"Homesick"
By Ensign Saris, Security Officer
Location: Bridge, Starbase 163
Stardate 57906.28, 12h14
***
Saris sat down at the computer terminal in her starbase quarters and keyed
in the access number for her home on Risa. Within a moment, the familiar
face of her father appeared on the screen.
Allowing herself a small smile, Saris asked, "Hello daddy, how have you
been?"
Her father seemed to pause a moment then smiled in return. "Business
is booming. Our hotel sure misses you as its main act. When do you think
you will be returning to Risa for leave?"
Saris grinned. "Rumor has it that my ship is being diverted to Risa for
shore leave for the crew. So if that is the case I may be there a lot
sooner than you think. How is mother?"
Varmos smiled politely. "She is doing well. She has a big surprise in store
for you, however she begged me not to spoil it for you. I do hope those
rumors are true, because I'm not entirely sure how much longer I can keep
this a secret."
Saris smiled slyly at her father as she replied, "I could always torture it
out of you...but what fun would that be."
Varmos eyed his daughter warily then shrugged. "I still wouldn't tell you.
This is too important to your mother, and I would be ashamed of myself if I
told you."
Saris nodded then asked, "Is Mother there right now?"
Varmos shook his
head. "She's out running errands, then she is going to be busy preparing the
hotel for our new act. Maybe if you will be arriving soon, you can send us
a brief message so that we can prepare a nice party for you and some of your
new friends."
Saris smiled and realized how much she missed her father. Reaching her hand
to touch the screen, Varmos likewise did the same and for a moment it felt
as though they were holding hands. Saris fought back a tear as she said, "I
love you daddy..."
Varmos lowered his head slightly and replied, "I love you too Saris...now go
and have some fun. Hopefully we'll see you in a few days. Goodbye, my
precious daughter."
Saris quietly mouthed, "Goodbye" as the screen went dark. Standing up and
straightening her uniform, she went out to the promenade to finish her last
minute shopping before the Sulu arrived in two hours.
"Starbase 163"
by Captain Matthew T. Salinger, Commanding Officer
Location: Bridge, USS Sulu
Stardate 57906.28, 14h32
***
Captain's Log, Stardate 57906.28.
We have just entered the Tamorr'a system, and are fifteen minutes out from
Starbase 163. The memorial service for those lost on Dorvali was held last
night, and was a very...moving ceremony. The loss of those crew is still
felt prominently on the ship. I believe it will take us some time to get
through this loss. The counselling staff will no doubt be getting lots of
work, as is usually the case during a tragedy such as Dorvali. At least
there is a hope of an open relationship with the Dorvalis, as we've begun
calling them. Hopefully we will soon have a proper name to attribute to the
species.
I still haven't received word on what our next mission will be. Admiral
Kenyon is keeping our orders secret for now, however, he did indicate it was
a mission this ship and this crew was made for. There's a part of me that
hates secrets like this, especially when they're being kept by an admiral,
but I do find myself looking forward to this.
Lieutenant Tagliesh's recovery from her injuries is nearly complete, and she
has been ordered to light duty for the next couple days. After that, she
will be back to normal duty, and will be responsible for leading the
preliminary analysis on our findings from Dorvali 449.
The ship is running smoothly and, despite the reduced morale, performance
reports are scoring high numbers. I know we can recover from the losses
we've sustained, but as with all injuries, the healing process will take time.
Matt Salinger shut off the log recorder and filed the report for Starfleet
Command. The mushroom shaped station loomed on the forward viewer as they
approached Starbase 163. Matt had never been to this particular starbase
before, but he had heard some interesting stories about the civilian areas
of the station. Commander Preston had told him once that the Terran
restaurant made some of the best Cajun cuisine this side of Sisko's on earth.
Sam turned from the Ops station. "We are being hailed by Starbase 163,
Captain."
"On screen, Mr. Sam."
A moment later, the starscape was replaced by an older looking Bolian woman. "Good afternoon, Captain Salinger," she began.
"Admiral T'sr," Matt said with a smile. "I didn't realize they'd put you
out here."
"For the last three years," she said. "I hear the Sulu will be stopping by
for a day or two."
"That's correct," Matt said. "Supply and crew transfers, and then we're off
to wherever Starfleet needs us."
"We're full up inside, but I'll have an orbital berth made available to you."
"Thank you, Admiral," Matt said with a gracious nod.
"It is our pleasure," she replied. "I'll have our Operations officer send
the coordinates to you."
Matt nodded and glanced to McKenzie. The flight controller turned back to
Salinger. "I've got them, sir."
"Slow to one half impulse," Matt ordered. "Take us to quarter impulse at
one hundred thousand kilometers. At the first marker, slow to thrusters and
take us in, Giles."
"Aye, sir," McKenzie said, and laid in the new course to take the Sulu into
an orbital booth.
The process was quick and effortless. Ten minutes later, the Sulu had
obtained an orbit around Starbase 163.
Matt opened a channel. "Salinger to all senior staff," he began. "We've
arrived at Starbase 163. Operations should begin processing new personnel
and equipment as well as overseeing any transfers off the ship. All
department heads should oversee any equipment or personnel transfers for
their own departments. Also, two hour passes should be made available to
any crew wishing to spend time on the station while off-duty. Any
questions, report to me or Commander Lyrr. Salinger out."
Matt glanced at Lyrr Tayla sitting next to him and smiled. "Well, we made
it, Number One."
"Jam Session, Part 1"
By: Ensign Kit Markham
Ensign Amy Reese
Location: Sickbay, USS Sulu
Stardate 57906.28, 14h50
***
"Can I help you, Ensign?" the tall human in security colours asked.
Kit Markham looked up at him--then again, Kit Markham looked up at pretty
much everyone. He was one of the smallest guys in his whole graduating
class at the Academy, and had heard all the jokes. The man wore a pleasant
enough smile, so Kit decided he couldn't fault him for being born with tall
genes. "It's alright," he said. "Just looking around."
"Panels in the walls will tell you where to go if you get lost."
Kit nodded his thanks and the man wandered off. Once the officer was out
of his sight, he ran a hand through his dyed black hair and let out a
sigh. He hated coming aboard new starships, especially big ones. Getting
lost on a runabout was next to impossible. Glancing around and making
certain no one was watching, Kit tapped the interface on the
wall. "Computer," he said, "where's sickbay?"
"Sickbay is on Deck 5 in subsection 1-1-6."
A glance around the walls told Kit he was three decks down on the other end
of the ship. With another sigh, he muttered, "Great."
He then started down the long hallway to find a turbolift. As he arrived
at the lift, and stepped inside, he took a sheepish look around to make
sure he wasn't being watched. That'd be all he needed. If word got around
that the ship's pilot got lost so easily, he'd never live it down.
***
Kit stepped in through the doors of sickbay and looked around. He gave an
approving nod, and took a few more steps further into the room. Not a bad
place if you like to get sick, he said to himself. "Hello?"
"One minute!" came a cheerful female voice from within one of the supply
closets. "If you're injured or sick, have a seat on one of the beds. If
you're bleeding, try not to drip everywhere."
Kit leaned around to try to get a look at the person belonging to the voice
on the other side of the cabinet door. "Not hurt or bleeding, but I'll
remember that for the future. I just came aboard, so I'm just...checking
in, I guess. I'm not in a hurry...so keep...uh, doing whatever it is
you're doing in there. I used to know a guy who used a cabinet just like
that to perform magic tricks. He'd get someone to step inside, and poof,
they'd disappear. Everyone thought he had a small transporter stashed in
there, but it was really just a mirror."
"Believe me, if this thing were magic, I'd transport myself to a nice beach
somewhere." Amy Reese finally stepped back from the cabinet and closed the
door. She turned and greeted the visitor with a bright smile. As she moved
towards him, she realized that it really hadn't been a matter of perspective
and that, in fact, the officer really was as short as she'd first thought.
She made no comment, though, and instead giggled gently at the thought of
how much trouble he'd have getting onto the examination table. "So...what
can I do for you--" She leaned forward to get a look at his pips.
"--Ensign."
Kit handed her a padd he'd been holding. "Ensign Kit Markham reporting for
my standard pre-duty prodding. I guess they want to make sure they get a
good reading on my vitals and such before the transporter scrambles me, and
you guys down here in the surgical scrubs have to put me back together."
Amy snickered at him and tugged the padd from his grip. "Follow me," she
told him as she made her way towards the exam area and began reviewing his
medical history. "Nathanial Kitridge Ozymandius Markham?" Amy raised an
eyebrow. "Quite a mouthful."
"If you think it's a mouthful now, try it at seven," Kit said with a
grin. "So, as you can see, I go by Kit now. I think it's a lot
simpler. I only use my full name when I want to impress people with the
number of syllables."
Amy blindly patted the exam table with one hand, and set down the padd upon
the computer console with the other. "So, your parents were just as cruel
as
mine, were they?" She turned back to face Kit and grimaced. "My middle
name's Polly."
"Polly's not so bad," Kit said with a grin. "I mean, it could have been
Beatrice or Betty. Or worse than that, it could have been your first
name. But, it does only have two syllables. I used to tease the other
kids by giving them IQ tests. If they could say Ozymandius without
stuttering, I'd deem them geniuses. So, Polly's your middle name...which
would make your first and last name...?"
She smiled suspiciously at Kit and replied, "Amy...Reese. Ensign Amy Reese.
And did you know your medical record states that you're hair's red?" She
looked pointedly to the black mop atop Kit's head. "So, your mistake or
Starfleet's?"
Kit chuckled. "I guess it's my fault. Hair colour is one of the things I
can change about myself that Starfleet doesn't really have a half dozen
regulations against. I could also get tattoos, but I haven't found
anything I'd like to have permanently affixed to my body yet. I was
thinking of having a whole Sovereign-class starship done up on my
back...maybe with a shuttle coming in off my shoulder. Too elaborate?"
Amy laughed and reached back for her medical tricorder. "Maybe a tad. I've
actually got two myself." She passed the probe over his head and watched
the readings appear on the tricorder's display. "I could help you choose
one, if you'd
like. I mean, we do have the same taste in hair colour, so I imagine we
have similar taste in other things too."
"I'd like that," Kit said with a smile. "It's always nice to have another
eye looking over things like that. A friend at the Academy decided to get
a tattoo of this series of spires on Taldren IV. It's a really beautiful
scene, however from a certain angle...well, I'll just say that it was
extremely phallic."
She glanced up at Kit - down, rather - and smiled. "What's so wrong with
that?" Amy moved the probe to his chest and slowly scanned his heart and
lungs. "You're in good shape, Kit," she commented. "What department you
in?"
"Flight control," Kit said with a grin. "If it's supposed to go, I can fly
it. I've also got a strong background in science, which is why they wanted
me here. And, if a band starts up on the ship, you'll find me in it." He
grinned. "And, the only thing wrong with a sea of phallic imagery is that
Commander Baxter was the one who noticed it, and...well, I don't know. I
have nothing against phallic imagery, but you'd really have to see it. If
we ever run up with the USS Norway, I'll point him out to you."
Amy disregarded everything else Kit had said and seized upon the one topic
that truly caught her interest. "A band? That's amazing! Can I listen
sometime?"
"Of course," Kit said with a laugh. "What good is a band without an
audience or fans, right? Maybe sometime we can just head into the
holodeck, and I can jam with some holo-guys, and we can hang out."
"Just the two of us?" Amy asked. She shrugged as she had the probe hovering
over Kit's abdomen. "Works for me. How about later today, when I'm off
duty?"
"Later today sounds great," Kit said with a wide grin. "I'll bring my
guitar, you bring yourself, and we'll have fun. Maybe if you're
interested, I can show you a few things. Eventually we could do some
jamming together."
"Great!" Amy slipped the probe back into its groove at the top of the
tricorder and closed the device. "Well...you're clean. I'll update your
medical records and you can go and...tune your guitar or something." She
smiled at Kit and held out her hand to help him in getting down.
Kit accepted the hand down and looked up at her. "So, what time should I
meet you? And, where? Holodecks or...lounge?"
"Well...lounge if you want a drink beforehand and I can probably even
introduce you to my Kelli. If not, we can just go straight to the
Holodeck." Amy giggled excitedly. "Should I wear anything in particular? I
mean...I want to fit in with the whole theme. You could play, I could
pretend to be a groupie... Hey, I can even change my hair colour to make it
extra authentic!"
"Let's meet in the lounge," he said, then glanced around. He spotted an
unused terminal and moved to it. He quickly called up information on the
genre and themes for the program they'd be entering. "Here you go," he
said. "All the information you could ever want. When your shift's over,
let's meet in the lounge, then head to the holodeck. Good?"
"Yeah," Amy replied, still wearing her ever-present smile. "That sounds
good. I might have to replicate some appropriate attire, but let's
say...17h00?"
"17h00 sounds like a perfect time," he said. "I'll see you in the lounge
then. I'm sure with the two of us all dressed up, we'll draw some
looks. Though, I have a sneaking suspicion that you don't mind attention
one little bit. It'll be fun, Amy. We'll show up, make everyone curious,
and then disappear to the holodeck. I was pretty sure I'd like it here on
the Sulu, but now I'm definitely sure."
Amy leaned her rear against the end of the exam table and watched Kit with a
lazy smile. "With me around, you'll never run out of exciting things to do.
See ya later, Kit." She pushed away from the bed, then and moved towards
Kit.
She stifled a giggle as she leaned over and planted a kiss upon his cheek.
"Standard Sulu greeting," she explained once she'd straightened up again.
"Welcome aboard, Nathanial Kitridge Ozymandius Markham."
Kit brought a hand up to his cheek and laughed softly. "If that's the
standard, I'll try to keep from saying hello to the captain for now,
but...it's good to be here. I'll see you soon, Amy." He started backing
out of sickbay, still watching her. Once he was out of the door, he raised
an eyebrow, grinned once more, and then turned and started down the
corridor.
Amy bounced up and down exuberantly, lightly clapping her hands. She didn't
know what it was about Kit, but he instantly appealed to her. With a
stifled squeal, Amy ran
over to the console where Kit had downloaded the information and transferred
it to a datapad. "Allison! I'm going for my break!" Then, Amy rushed out
of sickbay and headed for the aesthetician. Briefly reading
through the data Kit had provided, she decided upon a hair colour that would
most suit the occasion. Grinning, she instead settled on a colour she
thought would please Kit. Red, she told herself. Definitely red.
"Less Than Stellar"
by Ensign Tchalla Mel'Chir - Science Officer [NPC+]
Crewman 1st Class Shyla Moreau - Astrometrics Technician [NPC+]
and Lieutenant Xayella Tagliesh - Chief Science Officer
Location: Astrometrics, USS Sulu
Stardate 57906.28, 15h35
***
Shyla walked down one of the many busy corridors of the Hikaru Sulu with a
look of childlike wonder on her face.
The ship had barely gotten in orbit before Shyla had herself beamed over.
Once she had told Lieutenant Drudge her decision regarding the transfer, he
submitted it with a glowing recommendation and followed up with a
forcefulness that she didn't think was possible for the mild-mannered
officer. The approval had come in just ten short hours later and she had
spent all yesterday making last minute preparations and saying tearful
goodbyes all over the station. Thankfully, she hadn't seen Storm again and
the only thing tempering her nearly unbridled excitement was the certain
knowledge that she and Ensign Storm still had some unfinished business.
Shyla had been surprised that there was no one from the Science Department
to greet some of the new crew that arrived the same time she did but she
soon heard that both the department head and at least one of the officers
had been through quite an ordeal during the Sulu's last mission. Under the
circumstances, it was understandable that there hadn't been a representative
there to hold her hand. As required, she checked in with Enlisted Services,
received her berthing assignment, and had spent nearly twenty minutes
convincing the office to let her forgo the indoctrination tour which they
only allowed after Shyla dazzled them with her knowledge of Intrepid-class
starships during an impromptu verbal quiz they made up on the spot. Shyla
had left there in a rush and didn't even bother dropping her bag off at her
new quarters. There was one room on this ship that she simply couldn't wait
to see.
When the doors opened on the darkened Astrometrics Lab, Shyla stood in the
doorway framed by the light of the corridor. She wasn't particularly
surprised to find it empty - many starships routed all the sensor systems
through the main science labs when the ships were at starbases so the crew
could take leave. She took one step inside and dropped her bag to the deck,
keeping her PADD with transfer orders in hand. The doors closed obediently
and all went dark.
"Computer, lights."
When the lights came up, Shyla caught her breath at the sight of the virgin
equipment. She practically skipped over to the main console, barely able to
contain a squeal of delight as she began looking over the various stellar
sensor pallets. She sat her PADD on the console and immediately scheduled
the Timebase Beacon Receiver for an update out of habit, noticing that the
Astrometrics clocks were a few thousandths of a second off Federation
Standard. She laid her hands on the humming equipment and grinned.
"Baby girl," Shyla said to the console, her southern accent coming out just
a little. "I'm gonna take good care of you."
The doors to the lab opened and a young Andorian woman stepped through. She
was focused on the padd in her hand, and didn't notice that the lights were
on or that there was another person in the room. She set a mug of some
steaming liquid onto one of the shelves near the door and then paused. The
left antenna on top of her head twitched slightly, and then raised. She
glanced up then and noticed the human woman standing a short distance away.
"Oh...hi...I didn't realize." She held up the padd and laughed softly. "A
little reading I've been caught up in. I'm Ensign Mel'Chir."
"Crewman Moreau sir," Shyla said, smiling. "Your new Astrometrics
Technician. Am I correct in assuming that you're the ranking Astrometrics
officer?"
"I believe so," Tchalla answered. "Though, things are a little...unsettled
in the science department still. After our previous mission and the crew
rotation, I do not believe that Lieutenant Tagliesh has finalized any of
those decisions. At the current time, yes, I am the current ranking
Astrometrics officer."
Shyla's face grew sympathetic. "I heard a little about the last mission
after I beamed on board. How is the Lieutenant?"
"The Lieutenant is just fine," a rather stern-sounding female voice said
from behind. With it came the tall, lithe form of their conversation
subject - Lieutenant Tagliesh. She cocked an eyebrow at the two women, but
focused her gaze upon Shyla. "You're new," she said flatly. "Name?"
"Crewman Moreau, sir," Shyla said, turning slightly to snatch her PADD from
the console. She offered her orders to Lieutenant Tagliesh. "I'm over from
Astrometrics on 163. Lieutenant Drudge sends his regards."
Xayella less then gently tugged the padd out of Shyla's hand and briefly
scrolled through the text. "Lieutenant who?" she asked with slight
irritation. "I've been to 163 twice in my entire career and believe me,
Crewman, not many people are intriguing enough to leave a lasting impression
on me."
Shyla looked at Ensign Mel'Chir briefly with just a flicker of disbelief
while Xayella's eyes were on the PADD. "Lieutenant George Drudge, sir. He
said he did two years on the Osiris with you before he left to take over
Stellar Cartography on 163. He assembled the team to convert the lab to
Astrometrics. He's still the department head."
Xayella looked up briefly, frowning pensively. "Drudge, you said?" She
repeated the name again to herself, recognition slowly dawning. "Ah,
Lieutenant Sludge, as we used to call him. Slovenly man, and moved
like...well...sludge. Working under him was certainly a trial." Her green
eyes returned to the padd. "With him as the department head, I'm surprised
the conversion was completed at all."
Shyla almost always had a smile on her face and it had been present in muted
form during this exchange but faded completely when the word "Sludge" left
Lieutenant Tagliesh's lips. Shyla knew enough to take a moment for composure
before she dared to speak again. As an enlisted person, Shyla was expected
to defer to her superiors but she simply could not let some things go
unchallenged.
"Sir," Moreau began slowly, knowing that she was stepping into dangerous
territory. "I would respectfully request that you please don't speak of
Lieutenant Drudge that way when I am present. I've always found him to be an
excellent department head and one of the kindest people I have ever met. So,
I would ask that you please don't put me in the uncomfortable position I am
in right now: Having to defend a good man to my superior officer."
Xayella raised her eyebrows at the woman without tearing her gaze from the
padd. "Crewman, you were the one who brought him up. If you did not wish
to hear my opinion, then don't give me opportunities to express it." She
abruptly handed Shyla her datapad and stared the girl directly in the eye.
"Crewman Moreau.... I'll be sure and remember that name." A small smile
touched her lips as she regarded Ensign Mel'Chir. "I've been looking for
you, Ensign. When you are done out here do join me in my office for a cup
of tea." With a brief, unpleasant glance in Shyla's direction, Xayella
turned and headed out of the lab.
"Of course, Lieutenant," Tchalla had said as Xayella departed, and then
turned toward Shyla. "Did you need any help getting situated in here,
Crewman? It should be a standard astrometrics module, but I know they can
be difficult to get used to. It took me nearly three days before I could
get the data to show up on the display the way I wanted it."
Shyla grinned at the young Andorian, now seemingly unbothered by what had
just transpired. "It is standard, sir. As a matter of fact, it's a little
too standard."
Shyla took a seat at the console and with a few deft moves of her hand,
brought up the surrounding few parsecs of space. "Now, if you'll look at
this resolution, sir, you'll see that everything looks fine." A few more
button pushes brought the screen out to a few dozen parsecs. "Now, you can
clearly see the drastic data loss. On 163, we realized that the specs on the
sensor ring casings were a just a little bit off. With your approval, I'd
like to recycle them for resizing. It reduces the life of the casing about a
week or so but for five plus years of eight percent better resolution, I
think it's worth it."
Tchalla gave a quick nod of her head. "Of course," she said. "Any
modifications you need to make, as long as they're Starfleet approved, and
Lt. Tagliesh and Commander Lyrr sign off on them, should be alright. Just
make sure to go through the proper channels. You'd think for as long as the
Intrepid-class has been in service, they would have done an overall
maintenance on the sensor ring casings by now." She gave the human woman a
slight smile. "And, while it may be standard, but I tend to prefer my
data-streams in a non-standard manner."
Shyla smiled back. "Well, to be fair even though the class has been in
service for a number of years, the Astrometrics labs are fairly new - much
more sophisticated than the old Stellar Cartography labs they came with
originally." Shyla's face grew thoughtful but she didn't lose the grin, it
simply grew more excited. "Ensign, I know I don't officially start duty
until 08h00 tomorrow but would you mind if I get started on the proposal? I
don't know how long you're going to be in with Lieutenant Tagliesh but if I
work fast, I may be able to get it in her hands today and we can get my baby
girl working her best."
Tchalla raised an eyebrow, and tried to force herself not to look for signs
of pregnancy. Perhaps it was a child back in her quarters, she thought. "I
am certain," she said, "that Lieutenant Tagliesh will appreciate the
proposal, and I'm sure the upgrades can be made before we leave the
starbase."
"Thank you, sir," Shyla said, attempting to restrain her ever-widening
smile. "I'll get started right now." She spun her chair back towards the
console and officially began her first duty aboard the Sulu.
Tchi couldn't help glancing around and checking to see if Lieutenant
Tagliesh had returned. It felt so...odd to be referred to as 'sir.' She
glanced at the human woman and then started toward the door. Thankfully,
Shyla was fully engrossed in her work, so she silently slipped out of the
lab and headed for Xayella's office. She couldn't help a smile at the
thought that she'd been asked to her superior's office for tea. She and
Xayella hadn't had a chance to talk since they were rescued from Dorvali.
It would be...nice.
"Unpast Unpacking"
By Corran Quezith - Biologist
and Ensign Cristobel Sefton - Nurse
Location: USS Sulu, Ens. Sefton and Dr. Quezith's Quarters
Stardate 57906.28, 15h42
***
"Would this painting look better in our bedroom, or maybe on the wall in the
sonic shower? So we can look at something other than the dirt humming right
off our bodies?" Cristobel asked of Corran from across the room. He held up
a large framed painting of the Kyth Sea on Betazed that one of his Academy
classmates had created.
Corran chuckled. He'd never gotten used to the concept of the sonic shower
even when the Achicarians had come to using it. The idea of a portrait in
the shower was quite strange for him.
"Let's put it in the bedroom. I'd like to take some water showers every now
and then and I don't think that painting would do as well as either of us
would..." He walked over behind Cris and glanced down at the painting before
wrapping his arms around Cris' waist.
"Always the decorator?"
Leaning back against Corran, Cris softly sighed contentedly before
responding, "I went to the trouble of having everything shipped here from
Earth; I'm not going to leave it all stored in crates now, am I?"
Cristobel placed the painting on the bed, and then reached his arm into the
storage container to grab another picture without getting too far from
Corran's hug. The small, framed holo-image practically could have been a
mirror. The image was of Corran hugging Cristobel, as he was now, when they
were visiting a secluded beach in Ireland. At different hours of the day,
the image would switch to others that they took while they were on Earth.
"On the desk in the living room?" Cris asked, even though he had already
made his decision.
Corran nodded as he bent his neck forward so he could kiss Cris' neck and
then rest his lips against his shoulder while looking at the photograph. "In
the living room sounds good... I'm glad the Captain agreed to let us have
shared quarters too; didn't want to live separated from you like I did on
Earth for a while." He smirked haphazardly.
Shuffling slowly into the living room, to remain within Corran's grasp, Cris
assured him, "Even if he hadn't, I'm sure I would have basically moved
myself into your quarters anyway. The Cap'n just saved himself the bother
of having Security forcibly remove me." Sefton dropped the framed
holo-image on the edge of the desk, and let his eyes droop shut, following a
sharp gasp, as Corran's lips found Cris' neck again.
"Besides, you living down the hall couldn't possibly be as bad as that time
you moved across the galaxy." Cris punctuated the last word with a gentle
elbow nudge to Corran's ribs.
"Well..." Corran lifted his head and smirked a bit as he glanced into Cris'
eyes. "I didn't feel like I was wanted, one of the few times my telepathic
senses totally betrayed me... Sorry." He hadn't apologized before. It hadn't
really come to much more than telling Cris why he'd gone home.
Grinning at Corran's puppy-dog eyes, Cristobel told him, "I'm not blaming
you. All that really matters is that you came back."
"Not really..." And then he pathed to Cristobel as he turned him around and
kissed him warmly on the lips. What's important is you let me in, and loved
me back.
That was practically a given, especially since my life had calmed
considerably by the time you came back. I was finally able to pay you the
proper attention you always deserved, Cris pathed back. And then a stray
thought reminded him of unpacking. "I forgot all about AJ," Cristobel
blurted out, his face still against Corran's.
For a moment Corran didn't remember who AJ was but then he chuckled. "What
did you forget?"
"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. I named the sprout 'AJ.' But what I
remembered I forgot was that I forgot to have it beamed over from the
Starbase," Cristobel explained as he grabbed a padd, to put in the transport
request. Every self-respecting Betazoid woman of a certain age owned a
slithering vine, more animal than plant, including Cris' mother Damhnait.
Her vine had recently procreated, and she had sent one of the sprouts to the
Starbase for Cristobel to take care of.
"That sprout's gonna be cute I think..." Corran being the botanist was
fascinated at the prospect of a living, moving vine. He'd seen other
examples
of plants like that one, but this one was Cristobel's. That was special.
Cristobel just beamed at Corran's words and thoughts as he stared at the
display on the padd. One of the Starbase's ops officers authorised the
transport, and then processed it. By the door, a jade clay pot, which Cris'
father had made by hand, materialised on the floor. Cris practically
squealed in delight as he scrambled to the pot, and carried it over to
gently place it down on the coffee table. Immediately, Cris switched off
its artificial sunlight generator and removed the lid, to rub the soil with
a pair of fingers. In just a few seconds, a seven-inch vine popped out of
the soil, and slithered up Cris' hand.
All Corran could do was watch Cristobel in his delight. He hadn't seen too
many of these moments when they'd first met, partially why Corran had gone
back home and then taken a year to seek Cris out, but when he'd found him
Cris had been a completely different man. Corran wasn't sure why, if it'd
been because he had been reunited with his previous lover, the Academy,
Earth, or perhaps all of them. If he was honest with himself, he had felt
jealous about the lover...which amongst his people was a strange stance to
hold.
"How long do those grow?" he asked curiously, breaking away from his own
thoughts.
"About two or three metres," Cris told Corran off-hand, as he padded over to
him. Cristobel took Corri's wrist with his right hand, and placed his own
left hand flat down on Corran's palm. With a slight wiggle of his wrist,
Cris sent the vine spiralling down his hand, across to Corran's hand, and up
Corran's arm.
Cris flashed Corran a smile, but wouldn't let him just drop his thoughts and
worries about the ex. Not talking about things was always dangerous. Do
you realise that you think about Tuc more often than I do? Mayhap I
should be jealous. Cristobel cocked a sassy eyebrow.
Corran blushed fiercely as he was caught thinking about the man. He looked
at the plant crawling around his arm, seemingly even rubbing up against it
before he looked at Cristobel. "It's hard sometimes, I know it shouldn't be,
and it's a very weird experience for me to boot. As an Achicarian you'd think
I wouldn't get jealous or feel bad or anything along those lines...but I
think my first experience on a Starfleet ship soured my attitude a bit..."
Caressing Corran's cheek with the back of his free hand, Cris reminded him,
"Tuc is still on Earth. He broke up with me when I went on my Cadet Cruise,
because he didn't want to be a civilian on a Starfleet vessel, and he would
have broken up with me again now that I'm on the Sulu, even if you hadn't
come along. You, on the other hand, crossed the galaxy just to tell me how
you felt about me, not even really expecting anything from me. Don't
think that went unnoticed."
Cristobel hooked a finger around AJ, the vine, and placed it back in the
soil. With both hands free, he wrapped his arms around Corran's waist, and
kissed him gently.
After the kiss, Corran had lingered looking into his eyes. His own eyes were
changing slowly, calmly as he felt a series of things, but as usual one of
his concerns rose to the surface. "Just don't ever feel that you owe me
anything. I'm here because I love you..."
"Oh." Cristobel dramatically backed away from Corran, and ineffectually
lied, "What am I doing here, then? There's a whole crew I could be sharing
orgasms with." Suddenly genuine, Cris told him, As far as I know, my free
will is firmly intact, and I have something of a history of subverting most
every expectation people have of me. He folded Corran's arms around
himself. I am precisely where I want to be.
That's all he needed to ever hear or feel. He rubbed Cristobel's back warmly
before kissing him again. He'd missed this so much from the time they'd
spent apart; it had truly pained him to not have him in his arms before. And that makes me happy.
"Tea For Two"
By: Ensign Tchalla Mel'Chir
Lieutenant Xayella Tagliesh
Location: Xayella's Office, USS Sulu
Stardate 57906.28, 15h58
***
"Two cups of lemon tea, one with milk and sugar, and the other--" Xayella
looked back at Tchalla seated in the chair across from hers at the desk.
"How do you take yours?"
Tchalla was chewing on one blue lip when she looked up at Xay. "The same
sounds fine," she said quietly. Having not ever had lemon tea before, she
wasn't quite certain what went best in it. However, she would trust
Xayella's judgement. "I-- I'm kind of new to earth teas, but I'd like to
try it that way, please."
Xayella smiled and turned back to the replicator to complete the order.
When the two cups of tea materialized, she picked them up and carried them
to her desk. "So...how are things?" she asked. Xayella took her seat and
slid one of the cups to Tchalla. "I mean...after the mission and
everything..."
"Things are fine, I guess," Tchalla answered. "I've been scheduled to meet
with a counsellor once a week. Really, I'm fine. Sometimes, though, I do
still have dreams, but it's not really about the Dorvalis, but...but about
us trying to stay alive. It's really not that bad. It...it could have
been much worse for us." She sighed and took a sip of the tea. She smiled
as the hot liquid slid down her throat, soothing her insides. "This is
good. So, how are you doing afterwards, Lieutenant?"
Xayella shrugged as she idly stirred her tea with the replicated spoon.
"Nightmares too...and not just about having to see that counsellor. She's
an odd one, isn't she?"
Tchalla nodded. "She is," the Andorian answered. "I've never felt
comfortable around Betazoids. I-- I don't like being around people who can
read my mind like that. They-- they seem to feel it's their right to
invade my mind, anyone's mind like that."
Xayella frowned distastefully and nodded. "It's an unfair advantage as
well, one they feel they get to exploit. If she does it to you, you just
tell Matt--" She broke off abruptly, then chuckled softly and looked up at
Tchi helplessly. "I almost forgot that I don't have to hide that from you.
But...you won't go telling anyone, will you?"
"Of course not," Tchalla said quickly, shaking her head so that her white
locks fell in front of her face. "I'd never talk to anyone about that but
you. Then again...I don't really talk to too many other people about
things that aren't related to duty."
"Well...why not?" Xayella asked. "Don't you have friends, Tchalla?"
"I'm really not all that...adept at social interaction," Tchalla answered
after taking another sip of the tea. "I know a lot of the people in the
science department, and Ensign Rax keeps insisting that I meet her friend
Ensign Reese. I-- I don't have very many friends though, Lieutenant."
Xayella raised her cup to her lips and chuckled wryly. "Well, neither do
I, Ensign." She sipped carefully at the steaming liquid, and regarded
Tchalla thoughtfully as she swallowed. "So...what do you do on your off
hours if you're not out with friends?"
"I usually read through technical journals or science journals. I've also
been working on a paper for the Vulcan Science Academy. I was hoping to
have it published there in the next term. Though...I'm running into some
difficulties with the research. I'm hoping that I can do some more studies
when we get to Risa, since they have some good oceans there."
"Oh really?" Xayella's eyes lit up with genuine intrigue. "Well...you know
you can give me a draft and I'd be glad to review it for you. Maybe I
could even help...if you wish."
Tchalla smiled. "Of course," she said. "I can send a draft to you when I
get back to my quarters. I'm doing research on the viability of using
aquatic structures as a means of natural food production. Though, I need
more research on how the saline content will affect the structure."
"Sounds interesting," Xayella commented. "Well, the science labs are
always at your disposal, and if you need access to anything special you
need for your research, just ask me."
"Thank you, Lieutenant," Tchalla said. "I'll remember that. And, I'll
keep you apprised of my progress with my research."
Before Xayella could reply, her minicomputer chirped to signal that a
message had been received. She briefly glanced at the screen and barely
repressed a dry chuckle as Crewman Moreau's name was displayed along with
the subject of her message: Astrometrics Upgrades. Already Xayella could
tell she would be one of those officers she always despised as an ensign,
the ones who did everything to ingratiate themselves with their senior
officers, and the ones who also ended up being the biggest nuisances. She
sighed softly, ignored the message for now, and took another soothing sip
of her tea. "So, Ensign," she began again, "would you care to have tea
with me again tomorrow? Or perhaps a visit to the station? I would hate
to go alone, especially since you really could use a break, especially
after Dorvali...."
"I'd like that very much," Tchalla said. "I have heard that Starbase 163
has some of the nicest places to eat in this entire sector. While
replicated food doesn't necessarily taste replicated and artificial, real
food that someone has taken the time to cook does always taste
better. Perhaps we could stop and have something to eat there before
returning to the Sulu."
"Certainly," Xayella replied. "Just...don't start telling everyone about
it. I do have a reputation to maintain." She winked at Tchi.
Tchalla smiled again. "Of course, Lieutenant. As do I. If the rest of
the crew found out that I was out nearly socializing, they would probably
begin to believe that I was comfortable in social occasions. While I don't
mind having friends, I'm still...not quite comfortable being social. At
least not with most people. I am comfortable when I talk to you."
"And I'm pretty comfortable talking to you as well, Ensign. You're quiet
and unpretentious..." Xayella smiled softly. "I like that. And that
you're not afraid of me helps too."
Tchalla smiled. "I have seen no reason to be afraid of you. You are an
intelligent and resourceful scientist. I find that I can relate to you
very well in that regard. And, unlike most people, there is a lot we can
talk about that neither of us has to become uncomfortable in the
discussion. I've seldom found that in most social situations."
"I'm rarely in social situations," Xayella said. "I mean...I have
interacted with people before, but believe it or not, I try and avoid
situations where I have to mingle and carry on conversations with others.
I'm fine when I'm seducing men, but at any other times I just
get...miserable and unpleasant." She laughed softly and added, "But I
doubt you've noticed."
Tchalla made what appeared to be a shrug. Her antennae had drooped
slightly and then she looked up at Xay. "I have noticed that you are more
anxious when you need to talk to other people. I'm like that as well. I'm
comfortable enough around my bondmates and my family, and you. And, Ensign
Rax seems very calm and unimposing when I've spoken to her. But, I get so
nervous whenever I have to talk to others, especially when they want to
talk about me."
"Well, you don't have to talk about yourself," Xayella replied. "When they
ask, evade the question like I do. You may come across as rude, but it's
your own business and you have a right to keep it private." She looked
down into her muddy-coloured tea for pause, then said quietly, "You don't
want them to find out about your people, do you?" Her green eyes found
Tchalla's gaze again and she added, "You don't want them to know you're
dying."
Tchalla shook her head and her antennae drooped further. "No," she said
softly. "I also just...I'm not good talking about myself, my feelings
and...and things like that. And, there are so many people who just want to
talk and they really...really don't care what's said. Sometimes it feels
like...like I would reveal something personal, but they really don't
care. It's just...small talk."
Xayella sighed and nodded her head sympathetically. "And half the time,
it's all just gossip, mostly about me too. Not that I mind... It's
just...it's all pointless. So, why bother? But, don't worry, Tchalla, we
can ignore them all together."
"Very little of the ship's gossip is just about you though," Tchalla said
as she took another sip of her tea. "Most of the rumours that include you
also include Captain Salinger."
"I know," Xayella replied earnestly. "They're not true, though...even
though the relationship does exist." She smiled weakly and asked,
"Anything interesting today? I mean...did we get caught together in the
brig again?"
"The most believable was that you were seen kissing in one of the alcoves
on deck six. The most far fetched was that you both retrieved EVA suits to
go outside for some zero-g...um..." Tchalla looked away, her face flushing
a deeper blue. "...for sex," she finally managed.
Xayella chuckled lightly. "Well...I'll have to mention that to Matt for
consideration. It sounds like it could make for a very interesting
experience." She raised the teacup to her lips again, but didn't drink,
and looked pensively at the far wall. "Sex at zero-g..." she mused. Then
she glanced back at Tchalla and laughed again.
Tchalla felt herself blushing once again. She turned her attention to her
hands sitting in her lap. "Just be careful, sir. Explosive decompression
could be very bad."
Xayella's laughter grew in intensity and soon filled the entire office with
its surprisingly gentle, melodious sound. "Oh, I do like you, Tchalla
Mel'Chir," she said, still chuckling. "You have a sense of humour and you
don't even realize it."
The colour in the Andorian woman's cheeks lessened slightly and she
smiled. "Thank you...Lieutenant. I feel comfortable enough around you
that I can say those things. I don't think I could have said that to
anyone else but...but maybe my bondmates. I think they would have laughed
too."
"Well, if they're so likeable, why aren't you with them, Tchalla?" Xayella
asked.
"I'm not ready for that commitment yet," Tchalla said. "I love being with
them, and I love them very much. But, to be with them would mean that I
would have to bear a child. I want that, but...but not yet."
Xayella nodded slowly. "I understand that. And if they love you as well,
they'd understand it too."
"I think they do," Tchalla answered. "And, we still have...have
time. Next year, perhaps, I can return to Andor...and be with them."
"You should do that," Xayella told her. "It'd be nice to at least get
away." She shrugged and added, "But I know it can be hard
sometimes...going home, that is. I know I'd never voluntarily visit my
parents."
"I like visiting my parents," Tchalla answered. "Though, I fear at this
time in my life my Zhavey would start urging me towards...towards my
bondmates." She was quiet for a moment, and then looked up at Xay. "So,
you don't get along with your parents, Lieutenant?"
Xayella cleared her throat and returned her gaze to the tepid liquid in her
cup. "I don't," she replied quietly.
Tchalla only nodded.
After an awkward moment of silence, Xayella took in a deep breath and
finally said, "Well, then I guess I'll see you in the lab, Ensign."
Tchalla glanced down at the tea cup in her hands and then set it on the
edge of Xayella's desk. "Yes," she said. "Thank you for the tea; it was
very good." She then stood up and started toward the door. "I'll talk to
you later, Lieutenant."
Xayella replied with a mute nod, and watched as Tchalla slipped through the
parting doors. Once they closed again, she sighed heavily and swivelled
around to face the rear wall. It seemed whenever her parents came up, a
cloud of gloom always hovered above her for the rest of the day. For the
sake of her science officers, she hoped they stayed out of her way, though
she hoped Crewman Moreau decided to pay her a visit. She really could use
someone to vent her frustrations on, and the perky, young crewman who'd
already annoyed her to no end seemed a perfect enough candidate for that.
"Jam Session, Part 2"
By: Ensign Kit Markham
Ensign Amy Reese
Location: Lounge and Holodeck 4, USS Sulu
Stardate 57906.28, 17h02
***
Kit strode into the bar, guitar case in hand. He looked around and spotted
Amy waving at him. He grinned at the bright red hair dominating the top of
her head. His was its normal black, but he was now wearing several
earrings and his clothing was definitely not regulation. He approached and
leaned the guitar against the table. "Hey there," he said. "All set?"
Amy tossed back the rest of her blue alcoholic beverage, then set down the
glass on the passing tray held in Stencil's hand. She waved at the
bartender as
he continued onwards, then rose to greet Kit. "I'm ready now." Amy's blue
eyes twinkled as she gazed down at Kit - eyes made to appear even larger
with
the thick band of blue-eyeshadow brushed over her lids. Her lips sparkled
even more brightly than her eyes with the shimmering pink gloss painted onto
them. She smiled
at Kit and set her hand down upon his guitar case, drawing attention to the
purple enamel she'd applied to her fingernails. "Is this your instrument?
Wow...I can't wait to get a look at it!"
Amy giggled at Kit and took a step
back to give him a full view of her outfit. She passed her hands over the
glittering black top that came down just to the waistband of her skirt,
revealing a scant amount of her belly when she moved. The tight shirt had
only one sleeve, leaving one arm completely bare and the other fully
covered. Her silver skirt extended just to her knees, except instead of a
straight cut, the hem was on a diagonal, with one side coming halfway up her
thigh and revealing plenty of leg. She smiled expectantly at Kit, and even
did a spin for him before facing him again. "So?"
Kit was grinning as he looked at her. "Very, very nice," he said. "You
definitely did your homework." His own clothing consisted of a black
waistcoat with silver embroidery, complete with tails, and a pair of black
pants that were tucked into the tops of a pair of heavy, black boots. He
wore a simple cotton shirt beneath the coat, and it appeared to have some
sort of saying or slogan on it. His fingernails had a coating of enamel on
them as well, alternating between black and a deep, midnight blue. "I
think we're ready to jam." He crooked out an arm for her and turned toward
the door. "Shall we?"
Amy linked her arm with his and nodded decisively. "Let's get..." She
frowned curiously at him. "Rockin'?"
"Definitely rockin," Kit said with a proud grin. "I hope you're ready to
dance, because it is impossible to remain still when I start playing. It's
a proven fact." He led the way out of the lounge and toward the turbolift
that would take them to the holodecks. "I wonder how many people on the
ship play an instrument...and if we'd be able to get any sort of
organization going to form a band of some sort."
"Well...my friend Kelli, she's into the arts. I haven't asked, but she
might play an instrument. I'll have to introduce you two." Amy stepped
into the lift, followed by Kit, and ordered the computer to take them to
Holodeck 4. "There's Dwayne too," Amy continued. "He's my roomy. It's a
long story... But, I'm not sure how interested in music he is. Hell, he
doesn't even like to dance!"
"Doesn't like to dance? How could anyone not like-- Dwayne? That doesn't
sound like a Vulcan name. Only people I know who don't like to dance are
Vulcans."
Amy snickered and leaned against Kit. "He's not Vulcan. He's just shy.
Though he certainly wasn't shy when he was skinny dipping the other night."
"He goes skinny dipping, but won't dance? Buddy's got his priorities mixed
up. Have you recommended that he talk to a counsellor yet? Most times
they don't cause more problems than they fix. I think he needs an
emergency session or twelve."
Amy laughed. "Or a quick lay."
The lift halted and the doors parted for Amy and Kit. Together, they
strolled towards the holodeck. Amy had chosen to wear flats for the
occasion, and with the thick sole on Kit's boots, they were just about the
same height now. "So," she said, "are you gonna teach me to play that
thing." She motioned her head to the instrument he carried in his other
hand.
"Of course," Kit said. "I'll play for a bit, just jamming, and then I'll
teach you some things, and maybe, depending on how you do, we can try to
play something together. If you're a doctor, you should have the hands to
be able to manage the guitar pretty well." He stepped up to the holodeck
doors once they arrived. "Computer, load program NightclubMarkham-3,
Authorization Markham Alpha Alpha One Delta Three. Run program once
loaded."
"Program NightclubMarkham-3 is now running. Enter when ready."
The doors parted to reveal a smoky club with a stage set against one
wall. There weren't any people inside, other than the bartender and a
Lurian sitting at one end of the bar. Kit took Amy's hand and led the way
inside. "Here it is," he said. "Usually when I just wanna jam, I'll run
either this one or Nightclub-2. This is a little bit of lots of clubs I've
been to, including a few bits that I haven't been to."
Amy's eyes glanced around the room, taking in fully all she saw with wonder
and delight. "I like it," she told him. She giggled and began pulling Kit
further into the club. "Come on! You've gotta play something for me."
Kit was laughing all the way to the stage as Amy dragged him along. "Well,
have a seat on the edge of the stage there, and let me get set up. Do you
have any requests?"
Amy leaned back against the stage and stared up at the ceiling, searching
for inspiration. She giggled and shook her head. "I have no idea. But
preferably something you wrote yourself." Grinning, she leaned forward and
kissed Kit's cheek. "For luck," she said, then reached back and hefted
herself onto the edge of the stage.
Kit slid his guitar onto the stage, and then hopped up. He popped open the
case and pulled out the guitar. He plugged it into the amp and grinned down
at Amy as he tuned. Once the guitar was in tune, he launched into a song
he'd written a couple years ago. It was a song he'd written for one of his
friends who'd fallen in love, and it was Kit's way of commemorating the
occasion. It wasn't necessarily a love song, but more a celebration of
life. He played through it once with just his guitar. He then flashed
another grin to Amy. "Computer," he said, "add band members to the stage:
Keyboardist, Percussionist, and Bass Player."
The three band members shimmered into existence at their places behind
Kit. He moved over to the mic, but angled himself so he was facing
Amy. At the drums, Dumpy McLean counted back and in unison, all four
musicians started into the song. The other members of the band were all
based on people Kit had known in life, and sometimes were an amalgamation
of a few people. Scratchy McPeters was playing the bass and Bossy McDougal
at the keyboards, and both knew their stuff. The sound was rich and
vibrant, the beat and rhythms were infectious to the point that if
someone's feet weren't moving, it was likely they didn't have a pulse
either.
Kit's voice wasn't pretty, but it was filled with life and joy and
heart. He was a good singer, though it was likely he wouldn't be singing
opera anytime soon. In the way he moved and poured everything into the
song, it was clear that he was doing something he truly loved.
Amy had brought her legs to rest upon the stage, with her knees drawn in
towards her chest. She watched and listened with extreme enjoyment, and
indeed had her feet tapping rhythmically to the sounds pouring from the
instruments. Her stomach did flips each time Kit shot her a smile, and she
cheered loudly from time to time, encouraging her new friend and making
certain he knew she was having a wonderful time. At the end of the number,
Amy emitted a loud cheer and applauded wildly for Kit. "Encore!" she kept
crying out. "Come on, Kit, show me what you've got!"
Kit did just that, launching into another song that was from the early
22nd. He'd upped the tempo, and added in a stronger bassline. It was a
great song to dance to, and every time he'd played it in a gig, the house
had really started bouncing. He could tell that Amy was liking it, so as a
treat, when it came time for the guitar solo, he gave her an extra special
one.
Amy giggled boisterously and sprang to her feet. Her body swayed gracefully
and sensually to the music, while her hands caressed her thighs and stomach,
and came lightly over her chest. She watched Kit with a silky smile
touching her
glittery lips, and raked her fingers through her bright red hair as her hips
gyrated seductively, riding her skirt higher up her legs. She certainly was
enjoying the music, but she was enjoying Kit even more.
Even though Kit couldn't take his eyes off Amy, he kept playing his
guitar. He could feel himself being drawn closer to her, playing for her,
and delighting in that she was enjoying herself so much. That was what it
was all about. Music was about freeing the soul and spirit and becoming
one with yourself and the rest of the universe. The look of pure joy on
her face and in her eyes was one of the reasons he loved playing for other
people. The look of lust in her eyes was another reason, but Kit Markham
believed in letting things happen as they happened. He knew she was
attracted to him, just as he was attracted to her. It was also obvious
they both got on together really well, or else they wouldn't be here right
now. He didn't know where his new friendship with Amy would lead, but he
certainly liked where it looked like it was going.
He was standing less than a meter from her and his hands were a blur on the
guitar. His grin wouldn't go away, and he truly hoped it never would. Any
woman who could make him feel this free was someone he wanted to make sure
he hung around with more often. Then again, the fact that her skirt kept
getting higher and higher wasn't a bad motivation either.
He took another step closer to her, moving in time with the music as well,
until they were dancing together. He couldn't help noticing how well they
did move together.
Amy grinned at Kit as her upraised arms waved gracefully in the air, lifting
her top high enough to expose her entire abdomen. She lowered her hands to
his chest, then, and danced around Kit until she was behind him, leaning
slightly
into him and brushing her hips against his rear. She pushed her hands over
his shoulders and smoothed them over his chest while her lips touched his
ear. "I really like this music," she whispered. "And...I
really like you, Kit."
Kit felt himself pressing back against Amy, leaning his head back next to
hers. "I...I really like you too, Amy," he said. "It feels so normal
being here with you, so...right. I mean, if I believed in fate or anything
like that, I'd think that we were fated to meet and be friends. Then, that
could just be my hormones raging out of control with you dancing against me
like that. Which, I also like very much."
Amy chuckled and slid her hands down his back until they were cupping Kit's
behind. "Teach me to play," she pleaded with a pout. "I want to make music
with you, Kit."
"Oh, you know," Kit said with a mischievous laugh, "that almost sounds
naughty." He gave the band a signal and they stopped playing. He turned
to face Amy and unclipped his guitar. "Here. First thing you need to play
the guitar is, well, a guitar."
Amy gazed down at the instrument with intrigue and brushed a thick lock of
red hair away from her eyes. "Should I sit down or something?" she asked.
"I don't wanna drop it or anything."
"Here," Kit said and motioned her over toward the edge of the stage. He
positioned her at the edge of the stage, and then he sat down behind her,
his legs extending out along hers. He helped Amy position the guitar and
then brought his arms around to cover hers as she held the instrument.
"This is how you hold the guitar." He settled his chin on her
shoulder and glanced sidelong at her. "That little piece of plastic in
your hand there, that's the pick. You use that down here. And this hand
up here, goes like...so." He helped her position her hands, walking them
through a few common chords and explaining what each was and where he'd
used them in the song he'd played. After a few minutes, she was getting
the general hang of it, though there would still be much work to get
good. "Practice is key. So, if you want to get good at playing the
guitar, you and I are going to have to do a lot of practicing together."
Amy brushed a hand over Kit's and turned her face towards his. "I like
practicing with you, Kit. We should practice together again very soon."
Her eyes travelled from his blue eyes, down to his lips, then back to his
eyes as she smiled slowly. "I meant what I said, Kit. I really do like
you. A lot."
Kit just gazed into Amy's eyes for several moments before he smiled. "Me
too, you," he said. "I like teaching you to play the guitar because it
brings us even closer. Maybe sometime we'll be able to play a love song
together, or something just rousing and frenetic and far too loud to be
contained on a starship. I like you a lot too, Amy. And, if you're up for
it, I'd like to have dinner with you. We've still got holodeck time, we
can eat anywhere we want. I think we should go somewhere really fancy and
nice where we can eat with the wrong utensils and have the stuffy maitre'd
hover and want us to leave. I'm sure they'd love to see us in there
dressed like this, but they can't throw us out because it's a hologram."
Amy laughed gently. "Maybe we could do that tomorrow. If we're gonna freak
out the holographic maitre'd, I'll need time to choose an especially
shocking outfit." Impulsively, Amy quickly placed a kiss on Kit's
grinning lips and pulled back again. "You know," she mused, "I think I'm
gonna really like kissing you too."
"Really?" He made a show of thinking about the idea, then smiled. "I
think I'll like it too, but...just to be sure..." He leaned forward and
brushed his lips against hers. The kiss seemed electric as it lingered,
then Kit finally pulled back. "Definitely. Definitely like that. So, do
you have any plans for the rest of the day? I think I'd really like to
grab a bite to eat, and then find something the two of us would enjoy doing
together."
Amy sighed and nestled her cheek to Kit's as she began languidly strumming
the guitar. "We could...go to the messhall, though it's really loud in
there. Although, I wouldn't mind everyone seeing us dressed like this.
You wanna?"
"Sure," Kit said with a grin. "We can stop by my quarters so I can put the
guitar away, at least for now. I like having it around, but it can get in
the way, especially in loud mess halls where clumsy security people hang
out."
"Your quarters?" Amy asked curiously. She nodded her head slowly,
suppressing a smile. "Is...uh... Is your roommate there?"
Kit grinned slyly. "As a matter of fact, my roommate isn't on the ship
yet," he said. "I think his shuttle's due to arrive at the starbase
tomorrow, and he'll transfer over then."
"That's too bad," she replied, yet still smiling broadly. "But...you
know...it's probably a good thing. Those sonic showers, they can be really
tough to work. There's a trick to them." Amy turned her head towards Kit's
again and looked upon him with eyes expressing clearly her desire. "I could
show you how to work yours. If you want..."
"You know, before I stopped by Sickbay earlier, I was trying to get that
thing to work. I just...I couldn't figure it out. I think I'd like the
help. So, you wanna jam here some more? Or should we go...teach me how to
work a sonic shower properly?"
Amy leaned back against Kit, making certain her rear pressed in hard against
his groin. "What do you think I want, Kit?" she whispered.
Kit reached around and grabbed the cable that ran back to the amp on the
stage. He brushed his lips against her throat, and then tugged the jack
free. "I think we should put my guitar away now," he said.
A shiver ran through Amy's body and she quickly, yet gently laid Kit's
guitar down beside her. "I think," she said, her voice shaking slightly,
"we should forget about the shower altogether." She twisted around to face
Kit and kissed him deeply, needfully, while her fingers threaded through his
thick, black hair.
Kit returned the kiss with equal passion. He silently agreed that at this
point, a shower was unnecessary. As they groped against each other's
bodies, he found himself wondering if they'd make it back to his
quarters. He really didn't mind either way. "We can change the program,"
he murmured once their lips separated.
"No," Amy said quickly, then she pressed her hands to Kit's chest and slowly
reclined him back onto the stage. "This is fine," she added, once she was
lying flat atop him. "Isn't it?"
"Definitely," Kit said with a smile. "Just make sure we don't roll over
onto anything sharp." He brought his hands up to her face, caressing her
cheeks. "I really like the red on you. It gives you extra fire."
"You like fire?" she asked. She turned her lips to his palm and kissed it
tenderly. "This won't ruin things, will it?" she said more seriously. "I
mean...this won't end up being a one night thing, right, Kit?"
"I like you, Amy," Kit said. "I like you a lot, and I want to keep
spending time with you and just being around you. I don't want it to just
be one night, not when I feel like we fit together like it feels we do. I
feel like we've connected on so many levels... I don't want just one
night..."
"Then it won't be," she assured him. She brought her lips down to his again
and kissed him softly. "We could always stop," she murmured, her warm lips
still brushing up against his. "We could...take it slow if you want."
"Do you want to stop, Amy?" Kit asked. "I know I don't want to. If you
want this, then yes. I mean, we're both attracted to each other, we both
feel it. If we both want to be with each other, then I can't think of any
reason why we shouldn't be with each other."
Amy grinned as the decision, in her mind, was made. It was rather an easy
one, so it didn't take very long to come to the conclusion that she wanted
Kit, and would continue to even if she shared herself with him now. "We can
have dinner tomorrow night," she said as her legs straddled Kit's waist.
Her hands reached down and shifted her skirt higher until it was barely
covering anything at all. "But tonight...I give you the Sulu welcome...Amy
Reese style."
Kit gave a low, approving whistle. "You know, I think I really like Amy
Reese's style," he said. "And, it would be rude of me not to show the
utmost of appreciation for the welcome I'm receiving." He reached out and
ran his hands along her skin, enjoying the feel of her warmth.
Amy chuckled and slid her own hands up her sides, towards her breasts and
pulling up her shirt along the way. Once it was clear of her head, she
tossed the garment aside with a giggle. "Don't be shy now, Kit. If this is
as
wonderful as I know it'll be, maybe you could even write a song about it."
Kit's eyes never left hers as his hands began exploring her body. "I'll
write a song," he said softly, "but only if you'll help me write it. I
like the idea of us sharing that together too, rather than me just putting
it to music. It'll be a special song, and I think it'll take both of us to
make it. If you're up for that, that is."
Amy nodded readily, causing her red hair to fall into her face as she
stared down at Kit. "I'd like that," she whispered. Amy leaned forward and
once again fed from Kit's lips, while her hands worked at the zipper on
his pants. Amy sighed and smiled down at him. "I'm glad you came aboard,
Nathanial Kitridge Ozymandius Markham."
"That makes two of us," Kit said. "And, hopefully to not sound trite or
overly gushy, I think it's time for us to make a different kind of
music. Would you like some background music for our symphony?" At her
nod, he grinned. "Computer, begin playback Markham-72."
Amy moaned happily as the soothing, 20th century jazz music filtered through
the room and surrounded them in its mesmerizing embrace. With the added
touch of romance, Amy felt certain and at ease. This was right, even though
it had been a very short courtship. If it did end up amounting to one night
of passionate love-making, at least they would have that one night to
remember. Though, as she kissed Kit again and felt his delicate, masterful
hands work over her bare flesh, she knew she would not settle until she had
more.
"Dinnertime On Risa"
by Ensign Andrea Collins
Location: The Risa Resort's Restaurant, Risa
Stardate 57906.28, 18h14
***
Andrea finally arrived back at her room and changed into something a little
more formal. She took up her crimson evening gown and pulled it on. The gown
didn't have any sleeves to speak of, and just one shoulder strap. That strap
went over her right shoulder and zipped up the back till just the small of
her back. The gown was tight enough to not need anything underneath; it was
able to support her completely without a bra.
The skirt had slits up the sides till they reached her hips, so it was a
good thing she was wearing the other piece of intimate apparel, otherwise
she'd be flashing anyone and everyone who was to see her.
She had her hair up in some elaborate Betazoid style on top of her head. On
her feet she wore a pair of red very high heeled shoes and about her
shoulders she had a scarf, one that was about six feet long and about twelve
inches wide.
She'd made a reservation before hand and when she'd arrived, the courtier, or
maitre 'd lead her to a table and she sat down. She'd ordered herself her
meal and placed her thumbprint for the cost of it to be removed from her
account.
Moments later her food arrived and she started to eat. As she did, the floor
show started and she sat there watching the show while she ate. The show was
good, the food better. She sat there while the next show started and she had
a few drinks. When she finished watching the last show it was 02h30.
She wound her way slowly to her room and after taking the gown, stockings
and shoes off fell into bed in just her panties and fell to sleep.
"Meeting An Old Friend"
by Lieutenant Jorell Thalan - Chief Security Officer, USS Sulu
Location: Security Office, USS Sulu
Stardate: 57906.28, 20h13
***
The turbolift stopped and the doors slid open and Lt. Thalan stepped out
and moved towards the Security Office after overseeing the start of Beta
Shift and the transfer of crew and supplies, maintaining the ship's security.
As the doors to the security area opened, Thalan moved towards his office
when a deep voice boomed out his name, "Jorell!"
The man looked over to the voice and spotted a large bulking man, appearing
in his early forties, and having a slightly ridged forehead, similar to
that of a Klingon. It took Thalan a moment before a large smile crossed
his face and he moved to approach the man. "Kur'Oh! Good to see you again, old
friend." The two then grasped one another's arm in a warriors embrace.
"I did not know you were on the Sulu," Kur'Oh stated in a questioning manner.
Thalan chuckled and answered, "Who do you think requested you? I had hoped
you would have gotten here before our shakedown. I could have used your
skills last mission, lost a few good people."
Kur'Oh looked to his friend and nodded, "So I have heard. I would not mind
hearing what happened."
"Sure. It'll probably be a few hours yet though. I've got a small stack of
padds to go through before I can get out of here," Thalan replied.
"You are the boss around here, aren't you?" Kur'Oh asked in a more serious
tone and then a broad grin showed through. "Delegate."
Thalan burst our laughing, shaking his head. "You haven't changed a bit."
"Why change a good thing!" Kur'Oh stated and joined Thalan with a deep
laugh.
The door to the security area opened and young woman of short stature
entered and looked to the two friends and timidly asked, "Uh... Pardon me, Sir--" looking to the burly half-Klingon's uniform "--Chief, I am looking
for..." She then reached for a padd and looked at the information displayed
and then looked back to the two who were now staring at her. "Lt. Thalan?"
Kur'Oh smiled and nodded to Jorell and smiled at the young woman and
answered, "I am Lieutenant Thalan. What can I do for you, Cadet?" he asked,
easily identifying the young woman's uniform and rank as such.
The young woman then reached for a padd, looked at it, and grabbed up another
one, and nodded more to herself, and presented the padd to the Chief of
Security. "Cadet Phaedra Scott reporting as ordered."
Thalan took up the padd and looked over the orders.
Kur'Oh looked over the cadet and commented, "So they are letting cadets
serve on starships now?"
"Appears that way," Thalan replied as he looked up from the padd. "Seems
Miss Scott here was at the top of her class for the last three years and
performed outstandingly on a cadet cruise a few weeks ago."
The half-Klingon man looked over the young woman. "Hmmm...."
To her credit, Cadet Scott stood in place as the senior officers not only
looked her over, but talked about her as if she were not there.
"Well, Miss Scott, I am sure you have your room assignment. Store your
gear, get to know the ship, and report for duty at 0800, you're on Alpha
Shift," Thalan stated to the young woman.
"Aye, Sir," the woman answered and continued to wait in place.
Kur'Oh chuckled after a few moments. "The girl is good."
With a nod Thalan then said, "You are dismissed."
"Thank you, Sir," Phaedra replied and turned to depart.
As the doors hissed open Jorell called out to her, "Miss Scott." As she
turned around, thinking she had done something wrong he continued, "Welcome
aboard the Sulu."
The woman smiled and said, "Thank you, Lieutenant." She then departed.
"I think you enjoyed that just a little too much, Jorell," Kur'Oh said with
another chuckle.
"Well, it was what she expected. Why show them the reality of ship board
life right away?" Thalan answered. He then moved into his office and set
two padds on his desk. "Let's see about something to eat and I can tell you
about Dorvali."
"You're in charge," Kur'Oh answered.
The two old friends then departed and made for the mess.