Literary Challenge 9 - Shore Leave
"I think the phrase is, 'when the cat's away the mice will play'".
Kathryn looked away from the console and closed her eyes, quietly wishing her solitude was not interrupted. She then turned to face the speaker, not hiding the annoyance on her face.
The female intruder smirked as she ran a finger against another console's edge then looked to her fingertip. "So why is the cat not away while the mice are playing?" Her smirk changed to a small frown as she rubbed away imaginary dust or dirt, then looked to Kathryn.
"Because, Q, they deserve a break."
"Tsk, tsk. Don't you deserve to play too?" Q sauntered closer to Kathryn.
"Maybe I am having fun. Ever consider that humans can enjoy their work?"
"Maybe fun is actually on the planet below?"
Kathryn crossed her arms. "Maybe you should get to the point this time?"
Q pouted. "Aw Kathy, I'm only trying to help! You look stressed. Although you do have a certain amount of grace under pressure that your species would call 'sexy', I stand by my original intent."
Kathryn sighed. "I appreciate that Q, actually." She looked away remembering the recent days. "Ever since we found the Misericorde, the crew has been on edge. Taking a break from the Sphere was needed."
"I warned you not to go there, you know." Q walked over and rested against the console next to Kathryn.
"It was my duty."
"Pfft. Duty shmooty. You humans really don't like taking advice from omnipotent beings. Well, you really should listen to me this time, Kathy. Take a break." She raised her hand and waved as if painting on a canvas. "Can't you imagine it? The clear blue water like a mirror reflecting the azure sky. Verdant trees swaying with a gentle breeze that briefly bushes your hair and tickles your ear. Twin moons lighting your path to the secluded candlelit dinner waiting for you?"
Kathryn could indeed 'see' the imagery described to her and she caught herself nodding slightly then stopped herself. "Risa does have all that I suppose."
Q grinned. "I know." She snapped her finger.
---
Blinking to clear her eyes, Kathryn could tell without looking her uniform was replaced with a summer dress. The white silk-like garment shimmered from the moonlight. She turned toward a window and could see her hair style changed from the regulation bun to a low ponytail style that flowed over a spaghetti-strapped shoulder. Long-stringed earrings danced above the collar bone and her lips were painted with bright red lipstick.
Kathryn rolled her eyes and looked around. At the end of the walkway was a table with two lit candles and half-filled wineglasses. As she walked toward the table her high-heeled shoes clicked and echoed into the night air. For a second, Kathryn let go of the rigors and structure of Starfleet and felt like-
"A woman, like a perfect dream."
Kathryn spun toward the sound of the voice. "Daikar?"
The tall Deltan entered the moonlight from a shadowed pillar. His broad shoulders filled the formal suit but did not seem tight against his frame. His bald head glistened with the slight humidity. He smiled and slowly walked toward Kathryn.
Kathryn's eyes widened and she realized her jaw had dropped. "Did Q bring you here too?"
Daikar stopped a few paces away and stared into Kathryn's eyes. She smiled briefly and started feeling nervous. When she realized she was more concerned than attracted to him is when he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed her.
At first Kathryn relaxed into Daikar's embrace as she reveled in the moment. Her left ear twitched enough to divert her attention from his tongue-swirling kiss. Kathryn realized Daikar's kissing was becoming painful to her lips and she pushed away. Daikar resisted until Kathryn stepped back with one foot and shoved him away.
Daikar looked surprised. "I thought you wanted this?"
Kathryn was stunned. "I - what?"
"Come now Kathy, I can tell you are attracted to me." He smirked and licked his top lip, "I felt it."
Taking a step back, Kathryn became angry. "This is not like you at all." She wiped her lips, red lipstick smeared across the back of her hand.
Daikar sighed and his shoulders slumped. "Well, I tried." He lifted a hand and snapped his fingers.
---
Blinking to clear her eyes, Kathryn could tell without looking her uniform was replaced with a summer dress. The white silk-like garment shimmered from the moonlight. She turned toward a window and could see her hair style changed from the regulation bun to a low ponytail style that flowed over a spaghetti-strapped shoulder. Long-stringed earrings danced above the collar bone and her lips were painted with bright red lipstick. She looked the same before her encounter with Daikar.
Kathryn looked around, frustrated and angry. "Q!"
A female appeared from around a shadowed pillar. Dressed exactly like Kathryn, Q walked confidently toward Kathryn with a smug look on her face. "I tried to help you relax and yet, you resisted." She stopped a few paces away, crossed her arms and twisted her lips to a wry smile. "But not at first."
"That's not funny. What made you think that's what will help me relax? If anything, I'm more stressed now than when I was working!" Kathryn realized Q can be anyone she wants to be, and her eyes widened. "Was that you?!"
"Sadly, no. He was literally a figment of your imagination."
"What?!"
Q raised her hands. "Stay calm, nothing a quick review of Starfleet records couldn't help with. Very interesting stuff in those antiquated computers you use. I think Section 31 are the good guys, if I do say so myself."
Kathryn started getting a headache. "Stay with me Q."
"Look. You are overworked. The burden of responsibility weighs you down and even the Continuum sees it. Give yourself a break! Look around you. We are on Risa! Although a barren wasteland compared to ... never mind. This is where humans like to go to relax. I know you really want to come here, but your 'duty' compels you not to. I'm here to try to convince you otherwise."
"Why?"
Q spread her hands out wide, then snapped both fingers. In a flash she was gone and Kathryn could hear her from everywhere. "Why not?
---
Cast:
Kathryn Beringer - Rachel Nichols
Q - June Diane Raphael
Daikar - Billy Zane
"I think the phrase is, 'when the cat's away the mice will play'".
Kathryn looked away from the console and closed her eyes, quietly wishing her solitude was not interrupted. She then turned to face the speaker, not hiding the annoyance on her face.
The female intruder smirked as she ran a finger against another console's edge then looked to her fingertip. "So why is the cat not away while the mice are playing?" Her smirk changed to a small frown as she rubbed away imaginary dust or dirt, then looked to Kathryn.
"Because, Q, they deserve a break."
"Tsk, tsk. Don't you deserve to play too?" Q sauntered closer to Kathryn.
"Maybe I am having fun. Ever consider that humans can enjoy their work?"
"Maybe fun is actually on the planet below?"
Kathryn crossed her arms. "Maybe you should get to the point this time?"
Q pouted. "Aw Kathy, I'm only trying to help! You look stressed. Although you do have a certain amount of grace under pressure that your species would call 'sexy', I stand by my original intent."
Kathryn sighed. "I appreciate that Q, actually." She looked away remembering the recent days. "Ever since we found the Misericorde, the crew has been on edge. Taking a break from the Sphere was needed."
"I warned you not to go there, you know." Q walked over and rested against the console next to Kathryn.
"It was my duty."
"Pfft. Duty shmooty. You humans really don't like taking advice from omnipotent beings. Well, you really should listen to me this time, Kathy. Take a break." She raised her hand and waved as if painting on a canvas. "Can't you imagine it? The clear blue water like a mirror reflecting the azure sky. Verdant trees swaying with a gentle breeze that briefly bushes your hair and tickles your ear. Twin moons lighting your path to the secluded candlelit dinner waiting for you?"
Kathryn could indeed 'see' the imagery described to her and she caught herself nodding slightly then stopped herself. "Risa does have all that I suppose."
Q grinned. "I know." She snapped her finger.
---
Blinking to clear her eyes, Kathryn could tell without looking her uniform was replaced with a summer dress. The white silk-like garment shimmered from the moonlight. She turned toward a window and could see her hair style changed from the regulation bun to a low ponytail style that flowed over a spaghetti-strapped shoulder. Long-stringed earrings danced above the collar bone and her lips were painted with bright red lipstick.
Kathryn rolled her eyes and looked around. At the end of the walkway was a table with two lit candles and half-filled wineglasses. As she walked toward the table her high-heeled shoes clicked and echoed into the night air. For a second, Kathryn let go of the rigors and structure of Starfleet and felt like-
"A woman, like a perfect dream."
Kathryn spun toward the sound of the voice. "Daikar?"
The tall Deltan entered the moonlight from a shadowed pillar. His broad shoulders filled the formal suit but did not seem tight against his frame. His bald head glistened with the slight humidity. He smiled and slowly walked toward Kathryn.
Kathryn's eyes widened and she realized her jaw had dropped. "Did Q bring you here too?"
Daikar stopped a few paces away and stared into Kathryn's eyes. She smiled briefly and started feeling nervous. When she realized she was more concerned than attracted to him is when he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed her.
At first Kathryn relaxed into Daikar's embrace as she reveled in the moment. Her left ear twitched enough to divert her attention from his tongue-swirling kiss. Kathryn realized Daikar's kissing was becoming painful to her lips and she pushed away. Daikar resisted until Kathryn stepped back with one foot and shoved him away.
Daikar looked surprised. "I thought you wanted this?"
Kathryn was stunned. "I - what?"
"Come now Kathy, I can tell you are attracted to me." He smirked and licked his top lip, "I felt it."
Taking a step back, Kathryn became angry. "This is not like you at all." She wiped her lips, red lipstick smeared across the back of her hand.
Daikar sighed and his shoulders slumped. "Well, I tried." He lifted a hand and snapped his fingers.
---
Blinking to clear her eyes, Kathryn could tell without looking her uniform was replaced with a summer dress. The white silk-like garment shimmered from the moonlight. She turned toward a window and could see her hair style changed from the regulation bun to a low ponytail style that flowed over a spaghetti-strapped shoulder. Long-stringed earrings danced above the collar bone and her lips were painted with bright red lipstick. She looked the same before her encounter with Daikar.
Kathryn looked around, frustrated and angry. "Q!"
A female appeared from around a shadowed pillar. Dressed exactly like Kathryn, Q walked confidently toward Kathryn with a smug look on her face. "I tried to help you relax and yet, you resisted." She stopped a few paces away, crossed her arms and twisted her lips to a wry smile. "But not at first."
"That's not funny. What made you think that's what will help me relax? If anything, I'm more stressed now than when I was working!" Kathryn realized Q can be anyone she wants to be, and her eyes widened. "Was that you?!"
"Sadly, no. He was literally a figment of your imagination."
"What?!"
Q raised her hands. "Stay calm, nothing a quick review of Starfleet records couldn't help with. Very interesting stuff in those antiquated computers you use. I think Section 31 are the good guys, if I do say so myself."
Kathryn started getting a headache. "Stay with me Q."
"Look. You are overworked. The burden of responsibility weighs you down and even the Continuum sees it. Give yourself a break! Look around you. We are on Risa! Although a barren wasteland compared to ... never mind. This is where humans like to go to relax. I know you really want to come here, but your 'duty' compels you not to. I'm here to try to convince you otherwise."
"Why?"
Q spread her hands out wide, then snapped both fingers. In a flash she was gone and Kathryn could hear her from everywhere. "Why not?
---
Cast:
Kathryn Beringer - Rachel Nichols
Q - June Diane Raphael
Daikar - Billy Zane
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