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This is the first part of their JP and I love the romance in it. They've built up the tension nicely. I could really feel @Lael Rosek 's pain, fear, and anger but most of all their growing love for each other. I adore how @German Galven remains the calm, gentleman he is! Well done ❤️ ((Tribble B Lounge, Deck 2, USS Montreal)) ::German was still feeling out of sorts through his ordeal with being under the virus and haven’t had much to contribute to the mission other than his department pulling through. He was extremely grateful for Stennin as well as Munger who made herself acting chief which showed a level of commitment. However, the dream. Had it been a dream or was he actually in the Unimatrix? It all felt too real and even Arlil felt real, but after the nano tech was removed by Lael, any effort in trying to get back was null.:: ::He did, however, feel relieved that his sister was still out there. Wherever or whenever she was. Once he was out of thoughts to think of, he noticed he had wandered into the lounge. He guessed that his mind was telling him to get a good stiff drink. As he approached the bar, he ordered his usual which was a Cardassian Sunrise, then sat down.:: ::She was only here because she didn’t want to delve into her good bourbon. It would be a waste given that she wouldn’t taste anything after her second glass. She sat at a table in the far corner facing the wall with a couple of glasses turned on their rims, empty, nursing a third glass. In her hands was a PADD connected to a wireless pair of earpieces. It was currently blasting Muse as loud as she could tolerate, though the tech kept the loud, ear-splitting music from disturbing those around her. Taking another large drink from her glass of bourbon, she allowed herself to get lost in the lyrics. It was her escape when life became too much and after that last mission, she was needing it.:: ::Once he had taken a few generous swigs, he sighed and then turned his head to glance around the room. He didn’t see anyone until his vision spotted someone lurking in the corner with their back to the corner. He leaned in and squinted his eyes hoping to get a better look at who it was. He determined who it was by the blonde hair. Lael. After he awoke he hadn’t seen her since she left and they hadn’t really talked afterward. He turned, then grabbed his drink. When he got up from his chair, he approached her knowing she could probably hear him due to her powerful hearing.:: Galven: Lael? ::Apparently, she didn’t hear him when he saw that she was wearing earpieces. Now this was a mission in itself hoping not to scare the woman. He then thought about the next best thing. He walked around the table and sat down facing her. He took a drink and sat it down in her view.:: ::When she caught sight of him, she tensed, smashing her thumb hard into the command that would stop the music before removing the earpieces. Her gaze dropped to her glass for a moment before her gaze lifted to meet his. She opened her mouth to speak, but was lost for words. Shaking her head, she took down the rest of her drink before slamming the glass back down on the table hard enough that a small piece chipped off the rim. Without waiting for his response, she grabbed the PADD and stormed for the door, pressing her thumb to the PADD the bartender on shift shoved in her direction before making a quick exit into the corridor.:: ::Her actions confused the Denobulan. Watching her react in such a way made him realize that something was bothering her. Most likely the dress down she gave him in the ready room before he collapsed. He scratched his head as he got up to go after her. The bartender looked like he knew what that was all about as he folded his arms and looked at him with an arched eyebrow. German shrugged as we ran by and looked both ways out the door and noticed Lael was heading for the turbolift. He caught up to her just in time as the door closed. He bent over catching his breath and put a hand up on the wall to catch himself.:: Galven: ::breathes:: Lael::beat::We need::beat::to talk. Is this about::beat::when I questioned you on the bridge? ((Corridors)) ::She tensed, but kept walking until she reached a hidden alcove. She reached out, grabbing him by the arm, then tugged him in roughly after her. Once she had him there, she did two things in quick succession: she slapped him hard across the face and then pulled him to her, gripping the sides of his face tightly as she slammed her mouth into his, softening her assault only slightly before pulling back panting heavily.:: ::It wasn’t until she reached a hand up to wipe the blood from the corner of her lip where she’d bitten it that she realized tears were streaming down her cheeks against her will. She grimaced, her gaze dropping from his as she turned, presenting him with her back, trying to get the tempest of emotions back under control.:: ::With such a force of the slap and then the assaulted kiss, he didn’t know what to do. He brought up his hand to his cheek and felt a it had already bruised. He winced as he rubbed it. He guessed that he deserved that, but the kiss. All the while it was nice, but the way she kissed him after she slapped him made him in a complete daze. He then figured out what was wrong. He had been out of it under the spell of a deadly virus.:: ::He reached out and grabbed her shoulder, but there was resistance. With his foot more forward than the other, he centered himself and grabbed her shoulder harder which pulled her around and he planted a kiss of his own on her lips. After a few moments, he pulled back and placed both of his hands on her shoulders, then gazed into her eyes. She looked so distraught and there was just a hint of something else.:: Galven: ::murmurs:: Speak to me. ::She sighed, giving in to him, and leaned her forehead against his, closing her eyes. The relief was instant. He was alive. She could hear his voice. She slid a hand up his arm. She could feel him. The familiar scent of his vanilla cologne combined with his natural male musk assaulted her nostrils. By nature of her Al-Leyan heritage, her sense of smell was almost nonexistent; but for some reason she couldn’t quite explain, she was acutely aware of his scent. There were times when she could tell he’d entered the room by that scent alone.:: Rosek: ::bites back a sob and breathes:: I thought you were dead. ::The tears began anew and she tilted her head up again to seek out his lips, her kiss more tender this time. Once, twice, thrice she brushed her lips against his before shifting to bury her face in his neck, her arms wrapping around his upper torso, her hands then resting on his shoulder blades, hugging him tightly to her.:: ::Now it was coming into full circle. He couldn’t imagine thinking the worst if Lael had been in his shoes. With her body so tightly around him, he brought his arms up and hugged her tight. Not wanting to let go. His chin resting atop her head and then rubbed her back. She cared for him, but he hadn’t realized how much until that moment. His eyes started to well up with tears and he took a breath, then cleared his throat.:: Galven: I’m sorry Lael. I didn’t know what happened until after I woke up. I can’t imagine what it was like for you. Rosek: ::murmurs:: I--All those people in the medical center potentially dead and the only thing I could think of was you. I wanted to run to you, but...I was afraid of what I’d find if I did. Besides, the crew needed me to keep a level head. I-- Galven: From what I read in the reports, you did a tremendous job, Lael. You’re a lot stronger than you think and I’m not upset that you didn’t run to me. Rosek: ::pauses:: I--I don’t want to be alone right now. I-- ::moistens her lips and tightens her grip on his hand, then murmurs in a low voice:: I need you, German. ::From the way she was responding and her body language, he had a feeling where this was going. Months of leading up to this with sexual tension, but now...It didn’t feel right. Especially with them hiding in a alcove. He wanted it to be somewhere special. He brought up his free hand to rub her cheek.:: Galven: ::brushes his lips against hers:: I need you too. God, do I ever. ::pauses:: But you wanted to wait. ::She sighed. He was right. The only reason she was so desperate for it right now was because of the emotional upheaval of the last few days. She’d been subjected to unnecessary grief. Hearing those painful words from that vile woman’s mouth had turned her world upside down in a nanosecond. But because she’d been on the bridge, she hadn’t been able to fully take in what she was feeling. Instead, she’d shut it off like a good little robot and had focused instead on bringing Lenik and the Klingon woman to justice.:: Rosek: ::murmurs:: You’re right. ::pauses:: We don’t have to--but...can you sleep with me? I mean actually sleep. I won’t try anything. I just--I feel like if you’re there with me, I won’t have the nightmares. Galven: ::smiles softly:: I knew what you meant and I won’t try anything as well. Does this mean we’re ready to take the next step in our relationship and make it official? Rosek: ::laughs softly:: It’s a step. ::smiles sheepishly:: It’ll certainly be different. I’ve never slept in a bed with a man without--Well, except Chythar when he was really lonely and missing Alex. ---- Lieutenant German Galven Chief Science Officer 6reatDane@gmail.com USS Montreal NC64927 V239507GG0 & Lieutenant Commander Lael Rosek Executive Officer USS Montreal NC64927 I238110RH0

((OOC: A few months ago, I thought it'd a neat idea for IC interviews. With the help of @Kayla Drex and @Geoffrey Teller, we were able to come up with this! Thank you guys and if anyone else wants to be interviewed by a flamboyant and eccentric TV host, let me know!)) ((ICL Broadcast 27, Studio 9, San Francisco, California, North America, Earth)) ::The camera pans down on a modern news studio, replete with an enormous anchors desk, couch and chairs. Upon the desk, next to the oversized microphone is an assortment of sleek, hypermodern PADDS, all in the most fashionable colors, arranged in an eye pleasing rainbow. Entering the studio to raucous applause we see our host, Dresdon Mitchell, an almost artificially handsome human male with perfectly coiffed hair, an exceptionally well tailored, multi-chromatic suit and a high voltage smile.:: ::He strides to the desk confidently, clearly the Captain of this particular ship, and takes his seat with a dramatic flourish and crosses his leg over his knee with gusto. Behind him, the majestic San Francisco skyline twinkles like the stars and the Golden Gate bridge is perfectly framed. The camera settles on Dresdon as he, with false modesty, accepts the adulation of the crowd and settles in.:: Mitchell: ::smiles wide:: Hello, my name is Dresdon P. Mitchell and this is ICL, or the Intergalactic Comm Link if you've been living on Rura Penthe! On tonight's special episode, I’ll be showing you the gift of gab with a splendid young woman aboard a distant Starfleet vessel so you, my wonderful audience, can see where they've been Boldly Going and what they've been Boldly Doing! ::He then turned a quarter way in his chair and tapped a few demands on his PADD. The San Francisco skyline blurred as the image of a beautiful young officer wearing a teal Starfleet uniform was superimposed.:: Mitchell: ::smiles and arches both eyebrows:: Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between, I'd like to introduce you to my most special friend, Lieutenant Kayla Drex! Kayla is currently a science officer aboard the USS Eagle and she's doing a great job! Let's hear it for her folks! ::The crowd cheers enthusiastically:: Mitchell: Wonderful wonderful. How are you tonight, Kayla? Drex: I'm doing very well, Dresdon, thank you for having me on! How are you? Mitchell: ::chuckles:: My viewers already know how great I am! ::laughter from the crowd.:: So tonight is about you! How are you enjoying your time aboard the Eagle? Drex: I'm having the time of my life. I grew up hearing about all manner of deep space phenomena, and now I get to actually see and study it up close and personal! Maybe I'm just a huge goober, but this is like a dream come true for me. ::The crowd laughs supportively and finishes with an appreciative 'awwww':: Mitchell: Stop it, you'll make me blush! ::smiles and winks, crowd laughs:: That's wonderful to hear though, it's so moving when a young person like yourself has their dreams fulfilled by a life out there in the stars! Now, I understand from my notes here that you grew up with a very interesting family. Your father, Dr. Gulliver Drex is a renowned Quantum Physicist, winner of the 2261 Hawking Prize for his work in...particle...sya...well...folks I can't pronounce this!::laughter from crowd:: What was it like growing up in the presence of such a famous figure? Drex: I had the best of everything - not possessions; mom and dad always the value of living with a minimum of baggage, but as far as opportunity, I was never lacking. Between Dad, Mom, and my four brothers, there was never any lack of something … interesting happening. ::smiling to herself as though at an inside joke only she knew:: Mitchell: ::smiles and covers his mouth as if something was shocking:: Gasp, sounds like someone was playing with wormholes at home! ::hoots and laughs from the crowd:: My research team also received a note from one of your colleagues, a Lt. German Galven. ::a chorus of ascending ooOOOOOs from the crowd:: He said to make sure we ask you about your time together at the famed Starfleet Academy! Can you tell us what happened, KayKay? Apparently you two shared some classes but Mr. Galven says he graduated faster than you! ::shocked laughter and amused boos from the crowd:: Drex: I bet he did. I'll have to send him a message thanking him for his delightfully sharp memory. ::a little chuckle:: The Academy was honestly very different than I originally envisioned it being. In my mind, I imagined some cross between an ancient campus of brick buildings, state-of-the-art technology, and military boot camp. What I experienced however was a place where literally anything can and did happen. My last two years were actually self-directed study, because they didn't have classes for my specialization. That's what I mean though: they didn't just say, “Sorry, kid, you're just going to have to take the same thing as everyone else.” They heard my ideas, gave me guidance, and let the ideas grow. It was … incredible. Mitchell: Sure sounds that way! I do self-directed study myself all the time, mostly on the mating habits of our alien friends. ::raucous hoots from the crowd:: So, after the Academy, you went directly to the Eagle? Take us there with you, KayKay! First thing. Go! Drex: The first thing I did when I got on-board was introduce myself to the ship. That sounds kind of weird, but I used to walk around the woods by my house growing up, and I always kinda felt like they were watching over me - like they had a form of consciousness I couldn’t quite understand. The Eagle - and I guess all ships - she has a personality - I wanted her to know me, and know that I’m grateful for her. ::realizing this isn’t a 1-on-1 conversation:: Aaaaaand now everyone is going to think I’m crazy. Mitchell: ::laughs:: I’m sure nobody here thinks you’re crazy ::looks offscreen with a smirk:: Oo, it seems we only have a couple minutes left - before you go, I understand you’ve been promoted recently. Congratulations! How'd that feel? Drex: I was pretty surprised it happened so quickly to be honest. When Commander Oddas pinned on my new pip, I felt like I was flying. I’m starting to feel the weight it carries though. Mitchell: ::more awws from the crowd:: Aw, smart, lovely and humble! Starfleet sure knows how to pick them! Final question - After everything you've experienced, what’s the one piece of advice you'd like to pass on to all the impressionable young Kaylas watching right now? Drex: Never stop dreaming, always try to see from new perspectives, and never believe anyone who tells you “It can’t be done.” It just hasn’t been done. ::The smiling young officer is replaced by the circling Starfleet logo before it fades completely, again revealing the majestic San Francisco skyline. Dresden turns to look directly at the audience and camera.:: Mitchell: ::smiles wide:: Inspiring words from an inspiring young woman. Here from all of us at ICL, we wish you luck on your journeys, Lieutenant Kayla Drex - make us folks on the ground proud! That’s all we have for tonight, everyone. Tune in next time when ICL will once again bring the furthest frontiers of the Federation right into your living room with absolutely zero chance of getting space sick! GOOD NIGHT! ::the crowd cheers as the set lights come down and Dresden dramatically tosses his PADD aside, waving excitedly to the camera.::