Debriefing & Briefing
Posted on Fri Jul 31st, 2015 @ 11:03pm by Ensign Six of Ten & Vic & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin & Senior Chief Petty Officer Edana
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Civilian Quarters - The Cherry Pit
Civilian Quarters - The Cherry Pit
Edana stirred and murmured in her sleep. Sensing there was someone beside her, her eyes popped open and then she relaxed instantly. Darwin. She lightly traced her finger over the teeth marks on his shoulder, then ran her fingers over his chest. He really did resemble a bear when he was asleep. The comparison pleased her.
“Good morning, Security.”
He was slower to open his eyes than she had been. "G'mornin'," he looked at her, "Ed." Yes, he'd been making sure he used the correct name. "Shit," he sat up, suddenly completely awake, "is it really morning?"
“Early, but yes. You have plenty of time if you’re headed to alpha shift.” She noticed the fingernail marks on his back and smiled. “How are you this morning?”
He rolled his shoulders and winced. "I've wrestled a Cardassian through a briar patch and gotten fewer scratches and bruises. Does Intel keep a medkit in here?"
“We do. One sec.” She rolled out of bed and strolled to the bathroom, wearing nothing and obviously not self-conscious about it. He could hear her opening a cabinet.
As he watched her, his bruises and scratches seemed not so bad anymore. He got up and followed her to the bathroom. Before she could turn around, he took advantage of their mutual nakedness. The bonus for him, this time: she couldn't bite him. He learned, though, that she could still scratch him.
Sometime later, she reached to turn off the shower, then turned and pressed Darwin against the wall of the shower stall. This time the kiss was surprisingly gentle. “Do you have to go yet?”
"I report in to Oz most mornings about eight," he held her close. "I could call in, say I won't make it."
Edana gave him a happy smile that relaxed her features. “Call her. Tell her we are meeting with Vic and Six soon. She doesn’t have to know how soon. Vic won’t be here for another two hours and I am not interrupting Six and Suresh till after that.”
"Okay, but will you do a favor?" He could feel each scratch as the water hit it.
“Take it easy on you this time?”
He blinked and looked at her, surprised. "Was that an option?"
“It can be,” she answered. “Variety is the spice of life as you humans say.”
"Yeah, that is a saying." He laughed. He didn't quite trust her, though. "Either that or wear something of my choosing."
A low laugh sounded in Edana’s throat, the sound husky and inviting. “Or both? Your choice, Dar.”
"Let's finish in here," he said, meaning their shower, "then I'll call Oz. And join you in bed."
“Deal.” She soaped up her hands and began to run them over his chest. Soon, they dropped lower and the conversation stopped.
Later, Darwin had donned his shirt long enough to contact Oz and report that he was meeting Suresh and Six in a few minutes. He'd also taken a minute to replicate what he wanted Edana to wear in bed for the next few hours. He carried the items to the bedroom and handed them to her. "Put 'em on," he said.
She took the two overly-laTag mittens and looked at them curiously. “What are they?”
"Oven mittens. You know, to handle hot dishes and such? I'm a hot dish. Plus, I doubt you could scratch me through those." He smiled and kissed her.
“Touché,” she laughed and indulged in the kiss. “But you will see….I can be very gentle when I want to be. Like the shower.” She slipped on the mitts and slipped into bed. “No time like the present.”
"Couldn't agree more!" He joined her, kissing her from her feet up.
*Later, Again*
The door chime rang and Edana uttered a loud curse. “That will be Vic. He needs to find himself a woman to keep him busy so he’ll think about something besides work.” She sighed aloud, then kissed Darwin’s shoulder.
"Crap. I gotta get dressed." Looking her over, he said, "You, that's possibly optional, though Six might not appreciate it."
Edana hopped out of bed and pulled on a shirt and a pair of shorts. “I’ll get the door while you get dressed.” The chime rang again and she hurried out to the door. “Good morning Vic.” Belatedly she realized her hair was still a mess from Darwin’s attentions. “Come on in.”
He stepped in and looked her up and down. “Am I interrupting?” He smiled as she moved over to replicate two mugs of coffee. “Yes, but I knew you were coming. Dar? Coffee?”
"Yeah, yes please," he said from the bedroom doorway. He was tucking in his shirt. "Morning, Vic. Anything interesting from the Nexus last night?"
“One thing.” Vic laughed at Darwin’s rapid dressing as he took a seat. “Oz’s parents showed up out of the blue….while she and Jackson were having dinner with Chance’s father. Her mother at first thought I was Jackson.”
Edana passed Darwin his coffee, then sat down as well.
"Oh boy." Darwin puffed out a breath. "Oz is going to be a little crazy. Six and Suresh are coming here?"
“She is, for her briefing that we’ve not had in the past few days, thanks to unexpected events. Edana, you and Six will then go back to their quarters. You should see Suresh later tonight Darwin. The usual business call after work?”
"Yeah," Darwin nodded.
Edana put down her coffee and began to run her fingers through her hair to untangle it. “So, Vic, are you going to ever tell her what happened? Or at least ask if you’re wasting your time? Because if not, you’ve got to get past that lost puppy look every time you look at her.”
Vic looked to Darwin and shrugged. “Blunt as usual I see.” He smiled briefly. “I don’t know. She just seems too...attached I guess.” He rose and moved to the replicator and ordered coffee. “Besides, we have work to do. One of the Stameris slavers is in the brig. The other likely may be looking for revenge.”
“Noted.” Edana reached for her mug and gave Darwin a long look.
"What?" Darwin wasn't sure what that look was meant to convey. He was the last male who should be doling out relationship advice, considering the state of his affairs*, and he knew Vic was likely correct about the Stameris slaver. (*The state of his affairs, lately: dropped by Seyla for an older man; then there was Bathsheba; a girl whose name he still didn't recall; a girl who wouldn't return his messages because of a mechanical spider that had scared her half-to-death; the Orion currently in the room; and the Orion who was (1) too young, (2) too much trouble and (3) dating a fellow officer.)
Edana laughed and shook her head. “So, watch my back and Six’s. Got it. If I hear anything about who helped Marat in the attack, I’ll send word.”
Darwin grinned at Vic. "I love it when women give me permission to watch their asses."
The door chime sounded and Edana rose to answer the door in case anyone was out in the corridor. “Six.” She smiled and stepped aside. "Come in.”
“Thanks.” Six entered. “Morning Darwin….Vic.” Her gaze lingered on Vic a moment as she sensed the spike in his emotions. She also turned a curious look on Darwin and Edana and stifled a giggle. “How’s everyone?”
Frowning, Darwin waggled a finger between Six and Vic. "That? That 'I'm so in love but can't do jack about it' sappy look? You can't do that. Our obsessive, crazed Suresh wouldn't let that pass; he'd have Vic drawn and quartered by a set of Orions. Hop in bed and disillusion each other or something, but get over it."
“I’m sorry?” Six looked shocked at Darwin’s words. “Dar…I’m….you know my situation….” She sighed and glanced to Vic.
“We’ll discuss this later.” Vic’s tone was firm. He shot Darwin a look of his own that spoke volumes. “Six, I’ve warned Edana and you need to know too. She’s put one of those slavers in the brig so the other will likely be wanting to get even. Which means two things: he wants you still and wants to kick her ass. So be on the lookout and stick close together. Today might be a good day for ‘the girls’ to be doing something.”
“Got it.” Six nodded. “I’m ready when you are, Edana.”
“Just let me get dressed.” Edana moved back to the bedroom, then emerged a few minutes later, dressed for the Pit. “That it for me Vic?” When he nodded, she looked to Darwin. “Ready to get out of here?”
Surprised, Darwin startled. "Me?" He looked at Vic and Six then Edana. "Oh. Yeah, right behind you. See you two, at some point," he said to the two and headed out with Edana.
Six watched them go and when the doors closed she turned back to Vic. “Is he right?”
"Love?" He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "He's an ass, so don't listen to him. He has no idea what he's talking about."
“He’s an ass that’s trying to keep me alive, along with a lot of other people,” she answered and stepped closer. “You can’t lie to me. Empath, remember?”
"What were you doing in my quarters? You were in Sickbay, then you're in my quarters, kissing me!", he blurted, bewildered. "Gods, you were so... tempting...." He looked at her and wet his bottom lip with his tongue.
“I was in your quarters when I was in sickbay? What was I….and how could I?” She stopped short, her mouth still open and sank down on the sofa. “Oh dear god…...I know what happened….I’m so sorry.”
"Don't be sorry," he said, far more gently than his momentary rant. "How can we make sure that doesn't happen again?" He wasn't sure whether he didn't want that to happen again.
“It was the stress of the situation I think,” Six answered. “Generally I can control it but maybe the drugs I was given…..did we...do anything?” She dreaded hearing the answer but had to know.
He sat near her and took her hand in his. "We kissed, that's it."
Relief washed over her. “That’s good to know.” She looked up at Vic, her expression serious. “Tell me the truth.”
"About what?"
“What’s going on here. I need to to know so I can figure out what to do. Please, Vic.”
"I ...don't know. I like you, find you sexy, think you're interesting. But you're dating, very publicly, a man who is thought to be a psychotic, toxic crime boss. In the public's eye, stealing you away from him is a suicidal prospect. And on a different level, if you love him, then I have no business kissing you."
Six rubbed her forehead with her free hand as she thought about what he said. “I don’t know if I am in love yet. I do know that he is.”
"He could fall in love with a shapely sack," Vic muttered, knowing he likely wasn't furthering his petition with Six, but... it was the truth, as he saw it. First the man's creepy obsession with Isha, now Six.
Six frowned at him and let go of his hand. “No insults, Vic. Please. He’s nothing like the old one and you know it.”
"From where I'm standing, there isn't much difference." He held up his hands. "Look, I'm not attached and I'm likely not going to be attached anytime in the near future, so my decision is easy. You, however, have an attachment. You can choose to act and jump in with an unknown or not act and stay with the known. That's not a decision you can let anyone else make for you."
Six nodded slowly. “Thank you.” She reached for his hand once more. “This is a difficult situation all around, but more so for you.” She realized, however, that she was likely in too deep to make it easy if she chose Vic. “A lot is riding on what we’re all doing.”
"It is," he agreed before impulsively pulling her close and kissing her.
She let his kiss linger, then smiled against his lips. “I’ll figure this out...one way or the other, but I need to go. Edana’s waiting.”
"'Kay," he let her go. "Go on, then."
“I’ll let you know if anything interesting turns up tonight.” She rested her hand on his shoulder a moment, then passed through the doors when they opened. She looked at Darwin and Edana and smiled. “Ready.”
Darwin gave Edana a long look then nodded. "See you girls later."
“You will,” Edana answered. She and Six turned and started back along the corridor to Suresh’s quarters.
**************
SCPO Edana
Wildcat
Lt. M. Darwin
Glovin' the Cat
Vic
The Tempter
Ensign Six of Ten
On The Horns Of a Dilemma
