Star Trek: Theurgy

Star Trek: Theurgy Anthologies => Aldea Prime => Topic started by: Brutus on August 24, 2020, 04:58:45 AM

Title: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 24, 2020, 04:58:45 AM
COME SAIL AWAY
STARDATE 57574.55
MARCH 17, 2381
1800 HRS

[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Chief of Operations Office / Transporter Room 3 | Deck 12 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Number6 
[Show/Hide]

Natalie changed in her office. The moment that the clock struck 1800hrs, Natalie ordered the door to her office locked, and she reached under her desk, hauling out the bag she'd brought along with her earlier that morning when she had left her quarters. As a result of her role as ships second officer, she'd worked more than a standard 8 hour shift. That had been par for course for most of the days leading up to Aldea as well; it went without saying. When you're fighting for your life, day in and day out, you put in extra hours and you try not to burn yourself out. The analogy about a candle with a lit wick at both ends rose up in the back of her mind once more, and the now off duty Department Head had to admit that Commander Ducote might have had a point about her needing a few days off. And more importantly, off the ship.

As things stood, Natalie had been anxious all throughout the day. More than a few of the officers she'd interacted with had made oblique comments about the fact, and the general assumption was that Natalie was something of a work-a-holic and wouldn't know what to do with downtime. In general, it was all said and thought with a certain kindness and respect for a young officer who was doing her best to see to the job she'd been tasked with. And while there was some truth to that, Natalie's nerves had nothing to do with the lack of work ahead of her, and not having to worry about being called up unless the ship were on fire in orbit.

She'd checked in with Commander Ducote not thirty minutes before, and sent off a duty report to the First Officer and the Captain, noting whom would be filling in for her, and what pending tasks were of most importance, along with recommendations for paths forward, and the summary of her planned leave, at a very high level. Both knew the general itinerary of what she had planned, which was beam down, board a boat, and see where the winds took her. And if either of them had bothered to do a review of officers taking leave in the same general time frame, they might have been able to piece together the real reason for Natalie's nervous anticipation - Vanya.

The Romulan science officer was joining Natalie on her trip to Aldea. They were meeting each other in Transporter room 3, which had the benefit of being on the same deck as Natalie's office. She might have been a nervous wreck, but as she took the Martian-Navajo blanket off the back of her chair and folded the large, warm cloth so that it would fit in her bag, Natalie could not deny that she was eager. Licking her lips, and pressing the woll down with both hands, she called out, "Computer, execute replicator program Natalie-Aldea-4."

Stark had spent roughly an hour when she should have been going over recent shipments of deuterium from the outer reaches of the system (having nailed down that supply problem, thank you very much) instead surfing through the ships catalog of Aldean attire for something that would be fitting for the trip down. None of it was what she would call her style, such at it was. She preferred comfortable, easy clothes - summer dresses or flannel shirts, jeans, or long skirts. Robes and wraps were not quite her style, but even the most conservative of Aldean garments seemed outlandish to Natalie. In the end she'd nabbed a little bit of advice from Thea, whom had seemed delighted to assist, and come up with the outfit that now sat in the replicator alcove of her office (Natalie's former superior, Christian Hendricks had already bypassed the devices original configuration to allow for more than just food to be replicated from it, and Natalie had seen no reason to walk this modification back when she had assumed ownership of the office after his passing).

Letting out a huff, the short woman made equally short work of the clothing she was wearing, setting her combadge and rank pips aside and then tearing off the rest of her uniform with undue haste. Now that the moment was upon her, all of her previous hesitation seemed to have vanished like a wayward sensor echo in the baffles of the warp field. Natalie wanted out of her uniform, and down to the planet. She did remember however to pause and actually dress in turn, though this was after she scampered naked around the room for a moment, picking up all the stray bits and folding them into a haphazard pile. It would do no one any good if she were to leave a sock or something more unmentionable lying around in wait for a keen eye to note the next time she used the office.

Ten minutes after the end of her shift, Natalie was adjusting the sash of the sari like garment at her shoulder with what the computer assured her was a culturally appropriate clasp, locking it into place over the red shirt that she wore under the flowing robes. Honestly, it was a stunning piece, and she flushed a little, wondering if perhaps this was a bit much to be wearing. But...But as much as you try to pretend like this is just another trip with your best friend, you and she both know it's not just another trip. This is much, much more, and so you're putting in an effort and pretending you're not because this scares the hell out of you.

She frowned at her reflection, having re-tasked a small wall mounted monitor to serve as a digital mirror. She pursed her lips and wiggled her shoulders a bit, cupping her bust and generally adjusting everything until she was sure she would not spill out of the dress if she happened to sneeze. "What is it that they have against buttons, anyways? They're so useful." She gave her reflection a little pout, then sighed and waved the screen blank. Dumping her clothes into replicator alcove, she had the materials recycled. It was all stock uniform anyway, and she would replicate another one when she got back to the ship later. The pips and her commbage went into the drawer of her desk, and out of it she took an Aldean communicator, and a locally stylized PaDD, with all the proper false identification documents provided as a cover by the Aldean government, as well as purchase orders for the ship she was renting for her trip.

These she tucked way into the saving grace of the garment: Pockets. They were cleverly woven into the folds of her dress and Natalie had to admit that they were simply divine. Scooping her bag up, she took one last look around the room, and then exited, letting the door cycle locked behind her. Then she made a bee line down the hall toward the junction that would take her to Transporter Room 3.

Less than 20 minutes after the end of her shift, Natalie was breezing into the room and looking at the bewildered expression on one of her transporter officer's faces. She fixed the man with half a scowl and asked, "What? You look as if you haven't just spent the last 5 hours beaming crew up and down from the planet dressed just like this. Did I spill coffee or something?"

As the doors hissed open to allow another arrival, the man at the console very wisely kept his mouth shut and simply shook his head.


OOC: Natalie's Aldean attire for the evening: [Show/Hide]
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 24, 2020, 10:40:32 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Crew quarters / Transporter Room 3 | Deck 12 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy}
Attn: @Brutus
Vanya’s day had gone as much as she had expected.  The results of the spectral analysis suggested that some of the Borg junk was some form of data receptacle.  She wasn’t about to go tinkering with the tech however.  That way lay madness.  The junk could interface with the Theurgy, before they knew it nasty whirly tentacles could start swimming out of the replocators and assimilating the organic crew members, before the AI on the crew like her are broken down for the physical and software components 

No, Vanya wasn’t going to poke the beast.  Not today.  Finally she sent her full findings to Martin, and left for her quarters at the end of the shift   

Vanya’s quarters were still pretty spartan.  A set of silk sheets lay on her bed, the only sign of her occupancy.  When she arrived in her room, she undressed  Normally this ritual marked the end of the day, when Vanya was fee to relax, but now it was something else.  Something better.  On the silk sheets was a single holdall she had set up.  In it, it contained her clothes for the trip,  and a few other key essentials. 

“Oh Nat, wait till you see all of this” she said with an excited grin  Next to the bag was her “Travel gear”.  The outfit was made of various shades of red, it kind of went with the theme that Vanya had in mind for the later portions of their trip  Firstly she retrieved a par of red sandals that  straped up to the middle of her calves.  Satisfied, she wrapped the skirt around herself, and then put on the top, its various jewels shining in the light of her quarers.  Finally she added the last sash like appliancs.  She took a moment to admire herself in the mirror.  She checked that her hair covered her pointed ears, normally she was happy for them to poke out.  Perhaps she was beginning to understand the concept of “dressed to kill.”   

Thinking on, she brought her hair forwards, normally  she would let the tips of her ear show, but while they were in populated centres, she wanted to ensure that they were hidden. 

She picked up the holdall, fearing the strap around her shoulder might dislodge something, she wasn’t worried about revealing anything, just conscious about having to go back to her room and change. 

The anticipation was palpable for Vanya now.  For the next two days or so they would be with each other.  Not sharing a dorm as they were in the academy,    Instead they were with each other for the purpose of being with each other.  It was everything for her not to go running down the corridor, or even order a site to site transport. 

Although her outfit wasn’t particularly see through, it was one of the lightest garments she had ever worn    She definitely wanted to keep this.  Judging by the looks from crew in the corridors, Nat would want her to as well. 

The doors to the transporter room parted, and Vanya looked upon her Martian companion for the evening.  Although her outfit was slightly less ostentaceous than the Andorids, it nevertheless suited her.  Nat looked gorgeous.  She wanted to tell her as such then and there, but knew that the transporter chief – one of her people – wouldn’t be appropriate. 

Yet she added.   

Instead, she did nothing to hide the desire in her green eyes as she looked on her friend  “Wow, Nat you look, amazing.”  She wanted to say so much more, but decorum was called for. 

She very much hoped that it would be the last time for a few hours. 

OOC: Vanya will be wearing: [Show/Hide]
[/i]
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 25, 2020, 03:10:15 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Transporter Room 3 | Deck 12 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Number6 
[Show/Hide]

Rumors were going to circle the ship the moment after Natalie and Vanya beamed away. It was inevitable. The Transporter tech on duty would end up ensuring that happened. He looked from his boss, to the towering Romulan that had walked in, and back to his boss. Their bags. Their similar attire. The immediate look of recognition, coupled with the words exchanged. One didn't need to be a super genius to sort out what was going on in the Transporter room. The tech tilted his head ever so slightly to the side, and then dipped it down, doing his best to hide a smile as he punched up the coordinates for the planet side transporter station at the Ibai Besi promenade. It was the primary authorized beaming point for Theurgy crew, and he doubted very much at that the Lt. Commander and her...friend were going to take advantage of the Klingon Dockyard's recreational facilities dressed like that. Everyone that he'd sent over to that complex had been clothed for a fight, not a fine dinner.

Natalie, mean while, paid her subordinate no attention at all what so ever. Her eyes had locked onto Vanya the moment she had arrived. Having not seen the woman since that morning before the start of Alpha shift, Nat's anxiety had been playing mean games with her brain all day long. Her imagination had summoned up a plethora of reasons as to why the science officer might have to beg off the trip last minute. Something could have gone horribly wrong with her Borg related research; her boss might have come down with a case of Andorian Shingles, necessitating Vanya taking over the Science department (which ignored the fact that there were two Assistant Chiefs). She could have simply changed her mind last minute. It had been very easy to run a litany of worse case scenarios throughout the day. Almost ot the point that Natalie had not believed that, when the moment came, she would be beaming down with her friend.

And yet, there Vanya stood, looking like a Romulan Goddess, or at least what Natalie imagined one to be. Already statuesque in height, and possessing the kind of beauty a master sculptor would envy, she looked like a piece of art, decked out in a flowing red ensemble that, like Natalie's, clung in all the wright places without managing to be too revealing. Vanya's attire was made of a somewhat more diaphanous material, which only served to further the impression of divinity among mortals. She'd always known that her friend had good looks, with the exotic twist of coming from a far away land, but, damn.

Or, maybe, possible, Natalie was a bit biased and smitten. Perhaps.

Her  composure wasn't at all helped by the look in Vanya's eyes. Even Nat could see it was there - hard to miss, as her gaze had been drawn there swiftly. She swallowed, feeling like a deer in the proverbial headlights, and felt her lips flutter into a smile and a blush creep up her cheeks. "Have you seen yourself? I think amazing applies a bit more to you than me. But thank you." She added, reminding herself that she should at least pretend to be able to take a compliment without fussing like a school girl in front of the staff. She'd never live it down.

Instead, she beckoned the android forward, with a curl of a finger, and adjusted her sash again, the bag nestled at her feet on the transporter pad. Flashing Vanya a nervous smile, she turned her attention to the transporter chief and held her head up a bit higher. The raised platform put her just a bit higher up than the man operating the console. The downside of being short. Managing to look down at someone and summon up authority was not nearly as easy as it would be for someone who towered over others, like Vanya. All the same, she simply said to the man, "Energize."

Almost before the blue white motes of light vanished, taking the officers with them, the transporter tech was tapping his combadge and calling a friend to relay the latest gossip.

[Ibai Besi Promenade Transporter Station | Aldea Prime | Aldea]

A brief moment later, the Transporter room of the starship vanished, and Natalie found herself under the glass domed roof of the Ibai Besi Transporter station, a short ramp walk away from the sprawling avenue of shops, restaurants, spas and hotels, winding its way down to the Marina, with the beach stretching out along the river front. The sun still shown in the sky, coming in at a low afternoon angle behind the station, casting shadows out before Natalie and Vanya as the stabilizing rays of the Transporter Effect released their bodies. Nat was assaulted by a myriad of foreign smells and sensations, breathing in the sea air, the warmth of it wrapping around her body.

She shook her shoulders, nodded to the woman operating the transporter station on this side of the equation, and stepped down off the pad to make room for those that had queued up to make use of the station for the next outgoing transport to wherever they were headed. Two steps down, and one shuffling step to the side - holding her bag in front of her - and she turned, holding a hand out to Vanya as she asked, "So uh...how do we do this whole vacation thing again? Where too first?" The cowards way out. A much safer start than saying 'I'm so glad you're here' or perhaps, 'Dear god, you're beautiful.' She didn't say it, but she was thinking it real hard, and anyone that was watching could tell that Nat was more than a little enraptured by her companion.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 25, 2020, 10:11:09 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Ibai Besi Promenade Transporter Station | Aldea Prime ]
attn: @Brutus

She materialised on the launch pad, hearing the sounds of a bussling seaside town.  The smells of salt, fish and other treats registered with Vanya’s nose.  0.047 seconds later they were forgotten as she looked upon Nat  In the glow of the late afternoon she seemed to look even more gorgeous in her native outfit, as if she belonged there.  Unlike most beings, Vanya had the answers as to why she was created, nevertheless, she felt like giving thanks to whatever deities happened to exist, if any, that she was in Nat’s company for these days, these hours and these minutes.  She grinned, 

Vanya wasn’t used to shore leave.  She would visit a Starbase or visiting Starship when she was stationed on the Morsaka array, and then when she was assigned to the Cayuga, she tended to seek comfort in the ship’s amenities during, rather than visiting shore leave locations.  She seldom Nevertheless seeing the offered hand was more than enough to start the ball rolling, and convince Vanya to give this vacationing thing a shot. 

“I suggest, we dump our bags wherever we are spending tonight,  maybe take a walk, we find food and then…”  she shuddered with anticipation at what could happen.  She didn’t want to force anything, but knew that Nat wanted this as much as she did.  Finding out what “this” was would begin, here.   
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 26, 2020, 12:43:22 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Ibai Besi Promenade  | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
[Show/Hide]

Natalie made a point of slipping her fingers in between Vanya's when the other woman closed the short distance to her from the transproter hub. Already many of the locals (she assumed) had begun to funnel past, but Nat paid them no heed. It felt odd, to not be wearing her uniform. To be on an alien world and not blatantly, obviously advertising the fact that she was Starfleet. She'd never gone on one of those typical Starfleet undercover missions that made the rounds among the fleet, embedded to observe a pre-warp culture. She rather felt she'd missed out on that, and this moment here was, not quite the same thing, but it was adjacent enough to be exciting.

Prospects for the rest of the evening were laid out in very short order, as Vanya summarized the most logical plan in a few short words. While that left a lot to actually be sorted - what and where to eat, for instance - it was a succinct plan. Drop the bags off, walk around, eat and...sleeping. Sleeping would happen. Natalie wasn't an idiot, of course. There were potential implications. And her cheeks were heating. This was all new, and scary and...she didn't want to make assumptions.

"Well, we have access to the boat." She held up the Aldean padd from within her robes and wagged it a bit, before tucking it away and reaching down to grab her bag, attempting not to spill out of the dress in the process. And still not letting go of her friends hand. That tangible sign of...whatever was happening.  "We don't necessarily have to stay anywhere else, in all honesty. When I booked the boat, the agent assured me that two passengers would be quite comfortable bedding down. And truthfully, even if we're just docked at the marina, I've found the gentle swaying motion to be great for falling asleep."

Growing up, Natalie had spent more than one night out on the water of one of Mars' largest lakes. Mostly with her father, but a few times out on her own, when she was older. In truth she was somewhat looking forward to that aspect of things, and the amenities list for the boat seemed reasonable enough. Nothing too extravagant, but if she wanted, say, a full soaking tub bath she could go to one of those bath houses that had caused her to blush so much earlier. You didn't have to have someone working you muscles, you could simply enjoy the deep tubs. (And it wasn't as if she didn't have access to a bath in her quarters back on the ship).

Squaring her shoulders, Natalie braced her self and began to step forward, hand in hand with the Romulan woman. "If I remember correctly its about 20 minutes down the road from here. Plenty of shops and restaurants and what not. So we should keep an eye out to see if anything looks good while we're going to the boat, and then we can circle back after dropping everything off." Putting actions to words, Natalie increased her pace, steering the two of them into the flow of things, and ambling down from the glass enclosed transporter station. In the evening light, everything seemed to glow slightly, reflected from the sun as it hung low and warm in the sky. When there were breaks in both the buildings and the crowd, even someone as short as Natalie could see the riverfront between the buildings.

But mostly, she spent the majority of the next quarter hour looking from the buildings, to looking up at Vanya - sneaking glances really. Trying to be discreet about it. But the woman just looked...radiant. Maybe it was the outfit. Maybe it was her hair. Perhaps the natural lighting just favored her. Or maybe, Natalie considered, it's because you know she put effort into this because of you. She's still stunning Vanya, the same knock out you met on your first day of the Academy. She hadn't changed a bit, physically. You're just noticing things about her now because you've changed.

And let's be honest. You like the idea of someone making an effort for you.
Musing on that as they wound their way down the lane, seeing the sign for the marina not too far off in the distance now, Natalie said quietly, "That outfit. This place. It really does suit you, you know. Beautiful, really." A human might have had trouble picking up what Natalie said, having been so quiet and shy in admitting that she'd noticed. A Romulan - and an android to boot, not that Nat really thought about her in that way - would have no issue at all.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 26, 2020, 10:45:09 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Ibai Besi Promenade  | Aldea Prime ]

attn @Brutus

She smiled to herself as Nat reached into her robes, took out the PADD and waved it at her, before returning to its hiding place.  Not only did it represent the key to their base, but the android was very keen to get the other treasures within the other woman’s attire. 

“Sounds great.    I hard charged up last week, so I don’t need any specialist equipment.  At least, not for charging.”  Many of the android’s biological features were meant to mimic those of a living sentient as much as possible.  The android had to “sleep” and the process would even be good for her flesh.  However, she still needed to fully charge using a modified replicator in her quarters for 10 hours every month or so.    As her former roomie, she was sure that Nat would be familiar with the process. 

In the same vein, Vanya enjoyed eating and food, but she didn’t have a particular preference.    The exotic smells of the street did get the Android’s curiosity going, but in all honesty, they could be squatting in a public shelter sharing a pack of field rations, the only thing that mattered to the android was being together with Nat in the present.     

It hit Vanya, and her smile grew.  If the people passing the, few, if any, would be from the crew.    If anyone saw them, they’d just see two travellers together.    Nat vocalised half of the equation when she told Vanya how much she liked her dress. 

“It’s being with you.” She said honestly.  “You know me.  Normally I’d rather be naked then wear anything.  I might as well live on Ferenginar, but one of their males would probably take me apart and try to patent me.  The point is, with you it’s the journey too.  Getting dressed up, seeing you looking as gorgeous as you do, it gives me something to care about.  A designer gave me my looks, but you make me feel beautiful.”   

Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 27, 2020, 02:18:09 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Ibai Besi Promenade  | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
[Show/Hide]

Biting her lip, Natalie looped up at Vanya, and tried to keep the blush out of her cheeks. As was often the case, the Martian woman failed, miserably. She was having her thoughts spoken back to her, from someone she knew was not a telepath. Which meant that she was simply speaking what she felt, and that happened to reaffirm how Natalie viewed things. And while the shorter woman made a snort at the thought of Vanya on Ferengiar, she was still quite touched by the confession, and wished she knew how to properly show it. Squeezing Vanya's hand didn't seem to be nearly enough (though she did). On a while, she brought the hands up, and pressed a soft kiss to the girls knuckles, though she wasn't able to bring her eyes up to look at Vanya while she did. She might have done an impression of a tomato if she'd done that.

Swallowing and letting the hands swing back down, she said, "Thank you. Mind you, you'd make a burlap sack look stunning by wearing it, but I get what you're saying. And I...thank you. I'm glad I make you feel the way I see you." Nat managed complete sentences even, and had probably pushed herself enough for the moment. Coughing again, she let out a little laugh, shaking her head, and ignoring the fact that she had been called gorgeous by someone who had the authority to have the opinion, and more so, who mattered.  Knowing that she had such an affect on her friend was, again, as scary as it was awe-inspiring and humbling. That made her stomach

"I utterly pity the Ferengi that tries to take you apart," she shook her head again, laughing, and lay it against Vanya's shoulder. Nothing to see here, nothing at all out of the ordinary. Nope, nope, not at all, she denied, rather loudly, in her head. "Mind you, if one did try, I'd take a hyperspanner to their kneecaps. Just, for the record." While she was trying for humorous, there was a trace of that protective nature that had blossomed at the Academy. Which had been, and still was, truly ironic. Of the two of them, Vanya was considerably more capable of protecting herself, and others, than Natalie.

Not that it stopped her in the slightest. Natalie had a vested interest in Vanya, and so far at least, that only seemed to be growing, now that they were exploring new possibilities.

Tugging lightly on the other woman's arm, Nat steered them onto the docks, and past the guard house. "It should be down this way," she said as she glanced over at a sign and compared it to the berthing information she'd read earlier on the now hidden PaDD. The docks creaked under their feet, the board seemingly made from some kind of carbon fiber planking. Little posts that came up to waist height ran down either side of the dock, with rope slung between each post. Every twenty feet or so, a taller light pole rose up out of the post. Natalie had little doubt that they would be able to find their way back to the boat later in the evening.

And there it was, up a head on the right. Sleek, two decker, single masted, bobbing up and down at the end of the row. The cabin lights had been left on, and she could just make out the blinking diode where she'd enter the access code. "There she is. The name roughly translates to 'The Flowing Breeze of Eastern Tranquility' though I'm told it looses something in that translation. I figure we just call it 'Tranquility' for short." It was of a comparable size to the boat that her father had, perhaps a bit longer in the nose and not as stout across from side to side. And it looked sleek, mostly in blacks and whites, not unlike many of the other boats in the marina.

The boat was moored to the docks by some kind of flexible clamp. This too would require an unlock authorization, Natalie knew, but of the moment she ignored it, instead walking to the ram that lead up and onto the deck. "Well, here we go," she said, flashing a smile up to Vanya. Eagerness shown in her features. This wasn't the boat of her childhood, but it was a boat, and it had been so long since she'd been properly sailing.Taking a breath, and smelling the river around them, Natalie squared off her shoulders before stepping onto the boat proper, and moving to tap in the code she'd been given to disarm the security system. There was a little trilling four tone series of beeps, and a male sounding computer voice noted (in perfect Federation Standard) "Welcome aboard, Ms. Starkin"

Natalie had forgotten the name supplied for her cover identity - Starkin, close enough to Stark that she'd respond to it. She shook her head gestured silently for Vanya to follow her as she made a slow circuit around the top deck, pausing with her hand on the wooden wheel, before descending down to the lower deck, to check the amenities. Which was where they would find a surprise waiting for them.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 27, 2020, 11:43:52 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Ibai Besi Promenade  | Aldea Prime ] attn @Brutus

As Natalie kissed her knuckles, Vanya checked to see if the amount of smiling she was doing would wear out her facial muscles.    The kiss was another gesture that reaffirmed her feelings toward her.  In Vanya’s early days understanding and expressing her emotions was difficult  In some ways, part of her was always worried about messing up emotionally.  But to see Nat react in this way was affirimation that her feelings were misplaced. 

Nat paid her a compliment, and Vanya chuckled in response.  “You are kidding, right?” she said.    “I used to have to wear those awful engineering jumpsuits while they were trying ton ascertain my freedom  Mustard is NOT my colour.  And I don’t want to sound like a platitude generator, but you beauty, your strength is something you’ve cultivated, and that’s so much better than what was on the design desk of a Romulan machinist.   

Vanya bit her lip as Nat talked about kneecapping the hypothetical Ferengi  The truth was, if ever she died, or met some other fate, she often felt as if no one would morn her passing  Her commanding officers would be outraged at the loss, but she never imagined anyone mourning her, let alone wanting vengeance.

“And if anyone were to try to do anything to you Nat, I have lots of ideas to make them regret it for the rest of their lives, be it thirty years, or thirty seconds”  She’d been through too much hardship.  As much as Vanya wanted to prevent that from happening again, she would be ready to defend her dearest soul mate. 

The arrived at the boat, and Vanya looked up at it.  Nat named it Tranquility for short.  It was a beautiful name.    “I like it.” She said    The name seemed right, Nat deserved tranquility.    The boarded the boat, and it was a fairly familiar design, Vanya supposed that sea fairing had to have the same fundamentals whichever world you were on.

“Starkin huh?” Vanya asked  “Illestra is looking forward to getting to know her” she said with a chuckle.  It was a name she selected, something to suggest an exotic and regal bearing.    “This is pretty nice.” Vanya said as she studied the deck.  The “controls” looked simple enough if she wojuld be required to take the wheel. 

They went below deck, and Vanya saw the cabin.  Peach and orange drapes hung from the ceiling.    There was a table with a low backed chair, and a pair of arm chairs, but her eyes were immediately drawn to the bed 

Singular.  The drapes in the room formed a canopy over the luxiurious looking bed.  For such a small boat it was downright extravagant.    The peach coloured sheets had silver and gold cushions above them.    There were several lights mounted in the walls, and current setting gave a very intimate shade to proceedings   

“Well.” She said playfully.  “Which side do you want?”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 28, 2020, 03:55:26 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Below Deck | Tranquility | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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At the end of the day, there was something comforting in knowing that there is someone in the world that cares about you, your well-being, who had a vested interest and would miss you when you were gone, would come after you if you were in trouble. All these things were a basic need for most sentient beings. Neither Natalie nor Vanya were immune to this simple, base impulse. That spoke wonders for Vanya's programming, perhaps, and just reinforced Natalie's firm belief that the girl was a person, and not just a machine. She chose to focus on that as they boarded the boat, and not the fact that for every compliment she tried to pay to Vanya, the android turned it on its head, and made Natalie blush all the more.

Seeing yourself through someone else eyes can be quite a challenge. To accept that they see you in such a light, when you struggle to do so...yeah. I'll just have to trust her on that. She also noted, with an amused smile, the name that Vanya had chosen for herself was considerably prettier - and much different  - than the one that Stark had used, having erred on the side of caution and gone with something easier to remember. Not that she would need to worry about that here on the boat. Only belatedly did she realize there was some potential double meanings that could be at play, and Natalie flushed red, before deciding she was over thinking things, because she was already keyed up about the whole 'very clearly going on an extended vacation/date with her best friend and going from friend to something significantly more so'. Potentially.

No, as Natalie adjusted to the slight, gentle rocking of a boat at dock, there was little doubt in her mind that she was over thinking things and should just enjoy herself. She let out a pleased little sigh as they entered the cabin proper, running her hand down the side of the ships wall, letting her eyes adjust to the lighting of the lower deck. The colors were a warm, bright contrast to what Natalie had grown used to, with the standard Starfleet decor of dark grays and beige's. And ceiling mounted drapes was not a style that Natalie might have considered, but it made interesting, and down right pretty use of the space granted by the comfortably proportioned cabin, with its nice chairs, table and bed.

And bed.

Bed.

"Oh my," she nearly meeped the words out, in a fast rush, as heat crept up the back of her neck. "The agent clearly said that it would be comfortable for two passengers..." Again, there were implications that she had, at the time, missed entirely. She bit her lip, could feel the amusement rolling off the android behind her,  and had to resist the urge to scowl back up at her friend. "You're enjoying this. I can tell you're enjoying this. You brat."

There was nothing else for it. She laughed. She laughed long, and hard, and was wiping a tear from her eye as she moved around to the left hand side of the bed and dropped her bag onto the floor there. Turning, she sat on the edge of it, laying her wrists on her knees and looking up at Vanya. "It is rather comfortable. And there is plenty of room for two. But I swear I did not plan it this way. I didn't want to make assumptions you know?" She waved a hand between each of them, and then back to the bed. She shrugged her shoulders a bit, and toed at the carpeted cabin deck with one foot. Usually I curl up in a tight ball right in the middle of the bed. Or spread my arms and legs out...also in the middle of the bed. I can take the left side though. If you're sure you don't mind?"

If she were to be perfectly honest, there was a small part of Natalie that was excited at the prospect. This would be something she had not really done before, with anyone she was...interested in. And there was , very much, a huge amount of interest going on. If she could just get over things like nerves, and coping with the fact that, up until this point, Natalie's interest had been reserved solely toward male humanoids. Vanya, as Nat well knew from their days at the Academy, was very much female, in every way that mattered.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 28, 2020, 09:34:23 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Below Deck  | Tranquility| Aldea Prime ] attn @Brutus

Vanya joined in Nat’s laughter, humour was such a peculiar thing  So much went into a good joke, and its ability to sink or swim was based on the audience before one was even mentioned.  “Why did Toby the Targ Cross the Road” Jokes would fail to get a laugh at the comedy clubs at cantinas, the limerick about the young woman from Venus and her oddly shaped body probably wouldn’t make the cut in the local school magazine.  Nevertheless Vanya was able to learn that there was joy in seeing someone you care about laugh. 

She joined her on the bed.    At first, Vanya thought that the bed was a happy accident, something to accelerate their plans, but she could tell the conflict within Nat.  She’d only dated men at the Academy, whereas Vanya had dated many who were curious, male, female and unclassified 

“Relax I’ve “slept” standing up in a storage locker with a restraint around my body and  a ODN cable jammed into a hole in my neck.    Having you draped over me is not a hardship in the slightest.”

She leant forward and placed a soft kiss on her temple, taking a moment to smell her hair and feel her soft skin.   

“Nat, I won’t like, I want us to become more of what we but I want you to want it too, not because you want to make me happy, but you want me.  I want to protect you from anyone who would hurt you, even me.” 

It was an odd thing to say, but there it was.  Vanya realised that there was a need to set some ground rules for the trip.   

“You seem interested in being more than friends.    We can try things however you want, guilt free.    When we get back to the ship, if you decide you don’t want to go on, we won’t, I’ll be your kooky friend, but we can have so much more, if you’ll let me.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 29, 2020, 04:56:22 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Below Deck | Tranquility | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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 A slight shifting accompanied Vanya as she settled down next to Natalie. She glanced over and smiled up at Vanya. With all the overtones, and under tones, and potential implications going on right now, she aught to have been nervous around her friend. She wasn't though, not really. Nervous about what might happen and how things might change, but not nervous with Vanya's presence. Perhaps more so than anyone else, she was comfortable around the scientist. A long history between them, a foundation of trust and friendship. a certain sort of safety.

"When you put it that way," Natalie started to say, as Vanya implied that they'd be draped over each other. But before she could finish whatever she was going to say, the android had leaned in and pressed her lips against the Martian's temple. It served as something of a reset button and Nat's words sputtered out as her eyes went slightly wide and did a slow sort of blink. It was a small gesture, a simple one. But an intimate one as well. More so than when Nat had pressed her lips to the other woman's knuckles, this hit her and drove home that changes were afoot.

She listened quietly as the android spoke to her, turning her face to watch Vanya, leaning back just a bit to get a better view. Not quite pulling away - she laced her fingers in between the Romulans about half way through what her friend was saying. And Vanya...was not holding back. Nat's throat went a bit dry and she had to swallow for a moment as the girl laid it out, how she intended things to go forward. It was all, well not exactly easy to say, but it was easier said than done. Not that Natalie doubted for a moment that, should things just be too odd or weird for her, Vanya would shift gears, no harm, no foul. Nor did she doubt for a moment the Romulan's sincerity (there was a phrase that many would consider oxymoronic); if she said she wanted to protect Nat from being hurt, even by her, then that was the truth.

After all, Vanya knew what Natalie had been through. She was the first person that Natalie unburdened herself on, when she well and truly understood how she had been manipulated by Lucan Nicander. By the thing inside Lucan. It was a distinction that she was still struggling with, but she was trying there. She was.

But he, and that act, had no place on this boat. This was...a new beginning, with an old friend. With the one person on the ship she could well and truly trust. With whom she could let herself be vulnerable. Which she very much was under such an assault of well meaning confessions. All her hopes and dreams of not mimicking a tomato were for naught. There were considerably worse prices to pay.

"When you put it that way," she said again, "Sharing a bed with me hardly sounds like a hardship at all. Though how do I know it's not going to be you with your arms all draped over me, huh? Miss-doesn't-want-Nat-to-be-hurt? What about you getting hurt? I don't think that...if we push things. If it doesn't work out I don't know if I can go back to just...the way things were. I think its sweet and wonderful that you would do that but i don't know that I can."

She took a deep breath, and then said, "But I'm here despite that fear, because I think...if I don't get wrapped up in my own head - that becoming something 'more' would be very, very nice. That it's worth exploring. That you are worth the risk." Well that's been said, at least. "it's not just about making you happy. Its being happy with you. Hopefully. Its the idea anyways. We have to actually, yano, try all of this, to see if that'll be the reality. Won't be easy either because lets be honest I'm kind a relationship disaster waiting to happen."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 29, 2020, 10:48:03 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Below Deck  | Tranquility| Aldea Prime ] @Brutus

She listened to her friend, relationships were all about give and take, that was true, and frankly life where things didn’t work out between them was difficult for Vanya.    The truth of the matter was after the Cauyga fell, and she lost everyone that she had cared about, Starfleet was apparently under the sway of an outside influence, she had given serious consideration to finding an ocean, and walking until she got to the bottom and just… wait.    But then she saw Nat again, and hope for something had started to burn in her heart   

She looked down at their intertwined fingers, holding them up againt the bottom of her jaw.    “Trying things is all I have ever asked.  But disaster?  Nat, you didn’t put a parasite in Nicander, and more than I put a bunch of Borg Nanites in Ekon.”     

Her affair with the Cayuga ops chief had been brief but fun for them both.  His death had challenged her, and felt like a kick in the gut.  Nevertheless, thinking about their first liaison brought a smile to her face, not for who he was, but its relevance to the hear and now. 

“I’m sorry, I guess you are already rubbing off on me.” She said with a light laugh.  “Here I am thinking things over, when I usually go right in for what I want when I meet someone.” 

She listened for a moment to the sound of the waves outside washing against the ship.  It gave rise to the name of the boat 

“How about we grab some food, and work things out from there?”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 30, 2020, 12:47:52 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Below Deck | Tranquility | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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 Vanya had a good point; she was not responsible for the events that had lead to Lucan Nicander's infestation. That was utterly and completely beyond her control. She did feel guilt related to having lain with the man. Not that it had been unenjoyable at the time, far from it, in fact. The Doctor's touch had been expert, and the man knew how to use his...tool set. The setting added to the whole event as well, the clandestine, illict nature of it all. The issue was that the later knowledge had taken something that perhaps had been healing in nature, if not simply enjoyable, and twisted it on its head, darkening it into a nasty experience. Intended or not, it felt like she had been abused.

By a similar token, Natalie and Vanya had discussed Ekon, and his poor fate. There was nothing that the scientist could have done to save the man. While not exactly the same situation as that which Natalie faced, there was enough there for each of them to relate to the others situation. Misery loved company, or something like that. Natalie certainly preferred Vanya's company, and if they could give each other something more than just the easy comfort of friendship then perhaps she really aught to be fully exploring the possibilities. Breaking new ground.

"Its fine you know, really, it is," Natalie said softly, "Thinking before jumping in, I mean. Less likely to hurt yourself that way," she was teasing the girl. That came easily enough, and much more comfortable than acknowledging her points about applicable fault. In truth, Natalie was surprised that Vanya had not pushed things farther than she already had. There was one note to bring up however, and the Ops Chief did.

"I will point something out, however," there was a note of wry amusement now. "You are probably thinking all of this over because you have not 'just met me'. You're dealing with the entirely different set of working parameters for developing a deeper interest in someone you have known for years. Kind of a different um...algorithm to work of off, I would imagine. It's plenty confusing enough for me in the exact same situation. Its...well. There's more at risk. There's more to the reward, too." This was not exactly an unreasonable conclusion to draw, and the two mulled it over in the relative silence of the rocking boat and the moving water around it.

Pursing her lips for a moment, Natalie nodded in agreement and pushed herself up, off the rather nice (if slightly gaudy) bed. she turned and offered her hands to Vanya, helping the android up in turn, though she doubted the other woman needed any assistance. Still, she went through the motions without a second thought or hesitation. It came naturally to her.

"There were more than a few restaurants along the way here that we passed. We should go try one of those. Just, no Klingon food. I'm not sure I want raw worms crawling around in my stomach. Not my idea of relaxing, and as far as I can tell you have to fight all of your meals when you order Klingon." She flashed her friend a wide, cheeky grin. It wasn't entirely true, after all. While most (but not all) Klingon food was served raw, not all of it was served alive. Natalie simply lacked a taste or appreciation for the cuisine as a whole. She knew more than one officer during the Dominion War would swear by the Klingon version of coffee, raktajino, Natalie had found the roast entirely too bitter for her taste.

She started up the gangway toward the top deck, and blinked when she came out onto it. The sun had lowered considerably, and little lights were sparking to life all along the docks, and the walkway beyond. Pausing there, she gripped the mast with a hand, letting the breeze blow out her hair and the skirts around her legs, watching the city rise up and away from the Harbor. She felt, more than heard, Vanya come up on deck, and without looking back her, Natalie breathed out in a whisper. "Yeah, this is worth it. Right here. This place looks amazing. I can't wait to go out there with you."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 30, 2020, 02:25:45 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Below Deck  | Tranquility| Aldea Prime ]

attn: @Brutus
It certainly was a different algorithm.    Most of the time, Vanya’s personality was like her former android self n- there was a target, she would seek it out and would reflect on the experience  Nat it was quite different  Ultimately, Vanya reflected, all one could do was take things one day at a time.  She nodded in agreement. 

“I think you’re right.  Just when I get things figured out, boom, there is another mountain to climb.  I wouldn’t have it any other way, if I’m with you” 

Nat held out her hands, and Vanyua stood up as her companion spoke about avoiding Klingon cuisine, which was a good thing as Vanya wanted to avoid Klingons  “With this ears, and this forehead, there’s every chance I will end up offending someone, patrons and/or proprietors alike” She reflected. 

The lights of the city were beginning to flicker to life, night life was something that Vanya could understand easily, people coming and going, having fun, working, having clandestine meetings, everyone buzzing around with their own stories liberated from the restrictions of the day and granted the freedom of the night, the first frontier for many races to conquer   

She turned and saw Nat resting her hand on the mast of the boat, again she seemed serene.    A moment preserved. 

She considered some line to reciprocate and compliment to reflect what Nat meant to her as well, instead she took her hand again and simply replied “Totally worth it”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 31, 2020, 08:19:25 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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Each having thoroughly complimented the other, they'd ascended to the deck of the little craft. It lived up to its name in that moment, Tranquility, as Natalie stood by Vanya, the deck rocking under them, and the lights of the city stretching out before them. While the view was not the wide open seas, or the lulling lake that Natalie most associated with being on a boat, the dockside scene was stunning. An omen of good things to come, or so Natalie chose to take it as she pulled her sari wrap tighter around her. Not that it was really chilly out, but the breeze off the river was nice and steady, and this dress left a lot more of her exposed than she usually chose to wear or allow.

Smiling back at Vanya, she gave a little nod in turn, and then tilted her head toward the stern of the boat, and the dock behind it. "Let's get going," she suggested, and put words into action, swinging slightly by her grip on the mast and then dropping down and away, strolling along the gently rolling deck with practiced ease. Like the proverbial bike, the skills of moving on a sailing ship came back to Natalie, akin to a second nature. She was up and over and on the dock within moments, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

Again, she offered a hand out to Vanya, to help her with the transition from boat to dock. Not that the gap was large or worrying by any means, but simply that it was a habit of long practice when sailing. Whomever got off the boat first helped the rest to shore. Seeing the android securely on the dock, Nat did not let go of the hand. Instead she twisted her hand around a bit until she could once more lace her fingers with Vanya. Thus settled, having decided that this gesture, at least, she was comfortable with, she set off down the dock.

It took much less time to get out of the dock than it had been to navigate to their rented boat. They knew where they were going this time. They didn't have to look for a specific dock number, just follow the clearly designated 'exit' signs until they were back out onto the main boardwalk of the promenade of Ibai Besi. Setting her head on a swivel, Natalie started taking note of the options in easy walking distance as her feet clacked along the wooden boards of the street. Plenty of small vendors were set up, almost all with a universal outdoor seating scheme, a little roped off area with small tables under a sea of string lights, lining the walkway, facing out toward the riverside beaches.

A plethora of options spanned the road, heavily influenced by species from within the Klingon Empire, not just their namesake rules but various other jeghpu'wI' - the conquered peoples of the empire. It was fascinating, in that the Aldeans, as a willing protectorate were classified slightly differently, though Natalie was not readily aware of the proper Klingonese word for the specific title granted such a status. Of course, there were options from outside the Empire as well. Plenty of worlds of the Federation seemed represented, as well as a few more esoteric cuisines. Nat saw one stall proudly proclaiming it served the best tube grubs in the sector.

That was a hard pass as far as Natalie was concerned.

Unsurprisingly, there were more than one waterfront affair selling locally caught sea food, a market that had begun to boom again in the years since the arrival of the Enterprise-D and some of the more helpful reclamation efforts. Eventually Natalie looked up at Vanya and gave a little shrug. "Unless you object, I suppose we aught try the catch of the day? Keep it local? Explore the strange new world and all that?
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 31, 2020, 09:46:36 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] Attn: @Brutus

She watched Nat wrap her Sari around her.  One of the things that Vanya had learned is that a body gave a person power.  Sure, sex was some of it, but how one comparted oneself in their body could open doors, ad close others.  When evading capture, sometimes it helped to walk around as if you owned the place.  Others, sometimes when you want to get noticed, the best way was to make it look like you were trying to do anything but   

But Nat, Vanya thought, had the experience, if she could be encouraged to find her bearing, she could be a great captain someday, assuming their present situation was resolved to the point where they were returned to Starfleet with open arms, instead of an open cell door.  Vanya was sure that Nat could pull of regal in that hypothetical potato sack she mentioned earlier, all she had to do, was believe.     

Vanya’s gyroscopic systems were able to compensate the transition from boat to dry land, nevertheless, she took the offered hand as she disembarked.    The fact that Nat manouvered to keep the touch and their fingers together was welcome.  She was concerned her speech on the bed had ruined things completely. 

Now her wonder about their destination satisfied, Vanya took the opportunity to study the place around them.    She could hear the crude Klingon drinking songs coming from some of the taverns, singing songs about Kahless and so forth  There were a few grittier Klingon establishments, with loud songs about how many tribbles Fek’lhr could stick up Gul Dukat’s…

Vanya’s cultural observations were interrupted by Nat pointing out a traditional Aldean seafood place.  She tuned out the musical slights to enemies of the empire, living and dead and turned back to her. 

“Sounds delightful.” She said as she followed her towards the suggested restaurant.  ”Just tell me Aldeans don’t have drinking songs.”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 31, 2020, 11:15:51 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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The off duty Ops Chief let out a snort of laughter at Vanya's request, and glanced up at her companion for the evening, the snort growing into a steady little giggle. Her eyes sparkled with warmth and delight as she gave a small shake of her head. "I don't recall anything in the cultural reports that I reviewed when we first arrived in the system about a tradition of drinking songs, though I suppose most sentient species have a few here and there. The Irish, back on Earth, were particularly cleaver with some of their more ah, charming limericks, such as it were. So its a possibility, but honestly, the reports from the Enterprise made the lot of them seem far too stuffy and self-importantly enlightened to bother with banal activities like a drinking song." 

Natalie had been careful to pitch her voice into a lower cadence as she spoke words that sounded fairly critical of their hosts culture. "Of course, those same logs from such established luminaries as Beverly Crusher and William Riker didn't mention bath houses, or nude beaches either, so it just goes to show that First Contact can't tell you everything." If she blushed slightly at either notion, perhaps that was to be expected. Shrugging her shoulders gently, she pressed on, turning toward a promising looking establishment that proclaimed daily fresh fish and seemed reasonably frequented, judging by the guests currently strung about in the outdoor seating. As everyone was in Aldean attire, she could not tell if some of the other patrons of the establishment were from the Theurgy. So much the better then. "What we have to keep in mind is that for the last decade at least, the primary outside influence upon the population are the Klingon's that established bases in this system. So...there's always a chance some of the protectors rowdy habits have rubbed off on our supposedly dour hosts."

Nothing to be done for it, of course. It was inevitable when two cultures were exposed to each other in close proximity for a prolonged period of time. Each picked up a bit from the other. This was one of the touted pinnacles of the Federation. While all cultures adapted somewhat to the general feel of what it meant to be "Federation" they all retrained their own unique selves. What, to the outside looked like the suppression of individuality was in fact the spreading and celebration of each distinct culture across the greater whole. That so many outside powers feared such a thing saddened Natalie. Then again, she had grown up with it, in one of the founding solar systems of the Federation, if not a founding member world. 

Setting all of that aside, Natalie and Vanya found themselves swept along by a local hostess, in flowing green robes, whom sat them outside in ready order, a table near the far edge of the gathered allotment, though still within easy earshot of other patrons. The conversations around them filtered into a steady background noise, as menus were handed out, and the specail fo the day, some spiced swordfish analog, was pronounced. A mollusk soup was suggested as an opening course, and Natalie looked to Vanya for a moment, before shrugging and agreeing. The hostess and waiter whom had joined her both departed, promising to return with the first course and a suitable wine to pair with it. 

"Well, they certainly are efficient. I almost feel a bit whip-lashed, to be honest," she confessed to Vanya, sipping one of a pair of glasses of water. A small candle flickered in a jar between them, while over head, glowing bulbs of warm, yellow lights swayed back and forth in the gentle breeze coming off the riverfront. It cast shadows about each of their faces, and for a moment, Natalie got completely, and unabashedly lost in the sight of her friend across from her, and the way the lights played across the beauty of her face. To the extent that she felt her heart skip a series of beats, before jerking back into motion with a soft inhalation of air.

Oh, boy. I'm in trouble.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 01, 2020, 09:39:57 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]
attn @Brutus
Vanya considered the past reports  It seemed to her like you just needed to slap the name Enterprise on your ship and it will become a part of recorded history.  She wondered if the names of Cayuga or Theurgy would go down in legend, if decades, or centuries from now people would snort at the adventures of Lieutenant Vanya.  Then again, most of what made Vanya, Vanya probably shouldn’t make it into an after action report.  She allowed herself a small smile. 

Nat talked about the influence of the Klingons on their hosts.  Vanya saw the logic. 

“Kind of like me I guess.  I mean, in my life there are Federation ideals I have come to embrace.  Oh Nat, you think I was something when we met at the academy, just be glad you didn’t meet me when I arrived in Federation space.” 

She didn’t hide what she wanted, could be easily considered rude or aloof.    T didn’t help when those that didn’t want to dismantle her wanted to put her back in a box to Romulus. 

They were ushered to their seats, the hostess seemingly impatient with them  Perhaps the influence of Klingons was indeed touching this area of the planet.  When Nat mentioned the word ‘whip’ Vanya may well have snorted water.  A mischievous expression crossed her eyes as she finished her sip.

“Didn’t pack a whip, sorry.” Vanya said

The comment didn’t seem to register with Nat, she seemed to be staring at something… at her.    Vanya was deeply flattered, and slightly aroused to be the focus of her companion’s affection and focus.  She shook herself back into focus, almost as if she were lost. 

“Are you okay?” she asked
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 02, 2020, 03:39:58 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Vanya's lips were moving, and Natalie felt her gaze drop down to follow the motion. Though she was aware of Vanya's looks, which were generally accepted as gorgeous among most humanoid cultures, and had seen those lips form a smile countless times over the course of their years at the Academy, and the rather increasingly infrequent video letters they'd exchanged during the end of the Dominion War, and after, there was something ever so slightly different about them tonight. They looked especially appealing in the low lighting, the candle causing more shadows to flicker there, as it had all over her friends face. The same sense of trouble bubbled under the surface of the Ops officer as her dining companion said something else, and those lips moved gain. 

Soft was the word that Natalie was looking for. They looked soft, and  inviting, and for a brief moment she wondered why she had not paid such attentions before. I wonder how they would feel -oh! She blinked rapidly for a moment, and realized that Vanya had been talking at her, and asked a question of some form. Focus returned to Natalie's gaze and she played back the conversation that she had previously glossed over. There might have been a word or two that failed to stick into the buffer of her brain, but she got the fist of it all, and flushed slightly in the cheeks, and swallowing, embarrassed at her own momentary lasp. 

"Fine. Er, that is, I'm fine. Just got...distracted," she managed to stammer, feeling a mild tinge of mortification. The waiter returned, sans pushy hostess this time, with two bowls of the local mollusk soup, the cracked shells pocking up from the slightly green tinged broth, as well as two glasses and the bottle of wine. A cork was popped, the liquid poured, and Natalie and Vanya found themselves alone again shortly after."He was more polite than the other one, but I get the feeling they like to roll people out of here as swiftly as they can."

Having mad her observation, she sipped at the drink before her. It was fruity and a little tart, not like the sweet wine she'd tried back during the party between the Theurgy and Harbinger's crews. Back before things had really gone to hell, when Rory had tired to cheer her up. He'd succeeded, that time at least. Pushing aside another reminder of her history of failure in the world of relationships, she smiled back at Vanya, sampling the soup and nodding in approval. It had a bit of a spice to it that warmed the tongue without searing it, and Natalie used her spoon to force the shell open and get at the meat as well, which was, as to be expected, slick and soft and basically a vector for the broth.

"I uh, I didn't mean to stare, earlier. Its just...really good ambiance, and you, looking like that," she waved a hand, "You know, stunning? I got distracted. Which...I'm not really used to doing. Certainly not with women," she waved her hand in a circle. She didn't say certainly not with you, but that was a part of it too. That was the reason, she figured, that she was considering this. Who it was, not what was between their legs. She smiled a bit, and shook her head. "In any event, I'm almost afraid to ask just what you might do if you had packed a whip." She shot her friend a wry look and tried to ignore her own blush.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 02, 2020, 08:37:02 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus 

Nat mentioned the ambiance, and Vanya admitted that she  had a point.  The entre room felt warm and inviting.  The candle light put Vanya in mind of some of her earliest musings  The danger it represented, the challenge.  She took a sip of the wine.  Her alogrythm immediately told her how drunk she should act for an average woman of her height and build and apparent age.    Not that she would spoil the moment with Nat with false theatrics.  She had real sensations to feel and share. 

She mentioned that she wasn’t used to getting distracted, especially not with women.  Vanya held her hands over the table candle, her long fingers creating fluctuating shadow between them. 

“I’ve always had, not a fear, but a respect for fire.” She said. “Maybe my creator put the fear in there in an attempt to control us if we ever got too big for our boots.  Maybe fire is too random, too dangerous for my processors to successfully predict, or maybe my creator’s primal fear imported to my matrix when she imprinted herself onto my processors” 


She rested her hands on the table in front of Nat’s 

“But the more I think about it, the more I’d like to be on a Federation Anthropological Team watching some humanoids discover fire for the first time.  How did they find it?  Did lightning hit a tree?  Did a spark from a river of lava light up their village?  In that case, they took this side effect of damage, and honed it, used it for cooking, warmth, construction, and light.  Combustion is the basic concept behind everything.  All from a random disaster that probably threatened lives.” 

Her fingers moved closer, the tips of touching Nat’s, rubbing the back of them. 

“My point is…  your attraction to me, like fire, it’s the unknown, but if you give it a chance, some care it can take you to wonderful places.” 

A wicked grin crossed the android’s face.  “And the whip?  Well, the question would be what would you want to do with it?” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 03, 2020, 03:03:39 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Something in the way Vanya looked at her, while she pondered a response to Nat's word, left the brunette almost literally sitting on the edge of her seat with anticipation. She worked her spoon around in the bowl for a bit, sipping another mouthful of the broth as she watched Vanya contemplate the candle before them, and the general nature of fire, and her feelings regarding it. The nature there in, was it hers, something imprinted from her creator. Nat set the spoon down against the edge of the bowl, a slight frown that marred her forehead for a moment. Vanya had told her much about how she came to be, but certainly not everything.

Their hands were less than an inch apart now, Nat leaning farther forward, hanging on her friends every word and wondering where it was all going. No doubt existed in her mind that Vanya did not have some point she was going to get to, and was taking a somewhat scenic route to make sure it stuck. That was fine with Nat. Curiosity ate at her. A smile graced her lips at the thought of going on such a mission as that which the Romulan Android described. So much of the work that Natalie had done revolved around fixing things, and not simply studying them. The war, and the aftermath, there had hardly been time for the science of it all, the exploration. The idea of joining on such a study was fascinating.

After all, had she not thought, within the last few hours, that beaming down like this, attired in local garb, was the closest she'd ever come to one of those missions that Vanya was now describing? It tugged a bit in the pit of Natalie's gut, and she swallowed, knowing that this wasn't the point that Vanya had wanted to make. Slender, diligent fingers slid slowly up her own, and Nat's gaze dropped down for a moment, watching the byplay of the pale, faintly green digits over her own fingers. A smile tugged at her lips, and she looked back up as she nodded a bit, and laced her fingers with Vanya's, the soup course forgotten for the time being. 

No dish could be as delicious as this moment. 

"That's a beautiful way of saying 'trust me, I'll rock your world later,' Vanya," there was a trace of humor in her voice, but still that nervous, anticipatory edge was there as well. For that possibility existed, within the confines of this trip. She had no expectations. That had not stopped her from wondering. Fantasizing even, when she'd allowed herself to do so. She licked at her lips and glanced down again, then out over the water, before circling back to Vanya and that wicked smile. Once more she silently contemplated the nature of the other girls lips, and all their implications. 

"I don't see myself as the whip wielding dominatrix in some seedy holo program, but who knows, I might develop a taste for it. I figure we'll have to use one to keep all the Ferengi away from you." Humor wasn't her strong suite, but she was trying. "In all honesty I wouldn't know what to do with one of those things. Probably take an eye out trying anything fancy." Which was true enough. As an ops officer she was great with her hands, pretty good on the whole hand eye coordination thing, and doing things by touch alone. Small, detailed work. Wielding a whip was an entirely different prospect, and she didn't see herself as someone that enjoyed pain with her pleasure. 

Don't know until you try though, do you? A little voice that sounded suspiciously like the woman across from her made itself known in the back of her head, and Natalie quietly told it to go shush itself. She still hadn't let go of her companions hands, nor did she feel any urgency to do so. The rest of the restaurant could have been watching their every move and Nat wouldn't have noticed. She was getting lost again, and it was okay. That was perfectly fine tonight. Sighing softly she brought the other girls hands up, over the candle and to her lips. Carefully she kissed each knuckle, one after the other, and tried not to blush more than she already was. "This is me, giving it a chance, Vanya."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 03, 2020, 09:32:55 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus 

Vanya cooed softly with anticipation as Nat kissed each of her fingers.  She was starting to let go of her doubts, and this filled Vanya with anticipation.  A small part of her worried that her lack of inhibitions, and in case of relationships, subtly, would send Nat running back to the ship.    Vanya wasn’t sure that she could bear the aftermath.  She put such thoughts aside as the girl kissed her fingers, her soft lips quickly relegating the worst case scenarios to the distant fog of her mind. 

This was everything she had wanted, since perhaps she had med Nat on their first day settling into the academy.  She had been playing the long game, and the results were starting to bear fruit.  And a feast was likely to present itself tonight. 

“That’s all I wanted.” She replied at last.  “In fact, I think it might just be the thing I want more than anything I have ever wanted.” 

Dominance and submission were fluid concepts to Vanya.  She thought about the differences between her and the science officer, and in truth, surrendering herself to Nat’s want and desires was as appealing to her as taking more of a lead in the relationship.

She leant over the table and whispered into Nat’s ear, fingers interlinked with hers

“I can replicate spares.” 

She planted a kiss on her cheek and sat back. 

“Besides, all I want with you… is you.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 04, 2020, 04:28:43 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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For Natalie, it had not been a long game so much as a slow realization. Perhaps she had needed to mature and grow to consider the possibility. To look at Vanya and see something more than a friend. Perhaps it was simply that she had been hurt, deeply, multiple times within the span of a few months, and that Vanya represented a sort of safety, from an earlier point in her life. She was steadfast, even after years of having been far away and mostly out of touch. Natalie was not so completely smitten that a part of her mind could not at the very least contemplate that as a possibility. This didn't invalidate the growing emotions though. The surprise at the realization that Vanya had been curious about something more, nor the swift swelling of reciprocation of the notion, once it had been voiced into the air between them, just before they threw down with the Borg. That response had been almost immediate, and she had spent the ensuing weeks dancing around the subject. Entertaining that notion. Falling into the pool of vibrant, dark green eyes every time she saw them. Contemplating something never considered before. 

Needless to say, as Vanya made her candlelight confession, Natalie was considering it now. Contemplating it very intently. Falling utterly. The notion was thoroughly entertained. And though it might have been almost sickeningly sappy to think it, she felt like a part of her was melting at her friends words. This night was heating up faster than she'd expected, and she found herself strapped in along for the ride. 

There was a sharp intake of breath as the Android leaned over the table, and for a moment, Natalie wondered if she was about to be kissed. We haven't even finished the first course, was, perhaps, the most incredulous thought to ever have been thought in a moment such as this (which was a very Natalie thing to think). But the scientist entered a course correction at the last minute, leaving her lips instead next to Nat's ear, and whispering softly. IT took a second for the words and the meaning to click, and she let out a little gasp, and then a giggle at the whimsy of her friend replicating a new eyeball because Nat took the old one out frolicking about with a bloody bull whip. It threatened to send her into a tizzy of fitful laughter, but again, her friend found an ample off switch. 

In the end it was nothing more than a light, simple pressing of lips to cheek. Not at all unlike the one placed onto her temple back on the boat. Certainly the contact lasted less time than the small series of affectionate pecks that Natalie had delivered to the hands she still held not moments before. And yet, it left her feeling like an awkward teen all over again. She huffed a bit, blushed and bit her lip while she willed her skin to return to something approaching normal. The downside of being naturally pale - little things like a blush showed brightly, no matter what.

"Pretty sure you got me," Natalie finally pointed out, as the other girl sat back down, some how she managed to do so gracefully, and without setting any piece of the dress out of place. Just how she managed that was a thing of envy for the ops officer. Not that Nat was complaining. Feeling a bit ungainly, sure but she knew Vanya didn't see her that way. She had plenty of ample evidence to the contrary, tonight. Swallowing a bit, Natalie giggled again. "Remind me the next time we go out to eat to make sure we sit corner to corner and not across from one another. If things keep going the way they're going, I can see future dinners being a somewhat snugly affair."

While this was not the words sexiest response to what had just happened, Natalie banked on that not mattering. It was the offer of contact, of a nature she didn't indulge in often at all. And she remembered how Vanya craved such things at the Academy. Pleased with herself, and showing it in her smile, she picked up her spoon again. "I'm not sure how we're going to make it through the meal at this rate. There's the main dish yet. Probably some salad first if we're doing things right. Not to mention dessert." Of course, as she looked at Vanya, Natalie found herself contemplating a different sort of after dinner course. She had to wonder how much of that thought showed on her face, and if she would be comfortable acting on the sudden impulse an hour or two from now when they made it back to their chosen lodging for the weekend.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 04, 2020, 09:29:17 PM
 [Lt. Vanya| Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn @Brutus

She could sense Nat’s anticipation, it was reflected in her own countenance.  She took a spoonful of the mysterious broth.    Happily, though the meal had cooled slightly, it hadn’t gone completely cold.  Plus the food wasn’t writhing, which was good for both Nat and Vanya.  She mentioned having to sit on opposite sides of the table corner to corner  She smirked  slightly half wondering if it was a joke or a challenge.  Vanya saw that it could be both.   

“Oh, that wouldn’t stop me.” She said with a playful tone to her voice  “Although we can set up snuggles protocols if you really want to.  ” 

She gazed into her friend’s eyes for a few more minutes.  She realised that the joke she had just made was their thing, something a couple might do.    But her friend did have a point, perhaps privacy was better  There was a boat bobbing up and down in port that promised to be the entire universe.  She did decide to dial things down, but only slightly.  Sailing was something that Nat was very passionate about, and in turn, the android was becoming more and more interested in the hobby.   

“So, have you given any thought to our route tomorrow?” she asked as she set down her spoon and took another sip of the potent wine.  “What awaits us on the open water?”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 06, 2020, 05:06:27 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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A short burst of laughter slipped out past Nat's lips at the thoughts of establishing a snuggle protocol. It was such a Vanya thing to say, and the brunette human had to cover her mouth with the back of her hand to contain the giggles. This set the spoon in said hand to bobbing up and down, but she managed not to spill any of the soup that had clung to it, onto her dress. Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, she shook her head and set the piece of silverware down, swallowing to clear her throat, flashing an amused grin at her weekend date. Which... was a nice way of thinking about all of this, she realized as she amended the categorization of Vanya to included 'date' along side 'best friend.' Organic though she might be, there was was a lot of machine logic to her habits of thinking and her world view.

"I suppose that is something we'll have to work out over time," she agreed, taking a sip of the wine to settle her nerves and clear her throat. "It's not like we have to figure it all out tonight. There's the whole weekend ahead to sort out what we're comfortable with, and in what settings." She stirred her soup, running her tongue over her lips for a moment before taking another bite. She knew the next course wouldn't be long in coming, and in fact, could see the waiter making his way through the crowd. "And...it's not like we wont have more to figure out after we get back to the ship so...we'll get it sorted eventually."

Before she could answer Vanya's question about the route they'd choose and what would happen going forward on their trip the waiter returned, swapping out mostly finished soup bowels with some soft of local seaweed salad, over a bed of some kind of local grain that reminded Natalie of swollen cous cous, adorned with a heavy citrusy dressing. The over all affect was slightly slimier than Natalie would normally go for, but all the same, "This isn't all that bad. Weird, mind you, but not bad."

Pointing a forkful of the salad at Vanya, Natalie addressed her curiosities with a bit of a smile and a bit of a shrug.

"So the docks on the river, and that's a pretty big body of water. It empties out into a bay not terribly far from here, and from there, its the wide open ocean. Lots of little archipelagos dot the waters relatively near the coast, and I've head there are some great reef's out a bit farther into the deeper waters. Good fishing too, if thats a thing you're interested in. Supposedly they have something similar to yellow fin tuna out there, and I remember that being pretty tasty from the fish markets down in San Francisco. So, a possibility. As for the specific route," here she paused to shrug, while she took a bigger sip of the wine, feeling it was down her throat and settle in her stomach. Unlike Vanya, Natalie wouldn't have to fake the affects of genuine alcohol on her system. This was very much not synthohol.

"There's a map of suggested sight seeing routes in the cabin of the boat, or there's supposed to be," she set her fork down, having gone through most of the oddly slick salad in a surprisingly thorough fashion. "I figure we can take a look at that and pick one, going from there. Then it's really up to us as to how long we want to stay out on the water, or if we want to come back into shore at some point during our trip. We could just set out and not bother coming back until we're ready to beam back home." She had almost said 'to the ship' but realized that even though they seemed to have some space around them, there was no way to be sure that someone wasn't listening on the conversation. Better to be safe than sorry, she decided to avoid mentioning the Theurgy while in public. It wouldn't do good to have the ships Second Officer blow its cover.

Cradling the wine glass in her hands now, she looked down at the liquid, considerably less of it in the bowl of the glass than at the start of the meal. Nat was starting to relax more, to both being out in public, on a vacation, and to the idea of what was growing between her and Vanya. The wine was probably helping with that. "I know this trip was my idea - well, my punishment from Ducote," she amended with a laugh, "But was there anything you wanted to do, or go see?"
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 07, 2020, 03:25:21 PM
[Lt.Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]

Vanya wanted to be careful as Nat consumed the wine.  On one hand, she wanted her relaxed and enjoying herself to the point where she could put her remaining inhibitions to one side  One the other, she wanted to make sure that she wasn’t overly ill, or insiensible to the point of collapsing.  But Natalie was strong. 


Her friend rattled of the itinerary, and Vanya listened with rapt attention.  She was looking forward to their adventure, and the opportunities to indulge both her scientific curiosity and her more tacticle interests were there. 

Speak off, she found the salad they were eating quite interesting, particularly the seaweed  She wondered what it would feel like against her skin.  It certainly offered a curious sensation when it was consumed.  After Nat finished off rattling options for their exploration, she asked Vanya what she wanted to do. 

“I don’t have any strong plans.” Vanya confessed.  “This is your trip remember?  I mean I have a few things packed.  I wouldn’t mind trying swimming.  I have found a special waterproof gel that we would need to apply around my body, or an all over body suit.    The body suit has a higher probability of success, whereas the gel is less restrictive.” She sad as she finished the last of her salad. 

She drained the last of her wine and set it to one side.  She was eager to get some swimming in, but she was more interested in doing what Nat wanted, she wanted the other woman relaxed, comfortable feeling recharged.  Anything else was a bonus. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 07, 2020, 10:44:09 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Unknown Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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"Just because it's my trip doesn't mean I don't want to take your preferences and desires into account," Natalie countered. "You've tagged along because I've asked you, because I didn't want to just go off and be on my own. I wanted to spend time with you. Specifically." She was doing that thing where she pointed with her fork, at Vanya, talking with her hands as much as her mouth. This happened whenever she got animated about a subject. And Vanya for years, had been a favorite subject of Natalie's. The context of this was now changing, to include new possibilities, and personal frontiers to explore with the other woman, but the exuberance was still just as vibrant as ever. Nat was choosing to ignore the fact that she'd just made the main point of this trip spending time with Vanya, and focus on taking her friends desires into consideration as well as her own basic plan.

Which amounted to get on a boat and sort her life out, basically. Great plan. 

Setting her fork down - having demolished the salad in record time, despite the oddity of the alien textures involved, Natalie laced her fingers together and still managed to point at Vanya with both hands now, her elbows resting at the edge of the dining table between them. A curious glint was in her eyes as she spoke. "We're going to be out, on a boat, in the middle of either a bay, or the ocean proper. And as far as I can tell, the reclamation efforts on this planet have progressed to the point that it is perfectly safe to swim in the water. I mean, they have a ton of pools at all the villa's that are available to the crew to rent, but the ocean water is perfectly safe. Not exactly filtered, of course, but there are no contaminants that are harmful to humans, as an example." She took a long breath at that point to recover herself, before adding, "Which is a very long-winded way of saying I packed a swim suit because I figured I'd end up in the water at some point."

Pushing her plate aside so that the waiter could collect it, she pushed on. "I would be very interested to get a look at the specs for the gel you've come up with. Does it go on like a sunscreen, basically? Or is it a thicker coating. I know more than a few species out there secrete a kind of gel that helps with dermal regeneration and lubrication in liquid environments." Her vague understanding of the late Ash'reem family that had been aboard the Theurgy came most readily to mind, but she thought she'd read something about the native Pacifican's also having a similar sort of gel, though they used that above water to help protect exposed flesh from drying out. There was a possibility she was confusing the two species, but that was mostly irrelevant to the point on hand.

Of course, it took her a moment or two for the implication of what using the gel over the full body suit would me. It was, again, so typically Vanya. Nat paused, blushed, and then ran a hand over her face, slowly. Unrepentant nudist, never forget that is what she is at heart. Chuckling softly to herself, she leaned in and smiled in what she hoped was a coy fashion, but couldn't really tell. It was not as if Nat had any great experience with being coy. Or flirting. "I think I understand why you want to go the gel route, if you could."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 09, 2020, 10:49:43 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Unknown Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] @Brutus

Vanya could resist a coy grin as Nat became animated about looking after her needs.  The simple truth of the matter, is that Vanya didn’t have much interest in recreation on shore leave.  In most of the places where one went, you either had to content with other people, some of which were from the same planet, and, particularly with established worlds, there was nothing to explore that you wouldn’t find interesting outside of a text book.  No, shore leave was best spent with a book or a holodeck. 

So, in many ways, this was an entirely new experience for her, being with someone.  Fortunately swimming was a good bet for Vanya, which is why she mentioned it to Nat as a possibility.  The only issue that even in holodecks, a piece of grit or sand could be absorbed into her some how, and then get into her gyros.  She would end up walking like a crab, walking backwards, or even suffering from twitches with her limbs flying up into the air uncontrollably. 

Unfortunately it wasn’t just the swim, which is why Vanya went for her different options. 

“Kind of like a sunscreen” Vanya said.  “Many species used something similar, if they did generate their own protective layers, but if through illness or injury that process was prevented, then this was a substitute.  Of course, modern medicine means that those glands can be repaired or replaced, but for my purposes it can be used.” 

As she exolained, she saw Nat react to the implications of the Gen,even blush.  But instead of turning red, or rushing to change the subject, she leaned over and was almost conspiratorial.  She replied with a schrug

“All I’m saying is that there are two billion nerve endings in the body, most civilisations have mastered climate control on both the scale of rooms, and the planetary scale.  Why do people insist on covering up most of themselves all of the time?” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 10, 2020, 03:45:51 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Listening to the android elaborate on the merits of the gel method of protecting her inner servos from particle corrosion and damage in a fluid medium took Natalie back by almost a decade, to her freshmen year in San Francisco. At the time, she'd only known Vanya as a Romulan with nudist tendencies and a creative streak a mile long that set her up with perhaps the best fitting cadet uniform on campus. Eventually however she had learned the truth of what made Vanya tick (literally) when her fellow cadet had ended up in a small pond on campus and started glitching horribly. Instead of letting Natalie help her to medical, the science track cadet had insisted that Nat take her back to the dorms and once there, Vanya laid out what was needed to correct the issue at hand. Which, coupled with an awkwardly rushed sonic shower, had been the way that Nat discovered Vanya's true secret origin story. 

Looking back on it now, the whole thing was funny and sparked fond memories. At the time, Nat had been an understandable mix of fascinated and mildly pissed off. With a healthy dash of embarrassment thrown into the pot for good measure. It had taken her a little time to adjust to understanding why Vanya hadn't just openly advertised her artificial nature, though Nat had accepted that part of her readily enough, and tried not to treat her any differently than she had already. Sitting across from her, nigh on ten years later, she was certainly looking at Vanya differently from how she had in the past, but that was something else entirely. 

"You're just trying to justify the fact that you are an unrepentant nudist, Vanya," which was slightly contrary. If she were truly unrepentant she wouldn't be trying to justify anything. But that would be a logical point of argument, and Natalie, having finished her glass of wine, was not quite as capable of arguing the finer points of logic. She was feeling pretty good about things though, so that was a full on plus in her book. Wondering, idly, where the main course was, Natalie forged ahead, braving the strange new world that lay before her. The words that came next would not have slipped out of her mouth had they been on the ship, surrounded by their fellow crew. But blending in to an alien world, and with a smidgen of liquid courage, it was somehow easier, and more relaxing for Nat to be bold (by her standards - she wouldn't be winning any intergalactic contests). 

"Maybe, Vanya, most societies continue to insist on covering themselves in public so that it can be more fun to uncover themselves, with the right person, at the right time? I'm sure there is a cultural study on the subject somewhere or another. We could raid the ships library when we get back and see." There was a pause, then glancing down, cheeks red she added, "And there is always a chance that we might get some anthropological, anecdotal evidence over the next few days. Who knows what could happen, after all." She was fiddling with her fork again, even though the salad bowl was empty and set aside. Nervous habits continued to manifest. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 11, 2020, 05:26:16 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] attn @Brutus

The android stopped short of giving her friend a who me gesture.    It was difficult for her to explain, she didn’t have concepts of humility or modesty since she had complete confidence in herself.  She knew her limitations, and what she could achieve.  And she did assumed that organics always dressed out of modesty.  Yet the thought of clothes heightening the anticipation certainly applied to Vanya. 
She gestured to the remains of her Salad “You mean in the same way as this food is more appealing when someone prepares it and presents it?”


Nat turned red before mentioning that her theory may get some practical first hand data during they stay here.  Although there was the faint blush there, Vanya could still tell that such comments were difficult, even though Nat was becoming more comfortable. 

“I like that plan” the android replied.  The salad bowls were taken away.  As they waited for the main course, she stared into her eyes.  So much anticipation was now building up in Vanya, and yet control was taken away, and that in turn provided more anticipation.  And if there was one thing she learned from her life in the Federation, its that caring was sharing, and excitement was included in that too. 
“So perhaps I should try the body suit, just for the simple pleasure of putting it on… and taking it off… “
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 13, 2020, 10:10:49 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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While it was not a perfect analogy, the comparison was apt enough for Natalie to nod in agreement. "In part, having someone else preapre a meal for you can make it feel nice or better than having to do so yourself, because you did not expend the effort, or because they are simply better at it than you are. of course, by a similar token, cooking for someone else, seeing them take pleasure in  something you have crafted, can be its own reward. It's not quite the same as the idea of delayed gratification in regards to clothing...but its not too dissimilar either." She bit her lip after she spoke, again looking at Vanya, wrapped up in the local garb, and could easily picture herself pealing back those layers later. The thought was as unexpected as it was vivid, and only contributed to the blush that rose from the statement that followed. 

Yes, Vanya thought it was a nice plan. Well, that was all good and such. Natalie, a comparative novice in such matters, was unsure of just how such a thing might proceed. Bumbling along was her first thought on the matter, and she had little enough to counter it. Her one willing attempt at sexual intercourse had been something that she herself had not initiated, and the recent fallout from it had tainted the experience as a whole. But having promised herself not to allow such thoughts to sour her trip, she forced them aside and watched and listened and blushed and smiled and did all the things that made Natalie, Natalie. 

"Well," Natalie said slowly, drawing the word out. Admitting that she might like that idea was not easy for her, but this was a night of first steps. So she took another one. "I can certainly see the appeal there. I'm sure you'd look lovely in a full body suit. And scientifically speaking it would be good for you to at least try the method and confirm that it works for you in a fashion you approve of. Plus, you'll at least somewhat match me." She noted, as she played with her empty wine glass. She could see the wait staff coming back with the meal, now, and hastened to add before their arrival,"I did bring a suit to swim in myself. Though its not a full body suit."

She was toying with another idea, of throwing all caution to the wind and offering to simply match Vanya, outfit for outfit while they were out on the sea. After all, it would just be the two of them, who would see? Who would know? Still, she kept that thought to herself for now, deciding to spring it on the android later. For the moment she watched as the glasses were refilled from the bottle in the ice bucket by the table, and a shareable meal was spread out before them, side dishes in smaller serving trays, and the main course, some sort of local fish that was highly recommended in the logs that Natalie had reviewed from other officers that had previously visited Aldea Prime. Each local restaurant seemed to have their own particular twist on the fish dish, and she was curious to see what this locations specialty was.

Taking Vanya's plate right up before the android could act, she began to pile on various helpings of everything, trying to arrange it decently before passing it back to the other woman. "In all seriousness, you should do what feels best to you. If that means wearing the full body suit and giving it a shot, that's perfectly fine. If it means slathering up this gel of yours and skinny dipping in the ocean, well, that's fine too." She meant it, of course. There wasn't a disingenuous bone in her body. That did not stop the color in her cheeks one iota.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 14, 2020, 09:27:11 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] @Brutus

In spite of the blushng on her face, it was deeply exciting for Vanya to see Nat become more comfortable with the possibilities her states of dress (or indeed, undress) would offer of the course of the trip.    When they first met, Vanya was fairly certain that her former roommate would have wished for a Breen invasion or other red alert situation, just to bring these sorts of conversation to an end.  She had indeed come a long way, and Vanya was thrilled that they had been reunited to share this journey


She felt a surge of excitement as Nat mentioned her own attire.  In the milliseconds after she suggested that she get dressed up in some kind of suit of her own, Vanya imagined her in a bathing suit, a binkini, an a variety of otger outfits of material of interesting length that showed  of her friends body to different degrees. 

“I can’t wait to see what you have in mind.” She said, as Nat filled her a plate from the provided selection  “And why can’t I try both options? There is plenty of time to try both.”  On the plate some of the fish was served in a pink sauce.  Vanya rubbed her left pinky finger over the morsel before easing her finger between her own lips and wrapping them around it lingering for a second before pulling it from her mouth and grinning.  “Why go for one approach, when many will do.” 

She took the plate and offered Nat a wink. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 16, 2020, 11:10:23 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Were she to be completely honest with herself, Natalie was just as thrilled, and surprised, by how she was handling all of this. That there was excitement at the prospect of how things might go, and not trepidation was progress, and even someone as dense about herself as Natalie could, at times, be, she could see that. Could take it for what it was. A sign that she was serious about this, and that the attraction she felt - as unexpected as it had been when it hit a few weeks back - was genuine. How it would go, if it would last, she just didn't, she couldn't know. But she wanted to find out.  

Natalie had been about to assure Vanya that the suit she'd selected was nothing terribly special, but the Android managed to find a way to cut her off. Certain that Vanya had done so on purpose, Nat was never the less distracted by the way her friend licked at the pink sauce on her fingertip, sucking it away clean before taking the plate and offering up her observations. The brunette human swallowed once, her throat a little dry suddenly, and took care of that issue with a somewhat larger than intended mouthful of the wine. It soothed the throat, warmed the stomach, and gave a little bit of a courage boost as she settled in over her own plate, with the arrangement of vegetables, some sort of grain, and the pink slathered fish piled over top.

Rolling her eyes and shrugging her mostly bare shoulders, Natalie scooped up some of the fish, that flaked right off, as well as the rice like grain under and held it in her fork, blowing gently over it. Vanya might be able to shrug off a burnt tongue easily enough, but Natalie was not nearly so robust. "Far be it from me to try to tell you how to enjoy yourself, you hedonist you." There was no heat in the words, save for simple affection for her friend. Then she busied herself with the mouthful of fish, savoring the flavor. There was a surprising citrus flavor to the sauce as well. Not the same as the dressing on the salad, but as if from the same family of fruit. It was thick and cloying, but seemed to add something to the white meat of the main dish, which had a bit of a salty bite of its own, as well as that unctuous taste that Natalie just associated with 'fish' in general. Even alien ones. 

"I think...that this is going to be a promising meal. I was a little unsure when they brought it out and it was, well, pink. Not used to that when it comes to seafood." She shrugged, "Not that there was terribly much in the way of seafood on Mars exactly, though some of the lakes had been seeded with fish. That was mostly exploring San Francisco. What about you? Much experience with Romulan seafood?" Small talk where one learned more about one's prospective partner was part of a typical date. Natalie had read a memo about it. She didn't wish to dwell on what all it said about her that she'd done a bit of research on how to have a dinner date. That didn't bear any reflection at all, if you asked her.

Plus, she had a deep, abiding curiosity about Romulus, because of Vanya, and never tired of trying to learn a bit more, even knowing that Vanya was about as far from 'typically Romulan' as Natalie was. She had hoped to see more of Romulus when the Theurgy had accompanied Titan as part of the diplomatic mission in the wake of the Mad Praetor Shinzon's death. The opportunities had not been what she'd hoped.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 18, 2020, 09:41:03 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] attm @Brutus
Vanya went back to her fork and began to pile it with more of the fish.  She shrugged casually as Nat asked her about her past 

“Not really.  The one time I ate real food I was on assignment.  It was poultry.    Most of the time I was instructed to consume nutritional supplements to keep our hair and skin optimal.    They were particularly engineered for us,  lots of oils and vitamin chains, imagine cardboard blended with pond water, and then a chemical supressent to take away any good taste and you have a nice glass of NS-74.”
A smile crossed Vanya’s lips as she remembered a few moments of stolen childhood during her training. 
“My creator, T’Vrella used to bring me candy, she convinced her masters it was to test my taste matrix, but I’m sure it was an act of rebellion.”

It was a complicated relationship between Vanya and her “mother” so much of her that was “real” didn’t have to be, yet she did so much for her.  She taught her about the Federation, kept the “core” Romulan programming that defined her out of her core.  Without her she may have been soulless killing machine, or destroyed. 

No, Vanya thought, this is time for what is, and what will be, not what might have been. 

“What about you, any acts of rebellion in your youth?” she asked, wondering what the formative Nat was like.     
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 20, 2020, 10:39:58 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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"I have to admit that I never imagined something so unpalatable, but thank you, you've just gone and given me culinary nightmares for the next month, at least," Natalie fired off, shuddering, and spearing a piece of her dinner. The flavorful fish forced the unpleasing thoughts of NS-74 from haunting the Ops Chief, at least for the near future. 

The thought of someone sneaking Vanya candies as she grew up was truly adorable. She knew, of course, that the android had not been graced with a proper childhood. There had been no tiny toddler Vanya, pattering about after her creator, tugging on her dress like a child truly might, and yet she had been childlike at first, by the sounds of it. The images were bitter sweet to Nat, and she smiled across the table at the Romulan. While in the back of her mind, she made a little promise to herself., Surely there was a store somewhere in this sprawling metropolis where she could get her hands on a box of candies. 

Setting her fork aside and picking up her wine, Natalie pursed her lips and pondered the question put forth. A memory came to mind immediately, and she snorted out a little laugh, and nodded. Sipping the wine, she set it down again, running a finger over the rim like she had done earlier in the evening. "I think I was 12? Maybe 11 at the time. My brother and I sunk into my fathers study. He had this blowing ball, that he'd won some tournament with, years ago. We weren't supposed to play with it, but the two of us got into the case and sure enough we got it down. It was about 3 in the afternoon, and he'd gone off for something or another, and mother was on the comm unit with the university.

"Needless to say, he was not at all amused that we'd been bowling out in the back yard, using his ball, and a collection of spent deuterium tanks for pins. Especially when the ball went through the glass window." She made a face. "I'm still not quite sure how Eric missed so badly as to hit the window. The house was behind us. Thank god the ball never went off the cliff." Natalie hadn't talked about her brother like that in...well, years, and she surprised himself now by revising the story. Sipping from the wine again, she added after a moment, "I suppose that's not exactly rebellious, all in all. For the most part I was the good child" And then I was the only child, of a widower. Kind of kills the rebellion in a kid, that. There was no point in saying that aloud however, and ruining the moment. The night was going too well for Natalie to allow herself to shove her foot quite that far down her throat.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 21, 2020, 10:10:53 PM
[Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]  attn: @Brutus

Vanya listened with rapt attention as Nat described her childhood adventure with the bowling ball.    Romulan sport was different, at least in it’s application, exercises around combat were the order of the day, there were more traditional sports, however, unlike traditional human pursuits, where the respect and admiration went to key players on the team, the adulation usually went to the strategists, roughly analogous to a coach or a manager.  Vanya thought she preferred the human way of doing things, as was the case in much of her life. 

“I thought you would be.”  Vanya said with a smirk as she drained the last of her glass  “I mean, I remember all the times you kept me out of trouble, and for that matter in Starfleet at the Academy.”    She thought about the mishaps they shared  Through it all, Nat had been there for her.  The understanding of humans, particularly humans around the adolescent age, coming along with her crazy schemes, helping her with crazy schemes, preventing her from breaking the bones of the myriad of arrogant idiots, short sighted professors, and over amorous fellow students.  “I mean, you always kept me out of trouble at the academy.  I don’t know how you did it.    But,  those days were the happiest of my life, you and me facing our challenges.”   

She leant forward conspiratorially.  “Even the ones I didn’t cause.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 25, 2020, 04:01:55 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Letting her friend mull over a response, not that it was long in arriving, Natalie returned her attention back to the meal at hand, scooping up some of the rice analog as well as some of the sauce from atop the fish and making a short order of the morsel. She watched Vanya as she ate, nodding where appropriate. It was almost easy to forget that there was this whole added level of tension riding under the moment. She and Vanya had shared plenty of meals back at the Academy after all. Having dinner with her best friend was easy enough. It was all the things that might happen after dinner, all the subtext that she kept thinking about, anticipating even, that was the issue. 

She's still your best friend you goof. That hasn't changed. She clearly hasn't forgotten that. Reminding herself of that fact was all well and good and healthy, and let her settle her nerves, that had started to creep back up again. Thinking back to the Academy, she let out a soft chuckle. "You were quite the handful back then." Her eyes flicked up and down over Vanya and allowed, "I don't think that has changed much, judging by recent events. I think you behaved for me in school because I could help fix you. Or at least I thought that was part of it at the time."

Setting her fork down, she propped her elbows up on the table, placed one hand over the other, and then leaned down, her chin atop the hands. "Now, with a few more years under my belt, I sincerely doubt that had much at all to do with it. You're right though, we got into a lot of mess, despite our best efforts." It had been the second time she'd had to reconsider her notions and world view, this time in relation to the Federation, and the supposed general good will of its members. More than one time, Natalie had been forced to talk Vanya down from delivering a much deserved beating ton one prejudiced cadet or another. But as the years had gone on and she'd gained a bit of distance and perspective, her time at the Academy shown as one of the brighter points in her life. Which, being honest with herself now, was because of Vanya. 

Only by having her back in her life again did Natalie truly appreciate how much she had missed her friends presence in the intervening years of service. Looking down for a moment, watching the candle flicker on the table as the evening grew darker, casting shadows and light about at random, Natalie pondered the old human adage: 'absence makes the heart grow fonder.' Given what they were attempting here, that she was willing to entertain the notion of taking a friendship and turning it into a romance, and more so, going against what she thought was her preconceived notions of what she was attracted to, well...clearly there was some truth to the ancient idiom. 

"Assuming we don't die in the next few weeks, or months," Natalie tentatively mused, "I think I'd like to go about giving you a lot more happy days to remember. preferably without racist cadets who only see a pair of pointed ears and upswept brow and miss all the other important bits." She looked thoughtful for a moment, then added, "Mind you, I like those bits as well."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 27, 2020, 06:49:39 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime @Brutus

“Oh, trust me, there’s lots of bits I hope you can appreciate” she said with a smirk as she finished the lat of her main course.  She did enjoy winding Nat up, seeing the more that she drank, and became relaxed, the less she blushed at her barely concealed double entendres, and even picking up her hown flirting.  Once again,  she felt excitement levels start to rise.    The thought of spending their lives together filled Vanya with anticipation.  Although part of it was down to a clever deception, Nat was the first person to treat her like a sentient, and not an enemy agent, or a walking photon torpedo. 

She would encounter that again in her assignments leaving the ship.  To be delivered to the Theurgy she had been filled with dread, with the mistrust that had existed between them and the Cayuga.  Though things had been bad for her ship, Nat had been a much needed reminder of home.  To have that chance to take things further was the realisation of a dream 

“Do you wonder about when things are fixed?” she asked at last.  “I mean, when the enemy has been beaten and they let us back into Starfleet.  Do you think about where you’d be?” 

It was a difficult thing for Vanya to ask, she hadn’t given it much thought, it felt to her as if she was moving from one crisis to another since she graduated.  Vanya couldn’t imagine being a Commander, let alone a Captain or Admiral. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 27, 2020, 10:32:34 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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Natalie had left herself wide open for that one, and again her cheeks took on a coloration not all that far away from the color of Vanya's attire for the evening, though admittedly it was only a faint coloration. Getting her wound up was a specialty of Vanya. No one that Nat could remember encountering could get under her skin as easily or as swiftly as Vanya did. Which, in hindsight should have been a big old warning sign right there of things to come. For the moment, she felt warm and bubbly, a little blushy and slightly fluid. The drinks were having an affect, sure enough, on the young woman who rarely bothered to drink synthohol, let alone anything with actual alcohol in it. Real wine was a potent thing, but Nat could really only be considered pleasingly buzzed. She was simply just unused to it.

Vanya's question caught Natalie by surprise, and she blinked a few times, trying to decide how to answer it. Truthfully, she supposed, and she shrugged a bit. "Actually I talked with Cap--- with Anya about that," she caught herself, and swallowed down the words 'Captain Ziegler', trying on the absent officers first name. "She took a few moments out of her busy schedule of holding everything around her together with spit and grit to slap some sense into me back in the nebula. Literally," she rubbed her cheek and smiled in a rueful fashion. The senior officer and left an impression that stung through into the next day.
"She'd come to berate me for lying, for how I was looking at the world as what the least evil thing to do would be, and not what the right thing to do was. How I had no trust for her. She was right, not that I wanted to hear it, or realized it. I think she blamed my current captain more than she did me for letting it get that bad. She asked me something similar, how i would react when I was folded back in. I told her I didn't see that as an outcome. How could they let us back in. Even if we stamped out the threat, and proved, beyond a doubt, that we were in the right...how could we be welcomed back with open arms. Too many were dead, you know?"

 It was difficult to think of. With her throat suddenly dry, she took a long pull of the wine, and drummed her fingernails against the glass as she remembered the conversation. "She told me to have a bit more faith in the better laurels of Starfleet. That deep down they were good, honest people that have been lead astray. Honestly it half sounded like she was offering me a spot where-ever she was, provided that the admiralty doesn't drum us all out of the service." It had taken her a bit to figure that out, through it all. But that still didn't answer Vanya's question.

"Before I was forced to sit in the center seat, I thought Chief of Ops would be as  far as I might ever make it. Career peaking at 27, and even then only because of attrition. If Hendricks had died in any other situation where we weren't running for our lives from Starfleet, I would have held the position temporarily and Ives would have gotten a replacement transferred over from a more experienced source. Then I'd happily be back as someone's Assistant Chief with my nose down in a PADD. But having to command...even for just a bit, on my own..." She shivered a bit. If command was a bug, she'd been bit, and until this moment, the young woman had been afraid to say anything about it aloud.

"It was invigorating. But ...it's hard to think about what comes next. What the future holds, when we're facing down the entire Federation and who knows what other threats the parasites have for us. Perfect world? Give me ten years and I'd say center seat of a science vessel, doing some honest to god exploring. No crisis trying to breath down my neck. No galaxy ending doom on my heels. No Sword of Damocles from my own superiors. Just exploring the unknown. Doesn't even have to be a big ship. Hell, I'd be happy with a little Nova-class." she laughed and hung her head. "Stupid notion, I know. Snowballs chance in hell, realistically speaking. But its a nice idea."

"Especially if you were there with me." Oops. She'd said that aloud.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 28, 2020, 10:56:40 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]

Vanya felt a tinge of regret, clearly this had been a sore subject for Nat  She understood in her own way, but trouble was its own reward.  Most humanoids thrived in normalcy  When things were tough at home, you had your occupation to rely on.  When things were tough at work, then work, or even relaxing social time could be relaxing. 

But Starfleet’s strength was also its weakness, it was like a family, for many of the hundreds of thousands of officers and enlisted personnel, their crew, hell even their departments became a family of sorts, many families had a Starfleet lineage.  For someone like Nat, her work, and her family had both been taken from her, and that probably hurt her. 

There was a great leader in Nat, Vanya was certain of it  She could see her on the bridge of a science vessel, looking for new mysteries, while solving big ones, However, she could probably see Nat on the centre seat of a flag ship, or even The Flagship.  Her greatness shone through her nerves, and one day Nat was sure that she would learn to put these nerves to one side, listening to them, but not letting them guide her.  She smiled happily when she said that she would want Vanya with her. 

There it is she thought

She put her hand on Nat’s it certainly felt warmer than it had earlier in the evening.  She held it tight as she could manage.  This was a promise she was prepared to make,
“Are you kidding?  If they throw you onto a garbage ship cleaning plasma conduits with nothing but a Ferengi ear cleaner, I am coming with you, holding the bucket,”   
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on September 29, 2020, 06:28:56 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Well she hadn't laughed in her face. Having made such an egregious slip as to say what she was thinking and feelin aloud, Nat had worried for a moment. Would her friend have found the notion of her sitting in the center chair stupid? She thought it at times. She was 27. She was no Jean-Luc Picard, or James T. Kirk, to gain commands before they were thirty years old. The Dominion War had seen a lot of officers rise up the chain swiftly, but the war was over almost six years now. Promotions did happen faster, but not that fast. Ten years wasn't a wretched stretch of the imagination, not for something small, but for an officer that, prior to being thrown into the fire, had not sought the command track..? It could have been laughable. 

She should have know that Vanya wouldn't have laughed. Not at that, nor her little admission that, in this hypothetical future she wanted her friend there with her. That was the important part. She seemed open to the notion of being around a decade from now, when Nat was lookin closer to 40 than 30. Promising. She turned her hand up, holding onto Vanya's, rubbing her thumb along the girls skin, and marveling, yet again, at how simple a thing as holding hands could feel when you were open to the notion, and the person. That someone with such strength could at the same time be so gentle. To have the power to crush but the control to caress. 

"How is it that you can be so very sweet, and wonderful, and use a truly gross analogy at exactly the same time to convey that sweetness?" Natalie laughed and smiled and somehow managed to make a face as she added, "Ferengi Ear Cleaner. Yuck!" She promptly descended into a fit of giggles at the sheer notion. Starfleet didn't really run all that many garbage scowls. That was usually some other civilian agency. But she could get assigned to a tug at one of those fleet depos for decommissioned ships that might one day be called back into service, which was about the same thing. And there was always that possibility. Starfleet was made up of people, and even if they were, all of them, the best of the best, they still could be petty at time. Simple nature. Someone had to do the less desirable postings, and it was usually someone that had screwed up or run afoul of the brass. So that was a strong possible future if they weren't all dropped up in some black site prison, hidden on an asteroid in an unnamed system. Oh, or between systems. That would really be hard to find.. 

"All the same, I'd be happy if you were there with me." She said aloud, realizing that she was really opening herself up for a world of hurt if things didn't work out. Less worrying about how things might go wrong, more thinking about how nice things will be when they go right, Nat. It was the best advice she could give to herself.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 30, 2020, 10:21:19 PM
 [Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

The android tilted her head  As much as she hated to admit it, although she thought that there was a strong chance that Theurgy would be welcomed back, she also felt that there was a high chance that she would be dismantled or destroyed.  There were still Starfleet academy Admirals who considered her to be a photon torpedo on legs, and her involvement with this insurrection would give them all the justification they need to “disarm her”.  And yet, she felt as if she was safe in many ways because she had Nat with her.  Pardon or not, she trusted the operations officer with her life. 

She lifted their hands to her cheek  “Prison or promotion, condemnation or commendation, You have me.  For as long as I’m alive.”  Vanya didn’t know how long she had left.  One day, her pathways would be too diverse, she’d become noticeably slower and sluggish, then one day she’d simply stop.  Her diagnostics showed no loss in performance from the day she came online, but one day the first 0.01 variance would register on her diagnostic.  Perhaps years after that, it would be 0.025,  then slightly less time later, her diagnostics would be at 0.75,  Then things would get past the decimal, and go down hill. 

It would be a bridge they would cross eventually, and she couldn’t think of anyone who she’d want at her back, giving her a reason to live. 

“So…” she said at last.  “What do you think is for desert?”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 04, 2020, 09:06:18 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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As far as over the top efforts to reassure her went, Vanya managed to do quite a wonderful job with what she said. Nat knew the android had, faster than she herself could really contemplate, chosen her words carefully, crafted and selected them as the best way to convey what she felt about the whole situation, to Natalie. And her diligence was rewarded, leaving Nat monetarily speechless. The brunette human could not know that her friend and romantic prospect of the evening was contemplating mortality. That androids even would consider such thing, given that their lifespans would be so much greater than Nat's best chances. That Vanya had decided to bet on Nat keeping her safe.

All Nat knew was what was said, and she found herself swallowing, throat dry. Trying to warp her mind around an appropriate response even as her friend followed up her bold declaration with a question about dessert. The first words of 'you' didn't make it past her lips, if only just. That would hace been too much for Nat to say, and would have been an impulsive reaction to the moment. If something like that was going to happen she wasn't going to try and set that expectation right here and now. Instead of answering, Nat took a different tract and gathered up one of Vanya's hands in hers, bringing it slowly up again to kiss those knuckles, like she'd done before. "Same."

One little word. Four letters. A world of meaning. It wasn't as if the notion was all that surprising. They had become fast friends, and in the footsteps of many young officers graduating the academy, had promised to be there for each other, to have each others backs, even as the war rushed them into an early service in the fleet, and robbed them of a proper graduation. They'd said it all before, years ago, but now, tempered by experience, everything was being said with a new light. Yes, if things fell apart and the spark that they were exploring did not take, or burnt out to fast, that would not change. She would still be there for Vanya, and could in turn still trust the other woman. But hey both knew they were promising more, in that moment. They were both going to really try for this. To make it work.

Natalie rather liked the idea that someone cared enough about her to risk all fo that hurt. So she'd kissed the knuckles, said what she'd said, and then leaned back, pursing her lips and taking the question seriously. "I wonder if they have something akin to to ice cream. Or if they're more of a fruits and cream kind of society. Pie maybe? I honestly don't remember what was on the menu for desserts. Something sweet, I hope." Contemplating that for a moment, she waved to summon a waiter, and while the man took his time to come to them, she added to Vanya, "I think we should get something we can share together. If I eat too much more, you'll have to roll me back to the boat." The meal, up until that point, had been well proportioned and Natalie was feeling somewhat full.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 06, 2020, 10:51:07 PM
[Lt.Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya bit her bottom Lip as Nat kissed her knuckles.  The excitement of them being together was almost at critical mass.  It was becoming clear to the android that she was becoming more and more like this evening was going to be wonderful, and each second was a glorious step of agony.  Glorious because it took them closer and closer to being with each other, agony because it wasn’t instant.  She had to restrain herself for a just a little longer. 

She smiled as Nat spoke about her weight.  Nat’s curves were something that Vanya had admired for the longest time, even more when they reconnected.  She was excited to explore them 

“Rolling you wouldn’t be necessary, I could carry someone of twice your weight.” She said, attempting to tease her slightly.  “Failing that, I could beam you back to the boat.” 

She winked playfully.  Undneath the table, she managed to squeeze out of one of her shoes, stretching her bare foot under the table, she lifted the bottom of Nat's skirt and gently stroked her bare foot against her ankle. 

“But, sharing sounds like an excellent idea, sharing desert, sharing the weekend, and sharing the bed.    I think I am detecting a pattern.”     

Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 07, 2020, 04:24:07 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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For the sake of the table it was probably a good thing that Vanya restrained herself as Natalie plied soft kisses across her hand, simply trying to be sweet. That the gesture was arousing really should have occurred to the Ops Chief, but as with so may other interpersonal interactions, that went right over her head. As it was, the table between them was fairly sturdy, but perhaps not quite strong enough to withstand the complete discarding of public decorum to push things to a more heated place. Their combined weight might break it, or possibly the eagerness of an android. Someone somewhere had probably done a study. They had a study for everything, or so Natalie firmly believed.

In any event, restraint prevailed for the moment, unaware as the human of the pairing was. She instead was giggling. "Yes, that's what I appreciate about you. How utterly practical you can be." This, about the girl who insisted when they'd first met, that they scan each other and get proper measurements so they could look better. She shook her head and added, "I can only imagine the gossip that would fly if you called the ship for a transport from here toe the boat for me." Gossip was already flying, but for the moment the Operations Chief was blissfully unaware.

Vanya seemed determined to make Natalie squirm and tease her as much as possible. The Martian nearly jumped out of her seat when she felt bare toes crawling up her ankle, and glanced down at the table as if she had the ability to suddenly see through the wood (and her own dress) to the offending culprit. The look on the other woman's face made it readily evident what was going on and who was responsible. Pressure ran up along the back of her calf as her date for the evening slowly worked her leg up and up, inching the brunette's dress right up along in the process. Nat could only gape like a fish as the android expounded upon the evenings apparent theme. Vanya managed to make it sound as if Natalie had planned things that way, instead of stumbling from one point to the next in a haphazard (albeit romantic) fashion. Before Natalie could properly answer and point this out, the waiter finally arrived at the table. He seemed to take no notice of Natalie's not quite  scandalized expression (a worldly man, he'd seen it all before) and instead asked after dessert.

"I overheard a desire to share a dessert?" he asked, as if nothing else were going on right in front of him, and Natalie could only nod slowly as she swallowed and tried to recapture some of her earlier composure. The wine did not help things, and she was left with a rather rosy complexion. Unperturbed, the man simply nodded to her in turn, and pulled out a small holograpic emitter, setting it down and displaying the menu in the air between the two of them. "We make a very palatable treacle tart. The Icyoberry and Juma cream is quite popular as well, among our regular clients. It is in fact our best-selling dessert - at least among couples."

Clearly, the man had not missed any of the subtext going on between the two dark haired women. Flushed in the face Natalie swallowed and managed a passably polite exchange of, "Oh yes, that please. Sounds perfect." In a strained sort of tone. It felt to her as if Vanya had no intention of stopping the track of the foot.

"And would either of you care for an Apéritif, or a cup of raktajino?" This seemed addressed more to Vanya, despite his word choice, as if he got some private enjoyment from drawing the conversation out. This may simply have been Natalie attributing uncharitable characteristics to the man, as she was personally torn between the urge to shove her hands under the table to stop the rise of Vanya's foot, or leap from her seat and drag the other woman back to the boat, desserts be dammed.

Impossible to tell, truthfully.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 08, 2020, 10:39:12 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya was enjoying herself tremendously.  She wanted to keep the game up but decided against it  She lowered her foot and looked at the options.  The Icoberry certainly seemed tempting  Lots of opportunity to share, Vanya thought evily. 

“I say we go with the berries.” The dark haired android said with a hint of mirth in her voice  “The Raktijino sounds delightful.” 

The waiter nodded, deactivated his menu and went on his way.  Vanya allowed herself a small chuckle.  “Is it just me, or did that waiter seem slow?  Perhaps we should have used that earth expression…” 

Without warning, she lifted her foot up against Nat’s again.  Stroking her foot as high as possible without some act of contortion on the android’s behalf. 

“…'Shake a leg'?”  She watched Nat’s reaction.  With a small sense of satisfaction, wondering what the human would do next.  It was proving to be a very interesting game, and  Vanya couldn’t think of anyone better to play it with than the curvy operations officer.  The contact wasn’t really a stop gap measure, it just made the android want more. 

Sooner or later we will be alone together.  The android thought    Might as well see what fun we can have first.   
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 10, 2020, 12:35:19 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Natalie's relief was short lived. Vanya relented while the waiter drew the moment out, and the brunette tried to keep herself from sagging forward in utter relief. Didn't want to be too obvious about any of it. While it was curious that Vanya would be interested in the Klingon coffee, the offering did make sense. Raktijino was popular with the brutish warrior race, and they were the protectors of Aldea. Then again, the strong brew was pretty popular with most Starfleet officers that served alongside the Klingons for any length of time, and was nearly official drink of Deep Space Nine, from the reports she'd read. So perhaps it wasn't all that surprising that her friend might be on board with it. While Nat had her own personal roasts from home, she didn't dislike the Klingon brew, on occasion.

But no sooner had he turned to leave than Vanya's assault redoubled. The foot went right up, and at a steep angle. Given how closely tucked in the chairs were,  and given how tall the Romulan Android happened to be, it was easy for the scientist. So instead of the back of her calf, Vanya's toes were brushing in against the inside of Natalie's thighs, wiggling its way between her legs with ease. The Martian covered up a squeak by slapping a hand swiftly over her mouth, and shooting her friend a startled look. Just what had gotten into Vanya all the sudden? 

Had she not imbibed a few glasses of wine through the meal she might have been more indignant. As it was, the ops chief happened to be pleasingly buzzed and while she was startled she wasn't exactly opposed to the oddly intimate, very public affection. She squirmed and tried to get comfortable as she hissed in a scandalized tone, "You are absolutely the worst! That pun is just horrible." Her gaze darted down to the cloth covered table top and she reassured herself yet again that no one could actually see what Vanya was doing. The tables cloth more than hid the fact that Natalie was unexpectedly indulging in a bit of footsie, though with one of the players considerably more bold than the other. Had anyone been bothering to look however, cloth or no it would not have taken a great detective to discern that something was a foot. Natalie's rosy red complexion was a dead give away. 

She bit her lip hard, eyes wide and watching Vanya now, locked on with laser precision. What was important however was one simple, little fact: Natalie had not told Vanya to stop. She had squeezed her legs tight around the androids bare foot, snaked as it was up under her dress, but she had not told her friend to pull the foot away, nor done anything else to discourage her, simply  acted  scandalized and surprised - perfectly natural reactions, to be fair. But there was a little part of Natalie, the inexperienced, curious part, that was bolstered by a bit of liquid courage that wanted to see just what her friend - her date - would do next. Given how fast her heart was now racing, she had to wonder if the Android could detect the speeding pulse through her foot, given where it was nestled.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 11, 2020, 09:08:56 PM
[Lt.Vanya| Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya was grinning now impishly, her long slender fingers interlaced a smile on her face as her companion neither rebuked her verbally, for her tender ministrations, nor did she attempt to stop the contact.    She did feel the squeeze of Nat’s thighs around her leg, the warmth registering on her own limb.  It was all Vanya could do not to resist going into seduction mode, and coo escitedly.  But Nat wasn’t a careless rube to be conned, or a sexual conquest that Vanya was interested in.    She was well, Nat.  Such affectations were trite. 

“Come on now.” Vanya said, referring to her joke.  “Humour, like most forms of taste can be fluid can they not?  All that matters is what the two people involved think.” 

The second part of the comment wasn’t just a reference to jokes.  Perhaps it was a reference to the game playing under the table as well. 

She gently wiggled her leg between Nat’s playfully pushing, not enough to resume her ministrations, she could if she wanted to, it was a none verbal symptom, an attempt to show that their game was a shared one, and Nat had done the right thing by stepping in. 

“After all.” She finished at last.  “That’s the explorer mentality right?  That boundaries need to be tested?”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 11, 2020, 09:42:02 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Humor as a shared medium for experience was not the argument for the moment that Natalie had expected from her friend. Not that she'd really been sure what she had expected, of course, but this wasn't that. She snorted in disbelief, shaking her had gently at the notion and shivered slightly from anticipation. Her tongue darted out over her lips for a moment as she tried to regain her composure, wiggling her hips slightly on the chair and squaring her shoulders just a bit. In a steady voice - or as steady as she could manage, she countered, "Just because we could both be accused of having a bad sense of humor does not detract that was objectively a horrible pun, Vanya. Something jokes are just bad, girl." 

The banter took her back to days spent walking the gardens at the Academy in San Francisco, under the ever watchful eyes of the groundskeeper Boothby. The back and forth, the shared giggles, the getting to know each other, and the trying to fit in on a world technically alien to both of them, tho considerably more so for one than the other. They'd been the subject of plenty of dirty looks over the years there, and the point that Vanya was making wasn't entirely lost on Natalie, despite the pale woman's protests on the nature of humor itself. What mattered more than anything was how the two of them felt about the moment. A year ago, Natalie would have been outright in a panic about what was going on below the tablecloth. Now...

Now she carefully leaned back in her chair, ever so slightly, to ease the angle of how she sat. "We both ended up meeting each other because we wanted to explore, didn't we?" There was an air of reflection in her tone. She hadn't been required to sign up for the multi-species dorm set up, to volunteer to be roomed with an alien from outside of the Federation, which was the general make up of roughly half that dorm. She'd done it to force herself to try something new, to take that first step of exploration. That had resulted in rooming with a Romulan Android which was a major stretch from her comfort zone. What was happening now was just the same. She'd trusted Vanya then, and she trusted her now. The past few months had been nothing but pushing one boundary or another for Stark, professionally by and large, but the own boundaries of her abilities to cope mentally, and to analyze things about her life that she might have other wise blissfully ignored. Not all of that grown had been pleasant or welcome by any means. 

Yet she could not deny herself the chance to push things in a direction that might bring her some happiness for a change.

"Sooooo," she drew the word out as she steeled herself for what might come of this, having eased off her efforts to hold Vanya in place. "I guess that means we ah...have a lot of exploring to do still, huh?" She wondered if that sounded as lame to Vanya as it did to her. She was not good at this. Nope, flirting was not her strong suit, and whatever it was that one could call this whole exchange (Foreplay?) was unexplored territory for the operations officer.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 14, 2020, 11:16:38 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Boardwalk | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya was unashamedly enjoying this, and did little to hide it.  In many ways this was uncharted territory for her too.  She had never had a relationship evolve to this point, most of her romance was a cover for a covert mission, or a full speed ahead encounter for the sake of sensation 

She could tell that Nat was mildly uncomfortable, but could clearly tell that she wanted to continue.  She wasn’t protesting and there was more there than just induldgeance for Vanya.  That gave the android a lot to work with.  She hung off of Natr’s each word like a coach watching a protégé start getting the plays spot on.  She watched her relax  She returned to her ministrations, with her artificially coordinated trace, she stroked her toe up and down the inside of Nat’s thigh as much as she could before gentlyl lowering her foot bac down to Nat’s calf. 
“I’m pleased you’re horizons are so open.” 
With a raised eyebrow, she sroked her foot against the outside of her leg  She felt the fabric of her friends underwear edging her toes around one side of the fabpric, she gave her garment a short sharp tug before putting her foot back down, just as the waiter approached with their desert.  Vanya turned and looked excitedly. 

“This looks very nice.” She said.  “I’m not sure what my next move should be.” 

Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 15, 2020, 05:57:48 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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In some ways the fact that this was uncharted territory for both of the women, despite the varying degrees of experience at play would be bolstering for Natalie. She would remind herself that Vanya, as she had made plain back on the bed in the master cabin of the docked boat they'd booked, that the android was putting herself out there for a world of potential hurt as well. It wasn't just physical horizons that they were both trying to expand, to play upon the words that Vanya had just used. That was where the desire to keep plowing forward in a station that should have made her shy back really built upon. She'd been burned so many times, that she wanted, needed, craved a moment where it all worked. And this was the one person in her life that had been there for much of her past, that she was willing to push through that hesitation. And if that meant that not only were her horizons spreading, but quite literally, her legs under the table well, that merited a tittering little startled giggle. 

"Is that's what we're expanding?" she fired back, squirming about slightly as the foot dropped down for a brief moment, stroking less immediately intimate skin. Now that it was unwelcome. Artificial though she might have been, one could not tell by the touch of skin to skin. Not quite a seduction, more an exploration. Natalie could work with that she supposed. Not that she could directly reciprocate at the moment, her own legs too short to close a similar distance to Vanya, and her own courage perhaps not quite that brightly burning. It was enough for her to allow the actions, and to try to banter - to flirt - with her friend. Horizons indeed. 

All the same, the Martian's breath hitched in the back of her throat as Vanya became emboldened and brought her foot back up once more, along the outside of her leg. A toe hooked into the fabric that lay nestled under the layers of silk. Though not silk itself, and not in the style of a local - she hadn't even bothered to check that - Natalie had replicated underwear that was slightly more appropriate to the moment at hand than simple Starfleet standard issue. Again, she had sought help from Thea, of all sources, whom had been delighted at the option to make suggestions. Vanya would not be able to discern thing such as a color from the contact, but as the warm toes pulled, and tugged and gently brushed soft skin that had been previously hidden, she'd be able to tell that lace was in play, not simple cotton.

Bless her, Natalie mewled at the touch, just as Vanya let it all fall back into place with a snap, and the waiter stepped up out of the depths that the man seemed to lurk in, waiting to pounce upon Natalie with a preternatural prowess, knowing just when the paler brunette would be most vulnerable. She swallowed down a yelp, coughed slightly, and forced a smile back onto her face as Vanya and she thanked the man. The dessert did look delicious, and she took a moment to contemplate it, and a proper response to her date. "I believe the idea is to dip the fruit into the cream and then eat it, Vanya." She was pleased enough at her deadpanned tone, and utterly ignored the fact that the Android was likely as not talking about the ventures beneath the table that the fruit before them. But Natalie forged a head this time. She couldn't reach her friends unmentionables and probably wouldn't try if she could, but what Natalie did have in reach was a bowl of chilled berries and an inviting cream.

Deftly snatching one of the swollen orbs between her fingers, and hoping no one was watching, she rolled it back and forth, before sweeping it through the cream, leaving a stiff peak in the wake of the bowl, and one curling away from the berry. "Like this," and then she slowly devoured the morsel, licking at a bit of cream at the corner of her mouth after. Flavor had exploded down her pallet as she did, teasing a little noise in the back of her throat. The waiter was right - these were delicious, and in teasing Vanya she realized suddenly just why they were so popular with couples. Biting her lip after, she repeated the process - plucking another berry, boldly as she could mange (how did one be bold with berries, she wondered) and swept it through the cream. This time she left her elbow planted on the table and held the coated fruit out, arm tilted forward to Vanya, with an eyebrow raised, in an open invitation.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 18, 2020, 09:36:45 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya watched with fascination, like an artist watching the technique of their peer as Nat surrounded the first berry with cream    She was doing well, pulling the experience out, then pushed it between her soft lips.  The perfume from the berries and the thick texture of the cream registered with Vanya’s nose.  Berries were often a form of confectionary that seemed to be acceptable to the healthier aspects of many cultures and races, although many more have spent considerable resources into creating artificial confections that have far greater health drawbacks.  None of which would impact on Vanya though. 

Her train of thought was interrupted by Nat taking another Berry and covering it in cream.  This time in a gesture, she held it out between them.  She allowed herself to rise, stopping less than an inch before the offered morsel.    The Romulan beauty pushed out the tip of her tongue between her lips, brushed against them, before pushing forward, covering the treat with her mouth, and then wrapping her lips around the tips of the operation officer’s fingers  She lingered for a moment crushing the berry in her mouth with her tongue, and slowly.   

“Quite the Treat” Vanya said at last.  "Let me try."

The android took another berry and scooped up the biggest load of cream that she could manage.  When she had done, she leaned forward, the fruit was inches from her own lips, but it was clear that she was still holding it for Nat. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 19, 2020, 03:52:28 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Natalie swore she could hear her own pulse beating between her ears, feeling it on the tips of her fingers as she held the little morsel of fruit and cream out for Vanya to take. She watched, her eyes wide, as the Romulan leaned in, hovering over the finger full of dessert, having to ease up out of her seat slightly to manage the gesture. There were eyes watching - discreetly of course, no one in the dockside restaurant was actively starring, no one was that crass - as the pointed eared diner drew the moment out. In reality it happened swiftly, over all, but to Natalie, who hung on every movement, every flick of Vanya's darting tongue, first over plump lips, then over the fruit itself, the moment seemed an eternity.

What then must it have been for the Android, who could perceive the passage of time so much more thoroughly that Natalie might ever understand? 

Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. A shiver ran down the Martian's spine as the Romulan across from her devoured Nat's offering, and sucked gently on Natalie's fingers in the process. As when she had tugged at the fabric of Nat's undergarments moments before, the action drew a sharp, soft gasp from Nat's lips. Every time she tried to be a bit brazen herself, her date turned the tables on her and left the one feeling breathless and flushed in the face. Not, she had to admit to herself, that she minded. To be actively pursued an sought after like this was invigorating. She was aware of herself enough to know and acknowledge that as new and potentially terrifying as this was, it was thrilling as well, and she wiggled her fingers after, rubbing the pads of her tips against her thumb as she drew her hand back. "Looked like that tasted good," she observed quietly, in response, as Vanya eased back into her seat and reached for a berry herself. 

Again, the little ritual unfolded. The berry was taken from the bowl, and swept through the rich cream to swirl up a stiff, prominent peak on both the bowl and the fruit. And again, the morsel was offered, held up between the two women. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. The invitation was clear. 'Come and get it,' the other woman's expression practically crooned the notion. The succulent nibble hung there, catching a bit of the low candle light from below, dancing across the elegant fingers that held it aloft, and playing over the smiling lips that lingered just behind the treat. 

Wondering what the other woman might have up her sleeve, and feeling her heart racing up in to the back of her throat, Natalie leaned forward in turn, easing halfway up out of her seat and bracing her hands on the edge of the table, for support. It'd be just her luck to fall face first onto the table or some such wretched thing at a moment like this when she was tyring to figure out how to flirt back without also spilling out of her dress. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump-Thump-thumpThumpthumpThumpthumpThumpthumpthump her pulse raced as she opened her mouth, and very carefully moved to close attempt to close it over the luscious icoberry and the fingers that held them.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 19, 2020, 11:13:16 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime] Attb: @Brutus

Up so close to her, Vanya could detect Nat’s elevated pulse level from her appearance alone.  Theurgy’s sickbay was equipped with the tools necessary for an Audanomic Response Analysis.  Usually used to detect untruths in species where it has a baseline reference, if Nat were hooked up to it, Vanya strongly suspected it would be suggest a cold shower if the subject were on duty.  Fortunately, there was no call for a such a protocol, and a stay on Rura Penthe couldn’t quell the passion Vanya was feeling within herself. 

As Nat’s full lips lingered around the Android’s lender fingers, she took them, still slick with juice from the fruit and cream, and softly caressed the Martian’s lips, rubbing left to right on her top lip, then slowly repeating the process with the bottom.  Pushing herself so that she was face to face with her partner, she allowed herself a small smirk. 

“You know, its almost a pity we didn’t get these to go…  I can’t help but wonder what fun we could have with these on the boat.” 

She then gave a shrug with a delighted face as she shrank back to her seat  “Still, I guess we have the whole trip.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 20, 2020, 03:30:34 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Natalie had a deep suspicion that life with Vanya would continue to keep her on her toes for many, many years to come, provided they made it through all of this together. While she'd cooked up a possibility or two, based on proximity from the other woman. Having her lips traced, so slowly and precisely, resulting in juice and cream being smeared delicately across each plump pillow of flesh had not actually been one of the possibilities she had brought forth. Perhaps a deficiency of imagination, or more likely, a lack of experience. Nat was plenty creative in her own rights, just more than slightly out of her depth. In any event, the Martian woman swallowed down the fruit itself, and found herself slightly breathless for the exchange as she pulled back in turn, mirroring the pleased look on the Romulan's face, if unconscious of the results.

Deciding that it would be bad form to simply hover there with her lips a mess, Natalie slowly licked them clean, before patting them dry with her napkin, drawing the whole action out and giving herself a moment to become something approaching collected. Of course, licking her lips clean had been some what gratuitous - even she was aware enough of that. But then, the whole exchange of dessert was just that. Gratuitous. She took a moment to sip the potent brew steaming from the traditional metal mug in which it had been served, one for each of them, finding the usually too bitter Klingon coffee to pair surprisingly well with their chosen dessert. It sent a shiver down her spine, though did nothing to cut through the pleasing buzz of the earlier wine. Like as not it would just keep her energized later. 

Which...was not a bad thing. 

"You're a creative girl, Vanya," Natalie mused after a moment, spearing a fruit with her fork this time and plopping the berry between her teeth with a sharp bite. A bit of juice dribbled down her lip, which she chose to ignore only long enough to say, "I'm sure we can sort out something to occupy ourselves with when we get back to the boat, even without the aid of cream covered berries." Did I really just say that aloud? she mused, again patting her lips clean, before offering another morsel up to her date. She had, indeed done just that, and what was more, she didn't regret it in the slightest. Far from it. The prospects were now tantalizing, instead of nerve wracking.

Of course, they did have to get through the dinner first, or what was left of it, before they could properly explore the confines of the boat and what might or might be promising within.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 21, 2020, 10:54:46 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] Attn: @Brutus

The game was becoming fun now, ad Nat spiked a berry on her fork and put into her mouth.  Vanya made a show of watching the juice dribble.  Retrieving her own utensil, she carefully piled threeberries in the middle of the fork.    She waved the fork in front her eyes, this way and that, before biting one of the berries off. 

“What can I say?” Vanya said.  “Multi-tronic pathways lend themselves towards creativity and inspiration.” 

She swallowed the small fruit, nodding her approval.  “Though I have to confess inspiration without a muse, is like a fire without fuel  And you are certainly my fuel.” Vanya said.  “I  lived from experience to experience, from sensation, but the thing I missed was someone to share my life with.” 

She slid the fork between her lips and ate both  of the berries.  With fork in hand she pointed at the curvaceous martian.  “And that someone seems to be you.” She said playfully. 

Even Vanya’s eyes widened as Nat mentioned something to occpy them when the got back to the boat, and Vanya felt her anticipation start to build.  If her pent up tension could be converted into Dilithium, she could probably be hooked up to a warpcore and take a ship to the Delta quadrant and  back before supper.   

“Occupy? “ the Android asked.  “I shall expect our time to be totally consumed by our activities this evening.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 22, 2020, 05:13:21 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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There was a definite enjoyment to be had in the back and forth teasing the two women were indulging in. As long as Natalie did not let her head get in the way of her heart. Hearing things like how she was someone else's muse, a fuel for her creativity, well, that was a great way to let her heart take over and short circuit her brain for a moment. If the wide eyed, slow blinking was anything to judge by.  There was plenty of that in the immediate wake of Vanya's words, and it left Natalie momentarily flabbergasted. Perhaps if she'd ever really indulged in the whole back and forth of dating while she'd been at the academy she might have been better prepared to deal with such things, but she instead felt woefully inept to the task at hand.

How did one flirt back to a comment like that?

"When did you get so good at flattery? And making me feel like I've got butterflies churning about in my stomach?" Natalie fired off after a moment, when her words seemed to be working again. They both knew the stakes, that neither was looking for something casual. Natalie didn't know how to do casual, not really, and if she were, she wouldn't be willing to push far beyond boundaries she thought she had when it came to sexual preference. The fact that her friend was an Android really didn't enter into the equation for Natalie, to her credit. Her only mild hang up was that she'd never had any interest in women before. And as early into this attempt as she was, Nat was contemplating a future with Vanya. Beyond absurd, really.

Which was why she was grinning like an utter loon at the prospect. She lay her chin on her hands, one atop the other, elbows braced, fingers dangling just above the rim of the ratkajino mug. She could feel the wisps of steam curling around her finger tips and purred like a lazy cat - or as close as she could come to do so. She was human after all, not Catian. "Oh, so you're consuming me now, is that the plan?" It sounded like a bad line out of one of the trashy romance novels she might - or might not - have read over the years. But she didn't know how else to banter, to flirt, than to pull examples out of bad books to pad in for the lack of practical experience. Again, her teeth dug into her bottom lip for a moment as she tried to work out the logic of what she just said. Oh hell, she thought, giggling and letting her head hang down bashfully. 

"I guess I'm glad they brought all the caffeine. I'm not sure I have your stamina." She'd seen how Vanya could go and go and go, during their survival training years ago. The prospect was daunting. They were dancing around the subject, but each woman knew the other was talking about physical explorations to occupy the night. A prospect that was...well yes, as she'd said, daunting. But also exciting. in the novel's she'd have something drippingly saucy at this point. But she wasn't actually a novel character. She was a human being, and she flushed in the cheeks at the thought. "This is...going to be very different, isn't it? Not a bad thing, I mean, but...very different." She thought about reaching for another berry, but found the butterflies suddenly too intense for food. There was something akin to hunger there but it wasn't for more dessert, an almost alien impulse for her.

Again...it was invigorating.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 25, 2020, 08:40:42 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime

The android watched as Nat seemed momentarily taken aback by her words.  They were the truth.  Vanya had hoped to forge new connections in her life after she left the academy.  Unfortunately the only person that gave her something different was Laskey, a paternal figure that didn’t reat her with mistrust or scorn.  Sadly, he was lost to her, by an errant spore and then the entire Cayuga was lost to her, she found herself thinking more and more about Nat, so her relief was palpable when she had been delivered to her again 

“Its just the truth as I see it” Vanya said honestly.  Holding the coffee between her hands, she looked at the outline of her reflection in the steamy fluid.  “Having the chance to be with you… well I didn’t think it possible.  I mean, I know I had some fun teasing at the academy, but I mean it didn’t feel so right, but quickly as I got into space, I found myself regretting that we never went further.    I understand the butterflies, but they are things of great beauty.” 


She sipped at the coffee allowing the liquid to refresh her faux organic components. 

“Perhaps.” Vanya said, taking another hearty draught from the coffee.  “You certainly bring me close to inxotication.”  Vanya couldn’t resist the analogy, but it was true.  After they departed the academy, she found her thoughts would drift more and more to her friend following her absence from her life. 
She watched Nat tru her flirting again, and she laughed, not in a mocking way, but one that conveyed warmth and excitement. 

“Different is something I have been craving for some time.”  Vanya said putting down her cup  “But I’m glad you’re a part of it.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 26, 2020, 10:13:29 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Allowing herself a moment to reflect back to her Academy days, Natalie could see a lot of what Vanya now spoke of, in hindsight. There had been more than one time, during those four years, where the other girl might have made an effort to push things. Were a few words, one way or another, would have changed the nature of their relations. Of course, Natalie couldn't say with any clarity if she would have allowed herself to venture down those paths, had they been offered up to her by the other woman. Seven or so years back, she was a different person than the one she wsa now, sitting across a table on a date with a woman. Seven years ago...well, she remembered finding Vanya objectively beautiful. Almost like a work of art. But that hadn't exactly stirred anything deep when it came to desire. Even if they had shared the occasional hasty sonic shower (in an effort to ensure that Vanya could function, of course. It had been her duty as a friend to ensure that all those nasty impurities were vibrated out, lest the Android find herself struggling to walk to class).

She chuckled softly at the justifications that rose so readily, almost a decade after that incident. Not everything she'd done in that moment could be considered strictly humanitarian. Curiosity had gotten the better of her, just a bit, and again, that was one of those points where, had things gone a little bit different...Different. Yes, that was the point. "I can't say that I would have been fully receptive back then. I wish I could. It would have been nice to be able to relax in that fashion back at during all the stress of the Academy, and the war breaking out. But I was pretty set in my preconceived notions of what was and wasn't appropriate, and what I did and didn't like. I'm glad that I'm getting the chance now, to see how it all unfolds. "

Years of lack of successful romantic attempts does for a perspective change. Same with nearly dying multiple times. Not to mention rather rough experiences with the male sex. No, if Vanya had made an effort to really try to date Nat back then, it would not have gone well. Here and now, Natalie was far more willing to explore the options with perhaps the one person she felt safe with. That was a major factor in all of this.  "To something different," she said, in a sort of mock toast, raising her own mug in turn. The bitter brew seared its way down her throat, without actually causing damage. Like anything Klingon it was a struggle to get down and left one with a heart racing. Good for fighting off fatigue or prying ones eyes open for a long nights sleep.

Screwing up a bit of courage, Natalie leaned back in. she hadn't intended to be the one to push things, or to take any sort of lead. She'd been very much intending to simply go along and see how things developed. But all the back and forth, the admissions, the share vulnerability and the sense of anticipation was starting to sweep her along. A lot of it was the honesty she saw in Vanya, how the other woman was readily committing herself to making this work. In turn that called to Natalie to do the same, to pitch in full on, and not just half heartedly. If whatever was happening was going to work, she had to commit to it. So...

"Lets...go see about something different. I Think I've had enough berries and coffee. I want …whatever it is that's supposed to come next."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on October 28, 2020, 10:31:47 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]

Vanya took a thoughtful sip from her mug.  The caffeine was bitter, but at the same time it excited her sensies.  She listened to Nat, almost apologise for not taking things further when they were at the academy. 

“Time travel is possible, we know that.”  Vanya said.  “There are natural phenomena, alien tech, and I understand calculations from Starfleet officers over a hundred years ago, that allow time travel, and this stuff is tightly regulated.  They don’t to sacrifice our today and tomorrow to set yesterday right.  And I think the same thing is true of regret I guess.  If we focus on what might have been, and what should have been we risk losing our way to the future,” 

Nat raised her mug and proposed a change to something different, and the android responded, finishing the last of the brew.    Vanya wasn’t the post perceptive about emotional issues, but she had learned much in her years in the Federation.  However, she could feel the resolution within Nat and the open mind. 

And there it was,  no rash site to site transport, neither of them dragging by the other by the arm and throwing a handful of the local currency at the waiter in the vague hope that it was sufficient to cover their costs.  A simple inviittion to the next step of the evening

“I’m ready too.”  She said at last. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 29, 2020, 05:27:04 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Even in passing, time travel gave Natalie Stark a headache. Just listening to Vanya recount the actions of past Starfleet officers, when the likes of Kirk and Spock had figured out the mechanics around time warp, and the slingshot around the sun maneuver, before the Department of Temporal Investigations existed to curtail such activity left the Ops Chief with a hint of pressure and pain behind the eyes. Fleeting, thankfully - chased aside by the Klingon Caffeine in her bloodstream and the prospect of a different sort of exploration ahead of her. The point was well taken though, and she found herself smiling. Going back and changing the past was out of the question, and wouldn't have helped in any event. The trick was not to let thoughts of the past and what might have been consume her and prevent her from exploring what might yet be. Good advice in general, but very good advice in this specific instance. Don't let your head get in the way of your heart, girl. It sounded like something old Boothby would say, which made it good enough for Nat.

"I've never had someone use Time Travel to flirt with me," she pointed out with a wry grin. She wondered if that happened to the ships actual resident time traveler, and then decided she really didn't want to think about the reluctant former cult leader at a time like this, and set that notion aside. "Only you Vanya, only you."

They were in accord it seemed. The little dockside eatery, with its two seater tables, long cloths, and candle lit meal was all well and nice, and the gentle lapping of the water under them was a delight to be sure, but it was time to leave this behind and explore what came next. Nervous flutters beat about Nat's chest. One step at a time. She grinned back at Vanya, a shy, but eager expression, and waved over the waiter. A few moments of back and forth, a placing of a thumb against a scanner, and payment was deducted from the accounts the Aldean government had set up for each officer of the Theurgy that came down on leave. The fictitious woman what Natalie pretended to be had an allocation of funds accumulated based on her Rank, as well as some rewards for actions taken on behalf of the local government. In short, plenty of funds to cover all her expenses this weekend. The PaDD beeped, the server wished them well, and then vanished back to deal with other diners. 

Carefully Natalie rose, taking the time to ensure her skirts were all in place as they should be after Vanya's earlier efforts. She smoothed the front down, adjusted the sweeping sash that flowed across her chest (and confirmed she wasn't about to spill out of the bloody thing), and then deftly stepped around the table. As if they were back at the Academy again, she deftly slid her arm in and around Vanaya's limb, and settled in close to the other woman. But this wasn't the Academy and the gesture was something of an effort for Natalie to make it look natural. Her pulse was racing as she grinned up at the other woman, and inclined her head back toward the sweeping Aldean promenade. Night had truly fallen now, and the streets were lit with a myriad of glow bulbs and shop signs, all leading down toward the river docks and the beaches beyond. "Back to the boat?"
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on November 01, 2020, 10:41:53 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Mischief managed (at least in this place) Vanya slid her barefoot back into her shoe and rose to her feet, walking out from behind the table. 

We’re getting closer she thought, as she studied her dress, making sure that it was as immaculate as possible.    As they interlinked arms, Vanya remembered their days at the academy when many would stop and look at them, Vanya’s carefully cultivated confidence and Nat getting swept up in the moment as they walked around campus. 

This was different, but it was also the same.    Because for Vanya it felt as if there were no challenge that the two of them could not face and defeat.    Borg,  Klingon Factions, parasite infested Federation, none of it could succeed in stopping them. 

She looked out to the sea and then out to the shops    The android often felt like places didn’t come alive until nightfall.  Most sentients spent their “day” working, and it wasn’t until the evening kicked in, that the party atmosphere started    While shifts rendered the concept somewhat moot, there was still something magical about the night. 

She turned towards Nat after she asked about going to the boat.    She couldn’t help smirking, an illicitly encounter on the beach would be fun, however, her history with sand was sell documented     

She leant down to Nat’s ear.  “Love to.” She whispered. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on November 07, 2020, 07:59:18 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Side by side with Vanya was both familiar and excitingly new, all at once. She'd walked along with the other woman for years at the Academy, but this was different. This held a promise of more to come. Of something unknown to be explored for Natalie and her friend turned...girlfriend? She guessed that was the right word, as weird and strange a notion as that seemed. In the past, when she found herself confronting her notions about what she liked and didn't, she would seek out the one sounding board she could trust to sift through it all and get to the truth. The issue at hand was that said sounding board happened to be Vanya, the source of this new self discovery. She would need to find someone else to talk about all this too, eventually, but for now, she was plowing ahead at full tilt.

A purr bubbled up as a shiver ran down her spine. Vanya had leaned in close, whispering in her ear, and the sensation was delightful to the Martian woman. She let her eyes drift shut for a moment, and focused on the feeling of the warm breath and the tone of the words, trusting Vanya to keep her from falling ass over teakettle as she put one foot in front of the other. It felt like an eternity  that she remained like that, but really only a few seconds passed. Time was always odd when one deprived oneself of a trusted sense. Her eyes fluttered back open again and she grinned, unabashedly up at Vanya, before turning her attention to the path laid out before them, down to the docks. 

Ten minute walk maybe? she thought to herself as she set off. Her eyes darted about, appreciating how different the long promenade of shops looked in the relative darkness, with lights scattered all about. The locals had come out in force, seemingly more relaxed than they had before. She was noticing brighter colors and more daring cuts of clothing among those that passed by, though certainly nothing as gaudy or reveling as one might expect on Risa. And yet you know they have nudist beaches and massage parlors that make sure you're relaxed in every way, and no one seems to bat an eye at that either.

Setting aside thought of more public displays of hedonism, Natalie turned her attention to the next immediate steps for the evening as they strode confidently arm and arm back toward their lodging for the weekend. "When we get back to the boat," she ventured, pulling her eyes from the not too distant sign for the dock, to Vanya again, "Do you think we should set said and get a bit away from the land before setting anchor for the evening, or should we remain berthed for the night? Either is a viable option, and the vessel is already fully stocked with supplies for the weekend, so I think I want to leave this call up to you. What would you like? I'll be happy to make it happen."

Of course, those words were laden with all kinds of other context that Natalie may, or may not have intended.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on November 08, 2020, 08:51:24 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] @Brutus


The smell of the night filled Vanya’s nostrils.  On the way in, she could smell warmth of the night, now it was disappearing, replaced with the smells of the night.  The food gave way to the smells of vibrant perfumes and colognes, fruity drinks, promising excitement and intoxication. 

Vanya listened to Nat’s question and thought it over carefully.  The truth was that she didn’t care as long as she was with her.  Frankly, if Nat had suggested a quick saunter to the ladies room, Vanya wouldn’t have been able to raise an objection.  And yet,V anya found herself suddenly reflective.   

Within many species that had even conceived of artificial intelligence, particularly forms of android, there had always been the notion of “pleasure robots.” Machines that would be totally submissive to their users wants and needs.    Existing with nothing of their own.  As AI moved from science fiction to technological achievement in many cultures, android design had gone down that path. 

Vanya herself had been designed to act in this way in the last, the compliant love machine, designed to bend to the whims of her targets for as long as it was in her interests to.  Then, she was meant to obey the whim of her makers and send her targets to the end. 

But that wasn’t her creators intention for her.  At least not privately.  She had secretly given Vanya her own personality/  While the submissive sexbox had always suited her when needed, it wasn’t her 

She turned to Nat in answer to her question.  “Let’s go out in the open.  I want to see you at your best” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on November 15, 2020, 05:55:15 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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In truth, Natalie had not known which option Vanya might have gone with. She had some assumptions as to what the android might like to see unfold as the evening unwound. But docked or on the open water, either would work for what she thought might be on her friends mind. Assuming, of course that the Martian woman's imagination had not gotten out too far ahead of reality. She knew that the Romulan wasn't going to push her any further than she actually wanted to be pushed, but that might mean her friend took things slower than Nat figured she would. She was, at this point, mentally talking herself into a spiral, circling the 'will she, won't she', and set it aside, to focus on the more salient issue as to whether the duo stayed in port or set out to sea. 

A smile blossomed on her face when Vanya decided that away from the docks would be a better bet. In truth, Natalie agreed. The sound of the water around her would be far nicer than the early morning noises of an active dockyard. They never truly slept, places like that, and while she could probably fall asleep there without too much issue, there was no guarantee that she wouldn't be woken by the sound of sailors and workers moving along the planked dock works. Out on the water, there was the constant noise of the sea, (or lake, or river, or whatever body they were moving through) that could lull her to sleep. She'd found that out more than once back on Mars, taking the family boat out onto Lake Cassini. "Then as soon as we're back to the boat we'll change into something less likely to get caught on a stray line," she held up some of the flowing folds of her gown, that exaggerating the issue on hand slightly. "Then we'll head out into the channel. I figure we won't have to stray too far from the coast line tonight, just down to where the river empties out into the bay."

Talking and walking all at once, Natalie explained what little she knew of the area. She confessed as they made their way along, that she had spent some good amount of time researching the travel lanes and anchorage points when she should have been going over personnel evaluations (she'd offered to take a look over some of the tactical officer reviews that Lt. Cmdr. Cross had forwarded to her, before they sent the up the chain to Ducote for final sign off). Plotting out a course (truthfully, multiped, she had to own up to that) had been a much more enjoyable way to spend an hour cooped up in her office. Not exactly a productive way, but enjoyable. 

Finally though, the duo arrived at the dockyard. Turning in past the gate, Natalie found herself eager to proceed, and was moving at a brisk clip, still arm in arm with Vanya and not caring if the roaming guard saw that, or thought anything of it. She could see one or two boats with lights on in their cabins, or passengers lounging about on the deck, enjoying the evening air. "Sound like' someone's shipping out on a party barge," she noted, pointing down a few rows to where what was essentially a covered dance floor with cushions lined up along the sides, on a fairly square shaped hull was heading out into the river channel on repulsor lifts. Lights were strung up around the barge's awnings and she could see people dancing in the distance. At least, she thought it was dancing. Given some of the reports she'd read....

Setting that chain of thought aside,  Natalie turned to their boat, at the end of the wooden plank they were moving along. "Let's go ahead and undo those moorings. Just untie the cable - er rope - and toss it up to the deck while I do the same with this one." Despite her talk about changing into something more appropriate, Natalie decided there was no good reason that once she set foot on the ship she would hop back off it just to shove off. Save the time and get it done now. Putting action to her words and thoughts, she scampered over - careful not to trip or spill out of her sari - and undid the lashing near the stern of the boat. People had been sailing for thousands of years, and rope was still the material of choice for making sure a boat didn't just float off. 

As soon as she was satisfied, she hopped up onto the deck and turned, holding a hand out to help Vanya aboard, inadvertently drawing her in close in the process. Never mind the fact that her friend probably didn't need the help, she never the less found her self face to face from a very short distance with Vanya. "…welcome aboard?"
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on November 15, 2020, 02:27:10 PM
[Lt. Vanya |Ibai Besi Promenade | Aledea Prime} attn @Brutus

Vanya’s ears pricked up at the sound of changing into something more comfortable.  Trut    was, there as a number of things that she had brought that she could change into.    Computations begtain to run through her head as her companion  spoke about the geography of the location.    Vanya had already researched much of what Nat spoke about, however, she felt as if her enthusiasm gave the dry data a whole new life.  In all honesty, Nat could wax lyrical about the ship’s daily particle emission reports, and she would have Vanya’s rapt attention.   

She caught a glimpse of the party barge.  It was quite the gathering, and were Vanya on her own, she might have even made attempts to insert herself into proceedings on the barge.  But things were different.  She had one of the people she loved mot in her life with her.  “Oh, I’m sure they think they are having a great time, but, the best party is going to be on our boat” 
.” 
With her interest in xenoanthropology Vanya marvelled at how consistently unchanged sea travel was amongst most cultures.  Theorectically you could use a tractor beam to moor a boat in place, but there was the chance that something would always flow into it    The hull of the boat might not be able to withstand the pressures, or the beam might be to weak to hold the boat  On the other hand, a simple rope did the same job for generations 

She tossed the rope upwards and went to board the boat.  Wating for her with arm outstretched was Nat  was Nat    She grabbed the offered arm and stepped aboard.      She took Nat’s arm and found herself pulled in close.  She again found herself feeling the assortment of conflicting emptions    On one hand she wanted nothing more then and there to tear off both of their clothes and begin exploration of her friend.  On the other, she knew that they needed to get out to make the ambience truly right. 

She planted a soft kiss on Nat’s lips, soft quick and playful, but enough to get a taste of them.     

“Thank you.” She said with a wink. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on November 18, 2020, 10:18:41 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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While she wasn't quite sure if what would happen on the boat could be properly called a party, as there were only the two of them on the ship, and that barge had a good crowd heading out to sea to stretch their legs and flaunt about, such as it was, the Martian greatly enjoyed her Romulan counterparts confidence and anticipation of how their trip would go. It bolstered Nat's courage around the whole thing, having been a little on edge on and off since proposing the trip. Wine, good food, and getting off the ship had already helped, but again, hearing the assurity in Vanya's voice did far more than anything that Natalie herself had managed so far. She was down right bubbly by the point she was hopping up onto the deck of their rented vessel.

That bubbly sensation threatened to boil over as she stared up at Vanya, the two women with barely an inch between them. Her eyes went wide as she felt as much as watched Vanya lean down to press a kiss to her lips. Deep in her chest, her heart skipped a beat, and then raced into overdrive, threatening to burst right out of her chest. Yes, it was a short kiss, brief and light, but it was their first kiss and that little fact was not at all lost on the human woman, who may or may not have blown it a wee bit out of proportion in her mind. She blinked as her friend pulled back, her cheeks sporting a coloring again that she didn't even bother to try and tamp down on. There was no pretending she was blushing, as she murmured a faint, "wow."

Natalie had been kissed before, of course. The peck on the lips were hardly as heated as some other attention that had been paid to her mouth over the years since the Academy. There had been no tongue at all, and she did know how that felt. But she'd never kissed a girl before. Childish to look at it that way, she knew, but it was there in the back of her mind and she was already over analyzing the whole thing, drawing out a mental comparison chart, weighing the differences between that and prior experiences. And again, this was Vanya, and yes, this was the first of the many firsts that this night, this trip, had been leading up to. That did nothing to alleviate the momentary short circuiting of Nat's brain. The fact that she had the organic brain and Vanya the animatronic brain was equally not lost on Nat.

Rebooting herself (ha) she blinked up at the statuesque woman and swallowed. "You're welcome," she said, louder than her previous breathless exclamation. If she got this flustered over a small peck, this trip was going to kill her. Taking a step back, she gestured toward the cabin. "We should really get below and change. The ship isn't going to float away out into the channel just without the ropes on the dock, so we have a few moments. Best not to uh, trip over the skirts when running up the sail." Logical enough of an argument. A part of her was wondering that perhaps she should have been the one to thank Vanya, for the kiss, instead of the other woman thanking her for a hand up that she didn't need.

Perhaps if you get your bum in gear and get the ship out of the dock there will be more time for thanking her later? Having thus the realization, some of the bubbly energy returned and she bobbed up on the balls of her feet for a moment before rolling back onto her heels, feeling the small craft give a gentle roll in the mostly calm waters of the dock. "Sooner changed, sooner off." she added, making for the gangway below.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on November 22, 2020, 03:32:05 PM
[Lt. Vanya |Ibai Besi Promenade | Aledea Prime] attn @Brutus

To be honest, Nat had Vanya at going below decks to change.  The rest of her verbiage was difficult to pick apart, nautical language, and historical nautical language would often be difficult for her to work out.  She was eager to learn of course.  It was just one of many pleasures of sharing Nat’s leave with her.  She kicked off her shoes and was already unfastening her clothes when she got down to the below decks.  She hunted in her bag, making sure the bags contents were obscured from Nat’s view.  She had a few surprises lined up, but thought that the first night should be kept simple.  She dug out a shirt, one that she had kept since their Academy days that Vanya had patterned after those preferred by Nat, and a simple pair of shorts. 


Not even checking to see if Nat was with her, she unfastened her bra and put it down to one side.  She then stepped into the dark green shorts, and put the shirt over her ample charms.  As much as she wanted  to intertwine herself with Nat, Vanya knew they had to get this boat on the road, well sea. 

She threw on the shirt and turned to face the door.  “Oh, hello” she said, looking back at Nat, and taking the moment to fasten one button on the shirt. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on November 27, 2020, 12:05:45 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Bare feet padded down the gangway, as Natalie had paused long enough to kick the fancy shoes off her feet and send them down ahead of her. Easier to deal with the stairs that way. Thus it wasn't quite the sound of a thundering herd that descended to the main berth below, but the quiet, gentle pad of skin on the deck. Breezing into the room, Natalie looked around for, and found her bags, hauling one up onto the edge of the bed and sorting through it. Quickly she settled on what she would consider a comfortably tight white button up of light cotton with long sleeves, and a pair of navy blue shorts that cut down to mid thigh. Next to that were a pair of boat shoes, with good grip to keep her from sliding about.

Unlike her date for the weekend, Nat did set out a bra to wear, a fairly hefty sports bra. She glanced back just in time to catch a view of bare breast from the side, and twisted her head back around swiftly, with a blush on her cheeks. Keeping her back firmly in the direction of Vanya, Nat stripped and dressed at what felt like warp speed, while she strove to pick apart her reaction. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen Vanya naked. Her first encounter with the woman had ended up with the Android bare skinned and measuring Nat for uniform adjustments. It was hardly the last time her friend the unrepentant nudist had strutted about in her birthday suit, and Natalie had thought herself used to the state of undress. 

Yet now, here she was, blushing and full of anticipation. She supposed that part if it might have been the passing years since she'd last been in such constant, close proximity. Or it could be that you're heavily crushing on your best friend and that paints everything in a new light. Even her own internal monologue was giving her grief. It didn't help that the little voice in her head was right. Still - having secured her bust behind the sports bra, Nat pulled the shirt on and rapidly buttoned it up, before sliding into her shoes and wiggling her toes. She went up and then rocked back on her heels, satisfied with the fit.

"Hello yourself," Natalie replied, letting her gaze flick up and down, amused at the attire her friend had chosen, and the inadvertent similarity to what she herself wore, save for the coloration. Though, she supposed she had to allow that the selection in attire had not been inadvertent at all, but planned and calculated. Vanya certainly possessed a decent repository of data to work against and predict what Nat might wear, though there had been some seven years, give or take, of change on Natalie's part. Still, the Martian put those thoughts out of her head and beamed at her friend, holding her hands out. "Come on. Once we get topside, I'll rig the sails while you collect all the cordage - er rope," she amended, "And then I'll get us out into the channel. I can go over the controls while I'm navigating us, if you'd like. If you'd rather sit back and relax, I'm perfectly fine with that too."

There was a certain confidence in her words that shown through the bubbly babble she flung at Vanya, the smile never leaving her face. It was bright, and genuine, full of excieted delight.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on December 03, 2020, 08:47:01 PM
[Lt. Vanya |Ibai Besi Promenade | Aledea Prime] attn @Brutus

Vanya was a very sophisticated Android, while she wasn’t up to the standard of a Soong type machine, she was still a fast learner    She could be come an effective expert, or a least a learned observer of a topic within a couple of hours.  The simple truth was that she could have learned the core principles of sailing in a few hours.  But she had managed to resist the urge.  Instead she preferred to be with Nat on the high seas, learning by doing. 

The decision that Vanya made was already starting to appear to be right as Nat enthused.  She could clearly detect the enthusiasm in her voice.  Would the database entry on sailing have conveyed this?  Would the database look so alluring and enticing at it sought to demonstrate the technical terms and habits ?  Was the database the first person to treat her like she wasn’t something to be despised, feared or studied? 

No, she was looking forward to getting ever scrap of sailing data from Nat herself.  She intoned as much to her. 

“Are you kidding?” she said in answer to Nat’s offer.  “Even if I didn’t need to relax, I intend to spend as many seconds as possible in your company. 

She gave Nat a playful wink and started to make her way topside.  The adventure was just beginning. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on December 07, 2020, 07:52:07 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @number6

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"Right then, up you go. I'll get the sails squared and then just watch and learn. Remember, wrap the rope as you pull it in. Don't want either of us tripping over a stray line." THere was a sense of authority, but more the kind that came from someone with experience talking to someone with out, and considerably less of the assertion of rank. Vanya seemed to have no issue with the instructions, and Nat looked foward to the teaching moments that were sure to follow throughout the trip.

Ever since their first meeting at the Academy, Natalie had found an artistic sort of appeal in the female form - at least when it was represented by Vanya. That appreciation had increased dramatically when she had realized that Vanya came by her good looks not via genetics, but design. An extra layer, she supposed, to that appreciation had formed. It did not change Natalie's opinion of the woman who had been rapidly becoming a friend up until that point, but simply allowed her to enjoy more of the nuances that made up who and what Vanya was. 

But as she followed Vanya up the gangway to the top deck, Natalie had to admit that her 'artistic' appreciation of Vanya's beauty was rapidly shifting under the light of relationship potential. An adjustment to be sure. Up until that point she'd enjoyed the aesthetics of the female form in passing. Now there was an active admiration, and even an attraction that was wholly new and certain to take some time to process. If she let herself dwell on the matter too long. Again, she had to suppose that there was less of a chance that she would now herself attracted to women by and large, and more that the attraction was related to who it was she found appealing, and not the specific plumbing or packaging.

Which was a typically long winded way of Natalie rationalizing a simple fact; she thought Vanya's ass looked really good in those shorts, and being the second one up the stairs, she was offered a unique angle for such appreciation.

Having come to this realization, Natalie decided she was better off not letting herself get lost in the 'how did I get here and what does this mean' nature of psyche, and instead allow herself to simply enjoy the view. Likely the lingering wine buzz from dinner, mixed with the anticipation of getting under way, contributed to this healthy decision. She surfaced shortly behind Vanya, and made her way to the ship's bow, pulling on lines and slowly letting out the sail rigging. She popped a finger into her mouth and whetted it, raising to get a bearing on the wind and adjusted their tack.

"Okay, favorable wind for getting out of port. And we're heading down current so...four degrees..." soon she was lashing the sail into place and grinning. The control console by the wheel of the ship would allow her to remotely make updates of course, provided she lashed the lines to the proper anchor points. And she had. But she liked the hands on feeling.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on December 10, 2020, 11:16:45 PM
[Lt. Vanya |Ibai Besi Promenade | Aledea Prime] attn @Brutus

Vanya’s grace and programming meant that tripping over was almost inpossible for her.  The android chose not to raise the issue, Nat would still be suspeptible to the rope, and Vanya had no desire to frame herself as superior.  As they made there way up the steps, Vanya couldn’t put her finger on it, but she had an odd sensation of being observed.  It was odd for her to have instincts in this way, and after mulling things over,  she decided not to look back. 

She picked up the rope as Nat instructed and carefully  tied off the ropes as Nat instructed.  Tucking the ropes away.  Satisfied that the ropes were securely tied away, she returned to see Vanya licking her finger and holding it out to the air.  A wide smile crossed her face as she saw her friend, the person she cared most about make the navigational calculation using her finger and saliva    A crude method, but from what Vanya’s internal positioning system could detect, absolutely accurate. 

“How do you manage that?” [color] she asked.  She licked her finger and held it up in an attempt to ape her.  She wore a confused expression as she attempted to get a “reading”. 

“How do you manage it?” she repeated.  “I mean, I’ve got an internal positioning system.  But humans were ‘designed’ to hunt and avoid being hunted not navigate boats.  Whats the secret?”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on December 12, 2020, 02:55:23 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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By the time that the Martian had adjusted the cut of the sail, her date for the weekend had carefully corralled all the mooring cables and most of the loose cordage as well, into nice neat piles that even Nat, whom had been on occasion clumsy in the past,, would likely not trip over. Judging by the smile on her face, the boats captain rather appreciated the diligent efforts of the only other person aboard, who made up the entirety of her 'crew'. Giggling at the thought she blinked and tilted her head, an amused smile gracing her lips, as Vanya mimicked her own actions, and then lobbed some questions at Nat. The giggle became a laugh, and pausing simply to make sure the lashings were in place, the brunette instead headed to the wheel, and not the Android.

"Come over here while I get us started," she merrily suggested, gesturing for her friend to follow, and settled herself in behind the control console. She spared only the quickest of glances at the electronic readouts to confirm her general impression, and then spun the wheel a half turn as the wind caught her sails, and pushed the boat out from the dock. If she needed to she'd trigger the repulsor engines to really get them going, but for the moment, it was favorable conditions for a power free departure.

Ticking the wheel another two points to the east to fall in line with the well marked exit channel (little lights bobbing up and down in the middle of the path between the various docks, heading toward the center of the massive main river through Aldea Prime), Natalie grinned up at her friend. "I don't think we'll run into any other boats or buoy's for the moment. Which is could, because that would be very embarrassing if we damaged the boat before getting it out of the harbor." Her smile grew a tad nervous, and she glanced once more at her instrumentation, but the readings displayed on the navcom only reassured her of her initial take on their course. Satisfied there, she turned back to the taller woman, and bit her lower lip.

"Part of it is practice and experience. While it's been a few years since I've really gone sailing, I've been on boats on and off for all my life, and I picked up a lot going out on the lake with my Dad." Experience was a thing hard-earned, and often lead to the ability to do, and deduce a myriad of facts and feats that would confuse others, in any field. "Spending time out on the water, you learn to do a lot by feeling. And well, Human intuition. Its an evolved trait to be sure. Humanity was sailing its lakes, and seas, and oceans for millennia before we set off into the stars. I'll admit that it was a bit of guess work and gut feeling with exactly how many degrees to adjust the sail, but it was easy enough to garner the general direction."

Checking the display again, Natalie pondered how else to show it, and shrugged. Satisfied that in a few minutes they'd be in the main channel, and then she'd have to turn her attention to navigation again, the shorter of the duo focused on Vanya and her nautical discourse until then.  "The whole idea of wetting the finger is to get a general sense of the direction the wind is blowing in. See, when you get it wet....well." Impulsively, she grasped her friends hand, and brought it up. Probably, the buzz from the wine let her think this was a good idea. That was the excuse she'd make, if pressed. She certainly wasn't this suave or calculating normally.

But she took Vanya's hand and raised it to her lips, then sucked one of the fingers between them. She took her time, watching the Android, blushing all the while as she wetted the digit, and then slowly drew it out of her mouth. Pursing her lips, she blew, and twisted her head to one side, then the other, to mimic the feeling of the wind. "See? You can feel the direction of the wind against the dampness on the finger. It feels cooler in the direction the wind is coming from." Or in this case, the direction that Natalie had been blowing.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on December 14, 2020, 10:52:30 PM
[:t. Vanya |Ibai Besi Promenade | Aledea Prime] attn @Brutus
Vanya’s inquisitive expression gave way to a wide grin as Nat licked, the sucked and then blue on her finger    She let out a little gasp not so much in shock, more in anticipation.  She held her finger up to her lips and rubbed it thoughtfully, in an expression of mock concentration. 

“Curious.” The Android replied a hint of deadpan creeping into her vpice.  I would ask for another lesson but I think I might get lost in the practice… and experiment a little too much.    Finally she reached out and cupped Nat’s cheek with her hand.   

“Humanoids are so interesting though.”[/color] She repeated.  “It would be easy for a machine to dismiss you all as infinitely inferior to us.  But you aren’t.    Your kind conceived of my kind.”  She tapped her temple. [color=limegreen “You did so much, for all your problems, humans have more of their shit together than most, with little tricks like this.”  [/color]

[color=limegreen“Sorry”[/color]  she said sheepishly, she didn’t like bringing attention to her differences to biological.  Her emotional matrix was more keenly developed than other Ais she could mention, yet there were still moments when her enthusiasm for understanding humans got the better of her. 

[color=limegreen“So”  [/color] she asked, [color=limegreen“What next?”[/color]

Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on December 17, 2020, 07:58:38 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Given the evidence on hand, Natalie's little impromptu lesson in the less precise methods of navigation that humans sometimes relied on seemed to have gone over rather well with Vanya. The android woman was attentive, interested, and if Nat was any judge, amused. Possibly aroused, but that was a field where the Martian had very little practical experience to draw upon to form any opinions that she might consider conclusive. She herself was feeling a little flushed after the intimate demonstration, but at the same time, perky and pleased with the results.

Natalie found herself nuzzling her friends hand as Vanya went on a small discourse as to the nature of humanoid android relations, humanity, and probably Natalie herself. She would admit later that she lost track of it, just a bit. Her friends touch was inviting, and her face was so very close. Getting lost in her gaze was a somewhat new experience, but not necessarily a bad one. Certainly it was pleasing. 

Vanya apologized and pressed for 'what comes next' but Nat wasn't quite through with the conversation she had half spaced out on. Moving up, onto the tips of her toes, she pressed a light kiss to her date's cheek, rolling back down. on her feet after. "You getting all enthusiastic is cute, you know. Don't apologize for that." 

Following her words with a gentle tap on the statuesque woman's nose, she spun on her heel and took in the ship as a whole. It had started to sway side to side, gently, as it entered the channel, and the sails rippled in the wind, snapping taut. Dancing her fingers along the spoke of the wheel, she inched it a bit to the right - Starboard she reminded herself - and pondered. 

"Well, for now we'll follow the channel markers out to a good point to toss down the anchor for the night. I don't want to travel too far out to sea in the darkness. We'll save that for after the sun comes up. The maps that were pre-loaded on the ships navigational computer," she tapped the display that she'd so far barely glanced at - " have a few locations marked out for just such an anchorage."

Pursing her lips, Nat turned back to Vanya and gave a little shrug and a small smile. "If you meant what's next between us?" She wagged her finger back and forth between them, "As far as the rest of the evening goes, I have no idea. Uncharted waters we're swimming in here."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on December 23, 2020, 10:09:32 PM
[Lt. Vanya  | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]
attn @Brutus

The more she thought about it, the more water was ironically like fire.  Much like the speech she gave Nat in the restraint on the subject of flames, the waves also had dangerous properties.  Water brought hydration, refereshment and even provided a form of ancient transport to countless cultures, but it also could drown, destroy and wipe away    As their conveyance crossed the seas, Vanya found herself reflecting that water was taking her on a new path, and one that was not explored.  It was a great irony  that Nat was her guide for t. he literal as well as the actual path they were on. 

“I suppose that its good not to go too far off course.”  Vanya said after a moments reflection.  She wondered if Nat would be concerned about encountering another ship so close to the harbour, but Vanya was eager to see her meet the challenges head on    Which brought her up to the second point. 

“As for what happens  between us…” she said.  “I’m not quite a human, but I do have a reasonable imagination.”

She admired the curvaceous officer’s form, imagining it intertwined with hers, the sensation of their hands exploring each other. 
“But I am certainly open to inspiration.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on December 28, 2020, 03:35:36 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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"Your imagination has always been one of your better and more attractive qualities." The compliment spilled forth out of Nat's mouth without forethought or hesitation. She had little issue praising her friend, having done so time and again during their years together at the Academy. Of course now any compliment one paid to the other had a new, underlying context in the light of their shifting relationship. Not that this made her words any less true. Perhaps the opposite in fact. She was anticipating getting to experience the fruits of Vanya's imagination in new, and exciting ways. It left her lightheaded and giddy for a moment, bouncing on her toes. Which was a pleasing change from nervous and fretful. 

Twisting to the side slightly, Nat turned her attention to the navigational display. "I can't exactly speak to what might inspire you during all of this, but I am somewhat of an authority on keeping to a course." Natalie had a feeling that she knew just who her android friend had in mind for a muse. That notion left her blushing in the deepening chill of the night. So, in typical fashion, Natalie focused her thoughts on something she could control and elaborate upon, seeking the comfort of expertise, while still allowing herself to enjoy the warm, bubbly feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Courses have their purpose. It's not terribly far out to a decent anchorage point. Maybe...half an hour?" She pursed her lips and adjusted there tack slightly. "If I catch the wind right I can shore that up and tighten the time fame a bit. It's a nice little riverside cove tucked away and at least according to the map markers we'd have it to ourselves for the night." Nat had taken into account other ships and filtered out based on the latest sensor readings the list of options for the evening's mooring.

She spent the next few minutes fussing over some of the instrumentation and generally fine-tuning their course. Soon the wind was behind them and they were riding along in the current, a grin splitting Nat's face. "Just imagine this again tomorrow, but with the sun glistening down on the water and clear skies ahead. The twilight with the stars are beautiful, but we're still too close to the city to get a really good view. The morning though..." 

Turning around to face Vanya, Natalie felt her words catch in the back of her throat. Even in the darkness of the night, Vanya was..."Stunning. It'll be absolutely stunning." Oh to hell with it. In for a penny, in for a pound, she thought, the saying still popular among humanity even though they'd stopped using currency over a century prior. "Just like you really. Stunning, I mean. Absolutely stunning." A bit more of an on the nose and obvious compliment this time, and yes, that was clearly flirting, she was sure of it, no matter her own lack of experience. The age old axium about the best kind of flirting being honest praise was proving itself true that night. Or so Natalie hoped.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on January 04, 2021, 11:17:25 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]
attn @Brutus

Vanya didn’t blush, but she felt something, in the eternal milliseconds that ran through her mind she considered her next move.  She could show decorum and respond with an equal comment.  Vanya decided against it.  She could not be certain but the conversation was moving beyond their tet au tet flirting, and the time for such playfulness was running past.  She wanted to tear her clothes off, help her companion get undressed, and spend a blissful few hours becoming as familiar with her touch, as she was with her other senses. 

Unfortunately the latter option was probably a step too far for things at the moment they still had to arrive at their hidden cove for the night.  Instead the android carefully considered her next steps.  And so, 0.047 seconds after Nat called Vanya “Stunning”, she leaped forward, puttling her hands on Nat’s shoulders, and softly pressed her lips against hers.  Before softly exploring the human’s mouth with her tongue.  It was a blissful feeling, from a contact that didn’t last more than a few seconds, but was probably the furthest she had gone all night  She broke the kiss and undid the one button on her shirt. 

“Well” she said.  “That is a small percentage of how stunning I can get, Nat.  I would make a line about making sure the anchor is down deep for when the boat starts rocking, instead I’ll just wait till we do.” 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on January 10, 2021, 05:32:29 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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Having cast the die, as it were, Natalie was unsure how the pips would could me. Snake eyes, or double sixes? Something in between. The Martian wasn't one for gambling but this whole trip was one big bet, with all the chips in the pot. Knowing she was mixing metaphors didn't stop her from running the analogy through to the end, wondering which of the two of them was the house in this take, and how those chips would fall. Would Vanya brush the words off? Would she take the next step? Which exactly would Natalie prefer? And just how tied up in her own mind would she let herself become, as she gazed up (and up) at the taller woman, watching the breeze coming off the water rustling the raven dark tresses of her friends hair.

Not quite being able to fully appreciate the small eternity that passed as Vanya made her decision, Natalie was caught off guard - but pleasingly so - when the Romulan android swept in and gripped her gently, pulling her into a kiss. Her lips were just as soft this time as when they'd shared their first kiss back at the restaurant earlier in the evening. So much softer than any other kiss she had experiences, those light, smooth lips. But unlike that brief kiss along the waterfront promenade, this kiss did not stop at a warm press of lip to lip. No, Vanya had other ideas, and Natalie was more than happy to explore the potential of the deeper kiss.

When the androids tongue pressed against her lips, licking, tasting, and essentially asking for admittance, Nat was more than willing to part those lips and let her in. She couldn't really compare the taste and feel of Vanya to any of the other kisses in her past. Nat was getting far too caught up in the kiss to really think, or remember any other kiss that had come before. Her eyes were still closed when the other girl pulled back, and vanya would get to see her slowly look back up at her, heat coloring the smaller officer's cheeks. Slowly blinking, Natalie registered her friends word, then started to giggle, her shoulders shaking up and down under her friends touch.

"Don't worry. That's still a little ways off," she admitted, glancing back at the navigation console, confirming the sail boat was on course and making about as much progress as she expected. The idea of making that boat rock...well. "I'll make sure the anchor is well and truly sunk and all the hatches battened before we go below deck." A tacit agreement to explore their options down below. "But since we've got a little time before that happens..."

Natalie let her voice trail up, stepped back in closer to Vanya, and threw her arms around the girls neck in turn. She went up on her toes  - the curse of her height making this a bit tricky - and pulled the taller woman down, into another one of those kisses, the difference being that this time she was the one initiating it. She was the one pushing her tongue past her friends lips. Just as the last one, the kiss wasn't long, but it was full of promise. Natalie did pull away to catch her breath, grinning back up at Vanya. "It may be a bit premature to say, but I think I'm going to really like kissing you."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on January 17, 2021, 02:22:28 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Dockside Restaurant | Ibai Besi Promenade | Aldea Prime ] Attn:

As far as Vanya knew,, it would be impossible for her to become drunk, or high or other wise impaired.  However, if there was one way to describe the way that Nat felt – tasted – it could only describe has intoxicating.    She had always found something attractive about Nat, and yet, to see her develop in the way that she was able to relax her guard, was gratifying to Vanya. 

Vanya wanted to go further, but knew they still had to get to their spot for the night.  She didn’t want their inflamed passion to put them at risk, although the boat crashing with all of their communication devices being swept away, leaving them stranded for days offered a certain appeal to Vanya, though one that she never realistically could consider triggering.    Nevertheless their time together was increasingly precious. 
She reached up and traced Nat’s lips with her long fingers, offering a wide smile. 
“Nat, I can almost guarantee you with at 0.47 margin of error that you will enjoy kissing me.  However, I am compelled  to allow you to continue to test your theory for as long as you like.” 

She pulled Nat into another kiss, as she continued to taste every inch of her mouth, her hands did more exploring, caressing her friends upper and lower back with each hand.  It was nothing too heavy, or in a place too intimate, just a gentle squeeze to show what Nat had to look forward to. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on January 18, 2021, 10:16:14 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Ibai Besi | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Natalie would have been tickled pink to know the full extent of the affect she was having on Vanya. Heady was the word she would use to describe how the kisses left her, slightly dazed, giggly, and deftly eager for more. That anticipation was knew and exciting and perhaps a little scary, as this wasn't how Natalie usually reacted to anything dealing with other people. But she had come a long, long way over the last year, even she had to admit that. Something about being tempered in the heat of battle drifted in the back of her mind, but it was easily pushed aside as she bobbed back down on her feet, watching the other woman's eyes, and lips, as she spoke. 

One of those delicate, deceptively strong fingers flashed out and slowly traced the plump curves of the pale woman's lips, which curled into an unguarded smile by the act. She pursed them briefly, kissing the delightful finger tip, uncaring that her cheeks were most assuredly red at this point, if they had not been obviously so prior. She had just enough time to think that her friend was rather Logical, for a Romulan, before the other woman behaved in a very un-Vulcan like fashion and gave into the desire for another kiss. 

Time seemed to hold still, to crawl, stretching the seconds out as the two indulged themselves. The river current swept the boat along and Natalie made soft, appreciative noises as her chest pressed up against Vanya's, and she let her tongue dance with her friends. It was far from a skilled kiss on Nat's part - woefully lacking in recent practice or overall experience, but she was a fast learner, and made up for her deficiencies with enthusiasm. Purring under her friends touch, Natalie let her own fingers sink into Vanya's hair, as the kiss grew deeper and deeper. 

Eventually however, Natalie needed to breathe. Unlike her date, the Martian was all too human, and thus required pauses here and there for small things like vital functions. Gasping a bit, but smiling wide, Natalie murmured softly, "I think you're margin of error was a little large there Miss Precision."

An impish little smile tugged at Nat as she remembered a tender moment of exploration from the Academy. Mirth danced in her eyes as she carefully detangled her hand from her friends hair - only to take one fingera nd gently run it from the very tip, all the way around the curving shell of Vanya's ear. All with her blue eyes locked smartly onto Vanya's face, wanting to watch the effect she had.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on January 21, 2021, 11:15:49 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Down River | Ibai Besi | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya felt Nat gently stroke her ear  In order to infiltrate when needed, it was necessary for Vanya to react to being touched in certain ways, all of the most common Romulan erogenous zones were included in her body, including the tip of her ears.  Although a few centuries removed from their destert home planet, Romulans nevertheless retained some sensitivity in their ears, especially the tips.  Vanya was no exception, she shuddered at the touch, but it wasn;t a recoil – it was a sign that Nat was interested in exploring her body, and the feeling was more than mutual. 

A multitude of lines when through Vanya;s mind, instead she decided on a more direct approach herself.  Taking a finger of her own, she reached up and rolled her finger over the Nat’s curved human ear, softly carresting around the edge, then tracing with two fingers behind her ear, down the side of her neck, and just stopping short microns above her collar. 

Excitement building up within and without, Vanya was curious to see what Nat’s move would be.  Yes, they were still on the open sea, the open sea of  Aldea, and the open sea of possibility.  Maybe keeping an eye on the boat wasn’t all that necessary after all…
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on January 28, 2021, 10:42:10 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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There was a certain amount of freedom that being on the open water allowed Natalie. Yes, at any point along their journey, another boat might pull along side, passing them as they flowed down river toward the Aldean bay that further opened into the major ocean. That privacy was an illusion, she supposed, but one that Nat seemed willing to hold tightly onto for the time being. And, yes, someone from the ship could call her at a moments notice. Any Starfleet officer ran that risk, even while on shore leave, of being re-called to duty at a moments notice. Especially anyone posted to the Theurgy a ship on the run. But even with that as a consideration, Natalie found herself feeling far less restrained than she did aboard the ship that was her home. Less prying eyes. No regulations to concern herself with. Just the boat, the river, and most importantly Vanya. 

Feeling an android tremble with anticipation was a heady sensation indeed for the young Martian officer, and she could not hide the wide, toothy grin that split her face at her long time friends ' reaction. Sure it was weird, even this early stage of intimacy with another woman, but Nat was going to embrace the whole 'strange new worlds' aspect of Starfleet on a personal level. Exploring herself. Exploring her friend. Now that got her heart racing even more than the gentle, slow caress that followed her own actions. Those strong fingers lingered on the collar of her shirt, and Nat felt her bum resting now against the sensor console of the sail boat. 

Most advanced civilizations had developed hardware capable of telling the difference between a deliberate stroke of a finger against a touch sensitive control panel and a butt planted on the edge of the surface, and thus Natalie was willing to dismiss any worry that her ass had suddenly scrambled their map.

Licking at her lips, Natalie felt a blush creep up into her cheeks again as she contemplated what she in turn wanted to do. Now that she was here, in the moment, the nervous energy of should she, shouldn't she was gone, and there was a new, urgent desire to try all the things. To see how far she could push things. Would push things. What would she like about it? They were on their own. Who would see? Some stranger passing in the night? Natalie knew she should care about that, but as her own fingers traced that line around Vanya's ear once again, she found she didn't really care. 

"Is it wrong that i"m not sure I want to wait until we've laid anchor and gone down below to do some exploring?" She tried to keep her tone even, politely curious, but there was a lump of pure anticipation that lodged itself in the back of her throat, lending a husky tone to her words. That probably wasn't helped by how Natalie's fingers ghosted down, mirroring Vanya's actions and stopping only after she'd given a pointed tug at the other woman's collar. Much sharper than how her friend had just stopped, Natalie was tugging the shirt away from the skin. She was, however, far too short to get a really good peek down it.

It was the thought that counted, right?
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on January 31, 2021, 07:56:12 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime attn @Brutus

“Oh there’s nothing wrong with that” Vanya said.    “In fact, I don’t want to wait either.”  She hooked hr hands with Nat’s and undid each button on her own shirt.  She wanted nothing more than to tear both of their clothes off then and there, but there was also something to be said for the art of anticipation, and considering the level that Nat was currently at, her approach seemed to be working 

With her buttons unfastned, she felt the cool breeze on her exposed skin, although gravity currently protected any sense of modesty that Vanya would be expected to have keeping the shirt covering her body, she could feel the sea breeze against her skin.  Again, it was not the temperature that was registering with Vanya’s senses the most at the moment. 

She guided Nat’s hands back up to her neck, now bare, her shirt could be moved at her friends whim.  While Vanya was differential to Nat in matters of the sea, she no longer felt compelled to wait until they got to their inlet hideaway.    It was time to let Nat decide the course of their journey, and Vanya was along for the ride wherever it took the.   
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on February 07, 2021, 07:46:13 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Anticipation seemed to be the word of the evening, the emotion of the moment at hand, for Natalie felt her own fingers tremble as Vanya worked each of those buttons off, one by one. She watched, unable to take her eyes away as inch after inch was revealed. It was not as if Natalie had never seen Vanya naked. In point of fact the opposite was true - save for herself, she'd probably seen Vanya naked more than any other person in her life. Possibly she had seen Vanya naked more often than any person in Vanya's life, having lived with the woman for the duration of her stay at the Academy, in which the Romulan Android proved time and again to be quite a nudist. 

But this was different. This was Vanya stripping down for Natalie, and that added a whole new twist to the act that had the Martian woman flushed red with ...not shame, not exactly, but desire, that was what it was. Blushing over how much she wanted this. There was a pleasing expanse of perfectly designed skin that was just waiting - aching - to be touched, or so Natalie imagined. Her weight began to shift from side to side as she again bit her lip, her bum rubbing the console against which she'd braced herself.  Like a cat ready to pounce, she hungrily watched her friend, and purred- as close as Natalie ever came to purring in any event - as Vanya placed her hands back on the Romulan Woman's neck. 

The message was obvious; what happened next would be because Natalie wanted it. She could put the moment off a bit longer, could check their course again, could change her mind. Or she could sweep the shirt from Vanya's shoulders, push it down the other girls arms and bare her chest for her to see  for herself what was there. She could explore.

Starfleet was full of explorers at heart, wasn't it?

With that in mind, Natalie slowly swept her hands up, under the edge of the shirt, and down across Vanya's shoulders as she looked up to meet her friends gaze. She held the other woman's eyes as she pushed the shirt back, letting it fall fully open. She knew she was blushing. There was no way the heat wasn't there in her cheeks. But Natalie gave into her surprising urges (to her at least; to literally anyone else this was hardly a shock), and worked the shirt down and off her friend, till it hung loosely Vanya's elbows. And then, still watching her friend, she drew her hands back up to rest on the girls bare collar bone. 

"You sure?" odd for her to be asking the question, and not the other way around, but the moment she got that confirmation, Natalie stepped in closer, going up on her toes to kiss the Romulan, and let her hands wander down, for the first time touching Vanya, cupping her bust, one had to each plump breast.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on February 07, 2021, 09:41:22 PM
[LT. Vanya| Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya’s penchant for nudity was never a secret, but having Natalie undress her was gratifying.  It wasn’t something the other woman had to recoil from, or tolerate  By removing that shirt from Vanya, her friend had expressed a desire for… her.  She held her arms out at her side, and allowed the shirt to fall to the floor. 

As an android, the best way for her to convincingly convey senses of pleasure was for her to actually feel those sensations.  As a result of that design as she spoke, Nat was driving her wild while she cupped her breasts in her hand.  The touch of her skin was almost addictive to her.  The sensations barely subsided when Nat asked her question.  Another thing about the android was that she was under no particular pbligation to be only truthful, and yet, her personality never left anyone with any doubt about what here current desires were. 

“Nat. I was sure when we got on the boat,”  she kissed her on the top of her head.    “I was sure when you asked me to come here with you.” She  kissed Nat on the nose.  “And I was sure when you and I met again on the Theurgy.”  She leaned forward holding her hands over Nat’s, guiding them over her voluptuous orbs and leant down and kissed her on the lips  tastling her, feeling the warmth from her face.      “I want it all.” She said at last. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on February 08, 2021, 09:38:20 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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'Sure' appeared to be something of an understatement, in regards to Vanya's feelings on the subject of Natalie Stark getting handsy. Or perhaps it was just the subject of Natalie Stark, period. The more that Vanya elaborated on the notion of surety and its relations to one Lt. Commander Stark, the more she pressed kisses to various part of Natalie's face, the more certain Natalie became of two things. First and foremost, her friend had made her mind almost from the moment she saw her again that she wanted Natalie. Craved might be a better word, or so the Martian girl felt, in that moment. It was the kind of thing that was sure to make her blush, no matter how far she had come on a personal level when it came to be open and accepting of her own emotions and praise from others. 

The second thing that Natalie became aware of was the realization that she wasn't going to deny Vanya anything that the Android wanted of her that night. And at that moment, this meant getting naked. She was positive she was going to get buck naked with Vanya, out in the middle of a river on the top deck of the boat she'd rented for the weekend. A prospect that should have sent her running to the cabin to hide from any potential prying eyes.

Instead she was - dare she say it - aroused by the idea.

Guided by Vanya, Nat squeezed and caressed the plump orbs under her own palms. They were warm, and soft, and at the same time perky and nice. Weird, of course. She didn't really go around imagining what it would be like to feel up another woman. That did make the whole situation odd because she was in fact enjoying herself. Of course, having all this praise from Vanya didn't hurt things either. Swallowing a bit, she returned the kiss from her friend, moaning softly in the back of her throat, and doing nothing to hide the fact. 

Those bright eyes of hers latched onto Vanya's and she had to force herself not to drown in them. Licking at her own lips, she muttered softly, "I'm all yours. Anything you want. Every way you want, I want to explore that." Her heart was racing in her chest, and she shivered, purred even, wiggling her hips and squeezing the breasts she'd latched onto. Swallowing a bit, she felt she had to add, "Mind you, I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing..." Leaning in, she pressed a hap hazard kiss to Vanya's lips again, a bit sloppy but eager. 

"Gonna need a little help here Vanya."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on February 21, 2021, 03:34:27 PM
 [Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

The android took a step back as she stepped out of her shorts she allowed herself to look over Nat.  She could demand that Nat take off her clothes, that was one approach, another was to be submissive to Vanya to address her whims, but that didn’t feel quite right either.    She wanted this to be just right.   

She took a step back, and put a hand on her hip.    Vanya’s body was designed to be highly seductive, and not a single inch was wasted in this goal, her body was as close to perfection as you could get, without looking too perfect, and thus threatening the uncanny valley that sentients had been struggling with for centuries.  Nevertheless, what she wanted more of was to lose herself in Nat.  She had sensed something within her when the first met, although Vanya wasn’t sure if she had been projecting, as humans called it.  But the more time they spent together, the more time she realised what is  she wanted. 
“I want this to be ‘us’ my love.  Not me telling you what to do.    But I would suggest you taking those clothes off, and then, it’s a matter to taking each step as it comes, and seeing what the new day brings.! 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on February 21, 2021, 10:37:25 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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As her android friend (lover?) pulled away from her, Natalie let her fingertips trail across the swell of Vanya's breasts, just flicking against the girls nipples in a way she imagined she herself would enjoy. She watched, with an undisguised if unfamiliar hunger as the taller woman peeled off her pants and stood their, naked in front of Natalie. A naked Vanya wasn't exactly an uncommon sight for the shorter Martian, but the ambiance of the moment, the moonlight rising across an alien river in a world far from either of their homes...that, and the knowledge that this wasn't just her friend strutting around naked, but her friend getting naked for her cast everything in a new light.

A part of Natalie knew that Vanya had been programed and designed to be mouthwatering, but knowing that in no way changed the impact of the moment when the dark haired Romulan planted a hand on her hip and let it jut out to one side, fixing Natalie with what could be politely called a smoldering look. The other girl swallowed, her throat dry, and gave a jerky little nod. "I rather like the sound of that. Us," she stressed the word, trying it out on her tongue and attempting to form that mental image, that Vanya and her were becoming what was once called 'an item', a unit, the two of them as something greater than the sum of their own individual parts.

With that mathematically pleasing if cliche notion in mind, Nat in turn made short work of the clothing she had worn, the shirt and shorts, the under clothes that she wore beneath as well, not caring that she was out in the open. Should someone come along side, as she'd noted before, they would get quite the view. But baring some cruel twist of fate, the hypothetical passing stranger of the night would be someone she'd never see again, some indigenous resident of Aldea. There was a nervousness as she pulled her shirt up and over her head, but she reminded herself (again) that this was Vanya and really she had nothing to fear.

Soon the pale Martian stood there in her birthday suit, shivering as a breeze swept over them from the stern of the sailboat, filling the sail above with a taut snap. The boat eased forward a bit faster, and what would have been pleasingly warm before was almost chill to Natalie's now bared skin. She could not think of the last time she'd been naked in nature and felt goosebumps ripple across her skin. It took an effort of will not to cross her arms over her breasts, or try to cover her sex. Instead she wrapped one arm over her stomach, fingers curling around her other arm  just above the elbow. Her skin was pale, her bust plump, her hips a bit wider than her friend and her stature considerably shorter. Just above her folds was trimmed patch of dark bush, cut fine and shorn short, just enough to be notices but clearly well maintained.

"So...like this?" She asked, with a small smile pulling at her lips.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on February 28, 2021, 10:14:41 PM
[Lt Vanya[ |Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime attn @Brutus

The Android beheld Nat in her birthday suit.  It wasn’t something she hadn’t seen before in brief glimpses here and there, and Vanya’s systems could easily map the contours and create a reasonable expectation of what the most important person in her life looked like.  But this was different.  This was the shy, nervous girl she had known since the academy baring herself to Nat, revealing her form as if it were something that she wanted her to see      This was more enticing to Vanya then a stolen glance through a bedroom, or a mishap wih replicators.  She had chosen to strip down for her on the deck of the boat where there was a small chance a fellow vessel might notice them.  She had chosen to do this for her, and it was far more appealing then a stolen glance or hypothetical projection. 

She inched closer to Nat, every part of her body aching for her.    She brushed her long slender fingers around  Nat’s right  nipple, softly pressing against the surface, she then bent down and kissed her left one softly probing pressing her full red lips against it as she had done with the fruit in the restraint a few hours earlier,  registering her companion’s response.  She wanted to savour their experience together, and she was eager to see how far they could go .    Keeping her finger where it was, she kissed her way up Vanya’s breast, to her collar bone and then at the nape of her neck.   

She whispered “Like this?”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on March 02, 2021, 06:45:53 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Stripping down - willingly - had clearly done a number on her friend. Natalie could feel the gaze from Vanya as it swept over her exposed body. Yes, Vanya had seen her naked before - more than one. In quite a few embarrassing situations that seemed to completely hammer Natalie and yet leave Vanya unphased. Nat did not believe in the casual nudity that Vanya had often embraced during their tenure at the Academy, and while the Android had been 'crashing' in Natalie's quarters after hours in lieu of using her own assigned rooms, she had so far not managed to flaunt herself quite as much as she had during their earlier history together. 

But tonight was a different story. Tonight, they'd gone on a date, at the start of their shared shore leave. Tonight, Natalie was naked on purpose. Deliberately, with Vanya. To be seen. Touched. Explored. That gaze sent a shiver down her spine that had nothing at all to do with the breeze coming off the river and everything to the heat of desire the Android managed to convey. There was a vulnerability in both women, something intangible that Natalie was nevertheless well aware of, leaving her breathless and eager. 

Aroused.

A soft gasp cut through the sound of water lapping against the sailboats side as Nat's nippled instantly seemed to pucker from the light touch, sending a gentle burst of muted pleasure coursing through the Martian woman. How something so gentle and soft could feel so good was a bit beyond Natalie's ability to comprehend. Not that she was given time to do so, for Vanya closed her lips over the other nipple, and this time, the gasp was a shaking moan, as the shorter woman's eyes went wide and a hand reached out, gripping onto Vanay's arm. Not to stop - just needed the contact, to feel grounded. Not an easy accomplishment on a swaying boat. Natalie swayed as well - as nice as the finger tip was, the mouth was...better. In every way, better. 

Eventually she felt Vanya's breath tickling her ear as the girl whispered her words back to her, and Nat nodded her head, energetically, throwing some hair forward over her shoulders. "Oh yeah. Like that. That was good. That was....good."

Not her most erudite moment, but enthusiastic and honest all the same. She let her hands move in again, smoothing over Vanya's hips, looking for a place to hold onto the taller woman, as she nuzzled her cheek to her friends. "Did...did you like that?"
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on March 07, 2021, 08:17:33 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

“Very much.” Said Vanya.    She had never considered it when they were roomies.  Sure, she observed Nat’s behaviour as an android, and liked to think that she understood her friend, but it wasn’t until they met after the loss of the Cayuga.   She had lost her world, twice, since then, and Nat had been brought back into her life    It was then that Vanya realised that Nat was someone she would want to spend her time with, mind, body and soul.   And on this alien world on this curious sea, tonight was definitely all about the second part.  

She guided Nat’s hand to the small of her back, and the other to the bottom pf her well, bottom.   Vanya was in no way vain, but one of the compiments she found herself in receipt of was that her butt was cute    she playfully wondered if Nat had thought the same thing, and decided this would be an interesting way to test this.  

Still, this was about Nat too, and Vanya playfully brushed her hair out of her eyes and switched over, delicately kissing the nipple she had caressed while softly caressing the one she had kissed.  She was eager to find out where Nat would want to explore next. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on March 08, 2021, 04:01:26 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Moonlight stretched out across the giant river upon which Natalie and Vanya sailed, casting everything in a sliver glow. The heat of the day had vanished now, leaving the pleasing chill of the night to waft across the wet nub that was Natalie's nipple, as her friend - her lover? - pulled away from her body to affirm her enjoyment of the act. Again, Nat's toes curled against the deck of the sailboat, and her fingers dug in all the tighter to her friends remarkably realistic, synthetic skin. Even knowing that underneath it all was a being that was as much metal and processors as flesh and blood, having repaired the Romulan in the past, Natalie could not, through simple touch, discern any difference between her friends body and her own. There was no  uncanny valley for Nat to struggle to overcome, just the delightful touch of Vanya, the warm embrace as she was drawn closer. 

Waxing poetic on the nature of her friend would fit well to the feelings of fondness, and desire, and outright need for not just a physical, but emotional connecting and strengthening of existing bonds that Nat was feeling. However, being gently encouraged to get a handful of Vanya's ass did a bit to short circuit such lofty thoughts and drag them in a decidedly more base, carnal direction. Nat never really considered herself a boob girl, or an ass girl. Or a girls, girl, as it were. Exploring her sexuality with her best friend was one matter, and in the moment Natalie decided that it might be less an appreciating for the female form and more an appreciation for Vanya's form. And in that context, Natalie had to admit that her friend did, indeed, have a spectacular ass. She wasn't sure what she aught to do with that ass (besides squeezing it, which she promptly did), but she hoped that they would figure that out as the two went along.

No sooner has she gotten a good grip, than Nat saw Vanya brushing hair away, those tapered ears of her on full display now, as the android leaned in to kiss and lick at her other nipple. Again, a long, low moan broke past her own plump lips, as the curvacious brunette wiggled from side to side. She rubbed at the small of Vanya's back, she squeezed at the other girls ass cheek, and it still seemed like not nearly enough to be giving back in return for what her friend was tenderly coaxing out of the Martian. 

With little other recourse left to her save to moan into the riverside night - which she did, willingly, and to an extent she ought to find embarrassing - Natalie did the only thing she could think of to return some of that affection in a physical fashion, in a way that she knew her friend would enjoy. The angles were al ittle difficult but given that Vanya had tilted her head to the side when she went after Nat's tit, that pointed ear tip was just within reach for Natalie to run her tongue over as she whimpered, "More, Vanya. More."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on March 14, 2021, 10:17:15 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

The hot breath of her friend on her ear filled Vanya with all kinds of arousal    The android wasn’t entirely convinced that her ears hadn’t been designed to be erogenous zones for when she was on missions outside of the Romulan empire, when other species might fetishize them.  If there was one way to convincingly convey arousal, it was to build it into the very core of the android’s being. 

As much as Nat’s breath on her ear drover her wild, the thought that was behind it was far more stimulating.    With that in mind, she wondered if it was time to take things a step forward still in an intimate way.    She resumed her tasting of Nat’s pert perfect glands.  What designers had given Vanya, nature or fate had given Nat.   

The gentle kissing and probing had become a more hungry licking and sucking, as a frenzied moan left the androids lips  This was the scenario she wanted, an exploration, an affirmation of where they wanted to go with each other.   

Then, in  single motion, she kissed back up to Nat’s chest, then her shoulder, then carefully and gently moved behind her friend with her right hand, toying with her erect nipples, with her left tracing seductive long circles underneath her bust and down to her crotch.      Stopping, setting up the anticipation. 

“Like this?” she whispered. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on March 18, 2021, 02:52:26 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Words were hard to come by in that moment, with the taste of her friend skin on her lips, the newly made memory of feeling Vanya - strong, controlled Vanya, so precise in much of what they did - shudder in pleasure of something that Natalie had done...it was overpowering. Her throat contracted and she let out a mewling purr as the woman reacted to her own touches and administrations. Of course the android was not a unresponsive participant in all of this, redoubling her own efforts to taste and to tease Natalie's nipples, which by now felt as if they were hard diamonds in the cool night air, not little pebbles of flesh. Each lashing of the talented  - oh so cunning - Romulan tongue did a number on poor Natalie, who shifted her weight from side to side, breathing heavenly, lewdly moaning into her friends ear.

A frenzied sort of desire seemed to settle into her friends actions. Nat wasn't sure if she would call it sloppy - she wasn't sure anything that Vanya ever did in her life could be considered sloppy. But it was enthusiastic. Intense. There had always been rumors at the Academy and through out the fleet, that Romulans were a very passionate people. Suspicions and secretive to a fault, but passionate. Right now, Vanya was just that - passionate. What truly caused Natalie to moan loud enough to echo across the water wasn't just how good the woman's lips felt, sucking on her nipple; it was the knowledge that she was the cause of Vanya's passion.

Natalie swam where she stood, basking in that moment, until Vanya changed her tack and course. Soon her friend had moved behind her, leaving her blinking and confused, her hands empty of the plump bum upon which she had fastened her grip for the duration of the teasing. Her head tilted to one side, brown hair spilling down across her shoulder. "Mmmm? Vanya?"

No sooner had she whispered her friends name, then understanding settled in. Arching her back slightly, Natalie tried to thrust her chest against Vanya's hand - while teasing the other one lower. Of course, she had no control over what her friend did, or didn't do to her. Those finger tips linger just above the trimmed patch of dark curls that formed a neat triangle, pointing down towards folds that seemed to ache and burn in the cool air blowing across the boat. She found herself nodding her head rapidly, trying to find the words. This time, they didn't fail Natalie, but surprised the Martian in their desperate intensity. There had been one person before Vanya, that had touched her. That had used her, though she had not seen it that way at the time.

"Make me forget everyone...everything who came before you, Vanya. Please?"
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on March 21, 2021, 09:57:41 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus
Vanya felt a spike throughout her being a shudder as Nat made her request.  There was something in Vanya’s very make up that she didn’t think herself as a typical being.  Most beings she encountered were born, for her, one moment she had been Vanya.    That was the fundamental difference she felt about herself, different, isolated. 

And yet, on this modest sail boat, floating on the idyllic body of water, Vanya was with the person who mattered most to her.  She wasn’t a machine pretending to be an organic, she was a being, on the same moment as Nat.    This was their moment, their time, they were together. 

As she continued to toy with Nat’s fleshy mound in her right hand, while her long expert fingers gently toyed around Nat’s sex.  With an expert touch, she brushed her soft finger against the lips, sensing her response.  She passionately kissed her, augmenting her kisses and caresses in a manner that was as synchronized as she could manage 

“My love.”  Vanya whispered, as she brought her finger to her lips, tasting the faint  scent of Nat on her fingers the taste was as delightful as she imagined  “That’s all you had to ask for.”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on March 28, 2021, 05:33:32 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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For all her protests to the contrary, that she was not good with her words, nor that she could be very persuasive, this moment was in clear contrast to her unflattering beliefs about herself. At least when it came to one person in the universe, Natalie had known exactly what was right to say. The proof was in the pudding, or in this case, perhaps it would have been better to say that the way in which Vanya reacted, doubled her efforts and poured herself into the attempt to bring Natalie pleasure was a sure sign that she'd done right. One that Nat appreciated, both on a physical as well as emotional level.

At some point - Natalie wasn't sure when, exactly - one of her hands and reached up behind her, and latched on to the back of Vanya's head, sinking into the dark locks of hair, as if looking for purchase. Something to hang onto, lest she lose her footing and slide to the deck. Not that she imagined her friend would allow such a thing to happen. After all, Vanya's strength was magnitudes beyond what Natalie could manage. But the young woman needed that support as the Romulan's deft fingers began to dance on ever slicker folds, spreading them apart, teasing them, rubbing and caressing, sending tiny bursts of pleasure up from the heat between her legs, such a stark contrast to the night.

All manner of moans and words became trapped by Vanya's lips as the taller woman pressed a series of kisses upon the shorter, lending a muffled, needy tone to the moment. Then again Natalie was desperate for everything in that moment. She'd had so many worries an inhibitions earlier in the day, before they had beamed down to Aldea, and now out on the open water, everyone seemed silly and pointless. Why had she wasted such energy worrying when she could have had this moment? This one perfect moment. 

"I like it when you call me that," she confessed. Her words were breathless, but she'd surprised herself being able to form that full sentence. She felt her desire churning deeper as she watched Vanya lick the taste of Nat off her fingers. That was an odd thing to be aroused by and yet there she was. "Taste good?"
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on April 05, 2021, 06:57:26 PM
 [Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

As an Android, particularly one designed to infiltrate, Vanya had always been aware of her status.  While her body transmitted pleasure, her mission overrides were always at the front of her mind, statistics and numbers, cold, sterile. 

The truth of the matter is that Vanya could probably drink a few barrels of some illicit hooch brewed in most engine rooms across the galaxy and her internal matter processing would dissolve before she felt the simplest buzz.  And yet being here tasting Nat was truly intoxicating.    Her thoughts were approaching a sense were she didn’t feel like a collection of neural nets, but one single whole. 

She felt a shudder of excitement as she listened to Nat say that she loved it when she called her that.  Not just because of the words that she said, but the way in which she said it.  Vanya wasn’t the only one that was getting excited, and that drover her arousal all the more.   

The warm jucies on her tongue were truly divine, they represented the creation of their bond, and they were perhaps the sweetest thing that Vanya had ever tasted.    She whispered into her ear and cooed in answer to her question.     

“I want more… my Love.”   
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on April 07, 2021, 10:42:02 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  

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Nat knew she could get used to this kind of treatment, the teasing, the tone of Vanya's voice, very easily. The new intimacy between them was intoxicating in a way the wine with the meal simply failed to capture. She had no idea that her thoughts were, to an extent, mirroring the androids. She simply swam there in the other woman's arms, he face - no, her whole body - flushed, but with desire, not embarrassment. That was out the window for the moment. She parted her lips, tilting her head to try and whisper back her ascent, to tell her friend - lover - to taste and take as much as she wanted, to offer herself up to Vanya.

Of course that was the moment at which the console behind Natalie and Vanya let out a loud, steady beep. While not the shrill alert of impending doom, the warbling tone never the less was designed to draw the attention away from whatever a navigator might be about, and focus them on the notification at hand. In this case, that they had arrived at their desired anchorage and Natalie would need to deploy the ships anchors. Not something that this particular sailing ship was designed to do by audio command - she'd have to punch up the orders in the console. If she didn't do so, they'd keep drifting right on down the river. 

"Dammit." Natalie was not one who often swore. Now seemed fittingly appropriate however as the needs of the ship outweighed the needs of her sodden core. Her head fell back against Vanya's shoulder as the console trilled again, and she let out a long groan of discontent. If she just closed her eyes and let the other woman resume, things would feel wonderful, but they might well run aground somewhere down the line. And that would put a stop to everything for far long than it would take for her to go and deploy the chains to hold them in place as the rivers current swept past them.

"Hold that thought, babe," Nat didn't even register the word choice, the trying out of an affectionate term of endearment, as she pecked Vanya on the cheek and pulled away, twisting around the tall woman. She jiggled as she padded back to the control console behind the manual wheel of the ship, and splayed her hands out to either side as her eyes took in the readout. They were where they needed to be. Dropping an anchor now would secure them out of the main flow of the river channel in a small, secluded cover that jutted into the river bank, mostly out of sight. Port first, to pull them in closer, then starboard, to hold in place. Easy enough to program and execute the sequence, but the model requiring the manual input from the helmsmen. Or woman, in this case.

Without really thinking about how it looked, the buxom, bare Martian hunched her shoulders and leaned down - pushing her hips and bum back toward Vanya, offering the kind of view - and ease of access - that would have made her blush if she weren't in such a hurry to deploy the anchor, which she focused on while muttering under her breath.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on April 13, 2021, 10:40:32 PM
[Lt. Vanya| Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn @Brutus

Despite the disappointment swirling around the neural net of Vanya’s being she watched as Nat went about securing their position, totally nude, and not the slightest sign of inhibition  To see her bare body moving, unobscured seeing every curve and part move freely.      It was almost as exquisite to her as exploring the woman with her lips and fingers.   

“Well, hon,” the Android said, using an equal term.   “I have been holding these thoughts for a long time.”

That said, the curvy Martian presented too tempting a target for Vanya to completely resist.   She got up and went over to Nat, admiring her shapely posterior as she inched closer and closer.   She stood next to her and feigned interest in the console once she was tantilingly close to her again     She reached out and casually started to stroke the top of Nat’s rump, giving it the softest squeeze before letting go with a mischievous chuckle.  

“A minute or two isn’t going to erase me, after all, once you’re done up here, we can pick up straight were we left off, or we can go and explore that bed.   Preferably both.   I am not going to lie, the possibilities are almost as intoxicating as you.”   
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on May 02, 2021, 10:48:23 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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A part of Natalie had to wonder at that comment. For just how long had Vanya been considering her as an option for a romantic partner? Had Vanya had fantasies about her, over the years? The thought was a flattering, and distracting notion as the Martian tried hard to focus on the act of anchoring the sailboat into the small, natural jetty that would protect them over night. She felt a blush on her cheeks, and it had nothing to do with her rather exposed state and everything to do with where her mind was wandering. For if she were being honest, she loved the idea that she had been someone that Vanya wanted for a long time. Being wanted was nice.

Nat was not left to ponder this long, for even as she started the anchorage process, the computer targeting points beneath the surface and deploying the metal hooks that would lodge them in against the river bed, Vanya came up beside her to watch the process. It wasn't terribly exciting in and of itself. Just something that demanded a little bit of attention. The proximity of her...girlfriend, she supposed, there was no dancing around that anymore, not as keyed up as Natalie was - proved to be a great distraction. The boat gave a little shiver as the first anchor deployed, and the next one cycled forward, but Nat's mind was pulled all the way from that by a touch and a purr of words.

Shivering with delight, the brunette closed her eyes, and tilted her head back, making a low noise. Personally she was pleased that she didn't leap right up on the spot, when Vanya's hand came to rest on her rear. Having had little to no experience with gentle touches there, it was a welcome surprise, and the words stoked something deep inside of Natalie. Forcing her gaze back to the controls, she triggered the rest of the sequence, and the boat slid forward slightly, before all momentum seemed to become arrested, and the duo was left with the gentle rocking of the current.

"I think," she began, twisting to face Vanya again, "That I want to pick up where we left off, less I become to chicken at the thought of a passing boat." The honesty was surprising, and it made her blush, but she didn't take the words back, as she looped her arms over Vanya's neck and drew her into another kiss. "Shall we?"
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on May 09, 2021, 09:47:10 PM
[Lt.Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Having few inhibitions left Vanya with no qualms about continuing her time with Nat above deck, yet she didn’t feel a sense of titillation at the thought of someone else seeing them.  It wasn’t an adversion to it, it was just odd.  If Vanya could articulate the feeling it was almost, jealousy, that she didn’t want someone else sharing this moment no matter what their intentions were.  It wasn’t an instinct that Vanya wanted to act upon per se, they could be at it like “Risan Rabbits in the mess hall on Alpha Shift’s Lunchbreak.”  While Vanya hadn’t heard much about lagomorphs on Risa, she didn’t care where she was with Nat.  And yet….   
“Sounds like a plan to me Capn’” Vanya said with a mock salute and yet the thought nagged at Vanya ever so slightly 

She gently kissed Nat’s lips the temptation just as tempting as the first time.  Vanya found herself torn, part of her wanted to pick up where they had left off, but part of her wanted to protect themselves against the odd chance of intruders into their moment of bliss.  Vanya conclueded that the deciding vote had to be Nat’s/ 

“We could stay up here my love if you want…”    there was that moment of reflection again.  “Or we could go below decks and give that bed a try.  Whatever,”    she kissedd along her neck.    “Wherever”     she placed another gentle kiss on her shoulder.  “However you want.”    She puncutated the thought with a short sharp grab of her rear. 

Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on June 07, 2021, 11:23:43 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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Natalie's courage seemed to hold strong for the moment, the ship now nestled in its evening mooring along the secluded riverbank embankment. Deep down, she wanted this, and knew that she if tried to back peddle now, it might doom anything that followed. Not that she though Vanya would protest or press on if she herself decided she wished to stop. But that it would taint the rest of the trip, and Natalie did not want to do that. She wanted to give into the strange emotions, the attraction she felt for her friend. She did not wish to repress it.

Even going so far as to allow her body to be fully explored and exploited by Vanya, for the first time. Out in the open on the top deck of a sailing ship on an alien world. She couldn't write a romance holo-drama better than this, and that revelation sent a giggle bubbling up past her lips, bleeding away any lingering tension or concern. That mock salute Vanya gave her turned the giggles into a fit of laughter, sharp and pure, clearly carrying out over the gently lapping waters of the river, and setting the Martian woman's shoulders (and bust) to merrily shake about.

Soon enough however there was the pleasing presence of Vanya's body against her own bare skin, setting her alight, even as her skin was covered with goosebumps from the slight chill. Soft lips met her own, the difference in them, when compared to the very few men who had kissed her, still quite new and surprising to Nat. As they pulled away, Nat licked her own lips, chasing the ghost of her friends presence there. She blinked and watched as Vanya dithered, and then started to press kisses to her skin, teasing whining little moans from Natalie's lips.

"No fair," she mock protested, wiggling between Vanya and that console on the boat's bridge. "You make it hard to think straight." Lest her friend take that as a bad trait, Natalie tightened her grip around the Romulan, to keep her in place (not that she could realistically do any such thing, should the android have other plans). Biting down on her lip, Natalie let her head fall back as her bum was gripped, and gazed up at the stars above in the cloudless night, feeling herself at that cross roads, but only for a moment. She realized she'd already made up her mind.

Pushing forward, Natalie locked her lips onto the tip of one of Vanya's ears and sucked, teasing it with her tongue. Practically brazen for the usually shy woman. Letting go, she breathed over the damp spot as she pressed tight to her friend, murmuring. "I"m always so cautious, so slow to act, Discreet. Timid. I don't want to be that tonight. I want to be bold Vanya. With you. Here. Now." And as if to punctuate those words she sunk her hands into the girls hair and pulled Vanya's lips back to hers, forcing her tongue into the Romulan's mouth and rolling her hips forward against her friends pelvis. There was very little else she could do, pinned between her soon to be lover and the now muted controls of the small ship, but she didn't mind that in the slightest.

If someone was watching? Well, fuck them, she had better things to care about than a potential strangers gaze. She had Vanya.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on June 13, 2021, 11:37:27 PM
([Lt.Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn:   @Brutus

As Nat pushed against Vanya, her boldness shook her off her feet.  As a unit designed for infiltration, and as one person told her, quite a cutie, she was capable of playing both the submissive and the leader, whatever got her mission fulfilled, or in later days, the sexual release that the android desired. 

But seeing Nat display such bold strength, no, not display, unleash strength was something entirely new for Vanya.  She suspected that the martian’s shyness held her back, but this was more than Vanya could have possibly found herself hoping for.  Vanya felt tremors, tremors of anitciaption.    She had simulated them in the past, but again, it was like Nat’s strength was triggering something in her too.  Something beside the gratification that sex usually brought to her.   

Finally she broke the kiss and whispered. “Be bold, my love, “

She softly kissed her way down along Nat’s collarbone, again she got an eyeful of her friend’s ample breasts, as gorgeous as they had always been for Vanya to look at, even play with in the past few minutes, she now wanted to pleasure whatever part of Nat’s body.  She gave each [ert nipple a gentle kiss and hard suck.    Looking at the  muted console, she picked up Nat and rested her bare behind on top of it. 

“Tell me how you want to be bold, My Love”    she said, there was almost a mild plea in her voice. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on July 21, 2021, 02:54:59 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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Watching Vanya trail her lips over Nats skin was something the smaller woman was sure she would end up enjoying for some time to come, should she allow herself. Feeling those lips gave her all sorts of ideas and desires, and Nat let her head fall back for a moment, groaning and shivering at the sweet press of lips to flesh. "Vanya...

Letting out a small 'eep' as she was lifted up and settled back down on the console, Natalie privately thanked whoever it was that had long since designed the detection ability's into computer terminals to recognize the difference between finger tips accessing controls and well, bare asses. It would have been the height of embarrassing to have the boat suddenly unmoor itself from their anchorage and drift back into the main channel of the massive Aldean river simply because her bum was large enough to mash down a series of controls all at once.

Equally pleasing was the small display of Vanya's strength. The other woman deftly lifted and planted Natalie without breaking a sweat - or whatever the android equivalent of doing such would be. Intellectually Natalie knew that Vanya was as strong as any Romulan, if not significantly stronger given her artificial nature, and that, equally true, Romulans (like their Vulcan cousins) were significantly stronger than the average human. Knowing something on an intellectual level, was not quite the same thing as experiencing that first hand.

Having experienced it just now, Natalie could admit, if only to herself, that Vanya's strength simply did things to her that she would have to think on later to really understand beyond, Oh I liked that.

She rather liked having Vanya nibble and suck on her nipple as well, the small bud turning into a taut nub with little effort. Bursts of pleasure, akin to small fireworks, spark with each little kiss and suck, causing the Martian woman to shiver, having nothing at all to do with the cool riverside breeze.

"Mmmm, bold...yes, I can do that," Natalie managed to purr, reaching up and - once again - running her fingers through Vanya's hair. For a moment, Nat just held Vanya's gaze, and then her grip tightened on the girls hair, and she let her legs fall wider apart. Tugging, she drew her friends face into her own body, between her breasts, before tugging down. Her cheeks red, she murmured out, "Lick." She could be bold, she told herself. Here where no one else could see, she could give into the sudden, burning need to know just what that felt like. It might have been her own desire, or the pleading tone in Vanya's voice. Maybe something in the air itself. But regardless, as she leaned back on the console, bracing herself with her elbows as she thrust Vanya's head down toward the join between her legs, she decided that yes, tonight was the night to be bold.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on July 25, 2021, 09:14:22 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Vanya allowed Nat to guide her head between the other woman’s crotch.    To be guided in such a way continued to guide the android.  In her time with sexual partners she had often been playing a part.  The seductive engineer winning the confidence of the rebel rousing miner.  The niave intern putting out for the hungry (in more ways than one) senator, these were characters that she was forced to play.     

Even with sexual partners that she had following her liberation, she was expected to be the one who knew what she wanted, that would sent the pace for whatever transitory encounter the other party expected from here.  The sad truth was Vanya had never been able to lose herself in such a way.  To have Nat expressing herself like this showing her new side veered dangerously close to intoxicication.    Her body trembled with anticipation..    It wasn’t a simulated reflex, but a real sensation which had been hardwired into her programming. 

Anticipation shook her body as Nat spoke.  This wasn’t the shy friend she had known, with the single word she became the commanding presence that was both new and familiar.  Vanya would have had trouble reconciling the two, but her instructions were concerned.    She reached out with her tongue, and brushed against the door of Nat’s feminity, her long tongue hungrily exploring the petal soft area that was being offered to her.  No, not offered, to her but what she was compelled towards

She took a brief moment to look up into Nat’s face, she wanted to find some validation in those beautiful dark blue eyes. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 01, 2021, 10:33:54 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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For Natalie, the behavior she was displaying was highly out of character and aught to have shocked her right out of the moment, giving an order like that to someone like Vanya, where Vanya was, nestled between her thighs. A sight that until moments before, Natalie would have never been able to imagine. After all, she wasn't interested in women. She didn't do this kind of thing. The sheer incredulity of it all was of a level and intensity that could break anyone's focus. There were a million thoughts that she would have expected to be running through her mind in that moment, wondering if, perhaps the Romulan girl preferred her partners to be shaved barren, unlike the trimmed triangle that Nat maintained between her legs. Worrying that she might not have a taste that the other woman would enjoy. Worrying that she'd squeeze her legs too hard, that the sensations might be too much. Might not be enough. '

But between the Aldean wine at dinner, and the need, and all the winding up that Vanya had put Nat through earlier, some switch deep in the Martian's psyche had been switched. Vanya had asked what Nat wanted and the curvaceous brunette aimed to make that as clear as possible for her friend.

She had wanted to be bold, and so here she was, wiggling her hips closer to her friends face, letting her legs fall further apart, subconsciously giving the Romulan Android more room to work with. An act which was, swiftly, rewarded, when she felt something wet gently brushing her folds. Her breath hitched in her throat and Nat's eyes snapped back down in time to catch the android woman looking back up at her, light from the stars above reflecting in otherwise dark orbs. To call the moment breathtaking was an understatement, as Natalie watched Vanya move back in, to taste her, to spread her flowering core apart with what was proving to be a delightful tongue. 

"Oh, fuck yes," the normally clean mouthed Martian swore. Though the moment was sweet, downright romantic even, the first brush of two lovers tasting the water - and skin -between them, sampling each others fruirs, Natalie could not think of anything flowery or sweet to say. Just a deep, throaty oath, before she bit her lip, looking down the curves of her body as slowly, she tugged her friends head back into place, to cater to the dripping well of heated need between her legs. That would be the extent of the affirmation that Natalie was able to give Vanya in that moment, an act of simply giving into her own desires and demanding more, not with words, but with her body.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on August 08, 2021, 10:33:47 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

Some small part of Vanya’s brain was worried that she was going about this all wrong, her relaxed attitude to intimacy and sex, was well known with anyone who was acquainted with her in a vaguely social way, and it usually raised comments.   So, while Vanya would probably never be what one would call modest, she certainly had become more aware of the arbitrary lines she had been told about.   She was aware of them, but that awareness only made it more sweeter to jump over them.  Yet some small part of her processing power feared that she was pushing too far.  
   
Those fears were quickly erased when Nat swore.   Like most humans, Vanya knew that she rarely swore, which meant that the Romulan android had awoken something primal within her, and yet if equal power was the word “yes” a word that invited validation.   Vanya had found the point ithe most treasured pearly of passion, with the skill of an expert, she allowed her tongue to caress that wonderful spot, with an intensity and passion that was matching the pressure that Nat was putting around her head.  

Vanya was designed and built to “fake” physical sensations, including sexual arousal.   However, a subroutine she was given like this meant that very often, the sensations were automaticm she had no control over them, in order to make her all the more authentic.   In this case, she was barely able to avoid shaking with anticipation, her own feminine core burning anticipation for the gorgeous Martian that the universe had returned to her, and who Vanya had been allowed to give herself to. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on August 22, 2021, 10:33:29 PM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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Had Natalie taken into account that her paramour had a somewhat relaxed attitude to ward sexual encounters in general, she might not have built up such a basket case of nerves around the moment. But that hadn't really filtered into Natalie's logic that night. And in that moment, logic, forethought, what little planning she had done for that evening, had gone out the window and over the port bow. If Vanya had pushed, nudged or otherwise cajoled Natalie across those lines of social interaction into something far more intimate and deep, Nat wasn't upset. Far from it, she was reveling in the new sensations that were being plied upon her very core.

She felt herself flowering under her friends attentions, little bolts of pleasurer washing, almost like jagged shocks, on a background of warmth and satisfaction that seemed to swell like ripples across the surface of a pond. Or the current's of a river, she idly thought as her head dipped back, and back, and she was able to just make out the wine dark channel flowing past edge of the boat. By that point she was more laying across the console, than hunched over it, and she'd let go of Vanya's hair with one hand to brace herself on the edge of the controls, less she fall off entirely. The other hand fisted those dark locks tightly ,keeping the Romulan' woman's head locked into place. Or as much as she could. It was not lost on Natalie that if Vanya wished to move, she would move, and there was naught that Nat could actually do to dislodge or dissuade the android.

But for the moment at least the other woman did not seem to wish to move, which was much to Nat's benefit. As her friends tongue found the buried nub at the top of Nat's folds, the Martian let out a loud cry, bucking slightly, and then continuing to tremble as she lay there. Heat pooled between her legs, rising up and dripping from her core as she began to glisten under her friends efforts. One leg kicked out, going straight, toes pointed and shaking, while the other curled over the Romulan's shoulder. An embarrassing myriad of moans and gasps began to echo out across the open waters from the boat, loud enough to be easily heard over the deep rumble of the rivers ever present current.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 02, 2021, 10:23:31 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

What made Vanya an effective agent, and scientist, was her knowledge of biology.  She saw a certain poetry in mathematics.  You find the secret of A, you get to unlock B.  She would never voice these opinions out aloud – she was sure that Nat would see her sentiments as dispassionate. 

But the simple truth, that for  Vanya the thrill of sex, was the thrill of mathematics.  How much flirting would it take to discover Nat’s explorative side?  She had found the answer to that question when she wore the divine dress to dinner. 

How much wine would it take to relax her inhibitions, without leaving her in a prone or senseless condition?  Again, Vanya had her answer as she undressed and exhibited such – strenghth by standing over her and displaying such unleashed strength.

As her tongue continued to probe her silky folds, Vanya felt more gratification and validation, that her own matrix translated as pleasure and arousal.  Her heart skipped a beat for a second as one hand let go of her dark hair, and yet, the other one stayed.  She quickly understood what was happening.  From the head on Vanya’s tongue, her hot firey furnace was almost at critical, and that just drove Vanya’s needs deeper  She probed the wetness, simultaneously trying to both satisfy and prolong the encounter between them both. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 20, 2021, 11:20:05 PM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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As her lover feasted between her legs, Natalie tried to wrap her mind around all that was happening without getting overwhelmed by it. Everything she was doing was so very out of character. Then again, anything that she allowed herself to do that was sexual in nature and involved more participants than herself and perhaps we well engineered toy of some form was, in truth, 'out of character'. She had no real basis of comparison to what was or wasn't normal, or what was or wasn't well done. She just knew what felt good in the moment. And Vanya, bless her, was making Nat feel damned good. If her brain started to melt along with that molten heat in her core, Natalie would not have been the least bit surprised. Thinking, while getting eaten out to perfection, was rather hard to do.

At some point during their exertions, Natalie had gone from moaning loudly, and taking large gasps of air, to letting out little yips of groans and pleased sighs, mostly between short, fast breaths. There was a distinct, noticeable tremble in the leg that had kicked out and away, the toes still curled, but the limb was visibly shuddering, if only just. Something easily felt, so she was sure - in so much that she was 'sure' of anything at this point - that Vanya would be well aware of that little shake. Not to mention the sheen of sweat that was breaking out across her skin, despite the cooling, riverside breeze that was sweeping across the open deck of the sailboat. 

With another groan, Nat found herself pushing back down the control panel she was draped across, pressing herself brazenly against her friend's face. A heated blush colored her cheeks and spilled down across her collar bone, fading into her normal skin tones as her breasts jiggled, unrestrained by the bra she usually sported. Those rosy pink nipples looked hard enough to cut the most resilient of duranium alloy's with narry a hitch. She would be mortified if someone from the ship called right then, or worse, beamed down. But providence held and the only witness to her unrestrained needs was Vanya, tending to, and causing much of, the physcial exertions on the part of the Ops Chief. And perhaps the stray river bird, settling in for the night, only to be disturbed by the noises the energetic couple were making. 

Something tight and needy curled up within Natalie, causing her to go taut for a moment, eyes snapping wide, looking at the alien sky above. Her breath hitched, then she groaned out her friends name, and tried her best to prop herself back up. In panting, half formed words, she warned Vanya, "I think...I'm really...really close. Like I'm going to explode. Oh, jeeze...." Not exactly the flowering confession of desire she'd hoped for, but certainly it had the novelty of being honest, and not something she'd ever much said before, to anyone really.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on November 07, 2021, 09:39:05 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ] Attn: @Brutus

In some senses, Vanya didn’t want the moment to end, it was what she had wated for the years she had known Nat, and she wanted the moment – their first moment – to last forever.   

But as the two of them were together, on the primitive sea faring vehicle, an island of sorts, naked exposed to the open, this was the beginning of the journey between them, and not the end.  In the same way that the boat would take them on an adventure down the of this alien world, the two of them were now together on the rafts of passion, and the metaphorical body of water was going to be far less calm than the actual one they floated upon in that moment.    Vanya allowed herself her own shudder at the thought of the adventures that they could take together.     

Vanya knew that the warmth between Nat’s legs was now burning like the furnace of a thousands suns.    Her cute confession that it was near was like music    The words didn’t matter, it was the tone of voice that she conveyed, as if putting her theory into action, Vanya allowed herself to make a sound around Nat’s loin, somewhere between a coo, and a moan, an invitation.  She slowed down with her tongue, taking all the time she needed to taste her wired womanhood  The thought of what was about to come excited the android.  She was ready. 
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on December 06, 2021, 12:41:24 AM
[Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6 
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Truly Natalie felt as if she were going to burst. Her head was awash in an ocean of pleasure, swimming to maintain any kind of focus in the moment. She wanted to make this feeling last as long as she could - selfishly, she liked feeling good, a shock she supposed - but at the same time the pressure was building and building, and she craved a release. It would not be the first orgasm that Natalie had ever had. She'd brought herself to completion more than once (quite a few times more). Nor would it be the first time someone (or something, she would have to reluctantly admit) had given her that desperate release. This would however be the first time such a thing had come at the fingers and lips of a woman. Never mind at the talented efforts of her oldest friend.

If Natalie had any doubts about if Vanya happened to be enjoying herself  (as if the way her tongue kept darting in and out of Natalie's damp core hadn't been a clue) the noises that Vanya made washed those concerns away. Nat knew what Vanya sounded like when she was having a good time. Hearing that laced with deep veins of desire, all muffled by her own snatch was just about too much for the human native of Mars. In that moment, though Vanya's focus was entirely on her, Nat swore to herself that she'd make sure Vanya made just as much noise because of her.

But in that moment there was nothing else that Natalie could do in the position that she was in than sink her hand tighter into Vanya's hair and pull hard. Her fingertips ran over those artfully pointed ears, and she managed to crack one eye open as she grit her teeth. Looking down her body, past her heaving chest, Nat could see Vanya there, face buried between her thighs, looking back at Nat. It was too much, and the brunette's head snapped away, toward the console beneath her as her back arched. "Va-va-vaanya..!"

The cry was sharp, and prolonged, echoing out over the water as Natalie began to buck uncontrollably. Her legs tightened against Vanya's head, squeezing (not that the Romulan Android was in any risk of being hurt), and her ass lifted up off the console she'd been braced against as she bent backward. The building pressure releases, head radiating out from her core, her folds slick and puffy, her channel clamping down on itself. She shook and shook, gripping tight, moaning and gasping as that climax left her dazed, draped across the ship controls and utterly at her friends mercy. Every thought in Nat's head could be boiled down and condenses into one sentiment: Fuck, but that felt good.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on January 09, 2022, 11:00:42 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

The taste of her new lover/old friend’s eruption was a crescendo, the natural mathematics, the solved problem, the validated hypothesis, and yet, like the best mathematical equations, this was just the beginning, the early formula in the equation of companionship and passion, that an indefinite amount of time in the company of the buxom Martian beauty would bring.  

The scent of their perspiration and Nat’s release mingled with the salty air of the Aldean night hinted at further escalation of their relationship.    She softly retracted her tongue, kissing her way back up Nat, her post climax body was desirable to Vanya as it had been when they first met.  

Now at eye level, she allowed herself a mischievous grin.   “Hope you saved some, my heart, We’re just getting started.”   She reached forward, and gave Nat another full kiss.    It was fascinating to see the ways she had changed since their first kiss earlier in the evening.  She was eager for Nat to sample her in the same way as she had just done, but knew that while she wouldn’t hurt Nat, she couldn’t guarantee the same of the ship’s controls.  

“Now what do you say we go below decks, and if you can put some of what you’ve learned to some good use?”

She gently kissed Nat on the side of her neck, and took a few steps back, holding out her hand.   There was more escitement yet to come.  
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on January 19, 2022, 04:22:54 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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Adrift in an ocean of pleasure, Natalie floated on the edge of an abyss that threatened to suck her in. Even as her body bucked and surged, not quite thrashing - Vanya did not draw things out so far that pleasure became pain again - her mind struggled to form a coherent thought. Or keep its clutch on consciousness all together. Very little effort would it take to send Natalie in the warm embrace of nothingness. This might have been the best orgasm she'd ever had, and it was nigh on enough to overwhelm her. Likely as not because of who had brought her this release, not just the mechanical skill of the act.

But as she felt soft lips plant tender kisses over skin that was slick more with sweat than other juices, Natalie forced herself to cling to awareness, to struggle back from that warm pool of pure nothing. Her eyes fluttered, and she began to come back to herself in time to see Vanya staring down at her, plying her with sweet words and promises that set Natalie's heart racing all over again. Promises of more to come. She wasn't entirely sure her body could take it. It had been some time since she'd allowed herself this particular form of release, albeit it all on her lonesome. This was...this was so much better than she'd expected. 

Why did I wait so long? She wondered. Had she been braver at the Academy...but there was no point in dwelling on the past, when the here and now had plenty to hold her focus. Pink flesh darted out from between swollen pillows as she licked at her lips, swallowing after. The fog faded from her gaze and she smiled a silly, lazy smile, a completely unguarded expression. She was basking in the afterglow, radiating in the night under Vanya.

She was given no chance to protest or reassure the Romulan of her ability to do anything else that night, as her friend - lover - swept down and pulled her into a kiss. Dimly, Natalie was aware that the strange taste on the android's lips was Natalie's own climax, a flavor wholly unfamiliar to her at this point, but she hardly seemed bothered by it. Vanya was kissing her. Vanya was kissing her, and really that was the important thing. With an effort that seemed far more gargantuan than the action deserved, Natalie managed to toss one of her arms around the other woman's neck, leaving it hanging there as she eagerly returned the kiss, savoring the taste, the feel, of her oldest friends lips and tongue. Basking, yes, still basking, but now in the affection being sent her way, the warmth and safety the kiss offered.

Eventually Vanya pulled back. The android might not need to breathe but Natalie did, and the Martian woman appreciated the consideration given to her own needs. She leaned up and rubbed her nose gently against her friends, before Vanya was murmuring a new offer, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck. Nat had to wonder if the other woman could feel her pulse racing just beneath the surface. 

Blinking she realized that Vanya had pulled away, and the cool breeze off the river washed over flushed, sweaty flesh. Nat shivered ever so slightly, and pushed herself up to her feet. She leaned back behind her, making sure nothing was amiss (it was fine) and then turned and stretched, her hands reaching up toward an alien sky full of stars. Carefully walking toward Vanya, she slid her hand into the other womans, blushing, but unbothered by such trivial things. She tugged and stepped past the taller girl, taking the first step down toward the sleeping cabin. "I think I could do with a little more exploration of my best friend," she murmured, bringing the other girls fingers to her lips, to brush against her knuckles. "My girlfriend," she decided to clarify, making that a bold statement before stepping gingerly below decks and out of sight of the prying eyes of nightbirds, perched along the great river's shorelines.

Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on February 05, 2022, 11:03:16 PM
 [Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn:
@Brutus Brutus

Girlfriend. 


“I am rarely considered by people to be the first half of that word.   Even more don’t consider me to be the second part.” 

 Vanya had many titles in her life.   Cadet, Ensign, Lieuteant, asset, sciene officer, temptress.   But none felt so good to her as the simple terran phrase for significant other.   It brought a new sensation to her, something intense.   Not gratification, per se, her overriding instinct, instead it was a catalyst to a connection that she had never imagined  

She followed, hand in hand with the Martian girl.   The cool breeze brushing against her skin, moving stray locks of her raven black hair  as they headed down below. 

Although they had been down below earlier in the evening, it seemed different this time.   Something in the paint perhaps?   It was highly unsettling for Vanya at first.    A natural or synthetic perfume that Is released at night?    Yet with her perfect memory she couldn’t put her finger on it.   

And then she could.   It was Nat of course.   Or rather the consummation of their relationships.   The curvy martian with a hint of a blush on her face was her girlfriend, her life partner, someone who wanted to spend their time together.   Places like this room weren’t just a place where they were, it was now a place where they were together.  

Vanya released her fingers, and with cat like grace swayed across the cabin, to the lone bed.   She turned around, exposing her pristine front to Nat and sank onto the bed.  

With a playful wink she slouched backwards onto the bed.   “So, tell me” she asked.   “What is in the role description of a girlfriend entail?”    
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on March 07, 2022, 04:55:56 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: 
[Show/Hide]

Natalie would never claim that what she did now was in character for her, though others perhaps might make the argument that, for people she cared for, Nat did not broker them to say unkind things of themselves. No matter that Vanya was simply noting that others might have issues seeing her as a woman, a friend or even a person. Nat was not going to stand for such things. She might have made a better go of it had she been less punch drunk on the orgasm that had been brought forth by the Romulan Android, of course. But at that moment she cared not a wit. 

Pausing on the stairs for only just a moment, those blue eyes darted down, and then up, taking in the very naked form of Vanya (and well aware of her own nudity) in one sweeping gesture. With practiced patience, an eyebrow rose up, and she let her head tilt slightly to the right. Natalie fixed Vanya with a look that would have been stern not for the  Ops Chief's inability to keep a ghost of a smile from curling her lips. "From where we stand right now I think I can say with some authority that you are most definitely a girl." 

Having made that point clear enough, she resumed the descent into the sleeping cabin, though to achieve that she had to work her way back from the landing beneath. The ship was well accommodated for a small party to enjoy themselves, with a cooking and seating area, heads, and of course, the main bed cabin to which they were headed. Over her shoulder, she added, "And you've always been my friend from the day we met."

With that reminder, she entered the cabin, and felt, as much as she saw, Vanya slide past, and plant herself on the bed. Natalie leaned against the entry way, her shoulder and tilted head resting against the door jam as she crossed her arms up under her bust. A small smile graced her face, as she drank in the sight offered up to her. So many times, at the Academy, had Natalie seen Vanya naked. But it really was different now. There was an attraction that had not been present before. Yes, she could admit to herself, here in the boats cabin, that she was very much attracted to Vanya physically. While before there was an appreciation for the form, now there was a desire that accompanied it. 

So taken was she by this revelation that she almost missed her friends words. Once they registered, she bushed a bit, and played with a strand of sweat slicked hair that had fallen down between her breasts. Ignoring her own nudity for the moment, she gave the question some serious thought. "I don't have much experience with the notion myself, but what I would imagine the role to entail, would be someone that I could trust, implicitly and completely. Someone that I could take comfort in, and comfort in turn. Someone to be there for me. To care for me, and I for her. Someone to shore me up. With whom I could be myself. Be Safe. Be loved. Be mine."

Quite the definition, Nat, she noted to herself, biting her lip. A gleam of wickedness bubbled up from some deep, repressed corner of the Martian's psyche, and she added, "Not to mention the whole sexual satisfaction side of the relationship."
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on April 12, 2022, 10:34:10 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime attn @Brutus

In a graceful fluid motion, Vanya moved around tbe bed, there were many seductive poses that she was aware of.     She could casually drape her arm over her ample chest, while at the same time moving her pelvis, both gestures to titillate, to tempt, to show what might be, if they, to use a human term, play their cards right.     But Nat, to labour the metaphor, had played her cards right,  had cleaned out the bank, and was also in possession of a fistful of metaphorical IOUs from the proverbial casino.   

So, in actual fact Vanya propped up her head on her left hand,  her voluptuous orbs still slick with sweat from their exploration up top.    Her right hand rested almost casually on her hip, her fingers leaning towards her womanhood, showing that there was more for Nat if she wished.    Seeing her framed in the door, it was truly like beholding an art work, but the gorgeous woman it surrounded,,   true such sentiments might have been seen as cliché, but in Nat’s case it had the virtue of being absolutely true.   

 “You have all of those things from me, for all time, I promise.”   She said.   “I’ll never leave you.”   If the Cayuga ever returned, if the Theurgy won, returned to Starfleet, and was forgiven, Vanya was still sure that she would stay with Nat, even if that meant forsaking her own commission and becoming a civilian.     With Nat she felt truly alive, now more than ever.        

She twisted her lips into a playful smirk.    “And yes, I have the sexual satisfaction thing down to a T,” she said.  “At least, so I’m told”    
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on April 13, 2022, 04:47:44 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
[Show/Hide]

Given Vanya's artificial nature, 'for all time' was quite the promise to make, and Natalie was humbled. There was every chance that her friend - her girlfriend, now, for that statement made things seem rather official to the Martian - would out live Natalie. For a brief moment in time, Natalie felt very small. A promise of that magnitude left her blushing and quiet, internalizing the words, locking them snug away in her heart. Her lips curled into a blooming smile, as warmth settled in behind her bosom. Oh, it was so very early in this relationship, and she knew she aught not to put stock into words said so soon, but Nat trusted Vanya to say what she meant, and the two of them had known each other for the better part of a decade, even if it had taken that, and the galaxy upending itself, to bring them together again in a place where she - they both - could take this next step that now seemed to have been inevitable, to Natalie.

The sly grin and the words that followed from the Romulan beauty pulled Nat back into the moment, and despite herself, she giggled. Surprisingly, she didn't feel a spike of jealousy at the fact that others had said such things of Vanya. That others had experienced Vanya. It was not as if Natalie herself was a virgin anymore, even if that had been a somewhat recent change of status for the Martian. Perhaps she was still punch drunk, as her father would have said, on all that had happened, but all she could do was agree. "I believe I am in the perfect position to confirm that you do." 

Again, she allowed herself to do in private what she'd never done in public, and never thought to do with her old Academy roommate: rake her eyes over the nakedness on display, and drink it in for what it was. There was no denying that the work that went into Vanya was impressive. She sweated. An android that glistened from exertion. But the technology that went into Vanya didn't really factor into it now, not after all these years of knowing her. That she'd worked up a sweat tending to Natalie's needs...and that the gleam of it looked so good on her bare skin. The way her breasts swelled, and how Natalie's gaze was drawn along the extended fingers to the clean-shaven mound...she found herself swallowing, and then pushing away from the doorframe, striding slowly over toward the bed.

"I uh, well now that you mention satisfaction," her knees bumped up against the edge of the mattress, distracting her for a moment. It was easy enough to reach out, running her fingers up the other woman's bare leg. "You did a number on me but I couldn't help but notice that well, I haven't done anything for you. And I think, maybe...we should rectify that..."

She just wasn't sure exactly how she should go about that. She'd never tried to seduce anyone before. If you can call this seduction, she thought, her voice sounding wry even in her own mind.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on May 02, 2022, 10:28:34 PM
[Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

In some senses, Nat was wrong.    She had brought Nat years of satisfaction.   First, by treating her as a real person, and not a machine when they first met.    By being a friend and a confident, not an aquantaintance an interested party.   She was the first person that ever truly made Vanya feel like a person, that was allowed to be her self  and not what was expected of her as a cadet or officer.   When the ship that Vanya had thought was her home was taken from her Nat was there and the Theurgy  had been her home.   

And yet, as the curvy Martian joined her on the bed, there was a lot that she had wanted from her.   The moment they shared on the surface was just the beginning.    Because of the need to pass off as organic, Vanya did have emotions and sensations that were real.    As such she had within her the desire to share her physical being with Nat, as well as her emotional one.   It truly was what she wanted, and she was excited to see where the next level would take them.  

She  sat  up on the bed making no attempt to act coy or bashful.   The next steps were going to be exciting to Vanya, moments that would live in her mind as long as she was alive.    She presented herself to Nat,

“Let’s do just that, my love.”   Vanya said.   “I’ve been yearning for this for a long, long time.”  
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on May 16, 2022, 04:08:50 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
[Show/Hide]

Natalie would not say 'never in a million years,' if asked 'did you ever see going down on your best friend as something you would do,' but the time frame, until rather recently, would have been something in the general ballpark. Unlikely would have been an understatement. But it could not  be said that she had never thought of it, she had simply never considered it seriously. Perhaps a passing thought, quickly dismissed as something she just wasn't interested in. Past Natalie, she decided, was a bit of an idiot. And she certainly lacked imagination. The Natalie of the here and now, could certainly imagine how the next few moments were going to go. Not only could she imagine it, she found herself eager for it. Yes, there was trepidation - she'd not done this to someone before. Like on deck up above, this was a new experience, but this time, she was not the focus of the pleasure that would hopefully be delivered - Vanya was.

And Natalie was aware that Vanya did have experiences prior to now, with other partners. She was also aware that her friend - her lover, now - was quite talented. She'd seen how talented up closer and personal just moments before. First hand, as it were. And those lips, she thought, remembering what the Romulan Android had done with her mouth, between Natalie's legs. It made her shiver, almost like a micro tremor of desire bursting up out of her depths, a lingering aftershock of her previous orgasm brought on by the memory of the intimate moments on deck in the night air. It was certainly a lot to live up to. 

Truthful, she knew she should take her time. She aught to explore her friends body. But step by step, Natalie found herself crossing what distance there was, hips swaying in anticipation. She wasn't someone who had a 'sexy walk,' or at least she didn't think she was. But her own desires were acting on her in ways she was not conscious of, and in part that manifested in a pleasing sway. A visual feast - just like the one she was being given. Vanya had herself on full display, like a work of art, carved by masters. The lighting here was low, but in a way warmer than the moons of Aldea, and brought into better contrast all the curve's and contours of her lovers form. As Nat climbed up onto the bed, her hands reaching out to run over Vanya's calves, she marveled in the way that the other girls skin flushed green at points, signs of arousal. 

Romulan blood - or the mimicry that Vanya possessed - was as green as their Vulcan cousins, and Natalie found the affect that had on the androids womanhood simply...Fascinating. This little discovery pleased Natalie quite a bit, and even though she had some vague notions about how to build up the moment, she found herself unable to resist the allure of those jade petals. With her hands moving up to grip Vanya's thighs tightly, and provide a bit of balance to keep herself from completely face planting into the other woman's sex, the off duty Ops Chief lowered herself in. She took a slow breath, as if to calm herself, before her lips parted and her tongue darted out. Only as she flattened her tongue did she look up, lapping slowly as she got her first taste of Vanya.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on June 05, 2022, 04:35:44 PM
 [Lt. Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn\ @Brutus

Vanya watched as Nat moved over, her friend – her lover was the very image of perfection as she moved towards her on the bed.    The scenes that unfolded brought great warmth of Vanya’s simulacra of a heart.    To see her moving in on her was perhaps something she had wanted since they had first met in their quarters at the academy.   But there was something else there that Vanya began to value over physical gratification her presence brought joy in a way that eclipsed that of physical gratification.   Now, many years and light years later, their physical cogress was a sign of more than a cheap encounter, it was a moment of magic in their relationship.  

As Nat went down before, well, going down, she parted her legs in invitation to the Martiaon woman.    Vanya was grateful for the quirks of her design that meant as a simulation she could convincingly portray both pleasure and pain, as she really did feel both of these sensations.   So feeling Nat;s breath against her loins was a true instant of delight for the android, the sensatation causing a moan of delight to escape from her lips.  

She reached down with her hand, and softly began to carress Nat;s hair as she delved into her offered womanhood.    While she had been satified by a variety of people in her life, this time felt different, more fluid.   This wasn’t for her, and it wasn’t for Nat.   It was for them.  
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on June 10, 2022, 06:15:10 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
[Show/Hide]

Even though the ship was now anchored out of the main current of the mighty river, and despite being below deck, Natalie could feel the gentle sway of the boat in the water. It bobbed up and down, and rolled from port to starboard, never so much as to cause her any concern (nor discomfort, thanks to years of sailing when she was younger). The motion of river added something to the moment unfolding for Natalie. Perhaps it was that her own prominent hips swayed in time with the boat. Or that the slow swell that they rose out hitting the bow and working its way across, seemed to bring her lovers mound closer to her mouth. Maybe it was simply that Natalie felt the memory of bygone days, of a kinder and more considerate time in her life manifesting itself with every motion, mixed and entangled in this new chapter of her life, and drew strength from it. 

Whatever the case, as intangible as that 'something' was, being on a boat for her first time with Vanya, her first time tasting another woman intensified the moment for Natalie. As she watched Vanya - my Vanya she deiced with a sudden, fierce possessiveness that was fairly alien to her nature - react to her tongue slowly lapping at the Romulan's cunt, she felt a moan bubbling up in her chest. For a moment she thought to stop it, then, as if going with the motion of the ship, she instead allowed herself to roll just a bit closer toward the android woman. Her lips opened wide, and she pressed a sloppy kiss to the petals she'd licked, and let the moan free from her throat.

Wanting to ensure that she truly lavished affection upon Vanya's sex in a fashion similar to how her own core had been so scrupulously sampled, Natalie pulled back from the impromptu kiss, and her tongue dart out again. This time she pressed the tip of her tongue to the point of skin just below Vanya's pussy. She was too chicken to lick any lower, the notion of such play in a sexual fashion a bridge too far for her limited experience to conjure up. Never the less, she started at a point outside the woman's pussy, and then slowly brought her tongue up one side, flattening it out  as she rounded the crest of the hooded folds, and then darting it back down the other in a lazy, deliberate circle. She repeated this a few more times as she felt fingers sink into her claret colored locks, a shiver going straight from her scalp down her spine and bursting in delight between her legs. Taking this as a sign to go deeper as it were, Natalie allowed Vanya to guide her back to a more central position. 

She tightened her grip on the Romulan's powerful thighs, enjoying the illusion that she could somehow keep them in place, as her lips closed over the flowering folds once more. She tried sucking, nibbling, flicking her tongue out, to taste between, probe the entrance as best she could. The Martian was not endowed with an abnormally long oral muscle, but her tongue managed to find some interesting nooks and cranny's to carnally enjoy all the same, and Natalie soon found herself in a rhythm that kept her from having her jaw ache too much, and allowed her to breathe through her nose. Of course she was completely awash in the smell and flavor of another woman's sex, and that was a new and - to her great surprise - arousing sensation. 

Years of friendship had lead to this moment, and though she lacked practice, Natalie was determined that she would be enthusiastic enough in her attempts at cunnilingus to convey just how much she felt for her friend-turned-lover.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on July 04, 2022, 11:29:07 PM
[b][Lt.  Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime
[/b] @Brutus Brutus
The sounds of the sea - the water washing against the hull of their boat, the distant sounds of fauna, and gentle rocking of the ship would be calming,     But calm was a phrase that could be applied to Vanya right now.     She rolled back her head as Nat tended to her tender regions with her tongue.   

The android had indulged in a world of sexual encounters in her years, first in order to do her job as a spy and then to indulge her hedonistic pursuits as a free being.    And yet, because of her bond with her Martian lover, this was becoming one of the most gratifying liaisons of her existence.     This was literally blowing everything else out of the water.   

Sweat clung to her skin, she bit her lips.     She had always experienced pleasure as an observer studying the sensations as she would study a scientific readout.     Yet things were different now.     The sensations felt different - as it her very emotional core was being overridden by instinct.

"Mmmm yesss" Vanya murmured.       Her voice was uneven and lacked her usual poise but there was still no doubt that she wanted to continue , her tone was both longing and inviting.      Each touch of Nat's tongue was like she was being hit by a form of addictive energy.    Familiar yet more.   

She let herself  be held by Natalie, as her own hands brushed through lover's hair, a gentle gesture, conveying her affection and desire to continue
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on July 07, 2022, 05:16:16 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
[Show/Hide]

Despite having had one of the best orgasms of her life (not that she'd had all that many truly good ones to judge against) Natalie could feel heat building between her legs again, which were now clenched tightly behind her. She was laying flat on her stomach, breasts pressed down on the sheets covering the bed that took up so very much of the space in the boats cabin. Her bum rose up and swung side to side as she focused on the task at hand, ignoring how her heart seemed to race in her chest, and how her vision seemed to tunnel slightly, as her pale blue eyes kept flicking up to take in Vanya's body, before fluttering shut, only to open again.

Swallowing, Natalie plunged her tongue into Vanya as deep as she could manage and tried to swirl it around; the result was more a wiggling of side to side, but given the encouragement she got from her lover, she presumed it was well received. That got her thinking of another idea, and seeing as she needed to breathe anyway, she pulled back slightly and slid her right arm out from under Vanya's left leg. Her lips were glistening as she took a slow, deep breath to settle herself, cheeks flushed and eyes shining bright. Pressing a few kisses to the girls mons, just above her folds, she wiggled herself up so that she could get her arm into place.

"Raise your hips babe," Natalie murmured, trying hard to sound sexy, seeing if the little term of endearment worked for her, and for Vanya. It felt alien coming from her lips, but then, she could taste the Romulan with each flick of her tongue as she spoke, and that felt delightful. She could get used to 'babe' or anything else they settled on. Right now she just wanted her lover to comply, and as she did, she licked two of her fingers to get them nice and wet. These she traced over the androids cunt, letting them split apart and each caress one lip. She brought them together again and twisted her wrist so her palm pressed up, and then slid the two fingers slowly into the girls channel, feeling the pressure there.

Logically she knew that this might be the dangerous part, but she had to trust that Vanya had enough control, even when she lost control, not to crush her fingers. An idle, ancient joke about not fisting robots surfaced in her mind, and for a moment she giggled unrepentantly, but quickly swallowed those back and leaned back it. An objective analysis would had to concede that she was more than a bit awkward at what she was trying, but she knew she liked the idea of it, and was sure that she'd get it right with a little bit of work, finding a good rhythm to it. But with her lovers fingers in her sweat soaked hair, Nat managed not to bruise her own chin as she curled her lips over the hood of Vanya's clit while her fingers probed deep into the other girls pussy, basking in the internal heat, quickly growing slick from the efforts.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on September 08, 2022, 12:48:48 AM
[color=limegreen]Lt.  Vanya[/color] | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime attn @Brutus

Vanya let out a small moan as she raised her hips.   She had been called some names in her time in the various budoirs, offices and alleys she had infiltrated but they were never for her; instead they were for the identities that she used to infiltrate the bedrooms, or names spoken in lust as she enjoyed the transactional lifestyle of hedonism in her Federation life.     But to hear Nat call her "babe" was almost as good  as having her probe her hot, emerald flower.     Her fingers were jerky at first, but they were no less welcome or enjoyed,   

Yet still when shenfelt the humans tongue caress her clit, it was like something else.     She had experienced this before, yet the bond between them made it feel like something else.    

Her senses began to take over like never before, usually there had been roughly speaking, an operating system - a voice in her head that didn't control her but acted as a voice reminding her that she was a machine.   That was almost silent now, and growing quieter by the second as the her lover fed her deepening need.        The smells felt more vibrant, shd could hear her pulsing in her own body, and feel it in Nat's.  The small sounds of the Martian tongue against her clit was as we

"Stars, yes" She murmured as she gazed upon Nat going down on her.   She gently squirmed.      "Nnnngggh     Don't stop…".    It was a request for the present frenzied fucking, but also a hope for the rest of their lives together.      
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on October 14, 2022, 05:33:25 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
[Show/Hide]

Natalie could take some small relief in the fact that however Vanya's core programing had been designed, the woman did not, in fact, clench down so hard as to break the human woman's fingers. Though her lover was an impressively tight fit, never did it feel like Nat was in danger of having her fingers crushed, even as her face was smashed into the other woman's cunt. Wet, hot skin pressed into her face, as the Romulan's tight channel rippled and clamped down on her fingers, which were now attempting to scissor back and forth inside the slick channel. Natalie wasn't terribly successful on that count, as tight as her lover was, but still managed to wiggle them about before switching tactics. 

By now she had heard Vanya's pleas for more, to keep going, to not stop. She couldn't really answer, not with words. Instead Natalie allowed herself to groan and hum around the nub of flesh trapped between her lips, vibrations in her throat making their way up to her mouth. Her hips swayed side to side all the more, as her thighs were rubbing together, damp with her need. Shifting again, not able to pull away and not wanting to, her chin dug into her palm and her fingers started rocking back and forth. She managed to get two into her friend, pressing up on the soft, flexible tissue of the Romulans pussy, sliding the pads of her finger tips along the top walls.  The angle was completely different from when Natalie would do this to herself, usually after a particularly frustrating day, or a date that ended up as a total bust. But the idea was the same, and mostly it was just a matter of keeping her arm from collapsing under her as she used those dexterous fingers of hers, doing her damnedest to stroke a fire within Vanya.

Tonight date however... she mused, grinning against her lover. Her. Lover. Oh yes, tonight's date had gone so much better than any other she'd had, and so help her, she was going to do everything she could to drive home the fact that she wanted this, wanted Vanya. Wanted them. If anything she could do there in that moment, that would guarantee that what was happening that night would not be a one time event, then Nat would happily embrace that, and the woman she desperately wanted to make her own.
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Number6 on December 26, 2022, 07:06:36 PM
[ Lt Vanya | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Brutus

The android’s  raven black hair was plastered to her face by perspiration, the same perspiration that coated her body and gave it an almost ethereal glow in the atmospheric lighting of the room that shimmered slightly as the fucking continued from Nat.     

Vanya’s mind was adrift with emotion, the cool operating system, the configurations that gave her the most appropriate emotions she should emulate was gone.   Now her sensations that were overwhelming her as her friend serviced her pussy were totally natural and authentic.   As authentic as any organic, she would later suppose.  In the moment however, in there here and now, Vanya was totally lost  to such abstract detail.   Her emotions built up in such a way as to override any oversight she had over them.   This was real.   The thrill of rebellion love making for the purposes of love, rather than fornication for the purposes of infiltration,     The joy of finding emotional gratification that wasn’t fake, or controlled, but chief amongst any emotion was the move that she felt for Natalie, the one person that completed her emotionally and romantically.  

“Fuck yesssss…”

At last the Android threw back her head as she  felt it within her, the passion of the moment finally exploding.    The Romulan flower wrapped around Nat’s fingers quivered as she finally reached her climax.    The warm fire from Vanya’s core squirting over her the Martian’s fingers.  

Moments passed, the Android’s mind clearing slightly, but possessing no desire to move things on.   Instead she laid there for moments in silience, the look on her face as she gazed upon her busty Martian partner saying more than any words could.    And yet, in that moment, as she lay there, slick, spent and content there was only one phrase that she could utter to the other woman. 

“I love you”
Title: Re: Day 17 [1800 hrs.] Come Sail Away
Post by: Brutus on January 03, 2023, 04:52:33 AM
 [Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Down River | Small Sail Boat | Aldea Prime ]Attn: @Number6  
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More and more, the Martian was getting lost in the moment, her thoughts and feelings a rush of wand and need and the urgent, pressing desire to be the one that brought her friend - her girlfriend, her lover - to fulfillment. She wanted so desperately to make Vanya cum, even though she'd never done something like this with a woman. Only ever fumbled around with a man in the cramped confines of a Jefferies tube, or darker moments she refused to allow herself to think about in this moment. She wished to wash it all away and replace it with the building joy that she felt, even as her jaw ached and throbbed, as her fingers were crushed tightly, wiggling deep inside the warm, wet channel that was Vanya's pussy.

I'm fingering Vanya. I'm licking her pussy. Oh. My. God. The reality of it nearly took her breath away as she moaned, eyes fluttering, looking up the Romulan woman's body. Android or not, she could see the skin flushing green all over, she could feel the trembling in the other woman's limbs. Taste the arousal on her tongue, which swirled over that perfect nub. In the low light of their borrowed bedroom below decks she could see the sweat glistening on Vanya's skin. This was her fault. It was all because of her. Because Vanya wanted her, and because she was pleasing Vanya. Oh my god. Oh my god. Come on babe, come on, she thought the words, she half mumbled them against the other woman's cunt. Maybe that was what did the trick in the end?

In any event, Natalie felt those walls that had so snuggly clasped her fingers flutter and quiver, rippling up and down, as if trying to milk them. Not that Natalie could have imagined it before, but it felt like the entire got even hotter, as if her lovers core was going to scorch her. Liquid heat splashed over her fingers, dribbled against her own lip, trickling onto her tongue. She swallowed out of habit, tasting her girlfriends climax for the first time. Again, her head swam with the moment. This was all so much.

Eventually it ended. All things did. Her own orgasm had ended in bliss, as they stumbled down the stairs after. Now, Natalie slowly extracted herself from between her girlfriends legs, fingers ghosting over flushed green petals of Vanya's folds, trailing a wet track over the girls belly button and under the swell of her bust. She wanted to touch the Romulan, to reassure herself that Vanya was there. That she had done this to her. Turned her into a sweaty, slick mess. She's so beautiful. Is this all for me?

Focus came back to the android, and Natalie felt her pride swell at having done all that to her. Grinning, she rose up to her knees, only to pause as she got lost in her lovers gaze. And then the words. Those words. Her own eyes blinked once. Twice. Three times. Her brain did a bit of a short circuit, blanking out, before it fired into over drive. Did she? Did Vanya just...did I hear that? I did. I did. Oh. Oh wow oh wwwooow.

Swallowing, she bit her lip for a moment, sitting back, her bum on her heels. She was an absolute mess, sweat soaked, hair everywhere, cheeks shining with the other woman's juices. And yet....and yet. 

"I...oh. Vanya. I...yes. I do too." I do too? Really? You can do better than that you coward. "Love you too."

-FIN-
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