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Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

[Lt. Reggie Suder | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Auctor Lucan‍ 

May 5, 2831
18:30 hrs
Stardate: 57697.79

It was unlike Reggie to be this uncertain.  Throughout her life she’d survived and thrived on make a decision, executing, and going from there.  In the cockpit indecisiveness functioned as a weakness, a liability, a heightened risk of death.  Success depended on the ability to make split second decisions and follow them through.

This was not that, she knew, and Reggie inwardly rolled her eyes as she mulled this line of thinking over yet again for who knew how many times since she’d come aboard.  Even so, it seemed she’d been questioning herself quite a bit since she’d stepped aboard…and with good reason.  The Incident at TacConn Omega notwithstanding, Reggie had been thrown a bit ever since she’d arrived on the Theurgy.  Reconnecting with T’Less was more than enough on it’s own and even so she still wasn’t entirely sure she knew how to define their relationship.  It had certainly progressed quickly enough to make anyone wonder.  In Kate Foster she had found as close to a kindred spirit, only to lose her just as quickly.  Despite her troubles and her demons, Kate could have been like a sister to Reggie.  But now that would not happen either.  She didn’t even know how the surgeon had died.  If a report had been released, she hadn’t been able to get a copy of it.

While Reggie was not one to dwell on loss.  Losses were a way of life in the Corps and she was no stranger to that.  Yet for some reason, the loss of one person she’d known only for a few days seemed to weigh more heavily on her than the losses of dozen of her squad mates during the War.  Maybe that was a good sign, a sign that the dead no longer blended together.  She’d have to talk to Ms. Ashby about that.

It seemed too soon for this though.  She’d been with the Starhawks for several months before she’d considered this.  She’d only been a member of Lone Wolves for a little over two weeks.  Was it too soon?  Maybe.  But if her brief friendship with Kate had taught her anything it was that even without a war raging on, life was still precious and fleeting.  What was it the Klingons always used to say?

It is a time to celebrate, for tomorrow we all may die.

Was that ever true.

Well, even if it was too soon it wasn’t like any of her colleagues would see it while she was on duty.  Best to see if he was even interested in the work before worrying about whether or not it was appropriate.

The doors to Holodeck 7 parted to grant her access and she emerged onto the bleachers of the Martian hover-raceway.  She wasn’t that big of a fan of racing herself, but she appreciated the skill.  Race pilots and fighter pilots have more than a little bit of overlap in skill sets.

The race directory identified his vehicle and from that, Reggie figured out where his position in the pit was.  She made her way down, and leaned against the barrier, waiting for Chief Herrold to finish his event.

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #1 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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While chewing his gum, Liam Herrold's eyes were peeled on the dunes ahead of him - the harsh sunlight mitigated by his aviators. "Come on..."

The rovers ahead of him were tearing up clouds of sand in their wake, obscuring his vision, but the HUDs inside his rover told him where they were. At least the windshield kept the sand from getting to him, closed as the rover's cockpit was to keep the chill wind as well as the dirt from clogging up everything. Already, his holographic vehicle was covered in dirt, but visibility was still okay. If he'd had an open cockpit, he'd have to be dressed in more than just his racing jumpsuit, since even if Mars had been terraformed long ago, nocturnal conditions in the lowlands of the Martian surface had near-arctic surface temperatures. The program he was running was set mid-day, however, so it was just a tad nippy outside, and he quite enjoyed the thin air. It reminded him of home; the planet-side excursions from the Utopia Colony with his family.

He was gaining on his competitors in the race, parrying each landing he made between the dunes in a way that didn't slow him down. He had programmed the computer-run opposition in the race himself, giving him enough of a challenge, and he couldn't just cruise his way to the finish-line. The servos of his rover was authentic to the real rovers he'd run in his younger years, sluggish and demanding a lot from him in order to make each drifting turn without vaulting over. His forearms were aching, along with his shoulders, and he bared his teeth as he made the last turn - the finish line in sight. He was just a couple of meters ahead of two other rovers, but he wasn't about to yield the victory to either of them. He throttled up all the way the instruments allowed him, and since he had dialled down the inertial dampeners in the cockpit, he enjoyed how the boost pushed him into his seat.

Liam crossed the finish line with a grin, which dissipated when he noticed the holodeck archway - and a visitor.

Who could this be? he wondered, and hit the breaks, making the rumble of the engines ebb out along with the other competitors. Soon enough, his rover was standing still in a cloud of sand, and he powered it down. His heart was still racing, the adrenaline thick in his veins, but he didn't mind the interruption. He opened the hatch at the back of the cockpit and climbed out - having to jump down the last couple of feet since the clearance of the rover was so high.

"Hi there!" he called, walking up to the female figure. Only then did he recognise her to be one of the Lone Wolves. "Lieutenant Suder? Is anything amiss down in the Fighter Bay?"

Already, even though he was off duty, he had mentally assumed his position as Chief of the Deck, and his concerns were towards the maintenance and repairs of the Valkyries and Valravns that he was responsible for.

OOC: Liam's holo-program rover:
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Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #2 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Auctor Lucan‍ 

Reggie watched as a single rover made its way over to her and ground to a halt.  It took the Ensign a moment to recognize her which did not surprise her one bit.  Afterall she was one of the newer wolves aboard ship.  He’d immediately jumped to the aspect of protocol and duty, also not entirely unexpected.  But she was off duty and had traded the uniform  for a tank top and a pair of warm ups.

“I’m off duty and out of uniform, so you can skip the formalities if you’d like.  ‘Reggie’ will be just fine,” she said with a playful smile.  “And I have no idea what’s going on down in the Bay.  That’s not why I came to see you.”

She stopped there, her attention drawn…truly drawn for the first time to Herrold’s rover.  The Betazoid had seen them in pictures and holos before, but never this close or in person.  Granted, she wasn’t exactly looking at a real one right now either. Even so, it piqued her interest.

“That,” she said, “is an impressive machine.  May I…” 
Her voice trailed off in the unspoken question that she wanted to take a closer look and interact with it and she was careful to modulate her tone so it sounded more like the genuine request for permission that it was and not an order covered in the thin veil of a request.  Holographic or not, it was his property as far as she was concerned, and “no” was a perfectly acceptable answer.

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #3 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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When the new Lone Wolf said se wanted to take a closer look at his rover, Liam's eyebrows rose in surprise but he immediately gestured towards it. "Thanks. Sure, go right ahead."

Stepping aside to let her traverse the barrier between the track and the bleachers, Liam conceded her point about being out of uniform. It clearly had to be some kind of off duty matter that had brought her, but even if she hadn't said what it might be yet, Liam didn't let his curiosity get the better of him. He held out a hand to assist her if she needed it, and then followed her towards the dusty vehicle. Liam had never seen Gemini out of her exosuit or uniform, but he politely didn't stare despite how compelling the sight was. Instead, he reined his thought in and gave her some context to what she was inspecting.

"It's... a MRFRD-9 Sojourner model, named after the first rover sent to Mars from Earth in the end of the Twentieth century. Civilian fabrication, the real ones, though I have modded this one quite a lot. It's actually the second iteration, since I lost the first when the Resolve was destroyed at Starbase 84. I had to recreate her as well as this program after I came aboard the Theurgy." Liam leaned against one of the back tires, watching Suder while she examined the rover. "She weighs over 14,000 pounds, generates almost 2,000 bhp. I have spent hours calibrating her suspension system. She now has a six-link setup, with three upper control arms and three lower ones, which triangulates in order to restrict lateral movement. Makes the landings smoother, letting me accelerate immediately without loosing control."

Realising that he might be going off on a bit of a tangent and that she may not be as into the bits and bobs of machinery, he stopped himself with a final addendum. "I... call her Maya, since... well... It's silly, but it means 'Illusion' in Sanskrit." He shrugged with one shoulder and rubbed the back of his neck. "Figured it suited her, all things considered."

Looking back at the woman, he couldn't help himself any longer. Was it a social visit? What made her seek him out on the holodeck of all places, when they shared so many hours on duty down in the Fighter Bay. "So..." he said with a small smile, "what brings you here, Reggie?"

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #4 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Auctor Lucan

Truthfully. Reggie understood  very little about the vehicle, even with Liam’s explanation.  She understood what mattered though, this was his baby and, holographic or not, it meant as much to him as her fighter mattered to her.  She circled the vehicle, letting her hand drag gently along the paneling. 

“She’s beautiful, Ensign.  I can see why you’re so proud of her.”

She sensed his self conscious thoughts about looking at her.  That was fine, she decided.  She didn’t mind.  He wasn’t the first who wanted to look at her and he would certainly not be the last.  A part of her wanted to say something that explicitly let him off the hook.  But at the same time, she was probably over thinking.  She was prone to that these days, she realized.  Besides, if he agreed to help, he’d be seeing a bit more of her anyways.

“As to what brings me here,” she started.  “I’m looking to have a little bit of artwork done.  I’ve been asking around the Den for some referrals.  I’m told you’re the best aboard ship by far and that suits me just fine.”

She pulled a folded up piece of paper, yes paper, out of her pocket, unfolded it and took a look at the Lone Wolves Squadron emblem that had been printed on it before handing it over to Liam.

“What do you think of that, right here?”

Using her fingers she outlined a frame around her left hip.

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #5 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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When he was given the piece of paper, Liam held it up in the Martian desert breeze, and began to realise what the pilot wanted. Does she mean...?

Sure enough, when he lowered the paper with the Lone Wolves emblem, she was showing where she wanted the artwork on herself. Ah, it would seem words travels fast aboard... he thought with a smile, swallowing as he realised that if Suder would know he had a little side preoccupation of tattooing the crew, she may also have heard other rumours about him and a certain Vulcan, whom had asked him to tattoo a poison ivy on her wrist. Given the involvement of a second woman that night, Liam feared that news of it may have slipped out, but he had yet to be confronted about it, so he still held on to hope that it may have escaped the rumour-mill aboard. After all, neither of the affairs had been serious. Not like with Eun Sae Ji...

Pushing away from thoughts about Ji, since her death was a matter of great turmoil for him given their chequered history together, Liam cleared his throat and stepped up to Suder, crouching down next to her. He looked at the area she indicated and held up the paper with the emblem, rotating it a little to see what would look best.

"Do... you have any preferences as to how big you want it?" he asked, looking up at her and squinting at the light coming off the dunes at the horizon. "I mean, I need to know how big of a stencil I need to make," he said, and stood up. He realised that her eyes were black, so she could be Betazoid, but he had never looked up the personnel files of the new Lone Wolves, so he wasn't entirely certain. Moreover, it would be rude to ask.

"Also... when do you want to do this?" he continued, looking into those dark eyes. "I am afraid I don't have my kit with me, but I am available if you want me to come to your quarters and draw this up."

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #6 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn:  @Auctor Lucan‍ 

For whatever reason, Liam’s offer to do the work now caught Reggie off guard.  It had been the point of her coming down, to see if he would help, but for some reason she hadn’t expected him to offer his time to her immediately and she suddenly felt self conscious of the imposition she might be putting on his recreational time.

“Um,” she started.  “I’m flexible about the where and the when.  I mean, I know I’m springing this on you and I certainly don’t expect you to drop what you’re doing to cater to me.”  She paused.  “Yes, I am available now if you’d like, but I don’t want you to feel obligated if you’d rather continue racing.”

For as many times as she had noted just how unlike her it was to stumble over her words, she was starting to think it was less the exception and more the rule these days.  There was something else he had asked.  Oh yeah… how big she liked it.

“As far as size, I don’t know exactly, but…”

Her voice trailed off as she slipped a finger into the waistband of her pants and slipped them off her right hip.  She didn’t drop her pants entirely, but rather exposed the calf enough to show the ink she already had.  With her other hand, she lifted her underwear, exposing the entirety of the hawk.

“I dunno,” she said.  “Something on par with this?”

It caught her off guard as to just how much the ink had faded over the years, almost as though it had become like a distant memory whose details had been dulled with the passage of time.  She’d sweat and bled with the Hawks.  Together they’d beaten the odds, celebrated life, mourned the dead.  Sure the squadron was all but disbanded now, but what she had had with them, the bond they had shared.  That could not be allowed to fade into dust.

“Also,” she started as the additional thought hit her, “do you think you could touch this up,” she asked as she motioned to the hawk.  “It’s a bit more faded than I’d like it to be.”

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #7 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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When Suder said she didn't wish to interrupt him, Liam shook his head and waved off her concern with a smile. "I like to finish on a win, and it was a good race. Don't worry about it."

Once he had allayed her concerns.... he was given front row seats to seeing how the Lone Wolf bared her hip and upper thigh. It made him swallow and fight a sudden instinct to avert his eyes out of respect for her, but she was merely replying to his question. Get a grip, he chided himself, and cleared his throat, looking at the present tattoo and its size. It looked great, even without the... 'canvas', but as nice as the tattoo was, he had to admit that his eyes didn't linger on it as much as her skin caught the Martian sun and the golden glow of the dunes around them. "Sure, I can do that," he said, then caught himself, "I mean, that's a great size, and it shouldn't be any issue. It's a bit larger than this drawing, though, so I will need to remake it, but that shouldn't take long at all."

Then, as she showed him the hawk still, she made an additional request to touch it up as well, and he nodded briefly with a smile - standing back up. "That wouldn't take long, so no problem at all. Thea, end program."

When the holodeck deactivated, Liam felt a bit self-conscious standing there in his racing outfit since he felt a bit out of place when the program wasn't running. He glanced towards the archway but just as he was about to leave and get his tattooing kit, he realised he might need some direction. "So where's your quarters at? I will just change out of this and get what I need, then I'll come by, all right?"

After getting directions, Liam left with a "See you soon," and headed for his own quarters. On the way there, he thought about how he'd made the tattoos of most of the Deck Crew at that point, and he'd had plenty of practise with that particular hobby of his on the Resolve. It seemed to be a highly requested thing aboard the Theurgy as well, and he was intrigued by how rumours may spread aboard the ship.

After undressing, Liam took a quick sonic-setting shower, below the minute, to get the sweat off his limbs after the race. The leather outfit was appropriate but warm, so he felt he had to freshen up a bit. Knowing he was due to return to the Fighter Bay after he was done with Suder's tattoos, he donned his golden jumpsuit and his workwear boots. He snatched up his kit whilst heading out the door, and soon enough, he reached the Lone Wolf's quarters. He pressed the chime, hearing the chirping announcement of his arrival through the door. Once bidden, he'd enter and look around - curious to see the insides of the new Lone Wolf's quarters. Perhaps, also, looking for clues as to what kind of woman she was beyond the rank and the good looks.

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #8 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Holodeck 07 | Deck 21 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn:  @Auctor Lucan‍ 

“Thanks,” Reggie said when Liam agreed to do the work and the extra favor she had asked of him.  “My Quarters are on Deck 13, Vector 2.”  She also provided the section and cabin number for his convenience and as Liam darted out of sight, Reggie slipped her warmup pants back on and headed for the turbolift to take her back to her compartment.

[Lt. Reggie Suder | Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy]

The place was a mess.  A damned mess.  For all of her comings and goings the past few days she had not really taken the time to clean up and now she was going to look like a slob in front of a member of the crew.  Nope.  That would not do.  It would take him a few moments to arrive, she realized and that gave her some time. 

Throwing the dirty clothes in the fresher was the easy part as the unit would take the garments and do whatever sorting, cleaning, folding, and hanging was required on its own.  Dirty plates and dishware found themselves back in the Replicator to be broken back down into energy and returned to the ship.  Her desk could stay a bit disorganized.  It was a work space and she still had reports to finish for the CAG.

Her Katana was still laying on the couch where she had left it after unpacking from her adventure with Bloodwing.  Quickly, she pulled it from it’s sheath, double checked the blade and after determining it did not immediately need to be cleaned and sharpened, she gently but deliberately set the sword on it’s bulkhead mount, and hung the empty scabbard in it’s place below the blade.

Her squadron photo from her time in the Starhawks had gone askew and demanded her attention as had her small case of awards and commendations.  They didn’t feel as important to her now as they once had, but she was still proud of most of the war stories behind those accolades.

She ducked back into the bedroom, sliding off her pants and undergarment in one motion.  If he was going to work on her hips, then the panties had to be replaced with a thong.  She considered the g-string but tossed it back deciding it might be too racy for the situation and might send the wrong impression.  She didn’t mind of course, but she didn’t want the young ensign to be caught too off guard.  The warm up jacket found its way into the clothes fresher along with the pants, leaving Reggie to answer the door chime in her tank top and thong as she returned to the main room.

Not the most naked I’ve ever been when inviting a guest in.

“Come on in!”

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #9 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Suder's Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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After stepping inside, the first thing that Liam noticed - of course - was the Lone Wolf's state of near undress. He did a double-take, but in realising the prudent means of giving him access to the areas that needed a touch-up and a new tattoo, her choice of apparel made perfect sense.

Nonetheless, he blinked and cleared his throat, averting his eyes from the way the tank top hug her form and the amount of skin shown on her lower body. "I... got here as quickly as I could, so..." he said and looked around so that he wouldn't be staring somewhere inappropriate whilst talking to her, "...that I'd manage to finish before we're due to return to the fighter bay."

Having averted his eyes from her bare legs, Liam ended up studying the personal touches to her quarters. She had the temperature set rather high, suggesting that she had either increased it temporarily for his visit, or that she tended to be in a state of undress even without visiting tattoo artists. Her accommodations weren't in any greater state of disarray, though here were some clutter in places where she hadn't seemed to bother sorting things away. To bridge the onset of any awkward silence, Liam moved on to tell her what he proposed they did first.

"If you wouldn't mind, could you lie down on the couch or the bed? Lie down on the side, and I will touch up your old tattoo first. That will serve to limber my fingers up for the new tattoo, and get a feel for the size and placement as well. I will sanitise my hands in the meantime."

When waiting for her to get ready, Liam put the tattooing kit on the table and opened it up. He began to calibrate the tattoo machine for the range of tips he needed to use, and that was when his eyes caught the squadron photo, as well as their emblem, and he realised that the tattoo he was about to work on held significant meaning for Gemini.

"Is that your old squad?" he asked, looking towards her after inclining his head towards the picture. He then headed to her small restroom with a bottle of antibacterial soap so that he could wash his hands properly.  "I take it this ink of a hawk was done at some point when you served with them?"

Letting her talk about her past, Liam took a look at the needles at his disposal. He had a few different types and sizes of needles, but he wasted little time installing a needle perfect for outlining edges. Deftly, he inserted it through the tube towards the tip - careful not to dull a needle while assembling. He eventually crouched down next to her and put his free hand on her thigh, making sure she didn't move while he filled out the slightly blurred image - freshening it up to fight the father time once more. Now and again, he calibrated the needle, switching between a few of them when they were found too old for safe usage or he needed to fill in the centres.

In the meantime, he paid close attention to what the Lone Wolf was saying, since that kept him from admiring her body too openly.

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #10 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Auctor Lucan‍ 

It was not lost to the Betazoid, the affect her current state of dress had on the young man. She felt his moment of confusion and as he mentioned their time line she both saw and sensed his awkwardness.

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” she said, responding to his request that she take up residence on the couch or the bed. She chose the couch. “Oh,” she said as she sauntered past him. She stopped, turned and put her hand on his shoulder, intent on looking him in the eye. “It’s okay, Liam. If I didn’t trust your professionalism, I wouldn’t ask you to do this and I don't mind  if you look.”

Without further word she slid onto the couch, positioning herself so she was looking out towards him.  She supposed he didn’t care if she faced him or not, but it felt more polite to face him as he worked on her.

“It is,” she said in response to his question about her squadron photo.  Liam had moved into the bathroom and come back.  “Starhawk squadron was one of the flagship squadrons of the Corps.  I was assigned to them right out of CONN training and rode with them for the duration of the war.”

Reggie paused as Liam’s hand settled on her thigh.  Instinct told her to tense the leg and lock it up as best she could. But she reminded herself to relax and as Liam set his final preparations Reggie shoved a pillow under her head and relaxed her body as she exhaled. 

“Don’t get me wrong,” she said.  “The squadron didn’t start as a flagship.  The war caught everyone off guard, of course, but Starhawk found itself in the thick of things.  We were one of the few large units that did not keep a static base.  We fought in the Bajor sector, the Kalandra sector, Chin’Toka, Nimbus, Andor, and Betazed just to name a few.”

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #11 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Suder's Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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Having been reassured that it was okay to look at her, and told that she trusted in his professionalism, Liam was gradually feeling more at ease while he worked on touching up the old tattoo. What she said had further corroborated his suspicion that she was Betazoid as well, since he had said naught but she'd sensed his discomfort, or read his mind.

In a way, that made things easier for him. Not just in the sense that there weren't any misunderstandings about his intentions - innocent as they were - but also because he knew that Betazoids weren't self-conscious about showing their skin. A product of their inborn abilities, since the inherent honesty born from them made the showing of skin rather secondary. It wasn't in their nature to hide things, since they often couldn't. He appreciated that she relaxed when he worked on the hawk, and listened to her stories from the Dominion War. It served to ease any lingering tension between them, he found, since he could focus on his work, and be less concerned about how smooth and warm her thigh felt under his hands. Of course he noticed it, appreciating it just as much as the view, but as much as he might enjoy her presence it didn't take away from his main focal point - the detail of wings and feathers taking up the majority of his thoughts.

"So you are a war veteran. Impressive..." he said quietly, lips pursed while his light blue eyes followed the contours of the emblem. "Your eyes, I noticed... they are cybernetic, right? Given the colour you picked for them... I get the impression that you are Betazoid? I gathered it from how you seemed to read my mind earlier... If that's the case, I am sorry if my mind wanders, Lieutenant. I can't help it."

Having said as much, he might as well make the obvious addendum, hoping he hadn't provoked her somehow. Practised as he was at what he did, and his needlework swift, the hawk emblem was nearly finished, so he glanced towards her face with a smile. "You must be used to it, I suppose. I would hardly be the first who's mind betrays them in your presence." That actually gave him some pause of thought, while he went back to finishing up the first tattoo. "It's a bit of a conundrum, isn't it, when propriety and regulations are seemingly observed on the surface aboard the ship... but you're able to tell what people really want to say and do. Do you find it... amusing, or depressing, seeing us play dishonest charades for the sake of arbitrary rules, preforming duties according to protocols made decades and centuries ago?"

Once finished, he stood up, looking down at the hawk emblem. "Have a look..."

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #12 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Auctor Lucan‍ 

Reggie couldn’t help but chuckle at Liam’s comment about his mind wandering.  As a Betazoid, and an attractive one at that, she was more than used to it.  Even so, she couldn’t help but wonder just what kind of prudes humans really were.  True Betazoid culture was more liberal than most when it came to matters of the physicla body, and as far as Betazoids went, she was pretty liberal.  It gave her pause as she wondered whether or not her predilections made it difficult for others around her to know her desires and intentions.

“Don’t worry about your wandering mind, Liam.  It’s really all right.”

His comments about knowing others intentions and reading their thoughts reminded her of a similar conversation she’d had with Alana a few days ago and it seemed appropriate to revisit that topic with Liam.

“It can be a conundrum,” Reggie conceded.  “But at the same time it’s not as difficult as you might think.  I was having a similar conversation with another member of the crew a few days ago,” she paused as she shifted position, taking care to keep her hip stable as Liam worked.  “Any person is going to experience a sense of attraction towards another person who appeals to them on a physical or emotional level.  I’ve had thoughts about people, you’ve had thoughts about people.  Everyone has.  It’s just natural and I don’t hold that against any one.  It is how a person choses to act on those thoughts and desires that I value.  A person such as yourself who goes out of their way to be respectful rates much higher for me than someone who decides it’s okay to be a lecherous ass just because I have a shapely body.  Personally I don’t see it as ‘dishonest charades’ when someone waits for the appropriate time, place and way in which to express those feelings and determine the level to which they’re reciprocated.”

She paused at that thought, as her mind wandered back to T’Less.  It had been a bit easier for them to sort out there feelings and determine how best to move forward as they had both been open and honest with one another.  Their use of their mutual telepathic powers hadn’t hurt matters either.

“That said, Telepathy when consented to, is helpful and sometimes it’s amusing to hear the thoughts of two non-telepaths as they try to negotiate their relationship with one another.”

At Liam’s prompting, Reggie shifted again and turned, to see the work he had done on her right hip.  The hawk seemed to have renewed life as the freshly inked lines popped from her bare skin in a way she hadn’t seen in far longer than she remembered.    She’d known it needed touch up, but hadn’t realized just how faded it had become over the years.

“It looks fantastic!  Thank you, Liam.”

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #13 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Suder's Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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"I'm glad you like it," Liam said with a smile, still thinking about what Gemini had spoken about regarding her abilities and her opinion of those lesser equipped with telepathy or empathic abilities.

His question had yielded both confirmation about his guess as well as nuance to the Betazoid people's perspective, and he appreciated it. The factor of timing and how it affected interactions would naturally play a far more significant role between people whom showed their hands in life's poker game all the time. The social interaction between them had to be shifting focus away from the unknown - since few thing were - and towards quirks and skills that served the game itself. That would, of course, have to be true for the manners of other species as well.

Then, of course, there was the confirmation that there was a certain measure- albeit secondary - of amusement observing the non-telepaths whilst they navigated crude linguistics to get their meanings across. Liam could but imagine some situations where telepaths would be frustrated too, if they were affected as a third party. If the cost lay on the telepath if two non-telepaths couldn't agree on something verbally - even though they were largely in agreement - that ought to be quite irksome, to say the least.

"Right, now for the new one?" Liam said with a smile, having walked over to Suder to look at the way the light shifted across her newly re-inked thigh. He refrained from reaching out and touching the area, knowing that it was tender by then, but he would have to touch her other thigh next - unless she'd changed her mind. "You will have to lay down on the other side, and I will apply the stencil first. I will have to draw some of the detail by hand, but once you like the outline, I will get it done."

Going to collect what he needed from the tattooing kit, Liam continued to make conversation. Not just because he enjoyed her company, but because he knew it served to ease any nerves or tensions before the tattooing machine went to work. "I think it's commendable that Betazoids, as far as my limited experience with your people goes, are very mindful about consent when it comes to mind-reading. I have been wondering, though, what kind of distinction you have in law between acts and thoughts. Do you judge a man or woman for their errant minds like you would judge an act and a real consequence?"

Listening to the answer, Liam went to work as soon as Suder had lay down - carefully marking up the area on he other hip that was to be inked with the Lone Wolves emblem. He didn't say how much he enjoyed the sight of her, and touching her skin, since his mind was an open book to her, and he hoped that his appreciation was taken at face value, to to speak, since he respected her as much as he enjoyed her company.

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #14 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Auctor Lucan‍ 

Reggie shifted position as instructed and rolled slightly to give Liam, what she hoped, was a better angle on which to work. It put her in a slightly awkward angle, so she grabbed a pillow from the couch using it to prop herself and she shifted her other right leg to provide a little more support.

She winced a little as he set to work but almost immediately thereafter she settled in, closed her eyes and focused on his voice and the sound of his equipment, drinking in the experience.

Reggie was a Wolf through and through now. A pup still to some, but a proven member of the squad. She was a flight leader, a training instructor and, to her, by taking on this tattoo, this brand, she was now committing herself to the Lone Wolves just as deeply, just as intently as she had the Star Hawks. It did not matter that Liam was ignorant of what this personal ritual meant to her, nor did it matter if her brothers and sisters in arms knew either. This was hers, and she knew what it meant to her. It was not something she took lightly.

Letting out a contented sigh as she performed the silent ritual, she heard Liam’s question and considered it.

“I’d be lying if I said I knew for sure,” she conceded. “Crime is a rare thing on Betazed so I’m not entirely sure. I guess you can say it’s a matter of perspective. With a race of telepaths, it tends to be quite easy to sense when a person is in need of help, even when one isn’t trying to read the world around them. If someone senses that another wishes to cause harm to one self or others, that person is usally met with compassion to help resolve the mental health issue. But in terms of strict accountability under the law, that’s usually only enforced when there is a real action and resulting consequences.”

Her mind wandered, leading her down a path she knew she’d rather not go, down a rabbit hole she could not help but fall in to. He was not without his faults for sure. But if feelings of anger and malice truly stood out within Betazoid society, why hadn’t they helped him sooner? Had she ever sensed that from him? No…maybe? Had he been hiding those feelings from her…from those around him? Yes…maybe? Given who he was would he have even cared to try? Yes..no…maybe? Would she ever know those answers for sure? No.

Lon, I’m sorry we failed you.

She felt her eyes watering and wiped a tear from her face, taking care to keep her lower body as still as possible so as to not disrupt Liam’s work.

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #15 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Suder's Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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Pondering the answer he was given, Liam admired the Betazoid community for its level-headed pragmatism when it came to legislation, since he could but imagine how easy it would be for a society of telepaths to start judging their citizens based on their unspoken expressions and not just their actions. Freedom of speech translated to their telepathic voices, where compassion and more enlightened thoughts function as a bastion against short-sighted thinking.

It was, however, odd how Suder had immediately equated harmful thinking to mental health issues in her reasoning, as if premeditated crimes were all labelled as a mental illness? Surely she couldn't have meant that? Since... that didn't account for any form of desperation, peer pressure, poverty or religious motivations. The unfair treatment of marginalised groups, especially, had a history of sowing crime, and chalking it all up to mental health issues seemed... oppressive, but in a way, perhaps the definition of mental illness was broader in Betazoid society? Liam didn't know, and he felt that he might be presumptuous with his reasoning, so he settled on the great merit of telepathic freedom, impressed as he was that a society of telepaths hadn't come to legislate against harmful thinking, and only penalised actions.

When he glanced up from his work, he saw her wiping a tear, and he realised that his work might be too painful for her. His hand stilled, and he studied the set of her brow, thinking that at least his modern tattooing machine didn't hurt as much as they did centuries ago.

"I am sorry, should I stop?" he asked quietly, and reached out with his free hand to put it on her shoulder. "Is it painful?"

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #16 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Auctor Lucan‍ 

The sense of Liam’s hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her thoughts and back into the moment and only then did she realize she had been crying.

“What?  Oh… no… it’s not painful at all.  I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.  With our talks about the Betazoid legal system, I was reminded of my late Brother.  He was a violent man.  Killed…murdered multiple people in cold blood…apparently for no reason other than because he could.”

She took a second to wipe her face.

“The family tried to help him with various medical and psychological therapies but he was never able to get past his violent impulses until about a year before he died when a Vulcan mind meld of all things gave him some semblance of inner peace.”

Reggie shifted in place on her couch and pulled the pillow she’d been using for physical support tighter to her body so that it might provide emotional support as well.

“We tried everything we could to help him.  Who knew a fucking Vulcan mindmeld would provide an answer for him.  Despite everything, I miss him and I feel like I failed him.”

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #17 –
[ Ensign Liam Herrold | Suder's Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring 
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Once he heard that it wasn't his tattooing that made her cry, Liam slowly resumed his work. He listened, though, hearing how it was a family tragedy that had caused her the sudden spout of grief. A memory of a brother, and the helplessness of loosing someone close. The second-guessing of one's own actions, and always wondering what could have been done differently, that was something Liam didn't envy her or her family. Judging from what she was saying, in how the family had tried everything they could think of, it had to be particularly bad if a treatment they hadn't tried was found at last. Vulcan mind-melds wasn't something Liam knew much about, but it was the first time he'd heard it used as a medical treatment, so their ignorance was - in his eyes - more than justified.

"If there is any comfort... I had no idea Vulcans could do that either. They are often not very... approachable, if you forgive the generalisation, and even if it was common knowledge that such a unique treatment existed, I would think there was no guarantee that it might work. I reckon the map of the mind is unique to us all, so it could be it specifically worked that time for you brother because of that individual Vulcan could do it for your brother. Any other Vulcan, any other patient, any other circumstance or affliction, and it mightn't have worked at all."

Working on the last part of the new tattoo, Liam continued - gently running the hand over the area he was working on to make sure the ink had been fully applied and that there were no lines appearing then the skin moved. "Not that my opinion makes any difference, but I hardly think you failed him given the nature of his condition. I mean... you can treat a wound easily enough these days, pulling people back from the brink of death after suspending them in cryogenic stasis. Miracles, as far as I can tell. But the mind? That has to to be the hardest to treat, since we still struggle to ascertain what consciousness is, and how it has come to be."

Applying the last couple of lines, Liam then leaned back, looking at the new tattoo from a bit more distance, and smiled. "Take a look and let me know if you need me to add something more to it, but that's the emblem alright."

OOC: Thank you for your patience during these really trying work times of mine.
 

Re: Day 17 [1830 hrs] Inking the Deal

Reply #18 –
[Lt. Reggie Suder | Personal Quarters | Deck 13 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn:  @Auctor Lucan‍

Reggie forced her breathing to calm to a slower and more steady rate.  It didn’t take a telepath to sense that her angst was washing up against Liam and given that he was doing her the favor, she owed it to him to be as low maintenance as possible.  She nodded silently as he spoke about his view of Vulcans and their mind meld abilities and then spoke to what he viewed about her fear of failing him.

“You’re probably right,” she conceded. “I don’t know much about Vulcan mind melds.”  It was a bit of a lie.  From her time with T’Less, Reggie knew a bit more than she was willing to admit to Liam.  Didn’t want to come across as a know it all.  “But from what I understand the phenomenon is called something like ‘emotional transference’, where the two parties exhibit symptoms of the others personality.  It’s supposed to be temporary.  But apparently in Lon’s case something triggered it permanently.”

She paused, for a moment as she considered the matter a bit more.  “Don’t get me wrong, my brother was not a nice man.  I think I might be more upset about the loss of the potential of what he could have become, than I am about losing the man he was.”

When Liam advised her the Wolf emblem was complete, Reggie was more than ready for a change in subject and turned gently so she could get a better look of it.  The hip was sore, for certain, as was her right side from where Liam had done the touch up work, but the art was…

“Exquisite,” she said out loud. “Liam, this is fantastic work.  Thank you!  I can’t believe you were able to complete it so quickly.”


-FIN-
 
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