Dinner and Duets (Part 1)

Posted on Fri May 28th, 2021 @ 2:10pm by Commander Grace Vetur & Captain Elijah Michaels

1,424 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Lonesome Road
Location: Michaels Quarters
Timeline: After "Reporting on the HTA"

ON

Grace's "casual" was not the same as most. She chose a pair of velvet pants and a silk blouse in deep purple for her dinner with the Captain. For her own self-confidence, she added a spritz of light lilac perfume. A pair of low-heeled sandals completed her outfit. She was surprised to feel a little nervous, even though they'd already had dinner together, and this was supposed to be a way for them to get to know each other. She put it down to her day on the planet.

She grabbed a bottle of white wine and headed for the Captain's quarters.

Elijah had set up his Quarters to allow the XO entry. He was finishing up the last aspects of their dinner when he spilt something on his shirt, forcing him to remove it.

The door opened as she approached. She walked in, expecting the Captain to be waiting for her...and stopped, taking a moment to note the room, the shirt in his hand, and the fact that he was in good shape. "So this is your interpretation of casual?" she teased.

Elijah looked at the doorway. Holding his shirt up he chuckled. “Chicken stock.” He said before heading off into the bedroom to retrieve another shirt, buttoning it up on his way out. “So what wine did you bring?”

"A chardonnay from Chateau Rousseau, 2345," she said, holding up the bottle. "Do you have a bucket so I can let it chill?"

"Classy." He smiled as he replicated one and then proceeded to hand it over to her, a momentary glance between the two of them.

"Thank you," she replied softly, taking the bucket of ice over to the table. She was feeling...odd...tonight. She placed the wine in the bucket and took a moment regain her mental center. "Dinner smells great," she said, turning back to him.

"The key is the spring onions, you chop them up and add them in just before you add the stock." He replied as he headed over to the kitchenette area and finished up, giving the pain a stir. "Make yourself at home."

Making herself at home meant she walked around the living area of his quarters, looking at how he personalized his home on the Ontario. She paused before a guitar and cello. She gently touched the wood and glanced at Elijah, impressed. Then she moved on to a collection of books, many of them history. Those she looked through with interest for a moment. He had a display of his commendations along with family holograms and then...an Armstrong City FC jersey. International football. Did he play or just watch? She completed the tour and went to the kitchenette. "Anything I can do to help?"

"Just relax." He smiled at her. "I've got it all under control."

She smiled back, then went over to his books to look again while she waited.

Elijah had quite an eclectic collection to say the least. Not to mention the fact they were physical paper form rather than downloaded. He was an avid crime fiction and history fan.

She picked up a history book and carefully read the back.

"A comprehensive history of the Battle of Hastings, nice choice. " He flashed her a smile from the kitchenette.

"It was a pivotal war in English history, was it not?" she asked. Grace enjoyed history herself and, having gone through Starfleet, knew a little about the history of Earth's major planetary cultures.

"It was indeed. it led to William the Conqueror ascending to the Throne of England not long after and shaped their monarchy for centuries." He replied as he walked over with the two plates of their dish of the night.

She put the book back and went over to the table. She poured two glasses of wine to go with the dinner.

Elijah had set the table and set down the plates and then pulled out her seat. Smiling politely towards his dinner guest.

"Thank you." She sat down and smiled up at him. He was being quite gallant and she appreciated dining with a gentleman.

Once they were both sat down and settled, they tucked into the meal for the evening. Elijah cooked everything from scratch as best as he could with the ingredients at his disposal though some parts were replicated.

Elijah was a good cook, and neither minded the companionable silence while they ate. When they both finished, Grace raised her glass to him. "That was delicious. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, thank my great great great grandmother for the recipe." He responded with a smile. As he himself raised his glass to her.

"Then a toast to your great-great-grandmother," she said, smiling softly as she touched her glass to his. "And to family recipes."

After the toast, she helped him clean off the table.

A few moments later the pair had retired over to the couch with fresh glasses, chatting away as they sipped.

It was much different than the first dinner they'd shared. that was a Captain getting to know his first officer. This one...felt different, but Grace couldn't tell--or didn't want to know--what brought the change. For tonight, she was going to enjoy the evening. "Do you still play?" she asked, nodding to the musical instruments.

"From time to time I do." He smiled as he took a sip. "I've been attempting to play the Cello."

"It's a lovely instrument," she said. Her eyes met his over the top of her glass as she took another sip of her wine. "I play, too. I love strings."

"Oh do you now?" Elijah asked smirking at her with a more cheeky, playful sort of tone.

She grinned impishly. "Oh yes. It's been a few months, but there's nothing like the sound and feel when you caress the strings." She wasn't sure why she'd let it go for so long without playing. She'd have to remedy that. "Care to play a duet? You have two instruments."

"Of course I'd be more than happy to duet with you." He said as he refilled her glass a little more.

She wasn't sure how many times her glass had been topped off, but she only felt a light buzz. Enough to give her confidence to play with Elijah. "Which instrument do you want to play first?"

"I think i'll go for my guitar." He replied. "I got it custom made using Andorian Oak, the strings are from the feathers of a creature native to Bajor."

"Oh, I look forward to hearing that." She took another swallow of her drink and stood, setting it safely on the table. She took one of the chairs to sit on, then got the cello and bow. She tuned it with care, enjoying the mellow tone. "Should we replicate some music or do freestyle?"

"Freestyle is a tempting thought." He smiled as he momentarily strummed his guitar. "Ladies first."

Her eyes met his again and she grinned. "I like being tempted." It was the excitement of playing again, and playing with someone who obviously knew what he was doing. She drew the bow slowly across the strings, pausing as the sound faded. Then she closed her eyes and began to play.

Elijah sat there grinning as he waited for her to play, pausing for a moment to get a feel for the tune would then begin to join in. The two playing together.

They played for a while, first one taking the melody, then the other. It was a joy to improvise around his melody, then harmonizing in another. When her fingers began to tire, she ended with a flourish. "I enjoyed that, but I need to take a break." She set the bow down and flexed her hands and fingers, then returned the cello to its place. She turned again to Elijah, feeling light from the combination of wine and music.

"Drink?" He asked as he got up from his seat and stretched, allowing there to be a moment where he was inadvertantly showing his torso.

"Definitely a drink. Music like that makes me thirsty." She followed him over to the table with the wine. "I'll play with you any time," she said, turning to smile at him.

"Good to know....." He replied as he filled their glasses again. The Captain looking at her as he handed her the glass. He noticed they had nearly finished the bottle.

(To be continued...)

Captain Elijah Micahels
Commanding Officer
USS Ontario

&

Lieutenant Commander Grace Vetur
Executive Officer
USS Ontario

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