insouciance

/ɪnˈsuːsɪəns/

noun

• casual lack of concern; indifference: “an impression of boyish insouciance”

Ellis Pennington awoke to discover that he was starting the day in pretty much his Favorite way – in a tangle of enthusiastic limbs.

Ensign Tobin (Micheal from last night. Thigh – shudderingly dark looks, smile as light as a morning breeze) was doing something unexpected, but equally welcome, in his crotch.

At the same time, the Andorian Ethar Ch’zyqon was doing something extremely complex and complimentary in his nether regions with her antennae and even Ellis (as a reasonably worldly – Risian) had to admit that THAT was a new experience for him – which being actually new was (in turn) extremely exciting for a young body, with a soul so jaded as his.

Sometimes it sucked to be the Risian, sometimes the Risian sucked you. If you were really lucky, someone else did it without a safe – word.

Ellis was just trying to explore some suitably witty and erudite way to express this sentiment for maximum sexual impact, whilst retaining his boyism charm (and not to best distract Ethar from the miracles she was performing back there), when his deliriously deleterious tangle of arms and desires was suddenly interrupted by a harsh admonishment and the impact of a rather painful object in his left buttock.

“OW! Fucking WHAT!” Ellis roared and his body instinctively jerked away from the source of pain – which sadly caused Micheal to lose focus on his own source of pleasure and Ellis Pennington’s morning went to shit – just like that.

Liliana Tobin stood framed in suddenly – blinding light from the doorway, her silhouette quivering in abject outrage as she screamed thusly:

“You absolute fucking BASTARD!” Her voice hysteric. “After everything we’ve been through, I thought that you fucking LOVED ME!”

Ensign Micheal Tobin extricated himself from betwixt Ellis and made a fair attempt and extricating himself from the tangle of sheets and human/Andorian lovers – whilst all the while making an admirable ‘Hail – Mary’ attempt to quantify the – rather sticky love – triangle his wife had suddenly encountered him entwined within.

“Lilli…” Micheal began…” Oh my darling! I’m so SORRY my love! It was just a crazy moment of…”

Petty Officer Liliana Tobin took up another ornament and hurled the glassware at the manage – a – trois, that she had caught “in – coitus”, a look of fury in her eye and the curl of upset hair.

“Not You, Mike!!” Tears cascaded down her face and her shoulder’s slumped in recognition and defeat.

Ensign Micheal Tobin managed to draw his magnificent chest to his elbows and looked thoroughly confused.

“Ellis…. really? How COULD you?” Liliana sobbed and that was when Ensign Ellis Pennington decided that discretion had just royally – fucked the better points of valor and a hasty retreat was the only way to save anything tangible from the rout that this morning’s most – delicious root had disappointingly just become.

“And I didn’t even come.” Ellis thought sadly, as he reached for his clothing.

The Andorian, Leading Crewman Ethar Ch’zyqon, laughed lightly and rolled onto her smooth, blue back – lighting a thin cheroot of pungent Choan and reflecting on how hot – blooded humans always were and wondering if Ellis might actually not be as cold – blooded as she?

Micheal was now looking from his intruding wife to his exfiltrating lover, with such a look of beautiful, stupid confusion on his handsome face, that Ellis momentarily considered fucking him again and somehow convincing Liliana to overlook the whole affair and embrace a (hitherto) Undiscovered Country of liberal – extremism and join them; one that he was pretty much sure, from hard experience, that she didn’t really possess.

“Solitude sharpens awareness of small pleasures otherwise lost.” Ellis reflected on his Kevin Patterson, with a small smile.

“Lili – My Angel.” Ensign Ellis Pennington shrugged as he pulled on his boots and smoothly pushed his way past the jilted lovers and out into the corridor.

“Love’s such a ‘Pejorative’ – term, don’t you think?”

Ellis smiled, in that disarmingly boyish way of his, “Look – I’m super – late for work, but I’d love to explore this whole…thing…whatever this is… with both you and Micheal later, when I get off bridge – duty? What say we all meet later at the “Last Resort” for drinks and then we can all talk this out? Hey? Ethar here, could come too? She makes the BEST Andorian Spritz! BLOW your fucking – mind, believe me!”

Ethar Ch’zyqon rolled her pale blue eyes and exhaled a billowing – column of smoke from her lips and made an unhelpful “I – don’t – really – think – so” gesture with a flap of her slim hand.

Despite his particular lineage and the genetic heritage that made him positively exude a pheromonic onslaught of sexual allure – if Ensign Ellis Pennington had one secret weapon – it was assuredly his apparent boyish innocence.

If the USS Valley Forge’s combat encounters were cross referenced with its young Helmsman’s sexual encounters on an even keel and an algorithm for whom was the most effective was arrived at – the Excelsior-II would still be in drydock and Ellis would be being studied, in depth, by the finest minds of the ASDB.

“What? I Don’t…” Liliana began as Ellis breezed past and brushed her cheek with his lips.

“Lili, love you babe, honestly – I do! Complicated – VERY! Talk later.” Ellis made a small bow and prayer shape with his hands as he extricated himself from the awkwardness he had created.

He smiled at Liliana’s gorgeous husband, with no small amount of genuine regret. The man was SMOKING, far more so than his wife.

“Micheal, my darling– don’t get up lovely – repose, be just the way you are, where you are!” Pennington squeezed his elbow and somehow was already at the Turbolift.

“Ethi, you beautiful blue – bitch! – Call me!” Ellis winked, impishly miming tapping his comm – badge, as the Turbolift – doors hissed shut.

Leading Crewman Ethar Ch’zyqon laughed again and drew on her cheroot – her vertiginous Andorian antennae writhing with wan – amusement as she sought and covered herself with a dry portion of bedsheet.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Location: USS Valley Forge, Bridge, Deck #1.

Ensign Ellis Pennington stepped out onto the bridge of the USS Valley Forge and felt an entirely different kind of rush.

He was only four minutes late.

“Not bad, all things considered.” Ellis thought as he straightened his uniform and remembered to replace his commbadge from the pocket he had placed it into – when he had realized that his campaign of conquest might conceivably win him both Mr. and Mrs. Tobin, as a matched set (and then who knew what other possible pleasures might abound?)

He smiled contentedly as he made his way around the circumference of the busy bridge – space.

As a Risian, Ellis looked very similar to a “N – Type” Human, if it was not for the tiny nub of raised skin between his eyebrows, you might mistake Ellis for any other Terran.

He was neither remarkable looking (though he was pleasant to look at, he had nothing that you might stop twice to consider), he did not carry himself as some sort of irresistible Lothario and insinuate unwanted sexual advances (in fact you could say that he was somewhat dull), he did not dress impeccably or try to domineer socially.

But he was Risian.

Born on the infamous pleasure planet, Ellis Pennington could no less be unattractive to any member of any sex, species, inclination or deviation; than a Klingon could not seek an honorable death in battle. It was just genetic and endemic to all of his race – but that did not make his career trajectory through Starfleet any the easier.

Here and now. Case in point.

As Ellis made to relieve Petty Officer Reves from (his) Helm position and take over the fantastic honor of piloting the USS Valley Forge as her Chief Flight Officer, he was brought up short by the smooth intonation of the Executive Officer, as he inhabited the Command Chair.

“Mr. Pennington.” Commander Talland smiled, his tone unconcerned, “How good of you to join us. Before you relieve Petty Officer Reves and take the CONN, the Captain has requested the pleasure of your company in her Ready Room.”

Nonplussed, Ensign Pennington stood for a moment, his gaze went from the duty Helmsman to that of the XO, then he smiled easily.

“Of course, Commander. Santiago – would you mind keeping us straight and true for just a few more moments?”

The current Helmsman, Petty Santiago Officer Reves, smiled a small smile and responded.

“Aye Ensign, I still have the CONN.”

“And it was shaping up to be such a NICE morning….” Ellis sighed as he made his way to the door of Captain Hyland’s Ready Room, there to endure her likely judgement……again….