Truth or Dare? (Part 1 of 3)

Posted on 14 May 2013 @ 4:09pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Petty Officer 1st Class Siren Hex Saalm & Lieutenant Aria Rice
Edited on on 14 May 2013 @ 4:09pm

3,107 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Captain's Quarters
Timeline: MD 03 - 2250 hrs

[ON]

It was 2250 and the captain was finally finished with her duties for the day. After greeting and escorting a new Deltan crew member named Anera to her quarters, Lirha had finished up the evening with a final visit to her ready room, then had proceeded to return to her own quarters to kick off her shoes and relax her sore feet. She slumped down into her couch and let out a deep sigh, then leaned her head back for several long minutes and closed her eyes. She wasn't necessarily tired, more so fatigued, and she fancied a drink. It had been a while since she had been able to indulge herself after a shift, and went to her personal cabinet to retrieve one of her vintage bottles of Saurian brandy; her favorite.

Pouring herself a healthy-sized glass, she took a long sip and savored the pleasant aroma of the liquor. Her mind began to drift through the various events of the day and she eventually remembered her intriguing mess hall meeting with Galileo's newest intelligence crewman, Siren. Lirha had promised the Nyxan a chance to chat and exchange stories in private, and decided now was a good a time as ever to invite her over. She tapped her commbadge and spoke in an inviting voice. "Saalm to Hex, if you are free right now, please come to my quarters."

Lounging in her own quarters, Siren looked upwards, as she always tended to when the ship's comm called her. It was an instinct to the disembodied voice. She smiled as she heard the message, shutting the book quickly and stretching her leg out to catch up a shoe with her toes. "On my way, Captain!"

Siren hopped up and into the red heels, taking a quick glance at herself in the mirror. Having been off duty she was in her own clothes; she still couldn't get used to wearing a uniform. Short, black wrap around skirt, simple black vest on top, and her long red hair was loose. Sure, it would show her tattoos, and it wasn't exactly high class garb, she thought as she took a few moments to brush her hair, but it was pretty much the kind of thing she usually wore off duty. She moved down the corridors, using a quick, long stride to get to the Captain's room, not wanting to leave her waiting too long.

"Enter." Lirha called out from her couch after hearing the chime finally ring several minutes later.

Siren moved in to the room, and her first instinct was to look around. She couldn't help it, her curiosity got the better of her. The quarters were big in comparison to her enlisted ones, and it seemed a lot more personal. Unique. "I ~love~ this room," she laughed softly as she turned in a slow circle, on the spot, to take it all in.

Lirha smiled at the crewman when she entered the room and took note of her casual clothing. Her white skin contrasted well with the black garments she wore, and her striking red hair was on full display. "Thank you." the captain replied at her compliment, then politely rose from her seat to greet her. Lirha had to admit, she was fond of her own quarters and had spent much time over the past month decorating it with various Orion ornaments in order to give it a homely feeling. Various gold-embroidered decorations and small tapestries lined the walls, and the lighting was at a medium level which she helped her to relax more. "Please, have a seat." she added, motioning with her green hand towards the couch.

"Thanks," Siren smiled warmly to her, moving to settle on the sofa. She touched a soft, detailed throw that was on the back of it, caressing it with her fingers, enjoying the feel. "You must have wonderful taste. Is any of this from your home?"

"Yes, most of it. They are from Vajripam, the city in which I was born." Lirha answered, then moved towards the kitchen. She quickly procured a bowl from one of the cabinets and began to fill it with various exotic fruits which she had collected from Vega Colony, then returned to the living room and set the plate down in the middle of the large table and poured Siren a hefty glass of liquor. "Saurian brandy. The finest." she said with a small smile as she held out the glass to the woman. "And these are fruits which I recently collected from our shore leave at Vega IX." she added, flickering her eyes towards the bowl. "Please, help yourself."

Siren watched the bowl with wide eyes, her breath catching for a long moment. She reached out slowly, taking a piece of orange fruit, lifting it with a smile. She leant close, closing her eyes as she took a breath, to take the scent of it before carefully popping it into her mouth. She bit down, delighting in the sensation and sweet freshness of the juice that escaped. Fresh food had been scarce on Nyx. Fresh fruit had been such a rare luxury that it had been a very precious commodity. "You should save it for yourself," she said softly.

Lirha dropped herself back into the couch and took a seat again, this time closer to where Siren was sitting. She watched her intently for a long moment as the crewman seemed to immensely enjoy the selection of rare fruits. A warm smile spread across Lirha's face and she once again felt a trickle of sympathy for the Nyxan who had apparently been denied one of the most simple commodities in life; food. "No, please...enjoy it. I insist." she replied in a soft voice.

Picking up her glass of brandy, Lirha took another long swig then set the glass back down on the table. "I enjoyed our chat in the mess hall earlier." she added after a few short moments. "Your story is very unique. I would would like to hear more, if you will share it with me." she said, then reached behind her head and pulled away her ponytail's elastic band. She ran a quick hand through her dark locks and let them flow free around her shoulders in a similar manner to Siren's.

Siren watched with warm eyes, taking it in. The dark hair against emerald skin was a wicked combination. It hardly seemed fair on the rest of the universe; they didn't stand a chance. She leant comfortably against the soft, resting her elbow on the back of it and the side of her head in her hand as she watched her, smiling. "I don't mind. I don't hide any of it. Too lazy to," she laughed softly. "But so long as I get to hear about you and your home too. I know nothing about you, or Orions. It's - intriguing."

"Yes, of course." the captain happily answered. "One of the joys of being a member of Starfleet is to interact with and learn from a variety of other species and cultures, so I will be happy to answer any questions you may have." she replied with a sideways grin. Looking over Siren some more, she couldn't help but notice the unique patterns of ink which adorned her pale flesh across her upper arm and backs of her shoulders. "May I ask, what do these symbolize?" she wondered as she reached out with her green hand and gently touched the woman's skin.

A soft breath escaped Siren at the touch; she couldn't quite help it. She smiled to her gently, glancing to the ink herself. "This one," she pointed to the symbol on her arm. "Is the sigil of the Hex gang. If you see it, you know whatever it is on is Hex property, and beware those who take it," she gave a playful smile at the connotation when it was on a person. "My back - " she hesitated, unsure how a fellow fleeter would react, especially a Captain. "Each individual thread represents a - task done successfully for the gang. So it builds up over the years, like a web, with each thing you have done."

"Hmm.." Lirha mumbled with much interest. Absentmindedly, she scooted herself closer and traced her finger across the design on Siren's upper arm, then lightly across the web which spread across her back. "Seems like you must have been a productive member." she commented in a non-partial voice. She was more curious than anything else, and held no ill will towards the crewman for whatever may have transpired in her life before Starfleet. "If you do not mind me asking...what types of tasks did you undertake?"

Siren shivered from the touches and she watched her with darker eyes than usual. "Many types," she whispered, but she was also part distracted by Lirha. That was pretty understandable given how stunning she was. She reached out to touch her dark hair before leaning closer, shaking her head lightly with a small smile. "You even smell good, it should be criminal, a girl like you."

Lirha watched Siren intently, not at all oblivious to the look in her eyes and her body language nor the stroking of her hair. Her ears warmed at the woman's words and she felt her heart begin to beat slightly quicker. "You are quite an attractive woman yourself." she said, returning the compliment in a soft and sultry voice. "I have several tattoos as well. Would you like to see?" she offered.

An almost wicked smile curved Siren's lips, but the look in her eyes was nothing but playful and warm. "Would I like to? What a question! Of course, it's a unique opportunity," she teased.

Standing up from the couch, Lirha partially unzipped the front of her grey uniform jacket, pulled it over her head, then tossed it on the far corner of the couch. She proceeded to un-tuck her red command shirt and slipped her arms and head out of it, then put it with the other piece of her uniform. Now only wearing her black bra, she sat back down next to Siren and turned so that her back faced the woman, presenting her with an unobstructed view of the ink which littered her green skin. Various Orion crests and scripts ran from base of her neck all the way down to the small of her back, and she reached behind herself and unclipped her bra to reveal even more of it. "Memories of a misspent youth." she explained over her shoulder with a soft smile.

Siren watched with awe, leaning closer to the lithe body next to her. Her lips parted as she reached out, her fingertips tracing some of the script. She was just as taken with the expanse of rich green skin as the tattoos. "I'd love to be able to understand it," she admitted with a small smile, her fingers sliding under the two bands of the unclipped bra, to push them further away from her back. "You really are beautiful, Lirha," she said softly, shaking her head. "I don't know whether to be jealous or just enjoy it," she laughed gently, stroking over the intricate designs.

"Well...perhaps you can do both?" Lirha answered in an amused voice. "I often get jealous of other women's looks as well, but I find that enjoying them tends to satisfy me." she explained, winking at Siren over her shoulder. The intelligence officer's fingers were a welcome sensation on her exposed skin, and she proceeded to explain what some of the tattoos meant. "The circular glyphs which run vertically say 'Rhadaman Anthus Ni Koledru Venari', which in English means roughly 'A Thieves' Honor is not fit for a Princess'. 'Koledru Venari' is the code of the Syndicate and I wanted to distance myself from them as much as possible when I was younger. The other symbols are my family's crest, and the familiar-looking one is the Orion Empire's crest." she explained.

Siren nodded, taking it all in eagerly. She let her hand drift, running down the appealing curve of her side and waste, tingling with the heat from the emerald skin. "A princess indeed."

Aria smiled to herself as she knocked on the door, her eyes shining. In civilian clothes, she had opted for leggings, her high heeled boots, a corseted top and a light dark red jacket. She hair her hair free and straight and dramatic makeup. She was hoping to drag Lirha out, or just get her drinking. Just whatever the other woman fancied. Just to...to have some fun. Aria wanted to just have some fun.

The sound of the knock sent Lirha's head snapping towards the door. She was currently wearing only her bra and uniform pants, and although she enjoyed Siren's presence behind her, she realized that she needed to change her demeanor if company was suddenly arriving. However, she had no idea who would be outside her quarters at this hour. "Who is it?" she called out as she reached towards the end of the couch and grabbed her long-sleeved red undershirt.

"Pint-sized trouble in heels!" Aria called back, grinning as she touched her door. "If you're not busy, I thought we could have some drinks?"

Lirha turned back to Siren with her bra still unclasped, then gave her a soft yet apologetic smile. "I think we have company." she said with a grin as she identified the familiar young security officer's voice from behind the door. Reaching back behind her to re-fasten her bra, the Orion then pulled her red shirt back over her head and turned towards the door. "Enter." she finally called out.

Aria smiled warmly as she walked in, stopping when she saw them. "I..." she chuckled, her eyes gentle. "Sorry, this looks like my timing is dreadful..."

Siren sat back on the sofa, letting out a long, shaking breath. She tried to lean back casually, as if she'd just been enjoying her drink all along, but there was no hiding the way her usually pale skin was flushed.

Clearing her throat, the captain rose from her seat and stepped forward to greet Aria. It was always nice to see the young Lunar schooner, and she was one of the more fun-loving crew members on board the ship, in her opinion. "No, it is quite alright, I assure you." she replied with a gentle and inviting smile. "We were just sharing some of our tattoo experiences." she elaborated, then waved her hand towards the couch. "Please, join us." she said, then motioned towards the red-haired woman. "This is Crewman Siren Hex, our newest intelligence officer." she said, then addressed Siren while motioning to Aria. "And Siren, this is Lieutenant Aria Rice, one of our security officers." she finished as she introduced the two of them to each other.

"Hey..." Aria smiled, watching the other woman, her eyes on her. She was stunning. Sensual looking. And you didn't have to be a Betazoid to know exactly what was going on. "Nice to meet you, Hex..." she took a seat, watching them both. "So you two were comparing ink?"

"Yes," Siren said quickly, turning enough for her to see the tattoo on the side of her arm, as if to prove it could be true and not just made up. "I showed her mine, so she showed me - hers - " her words trailed off as she realised that just made it sound worse.

Lirha brought her green hand to her forehead and rubbed it as she pondered how to handle the situation. I showed her mine and she showed me hers, the captain repeated in her head. That sounded...well, not very discreet. And unfortunately, Aria had arrived just as she and Siren were probably about to begin heavy petting. The awkwardness of the situation seemed to still emanate from both of them, and Siren's milky skin was flushed while Lirha's own cheeks were beginning to burn. "Can I get you a drink?" she finally offered to Aria, as that was the only thing she could think of to say at the moment.

"Sure," Aria said as she watched them before nodding. "Look, I...I should go. You two were busy...hell, you two should be getting very busy..." she said and stood, her eyes shining as she looked over at them, her eyes warm. "So maybe drinks tomorrow instead? Could be fun..." she looked at Siren, with a small smile. She was...okay, disappointed. A bit. Siren was a stunning beauty and well matched with Lirha. And Aria liked Lirha as a friend, but knew she needed more from a lover than what a 23 year old could give. And...even if this was a one time thing, Lirha should enjoy it without distractions.

Looking down at her carpet, Lirha suddenly felt sadness when Aria requested to leave. She had spent several nights with the young officer in the not-too-distant past, each of them very fulfilling and meaningful. If not for just pleasure, Aria had comforted Lirha during her worst of times, and now she felt distressed that the security officer was uncomfortable and wanted to depart.

Glancing over at Siren, Lirha raised her eyebrows at the Nyxan and non-verbally asked her permission for Aria to stay...and to enjoy their company together. In her opinion, there was no reason why three beautiful young women should not be able to enjoy each other for the evening. It would be, as Siren had so elegantly put it, 'criminal'.

Siren met Lirha's eyes before suddenly smiling and relaxing. She looked across to Aria, shifting up on the sofa and patting it. "Have a drink with us," she made the offer for Lirha, to show it was genuinely meant. "Besides, perhaps you have some ink of your own to show off too?"

With a nod to Siren after hearing her approval, the Orion grabbed hold of Aria's arm and gently coaxed her towards the couch. "Come, let us relax." she said in agreement, then walked into her kitchen to procure her a drink. She returned a short moment later with an empty glass in her hand and a large bottle of brandy tucked under her arm, then set them both on the table and poured Aria a hefty-sized portion and handed her the cup.

[TBC]

--

CAPT Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Crewman Siren Hex
Intelligence
USS Galileo

Lt. JG Aria Rice
Security Officer
USS Galileo

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