An Opportunity Taken

Posted on Fri Apr 2nd, 2021 @ 10:36am by Alexis Agrax (Mirror) & Executive Officer Kyle Reece (Mirror)

Mission: Mirror Mirror
Location: ISS Fenrir
Timeline: 2396
2413 words - 4.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Alexis stood, looking at Phados moving lazily beneath the orbit they were now in. The conversation with Selina was rolling around her head still where the woman laughed at her and the executive officer of the Fenrir. She had no idea why she had kissed the man other than to distract the security officer but, it was what it was and it had been nice. She had sent a message to him to say to come to her quarters, but she was not dressed up like an interrogator there and then, she wore a simple white wrap-around dress that covered her a lot more than the outfits she normally wore which were for the better.

She turned from the blue planet to look at the door as it chimed. “Enter?” She called.

The doors slid apart and Kyle slowly stepped inside, Alexis's security guard barely containing his glare at the X-O. Not wanting to rock any more boats, Kyle decided to not correct the crewman. For now. "Good evening, Alexis," he said as the doors closed and locked behind him. He was dressed in a comfortable pair of khaki slacks, a long-sleeved white button-down, which was closed to the second button, and a pair of black fabric slip-on shoes. In his hands, he carried a medium-sized, black box. It looked like a terrarium with blacked out glass. "Thank you, for allowing me entrance into your private quarters. Here," he indicated the box. "For you. Where may I place it?"

“Good evening Commander.” Alexis grinned and moved across the room barefooted to indicate where he could put it on a cabinet. The room was bare apart from the usual markings of living there sometimes Alexis was not one for personal effects or items. “What is it?” She wondered intrigued.

Moving over to the cabinet, Kyle gently placed the case on the surface. "Computer, lower illumination fifty percent," he ordered as he released the terrarium. Then, once the light level dropped to the requested illumination, he turned his gaze to the lovely Alexis. "I thought you might like this." He turned back to the terrarium and pressed the single control on the bottom of the case.

Slowly, the black glass turned clear, to reveal a single Eschscholzia Ponderosa, in the centre of the case, its delicate leaves softly glistening from the moisture inside the case.

Alexis grinned as the lighting was lowered. She kept her quarters a lot brighter than the rest of the ship so the setting was a lot more comfortable for Terran’s. “It is beautiful.” She whispered crouching a little to look at it. “So why did you bring this?” She wondered turning back to face him.

Seeing her pleased reaction caused Kyle to smiled warmly. "You seemed to like it on the holodeck. I wanted you to have a real one." Glancing at the plant, he continued. "It took some doing, but, I know a botanist who owes me several favors. I cashed most of them in to get this here immediately, so I could give it to you now. This," He motioned to the tiny plant. "Is the last surviving example of Eschscholzia Ponderosa. The terrarium is actually a stasis pod. I designed the power system myself. As long as it is charged once a month, the stasis will remain active, indefinitely."

“Frozen in an instant.” She smiled touching the case with a finger as she was lost in a memory for a long second before she stood up straight. “And what did I do to receive such a unique gift?” She wondered. It would have taken a lot of favours and begging to get it there. Not something you did for just anyone at all.

Kyle smiled softly. "You were honest with me. You showed me something both precious and horrifying. You spoke to me as a person, you even gave me council, without asking for any payment in return." He paused briefly as his smile grew into a handsome, lop-sided grin. "And that kiss." He tipped his head to his right slightly as he continued. "I've had my fair share of kisses in my life. That one? Definitely in the top three."

He started to slowly pace as if he was contemplating a great mystery. "Now, I told you that I am married. Have been for nearly five years now. My wife and I, because of our duties to the Empire, are only able to spend a bare few weeks each year with one another. Because of this," he stopped pacing and made a definitive downward swipe with his left hand. "And I'm not saying that anything will happen here, but, because of our extended time apart, we agreed to a partially open relationship. She can be with someone occasionally, as can I. The one rule, though," he stopped, looked at Alexis and chuckled softly, "is no kissing. At least, not on the mouth. Your kiss, well, only two others can beat it. My first kiss to Beth, my wife, and the kiss we shared on our wedding day."

“I am sorry Commander, but I do not take the kiss back.” Alexis chuckled to herself. She shook her head not sure what else she was going to say yet. She had kissed him on the spur of the moment to protect him and it left her thinking about it ever since. Even Selina had commented on it and had been teasing about it for days. It had been why she had not contacted him for days. “What do you want me to say?” She wondered. She had never understood long-distance relationships, it made no sense for Imperial Officers. It had never suited her.

Kyle shook his head. "I don't want you to take that kiss back." He reached over and took hold of her left hand with his right. Turning to face her, he added, his voice quiet, yet heavy with desire. "I want more. Please, kiss me like that again."

Well, that was new, she realised as she heard the tone of the man. Was he that starved of affection that he was throwing himself at her of all people. "Your rule with your wife?" She questioned him looking him up and down.

"I've been given a pass, with you only," he replied softly. "I spoke with he about it last night. If you were Terran, she would have found a way to rip off my manhood and give it back to me as a necktie. However, as you are not only not Terran, but also Betazoid, she decided to relax the agreed upon rule. But only for you, and only while I serve aboard this vessel."

Alexis opened and closed her mouth a few times before laughing. It sounded so ridiculous that she had no choice but to do so. “I am not sure what to say I am afraid.”

This made Kyle chuckle warmly, as he stepped a little close to Alexis. He reached out and took her left hand into his right one. "Believe me," he replied quietly. "You have nothing to fear. I'm the one in the crosshairs here. When Elizabeth Mahone, that's my wife, has something in her sights, and she gets angry, that something always disappears." He smiled softly again. "But, I'm sure you will ensure that I don't do anything too foolish?"

“Sorry, just a little unusual situation.” She mused. She certainly must have sparked something to generate this situation but was it worth having someone’s wife hating on her from the other side of the universe.

Though he wasn't telepathic or empathic, Kyle could tell Alexis wasn't exactly sure of the situation. "Hey," he said softly as he reached up with his left hand and gently caressed her right cheek. “Is something wrong?”

Alexis nodded, she was fine just thinking through tactics in her head to combat this. Was she willing to make this power play? Would it work out for her? Or would some crazy wife come after her leaving her with no choice but to kill the other woman or allow her to be killed by Terran forces for an attempt on her life? It was not unusual for her to roll through things like that in her head, four or five steps forward. She was a soldier, after all, she had been Gregnol’s assistant Security Officer when he had been Security chief before his rise to power and beyond. “Yes. I am just thinking about this.” She assured quickly as he stayed where she was as he touched her cheek.

"Oh?" He said with a soft grin as he continued to enjoy the warmth and softness of Alexis's face under his hand. And what are you thinking? Good things, I hope?" His rugged good looks shined with his toothy, lopsided grin.

Alexis closed her eyes for a second before shaking them away with a smile looking up at him. She tossed her hair over her shoulders. “I am just thinking about how this is going to work? Like what is the goals here.” She admitted finally knowing it sounded a tad clinician in response but she was becoming colder in her relationships and engagements.

Lowering his hand and releasing his hold with his other, Kyle moved over to the couch. "May I?" He asked politely, indicating that he wished to sit.

"Please do." Alexis indicated that he could sit whilst she still stood there. She was not sitting where she had nervous energy running through her.

"Thank you," he replied, as he moved to sit. Once he was comfortable, he continued. "To be honest, when I first came here, I had the memory of that wonderful kiss getting me worked up. I had some carnal desires flooding my thoughts." He took a moment, then continued.

"Now? That we've spoken more, I realize that that would have been a mistake. Had I tried to force the issue, I would not only have lost a potential ally but more than likely my life. I do hope you can find it in your heart to forgive my amped-up hormones. It's, ah, been nearly a year since I've been intimate. I'm afraid I allowed my lust to override my good manners."

Alexis finally nodded, understanding more than she had moments before. Things were not making sense. “Now I understand, but, let me tell you some of my own things.” She admitted and finally sat down on the coffee table in front of him and leant forward as if she was sharing a secret. She was barely inches from him. “Men or women who end up in my bed are people I want there. I am not a whore seeking protection from you, nor have I forgotten that kiss but I can protect myself. I could kill you in your sleep and not think anything about it or regret it.” She said grinning at him. She was not ashamed of that in the slightest and nor should she be as Imperial Officers had done worse.

Kyle's smile didn't falter as he listened to Alexis. When she finished, he nodded slowly. "I understand what you're saying, and I appreciate your honesty. Now, please allow me to add more of my own honesty." He leaned forward, his face barely ten centimeters from her face. He could easily smell the sweet perfume that she was wearing. "I know how deadly you can be. I've read your file. Just as I'm sure you have read mine, and know just how deadly I can be. Let's, for now, place our weapons off to the side, and just be a woman and a man."

"I find you breathtakingly attractive, in both your physical appearance and, more importantly, your mind. I would never even consider labeling you as a whore. You are a strong, extremely intelligent, and outstandingly beautiful woman. Were I to be lucky enough to be allowed into your bed, I would not abuse that privilege."

When Kyle finished speaking, he stayed where he was, waiting to see what Alexis's next move would be.

“My mind,” She choked back a pearl of laughter. Her mind was broken. She knew that as did everyone else. It would be foolish to think that anyone would not be broken if they had been on a planet as it cooked. “I bet it says something very similar in my file during my own career, she won the Medal of Valour, Master of Poisons, Master of Weapons and 30 Kills medals. Just a shame they mean nothing now, huh?” She sounded more official than normal as she listed off her own achievements. “Most officers and more importantly Interrogators believe that of themselves as they have no self-respect.” She whispered looking at him carefully. What was she actually doing here? She leant forward and kissed him softer than she had on the holodeck.

Kyle was about to reply when, to his pleasant surprise, Alexis closed the distance between them and kissed him again. While this kiss wasn't as initially powerful as the first one that they had shared on the holodeck, its tenderness gave it a different power. It was far more sensual and filled with desire. Reaching out, he put his arms around her waist and started to pull her onto his lap as he began to sit back on the couch.

“I am not actually in reach of any weapons other than myself.” She said against his lips as the ship shook violent and Alexis was knocked to the floor.

Before Kyle could answer, the ship shook violently, tossing Alexis from on top of him and to the deck. Quickly standing, he offered his left hand to help Alexis up, while his right hand slapped his comm badge. "Reece to the bridge, what the HELL is going on up there?!"

"Cardassian vessel Sir." Dixoho Saa's voice echoed through the commbadge as Alexis took the offered hand pulling herself to her feet. They would pick this up another time.

"RED ALERT!" He shouted the command as he pulled Alexis to her feet and then to his chest. He gave her a deep kiss this time, as a hopeful promise of things to come. Releasing his hold on her, he continued to shout into his commbadge as he strode out of Alexis's quarters. "ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS! CAPTAIN GREGNOL, PLEASE REPORT TO THE BRIDGE!" And then the doors to Alexis's quarters slid shut, leaving her alone with her thoughts.