell closed while she rested against him and enjoyed the feel of being held. It was an odd feeling, especially since the last person that had held her was Sera and that was just a couple night -thing.
“I am letting you decide how fast this goes, Thomas, you will find no pressure from my end. I will promise you that I will seek no other. I can be patient.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Apartment Block | Zyrao's place | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ As the two of them were in a close embrace, both of them confessed of any fears and bubbling feelings that seemed to be arising. Like Thomas had admitted that he didn't want to rush things, Zyrao replied to him that she was fine with taking it slow. She even went as far as telling him that she rather wanted this to pan out on the long run rather than a quick fling. The situation they found themselves in being one that Thomas hadn't quite experienced in a long time. Sure he had had his fun with Dewitt and such, though nothing as wholesome as this.
His thoughts shifted over to Skye Carver, the Lone Wolves pilot whom he had grown close to. They were in the same stage of exploring, perhaps a bit further physically yet not this far emotionally. It would be wrong to think that he was completely over her. Sure he had the time to heal and mourn over her loss. Zephyr's reappearance had been more of a bomb while Skye was the slow feeling of a knife wound. He hadn't talked about Skye with a lot of people if anyone really. Besides his rather public outburst when he returned at the battle for SB 84.
His thoughts shifted over back to Zyrao as she claimed she'd castrate him if he dared to hold his punches against her. He had to laugh even though the threat sounded quite serious. He nodded as she told him she wouldn't be holding hers back at all "Good to know." he replied to her as he rolled his fingers against her skin, drawing circles. She told him she could be patient and that she'd seek no other. It made him frown slightly as he looked back down at her.
"Does that mean I need to take no other either?" he asked her teasingly, knowing he was testing his luck with her now "Or will I find myself castrated nonetheless if I do so?" he laughed as he already prepared to be swatted or punched at already. Whatever altercation there arose, when it passed over he was still laughing "No, I've had a few flings over the past few weeks, but nothing since we met. I can wait as well." he agreed with her as he lifted her chin up to kiss her once more.
The two settled down eventually in the bed and after a while the embrace faded as both could find a more comfortable position to sleep in. Not that both of them were far apart, they still laid close against another, yet nothing more happened further as sleep took the both of them. The next morning, Ravon's badge chirped to inform him that his shift would start soon. He got upright and stretched himself before looking over Zyrao. He caressed the back of her neck and hair before he got up. Drafting a quick message for Zyrao for when she'd wake up before he requested to be beamed back to the ship. More specifically to the changing rooms of the Fighter Assault Bay.
[Zyrao Natauna | Sparks of Discontent | You Don't Understand | Back Me Up | Learning Curve]@Nolan Zyrao stepped into Thom's Quarters. They were both hungry, the little snacks that they had served at the Oceanside party were not made to actually fill the stomachs of anyone. However, she was too angry at the moment to eat. Things had not gone as she had expected in any way at all this evening. The black skin tight dress with a flare swung around her as they stepped into his Quarters. She pulled her head over to one side, then the other, trying to stretch out the tension that was threatening to take over her shoulders. She had tried to rationalize, she had tried to think about what she wanted to say, she knew that calmness would be more valid here than being angry and lashing out, and yet.. emotions were sometimes hard to put into molds that you desired them in.
It was odd, because the last time they had left one another things had been better than ever. Shared kisses, shared beds, opening up a little bit to one another. She still remembered the feel of his hand waking her up brushing against the back of her neck and through her hair. She still remembered the kind but very Thomas note that he had left on her bedside table. Secretly, she had been using it as a book mark in her very diminished Quarter collection for the time being. However, this was different.
It had started off well. He had pulled her in and kissed her deeply in front of his people. Which meant he was claiming her, in his way, as something more than a friend. She was not just a date, not just a fling, she was something. Zyrao herself wasn't even certain what that thing was, but, she was also interested in sticking around to find out. Zyrao had been quiet since they had beamed back on board the ship and walked through the corridors. Though she knew that he could tell that she was seething. As much as she enjoyed his company, she did not enjoy, him calling her out like that in front of his friends. Once the doors closed behind them both she turned around. Crossing her arms underneath her chest and looked at him. Only made more dangerous by the thick eye liner she wore this evening.
“Play.. nice?” she asked leveling her gaze at him. “He let Eboh die!” she cried out as she raked her hands through her hair in frustration. Messing with her hair and taking it out of the beautiful well cared for do that she had done earlier to look nice tonight. Her eyes shifted over to the man and she sighed softly, trying to come to terms with her own emotions, trying to come to terms with all that had gone down this evening.
“You can't put me in a place Thomas! That's not how this works!”
[ Thomas Ravon | Apartment Block | Zyrao's place | Aldea Prime | Aldea ] Attn: @BZ Barely a ord had been shared ever since they had left the event on Aldean soil and during their walk to his quarters. Ravon's footsteps seeming to sound so much louder as he marched to his quarters, or perhaps that was just what it felt like to him. The doors opened for him as he stepped into his quarters after letting Zyrao go in first and braced himself for what he imagined would be the tirade that Zyrao could've been holding in for quite a bit. He stopped at the door as it closed behind him and allowed him to lean against it. Creating a slight amount of distance between them before he unbuttoned the official uniform and faced the El-Aurian in the magnificent black dress.
Her whole demeanor looked even more menacing with the black eyeliner yet Thom wouldn't be Thom as he actually liked the way she looked even more now. Pissed off. Thus came the words he had used earlier that evening, perhaps not the most tactical choice of words to use. He knew Zyrao to be the one to hold back on things, so why would she do so against Izar Bila. Wasn't it a normal thing to say on his behalf to save his friend from possible certain death?
Zyrao seemed more emotional about this in all the time he had known her. His eyes moving over her face as she shouted to him. He shook his head slightly as he huffed, yet refrained from saying anything. It was only when she told him that she couldn't put her in a place that his reaction was triggered.
"First off, he didn't
let Eboh die. You didn't see what kind of a wreck he was the hours and days after it." he stated calmly, carrying on to open the rest of the uniform vest before taking it off and flinging it to the couch "Second. I did what I did in order to protect my friend. I know you, or at least I think I do." he said with a bit more bite to it "We don't hold back, why would you hold back against him?" he asked her before taking a few steps closer to her.
"Besides, why would I need to hold back against you? We never agreed to that? Fuck, I was threatened to have my hairless balls nailed to the wall above your bed if I did!" he shouted as he kept looking in her eyes. He wasn't in a fury though, he was still more calculated about it. Guess those classes with Dewitt had thought him something.
"Or tell me how you imagined this would work? That I would back you up even when I strongly disagree with the opinion you had. Roll over like a fucking targ to please his mistress?" he asked her, tauntingly, wanting to get the bulk of her emotions out. Eboh seemed like a particular sore subject it seemed and if she couldn't unleash her rage on Bila, he'd gladly take it for his friend, but he anted her to get this out of her system.
[Zyrao Natauna | Clearing the Air | Understanding the Grounds | New Uncharted Territory | Learning Lessons]@Nolan Zyrao was a very strong and independent woman. She didn't like to be told to do things in the regard of her personal life. Not like that, especially not in front of people, and not where she stood alone. Thomas was one of them, Thomas was accepted, he had a place here, respect, and a ground to stand on. She didn't, she knew full well she was nothing but a convenient interloper. The fact that Thomas viewed her as anything but was a nice change. There were a few others that also felt the same way, though, she had to admit. Cross had taken her as she was, there was Sera... another interloper like herself, Dewitt, and Commander Ducote who did not think she was ill placed among them. But, there were many that did not seem settled when they were around her. Part of her believed it was because of her attitude and demeanor. She intimidated people by her sheer presence and she understood that but part of it came with the Starfleet attitude that officers only were important and intelligent.
It seemed that Thomas was fine to stand there and let her vent her frustrations to him until she hit a nerve. She wasn't exactly sure what she had hit, but something had struck him because his face changed. He was ready to battle now, which she was glad for, because had he stood there and taken it he would a lot less attractive. She liked that he knew how to fight, she liked that he wasn't going to be the sort to back down from her. She didn't want a pussy, she wanted a man that knew what he wanted and stood his ground. However, she also wanted someone that would back her up when it was necessary.
He pushed off the wall and stepped towards her and told her that Bila hadn't let Eboh die. Her eyes watched his every move. He explained that Bila had been torn apart when he had come back after failing in his mission to keep her kinsman alive. Her brow rose. “You're right, I didn't see him. Because he's been too much of pussy to track me down and talk to me about the situation.” she said firmly back at him. Zyrao refused to get distracted by his taking off of his uniform jacket and the toss on the couch. Even though she was a hot blooded woman and was all too aware that she and Thomas had not yet taken that step. Most of her relationships had started with the physical first and moved towards the emotional later if it developed. Thomas was the opposite of all that she knew.
“You know me to the extent that you do. I'm not going to kill the man. He might have walked away with a black eye.” she admitted with a non-committal shrug of a shoulder as Zyrao crossed her arms under her chest again her black nails almost blending in with the dress that she wore. He took another step towards her talking about how they didn't hold back and he didn't expect they would hold back on others either. “You think I'm just a violent person? Why because I'll kick your ass when it comes down to it? You think I'm a what is the term Earthens use.. a .. loose canon?” she asked incredulously. Her eyes lighting up with fire from within. Oh he was getting her feisty now.
“I have self control. Do you know how many people I would love to shove my fist down their throat on a daily basis and yet I do not. I'm not actually a Klingon.” she reminded him.
He was looking in her eyes now, he wasn't in a fury, she didn't see the light of fire behind them but she was still not just going to give in to what he was saying. He was wrong, not that she was entirely right, but they both had made mistakes. Growing as a couple was going to have those bumps and issues in the road. It would be hard for them being two very strong willed people and yet she knew that the chances were neither of them were likely to give up easily. Truthfully, Zyrao was the sort to thrive on a fight and it only made her desire Thomas more when things got physical, or tight for a little bit. When they could both express themselves in the ways that they wished to without fear of true judgment.
It was during his last speech about rolling over like a targ that she took her own step forward. Getting right in his face, the heels helped that, as she looked straight into his eyes. “I don't expect you to roll over on me, but I sure as fuck don't expect you to treat me like a kept woman in front of people only you are friends with. You know I am the odd man, out there. And yet, you tell me to be calm. There were so many other ways you could have gone about doing this.” she reminded him nearly poking him with her finger but just being shy of actually doing that.
Part of her wanted to shove him against the wall and kiss him. Part of her knew that if she did that it would be very very angry sex. Something was to be said about angry sex, but it would be their first time and she didn't want it angry.
“You don't understand. You stand here and defend your friend, it's admirable, really. However, you cannot fathom finding someone of your own nearly extinct race only to lose them hours later. You cannot understand the feeling, to know, that he was right there in my grasp and then he was gone. And the one fucking person that was supposed to keep him together until he could get healed up or whatever you want to call it. He failed! He
failed!”
She swallowed softly.
“I.. failed.” she looked away but didn't move a step back from Thomas.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy] Attn: @BZ "He is a pussy, but besides that, he's a lot more fragile than you'd imagine." he snapped at her before shaking his head "Besides, giving him black eye would probably result is breaking his mushy skull. Fuck, if I just give him a good pat on the back, I'm pretty sure I break some ribs or whatever mushy bones he has. So yes, I had to step up." he answered her as he wasn't seeming to let this go without a proper fight. She upped her words and game by asking him if he saw her as a loose cannon, a violent behaviorist that would take any chance to get in a fight. He had to laugh, involuntary, since it reminded him of himself before he was promoted to this position. How carefree the world was and how much trouble he got himself into.
He could see the fire in her eyes, the tension in her figure. It was fucking hot. He clenched his jaws together as the whole situation wasn't supposed to be turning him on, they were mad at each other! He tried to keep his head on the situation at hand "A loose cannon no, a violent person... Perhaps.. .At times, totally towards me." he grinned teasingly "So why you wouldn't mean to kill him or hold back, I'm pretty sure you'd do worse to him than intended. I know you're not a Klingon." he paused for a second, being grateful for that notion before continuing "But you ought to know, like me that once you get a first punch in, the line to hold back fades far faster. Especially when they're linked to stronger underlying emotions." he answered her, hinting towards Eboh's fate.
As she hooked in to his comment about being a Targ, he rolled his eyes. He knew she was right about that part, perhaps he ought to have handled it differently, yet he shrugged "Maybe... Probably." he waved it away. She was close now and his body was feeling all to ready to catch a first strike from her, yet it didn't come.
And it took a little while before the core of the matter surfaced, at least in Thomas' eyes. She spoke of her kin and how Eboh's passing had been the fault of Bila as he had promised to save him, or at least promised to try. Ravon swallowed as he kept looking at Zyrao. She concluded that she failed and he narrowed his eyes as he gave her a shove to her shoulder, not a rough or hard one, but more like a tap to get her out of those thoughts. He lead his hand back to her face, turning her head to have her face him.
"Hey. Don't put yourself through that." he pointed out to her "You didn't fail anyone. Eboh died under the circumstances that could've killed anyone else, you and me included. If anyone is to blame it's the fucking Borg or whatever parasitic bull crap entity is behind this whole show." he breezed nearly now, having had his share of losses. Having blamed himself for those losses while in reality, there was little to nothing that he could've done to change their fates "I've been in a similar spot, not as radical as yours... But I've lost loved ones and friends... Family. I blamed myself for that too, but in the end... You have to come to terms that all of it was beyond your control. he said with a bittersweet tone to his voice as the losses he had gone through still stung.
Talking about loss had brought the fire back in his eyes, the anger that he felt and still raged deep within him surfacing when he talked about it. He looked in her eyes and he couldn't help but stiffle a laugh as it seemed inappropriate "You know you're fucking hot when you're pissed off right?" he added teasingly as he literally just wanted to have her here on the spot. He tried to lighten up the mood that had turned somewhat foul since the party. He wasn't mad at her and he wondered if she could forgive his behavior. His stomach growled in protest though as he cupped her cheek "I'll try to be more... Supportive." he whispered to her as he looked in her eyes "But if anyone talks shit about you, just know that I'll make sure they'll regret every letter they spilled." he whispered.
[Zyrao Natauna | Truth Matters | Why is Anger so Fucking Hot | Needing You in New Ways]@Nolan Apparently, Bila lacked a skeleton. Which made the view of the man fall even more in the eyes of Zyrao Natauna. It wasn't that he needed bones of steel but just to actually own a backbone would be to his benefit. Her eyes bore into Thomas'. She wanted to hit him, she wanted to push him away, she wanted to scream, she wanted to kiss him like she had never kissed him before. Their first kiss had been gentle, and then a little bit of heat but neither of them dared to do more than that. No, they were far too careful. This though, this burning fire inside them she could see it in his eyes and he hadn't even said anything about it. But, right now, thinking that he had a friend that needed to be held up because he had been born without a spine was something that was quite disgusting really. It definitely didn't make her feel as though she should be more gentle with him, that was for sure.
He told her that he didn't think she was a loose canon, but that she was a violent person. Her brow rose, and he mentioned that she could be towards him. “That's different and you know it. This is safe ground.” she reminded him that they had always promised they would never hold their punches especially in a fight. She did not expect a gentle man in that aspect, but she did expect one that had her back. He told her that giving him a black eye .. throwing that first punch would have made her hit the red zone. She had already been in the red zone the moment she had seen Bila and he was right, that if she had hit him it would have been hard to stop.
“You're right. Had I started.” she admitted, because she also wasn't one to tell lies if at all possible. Honesty, straight up, was the best policy. Though she might lower the impact she would never sugar coat anything that was of import.
He seemed to agree that he could have handled things differently especially when the board in front of them was set up for him to win and not her. As she confessed her feelings on the matter, he shoved her shoulder. She allowed it but the death glare that she lasered him with told him that a second run would not be a fucking good idea. Especially if he didn't want a sickbay visit tonight. But then his hand brushed up against her cheek, to her face and turned it back over to him. She sighed softly, some of the tension, though not all, bled from her shoulders. He told her not to put herself through that. That it wasn't anyone's fault. It was the Borg that had done this and the parasite that no one could rid the fucking ship of.
“I have not .. found any of my kind in almost two hundred years. Thomas..” she whispered, the weight of those words settling on his shoulders for a moment as she looked down. Her hand came up cupping his, the one on her cheek, and then looked back up at him. “We had plans to talk, to.. get to know each other... and then he was gone before any of that could happen.”
Their eyes met again and he admitted that she as fucking hot when she was pissed. A sharp bark of laughter escaped her lungs and she shook her head. “You too.” she admitted, a husky tone taking over her voice. Thomas told her that he would be more supportive in the future and that if someone tried to fuck with her or say anything against her that he would make sure they regretted it. A smirk crossed her face as she closed the distance between them and kissed him.
Their heat, their passion, pouring into the kiss. She could only hear their heated breathing as their lips mashed against one anothers and her hands shifted down his chest exploring the fabric over the muscles she wanted to remind herself of. The kiss broke, and Zyrao looked into his eyes for a long moment. She was tempted to start more. To kiss him again. To rip the fabric of his undershirt off his body, it was useless, and served no purpose here. But then his stomach grumbled, and her eyes shifted down to the offender only to have her own follow suit.
“I think it best we get some food in us.. because Thomas...” she whispered softly brushing her thumb across his lower lip slowly. “I really don't think we'll have energy to eat afterwards.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy] Attn: @BZ Zyrao pointed out that if she was violent with him, it was different entirely. She was completely right about that, though it didn't take away the part where both of them used aggressive behavior to their benefit. She did grant him his point that if she had spilled a first punch that it would be the start of a fucking kill spree.
She opened up about not having found anyone of her kind in over 200 years. A notion that was frightening really, but perhaps that was because Thomas couldn't, and probably wouldn't, live that long. It made Thomas silent for a moment before he did what he did to try and lighten the mood. The thought did cross his mind though that perhaps if Eboh was alive, the two of them might have established a thing on their own. It was a random thought though, not one he was going to share with Zyrao.
She had to laugh at his admission of her sexiness when she was pissed off and he was returned the favor as he had to laugh shortly about it as well. The distance between them was closed and instead of a physical fight, it became something else physical. Their lips crashed against on another and this time they were filled with more lust and passion to it. He could feel those black nails of hers raking across his shirt as they kissed and in response, his hands rolled over her dress, feeling up the skin underneath as they came to rest on her rear to pull her closer against him.
As she brushed her thumb across his lip, he bit into the thumb before sucking it gently "Mmh..." he purred before letting go of her thumb "Food sounds like a good idea. Proper food, not that shit snack we got planetside." his hands cupped Zyrao's rear in the meantime and gave them a soft squeeze as he thought out loud "Proper filling meal... Any suggestions?" he asked her.
He heard her responses and could laugh about a few of them before he shook his head "Oh! I know exactly what we need." he smirked "Proper meal for after a fight. An actual fight that is, good nutrients, yet somewhat greasy at times." he announced proudly "Trust me.". He let go of her walking to the replicator as he fiddled with the settings and punched in what seemed to be one of his favorite settings. The meal materialized in a round shape and the scent of pepperoni instantly filled the room "May I introduce to you, a double pepperoni with extra cheese pizza. Terran delicacy." he grinned as he held the pizza which had handily been replicated on a wooden round plate. The pizza came in sliced and Thomas was curious what Zyrao would think of it, much more think of the taste.
[Zyrao Natauan | Terran Fare | Interesting Choices | Coming Down Off a High | You're Lucky You're Cute]@Nolan He bit into her thumb, it was something that turned her on rather quickly and made her almost toss him on the couch right now. It was times like these that having a slit all the way up your thigh made a good moment much easier. She wouldn't have to worry about the dress getting in the way she would just toss it over the side of her hip and still enjoy taking Thomas in the way she had been fantasizing far too much as of late. But, he told her that food really did sound like a good idea. He was probably right though, as much as she wanted to rip his clothing asunder to the point where they would be finding shreds of the fabric for weeks to come, she knew that taking it a bit slower on the first go could create a more memorable and long lasting impression. Zyrao was not here for just a good fuck, if she was, she would have done that day one in the showers. No, instead, she was here to find something that could be built upon. Whether that ended up in something brilliant or not later would remain to be seen but just taking that first step was enough for now.
“Yes, those small bites weren't worth much of anything. It really should be seen as an act of torture to feed hungry officers so little.” she smirked. He looked over at her and asked if she had any suggestions. Zyrao was always one open to trying new things and never really shied away from much of anything when it came to food. She had lived a long time with the Klingon and they ate some truly vile looking things. More so than that, when you lived part of your life as a slave you ate whatever you could for protein and to last one more day in the hopes of freedom. Hope, could drive a person to eternity.
“I'm open.” she said with a simple shrug of her shoulders.
Thom seemed to have an idea. Her dark brow rose as he turned and headed for the replicator. Zyrao moved over to the couch and brushed some miscellaneous debris away from the location she intended to use to sit. It seemed that while the place was a bit more put together than before it was still not what anyone would call clean. Zyrao was what many could call a neat freak and she had learned someone had said it would be considered Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Though, Zyrao did not find that a military precision lifestyle should be considered as such she was fine with whatever label people needed to put on her way of life. There was just no reason to have mess. Not that the crumbs being on the floor was more appetizing to the older woman but they were better than them getting into her dress. He claimed whatever it was he would bring to her was both nutritional, good, and greasy.
“Color me intrigued then.” she chuckled as she tucked her skirt underneath her and sat down on the now-clean cushion. Something smelled good anyway, and her eyes watched as he brought over a large round flat pan with some sort of dough on top. The dough was cooked and covered with some cooked meats and melted cheese. It steamed and looked quite interesting it was definitely something that Zyrao had never seen before. Her brow rose as he explained it was a double pepperoni with extra cheese pizza.
“Pizza.” Zyrao leaned over and studied the dish. Nothing was moving, everything was cooked, and it smelled quite nicely. It was cut into eight slices and she was unsure of how one was to eat it because there were no utensils. That was until Thom grabbed one of the slices by the thick bread on the outer area and just bit into the pointed other end. She picked up a piece and found that the dough held shape well enough until just before the tip where it went a little limp. She turned the piece around and took a bite. Instantly her mouth was flooded with the tomato sauce, the cheese, the small bit of spices on there somewhere. It was actually quite good and the dough gave it an extra thickness that was just right. Just enough crunch just enough soft.
“This is good. I've never had this before. Did you have it on your starbase?” she asked curiously as she took another bite quite content to eat her entire piece. She finished her first piece rather quickly and grabbed for another. Hardly taking a breath she began to eat on that as well, enjoying the flavors and how they morphed with the various pockets of grease and the various bites of pepperoni which seemed to be the small rounded meats.
“What other culinary secrets are you keeping?” she asked pointedly with a teasing look on her face.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy] Attn: @BZ Ravon couldn't help but grin as Zyrao mentioned that the small bites at the event were to be considered as torture "Yet, I remember someone telling me that it was most surely a party, while someone else considered it as work." he smirked as he teased her. He let his eyes move over her attire and her make up as she answered him that she had been open to suggestions on what to eat.
He had given a nod and went to the replicator as she went to the couch. As he noticed her wipe some things off the couch before setting down in it herself, he had to smirk and made mental note to at least keep his quarters somewhat more tidy. Not that his quarters were like a barn where everything would lay anywhere and dirt would be all over the place. Yet he had noticed how Zyrao's quarters had been more impeccably clean compared to his.
Whilst the replicator produced the pizza, Thomas continued to remove the official parts of his uniform as they itched his skin to death. By the time he walked back over to her with the pizza he was still wearing the pants and had swapped the shirt for an easier fitting tank top. Still noticing the gorgeous dress Zyrao was in he smiled faintly "Say, if you'd be more comfortable, you can take the dress off and slip into something more comfortable." he informed her "Not that I mind seeing you in this..." he gestured at her dress "But I'd hate it to get dirty..." he pointed out before taking a seat next to her.
He had to admit that he had fantasized on the surface what would lie underneath the dress of Zyrao. How he had been tempted to feel her up, though couldn't for professional reasons. His mind had already teased him enough about ravishing her on the stage for all to see as he really couldn't care less what people thought. On the other hand, he knew their relationship was different than just hard, brutal, lovely sex. In fact, they hadn't done that deed yet. Though the tension between the two of them were rising higher and higher each time they met. The crescendo would have to start at some point.
He watched her take a slice after she had inspected the food he had placed in front of her, the way she pronounced him had made him laugh a little as he took a slice himself and eagerly dug into it as it never failed to deliver what it had been designed for. The flavors easily his favorite as he munched and closed his eyes for a second. he only opened them once more when Zyrao mentioned that it was quite good.
"Beats those Klingon dishes I've tested on the station..." he smirked "I'd not had my first slice of pizza till I was on Earth. Terrans have numerous flavors of this and it comes in all sizes and shapes." he answered her as he watched her eagerly take a second one to keep enjoying herself with the food. Thomas took his time as he relished the taste of it and he had to smirk as she asked him what other culinary secrets he hid from her.
"Well, I might have a few more, but I can't let you have all of it at once, now can I?" he teased her back as he leaned back in the couch and finished up on his first part before taking the next.
[Zyrao Natauna | Getting Comfortable | Time Together | Another Evening Well Spent | Getting Used to This]@Nolan When he told her she could change into something more comfortable, Zyrao thought about it. It wasn't like the dress was uncomfortable but it was more impractical for what they were doing now. So despite having only just sat down and gazed at the fare they would be consuming that evening, she rose herself off the couch and went to his replicator. Quickly she dialed in some of the patterns of her own favorite clothing. She went for a large button down shirt which would probably be far closer to Thom's size than her own and a simple pair of black leggings. The shirt was a simple ivory color, with button cuffs and buttons down the center in black gems. Zyrao reached behind her to unzip the dress and slid it down her arms stepping out of the puddle of fabric. It was evident she hadn't worn any underwear at the party at all. Pulling on her leggins she pulled them up over her flat stomach and the pulled the over sized shirt on her body and buttoned it in the center with the three most central buttons letting the collar lay open quite a bit giving some air to her tattoos and one of her shoulders.
Returning to the couch eating pizza began and their conversation continued. He had not enjoyed pizza until he had visited Earth and there were many other good food he would be willing to show her, but not today. She would have to wait for them. A smirk crossed her face once she picked up her third piece of pizza and dug into it. Zyrao was not one to gorge herself but the food was good, the company was better, and the fact that she was no longer at a Starfleet party was best.
As the third piece of pizza made it's way to her stomach she got up again and walked once more to the replicator. She got herself a glass of water, she didn't do well with alcoholic beverages, and she refused to drink replicated tea when she could walk to her own Quarters for the real deal. She also replicated a chess set. Zyrao returned to the couch and set the board between them and the water next to the pizza on the table. Setting up the board quickly she grinned over at him.
“Care to take on a tactician?” she asked curiously with that grin on her face that tended to get her in trouble. With the board set up she grabbed another piece of pizza. Truthfully she hadn't eaten much lately, and she was struggling with what would be her place on the ship once they took off and didn't need a Klingon Liaison any longer. She hoped to speak with Commander Ducote about it. He seemed sensible and had a solid head on his shoulders. Something she hoped would benefit her and the ship everyone seemed to respond well to him. She would call him an Officer's officer. He didn't lord his rank around like some she had seen in the past, and one name in particular came to mind, but instead allowed himself to be seen as more of an equal. Someone approachable and she was certain he was finding it quite easy to get officers to seek him out for various things.
“To raise the stakes.” she explained. “Every time you liberate one of my pieces from the board, I will reward you with a kiss. But, be careful.” she teased holding up a finger, “they'll get more heated as we go.”
And with that, she made the first move.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ At his suggestion to change clothing, Zyrao had risen up from the couch to walk over to the replicator. Thomas had followed her with his eyes and as she undressed and bared her naked frame, he couldn't help but chuckle a little as she hadn't worn anything underneath the glamorous black dress. He remembered to make a comment about it later, if she'd always go naked with a dress or not for future reference.
They shared some more small talk before the tactician stood up to get herself a drink and a chessboard. Thomas frowned slightly at the sight of it as she placed it on the table and her question was met by a grin. "Mmh, I would, but I'm pretty sure the odds are set for this match." he answered her, it had been ages since he had played the old Terran game. He watched her in the eyes and could tell there was more to it.
She explained ho the stakes would be raised and he had to grin as he nodded as he made up for himself that the best way to get to this game would be with an aggressive play style. It would be the easiest way to rid her of the pieces on the board, though it would most certainly not grant him a victory. The true question was if Thomas was even considering a victory or just wanted to feel her lips on him.
As she opened the game, he quickly followed, clearly favoring a rather aggressive tactic as more pieces were moved. He left the remaining pieces of pizza for her as he could feel that itch in the back of his head to want to win the game regardless. He established an initial strategy and tried to anticipate her moves. It didn't take long before his aggressive style had one of his pawn ready to be taken out, which made him raise a question "So, what if I lose a piece. What do you want to happen in that case?" he asked her teasingly.
[Zyrao Natauna | Strip Chess | Never Play a Tactician | Even if You Are One | There is No Loser]@Nolan She could tell that he wasn't sure about playing the game, or perhaps it was more that he just knew he didn't stand much of a chance of winning the actual game. But, she was more than glad to play with him and it would give them something to do. She was always interested in making whatever memories she could with him and any time spent with Thomas was good in her opinion. The small fight they had only just had was nothing really and she wasn't going to let it bother her. Though, she could see where if it became an issue it would eventually dissolve into something that they would have to work through. For now, it was a mere blip on the radar.
They played, moving their pawns over the board and she was taking him quite gently. She could have won in exactly seven moves, but she decided to let him slip through some of the traps she had laid for him so that it was more fair. As his first pawn fell though he asked what she wanted and she grinned confiscating his piece from the board in her fist. Brushing the top of the little piece against her lower lip those black encased grey eyes shifted over to him as heat burned behind them.
“Well you certainly don't need the shirt.” she reminded him watching as he shed the offending garment and it wadded up on the floor at the foot of the couch. Zyrao continued to play and when she lost a piece on purpose a heated hot kiss was shared. The two played back and forth for a good twenty minutes with hot kisses, lost clothing, and more skin revealed as every piece hit the deck. She had been toying with him, baiting him, her King was in a position where she could take him any time she wanted to and yet was completely and utterly protected. She could have called check mate but that would have ended the game far too early and she had quite enjoyed the tactical foreplay.
She looked over at him, his King was about to go down. She was down to her tank top and nothing else, he was completely naked and she could very much tell he was interested in what she was offering today. Zyrao slid into his lap, feeling him pressing against her in all ways. She curled her finger underneath his chin and pulled it up so that they were in yet another heated kiss. His hands slid underneath her tank top to explore the skin she was waiting to expose just because torture was rather enjoyable at this moment. Her tongue slid into his mouth not for the first time as she pressed her body against his. He might think her mind was off the game but even as he pulled her tank top upwards and off tossing it to join the ever growing mess on his floor, she reached her hand out and popped his King down for the win.
Thomas hoisted her up off the couch and carried her off to his room itself. The lights flickered on as they entered and crashed into the bed. Zyrao was not the type to ask for the lights to be turned off so unless he was that sort the lights would stay on as they fully explore each other's bodies. Her lips and teeth nipping and biting and kissing at his muscular shoulders. His own hands exploring over her skin fully. No clothing in the way, she couldn't feel any of the awkwardness that had plagued their kissing before when he was still hung up on the other woman. Instead, she could just feel his excitement and her own. Zyrao rolled him over so that he was pinned underneath her now. Deepening the kiss more so now as she teased him with her body. Using her legs to grind herself against his length but not giving him access yet. No, she wanted to play as much as possible and foreplay was half the fun for sure. She had been waiting so long to get to this point she was quite certain to enjoy herself. She broke the kiss from his lips and moved down to his neck sucking and nipping at the skin there. Waiting to see if and when he would take back over control.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ As fun as playing chess was, Thomas knew he didn't hold a chance against her. The fact that he lasted as long as he did was probably because the tactician had a game of her own in mind. Ulterior motives to dragging this game out for so long. Not that the pilot minded as he lost pieces of clothing faster than she did and the rewards for taking some of her pieces were quite a reward indeed. All the actions they had done had left the pilot in attention for her. His arousal clear and on sight for her as she certainly seemed to be amused by it.
As expected he was going to lose this game, a thing he'd normally be less happy about as he was quite competitive. Zyrao however had chosen to come and sit on his lap instead before delivering the final blow to the game. She turned his attention to her entirely as she drew another heated kiss from him, one he was more than eager to give as their tongues danced and some biting was put in play. He could feel him poke against her and she moved against him which only stimulated his hardness. He managed to remove the tank top she wore and left the both of them bare to one another. A sight they had both seen before yet was different under the current circumstances.
With his king fallen, Thomas decided that it was high time to move this to the other room. The lights jumped on and he didn't mind as they fell onto his bed and she bit and nipped at his shoulders. He had to smirk and laughed at it as his hands moved over her body, exploring every bit of it without holding back. His mind was seemingly over Zephyr and Zyrao was the one who had claimed a place in his heart now. The tactician a tease for sure as she used her legs to stimulate and tease his manhood, denying him the pleasure to fully have her. He smirked and let her have her fun as she pinned him down, yet it wouldn't be long before he'd take control back.
As she kissed his neck again, his body arched against her, seeking friction against her before his hands moved over her sides to her hips before tossing her aside and switching position as he got on top of her. He held her by the wrists down against his bed as he smirked at her. He was quite as adept at tease her as she was to him, his hips grinding against her as he let his length brush against her thighs before grinding it against her sex without going in for the kill. His lips kissed her neck, denying her a kiss on the lips as he moved down to her shoulders, biting her back at a similar spot before moving further down as he licked and kissed her breasts. He moved from one to the other and varied his interaction with them from kisses, to biting and suckling. He moved from the soft flesh to her harder nipples and teased her further before moving back up to taunt her by leaning it yet denying her the kiss.
The teasing continued for a while, both of them taking turns in seizing control. Eventually though the need for the both of them became too high and their bodies had been covered in a sheen of sweat as both Thomas as Zyrao were panting before they had even started the actual goal of all this teasing. They had explored one another's body to a full extent, having teased, edged, toyed and loved every aspect of it. Thomas took his position on top of her now, nestling himself between her legs as he looked in her eyes with a ragged breath "I..." he looked deeper into her eyes as he seemed to think if he should say it or not "I love you Zyrao Natauna..." he shared with her eventually, feeling the need to inform her about it.
Giving her a few seconds to either reply him or not, he pressed himself against her, his body melting against hers as he slowly but surely breached into her heated core. The initial intrusion was met by a gasp from him followed by a groan as he kept going until he fully sheathed himself inside of her. The last thing he had to explore of her and the same could be said from her point of view. Instead of keeping it slow though, the need and urge to continue at the pace they had been going flared up again. It would turn rough, intense, hot. Yet in the end the two of them would be completely satisfied and most definitely exhausted.
[Zyrao Natauna | At Last | Pillowside Confessions | How to Surprise an El-Aurian 101]@Nolan It was exactly how she hoped it would be. Both of them fighting on the sheets of his bed. Gaining and losing control. Loving either side of it, Zyrao of course had a fairly dominant personality only deemed more so by her life with the Klingon for such a long time. Yet, there was something about fighting and getting dominated from time to time herself that she found a turn on as well. It was all perfect, it wasn't what some would find hot. She had heard tell of many that preferred soft and gentle. Yet, what they were doing right now was perfect. The fight, the tease, the biting and licking, the sucking and finding ways to tease and almost torture each other. Learning each other's bodies, their likes and dislikes, the way that they moved together in a sexual way was unique and different. Zyrao wouldn't have it any other way, she enjoyed the hunt. It was what made her more excited, the ordinary was dull and Zyrao had been around a very long time, she appreciated that Thomas was just as dominating in the sheets as she was. A fight of wills, a testament to the trust they had for one another, something that had been building over the full month they had spent on Aldea.
Covered in a sheen of sweat that later would probably require a shower. She didn't mind at all though, because it showed how far they had pushed each other to enjoy the night that they had first decided to take that next step. They had slept side by side, they had eaten together, danced together, flown together, and many other things. This was their first night in this aspect and it was one that Zyrao had long waited for. Normally she would have gone in for it initially but she had respected his need to heal and had waited for him. The wait was more than worth it.
Thomas pinned her down again, only this time she could see the hunger in his eyes had changed. Now, he was ready for what they both wanted. To take the plunge and this relationship to another level. It was one that Zyrao was most excited to take that step and she hoped he would not regret it later. She had worked hard to allow him to take his own pace on this. He hovered above her, and again, his face changed. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest for multiple reasons. He looked as though he had something to say. A moment was filled with the thought of him saying he was not ready. Of course, she would not be concerned, though she would be disappointed and probably pissed off if he stopped her now. After all of this.
As a tactician she was rather disappointed in herself that she did not see it coming. Perhaps it was because he was very closed off about his emotions over all. Especially in the time it was taking from him to heal from his first love and hope to pursue someone else. So she was fully surprised when he told her, pausing a moment to think if he should state it, that he loved her. Surprise dawned on her face, and it was not something that she could hide. She was so taken back by his words.
Unsure what to do or say, the seconds where he waited came and went and he plunged into her. She held onto him as he began to take her. Not fast at first, both of them learning the feel of one another in a bit of a slow start but it didn't last long. Neither of them were the sort to let it go on in that slow way. It wasn't very long at all before they were smashing their bodies against one another. Neither of them quiet, neither of them gentle, and yet it was mixed with nothing but passion and desire for one another. Even though it was rough and hard she did not feel the least bit disappointed but instead truly enjoyed every moment they were together.
Later, after they finished, they lay together in the dim lighting of his room. His arm serving as her pillow in his bed, she was resting on it as they lay together, the sweat on their bodies having dried for the time being. Zyrao looked up at him, and he looked down at her with satisfied grins on their faces. She was concerned though, about the love. Only because it had been a very long time since she had felt love or been truly free to love anyone. Sometimes she wondered if she was capable of it at all, she certainly cared for him. Cared for his well being wished no ill will. She did not want to share him with another, and did not want to be shared herself. Zyrao thought back to her times with Thomas over the last weeks. Their times together, their first kiss, the fun they had, the deep conversations they had. Her anger at the woman that broke his heart, and yet at the same time, glad for the opportunity to be the one to mend it. She thought about how many times the man crossed her mind when she was not occupying it with work or some other activity and how when she was in the gym and her mind was empty she thought of him.
Zyrao knew that she had deep feelings for him, and quite an attachment. Was this what love was? Was this what people wrote poetry and stories about? Her feelings for Thomas were quite different than others might believe. They were hard, fast, and stalwart. They were the kind that would kill a fucker should harm come to him, but also the kind that proved she was resolute in them both being independent and yet standing together. More about being together as a strength than dependency.
Zyrao rolled onto her stomach still in his arms but so that she could face him more easily. Reaching up she brushed some of his hair through her fingers. “I have an inquiry.” she stated calmly. “I do hope you do not take my inquiry incorrectly, I am only curious why you believe that you love me. I have not heard this phrase since my time on El-Auria. Sometimes I fear I have forgotten what it means and I wish to know... what it is that makes you so sure of your feelings.”
Zyrao hoped she had not ruined everything. But, honestly, she wanted to see if her emotions and his met up. If they were the same then she knew what she was feeling. She could put a word, a human Terran, Standard word, to the bundle of emotions that she felt for him as well. “I request this to know if what I feel for you is quantified as love as well.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Heavy pants were shared as sweaty their bodies lay against one another on Ravon's bed. They rested and Zyrao had used his arm as a pillow as she lay with him and they both recuperated in what was probably one of Thomas' wildest nights. It had been an atypical one to say the least, the constant struggle for domination as neither of them were keen to give in to the other. It all lead to an even wilder and rougher union of their bodies. The tactician had looked at him and he back at her. He had voiced his feelings for her yet she seemed to be thinking about it still now. A part of Ravon wondered if he had made a mistake by telling her how he felt. Perhaps it wasn't mutual.
Natauna moved and re positioned her so she'd be able to see his face easier. He let her do and his eyes simply rested on hers as he let his hand run through her hair, just as she did to him. She spoke up as she informed him she had an inquiry. He nodded and heard her out. She had mentioned that she hoped he wouldn't take offense to what she'd ask and his brows furrowed as he could feel his eyes dig into hers as she spoke.
He swallowed as he wasn't sure what he was supposed to answer her. Thomas was by all means not a great guy to share emotions or feelings. He shifted slowly, moving out of range for her hand to brush through his hair as he sat upright and ruffled his own hands through his hair before pressing his hands into his face as he looked for words. He remained silent for a good few moments, the mood of the setting they had built up threatening to turn.
"I uh..." he started before shaking his head "I don't quite know... Call it a feeling..." he murmured as he pushed his hands down to the sheets again as he looked at her "All I can say is that... I long for every moment that I have to spend with you. To feel your skin against mine, to share moments like we had in the past few weeks. To fight and spar..." his eyes narrowing as he looked in her eyes "I would fuck over anyone that would hurt you." he snickered before he pressed his lips together. He wasn't sure if he was making any sense to her and he cleared his throat "Fuck, you know how fucked up this inquiry of yours is right?" he smirked, feeling nervous at the same time as if he felt like he was being put to a test, a test he didn't want to fail.
"I guess I feel what I feel, because you got me out of a dark place. You brought life back to me and every day I get to spend with you is a day that I can truly admit was a good day." he confessed to her as he breathed the sentence out in one go. He bit his lips as he looked away from her and looked around his bedroom "I find myself attracted to you, physically and on another level. I've talked with you about things I haven't talked about with anyone else... I love the way your body feels, the way it feels against mine when we..." he paused for a second and grinned, finding no better way to put it "How it feels against mine when we fuck. When we tease one another."
"I don't know how else to put it, how to explain it otherwise... The only thing I can truthfully say is that I feel these feelings for you. That I can understand that perhaps it feels different for you since it has been so long... After all you've been through... I won't hold it against you.." he whispered, unsure if it was enough for her to bundle her things into what he had called love. He could feel that sense of insecurity slip in again, the fear of losing what they had. Whilst she had not said anything that would contra indicate it, he still seemed fragile on the subject. Though he did his best to hide it normally, he figured that with her he could and should be open.
[Zyrao Natauna | Not Quite Pillow Talk | Leave it to a Tactician to Take All the Romance Out | Old Muscles Need Exercise Too]@Nolan It was gone, the mood. She instantly felt bad, but, she felt like leaving it hanging out in the open as though she was ignoring his sentiments would somehow be worse. At least, it would have felt worse for her. If she had been the one to confess to him first and then he had not returned, nor stated anything what so ever, regarding her confession it would likely make her wonder. She felt that addressing it head on was the best thing to do, though apparently she might be proven wrong. He shifted and sat up slightly, so she moved to the side and rolled up into a sitting position. Not worrying about the fact that she was undressed in the dim lighting. It was nothing that he hadn't seen, she was not ashamed about anything regarding her body. Even the obvious whip marks underneath much of the ink that covered her body. Her back was a lattice work of deep slash marks and other scars, a virtual quilt of scar tissue and skin. It was always tight first thing in the morning but she had long gotten used to such things and often stretched before she dressed herself. She feared what it would be like when she was old but her fast paced hard-lived lifestyle would likely not allow for old age.
He said to call it a feeling which didn't help her in the least. She could tell that he felt awkward trying to put words to the feelings that he had. But honestly, she didn't want to lie to him, their relationship thus far was built on complete trust. More so than that, she wished to know if what she quantitative as love was the same as him or if there were differing views. Was his love easier to find and achieve or was it something much deeper.
Thomas began to put into words how he felt. Looking forward to all their moments. Their skin brushing against one another, moments like this, and those that they had shared over the last weeks. Their fights, their spars, and that he would fuck up anyone that would hurt her. A wry grin spread over Zyrao's lips as he mentioned that last statement. As funny as it was, that was the statement that she understood the most. Because she certainly felt the same in that regard. No one wanted to cross someone like Zyrao Natauna, not unless they were ready for pain, and she would definitely bring it should anyone be brazen enough to lay a hand on Thomas Ravon. He asked her if she knew how fucked up this question was causing her smile to fall and her hand to raise up and brush against the back of her neck.
“I think you underestimate how long it has been since my heart has felt like this.” she explained simply. She knew that it was awkward but she would not apologize for wanting to see if it was similar to what he felt. It wasn't wrong, and people loved differently, but it had been a long time since she felt the heart in her chest thumping the way it was now. He went on and on until he got to the end where he told her that he wouldn't blame her if she didn't feel the same after all this time.
Zyrao was quiet for a long moment as she brushed a hand through her own hair. She knew he was waiting for one response or another. Her eyes shifted over to him again, those grey eyes that hardly ever showed any true softness or vulnerability.
“The thing is, Thomas, I shut that part of myself down a long time ago. When I left El-Auria it was just after I had watched my first love go down to the Borg. We made sure he was gone, there was no way I could let him become one. I left after that, on one of the last remaining shuttles. I was never able to tell him- “ she paused a moment. “That was almost two hundred years ago.” she reminded him. “I have been put through various dark places. In my life, it was shut off many of the things that made me El-Aurian or it was going to kill me. Squash my spirit and crush my soul. I have never been weak willed, even when I was a child, but there are times you have to cull your weaknesses and breathe survival. I have been in survival mode since leaving my now deserted planet.”
Zyrao knew that her words were not probably doing what she hoped they would but there was a lot about her that Thomas didn't fully know. She slid closer to him and put herself in his lap, with her legs off to one side. Leaning in she kissed his lips very gently, especially considering their history, and then looked at him a moment.
“It is not easy to make this heart beat once more, to make me excited, to make me feel protective. To make me yearn for them the way I do you. Every moment together, every experience, has become a memory that brings me joy. One of the largest reasons I still walk these corridors is you, Thomas.” she admitted to him, as much as she was tired of finding herself blocked by lacking a rank or “proper” Starfleet education. Right now, though, he was something she did not want to risk losing.
“I quite care for you, Thomas, quite a lot.” she confessed with a slight smile to her lips as she leaned in and kissed him again pouring her emotions into her lips instead of words.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ His eyes had been avoiding her as he had spoken, as if not wanting to see if what he said would be the thing she wanted to hear or not. When he did eventually look back at her he could see the wry grin on her features, which made him doubt for a second if she was just pulling his leg or testing him. That feeling soon dissipated as the grin faded as he had pointed out how fucked it was to ask him why he loved her.
He watched her body and back up to her eyes as she told him he had underestimated it how long it had been since she felt like this. That was the key sentence that stuck in his skull. She felt something for him, so he could switch off the blaring alarms in his head and stop freaking the fuck out. He exhaled calmly as he kept listening to her, learning once again more about her. It weren't major new confessions she made, yet it helped to fill in the edges of a picture he had formed. It gave context, which was needed in this case.
She fell silent though and the room was filled in silence as the two of them simply looked at one another, Thomas too stubborn or baffled to reply to Zyrao for now before she took the word once more. He was reminded of her age, despite her young looking figure. He gave a simple nod as she had failed to end the sentence about her prior lover. She didn't need to spill it to Thomas as he knew what she meant. He swallowed and kept listening and watched her slip into his lap slowly as the two got closer once more. Ravon's eyes looking into her grey ones as if searching for an answer about what she meant or find a meaning to the point of all this.
Sure she had shared memories with him, vital information to make his realize how she survived and how her mind worked. Yet none of it truly mattered to the question asked after their union. She had asked him to voice out what made him so sure he loved her. As if to check it off against her own list of things to make sure she loved him. A knot had still formed in his stomach. Whilst the two of them were very much alike and shared the same opinions and interests, it seemed like they were not entirely synced up with one another concerning love.
She kissed him and at first he didn't kiss her back as his mind was still racing to process things. By the end of the kiss he did kiss her back though as he looked seriously in her eyes. Finally she admitted feelings for him and he exhaled again as his features softened and his whole body language breathed some form of relaxed state. He rested his forehead against hers as he closed his eyes "You know..." he whispered "You really need to start working on your bedside manner." he teased her slightly before he kissed her back, pouring as much emotion into the kiss as he could before breaking it for air.
"That and, you're way better with words and feelings then I am. Call if the years of wisdom... I just can't work well with emotions." he admitted back to her before he cupped her cheek "But, know that... I care a lot about you as well Zyrao Natauna." he confessed back to her before he pulled her in for a hug and just savored the moment of intimacy.
[Zyrao Natauna – Klingon Liaison | Don't Make Me Worry | Working Through Concern | Notifications Set to On]@Nolan It had been a long time.
Too long.
Every glance at the chronometer was another section of time that he had not returned from the flight he had gone out on this morning. Evening plans, had been cast aside in light of the fact that he had not returned. Information trickled down the chains, allowing her to know that something had gone wrong. As much as she wanted to lay into him for breaking his commitment to her, she knew now it was not delayed out of self service, but delayed because the flight crew with him were all gone. No one had returned and that spelled out ill things.
She was not the sort to worry, Klingons didn't worry, they kicked the asses of those that sought to harm the ones they cared for. Problem was, she didn't know who it was yet, she didn't know what ass to kick, but when she found out, there would be blood upon her knuckles and splattered upon the floor. She would take great pleasure in the suffering of whomever had delayed Thomas Ravon and kind. Sitting behind her desk in her small office, bat'leth gleaming on the wall behind her in the lighting of the room, Zyrao worked. She pulled yet another PADD in front of her and brushed the pad of her thumb across the biosign as she checked the latest inventory arrival from the Klingons. As promised, everything had been there, and checked off by the deck crew.
It's a shame you have to dishonor someone's mother to get people to do their jobs.Another glance at the clock, three minutes past, and then back at the supply list that she was cross referencing with the list she had been sent to make sure that everything was on the right. It wasn't technically her job but anything that kept her from throttling the flight deck crew who had no responsibility on the mission fighter pilots anyway, was a good thing. Zyrao was finally able to dive into her work as she began to decipher some Klingon messages that she had been sent from Martok, it was all personal in nature, and things that they had talked about in the past. He had been a good person to her and she was glad that she had been able to retain that relationship. It had helped the
Theurgy, yes, but her true motivation was entirely selfish. She was just finished replying to Martok, just proof-reading it to make sure she liked how it sounded when a quick ping sounded on her combadge.
Five days. Four hours. Sixteen minutes, then. she thought to herself, as she brushed a hand across her face and tried to remain calm. She wanted to tear apart the universe. She wanted to rip it to it's very core until she found where he was. Murder all the fuckers that dared to hold him from her, and paint the walls with their blood. She had to focus. She had to stay calm, if she let herself go down that path it was going to be nasty, bloody, and likely full of murder.
[Natauna, it's Kesta. They're back.]
Kesta was someone that worked on the flight deck, a slight but strong young woman with bright blonde hair, dark eyes, and a thrill for trying to befriend people. It never hurt to having connections around the ship and Zyrao had taken to the weaknesses of the young woman to make 'friends.' She and Zyrao never really did anything after hours, but, when she was on the deck Zyrao always made sure to give Kestra a smile, a nod, or a little chat to keep the connection going. It was she that Zyrao had asked to keep informed. It wouldn't due for her to be seen pacing back and forth on the flight deck waiting for Thomas to come back. Not that she didn't want to be, but Zyrao knew that Thomas didn't want her to be any sort of burden on him, and furthermore, she would probably punch the first person who talked to her. That wouldn't go over very well.
“I'm on my way.”
Zyrao headed out of her office, the light going out as soon as she was out in the corridor, the door slid shut behind her and automatically locked per her instructions. She wasted no time getting to the turbolift and finding herself down towards the flight deck. She burst out of the turbolift and tore down the corridor. Kestra was waiting at the entrance to the flight deck. Others were being taken off to medical.
“Where is he?” she asked Kestra, who was struggling to keep pace with Zyrao's strong and long stride.
“He went into the office.”
Zyrao stopped so quickly that Kestra almost ran into her. “What?!”
“I don't know, he said the others needed medical first and he could just patch himself up.”
Zyrao ran a frustrated hand down her face for a moment. Putting that same hand on Kestra's shoulder she gave it a squeeze. “Thank you for watching out for him, I'll take it from here.” Kestra's cheeks flushed and she gave a nod letting Zyrao head for the office of one Thomas Ravon. The door slid open at her arrival, he had programmed it that way. She stood there, in the door way a moment and assessed the damage. He was bleeding, he was swelling, and if she wasn't wrong, some of those ribs were broken.
She doubted that she was wrong.
“If you think, for one minute, you aren't going to get escorted to Sickbay, your intelligence is not what I had hoped.” she stated. Though when Thomas looked up at her he would see nothing but relief on her face, and of course there was a mixture of concern. Underneath all of that he would see the dangerous glare of someone that was ready to murder for the man sitting on his desk. She crossed over to him and gently touched his cheek.
“I am glad you are back.”
He was okay.
He was there.
He was breathing.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Klingon imprisonment was no joke, that much was for sure. The past five days had been a new sort of hell. After being fished out of space by the Klingons, brutality had showed up. Of course, perhaps Thomas had a part in it as he couldn't keep his mouth shut and denied to give any information about
Theurgy or where they were from. The probably took turns to the other as well, yet seeing he was the senior officer, he had done his best to divert the attention away from them and more to him.
Perhaps it worked or perhaps not. The end result was quite a mess in the end. His jaw was hanging somewhat loose and he was quite sure that closing it wasn't an option right now. He had spent his time aboard the transport with just his hand in front of his mouth, masking the fact that his jaw had been dislocated. The Klingon that had caused it had taken pride into kicking the pilot right into the face after he had slumped out of the chair. His face was all kind of colors, blue, red, black, purple, green, his nose had dried up bleeding and the skin showed lacerations from the punches and kicks. His non dominant arm stood at a rather wrong angle. Or well it wasn't straight anymore from the elbow to the wrist. Instead it made a rather odd bend in the middle and there as well one could note the swelling, redness, bruising.
These were the two things that Thomas had noticed the most as he stood in his office. Lights dimmed as he had managed to get a look in a mirror. "Thea... Pwoject howlogwaphic wesembwance of mysewf newxt two mew while giwving me a scwan of my cwondiwtion." he asked, unableto speak properly as his jaw didn't exactly move the way he wanted to. In fact, talking hurted as fuck. Sickbay would've been a better call really, yet he was stubborn and told himself things wouldn't and couldn't be that bad. Besides, he didn't want to walk his way throughout the ship in this condition. It took Thea some time to reply back to him, seemingly having to analyse what he had requested. "Impaired speech detected Commander. Performing scan.... Advised to go to Medical for condition. Condition critical." was the reply Thea gave him and Ravon had to snicker, which only caused for more pain as he grunted and tried to stop laughing.
Any time for laughter soon ended as the doors opened of his office. He figured it would've remained shut and locked, yet he knew at least one person who could manage to open those doors without consent. His swollen and blood filled eyes turned to look at the frame of Zyrao. He tried to smile, which hurted like fuck and probably looked not like smiling. She scolded him for not going to medical and told him she'd escort him herself. "Ain't twhat bawd..." he wavedi t off before the projection came besides him.
Two broken ribs, a fractured arm, dislocated jaw and a concussion seemed to be the worst red colored areas. The rest of his body showed yellow signs of bruising, cuts, wounds, lacerations, gashes. Around his abdomen was another red blob as it would indicate he had some bleeding going on internally. Ravon glanced at the projection and snorted "Fuck."
His eyes moved back to Zyrao as he slumped his way over to her. He could see the relief on her face, or at least as far as he could manage to make out what was on her face. she met him and caressed his cheek, causing him to wince for a second as he looked in her eyes "So am I... Sowwy I mwissed dinnew..." he whispered as he felt light headed and slumped against her, only causing him to grunt in pain as he had slumped into her with the broken ribs.
"Need a seawt..." he huffed.
[Zyrao Natauna | When I Find the Klingon | Damage is Done | Sickbay Incoming | Surprises]
He turned, and her heart broke.
He stood there amid so many injuries. His jawline hung at an unnatural angle. His arm was competing his face for the worst of the damage. Not only that, but she could tell the way he was breathing he suffered from multiple broken ribs, and that was just the surface stuff that she could see from her long years of being alive, and fighting. His eyes were both blood shot, the bruising on his face was black and would take so much time to heal and be very painful to heal without medical intervention. She felt for him, it took her back to a place, to the Gladiatorial ring when she herself had likely looked this way and she had seen others this way as well.
He tried to smile but it looked like some kind of gaping maw. Blood stained his teeth and crusted blood of his lips opened up welling up new fresh blood to fill in the gap. She sighed softly even as he told her that it wasn't that bad. As if on cue, Thea did what he had asked earlier and projected his image with medical injuries beside him. Zyrao looked it up and was pretty impressed that her visual inspection had located most of what was seen except the extra bruising and of course the internal bleeding. But, he probably wasn't going to talk about that. Her eyes shifted back over to him and she shook her head.
“It's horrendous, actually. You're being stupid.” she reminded.
He was beside her now, and he told her, in his slurred way that he was sorry to have missed dinner. Before she could answer he slumped against her. Zyrao's strong arms came around him and held him softly as she could against her body while he told her that he needed a seat. “No, you need a doctor.” she reminded.
“Thea, site to site transport to Medical.” she stated calmly.
It was only a moment later that the blue fuzz took over the both of them and they were transported to Medical. It was already fairly busy with the other wolves that were being treated by Thomas was definitely one of the worst. She looked around and reached out snagging a nurse by the back of her uniform in order to stop her.
“Hey!” the woman said before she noticed Thomas. “Oh. Right this way.”
The two women supported Thomas as they got him into an exam room and onto the biobed. She promised to send a doctor in as quickly as possible. Zyrao stood beside the bed, and held Thomas' hand looking over at him, there was so little unbruised flesh, and he was still hurting she could tell though he was being brave, a true warrior.
“I am glad you came home.” she said with a bit of a smile.
The curtain parted again and a slight young looking doctor with black Betazoid eyes and curly hair stepped into the room. She was wearing a doctor's coat over the uniform that she sported and was just looking up from a PADD when she finally realized who was in the room. Her eyes widened as she took in the woman and then who was on the bio bed.
“Thomas?!” she cried out in shock as she rushed to his side.
Zyrao watched the woman almost fuss over him, unsure of where to touch him or what to do. She tilted her head to the side and looked at Thomas, who seemed to recognize her and call her by name. That was when Zyrao's dark brow rose up into her hair line, as if to say this is the one? though she kept it to herself. The betazoid pulled back and pulled a tricorder out of her pocket and began to scan him. Looking up at the Zyrao a moment while the scan took place.
“I'm Doctor Zephyr Praise, Lieutenant.” she explained with a warm smile. “Thomas and I go way back, it's nice to meet you though.”
“I'm sure.” Zyrao said guardedly.
The brown headed woman looked over at Thomas and sighed. “What happened to you?” she said her voice full of concern, worry, and something Zyrao couldn't put her figure on just yet.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ She called him out on how bad the situation was and called him stupid. The pilot had to chuckle which only brought more pain, luckily Zy had closed the distance in the meantime and stated that he needed a doctor. The pilot grunted something incomprehensible before he suddenly found himself in medical. He couldn't even remember or realize the fact that Zyrao had requested a site to site transport and he frowned slightly at the new surroundings as a nurse was halted by the tattooed woman and he was sent to an examination room.
He was eased onto a biobed and the pilot exhaled as it gave some rest to his muscles as Zyrao held on to his hand. He tried squeezing it it, which worked perfectly, though Zyrao would notice the diminished strength in it. He turned his face to her as she smiled and said she was glad to have him back. Before Thomas could answer, the curtain was moved and Thomas looked up at a familiar face.
Zephyr's voice was loud, very loud and she rushed to his side as she inspected him "Zephyr..." he managed to bring out softly as he tried to smile yet his face contorted in pain. He didn't catch Zyrao's reaction and when Zephyr introduced himself, Thomas should have known that this was a bad situation altogether. There was however so little he could do in his current state and he was left to undergo the scans as he shut his eyes and tried to regulate his breathing.
Zephyr asked what had happened and Thomas simply brought out "Work." He could have given her more information, explained how he had been detained by Klingons and abused. Yet the bio bed and the position he was in made it hard to do much if anything. He did however feel safe though, knowing that the woman he loved was by his side.
Scans were made and the worst things were dealt with first. He was given a painkiller which brought him to a better place and his eyes opened once more when it really got working. He still found his hand holding onto Zyrao's and he looked to her as Zephyr worked him over. His eyes locked with the Klingon liaison officer and he gazed deep into them.
He wasn't sure how long he was in Sickbay or how much work Zephyr had on him. Bit by bit though he felt the bones be put back into place, the bruising being taken away and the bleeding stopped. Step by step he was getting patched up and he looked from Zephyr to Zyrao. The curly Betazoid doing what probably be the best care a patient could ever get while Zyrao stood there like a hawk watching over him.
Thomas now became fully aware of what kind of a situation he was now in. Zephyr on his left and Zyrao on his right, it felt like the universe was really playing a joke on him as he looked at Zyrao. Wondering and checking to see if she knew who Zephyr really was. He could tell she knew and he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say or do in this moment.
[Zyrao Natauna – Zephyr Praise | Awkward | The Feel of This Room is Intense | Please Step Out]@Nolan This wasn't awkward at all.
Zephyr tried to keep working but she could not help but notice the way that Thomas was holding the terrifying woman's hand. She was covered in tattoos and had eyes that could bore straight through people. Zephyr would occasionally look up at the tall woman with her eyes, though black, there was a lot of warmth there. Zeph could not help but feel nervous every time she touched poor Thomas and worked to heal his wounds. The jaw would be one of the last things tackled because unfortunately she felt that it would be better to put the jaw back physically and then heal it. Luckily, she had already put a lot of pain killers in his body and she could tell when they began working because he was already seeming more alert even if his eyes were tired.
Thomas claimed that it was work, Zyrao looked down at him and rolled her eyes shaking her head. “This was not work, this was torture.”
Zephyr looked up again. Then down at Thomas, it made a lot of sense, honestly, the wounds on his body spanned the age of days. Not just a singular day that had been painful but he had suffered for a while and that was scary. She had no idea that Thomas was missing for five days straight, but she could sense the worry and concern from the woman beside Thomas. She was coming in loud and clear, there was emotions, feelings, between the two of them. She wasn't sure what the emotion was, but it was something that linked the pair.
One of the nurses stepped into the small curtained partition and looked over at Zyrao. “Natauna, there is a Security officer here to see you.”
Zyrao looked over and nodded then back at Thom giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “I'll be back.” she promised as she headed out of the room leaving Thomas and Zephyr alone for the first time in a while. Zeph continued to work on him, her heart beating heavily in her chest just witnessing the sheer level of damage.
“Thomas.” Zeph whispered as she moved up to his face, most of the bruising and minor injuries were still there, however, she had taken care of the ribs and internal bleeding first because it was the most serious injury. Now she needed to tackle his jaw. She looked into his eyes and she gave him a soft smile. She wanted to reach up and touch him, give him some hope, tell him it would all be all right. But, he had someone for that and despite her swallowing her own emotions regarding what had gone down with Khorin recently. She, didn't want to ruin whatever Thomas had with Zyrao.
“I'm going to work on your jaw now. It's going to be painful while I set the jaw back in place. Then I'll be able to take it away, all right?” she said softly as she slid close to the bed, and put her tricorder away. It wasn't going to help her right now, she would need it later. Putting it to the wheeling cart beside the biobed, she climbed up on the bed because she was going to need leverage. “Now when your girlfriend comes back you're going to have to explain this awkward situation.” she said with a chuckle, though the shadows underneath her eyes proved that she was functioning but not well. Straddling Thomas so that she could get the proper leverage she began to work the jaw back together. It would pop loudly, as it clipped back into place. She brushed her fingers over his jawline and temples to make sure it was seated correctly before swelling took over. Everything felt good. Climbing back off of Thomas, Zeph tried not to think about the position she had just been in as she stood beside the bed again and began to heal the swelling and trauma around his jawline.
“Okay, so lets do another scan, and make sure I didn't miss anything.” she said softly as she began to work on the tricorder again. “Someone did a number on you, Thom. I'm glad you're okay, that bleeding would have been bad given any longer time.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Sickbay | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Zyrao seemed to have the tendency to correct Thomas throughout his return and the pilot gave her a look. Not a serious one though to put her in her place, but one that said enough that she didn't have to spell it all out. Why though seemed to be a mystery still. Was it because he didn't want the pretty doctor working him to be overly worried? Or did he just not feel like sharing the whole truth with everyone aboard the ship besides Zyrao? He would probably tell her once he got out of Sickbay with Zyrao, yet for now, the pilot played a different game it seemed.
Someone came in and called Zyrao by her last name. Which was somewhat odd, but kind of had a nice ring to it as Thomas looked up at the person before looking at Zyrao as she looked back at him. Squeezing into his hand gently and promising she'd return "Youw bettew." he tried to sound funny and tried to smile which only caused for another sting of pain to sear through his face. He simply nodded as she made her exit and he trailed her with his eyes before he exhaled softly.
Zephyr whispered his name and Thomas turned his head to face her now as the Betazoid doctor smiled ever so faintly. His eyes took in the details of her face, now that he could actually see somewhat decently again. He noticed the tired look on her face, the fact that she was just Zephyr but also, not entirely. She warned him that she'd work on his jaw and he nodded as braced himself for it and looked in her eyes. He didn't speak, talking would only hurt more.
She put everything into her pockets before she slid up on the bed and told him he'd have to explain when his girlfriend returned. It made him chuckle a little and grunt in pain before he suddenly felt Zephyr straddle him. His eyes locked with hers as he froze slightly, his hands instinctively reach up to rest against her hips. His fingers dug into her uniform as she set it straight and with a pop everything felt more in place as the discomforting pressure nearly instantly vanished. The rest of the swelling set in now and it ached quite rapidly, yet differently than the dislocated jaw. Zeph moved her fingers over his jaw and temple, more so to check if everything was in order yet Thomas couldn't help but appreciate the soft touch of the woman straddling him.As fast as she had come onto the bed, as fast did she move off him and stand back at the foot end of the bio bed.
Thomas moved his jaw around, tongue against his cheeks as he bit down a few times before reaching up to feel if everything was in place, even though he knew it was. She started to scan and he smiled "Mmh, it certainly feels better Zeph..." he commented on her fixing his jaw before he added "Not sure your boyfriend would agree on the method." he teased her. He nodded again as she scanned him further "I'm glad to be back, right on time as it seems." he smiled faintly at her as he sat up slowly now and moved his hands over the areas where his broken ribs were. In the meantime however Zephyr broke away, Thomas wasn't sure if she had completed her scans.
He frowned and as she stood with her back to him, he slowly hoisted himself out of the bed and walked over to her. He reached out to her shoulder and turned her around as he noticed just how pale she had become. In fact, he imagined a dead body would look paler than she was. It were tell tale signs of a typical Zephyr Praise breakdown. He retraced his steps. What did he say or do? His eyes looked in hers as he didn't say anything. Hesitating for a split second, he eventually slid his arms around her as he hugged her.
[Lt. Zephyr Praise | Heart broken | I'll Be Okay | It's Not the First Time | I Thought This Time Was It]@Nolan Everything, according to the tricorder was coming out fine. The bruising was fading, she knew that Thomas probably wouldn't have minded letting that heal the old fashioned way, but since she was already in the process of healing him she figured she might as well do a thorough job. So she had, and so he would, quite soon, feel no pain or discomfort. The medication she had injected him with would be metabolized and wear off, but he wouldn't feel any pain. Maybe a little soreness here and there, but nothing that would cause him not to be able to live his normal life. She was thankful, today, that she was a doctor. The last time they had met had been much more awkward and hard for them. This time felt a little smoother, but it wasn't the same. Thomas was important to her, and she missed him. Especially lately with what had happened in her personal life.
He told her that he felt better, earning him a soft smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. While she had her eyes fixed, the normal hazel green was back as it had been when she was in the Academy, however, she had told Vi to leave her Betazoid status as full and complete. There was no reason to go through the change again, she couldn't imagine what that would do to her DNA a second time and she didn't, honestly, mind being full. Thomas was back to his normal self as he told her that he wasn't sure how her boyfriend would feel about the methods used to put his jaw back into place.
Zeph turned, and made herself busy on the rolling tray just a couple feet away. She knew the blood had drained from her face but right now she was just trying to finish up. She could hear him shifting around behind her, but she knew that he was feeling better and could cause no damage to himself. Likely, he would want to get out of here anyway. She put the tricorder back in her pocket, having released him medically to go back to work tomorrow after a full day rest. Something that she would tell the tattooed woman holding his hand only moments ago. From what Zephyr had seen she would be the one to make sure that Thomas did as he was told.
A hand fell on Zeph's shoulder. “You're.. released ..” she said softly, trying to hold it all together. It was easier, when he wasn't here. She didn't really have any friends, she had spent most of her time with Khorin and Jasper and enjoying her lab in the Arboretum. But here, this was Thom. Familiar, not family, but something. It was home in a way that no one had ever been in her life. He turned her around and got a good look at her face, he knew that face, he had seen it before. As he studied her face, her lower lip quivered and tears began to well in her eyes.
“You should g-” Suddenly he pulled her into a hug, and that was the last straw. Zephyr softly cried into his chest. Holding onto him for dear life. All the tears she had cried quietly in her empty Quarters alone with Jasper. All the tears that she bit back while she threw herself onto every imaginable shift she could to keep busy. All of them came out. His hand came up into her tied back hair and held her securely against his body. She cried for a good long minute, her body hardly breathing, each breath a horrible ragged sob and gasp of air before she finally quieted down. For a long moment, she didn't move. She needed just another moment.
Pulling back, finally, so it wasn't awkward for him knowing he was with someone and everything, she brushed at her tear strained cheeks. “We aren't.. Khorin.. and I we're not... together anymore.” she said with a loud sniffle as she crossed the room to grab a napkin from the dispenser and quickly wiped her face down. Her hazel green eyes blood shot now with the crying and the shadows under her eyes that much darker. She didn't have a chance to give any additional information when Zyrao came back into the room. She looked at Thom standing, and then Zephyr who was blotting at her face and back at Thomas.
“You had to make her cry after she put you back together?” Zyrao teased.
Zeph straightened her shoulders. “It's not his fault, I am going through something personal and it just kind of came out in the presence of a friend.” she admitted with a slight shrug.
Zyrao gave a quick nod. “Understandable.” She stood next to Thom and slid her hand into his.
“He needs to rest for twenty four hours. Then he can return to active duty, however, if I catch him on duty before the allotted time, I'll assign him to a Biobed and put him under 24 hours watch.” she stated looking at the both of them.
Zyrao grinned. “I think I can manage to keep him home for a little bit. Thank you doctor.” Zyrao turned to Thomas. “Lets go. I'll replicate dinner at my place.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Sickbay | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ As Thomas had moved over to Zephyr she informed him that he was released, it wasn't exactly what he was after, though it was good to know. He still felt somewhat light headed by the administered medication. Though considering, his body seemed to handle the dosage quite well. It would have seemed that Zephyr had administered just enough to numb the pain, yet not as much to make him groggy or worse.
He cut off her sentence as she was about to send him away, he clearly wasn't having any of it. It seemed to be a good choice as she grasped onto him and began to weep. His one hand came to rest on the back of her tied up hair as the other ran up and down between her shoulder blades. He rested his head against hers as he let her cry and let a good chunk of her sadness out. He wasn't sure how much time had passed by before Zephyr pulled away and wiped her tears away before using a napkin to straighten herself up.
She told him that her and Khorin weren't together anymore and he felt so bad for her. A good part of his heart boiling with anger for the Klingon as he had instructed him during the last flight to take good care of her. He hadn't even informed him about it? He didn't quite show the anger inside of him, considering how it had frightened Zephyr the last time she saw his pure rage. It still hurt to remember how she had looked at him. The image of her eyes, the way she looked at him, he must've been a monster. Perhaps he still was in her eyes? However, this moment, it seemed to mend certain things.
Before anything else could be said or done Zyrao made her appearance once more. Thomas felt caught for a second, his heart making a jump. He caught himself feel things for Zephyr he had thought he had banished. It wasn't that he was falling head over heels for her again like he had in the academy. Though he knew he couldn't and shouldn't feel these things for her. he had to leave her behind him, as she had made her choice when she chose Khorin over him. He glanced over at Zephyr as Zyrao teased, asking if he had broken the woman after she had fixed him.
Zephyr was the first to reply and she told Zyrao the truth, that he was just being a friend in a time of need. Thomas had turned himself sideways to look back over at Zyrao as he smiled faintly before she joined him at his side. She slid her hand into his and he squeezed gently into it as he looked at the tattooed woman, his eyes looking into hers. Zephyr stated the terms of his dismissal from Sickbay and Zyrao replied in her typical kind of way. It did make a smile curl on Thomas' lips. The pilot squeezed into her hand and as twenty four hours of rest would come in handy, Thomas felt guilty to having felt what he did for Zephyr.
Zyrao seemed eager to get out of this place and Thomas smiled and nodded "Dinner sounds great right now... Just not any of that Klingon garbage..." he teased her before he looked back at Zephyr and swallowed "Thanks for fixing me Zeph. I'll uh... Catch you later." he said softly with a smile before he turned around to make his way out with Zyrao. He did wait until just before turning behind the curtain to kiss Zyrao on her temple and wrap his arm around her neck.
As they made their way out of Sickbay to the Turbolift he kept silent for a bit before talking up as they pushed the button for a lift "So... Yeah... That was her. The girl before... You." he said softly as he looked into Zyrao's eyes. He was curious what the El-Aurian thought of her. The lift chimed upon arrival and Thomas stepped in and when the doors closed he faced Zyrao and pulled her in for a hug before kissing her full and fiery "I missed you." he admitted as he still truly loved the El-Aurian. They kept kissing and he seemed to crave the physical contact of her body against his before the lift arrived on the designated deck.
He'd drag her out of the elevator as he held her close against him and as they walked on a brisk pace towards her quarters he suddenly spoke up "It might sound stupid... But, for a moment I thought I wasn't going to make it. Not that I... Was going to give up, but it sort of dawned to me. When I laid there all beat up and fucked over." he swallowed and laughed softly "I mean, you must've been in a similar situation at some point, right?" he waited for her answer as they reached the door of her quarters.
"It might sound stupid... But I thought of my parents even though I never met them in my entire life. I only have their names." he smiled faintly as he entered her quarters and felt like he was coming home in a way "Do you believe in an afterlife of sorts? Or that people look over you in a way? I'm not sure if that's the case but I'd so want to learn more about my parents." he rambled, seemingly the drugs Zephyr shot him up with had loosened his tongue somewhat. "Derek Ravon or well Derek Christinnson as I've managed to look up with the access to the records." He sighed as he heard himself rambling now and he pushed his hands in his face and shook his head "Fuck, just listen to me... I need to shut up." he laughed a little as he turned to face Zyrao and reached out for her to hold her after the entire ordeal.
[Zyrao Natauna | The Truth | A Connection | Small Universe]@Nolan As the two stepped outside the curtain, Thomas put his arm around her neck and kissed her temple earning a small smile from the El-Aurian. They headed off towards the lift as he explained that the woman from the room, the doctor, had been the woman that had broken him before Zyrao had come along. Her brow rose, and she gave a nod.
“I had assumed as much. I was surprised, as she could not be any different than I. I had expected her to be somewhat closer to my personality.” she stated as they walked. Zyrao did not feel threatened by Zephyr. She would not be the kind of person that denied him friendships just because he was dating her. There was nothing but break ups at the end of that road, when you tried to be too controlling. If Thomas was meant for her, he would stay beside her, if he was meant to wander than he could. As long as it wasn't something done straight in front of her face, and as long as it wasn't something sexual she could handle friends.
As they got to the turbolift, Thomas pulled her inside and into a fierce kiss. She shoved him up, carefully, against the wall allowing her body and his to press against one another. Mindful that he was still healing. But Zyrao poured her great deal of physical passion into her full lips as they reunited with one another fully now that his life fluids were no longer leaking into his interior. Once the doors opened they exited only to have him pull her up against the wall plating a moment later to administer yet another kiss to her thick lips. Her hands raked through his hair and held him quite securely against her body. Zyrao was many things, but modest and shy were not even in the hemisphere.
AS they walked, it seemed that Thomas was giddy from the medication perhaps, or the fact that he still lived after five days of torture and being held against his will. Zyrao knew much of that feeling, having felt it several times in her life and yet it would still be different. He explained that he had not been sure that he was going to make it. Not that he was the sort to give up, but that, he wasn't sure anyone would be able to rescue them in time. “There are many times in my life, I have felt as you felt and are feeling currently.” she reminded him.
He knew some of her past, more than most people on the
Theurgy did. There were still things to say, to talk about, things to let him in on. But, they had plenty of time he did not need to know everything there was to know about her instantly. He told her that he thought about his parents even though he had never met them. And asked her if she believed in some sort of after life. “I am uncertain what happens when someone truly perishes. It is a nice thought, that there is something beyond this life, and yet, there are days I wish for the peaceful respite of oblivion.” she admitted.
He wanted to learn more about his parents and as they walked he told her that Derek Ravon or Derek Christinnson had been the names he had gone by when he had been going around the universe, and all that Thomas was able to find out. They reached his quarters, as he raked his hands through his hair and told her that he needed to shut up. A chuckle exited the El-Aurian's lips as she lead him inside and got him situated on the couch. With a kiss to his forehead she headed over to the replicator and began to get them something to eat. Her mind immediately went to Ravon's favorite, pizza, and she got the same kind he had gotten for them the first night he had shown her pizza. Which did not seem that long ago, and was actually only a matter of days ago and yet, it had been a good night.
Zyrao returned with the pizza and drinks laying it all out over the coffee table in front of the couch. Handing him a piece and putting a bottle of water within his reach she sat on the couch beside him taking up her own piece and eating it. She thought for a moment, the names of his parents, something he had never told her before.
Christinnson sounded familiar. But, why?
Her life was long, but it was a fairly recent memory. It took a moment to pull it out of the recesses of her mind. Laying in her dark Klingon quarters with a lovely blonde beside her in bed. Curled up against her against the fears of the dark, the fears of the Klingon, and into the safety of the El-Aurian that was training her to be a person again. There Chloe spilled her guts about many things. One of which included the only name she new to be her father's. Part of Zyrao had wanted to hunt the man down and beat him until only his heart continued to beat, just barely, and make it known what life he had left his daughter to live. And yet, it would not soothe Chloe's heart, so instead, she listened to the young sleepy woman beside her spill her life secrets in the safe darkness of the room.
“Thomas.” Zyrao said looking over at him. “Did you not say, you believed you had a sister?”
[ Thomas Ravon | Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ If there was one thing that could be said about Thomas and Zyrao it was that their relationship burned bright like a lighthouse. They way they kissed and teased one another would certainly lead to Thomas dismissing Zephyr's advice of taking rest. However, Zyrao would have to have her say in it as well as they kissed and made out. The passion shared in their kiss was subliminal and just full of love "I think you area complete opposite of Zephyr... Which I certainly do not mind..." he whispered against her lips.
They continued their way further to his quarters and as he kept talking, Zyrao shared with him that she had been in similar yet different situations as he was. It made Thomas wonder of how much horror and bad things she would've seen in her life. Seeing her life had been quite long by his standards. He looked at her with some concern in his eyes, yet a whole lot more respect as he nodded. As for afterlife, she didn't quite know either what would be after this life. He could agree with her answer and smiled as the doors opened to their quarters.
She guided him to the couch and kissed his forehead as she walked over to the replicator. His eyes followed her and raced her every move and action as she replicated a meal and refreshments. It didn't take long before he could smell that familiar aroma of pizza. A smile from ear to ear on his face as she handed him a slice and placed a bottle in hand's reach "Mmh, do we have something to celebrate?" he asked her, teasing, joking.
He took a chomp out of the slice and nestled himself against Zyrao as he seemingly having missed her "So, what have you been up to the past five days?" he asked her with a bit of amusement in his voice. Wondering if she had lost her patience with him not returning or if she had frantically pushed herself into work. Zyrao did seem to be busy with something else before she asked a question to him that he did not expect at all.
He pushed himself upright again as he put the slice back on the late and frowned in confusion "A sister?" he asked her, repeating the words and shaking his head "No. The guardian I had said I was the only child aboard the ship when it was evacuated." he felt his stomach turn into a knot as his appetite left him. Which was an odd thing to feel after five days of nearly starving "Why? Do you... Why do you ask?" he asked her softly now as he faced her and crossed his legs in the couch. The new position did make his skin stretch, to a point where it hurtslightly again. His hand came to rest against his ribs as his face showed a minute sign of pain before he bit it away. His eyes were dead serious and she could tell by his body language that he seemed somewhat more tense now.
[Zyrao Natauna | Truth Time | I Have News | Another Link in the Chain]@Nolan Zyrao did not hear his question, about what she had been doing for the past five days she was too lost in her thoughts of Chloe. The ones that were full of nothing but love and pride. Zyrao had never developed romantic feelings for the sweet young frightened woman, but instead, had taken on a more mother like role in helping Chloe grow from a frightened young girl to a strong woman that could take on the world when she was finally let go. A betrayal that Chloe had taken heavily, and yet, Zyrao had proved it had worked. Chloe stood on her own now, she was brazen, bold, beautiful, and whole. She was proud, of Chloe and wished that they could remain friends as time marched onwards and now that they were on and off on Aldea from time to time it would only make it easier.
When she inquired about a sister for him she immediately knew that he must not have said anything about one because of the surprise on his face. His pizza went down to the plate it had come from and he turned his entire body towards her. He was told that he was the only sibling living by those that had raised him. So he was curious why she had stated as such.
“Let me tell you a story then.” she explained as she put her own pizza down and picked up the bottle of water. She might need it. “When I had been on the Klingon ship some years we came across a Cardassian ship and wished to board it. For supplies, armory, weapons, and so forth. There, I was on board with a team of Klingon because I was the strategist and because I was rather blood thirsty myself. We tore through the ship, but I knew this brand of ship having been on one previously in my own personal history. Thus, I moved to the lowest of decks, knowing that there would be slaves there. Other Klingon warriors did as well, and the Klingon were not against keeping slaves themselves, and thus, a group of us headed down to see what was available.”
“Down on the slave deck there were many slaves. Kept in cages and in deplorable situations. Which isn't surprising they were property and likely to be used or sold when they got to whatever their destination had been. However, I relieved them all. Brought them with us, they would soon as stay there and perish through starvation but at least with the Klingon they had hope.” she took a sip of her water and sighed.
“Once back on my ship, I looked through the slaves and one girl, in particular, caught my interest. She was stick thin, blonde, and had vibrant eyes. She was terrified of the world around her and had known nothing but slavery in her known memory. She was about to be claimed by a Klingon. I have never, not once, chosen a slave for myself. I do not find the process or the institution if it palatable, but I had to do something. That particular Klingon would break her, and beat her, and there would be nothing I could do if she was owned. I defeated the Klingon for the honor of having her as my slave.”
It was clear this was something Zyrao was massively uncomfortable with. She took another sip of water and continued on. “Back in my Quarters I made sure she was cleaned, got clothing, and food. She adored sweets and once she began to laugh, she had a laughter that could brighten any day. Fearful at night, she shared my own bed. I raised her back up to be a proper woman. I taught her how to fight, how to be herself, she received a medical education by interning with our Klingon medical department and was eventually allowed to go where she wished on the ship because no one would dare mess with my property.” Zyrao sighed. “Her name was Chloe, and her father's name.. is your father's name.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Their Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Thomas grabbed his bottle of water as well now as Zyrao seemed sunk in thoughts before answering his question why she thought he would even have a sister. She would tell him a story and the pilot frowned even more as he didn't quite get where this would lead to. As she started he screwed the cap off the bottle and sipped from the water as his eyes rested on her features as she spoke. He nodded slowly as she clearly spoke of a different time and a different kind of Zyrao.
As the story progressed, Thomas couldn't help but wonder where this was leading too. Slowly but surely though, it narrowed down and she spoke of a girl. He could tell she felt some discomfort about having to admit that she had a slave at some point in her life. Considering she had been a slave herself. He nodded understandingly and figured that any slave under Zyrao would been treated so much differently from others. He'd voice it out, yet let her speak and continue her story.
She spoke of the girl with blonde hair and vibrant eyes and Thomas seemed to get more intrigued now as he pulled his legs up and rested his head on his knees. From what he could tell, she seemed to have trained to woman to be self sufficient and able to never fall into the clutches of slavery again. It made Thomas smile slightly at the story before she dropped the real kicker. The fact that this Chloe shared the same name as his father made him just stare at Zyrao and shrug.
"Doesn't mean anything... From what I've learned on Earth is that there are a lot of people with the same name. Yet nowhere near related." he answered her "What are the odds though? That I have a sister? Pretty slim considering I'm the only registered child between my mother and my fath-" he paused himself as the idea dawned on him that his father might not have been the man he always imagined him to be. It would make sense why the man had two different last names. Though there was no proof or any record of it. Thomas swallowed and looked at Zyrao "Do you see any resemblance between me and this Chloe?" he asked her softly.
[Zyrao Natauna | Truth Teller | Expanding the Family | Surprise Sister]@Nolan Thom surprised her readily when he said, at the end of her story, that it didn't mean anything. He had learned on Earth there were many with the same name and they were no where near related. She rose her brow, because while that was probably the case on just about any planet, the fact that Zyrao herself had come across one, and the father's name was exactly the same, seemed a bit surprising. She wasn't sure if it was denial or if he was just not sure if believing it was the right thing. Perhaps he didn't want to put hope in the fact of having an actual family member out there at large.
“The odds are unmeausreable.” she reminded him considering he didn't know anything about his father outside of the name. And the mother's were different. She remembered meeting Thom for the first time. It wasn't, probably when he thought it was, it was during a turbolift when they were both headed in the same direction. She looked at his face and she remembered thinking how familiar it was. How it made her think of someone in the past and now with all the links together she realized that the person she was linking Thom to in that very moment was none other than Chloe. Someone she had spent years with, the face was all too familiar, and all too vibrant. Zyrao would never forget Chloe's face, the warmth of her snuggled up against her chest, the smiles and laughter, their chats over tea and dinner. Chloe had made life on the Klingon ship that much better, and it had nearly done Zyrao in to push the young girl out on her own.
He paused for a moment, in his speaking and asked if she had seen any resemblance. “Do you recall our first meeting? In the Turbolift, when I mentioned that you looked quite familiar?” she asked him curiously, and waited for his nod or the shake of his head. “You and she share many similarities.”
She slid over the couch towards him and pulled out a small device. He had probably seen the device, though it was not Federation standard anything it was most definitely a device from another race. The small disk lay flat in her hand, but as she brushed her thumb over it the device came to life and read her face. Obviously, what was inside was something that was only for her. Once it was in, the writing that came up was not Starfleet standard or Klingon. She thumbed through a menu or two and got to the point she wanted to before clicking. Then came to life a photo montage of Chloe.
Many of them were candid. Chloe having her first tea, or her birthday (which they had made up for fun) and the mountain of sweets at her disposal. Chloe learning to fight, Chloe holding a bat'leth. Chloe learning medicine from a very robust Klingon woman. Then there were many of Chloe and Zyrao. Smiling with each other, reading books together, at the gym together, exploring new worlds together. A couple of holo pics that Chloe had taken of Zyrao too populated this specific file, but most of them were about Chloe. There was even one of her down on Aldea, Chloe and Zyrao just a week or so past, cooking in Zyrao's apartment together. Finally, there was one image where Chloe was looking at the camera with a smile, and Zyrao paused on that one.
“I have reason to believe this is your sister, Thomas.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Their Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Zyrao countered his reasoning that the odds were unmeasurable and Thom sighed and tried to laugh it away as he shook his head. She reminisced to their first meeting. The pilot looked back at her as his eyes looked somewhere between angry and in disbelief. He nodded slowly as he remembered the fleeting moment when they met in the lift. She pointed out that he and this Chloe shared a lot of similarities and he kept looking at her, almost glaring now.
She ran her thumb over a device that seemed alien. It seemed heftily encrypted and Thomas frowned slightly as he wondered what exactly she was up to. The language the interface used was foreign to Ravon and he could only guess that this was what El-Aurian looked like. He didn't ask though as Zyrao had edged closer to show him something. The device projected the montage of pictures that were seemingly taken by Zyrao.
Thomas looked at them, seeing the girl return in every picture as she was seemingly learning things. She looked young, yet he couldn't quite tell when these pictures were made. He remained silent as he looked at Zyrao now, who looked affectionately to the pictures. It seemed that the women had shared quite some time with one another and that it had lead to an immeasurable friendship or perhaps more. Thomas eyes fixated on the last picture that Zyrao selected. Chloe's face smiling at the two of them as he looked at the girl.
It was hard to deny the fact that the two of them shared quite some similarities. Besides just the name that Zyrao had pointed out. Thomas' world however collapsed on top of him. His mind had always seen as his parents as righteous Starfleet members. People who had died or perished giving their life for a cause. This, this proof however meant that there would be quite a dent in that mental image he had of them. Hell he didn't even know what they looked like as most of the files were still redacted. Yet here, right before his eyes lay proof that his father had made another child unbeknownst to him.
It changed the reality Thomas lived in. Learning that this woman, his potential or well quite certainly, sibling had been forced into a life of slavery. Probably abuse, horrors and he sorts while he enjoyed his education at the Academy. Did he fail her for not finding her, protecting her like a brother should? He couldn't speak as he simply gazed at the picture before him before he cast his eyes away and slid off the couch and walked through the room. His hands thrown up into his face and into his hair as he sighed and shook his head.
"You are certain?" he asked, his voice colder and somewhat detached even as he tried to cope with the new information given as he felt no steady ground under his feet. He leaned against the desk in the far corner from the couch as he looked at Zyrao "This... It changes everything. To know I have actual family. Did I fail her by not finding it out? I mean, you said so yourself... She was... Enslaved... Who knows what they..." he felt a crop grow in his throat and he couldn't spill it out as he slipped down against the desk onto the floor. He found it harder to breathe as he felt himself get lost in a darker place now.
[Zyrao Natauna | Uncharted Waters | Powering Through | News to Him | Family Affairs]@Nolan Thomas did not believe, not until she began to show him the pictures of Chloe. She could see it, sinking into his psyche as he figured everything out. As he recognized the resemblance between the woman on the holo projections and the man that he saw in the mirror. She knew that it could not be easy, Zyrao knew that if she had suddenly family out there somewhere she would tear the universe a new asshole in order to get there that much faster. But then, her situation, while similar, was completely different to his. She had a planet that had been destroyed, a smattering of her race scattered to the stars, and she had hardly found another. Until Eboh, that was still a sore subject for the older woman.
Thomas slid off the couch and began to walk through the room. Dinner forgotten for the time being. She put her bottle of water down, half empty, and watched him as he walked. He asked if she was certain, a tone to his voice spoke of an impending break down. She sighed softly, she had not expected someone as strong as Thomas to break down over something like this, however, it could be due to his mental state, exhaustion, and his recent torture that had weakened his normal mental fortitude. It could be that he was not strong as he thought when it came to the subject of family. It had never, truly, been discussed between the two of them before.
“I cannot be certain, Thomas, unless DNA was compared. I do not hold any of Chloe's DNA with me, it would have all been destroyed on my previous ship.” she explained. “However, the father names match, the noses, the jaw line, and even the eyes. She was looking for a brother, she had heard rumors of. Last I had spoken with her.”
He continued to move until he finally stopped at the desk. He looked at Zyrao. He told her that it changed everything. That he had family now, but then, that he felt he had failed her. He charged it as a question but it wasn't a question. He felt responsible for her enslavement and the horrors that had been perpetrated against her. Zyrao put her hand up.
“You underestimate the strength of Chloe.” she promised. “What she went through, what she has overcome, has turned her into the kind but strong person that she is today. I cannot say everything she went through, I k now some of the things, yes. We bonded over many things, except, that in truth, without knowing of her existence it is of course not your fault to have never known she was in such straights. She survived very well, and she lives on now. Strong, vibrant, fighting, doing work that she chose for herself. She is amazing and I could not be more proud of the woman that she has become. You would be proud, too, Thomas.”
Zyrao rose from the couch and crossed the room to sit beside him. Incase he wished to lean physically and not just mentally on her. “I wish I had put the facts together earlier. I apologize for bearing such shocking news.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Their Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Zyrao's reaction was not entirely what Thomas had expected. She had looked at him with a set of eyes that seemed to be wondering why he was feeling like this. It even made him wonder about himself if he was overreacting about it all or not. Perhaps it was exhaustion after everything he had been through. A spark in the back of his mind wondered what Zephyr would've done. A thought that quickly got banished by Thomas as he took his place by his desk.
Zy had pointed out that she couldn't be sure, not without a DNA swab. Any DNA this Chloe had would've been destroyed on the previous ship it seemed. What stung more was the fact that Chloe was looking for a rumored brother which in the end could be him. She had already heard about him it seemed, or she must've figured out somehow. Whilst Thomas was still oblivious.
She pointed out that Chloe was a strong woman, resilient and quite capable to take care of herself. It was hard for Thom to feel proud of a woman he had never met, let alone know what achievements she had unlocked for herself or how far she had gotten in life. Zyrao had shifted from the seat over to him and settled down besides him as he stared out in front of him. She apologized for not realizing things sooner and to bring the news to him. He simply snorted at the news and shook his head as he let his head rest against the desk "It's good you told me... It's just... Not what I ever hoped to hear." he whispered "To know there's family out there after all... Can we get in touch with her in a way?"
[Zyrao Natauna | Complications | Surprises | Failures | Recovery]@Nolan Thomas admitted it was good that she had told him, she wouldn't have kept it from him. Anyone that had lost people close to them understood all too well the horrors of wondering sometimes if others still existed. El-Aurian's were likely al the same though Zyrao had long since stopped looking for others of her kind. AS much as she hoped to find kinship somewhere, she knew that was not the case and it would likely never happen again. The universe was too big, there were too few, and the spread was too wide. She was used to being alone, though she had Thom now, she knew that things were still in the very early stages. While he had claimed his love for her, she did care for him, though she was a little bit more trepidacious about it wanting to take it a little slowly. They were still learning about one another, still finding out about how they worked as a couple and side by side. But, at least, they were there standing together and doing it with company.
“I would give many things in life, Thomas, to find another of my own.” she admitted with a real amount of seriousness and sadness in her voice. Perhaps he could almost slightly understand, on a very small scale why she had been angered at Bila for not protecting and getting Eboh the care that he needed quicker. Was it his fault? No. But she mourned the loss of the possibility all the same. Another of her kind, even just half, was so unknown to her. She had a great many hopes and desires when it came to getting together with Eboh post mission. All of them had been crushed by the Borg.
The Borg, again.
He asked if there was any way that she could reach out to Chloe and she shrugged. “It's possible.” she said as she pulled out her communications device. She had given Chloe the proper digits, and if she was available they could speak. She pulled out her PADD and began to thumb through the contacts she had before she found Chloe's name. Her PADD was in Starfleet standard because it helped her practice reading it and she had caught on well enough but she preferred Klingon and El-Aurian most. El-Aurian as Thomas had seen of her encrypted device, was a loping fluid very fantastic script. With loops, swirls, and swirls.
The call rang, several times before it ended, and no one picked up. “She had stated something about leaving Aldea, she may be where I cannot reach her. But, I can give you her information. When she answers, tell her of me, she will know I would not give her information lightly.”
With that she sent Thom the credentials needed to contact Chloe on his own. Putting her PADD away she looked over at him and brushed a hand on his shoulder. “Come eat, and then sleep, you've been through enough. Let's rest for the day, then, tomorrow we will try again.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ Thomas had thought back about the moment when Zyrao had told him about Chloe. It was only a few days ago and the pilot was still digesting the news. In the meantime, they had grown somewhat closer again. He took more care for her back, a small token of affection and today would have been an experimental day at the spa down on Aldea. The experiment had started off great, with some mud flinging yet a lot of fun and heated moments, it however turned south pretty fast after that.
Zyrao had gone out of control against a fellow crew member and whilst said crew member took all the blame for the beatng on her, Thomas had not been able to confront or talk to Zyrao about it. He had chased after her, looked for her yet hadn't found her anywhere to be found. Hours had passed since the incident and Thomas began to wonder
if Zyrao would return to the ship after all.
He had giving up the position in the couch and the staring at the door and had moved off to take a shower in his bathroom. Using the sonic variant instead of the water shower to cast away any remnants of mud or sweat still on him. His quarters felt empty, unkind and almost to a point even like a prison. He was caught in it with the few memories he had of Zyrao and the gnawing feeling that she might not return. It drove him mad, to the verge of pure rage even as he thought of things that he should have handled differently.
Had it all started at the official party on Aldea? Where he had asked her to keep herself under control when she saw Izar Bila. Was the the point of origin where he had stoked that anger and rage inside of her? He kept staring to the wall as he let his mind run the possible outcomes. In whichever point of view he looked at it, the thing that hurt the most was that she had left him. She had however made it adamantly clear that
he should be there for
her when he had called her out in public. Yet now it seemed like this whole team thing was falling apart as she simply ran away from him.
Did she not trust him enough to have her back? Was she that ashamed that she thought he'd think differently of her? If anything, this whole situation had made Thomas doubt. He loved the El-Aurian like no other, in a very specific way that most people wouldn't understand probably. He had seen their potential, how the unlocked traits with one another that lead to violence. Bloody, bone breaking violence. The best example was how they had first met. After he had returned from Aldea with or from Zephyr. They had beaten one another to a pulp, the medical officers calling them insane before they shared a shower together and eyed one another with a grin on their faces.
They were unashamed for one another's bodies, habits or decisions. They had clicked and solidified their bonds. This moment however felt different. Thomas had gotten it in his thick skull that she felt ashamed of herself perhaps and how he'd react to it. That she didn't trust his judgement. That there essentially was no trust between the two of them at this point and did that hurt like fuck...
A punch was delivered against the wall as he heard the bone crack for a second, not quite breaking the bones, yet the joints had come under quite some pressure as bruising began to form. He switched the shower off and looked over at his PADD by the washing station. He had sent her messages, asking for where she was so he could find her. Yet there was no flashing light, there was nothing but silence as the sonic shower died off.
[Zyrao Natauna | Killing Oneself | Too Much | Not Ready | No Trust]@Nolan It had taken about an hour, before Zyrao had gotten off of her bed. Thomas had not come, and it did not occur to her that he would have been unable to get in. Surely, they would have called to ask her if she would receiving visitors if he had. Zyrao had taken the time to finally wash the blood, mud, and oils from her skin. Her back felt tight again from the strain and tension that radiated throughout her body. Still, she washed off whatever was left and dressed herself again. This time in her ripped jeans and simple black tank top. Her tattoos stood out brightly against her pale skin as she brushed her short hair off her face and stared at herself in the mirror.
“You're so fucked up.” she hissed.
Turning away from her reflection she headed out and back to the spa. Where she spoke with the man that ran the place and apologized profusely. No damages were done to the actual spa, and the only people that witnessed the whole thing were the Romulan, Thomas, and her. However, she still felt bad and told them she understood if she was not allowed back in however, it was no fault of the others and continue allowing their patronage if it was sought. Once that was all done, she walked around Aldea for a while, returning to the site where she and Thomas had their first kiss after a water wrestling match. For a long while she sat at the edge of the jetty and let her feet hang over the edge though they didn't reach the water.
She thought about herself. Howe she was quick to anger, how perhaps living with the Klingon had not been for the best. How there was likely a rage beast inside that when it was actually spurred into action she couldn't control herself. It wasn't fair to Thom, he was a good man, too good probably. Zyrao had never thought herself territorial before today and yet in that moment watching the Romulan try to seduce Thom she could not stand by. The rage had just overcome her, and it wasn't even because of Eboh. The rage she ahd felt when she saw Bila at the party had just been one where she wanted to punch him, and yet... that was all she really wanted to do with the Romulan.
Get her off Thom and get her away. But, Thom had been right. Too right, and she hated to think that he was because she always prided herself on being collected, but now had proven that was not the case. With the sun beginning to set, Zyrao beamed herself back on board the ship. Hands in the pockets of her jeans she made her way to Thom's Quarters. She stepped up half expecting to have to ring the bell but the doors still slid open and Zyrao stepped into the quiet Quarters. She knew that this was going to be a serious and pivotal conversation. But, it was also necessary.
She heard the shower in the back of the Quarters shut off, as the door closed behind her. She walked over towards the bedroom area, off which was the bathroom. So when he stepped out of the bathroom she was leaning there against the wall hands still in her pockets. Grey eyes surveyed the man that she had spent a lot of the past several months building bonds with.
“Hey.” she said, unsure of how to even start a conversation about what happened.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ As he got out of his bathroom, the only thing he wore on his body was a towel. He would've probably strutted around naked in his quarters, yet he never knew if Bila would show up or not. The man would've probably never come to his quarters anymore after realizing he had been with Zyrao and he did quite miss the man. What he hadn't expected, or not now at least was Zyrao's frame leaning against the wall as he exited the shower.
He looked at her, eyes moving over her as she was wearing a different outfit then when they had left his quarters to the spa. It meant she had gone somewhere to change and do whatever she had done. He wasn't quite sure what to say to her, as she brought out a rather neutral and quite distant feeling 'Hey'
He froze where he stood when he had seen her and he kept his eyes locked on hers before he eventually broke the rather painful silence between them "I've looked all over for you." he stated as he walked closer to her as his eyes never left hers. He gazed into those grey eyes as he came to a stop in front of her and he sighed as his eyes moved to inspect her features "Obviously I couldn't find you. Doorman wouldn't even let me enter your block on Aldea." he stated as he wanted to prove to her that he had in fact looked for her.
He walked past her now as he walked to the living room, asking as he passed her by "So what happened to being a team together? Having one another's back?" he bit at her as he left her behind him as he walked to the replicator and produced a pair of sweatpants and a blue shirt for him. He'd not wait on her to step in as he dropped the towel and changed himself into actual clothing.
"I mean, I tried to be there for you, I did my best to find you so we could deal with this together. But
FUCK!" he raised his voice now as he threw the towel into the replicator to be salvaged "I've waited over half a day for you to even show up! I worried, not because you're a weak person but because I fucking care for you!" he shouted at her as he was properly pissed off at her.
"We fucking promised to not have any bullshit in between us! None of it!" he raged on as he stormed off to the couch and before turning back to walk back over towards her. His eyes were burning with anger and also disappointment as he stopped inches away from her "Don't you fucking trust me?" he demanded from her.
[Zyrao Natauna | Not Expected | Get Bent | You Don't Understand | If You Can't Be Supportive: Get Out]@Nolan He froze, when she spoke. As if he didn't expect to see her there, or maybe he did, or he wasn't sure when she would come back. Of course she would come back, she had been more mad at herself than anything else. He was not the one that had beaten a Romulan face to oblivion. He was not the one that had lost total self control when she was so much older and should certainly have the control and wherewithal to keep her shit together. He stated, when he spoke, that he had looked all over for her but been unable to find her. The doorman to her building had not let him up so that he could get to her. She hadn't actually thought about him being incapable of coming up, she had not expected that to be an issue, but it was something that she would remember in the future. Something to make note of, though she was tempted to let the apartment go anyway. They would be leaving Aldea soon, there was no need to continue paying for the space if it would not be used. Who knew when and if they would be back to Aldea. Though, she assumed perhaps some with the addition of the alliance with Martok.
He got dressed and walked past her talking about weren't they supposed to have each other's back. Her brow furrowed, they were, and she didn't see how that had been canceled out by her need for space for a brief few hours. She needed to sort herself, sort the situation, then return. He reminded her that they were supposed to be a team. She shifted off the wall with a roll of her shoulders and followed him into the main living area. Grey eyes assessing his mood and behavior and finding that while she was trying to come to terms with her actions he was left to stew on them.
He told her that he had been worried for her, not because she was weak but because he cared. Thom was shouting now, and it made her shoulders rise up and her back straighten. No longer was she relaxed and coming to him from a place of openness. He began to tell her that they had agreed to no bull shit from the beginning and here she was bringing it. Her brow rose, very slowly, on her forehead proving that she was getting to the point where she wasn't so happy herself.
“So instead of me coming here, and getting into a place where you're open and ready to talk to me now that I've calmed down and sorted myself out, you're just going to attack me? Is that how a team works? I left because you had to help the fucking handsy Romulan to get to medbay, she was the bigger priority. I left to cool my shit down and figure myself the fuck out. Figure out the next fucking step. Then, when I finally come back to the fucking ship you fucking attack me? Some fucking shit right there, Thomas Ravon. Bullshit, if we are using your terminology. Where is my fucking support? I'm the one that lost my shit, I'm the one that went into the red zone. All you did was get half a hand job and and a good show!”
She was
on now. Staring him down with those sharp cold grey eyes, the killer was here, the soldier, the Klingon warrior, she was standing in this room not the Zyrao he had gotten to know over the last month.
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ As he tirades and just unloads what had been stewing for remainder of the day, he could see Zyrao's stature changing. It went subtly, yet definitely turned into overdrive the further he got. It didn't take long before she boiled over herself and lashed out to him verbally. The pilot stood defiantly and quite combat ready by his posture as she shouted back at him. "I'm not fucking attacking you!" he shouted as he used his arms, waving them around to prove his point somewhat.
In the back of his mind he wondered how they got into this again. This was their second big fight in a short period of time and as she pointed out that he had gotten half a hand job and a good show, he snorted and shook his head "Oh yes, big fucking yay! That was the incentive of today wasn't it?" he snarled back at her as he looked with a furious look in his eyes. "Oh by the way, the Romulan is fine! She beamed back and reported to Sickbay." he gave it a pause "She also won't be reporting you to Security! What the fuck were you even thinking? A fucking shove and a smack would've done just fine, yet you fucking went out on a blood lusted quest!" he pointed out to her. His voice not quite shouting anymore, yet still angry.
The pilot had been attempting to figure out why she had reacted in such a volatile and explosive way. In fact he didn't have to look far. He turned around for a minute as he pushed his hands in his face and wiped it over his features before looking back at Zyrao. What he saw was not something, someone he had seen before. He let out a huffed laugh for just a second before he spread his arms at her, palms up and open "What? Are going to fucking come at me?" he taunted her, provoking her even more as he knew what would probably follow next.
[Zyrao Natauna | Anger | Fighting | This Isn't Safe | This Isn't Support]@Nolan He said he wasn't attacking her. Looking at her as though she was losing her mind. There was a good distance between them still because she was still, very much, on the edge. Already, she could feel the skin on her body crawling. She had spent so many years alone, and so many years, building up a personality which was built on trust, honor, and the needed to beat a fucking face in from time to time. She had stood up for her rights, and the rights of others. She had been oppressed over and over again before she rose up to the person that she was. Only the Klingon had allowed her to be a free person, to stand on her own, and to create something of herself. Their warrior culture spoke to a deep seated notion in her core that told her to defend herself at the cost of all else, and to defend those she cared about.
This wasn't care. This was something else.
He bit back at her, telling her the Romulan was fine. As if she had a moment to ask since she had come back into the damn Quarters. Her eyes went absolutely cold, she was so ready to throw a punch, right into his throat. He wouldn't get a face shot, if she went for the throat he would stop talking for a while and right now his silence on the matter was exactly what she needed. Zyrao pinched the bridge of her nose to the point of pain trying to keep herself from taking those much needed steps to his much needed facial assault.
As she looked up he was staring at her as if he was waiting for her to do something. Sure enough, a moment later, he asked her if she was going to fucking attack him. The grey eyes, native to her kind, seemed to just stare at him for a moment. Then all the fight drained out of them, and hurt replaced them. Zyrao brushed a hand through her hair before letting her hand fall back to her side with a harsh slap on her own leg.
“Is that how you see me, then?” she stated, more than asked. “You stand there and you are being self-righteous. I offended you, I went too far, I left you to pick up the pieces. Not once did you ask if I was all right, why I might need that space. What I might have done after I found my head space returned. You are far into your own world to really truly extend that care outward to me. Instead of being angry that I needed that space and I left because I could do nothing to help the situation there, you accuse me. Scream at me, and try to goad me into a fight after condemning my earlier actions with the girl?”
Zyrao shook her head and crossed her arms over her chest. “This won't work Thomas. You and I. I did something quite wrong, and needed to recenter myself. I lost control, something that I value highly not only in my line of work. Your words at the dinner party were true and I needed to figure out what I was going to do moving forward. This, was not what I expected to come back to. I had hoped to come back and talk calmly about the situation. Perhaps visit the Romulan to apologize for my grievous errors upon her face. However, instead, I was attacked by the person I thought would understand the most. Have you never lost control? You are as short tempered as I.” she reminded.
Shaking her head she began to make her way towards the door, there was nothing left to say. “I do not believe we can support each other, as lovers, like this.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ The moment of pressure was building on, rising higher and higher as the boiling point neared. He had provoked her and he could see the fire in her eyes, the stance ready for her to hit him wherever it might hurt. He called her out on it and his eyes were locked on hers. He was ready for it, pumped up on anger, rage and what else. However, Zyrao surprised. She did something Thomas didn't expect as he could suddenly see the fight bleed out of her eyes as she brushed a hand through her hair and shook her head.
In turn she called him out. Asking him if he saw her like this, a woman with blood fever and a need to see blood and crack bones. He blinked as his own rage still churned inside of him and he cocked his head slightly. Clearly not having expected this reaction. She lashed out, verbally, yet not in a way their conversation was going. Oh no, the El-Aurian chucked the words in a way that made Ravon question his own actions. He blinked as his stance took on a less ready to fight state and he furrowed his brows slightly.
It was right there if she'd look in his eyes. The realization that she had a point and that he in fact, did not form a team with her on this matter. He lowered his arms as his hands flung loosely by his hips as he parted his lips, yet she wasn't done. She told him that he had her wouldn't work. Not like this. That was a jab that he couldn't have blocked, as much as he'd want it to. It was a punch that went far deeper than his flesh, muscles, nerves or bones. It hit him straight in his heart and at the place he had reserved for the El-Aurian after his turbulent ordeal on the planet with Zephyr.
She reminded him as she pointed out that his fuse was just as short as hers and he looked down in defeat now as he swallowed and shook his head slightly. Not trying to fight her this time as he knew, just as well as she knew, that she was right. On both accounts. It painted an ugly picture, a picture that in her eyes was just what it was. A picture that Thomas hadn't thought over as he had been boiling over the moment for too long it seemed. He had failed to let go himself, he had essentially failed her.
He could hear Zyrao change her position in the room as she moved through the room towards the door. She called it, they couldn't function like this. Not as lovers. He looked up now as he found no words to counter what she had said. It took the entire walk to the door before Thomas spoke up "You're right." He paused for a second as he looked back up at her and gestured to the couch "About all of it. I did fail you on the level of a lover. I screwed up beyond that even." he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "Let me try at least to be a better friend. Please, have a seat. Talk with me." he suggested to her.
The pilot had seemingly taken his peace with the matter. The simple words Zyrao had spoken were sound, they fit. As bright as they had burned, the fires of their relationship had been too much to be contained. Instead, the flames devoured them whole and torched down down to the place where they had started. Perhaps something could be salvaged between them, though it wouldn't ever be in the capacity of lovers again.
[Zyrao Natauna | It Ends | It Began and Ended With a Bang | Two Stars Too Bright]@Nolan She was halfway to the door, when he spoke.
Zyrao paused in her step, hand already reaching out for the panel with the intent to push it. But, instead, he stopped her with his words. She was right, she knew that, and that he realized it too now was a boon. It would make what had to happen now much easier for the both of them. The strategist turned slowly and looked at him. He agreed that he had failed her as a lover, and that they weren't good for one another, they weren't. She had hoped so, and tried to be what he needed, but she could not fit the way he needed her to and he could not the man in her life that she so needed.
Now, he asked her to give him a chance to be a better friend.
For a long moment she stared at him. Because, they had become something, even if it wasn't healthy or safe to pursue it, there was a bond there. She did not believe herself fully capable of leaving Thomas out of her life all together. That would betray the bonds that they had already forged together in their short time. She definitely would rather have something than nothing out of the whole ordeal. She crossed to the replicator and pulled out some booze, two cups full of ice, and crossed back to the couch. Uncorking the bottle, she poured them both some of the dark amber colored liquor and handed him a glass before taking her own.
“Our bond may not be suitable for what was intended, yet, I cannot just walk away from what we might have instead. To a friendship, one of understanding and closeness.”
[ Thomas Ravon | Thomas Ravon's Quarters | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BZ The strategist stopped and was almost out of his quarters before she turned around to him and faced him. Ravon looked right back at her as she seemed to think about his words now. He hoped that she didn't see his words as a feeble attempt of him to try and rekindle their romantic relationship. He knew she had made her point and set her mind. A line of thought he could follow and one he truly respected considering the time he had spent with Zyrao. Regardless, Zyrao was new to the ship, she could use some friends and whilst Thomas had been mad at her, he still felt things for her.
She moved once more and made her way over to the replicator and produced alcohol and ice before walking over to the couch. Thomas followed her there as she uncorked the bottle and filled the glasses. He sat down besides her, leaving some space in between them as she handed him his glass.
She toasted and the pilot smiled warmly at her with a nod "To friendship and closeness." The two of them talked after that. Clearing out any problems that might still linger. Thomas asked about where she had gone and how she was feeling while Zyrao informed about the Romulan. Drinks were consumed and the two eventually did lean closer into one another again. Up to a point where the two of them were just laying against one another as they shared more stories about losing control. About how some of their impulsive actions had caused them problems.
Ravon for example shared about his violent outburst towards Rawley, his wing woman. How it had resulted into a discussion post
Harbinger and lead to him going MIA indirectly. He spoke about the condition he had, how a Vulcan had messed with his mind and had made him do terrible things. It was a night of openness and of rekindling a friendship that most people wouldn't be able to have.
~FIN