2360

June 20, 2360

I got in! Mara and Mama have been helping me apply to flight schools, and I got accepted to my first choice. It's a school run out of a federation space station, but has no relation to star fleet, luckily. I don't want anything to do with them. They're why I never knew my father. He was a science office, and the ship he was assigned to, the Bermuda, disappeared mysteriously without a trace. Mama got one of those form letters, you know the type. It says “Dear family of lieutenant junior grade Jarnel, We regret to inform you that your loved one is currently missing in action. He was serving aboard the USS Bermuda, when the ship went missing.”

They go on to say how sympathetic they are of our loss, and how long it will be until until he is no longer considered missing, but actually dead and at that time (not before) does my mother qualify for the benefits entitled to her as his wife.

As of fifteen and a half years later, the deadline they set out for officially changing his status to dead has come and gone, but they still technically call him missing in action without explanation. My mother holds out hope he'll return. I, on the other hand, loath the organization that took away my father six months before I was born, and still hasn't told us if he's alive or dead.

I'm not sure what Mama's family thinks of star fleet and don't really know if I care that much. They're nice to me because I'm “B'Lalen's girl”, and half Trill or not, they seem to think I've got Mama's strong spirit. I think they'd been waiting for something like this, because they had a d'k tahg for me. That's the knife I'd gotten in the form of a training piece about five years ago. I guess that means they consider me well trained enough to handle a real weapon.

August 1, 2360

Mara and I came to the station for the flight school a week early, she's helping me scout out the station before my classes start, and maybe give me a chance of meeting some of my class mates before being stuck in a classroom or shuttle with them. I'm one of three females in the class, which has a total of twenty students.

Today we found a bar which I was probably going to avoid since it's crawling with star fleet officers, and I don't really wanna get involved with them.

We also found a place with holosuites that were available for hourly rental. She said that holosuites are a cool thing to use but can get costly. She suggested that I get a well paying job if I was going to get myself involved with holosuites.

There was a little place we found to eat at, and were able to try some so called earth food. Something called a cheeseburger I think. The place had this weird looking bright yellow M for its logo. I think the place was called McDonald's. They claimed to have had millions of locations throughout the galaxy, but at this point their numbers have dwindled down to a thousand locations on Ferenginar and two locations other than the one we visited. With such poor quality of food, it's amazing that they even had more than three locations anywhere, even on Ferenginar.

Tomorrow we're going to check out the other half of the station. It's late so I'm going to turn in now.

August 4, 2360

Mara and I have run into one of my fellow classmates. She and I had found a Klingon style restaurant on the far side of the station the day before yesterday, but were wary of it since we didn't see a single Klingon in there. Yesterday we decided we'd give it a try since the only other places to eat were the bar crawling with star fleet and that McDonald's place.

We found a small table near the door and eyed the crowd. Other than a couple of star fleet in the other corner, it seemed like a normal enough group for any melting pot like a star base.

We were soon approached by a boy who looked a little older than I. A Trill with black hair and bright green eyes. He greeted us in Klingon, causing my cousin and I to giggle at his accent. He blushed and quickly asked if what he'd said really was a Klingon greeting or if he was going to have to track down the petaQ who had told him it was one. That provoked more giggles on our part, but I quickly assured him that it was in fact a greeting and there was no need to seek vengeance, he just had a cute accent.

He smiled and pulled out a data pad as he asked what he can get us to drink and handed us the menus. Mara asked for water for both of us as she opened her menu. I smiled and followed her lead. He smiled again and excused himself to get our water.

I quietly hissed over my menu in Klingon that he was cute. Mara smiled back at me and told me there'd be plenty of time to pursue him between class. I smiled at that statement as he returned with our water.

Mara and I asked for recommendations, which resulted in being told that the gagh is so was fresh today that it even threw off the star fleet officer who usually makes a big to do about loving the stuff. A little flirting and banter later, and Mara and I had convinced the boy to join us for his dinner break and found out his name was Jarzen. While waiting for our dinner to be ready, we found out he's 17, and he's enrolled in the same school I am. His family has lived on the space station his whole life, and own the restaurant. Before I could mention I was also in the same flight school he was, he had to run and grab our dinner.

While not up to the quality that Aunt Ba'el usually served, it was pretty good for a non-Klingon chef's preparation. It certainly was very alive. Jarzen didn't seem to take well to the gagh, and he eventually admitted that he'd never had it before. I joked that it took a table full of Klingons threatening a person to acquire the taste for it, and Mara teased that I shouldn't be giving away Klingon secrets like that. This caused Jarzen to relax a bit and hand over his untouched dinner for us to finish, deciding he wasn't brave enough to try it and wasn't up for Mara and I threatening him to attempt to help him acquire the taste.

Dinner ended with him saying he might let our family help him acquire a taste for gagh one day, and he'd like it if he and I could get together again. I smiled and gave him an encouraging but non-committal answer as Mara paid for our dinner.

After we left there, we wandered a bit until we decided it was time to return to get some sleep. Today we did some window shopping and decided that Mara was probably going to have to pick me up on the occasional weekend so I wouldn't get bored out of my mind between classes. Maybe Jarzen will join us.

August 8, 2360

I had smiled as Jarzen rushed in just as we were about to start. He looked like he'd been running and had a dish towel in his hand, looking lost as to what to do with it. I'd intentionally saw to it that the seat next to me was free, smiling as he sat in it and looked to see who he was sitting next to.

The first morning of class was spent making sure everyone was on the same page safety wise. They hadn't held us to any particular safety standards when testing us for the class. Some of the rules seemed annoying but I was going to have to follow them if I wanted to stay in the class, they weren't going to slide when enforcing safety rules.

When they dismissed us for lunch, Jarzen turned to me. He asked me my name, having not gotten it when he'd eaten with Mara and I. We ate lunch together at his family's restaurant, but this time he had no responsibilities to distract, and I didn't order anything that was best eaten alive. I think he was grateful for that.

He treated me to lunch even though I tried to insist on paying. He managed to get me to stop insisting when he pointed out that we would be late if we continued to debate the issue. I told him if he could beat me to class, I'd drop it, but if I beat him that he'd have to let me pay him back.

He agreed, then pulled me into a kiss. Not just any kiss, but one of those long deep ones that, even with kissing experience, would probably throw the recipient for a loop. I, having never been kissed before, was thrown for one hell of a loop and I didn't react to his smile and wink as he called over his shoulder as he left the restaurant that he'd see me in class.

When it finally sunk in what he pulled, I ran after him fuming. When I got back to the class, he was already sitting with the last empty seat next to him. I shot him a look as I sat down, which he shrugged off with a wink as the instructor called class to order. I spent the afternoon thinking it over as the class was being familiarized with the craft we were to be learning in, but since it was the same one I'd learned in thus far, I didn't see the point in paying attention.

I soon came to the conclusion that what had happened wasn't all that bad. I'd heard first kisses are often disastrous and this one had been pretty good. If he wanted to pay for my lunch that bad, why should I argue? I may even be able to get another kiss from him again, he is, after all, pretty cute.

After class I caught him before we left. He shrunk back as I smiled. When I asked him about it, he apologized for the trick he'd pulled. I insisted it was fine and I had actually enjoyed the kiss. I had just been irritated that I hadn't gotten my way.

He then smiled and told me that he had to work tonight, but he had tomorrow night off, and asked if I would join him for dinner and maybe some fun afterwards. I asked him if I get another kiss if I insisted on paying for my half again. With a smile he said he'd rather that he could just have those without having to make an excuse. By that point we'd come to the restaurant and we stood silently for a minute.

I had been just about to say bye and head off when he pulled me in for our second kiss. This one didn't knock me off balance so bad and I was able to smile when we pulled apart. He smiled back at me and we both said good-bye.

As soon as I got back to my room I grabbed my journal to write and now that I have I'm going to call Mara, she should be home by now having left yesterday morning. She'll be glad when I report that I doubt I'll have to use my regenerator at this school.

August 10, 2360

Jarzen and I had a great time last night. After class ended, we were still going over classroom garbage, not even shown the craft we'll be flying in, Jarzen walked me back to my room. He gave me an hour to freshen up and change. I had worn a comfortable pair of pants, worn in knee high boots and a simple shirt along with my bored look to class. He sort of hinted that while that looked fine on me and was great for class, it wouldn't due for tonight.

By the time he arrived for me, I had changed into a black skirt, and was still wearing my knee high boots. I also had on a dark blue tank top covered with a see through blouse of the same color. I usually wore what I could to hide my Trill spots so as to avoid as much attention as I could, but tonight I decided to try playing them up and showing off.

He had chosen to wear a pair of black pants with a green button front collared shirt which he had half unbuttoned, showing his spots a little farther down than usual. The shirt was just the right color to match his eyes and I couldn't help but smile as the doors opened to him. He quickly looked me over and smiled himself as he offered me his arm.

I had assumed he was going to take me to his family's restaurant again, but he ended up taking me into the bar Mara and I had decided I was most likely going to avoid. I didn't object because it would have been rude, and he also knew what he was doing, he had lived on this station all his life.

He led me to an isolated corner as I warily eyed all the star fleet officers. We talked through out dinner and he managed to get me to tell him about my family and in return he told me more about his. He's the youngest of three kids, the other two being girls. Mom and Dad had started the restaurant a year before he was born and that has been their lives.

He had gotten the idea to learn to fly watching the star fleet officers pull stunts in the shuttle craft outside the viewing area of the station, he'd been jealous of the attention, then when he'd gotten an actual taste of it he was permanently hooked.

When we finished dinner, he paid this time with no objections from me. We then walked around and window shopped for a while, until he brought me to the holosuite place and took me inside.

He headed directly toward the desk right inside the door, which a blond human female was sitting behind. He introduced me to her and she reached under the desk for a small column shaped thing. She gave it to him as she told him suite four was ours for the next three hours.

We went over to the middle door, and he slid the column into a small slot, which caused the doors to open upon the empty lunar surface. It looked to be just before earth rise, which I had only seen a couple of fleeting times between buildings. As we walked inside I felt the gravity lessen, and Jarzen slipped an arm around my waist.

I quickly grew used to the light gravity again, even though it'd been over five years since I felt it last. We sat down on a rock to watch earth rise, and I leaned up against him with a smile, hoping this time wasn't costing him too much.

After earth rose, we sat and talked for a little bit. I hadn't mentioned before that I'd lived on Luna as a child. When I told him, he started to say that had he known, he would have gotten another program for tonight. I assured him that this one was great, especially since it was so hard to get a good view of the horizon on Luna anymore.

After some more small talk, he wrapped his arms around me and softly kissed my lips. This kiss was sweet and tender and it seemed to go on forever. When his lips did leave mine, he moved them to my forehead, kissing me about where my spots emerged from my hairline, slowly kissing his way along the path they followed down the side of my face.

His lips passed my jaw onto my neck and as my heart sped up, my mind raced as to where this was heading. I relaxed some as he seemed to pause at my neck instead of continuing his way down. His hands softly rubbed my back as he continued to kiss my neck. When he started to move down again, I gently took him by the chin and brought his lips to mine again.

After a couple minutes he asked me if I was new to this stuff, and I simply nodded. He kissed me on my forehead ridges with a soft apology, such that I didn't feel compelled to verbally assure him, but instead hugged him and laid my head upon his shoulder.

Later after our time was over, Jarzen walked me back to my room. After a soft kiss goodnight, I left him at the door. I called Mara right away to tell her about it. As soon as her face came into view, she smiled and congratulated me on getting my first hickey. When I told her I didn't know what she was talking about, she told me to go and look at my neck in the mirror.

After discovering what looked like a light bruise where Jarzen had kissed me so long on my neck, I returned to talk to Mara again. She explained what happened, and told me not to use my regenerator on it, but if I didn't want my class mates teasing me about it, I'd better wear something with a high neck on it.

I told her about the date and then we talked for a while. My brothers are already missing me, and Mama's worried, she's convinced I'm gonna start a war or get killed. I promised Mara I'd call Mama the next day, which is today. I spoke with Mama for a few minutes, she was on her way out the door when I called, but she was glad I was doing better at getting along with my classmates here.

Mara and I wrapped up our conversation late last night, and I had to fight to keep myself awake in class today. At lunch Jarzen teased me about it, trying to claim he was responsible for it. I replied that he must have sucked all my energy out when he left the hickey on my neck. He seemed surprised he'd left one, so I pulled down the collar on my shirt that'd covered the hickey. When he saw it, he blushed and apologized for it, which provoked a giggle from me, and I told him about Mara's response when I called her last night.

He didn't have to work until later in the evening, so after class he followed me back to my room and talked me into showing him my d'k tahg. I smiled when he jumped as I demonstrated the two spring loaded blades. When he saw my smile he tried to put a tough look on his face as if some stupid blade wouldn't scare him. I laughed as I set the knife down on the table.

He caught me by surprise as he pounced on me, pinning me to the floor before I knew what happened, holding my hands to the floor above my head, sitting on my hips and kissing me. This had excited me and caused me to kiss him back as passionately as I knew how. Jarzen drew out of the kiss quickly as he must have felt my teeth instinctively grazing his lips. We paused eyes locked as he seemed to think something over.

After apparently coming to some conclusion he let go of me, and stood, then helped me up also. He slid his arms around my waist, and kissed me softly for a second. He told me that we're both going to have to take this slow, putting emphasis upon “both” by squeezing his arms tighter around my waist.

We ended up sitting together talking some more. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, sitting as close to him as I could. He had excited me when he'd pinned me to the floor earlier. The taste of his lips, the pressure of his weight upon my hips, and his smell all continued to go through my head as we sat there.

When he finally had to get going, I caught him in a deep kiss before letting him out the door. I held his face cradled in my hands as we kissed, his arms slid around my waist again as the kiss drew on. I pressed my body to his as I slid one hand from his face to the back of his head, sliding my fingers through his hair. We finally managed to pull apart, and let him leave so he wouldn't be late.