It was early but, really, the only way that Esilia and Kerna could tell that was by looking at their wrist chronometers. They took their meager share of the food – dried strips of flattened olowa fruit and some baked tofflin paste that was a reasonable approximation of bread – and crept out to where the small Ikaaran shuttle was.
They had been preparing for perhaps five minutes when a voice said, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Izquilla," Kerna whispered, "lower your voice."
The young Communications Officer looked at her. "You mean to escape our wretched existence."
"We mean to get help, and bring it back," Esilia told her.
"Verinold said the Imvari are out there. You said so yourself that you did not wish to be captured by them," Izquilla reminded her.
"True, but perhaps there is someone else out there," Kerna said, "maybe we can get you out. Or maybe we can bring back provisions."
Izquilla stood there. "Or maybe you will never return."
"We will try to return," Esilia said, "and we will do all we can in order to do so. We have food for eight days, if we ration it wisely. We will go out for four days. If we have not found anything, we will turn back then, and will return. We will contact you when we can. Keep the channel open."
"Very well," Izquilla said, embracing each of them in turn, "Good fortune to you."
As they took off, Verinold stirred. "They are going, Lemnestra. I hope they can find a way, for I fear we are all doomed."
=/\=
On the NX-01, Lili and Craig sat with Chef Slocum. "It's Lieutenant Reed's birthday today," Will noted, "Forty-second, I think. We'll make him a pineapple upside-down cake like we always do."
"Actually," Lili stated, "according to my logs, I started making him a smoked pineapple tart, and he apparently really loved it."
Will looked at her. "Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"All right," he sighed, "but if he doesn't like it, I reserve the right to say 'I told you so'."
"What about for the dinner?" Craig asked.
"Well, O'Day, you're the one who seems to have all the answers," Will's tone was a bit harsh, "So what are we making?"
Lili smiled a little, but inwardly she was in a bit of turmoil. Chef seemed to resent her inside knowledge. "We can make a Mexican spread, with grilled meats and vegetables. Let's slice up some avocados and whip up some fresh kiwi lime salsa, with a little shredded jack cheese and some sour cream on the side. Plus we'll have refried beans, chopped tomatoes and a little shredded lettuce with whole wheat tortillas."
"You know best," Will said defeatedly.
Craig got up to fiddle with the replicator. Lili went over to Will. "Are you angry with me?" she asked.
"Me?"
"Yeah, you, Chef. You're acting as if I'm encroaching on your turf."
"That's the only area where you don't get to lord it over me."
"I beg your pardon?"
"O'Day," he seemed to be trying to stay calm, "I read the logs, too. You got not just one, but two lovers, to," he let out a breath between his front teeth, "eat out of your hands, and answer to your beck and call. Do you know what happened to me?"
"I'm sure you'll tell me."
"I ended up with Socorro. I end up with a sexually dysfunctional rape victim. And we don't even stay together! We divorce. I never remarry; never even get a girlfriend for, for later. That's it. That's my one and only, lousy, shot."
"I'm not responsible for your choices."
"You're there, sitting on your high horse!" he accused. "You get your two shots and, and everything! You left me with nothing!"
Craig came back from working on the replicator. "I don't know what everybody's getting all hot under the collar about, anyway," he said, "'Cause I drew the Ikaaran card. And if I'm not mistaken, right now that means I get nobody. So don't talk to me, Chef, about how goddamned unfair and unhappy your life turned out to be."
He walked out. Lili followed him. "I'm sorry," she touched his arm, "maybe things will turn out differently. But, but, they'll turn out differently in a good way."
"Thanks." He had a dish towel in his hands, and he dabbed at his eyes with it.
=/\=
On the Bridge, Malcolm was at his station when he noticed something. "I'm getting a reading. It appears that there may be a ship in the area. I'm picking up an alloy on long-range sensors."
Jonathan looked up. "T'Pol?"
"I see it," she was peering into the scope at the Science station. "The alloy matches the Imvari readings we took. It further matches the information in the database."
"Hail them," the captain commanded Hoshi.
She tried a few different things. "No response."
"They're closer, Captain," reported Malcolm, "I suspect that we can get a visual now."
"On screen," commanded Jonathan.
The image of the ship emerged on the main viewing screen. The ship was somewhat streamlined, and had a central core. There were radiating arms, but they were retracted, possibly a requirement of traveling at warp speeds.
"According to the database," T'Pol stated, "the configuration matches that of an Imvari slaver ship."
"Polarize the hull plating," commanded the captain.
"Yes, sir," replied Malcolm, doing just that.
The Imvari ship turned, and there was a whining sound, piercing their ears. "It's a scan!" T'Pol yelled.
Just as quickly as it had started, it stopped. The Imvari ship turned and warped out of there.
"What the devil was that all about?" Malcolm asked the question for all of them.
=/\=
For the Imvari ship, there was little point in hanging around, for their mission was to gather up Ikaaran slaves. Once they had scanned the Enterprise, and determined that there were no Ikaarans on board, there was no reason to stay.
Instead, they filed the information away for later. They had not made first contact with humans, Vulcans or Denobulans, so the readings were a tad confusing, and needed to be parsed carefully. But that could wait, for a tiny shuttle had been detected. While there were only two Ikaaran life signs on board, and they were in a weakened condition, they were both female.
Females of any species tended to fetch higher prices, for breeding and for other services. Plus the configuration and size of the females' ship meant that it was a small shuttle type. Hence it was attached to a larger vessel. If the Imvari could get the shuttle, they could potentially get to the larger vessel.
And it would be even better, for the Imvari knew that the Ikaarans tended to segregate their ships by gender. Two females would, inevitably, mean more.
The other ship – the one they had just seen – was interesting. And it definitely had females on it; about a third of the crew complement. But that ship was well-armed and well-defended, unlike the Ikaaran vessels which were sent to the Expanse for farming or mining.
They'd get back to it later. But first, the Ikaaran females. They were a sure thing.
=/\=
Throughout the day, Esilia and Kerna flew. The planet's gravity was fairly weak so their escape velocity did not have to be too high. However, once they were free of the planet's gravitational grip, they had to navigate the anomaly field that had been created by the chi radiation emanating from the unfinished gravimetric sphere. That was considerably slower going.
Once they were free of the anomaly field, they sent a short message to the surface. "We are on our way."
With few resources at their disposal, limited power and no real sensors to speak of, they did not know the Imvari were headed their way until the far larger ship was nearly on top of them.
=/\=
On the Imvari slaver ship; even though they saw the Ikaarans, they proceeded with caution. The anomaly field was still hazardous.
The Imvari followed standard policy, which meant that they detached a shuttle of their own. Their shuttle, unlike the one piloted by Kerna and Esilia, was armed.
It was difficult to maneuver in the anomaly field, so the Imvari ship moved slowly and kept out of the way of things. The Ikaaran shuttle moved equally slowly and away from the part of the field which closed and camouflaged the planet where their comrades were.
=/\=
On the Enterprise, it was dinner time. As promised, for Malcolm's birthday, there was a beautiful Mexican spread. Foods from the NX-01's stocks were seamlessly commingled with replicated fare. If anyone outside of Food Service could tell the difference, they weren't saying.
Malcolm ate in the Captain's Mess with Jonathan, Tripp and T'Pol. Lili served. "How's forty-two feel?" Tripp asked him.
"Not too significantly different from forty-one," Malcolm admitted.
Lili brought out the smoked pineapple tart. "Now I know this is kinda different from what you're used to. And if you don't like it, we can go back to Chef's pineapple upside down cake next year."
"I'm sure it will be fine, Ensign," Malcolm remembered that the pineapple upside down cake had some sort of dairy in it. For the past couple of years, his birthday cakes had been decent albeit rather cloying, and he had paid for that with visits to Sick Bay on the following days. The cramping from his lactose intolerance had been awful.
"This year," Lili announced, "the dessert is vegan. So if you'd like to indulge, Commander T'Pol, then please feel free. It's a smoked pineapple tart. So it's not overly sweet. Lieutenant," she showed him the tart, "do you have a preference as to which part you'd like me to cut for you?"
"Whatever you think is best." She brought the tart over to a sideboard and began to slice it.
There was a communications chime. Captain Archer answered it by using the wall panel. "Yes?"
"Sir," it was Aidan MacKenzie, who was in charge on the Bridge, "Travis took us closer to an anomaly field."
"And?" Jonathan asked, a little anxious.
"And that Imvari ship isn't too far away. There are also a couple of smaller ships. I'm guessing they're shuttles of some sort. Everybody's moving slowly. It's kinda hard to tell what these maneuvers are all about."
"Huh," Captain Archer mused, "I take it they're still not responding to hails."
"Right," Aidan replied, "Sandra is listening for any chatter, but she can't get anything beyond some clicking and popping."
"Keep a safe distance," cautioned the captain, "and let me know what happens. Archer out."
Lili set down a slice of the tart in front of Malcolm. "Well?" she asked, "What's the verdict?"
"I don't believe I have ever had anything better," Malcolm said sincerely.
"Thanks," Lili smiled at him.
The captain and Tripp exchanged a glance. "Uh, I gotta go check on the engine," Tripp declared.
"Is there an issue?" T'Pol asked, not getting it.
"Actually, you can help me with the relays," Tripp said.
The Vulcan eyebrow rose. "How so?"
"I could use the, the bounce off," he got up and she followed him out.
"I'd better check on Aidan," said the captain. He, too, departed.
Malcolm and Lili looked at one another. "I believe," he said, "this is one of my best birthdays, ever. But there's room to improve it even more."
"Oh? Did you want more tea?"
"No," he got up. "Perhaps something sweeter."
He came closer and kissed her on the cheek. "That is for the wonderful tart."
She kissed him on his cheek. "That's for saying it was really good."
"And this," he kissed her a lot closer to her mouth, "is for how discreet you have been about my lactose intolerance."
"And this," she kissed him, also a lot closer to his mouth, "is for how appreciative you are."
"And this," he said, hands on her waist, "is for how wonderful you are. Logs or no logs, destiny or not, there is a reason I wrote you poetry. And there is a reason why, even before we were together, I even changed my will, to favor you." He gazed deeply into her eyes. "I always noticed your eyes. But now I'm obsessed with them. Your hair has always looked bright and pretty to me. And now it does even more."
"I might have a little flour in my hair, yanno." She put her hands on the back of his neck and touched him lightly, an act that made him shiver a little bit. "And for how much I have noticed about you. There's no monopoly on beautiful eyes. You always look capable and smart. You're always in control."
"I'd like to lose control," he whispered, and then kissed her on the mouth.
The first kiss was close-mouthed and ended quickly as they gazed at each other. He murmured, "This is right." They kissed again, but this time it was a passionate French kiss as they closed their eyes, arms enveloping each other.
When they finally broke apart, she sighed a little and staggered just a tiny bit. "Don't fall," he cautioned, and then peered at her more closely. "Or, perhaps, you should."
"One step at a time," she replied.
"Right," he gazed at her. "I imagine the captain will want his Mess back at some point."
"Probably," she chuckled a little. "Plus I need to dump the dishes into the sanitizer, and put the leftovers away."
"I have no plans," he said, "Allow me to assist you."
"Uh, all right, if you don't mind a little cleanup duty."
"It's all right," he said, "I just want to spend time with you."
She looked down. "You're very sweet."
"Would you like to attend Movie Night this week?"
"He, uh, he already asked me," she stated, "It's funny, I can't really figure out how the whole thing got off the ground. But there's this big file. It's an agreement that all three of us signed. It's detailed about all sorts of crazy things."
"Do you wish for that sort of an arrangement?"
"Maybe," Lili admitted as she tucked dirty dishes into her cart, "but it's hard to say. We were all happy; that much I know. But things are a little different right now. For one thing, it's happening a lot more quickly."
"The last time," he explained, "I was humiliated. See, I had made a pass at Sandra. And she rejected me. But it was more than that, for she rather loudly and publicly proclaimed me to be closeted. It took me a while to get my confidence back. You were apparently a great help with that." He came closer and she put down the teacup she was holding. He took her hand and kissed it. "I want you to know that I will do what I can to make things work. Just tell me what it is, and I shall do it."
"I wish I knew what it was," Lili murmured, "but this is wonderful. Truly, it is." She turned back to continue loading up the cart but he put his hand on her face and kissed her again, lingering.
It was another long kiss. After they broke apart, he said, "We should finish your task."
"Yes," she replied absently, "let's get this show on the road."
=/\=
It was perhaps the fastest that Lili had ever loaded the sanitizer. No one else was in the galley but the two of them. "Do you need to wait for it to be finished?" Malcolm asked.
"Nope. Got anything in mind?"
"I do," he replied, "but I don't wish to rush you."
"Oh?"
"I, uh," he smiled a little, "Forgive me; I can sometimes be overly anxious when it comes to, to these sorts of things. We played a great deal of chess. Would you care to accompany me to my quarters and, and play a game?"
She looked at him. "Your eyes are like the deep blue sea." She smiled. "Yes. Let's play."
=/\=
When they got to Malcolm's quarters, neither of them made a move to get the chessboard or the pieces. It was just kissing. Finally, Malcolm asked, "May I see what you look like without, uh, without your jacket on?"
"Oh! Sure," Lili unzipped it. He reached in, holding her waist with his hands. Then, as he kissed her neck –an act that made her moan a little – he eased the sleeves off her. The chef's white's jacket fell to the floor.
He looked at her and smiled. "I was hoping you would look precisely like this."
"Really? You weren't afraid I was fat?"
"The jacket is boxy," Malcolm stated, "so there was no way of knowing your true shape. I confess that I was a little concerned, but only in the sense that I wish for you to be healthy."
"Is that all?" she pretended to tease him, but she was truly a little fearful that she didn't measure up to his expectations.
He thought for a moment, weighing what to say next, so as not to offend her or to appear shallow in any way, "Up until very recently, I was a leg man. But now," he moved his hand up slightly from where it had been resting on her waist, "I am a breast man."
"How recently is recently?"
He came close, kissed her ear and then whispered into it, "About a minute ago."
She chuckled a little at that. "Let me tell you what I like. I like a British accent. I like blue-green eyes. I like a cleft chin. I like a former leg man, turned breast man. I like a guy who claims we're gonna play chess but then doesn't bother." This time, she initiated the kiss.
He murmured, "It's very hot. You see, in my logs, I referred to you as the white-hot flame. And it's true. You are." He started to unzip his uniform jumpsuit but she put a hand over his and did it herself. She pulled the sleeves down and then, with her kneeling in front of him, he put his hands on her shoulders and stepped out of the uni. She straightened up and took off his long black thermal shirt, leaving him in a tee, briefs and socks. He unbuckled her belt and removed the pants portion of her chef's white's uni. This left her in just a turquoise tee shirt, panties and socks. He straightened up. "Tell me," he whispered hoarsely, "how far do you wish to go?"
She came close and kissed him again, hand on his waist, separating his tee from his briefs and tugging at it a little bit. "No limits," she whispered.
"Are you certain? I want very, very much for this to last," he said. He was very aroused but he also didn't want to blow his chances for later. "I want to assure that there will be a tomorrow, and a Thursday next, and beyond that, and all in between, Lili."
"I do, too," she breathed, "that's why I want to seal the deal tonight."
"And, and him?"
"He'll become a part of my life when he's ready," she whispered, "Maybe it'll be at Movie Night or next week – ah, your Thursday next. Or next year; I don't know."
"I shall tell you," he separated her tee from her panties, "If I didn't know it could work, I would not be in such ready agreement. And I evidently wasn't so quick to accept it all last time. But I will do what I can in order to make it all work, only as long as that does not involve leaving you."
"It won't," she breathed. He pulled her top over her head.
Staring at her bra, he said, "I am, most definitely, a breast man now." She pulled his tee off and he said, "You need to catch up." He put his hands behind her back and unhooked her bra, letting it fall to the floor. Her panties soon followed.
She hooked her fingers into the sides of his briefs. "Dare I?" she asked playfully. Smiling at him, she peeled them off his arousal and pulled them to the floor. He stepped out of them.
She straightened up, and he did the same. Naked, they both stared at each other for a few minutes. "Do I, do I meet your expectations?" she asked expectantly.
"No," he replied, "you exceed them."
=/\=
In Engineering, Tripp continued checking relays. T'Pol was still with him. She finally said to him, "I am failing to comprehend the need for my assistance in this matter."
He stopped what he was doing, and looked at her. "Don't tell me you didn't catch how Malcolm and Lili were lookin' at each other."
"Their flirtation does not translate into your requiring my presence for this task."
"They needed to be alone," he was a tad exasperated. "And it's Malcolm's birthday, for cryin' out loud! The Cap'n and I figured out the best gift for him was for us to clear out."
"Still –"
"Plus it gives you and me a chance to spend some time together," he explained, "Ever since the kick back in time, you've barely said three words to me."
"Commander, I –"
"And that's another thing," he complained, "I'm not sayin' everything's perfect between us, but I wish you'd acknowledge that there's, uh, that there's an us. Or there was. Or there will be. Dammit, I hate verb tenses these days."
She thought before replying. "My logs were extensive. The subject matter ranged from our resource allocations to the birth of our twins."
"Did you love me?"
"There is overwhelming evidence that I did."
"So why are ya bein' so damned cold to me?"
"Commander," she asked, "did you research when you died?"
"Yeah," he said, "it was, uh, 2063." He looked at her and there was just the slightest flicker of emotion that played over her face. Suddenly, it dawned on him. "I get it now. You were widowed for a good ninety years. And you don't wanna go through that again, am I right?"
She turned to leave. "Am I at least warm?" he asked, searching her face for a trace of confirmation, but she provided none. He made no move to prevent her from departing.
In the hallway, T'Pol nearly ran smack dab into Dan Chang. "Hey, baby," he said to her, eying her up and down and licking his lips, "ready to accept my offer?"
"Crewman, I am on my way to the Bridge."
"I'll go with you."
"I believe your posting is elsewhere."
"I'll be late, then," he said, matching her stride.
She ignored him as she hurried along. He got into the lift with her. She looked straight ahead. He hit the emergency stop and then grabbed for her breast. And that's all he remembered doing.
He did not see her reach behind his head, to his neck, and pinch it at a certain acupressure point. He collapsed, rendered unconscious by her touch.
She stepped over his prone form when the lift reached A deck, where the Bridge was. Aidan was on duty. He looked up. "What the hell happened to him?"
"Crewman Chang has been briefly incapacitated," she replied matter-of-factly, "he belongs on D deck, guarding Engineering."
Tristan Curtis was the Security Crewman on the Bridge. "I'll get him back there," he volunteered. He went to the lift and pulled Chang's limp body up to a standing position. He gave Chang a quick slap on the cheek. "Get up, Romeo."
"What –?"
"We're going back to Engineering," Tristan told him, "and you'll tell me why Commander T'Pol apparently clocked you but good, and why you left your post. And then I'll send Lieutenant Reed a nice report on your adventures this evening, eh?"
=/\=
Esilia and Kerna did their best to maintain stability, but it was not easy. "This was a mistake," Kerna said, "I fear we are trapped."
"Can't we maneuver, perhaps, toward that other ship, there?" Esilia asked. She was pointing, unaware that that ship was the NX-01.
"I do not know that configuration," the pilot admitted, "Do you suppose they are allies of the Imvari?"
"Hmm, no," Esilia said, "we have never seen the Imvari work with any other species, save the Orions. And the Orions do not take part in capturing slaves."
"Then who are they?" Kerna asked, frightened.
"I do not know," Esilia said, "Perhaps they are lost, or they are novices in the Expanse."
"Are they friend or foe?"
"We have few options. There is flight, but we are slow, and the anomaly field is treacherous. There is suicide. I suppose we could ram the side of the Imvari slaver. But, apart from killing us and destroying our shuttle, there is no guarantee that anything else would happen."
"True," Kerna said, "and if we do no real damage to the Imvari vessel, then our sacrifice would be all for naught. There is also allowing ourselves to be captured, you know."
"That is the most distasteful of the options, for I fear that we would be somehow forced to divulge the presence of our shipmates. All we have left is to attempt to contact that other vessel, and pray that they are not friends to the Imvari."
"Agreed."
"I will prepare a message."
Esilia thought about her message and then opened a channel. "Unidentified vessel!" she called out, "Please help us! We are a peaceful people who do not wish to be enslaved! We will provide you with any reward you seek!" She set the message to automatically repeat.
=/\=
In his quarters, Jay read chapter after chapter of Sun-Tzu. He finally put the book down. "I can't believe I had the guts to ask her out. And she even said she would! That arrangement we all had the last time, it was, I think it was a good one." He turned on his desktop computer.
"Computer, dictation mode." He began his log.
=/\=
Jay Hayes's Personal Log, September second, 2037
I know that I really should get over Susan, but the truth is, all I want to do is ditch that and do my best to build a new life. And I really want to be in Lili O'Day's life, I'm thinking. Every log entry I've read confirms it, particularly the ones from after we were married. We really loved each other. I have never, truly, had that before. And I know I want it, bad.
=/\=
"Computer, document dictation," Jay said. "I, Jay Douglas Hayes, of a sound and more or less happy mind, do so change my will as follows: I leave all of my possessions, such as they are, to Lili O'Day, and her heirs. This includes full and complete access to all logs from any version of me that's out there. I do this in order to demonstrate my hope in our future."
=/\=
On the Bridge, Sandra said, "There's an incoming message, or at least I think it might be."
"On screen," commanded T'Pol.
"It's audio only." Sandra hit some switches and the air was filled with clicking and popping sounds.
"That doesn't sound like anything," opined Chris Harris, the night shift pilot.
"No, Crewman," T'Pol speculated, "it may be akin to the speech of Xindi Insectoids."
"Insectoids?" asked Aidan from the Tactical station.
"Contact Ensign Sato and Captain Archer," T'Pol commanded Sandra, "It is possible that the Imvari are harassing another species."
"So you're saying we should get involved?" Aidan asked.
"I am merely suggesting that we investigate," was the cool Vulcan reply.
=/\=
Lili came close to Malcolm. "Sit down for a sec," she said to him.
"All right." He was about to ask her what she was going to do when she bent over him. It was her hands, yes, but it was also her mouth. It was especially her mouth. He was jolted and gasping after he'd climaxed. Panting, he looked at her and grabbed her face in both hands and kissed her passionately. "I, I've never done that before," he breathed.
"Never done that?"
"Oh, I have done that," he confirmed, "I mean, I mean afterwards, to kiss immediately after. I would, I would always wipe the woman's mouth."
"Oh. Does it bother you?" Lili asked.
"Not anymore," Malcolm admitted, "that all seems so overly fussy. And, and you! I'm not used to, to nice girls doing such things. And doing them so well, I might add."
"So I am a nice girl?"
"You are the nicest girl I know." He bade her to sit down on the bed. "Here, perhaps you would be more comfortable lying back." She complied, and he worked his way downward, beginning with her neck, moving on to her breasts and belly, and then her thighs and beyond.
He followed her lead, listening for any catches in her breath or changes in the pitch of her moans. She pointed a bit, too, and he followed that as well, concentrating on whatever it took. Once she had climaxed, he lay by her side. "Are you, is this what you want, Lili?"
"Yes." Her eyes flashed downwards. "You're ready to go again, I see."
"I am. Do you see what you do to me?" Coming closer, they kissed and then merged. Again, he whispered to her, "This is right."
She nodded, and they began to move together. Rolling around a bit on the narrow bed, every movement was calculated to bring them closer and maximize their pleasure. Hot kisses interrupted loud moans until finally Lili erupted with an extremely loud cry that sent Malcolm over the edge as well.
Both of them were so overstimulated that they laughed a little, even as they were still entwined and their pulsing, rhythmic climaxes were dissipating. Malcolm murmured, "I do believe they heard you on all of the decks."
"Maybe," she allowed coyly, "see, I have to, I have to communicate my joy."
"I am only glad that I am here to witness such joy."
"And cause it, too," she confirmed.
They rolled over as they broke apart, and she glanced at the chronometer at his bedside. "Damn! Look at the time!" she exclaimed.
He looked over. It was already oh two hundred hours. "Stay here," he said.
"I have to get up in two hours," she said, "and I have to be really clean for work."
"Then take a shower with me in the morning."
"I can't just get back into dirty clothes, Malcolm."
"Then go to your quarters," he said, "and get yourself some clean things for tomorrow and come right back, all right? And I shall set the alarm for whatever time you like."
"Oh four hundred hours, please," she said, getting up.
"Then oh four hundred hours it shall be," he said. He set the alarm while she put her clothes back on. He then slipped on clean briefs and a pair of shorts. "Do come back," he said.
"Of course," she said. She kissed him and departed.
Smiling to himself, he turned on his desktop computer. "Computer, dictation mode."
=/\=
Malcolm Reed's Personal Log, September second, 2037
I have had the most extraordinary day. And it is not quite over yet. For we are together, and she is as compelling as I had hoped for. We are a good match, with what I feel is a solid bond, not to mention exquisite sexual compatibility.
As for him, she says they will go to Movie Night together. And while I would prefer not to share, I must say, a half of this loaf is far, far better than none.
=/\=
"Computer, document dictation," Malcolm commanded. "I, Malcolm Reed, of a sound mind, do change my last will and testament as follows: I leave all of my worldly possessions to Miss Lili O'Day, and her heirs and assigns. I do this because I believe that I am falling for her, and I wish for her to know that."
=/\=
When Lili got to her quarters, her roommate, Jennifer, was nowhere to be found. "Huh," she said, "I guess I'm not the only one having a little fun tonight."
She quickly doffed her jacket and then, deciding she didn't want to just carry it back with her the following day, she removed her bra as well. She tossed the articles into her laundering unit, along with a few other items and started it up.
She found her best underthings – a pair of dark purple panties and a plunging front hook bra. She put them into a small canvas backpack, along with a dark blue scoop-neck top and a pair of chef's white's pants and a pair of socks. A jacket was kept to the side.
She thought about what to add, and began to rummage through drawers. Makeup? She decided against it. Hairbrush? Yes. Perfume? Too much. Tooth cleaner? Yes.
She got into the little bathroom and washed her face. She smiled at her own reflection. "This day turned out a bit different than you expected, eh, Charlotte?"
She turned on her desktop computer. "Computer, dictation mode."
=/\=
Charlotte Lilienne O'Day's Personal Log, September second, 2037
It's been a while. But man oh man; it's like riding a bike. You just never forget. Malcolm is just a fantastic lover. I can't believe how I lucked out!
He's sweet and funny, too. Normally, I'd be heading for the hills if someone was getting so intimately involved so quickly. But I'm okay with it. He says it's right and I have to agree with him. And that's not the old logs talking. It really is spectacular.
As for Jay, I have every intention of seeing him for Movie Night. And if the same thing happens, then I guess we're off to the races. And if it doesn't, or if he wants to move more slowly, then that's okay, too.
I do not expect Jay to be a better lover. And I am not dissatisfied in any manner. I just know – if things are already so right – and I know how they went with Jay, then there is no need to keep that last piece out of the puzzle.
=/\=
Jonathan Archer and Hoshi Sato, roused out of sound sleeps, were at their stations on the Bridge. T'Pol was at the Science station while Sandra hovered anxiously near Communications.
"Is it Xindi Insectoid?" Sandra asked Hoshi.
"I don't think so." Hoshi took the earpiece off.
"Have you got a handle on which species that shuttle belongs to?" Jonathan asked T'Pol.
"It is neither Xindi nor is it Imvari," said the Vulcan.
"I've been checking Charlotte's database and our own. I mean, you know, the other NX-01's," Aidan reported, "and I'm coming up empty."
"We do have their entire database, don't we?" asked the captain.
"Far as I can tell, yes," Hoshi said, "This syntax is odd. The message repeats, so I'm guessing it's some kind of a distress call. After that, though, I'm not sure. And I don't have enough of their language for the UT to really pick it up and run with it."
T'Pol looked up. "The shuttle is composed of a number of somewhat common alloys."
"Do you know who uses such alloys?" asked Jonathan.
"There are several candidate species. These include humans, Tellarites, Vulcans, Orions, Tandarans, Xyrillians, Andorians, Enolians, Ikaarans, Osaarians and Klingons," replied T'Pol.
"So that's more or less everyone, it seems," said Chris as he piloted the ship.
"The list does not include Denobulans, Caitians, Imvari or any of the Xindi species," T'Pol replied crisply.
"Cross-reference the message with any languages spoken by anyone on the list," the captain suggested.
The clicking message played, over and over again, as they watched the Imvari shuttle approach the unknown shuttle, and they wondered what, if anything, they should do about that.
=/\=
Lili got out of her quarters with her bundle. Instead of heading straight to Malcolm's quarters on B deck, she went to the galley, which was on E deck. She opened up the refrigeration unit. "Ah, leftovers." She sliced off a sliver of the smoked pineapple tart and wrapped it up in a cloth napkin. "I bet this'll make you happy."
She left the galley and got to B deck. She heard footsteps behind her. It was the middle of the night, and she was not expecting that. "Yes?" she asked, turning around.
"Midnight rendezvous?" Jay asked.
"Something like that."
"Look, uh, if you don't wanna go to Movie Night, I get it," he looked down.
"I do want to go," she insisted, "I want to, um, I want to make a go of it with, with both of you."
"Really? I had thought, I mean, I heard ...." His voice trailed off.
"Yeah, I guess I'm kinda loud. I'm sorry you had to hear that."
"No, it's okay," Jay replied, "I wouldn't think I'd be okay with it, but I am. I read, you know, I read everything. And I would hear you then, too. And the way I processed it was that I wanted you to be happy. And, and I think I do now, too. Does that make any sense?"
"I want you to be happy, too." She came closer and kissed him on the cheek. "I can't wait for Movie Night. And, uh, we can move at whatever pace feels right, okay? No competition. This isn't a race."
"Agreed," he said. "Um, have fun, okay?"
"I'll try to keep the noise level low."
He walked back into his quarters and sat down on his bed. "Huh," he said to himself, "I don't know if that means I'm a chump or I'm really mature. I'll go with mature." He pulled the covers over himself and grinned a little, thinking about Movie Night.