Trying To Untangle The Gordian Knot - Part 3

Posted on Sun Jan 24th, 2016 @ 1:32am by Commander Louie Rousseau & Céline Valois
Edited on on Sun Jan 24th, 2016 @ 2:06am

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Valentino's Italian Restaurant

* Valentino’s *

They were shown to a booth and Louie waited for her to sit first, then slipped into the seat across from her. A server appeared and left a bottle of red wine and two glasses, then closed the curtains. Louie lifted the bottle and filled both glasses.

“So, may I ask what Li had to say?”

“Pretty much what I was hoping to hear, but was afraid might not happen. That just because I’m a clone doesn’t mean anything different would happen to me.” She sipped the wine and gave a sigh of relief. “Honestly, Louie, I was so scared about that. I had all of these awful images in my head of being taken into custody and being locked in some small, dark room for experimentation or something. Although, now that I think about it, it was pretty silly to even think that in this day and age.”

“Well, let’s see it from your point of view.” Louie sipped his wine and when he continued, his voice was slow and soothing, his slight Cajun accent more noticeable. “You just learned, after believing one thing for your whole life, that everything you knew was wrong. You walked into my office and saw your face in a photograph on my desk. You learned all the strangeness that was behind it. Who wouldn’t be panicked? At least a little?”

“True, but I also could have treated you a bit better as well, and for that I apologize.” She sipped more wine and began to chuckle. “The names I called you...wow.”

“Yeah.” He laughed a moment. “About that….it’s okay, really. There’s more important things to worry about than that.” He studied her as he took another sip of his wine. The low lighting caught the slight auburn highlights in her hair and he had to stop himself from reaching out to touch it. “Like why you ran out of my quarters like a bear was after you.”

She frowned and looked down into her glass. “As embarrassing as it is to say,” she said quietly, “I got concerned. I jumped to conclusions, without even knowing you, and assumed that you were going to have a problem differentiating me from your wife. And since I don’t know you, it scared me a bit.” She looked up. “But I did need to go see Captain Hawke. I, uh...just hadn’t actually scheduled the meeting yet.”

That admission actually got a laugh from Louie. “Look, Celine, there’s something you should know. What I said, about seeing my living room through your eyes? It could’ve been anyone’s eyes. Cy had harped on me for years about using her as a barrier to really living my current life, and only going through the motions instead. I blew it off. It’s just that with our conversation and trying to put myself in your shoes, I suddenly saw what it looked like. There’s nothing wrong with remembering, but when it becomes something that is keeps you from being here, now, and has you trying to live in the past, it’s not a good thing. Does that help?”

“It does, but it doesn’t make me feel any less foolish for thinking otherwise.” She shrugged. “I’m just glad you’re a nice guy.”

“So I’ve been told.” He smiled once more. “I want to reassure you on one point. You may look like her, but I promise you that you are very different and that’s a good thing. I imagine you’ve led an interesting life so far, and it’s made you the interesting woman you are today, yes?”

“I guess you could call it interesting. More nerd than anything, but...yeah.” She laughed now, actually feeling like doing so instead of forcing it.

“In this age, Celine, your scientific knowledge is of great value. We could have used someone like you when we ended up on Ba’ku hiding out before we were found. It would have made things so much simpler.” He reached for his empty glass but his aim was a little off, since he was looking at her, and tipped it off the edge of the table.

Thinking nothing of it, Celine’s hand darted out and grabbed for it before it fell too much further and shattered. “Tired, or a klutz?” she asked, jokingly.

“Focusing on more important things,” he answered. When she replaced his glass, he refilled it, then hers. “You’re quick. Good catch.”

She shrugged it off. “Nerdy and athletic,” she said. “I’ve always been pretty coordinated.” She looked up at him. “Wasn’t your wife this way?”

“Normal, I’d say. She never enjoyed things that took fine motor skills, like sewing, though in this age no one does that. It frustrated her terribly.” Louie turned his glass slowly between his fingers. “She enjoyed tennis, and there I’m giving my age away again, but she was terrible at it. She preferred to send me off with Cy for anything sports-related.”

“You know, I’d heard that the Admiral’s...wife?...still does quite a bit of handiwork. Pottery or basketweaving or something like that. I guess there’s something to be said about making some of your own things instead of just having the computer poof it into existence.”

Louie nodded, and something she’d said piqued his interest. “You said you were athletic. what is it that you like to do?”

“I ran everywhere when I was younger, so I like that. And swimming,” she said. “Archery was also pretty interesting. Mom and Dad had me playing all sorts of sports while growing up, just to try them out. Some weren’t so fun, but others were. I played tennis as well.”

“Did you now…” Louie raised an eyebrow at her. “We’ll have to play sometime then. Perhaps hoverball too, as it’s somewhat similar.” He moved his glass aside, carefully this time, and leaned towards her. “Tell me, do you like baseball?”

“I do,” she said, smiling. “I love the hot corner. Dad always wanted me elsewhere, shortstop or in the outfield. But third base was always more exciting.”

Louie opened his mouth to speak, but what would have come out was likely best saved for later. His face lit up however. “Best news I’d have in days. I’ve loaded a ton of games on the holodeck going back as far as the Black Sox scandal in 1919, all the way till this year’s series. Would you like to…..” He hesitated, suddenly afraid she would take it the wrong way.

“...play?” she said, finishing his sentence. “I haven’t played in a long time but I think I’d enjoy it.”

“Play and watch a game too. As fast as your hands are, I’d hate to be a runner headed for home with you and the ball behind him.” He fell silent, watching her once more “I’m glad you came.”

“I could watch a game, but I’m more interested in finding out if we could actually get a few teams together,” she said, the idea forming and getting her excited. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“It would. At the very least, we have holographic players until we round up some teams.” He hesitated before his next question. “What are you going to tell your parents?”

“They already know that I’ve met you here, and about your Celine,” she said as she looked around for the server. “I don’t know if they’ve told me everything they could have, so I’ll be looking into that more at a later time. I don’t want to push it and say something stupid.”

“I get that. Just give it time. We’ll work through this.” He parted the curtain and motioned to the waiter. “And call Helena? She’s seriously worried.”

“Helena,” she said, repeating her name. “I am so glad I met her on the way here. She is such a good person.”

“She stopped by to check on me after she left your quarters, but she didn’t say much. Just that she had tucked a rather liquid Celine into bed, ordered me to do the same, then took Cy home.” The waiter arrived at the table, looking from Celine to Louie. “Ready to order?”

“I am,” she said, looking to the server. “I’ll have a Caprese salad, chicken cacciatore, a bottle of Chianti Classico and ice water.” She smiled, a little embarrassed at having ordered an entire bottle, but she felt like she needed it. “Oh! Bread! Uh...some michetta, please.”

“Just double that,” Louie requested with a smile. Once the waiter was gone, he closed the curtains around the booth and turned back to Celine. “So after we eat all that and they have to beam us home because we can’t walk, will you have room for dessert?”


“Tiramisu,” she replied. “I’ll make room for that.”

“Let’s get that to go?” Louie asked. “There’s someone you should meet. Since we were speaking of baseball.”

“And who might that be?”

“Well, given you are the science teacher, I thought you might like to meet the newest species to be discovered and admitted to the Federation. Well, she’s off the station but her offspring are here. Her one male spiderling stays with me when she is gone,” Louie answered. “He’s also a serious baseball fan.”

“Oh, wait...the big spider had babies?” she asked, her eyes wide. “And they can talk, too?”

“They do.” Louie nodded. “They all three have very distinct personalities too. Just promise me that you’ll keep your sense of humour? Little Kahuna, that’s what Iggy named this male offspring, has spent a fair bit of time around me watching sports, and Cy in general.”

Celine laughed. “Little Kahuna? Where did...Iggy? That’s the mother? Where did she come up with that name?”

“Well, Admiral Wegener, the station CO? He became known as the Big Kahuna. Long story, according to Iggy. So she named her one surviving male offspring after him.” Louie laughed. “It fits, I have to admit.”

“Wow,” she said, still smiling as the server arrived with their wine and bread. “I guess he’s pretty proud of that, huh?”

“I’ve not heard to the contrary.” He poured more wine for her. “So is that a yes?”


“Sure! He sounds very interesting.” She poured a glass of wine. “And how do you know him?”

“Well, Chance, Cadet Conradi who led your tour yesterday, brought him into the office one day and left him there while he was in class. We got to discussing things and one thing led to another. I should warn you though, he was a little fascinated with the photograph. It was the first time he’d seen an image of people that wasn’t live and moving.” Louie broke off a piece of the bread and took a bite. “He...uh...thought the woman was lovely.”

“He has good taste, then,” she said, also taking some of the bread. “I’d like to meet him. I’ve never spoken to a spider before. That whole concept just seems a bit strange.”

“It does take some getting used to, I’ll admit.” Louie fell silent as he has some more bread and watched her. She seemed much more relaxed and he was extremely glad. He was far less tightly wound too. “You’ll get used to it.”

“Where does Iggy live? Does she have her own quarters here?” She squirreled up her face at that question. “Do spiders even need quarters?”

“She lives with Commander Zeferino, Chief of Security, and Jackson Banning, who owns the Nexus Club. She was, I gather, originally Oz’s pet and much smaller. I’m not too clear on how her change came about but Chance could tell you the story, I bet,” Louie answered.

“The things you see in the Delta Quadrant.”

The server arrived with their salads, and Celine almost bit his hand off as he placed them on the table. She felt as if she were starving.

After the first bite the look of satisfaction on her face must have been ridiculous. She burst out laughing, trying to keep the food in her mouth and not spray it all over Louie’s food.

Louie watched her, amused, then realized he was just as ravenous. He had not eaten since early the day before...before all the craziness began. “It’s been a long time since breakfast yesterday, hasn’t it? I forgot all about eating. There were more important things on my mind.”

She nodded but didn’t slow down and figured she looked horrific just shoveling the food into her mouth. She did stop for sips of wine, occasionally, to wash it down. “Oh, man, this is so good!”

“Agreed.” Louie continued to eat whatever appeared in front of him till he could hold no more. Finally he pushed the last plate aside. “I give up. Well, one more sip.” He reached for his glass, watching her as she continued to gobble her dinner. It was a tribute to his Cajun upbringing that he seriously appreciated someone who liked good food.

Celine still had a bit to go before her cacciatore was completely gone, but she was working hard at it. Finally, she waved over the server. “Two large pieces of tiramisu,” she said, “and whatever dessert he’s having. But can we get those to go? I’m struggling with finishing this.”

“Make it four pieces to go.” Once the server hurried off, he smiled at Celine. “Did I ever tell you where I grew up?”

“I don’t think you were able to fit it in between my calling you names and running out your door, no.” She smiled.

Louie laughed again. “I grew up on the bayou in Louisiana,” he answered. “I could navigate an area that most think impossible by the time I was eight. I also learned to appreciate good food. And fishing. Most saw me as a wild little thing until I went to the Academy.”

“I’ve never fished before,” Celine admitted. “I like boating, but I guess I just never had the opportunity to fish. And isn’t the bayou full of snakes?”

Louie nodded. “And alligators too. Alligator tail is delicious roasted, by the way. The bayou is overflowing with life, still. I made a visit home right after we were recovered, before Starfleet Intel pulled me back in.”

“Did you get to navigate some impossible areas while you were home?”

“I did but they now seem rather tame after where I’ve been.” He shrugged and reached for the cork, sealing up the remaining bottle. “We’ll take it to go with the dessert.”

“So, where to now?” she asked, anxiously awaiting the desserts. “I’m pretty sure we haven’t finished our talk.”

“Ummm...well if you want to meet Kahuna, my place. That okay?” he asked. “I don’t want you feeling uncomfortable or anything.”

“I think it’ll be fine. Besides, it won’t be long before we’re both too focused on the tiramisu.” She had a huge smile on her face as the server brought their takeaway boxes. “Well, let’s got meet little Kahuna.”

Louie smiled back at her, then picked up the bag containing the boxes of dessert. “Let’s do it.”

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Céline Valois
Lt. Commander Louie Rousseau
Looking Past The Surface