Your Enemy is Dead Part V: This chapter contains sexual content

Your Enemy is Dead

Chapter V

Janice Rand leaned catlike into her dresser mirror while she applied the finishing touches to her make-up.  If she looked like a dewy mermaid last night, she looked more like a siren this morning.  Her lips were painted a harlot red, her eyes were smoky and feline, and her thick, waist-length hair was pulled upward in a high ponytail.  Medium-sized silver hoops dangled from her ears in full view.  She gave herself the once-over before spritzing herself with some heady-scented perfume.

“Well, Janice, you have your ‘fuck me’ make-up on, and your ‘fuck me’ perfume on.  Khobran will have a major hard-on he’ll be stuck with until our next date,” she thought to herself.

“Now, he would have been working in that chamber since 0500 hours, so I’m going to take a chance and see if he’s finished at 0800 hours.  If I’m right, hopefully, he should be changing out of his chamber suit in a few minutes. I don’t know this, of course, but I’m going by my intuition.”

Rand gave herself a wicked little smile and crossed her fingers.

“Time to see if your plan works!” she said out loud.

Rand walked out of her quarters, wiggling her hips shamelessly as she got into character.

*********************************

The changing station was fairly empty, with just a few smattering of engineers who were either ending, or beginning their morning shifts in the various chambers that were spread throughout the Enterprise.  There were a few early morning fitness warriors who were changing into their gear, but they were a very small group.  The rooms within the changing station were fairly large, able to accommodate four people with more than enough space between them.  Each room consisted of four large built-in lockers, with shelves that stretched in between them, and four tables with accompanying chairs near each corner of the room.  Since the station was unisex, each room had sliding doors as a privacy option.

Rand was walking through the second corridor of the station when she spotted Khobran, his door open, in one of the rooms.  He was in the mist of slipping out of his silver protective suit, when he looked up, and saw Rand.

“Janice, I didn’t expect to find you here,” he exclaimed, breaking into a huge grin.

Rand stood by the doorway, her back against the rim of the door, her hands tucked behind her back.  She propped a leg behind her and jutted her chest, her lips slightly parted.  Khobran stood in front of Rand, his protective gear halfway down his waist, revealing how his upper body molded the black regulation t-shirt.  His muscles and veins under the taunt jade skin were a sensory treat for Rand’s eyes.  She had to remember to keep her composure, though the secret place between her legs didn’t comply.

“Hello, Khobran.  You certainly look fit this morning,” she purred.

“As usual, you look amazing!”  Khobran was clearly in awe of Rand’s new look.

Rand gently shoved herself off the rim of the doorway, and slinked towards Khobran.  She placed her hand on his powerful chest, allowing it to slide down to his tight abs, his waist and his lower back while she walked around him, as if inspecting his body.

“You are a glorious sight after spending a long time in that chamber, Janice,” said Khobran, his voice reflecting the arousal born from Rand’s touching.

“Now that you’re here, I thought maybe we could get some breakfast from the galley and bring it back to my quarters.  Breakfast in bed, that sort of thing,” he said, a mixture of hope and heat in his deep voice.

Rand’s hand brushed against Khobran’s hard buttocks, squeezing it while she pressed her body against his.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Khobran.  I’m headed to the captain’s quarters.  He needs me this morning.”

“But, I thought that you came down here because your morning was free,” Khobran said, confused.

“No, that’s not the case.  As a matter of fact, I’m not free until tomorrow night.”

Khobran looked at Rand steadily, following her with his eyes while she continued to walk around him, her hands brushing against his hips, and ending on his inner thigh.

“God, he has such a hard body,” she thought, her own body hungry for him.

When she squeezed Khobran’s inner thigh, Rand leaned into him.  “Can I have a rain check, dear?” she asked.

Khobran looked down at Rand and raised a brow.  “For someone who has no time this morning to spend with me, you certainly look and act ready for a hot little fuck,” he said coolly. 

The expression on his face became steely, his violet eyes peering into Rand’s with unwavering intensity.  Rand’s teasing humor was wiped away from her, taken aback by Khobran’s new, and unsettling disposition.  Before Rand could release herself from Khobran, he grabbed her by the forearm and yanked her to him, like a rag doll.  Rand let out a small gasp, while Khobran brought his face into hers.  His grip was so strong that Rand felt like her arm was being held by a stationary shackle.

“I knew you were really pissed last night when things got hot and heavy, and I had to cut things off!  So, I know why you’re doing this,” said Khobran icily. 

“You wanted to fuck just as badly as I did, and you went to bed angry.  Fine.  I also know that this is a ruse.  Turns out I checked your schedule before reporting to work, and the captain doesn’t need you until 1030 hours.  I’m free until 1000 hours.  How lucky you are.”

Khobran’s eyes flashed as he pulled Rand along, walking over to the mechanism that closed and locked the changing room door, slamming it down with his palm.  When the door was soundly locked, he hurled Rand against the wall and held her there. 

Khobran kissed Rand hard, his tongue probing her mouth while he placed his thick thigh between her slender legs.  Rand moaned as she surrendered to the overwhelming want of this Orion man.  His strong hands reached under her uniform skirt and squeezed her rump, his lips and teeth nibbling along her jaw line and down her neck.  Khobran  kissed along the fabric of her uniform, going downward until he reached her skirt.  He lifted this up, and nuzzled his nose against the crotch of her red over-shorts.

Khobran looked up at Rand, a wicked smile on his face as he lifted up her right leg and yanked off her boot.  Rand looked down at Khobran while he threw her right boot, and then the left boot, over his shoulder.  He ran his hands over her long legs until he reached her hips.  Effortlessly, He yanked the red over-shorts off, revealing the lacey black bikini panties that were hiding underneath.  Khobran’s smile became even broader, and the hastiness he displayed in yanking off the barrier of her pantyhose made Rand almost lose her balance.  As Khobran tossed the hose behind him, he traced his finger along the pubic line of her panties.  Rand bit her lower lip, feeling the tip of his finger taunting her, making her breathing even more rapid.  He eased off these lace panties, and gently worked his finger through Rand’s blond pubic hair until he spotted her erect pink bud.  Khobran looked up at Rand, his expression full of arousal.

“Someone is ready to fuck,” he said, his voice low, steady.

Khobran got up from his crouching position, and rose up until he towered over her again.   Rand parted her lips, as she stared into his intense violet eyes.  She felt her bare ass pressed against the coolness of the wall.  Khobran reached for Rand’s waist, positioning her so that she had her back to him, while his own back faced the wall.  He encircled her slender waist with one powerful arm, while with his free hand he slipped his fingers between her legs and probed her secret place.  He explored with firm, yet gentle fingers with an insistent probing that was both merciless and loving in its curiosity.  Rand was pushed up Khobran’s body by the sheer strength of his encircling arm, blissfully trapped in his grasp.  She reached behind until she found his buttocks and grabbed them.  A long, thick finger probed her, found her sweet spot, and flicked it, teased it.  Rand widened her legs in accommodation, rocking her hips almost unconsciously, as they seemed to find their own rhythm with Khobran’s conducting fingers.  She threw her head back, and sobbed in ecstasy while she squirmed and writhed under the Orion’s expertise.  Khobran nibbled the nape of Rand’s neck, uttering a deep throaty chuckle as Rand felt the area between her legs mount and tighten with want.  Her breathing increased rapidly and she let out small trembling moans.

“Oh God, Khobran!  Fuck me!  I can’t wait anymore!”  she said in a small hoarse whisper.

Khobran eased his probing fingers out of her, giving Rand one long kiss at the nape of her neck again.

“Aren’t you glad you stopped by?”  He chuckled, giving Rand’s buttocks a playful slap.  He pulled Rand over to one of the tables, and pushed her down over it, so that she was bent over from the waist.

Rand could feel her body release heat underneath her skin, as it produced light beads of sweat in anticipation of what was to come.  Rand was so wet between her legs that she knew, without a doubt, that she could take Khobran in easily.  Rand’s hands were braced on the tabletop while he positioned her so that her knees were on the table and her legs were spread wide, propelling her naked ass high, and in full view.

“You have the best ass and pair of legs of any woman I’ve ever been with,” Khobran said breathlessly, while he ran both of his hands over her buttocks and thighs.  Rand could feel a light draft touching the wetness of her pubic area, the ever delicate breeze touching her swollen clit.  She heard a slip of fabric behind her, followed by a startling long, thick member rubbing back and forth along the length of her vagina.  Rand moaned, jutting her naked rump higher.

“Ah, Khobran! Please!  I want you inside me now!”  While her voice was still hoarse and small, the heat in her body was immense.

Khobran eased his penis into Rand.  She was stunned as he stretched her wide, even though he had only an inch of him inside her.  She drew in her breath sharply, and widened her fingers open like a fan.  Khobran grabbed her buttocks with his large hands while he pushed in, pulling Rand’s hips towards him.  He pushed until he was all the way in, his large firm testicles buoyant against her pubic area.  Rand was overwhelmed, her insides tightening around Khobran like a warm, soft vise.  He pushed in and pulled out of Rand, moaning her name.  He moved slowly, with power and control, probing her depths.  Rand chanted Khobran’s name, like a mantra, over and over again.  She bit her lower lip, becoming bold as she met his powerful thrusts hungrily, and with great need.  Rand’s wetness mingled with the pain and pleasure of his member stretching her, impaling her.  He pumped faster, making Rand tighten around him.  He reached over with one hand, pulling at the elastic around Rand’s ponytail.  Rand felt her hair fall loose to her sides, her back, the tip of her sweaty naked butt.  Khobran pushed and pulled on, then he reached under and manipulated Rand’s erect bud.

Rand jumped and gasped, her orgasm sucking Khobran in, her bud so sensitive and ripe to his taunting fingertips.  As she came, Rand gyrated and ground her hips into him, her whole body hot and dewy.  As he came inside her, Rand felt his eruption.  His alien chemistry created a long, continuous ejaculation that was hot and thick.  The feel of his finger on her clit, his cum, and her quickening stoked by the sheer length and width of Khobran was too much for Rand, and she came in waves like a rising tide.

They called each other’s name as they collapsed, she on the table, and he on top of her.  Rand stretched her arms on either side of her and let out a long breath.  Khobran kept his member inside of Rand while he fondled her ass, alternating between squeezing and pinching.  When he finally eased his penis out of Rand, she could hear a slip of fabric behind her again.  Khobran turned Rand over effortlessly, picking her up by the buttocks while she wrapped her long legs around his waist.  She could feel a naughty little finger slip inside of her, as he gently lowered her down with him, on the floor.

******************************* 

“Hello, sleepy head.”

Rand looked up through heavy-lidded eyes to see Khobran ,  his face closing in on hers to kiss her lips, greeting her from her slumber.  She was in her own Nirvana while he kissed her, his tongue probing and exploring her mouth.  As their mouths and tongues intertwined, Khobran’s hands caressed her naked buttocks and thighs softly, delicately.

“Oh, Khobran, when they created you they broke the mold,” said Rand between kisses.

“It’s not me, Janice.  You’re simply too much woman to ignore. If I were the captain, you couldn’t be my yeoman.  That’s for sure!”

He gave Rand’s buttock a firm lingering squeeze and brushed his lips to her throat.  She loved the feel of Khobran’s hands toying with her bottom, and she wanted to start another tryst right there on the floor.

“Hey, what time is it?” asked Rand, running her hands through Khobran’s hair.

Khobran detached his lips from Rand’s neck, looked around, and reached over for his duffle.  He pulled it over to his side, and rummaged through it, finding his watch.

“It’s exactly 0940 hours.  Time for us to get back to work.  Scotty calls,” he said, leaning in playfully to steal another kiss.

Khobran got up, pulling Rand by both hands until she was on her feet.  Rand knew how she must look like.  Wild hair, no underpants, bare legs, smeared make-up.  She couldn’t very well return to work like this.  Rand looked around the floor of the changing room.

“I gotta get back to my quarters and wash up!  Then, I need to eat,” said Rand, placing her hand on her stomach.

“Coffee and cinnamon buns, right?” joked Khobran.

“Very funny, smartass!”  Rand continued to look around the floor, not able to find what she was looking for.

“Hey, have you seen my panties anywhere?” she asked after a fruitless search around the changing room floor.

“You mean these?” asked Khobran, dangling the panties in Rand’s face.

“Oh, great!” Relieved, Rand reached for them.  Khobran chuckled, yanking the panties away from Rand’s reach.  “Hey, what are you doing?”

“Keeping these as a souvenir for a memorable conquest,” Khobran said blithely.

“What?  Come on, Khobran!  I need those!”

“You can wear your regulation shorts without anything underneath.  They cover the women around here like diapers!”

“Khobran, give them to me!”

“No.”

Rand placed her hand on her hips, chuckling at the situation.  “Then, will you at least help me look for my pantyhose,” she said after retrieving her uniform undershorts from off the floor in front of her.

“You mean, these?” Khobran held up a pair of eviscerated sheer black nylon, his two large fingers sticking out of the largest holes. 

Rand’s face dropped.  She snatched them out of Khobran’s hand and stretched them out in front of her, like an accordion.  As she held them in front of her face she could see Khobran through one of the many rips and tears that were all over the fabric.  He bit his lower lip, standing with his arms behind him, like a gigantic naughty kid.

“I’m sorry, Janice.  I guess I got a bit carried away,” he said meekly, shrugging his shoulders.

“Just a bit,” quipped Rand, throwing the useless nylon over her shoulder.

“What can I say?  When I saw you in those lacey little panties, I simply had to get to them,” Khobran said, walking over to Rand and wrapping his arms around her.

“But, what am I going to do?  I can’t walk down the hall in bare legs, you big goof!”  Rand said, playfully punching him in the arm.

“Looks like you’ll have to,” Khobran chuckled as he kissed Rand’s throat.  “Give the crewmen something to dream about,” he said between kisses that went from her throat, to her jaw line, to her lips.  While they kissed, laughter could be heard from outside of their changing room door.

“It’s getting a little busy now.  Looks like we better get going,” he said, releasing Rand from his arms.

“You know, Khobran, it’s not exactly going to look good for us to be seen walking out together,” Rand pointed out.

“Give me a break, Janice.  Do you think we’re the first couple to do the deed in these rooms?”

“I’m sure that they didn’t just waltz out of the room like nothing,” she warned.

“Do you mean to tell me that you don’t want to be seen waltzing out with me?” Khobran said with mock offense, smacking his hand in the middle of his chest.

“Khobran, we can’t just walk out together after screwing in the changing room!  You know how people talk!  Besides, it might be seen as improper conduct,” she said, pinching Khobran’s hand.

“Ouch! That hurt,” he said with an incredulous laugh.

“Serves you right, jerk,” she exclaimed playfully.

Khobran looked at Rand for a moment and sighed, his hands on his hips.

“Okay, tell you what.  Why don’t you hide in one of these compartments.  I’ll tap on its door to let you know that I’m going, and you wait five minutes after I leave.  I’ll close the changing room door behind me.”

“Do you honestly think I could fit into these compartments?  Seriously now!”

“Of course you can.”  Khobran opened one of the slender doors that reached, vertically, from the ceiling to the floor.

The inside of the compartment was long enough, and wide enough, for Rand to sit in, albeit snugly.

“Well, well, well.  You’re right.  Guess I’ve never thought about it before,” she said while Khobran slapped her naked fanny.

“Better put on these boots and shorts, or else you’ll cause a frenzy down the halls!”

Khobran reached under her skirt for a last little pinch of her naked buttocks, making Rand jump up and giggle.  He watched her put on her red over-shorts and boots, before placing herself in the slender compartment.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Sure am.”

“Okay.  Close the door behind you.  I’ll fold up my protective suit and stuff it in my duffel. Then, I’ll tap your door.  You wait five minutes afterwards.”

“What if someone walks in?”

“Tell them you were looking for your pantyhose.”

“Very funny.”

Khobran closed the compartment door, effectively enveloping Rand in darkness.  From inside the locker, she could hear the stuffing of fabric, followed by the manipulation of zippers, drawstrings, and buckles.  His footsteps went up to the compartment, where he tapped three times on the door.  Afterwards, the footsteps trailed away, the changing room door opened and shut, and then there was silence.

Five minutes passed while Rand dutifully crouched silently in the dark space.  It was only five minutes, and her knees were already feeling the strain.

“Luckily, I don’t have to pee,” she thought.

When it was time for her to make her exit, Rand reached over to pull up the inside latch and pushed her way out--or tried to.  She pushed again.

“What the…” She jiggled it, only to realize that the door was stuck.

“Shit, I can’t believe this!”

She pushed and shoved at the compartment door, finally stopping, out of sheer frustration.

“Oh, God!  I’m gonna be late for work!”

Rand banged on the door and yelled, concerns over gossip and decorum be damned!  Her knees started to buckle, when she stopped to gather herself.

“Calm down, Janice,” she coached to herself, trying to stop the panic that rose in her belly.

Rand closed her eyes and started to breath deeply.  After a few seconds, she opened her eyes and began counting to three.  While ignoring the pain in her knees, she positioned herself like a sprinter.

“One…two…three!”

Just then, the door opened.  The darkness of the compartment was filled with light, and Rand found herself face to face with a bewildered Nurse Leigh, who was holding the compartment door.  From behind Leigh, Rand could spot Nurses Patel and  Nurse Rose staring at Rand, looking equally bewildered, as they stood holding their duffel bags.

“Lovely,” thought Rand with exasperation.

“Janice, what are you doing in that compartment?”

Nurse Leigh’s question was long and drawn out, almost as if she was talking to a retarded child.  At first, Rand was at a loss on what to tell this idiot.  Then, she got an idea.  She calmly stepped out of the compartment, smoothed her skirt, and placed her hands on her hips as she faced these obnoxious boobs.

“I was looking for my pantyhose.  I thought I left them in there,” she said pointing to the compartment behind her.  “Did you happen to see them around?”

“Uh, no, Janice,” said Leigh.  The other nurses shook their heads in dumbfounded unison.

Rand reached behind and tossed her hair back, giving the nurses her sweetest smile.  They stood staring at Rand, as if a second head was growing out of her shoulders.  Not that she could blame them; with her long, wild hair and bare legs, she must have looked like something that escaped from an insane asylum, or a Go-Go cage from Earth’s psychedelic era.

“Well, thanks anyway,” said Rand in a chirpy voice.  She straightened her skirt one last time, picked up her chin, and walked out of the changing room door, leaving behind a speechless group of nurses in her wake.

**************************************

Rand tried not to look too conspicuous, as she walked briskly down the corridor.  Feeling the air on her bare legs and through her loose hair, however, she knew it was rather pointless to feign any kind of normalcy.  Rand was accustomed to whistles and appreciative glances by crewmen, but this time around, the glances were a bit more leering and the whistles a bit more piercing.  This kind of attention made her pick up the pace more, until she spotted the captain turn the corner of the corridor and head her way.  Rand panicked, stopped and attempted to make a turn.

“Yeoman,” called Kirk in a clipped voice.  “You’re not in dress code!”

“No Shit, Sherlock!” she thought to herself behind her fake smile. 

“I know, sir.  It’s just that I was at a sleepover with some of the girls, and I lost my pantyhose…”

“It must have been some sleepover,” Kirk said, his eyes inspecting her.

“Yes, sir.  Well, I really have to get ready for work.  I don’t mean to rush off.”

“Make it snappy!  I’ll need you in 45 minutes--properly dressed.” Though subtle, the sarcasm in Kirk’s voice was not lost to Rand, as he turned on his heels and walked down the corridor.   There was a time, not too long ago, when Kirk’s sarcasm had the power to sting her. 

Rand was relieved that this little encounter with the captain had passed without incident.  She smiled, and let out a healthy declaration of “whatever,” which she hoped wasn’t too loud for him to hear, and started down the corridor.

Rand continued walking to her destination again, using the same pace like she had before.  Trotting down the hall passing various doors, Rand looked straight ahead of her, feeling more relief, as she got closer to her quarters.  There was one more unavoidable hurdle to jump through, though. She had to pass by sickbay.

“Please, please!  I don’t need to hear a damn thing from Queen Bee,” Rand thought to herself.  “Please, make her busy with patients, and not leaning against the door when Dr.McCoy can’t find anything for her to do!”  Just then, Rand spotted Nurse Chapel straight ahead of her.  Rand cursed under her breath.

Nurse Chapel was leaning against the rim of the sickbay door.  Her long legs were stretched out and crossed at the ankles, her hand situated on her hip. 

“All she needs is a dark street and a lamp post,” Rand thought.

When Chapel spotted Rand, she crossed her arms and smirked.  Rand could see that Chapel was grabbing this opportunity to say something catty--and grab it, she did.

“Hey, Janice!  Love the new look with the wild hair and bare legs.  I hear it’s very popular with the women on Orion!”

Instead of answering back to Chapel, as she usually would, Rand whisked right by, promptly flipping her the bird while she hurried towards the sanctuary of her quarters, where an intact pair of sheer black regulation pantyhose awaited her.

**************************************************************************

Your Enemy is Dead Part IV

Your Enemy is Dead

Chapter IV

Rand stood tentatively outside the solarium, peering into the lush rows of flowers, plants, and trees that were behind the glass double doors.  She was unable to see Khobran from where she stood, which suited her just fine in her apprehensive mood.

 “This is good,” Rand thought to herself.  “Maybe I can turn around and run before he sees me!”

Rand’s stomach was in knots and her breathing was rapid.  She rolled her eyes, wondering what the hell she was doing.  This guy would probably end up like all the rest.  She was sure of it.  If she were to escape right now, worse case scenario would be that he’d be put off by her no-show, and would never ask her out again.

“Not a bad idea,” Rand thought.

But, did she really want that?  Did she really want Khobran to be put off by her?  With that discomforting thought, she straightened her posture, smoothed her hair, and checked herself in one of the side mirrors by the entrance doors.  Rand looked at herself in her tight jeans and fitted scoop-neck.  She smiled, liking what she saw, and she was confident that Khobran would like it too.  Then, taking a deep breath, she walked through the parting glass double doors.

The solarium was a stunning achievement of geodome-styled walls and ceilings stretched high and wide, the structure cascading downward and even.  The area was vast, the vegetation from the many planets of the Federation galaxy arranged by various rows, clusters, and slopes.  It was wild, but strangely, there was order in the chaos.

The light in the solarium was whisper soft, its blood-orange hue peeking out from the far corners of the geodome, and weaving its sparkle throughout the grounds.  The lighting was artificial, true.  Nevertheless it was affective, as it thoroughly soothed Rand.  She looked straight ahead of her, at the various trees, flowers, scrubs, and plants that were bathed in this intense sunset.

“Mother of God, look at you!”

Startled, Rand turned to see Khobran, who’d been standing in back of her.  The butterflies in her stomach fluttered furiously, her eyes widening at the sight of this man.

“You should wear your hair loose more often.  You look like a mermaid out of a Celtic myth tale,” he said with a smile.

Rand blushed.  No man looked as good as Khobran did when he smiled, his full, beautifully formed mouth stretched out in a display of perfect, large white teeth.

“He even outshines the captain, hands down,” Rand thought to herself.

She had washed and blow-dried her thick, heavy hair, freeing it from her signature basket weave hairdo.   Her platinum hair shone strawberry blond in the sunset lighting, as it reached down in waves and curls to the small of her back.  She had brushed a light pink gloss on her lips, which shined dewy and moist along with her lightly blushed cheekbones.  Rand’s blue eyes were outlined with a light brown line, giving them a catlike sweep.

Rand looked at Khobran, excited in a quiet kind of way, enjoying the nearness of him though still being unsure of the situation at hand.

“Janice, if the captain tries to make a pass at you, I’ll risk court-martial and kill him,” said Khobran, with a mischievous grin on his face.  Rand swayed on the balls of her feet nervously, under this young man’s gaze.

The light in the solarium made love to Khobran’s green alien skin, giving him a warm reflection that seemed to bend to the slope of his features.  His large violet eyes appeared very dark in the light, and shadows carved out on the chiseled planes of his face, bringing out his high cheekbones and the faint soft clef of his strong chin.  Instead of being harsh, the shadows caressed his masculine face.  It was very becoming.  Khobran raised his large square hand and offered it to Rand.

“Ready to be seated, Janice?” he asked.

Rand smiled bashfully while she placed her hand in his.  As Khobran pulled Rand gently down the solarium path, she observed all of the foliage that came into her view.  Khobran led the way, guiding Rand like a pied piper.  She admired how Khobran’s tapered back molded against the black ribbed top he was wearing, his long sleeves pushed up, revealing the veins coursing up his forearms like rivers on a roadmap.  Rand wondered how they would feel under the tips of her tracing fingers.

Khobran led Rand to an area surrounded by a rich cluster of trees, that shot out of colorful bursts of flora.  They created a canapé, giving the spot enough cover for privacy, while allowing the light to come through.  In the middle of this setting was a large burnt-orange blanket with a gourd-shaped basket, brimming with food, on top of it.  Two  incandescent electric-blue flutes stood atop their own flat, oval onyx coasters.  Lit  candles surrounded the blanketed area, highlighting it in various shapes and colors.

“Wow, I’m impressed, Khobran!  You did all this?”

“Well, the food is from the galley, but everything else is me,” said Khobran, still holding Rand’s hand.

“What do you mean?”

“The blanket and the basket are heirlooms from my family, and the flutes, placemats, dishes, and candles I made myself,” he said, escorting Rand to her spot.

“Really?”

Rand reached over and picked up a candle, examining the intricate geometric design that glowed in her hand.

“These are incredible!”

Khobran walked around the picnic blanket and sat down across from her.  He reached over and retrieved a cylinder shaped bottle of lilac colored wine.  As he pulled out the cork, Khobran gingerly poured a serving in each flute.

“You’re not the only artist on board the Enterprise, you know,” he said with a wink.

“True!  You told me you did some art yourself, but I never imagined anything like this.  I’m jealous!”

“I thank you, but your stuff is pretty impressive too,” Khobran said while he replaced the cork on the wine bottle, and placed the bottle back on its original spot.

“Try the wine.  It’s called miiyala.  It’s from a fruit that grows wild in the Orion rainforest.”

Rand picked up the flute and took a sip of the wine, the sweet and tangy liquid cooling her palette.  The scent alone was tantalizing, like a fragrant flower.  Rand rolled it around her tongue, and nodded her approval.

“I like,” Rand said, smiling broadly.

“Good, I’m glad!  I was able to buy it at a market on Trelus IV that sells items from Federation and non-Federation planets.”

“Well, Thank God for Trelus IV,” said Rand.

They clicked their flutes in a toast before taking another sip.  Khobran and Rand looked at each other from over the rim of their flutes, their eyes unwavering when they lowered their flutes at the same time.

“I have to say, I was really impressed with the painting of the female figure infused in all that light!  I thought that was absolutely magical!”

“Why, thank you.  I actually posed for my own picture!” she said proudly.

“Really, Janice?”

“I used a timed camera and sat myself down on a stool,” Rand said, reaching over for a piece of fruit.

Khobran lowered his chin, his eyes still on Janice.

“Were you naked?” he asked.  The question was soft, gentle.

“Yes, I was,” said Rand uneasily, reaching for her flute.

Khobran looked at Rand steadily from across the blanket. 

“Maybe I could pose for you some time, next time you paint?”  he asked coyly.

Rand nearly choked on her drink, as she placed it back on the stand.

“I, um,” said Rand, struggling to get back her composure.  “I’m not very good at rendering the male physique, really.”

Khobran leaned in from where he was.  “I’m a very good teacher,” he flirted, biting his lower lip, his eyes flashing.

They looked at each other, laughter passing between them.  Her laughter was high and nervous; his was deep, confident, sensuous.

“So,” Rand said, clearing her throat.  “How long have you been making such marvelous works of art?”

Khobran’s mouth curled into a wicked little grin.

“Changing the subject, are we?” he asked, arching a brow.

“No,” Rand said, a tad flustered.  “We’re still on the subject of our artwork.”

Khobran chuckled softly.  “If you say so,” he humored.

He took a deep breath before continuing.  “Well, me and my sister were taught as children, by our mother.”

“You have a sister?”

“Uh huh, a twin.  We’re very close.  Our mother’s an artisan.  Still is, hopefully,” he said softly.

There was a sudden sadness in his voice, as he looked down into his flute absently.  Rand was struck by this change and leaned into Khobran, placing her hand gently on his and holding it.

“Did you want to be an artisan, too?” she asked with compassion.

Rand couldn’t help the need to touch him, to comfort him.  Khobran, in spite of his formidable physical presence, inspired something protective to come out of her.  The first time was when he let his guard down in her quarters, and the second time was this moment.

Khobran looked up at Rand and gave her a sweet smile, absent was the suggestive daring that was present just a few minutes ago.

“No,” he said.  “Me and my sister always dreamed of entering Starfleet!” he said, his voice returning to normal pitch.  “Always, for as long as I could remember.  Me and Hydra even made toys of starships and laser guns!”  He chuckled, shaking his head at the fond memory.

“What I’d like to know is how an Orion was able to become an engineering officer at Starfleet.  Orion isn’t part of the Federation.”

“That’s very true, Janice.  I don’t know if you like long stories, because how I got here is pretty long.”

“We’re here to get to know each other, aren’t we?”

“True again,” said Khobran.  He reached for two Paninis, placing one of them on Rand’s dish, the other on his own.

“Orion is not a member of the Federation, because if it was, all the things that go on there wouldn’t be tolerated by the Federation.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that the government of my planet is corrupted to the core.  They stay neutral, so that they can play both sides of the fence.”

“Did that make it difficult to live on Orion?”

“Oh, yeah.  That was courtesy of the Orion Syndicate.  Those bastards had their hands in just about everything, including space travel.  Education, too, which is why my mother chose to homeschool me and my siblings.”

“Jesus!”

Yeah, it’s that’s bad.   Half of the import/export and freight businesses are run by the Syndicate, and the same is true for the tourist trade.

Khobran’s voice had a calm steeliness about it that took Rand a little by surprise.  Here was a man whose good side you wanted to stay on, clearly.

“There is no Starfleet of any kind on Orion.  All space travelers are businessmen, of one type or another.  Some are legit, and others are pirates for the Syndicate.  My father was, no, is legit.”

He said this last statement with determination, holding his body rigidly while he tried to contain himself.

“I will not use the past tense when talking about my parents.”

“Khobran, I don’t understand.”

Khobran looked at Rand, his gaze steady but sad.  “They destroyed my family, Janice.  It’s almost as if Hydra and I are adrift, with no roots.  We were able to realize our dream to enter Starfleet, but our parents aren’t around to enjoy our accomplishments.”

He lowered his head and sighed, a deep quiver coming from within the depths of his being, though he wasn’t crying.  Rand, however, could feel a tear brimming from one of her eyes as she looked at Khobran and experienced some of his pain.

“Oh, God, Khobran.  They really must have hurt you, tell me,” said Rand tenderly, mustering up the nerve to come over to Khobran’s side of the blanket.

Their bodies were now close enough, that if Khobran wanted to take Rand right there, he’d have easy access to do so.  Rand felt her trepidation leaving her.  If Khobran were to make a move, she would accommodate his sexual needs--and hers, willingly.  Khobran turned to Rand and smiled at her assurance.

“You’re very beautiful Janice, and your beauty radiates from the inside as well.”

Rand smiled, placing her hands on Khobran’s shoulders.  She couldn’t get over the sheer power of his physique. Their body heat mingled with one another, creating a charged aura that enveloped them.

“Don’t change the subject, big boy,” teased Rand gently.  “Tell me, tell me what they did to you.”

She rubbed Khobran’s wide, muscular back and wondered how it would feel shirtless.  She wanted very much to take care of him.

“Well, like I said, my father is a very successful businessman,” he continued.  “His company was a cross between import/export of rare goods, and simple freight delivery/pick-ups, which served both businesses and individual households.  That man owned more ships than anyone, and from many different parts of the galaxy.  He was able to take any ship and remodel it, redesign it, rebuild it, for any business purpose.  His was probably the most successful business of its kind on Orion that wasn’t part of the Syndicate, and they wanted his business to be a part of their Syndicate that bad.”

“Was he harassed?”

Khobran snorted.  “Was he ever!  At first, it wasn’t that bad.  Lovely young women would try to charm him away from his docks.”

“Are you talking about the slave girls?”

“Well, yeah.  What people don’t seem to realize, is that many of these ‘Orion slave girls’ are actually women on the high end of the Syndicate.  They come in to infiltrate powerful men, so that they can bring them down from the inside.  So, that’s what they tried to do to my father initially.  Orion women have the power to both hypnotize men to do their bidding and keep female competition at bay.  However, with a wife and a growing daughter having the same powers, these ’slave girls’ were unable to overtake my father and the other males in our household.”

Khobran stopped to take a swig of wine, but only picked at his Panini. 

“I never knew that the Orion slave girls only posed as such.”

Khobran tilted his head while he continued with the events of the past.

“Not all of them, you understand.  The women in the high positions were the ones who infiltrated, manipulated, and brought down.  But the rest of the Orion slave girls are just that.  They are products of trafficking, women from poverty-stricken areas who are deceived by phony promises for a better life by some sleazy recuiter.  Sometimes, these women are flat-out kidnapped right off the streets.  When these women are captured, they’re blindfolded and gagged so that they can’t use their powers on anyone.  They’re also tranquilized.” 

Rand was dumbstruck, as images came to her head of frightened young women being denigrated, forced into sex work.

“Oh, my God!  So, these rumors about these women being all too happy to serve…”

“Total bullshit,” said Khobran flatly.  “The sex slaves are drugged out of their minds with a substance that they inhale just before going on ‘the job.’  It’s like a laughing gas, but much more potent.  When the effects of the drug wear off, the user becomes vicious.  It’s not uncommon for a john to end up robbed and even beaten, sometimes to a pulp.  But if these johns complain, the Syndicate has a way of taking care of complaints.  So, tourists who come to Orion for the sex slaves could end up with broken bones, or worse.  You could say that it’s like gambling, I suppose.”

Rand removed her arms from Khobran, and sat with her legs crossed, her chin cupped in her hands.  Khobran positioned himself so that he was facing Rand, his legs also crossed.

“Well, I was getting off on a tangent, but I also want you to understand what my family was dealing with.”

“I definitely understand, Khobran.”

Khobran took a deep breath before continuing.  “My family is very close.  There are my parents, Tara and Rhollo, me, my sister Hydra, and my brother Mantis.  Mantis was the oldest, by 10 years.  He was to take over the family business when my father retired.  Dad made him a partner.  Mantis was so smart, he knew the business inside out.  My sister and I looked up to him.  All of us were homeschooled.  As a matter of fact, everything that Hydra and I learned about space travel, we learned from taking many trips with my father during his pick-ups and deliveries.  Sometimes, mother would come with us too, actually.  That’s how Mantis learned about space travel, and the business, of course.”

Khobran’s voice trailed off before finding it again.  “He was engaged to be married, you know?  To a beautiful woman named Leelle.  Those two were very much in love.  I can’t tell you how many times I walked in on them, well, you know,” he said, smiling sadly.   

“Well, suffice it to say, I was 13 at the time. My father and I were heading to a ship that Mantis was working on.  My father opened the cockpit of the ship, and all this blood splattered on me and Dad!”

Khobran’s throat catched, and he turned away from Rand, struggling to continue.  Rand reached for him again.

“Khobran, please tell me.  I’m here for you.”

She could feel her eyes sting with tears.  When Khobran was face to face with Rand again, his violet eyes were red and brimming, though ever so slightly.

“They decapitated him, Janice!  You should have heard the wail from my father!  Of course, the Syndicate took full responsibility, and they threatened to strike again--even going as far as to sell off my mother and sister into slavery,” he said with icy bitterness in his voice.

Then, suddenly, he laughed.  It was a strange, wild laugh unlike the deep, throaty ones that usually came from him.  This was high-pitched, almost maniacal.

“If you thought it was hard keeping employees before my brother’s murder, it was near impossible afterwards!  My father didn’t care in the end, though.  He knew what he had to do.  My father didn’t hesitate to take me, my sister and mother to the other side of Orion, literally halfway around the world that very night, Janice!  We took what we were able to, and we ran for it!”

Khobran sighed and looked at the picnic basket, the food in there barely touched.

“Mind if I have another drink?” he asked with a snort. He reached over to pull out the wine from the basket.

Rand said nothing as she watched Khobran pour himself another drink.

“The one problem that arose was how the business was going to be run.  My Dad was not going to let his life’s work fall into the hands of the Syndicate, especially because his family still needed to be supported.  So, it was decided that Dad would stay behind and run the business the best he could.  He’d send us money, while Mom established a small artisan shop while raising us, homeschooling us.”

Khobran stopped and looked at Rand.  “That was the last time my sister and I saw my father.  We heard he had to destroy some of the ships and establish himself elsewhere, but I never really knew.  I guess the less that my sister and I knew, the better.  I don’t really know how it’s possible to move a business that big, without the Syndicate finding out.”

“Khobran, can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

“How old are you now?”

“22.”

“So, it’s been nine years since you’ve last seen your father?”

“Yep.”

“My God,” said Rand. 

Khobran shrugged.  “At least we had Mom, until that changed as well.” 

Khobran ran his hands through his hair and sighed.  “When my sister and I were 14, there was word that the Syndicate caught wind of where we were hiding, so it was decided that we would leave Orion for good.  And, since we wanted to enter the Federation Academy anyway, and past planet-wide aptitude tests had proven that we were far ahead of other Orion students in our age group, it was arranged for us to move to planet Kush with a trusted colleague of father’s, who was Kushian.  We lived with his family for a while, until he helped us seek asylum with the Federation in Andor.  While there, Hydra and I took the admissions exam to Starfleet.  We scored the highest of al the test-takers from all the Federation planets that year, and we were the youngest test-takers too,” said Khobran.

The huge smile on his face showed the pride that Khobran had for his own, and his sister’s accomplishments.

“You and your sister scored off the charts while still kids,” said Rand giving Khoban a pat on the shoulder. 

“Yeah.  We were both 15 when we entered the Academy,” said Khobran.  Rand laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. 

“You brainiac, you,” she chided playfully.

Khobran shrugged his shoulders, giving Rand a bashful smile.

“Well, anyway, when asylum was granted to us, we lived in Andor for a short time until we were granted a sponsorship from a professor of Astro-Physics at Princeton University.  So, we took a ship, and ended up in Princeton, New Jersey, on Planet Earth.”

“You stayed in New Jersey?  Really?  I come from New Jersey,” said Rand excitedly.

Khobran smiled.  “Really?  Where in New Jersey?”

“Montclair,” said Rand beaming.

“I’ve never been to Montclair,” said Khobran, shaking his head.

Rand looked at Khobran, and wondered how he and his sister were perceived while they went about the streets of her native state.

“Your mother didn’t come with you and Hydra to Earth?”

“No,” said Khobran, with a faraway look.  “She wanted to stay on Orion with our father.  She didn’t want to leave him alone there.”

“They must have loved each other, very much.”

“Yeah, beyond anything.”  Khobran was quiet before he said, “when Hydra and I left for Kush, that was the last time we saw Mom.  Even when we reached San Francisco, and tried to make contact with her, we were unable to find her.  Hydra and I were probably among the few graduating cadets whose parents weren’t present for the ceremonies.”

Khobran tilted his head, and smiled sadly.  He looked over at Rand’s plate, at the untouched Panini he had served her a short time ago.

“Aren’t you going to eat anything?”

“I have, but I’ve been mostly listening to you,” she said softly.

“Not too depressing, I hope,” Khobran said chuckling.

“Of course not, Khobran!  Your story’s an inspiration!  You’re a survivor--you, and your sister.  And to score off the charts on your exams, and enter the Academy at 15 is incredible!  The youngest cadets usually enter at 18, right out of high school.  And, to be homeschooled as well!”

Rand looked at Khobran, a question in her head that she had wanted to ask him for a while.

“How did you get on the Enterprise, Khobran?”

“I transferred from the USS Ascension after its three year mission ended.  My sister’s been on the USS Mitterand.”

Khobran took a deep breath and shifted his body so that he was lying on his side, his head propped up by his hand.

“So, what about you?  What made you end up in Starfleet?”

Rand looked up at the ceiling of the solarium, with its wide expanse and various rafters, wondering how in the hell her story could ever be as remotely interesting as Khobran’s.

“Well, let’s see.  I was born in Montclair, New Jersey.  I grew up there with my mother, father, and older sister.  I graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology, and a minor in Library Science, at the tender age of 22.  Enrolled in Starfleet Academy that following Fall, and graduated just this year as a Yeoman First-Class at 26 years of age.  This is my first year on the Enterprise, and in deep space.  That’s about it,” said Rand, shrugging her shoulders.

“That’s it, Janice?” asked Khobran incredulously.  “You didn’t give me your story, you handed me a pamphlet!”

“There’s not much to tell, really.  It’s nothing like your story!  I can’t top that!”

“Janice, I didn’t tell you my story to wow you, I wanted you to get to know me, and to understand what I’ve gone through.”

“I know,” she said, a tad embarrassed.

“Give me details,” said Khobran enthusiastically, while he got up from lying on his side, and sat squarely in front of Rand.  He placed his large hands on her knees, as she was sitting crossed legged, and pulled her gently to him. 

“What was it like growing up in Montclair?  How’s the town like, since I’ve never been there.”

Rand smiled as the memories of her hometown came to her.  Talking about Montclair would be easy for her.

“Oh, it was wonderful!  Montclair is a township, but it’s pretty hip!  Very artistic, very cultural.  You have art galleries, old-fashioned coffee shops, and bookstores that still sell the old-fashioned conventional paper books.  A lot of artists, intellectuals, and activists live there.  Very multicultural, and very liberal.”

“Liberal, and multicultural, huh?  That means no one would object if someone like me were to move into the house across the street?” Khobran chuckled.

Rand looked at the young Orion man and laughed at his wit.  It was amazing to her, that after all the loss he had endured in his short life, that he could still have a sense of humor--especially about himself.

“Honestly, you didn’t have a lot of …”  Rand stopped abruptly before she could say the word.

“Aliens,” said Khobran gently.

Rand looked at Khobran, feeling a tinge of guilt.  That was exactly the word she had initially thought of.

“Well, outworlders, Khobran,” she said, stressing the alternative word for his benefit. 

“There weren’t many outworlders in Montclair.  My father had a Vulcan colleague where he taught, and we had a Tellerite neighbor a few blocks down, but that was about it.  Montclair was still just a town, and not a city, so it was still a tad sleepy in that regard.  It wasn’t like San Francisco, where you see every Federation outworlder walking down the street.”

“You said there were artists, intellectuals, and activists in Montclair.  Which category did your family fall into, if any?”

“Definitely intellectuals.  My father taught Cultural Anthropology at Montclair State University, and my mother was the head librarian there.  They’re both still there,” said Rand, nodding her head.  “Still there,” she repeated softly.

“Still there.  It sounds like there’s some significance behind that.”

“Well, Montclair is a wonderful town, but it’s still pretty suburban.  Beautiful old houses, with magnificent wood surrounding them.  We had our little fairs, but it’s still fairly quiet.   My older sister Stephanie is a schoolteacher who still lives there with her husband and two daughters.  That’s not what I wanted for my life, at all.  I kind of had a hard time fitting in with my family.  I always had a bit of a rebellious streak in me.  Don’t get me wrong.  I love my family, and they were pretty tolerant with me.  But, I wasn’t staid like the rest of them.  Where I got my streak, I have no idea!  I chose to major in Cultural Anthropology and minor in Library Science, because, quite frankly, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I chose what my parents did for my studies.  However, when I graduated from Rutgers, I couldn’t see myself teaching, or being sequestered in a library. 

“So, this jerk I was dating had transferred to Starfleet Academy during our sophomore year in college.  I honestly didn’t think about Starfleet as a career possibility, until the day after graduation.  It was like a light suddenly turning on in my head!  So, I went to the recruitment center at Princeton University, gave them my application, my school records, took the exam, passed it, and got in.  Being an astronaut was something I could get into.  Needless to say, my family had a fit!  When that happened, I knew I had made the right decision for myself,” Rand said with a broad smile.

“How’s the relationship with your family today?”

“Oh, it’s okay.  They’re just worried.  That’s all.  They’d rather I stayed on Earth and be safe.  My family never went farther than Easter Island,” Rand said with a laugh.  “When I told them that I used my librarian skills as a yeoman, and my Cultural Anthropology skills as an explorer, my parents calmed down a bit.  At least they know my education didn’t go to waste.”

“You don’t think you’d ever return to Montclair?” 

“I’d rather live in a big city.  I do miss Montclair, though.  There was a place called Crystals’ where I loved going to.  It was this old-fashioned soda fountain cafe that sold  candies and food that was popular from the 1920’s and 30’s of the 20^th Century.  That place was the best!  Me and my friends always went there!” 

Khobran’s eyes brightened while he grabbed Rand’s knees again, shaking them like a child who was trying to get her attention.  “Did they serve a hotdog called the Ripper?”

“They sure did!  I loved those things!”

“Oh, Janice!  Me and Hydra were introduced to the Ripper by Dr. Grimaldi!  He took us to a small, rinky-dink hole in the wall in Wildwood where they served them.  My sister and I were ruined by those things!  We wolfed them down!  I think between the two of us, we ate about eight of those things!  Our sponsor was on the floor cracking up!”

“Oh, God!” said Rand laughing. 

“They don’t make them on the ship,” Khobran pointed out.

“I know. I tried to get one myself.  They know all about generic and gourmet foods, but they’re not much on hometown working class New Jersey cuisine,” said Rand.

“It’s also like that with the music here.  They don’t seem to have any jazz from the 20’s or 30’s from the 20^th Century.”

“You like that kind of music, Khobran?”

He nodded his head.  “Another thing Dr. Grimaldi introduced me and Hydra to.  Luckily, I was able to get good downloads before leaving San Francisco.  Dr. Grimaldi also let me copy his own downloads.  Could you imagine hanging out in those smoke-filled jazz clubs in those days?”  Khobran asked excitedly. 

Rand laughed, picturing this Orion hanging out in such a club, dressed in the clothes of that period.

“Twenty-three Skidoo!” sang Rand, reaching over and taking a grape from the picnic basket.

  She traced the grape over Khobran’s lower lip, nudging him to take a bite.  When he did, drops of juice rolled down his lip, which Rand gently wiped off with her thumb.  They sat there very quiet and still while the man-made sunset slowly gave way to a blue twilight haze.

**************************

“So, how about it Janice?  What was all that carrying on in sickbay with McCoy and Chapel, anyway?”

The corridor was dimly lit and quiet.  Only the hum of the ship’s engine, and the echoes of Khobran’s and Rand’s footsteps, could be heard.

“Carrying on, huh?” asked Rand, teasing.

“You know what I mean.  You were even fighting with me, until you passed out,” he said, mercifully leaving out the part of Rand throwing up on him.

“Well, I was raised on alternative medicine.  I never, ever went to an orthodox medical doctor until I entered the Academy.  Talk about culture shock!  I wasn’t even used to the body scans!  I never took a pill in my life!  My family utilized herbs, Homeopathy, Acupuncture, stuff like that.”

“Acupuncture?  Isn’t that the practice from China where needles are placed on different part of the body?”

“Yeah.”

“You mean to tell me that you’d rather deal with a sharp needle than a hypo?” asked Khobran incredulously.

“Yes,” said Rand with her chin up and her arms crossed.  The two of them were silent for a moment while they looked at each other.

“Really, Janice?” asked Khobran, an eyebrow cocked.

“It’s the energy from the needle,” said Rand primly.

“The energy from the needle,” repeated Khobran.

When they reached Rand’s quarters they stood facing each other, both of them trying  hard to keep a straight face.  Then, unable to hold the mirth in, they laughed.  Khobran reached over to stroke Rand’s shoulder, while she took his other hand in hers.  When the laughter subsided, they stood looking at each other for a long moment, seeming to breath as one.

“It should be illegal for you to wear your clothes like that,” Khobran said softly.

“Why, it’s a simple top and a pair of jeans,” said Rand, a hint of a smile playfully forming on her lips.  Rand knew perfectly well how she looked in her clothes.  She was proud of her body, and always found opportunities to show it off.  Her top was snug, and her jeans were tight, and she loved the fact that Khobran took notice.  As she saw how his eyes swept over her body, she wondered if this date would end with a hot, intense fuck.  She sure hoped so.

“Well, Khobran, I had an amazing time tonight.  You really know how to show a girl a lovely time,” she said, leaning against the wall next to her cabin door.

She propped her shoulders against the wall, so that the rest of her body sloped forward.  Her chest jutting out, she stuck her hands in her front pockets.

Khobran smiled, shrugging his shoulders.  “Well, aside from my sob story, I enjoyed myself too,” he said.

“Oh, Khobran.  It’s not a sob story!  Stop saying that,” she urged.

Khobran stood directly in front of Rand, exactly where she wanted him.  She parted her lips, slowly.   He moved closer to her, their eyes locked into each other.  Khobran reached for Rand, his large hands firm as he placed them on either side of her ribcage.  His thumb brushed against the places where her breasts and underarms met.  With an effortless strength that startled Rand, Khobran pulled her to him and parted his lips.

They kissed, at first gently, the sensation of Khobran’s full lips soft and feathery while they brushed against Rand’s.  Then, as the kiss went on, their mouths opened, and the pressure increased.  Tongues explored the caverns of one another’s mouth.  The kiss broke only for a moment when Khobran’s lips moved from Rand’s mouth, down her jaw, to her throat.  Rand threw her head back, her breathing rapid, like she was coming up for air.  Her hands found the planes of his face and neck, and marveled at how smooth his skin was.  She held on to Khobran’s strong neck, moaning as his hands found her breasts.  He cupped them and squeezed them, her nipples becoming hard and alive under his palms.  Rand released one of her hands from Khobran’s neck and reached down between his legs, finding the pronounced bulge of his trousers.  She ran her eager hand over it, squeezing between strokes.  Khobran gasped aloud, putting a devilish grin on Rand’s lips.  She released her hand from his trousers and took his hand, pulling his arm as she lead him into her quarters. 

When Khobran and Rand were inside they started kissing again, their hands searching each other, touching, groping.  Khobran grabbed Rand’s buttocks and picked her up, her legs wrapping themselves around his waist.  His searching hands caressed her rump and the space underneath it, sending shivers throughout her body.  Rand never in her life wanted any man as badly as she wanted Khobran, her body growing hotter with each knowing stroke.  She wanted this beautiful alien man in her bed, on top of her, penetrating and pumping between her open and willing legs. 

“My bed, Khobran.  It’s over there.”

There it sat in the semi-darkness, waiting for their bodies to warm its mattress and toss its covers.  Khobran carried Rand to the bed and lowered himself on its edge.  He held Rand by her bottom while he pushed his crotch against hers, making Rand gasped loudly.

“Feel how badly I want you, Janice?  Do you feel that?”  Khobran asked in a horse whisper.

As he pushed Rand’s hips towards him, he raised his own.  Rand’s jeans were so tight, and his bulge so big that she responded with a sweet dampness between her legs.  Janice ran her tongue under her top row of teeth as she reached for Khobran’s fly, unbuttoning the top buttons of his trousers.  He reached over and unfastened the buttons of her scoop- neck top.  When it was fully unbuttoned Khobran stretched it open, exposing Rand’s bra, her encased breasts straining against the lace fabric.  He kneaded first one breast, cupping and squeezing it with both of his hands.  He did this for a while, before he moved on to the other breast.  His hands were firm, as he then squeezed both breasts together, pulling at her nipples.  Rand drew in her breath, while she frantically unzipped Khobran’s fly, and attempted to reach down into his pants when something happened.   He abruptly released his hands from her breasts and grabbed Rand’s wrists, holding them so that she couldn’t go any further.

“Janice, I’m so sorry,” said Khobran, embarrassed.

“Sorry?  I don’t understand.  What’s wrong?” asked Rand confused, her head reeling from the rising heat of their intimacy.

“I have to get up early tomorrow to fix the computers in the laser chamber.  It’s very delicate work, and I need to rest,” he said, looking guilty over this new, undesirable development.  “I’m really sorry, Janice!  You have no idea…”

“What?  Are you kidding me?!” asked Rand, the reality of the situation finally hitting her.

“I’m not kidding.  Don’t you remember the turbulence we experienced, and how it wreaked havoc on many of the ship’s workings?  Scotty assigned me, so I have to be there,” he said, gently placing Rand’s arms back to their sides, and lifting her off his lap.

Rand was speechless while Khobran stood up and refastened his pants.  Rand could feel the anger rise up in her when she saw that the evening was not ending the way that she’d hoped.

“Why the hell did you plan this date, if you knew you had to wake up so early?!”  she said, her voice edging into a yell.

Rand plopped down onto her bed and crossed her arms.  She was fuming and horny-- not a very good combination.  Khobran came over and kneeled down in front of her, balancing himself on the balls of his heels.  He looked squarely at her, his eyes near level to hers.

“Janice,” he began softly.  “I had no idea that this date was going to last longer than two hours.  We spent five and a half hours together.  It was more than I had hoped for.  Time flew by so fast, and we were so intuned to each other.  You’re the most extraordinary woman I’ve ever spent time with, Janice.  I want to spend time with you again.  I’ll make it up to you.  I promise.”

Janice set her jaw, so angry that she felt she could chomp on cement blocks.

“Look, Janice.  If things go well, I should be finished by 0800 hours.  You’ll be up by then, right?  I’ll have a couple of hours off. Maybe we could meet then, if you’re free?”  he said hopefully. 

It actually turned out that Rand’s shift tomorrow didn’t start until 1030 hours, but it wouldn’t matter if Khobran wasn’t finished before then, would it?  Rand looked up at Khobran, saying nothing to him.  Khobran made a weak attempt at a smile.  He rose up, kissing Rand on the top of her head, and turned to walk out the door.

Khobran turned to Rand one last time, and said, “I’ll be in the tunnel for a while, but I’ll make contact with you as soon as I’m finished changing out of my jumper, okay?”

“Whatever,” said Rand sarcastically.

“Janice, don’t be mad,” he said hurt.

Khobran stood there for a short time, before turning around and walking through the doors.  After his exit, Rand got up from her bed and pulled off her clothes, leaving a trail behind her while she headed for the bathroom.

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