Chapter 1

“Most Illogical.”
The young man looked in the direction of the voice, coming to his right. He turned, and saw a young Vulcan female, standing and gazing out the same gigantic port window that he was gazing out of.
He spoke up, to her, saying, “What is illogical?”
She turned, and saw him, and said, without any seeming of expression, “My assignment. They’ve sent me to be First Officer of a ship, and I just graduated Starfleet Academy.”
The young man nodded, saying, “I know. They commissioned me straight to Lieutenant Commander, and I’m so fresh out of the Academy you can still smell the term paper on me.”
She looked at him, almost seeming to be condescending, and said “That would be illogical, since a term paper would have been typed on a PADD, without any olfactory emissions whatsoever.”
It took both of them about a full five seconds for their respective statements to click in each other’s minds, then simultaneously they said “that means that you’re!”
They blinked, and then the human man extended his hand to her, saying “James Racker. I guess that means I’m your captain.”
The Vulcan woman inclined her head to him in response, saying “I am Lieutenant K’reesha. I would appear to be your first officer, Captain.”
The too of them looked out the bay, and James pointed at a small, hunched ship in the far docking bay, saying, “That’s the USS Highwind That is the ship you were assigned to, right?”
K’reesha nodded, saying “indeed, Captain.”
James pulled a PADD out of his duffel bag, and tapped on it, saying, “The orders to report don’t specify when. We may as well board her now then, XO.”
She inclined her head silently in his direction, clearly unused to the term, but said, “You are right sir. Let us board now.”
James led the way to the turbolift, taking it down to the docking hub’s deck, and they followed the signs to the Highwind, which was eventually located by K’reesha.
The two of them walked to the airlock, and James pressed the airlock access pad, which beeped red at him.
K’reesha shook her head, silently, and watched as James tried the button two more times.
“Ok, I give. What’s wrong with the bloody thing?”
K’reesha looked up, saying “It’s in Extended Lockout mode, you need to input the prefix code to enter it. Use the numerical keypad below the access button.”
James shook his head, saying “I – I knew that.” As he looked on the PADD for the prefix numbers.
K’reesha shook her head, mentally reciting some of the tenants of logic to avoid allowing her emotions to rise at the human’s obviously false statement.
“Aha. Here it is. Let me see. One-niner-seven-niner-five,” he said, as he punched in the corresponding numbers.
K’reesha nearly choked at this, and said “Sir, would it not be wise to maintain the secrecy on the prefix numbers?”
James looked at her, turning very red, and said “Oh my..  Well, I doubt anyone will want to steal this old bucket though. It’s a Miranda class, after all. We haven’t manufactured one in over a half-century.”
K’reesha said “doesn’t it then make sense that a ship that could last that long would be a valued vessel?”
James seemed to ponder, and said “well. Ok, I was stupid… I’ll have the prefix code changed in the morning. Let’s stow our gear, find the crew, and board them.”
K’reesha nodded agreement, and together they walked into the ship to take a look around.
James said, “Ok, we’ve got our crew roster here. Let me see…” he looked at the roster, and said “damn.. Small crew, only twenty people. That’ll make boarding them easier I guess. Can you go to the comm station, and ask the base commander to announce Highwind is boarding it’s crew in one hour?”
K’reesha nodded, saying “aye sir.” As she started off towards the bridge.

K’reesha walked into the turbolift, and said “Computer, deck 1.”
The lift coughed once, and stalled, without moving anywhere.
She repeated the command twice, the first time it coughed again, and the second time it merely stood silent.
Her communicator pin beeped, and she tapped it, saying, in a voice that someone familiar with Vulcans would know indicated irritation, “K’reesha.”
“Racker here. Have you found the Bridge yet, XO?”
She sighed, and replied “Negative. The turbolift refuses to operate.”
The sound of a sigh came through the communication pin, in the shape of a Starfleet Delta, and Racker’s voice issued forth again, “Ok. I’ll go see if I can get to Engineering, and see if the problem’s there. Go through the tubes if the lift won’t work.”
She nodded, then caught herself and said “Aye, sir.”
Striding out of the turbolift car, she located the nearest Jeffries Tube access hatch, and pulled it from the wall, crouching to look inside.
The interior of the tube appeared old, and had a thick layer of dust in it. There were also a few cobwebs, and K’reesha hoped the original owner of the web was long dead, as she crawled forward into the tube.
She caught herself muttering “Old… but filthy” as she crawled through the tube, feeling the rust spots under her hands, as she followed the tube to where she believed an access ladder would be that would allow her to traverse up to the Main Bridge.
She was right, as it turned out, and she scaled the ladder, opening a hatch that opened at floor level, in what appeared to be the Bridge. It was nearly totally dark, and being Vulcan, was unable to see much in the low level of light.
Crawling out of the tube, she ordered “Computer, lights.”
A light came on. A single, small light, near the plaque. Everything else was dead.
She walked to the plaque, and looked at it, wiping the dust off of it, and reading the inscription aloud “We few, we very, very few, we family, bold the great ocean of stars we do cross. USS Highwind, Utopia Planatia shipyards, 2280. Where no man has gone before.”
She sighed; it now being 2375, nearly a full century from this ship’s commissioning date.
Her commbadge chirped again, and she tapped it, saying “K’reesha.”
“Racker here. What’s your status XO?”
“I have reached the bridge. However, there is insufficient lighting, and the panels appear dead, sir. I do not believe I will be able to contact the Starbase’s personnel.”
She heard a large thump, and a muffled shout, and said “Captain! What happened?”
She heard a few choice curses, and then Racker said, “I’m ok. Something just fell behind me and startled me. It’s a real mess down here. I’m gonna try and start-up the main energizers. If this doesn’t work, see you in the afterlife. Racker out.”
The comm channel closed, then the ship started to hum, a very low, throbbing sound, as the old starship sputtered to life.
The bridge lights started to come on, slowly at first, dimly, and K’reesha looked around at the consoles.
Then the lights slammed into super-bright overload, which hurt even her Vulcan eyes before her second eyelids closed, dimming the glare to bearable level.
She tapped her communicator, and said “K’reesha to Racker.”
Then her Captains voice came forth again “Racker here. It’s alive!”
Ignoring the illogical statement, she said “Indeed. And the bridge lights appear to be overloaded. Can you check the power relay?”
She heard the sound of a console being operated, and he said “ummm. The console says it’s sending the power that was demanded. Maybe try dimming it from your location?”
K’reesha nodded, saying “Affirmative. Computer, dim lights twenty percent.”
Then the room was slammed into pitch-blackness.
“Captain, I think the computer may be malfunctioning. It’s now shut off all lights in the bridge.”
She heard an exasperated sigh over the comm line, and Racker replied “Most likely. I don’t think she’s been used or even maintenanced in over twenty years.”
She nodded again, saying “Probably not, sir.”
She heard the sound of a console being operated, and the captain’s voice issued forth again “Ok, try it now. I’ve instructed it to block 50% of requested power to the Bridge lighting.”
She nodded, saying “Computer, activate lights.”
The lights swam on, somewhat dimmer than 50%, but tolerable, and she said, “The lighting will suffice for now. Shall I call Starbase 1 maintenance and repair?”
Racker’s voice swam out again, saying “hmmm. No, I think this is a test. We’ll fix it ourselves, once the crew arrives. But we’ll be requisitioning everything we need from SB1’s stockpiles.
K’reesha nodded, saying “Aye, sir. I’ll attempt to contact Starbase 1’s command center and send the call to report.
She tapped her badge, ending the comm line, and walked to the communication console, wiping dust off of it, and powering it up, setting it for 559 GHz, the station’s command frequency.
“USS Highwind calling Starbase 1 command. Do you read?”
A burst of static, and someone said, “We read you Highwind, but your very faint.”
She said into the Mic “That is unavoidable, Starbase 1. You are hereby requested to announce that all Highwind crewpersons are to report to duty stations in.” she check a chronometer, and continued “one half-hour.”
The same voice as before, through a burst of static, said “Affirmative Highwind. Highwind crewpersons to duty stations minus one-half-hour. We will announce. Starbase1, out.”
She said, although she knew they weren’t listening, “Affirmative Starbase 1. Highwind out.” And turned off the Mic, reset the channels to 1 GHz and 2 GHz.
She then tapped her commbadge, and said “K’reesha to Racker. Starbase 1 is announcing now, crewpersons to report to duty stations in thirty minutes.
She heard Racker’s voice again, saying “Affirmative XO. What’s the status of the bridge?”
She paused, and said “Permission to speak frankly, sir?”
Racker said, “I don’t have it any other way. What’s it like?”
She sighed, almost audibly, and said “Old, yet filthy, sir. It’s going to need major maintenance on all systems, and a thorough cleaning, and I suspect that the rest of the ship is in like status, sir.”
She heard a sigh from the commbadge, and Racker’s voice saying “From what I’ve seen, your assessment is absolutely correct. And only twenty people to do it with, including us. Well, lets get started, see if you can access the diagnostic and run it from the bridge on the computer core.”
She said “Aye sir, K’reesha out.”
She tapped on the commbadge, and then walked to the Engineering tie-in, and tried to run a level 5 diagnostic.
It gave her an error message she had only read about: <<ALERT! DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED! REPLACE IMMIDEATELY>>
She sighed, audibly this time, and tapped her commbadge, saying “K’reesha to Racker, sir.”
She heard from it, again “Racker here.”
She said, “It can’t do a diagnostic. It says all diagnostic systems damaged or destroyed. This ship is in need of a refit, not just a repair.”
She heard a sigh, and Racker’s voice said, “I hear you XO. The equipment in this engine room was old about the time Captain Kirk took command of the Enterprise-A. It’s practically a museum piece now.”
She said “Affirmative, sir. Same state with the equipment up here. It’s so old I can barely operate it.”
From the commbadge, she got a chuckle, and the reply “Agreed. We need to get a major overhaul for this ship, not just maintenance. We’ll get the stuff delivered, and put it in ourselves. A DIY job.”
She puzzled, and said “DIY, sir?”
“Do It Yourself, XO. Well, see what you CAN do with what you’ve got up there, and then report back to the airlock… But I wouldn’t trust the lift, if I were you. Out.”
The comm line went dead, and she sighed “Aye sir.”

James looked around his ancient engine room, at the ancient consoles, the ancient safety webbing, the ancient safety bulkheads, and the ancient.
“Wait a minute. That’s not right.”
He looked closer at the M/ARA that dominated the rear of the small ship’s engine room.
“This thing looks. New. No, newER. Like it was put in here awhile back, but not when the ship was made, and it’s been awhile since then. Say, around 2345. Not state of the art, but much better than 2280.”
He muttered, and left the Main Engineering compartment, heading towards the lift, to receive the crew.
About the time he arrived in front of the airlock, he saw K’reesha crawling out of the Jeffries Tube hatch.
He offered her a hand up, which she looked at for a second, and took, letting him pull her to her feet, and trying halfheartedly to dust off her uniform.
“This ship should be scrapped.”
He looked at her, and said “Now, why do you say that?”
She looked at him, and if didn’t know better, would have sworn there was blazing fire in her eyes. She said “The computer core is either damaged or not there altogether, most of the systems don’t work properly, the turbolift is a safety hazard, and the equipment is practically ancient in any event. If we flew in this thing today, the poorest of pirates would be our match in combat, and he’d more likely have the upper hand than us. I checked the weapons readout, and we’re still on the pulse-type phasers, it hasn’t even upgraded to beams yet. And forget about photon torpedoes, there’s absolutely nothing in our upper pod. We’d need three months to bring this ship up to modern working order, and that with help from the shipfitters.”
James nodded, saying, “In that case, we’re going to take a month and fix the thing. I’m not going to refuse our orders to bring the ship up to shape.”
K’reesha looked at him, as if he were crazy, but she said “Aye, sir.” And stood at his side, as the first of the crewpersons entered the outer airlock…
The airlock cycled doors, and a young Caitian female, all graceful curves, small in hip and breast, but exceedingly attractive, in a Starfleet uniform jumpsuit, modified with a hole for her tail, which swished wildly behind her.
She walked up to him, and said “Lieutenant Merna, reporting for duty, sir.”
He extended his hand, which she took gently, without scratching his hand with her claws, and he said “Let me guess, communications?”
She shook her head, and said “No sir, Engineering. I guess I’m your new Chief Engineer.”
He nodded, and said, “Then you’ve got the lions share of the work, I think. Welcome to the assignment from hell, Lt. Look at your engine room, and you’ll soon know why.”
She giggled a bit, surprisingly human-like, and he realized she wasn’t using a translator, but rather had spoken English fluently. She said “Yes, sir. I’ll go look at it now, if you like.”
He nodded, saying “Dismissed.”
Lt. Merna walked down the corridor, towards Engineering, and K’reesha looked at him, saying, “Why do you say this is the assignment from hell, sir?”
“Well, XO, can you think of a worse assignment? We’ve got an ancient starship we need to whip back into shape, and we’re only twenty strong, barring AWOLS and MSMs, and this ship’s normal compliment is seventy. We only beat the Minimum crew requirement by 5, and don’t even compromise a full Skeleton crew. And we’ve got a job that the full seventy would find daunting. Topping that off, we’re all fresh out of the academy, from what I read on this PADD. What would you refer to it as?”
She looked up and down the corridor, her eyes resting warily for a split second on the turbolift doors, and a spark flew out of the call panel.
She looked back at him, and said, “Your assessment would appear to be… Accurate, sir.”
James smiled, and said, “Frankly, I’m afraid to look in the shuttlebay, afraid that the shuttle in there will be older than the one they let my grandfather keep on his retirement from Starfleet.”
She merely looked on, silently, as another crewman entered the airlock.
He was a young Bajoran man, and he cleared the airlock’s inner doors, stepped up to James, and asked “Are you the captain of this rustbucket? In a soft voice that might easily overlooked.
James nodded, and said, “Yes, I am. And you’d be our new…”
He nodded, and said “Communications officer, sir. Are you sure this is a real Starfleet ship, not a project, or a museum exhibit, sir?”
James laughed, and said “’Fraid so. What’s your name?”
The man said, “I’m Kren sir. Lt. Jg. Kren Yero, sir.”
Jason nodded, and said, “Welcome aboard, Lt. Kren. If your communications, you won’t have much to do until we get a new comm system and a new computer core. Go see if you can make yourself useful in engineering, maybe getting our new Chief Engineer out of the comatose state that I suspect she’ll be in.
The young man looked puzzled at that proclamation, but went in the direction indicated.
A third crewperson, an Andorian female, walked through the airlock, and walked up to him.
He extended his hand, saying “let me guess, science?”
She giggled a bit, and said “No, sir. Tactical. Lt. Mara Nersona reporting for duty, sir.”
James snorted, saying “good luck. First we have to upgrade the weapons systems to something you might be familiar with, Lt. we’re still on pulse-style phasers, and no photon torpedoes. “
She considered this, and said, brightly, “If this ship’s as old as that, we may even have a missile launcher. I’ll go see, I’ve heard that in addition to Photon Torps, those can make a small ship have a big bite.”
She scampered off towards the lift, when K’reesha stopped her, saying “Lt. We’ve got a problem with the lifts. You’ll have to take the tubes and ladder.” She pointed towards the Jeffries tube, which was still open from when K’reesha crawled out of it, and said, “First ladder, second junction you come to. Go up.”
Lt. Nersona nodded, and crawled gamely into the hole, and when James felt (correctly,) that she was out of earshot, he muttered “It’s the crew from hell.”
K’reesha looked at him, and said “Sir, that is I believe unfair to the crew. They are very new, and so are we.”
James nodded, and said, “I was making a little joke, XO.”
She looked at him, and said, deadpan, “Very little, sir.”
James sighed, and, as the next crewperson entered the door, said, in an oddly cheerful voice, “And who’s our next contestant?”
His next contestant, it turned out, was another young Vulcan, also a female.
She walked up to the captain, and said “So, you’d be the cap’in then? Ensign Meona, your new navigation officer, cap.”
This proclamation stunned James speechless and K’reesha had a look on her face that one familiar with Vulcans would describe as pure horror.
Then Ensign Meona giggled, and as K’reesha looked about to fall unconscious with utter incredulity, when the girl’s body started to shimmer, and her features shifted, subtly, but definitely, turning into a human girl.
She giggled, saying “I’m a Chameloid, sir.”
James and K’reesha stood speechless for a full twenty seconds after that, before James managed to get out “errrr, uhh, that is…. Well, report to Engineering, see if you can make yourself useful. The ship’s systems are in need of complete refit, and we’ve been stuck with the job. I except by now, our chief engineer is throwing a completely psychopathic fit, and shredding everything she can lay claws on.”
Meona giggled, and strode towards the engineering section, as K’reesha regained her composure enough to say “That is an… odd person, sir.”
James replied back “Indeed. I wonder why she’s here?”
K’reesha nodded, saying, “I would guess for the same reason we are, to explore.”
James nodded, silently, as the next person strode forth, a tall, slender, almost wispy woman, with a bald head. James couldn’t tell if it was a human who wore her hair without, or a Deltan. He received the answer as she cleared the airlock, a nearly electrical sensation playing havoc on his system.
He maintained rigid control of his body, as her pheromones worked over his nervous system, and she smiled, doing nothing to help his self-control, as she said “Lt. Jg. Harla, reporting, sir. Your new Security officer.”
He said, after a second to keep himself together, “Very well, Lt. I’d like you to report to engineering, you may have to put down a one-Caitian riot by now. I think our Chief Engineer is upset at the state of her engine room.”
Harla gave him a puzzled look, but strode off towards engineering, dutifully. James was unable to prevent himself from watching her rear sway as she strode down the corridor, until she was out of sight around a curve, and he sighed, saying, “I feel sorry for Kren.”
K’reesha replied “If, as you say, Lt. Merna is on a riot, were I you, which I am not… I believe I might expend my worrying on Lt. Merna. Deltans are famed for sexual prowess, but oft neglected to be mentioned are the prowess and passion with which they go about other tasks. Did you know that the five major hand to hand sporting event titles are all held by Deltans? As well as three of the four shooting event titles?”
James looked at her, saying “I… Was unaware of that, XO. Thank you.”
K’reesha looked at him, saying, “I believe that Lt. Harla will perform her duty well, sir.”
Nodding, James replied “You’re probably right…”
 

Chapter 2

As it turned out, the Captain was almost right.
Lt. Merna was in a near-comatose state when Lt. Kren showed up, and she was close, but not quite to the point of a riot when Lt. Harla showed up.
She sighed, while her two new shipmates flanked her, in total exasperation.
She felt a hand on her right shoulder, where Lt. Harla was standing, and she heard Harla's sweet voice saying "Cheer up. It could be worse."
She snarled, a cat-like sound emitting from her throat, and she said "How could it possibly be worse, Lt.?"
She heard a snicker, and Harla's voice saying "We could have to actualy USE this old heap. As it is, we just have to tear it all out and put in new equipment."
She snarled, and said again, "This thing's a relic from Starfleet's past. It should be sent to the shipcrushers, not refitted. And only twenty cadets to do it with?!"
Harla's snicker came forth again, and Merna whirled to face her, as Harla said "Yes, it IS a relic. We should honor our past. Which is why I'm going to rummage in the armory for some older style hand phasers and phaser rifles before we throw them all out to the museum or to the scrappers."
Merna sighed, then agreed by saying, "Yeah. Lets go look over the quarters. Since theres alot less of us than the ship holds, we should be able to knock down some bulkheads and turn a couple of the box-size two man bunk rooms into one piddling-sized quarters for one."
The two turned, and started off down the corridor, passing Lt. Kren, who was standing, almost trance-like, his eyes fixed on Harla.
As the two of them passed, Merna said "Whats wrong with him?"
Harla shrugged, and said "No idea."
 

Meona passed the Caitian and Deltan females on the way to Engineering, and nodded to them, as she walked towards Engineering, where she found Kren just coming out of his comatose state.
"Ahh, you'd be our Chief Engineer then?"
Kren looked at the small, attractive human woman he was confronted with, and said "N-no, I'm the Communications officer. The Caitian girl's our Engineer."
Meona nodded, saying "I passed them on the way here. What are you doing?"
Kren said "I... Dont know. I just stared at that bald girl for the whole time she was here. Almost as if I couldent do anything else."
This clicked in Meona's head, and she said "Oh, she's Deltan. I felt her pheromones, but they didnt effect me as much."
Kren said "Because your a female?"
She giggled, and said "No, because I'm a Chameloid."
To prove this to the oddly-stricken Bajoran, her features started to shift, untill he was confronted with a stunning Bajoran girl.
This all proved to be a bit too much for Kren, who seemd to go stock-still, then fell backwards, totaly fainted.
Meona looked at him as if he were strange, then picked him up, setting off down the corridor to find the sickbay.

James stood near the airlock, idly chatting with K'reesha about what would be nessessary to bring the ship up to speed, when he saw a young Bajoran female stride down the corridor, Lt. Kren over her shoulder in a Fireman's carry, apparently unconsious.
James, startled by this, said "Who are you? How the hell did you get onboard this ship without me seeing you?"
The Bajoran girl made a familar giggle, and she said "Meona, sir. I think the Lt. here fainted, so I'm taking him to the sickbay. Do we have a CMO yet?"
James shook his head negative, and said "No, but when we get one, I'll send him or her down to the sickbay. Hopefully he or she will have a medkit."
Meona nodded, and said "The sickbay's a level below us, right?"
This got a nod from K'reesha, who said "Affirmative, Lt."
Meona nodded, saying "Oh joy, I get to haul this dead weight through a Jeffries tube. Thank you, sirs."
They nodded, as she shoved the Bajoran boy none-too-ceromoniously into the tube's hatch, and crawled in after him, shoving him along the tube.
Arriving at the ladder, she puzzled for a second, then started to shift into a tall, strong Nassucian girl, so she could hold him with one arm, while climbing down the ladder.

Kren woke up, to find himself being lowered down a ladder. He looked up, and saw a giant, burly, dangerous-looking Nassucian female in a Starfleet uniform holding him with one hand and climbing down a ladder with the other.
His scream was reported to echo all the way back to the Neutral Zone lounge on Starbase 1.

When Kren woke up again, he found himself laying on a bed, with a familar, heavenly Bajoran female leaning over him.
"Are you ok?"
He moaned, and said "I... Guess so. Where's that m-m-monster?"
She giggled, and said "Monster? Oh, you mean the Naussican. I had to turn into a Naussican in order to haul you down the ladder. I hope I didnt scare you too badly."
"N...no.. I just... Was startled, that's all."
She giggled, and leaned closer to him, saying "Well, you appear to be fine."
He nodded, and said "Y-yeah... Jus. Just WARN me if your going to do that... thing you do."
She giggled, and said "Ok. Whats your name, by the way?"
He said "Kren. Lt. Jg. Kren Yero. Whats yours?"
She giggled, apparently she liked doing that, and said "Ensign Meona, sir."
He looked puzzled, and said "Funny. You dont ACT like an Ensign."
She said "Whatever do you mean, sir?"
He chuckled, and said "You.. I mean... I just assumed you outranked me... You act like it."
She smiled, saying "How do I act?"
He sighed, and shook his head, "Nevermind. Oh well. Where are we?"
She said "I tried to take you to the sickbay, but I couldent force the door open, not even with my strongest change, so I brought you here. I think these are crew quarters, judging from the size and the bunks."
He tried to slide off of the bunk... And fell to the floor in an undignified heap, with a squak, taking Meona with him, with a yelp.
He looked up from a tangle of limbs and body into Meona's face, hovering above his, looking at him with intense concentration.
"Errr. What are you... doing?"
She looked at him, with a fire in her eyes, and she said "I'm trying to decide wether I have to hurt you or kiss you, sir."
He gulped, and she reared back, and said "I've decided."
He closed his eyes, bracing for a pummeling, and was totaly unprepared when he felt her lips on his, firey and hot, sucking and kissing on his lips.
His eyes flew open, as she broke from him, and stood, giving him a seductive smile, and licking her lips suggestivly.
"Ahhh.... I.... Errrrr... Ahhhhh."
She giggled, and said "For a communications officer, you sure have a way with words."
He started to flush beet red, as she bent, and ran her hand over his face, and the ridges on his nose and brow.
She smiled, as his hand raised and stroked her in the same place, as she straddled his chest and started to tickle his neck.
It was his turn to giggle, and he did, saying "your.. hehehehehehe... very... hahahahahahahahaa.. Nice.."
She bent over him, kissing his right ear, and said, at a near whisper "Would you like to find out just how naughty I can be?"
His eyes almost bulged, as she kissed him on the mouth again, her hands working under his uniform.
 

James was talking to K'reesha, as they toured Deck 2, where the airlock was. The state of the ship was best described as 'old,' as all of the systems in it likewise.
As they were talking about how best to go about requisitioning spare parts, Meona and Kren crawled out of the tube, looking quite disheviled, standing up.
James looked them up and down, once, and decided against saying anything, merely waving them on their bisuness, which was down the corridor.
"As I was saying captain, if we can secure a supply of missles, it would give us a distinct tactical advantage. As missles are not common in this day, we would have the element of suprise."
James considered, and said "Yes, but where are we going to get missles that would do anything to modern shields or hull? Starfleet stopped issuing missles about eighty years ago."
K'reesha pondered that for a bit, and said "I shall.. look into it, captain."
James nodded, and said "Very well, XO. I'm going to go bother the shipfitters untill they give us the equipment to turn this hunk of junk into somthing we can be proud to fly."
 

James stood on the bridge of the Highwind, three days later.
It was devoid of everything except the captians chair, and wires hung from the forward bulkhead where the viewscreen once was, and from the celing, and protruded from the floor and walls.
He held in his hands the bridge plaque, which he was going to store untill the restoration was complete.
He looked up at the dome, which had the duraplast clear sheets, and as he pulled himself up to look out over the hull of his ship, he finaly felt a sense of it being *his.*
He saw the spacesuited Deltan, and a person piloting a workbee, installing modern, recognizable bank-style phaser. They old phaser bank, under the saucer, had been converted to the sensor suite, and the pod enlarged and made the photon torpedo and (he hoped) missle bay.
He had read the logs of the older fights that used both the old torps and the missles, and he liked what he had read.
As he walked towards the lift's gaping doors, sans lift car, he grinned, thinking that the ladder worked much better than the lift ever did.
As he climbed down a level to the airlock's deck, he grinned, hoping the turbolift car didnt get installed for awhile, so they could still have the ladder.
As he walked through the corridor, passing a crewman who was ensconsed in a suit, and carrying a console that obscured his or her face, and towards the airlock.
There, Kren was struggling with a very large transciver array, when a Naussican?! female in a starfleet uniform walked up behind him and lifted it in one hand.
She saw his puzzled look, grinned, and a very harsh, yet femine voice said "Meona, sir."
James shook his head, saying "Ohhh, carry on..."
As the two of them dissapeared towards the ladder, presumably to haul the console to the bridge for installation.
Exitting the airlock into the docking hub of Starbase1, he saw Merna directing some men and women  in yellow overalls of various species hauling a lot of equipment towards the ship.
He chuckled, stepping out of the way, as she performed the ages-old dance of a crew leader getting the men to crack too, snapping one who stepped out of line with her tail upside his face.
He shook his head, saying "either we'll be refit in record time, or she'll break the dockworker's backs and wills. My bet's on the break."
Walking toward the turbolift so he could have a talk with the base commander, he observed Lt. Nersona talking with someone in an SFA staff uniform.
He thought about listening in, but decided against it, walking into the lift and ordering it to take him to the command deck..
The turbolift stopped once, to admit a middling-aged vulcan woman, he'd guess about 120 in Earth years. She was wearing the pips of a Starfleet Captain.
She nodded to him, saying softly, "Lieutenant."
He nodded back, saying "Captain."
The turbolift reached the command deck again, and they stepped out onto the command deck, where the Vulcan lady met a human man of old age, although he was younger than she.
She nodded to him, saying "Greetings, Cadet."
Since the man was wearing the pips of a Captain, James assumed the vulcan woman had been the man's interm captain, as he chortled, and responded "Welcome back Captain Grey. I hope all went well..."
The woman nodded, saying "Indeed. And I trust you are well."
The old man chuckled, and said "Yeah, I'm fine sir. How's my grandson?"
As the two walked away, James caught a hint of the words "He is... ... ... well."
The two walked off, in lockstep, as the person he wanted to see stepped out of the doorway.
James saw him, and said "Ahhh, Commodore. I've requested replacement naccelles, why havent we gotten them? We're still using the model that has the orange balls on the end."
The old human chortled, saying "calm down, calm down. You are a firebrand, Lt. Commander. We're working on having some suitable naccelles hauled from the junkyard of more modern ships. We dont make naccelles to fit Miranda-class ships any more, and we have to get some old, but not as old replacements... Just be patient. Unless you'd like to volunteer to be the test ship for a pair of experimenal naccelles made for a Miranda-sized hull.."
James said "hmmm... Ok. Thats better than waiting."
The commodore looked as if he'd been purly bluffing when he'd said that, and James illuminated, "My crew have been working like demons, we all want to get out there. The Chief Engineer allready has a team in Engineering, with more equipment than I thought could be fit into a Miranda's Engineering section. The Tactical is installing new phasers and weapons. We've gotten nearly our full crew, save the science officer, whom it turns out was killed on his way to SB1. The only two things that are possibly going to delay our ship's relaunching are those naccelles, and the Science officer."
The old man shook his head, saying "Dont be in a rush to die, son... But if you truly want to use those test naccelles... I can have it done."
James nodded vehemantly, and said "Of course I do. We're almost ready to go by now."
The old commodore sighed, saying "Allright... But dont blame me if somthing bad happens."
James said "Of course not, sir. Blame would fall on me."
The old commodore sighed, saying "Very well... they Naccelles will be delivered and installed by weeks end."
James said thank you, shook the man's hand, and left.

Chapter 3

Jason stood in the corridor in front of his airlock.
His airlock... He felt quite proud.
His ship, USS Highwind, was in ship-shape, only a few days late of the Friday he had mentioned to the commodore.
The last two of his crew scheduled to board, the CMO and the new Science officer, were scheduled to report within the hour.
His crew was ready to go, and some close personal bonds had begun to form among the members allready.
He often found himself trying to resist urges to look sidelong at K'reesha, for reasons he was afraid of. But that was sidetracking him from the issue at hand; the Highwind's imminant launch.
The new CMO and Science officer strode in together: a male Human, he looked to be around 22, and a female Orion, of all species to find in starfleet.
The female Orion  pushed her way past him, and strode up to Jason, saying "Your the Captain, then?"
James felt a bit put off by her attitude, but nodded, saying "Yes, I am, uhhh," he glanced at her pips, "Lt. Jg. What's your name?"
She snorted, saying "My name's Mora, sir. An' doncha forget it, cause you'll be thanking me when this rustbucket puts you in my sickbay."
James blinked at this, and said "Errr.. Report to sickbay, then, Lt."
She nodded, saying "Righty-o, sir," and striding down to the turbolift.
The Human male who was with her shook his head, saying "Sir, can you forgive Lt. Mora? She's a bit brash, but she knows her medicine and anatomy better than anyone in Starfleet. She scored a perfect in Starfleet Medical, which has never been done before."
James looked at the man speaking to him, who looked to be just a bit younger than himself, and said "I guess... But where did she learn to speak like that, err," a glance at his pips, "Ensign?"
He snorted, saying "I honestly dont know, sir. I'm Ensign Conner O'Mally, your new science officer, sir."
James nodded, and said "Very well, get to the bridge."
As O'Mally walked to the turbolift, James thought to himself "Funny, he dosent SOUND Irish."
Shaking his head and turning to the turbolift, after the ceremony of locking the airlock, James shook his head again, stepping into the lift, while saying "It takes all kinds.. computer, deck 1, bridge."
The lift beeped, saying, in the newer Federation Computer tones "Affirmative, deck 1."

As the turbolift stopped moving he sighed, straightened his uniform, and strode out onto his bridge, now fully staffed.
As Ensign Meona stood from her nav console, saying "Captain on the bridge!" He was allready waving her down, saying "As you all were."
Taking his seat, with K'reesha sitting in the seat next to his, on the left, he said "XO, check ship's readiness."
She nodded, touching the intercom to Engineering, saying, "All stations, report in!"
Lt. Nersona was the first to answer, saying "Tactical, all systems are green."
Following her was Lt. Jg. Kren, saying "Communications, all systems go."
Next came Ensign Meona, who was using the guise of a Saurian female that day, saying "Navigation, everything's good sir."
Lt. Merna's dulcet, purring tone issued forth from the speaker, somehow managing to not get mangled in the intercom, saying "Engineering, everything is holding together, sir."
Ensign O'mally spoke up next, saying "Sciences, all systems are good."
Lt. Harla's seductive tone issued from behind James, saying "Security team reports ready, and internal scanners are operative, sir."
The intercom flicked again, indicating that someone had initiated the contact from elsewhere, and Lt. Jg Mora's tones issued forth, stating "Sickbay here. It's a bit of a mess, but I'll be able to treat anything you come across, sir."
Lt. K'reesha turned to him, saying "Sir, all stations report ready. Shall we depart? Starbase 1 signals that we have the next departing spacelane, for the next ten minutes."
James nodded to her, saying "Take her out, Ensign Meona. One quarter Impulse power."
Meona looked up at him, nearly aghast, saying "Sir, Starbase regs specificaly prohibit the use of any propulsion above thrusters inside the bay."
James nodded, saying "So they do, Ensign. One quarter Impulse, if you please."
Meona gulped, saying "Aye sir... One quarter Impulse.."
Letting the comment hang in the air, as if to say "It be on your head," Meona manipulated his controls, the ship disengaging from the Starbase, and floated out to the center of the mighty bay, and started to jet forward at a speed deemed far to unsafe for usage near a dock.
Clearing the dock's doors, Meona let out a yelp, and punched madly at her console, as a very large block of blue hull drifted into their view, and slid down, as the Highwind barly managed to pull up, skimming the frieghter's hull.
Kren winced, and manipulated his controls, saying "Sir, Starbase 1. I think their yelling somthing along the lines of "That is why we have speed regulations near dock. I've deleted several unnessessary, and quite colorful, explitives from the quote, sir."
James snickered under his breath, saying "Oh well. Ensign Meona, set course for... Mmmm, Vulcan."
Meona nodded, saying "err, Aye, sir. course to Vulcan laid in, what speed?"
James furrowed his brows, saying "What's our maximum speed, Ensign?"
Meona said, without looking down "Warp 7.5, sir. These new nacelles are a dream. Provided they dont scatter our atoms throughout the cosmos."
James shook his head, saying "Very well. Warp 6, Ensign. Engage."
Meona touched two buttons on her console, and the stars on the screen streaked towards them, and past them, as the Highwind lept into Warp Drive, for the first time in over a half-decade.
Meona looked down from where her eyes had been closed, at the console, which read all systems stable.
She let breath escape, in time with everyone else on the bridge save K'reesha, and said "Sir. The new nacelles are holding, sir."
James nodded, saying "Very well Ensign."

James allowed his mind to wander, as the ship streaked through the stars.
His mind wandered not far however, in fact it settled on the person on his immideate left, Lt. K'Reesha.
James allowed his mind to wander places it oughtent've, because he had no real control over it, into very intimate and personal places.
Untill, that is, he was brought out of his lark by O'Mally's voice, saying "Captain! I have a contact on long-range sensors!"
James looked at the screen, saying "What is it, Science?"
O'Mally said "It's at the extreme of our longrange, but sensors classify it as a.... Heavy Crusier, sir.. Sending Friend or Foe message.."
O'Mally looked at his console, pressed it twice more, and said "Sir.. err, their not ours."
James furrowed his brows, and said "Explain that, Ensign."
O'Mally gulped, and said "Sir, I mean that I recived no acknolwdgement of the Friend or Foe hail. They ignored it, and keep coming towards us. No UFP, Allied, Neutral, or Starfleet response to the Friend of Foe, sir."
James scratched his head, saying "Well, who are they, then?"
O'Mally touched his keyboard, saying "Sir. I cant identify for certain, as the vessel dosent quite match anything in the database..... The computer says theres about an eighty-five percent chance it's Orions."
James said "an Orion Heavy Crusier? What are they doing here?"
O'Mally shook his head, saying "It's not a legit Orion ship. An official Orion Government ship would have responded to the Friend or Foe hail."
James gulped, saying "Then that would mean that they're..."
O'Mally nodded, saying "I thought the same thing, sir. Pirates."

Chapter 4

O'Mally's console beeped, and he said "Sir, another contact! She's in front of the Orion, and she's running. I think it's a freighter, or passenger transport. She appears to be damaged.
James swore softly, crossing out the mental option of running for Vulcan, and said "Allright. Kren, signal the Orion ship to come to a halt and prepare for inspection."
Kren gulped, but said "Aye, sir, message transmitted... No response yet."
Kren said "Sir. I've got a response, but I think the rough translation from Orion is "Go fornicate yourself."
James snorted in laughter, and said "Ok Mr. Kren, send another message to them, tell them to stand down or we will attack."
Kren nodded, saying "Message transmitted."
James nodded, saying "Good. Let's hear their answer."
Lt. Kren interpreted this literaly, and turned on the speaker, to loud, boisterous laughter.
James sighed, saying "Turn the mic on."
Kren did as instructed, as everyone quieted up from a subtle buzz, and James said "This is Captain Racker, of the USS Highwind. You are instructed, as per Federation Law, to stand down from warp drive, and power off all systems, pending formal boarding and inspection. Failure to comply will result in being attacked."
A laugh issued from the speaker, which abruptly squealed and switched itself off. Kren said "They stopped transmitting, sir."
James sighed, saying "Lt. Kren, signal distress to any nearby Starfleet ships that a pirate is attacking a civilian ship, his strength is superior, and we are engaging."
Kren nodded, as James said "Navigation, plot intercept course, and Tactical, power all weapons."
Lt Mersona and Ensign Meona made statements to the affirmative, while K'reesha said, for the computer "Red Alert! All hands to battlestations!"
As the runner lights all flicked to blinking red, the computer's new voice echoed throughout the ship, saying "RED ALERT! All hands Battlestations, all hands  Battlestations!"
James said "Navigation, engage intercept course, maximum warp!"
Meona, maintaining amazing cool, said "Aye sir, engaging."
The stars on the screen changed course, and lept towards them at once.
Meona furrowed her brows at her console, saying "Sir, I only have warp 6.5. We dont have maximum."
Muttering about bedamned test equipment, James spoke "Engineering, whats happening down there?"
Merna's voice, through the intercom, said "We've got a problem in the new nacelles. 6.5 is the very best I can give you for now."
James sighed, saying "Do we have power for weapons?"
A hiss of rage issued forth from the speaker, and a crewman's startled yelp, and she said "Aye sir! We have full weapons and shields!"
James nodded to himself, saying "good. And Lt... Try not to shred the rest of the crew. Bridge out."
Kren snickered, then looked at his console, saying "Sir! A Starfleet vessel has responded to our distress signal, they are eighteen light-years away. They say that they will intercept us, and the pirates, in twenty minutes. And sir, it is the Enterprise!"
James wiped his brow, and said "Thats a relief. Signal Enterprise that their assistance will be appreciated, and to hurry it up."
Kren nodded, saying "Message sent."
Then all hell broke loose, and the ship rocked with slam of a photon torpedo into their foreward shields.
Mara yelped slightly, saying "Forward shields down to 93%, sir, and the Orion is in range. Shall I return fire?"
James nodded, saying "Fire at will, all weapons!"
The ship jolted as deadly beams lanced from the saucer's phaser banks, and as the photon torpedo launchers both fired, in time with the six missles from the rack.
Mara's voice, from behind him, said "Sir, all phasers have hit, the Orion's fore shields are down to 95%, and all torpedos missed. All missles are still closing."
The ship jolted again, as the Orion's phasers hit, and Mara said "Sir, they fired phasers, our fore-starboard shields are down to 94%, and their torpedos missed. Our missles are closing! The Orion got three in a tractor beam, and shot one down, but two have impacted on their fore-port shield, which is now down to 83%!"
James let out air, saying "Nasty things. Let's hope the Enterprise gets here before we get toasted though. Navigation, keep them on our bow untill fore shields are down to less than one-quarter. And try and stay keep on their aft."
Meona nodded affirmative, as she punched her console with the furious, steady and accurate grace Saurians are noted for, and the Orion ship's aft swung into view.
Then James winced, as he watched a wierd orange blast hit them, repeatedly, shaking the ship up.
"What the hell was that?!"
Suprised to hear this from his Vulcan XO, James was about to say somthing, when Mara beat him to the punch, saying "That was a weapon that the database dosent recognize. It appears to be specialy designed to hurt shields, and it hurt the fore-starboard the most, which is down to 50%. The other shields are all down at 89%.
James growled low in his throat, and nearly-shouted "Return fire! All weapons!"
The phasers fired from 'below' the screen, striking the Orion's aft shield, which buckled unusualy, and the red photon torpedos impacted, from 'above' the screen, taking the Orion's aft shield down. The missles, much slower but more powerful than the torpedos, fought their way to the Orion on the screen.
Mara said "The Orion's lost her aft shield, sir! I think their emitter must have been damaged earlier... Or their aft shield just isent very strong to begin with. Missiles closing."
James nodded, saying "Good. Sensors, see if you can use your equipment to generate some ECM. Anything to give us an edge."
O'Mally said "Aye, sir. I think I can jam their targetting abit, so they cant precision fire. It'll take a minute to reach full power, sir."
James nodded, and was starting to say "good," when the Orion ship swung to port, blasting them with seven phasers at once.
As he fell out of his seat, James still managed to rattle an order off "Navigation, keep us away from their starboard. Dont let them discharge their remaining weapons at us!"
Meona stabbed at the console, as the Orion ship fought to turn it's Starboard guns to the Highwind, the smaller ship managed to stay just out of the firing arc, as Mara said "Sir! the missiles have all impacted on the Orion's far side!"
A flash on the screen showed the impact.
Mara said, "Sir, their starboard side got hammered! the shields are down to 20%, and they seem to have lost function to that strange weapon they hit us with!"
James nodded, saying "Good! we may yet survive."
Then all hell broke out again, as the Orion got them in it's forward arc, and twenty phasers hammered the Highwind.
Having just gotten back into his seat, James wasen't thrown again, but K'reesha was. Mara reported "Sir, they do appear to have lost some phaser functionality, that hit only took our forward shields down to 60%!"
James gulped, saying "Thats about 30% lower than they should be. Fire all weapons!"
As the Highwind's beams stabbed at the Orion, Mara reported that the photon torpedos and Missiles were still being reloaded. James gulped, as the Orion blasted them with another wierd weapon, which knocked the ship around a lot.
"Captain, forward shields are... Down, sir."
James swore, as the Orion swung back at them, apparently about to fire. Then they did fire... And a Sovreign class starship swooped between the Highwind and the Orion, taking the hit on her port.
Kren whooped, as he said "Sir! Enterprise signals her arrival!"
James thought for a brief second about saying somthing to the lines of captain of the obvious club, but ignored it, as Enterprise blasted the Orion, which was now rapidly trying to run, with her down shields to the Highwind.
James grinned vilely, and said "Tactical, fire all weapons!"
Mara's voice, tinted with what some might have titled the glee of the hunt, responded, saying "All weapons fired, sir!"
James watched as the phasers and torpedos landed direct hits on the Orion's unshielded aft, in time with Enterprise's fire at the same time, nearly destroying the ship.
James watched the missiles flying at the now-stalled ship, impacting, and blasting the ship into about a billion pieces.

*******

Wiping his brow off, James said "give me a casulty report!"
Kren looked up from his console, and said "Sickbay reports only one casualty."
James looked up at him, and said "Is that casualty as in an injury, or casualty as in a fatality?"
Kren sighed, closing his eyes, saying "Fatality, sir."
Closing his eyes, James settled back into the chair. It didnt seem quite as warm and inviting as it had when they left SB1, now...

*******

James stood above the casket, in the torpedo half of the weapons pod. He, and the rest of the crew that would fit in the chamber, were in dress uniform.
Standing to his right, K'reesha stood in sollem silence, and at his left, Merna had a look of anger on her feline face.
James blinked, and looked at the small PADD in his hands, and started to speak "Ensign Muntz was a good crewman. He never reported late for duty, and was often early. He took the bulk of the work without complaint, often finishing what tasks were assigned to him ahead of schedule, and going on to aid his crewmates with their assignments... He gave his life, freely, during combat with what are presumed to be Orion Pirates, by rushing into the missle bay to make a vital repair, a repair that his Chief Engineer had told him was too dangerous to attempt. But he did it anyway, and his valor, and sacrifice, may very well be the sole reason the rest of you, and our crewmates who are belowdecks, are still here to listen to his eulougy. He will be sorely missed. Present Arms!"
Six somber securty officers, and Harla, raised phaser rifles, set to 'tag.'
James pressed a button which cycled the casket into the tube, while two crewmen removed the flag from it.
"Aim!"
The seven phaser rifles aimed at the wall above the tube.
James pressed the manual firing switch for the torpedo, aimed into 41 Eridani, the Vulcan sun, as he said "Fire!"
Three times, seven beams of light struck the wall in concert, as the pod bucked.

*******

Later that night, in his quarters, James sighed, loudly. From above him, K'reesha's head poked out from the edge of the top bunk, looking stern.
"Must you do that?"
James looked up at her, and said "Yes, I must. It's a human technique to allieviate extreme frustration."
K'reesha shook her head almost inperceptably, and said "Vulcans have that techniquie too. But you are very loud."
James sighed again, and said "I'm sorry. I'll go take a walk then."
James slid out of the bunk, walking to the first of two closets in the room, and got his uniform. As he started to don the shirt, he felt a slim hand on his shoulder.
Looking back at her, he asked "Do you intend to use the Nerve Pinch on me?"
If he could see her face clearly, he would have seen her almost-smile, as she said "No. But you do not have to leave."
James said "Oh. You want me to stay?"
She nodded, saying "Yes. I wanted to talk to you about today."
James sighed again, and moved toward the bunk, which was the only seating avaiable. He again cursed his descision to have the captain's quarters turned into the galley, because the old one was located where they needed extra ammo storage.
James sat on his bunk, and K'reesha sat next to him. She then said "Your upset over the loss of Ensign Muntz."
James snorted, again thinking of the Captain of the Obvious line, but said "Yes, I am. Not that I'd expect you to understand that."
K'reesha's hand again was on his shoulder, and she said "I may understand more than you know."
James looked at her, without saying anything. She merely said "I'm not exactly a traditional Vulcan. I don't presume to understand you, but I understand your being upset over the loss of a valient crewman."
He closed his eyes, and said "It just... Everything was going dreamily. They commishioned us off the bat. And we were doing so fine. And now one of us is dead... And I regret not having had time to know him very well."
He then felt K'reesha's arms loop around his neck, as she pulled herself close to him. She said "James, you did your best. It's thanks to the Ensign's bravery, and your combat acumen, that the rest of us made it out alive. He died defending the very ideals of Starfleet and the Federation."
James turned his head, opening his eyes, directly into K'reesha's bright green eyes, which almost seemed to sparkle in the nearly-nonexistant light. Then his eyes flew very open, as her lips met his.
After breaking the kiss, K'reesha blinked slowly, and said "James, dont try to understand, either about the Ensign's death, or this... Just sleep..."
James wondered what she meant, when he felt her slender hand, iron-strong, touch the base of his neck. A quick pinch, and.......

K'reesha held James' sleeping form in her arms, and she gently laid him out on his bunk. After a small debate with herself, she gently folded her body close to his, pulled the covers over the two of them, and started to sleep herself..
 

Chapter 5
 

James stirred, slowly swimming his way back to consiousness.
He regained use of his other senses before he gained eyesight, and they told him that a wam, large mass was snuggled between his arms, up against him, under the covers. His smelling sense told him it was a woman.
As he thought "What the hell," his memories of last night swam back, and he remember. His thoughts were "K'reesha must have snuggled up with me. But why?"
He opened his eyes, once again into her twinklin green eyes.
She smiled, openly, a human-style smile, as she silently kissed him again.
When she broke the kiss, James blinked, and stammered "K-K'reesha.... Wha... How?"
She whispered, in his ear "I'm not an ordinary Vulcan, James. I'll explain it to you. Sit up."
Sitting up, James helped K'reesha to sit up, too. It was still pitch dark in the room, but the light framing the door spoke of it being 'daytime,' which is relative in space.
"James. I'm not your typical Vulcan. Try to understand that."
James nodded, saying "Yes, you made that..... abundantly clear. But what I dont understand is HOW you are diffrent... And why you kissed me... Slept next to me."
He felt her fingers run over his cheek, and she said "James... I've allways been diffrent from most Vulcans. Unlike them, I... I never could fully embrace logic. I... I'm too emotional... I keep it bottled away untill I'm off-duty, and in private."
James let out a long hmmmmm, and said "Oh. Thats... Perfectly fine with me."
She smiled, and giggled a bit, saying "Ahhh, I'm so much more.. fuffilled, since I came to Earth. On Vulcan, I hardly risked letting myself feel anything... And theres a bonus here that never was on Vulcan."
James snickered, and said "And what might that be, K'reesha?"
She laughed, slightly, saying "Why, it's you, James... You've captivated me... And my emotions... I dont quite know what I feel."
James looked blankly at her, saying "Errrr... Could it be lust?"
K'reesha leaned her body on him, and said "Yes... Thats part of it. But not all of it."
James hmmmmed, saying "Maybe love is the rest?"
She snorted, saying "no. Not yet. I dont quite think it's that strong... Maybe affection. Yes, thats it."
James put his arm around her waist, marveling at how perfect a fit they seemed to be, and said "Well. I never thought I'd find a Vulcan who'd be attracted to me. But I find you very attractive, K'reesha."
He leaned over, and kissed her cheek then worked his mouth up her head to her pointed ears.
He heard her combination of a gasp and a sigh, as his tounge worked over her ear's point. He broke the kiss, and smiled at her, saying "This is fun, but we have to report to duty. Computer, lights."
The lights sprung on, revealing her lithe form to him, and he noted she was clad in very skimpy silk underwear and an even skimpier silk halter. He smiled, pulling her to her feet, saying "Maybe we can continue this... Later?"
K'reesha's rewarding smile nearly melted his heart, as she replied "Most definatly."
She then strode to the closet, selecting her uniform and her new underclothes. Then, startlingly, she turned to him with a sly smile, as she disrobed.

K'reesha could feel his eyes roaming her nude body, as she stood before him. She walked to him, her uniform and underclothes on the hanger in her hand, as she traced her hand over his cheek, saying "I thought you'd appreciate the sight, James... Remember it, untill you can see it again."
As he looked a bit too aghast to respond, she pressed her body against his, feeling a distinct bulge against her crotch in his boxer shorts. She kissed him, startled at the flood of emotions tha tshe could feel from him with the contact, but enjoying it. She broke the kiss, smiled, and donned her clothes, heading out the door, leaving James to stand in stunned silence.
 

Striding onto the Bridge, Meona, who had the conn on the dog watch, said "Oh, hello, sir. Where is Captain Racker?"
She looked at Meona, who was again in Vulcan form, albiet an incredibly slender Vulcan that seemed to defy physical logic.
K'reesha nodded to Meona, saying "He will be along shortly. Why is Lt. Kren not at his post?"
Meona giggled, as she rose from the command chair, and said "I... Gave him a wild night, sir. He said he would be along momentarily."
As K'reesha was about to respond, the turbolift doors did again open, and both Kren and Racker strode out.
Meona stood at attention, announcing "Captain on the Bridge!"
Racker snickered a bit, saying "At ease. Have we heard from Starfleet yet?"
Kren checked his console, saying "Aye, sir. Theres a message for you, although it's not marked secret, it is marked "At Discresion. It's from Admiral Hai-lo Rhodes.
Racker sat at his chair, which was mostly still the original command chair, although modern Command Chair equipment had replaced the aging equipment. He pulled up the screen, and put on the earphones, and said "Ok Lt. pipe it through here."
The admiral's old, warm, grandfatherly face appeared on the puny screen, and his voice came through the earphones, "Hello, Captain Racker. I call with condolensces.... I must say that your command.. Was created as an... Experiment, an oddball study group, if you will. A psychological test, to see how very young people from radicaly diffrent cultures, backgrounds, and species would interact in a closed enviroment. We.... We never though you'd actualy fall into combat. I must say that as of now, the experiment is ended, and the Highwind is no longer considered a psych test, but a Starship, in good keeping with the plans and ideals of Starfleet. You did good in the fight. Jean-Luc Picard asked me to congratulate you on your meritorius conduct under fire, and bravery in the face of extreme adveristy. And his condolensces, for the loss of your crewman, added to my own. And Captain, we have a replacement crewperson for you. One Ensign Merola Renla. And Racker, she's Elasyian, so try and make her quarters zero-G. She's had a great deal of stress on Earth, and even moreso on Vulcan. Good luck, Rhodes out."

James gave an annoyed huff, and asked "Kren. See if Ensign Muntz's bunkmate minds sleeping in zero-G. Failing that, find any crewmember willing to sleep in zero-G, and move his or her bunkmate in with Muntz's bunkmate. Our new crewmember is Elasyian, so she'll have a hard time in our gravity, lets not extend that to the rest of the ship... And see if Enviromental can ajust shipwide gravity down to point-eight. Maybe if we can all survive with a bit of bounce, she'll be happier."
Kren said "Aye, sir," as he started to work on his console.

Sometime later.....

James looked up from his chair's screen, and said "This is great... Not a day out of Starbase, and we allready wrecked the ship so badly we need to put in for repairs. This must be the worst launch ever."
K'reesha said "Technicaly sir, this is not the worst launch ever. Unless I am mistaken, that dubious honor falls to the USS Bearclaw, in the year 2293. That ship was destroyed immideately after launching, with the UFP President aboard. It seems someone pressed the wrong button on Starbase 1, and the doors crushed the ship, killing all aboard, and a great deal of people on Starbase 1, to say nothing of the damage."
James shrugged, saying "Ok. You're right, this isent the worst launch ever then. Still, it could have gone much better."
K'reesha looked at him, and said "If I might ask how, sir? Barring the pirate's nonexistance, that is."
James looked blanked for a few seconds, and shrugged, saying "Well.... Ok, you've made your point."
The rest of the duty shift passed without incident.

*****

Her compainion sighed, yet again, for the third time since they had recieved their food in the lounge.
Merna looked at her, and said "Are you quite through making that sound?"
Harla sighed a fourth time, and asked "Whats wrong with it?"
Merna slid a claw out of her hand, and skewered a piece of her dinner violently, saying "It just happens to be quite similar to the sound a Caitian Menro Beast makes before it attacks. It's disquieting and upsetting to hear it, and it's making me feel violent..."
Harla looked at the claw that Merna nimbly grabbed the meat off of with her tounge, and swallowed, saying "Errr. Sorry."
Merna shook her head, saying "No... I'm sorry. I shouldent allow my natural instincts to overcome my intelligence. I shall try to tolerate it."
Harla giggled at her, saying "It's ok Merna. I'm sorry, I shouldent do that if it upsets you."
Merna gave a small hiss, which caused Harla to jump.
Merna said "Stop appoligizing, or I'll have to keep appoligizing, and we'll be here all night.
Harla started to sigh, caught herself, and said "Allright."
Merna laughed, and the two finished up their dinner in quiet silence...

"You know... I... What IS that sound?"
On the way back to the quarters they were sharing, both females paused in the corridor. Extremely loud music was eminating from behind a door. Merna looked at the nameplate, and hmmphed. "Meona's quarters. Why am I -NOT- surprised? What is that racket?"
Harla hmmmed softly, and smiled slightly. "I recognize it. It's a form of old Terran music, from their ninteen-eighties. Rock and Roll, I believe..."
Merna hissed. "It's damned annoying. It hurts my ears. And I thought these rooms were supposed to be fairly soundproof."
"Hehehehe. They ARE. She's got it turned up to what MUST be an ear-splitting level in there. I know, because my roomate was infamous for it at the academy. I was the only one who'd put up with her musical tastes."
"How could you stand it?"
Merna shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I kinda liked it. It's not all damnaful wailing, you've gotta understand the lyrics too."
As the pair shrugged in unison, two very *loud* screams issued forth from the bunk unit.
Harla's phaser was in her hand at once, as she slammed on the call button, shouting "Are you okay in there?"
Recieving no answer, she tapped in her security override, as Merna finally fished out a phaser, and the door opened.
Immideately the decibl level in the corridor jumped to concievably dangerous levels, as both Caitan and Deltan slammed through the door, sweeping their phasers over the scene. Then both muttered darkly.
A dark skinned, yellow-eyed face first emerged from the bundle of blankets on the ground, followed by a very red, half-dreamlike trancy bajoran face.
Meona spoke first, well, shouted first, "Evening, sirs....... mmmm... Anything I can help you with?"
Quite embaressed, Merna spoke up first, grabbing Harla's arm, saying, "No... we just thought you were hurt... Turn this down, would you? we can hear it down the corridor." Then she very quickly hauled the Deltan out of the room, slamming the close button, as the volume receeded.
"That was..."
Merna laughed softly. "That was definatly embaressing... My ears are burning.... And hurt."
Harla holstered her phaser, making an "aww." like sound. "They are? Hmmm." She gently reached up, gently rubbing the large catlike ears on the Caitan girl with her cool hands. She didn't seem phased at all.
Merna closed her eyes, and shook her head, faintly embaressed at how good the cool touch felt. "I mean... We just walked in on... they... err..."
Harla laughed. "Yeah. It's understandable that they were having sex. It's also understandable that we ran in, seeing as how that scream could've woken my ancestors all the way back on Delta."
Merna felt her ears burn a bit brighter. "I feel so... So..."
Harla laughed softly. "Why? It's perfectly natural... Well... As natural as a chameliod can be."
Merna found herself snickering in spite of herself. "Okay... Okay. I still feel embaressed. I mean... We intterupted somthing very private."
Harla shrugged. "They didn't seem any the worse for wear. Kren looked like he didn't realize what was going on, and Meona's one of the most quick-witted people I've ever seen. She didn't look phased in the slightest."
Merna hmmmed softly, then felt her ears burn red-hot when she realized she was actually purring at Harla's touch. "Well... I guess we should go back to our bunk..."
Harla nodded softly, smiling. "Yeah, that would be an idea..." She grinned softly, and started off down the corridor. "By the way. Do you have any idea how you're purring?"
Merna shrugged, and shook her head. "No clue... It just... Happens."
Harla nodded. "I see... Oh well. It was probabebly stupid, but when I was on Earth, before joining Starfleet Academy, that is, I had a pet feline. I always wondered what made him purr."
Merna shrugged, thinking of a line about the company, and quickly quashing it. She shrugged again. "As I said, we've no clue how we do it. For the same reason scientists on Earth have never figured out how the Felis Domesticus purrs, we have no idea... It just happens when we get excited, scared, hurt... those kinds of times."
Harla laughed softly. "Okay, okay. Ahh well... So, I guess you must've been excited by walking in on those two?"
Merna blinked. "Well... No, not really. I was too embaressed."
Harla chuckled, shaking her head, as the door for their bunk loomed in front of them. "I see... Ah." She opened the door, and stepped in, ordering the lights to normal.
Merna paused, and closed her eyes. She shook her head, and stepped in.
Harla looked back at her, as the doors shut, and fixed Merna's eyes with a steady gaze. "Is somthing wrong?"
Merna closed her eyes, and tilted her head at the floor, ears flicking a bit. "No... Not really."
Harla hmmmed softly. "Not really? You're acting a bit off..."
Merna shrugged. "I know... I'm still embaressed."
Harla laughed, and sighed. "I see. It must be difficult, being so... so... Sexually immature."
Merna opened her eyes, a low hiss eminating from her throat. "WHAT was that?!"
Harla laughed again, smiling. "I thought that might get your attention." She put her hands on Merna's shoulders, and pulled the Caitan towards her. "Really though. It does seem so strange to me, being embaressed at having simply made a mistake, and walking in on them."
Merna shook her head, and shrugged. She sat on her bunk, and closed her eyes. "Well... It's... So hard to describe, actually... I mean, walking in on them, doing what they were doing... I..." She shrugged again. "It just makes my ears burn thinking about it."
Sitting next to her friend, Harla hrrrmed softly. "Well... Why?"
"I don't really know... I just..." She hissed softly. "You know, you were probabebly right. I -am- sexually immature."
Harla snorted softly, and hmmmed. "Why do you say that? I mean, besides the obvious fact that you're talking to a Deltan?"
Merna looked up, then shook her head again. "No, it's... well.." She hissed softly, and leaned toward Harla. "Well... It's because..." She shook her head. "No. It's too stupid."
Blinking, Harla gently wrapped her arms around the Caitan girl's midsection, noting how nice the fur actually felt under the uniform... Made it kind of squishy. "No, it's okay. Go on. You can tell me anything, Merna."
The Caitain girl very nearly made the very same sound she'd been complaining about Harla making earlier. She shook her head, and said, "Well... Um... Oh, this feels so stupid. We should be beyond this kind of embaressment now, but..." She shook her head, closing her eyes.
Harla sighed, and arranged herself cross-legged at the top of the bed. Then she grabbed the feline girl's shoulders, and pulled her flat out, her head in Harla's lap. Looking down into her friend's eyes, Harla smiled softly, and gently rubbed her shoulders. "Go on Merna. I promise, I won't laugh or tell anyone anything you tell me. I promise..."
Merna looked into Harla's eyes, and full-out sighed, inwardly kicking herself for picking up a bad trait from her crewmates. She then closed her eyes. "Well... I was embaressed because... Because... I. Well, I didn't get excited because I was so scared, back then... But I felt somthing... and... well... I've never been very good at attracting a potential sexual parter... ummm... Well..."
Harla closed her eyes, and gently stroked her hand across Harla's feline face. "Go on. Tell me what's upset you."
Merna opened her eyes, then blinked again. Her ears were twitching furiously. "Well... I've... I've NEVER managed to attract anyone... At.... At all..."
Harla's eyes opened, and she nodded softly. "I think I understand... You feel inadequate because you've never had sex, right?"
Merna took a breath, prepared to try and lie it away, but exhaled in a sigh, and nodded. "I know... So stupid, right? Especially in this day and age..."
Harla shook her head. "No. It's not. It's never stupid to be upset about a percieved inadequacy... Oh... I must make it so much worse, being so close to you, given my species' fame in that area..."
Merna looked up, and nodded. "Well... Yes. I'm sorry... I know, I mean... I know it's childish, but..."
Harla sighed softly, and gently rubbed her hands over the Caitan's face. "No. It's okay... I am so sorry though... That I make you feel bad."
Merna closed her eyes at the touch. "Well... It's not your fault... Umm.... I just.... I've never been able to attract a male..."
Harla closed her own eyes, and shook her head. "Did you try?"
Merna nodded, vigeriously. "Y-yeah... A lot. There was this one Engineering cadet. He was Human, in the same classes as me... I tried so much to attract him... But he never seemed to think I was trying anything except bisuness..."
Harla smiled softly. "I see... I think you may have simply not known how to attract someone. What did you do?"
Merna gulped softly, and closed her eyes. "Well... I... I... I was always inviting him to come around my quarters... I always said it was to discuss our projects or somthing... He always came, but it was always bisuness with him. And I tried inviting him to dinner, but he was never did anything but eat or talk shop..."
Harla nodded, and started to rub at the feline's neck. "Well... You were expecting him to try to seduce you, right? You tried to set up the scene, and let him make the first sexual overture, right?"
Nodding, Merna sighed. "Y-yes... And... Well, he never did..." She closed her eyes, enjoying the attention that Harla was rubbing on her neck, as she started to purr softly. "I... Well... I guess it didn't work."
Harla hmmed thoughtfully. "I see... Tell me. Were you trying to attract him for a life partner, or for a temporary sexual liason?"
Merna gulped, and closed her eyes. "Well... I don't really think I want, or wanted then, to spend my life with him... He was just a nice, sweet boy... And I thought it might be nice if I could... Well... Have him as my first."
Harla nodded softly. "I see. That's your problem. You were trying to entice him into making a move in a romantic setting. He was thinking you wanted to be life partners, and was doing the polite way of refusing. You should've tried simply taking his hand one night in your quarters, and kissing him."
Merna sighed, closing her eyes, as Harla's hands started to work under her uniform collar in their massage. She felt just... Relaxed, with the Deltan woman's touch, the soft feel of her friend's thighs cradling her head. "You know infinatly more about this than I do, Harla... I wish I'd known that then... You must've seduded loads of boys."
Harla laughed loudly, fisting her hands in the Caitan's fur, to avoid shaking the other girl too much. "You... Hahaha... No.." She grinned,
Merna looked up, as Harla grinned, and said, "Five. I've only had three male partners, two female... And all temporary."
Blinking, all Merna could say was, "Oh... I.... Ummm... Why?"
Harla sighed softly. "That was before I left Delta. When I left, I took a vow to not, and I quote, "abuse or take advantage of any other species' sexual immaturty."
Which is probabebly a good thing, because if I tried, I could've had every boy.... And most of the girls, for that matter, at Starfleet academy at my feet... It's just not fair, my natural advantage..."
Merna sighed softly. Then she wondered if that advantage was working it's charms on her... She felt looser, relaxed in the Deltan's presence than she had before... "Well... Oh... Ummmm..." She closed her eyes again, as Harla asked "What is it? Go on..."
"What's it like?.... With a boy, I mean?"
Harla smiled softly, and closed her eyes. "Well... The first time, it hurts some... It didn't hurt me much, because he was careful... But..." She sighed. "And yet...Well, it just feels so good... I remember, I was on top the first time... It's... It's really hard to describe, Merna..." She closed her eyes, feeling the hot fur under her hands, before she realized that her entire hands were under the Caitan's uniform. On..."
Merna looked up, and watched a Deltan turn red. "Harla? What's wrong?"
Harla closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I... I... Oh.... I'm such a..." She sighed, and closed her eyes, pulling her hands out of the Caitain's uniform, where they'd been resting on the feline's breasts. "I... Oh. I shouldent've done that... I'm so... Ugh. I can't even describe it... I feel horrible."
Merna blinked, and then gently grabbed the Deltan's hands. "What's wrong?"
Harla sighed, seeming to shrink from the Caitain's touch. "No... I shouldent've touched you like that.... I..."
Merna sighed softly, and twisted around, gently sitting up. She smiled her feline smile. "It's okay Harla. I didn't mind."
Harla sighed, and shook her head. "No, you don't understand... I just broke my oath... I..."
Merna hissed softly, and grabbed Harla's shoulders. "No you didn't. You weren't taking advantage of me... Okay?" She pushed the Deltan to the bed, and hissed, louder this time. "Listen to me. Don't you dare think that you broke your oath. I don't object to what you  were doing, okay?"
Harla closed her eyes, sighing softly. "But... It's not your choice... Ohhhh... It's my pheremones that're making you feel that way."
Merna paused for a second... DID she object?... No.. She put her hands on Harla's hands, and gently squeezed. "I'm not being influenced by your pheremones... Well, maybe I am. But I don't object. And you're my friend. I know you wouldent've done somthing like take advantage of me, okay?"
She gently slid to the bed next to Harla, and wrapped her arms, and tail, around the Deltan. "Okay?"
Harla sighed softly, looking into the Caitan's eyes. "You really mean that?"
Merna nodded. "Yes... I trust you. Okay?" She smiled, and said, "So... tell me. You interrupted in the middle of the story.."
Harla laughed nervously, then sighed. She sat up, pulling the Caitan with her. "Well... Heh... Mmmmmm... I remember it so well..." She squeezed the Caitan's hands, and closed her eyes. "He asked me to be on top... And I was. I... Well... We seduced each other for a while... I remember the way he touched me, his hands were like fire crawling over my skin..." She sighed, leaning her head onto Merna's shoulders, as she felt herself growing aroused by only the story. "Well... Umm... It's hard to describe the feeling when I lowered myself on him... Umm... Have you ever put anything in yourself, Merna?"
Merna sighed, shaking her head. "No... I wanted to, a lot of times, but... I never could work up the courage."
Harla laughed softly. "Well... It's... A very good sensation, actually. I was so aroused and ready... When I slid onto him, it was easy. The feeling of being full, full of someone you like... Well... Oh, it's..." She sighed herself. "It's so very hard to describe to someone who's never felt it... It..." She sighed. "This isen't helping you understand, is it?"
Merna shrugged softly, and said, "well.. A little bit, it is... I... Well..." She sighed. "But it's really making me want to feel it... And..."
Harla closed her eyes. "I'm sorry... You're aroused, and you haven't got a partner..."
Merna sighed. "It's okay... I... Harla... well.... Ummm... If you were a boy.... Ah..."
Harla smiled softly, and leaned into Merna. "Yes. I'm certainly attracted to you now. I think any sane boy who knew you would have to be mad not to be."
Merna sighed hesitantly, and closed her eyes. "Harla... Could you tell me... About having sex with another woman?"
Harla laughed back, and sighed. "Merna... I'm afraid of where this is going... You're attracted to me, aren't you?"
Gulping, nodding, Merna sighed. "..... Yes.... I am... I..... I just.... It's so hard to explain.. But, I really wish.... well..." She sighed again, quietly digging her blunt claws into the sheets. "I... Well.. When you had your hands on me... I felt so good... warm... I've never felt that way before, Harla... I've... I've never quite been so comfortable with someone else... You make me feel safe... secure."
Harla sighed. She had been afraid of this. "Merna... either way, if you're falling for me, or if you just want to be close as a sexual friend... How can you be sure it's YOU who wants it.... I... Merna, I want to kiss you. Really, I do. I want to do more than that. But HOW can YOU be sure that YOU want it? What if it is just my pheremones playing tricks on your nervous system... And we do share ourselves... You might feel sick. Revolted, afterwards... You'd feel raped. And... I don't, I CAN'T make you feel like that, Merna!"
Merna closed her eyes. She felt her purring die off, as she despair started to trickle in. "Harla... What do you think of me? Please, be honest."
A gentle kiss touched her neck in response, as Harla burrowed her head into Merna's shoulder. "I feel... You reach out to me. I want to hold you... To make you feel good about everything... I want to slide my fingers into you, to lick at you, to feel your lips on mine, Merna... But I don't dare..."
Merna sighed softly, closing her eyes. "I... ooooooooh.... This is so unfair."
"Merna..."
"Yes?"
"Do you trust me?"
Merna nodded, "Of course I do."
"Tell me... What do you want from me?"
Merna paused at this... "Well... Ummm..."
"It's okay. You don't know yet..."
"Well... I want to... I know I want the physical... But... You make me feel so good, Harla... You make me feel comfortable... But... I do want to have sex with a boy at least once..."
Harla laughed. "Why should being my life partner preclude that?"
Merna blinked, then her ears started to burn a bit. "Oh... I... heh... heh... mmmm..."
Harla laughed again, and gently embraced Merna. "Merna... If I knew... If I could KNOW that it was YOU who wanted me, and not being influenced by my pheremones... I'd do what you wanted of me. Anything..."
Merna sighed. "So, how do we stop your pheremones from effecting me?"
Harla sighed. "There are a few species-specific drugs to block the effects, but unfortunatly, mostly for humans and andorians and a few tellarites who go to Delta on bisuness. And none of them have ever worked on the female of the species, anyway..."
Merna sighed. "Ummm... Harla. Do you trust me?"
Harla blinked. "Of course... Why?"
Merna smiled softly, and sighed. "Well... I.... Heheh... This is so stupid, but... I just had this urge to ask... oh, nevermind."
"No, please... What?"
Merna sighed. "I just... I just got this stupid urge to ask you if you'd take your clothes off... Stupid, I know... forget it."
Harla felt her breath catch in her throat. She sighed. "Merna... It's not stupid at all...  I want to see you nude, too... Well... As nude as you can get, being a giant fur coat..."
Merna snickered, then fell into full-blown giggles. "That's funny.... Really!"
Harla laughed softly, and felt almost as if a spell broke. She sighed softly, and gently wrapped her arms around the Caitan, kissing her cheek softly.
Merna laughed softly, and gently stood up. She ordered the lights to dim ten percent, and turned her back. She quickly slid out of her uniform, revealing her to be wearing nothing under it, and turned around... At the same time Harla turned around, from doing exactly the same thing.
Harla felt her breath catch in her throat again, as she beheld the beautiful, naked fur of a wonderfully tall, feline Caitan. She let her eyes travel over her friend's fur, over the soft curves of her breasts, midsection and hips, over the tiny mound of thin fur between her legs, down the soft, shapely thighs, and back up again. She hmmmed softly, and said, "Umm... You know, I heard a rumor... DO Caitan's have six nipples?"
The question broke Merna out of her reviere, and she laughed a bit, as she studied Harla's own body. "Well. It's easy to see that Deltan's truly are totaly hairless...
As for the rumor...
She grinned, as she reached out, taking Harla's hands in her own. "Why don't you find out?"
Harla sighed, and said, softly, "I wish I could... I want... I want to bury my fingers in your fur... I want to close my lips over your nipples... er... that is, if I ever find them..."
Merna laughed softly. She grinned, as her fingers went to her right breast. She slide aside the stray fur, revealing a pair of very dark, beautiful-looking nubbins buried admist the fur. "Yes, I have them. And I'll tell you now, sorry... I don't have six..." She shrugged, and moved her fingers, letting the fur cover her two nipples again.
"We don't need them, because we only have children in ones and twos."
Harla laughed softly, and sighed. "Yes... I see... I..."
Merna sighed, and closed her eyes. "Well... Ummm... Could you tell me? What two women do, I asked?"
A laugh was her answer. "Okay... Well..." Harla sat down. "I'll tell you about my first with a woman... She... Heh... She was one of my best friends, since childhood... It was really pretty much assured... Close friends on Delta frequently do experiment with each other as they grow, but..."
Merna sat down beside her, leaning in... Harla gasped softly, then closed her eyes, musing on how good that soft fur would feel pressed against her front, instead of her side. "Well... It might seem wierd, if you've grown up all your life thinking of sex in a non-Deltan way, but... It was my sixteenth birthday. We were celebrating, at my home. My parents had been out of town. After the party, when most of the guests had left, she just pulled me aside into my bedroom... And asked me to have sex with her... Hehe... I remember what she said, so very well..."
Merna closed her eyes. "Hmmm... You're right, that does seem somewhat wierd... And shallow."
Harla laughed softly. "It seems it to you... But... It wasen't shallow at all. Deltans are legandary with outsiders for their sexual prowess, yes... But most people don't realize the sheer amount of TRUST you have to generate in a Deltan before they will consider sex with you." She sighed again. "Of course I accepted. To be honest, I'd been ready to ask her to have sex with me... She..." "Hey.. What'd she say?"
Harla laughed softly. "Developing an interest in the mating habits of the natives of the sun Delta Triciatu?"
Merna laughed softly, and nodded. "Yes, I have to say I am..."
"Okay... Well. She pulled me into my bedroom, and pushed me against the wall... She gently kissed my ear, then my cheeck, and smiled... She said, and I quote, "Harla. We've known each other so long... I... I really want to touch you. To feel you... Will you please make my dream come true?"
"Hmmm... That dosen't quite seem as... impersonal as I thought... I was thinking it would be more like "Would you please have sex with me."
Harla chuckles softly, shaking her head. "No. Deltans are NEVER impersonal about having sex. That... That would be like thinking of your warp core as just a piece of machinery!"
This elicited a loud hiss from Merna, and Harla laughed again. "You get the point. No... We're always careful... And we choose the friends we dream about carefully..."
"Wow... I feel so... Honored, actually..."
Harla laughed softly. "Well... You're certainly a friend... And yes, I do want you. Badly..."
Merna laughed back, and gently kissed Harla's cheek. "I hope we can fufil our dream, at least once..."
Harla snickered softly. "Well. Anyway, women please women... Diffrently, obviously. We have no external sex organ suited for thrusting into another woman, so that's out. Baring prosthesis, but that's a diffrent story. We kissed, a lot... I remember how hot her lips were on my nipples... My cliterous... It was so amazing!... The idea is to bring another woman's orgasm to her by stimulating erogenous zones... It's easiest, and best, to use the tounge."
"Wait... What do you mean, I have no organ suited for thrusting?" Merna brought her tail in front of Harla, who laughed softly. "Okay... Maybe Caitans have an advantage there..." She took the tail, gently rubbing it.. "Mmmm... You are SO SOFT!...... So soft..."
Merna laughed softly, and leaned towards Harla, gently kissing the Deltan's cheek. "So are you..."
"Merna... I... Oh... Please.. Don't... no, DO that again!"
Giggling softly, Merna pressed her lips to the Deltan's cheek, kissing her softly, and tracing her kiss across the cheek... to...
Harla closed her eyes, as the Caitan girl wrapped her arms around Harla's neck, pulling her into a hot, potent kiss.

"Merna... We... Oh stars, please, stop..."
Merna pulled back quickly, and saw Harla break into tears. "Harla... oh no... Harla..."
"Please... Please understand why I'm crying, Merna... I... I want this... More than want it. I desperatly want to touch you. To be touched by you... To share everything... But if I do... If I do, and you don't truly want it.... I'll have raped you... I'd be... That could destroy me.... I coulden't take that thought..."
Harla shook off her friend's arms, and stood up, taking a step forward, unsteadily. She nearly tripped on her own uniform, but a pair of strong, furred arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her back into a beauitufully soft, heavenly embrace... A pair of lips on her neck...
"Merna... Oh...."
"Harla... Wether or not anything happens. I am now certain... positive that you are what I want! Please... Don't doubt me..."
Harla twisted around in Merna's embrace, and wrapped her own arms around the Caitan's body. She gently kissed her, and laid her head on Merna's shoulder. "Please... Don't let go of me..."
Merna smiled softly, and pulled the Deltan to the bed. "I wont. I promise..."
The two gently slid to the bed, as Merna kissed the beautiful Deltan in her arms, her tail wrapping around Harla's waist. Between hot kisses, she gasped out, "Please... don't... Stop..... I... Mmmmmm..."
Harla giggled softly, and gently returned the kiss, sliding her tounge into Merna's mouth.
Merna gasped when Harla pulled away, and closed her eyes. "Harla... oh.... mmmm..."
Harla pressed herself against Merna's soft fur... "Mmm... You feel so good... I... Noooo... I can't... But..."
She looked up into the Caitan's eyes. "Please... Just... hold me tonight... My pheremones stop generating when I'm asleep... If you still want me in the morning... I..."
Merna nodded, her eyes closed, as she pulled the covers over herself and the Deltan. "I... Oh, damnit... I want to now... but... That would hurt you..." Her hand gently pressed between Harla's breasts, on her heart. "I coulden't hurt you... I'll wait..."

Chapter 6