Where We Left Off

Posted on 23 Feb 2014 @ 1:46pm by M'Ressa & Lieutenant Teth Miir
Edited on on 26 Feb 2014 @ 2:42pm

2,208 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: South Africa, Earth
Timeline: MD36 - 1300

ON:

M'Ressa stood in a small lounge area overlooking the massive spacedock facility of Starbase 001 in orbit of earth. A message the day before from Teth, that he was coming back after a week long break, was a relief for M'Ressa. She wasn't sure how describe Teth's mood before he'd left but it certainly wasn't normal for a caitian, or anyone for that matter, and she really hoped he'd found what he was looking for.

Looking up as a signboard blinked indicating the arrival area of the Transport, M'Ressa joined the crowds making their way to greet people arriving at earth. She was one of the shorter ones in the crowd so it was difficult to see over the crowds. Using her species climbing ability to good effect, she found a small spot she could situate herself to watch as Teth arrived.

Teth and the rest of the passengers disembarked from the shuttle ten minutes late of it's scheduled arrival time. Their departure was made late by a pair of unruly Andorians.

The caitian seemed monk-like, dressed in traditional Vulcan robes, gray and mauve in color. He still carried his canvas shoulder case, it had been brand new a week ago, but now was covered in dust and blood, it looked like some ancient object recovered from a crypt. His once shoulder length mane of hair was now short and unruly. He had untreated contusions and abrasions to his head and hands, but seemed unconcerned about it. He in fact felt quite relaxed.

He had completely forgotten contacting M'Ressa before he left and was surprised to see her standing in the crowd at stardock. He was grinning immediately and sprinted to her and gave her a hug.

"It's so good to see you!" he said, "How have you been?"

M'Ressa initially didn't recognize Teth when she saw him step off the transport from Vulcan. The Caitian she saw looked all the world to be some sort of disheveled, worse for wear, tramp. He obviously knew her tho and he approached she caught a whiff of his scent, confirming the man in front of her was her Teth.

She smiled up at him. "About as well as could be expected given I got ditched for a week." She grabbed him in a hug, caring less about his look then the fact he was back. "You look pretty messed up. You tangle with a Sehlat?"

"Something like that..." he trailed off, definitely not feeling safe sharing too many details.

"Are you hungry? I'm starving. I haven't eaten since I left Vulcan."

M'Ressa pressed her head against Teth's chest. "How about we beam over to my place and get you cleaned up while you have something to eat? I ate already but I'd enjoy company."

"Well I suppose I can't argue with that offer." he replied cheerfully, and then laughed. "I must smell awful."

"You smell like you've been outside human habitation for several days. Not awful, just a little aged. Let's get you home tho before somebody else thinks otherwise." She led Teth to the nearest transport pad. Minutes later they were standing in Bloemfontein looking out across a beautiful blue day.

"I think I like this place better in daylight." took in his surroundings with wide eyes, the sky a vibrant blue and endless. The buildings were brightly painted and everything was much less dense than most Earth cities.

Bloemfontein, at least in that particular moment, felt like a parallel opposite of Dusseldorf and it endless skyline of sky-scrapers. People stacked on one another ad-infinitum. Though South Africa felt just a little too warm and a little to sunny for his preferences, he could see himself getting used to it.

He followed M'Ressa back to her apartment again. It felt like years since he was there the first time, even though it had only been a little over a week.

M'Ressa, like the first time, led them into the apartment. As the door closed, she turned to Teth, embracing him in a hug. "I missed you."

Teth squeezed back, hard.

"I've missed you too. You have no idea."

M'Ressa held Teth in the embrace for as long as she could. At this moment she didn't care that he smelled like he'd been in the bush for a week, or that he was disheveled and his furr was matted from several injuries he'd suffered, they could all be corrected, what mattered is he was here in her arms, safe.

Pressing her head up against his chest, she listened to his heart beating. "I have some good news but it will have to wait until we get you fed and cleaned up a little."

"Fair enough." he said, pulling off the long robe and kicking it to the side for the moment. Then he had to pull off what looked like a long, silky beige nightgown, which was actually just a standard Vulcan undercoat. And then there he stood, wearing nothing but a pair of borrowed blue leather boots.

"So..." he said, pulling off the boots and heading to her lavatory "Maybe you could tell me the good news while I get cleaned up?"

M'Ressa followed after Teth, debating whether to undress or let Teth to the undressing. He was already keying in the controls to the sonic shower when M'Ressa reached the door.

She leaned up against the door provocatively, having unzipped her jumpsuit enough to show her upper chest when she pulled the cloth aside. "You forgetting something Teth?"

He stared at her, tilting his head to the left, "I don't think I am. Am I?"

M'Ressa walked up to Teth, unzipping the jumper as she went. Reaching Teth, she placed his paw on her chest sliding it underneath the cloth. "That enough of a hint?"

"Oh." he said, surprised. He had never considered that she might like to join him. He wasn't exactly used to sharing a shower. But he pulled back the curtain for her and waited for her to join him.

"Sorry. I am not really in the habit of showering with beautiful scientists."

"What was a girl supposed to think?" M'Ressa said trying to suppress a grin as as she stepped out of her jumper and into the shower. Running her hands over Teth's chest as he started the shower. "The guy you slept with, who professed his love for and a desire to continue seeing you strips naked in your living room after a week long absence, then invites you to join him in your bathroom." She grinned, unable to contain herself. "Kinda hard not to want to strip naked and join him."

"My apologies." Teth said as he bent down to kiss her, the height difference was physically awkward to say the least. Being that he was nearly a foot taller than her, even a hug or kiss generally resulted into him trying desperately to make himself smaller.

It truly hadn't occurred to him to invite her. It was after all her home and shower that he was using. But he had a lot on his mind and wasn't sure if the drugs had worn off completely yet.

"You have good news?"

M'Ressa stood up on her toes to reach Teth. "I do in fact. I had to call in a few favors and threaten a few people but I'm being deployed. On the Galileo."

"That's wonderful!" he said as he picked M'Ressa up during an enthusiastic, squeezing hug, he almost dissolved into warm ether as he held her against him.

"I'm so happy for you!" he let go of her, "And for myself too, admittedly. That's some of the best news I've heard in a very long time."

"I'm happy for us Teth. I mean, I know we've only known each other for a few weeks but it's felt like forever since you left." She held Teth close after he let her down. "And I think the not knowing was scaring me the most."

Teth remained silent, not knowing how to respond. He wasn't sure he was even coming back before he left for his trip. He had enjoyed and cherished what they had just before his trip came to a very sudden end. He hadn't been considering a future of some sort. But it was obvious that M'Ressa had.

He wondered how she would have reacted to the news of his death after forming an emotional bond and going through great effort to get posted on the same ship together. He was remembering why suicide was frowned upon.

But he came back, and M'Ressa met him at spacedock. And he was now in her apartment and they're clinging together naked in the shower. And she was posted on the Galileo. It was officially time to start considering the future since one way or another, he was going to have one.

"Well." he said, "We'll get plenty of time to get to know one another."

"Starting with Today," M'Ressa remarked, a twinkle in her eye, as she began to gently kneed Teth's furr with her paws. "Turn around." M'Ressa began a gentle kneading of Teth's back in the sonic shower. The kneading was as much a rub for tense muscles as it was a way to winkle the dirt of out one's furr.

"First things first. We get you clean and fed, then we can decide what else to do today Teth. I'm off for a few days." M'Ressa nuzzled her nose in Teth's furr as she worked. The scent of him was comforting and drew memories to the surface of the night they'd shared a week ago. With her posted to the Galileo, she hoped that was the first of many.

M'Ressa wouldn't admit it to anyone, but part of the reason she'd never slept with anyone before Teth was because none of the guy's she'd ever dated really seemed to have that certain spunk that a potential father of Caitian kit's needed. No knock against humans as two of her siblings had Human mates who were wonderful fathers, she just hadn't found one before she met Teth.

Teth let her groom his fur, something he hadn't experienced since he was a small child. He remembered being covered in mud and dead leaves at around the age of nine and his mother cornering him in a water shower with soap and a brush.

"Don't mind the dried blood, I fixed most of the damage myself. I had a slight disagreement a pair of Klingons." he added somewhat as an afterthought.

"It was an interesting trip, but I am so glad to be back home. Thank you for meeting me at the station."

"You're welcome," She replied as she continued the grooming. Every so often she felt a slight wince from Teth, no doubt the spot's where the Klingon's had gotten their licks in, as she worked the dried blood out of his fur.

After a while she'd gotten most of the dirt and mats out. Satisfied with her work, M'Ressa looked up at Teth, whom by now was facing her again. "Any plans for today?" With a twinkle in her eye she continued, "Because if you don't, I have an idea..."

"Well, I am open to suggestion if you have any."

M'Ressa traced a finger down Teth's chest. "Well. I was thinking that since your back and we're going to be on the same ship, I could use some more of that special love you showed me earlier."

In spite of the fatigue bordering on delirium that he was experiencing, Teth decided to graciously accept the offer. Who was he to argue with his generous hostess?

"I think that can be arranged." he said with a weary smile.

He turned off the shower and stepped out, left with the static fuzziness that always came along with them. He moved carefully, afraid to touch a metal object too suddenly.

M'Ressa sensed a certain reluctance in his voice and a posture in his tail. Concerned she was perhaps pushing him to fast, M'Ressa stopped Teth before he got too far. "Look Teth. If you're tired from the trip, we don't have to. Cuddle a little and then I'll let you pass out is just fine with me as well."

"I'm fine. I really could use some food, though." he reassured her, "And I need to replicate new clothes or something."

He wished he could tell her all about his trip through the desert and accidentally spending half his trip dressed as a Vulcan cleric. But he was afraid sharing details would incriminate him. He decided he should stop even acknowledging to himself that it ever happened. He had enough training and experience as a psychologist to know that with enough will power, it was possible to repress and deny anything.

"Really though, I'll do anything you want today, M'Ressa." he said, standing thoughtfully in front of her replicator, contemplating what he should eat, "I'd even help you hide a body if you asked me to."

M'Ressa nodded. "Grab a bite and we can figure things out from there."


OFF:


Lt. JG Teth Miir
Counselor
USS Galileo

&

PO2 M'ressa
Biotechnologist
USS Galileo

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