The Outsider in Federation |18+|

10. Ammunition from the Past

               Breakfast was punctuated by a heavy, intense silence. Arion was slowly growing accustomed to the uniquely sweet flavor of the Obol-berry waffles, while Elara seemed lost in her Americano, her gaze fixed vacantly on the window as if she were mapping out a battle strategy in her mind.

"Arion," Elara's voice broke the quiet, her tone shifting back to that of a serious Intelligence Lieutenant. "I have a plan. And for this, I need you to come with me to Headquarters."

Arion choked slightly on his black coffee. "Come with you? You mean... to see the Admiral? Now?"

Elara nodded firmly. "Not just you. We're taking all your things. Your laptop, tablet, smartphone, even that big backpack of yours. Everything."

Arion furrowed his brow, his systemic logic kicking in. "Wait, Elara. Isn't that dangerous? If they see this 21st-century tech, they might view it as evidence of espionage. These devices have entirely different encryption systems; they'll be suspicious."

"That's exactly the point," Elara rose from her chair and approached him. "Your knowledge of the Borg, the Hansen family, even the deepest secrets of the Federation... it's far too accurate for a mere spy. If you were a Romulan operative, you wouldn't be foolish enough to reveal all your trump cards to an intelligence analyst like me on the very first night."

Elara placed her hand on Arion's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "These ancient artifacts are the strongest physical proof that you truly were thrown here from a parallel Earth. This silicon and copper technology has been extinct for hundreds of years. It will bolster your story that our world is 'fiction' in yours. It's the only way to ensure you aren't seen as a security threat, but as an anomaly that must be protected."

Arion fell silent for a moment. He looked at his black backpack sitting in the corner of the room. Mathematically, the odds of Elara being right were high. Without physical evidence, he was just a stranger who knew too much, an easy target to be locked away forever.

"Okay," Arion finally answered. "Your logic holds up. Let's take it all."

Elara smiled with satisfaction. But before Arion could stand up to pack his belongings, she suddenly grabbed the collar of his t-shirt. Without warning, she crashed her lips against his.

At first, the kiss was warm and tender, but within seconds, Elara shifted the rhythm, making it deep and demanding. Arion gasped, his hands reflexively gripping Elara's waist as the Orion woman's tongue began to play boldly. The temperature in the room seemed to spike instantly.

In the midst of theintensifying kiss, Elara's hand slid down with practiced agility. With a motionthat was incredibly smooth yet deliberate, her fingers stroked the front ofArion's trousers, giving a soft squeeze that sent a jolt of electricity throughhis entire nervous system. Arion let out a low groan into the kiss, his bodytensing from the sudden, perfectly aimed stimulation.

After a few heart-pounding moments, Elara pulled back slowly. Her full lips were slightly glistening, and her eyes shimmered with mischief as she looked at Arion, whose breath was now coming in short bursts.

"Elara... what... what was that for?" Arion asked breathlessly, still trying to gather his wits which had just been scattered.

Elara let out a low, seductive laugh. She smoothed out Arion's slightly disheveled shirt with a playful, lingering touch.

"Consider it a morale booster, Arion," she whispered directly into his ear, her warm breath sending shivers down his spine. "So that you don't tremble later when you have to speak in front of Admiral Tenzin Lhakpa. I want you to stand tall, stay sharp... and keep looking like a man with plenty of 'energy.'"