Posted by Lieutenant Allison Scott (Doctor) in Orion Thread: Orion Surface
https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf5/saracen/notes/59654/ Original thread Whats Scott Up To

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Orion Surface
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Ally looked around hesitantly. The court order said she was not welcome on the planet however just mere hours after leaving Rico’s office, Ally had gotten a message. One she did not think she would ever get again. Ally could sit all day and curse the moment she met Lauren Shan but everything happened for a reason. At least that was what her mother always told her. So now Ally was on the planet but this time she had Rico with her so everything had to work out for the better. Rico just needed to get them past customs.

“What do you mean no?” Rico asked the woman at the security station, “I have leave clearance for two, all signed on the dotted line, plus, I am a Starfleet Security Chief, trust me.”

“Yes but she is not supposed to be here,” the large sassy woman said leaning back in her seat protested again to Rico.

Rico looked back to Ally for a moment with a look indicating he was getting annoyed, for a planet that didn’t take laws seriously, Orion was already bugging him when they decided to take note of them. “How dangerous could she possibly be? I mean look at her, she’s not exactly Michael Myers is she? She’s with me, I’ll make sure she doesn’t get up to no good.”

Eyeing the blonde the handsome guy was with, Lucy Washington let out a hmm hmm hmm sound as she crossed her arms. “What you doin’ with that skinny white girl,” she eyed Rico again. “You know she ain’t gonna last five minutes here on the street dressed like some lost cheerleader from perfect town Earth.”

Lt. Ally Scott medical

“Exactly” Rico agreed pleasantly, making a point to avoid looking at Ally as he did so, “She’s no threat at all, you know how the bureaucracy can be when it comes to legalities and people of dubious reputation acting as judges and lawyers, my beautiful, harmless and tougher than you think girlfriend just needs some away time with me to see the sights, we’re even going out to the rural areas to relax a little off grid. You know, a bit of camping, eat some sausages and beans on the fire and watch the stars. It’ll be very romantic, just press that button there and I’ll owe you a favor Lucy.”

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Across the stars on the USS Atlantis.....

“Rand,” Lauren snapped at her boyfriend whose feet were propped up on a console as he was reading a PaDD.

“Yes, my angel of delight?” Rand muttered, noting the tone that Lauren had used and wondering if it was about socks or a dinner date with their friends he had forgotten this time.

“You did do that thing I needed right,” Lauren looked at him with an eyebrow raised. “Things are going to be a bit uncomfortable for Miss Scott if you did not handle what needed to be handled,” she crossed her arms waiting for Rand to reply.

“Huh?” He said, and looked up from the PaDD. On it, was a recently acquired collection of early 21st Century comics about something called Dungeons and Dragons. While it was easily accessible as a holo-novel, Rand had found an odd kind of enjoyment in actually reading the pictures instead of acting them out himself in the holo-deck.

“Oh that? Not yet” he told her and sat up, putting the PaDD to one side. “Do you have any idea what kind of abuse of my authority that might be? Sure I can send through a temporary one, but you really want me to use my access to do that for someone you barely know? Is it really that important?” In the silence that followed, Lauren was able to impart to him, simply by looking at him, exactly how important it was for him to do what she had asked. If not for this Miss Scott and her muscle bound bodyguard, then absolutely for Rand’s own well being and ability to enjoy himself in his off duty time tonight, and every night for the foreseeable future if he really thought about it.

“Fine” he said, and leaned forward, tapping out a code into a particular section of his console and pressing the big green yes button. “There, it’s done. Happy now?”

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Across the stars and back at the Orion spaceport.....

Lucy Washington cast a glance at Ally and then back at Rico. “You know you are probably gonna starve. Girls that skinny can’t cook. Oh no they can’t but I make a mean biscuits and gravy for breakfast,” she said leaning over the counter with a seductive smirk showing assets that Ally would probably never possess. “Why don’t you get sleeping beauty settled into the local brig and while Starfleet runs the paperwork I can make you a Southern-style breakfast you ain’t ever gonna forget. Bacon, eggs, grits,” Lucy offered slowly drawing out each word. “Cause you know I’m talking ‘bout real grits and not that package stuff no self-respecting southern would touch. No Sir they would not,” she said with such conviction it sounded almost like a prayer at a religious meeting.

Lucy Washington Orion customs agent

Turning his head sideways a little to Ally, Rico whispered, “What in the heck are grits? They don’t sound good at all. Is that some kind of Klingon aphrodisiac thing cause I think this girl had extra before work today.”

Turning back to the buxom customs agent, Rico put on his most charming smile. “You have no idea how enticing that sounds, even the Grets” he told her and then leaned on the counter casually and crossed his arms. “Are you sure there’s nothing you can do for me to help me now?” he asked her, and managed to look a little sad while he did so, “I was really wanting to take Ally on a quiet little trip, just her and I, off the ship where we work. You know she’s a doctor? A kids doctor as well. Recently promoted, works hard helping the little ones, she deserves a break and a little time somewhere beautiful, every woman does. Come on Lucy, help me out while I’m trying to do the right thing. A little conviction and exile for nothing that serious in this hive full of scum and villainy isn’t even going to be noticed by anybody important. Why don’t you take another look at that file, and see what we can do? Please Lucy, for me? Think of the children.”

Lt Vanhall
CoS

“The ones you have or the ones you are plannin on makin’,” Lucy said with a smirk as she clicked a few buttons. The red box surrounding Ally’s photo disappeared and turned a solid green like Rico’s. “Now don’t ya be doin’ anything to make me regret this. I do not want to be called upon answerin’ questions about why you to are in the hooskal when she ain’t supposed to be here anyhow. Oh and I am gonna take you up on that favor,” Lucy winked at him.

Lt Ally scott medical

“You got my number Lucy” Rico said, as charming as he could in the circumstance, then grinned and took Ally’s hand. “And I promise we’ll name one of the children after you.”

Heading through the gate exiting docking terminal Rico led Ally to the baggage area without speaking, simply looking at the people and races assembled around them. Not in uniform, the two Starfleet Officers still seemed to stand out in Rico’s eyes as first of all, being human, and secondly not looking rough or dangerous, or overtly erotic. “That was easier than I expected” Rico admitted to Ally, “Starfleet procedure here must be far more lax than I thought if they let people through just like that.”

Turning, Rico picked up both of their bags and made a face as he hefted Ally’s. “What on Earth did you bring? This thing is heavier than a Marine combat suit in heavy grav!”

Smiling at her, he leaned forward to give her a light kiss on the lips. “Well, we are here Princess. Do you know of any good hotels we can store our kit in before we take a look around?”

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“Hey you Vexing Saint,” a man came up behind Ally and grabbed her at the elbow. “With me now.” The man was human but looked like he had seen better days. His clothes were tattered but not enough to look ragged. Just torn and patched enough to appear as if he was not working a nine to five job but had some form of employment. This would easily be ascertained by his rather large muscled frame indicating food was not a concern. While his face had enough dirt and scruff for the casual observer to avert their eyes, the man did not have the stench to accompany him.

“Um okay,” Ally said immediately letting the man steer her towards a darkened alley.

Lt Ally Scott Medical
Lt Vanhall
CoS

Heading through the gate exiting docking terminal Rico led Ally to the baggage area without speaking, simply looking at the people and races assembled around them. Not in uniform, the two Starfleet Officers still seemed to stand out in Rico’s eyes as first of all, being human, and secondly not looking rough or dangerous, or overtly erotic. “That was easier than I expected” Rico admitted to Ally, “Starfleet procedure here must be far more lax than I thought if they let people through just like that.”

Turning, Rico picked up both of their bags and made a face as he hefted Ally’s. “What on Earth did you bring? This thing is heavier than a Marine combat suit in heavy grav!”

Smiling at her, he leaned forward to give her a light kiss on the lips. “Well, we are here Princess. Do you know of any good hotels we can store our kit in before we take a look around?”

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“Hey you Vexing Saint,” a man came up behind Ally and grabbed her at the elbow. “With me now.” The man was human but looked like he had seen better days. His clothes were tattered but not enough to look ragged. Just torn and patched enough to appear as if he was not working a nine to five job but had some form of employment. This would easily be ascertained by his rather large muscled frame indicating food was not a concern. While his face had enough dirt and scruff for the casual observer to avert their eyes, the man did not have the stench to accompany him.

“Um okay,” Ally said immediately letting the man steer her towards a darkened alley.

Lt Ally Scott Medical

It happened fast, so that Rico had barely had time to realize that Ally and the man were a few steps away before he was able to react. When he did though, it was with the practiced ease that his training and experience allowed him to employ. Dropping the bags at his feet, they held only clothing that wouldn’t be irreplaceable anyhow, he moved forwards to catch up with the man while letting his peripheral vision stay attentive for any of his comrades that might be lurking in the crowd. Ally was his girlfriend after all, and another man wasn’t just going to take her from him.

Reaching Ally, it was obvious that the man expected no resistance nor was he new at what he was doing. He was confident that he was going to be followed, and mean enough to handle people that resisted. Except Rico. Simultaneously impacting the middle of the mans back with his elbow, and gripping the hand that held Ally’s arm at the pressure point between thumb and palm, Rico twisted the mans hand while using the imbalance caused by the elbow strike to further push him forward, lock the mans elbow with a twist of his wrist, and using his forearm across the mans shoulder swing the muscled man around and send him face first, with a foot trip for good measure into the corner wall of the alley way he had nearly reached with Ally.
“Ricooo,” Ally said in a shocked tone. “You…you just hit that man. You are going to get us arrested. What are you doing,” Ally looked up and down the darkened street for any sign of the police?

Rico didn’t pause, he took that moment to look around them for signs of others, then put his hand on Ally’s waist and pulled her closer to him. “Baby what are you doing?” He asked her, calmly but firmly. “This isn’t the kind of neighborhood that you walk into darkened alleyways with strange men. You and I have both been here before, and that name he called you isn’t exactly the kind of random thing anybody would come out with. Lets move before he gets up and draws more attention to us.” Moving back to the bags, his hand still around her waist, Rico looked around at the man on the ground checking he was still down before he retrieved them.

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“Yabbit,” Ally said running all the words together. “You…you like clocked that guy.” Ally had a semi-stunned quality to her voice. “I mean I get you are the chief of security but where did you learn to do that?” She glanced back at the man on the ground as then to Rico as she picked up the bags.

Lt. Ally Scott, medical

“That?” Rico asked, looking back at the man himself as they walked. “That was first lesson, self defense at the Academy, year one.” He teased her, “And there might have been a little improvisation thrown in there for good measure.” He grinned, but looked her sternly with his best Security Chief eyes. “What the heck were you doing walking with that guy into an Alley? On Orion of all places. Didn’t you get exiled from here for being all dangerous and stuff?”

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“Shhh,” Ally said pulling him aside. Brushing the hair off her face she took a deep steadying breath. “I was about to handle him,” she said confidently as if tossing assailants in darkened alley’s was her main activity after a shift at the infirmary. “I am not thrilled about the nickname either but we can take that up with Lauren later.” The annoyance in Ally’s tone was clear. “Right now I need you to go to our hotel and wait for me…’kay,” Ally said in an upbeat tone as if nothing was wrong. “When ....whoever that is,” she pointed towards the limp man on the ground, “comes too I take care of some business and meet you there. Maybe you could get us some room service. Oh…how about a couple of steaks?” Ally suggested leaning against the wall waiting for the man to wake up.

“Lauren?” Rico asked Ally, looking at her with a raised eyebrow. “Isn’t she the one who you were involved with last time you were here over a year ago, before joining the Ogawa? If I remember right, she’s the one that got you exiled?” Looking at her, Rico dropped the bags and folded his arms. “I’m not going anywhere Allison” he told her, “especially not so you can chat to that guy and take care of ‘business’ without me. Understood?”
“Well I just didn’t want you to get involved,” Ally bit her lip. “It was supposed to be a quickie where I didn’t pull out my medical bag until later.” Walking over to the man on the ground she went to bend down but the man was already reviving.

“What do you mean a quickie?” Rico said, then moved up beside her and the man on the ground, placing his hand on her shoulder in case Ally decided to try and get too close to him. “And what the heck do you mean by not wanting me to get involved?”

“What is wrong with you,” a voice echoed in the alley as the man slowly rose to his hands, then knees, and finally to his feet. “You are as crazy as Ariel.”

“Hey,” Ally said indignantly.

Lt. Ally Scott, medical

“Would you care to say that again?” Rico said to the man, turning and unfolding his arms, then taking a number of steps towards him. “Apparently my cohort here needs to take care of some business? How about you explain to me what that business is?” Coming closer to him, Rico flexed one of his hands, allowing the knuckles to crack tellingly, “Unless you are of the opinion that manhandling another mans woman needs no explanation, we can talk some more if you like.”

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“I stand corrected you both are nuttier than Rand and Shan,” he rubbed his jaw where Rico hit him. “Look come or don’t come. Just give me the access code ‘kay,” the man gave Ally a sour look.

Rico paused here and turned to look at Ally. “What code?”

“I am not giving you the code. I don’t even know your name,” Ally crossed her hands over her chest.

“What code?” Rico said again, looking from one to the other.

“Lady you don’t need to know my name.” The man took several steps as if walking away but returned to face the couple. “Bob. Call me Bob. Is that better,” he half growled spreading his arms.

“That is a terrible fake name” Rico told the man. “You could at least have put some effort into it, used something mysterious.”

“Well, it’s a start. The next step is telling us what direction to go to so we can get to work,” Ally continued to look at the man with her hands still crossed.

“What work?” Rico said, again turning to Ally and now completely suspicious that their holiday wasn’t going to be much of one after all. “We had a hotel to go to, room service, a spa bath? Remember, Ally?”

“You’re her boyfriend,” Bob looked at Rico.

“I am” he said, looking at Bob with a helpless gesture. “Sometimes I don’t know why exactly, but I am, and you need to learn to keep your hands off other peoples girls.”

“You sure do have your hands full,” he almost joked and shook his head. “This way,” Bob said over his shoulder as he began to walk towards a warehouse at the end of the street.

Lt. Ally Scott, medical

Stepping in front of Ally, Rico held up one hand and looked at her with a scowl. “You” he said very slowly and precisely, so as no confusion or twists could be made in what he was going to say, “have some explaining to do. About Lauren, about this code and about this work you somehow are involved in. Maybe if you don’t want me to handle any more of these situations, you had better tell me whats going on, love.”
“Well what is going on is a friend asked me to drop off a few things to…Bob....,” Ally let the guys alias roll off her tongue. “The code is simple. 911. It stands for help but in this case we are the help and not asking for it.” Ally kept walking and spoke in the same sort of tone she would as if they were having lunch on the Ogawa and not meandering through filthy streets on the surface of a less than reputable planet.

Turning, Rico watched Ally move towards the warehouse and in a few long strides and caught up beside her. “You know that guy is on the wrong side of the law, don’t you?” he asked her, “Right now we should be in our hotel room, wearing not much, with baby oil and peanut butter treats while we wait for the bubble bath to get to the right temperature.” He grinned at Ally despite where she was leading him, “Instead we are on our way to a dodgy warehouse to do who knows what on the wrong side of town on a planet with very few right sides.”

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“Dodgy,” Ally let out a half giggle. “You do know I love that word.” She followed Bob into a pitch black room .

Lt. Ally Scott. medical

Rico gave Ally a wink and a half smirk before she headed inside, and Rico paused slightly at the doorway and looked back the way they had come, then around him at the clutter outside. It looked like any old warehouse, except that this one was on Orion, down a back alley with a guy code named Bob, and was pitch black inside. “Dodgy, whether you love the word or not Ally, I don’t think it’s got quite the same meaning here as how we normally use it.” Rico said to himself, “Just a wee bit dodgy.” Then he turned and followed Ally in.
“Oh Rico dodgy is a word that is good no matter where you use it,” she winked at him pairing it with a happy grin. Even if they were in the bowels of some drug infested Orion neighborhood being with Rico made it feel like a less intimidating. Mainly it was the way he could instantly belay her fears and turn that feeling into something warm and safe. For some reason Ally loved the way he said dodgy. Maybe it was just because it was an old timey word to her. Maybe it was the way the words carried on his voice. Either way the word dodgy always made her smile. Ally was a bit nervous about the events going on; however if Rico was using the word dodgy then things couldn’t be as bad as she thought.

Inside the warehouse, it was almost black in most parts, and in others lamps gave off an eerie half light that cast long shadows where posts or boxes blocked the light. For some reason, many of the windows were boarded over and the air was hot and stale, and smelled slightly off for some reason. Catching up to Ally, he took a step beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder protectively as he let his eyes adjust to the shadows, other hand loose and hanging innocently by his side, but ready to move in an instant. “So why are we here?” He asked her, “What exactly, are we dropping off?”

Lt Rico Vanhall, CoS
“Antibiotics, Prevac, and medical equipment,” Ally said looking around like the contents of the warehouse Bob and she were dealing with filled with contraband weapons or illegal narcotics. “Lauren asked me to drop this off, treat a few people that are mutual....friends and then off you and I go for that romantic weekend....here…on Orion,” she said the last part through her gritted teeth. Everything had told Rico had been the truth expect about how she was to be on Orion. That was a lie and why she was having such a hard time selling it to the man who could read her like a book.

“Well it would have been romantic if you hadn’t decided to go all Robin Hood on me” Rico grumbled. “Why do you and Lauren have mutual ‘friends’ here that are drug dealers, arms dealers and drug lords in any case?” he asked her, although the question was cut short as he glared at one green and heavily tattooed Orion that wandered too close. Despite the Orion being armed and Rico not, the Orion decided to step back a pace or three under that glare.

“She is married to one or was,” Ally got a weird expression as if she was trying to make sense of what she was telling Rico. “I don’t quite understand it all. She joined some gang for a bit, married a thug, had a baby, and then joined Starfleet. I think that is where she started her humanitarian work but I don’t think that Bajoran she is hooked up with on the Atlantis is the thug or the baby daddy,” Ally got a confused expression before shaking it off. “I don’t ask questions. Asking questions gets you into trouble.”

“As for mutual friends....,” Ally leaned in closer and looked around like she was casing the joint but as the side kick to a comedian and not a super spy. “I would call them more aquaintances maybe? Just don’t say that because I don’t want them to think I don’t like them if they like me. You realize how ackward that can be?”

“You realize that if that sassy dock guard was here right now, she would be looking at me with a raised eyebrow, cocked hip with one meaty hand resting on it, and one finger waving in front of my face saying ‘Hmmm hmmm hmmmm Rico, I told you that the skinny white girl was going to get you into trouble. Never trust a woman you could throw over your shoulder and escape over a wall with, you want a woman that’ll pin you down and force feed you gritz!” His statement was made complete with hand movements, hip cock and an oddly thrust forward chest as if imitating the ample ‘assets’ the woman had possessed. His attempt to mimic her southern accent did raise a few eyebrows in his direction from the Orions, and one or two grinned as if they knew exactly what he was talking about.

Ally broke out laughing. “Baby I am from SoCal as in southern california and not south carolina. You will be eating humus instead of grits.”

“So Bob and I are going to toddle off for a bit. I think they said there is an office with coffee,” Ally looked about as if they were in San Fransico at Starfleet Headquarters instead of a warehouse in the hood on a lawless planet.
“Allison. Baby. Listen to me. We are in a warehouse used for illegal drug smuggling and weapons dealing” he said to her, which caused a few heads to turn with some shock that he could tell from the assorted crates what was around him.

“Rico,” Ally waved her hands in a shushing manner. “I don’t want them knowing the stuff I brought was stolen! Keep it quiet okay,” she rolled her eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. “Just play it cool like me.”

“Stolen?” Rico hissed the word quietly.

Ally looked at Rico’s face and then remembered what her boyfriend’s job title was: Chief of Security. His duty was to protect the crew, stop crimes, and keep the corridors safe for women and children. It made sense that the word stolen had ruffled his feathers. She had to smooth this over. “Procured,” she played the semantics game not to try and trick Rico but to make him more at ease. “Medical care is free in the Federation. Ergo you can’t steal something that is free right,” she looked at him hoping he would see the difference or at least let it slide.

“You said you had to deliver some things, not steal some things for them!”

“Procure them! Stealing has such a bad connotation to it,” she wrinkled up her nose. “You are making me feel like we are doing something wrong so stop okay,” Ally almost seemed to have an annoyed pout on her face.

Rico ran one hand through his short hair and looked at Ally with a frown. “Oh, you and I are soooo talking about this when we get to the hotel.”

“Riiiicooooo,” Ally drew out his name seeing the frown. Fortunately, there was one way to turn that frown upside down that did not involve more conversation. Sliding her hand around his waist, Ally drew Rico close, rose on her tip toes, and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was fast and hard but reminiscent of the man saving the damsel in distress. Slowly letting her eyes drift up to his Ally bit her lip and cocked her head slightly to the left. “Baby I don’t plan to do any talking when we get back to the hotel so maybe you should go get that cup of coffee and think about whether you want to play what does the mime want to do to me or”

“There is no Office, and there is no coffee. There is very likely also no filter on the water they pipe to this place either, and no way in an Andorian Hell that I am going to let you toddle off for a bit with anybody, let alone Bob. This is the very model of a criminal co-operative, I hope you are not doing this because you feel exonorative.” He took a step forwards in the direction Bob had begun to head.

“Rico don’t judge. I mean it was not like Bob pulled a phaser on you before you took him to the ground like a sack of potatoes without a howdy doody. You do need to work on your Federation Convention rules for arresting someone while not on Federation soil. Bob is,” Ally lowered her voice as she watched the man approaching them. “A little rough…a bit buff....kinda tough…shh he’s coming so that’s enough.” Ally pulled down her shirt as if she was adjusting for an inspection.

“Terrible rhyming aside, lets go and get this over with, before I actually put you over my shoulder and escape over a wall. You know we still might have to do that right? We know where this warehouse is, we are a risk.” He said that last part to Allison in a whisper, but very firm in his tone. Allison had led them into a hornets nest, with dozens of armed guards ready to sting. Why, he still had little idea aside from ‘treating some people’, but he knew that whatever the reason, it wasn’t in keeping with the accepted Orion social policy if it required Starfleet Officers to go underworld and get exiled.

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“Oh we aren’t staying here,” Ally said looking at Rico innocently. “Bob is getting the vehicle. I think he is pulling it around back but I can’t be sure if we came in the front of the back really.”

“We definitely came in the back, Allison,” he told her. “Anything down a dark back ally is most certainly the back entrance.” Then he winked at her suddenly and smirked, “We discussed this, remember my love?”

“No let’s add that to the list of topics for later,” she winked and bit her lip. They might be in a dank, smelly warehouse but Ally was with Rico. Any place she was with him made her happy.

“I got the ground truck running. It would be helpful if you both could put these protection hoods on,” Bob held out to black bags. “It would be safer for you. “

Rico simply looked at the hood and blinked, then looked at Ally and raised his eyebrow.

“You’re right. If the cops see me on the street it could cause more issues that we want. Good thinking Bob” Ally reached out to take one and glanced at Rico. Something told her he was going to make an issue of this.

Lt. Ally Scott medical

“There isn’t any issue from the cops,” Rico reminded her. “You got the green light at the security check-point, remember? You’re allowed on Orion, or you were, until you stole those supplies and became a criminal all over again, and associated with criminals. With me.” He looked at Bob and then caught Ally’s hand mid-reach.

“P.R.O.C.U.R.E.D. Procured. To obtain (something), especially with care or effort,” she threw up her hands. “Am I going to have to get you a dictionary,” she huffed. “Now put this hat on so that we can go to that hotel and have the romantic weekend you promised me,” she grumped.

“The only reason for us to wear those, is to prevent us from seeing where we are going. Because where they are taking us is very much illegal. Or for them to tie us up and hold us hostage, did you think of that Allison?” Still looking at Bob, he shook his head slightly. “Anyone trying to put one of those on me, is going to get it shoved so far up the back alley that they will be able to clean their teeth with it, you got me?”

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“Incoming,” a voice yelled out followed by the crinkling sound of breaking glass. The noise was far enough behind Rico that he would know they were not in danger of being blown up in the initial blast but Rico would then hear a series of crinkles indicating more than a few windows were being shattered.

Instinctively, Rico knew what was happening. He had been the one on the other side of those windows a number of times. Knowing that glass was going to be flying in many directions, he didn’t think, but took hold of Ally on top of her head and pushed her down, ducking her behind a crate beside them and holding her against his thighs in case they were going to use concussion grenades.

“Raid,” the loud Orion Rico had seen earlier belted out as he pulled a large photon phaser out and began to shoot. He was sitting at a table off to the right of Ally, Rico, and Bob but the energy spewing from the gun was sending fragments of debris all over the trio.

Rico found himself letting out a growl at the man shooting at the Authorities. If he hadn’t of been protecting Ally, he would have disabled the man in seconds. That thought was cut short by a phaser bolt from those Authorities hitting the concrete pillar beside Rico, sending sparks and flakes of concrete flying. Rico glared at it in disbelief. They were shooting at him. He slowly turned his head and watched the armored assault squad entering the warehouse from the top windows, firing at anything they could find in the smoke from the grenades they had sent through first, people falling over stunned in the hail of energy bolts.

“Rico,” Ally yelled out reaching around his thighs and waist as she closed her eyes and looked down.

The Orion with the photon phaser glanced over, seeing Rico holding Ally down on her knees against his pelvis behind the crate, and paused firing. “Is this really the time for that?” He shouted at them, then shook his head and continued firing.
“Hey,” Ally yelped looking up before glass from the windows began exploding all around her. “Rico I am not sure we should be here” she yelled out loud.

“Time to go,” Bob said bolting in the direction he came from earlier at a fast sprint. “Keep up or get left behind,” he yelled over his shoulder.

Lt. Ally Scott medical

Another bolt flew wide past Rico, and he grunted as he reached his decision. “Now, Allison. Now do you see why this is a BAD idea?” He asked her. “I got this, alright. You leave this to me, and do what I say. You’re in my crib now.” His voice had changed measurably. Now, he sounded all business and instead of the exasperated exclamations of disbelief at his con of a girlfriend, Rico had a purpose, and a reason.

“Your crib,” she looked at him. “We are trapped in a warehouse with no way out. Unless you have a plan,” she said looking up a Rico a bit nervously.

He adjusted his hand slightly, and took hold of Ally’s ponytail at the base. Pulling her upright Rico used his other hand, placing it on her waist and, in one smooth but powerful motion he had thrown her over his shoulder, facing behind him with her legs kicking out his front and rear end facing his direction of travel.
“Rico. We can’t go,” Ally said trying to swing around. “People are getting hurt. I have to help them. We can’t just leave them,” she said emphatically. “I am the one that brought the cops to the warehouse.”

With an angry glare at the man with the photon phaser, Rico took the two steps towards him, and kicked out at the man. Rico’s large boot collected the Orion in the shoulder, knocking the seated man into another nearby pillar and knocking him out. Rico hardly paused as he bent forwards so that Ally was nearly standing now, and took hold of the weapon by the grip, flicking the weapon to maximum stun. Turning so that Ally’s rear was facing the law, he fired and dropped the two officers that were advancing on them. When he turned back around, Ally would see the two officers lying on the ground unconscious.

“You shot them,” she said in surprise. “Rico you can’t shoot the good guys even if they think you are the bad guys,” Ally threw up her hands. “You are going to be the reason we are back in therapy with another felony on our records. We were here on vacation and you are turning it into the OK Corral! I am not going....hey,” she yelped seeing more crates exploding around them. It was then she realized Bob was gone and Rico was no longer listening to her but now running full bore. All her complaining was silenced as she bounced and hung on for dear life as he ran.

“The Phaser was on stun, love,” Rico said to hear through gritted teeth as he ran, bolts of energy hitting crates and posts around them, yells and more smashing behind them. “So it doesnt count as shooting them, they just took a nap. They are Orion cops anyway Allie, they are just as crooked as the crims you seem to enjoy hanging out with.”

“Romantic Holiday, she said. Spend the weekend in the hotel, she said.” Rico muttered as he ran through the warehouse in pursuit of Bob, Ally bouncing on his shoulder. Another Orion, this time one of the locals stepped out in front of them and raised his pistol. He fired, but missed wildly in the smoke. Rico didn’t stop. He clubbed the man on the head as he passed with the photon phaser, causing him to crumple to the ground. “I’m really not dressed for this, you know Ally,” Rico said as he ran. Wearing a tight, bright yellow T-shirt and cream shorts, Rico knew he rather stood out in the crowd of green Orions. Especially with a small blond woman bouncing on his shoulder like he was a cave man claiming her as his territory.

Coming to a corridor with two closed doors at the end, Rico hardly stopped has he put another large boot to it, causing the doors to fly open, one breaking off already dodgy hinges. Rico and Ally were through, Rico had his pistol raised and found himself staring at Bob, standing at the door of a vehicle. “I am NOT wearing one of those hoods, alright?” He told the man gruffly.

Lt Rico Vanhall
CoS

Immediately behind Rico and Ally were a group of rather large Orions. Ally watched as they moved a trash receptacle in front of the door blocking it before tearing off down the alley. A loud rumble and flash of lights pulled her attention from the Orions to the approaching land vehicle.

The door opened and Ally was only half surprised at who was in it. “Get in,” Bob said roughly as he gunned the engine.

As Rico set Ally down, she stood in front of Rico. “Rico I am not sure we should be getting into that car. Maybe you were right,” Ally bit her lip. “Maybe we should make a go of it ourselves. I can try to contact Lauren,” she said but was interrupted as the Or Sec other wise known as the Orion Security Forces began to beat on the door behind them screaming for them to get on the ground with their hands above their heads.

“In or out,” Bob growled. “The shuttle is not going to wait and I am not going to spend the night with Or Sec.”

Lt. Ally Scott medical

Rico paused, looking behind them. Really, he knew he shouldn’t get in the car and that everything would be smoothed out if he just went with the Police forces, but there were two issues. First, was that the police forces were shooting at them, and were often as corrupt as the gangs of Orion. Most of the guns and narcotics in the warehouse would likely just find there way to the rival gang the cops worked for this week. The second issue, was Ally. He didnt know how cute, gorgeous, innocent and virginal Ally had gotten mixed up in all this, but she was, and she was technically exiled from Orion.

“We’re both in the back seat,” he said to Ally as he made his choice. “Let’s get away from here, then sort it out later when the bullets stop flying.” He pushed the phaser through the belt of his shorts, then took Allys hand and slid onto the back seat, putting his arm around her as he did so. “Drive, batman.” He told Bob, and you better drive faster than you do Miss Daisy.”

Lt Rico Vanhall
CoS

Ally slid into the car but was quiet next to Rico. It was not that she was scared but more that she was slightly annoyed with Rico and the situation. Ally had this mission planned down to every detail and somehow it had all went awry since the second they touched down on Orion. Rico was handsome and charming but he could also be intimidating and at times curt. She had seen him when he got all officery on the men under his command. Ally began to think about the past thirty minutes. Maybe Rico was the reason they were in this predicament. He was however the only reason she did get out of the warehouse in the back of this vehicle instead of a police car. How she could be mad at him getting her out was not logical but no one ever said women were always logical. Ally sent him a side glance as her mind ran down a rabbit hole.

Bob let his eyes raise enough to look in the rear view window and then immediately back to the road. They would be out of the city in five minutes. He hoped the couple in the back seat could ride it out long enough for him to get out of the vehicle. The men in the warehouse were bad enough but a woman irritated with a man could be a thousand times worse.

Lt. Ally Scott medical

Rico turned and looked behind them to see if there was pursuit. There wasn’t. Turning back, he raised the pistol he had taken from the downed thug and looked it over, noting the modifications and settings it had. “This is an illegal phaser,” he said, half to himself and half to Ally and Bob and wasn’t in the least surprised. He didn’t, however turn it off or put it away, just lay it beside him, his hand resting gently on the handle.

Looking at Ally more fully now, he checked her over even though her glare was ice. “Aside from your pride, bub, are you hurt?” His free hand gently reaching over and flicking a stray hair behind her ear.

Lt Vanhall, CoS

“No,” Ally said trying to keep the aloof expression on her face as she felt his fingers move softly against her skin. It was so hard to stay mad at Rico. Mainly because of how hot he was but also because of the way he made her feel. Even when she was furious at him the side glances he gave her, the bump of his body against her as Rico passed, or the feeling of his hands in her hair always made Ally melt.

As she spoke, Rico couldn’t help but smile. She was mad, and she was cute when she was mad. He kept his hand against her as he slowly finished tucking the hair behind her ear, then he let his fingers linger as he let them gently caress the soft skin behind her ear and weave through her hair.

“Don’t do that,” Ally said leaning slightly into his hand. She shuddered involuntarily as she felt his fingers slide down the length of the hair he moved out of her face. “I’m mad at you,” she said in a sultry tone wiggling slightly in the seat next to him. The tingle of excitement running down to the base of her spine was making it hard to sit still and keep a straight face. She was not really mad at him. In fact, all she wanted to do was kick Bob out of the vehicle and show Rico how not mad she was at him.

“You’re mad at me, wildcat? I just pulled us out of a firefight on Orion, saved my girl and made it look easy. Plus I looked damn good doing it. How can you be mad at me for doing what I do best? Well, the second thing I do best.” He bit his lip as he spoke to her, and let his thumb follow her jaw line softly.

Ally fought to not let the edges of her mouth creep into the smile that was fighting to spread across her face. She had to make him work a bit harder at an apology. “Rico you went in there like a bull in a china shop. You caused what is probably close to a turf war and you punched an officer of the law,” Ally stated in a tone that clearly indicated she found the situation amusing. After all their time together Rico would also be able to tell she was highly aroused by the current predicament.

“I did no such thing, I shot an officer of the law. It was one of the bad guys I kicked.” Rico told her, and then smiled at her as he explained, “they weren’t exactly the good guys either, they were Orion cops, Ally. That means they were just the official thugs of the moment in the local turf wars, not like I shot anyone important. Besides, we’re Starfleet and they fired first. Nobody takes a shot at my girl and gets away with it, not on my watch baby. I look after my Ally, no matter what.” He leaned in and let his lips kiss her forehead, his hand tactically in place behind her neck and fingers through her hair in case she wanted to pretend she was still mad at him.

“There is no way I cannot,” she turned in her seat to face him and stopped talking. There was no way she could even fake being mad looking into his eyes. “I…can....can not,” she let her eyes drift to the way his hair looked so sexy with it’s unkept spikes. “Rico I....I,” she licked her lips trying to point out that there was no way she could not be anything but mad at him but it was then she let her eyes drift down to his hand over the phaser beside him. Ally always had a thing for the boys that did not fit the mold they were pressed into.

“Yes bub?” he said to her quietly, almost in a whisper as he let her stumble and stutter, running his fingers gently through her hair as she did so. “You know that I love you right? With all of my heart.”

“Ah pluck a duck,” Ally said not caring anymore. They were on vacation and vacations were meant for having fun. Moving from her seat to Rico’s lap, Ally pressed her lips to his hard. She let out a small moan as she melted into the kiss feeling her body go from warm to slightly overheated with each passing second. “Rico you were so amazing,” she said as she broke from the kiss and leaned back far enough to look at his face.

“I know I was,” Rico said with fake modesty and winked teasingly at her before kissing her again, pushing his lips against hers almost roughly before breaking away and looking into her eyes. “When we get back to the Hotel, you know I want you to feel like the most special woman in the universe, right? I want to show you things we’ve never done before, and I want you to be mine completely.” He spoke in a whisper as he let their lips touch gently, lightly biting her lip as they kissed again.

“God all I want to do is,” she started to say breathlessly as the car came to a screeching halt and she flew backward toward the front seat. Ally tried to brace herself but in the process let her knee press down on the phaser next to her boyfriend. The pressure caused the phaser to go off firing a hole into the seat and through the back of the car.

Luckily with his hand behind her head, Rico had been able to control Ally’s sudden momentum forwards but not of course the shot from the Phaser. That brought out a large swear word from the big man as he looked out the windows trying to see why they stopped, the smell of burnt upholstery reaching him and he was glad the shot missed the vehicles fuel cell. As he looked, he picked up the phaser and pushed Ally’s head down into his lap. “Bob what the blazes are you doing?” He said firmly, “Why did you stop?”

“Freeze. Hands up and put the weapons down before we start firing,” a voice bellowed from outside the vehicle.

“Oh great,” Rico muttered. “The goon squad. Who says ‘freeze’ these days?” His hand tightened on the grip.

“What is wrong with you two,” Bob growled turning into his seat.

“Its not my fault. It’s not my fault,” she yelled at Bob and then looked at Rico with a stunned expression on her face.

“Stay down Ally.” He said and kept his hand on her head. At least at this angle, Ally was out of the firing line from the people outside.

“You have until three to get out of the vehicle,” the voice snapped. “One.”

“I should go out there,” Ally said sliding off his lap.

“No you don’t, you stay here.” Rico told her. “Stay down and let me talk to them. They aren’t playing games and cops don’t normally count down before opening fire. Bob get your butt out that door.”

“Two,” the voice continued the countdown.

Lt. Allison Scott. medical

Rico opened the door and dropped the Phaser on the ground outside the door. Then, he stuck one hand in the air outside the car to show he was coming out before slowly putting one leg, then two out and standing up. “Stay down. Until I tell you to come out.”
“I ain’t getting out,” Bob said leaning back in his seat and tilting his hat back on his face.

“What do you mean you aren’t getting out,” Ally’s leaned forward from the back seat. “You can’t just leave Rico out there alone.”

They only paid him to bring the blonde chick here. “The guy with you looks big enough to handle himself. He’s gonna take care of things just fine,” Bob said in a slow lazy drawl like a man trying to get out of work on a hot summers day.

His reaction was more than Ally could stand at the moment.

“Alright, I’m out. Guns on the ground.” He said loudly and looked around at who he was facing. “Identify yourselves!”

Lt Vanhall, CoS
Hitting the door release she decided to get out and help Rico. “I’m Lt. Allison Scott and this is my,” she began before realizing just how big her security chief boyfriend was. The way he was standing, his body completely blocked the door to her exiting the vehicle. “This is my,” she started again trying to move around Rico’s body to exit the car. The maneuver made her look anything but graceful as she crawled out between his legs and finally found her feet next to Rico.

“What, Ally, you know I’m standing like that for a reason. Be careful with… no.. stay where.....” The men facing the car, weapons drawn, looked at each other in confusion as they watched the woman crawl out between the large, muscular mans legs and him try in vain to pin her with his knees. Wriggling, she pushed her way through and to her feet. They looked at the big man, Rico just shrugged in resignation, hands still in the air.

“This is my boyfriend Rico. Hello,” she said extending her hand as if the man was offering them a cold drink instead of phaser fire. “Rico say hi,” she said out of the corner of her mouth, “and try to less intimidating.”

Lt Ally Scott medical

“Me?” Rico said looking hurt. “Me be less intimidating?” He waved his hands at the ground and the phaser lying there. “I put down my weapon, see? How can I be intimidating?” He looked at the nearest of the men and glared at him, he was a guy, he would have his back. “I’m not intimidating, am I? I’m the one over here, hands in the air like I just don’t care and you got the bomb. That’s right, you got the gun pointed at me, don’t you? Your not intimated at all right? So what that I’m a foot taller, three times wider and could pop your shoulder out of its socket with the inside of my elbow like a walnut faster that you could bring your finger down on that button? You’re not intimidated at all, right?”
“Rico!” Ally snapped putting her hands on her hips.

“Um, no, no, not at all.” The man mumbled, and switched the gun from Rico to Ally and back as if he was unsure exactly what was going on. Rico turned to Ally and put his hands on his hips. “See. Told you. I’m not being intimidating.”

Lt Rico Vanhall, CoS

“Are you mocking me,” she crossed her arms across her chest. “Because I know you are not mocking me,” Ally had a twang to her voice that might have sounded like Lucy Washington’s third cousin twice removed if Rico listened carefully enough. Allison Scott cocked one eyebrow and stared at Rico as if they were in his quarters and not in the seediest section of town imaginable surrounded by men with guns.

Rico just stared right back at her, hands still on his hips and said nothing, then raised his chin slightly.

“Is she serious,” one of the armed men said to the guy beside him. The look on his face told everyone that he was totally invested in the answer anyone would provide.

“As serious as a heart attack probably. I mean you know women. Once they get their dander up. Jolene last week went on a tear about I have no idea. I just gave her the nod indicating I was listening but it was all mwah haha haha ha ha,” he made a yapping motion with his hand.

“That guy is braver than a Tarkanien Badger in mating season,” another said quietly.

“Yes, I am serious. He,” Ally turned to the men surrounding her and took a stance like she was ready to give a courtroom tirade.

“What in blazes is going on here,” a man pushed his way into the crowd. He had a far more serious expression on his face than the rest of the group. Instantly they stopped the playful jabs. The tension in the area increased ten fold. “You are the doctor,” he said never stopping his stride towards Ally. “You’re late,” he reached out grabbing for her elbow. “I don’t have time for this feculence. Move your skinny rear and earn what I just paid for.”

Lt. Ally Scott medical

His hand never got to Ally. A large fist with an iron like grip clamped down on the man’s wrist, the thumb digging into a pressure point. To the man’s credit and Rico’s surprise, he only flinched slightly at the touch. Clearly, the man was surprised to have been manhandled but was able to handle the pressure being applied. The tension around them only increased, and the men shot unsure glances at each other unsure of what they should do. They had been told not to harm the doctor, but they were unsure about her companion and with their boss directly in the firing line, they could only wait and see.
“Rico,” Ally said softly with her eyes squarely on him. She had seen him spar. She had seen him break up the occasional crew fight in the lounge when there was too much whiskey on a Saturday night. What Ally had never seen was this side of him. It scared her slightly. Not afraid for herself but more what the men had unleashed in him. The air around them seemed to be devoid of any sound much like the air inside the eye of a hurricane. All eyes were trained on him as both sides waited for Rico to react.

Rico looked at the man through narrowed eyes and his voice was cold and clearly held a warning to the man he held, he was applying enough pressure that if he squeezed just a little more and twisted slightly to his left, Ally would have a patient with a compound fracture right here as unlike his doctor girlfriend, Rico had taken no vow to do no harm. “I don’t care about the men with guns behind you,” Rico told him, “if they were going to shoot, they would have done it already. I’m Lieutenant Vanhall of Starfleet Security, Chief of Security on the USS Ogawa. Before we go anywhere with Doctor Scott, you are going to tell me what the hell is going on, what exactly you paid for and why we were just in a smuggling warehouse that got raided by OrSec. I shot cops for you to be here, now tell me what’s going on before you use those fancy words you’ve got to describe the feeling of needing a hook on your arm stump the rest of your life because I swear, I am so over this I will rip your hand of and shove it so far up your back end you could pick your nose with your tongue.”
“Rico,” Ally said then closed her open mouth. She wanted to point out that he was being an arse right then but she had forgotten the only thing that was stopping them from being swiss cheese was Rico. Frankly, she would have said it but the look Rico gave her silenced her as fast as any verbal command. Right now Rico was in command of the situation and a weird part of her was more attracted to him than ever. Yes they were possibly about to die but Ally was almost as aroused by the situation as she would have been if they had been in a five-star hotel room with white silk sheets.

His eyes shifted to Aly slightly as he spoke, then back to the man. This was wrong, all wrong to him and he was sure his girlfriend, for all of her eagerness to help and do what was right had somehow gotten herself involved in something way over her head. His mind went back to the Lauren woman she had known, he knew somehow she was involved in this, and he was going to need to have words with her at some point very soon. Putting him in danger was one thing, but putting Ally in danger with people like this was another thing entirely.

Lt Vanhall, CoS
“All I know is I was told to meet the driver here and take you and her into the warehouse. Your perky little innocent cheerleader is not as naive as she acts. This is not her first rodeo and if you think it is you should take a harder look at her,” the man grunted as he felt Rico’s hand increase the pressure with each word. His hand tightened into a fist ready to strike Rico but the credits were too good. Besides, the Syndicate would not let them leave alive anyway. If the Syndicate killed them he and his team would still get the credits.

“What are you talking about?” Rico asked the man. He had little intention of letting go of him until either the hand made the cracking sound that Rico, at that moment, felt like hearing, or he got some answers. “What the heck is going on here?”

“So are you gonna hold my hand all night or let us and her do what we were paid for,” the man growled, “which as to escort you into the building. Ask your girl. She knew this was the plan all along,” he shot Ally a dirty look.

“I can do far more than hold your hand,” Rico told him, but his tone was far, far from seductive. He made sure he increased the pressure further, so that the man had more to think about that trying to escape and he heard a grunt from him as he looked sideways to Ally. “Baby what is he talking about? Start talking.” He had no fear of the other men shooting, not now that it had been revealed they were being paid to get them inside the warehouse. If they didn’t make it inside, they wouldn’t get paid and men like this were motivated by a paycheck. Unless things went very, very wrong, they wouldn’t shoot.

Looking at Rico, Ally chewed her lip not sure what to say. His eyes were on her like they were on the man only a second earlier. Ally felt her heart pound slightly. This would be the first test of their relationship. She had never lied to him, not yet. Ally debated the pros and cons of her next words to him yet her mind went blank. Instead of the truth, all she could think of is why she even involved the chief of security in the first place.

“Allison!” Rico yelled. He didn’t hold back either, the sound he used was his best Academy grade drill voice, or the voice he used to stop a bar fight with a single word. It was enough that the men around them shifted uncomfortably, and all of them trained their weapons on him alone.

Rico yelling out her name snapped Ally out of her stupor. Licking her lips she stepped forward. “This is not the first time I have done this,” she admitted realizing a lie of omission was the same as a lie to Rico’s face. Rico was a good man, an honest man. He trusted you until you did not give him a reason to trust you. Backdoor whispers and changing small facts to fit the story you wanted to sell would only force Rico away from you. He asked nothing of the people he trusted except that you gave him the respect he offered you. Any twisting of the truth to hide Ally’s true intention would create a wedge that nothing in the galaxy could free.

“Done what, exactly?” He asked her. “These people aren’t the kind you go out to lunch with on a Sunday, Allison. These people are the kind to fit you for concrete gumboots and send you on a long vacation. These are the kind of people whose mothers do not cry for them when they don’t come home.”

“Rico I need you to trust me,” Ally reached out hesitantly to touch his arm. “Just until we get in there,” she pointed to the building. “Once we get in there I will explain everything and tell you everything but I need you to just give me five more minutes,” she had almost a begging tone to her voice. “Please,” she said finally able to look him in the eye as she spoke.

There was a pause as Rico looked at her, the anger on his face clear. She wasn’t telling him everything and that worried him. More than that, it hurt him. It meant she didn’t, or couldn’t trust him despite what she said. How could he trust her when what she said and what she did were two different things? He sucked in a deep breath through his nose, nostrils flaring and his jaw twitched, the anger in check, and he let go of the man’s hand, almost threw it back at him. “Lets go inside then and see what this is about.” The only reason he had agreed was the fact she had looked him in the eye. That meant she had a reason, determination to do this that might explain her behaviour, but not excuse it.

“Holy hell you are stronger than you look,” the man said rubbing the spot where Rico had gripped him. “If you ever decide to dump the Fed I could find a spot on my team for you,” the man offered rhetorically. These Fed types rarely turned Merc but there was always the chance.

“Really? Then you really need that paycheck so that you can get your eyes checked, cause I look pretty damn strong.” Rico was deadpan, and in no mood for small talk. To Ally that would serve as a big warning sign, he had reached the point where he went quiet, he had had enough. He wouldn’t yell, or rage. His was a cold, intense fury that meant he was was past the point of negotiation or discussion. It was now his way, or nothing. It was the only thing that had brought him through some of the worst moments of his life, a state where he worked by instinct, not logic, to simply survive. Now he bent over and picked up the weapon he had dropped earlier, ignoring the further nervous glances of the men at their boss, he looked at Ally and nodded his head towards the warehouse.