Taking Wing

Posted on Mon Mar 2nd, 2020 @ 7:41pm by Captain Daniel "Karass" McKnight
Edited on on Thu May 27th, 2021 @ 3:41am

Mission: Mission 45: Dust and Echoes
Location: Over New Holland
Timeline: 1300Hrs - October 8th, 2391

Commander Daniel McKnight tapped the wrist display on his envirosuit. "So... Oriana, dear.. you ready for this?" he inquired as he turned his head to regard the Tylwyth female nearby, wearing the same attire as him.

Oriana checked her gear. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"It'll be okay... They'll have sensors watching us the whole time.." Karass responded with a smile. "Besides.. You were saying you needed to get out more."

Just then the pilot turned her furry head as the being who was most definitely female by the shame of her chest nodded at Karass before she purred softly. "We'll be over the target drop zone in five. Start your final checks."

"Will do." as he tapped the display before him which sealed the cockpit off from the aft area before he tapped his combadge. "Eris. you read me?"

"Coming through clearly sir." came the Caitian who was flying the runabout.

"Alright stand by.." before he turned to Oriana. "Let me check you over." he regarded the exotic looking female.

Oriana held her arms out spread eagle to allow Karass to check her.

"You ever think you didn't get out enough?" Karass inquired. "you're good. no issues to speak on... my turn now." as he spread his arms to let her check him.

Oriana did a quick but thorough check. "You're good." she told him. She then looked at the pilot's heads up display to see when they would approach their drop zone.

Karass regarded her. "Lets get set." as the pilot nodded, before he sealed the front of the shuttle from the back cabin. "Evacuating the air now." Eris reported. "Opening outer hatch now... prepare for departure."

Karass smiled. "May god go... between you and harm... in all the empty places you most walk." he said quietly over the com.

Oriana watched as the silhouette of Karass faded into the distance. Oriana took a deep gulp. She then plunged towards the planet.

Karass looked back as his display came alive. "I wasn't sure if you were coming." he said to her over their com connection as the suits systems began to dim the view of the planet because the albedo was really high, the planet almost shined like a star.

The silence was what was most relaxing. "Wait till you hear the sonic boom." he added with a chuckle.

"You're enjoying this too much!" Oriana shot back.

"Oh yes.." he responded. "The key... is relaxation... take deep regular breathes and enjoy the view..." he explained to her. "We'll be entering the atmosphere in about two minutes."

"Relax!" Oriana cried out. "I'm falling to my death and you want me to relax!"

"Well... you do have a chute... and you're suppose to pull it at about fifty thousand but I've known guys who don't pull until about ten thousand.." he explained.

"I don't care!" Oriana screamed at Karass. "I just want to land!"

Karass paused as he tapped the combadge. "Eris. Emergency. abort. repeat. abort."

"Negative." Eric responded. "I can't get to you."

"Understood." Karass responded before he turned, he spotted Oriana above him. "Oriana." he addressed his companion. "As soon as your suit hits eighty thousand. pop your chute. I'll be right beside you." he explained. "Stretch out your arms and legs..."

Oriana screamed at the top of her lungs but did as Karass asked.

Karass could hear her screaming as he had already tried calling for rescue. "Oriana?" he inquired.

"Is it over yet?" Oriana cried out.

"We're entering atmosphere now." Karass responded. "Try not to move around too much..." he added quietly.

Oriana followed Karass' lead. She was clenching her teeth.

Karass quickly pulled up Oriana's suit diagnostics. "Oriana, Breathe... you're heart rate is racing... take deep breathes and let them out slowly." he said to her over the com as he saw plasma steamers coming off of his armor. "You need to calm down a little." he made a mental note to never do this again.

"Just tell me when to open my chute!" Oriana yelled through her mic.

"Confirmed." as he checked his altameter. "Stand by..." he commented. "We're in atmosphere."

"Okay!" Oriana yelled. "Just tell me when!"

Karass watched as his altimeter passed the mark. "Now!" he pulled his chute, it streamed and deployed.

Oriana screamed as she pulled her chute. The canopy deployed perfectly and she started her slow decent.

Karass was several hundred feet below her. "So.... you feeling okay now?" he inquired of her.

Oriana mumbled something inaudible but seemed to doing okay.

"We won't do this again..." Karass responded. "So... what hobbies do you have that I've yet to try?" he inquired of her.

"Not getting killed is always good!" Oriana told him.

"I'm sure we can try something else... how about surfing?... or parasailing?"

"Now is not a good time to talk me into something else!" Oriana shouted back.

"I always said you needed to get out more.." Karass responded. "and.... I believe I win our bet.." the bet was dinner for two, whoever pulled their chute first would buy.

"If I survive you can take me too bed as far as I'm concerned." Oriana told Karass.

"Mmm... sounds delightful" Karass responded as he looked down as he pulled out the tricorder. "Lets see... re-evaluating landing site." he commented. "Oriana. Do you know where we're going to land now?"

"I don't care as long as I land alive!" Oriana yelled back, even though she was using a comm.

"Well we could fly through a Hurricane." Karass responded as he chuckled. "Checking weather forecast for our revised landing site."
He smiled. "Oriana. Its sunny skies and ninety degrees."

"Good to hear!" Oriana cried out. "I can not wait!"

"So... tell me something... while we're floating up here." he inquired.
"Why'd you join Starfleet anyway?"

"My crew mutinied." Oriana stated bluntly. "We sought sanctuary in the Federation. Operating a star ship is the only way i know how to make a living."

"I never asked why.." Karass responded. "Why did your crew say 'fuck you' to the system?"

"It was more like the system said 'Fuck you' to us." Oriana told him. "Our command reduced our rations to a starvation level. We got hungry and stole some food. Command found out and declared us criminals. We ran."

"Ahh.." Karass responded. "So they hunted you down... an thats what lead to those guys coming for you five months ago.."

"Yes, they were probably getting punished for some lesser crime." Oriana told Karass. "If they brought me in they would have had their crimes commuted."

"Lovely." Karass responded evenly. "Why did you agree to come with me if you didn't like it anyway?" Karass looked up. "I mean you had to have known that Orbital spacediving isn't for the faint of heart."

"Because I've never done this before." Oriana replied. "I wouldn't do this on my own."

"Would you do it again?" Karass inquired. "I mean... look down afterall."

Oriana looked down and screamed. "Why did you tell me to do that?!"

"Because I think you're insane." Karass responded. "We're not really heading anywhere in a hurry except to the ground...."

"I thought the ground was coming up to us!"

"We're actually falling towards it." Karass responded. "Just gravity at work..." he added with a smile. "Relax... it won't be so bad.... we're just falling.... except we're falling slowly."

Oriana let out what sounded like a whimper.

Karass smiled. "You did carry a second chute...but I find you worry too much Oriana. We're falling rather slowly... and we're only now passing seventy five thousand feet." Karass responded. "Besides... look at that view... how could you pass that up."

"I can get a safer view from a shuttle." Oriana whispered to herself. "Looks great!" she yelled to Karass.

"You can I can almost hear you think right?" Karass responded. "You're suit systems are telling me everything I need to know.." he explained. "I think I have have to send you to Celeste for a checkup when we finish.."

"If we finish, this decent is taking forever." Oriana complained. "Still, it is more fun than the Dragon."

"We're still twenty two klicks up." Karass responded. "We're going to be falling at this place for a very long time yet.... unless you retract your chute...you do have the ability to do that..."

"I'll try and enjoy the view." Oriana told him.

Well... you're going to be up here awhile." Karass answered with a smile. "Besides.. nothing can go wrong up here... its closer to the ground that you need to worry."

"No, it's that sudden stop at the bottom that worries me." She replied.

Karass mulled that one over. "Fair enough... beware the short drop and the sudden stop." he smiled. "It'll be fine.."

"Hanging for your life by a few threads doesn't bother you at all, does it?" She told him.

"Not at all." Karass answered. "I have faith in my gear and in my guys... that when I call for help... someone will be able to help me.."

"The Federation seems to invest a lot in trust." Oriana told Karass. "If something happened while I was in the Tylwyth military, our command would tell us we are on our own."

"Yeah... but how would you save yourself if you're falling from this height?" Karass inquired. "I have faith... you're military clearly does not."

"My military did not allow auxiliaries to engage in such recreational activities in the first place." Oriana told him.

"Wow... how did you guys get the stress out... lots of recreational sex or something?" Karass inquired.

"Some of our crew were musicians or poets." Oriana explained. "We created our own entertainment. We also drank a bit, even though that was forbidden. Some of of the crews had sex with each other but that was also forbidden among auxiliaries. When society warriors wanted to have recreational sex is when we were allowed."

"Sounds.... dull." Karass responded. "Also sounds like you came from a caste based society..."

"Indeed, certain Tylwyth were treated better than others." Oriana stated. "I never choose to join the Auxiliary military forces, it was chosen for me."

Karass felt depressed. "Thats just.... sad... the potential and the skills... all wasted." he sighed. "What a waste of everything..."

"Well, that is why my embraced Federation culture." Oriana told Karass. "Here we have a reasonable choice."

"A pity more of your species didn't come with you.." Karass responded quietly.

"They destroyed our vessel. The five of us were lucky we got away." Oriana told Karass. "Tylwyth Command doesn't fear a mutiny, it fears a mutiny spreading."

"Mmm..." Karass paused. "Maybe I should find out where your homeworld is, take some literature with me and upload it into your worlds central communications network... assuming you have one.." he paused. "What happened to the other four?"

"I think three of them joined Star Fleet and the last joined a merchant ship." Oriana told him. "We don't keep in touch. They are still angry with me."

"Angry with you?" Karass responded. "I had not expected that..." he paused. "I wonder why... That makes no sense."

"Because when we where hungry I made the suggestion to steal food." Oriana explained. "I also botched the operation and got caught. We had to run for our lives after that. We lost our ship, captain, and most of our crew. The surviving crew never forgave me."

"Ahh.." Karass responded. "Okay, I understand.." he responded quietly, before he held his silence for a few minutes.

"How much longer until we hit the ground?" Oriana asked, trying to change the subject.

"Its still going to be awhile..." Karass responded. "We're still twenty klicks up."

"So we are." Oriana replied. "So, why are you still a Commander? Shouldn't you have your own ship by now?"

"I had my own ship." Karass responded quietly. "Admiral Nechayev wanted me to fire upon helpless people I said no so she had me demoted..... ironically enough for disobeying orders." he sighed. "From Captain to Lt Commander."

"Nechayev? The same person who has been arrested?" Oriana asked.

"Yep. Ding dong the which is dead..." Karass responded. "Sing em high, sing em low.. ding dong, the wicked which is dead."

"Is that a human custom to sing when somebody is incarcerated?" Oriana asked.

"Depends on who's being send to jail and what this person did to you." Karass responded. "Personally... I wish I could take her out back and have her shot... but thats me."

"So Nechayev is the religious figure you wish dead? I am a little confused by human customs." Oriana admitted.

"Nechayev is ms queen bitch of the universe." Karass responded. "I'm going to celebrate by taking you to bed... and making you scream." he added.

Oriana was confused. Did humans have orgies every time a powerful figure fell from grace or is this just Karass celebrating a personal victory?

"You have already made me scream several times today." Oriana referred to the orbital jump.

"Did you enjoy it at least?" Karass inquired of her.

"I'll let you know when it's over." Oriana told him. "I will say I will never forget the experience."

"Pull in your chute... " he commented with a smile. "you'll speed towards the ground much faster."

"That's not funny Karass!" Oriana yelled back. "And that would end your plans for celebrating Nechayev's imprisonment."

"Oh alright.." Karass sighed softly.

"Is there any food where we are landing?" Oriana asked.

"I brought it with me." Karass responded. "Why do you think I had that extra pack attacked to my chest." he slowly smiled. "I had a feeling you'd be thirsty."

"Hopefully my stomach will stop churning before we hit the planet." Oriana told Karass.

"Well... when you get to ten thousand... you can open your helmet and empty your stomach.... if needed." Karass replied, a soft smile on his face.

"Oh, we are just full of good advice, aren't we?" Oriana asked, sarcastically.

"What?" Karass asked, sounding rather innocent. "You did mention you had issues... I gave you an option." he added.

Oriana rolled her eyes. "I'll keep my concerns to myself from now on, thank you."

Karass sighed. "Oriana...." he paused. "We're approaching Sixty thousand feet.."

"So, how many snarky remarks can you make before we land?" Oriana joked.

"Oh lets see...." he paused.. "I'm sure I'll find something meaningfull and inspirational to say.... but... nothing coems to mind."

"You have a captive audience and not a glib word to say?" Oriana teased Karass.

"Oh I'll think of something to say.." Karass responded evenly. "Nothing at the moment comes to me."

"Well it is nice to know you don't have a wise crack to every situation." Oriana mused.

"Well.. nothing comes to mind." Karass responded with a smile. "I'm sure i'll think of somthing."

"We should take down the day and hour and note the time Karass was speechless." Oriana stated.

"Oh haha." Karass responded

Oriana laughed but then accidentally let out a belch.

"Appetizing." Karass responded in a dry tone. "Lovely Oriana.."

"Sorry." Oriana apologized, obviously embarrassed. "I did get my appetite back though."

"At fifty five thousand feet?" Karass responded. "How did you manage that?"

"I'm not sure but I did." Oriana admitted. "So, what did you bring?"

"Oh a little of everything." Karass responded.

"Not being very specific are you?" Oriana told Karass.

"Nope.... Its a surprise.."

"Okay, I guess it will be." Oriana answered. "How much longer?"

"About twenty five minutes or so." Karass responded. "my my... eager are we?"

"I have to urinate." Oriana smiled at Karass.

"Oh lovely." he responded with a sigh.

Oriana giggled. "Sorry, just being honest. At least your not trying to hold your bladder."

"Thats because I went to the bathroom before we left.." Karass responded. "I thought you did too.."

"I did too." Oriana protested. "I just have to go again."

"Mmmm.." he paused. "Doesn't your suit have a system to help you go to the bathroom?" he inquired.

"I'll hold it for now, thank you." Oriana replied. Inside her suit she shuddered at the thought of urinating in it.

Karass sighed softly but he kept his thoughts to himself. "Passing forty five thousand... winds starting to pick up."

"How did become interested in this?" Oriana asked.

"I'll introduce you to my brother... assuming you survive the landing." Karass responded. "We look alike.. even through there are a couple of years between us in age..."

"And he is the one who thought it would be a good idea to fall from orbit in nothing but a protective suit?" Oriana asked.

"Would you rather you fall from orbit wearing nothing?" Karass responded. "At least this way... you fall in style... and you are protected from the worst of the planets atmosphere."

"I would rather go down in a shuttle." Oriana stated. "This has been...different."

"You're not an adrenaline junkie... are you?" Karass inquired. "I can't wait to introduce you to my mother."

"No!" Oriana shouted. "I just did this stupid stunt to be with you!" Then there was a silence as Oriana never wanted to tell Karass that.

There was a moment of silence as Karass processed that. "We could have done something else... Had I known..."

"Yeah..." Oriana sighed. "I really wish I was on the ground by now."

"We will be in about four minutes.." Karass responded. "We're in the troposphere now... and the wind will really start picking up shortly."

There was silence for several moments. "I guess this is better than getting drunk at the Green Dragon."

"Why on Vulcan would you want to hang out in that toilet?" Karass responded evenly. "I heard the place is a dump.."

"Because that is where everyone spends their free time?" Oriana replied with the question with another question. "I am unsure of how Federation types do on their off time."

"Well it depends..." Karass responded. "How does one want to spend their time off.."

"Back in the Tylwyth Commonwealth we would just drink or watch video stories." Oriana told Karass. "I hated the videos. It would always be about the high caste. Anytime they showed us from the low caste they would make us out to be idiots."

"Sounds... Dull." Karass responded.

"That's because it was dull." Oriana told him. "We did have our own version of a holodeck. It was popular but we were not allowed to use it for very long."

"How your society functions... is beyond me... but then I'm biased and I'm used to the Federation..." Karass responded.

"I like the Federation way better myself." Oriana answered.

"Where is the ..... Tilwith Commonwealth located?" Karass inquired.

"In the Gamma Quadrant. Far from the Federation." Oriana answered. "It is an old and teetering empire, ready for one big push to knock it down."

"I'm surprised the Dominion have not conquered them." Karass responded. "Well... maybe someway we'll find out what happened to them."

"Our weapons are superior to theirs." Oriana informed him. "In my last command we destroyed a few Dominion vessels that challenged our borders."

"Mmm... Well... maybe they amassed several thousand ships and challenged you with numbers.." Karass responded in a dry tone.

"Maybe." Oriana admitted. "The Low Caste hates the High Caste but they would not exchange them for Dominion rule. Nor assimilation into the Borg. Now if they encountered the Federation, the High Caste would fall."

"I'm okay with that." Karass responded evenly. "I wonder how long that will take...."

"Not for many years." Oriana told him. "The two nations are very far apart."

"So its really a matter of time." Karass responded dryly.

"Maybe." Oriana replied. "Assuming the Commonwealth survives that long."

"Mmmm good point." Orthos responded with a soft chuckle. "Lets hope so... I want to see the fear in their eyes... when I bring them... wisdom."

"As do a lot of my kinsmen." Oriana replied. "But enough about fantasies, how far up are we?"

"About forty thousand feet now." Karass responded evenly. "Had yopu not deployed your chute. We would have been on the ground long ago."
Karass reminded her.

"And very possibly dead." Oriana replied. "I'll take the long way down, thank you."

"Your choice." Karass responded as he watched the clouds around them seem to slowly part as they entered the tops of the cloud layers. "We should be on the deck shortly." Karass added. "Passing twenty five thousand."

"See, it was slower but we didn't die." Oriana stated.

Karass responded with a sigh. "You have such an undeveloped sense of imagination... We must work on that.." he commented.

"Or maybe my imagination is overactive?" Oriana countered.

"Indeed now?" Karass responded. "Considering you pulled your chute ten miles back the other way." he added. "I think it could do with a little....spicing up."

"You put me through a lot today." Oriana told him. "You had better brought some good foodstuffs."

"Well... we shall soon find out." Karass responded as he checked his height indicator. "Fifteen thousand... almost there.."

"I don't see any land." Oriana told Karass.

"You're still too far." as he tapped his right wrist gauntlet which activated the display, he checked for their locations and their destination. "We'll land near a beach but it will be inland."

"Beach?" Oriana asked. The clouds opened up and the ocean was now visible. "Is that water?"

"Yep." Karass responded. "We overshot our original landing site by several hundred miles.." Karass explained. "There is a reason why you don't pop your chute until a specified time but.... you pulled yours way too soon." Karass sighed softly. "We're still on course to hit land.... we're passing eight thousand... leaving the lowest cloud decks."

"I'm sorry but I have never jumped from orbit before." Oriana told Karass.

"Would you do this again?" Karass responded. "Because I would."

"I would think the ground would be a better place to ask me." Oriana told him.

"Prepare for landing... we're about four thousand feet up." Karass responded. "We're heading for the ground at about 25 miles an hour... give or take... so its still going to be something of a rough landing." he explained.

"Not as rough as a crash!" Oriana yelled back.

Karass looked down. "That... is a matter of perspective..." he looked down. "About two thousand feet..." he paused. "Be prepared to cut your chute if this is a water landing.." he added. "you might get dragged under.."

"Water landing?" Oriana said in a panic. "Are there any creatures in the water?"

"Oh yes." Karass responded. "You're wearing a hardened armored suit designed for atmospheric retry as well as atmospheric flight... besides... the life here isn't large enough to do any harm..." he looked down. "Ahh... a tropical island." he paused. "passing a thousand feet. Prep for landing.."

Oriana let out an audible moan.

Karass looked down. "Here we go.." and with that he landed, with a loud crunching sound as he ran then rolled forward to work off the speed and energy contained within his fall, moments later he was standing still on the ground. "Retracting Chute." and he blinked twice at a display, as he chute began to retract.

Oriana screamed at the top of her lungs as she descended. She was still screaming as she landed onto the side of a sand dune. After she hit she was silent and lay still.

Karass moved quickly to her side before he pried off his helmet, his armor was cool to the touch before he also dropped the rest of his gear before he went to assist her. "Oriana?" he called over the com. "You're on the deck now..."

Oriana started to giggle. "That was fun!" she yelled at Karass. "Let us do it again!"

Karass regarded her. "You.... are kidding me... only this time... if you want to do it again.... you pull your chute much later."

Oriana had a big smile on her face. "I now see the appeal of this sport!" She told Karass. "Where is the victuals? I'm hungry."

Karass sighed softly. "Oriana.... " he stopped before he sighed. "I left it over this way... Welcome to a remote deserted island... far from anywhere..."

"I hope you didn't forget where you put our food." Oriana stated with a little anguish.

Karass chuckled softly. "No... its right over here." as he lead her to where the crate was sitting in the sand. "Also, we should consider stripping out of this armor... its close to eighty degrees overhead and its getting hotter." before he began removing his armor, feeling the cool air kiss his warm skin. "Ahh.. much better."

Oriana doffed her armor and was clad only in her undergarments. "yes, much more comfortable."

Karass opened the crate and sure enough. all of the food inside was still there. "Dig in... help yourself.." he commented as he picked up a ham and cheese sandwhich. "Mmm..." before he unwrapped it and took a bite. "Much better."

"I'm surprised you went with something this simple." Oriana stated while eating her sandwich.

"Simple really is the best approach to many things in life my dear." Karass responded.

"Did you bring any alcohol?" Oriana asked.

"Two small bottles.. I'm not a big drinker." Karass admitted as he regarded her. "I figured you'd want one though... so I brought two." as he handed her a bottle of Mikes Hard Lemonade "Its not the good stuff... sorry, I didn't know what you preferred."

"I just need a little bit to calm my nerves." Oriana told Karass.

Karass regarded her before he handed her the bottle. "Here you go... Ice cold."

Oriana opened the bottle and started to drink. "Refreshing."

Karass chuckled softly. "Y'know you are never dull... thats for sure." as the com badge on his chest beeped. "Eris to Karass... you guys okay?"

Oriana sighed. "I hope nothing bad happened. It took a while to get here and I don't want to leave right now."

Karass responded. "Negative Eris... We're good,. we got down safely." he responded. "and we're enjoying lunch.... When we wanna come back, we'll call the ship k?"

"Confirmed. I'm heading back to the barn now. Out" and with that the comline went dead. Karass sighed. "I guess some like their work.."

"Are we all alone here?" Oriana asked, with a little concern.

"Minus several thousand tourists among these islands... no. We're more or less alone.." Karass responded. "Why do you ask?"

"Because many cultures of the Federation have taboos against nudity." Oriana explained as she doffed her undergarments and placed them on her other clothes.

"They do." Karass responded as he regarded her as he drew his tricorder. "Just checking.... nope... nobody else within tricorder range.." before he closed it, he then slid the tricorder back into the pouch on his belt.

"If my nudity offends you I will put my clothes back on." Oriana suggested.

Karass raised an eyebrow. "No... It doesn't offend me in the slightest."

Oriana smiled as she finished her sandwich. "Should we cool off with a swim or finish the food?"

Karass paused. "Eat the food first.." he smiled. "The we can go for a dip.."

"What else is in here?" Oriana asked as she was looking in the chest.

"Mostly food and water.." Karass responded. "Towels. sunscreen.." he added. "Why do you ask?"

"Food as in crackers, cheese, what?" Oriana asked.

"My my, you seem to have developed quite an appetite." Karass responded. "There are two submarine sandwiches. I didn't know what you preferred so I went for cold cuts with pizza sauce and extra cheese." he explained. "Also there are two cans of soda, coke cola to be exact and also two sealed bowls of soup, one if steak with extra meat while the other is vegetable soup. Both are marked."

"The soup looks good." Oriana replied. She sat down on the sand next to Karass. "Thank you for bringing some provisions."

"Your welcome." as he pulled out two large towels. "These are for sitting on." he commented as he handed one to her.

"Oh, okay. Thank you." Oriana used the towel.

Karass selected one of the two sandwiches. "Mmmm... nice." he rumbled.

"Do you wanna go for a quick swim to cool us off?" Oriana asked while standing up.

"Sure." Karass responded as he stripped off his clothing, placing it in a pile, his skin was rather white but that was because he tended to spend all his time in space.

"Your body could use more sunshine. You are in a good place to do that." Oriana told Karass. She then headed off to the beach and jumped into the water.

Karass followed in silence, down to the beach and into the water.

Oriana stood up in the water and looked back at Karass. "Are you sure there is nothing dangerous in these waters?"

"Nothing bigger then three feet." Karass responded. "I'm not going to do a para drop into a hostile ocean... I'm crazy, yes... but not insane."

Oriana wasn't entirely convinced that Karass wouldn't jump into an ocean of man-eating creatures. None the less, she went below the water and started to swim.

Karass smiled before he dove under the water as he followed Oriana.

A couple of hours went by as darkness fell on the island Oriana rolled over to Karass. "How much longer in paradise?"

"Thats up to you." Karass responded as he looked up as the last rays of the sun slipped beneath the horizon.

"I am unfamiliar with the sexual stamina of human males." oriana told Karass. "Would you be capable of..." Oriana searched for the correct word. "Performing again?"

"If you want to go again.." Karass responded. "Humans generally need something of a recovery time.. Vulcans can recover quicker but I'm somewhere in the middle." he explained.

Oriana smiled maliciously. "I am not ready to leave yet and you will have to drain more of your stamina."

Karass regarded her. "Well... When you put it like that... " as he grinned at her. "Come on over here and we can have fun."