Soft Lips "
By: Patia Zoei, Chief Counselor, [PC]
Giuseppe Silvio, Chief Engineer, [RNPC]

Stardate: 58205.13 1800

Patia leaned back against the seat. Outside the window, stars streaked past. A lot had happened over the past several days. It was a lot to wrap her mind around. It was a bit unusual for her to be thinking about her life rather than the lives of the people who stopped in her office on a daily basis.

The nerves along her spine jangled. Slowly, she turned. Silvio walked into Miranda's with several people she did not know. From the looks of how they interacted, her guess was they were from Engineering as well. He looked very young and quite carefree.

She turned back to face the window and tilted her head slightly so it rested against the back of the seat. Her hands cupped the tall glass of icy tea, the vessel slippery from the condensation. Silently, she sighed.

*** Silvio's shift was finally over and he and the crew decided to go to Miranda's for a drink. Miranda's was a busy place. They found a table and sat down. The waitress came over to take their order. One of the young engineers asked if Miranda was available and was told she had the day off. Silvio could actually see that the young ensign was dissappointed.

The other members of the crew also sensed his disappointment; they stated teasing him about it. Silvio, found he could empathize with the young ensign.

The drinks came and the conversation turned to work. Silvio rarely went out for drinks with other engineers. He hated finishing his shift only to go to Miranda's to talk about it again. Silvo soon stopped listening to the conversation and became lost in his own thought.

***

Off and on, Silvio's voice had filtered across the room to Patia's ears. She hadn't heard what he had said, but the timber of his voice was distinctive, especially when it was wreaking havoc with her nerves. It had been a long, long day and it was most assuredly time for her to retire to her quarters.

Abruptly, she set her glass down and rose from her seat. As she stood, a large Klingon male brushed past her. His bulk pushed against her, forcing her back into the side of the bench from which she had just risen. Brusquely, she stood to her full, not so large, height and purposefully brushed against him on her way past him. The gall of dominant species sometimes irritated her. It wasn't like she didn't have the right to be there, he was just bigger and stronger. As such, he had an air of entitlement to any and all space he deemed his.

Distracted, she strode from Miranda's. Her steps were quick and sure. Never once did her eyes stray from the door on the other side of the room as she approached it.

***

"Hey, look at her," said Ensign Casey. Silvo looked up in the direction he was pointing to just in time to see Patia leave Miranda's. He had not known she was there. "That counselor is one hot number. I would not mind taking her for a roll between the sheets."

Silvio made a mental note that Ensign Casey might need to start working more double shifts. He did not like the way he talked about Patia as if she were on a menu.

"Yeah Casey," said Thomas, "I hear sex with Betazoid women is a wild experience. All that emotional stuff they can do."

Sivio made another mental change to his duty schedule.

"Well, maybe I might just have a bad nightmare and have to go visit her," offered Casey, "What do you think Chief?"

Silvo did not smile. He was very angry inside and not all he wanted was to see Patia. He held back his anger and looked at Casey. "I have to admit, I am surprised Casey, I thought you preferred guys."

There was a stunned silence at the table. Casey's mouth dropped open. Silvio was not sure if he had hit the target with his observation or if Casey was just shocked that he has said it. "If you will excuse me, I have a few changes to make to the duty roster for next week." Silvio got up and left.

Once outside Miranda's Silvio looked around hoping that Patia was still around; not seeing her Silvio went back to his office and sat down. He actually did have to work on his duty roster. Although it was tempting to give Casey a few double shifts, he wouldn't really apply his personal feelings to the staffing schedule.

***

Patia settled into her quarters for the night. She slipped into an old sweat suit from Lio's alma mater. He had given it to her shortly after he went away to school. Their parents had laughed when she put it on. The sleeves hung well below her knees and the pant legs puddled on the floor around her feet. She had cried buckets when she realized it was so much too big for her. Then her parents had given her the matching one in the correct size. The one she was wearing was their mother's. Silly girl that she was, she refused to give it back. Fortunately, her mother didn't argue with her about it. More fortunately, it didn't proclaim her to be a "Proud Mother".

She settled cross legged on the middle of the mat on the floor. Slowly, deliberately, she began going through her yoga routine. Her movements graceful, she attempted to clear her mind. Thoughts of Silvio kept flitting across her consciousness, though. Resolutely, she shook them off and arched her back. Slowly, she brought her foot up to touch the back of her head. Why could she not sense anything about Silvio other than his presence. She had no inclination, no understanding of anything he was thinking. It was almost as if there was a block between them. Her right leg returned to the floor and she stretched her left foot up, also touching the back of her head. This had never happened to her before and it was quite uncomfortable.

Her breathing had quickened and she realized she was not focused on her yoga. Quietly, she exhaled. She rolled to her side and propped her left arm underneath her. She raised her upper body from the floor and stretched her right arm over her head. What was it about him that kept drawing her thoughts back to him. He was young, and admittedly loved the ladies. He said he was over that, but how many times had he said that before, how many women had heard it?

She brought her right arm back, so it was straight above her head. Slowly, she pulled it down so it passed below her rib cage. Her fingers stretched and reached behind her back. Why couldn't she get him off her mind?

Slowly, she exhaled, her breath fluffing the damp hair sticking to her sweaty forehead. There was no point in yoga today. She just could not gain her balance and center.

***

Silvio tried to complete his duty roster, however, he was really distracted. Thoughts of Patia kept interrupting his work. He wished he had known that she was there. It was no use, he would not be getting any work done tonight.

Silvio closed down his console and left his office. He decided to turn in for the night. He rose the turbolift up to deck two. As he made his way to his quarters he passed those of Patia's. Without giving it much thought he stopped and rang her door chime.

Patia laid on the mat. Although the yoga had not worked, she had continued with a few stretching exercises. The chime sounded and she slowly sat up. "Enter," she called.

Silvio entered and stood just inside the door. It looked like Patia was exercising. "Hi, ahh, I was going to turn in and I just thought I would stop in to say good night." Silvio was off balance, he did not know what had made him stop in the first place. "That was smooth," he thought.

Patia glanced at her chronometer. "So early? It is only 2000. Patia crossed her legs and braced her palms against her knees. Slowly she pressed her hands toward the floor. "It looked like you were having a good time at Miranda's. How come you are calling it a night?"

Silvio certainly was not going to tell her about the conversation they had at Miranda's. " I guess I was not into the conversation. I did not know you were there until I saw you walk out." Silvo strode over to where she sat on the floor and sat down across from her; close enough that their knees touched.

Patia was slightly startled at Silvio's close proximity. "I saw you when you came in. You seemed involved with a group of from your department, so I didn't want to bother you."

"It would not have been a bother," said Silvio, "in fact, I was not having much fun." Silvio sighed. "To be honest, I was thinking about you through much of the conversation anyway."

"Ah, I bet the people you were with appreciated your level of attention," Patia chuckled. "Or were they so busy talking shop and discussing their romance plans they didn't notice?"

"Something like that," said Silvio. "You have a nice place here," he said as he looked around."

"Thank you," Patia glanced around her quarters. "I wanted to make my standard issued space as much a part of me as I could. It helps to separate myself from my work."

"You have done a good job, it is very comfortable here." Silvio sighed. He reached out and took Patia's hands in his own. "Well, I just wanted to stop by as say good night." Silvio kissed her hand and got up to leave.

Patia blinked rapidly as she watched him go. This was most out of character for Silvio. And, surprisingly enough, she noted, that man had some soft lips.