A Marine & A Succubus

Posted on Fri Apr 23rd, 2021 @ 2:43am by Captain David Tonelly [Reece] & Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi-Tonelly

Mission: Challenge Missions
Location: USS Elysium, Marine County, Corporal Tonelly's quarters
Timeline: 2056 hours (Part 4)
5659 words - 11.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Laying with Baeryn curled up against his chest, David was absorbing everything that had happened this evening. He marveled at how the Fates had brought Baeryn into his life. This was no flash of passion. This was something much bigger, much more important. When he closed his eyes and reached out with his abilities, he could feel both of their energies. While each had different patterns in their flow and power, he felt a new pulse. It was directly between them, taking energy from both and merging it into a single stream. He knew that it was what his people called, haltora, loosely translated, it meant, binding connection. David knew, in that moment, wherever their paths took them, he would always feel where Baeryn was.

Opening his eyes, he smiled as he looked down at her. She had fallen asleep following their latest love making session. He found her closeness perfectly comforting. He knew that she was important. He would do whatever he needed to to do things correctly. She was worth the work needed to make a life together.

Gently, slowly, he continued to caress her back and left arm, which was draped over his chest, with the finger tips of both hands.

Suddenly, his desk terminal began to ding softly.

Baeryn stirred at the sound, reluctant to move. Not realizing she had fallen asleep until she blinked her eyes open, inhaling deeply, her own cinnamon vanilla scent combined heavily with David's. She kissed his chest, slowly rising, one glance at David, awake and watching her, caused her to blush and smile bashfully.

Smiling softly, David reached up and gently brushed the curls from Baeryn's face so he could see her. "Hey you," he said softly and affectionately.

“Hello you.” She responded, her voice still rough with sleep.

Slowly pulling herself from his grasp she looked towards the terminal, stretching her arms above her head she remembered what had originally brought her here. Leaning down to pick up the first article of clothing from the floor, she chuckled as she pulled David's T-shirt over her head. The shirt covered all but her long legs as she walked towards the terminal. Knowing exactly the view she was giving him when she leaned onto the desk, the back of the shirt slowly rising up, her ass peaking out from underneath.

David continued to smile contently as he watched Baeryn move about his small quarters. The smile grew when he caught sight of her bottom as his shirt, which looked great on her, rose up when she activated his desk terminal.

The diagnostic results displayed on the screen wasn't what she had expected. Only mildly inconvenient. She sent the results to her own system in Ops, knowing there was little more she could do from the terminal here. The mystery of where the gremlins had originated was still incomplete. Wiping them from the system was done, but that didn't satisfy her curiosity. They had spread to so many programs in such a short amount of time that identifying their origin was going to take more time and a larger, more complex, computer system. She sat down and crossed her legs, momentary forgetting where she was and with whom, her mind caught up in algorithms she would try, sending the notes to herself so she wouldn't forget her train of thought, mumbling techno babble.

David chuckled softly to himself as he saw Baeryn start to work out a solution, as if she always worked here.

Suddenly, his stomach grumbled. "Oh! Excuse my insides!" He chuckled aloud as he spoke. "I think i need some actual food." He slid of the bunk and grabbed a pair of running shorts. Slipping them on, he commented, "Apparently, I was attacked by a beautiful wildcat, who drained all my energy." He opened a drawer and pulled out a white t-shirt and pulled it on over his torso. Blazoned across the chest, in red and gold, was the stylised written word HOTROD. "What would you like for actual food?"

Baeryn gasped dramatically, “Oh no, you should inform security at once! What if it comes back for more?! You might not be able to fend it off. ” Her face that of pretend shock. Pulling herself from the screen she swiveled in the chair to face him.

This made David laugh out loud. After a few moments, after he calmed, he spread his feet shoulder width apart and then spread his arms wide. "Security? I'm a Marine sniper, Baby! I'll take any attack that she sends at me!"

Hearing David laugh put the largest grin on Baeryns face, so much so her cheeks hurt. She rose from the chair and walked a few feet in his direction. “Such bravery, such valor!” She hooked two fingers in the waist band of the shorts he just slid on and pulled him towards her, reaching up on her toes to kiss him deeply. “I’m afraid that just won’t be enough to keep her away. It seems she already has her claws in you, Marine.”

David's smile faltered a bit, turning a bit hungry as he both watched Baeryn stalk towards him, then hook his short and pull him towards her. Wrapping his arms around her, he returned the deep kiss, lifting her off the deck plating as he did so. When they came up for air, he replied. "Yes, Ma'am," his voice having a sultry southern American accent to ut as he said the words. "I guess I'll just have to sacrifice myself to her, you know, for the safety of others." He winked playfully at her.

The thought of food reminded Baeryn of the emptiness in her own stomach. She was almost sure her last meal had been breakfast and considering the high caloric workout, well multiple workouts, she should take him up on his offer. "As far as food, I think I’ll have whatever your having.”

Kissing her on the tip of her nose, then her lips again, David replied. "I think we both could use some actual meat. How do you like your steak burger?"

“Medium rare,” she said swiftly, then her obsidian eyes lit up like a child in an amusement park, “and FRIES! Uhhh” Baeryn moaned thinking about the food. How had she not realized how ravenous she was? Taking in the shirt he now wore she compared it to the one she was also sporting. “Quite the antique collection of shirts you have. Hotrod? Like, a car?” She ran a hand over the word printed on the shirt.

David chuckled at Baeryn’s outburst for french fries. He flexed his chest absentmindedly when she ran her hand across it. “Well, the one you’re wearing now is one of my uniform shirts. Well, it's actually yours now, as you look so much better in it. This one," he indicated the one he was wearing. "Is a copy of the original one I got back on Earth, in 1984, when a troupe of wrestlers came to tbe base I was stationed at, and put on a show for us. The star of that particular show was a man by the name of Rowdy Roddy Piper."

He smiled at the memory. "He was a great guy. Very popular with the fans. But, out of the ring, he was a good guy too. He actually gave me the original of this shirt, which I have locked away, in deep storage, on Earth." He chuckled. "He had a great slogan that he would use from time to time." Clearing his throat, David tried to imitate the Rod Man. "I'm here to kick ass and eat bubblegum, and I'm all out of bubblegum!"

Baeryn smiled, all while listening to David’s story. It was difficult to picture the time he spoke of, only now remembering he was over 400 years old and the Earth he spoke about was quite different from the one she knew and grew up on.

When he did the impression of this hero of his she didn’t know what to say, or rather couldn’t say anything due to the laughter emanating from her. Shaking her head she playfully shoved David and walked back to the desk, laughing at how silly he was.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to erase that from my memory.” She joked. The interaction between the two was so natural, Baeryn had trouble believing that all of this between them was new, and unlike anything else she had ever had with anyone. That much already she was sure of.

David grinned warmly when he heard Baeryn's laughter. Was there a better sound in creation? Well, there was, but, that was from earlier in the night and under different circumstances.

"Maybe I'll start wearing a kilt, like he did too?" He chuckled at his joke. I'll be right back. Please, make yourself comfortable. This space, is now yours as well." That said, he turned, unlocked the door, and left again, the door sliding shut behind his, leaving her alone in his quarters for the second time that night.

Hers as well. Baeryn wasn’t expecting the heavy emotions that accompanied that line. She gave the room another look around. At first she had assumed David was just a collector of sorts, gathering old weapons and metals, but now knowing his true age... these belongings were more then just collectors items. There were his personal affects, pieces of HIS history. She cursed her curiosity as she got up from the chair drawn towards the other items displayed through out the room.

Baeryn slipped on her underwear incase one of the ‘savages’ David lived with barged in while he was gone. Given the time of night she found it highly unlikely but it was better to not take such chances. Picking up where she left off earlier she picked up random items, inspecting them, wondering how much older they were then her, and what they meant to David. In her exploration she found a thick photo album. Everything these days was digital, holo, so this intrigued her most. She brought the album back to the bed where she sat cross legged and eagerly opened the cover, unhurried, gingerly, not wanting to damage it.

A few minutes later, the door slid open and David entered, carrying a tray with two main covered dishes and a small assortment of condiments. There was also a small bucket, filled with ice and four bottles of synthbeer.

"Hey!" He said with a smile that lit up the room. "I wasn't sure what you liked on your burger, so I just replicated a few different condiments. If you want something else, I'll go replicate it." He moved to set the tray down, seeing that she was looking at the photo album that he had decided to bring with him during this trip.

After placing the tray down, he reached in a nearby drawer and pulled out a small white towel. In a theatric flourish, he draped the towel over his right forearm, picked up one of the covered dishes, balanced it up on his finger tips, then turned towards Baeryn and bowed. "Your food, Madam." He reached over with his left hand and removed the dish lid, revealing the steak burger, cooked as she requested, with a side of well done fries. "Ze 'uose speciality." He tried to speak in a French accent, but, it was a bit muddled.

Baeryn gently closed the photo album and moved it out of the way. Laughing at David's antics she shook her head at him as she accepted the tray. "I never would have taken you for such a silly person." The smell from the burger and fries had her mouth watering. She was suddenly extremely excited and giddy but waited for David to join her on the bed before digging in.

It warmed David's heart to see Baeryn happy. He vowed to himself, right then, that as long as they were together, he would do whatever it took for her to be happy. "Well," he gave a silly shrug. "I have had a lot of practice." He chuckled again as he turned back to the tray, grabbed two of the beers, popped the tops off, then hand them to Baeryn. "Hold these please? Do you need any of the condiments?" There were tiny ramekins of ketchup, mayo, two kinds of mustard, a steak sauce. Plus a small plate with some lettuce, tomato and yellow cheese slices.

"Just cheese and ketchup please." She took the beers from him, sipping hers, she hadn't realized how dry her mouth as until the first sip. It had been so easy to ignore her bodies basic needs, like nourishment when she was so wrapped up in David. She was still awestruck at how inviting he was, how caring and funny. Baeryn would have expected the opposite of someone who had already experienced such a long life. Watching him she frowned, caught up in her thoughts, she knew this night was coming to an end soon. She would need to return to her own quarters and get ready for the next day. A shower was an absolute must. Her thoughts drifted to David in the shower with her. Before she let her mind drift too far she pushed the thought aside and took another swig of her beer.

Nodding, David grabbed the ramekin with ketchup and a couple slices of the cheese, plus a knife for the ketchup. He then handed those items over. Once Baeryn had them, he turned back for his burger. Removing the lid, he revealed a staek burger, cooked rare, with melted mozzarella cheese on top, plus steak sauce and sautéed mushrooms. On the side was a serving of sweet potato fries, complete with a Bar-B-Q sauce. Moving to the bunk, he sat down gently, to keep from spilling their dinner. Looking up into Baeryn's deep, beautiful eyes, he said, "Next time we are on Earth, if you'd like, I'll take you to a few restaurants that have actually survived from before the Eugenics War."

Surprise colored her face, "I'd like that actually." The promise of more time together gave her butterflies. She suddenly felt shy as she lifted a warm fry from her plate and took a bite. Her eyes closed savoring the flavor, moaning with delight that made even her laugh. "I can't believe how hungry I am! Or perhaps the food just tastes better in the barracks."

Nodding, David smiled as lifted his burger and took a bite. Closing his eyes and savoring the mouthful of food, he chewed, swallowed and shook his head. "I tell ya, while this replicated food may be good for us, nutritionally, it pales greatly in the delicious, fatty tastes of real meat, seared to perfection over an open flame." He took his bottle of beer as Baeryn handed it to him. "A toast," He raised his bottle in salute. "To new adventures together." He held out his bottle to her.

Baeryn raised her beer to his, clinking them together lightly before take a healthy sized swig. “To new adventures. Together.” She paused, slowly lowering the beer from her lips. Her eyes lost in a memory. “What do you miss most about Earth? It was your home for a while right?” She picked up another fry and popped it into her mouth.

Finishing a healthy pull on his own beer, David frowned slightly as he thought. “Well, that depends. Do you mean pre-Federation or current? I’ve lived on both.” He paused as he realized something. “In fact, I’ve live more of my life on Earth, than anywhere else.” He arched an eyebrow playfully as he asked, “Does...does that mean I’m Human?! I’ll have to give back my secret El Aurian decoder ring!”

A deep laugh erupted from her, “You have no such thing!” Shaking her head she added, “I mean over all.” She shrugged looking down at her beer. “I think I miss the rain most. How unexpected and unpredictable it was. I miss being caught in it, clothes soaked, hair drenched. “

Looking over at Baeryn, David imagined what she was saying. "Yeah, and a cold rainy day is perfect cuddling weather." He smiled at the memory. "But, to get back to your question, I think I have an answer. Of the old Earth, I would have to say, drive-in movie theaters. See, back then, they would have these facilities where a guy or girl could drive their personal vehicle, usually a car or a pickup truck to a closed in lot that had a few dozen spaces for people to park. They would all face a gigantic screen and watch the movies of the day, usually just one was played, but sometimes, they would play a double feature. Anyways, it was also a great place for young men and women, sometimes teenagers, to make out with out too much risk of getting caught."


While David spoke, Baeryn dug into the burger, it was a struggle to eat more then half of it after not eating for so long but she was determined to finish. Taking a small break, she leaned back onto one arm said, "I think I’ve heard of Drive-ins, but I can’t say I’ve ever been to one. My father," her throat tightened but she tried to push through it without David noticing, “he would set up a projector outside our home with a white sheet and we would sit inside our vehicle to watch movies. He always let me sit in the driver's seat.” She smiled at the memory before adding. “I never realized it was such a popular thing to do at one point in time. To me it was just my father being silly.”

Hearing the sorrow in her voice, though she tried to hide it, David realized that her father had died. In a soft, loving voice, he asked, "How long ago did you lose him, if I may ask?" Before she answered, he felt that he was about to hear about a lot of pain in her life up to this point. He would take all of it, without reservation. While he knew it was too early to say the words, he knew that he was quickly growing to love this woman.

Baeryns kept her eyes on her plate, the half eaten burger and only crumbs left from the fries. Standing she moved the plate to a near by table and returned to the bed, still not meeting his eyes. She was so used to brushing off her fathers death, simply saying it was a long time ago. Normally people didn’t ask for more after that, but she didn’t want to treat David like she did everyone else. She wanted to let him in to see all the broken shattered pieces of her, she wanted it to be his decision to accept her as she was.

In a low quavering voice she said, “I lost him when I was 16. Which was a long time ago, for me anyway.” She let out a sorry excuse for a chuckle. Taking a deep breath she continued. “He left for the weekend to stay at our cabin in the mountains in upstate New York. Which was something he often did, normally he always had a friend to accompany him, or I would go, never to hunt but to enjoy the surrounding nature. That weekend he went up early, before I even returned home from school, leaving a holo that he wanted to get a head start on building some old hunters trap but Kenny, his closest friend, was going to meet him the next day. I went about my weekend until Kenny showed up at the house Sunday morning. He hadn’t even bothered to change his clothes before coming to find me to let me know what happened.”

Baeryns throat tried to close on her, like there was no more air in the room to fill her lungs, silver began to line her eyes and she hand to shut them to focus on the breathing. She refused to turn into a heaping mess of tears and sobs in front of David. She could get through this she told herself.

“He found my father, but it had already been too late. The bear....”she took a deep breath, “it had broken his neck before my father could defend himself. Kenny said he hadn’t even drawn his weapon. He said my father didn’t suffer but I didn’t believe it. I blamed myself for years for not going there, for staying home, going about my weekend. While my father lay dying in the woods.” She loosened her fingers, realizing how white knuckled she had become wrangling her hands together. Baeryn didn’t dare look at David, she dead thirty two and still failing to fully deal with her fathers death. She didn’t want to look in his eyes and see what he saw, how he saw her now, she couldn’t bare if it was different from earlier.

David's heart broke for Baeryn with every word she said. He didn't speak, knowing that this was difficult for her to say aloud. The fact that she was told him that she trusted him. He would never break that trust. He remained silent and listened intently.

When Baeryn seemed to be finished, David's senses were screaming at him that she felt worried about something. He could only guess that she was worried that he would feel differently about her. And he did. Before he felt a growing love. Now, he loved her, totally and completely. Wherever life took her, he would be there, at her side, until the end.

Placing his plate on the end table, he then reached out gor her, gently pulling her into his lap. Not in a sexual way, but in a comforting. Loving way. Wrapping his arms around her, he laid her head against his chest. He then began to slowly rock, from side to side, as he softly chanted something in his native tongue.

"Bortha doma,
Crato greta,
Megoratin banatelin,

Bortha doma,
Crato greta,
Hulanota shemateee"

He then hummed the chant again, the notes reverberating in his broad chest.

The tears that fell from her eyes wet the front of David's shirt before she brushed them away. It was a wonder to her how safe she felt wrapped in his arms, how soothing it was to feel his chest vibrate while he hummed the melody again.

"That's beautiful, what does it mean?" She asked closing her eyes and cuddling closer to him.

Still gently rocking, David softly ran the fingers of his right hand through Baeryn's curly hair, while his left arm stayed wrapped around her. He gently kissed the top of her head, then replied. "It's an ancient prayer to the Goddesses of my world. The first part was to ask that the one that was lost to us be watched after in Great Hall. The second part was a request to grant strength, to the one's left behind, to continue on their own journeys safely and peacefully." His voice, while a whisper, was still full of love for this woman.

After a few moments of silence, David spoke again. He hoped what he was about to say would not be rebuffed. "Baeryn? I need to ask you a question."

Her body stiffened at the request and her eyes opened, focusing on a cluster of freckles on the back of her hand. "Okay." Was all she could muster for a response, her voice small, unfamiliar even to her.

David felt apprehension from Baeryn as she replied. Taking in a deep breath, he readied himself for what might very well be the most important answer he would ever receive.

"Baeryn, what we have shared tonight, what we have created between us, my people call it haltora. It, it roughly translates to binding connection. Remember before, when I told you that I could see the energy around us? Well, now, there is a new energy. One that was created by our own energies mixing together. Now, because of this, no matter where you go, I will always be able to feel your life force, and use this connection to find you, should we ever be separated."

He took a deep breath to steady his nerves, he hadn't realized just how nervous he had become. "Baeryn Whavi, I ask now, in the tradition of my people, would you agree to bond with me, permanently?" He stopped her from speaking with a gentle touch. "I know this is fast, my species, being so long lived, usually take things very slowly. However, our hearts, when it finds the other half that makes us whole, well, then we move very quickly indeed. If you say yes, you will never be alone again, and I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and loved until the Fates decide that our journey has ended."

Done speaking, he waited quietly, internally praying that this lovely woman says yes.

Loved. A permanent bond. Did David know what he was truly asking? To bond himself to her? She was a mess, an utterly torn to pieces mess of her own doing. There was no way he accepted her so easily, he should not want to pull her close but to keep her at arms length. Baeryn had never even said the word Love out loud to another person after her father passed. Believing there was no way someone could love her for who and what she was.

What would become of David's heart when she perished? Her messily short human life was nothing compared to the years he'd already had and would have ahead of him. How could she do that to him? Expect him to sacrifice a lifetime of happiness for maybe 40 years with her. It wasn't right to allow him to, but she wanted to. Gods did she want to. That greedy side of her that never took anything for herself wanted to take and own all of him, for the remainder of her life. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. She couldn't let him do that for her.

There had been a long silence as she mulled over her own thoughts. Slowly she sat up and brought her eyes to his, lost in the waves of cerulean. He was worth so much more then she could give. She didn't deserve him, or what he was offering to give her. Cupping her hand on his cheek she felt the tears build in her eyes again, swelling and threatening to spill over. Dropping her hand she whispered, "I can't allow you to do that. Not for me." she paused, barely holding herself together. She was tearing apart the already shattered pieces of her heart. "You deserve so much more then I can give you." Her face hardened as she started to slip from his grasp. In the back of her mind she knew it was bound to happen, that she would find some way to ruin the moment she so desperately wanted to hold on to. It was why she never let anyone in too deep.

David's heart began to break as soon as he saw the look in Baeryn's beautiful eyes. She was going to refuse him. He tried to be strong, but, as soon as he saw the heartbreak in her eyes, he started to crumble.

"N-no, you...you can't," his voice barely a whisper. He grabbed hold of her before she could fully leave him. "Baeryn, you don't understand! I've been looking for you, my whole life! I have always known that something was missing in my heart. As soon as you walked in here, I started to see that it was you. Then, when I felt our combined energies..... that only happens when a bond has been made. And a bond, for the El Aurian heart, can only be made with one other person, regardless of their species." He shifted off the bunk to stand before her. Moving her hands to his chest, he continued.

"Feel that? That beats for you only. Even if we only get forty, fifty, even sixty years together....you are the one that I am meant to be with. The Fates don't make mistakes." Kneeling down in front of her, he gazed up into those beautiful pools of obsidian. "I would gladly give up my long life, if it meant I got those sixty glorious years with you!"

The tears pooled over her lids and fell, no ran down her cheeks. This couldn’t be happening. She didn’t know how she did it but she bewitched him, this was her fault, she did this. She let me get too close and somehow she was making him think this was how he truly felt. Why was her mind such a curse. She hated herself for wanting what he was offering but she knew, knew this couldn’t be real. Not this fast. Her energy somehow tainted his. Her foul, good for nothing energy was manipulating him into thinking she was the one. She didn’t deserve his loyalty, his love.

Her fingers gripped the front of his shirt, if for no other reason but to confirm he was truly in front of her. That she wasn’t dreaming. How had they come to this. How? She needed to get away, so he could think clearly and her broken mind couldn’t affect him. This was all her fault and she was holy convinced of it. There was no telling her other wise. David was under some kind of enchantment. One she put there. There was no giving herself after this, he could never forgive her when he realized what had happened.

Baeryn stood, looming over David, she was filled with such sorrow now when merely hours prior she felt a joy she had never known. The emotions were overwhelming, a piercing headache was starting the throb in her temple. She had to put distance between them. Taking his face in both of her hands she leaned down to gently place a kiss on his brow. “I have to go.” Her voice cracked, the rest of her words stuck in her throat.
Retrieving her pants she slipped them on, gathering her the other items of clothing and shoving them into her tool bag. She would return the shirt another time, she had to leave now while she still had the will to. Her fingers trembled on the PADD as she shoved that to into her bag. No matter how her heart felt she had a job to do.

David was speechless. How...how could she not see? How could she not believe him? What had he done wrong?! He knew in an instant. He had moved too fast. He should have not pushed to be close so quickly. He should have...he should have...

Feeling that his heart had been ripped out and utterly destroyed, his arms fell limply to jis sides when she moved away from him. His knuckles hitting the deck plating with a thud. If she didn't want him, it was because of something he did. Therefore, it was not his place to force his will on her. He had no right to ask her for any kindness. He deserved to be alone, damned for all time to never truly be with anyone.

As she sped past him to leave his quarters, he tried one more time. Reaching out, he tried to grab her hand. "Please...no..." his voice was weak as he spoke.

Baeryn flinched when his fingers wrapped around her hand. The same fingers that had roamed her body and set her skin on fire. He would understand soon why she had to leave , and when he did he would hate her for it. Hate her for manipulating him. Hate her for the monster she was.

“I have to David. This isn’t real and you won’t understand that until I’m gone.” She couldn’t look at him, she didn’t dare. Knowing she would lose all composure if she did; lose the strength to walk away so he could see how truly horrid she was. The sight of him kneeling there, broken, she had done that.

She slipped her hand from his, her heart breaking more then she thought possible as she let go of his fingers. How could she still feel pain? Why wasn’t she numb?

Baeryn walked to the door and wiped her face before exiting, like an idiot she looked back. What she saw would forever be burned into her memory. A reminder of the pain she causes. Of how her broken mind tore others down when she let them get too close.

After Baeryn tore her hand from his grip, David collapsed further into his grief. "Of course she didn't want him. He was far too damaged to be joined with her beauty. What woman would want a man who not only lost his world, his species, and...something else.... There was something else missing from his life....something, something he should hold dear....but, what was it?!

Hearing his door slide open, his head dropped to his chest. The pain....it was....all encompassing. He should just end things now. The world would be better off without him. Baeryn would be better off without him. But, he...he was too weak to even move to end his own life. Yet another reason that proves he was only wasting Baeryn's time.

He began to weep.

***To Be Concluded...***


Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi
Chief of Operations U.S.S Elysium

&

Corporal David Tonelly
Marine Sniper