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Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #25 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Dark eyes seemed to pool for a moment as Riley stepped in to take a gentle hold of Faye's arm. She forgot about everything else as she watched, and listened, really listened. Casting aside any lingering concerns about being naked or out of shape, or even the guilt of surviving while everyone else had died, Faye focused completely on what Riley was showing her. The point where her arm ended and this thing welded onto her body began. Except, as the nurse pointed out, this ....this prosthetic was a part of her now. As indistinguishable from the rest of her body as her right arm was.

To the untrained eye. To Faye's eyes. Even knowing, exactly where it was - shivering under the touch of Riley's fingers as the woman traced the line of her skin, made it clear where one began and the other ended, and caused a burst of goosebumps to cover her flesh - the Betazoid could see no difference. We she a surgeon - Or a nurse- - she might, but a simple diplomat? No. She couldn't tell a difference at all. It just looked like....like her arm. She chewed on the side of her lip again, those big eyes shifting from Riley's fingers, to her face, seeing the sincerity there, and as such, she gave the nurse a small nod, just a tiny jerk of her head. She understood. Making herself accept it might take some time, but she understood.

"Huh? OH! Right," she glanced down then, seeing her bare hip bumping up against Riley's standard issue uniform clad legs, and nodded again. "Clothes." Shaking her head a bit, as if to clear a fog from it, she gently removed herself from the other woman, rolling all her words around in her head, realizing she'd left many question unanswered. Swallowing and scolding herself for her lapse, she turned, too fast, and wobbled again. Thankfully there was the edge of the table that her clothing was laid out on, and she caught herself on it, steady - with her left hand. Taking it as a good sign she squared her shoulders and reached over to grab the sports bra. It was a simple thing, and with her back (and bum) to Riley, she began to thread her arms into the straps.

"Speaking strictly as a girl,"she began, as she wiggled her way into the bra, her right arm having a much easier time of getting between the straps than her left, "Ferengi males are, on the whole, lecherous pigs. Most men are - bless them - somewhat horn dogs, but the Ferengi take it to the extreme. Did you know - ha! - " she'd gotten both arms through and began to pull them up, br tangled between them, stretching out her back - "That they forbid their women to wear clothing at all? And that they have them chew their food for the men? I mean, really!?" Her voice became muffled as she struggled to pull the bra over her head. It made a mess of her hair and took too long, but she managed, huffing after, "They don't let the women do anything at all in their society! Its - gah! Its horrible is what it is." She huffed again as she tugged the bottom band over her modest bust, tucking them out of sight behind the bright fabric.

Pleased that she had the thing in place -and unaware that she was further flushed by the effort, Faye shot a bright smile over her shoulder at Riley, while her right hand groped about for the matching panties. "Boys will be boys bless them - and Men will be Men. They're wonderful really, but well - Betazoid culture knows full well that men think with the wrong head half the time." She grinned, teasing now, "but Ferengi are simply atrocious about it. I'd not invite them to a betazoid wedding, to say the least. They'd openly leer." On a roll now, she turned and bent right over - and nearly fell. Grasping the table edge, she laughed, and carefully lifted a leg to thread a foot awkwardly through first one hole, then the other. getting her panties in place and trying to - slowly- pull them up without falling on her face. This was proving much more difficult as she rambled on.

"We...encourage visiting guests to join in our traditions, especially if the bride it Betazoid. Its a Matricarchl society and by adopting to our customs, it shows great respect for the bride to be. We make allowances, of course, but we really do want the main parties participating - the parents of both partners, their immediate family - to partake. its all about honesty and openness, which we feel are  - huff - key to a proper, happy marriage." She stood up, pulling the orange fabric over her ass, the waistband snapping into place at her hips. "There we go!" She turned around and leaned back against the table, catching her breath. Using the table for support this time, she started in on the shorts, taking much longer to ease them into place. But it was the smart move - with the table supporting her weight, she didn't struggle as much.

Feeling terribly alone on the ship, and frankly enjoying the bright nature of 'her' nurse, Faye decided then and there that she'd like to keep Riley around. It was bold and impulsive but she doubted the nurse would mind. And frankly - Faye knew she was the kind of person that needed people in he life. Despite  - or because of - the more isolated nature of her childhood, Faye did not do well completely removed from society. She needed friends. And if nothing else (inappropriate thoughts aside) she suspected that Riley could be one. With that in mind, she added, pulling the pants into place, "I would be happy to - huff - answer any questions you had about Betazoid culture. Or any culture really. As you can imagine, we diplomats have a lot of lessons in those departments.

Reaching now for the tank top she paused, catching her breath, holding the darker fabric in her left hand. "I'm not sure how likely we'll be to get to go to a real wedding any time soon but...theres a holodeck on board, right? Quite a few?" She paused, nodded, and giggled a bit, "If they survived, there are probably protocol training programs that we could adapt. Not as fun as the real thing - and no nephews to embarrass - but it could be fun?"

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #26 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

Riley stopped slowly when she had encircled the arm entirely and looked back up at Faye. She seemed to be processing her words as she kept looking at the arm yet she saw the look in her eyes. The look some amputee survivors had, people who had received prosthesis yet had a rough time accepting them. In the worst cases, patients would go as far as try and remove the alien object from their body by tearing, ripping or cutting the skin away. It didn't seem to go that far with Faye however as she had the look of understanding what she had now. Riley made a mental note to keep an eye out for a change in behavior, however she imagined there wouldn't be any more problems.

The gentle bump of Faye's bare his against her own legs. She looked down at the contact and smiled faintly as Faye seemed to go in overdrive. The shake of her head was somewhat recognizable for Riley and it made her giggle silently as the ensign made her way back to the table. She rested against it for a second as Riley stepped closer and watched her take the sports bra. Riley had a pretty good view of her gold skinned back and rear. Her eyes venturing over it and remarking to herself that she indeed was quite right about the frame of her bum.

Her eyes shifted back over her body as she seemingly lost balance once yet recuperated in time. Next she tried to put on the piece of clothing which seemed to go according to plan. In the meantime Patterson listened fascinated to the cultural hierarchy within the Ferengi. She was rather shocked at how they treated their women and her mouth fell open a little as she'd be unable to function with a male Ferengi in a relationship. Riley would be too much in control of her own actions and accords that it would probably turn into one fight after another. "Really? they're that primitive?" Riley asked, sounding rather harsh, yet she couldn't figure any other way to spill her thoughts about them. By that time Faye had managed to stretch the bra to cover her breasts and she was ready for the next item.

Her statement about men had Riley laughing as Faye gave her a smile over her shoulder. She nodded as she had a rather healthy interest in men herself. Men would indeed be men, strong, pretty and needed, yet sometimes they'd be so oblivious and just too riled up to think straight and make correct calls. As she mentioned Ferengi presence at weddings, she nearly dropped over, her head coming dangerously close to the edge of the table. Head trauma was the last thing Riley wished for the ensign and just while she grabbed herself by the table, Riley's hands had grabbed her by the hips. to prevent her from losing further balance. It was the second time that Riley felt the skin of the diplomat now, although this time it was more lower. Her soft hands rested against the albeit soft skin of the young woman. "Careful now." Riley warned her sweetly as her hands slowly slipped back when she was sure that Faye wouldn't drop down. Her finger slipped off her skin slowly and she remained close behind miss Eloi-Danvers in case she had a relapse.

Carrying on she watched her pull on her panties with a snap they seemed to be in perfect place and Faye seemed happy about the completion of the task at hand. Riley snickered and gazed over her underwear and figured she stood with the outfit. She nodded and said nothing more while hearing her ramble on about Betazoid being a matriarchal society. She couldn't really grasp what it truly meant, yet she figured she could always ask Faye alter. her eyes followed her while she pulled on her shorts. The ensign using the table as solid cover to not trip over.

When Faye mentioned that she'd be happy to share any cultural traditions and even Betazoid traditions with her Riley smiled brightly "I'd like that really." she answered truthfully, she recognized that Faye was somewhat out of breath and she saw her grab the final piece of clothing before she rested her hand on hers "Hold on there." she said as she produced her own tricorder from her pocket and scanned her over "You're a bit flushed, so take your time. We're not doing a marathon here." she assured her with a smile.

While she took a look at the readings Faye suggested a wedding at one of the holodecks. It made Riley smirk and snicker as she shrugged "I suppose I'll have to go according to Betazoid traditions right?" she asked Faye somewhat playful as the readings showed an elevated pulse yet decent saturation levels. Her blood pressure was a bit elevated, yet the circulation seemed fine. It was quite possible that her muscles had a hard time keeping up with the actions of the diplomat. Perhaps a meal would help...

"Plus, would I have to find a plus one for myself for such a thing?" she asked as she wondered who would be crazy enough to go along with her for such a thing "And do you need a plus one for that matter?" she asked her more teasingly. She wondered what type of guy would fit Faye that she had encountered already. Yet the idea sparked in her head that she might not swing that way. Or maybe she liked both genders? She remembered in her academy years that Betazoids were mostly bisexual. "Either way," she continued "I would love to run along in one of the simulations. If only to get the feel how such things would be." she answered.

She put the tricorder away once more and slipped it back in her pocket before she took the top from Faye's hand "Come on, let me help you put this on. Don't want you to pass out." she offered as she spread it out and waited for the diplomat to put her arms through the corresponding holes. The rest would be easy as it was just pull it over her head so she could adjust it to her own liking. "Do you have any preferences for a meal? Like... A toast maybe with some peanut butter and jam with some tea?" she suggested as she didn't want to strain the stomach of the diplomat with anything solid warm food just yet.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #27 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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While Faye wanted to satisfy the deep desire to prove that she was ok and rearing to go, she understood the concern in Riley's voice, and reminded herself that, of the two of them, Riley was the medical professional. As she would expect the Nurse to take queues from her at a diplomatic conference or a first contact situation, so too would Faye be expected to follow instructions from Riley when it came to matters of health. In short, listen to your nurse, she scolded herself and managed a relieved smile for the lighter haired brunette, quiet while the hum of the tricroder played over her body.

She picked up a lot of impressions, bouncing around in the other woman's mind, and she felt her cheeks stay that rosey pink that they'd been since she started the whole effort of getting dressed. Combined with the memory of Riley's hand on her hip, Faye was pretty confident that the blush was not related to exertion this time. She found herself drawing a circle on the tile again, with her right toe, while she juggled a few thoughts. Dismissing the Ferengi question entirely - she'd not include those in any simulations the two went on, she focused on the rest of it, settling in on a course of action. Her smile grew as Riley spoke and she caught her own breath and found that she was nodding along as the nurse.

"Well, one doesn't have to have a plus one for a wedding if they are the guests, but it doesn't hurt," she pursed her lips, and grinned a bit wider, watching the lights of the Findberger scanner in Riley's hand trill about, the tricorder it came from displaying the results for the other woman. Results of which Faye could not see at all. "Truth be told I don't really know anyone else on the ship any more, but even so," her foot stretched out, not quite touching Riley's leg, before it swung back down, "Much more fun just to take you as my plus one, I'm thinking." Sure, she was being playful, but there was an undercurrent to her tone, just a hint of worry that she might overstep - despite knowing what was going through Riley's head. At the end of the day the shell shocked ensign was desperate to make connections again.

"If the idea is to fully experience the wedding tradition properly, Miss Patterson, then you will be expected to adhere to that tradition." Faye forced an almost singsong aspect into her voice, eyes sparking for a moment, before she added, "And traditionally speaking, there tends to be an anteroom for changing before entering the ceremony parlor. So you won't have to stroll through the whole town - or ship in this case - bare before hand." She somehow imagined the Captain would not take kindly to that.

With a gentle sigh, having made it clear she wasn't interested in anyone else tagging along on their cultural exchange - whenever it might take place - Faye relented and agreed to accepting help from Riley, with the top. She leaned forward, her bangs hiding her face again, enjoying simply being near someone friendly. And having only one mind to deal with, for the moment. That it was a bubbly mind was nice, sure, but all the same, Faye basked in the relative tranquility it provided. Those dark eyes of hers opened again, and met Riley's face when she suggested eating something.

"I feel...." how did she feel? She paused, and took stock, settling on, "Oddly famished. Usually when I'm upset or sad I'm not hungry at all." She had plenty to feel bad about, "But....yeah, I'm outright starving." A sheepish expression flashed over her, as she curled her hands into her lap again, now fully dressed. Rubbing her two thumbs together she gave a gentle nod, "I'll trust your recommendation. I feel like I could eat a Targ, but those are really, really gamy and I"m not sure thats wise." Her smile firmed up a bit, "and surprise me with the tea. I'm a sucker for sweet things though."

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #28 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

Riley was standing far closer to Faye than she had imagined when she saw the feet of the ensign draw a circle, before extending to almost touch her leg and drawing back as she listened to what Faye had to say. The undercurrent to her tone alerting the nurse yet she let it wash over her as she didn't seem to take any offense to the suggestion. Even more so, she seemed to embrace it. Riley wasn't shy to flirt with both sexes. She had experimented during her Academy years and found herself attracted to both genders, she had share d the bed with both men and women and found herself to be equally happy with both parties on an emotional and physical level.

Once the scan was complete, Riley played with the idea of having Faye as her plus one. It'd be a new experience and to be hones,t the thought of hooking up with a betazoid for a wedding was sort of enthralling. Who else would be the perfect guide on the holodeck besides her. "I'd like to have you as a plus one. I'm pretty sure though that you'll get to know more people besides silly me though in no time." Riley answered. Her voice sounding more serious instead of playful now as she wanted the ensign to know that she didn't intend to toy around with her feelings.

The next response about fully experiencing the wedding and heading for the anteroom made Riley snicker as she nodded "Duly noted Miss Eloi-Danvers." she answered, this time more playfully as she felt Faye toying with her as well "I suppose not strolling through the ship bare would be greatly appreciated by certain officers." she replied as she could only imagine the complaints security would receive. She did wonder how many security officers would show up to 'investigate' the situation.

Once she had helped Faye with the top she made sure she looked in perfect shape clothing wise and when the good ensign green lit her for a meal, Riley nodded with a wink. "I'll try to not disappoint." she answered and walked back to the replicator before she punched in the commands.  She returned with something different than she had mentioned, preferably Riley would have cooked the meal herself, yet the replicated food would have to do for now. She had three pieces of toasted bread with a sunny side up on the side. Furthermore there were some straps of bacon for her which looked rather crispy. In addition to that she also had a cup of tea with her. She placed everything on the table and grabbed a chair for Faye to take a seat.

"May I present you with Herbal Alpine tea with a pinch of honey added to it to make it somewhat sweeter. You'll find it to be rather fresh at the start before the sweet rush sets in." Riley warned her before taking a chair herself to take a seat opposite of her. She sat down herself once Faye had taken her place and provided her with the cutlery needed to enjoy the meal "Anything else you'd wish to add to the plate? Sauce wise or so?" Riley asked her with a smile as she took the PADD she worked on earlier to use the time while Faye would eat to report back to Nicander with a detailed report of her observations.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #29 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Faye could feel how much Riley seemed to enjoy the idea of the little cultural exchange being between just the two of them, going as each others 'plus one' to the fictional wedding. The nurse wasn't upset by the prospect - far from it in fact. And more so, she was reassured that Riley wasn't trying to take advantage of her. Riley Patterson truly believed that she'd make plenty of friends in no time, but still wanted to go along with Faye. One didn't need to be a telepath to pick up on that, but it certainly didn't hurt things either. This lead to a relived, and pleased smile on her face as she shared a laugh with the nurse. "Indeed not, Miss Patterson," she replied, adopting the same speech patterns as her nurse did, clearly amused at the idea of Security being called in.

With food settled on, and the fleeting impression of a desire to actually cook instead of just use a replicator bouncing around in her head, Faye's relieved smile took on a more intrigued cadence. The banter back and forth was keeping her mind off the fact that she was the sole survivor of her department, and while Faye had little doubt that her dreams would be haunted for some time to come, right now, her companion was keeping her relatively grounded. She needed that, and quietly promised herself that she would return the favor to Riley at some point - and Dr. Nicander, for that matter, for assigning the Nurse to care for her, and getting her out of that crowded sickbay.

And then Riley was back, food in hand, setting at table for the betazoid, shooting her a flattering smile and pulling a chair aside for Faye to sit in. In response, the raven haired Ensign countered by tapping the fingers of her right hand against her chest, and attempted to give her best impression of her mother, with a simple, "All this for lil'ole me?" She rapidly followed that with a batting of her eyelashes, before she giggled and sat down, sighing softly. Faye had barely been on her feet since she'd been revived - defrosted - and yet sitting in a chair was a welcome relief, almost as much as Riley's acceptance of her offer.

Taking the mug of tea in hand, Faye closed her eyes and drew in a long breath through her nose, just as she had with the Tarkalian mug earlier. This was quite a different brew, but no less welcoming, and the first sip was rather sharp, as she'd been warned. She picked up much more of the flavor of the tea, before the sinfully cloying sweetness the honey settled in over-top the natural tea flavor itself, triggering a nearly orgasmic moan of pure delight. "Oh, oh my, that is nice!" Faye exclaimed, her eyes wide in approval. She took another sip, and had to restrain herself from focusing solely on the tea.

Placing the tea cup aside, she leaned over the meal itself and settled on picking up one of the pieces of toast. She didn't want to risk over doing things, so she shook her head at the offer. "This is fine, really. Its more than enough," she informed the nurse, munching around a mouthful of toast and swallowing before adding, "You didn't even have to do this much for me. Truly." She paused, quiet for a moment, before stressing, "Thank you." It was heartfelt, a bit more emotional than the young officer had intended, and her cheeks colored again. So to draw attention away from that, Faye dug into the food with a passion, pulling some of the egg over top one of the toast slices and cutting them up together, letting the yoke spill out and soak into the bread underneath, following that mouthful with a crispy bite of the bacon.

It wouldn't take Faye long at all to devour the meal, as with that first bite she gained a better appreciation for just how hungry she was.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #30 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

The flattering smile made Riley's cheeks turn a bit more rose as she asked if everything was fer her "Oh yeah, it sure is." she had replied with a wink, knowing most stasis revivals would have a good appetite, trick was to not overfeed them with too heavy consumables. When Faye sat down, Patterson looked over her for a second before he had gone to her seat and noticed that he body of the sign did appreciate the rest, a more calm and relaxed posture in comparison to when she was standing up for her clothes.

With a curious look in her eyes the petty officer looked over the PADD as Faye took the mug in her hands and caressed it before taking a sip from it. While spying on the ensign as she felt the sharp fresh taste, Rileys foot hooked behind her chair, tapping up and down a little without actually making a sound. The moan Faye gave her only colored the cheeks of the nurse even more as she had to giggle and placed the PADD down. "It's something I had to drink when I visited my grandparents in Switzerland." she answered softly before shrugging "Always tasted great and was a good thing to start your day with." she answered.

"Your welcome." was the response of the lighter brown haired nurse before she continued on her report. She looked over to Faye from time to time as she started to dig in truly in the meal now and she had to smirk a little as piece by piece of the contents were being eaten. She had seen Faye blush once more, yet thought nothing more about it as she let her enjoy the meal in peace. Patterson herself remained silent as well and after a couple of minutes her observations and remarks were noted and saved for Nicander to read when he had the time.

The stomach of the young nurse growled a little to her own surprise though after placing the PADD down and she placed her left hand against her stomach to silence it as she had a rather surprised look on her face. The food smelled pretty good, despite it being replicated. The real thing would've probably had her mouth water and increase the urge to steal a strap of bacon. "How is it ?" she asked the good ensign.

In the back of her mind Riley thought about the next exercise already. She did keep in mind that the ensign had just eaten so any heavy physical exercise would be out of the picture for now. Perhaps some mental and cognitive tests would be most suitable after the meal. Tests that cadets would get presented during their time at the Academy with increasing difficulty as the subject would pass through more and more.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #31 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan 
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Pausing with a mouthful of bacon, Faye grinned up at Riley and swallowed, before taking another sip of the tea. She shivered, pleased as the flavor washed over her again, and set the mug down. Tracing the wet rim of the cup with her finger tip, her dark eyes shot up to Riley's brighter ones as she stated with utter conviction, "You're grandparents have excellent taste. And so do you. I really am enjoying this." Her finger tapped the cup, as if to punctuate the point.

The duo fell into a comfortable silence that Faye appreciated as much as the company. Being able to sit quietly with someone was not an easy skill - often the silence would become awkward, but so far it didn't seem to be the case. As a diplomat silence was a tool, but yet often something she was called upon to fill. Right now, she didn't have to, and that too was a welcome boon. The last person she had dated, back on the Cortes had abhorred any long silence. It was a sure sign that things between them were not going to work out, and she was right. She'd ended things fairly swiftly, more the better for her, less so for him.

Men, she thought with a small smile as she popped another bit of bacon into her mouth. The silence was broken by a rumble, and for a moment Faye thought it her own stomach, but soon realized the source. Grinning, she cut up a bit of the egg, speared it into a piece of toast with a nibble of bacon trapped between and then held it up for Riley. "See for yourself. Or taste, I suppose," she replied, offering up the forkful with a wicked little grin. "Just don't expect me to chew it for you first."

After the bite was shared, and Faye's giggles calmed down, she settled back, clearing the plate, and then picking up the tea. She could feel the gears spinning inside Riley's head. Satisfied that her stomach wasn't going to immediately rebel, Faye was...eager to prove herself. She could only imagine what need the ship had for a diplomat, after the scattered thoughts she'd gained from Riley about the past few months. Theurgy needed her, plain and simple and she needed to ....matter.

"So, Miss Patterson," she broached the subject, keeping her tone light as she could, lips pressed to the rim of the cup and her foot once again drawing circles under the table. "What's the next step?"

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #32 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

With a approving smile and nod, Riley acknowledged what Faye said to her about her grandparents and herself having a great taste. The silence was a welcome change and Riley did enjoy the feeling to need to speak or chatter about anything fora little while as the ensign filled herself with the needed meal. When her own stomach gave her away though, Riley quickly enough made contact with Faye's eyes as she grinned.

"Oh, no, really, you shouldn't..." the nurse tried to avoid eating yet the second growl from her abdomen proved her point to be pointless after all. Faye urged her to see or taste for herself and Patterson sighed softly before leaning in carefully. Before she took the food in she replied with a coy grin "I'd appreciate it if you didn't." She settled her eyes on the speared up food and carefully pursed her lips around the fork before slipping it off slowly. She didn't spill, yet she had brought her hand up to Faye's wrist to keep the fork steady. She started to chew and gave a low soft moan in appreciation as the taste of solid(yet replicated)  food did seem to be better than she imagined.

The peace settled back in between the two girls before Eloi-Danvers spoke up once more. Addressing Riley with her surname once more as she seemed very eager to prove herself for the next test. Patterson smiled briefly before she turned the PADD around and shoved it towards Faye across the table. "Try linking up with the network and search for the Academy's aptitude test. Once you found it, tinker away at it." she instructed her as it was a good exercise to see if she could navigate through the network and her skills to use a PADD.

While she looked at Faye when she picked up the PADD she rose up from her seat and walked over to the replicator to get a drink of her own. Producing a bottle of water with two cups, she looked over her shoulder to the dark haired diplomat "Would you like some more tea or something else?" she asked her softly.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #33 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Still amused by feeding Riley - it really had been cute to watch, and the noises she made, well - Faye was not quite bouncing in her seat as the nurse agreed to begin the rests. She then slid a PADD right over to Faye, who blinked in surprise. She had expected something a bit more physical, having not picked up on Riley's intentions before hand. Just cause she'd been given permission to read the nurses mind like a book did not mean that she had any intention of doing so, certainly not constantly. If i can help it at least, she added, dour and silent.

"The aptitude tests?" She asked, her face scrunching up a bit, before her eyebrows roes in understanding. She'd been tossed about like a ball, bounced all over the room when the - well, it wasn't an accident, now was it? When the attack on the Theurgy occurred. She must have bumped her head a few times. Making sure her mental facilities were intact, after a projected stay in stasis, had to be just as important as her physical ones.  A starship duty posting wasn't just hard on the body, after all; it taxed one's mine, and arguably, one's soul. And while she couldn't say anything about the state of the latter just then, her mind, well, she could prove it sharp as ever.

For a brief moment she toyed with plucking the path out of Nurse Patterson's mind to prove to herself she had that level of telepathic control, but dismissed it swiftly. That wasn't what was being tested, after all. The corners of her lips turned up a bit as she started tapping away, her dark eyes moving in turn when Riley got up to go to the replicator once more. The smile grew wider, as the first test loaded on her PADD and she answered the pretty nurse.

"Is there such a thing as too much tea?" She asked, only half kidding. "If so, just stop me about....one cup short of that." Her smile was bright, as she leaned back in her chair again, tucking one bare foot up under her bum, and raising the other one to brace against the table. From there, she planted the PADD against her thigh and began to work her way - slowly - through the Dynamics Rotation Test. Not exactly one of her strong suits,it featured a spinning 3D cube consisting of a grid of blue dots in a 6×6×6 configuration, totaling 216 individual points. Surrounding the cube were 216 red dots flying around in a seemingly random pattern. To complete this test each of the red dots must match up with a blue dot. The solution required discovering the appropriate rotation factor and vector coordinates.

Her brow furrowed as she began to use both hands to manipulate the display, twisting things about, tweaking variance settings and the like. Not exactly something she'd need in the middle of a diplomatic conference, but then again, maybe she would? One could never tell what would end up being important in the heat of the moment - and that was the point of the aptitude test. All Starfleet officers need a well rounded knowledge base. But shortly after the next cup of tea arrived, the PADD let out a thrilling beep, signalling the completion of the test.

"Ha!" She exclaimed, sticking her tongue out at the PADD, "Take that!"

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #34 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus 

The surprise on Faye's face was worth a picture and Riley figured that she hadn't read her mind after all which left her with a feeling of confidence that the Betazoid wouldn't be prodding her mind 24/7. Her scrunched up face as she had to start in combination with the relaxed seating she took mad her look rather cute, even more attractive as Riley let her eyes linger over her. The diplomat surely was very easy on the eyes.

She requested more tea and considering how much she had enjoyed the tea from before, Riley punched in for a refill and filled two cups with the brew. She left the water for what it was, figuring they might use it when they'd be going back to physical tests. She brought he bottle with the cups back to the table first, looking over to the diplomat as she worked her test with deep concentration to the bare eye. She returned to the replicator and fetched the two cups of tea and returned them to the table as well. She slid the cup of Faye over to her right when her test gave a beep of completion. "Nicely done.." Riley answered, noting to herself that this was one of the better times in which one would finish such a test. If anything, the ensign didn't seem to suffer from any head trauma on first sight.

"If you want to, you can take on the harder ones as well." Riley offered as she brought the cup to her lips. Before she sipped from it she inhaled the scent of it, still noticing the difference between the real brew and the replicated one, yet it came close enough before she took in a minute sip. Te flavor explosion was amazing and made her tingle on the inside each and every time. "Mmh.." she moaned softly as she closed her eyes for a second "In fact... If you do the harder ones, would you mind if I peeked along?" she suggested playfully. It wasn't standard procedure to be observed while doing the tests, yet it added more stress to the situation. Technically it was a way to check how well the ensign performed under pressure, yet it was a good excuse to come and sit next to her and peek along.

"Alternatively, we could start with the physical tests after that or in a bit. You still have some weights to lift, just to check how your muscle mass and new arm hold up with added weights and after that a bit of walking. If you perform those tests with success, you might even get some treadmill exercises." Riley added as she laid out the planning for her. After successfully completing those tasks she'd be cleared by Riley to head back to her quarters.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #35 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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"Anything would make the physics test more bearable," she said with a giggle, placing the PADD back on the table for a moment and sipping the tea in turn. The noise she made was close to the one that Riley had made when she'd drank from her mug, a pleased, appreciative little moan. "Mmmmm, nice and sweet," she concluded, licking her lips and placing the tea cup down on the table and running her fingertip back over the top of it. Which, she pondered intently, do i want to do first? The next aptitude test, or something physical.... In the end, the thought of having Riley a bit closer won out. She was starved for companionship, she realized (again), and was willing to take a little advantage of it. Given everything that she had learned, and everything she had experienced in Riley's memories, that desire won out over her need to prove to herself that she was physically able to go back to duty.

And if I'm being honest, I'm not sure I am physically ready. Getting dressed had been a bit more of a chore than she'd expected. That didn't bode well at all. Faye didn't even realize she'd pulled her hand back into her lap and was worrying at her palm with her thumb. A nervous tick that, in other circumstances, she'd never allow to happen. But in the battle sickbay, undergoing post stasis evaluation, her guard was down. Very much down. It never dawned on her she was sending out all kinds of nonverbal signals.

"Slide on over," Faye invited Riley, sipping the tea again as if to fortify herself as she brought up the next exam, the hyperspace physics exam. This was much more technical, with a series of questions increasing in difficulty one by one. The kind of thing that drove her nuts back a the academy the first time around. And when she'd done that, she hadn't had someone right next to her, looking right over her shoulder. "What kind of question is that?" She muttered, pursing her lip out to one side, and quoted aloud, "If the matter and antimatter tanks on a Galaxy-class starship are nine-tenths depleted, calculate the intermix ratio necessary to reach a starbase one hundred light years away at warp factor 8. Really?"

A long sigh escaped her lip as she entered an answer (the wrong one) and stuck her tongue out at it again. Irked, she re-read the question, realized it was a trick - the ration was always 1 to 1.  Faye never noticed that her skin was a bit more flushed, with Riley closer, or that her heart rate had ticked up. The nurse was right in her musing - proximity added to the stress level of any test. And it would have been worse if it were someone that Faye didn't like. But the diplomat thought - rather distractedly - that it had to be hard to find someone more like-able than her nurse.

Probably just the repressed trauma talking, Faye she quietly chided herself, chuckling as she moved on to the next question, and the next. This test took her considerably longer than the previous one, and the betazoid had to wonder if that was because of Riley. It took an effort of will not to peek now, to try and find out what was going through the nurses head. And will or not, some of it slid through anyway...

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #36 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus  

As Faye extended the invitation to slide on over, Riley did just that as she got up and grabbed a chair to sit right next to Faye. She crossed her legs herself in the chair effectively sitting in a lotus position while she cradled the cup of tea in her lap. As she shifted now and again in her spot, she did bump her knee against Faye's hip from time to time while she peeked along with the tests. She had been horrible at these in academy and would probably flunk them if she had to do them again now.

Riley zoned out a bit as she stare blankly at the PADD, her hands holding the cup for some warmth as she felt a shudder run through her. Her mind thinking back about her grandparents before it jumped back to Faye as she had moaned earlier on about the tea. The question she asked about the matter and antimatter brought her out of her zoning out session and she answered with a "Errmmmm..." her face coloring a bit before she shrugged.

The unhelpful response of Riley and Faye's decision to punch a wrong response made her lips curl a little before she patted Faye on the shoulder. Her fingers slowly gliding over her arm "You know this though, just try and relax a little." she mentioned as the non verbals signs hadn't escaped her. The diplomat was under stress and it showed. Riley enjoyed the gained proximity to the ensign as she was close enough to catch on to her scent. It smelled pretty good and she wondered if the betazoid women would wear any additional perfume or anything of the sorts. Or would she use certain products for her skin?

Rileys mind was running rampant now as she was zoning out again unwillingly due to the tea and proximity to the attractive woman. Flashes in imagining Faye rubbing herself in with body milk lavished through her head. The picture quite accurate after seeing the ensign bare. For that matter, she wondered how they'd be during the holodeck ceremony. Faye hadn't seen Riley naked yet, maybe she'd not like what she'd see? Or she'd call it off all together if Riley was downright ugly for the Betazoid?

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #37 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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How was it even possible fora touch to be both soothing and electrifying at exactly th same time? Faye asked herself this when she felt Riley's fingers dance down the bare skin of her arm. It had settled her thoughts some, true, but it had also opened up the walls in her mind even more. Betazoids were not touch telepaths like their Vulcan counterparts - they didn't need physical contact to read anothers thoughts, or feel what they felt. Their abilities were considerably more advanced than that.

But at the same time, skin to skin contact did make things easier. Much, much easier. And with that light brush, the already tenious fortifications came right back down. Crashing would be the word that Faye would have used if she hadn't been swept away into the other woman's more deeper thoughts. Intimately deep.

She saw herself, bending down, fingers coated in some kind of cream, rubbing it into the top of her foot, up over her ankle, and then across her shin, making her leg gleam in the low light of wherever it was Riley had placed her in her minds eye. A refresher unit, perhaps? Or her bedroom? Regardless she was stark naked and there was warp light filling the room as she applied the lotion all over, giving her skin a slick look, inviting touch.

And there was an ache, deep inside, to reach out and touch.

Faye blushed furiously, realizing that it was Riley's desire to know what it might feel like, to know what Faye did as far as skin care went. Point of fact, Faye did have a few prefumes that she wore and -

And now she was in the holodeck, both of them bare, and a feeling of utter insecurity flowing across her very being - across Riley, who was suddenly worrying about what kind of astehtics betazoids prefered. She wanted to reassure the poor nurse that she was very much beautiful, and that if she were being honest, she was looking forward to seeing Riley at the wedding, inappropriate as that thought might be. It would have made Faye giggle if she didn't feel the concern so accutely. A part of her mind was going over all the various oils and washes that she would wear before attending a wedding, to bring out a shine in her skin, make herself suptle soft and presentable, but the rest of her was fretting right along with Riley now, caught up in her insecurities - which triggered her own.

Why ahd she been spared? What made her worth surviving, while everyone else in the compartment had died? TharinAlk, cartwheeling away, out of the breech and into the cold, harsh embrace of the void. Flames, licking at her fingertips, a promise of what awaited. Voices, damning her from beyond -

She slumped back into her chair, face flush, eyes wide for a moment as the padd clattered down onto the table and the contact with Riley broken. Her shoulders sagged, as did the rest of her, eyelids drooping. Sweat had broken out across her body, as had a wave of goosebumps, as if she were cold, or scared, and her breathing was short, fast.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #38 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus    

The state of mind Riley had been dreaming in faltered bit by bit due to her insecurities. She hadn't seen the deep dark blush Faye had on her cheeks because of her thoughts nor did she know it fueled the ensign's own insecurities. She sucked in some air as she felt her hands almost spill the precious tea in her lap. She snapped out of it and drank from her tea as Faye seemed to be zoning out on a question herself. Patterson thought little about it before the PADD clattered down.

It called for a quick response from the nurse to see what was going on. The tea quickly placed on the table yet not placed properly on the solid surface as her patient sagged down by the shoulders. Tell tale signs of a syncope which shouldn't have been happening in the first time if Riley had been more alert. The nurse scolded herself under her breath, yet felt the sudden sting of the warm beverage spilling on her legs and lap. Which in turn caused for a yelp by the brunette.

She jumped out of her seat and luckily for her, the beverage wasn't boiling hot. It did sting a little, yet wouldn't be too worse as she quickly got behind Faye and gently shook her by the shoulders "Faye!" she said with urgency before sliding her off the chair and down onto te floor with her. She positioned herself so Faye would be resting with her head on the floor first so she could raise her legs a little onto the chair. After that she got down on the floor as well and placed her head into her lap. The worry growing in her eyes as she stroked the flocks of hair out of Faye's face and patted her cheek slowly "Come on Faye, time to snap out of it." she whispered as she kept stroking her cheek with her left hand while she checked her pulse with her right hand against her neck.

Perhaps it was time to call it here and bring the ensign back to the bio bed? If only for further observation. Alternatively she could keep her more to rest in her quarters. Though the criteria that Nicander had set weren't met yet. She'd ask for Nicanders opinion later on or make the call herself and send a memo to the rather occupied doctor. Riley leaned in a bit more now as she looked into Faye's eyes as she did seem to get more color in her face again "Rise and shine.." she whispered soft and tenderly

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #39 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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At first, Faye didn't hear Riley yelp when the tea splashed across her, nor did the woman's concern register, calling out to her. She was completely unaware of the nurse moving her out of the chair, laying her out on the cool floor. Her bare feet were elevated but Faye paid it no mind. Only when her head was shifted into Riley's lap did things start to stir in Faye. A sense of worry began to seep into her from outside, flowing along the touch of fingers on her brow.

Rileys worry, profressional and personal, flooded Faye's mental senses.

Shivering all over at the touch, Faye's scattered concious latched onto the worry as if it were a life line in a malestrom of emotion. Snippets, visions of the attack at Jupiter Station had surfaced from her memory, that which had been blotted away when she'd first come too. A horrible, rushing wind filled her ears, the sound of atmosphere venting into space. A nightmare noise followed by an impossible silence that no one wanted to hear. The deafening nothingness of vacuum. It filled the compartment in her mind, just as it had filled the conference room, before the emergecny bulkhead came crashing down onto Faye's arm .

And it was that same, outsteched arm, soon to be torn away, that grasped onto the string of worry, concern, from outside herself. The moment her mental fingers clasped it, she was jerked back upwards, out of the depressing hail of memory and self doubt, tugged back into the concious portion of her mind.

"Rise and Shine," she heard a voice full of tender care calling down to her, and for a moment, Faye thought the voice was her mothers, as the elder Danvers had often said that to a very young betazoid girl, when the then child had not wanted to get up early to deal with feeding the various animals that her parents raised, out on the farm colony. She blinked her dark eyes, a spark coming back into them, focus filling her vision. The face above her was not her mothers, younger even than her mother had been when Faye was but a child. The hair was too dark as well, lighter than Faye's own locks, but not the golden spun thread that Mother had favored all her life.

No, it was the nurse - it was Riley, leaning over her, inches away. Faye sucked in a sharp breath, shivering once again, as full awareness returned. The feeling of being laid out, prone. The sensation of her feet being raised, and wiggling her toes again. Warmth under the back of her neck, the scratch of standard issue uniform cloth. And the touch, the sweet, lingering touch of fingers on the side of her neck. With all this came an organizing of her thoughts, an sorting and cataloging of her memories, and Riley's that she picked up.

"never doubt that you're beautiful," she murmured, before realizing not only what she had just said, but where she was, and what must have happened. She shut her eyes and let out a groan, mortified.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #40 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus   

Riley kept holding on to Faye before she saw the spark in her eye returning. There was always that moment when you could notice someone coming back from that brink. In Faye's case it was the spark in her eyes and the absence of her shivering in combination with the returning skin tone. Riley smiled faintly while she kept toying with her hair delicately, not wanting to have her startled yet wanting to have her feel safe and harbored.

When Eloi-Danvers spoke up, it were her words that had Riley baffled now. Had she picked up on her thoughts? The face of the nurse turning somewhat red as she at first didn't know what to say and traced the origin of those words back to the source. It was a warm thought to know that the diplomat agreed like most men on the ship that she was a sight for sore eyes. The hands of the young nurse still caressing her face and hair as she looked back down into her eyes  "Thanks I suppose..." she whispered eventually with a shy smile on her lips.

The groan that followed had Riley smile as she looked at the toes wriggling before she stopped moving her hands "Want to try and get up? Make it back to the bio bed?" she suggested as the cold floor was hardly a place for her to remain on. The result of having her on the ground was also that this meant that Riley would suspend any form of other activities for the time being. The risk of having her faint again being too great.

During this time Riley felt the moistness of the spilled tea on her clothes. It had seeped in enough now, through the standard issue pants and into her underwear. The cold floor added for some chills as she realized she'd have to change garments as well. Her mind wondering if she could leave the diplomat alone for a while to return to her quarters for a new pair or if she should replicate some here and strip down in front of her to change. Her mind toying around wit the idea as Faye would see her naked sooner or later. She'd prefer changing in the room they were in as it would grant her the option to keep eyes and tabs on the diplomat should her situation deter.

"Ready when you are Faye." she smiled and waited for the ensign to comply.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #41 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Had she really, truly just said that? Yes, yes she had. The words had come out of her mouth and everything. Riley had clearly heard. The blush made it evident. The little smile, and the way Riley thanked her only served to add to her mortification. Yes, she'd been told she could peek all she wanted into the nurse's head. She'd still tried so hard not to but then it hadn't mattered anyways, and out of everything she picked up on, that's what she commented when she came to from having passed out of all things! So much for being ready for duty she thought bitterly, but even self deprecation couldn't hold out over the embarrassment.

"What I'd like is to not make a bigger fool out of myself," she confessed, squirming a bit, head still firmly in Rilely's lap. It was a comfortable lap all things considered, though the angle of everything was somewhat awkward, with her feet up on the chair. No, she silently admitted, what I want is to find a deep, dark hole, to climb down into it and pull a rock over top of me so no one can see me right now. Or Ever. That'd be nice. Just a little hole for Faye to wallow in her foolishness. She wasn't stupid enough to voice that aloud, however.

"Right," she muttered after, feeling waves of...something coming off of Riley, trying hard this time not to focus on it. She realized the girls fingers were still on her forehead, gently stroking, and Faye found the touch as soothing as it was likely intended to be. A small part of her did not want to give up that touch after having had to deal with the memories - she was sure there were memories in that jumble, not just self doubt - that had come to the surface during her blackout. "I think....yes...standing up would be good," she agreed as she moved her feet slowly off of the seat. She didn't let them drop, which was good, because she wasn't entirely sure she could lower them in a controlled fashion, but that lat least she seemed capable pf doing.

From there she reached up and placed her hand - her false hand, she belatedly realized - onto Riley's arm, gripping for support so that she could, slowly, carefully push herself upright. Her face scrunched up, as if expecting to be hit with a wave of dizziness or disorientation, but other then a slight ache, she her head didn't swim at all. Her emotions and thoughts were running rampant, but there was no physical discomfort that accompanied the motion. Save perhaps the fact that the floor was now very hard under her ass. "It's back to the bio bed then?" She asked Riley, turning to look at the nurse, now just behind her as she'd left the comfort of the woman's lap to sit upright. What a fool i must seem

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #42 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus 

She could see the shame and perhaps even some discomfort on the face of the diplomat as she closed her eyes and groaned. Unable to pick up on her thoughts though, the brunette nurse was left in the dark about her true thoughts or feelings. When she mentioned she'd like to not make a bigger fool of herself, Riley was caught off guard again as she weighed her own words now to not make the situation any more worse.

"A fool? It's perfectly normal for people to pass out after stasis revival. Especially with a time span like you've been in. I've seen others pass out way sooner." she tried to counter her wallowing mood. "If anything you should be a role model for other patients." she added to it. She looked up to the feet of the ensign being brought down in a non violent way which reassured her that she getting was over the fainting.

When she used Riley's arm for support to sit up straight the nurse shuffled a little closer behind her, her legs resting against her back as she looked at the back of Faye's head. Her fingers leaving her skin before she got up herself and looked down at the darkened fabric of her clothes. If anyone had walked in right now, they might imagine that the fine nurse had peed her pants or something. Unless she'd be really really really aroused an-. The thought stopped right then and there as Riley scolded herself in her mind for it.

"Biobed it is." Riley responded as she saw Faye turned around. If anyone was the fool here it'll be Riley with her spilled on pants. "I'll change my attire later on once I know you're safe and relaxed." she assured the diplomat before she reached her hands out, both of them to pull Faye up. "Let me know if you get dizzy again or feel nauseated." she informed her as she looked over to the bio bed. It wasn't that far and if she'd manage to walk this, it'd be a certain improvement.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #43 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Steadfastly refusing to probe into Riley's mind to find out if the other woman was just trying to comfort her, or if she were serious about how many patients reacted the way she had, and how fast it happened, Faye decided she wanted to believe the other woman at face value. As easy as it was for Faye to doubt herself and fall back into belittling everything she did just then, to wallow in survivors guilt, the truth was the diplomat did not want to do that at all. So she latched onto the kind words with a very soft, "Thank you," resting against Riley's legs for a moment until the nurse pulled away.

The stain explained the faint scent of tea she'd inhaled earlier, while laying in the other woman's lap. She had thought perhaps it was hints of the drink on Riley's breath - instead she now knew it for what it was; spilled tea on the woman's pants in an unfortunate position. I won't giggle, I won't giggle, nope, no giggling, she told herself over and over again, a little mantra. Her thoughts mirrored Riley's, mostly, but she was still unaware. Until she took Riley's hands in her own and allowed the nurse to haul her to her feet.

Forewarned as to what could now happen, Faye was able to keep the other woman's thoughts from overwhelming her upon contact. But her grip tightened up quite a bit as the rush of emotion and consciousness battered against her own hastily shorne up walls. They did not crumble, nor really crack, but impressions broke through - disdain at spilling the tea, amusement (bitter perhaps?) at what it might look like, and chastisement at allow her thoughts to shift to a less than processional state. All that flashed through Faye's mind in the few seconds it took for the Ensign to right herself, and come to a stop, mere inches from her nurse, starring up into Riley's blue eyes.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out, cheeks colored, sucking her bottom lip under her teeth for a moment, biting down a bit. "For making you spill the tea, I mean." For being a git she silently added, as she took a step closer. She squeezed Riley's hands in hers. "And for how unfair it is that i keep getting peeks into your head, and you aren't getting any of mine." With that, she gently turned and began to stumble over to the bio bed, one slow step at a time, her fingers dragging across Riley's palms till they let go, easing some of the mental connection. She was going to have to reassure the nurse that....well she was scattered as hell, but the poor woman didn't need to be doubting herself. Faye didn't see her as a fool, far from it.

But can I trust anything I think or feel right now?

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #44 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus 

Feeling like she had done everything she could to reassure the ensign, it was time for her to get up on her feet. She waited patiently before she felt the classical light squeeze before she hauled herself up. Unaware of the fragments of thoughts she might pick up, Riley was a bit startled by how close Faye ended up from her face. Eyes meeting as her blue orbs looked into her dark brown eyes. It made her breath hitch for a second before she smiled warmly. The thought that flashed before her eyes to lean in and taste those lips quickly washed away by her self consciousness.

It wasn't very professional, yet Riley would lie if she didn't feel any sort of attraction to the other woman. It had made her feel funny, her stomach being lighter yet more sensitive as it felt like a rainbow exploded in her abdomen. Feelings on the job were part of it, yet were taught to be ignored and usually the feeling would dissipate over time. In some cases it would even have the nurse wondering what she ever saw in particular persons. Faye though felt different on every sort of level, yet Riley didn't know what she had in her mind, thus she let it slip.

When Faye apologized, Riley wondered what she had gotten through, her own cheeks flustering before she scarified it was for the tea "O-Oh, it... It's fine." she answered with a stammer before she felt the lovely skin of Faye slip as she stumbled back to the bed. The second part of her message had her wondering again as she watched her walk back. Once she made it to the bio bed, Riley helped her legs in before she looked at the parameters again. With a nod she smiled again at the Betazoid "Just try and rest a bit, I might have strained you just a bit." she answered "I'll just get new pants in the meantime. Just shout if you need anything." she concluded and with a soft pinch in her shoulder, the nurse turned around and walked back to the replicator before punching in the command. Once the uniform materialized she wondered where to change. It'd be unprofessional to do i front of Faye, yet where else could she go without having the risk of being infected with the virus?

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #45 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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Although Riley could not see it, as Faye made her way over to the bio bed, the betazoid ran her tongue across her lips. it was foolish to do so, she silently reasoned, but just before the two had broke contact, Faye had got the impression of a desire to kiss out of Riley. Having ended the physical contact for the moment, Faye didn't get the follow up as she was trying hard to keep her thoughts to herself. So she had no idea of the turmoil Nurse Patterson was working her way through, nor just how confused that Faye was leaving the poor woman. Pull yourself together and sort out what you want before you go playing around in someones head, Faye. it was funny how much she sounded like her mother when she took herself to task.

But what if what I want is to let her have that taste? the little voice, devilish as it was, asked herself, in the back of her mind.

Dashing it aside, Faye turned and saw Riley right there behind her as the telepath plopped her black short clad bum on the edge of the bed. Quietly, she started to push herself up, but then Riley took a hold of her ankles and helped swing her onto the bed propper. Blushing, but grateful again for the assistance, Faye thanked her, forcing a more easy going tone into her voice. There was no point in letting the nurse know she was feeling fairly self conscious about well, everything as well. After all, it wasn't just Riley that had butterflies in her stomach, and the human woman wasn't the only one slowly concluding that something was possibly developing here.

The problem for Faye was, she'd been in what amounted to a medical coma, frozen in time, for months, and was having to deal with (truthfully not dealing at all with) the loss of almost every person she cared about on the ship. Am I just latching onto the first friend face I see? Would it even be fair? she silently pondered, worrying at her lip as she settled back on the pillows. She frowned  turned, and fluffed them up a bit so she could sit up more, instead of laying flat on her back. How do I deal with this? Do I ignore, or do I explore? This wasn't like any of the academy questions she'd been working on, it was personal. And that led her into thinking about regulations. Technically, Riley was Enlisted Personnel, a non-commissioned officer; Faye was a line officer, albeit as junior as you could get at Ensign. But she was part of the diplomatic wing of Starfleet, which stood slightly to one side; so too, did the medical department, having far more authority at any rank - but only in medical cases.

At the end of the day neither one reported directly to the other. So should Faye see where things went - and there was no point in denying the potential she was picking up, never mind her own guilt - then regulations would not be a barrier. And that in turn seemed to make everything a little bit easier to deal with for Faye.

But as she leaned back and tilted her head, watching Riley fret and look about from in front of the replicator, she realized that the nurse had other concerns.

"Um, Riley?" She called out quietly, waiting for the petty officer to turn her gaze back Faye's way before continuing. "Betazoid, remember? I won't mind, as long as you're comfortable changing in front of me." And then, despite herself, a slow smile bloomed on her face, before she bit her lip and added. "If you like, i can close my eyes and promise not to peek? Even if it 'd be tempting."

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #46 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

Despite both dealing with internal conflicts the two women remained at their respective distances and Riley was a bit frozen by the replicator as she was sunken in her thoughts. Only when Faye called her out, she blinked and turned her head over to the diplomat as she had taken a more seated position in the bed. She had to giggle a little as she mentioned that Betazoids didn't care for nudity and called her out that she could carry on unless she felt uncomfortable about it.

The teasing remark about closing her eyes without peeking only fueling a counter response from the nurse "Where's the fun in that?" she replied with a teasing tone and a wicked smirk on her face. It was a fact that Riley was sometimes unsure about herself, especially in the eyes of others. It didn't mean however that the nurse had complexes about her body. She had found herself to have a beautiful and fit body, which in return got the care and attention it needed. In fact, it had been rather odd that Riley had concerned herself with how Faye would think about her as she'd usually not care what others thought about her.

While she wrapped up that idea she had turned herself face Faye. "So, tell me a bit more about yourself Faye." she said as she unbuttoned her uniform vest. She took it off and revealed her standard issue bra holding her breasts in place. If Faye would look for it she'd notice the two little peaks poking through the fabric. Riley had pulled off the vest to get out of her pants more easily, yet also to tease Faye just a tad more. She could say that Betazoids didn't care about nudity, yet non verbal reactions spoke louder than words.

While she listened to the diplomat she opened up her stained pants and shimmied herself out of it. The skin of the nurse lighter and more pale yet still with a light tan to it. The skin itself seemed to be smooth and untainted by any scars or piercings. The standard issue panties coming into sight that showed tea residue as well. She worked herself slowly out of the pants and threw it behind her before she slipped her fingers into her panties. Her eyes training on Faye the entire time as she teasingly slow started to pull the light fabric down. Bit by bit she showed her more intimate area to the diplomat, a fine line of hair decorating the pubic area before the pink lips came into sight. The panties dropping down to her ankles as she stepped out of them and turned around to the replicator to fabricate a new pair of panties as well. While doing so her well formed bum was on display, the few steps she took, allowing for some wiggling in the flesh even though it showed that the nurse worked out to keep her body in tight shape.

She didn't go for the standard issue underwear this time and instead went for a fire red/orange hipster. Once the product was produced she slipped it on with her back towards Faye before slipping back into the pants and buttoning up. She closed the vest after that and returned back to Faye as she had a crooked grin on her face before she looked at the bio bed parameters again.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #47 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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It was the smile that nearly did Faye in right there. Wicked little grin it was, spreading over Riley's face, heating the Betazoid up from across the room. Looks like I'm allowed to watch she concluded, pleased, and nestled back down into the bed,gently easing a leg up, ever so slightly, to plant her foot flat on the mattress and dangle her left arm over the top of her left knee. What Faye had not expected was to see that the nurse was gonig for a full uniform change, despite the fact that, as far as the diplomat could tell, only Patterson's pants had been drenched by the tea. Not that I'm complaining, she chuckled quietly, her eyes a bit wide as she watched, brazenly. She did like what she was seeing, and she liked the way that bra did so very little to conceal certain facts from her. She had to wonder if the room was too cold for the human, or if there was some other reason behind the inviting bumps in the fabric.

Those dark orbs of her's crawled over the exposed skin on display, and Faye nearly missed how Riley had asked to know more about her. Blinking in surprise, she focused back on the other woman's face, seeing the smile there, and blushed. She did say I could watch! she reminded herself as she coughed, covering her mouth with her left hand for a moment, unable to tell the difference in the feeling of the skin there on her lips. Swallowing, and settling, she let her eyes drift to follow along with Riley's hands as she spoke, clear and hopefully steady.

"What is there to tell? Girl gets born, gets adopted, grows up on a farm and deicdes to see the universe," she answered lightly, and then, as the pants started to come off, hastily continued, "So, the highlights are that I was born on Betazed, but I spent most of my life on one of the far flung colonies a few systems over, the Budon system - colony of the same name. My Adpoted mother, Sarah, was from Earth. She and dad, well, they couldn't exactly have kids. Mixed pairings don't always work for Betazoids. Especially when the mother of the pairing is non native. Funny thing that - its easy for a Betazoid woman to get with child from another species like humans, than it is for a betazoid male to impregnate another species. Something about the way our chromosomes pair up?" She shrugged a bit, the science being a bit beyond her.

Faye paused her story though, as she bluntly watched the stained fabric of Riley's regulation panties pulled away. The tea stain really was poorly placed, the patient decided, but she found herself not minding as she focused and committed to memory the way the other girl looked as she stepped out of the wet bit of cloth and tossed it aside. Looks tasty, she admitted  if only to herself. A bit less hair than i have there, but its a look that works for her. Realizing that she had stopped talking, she coughed again, and resumed, her head tilting to the side as Riley turned and wiggled her bum for Faye. No way she's not teasing me now!

"Daddy, he was a farmer, from a family of farmers that first settled Budon back before Betazoid joined the Federation. I'm thinking it was...2240 that the colony was established? We'd been out in the galaxy before that, but we had been a bit lazy about actually settling down elsewhere. We didn't really need to. But then one of the great houses got a the ....how did Mom say it...Wild Hare? To go off and colonize a world and well, here we are." And there you are, wearing panties that match mine in color, you cheeky thing! Her cheeks were quite warm now by the time that Riley returned to the biobed, and her smile was wide. She could only imagine what her heart rate was like, and if Faye were being totally honest, her mind was not at all focused on her own well being, her past, or what had happened to her in what felt like the last 24 hours. No, her mind was on a pair of well defined pale legs, an plump rear that looked very squeezable, and a bit of private parts that she should not at all be wondering as to the taste of.

This is bad. Very, very bad. Bad Faye. Bad, bad Faye. Scolding was not helping, not at all.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #48 –
[ PO Riley Patterson | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

The brief and simple explanation from Faye had Riley furrow her brows while she stood half naked by the replicator. She could see the eyes of Faye moving over her and it did seem that the betazoid was right. She didn't seem to be ashamed or inconvenient to see Riley in the state of undress that she was. She did however notice the sense of surprise and somewhat clumsy continuation in her story. 'Perhaps I do leave her a bit baffled after all?' she thought to herself.

Riley did listen intently to the story Faye gave her and she was pleasantly surprised that she had a human mother. She hadn't known about it and it made her feel somewhat more curious about her biological parents. Yet she wouldn't go on and ask about that right off the bat since it was personal, private information that he ensign might not want to share with a nurse that she met only hours ago. By the time Riley returned to Faye's bed, she could see the increase in heart rate which had her smiling with the same touch of mischief that she had earlier on.

She tapped at the settings and sat down with half of her rear resting on the bio bed while her leg stretched down to keep balance with the floor. She was close, very close to Faye now as she placed her hands in her lap and fiddled with her fingers. "Quite a life's story... How did you end up with Starfleet? Just because you had to go an colonize a world?" she asked her softly as her blue eyes went over Faye, coming to rest on her eyes while her mind wondered what went on in that pretty head of hers.

The little show she had put on was most definitely a way to tease Faye, stronger than herself, Riley liked to flirt and toy around. Although with Faye it felt rather different, it was just flirting and teasing for the fun of it. No, she wanted the diplomat to see what she had in store for her. She wanted her to... Her mind stopped the train of thoughts again as she wondered to herself what else she could do with Faye now that she had been returned to resting in the bio bed.  She figured that she could evaluate her first before making a decision. In case that she'd be too worn out, Riley would have no other choice but to cease any further activities and call it a day. She'd probably have to ask Nicander for further instructions or have Thea transport her to her quarters, but she was getting ahead of herself.

"Anyway, how are you feeling Faye?" she asked softly as she pushed a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. She hadn't exactly intended to do so, yet it just happened. A more or less natural reflex of the nurse to do so while she kept her eyes locked on the dark orbs.

Re: Chapter 31: Though I Walk Through the Valley of the Shadow | Day 02 [1315 hrs.]

Reply #49 –
[ Ens. Faye Lintah Eloi-Danvers | Battle Sickbay | Deck 07 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nolan
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With Riley now seated on the edge of the biobed, Faye did not have very far to look to see the nurse. True, she was once again fully clothed, but that didn't stop Faye's over active imagination from picturing Riley in just those bright orange panties she'd slid into moments before. The diplomat was keenly aware at how they matched her own undergarments (that Riley had picked out for her) and could only assume it was no coincidence. Wondering just what game Riley was playing at, Faye smiled brightly all the same when asked about how she ended up in the fleet.

So as the pretty nurse fiddled about with the bed controls and took some readings, Faye tried to ignore her increased heart beat, tried to pretend it was all the stress of coming out of stasis and the well of emotions she had yet to process and instead focused on tell that tale that always got her a few curious looks when she trotted it out. Wasn't often, of course, but then, there was no reason to hide it from Riley.

"A part of it," she began, "is the classic boredom of a girl on a farm wanting to reach out and see the galaxy. I liked the farm, mind you. Loved working with plants, and the animals too, even if it meant getting up far too early." She made a little face and found her leg resting against Riley as she talked. Leaving it in place - the nurse didn't mind, she could tell - the telepath continued on. "Daddy had to go back to Betazed for a trade conference - he was representing the colony world as part of the negotiations. I forget the species off the top of my head, but he was part of a delegation that met with them. And I, eager to go back to the planet he was born on and explore, tagged along."

A little giggle bubbled up, "I was young, and it was boring. Like, watching paint dry boring. At least to a little girl who had no part in it. Apparently," her cheeks colored slightly, "I was so bored, that I was projecting just how boring the whole thing was. Telepathically, mind you." She shook her head and leaned back, listening to the quiet hum of the biobed as she regaled Riley with the tale.

"All of the sudden the lead negotiator calls for a recess, siting, and I quote, "A need to break up the dull monotony of the day." And then pretty as you please, she stood up and sauntered right over to me. Now my Daddy, he was moritifed, and I picked up on that, so I was convinced I  was in deep trouble, but before I knew it I was being led off to spend the rest of the afternoon at a nearby by park where the Ambassador (my father fretfully in tow) kept me well and truly entertained, explaining what was going on, why they had to be so boring, and how much I reminded her of her daughter (when she was my age), who had just started serving as a ships counselor."

Eyes sparking with mischief now, Faye concluded, "Yes, Ambassador Lwaxanna was quite proud of her daughter, and as well she should. Even little young me had heard of the Enterprise by that point in my life." Her eyes closed and she shook her head a bit, "In short, that started me down the path that ends with me in a bed with you - er um, that is, with you sitting on the - yeah. um." She coughed, realizing how bad that sounded, then just sat back and laughed, flush of the face and embarrassed.

Slip there, eh? she chastized herself, only to completely freeze up when Riley reached down and swept aside some of her hair. Her lips parted ever so slightly, and the blush intensified. There was an impulse - hers, or Riley's, she couldn't be sure - to reach out and kiss the girls palm. She held back, exactly because she couldn't figure out whose desire it was.

"Right now? Right now I feel flustered," she confessed. Realizing that wasn't quite what Riley meant - and wondering why now, of all times, her telepathic powers had decided to go dormant - Faye elaborated, "Tired, but I don't feel like I'm going to pass out again. Or fall asleep anytime soon."
 
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