Blowing Off Steam: Tik and Val

[Tikreta]

Stellar Sector W14, Subsector b27-2
Corporate Cruiser Benevolence, Bridge, Omega Shift.

"Captain, we're approaching the edge of gate space. All readings stable, all systems in the green within two significant figures."

The captain settled back into her command chair, brushing her fingers along the console to verify the readings. Satisfied, she nodded. "Excellent. Engines at 10% forward power. Report all sensor data. Let's see what we can see."

(come closer)

"Speak up, Rayes. What did you say?"

"Captain? I... didn't say anything."

The captain frowned faintly, but schooled her expression just as quickly. The voice had been soft, but someone had said something. Her auditory capabilities were excellent, orders of magnitude above and below the limited range of most of her crew. She focused, strained to listen for more.

(closer)

She looked down at her console, checking over the sensor banks. As she watched, the gamma ray detector readouts brightened. With a few gestures, she generated a 3D spatial map of the ship's environs. The gate. They were coming from the gate. But... the gate had been closed. It hadn't spit out so much as a neutrino in standards.

"Chax'alan, wake up. The gammas are lit up. I asked you to report all sensor data."

There was a moment of absolute silence around the bridge before the Vetra's response came. "I'm showing no readings from gamma, Captain?"

She gestured at her console with a sharp wave. "Then you're not looking. The readings are right there. Rayes, take us closer."

(yes, closer, come see)

None of the crew on duty argued. The distant hum of impulse engines vibrated through her feet as she stood from the chair and approached the forward holoscreens. Before her eyes, space shimmered. Pale greens, luminous ultraviolets, eye-popping sparkles of decaying x-ray. "Tell me you're seeing this," she whispered in awe. "It's glorious..."

(bring them to me, join us beyond the gate)

"Full forward, Rayes."

"Captain, we're here for observations, we can't--"

Rayes' objection was cut violently short as the captain drew her sidearm and fired twice, leaving a cauterized hole in the center of Rayes' forehead.

"We're here to join them, Rayes."

[Lavender]

(Meanwhile)

A sensation like cold water trickling down their back made Lav turn from their companions for just a moment. The overwhelming waves of bodies undulating against each other to the rhythm of the latest cacophony of sounds made it impossible for them to discern what had caused the sensation to run down their flesh. It was not pleasant, taking them out of the moment they were enjoying.

Then, a hand. The facsimile of one, but manifested enough the sensation brought Lav back to the present. No. It had always been the present? There was no past. And future would be tomorrow. Tik canted their head, four of their Axtri's six eyes scanning Lav to determine if something was wrong. But nothing was wrong? Nothing was wrong.

"I have prok-k-k-ured more shots!" Betau had to shout over the sound of the beat at this point to be heard. Conversation would be all but impossible without some kind of neural-link, and the idea of sharing minds with anyone just to have a conversation was enough to give Lav a shudder to even think about. 'Shudder. Was it a shudder?

A light tug of a hand pulled Lav to the floor. There was no point in talking. Another drop of Zalith and they were on the floor. They had promised Tik they would dance all night. As long as Tik wanted. At the time, it had been simply giving in to their needs. Giving in to being part of -we- rather than exhausting themself with individuality. But now, warm, floating with intoxication, the idea of dancing until the lights shined on their faces and they were forced to filter out of the club sounded like..fun. Lav vaguely remembered the idea of fun.

This felt like that idea.

Eventually, the lights did come on. The sets ended. The ability to hear was muddled not by throbbing beats but from the strange muffled sensation caused by their stereocilia bending and making everything feel like they were underwater. But pleasantly underwater. Or was that because of the alcohol?

But they made their way back to the Siren, still dancing. For a moment it felt as though something might be following them, but nothing emerged. And it didn't matter. Not tonight. So they danced, as promised. At least until Betua began to look wilted and had to be half-carried the final leg of the journey before being deposited into the medical bay for fluid treatment.

Then, it was back to dancing. The ship had an odd assortment of music playable accessible in the Siren's bar. Also, Xi'asz's stock of drinks. Lav insisted it was just to keep the 'party' going, though they were the only one partaking.

At some point the dancing stopped. Not because the night was over. Because the body - however it may have been manifested - became exhausted. The last thing Lav remembered was trying to sit in a chair for a brief moment, to 'take a breath.' The next, they were drowsily awake, just for a moment, with Tikreta against them, breathing softly. Both, at some point, had simply slumped onto the floor, resting shoulder to shoulder. Lav decided that this was a better place to sleep than to go back to their quarters. At least here they weren't alone.

So their eyes closed, and sleep came again.