Post 499: Starfleet Boy Meets Alien Girl Part Two

Stardate: 71013.1900
Title: Starfleet Boy Meets Alien Girl. . .Part Two
Authors: Ensign Biggs and Lt. Grace
Scene: Caverns of Yensul V
Time: After Part One (Before "Without Fanfare")
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Maffe shrugged, wanting to change the subject now.

"Rain," she began, picking up on his earlier comment. "Is that the word you said before? What is rain?"

"You've probably never seen rain, have you? It's a form of precipitation, when small drops of water fall from the sky."

"I've only ever seen the snow," she replied. "Cold, stinging snow. I'm so sick of the cold."

"You'd like the rain much better." Simon replied gently. He noticed now that Maffe was staring at him. She reached out, and touched the side of his face.

"You're unlike I ever imagined a male could be, Simon Biggs." She said with a shake of her head. "You're kind, and gentle, and brave. I don't think you would ever hurt anyone, would you?"

"Only if I had to, to defend myself and my crew," Simon replied. "My job is to protect people. To keep them safe."

Maffe, unsure of what she was doing but determined to do it none the less, reached out for his hand. "Would you keep me safe, if it were your job?"

"Tybelle," Simon pulled back, thrown by the fact that she suddenly seemed to have gotten over her hatred of males, at least where he was concerned. "Maybe we should go back to the-"

He never got to finish his sentence. Before he got the words out, Maffe had moved closer and draped her arms around his neck. She was imitating what she'd seen Grace do earlier, when about to kiss Reece goodnight.

She leaned closer, closed her eyes, and kissed Simon Biggs.

****Morning****

"Simon? Siiii-mon!"

A familiar female voice called Biggs' name, and he sat up. He realized instantly that he and Tybelle had fallen asleep where they were, in the more secluded area of the caverns. Then he also remembered that there hadn't been very much actual sleeping involved in the time they'd spent alone together.

*If February catches me here, I will never hear the end of it,* Simon thought, and he scrambled to wake Maffe up.

"Tybelle, wake up, love. I have to go," he declared, as he stood up and stirred the fire again.

"You snore," Tybelle mumbled, still half asleep.

"Old habits," Simon shrugged. "Sorry."

"To keep the establishment up?" Maffe teased. Simon laughed a little, but then turned serious again..

"We'll be leaving soon, for the ship."

"I'll come with you," Tybelle decided, "This is a dangerous world, you need to travel it with someone who knows those dangers well."

February Grace poked her head into the cave, and her eyes immediately became three times their normal size. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize there were people in here." She pursed her lips, stifling a smile. She gestured to Simon.

"Um, Ensign Biggs, a moment of your time, please?" He moved toward her, his cheeks crimson.

"What the!" she blurted into his ear, grabbing a handful of his coat sleeve. "I mean! You didn't!" Bru stammered, and Simon knew that he was going to catch hell for this.

"Gentlemen do not kiss and tell, February Grace. You ought to remember that bit." he replied, smiling mischievously and looking at the ceiling of the cavern.

"I also remember 'faint heart never won fair lady'. Good for you, Simon!" February nudged him with her elbow, almost like a guy would do to a male friend. Simon wondered for a moment if it wasn't Grace's last remnants of Deveral coming through. "Listen, I have a favor to ask you," she continued.

"Sure, what can I do?"

"Would you stand up in my wedding?"

"February!" Simon grinned, sweeping her up into a hug. "Reece popped the question already? He doesn't waste any time does he?"

"Actually, I did." February replied, she was the one turning red now. "So how about it. Will you be my best. . .er. . ."

"As long as I don't have to wear a pink dress, I'm in." Simon assured her. "When's the wedding?" He expected her to answer that it would be at some future point in time, long after they'd returned to the Independence and everything was back to normal.

"In about twenty minutes." Bru replied instead, walking away and leaving Simon standing there mouth hanging open as Maffe came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

"What's going on?"

"Grace and Reece are getting married." Simon replied in disbelief. "Here and now."

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Ensign Simon Biggs
Security Officer
USS Independence/USS Alchemy


and

Lt. Grace
Helm/Flight Controller