Just Between The Girls

Posted on Fri Jul 3rd, 2015 @ 12:12am by Ensign Six of Ten & Ensign Reva Madhava

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Java - The Promenade

The day after dinner in the Arboretum had been a tough one for Reva. She was tired and sore and had dragged through her day. Now, she was sitting in Java, sipping a green tea and wondering whether she could go impose on Seyla or not. She had more questions. She was lost in thought (and, to be honest, nearly dozing) when Six bumped the table and took a seat opposite her.

“Hey sleepyhead.” Six wore a big smile and had a water bottle in hand. “You feel...murky. What’s up?”

"I just didn't get much sleep last night," she said, smiling slyly. "Neither did Riley." She laughed.

Six laughed for a moment and nodded. “Us either,” she admitted. She reached over to touch Reva’s hand to speed up the telling. “We finally dropped off in the wee hours.”

"Six! I would have thought you'd wait!" Reva was slightly scandalized, though she had also read of Six's desire - no pun intended - to try out new experiences. This had definitely been a new experience for her.

Six shrugged. “I thought about that and then I wondered what was I waiting for?” She sipped her water and smiled once more. “He’s the first that I’ve really wanted to...you know…but I have a question now. Riley. Is he possessive or not? I don’t mean in a bad way, but....”

Reva bought time by sipping her tea. She also reached out and read Six a bit more, looking for her meaning. "Ah, he's ...last night, he was," she laughed. "But, mostly, he just has his moments, like when we're out and a guy looks at me wrong. But he's never called me 'his'."

“Like Suresh did. Interesting.” Six chewed on that for a moment. “I am in an unusual position. Most would tell me that I am not ready for something more...settled is the word I guess, but how do they know? How do I know? I had exactly one date at the academy and it was a blind date and it was painful.” She laughed again at the memory. “It was so boring! This is much different.”

"How will you know? Why settle right now? Why not just enjoy what you have and still explore other options? There's no reason why Suresh should be the only man you see," Reva advised.

“Maybe. I’m meeting him when I leave here.” She considered Reva’s advice for a few. “Would you want Riley seeing someone else too?”

"If he does and tells me, I don't see why not. When I was talking with Seyla, she told me that Orions are rarely, if ever, monogamous." She shrugged. "It also isn't that big of a deal in Betazoid culture."

“It is for Romulans and you know what my species is like.” She looked more intently at Reva. “As for what Orions do, that is them in general. That doesn’t mean you have to feel that way. Then again, you could say the same about what my kind does. I’m not so sure about that whole mating and never parting ways no matter what happens. Suresh told me not to ever let anyone decide what is right for me and I think that’s good advice for you too.”

Reva laughed out loud and had to take a moment to stop her levity. "Oh, I don't think that's a problem I'll ever have, Six. The way my grandmother raised me ensured that I'll always buck authority and do my own thing." She shook her head, thinking about her strict grandmother. The woman had hated ...still hated... Reva's Orion half. "But, for you, for anyone, I can't see lifelong mating being healthy. People grow and change. Sometimes who you like this week is someone you're ready to kill a week later."

“I’ll think about it but I can tell you now, he’s starting to think long term and he’s not afraid to go after what he wants. Not like Vic.” Six frowned.

"That's too bad. You seemed to like Vic. And he's a nice guy." Her unspoken comment was that Suresh wasn't. "Maybe, Six, I'm not the best to give you advice on dating Suresh. You know I don't like him. Right now, my inclination is to tell you to go see Vic, ask him out."

“I’ll think about that too.” Six shifted a little in her seat, and then continued. “You mentioned Riley being so possessive last night. There’s something you should know about last night.”

"My inhibitor is a dual shot: pregnancy control comes with it," Reva said, holding up her hands, "So I'm covered there, Six. I'd just been holding Riley off for no reason other than bad experiences with other men. So... when he got a little 'heated' last night before dinner, I couldn't resist." She grinned. "I'm glad I didn't."

“It’s not that. Something you were wearing was laced with pheromones. It would explain Riley being even more heated as you put it. It affected Suresh very much and even me. By the time we left the Arboretum, my head was splitting. It got on me and him from your touch. Think Reva. Where would it come from?” Six was clearly concerned.

"Pheromones?" Reva blinked, quickly getting that Six was thinking of Seyla. She wasn't thrilled that Six was thinking Seyla would do something maliciously. "Seyla and I talked in her quarters yesterday. She gave me a dress and a jacket." She paused and smiled, "Oh, Six, Seyla has this amazing bed. I don't think - no, I know I've never been on such a luxurious bed!"

"Ah... anyway, pheromones.... If Seyla got some on me, ...they must have just rubbed off. I didn't smell anything." Reva shrugged again.

“I just don’t want anyone thinking you did it on purpose. No trouble came and after a shower, we were okay, but be careful with her.” Six laughed for a moment. “You have enough fire in you though to tell her where to get off if trouble comes up. In the end, it didn’t cause what happened once Suresh and I got home, but it did make me think about what I wanted. It all turned out fine.”

Smiling, Reva drank her tea and considered Six's words. "In other words, if Seyla purposely put pheromones on me, she sort of did us all a favor, didn't she?"

“Not really. I react badly to them and Suresh was mad as hell about it. We barely made it home still clothed. But we did.” Six stopped to study Reva a moment. “You need to get some rest. Seeing Riley tonight?”

"No, I think he and I need separate beds tonight," Reva said, laughing. "Although, I have showered, so we'll have no more pheromones spurring us on. Are you seeing ... maybe you could go see Vic?"

“I’m meeting Suresh by the lake in a few minutes. We have a few things to talk about and then we’ll likely get dinner somewhere. I tell you what, I’ll stop in at the Nexus tomorrow if that will make you feel better?” Six reached over to pat Reva’s hand.

Reva caught Six's hand with hers, "That'd be good, but it doesn't have to be Vic, you know." She worried about her friend and Suresh's influence, even as she knew that Six worried about her and Seyla's.

“I know and I intend to follow Suresh’s advice - let no one decide for me what I do. That includes who I do it with.” Six grinned. “You go home, get some rest. Take it easy. Call if you need me

"Thanks, I will," Reva stood. "Dinner tomorrow night, then? At the Nexus?"

“Certainly. Leave the men at home in the cave.” Six rose and gave Reva a cheeky wink. “Later.” She turned and hurried back out to the Promenade.

As Reva also left, though at a more sedate pace, a man at a nearby table watched her then made several notes in a padd. He lingered a few minutes longer, during which time he sent a message to his employer.

******************
Ensign Reva Madhava
Bad Influence

Ensign Six of Ten
Off To See The Wizard