Sharing Drinks
Posted on Thu Jan 18th, 2024 @ 4:57pm by Lieutenant Vura
Edited on on Mon Jan 22nd, 2024 @ 12:53am
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 15 - The Evil That Lies Beneath
Location: After 11 - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 1800 hrs
After a long first day on duty all Maya wanted was to settle down with a drink - which was prime motivation to explore the ship, she reckoned, and find out where she could go to meet people or let her hair down. So, she'd changed into a crop top and jeans in her quarters and left for the hallways, intending to check out the lounge first, which she'd seen in the deck plans of the Pioneer before arriving.
She liked what she saw. The place was bustling this time of day, which represented plenty of opportunities to say hello to someone new. Maya ordered herself a Risan mai tai and moved round the room making small talk with people for the time being.
Vura had a lot on her mind. However, no matter how much she had on her mind, she was going to make certain that she was dressed well. Having gotten out of her counselor's uniform, she changed into a split thigh ruched, sleeveless, V-neck dress. On each arm, she had three bracelets with some sapphires in each. Her ears had long intertwined white gold designs with studs in the upper part of her ears. She wore a matching pair of blue three inch heels.
The Deltan walked into After 11 and heads naturally swivelled towards her. However, she took no notice. She was more than used to it. Now, who can I play with tonight? she wondered as she surveyed the room.
Of the many heads that turned towards her, one decided to approach her and say hello. Maya smiled as she walked right up to the Deltan woman; she'd only ever heard of Deltans and their famous beauty up to this point - now she could definitely see why their reputation preceded them. "Well, hello there! Nice to meet you!" Maya held out a hand to be shaken. "I'm new on board, the name's Maya. I'm kind of going around and making friends at the moment, what's your name, beautiful?"
With a twinkle in Vura's eye, the Deltan responded, "I am Vura." She then looked at Maya's hand and did not take it. Vura cooed at Maya, "Oh, dear, you may want to take my hand, but they should have trained you in the Academy about our Oath of Celibacy and how our touch conveys pheromones that are stronger than any Orion. I'm afraid that I would turn you into a pile of goo, and while you might enjoy that, Starfleet probably would frown on it." She laughed at the implications that she left out there for Maya to grasp.
"Now Maya," Vura continued to purr, "Tell me what department you are in. I'm afraid that I only got here a few weeks ago as the ship docked for shore leave and I am still trying to get to know everyone myself."
Maya blinked. "They... they did not, actually. Or they did and it slipped my mind. Um." She swiftly withdrew her hand. As much as she did very much want to savor the company of this exotic woman she'd rather not do so with her brain soupified - in a pleasurable manner or not. "Sorry. Um. I'm a nurse in sickbay, the new head nurse. I just got here a few weeks ago myself, so... huh. I suppose we should've met sooner, then! Can I buy you a drink?" She offered, pointing out the bar. "I suppose we might be interacting a lot from now on, or not, depending on if you need me or the other way round."
"You're more than welcome to buy me a drink," Vura responded, her voice barely breaking a whisper and filled with alluring undertones. "A few weeks you say?" Vura asked curiously. "Were you here, then, when your boss was rendered comatose from kissing me?"
"Was I- uhm-" Maya blinked. "-I don't know about that, actually. Commander Rourke seemed fine when we last met, I- I would've never guessed." She certainly did seem much more contemplative as she turned back to the bartender and ordered another round of drinks: two Risian mai tais, one for herself and for Vura. "She was enthralled by your beauty, I presume, not that I can say I wouldn't be." Maya smiled and handed the glass over, careful not to make contact with Vura's fingers.
Vura laughed and explained, "It did not start out that way and that is a story for her only to tell." She winked flirtatiously at Maya. "Besides, a girl has to keep her secrets. So, why don't you tell me about you, Nurse Maya? I want to know everything about you," she told Maya, her voice dripping with allure.
Vura was flirting with her. That much was clear enough to Maya. Perhaps she did that with everyone. She was Deltan after all. Or, perhaps she really was interested in her. Maya knew the woman would not so easily reveal which it was, if at all. Either way the Orion was glad to indulge her.
"Well. I have quite an unusual story to tell. I could tell you everything straight up, but where's the fun in that?" Careful not to get too close to the other, Maya leaned in towards Vura with a smirk on her lips. "So, I want this to be enjoyable for both of us. Where do you reckon I grew up? Guess." Maya said, grinning.
The Deltan smirked. Everyone always wanted to play games with her and it was clear that she had the Orion under her spell. Well, far be it from Vura to not have a little fun. "Well, let us see... You definitely did not come from the Syndicate. Your mannerisms are too human. So, you likely spent some time there. You also are very flirtatious and seem to leap without looking. Certainly humans do that, but there is something more, almost Risian about you...."
"Is that your final answer? Because if it is, you're right." Maya grinned. "I grew up on Risa, all the way till I was eighteen and decided to make what you might call a leap of faith and leave my home planet - shocking, I know!" She held a hand to her chest in mock surprise. "Oh, but it's been lovely so far. You know, Starfleet Academy boasts a much wider demographic of visitors than even Risa itself, can you believe it! At least, that's what my instructors say." Maya sipped from her drink. "I am a huuuuge fan of human dishes, though. I love what they call ramen - especially the broth that it always comes in. How about you, do you have one?"
"A favorite meal?" Vura asked. "No. I relish trying new things and having new experiences. I could never be locked into any one particular taste."
Something about the way that statement was phrased made Maya suspect that by 'tastes', Vura didn't just mean food. "Well, what's the best thing you've ever tasted so far? Out of everything you've tried so far in your life. Surely there must be something, right?" Maya pressed with a smile on her lips.
Vura allowed her lips to trace the contours of her lips before speaking. "So many things to choose from...." Her eyes rolled back into her head, relishing past experiences and trying to come up with anything that might be close to a favorite. "Hmmmm. I seem to remember a dish with peas, live gagh, and shrimp. I don't know what it is called, but it was an exquisite set of textures and when paired with bloodwine, was even better."
Vura's description brought to mind a bowl of squirming gagh with little green peas and diced raw shrimp thrown in and mixed with some kind of sauce. Maya had neither heard of or tried any dish even remotely similar, but she prayed (silently) that she would never have the privilege of doing so. Worms slithering down your throat together with mushy peas... ugh, no thanks.
"It sounds quite exotic. Exotic tastes for an exotic woman like you." Maya winked. "Let's get on with this get-to-know-you session of ours. What do you reckon my mother works as?"
Such innocent flirting, Vura mused. Such a shame that she's so young and Orion. With those genes, she might even be passable for fun. "I do not have enough information to make an educated guess regarding your mother, but I would suspect somewhere in the entertainment or hospitality fields."
"She's a dancer. You're right." Maya smiled. "She taught me a little something about how to dance - I'd be glad to dance for you if you ask," she offered. "Nowadays she teaches dance fitness and even runs dance therapy classes when she's free! Now that's pretty cool, huh. How about you, how is your family?"
"I do enjoy dancing; however, all I can dance with in Starfleet, barring the occasional Deltan I come across, is holograms." This nurse was super energetic. Vura had to wonder if that was her natural state or something that was brought upon by all of the Orion hormones and pheromones. "How is my family?" Vura asked. "I suppose that they are doing fine. I have not checked recently."
"Oh. Well, maybe it'd be good to check in and tell them how you're doing! I do that with my family regularly. They were so happy that I'd graduated." Maya smiled brightly. "I'll dance with you if you'd like. I wouldn't mind having an audience sometimes, or company - especially if it's as gorgeous as you."
Vura ignored the part about her family. There was too many emotions that she did not want address with them or her past. Deltans rarely left home and the ones who did usually had a good reason to do so. "That's very sweet of you. I might take you up on the offer." She took a sip of her drink and smiled prettily at the Orion.
"Just let me know when and where. It's been a while since I've done any dancing, actually. Fun fact: I can't dance the waltz or anything like that; I tripped over my date's feet at the Academy prom, but I can dance traditional Orion and Risian dances just fine..." Maya giggled. "Crazy, huh. What else do you want to know about me in particular?"
Oh, my. She's starting to sound just like Thex. I hope that she does not have similar potential psychological problems. "I think you should know, Maya, I'm the Chief Counselor on this ship. I am much better at listening to what people wish to tell me rather than prying into their lives."
"I really don't mind sharing, honestly. Well, you know about me now - what about you? What do you wish to tell me about you?" Maya asked. "This conversation is a two-way street isn't it?"
"I know very little about you now," Vura explained. "Certainly, I know some of your history, but I know very little about you. And if there's something that you want to know about me, please, feel free to ask. I know there is a natural curiosity about Deltans, given so very few ever leave home and even fewer are on Starfleet vessels. Of course, there are at least two here, which is highly unusual."
"Two?" Maya raised an eyebrow. She wondered what the other was like - she wasn't aware if they were male or female of course, which made guessing somewhat harder. Perhaps she'd have to look them up someday, Maya reckoned. "Well, that's certainly interesting! What's their name?" She asked. "I'd like to meet them."
"Them, is very appropriate in this case. Chief Petty Officer Llaxia is located in engineering. The other Deltan, is of course, me. If you would like, I could notify Llaxia that you would like to meet them."
"I think I'll go talk to them when I'm free but right now, I think I have a lovely example of a Deltan to chat to." Maya smiled at the counsellor. "What do you do for fun, then? Surely you must maintain this stunning figure of yours somehow...."
Vura laughed. "If only flattery would get you somewhere," she told Maya. "I'm afraid that this figure, which is nowhere near as good as it could be is just from my lovely metabolism. I am not overly active. Most of my activities are sedentary and I'm afraid that I'm barely passable at any of them."
"No way. Then you must have amazing metabolism - because you look good! And I mean that sincerely. You know how some people don't really get fat no matter how much they eat or how little they actually exercise? Well, you might just be one of them that I've met so far." Maya giggled. "And I still don't know what you do for a hobby."
"Mostly art, sketching, painting, pottery, and the like. I make some of my own jewelry, but I'm afraid that my skills are barely passable." She shifted on her chair and took a sip. "But what about you? What do you do for hobbies?"
"Swim, read, keep myself fit. A girl's gotta keep herself looking good somehow!" Maya smiled at her. "I haven't sketched or drawn anything in forever, apart from medical diagrams - I really should get back to it, I do think! I used to sketch the sunset in the evening when all my schoolwork was done, back when I lived on Risa. I could show you some of my old works if you'd like... well, assuming I can find where I've stored them on my PADD, heh...."
"Perhaps some other time," Vura replied politely before drinking some more. "So, who else have you met on the Pioneer?" Vura wondered aloud.
"The chief medical officer, obviously, and chief Sara." Maya replied. "And captain Edmund, the Marine. And of course, my staff. Not all that many."
"My, my!" Vura exclaimed with some amusement. "My dear Edmund sure has a way of getting around, doesn't he? So might I inquire as to how you met him? That has to be quite the story."
Unfortunately Vura did not get to hear more as she heard her commbadge go off, taking her attention away from the conversation. "We will have to pick this up another time."
Lieutenant Vura
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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