The Dark Mane, Svetlana

Posted on Tue Sep 23, 2025 @ 4:28am by Lieutenant JG Jali Andloch & Lieutenant Liam Blackwood

1,952 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Time After Time
Location: DS5 - Liam's Quarters

Jali and Liam made their way to his quarters. When they arrived, Liam opened the door and stepped to the side.

“After you.” He said, motioning her inside.

The space wasn’t a disaster. A couple of cushions were out of place, and a stack of unopened bags sat in the corner, waiting for the day he finally got around to unpacking. On the dining table, their food had already been delivered.

Liam stepped in behind her, quietly curious about her reaction to the simple, half-finished space he now called home.

Jali looked around, "Your quarters are the same size as mine. Interesting I am not use to having such large quarters not bad though." her eyes stopped at the table, "I see that they sent our drink from the restaurant. That is dangerous." giving a laugh.

Liam glanced around his quarters, then gave a small shrug. “They’re definitely larger than what I had on my last assignment. Feels almost excessive, I don’t usually spend much time in here anyway.”

He moved toward the table, eyeing the pitcher of ale with a grin. “But you’re right about one thing—can’t let good ale go to waste.” He pulled out a chair and gestured for her to sit. “Shall we?”

Jali nodded and took a seat, adjusting herself.

"Indeed we shall. And since I won't be drinking this pitcher of ale by myself, I won't be getting tipsy." Jali chuckling.

Liam grabbed a pair of glasses. "Too tipsy, that is..." He said with a grin as he poured. He filled one for her andone for himself. Handing her the first glass, he sat into a chair beside her rather than across from her. He angled his body towards hers. He lifted his glass, holding it out toward her in an invitation to clink before taking a sip.

She did clink her glass against his. "Qapla' "

"Do you have a toast you do when drinking?"

Liam smiled at the clink of their glasses. "Normally, I just go with 'cheers'." He said before taking a sip of the ale. Setting down the glass, he pushed back his chair and stood.

He grabbed a couple of plates and utensils. Returning to the table, he unpacked the food, and divided it evenly. Sliding a plate toward Jali, he settled into the chair besides her. "There we go. Cheers and dinner, properly served."

"it looks lovely." taking a bite of the food. " And delicious" Jali settling into eating her meal.

She did pause, her fork of food stopping in front of her mouth. "Just to let you know, when it comes to eating, I end up not making a lot of small talk. I tend to save it for later, in a comfortable seat."

Liam smiled. “Can’t take any credit for this. I’m no chef.” He admitted, glad they’d decided on takeout instead of testing his limited cooking skills. He took a bite, savoring it before looking at her playfully. “So… should we race to see who finishes first?”

"Only if we're in a race, though I do like to savor my food. This is good but I might end up being done first?" giving a wink. Jali taking a bite of her food. She really didn't want to inhale it, just needed to allow herself to enjoy the flavors.

“No, I don’t think we need to race,” Liam said before taking another bite, chasing it with a sip of ale. He looked across the table at her. “Better to savor it… just don’t be too surprised if I still manage to keep up.”

A toothy grin from Jali, as she settled back to eating, and taking sips of her ale. And it was good ale. Perhaps she should slow down on her drinking.

After a few bites, Liam lifted his glass and took a long sip, finishing it off. “That’s some really good ale.” He said, reaching to refill his glass. He glanced over at Jali. “Want a top up while I’m at it?”

"Yes please, and that is good ale." she drank the rest of hers then held out her glass to be refilled.

Jali was feeling a little bit of a buzz already coming on. That ale was rather potent, she could put it in the category of blood wine. Good thing she did have food in her belly to help counteract the ale. Looking down at her plate, there was two more bites left. She ate those,.

For the next several minutes, they ate in silence, each focused on their meal. When Liam finished his last bite, he set his utensils on the plate and slid it toward the middle of the table. Reaching for his ale, he took a sip before he smiled at her.

“I’m stuffed. That was a solid choice.” He said, then nodded toward the couch. "Do you want to take this over to the couch and get a little more comfortable?”

"I would love that. well after the table gets cleaned off. Sorry, habit from my mother." Jali quickly picking up her dishes and the to go box to take it to the recycler. She walked over to the couch, taking a seat, barely remembering not to plop herself down.

She leaned back stretching out her arms along the back of the couch and crossing one leg over the other. "Now we have some conversation."

Following her lead, Liam tidied up his own dishes and gathered their glasses of ale. When he turned back, he caught sight of her settled on the couch. She looked stunning. Carrying the glasses over, he set them on the table before taking a seat on the couch, angling his body toward her. “So…what shall we talk about?” He asked.

"Have we done the twenty questions of engagement, when one meets someone they like?" A twinkle in her eyes, her gaze following him, as Liam came to the sofa.

"What is your favorite past time you like to do? We can start with that." Jali giving a warm chuckle.

He thought for a moment. “Favorite pastime? Stargazing, without a doubt. There’s just something about looking up at the stars...makes me feel both small and connected at the same time.”

He grabbed his glass of ale. “That, and digging into history...especially ancient civilizations. I can get lost in old records or ruins just as easily as I can in the stars. Guess curiosity keeps me busy.”

Looking at her, he asked. “What about you?”

"History?! Oh I love reading about history, getting to know about the different races and cultures. Its good to have that knowledge when being in security but also, like you I can get lost in reading about civilizations. And Stargazing-"

Jali moving to face Liam. "When you get the chance, go star gazing on the Mongolian plains. At times I imagined I could reach out and touch the stars."

Liam smiled recalling a memory from his childhood. "It's been year's since I've been there." He said. "My mother took me to Mongolian plains a few times when I was a kid...honestly, I think that's where my love of stargazing really started."

Her eyes went large as saucers. "You were? Uh, how old were you when you went there and, hmmnnn how old are you now?"

Jali scooted slightly closer to Liam, greatly interested to find out his answer.

“First time? I must’ve been about five or six,” He said. “My mother thought it was important for me to see wide, open skies without anything in the way.” He smiled at her. “And right now? Thirty-two. Though some days, depending on the shifts, I feel about twice that.”

"I'm 30, and I think its wonderful that you've been there. I first went to Mongolia when I was age 6. Stayed there for two years, that is when I learned to ride horses and started to get to know my haritages. It was during the Klingon War. My grandparents on my mother's side felt it was best that I go to Earth. My parents were agreeable to that. As I grew up, I spent time off and on, until I turned 18 that is when I joined StarFleet."

She reached over to her ale and took a drink from the cup, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Have you ever gone back to Mongolia, after you visited for the first time?"

Liam listened intently, his expression softening as she spoke about her childhood and time in Mongolia. He smiled when she mentioned riding horses at six.

“I went back a few times as a kid.” He said. “But it’s been a very long time since I last set foot there. Life… and Starfleet… kept pulling me in other directions.” He lifting his glass. “Sounds like I might need to make the trip again one day.” He took a sip.

"When you do- perhaps I can accompany you to give you a tour?" Another drink from her glass almost emptying it. "Uh what age were you when you last went?" Jali was wondering about something. Talk about visits to Mongolia was stirring up memories.

Liam grinned. “Is that you talking, or the ale?” He teased before pausing to think back. “Last time I was there, I must’ve been… 11, maybe 12. Like I said, it’s been a while.” He gave a small shrug. “Feels like another lifetime ago.”

Jali swallowed the rest of her ale placing the glass down. Scooting a little bit closer. "Its not the drink that was talking. it was me-" having a rather intense gaze in her eyes, a long buried memory was drifting towards the surface.

"When I was around 9 or 10, I had been riding my horse and she got spooked, managed to get her stopped, but there was this boy, who had helped to stop her. He seemed to be unafraid. He had dark hair, was very nice, and rather calm in the situation.His eyes were of an intense blue-"

She pulled back. "Nah, it couldn't be." she reached for her glass, realizing that it was empty. "Hmmnn maybe a little bit more. Or not."

Liam blinked at her words. A flicker of recognition stirring in the back of his mind. His brow furrowed then his expression eased into a quiet realization. "A horse that spooked on the plains...? "He asked. "Dark mane, if I remember right?" He looked at her with a note of suprise in hsi voice. "That was you....wasn't it?"

Jali could feel goosebumps rise up all over her. "Yes, that was my horse.Svetlana, 'shining star'."

She murmured as if to herself, "There is no way this can be happening. Only in storybooks." Once more looking into his beautifui blue eyes. "I never got the boy's name, oh thank you! If it weren't for you, my horse would have been hurt. I don't know what to say. Well except-" she moved forward, pulling Liam close and kissing him.

Liam smiled against the kiss. “Well, that’s certainly one way to say thank you.” He hesitated for a moment then asked. “This might be a little forward… but would you like to stay the night?”

"Yes I would like that." Jali answered without hesitation. "You are not being forward, you are being-honest. I like that." Pulling him in for another kiss.

As their kiss broke, Liam took her hand in his and without a word, he guided them to the bedroom.

---

A post by

Lieutenant Liam Blackwood
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Five

LTjg Jali Andloch
Security/Investigations
Deep Space Five

 

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