Lt Alex Storm - What Can I Say - I'm Hot

[Karen Morris]

((Fitness Centre - Deck 04 - USS Artemis-A)) 

Between Ava’s Starflirt remark and the lovely fuchsia color creeping across Denaia’s face, Alex nearly snorted in laughter. Instead she turned it into a cough, and it took her a moment to recover.

Storm:  Well, a Commander and a Lieutenant taking on two ensigns…guys at that.  I’m not sure they stand a chance.

Braga:  We’ll be wiping the court with you in no time.  Rank has no place in here.  

Alex balanced on the balls of her feet and gave a couple of little jumps.  Some of her muscles still felt tighter than they had before the massage.

Denaia:  Yeah.  May the best men win.

Munro: You got one thing right, Braga. Rank doesn't matter here, so I won't take it easy on either of you :: winks at them :: So you better bring your A game. 

The men each took their positions.  Braga’s face had slipped into almost a sinister grin.  Alex’s stomach gave a little twist. oO He’s bluffing, right?  It’s just an intimidation tactic.  Oo

Alex bent at the waist, her right hand on the racquet’s grip, her left hand settled just above it.

Storm: Why the hesitation, Denaia?  Not feeling intimidated are you?

That was all the impetus he needed.  He served - brilliantly at that.  oO Damn. Oo  But she didn’t have time for any other thoughts.  The ball had slipped back to Munro.  Alex’s arm was back before she realized she was on the backswing, and flew forward at a bit of an overhead angle.

Munro: Sorry!

Lunge of the foot, twang of the strings, ping off of a wall, squeak of the shoes on the court.  The same sounds repeated over and over during the course of the next two minutes.  Sometimes Ava grabbed the ball, other times, Alex fielded it.

The ‘boys’ were better than she would have guessed, but the two women seemed to hold their own against them…until they didn’t.  Braga managed a cross court shot just behind Ava and at a completely wrong angle for Alex to reach - despite her best efforts.

Alex blew a long breath out before she bounced on her feet once again.  She slipped back into her starting position just as the Risan security officer offered a verbal volley instead.

Denaia: That's the best you can do, Commander?!

Munro: I'm just easing you in Denaia! 

Alex took a practice backhand with her racquet.  

Storm: I still wouldn’t call it wiping the floor with us, but it was a good shot.

But on the heels of Alex’s words, Denaia released another killer serve, but Ava was … literally - on the ball - though she ran into the wall to make the shot.

The shot was good and while Braga made it, he did end up on his backside.  So for a few seconds, it was Denaia and Storm.

Munro: You got this Storm! 

Alex heard Ava’s voice, but it was more like a distant echo.  Her eye was on the ball and she was calculating trajectories like she was hustling a Ferengi at a game of billiards.  Getting into position for where she expected the ball to ricochet, Alex managed to connect her strings with the small blue ball.  

She barely skimmed it over the net, but at such an angle that Denaia’s racquet missed it by centimeters.

Storm: Nice volley, guys.

Alex lifted the neckline of her tanktop to mop her face.  She caught Braga’s newest version of the smirk.  

Storm:  What can I say? 

She shrugged.

Storm:  I’m hot.

Braga, who had managed to finally pull his butt up off the floor, laughed.

Braga:  And oh, so humble.

Munro:   Response.

Alex held both of her hands up in front of her.  She had two ways she could have played this - oO Well that’s what Roy thinks. Oo Not that she knew it - but she could take an educated guess.  oO Probably not the best tack with this group. Okay - Option two. Oo

Storm:  Woh… I just meant that working out makes me hot.

Braga wolf-whistled.

Alex stood holding her racquet.  Her jaw set and her eyes narrowed at Braga.  Her words were slow and dry.

Storm:  Ha…Ha..

Munro: Response

Storm:  I’m going to quit while I’m behind.  

She gave a stomp of her foot.  She might as well just take her shoe off and carry it around in her mouth.  She felt like the walking embodiment of ‘open mouth, insert foot’ tonight.

Storm:  I’m NOT quitting the game.  I’m … just … going to stop talking … now.

Alex silently held her hand up for the ball.  Denaia passed it off to her.  She bounced it once and took a hefty swing.  It hit the wall and nicked Braga’s shoulder causing it to spin off in a direction neither man could get it.

Munro: Response

~*~

Tags / TBC!

~*~

Lt Alex Storm

Tactical Officer

USS Artemis

O240103SK2