Warm Sands Part 3

Posted on Mon May 11th, 2020 @ 6:00am by Lieutenant Commander Aurelia Taylor & Lieutenant Commander S'hib

Mission: Challenge Missions
Location: Various.
Timeline: Before departure
1670 words - 3.3 OF Standard Post Measure

S'hibs ear twitched to the left as the door to the security office opened, catching a glimpse of Commander Holmes as she entered and moved to her desk.

"Afternoon Ma'am." S'hib snorted while turning back to his locker. "I left you something on your desk." He smiled, gently closing his locker and walking into the main office.

Lia turned to face S'hib, "Ma'am? We're being rather formal aren't we? What's wrong with, Hi Commander, as usual?" She turned to look on the desk, a flat box sat there. "Is that the necklace I liked?"

"Apologies... I've just been thinking, as I do. And I didn't want you to feel that our friendship was going to my... head..." He mused as he came to a stop, realising how ridiculous it all sounded now that he had said it aloud. "But yes, that is the necklace you liked..." He smiled, wanting nothing more than to bang his head against the wall and restart the conversation.

Walking over to S'hib, Lia did the welcoming moves he'd taught her. She then looked up at him, "S'hib, we work together. We don't live together, so nothing will be going anywhere". She now returned to her desk and sat down, "Our friendship isn't about to expand into anything other than being friends, I'm getting married and you have a very beautiful girlfriend". She opened the box and removed the necklace, "Thank you for this, I will treasure it always. And now we have duties to perform, where are you patrolling today?" She glanced at her PaDD, "I'll expect you back here for 18:30 hours, I'll have a couple of those juices here. One for each of us, just don't be late". A smile crossed her lips as she spoke, this wonderful creature had taught her so much in the past few day's.

"The promenade on deck ten... makes a change from climbing through the Nacelle pylons I suppose." He replied, snorting out a short laugh before composing himself, his face turning serious for a brief moment as a thought crossed his mind.

She tilted her head, "The promenade deck eh? Well just don't get carried away with the setting, it can get a bit slow down there and your mind can wander". She noticed his face turn serious, "Penny for your thoughts Lieutenant, you alright you look like you saw a ghost?"

A small grin formed on his laps as Lia queried what was on his mind. "I'll tell you later." he smiled, moving towards the door. "Unless my mind wanders and I'm late..." He jested, walking backwards with his shoulders raised and his hands out at his sides.

"Mr. S'hib, I do hope your not making fun of a superior Officer?" Lia stood with her hands on her hips, but was unable to keep a straight face long enough. "Get the hell outta here Dobin, and don't be late. My cell area is looking a little grubby, if you know what I mean". She smiled as she spoke, relaxed with a junior Officer she trusted.

"Commander, I don't think I'm qualified to know about your cell area." He said with his face completely straight, biting the side of his tongue to stop a smile from forming as the door opened behind him.

Lia now picked up an old cushion from her chair and threw it at S'hib, "Your dismissed, along with your now mucky mind". A laugh escaped from Lia and she looked at S'hib and wondered if he felt as relaxed with her as she did with him.

S'hib covered his face from the incoming cushion, laughing to himself as he felt it gently thump against him and fall to the floor. "Barely started my shift and I've already been assaulted..." He joked, skipping out the door and hurrying away before something heavier was thrown his way.

Lia simply shook her head, S'hib just didn't seem to mind what the rules were. He was just S'hib, "No skipping in the corridors, or you're scrubbing the cells out".

"Deck ten." S'hib smiled as he entered the turbolift, his mood in good spirits as the door closed and he started his shift.

"Deck nineteen..." S'hib grumbled as he watched the doors close, his uniform still damp from the drink thrown over him earlier in the day.

He had barely finished yawning when the door reopened, allowing him to lazily plod out and off towards the security office.

"Commander..." He snorted, hurrying into the changing room and wasting no time to remove the majority of his uniform, muttering something to himself in his native tongue.

Lia watched as Shib charged past, "Ah lieutenant, is the ship on fire or something?" She could see a stain on his uniform, "Did we miss our mouth? Here a juice for you, please don't miss it this time". She smiled as she spoke, hoping to cheer S'hib up.

All Lia heard in response was a loud snort echoing out of the changing rooms, shortly followed by a locker being closed with a bit too much force.

"The delightful individual who decided their drink would look better over me than in their glass is sobering up in the brig," He said before peaking his head out into the office. "How was your day." He smiled, before moving back out of sight to quickly throw on a grey sleeveless dress with a large hood.

That response caught Lia off guard, "You arrested someone? Have you booked them in?" She sat and thought about how S'hib was slowly finding his feet, "My day was spent thinking how to kick the butt of this department and get it going again. Here's that juice I promised, and like I said don't miss your mouth this time". She giggled as she spotted S'hibs reaction to her comment.

"Never mind the department, I'll be kicking your butt in a minute..." S'hib quipped as he picked up his glass and leant against the wall opposite her desk. "And yes he's booked in, paperworks done and all that..." He said lazily, gesturing with his open hand before sipping his juice.

"You arrested someone, I find that so unusual. But what did you say, for him to upend his drink on you?" Lia watched as for once S'hib began to relax with another of his department, ok it was his Chief but it was a start. "That's threatening a senior Officer Lieutenant, do you wish to join your prisoner in the brig?" A smile on her lips showed she wasn't overly serious, in a way his ease of talking to her proved he at last seemed to be settling in.

"He was drunk outside one of the bars, he'd been kicked out and was causing a scene... I offered to help him back to his cabin, but I think he thought I was coming onto him." S'hib replied while trying to hide a smile. "Apparently he doesn't like men... or horses." He added, finally with a smile.

Lia started to giggle, "Yeah some men are like that, just no sense of adventure". She Looked at her Officer, "And such a good looking horse, you would have thought he'd at least give it a try". She giggled again and then pointed to the door, "If you have somewhere to be S'hib, like in a certain Major's cabin. Just tell me, I wouldn't want to hold you up".

"He got me all wet and I didn't even get a kiss." He replied before hiding a smile behind his glass, sipping slowly as he looked down at Lia. "As for rushing off..." He added, lifting and shaking his glass gently. "Gotta finish my drink first."

Smiling, Lia raised her glass. "Here's to you getting that kiss, but not from me. I'm spoken for remember, and so are you. I think you'll find Azhul isn't as free loving as that". She walked over to him, confident now he wouldn't take any advantage. "You have a very beautiful girlfriend, you don't need anyone else. And from what I've seen of your prisoner, he's not your type".

"On Sequus it would almost be expected of me to... be available so to speak, but... I know that is not how things are, nor do I want them to be... because then I wouldn't have her." S'hib replied before taking a long sip of his drink.

"That being said, next time I go back to earth, I am going to have to disappoint a few people." He added, genuinely saddened by the revelation.

She looked at S'hib, "Welcome to my world, the rules of civilization don't take the minority into consideration. We Humans tend to be monogamous, and expect others to be the same". Lia walked back to her desk, "Finish your drink and go see Azhul, I think you two have a lot to talk about. She's Bajoran if I remember right, so she has one set of rules while you have another. I think you need to set some boundaries, and find some rules you both agree with".

"I should probably show her my world before I open my mouth... It might make things a bit easier to explain." S'hib replied while looking into the last mouthful of his glass, watching the liquid sway gently this way and that. "Or it might not." He said before downing the last of his drink, pausing to swallow for a moment before placing the glass down on the desk. "Enjoy your evening Commander." He said with a heavy sigh before leaving, his brow furrowed into a hard knot of frustration at the revelation of something else he had to worry about.

Lia watched S'hib start to leave, "Azhul might surprise you, she isn't shallow. Trust her, show her". As he walked out, she called after him, "Trust her S'hib, and enjoy your night". The door closed and Lia looked around the Office, suddenly she needed Gary.

Lieutenant S'hib
Security Officer
USS Elysium

Commander Lia Holmes
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Elysium