Star Trek: Constellations
Westfall/Star Trek TNG Crossover Fanfiction #1
Scene 12
Hudson rocked on his feet as he waited outside the orange metal door of holodeck three. He had donned a gray vest over his turquoise shirt, the latter tucked into black pants. His dark hair was neatly combed and his face shaven—aside from his salt-and-pepper sideburns.
He heard footsteps after a moment, and when he turned to meet them, his brown eyes widened in astonishment.
Gemini was in a navy blue tunic with deep red edges that buttoned up to her neck and hung down to her knees. A turquoise cloth was wrapped loosely around her left shoulder, and a red sash was tied at her waist. Black boots reached her knees, meeting with dark pants beneath the split sides of her tunic.
“Gosh,” the man breathed. “You look... beautiful.”
Gemini turned her head as if to hide her reddening face, only to eye him coyly. “You look pretty sharp, yourself.”
Hudson held his breath as she playfully tugged on his vest near his shoulders. “It’s just... some of the clothes they gave me,” he replied with a shrug once she had stepped back. “That sure is a pretty outfit.”
“It’s a traditional Aravasti tunic,” she held her hands at her waist. “I thought it only fitting for where I’d like to take us tonight.”
Hudson’s eyes again lit up as she stepped up to the computer panel and pressed a few buttons.
“Program selected: Gemini 5.” The computer announced.
“Run program,” she spoke.
“Enter when ready.” The computer replied after a brief pause.
Gemini turned to Hudson, holding out her hand.
His lips broke into a light smile, and he grasped her hand tightly.
The door opened before them, revealing a lush landscape of sandstone juniper trees, and a wide bay glistening in the moonlight above.
They barely stepped inside enough for the door to close behind them when Hudson pulled them both to a stop.
“Is this the village where you lived?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“It’s beautiful—I know I keep sayin’ that,” he chuckled. “But I’m at such a’loss for other words.”
“‘Beautiful’ works,” she smiled, wrapping her hands around his arm and coaxing him forward. They stepped up to a wide veranda overlooking the houses and streets below that continued down the hill until they reached the bay in the distance. The sound of crickets, distant waves, and the wind brushing gently through the juniper trees created a light blanket of sound around the couple. The golden lights of warm homes below them and far across the bay dotted the landscape like the stars overhead. Despite being a simulation, the village of Elara was full of peace and comfort.
Whether it was the scene evoking the memories of her past, the ever-approaching docking at Starbase 203, or both, Gemini’s eyes grew solemn the longer they stood together. She could feel his warmth at her side and her arm tightly tucked within his—only increasing her wish for the feeling to never end.
“You’d mentioned you were wantin’ to talk about somethin’?” Hudson asked after a moment, a haggard expression paling his face. “‘Cause I’ll be honest, I’m lookin’ for anything to keep my mind off’a what’s comin’ in three days.”
Gemini’s lips pressed into a smile; it appeared Hudson’s mind was exactly where hers had been. “Well, then, this may be good news: there may be a way to keep you on board.”
His eyes grew wide. “Really?”
“I just have to ask the captain,” she looked up at him. “That is... if that’s something you would want.”
“Oh—oh of course!” His head bobbed as he tried to find a string of words, “Everything about this ship is incredible: the people, the places, the possibilities... but all that pales in comparison to you,” he added, squeezing her arm.
She blushed, pouting in a touched smile. “I hope you know I feel the same way,” she nuzzled her head against his arm.
He could only maintain the excitement for so long, however, as the reality of his words sunk in. “But then... well, everyone else’ll be leavin’...”
“Yeah...” she found herself much less confident as well.
Again, the two fell into silence. Despite being surrounded by the soothing atmosphere of the Aravasti village, Gemini and Hudson were restless. Both knew a sacrifice would need to be made, whether it be friends, their career, or their love itself. Both desperately knew what they wanted to hear, but both found it difficult to do so.
At last, Gemini turned from their view to glance at Hudson, only to find that his expression had changed. It had grown solemn, almost melancholic, as his brows arched over his dark eyes. She bit her lip in determination and held out her hands. “Hudson?”
He eyed them for a moment before taking them, wrapping his tan fingers around hers. “Ma’am?”
She straightened her posture, taking a step toward him to narrow the space between them. “I want to make a promise.”
Hudson watched her expectantly.
“I want to promise that, no matter what happens, I will be with you.”
He glanced at their hands for a moment. “I like that promise,” he admitted almost sheepishly.
She tried to smile, though the weight of her words caused her to pause. “Whether that means you stay with me... or I go with you...”
“You’d leave here—The Enterprise—to be with me?” He seemed surprised, despite his voice barely rising above a whisper.
She bit her lip. “I... I can’t be without you. I hope it wouldn’t come to that, but... if it does, so be it.”
His smile squashed almost embarrassedly. “Then, I promise that, too; with everything I am.”
Gemini remained hesitant. “Even if it means leaving everyone from Westfall?”
“It wouldn’t be easy to leave ‘em, but, I’d choose stayin’ with you in a heartbeat.” His smile stretched wide. “Gemini, I...” He stopped, as if choking on the words, before giving her hand a squeeze. “I love you.”
The words struck her like a phaser to her heart. Despite wanting nothing more than to hear him speak them, she felt both overjoyed and dumbfounded. But when the man before her pulled her in, she immediately wrapped her arms around him and held him with all her might.
“I love you, too,” she admitted into his chest.
“And I promise, no matter what, I’ll always love you,” he spoke into her white strands of hair.
She smiled, squashing her eyes shut as she remained tucked in his arms.
“I like that promise, too.”
Hudson and Gemini remained together for a while longer, walking and talking among the quiet streets of Gemini’s village before they decided to return to the reality of the Starship Enterprise.
With her arm tucked beneath his, Gemini called for the door.
“So, if I wanted to give you a nickname,” Hudson was continuing their conversation as they stepped through into the hallway, “would you accept ‘Gemmie’?”
Gemini rolled her eyes with a laugh. “Wow; that’s what my sister called me when she was little—oh!” She jumped when she saw the ship’s engineer standing at the holodeck control panel beside them. “Geordi—sorry, were you needing the holodeck?”
“Oh, no, ma’am; I was just waiting to run a diagnostic,” he said simply without turning his head.
“I thought you ran that earlier today and didn’t find anything wrong?”
The man didn’t move. “I’m checking something else.”
“Okay; well, everything seemed to be running fine this time.” Gemini tucked closer to Hudson.
He kept his visor focused on the panel in silence as the couple disappeared down the hall.
“But anyway,” Gemini continued once they were well on their way, “I think ‘Gemmie’ will need to stay retired; it reminds me too much of my sister.”
“Then, how about ‘Gem’?” Hudson asked as they approached the turbolift.
The Aravasti smiled. “I like Gem.”
“Then, it’s settled,” he said, reaching down to kiss her cheek. “I love you, Gem.”
“I love you too, Hudson. Hud? Son...?” She ended with a giggle as Hudson also began to chuckle. “I’ll think of a better nickname for you, don’t worry.”
They continued to laugh as the turbolift doors slid shut.
Scene Notes
- I wrote this scene before most of the story... 😅 I just got hit with the drawing idea and had to write the scene for it and here we are.
- (If anyone can think of a better nickname for Hudson, Gemini and I are accepting suggestions!)