I own nothing, except my OC. This was inspired by an episode from The Original Series called The Way To Eden.
Turning away from the red clad security officer that had just been instructed to send the official report of the incident that has occurred within the last twenty-four James Kirk swaggered back to the captain's chair and took a seat. With a satisfied, long Cheshire smile that he almost always adorned whilst nestled in his beloved chair Jim pressed down the intercom button.
"Bridge to transporter, you there Scotty?"
"Aye, Sir."
"Are our friends present and accounted for?"
"I've got three here in the transporter room with me. I'm expecting the fourth one soon."
"Noted, stand by." Releasing the intercom Jim leaned forward and looked over to his navigator with a lazy smile. "Chekov!"
"Yes Keptin?" The young man snapped to attention at the sound of his name.
"I was wondering if you would want to attend their departure."
"No Keptin..." The youth's tone of voice faltered but nonetheless answered obediently.
"Really? Because I was thinking you should," He leaned back comfortably in his chair, "in fact I'm making that an order."
"Keptin?"
"I give you permission to leave your station, now…" Jim waved his fingers and shooed him away.
"Yes Keptin." Chekov stood, allowing someone to relieve him and take the con and exited the bridge. The instant the doors to the turbolift opened he sucked in a narrow breath. A pleasantly surprised face smiled at him, the face he intended to go see. He stepped inside silently and pushed the button that would deliver them to the transporter room before finally speaking; he didn't glance away from her as he did this. "I came to say goodbye."
"And I was coming to say goodbye to you, Pasha."
He gulped at the affectionate use of his nickname and the starry-eyed gaze she held. He wondered what Minoa would think if she saw the two of them alone like this right now. He pictured dejected eyes turning away sadly and pursed lips holding back words before departing without a word, accepting defeat.
The science officer had been concerned ever since the visitors' arrival and not just because they nearly took over the Enterprise. She saw Pavel enter the room containing the vagabonds whom she was studying, witnessed him reunite with his long lost familiar and watched them leave together with him leading the pretty girl by the hand. Pavel did all this without acknowledging her very presence.
The fellow Russian girl spoke sultrily and slow. "I was also hoping zhat before I leaf we could feenish what eet was we almost did een zhe augzilary room, before we were interrupted."
Minoa had the right to be concerned.
Earlier in Auxiliary Control when Irina was gathering information from him they nearly kissed but were intercepted by the sudden voice of First Officer Spock over the intercom. At the time Pavel was overwhelmed by her advances and the shock of seeing her again, he couldn't think straight and reacted to her seduction without reckoning.
With his thoughts now clear and priorities in place Pavel couldn't deny what was the truth. Irina Galliulin was indeed an old flame; one he had lost due to her dropping out of the academy. And he realized now, looking into her eyes, the reason he was so flustered back in Auxiliary Control was because she was a flame he still held a candle for.
That being established Pavel made his decision quickly and without a doubt. Irina leaned in closer to him, her eyes shut and her lips puckered. Still waiting for the kiss that never happened and Pavel never could deny her of anything.
"до свидания." He smiled, took hold of her shoulders, leaned in slowly and kissed her cheeks. Her eyes snapped opened and stared stunned as a stone at him.
"Why did you do zhat?" She brought a hand to the spot he had kissed on one of her cheeks. She seemed to be a bit sad and disappointed.
"Because what we had long ago ees gone now." It was over between them regardless of the candle he held. It flickered and fluttered and burned on all these years but, no matter the longevity, a candle being held aside a torch will always melt and blink out. "I haff moved on since zhen. I haff found someone zhat I haff come to care wery, wery much for."
"You haff?"
"Yes." He smiled fondly.
"… Who ees she?" Irina gave him a small smile and respectively took a step back.
"Her name ees Minoa. I beleaf you haff already met her." He sighed in relief.
"When was zhis?"
"Eet was when you arriwed onboard zhe ship and I saw you agin for zhe first time. You and your companions were being held inside a room, remember?"
"Yes, of course."
"She was zhe tall womin een zhe room wearing zhe blue uniform." Irina looked away in concentration for a moment before the image returned to her.
"Yes, I remember! Zhe giant red Caltrician womin!" Technically Minoa was more of a red tinted orange but Pavel held the thought and his tongue, not wanting to spoil this moment. "I haff newer met a Caltrician like her before."
"Zhat ees because contrary to puhpular beleaf she ees only half Caltrician. Zhe ozher half ees human, coincidently her human family ees Russian, like us."
"она может понять тебя?"
"отлично. She speaks English clearly too, unlike us." He joked lightly. They both shared a quick laugh at the humble self degradation.
"… Do you love her?" Irina asked after noticing the content expression on his face when speaking of the hybrid woman and the at ease tone to his voice when he began conversing with her in a strictly friendly manner.
"I do," He nodded, "and I wish newer to hurt her."
"I understand… I hope you two are happy togezher zhen." She held her arms out to hug him instead of the kiss she originally requested for to which Pavel complied gratefully. She kissed his cheeks.
"Zhank you." He held her at arms length and said. The doors to the turbolift opened upon arrival and they released each other. "До свидания Ирина."
"До свиданья, друг мой."