<<Taking place after the treaty signing on the planet but before our esteemed CO effectively demotes herself>>
[Nysinrin, Lyrilla]
"Okay Ria, what exactly are you trying to prove?
"Mrow?"
"You smell like wet cat."
"Maybe because I am one."
"Mrow?"
"You smell like wet cat."
"Maybe because I am one."
The blonde human shook his head as his Caitian friend came sauntering up the rocky beach, her usually golden fur matted and soaking wet from the ocean water. Wind-surfing of all things. She hated swimming, but apparently falling into the water about eight dozen times didn't count.
"And you're .. well, not wearing anything."
"Good thing a Caitian is never rrrreaaly naked, huh?"
She laughed, purred and sneezed all at the same time and then grabbed the gigantic beach towel Nils had brought along - next to the emergency rations, med kit, tricorder and spare clothes.
A quick rub-down resulted in considerable amounts of sand clinging to the Ensign's fur and she gave the snickering people further up the beach a nonplussed look.
A bunch of Starfleet people in civilian clothes had started to drift down towards the docks, mingling with happy Lyrillians. Music sounded from one of the taverns up at the little promenade and further off, the noise of a great celebration in the city center.
"And you're .. well, not wearing anything."
"Good thing a Caitian is never rrrreaaly naked, huh?"
She laughed, purred and sneezed all at the same time and then grabbed the gigantic beach towel Nils had brought along - next to the emergency rations, med kit, tricorder and spare clothes.
A quick rub-down resulted in considerable amounts of sand clinging to the Ensign's fur and she gave the snickering people further up the beach a nonplussed look.
A bunch of Starfleet people in civilian clothes had started to drift down towards the docks, mingling with happy Lyrillians. Music sounded from one of the taverns up at the little promenade and further off, the noise of a great celebration in the city center.
You could say what you wanted about the Lyrillians, those people didn't go for half-measures when they threw a party. About 36 hours ago it had started with the signing of some really important looking papers and here they were, still at it. And just like the people on the islands, those in the capital city didn't seem to grow tired of watching their new sun set. Hell, some had even brought chairs and benches down to the docks and someone had set up a huge barrel of something under the trees lining the promenade. M'Riarr hoped it was that sweet, slightly bubbly stuff that made her whiskers tingle in such a funny way.
Still about an hour before the big show was going to 'go down', literally.
The scent of grilled hrisneks wafted down and mixed with the salt and ozone of the sea, and M'Riarr's green eyes narrowed just a bit while her tail started twitching.
"Sooo you think a wet Caitian is funny, mroooow?"
With a huge grin on her face, the lioness made two big leaps and landed right in the middle of the snickering crowd. Without warning, she dropped on all fours and started to vigorously shake out her fur, sending water and clumps of sand in every direction.
A shrieking and laughing crowd ran off, while a fellow Caitian (who in fact had snickered the loudest and now jumped the farthest to get away from the water) tripped over a small bench and, as karma wants it, landed in one of the small fountains that decorated the promenade.
The scent of grilled hrisneks wafted down and mixed with the salt and ozone of the sea, and M'Riarr's green eyes narrowed just a bit while her tail started twitching.
"Sooo you think a wet Caitian is funny, mroooow?"
With a huge grin on her face, the lioness made two big leaps and landed right in the middle of the snickering crowd. Without warning, she dropped on all fours and started to vigorously shake out her fur, sending water and clumps of sand in every direction.
A shrieking and laughing crowd ran off, while a fellow Caitian (who in fact had snickered the loudest and now jumped the farthest to get away from the water) tripped over a small bench and, as karma wants it, landed in one of the small fountains that decorated the promenade.
A coughing and wheezing Nils had just managed to stop laughing, when the dumbfounded face of the Caitian male and the utterly weird but adorable appearance of his friend made him laugh tears again. Clinging to one of the wrought-iron lanterns for support, he pointed at M'Riarr's happily swishing tail.
"Poofy. No, not just the tail, ALL of you. Oh…" he drew a breath "Girl, you look like a mop that's just been hit by a twister…"
"Poofy. No, not just the tail, ALL of you. Oh…" he drew a breath "Girl, you look like a mop that's just been hit by a twister…"
Sareel wasn't exactly sure what she was doing at the beach party. Taking a sip of her drink as she watched the activity around her. For now the plan was to take things as they came and slowly. Social events weren't generally a place where Sareel felt comfortable.
Acel'a had been standing just far enough to not have to dodge the flying water and sand, giggled at the scene before her. She hadn't had a decent laugh in months and this was too good to pass up. Acel'a was finally able to relax, after that, so she soon began mingling, amongst the others, both Lyrillians and Charon crewmembers, practically ignoring any and all odd looks from the inhabitants of Lyrilia, due to her folded pantograph.
Purring with the intensity of an ancient helicopter, M'Riarr stretched to her full height again and noticed that indeed her fur was a bit… fluffy.
"Want to see if the guy with the barrel got some bubbly stuff?"
"Want to get at least some trousers on first?"
"Bah" the Caitian waved her large paw dismissively "Will have to squeeze myself into a uniform again soon enough."
"Want to see if the guy with the barrel got some bubbly stuff?"
"Want to get at least some trousers on first?"
"Bah" the Caitian waved her large paw dismissively "Will have to squeeze myself into a uniform again soon enough."
She picked up her much smaller friend and made a leap towards the tree where several Lyrillans and some Starfleeters were already enjoying the sweet and just a little alcoholic beverage, when a tall but silent figure caught M'Riarr's eye. "Hello Miss security officer." She wanted to wave but realized she had her paws full of human, so she merely gave a friendly grin before jumping over the next bench.
Acel'a looked over and smiled. Before she could respond they were off again.
"Ria, I'm not a rag doll, you know."
"Sorry, Nils. Just faster this way."
"TREE!!"
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
"Sorry, Nils. Just faster this way."
"TREE!!"
"Huh?"
"Never mind."
One of M'Riarr's happy leaps had taken them perilously close to (or rather through) a tree's canopy, but the leaves and branches had offered little resistance to 180 and some pounds of Caitian. She did look funny with the twig tangled up in her fur, though.
Finally, the throng of people made jumping a bit of a hazard and the green eyed lioness carefully put Nils back on solid ground before shouldering her way towards the object of her interest.
"Sorrrrrry Miss .. uh, Betazoid… nice dress by the way, mind if we just, … thank you."
They had navigated around another of Charon's crew who seemed vaguely familiar to Nils and M'Riarr was already steering towards a happily beaming Lyrillian while the sand-blonde human gave the young Betazoid woman an apologetic grin.
"She doesn't mean to be pushy, Miss. Just a big kitty. And the dress is really nice."
"Sorrrrrry Miss .. uh, Betazoid… nice dress by the way, mind if we just, … thank you."
They had navigated around another of Charon's crew who seemed vaguely familiar to Nils and M'Riarr was already steering towards a happily beaming Lyrillian while the sand-blonde human gave the young Betazoid woman an apologetic grin.
"She doesn't mean to be pushy, Miss. Just a big kitty. And the dress is really nice."
"Hello Misterrrrr, is that your good bubbly stuff again?"
Recognizing the huge but friendly alien from earlier, the Lyrillian man offered a friendly smile.
"Yes, Ensign large cat. Would you like some more? I put aside a bucket for you."
"Ooooooh I just love this place." M'Riarr sighed.
Recognizing the huge but friendly alien from earlier, the Lyrillian man offered a friendly smile.
"Yes, Ensign large cat. Would you like some more? I put aside a bucket for you."
"Ooooooh I just love this place." M'Riarr sighed.
Harry rushed in and was a little out of breath, "anyone care for some Carpathian whiskey " he grinned.
He saw lots of new faces and introduced himself to the group.
He saw lots of new faces and introduced himself to the group.
Somewhere along the way Sareel introduced herself to the others present. Enjoying something to drink as a way to pass some time.
Acel'a walked up as well.
"Mind if I join you two, as well?" Acel'a asked, shyly.
"Mind if I join you two, as well?" Acel'a asked, shyly.
"I'll take a piece of that action, uh, whiskey, if you don't mind. "
Nils held out a friendly hand to the man with the Carpathian booze "Nils Olafsson, Scientist's Mate. How do you do?"
Ambling over with bucket in one paw and a tray with bubbly Lyrillian drinks in the other, M'Riarr chuckled "That's out new marrrrine, Nils. Enjoying yourself, Mr Harrry?"
Nils held out a friendly hand to the man with the Carpathian booze "Nils Olafsson, Scientist's Mate. How do you do?"
Ambling over with bucket in one paw and a tray with bubbly Lyrillian drinks in the other, M'Riarr chuckled "That's out new marrrrine, Nils. Enjoying yourself, Mr Harrry?"
"I'm doing just great " Harry replied passing the huge bottle of whiskey "how are you?" he asked
"Marrrvelous, thank you."
She pivoted around and saw the Betazoid woman with the pretty dress and the tall security officer - without a drink. Grinning widely, M'Riarr held out the tray to the unusual human "Miss Acel'a? Hope I got that right. Have a drink. It's bubbly! Miss Betazoid, I don't know your name but that glass you got there looks pretty empty."
She pivoted around and saw the Betazoid woman with the pretty dress and the tall security officer - without a drink. Grinning widely, M'Riarr held out the tray to the unusual human "Miss Acel'a? Hope I got that right. Have a drink. It's bubbly! Miss Betazoid, I don't know your name but that glass you got there looks pretty empty."
Acel'a took the proffered drink and thanked him. She sipped the bubbly liquid, gently.
"Her name is Sareel, Ria." Nils said looking over his shoulder as the friendly new marine poured him some whiskey "And stop being such a pushover. If people want drinks, they'll get 'em."
"Sorrrrryyy." the fluffy Caitian purred. "Just tryin' to be nice."
She wondered if her friend had an eye on the Betazoid who looked a wee bit uncomfortable in this crowd but the last time she had tried to set him up with a nice lady the results had been a bit… well, funny actually.
She wondered if her friend had an eye on the Betazoid who looked a wee bit uncomfortable in this crowd but the last time she had tried to set him up with a nice lady the results had been a bit… well, funny actually.
In the middle of the crowd a woman rematerialized. The short and slender beauty wore a strapless emerald evening gown that fluttered loosely around her exposed ankles. Her raven hair was carefully folded atop her head and held together by a silver hairpin crowned by a vibrant ruby in the shape of a talon. She smiled softly and studied the crowd with her almost glowing violet irises. Several men around her offered second looks- and soon realized to their shock, or perhaps horror, that the woman was Shiarrael t'Rehu. The intimidating Commodore was now no mere fiend or bridge monster- she was a woman and an attractive one at that.
One of the men nervously approached her "c..commodore?"
"Yes?" Shiarrael held her soft smile "but call me Shiarrael while we are off duty." She gestured to three crates that had rematerialized with her but were so casually ignored "crates of authentic saurian brandy. My gift to the crew. Will you men please distribute it among them? Also feel free to take a bottle for yourselves. It is quite a pricey gift."
"Yes ma'am."
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[To be Continued]
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Commodore Shiarrael t'Rehu
Commanding Officer
Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Sareel I'Nia
Intelligence Officer
Intelligence Officer
Lieutenant Acel'a
Asst Security Officer
Asst Security Officer
MCaptain Harry Tatlock
Asst Security Officer
Asst Security Officer
Ensign M'Riarr
Assistant Helmscat (apb I-Chaya)
Assistant Helmscat (apb I-Chaya)
Petty Officer 3rd Class Nils Olafsson
Scientist's Mate (apb I-Chaya)
Scientist's Mate (apb I-Chaya)
USS Charon NCC-80111
