Path: newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net!stamper.news.atl.earthlink.net!elnk-atl-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!prodigy.com!prodigy.com!border1.nntp.dca.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!newsread.com!newsstand.newsread.com!POSTED.monger.newsread.com!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated Approved: ascem@earthlink.net Organization: Better Living Thru TrekSmut Sender: ascem@earthlink.net Message-ID: <11.39c598b8.2ee00504@aol.com> From: Istannor@Aol.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Mailing-List: list ASCEML@yahoogroups.com; contact ASCEML-owner@yahoogroups.com Subject: New: TOS: A Higher Duty:pg13:k/f: 1/28 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 172 Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2004 13:55:02 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.198.142.218 X-Complaints-To: Abuse Role , We Care X-Trace: monger.newsread.com 1101995702 209.198.142.218 (Thu, 02 Dec 2004 08:55:02 EST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2004 08:55:02 EST Xref: news.earthlink.net alt.startrek.creative.erotica.moderated:85880 X-Received-Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2004 05:55:48 PST (newsspool2.news.atl.earthlink.net) Sorry, this is a formatting test. I no longer have the tools I used to use. Title: A Higher Duty Author: Istannor Contact: Istannor@aol.com Series: TOS Rating: PG13 for violence Part: 1/28 Codes:TOS Summary: Dsiclaimer: If I owned the franchise, I'd be rich. I don't, so don't worry Paramount, you still can mess it up and I'm still broke. A Higher Duty Chapter 1 The music in the mess was loud and the singing was louder. All around the walls, draped from the ceiling, and festooned across the chairs and tables, floated rainbow threads intertwined with small green balls of light. They pulsed to the beat of the percussion instruments played by the on-board Worlds Apart Band. McCoy beat his fingers on the table and tried to sing along with the words, though he obviously knew very few of them. "Leonard, when are you going to learn the lyrics to this song?" Uhura asked with obvious amusement. "Words, shmords, it's the tune that counts, the words just get in the way," he retorted and turned to his companions at the table. "Besides, if I learned the words, I'd have to sing the same ones each time. This way I get to create," he concluded with a flourish of his hands meant to demonstrate a maestro conducting an orchestra. "Ye can not pronounce the Deltan dialect, 'tis all. I've heard ye murder the sound." Scotty shot out before he raised his glass to his lips. "Here's to Deltans, their music, and the fact that they know no good festival should pass without a bit of the good stuff," "Scotty, darling, I don't know of a single festival with liquor, you don't celebrate." "Ah, Penda, you wound me to the soul." He grabbed his shirt over where his heart wasn't. "I have yet to touch on all the important occasions for all of our member worlds, but be it far from me to deny any me respect and due admiration," he raised his glass towards the ceiling. "I shall miss no festival before its time. Of course it is all the sweeter to have you to celebrate with, my bundle of perfect engineering." "If I said that, you'd knock me out," McCoy observed dryly. "If you said that, you'd explode before I got to you. Compliments aren't your cup of bourbon," Uhura replied with a shrug. "The last compliment I heard you give was: 'You're too damn healthy to be in my sick bay, so get your butt out'." "I didn't say that," his voice rose in protest. She nodded emphatically, "You sure did and Scotty heard it, didn't you Scotty?" "That I did, Lass, and saddened and shocked I was to hear it. Unlike a fine wine, he does nae mellow with time." McCoy snorted and turned to look at the temporary stage where the new singer had walked out, dressed in the traditional robes of a Deltan twirl dancer. "Never you mind how you're telling tall tales on me. Shut your traps so I can see her. I mean...see this show." Her name was Ashram. She was a copper-skinned, lithe testament to the Universe's ability to create unbelievable beauty. She floated out among the glowing bulbs of soft green light. At her signal, the lights begin to pulsate slowly. Then the music rose from the players, who set on the stage. If there had been anyone in the room who was not looking at the stage, that was no longer so. Everyone leaned slightly forward in anticipation of the entertainment. Deltans could make the slightest movement carry a multitude of interpretations depending on the needs, lusts, and darkest desires of the observer. It was not uncommon for each and every one of their planet based entertainment experiences to conclude in several very strongly felt offers of marriage from a human audience. However, luckily for the crew the Enterprise, all Deltans who served aboard a Federation starship had to swear to celibacy during their tenure, while on board. So, Crewman Ashram, was relatively safe. At least, her especially strong ability to broadcast pheromones to any adult male or female audience member was limited by her regular monthly shots. Those shots had no effect on her ability to cast a spell with the slightest motion of her fingertips, or how her leg moved slowly across the stage in contretemps to the music. There was magic being cast, not tied to dolls, or potions, or even words, this magic rose up from the imagination of those who watched, and the grace and energy of the one who danced. Logic dictated that she was not dancing to each and everyone in the audience. Reality demanded that she did not know the soul of those who were watching. There are times when logic and reality can not override the beliefs of an audience. This was one of those times. She danced. They dreamed. "Damn, Penda, is she fabulous, or what?" McCoy whispered, half to himself, half to the stars around them. "She has the gift, that's for sure." The inter-ship Com link broke in to the performance and everyone stopped to wait for the words that followed. "Command crew, report to the briefing room in 10 minutes. Delta shift bridge crew, you will remain on duty until alpha shift returns from the briefing, Captain's orders, out." Moans drifted through the audience as the command crew pulled themselves from their altered states and back to the reality of a urgent briefing session. That always meant trouble, somewhere, somehow, but trouble was what they were getting paid for, and more importantly, trouble had called most of them to the stars. "Not bloody fair, I tell ye! She was just getting to the juicy parts." Scotty protested. "Let's get it over, then. I'm sure this is going to hurt my ship, some way, so I better get her ready." "Oh pooh, Scotty, at least you got to see Ashram, I was waiting for Eldraw, her dance mate. He's the main attraction for me." "That's because ye are a lass, and not appreciative of the finer things that another lass' dance can do for a lad." He answered as they walked towards the exit from the rec room. "Darling, I think you would be surprised at what I know about what a "lass' dance can do for a lad," she drawled with a wink. Scotty stopped momentarily and turned around to McCoy as Uhura left ahead of him. "Did she just say what I think she said?" "Yep, and I bet she can back it up. But, if I were you, I'd get a full check-up on your heart and lungs before you ever find out." He snorted and passed a stunned Engineer, leaving him rapidly behind. Scotty, took a deep breath, shook himself and hurried after them. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ ASCEM messages are copied to a mailing list. Most recent messages can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCEML. NewMessage: