Ah! My Star Trek
An Ah! My Goddess / Star Trek Online crossover
A collaborative effort brought to you by the Goddess-Project dot Net
Authors: HotelKatz, IdiAmeanDada, vanagandr (zeroIQ)
Contributors: GaianKnight, Stargoat, Angelalex242
Beta Reader: Nena Camadera
Based on the original concept by HotelKatz
The authors own nothing except any original content and the shirts on their backs.
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Ah! The Beginning of a Journey
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Captain's Log, Stardate 91376.4
We are departing the Risa system after taking an extended shore leave after our last encounter with the Klingons. We are still short several key personnel, but I have been promised replacements in due time. The crew is in high spirits as we head out to the Taw Dewa sector for a short patrol of the border with the Romulan Republic. I know the Tal Shiar is still stirring up trouble, but I expect this to be a routine assignment for once. In the mean time, there is an issue with my Chief Engineer I need to address.
Captain Chihiro Fujima, USS Nekomi, NCC-91988
XXX
From her perch in the center chair of the bridge, Captain Chihiro Fujima looks up at the screen at the receding image of the resort planet Risa. She did not know about the others, but her stay had been quite pleasant. It's good to be able to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the Federation. Even though the war with the Klingons was at a lull, it still hung over everyone's head like a boulder on a precipice. One push in the wrong direction and it could all come tumbling down.
The conflict has certainly taken its toll on both sides. Some of the losses were staggering. Despite some dire predictions, the Federation has presented itself admirably, at times even pushing into territory held by the Klingons for over a century. One of the reasons was that the Federation is a lot more military oriented than it has been in its entire history, even more so that during the Dominion war some 30 years ago. Her vessel, the USS Nekomi, has not been on a scientific expedition in a very long time, going back to even before she took command over two years ago.
"Veiwscreen to front angle," orders Chihiro as Risa becomes nothing more than a bluish dot on the screen filled with dots. "Set course for the Azure sector, warp five on my mark."
From in front and to her right, the helmsman, Lt. Hikozaemon Otaki acknowledges her order. "Course is set, warp five on yer command." The joined trill is a physical specimen to say the least, dwarfing the console he is manning. His blonde hair, as usual, is standing straight up on top, and at odd angles on the side. It was barely regulation, and most assuredly something of a youthful rebellion when you consider the age of the Otaki symbiot. At just over a hundred years old, it's almost the equivalent of a human teenager.
"Mark." Chihiro watches as the starscape on the main viewer flickers for a moment, then is replaced by multi colored streaks of light as the ship completes its transition to warp speed. She turns in her chair to find her First Officer standing in her customary position behind her. "So Number One, what do you think of our new assignment?"
Commander Lisa Mays looks up from the console she was monitoring previously. "It will be a nice change of pace from patrolling the border with the Klingons," the brunette replies in a no-nonsense tone. The two were a contrast in styles. While Chihiro is more laid back, Lisa's business like work ethic sometimes rubs the crew the wrong way. They had discussed this in the past, with her second in command merely stating that the job of the first officer was to make sure that the Captain did not have to deal with the crap that goes on behind the scenes. Because of that, she rules the roost with an iron fist, earning several not so flattering nicknames, including 'sourpuss', which was coined by the ship's very own chief medical officer not long after she arrived.
Chihiro smiles. "I think we deserve a nice, relaxing, backwater patrol after all the skirmishes we had with the Klinks over the last couple of months."
"Oh, I agree," replies Lisa in a fashion that implies she does not fully.
Turning her chair back to the neutral, forward facing position, Chihiro stands and stretches. "Man, I'm already missing those hot springs!" She lowers her arms and turns back to Lisa. "I'll be in my ready room, Number One. You have the bridge. Please have our Chief Engineer join me as soon as he is able, and tell him to bring his new charge with him."
"Aye, sir," is the quick reply.
Satisfied, the captain turns and heads for a short hallway to the rear of the bridge. But before reaching her sanctuary, she is interrupted. "Captain!"
Sighing to herself, she turns and faces a large and imposing figure. Even though the ship's Chief of Security, Lt. Commander Tamiya, is standing a respectable difference away, he is still a rather intimidating sight. The half-Klingon, half-Nausicaan, is nearly half again as wide at the shoulders as he is tall and all muscle. At one point, some of the crew used to tease him about his inability to fit through some of the doors on the ship without turning to one side. A quick trip to sickbay usually stopped that, though. "Sir, Mr. Morisato violated our male-only sanctuary, an' deserves ta be severely punished for it!"
Chihiro smiles at this. Tamiya has something of a following on the ship, especially on the security teams he leads. Mr. Otaki is his right hand man, the two being inseparable for quite some time now. Whatever was supposed to happen on Risa, she was sure it involved a lot of physical endurance activities, alcohol, and more male bonding than she can normally stomach. Her Chief Engineer, Commander Keiichi Morisato, would normally not be part of such activities. In fact, he was most likely taken against his will.
That idea that the poor guy was drafted into Tamiya and Otaki's man club amuses her to no end. While he is, in her opinion, the best damn engineer in the fleet, he is also one of the unluckiest. Outside of the engine room, his bad luck is unparalleled, leaving her to believe that whatever star he was born under simply hated his guts.
"I'll see what I can do," replies the captain mirthfully before turning and leaving the bridge.
XXX
Looking at the pair that is before her now, Chihiro notes that they could not be any more different. On the one side was her Chief Engineer, a short man with a large mop of seemingly unkept hair. As a human, he was definitely not an impressive specimen. But all that hid a keen intellect and an almost intuitive ability to diagnose issues as they happened.
Sitting next to him is a woman of statuesque beauty. Her eyes are one of the deepest blues she has ever seen, reminding the starship captain of the blue seas of Earth. Her almond colored hair is pulled back into an elaborate pony tail, with four strands of her bangs sticking up over her forehead. She is wearing a white, silken dress with a blue overcoat that matches her eyes, trimmed with ornate yellow triangles. Chihiro cannot place what species she is, but aside from the blue facial markings, a diamond on her forehead and triangles on her cheeks, she looks perfectly human as she serenely sips on the tea that the captain provided to her when she arrived.
As Keiichi finishes the story, he fidgets in his seat. Chihiro pushes a bang of her dark brown hair out of the way and leans in towards them, resting her chin on her clasped hands. "So, she just 'magically' appeared out of your mirror." It is more of a statement than a question.
The chief engineer blanches slightly. "As crazy as it sounds, yes."
Many of the crew have dealt with strange happenings before. There is still a lot in the universe that they do not understand. However, popping out of a mirror definitely suggested that there was more to the one called Belldandy than her appearance belied. She turns to the woman in question. "So, what kind of being are you?"
"I am a goddess!"
"Yeah yeah, that much is obvious," replies the captain. She has dealt with many people who thought their beauty transcended others, and many times they would refer to themselves as exactly that. Chihiro did not have time to deal with this woman's vanity, so she moves on. "But what I want to know is where you are from?"
Belldandy glances to Keiichi for guidance, getting a nod from the man as a response. "I am sorry, Mr. Keiichi has counseled me against revealing too much. I think the closest approximation of my origin would be the realm that people from Earth call Asgard.
Chihiro leans back in her seat, a slightly shocked look on her face. "Asgard?" she asks in an incredulous tone, not quite believing what she heard. Keiichi probably came up with that for a cover. "You are an Asgardian? As in the Norse legends?"
Belldandy brightly smiles. "Yes!"
In order to suppress a laugh, the captain coughs into her fist, then clears her throat. Not only is she vain, she is crazy! "So what next? Am I going to have Thor tromping around on my starship with his hammer, what's it called, Mew-Mew?" They had to be kidding, who would believe that?
"It's pronounced 'myol-nEEr'," replies Belldandy without missing a beat. "And no, I cannot think of any reason why my uncle would need to visit this vessel."
Chihiro can do nothing more than stare at the woman/goddess/whatever, her jaw open in surprise not only at how easily the answer came, but also the absolute certainty in her voice. If she's lying, she has to be one of the best damn liars I have ever met! She composes herself after glancing an her Chief Engineer and finding that he has a steely look that says he also believes what she is saying.
"Ok," says the captain as she gathers her thoughts. "You are from another realm that we will call Asgard, correct?" She pauses for a moment, then continues when the almond haired woman nods in the affirmative. "And you have the 'power' to grant wishes, specifically in this case, to one Commander Keiichi Morisato of the USS Nekomi?"
"That is correct!" replies Belldandy. "He has qualified for heavens grace, and I was been sent to grant him a single wish. His wish was to for me to stay by his side forever."
From the way that the Asgardian said it, Chihiro gets the distinct impression that Belldandy does not mind this arrangement at all, in spite of how crazy it sounds. In fact, there is something in it that gives her an evil thought. But in order to proceed, she needs to clarify something. "So, it's almost like a life debt, or something?"
Belldandy twists her lips as she considers this, glances to Keiichi, and then back Chihiro. "No, the closest approximation for you would be to say that we are married!"
The dark haired engineer spits out the drink he was sipping on. At the same time, a Cheshire like smile forms on Chihiro's lips. Oh, this is going to be good! She has been trying to set this man up with someone over the past year. In fact, the entire command staff had tried at some point, usually with predictable results. Predictably disastrous. Now it seems that the man's fate has turned, quite suddenly, and probably for the better. Before he can protest any further, she starts to speak out loud while thinking. "Hmmm, married huh? Well, we will of course have to move you to quarters for married couples…."
Keiichi throws his hands out in front of him, almost as if warding off what she said would somehow be effective. "Now wait a second Captain! I'm not sure that's a hundred percent necessary!" The panic in his could is palpable, and the captain revels in it. After a second, he calms himself. "Besides, we are not 'officially' married! So by the regulations, we cannot stay together in the same quarters."
Chihiro immediately stands and taps her communicator. I can fix that right now! "Number One, would you and Mr. Tamiya please report to my ready room? She looks down at the dumbfounded couple on the opposite side of her desk. "Stand up!" Confused by this, they acquiesce. "Take her hand!" she barks out as the first officer and security officer enter the room. Still not sure what is going on, Keiichi turns towards Belldandy and does as he is told.
She glances at the hulking hybrid and smiles. "You asked me to punish him, so here it goes!" She then lets out a small giggle as she looks at Keiichi and Belldandy. "I always wanted to do this." She then picks up a PADD from her desk and swipes it to get to the correct page.
"And now, by the power vested in me as the captain and master of this vessel, and with compliance with Starfleet regulations, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Knowing that Keiichi would never be able to, she looks at Belldandy. "You may kiss the groom!"
Before the engineer can protest, the goddess kisses him. It's a small peck on the lips, more akin to kindergartners kissing on a playground. In spite of this, there is a spark that everyone in the room can detect.
Chihiro is about to say something, but it interrupted by Tamiya as his huge arms circle around Keiichi as he picks him up. To top that off, the big man is actually crying! She has never seen a Klingon or a Nausicaan cry, and she idly speculates that being a mix of the two may be the culprit. "Our little boy's finally tak'n 'da leap!" he bawls out, sniffing over and over again as he tries to contain himself. Belldandy, her cheeks a shade of red that nearly matches that of Chihiro's tactical uniform, giggles as she watches the unrepentant show of emotion.
A glance over at her first officer reveals a smirk on the brunette's face. "Well played, Captain."
"I know, right?!" replies Chihiro, a huge smile across her face. She turns to her Chief of Security, who is still holding Keiichi. "Mr. Tamiya, I do believe that these two need new quarters?"
The hulking hybrid puts his victimized friend down. A wide grin forms on his face as he replies. "Consid'r it done, Cap'in!"
XXX
A few hours later finds Keiichi and Belldandy carrying several boxes, which represent his entire stock of worldly possessions, down the corridor. The new quarters that Tamiya found for them are on the opposite side of the Nekomi from where the Chief Engineer's original dwelling was. Since he had left the captain's ready room, she had even gone so far as to make a ship-wide announcement about the newlyweds.
Since then, he and Belldandy have been stopped multiple times by members of the crew as they congratulated them. In one case, a wellwisher lamented that he lost what was apparently a fairly sizable pool on when or if he would ever hook up. Keiichi was actually surprised that so many people had a vested interest in his personal life, as well as by the fact that his own sister, the ship's tactical officer, was running the pool.
For the most part, the couple walks in silence. When they reach their destination, they find Tamiya standing outside the room with Lt. Otaki by his side. The smiles on both men's faces unnerve Keiichi a little. Belldandy on the other hand, smiles back at them. "It's good to see you again, Mr. Tamiya and Mr. Otaki!" she beams at them.
"Greetings, Belldandy!" replies Otaki. "As the leaders of the Nekomi Men's Club, we are here to ensure our now former member properly enters his new abode!" The two larger men step forward and relieve the couple of the burdens.
Boxes in one hand, Tamiya turns and presses his finger to the panel next to the door. "Computer, recognize Tamiya, Lt. Commander, code Alfa, Alfa, Three Seven Five, Crash."
"Code accepted," replies the feminine voice of the ship's computer.
"Reassign dees quarters ta Commander Keiichi Morisato and his wife, Belldandy Morisato. Confirm."
"Confirmed. Quarters assigned to Commander Keiichi Morisato and Belldandy Morisato."
The big man steps back with a grin. "Ya knows what ta do now."
Keiichi cannot help but roll his eyes. It is partly these guy's fault for the situation he is in now. Perhaps if they had taken him with them when the rest of the club had left on their little safari, this would never have happened. Of course, dang his luck, he had drawn the short straw and was left behind. When he tried to contact the ship to get a status report on the overhall of one of the EPS conduits in main engineering, he had somehow connected to the Goddess Helpline. Everything else that happened afterwards was, as they say, history.
Of course, it was not all bad. Belldandy has shown nothing but compassion and understanding to him since this whole thing began just over twenty-four hours prior. But now, not only are they bound together by a heavenly contract, but officially married in the eyes of Starfleet. With a sigh, he turns towards the door and takes a step towards it.
"MORISATO!" bellows Tamiya, causing Keiichi to startle violently. The hybrid man stares down menacingly at him. "Thou shall't not break the holy rules of matrimony by enter'n dat room by yerself!"
Keiichi freezes, completely clueless as to what Tamiya wants him to do, and at the same time wondering if there was some vague Klingon or Nausicaan ritual that he was referring to. The larger man does not answer, opting instead to simply glower at him with his arms crossed across his chest. It is Otaki who finally comes to Keiichi's rescue.
"Dude," says the blonde Trill. "Isn't it an Earth custom to carry your new bride across the threshold?"
Otaki is, of course, right. Sighing to himself due to his oversight, Keiichi steps up to Belldandy. Without much preamble, he reaches around her.
"Oh my!" gasps the goddess as he picks her up bridal style. She throws her right arm around his neck and grabs the hand with her left. Briefly, Keiichi stops and stares into her eyes, and gets lost momentarily in the azure pools. Belldandy smiles and blushes deeply. For a moment, they just stand there locked in on each other, until Tamiya clears his throat and breaks the moment. The ship's chief engineer takes a step towards the door, and it opens with a swoosh, granting him access to the room he will share now with a goddess.
Who now happens to be his wife.
He takes a deep breath and steps through over the threshold and into his new home and new life. As the illumination comes up after detecting their presence, Keiichi just stands there and holds Belldandy, who seems to be only too happy to stay in his arms. Quietly, the larger men bring in the boxes they were carrying and step back out.
Behind the couple, Tamiya breaks down and starts to sob again. "You've started a new chapter in yer life, and you've started it off in style!" He barely maintains his composure until he finishes, then proceeds to cover his eyes with his arm and lean into his taller friend, the tears coming unbridled now.
"A man's not a man until…."
Otaki's words are cut off as Keiichi takes another step forward, causing the door to automatically shut behind him. The dark haired man sighs, sets Belldandy down, and surveys the room. It is larger than his previous living space. On the opposite wall are three floor to ceiling windows to outer space, giving the couple a glorious view. Currently, the stars are streaking by while the Nekomi travels at warp speed to its next destination. Under the windows is a tan couch, with a love seat set off to the left at a ninety degree angle. A glass coffee table sits in front.
To the right is another door, to which Keiichi figures is the bedroom. This fills him with trepidation. While it's true that they are technically a married couple now, at least in the eyes of many on the ship, he does not even know anything about the goddess with him. What does she like? What does she need? In the entire time he has known her, still not quite a full day, she has done nothing but cater to his needs, or at least try. The one sided nature of the relationship is starting to make him feel a little guilty.
As if she were sensing his angst, Belldandy looks at him and smiles. "Would you like some tea, Mr. Keiichi?"
"I can get it, Belldandy!" replies Keiichi, seizing on an opportunity to do something for her for a change. He steps past the dining table to his left, over to the replicator on the wall and addresses it. "Two cups of tea, Darjeeling, hot." Instantly, the two class cups materialize in the device, and he picks them up. When he turns, he finds the almond haired goddess sitting at the table, smiling pleasantly at him. For a moment, he gets lost in her eyes before handing the cup to her.
He steps around the table and takes a seat next to Belldandy, sighing as he puts his cup down. "I cannot believe that she did that to us." Almost before the words came out of his mouth, Keiichi starts to panic some, wondering if what he said may have hurt the goddess' feelings in some way. "I-I-I mean no offense Belldandy," he stutters out while waving his hands in front of him frantically. "But this is all too fast for me."
Belldandy lets out a sigh of her own. "I understand Mr. Keiichi. If it helps alleviate things, I have sensed that the System Force is at work in this."
The goddess had warned him about the System Force right after the wish when he tried to somehow hide her from the others of the club. Their outing had a 'Men Only' rule that was strictly enforced by Tamiya and Otaki, which he had allowed them to do even though they were junior to him as Starfleet officers. Her appearance and discovery meant instant banishment from not only the room he was in, but from the entire resort, causing Belldandy and him to spend the night in an old, broken down shuttle he found on the side of the road.
All because the System Force was preventing them from being apart.
Still, there were other things at work here, at least in his opinion. "I'm not so sure about that, the Captain and other certain members of the crew have been trying to push me together with a girl for a while."
Belldandy takes a sip of her tea, wrinkles her nose, but otherwise says nothing about it. Instead she sticks with the subject at hand. "The System Force can be very subtle sometimes. If there is already intent, then only a slight nudge can turn thought into action, such as in this case."
"Yeah, I guess," is all the Keiichi can think to say.
"I am curious," starts Belldandy before taking another sip. The dark haired man notes that she again wrinkles her nose as if tasting something bitter. "Why does Captain Chihiro feel she must to push you to be with other women?"
Keiichi thinks about this for a moment. "I think she thinks she's just trying to be helpful. But it never works because I am too short."
The goddess furrows her brow slightly, as if disapproving of what he just said. "Because one is tall, does not necessarily mean one is attractive."
"Look, I know that with the contract and all, you are just saying that to make me feel better," replies Keiichi, resignation in the tone of his voice. He reaches over and squeezes one of Belldandy's hands. "It's ok, you can tell me the truth."
The almond haired goddess recoils her hand immediately, giving him a disapproving look. "Do you not recall what I told you earlier?" she demands. "As a Goddess First Class, I cannot lie. You have many, many admirable qualities!"
Keiichi snorts in amusement. "Yeah, like what?" He does not mean for that to sound derisive, but it came out that way none the less.
Belldandy stands, as if rising to the challenge. She starts in as she sweeps her hands around the room. "Look around you. When I came aboard this vessel, I could feel that there is love, bursting at the seams!" As she says this, her clothes and body seems to start glowing. The wall panels that control the doors and the replicator begin to glow as if someone is trying to run all of their functions at once. The goddess floats up off the ground slightly before she continues. "Even though this ship is old, and most probably would not be given a second look, she is cared for and in perfect working order." She starts to gesture around the room. "The sound of the warp drive engaging, and the sound of the doors as they open and close for everyone on this ship, these are all such happy sounds."
As her feet touch back down on the carpet, Belldandy clutches her hands to her chest as she looks to Keiichi and smiles. "This comes from the ship knowing that you are the one that keeps her in top shape. She feels fortunate that you are here to take such loving care of her."
Keiichi can only stand in silence, dumbfounded by what he saw and heard. The passion that she spoke with was moving, and he starts to feel like a heel for having any shred of doubt before. After a few awkward moments, she smiles, a slight giggle escaping her lips. This helps him to get over some of the regret he was feeling before over his wish tying her down. She definitely seems to have the ability to say exactly what he needs to feel better. "Thank you Belldandy," he says as he relaxes a little. He then gets an idea. "So, want me to take you on a tour around the ship?"
"I think that would be wonderful!" exclaims the goddess, a little excitement showing in her response.
Before he can say or do anything, his communicator beeps. "Sorry, let me see who calling first," he says before tapping the offending device. "Morisato here."
"It's Maunk," replies a gruff sounding voice. "I understand that the Captain has assigned your new wife to work for me in Ten-Forward?"
"Um, yeah," says Keiichi in a way that almost makes it sound like a question. He is, of course, right. After giving Tamiya orders to find the couple new living quarters, Chihiro told the duo that there was an opening in the Ten-Forward lounge, and that Belldandy would be an excellent fit. Keiichi was not sure such a busy place would be good, but he was overruled by his new 'wife'.
"I apologize for the impertinence of this request, you being newlyweds and all, but it's nearing the dinner rush and one of my usual workers didn't come in for health reasons."
Keiichi looks over at Belldandy, who quickly nods. "Don't worry, I will come in."
Maunk's voice replies. "Mnnn. You sound like a pleasant sort. You know where I am, yes?"
"No, but Mr. Keiichi can take me there," Belldandy replies.
"Alright, Maunk out." A chirp from the communicator tells Keiichi that the connection has been severed.
The chief engineer sighs in resignation. "Well, I guess I can show you a little bit while we get there. It's on the way," Keiichi says. Belldandy smiles and nods as he steps to the door, which opens at his approach. He gestures to the new 'wife' and waits as she exits before stepping into the passageway himself.
XXX
The turbolift door opens on deck ten. Ever the gentleman, Keiichi gestures for Belldandy to exit before him. As the pair steps out, several crewmembers smile mirthfully at them as they pass. The chief engineer's inability to get into a relationship with women started is legendary on board the Nekomi, so the fact that he is not only in one, but married to said woman, of course spread like wildfire throughout the ship. He thinks that it even beat the general announcement that the captain put out.
As they walk down the corridor with Keiichi, Belldandy smiles at all of the crewmembers that pass. She is amazed at the diversity, seeing members of many different species. The Goddess had, of course, granted wishes on many worlds, so seeing and recognizing many of the species is a delight.
After a few turns, the couple arrives at a set of ornate double doors. Unlike the rest of the doors on the ship, which are drab and utilitarian, these have a faux wood grain texture. Round windows are set about head height with the Starfleet logo set in frosted glass. Above the doors, a large plaque bears the name: Ten-Forward. As the couple steps forward, the entryway parts.
Belldandy instantly notes a slightly darker illumination, allowing for a more intimate atmosphere. Along the wall to the left as they enter is a bar with a number of stools waiting for eager patrons. To the right is an area with about ten tables, with windows affording a beautiful view of space immediately in front of the vessel. Along the walls were a number of couches and chairs that are perfect to relax in.
Within seconds of their arrival, a broad and heavy set looking alien from a species she has never seen before approaches them. His skin is a mottled mix of greys and greens with a lightly cut head of hair. The goddess cannot decide if he has no chin, or lacks a neck as there seems to be no distinction from his shoulders up. He is wearing black and white robes that looked similar to those from a Shinto religion in Japan on Earth. "Ah, hello", greets the alien in a low, gravelly voice. "I'm Maunk, you are Belldandy, yes?"
"Yes, I am," replies the goddess with a smile.
Maunk looks her over for a moment, then turns to Keiichi. "Thank you, Commander. This will be a big help, yes."
Keiichi smiles a bit as he rubs the back of his head. "You're welcome and-" He is interrupted as his communicator beeps. Sighing slightly, he taps it. "Morisato here," he replies, losing the nervousness in his voice.
"Sora here," replies a timid female voice. "I thought since we were at warp we could run a quick diagnostic on the impulse engines."
Keiichi smiles a little. "And you have found that we are a too under staffed to complete it?"
"Umm, yes?" The reply is more question than statement.
Shaking his head mirthfully, the chief engineer's smile gets a little larger. "I will be along shortly, Lieutenant."
"T-t-thanks, commander! Sora out."
Keiichi looks over at Belldandy and Maunk. "I'd like to stay and chat, but duty calls." He looks over at Belldandy. "Call me when you get off work, Belldandy. I still want to give you that tour if we have time."
"Y-yes, I will..." says a slightly blushing Beldlandy. With a nod, Keiichi turns to leave. As he walks off, the blue eyed goddess cannot help to watch him go. She had instantly noted the change in his demeanor when the junior engineer had called him. Gone was the seemingly timid man that she had met and gotten to know over the past day. What she saw was a whole new side of Keiichi Morisato. That new person has a confident air about him that comes with experience and a love for his work. She decides she will do what she can to help him to become like that in everyday life as well.
Suddenly, Maunk steps into her field of view. "What race are you? Can't say I'm familiar, no."
"I'm an Asgardian." Belldandy replies with a smile.
"I'm a Lurian. You have heard of one of my relatives, Morn, yes?" When Belldandy shakes her head, he continues. "He went bald after something, a bank robbery, yes. No one was ever able to pin it on him for it, though." Maunk says as he and Belldandy head towards the bar. "So I take it you know how to use a replicator?"
"Yes, I've seen them, but I'm not quite familiar with how they operate. Could you explain it to me?" Belldandy asked.
"I don't know about the replicators where you lived at, but the ones here can well... Replicate food and various other things. The taste tends to be a bit off in my opinion, but the humans do not seem to notice, no," Maunk said. "Since we have some time before the dinner rush hits, I'll show you how to use them and go over our procedures, yes?"
Belldandy nodded.
XXX
As the dinner rush continues, Maunk is pleased at how well Belldandy has settled into her role. Despite the fact she claims to never have used a replicator or worked in a bar before, she takes to the job with very little difficulty. It doesn't seem to matter what happens, she is unflappable. "She will know your ways, as if born to them," muses the pudgy alien as the dinner rush turns in to be one of the busiest ones he has seen in a while, most likely because the crew has caught wind that Morisato's new wife is working.
As the evening progresses, one member of the crew backs his chair away from a table, nearly hitting Belldandy while she is carrying a tray of food and drink to another group. The woman easily avoids the crash, the only indication being some of the drinks nearly splashing out of their containers. Upon standing, the tall man, who has dark hair, glares at the woman as she continues on with her duties, seemingly oblivious.
"Here you go, miss," Belldandy says as she places the tray on the customer's table before turning to leave.
"Hey!" The crewmember loudly says, getting her attention as he crosses over to confront her. "You almost threw your drinks on me!" he yells when he gets closer.
Without missing a beat, Belldandy responds. "Aren't you either in Security or Tactical?" she demands, sounding a bit angry as she glares up at the offending crewman. "Someone in your position should be more aware of their surroundings!" At first, Maunk is taken aback at the way she is speaking to the customer. It takes the bartender a moment to realize that the almond haired woman has, in a matter of moments, detected that the man in front of her is a Zaldan.
The man returns her glare while the people around them stop eating and turn to see what the commotion is. After a few tense moments, and to the surprise of many, the Zaldan smiles and laughs. "I'm in Security. We just wanted to test you because a few of us felt something off about you."
"I trust then, that your concerns have been adequately addressed?" replies Belldandy curtly.
"They have indeed."
"Then sit down and let me continue my work." When Belldandy finishes that, a collection of 'ooooh's comes from the group at the Zaldan's table. However, he maintains his smile as he nods and acquiesces to her demand.
Maunk stares at her, almost in shock. The woman has, up to this point, been so polite, almost to a fault. That she talk to the man in such a way, which would be considered rude to most, is a total surprise. However, to the Zaldan, whose race views courtesy as a phony social behavior, the way she acted was not only tolerated, it was expected. Her response was flawless! I have seen seasoned captains fail in similar situations.
"Is everything alright?" Belldandy asks upon returning to the bar, breaking Maunk from his thoughts.
"Oh, yes, I was merely thinking that I should speak to the captain about Zeeru's actions, yes," Maunk replies.
"Is that the Zaldan's name?" Belldandy asks. Maunk nods in the affirmative. "I do not think this requires the captain's attention. It was a simple misunderstanding that has been resolved."
Maunk nods without thinking, then picks up a tray that has three salads, vegetarian chili, and a hamburger, and sits it on the bar in front of her. "Take this to table five," says the bartender as Belldandy picks it up. She goes to leave with her cargo, then turns back and places it back down in front of him.
"Maunk, I think you might have made a mistake. The table in question looks like it has only Vulcans and unless I'm mistaken, they're all vegetarians," Belldandy stated.
How did she catch something like this when I could not? The bartender takes away the plate with the hamburger. "Good eye and knowledge," he says as he reviews the patrons' orders again. He then turns and orders the replicator to create a veggie burger. He retrieves the item and places it on the tray, then continues as if there was no interruption. "Though, I'm a bit surprised that you do not seem to like to use the replicators, yes."
"The ones where I used to live are not that popular, and really only used in a few locations," Belldandy quickly replies as she picks the tray up.
"Ah, I understand. Quite a few planets still don't particularly care for replicators, but that attitude is starting to vanish as time goes on, yes," Maunk says.
He watches as she leaves. The woman effortlessly maneuvers through the throng of people, deftly avoiding things that no person should have been able to see coming. She seems to have a sixth sense that tells her if someone is about to get into her way! Belldandy delivers several plates of food while again avoiding someone who was getting up. The Lurian shakes his head in disbelief. There is something special about this one.
XXX
At the close of her shift, Maunk thanks Belldandy for her assistance, and apologizes once again for the short notice. It was the first time in a long time that there had actually been a line to get into Ten-Forward, and security was needed to hold the doors and keep the lounge from filling up past capacity. As she turns to leave, the goddess assures him that it was no problem and that she would see him in a few days, when her duties were officially set to start.
"Now, how do I get in contact with Mr. Keiichi?" the goddess asks herself out loud.
A passing crewmember, a tall Andorian, stops and points to a panel on the wall next to the door to the lounge. "Just speak to the computer there, and it will be able to help you."
Belldandy smiles at him. "Thanks!" The blue alien nods and continues on his way. Stepping up to the panel, the almond haired goddess addresses it. "Computer, locate Mr. Keiichi Morisato, please."
"Keiichi Morisato is on deck 16 aft, Main Impulse Propulsion Control."
The goddess sighs, guessing that he is probably still working. "Can you put me in contact with him, please?"
A moment later, a haggard looking Keiichi appears on a small screen on the panel. She notes that his uniform top has been taken off, replaced with a dark grey t-shirt with a Starfleet emblem on the left side of his chest. "Oh, hey Belldandy!"
It makes her happy to see a smile on his face in spite of his appearance. "My shift is over, would you like me to remain here until you have completed your tasks?"
The dark haired mortal sighs as he wipes some sweat off his brow. "I'm sorry, Belldandy, I won't be able to get away for a while longer." As he is talking, a woman appears over his shoulder. She has short, straight back hair and freckles across her cheeks. The newcomer stares intently at the goddess while he continues. "Why don't you head back to my….. I mean our quarters, and wait for me there."
"Ok!" she replies. Keiichi nods and closes the connection. When the screen goes blank, Belldandy sighs in resignation. To her surprise, the goddess finds that she is very disappointed that he is not coming. I did not realize how much I was anticipating this tour with Mr. Keiichi. Shaking herself out of her doldrums, she leaves Ten-Forward and heads down the passageway towards the turbo lifts. I will just have to do something special for him when he gets back."
XXX
When he touches the panel, the image of Belldandy disappears. Standing there for a second, he contemplates leaving anyway. In spite of the fact that he has only known her for a day and a half, and that they have been thrust together, first by his stupid wish and then by the Captain herself, he finds that he is saddened that he cannot take her on the tour. I guess I wanted that more than I thought.
"Um, sir?"
The timid voice breaks him out of his reverie. He turns and finds Liutenant Sora Hasegawa standing behind him. "Oh, Sora!" he startles some, realizing now that when Belldandy had called, he had forgotten that the petite woman was still there. "So let's get that…."
"Was that your new wife?"
Even though he has known the woman for a while now, the deadpan in Sora's voice unnerves him. "Um, yeah, that's her!" A stupid smile forms on his lips as he reaches back and nervously scratches the back of his head. This is going outside of the discussion they were having previously on the procedure to replace one of the flow regulators for the main impulse drive that they found was defective during the junior engineer's impromptu diagnostic, and he is starting to get uncomfortable. They need to get it done quickly, before they reach their destination and the ship comes out of warp.
"She's pretty," says the junior engineer.
"Ummm…yeah, she is." Internally, the dark haired man is twisted in knots. It isn't a hard, fast rule, but most everyone avoids talking about such things with him, knowing full well his discomfiture on the subject. But this was an entirely new situation. His new wife would be the subject of many conversations on the ship, conversations he would have to participate in. That prospect fills him with dread. Fortunately, this time at least, the other person throws him a lifeline by changing the subject.
"So, you want me to run down to the cargo bay and grab one of the spare regulators?" asks Sora, a small smirk on her lips telling him she knew she was giving him a reprieve, for now. "Or do you want to?"
Keiichi smiles. "Let's both go."
XXX
A few hours later, the exhausted Chief Engineer makes his way up to the crew levels. He reaches his quarters, only to remember that they are no longer his. A couple of his crewmates rib him for forgetting such an important detail, but he pays them no heed. The only thing he wants is to sit down and rest. When he finally reaches his new home, the door opens automatically and he steps inside.
Immediately, his senses are assaulted by wonderful smells. Looking around, he sees Belldandy sitting at the small dining table of their quarters, a bright smile on her face. Next to her is an empty chair with several plates and bowls of food. He looks around puzzled as the goddess, his goddess, gets up and navigates her way around the table and stops in front of him. She is still wearing her customary blue and white goddess attire. "Welcome home, Mr. Keiichi," she says as she walks around him.
"Um, er, what's…." He cannot get any more out and Belldandy reaches from behind puts a finger on his mouth and shushes him. Her proximity at first gives him the willies, but he feels that pass almost as quickly as it comes on. She then gently pushes him over to the table and sits him down before taking the chair next to him.
"I hope you like it," she says, a slight blush forming on her cheeks.
Keiichi looks down and sees a rice and shrimp mixture in a bowl that looks like jambalaya. A roll sits on a small plate next to it, and a steaming cup of hot chocolate on the opposite side. Somehow, the goddess has provided him with some of his favorite dishes, outside of the traditional Japanese food he enjoys as well. He glances at Belldandy, only to find that she is watching him expectedly.
As the scent of the meal entices him, a loud grumble coming from his stomach reminds him that he has not eaten anything since lunch time. Tentatively, he picks up the fork and uses it to spear a shrimp, then uses the utensil to scoop up some of the rice as well. He starts to wonder how Belldandy knew he has not eaten, but any coherent thought is wiped out when the jambalaya hits his tongue.
Instantly, his mind takes him back to a small restaurant in New Orleans. He and a couple of his classmates at Starfleet academy had taken a shuttle down to the The Big Easy on a three day liberty pass to witness the yearly festival of Mardi Gras. While they were there, one of the cadets in their cadre insisted that the go to a hole in the wall place that was just off of Bourbon Street. For the life of him, he still cannot remember the name.
What he does remember, though, was that it was the first time he had ever tried jambalaya. The spicy shrimp, sausage, and rice mixture had pranced over his tongue like a tap dancer with their feet on fire. Before then, he had not been terribly keen on trying any of the standard North American fare, preferring instead to stick with foods he was familiar with from his home in Japan. He had tried the bayou dish on a dare because the humble establishment did not have any replicators that offered alternates to the normal menu. It was either that or go hungry since his companions had insisted that no one was leaving. That experience really opened his eyes, and since that day, Keiichi has been more open to eating new types of foods. Some of his favorites now included such exotic fares and Bajoran larish pie and Vulcan plomeek soup.
As he chews, he looks up at the goddess in front of him. Her radiant smile greets him, and he gets the impression that she somehow sensed his quick trip down memory lane. As he swallows, he tries to think of something, anything to say that would do what he just tasted justice. Nothing comes to him, so he sighs. "This is great, Belldandy," he proclaims, slightly embarrassed that is all he can come up with.
The blue eyed goddess' smile expands. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"
As he prepares to put another helping of the tasty dish in his mouth, Keiichi realizes that throughout the day, even with everything going on around them, he has not had much trouble speaking to the goddess. Usually, he is a stuttering mess when it comes to chatting up the opposite gender. But in Belldandy's case, things seem a little more natural. While he eats, the couple spends the next couple of hours just chatting.
Mostly about nothing.
Note from HotelKatz : I got the ball rolling when I wrote a very short scene in a idea suggestion Topic for A!MG in a forum. A few continuations from other posters got this chapter written. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we all worked on it. Depending on how the story goes, the scene that gave birth to this story may either be written into the plot or added as an Omake.
Note from IdiAmeanDada : All props go to HotelKatz, who is the brainchild for this little project. When he posted this in a FanFic ideas topic in the Goddess-Project dot NET forums, he included a small scene. Myself and several others could not help ourselves and started adding on to it. After that, we put our heads together and this story was born. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter, #02 is already in progress. In case anyone is wondering, this is set in the Star Trek Online universe, around Season 8, about 30 years after ST:TNG, DS9, and VOY. If you are not familiar with it, not to worry, we will try to explain everything as we go so.