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"What is shocking about it? I like you, I hope you like me. I certainly respect you. Given that I cannot think of any reason not to kiss you. Unless you did not want me to kiss you." Myra says the last bit with a teasing glint to her eyes.
She frees her hand from his and reaches both hands behind his neck. "Of course, if you did want to kiss me you have an odd way of showing it so far. Here we are, all alone on this lovely beach, and just what do you plan to do about it?" she asks while looking up into his eyes.
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" I guess some part of me was still in denial. I wasn't sure if you really liked me. But I'm sure now. As sure as I am that I like you very much, and would be most honored if you'd be my girlfriend. "
He holds her close, his hands gently resting on her hips. Myra could likely tell his heart is beating hard.
" I'm also sure I'm not going to waste any more of this perfect moment with self doubt. "
He leans down a bit to give her a long kiss.
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When Dem kisses her, Myra can certainly tell that his heart is beating hard, her hearing allows her to hear it. Hers is doing much the same, despite her med implants trying to keep it down.
After the kiss, which Myra is in no hurry to end, she leans her head back so she can see Dem's face when she talks to him.
"So far as being your girlfriend goes, let us see. You muct understand that, above all, I am a Fleet officer. If a way comes for me to return to the Empire, I must do so. My oath demands it, and my family is there. But until then, I can not think of anyone I would rather be with. I just do not want to make any promises until you know what my position demands of me."
As much as she enjoys the feel of his arms around her, Myra is still eager to see the rest of the island. "So, is this why you brought me here, or was there something more you had in mind?"
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" Wouldn't you think, if someone really cared for you they would follow you where ever you needed to go? I know I would. On my left arm is a device that can transport me to almost any place I want to be, but right now the only place I want to be is next to you. "
He chuckles a bit as she askes why he brought her here.
" Heheh, well truth be told I hadn't much planned ahead on this night. I just wanted to share this place with you. Want to see more? "
There is only a quarter of the sun left shining above the sea. The sky is darkening quickly and the stars are really starting to come into view now. Demontec smiles at Myra and starts to lead her up the beach toward an opening in the trees. A path cuts through the foliage, leading deeper into the island.
" Come on. The sunset is just the opener for the real show. "
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Myra tucks her arm into Dem's and lets him lead her into the woods.
"I would hope that one I love would come with me, but I would not require him to, any more than I would expect him to force me to follow him. Moreover, to stay together he would have to join the Fleet, civilians are not allowed as permanent residents aboard Fleet planetoids. Not everyone would be willing to take such a step, especially if he was not an Imperial citizen to start with. I have always believed that to truly love, you must allow the freedom for your love to go. Then you know they are with you because they wish to be, not because they feel forced to be."
As they walk, Myra looks up at the stars. "I always liked looking at the stars, you can not always see them aboard ship. That is one thing many civilians do not understand; how you can live on a ship and not see the stars."
She then looks down the path. "So, are you going to tell me where we are going, or is it a surprise?"
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" More or less what I was trying to say. I think I could join your fleet, so long as they don't keep too tight a leash. Huh? You don't see the stars often? Though I guess your duties would keep you busy. What kinds of duties do you have anyway? "
The path bends back and forth as it goes deeper into the island, making it fairly impossible to see a good distance down it. Demontec doesn't seem in to much of a hurry either. He smirks as Myra asks about where they are going.
" Sure I'll tell ya. We're going further into the Island. Heh. "
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"Well, the habitable area of the ship are under the main armor strata, with the weapon and parasite bays outward in their own armored spaces. With several decameters of battle steel in each layer, and several layers between your quarters and the hull, there is not much point in windows. Oh, you can have the stars projected on the 'tainment screens in your quarters, or the main display on the command deck, and the local stars are always projected in the 'sky' of the park decks during night periods, but that is not the same as seeing them for real.
"The ship does have observation domes on the surface, but they can be crowded at times, and cannot be reserved for privacy. So it is rare to be able to be alone with someone and look directly at the stars.
"As for my duties, I am a tactical officer assigned to Helmak. I am responsible for employing her weapons as directed by her commander. Or for assisting in scans and data interpretation as required by the mission. Of course, like any military service, we spend most of our time in practice or maintenance, ensuring that our ship is ready when called on."
At his remark about going deeper into the island, Myra resists the temptation to give him a good heard pinch. "Actually, I had figured that out for myself. If you want to keep it a secret, you could have just said so." She leans her head on his arm for a moment. "This night is too pleasant for me to be angry at you for wanting to surprise me with... whatever."
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" I was only joking. I am a professional smartass, ya know. "
He smiles when she leans her head against him. It isn't long at all before the path opens up into a large clearing. It appears a sort of permanent camp site is set up here. There is a medium sized, wooden pavilion on one side. A three room tent, fire pit, large cot, gas grill near the pavilion, and assorted other camping things. On the other side of the clearing there is a large boulder, and several other small to medium sized rocks that seem arranged there. Stretched between the tops of two trees is a large hammock.
" Sometimes I spend a couple days here. You can already see some stars, but it's nothing compaired to when the sun is all the way down. That's why I like living farther from all the lights of the cities. "
He's looking at the sky, and the stars that were bright enough to shine through the dusk.
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"I can see why you would like it here. It is a nice, quiet place, and quite pretty here. Much nicer than a park deck, since you can be fairly certain not to be disturbed."
Myra looks around the clearing. Much of it she can figure the purpose of: after all, a tent is still a tent however it's built. But some of the camp's features pique her curiosity.
"So, what are those rocks for? It is apparent that you moved them, but to what purpose? And what is that thing in the trees for? It seems rather high up for storage, it would not be easy to get things out of way up there."
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Demontec looks up at the hammock, then at the rocks.
" Well the rocks... I have a unique way of meditating. That up in the trees is a hammock. I can show you what it's for. "
With that he scoops her up and starts to float up, carrying Myra up to the hammock. He deposits her gently in the hammock so not to throw off its balance. He'll remain just hovering next to it so she can get a feel for laying in the net-like bed. Should she look up she'll find an almost completely unobstructed view of the sky.
" A great view and a right nice place to sleep in good weather, so long as you ain't the kind who tosses and turns alot. "
He hovers in an 'at ease' stance next to the hammock, smiling at Myra. Her lack of knowledge of such things as a hammock got Dem thinking. Living in space and constantly surrounded by technology can spoil someone. He wonders how Myra would fair if she ever was cut off from her supply of technology and was stuck in a wildness environment with nothing but the tools she carried on her.
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When he lifts her in his arms Dem might notice that she weighs quite a bit more then the 90-or so pounds he would expect her to weigh. Quite a bit more. Not enough that he can't pick her up, but still...
When he sets her in the hammock she lays back on it, enjoying the soft, springy feel of it, as well as the gentle rocking imparted as the treetops sway in the light breeze. "Well, that is certainly nice. I can see why you like it up here." She scoots over slightly, not enough to turn the hammock over but enough to make a little extra space between her and Dem.
"Whould you join me? It must be a little tiring keeping yourself hanging in midair like that, especially when there is another option."
If Dem could read her mind, he might be amused by how similar her thoughts are to his. However, she isn't thinking about survival but about how the ever-present technology of the Empire has caused her people to forget how nice simpler things, like the hammock, can be.
Not that she couldn't have a hammock; for a society that builds warships the size of moons the construction of a hammock would be a snap. But no Imperial would ever imagine such a thing. If they wanted the sense of hanging in midair, they could use counter-grav units and do something similar to how Dem hangs in the air next to her. But such a simple thing as the hammock she lays on would be totally alien to them.
"The more we learn, the more we lose." she says softly and sadly in Universal, forgetting for a moment that he's there and doesn't speak her language.
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" Heh. You should see my mind and body training. My weight is but a drop in the bucket. I don't notice anymore. "
Despite what he says he does join her on the hammock. One would have to be stupid to turn down laying next to a beautiful woman. He settles in next to her, having no idea what her final comment was, but he dismisses it, only raising his eyebrow a bit.
" Ever wonder what it was like before high tech computers and advanced technology? When the only forms of entertainment were kicking rubber balls around or just sitting back and enjoying the company of others. It's actually great to enjoy the simplicities life has to offer... "
He turns his head to look at her.
" ... Like the company of a beautiful woman. "
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As Dem joins her in the hammock Myra is careful not to move too far or too suddenly. Dem's telekinesis would likely prevent any mishap from becoming damaging, and she's likely to survive a fall from this height, but a broken arm still hurts, even with Imperial implants. And that wouldn't help the mood at all, with things going so nicely...
The hammock tends to bring the two of them together, which tendency Myra has no intention of interfering with. It kind of helps things along. So as he settles in she will nestle inside his arm, with her head on his shoulder, and so that she can still see the stars.
"Well, one thing our implants encourage is good, active excercise and sports." Myra holds up the hand that's not next to Dem. "My implants increase the strength of my muscles greatly, but their effect is based on my muscles' own strength; the more fit I am, the better my implants work. If I do not work out regularly, I lose strength, and at ten times the loss an unenhanced person would suffer.
"But I do sometimes wonder what it would be like without the technology I take for granted, especially since I arrived here. I have met so many people here who do not even have the neural feeds and computer access any Imperial child would have. I can not imagine what it would be like to go to school without having the instant access to data I grew up with."
At his last remark Myra turns to him, looking into his eyes, only centimeters from hers, and remarks teasingly. "Well, I will let you know if I see any beautiful women around here."
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Demontec smiles at her teasing remark.
" Well there are no mirrors here so it'd be a bit of a trick to see yourself, but I know a beauty when I see one and I'm lookin at one right now. "
By now it was almost completely dark and the stars are out in mass. Without any light sources nearby even the faintest stars are visible, making the sky seem to sparkle. Despite this show in the sky, Demontec can't seem to turn his eyes from Myra.
" So... s'pose you do find a way back to your world and I go with you. What job in your fleet do you think I would get? Or would an individual of my talents get an all new position? "
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"What kind of job you get depend on what sort of training you want to recieve, so long as you have enough aptitude for it. Not knowing Imperial technology would not be an impediment once you have your com and comp implants; information would be readily available, you would only need to learn how the tech works. The training would take several years, maybe ten for some specialties, but bioenhancement would more than compensate. You would have plenty of time left."
She lifts her lips to brush his lightly, reflecting that these 'hammocks' are a very pleasant invention. Deceptively simple, but they do tend to encourage snuggling nicely. "I hope you would not mind if I am not in a great hurry to go and find a way home right now. For one thing, that would mean getting out of this thing now."
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(( Sorry for the delay. Been trying to get a new job. ))
Demontec takes advantage of the brushing of lips to steal a quick kiss. He smiles at Myra, also enjoying the closeness that the hammock caused.
" Oh believe me, I'm in no hurry to go anywhere. In fact, we can stay here over night if ya like. "
He gives her a lite, teasing poke to the ribs to see if she's ticklish.
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"Overnight sounds good, as long as the weather hol--eep!" Myra squeals in surprise when Dem pokes her. She is, indeed, ticklish, it seems, and was definitely not expecting his little experiment.
What he does about his discovery is up to him, but Myra won't stay surprised for long...
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Demontec, of course, grins deviously and tickles her.
" Ah hah! Found your ticklish spot on the first try! "
He'll laugh and tickle her until she protests, or until she just out right knocks him out of the hammock.
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Myra squeals as Dem tickles her. She tries to ask him to quit, but can't quite get a word out between yelps.
Which means he doesn't stop.
She also squirms around, trying to get away from him, or at least to get ahold of his hands and keep them away from her. Her aim's a bit off, so instead she ends up with a handful of his shirt and an arm around his back.
It's also fortunate for them both that she had her boosted strength locked down, or things might have gotten a bit painful for one of them.
At least until her struggles cause the hammock to flip over and they find themselves under it rather than on top.
And 40 feet in the air.
Myra's yell takes on a more alarmed tone when she realizes what just happened. A 13-meter fall isn't likely to kill her, but it'll still hurt, and quite likely break something.
And Dem doesn't have her implants. She feels a stab of fear for him as gravity starts to have it's way with them both...
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Demontec is well aware of the dynamic nature of hammocks and isn't taken off guard when theirs overturns. As they tip he shifts under Myra. She may start to notice that, much like on the peir, they are not really dropping. She is just laying on Demontec as he slowly drifts toward the ground. He has his arms around her so she does slip off of him. Waiting for her to realize all this and calm down again, he just smiles at her.
" Well. Now that's what I call falling for someone. No worries though, I'll never let you down. "
--------------------
"Certain death, little chance of success.... What are we waiting for?" Gimli - LoTR:RoTK
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It takes Myra a few moments to het her heart rate down, even with her implants. She clings to Dem while her mind catches up to the fact that they're not really free-falling toward the ground.
When she gets control of her breathing she looks at him. "Sorry, I forgot that you could do that. I was afraid you would get hurt." She glances past him, noting that they're now just a couple of meters from the ground. "Of course, now it's my turn..."
And she reaches down and tries to tickle him back.
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Demontec tenses up, trying very hard not to break into laughter as Myra gets her revenge. They are only a few feet off the ground when he finally loses it and they flop to th ground as he laughs and squirms, trying to get away.
" GAH! I give up! I give up! "
If she stops he'll just lay on the ground, gasping for breath. He then will sit up and give her a mock annoyed look, but he can't resist smiling just a bit.
" Taken down by being tickled, how embarrassing. "
He's only joking and smirks at her.
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Myra lays back on the sand and smiles back up at Dem. "Well, you did start it. You can not complain much about getting back what you gave so freely."
She reaches up with one hand and caresses his back lightly. "And I might wonder what you might want to try next."
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Dem smiles and leans more over Myra.
" You do have a point there. And if you want to return everything I try, I think I may want to try this... "
He leans down slowly and kisses her deeply on the lips.
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Myra returns Dem's kiss gladly. While they kiss a quick command from her implants calls forth soft, romantic music from her wrist-com. It's an Imperial tune, since that's what she knows best, and she wants to get the mood just right, not to ruin it by playing the wrong tune.
--------------------
I was a shepherd to fools
Causelessly bold of afraid.
They would not abide by my rules.
Yet they escaped. For I stayed.
-"Convoy Escort" by Rudyard Kipling
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