Solice"
By: Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]
Teilani Dane, Chief Medical Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58205.28 0415

Ian's palm glided sensuously over Teilani's bare back. She moaned appreciatively and turned her head slightly toward Ian. He smiled at her as her long red hair draped itself across her pillow. Her skin was smooth and soft. Hunter pushed aside memories of by-gone days and basked in the dreamy moment. He laid there paralysed as she got up and walked across the frozen cavern and out into the blizzard. "Dane!" He said, sitting up in bed. "Lights!" he commanded. He looked around, Dane was gone again.

After checking up on her patients, Teilani walked back to the examination room to check up on Hunter, as she peered around the corner the room was empty.

"Where is the Captain?" she asked on of the orderlies. "Apparently he had found a place to crash doc, and he told us not to tell you."

Teilani sighed. "Men, always the same and commanding officers were the worst thinking they were indestructible.

"Computer, locate Capt. Hunter."

"Capt. Hunter is in sickbay," the reply came. "In sickbay”, Teilani echoed, “no he is not.” She walked back towards the little examination room and looked around, then on the floor she spotted Hunters combadge. No wonder the computer thought he was there. She picked it up and put it in her pocket.

"Computer locate Captain Hunter, using his transporter profile, also scan for the captains cat."

"Capt. Hunter is in the Captain's yacht."

The Captain's yacht?" Teilani thought. "What is he doing there? Taking an emergency medkit she left sickbay and headed down the towards deck 11. Arriving in the yacht dock Teilani was stricken by the sight of the sleek and slender shuttle.

Softly she walked towards the hatch and opened it. Hunter woke up as the lights came on. "Wha?" he said blinking his eyes as he sat up, "Teilani?" Hunter wondered if he was dreaming again.

Standing in the door opening Teilani smiled. "Captain," she said softly. "I don't think I had given you permission to leave sickbay. Hello Chester." Teilani said to the little cat.

Hunter smiled and shook his head, "you just said the body needs to rest," he gestured, "...and that's what I'm doing."

"I can see that," Teilani said with a grin and she looked him up and down. For a starship captain he surely looked in good shape. Surely she had seen it all, she was a doctor after all but Teilani appreciated when one took care of his body.

"Come to drag me back to Sickbay?"

Teilani laughed. "Hey I would not dare Sir, but next time please let me know."

"Now, I'm no Doctor," said Hunter, "But it looks like you are the one who could use some rest."

"Perhaps," Teilani said as she looked around the shuttle.

Hunter smiled, "Have you never been down here?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Never Sir, its gorgeous. She walked up towards the large portholes and leant forward abit."

"Me neither before tonight." He watched as she seemed mesmerized by the workmanship of the yacht. He watched her turn and head up the corridor.

Hunter swung his feet out of bed and wrapped himself in a blanket and stepped out into the corridor where he followed Dane to the bow. He took a step up and stood beside her, together they both looked out into the vast universe.

Ian broke the long hypnotic silence, "On a night like this you can see all the way to antipodes," he said turning and looking at her. Her eyes sparkled in the starlight.

Teilani nodded. "You know Sir," she said softly, despite of the war the universe is still beautiful. She looked up at Hunter and smiled, well aware of him standing beside her, almost naked. But she was a doctor so she tried to hide her blush.

"Yes it is..." He looked at Teilani and gently lifted a lock of hair away from her face. He studied her face, even though she looked tired and weary, she was a pretty creature. "..the yacht some how seems separate from the ship," he said, "I almost feel completely detached from what's going on up there," he said gesturing with his eyes and a nod of the head. "It reminds me in a way of Rura Penthe. Only not as cold," he said with a wry smile.

"Ah yes don't remind me of it." Teilani said with a small giggle. "I am still freezing if I think of it."

Hunter hesitated biting his lip for a moment, but he couldn't resist, "You look like you could use a little detachment too, look you can take a shower down here," he said gesturing toward the head, "if you like, you can get comfortable and relax for a couple hours here with me, get some food, recuperate a bit...?"

Teilani looked at her reflection in the window, she looked like she had been wrestling with a denebian slime devil. Thoughts raced through her mind, Hunter was a decent man and she could do with some rest, her stomach had given up growling for food a long time ago but she was hungry.

"You sure you don’t mind then Captain." she asked. "I mean it’s your yacht and I don’t want to impose, but I would love to get rid of this little thingie then." Teilani pointed at her combadge.

Ian nodded, "I don't mind at all."

"Thanks Sir, I think I can find it." she removed her blue overcoat and hung it over the pilot's seat. She yawned as she walked towards the little area containing a bathroom.

Ian turned and watched her as she made her way to the sonic shower. "Are you hungry? Can I make you some breakfast...or supper?" Hunter called out to her.

"Surprise me Sir," she called back, it really did not mind what it was. Even old socks would taste good to her.

Teilani closed the door and leaned against it, she could feel the tiredness in her bones. She stripped off her clothes and stepped in the small sonic shower. The rays tortured her shoulder muscles and slowly the so called dirt was washed away. She washed her hair and after bout 10 minutes stepped out, towelled dry and found some bath robe to wear.

Ian met her as she came out of the bathroom. He put his arm on her shoulder in a friendly manner and gestured toward the large stateroom.

She walked back towards the main area and sat down. The soft smell of roses filled the air. Now she could feel her stomach growl. She grinned. "What are we eating?"

Ian moved his finger back and forth, "patience," he said with a smile. He went into the galley and returned with plates of steaming food on a small cart. He parked it in front of the long curved seating area and produced a bottle of non alcoholic wine and two stemmed glasses. He handed Teilani one of them and opened the bottle, pouring some into her glass. He poured himself a drink too. "I discovered the Captain's yacht is pre-stocked."

Teilani looked at Hunter, he seemed much more relaxed. He would do well being a waiter, she thought.

He held up glass, "here's lookin' at you kid," he said with a Humphrey Bogart voice and a smile.

She raised her glass as well "Bottoms up," and laughed.

Hunter took a drink and set his glass down on a small table in front of the seating area. He took a plate from the cart and gave it to Teilani.

She looked on the plate, little morsels placed carefully. Small sweet and savoury pancakes. Little cucumber triangles, fresh orange juice. She leaned back against the chair, only now she could feel how tired she was. Chester jumped up her lap and Teilani fed him a little bit of sausage.

Hunter sat down next to her and petted Chester too.

"Ahhh," she said. " This is so much better then Rura Penthe. She snuggled up in the bathrobe, which was a little too big for her.

Chester hopped down and made his way back to where he had been sleeping.

Ian turned to Teilani who had finished eating. "I can't believe the long gruelling hours you have put in to help this crew." Hunter paused, "You know what we need? A little 22nd century classical music. Computer, Jones Simpson's Belladonna in G." The computer began to play some serene classical music. "Come 'er" said Hunter as put his hands on Teilani's shoulders and began to rub them.

First startled by the physical contact Teilani wanted to pull back but as she felt her muscles relax she softly moaned. “Have they ever told you Sir, you have magical hands. If you ever decide to retire as a captain, you can open up a massage parlour.” She said with a husky voice.

Hunter chuckled, "the paws of a selat would feel good to you right now."

The warmth of Hunters body, the music and the gently rubbing made her sleepy but she could not go to sleep, the dreams would return and Teilani would not want to see the dreams again.

“Ah yes right there,” she said moving her head a little to the right, she leaned back against Hunter who continued to rub her neck. His thumbs made small concentric circles at the base of her head. Hunter rather liked the long red locks of hair. He moved the palms of his hand across her shoulders. He tried to keep the memory of his dream from his head.

Teilani removed her hair from the back of her neck, exposing the base of it. “This is heaven,” she mumbled.

"Enjoy." said Ian as he continued his work out her tensions.

She suddenly sighed.

Hunter smiled.

It hard to keep her eyes open, she had not slept in almost 72 hours, her eyelids became heavy and she nestled herself in the crack of seat and Hunters arm.

It wasn't much longer until Teilani was completely relaxed and had drifted off to sleep. Hunter leaned over and gently kissed her on the cheek, "good night," he whispered.

Just before the sleep completely overtook her she smiled.

Hunter leaned back with Teilani and closed his eyes as well.

=TBC: What will happen, will Chester accept the “intruder” stay tuned.=