Dinner By Starlight

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 3:42am by Lieutenant Kalin Brennan-Griffin PhD & Cailus Griffin
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 6:45am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: Pandora's Box
Timeline: After "Sail Away"

The ship had only been in space for a short time, but already the crew were settling in to their daily routine. For Cailus and Shae, that routine had come to include their daily lunches. Sometimes those lunches were necessarily brief depending on their workload, but today was a pleasant exception as they sat in what was ironically called "Pandora's Box". The Box was somewhat crowded, but the staff were keeping up with ease.

Cailus, for his part, was twirling some pasta on his fork absent-mindedly as he looked out the window. He had been silent for a while now, gazing at the stars as the Pandora raced by them, before abruptly realising that he had completely missed what Shae had been saying for the past thirty seconds.

"Ah, sorry," he said with a wince. "I completely missed that."

"It's alright, it happens," Shae said with a soft laugh as she pushed the remains of her salad away from her slightly, indicating she was done eating. "I was merely commenting on how distracted you seemed to be today. Something on your mind?" she asked.

Swiftly swallowing his pasta, Cailus shook his head slightly. "Just protocols and regs. Every time I think I have all the new ones memorised, something new comes along to bite me in the rear end." Finishing the last of his water, Cailus gestured to an empty corner of the Box that was mostly walled off from the rest of the room. "Have you seen that little area yet?"

"You'll get it all memorized, just give yourself time," Shae assured him, then craned her head to try to get a look at the area he mentioned. "No, I haven't. I think it's a restaurant," she replied, then finished off her tea. She checked the dainty watch around her slender wrist and realized it was just about time to get back to work so she gathered up her plate and up to return them to the replicator.

Following her, Cailus mused, "Apparently, they reserve it for special occasions. Someone on the Rec staff doubles as a chef, so it's all real food. The chef's only requirement is that people dress up and make it an occasion." Putting his plate and cup in the replicator, he raised his eyebrows meaningfully. "We'll only be in Federation space for a little while before we hit the Expanse, and then who knows when we'll have time to try it out."

"Wait, you want to try it out?" Shae asked. The replicator took away their used dishes, leaving Shae pondering his words with a stunned expression. "So like, the dressing up too?" And there was the blush that usually seemed to show up whenever she was shy enough about something to be embarrassed.

Spotting the warning signs, Cailus raised his hands to placate her. "There is absolutely no pressure," he said in a low, even tone that he hoped was soothing. "It'd only be us there, but you don't have to say yes." Pausing as he glanced to the side and confirming nobody was eavesdropping, Cailus added quietly, "Besides...I suspect you would look stunning in a dress."

"Oh my..." she replied, her blush deepening. Shae couldn't deny that she felt flattered, but she was still so shy. "J-just us, right? Like a r-real date?" she said with a timid squeak, really nervous about giving this a try. "O-okay," she finally agreed with a slight nod. "Let me know when you get the reservation so I can get someone to watch Aoife." She would also have to find something to wear!!

"I'll let you know," Cailus agreed with a brief but honest smile. He felt vaguely guilty at embarrassing Shae, but she was so blasted cute when embarrassed that he found it hard to maintain that guilt. Shaking the thought off he glanced at the time, winced and quickly strode away, oddly bouyant as he walked. It was strange, really; everything about living in 2388 made him feel every day of his 124 years of life, but talking to Shae, even doing something as banal as asking her out on a date...it made him feel like a young man again.



(Later that evening...)



Shae stared in the mirror fretting over her appearance as she waited for Cailus to arrive. She had taken some time to run by the holodeck to make use of a fashion adviser program to help her pick out a nice dress. Once a dress had been chosen, it was a simple matter of letting the program tailor it to fit her properly and then send it to the replicator to fabricate it. So she was now in her quarters dressed in a simple strapless dress in a slightly shimmery fabric of the deepest blue. It was all modestly cut and very flattering for her willowy figure, and the skirt had a slit up each side to make it easier for her to get around with her digitigrade stride. She put on just a touch of makeup and curled her hair, and was in the process of putting those curls up in an updo with some shimmery hairpins when she heard the door chime. Shite, she wasn't ready! She put a few more hairpins in place and pulled a few curls lose to frame her face and trail along her neck, then appraised her appearance one last time in the mirror. Alright, this was it! She grabbed a silky wrap to cover her bare shoulders, then finally went to answer the still chiming door.

As he waited patiently for Shae to come to the door, Cailus fidgeted with his cuffs. His own choice of formalwear, a simple white shirt and black blazer, had been chosen almost automatically, the beard trimmed slightly differently, his hair washed and styled with a different shampoo. It had only just occurred to Cailus that he had no idea whether such an outfit was still in style; it had been old-fashioned even before he'd married Harriet. It would be mortifying for the doors to open and Shae to laugh. Hell, for all he knew, modern Terran formalwear for men was a pink thong...

All of those ridiculous thoughts, all of the spontaneous nerves, went right out the airlock the moment the door opened. Cailus simply stood there for a moment in frank amazement before a small smile cracked his stunned features.

That initial stare caused Shae to fidget, wondering if she had done something wrong, but then that smile of his melted all those concerns away, and finally Shae smiled as well. "I hope I did this right," she said softly, her cheeks growing more and more rosy under his intense gaze.

"You look beautiful," Cailus said sincerely, regaining control of his wits. "For someone who was nervous about dressing up, you certainly did an excellent job." Raising his right arm he added, "Ready to go?"

"Well, I kind of cheated and got some help from a holodeck program," Shae confessed, then when he asked if she was ready to go, she stepped forward with a smile and hooked her hand with his offered arm. "Yes, let's do this," she said with a gentle excitement. She was a bit nervous about walking through the halls dressed like this, but it couldn't be helped. "I, uh, like the way you have dressed as well, you are very handsome," she said as they walked to the turbolift.

"Thank you," Cailus replied with subdued relief. "I used to wear this kind of thing a lot, but fashions can change." As they reached the turbolift and the doors closed, he added "Deck Five."

The journey took scarcely a moment before the doors opened to reveal the expansive Rec Deck. In the middle of the evening shift, the deck was virtually deserted...except for the tired-looking Andorian crewmen who waited outside the lift, wearing the grey-and-blue uniform that identified him as part of the Sciences. He stepped aside politely to allow Cailus and Shae to pass, not immediately recognising them, before the crewman's mouth suddenly dropped, his antennae splaying wide.

"Crewman," Cailus said sternly as they walked past, concealing his own amusement behind a facade of disgruntlement.

Shae's face was a lovely shade of red as they continued on their way. "Stars above, I have to work with him tomorrow," she muttered breathlessly as they walked. "I have a feeling the gossip mill will be running tomorrow!" she added with a giggle.

"I expect so," Cailus agreed, finally allowing his grin to show when they were alone. The Mess Hall (Cailus was still having trouble calling it "The Box", even in his own mind) was as empty as the rest of the deck, with only a couple of Rec staff minding the area. "The only thing faster than warp drive..."

"No kidding..." Shae was hoping that whoever heard the gossip wouldn't make a big deal about it, but she wasn't too worried about the news reaching the Captain as she had been open and honest about her relationship with Cailus. "So, how will this reservation work? Has food already been prepared or is there a menu or will they take requests?" she asked.

As they moved to the lit tables next to the expansive viewport, Cailus said "The chef has a menu, but she apparently does take requests so long as it's reasonable." He politely pulled out a chair for Shae before taking a seat himself. "I'm not really sure if-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a tall Deltan woman in a blue smock swiftly approached, appearing next to the table as if by magic. "Welcome to Pandora's Box," she said with a smile. In the strange evening lighting, her bald head seemed much more blue than usual. "My name is Huyo, and I'll be your chef for this evening. I can give you a menu of some of my recommended dishes if you like, but I'd be happy to accommodate any requests that you may have."

"I would like to see what you have to offer," Shae replied, taking the menu when it was offered to her. "Do you have any specials or any dish that you are particularly fond of making?" Shae asked as she browsed the menu.

"Well, there is a country on Earth that does a lovely starter called nems," the chef suggested cheerfully. "They are various kinds of meat wrapped in rice paper, served with lettuce and sauces. I have another couple coming in later on who already ordered them, so I have more than enough on hand. I can even include some spices if you like."

"Works for me," Cailus chimed in, looking to Shae.

"Light on the spices, please," Shae replied. With a nose as sensitive as hers, it also meant a sensitive palate, so she typically didn't like an abundance of spices in her food, but she was otherwise fine with the nems. "And can we get a shellfish tray, predominantly Earth shellfish?" she added. Surely by the time Huyo returned with the nems and shellfish, they should be able to figure out what they wanted for their main course.

"Of course. I will get started on this right away," Huyo replied, then left them alone in the romantically lit atmosphere.

Shae set the menu aside for a moment to gaze at Cailus across the table. "Okay, so be honest, are you really here for the food or did you just want to see me dressed up?" she asked playfully.

"Two birds, one very effective stone," Cailus said with subtle merriment, matching Shae's playful tone. "Have you ever worn something like that before?"

"Like this?" Shae said, looking down at herself. "Stars no. I mean, I've worn nice dresses for special occasions, even a school dance, but nothing quite this nice. I'm not used to such finery, I prefer things that are more... down to Earth," she said thoughtfully. "This does feel nice, though, it's very soft."

"It certainly looks soft," Cailus said without thinking. He winced at such a non sequitur before shaking it off. "I grew up the same way, really. Mars was always...well, you went there. I don't know about Ireland, but our idea of 'fancy' on Watney tended to mean 'less grease'."

Shae laughed. "No, that's about right," she said, still giggling. "For the longest time, the nicest things I would wear were my competition dresses, uh, for dancing. They're very showy things, brightly colored and glittery... And it's not like I dressed poorly any other time, I like clothes that are nice yet simple and understated, so you can imagine how much I hated those flashy dresses! But you, you look quite comfortable with what you're wearing. I'm going to take a stab in the dark and guess that Harriet managed to wash all the Watney grease off of you and give you a good polished shine," she ventured with a smile. She hoped he didn't mind that she brought up his wife. She knew it was often taboo to talk about one's ex or to bring up a partner's ex while on a date, but in her own way she was trying to show him that it wasn't taboo for her; Harriet and Victoire were both an important part of his life and Shae would be a fool to treat that part of his life with anything but the utmost respect.

Cailus hesitated at the mention of Harriet, clearly surprised, before smiling softly. "Good guess. It was a bit of a long-term project, mind you." Gesturing at his blazer, Cailus shook his head ruefully. "It was..five years? No, six years before I could get ready for a diplomatic party without Harriet fussing over something or another. She even fussed about my hand at one point." Wiggling the hand in question, he shrugged. "Apparently, Bynar ambassadors get insulted if you have a poor quality cybernetic prosthetic."

"Oh my, that's not good!" Shae replied with some amusement. "Have you thought about upgrading at some point? Starfleet Medical has made leaps and bounds in the technology; prosthetics now feel very lifelike and natural, they even have sensory input..." She trailed off, reaching a hand over the table to trace her fingers over the top of his prosthetic hand.

Looking longingly at Shae's fingers as they caressed the synthetic flesh, Cailus then glanced up into Shae's eyes. Her slitted pupils sparkled in the subdued lighting, and he took a deep breath to compose himself. "You aren't the first to say so. I didn't really want to give it up. It may sound strange, but this is the only thing I have left from before. Replacing the power cells, doing maintenance...it's all exactly as it was." Taking Shae's hand, the corners of his mouth quirked up subtly as he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "Honestly though, it'd be worth giving that up just to feel your hand right now."

"It's not strange to want to hold onto a piece of the past; you're not the first and you certainly won't be the last to feel that way," Shae replied with a comforting smile. "Sometimes when it feels like life is spinning out our control, it becomes easy to hold onto the one thing we have do have control over; a new hand would be something new, something you don't have control over, so it's understandable to be wary about it."

Displaying some very questionable timing, Huyo popped up at that precise moment. Perhaps sensing the atmosphere, she deposited the shellfish and nems with practised speed from a floating tray. Quietly, almost in a whisper, the Deltan chef asked "Would you like some Sentinel wine? It's an excellent vintage from Andoria."

Shae didn't mind the 'questionable' timing, there was never a bad time for food to be brought over! "That sounds lovely, thank you," Shae said with her usual smile. "And I've decided that I would like the pasta with garlic chicken for the main course, please."

"The minced beef dish for me," Cailus added as Huyo poured some wine. Huyo nodded, although her smile did seem to have dimmed a few watts. After she was out of earshot, Cailus raised his eyebrows. "Maybe it's just me, but I think she was disappointed with our simple food preferences."

"I think you might be right," Shae replied. "Maybe we can order something fancy for dessert, that should cheer her up!" She took a sip of the wine; thankfully it wasn't too strong of busy for her simple tastes, and she hoped that the rest of the meal proved to be just as pleasant. "So, would you believe that this is my first date?" she asked as she reached for one of the nems.

Cailus regarded Shae skeptically, holding one of his lettuce-wrapped nems over the fish sauce. "You're kidding." Pausing as he read Shae's expression, his eyes widened. "Not kidding?"

"Not kidding," Shae replied, the hummed with delight when she sampled one of the nems. "Oh, that's delightful, that is," she said, then swallowed. "No, seriously; we can't count our lunches because we were doing that as friends long before things evolved into what they are now, and when I was with my girlfriend in high school, we never really went out just the two of us, it was always a social group kind of thing, but then again I was very social back then," she explained.

"Hm," Cailus mused as he swallowed a nem, glancing out at the stars. Even distorted by the Pandora's warp field, it was a lovely view to be eating next to. "For someone who has never done this before, you're certainly quite elegant. More so than I was when I first started, anyway." Switching to the mussels, he considered for a moment before scooping one up. "So, what was life like in high school?"

"Well, I've heard from some that dating is like putting your best self out there while trying to hide all the flaws until your dating partner can stand to put up with them. You and I have already seen each other at low points, so I don't feel the need for such pretentious show; we're just two people in nice clothes with good food genuinely enjoying each other's company. What could be better?" Shae countered as they picked through the nems and shellfish. "As for high school, it was... well, school for one. I had good grades, lots of friends, did lots of after school clubs and social things, and when I wasn't studying I would go out with my friends... It was odd watching all my friends grow up around me and I stayed young; in my mind, I was right there with them, but my body had other ideas, and with my girlfriend, we never really went beyond holding hands, it was just too awkward for both of us to experiment with anything more. Even still, anytime I was feeling left out because of my youthful appearance, my friends always helped me to feel included, and I was happy. It was hard to carry that feeling going through the Academy; no one would take me seriously, but I had the grades to make the effort worth it, and it got better in college."

Listening attentively, Cailus sipped some of his wine. "I met an El-Aurian once, when we rescued his ship from a dark nebula. He can't have looked older than twenty, but when I came aboard he was giving orders to experienced Vulcan merchantmen who were in their triple digits. Damnedest thing I ever saw. It takes an exceptional individual to lead Vulcans like he did." Swallowing an oyster Cailus continued, "The captain had him over for dinner while we towed them to a starbase, along with the senior staff. We were there for three hours, eating, drinking and generally enjoying ourselves, but I think we knew less about that man than we started. It was only the next day that we learned he was over two hundred years old, and that's only because he spent the night with our XO. The Commander couldn't walk straight for a week..."

Shae nearly choked on piece of cabbage at that last bit, giggling as she cleared her throat. "Oh my!" she said, then took a sip of wine to wash everything down. "Yeah, there's still a lot we don't know about El-Aurians and they like keeping their secrets; Starfleet Medical thinks that I shouldn't have aged so slowly, that my aging was a defect of my unusual genetic makeup and I should have aged comparable to humans until after puberty, but so far no El-Aurians have come forward to confirm or deny the growth rate and development of their young. But I'm mature enough to get by now, so I just have to worry about whether Aoife has to go through something similar."

A brief silence followed as Shae and Cailus finished their starters. No sooner had the last nem disappeared than Huyo reappeared, switching the empty plates with full ones at a remarkable speed. "I hope you enjoyed your starters," she said leadingly.

"Very much so, thank you," Cailus replied sincerely. "I'll be sure to spread the word."

"Yes, thank you, it's been wonderful," Shae answered with a gentle excitement.

With a happier smile than before, Huyo bowed her bald head slightly and departed, the floating tray following her on its own. As soon as she had left, Cailus glanced at Shae, his expression contemplative. There was a question that had been waiting since Earth, and now felt like the time. "Shae, can I ask you a personal question?"

Shae peeled her eyes away from her plate long enough to notice the intensity of his expression. "Of course, Cailus, you can ask me anything," she replied, somewhat surprised at how easily those words fell from her lips. But it was true, she felt so comfortable with him, she truly believed that there was nothing that she wouldn't be willing to share if he asked!

"Don't be so sure," Cailus said reluctantly, somewhat disconcerted by Shae's naked trust. With resignation, he dove straight in, leaning forward slightly. "Aoife," he said delicately. "She wasn't conceived naturally." The words, though softly spoken, were quite plainly a statement rather than a question.

"Oh...." Shae said softly; so this was what he wanted to talk about... It wasn't like she hadn't been expecting him to bring it up since their trip to Earth, but she had somewhat forgotten about it with how busy she had been getting her department ready for departure. "Ah, well, no," she finally answered, folding her hands neatly in her lap as she considered what to say to him. "She... she was a... They, um, wanted more data, more subjects to collect data from... She was their only successful attempts at cloning me, and even then she was... flawed. And I had to carry her because conventional lab cloning and volunteer surrogates just wouldn't work. I guess since she is a clone, I have no right to call her my daughter, but after carrying her, giving her life, I couldn't just turn off my feelings or my instinctual drive to protect her..."

"Shae," Cailus said in a gentle, quiet tone, "I have as much authority as anyone to say this: you are Aoife's mother, and she is your daughter. You love her and she loves you dearly too. A blind Klingon could see that." Hesitating, he breathed out, glancing down at the table and the still full plates. "Even if Victoire had...survived, and she was here when I got rescued, she would've still been my little girl, wrinkles and all. Nothing, and nobody, could ever change that. The same is true for you and Aoife. She might be a clone, but she's still Aoife, still wonderful and beautiful and she's still your daughter." Looking up, Cailus murmured, "I'm sorry to ask. Confirming that...it just makes it easier to protect her, I suppose."

"Thank you, Cailus," Shae said with a relieved expression, reaching out to take his hand. "It means a great deal to me for you to say that, and I think I needed to hear it badly. It's always something that has weighted on my mind, so thank you." She smiled softly, but it quickly faded. "My handler... uh, there is no genetic tie between him and Aoife, but he still fancies himself her father because he was the driving force behind her creation and... he was unaccounted for when Captain Takato mounted Aoife's rescue. It haunts me at night, thinking that he may come for her... Whether it's to control me or simply to claim what he sees as his, I don't care, it terrifies me either way."

A brief flash of anger slipped through Cailus' control, his face briefly darkening before he reasserted himself. "He can try. He would also fail. Between the two of us, I pity the son of a bitch who thinks they can threaten Aoife." With that he cleared his throat, pulling back and quickly sipping more wine. "Well...anyway. I asked you a hard question. Seems only fair that you get to ask one too."

The fact that he was so protective of Aoife made Shae smile and her heart skip a beat; she was so lucky to have found him! "Honestly, I'm not sure I can think of anything," she said with a shrug, but stared off in the distance thoughtfully. "Hmm, tell me how you lost your hand," she finally said. "Or, you can tell me how you got that scar on your chest, take your pick," she said with a playful smile.

At Shae's playfulness, Cailus winced as he chewed some broccoli. "The answer is the same in both cases," he replied dourly, although the light in his eyes betrayed his tone. "Blatant, rampaging stupidity of the highest order."

"Awww, I don't get details?" Shae asked, toying with her pasta.

"Harrumph," Cailus grumbled. "Okay then." Holding his right hand for a moment, he began, "I got this in my second year on deployment. We were chasing a couple of Klingon spies near the Neutral Zone, on some nameless rock. We must've spent half an hour chasing those Klingons through the town. The Churchill was engaging a Bird of Prey up in orbit, so we were on our own. We eventually caught up to the spies at the landing area on the edge of town." Finishing another glass of wine, Cailus sighed at the memory. "The captain and CoS were absolutely clear during the pursuit: no unnecessary risks, no stupid actions, no heroes. I thought I knew better. I saw one of the spies in the cockpit of a shuttle and it looked like they were about to take off. I was the closest...so I just charged."

Meeting Shae's eyes, the self-deprecation fading for a moment into a more honest seriousness at the intensity of the memory. "I think you can guess what happens when one man charges an armed shuttlecraft from the front."

Shae winced. "Oooh, you're lucky all you lost was your hand," Shae said sympathetically. "'Lessons not learned in blood are soon forgotten'," Shae quoted softly, sighing and then taking a sip of wine. "I'm sorry that happened... Did the team get the spies or were they forced to abandon the chase?" she asked.

"Neither," Cailus said sourly. "They launched because the captain and his team had to divert to cover me. The Churchill fired to disable, but the shuttle pilot was dumb enough to try and evade. They died trying to make orbit." Shaking his head ruefully, Cailus frowned. "Like I said: stupid. Lesson learned."

"Well, you're alive, and for that I'm thankful," Shae replied with her warm smile. "And now you are wiser for it," she offered to try to cheer him up.

"Thank you for saying so," Cailus acknowledged, smiling despite himself at Shae's infectious warmth. Glancing to the side at the suddenly (and, he realised, tactfully) absent chef, Cailus raised his eyebrows at Shae. "Dessert?"

"That sounds perfect!" Shae replied in agreement. "We should really pick something special. Do you like cheesecake? I have a feeling miss Huyo would enjoy making something like that," she said cheerfully.

Nodding, Cailus' smile grew. "That works for me. Now, where-"

"Yes?" Again, as if by magic, Huyo had appeared next to the table. Cailus had to restrain his amusement; Shae must've heard her coming and had been speaking to Huyo as much as him. "Would you like dessert?"

"Yes," Cailus said, glancing suspiciously at Shae. "Cheesecake, please, for both of us. And...er...please feel free to be inventive."

At that, Huyo's face lit up as if someone had just granted her her deepest desire. "Oh, yes! I have a number of possible variations in mind that would be suitable for both of your biologies. I can include a touch of sanku root, it's a Klingon touch that I promise you is quite sublime, or possibly a dash of gentisi, a kind of fruit from my homeworld..."

"Oooh, I like the sound of gentisi... Does it go well with white chocolate?" Shae asked, but before Huyo could answer, there came a chirp from Shae's communicator which was concealed on the underside of the dress bodice. Shae blushed. "Please excuse me for a moment," Shae said to Huyo bashfully, retrieving the communicator from her bodice and tapping it in her hand. "This is Lieutenant Brennan," she stated for whoever was on the other end.

=/\="Shae, it's Nurse Davies," came a frazzled voice from the communicator. "I was trying to get Aoife into bed but she started to become uncooperative, and now she's completely unresponsive. Her vitals are otherwise fine, but should I take her to Sickbay anyway?"=/\=

"No no, stay where you are, I'll be right there," Shae said, clicking off her communicator and rising from her chair. "I am so sorry Miss Huyo, your dinner was delightful and I was so looking forward to dessert, but I need to see to my daughter. Another time, maybe?" she said with an apologetic smile, then walked as quickly and as calmly as she was able to manage for the exit.

With a knowing sigh Cailus stood as well and moved to catch up with her, leaving the somewhat despondent Huyo standing alone in the darkened Box as the doors closed. The young Deltan sighed, chuckled briefly under her breath and then smiled as she began cleaning up. There was still another couple coming in soon, and the late night Gamma rush a couple of hours after that. As she clucked in satisfaction at the clean plates, Huyo mused that Cailus and Shae were a rather cute couple.

"A good start," the young chef murmured as she returned to the kitchen. Nobody besides her knew that Cailus and Shae had been her first customers since the Pandora's launch.