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Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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As days went, it had been a long and hard one for Lillee. She had been called out of bed early at 0400 hours to be the on-call shuttle pilot, replacing the usual CONN officer who was unable to report to duty, and the day had continued in the same vein ever since. Paperwork was improperly filled out by the previous shift, shuttle parts were missing in a cargo bay, a hull patch on the Tigris fractured and needing replacing...the problems kept mounting by the hour, and Lillee seemed to be running around like a headless chicken, as humans liked to put it.

As she dashed around, run increasingly ragged, Lillee knew that she should ask for help from someone. Lauren, Samala, maybe even Lieutenant Lail. Nevertheless, as the day progressed, she also felt more and more determined to do everything herself, if only to prove a point. So what if all four Elements seemed to be conspiring to make today a nightmare? This was her job, and she could do it perfectly fine without aid!

Unfortunately, late that afternoon, Lillee's temper got the better of her. Working with an unfortunate crewman to replenish the antimatter of a shuttle's warp core, Lillee ended up shouting furiously at him for a screw-up. This naturally ended with Lillee in the deck chief's office, as the tall Trill woman proceeded to give her a savage tongue-lashing about exactly who was allowed to shout in her shuttlebay.

Lillee, somewhat deflated afterward, was sent to work with an engineering team, handling the many repairs that were still underway on the ship. Hours more work followed: crawling through Jefferies tubes to cleanse EPS conduits, assisting an engineer with a finicky calibration of a thruster, slipping into an EVA suit and working outside the ship to repair some malfunctioning torpedo tube doors. It was growing late indeed when she was assigned to a good-natured Operations lieutenant, who tasked her with cleaning up some ruptured bioneural gel packs in yet another Jefferies tube.

The human at least helped, cheerfully changing into some bright yellow overalls and joining in the work. Leavitt was so sickeningly endearing that Lillee liked and disliked him at the same time, but all the same, they got the work done remarkably quickly. Unfortunately, both of them were also now filthy, sweating in the hot confines of the Jefferies tube and very much done for the day. Leavitt (still smiling, the bastard) thanked Lillee for her work, volunteered to put away the tools, and ordered Lillee to immediately go off-duty and not report back for a long while, no matter what happened.

Thus, tired, worn out and aching all over, Lillee emerged from a Jefferies tube into a corridor. She didn't even know what deck she was on, and as Leavitt had seen, she did indeed look like a mess. She'd pulled her yellow overalls down to her waist and tied them off due to the heat in the Jefferies tube, meaning that Lillee's vest and bare arms were filthy and splattered with unidentifiable substances in places. Her blonde hair was no better, tied off in a rough ponytail but messy all the same.

As she traipsed through the corridor, Lillee spotted Commander Natalie Stark coming from the other direction. Despite everything, Lillee offered the human a warm smile; she had grown rather fond of Stark during the shuttle excursion. Belatedly, Lillee realised where she was, and glancing at the nearest door confirmed it: she was walking past the XO's quarters just as the Commander was coming to them from the other direction.

On a warbird, walking past the XO's quarters in such a state would warrant discipline, but fortunately, Starfleet was more lax. All the same, painfully conscious of how she looked and must surely smell, Lillee moved to the other side of the corridor and gave Commander Stark a wide berth. She said nothing, merely smiling apologetically.

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #1 –
 [Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff 
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To say that the day had been a long one would be an understatement. The whole week had been long, filled with odd and awkward moments, death-defying escapes from alien abductions, negotiations with various Klingon officials, unexpected developments in routine check ups, and all sort of other hassles that had inevitably fallen to Natalie to take care of, so that Captain Ives could focus on more important tasks. She was tired, and looking forward to going off shift, though her paramour would be on duty for most of the rest of the evening, having work that needed her personal touch to oversee. She had seen Vanya earlier in the day, but the Android would not be getting off shift until long after Natalie had gone to bed. The duo was still adjusting to the changes in their relationship, not that either had any major complaints, but this would be one of the rare evenings that Nat would be spending alone in her quarters since Vanya's unexpected return to her life. 

Not that a little time away was a bad thing, though after the unpleasant bout of Savi induced kidnapping, it was clear that both women were slightly more on edge, coming to terms with the risks involved in their line of work and how that would impact their growing relationship. Nat supposed she aught to be contemplating the stack of personnel  reports that would be awaiting her, all logged in on her desktop terminal in her quarters, instead of pondering the intricacies of having a girlfriend and the prospect of a night without pleasing company, nor the irony of not wanting to be alone after having been perfectly happy to have her own space just to herself. 

Sounds like you have a lot to work out with that new counselor of yours, Natalie thought, before outright dismissing that notion. She was not quite ready to work through relationship advice with Lt. Ashby. Especially considering the distressing habit that had developed in two of their previous encounters resulting in an unplanned and highly embarrassing lack of clothing. She did not want it to actually form into a real habit, and somehow just the thought of mentioning exploring new territory with an old friend seemed like exactly the kind of situation that would inexplicably result in her wearing not but her birthday suit. Again. 

Lost in these thoughts, she almost failed to notice an unexpected but familiar face coming down the hallway toward her. Looking about as bad as Natalie felt, the ships XO, placed the face with a name and a memory, perking up a bit.  Though the blonde woman was a non-comm, and Nat was the XO, she rather liked the Romulan, and found her to be good for a conversation. She'd shown her mettle professionally just under a week ago, when Nat had corralled Lillee t’Jellaieu, as well as all other Romulan and Reman members of the crew currently aboard the Theurgy into a meeting of the minds with some counterparts from the Empire itself, as well as the ships chief Diplomat. Things had gone...well, diplomatically would be a bit of a misnomer, but they had managed not to kill each other, and come up with avenues to pursue. Despite the massive variance in grade of rank, Natalie found Lillee to be quite insightful. 

Finding her in Officer territory, especially the department head wing of Officer Quarters, in such a state of dress was a bit of a shock however, and it pulled Natalie fully out of her own head. She slowed as the other woman approached, noting how the Romulan swung wide of Nat, as if to give her space out of deference, and smiled as if she had something to apologize for, not exactly a look she was used to seeing on Romulans of any flavor, though she tried not to hold onto stereotypes. Considering she was dating a Romulan (android) she really aught to know better. Silently chuckling at that, she raised her hand and gave a little wave. she knew there was no one else in the corridor behind her and didn't see anyone coming up past the other woman so there was little issue with perhaps a bit of fraternization and familiarity. 

"Good evening Petty Officer," she started, then frowned and shook her head. "Actually, if theres any justice in the world you're off duty right now and so am I. How are you doing, Lillee? Long day?" She asked, pausing as her own door opened next to her. 

OOC: I somehow missed this thread entirely and never got a notification email that it had been opened. OOPS!

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #2 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Nat's little wave was sufficiently cute to brighten Lillee up just a little. The bedraggled Romulan looked up and down the corridor as well despite knowing that she was perfectly entitled to be there, but she seemed to relax fractionally upon seeing that they were alone all the same.

"I've had longer days," Lillee said, pulling a strand of matted hair back behind her ear. "Truthfully, this feels like a day when the universe has been conspiring to drive me insane. I half expect us to go to red alert any moment." Lillee eyed the lights warily, as if expecting to turn red then and there. "Still, I do not complain. My grandmother says...ah...translated, 'when the universe kicks a rihanna in the tenders, a sensible rihanna thanks the universe and proceeds on her day."

Lillee blinked then, realising that she must be more worn out than she'd thought to ramble in the middle of the corridor. She smiled again. "Um, in any event, Commander, unless you require me, I have been ordered to go to my quarters and have a sonic shower. Or three showers. Or ten." And if her cursed shower was broken as was surely expected on such day, she would shamelessly steal Lorad's shower. It didn't matter if he was using it when she arrived; she'd drag him out at bladepoint if need be.

rihanna - a female Romulan

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #3 –
 [Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff  
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Blinking rapidly, Natalie did her best not to snort as she processed the Romulan colloquialism and did her best to commit it to memory. It was so very Romulan, she had to admit, and imagined that at some point she'd put it to use. With the current state of the galaxy, she was certain she'd be seeing more Romulans, not less, and having that little maxim in her toolkit just might end up being useful down the line. Even if it was a rather painful image, once she'd worked it all out. "Human's have a similar, if less striking adage: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Great drink, honestly, but some days there are more lemons than I can make juice out of ."

A look of sympathy passed over the shorter woman's face as she really took in Lillee's state. The other woman looked like she had been through a ringer, and probably crawled through half of Thea's Jefferies Tubes during the course of her day. Natalie had been there before herself, deep in the bowels of a starship, covered in God knew what, and drained to the bone because of it. Almost of its own volition one of Nat's hands reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. She knew all too well how crawling around for an entire shift in cramped maintenance shafts could lead to a crick in the neck or a knot between the shoulders. 

Pursing her lips, she glanced back into her quarters and pondered for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders. "Far be it from me to keep you from a relaxing evening after a long shift. Whichever officer gave you those orders is smart. You should listen to them more often. However," feeling as if she, well, not owed the Romulan for her support and willingness to at least try to work with some of her more temperamental colleagues, Natalie decided to throw a curve ball into both of their plans for the evening. "I happen to have a fully functional water based shower if you'd rather borrow it. All I have lined up for the evening is personnel reports. Which, as you can imagine is quite tedious. I humbly offer up access to a fully functional replicator and a genuine shower as a bribe for a bit of company while I struggle not to throw my computer terminal out the nearest air lock." 

She could hardly help the wry grin that teased the corner of her lips, well aware that on other ships she'd served, an officer offering something like that to a non-com, even one that was a friend, would be a bridge too far for some commanders. Given the sheer scope of horrors this ship dealt with on a daily basis however, those codes of fraternization and formality were somewhat more lax. And truth be told, Natalie struggled to remember that she was a full Commander, and not the Lieutenant she'd been when she joined the ship's crew. 

In fact, maybe I should make this a regular thing. Well, not bribing subordinates with shower access. That'll get me a scolding. But regular meetings. Skip levels, they used to call them? Hmmm. I do actually have friends now, and I could justify it from a responsibilities stand point... Realizing she was waiting for a reply and had possibly put the Petty Officer in an awkward position, she added, "You certainly don't have to if the idea makes you uncomfortable. It's not an order, just an offer."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #4 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Lillee visibly struggled for a long moment, her eyes flicking to the closed door, before finally, she surrendered, smiling in relief. "I'll go ahead and pretend that it's an order, Comm...um...Natalie, just so that I don't feel like I am doing anything wrong. On a warbird, I would be reprimanded just for imagining doing this..."

As Nat opened the door, Lillee hesitantly moved to it, as if worried that the offer might be rescinded at any moment. She only just remembered her footwear, taking the time to remove her soiled boots and socks before carrying them over the threshold. Lillee only took a moment to look around in curiosity before making a beeline for the replicator, setting the boots and socks inside then tapping a control, sending the ruined footwear to oblivion.

Before proceeding further, Lillee smiled apologetically at Nat. "Forgive me, Natalie, but it is more hygenic to disrobe here if I am to recycle these clothes, and it is necessary." She glanced down at her stained vest and winced. "Very necessary. I do not know if you are uncomfortable with seeing others unclothed, but know that I am comfortable being seen. You need not, ah, look away, for my sake, unless it is your preference?"

With that, after allowing a moment's grace, Lillee promptly clutched the hem of her vest and pulled it over her head. Moments later, the vest fizzled out of existence. Soon enough (and with a certain vengeful flair) Lillee had consigned all of her ruined clothes to replicator hell, leaving her naked, if still sweaty, filthy and exuding a distinct odour. Smiling gratefully at Nat, Lillee darted for the bathroom, desperate to be cleam once more, but something stopped her short of the actual shower.

"Drown me in woe, a bathtub? An actual bathtub?" Lillee stared at the tub in open disbelief. "I knew that rising in rank had its benefits on a dreadnought, but what a benefit!"

Not wasting a second more, Lillee headed into the shower, selected the water setting, and gasped in relief as the hot water hit her abused skin. For the next few minutes, Lillee took full advantage of the luxury, relishing in the long-missed heaven of a hot shower. She cleaned herself as thoroughly as possible, until when she finally emerged from the shower, Lillee felt renewed. She still felt weary, but pleasantly so. After taking the time to sort out her hair, she wrapped a towel around herself and opened the bathroom door.

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #5 –
 [Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff  
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Reading people wasn't her most developed social trait, but Natalie was getting better at it the longer she was in charge of others. It came with the territory, she supposed, and was privately grateful that she was finally (beginning) to get a handle of that part of her job. A large chunk of her responsibilities now lay in making sure the right person was doing the right job, and any First Officer worth her salt had to be able to at the very least get a feel for whatever subordinate was across from her at any given time. To be able to know and understand those that served under her, to have a feeling for how they would act in a stressful situation, and be able to depend on them was arguably the most important aspect of her current role. Thus she could see the momentary struggle as Lillee worked her way into allowing herself to relax in the face of all other decorum that might protest. 

Rather pleased with herself, Natalie welcomed the other woman into her admittedly spacious quarters. "Whatever floats your boat, Lillee," Natalie casually joked, sweeping her head quickly around the room to make sure nothing embarrassing had been left out. For once, she and Vanya had managed to leave the place clean and orderly, and there were no errant bits and pieces of clothing hastily tossed somewhere it shouldn't have been. The bed was even made, another strong point in her favor of having an unplanned guest over. Satisfied, she wandered across the main living area, discreetly watching Lillee appraise what passed for Natalie's home aboard the Theurgy.

Ever practical, Natalie approved of the Romulan's prompt actions in regard to boots well past usage. Her own she set down to the side, wiggling her toes over the carpet after divesting herself of the footwear. As her's were in considerably better condition than her guests she saw no need to recycle the boots for the time being. She had not expected to find out that Lillee had no issues being naked in the presence of others, and had to wonder if Vanya's nudist tendencies were a cultural trait, and not just a quirk of her very unique personality and upbringing. That fascinating thought distracted her from the ramifications of what the blonde Romulan had said right up until the point that Lillee began to strip in front of the replicator. 

"This was my idea to invite you in. I can hardly complain about practicality now can I?" she asked, a bit of color dusting her cheeks. Reminding herself that she was simply being friendly and polite, she did - mostly - avert her gaze, but didn't try to make a big deal of it. Instead she busied herself with gathering some PaDD's that she needed to transfer files off of onto her personal computer, and proceeded to putter about. This did not keep her from catching a few glimpses, and she managed to proceed as if there was nothing out of the ordinary or amiss. 

A part of her wondered idly if she'd become slightly desensitized to the idea of others being naked in her presence. A quick glance confirmed that not to be the case. Though vastly different in build from herself or her current paramour, there was no denying that, while she needed a good washing, Lillee was still quite pleasing to look at. Maybe it's not just that Vanya is Vanya that I like about her naked form. Shit. I'm going to have to think through this later, she realized. Revelations like this were mildly troubling and likely quite amusing and utterly normal. She looked up in time to see the other woman smiling at her, and reacted by flashing one of her own right back.

Yup. Quite lovely. Great. Well, deal with that later, you have work to do, she reminded herself, calling out, "The floor can get a bit slick, do watch your step." It bothered her that she always felt like she was going to lose her footing, slide forward and land on her ass in there, no matter how dry it might be. She had taken the whole floor apart and put it back together again, and knew that it was likely all in her head, but still she could never quite sake the notion. 

Hearing the exclamation from the bathroom, Natalie looked up, half bent over her desk, as a bark of laughter escaped her lips. Blushing slightly at that, she stood and smoothed out her shirt - not that Lillee could actually see her at this point but habits were habits - and replied, "Oh yes. Department heads are utterly spoiled. I hear tell the Captains tub is bigger but I have no way of knowing for sure. Honestly this one is a bit bigger than my previous quarters were but then, the XO's room was refitted for a couple given the previous occupant was married. But even when I was on my own as Ops Chief, there was a tub, if not quite as obviously large."

The tub was not a feature she and Vanya had explored yet, given the android's issues with flowing water. The irony of that was not lost on Natalie, considering the two had finally crossed the threshold from 'friends' to 'lovers' on a boat in the middle of an alien river, but who was she to laugh in the face of such things? "I know for a fact that the Department head berthing back on the Lexington did not have baths, and Nebula-class starships are pretty darn big. I had to repair a busted replicator in the Security Chiefs quarters and while his Sonic Shower was roomier than mine, there was no tub. Less crew accommodations on the Lexington, more labs and tactical armaments. They still hadn't done away with the refits from the Dominion war."

By the time the other woman left the shower and appeared in a towel at the doorway, Natalie had changed fully into a much looser, casual black and blue shirt and equally flowing black pants. She had one leg tucked up under the other, and a stylus sticking out of her mouth, clenched between her teeth as she pulled up a few files on her workstation. So engrossed as she was, she didn't actually notice Lillee standing there at first. When she did, the pen fell out of her mouth and she blinked in surprise. Feeling a flush of embarrassment at her reaction, she laughed it off and smiled. "I can be pretty oblivious when I get wrapped up in something. Feeling better?"

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #6 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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"So much better," Lillee said with an amused grin at Natalie's reaction. "I haven't needed a shower that badly since...ah...last week, actually. How can the gel in those bioneural packs be even more revolting than Klingon blood?"

Lillee headed to the replicator. "Sandari ale, warm," she said, and a curved glass full of a cyan liquid promptly fizzled into existence. Lillee glanced back at Natalie in askance, and after her host made her choice, she brought the drink to her. With that done, Lillee moved to couch on the other side of the small room, sitting down with a sigh of pleasure. The fluffy white towel that she wore clung on admirably, although Lillee crossed her legs to conceal her groin. Incidental nudity was one thing; flashing Natalie was another.

"I had hoped to meet Vanya," Lillee mused as she sipped her drink, "but I suppose she is on duty. So," she said with a grin as she tucked a strand of blonde hair out of her eyes,, "we struck a bargain, yes? A shower was purchasd with company. How may I entertain you tonight? More questions on Romulan culture? Relationship advice? Tips on how best to bring Vanya the greatest physical pleasure? Gossip on our crewmates? You wouldn't believe what the Wolves get up to."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #7 –
[Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff  
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Images of the recent boarding action by Klingon's sworn to the service of Gorka's house in his rebellion, Natalie's nose wrinkled up at the analogy. She could recall the splattering of red, green, blue and yes, Klingon pink that had decorated the bridge in the aftermath of the assault, the scents mixing with the smell of disruptor burns and acrid smoke from damaged consoles. Swallowing back the unwanted sensation, she shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "Scientific advancement is as often as not just as disgusting as it is impressive. Just be glad the gel-packs haven't come down with a case of Tellerite Flu. I hear that happened on the Intrepid a while back. Nightmare fuel, that."

Picking up her stylus while Lillee was preoccupied with the Replicator, Natalie less than discretely watched the blonde woman, pleased that she seemed comfortable in her presence despite the gulf in rank and military traditions that lay between them. Friends should be at ease around each other, and while it might be too soon to call themselves that, Natalie could see it easily being the case. And they absolutely were friendly and really that was enough for Nat at the moment. As an XO she had to be careful about it, but as a human, she needed that social interaction, a well documented aspect of her species that she could no longer pretend did not apply to her.

Catching Lillee's gaze, Natalie pondered what to drink herself, and eschewing her normal choice, simply asked for a lemonade. Taking the drink with a muttered word of thanks, Natalie sipped from the straw, savoring the tart yet sweet flavor. The lemon trees grown on Mars looked similar to the ones from Earth, but the flavor, she insisted, was completely different. Having had both, she preferred the taste of home, and had programmed the replicator in her personal quarters accordingly, uploading the recipe every time she changed to a new posting, or as in the case of the Theurgy, with each promotion and subsequent room adjustment.

Uh-oh, Natalie thought as she heard Lillee express a desire to meet her absent paramour. A sense of trepidation began to bubble about in Natalie's stomach, and sure enough she had the right of things as Lillee dove right in. Knowing she had no one to blame but herself for offering the Romulan woman the comforts of her home and a chance to relax, especially after their previous conversation in a shuttle craft, back what seemed like a lifetime ago while stationed at Aldea, Natalie sighed and smiled ruefully at the blonde.

"You would be correct. Department head though she is, Vanya doesn't really need to sleep much, if at all. She's got a few experiments running in one of the tertiary labs that she's babysitting tonight with a few junior egg-heads." She rolled her eyes, her voice clear of affection that even she could take note of. "I'm sure you will get a chance to meet - and grill - her eventually. We'll have to set up dinner or the like at some point."

Lillee was right, a bargin had been made and it was clear the Romulan intended to live up to her end of things. Never mind that the subjects on hand set Natalie to blushing fiercly. Coughing slightly, she darted her gaze out one fo the windows, taking in the vissage of Qo'noS in all its feirce glory beneath them. A massive storm was brewing below, and knowing the Klingon's, they were probably all gathering on the shoreline for a surfing contest or something equally bombastic. Smiling faintly at that, she turned her gaze back to Lillee. "I wont pretend that I'm exactly well versed in such matters but I can confirm that I have to date managed quite well in regards to ah...satisfying my partner. Tips...probably couldn't hurt of course, but I'm no longer a total novice."

Quickly quenching her thirst, she added, "I will confess that I am curious however. I have known Vanya since the Academy, and in that entire time I had presumed that her tendency to eschew the common practice of wearing clothes was a Vanya thing. Given how this evening started, I now have to wonder if that is really the case, or if it might be a culturally Romulan thing. Are you all cultural nudists behind closed doors?" She could imagine some of her inter-species relations professors cringing at the bold question, but given Lillee's teasingly eager manner to this point, she did not think she had much to worry about there.

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #8 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Lillee laughed at the question, covering her mouth as she chuckled. "Oh no, but I can understand why you might think so," she said, shaking her head in mirth. "Speaking true, there are places on the Hearthworlds which even you might find prudish. On the other hand, I have heard that there are colonies which would even make me blush. The Empire is very culturally diverse, more so than anyone realises. Overall, my homeworld is somewhere in the middle. It is far too hot and humid there to be too conservative in dress, but even so, some propriety is expected."

Lillee paused, considering. "I cannot speak for Vanya. Perhaps she grew up on such a wild world, or her family were eccentrics, or she simply likes being naked. Myself, I had to become comfortable with nudity when I enlisted in the Star Navy. That training is very different to Starfleet. We had a large communal barracks, a communal bathing area, a communal mess hall...everything was about the unit, building unit cohesion. Officers could have privacy, but we could not; even if two people wanted to be intimate, they had no privacy at all. We sacrificed that privilege to serve the Empire. Even after I was deployed, little changed. Now, I simply don't mind disrobing most of the time, but I do not seek to either."

Lillee considered Naralie with a grin as she drank some ale. "So what was it like when Vanya first stripped off in front of you? I'm sure that must've been a shock."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #9 –
 [Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff @Number6 (for awareness)
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Seeing as Lillee bust into laughter at Natalie's question, the brunette Martian decided she had not tread too far into subjects taboo or the like with the other woman. Clearly she was entertained by the naïveté of the inquiry and not offended as some people Natalie knew would be. Taking this as a win as far as socializing went, Nat couldn't help the small smile that graced her features in return. She gave her eyebrows a bit of a wiggle before leaning forward to capture another sip of the drink before her.

Even me? she thought to herself but did not say aloud. It wasn't as if Lillee was wrong, exactly. Natalie would not call herself a prude but she was far from the free spirit that her girlfriend was. Certain activities undertaken while on shore-leave aside, of course. The notion that Lillee, who also struck Natalie as...less restrained than herself, had some...well, limits were not quite the right word, and hangups seemed insensitive. Boundaries, perhaps would be best. But word choice aside, that there were places too hedonistic for Lillee's standards was a surprise, but a welcome one.

Even if she was afraid to contemplate just what that would entail. 

All the same it was something of a relief to know that one could not simply paint all Romulans with the same brush, and that there was not exactly one full, unifying culture. Despite what some of their diplomats might try to promote. When they bothered to promote anything of course. Ever since the war they had been far more active in galactic matters, but that was a train of thought Natalie did not wish to dive down at the moment. Too close to work for her taste, and she was looking forward to the distraction that Lillee was offering. 

Comparing the cultures, Natalie hummed a bit in understanding. Depending on the class of starship there was something of a wide range when it came to privacy. Even on the Theurgy, one of the largest and frankly most decadent ships in the Fleet (before Jupiter Station, in any event) had enlisted crew sharing a berthing. Other ships had crew lodging where enlisted and even low ranking officers were in a barracks as well, but even then there was some privacy, especially in regards to bathing. 

"There are some ships out there where the accommodations sound at least somewhat like what you are talking about, but from the sounds of it the Star Navy goes out of its way to...enforce that communal atmosphere, stripping away a sense of privacy. I'm sure it is quite effective, and I suppose even I could adapt to it if I had come up through the ranks in such a system, but I'll confess that I am happy I did not." She had the grace to look slightly sheepish, before turning her focus to Lillee's question at the end, and shaking her head with a small chuckle.

"If I remember correctly, I turned beet red, my eyes nearly popped right out of their sockets and I turned around in a huff. Not that Vanya realized at first. This was, of course, after I had just gotten over the shock of discovering that my assigned roommate for the year was a Romulan. Can you imagine? I think her casual stripping was more surprising, but really, when I first met her I figured either I was dealing with a Vulcan who had decided to embrace their emotions or well, a Romulan. Which was more terrifying I couldn't say." She shook her head, laughing at the memory. 

"By the end of the day she some how convinced me of the necessity of stripping down to get good measurements for 'properly fitted' cadet uniforms. I was trying way to hard to be accommodating to what I presumed to be the first Romulan to attend the Academy, and so scared of causing an international interspecies incident on my first day in the dorms that I went along. Its a miracle I didn't faint."

A wry grin tugged at her lips, as she realized that aught to have been her first clue about where they would end up, years later. To be young and stupid, she mused, the irony of her relatively young curret age lost on her. Still smiling though, she fixed Lillee with a mischievous look.

"We showed up to our fist day of classes looking better than any other Cadet though, so that was a plus."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #10 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Thoroughly amused by the tale (and even more at the hilarious sub-text) Lillee outright giggled at the last. She could easily imagine a young and confused Nat in such a situation, baffled by a naked Romulan and her own unidentified attraction to such, trying desperately to be polite. Lillee briefly felt a flash of concern for her own disrobing, but Nat's comfortable smile made it clear that the Martian had matured considerably since then.

"Oh, I'm sure that you were both stunning," Lillee laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. "I wish that I could've seen the other cadets' faces when they saw you two. 'Properly fitted'...oh my word. Those strutting peacocks must've been amazed..oh, you know the ones, yes? Those slick haircuts, perfect uniforms, all...ah...'spit and polish'. Those young fools who think that they're going to conquer the universe, so arrogant and brash. I had to go to the Academy a couple of times in my work as an aide, and speaking true, I've never felt so old as when I saw those cadets."

Still smiling as she finished her drink, Lillee continued, "The last time that I was there, Admiral Sobral played a very cruel trick. He was presenting a lecture to the eldest class of cadets on the Mark III Valkyrie. They were only the most elite cadets, you see, all to become pilots, the most arrogant of them all. The admiral issued a challenge: four volunteers would engage his personal shuttle pilot in a simulated holographic dogfight , four versus one, all in the old Peregrine fighters. The first one to shoot me down would be assigned immediately to Tac CONN after graduation. Any that I shot down would spend their first month after graduation as Admiral Sobral's aide in Khartoum. I, meanwhile, would get a month of leave."

Lillee grinned, shaking in silent laughter. "They saw a pretty Romulan in the background, an enlisted shuttle pilot, and were so arrogant that none thought to question the scenario. None of them lasted five minutes, the poor babes. One young man was even crying when I left."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #11 –
 [Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff 
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Natalie could easily enough conjure up an image of the kind of Cadet that Lillee was talking about. She herself lacked the kind of confidence (arrogance and narcissism, really) to have fallen into that category of Cadet. Even if she had been one of the best dressed, thanks to Vanya's insistence on taking measurements and recycling the standard issue uniforms they had been presented with in exchange for a more tailored cut. That this action wasn't against the rules still surprised Natalie. They never even got a stern talking to over it. Perhaps the faculty thought they had shown some initiative and creative thinking?

In any event, Nat was not quite the polar opposite of the 'strutting peacocks' but she wasn't far from it. Many of them had delicious that they were a gift to the Federation. After all, they were the best of the best from where they came. And getting into the Academy was not an easy act, even when the war eventually hit. But the problem with the 'peakcocks' (in truth she found she rather liked the tongue in cheek moniker) was that they were now in a big pond full of the best of the best. As she motioned for Lillee to continue, a nod of her head indicating she knew those that the Romulan spoke of, and a waggle of the fingers encouraging more, she settled in for what was sure to be an amusing anecdote.

Hardly disappointed, the Martian mimicked her Romulan guest from earlier, having to cover her mouth to keep from an outright belly laugh bursting forth. "Crying? The poor thing. There is nothing so fragile as a TAC-CONN Pilot's ego, and you just shattered them, didn't you?" She laughed again, mean as it was. She knew the type, she knew them well. She'd been hit on by them at the Academy. Though they were a gift and she aught to be grateful they'd given her the time of day. She had, of course, having been so insecure, but thanked the stars that nothing had ever come of that. They weren't all bad of course. But those cadets that thought they would be hot shot fighter pilots right out of the Academy....she rolled her eyes.

"That Admiral is a cruel man. But I have to say, he was probably wise as well. And I'm sure those young cadets learned some valuable lessons while spending time on his personal staff." That kind of insight and access to a flag officer was highly sought after, and those fools probably considered it a punishment. She shook her head, brunette curls bounding about in waves around her neck. The tail she'd stuck her hair up in did little to keep the brown locks from bouncing here and there, but did keep it out of her face. 

Leaning back in her chair, she flicked her finger over her PADD, dismissing another report with a quick glance. Nothing major to worry about, just a summary of general maintenance down on deck 15. It had needed a final sign off from her, and had not truly been worth the 10 seconds she'd spent on it. Turning her gaze back to Lillee, she tilted her head and confessed, "I am doubly curious now; first, what you spent your leave getting up to, and second, why you aren't an active duty fighter pilot with the Wolves. If I remember correctly we briefly put you in the cockpit, didn't we?"

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #12 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Nat's first question elicited a smug smile from the Romulan, but the smile swiftly diminished at the second question. She took a moment to centre herself, idly fiddling with the hem of her towel, evidently not realising that she was slowly loosening it. A bargain had been made, and a bargain had to be honoured. Lillee recalled lightly teasing Natalie in the shuttle; reciprocity was warranted.

"Your first query, I can answer easily," Lillee said, looking aside. "The second is...complicated. Anyway: I only got down to Aldea a handful of times. I was late on the rotation and I had no pending leave time since I was only awoken in the nebula, so it was a few weeks before I had permission to get down there. The second and third visits were very fruitful, but the first time was...um...a disaster. It was a disaster of my making, if I speak true, and I deserved what I received."

After a moment's thought, Lillee flashed an ironic smirk at Nat. "The last time we spoke, I told you of when I visited a spa, yes? When I...ah...encountered a hard object with an angry friend." Now there was no mistaking the faint green blush in Lillee's cheeks or the sheepish way she twirled the towel corner. "I was foolish, lonely, and I misinterpreted his words and manner. My overture was misplaced and mistimed. Very misplaced. We were in a large tub, I took him in hand and...well. The bruises that his partner gave me when she saw where my hand was...they stung, but my shame stung more."

Lillee sighed, but she smiled at Nat all the same, to reassure her friend that all is well. "I do not know if you have ever been in such a situation; I doubt it, as you seem to have a strong character. I advise against it. Getting in the middle of two lovers, two naked lovers, either ends very well or very badly."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #13 –
 [Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff 
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Seeing the smile fall off of Lillee's face sent a flicker of worry down Natalie's spine. She had the feeling that she had just managed to stumble upon a sore point of some form, and wondered if she'd really stuck her foot in her mouth already. A nasty habit of hers, the little insecure voice in the back of her head thought. A voice that had been quieter and quieter of late, a sign of growth that Natalie wasn't really thinking about then and there. Worry kept her from noticing how the towel was slowly slipping down the Romulan's chest, threatening to break apart if Lillee kept fiddling with it. 

Listening to Lillee dance around the subject of her leave, Natalie blinked for a moment, and then nodded in understanding. She had remembered the conversation - easy enough, given how much she had embarrassed herself with some of what they'd talked about, though in the end she'd been grateful for it. A ghost of a smirk passed over her features as she leaned forward, more interested in this little bit of insight than was perhaps appropriate. While she was still worried that the story she was going to get was going to be an unpleasant one, she could not deny that she was enjoying seeing the other woman blushing for once. 

Having renewed her acquaintance (and then some) with Vanya, she was getting a much more in-depth look at Romulans and their visual reactions and queues. 

Natalie winced, her whole face scrunching up as she muttered soft, "Ouuuuch,'. The first officer in her did not like the idea that one of the crew had been roughed up. The woman sympathized with all parties involved, and the fact of the matter was that Lillee didn't seem inclined to press any charges - or they would have happened already. What was the popular saying around the ship? What happened on Aldea stays on Aldea? Still, having started what was clearly to Nat, a friendship with the blonde Romulan, she was all empathy and sympathy. 

Blushing at the implications of 'very good' in that situation, Natalie swallowed a sip of her drink and tugged theatrically at the collar of her shirt. "I cannot say that I have ever been um...between two lovers in any situation. At least if I was, I was utterly oblivious at the time and I managed not to cause a scene. I'll have to take your word for it that it can be ah, how did you put it? Very bad or Very good?

"I have certainly misinterpreted someone's intentions, or a situation before though. I can empathize there. And mis-reading signals is not a sign of moral deficiency you know. It sound like something that could happen to anyone. Especially if all parties are ...as you implied, naked."

Rolling her eyes and shaking her head, Nat confessed, "That just complicates everything, honestly. So many cultures put so much emphasis on someone's state of dress. Fully aware that my own is guilty of it," she added with a self deprecating smile. "In any event I hope that...things have at least been cleared up and there are no further misunderstandings? And no...spirited reactions?" A delicate way of asking if Lillee was still being punished for the mistake by anyone other than her own guilty conscious. 

"As XO I don't get quite as much scuttlebutt as I used to when I was just a Lieutenant, but given all that I have heard about what happened on Aldea, you would think we'd all gone on leave on Argelius or Risa." She pursed her lips and then sighed, adding, "Myself included. No misunderstandings in a semi-public spa mind you, but I certainly cannot claim to have had a quiet leave."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #14 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Thoroughly relaxed, Lillee restrained the urge to giggle at Nat's blush. The woman was adorable, akin to Anh-Le in some ways, and had thus far proved to be very easy company. Such friends were valuable assets, especially in hard times. When Nat expressed her concern, Lillee soberly shook her head. She'd barely seen Razor since that day, and his fierce lover, not at all. Some days, she was very grateful that the Theurgy was so large.

The conversation returned to a lighter note, and Lillee raised her distinctive angled eyebrows, smiling devilishly. "Oh, yes, Vanya. I remember. You wouldn't believe some of the stories that I heard. There was one crewman...oh, I won't say who, but she was attracted to a man, yes? His past relationship ended, so she went to him in his quarters to try for him, only to find him already with another woman, both in bed! How do you respond to that? She told me that he just stood there, nothing covering him but a shirt to protect his hard manhood, the other woman naked on the bed! His brain must've melted, the poor darling. I can't imagine who opened the door."

During Lillee's story, her wild gestiliculation finally caused the towel's knot to come undone, exposing her upper body. "Apologies," she said with a wince as she glanced down at herself, realising that she had dried nicely. Clearly not bothered by her nudity, Lillee stood up, towel in hand, and disposed of it in the bathroom before moving to the replicator.

"Computer, give me a Lone Wolf jacket, white shirt and a black skirt with underwear, socks and boots," she ordered, and the replicator obligingly fizzled into existence the clothing. As she donned the clothes, Lillee added merrily, "Oh, you won't believe what happened next, Natalie! The crewman, she just decides to join them, then and there! They all had fun, I heard, but she didn't go into detail. Elements know that I tried."

By that point, Lillee was pulling on the blue jacket, emblazoned with the emblem of the Lone Wolves and that of the Theurgy itself. Most distinctive, however, was the bold white lettering on the left breast, proudly declaring the jacket's owner. Lillee glanced down at it for a moment, as if surprised to see it, and even more surprised by how much it affected her.

WOLF - 12
BLOODWING

Lillee sighed. After seeing that Nat's glass was empty, she gestured at the replicator in a wordless question, then at Nat's response, promptly recycled the two glasses and replaced them with full ones. After handing Nat her lemonade, Lillee returned to the couch, her cheer dampened but still evident in her smile.

"Speaking true," Lillee said quietly, drink in hand, "I would choose to gossip more, or tell you about Anh-Le, or talk about Vanya...but you asked a question, and it deserves an answer." Lillee bit her lip, relaxing into the couch as she looked out the viewport at the star-speckled darkness. "The battle with the Borg...you were on the Bridge, yes? What was that like? Every time that I spared a glance at the ship, I was very frightened for her."


Lone Wolves casual outfit
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Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #15 –
[Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff  
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Given the sheer size and mass of the Theurgy not to mention the volume of crew that the ship now supported as it came somewhat close to proper numbers, Natalie was not at all surprised that Lillee had - based on context clues and non verbal responses - managed to avoid encountering the other parties involved in the Romulan's disastrous leave on Aldea. Save for a few very select individuals - like me - it was vastly easier to avoid an awkward encounter between strained colleagues on a Multivector Dreadnaught than say, the aging Constellation-class vessel Natalie had started her Starfleet career on, or an even tinier berthing, like an Oberth or Nova-class vessel.

Living aboard a flying city (well, small town) has its benifits, the Martian Commander mused. Though still curious about the specifics, Natalie decided it was far better for her if she did not know the names of the individuals involved in the altercation. Sometimes it paid to not know as the First Officer.

Gossip swiftly followed, however, sucking Natalie back in like a moth to the flame. Amusement and mild scandal flicked over her features as she listened to Lillee's tale, even as the other woman only offered up a teasing mention of Nat's own paramour as if in passing, only a small acknowledgement and a knowing look. Nat knew that personally, she would have been mortified to be in this mystery woman's situation. Getting up the courage to 'shoot her shot' only to walk in on someone already in the act, everyone naked and embarrassed and flustered. She fanned herself and laughed. "Is there something in this ships water? I swear..."

Her voice cut off when Lillee's towel finally gave up its struggle against the forces of artificial gravity. The pilots build was certainly different from Natalie's girlfriends physique, though both of the Romulan woman were taller than Natalie herself, who was admittedly possessing of more curves than either Romulan. All of this flashed across Nat's perception, her eyes darting down, and then swiftly off to the side, cheeks betraying her with a noticeable flush. Thankfully the blonde rose to deal with the situation, but not before she granted the senior officer a rather long look of what the towel had hidden. Looking is fine, as long as you don't make it awkward. She's clearly not bothered, so why do you feel an need to hide in the nearest Jefferies tube?

By the time Natalie worked her way through her mental gymnastics of what was and wasn't appropriate for someone in a relationship versus differing cultural norms (which would make an excellent lesson for the Academy's Inter-species Relations course), Lillee had replicated what she felt to be suitable off duty garments. Looking up, the Commander noted the trademark stylized garb of the Lone Wolves, attire she had privately admired in the past. Lillee had flown with them, and earned the right to the outfit. The moniker of "BLOODWING" was telling, piquing her interest, but she avoided comment for the moment as Lillee revealed the ending to her story.

"Well I'm glad to see someone got lucky that night, even if you couldn't pry all the juicy details out of your friend," Natalie replied, pleased that her voice sounded perfectly collected. No squeaking (this time). "I wish I could say that kind of thing was related only to Shoreleave but honestly you would think this ship was a Risian pleasure cruise somedays. My first posting was a very...prudish affair. The Captain there took a dim look on romantic relations and liaisons between crew, and since we were joining the fleet at the tail end of the war, their mentality of 'focus on the job' seemed justified enough. Didn't stop things, but it was certainly more...puritanical than things aboard the Theurgy - even before Captain Ives decided to ease certain regulations in the face of the reality we'd been confronted with."

Leaning back, Natalie nodded in agreement to the unspoken question, happy to have a second drink for the night. Looking at the stack of PADD's still arrayed on the workstation, she lamented her decision not to go for something stronger, but understood the need for a clear head. Even if synthehol's more debilitating effects could be easily dismissed, she stuck to her guns. Taking the cold, fresh drink from Lillee, Natalie sipped appreciatively and watched the other woman reclaim her seat.

A more serious mood swept across the First Officers quarters, as she gestured for the other woman to continue. She had been intending to let Lillee off the hook for the other question - difficult moments had already come up and been discussed after all - but again, that insidious curiosity of her's was rearing its head, and Nat wasn't going to suppress it if her guest was willing to accommodate. There was that saying about curiosity and cats, however, and Natalie sucked in a sharp breath.

"Terrifying. Bone chillingly terrifying. I was too busy keeping Thea's systems from crashing to truly let myself feel the fear but... there is nothing, absolutely nothing as utterly petrifying as the voice of the Collective. Knowing that if we'd failed, the Infested would have managed to get their tendrils into the Borg..." She closed her eyes and sucked in a slow breath. "This mission has had its share of nightmare fuel to last lifetimes.  And even before joining her crew, I'd seen my fair share of horrors in the fleet. But the conflict in the Azure Nebula stands above the rest."

Her voice was quiet, and each word had its own chill. She wet her lips before setting her glass aside. The decision to stay 'dry' for the evening felt even more a mistake now. Repressing a shudder, Natalie visibly collected herself. "Don't let the rest of the crew know - bad for morale - but when it was all finally over, I spent a few hours curled into the corner of my old quarters wrapped in a blanket sobbing."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #16 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Listening to Nat, Lillee distracted herself with her ale, letting the syntheholic buzz wash through her. It wasn't the same as real alcohol, but it was better than nothing, and it was most welcome. Lillee pulled her legs up onto the couch and up to her chest, her bare feet resting on the edge of the couch. The comfortable hoodie offered comfortable warmth, such that Lillee was grateful that she'd gotten dressed before broaching the topic.

"I promise to tell no-one," Lillee answered with a weak smile. "I think many of us were like that, yes, afterwards? It was just so awful, like we were standing on the verge of oblivion...that feeling..." She inhaled sharply as one hand fidgeted with a lock of golden hair. "For us...in space, in the fighters, it was...I cannot describe it. I have faced bad times, like you, Natalie, but that battle...there was so much debris, weapons fire everywhere, that horrible monster cube, the Theurgy was taking fire and already so badly damaged...it felt like I would die at any moment, like I was rolling a dice and constantly rolling lucky to live."

Lillee downed the rest of her drink, put it on the table then wrapped her arms around her knees, gazing vaguely into a bulkhead. "We were so tiny in our fighters, Natalie, so insignificant against that cube. You heard the voice of the Borg, yes? I cannot...I cannot begin to imagine how horrible that was. We only saw them, but it was like...it was hopeless, they were invincible, it was the end of everything. Then the Savi ship showed up, shot those weapons through the cube, and Razor ordered us into the holes, to attack from the inside. I was flying by reflex by then. Inside the cube, a drone...it jumped on my Valkyrie, it was trying to smash my cockpit open. It was..."

Taking a staggered breath, Lillee exhaled slowly, closing her eyes. "Speaking true, from my soul, that fight was so...so frightening, so horrible, that I could not do it again. I can't. I want to survive, I want to live and go home. Flying a Valkyrie in war is just...it's like taunting the universe. Eventually, the universe will lose patience and claim the fool. CONN is much safer."

After a brief silence, Lillee giggled abruptly, looking at Nat with melancholic mirth. "Do you wish to hear something silly? You cried in your quarters like a sensible woman. Me? I drank much alcohol as I could get and hopped into bed with Ghost and Angel. We were all so in that the sex can't have been good. I barely remember any of it! What sort of fool Romulan even does that!"

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #17 –
 [Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff 
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Confessions of dealing with trauma were never easy to talk about, no matter how well equipped a starships counseling department might be. Her own...colorful experience with some of the teal uniformed personnel had left Natalie feeling a tad jaded about the whole profession, but even the best run Starfleet crew had hangups to deal with. Opening up to a very junior officer in the privacy of her own quarters might seem like an odd bonding strategy for a ships first officer, lest it make her seem someone lesser in the crews eyes, but Lillee was becoming a friend if not one already, and sometimes you simply had to let your guard down around others to help them feel comfortable dealing with their own traumas. In the end, she knew her reactions had been no worse than many others that day, as the blonde Romulan was quick to point out. 

What then followed was a recounting of a horrible time from a perspective wholly unlike Natalie's. She had the protective shell of the Theurgy wrapped around her as they sallied forth to deal with the Borg incursion. In that circumstance, while things were still terrifying and the odds were not great, she could at least expect to be able to have some security, at least initially, until such time as the Collective adapted. Her odds were certainty better than a lone fighter pilot working their way through the battle. Natalie had not even been in command by then, having turned things over to Wenn Cinn.  And after their Savi allies arrived on the scene, it was all up to Captain Ives. Even then, she had been terrified. 

Natalie could not begin to comprehend how small Lillee must have felt in that moment. She could only swallow, and nod her head slowly. There was a small urge to cross the room and wrap the Romulan woman up tightly in a hug, though she was unsure as to how that would go over. Professionalism non-withstanding, she was not quite confident that the gesture would be appreciated. The cultural gap was one that Natalie was continuing to learn and understand. 

"We were very, very lucky, that those Savi weapons did a thorough enough job that we could mop up what was left of the Borg and prevent that information from getting back to the collective."If by lucky, and mopping up, you mean that Wenn Cinn was able to sacrifice himself with the use of an Omega Device. Your definition of 'lucky' needs some work, Natalie. She didn't argue with the little nagging voice in her head. It was right after all. Nor could she find any fault in Lillee's confession. Going through what the Romulan woman had experienced...'harrowing' did not even begin to cover it.  The silence that followed was one of painful contemplation, finally broken by a different sort of confession. One that drew a snort of amusement from the first officer, accompanied by a blush as she put faces to call-signs.

"Reading up on regular disciplinary reports, one wonders when 'Ghost' is actually sober, truth be told. Not that I said this aloud, you understand," Nat wagged a finger theatrically. Even before ascending to the position of ships XO, 'Ghost's' behavior was somewhat legendary among the senior staff. Natalie had her fair share of problem children in her department (Nator 159, still in stasis, came to mind, and a brief flicker of remorse passed across her face), but she thanked her lucky stars more than once that Evelyn Rawley was Ravon's problem. 

Lt. Garcia, however, was no ones problem any more, having perished in the efforts to get Ives and Martok to Qo'noS. She shook her head at the thought. "I don't exactly have a long list of experience to compare to that encounter, but a little alcohol can certainly...smooth some nerves and ease things along. If you're so drunk you cannot stumble from the doors to the bed however, I have to agree that the sex couldn't have been that great. But maybe it was fantastic?" She shrugged, cheeks still red. 

"I heard enough stories from the Academy to know that we humans make that mistake all the time. I have no idea how common that is for Romulan's though. Considering your people make one of the most sought after, potent spirits in local space, I can only imagine how much it would take to actually get you, well, plastered."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #18 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Lillee tittered at Nat's description of Ghost, grateful for the excuse to smile again. Certainly, the pugnacious human was more wild than Natalie could imagine, but Lillee knew better than to spill the beans. It was, after all, one of the unofficial rules: pilots didn't gossip about each other to senior officers if it could get someone in trouble. Ghost was a particular benefiacry of the rule, given her penchant for general manic chaos.

At Nat's pondering whether the threesome sex had actually been fantastic, Lillee waggled her eyebrows, giving the human her sauciest smirk. She knew that it had likely been awful, but teasing the straight-laced Natalie was terrific fun.

"Oh, it takes a lot to get a true Romulan drunk, superior species and all that," she said breezily, sweeping her hair back dramatically for added effect. "There is a stigma to it too, at least on ch'Rihan-your pardon, Romulus. Speaking true, the stigma is not on getting...what did you call it? 'Plastered'?" Lillee repeated the word with bemusement, her accent exaggerating the word. "The stigma is on losing control while plastered and doing something foolish or dishonourable. It's supposed to be a refined skill for senators and governors, because they drink ale all the time, but often with enemies. You wouldn't believe the lengths they go to to stay coherent after a few glasses. Those fat beasts must be the most skilled alcoholics in the Empire."

Lillee's lip curled in disgust for a moment before the smile returned. "Myself, I was started on the ale when I was ten, so that I was ready in the future. Of course, my family didn't reckon on the Grand Fleet. Before and after battle, when we opened the good ale..." She grinned slowly as she looked out a viewport, lost in memory, before refocusing on Nat. "What of you, Natalie? Have you ever just...gone crazy? Had a wild night? Done something that you regretted the next morning?"

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #19 –
[Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff 
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If she managed nothing else that evening, Natalie took solace in the fact that she had managed to make the Romulan pilot smile, and chase a little bit of the chill of terrifying memories that had crept into her otherwise pleasant quarters. She glanced around the large accommodations, marveling again at the sheer amount of space she was entitled to as the ship's executive officer. It was such a change from where she had been this time the year prior, a mere lieutenant in the Operations department. And even that accommodation was larger than what she'd had to deal with for most of her previous postings. And certainly more state of the art. All of her prior postings were aboard aging ships. Theurgy was a shock to her systems in more ways than one.

Some pleasant, others not so much. Which will win out in the end?

Her meandering observations were dashed aside by a clearly undignified snort of amusement. It seemed Lillee was just as capable of raising Nat's spirits in turn. She rolled her eyes, mouthing 'superior indeed' but didn't quite say it aloud. All the same she smiled, and realized she couldn't throw too many stones there - she clearly liked one Romulan quite a bit, so maybe Lillee was onto something. More like that naught she was just full of it and hamming it up for effect. Successfully, of course.

Leaning forward, Natlaie found herself once again hungrily absorbing the insight into Romulan culture that she was getting from the blonde pilot. While Vanya was a plethora of programmed knowledge, those were simply facts, and many slanted by the people that created her. She lacked some of the cultural knowledge that came from experiencing, and growing up in a society. Plus she was a self confessed Maverick (or traitor, depending on your perspective) and was very a-typical for a Romulan. Lillee's revelations, small though they might be, were still fascinating.

"For a long part of Earth's history, alcohol was safer to drink than most water sources. So a large portion of humanity spent most of its day in a permanent buzz. It's amazing we managed to get anything done, let alone do it all as fast as we did," she shook her head. "I cannot imagine running a government where being a functional alcoholic was a job requirement." Thinking that Lillee could be an excellent guest lecturer at the Academy in any of the numerous cultural studies courses, the brunette bit her lip and pondered the question thrown to her.

All while trying to ignore the flush of red crawling up the back of her neck and spreading toward her cheeks.

"I regretted the hangover I had the morning after I completed my freshman year at the Academy. Some of the other Ops students had been running a still in the back of one of the labs - a tradition, apparently - and we all sampled the wares after we survived our first year. I didn't do anything truly stupid, apparently, but my head felt like I'd had a front row seat to a supernova detonation - behind my eyes." She shook her head, knowing her blush wasn't for that though.

"I have...um, cut loose, a time or two. Mostly recently, ironically." A frown briefly mared her features. "There was an...ill fated attempt at gaining a bit of closure and working through some issues in the confines of a Jefferies tube. The encounter was...fun, but tainted by later events." She did not mention that this encounter was with Dr. Nicander, back before his true nature had been revealed. And that the closure the two had sought was related to their trials during the Niga incident, and the Ishtar encounter shortly after. "This was after we'd fled the Sol System, but before we'd made our run on Starbase 84."

Before Vanya walked back into my life.

"I do not endorse hooking up in a Jefferies tube, for all the reasons a good XO would list. But also because it's damned cramped. I didn't feel it at the time for um, obvious reasons, but I had a crick in my neck for a week after." She found it odd that she was even willing to mention the encounter, given her hangups with the Doctor since the discovery of his passenger, and the implications as to who might have been in control of that moment in the tubes. But she'd been a willing participant, much as she might otherwise try to deny it. No one had forced her at that moment...

Shaking her head, she blushed and rubbed at the back of her neck, shifting ahead in time and adding, "I may have also been rather...um...reckless on the deck of a boat recently."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #20 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Lillee visibly winced at Nat's recounting of her Jefferies tube fling. The Romulan curled her legs under her as she listened, suddenly recalling the circumstances that had brought her to Natalie. Even after a vigorous shower, she still smelled traces of the various unpleasant chemicals that she'd been dealing with. Even the memory of the endless hours in the tubes was enough to cause various aches and pains to flare, softened though they were by the comfortable couch. Lillee knew from long experience that come next morning, she'd be struggling to walk straight with her buttocks, knees and ebows so battered.

Fortunately, Nat's next words drove all such thoughts from Lillee's mind.

"On the deck of a boat?" Lillee repeated in surprise, her angled eyebrows shooting up. "Elements preserve, I had no idea that you have such a wild side! Oh, to be with someone like that, over the water, it sounds so romantic..." She sighed enviously. "With Anh-Le, our first time...it was somewhere unconventional, like your boat, but it was wonderful. Neither of us planned on it, but we were on the ground, there was a moment when we were looking into each other's eyes, and then it just...happened..."

After a moment of reflection, Lillee giggled into her hand before settling again. "Okay, I must know, how did it happen on the...oh, it was with Vanya, yes? The boat?" Radiating enthusiasm, Lillee beamed at Nat. "So what was it like? Speaking true, you don't need to speak of it if you don't want to, but it's so fascinating! Was Vanya better than your other lover?"

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #21 –
[Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff  
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Whatever fears Lillee had about how she might have smelled after hours in the tubes were unfounded - at least as far as Natalie was concerned. She couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary after the other woman had taken advantage of her shower. She could just faintly detect the smell of her preferred soap, and even that was faint. There was still a bit of humidity that the automated circulation system in her quarters had not quite managed to clear away, but that was less of a scent and more of a feeling on the exposed portions of her skin, the back of her hands, the side of her neck. Of course, Natalie was not a Romulan, but a human. And she lacked the advanced olfactory senses that Romulans and their Vulcan cousins possessed. Anything that Lillee still smelled, she smelled alone.

Clearly any concerns were washed away with the wave of surprise that followed Natalie's admission. She flushed in the cheek at the surprise on Lillee's face. Natalie was well aware that she had a somewhat timid reputation among the crew; or at least, she had that reputation when on the mission to Romulus, and in the immediate wake of their flight from the Sol system and arrival at Niga. She had far more of a backbone than she used to, but she would wager that hardly anyone aboard would suspect what she could - and did - get up to on Aldea. Or in that Jefferies tube. Or even some of the more outrageous moments in the last few weeks. Between wardrobe malfunctions in the holodeck and a nasty encounter with a scouting party from the Savi, Nats' comfort-zone had been pushed to the max. Which wasn't to say it was all bad. But a lot of it wasn't...great.

Aldea was damn fine though, she allowed a smile gracing her rosy cheeks as she ducked her head. "It was pretty romantic, though in total honesty I wasn't sure anything would be happening when I booked the trip. I was ordered by my predecessor to relax, and well, I grew up boating on Mars. Lake Cassini, by Bradbury Point, is where I grew up, and my father and I would go out often on the lake on the weekends. The giant river that runs through Aldea Prime's capital city seemed like the closest option to what I would have had at home, so I booked a boat and made plans to spend a few days out on the water."

She smiled fondly at the blonde Romulan as the other woman bounced back and forth (verbally) about her own interactions with intelligence analysts aboard ship. Natalie hadn't had many interactions personally with the Orion, but had read a few of the reports forwarded to her. She appreciated the warmth with which Lillee referred to her own paramour, and felt a shared connection there, as she could see some of her own growing relationship with Vanya mirrored in the older Romulan's words.

While not one to normally gossip, it was hardly the first time she had spoken to Lillee about her and Vanya, and where things might be going and what she might be doing or not, but it would be the first time she'd gone into any real intimate details. Blushing a bit, she nodded, and before she could say anything else, Lillee fired off the question about comparing the encounters, and it threw her off guard for a moment before she let out a bark of a laugh of her own.

"Lightyears better, but that's probably because of who Vanya is, and frankly how some events after the fact sullied what was a perfectly enjoyable bit of...relief in an otherwise cramped condition." Still avoiding giving details as to the unmentioned partner in the tubes, Natalie fanned herself theatrically as she went on, stumbling through an explanation. "Don't get me wrong. Physically, the man knew what he was doing, and did it well. Very well. Its just...there was no real connection, you know? It was just...stress relief. A bit of closure, a momentary flight of fancy to take control in an otherwise spiraling situation. I was grateful after - and sore because...well, I wasn't sure he'd fit," she held her hands apart, frowned, and then held them a bit farther apart, to illustrate.

"But with Vanya it was so much...more. And I swear, I did not know things would go that fast when I asked if she wanted to tag along on my leave. We'd barely danced around the idea that she might fancy something more than just renewing our friendship and I didn't have a clue how I would feel about it and then...then were both there, in those dresses, an the dinner, and then we were casting off and all the sudden, the moon was out and the dresses were off and so was everything else and I somehow found myself propped up against the ships navigation console in the middle of the river."

It was like a pipe had burst, spewing forth a torrent of barely repressed gossip and emotion. Clearly no more reports were going to be read that night as Natalie practically gushed.

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #22 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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Lillee, her legs curled up onto the couch, was a picture of contentment in her comfortable sweats as she lidtened to Nat. The younger woman's romantic and sexual awakening, as seemed to be the case, was equal parts endearing and entertaining. Though deeply curious about the identity of the mysterious man whom Nat had 'enjoyed', Lillee knew better than to press; that juicy secret would merely have to stay hidden until Nat was ready to share it. Evidently nobody else knew, or else it would surely have percolated through the shipboard gossip mill.

Granted, Lillee's inclination not to press was sorely tested when Nat opened her hands to illustrate what she'd dealth with. The distinctive angled eyebrows rose in astonishment; how was that even possible, or...comfortable? It surely dwarfed any of Lillee's own partners. Fierce curiosity had Lillee half-tempted to try it. She and Anh-le had yet to experiment with physical aids, but they could replicate something...it would surely be fun to watch Anh-le with something inside her...perhaps Lillee could wear a strap-on and thrust into her beautiful lover...

Somewhat distracted, Lillee nevertheless caught the rest of Nat's tale, and she grinned at her newfound friend. "Now I'm jealous; nobody has ever done that to me on a boat! It sounds so erotic and pssionate, just the two of you, unclothed and making love beneath the stars, like one of the great romances...sex is fun, but when you are with someone special...kissing them, tasting them, listening to them find their climax..."

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #23 –
[Cmdr. Natalie Stark | Quarters of the Executive Officer  | Deck 10 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ]Attn: @Griff  
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Natalie had, upon ascension to the role of First Officer, done her best to avoid any rumors about herself. She couldn't manage fully, of course. No one could. But she didn't go out of the way to seek the information out. Feedback was important, but the rumor mill aboard a starship was something to be waded carefully, if at all. She certainly had not gone out of her way to advertise the specifics of the encounter that had occurred after the events at both Niga and with the Ishtar entity. She had been discreet. It would be something of a relief to know the other party in the encounter had done the same. Even with his...condition. She had to think of it that way, in an effort to try and focus on the sympathy she should feel and not the revulsion. 

Baby steps. 

In any event, the lack of rumors in regards to her indiscretions in certain access tubes was a good thing, though it had little bearing in the moment, beyond that it served to illustrate that the commander was not as straight laced and sheltered as she used to be.  And in truth, the Romulan woman's reaction to the size of the member in question was...priceless. Oh, Natalie's blush only darkened as she divulged that not so small fact, but all the same it was nice to be able to catch someone off guard. Romulans being Romulans, the genuine reaction was in its own way heartwarming. And most assuredly, amusing. 

And how would you have reacted if one of your friends was recounting such an encounter. Pure skepticism for certain. Her musings left a small smile on her lips.

Nodding along in agreement, Natalie tucked a few stands of curly hair back behind her ear again. They were always escaping whatever confines she put upon herself that she almost pondered sheering it all off. But she never did. Thinking back to the boat, she giggled a bit. The truth of the matter was the evening had been almost overwhelming. Mutual exploration at its finest, pushing past old established boundaries. Looking at her long time friend in an entirely new (moon)light. It had been so very much. Beyond words. But it had also been...well, quite a lot.

"It was amazingly romantic. And that first night, that first time...I've read novels that wouldn't do that moment justice. Honestly there are some writers out there that would be jealous of the whole thing." she shook her head with mirth, before admitting, "In truth, I remember belatedly thinking that it was a good thing we've come so far, technologically speaking. Could you imagine what kind of damage could have happened to that boat if the control console hadn't been configured to tell the difference between the deliberate touch of fingertips compared to the sudden impact of a bare rump? I could have sent that boat crashing into a sand bar!"

Re: Day 09 [2055 hrs.] Girl Talk

Reply #24 –
[PO3 Lillee t’Jellaieu | XO's Quarters | Deck 7 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Brutus

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At Nat's last comment, Lillee giggled, then a moment later, erupted into full blown laughter. It lasted a good while before she got control of herself, although upon looking at Nat, she burst out again, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Apologies, apologies!" she got out inbetween giggles, "I was just...oh, Elements preserve...I just imagined you on the boat's console, Vanya pleasuring you, then suddenly hitting a sand bar as you came!" Breathing heavily in the aftermath, Lillee wiped a tear from her eye. "I do not know Aldean law, but in the Federation, when one crashes an aircraft or spacecraft, they have to fill out a form, yes? But they cannot lie! Sensors record everything, so investigators can reconstruct the scenario later. Can you imagine writing...oh, burn me...'my ass hit the control as I came while my girlfriend's tongue was upon my pvruffi'!?"

Lillee giggled again, unable to contain herself, her cheeks flushing green in her mirth. Finally she started to settle, reclining back into the sofa. "I have heard some odd stories as a pilot, true, but few as wild as that. I did once catch an admiral being intimate with his husband in a shuttlecraft...this was on Earth, during the war...their shuttle was flying near a restricted zone and I was sent to intercept them. They weren't answering comms, so I moved across their bow, and the first thing that I saw in their shuttle was an ass! Up in the air, facing me! Then I saw the admiral in his chair, though he was blind to the world in that moment, of course....he did thank me afterwards for letting him finish before I interrupted them, though I have never seen someone so horrified in my life as when he saw my fighter!"

Caught up in her story and the thrill of gossiping with a girlfriend, Lillee sighed at the memory. "My husband, when I told him about it that night, the fool just laughed and asked 'did you take any pictures?". Speaking true, I smacked him for that, the idiot. All spies are idiots, I think, just of different flavours."

Though her words were harsh, Lillee's tone was affectionate, and she was smiling as she recounted the tale.
 
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