Lt. JG Trovek & Amb. Zorkal - "Lies And Deception!" (Part II)

[+ Vitor S. Silveira]

OK this is completely self indulging.

Thank you @Arys for choosing such a romantic and familiar place.

Perfect the way it was described.

And @Alora DeVeau. I love Lukin as well.

 

Now I only have a question, is it Lukrys or Arin?

 

Quote

((Lukin’s Quarters, Starbase 118))

And yet, the dinner eventually came to an end.  Even the cake, though quite sweet, was also very good and given due consideration like everything else, even if it wasn’t Cardassian in origin. And yes, he even endured the singing, though her voice was pleasant.  Afterwards, the holodeck awaited them.  Together, they two made their way out and he allowed her to lead him until they came to the place in question.

The program Arys had chosen was a simple one if complexity meant a certain amount of holograms and excitement. Instead, they crossed the hallways of a magnificent Terran country house with white wooden arches supporting the ceiling. They continued their way to a central fountain, from which two beautifully tiled hallways led in either direction through marble pillars until eventually, they found themselves in a circular room with floor-to-ceiling windows. There was not much here, other than a sofa and chairs, refreshments and wine on the table by the seating, and a white grand piano. It even seemed the temperature had been adjusted to his liking.

Trovek: This is a replica of Monserrate Palace on Earth. it is quite famous. 

Zorkal: It’s very opulent.

Indeed, he could already tell by the ornate stonework and bright colours that decorated the outside.  But inside?  Everywhere he went shone with gold.  Reds were prominently displayed as well as white, and all the walls, latticework, and ceilings boasted intricate, swirling patterns.  The cold stone of the floor echoed only lightly with the clatter of their boots.  Compared to some palaces, this was modest and petite, but for Lukin, it was a sign of extreme wealth and prosperity.

They passed through one place, the scrollwork as common as the previous room, and from there they entered a circular room, upon which a decorated floor cooled their vision with splashes of blue, and from there into another which was all white and gold with hints of a lighter blue in between the scrolling that lined the bottom edge of the ceiling.  High, rounded windows were capped with wood, like the other windows they had passed, the intricate, twisting vine-like shapes upon their brows.  In between each window was a wall panel in the same shape, and inset with a railing painted white with golden rings of setting a less intricate scrolled wooden cap.  There, flanking one of those panels, was a piano, a baby grand, shiny black.  Around the room were tables all set for a meal with crystal goblins and clear plates that had a single, thin circle of gold inset in the middle.  Cloths of spring green-carpeted the dishes, and simple wood chairs were quite the contrast to the complexity around them.  

Arys nodded, gently taking his hand as she led him to the seating area. She enjoyed that he played along, even if she was sure that he didn’t care much for her affection and cooking and the need to sing happy birthday.

Once he had taken a seat she moved over to the piano, opened it, and placed her fingers on the keys. Saying that it had been a while since she last played was a lie - she had practised like she had practised everything else. And so, she just began playing.

There was a time she could have become a musician. She had spent hours learning the piano after her accident, when moving had been first impossible, and then just difficult. Her father had helped her to sit onto the bench in front of the piano, but she didn’t want to think about that now. The memory of the accident was a painful one, the memory of her father even more so. 

Lukin didn’t speak, didn’t interrupt her performance, but sat there, his eyes unmoving as they reset upon her.  Though in general, Cardassian society had an appreciation for artistic endeavours, the previous government had been so stringent in its control, that only specific pieces would be allowed for the public.  Lukin enjoyed the arts greatly, though he himself was not an artist and would never claim to be such. But she, she was.  Her fingers stroke the keys with practised eased and he knew she had lied, but it didn’t matter.  He simply sat, enjoying the view of her immersed in the world of notes and letting them wash over her. Only when she finished did he finally speak.

Zorkal: What was the name of that piece?

Trovek: It is called ‘The Heart Asks Pleasure first’. I almost expected you’d know it.

Zorkal: I’m not familiar with much Terran music, though I’ve heard of a few things here and there.  

Trovek: Weeeeeell…. ::she smirked, turning to him, before striking a single key, then another one:: You might be vaguely familiar with this one.

A third note, then a fourth one. And then Lukin recognised what she was playing. Though the instrument was foreign, the melody was well known to him.  It was known to all Cardassians, whether they wished to be or not. During the time of the original government, it was played every day early in the morning and late at night as well as after all official broadcasts from the government.  Back then, it was almost dismissed by some, so familiar, so often played that it was more background noise than a song that anyone really thought deeply about - at least, for the most part.

But after the war, that changed.  After the war, the words took on new vibrancy, new life.  For those who strove to rebuild Cardassia from the ashes, those words held a much deeper meaning.  For Lukin, they always had been significant, but even he couldn’t deny they had even more so after the end of the conflict.  He sat there, eyes closed and listened to every note, every harmonic, the simple straight forward tune underscoring each syllable.  She ended the piece, and turned to him once more, getting up, and joined him where he sat.  Lukin opened his eyes and gave her another smile, the kind he reserved just for her.  

Zorkal: Thank you.

She inclined her head, and for a moment she said nothing. It had been an odd endeavour - or so Ferri had pointed out - for someone with Bajoran roots to learn Cardassian cuisine and music. But she had wanted to do something special for him. 

Of course, the topic of Cardassian society, politics and literature had always interested Arys, though people who knew her also were aware that she despised cooking, and that she hadn’t played the piano for years. 

Perhaps she was changing too much. Perhaps she was no longer true to herself, but the wish to remain who she was, paled in comparison to her desire to make Lukin happy. He worked so much, worked towards the betterment of Cardassia, and if she could make his time away from work a little more enjoyable, she would do so. 

Trovek: I… ::pause:: am glad you liked it. It’s an unusual birthday present, I know. 

Zorkal: Unusual, but appreciated.  

She extended her hand towards his face, her fingertip caressing his cheek for only a moment before she withdrew again. After he had told her about Teje, she had decided to not push him towards something he had not yet wanted. 

For a moment, Lukin sat there in silence, watched her, stared, studying every feature upon her face.  Then, his own hand reached out to take hers so he could pull her closer, his arms wrapped around to envelop her in his warmth.

Zorkal: Thank you.

She cuddled up to him willingly, her chin resting on his shoulder. Despite not being an overly physical person, Arys enjoyed those moments together. They weren’t frequent, but that made them all the more treasured. 

Trovek: ::quietly:: You are making me feel all warm and fuzzy and happy. It’s awful, I hate it. 

Though her tone clearly showed that she wasn’t being serious, and the fact that she didn’t seem at all intent on escaping his embrace, confirmed it. On the contrary, she tilted her head, and for a quick, absent-minded moment, placed a kiss on his cheek.

She was tempting him.  Tempted him every day, simply by being close.  And now?  Lukin wondered why he bothered to even try.  So he stopped trying and turned his head to press his lips against hers.  

Arys blinked at him in surprise, staring into his eyes for a moment, but then her gaze softened. She felt deeply for him, and as long as they were in private, she did not hesitate to show how affectionate she could be. Once more her fingertips caressed the side of his cheek as she kissed him, and despite having been the one to cook, learn, and prepare the evening, she couldn’t help but think how lucky she was to have him.

*****************

Lt. JG Trovek Arys

Medical Officer

Starbase 118 Ops

J239809TA4

And 

Dalin Lukin Zorkal 

Cardassian Ambassador 

Starbase 118 Ops 

M239008AD0

 

Edited April 16, 2022 by Vitor S. Silveira

[Alcyone Brennan]

I knew you would appreciate the place I chose  

I really enjoy doing fluff during shore leave - it evens out the amputations and explosions and murder squirrel riots 

[+ Vitor S. Silveira]

I think it's the first time any scene based on a Portuguese place is written by someone else other than me.

Thank you so much both of you. 💚 🤗

[Alora DeVeau]

Quote

Sherlock: Just two more, I promise. There was the cave :: beat :: that I blew up. I kinda face planted on that one. And then the explosion. Oh! Wait! I also had the back of my head and neck smashed by a collapsing bulkhead. But I don’t think that one counts. That was a Q’s fault.

When you have so many injuries you have to keep adding to the figure...

 

[Alcyone Brennan]

12 hours ago, Alora DeVeau said:

When you have so many injuries you have to keep adding to the figure...

 

wroooooong topic 😂