Star Trek: Theurgy

OOC: this topic begins 30 minutes after miles left Transporter Room 01 in the Epilogue.  Characters who are invited are any members of the Lone Wolves and anyone who wishes to visit the below decks area during that time so the thread is technically open to anyone who wanders in  except Khorin since he is still unconscious in the sickbay at this time .  Remember this is taking place 30 minutes after the transporter room scene so if your character is on duty at this time they probably won't be wandering in.

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Below decks was a complete mess. Unlike other parts of the ship, this was one of the least critical and, as such, had received little to no repairs since the chaos that had taken place.  Tables were moved around, chairs askew, and the bar was a scratched up from what appeared to be scuff marks and fingernail scratches.  "The hell happened here? Th'Place looks like the site of a Klingon orgy!  Or a average Vulpinian party," he thought aloud looking at the state of the place.  It had been cleaned somewhat, that he was sure of.  The bar looked wiped down, the floors were near immaculate, but no one bothered to reset the tables and chairs. It was like someone had just moved things out of the way to clean up spilled drinks and food residue from a wild party and never bothered to put the stuff back up.  Nor, did they bother to restock the shelves of broken glassware and missing bottles.

The Vulpinian himself had shown up in his natural, more animal like and furred, form wearing his off duty clothes which was the flight jacket variant of his attire.   He began to move one of the larger tables over to  one of the simulated windows and sat four chairs around it.  He looked at the simulated windows noticing them slightly malfunctioning from some visible damage done to them. 

He walked over to the replicator and he pressed a few buttons giving him a display of his replicator rations.  Unfortunately it showed none and showed him still on the record as missing and or killed in action. This wasn't surprising to him.  There were more pertinent things to deal with on the ship than update crew logs with his recovery.  Remembering the shower he had taken earlier,  he felt he was extremely lucky to have found his quarters in the state he had left it in.  "Computer update log, Lieutenant Miles Renard recovered from MIA. Location while missing, Theurgy transporter buffer. confirm recovery by scan of transporter logs and await update of Lieutenant Miles Renard access codes," Miles said then waited a few seconds. 

The computer responded with a chime as a display came up stating for him to update his access codes. "Lock below decks doors for security of authorization code. Lieutenant Miles Renard authorization Beta Sigma Four Two Eight Four. Log code."  The computer seemed to chime its response updating information and showing Miles his updated replicator rations.  "Thanks Thea, I knew you'd understand."  he said quietly before continuing "Unlock the below decks doors." 

He walked over to the area behind the bar and looked around as he found what he wanted.  He grabbed the bottle of Vulpinian hard cider and was thrilled to see that in whatever chaos had came it had remained unscathed. He also picked up three traditionally shaped earth style wine glasses.  Finally he took it all back to the table and sat down to wait for the others who would arrive.

Technically Skye was off duty now so since the meeting was over and she'd been dismissed otherwise, she headed straight for her cabin.  It was small with just her bunk, dresser, desk, small closet, and tiny bathroom with sink, toilet, and shower.  In a way she'd had more space on the Valkyrie which wasn't saying much and in just the short time she was there to change into some jeans and a t-shirt she was already feeling like the walls were closing in on her.

With that feeling came the images of Andrus and his suite that would easily take up half a deck here, the deep tub and huge bed with silken sheets.  Her days had been filled with healing and relaxation while her nights had been torrid, always falling asleep in his arms and waking up next to him in some wonderful fashion.  Once she'd left, there'd only been an aching loneliness though the time away had allowed her to realize it wasn't really love she felt for Andrus, only comfort and lust.

It could have easily turned to that if she hadn't kept thinking about her fellow Wolves and felt the instinct to get back to them, even if she hadn't gotten to know any of them that well yet.  Loyalty was just something that came easily to Skye and once she'd been accepted into the ranks she could never give them less than her all.  Coming back to the mess and finding out some of them had been lost hurt more than she'd thought it would but now another was home again.

There was no time to be mournful or give in to the rising phobia though and she gave herself a mental kick in the ass.  Skye didn't really walk, more stalked through the walkways with a light sway of hips yet too powerful to be called a saunter, to the turbolift that would take her to Below Decks.  Once there, her eyebrows rose at the destruction.  "I've only gone to the mess hall for meals and other times been working on the ships," she stated to Miles.  "While necessary, the fun parts are always left for last."

Turning the chair around, she swung her leg over and sat there with her arms propped on the back.  "I can't imagine what it was like for you stuck in the buffer all that time," she stated.  "Glad you're back, just wish things weren't so fucked up in so many ways."  Glancing at the bottle he'd taken, her curiosity got the better of her.  "So ... no Jim Beam huh?" she asked with a grin.  "Though a welcome back should be done with something more sophisticated than old earth bourbon."

[Nathan Isley - Below Decks]

Isley had returned to his own quarters to change out of his uniform and into something that felt a little more comfortable.  A pair of dark jeans and a navy blue t-shirt proved perfect, the shirt displaying his hardened, toned physique in a way he liked.  He worked hard on his body, and liked to display it in a way that caught the eye of the opposite sex.  Their glances, paired with a suggestive smile, was often enough to tell him his efforts were worthwhile.  That body had proven capable of interesting at least two women on-board the Theurgy so far, with Nathan having a romantic encounter with the former Commander Nerina, as well as the female form of Jien.  Part of him was still undecided how to feel about that one, given the fact that the shapeshifter was either genderless or both genders.  While in female form though, she was all woman.

The doors of Below Decks slid open, and he got his first look at the aftermath.  Between the damage the ship took while inertial dampeners were running at a bare minimum, and whatever might have occurred inside with infected crewmen, the social centerpiece of the Theurgy wasn't in the best shape.  Bill Regal would have made it a mission to get the place fixed up, but he was in stasis following the outbreak, leaving Below Decks without a proprietor.

"So ... no Jim Beam huh?"  He heard the voice of Skye, stating her own preference of drink, as he caught sight of the bottle being held by Lieutenant Renard.  "Anything is good, just so long as it isn't Klingon Blood Wine," Isley stated, walking over to join the pair for the drink.  He drink he mentioned was about the only one he had ever found he didn't like.  Everything had to be an endurance match for Klingons, even as far as their alcohol, which proved a chore to ingest at best.

He laughed softly as he looked at his bottle, "Trust me this is far from sophisticated. Also this this is part of my personal stash that I had them keep in here.  Seems senior officers are the only ones allowed to keep the real stuff hidden in their own quarters.  The rest of us either have to make due with synthahol or hope that below decks has something real. "  he smirked as he handed her the bottle he had. "I found that a way to bypass those rules was to make sure to know where your ship's least heavily regulated lounge is and see if the bartender will accept a donation of whatever you have in private and make sure you have some extra stored in the cargo bay under the allowed regulations just in case the crew takes a liking to your stuff.  Given that after whatever happened in here, that it's still here, should give you a clue as to its reputation."

He smirked as he opened the bottle and an intense smell like rotten fruit seemed to wash over the table as he laughed softly,  "Vulpinian Cider, If you can stomach a glass of this, then nothing aerobatic will make you blow."  He said softly as he poured a bit of the stuff into a glass.  The color was a color like a dark apple juice and the smell was a horrible kind of rotting, sweet, fruity, smell, "Basically its made in the most primitive method of fermentation.  I won't bore you with the details, but if you have heard of an alcoholic drink jokingly called fox piss.  Well lets just say, we even call it that now.  It only even exists on our world still because well let's just say boneheaded pilots love their initiation rites."  he said with a shrug. "so you two, up for a challenge?" He then added, "And, trust me After you get a sip of this stuff you'll be praying to be allowed to wash it out with bloodwine."

[Nathan Isley - Below Decks]

The way he described it, it certainly didn't sound like anything that a person would want to drink.  The heightened Vulcan sense of smell didn't make matters any better for him.  At the founding of Starfleet, a Vulcan could hardly tolerate a human's scent, let alone the powerful concoction that Renard had opened.  Still, Isley wasn't the kind of man to back down from a challenge, be it a death defying maneuver in a fighter or just drinking something which had at least put hair on the chest of the Vulpinians.  "So long as it isn't fatal, I don't see why not," he stated, looking to Miles for some sort of confirmation that it wasn't.  He was serving it, so it shouldn't have been . . . yet Isley needed some kind of comforting confirmation.

When Miles opened the bottle, one side of Skye's nose curled upward but otherwise she seemed to be keeping an open mind.  She'd smelled worse that's for sure though there was no doubt this wasn't going to be pleasant.  "People back home tended to call beer cow piss and there's a few things that tasted like old jet fuel.  I've had Gagh a couple of times which definitely takes a bit of getting used to," she said with a bit of a shiver.  "I'm afraid my joke of 'slimy yet satisfying' didn't go over so well," she quipped.

Holding the glass up close to her eyes and looking at the liquid rather dubiously, Skye sniffed it and it certainly didn't get any better.  "Kinda wish this was in a shot glass and I had some salt and a wedge of lime," she stated.  "Well Sir," she said lifting her glass to Isley, "I'd say toss it back and pray it stays down."  Without hesitation, she did just that to take the challenge.  Maybe it was partly because she was female or just that she didn't want to be the last one but as usual she charged right ahead.

In an instant the glass was at her lips and the fluid splashed back with a quick follow through of a hard swallow.  Slowly the glass descended to the table and she sat there with an expression reminiscent of someone about to start a fist fight but she remained quiet as she waited for the other two to take their drink.

Miles smirked, "this is weak stuff, it just tastes like what would happen if an apple could piss in a bottle.  As for safety, it's been boiled for inoculation and there is nothing dangerous in it Its basically just really really bad cider."  he said taking the glass then drinking the whole thing and swallowing it with a half disgusted look and putting the glass down calmly to walk away from the scene of the crime so to speak "I think its worse when you already know what it tastes like." 

He smirked to himself as he looked around the back side of the bar and smirked seeing a small compartment and opened it, "Jackpot." He said as looked towards the other two, "You know I should'a known that jackass Regal would try and hide away the good stuff from my stash."  He said looking into the stash that regal seemed to have kept as more a private reserve at least 75 percent of which Miles had actually gotten into the bar on the ship rather than Regal owning it.  "So any requests so far other than Jim? Cause I unfortunately don't have that label in here.  As for Whiskys, looks like I have one of Jim's brothers from the Kentucky region.  I have Jim's cousin from Tennessee as well, a distant relative from Canada, and a one of his ancestors from the Highlands.  Any preference Ma'am?"

After a bit Skye didn't have quite the fetid taste in her mouth, deciding she would leave the Vulpine drink to the Vulpine who could appreciate it more though she did glance toward Isley wondering if he was ever going to take his drink.  A nasty sounding snicker erupted when Miles said it tasted worse once you knew what it tasted like and she nodded with a crooked grin.  "Aye, I think you're right about that one, Sir," she stated and licked her lips to try to rid the taste but was obviously unsuccessful.

Watching Miles duck behind the bar gave her a chance to look in a direction that kept Isley in her view, not a bad thing at all.  She knew what those broad shoulders looked like uncovered, the way he tapered down to those powerful hips.  The glance on the view screen of the Captain's Yacht had been enough to set her imagination into warp drive of things she hadn't seen.  Unconsciously her thighs tightened along the chair she was straddled, almost as if she were riding the object of her sudden daydream.

When Miles started spouting off the drinks he could find behind the bar she snapped out of the haze, very conscious that the tip of her tongue had been prodding the tip of her little finger which she pulled from between her teeth as she sat more upright.  Off duty or not, this was not the time for thoughts like that and especially not about someone who wasn't interested in her in the least.  "If you don't have Jim, then Jack'll do.  If it's not Jack, hell I'll take any of those right now." 

[Nathan Isley]

"Pour me a shot of something strong to chase this with," Isley stated, figuring any of the Earth liquors named off by Miles was well suited.  When the shot glass was in front of him, and the liquid beginning to pour, he tipped back the Vulpinian concoction and ridded the glass of it's contents.  No sooner did the wine glass touch the table did he grab the shot and tip that back as well.  As a result of quick reflexes, he had only about a half second of tasting Renard's personal drink before his throat was set on fire by a more traditional human drink.  A deep breath exhaled from Nathan's nose as he set the shot glass back down.

"No offense, Renard, but I think I'll leave the Vulpinian drinks to the Vulpinians from now on."  He looked over to Skye, to see if they were in agreement on that.  The glance gave him a moment to check her out in the process, admiring the fine figure she had in her possession.  Sturdy yet sexy, not some skinny little model like the 21st Century had come to hold as a standard, but a voluptuous sight to behold.  Years of checking out women allowed his glance to pass by quick enough to not seem unusual.  He wasn't staring, but merely acknowledging her presence for a moment.

Skye had taken the shot as soon as Miles set it on the table in front of her and tossed it in her mouth but let it rest there with her head tilted slightly back, eyes closed as she let the alcohol swirl over her mouth and tongue to burn away the now dubbed 'apple piss'.  Then she took a deep chest expanding breath and swallowed, her nose wriggling slightly as she felt the burn all the way down to her stomach before allowing the breath to exhale slowly and steadily out her pursed lips.  "Mmmmmm, much better," she stated with a little huskier tone as she set the shot down with only her thumb and middle finger creating a soft tick.  "Now if I just had a quarter," she chuckled and flicked her fingers.

A lopsided smirk formed at Isley's glancing inquiry and her head was nodding agreement with him before she even spoke again.  "Sad to say it Miles ol' buddy but yeeeaaaaah ... gonna leave that one juuuuust for you," she winked at both men.  "There are all sorts of horrid drinks and one I was introduced to at the Academy is the one I think you should try next," she stated as she gave a little shiver.  "It's a shot of Bailey's and before you swallow, bite into and suck the juice out of a wedge of lime," she stated.  "If you can swallow that, you can swallow just about anything.  Just don't drink too many different things in one sitting though ... hell of a hangover the next day."

Miles had brought over a couple of drinks for them to chose from. Out of what he had mentioned he brought over the bottle of the Famous old number 7 as requested as well as a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label.  He poured a shots worth of the Jack for each of them, which they both drank imediately to chase the awful cider like liquid.  He himself had begun pouring himself a tumbler of the scotch and smirked having brought over a couple extra tumblers and shot glasses for them to use.  He Looked at the two as he walked over to the waste bin and threw the whole bottle of what remained of the cider into it.  "Trust me I don't think I'll even be touching that crap again. That was my third glass ever and it's my last... Ironic that I said that the first two times as well."

He had noticed the way the two seemed to eye each other and smirked, "So what happened while I was gone. For some reason people seem to be acting very awkward around each other since I came out of the buffer.  What happened, someone leak medical files on what everyone looked like naked or something?"

[Nathan Isley]

"If only it were that simple," Isley responded, giving another look to Skye, this one more of a shared acknowledgement of what they had gone through to save the Theurgy from the Outbreak.  "You might wanna pour yourself another drink, this is a long story."

Nathan took Miles through the details, starting with the discovery of the planet Niga, and explaining the symptoms of the viral infection, how those taken by it roamed naked through the halls, copulating indiscriminately with one another.  It must have sounded like the plot of some erotic Holonovel, but what made it so disturbing was having to work alongside those same people again, almost none of them able to remember what they done, or who they were with.  Skye and Nathan were among the rare few uninfected, retaining perfect memory of everything that occurred, though at least Skye got to spend it in the cocpit of her ship, safe from the hungry eyes and arms of the infected.  Isley had to evade a very tempting Andorian on two separate occasions.

Seeing the look pass from Isley to herself from Miles, Skye poured herself another shot and downed it to occupy a moment of time.  They were there to celebrate Miles' homecoming and not cast glances like junior high students.  His comment about awkwardness and then naked was enough for a snicker to slip and she looked away from both men and then turned back without too much of a smirk herself.  She didn't really feel awkward around anyone but of course hadn't been naked with anyone here either.

So she let Isley take the lead on the story, letting him know she'd tell about her time away some other time.  "Yeah, I was pretty much spared everything about the virus other than a bit of viewing of Isley and said blue bi--"  A pause then "Pardon me, Than'ida," she said and looked around the empty room double checking to make sure she wasn't around to hear the almost-insult.  Even when not infected, the little before she went MIA, the Andorian had always seemed to look down on her which rankled.

"I was literally not involved until the last ... shit it seemed like it took forever but it was probably only about thirty minutes to an hour.  When it was over the Relativity wouldn't even let me near any ships and I guess in a way they spared me.  I know I didn't want anywhere near Than'Ida," she said with a bit of an embarrassed laugh.  "I'm still trying to avoid her because I doubt she appreciated me calling her Smurfette and a great many other things I was saying to try to distract her from ... Mr. Isley here."

After all that time alone she'd wanted desperately to at least stand next to someone and yet she'd been forced to cool her heels on Kestrel for three more hours until they deemed it safe for her to dock.  Even then people had either acted as if she weren't there or scampered away from her.  It had hurt and since then it had still been lonely as hell.  No wonder she was acting like a school girl at the moment.  It felt like a school dance where she was waiting by the punch bowl for someone to just talk to her.  Another bit of whiskey was poured but this time she sipped as she worked at the sore spot within her.

Miles looked over, "Well at least now I wont be shocked when i read about what happened in the debriefing." he said suprised at the events then smiled, "Good thing i was trapped in the buffer then, plants with pheromone based scents, yeaa..."  He paused.  "As you can tell my species is very, well, canine in nature, by Terran terms.  As such we have very good senses of smell.  If it was hard on you as a Vulcan to control your passions in the field of scents, controlling my own arousal would have been near headache caused insanity inducing.  also what, a Timeship, seriously.  That's just not right, I have been working on my "Doctor" for years in-case I ran into a temporal scenario."

He then heard he reference to the Andorian deputy security chief and laughed. "Wait, are you saying that You watched on a view screen as The deputy security chief in an hormone frenzy made the Vulcan-boy strip, and then attempted to literally try an fuck his brains out.  Its worse than i thought.  No wonder there's a sexual tension between the two of you that's so thick a knife can cut it."

Skye had only known miles for a very short time before he disappeared and had forgotten how blunt he could be at times.  His observation voiced was timed perfectly as she tried to take another sip of whiskey and caught her completely off guard, sending her into a coughing and sputtering fit that made her rise from her chair and stalk away for a minute while she got the spasms to stop.  She stood there a few moments more, fanning herself and clearing her throat a few times to at least work the raw sensation even distributed rather than the one line of the alcohol's trail.

Finally she was able to regain her composure and returned to the table, sitting rather carefully and like she just might bolt if necessary.  "First of all," she whispered hoarsely and then cleared her throat again with a shake of her head.  "He was clothed until a point when he got her to agree to help release the clamps to eject the warp core and then it was only his shirt.  Apparently her blue ass hit the panel and turned the view screen on because I seriously didn't want to see her naked.  Sorry, it did absolutely nothing for me ... except make me want to vomit."

Taking a different angle to avoid the at least one-sided truth that had set her off in the first place, she focused all of her attention on Miles.  "That plant thing was some nasty mojo," she said reaching and tossing back the shot.  "If everyone was acting the way she was, and from what I heard some things were actually worse and deadly, then I think you and I are both mighty lucky to have been out of reach.  That planet was in serious need of some Weed B Gone or a troop of huge bush hogs, I'm tellin' ya."

[Nathan Isley]

"It wasn't easy.  I'm sure some will joke about all they missed on-board eventually, but for those who went through it, it was no laughing matter.  Knowing that all it took was one kiss, one wrong bit of contact to make you lose control of yourself and become like everyone else . . . I'd imagine there will be some members of the crew unable to face others for some time."  It was one thing to go into an act willingly, but to be infected by something that made you hunger for it over all logical thinking?  To make you walk around naked, just looking for another piece of flesh to meld with?  It was like losing yourself to some purely-organic version of the Borg, assimilating all the matter it could find to make itself grow and give access to more orifices to plug.

He nodded, "I didn't mean to make light of it.  I just meant to say that It's no wonder that the two of you seem to have a degree of tension that is more unusual than in most times.  That, and it does seem to explain the degrees of apprehension among others on the ship towards each other.  What I was basically saying was that I understand why there could be a degree of sexual tension and possible curiosity between the two of you.  I don't know if I am correct in this assumption but based on the two of your body languages over the last few minutes the two of you seem very possibly interested in each other."  he then added.  "In other words, I think both of you should stop flirting around the issue and start flirting with each other.  Of course I could be dead wrong."

If ever there was a time to bolt, now would be a good opportunity.  She'd danced away from the subject and he'd brought it right back which left her feeling distinctly awkward.  No matter what she said it would be incriminating or used against her in jest.  They were her teammates and she expected having a bit of the mickey taking out of her but this was touching something very personal for her, yet she knew she couldn't run from them.

With a bit of a pursing of her lips, she rolled the shot glass between her fingers.  "You were in the pattern buffer a long time but it seemed like only seconds," she stated quietly.  "I was out in the black for weeks with no one around, wanting and needing somewhat just to talk to me.  Hearing just the hum of the ship ... it's hard to take right now and when I could finally be around the crew they couldn't tolerate closeness because of what they'd been through."

Looking at Isley, she gave a soft half-smile.  "You were the first person I had contact with even if it was a bad situation.  When I wanted to fly away, I knew you were struggling and needed help and I couldn't leave you behind, especially knowing what Than'Ida was trying to do to you.  When you agreed to be with her to get her help, I felt like I'd failed anyway and the thought of being alone again absolutely terrified me."  It cost her to admit these things, knowing how weak she looked.

"I haven't been able to sleep much since I got back, mostly catching naps in the mess hall when there are others around or sleeping in Kestrel where I can hear people working on third shift.  I'm sort of at a point where I don't know if I'm reaching for attraction or reaching for comfort," she stated and then looked at Isley again.  "You are quite an attractive man ... the beard and all," she added with a wave of her hand indicating those broad shoulders.

"God I look and sound like a loon about now," she half-laughed and looked away with a shake of her head.  Where was the Skye that would have made passes and outright offers?  Where had her personal confidence gone?  Now that she'd admitted her attraction, she turned back to Miles.  "Besides, we're supposed to be celebrating you being back and not talking about love lives or lack thereof," she snorted trying to regain some of her usual brashness.

Nathan could never understand the loneliness that Skye must have endured.  He always managed to find himself some company, to the point where he had gained a reputation on most of the ships and colonies he had lived on.  He was a player, finding himself in a strangers bed more often then not.  He had never gone long without human connection, able to take something as simple as a conversation for granted.  That was something Ensign carver couldn't do, not as she was now.  She craved to have people near, someone to tell her she was alone again.

"I can't say I personally understand that kind of loneliness, Carver, but I can understand why you want to stay close to other people.  It couldn't have been easy."  He took a drink from his shot glass, downing one of the Black Label this time.  "I'll thank you for the compliments too, beard and all.  I'll also shoot it back at you, and say you are definitely an attractive woman . . . worth more then the brief glance I got earlier."

Looking back to Miles, he tapped the table in front of him, asking for a refill on his drink.  "Now, I don't think you want to listen to me and her flirting, so maybe we should steer the conversation another direction.  How about a toast to the squad members who can't be here drinking with us tonight?"

Miles smiled, "Now that I can get behind." He poured them each a small bit of scotch and raised his glass, "To the lone wolves, those who are on duty, those off duty in stasis or recovering, and lest we never forget those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for Lady Thea."  he said raising the glass in a traditional human style toast.

((OOC: sorry for the short post))

Skye's eyes glazed over as Miles toasted, the mention of those lost taking her mind back to the day she watched her patrol partner's Valkyrie explode and the concussive force disabled her own ship leading to a moment of bliss then weeks of solitude.  Lt. Josh Reynolds, rash and yet a fast friend would never return and when she raised her glass, her lips uttered "to Josh."  She felt the sting of the different drink but it was a reminder she was still alive and able to continue her service to her team and the Theurgy.

The impromptu celebration of the three of them, while at times embarrassing or brought up harsh memories, had turned out to be quite a therapeutic meeting for Skye.  It had offered her at least a little time of companionship but also a chance to finally admit to some things that were deeply affecting her, the inability to let down her guard had been compounding her feelings of isolation.  She trusted her teammates on duty but now she was slowly starting to trust the people behind the visors out of the cockpit.

"Let's keep 'em coming," Nathan agreed, seeing no point in stopping the drinks now.  They could find their small talk to fill things out, but the important part was to just enjoy their drinking, to know they earned it by living to fight another day.  For Skye and Nathan, it was questionable if they would have made it through the Outbreak, but they had done it, and that alone was worth celebrating.

As the party continued, he brought up something they could all share in common.  They were all pilots, and they all used the same machine.  "I wanna know, you guys think the Valkryie is good enough?"  He had joined the Theurgy simply to fly the most advanced fighter in the Federation, but now that Starfleet was their enemy, would it be enough?  They could build more Valkyrie, outnumber them entirely.  If they upgraded the machines, or even found a successor to the fighter through original design, it could give them an advantage.  "We've all flown one, so we should ask ourselves what needs to be better.  That's how things improve around here, right?"

He nodded, "I had thought about it myself.  I was one of the test pilots when these babies were in development.  I may sound a bit defensive of them, but I don't know many ways they could be improved on. Not without sacrificing the necessary power from other systems that in testing we found the power was needed in.   For instance, the warp engines are a little lacking, but that's because if you tax them much further then you don't have the power to immediately be in combat as soon as you exit from warp.  They are very agile but I do think that there is room for improvement in, but that would require diverting power from either the weapons systems the shield grid or sacrificing impulse for tighter cornering.  If there were anything I would advocate it would be a more intuitive means to shunt power between systems to have the power where you need it on the fly."  he said as he took a few sips of his scotch and sighed. "Frankly It would be hard to improve on the fighter.  At least given current Federation technology."

"Maybe we have to start thinking beyond Federation technology."  That kind of thinking was more suited to Engineers, but they could only find a way to make it work.  It was the pilots who had to fly the things, so they had to have some input on what could make the Valkyrie fly better.  "They say when Voyager returned from the Delta Quadrant, it had a lot of new technology on it.  Some of it had to be locked away by Starfleet Intelligence.  Dunno why, but the rumors say it had to do with the Temporal Prime directive.  Either way, I heard talk that Federation shipyards were already starting work on a successor ship to the Intrepid-class, and who knows what else?  The Theurgy-class could be yesterday's news before we know it."

Isley put forth a theory, though it all hinged on what the science teams had done during the aftermath of the Outbreak.  "If there are scans of the USS Relativity when it was here, who knows what we might learn from it.  This was a ship five hundred years more advanced then our own.  Technically, I don't think it would be a violation of the Prime Directive if we figure out the scans on our own.  We could need every edge we can get if we are making an enemy of Starfleet."

Miles shook his head, "As tempting as that sounds, no.  I was there when voyager returned.   The tech it had was a kind of ablative armor.  It was unlike any I had seen.  Rumors say it was indeed from a different timeline of the Federation's future.  However, the less classified augmentations were not from the future.  They were Borg augmentations."  he said tempted to agree but knowing messing with temporal incursions was an area that was treading on very thin ice. 

He finally smirked as he spoke up again. hearing the statement that the Theurgy-class could be yesterdays news. "Far from the opposite, the Theurgy-class is still experimental tech as far as the Federation brass goes. They are still trying to figure out how to make bio neural packs cost effective, and how to make MVAM cost effective given the duplicate bridges, XO quarters, captains quarters, and multiple med bays.  The Theurgy-class is too expensive to mass produce in the end. We are on board a warship that belonged to a fleet of exploratory and science vessels.  We do have a lot to worry about in that way, But I agree and we should always improve.  However, the method you are suggesting is unethical, and, well lets face it, don't you think a time-ship would have tech to cloud sensor readings to prevent such a thing?"

"Just because there was Borg technology doesn't mean it can't be adapted for use by Starfleet.  Not only that, but that future technology they had might have been locked up, but that doesn't mean whoever saw it might not have been . . . inspired."  They could have been working on their own version of Ablative Armor or Transphasic Torpedoes, using knowledge from the current timeline.It was Isley's belief that whenever something more advanced came along, there were always others working on top of it.  "On Earth, there was something called Moore's Law, which said that processing power in computers doubled every year.  The Theurgy-class was originally designed in the mid 2370's.  It's 2381 now, and you don't think they have more tricks up their sleeve since then?  Especially when there was been interference from the future?  Who knows what kind of effect that will have on how Starfleet and the Federation develop technologically."

This was the time when Skye became quiet, sipping her drink and letting the men begin the debate.  There were good points on both sides but she was more inclined to agree with Isley.  Just because something was from the future didn't mean it wasn't developed right in their current timeline.  Seeing something or imagining it then bringing it to fruition was just how things worked.

Skye wanted more speed, more power, more maneuverability ... yeah, she was a woman and wanted it all damn it.  There were species out there that could vaporize them in an instant and quibbling about ethics, especially when it was already Federation property, wasn't high on her list.  She did have to admit there had to be a limit though or things could run amok quite quickly.

All this brought a bit of amusement to Skye even though it was quite a serious topic.  Perhaps it was not the right time but it brought to mind an old earth quote from a movie she quite enjoyed.  According to Captain Barbosa, the Code is more what you call guidelines than actual rules.  Of course he was a pirate which was sort of the point Miles was trying to make.  "Arrrrgh," she muttered and smirked as she knocked back another.

"Oh sorry i think you misunderstood why i brought up the borg tech on the Voyager.  I brought it up is because i think thats the stuff we could get ahold of the info on.  You see since its enemy tech not future tech its probably a bit less classified.  Even if you are looking for Gold, don't ignore a vein of Iron."  He said clarifying that he thought they should use the Borg tech not that they shouldn't. 

"As for the ethics of using future tech.  Frankly, I think the present is ours.  That future of theirs is but one possibility.  All I am saying Is, If you are saved by a dragon,  don't steal its treasure.  You might end up making a powerful enemy.  Or, in other words, the time-police are watching our every move at the moment; let's do our best to not even get a parking ticket."  he said explaining his reasoning for his caution.

"One important thing to always remember is that rules are there for a reason. Just because we are being chased through space like a group of common pirates doesn't mean we should start acting like them."  he then added, "But in many cases always remember. Those directives are meant as a guiding hand not a forceful push."  he then smirked and added, "For instance did you know that my people's discovery of the Federation was a violation of the prime-directive, as we had not yet obtained warp flight and was interference in a civil war between my people."

"Part of me has always wondered if there was ever some time traveller from the future who went back in time and dropped something on the ground that led to all this.  Left behind a tricorder that led to the development of the first Warp engine, that led to Zephram Cochrane building the first interstellar ship.  There's been a history of Predestination paradoxes before.  The crew of the Enterprise dealt with such cases, which makes me wonder if the Temporal Prime Directive will cause a problem one day.  We'll be prevented from making something happen that should have happened."  It was talk that went beyond his training as a Fighter Pilot.  As quick as it entered, it was gone again, washed underneath another shot glass of Jack.  "I should just leave the thinking to the thinkers, and stick to the flying.  I'll get the most out of the Valkryie I can and then start telling the Engineers where it needs to be better."

he laughed, "Oh you think that's bad We know about the more famous recorded cases of time travel. I mean...Hell! remember when they found out that Quark From DS9 and a few buddies with a Ferengi trade shuttle turned out to be the famous Terran 1950's Roswell Incident."  He then took another sip and sighed, "Here's the funny part, the 29th century Federation does what it has to to protect itself from being unmade. They do this under a blanket term of the Temporal prime directive.  They say that they try and stop any time meddling, but yet some examples of time travel they purposefully do prevent from happening.  For instance everyone knows that in in the late 20th century to early 21st century Transparent aluminum was invented after Montgomery Scott traded the tech for transparent aluminum from the future In order to get their whale cage built.  Funny thing is the personal mobile computers of those who stole that Bird of Prey including Captain James Kirk show that transparent aluminum was invented during the late years of the Eugenics wars instead thus that unchanged computer exists as an artifact proving that they changed history and exists as a tangible object from the alternate timeline that they came from originally."

He continued taking another sip as he raised a finger, "Now, If Kirk had not interfered with history that probe could have destroyed much of the earth's population, potentially spelling doom for the Federation's structure as we know it.   Therefore if the relativity truly exists to not cause history to be meddled with, then they would have went back and prevented the changes from the timeline from happening. However, they did not they let that happen and let time be changed so that their future can come to pass.  Clearly they do not uphold the current model of the Temporal Prime Directive, but instead uphold a variant that says they will ensure that nothing happens to threaten the future as they recognize it.  Not that i am complaining about their help but don't you think its funny that they choose to not interfere with acts of time travel that help make their future a reality. but prevent those that change their future. Clearly they are not acting in a neutral way to preserve the time-stream as it naturally would flow, but to preserve their time-stream and make sure it occurs." he then shrugged, "Or at least that's how it looks from a casual observer."

"I think I understand now why Admiral Janeway gets so frustrated with Temporal Paradox.  I saw her give a speech on her encounters with time travel, and just trying to explain it seemed to give her a colossal migraine.  Apparently, the 29th Century actually referred to inadvertent interference by Starfleet officers as the Janeway factor, after so many run-ins with the Voyager crew.  She wasn't particularly flattered by the title, knowing how much the Timeship officers viewed her with annoyance for her temporal incursions."  Was there voyage to be the same?  The Relativity had already been involved in their affairs once, responding to trouble from another temporal agent meddling with the past.  How many more times would they deal with time travel during their lengthy voyage to save the Federation from an insidious invader?

"To serve under Captain Janeway was one of my biggest daydreams when I was a teenager," Skye stated with obvious admiration of the woman.  "She was one who did whatever it took to keep her crew safe and bring them home.  I don't think there's ever been anyone with as much determination and fire as her.  Sometimes there are situations that call for something not in Starfleet's books but you have to take that action for the benefit of others.  Sort of like you, Miles," she stated with a rueful expression.

"I know you're okay with what happened ... being grounded ... but I still think it's not fair.  None of us would be alive if you hadn't acted the way you did."  She was silent a moment then and raised her refilled shot glass.  "It is an honor serving with you and a privilege to call you friend," she saluted him and then slowly drank the contents.  "I think in addition to thinking of what we can do to improve our ships, we should think about ways to improve how we work as a team so maybe something like what happened to you won't happen again."

"Time," Miles said with a smirk as he began to speak in his best english style accent which was really good in fact his voice sounded like one that should have been speaking in one instead of the US like accent he had.  "People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." He said quoting the very character who's actor he had chosen the appearance of for his human form.  "Ya know I think those Brits may have been onto something in back in the 21st century."

After taking a sip and listening to Skye he added, "It isn't as simple as that Skye.  But thank you for the kind words,  Janeway is quite the captain and to be compared to her in any way is an honor.  However, my actions could have ended horribly. The SCO had to put the squadron into a different formation than usual and the results could have thrown the squadron into disarray.  I broke formation in a way that could have left my wingman vulnerable.  Upon thinking back on the events, a better tactic would have been a change of actions upon discovery of the two Defiant types  I will stand by my call to scramble as that would not be a real breach of protocol.  I saw a danger that no-one else could see literally, and I issued a scramble command as an emergency tactic.  After that though I should have suggested to the SCO that we fall back to the Theurgy advised the Captain as a squadron that the best tactic would be to work as a 19 ship wing with 5 to 6 valks escorting each Vector of the Theurgy in MVA mode.  This tactic would have been much safer and would have probably resulted in no ships lost."  he said plainly speaking with the tone of not just some young fighter pilot but in the way a squad commander would. 

His calmness was eerie.  That same kind of calmness that a commander had to have when ordering a crewman to their death.  It was clear in his eyes and in the way he talked and carried himself that he had a past.  It wasn't just a past like most Federation pilots had.  It wasn't a past of peacetime talks and war that was to protect.  It wasn't that comfortable kind of combat where you could lie in bed and know you were in the right.  He had been in real war.  He woke up some nights wondering how many kits had been left without a father or mother thanks to his skills in the cockpit.  He understood the moral conundrum they were in.  He had been there before and he knew that when he had to pull the trigger he would.  He knew more would be without their parents.  He knew blood would be on his hands.

"Also, There is a reason that I acted as I did in accepting the punishment.  I failed in restraining my command instincts." He said the term command instincts like it meant a lot more than a human would think it to mean.  The words were said like they were a shoddy translation for something much more personal to his race.  He quickly finished the remaining scotch in his glass and sighed as he refilled the glass and smiled. "If only the holo-decks were working right.  The two of you might enjoy some of the simulations I have put together."

"Hindsight is 20/20," Isley replied.  Sure, Miles could talk about what he should have done, but that was because the crisis was over.  There was time to consider tactics and choose the best one.  That wasn't always a possibility when one was thrust into the middle of a battle.  "Skye and I know what it's like to be in the cockpit of one of those fighters.  Sometimes, in the heat of the moment, you only get a split second to make a decision, and you have to ask yourself whether you take action into your own hands and save lives, or you continue as you are and risk everyone.  There isn't time to create a dozen scenarios and choose the most effective one.  The fact that so many pilots made it out alive was because of you, breach of protocol or not.  No pilot would ever blame you for your actions, even if command might.  They don't know what it's like to be at the conn of one of those ships, where reflex and instinct take precedent during a life-or-death struggle.  You deserve recognition for the lives saved, and the fact that you owned your mistakes too simply proves that you are deserving."

"Aye and I'll drink to that," Skye said saluting Miles with another drink.  Isley put into words much better than she could have and it covered her feelings as well.  "I realize we're part of Starfleet but in a way we're separate from them too.  We all face life and death each day but our asses are on the line every time we launch while we try to keep the den protected.  I don't know that a separate code could be made, one that blended us better, but yeah ... we have a lot to thank you for."

There was a distant look in her eyes for a moment, again a bit of a frown forming.  "I would love to try out some of those simulations when we can get things going again and maybe if some of the others were to try them, they would have a little more idea of what you faced that day ... what we all face in a dog fight."  She knew some of them wouldn't want to try the simulations but you never really knew what someone else thought or felt until you walked in their shoes.

He smirked, "The funny part is those sims will never be Starfleet approved.  They are more holonovel adaptations of Terran fictional franchises."  He said taking a few drinks more as he smiled, "I rather like Starfleet's rigidity.  It serves as a nice calm in comparison to all the chaos.  Sure the regulations can be a bit stifling and hard to follow with them being our pursuers.  Still without that calm that structure to fall back on can you imagine the chaos we could devolve to.  And given the chaos we are in the middle of the last thing we need is a lack of structure.  It's that structure that may serve to keep us all alive, or at the very least sane in the hour of our deaths."  He said in a somber way. before getting up.  "Well I think I will get back to my quarters and leave you two to each others company.  I have a maintenance shift to be ready for in o-eight-hundred hours and I would like to catch a bit of a proper nap before heading to work."  He said getting up and leaving the bottles.  "By the way those are you two's.  Think of it as my present to you two in celebration for those medals.  Consider them gifts given in the SCO's stead."

"I definitely agree there needs to be structure and we all benefit from it, just maybe allow for a little more adaptability in certain circumstances," she replied.  There was a very fine line between the order in the chaos and an attempt to completely stifle one's abilities in dire situations.  His instincts and experiences were far better and wider than hers and his attitude about it all was more than admirable.

Standing when Miles did, she reached out to stop him.  "Hey ... thanks for the drinks and for what you did," she said and then gave him a quick hug before wagging her finger at him.  "And don't bury yourself in work, take some more time out with your friends," she grinned and gave him the little salute.  Ironic she was telling him not to do exactly what she'd been doing.  At least it helped her sleep.

Watching him leave, she shook her head.  "You'd think all this time in the transporter buffer he wouldn't need a nap.  That's gotta be damn weird hanging in limbo for a couple of months."  In a way it had to be a blessing though, not realizing you were all alone all that time.  Chewing on her bottom lip, she reached for the shot glass and murmured "to homecomings," pausing a moment then knocking it back.

"Hey, what we do in our leisure time should be up to us.  If I'm off duty, why should it matter if I want to run 'Vulcan Love Slave' in the Holodeck?"  The amused look on his face left it uncertain if he was joking or not about whether he had ever perused that particular holonovel, popular among space stations for some rather adult material with a heroine not quite so into her role, but not exactly denying of what was requested of her.

Once Miles had departed, leaving just Nathan and Skye together, Isley forwent the use of glasses and just grabbed his bottle directly, taking a swig straight from it.  It still burned going down, though he had grown more adjusted to it over the time spent in the bar with the two fellow pilots.  "Rock climbing holodeck programs I am guessing for you, Carver?"  If nothing else, Skye had shown herself to be an adventurous woman, and with the mention of her mother being a rock climber, it wasn't too far of a stretch to think that her daughter had inherited that same hobby.

Vulcan Love Slave ... she'd thought it was a joke when she'd heard something like that before but perhaps there really was a program titled as such.  There was definitely a twist of her lips and an effort not to snerk.  "There's usually something for everyone," she muttered and turned to reach for her bottle.  Seeing he took a swig sans glass she did the same and then stoppered it to keep for later.

"I do have some rock climbing programs I enjoy along with some work out routines.  Bit of kick boxing and if I'm feeling particularly pissed just beat the shit out of the hologuy," she grinned.  "There's also Chez Sandrine that Tom Paris wrote and is still around.  Play a bit of pool now and then to keep up the skill and fun."  Not to mention the fun of bantering with the gigolo but that was pure silliness.

"So what kind of programs do you typically run?" she asked out of curiosity.  This was the first bit of real downtime she'd had and decided to learn more about her fellow Wolf.  Not having been around enough, she didn't know how well each knew the other but she fully intended to get to know all of them better.  Josh had been the only one she had a chance to get to know but he was gone now.

"All the programs I run are the same kind of thing," he said, keeping it vague so she was left wondering just what he was talking about.  Leaving her guessing for a bit was a bit amusing, especially with the joke about an erotic holonovel coming just before.  When finally he let her stew enough, he finally told her.  "Flight simulations.  Asteroid fields, combat simulations of major battles in Federation history, everything.  You'd be amazed how intense Wolf 359 could be when you add fighters to the simulation.  Of course, Borg don't really have fighters so I had to invent one to keep things interesting.  Based on all their other designs, Cubes and Spheres, I designed what was basically a triangular prism of comparable shield strength and weaponry to a Borg ship of that size."

He took another drink from his bottle, before a nostalgic look overcame him.  "Some of the best simulations though are low atmosphere fly-overs.  Earth, Vulcan, even a hand full of colonies.  They look gorgeous flying at low altitude.  When you're in the cockpit of a Valkyrie, it's impossible not to feel at least a little bit free.  Life makes more sense when you're flying fast and taking in everything you can along the way."

The corner of Skye's mouth twitched as he left her hanging for a bit on his choice of holo programs but she had a feeling it wasn't anything her mother would call naughty.  When he finally said it was simulations, a big grin swept across her face.  "What is it with us and flight simulations?" she laughed.  "You'd think as much time as we spend out there flying we'd not spend our off-duty time doing more."

Taking her seat again, she toyed with the shot glass.  "Your program sounds excellent and I have to admit most of my holo time has been some of the standard Starfleet simulations just to keep pounding into my head what they deem proper maneuvers.  Sure they're tried and true most of the time but the enemy isn't always going to act like the programmers think.  Miles sort of proved that point."

Her lips pursed a moment and then there was a soft sigh.  "I have to agree that flying fast is one of the best feelings but ... recently I learned that sometimes you have to slow down because there's so much you can miss."  You can tear each other's clothes off and, as you would say, go at it like rabid bunnies, and sure it is satisfying but let's try something.  The memory of that lesson wouldn't dim anytime soon!

"Spent most of my life living on a single colony, watching ships rise up into the sky for worlds I could only read about.  When I finally got out in space, I knew I wouldn't settle for just being a passenger.  I learned to pilot cargo ships first, before going to the Academy for the express purpose of getting into a fighter.  To me, it's the only thing that makes sense in the universe."  That was his reason for always piloting, even on his downtime.  If he wasn't flying, either in practical use or on the holodeck, he was tuning his spacecraft or studying flight logs for new maneuvers.  The only thing he ever found that could tear his attention away from a flight was a beautiful woman, which Skye just happened to be.

"So Carver, it seems we have a bit of a problem.  There's some . . . unresolved sexual tension between us, right?  What are we gonna do about that?"  If he were a strict Vulcan, he would have commented about what logic dictated, which in their case would have been to get rid of the sexual tension through spending the night together.  From someone who thought with emotions as much as his logic, it would have been far too crass a way to put it.  They both had a fair bit to drink, and could always excuse their actions on inebriation if things didn't look so good in the morning.  Their fellow pilot had no issue seeing the tension between them, an obvious attraction.  Would it have been an issue if they left it festering?

"My father was a pilot and whenever he'd come for a visit, he'd take me up in a small shuttle," Skye said with a winsome expression.  "When I was eight he actually let me fly it myself.  Mom said she always knew I'd be like him and want to fly ... which is why she named me Skye.  Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like on a starship, if I'd been less enamored," she chuckled.

Again she thought she'd steered clear of a certain topic but it seemed she wasn't going to be able to avoid it and felt warmth rising to her face.  "Well, like I said earlier you are an attractive man and I tend to be a bit physical, obviously more so than I realized until Miles pointed out my ... interest."  A light chuckle erupted and she cut her eyes to the side to look at him, feeling that flutter.

Standing up, she stepped closer and leaned close enough they could feel each other's breath on their lips.  "If you are interested, I'll prove beyond a shadow of a doubt I'm not one of the guys," she whispered and straightened up, dragging the bottle across the table as she backed up a step and turned to face the door.  Looking over her shoulder, a lopsided pursing smile formed and she winked.  "You comin'?"

No matter how much she was a rough-and-tough kind of woman, there was no mistaking Skye as just one of the guys, not with a body like hers.  Strong and sexy, a warrior woman like their Valkyries had been named for.  When she grew closer, the smell of her booze breathed into his face, it didn't nothing to make her less appealing.  Somehow, she had a harsh liquor smell sweet when it came past her lips and into his nose.  When she asked if he was coming, only a grin overtook his face.  Not yet, but I'm willing to bet I will be by the end of the night!

He stood up and followed in her path, which would have led them to the crew quarters.  Both Tactical CONN, their rooms would be close together, making it appear more like they were just accompanying each other back, when really there was only one question left for them to answer.  "My place or yours?"

Skye half expected him to call for a rain check or outright decline but as soon as he stood, her lips pursed and then she smiled as her steps turned deliberate for the trek through Below Decks making her hips sway slowly while she swirled the whiskey inside the bottle.  This was more normal for her, confidence in herself and her abilities.

Her breaths were slow and measured as they traveled through the halls, her imagination already starting to go wild with anticipation.  Given the small size of her quarters, there was only one answer.  "As big as you are, I'd say your quarters so we have plenty of room to move," she replied after a backward and downward glance with a quirk of an eyebrow.

When the door opened, she stepped inside without batting an eye and set the bottle down on the nearest flat surface and turned to face him.  Her eyes focused on the beard and his lips as she strode to him, gaze predatory as she reached up and pulled his face to her.  The kiss was full of passion and heat, her tongue licking off the remnants of his drink as her fingers drew through the beard along his jaw.

When she suggested his place, Isley took the lead, showing her the way to his own quarters.  Inside, she was greeted by an unkempt mess.  His clothes were tossed about without much care, but his bed was left clean and ready.  He often found himself too consumed with other things to bother with keeping his room a shining example of Vulcan anal-retentiveness, instead choosing to leave things where they lie until it became necessary to wash clothes and sort things out.  "You'll have to excuse the mess," he said, turning towards Skye just in time to see her observe him with a focused gaze.  She studied him for only a few seconds  before their lips met rather intensely.  Like a warrior woman, her kiss was hard, like a lesser man would have been hurt by it, but he was far from a lesser man.  Indeed he couldn't wait to find out of she rode as hard as she kissed.

His hands settled on her sides for a few seconds before he tarted working on pulling up her shirt, breaking the kiss long enough to slip it over her head and toss it to the floor before they resumed, Nathan's hands firmly feeling up her bare back as the kissing resumed.  The back would enjoy enjoy that contact for a time, before he went lower, taking firm grasp of her buttocks through the tight pair of pants that complimented her rear oh so well.

After who knew how long, Skye pulled back a moment and smiled wickedly.  "I don't mind messy," she replied and lifted her arms so he could pull off the shirt and she reached for his right after.  "I've dreamed of those shoulders every night since I got back," she murmured and kneaded them as their lips locked again.  Her lips would venture off occasionally and tease along his neck and upper chest and in a moment of overwhelming need, she bit down on his flesh just enough to leave a mark.  Slowly releasing that part of him, she licked and then kissed over the area.

When his hands reached lower and grabbed her cheeks, her response was to hop up and wrap her legs around his hips.  To be enlightened or a rabid bunny was a difficult choice but for the moment, bunny was winning.  There would be time for the softer side once their current needs were met.  Going back to the bite mark, she licked it again and blew lightly almost as if apologizing yet not seeming exactly contrite either.  "We are wearing entirely too much clothing," she groaned and ran her fingers through his hair as she fought to control herself.

When Skye latched onto him, legs wrapping around his waist and strong arms holding her against him, Isley carried her to his bed, laying her down and letting his own lips travel along her neck, her collarbone.  Her bite had certainly been a playful one, and with all the attention she was showing it afterward, he certainly didn't mind.  "Got a little Klingon in you, I think," Nathan teased, noting how a bite was often seen as a mating ritual for that race, a sort of mark to tell other potential mates a stake was already claimed.  At her suggestion that there was too much clothing, he pulled back, stripping off his shirt and giving her a look at the strong frame she had only glimpsed during the outbreak.

The outbreak had been far too frustrating.  All those gorgeous women walking around bare as the day they were born, copulating freely.  He had been teased beyond what a man should ever have to endure, and since the infection was cured, everyone had been too subdued.  Skye was finally providing him a sense of relief, a chance for release.  Working on the button of her pants, he tugged them off her, leaving the woman in her underwear.  Standing up for a moment, he pulled his own pants down, discarded to the floor without a care of ever seeing them again.  With just his boxer briefs and her panties between them, it was much easier to feel their bodies tightly pressed together, as their lips enjoyed another round of play with each other.

Normally Skye would have shucked off her pants and underwear herself but she'd been too caught up in taking in his physique.  She had always enjoyed a larger man, especially one who knew exactly how to control his strength which Isley certain did as evidenced by the way he almost gently lay her on his bed rather than dumping her there.

"No Klingon blood but admire a few of their customs," she replied and welcomed him with open arms when he removed her pants.  Her breasts weren't huge but were more than enough to please and she reveled in the way he pressed against her.  "And damn if you don't have something ... everything ... that brings out the more primal urges in me."

Kissing was definitely a favorite of Skye's and each time it would get too heated, she would ease back into a softer embrace and tease his lips with tiny nips and licks while her hands coursed over every line and plane of muscle along his upper body.  When she could stand it no more, she slipped her hands inside his boxers and gripped his ass.

The more she kneaded, the further the material slipped downward until she had his backside completely uncovered and then she surged upward and to the side to roll him onto his back and the front pulled away as well.  There was undeniable hunger as she gazed at his engorged manhood, shifting to pull the material completely down and to the floor.

Again she started to nip at him, along his inner thigh and up to the line where his legs connected into his hips while her nails dragged up from his navel to his chest.  He wouldn't be left unattended too long though as she licked him from base to tip and then pursed her lips to blow a focused jet of cool air along the moisture trail, releasing a groan of pleasure as she reached the tip.

He didn't mind letting her take control for a bit.  The way she grabbed his rear so intently, and then how she rolled him over and attended to every inch of skin she could get her mouth on, culminating in a tongue across his length . . . damn, she knew what she was doing, and that aggressive nature in which she took it was not only well suited to her, but left him craving more.  Her cool breath against the underside of his manhood felt oh so teasing, making him crave so much more from the wild woman.

"I sure hope you aren't a cock tease, Carver," he said with a grin, noting just just how literal that term applied.  What she was doing to his member could certainly be called teasing.  Reaching out, he grabbed a hand full of hair, and pushed her head down against his erection.  He was sure Skye needed no instruction on what to do to please a man, but their night together had been aggressive so far, he felt that it was a good way to keep things going.  "Whatever you do for me, Carver . . . I'll be sure to return it."  If she used her mouth to pleasure him, he could do the same for her, showing her a talent that drove many women before her to ecstasy.

Skye was strong but knew if he hadn't wanted her to roll him over that she wouldn't have but seeing his head roll back when she licked his shaft was more than satisfying.  "I sure hope you aren't a cock tease, Carver," he said and it earned him a purring sound.  "Only for a little bit," she replied with a wink and as he took a handful of her light mane she bared her teeth in a wicked smile.

As he pressed her face toward his rampant hard on, she opened her mouth and took him in about three fourths of the way before her lips closed around his shaft.  "Whatever you do for me, Carver ... I'll be sure to return it."  She was counting on that and her eyes slowly rose to lock with his, the challenge/offer silently accepted.

Then she sucked hard, drawing up slowly until she reached the tip where she released him.  Her tongue shot out, completely swirling firmly around the tip, and then she sucked hard again as she swooped down his entire length.  She gave him no time for much of anything, setting a quick and steady pace while sucking hard enough to be almost uncomfortable.

Every few strokes, she would pause and lavish attention on the head only while her tongue darted and flicked along those sensitive places on the underside.  The tip of her tongue teased just inside the opening to scoop out the sweet drop of precum, eliciting a low growl of pleasure as her nails sank lightly into his thighs.  There was more he would give though and soon she was working his shaft again.

She never ceased to impress with the kind of talent she displayed.  Most certainly he wasn't the first man to have received such a mind-blowing blowjob from the sexy fighter pilot, not with that kind of practiced skill.  One didn't just wake up one day knowing how to do the sort of things that Skye was doing to him.  It all felt wonderful, from her tongue and it's teasing, to the hard sucking that felt strong enough to stretch him even longer, to even just the satisfying feel of her bra-clad breasts pressed into his legs.  Oh yes, he still had to strip her out of her underwear, and how he would enjoy that too.  Already he could imagine just how he would do it, and those mental images, added to one hell of a performance from Carver, had him burst.  With little warning, he released his load, head falling back to the pillow in the wake of it, and the feeling of Skye cleaning up his tip before finally finally calling her job finished

At the first sign of vulnerability from her, when she first rose up from between his legs, his hands reached out swiftly and grabbed her sides, rolling her over to her back once again.  His first target was her neck, sucking on her skin hard enough to leave a few love bites, below the collar of her uniform, of course.  Hickies weren't exactly standard issue in Starfleet.  He move downward, kissing along the exposed cleave, tongue teasing inside the space, as his hand pulled material away slowly, mouth claiming whatever newly claimed land it found through the uncovering.  When finally her nipple made it's appearance, he saw his first chance to repay her efforts, sucking on it as hard as she had upon his member, giving her some idea just how intensely she had treated him . . . not that he had complaints about it.

Isley just struck her as the type to appreciate a woman who could give and take just as much as himself and he was obviously strong, not just physically but mentally.  He voiced his opinions and while they were generally couched in a mostly respectful tone there was passion underneath.  He could control himself admirably, as she'd unfortunately witnessed though fortunate in that it had led to this moment, and yet she longed to see him lose some control with her.

Sooner than she expected she felt him jerk and her mouth was filled with his seed but she managed to keep from making a mess.  Rapidly swallowing and sucking in deep breaths through her nose, she felt a deep sense of satisfaction as she pushed upward with every intention of continuing her quest to taste as much of his body as possible.  Her intentions be damned though as she felt strong hands grasp her waist and she felt herself go airborn, eliciting a surpised oomph and giggle as she landed on her back.

Instinct brought her to bare her throat to him, her arms circling his shoulders and drawing him nearer to her yet not impeding his progress in the least.  Her breathing rate increased as he sucked and bit, soft growls erupting as she ran her toes along his outer calves.  Her lips curved a bit more, a lusty smile growing as he pulled down her bra strap and started exposing more of her flesh.  "Yesss," she hissed as his lips and tongue teased her nipple out of the cup and then she grunted heavily and tightened her grip on his shoulders as he drew hard.  "Hoooyah," she rejoiced as he steadily took what he wanted.

Even as he toyed with one, his fingertips were intruding into Skye's other bra cup, pulling it away until her other nipple popped out.  Fingertips brushed against the hardened nub, lightly pinched, softly twisted, everything they could o to arouse that delicious little piece of stiff flesh on her bosom.  His head raised up long enough to switch breasts, bringing his mouth to the attention of that other nipple, while his other hand treated the first one much the same in terms of physical contact.

After tending to her that way for some time, he finally pulled her bra off entirely, throwing it away like Skye would never need it again.  Hands moved to either side, pressing her breasts towards the center until they were squished together, nipples nearly touching.  From there, his mouth moved to the center, managing to encompass both of her sensitive points.  It wasn't as effective as doing it to just one, but it did give her the sensation of simultaneous stimulation of both.

Too often her lovers were more focused on getting straight to the point and neglected certain areas, like the one Isley was diligently making sure were not left out at all.  When he reached behind and touched the clasp, she arched upward to give him room to work and didn't even bother watching the garment fly into the tumble of clothes.

Settling back down with her thighs gripping his hips like she'd imagined while they were sharing drinks, he gave her an extra treat by pressing her breasts together and toying with both simultaneously.  "Oooooo, I love a man who can multitask," she purred and ran her fingertips along his ears as she ground her hips against his.

Feeling his hard member rubbing against her barely covered sex was heating her up exponentially, making her patience wear even thinner yet she held herself in check knowing it was going to be worth it in the long run.  He obviously had plenty of experience and used his logic to bring her along but it would only be when he relented to his more primal self that the true path would be taken.

A shiver ran down his spine as she played with his ears.  Genetically, his ears appeared human, a result of genetic alteration done while he was still in the womb.  His mother's physician ad to perform the surgery when it was found that certain traits from his Vulcan side would cause defects threatening to his life.  Despite that, he still found his ears to be a sensitive spot on his body, which few women had ever discovered.  If he had retained his Vulcan ears, surely they would be more prone to play with them then when they were human.

Once her breasts had been fully satisfied, he ventured further down, pulling the material of her panties off to one side to expose the soaking wet source of heat that had been grinding against him.  She was fully aroused, but Isley didn't take that as an invitation to skip cunnilingus.  No, his tongue went straight against her slit, licking upward a few times along her most womanly place before finally pulling the panties off entirely to get better access to her heated sex.  His actions were much deeper then, tongue delving inside her and lashing against her walls unpredictably, never allowing Skye a moment to figure out just what he would do next.  There was power in that, in keeping her on her toes, or at least keeping her toes curling.

Skye had taken a gamble, sort of an educated guess, and was more than pleased with the response when he shivered from the caress along his ears.  They would certainly receive some extra special attention whenever he finally got them close enough to her mouth.  Which obviously wouldn't be anytime soon as he lowered himself along her body.

A breath hissed inward as he lapped at her overheated sex and then a groan escaped as he finally tossed the panties away.  He was full throttle and indeed making her toes curl deliciously, his wild actions bringing out her own and her hips rose and fell to work her more against him, grunting whenever her clit would bump against his teeth.

"Always knew ... you were a man ... of honor," she panted with a huge smile on her face.  He'd promised he would give as good as he got and was holding up his end of the bargain.  Her hands alternated from toying with his ears to running along her body but in the end she was clutching her breasts as her breath huffed out and paused repeatedly until she bucked hard.

Biting her bottom lip and pinching her nipples, her growl seemed to be chasing out the juices that coated his tongue.  It took a moment as the intensity held her in place but then she rose up and pulled his face up to hers, licking herself off of him and kissing him deeply.  Now more than ever she was ready for the next step and she felt herself pulsing inside.  "There's plenty more where that came from," she whispered hotly and ran the tip of her tongue along his ear.

She liked it hard, at least she did tonight.  Surely a woman who looked as attractive as Skye enjoyed some romance too, a bit of a delicate touch to drive her senses wild without feeling like she went through the sexual equivalent of a plane crash.  They had gone wild on one another, but it came from such deep sexual frustration, now sated ever so slightly.  There was still more aggression to get out, and only one way to do it.  After she kissed him, she was busying teasing his ears with her tongue, and would be caught totally off guard when he drove his length inside her, taking her with the same recklessness they had been showing each other all night.  As swift as he was in, he was pulling out again, thrusting forward with a motion of his hips to start her engines.  He was sure that after a couple more of those, her own hips would be joining in, making the contact all the more intensified.

"God, that cunt feels fantastic," he said, dirty talking without shame to Skye.  After all they had done to each other, not to mention that most Pilots cursed like Terran sailors in the 20th century, he was sure she wouldn't be turned off by a little crude language.  Hell, she might actually be turned-on by it more, fuelling the fire ignited by the grinding of their bodies together.

Indeed Skye was caught off guard and luckily didn't have her teeth over the outer rims of his ear when he sneak attacked her and buried his cock abruptly enough to jar a huge grunt out of her.  "Oh-ho-hoooo," she chuckled dirtily and lay back with a smirk, breasts quaking with every impact even when she did join him in the contest of hip slamming.

His language, what some might have considered vulgar, was met with another of those lusty and lewd smiles as her hands reached for his sides and knees dropped out and down even more.  "You like my pussy, eh?" she chuckled almost evilly.  "Your cock feels as good as it tastes."  He could see her stomach muscles rippling and then an undulating motion rippled along his shaft.

"I have a feeling you're going to show me quite a bit tonight," she added with a burning look.  She fully intended to get the initial thirst quenched and then would truly slow down to enjoy the ride.  Though most wouldn't think it of her, she did like the softer side now that she'd truly experienced what it could be like without the rough and tumble.

"You ain't felt nothing yet," he said with a grin, as their intense night continued on.  Skye knew every trick in the book to satisfy a man it seemed, as he felt a deep pulsation from inside her that sent waves of pleasure down his shaft and into his pelvis.  He kept slamming into her hard as their voices grew, both unable to restrain the feeling of pure pleasure each gave the other.  After her first orgasm, Isley pulled out of Carver, rolling her over into the doggy style position.  A chance of position would do wonders to keep things fresh, but he knew something else that would keep it interesting.

The tip rubbed against her lower lips, though also slipped back to another hole.  "I wonder if your ass feels as good as that wonderful pussy does," he said, bending over to press his chest against her back, speaking the words into her ear in a husky, lustful manner.  He wouldn't do it without getting her approval, in the event that was a no-fly zone for her, but that didn't stop the tip of his engorged member from rubbing around, teasing her into accepting his proposal.

Skye wasn't sure how thick the walls were but she could almost feel sorry for the next door neighbors and even the ones across the hall.  Almost.  "Oh goodie," she chuckle-panted as she looked up into Isley's face with an expression that begged for more if he had it in him.  A man with real staying power was a rare gem and as he flipped her over and brought up her hips, she realized she'd hit the jackpot.

Wiggling her ass as he teased her velvety lips, she suddenly shivered and inhaled sharply when the tip brushed across her back entrance.  "You are definitely a very wicked man," she rasped as she looked over her shoulder at him with that fire blazing in her eyes.  Holding his gaze, that sultry smile slowly built as he rubbed all along until he leaned forward and she pressed her back up against him.  "I guess there's only one way to find out," she replied and pushed back on his cock taking in just a fraction of the tip.

Just the tip felt so good.  The tight hole was already squeezing him more then he had known in years, maybe more then he had ever known.  Not one to back out of something already begun, he eased his way in, more for himself then for her.  He felt if he moved too quick he might burst far too soon.  Once he had entered her as deeply as he could, he drew back out and pushed in again, slowly working up the rhythm that had their voices raising upward again.  Neighbors be damned, they were enjoying this was too much to stop before they were absolutely done with each other.  "God, what a tight fucking ass!"  He exclaimed, hand slapping the side of her hip excitedly.  It felt like riding a wild bronco that could have bucked him off at any second.  Skye had enough of an untamed streak to do that sort of thing, too.

Once the thick head popped past the tight ring, Skye groaned and shivered again as her breath quickened and became even more shallow.  Her fingernails clawed at the sheets, the material bunching and gathering until one corner actually slipped over the edge, as he slowly penetrated her ass.  "Fuck yeah," she hissed as the stinging sensation lingered and yet felt so good at the same time.

Once he started a more steady rhythm, she rocked back and forth on hands and knees with her head drawn back and waist dipped down to keep her raised in just the right position for him.  The smack he gave her earned a little more gripping as her muscles tightened around him and she chuckled deep in her throat as her shoulders dropped a moment and she rubbed her face on his sheets.

"Trying to speed me along, Darlin'?" she asked with a throaty sound then lifted her top half off the bed and slammed her ass back against him.  Another bit of delicious stinging resulted, bringing out a long moan which continued to increase in volume as she rocked forward and then back again and again.  She was a rough rider but it was clear she wouldn't buck him off, that he'd have to jump off on his own.

"Just wanted an excuse to smack that ass," he responded with breathy amusement.  With their current position, as well as his length firmly entrenched in her rear, he couldn't resist a direct spank to her buttocks, letting the hip be his consolation prize.  Even that had made Skye clench tighter, making his lips part to show his next moan pass through gritted teeth.  God, he loved it!  The feel of a woman who knew how to use her body to it's fullest.  It was taking everything he had not to explode in her ass, filling her before it was time.  He wouldn't give in so easily, not when he still had to get her to an orgasm of her own.

Pulling her up, he had Carver kneeling with him.  He swung one of her legs behind his knee, parting her thighs enough that he could still motion upwards into her.  The new position, though more difficult to maintain then a simple doggy style, gave him easy access to her womanhood.  Bring forth a hand, he brought it to her mouth, having her suck and wet his fingers before he brought it down to start massaging her clitoris, giving her multiple forms of stimulation to drive her over the edge.

"No excuse needed, especially since I'm being naughty," she teased him with her voice and eyes as she glanced back over her shoulder again.  Seeing him clenching his teeth, proof he was thoroughly enjoying himself brought her a rush of lust and power.  There was also the joy of finding someone just as adventurous and not afraid to truly enjoy the moment.

Slowing rising with his guidance, there was a definite sense of anticipation when he shifted her leg around.  Her hand snaked up and back to cup around his neck for better balance and his fingers were treated to a bit of what she'd done to his magnificent erection earlier.  Each was thoroughly licked and sucked individually then the middle three together before being released.

With her body upright and exposed, Skye leaned into him in obvious momentary surrender.  Her breasts bounced lightly with his deep thrusts and she shivered and moaned as his wet fingers sought her silky folds.  As much as she wanted to hold out like him, the jolts coursing through her as he caressed her swollen and throbbing clit would push her to the edge soon.

Every thrust was a step closer to heaven and then she felt a finger slip inside and another quickly thereafter, forcing out a cry of pleasure from being doubly penetrated and still thoroughly stimulated at the pleasure node.  Her face contorted in pleasure, eyes closing and mouth opening as every nerve ending in her body pulsed to the rhythm of his attentions.

"Sooooo ... damn .... goood," she groaned and gave in to what her body begged for, clenching powerfully around his cock and fingers as she screamed like a wildcat.  Both hands were up around his neck as her body continued shuddering and shimmying from the prolonged orgasm he'd created in her, sending her into a blissful state even stronger than when she was flying.

In her moment of bliss, she gave him the last bit he could take.  He had been holding on by that point, when she she tightened around him in her state of orgasm, it pushed him as far as he could go, and he too let loose a release, filling her back entrance as he breathed a sigh of relief, mixed with a small laugh brought forth by the pleasure center of his brain.  He finally slid out, a hand to her back pushing her forward so she laid flat on her stomach.  He laid down behind her, an arm around her waist as it became to time for a bit of pillow talk, a bit of cuddling, to make their fantastic night together feel like it was more then just sex, even if it was.  "Kestral . . . I think your call sign should have been Wild Child," he said with a grin, kissing her neck a few times before laying his head closely behind hers, forehead pressing near the base of her neck.

It was a relief.  He couldn't think it enough.  All the teasing he experienced at the sight and touch of Ida, the visuals of so many beautiful, naked infected women parading around, it left him in a state where he didn't know what to do with himself.  Skye had helped all that steam blow off, and he couldn't have been more thankful for her because of it.  "That lonely feeling fading away for you?"  Just as he sought comfort for his frustrations, she had longed for a connection to undo the time spent alone in space, seeking out the Theurgy.  Like her, she was looking for something in their brief union of bodies.  He hoped she found it.

That gentle push sent her face first into the mattress where she rubbed her face like a cat rolling around in catnip.  The sheets of course smelled like him, a very nice manly scent for sure and she turned her face to him when he lay next to her and started nuzzling, finally turning her body so she could caress him in return.

"Mmmmmm, that would have worked," she agreed with a light chuckle.  "However, a real kestrel is not only agile and dangerous but also a notoriously randy bird of prey.  While a lot of birds only mate during certain times, they tend to do it whenever the mood strikes them ... even if they're in mid-flight."

"I didn't know that until one of my classmates dubbed me that when the instructor asked us to think of a flight name.  I was drawing a blank and Brian pointed to me and said only Kestrel would do.  Of course it was the day after he and I had a little unexpected time together during a simulation run," she snickered.  "I took it as quite a compliment though."

Now that their mutual needs were sated for the most part, Skye was showing a bit of her softer side.  Her caresses were feather light and sensual, whether she was using her finger tips or nails.  She'd just run her fingers through his hair to get it out of his eyes and was tracing his ears again when he asked about her loneliness.

"I think that's something that will take some time," she said honestly as a soft smile formed.  "But I'd say you've chased it away for at least a little while tonight."  Anytime now she expected him to say she should go and get some sleep and she would go though knew she wouldn't sleep long.  Maybe I need to replicate a teddy bear, she mused in her mind.

"In mid-flight?  There's one I never considered . . . "He could just imagine that now, him in the cockpit of a Valkrie with Skye sat in his lap, shifting his gear shift back and forth while they were at near lightspeed.  Rather sexy, if he could say so himself.  Her nickname also implied that she might have been quite the lover even back in her Academy days, training to fly a shuttle, and maybe the basic fighters employed by Starfleet to educate the students in their operation.

"It's pretty late . . . we should get some sleep."  While he did suggest turning in, he wasn't sending her out the door.  He had better manners then that.  Even if they had just been satisfying urges, and weren't pursuing anything meaningful, they could still share a bed that night, maybe even enjoy each other again in the morning if the mood struck them.  "Best you stay here for tonight . . . we'll see if we can keep the loneliness chased away at least a little longer for you."

Skye pulled her lips in over her teeth, trying to keep from grinning but when he admitted he'd never even thought of giving a real flying fuck the pulled back as the corners of her mouth quirked up.  "I find that hard to believe," she stated honestly yet with that teasing tone.  Of course he was more sedate seeming than herself though he proved the old saying of still waters ran deep.  She'd always been one to leap into those waters without a care to how deep they were.

Finally came the words she expected and with a nod of agreement, she started to move though his hand stalled her body.  He was willing to share his space for the night, something quite gentlemanly yet the rogue in him crept out with the mention of enjoying each other in the morning.  "Careful Maverick," she murmured and snuggled up close to nibble at his chin.  "Your armor is starting to shine."  Wrinkling her nose at him, she kissed him deeply and pulled back.  "I'll be sure to make it dirty again in the morning."

"I have no doubt in my mind that you can make things dirty whenever you want, Carver," he replied, settling in on his back for the night.  He preferred that way of sleeping, and if Skye was interested, she could have cuddled into him.  He made sure she knew the offer was there, putting an arm up to let her slip in next to him, while his hand would come to rest of her shoulder.  After they had exhausted themselves in such a worthwhile way, he had no doubts there would be any trouble sleeping.

"See you in the morning, Ensign . . . don't go rushing off without saying goodbye if you wake before I do," he said his final piece before letting his eyes drift shut, the sound of soft breathing the only break in the silence.