All About The Holodeck Stardate 2259.205

After their shift Kal leaned over toward Elyse. What had happened several nights before was now really troubling him. He loved Fiona but he wasn’t really into all of that wild sex stuff that she appeared to be into. It was fun but he had thought she was more...reserved and refined of a person. He had a lot of respect for her but last night, what she had asked him to do...he wasn’t certain if he liked that. He wanted to see Fiona’s face not her backside. They had such a long history together and making love had usually been a comforting, passionate thing between them. They complimented one another and being able to look into her eyes and kiss her was a big deal for him. They both had been busy but it was a few days now that they hadn’t been together and he was certain that she was going to begin to think he was avoiding her, which he was though he had been working tirelessly on the three holodeck programs. A Kayaking program, A Horseback riding program for Fiona, and an old, Irish town he had designed himself.

“I really need to talk to you...I’m having...it’s about Fiona,” Kal said in a whisper.

Elyse's guilt about giving Kal access to the holodeck matrix was eating away at her. She had decided that day that she was just going to tell Kirk the truth and accept whatever reprimand came her way. It would certainly be better than waiting for him to find out. She wasn't a deceitful person and she wanted Kirk and Spock to be able to continue to trust her. However, before she could request to speak to Jim alone, Kal suddenly leaned over and asked to talk to her about Fiona. Elyse sighed a little, but nodded.

"Alright." 

They walked down to the officer's mess and found an empty table. They sat down and she looked at him. "What's going on? I thought things between the two of you were going so well."

Kal winced. “Well, as you know, we grew up together. And we get along great and we’re good together, but last night...she was like a different person Elyse,” Kal said. “She was all dressed up and...well, she asked me to...do things to her.,” Kal said. “I mean...bleh, you know what I mean!” he said in exasperation. “Those...that’s just not me. You get to thinking a person is a certain way and then...well, it’s all turned around now. I have barely spoken to her since it happened,” Kal said. “I’m just so confused about it all now and I don’t know how to tell her all of this without hurting her feelings,” Kal said then slumped in his chair. “I really love her Elyse but I feel like I can really screw this up by saying the wrong thing,” Kal said.

Elyse listened to what Kal said about Fiona. She didn't know Fiona terribly well, but she knew her well enough to know that she wasn't the type of girl that Kal was describing. She was quiet for a while as she considered everything and then finally spoke.

"Have you considered that maybe she thinks you want a girl who is more like that?"

Kal’s eyebrows drew up and his cheeks colored in embarrassment. “What? Why? I’ve been nothing but a gentleman with her!” Kal protested. He really didn’t understand and what Elyse said made him feel even worse. It meant he put out that vibe that he was some kind of sexual maniac and that really bothered him. Kal liked women but he never recalled being like that. “I was never like that with anyone. I had girlfriends at the Academy...ok, maybe alot of girlfriends, but I never treated them...like that!,” Kal said. “Like some brute who just wants to get off? Oh man,” He whined and leaned his head back to look up at the ceiling. Then he proceeded to mock choke himself.

Elyse sighed and shook her head. "Kal, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that maybe she thinks she might lose you or another woman on board the ship might catch your eye and she's tying to keep your interest. You are an extremely attractive, charming man and she's only really known you as a friend. However, now you two are together and she's not quite like the other girls you've been with and I think she knows that. And, let's be honest, you do have a bit of a reputation and maybe she finds you a little...intimidating."

Kal rubbed his temple. He was going to have to talk to Fiona and risk that what he said wouldn’t put her off. Ewwww, that was not going to be an easy conversation. Kal sighed then sat up and took a sip of his tea. The silence stretched between them.

“Ok, so, I’ve got 3 programs in the works. A Kayaking program, a horseback riding...well, that one was for Fiona and an Old, early 20th century Irish town called Fair Haven,” Kal said. “It’s all going well so far, but I have alot more work to do yet,” he said.

Elyse nodded a little when Kal told her about the programs he had been creating. "Can I just request that when they finally do open up the holodeck and allow people to make their own programs that you wait a while so it doesn't seem like you already had them created?"

Kal thought about that a moment. “I suppose I could do that. It would give me time to polish them up too using the holodeck itself,” He said though he was going to do that using her code. Kal didn’t think it was fair that they had a piece of technology that could benefit the entire ship and they held it close and behind high security like it was some kind of new weapon. There were holodecks on the larger stations already so why all this secrecy? He didn’t know but he had no intention of putting everything off though he could delay for a little while rolling them out.

“Well, I have several female characters in Fair Haven I could use help with. But I know you’re busy with the Doc and all,” Kal said.

Elyse wasn't sure why the holodeck hadn't yet been opened up, but she figured there must be a reason. Kirk, Spock, and Sofia knew that crew members were chomping at the bit to get in there and they had made this for crew use so the reason why it was finished but not open yet was a bit of a mystery. However, those decisions weren't up to her and she figured if she was meant to know that Spock and Kirk would have told her. She did know, however, that something was going on that they were keeping a secret.

Elyse looked at Kal when he told her that he could use her help in regards to a few female characters in Fair Haven. "I can already guess that you've probably made their breasts way too large," she teased with a little grin.

Kal chuckled. “No no, not ‘those’ women...the boyish, flat-chested ones like you,” Kal said right back. He said it quickly before he really thought. Though he actually thought Elyse was very attractive. She had an athletic build but she was lacking in the chest department. Well, turn about was fair play. “Personalities and such,” Kal said. “Fair Haven is Roman Catholic for the most part. Farmers and shop owners, country folk. Superstitions and the luck of the Irish. The people who play can take up as one of the townsfolk or just visit and have a meal and a beer at the pub., maybe play a game of rings,” he said. “There are a few mysteries for people to learn about if they so desire but I wanted it to be like a friendly hangout for the crew with wide open spaces. Fields and Forests. A river and a small lake to go swim in. That sort of thing,” he said.

Elyse rolled her eyes at Kal's comment about her chest. "I am not completely flat-chested and my husband likes me just the way I am and that's what matters to me."

She took a sip of her tea and then looked at Kal after he described the program a little bit more to her. "That sounds quite nice actually. I will help you with your program, but I can't tonight and you need to talk to Fiona."

Kal nodded. “Suit yourself,” Kal said then stood up. “Thanks Elyse,” he said and headed away toward the turbolift.

Later that evening Kal hit the chime on Fiona’s door. He had a fist full of Lillies of the Field. They were replicated but beautiful for that and a Flower that were in abundance in her mother’s garden. When she came and opened the door. He held them out to her. “Something beautiful for someone beautiful,” Kal said. “May we...talk?” he asked her as if he had something very important to talk to her about, which he did.

Fiona had just made herself a cup of tea when she heard the door chime. She walked over and opened the door and was surprised when she saw Kal standing there with a fist full of Lilies of the Field. She gasped as she took them. "I can't believe you remembered that these were in my mother's garden." It was clear that that meant a lot to her. She looked at Kal though when he asked if they could talk. She could tell it was something very important and that made her a little nervous. 

"Sure," she said as she let him in. She closed the door behind him and then replicated a vase to put the flowers in. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Kal smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek as she took them. He was fidgeting with his hands like he did when he was nervous. How in the hell was he going to broach this subject? “Well, It’s been a few days since we’ve really talked,” he said but he had to admit, that was more his fault than hers. He had been pretty tough to pin down lately. But that had been by design. He was afraid she’d lasso him into some, wild sex thing and he already felt bad enough from the first time.

“Hows your mum doin?” he asked to break the ice. “Its been so long since I’ve seen me sister an parents. I almost forget what they look like,” he said. He was talking about comfortable things and it did seem to settle his nervousness. But it all sounded evasive in his ears.

Fiona had felt like Kal had been avoiding her the last few days and she didn't understand why. Now, he shows up with flowers and seemed really nervous and was being evasive. She sighed and looked at him. "Kal, what is this all about? Why have you been avoiding me the last few days? Did I do something wrong?"

Kal suddenly became defensive. “Avoiding you? I haven’t been avoiding you Fiona,” He lied. “I’ve been...working on my Holodeck programs and Springball practice,” he said. But she gave him ‘that’ look she did when she knew he was full of shit.

“Ok,” Kal said with a sigh and moved to sit down on her couch. He was going to start and then decided he wanted her on him. He gestured for her to come and sit on his lap. Having physical contact with her gave him more courage to tell her what was bothering him.

“So, that night when you surprised me...all the ‘be rough with me’ and ‘harder’ It just didn’t feel like I was making love to you. It was like making love to someone else,” he said as he looked at her. “Please Fiona, don’t be offended. It’s just...I wondered where that sweet woman I fell in love with went all of a sudden,” he asked.

“Is that what you think I want? I mean...you were very sexy in the lingerie...that’s not at all what I’m saying. I mean…’smoking hot’,” he said. “It’s just...I like seeing your eyes and knowing what’s going on in your head when we make love. I do like surprises like any other man but...I’ll let ya know if I need something different. Right now, I just want you...the real you,” he said.

Fiona gave Kal a look when he tried to lie and say that he hadn't been avoiding her. She knew it wasn't true. She sighed though and walked over and sat down on his lap when he beckoned her. As she listened to what he said about the last time they were together she felt herself becoming embarrassed and upset with herself. Her cheeks flushed red and she found she couldn't even look at him.

"I'm so embarrassed. I...I thought it was what you might like. I really didn't want to do all of that stuff. I was doing it for you. I guess I'm just afraid that you'll grow bored with me and another woman will catch your eye."

Kal winced. “Does this have to do with Officer Hawthorne? Julia,” he said. “After the game two weeks ago?” he asked. Julia had hugged him and kissed his cheek when Kal won their team’s winning goal right in front of Fiona. “Fiona...where is this coming from? I’m not sleeping around on you,” Kal said as he held her chin and looked into her eyes. “Elyse said I...that I have a reputation. And I don’t understand that,” Kal said.

Fiona sighed and looked at Kal when he held her chin up to look at him. "Ok, I may not have been entirely truthful about why I broke things off with my ex-finacee. It wasn't really that I got cold feet. I found out that he had been cheating on me with a girl I thought was my friend and I broke things off with him and asked for an immediate transfer. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I was just embarrassed and then when you and I got together I feared that that might happen again. I just...I just wanted to make you happy," she admitted as tears came to her eyes. "And now I've screwed everything up."

Kal removed his hand and used his thumbs to wipe away her tears as he thought about what Fiona said. His mouth started and stopped several times as he tried to think of what to say to that. Fiona was worried he’d wander off to be with someone else. He could understand why she lied about how her and her ex ended things. Her trying to spice things up, her heart was in the right place with that. But he wondered if him being ‘friendly’ to other women bothered her. Especially with all that baggage moving around in her head. He smiled and brushed back her hair and kissed her lips softly.

“No, you didn’t screw everything up,” Kal said softly. “But I think you could have told me the truth about you and your ex. But I want you to understand that I’m not him. If we ever decide to end this, than we’ll talk about it. I’m not going to sleep around on you Fiona,” Kal said. “In fact, since you’ve come back into my life, I haven’t thought about much of anything else but you,” Kal said as he wiped more tears away and looked into her eyes.

“You make me feel like that awkward 12 year old kid again sometimes when you look at me. I keep thinking I need to find ways to keep you thinking about me, not the other way around. And when we make love, I want to look into your eyes. I like the way you look at me when I’m inside of you,” Kal said though he saw her cheeks flush. “And, if you want to get a bit crazy with me, we can do that, but only if you want to. Not because you ‘think’ its what I want. I feel as if I can tell you anything Fiona,” he said.

Fiona leaned against Kal when he told her that they were alright. She was relieved to hear it and she hoped that they could just put this whole mess behind them. His words made her feel far more confident about herself and their relationship. She sighed and looked at him. "I'm really sorry about all of this. I promise I'll just be myself from now on." She leaned down and kissed him. The kiss lasted for a long moment before she pulled back and looked at him. "Are you hungry? We could go get something to eat?"

"I heard Chef made some Peppermint Ice Cream for dessert," He said as they stood up. She took his hand and pulled him toward the door.

2 Days Later Kal was in the Holodeck. It was late and he had done some real work on Fair Haven. Most of the building and streets were in place and he had the townsfolk moving about as if going about their daily lives. There was an older man named Tamich who always tried to bum coin off of anyone going into or out of the pub. He was a farmer with a wife but he spent more time at the pub than at home or in the fields. There was a Bartender named Liam McKinley, a handsome chap with dark, wavy hair and light blue eyes. He even had a shillelagh behind the bar for anyone that tried to cause trouble. Maeve the barmaid was his daughter. Tall and lithe, with long, blonde hair weaved into an intricate braid. She was excellent at dancing almost any jig and liked to play Rings. A game where you tossed rings onto pegs on the wall. There were many other characters and personalities that filled up the small village.

Kal knew by the Holodeck program logs that Spock was also creating another Program. This one had to do with the Commanders training class. He couldn't see what the class and training was about but he knew it was a pretty large program. He had also seen Spock taking holo photos of engineering, the bridge and other areas of the ship. Obviously the class had something to do with the ship. His interest was peaked. He decided to quit for tonight and so he set the Holodeck computer to save his alterations.

When he stepped out to lock it, he saw Elyse standing there and she didn't look happy. "Uh Hello Elyse, you're up late?" He said nonchalantly and grinned and began to step away from her as if he wasn't doing anything wrong.

Every person who had access to the holodeck had alerts that went to their communicators if their voice access code was used. This was for security purposes. Elyse had been in the middle of a romantic dinner with Leonard when she had received the alert. She knew of only one person that it could be. She immediately headed to the holodeck and she stood outside and waited for Kal to emerge. Her eyes narrowed at him and she had her arms crossed over her chest. She was not happy...and it wasn't in a cute sort of way. She was truly angry at him. She grabbed him and pulled him into a room off to one side. Thankfully, no one was in it.

"What the hell Kal? I do something for you that could get me into serious trouble and you record my voice access code so you can get into the holodeck whenever you want? Not only that, but I was in the middle of a very romantic dinner with my husband because we haven't had a lot of time to spend together. How dare you betray my trust like this!"

Kal knew as soon as he saw her that he was in alot of trouble. There was very little he could say. He winced. "Ok, I'm sorry about the whole, recording your voice thing, but c'mon Elyse, I can't work on Fair Haven unless I'm inside the holodeck. I've gone as far as I can go using just the matrix," Kal explained. "I was going to tell you when I was a bit further along," he said but her look said just how much she believed that. "No really, I need help with some of the characters," he said as if what he was doing was no big deal . In his mind, it wasn't. He would not have done anything nefarious with her code, just this. "It's been another week Elyse, and I'm alot further than I was a week ago," he said. He had the bit in his mouth and didn't want to play by the rules. Kal had been like this ini the Academy. Impulsive and creative, much like Kirk but it was her, personal command code. If an enemy got a hold of that code, they could take over the ship.