Rewired (Closed/Marco)

[Kali Reyes]

[Starbase Columbus ---> Main Reactor (Restricted)]

The floor just didn't hum right. At first she thought it was because of her boots the moment she stepped foot on an actual starbase for shore leave. Two of the crewmen she had followed stopped as soon as she did, but she paid little attention to them.

"Hey, Reyes," Yates raised an eyebrow at her. "Why'd you stop? Bar's over there." To no one's surprise, Reyes got down on her hands and knees and literally pressed her ear to the cold metal floor.

"Shh!" Reyes ordered and closed her eyes to listen. Her concentration exponentially grew when her companions shrugged and walked away. She almost drifted off right there on the floor lost as she was in the melody of working machinery.

Huuuummmm... click. There's the sucker! Reyes sat up and dusted her hands. Her lips twisted down in mild annoyance. Well, that just won't do. She couldn't stand for it. Not on shore leave!

At the right moment, a group of starbase workers moved in unison for the turbolift. She easily slipped into the group and followed them to what was obviously the restricted area of the base. Deck after deck, one by one, the crowd got smaller and smaller. Using a bit of charm, she managed to convince the last crewman that she lost her access code and, bless his sweet innocent heart, he let her through to the Main Reactor without a second thought.

Reyes rubbed her hands at the glowing core and all the machinery within. It was like Christmas. "There you are," she purred. "Look at you, poor thing. You're creaking like a wooden chair. Don't worry, mama's gonna take care of you."

[Marco Benitez]

He hated when there were too many starships docking on the Columbus, it meant more work for him.  Then again he enjoyed work so it was a mixed bag.  At the moment he reveled in patrolling the base and looking for those Á¢â,¬Ëœofficers' that believed themselves beyond the rules of base security.

Marco made it a rule to recognize the faces of Columbus, even if he didn't know all their names, so when he came across a Á¢â,¬Ëœstrange' woman his attention was peaked.  He watched her for a moment, realizing that she was Á¢â,¬Ëœmessing' around with the reactor.  Memories of sabotage came flooding and he approached her from behind silent and deadly.

His first reaction was to tackle and detain, but he'd give her the benefit of a doubt.  Besides, he had promised Zex he'd be a bit more vocal and less physical with his reactions.  That didn't mean he wasn't ready to tackle anyone, but for now, he would obtain her reasons and take it from there.

He stood close but still far enough away to avoid direct contact and cleared his throat, "I hope.."  Marco began in his deep serious tone, "...you have clearance to be here?"  He kept his hands behind him but that didn't mean he was at ease, if anything he was ready for just about anything.

[Kali Reyes]

With a couple clanks and an occasional clunk, Reyes had already started to navigate and familiarize herself with the reactor's dated, but nice retrofitted specs. It wasn't that bad, but it wasn't a starship, ergo everything was bigger and less manageable on an operations scale.

And hey, lo and behold, this reactor's got one heck of an operations specialist to deal with these kinds of things!

The problem was easily found. One of the aging inertial dampener jigs was loose - not enough to cause problems, but it wasn't efficient. There was no way engineers of her delicate caliber can sleep through a night of erratic humming. It just wasn't kosher.

There she was beneath the jig with a gravitic caliper and tiny soldering iron in hand and grinning like a madman. Thoughts of unauthorized personnel or possible court martial left the floor for numbers and temperature gauging as quickly as her luck went out.

"I hope.."  Marco began in his deep serious tone, "...you have clearance to be here?"

Reyes banged her head hard on the jig when she turned around. "Wha...?" she gaped. "Um..." That silver, cheeky tongue of hers escaped her for the moment and had no intention of returning while she nursed the bump on her head. But glibness hadn't failed her yet. "That... depends, yeah? Yeah. I'm Starfleet," she tapped her combadge thoughtfully. "You're Starfleet. We're all Starfleet. I think - in the grander scheme of things - we all have clearance. Inside us all. In our hearts and... stuff." Yeah. The patriotism angle. She can go with that.

[Marco Benitez]

Reyes banged her head hard on the jig when she turned around. "Wha...?" she gaped. "Um..." That silver, cheeky tongue of hers escaped her for the moment and had no intention of returning while she nursed the bump on her head. But glibness hadn't failed her yet. "That... depends, yeah? Yeah. I'm Starfleet," she tapped her combadge thoughtfully. "You're Starfleet. We're all Starfleet. I think - in the grander scheme of things - we all have clearance. Inside us all. In our hearts and... stuff." Yeah. The patriotism angle. She can go with that.

He was neither swayed nor amused by her words.

Marco narrowed his eyes as he studied the woman before him.  His eyes flickered over her face, lovely and human in appearance, her uniform, a crewman; then he focused on her words.  A feisty one, it seemed.  He took a deep breath and braced himself which one of his hands clenched the other behind him until his knuckles went white.  "I did not ask you if you were Starfleet, ma'am."  He began as evenly as he could the scowl on his face deepening, "I asked if you had clearance.  And what exactly are you doing?"

Alarms sounded in his head as he reached for his phase which was always strapped at his hip.  With his other hand he motioned for her, "Move away from the reactor, please, and we can discuss this further."   

[Kali Reyes]

Marco narrowed his eyes as he studied the woman before him.  His eyes flickered over her face, lovely and human in appearance, her uniform, a crewman; then he focused on her words.  A feisty one, it seemed.  He took a deep breath and braced himself which one of his hands clenched the other behind him until his knuckles went white.  "I did not ask you if you were Starfleet, ma'am."  He began as evenly as he could the scowl on his face deepening, "I asked if you had clearance.  And what exactly are you doing?"

Glibness might not be the best answer. She tried to explain. It was negligence. Complete and utter mechanical negligence on the part of Starbase Columbus' maintenance crew and she was here out of the goodness of her heart and free time to rectify it.

All of this translated into her just staring at the growingly irate officer.

"The uhm..." She tried pointing over her shoulder to the half-done jig.

Alarms sounded in his head as he reached for his phase which was always strapped at his hip.  With his other hand he motioned for her, "Move away from the reactor, please, and we can discuss this further."

"Stabilizing the inertial - whoa, easy big guy! Trying to explain here." She instinctively held her hands up. This was Altair IV all over again as she eyed the phaser. "Is that really necessary? Do I look like a giant Gorn to you? You can easily break me in half."

[Marco Benitez]

If Marco was the type to guffaw he'd be doing that right now as the woman raised her hands.  It seemed she was used to being accosted by the authorities.

Interesting.

He'd have to recall her records that much was certain as for her looking like a Gorn, Marco knew stalling when he heard it.  The phaser was already in his hand and he wasn't about to put it away.  "No."  He responded evenly his deep voice was smooth compared to how he was feeling, "You look like someone breaking the rules."  Again he motion, wanting her away from the reactor, "I may or may not be able to break you in half, but I can stun you and I will."

The phaser in his hand hummed to life but he did not aim it yet.  "So please, ma'am...step over here and we can talk about it, what do you say?"   

[Kali Reyes]

He'd have to recall her records that much was certain as for her looking like a Gorn, Marco knew stalling when he heard it.  The phaser was already in his hand and he wasn't about to put it away.  "No."  He responded evenly his deep voice was smooth compared to how he was feeling, "You look like someone breaking the rules."

"Fixing," she answered meekly. "One of your inertial dampener jigs is loose." When in doubt, damsel it up.

When was the last time she had a phaser drawn on her? Was all this trouble really worth the trip to the brig until her Captain chewed her out?

Hummmmmm. Click. Her eyebrow twitched. Yes, yes it was.

Again he motion, wanting her away from the reactor, "I may or may not be able to break you in half, but I can stun you and I will."

The phaser in his hand hummed to life but he did not aim it yet.  "So please, ma'am...step over here and we can talk about it, what do you say?"   

The cheeky words left her mouth faster than she could squelch it in her head. "Since you're so sweet on me... trigger finger and all. Though you could be a bit specific on your orders." A cat's grin pulled at her lips. "Where do you want me? Here?" She sashayed a bit towards him.

[Marco Benitez]

"Fixing," she answered meekly. "One of your inertial dampener jigs is loose." When in doubt, damsel it up.

When was the last time she had a phaser drawn on her? Was all this trouble really worth the trip to the brig until her Captain chewed her out?

Hummmmmm. Click. Her eyebrow twitched. Yes, yes it was.

The cheeky words left her mouth faster than she could squelch it in her head. "Since you're so sweet on me... trigger finger and all. Though you could be a bit specific on your orders." A cat's grin pulled at her lips. "Where do you want me? Here?" She sashayed a bit towards him.

Marco was about to advice the woman that he just did not care when she switched tactics.  The hair at the back of his neck stood up and his throat began to close.  His worse nightmare.  A beautiful woman using his unavoidable desire for the fairer sex against him.  Regardless of whether she meant it, (definitely not) it was unnerving to a man that was always uncomfortable with intimacy.

Damn Bloody Woman.

"Stop, right there."  He pointed with a large finger at a spot that was away from the reactor but still out of reach of himself.  Marco, however, did not aim his weapon at her but seriously wanted to. Just stun her, make her stop what she was doing and saying.

He took a deep breath and frowned angrily, "Your little act won't work on me, crewman."  Marco responded sternly as he motioned her to stand still, "Now...enough with your little games and give me your name, crewman.  We can do this the easy way or the hard way, and I can promise you, crewman, I don't mind the hard way."

[Kali Reyes]

"Stop, right there."  He pointed with a large finger at a spot that was away from the reactor but still out of reach of himself.  Marco, however, did not aim his weapon at her but seriously wanted to. Just stun her, make her stop what she was doing and saying.

Would cooperating help soften the blow of the brig? Kali reluctantly took one giant step away from her half-finished work on the jig and stood in parade rest where he pointed. The reactor hummed pleasantly to her left which was usually the second-best great feeling besides shimmying up to men.

He took a deep breath and frowned angrily, "Your little act won't work on me, crewman."  Marco responded sternly as he motioned her to stand still, "Now...enough with your little games and give me your name, crewman.  We can do this the easy way or the hard way, and I can promise you, crewman, I don't mind the hard way."

"Pity." Kali couldn't help but tease. "I really do like doing things the hard way. But really. No sabotage. Crewman Kali Reyes, USS Discovery. Shore leave, heard your reactor clicking like an old microwave, decided to be a bad girl. Check my credentials. I can't help it. It's in my nature to put my fingers into places where they don't belong." The last sentence caught on a bit of a purr, but she couldn't help that. Innuendos were kind of her specialty. It was a talent in Deltan parties. 

[Marco Benitez]

Would cooperating help soften the blow of the brig? Kali reluctantly took one giant step away from her half-finished work on the jig and stood in parade rest where he pointed. The reactor hummed pleasantly to her left which was usually the second-best great feeling besides shimmying up to men.

"Pity." Kali couldn't help but tease. "I really do like doing things the hard way. But really. No sabotage. Crewman Kali Reyes, USS Discovery. Shore leave, heard your reactor clicking like an old microwave, decided to be a bad girl. Check my credentials. I can't help it. It's in my nature to put my fingers into places where they don't belong." The last sentence caught on a bit of a purr, but she couldn't help that. Innuendos were kind of her specialty. It was a talent in Deltan parties.

The woman, thankfully, cooperated and stood where Marco had directed.  Unfortunately, she wouldn't shut up after she had given him her name.  He would check on this Kali Reyes for sure, but for now he needed to know that she wasn't carrying a weapon or anything stolen.

With the phaser still in his left hand, he used his right hand to push behind her and began prodding her body as he searched her.  He could have used a tricorder but at the moment he didn't have one, and besides, a phaser was so much better than a tricorder.  "It's in your nature to go prodding around restricted areas is it?"  He asked as his hands went to her hips and unafraid of whether she felt violated or not.  "A few months ago someone sabotaged the weapons system, so you understand why I don't like people poking around."

Finished with her, and finding nothing of importance, Marco backed off and placed his phaser back in its holster.  He stood right in front of her, looking down at her pretty face.  "Let's start with what you found and what you fixed, then we can continue with why you didn't bother to call Base Engineering Support instead?"  He tilted his head to one side and frowned at her.

[Kali Reyes]

"It's in your nature to go prodding around restricted areas is it?"  He asked as his hands went to her hips and unafraid of whether she felt violated or not.

It wasn't the first, (nor probably the last), time she dealt with a good old fashioned frisking. She let out a tiny grunt and suppressed a squirm when she was forcefully turned around and patted down. It didn't help that she was a bit ticklish.

"I dunno," she half-laughed. "Looks like you're the better expert on that!" And all the way back up at the lounge, Anderson was bemoaning the lack of male companionship these days. She should've joined Kali downstairs instead.

Finished with her, and finding nothing of importance, Marco backed off and placed his phaser back in its holster.  He stood right in front of her, looking down at her pretty face.  "Let's start with what you found and what you fixed, then we can continue with why you didn't bother to call Base Engineering Support instead?"  He tilted his head to one side and frowned at her.

Kali let out a huff of air once the security officer was done getting handsy with her tiny self. All the fun just jettisoned out of the nearest escape pod. Her hands were still carefully up in surrender when the man bridged the distance to better look at her.

"I told you already." And she got on her tippy toes just so she can try to at least bridge the five to six inch gap between them. She didn't need to get anymore distracted by tall men with rough hands. Okay, maybe a little. "Intertial dampener jig. Loose. Very noisy, but not problematic. Maintenance crew would just call it a cosmetic issue and put it on the bottom of the list. Function over form and all." 

[Marco Benitez]

If he didn't know any better, Marco would think that this woman rather enjoyed the frisking.  He narrowed his eyes at her, once again concerned with this entire concept of flirting.  He didn't understand it and he wondered if she was doing that with him?

Was she?

It wasn't the first, (nor probably the last), time she dealt with a good old fashioned frisking. She let out a tiny grunt and suppressed a squirm when she was forcefully turned around and patted down. It didn't help that she was a bit ticklish.

"I dunno," she half-laughed. "Looks like you're the better expert on that!" And all the way back up at the lounge, Anderson was bemoaning the lack of male companionship these days. She should've joined Kali downstairs instead.

Kali let out a huff of air once the security officer was done getting handsy with her tiny self. All the fun just jettisoned out of the nearest escape pod. Her hands were still carefully up in surrender when the man bridged the distance to better look at her.

"I told you already." And she got on her tippy toes just so she can try to at least bridge the five to six inch gap between them. She didn't need to get anymore distracted by tall men with rough hands. Okay, maybe a little. "Intertial dampener jig. Loose. Very noisy, but not problematic. Maintenance crew would just call it a cosmetic issue and put it on the bottom of the list. Function over form and all."

He clenched his hands behind his back in order to prevent himself from reaching out and grabbing her.  She was a feisty little thing, but his experience with women was that the small ones were the most dangerous ones.  "Cosmetic issue?"  He repeated her words.  He knew the Chief, Mr.  Howell did not seem the type to look over a cosmetic issue, not on a base anyway.  Besides, the base was new, there shouldn't be any Á¢â,¬Ëœcosmetic issues'.  This above all else worried him.

"Show me."  He ordered and motioned back to the reactor with his hand, "And no funny business."  Marco warned, he was referring to anything she may pull to try to escape; but at the moment with a woman like her it could mean just about anything.

[Kali Reyes]

"Show me."  He ordered and motioned back to the reactor with his hand, "And no funny business."  Marco warned, he was referring to anything she may pull to try to escape; but at the moment with a woman like her it could mean just about anything.

Her eyes lit up at the prospect of going back to work. "Show you? I'll do more than that. Giant dioramas and all." With a toothy grin, Kali made one giant hop away from him and practically scampered over to the reactor like a child at an amusement park.

She climbed back under into the hatch where she began the repairs and disappeared. A second later, her fingers appeared from the half-open hatch and wiggled at him to peer down and see. Inside the very cramped area was a half-done mechanical jig - it's bottom partially soldered to the frame, but only just.

Kali purred alongside the hum of the reactor when she picked up the soldering gun. "Ta-da."

[Marco Benitez]

Marco stifled the urge to roll his eyes as he hurried to keep up with her.  She definitely had a lot of energy.  He watched carefully as she made her way back and tugged at his collar uncomfortably as was introduced with her behind. The lessons Zex was giving him were working he was reacting differently to the opposite sex; too bad it happened during the strangest times and most inappropriate times.  Only when she disappeared into the workings of the reactor did he sigh a breath of relief.  "Don't go too far in, Miss Reyes, or I will have you transported straight to the brig!"  He warned, but he doubted the woman was afraid of him or his threats.

Damn bloody woman!

He nodded as she wiggled her fingers, "Yes, I see you."  Marco responded, but when she picked up what appeared to be a weapon his phaser was in his hand and aimed at her.  "Stop!"  He ordered through clenched teeth.  He should have known she would have kept her weapon here, his massive inability to trust anyone filled his head like an angry mob. "Drop it or I'll take you down right now!!"  His voice was strong and vibrated against the space.  The phaser was well aimed and in the stun setting which would only affect the woman and not the equipment.  He should just shoot her and get this all over with but he was curious to know what she did, and perhaps what she was planning on doing.

[Kali Reyes]

He nodded as she wiggled her fingers, "Yes, I see you."  Marco responded, but when she picked up what appeared to be a weapon his phaser was in his hand and aimed at her.  "Stop!"  He ordered through clenched teeth.  He should have known she would have kept her weapon here, his massive inability to trust anyone filled his head like an angry mob. "Drop it or I'll take you down right now!!"  His voice was strong and vibrated against the space.  The phaser was well aimed and in the stun setting which would only affect the woman and not the equipment.  He should just shoot her and get this all over with but he was curious to know what she did, and perhaps what she was planning on doing.

Her finger was on the trigger of the soldering gun when she suddenly got a faceful of phaser and a shout that caused her to still. "Drop...?" Kali's dark eyes drifted to her maintenance tool. The gun? Really? "You don't get out much, do you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

And of course, she couldn't help but tease. Her finger twitched. Click! A tiny trail of smoke started to burn at the tip of the gun.