Recreation

[Samantha_Kent 0]

Pilot stood inside in the turbolift. I wonder what we're going to do once we get to the mess hall, he thought, and tapped his comm badge, "Ms. Kent, ETA to messhall is 2 minutes."

 

Sam stepped into the messhall, tapping her commbadge and chuckling at Malik's serious report. "Hurry up then, slowpoke." She crossed the room to the replicator. "Hasperat and raktajino, cream, two sugars."

 

Pilot moving out of the turbolift as the doors and walked down to the Mess hall entering. Looking around for Ms. Kent as he walked in. Pilot spotted her and moved to her, stopping to say to the replicator, "Triple Burger with pickles, tomato, ketchup, mayo, and onion, with fries and a large sized chocolate shake."

 

Sam took her plate from the replicator and sat down at a table in the mess, waving at Malik as he entered. She dug into the Bajoran meal as he ordered and looked up with an expression of amusement. "Hungry much?"

 

Pilot looked at her with a grin, "I try to eat between away missions. So you can imagine." Pilot grabs his food and sits down with her. He starts digging in. "This is delicious."

 

Sam chuckled. "Indeed...Axrekrav was woefully lacking in the culinary department." She bit into the hasperat and smiled at the spicy tang as it went down. "So...been enjoying getting back to the ship?"

 

Malik also chuckled with her, "Of course, also the incident with our little kiss. My bad." places a hand on the back of his head then sort of goofy look.

 

Sam blinked at him for a few seconds, then shrugged and let the comment pass, concentrating on her food. "I was pretty much asleep at the time," she said dryly, shaking her head.

 

Pilot looked at her, "I just wanted to say, my bad." He sipped his shake and ate a couple of fries.

 

Sam smiled softly. "Apology accepted," she said around a mouthful of hasperat.

 

Pilot nodded, "Very good my dear Samantha." He ate some more of his food. "Where else do you want to go after this, my lady?"

 

Sam chuckled. "Cut the fancy lines, Pilot..." She leaned back in her seat, chewing on hasperat thoughtfully. "Dunno...I've been feeling restless, like I need to do something...sleeping and recuperating only goes so far." She paused, then looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. "Ever played Bajoran springball?"

 

Pilot looked at her. "Bajoran Springball?" He thought about the game's name, trying to compare it to something. "Is it like Earth's tennis?"

 

"Closer to racquetball," Sam said, "though there's a full-contact version that has elements of American Football and handball thrown in. Pretty intense sport. My father taught me to play during my young and energetic years," she added, laughing at the memory.

 

Pilot nodded, "That sounds fun." Pilot could sense a happy spirit in her. "Sam, you are a beautiful woman. Highly spirited, joy to be around, and very active person." Pilot smiled.

 

Sam pushed back from the table and moved over to the replicator, disposing of her now empty plate. "You're quick with the compliments," she said dryly, picking up her coffee from the table and sipping at it. "But thank you," she added with a grin, downing the last of the raktajino and depositing it in the replicator, where it hummed and disappeared.

 

Pilot looked at her, "Well I like you Sam. I just wanted to express that. You could add sunshine to the darkness world, You bring happiness wherever you go."

 

Pilot continued, "When we were stuck on the planet, I knew it was going to be okay, cause you were there." Pilot smiled.

 

Sam looked a little embarrassed at this effusive praise. "Well, thanks, Mal," she said. "Glad I could help." She glanced back at the replicator to make sure it hadn't miscaught the mug and splattered Klingon coffee everywhere, then looked back at him. "Ready to go?"

 

I've messed up again, Pilot thought to himself, then snapped back to reality. "Yes. Lead the way," he said, moving his food containers and such to the recycler on the Replicator.

 

Sam nodded and headed for the door of the mess hall, trotting towards the turbolift. Malik followed her like a puppy on his leash. Sam stepped into the turbolift as he followed her in. "Holodeck one!" The turbolift hummed and a few seconds later deposited them outside the holodeck. She gestured for him to precede her out the door.

 

Pilot did so and extended his hand, "Madam? To our battlefield?"

 

Sam raised her eyebrows at him. "Didn't know we were at war..." she said with a grin, but took the hand he offered her and headed down the corridor to stand outside the holodeck doors. "Computer -- new program; Bajoran springball court, standard size, two rackets and a ball." She glanced over at Malik. "This was how I passed my off-hours when I had the research post on Starbase 13...I think you'll find it gives a pretty good workout." She released his hand and stepped into the program.

 

Pilot looked at her, "I know I am going to get my butt kicked. But you are beautiful, so its cool and a learning experience for me."

 

Sam turned around and faced him. "I'm not gonna kick your butt...I'm going to teach you," she said, then paused. "And *then* kick your butt," she added with a grin. "And all your flattery won't save you."

 

Malik looked at her and winked then flashed his smile. "We will see." Malik stood there -- 6'3" and quite muscular for a 142.5 pound man. "Let's get this started, baby." He grinned.

 

Sam scooped up her paddle and the ball and moved to one corner of the room, gesturing Mal into the other. Then she tossed the ball into the air and sent it ricocheting off the top corner at startlingly high speed. "Don't let it bounce more than once...at all costs," she said with a wicked sort of grin.

 

Malik moves to his corner and hits the ball when it hits the ground. The ball spiraled out off the front wall and back towards Sam, nearly out of her reach. She dove for it and sent it cracking off the front wall again, then dove, letting her momentum carry her into a roll and back to her feet again. "Good shot!"

 

Malik smiled and dove to smack it back at her, then hopped back up and moved back to the middle. Sam watched the ball's arcing trajectory and timed her swing perfectly, giving the ball a topspin as it flipped back up towards the wall. Malik watched the ball flying back towards him, spinning the racket, right before he strike the ball with a fierce strike.

 

The ball flew at the wall and ricocheted again, and Sam lost track of it for a split second. Next thing she knew, it crashed into her stomach and knocked her backwards, and she fell over, the wind knocked out of her. "Ooof!" She lay there for a few seconds, trying to laugh but not having enough wind, and therefore producing a sort of odd coughing sound.

 

Malik let the racket go and moved to her side, "Oh my....Are you okay, I am so sorry." Pilot tries to help her up.

 

Sam finally got her breath enough to laugh as he took hold of her shoulder. "No, I'm fine, I'm fine...I've played hardcore springball with Bajorans; you take worse hits than that." She sat up, letting her body get its wind back. "Very good hit, by the way," she said, glancing up at him. "Nice power and spin."

 

Malik looking confused, "Thanks?" he said uncertainly. "But I am truly sorry about that. Let me help you up."

 

Sam let him grab her shoulder and pull her to her feet. "Don't worry about it, really, Mal," she said, a little amused at his confusion.

 

Malik looked at her, "Are you sure you are okay, Samantha?"

 

"Wouldn't say I wasn't if I weren't," Sam said blithely, glancing around the room for the ball.

 

"Just wanted to be sure." Malik points to the ball over by the wall. "There it is, I will get it."

 

Sam watched him move to pick up the ball and dropped herself into a ready stance with a smile, feeling herself truly relaxing for the first time since they had gotten off the planet. Malik was awkward, and not particularly subtle, but he was doing a good job of distracting her from the stress of (re)settling into the world of this ship, and she was grateful for that.

 

Malik picked up the ball and turns back and moves back to Sam. "Ready, babe?"

 

Sam rolled her eyes at the nickname, then nodded and focused on the ball. "Serve 'er up, my friend."

 

Malik looked at her, "Sorry, friend." Malik serves the ball knocking it into the wall.

 

Sam chuckled and knocked the ball back against the wall in a slow curving arc. "Sorry for what?"

 

"The babe comment, I saw you roll your eyes." Pilot smiled.

 

Sam watched the ball rebound off the wall towards him. "Let's just say you lay it on a bit thick, eh?" she said, tossing him a grin while keeping her eye on the ball. "Not to worry, though...I've heard worse in my day."

 

Malik knocked the ball back towards the wall, "Woah!" Pilot looks at her, "Well the worst, I would never call you that, you don't deserve to be called anything but wonderful." Pilot smiles watching the ball again.

 

Sam let out a small puff of air in a quiet laugh. Between Malik and Brian, she was pretty sure she'd never want for attention on this ship, though one of them was rather more subtle and circumspect about it than the other. "Thank you, Malik," she said quietly, smiling, and knocked the ball back off the wall again.

 

Pilot moved to hit the ball and made the wrong move; the ball hit him in the chest and he fell down with a thud. "No...pro---blem my fri--end."

 

Sam winced as the ball hit him in the upper ribcage. "You alright, Mal?" she asked, taking a few steps towards him across the court.

 

Malik got up unzipping his uniform and throwing the jacket to the side, pulling off his golden colored shirt, his very muscular body, "Is there a bruise?"

 

Sam snorted. "You ddi that just to take your shirt off, didn't you?" She peered at his chest for a few seconds, then shook her head. "Nah, you'll be fine. Barely left a mark."

 

Malik looked at her, "Of course not. I just wanted to be sure it wasn't a bruise my dear Ms. Kent."

 

Sam chuckled. "Alright. Well, looks like you're fine. We gonna finish the game? I believe we're tied, one-all, with one chest wound apiece."

 

Malik chuckled, "Funny...Sam." He tosses the shirt to the side and got into a stance. "Let's do it"

 

Sam grinned and grabbed the ball from the floor, tossing it into the air again and whipping it off the far wall.

 

Malik grinned back and spun the racket, then smacked the ball, his muscles moving when he connected to the hit. "Game, maybe?"

 

"Guess so...whoever wins this point," Sam said, her eyes sparking; she was enjoying the competition. She swung her arm around with a powerful topspin on the ball and sent it bouncing out of the top right corner of the wall.

 

"Heh.." As the ball came back towards him he smacked it downward, watching it bounce. "Look at that."

 

Sam watched the ball bouncing off the floor and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Well..." she said dryly. "That was easier than I'd expected."

 

Malik moved to Sam and extended a hand to her. "Don't worry, I don't bite." He smiled at her.

 

"Didn't think you did," Sam said. "And your noble sacrifice is much appreciated, I suppose, although you won't make much of a doubles partner that way," she added, laughing, and let him guide her back out of the room. "Computer, end program," she called over her shoulder as they left, and the holodeck darkened behind them.

 

"Heh, I wouldn't give up so easy if we were playing against another team." Malik stopped her in the hallway, him shirtless with his jacket and shirt in hand.

 

"I would hope not," Sam retorted, grinning.

 

Pilot gave her a big hug. "Thank you, you got my mind off all the stuff that has happened to us in the last few weeks. You are truly a breath of a fresh air, and reality, and again, I thank you for that." Malik released her and smiled to her.

 

Before Sam quite knew what was going on, she found herself enveloped in a tight hug, and she coughed slightly as he released her, laughing. "Likewise, I guess...we've all had a lot on our minds. I'm just glad we're out of there."

 

Malik looked at her, "Sorry I am little touchy-feely sometimes. Especially around women I li--" He stopped before he got smacked, and smiled, embarassed.

 

Sam watched him look embarrassed and chuckled softly, wondering why he'd bothered stopping there. "You don't exactly hide it, Pilot." She paused and gave him an amused look. "Don't look so worried...you act like I'm gonna get violent."

 

"No, I don't think you're a violent person." Pilot replied. He kissed her on the cheek briefly, "I need to get to my quarters and get a sonic shower. Thank you again, Sam."

 

Sam held still as he kissed her cheek, resisting the urge to blush or look embarrassed, and settled on an expression somewhere between amused and bemused as he turned to leave. "You're welcome," she said, and turned around and walked in the opposite direction, rubbing the back of her neck absently where the poison capsule had been. I think I'm not even going to bother feeling awkward about this, she decided, half-laughing to herself as she considered the conversations she'd had in the past few days. Just not even worth the effort.