LtCmdr. Talos Dakora - Welcome Home
Travis
((XO’s Office - Deck 02 - USS Artemis))
Talos sat behind his desk, reviewing the latest reports from the Artemis’ department heads. He’d managed to bag a couple of days on Risa before he’d officially returned to his full responsibilities as the Artemis’ XO, which was nice, but now he had work to do before he could play.
When his door chimed, he stared at it in annoyance for a moment before calling out.
Dakora: Come!
His mood shifted so quickly that it nearly gave him whiplash as the doors parted to reveal his visitor.
Richards: You know, I don’t think it’s fair that I had to be the one to come find you. ::Playfully:: Aren’t boyfriends supposed to be more attentive than that?
Springing to his feet, he crossed the room to meet her. He’d known she was on her way, but last he’d checked, her transport wasn’t due until the morning. –Not that he was complaining.
He smiled warmly as he wrapped her in a gentle hug.
Dakora: Probably! ::He laughed.:: But you’re early!
She went up on her toes to kiss him before taking his hands and placing them on her belly, which had now passed the point of plausible deniability.
For a second, he didn’t register what he was feeling. Then—there. A flutter. A definite, undeniable kick.
His heart stuttered in his chest as the realization landed with quiet finality. Life. Two small lives moving beneath his hands. Not theoretical. Not over in the Delta Quadrant. Here and now. To stay.
Everything he’d been—an officer, a soldier, a man used to taking risks and facing danger—tilted on its axis. In that instant, the universe narrowed to the warmth beneath his palms and the quiet knowledge that nothing could ever be the same.
It wasn’t fear. It was gravity.
Richards: We missed you. ::Looking up at him:: You’re stuck with us now. I already had my stuff taken to your– ::raising her eyebrow:: – our? Quarters. ::Shrugging:: Either way, this is home now.
Talos blinked, her words landing somewhere behind the emotional static still humming in his chest. He looked at her— not just as the woman he loved, but as the future he hadn’t fully realized was already here.
His throat tightened, and he swallowed hard before forcing himself to speak through the thick knot of feeling.
Dakora: Yeah… ::A breath, then a small smile.:: Yeah. Absolutely. Welcome home.
He drew her in again, not needing long— just enough to center himself. When he pulled back, it was with a lighter heart.
He eased back onto the edge of his desk, trying to look casual, but the way his eyes lingered on her probably gave him away.
Samantha’s gaze moved past him, out the window, to the planet that hung in the void framed perfectly in the window.
Richards: You know… I’ve never been to Risa before.
Dakora: Then it’s about time you saw it… properly. ::He tilted his head, eyes on her.:: Sun, sand, serenity—and someone to share it with. That’s the full Risa experience, right?
Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he pointed to the door.
Dakora: But first, we need to change…
((Later That Day))
((Private Cabana - Maklau Beach - Risa))
Now dressed for the occasion in one of his tropical button-ups and swim shorts, Talos had secured them a private cabana near the gently rolling surf of Maklau beach. He’d made sure Sam was comfortably reclined on one of the lounge chairs before instructing the attendant to bring them a flight of fruity, non-alcoholic drinks served in hollowed-out coconuts, with the little umbrellas sticking out of the top.
He handed Sam one with a grin.
Dakora: Not bad, huh?
Richards: Response
Talos chuckled, dropping onto his own lounge chair as the sound of the waves washed over him.
Dakora: Unfortunately, life aboard the Artemis isn’t always this luxurious. :
Richards: Response
He sipped at the fruity mocktail and replied.
Dakora: You met Jovenan last time you were here, right? She’s our Chief Science Officer. ::He smiled.:: I’m sure she’ll have plenty of work to keep you busy when we’re back underway.
Richards: Response
A comfortable silence settled over them as they each enjoyed their sweet drinks, warm sun, and a perfect breeze rolling in off the ocean.
Talos reached over and grabbed a padd off the little side table and began to scroll through it.
Dakora: There is… a lot to do here, so let me know if there is anything specific that sounds like fun to you!
Left unsaid was the fact that, despite their now permanent entanglement, there was still quite a bit they’d yet to learn about each other. It was the kind of thing that just took time– something that they’d have a lot of now that they would be living together.
Richards: Response
TAG/TBC
LtCmdr. Talos Dakora
USS Artemis-A
O238811CD0