Conversations and Fisticuffs

[Victria 0]

"Do you think it foolish that the Commander went planet-side in a first contact situation without taking any of her own security? Or is that standard policy?" Victria lunged unexpectedly, driving her fist into Mark’s midsection.

 

He parried the blow, jumping a couple steps back. He wiped the couple beads of sweat from his brow as he reset his stance. "Sometimes. The Commander may have been trying to convince them that we're no threat to them. To gain their trust. Problem is, we need their cooperation to explore these ruins, and hope that they give us some answers on this quest to find the Founders. Which means we're all going to have to play kiss ass."

 

Unrelenting, she pressed him further as he retreated, firing off several strikes to test his reaction time. Her brow furrowed slightly at his response. "And if they had not been friendly and had taken her captive or killed her? How would the Captain have responded?" Her blue gaze remained fixed on his eyes, tracking his movements in her periphery.

 

He allowed one of the strikes to land, leaving her open on one side. He grabbed her arm, pulling her in, locking their legs into each other. "I don't deal with 'what-ifs'. There's no point in reevaluating the past. Corizon and JoN's gambled, and succeeded."

 

"I wasn't asking for your opinion. I was asking about procedure." Rather than fight the move, she embraced it, pulling him closer so that she could collapse his knee and throw him off balance. As they hit the ground, she rolled away, striking out with her elbow as she disengaged.

 

He hit the ground with a small ‘oof’, rolling out and resetting himself again, slowly circling her. "Well, if they had captured her, obviously we'd attempt a rescue, but that's always a shot in the dark as to whether or not it will work. If they killed her, then they'd more than likely mean to attack, and by now either we'd be dead, or they would. It's Starfleet policy to seek peaceful relations above all else. We won't be fighting them until every other option has been exhausted."

 

"Interesting, though not at all how I would handle the situation." The slight smile she wore hinted that it was probably better that he didn't know what she was thinking.

 

"Have you seen the crew lists of those chosen to go planet-side? I know they are allowing security with the away teams, probably to keep them out of trouble rather than protecting them from the HaVorante. If I'm expected to go, I'll have to take special MEASURES." Her last word came out in a rush as she leapt into action again, this time extending her reach by releasing a flurry of kicks intended to knock him down once more.

 

Mark grabbed her leg, using her momentum against her, throwing them both to the ground and pinning himself on top of her. "What sort of measures are you talking about? You cause me enough paperwork as is with your... I don't know with Commander Teykier."

 

"I cannot withstand ultraviolet light for long periods of time. You should have read that in my bio.” She gazed up at him, wondering if he thought he had neutralized her. “Also, I possess strength greater than the typical human. That, too, you should have also read. This tactic would be ineffective against a male of my species." Her legs wrapped around his stomach and she squeezed, threatening to shatter his lower ribs.

 

She bared her fangs as she smiled. "And Commander Teykier asked for it."

 

His eyes bulged and he gasped, the pressure strong enough to let him know that this could end badly if he didn't play his cards right. "When you say measures in that tone of yours I'm prompted to worry for all life. And as for my tactics...You assume that'd I'd put a male in this position." He flashed her a small smirk, already debating if she was just going to turn his insides to goo.

 

She chuckled and the pressure decreased slightly, but did not relent. Shifting her hips sideways, she snaked one arm free, grabbed his shoulder from behind and twisted from beneath him. Her arm slipped around his neck and tightened as she clung to his back. "I would suggest avoiding this position at all costs as it allows for open access." She lifted his chin slightly by shifting her wrist, those teeth dangerously close to his neck. "I've yet to devise a way to exist without discomfort in full daylight. Perhaps you might have ideas?"

 

He was all tangled up now, his breathing uneven as felt her hot breath on his neck, enjoying it more then he thought he would. "A veil would be the most sensible choice... since I doubt sunscreen would work..."

 

“And a full body suit?” She snorted in amusement. "Are you at all familiar with the concept of the ninja from Earth's history?" As he was not struggling, she assumed that he had yielded. Disappointing, really. It was so much more fun to watch them squirm. Very tempted to follow through, she forced herself to ignore his racing pulse and ragged breathing and the other signs that normally incited her to attack. Snapping rather close to his ear, she finally released her hold so that he could disengage.

 

It was a second before he pulled away, standing again not far from her. "I've heard of the concept, but I wouldn't pretend to be any sort of expert."

 

"I'll send you pictures I've found in the database in my search for a solution." She met his gaze calmly as she rose from the floor, well aware of his emotional state. "They were quite amusing, but I did get several ideas."

 

He met her eyes, always feeling like she was reading him whenever she looked at him. "Fair enough. If you can find a method that works and is comfortable with you. But I'm not going to send you down in some envirosuit."

 

“Perhaps you should come by my quarters and review what I have,” she suggested as she turned to pick up her bag from the training room floor. It was an innocent enough request, but the slow, wicked smile that formed on her lips was not. As she shouldered the bag and turned back to face him, her expression was neutral.

 

He watched her bend over to pick up the bag. "Sure, whenever works best for you." It was an innocent enough reply, but if he'd learned anything in the Gamma Quadrant, nothing involving Victria was innocent… or normal for that matter.

 

“Excellent.” She did smile then and just managed not to bare her fangs… too much.