A/N: As a reminder, this weird version of Star Trek is based on my life, so there's no telling what will happen because life is unpredictable.
Ode to A Starship by Lina Shay
Chapter Eighteen: Peldar Joi
"If this is going to be a successful social gathering, I suggest you provide the following items: Sehlat wax candles, enough malope buds to fill two Selaya vases, and kal toh. I will aquire the plomeek tree. Be advised that plomeek soup does not agree with the physiology of all species. You may want to keep a glass of warm T'kat tea nearby. Until Saturday, live long and prosper."
I shook my head at the picture of Ston on my screen. What in Starfleet had I gotten myself into?
It was surprising how indifferent I was to the blind date up until an hour before. I spent extra time on my hair. I tried to clean my shoes. When time got close, I went to Tiffany's quarters and waited.
"Are you nervous?" Tiffany asked.
"A little," I told her.
"They should be arriving in the shuttlebay any minute," Tiffany informed as she checked the time.
"Shuttlebay?" I asked in surprise. "I thought he worked in Engineering."
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean Wasatch's Engineering. No, both he and Jim are aboard the Gundum docked at Deep Space 4."
Just then, the door chimed. Tiffany went over and answered it. The first face I saw was a handsome, human face. He was tall with green eyes, not brown. He had a nice smile.
"Lina, this is Joel," Tiffany introduced.
Just for me? Thank you, Tiffany!
"Hi," I said shyly.
He smiled warmly.
"Well," Tiffany began, "let's get headed to the space station."
Tiffany and her date went ahead while Joel and I were a little behind. I kept looking over at his dark green eyes.
Joel piloted the shuttle and I sat next to him. In the back, Tiffany and her date were chatting plesently.
"So," I began, "What do you do in your spare time?"
"I don't seem to get a lot of spare time," Joel laughed. "What about you?"
"I don't know," I shrugged. "I like to read, talk with my friends."
"That sounds fun," he told me.
We soon docked at the space station. Joel stepped out into the docking port and held a hand out to me. I took his hand and he helped me down from the shuttle. His hand was strong and nice to hold. But I let go as soon as I was in the docking port. I didn't want to let hand-holding with a guy I hardly knew become too familiar.
We went to a Earth-type restaurant. We had burgers. I didn't dislike burgers, but I had expected something more formal. I seemed to finish before everyone else. Of course, I don't usually talk while I eat, unless I get really excited.
"So, we're going skating, huh?" Jim, Tiffany's date, asked. "Joel and I falling over ourselves is the entertainment for the night?"
Joel didn't make any comment. I wondered why.
We headed to the holosuit after dinner. Joel rented a skating program and we all went inside. As soon as I put on the skates, I almost fell and Joel had to reach out a hold me up. It was nice to be in his arms.
"I'm sorry," I muttered. "It's been a while since I've done this. I'm going to have to lean on your for a while."
"I don't mind," he insisted with a smile.
I started to remember how to skate. But Joel was a lot better than I was. Now and then, I would lose my balance, but Joel was always right there to steady me. It was so nice. One time when he took my hand to keep me from falling, he didn't let go and neither did I. We started to talk. I told him all about Sisma and B'Liz. I told him about the stories I liked to read and about my religion. He seemed very interested.
When we all got tired of skating, Jim suggested we go back to the Gundum and listen to music. Tiffany seemed all for it. I was a little tired, but I liked being around Joel.
As soon as we entered the boys' quarters, two little earth dogs ran up. They were so cute and fuzzy. I picked one up and played with her. Joel told me her name was Teddy and the other one was Ginger. Jim called them his babies.
We didn't talk much as we listened to the music. I sat on the floor and petted Teddy. Joel sat beside me and seemed to watch me. Every time I looked at him, though, he would look away.
When it got too late, the guys walked us back to the shuttle and flew us home. Joel even walked me to my quarters. We stood there, staring at each other for a moment.
"Well, maybe we'll run into each other soon," he said.
"Probably not," I insisted. "Different starships."
"Yeah," he muttered. "Maybe I could threaten Tiffany into giving me the Wasatch's course."
"I'm an astrometics officer," I reminded him. "You could just threaten me."
"No," he said softly. "You don't want to threaten the woman you're interested in. You might not give me the course if I do."
I blushed. and said, "Do you want our course?"
"If you want to give it to me," he told me.
I quickly grabbed a datapad from my quarters and downloaded the course of the Wasatch for the next few months. I handed it to him.
"Hopefully, we'll end up around the same place at the same time one of these missions," Joel said.
He put his arms around my waist and lifted me into the air. I let slip a squeel of surprise and delight. As he set me back down, I was laughing.
"Bye," he said.
"Bye."