Rico’s Quarters - What babysitters do when parents are out on USS Ogawa : : : : : : : Rico knelt down beside Ally and the buggy with the two children and readjusted the too large hat on Sabines head, then gave Julia a grin as he looked back to Ally. “That was a little out of my dancing experience” he told her with a smirk, “but at least I got the rhythm right at the end there, I think. No?” Rico knew it had been terrible, but he kind of enjoyed the way the babies giggles at it. Well one of them anyway, the boy looked like he had dirtied his nappy with the expression on his face, or maybe it was just that half his face was covered by the pirate hat. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “I think you are perfect,” Ally said leaning forward and pressing her lips to Rico’s in a brief but tender kiss. “Tonight…when they go to sleep,” Ally did a not so discreet head bob towards the Reez kids, “I would love to see,” she spoke in a slow seductive tone with her lips just inches from his, “that ending again but this time with jazz hands,” she could not hold back her laughter any longer. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : In response Rico did just that, raising his hands to each side and putting on a large and cheesy smile, eyes wide as he jazzed handed right in font of Ally. I told you he was fun Julia said, looking at Sabine, The douche is trying to hard, that wasn’t even smooth Sabine said back, trying to adjust the hat but only succeeding in pulling it further down over his head. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Ally also could not hold back the urge to kiss him. Throwing her arms around his neck, Ally kissed Rico just a moment longer than might be considered polite in public, but slow enough to promise Rico he would get his reward later. If they were not babysitting, Ally might have suggested they find a deserted section of the amusement park and offer to be taken as pirate booty but they did have two small charges with them. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Rico returned the kiss, after all he had to get some kind of reward for making a fool of himself for the entertainment of someone elses children, and while more had been promised later he was the kind of pirate that appreciated quick booty when it was offered. Beside them Sabine succeeded in pushing the hat back up so his eyes were free once more and he looked at the two grown ups beside him. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “Now what if we go get some popsicles,” Ally suggested slowly lowering herself to a flat-footed position. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “That is a fantastic idea” Rico told her, “They can have popsicles right?” Rico actually had no idea if they could or not, but if they could eat things like mashed vegetables surely they deserved a treat. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : I think that is great but the “Da da” still could use a few more dance lessons Sabine said. The sound of da da stopped Ally instantly and turned her a pale shade of white. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : “Rico....Rico,” she said in a desperate tone. “Did you just hear....da....da,” Ally’s voice had a panicked quality to it. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Lt. Ally Scott, Medical : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Pausing from packing up the buggy and making sure they had everything, Rico looked up at Ally without any kind of concerned expression. “Huh?” he asked her, “Yeah I heard the boy make some kind of sound....” : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Rico suddenly paused and looked at Ally, then at Sabine and back at Ally. His face slightly confused but not concerned. “He said da da didn’t he? Like ‘Duh Duh’ right? I mean he made those sounds kinda sound like…” : : : : : : : : : : : : : “Shut up,” Ally clapped a hand over Rico’s mouth like he had said the foulest word ever. Slowly she turned her head enough to look at the kids and then back at Rico. “Okay we are not saying the word again,” Ally said slowly and methodically like she was a security officer trying to coax a criminal to cooperate. “Saying that word will reinforce that word and we do not want to reinforce that word. Jon and Melaia need to be the ones to hear that word. Do you understand me Rico,” Ally locked eyes with Rico making sure he understood before removing her hand. : : : : : : : : : : : : : Now a look that kind of looked like a little shock took over Rico’s features. “Ally, they can talk right? They just don’t talk much, right?” I mean they are Betazoid, partly, aren’t they? So they talk to each other with their minds right? It’s not like he just called me Da Da, is it. “He’s said that before hasn’t he?” : : : : : : : : : : : : “Rico,” Ally was not gentle this time. She did not place a hand over his mouth but shoved him hard with all her might as if trying to force him away from the kids. “What did I say? I did not say say that. What part of we do not use the words we do not speak of do you not understand,” she narrowed her eyes and pointed a finger at him. “No more.” she now looked at him like she could break him in half. The words that we do not speak of are a milestone. They are once in a lifetime words and even though I am not best buds with Melaia I think the thought that I heard them and not her would send her into a mopey tail spin so you take this to your grave Rico Vanhall,” Ally sighed putting her hands on her hips. “I’m serious,” Ally said with a hint of pleading. “No one can no,” she replied as if they were sharing a secret that would destroy the Federation. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Julia looked at Sabine and narrowed her eyes What are you doing? Stop that Sabine Julia scolded him, He’s nice, I like him and this mommy, stop it In response Sabine looked back at her with a cheeky smile Oh no, I think this is fun, this is way more fun than that stupid pirate dance, I mean I would love to see “Da Da” do that. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Rico stood up and looked at Ally with a kind of look of horror. “That wasn’t what it sounded like, trust me” he told her and looked back at the two Reez children. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Sabine Stop! Julia said, getting herself worked up but looking up at Ally and smiling to try and reassure her. Can’t you see you are worrying the “Mum mum” Somehow? In Julia’s effort to make Ally smile she didn’t realise she had also made the right sounds. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : Lieutenant Rico Vanhall : : : : : : : CoS : : : : : : : : : : : : “Oh god, ” Ally froze and then began running her fingers through her hair. “Now she is doing it,” Ally threw up her hands. “What are we going to do,” she looked at Rico before repeating the question in a hushed whisper. : : : : : : : : : : “I Know” Rico told her, “You doctors can wipe peoples memories right?” The plan was running through his mind and taking shape quickly, “We just sneak them into sickbay and you can wipe their memories of ever calling us that, and done! They won’t know it and they will call the Reez’s mommy and daddy first!” Rico nodded in satisfaction of a good idea, he was a tried and true fixer. : : : : : : : : : : Both Sabine and Julia looked at him in horror, and then at each other. Is he serious? Julia asked Of course not Sabine replied to his sister, we’re too young for our memory patterns to have established yet, it might be more effective on that primate than us, but only barely. : : : : : : : : : : : : Looking off into the distance with a blank stare Ally sighed heavily. “We knock and run,” she said walking back to the carriage and beginning to push. “We go to the Reez’s quarters, knock on their door, and run away,” she decided as she pushed the stroller towards the entrance of the holodeck. : : : : : : : : : : : : Lt. Allison Scott, Medical : : : : : : : : : : “I kinda like my idea better” Rico said, faking a pout and walking beside her as they exited the holodeck, looking back regretfully at the cannons on the side of the deck. He had been looking forward to firing them. : : : : : : : : : : “So that’s your great idea? Just knock and run?” he shook his head, “That’s never going to work” he said, “I mean that’s just not you Ally, and what happens if they call out those words as we run away? Do you want to risk that? Melaia and Jonathon will expect an hour long tale of what they got up to and how cute they are, unless” Rico thought for a moment, “They are asleep when we get there, then we can leave them to their parents to put to bed.” He looked at the kids and then back at Ally. “It’s late” he said, “How come they aren’t asleep yet?” : : : : : : : : : : Lt Vanhall : : : : : CoS : : : : : : : : Ooc: guys I’m really enjoying this thread :) : : : : : : “Yes that is my brilliant idea,” Ally snapped at Rico, “and it is sound and solid plan. We do need to get them to sleep though first. Computer,” she hollered out, “change program to Catalina Cruising night edition,” she ordered. Instantly the loud fan fare and colorful sights winked out to be replaced with a dark night speckled with white diamond stars. The hard wood pier and loud carnival music of Pirate Land was replaced with cedar decking and waves lapping the white painted Aluminum hull of a catamaran. The night air was cool but not cold and held a salty smell that brought a smile to Ally’s face. With the sudden change in scenery to a much smaller ship, Rico put his arms out to each side as if to find his balance and looked around. “We’re in the middle of the ocean?” He asked, “With sharks? Ally tell me there are no Sharks in this program.” : : : : : : “Watch them for a second,” she ordered Rico. Letting go of the stroller, Ally walked over to the door leading into the small cabin of the ship and exited with two infant sized life vests and a small basket. Dropping the basket to her feet she then set out to dress the infants. “Help me put them on the kids,” Ally said handing one of the bright orange life vests to Rico. taking the vest, Rico turned the thing over a few times till he worked out where the front and top was, then knelt down and began to fit Sabine with the vest. “You know” Rico told the youngster, “Life jackets and pirate hats don’t really go together, but we have to follow the Captains wishes, makes things easier in the long run.” : : : : : : “Here we go pretty girl,” Ally said sliding the bulky but soft material around Julia’s neck. : : : : : : Julia instantly shot her brother a look as Ally fastened the tabs. Sabine, the “Mommy” does know we are not really on the water, she asked her brother. : : : : : : “Oh stop saying that,” Ally hushed the baby girl waving her hands almost in a pleading gesture. “Rico you need to get them to stop saying that,” she then replied giving her boyfriend a frustrated glance as she began to buckle and clip Julia up snugly. “Wait no…just ignore it. If we give them no more positive feedback they wont attach meaning to the words and we will be golden,” Scott said out loud to reassure herself. “I’m telling you” Rico grinned at her then waved a hand around his head and made a buzzing sound. “Memory wipe, it’ll do the trick.” : : : : : : I feel like I am in a neck brace, Julia grumbled as Ally reclined the seat of the stroller so Julia and Sabine were flat on their backs staring up at the stars. : : : : : : Lt. Allison Scott, Medical

Standing, Rico moved over to Ally and came up behind her. The gentle swaying of the catamaran plus the ocean breeze, the sound of water lapping at the hull and the stars above them covering the sky without any interference from the city lights gave him a rare moment of peace. Gently Rico threaded his arms between hers and around her waist, pulling her back into his chest and placing his cheek against hers as he looked over the stars and moon. “I like this” he told her softly, his voice barely a whisper. “My gorgeous girl, a quiet and beautiful night, and you playing mother to a pair of gorgeous kids. It’s enough to make me want to take you home and make our own little family, or at least try, a lot.”

Lt Vanhall
CoS