The Long Ride There"
By: Bart "Burner" Read , Fighter Pilot , [NPC]
Dr. Alyssa Caitlin Northrop, Chief Intel Officer, [PST]
Keighlee Alexi, Engineer , [NPC]
M'Ressha Mikaht, Fighter Pilot, [RNPC]
Matthew Mason, Prisoner, [RNPC]
Maxine Lucinda Tapert, Computer Specialist, [PC]
Samantha Carter, Security Officer, [RNPC]

Stardate: 58209.03 1420

--Aeroceba XII Space port---

Burner stood up as soon as the doors opened . He turned around and faced the Marines who were getting ready to get off the shuttle. He was careful to stay back out of the light of sight of the open door. This was a Ferengi ship and anyone noticing a non-Ferengi pilot might be suspicious. He gave them a thumbs up sign and nodded at them as they left the shuttle.

Taylor stepped out of the shuttle onto the dirty little space port. There were not many ships in the docking bay, most of them were smaller personal space craft. There was one very large freighter parked right in the center of the space port. Taylor was sure that this would be their next stop.

Maxine looked over at Blitzer and offered a small smile and lift of her hand in farewell before she stepped from the shuttle, following the bulk of Marines. The remainder of them mingled in and brought up the rear once everyone was out.

Blitzer waved back.

Keighlee looked up from the dusty tarmac they walked along, turning for a moment to watch the shiny Ferengi shuttle which was now just a small speck of silver against the planet's hazy green sky.

She envied the pilot's duties because their mission would be over soon. She shifted her gear on her shoulders and continued along.

Sam was glad to get out of the shuttle and stretched her legs. All the space ports looked the same to her but yet the smell and hustle from the other passengers kept amazing her.

She only hoped that they would not look so conspicuous.

It was somehow crowded, merchant and other people walking quickly to their next transport, close to them she heard a pilot and a merchant bicker about the price of transport. Then other flares of conversation came drifting their way.

..."you told me 2 bars of Latinum"...

....that was before you signed the transport manifest... No wild animals allowed..."

..." never did anything of the sort....."

...."what about the security checks.."

Keighlee peered over the shoulders of Sam as the group slowed. From a slight distance she watched as Alyssa discretely exchanged call signs with the freighter's Captain.

The group sauntered forward again when Alyssa motioned.

One of the freighter personnel showed them to their quarters which consisted of a room with 6 bunks, several chairs and a small table.

"Mess is at 1900," he grunted.

"Well this looks better than the shuttle," Sam said grinning, throwing her pack on one of the bunks.

"I'm not so sure," volunteered Keighlee noting the shortage of bunks and the generally grimy condition of their quarters.

Beck looked over at Taylor. "Standard rotation?" he asked, meaning they'd rest and stand watch in two hour shifts. "And do you want me to send out a recon pair?"

Taylor nodded.

"Been in worse," one of the Marines commented, and a general grumble of consensus rippled through the rest of them as two of them automatically took up a stance on either side of the door and the rest settled in various places.

Maxine settled in one of chairs at the table and pulled her personal computer out. It was a smaller, more compact version of the one she left the Zion.

Sam took her backpack from the bunk and gestured at Keighlee, "You can use the bunk, I'll take the floor."

"I'm sure the marines will show some chivalry," whispered Keighlee.

She watched a moment as Sam continued to settle in.

The chime rang on the door to their quarters. Taylor crossed the room and opened the door. Outside was a middle aged crewman dressed in the standard gray uniform that all members of this crew seemed to wear. In his arms he carried a large case. "Can I help you," inquired Taylor.

"Nah," he said, his gravelly voice echoed loudly in the room, "The Cap'n says he 'spects ya ta wear a right proper uniform while yer here." He set the case down on the floor just inside the door. "Here ya go." He looked at Max and Sam, "Course we ain't never had no women crew afore."

He chuckled and then left.

Taylor waited for the door to close and then bent over to open the case.

"Let's see what we have here." He opened the case and inside, just as promised were the standard issue uniforms. He tossed a set over to one of his marines. Reaching for the next one, he stopped suddenly and a slow whistle escaped his lips. He held up what he could only assume was the standard uniform for females. The uniform -- if you could call it that -- did not leave much to the imagination. Taylor looked at Max and then at Sam. "I'm thinking that this is yours."

Keighlee moved closer and picked up one of the uniforms and held it to her frame. It was very skimpy. "I have seen more clothes on an Orion Slave girl on Risa!"

Sam too picked up one of the garments. "Man this bearly covers my butt."

"I think that's what the freighter Captain 'ad in mind," Maxine commented as she eyed the garment. "Pervert. Probably pinch your butt when you wear that..."

One of the Marines snorted and eyed Sam. "It's a cute butt. Shame to cover it up."

"Oh stop it you guys." Sam said with a grin, "give us girls some privacy, be nice and turn around ok?"

"And miss a good show?" one of the Marines grinned and another one let out a wolf whistle, while yet another one started humming out the stripper song.

"Stow it, Marines," Beck barked and they all laughingly made a big show of turning around.

"I swear Keighlee, " Sam said, holding up a blanket from one of the bunks so that the young girl could change, " Maquis regulation undies covers more that this flimsy thing.

Keighlee peeked up over the top of the blanket, the marines seemed to be minding their own business. She fastened the civilian cloths she was already wearing and stepped out of it.

As small as her frame was, the garment she pulled on was snug. She tugged on the short little flaps which were supposed to be a skirt. You are right about the regulation undies." she said shaking her head. They'd be a give-away if they were left on.

She felt blushed and humiliated as she took them off. "A ship of perverts." she muttered to herself.

Max took over Sam's duty of holding up the make-shift screen.

It was Sam's turn to put on the so called uniform. "I have never worn a dress in my life. I feel naked." she said stepping back from behind the makeshift screen.

"The trick to that is making sure you 'ave on tight panties," Maxine told them. "And make them match the skirt. That way it doesn't look like you're trying to flash 'em," she added with a grin. "I like leather myself."

"No one ever told me..." said Keighlee with a slight frown.

"I knew you were a bit kinky," Sam said with a grin, "but what you say girls.. "let's show those peasants what women are really like..shake that booty!!

Alyssa came into the quarters the rest of the team had been assigned just as the girls were finishing up. She'd been up with the Captain going over everything one last time. The freighter's Captain continued to insist that the Maquis regulars pose as ship's crew. After seeing what they had in mind for a uniform....well...she was very glad that she still have her Academic Credentials. Though...she couldn't really blame them. Especially when it came to young Ms. Keighlee. The brunnette felt her cheeks flush a bit as she looked in on the scene....but quickly pushed the thoughts down into the back of her mind. There would be time for that later.

"Ok group....everything's green as far as the Captain goes. He's gotten the first half of his payment and we'll be on our way momentarily."

Sam glanced briefly at her chronometer and tugged the uniform again. "Shall we go to the messhall? It's nearly 1900 hours, besides I think we all can do with something to eat or drink.

Keighlee knelt down carefully and stowed her cloths into her bag and stood back up. "I'm starving."

Sam smiled. "So am I and I do hope they have something good to eat. Preferably a medium steak with roast potatoes and green pies.."

Keighlee smirked, "I can't imagine the food is better than these accommodations."

"I can't imagine that it wouldn't give us all dysentery, Max commented as she packed up her gear and slipped her arms into her backpack.

"Eaten worse," one of the Marines commented.

"I hear ya there," another one agreed.

The two marines standing 'guard' on either side of the doorway didn't look like they were going anywhere.

"We will bring something back with us." Sam said as they passed them. After a short walk the little group passed to main doors entering the mess hall.

There they were greeted by noise, sweaty smells and hungry looks from the ships crew. "I don't think they have room service do they?" Sam said scouting the room for any potential threats and escape routes.

The mess hall was grayish, not one single bit of color on the walls, making it a dull and very uninviting place. On the left side there were about 2 replicators which looked like they could do with some extra tune up. Opposite of them was a small bar where a greasy Bolian wavede his serving spoon the scepter. There was a queue waiting, and judging from the smell and the lack of enthusiasm on the faced of the people in line, fresh vegetables and meat were not on the menu.

The Bolian looked up at the new crew members and watched with amusement as they eyes the replicators. "Forget it," he shouted at them, "those things haven't worked in ages." He held up a spoon full of whatever it was that he was serving and added, "You get what I give you." He dumbed the contents of his spoon on the tray of the person in front of him with a sickening plop.

When it was Sam's turn, she managed to obtain a tray from a large stack dumped on the ground, she had to control her self from not throwing up.

The goo by lack of a better word was a sickening greenish grayish color.

She sniffed it and felt her stomach revolt as a smell of something undefinable reached her nose.

Suddenly she remembered an old earth tale, something about a young boy called Oliver and the question of "Can I have some more?"

In the far corner was a large table almost empty and Sam pointed. " There's some place there."

"You know.. I might be able t'fix that," Maxine told the Bolian and nodded towards the replicator.

He snarled at her and lifted a spoon of glop. She let him slap some goo on her tray, but seriously doubted if she'd eat it.

The Bolian sneered at Max and without missing a beat slopped some food on Keighlee's tray.

Keighlee felt her stomach try to escape from the top of her throat. She swallowed hard.

As they were walking Sam could feel the eyes of the freighter crew burning in her back. Several of them whistled and yelled at them.

Despite the uniform it was as if she walked the plank naked so to speak. A bald crewmember with a pock marked face and hair that looked as if it hadn't been washed reached out and pinched Sam's behind as she waled by. He smiled at here revealing several rotten teeth.

Sam managed to smile back. She turned back to Keighlee and Max.

"You two alright?"

"No," whispered Keighlee, "But just keep going."

Finally the group managed to sit down, the benches were old and looked like they would collapse under their combined weight.

Suddenly Sam stopped stirring in her goo when she smelled something horrible. It was the same bald crewmember who had pinched her behind now sitting next to her.

She slowly tried to shift to the side but he wouldn't let her.

"Hey baby, you sure look fine in that outfit," said the man as he carefully rested his hand upon her thigh.

"Please keep your hands to yourself." she whispered slowly trying to push away his hand from her leg.

Taylor eyed the scene carefully, several other crewmembers were moving in their direction. He made a quick gesture with his right hand and the marines slowly moved to take up a more defensive position.

The man cackled gleefully, "You sure are a feisty one. I like 'em that way." He smiled at Sam, showing her several gaps in his stained and rotten teeth. He moved his hand so that in now rested upon her bosom.

Clenching her jaw she tried to count to ten but to no avail. With a sudden and swift move she took up the tray and plate with the goo and smashed it in the bald guys face.

"I told you to keep your hands to yourself." she barked and then looked at the other crewmembers.

Several of the crew who had gathered around to watched chuckled as the man growled in frustration and grabbed a hand full of Sam's hair, "You are going to pay for that you little tramp."

Keighlee stood up and stepped back from the table, speechless. Cold hairy arms grabbed her by the waist and before she knew it she was slumped over some thug's shoulder. She pounded her fists on its back without effect.

When the guy with Keighlee turned to walk away with her, he ran into a red-headed Maxine who drew her arm back and punched him full in the face. Then she promptly stomped on his foot and kneed him in the groin, all in a quick one-two-three move. "Bloody frackin' perverts."

Max shook her hand and then advanced on the guy, ready to start poking him in the chest as she continued to rant. "We don't take t'being manhandled by the likes of you."

She glared at the other crew members who'd been eyeing them and making advances. "And t'lot of you better stand the bloody 'ell back or you'll find your testicles an' wankers launched out the airlock in the middle of the frackin' night." It was pretty evident that Maxine had gotten a little miffed.

Beck reached over and plucked Keighlee off the guy's shoulder before she landed on the floor on her rear, given that the guy was more concerned with grabbing his crotch than he was with holding onto her. He set her on her feet with a wink and a grin.

Several of the other Marines stepped up to where Sam was battling another of the crew. Chords reached out a hand and rested it on the offending crewman's shoulder. "We'd appreciate it if you let the lady go," he asked reasonably as his fingers tightened to an almost painful degree.

Sam kicked out with her left leg, hooking her foot behind the bald guys knee, bringing the man down onto the mat. In one fluid movement Sam had the man on his stomach with her own in the guys back.

“Don’t ever call me tramp again. Next time I will break your neck,� Sam whispered softly in his ear.

Then she got up swiftly and pulled down the uniform. She noticed that the Marines were holding back the other crewmembers. Then all over sudden one of the freighter crew started to applaud and laugh while he helped up his bald friend.

“Told you Stevenson. You owe me replicator rations!!!.�

Sam nodded at Chords and took a deep breath. "Perhaps we should go back." she suggested looking at the rest of the team.

Before anyone could answer, the freighter's captain entered the messhall flanked with a couple of his security personnel.

The messhall's roar of commotion stopped abruptly. Almost everyone in the room was motionless, as if frozen in time.

Keighlee blushed as she adjusted her apparel which had severely shifted in the mini-melee.

"What is going on in here?" demanded the captain, his voice loud enough to echo in the room. He walked over to one of his crew members who was picking himself up off the ground. "Tell me what this is about Bixer." His intense eyes flashed with anger.

Taylor watched from behind his shaded eyes. He noticed that the man the captain was talking to was the same crewman who delivered their uniforms earlier in the day.

"Awwee Cap'n, we wuz jus gettin' to know the new folk," replied Bixer.

"I'm sure," replied the captain moving to stand next to Sam. "What in the universe are you doing dressed like that?" The captain looked at the other ladies, "What were you ladies thinking coming here dressed like that?"

The Captain seemed to be addressing Keighlee who was still trying to adjust the stringy outfit to cover up as much as she could.

"We were told to dress in these uniforms, Sir." she answered meekly.

"What Ferengi sold you that line of crap?" He demanded as he turned now to Sam. The captain did not wait for an answer, instead he followed Sam's gaze back to Bixer who had now started a careful examination of the fasteners on his boots.

The Captain took three measured strides back to Bixer, grabbed him by the collar of his uniform shirt and slammed him hard into the wall. "Did you deliver proper uniforms to these women Bix?"

"Yesser...I mean no...It wuz jus a joke Cap'n," replied Bixer.

The captain growled and threw his crew member to the floor. "Listen to me," he shouted. "We are 4 hours from entering Fed space. We have an entry inspection to prepare for. I do not have time to deal with jokes. If it happens again I will leave the lot of you on some space rock." The captain empahized his comments by kicking Bixer in the stomach. "Get these women the correct uniform and then get back to work."

Unable to get enough breath to speak Bixer simply nodded as the captain flashed an icy stare at him and turned and left the room.

Sam muttered under her breath and nodded at some of the Marines. Following them, the crowd silently moved to the side as their group walked to the exit, Sam ushered both Max and Keighlee to hurry up. As they were walking back to their joint quarters Sam said to Max.

"Remind me never to get you miffed. You pack quit a good punch."