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Episode 02: Cosmic Imperative / Re: PRO: S [D01|0700] Waking up (late for work)

Last post by Griff - September 23, 2023, 06:51:43 PM

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | NCO Quarters | Deck 11 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @GroundPetrel @Stegro88

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Happily snuggled with her lover, Lillee couldn't help but giggle at Anh-Le's outrageous cuteness. As Anh-Le started kissing up to a pointed ear, though, Lillee sighed in contentment. Not for the first time, she found herself profoundly grateful that Anh-Le was such a quick and enthusiastic study of Romulan physiology. Or just Lillee's physiology. Either way, luxuriating in Anh-Le's touch, she simply laid back and enjoyed the moment, one hand restling idly on Anh-Le's toned stomach.

When her girlfriend's stomach loudly growled, Lillee laughed as she turned back onto her side, her nose tickling Anh-Le's. "Oh, Elements be my witness, I would've found you eventually," she said with a grin, her face haloed by her blonde hair. "You are far too cute for me to miss, even on a ship as big as this. Even without the war...you are an analyst, yes, with much knowledge of my people? We would've seen each other eventually. I have met many analysts, though never any as beautiful-" (she darted in to kiss her lover's lips) "or clever-" (another kiss) "or gentle-" (yet another kiss) "-as you."

At the final kiss, Lillee lost herself, unable to pull away, as their lips met with increasing passion, their tongues joining the action too. Lillee rolled atop her lover as the kiss continued, feeling every bit of Anh-Le's body along her own, from their feet to their hips to the nipples of their breasts. Finally, as much out of a need for oxygen as anything else, Lillee broke the kiss and propped herself up on her arms, gazing down into Anh-Le's eyes.

It was a beautiful romantic moment, so naturally, it was broken by an even louder stomach growl from Anh-Le's protesting stomach. Lillee smiled before darting down her girlfriend's body, delivering a kiss to her abdomen. "Quiet," she commanded the stomach sternly. "You shall be fed soon enough." Looking up at Anh-Le, she added "Go ahead and have breakfast, I'll be with you soon. You know where the robes are, unless you wish to give Lorad a heart attack."

Lillee hopped off the bed and stretched before looking back at her girlfriend with a grin. "Actually, thinking about it, maybe you should eat naked. I wouldn't mind having these quarters to myself again."

With a parting wink, she disappeared into the bathroom, privately hoping that Lorad was indeed elsewhere. Her Reman bunkmate was surprisingly easy to live with, but still, having him present would really put a damper on breakfast.

NCO Crew Quarters:

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Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 10 [2000 hrs.] - Holonovel Club - Book 1: Storm of the Century

Last post by Nero - September 22, 2023, 11:39:01 PM

[

Giorgio spun her around and pulled her in closer to him as they opened the dancefloor. His nicotine infested breath mixed with the musk of his cheap aftershave stung in her sensitive nose. RraHnam’s whiskers twitched. She felt disgusted although she smoked herself just moments ago. She wanted to break free from him, to kick him in the shins, but she stayed in her role and mimed the fragile sister. The woman who couldn’t hurt a fly and needed protection everywhere she goes.

The Mobsters face came closer to her. As the music changed, he pulled her into a slow dance and forced her to snuggle up against ho his chest. “Your brother owes me a lot of money, Ms. Gladstone.” She suddenly straightened up. Giorgio Russo knew who she was. He knew who she was, and he didn’t want to hide it. It was the first card he played. No, it was the second card. The first card was that he pulled her of all people onto the dancefloor to be somewhat alone with her. No one would dare to interrupt her dance and to anger their boss. RraHnam weirdly liked it. Although his breath was unpleasant, she liked how the story of the novel picked up. She was alerted and intrigued to find out what was coming up.

“What is wrong, Ms. Gladstone? Surprised I know you?” He smiled and revealed some teeth typical for omnivore creatures with some incisors in the front, sharp fang like teeth in the sides and a glimpse of molars in the back. It was a wide smile. Sincere yet hideous at the same time. He continued. “I know a lot. In fact, I know everything in this borough. I know that your brother was hauling in twenty crates of whiskey of one of the finest blends for me and a couple dozen bottles of wine. Chateau Picard to be precisely. A load worth serval ten thousand dollars. And I know that he over there” he pointed to his much larger brother “will likely punch your sorry ass brother to a pulp if we find him with neither my money nor my booze.” Her spun her around once more. “And since he fucked off, I guess you, Ms. Gladstone inherit his debt.”, he whispered into her ears.

Meanwhile RraHnam could see Cross preparing a distraction. She could guess what he was up to, so she braced herself as Russo continued to present his demands. “You know, Ms. Gladstone… although the theft of your brother puts down my mood, I feel generous today.” Another spin. “I’ll offer you three days to get me my merchandise or my money. What do you think?”

RraHnam swayed from side to side with the music and lead by her dance partner Giorgio Russo. “What sum does he owes you?”, she asked with the most flimsy voice she could muster, but he laughed short and dry. “Thirty-three-thousand-nine-hundred-forty-five dollar and seventy-three cents, including interest and late fees.”

The Cait stopped for a brief moment and astonishment paired with mimed panic crawled up her eyes. ”Thirty-three-thousand-nine-hundred-forty-five dollar?” she whispered silently, just audible to Russo who had put his cheek onto hers. “And seventy-three cents, yes.”

“What if we can’t pay or bring the cargo?” RraHnam asked. “Then, Ms. Gladstone.”, he said softly and turned with her in his arm, to present his brother again. “Then my brother Anthony will handle you both. Once… and for all. Trust me, that’s something you don’t want that to happen. So? Do we come to an agreement?”

Suddenly the lights shut down. It became dark. A ruckus occurred at the bar. A fistfight started between the unions and the supervisors. Things were thrown. One of the big windows was smashed in, but RraHnam was aware of what happened. She caught Cross’s smirk and knew what would happen next. The Caitian closed her eyes, just milliseconds before, to allow her eyes to prepare for the darkness to follow. As she opened them again the chaos broke out. She smiled and broke away from the mobsters embrace. She slapped him and due to her claws injured him just enough to left bloody claw marks but not enough to seriously hurt him. “I’ll take your three days, Russo, and I warn you to never threaten my family again.” Then she kicked him in the shins and ran away to the bar where Cross waited for her.

“Follow me, we need to get out of here asap.” She grabbed Cross’s arm and dragged him to the broken window. The howling winds and the lashing rain greeted them on the street. “Quick, into the Alley. My drivers waiting there for me.”

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 20 [0650 hours] Check-in for a Check-up

Last post by Sqweloookle - September 22, 2023, 08:28:15 AM

[ Lieutenant Elro Kobol | Recovery ward | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Dree

It was an interesting question as Elro realised that Andorians were used to and evolved in the cold. He nodded. ”It is possible that you would feel it more keenly then warmer blooded species,” he said and smiled as he came to what might be bad news for her. ”I will need you to wear this monitor for at least a week,” Elro said his smile had vanished but appeared again a few moments later.

”Don't worry,” he said with a chuckle, ”you can take it off when you sleep.” Elro smiled.

His expression went concerned, ”though while you sleep your body does semi hibernate so it is possible that monitoring during that time could help us learn more about what is going on, I believe at least 3 nights would give enough data but I leave which 3 nights you wear it for.” Elro explained and gestured for Reika to sit up.

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 20 [1650 hrs.] My Kingdom for a Duotronic Interphase Core Kicker!

Last post by Dumedion - September 21, 2023, 04:23:05 PM

[LT Arven Leux ] Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Griff @Dree @Ellen Fitz
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He quickly realized that the situation had gone to complete and utter shit, after poor Flo was knocked away from the irate Klingon like a minor annoyance. Arven had opened his mouth to try to calm the patient, but then the knife came out – which prompted several critical decisions to be made, post haste. His fingers tapped out a command, aborting the regeneration array and unlocking the scanner from holding the Romulan in bed - which was rather forward thinking, because for some reason he decided to goad the Klingon then - but the scanner rolled back just in time for him to dodge and roll out away from the Klingon’s blade. Unfortunately, that maneuver also knocked Leux back and to the floor alongside him, while the snarling old brute busied himself with the Andorian.

“Utterly intolerable,” Arven grunted under his breath, then tapped his badge, as his eyes and hands searched under the bed for assistance, ignoring the groaning Romulan for now. “Security to recovery ward, now,” he hissed, just as his hands found purchase on the only two items that he thought would really make any kind of difference in this insane situation. “What the,” he sighed in annoyance, “these aren’t even supposed to be here. This is why we can’t have nice things, nobody puts stuff back where it belongs! Whatever – stay here, stay down,” he whispered to the Romulan, then quietly got to his feet and snuck around the bed, a chrome metal bedpan in each fist.

This is a really stupid, horrible idea, Arven frowned at himself, as he snuck up behind the Klingon.

[Quartermaster Dok, son of Qannal]
Of the lot of them, the old warrior guessed the Andorian to be the greatest threat; the spineless Romulan coward would be dealt with soon enough, then he vowed to gut every traitorous bIHnuch that got in the way off this cursed ship. Murderous yet cunning eyes narrowed at the Andorian’s challenge as he readied himself, the secondary blades of his d’k tahg flicking open with a menacing snick, while his ears caught the useless whispering behind him. He wasted no words with her, for an honorable battle between warriors required none; all that mattered was victory...or death.

He struck, driving the d’k tahg in a blur of motion at the Andorian’s chest – a perfectly aimed kill-stroke – yet realized too late that his adversary had anticipated the blow. Without hesitation or a grunt of pain, his foe impaled her hand upon the blade and wrenched it from his grip, as they briefly spun around each other. A roar of surprise and admiration bellowed from his throat as he countered, stepping into her guard and clamping his fist around her neck in a vice grip, to pull her close enough to smell the death she had earned. His eyes flicked to one of the humans as he ducked out of view, choosing to cower in fear rather than face him – another sickening display of cowardice, before they snapped back to hers.

“Admirable,” Dok sneered in her face, then pinioned his massive elbow in a blind strike at the idiot he heard coming from behind, which smashed into his face with a meaty crack; yet his wrathful eyes never left the Andorian’s, even as the weakling crashed to the deck in a clatter of metal and dead weight. “You have courage, Lieutenant! I respect that, but a sharp blade is nothing without a sharp eye; remember that, if you live,” the aging warrior growled at her, then leaned his head back in preparation for a savage head-butt to finish her off.

A sudden sting at his neck and the hiss of injection interrupted the victory. Fire flooded his veins, numbing his insides with cold tendrils of agony. He was stumbling then, as his vision swam – his will betrayed by his body. Strength fled and he crashed to his knees with a grunt, eyes rolling up into his skull; he fell forwards, and darkness took him.

[CM3 Julian Florez]
He couldn’t catch his breath, even as it sawed in and out of his heaving chest. He’d scrambled as fast as he could through the back of three biobeds to get around to the Klingon’s blind-side; Dr. Leux was laid out cold at his feet, lips and nose bloodied and bruised, and Julian felt like he was ready to pass out too – but it worked, he did it, somehow! The hypo worked! The Klingon had released the Andorian, then staggered off a few steps to crash to his knees and face; but panic raced through Julian then with a sickening realization – he couldn’t remember what was in the hypo!

“Oh crap, ohhh crap... I think... I think I killed him,” Florez wheezed to himself between ragged breaths, then dropped the hypo as if it was a snake that was going to bite him.

OOC: (thanks for the roll, @Griff

)
bIHnuch – coward or weakling
toDSaH – wimp/wuss

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 19 [1800 hrs] A Spicy Encounter

Last post by Dree - September 21, 2023, 09:14:15 AM

[Lt Reika Sh'laan | Reika's Quarters | 12 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] @Dumedion

Reika watched as Kino’s lips mouthed the words of the different ‘adult’ book titles on the PADD she held her pale hand. Reika watched with amusement as Kino’s eyes and mind processed the titles. She really hadn’t had any intention of showing those off to Kino, but seeing her girlfriend get a kick out of it - not only didn’t she mind - she was rather enjoying it.

“I dunno Legs, these sound a bit out of my comfort zone. The Queen’s Conquest might be doable -- I’ll have to read it first.”

Kino’s wink brought a smile to Reika’s azure lips.

As Kino carried an armful of things into her bedroom, Reika dove back into the tote. She moved the pictures that were on top of the and set them around her main room where she wanted to hang them. But the last one that she extracted was a holo pic of her family. Unfortunately for her, Barak was also in the picture, but that’s not where her eyes lighted, her eyes looked very lovingly at her family. She missed them - desperately.

But then she heard Kino’s voice read…”Nepheton’s tempestuous storms rained upon their bodies in the firelight; the sounds of their gasps and moans muffled over the crack of lightning and rolling thunder. Fenri bared herself to him – her captor, her savior – in ways no noble-borne scion of the Gilded Throne ever should; especially not one such as she, affianced to the High King himself. Lothar held her wrists up above the drenched and matted ruination of her golden hair – taking everything he wanted – all that she, drowned in lust, willingly gave. His merciless passion left Fenri’s bare chest heaving, limbs and womanhood aching in need as they clenched onto and around his glistening, fire-lit body.'

“I am yours – I am yours,” the Queen’s quivering lips promised him, over and over, with every blissful thrust.”

As she listened, she leaned against the wall in the living room, she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her shoulders bobbed up and down as her head shook back and forth and her lips curled up in a wide laughter-filled grin.

When she heard Kino’s words, “Okay, spill it - what’s the story. No spoilers, but who is who? This is a classic ‘the lady falls for the rugged kidnapper trope,” Reika opened her eyes.

And her head moved back and forth in slight movements. “Okay, the queen, Fenri, isn’t the queen yet. She’s betrothed to the king making her queen aparant, but she doesn’t love the king. A rival Kingdom tries to destroy the kingdom by kidnapping her before the wedding and, of course, Fenri falls for Lothar instead. I won’t spoil the ending. This is my ,” she paused in thought, “third time through it.” But then laughing out loud. “Hey don’t judge me,” she wrinkled her nose at the beautiful Trill.

But as Kino’s foot hit Reika’s other painting, Reika took in a breath of air.

“Private stash, huh? Want this one in your bedroom?”

Reika rolled her eyes. “There was a painting evening two nights ago, and this was what I painted that evening. The model was nude, that’s all.” Reika went back to the tote to grab the next armful of items, but stopped. “Unless you want the painting for yourself?” She chuckled as she watched for Kino’s reaction.

The next handful of items were her bladed weapons. Her flabjellah, gorjellah, and her Ushan Tor. She saw no reason to pack them away. She put them in a prominent place on one of the shelves in the main room and turned to Kino. "Ever seen any Andorian bladed weapons before?"

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 20 [0900 hours] Of Problems Past and Present

Last post by RyeTanker - September 21, 2023, 05:49:32 AM

[Lieutenant Commander Frank Arnold | Below Decks Lounge | Vector 03 | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy] @Dree

While Reika tried talk some sense into the hostess then proceeded to get pawed over, Frank got up and directed the other two crew members to help Reika try to keep the newly lustful woman off her. If Frank had a moment and the situation wasn't so dire, he'd have taken a moment to pinch the bridge of his nose or rub his temple. "Try to keep her from doing anything she's going to regret." The other two nodded and looped their arms under hers and tried to firmly pull her off. The Engineer took a moment to look around while Kamilla let out a keening "Noooooo, you won't keep me from her.

At least Kamilla seemed focused on Reika at the moment, though he did hear one of the crew complain that they didn't have the arms to keep the legs off Reika's waist. Deciding this was an emergency, Frank headed to the nearest medical kit and opened it. Quickly looking, he saw the plate that indicated a general sedative, though he did notice a piece of paper attached to the kits lid that showed that he should only press the increase button ONCE. Doing as the paper said, he slid the vial into the hypospray and made his way over to see Kamilla was pushing her chocolate coloured hair into one crew member who was doing his best to ignore the amorous invitations she was giving him. The only part Frank heard was "....all please each other."

Frank looked heavenward and closed in on the scene of chaos. He didn't know what she was trying to do as she bucked hard with a groan and pulled everyone down into another crashing pile of bodies. Given her state, it was amazing how focused she was the bar tender pulled her arms out quickly and wrapped them around the Andorian's neck to try to shove her tongue down the computer techs throat. The Engineer was having none of this though as he grabbed her hair and pulled her neck to the side, jammed the hypospray into her neck and pressed the trigger.

The hiss followed with Kamilla quickly loosening her grip as she fell unconscious. With the situation resolved, Frank exhaled as he stood up and fixed his tunic. Offering a hand to Reika, he then directed the other two crew members to carry the sleeping woman to the nearest sickbay along with the necessary details. This situation perplexed him, but he had a situation to restore first. "Alright everyone that's it for now, you know she's off to sickbay, so back to your morning routine." The volume of the hubbub returned as everyone got back to eating or their other morning activity while he turned to the Shen. "I can see why someone would try to hide a chip like that. Let that sort drink loose on the crew and who knows what'll happen." The question was now what.

Thea at this point decided to chirp in. "Commander Arnold. I have taken a further look into the chip and there appears to be some coding for the holodeck systems." This caused the Chief to frown in puzzlement before looking at Reika. "Given what the drink was like, do we really want to know what the program was?"

Kamilla entry in wiki

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 20 [1650 hrs.] My Kingdom for a Duotronic Interphase Core Kicker!

Last post by Dree - September 20, 2023, 08:52:35 AM

[Lieutenat Reika Sh'Laan] Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] @Dumedion @Ellen Fitz @Griff

Upon hearing Alistair’s suggestions, Reika turned to face the human. Her slight grimace softened into a slight smile. “I’m just glad we all made it out with our lives,” she said with a nod. Massaging her sore shoulder, the Andorian turned to go to find whomever this Pierce or was though the other two he had mentioned - Akoni and Stark she was familiar with. If she couldn’t find Pierce, she would look one of the others up and give them an accounting of what happened.

But everything happened so fast. Doq woke up, confused at first, but only seconds later, as his eyes lighted on the three that had been with him on the planet, his entire demeanor transformed from confused to bedeviled. To say that he was incensed would have been a gross understatement. His rage wasn’t to be continued, and his stab at Alistair happened before Reika could make her move to disarm the irate Klingon. Blood spatters splayed around the ward in sickbay as the Human was cut across his chest. But the Andorian kept her eyes on the Klingon. She would do much more good attempting to take him down than she would tending to the crimson gash on her fellow OPS officer’s chest.

Reika’s immediate instinct was to protect the doctor and nurse, and while the doctor was behind her, the nurse was behind the Klingon. It was imperative that the large oaf’s attention be kept away from the nurse. Reika turned to move in on the aggressor, but Hirek was currently between her and the indignant Klingon. She had no doubt Hirek could take care of himself. His Romulan nature came out in full force when the eldest of the bunch tried to reason with the unreasonable. And for his pains, the Klingon simply bellowed, “Your tongue is so smooth with your lies. Best I cut it out.”

But this Hirek was easily able to avoid with the agility that some men half his age wouldn’t have been able to procure. This, however, left Reika standing between the blustering quartermaster and the doctor.

“Since you’re intent on fighting someone, come at me,” Reika stated flatly falling into a fighting stance already knowing exactly how she was going to disarm him, though that would leave the doctor or the nurse to his the man with a hypospray, but once disarmed he wouldn’t be able to do near the damage that he currently could with his d’k tahg.

While he was a warrior, finesse wasn’t anywhere within Doq’s wheelhouse. He did one of two things that Klingons always do with a short-bladed knife, and Reika was ready for either. But as she saw him come at her with a straight stab, she didn’t even hesitate. With the precision of an Andorian with slightly enhanced senses thanks to her antenna, she flattened her hand in a ‘stop’ gesture and rammed her hand into the knife making it easy to wrench from his hand. The female OPS officer wouldn’t have been surprised if the whole of the ship heard Doq’s shriek of anger at being disarmed, but at that point, she had done what she could do. It was up to the others to subdue the best the rest of the way.

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 18 [1945 hours] A Single for Couple's Night

Last post by Dree - September 20, 2023, 08:02:17 AM

[Lt Reika Sh’laan] Lt. Sh'Laan's Quarters | Deck 12 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy| attn @Ellen Fitz

When Reika’s eyes opened, She noticed Hirek’s lids fluttering. His words were gentle and generous, but the Andorian could tell that there was either some subtext or some pretet behind them, but despite that, she took the offered cloth and switched places with the Romulan starting her cleansing efforts at the back of his neck and working around to the front of it, bathing his clavicles and then down his chest. But as the beat began and his words matched the rhythm, she began to wash in time to the more upbeat tempo of the melody.

Ever the student, she looked on again trying to ascertain his thoughts as she washed down his well-muscled chest. His ponderings, however, weren’t easy to read - seemingly neither favorable or unfavorable or either favorable and unfavorable in equal measure. She was self-aware enough to know that for a warrior race, she was an anomaly. Maybe that was what she was sensing from him. She knew herself to be strong and powerful - dangerous even - and yet she was a woman who knew how to wield that power with gentleness and restraint. She had often heard well-meaning people discuss the antithesis of her race and her demeanor when they didn’t realize she was able to hear. But it was the trouble in her past that made her the way she was. It was the turmoil that taught her restraint. It was the anger that taught her gentleness. And she would gladly let people continue to puzzle over her. She was fierce with love for her allies and animus toward her enemies.

She continued to work her way down his well-muscled body, her toes tapping in time with the song as she listened to his explanation after the song concluded. After cleaning down his front side, she swung herself around to his back and once again began at the top and worked her way down.

Reika had never had the opportunity to meet a Romulan before Hirek. She wouldn’t have known what to expect of the species let alone him as a person. But as a Romulan, he wasn’t what she would have expected of his species either. Did they have more in common than she had previously realized both rarities in their own right. Hirek a Romulan who could - and had showed genuine kindness to a newly thawed woman and she, a warrior who knew how to feel genuine empathy for the other’s plight.

But by that time, she had washed her way down to Hirek’s heels. “I’m going to lift your feet to wash their bottoms,” she said barely over the splash of the water around them. She lifted one of Hirek’s feet scrubbing it gently in case he was ticklish, and then setting it down, she swapped it out for the other.

Standing back up to her full height, Reika smirked slightly and her pointy eared companion for the evening. “Are you water-logged enough that you’d like to dry off?”

She allowed Hirek to turn off the water to the shower and she grabbed two towels and handed him one of them. Starting with her long tresses, she began to dry herself, drawing the fluffy fibers across her glistening skin. “If you would like, I have an Andorian oil that has just a touch of fragrance to it. I would be happy to work it into your shoulders if you’d like once you’re dried. When I was washing them, your shoulders seemed tight to me.”

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 17 [0845 hrs.] (R)idiculous (I)nconvenient (O)rnament

Last post by rae - September 20, 2023, 03:08:59 AM

[ Lt Cmdr. Jaru “Janus” Rel | Fighter Assault Bay | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring

“But moooooom,” he complained, pitching his voice up and drawing the word out in an exaggerated whine. “We haven’t even left yet!” Then he dropped the affect, continuing on in a normal voice, “Unless you’re trying to get out of showing me what this thing can do, in which case, I accept your surrender.”

All joking aside, he was still fully focused on the controls, familiarizing himself with the layout and functions by habit. Prophets, it had been years since he’d been in the back of a warp fighter. Before the Mark III, back when he’d flown two seaters as standard, Janus had run practice sims in the RIO seat as part of his never-ending quest to be an expert on every aspect of his ship. He’d put his RIO in the front, a role she was equally unsuited for, in a misplaced hope that doing the other’s job would help build some camaraderie between them. Aside from some truly spectacular computer-generated deaths, nothing had come out of it.

Janus laughed as they blew out of the bay, a short sharp sound that signaled how they left his darkening mood in the dust. As he had correctly assumed earlier, no pilot worth their wings could resist showing off when there was a guest along for the ride. Still, it felt good to be flying, even if he was in the wrong seat, the rumble of the fighter’s engines in his bones.

After the initial burst, professionalism apparently won out, as Gemini slowed the ship into a series of testing maneuvers that he would have recognized even if he wasn’t watching them play out on the navigation grids and system readouts. As a commander, he would have approved of the choice. Instead, he was unemployed and slightly stir crazy, so he wished she’d gone for the spectacle.

“Board’s green back here,” he offered finally, though Gemini was probably getting the same readouts on her console. Since this was a maintenance check, he decided to be helpful. “Might want to have them once over that port thruster again,” a few taps on the console toggled the offending part, “I don’t know this ship from shit – and the system says it’s in tolerance – but it’s burning a bit more reaction mass than its counterparts for the same maneuver. Not enough to be a problem now, but it could bite you in the ass later.”

Interregnum 01-02 S2 / Re: Day 16 [2300hrs] Cunning Raptor, Elusive Wolf

Last post by Dumedion - September 19, 2023, 11:54:54 PM

[Ens. Talia “Shadow” Al-Ibrahim | Holodeck 2 | Deck 8 | Vector 2 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Ellen Fitz
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“Thank you, that’s very helpful,” Talia chuckled back at Hirek’s clarification with a shake of her head. Just as she made to pass him, his hand slipped up into her braid and tugged again. Her lips pulled in as they curled, then pursed as the pilot inhaled. She shouldn’t have been surprised, yet she was; that didn’t stop her from smirking though. Dark chocolate eyes narrowed to slits as Talia froze, turning her head at Hirek’s whisper with a look of amused annoyance while the urge to bite him, beat him, and kiss him flared all at once; the Romulan fled, however, bounding up the steps as Talia’s eyes followed him.

Twit.

She couldn’t help but notice he seemed much more open and playful while her back was turned – Talia wondered briefly if that was common to all of his kind – whether a byproduct of nature, culture, or psychological circumstance. An idle curiosity, easily dismissed in the face of what she’d seen of him so far. Shadow smirked, reminded of the fact that the man enjoyed pushing buttons. She wondered, as her lips pulled into a true smile, how far she’d let him push her before the inevitable slap into next week. “Keep it up – I’ll show you unruly,” the pilot chuckled at his juvenile antics as she shook her head again, then returned the braid to its previous position – draped over the front of one shoulder. A hand petted it like a newfound treasure while she walked. Eat your heart out, Duchess.

Her thoughts and attention focused on sustenance, however, with another angry growl of her stomach.

Once within the Pavilion proper, Talia’s eyes moved away from the Romulan to roam the interior as she walked, unhurried, following her nose; a circuitous stone path led the way around the wide netted area – which she avoided – to a large central area of carved rock behind a raised half-wall beyond the main fire pit. The pilot smiled appreciatively at the décor, a marvelous blend of comfort and elemental minimalism; it felt like a home, a den, and an aerie, of sorts, all at once – glowing with light from within and without.

Shadow paused once she reached the spread of dishes laid out, taking the time to uncover each one to smell and inspect. She had no idea what anything was called, or what sauces went with what, and quickly decided to take as much as she could to try everything. There were several choices, however. A glance around revealed a bar of sorts behind her, filled with various decanters of Hirek’s prized, home-brewed ales. Two large, wooden trays sat upon a counter there. Yeah, that’ll do, Talia nodded to herself, picked one, and started transferring dishes onto it, along with napkins and utensils. Once it was loaded up, the pilot hoisted it up to her shoulder with one hand. After a few adjustments to find the tray’s proper center of gravity, Talia scooped up a bowl of fruits and berries in the other hand before she delicately set off to rejoin Pretty-Eyes.

The Twit, her lips curled, could easily be his new nickname, Talia snorted, then blinked as she rounded the half-wall; the daylight was brighter than she’d realized, reflected off the smooth, carved stone in golden brilliance. The momentary distraction forced her to pause, lest she lose the balance on the tray and ruin her chance to eat – which would not end well for anyone involved. Slower, ever more cautiously, she continued to walk towards the sounds of the sea, wind-chimes, and the chorus of sighing rocks. Hirek’s voice guided her as much as his outline, one eye pinched shut as the other squinted at him, while she climbed the last of the stairs – only to halt with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I’ve got it, thanks,” Talia smirked at him with a roll of her eyes, then glanced around while avoiding the netted area. “You can...go grab the drinks,” she suggested with a backwards tilt of her head. “There was a variety to choose from down there; samples of your ales, I assume,” her unencumbered shoulder rose in a half-shrug. “I wouldn’t mind trying a light sample with dinner, if offered, of course.”

Talia smiled to herself as she watched him leave, then returned her attention to the options present for where to eat. A brow arched as her lips pursed in consideration, while she set the fruit bowl down on a small table between the wicker chairs. Hm, her eyes lingered on the carved lip of the earthen-stone tub, then glanced at the tray. No way that will fit, Shadow smirked skeptically as she approached, then carefully brought the tray down from her shoulder. It clicked into place perfectly, providing a makeshift table of sorts for the both of them. Talia rested her hands on her hips, amused at the coincidence as she chewed her lip.

Never ate in a hot tub before, Shadow shrugged – then sighed with a shake of her head – well, I might have. “Hell with it,” she snorted, then started to undress. “Not like we haven’t seen each other naked,” she added in a mumble. The suit was folded neatly, as best as she could, and set on one of the wicker chairs. Once she was nude, the pilot scooped up the fruit bowl with one hand and popped a berry in her mouth, humming at the surprisingly sweet flavor on her way to the tub.

Talia had only just lowered herself into the blissfully warm water and adjusted her position – legs folded to the side, one arm draped over the back edge – when she heard Hirek’s footsteps over the relaxing, sea-side ambiance. A brow arched as she turned her head to him, curious to see which brews he’d chosen while slightly impatient to feed her ravenous hunger. The tip of her braid dipped into the clear, chest high water, still curled over one bare shoulder as he stepped into view, covering her in his shadow.

“You’re in my light, you know,” the pilot quipped with a curl of her lips, then popped another berry in her mouth, chewing quickly as she sat up, pointing at the various dishes as she spoke. “So – fish, salad, soup of some kind,” she shrugged, then turned hungry eyes back to his. “You getting in,” her head tilted with another smirk, “or do you need another specific, intentional invitation explaining the obvious?”