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Day 10 [1000 hrs.] Material Girls

"Material Girls"
STARDATE 57581.25
FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2381
1000hrs
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading to Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88  
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The transporter effect faded from around Faye's vision, and she blinked her coal black eyes a few times, letting herself adjust to the views before her. Gone were the blue white motes of light, as reality reasserted itself. The gravity was slightly different, though by now not unfamiliar, and so too were the smells and sounds around her.  Everything was so...bright. Another tale tell trait of the cities of Aldea. This was not her first, or even second trip down to the planet that currently gave the Theurgy sanctuary. By this point in their stay, she'd been down here every few days, during her free time. Aldean styles of clothing were similar enough to those she wore on Betazed, and her home colony that she could indulge in some of her personal attire. And the beaches...well.

No, this was not her first trip. What was different this time, however, was her assigned watchdog. Now, that's mean, Faye. Security Escort. Not watchdog. The Klingon woman next to her had not been assigned to Faye to keep an eye on Faye. No, she'd been assigned to Faye to keep someone from deciding Faye looked like a tempting target to pick up. The Betazoid knew, in fact, that Mickayla - or Hanayr, as she went by when down on the planet - had been one such abductee.  And now she was back, escorting the ships sole diplomatic officer on what amounted to a glorified shopping trip.

Stepping down off the transporter station's primary pad, Faye gave a small dipping nod of her head to the transporter tech, an Aldean. Gestalt or not, she couldn't really tell. She'd been around the planet a bit and had gotten to know a few of the local's. Quite well, she thought with a smirk, remembering her first trip down with PO2 Riley Patterson. Imazdi. The word slid across her mind unbidden, with a warmth seeping into her skin that had nothing to do with the bright Aldean sun, and everything to do with the human woman. A smile split her face as she turned around, clasping her hands behind her back, as her dress' skirt flared about her ankles and calves.

"Coming, Hanayr?" she asked in a merry tone that belied her earlier disgruntled feelings. Perhaps she was laying it on a bit thick, but she could pick up a lot coming off of the Klingon woman assigned to keep her safe, and so she was compensating pretty heavily.

Faye had not wanted an escort. After all, she had protested, all she was doing was going to a highly trafficked, well guarded shopping district. Plenty of people around to keep an eye on her. And, she had added, waiving a finger, and piling on 'all due respect', she was a telepath. She'd sense anyone with ill intent coming after her. However, the ships second officer had been quite adamant. Lt. Commander Stark had put her foot down, literally and figuratively. Faye could see the woman, arms crossed under her bust, glaring up at the diplomat.  And, well aware that Faye was indeed telepathic, the Ops Chief thought quite a few things for the (slightly) younger officer to pick up.

The diplomat had returned to her quarters to change, as red in the face as her shirt collar. And when she'd reported to the transporter room a short while later, she'd done so without saying on word of protest to the agitated looking non com assigned to keep her in one piece.

Now she stood, looking up at the platform, waiting for the other woman to step off and join her. Just behind the young Betazoid was one of the long glass lined passageways that would lead down to the shopping district, under yet another bright, transparent dome. The architecture on Aldea was invigorating to the young woman, even if she preferred the open beaches to the enclosed, geodesic cities.

Bobbing up and down on her heels and toes, Faye spun again, starting into the corridor as Mickayla - Hanayr, she again reminded herself, just as she was going to be called Tess - fell in step with her. They were of a similar height, though the security officers shoes had more of a heel to them than the diplomats flat footwear. She would have gone barefoot entirely, but Aldean regulations prohibited the practice in public areas that were not parks, beaches, or other such locations.

Hands once again clasped behind her back, the dark haired junior officer grinned up at her escort. "I remember hearing something about a dress shop that, supposedly, makes some choice garments in Tholian Silk. I've always wanted to get my hands on that." It would, she had thought, make a most excellent gift for her Imzadi. Though she had not ruled out acquiring some for herself to wear. Assuming the rumor she'd learned about from overhearing Chief Warrant Officer Tarsi sh'Zhan gossiping with junior Lt. Jonas Arisaka was true. She'd only been able to get a brief surface reading fro the Andorian shen and therefore couldn't be completely sure.

That just makes this an adventure of a sorts, she thought cheerfully, as they descended toward the district doors at the far end of the glass enclosed walkway.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #1 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Walkway Leading To Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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“Protection duty they said. Security is important. Low profile,” Mickayla had recalled as she stood on the transporter pad waiting to beam down. “Lieutenant Trent has picked up a credible threat to Theurgy personnel on the planet’s surface. So, we are covert escorts for senior staff. The guard needs to fit in wherever they go.” A glance to her left at her principal, one Ensign Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers, and Mickayla knew that someone, somewhere, was having a good laugh as the transporter energised.

She had to admit though, her second trip to Aldea’s surface was starting out much different than her first had. For one, she was wearing nicer clothes. Unlike the green dress her Betazoid companion wore though, Mickayla had chosen simple black pants with a grey jacket over black top. Simple boots completed the look. Replicating the outfit had reminded the Klingon that she had no personal effects, nothing that she could call her own. Everything that she had owned on the Endeavour was either destroyed or littering the Azure Nebula somewhere.

“Now I’m out here, with nothing to show for it. Kind of like the Theurgy herself,” Mickayla mused as she stepped off the platform after Tess, Ensign Eloi-Danvers’ cover name, beckoned her. She had chosen the name Hanayr for herself. It sounded nice enough while also being Klingon. One of the upsides of being a hybrid was the ability to go more places and blend in better. Now, being a full blood, she would have to place the part if she wanted to fit in.

“Coming Tess,” she responded, absently patting the satchel slung over her shoulder that held a communicator, folding knife and the Aldean version of a Type-I phaser. She would have chosen a Type-II or her preferred pulse phase pistol, but they had to keep up appearances. They had tried to argue that she wouldn’t need weapons but Mickayla had fired back with the question of how she was meant to protect someone without any weapons. She was now beginning to think that this was all a setup. For what reason, she wasn’t sure. “Where to first?”

As Faye, or Tess as she would have to think of her here was explaining about a dress shop, Mickayla caught the first hints of the smell of the ocean on the breeze. It was something she had learned to like after growing up in the highlands of Scotland. Up there, everything was just cold, though it grew on you after a while. Recently though, after having her DNA altered, she had found she preferred warmer temperatures.

“I hope she doesn’t want to go to the beach though,” Mickayla thought to herself as she fell into step with Tess, the two of them moving along the promenade. “She might have worn swimwear under that dress, but I sure didn’t. I don’t even have a towel with me.”

OOC: Mickayla's Outfit
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Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #2 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading to Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88 
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Tess, Tess, Tess. What is in a name? she thought to herself, A rose by any other, would smell as sweet. The lines weren't quite right, but she remembered the play they'd come from, a tragedy. Her mother had been fond of the poems and plays of the ancient bard, and they had been surprisingly useful in dealing with other Klingon's in her past. There had been a local theater company on Khitomer that did weekly performances. 

In the Original Klingon, of course. 

'Tess' felt her lips curl into a wide smile as she snuck another side long glance at her escort. For today, at least, she could be Tess, and Mickayla, her uneasy bodyguard, would be 'Hanayr '. Tossing a few of her (currently dyed) blonde locks back behind her shoulder, the telepath took a very light surface reading of her guard, and that smile just grew wider at the little worry she'd picked up. Now there's an idea that holds some promise. Klingon's could be so...uptight some times. Even ones that had spent most their life on Earth.  That thought elicited a giggle.

Faye had done a little checking up on who'd been assigned to protect her. Nothing too invasive, just a quick glance at the woman's profile, to see what she could find out about her assigned companion for her little shopping trip.

But a service record never did justice to the person in question. Only so much could be gleaned from an official record. Some of what was coming off of Mickayla now would never have been discernible from reading fitness reports, or noting which ship she'd served on when. Though the less pleasant feelings, might have been gleaned from the note that the Endeavour had been her previous assignment, destroyed by the Borg, in the depths of the Azure Nebula.

"The shop is in the bazaar below," Faye educated Mickayla as they walked, the Betazoid keeping her pace brisk, but not so fast as to be a jog or anything as untoward as that. Her skirt swished with each long stride. She wasn't quite in a hurry, but at the same time she was eager to get down to the press of people and merchandise. Her own bag had an Aldean communicator, and some credit chits that she could redeem for purchases. 

Letting her voice drop a bit - they were relatively alone in the glass enclosed path, as the other pedestrian's seemed far out of earshot - Faye asked a question. "What about you?" When the Betazoid got a blank look, she elaborated.

"What I mean is," she murmured, as the walkway evened out. "Was there anything you'd like to do? Anywhere, or I guess, anything you'd like to try and find? You got assigned to me, not by choice, but because you were up in the duty roster. I know you didn't volunteer to babysit the officer." That last bit was a very soft whisper indeed, as they approached the entrance to the bazaar. 

The towering doors ahead split open at their approach, soundlessly sliding to the side. The torrent of sensation washed over the two women as they stepped from the quiet, serene walkway, into a bustling market, full of the smells of cooking meats, rare spices, and the sounds of various languages mixing into a chaotic, vibrant tune.

Faye hadn't really known about what Mickayla had been reflecting upon earlier when she'd replicated her clothes. She didn't realize that she was offering, in short, to help the woman make a new start. No, the Diplomat was just being a diplomat, trying to smooth things over and make everyone happy. "There's bound to be something here that will speak to you. I see no reason why we can't make sure you enjoy yourself too. Even if you're only here to keep me from getting into trouble."

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #3 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Walkway Leading To Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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“I’m not sure Tess,” Mickayla said, her eyes skimming the crowd searching for anyone that posed a threat. Truthfully, in a way they all did. Mickayla knew none of them and so trusted none of them. Even before, trust was something that had been hard to come by. And now, after, well, it was going to take a lot for her to fully trust anyone. The current list was countable on one hand, with fingers to spare. “My last trip wasn’t the best experience so I could settle for just having a better one this time round.”

“And I could have said no, swapped with someone,” Mickayla replied, lowering her own voice as well. “But I can’t let what happened hold me back. Or they win,” the Klingon pointed out, glancing at the large doors ahead of them. “And for the record, I don’t look on this as babysitting. Just something I’m not very comfortable doing.” Following the Betazoid through the doors and into the market proper, Mickayla took a moment to adjust to the sudden switch in her environment. “Well, this is going to be fun,” she mused silently, eyeing the jostling crowds.

“Perhaps,” Mickayla conceded as she considered what she could see. “In terms of clothing, I’ve always been a more functional dresser. Growing up, it was generally always cold, so you dressed to stay warm and after I left there, I was told what to wear,” Mickayla explained as her thoughts drifted over Scotland and then her time in basic training. “Its been like that ever since. Well until recently,” she added as she thought about now being fully Klingon and all the changes it had brought about. She wasn’t sure that even if she had her old clothes still if they would still fit her. Her kilt might have but that would have probably been about it. And the kilt wasn’t the type of clothing that someone who now enjoyed being naked in the warmth of her quarters chose to wear. “But I guess anything is possible. I’m walking proof of that.”

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #4 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers |  Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88  
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As the other woman spoke, the diplomat felt her focus shifting away from the bazaar up ahead, and it's impossible press of mental presence, and instead lay upon the mind of Mickayla. The emotional swelling and ebbing that she picked up threatened to wipe the smile off of the girls face entirely. If it were not for her Diplomatic training, and her experience with Klingon's, her expression would have faltered. Some of the brightness of her expression faded away, but the smile remained.

"I've yet to meet a Klingon, or a Starfleet Officer, that would do any less than what you purpose," she spoke softly, and hoped she sounded soothing. Her eyes turned to her left hand, which she raised up and wiggled the fingers. "Don't let them keep you down. Go right back into it. Even if it means adjusting to a new limb." That had, and still was, something of a challenge for her, but she was getting there, day by day.

Then again, you aren't exactly a typical Klingon, are you? she thought, wise enough not to speak those words aloud. She immediately began to recalculate her approach as she gleaned a little bit more. Technically it was rude to probe, but she had the best of intentions at heart.

They could no longer ignore the crowd however, as the doors slid shut behind them, leaving them in the sea of people. Faye shut her eyes for a moment and took a long, slow breath, filling her lungs with the smells of the bazaar as she let her mind float above the collective consciousness. So many voices threatened to crash upon her walls, but she let them flow over instead, becoming a steady background noise of thought and impression. Desires, hunger, the thrill of a deal, the sting of being conned, the pride in finding what one wanted. The eyes that roamed the crowd, appreciating what they saw. The joy of a stomach full of a tasty treat. All of it was there, and not, at the same time.

Faye seemed to calm in the presence of such a group, even as her Security Escort seemed - to her at least - to tense up. You've been through a lot. Let's see if I can make it better. Always seeking the compromise that satisfied all parties.

Slowly, Faye started off, carefully stepping her and there, sticking close to the woman assigned to protect her. There was no point in trying to get too far ahead, that would only accomplish the opposite of what she sought to do.

"You know, Hanayr, she noted as she turned around and began to walk backwards, hand still behind her back, skirt still being kicked up with each step. "Just because you've made some physical changes doesn't mean that you have to change how you act or dress. Not unless you want to." That was prying, a bit. She gestured to a vendor selling what looked to be body jewelry made of shells. "At the same time you could use this as an excuse to expand your horizons. Try something new. I'm sure some of these would look fetching on you." Some of them would look fetching on herself, Faye knew. She imagined getting a set to wear round her ankles when off duty, padding around her overly large quarters, and giggled a bit, laying on the charm.

Given what she'd skimmed off of 'Hanayr' just a moment ago, she could imagine the Klingon doing the same.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #5 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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"Lieutenant Commander Hathev did suggest that I take this opportunity to try new things. To explore the differences in the world and in myself now that I am different,” Mickayla thought to herself as she followed behind Faye. The Betazoid seemed to be pacing herself, either so she could look more closely at the stalls they were passing or perhaps just so that Mickayla could keep up with her in the crowd. She saw people from many other species, surprised at how many there were given the nature of the planet Aldea. “And not a single one of them knows what is right above their heards.”

“Perhaps you’re right,” Mickayla conceded as Faye, as Tess, drew her attention to a vendor selling body jewellery and Mickayla stepped up beside her charge and began perusing the bracelets and other bodily adornments. Most looked to be made of shells but Mickayla also found several made from various gems and other minerals. Considering them too high in value, the Klingon moved back to the shells, noticing one that was black and red. It was just over half the size of a combadge and, after picking it up and turning it over, Mickayla realised it was meant to be worn as a navel piercing, with the shell covering the navel completely.

“Well, there goes that idea,” Mickayla mused, setting the jewellery back down. “I don’t have my belly pierced, I couldn’t wear the shell on duty and even if those two weren’t stopping me, I have nothing to purchase it with. So, it looks like my part in this trip will be browsing while Faye does the buying.” Stepping back from the table, Mickayla glanced around the crowd, trying to ignore the tiny knot of disappointment forming in her gut as she noticed all the other stalls, knowing that no matter what they were selling, she wouldn’t be buying.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #6 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Hondartza Luzea beach | Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88   [Show/Hide]

Smiling a small, pleased little smile, Faye dipped her head and gave a little wave of her hand, letting her fingers fall to her chest, just below her throat. "It has been known to happen," she agreed slyly, pleased at the small admission. What person didn't like being right, after all? Diplomat's were just as guilty as the rest of society, even if they liked to pretend to be above such things.

Contemplation seemed to wrap around the body guard as the two women stepped into the the area around the stall. Faye began to circle, taking it all in. The wares were very pretty, and a sign in Federation Standard, Klingon, Aldean and about three other languages that Faye only half recognized, and didn't really read, proclaimed the majority of what was for sale to have been hand made. Faye had an appreciation for what one could do with their hands. While her talents did not really trend toward jewelry, or crafting of any kind really, she could appreciate the work when she saw it. The act of exerting the time and effort to create something, and not simply replicate it, had a value all its own that was treasured throughout not just the Federation, but most civilizations she knew of. A not quite universal constant, but as close to it as Faye had seen.

Thus enlightened, Faye redoubled her efforts to take in the shop and all it had for sale. There was a broach that looked promising, and a hair tie that seemed to be slender bands of some flexible metal woven around a dark stone, that was at once both red, and purple, depending on the light. There were a smattering of rings, for fingers or toes, and some kind of sliver arm band. But it was the shells that drew Faye back in, and after a moment, she decided she wanted a pair of the blue and white shelled ankle bracelets. Unlike some of the other items she'd seen, these were designed to rub together and jingle with each step, and she could already see how much fun it would be to dance in them.

Humming faintly, the Betazoid had just stepped in toward the proprietor when a wave of disappointment stole the smile from her face, and it took her a moment to realize the feelings weren't actually her own. That got her eyebrows rocking up toward her hair line as she turned to look at Mickayla's back. Now just what was that about? She thought, picking up enough of a vague impression to look over at the red and black shell pendant - no...belly ring?

Her brow furrowed as she put everything together, running her fingers over the shell. "You know...I think it would look good," she began, carefully, not wanting to injure the woman's' pride. She spun it around in her hand, checking the price. Not egregious. And this place probably operates on the time honored tradition of haggling.  Turning now to walk over and stand next to Mickayla, still in the bounds of the little stall, she said quietly,

"It's embarrassing, really, just how many credits those of us on the senior staff are allotted for this kind of thing. When it all gets converted into these....stars the locals use, its...well. It's a lot. More than I could spend on my own, is what I'm trying to get at. If there's something you see, I can't think of a reason why we couldn't get it. I'm sure there's somewhere around here that could...well, you know, arrange for a um...fitting for something like this." She held out the black and red styled shell piercing to the guard, a questioning smile on her face. "It would look rather stunning, you know."

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #7 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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Mickayla said nothing as Faye stepped passed her and picked up the piece of jewellery that she had been looking at and put back. If the Ensign wanted to buy it, there was nothing the Klingon could do to stop her. She’d just have to live with the disappointment, and perhaps a little envy, of seeing it adorn someone else’s body instead of her own. She also noted the irony of that considering that she didn’t even have her navel pierced to be able to wear the shell. When Faye turned around and held out the shell to Mickayla, speaking about how it would look and credits and stuff, the Klingon was a little surprised by what was happening.

“Ah, thanks Tess,” Mickayla stammered, reminding herself to use the Betazoid’s cover identity. “It probably would but I can’t let you do that for me. It wouldn’t be right,” the Klingon argued. “If I can’t pay for something myself then I shouldn’t have it. That’s how I was raised. And you don’t have to be delicate with your words, Tess,” Mickayla chided gently. “I don’t doubt that there is a place I can get pierced around here. The vendor probably knows of one,” Mickayla pointed out, trying to think of more arguments about why Faye shouldn’t spend her own money on her guard, even if she had what was apparently ‘a lot’.

“Even if you did get it and I did get pierced, I don’t have the clothes to show it off properly. It would just be wasted under this top and jacket,” Mickayla argued, vaguely realising as she finished speaking that the same reasoning for buying the sea shell would apply to the clothes as well. And that, among other reasons, were exactly what Faye responded to her with; shooting down each of her arguments with logic and reasoning that would have made a Vulcan proud.

In the end, all Mickayla could do was accept that Faye was paying for the jewellery, and clothes to ‘accentuate it’, as Faye said, while they went somewhere so that the Klingon could get a navel piercing. Huffing slightly at being outmanoeuvred so efficiently, Mickayla was very grateful to the Betazoid as she carefully held onto her new jewellery as they left the stall.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #8 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading to Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88 
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"Hanayr," Faye began in a calm confident tone. She could feel the security officer building her self up with a litany of excuses as to why Faye couldn't do what she was trying to do. Mickayla was far from the first person, let alone Klingon, to attempt this track. A secret smile ghosted over her face, some shifting of the corners of her lips and twinkling in her eyes as she geared up for a charm offensive. "You actually can allow me to do this, and you will. If you like, you can think of this as an appreciation on my part for keeping me safe. Or the desires of a flighty Betazoid officer who doesn't want to shop alone."

She glossed over any comments about being 'Delicate' with a wave of her artificial hand. She was a diplomat after all. And she'd decided that her guard was her personal project for the day's leave. Well, that, and finding those silks for Riley. She needed to surprise her Imzadi with something, to show how much she appreciated the way that Riley had been caring for her, since the moment she'd woken up from stasis and her surgeries.

With the very same hand she reached down and took the hem of the Klingon officer's jacket between her fingers, rubbing. The tactile feedback was impressive, a distant part of her mind noted. She could almost forget that this hand wasn't the one she was born with, from about the elbow down. What's the old saying? Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades? Faye never had a horse, and had no use for hand grenades.

Pushing the thought aside, she just smiled a smile that screamed "oh, yee of little faith" as she patted the stronger girls arm. "Then pay me back some other way later if that really, really matters to you. I won't push you on that but my dear, we are shopping. I am going to be buying clothes. Clothes for Nurse Patterson to wear, some things for me. A few items for some other colleagues, because I'm the one with the extra funny money account." In true Betazoid fashion, she dismissed the protests with a smile and a gentle touch.

"The jacket is lovely, really, and quite practical. I can see why you might have brought this along," as she spoke, she circled, and read, understanding what lay under the surface. "We will simply buy something for you to wear that will accentuate your new jewelry. Something like this," she held the shell out again, in her palm, "Deserves to be shown off. You deserve to show it off."

There had been a little hemming and hawing after that, but only a little, and soon they left with their purchases. In addition to the naval ring for Mickayla, Faye had picked up the sets of ankle bracelets for herself, and a pair of gem earrings for her paramour. She'd complimented the shop owner after some brief haggling - cheating, by using her own gifts - and got the location a few blocks away from a parlor that specialize in tattoos and piercings which had a small arrangement with the jewelry store.

Now Faye was on the prowl for clothing. She wanted something nice for herself, something that would let her show off a bit more than her current green dress, as she was asking Mickayla to show off. And she wanted something for the Klingon. A few somethings. Not to mention the Tholian silks for Riley. Her head was on a swivel as she managed not to tread on any toes mostly by luck. Eventually she spotted a shop that seemed to be selling a wide variety of dresses and more 'casual' wear of Aldean - and touristy - cut.

Pointing, she called out, "Why don't we try that place, Hanayr?" and then took the girls hand (not the smartest thing to do to a Security Officer on guard duty) and sped off to the shop, taking Mickayla with her. She was already trying to picture the Klingon in some of the wraps she'd spotted, that would surely leave her belly exposed to show off her new acquisition.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #9 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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“I’ll figure out some way to pay her back,” Mickayla promised herself as the two females entered the dress shop after Faye. The Betazoid seemed to have a clear understanding of what she wanted to purchase whereas Mickayla herself was lacking in that department. “Something that leaves my stomach bare so that the piercing is visible obviously. But not too show. I may enjoy being naked in my quarters but in front of others is another thing entirely.”

Dismissing the dresses, Mickayla moved on to the skirts and began sorting through the garments, looking for anything that piqued her fancy. Anything too tight or short was ignored as Mickayla made choices almost unconsciously about what style she wanted. It couldn’t be tight as that would impede her range of motion if she had to fight and short was out as being too showy. So long and loose. Slits were ok as they allowed more movement, but the ends had to overlap to cover her when she wanted.

“That one,” Mickayla selected, picking out a black skirt and holding it up. It was full length with a pair of slits in and while it had a high waistband, the Klingon new she could fold that over so that it sat lower. And it matched her boots. “Well that was easy,” she mused. “Now for a top.” Picking out a top was easier; pretty much every colour went with black so she just had to choose one that she would be comfortable that left her stomach bare. An olive-green top was soon chosen and Mickayla moved around the shop to where she had been observing Faye doing her own perusing.

“Tess, I have these,” Mickayla announced, holding up her two garments. Simple, plan, functional; just how she liked them. And definitely not something that the old her would have chosen. “I was always a pants girl and here I am willingly choosing a skirt. What would my mother think?” Mickayla wondered as she looked at what Faye had picked out. “What have you found?”

OOC:
Please find attached Mickayla's selected top and skirt.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #10 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading to Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88   
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The shop was not the largest, but it wasn't terribly cramped either. It was built back into a building, with an open air front, and Faye had entered it swiftly, brushing past a pair of mannequins displaying some light weight, but many layered robes of local cut - one male, one female. She assumed there were doors or something that could be deployed after hours to lock the place down, but for now, it was pleasantly warm inside - good for trying on clothes without getting too cold while changing - for the 'outdoor' air of the domed city. Nice touch, the Betazoid thought to herself as she let go of Mickayla's hands. "Let's see what all catches our eyes, Hanayr," she suggested with a smile that lit up her face. 

Faye had always liked shopping trips with her mother, on the rare occasion that they would go into one of the larger towns on Budon, and even rarer, the limited trips to the Betazoid homeworld. She didn't have to pretend to be enjoying herself just for the sake of her guard. The Danver's Family had a replicator of course, at the farmhouse, but they did grow things for a living, after all, and so she liked getting things someone else had made. Plus the trips usually included delightful sweet snacks, park trips and other such things that a child, and then teenager, would enjoy. Things that she, as an adult, would enjoy as well. She'd have to buy something sweet to snack on.

Smiling openly now, for here she was on an alien world, 'safe' for the first time since Jupiter Station, breathing in a new atmosphere and simply able to indulge in the time honored tradition of 'shopping therapy.' Oh this is going to be good, she thought, and then met Mickayla's eyes. Yes, she could tell the Klingon would pay her back, once she figured out how exactly to do so. The young Ensign decided to leave that up to the Petty Officer to sort out. She trusted that the Klingon would probably come up with something 'more' than what Faye  would have considered fair, so she wouldn't worry too much. If she never paid Faye back, the Betazoid wouldn't mind. 

It was only money.

With an encouraging, "Just remember to leave this part exposed," and a hand gesture to rub her own stomach, Faye left Mickayla to her own devices. She imagined the other woman would feel less awkward if she didn't have Faye hemming and hawing over every little piece that she looked at. No need to place poor 'Hanayr' more on edge, is there, 'Tess'? Amused at herself, she started drifting through what was there. She picked out a few items here and there, small scarves and the like, accent pieces mostly that she would have sent back to the ship at some point. Something yellow and bright for her, something more refined and green for Riley. A blue piece for Lt. Cmdr. Dewitt, whom she had been working with lately.

She didn't know the First or Second Officer well enough to get them something, and she felt that, despite having worked along side the Captain during their mission to Romulus the year prior (in a junior role, to be sure, but all the same), it would be inappropriate for her to acquire something for hir commanding officer. So really, she didn't have anyone else important enough to fetch for. She toyed with getting something for Riley's playboy pilot friend, but she didn't know him all that well enough to pick something out. 

Thus having taken care of the formalities, Faye set about finding something for herself to wear. She roamed back and forth, eventually picking out a pair of loose pants to save for later. And for the day...well, it was sheer enough, she concluded as she held the sweeping skirt out, turning it over in her hands. Even at the thickest point, she could see the impression of her fingers on the other side. She could wear it in the streets of Aldea, but she'd need something under. Not to mention a top. 

Eventually she had what she was looking for, taking a black bikini top to pair with the mostly sheer skirt, and an equally black thong to wear under it. Just enough for proprieties sake, but not an inch further. Ever since her trip here with Riley, she'd been indulging her inner promiscuous side. She was just selecting out a pretty -but cheap- metal chain belt to go with the whole thing when Mickayla caught back up with her, arms holding a somewhat similar, but considerably less risque set of attire. Giggling a bit, and wondering what her guards mother would thing of her own attire, Faye held out her skirt. "I think we have similar tastes in cut, if not quite material."

Winking she jerked her head over to a changing area. "We should go make sure these fit, and if they are good, I'll get the payment squared away."


And this is what Faye is getting, whole outfit as shown, minus the jewelry at the neckline:

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Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #11 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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When she saw what Faye had chosen as her outfit, Mickayla almost balked at what her imagination was telling her would be on show; which was pretty much everything. She would never consider wearing something so, so; she wasn’t sure she knew of a word to describe exactly how Faye’s chosen outfit. “That is something I could ever wear,” Mickayla told herself, actually imagining herself, and then Faye for comparison, wearing the outfit the Betazoid was holding up.

“While she looks amazing in it,” Mickayla observed in her mind’s eye, her own image changing to imagine the outfit she had picked out. “I do not. I’ll stick with what I’ve chosen,” she thought approvingly as Faye suggested they try on their choices before finalising their purchases. Following after Faye, the Betazoid led her to a sectioned off area where they could change.

“Crap,” Mickayla muttered when she realised that it was a communal changing area rather than individual stalls. The shared nature of the area didn’t bother her, she was used to that, rather it was more about who she was with. Even now, officers and non-coms tended to keep to their own. At least they did on other ships she had served on. Since arriving on the Theurgy she had noticed less of a distinction between ranks. “Probably the situation bringing them all closer together. I can’t exactly leave her alone anyway. I’m supposed to protect her, and I cannot do that if I am not here.” Resigned to the situation, although not wholly disappointed, Mickayla set her stuff down in one corner and began to disrobe, trying to not pay attention to the rapidly disrobing and soon naked officer standing next to her.

Unable to not peek entirely, Mickayla liked what she saw of the Betazoid’s toned figure. Shaking her head to refocus herself, she quickly disrobed to her undergarments and tried on her new clothes. Padding across to stand in front of the mirror, Mickayla admired her reflection and tried to imagine what she would look like with her navel pierced.

“So, what do you think?” she asked her companion, wanting a second opinion.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #12 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Shops in the Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88  
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Even for Betazoid, Faye had a bit of an exhibitionist streak. One that had only been fueled by her beach day with her Imzadi. The Aldean's were certainly more reserved than she was, at least outside of their nudist beaches, and she was usually more reserved than the average Orion, but she would admit that she was more promiscuous than the average Betazoid. And apparently, the average Klingon.

Not that there is anything average about Mickayla, she decided, hiding her secret delight at the woman's thoughts around the outfit that Faye had chosen, behind a more easy going smile. "I think what you've picked out will look lovely. Especially with your build," the Diplomat said earnestly. She really did think that the outfit would look good on the security officer and was generally pleased that the woman was allowing herself to branch out. And while that kind of prodding was probably best left to the counselors back on the ship, Faye was the one that was here and would be spending the rest of the day, likely, in the presence of the woman. So if she could get her to unwind enough to be at ease with herself, so much the better.

Might even help her be better at the whole being a bodyguard thing, she mused, but with no real training in security matters since the Academy she was more than willing to admit she might be wrong.

Deciding it would do more harm than good to let her fellow crewwoman know that she thought Mickayla would look quite stunning in the outfit in her own arms, Faye simply turned and followed the arrows leading to the changing area. She was not as surprised as Mickayla, but surprised none the less that while the area was sectioned off from outsiders just wandering about the street, or the shops, it was a far more open affair. Akin to a locker room, and not a collection of changing stalls as she had expected.

"Isn't this nice and cozy?" Faye said, utterly unperturbed by the situation. Though she would take her time - and keep her back mostly turned, out of respect for the nervous ball of energy that was her escorts preferences - Faye was casual about the whole affair as could be. The dress came off, and she gently folded the green fabric up. She had replicated this herself after spending some time flitting through the ships Aldean catalog of appropriate attire. Mickayla wasn't the only one that had very little in the way of personal artifacts. Faye's quarters had been destroyed during the same combat that had cost Faye her arm. Even though it was replicated out of necessity for blending in, the garment had an importance to her.

Under the dress, Faye had simply worn a pair of functional panties in a 'boyshort' cut that clung under her hips. Given the way the dress had fit her and her modest breasts, she'd not bothered with a bra. She didn't need one for support after all. "Doing all right over there?" she'd called back to Mickayla as she doffed her panties and stood up, stretching from one side to the other and giving the Klingon a good view of her entire exposed back, from her shoulders to her heels. If her companion stared long enough, or was particularly observant, she’d see that Faye had not a single tan line on her.

Smirking, because had done that on purpose, she swung her hips and stepped into the thong, pulling it up and snapping the back between her cheeks. Next was the skirt, and she turned around as she got it into place, taking her turn to steal a glance at her escort. She peaked first, the Diplomat justified with an impish smile, appreciating the flashes of dark skin she saw. In truth, she stared brazenly for a long moment, though the klingon was not looking her way so she probably got a way with it. probably. Then, with a very pleased smile, she settled in to pull on the bikini style top, covering her breasts once more and adjusting where it cupped her, as she tied off the garment. Faye was humming as she threaded the gold belt around her hips, the skirt sitting high up on her stomach. Delicate fingers traced around the hem of it, snapping it against her tanned skin and being generally pleased with the results.

Pursing her lips, she went back to her bags and fished out the ankle bracelets, fitting one on each leg, before sliding back into her sandals. Another nod, and a few twists and bends followed. Everything stayed in place. Riley is going to positively salivate...or laugh her ass off. Not sure which.

Blinking a bit as she realized her guard was asking an opinion, the diplomat spun (her skirt flaring and showing off a lot of bare legs) and turned to take Mickayla in. She  took her time about it too, and if the other woman inferred anything from that, Faye wasn't going to be bothered about it. Reaching the top of the woman she gave a little nod. "Looks like it was made from you, at least from this side. I was right. The color of that top is perfect."

Grinning - and knowing how it would look - Faye gave a spin of her own, the playful nature asserting itself. "This look good?" she asked, turning a few times, slowly, letting Mickayla get the full view.

Once they were satisfied with the choices, Faye walked right on out of the room, dressed in their new garb, to settle with the bill. It was a simple matter of producing the Aldean padd that acted as a virtual wallet to access the credit account set aside for her. She had some of the actual 'Stars' on hand as well in a small pouch, but those were more for smaller acquisitions. Settling up with the bill, she then sashayed over to Mickayla and gently bumped her hip to the other girl.

"I’ve still got to find that silk shop, but I think the other vendor said the piercing parlor was closer in than that. Oh!" She laid a hand on the woman's bare forearm in a companionable fashion. "If you do see anything else that catches your eye, let me know? I'm rebuilding my own quarters so knick knacks and the like are always worth a look."

Rather pleased with herself, she took the lead out of the shop, with an extra wiggle to each step, knowing she'd draw plenty of eyes and not so secretly basking in the attention.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #13 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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Mickayla wasn’t sure if she should say anything while Faye took her time looking her over. This close, Mickayla was almost able to smell the Betazoid and could clearly see what she thought might be the hint of a nipple trying to push through the fabric of the officer’s bikini top. Soon though, Faye gave her approval; complimenting her on her choice of colour. And then she returned the favour, so to speak.

Spinning around a few times, her skirt flaring up and out as she did, Faye asked Mickayla what she thought of the Betazoid’s outfit and it was all Mickayla could do not to stare at the woman in surprise, shock, and maybe just a hint of desire. And the movement also answered one of her questions. “I noticed that Faye had no tan lines on the rear of her body and not I think I can safely safe that she has none on the front either. Which is interesting and a little scary to think about,” Mickayla noted to herself as she pondered how exactly to reply to Faye’s question.

“Tess, it looks like it was made for you,” Mickayla said, using the cover name in case they could be overheard. “It’s perfect.” The Betazoid’s smile seemed to grow a little at her words before she gathered up her green dress and left the change area in her new outfit. Having no time to change, Mickayla slipped her boots back on before gathering up her own stuff quickly following her.

“Well, at least the itching is gone,” Mickayla observed silently. She had been fighting the urge to rub at the various places where her clothes annoyed her skin, knowing that she would have to build up a tolerance for it while on duty. But now, when it seemed she didn’t need to worry, it was a great relief; despite how much of her skin could be seen if she moved just right. “Breezy too,” she added mentally.

Even though she had seen and heard the Ensign’s approach, Mickayla wasn’t prepared for the hip bump. It was gentle, obviously meant as a friendly gesture but it set the Klingon’s mind off as thoughts about her past and future began to bubble up. So much so that she barely mumbled out an acknowledgement to Faye before following the Betazoid out of the shop.

“Was that for real or for our cover? I’ve never been hip bumped before. That’s something friends do. The last person who I called my friend was secretly fucking the man I thought I loved. Broke their noses for that,” Mickayla thought, trying to steer her mind in a different direction before her anger became prevalent. “It had to be for show. Just like how she is moving and drawing attention to herself. Its for everyone else to see. I just happen to have a ringside seat,” she went on, glancing around.

“Could I be friends with the Ensign? I don’t see why not. I would just have to trust her,” Mickayla considered as she pointed out something for Faye, as Tess, to look at. She wasn’t even sure the officer would like the vase thing, it had just happened to catch her eye and break her train of thought for a moment. “Would it be that bad?”

Soon enough though they reached the shop where the piercing could be perform and as they entered, Mickayla began to panic at seeing the vendor bent over another customer, a device in hand. But that wasn’t what the Klingon saw. She was back on the Versant, restrained and being tested, poked and prodded without mercy.

“I can’t do this!” Mickayla exclaimed as she backed out of the shop, her breathing ragged.


Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #14 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88 
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While the contact was brief, it was just enough for Faye to pick up a series of very conflicting emotions rolling about inside of Mickayla. They lingered, even as the Betazoid sashayed away from the striking alien woman, and she found herself mentally chewing on what she'd picked up, while at the same time raising some of her walls. This felt...deep. Personal. And Faye didn't want to pry. It was much more fun to wrap oneself up in the nervous peeks, the flashes of inappropriate thought, and the admiration for ones body as seen through the eyes of another, than it was to dive head long into someone's trauma.

Especially when you weren't sure your presence would be wanted.

Tossing her hair back over her shoulder she let herself adjust to the differnt cut of the dress compared to what she'd been wearing. This one's skirt had slits much higher up, and well, did very little to cover. And what she wore...drew stares. A shiver ran down her spine, and she basked in the glow of attention, which was more than enough for her to push off any lingering phantom feelings from Mickayla. She'd let the girl sort things out for herself, and would simply keep the charm flowing.

"It's warm enough down here that having a little more skin exposed is nice, isn't it?" She'd asked in passing and not really expecting any kind of answer, trying hard to focus on the thoughts of anyone but Mickyala. Which was...harder than she thought it would be, given the very natural concern to have a smooth and enjoyable day on Aldea. As they walked they'd past various vendor's she'd pause here and there, though nothing was screaming at her yet to be bought and placed in her quarters.

Which is a damn shame, cause the new ones are huge, she groused, just a bit. They really were more space than she needed, even with frequent visits from a certain non commissioned nurse. Her currently most prized possession was a blanket that Riley had replicated the first night after she'd been defrosted and released (under observation) from sickbay. The human had taken the time to design a nice pattern for it and she'd kept it ever since.

Mickayla's voice caused Faye to snap out of her memories and back into the present. She spun on her heel and turned back to look at what the Klingon had pointed out, and bent in, hands wrapped around her very bare belly. "Okay, yeah, that is really pretty," she noted, admiring the vase, and the whole shop, which seemed to be blown glass ware. "I'm gonna want to ...yeah. That might be coming home later. Let me think on it. If I do buy it, I'll have to find something to put in it." She could always raid the arboretum or the botanical departments but...

That got her mind going off in a completely different direction as she thought about trying to find something to actually grow in her room. In her first quarters she'd had a small bonsai tree. That was gone now, and she'd not really had a chance to get her hands on another one. Having been raised a farmer, she enjoyed the act of growing, even if her professional satisfaction was found in other fields. "Keep an eye out for any botanical stores, Hanayr." Faye mumbled back to the other woman, distracted in her own thoughts now. Not that it stopped her hips from swaying with every step. When she looked good, she knew it, and subconsciously she craved to flaunt it. Had she been capable of the introspection at that point she'd probably realize she was over compensating, trying to push everything to the fullest after a near brush with death.

But she was too in the moment to be that aware.  She'd just spotted the spot, and pressed her hand against Mickayla again to point it out. The two had moved across the street to duck into the sliding doors, when her companion for the day stiffened up. There, and gone again in an instant, back out the doors into the street, leaving Faye gaping in surprise in the entry way. She flashed an apologetic look to the duo past the counter, where work was being done, and hurried back out - catching the slight whistle from one of the two she'd left behind.

Right now she didn't care about the admiring looks. Faye took off after Mickayla, calling, "Hanayr, wait," as she shimmied through the crowd. She caught up - some how - a few stalls down the road and slid her arms snug around one of the Klingon's. Perhaps that was not the wisest of moves, given the difference in strength between the two, the general temperament, and the other woman's training, but Faye did it all the same in an effort to calm the guard.

"Hey. Hey. Easy. It's okay," she started getting flashes, stronger from the contact, and looked over into the other woman's eyes, her own widening slightly. She hadn't even considered, when she'd suggested the piercing, that the guard might associate that with her prior captivity. Faye hadn't been abducted by the Savi - she wasn't interesting enough, from a scientific standpoint, or enough of an affront to them to be collected during the ill fated encounter between the Versant and the Theurgy. And now here she was, pushing a practical stranger into reliving that.

She did not let go. It didn't matter if Mickayla tried to jerk away, compassion was taking over and concern for her own safety had taken a back seat. "Look. I'm sorry. I didn't even think that might ...be problematic. But...I know you like that pendant, and you want to wear it. I know it. You can't lie to me," she pointed out. A deep compulsion lingered in the hearts of most Betazoids, a desire to help, to nurture, to guide and to assist in the processing of darker emotions. Teleapthic societies could rot if such feelings overwhelmed. You had to experience the feeling, yes, but then you had to move past it. Acknowledge, accept, and continue.

Biting her lip, as her hand rubbed up and down the girls arm, Faye made a very fast - and very rash decision. "Lets go back to the shop, and we'll both get a piercing done. They have some stuff there, I saw a case. I'll pick something out, so you won't have to 'go it alone'. Please?" Mickayla had just been talking about not letting 'them' win, when she'd first beamed down to the promenade with Faye. The memories of the Versant weren't the same 'them' the Klingon had been thinking of but...it was close enough for Faye.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #15 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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She didn’t know where she’d gone. Her vision was split; seeing the market in one moment and the interior of the Versant in the next. All the worst parts of her time under their ministrations. They had insisted they were doing the right thing but Mickayla couldn’t understand how causing so much trauma to someone was a good thing. Something as simple as seeing someone else getting a piercing, after agreeing to get one herself, had set her mind off.

“I’m broken,” Mickayla declared mentally, fighting the urge to just drop to her knees as her mind warred against itself. The victim in her wanted to just make everything stop, to give up and end the pain. The soldier in her was emphatically against surrendering to anything. It was not it’s way. It would fight until the end. “How long can I go on like this?” Mickayla wondered.

The feel of another person’s hands on her arm threatened to invoke a violent response from the Klingon before she recognised the voice that came with the hands, entreating her to calm down. She wanted to break free and run but she had a duty to stand, to fight and defend. That was what she had chosen to do with her life. She couldn’t give up on that. Not now. Not after everything everyone had done so far for her and were continuing to do.

“You’re right, Tess,” Mickayla affirmed, turning around to stand in front of the Betazoid, their bodies almost touching. “I do like the shell. And it’s not your fault. I agreed to the piercing. I thought it would be OK but seeing the shop, it just brought up some bad memories is all. I’ll be OK,” Mickayla insisted. “And you don’t need to get anything done, unless you wanted to of course. Its your money. I just don’t want you doing something just to make me feel better.”

“But I need to do this,” Mickayla said, her voice steeling. “I can’t explain it, but I know I have to do this.” Walking off, making sure the Faye was coming with her, Mickayla retraced her steps back to the shop and entered the sliding doors once again.

“I’d like to get my navel pierced please,” she asked of one of the staff as he eyed her curiously.

“Are you sure?” he queried, having seen her depart before.

“One hundred percent,” Mickayla affirmed, her voice steady and resolute. She would get through this no matter what the victim in her wished. She would not give in to suffering.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #16 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading to Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88 
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So much too unpack. Gods, there is...a lot. The contact, and the way Faye purposefully reached out, brought a lot into her mind from the Security Guard, before she forced herself back out of the other woman's head. There was a fine line that Faye was walking right then. This wasn't a negotiation where certain liberties were permitted. And she wasn't a trained counselor, even if she had been required to pass some basic psychology and sociology courses at the Academy. That wasn't her career path.

But she was a superior officer concerned about the well being of a petty officer under her command, assigned with keeping her safe. And she was a caring person on top of that. Her actions had led Mickayla to a place that had triggered something unexpected. Empathic and Telepathic, Faye felt that triggered response and it hurt. Forcing her walls back into place was a challenge but she managed, and only then did she take a slow breath to steady herself, and listen with her ears and her mind. No probing, but surface scanning.

When 'Hanayr' seemed to get a hold of herself, seemed to find that inner strength, then Faye let go. Self Conscious now of her choice of attire solely for it bringing attention to the Klingon, who otherwise might have been glanced over entirely, given the species presence in the Aldean system, she almost wished she could wrap herself up in a heavy robe. Instead she cloaked herself in confidence, a tried and true tactic of her training and strode along side Mickayla. "I don't need to understand the why of this, and I don't really think you need to right now either." Though she had her suspicions, she spoke calmly all the same, as if nothing were amiss. Nothing to see here folks, move along, she thought, very hard. But Faye had never been able to project her thoughts into someone else's mind, unless they were a fellow telepath. Some could, but she was certainly not nearly that strong.

Again, her hand reached out, gently touching, a light brush at the hip, a firmer one on the back, her body simply close. For all their telepathy, Betazoid's were a very tactile species. Vulcan's, touch telepaths, were sparing with physical contact. Her people were the opposite. She kept up a steady stream of what amounted to babble - this a personal habit, not any kind of training - as she made her choice.

"We're both getting work done," Faye clarified, flashing a bright smile at the clerk. "I promised my friend here that I'd treat her, and I decided that it might be fun for both of us to come out sporting new jewelry. I just need to pick out a ring for myself." She tapped her bare midriff, which would draw the eyes down to how little that skirt really hid, but that was beside the point. She knew the artist would do the work, could feel the conclusion in their mind.

So Faye let her coal black eyes sweep around the place. The parlor held a few beds and stations, so it was clear that many such artists co-op'd in the salon. It was sterile, meticulously so, but inviting. Designs hung on the wall, some drawn on actual paper, though many were simply display boards of finished products.

"Well, we have a case of belly rings over there, Miss," the one behind the counter asked, before turning to Mickayla. "Sound's like you already have one though? May I see it? That'll help determine how the procedure goes."

Leaving Mickayla to deal with the clerk, Faye puttered around the wares displayed. While a shell from the other shop would have been nice, she'd made this decision impulsively. Probably not the smartest way to do that. When she'd gotten her tattoo, she'd put a lot of thought into the choice. This was a spur of the moment, influenced by circumstance. What would Riley thing of this.... that got her thinking about what she'd like to see. She knew that Faye liked plants, and Faye knew that Riley had mentioned lotus flowers in passing once....

There. The thought came suddenly as she spotted what she wanted, and summoned someone else to come help her pick it out. That man gave a little nod, another of the Aldeans, though again, she couldn't be sure if this one was a Gestalt or not. She didn't want to pry in his head. She chose the darker metal, apparently a precious ore native to Aldea. That made it all the more special, though she had chosen the almost black metal ring because of how it would look, and stand out, against her stomach.

"Thank you, yes, this will do perfectly," she said, as she felt her heart beat a bit faster. This was a bit of a big step for what amounted to an impulse buy. Again, had she possessed the self insight, she would have reflected that she'd been very, very impulsive lately. Instead, she padded back over to Mickayla and pressed her chest against the other woman smiling up at her. "Shall we?" she asked, as both women were then led back to the booths.


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Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #17 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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“After the incision is made, we use a dermal regenerator to heal the wound around the bar. Once that’s done, we take the bar out and the procedure is complete,” the clerk briefed her, having gone over what she could expect. “If you wish, we can give you something for the pain. Most of my customers usually take a little bit of something to help them. Otherwise, it won’t take very long at all to complete.”

“I’ll say,” Mickayla mused as she mentally went over everything that the clerk had told her. Hope up on the bed, she already had the area exposed so that was done. A quick sterilisation and then they would perform the piercing. After closing the wound, insert the chosen jewellery and she was free to go. “It's almost an assembly line procedure though I suppose it differs depending on what you are getting pierced.” The Klingon had noticed a price board that showed the various rates for different procedures and some of the things she saw that could be pierced actually made her uncomfortable reading them, unable to imagine why a person would want to get that pierced in the first place.

The feel of Faye pressed up against her arm returned and Mickayla realised how much she was comfortable with the Betazoid’s flesh pressed up against her own. Which most of it was. The small pieces of fabric that protected what modesty Faye had did little to interfere with their physical contact. Not that Mickayla was complaining of course. She was starting to enjoy having Faye pressed up against her. It was comforting in a way that the Klingon found hard to explain. And mildly enjoyable too if what she was feeling pressed into her arm was what she thought it was.

“Yes,” Mickayla responded when Faye asked if she was ready. She didn’t want to risk saying anything else as she took a tight hold of her emotions. She was getting this done and it would be a small, personal victory with a mostly permanent reminder that she could conquer her fears. The two were led back to the beds and Mickayla sat down on the one she was directed too, careful to keep most of her skirt from falling away. Laying back, Mickayla began to focus on taking slow, even breaths as the clerk busied himself.

“Would you like anything for the pain?” they asked politely.

“No, thank you,” Mickayla politely declined. The clerks face scrunched up for a moment before shrugging and moving on to the next step. “Probably thinks I’m some weird Klingon that likes pain,” Mickayla thought, not actually caring. “I want the pain so that I know this is real. It’s something tangible that I can hold onto.”

Turning her head sideways, she looked across at Faye where she lay on her own bed and took a moment to enjoy the lovely profile of the Betazoid’s figure. Despite having seen her naked when they were changing, this was the first moment that Mickayla had taken to appreciate how Faye looked. And she found herself liking what she saw. Wordlessly, Faye held out her hand and Mickayla accepted it, holding onto her companion’s hand gently as she felt the clerk begin his work.

Trying not to focus on what the clerk was doing while still being aware of it was difficult and Mickayla twitched a few times as he prepared. When the warning came to hold still, Mickayla tensed up while looking across to Faye in silence. She wasn’t sure if she was offering support or asking for it but Mickayla wanted the distraction in that moment. A sharp pain a moment later, refocused her world on her navel and the Klingon felt the bar sliding through her skin, holding the wound in place as the pain reached for a dermal regenerator.

“There we are, all done,” they announced a moment later. “Would you like me to fit the shell for you?” they asked politely. Mickayla could only nod as she gazed down at her abdomen, looking at her new body modification. And she said nothing as she watched the clerk slide the concealed mounting bar through her new piercing before locking it into place and releasing the shell to sit against her skin. “Beautiful, if I do say so myself.”

“Err, thanks,” Mickayla stuttered, unsure if she liked, or even wanted their opinion. Sitting up slowly, she felt no pain from the procedure but was acutely aware of the shell’s presence. Climbing to her feet, she moved across to a mirror to admire her new look. She wasn’t sure how long she stood there before she felt Faye appear behind her again. 

“Where to next Tess?” Mickayla asked her principal. “What else are you going to put me through?” she added mentally to herself.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #18 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading to Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88 

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Faye hadn't quite heard everything about how the procedure would work from the clerk that was helping Mickayla when she'd moved back to that side of the shop and wrapped herself around the other woman's arms in a fashion that she hoped would be reassuring. The other artisan would repeat everything that the Klingon was told when Faye was stretched out on the table in a few minutes. For now, she just smiled brightly at her security guard. Pretty sure that she was supposed to be keeping me safe, and her I am trying to make her more comfortable. Funny, that.

Imagining that Riley would be amused by this whole thing - and not mad that she'd gone and gotten a freaking belly ring on what amounted to a glorified whim, Faye rolled up onto the balls of her feet and then back down again, rocking on her heels. There was a nervousness to her that was only exacerbated by Mickayla's feelings on the subject, warring between determination and anxious anticipation. Though not as spun up as she would have expected.  Perhaps her presence was helping.

Wish I could focus on the steady professionalism coming off of these two. Just another day in the office...Well, that wasn't true. She giggled a bit because it was clear that both of the technicians found their current canvas's quite appealing from an aesthetic standpoint. Faye didn't quite blush, exactly - she was used to the attention - but she batted her eyelashes a bit, putting on a bit of a show.

Rubbing Mickayla's back, she gave a nod at the girls one word response. No point in pushing, just reassuring. "Won't take long at all," she reassured, and allowed herself to bed led to one of the beds. Tucking her sheer skirt up under her legs, she lay out and stretched, before readjusting the high hemmed bottom so that her belly was fully exposed, and the mesh cloths settled down lower on her hips.

"As we told your friend, this is a fairly straight forward procedure," the piercer began to explain, running though the steps with practiced ease as they ran the piercing gun through a sterilizing field.  Coal black eyes glanced from the gun, to the technician, and then over to Mickayla. Perhaps it was her own nerves that made her reach out, or perhaps it was her concern for the Klingon, but either way, she did reach out. Her fingers wrapped between the others, and she swore she could feel her heart beating in time with the Klingon's pulse. "Would you like something for the pain before we begin?"

"Yes please," she emphatically replied, with absolutely zero hesitation or shame. She wasn't a badass security guard or Klingon with culture shock issues. She smiled sweetly at the clerk as they pressed a hypospray to her stomach and discharged a small dose of numbing agent. Letting out a soft sigh, Faye squeezed down on the other girls hand when the pneumatic gun forced the needle, then the rod, into her skin. A little gasp escaped, but it wasn't from pain, just the odd stretching discomfort.

"Now just hold still for a moment," she heard as the gun was removed and the dermal regenerator did its job. Unlike Mickayla, her piercer didn't bother to ask if she wanted the ring threaded. He simply sterilized it, and then removed the rod, sliding the bar portion of the dangling lotus flower pendant through the new hole in her skin, capping it off. They then passed a small bag with another, simple bar. Seeing the confusion on her face, the tech explained,

"While you can wear the dangling style rings to sleep, we tend to recommend something less likely to get caught in covers or on a lover." That mad a certain amount of sense, as Faye took the small container with a steel stud adored with a very simple 'gemstone'. "We usually throw one of these in for each new piercing. Pretty, but simple. The numbing agent is going to wear off in a while, and when you get back to wherever you're staying, I'd suggest taking a sonic shower. Its been treated so it can't get infected, but it never hurts to wash off after one of these."

Nodding as she was helped back to her feet, the Betazoid pressed a hand to her chest and looked down past her modest bust to stare at the metal bits dangling against her stomach. It felt...weird, but nice, and she rushed over to take a look at Mickayla, after thanking the clerk and paying. She leaned over the other woman's shoulders by going up on her toes and looking at the mirror. "Oh, that really did turn out well," she exclaimed, the words coming out almost like a purr.

Deftly, Faye stepped around to get a good view of her own ring and twisted about. This thing really leaves nothing to the imagination, she thought, forced to admit that this was in fact the idea behind her choice of attire. She'd wanted to feel others appreciating her for how she looked. Her eyes were mostly focused on the new addition to her outfit - and her body. "I wonder how long its going to take to get used to this," she mused softly, taking Mickayla by the hand and leading her out off the shop.

"That wasn't so bad after all," she decided, looking down the winding promenade. "I'd like to find that silk shop. Maybe something to eat too."Faye paused and looked down at her stomach again. The jewel in the lotus housing was catching the light a bit and sparking. Just another thing to draw eyes to Faye, though she wasn't thinking of it that way. "I'm not really feeling all that hungry but after the adrenaline rush of what we just did, I probably should eat."

Turning again, Faye faced Mickayla and let her eyes give the girl a once over. We've only been here a few hours and you've prodded her into making some pretty big changes. Maybe you should slow down, huh? Her own thoughts were mirroring Mickayla's, to an extent. But she wanted to have fun too. She wasn't sure when she'd get to come down here again.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #19 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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“I have to admit, I didn’t think that I would like this drink but it seems that you are right once again. It is delicious,” Mickayla conceded before taking another sip from the glass she was holding. It was green coloured and tasted fruity but the Klingon didn’t recognise any of the ingredients that Faye had said were in it. It was only a promise from the Betazoid regarding what would happen if she didn’t like it that had convinced Mickayla to try it. And once again, Faye was right.

After getting their piercings done, the two of them had continued to meander through the market, searching for the Tholian silk that Faye had wanted while also browsing the other stalls as they passed by. Mickayla had noticed a few things that she might had liked to have but was resolute that if she wanted anything, then she would use her own money, when she got some, to purchase it and not before.

“It is some weird mix of flavours that shouldn’t go together in anyway but yet work together, somehow,” Mickayla described, considering how a Betazoid and a Klingon would work together. “Why am I wondering? That fool Khorin and his partner are an example of something working when it shouldn’t. Anything is possible, I guess.”

“So, what are you planning to make with the silk?” Mickayla asked politely, indicating the bundle next to Faye. A breeze was blowing through the area they were sitting in and Mickayla could smell the sea more prominently than she had early. Growing up in Scotland had not presented many opportunities for beachside adventures and after she left home, she had dedicated herself to her training. Still, the few times that she had been to a beach she had enjoyed herself.

“Perhaps I might come down here again,” Mickayla considered, waiting to hear Faye’s answer about the silk.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #20 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading to Ibai Besi Promenade| Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88   
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Grinning at the praise lavished upon her, Faye batted her eyelashes and leaned back in her chair. While she would not have had any issues delivering on her end of things had Mickayla not liked the drink, she was pleased to have been right, all the same. They sat at a street side table by one of the various eatery's that dotted the promenade, spread out along its long, long stretch of shops. She'd recommended the drink - and had one herself - having tried it on a previous visit. "Why thank you. I'm thrilled to have not lead you astray." The grin just grew a bit, natural and genuine. She really was pleased with herself. 

The remains of lunch littered the plate before her, little bits of plants still coated with a light dressing, and a few nuts sprinkled on them, from the salad she'd selected. All of it was locally sourced, and the morsels of fish were native to the planet as well. The flavor wasn't too fishy, reminding her of something akin to the tuna she'd tried in San Francisco, back in her Academy days. They seemed so very far away, though she knew that wasn't really the case. 

Purring as the breeze washed over her back and blew her hair about, Faye tilted her head backward, eyes shut. The bright Aldean sun bore down on her, warming her skin and letting her relax. She really did prefer to be out of doors if she could get away with it. Farm girl through and through, she thought, not for the first time amused at the irony of her calling leaving her in ships more often than on planets. Thus she was going to make the best of her time dirt side.

Shuffling about in her seat, Faye sat up a bit straighter and took a sip of her drink as she contemplated Mickayla's question. The bag of Tholian silk had set her back quite a bit - it was not 'cheap' by any means - but she didn't mind. There were a few other things too, that would need to be sent back to the ship for her quarters. She still hadn't found any really good plant shops but she could make a concerted effort for that down the line.  The silks though...

"I'm not entirely sure," she replied after a moments reflection. "A robe is the first thing that comes to mind. Something to be worn around the quarters, to ward off the cold. Though I tend to keep mine comfortably warm, until after I'm under covers, Riley tends toward the colder temperatures," she confessed. Much more fun to strut around naked when you weren't going to freeze as a result. 

"There's enough material there for a full length evening gown. Or a few smaller pieces. That might allow me to have more than a scarf made of the scraps." Faye chuckled a bit. She could always find a way to make something rather risque for both of the girls to wear, though she wasn't exactly talented in designing lingerie. Better to just buy that out right.

She turned her head toward the beach, remembering her trip with Riley and grinning wide now. These shores weren't the same as the one she'd put on her impromptu show with poor Riley dragged along. Not that her lover had minded, as she well knew. Both women had transported back to the ship exhausted, and thoroughly satisfied. The raunchy behavior, combined with their confessions, had bound them together tightly. Which was exactly what Faye had hoped would happen. 

The Betazoid was free with her affection and her loins, but not her heart. That had been given to one person to cherish, and she'd wanted to help that person grow, and experience everything she had. They'd made a fair dent in that with their little play date.  And Riley certainly had her own escapades, of which Faye had seen second hand. She was fond of that fighter pilot from the Resolve. Neither her nor there, it still made her smile. She liked it when her Imzadi was happy and was more than fine knowing she was not the only one to bring joy into the nurses life. Love was a gift that kept giving, after all.

Running her finger over the lip of the glass, she looked down for a moment, then away toward the beach again. "I've been down to Aldea a few times now, for reasons other than work. Being a Diplomat does require one to interface a bit with the locals. But its different when you can take your time and enjoy yourself. I really do think you should come down here again, Hayanr. Be it on your own or with others.

"I think they run tour groups, actually." She added upon a bit of reflection. She'd read something about that in her morning updates. "And I can promise you the beaches...they are amazing. I haven't been to this one," she gestured over her shoulder, "but the one I have been to was...well, it was a memorable visit." That didn't have to do just with it being a nice beach, of course.

Chewing on her lip for a moment - and picking up some surface impressions, Faye decided to make a suggestion. "We still have some time before we have to beam back to the ship, you know. We could...just walk down there." She tilted her head in the direction of the sound of water, and grinned up at Mickayla, hopefully.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #21 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Ibai Besi Promenade ] Attn: @Brutus
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“A robe made of Tholian silk,” Mickayla mentally moaned at the idea of feeling that against her bare skin. Lately robes had been one of her favourite outfits to wear in her quarters, right after nothing at all; but to have one made from Tholian silk, well, that was nothing but a fantasy to her. Just the thought of owning and wearing one around her quarters evoked a feeling of utter decadence within the Klingon. And yet, she couldn’t get the idea out of her head. It was now stuck there, hung up as a goal to achieve right next to attaining the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. “I’ll get both one day. Somehow.”

“I think I’d like that, Tess,” Mickayla acknowledged the diplomat when she suggested the Mickayla should come down to Aldea more. Being here in the city was different than being out in the wastes. She supposed she should have expected that, but it was still a little surreal given what she had so far done since she had transported down. “If someone had told me I was going to get my navel pierced I would probably have broken their nose.”

“The beaches?” Mickayla repeated, wondering if the Betazoid was reading her mind. It was possible, her species was telepathic, but they usually didn’t out of politeness. Not that she could have stopped Faye if she wanted too. “I, ah, I haven’t been to a beach since basic training. And that was,” Mickayla paused, taking a moment to mentally retrace her steps to the last time she had visited a beach. “It was right after completion, in 2369,” Mickayla responded, astounded that it had been that long. “I can’t believe it has been that long.”

“A walk along the beach sounds nice, Tess,” Mickayla announced as she climbed to her feet, downing the last of her drink, considering it a shame to waste it.

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #22 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Walkway leading from Ibai Besi Promenade to the Ibia Besi Beaches | Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88  
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Longing washed across Faye's senses, and for a moment she struggled to separate the feeling from her own. The desire to run the alien fabric that resided in her back, through her hands instead. To bury her face in it; to strip herself out of the see through attire she wore, the skimpy top and barely there bottom, and wrap the cloth around her so that she could feel it on every inch of her skin.

The desire was strong, yes, and it sent a chill down her spine and heat blooming beneath her skin. But it also was not her desire. Not in that moment.

She licked her lips and purred ever so slightly, turning her eyes over to look at Mickayla. Not her desire at all, but oh, what a strong desire it was. Should get her something too. But that might be a bridge too far, she realized. Getting the silk for her Imzadi was not the same as for a mostly stranger. Even if she thought this Mickayla was good stock. She'd thought highly enough to go through getting a belly ring just to keep the security officer company.

Still, she promised herself she would walk around the quarters in the robe - if that's what she made for Riley - before giving it to the nurse. The desire to know what that felt like was now as much her own as it had been Mickayla's.

"The shop isn't going anywhere, so there should be more chances to get our hands on some of that silk," Faye said, off hand, before sipping her green drink, as if it wasn't really any of her business and surely hadn't been reading theo ther girls mind, just thinking aloud. "If all goes as planned we'll be here a bit longer. Maybe on your next trip you can pick some up. I'm glad we agree that you do need to come back here though."

The younger diplomat stood up and bent, collecting her bags and redistributing them so that she had the contents strewn across two of the larger totes. Satisfied that things were about as good as they were going to get, she shouldered the bag and smiled. "I was...13 in 69'. That seems like forever ago. I was much less likely to be at a beach, but we did have a large pond for swimming at my parents farm, on Boudon Colony."

Draining what was left of her drink, Faye pushed her chair in with one foot, and took off, heading down the street. It wouldn't be too far along to get to the beaches. There was a bit of a skip to her step as she headed along, peeling off the main path to take a wooden footpath between two buildings. A right and then down a few blocks, and the promenade became more of  an open air broad walk. There, ahead, was a foot bridge, leading over to a grassy dune that would, in turn, lead to the beach proper.

Looking around she smiled. "Its been far too long since you've been to a beach. and its right there." She gestured off, the roar of the ocean much, much stronger. The salt filled the air again, and once more the pleasant memories from the other day filled her mind and made her skin tingle. A pleased noise filled the back of Faye's throat, as she smiled brightly at the woman escorting her. "I see lockers over there for rent. We can stash the bags and the clothes and get out onto the beach and into the water."

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #23 –
[ PO1 Mickayla MacGregor | AKA Hanayr | Walkway leading from Ibai Besi Promenade to the Ibia Besi Beaches ] Attn: @Brutus
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Mickayla had followed along quietly after Faye, quietly admiring how the woman’s body moved and how the strengthening sea breeze was moving the diaphanous material that composed the majority of the Betazoid’s outfit. Faye’s excitement was practically palpable and Mickayla found herself slowly being caught up in it as she was led through the market towards the sea and the beaches that would border it.

As the market’s promenade opened up Mickayla could hear the waves as they crashed over each other onto the shore, filling the air with the smell of salt and of the sea. It brought back memories of her time at basic training; of the people she had known and bunked with; over the person she herself had been at the time.

“I was a fool,” she mused, as a footbridge appeared ahead. “My career didn’t follow the path I had thought it would but up until leaving the Artemis, it had been fine. Then came the Endeavour, the Borg, the Savi. And now, I am on the Theurgy, the most wanted ship in 2 quadrants. I wonder if Picard ever had days that he just wanted to pack it in and disappear. Maybe telling Q to just fuck off?” She’d never seen the legendary captain or the omnipotent being interact, but she had heard stories.

"I see lockers over there for rent. We can stash the bags and the clothes and get out onto the beach and into the water," Faye announced, bringing Mickayla back to the present as she processed what her companion had said.

“Ah Tess,” Mickayla called out hesitantly as they walked across the footbridge. “I, ah, I didn’t bring anything to go swimming in. I didn’t plan to come to the beach.”

Re: Day 10 [1000 hrs] Material Girls

Reply #24 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Ibai Besi Beaches | Aldea] Attn: @Stegro88 
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Mickayla MacGregor was far from the first person, or the first Klingon for that matter, that found the young Diplomatic Attache's attitude infectious and invigorating. She was, in fact, far from the first Klingon to fall under the sway of the young woman's charm. The same set of skills that put opponents at ease across a negotiating table gifted the young woman with an ability to gain friends or admirers rather swiftly. And often Faye simply got her way, never quite connecting all the dots.

Of course, every once in a while the universe collected on that, and Faye would fall flat on her face, hit a wall that her charm had no effect on. Occasionally, the wall would be a sliding pressure door that would tear her arm off, but so far that had only happened the one time. And you really couldn't tell it had been replaced unless you knew exactly what to look for.

Right now Faye would have been pleased as an Argelian peach to know that her good mood was rubbing off on Mickayla. Having decided that a key part of her day off was making sure her escort enjoyed the time as well, Faye had devoted herself to the cause with her usual impish enthusiasm. All of which was now  coming to a head as they strode across the footbridge, and Faye felt the ground shift from permacrete, to wood, and then at last to grassy sand. The long fronds brushed along the bare spots of her legs, where the skirt slit around her.

As they approached the lockers, Faye heard her companions concerns and spun, walking the last few steps toward the little stall backwards, with a grin of the most blatantly false innocence on that the clerk watching the lockers had to hide a smile. "Why Hanayr, whatever is the matter?" She asked, mirth and mischief dancing on ever word. She glanced down at her own form, and then back up at the Klingon.

"I'm no more dressed or packed to go into the water. Part of this outfit looks like a bikini, but the material is all wrong for that kind of thing. I didn't bring any beach clothes either," Giggling a bit, because she knew she was laying it on extra thick at this point, she walked up to one of the larger lockers and pressed a thumb against the scanner. It clicked open, encoding to her as she slid her bags in and then started on the gold chain belt that held her wispy skirt in place.

"The funny thing about Aldean's, Hanayr," She told her friend as she hung the metal garment over a rail and then worked the skirt down her hips with a brazen shimmy. "They can be so uptight in some ways, and then so very...Betazoid in others. Like their beaches, for instance? Did you know each and every one open to off worlders is also clothing optional?"

It was stated just so matter of fact that one could be forgiven for not hearing it properly at first. But the moment Faye reached back and undid the bikini top, letting it fall into her arm and then very coyly sliding it off entirely, to hang on a small hook in the locker - in view of anyone walking by - got the message across. And when she bent to divest herself of the tiny thong that wasn't doing all that much anyway, she did so grinning up at Mickayla, those coal black eyes locked onto the Klingon woman’s face. She wanted to see the reaction to her brazenly casual display. Soon every inch of her tanned skin would be on display, from her head to her toe, not a tanline in sight. Everything was that warm golden brown color, and she was smooth from the neck down.

"What's that Terran saying they taught us back in San Francisco? When in Rome, do as the Romans?"
 
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