Exploring Biology (Part 1)

Posted on Sun Jan 9, 2022 @ 7:19am by Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca & Captain Tam "Demon" Haican

1,880 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Pangaea
Timeline: MD06 1000

ON

Alyssa had put together a cursory list of edible plants and flowers in the forest around Bag End, or the Shire, as Brianthe liked to call it, but it wasn't complete. If they were going to be living here until DS5 was back in Starfleet's hands, she wanted a more detailed list, including where they were and how easy they were to reproduce. She also wanted to see how they tasted, which meant figuring out how to best prepare them. She and Alyssa had also brought back some of the white trees from the clouds. They were edible, but she didn't want to eat them until they had plenty established.

Bri spent some time in the afternoons while the others were sleeping to explore and take notes, always careful to make sure no one outside of their group to detect her.

One day, Tam followed her, to ensure she stayed safe. Since their first meeting, he had felt a strong attraction to the lovely woman. After several meditation sessions, he felt that the spirit of his dead wife was guiding him on this path. Perhaps it was time, even in this current crisis, to see if he could find companionship with another...maybe even love?

As he stepped up closer to her, he spoke softly, "Morning," he said with a soft smile.

She felt him coming. Unlike Alyssa, who reminded her of sunlight, Tam was more like warm chocolate. The thought made her smile as she turned. "Hi, Tam," she said, her voice also low.

Seeing Bri smile, Tam felt a warmth start to fill him. His eyes briefly moved to her full lips, then back to her eyes. He would be lying, if he said he wasn't curious as to how those lips would taste. "Find anything interesting?" He stepped up to her, looking down into her hypnotic eyes.

Warm chocolate and firelight... She recognized the look in his eyes. This was normally where she made a light joke and moved away, instead she found herself leaning toward him, her pulse beating faster. "I..." She ran her tongue across her suddenly-dry lips. "Yes." Then she stepped back and turned, going deeper into the woods. What was she thinking? she asked herself. She practically asked him to kiss her. She had to stop thinking of him as chocolate.

Feeling the heat and desire pour from her, Tam stepped forward, reached out, gently took hold of Bri's upper left arm and pulled her back to him, spinning her back to him as he leaned in and kissed her...quite well.

She resisted for several seconds before returning his kiss.

Slowly, he slid his arms around Brianthe, pulling her right to him. From his mind, he sent images of how beautiful he felt she was and a few of what he'd like to do to, and with her.

She mentally probed deeper into his feelings. He wanted her, but she needed more than a physical relationship. She'd been hurt by Erich's abandonment and they were all shaken by the Cardassian attack. It wasn't enough for her to let someone in again, even if she was attracted to him.

He could feel her pain, her loneliness. He knew this was no random attraction. Carefully and slowly, he started to open his soul to her, showing her his deepest pain and fears, losing his wife and son, and the fear of losing Sabina. He also shared his greatest joys. In order, they were the days both of his children were born, meeting his wife, and meeting Brianthe, and finally, kissing her as he was now.

It was too soon, and there was too much to do with the ever-present threat from the Cardassians. And yet, even as she told herself this, she felt herself being drawn deeper into his thoughts, felt both their mental shields melting away. She slowly broke the kiss and put her head on his shoulder. The bond that had been growing between them was stronger than she realized and she no longer wanted to fight it.

Tam felt a calmness settle over his soul. It was a feeling that he hadn't felt in years. Bri, he transmitted to her mind. I know we have only known each other for a short time, but it feels so natural to share my thoughts and feelings with you. I swear to you now, I will never do anything to make you feel unwanted or unloved ever again. I give everything that I am to you now and forever.

"Tam." She needed to say the words out loud. "I was engaged a year ago, to another officer on the station. He left shortly after and...I never heard from him again. I'm...hesitant." Scared was a better word. Scared of being abandoned, of being hurt again.

Adjusting their embrace to look down into her eyes, Tam responded softly, his words full of honesty and growing love. "Bri, from experience, I know that I cannot promise that something won't happen that will hurt one or both of us. I'm scared too. What I can promise, is that as long as we are together, I will love and cherish you with every fiber of my being. The only person who would hold more of my heart, is my little girl. Her happiness and safety are more important to me than mine. Everything else that I have to give, is yours. If you want it."

"Yes. No. Maybe." She sighed. "I won't deny that I'm tempted, but it's only been a couple of days and..." Her voice trailed off. At least they were both scared, she had to admit.

He smiled softly as he replied. "And you're worried that either I'm a nutjob for confessing how he feels so early," he chuckled a little, then continued. "Or, we both feel a strong attraction to one another, on so many levels, that it's a bit scary to think about." He took a breath and then added, "I don't want to make you uncomfortable. We will go as fast, or as slow as you want. I'm not going anywhere. I'm also at the stage in my life, where playing emotional games is a waste of my time. I know what, and who, that I want to spend my time with." He didn't feel he needed to say whom he was referring to.

Brianthe smiled. "Thank you."

He smiled again, softly and warmly. "You're welcome." He then leaned in and kissed her again, not as passionately, but just enough.

She was grateful that he took her concerns seriously and wouldn't push her. The soft assurance she felt from him in the back of her mind helped as well. She slowly began to relax. When the kiss ended, she hugged him.

Tam held onto Brianthe warmly and securely in his arms. He would protect and love this woman, no matter how long she allowed him to be with her.

After several minutes, Brianthe stepped back. "I need to get back to work."

Releasing his hold on her, Tam asked, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

She smiled. "I don't know. You're welcome to come along, just in case."

Smiling warmly in return, he replied. "Thank you, I would very much like to." He then reached out his left hand in a silent request to hold hers.

She hesitated for a moment, then took his hand. "I'm looking for edible plants. I'm mostly wandering, but in different areas each day."

Nodding thoughtfully, Tam responded. "Well, two sets of eyes are better than one. Lead on, my dear."

Bri nodded. "Also keep your eye out for Alyssa's squirrel-cat. It likes to attack from the trees. Fortunately, it'll make a noise before it does. Just promise it a treat and it will come after that instead of you." She chuckled. "I now keep a bag of treats at hand."

Giving her a lop-sided grin, he moved a little closer to her. "Well then, I shall make sure you are close to me, protecting me with your treats." He chuckled softly as he spoke.

"So, you're not going to be the gallant knight who throws himself in the path of danger to protect me?" she teased, growing more comfortable with him. Bri continued to look around for any wild vegetables to indicate ancient gardens. She would definitely have to find a secluded site to start her own.

"My dear lady," Tam responded, trying to sound like a proper knight of old. "Of course, I would defend both you and your honor against any dragon we may encounter. However, I would be foolish indeed to go into battle unarmed." He bowed respectfully to her, then stood back up, grinning that handsome grin of his that just came naturally when he was around her.

"I doubt either a dragon or squirrel-cat is after my honor," she said, laughing. "And there isn't much room to swing a sword, so you're safe. For now." As she was technically not on duty, she'd chosen to wear a pair of pants and a loose blouse. Normally, she'd wear a calf-length skirt, but with the thick undergrowth, pants were better. They made her feel less like a damsel-in-distress--if she'd ever been one to begin with.

Smiling a charming grin at her, he shrugged slightly. "You never know, a dragon could be anywhere, and sometimes they hunger for more than honor." He let the innuendo stand as his eyes glistened slightly. Then, he followed her lead through the brush, holding up low branches to allow her to continue forward.

"If you start breathing fire, I'll have to hose you down," she replied blithely.

She found what may have been carrots, but when she looked closer, they weren't. "Oh well. I did find a patch of onions yesterday. They were the small, green onions. I was hoping we could find more."

He gave her a cheeky grin as his eyes held a mischievous glint to them. "Might be worth it."

As they continued on their hunt, he pointed out a small copse of trees off to their right. "Those look like they could be this world's version of apples?"

She adjusted her tricorder. "Could be. Let's see if they're edible or not." She went over to the nearest tree and scanned it. "Not poisonous. Not sure how they taste, or if they cook, but it's possible." She picked two apples--or what looked like apples. One she put in her bag for later. The other she polished on her shirt, then put her tricorder back and pulled out a small knife. She cut a small slice of apple and took a bite. "A little bitter. We'll have to see if they cook well."

Reaching out, he gently took hold of her hand that was holding the apple, raised it up to his mouth and took a bite of the apple, all while keeping his eyes locked on hers.

After a few thoughtful chews, he swallowed it and grinned. "It is a bit tart. It could be good both for pie, or moonshine."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca
Botanist
Deep Space 5

Captain Tam "Demon" Haican
C.A.G.
327th Starfighter Group The Guardians
Deep Space 5

 

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