JL | Capt Ivanova, Cmdr Dah'el - "Tell Me Now"

Posted on Tue Oct 7th, 2014 @ 1:57am by Admiral Rochelle Ivanova

1,299 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?
Location: Captain's abode

=/\= Captain's Quarters - USS Vindicator =/\=

Tired...

Tired was far beyond the word to describe how the Cardassian felt as he strode through the doors of Rochelle's quarters, she'd given him full access to come and go as he wished, an obvious sign of her trust and love for the scaled officer she kept close in counsel, he stripped off his work jacket and the uniform one followed suit very quickly, his pips were placed on the coffee table carefully, his hand brushed what appeared to be a piece of parchment, casually discarded as if forgotten.

Picking the item up between two fingers, Almar spent a few moments fingering the parchment before opening it up and reading down the contents, it was short and simple, layered in only ways a love note could be.

The sharp yip screech that came from Helsa as she scooted under the bed told Rochelle that she wasn't alone in her massive quarters. It was late, almost terribly so, and she'd spent the last few hours trying to find her ever elusive inner zen. Try as she would, it refused to appear and with a sigh she sat the book down that she'd been reading and swung her legs out from under her covers. "Almar?" She called, tugging the hem of her tank top down and padded on bare feet through the massive interior of her quarters. It couldn't be anyone else, the time executed people from the short list of those who had unrestricted access.

And then she saw him.

Standing there with the plain piece of paper unfolded in one of his massive hands, his eyes searching the black ink that scrawled across it. The lines of him seemed different, alien to her as she studied him, coming to rest a few feet off and leaning her hip against one of her couches.

On the edge of his hearing, he heard her call his name and then her approach, he could feel her through his very being as she lent against the couch. He didn't look up from the paper as he replied, "I don't know what to make of this," he stated as he turned slowly, the darkness of his eyes finally lifting to look towards her.

"There's not much to make anything of." She shrugged gently, her voice soft and low as the winter of her eyes found the obsidian of his. Rochelle's head shook as she felt herself torn between going to him and simply staying where she was. She could see the subtle swell of his neck ridges pressing against his collar and begging for release. Almar had become an alpha, strong, resilient, beautiful and Rochelle was all too well aware what had finally pushed him forward from the shy man she'd found when she was new to the Vindicator so very long ago. What he'd found challenged his assertions, challenged the very crux he'd built himself upon.

"Then what should I think of it?" the Cardassian replied as he lowered his hand and dropped the item back to the coffee table, folding his arms across his chest, a concerned and confused look crossing his face.

Hair, long and copper, fell over the woman's shoulder as she shook her head and braced her hands on the arm of the couch she rested against. "The rumors run this ship like wildfire, Almar." She began, "If you listen I'm apparently having relations with every eligible male and then some." Her words were more of a sigh, a tinge of frost crept into her voice as she spoke and held up her wrist.

Where the band once covered, the simplistic blue mark sat against the porcelain of her skin bright and cruel. "Pretty apparent that I'm not." Rochelle added with a gentle scoff at the blue biological branding. It had become a sort of chastity belt, proving her innocence much to the chagrin of the nay sayers who seemed all too happy to believe their Captain was the second coming of Kirk or Riker. "Doesn't mean that I don't have suitors and... One of them is quite outspoken."

"That mark? what is it?" the Cardassian asked as he moved towards her slowly and took her hand, his gentle touch cupped her wrist and lifted it ever so slightly.

"The mark of my pair bonding with an Atlantean." Rochelle's tongue soothed her lower lip as she allowed Almar to manipulate her hand and wrist. It was amazing how soft and careful he could be. "It's why I was crowned Queen. By Starfleet laws I'm no longer with Taggart," she began to explain, "by Atlantean tradition, we're still married. It means I haven't taken another lover so..." She shrugged letting her voice trail off as she watched him studying the mark that marred her otherwise flawless skin, "Rumors are just rumors."

"So the note," Almar replied as he released her wrist and gestured towards the table, "Just the over-enthusiastic ramblings of a suitor?"

"Exactly." A nod was issued as her wrist found its way back to her side, "Seems that after Landon died I've become a prime target." Rochelle smirked and made her way to the table, gathering up the note and holding it up. "This one's just more persistent than the rest."

"Perhaps... but there is one you seem to have given full access to your life..." Almar replied with a light chuckle as his head stopped swimming and he regained his composure, "I'd wager... less persistent and more... well, I don't know."

A wry little smile founds its way across her delicate face and she watched the Cardassian with interest. "There's a lot of things you're more of." she responded and set the note back down beside his pips.

"Such as?" the Cardassian asked as he turned and sat on the arm of the couch, regarding her with a careful curiosity, "I am surely more than any other Cardassian?"

"There's that." She nodded in agreement, "More of an Engineer." Rochelle offered to the plate as she watched him take up her previous roost. "One could argue you're more comforting, then again I haven't exactly allowed him to try."

"I try my best," Almar replied with a light chuckle, "On both accounts," he added as he reached up and flattened down a stray strand of hair on his head.

"You succeed." Pushing away from the table, she reached for one of his hands and laced her fingers with his. "I have some reading I want to accomplish before I fall asleep, you're welcome to join me." Rochelle offered in her own little way, tugging him towards the nest of blankets she'd created for her own comfort in hopes he'd once again guard her through the night and leave the love notes behind.

"Have I ever refused you Rochelle?" the Cardassian replied with a slight sigh as he allowed himself to be drawn towards the bedroom.

"It isn't about refusing me, Almar. It's about doing what makes you happy." Releasing her feather-light hold on him, she climbed back into her bed and under her covers. The old novel with it's worn pages greeted her right where she'd left off and she could see the dark print begging for her attention across the yellowed paper, but allowed her attention to be diverted back to the Cardassian. "I never want you to do anything that you don't want to."

After shedding his jacket and boots, Almar joined her on the bed and took up his usual place next to her, wrapping an arm protectively around her and placing a soft kiss against her temple, "There is nowhere I would rather be than right here with you."

---

Captain Rochelle Ivanova
Commanding Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC-78213-E

Commander Almar Dahe'el
Chief Engineering Officer
USS VINDICATOR, NCC-78213-E

 

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