Tag team

Rye did her best to ignore the fact that the person currently running their hands up her bare thighs was both a highly attractive woman, and someone she was not currently involved with. “I’m telling ya, Bleu, there’s nothing wrong with me.” She grumbled, hoping that complaining would hide any potential embarrassment. “Nonsense, chief engineer. You took three significant blows to your upper legs before knocking your opponent out of the ring in that last bout, and I’m not going to let you screw up this afternoon because you’re too proud to let me check and make sure nothing got broken.” The Queri medic released Rye’s legs at that point and stepped back. “Just mild bruising, nothing to worry about after all. Try not to give me work to do again though.” She muttered before turning and heading for the door. “I’m going to go and see if I can track down the ingredients for a tonic for you both after this afternoon’s efforts.”

The bunny girl watched her go, before sinking back onto the bench she was lying on with a sigh of relief. At least Dustin hadn’t been around to see her getting flustered by the doctor - their matches had moved out of sync due to other bouts running long, and he was currently fighting. As she thought that, another voice intruded on her consciousness. “Do you want to talk about getting hands on with our doctor?” She winced, before throwing a glare to one side. Emely was sat cross-legged on the other bench in the room, tails wagging cheekily behind her. “Shut up, Emmz.” Rye said, trying and failing to find something suitable to throw at the fox girl.

“Sorry, Rye. Just a little jealous… of our medic, of course. Want me to come over there and finish what she started?” The sarcasm dripped off the bubbly woman’s tongue like honey, and Rye sighed. “Later, maybe. Bleu might have called it mild bruising, but it still stings like hell. Not gonna get in the way when I help Dusty later, but will put one hell of a dampener on any fun between you and me. Otherwise I’d be all for it. Soz, Emmz.” Emely sighed at that, but accepted the reasoning. “So, if I’m not going to help you out… Should we talk about the doctor?”

Rye grunted and lifted herself into a half-sitting position. “What about Bleu?” Emely gave a vague gesture towards Rye’s legs. “She’s an idiot that can’t articulate what she wants. I’d give you any odds you want that she’s into sir - and at least a few of the rest of us.” Rye shrugged. “You think anything with a pulse is into Dusty. Admittedly, I can understand why, but that’s not worth betting over.” Then the Rabyth sat up fully and grinned. “You’re probably thinking the same things about Naera too, aren’t you?” Emely’s blush caused the bunny girl to grin. “Knew it. Well, here’s a proper bet then. If neither of them have gotten involved with Dusty by the time we leave Earth space, you use your next date night to watch Dusty play with me.”

Emely tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Alright. If either of them do, then you’ll give up your next date night to work on that toy I asked for - and help Dustin check it works with me.” Rye crossed the floor and stuck out a hand. “Deal.” Then Emely’s face broke into one of the far too fox-like grins her species was known for; this time when she spoke her tone was all slyness. “What about if both of them get with the captain?” Rye blinked, Emely’s hand still in hers. “Huh.” Then she too grinned. “Well, if that happens I guess we both lose. How about we call Dusty and Treacle into a room and tell them both that we’ve been bad girls and let them decide what our forfeit is?” Emely’s answering nod was all too eager.

Rye was still turning her lover’s bet over in her brain as she stood next to Dustin and stretched a hour or so later. “You ready for this, love?” he said, rolling his own shoulders and hopping lightly from foot to foot to warm up. “Course, Dusty. We practiced a bunch on the ship, remember?” As she said that, the doors opened and the afternoon event began; the pair hurried out into the warm sands and took a moment to take in the changes to the arena. There were more one on one fights booked for the next day; they’d both won enough rounds to stay on - and it looked likely they’d face each other in the finals. Whoever won that fight would be going on to the main colosseum towards the end of the tourney, but for now their focus was on the tag team event.

The arena had been split into quarters; in each, a short net split the area in half. Staff stood nearby each net, holding a ball and awaiting the challengers. “First to three wins round one and picks a member of the losing team, round two is first to five and pick, last round is first to seven keeps their team-mates and then it’s a fight, winner is the last to still have members within the ring.” Dustin said, taking Rye’s hand and squeezing it - as much for his own benefit as for hers. Their opponents for the first match waved - a pair of squat kangaroo like aliens, one of whom had apparently lost rapidly to Rye in the first round of the solo battles earlier.

Unsurprisingly, given Rye had beaten them in a one on one, the duo event ended with Dustin slamming the ball between the two opponents and it bouncing free of the ring signalling the final point needed. He let the bunny girl by his side pick which of the aliens they would be joined by, instead focusing on sizing up their next opponents who’s match was still ongoing. As a result, the second round (against a pair of insectoids who moved with sudden jerky movements) was - while more challenging - also a forgone conclusion. The final match took longer - ball after ball slamming either side of the net until with a cheer the avian pair who had formed the core of the other team ran cover for one another and sent the ball skidding in a way neither human nor Rabyth could predict.

“Us vs them, Dusty” Rye said, breathing heavily as the others on their team bowed and left the arena. “How do you want to play it?” Dustin frowned as he stared at the four figures shaking out their tiredness while the net was being cleared away. “I’ll break left, you go right, aim to get the birds out if you can first” he half-whispered. “Leave the cat and the lizard to last.” That was all the planning time they had before being called to their starting positions for the final bout of the team fight.

Elsewhere, Naera watched nervously as Trea’k and Meli sampled the bowls she had set before them. “Well?” She asked after a moment’s fidgeting. “The citrus is nice, but my brain expects citrus and dairy to react badly.” Meli said, to a nod from the Vex’ess envoy. “The mixed berry is sublime, and tastes similar but not too similar to some Earth fruits I know the captain has eaten previously.” Trea’k added, gesturing to the reddish-purple streaks running through the bowl in front of her. “I would go with that to welcome them back aboard if I were the one cooking.”

The Caenii woman nodded, making a brief note on her tablet before moving to clear the bowls off of the ready room table. “Thanks, both of you. Appreciate the help.” Trea’k inclined her head. “You are most welcome, Naera. However, if you might excuse us - I have a few matters to discuss with the science officer before I go to sleep.” Naera picked up the tray she had been stacking bowls on. “Of course. Call if you need anything, otherwise I’ll be trying a few more recipes out in the galley. I’m pretty sure I know where I went wrong making Feliaxian souffle yesterday - differences between the types of egg we have available and the ones traditionally used. I wanna get it right before the others get back.”

Staring at the door after Naera left for a moment, Meli turned to her lover. “Did you really have things to discuss, or did you just want some alone time without the chef around?” Trea’k gave a delicate shrug, crossing the floor. “Both, perhaps? Sola - be a dear and open the ambassadorial bedroom would you? I could do with a little relaxation before… well, not exactly before bed.” The Velca woman turned and raised an eyebrow. “Oh really?” A moment later, the hissing of the wall opening into Dustin’s private bedchamber was joined by the sound of a kiss.