All I Ask of You

Posted on Thu Feb 10th, 2022 @ 7:13am by Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D & Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii

1,848 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Bandits of Black Rain
Location: USS Ontario | Deck 06 | Holodeck 1

Lieutenant Percival Bálor stood outside holodeck one on the Ontario's sixth deck having drummed up the appropriate program to fit his off duty period attire. Earth's mid to late 1800s men's fashion. He had sent Yiv the details and some suggested designs that Percy thought would work for the Efrosian.

They wouldn't be dealing with holograms of people, at least not this time. Percy had packed them a picnic, but had not told Yiv where they would be going, just to dress the period, to meet him at holofeck one, and that Percy had their meal covered.

Wearing a long topcoat, and holding a top hat in one hand and a cane in the other, Yiv sauntered down the corridor to his little rendezvous. The Efrosian was looking forward to spending more time with Percy. An interesting guy. So forward, so in your face and knows exactly what he wants. Yiv liked that about him. 'What do you think?' he asked Percy as he rounded the corner, 'flashy enough for you?'

"Flashy, dashing, and hella sexy," replied Percival with a bit of a smirk. He himself was in a white dress shirt and charcoal grey double-breasted vest with matching trousers. He was practically blushing but did not want the Efrosian to notice.

He gestured to the holodeck doorway. "Well my gentleman Efrosian, shall we dine?" he said with a chuckle. "My apologies if the setting is less than ideal. It's Paris, but not quite the Paris you'd imagine" he cautioned Yiv.

'Paris?' Yiv was intrigued. 'Only been there once in my life. Can't say I remember it very well.' He beamed at the scientist, 'I'm sure it'll be a pleasure.'

Percy shrugged. "It's not quite the streets of Paris, something a little more secluded," the Chief Science Officer explained as he stepped towards the doorway. Once the doors opened, it became apparent that Percy was taking Yiv underground. It was old with a stone foundation with very old candelabras illuminating the area with simple flickering flames.

It was even odder because there was definitely water. An underground cave perhaps? In a way, yes, but this was no cave nor cavern traversed on an away mission. Percy stepped forward into the program and looked at Yiv. "Welcome to the Palais Garnier, or the Paris Opera House...well underneath it to be more precise."

'This is ... unusual,' Yiv laughed as he looked about the place. 'I'm not quite sure you mentioned an interest in catacombs before.' Craning his neck in the low light, he strained to see the source of the sound of water. The candelabras shined in their own illumination, glittering as he looked at them with this Efrosian eyes quickly, before moving on. 'The illumination is much preferable though.'

"I thought you would like the illumination level, much better than the brightness of starships," replied Percy. "I have a variety of interest and hobbies, Yiv, this one is a little more literary than it appears. It's one of the settings of The Phantom of the Opera be it film, stage, or the Gaston Leroux novel."

'Ah, the man with the funny mask?' asked Yiv as he looked around the set. 'Can't say I see much for him to sing about down here.' He smiled at Percy then winked, 'I'm sure you'll do much better than him here.'

Percy scoffed "The acoustics may be delightful, but I am not much for singing. There are third rate Nausicaan tusk operas that sound better than me. My singing is exclusive to the privacy of the sonic shower, Yiv," he teased. "I thought this would be a nice setting for us. I often use this program as a place to go to be alone with my thoughts and away from people, but I'd rather be with you."

'No singing?' Yiv teased, 'such a shame.' He looked around the cavern again. 'You come here often then? I suppose it's nice enough if you want to brood alone.' The Efrosian looked askance at the half-Tellarite 'I hope you don't do too much brooding here. It doesn't seem to suit you too well.' Moving closer he gave the science officer a quick peck on the cheek, 'smiles suit you much better.'

"It is a work in progress, the smiling," Percy replied. "I have been seeing one of the counselors aboard, avoiding confrontation as best that I can, but being half Tellarite makes that difficult. I have that fiery passion within me, that craving for a good debate," explained the Chief Science Officer.

The Efrosian shrugged, 'our cultures both present challenges to outsiders. Sometimes it's a shame we have to adapt ourselves to their norms.' He smiled and sighed, 'but that's for another time and conversation. I'm glad that you're getting help if you need it.'

As Percy settled a bit and opened up more, he found that as expected, he truly did enjoy the Efrosian's company. "I feel like I made a bit of a mess of things on the away mission that I was on recently. Unintentionally, but a mess nevertheless."

'You made a mess of things?' Yiv's eyes swivelled to the half-Tellarite's as he thought of his own antics. It had been a close-run thing in the end, but they had only talked, the Romulan Commander and he. He couldn't quite put his finger on what, but they had just talked. 'Possibly as much as I did,' Yiv conceded, 'I did get trolleyed with the enemy, so to speak.'

"Well, we cannot all be perfect, if we were then how would we grow? Mature...develop?" Percy shrugged. "A Society is compromised of individuals, and individuals are not flawless. We have free will, and the ability to succeed or fail, to struggle and to overcome. I think it is best not to dwell on the wrongs we did or mistakes we made, but how we can learn and become better versions of our past selves."

Yiv blinked. 'That's ... mature of you.' His tone was uncertain. Yiv was sure he hadn't done any more than talk, but he couldn't quite be certain. 'I suppose that's why we join Starfleet,' he carried on quickly, unwilling to dwell on the thought, 'to become better versions of ourselves.'

"The way I see it, Yiv, I have to mature," replied Percy. "They will toss me off this ship if I don't get my act together, and I need to be here" explained the Chief Science Officer. "Wouldn't get to see you as much if I am not here on the Ontario."

The Efrosian looked over at Percy for a moment, then smiled slightly, 'I'm a poor reason to stay, Percy. Your work though, that's worth staying for. Not that I knew they'd threatened to chuck you off the boat.' He wrinkled his nose in thought, 'where would they even send you? We're lightyears away from the closest Federation planet.'

Percy sighed. "With my luck, some remote research putpost on some iced over planet to study frozen single cell organisms, or a tiny subspace relay station somewhere," replied Percy. "You aren't a poor reason, Yiv. You're my reason."

Yiv blushed, becoming a little flustered, 'I. I don't quite know what to say, Percy.' He touched the science officer's hand lightly, 'I'm enjoying our time together. I wouldn't- I hope they didn't make you leave.'

"They could try, but I would do everything I could to stop them. Even if they managed to take me off the Ontario, they could not keep me away. There's no star too far to prevent me from finding my way back to you," Percy explained.

He liked Yiv's touch. "I know Efrosians aren't really known for taking one romantic partner. You seek experience in every aspect of life, and that is okay with me. I don't care how many Romulan Commanders there are so long as I can spend time with you."

Yiv's nose wrinkled in amusement, 'I haven't had a Romulan Commander since coming aboard. We just talked, Percy.' He gripped the hand tighter. 'We're not known, traditionally, to take a partner permanently, no. But I have learnt that it's something to check before I dally around. And I hadn't checked with you.' His amusement turned to a frown, 'not that I know your habits in that department.'

"My habits," Percy said with a chuckle. "Yiv, I haven't thought of anyone else since I've been aboard. All I need are my plants, my labs, and you." Percy smiled. "I want to do things like this. I want to laugh and enjoy time with you. I want to do stupid things, but together...within reason of course. I don't want to risk your Starfleet career."

He pecked Percy on the cheek quickly, 'you're quite sweet really, aren't you?' He chuckled, 'and if plants are my only competition, then I'm going to do OK I reckon.' The Efrosian moved closer, changing subject, 'tell me more about this man with half a mask then, Percy, I'm all ears.'

Percy smiled and thought about how much he could tell Yiv, but knew that it would not do it justice. "Erik, the Phantom. He was a real man, but not to go into spoilers...something happened and he became disfigured, barely looking like a proper man. He then sought refuge and lived underneath the opera house," Percy gestured to where they were.

"Down here mostly," the Tellarite explained. "People above called him the phantom, believing he was some sort of spectre that haunted the opera house." Percy snorted. "There are a lot of different adaptations of the original novel. Some have Erik still be relatively handsome, at least half his face. Nevertheless, it is something you need to experience not just listen to me ramble on about it. Maybe another date? We could watch a production of it?"

Leaning his head on Percy's shoulder, Yiv sighed contentedly. 'I think that's probably on the cards, don't you? Date number ... three I guess it would be right? It sounds like a story I'd like to experience fully. Dinner and a show, maybe.' The Efrosian watched the waterfall rush and tumble into the pool ahead of them for a few long moments. 'You brought food,' he said after the contented silence, 'you know I have high hopes after the food the other night, right?'

Percy made a small serendipitous sound. He was comfortable and he was happy. This made him feel more at peace with himself than anything else had. "I expected you would," Percy replied and nuzzled himself up against Yiv. "Date three...four...and many more."

'That sounds ... good, actually,' Yiv replied with contentment, sinking in to the sensations of Percy leaning against him as he watched the underground waterfall churn away. Some tension left his shoulders and he relaxed. This was good.

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