Power Play

Posted on Tue Jan 5th, 2021 @ 8:51am by Petty Officer, 3rd Class Clara Henry & Lieutenant Joshua Arras
Edited on on Mon Feb 1st, 2021 @ 4:35am

1,625 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 3.5 - Some R & R
Location: Arras's Quarters

When he was relieved for the evening, Josh returned to his quarters and started preparing the room for the dinner between him and Clara.

He set the table. Flowers in a vase in the middle. Dishes, plates, utensils. A bottle of champagne with two glasses sitting nearby. "Computer, play some romantic music and dim the lights 45%."

The room became darker and soft music started to play.

He showered and changed into his off duty attire.

All that was left was the food, and his date.

Clara had a PADD in her hand, her alibi set. She just needed to figure out how she was going to use this doctor to get ahead. Do too much and she might be seen as someone who merely sleeps her way to the top. Do too little and she might lose her leverage. She held up the PADD and looked at herself in its reflection. She figured that she looked more than acceptable. Clara then range the chime.

Josh walked over to the door and pressed the button to open it. "Yeoman. Pleasure to see you." He had been looking forward to this.

"Thank you, Doctor," Clara responded, initially wondering if she misread the situation, as the door shut behind her. When it did, the romantic music, dim lights, and formal place settings told her otherwise. She smiled, knowing that her prey was already snagged. So, how much should I allow tonight? Pleasantly, she asked the doctor, "Is all of this just for me?"

"It's for us." He walked back to the table and pulled a chair out for her. "Care for some wine?" He was starting to like this....girl is wrong, even though she is younger then him, so woman seems correct.

"Oh, yes, please," Clara responded, pleased that the doctor was doting upon her.

Phillip went to the table and dished out some dish into bowls for their first course. Then he brought it over and placed it in front of her.

Clara put her PADD on a nearby table and then sat down, a bit disappointed that the doctor did not pull out a chair for her. Still more work to do on him but this will do for now. Pleasantly she asked, "So, what are we having tonight?"

"A fresh salad, unless you would like something else." He say opposite her and look at her.

"That is for starters, correct?" Clara asked hopefully, given the ambiance that the Doctor had set up for them.

"The salad is only the starter. For our main meal we're having bacon-wrapped pesto pork tenderloin and baked potatoes. Alone with a fine red wine."

That's more like it, Clara thought happily. I deserve to be spoiled. "Well," Clara started, "far be it from me to interfere with your plans. She smiled warmly at the Doctor. "So, should I still call you 'doctor' here?"

He smiled at her. "You can call me Josh." He reached over and placed his hand on hers. "Anything you want, tell me."

"Anything, huh?" Clara smiled with a mischievous grin. "Even my own starship?" she asked. "Do you have the power to do that?" My, a bit desperate isn't he? Moving fast. I'm going to have to keep him on edge and interested without giving in right now.

"Your own starship? If you're asking me for promotions, I can't help you. The only people I can suggest for promotion are medical personnel." He was starting to wonder if she was only make believe to like him to get a promotion. He had to test her now. He put down his fork. "You want me to help you? What do I get? You...in my bed?"

Clara's head tilted backwards. Well, that was awfully forward and fast. "Are you suggesting that I would sleep my way up the ladder, Doctor?" She put her hand to her chest in slight offense. "Certainly that is not what you are seeking either, are you?"

"When you asked if I could get you your own starship, that made me suspicious. If I'm wrong, I apologize." He leaned back in his chair. "You are ambitious, aren't you?"

"Should I not be ambitious? Did you not have ambitions to become a Chief Medical Officer?" she asked with an unapologetic tone. "Or are you the sort that thinks that you can do as you will because I am lower ranked?"

"I am the chief medical officer, petty officer, and I didn't get to be one by sleeping my way to it." He looked at her, he thought he liked her, but now it seems she just wants to use him so she can rise in the ranks. "You are very beautiful. Why are you doing this? Just to get ahead? The answer to that is to just work hard."

"I work plenty hard. I would not have gotten to this level, had I not," she responded simply. "This position was a huge change in rank for me and I plan on doing it to the best of my abilities."

He stood up and poured her another glass of wine. "Then that is how you get ahead." He wondered if she would stay the night in his quarters.

"I'm unconcerned," Clara replied simply with a hint of a smile. "However, I would not imply otherwise again," she scolded the doctor lightly. "It ruins the mood."

"Then we shall say nothing more about it for the rest of the evening." He smiled at her then returned to his dinner.

"About what?" she replied with a secret smile, knowing she had regained her position.

Josh laughed and smiled at her. "Exactly."
When they were done with the salads, he put the plates in the recycler and brought out the main course, and placed the plate before her.

Clara smiled, enjoying being waited upon rather than having to wait on everyone else, a hazard of being a yeoman. "This looks delicious," Clara replied, favoring the doctor with a smile.

Josh smiled back. "I hope you enjoy it." He moved to his chair and sat down, and refilled the wine glasses.

"The wine? The dinner? Or something else?" Clara asked with a light giggle.

Josh moved his chair closer to hers. Then he leaned towards her. "'Something else?' You have something specific in mind?" He kissed her on the cheek.

A kiss on the cheek? Really? That's how you make a move? LAME! Clara thought. Still, I need to play this in some way. She turned her head pretending to be bashful. "I thought you might have when you invited me here," she told him.

He looked at her, then leaned forward again, but this time, gave her a kiss on her mouth....it started as a simple kiss, but started becoming more.

Clara hid her giggle as she allowed the Doctor to kiss her. His enthusiasm made up for any poor technique and Clara continued to allow it to happen. She would wait for another moment before stopping him. "Tell me, Josh, do you do this with all the young yeomans?"

"There are no other yeomen, Clara." His hand laid on her thigh and he started moving his hand further up her thigh.

Clara paused as Josh was now moving way too fast for her taste. She was not going to give away the milk. There had to be something more in it for her. She put her hand on his and said, "Perhaps we should finish our dinner first. There is an order to things, is there not?"

"We could pause dinner and come back afterwards. There's no reason why we shouldn't wait." He smiled at her then started kissing her neck.

"Of course there is," Clara responded, not refusing Josh's advances but not assisting them either. "Who can do anything without energy and a full dinner would be helpful, don't you think?"

"It'll be better if we work up an appetite...then we'll enjoy our dinner even more." He took her hand and tried leading her to the bedroom.

Clara did not budge. "I think that you're moving a lot faster than I'm comfortable with, Doctor. I'm a bit old fashioned." She then lied, "And, well, I'm... well, you know.... Um, new to this." She looked away from the Doctor."

Arras stood up and nodded. "Of course, my dear, whatever makes you comfortable." He returned to his seat and started picking at his food. He didn't make eye contact with her. He started thinking that this girl was either a tease, or just wants something from him, and she won't give herself to him until she got what she wanted.

Clara watched as Arras picked at his food. She did the same. After some uncomfortable silence she asked softly, "Perhaps I should go?"

"Maybe you should." He looked up from his meal. "I'm starting to think we have very little in common and I think our ideas of advancement conflict."

Clara shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sorry that you do not understand my reticence, Doctor. Thank you for the dinner." With that, she rose and started heading towards the door.

Arras looked at her as she was leaving. "You're an ambitious sort, aren't you? You don't want to do the work, so you look for any shortcut you can find to get promoted. Well, little girl, you're going to have to give something, to get something. Remember that."

So, a pervert that is willing to use me to move me up. That is useful information. Should I need a desperate favor, I now know I have one lifeline. Saying nothing, Clara left the Doctor's quarters for the night.

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