Logical Dating

Posted on Wed Feb 11th, 2026 @ 10:46am by Lieutenant JG Kate Kono & Ensign Aidan "A.J." Reid

2,990 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Not All Orders Are Easy
Location: AJ's Quarters
Timeline: current

Na'Riss entered the threshold of AJ's doorway, her silhouette backlit by the corridor's amber lighting. AJ's greeting died on his lips as his gaze traveled over the Vulcan woman's form. She wore a sapphire-blue crop top that clung to her like a second skin, its gossamer fabric held in place by delicate straps that criss-crossed her shoulders and wrapped around her mid-section. The garment concealed only what Federation censors would deem absolutely necessary, leaving her toned abdomen completely bare. Below, her obsidian shorts rode so low on her hips that they seemed to defy the laws of physics, revealing a dangerous expanse of emerald-tinted skin that would make even the famously libertine Edo blush with scandalized delight. Though AJ had long ago grown accustom to the wildest displays of human flesh back home—he'd seen Kingston's beachside parties and the Carnival bacchanals of Port of Spain, and at Starfleet Academy he’d witnessed the undulating parade of bodies at every multicultural mixer—he had never once imagined a Vulcan would stroll into his quarters in an ensemble that bordered on erotic. Vulcans, as far as he knew, weren't supposed to be so... ostentatious. They were the galaxy’s reigning champions of ascetic dignity, the proud descendants of ancient ascetics who'd traded violence for logic and embraced a philosophy of restraint so stringent that even their romantic overtures were governed by yearly, almost bureaucratic, biological impulses. The textbooks had clearly omitted a footnote about starbase shore leave.


Yet here was Na'Riss, standing before him with a sartorial defiance that, on any other species, would have been a coy invitation to scandal. He was taken aback—not just by her appearance, but by the way she regarded him, head slightly tilted, one eyebrow nearly lost in her jet-black bangs, as if daring him to react. For a moment, AJ's own logic circuits threatened to short out, and he was acutely aware of his own uniform’s stiff collar and regulation sleeves. Had he missed some unspoken Starfleet memo about interspecies dating attire? Or was this some Vulcan test, a psychological experiment in the limits of human composure?


He doubted it, judging by the minute quirk at the corner of Na'Riss’s mouth—the Vulcan equivalent of a full-blown smirk. She stepped inside, the corridor’s light sketching her edges in gold, and with every movement the geometric straps of her top caught and refracted the ambient glow. AJ tried to will his gaze up to her face and keep it there, but the effort was doomed from the start.


He cleared his throat, hoping his voice wouldn't crack. "Mi see plenty women in bikini back home, y'know, so dis outfit shouldn't trouble me—but I have to say," he paused, his accent softening as he searched for words, "on you? It leave me speechless. What's di occasion?"

"I have conducted research on human courtship rituals," Na'Riss said, her voice maintaining its measured cadence despite the subject matter. "It appears most logical to adapt to your cultural expectations regarding physical intimacy. Unlike Vulcans, humans do not operate on a seven-year cycle of Pon Farr. Our previous social engagement proved satisfactory by all objective metrics." She clasped her hands behind her back, a formal posture that contrasted with her attire. "I am prepared to engage in preliminary physical contact. This would allow you to make an informed decision regarding potential future intimacy. My research suggests a 94.3% probability that you will find the experience... agreeable."

AJ's eyes widened to saucers, and he yanked her inside with the urgency of a man who'd spotted a photon torpedo aimed at his quarters. The door hissed shut behind them, and he gripped Na'Riss's bare shoulders, his dark fingers contrasting against her jade-tinged skin. His gaze betrayed him, traveling the length of her form despite his better judgment, lingering on the geometric patterns of her top before snapping back to her impassive face.

"Na'Riss, mi nuh want to mess up di finest chance to bed a Vulcan dat might come mi way in dis lifetime, but where mi come from, dis pace too quick, y'understand?" AJ said, his voice dropping an octave.

Na'Riss arched one elegant eyebrow, the overhead light catching the obsidian sheen of her perfectly straight bangs. "Your physiological responses indicate sexual attraction, yet your verbal communication suggests reluctance. This appears to be a logical inconsistency requiring clarification."

"Listen to mi now," AJ sighed, his accent thickening with emotion. "Mi want you bad, dat is di honest truth, but respect comes first. Dat means more outings together, learning 'bout each other proper, building what humans call 'chemistry' over time. When di physical joining finally happen, it nuh just bodies connecting—it's minds and spirits too. And," he paused, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, "it's logical as well."

Na'Riss held her gaze on AJ for a few seconds, her dark eyes widening almost imperceptibly as comprehension dawned across her features like the first rays of Vulcan's sunrise breaking over the Forge. AJ caught that fleeting shift—the microscopic relaxation at the corners of her mouth, the slight dilation of her pupils. In that heartbeat, volumes passed between them without a word spoken. Na'Riss tilted her head a fraction to the left, considering his words as one might examine an unexpected variable in an elegant equation. She gave him a subtle nod, the movement so controlled it barely disturbed her gleaming black bangs. Then, with deliberate grace that belied the significance of the gesture, she uncurled her slender fingers and brought her hand forward. Her gaze lifted to meet his, and her jade-tinted fingertips—cool and smooth as polished stone—traced the contours of his cheekbone with scientific precision that somehow conveyed more tenderness than any human caress.

AJ ran a hand over his close-cropped hair, his eyes darting briefly to the geometric patterns of her top before meeting her gaze again. "You want to change into a proper Starfleet uniform for di rest of di evening? Mi can wait if you feeling... exposed."

Na'Riss clasped her hands behind her back, her posture military-straight despite her revealing attire. One eyebrow arched precisely as she replied, "Returning to my quarters would require approximately 12.4 minutes, accounting for turbolift variables. Such an expenditure of time appears illogical when weighed against our limited recreational hours." Her eyes remained coolly analytical as she added, "Furthermore, your previous statement regarding Kingston's beach attire suggests this level of epidermal display falls well within your cultural parameters of acceptability."

AJ's shoulders relaxed as he gestured toward the small seating area. "Fine den," he said with a sigh that carried both resignation and anticipation. "So tell mi, how was your work today?"

Na'Riss settled herself with perfect posture on the edge of the chair, the geometric patterns of her top catching the ambient light. "I devoted approximately 4.3 hours to the classification of subspace sensor readings against the established stellar cartography database," she replied, her voice measured and precise. "The majority of detected phenomena—99.2% to be exact—conformed to expected parameters. However, we encountered a most fascinating quantum variance in the Gamma-6 sector of the scanning grid that defied standard categorization protocols. Such anomalies, while statistically improbable, are not without precedent in this region of space."

"Dat sounds..." AJ paused, his dark eyes warming as they met hers, "...fascinating. So yuh work with both sensor arrays and warp engines? Mi impressed, star girl."

Na'Riss tilted her head at a precise angle to the right, her obsidian eyes narrowing equally precisely as she assessed the human before her. The micro expressions that flickered across her face—a momentary tightening at the corner of her mouth, an infinitesimal raising of her left eyebrow—would have been imperceptible to most species.

"I find myself contemplating a medium-high probability that your attentiveness to my scientific endeavors is genuine, despite the cultural tendency of human males to employ such tactics as a pretext for romantic advancement," Na'Riss stated, her tone as measured as a calibrated tricorder. "Clarification would be most efficient for our continued discourse."

AJ stared at her for a long moment, his eyes softening as he leaned forward.

"Listen to mi heart, Na'Riss. If mi was to pretend 'bout how mi feel for you right now, you'd see through it faster than light through vacuum. You'd wipe mi away like bad data, y'understand? And dat would break somethin' in mi dat I couldn't fix." He placed his hand over his chest. "So when mi say mi interested, believe dat it come from a true place. Mi just need time to learn di beautiful puzzle of who you are."

Na'Riss regarded him with unwavering obsidian eyes, her single blink as deliberate as a computer processing new input. Without altering her expression, she extracted a sleek PaDD from the concealed pocket along her thigh, the device's polished surface catching the ambient light as she placed it on the burnished metal of the dining table. She gestured with one jade-tinged hand for him to join her.

"Observe the spectral analysis matrix," Na'Riss said, her voice maintaining its characteristic evenness as her slender finger traced across holographic data streams that cast emerald reflections across her features. "This display illustrates the frequency bandwidth monitored by both stellar cartography and the ship's primary sensor array." She indicated another section where pulsing energy signatures flowed like digital rivers. "Here we see the power distribution coefficients of the transceiver network. I have formulated a novel scanning protocol wherein we emit a calibrated signal prior to entering a star system, then collect the echo data after completing our warp transit. The methodology functions as a self-administered diagnostic scan, with our vessel serving as both emission source and collection point. The resultant sensor shadow patterns reveal objects of interest with remarkable clarity—from Oort cloud particulates to planetary satellites, vessel signatures, mineral-rich asteroids, cryogenic comets, and other phenomena that defy standard classification."

AJ leaned forward, his dark eyes reflecting the emerald glow of the PaDD display as he studied the intricate patterns of light and data. His full lips curved into a slow, appreciative smile. "Like when yuh capture shadows in a photograph—di absence of light tellin' yuh more 'bout what dere dan di light itself, star girl."

Na'Riss's posture straightened, her dark Vulcan eyes widening a calculated fraction. "Your analogy, while simplified, demonstrates an unexpected comprehension of the underlying principles. The methodology does indeed rely on negative space data interpretation rather than direct observation," she stated, one eyebrow arching upward.

AJ leaned closer, his warm breath carrying the faint scent of cardamom as he studied the elegant data patterns. "Dis technique—it come from your own mind? Or is standard procedure for Starfleet ops and security officers?" His dark fingers hovered reverently above static display.

Na'Riss's eyes flickered momentarily to his face, noting the genuine intellectual curiosity in his expression. "I developed this methodology independently," she replied, her voice measured and cool. "The foundational principles exist within Starfleet operational parameters, but the specific application represents my own logical refinement of established scanning protocols." She straightened her already-perfect posture. "The efficiency improvements are... substantial."

AJ's eyes narrowed as he pulled the PADD closer, his calloused fingertips hovering above the luminescent display. The anomalous pattern revealed itself—odd integers disrupting the expected sequence of even numbers precisely 5AU from their position, arranged with mathematical elegance rather than chaotic distribution.

"Interesting..." he murmured, his Jamaican lilt softening the word as he rose from the table, the chair scraping softly against the polished deck.

Na'Riss followed with fluid precision, her obsidian eyes tracking his movements as he activated the wall monitor with a practiced gesture. The stellar cartography display materialized—a three-dimensional tapestry of celestial bodies rendered in cool blues and whites.

"Ensign Reid to Operations Control," he said, tapping his combadge. "Mi need yuh to run a scan based on a bullseye from di local SOL core, seen?"

"Roger that, Reid. Send parameters," came the crisp reply.

AJ's fingers danced across the PADD twice before extending it toward Na'Riss. "Yuh see what mi seeing, star girl?"

Na'Riss accepted the device with one arched eyebrow, her jade-tinted fingertips tracing a mathematically perfect line from the system's star to the anomalous readings.

"I am transmitting coordinates that exhibit a 98.7% probability of significance," she stated, her voice measured and precise. "Local bullseye on Ascension Romeo Alpha zero six hours, forty-five, tac zero nine. Declination negative sixteen-forty-three-tac null. The logical course of action would be to route this data to Ensign Reid's personal console for further analysis."

The Operations officer's voice crackled through the comm system, tension evident in his tone. "Do we need to notify the captain of this anomaly, sir?"

"Not at dis time," AJ replied as he focused on the pulsing data points. "We just observin' for now, Control. Reid out." He terminated the connection with a precise tap of his finger.

Na'Riss stood with perfect posture beside him, her dark eyes reflecting the blue glow of the tactical display. "Logic dictates we establish continuous monitoring protocols for this spatial sector and program the computer to alert us to any deviations exceeding 0.3% from baseline. The pattern suggests a 76.2% probability of a vessel utilizing cloaking technology."

"Too soon to tell, star girl," AJ said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he studied the geometric arrangement of anomalous readings. "Di object be well outside weapons range, but it could simply be a sensor shadow caused by gravitational lensing."

Na'Riss's right eyebrow elevated yet again. "I find it most fascinating that our social engagement has evolved to include the detection of potentially significant astronomical phenomena. This 'date' has proven to be unexpectedly stimulating."

AJ's eyes crinkled at the corners as he turned to Na'Riss, his smile spreading across his face like a sunrise over Kingston Bay. "Yuh see? Even di stars conspire to bring we together tonight." He laughed deep from his chest, the sound filling the space between them. "Come now, star girl—let's hail Captain Kate and tell her what we discover while supposed to be eatin' dinner. She gonna tink we di strangest couple in di quadrant, seen?"

Kate burst into AJ's quarters, her steps faltering as she caught sight of Na'Riss. The young Vulcan woman stood like a midnight vision in a black dress that hugged every curve, thin straps crossing her emerald-tinged shoulders.

"Holy Vulcan Love Slave..." Kate muttered, averting her eyes. AJ emerged from the shadows of the corridor, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the ambient lighting.

"Come, we got somethin' to show you," AJ called, his voice carrying that familiar island lilt as he beckoned them toward his workroom.

Kate arched an eyebrow. "If this is some exotic interspecies proposition, I should remind you my boyfriend's the jealous type."

"In me office," AJ insisted, his dark eyes serious beneath the soft dreadlocks framing his face.

"Office, bedroom, antigrav chamber—doesn't matter where," Kate quipped, but as she stepped into the workroom, the professional arrangement of displays made it clear this wasn't what she'd imagined.

"We not callin' you for no romantic entanglement!" AJ exclaimed. "We were enjoyin' our evening when we stumble upon this. You need to see it."

Kate's rapid blinking betrayed her surprise. "Your date night turned into work?" She shook her head with mock disappointment, then leaned forward, voice dropping. "What exactly did you find?"

Na'Riss and AJ huddled with Kate over the glowing console, pointing at the anomalous sensor readings.

"See that?" AJ's long finger traced the blip. "Stars don't just disappear like dat. And look—trajectory's changing. Whatever it is, it's slowing down."

Kate's eyes narrowed. "Did either of you geniuses think to notify the bridge?"

"We wanted to be certain before we—" AJ began, but never finished.

With a mischievous grin, Kate held her finger in front of her in a sign for him to stop talking. Kaate then went to the replicator replicator. A perfectly yellowed 1950s newspaper materialized, complete with faded headlines about flying saucers. She rolled it tight and launched herself upward, whacking AJ's curly head with surprising accuracy despite their height difference.

Na'Riss's normally stoic face twitched as Kate bounced on her toes for another strike.

"Me head! Me poor head!" AJ yelped, arms flailing above him like a windmill. "Ya mon, I surrender! I'll tell de bridge right away!"

Na'Riss leaned forward, her emerald silk dress rustling as she positioned herself between them. With precise movements, she indicated the blinking anomaly on AJ's monitor and activated the IFF transponder with a deliberate tap.

Kate opened her mouth to inquire, but the screen flashed with confirmation—Starfleet Shuttlecraft.

"At least we not facing Klingons today," AJ remarked, his rich voice carrying a melodic lilt. "Dat would make for a different kind of evening, yeah?"

"Your presence on the bridge would be logical," Kate said to Na'Riss, "if not for the statistically significant probability of decreased efficiency among the command staff."

Na'Riss regarded Kate with a measured elevation of her eyebrow before turning to AJ with characteristic precision.

"I find our social engagement has been both satisfactory and stimulating," Na'Riss stated. "Logic dictates we should repeat this experience at the earliest convenient opportunity."

Kate jabbed an elbow into AJ's ribs and whacked him across the back of his head with the replicated newspaper, the pages making a satisfying *thwap* against his skull. "That, my Islander friend, is the universal Vulcan mating signal for 'she wants to explore your final frontier.'"

Kate's snort-laugh echoed as she brandished the now-crumpled paper like a conductor's baton, pointing toward the exit.

"To the bridge!" she proclaimed with all the gravitas of a B-movie space captain. "Where no man has been awkward before!"

Na'Riss's gaze traveled unhurriedly from AJ's feet to his eyes, lingering just long enough for the corners of her mouth to lift a precise millimeter—a controlled fracture in her usual composure—before Kate yanked him into the hallway.

 

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