Lt. Inabnet's Quarters Makeover

"Can we really do this to the whole station?" Pren wondered earnestly, interlacing her fingers with his and squeezing it affectionately. "Will the Federation allow it?"

"They won't let me terraform the whole station the way I'd like. We'll have landscaping, trellises, hedges, small trees. You know, like a park. Earth lite."

T'Pren unlaced their fingers so she could slide two across his palm in a Vulcan kiss and leaned her side against his as they surveyed the room. "Even that much will change everything. I didn't even realize how much this room had been affecting me until I couldn't see the walls anymore."

"I believe this calls for a celebration, don't you?" he said, making his way over to the replicator. "Two glasses of Altarian Grand Premiere," he said, and brought the thin flutes to Pren's side.

T'Pren's first response was fondness and a pleased smile as she accepted one of the flutes, but her smile turned a little lopsided as she considered the man handing it to her. "Have you been drinking all day again?" she wondered gently.

"All day? No," he said. He had a cocktail at lunch, and nothing more.

The lieutenant smiled gladly at that. "Good. All these eager young ensigns very well may be a good influence on you," she teased and lifted her glass. "What should we toast?"

"To a fresh start in fresh surroundings!" he said. He clinked her glass and hooked his arm in her to sip.

T'Pren laughed at just how apt it was for the whole station and looped her arm around his to take a drink from her glass. "Have you eaten?"

"I haven't, what did you have in mind?" he asked.

The lieutenant sipped her drink and glanced toward the door to the corridor. "The restaurants will be packed with ensigns tonight," she decided. "But Lorelei and I went shopping yesterday and we could have a sort of jungle picnic here."

"That sounds nice," he said. "Lay out the blanket, let's picnic under the stars," he said.

"You cook," T'Pren joked, nodding toward the replicator. She set her glass down on the dresser and disappeared into the bathroom to rummage around where Rai couldn't see.

While T'Pren was in the other room, her view screen blinked on. "Incoming visual message from Val Etilen."

Rai was replicating a Vulcan cheese plate and a delicate meal of Andorian minifowl when Pren's view screen began to page her.
"Shit," he said, emanating a rare burst of profanity. "Pren?" He considered ducking to the floor.

T'Pren emerged from the restroom quickly, putting a last pin in the intricate braid that was keeping her hair up from her neck and away from her ears. Rather than the oversized sweater (and nothing else) she was wearing earlier, she was now wearing a long, flowing, amethyst gown with an empire waist that pointed up her chest. The top was decorated with silver embroidery and left her slim arms and delicate collarbone exposed, but a chiffon-like fabric draped down from the heavier top to envelop her hips and legs in a particularly flattering way. And because she was dealing with the crisis of talking with Val and getting Rai out of the way, she forgot to make an entrance or be embarrassed.

"Maybe go hide in the bathroom?" she suggested helplessly before turning to the screen. Only when Rai was out of sight did she command the computer, "On screen." And then she smiled, although she was a little flushed, "Etilen! How are you?"

Val cleared his throat.
"Hi Lieutenant, sorry to disturb you, I just have a quick question. You look great in that color, by the way. Going out somewhere?"

The green in T'Pren's cheeks darkened pleasantly. "No, it's quite all right. And I'm off duty, so you don't have to call me Lieutenant." Her shoulders shifted uncomfortably at the mention of her clothing. "Thank you. Lorelei helped me pick it out yesterday actually. I'm just...trying it on. Getting used to it." Showing it off. "Since you both have now told me I should be more confident, I'm...working on getting confident."

By showing it to the Captain.

"What was your question?"

Etilen's image took a breath, the pushed the two notes onto the screen.
"Can you tell me what these say?"

T'Pren's expression barely changed, but her wheels were visibly turning as she tried to figure out why Etilen would need to contact her of all people to read two hand-written notes. "Of course," she agreed, not wishing to be rude or insensitive to whatever was going on.

"This one says...'I would like to see you again, I have enjoyed your company. I think of you often, now. - Da-an.'" Her brows shot up at that and she grinned. "Well." She too cleared her throat and moved onto the next one. "Oh, this is the Captain's handwriting! 'I'm chagrined by my own words, I wish to send you my deepest apologies. I was out of line. I hope you can forgive me. - Rai.'"

T'Pren's heart fluttered a little fearfully, but she carefully didn't let it show. "Is everything okay, Etilen?" Because part of her wondered if she was supposed to be getting some kind of code from this. Like maybe Val was being held hostage.

Val looked at the notes again, now recognizing the names at the ends of each. He smiled at them, pleased by their messages.
"Thanks, thanks very much, Pren," he said. "Oh, everything's just fine," he assured her, moving aside so she could see the rows of flowers, vines, and ferns that adorned his room. "Look at all the pretty things I've got! I see you've got some too. From Da-an, right? Are they helping you settle in?"

"They're helping me keep my sanity," T'Pren replied wryly. She resisted the urge to look back at the bathroom. She double-resisted the urge to ask Val what Rai said. And when. "I do actually have quite a bit of work waiting for me with the new duty rosters, but I'd love to catch up with you when we both have the time."

"Of course," Val glanced at the notes again happily. "Thanks again! Good night." His transmission ended.

"Good night, Etilen," she replied.

"It's clear," T'Pren called to Rai in the bathroom. She dropped onto her bed heavily and watched the door so she could lift her brows at him when he first came back into the room.

Rai returned, chewing on a cracker from the cheese plate he had kept in his lap.
"Was that Val?"