INSIDE SICKBAY

B'Elanna was proving a source of endless pertinent data on humanoid quarks and customs. This was more than acceptable. Indeed I discovered time spent with Lieutenant Torres was informative beyond expectations. Quite apart from her welcome and periodicitic sexual desires, she is quite willing to answer questions for me. Any sort of question.

Which is partially why I am in SickBay now. Imprecise words come to me more easily now. I am more acutely aware of exactly how ambiguous and indefinite humanoid reactions are to each other. It is fascinating. Yet I must adjust to this collective of humanity. It may be my home for the rest of my life.

Lieutenant Tom Paris was in the Sickbay when I entered. The helmsman became instantly more alert upon viewing my presence. He 'sucks up to me', as B'Elanna phrases it. He is another of those on this ship who wishes to copulate with me. This was acceptable so long as he does not actually attempt to act on that wish.

The EMH was busy reknitting the fractured ulna of a male shipmate. Tom came to me immediately. "What can I do for you, Seven?"

"You can do nothing for me, Lieutenant Paris."

He stood for 48 seconds until his inefficient processors brought him to his next verbal spasm.

"Well," he said. At one point I would have been confused and inquired what he meant. He was not inquiring about an artificial hole drilled in a planetary crust to reach the local water table. He was making conversation. Very inefficient. If conversation does not naturally occur as a result of information seeking, sex, or display, it is of no use.

The HoloDoctor has been teaching me about societal interactions since I began to adjust to this human collective. Observing B'Elanna affords me much more relevant information on humanoid patterns of behavior. Humanoid complexity is fascinating.

I waited for Tom Paris to find something useful to say in response.

"Ahem" he continued, "What shall I tell the Doc is bothering you?"

"I have a skin irritation problem." B'Elanna informed me not to use the term 'rug burn'. Today, moreover, it is essential for me to be in SickBay alone with the EMH.

"I have other problems to discuss with the Doctor which it would be inappropriate to discuss with you."

It would also be inappropriate to discuss my principal reason for being in SickBay today.

Eventually the Doctor was free to treat me, and talk to me. I was skinning myself out of my catsuit when Lieutenant Paris began displaying signs of respiratory distress. As was customary when he was present, Lieutenant Paris was reacting to the sight of my partial nudity. I re-clothed myself while the EMH forced Lieutenant Paris to vacate the facility. It would be inappropriate to excite Lieutenant Paris.

He is a male. Therefore I will not copulate with him. Therefore it is inefficient to instigate prurient thoughts in his mind, and male hormonal and physical reactions in his body.

If B'Elanna were with me she would gladly instigate prurient thoughts in Lieutenant Paris' mind. She enjoys 'fucking over his mind'. After instigating prurient thoughts in his mind she would make it excessively obvious to Lieutenant Paris that 'he wasn't going to get any'. Most likely by rubbing her body against mine. I enjoy B'Elanna Torres rubbing her body on mine.

B'Elanna Torres is my lover, but she is a 'major tease'. This propensity of hers is inefficient, but it pleases her.

The EMH also wishes to copulate with me. B'Elanna was not surprised to hear this. She states the EMH wants to copulate with herself as well.

I expressed surprise at this reaction. He is a holographic program. Yet my Bang'wI insists the EMH may be quite capable of copulation with a willing female. She states he once had a Viridian patient, a Doctor Lenora Pell. During treatment of her illnesses Doctor Pell was existing outside of herself as a hologram, in a pattern similar to that of the EMH program. B'Elanna states scuttlebutt declared that the two of them 'got it on' a number of times.

She has also heard 'stories' about other services provided by the EMH. Supposedly his massage techniques includes numerous sub-routines, as well as intentional misuse of SickBay devices, including hypospray's.

The 'Doc' is a 'dirty old man' according to B'Elanna. By the manner in which she said that, it is obvious my Dahlin' wants to copulate with the EMH at some point in the future. This is not acceptable unless we devise a method of doing so together.

Today I stripped completely for the EMH, as is our present normal routine. He spent an excessive amount of time examining my Gluteus Maximus before applying the dermal regenerator to it. He again asked what it is that B'Elanna and I do which continually abrades my posterior area.

My lover has made it known that I am not to discuss our sexual patterns with the EMH. I must especially avoid use of the terms 'locking loins' and 'rug burn'. We both enjoy 'locking loins'. B'Elanna Torres makes me 'hot'.

That is unfortunate, because I have acquired this illogical human desire to tell everyone on the ship what a superior and energetic sexual partner B'Elanna Torres is. This is not acceptable. B'Elanna has stated this is inappropriate behavior. We should only tell our lovers what optimal sexual athletes they are.

This is confusing, as it is already widely known on VOYAGER that B'Elanna Torres is a superior and optimal sexual athlete. She is one 'damned hot piece of ass' according to consensus opinion.

As usual I lay face down during the extensive examination the EMH gives my posterior. With my artificial left hand I reached under the BioBed during this examination and carefully inserted three of my Borg conduit needles into the computer access points there.

Once accessed, I easily interrupted the EMH program. It took another 122 seconds to re-program the EMH so that he would be unaware of any gap in his internal clock.

Once alone in the SickBay I convinced the Computer that I was authorized to be given prescription drugs. Once I had my three dedicated hypospray's, I convinced the computer that my requests and authorization should be logged into replicator records, and then erased as old records no longer needing to be saved.

Replicator records of a certain age are always wiped. My Borg access easily convinced the computer that this was acceptable.

While accessing the computer, I discovered Captain Janeway had also obtained a prescription hypospray from SickBay. It did not say what the hypospray contained. That was an interesting discovery. Captain Janeway had performed her own erasing, though hers had been rudimentary in comparison to mine.

The three hypospray's went into my small 'belly bag'. B'Elanna had gotten me one as a present last week. It's color matched my plum catsuit. B'Elanna is generous to me.

B'Elanna Torres wishes to be the dominant and masculine partner in our sapphic relationship. This is eminently acceptable. Acquiring presents to give her Dahlin' is a masculine sub-routine she derives pleasure from. Her present now held my contraband hypospray's.

Having acquired my three back-up hypospray's, I returned to my previous place on the BioBed. I reactivated the EMH and allowed him to completely inspect my posterior. His respiratory rate increases when he does so. B'Elanna finds the idea of an EMH with a pulse rate and respiratory rate to be bizarre. I have pointed out it increases the verisimilitude of the image the EMH wishes to project.

It improves the Doctor's bedside manner.

B'Elanna also finds the thought of a holographic routine enjoying closely inspecting my butt and vagina to be hilarious. Yet she willingly allows the EMH to probe her posterior in the guise of a thorough medical examination.

The Doctor was one of my first friends on board VOYAGER. He may inspect my 'private parts' at any time, if he so wishes. B'Elanna says the Doctor turns me on. I deny this. It is merely friendly regard. I cannot explain why my body responds with increased sensitivity.

Eventually the examination was over, and I was free to go. There are septic creams he could give B'Elanna and myself to alleviate our next attack of 'rug burn', but he does not. The Doctor now looks forward to his frequent examinations of B'Elanna and myself.

He is a 'dirty old man' version of a holographic projection.

B'Elanna enjoys her examinations also. As stated previously, she enjoys the Doctor's 'smarmy' attentions. An interesting phrase for her to have acquired.

The human collective is fascinating. Logic appears to play only a small part in humanoid inter-reactions. What I am doing, and what B'Elanna and myself plan to do, is illogical. There will be little profit to it, even should it occur as planned. It is enjoyable, however.

Enjoyment is relevant.

* * *

INSIDE HOLODECK ONE

CAPTAIN JANEWAY IS BUSY REVISING HER HOLODECK PROGRAM

"....And NOW the banquet hall begins to fade," I coaxed. "All leave, even the Sidhe-kind, but one last figure lingers on the path. Not so bright... Yes, lower, a little more, ten percent more.... Perfect!"

An evening on a nebulous and dark place, yes, that's perfect. "Computer, continue program."

The leaves move in a freshening breeze, I can smell an outdoor place, all rot and freshness and unreadable spices. One figure is at the end of the path, and she beckons a hand at the small figure still foreground. The tall figure looks much like Seven of Nine, excepting the regal raiment and the silver crown upon her long hair. It is Auberon, the King of Fairie, the Daoine Sidhe.

A male voice, much like Chakotay's, echoes from the darkness. The human King speaks. "The iron tongue of midnight hath tolled twelve. Lovers to bed; t'is almost fairy time.

"I fear we shall outsleep the coming morn...."

The fore figure, looking much like a sly and evil miniature Tom Paris, begins to frolic and dance. It is probable a sly and evil-appearing Tom Paris is a redundancy.

"...We fairies, that do run by the triple Hecate's team, following darkness like a dream, now are frolic..."

The barely visible Seven in her crown once more beckons, more curtly now. "Come, my Puck, and leave this foolishness, for now the time for our return draws near. Already Wrendel opens up the gate."

"What, LEAVE my Lord?" the holo-Puck asks. "When there are mortals to confusicate and vex?

"Go you all. Your Puck will stay -- the last hobgoblin in a dreary world. Ho! Ho! Ho!"

The Puck capers as Seven fades away in the darkness. Now the Puck is half hidden alongside a bushy hedge. "If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended: That you have but slumber'd here, while these visions did appear"

"Computer, freeze program." I looked about me, the end of "Mid-Summer Night's Dream" frozen in place. Time for my final corrections.

"Computer: Many of the players have faces and figures of members of my crew, here on the VOYAGER. Alter their voices and re-do each body figure to a different one. Mold their faces to another visage. Show me now their new appearance."

"Let's see... Auberon.. Not so tall. That's better. Return Titania as a likeness of Tonia... Lieutenant Barrows. Yes. Good. More bosom.

"Make Lysander shorter and lighter of skin. He still looks too much like Tuvok... Oh hell, make him medium height, blond, craggy facial bone structure... There. That's good."

It looked splendid. Oh, the fun I shall have tonight! I've always felt Bottom should have gotten more from Titania than a scratch between his ears. And Titania more from Bottom than a few poetic phrases.

If my Tonia Barrows is as agreeable and friendly as I hope, by that time, neither of us will be wearing much beyond each other. Maybe I'll put on my Green Wonder from Risa, and also have her that way. I bet she'd squeal for that. Especially when it begins to writhe under it's own volition.

It's too bad I can't leave these players as my crewmates. It's against Fleet protocols to use real people in your Holodrama's. Everyone violates the rule, of course. But a Captain cannot be seen to violate it.

*Sigh*

"Show me again Bottom when she is but another of a group of amateur theater players." A small female figure appears. Myself. "Freeze program."

I walk around myself, enjoying the effect. "Give me a large mirror, oh, say five meters wide, and two high. Yes. Now have my body wear the role of Bottom. Have it match my movements and gestures, and facial expressions." Good, very good, it looks like we are twins. "Now meld me with Bottom."

Wow. I look down, I am in trousers and workout top. I look at the mirror and I am in jerkin and short pants, white string-front blouse, and sandals.

"Have me wear the mule's head. Nice! Now have me appear nude excepting the mule's head." This feels perverse, somehow. Well, it looks like me to me, at least. I wonder why the role of Bottom appeals to me?

"Have me wearing a long green Risan dildo..." God!

"Too long, about half that length. Another 25% off. That's better. Reduce circumference by 35%....make it another 35%. That's more, ah, believable, thank you, computer. End program and save."

Evidently the computer is accustomed to draping figures with rather larger endowments than are customary. Wonder if it's females looking for fantasy males, or males wishing they were built like that? Their problem, not mine.

I hope Tonia likes the color green. She looked scrumptious the other day in the Mess Hall in those pale green culottes and blouse. The lemon-white vest was a nice touch.

As I exited, Lieutenant Carey and three other Gamma shift's entered. Sandrine's had already been created, and I saw them forming around the pool table as the Holodeck door closed.

Maybe a Shakespearean play was a little elaborate for a romantic scenario, but I wanted this romantic point in time to be truly memorable. Anyone can have a candlelight dinner. But the Captain should have something special.

Especially for someone special, like Tonia Barrows. I love to see her move. Chakotay compared her once to a Puma, a Mountain Cat. An innocent predator, all grace and claws. There's a lot of poet in my First.

As for Barrows herself, well, it's not everyone who could anticipate having an encounter of the most sensuous kind with a hundred-and-forty-five year old human woman, and have a smile on their face thinking of it.

I wonder if I should stop off at the SickBay and have another of the Doctor's extra-special therapeutic massage's? Just to take the edge off. The Doctor is such a wonderfully nasty old man.

* * *

HOLODECK ONE, SEVERAL HOURS LATER.

It took Annika seconds only to access the Holodeck panel. To any outsider it appeared as if B'Elanna Torres was fixing another glitch on the Holodeck, with Seven of Nine in attendance. Everyone knows now that she is my Dahlin'.

"Got it," I murmured. Annika stuck a Borg conduit into the space indicated and I placed a Tricorder onto another needle which sprang out of her fist.

"Program accessed and recorded," I said. "Now let's leave and see what we got." After that we simply walked to our cabin, on 6 Deck.

Once in my Cabin, we proceeded to find the Captain's play, and displayed it. I was disappointed to discover none of the players looked like any of my crewmates. If I ran "Mid-Summer Night's Dream", I'd have a little fun. Tom Paris would make a fine Puck, and I'd make Annika my Sidhe King, Auberon.

Tonia Barrows was Janeway's Queen Titania and the Captain was Bottom. A great deal was explained. Instead of merely wearing a Mule's head, and getting her ears scratched, I venture our Kate had in mind for Queen Titania to scratch a more personal itch, and much more of it.

We froze frame once that thought was made obvious by what appeared on the HoloTable.

We both contemplated the little figure in the Holo created on our miniature VidTable. Nude except for an over-sized bright green Risan-type dildo.

"Slowly revolve scene," I commanded the Table Computer. Interesting. I hadn't realized Captain Janeway looked that good naked. No flab or pouches, lots of muscle and skin tones. No wonder Annika got so obsessed with her. She's quite sexy. For an older gal.

"Isn't that ... dildo she is wearing rather large?", Annika asked.

"Continue program," I said, acting on a hunch. The green monster shrunk to something more comfortable in a few seconds. Kathryn had been trying to visualize herself wearing her toy. Seemed a logical procedure. Observe how she might appear at some point in the romance scenario, think on whatever tastes her new girlfriend might have.

Bright green looked a little ... tawdry, though. But fun.

It tickled me to realize the impeccable Captain had a bright show-off aspect to herself.

Annika broke into my thoughts by nuzzling the back of my neck. Bring a girl out of her daydreams with a vengeance.

"You pride yourself on being sneaky when it is necessary," Annika said. "What does your sneaky mind surmise might be a sufficiently distracting approach to flummox this scenario?"

Enforcing some self-discipline, I refrained from oozing all over my ex-Borg. We had things to do. But what?

"Let me think," I said.

"Please scheme instead of thinking. We wish to perform mischief on the Captain." That innocent look on Annika's face when she says something like that is just incredible.

Suddenly the entire concept leaped full-blown into my scheming little mind. I'm a genius, yes I am. It's no wonder Annika loves me. She says she loves my tight little butt, but she stays with me because I'm so smart. Sometimes.

It's too bad I'll never be able to brag on this, if we pull it off. If Janeway ever knew we were the perpetrators, we'd both wind up cleaning the outer hull with small metal burnishing brushes.

Naturally I immediately assumed one of my favorite positions with my Bang'wI. I slid all over her, winding up spread-legged in her lap, and my nose a centimeter or so from hers. She loves it when I start wriggling around once that moment is reached.

"Not only does my fertile and evil mind have a Plan A for dealing with the Captain's romantic intentions, but a Plan B and a Plan C which might include a lot of fun for me and you as well," I proudly said. Neglecting to verbally add; If all works as planned.

"Here's what we do..."

* * *

CORRIDOR, NOT FAR FROM HOLODECK ONE, SOME HOURS LATER

Annika was closely studying the display on the corridor computer display. One of her Borg conduits was inserted into the interface.

"The Holodeck has a single person on it, and Computer says the Captain is now not to be disturbed, Captain's overrides," she whispered.

"Barrows?"

"The Computer ... It now states the Lieutenant is also unavailable, and not to be disturbed. She is under Captain's protocols."

"Time for us to move." Walking as casually as possible we sauntered to the Holodeck door. I had the side panel off in one second, and one of those needles sprung from that artificial Borg hand into the control box.

The corridor was clear. The door almost soundlessly and slowly opened half-way. We slipped inside. Once inside we applied thin throat mike strips to our necks. Annika made certain my ear ComButton was properly inserted, as was hers. Now we could talk to each other on this dedicated wavelength, yet still not have to talk aloud. We sought stealth, after all.

We were in a lush green formal garden, presumably European Renaissance period style. Annika touched a tree and the interior control box lay open. She inserted our three new sub-routine filches and closed it, returning it to invisibility. We could hear two voices near-by.

I could see my tall blond in a silver catsuit. She could see me in an issue jacket and trousers. Everyone else on this Holodeck should see two tall slender green bushes. Just part of the background. We each had voice control over how each of us would appear to the real world. Namely the Captain and Tonia Barrows. This was exciting. I could already feel myself getting hot, tight and itchy with anticipation.

Annika indicated we should move forward, but slowly. We moved a few meters and we could see the Captain and the succulent Barrows.

Kahless!

This woman was supposed to be a ... what was the term Annika used? Vanilla straight. Lieutenant Tonia Barrows was a sapphic innocent like I was the Borg Queen preaching Vulcan mind controls.

She was wearing a long clinging burgundy dress, which accentuated her slightly darker skin quite well, actually. The Captain -- Kathryn -- was helping her out of her cloak, and a hell of a lot of Tonia Barrows was being revealed in the unwrapping.

It was low cut, certainly. A trio of large diamond-shaped holes showed not only a lot of back, the bottom diamond showed that the Time Refugee had two very distinct depressions to either side of the bottom of her spine. Showing as well a few millimeters of her ass. Barrows didn't have any unders on. The front of the dress had three diamond-shaped holes down it's front as well. Nope. No unders in sight.

Lieutenant Tonia Barrows had her weapons set on heavy stun, if not annihilation.

Girl after my own heart. Take no prisoners!

For a minute I thought the two of them were going to forego the Shakespearean Play and seduction, and proceed directly to the wild and wanton sex part. Which would make our plans moot.

In which case I definitely intended to stay and closely observe the Captain's technique. Maybe I'd learn something. It's important to one's mental health to be always open to the garnering of new knowledge.

And what wouldn't the Doctor give to observe that!

You could see Kathryn both relax and begin glowing like a flare once Barrows had smiled at her. Drooling, in a manner of speaking. They kissed, like friends, not lovers. Still, you could see the little gears whirling around in the Captain's mind.

Smiling, thinking to herself how rich, warm and wonderful it was going to be. Licking, kissing and fondling that nearly naked treasure. And no longer being afraid Barrows was going to reject her romantic advances.

The Captain knew beyond any doubt that tonight was her lucky night. It would ALMOST be a shame to change that.

I leaned to Annika, and she placed her ears to my lips. All quite unnecessary since her ear ComButton would relay anything I subvocalized through my own throat mike strip. "Five replicator points says Barrows removed her body hair for tonight."

Annika smiled at me. "I will not take that bet. It is probable I would lose," she softly replied. A thoughtful look on her face.

"Bald as a cue ball," she subvocalized through her throat mike to me. "Is that slang correct? It would be interesting observing the effect."

She didn't state whether she'd be observing the effect it would have on the Captain, herself, or me. Or maybe Barrows.

And I'd just learned something interesting about my Dahlin'. I idly wondered how many replicator points it would take for a tube of 60-day dep cream? Would she want it for herself or me? Or both?

The Captain, Kathryn, produced a tiara crown for the Lieutenant, Tonia, to wear. The silvery metal was easily visible on her rich nut-brown hair. Little hint of auburn there. Had a cute pug nose and a great smile.

She gave Kathryn a more meaningful kiss this time, probably put a little passion in it, if not a touch of tongue. The Captain was looking stunned. I'd bet she was slowly realizing how little effort would now be involved in peeling the enticing ancient old-young Lieutenant out of that burgundy dress.

However, the Play had now begun. We all watched the King speak to Hippolyta, and we allowed events to unfold. Shakespeare always seemed dated to me, though his Tragedies had a nice dramatic air to them. Complicated, bloody and heavy with unsaid but understood meaning. Someone had made good Klingon Opera's out of Coriolanis and Hamlet.

Time for us to shed our clothes and be ready for opportunity to hammer. My carryall carried my own special toy for this play within a play. Annika had said nothing about my including this dildo in our adventure, which meant she accepted my decision.

The other components in our little adventure were the hypospray's. Just a pair of Happy-Time-Sleepy-Time sprays, one for each of us. The emergency back-up, they were. Barrows or the Captain get really suspicious, we shoot them with this shit. They fall off and awake confused. Alone on a holodeck with the one they expected to find there.

The third hypo was our real Emergency Fall-back Position.

The Federation encounters a single Alien seeing more than they should, said Alien gets a shot of wipe.

It didn't actually wipe a mind. It simply made it very easy to tell the Alien mind what REALLY happened, so that it dismissed it's illusions in favor of the rational reality you told it to believe.

They called this shot the Beverly-Crusher-Go-Home-With-A-Smile special. Great stuff.

Saw her once, on Deep Space 9. Red-headed genius with REALLY great cheekbones.

A false holographic Barrows played the Queen of Fairie, Titania, and another holographic character portrayed the Captain as Bottom. Janeway, in this presentation, was one of a troupe of amateurs. Practicing their rustic skills and determined to produce a little playlet for the celebrations of the wedding planned. The weddings none of the participants wanted. One of the plots in the story.

I didn't hear everything said in the small bower of grass and flowers Barrows and the Captain occupied. They were spending an agreeably long time kissing, though.

I presumed the original plan of the Captains was for the two of them to take part in the play. That was evidently no longer going to happen. Janeway couldn't have cared less if the holographic Helena produced a holographic sword and began chopping at will in the holographic court of the King.

Annika throat-spoke to me then. "Janeway rises to rummage in her bag. Now is the time to act."

No longer bushes or trees, we moved forward. By now we were both naked, as per our original plan. You can't make very convincing love to someone and be clothed as well. Also, I was wearing one of my favorite Risan dildo's, the amber one with all the dimples on it.

Annika and I saw each other as we were. But by the time I laid my hands on Barrows, she would see a naked Janeway with a donkey's head on her shoulders. And a stiff dildo sprouting from her groin. I always thought amber a pretty color.

As Annika caressed the Captain, the Captain would have turned and seen a naked Barrows behind her. The voices would have matched, of course. Computer would see to that. NICE little sub-routines! Neither Annika nor I intended to over-task the Holoprogram by talking much, however.

I saw Annika silently lead the Captain to a soft meadow to stage left. Posing as a naked Captain Kathryn Janeway, I took the hand and body of Barrows to stage right. Then indicated she was to disrobe. Her hand felt soft and warm when she brushed my nipples.

Suddenly there was a zip, zip, and Barrows was kicking a puddle of probably-expensive burgundy dress to the side.

Going for simplicity again had won the day. This was all my Plan A consisted of. Insert both of us into the Captain's Holoprogram, and hope for an opportunity to separate the Captain from her lady.

The opportunity had occurred. We had taken advantage of it. Now for the seduction and sex part of the night. This was going to be ultra-HOT! Yet I wondered why I was feeling so sick to my stomach.

Barrows obviously had her own schedule, and she was upset by the Donkey's head her intended target was wearing. She wanted to get into some serious face-to-face.

"Katie, darling, you lovely bitch," she growled. "I want to, I need, can't you forego this play for a moment? I do like Shakespeare, I really do, and I really appreciate the effort you put into this, but can't we, you know, and later on we'll watch the play together?

"I've been staring at those gorgeous pink lips of yours for two months now, and I want to kiss them... Please? Pretty please? Just call for the computer to get this damned thing off..."

Sub-vocally I told the computer to alter my face as well as my body. To make it appear as that of a naked Kathryn Janeway. Leave the amber dildo on.

The donkey head disappeared, an almost nude (excepting the dildo) Captain Janeway appeared underneath, and Barrows proceeded to demonstrate the meaning of the phrase 'mating frenzy'. Her and Tuvok would have made a matched pair.

I couldn't much blame her. It had been, after all, at least a hundred and five years between women.

By the way, she hadn't used any dep cream to remove her pubic hair. But she did keep it trimmed and neat. Flexible girl, lovely effect.

She kissed me, she nibbled my ears, she licked my eyelids, she fondled my breasts, she rubbed my belly. Then she fondled my groin hair with the back of her hand, chuckling when that brought a gasp out of me. Her teeth found my nipples, she licked the hollow of my neck and massaged my shoulders and biceps. Then she licked her way down to my belly button, sucked hard on my nipples and put her tongue to first my upper lip, then my lover. A little side trip where she licked down the point of my chin and down my neck to my chest. Squeezing my nipples with her fingers and kissing me again, brushing her tongue-tip against my teeth. Her hands were all over my hips, my side, my thighs, forcing my legs apart and rubbing my groin, finding my slot and fingering it.

She wasn't letting much grass grow under her feet. Old Klingon saying. Meaning she was proceeding swiftly in what she meant to do. And what she meant to do was make love to me. Mad, passionate love, irresistible love, transforming love, sex like a gal usually can only dream of. By this time she'd forced my hand against those lovely short soft scratchy groin hairs.

She was straddling me, and she was rubbing her groin onto my dildo with as much enthusiasm as she could convey. The way it was teasing and pulling at my own groin was incredible. Implicit in her motions was the fact in a very short while Tonia Barrows was going to have that dildo in her hot wet tube, clasping the hell out of it, and she wasn't going to have to use any lube to make the union smooth and exciting.

She meant to give me a night to remember.

Or rather, she meant to give Captain Kathryn Janeway a night to remember.

Barrows was rubbing her breasts on mine, mumbling, breathing heavily, even drooling a little bit on me.

And all I could think of was my dear sweet Annika Hansen with her legs in the air. Janeway pressing her face into that incredible warm moist blond sex. Annika teasing her own nipples with her fingers and her head whipping from side to side as the moment got nearer and nearer, and the tension closer and closer.

Janeway's fingers caressing that soft incredible belly. The program would somehow hide the Borg implants, I presumed, but it'd still be my Annika's body under the Captain's hands and lips.

Kathryn would be finding that small tulip of Annika's belly button with her tongue. Searching between the crack of that astonishingly tight arse of Annika's with her Captain's pointed tongue.

Annika. With Janeway. MY Annika.

Then a worst imagining came to me. Janeway groaning in short bursts as my own Bang'wI sucked on her clit and brought her over the top.

"STOP." Whatever I meant to say, the computer ignored me. Barrows, however, backed off a small millimeter.

"Computer," I quietly ordered, "remove my disguise as a naked Captain Kathryn Janeway."

I gotta give Barrows credit for maintaining equilibrium under heavy fire. She raised up off me until she was straddling my belly. Staring me in the face, observing that the female body she was nakedly sitting on was in point of fact NOT Captain Kathryn Janeway.

"Torres," she croaked. "What are you doing here?" She didn't scream or get hysterical, or anything soft like that. She got to her feet and gave me a hand, helping me stand upright.

Lady didn't panic easily.

"Why?" was all she asked. No how's or when's or who's.

"My Annika felt..." Be honest. "We, my Dahlin' and I, we both felt the Captain had been less than fair to us, and this was supposed to be a ... prank. A joke, on the Captain." Wringing my hands and feeling both incredibly stupid, selfish and incredibly arrogant.

"You appointed yourself God?" Woman had a bad habit of hitting the nail on the head.

"And I just happened to be in the line of fire?"

"yes" A very, very small yes.

"Hurting and humiliating me was supposed to be a little unfortunate side effect?" By the look on her face she was thinking how my fat ass would improve crew morale if I was served up as a few kilo's of fresh sausage.

"i'm very sorry, Tonia..." Very, very small words.

First things first. Save my baby, grovel later. "Listen, I've got to stop something, it's very important, can you wait a few minutes? I get back I'll give you some proper groveling, and I can explain more fully. It's my blond love, she's over that way with the Captain..."

I turned to go find my Dahlin', and instead stood face to face with her. Her long blond hair hung around her face and shoulders like an Angel's halo. I looked up the full fantastic length of her, and found ... was that a very tiny, very little and very sad smile?

I'm not sure because we automatically did our mutual holding thing. I no sooner began to lift my arms to her and she was cradling me to herself. I could feel her lovely breasts against me, I could feel her strong arms lifting me by my buttocks and I could put my arms around her neck. The better to hold her and kiss her.

I fondled her brow implant, and pressed my tongue against her teeth. She licked my tongue with hers, then held me tight to herself. My hands flowed over her shoulders, fingering the line where Borg arm became mutilated lover. My thighs enjoyed the cold metal of one of her abdominal implants. I licked the coldness of her artificial eye, crying for the bits and pieces of her I could never comfort or touch.

I cried for the womb she no longer carried, and the lost bits of brain and nerve that must hurt and limit her, making her less herself. I cried for that lovely woman with no childhood, and my lover who must translate humanity instead of living it or remembering it.

And I was the perpetual misfit and trouble-maker who was only now being forced to accept the fact that I would never be a Klingon, and never be a human.

We were both cripples. But together we were whole. I loved her.

She was all I ever wanted in a woman. She needed me and I needed her.

She did not forgive me all the things I had ever done or ever said. She did not forgive me the harsh words we had exchanged in the past, or the slurs, or the hate. My past, our past, did not exist, to Annika. It was nothing, everything had never been, to her.

She was a clean slate being written on by the minute. I was a clean slate to her. There was no past when we had become lovers. She was my innocent, and I was hers.

For the first time I was afraid I might have lost my love, and not just another lover.

For the first time in my life I did not fear or anticipate the moment when this love affair would go bust. I was not on edge, waiting for the inevitable argument when my lover would become an ex-lover.

We - I - had maybe endangered that ... Could I use the word purity? She was pure, for all the fact she was one hot killer Viking dyke. And she made me feel as if I were at the beginning of all things.

After a while I noticed Captain Janeway was trying to get my attention. Reality time.

We'd get through this, somehow. So long as we were together.

Annika let me down gently, for a clothed Kathryn Janeway was tapping her foot and fuming, waiting to slice and dice us. It was a real steam-coming-out-of-the-ears fume, this time. The perfect Force 10 Storm was about to break over my - our - heads. Me and my Bang'wI.

Maybe it would be a good time for us to get our clothes back on.

* * *

LATER, HOLODECK ONE

Tonia was wearing her cloak now. As much for the slight coolness in the air as for any modesty.

"I felt you had slighted both of us," I tried to explain. "You led Seven - Annika on, letting her think you would be her lover. Then you ditched her for Tonia - Miss Barrows. That wasn't quite fair of you," I rationalized.

Annika had her own version to enrich this groveling. "I felt you did not treat me as I deserved to be treated. Captain. Therefore I instigated this joke on you, and persuaded Lieutenant Torres to take part as my accessory." Good old Annika. When in doubt, attack. I hoped she hadn't gotten that from me.

"Captain...," I began.

"Captain...," Annika began.

The Captain raised her hand in front of herself. "Don't fret so, ladies. I feel there is quite enough fault to go around to fry both of you into a crispy dish for the mess hall." She gave us both a Force 8 Command Glare.

"For beginners, either of you could begin by telling me exactly how I failed to treat you in some manner you expected to be treated, Annika? As we're dealing in mutiny here, perhaps you would care to enlighten us?"

Annika attacked again. "You led me to believe you wished to copulate with me. This prospect pleased me. We became something very special to each other. Your attitude towards me pleased me and led me to believe that we would have satisfying copulation with each other. We did not. You abruptly and completely switched your attentions and lusts to the new arrival on our ship. Tonia Barrows.

"You made me feel pain," Annika continued. "You withdrew from me, and obviously now wished to copulate with Lieutenant Barrows. This was unacceptable."

Janeway struggled with herself for a minute, then continued. "Seven, I never indicated to you in any way that I wished to --- copulate with you. I was your mentor, nothing more. I sought to help you, not seduce you." She used Annika's Borg name, not a good sign. But she was also suddenly defensive.

Janeway knew, in her heart of heart's that she had indeed wanted to copu-- That she wanted to make love to my tall blond. I'll be damned. It was all true, what Annika had told me. She and Janeway were an unfinished pair until Barrows showed up.

Annika cocked her head and I suddenly knew Kathryn Janeway had said exactly the wrong thing. And she had gone on the defensive.

"Years ago, when I was still a drone, you placed me into a holding cell. From that day forward you repeatedly touched me. You do not touch other members of your crew as frequently as you touched me.

"You did not look into their faces as often as you did mine. You did not rub their shoulders or arms as you did mine. You did not keep your 'command distance' with me as you did the other members of your crew. You were 43.5% closer to me, on any average day than you were anyone else. You were next to me 35.7% more often than with anyone else.

"You visited Cargo Bay Two to six days a week when I was regenerating. You would stand in front of me, watching me. You thought I was unaware of my surroundings. I was aware, but saw no reason to comment on your irregular periods of observation. You also kissed me eighty-seven times when you assumed I was not aware. Your kisses pleased me, I looked forward to them.

"I awoke eighteen times, hoping you would continue to kiss me once I had done so. Instead you always quickly backed off.

"Everyone else on this ship knew that you treated me better, were more patient with me and excused more errors of mine than you did that of anyone else on the ship. By at least a factor of 2.09.

"After I had fruitlessly sought my own personal past aboard the downed "Raven", I was in considerable stress and confusion. You accepted this and gave me the leeway I never saw you give anyone else. You took me into your arms in Leonardo's studio. You held me, and I wished you would have kissed me. Then you did, albeit on my cheek.

"My nipples were hard and I was excited. I was anticipating copulation at that point in time. Instead you turned away, after that kiss. I was deeply disappointed. It was unacceptable.

"At that time I also realized you were harder on Lieutenant Torres than you were on anyone else on this ship. She worked harder to please you, more than anyone else on this ship, and yet ranked fourth in receiving words of gratitude. Behind Naomi Wildman, myself and Neelix."

Every time Annika spoke, she dared the Captain to refute her observations. Annika was, as always, ready to cite chapter, verse and instance, if need be.

Tonia asked quietly; "Is this true, Katie? Did my arrival mean you weren't interested in Seven of Nine anymore?"

"Annika," I put in.

Tonia smiled for that, and touched my treasure's good arm. "Annika," she finished.

Then she swung to the attack, against me and my Annika. "And why me? Didn't you think all this might hurt me if it came out? That I'd be shamed?"

Annika took the blow. "I was inordinately jealous of your favored position as the Captain's new woman. As of one hour and four minutes ago, you were still a factor in my calculations, but only as an abstract. I am most ashamed to have treated you as a non-person in my mind."

"It is one of my greatest failings as a human, Miss Barrows. As a Borg I was an abstraction, nothing more. When the Captain forced me into the human collective, all other humanoids were merely abstractions to me.

"Excepting a few of my fellow crew members, the people aboard VOYAGER are still abstractions to me. It is true that I have learned to treat humanoid abstractions as living beings, important living beings, but they remain abstractions. "

Annika bowed her head, something I had never seen her do before.

"I was in grave error in contemplating usage of even one of my fellow humanoids in an irrelevant manner."

Annika suddenly got to her feet, and turned to a dark section of the HoloDrama. She didn't ask permission, she made no indication of what she was doing. She simply stood and walked away.

Janeway rose to her feet, a thunderstorm on her face. I rose, looking towards my Dahlin'.

"Katie, love," Tonia Barrows said. "Could I talk to you for a second or five? I think I have to explain a thing or two to you, in private if you will."

I overheard two questions before enlightment struck me. Tonia asked; "Sweetheart, Captain mine, how many women have you had, before me?

"Are you serious?" she then asked. I had other problems.

My blond beauty was crouched against a HoloProgram tree, and as I approached I heard the impossible. She was crying.

My ex-Borg was crying.

I found a wiping rag in one side pocket, and I debated throwing it away. It stank of gel-pack surface ionization, but it should work. The smell would disappear as it interacted with other polarities.

Annika shrank into my arms, and wiped her face and chin with the wipe cloth. I could smell the ions change charge, giving off faint residues of super-oxygen and ozone, the leftovers of the ionization changeover.

For ... some time, I just held Annika, brushing away some of the tears. Holding her loosely, as if I might hurt her if I held too tightly.

Annika Hansen was crying. If I hadn't been so dismayed, I'd have exulted. She was crying. Naturally I had to cry with her. I wasn't entirely sure why we were crying, but it seemed an appropriate response at the time.

If my Dahlin' needed to cry, then cry she must. We had a good bawl together. I couldn't ever remember having a good cry WITH a lover for ... decades.

After what appeared to be a long while, Annika began whispering to me. She had come to another threshold in her humanization. She had deliberately set out to harm an innocent party. Tonia Barrows.

She had deliberately set out to do damage to Captain Janeway.

These were new concepts to Annika. She was becoming increasingly human, and she now realized part of the price included undesirable truths. Annika had bitten deeply of the apple, the fruit of knowledge. She realized now she knew of the difference between good and evil, ingested with her bites of knowledge. She was revolted by the realization she was capable of evil.

This was going to take many hundreds of hours to explain to my Bang'wI, if explainable at all.

We were all capable of evil, sweetheart. And good is defined as knowing evil and rejecting it.

Kahless! I'm just an engineer, not a Betazoid Counselor!

No matter. I'll learn. My baby needs me.

* * *

LATER, HOLODECK ONE

The four of us stood uneasily by the HoloDeck door. Tonia pulled me over to the side, where she showed me my abandoned bag, lying hidden behind a bush.

Softly, she asked a question; "What were the hypo's for?

Blushing red, for I'd forgotten them, I tried to answer. "Two of them were simple Feel-Good knock-out's. Things get sticky, both of you go down, and we try to pretend later that nothing happened."

"The third?" she asked me.

"We use it for a simple memory-alteration. Mostly with backwards people who shouldn't know there are star-faring nations out there. And varied similar problems."

"Memory Wipe?"

"Just something to juice the mind enough to where one could whisper in one's mind what REALLY happened, and they'd remember what you wanted them to, rather than what actually occurred. They use it all the time, in StarFleet." I had the good grace to blush. Yet another sin to be added to my long list of transgressions this night.

It was then I realized Tonia was handing me the bag.

"You REALLY owe me BIG TIME, Lieutenant Torres, do you realize this?" I carefully placed the bag over my shoulder, pretending I'd had it all the time.

"Understood, Lieutenant." And if the Captain doesn't want to mention her own hypospray probably filled an anti-panic solution, I'm certainly not going to ask. Whatever it held, it hadn't been needed. I'd been willing to use chemicals, I had no right to call the Captain on her own fall-back stuff.

Then she smiled at me, glanced at Annika and Janeway, then pulled me further to the side.

"Did you like this old girl, Lieutenant?"

What do you tell a beautiful woman who not that many minutes ago had had fingers up you and was making you sweat with need?

In a second we were just a pair of Bi girls talking level of heat. "About eleven more seconds of you working on me, I'd have come like a fountain," I admitted. "And you?"

"I'd already had a little cum by the time you called a stop," Tonia admitted. "And was looking for better. By the way, has anyone ever told you what a killer ass you have?"

I looked at my Dahlin', who gave me a glance then. "She tells me all the time," I replied.

We rejoined the Captain and Annika, feeling reassured by the Captain's forgiveness so long as it included dire threats of future punishment to be meted out at the Captain's schedule. I held my Dahlin's hand as tight as I could. We'd just gotten lucky.

Then Annika dropped one of her innocent land-bomb's.

"Captain," she asked. "Are you going to remain here for the next HoloProgram?"

"Why should I do that, Annika?"

"I'm confused, Captain. The next program is titled "Janeway's Dungeon", and I assumed you would be part of it."

I had to bite my tongue to keep quiet. It hurt, too. I could taste the blood.

"Janeway's Dungeon?"

"When I accessed your Shakespearean play, I also accessed four other HoloProgram's complete, and five partials. All programs scheduled to be run this night or early morning.

"Neither B'Elanna nor myself watched them, but I read the title. Is this something of which you were unaware?"

"Annika..." Kathryn began. "Did you happen to recall who wrote the program?"

* * *

HOLODECK ONE, TWELVE MINUTES LATER

When Lieutenant Tom Paris arrived at the HoloDeck door, he was accompanied by his faithful companion, Lieutenant Harry Kim. Tom looked at the retreating figures, but they quickly disappeared around a turn of the corridor.

"I wonder who that was?" asked Harry. Don't go chicken on me now, Harry, I thought.

"Don't worry about it ... ah, there we are. The program's running, so let's get inside before anyone questions us," I told him. "And don't worry about the reality match on the program. I copied an old holodrama I was bootlegged years ago, and just changed the Mistress from some little black-haired doll with lots of curly hair to a redhead who looked a lot like our Captain. Some guy named Barclay had a zillion program's. Guy must have lived in his fantasies." I threw my arms wide to indicate where we were.

Harry's eyes bugged. "It IS a dungeon!" he stated."And isn't that..."

"Herself, none other," I bragged. "Hello, Mistress Kate," I said. "You're looking great tonight, as usual." The partly naked figure of Kathryn Janeway swept slowly forward. She had on a black leather corset and her lips were painted a vivid crimson. Black and red boots coursed to her upper thighs, and fifteen-centimeter high heels on the boots made her walk with a sensuous gait.

Janeway smiled a deliciously evil smile for me, letting her hips sway as she came nearer. It was easy to see her labia, her sexual lips pout and move, as she was bald as an egg between her legs. Her nipples were heavily rouged, and she had Vulcan eyebrows painted on. Her hair fell loose, and her hand held a single nasty-looking riding crop. She also wore a emerald-tipped earring through each nipple.

She twirled for me so that the vibrating anal plug in her asshole was easily visible. Harry looked like he was going to stroke out on me.

"She's also pierced by a little dumbbell, back of her clit, and she has rings through each labia. She loves to have her dumbbell and labia rings pulled on by your teeth. Her belly-button has two of them." I gestured at my obscene Kathryn Janeway. She spun around again and bent over for me.

"The tattoo on the left cheek are of two female Elves fondling each other..." Harry was making noises.

"Yeah, I think they're cute, too. The other cheek has several kisses on it. She likes the kisses being kissed."

Harry stared at her for several minutes before he returned to staring at me.

"Tom," he croaked, "we could get the next seventy years in the brig if the Captain ever discovered she was a sex toy in some Holoprogram."

I scoffed at him, slapping him on the arm. "Relax! How could she ever find out?" He didn't look convinced.

"Come on, Harry, push the envelope a little bit! There's probably eighty other programs existing with the Captain being used in different ways, most sexual. But none of them as realistic as this one, I'd bet.

"And besides, she's hot as hell in this program. That Barclay guy must have had an unbelievably filthy mind on him. Unsurpassed programmer, also. The sex is not only convincing, it's wet and hot, and you haven't heard the way Janeway squeals when she's getting it good. She's tight and she's noisy, a combination hard to surpass.

"I suggest you leave the vibrating butt plug in when you have her the first time. Relax! You'll love it! You get in her saddle and it's Ride-'Em-Cowboy time. Captain Kathryn Janeway is one Galactic-class fuck!"

A voice from the shadows: "I'm glad to hear it, gentlemen."

I stood stock still, pausing in the act of skinning my trousers down.

"Computer," the Captain said, "End Program."

* * *

B'ELANNA'S CABIN, DECK SIX

Any sensible person on VOYAGER would be in bed by now, excepting Gamma shift. Therefore Tonia had dialed us something warm and comforting to drink from the replicator. Annika identified it as chicken with rice soup.

Oddities of oddities my ex-drone was developing a sense of how to prepare food and cook it. She refused to fix more than one or three of those foods she had declared unhealthy for me.

I carefully explained I was not only Klingon, but also the beneficiary of modern StarFleet cholesterol and fatty deposits removal. She was adamant.

I lay on the couch, my head in Annika's lap, and having my head crest caressed. Annika did that so well, so lovingly. We were fast becoming a married couple, in fact if not in deed.

Tonia was helping us through our gloom and doom by sharing my cabin with me and Annika. Tonia had her feet under her, on one of our cushioned chairs. Annika was holding my head in her lap, and I was enjoying her touches. Annika was in one of her big warm pull-over night robes, and I was in a issue light sleeveless gray overshirt, with a pair of comfy worn gray gym pants.

Tonia was wearing a red sweater of mine and a pair of Annika's elastic blue Gym's. She'd smiled at the color combination. Still, it would look better than a cloak and a very revealing dress. The pouch that once held our hypospray's now held her fancy clothes.

The Captain would arrive at my door any minute now, to leave predictions of dire fates in store for Annika and I. And incidentally, pick up Tonia Barrows.

We had interrupted a genuinely important first get-together between the Captain and Tonia. It was now embarrassing getting moral support from someone who was well aware that we had flummoxed her momentous seduction. Especially in something beautiful like a special reenactment of a Shakespearean play laid on to provide just the right mood. We - I owed her.

In the meantime we talked and maybe got a little friendly.

Tonia had been raised on a Commune in Canada, and was an earthy sort of a girl in a pinch. Joke. Canada is on old Earth.

We were waiting for the Captain to appear before finding our own beds. Tonia had already told us she was intent on spending some time with the Captain. Days, maybe weeks, she said. Just trying to discover if they were really compatible.

"So," Tonia asked, "what do you think the Captain is eventually going to do to the two of you? Put you in the Brig when you're not on duty?"

"Nothing so drastic, but I know I'm - we're not going to enjoy it. Back on the Holodeck I had this vision of us on our hands and knees out on the hull. Carefully cleaning it with centimeter-square cleaning implements.'

Annika asked; "With or without space suits?"

Two minutes later, after the laughter had died down, Annika continued. "It seemed a logical question." But she had a hint of a smile to her. My dear sweet Viking warrior was developing a sense of humor. I think.

For that I HAD to give her a kiss. For once I really enjoyed being with a lover, this woman so much taller than I was. For once I didn't feel defensive, but safe. I sat in her lap and we began the adventure called kissing.

It was always different, it was always comforting, it was always old and safe, it was always exciting. She always found ways to caress my crest, or to kiss it. She always had a hand to touch the small of my back and the sensitive nodes at the bottom of my spine, she always sighed so deeply when my tongue found the hollow of her neck.

I always imagined her skin tasted like faint burnt patchouli incense, but that was because she wore that scent for me. She disdained perfumes, but for me she always brought that gift of ancient terran aromatic spice with her to our bed. My hands began to touch the nipples I loved to fit into my mouth, when my parmaq pushed me away.

"Lana," she whispered, "we have a guest."

Tonia sat in the chair, holding her knees tight to herself. Watching, carrying one of the biggest and toothiest grins I'd ever seen on VOYAGER.

Annika pulled me back again, holding my shoulders and caressing them. Whispering again in my ear. "However, your response was most gratifying. I need four hours of regeneration time in Cargo Bay Two. I am able to reduce that time to three hours tonight, if you think you would be able to spend an hour with me.

"I am already wet. Would an hour be sufficient?"

"That would be acceptable," I replied. "Maybe we could acquire more 'rug burn' for the Doctor to examine. Would you find that a sufficiently pleasing recreation?"

For reply she kissed my crest.

"Lana," she then said, "we have lost our guest."

Confusion, then understanding. "Computer, locate Lieutenant Tonia Barrows."

"She is standing outside Cabin L5, Level Six." MY - our cabin door. Waiting - probably patiently - for Captain Janeway. Leaving Annika alone and at the mercy of my profound determination to have my wicked way with her until she has to go regenerate.

Annika growled first, though. Her call. By our rules that meant she had the right to determine what we did next.

"How's your ass right now?" she asked. "It feels soft and exciting. I'm wet, and I'd love to 'lock loins' again. Are you wet as well? Care to chance a another occurrence of 'rug burn'?"

* * *

BRIDGE, AT THE BEGINNING OF ALPHA SHIFT

The Bridge was the epitome of dull mundanity. Nothing happening out of the usual. No catastrophic dangers for the Engineering First to desperately save the ship and it's crew from. But then the shift was early yet.

They never seem to have problems like that on Gamma shift. No wonder Carey always looks happy, these days. But then I've been informed him and that Hind gal, Ratri, the one with the nice black eyes, use the Engineering Office Alcove for more than re-configuring thrust alignments. Perhaps I should re-phrase that to say they DO.

One good thing about being me. I always seem to get all the good gossip first.

The Captain was engaging in a little of her 'mingling' today. Stopping to talk with people like Chakotay and Neelix when he showed up on the Bridge.

Seven appeared and promptly moved to her Astrometrics position. Sweet Kahless, I loved to watch her move. I observed closely and was relieved to see she was moving normally. At least the EMH hadn't spent an inordinate amount of time 'fixing' her butt. I thought he'd never get through with his inspection of my rear earlier this morning.

"Torres," the Captain politely said.

"Nice boots," I replied. "Look like a Police person on Clarion," I added. "New?"

"I got them this morning. Very comfortable."

"You must have had to put in a lot of time getting that authentic polished look to them. Did you use "Burnished", or something else?"

"Just wax and sweat."

"Really? I always found that terribly time consuming." If she wants to talk polite talk, and not remind me of my enormous sins, I'll go along with her. The more time there is between deed and punishment, maybe the less punishment Annika and I shall feel. Certainly she seemed happy today.

"Oh, I've found a way around that little problem." She flashed a big smile for Tom Paris when he turned and looked at us. He blushed and quickly returned to minding his Helm.

The Captain moved to a central position, and clapped her hands for attention.

"As you all know it is against StarFleet protocols to bring food and drink onto the Bridge, especially messy food and drink. A rule which I believe we have all violated on an almost daily basis." She lifted her coffee mug on high when she stood by her Captain's position.

"However, I have decided to bend the rule today. Just a little, mind. We're going to have Pizza this afternoon, courtesy of Lieutenant Tom Paris and Lieutenant Harry Kim."

Stunned silence. Tom Paris? Mr. Tight-Wad?

"Can we have real Klingon Pizza with three kinds of cheeses and double Tarq Pepperoni?," I quickly asked. "And sweet blue peppers and those little crispy salted Q'Oronos fishes?"

"Please include the sharp green cheese they obtain from the moon Atram," Annika quickly added. For once she didn't tell me Pizza was invented on Earth. Poor Annika believed all that Federation propaganda. She also would have something to say about the food I ate, I knew. That's all right. We'll have a workout after shift, come home, then have another work-out.

She seems to be making up for twenty years without sex. Often. Always. Every chance she gets. Lucky me.

Funny thing how Tom and Harry didn't look happy. You'd almost think they didn't want to be using their Replicator ration points for us.