SUMMARY: An away mission includes attendance at a native ritual.
RATING: NC17
DISCLAIMER: No, I refuse to go through this again. I don’t have any money – I pay taxes!
“Good, good,” the tri-leader of Lo’ngel said, rubbing his hands together. “You’re here just at the right time.”
The captain exchanged a look with her first officer, still mystified as to why the tri-leader had requested both of them to visit the planet’s surface. Janeway had protested at first, stating that protocol dictated that both senior officers should not be off the ship at the same time, but it was a token protest and it came as no surprise to anyone that the tri-leader had cut her off by promising that no harm would come to them or to their ship while they were in Lo’ngelian space. Consequently they had taken a shuttle down to the surface and were now in a guest suite at the royal palace.
“The right time for what?” Kathryn asked cautiously.
“For one of the most important rituals of our year,” their host replied, in a tone that seemed to imply that his answer was obvious.
Kathryn nodded at a loss of what to say.
Chakotay stepped in for her. “I am interested in the various rituals of different cultures. Perhaps you could explain what the ritual is about.”
Mokgar, the tri-leader, nodded. “I would be glad to,” he said smiling. “This is the Hum’an’ar ritual.” The translator was unable to help so seeing his guests’ confused faces he continued. “It is the first ritual to herald the new season of life here on Lo’ngel. As honoured guests you are invited to attend.”
Janeway nodded. There was no way to gracefully decline the invitation although she was wary of what the actual ritual consisted of. Was the ‘new season of life’ the local equivalent of the spring season or was it something more. “Of course,” she smiled. “We would be delighted to accept. Is there anything special we should be wearing or will our uniforms suffice?”
“Whatever is most comfortable for the two of you.” Mokgar then decided to take his leave of them, saying that someone would collect them later to escort them to the ritual hall. As soon as he was gone, Kathryn sunk down onto the couch and looked up at her first officer.
“I don’t like it,” was all she said.
Chakotay stared out of the window. “Don’t like what, Kathryn?” he asked casually.
“This ritual. I’d love to think that it’s perfectly innocent but my inner voice is telling me we should get the hell out of here.”
Her first officer turned back to face her and laughed. “Actually, I think I know what you mean. There certainly seems more to it than meets the eye. But I don’t know what to suggest, Kathryn. We can’t exactly leave without causing suspicion.”
“So we just go along with it then,” Kathryn acknowledged reluctantly.
“Just put it down to another Delta Quadrant experience.” He headed towards the bathroom. “Now if you don’t mind I’m going to take a shower. Thanks to that little engineering hiccup this morning, I was unable to get one, sonic or otherwise.”
Kathryn raised an eyebrow. “So that’s what the smell is?” she asked with a sly smile. “I did wonder.”
Chakotay’s response was to through his jacket back at her. It landed on her lap, and she instinctively grabbed it. Things had been going well between them recently, almost to the point that Kathryn felt she could quite easily weaken should the circumstances come about. She’d given up trying to deny to herself how she felt about her first officer; now she knew it was just a matter of time before they were together. She sighed quietly to herself; if she were only a little bolder she could be joining him in his shower.
For the sake of her own sanity, and Chakotay’s safety, she was glad that when he emerged from the bathroom he was dressed again in his uniform. He held a hand out and she thrust his jacket back into it, trying desperately to avoid the heat that the slightest touch of him created in her. As soon as he was out of her path she scurried into the bathroom. Kathryn needed to cool down or else there’d be a conflagration happening before the visit was through.
Shortly there came a discreet knock at the door. When Chakotay opened it he found a Lo’ngelian there; their escort to the ritual. Wordlessly they followed him down several intimately lit hallways into the large reception room. Around three of the four walls were sat male-female couples, each lounging on luxurious pillows. The fourth wall was bare and consisted of a large red silk-like curtain. Kathryn and Chakotay were escorted to a pillow arrangement next to Mokgar, who happily introduced the woman with him as his lifemate of only a few months. She smiled shyly when introduced.
The room began to darken and every eye in the room turned to the curtain. It drew back silently to reveal a dais, on which stood a young couple. Dressed in flowing garments of soft blues they bowed ceremoniously to their audience before turning and bowing to each other. “It is a great honour to be chosen for this night. Now the ritual begins,” Mokgar whispered excitedly, leaning across the small divide that separated their two parties. “Enjoy.”
Kathryn’s eyes widened as she realised what was about to happen on the stage. The young man had lowered the woman down to lie on a bed of deep pillows and silk sheets. As the audience looked on he began to remove her clothing until she was completely naked. Kathryn gulped and shifted slightly. The entire tableau was making her very uncomfortable. And hot.
She cast a glance out of the corner of her eye towards her first officer. Chakotay was discreetly trying to look anywhere but the performance in front of him. He appeared to find the pillows they were seated on incredibly fascinating. Taking a surreptitious glance down Kathryn had to stifle a gasp as she noted he was not as unaffected by the spectacle as he might be willing to let on.
The couple in front of them were writhing now. The audience appeared to be riveted to the sight of the athletic young man as he stood to remove his final article of clothing. Kathryn felt herself turn red as she took in the man’s stature, her eye automatically drawn to a certain part of his anatomy. He was certainly impressive in size and she wondered idly if that had been part of how he had been chosen for this occasion. Kathryn watched, unable to pull herself away, as the woman reached up and grasped his member firmly, bringing him to his knees by the upper part of her body. She guided it to her mouth and captured it hungrily.
Gone was any thought Kathryn might have had that this ritual would be over quickly. She swore her face must be a bright red by now, so embarrassed was she at having to watch this with Chakotay by her side. She didn’t dare look at him now. All she wanted to do was get this over with, get back to Voyager, and escape to the sanctity of her cabin. And even then she doubted that sleep would come tonight; if it did she would be haunted by dreams of this ritual. Only it wouldn’t be a nameless pair cavorting in front of an audience. No, it would be her and Chakotay, in front of their crew.
The moans of the pair on the stage were getting louder, hopefully a sign that they were near completion. The man pulled away from his companion, his length still firm and jutting out proudly for the entire audience to see, and he slid down her body, kissing his way down her body, pausing to lick and caress each breast. Kathryn closed her eyes briefly, surrendering to the sensations erupting inside of her. There was no way that she was not affected by what was happening in front of her. Although she felt like a voyeur there was no denying that she wanted that woman to be her, and the man worshipping her body to be Chakotay.
The man finally lowered himself to his partner and slowly began to move into her. She lay on her back, her legs going over his hips, hands going around his back, pulling him further close to her, into her. She began to thrash, her head going from side to side as he thrust deeper into her. Her groans were loud now as she grasped at his back, as he latched his mouth onto her breast. With a scream she came, followed in short order by her lover who emptied himself into her with an equally loud groan.
Instantly the curtain came back down, hiding the lovers from sight. Kathryn wasn’t sure what to do next, wasn’t sure she could look either their host or Chakotay in the eye. Choosing the lesser evil she turned to Mokgar but found that other curtains had come down also, effectively separating them on two sides from their neighbours. A curtain then fell down in front of them so that they could no longer see the rest of the room. The back wall then rose up, revealing a spread of cushions, pillows, and sheets, not dissimilar to what had been on the stage.
Kathryn swallowed, knowing she had to face Chakotay now, and summoned up every ounce of courage she possessed in order to do so. “Well,” she began hesitantly.
“Kathryn?”
She looked up at him, shutting her eyes for the briefest moment, as though when she opened it again the scene might have changed. When she opened them again she was still standing there and Chakotay was still standing in front of her. He seemed to fill her entire view, so that she saw nothing else. His eyes were dark, that she almost felt his desire for her, even if his tone did sound more concerned than anything else.
A new sound was heard. It seemed to come from the Mokgar’s side of the curtain and as Kathryn listened she sickeningly realised what it was. It was the sound of two people very much in love.
“I… she started again. But then something inside of her snapped. Sighing, “damn it,” she stepped over to Chakotay, flung her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips to his. Somewhere in the back of her mind it registered that there could be no going back now. But if she had to put it down to external influences right now then she would.
Chakotay staggered a little at the sudden force upon him but he recovered quickly. His arms curved around her waist, hands spreading up her back, pulling her even closer. His tongue sought entrance and she relinquished control.
Slowly and without words they fell back onto the cushions. They paused momentarily to stare at each other and Chakotay smiled gently at her, running a soft caressing hand down her cheek. “So beautiful,” he murmured before lowering his mouth to hers. Her hands reached up to his collar and began to pull on his jacket, determined to remove it from him. He lifted up slightly, willing to let her do whatever she wanted.
His own hands opened her jacket quickly; pushing it off her shoulders, casting it away to a corner of their sanctuary. Bra-clad breasts were bared for him, his mouth latching onto a nipple, nuzzling it through the lace. Kathryn’s hands continued to tug at his clothing, now removing his undershirt until his chest was bare before her. She lifted her head up and placed gentle kisses down his torso making him groan.
Fingers fumbled at remaining clothes, discarding them quickly to one side. Kathryn gasped as she felt how firm he was against her skin, pushing into her stomach. Chakotay reared up, grabbed her hands, held them above her head, and began to kiss his way down. She closed her eyes; let herself fall into the feelings he was creating inside her. He spent some time nibbling gently against her neck, tickling her softly, before moving down to pay attention to her creamy breasts. He bit and teased the nipples to attention before kissing the valley between them.
Onward and downward he moved, leaving Kathryn powerless to do anything but writhe under his ministrations. He released her hands but she was unable to move them, unable to gather the strength to do anything unless his body willed it. She began to rock from side to side, stomach rising up to meet him. Still he continued, until at last his fingers and lips began to gently caress her centre. She gasped at the contact, at the feel of his tongue probing gently yet insistently inside her, and began to buck uncontrollably against him.
Chakotay rose up above her, smiled and whispered to her of his love for her. And then he lowered himself back down onto her, and into her. He paused after the initial thrust, and it gave her a moment to realise just what was happening. The feel of him was a welcome intrusion and she grasped at his back, wanting to pull more of him inside her, to have him fill her completely. What she had long fantasised about had now become reality and it was better than anything she could imagine. He thrust deeper inside of her, until she felt she would burst.
The murmurs and moans of other couples in the hall filled the air, creating such a sensation within Kathryn that she never thought possible. She’d never believed that seeing or hearing others engaged in the act could be such a turn on and now she was adding to the tableau. With a scream at a pitch she would have previously thought impossible she came. Chakotay filled her with a primal grunt a few moments later.
She awoke to find herself back in the guest quarters they had been allocated on Lo’ngel. More exactly she was lying in the bed in their quarters and she was alone. Opening an eye cautiously she noted that the other side of the bed had not been slept in and she wondered if the events of the evening before had been yet another fantasy. Her body certainly ached as though it had been real but if it had happened then where was Chakotay? Had he actually left her to sleep alone and gone back to the bedroom on the other side of their suite? She knew he was a true gentleman but she doubted he would have given up the extra opportunity to have her sleeping by his side, even if it was for one night.
And she wasn’t sure that she wanted it to be just one night either.
But there was another question preying in her mind, on an issue more important than her future with Chakotay. How the hell had she got back from the reception hall? The last she remembered was lying in his arms after making love with him. This led to her wonder yet again if maybe she hadn’t just dreamed the entire thing.
“Good morning.” The soft tones of his voice caused her to turn towards the doorway. Leaning against the frame was her first officer, best friend… lover? He was in his uniform again and holding a mug of something that smelled suspiciously like the local version of coffee.
She propped herself up, wanting to reach out for the mug, but stopped when she realised that she wasn’t wearing anything. Self-consciously she pulled the sheet up and around her.
“Your uniform is over there,” he said quietly. “I carried you back here last night.” She stared at him, aghast but he only smiled. “We weren’t the only ones headed back to our quarters like that. No one will comment on it. And I’ve already spoken to Mokgar.”
“Oh?”
“He has sworn not to make any mention of last night in front of our crew.”
“How did you manage that?”
“I told him that such acts were a private thing.” Chakotay shrugged. “No big deal.”
“No big deal?” she repeated. “Chakotay…”
He crossed and sat on the bed beside her. “No need to say a word, it was just something that happened, something that we were unprepared for. We did what was expected of us and we’ve got our supplies. All that’s left is for us to take our final leave of this place and head back to Voyager, where I hope I will still have my best friend.”
Kathryn wanted to cry. Instead she placed a hand gently on his arm. “Always.”
Two nights later they sat in her quarters, enjoying a quiet dinner and reminiscing about some of their crazier missions they’d undertaken. Hesitantly, Kathryn brought up their most recent trip, to the Lo’ngel.
“The things we do for supplies,” he laughed.
“Somehow I never figured sex would be part of the deal,” she commented dryly.
He left his seat and advanced towards her, a strange smile appearing on his face as he sunk to his knees. “Not just sex, Kathryn.”
She blushed slightly and looked off to the side, towards the carpet, wishing it could either open up or prove to be more interesting than the man in front of her. “Okay, so it was mind-blowing, fantastic…”
“Love making,” he finished for her. He was now right in front of her, with no way for her to avoid his attentions. Slowly he placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face so that she had no choice but to look at him. “It was beautiful, mind-blowing fantastic lovemaking,” he said softly. “I love you, Kathryn. I don’t want that night to be a one-time thing, brought on by some alien ritual that we had to go through. I want it to happen because we want it to.” He paused and looked straight down at her. “Do you want it to?”
Her answer didn’t come in words.
FINIS