Domestic Bliss
Posted on Mon Apr 30th, 2018 @ 6:08pm by Commander Ta'mas & Commander Paige O'Halloran "Banshee"
Edited on on Wed Sep 12th, 2018 @ 7:50pm
Mission:
My Place In This Universe
Location: Home of Paige and Ta'mas
Timeline: 2388/08/19 0600 (August 19 2388 0600)
The morning light streamed through the windows. The high tech internal lighting system was off. With all the windows and sun, it lit things quite well without artificial light. Paige wore her red hair loose around her shoulders in pajama shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt under a silk bathrobe. And it felt amazing to actually lounge about in such and in such a house. She was continuously happy at her good fortune, especially when she looked at a shirtless Ta'mas making them breakfast at the stove.
"And he cooks too, go me." She thought as she went to get the plates. Cooking not but she could set a mean table.
"Good Morning," he had smiled over to her, and then returned to preparing his version of scrambled eggs.
"Morning." She replied, coming over to kiss his cheek before going to finish setting the table. She smiled as her cat, Banshee, strolled in like she owned the place, regally plopping down in the nearest sunbeam.
Ta'mas joined her a moment later, placing the eggs down on the table, next to a 'loaf' of replicated Kreyla, a Vulcan bread, and a bowl of replicated Vulcan breakfast fruit and veggies that sat in the center of the table. After taking his turn to kiss her on the cheek, he took a seat, his eyes going over to Banshee.
Recalling their conversation the day before, and his offer to her, to create a warning sound & vibration collar, in order to keep Banshee enclosed in a fenced in part of the yard, after a few bites, he nodded over to the cat, "So have you decided if we are to allow her outside?"
Paige looked over at her beloved cat. They had both spent years in one starbase or ship or another. "Perhaps it's time we both got out more..." She looked at Ta'mas, "Sometimes I have to remember that there is an outside..." She gave a small laugh, "This morning it took me a minute to figure out why there weren't stars outside my window." Apparently old habits died hard.
"Same here," he returned her smile, his eyes never leaving her as he took a swallow of his tea. The image of her in natural lighting, the whole picturesque scenario of the two of them eating breakfast in their kitchen, added to the feeling that they had made the right decision to be where they were. He took a few more bites of his food, watching Banshee as she continued to sunbathe, and then ended up wondering, not for the first time, "Has she ever had exposure to other animals?"
Paige thought about and shook her head, "Not really, I mean 'play dates' as it were with other ship cats sometimes but mostly she lived in my quarters or my office." She ate a bit and continued, "It may be she'll take to it right away or she may not like it at all."
Ta'mas nodded, understanding, appearing thoughtful as he held onto his cup on the table with both hands. Looking downwards, and then over to her, he explained, "After I made my offer, I received a message from my cousin, Seran. He told me Sovak will be away from Vulcan on a diplomatic mission, one that could keep him away for several months, maybe longer. He was uncertain. And it has me thinking about the possibility of something I would like you...to consider."
Paige blinked a little puzzled by the apparent change of topic, "Um okaay?" She said slowly, wondering where he was going with this. Pet sitting? It was the only thing that seemed to relate but that didn't seem to make sense either given the situation so she just waited for a reply.
Studying her, and feeling a little uncertain of her answer, Ta'mas resisted the urge to hold her hand, not wanting to take the risk of manipulating her with his own desire, with what he was really wanting. Casually, he got out of his seat, and started clearing the table. "Osito living with us."
Paige paused, it took her a moment but to be fair it is rather hard to forget a 600 pound alien grizzly so the memory did come. His childhood pet, how could she have forgotten? She blinked as her mind worked and for some reason her mother came out of her mouth, "Do you feel you could take care of him properly here?" she asked as her mind worked on the idea. Her voice gentle.
"I do," he replied, pulling out his chair to sitting back down. With enthusiasm, he leaned forward on the table, forgetting himself afterall as he grabbed hold of her hand. "He won't be allowed inside of the house. I can make a separate enclosed area outside for him, and with the colony located on the planet's equator, he should be able to adapt to the weather."
Paige couldn't help but smile at his boyish enthusiasm, "He doesn't eat cat right?"
Ta'mas hesitated at first as he thought about it, and then matched her smile, "I will make sure of it."
Paige smiled, love in her eyes, and said patiently, "Alright then, naturally I want you to be happy and have your beloved pet here but we need to go over the brass tacks, ok? I mean we're not used to being on planet ourselves so best we approach this with all the intel eh?" She knew nothing about such pets but did not want to have to explain why it ran around destroying someones yard or eating her cat. She would not be pleased, the best way to do that was to have him walk her through the arrangements. "And I'm not sure I like you had to think about that..." She joked.
"I understand," he replied quickly, and then took a breath, slowing himself down. Releasing her hand, he slid back out of his seat, "Thank you...and, you are right, of course." He realized that there was much she needed to understand, but for now, he would begin with, "Although domesticated, Osito is aggressive by nature, however, he is intelligent enough to understand what he is allowed to hunt and what he is not. But he is old and lazy, and to my understanding, has not hunted in years."
"So what we should be able to fence him in and bring him what he needs?" she asked, finishing her tea, "How much space would he need?" She asked knowing that animals had a certain amount of space they needed to be healthy and happy.
"Quite a lot, but there is a large enough area for me to fence in on the opposite side of the house.." he gestured away with a hand, from where they were in the kitchen, towards their office area, which was off the livingroom, where there was another entrance off that side of the house. Continuing, he returned to clearing away the table, "And yes, Osito will depend on us to provide his food, but we will have at least two months to prepare."
Busying himself at the sink, and then suddenly thinking about his father, Ta'mas became quiet, turning off the water, before turning towards her, to drying off his hands. His look was intense, "It has been many years, Paige, but I was given full responsibility for his care before, and I can do it now."
Something in his look drew her to him and she wrapped her arms around him, sensing the sudden intensity but not completely sure of its source. She smiled up at him, "Then if its safe to bring him here, we should so." She said her voice managing to carry loving support and a matter-of-fact tone.
His eyes softening, he returned her smile, his thoughts going to carrying her back up the stairs, wanting to make love to her, to forget about what had suddenly made him so tensed. There was recognition in her eyes, a mischievous smile, and both of them wanting the same thing.
But then that internal clock Vulcans seem to have ticked inside of him, and he sighed, then said quietly, "Unfortunately, we have a senior staff meeting in 85 minutes."
Paige groaned and laid her head on his chest, she muttered something uncomplimentary about timing. Then a thought occurred and she raised her head, "How long does it take to get there? Might be better if we showered at the same time, you know for efficiency." She said hopefully with a small smile.
A boyish smile growing across his face, Ta'mas swept her into his arms and hurried upstairs.
Cmdr. Paige O'Halloran
Chief of Starbase Security
Magellan Base/Serene Colony
Cmdr. Ta'mas
Chief Of SCE Operations
Magellan Base/Serene Colony
