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The smell of grilled Oaxacan fish and spicy vegetables filled the air deliciously and Nyota smiled.
"Wow," she told Dimitri, "If that is as good as it smells then I'm sold."
He placed a dish in front of her and offered her a fork. She took it and dug in with gusto and purred with glee.
"Pavel warned me that you were a really good cook."
Dimitri laughed, his voice tinkling pleasantly against Nyota's sensitive ears.
"I should hope so, my mother was adamant that any child of hers would not be afraid of the kitchen."
As Dimitri took his place opposite her, Nyota found herself thanking the woman that had given this man his culinary skills.
"So," Dimitri said and gave her a beautiful lopsided grin, "I take it that you are enjoying it?
"Oh my goodness," Nyota told him, "This is delicious."
They ate in companionable silence before Dimitri rose to pour her a glass of wine.
"I was thinking that after this we can go to the holodeck."
Nyota smiled, "I think I'd like that."
As Nyota and he discussed various topics she was surprised once more by his intelligence.
"So you don't that Jennings' theorem is accurate?," she asked referring to the Ethno-Linguist who had been a major influence in Nyota's field.
"Well, think about it," Dimitri asked his face animated and excited, "If language is an inherent feature of post-mordial populations, this does not explain species that use non-verbal forms of communication."
"Exactly!" Nyota agreed, "You're like the only person who gets that. I mean really. What about the Tagolians? They communicate using only gestures and non-verbal cues and have managed to create a pretty sophisticated civilization. I would love to visit that planet. But I don't have D-security clearance yet. I wonder what's it like?"
"Well," Dimitri told her, "I can certainly tell you about it. I do not possess that kind of clearance either, but I did some research there about two years ago."
Nyota grinned, "I'd love to know about it. Is the underground waterfall in the northern sector as beautiful as they say?"
He smiled and then told her all about his adventures on the planet Tagol, some of the stories were funny and heartwarming, such as how he used the wrong gesture for "water" and instead ended up proposing to a tribal leader's daughter and was shocked to find himself nearly pushed into a shotgun wedding.
"That's hilarious!" she laughed so hard tears sprang into her eyes.
She was moved when he relayed to her his sadness when a fellow scientist and friend was killed during an armed conflict in one of the regions.
"Since that incident, I have not gone back," he told her.
She nodded in understanding and grasped his hand.
"Enough of these sad stories," he remarked, "I will fetch dessert and you will tell me more about Nyota Uhura."
"There's dessert?," Nyota chirped happily, her mouth already watering.
After consuming the delicious puffed pastry confection he had baked, Nyota found herself strolling along Elysia's black sands in the holodeck, two pale moons shining down upon her and Dimitri.
"I've never been to Elysia. I've always wanted to go."
"Well, here you are," he indicated the beautiful beach and trees as they swayed in the night breeze, "Though it is not the real thing, it is fairly close."
Nyota found herself walking hand in hand with him as they crossed the warm sands, watching as the large, iridescent night butterflies flitted across the sky.
Large pink flowers bloomed as she passed; releasing their perfume in the air and tiny animals scampered about, curiously taking in the couple as they sauntered lazily near the lapping waters.
They stopped beneath a canopy of blooming vines and Dimitri turned to her.
"Nyota," he said, his voice low and deep, "You are the most intelligent and fascinating woman I have ever met. And your beauty is unparalled."
Nyota felt heat rise to her cheeks and she smiled shyly.
In a trance she watched as his full lips came closer to hers.
He's going to kiss me! He's going to kiss me! she thought, He's going to…
And then he did.
***