Star Trek: Theurgy

CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

January 15, 2019, 10:29:20 AM

[ Ensign Isel “Foxfire” Nix | Junior Officers Quarters | Deck 16 | Vector 01 || USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Isel walked in silence, unsure of what to say as she and Donna made their way through the corridor to the quarters Donna had just been assigned. They had wasted little time after leaving the fighter assault bay, heading to the quartermasters to get their berths assigned before heading to Donna’s for the talk she had requested. Now, as they approached the door to the junior officer’s quarters Donna had been assigned, Isel found herself unsure of what to say.

It was not something that happened often.

Isel looked around as they entered the quarters and found the room sterile and empty, lacking the small things that made a room feel inhabited. Isel stepped towards the viewport in the far wall as the doors hissed shut behind the, unable to deny the fact that she felt nervous. She had been both looking forward to and dreading this talk with Donna, knowing that the things that had come to light in their last talk would make things difficult between them. Her reaction that night had hardly improved matters. She’d threatened Donna, acting out of fear and a sense of being cornered. Not that that fact excused her behaviour or made things any better. ”Look, before you say anything,” Isel said, blurting the words before Donna had a chance to speak. ”I…”

Isel hesitated, unsure of how to phrase what she wanted to say. She was a talker, that was for sure, though she was hardly what anyone would call eloquent. The Vulpinian sighed, deciding she may as well just come out and say it plainly, since she had no gift for flowery speech. ”I want to apologize. For what I said that night in my quarters,” Isel turned her gaze to Donna, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and sadness, ”What you said… it forced me into a corner. And what I said, well, it was said out of fear. For myself… for the children…” Isel sighed again, walking a few steps towards the bulkhead. Once she reached it, the diminutive woman crossed her arms beneath her breasts and turned, leaning her back against the wall. She fixed her eyes on the floor in front of her as she spoke again. ”I know it’s no excuse. The way I acted, but…” Isel raised her gaze again, tears visible in her eyes as they met Donna’s, ”I’m sorry, Donna.”

Isel dropped her gaze, scrubbing the sleeve of her uniform across her face to wipe it clear of tears. ”Fuck, look at me getting all emotional. You’ve ruined me, Petterson…” Isel murmured with a choked giggle, shaking her head at her reaction. Her face now rubbed clear of tears, she crossed her arms once more and raised her gaze to take in Donna.

Damn, but she was beautiful…

”Ok, your quarters, your turn to talk. Go.” Isel said, hoping to get Donna talking so as to stop herself from rambling. Or crying. Or both.

Re: CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

Reply #1 – January 20, 2019, 08:11:10 AM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Personal Quarters | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Fife
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Donna said nothing as they walked along the ship’s passageways towards the quarters she had been assigned. It had been an unspoken agreement between the two wingmates that their conversation should happen in her quarters. And it was the closer of the two. Donna allowed Isel to enter first before following after the Vulpinian to get a look at where she would be sleeping while aboard the Theurgy.

“So these are the Junior Officer’s Quarters,” Donna thought to herself as she looked around from where she was standing just inside the doorway. “Workstation, couch and coffee table and a bed in the corner. Shower and head through the door. Cosy,” Donna concluded before a wry notion flashed through her head. “Should I go through the effort of trying to decorate? Or just I wait to see if I am still here in a week’s time?”

Ahead of her, Isel stood with her back to her and Donna couldn’t help but wonder what the Vulpinian was thinking about. The last time they had been in a room like this together, things had been both amazing and terrible all at once. What would they be this time? Before she had a chance to speak first, Isel seized the initiative and spoke first. And Doona did nothing but stand there and listen as the usually talkative and expressive woman stumbled over her words, apologising first and then tearing up as she accused Donna of ruining her. And as she stood there, Donna wanted with all of her soul to walk over and hug the shorter woman but she wasn’t sure how that action would be received. Suddenly finding the room to be stifling, Donna undid her jacket and removed it; laying it over the workstation as she made her way to sit on the couch. Once there, she took in the vista of the passing stars before looking back at Isel.

“I could never ruin you Isel,” Donna remarked calmly as she crossed her legs. “Perhaps I should have worn pants,” Donna considered, remembering what she had worn to Isel’s quarters on the Dauntless. “You’re perfect as you are and nothing will ever change that,” Donna declared.

“And you don’t need to apologise, I should never have put you in this position in the first place,” Donna said. “When I saw your name on that list, I suddenly wanted to see you again. To try and rekindle what we once shared. But then I went and fucked it up. I should be on my knees now, begging for your forgiveness. I will never be able to say sorry to you enough for what I have done, and I doubt I’ll ever be able to make it up to you,” Donna continued. “But I’d like the chance to try. If you’ll let me.”

“And the first way I can think of doing that is opening myself to you,” Donna pledged after taking a deep breath. “Ask. Anything you want to know. From any point in my life. The truth of me is yours.”

Re: CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

Reply #2 – January 21, 2019, 08:17:37 AM

[ Ensign Isel “Foxfire” Nix | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 || USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Donna’s words caused Isel’s chest to tighten, leaving the Vulpinian unsure of what to say. Donna had wanted to see her again? Had wanted to rekindle what they had once had? It was a sweet sentiment. Unfortunately, it was also one which had led them down a dangerous road, almost gotten them killed, and might still end up getting the both of them assimilated.

Maybe the Borg would let them have side by side alcoves…

The thought did little to cheer the white-haired woman and she turned her gaze to look at Donna, still hesitant. She wasn’t sure what to say. There was so much she wanted to tell the other woman, so much she wanted to ask, but she had no idea where to start.

No, she knew exactly where to start…

”Yes, Donna, I do need to apologize,” Isel insisted as she took a step towards the Human, ”I threatened you! Grabbed you by the fucking neck! The way I acted…” Isel drew in a ragged breath, trying to get a hold of herself, ”There’s no excuse for it. That isn’t who I am anymore, and I don’t ever want to act like that again! Not to anyone, but especially not towards you!” Isel let out a long sigh, her shoulders sagging as the air hissed past her lips. ”I swore I’d left that sort of behaviour behind when I left the Syndicate.” That statement gave her pause. She glanced at Donna, her expression curious. ”Speaking of which, I suppose you’ve got questions for me as well. We both learned a bit about one another the other night.” Isel took another step, and soon found herself standing in front of Donna, looking down at the woman who was seated on the couch in front of her. ”What you just said goes for me as well. No more secrets. Honesty all the way. So lets do this together. I’ll ask a question, then you can ask a question.” Isel moved to the side, seating herself on the couch next to Donna with a bit a space between them. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to be near Donna, just the opposite in fact, but she figured that the conversation they were about to have would be better had without the distraction of direct contact.

”Ok…” Isel said finally after tucking one leg underneath her and arranging her tail on her lap, ”So… you were in Starfleet Intelligence…” she studied Donna as she spoke, seeing the woman she had fallen for long ago, but also feeling as though she was seeing a new person as well, ”What did you do while you worked for them? And how long were you an intelligence officer? You said you didn’t know the names Demetria or Analla, so you weren’t on the team that was dealing with me or my organization…”

Re: CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

Reply #3 – January 30, 2019, 03:11:25 AM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Personal Quarters | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Fife
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“Very well, I accept your apology,” Donna said, trying to assuage her companion’s obvious guilt. “Even if I deserved it,” Donna added before taking a deep breath to align her thoughts.

“As a member of Starfleet Intelligence’s Covert Operations Department, it was my job to conduct operations of questionable legality when official means and methods stalled. My initial missions had me mainly dealing with the Maquis and several small organisations until I had established my cover identities. After that, I began to work on getting deeper in the Orion Syndicate. I was never a member, though, I just supplied weapons,” Donna explained.

“During the Dominion War, I was tasked with a lot of infiltration and observation missions on various worlds, often working alone without any backup or real escape plan,” Donna revealed, gazing out the window at the swirling gases of the nebula beyond as she remembered. “During that time, if I wasn’t fighting the war, I was undercover as an arms dealer named Maxine Gentry, maintaining the identity and its ties to the Orion Syndicate. My main contact in the syndicate was a Klingon female called Omari. Though there were others, I didn’t know them all, which could be a reason for me not knowing of Demetria or Analla.”

“In my capacity as an operative, I served from 2371 to early 2376, having been recruited right out of the Academy on Beta Aquilae II,” Donna said, exhaling slowly before looking at Isel. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure what else you’d like to know. And I’ll take whatever you want to offer me, Isel. But if you say that you have left that part of you behind, maybe it’s better that it stays there.”

Re: CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

Reply #4 – January 30, 2019, 04:38:29 AM

[ Ensign Isel “Foxfire” Nix | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 || USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Isel’s eyes studied Donna as the Human said that it might be better if her past stayed in the past. ”Well the cat’s pretty well out of the bag already, so it wouldn’t do much good to leave it as it is,” Isel said, her eyes locked on Donna’s, ”besides, you told me yours. Only fair I tell you mine.” Isel took a deep breath to steel her nerves, then began her own admission.

”Analla bought me at the slave markets when I was still a kit, somewhere around 21 years old by your Human years. My mother was sold at the auctions too, but I have no idea what happened to her.” There was a hint of sadness in Isel’s tone as she mentioned her mother, though she seemed to shake it off as she continued. ”Over time Analla found I had some skills she found useful. She began to use me as a bodyguard, an interpreter, whatever she needed. I was lucky, really. I’ve seen her torture slaves just for fun. I suppose my usefulness saved me from that.” Isel’s eyes took on a far off stare as she relived her fist day as Analla’s slave, when she’d watched Analla torture a slave to death with the shock anklets they’d all been fitted with. The Bolian child’s screams seemed to echo in her mind for a moment before she forced her thoughts back to the present.

”Eventually Analla freed me, and I took on the name Demetria. It was sort of… a way to shed my old life. To leave my past behind.” Isel shrugged, unsure if she was doing an adequate job explaining things. ”In the years that followed, I moved up in the ranks of Analla’s cell, and eventually became her right hand. I’d run things for her when she was away, oversee important deals and exchanges, and watch her back at meetings with other Syndicate cells.” Isel’s eyes looked sad ass she stared at Donna, her voice growing small, almost scared. ”Demetria seems like a totally different person, now. It doesn’t seem like she was me. She was… terrible. Almost as bad as Analla.” Isel dropped her gaze to her lap, where she had her hands clasped tightly together. ”We were involved in all sorts of horrible shit. Arms dealing, assassination, smuggling, gambling, kidnapping, prostitution…” Isel shuddered, ”I killed a lot of people back then. Did terrible things…” Isel looked up again, her eyes on the verge of spilling tears down her cheeks. The eyes themselves seemed to be filled with shame at what she had done in the past.

”In 2367, Starfleet Intelligence first contacted me. I began feeding them intelligence on the Syndicate, just little pieces at first. Over the years I gave them intel on slave auctions, weapon shipments, boss movements, and hits. I kept feeding them information until 2374, when I left the Syndicate and entered Starfleet’s witness protection. I stole 3 slaves when I left, the kids I told you about before. I blew up a large portion of Analla’s base of operations, too, though apparently not enough if the bitch is still alive…” Anger had entered her voice as she spoke the last part, her eyes flashing hatred as she thought of Analla still prowling the universe. ”That’s why I was so scared when you made your little play to blackmail me. At first I thought you might be working with the Syndicate. Then, when you mentioned the three, I was furious. I fed Starfleet Intelligence intel on the Orion Syndicate for seven fucking years and they go and fucking blackmail me! They threaten to let the Syndicate get the kids!” Isel’s expression was full of anger again, her eyes still locked on Donna’s. ”Since when does fucking Starfleet threaten to let the Syndicate kill children? When the fuck did that become a thing?” Isel shook her head, trying to calm down. ”I know it wasn’t you, Donna. I just don’t know who the fuck we’re fighting for anymore. This whole fucking quadrant just seems to be going down the shitter.”

Isel stood then, pacing across the room to stare out the viewport again at the passing starts. ”Anyway, I entered witness protection about two years before I met you at the Academy.” Isel half-turned her head, glancing at Donna out of the corner of her eye. ”that was best day of my life, pouncing stark-ass-naked on you.” Isel’s grin was clear as she turned to face Donna, walking back across the room towards the Human. Rather than sitting down on the couch beside Donna, she instead plopped herself down on the other woman’s lap. ”So how about it, miss sexy super-spy?” Isel asked, her face turning serious as she slung her arms around Donna’s neck. ”Think a career Starfleet girl like you could fall for a degenerate mutt like me?” A grin spread over Isel’s face, though it had a slightly worried appearance. ”I mean, I’ve heard of the old “opposites attract” saying, but I think we might be pushing even that a little far…”

Re: CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

Reply #5 – February 02, 2019, 02:17:48 PM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Personal Quarters | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Fife
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Listening to Isel tell the story of her life had been depressing for Donna. The Vulpinian had experienced so much in her short life already that Donna was almost crying as she sat there. She fought to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes as Isel continued because if she cracked, she would wrap her friend/lover in a bearhug and never let her go.

“2367. 8 years as an informant. Explains how I got some of those intel briefings at times. They had insider knowledge,” Donna noted, her mind remembering how detailed some of that information had been. “The risks she must have taken to get that information out. And then to keep on doing it for as long as she did. How do you describe bravery like that?” Donna wondered, lost for words.

Then Isel moved onto a happier part of her story, recollecting how she had pounced on Donna and how it was the best day of her life. Donna herself found it hard to refute that statement as thinking about it, Donna realised that it was the best day of hers as well. She was still thinking about it when Isel sat down on her lap and asked if she could fall for her.

“You’re not a degenerate mutt Isel Nix,” Donna began as she wrapped her arms around Isel’s waist. Lower or higher and she’d never finishe what she had to say. “If anything, you’re braver than I ever will be. And opposites might attract, but despite our histories, are we really that different from each other? We each have started a new life, joined Starfleet and became warp fighter pilots. And now we have both gone rogue,” Donna pointed out. “I’d say that also makes us pretty similar as well.”

“I don’t know how today is going to end. And I don’t know what we are going to do tomorrow or a week, a month from now,” Donna said softly, staring into Isel’s eyes. “But I do know that as long as I’m near you, I feel like I can face anything. And I never want to lose you again. No matter the cost I have to pay.”

Re: CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

Reply #6 – February 04, 2019, 07:34:04 PM

[ Ensign Isel “Foxfire” Nix | Fighter Assault Bay | Deck 16 | Vector 02 || USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Stegro88
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Isel smile broadened as Donna spoke, her words filling Isel with hope. Isel reached her arms, which were already around Donna’s neck, further back and pulled the Human into a tight embrace. ”Stop it Donna, you’re gonna make me blush!” Isel chuckled, holding the other woman tight in her arms. Seated there in Donna’s lap, with her arms embracing the other woman, Isel felt as though her cares were melting away. Isel let her head fall forward so that her cheek rested against Donna’s, feeling the warmth of the other woman’s face against hers. Isel remained that way for several moments, holding Donna as though the Human woman was the most precious thing in her world. As she felt the hope of Donna’s words washing over her, Isel realized that she was. She realized that she might finally get the chance to confess her true feelings to the Human, that they might truly get a second chance.

”You’re not going to lose me again, Donna,” she finally said, her voice little more than a whisper, ”I lost you once. I’m not letting go this time.”

Isel loosened her hold on Donna, leaning back so that their eyes met. The Vulpinian’s multicoloured eyes seemed more vivid than usual, red-rimmed as they were with the emotions welling up within the woman’s tiny body. ”Donna, I…” Isel hesitated, her words getting caught in her throat. ”I wanted…”

[Fighter Assault Bay to Lieutenant Petterson and Ensign Nix.] came a voice over their commbadges, as though the universe itself was trying to prevent her from saying the words she so desperately wanted to speak aloud, [You’re needed in the FAB as soon as possible to go over a few last minute details of your new fighters.] Isel closed her eyes and sighed, realizing that now would not be the time. ”Fuck’s sake…” she muttered, releasing her grip on Donna’s neck and tapping her combadge. ”This is Ensign Nix. Roger that,” She acknowledged over the comms, her voice sounding annoyed and unenthusiastic, ”we’ll be there shortly.”

She closed the commlink and opened her eyes, regarding Donna with a look of exasperation. ”After this shit is over, we’re taking a couple days off, Donna,” she informed the other woman, a slight smile spreading across her features, ”we’re going to have a proper talk, and then I’m not letting you out of that bed for at least 24 hours.” Isel reluctantly extracted herself from Donna’s lap then, stretching her back with her arms above her head before letting the limbs fall to her side. ”Think we’ve got time for a quick shower before we head back?” Sadly, she doubted they’d have time for anything more fun than that. ”If we’re going to be fighting the Borg, I’d at least like to wash the sweat from our last fight off first.”

Re: CH05: S [D06|1020] Stolen Moments

Reply #7 – February 09, 2019, 11:16:14 AM

Lt. JG Donna ‘Chance’ Petterson | Personal Quarters | Deck 16 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]
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Donna held onto Isel as tightly as the fox was holding onto her as the two of them enjoyed a moment of peace and contentment amidst a storm of chaos. Neither knew what an hour from now held for them but they didn’t care. In that single moment, they had each other and that was all that mattered to them.

“I’m not letting you go either,” Donna replied to Isel. “No matter what I have to do. I’m yours forever.” Further speech was interrupted by the eruption of an unfamiliar voice in her quarters.

“Fighter Assault Bay to Lieutenant Petterson and Ensign Nix.” The voice sounded off as the look on Isel’s face changed to one of frustration, not that Donna knew why. “You're needed in the FAB as soon as possible to go over a few last-minute details of your new fighters.” Isel replied before Donna could before the Vulpinian looked at her once again and proposed a positively delightful idea.

“I could definitely use a few days off, that’s for sure,” Donna agreed with her wingwoman. “Not sure what we’re going to talk about but spending 24 hours in bed with you, sans clothes, sounds like heaven. I doubt it will happen exactly like that but one can dream.”

“I think we could squeeze in a shower each,” Donna agreed, standing up. “We should probably shower separately. Otherwise I think we’d be late. Guest first?”

~FIN~