JP: Master Chief Aeryn Ra & Fleet Captain Karrod Niac: Percussive Maintenance Revisited (PT2)
Karrod Niac
((Sickbay, Deck 10, USS Ronin))
Niac: I suspect D14 will need some time to develop a new round of torments for me and I’m sure they’ll appreciate your thorough attention to my good health. In fact, you might consider writing up a report after you’ve had an opportunity to assess my fitness…for duty of course.
The serious look on his face was only somewhat ruined by his arched eyebrows and hungry expression. The look in his eyes caused the violet to re-emerge in hers, spreading out slowly like a slow burning flame.
Ra: I’m not sure such a report would be the right thing to submit to your CMO. Perhaps I’ll just keep my findings to myself.
Karrod chuckled as they headed out of sickbay arm in arm, the unexpected nearness of her making his steps light. An idea occurred to him as they reached the turbolift.
Niac: You know, the Captain’s Yacht is currently parked in the VIP bay waiting for some maintenance…but I believe Chief Tucker’s team would appreciate it if we got a head start on the inspection work. Any thoughts about where we might start, Chief?
A momentary wait in the corridors wasn’t enough to stop the captain of the boat from making his thoughts known. Aeryn grinned up at him, matching his look with one of her own. Sometimes telepathy wasn’t required to know.
Ra: Pretty sure sleeping quarters might have better sound insulation than the Jefferies Tubes.
After his first officer had spoken to the fact that their impromptu meeting in the warm Jefferies Tubes near engineering had not exactly been secret or quiet, Aeryn had promised to find a better acoustically sound place for future meetings. This was merely a suggestion to the man next to her, but one that he obviously found as humorous as she did.
He barked out a laugh that made an Ensign walking the other way down the corridor turn their head in surprise, then quickly scamper around the corner.
Niac: Well Chief, there’s more than one cabin aboard. We could be in for quite a lot of work but, well…I’m always willing to sacrifice my body in the line of duty.
When the lift doors opened, she led the way in.
Ra: We’ll have to make sure to have some recovery time built into the uh…inspection.
The lift started moving as she leaned into his embrace and kissed him, offering just a taste of her own hunger which was reflected in his eyes as well. Even in the wake of whatever he had endured, his arms were strong and gave away nothing.
For a moment everything fell away and there was only the two of them, suspended in time and space, briefly immune to a whole universe of harms. There was a sort of desperate passion in the embrace, a sense that if he could just hold on hard enough, long enough, the moment would never quite end. Several short years or a few long seconds later, they both came up for air and regarded one another without breaking their embrace. His voice was low and husky but his smile was wide and warm.
Niac: I’ve been saving that for you for a long time, Aeryn.
Ra: I know it goes without saying, but I’ve missed you.
By now, the violet flames had all but taken over her eyes; the brown faded into the background, giving way to a little known trait that she had apparently inherited from her father.
He reached up with two fingers, tucking her hair back behind her elegantly arched ear while brushing against it ever so delicately. He felt a shiver in response and wasn’t sure which of them had done it. Her eyes had grown radiant, a pair of glowing jewels that he kept falling into without restraint. For a few more seconds they didn’t have to be anyone or anything…rank and role fell away as he drifted deeper into that bottomless amethyst pool.
The turbolift, with a complete lack of awareness or good sense, chose that moment to halt and open the doors on a pair of crewmen who did their best to take a sudden and profound interest in the ceiling of the corridor. He coughed to clear his throat and slightly disentangled himself, unable and unwilling to completely banish his smile.
Niac: My apologies Mr. Carstairs, Ms. Stevens…we were just getting off.
If he could’ve grabbed the words that had just exited his mouth and forced them back in, he would’ve, but as his cheeks colored and he glanced at Aeryn, he couldn’t find it in himself to be embarrassed.
With what looked like herculean effort neither crewman cracked but Ms. Stevens looked away and covered her mouth while a somewhat scandalized looking Mr. Carstairs covered his laughter with a sudden coughing fit that sounded almost authentic. They stepped aside and Karrod took the opportunity to make good their escape, pulling Aeryn along as they descended towards the VIP flight bay. He pretended to ignore the bails of laughter ringing back down the hallway behind him.
Offering a grin, which seemed to come so naturally with him next to her, she followed as they made their way towards their destination. Despite all of her desire, and above all else she needed him to be alright.
Ra: When was the last time you’ve eaten a proper meal? Or slept a good sleep?
While she figured she knew the answer to those questions, she needed to hear it from him. Once upon a time he had cooked for her. Now maybe she could flex her non-existent cooking skills? Nah. Replicators existed for a reason - so no one would suffer cooking like that of a Romulan/human hybrid who grew up in the shadows between both worlds.
The question came as such a surprise that it produced a small hitch in his step as he considered his answer. Niac merrily provided an exact accounting of both his lackluster sleeping and eating schedule, all delivered with a general sense of annoyed ‘we told you so’ projected into his psyche. He jabbed his abdomen with a thumb midstride and refocused on Aeryn.
Niac: You know how it is when you’re stuck in sickbay. Somehow they replicate the bland right into the meals. As far as sleep goes…well, I’ll admit I’m familiar with the concept but I think I’ve fallen out of practice.
Ra: Well, we will have to fit in a good meal then, and I’m sure I’ll be able to help you sleep.
Karrod slowed and smiled, enjoying the simple act of walking with someone for whom his rank was not a barrier. For however briefly they could be together he could set aside the Fleet Captain and simply be himself.
Niac: That sounds…pleasantly normal. I don’t know about you but there hasn’t been much normal in my life lately.
Aeryn already knew the answers before she had asked the question, so she had plans before he had a chance to even confirm what was wrong. And not sleeping was wrong, at least from the perspective of a medic. For the life they lived, him more than herself, normality was something of a dreamstate that never quite manifested among the near constant chaos and carnage.
But if nothing else, explosions and the random body parts of once living beings were enough to make them want to strive for that normality.
Ra: Pretty sure I left any sort of normality back in the Thracian Alliance, if you wanted to call that normal. Even smaller, and even science based, we’ve seen more than our share of horror on the Eagle. Most recently a Romulan crew driven so mad that they tore each other to pieces.
Karrod listened and found his smile fading slightly.
Niac: Well then it seems like we have a responsibility to ensure the normality of our time together…the only problem is I’m not sure either of us has all that much experience with it. What do…people…do with their time? People who aren’t constantly running from one fire and towards another? Open a vineyard?
One upswept eyebrow rose upwards.
Ra: I think we’d need a bit longer than a few days for that one. Ask me when we retire.
Karrod chuckled as they walked onwards but let the idea settle into his mind for a moment. He’d been so ready to retire a few years ago, to put his life in Starfleet behind him as he tried to distance himself from his exhaustion and frustrations. Now the idea seemed distant and oddly alien.
Niac: I suspect that won’t be for a while…for either of us. Fortunately that means we’ve got some time to practice. Maybe we could take a class together….’Basic Relaxation for Career Workaholics.’ Although I’m embarrassed to say I have no idea what the course would cover…
Aeryn laughed softly. It was another rare thing that just seemed so easy walking hand in hand with him.
Ra: I think normal people sleep in. And maybe take tours, or look through telescopes or something like that.
Karrod chuckled and found his eyes drifting to the nape of her neck and the line of her elegant cheekbones. Part of him wondered if they’d installed a new, longer hallway since the last time he’d headed to the VIP hangar.
Niac: Well I do like the sleeping in part but I’d have a hard time imagining either of us following a tour guide with some little holo-flag telling us all about Jupiter's volcanic moons and how lovely the lava flows are. Frankly…::he placed a hand on her shoulder and pressed a thumb across the back of her neck::...I think we’d get distracted.
It couldn’t be much further now, but even so she pushed away the urge to stop him there and fall into that embrace again. Instead, she grinned, the violet in her eyes flowing as if they’d captured a river.
Ra: You and I…I’m not sure we’d like normal anyways.
He found himself smiling in agreement as they came to the shuttlebay doors.
Niac: Normality is profoundly overrated.
The doors parted and the Kurasawa, sitting with its inspection hatches opened all along the engine housings, loomed large. Several hull plates were missing, various components were on the deck or in inspection racks, but mercifully it seemed Chief Tuckers workcrews were otherwise occupied at the moment. In the sea of chaos that was life aboard a starship they’d found a small island of calm and Karrod didn’t want to waste another minute.
Niac: Computer, seal VIP bay. No entry without my authorization. Oh and…=/\= Niac to Bridge. =/\=
The voice of their gamma shift helmsman was on the line a moment later.
Nicolau: =/\= Bridge here sir. =/\=
Niac: =/\= Lieutenant…am I correct in assuming that the ship is on station, our situation hasn’t changed, and there are no pressing internal or external issues that require my immediate attention? =/\=
Softly, Aeryn whispered as she leaned in and let her hands feel him for the first time since she'd arrived.
Ra: Aside from me…
Nicolau: =/\= Yes sir, we’re in stable orbit and the team from the Blackheart is processing crew before sending them down to the planet for R&R. =/\=
Karrod’s voice cracked slightly as he felt her hand drifting down his uniform jacket.
Niac: =/\= In that case Lieutenant I am not to be disturbed for any reason for the next hour…=/\=
A significant look from Aeryn made him hastily reassess.
Niac: =/\= Several hours. If Vulcan itself is invaded you are to inform Commander Raga first, is that understood? =/\=
Even over the comm Karrod could hear the young woman struggling to keep a smile out of her voice as she replied.
Nicolau: =/\= Understood sir and on behalf of Commander Raga, I’ve been ordered to pass along the Ronin’s compliments to Chief Ra. Bridge Out. =/\=
Karrod stood there with his mouth hanging open slightly as the comm closed, unable to decide if he was embarrassed or impressed by his crews…efficiency.
As for Aeryn, she simply grinned up at him, offering a look that was equal parts mischievous and hungry.
Ra: Seems my arrival wasn't quite as secretive as I thought.
He felt a bit sheepish as he rubbed the back of his neck while looking into her eyes. He offered a small shrug as he stepped closer.
Niac: There may have been a few warning signs hung up in the jefferies tube after your last visit.
She laughed quietly and shook her head as she worked to liberate him from his shirt. Slender fingers ran along his bare chest as she raised one of her upswept eyebrows.
Ra: That's fair, but I still regret nothing.
The adoration and affection laced with her hunger in flowing violet threads that were Aeryn's eyes. Time seemed to slow, accommodating what little they had dedicated to one another. Slowly she moved back towards the small craft, beckoning him as she went and never moving beyond his reach.
Ra: This is worth all of that, and so much more.
The threshold approached but Aeryn lost track of where and what as his embrace drowned her senses in him, and him alone.
[End]
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Master Chief Petty Officer Aeryn Ra
Paramedic
as simmed by:
Lieutenant Commander Cayden Adyr
Executive Officer
USS Eagle
R238605KN0
&
Fleet Captain Karrod Niac
Commanding Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
V239509GT0