Stones in My Shoe"
By:  Mr. Knott , Masseur , [NPC]
Samantha Carter, Security Officer, [RNPC]
Melissa Jarvis, Chief Security Officer, [RNPC]

Stardate: 58207.03 1030

Hopping on one foot, Sam Carter entered the Security offices on QT. Managing to keep some padds under her arm and trying to get rid of something in her shoe she bumped into her colleague Rodriguez.

"Hey Lieutenant, you discovered a new way of walking, he said with a grin.

"Not really but something is in my shoe and I can't get it out. Is the Chief in?" she asked.

"Sorry Lieutenant but its R&R time. So I presume she is in her quarters or at a holodeck or so. Can I do something for you?"

"No I just need her to sign off on some new crew rotations for the Zion." Sam said as she sat down and took off her shoe. With a small plop a little piece of rock fell out. Now how did that got there."

"So did you hear about the fight last night?" Rodriguez said as he watched Sam putting her shoe back on.

" No what happened?"

"Nothing major but there was a brawl at Quarks again." Rodriguez rolled his eyes. "Any of our crew involved." Sam asked as she stood up and stamped her left foot.

"I believe some ensigns from Engineering, nothing major though, I didn't need to lock anybody up." he said with a grin.

Sam smiled, " Darn and I missed it....Sam said quasi disappointed. " Who won?"

Rodrigues just shook his head.

"Catch you later Rodriguez," Sam said as she left the officer.

"Sure..... oh and Lieutenant?" Rodriguez called after her. "Remember you got R&R as well."

Waving the padd above her head, Sam indicated she had heard him, and grinned.

**** Lt Jarvis's quarters

Sam pressed the chime and waited for Melissa to answer.

Melissa settled onto her couch and began reading. She was a fan of history and today she decided to focus on Earth history. Specifically, a civil war on the continent of North America. She began her study of the leadership of the times. Starting with a General named Robert E. Lee. When the door chime went off Melissa placed her PADD on a table and looked at the door, "Come in," she instructed.

Sam stepped in. She hated it to disturb someone during there off hours but sometimes it was unavoidable.

"Good morning Lieutenant. I m sorry to disturb you."

Melissa smiled, "It's ok Sam, how are you?"

"Not to bad Ma'am." Sam beamed at Melissa. " I just need you to ok the new schedule for security training and rotations."

Melissa took a PADD that Sam offered her and skimmed it, "Sam, most of our crew is on leave, our ship is off limits pending the completion of major repairs, these schedules can wait. Why are you not enjoying the down time?"

Sam scratched behind her ear. "Well you know Ma'am Starbases give me the jitters, I rather prefer the humming of the Zion's engines beneath my feet so to speak. Besides I like to have everything in order before we leave."

Melissa handed the PADD back to Sam, "I approved it, however, we will be taking on some new crew members once we get back underway so you will need to revise these then," said Melissa.

Melissa looked at Sam, "You know, you need to take time for yourself. If you are jittery being locked in here at the station, perhaps you could use a relaxing massage. I hear there is a Bolian who just opened up a massage shop on the promenade. You should give it a try."

Sam took back the padd. "Sure I will do that Lieutenant. Bolian massage you say... hmmm sounds interesting. Perhaps I will check it out, besides

the Station's got a big range of holodeck programs.

Sam turned and walked to the door. "Enjoy your free time Chief, sorry to have disturbed you.

"No problem Sam," she said.

Dodging some banners on the promenade Sam went looking for that new Bolian place. What had Melissa said? Bolian massage parlor... Sam chuckled and continued looking. Some people were gathered around a news stand, probably waiting for the QT daily news bulletin.

Then there in the far corner she saw a small sign... Sam peered through the window but saw nothing, she wondered if it was open. Pushing the door she could hear a faint dingle in the back..

" Hello??" she called.

"Hello," a soft voice replied from behind the beaded curtain. "Please come in. How may I be of service?" The last words were said as a short, plump gentleman emerged from the back room, silently parting the beads.

"Oh hai," Sam said turning towards the voice. "A friend of mine pointed out your shop and I was wondering if I could have a massage."

"You are in luck, I just had a cancellation so the next hour can be yours. What type of massage would you like?" he asked, handing her a PADD.

Sam studied the padd the bolian had given her. " Hmmm that full body massage, that sounds nice.. You deal wiht pressure points too?"

He nodded, "We do. Although muscle manipulation is our primary focus, we do supplement it with positive pressure on a number of places, of course dependent on each individual."

He extended his hand for the PADD, "If you would return that to me, we can take you to a room to get you settled."

Sam handed back the padd.

He led her through a corridor to a room filled with low lighting. A comfortable table, covered with sheets and a fleece blanket awaited her. "Have you had a massage before?" he asked.

She nodded. "yes I was on Risa a couple of times, they have some great masseuses there." She grinned while undoing her uniform. "Where have you learned your skills?"

"I received my training on my home planet. I will step out to let you finish getting ready. When I return, I will answer any further questions you have about my education." He backed toward the door, "Please, hang your uniform on the hook on the back of the door."

"Okidokie," Sam replied hopping again on 1 foot, this time trying to get her boots off. Being a security officer had learned her to quickly dress and the same went for the undressing. Looking at herself in the mirror Sam frowned, there still was that scar from her academy accident..For some reason she had not let the doctor remove it. A visible reminder so to speak, she looked on in the mirror, turning to the side.. hmmm she looked skinny. "I definitely have to eat more," she said to herself. Then took one of the sheets and like a toga wrapped it around her...

She chuckled. "Hail Afrodite...!!!" she gniffled..

Quietly, a knock sounded on the door, just before a blue hand appeared and pushed the door open. "Are you ready?"

Still smiling Sam replied. "I am."

"Please unknot your Toga, and lay here, stomach up. Do you prefer high heat, low heat or cooling in the pad you will lie on?" he asked.

"High heat, I like a good sweat." Sam said undoing the toga and laying down.

He made the adjustment. "Let me know if this becomes too warm," he smiled.

Gently, he began massaging her scalp. "How have you enjoyed your time on our station so far?"

"Oh I haven't seen much of the station, being occupied with security stuff you see.

"I did not realize we had added more security to our station," he mused, moving his hands to her neck. He turned her head slightly so he could apply gentle pressure.

"Oh no I am assigned to the USS Zion."

"What do you think of Qul Tuq?" he asked.

"You know I have no idea." Sam replied, little pearls of sweat started to from on her upper lip. "I guess its the seize of the station or because it is orbital, its too impressive. I am more of a starship person."

"Getting too warm," he asked, turning her head gently to the other side.

"Just a little." Sam admitted.

He stepped to the adjustment control and lowered the temperature.

"Do you have plans for our promenade during your stay?" Using slightly firmer pressure, he began working down her left arm.

"Not really, I guess I could do with some new casual clothing, and I love to have some tribbalian fudge icecream before we ship out again. But I haven't scheduled anything special."

"There is a newer shop, on the lower level, which specializes in antique knives. Many security officers find their offerings quite fascinating," he murmured.

"Really, you don't happend to know if they might sell fractial blades, do you?"

"I am not familiar with all of their wares, but I do know if it is something that can be obtained, they would be the ones that have it. Ask for Ania. He will be able to help."

"Those are a collectors items, and you know"," Sam said with a wisper, "they are actually illegal."

"Ay, then I don't know if they can help you with that or not," he whispered back. "Why are they illegal? And how do you know about them?"

"I used to own one, " Sam replied softly. "Weapons of terror they called them, due to the fact that upon usage they break in a victims body. Quit horrible actually but you should see the craftmanship..... "

He moved to her right side. "Beautiful instruments can certainly inflict horrendous pain and suffering," he noted. "Beauty has nothing to do with the result, does it?" he asked.

Sam shook her head,"No thats true but the time someone spend on it to make it, the intricate details.....

He exposed her right leg and massaged the muscles down the thigh. They twitched and jerked as he pressed. Knott's eyebrow quirked. "Have you been doing intensive training lately?"

"Yes thats correct, we have had some Klingon guests on the ship and they offered us some new trainingprograms."

"It would appear you have been taking your training quite seriously." He moved to the muscles along the top of her shin. Even those twitched.

"Intricate details are fascinating. The thought process behind it can provide insight into the mind of the maker, doesn't it?" he asked.

"Hmm never thought of it like that but yeah.... they often say something about the person behind it. " Sam beamed at him. She bend her left leg, as for some reason her thigh muscle started to twitch.

He watched the movement of the muscles, then gently swept his hand down her leg. The twitching subsided as he applied light pressure to the place where the muscle met the bone.

"What made you decided starting this shop." She asked him, smiling thankfully for him having stop the twitching.

"I was told, from the time I was a small boy, I had magic in my hands. This was how I best knew to let the magic out," he smiled. "What made you decide to work in security?"

"Magical hands indeed," Sam beamed at him. "I haven't been a security officer all my life, when I first started out I was a Intell officer."

"How come you left?" he asked.

Sam shrugged. "I got into a relationship with the Chief intell at that time and well you know on a starship those relationships aren't ment to last long, and expecially if it concerns two people being assigned to the same department. So Captain Hunter re-assigned me to security."

He nodded silently. "Do you miss it?

"Sure I miss it, but then again security is much more interesting and my intelligence skills can be used there as well."

"How so," he asked?

"Well you see intell is all about gathering information, and a lot of paperwork, however, when there is nothing to investigate being an Intelligence officer can be boring. As a security officer there is so much more, you have the regular trainings, accompanying VIPs, escorting away team. So it is much more of a challenge." Sam explained with a lot of passion in her voice.

"It sounds like this might have been a good change for you," he nodded thoughtfully.

"I guess it is, but I bet business is booming for you?" Sam asked as she heard the little bell of the front door.

"It keeps me busy," he agreed.

"What you think of the Station thusfar?"

"It is a beautiful place with a variety of intriguing people. There is always change and fluctuation. What do you think? He asked.

"Oh I agree with you, I am always amazed by the fact that so many people of different races with different beliefs can live and work together in one big place." Sam answered.

"Sometimes it is easy, sometimes there is friction," he shrugged slightly. "I am sure it is the same on a star ship. What will you do with the rest of your time on the station?"

"Oh I don't know." Sam said as she frowned slightly. "I can not sit still you see, so I think I might help out stations security, perhaps visit the holodeck or so.

"You have no family to visit?" he asked.

Sam shook her head..... "They were relocated some years ago, and I lost contact. I tried to find them in the Maqui database, but not much luck there, but the database is not complete so I hope that they are on one of the liberated worlds."

"That is always a possibility. Would they be likely to have jobs that would have them there?"

"They were both sceintists, so I think they would have procured a job. I guess they hoped that I would become one too but its not for me looking through a microscope all day." Sam said with a grin.

"That is not always a job for everyone," he agreed. Gently, he drew up the blanket, pressed deeply into her muscles, and patted her gently. "You are done. I will meet you up front. Please take your time getting up. Considering the condition of your body when we started, you are more likely than the average person to feel a little lightheaded if you stand up too quickly. It can happen to anyone, but you were especially tense."

"Thank you Sir, I will." Sam said as she momentarily closed her eyes. After a few moments Sam hopped of the table and dressed herself. Leaving the place neatly behind her she walked to the front.

"How much do I own you Sir," she asked Knott.

"Today, it is on the house."

"Thank you so much, it feels good," Sam responded patting her legs.

"You are most welcome. Come again before you leave," he smiled.

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