Title: A Little More Social Intercourse
Summary: Inspired by bjbookcase's story, "A Little Social Intercourse." P/T, J/C. AU.
Rating: M
A/N: This story is a P/T version of events of bjbookcase's spectacular J/C story, "A Little Social Intercourse." The setting and plot are essentially the same, but the characterizations are slightly different.
I suggest reading (and reviewing!) "A Little Social Intercourse" first so this story will make sense.
archiveofourown –dot– org/works/13491189
It was another day in the Delta Quadrant, and for a change there were no interstellar crises or alien attacks. This region of space was peaceful and prosperous.
Voyager was currently orbiting Timballa III, this sector's major port-of-call, and the crew finally had the opportunity to enjoy some shore leave.
The Timballans were renowned for their hospitality. They were gracious hosts, always welcoming and cordial. Tourism was a major industry on Timballa III, and there were countless options to choose from for dining and entertainment.
Maybe too many options.
At the moment, Voyager's Chief Engineer and Chief Helmsman were debating how to spend their evening together.
"We could go to the marketplace," Tom suggested.
B'Elanna shook her head. "It's too crowded. And there's nothing there I want to buy."
"Sightseeing?"
"We went sightseeing yesterday. I think I need a break."
"It was a lot to take in all at once," he agreed.
"Maybe we could go someplace quiet and private tonight," she requested.
"Okay. That reminds me – there's this place I heard about that's very popular with the locals."
"Oh? A restaurant?"
"Not exactly. Though they do serve refreshments there."
"A coffeehouse?"
"No. It's more of an… entertainment venue."
"Like a nightclub?"
"Not quite."
She was intrigued. "Then what?"
"It's a little difficult to describe," he hedged.
"Well, what's it called?"
"'Social Intercourse.'"
"'Social Intercourse'?" she repeated, bewildered. "Isn't the term 'social discourse'? Is the universal translator malfunctioning?"
"No. The translation is accurate."
"You're being very mysterious, Tom."
"Let's just say this place provides opportunities for comparative research of different species' rituals and practices," he finally replied.
She stared at him as the pieces finally fell into place. "Are you talking about mating rituals?"
"Yeah. Think of it as a study in sociology," he said brightly.
B'Elanna shook her head in exasperation. Only Tom would try to present going to a sex club as an academic exercise.
"How is this place quiet, exactly? Or private?" she asked dubiously.
"All of their rooms are private and soundproof," he explained. "And they only allow couples or groups of couples."
"Then why is it called 'Social Intercourse'?"
"Because the walls become transparent when the door to your room is closed. Then you can see into the other rooms. You can also invite other people there to your room or accept invitations to join them in theirs."
She stared at him, attempting to gauge how serious he was. This was outside her comfort zone, but she didn't want to reject the idea outright just in case he actually had his heart set on going.
"Well, according to the Handbook on Personal Relationships, we'd have to get medical clearance from the Doctor first," B'Elanna said hesitantly. "And approval from the captain before initiating intimate relations with members of an alien species. But if we don't know who will be there ahead of time…"
"I wasn't suggesting that," he hastily interjected. "You can choose not to issue or accept invitations. It's only as interactive as you want it to be. We wouldn't have to do anything that we aren't comfortable with," he reassured her. "We wouldn't even have to take our clothes off if we didn't want to. We could just… watch."
"Oh. That's completely different, then." She visibly relaxed, the tension leaving her body.
"I should have just said that in the first place," Tom said sheepishly. "Sorry."
Maybe it would be fun, she thought. He was more adventurous than she was, but she knew he would never pressure her into anything she didn't want to do. She trusted him completely, and she certainly enjoyed exploring new experiences with him.
"Here, let me show you the informational holovid," he offered, tapping on the console to bring it up on the screen.
The holovid began with an exterior view of the establishment. To her relief, it didn't seem seedy or tawdry at all. At first glance it appeared to be an upscale restaurant or café. It looked classy, even elegant.
As dulcet music played softly in the background, the smooth, voluptuous voice of the narrator confidently described all the amenities and luxury comforts available at "Social Intercourse." Private rooms with adjustable tables. A wide variety of enticing refreshments on offer. An assortment of the finest massage oils in the sector.
The voiceover then explained how the walls of each room were not actually transparent like glass but part of a sophisticated series of projectors and viewscreens. The dark purple-hued ambient lighting ensured anonymity and discretion. Guests who desired exclusivity could indicate this with an exclusivity marker, while guests who wished to socialize could send and receive private invitations at any time.
He switched off the holovid as the screen faded to black. "So what do you think?"
"Hmmm…" she said, pretending that she might need some additional persuasion. She didn't want him to get too complacent, after all.
Reading her cues correctly, he smiled and pulled her into his arms.
"Of course I was planning to wine and dine you first to get you in the proper mood," Tom murmured, bending his head to kiss a sensuous path down the side of her neck.
B'Elanna laughed softly. "It doesn't take much to get me in the proper mood when I'm with you."
"Are you in the mood right now?" he asked, his lips drifting along her jaw line and finally settling on her mouth.
"I could be," she allowed, kissing him back deeply.
"But then what would you have to look forward to tonight?" she whispered in his ear.
After a leisurely dinner at a secluded, romantic restaurant, Tom and B'Elanna strolled into the small courtyard that led to the main entrance of their destination. The anticipation had been building all night, and they were eager to enjoy the evening's main entertainment.
As they entered the crowded foyer, their senses were inundated by exotic music playing in the background and a mix of unfamiliar but pleasant aromas.
Some of the patrons were looking a little impatient. A young Timballan male in a purple and white striped hat was anxiously reassuring them that the hostess would be right with them. One particularly large group was asking for special accommodations that he couldn't figure out how to provide.
Further back, the door to the main area was partway open. In front of it, the hostess and another Timballan male were arguing. The tall, red and black striped hat perched on the man's head identified him as a member of Timballa's peacekeeping guild.
The young server greeted Tom and B'Elanna next, looking a little harried.
"Greetings, travelers. Welcome to 'Social Intercourse.' How may I help you?"
"We have a reservation for tonight," Tom told him.
"Of course," the young man said, scrolling through the Timballan version of a PADD. "Right this way, please." He gestured for them to follow him.
"And which starship are you from?" he inquired as they walked past the waiting area and towards the door to the private rooms.
"We're from Voyager," B'Elanna replied.
The Timballan peacekeeper overheard the end of their exchange and immediately stopped arguing with the hostess.
"Excuse me," he called out. "Did you say that you're from Voyager?"
"Yes," Tom confirmed.
"If I may have a moment of your time?"
His tone was pleasant enough, but it wasn't exactly a request. He spoke with authority, as one would expect of a law enforcement officer.
Tom and B'Elanna moved closer so they could hear him over the increasing din of the foyer while the server hastily returned to the front to greet newly arriving patrons.
"I have been looking for two of your shipmates," the peacekeeper told them. "A male and a female. I tracked them here from the marketplace, but the hostess will not allow me to search the rooms."
Tom and B'Elanna glanced at each other uneasily. Just what kind of trouble had these two crewmates gotten themselves into?
In the foyer, there were now so many people waiting that the line had spilled out through the front doorway into the courtyard. The crowd was growing restless, and the young Timballan server looked like he was starting to panic. He beckoned wildly to the hostess.
The hostess frowned at the peacekeeper. "As I told you already, only patrons are allowed into the private rooms," she insisted impatiently. "I cannot allow you to disrupt the privacy of our guests. Not without a warrant."
"Perhaps I will not need to search the rooms now that I have found some of their shipmates," he conceded.
She threw up her hands and made a frustrated sound. Glowering at him and muttering about wasted time during the busiest part of the night, she made her way to the front to relieve the server and resume her hostess duties.
The peacekeeper paid her no attention.
"I believe they came in here to evade me. But I only wanted to return this to them," he said, holding up a small, wrapped package. "They dropped it in the marketplace after a… minor altercation."
"What kind of altercation?" Tom asked curiously.
"Your shipmates were shopping in a jewelry stall earlier. The vendor made an inappropriate advance towards the woman, and the man hit him in the face. Then they ran away."
Tom and B'Elanna gaped at him in disbelief.
"I questioned the jewelry vendor, and he admitted that he'd instigated the conflict," the peacekeeper continued. "The matter has been resolved. However, I have not been able to find your shipmates to share this information with them. Perhaps they would feel more comfortable if you spoke with them and returned their package to them," he finished, relinquishing it to Tom.
"We'd be happy to. In fact, let's go find them and return it right now," Tom replied, striding towards the main area with a devilish grin.
B'Elanna fell into step behind him uneasily.
The peacekeeper hadn't been able to provide them with a detailed description, so they had no idea who these shipmates were. There weren't many established couples on board Voyager. But on shore leave, anything could happen.
Catching the harassed-looking young Timballan server, Tom smoothly explained the situation and asked him to take them to their shipmates' room, subtly managing to imply that this was what the peacekeeper wanted. The server was only too glad to escape the foyer for good for the safety of the private rooms.
In contrast to the noisy, crowded foyer, the back area was quiet and had a soothing atmosphere. It took several minutes for their eyes to adjust to the dim, purple lighting as they followed the server through the maze of passageways of translucent glass walls, passing by doors at varying intervals.
"Tom," she hissed, tugging on his elbow. "I don't think it's a good idea to just barge in on them, whoever they are. What if they're in the middle of – "
"They're only hiding in here because they think that guy out there is here to arrest them," he argued, keeping his voice low. "It'll be better for them to know that they're not in any trouble. As soon as possible."
A short while later, Tom and B'Elanna finally made it to their own private room.
"Well, that was embarrassing," B'Elanna commented, pouring herself a cup of steaming hot Timballan coffee from a carafe on one of the side tables. The distinctive aroma of the exotic brew wafted throughout the room.
"More so for them than for us," Tom pointed out.
"And to think I used to worry about us getting caught in a compromising position," she exclaimed with a snort of laughter.
He couldn't help laughing as well. "At least we still had all our clothes on when Tuvok walked in on us."
"I couldn't believe my eyes at first. They were the last people I'd have expected to find here."
"What about Tuvok?" he asked.
"Okay, second-to-last," she amended.
"I wouldn't have gone in there if I'd known it was them," Tom admitted, more seriously.
"I wonder why they decided to hide in here, anyway."
"Obviously they didn't know what kind of place this was. They probably thought it was a coffeehouse. You know how the captain loves her coffee."
"They do have good coffee here," B'Elanna said, taking a sip.
"Much better than Neelix's Landras blend," he agreed, stealing a quick sip from her mug, which she tolerated with an indulgent smile.
B'Elanna wandered over to the center table and tested out the surface by pressing on it with her hand. It had initially appeared to be constructed of solid wood but on closer inspection it was actually much softer. She fiddled with the controls a moment to adjust the surface to a more comfortable setting and then lowered the table slightly so she could easily climb up and sit on top of it. Tom settled in next to her.
For a moment, they contemplated the panoramic vista of aliens of all shapes and sizes in the surrounding rooms engaged in every form of intimate contact conceivable. Some rooms were able to accommodate several guests, while the smaller rooms were designed for two.
It was rather ingenious. The elaborate system of projectors and wallscreens gave the illusion of being able to see through the walls, but the view was decidedly hazy and unfocused.
In one large room directly to their right, they could discern the shadows of over a dozen humanoids of various species dancing gracefully along the wall. Some participants were stroking and fondling each other, while others were writhing and managing some very acrobatic maneuvering.
It was definitely stimulating.
This was a place for those seeking variety and novelty to indulge in their wildest fantasies.
B'Elanna caught Tom's eye and gave him an appreciative smile.
"I'm glad we ended up here instead of going to the marketplace," he remarked.
"Why? Are you worried that the jewelry vendor would proposition me and you'd have to punch him in the face?"
"No. If he'd done that, you would have punched him in the face yourself."
"True," she acknowledged.
"I would have helped you escape, though," he said teasingly. "Then Tuvok would have had to bail all four of us out of jail."
"I can just imagine the look on his face," she said dryly.
Tom laughed. He had been detained before on Banea, and he and Chakotay had both been arrested on a space station. B'Elanna had been taken into custody on the Mari homeworld. But the captain had never been arrested before. Tuvok's head would probably implode.
"Especially once he found out we'd all been hiding in here," she added.
"The entire crew would be gossiping about it for weeks," he agreed.
"So much for us senior officers 'maintaining the standard for the rest of the crew'!"
They couldn't stop laughing.
"I still can't believe they thought the Timballan peacekeeper was out to arrest them, when all he wanted to do was return the package they dropped in the marketplace," B'Elanna declared, shaking her head in disbelief.
"It's not like them to try to avoid arrest. Captain Janeway usually seeks a diplomatic solution first. Maybe they were intoxicated," he speculated. "They might have ingested something at the marketplace that impaired their judgment. That could also explain how the captain let Chakotay talk her into initiating docking maneuvers."
"They were only pretending," she reminded him. "They couldn't have actually been doing anything in the position they were in, as you so tactfully pointed out."
"Not like the Timballans or anyone else here would know the difference," he said. "We're the only humans they've ever seen. How would they know how humans have sex?"
"They were probably counting on that."
Finished with her coffee, B'Elanna hopped gracefully off the table and set the empty mug back on a tray on the side table.
Tom made his way to her side. He slid his arms around her shoulders, and she smiled up at him.
"Let's show them how it's really done," he murmured, just before his lips touched hers.
Meanwhile, Chakotay and Kathryn were still anxiously waiting for the hostess to return to their room so they could get back to Voyager.
The hostess was taking forever to get back to them. Chakotay figured it was far more crowded than when they had first arrived and she was most likely dealing with the backlog caused by the Timballan peacekeeper's presence earlier.
As they waited, he couldn't help glancing over at the room Tom and B'Elanna now occupied.
Chakotay shook his head, chuckling to himself. Apparently, "getting out of here," had only meant getting out of this room and not the establishment itself.
He had to admit that this place lived up to its promise of anonymity. In the dark lighting, he couldn't even make out the ridges on B'Elanna's forehead on the wallscreen.
From what he could tell, so far Tom and B'Elanna had only been talking and drinking coffee. They liked coffee. Not as much as Kathryn did, but then, no one was quite as fanatical about it as she was.
Kathryn had gotten impatient and poured herself another large cup of the Timballan brew.
He considered another cup for himself but decided not to. He was already feeling more than a little overheated. And he wouldn't need caffeine to be up all night tonight.
"They must have planned to spend the evening here," she said, a hint of disapproval in her voice.
Chakotay shrugged. He didn't think it was all that unusual. Tom and B'Elanna were mutually consenting adults, after all, and they were in love.
"They probably have more privacy here than they do on Voyager," he pointed out. "At least the walls are soundproof here."
Tom and B'Elanna both tended to be very loud and enthusiastic when they were in the throes of passion. As Seven had phrased it, there was no one on Deck Nine, Section Twelve who didn't know when they were having intimate relations.
Kathryn snorted. "This place is hardly private."
"Better here than the upper level of Main Engineering," he said wryly.
Her lips quirked slightly. "Those were unusual circumstances," she stated primly, rapidly regaining her composure.
"At least no one else here knows who they are. I only recognized them because they were just in here."
"I suppose that's true," Kathryn conceded.
"And Voyager is leaving in a few days and will never pass through this sector again. No one will ever see us here again."
She looked at him sharply.
"I mean, them," he hurriedly corrected himself. He hadn't meant to let that slip. Now it sounded like he was attempting to convince her that they should stay as well.
He tried to look nonchalant, but she was still eyeing him suspiciously.
He sighed. The truth was, he didn't think this place was sleazy or perverted at all. Risqué, perhaps. Unconventional, certainly. But not a den of debauchery as she'd proclaimed earlier. He wouldn't have minded staying if she'd wanted to.
Chakotay had to admit that he was surprised by Kathryn's prudishness. She generally seemed so cosmopolitan and unflappable, and as a scientist, a basic biological function like sex shouldn't embarrass her quite this much.
He'd always thought her objections to getting involved with him were due to her deference to protocol rather than her personal beliefs about morality.
But maybe she just didn't want their first time to be here. She'd said she wanted more privacy, which was understandable. It was already nerve-wracking enough without witnesses.
Maybe Kathryn would be more open-minded after they'd been together as long as Tom and B'Elanna had. He fervently hoped so.
He fidgeted again. Where was the hostess? At this rate they'd never get back to Voyager.
He was trying to avoid staring at Tom and B'Elanna's room, but his eyes kept darting back in that direction. Their silhouettes were still upright, but they were now locked in a passionate embrace.
Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Kathryn was now standing near the side table, completely motionless. Her cheeks were flushed, and he didn't think it was because of the hot coffee she'd been drinking. She seemed to be transfixed and unable to tear her eyes away.
Her eyes widened, and he couldn't help but follow her gaze.
Currently, B'Elanna appeared to be lying on her back on the table with her legs slung over Tom's shoulders and back. He was kneeling on the ground and had his head buried between her thighs.
Chakotay suddenly felt uncomfortably warm.
They were definitely not pretending.
He turned his eyes to Kathryn. Her eyes met his for a moment, and she blushed even more deeply before quickly looking away.
After a few minutes, he risked another peek at Tom and B'Elanna's room, just in time to catch the sight of B'Elanna's back arching in ecstasy.
That hadn't taken very long, Chakotay noted with surprise. Either Paris must have some impressive technique or B'Elanna's Klingon heritage made it easier for her to reach climax quickly. Maybe both.
He wasn't usually into voyeurism, but it was difficult not to watch the scene unfolding before them.
This setting did enhance eroticism.
The lack of lighting offered only teasing glimpses rather than anything explicit. They had both fallen silent, and the only sounds were the soft strains of music playing in the background.
When he looked over again, Tom and B'Elanna were undressing each other. They'd dispensed with the table for the moment and were up against the wall.
He couldn't make out many specific details, mostly just a blur of motion as Tom slid B'Elanna's dress over her head and she expertly removed his shirt and pants. Then suddenly she was kneeling on the floor at his feet.
Kathryn wasn't even trying to hide it anymore. She was openly staring.
They could only see indistinct shadowy outlines, but imagination filled in the rest.
Chakotay forced himself not to peer directly at them and instead focus on other aspects of the environment.
Their room was the same size as the one he and Kathryn were in, designed for privacy for two people.
He observed the softly glowing white sphere floating over the middle of their table, where it would surely remain for the duration of the evening.
Kathryn made a strangled sound, and his eyes were drawn back to Tom and B'Elanna.
They were back on the table again. Tom was on top of B'Elanna, and her legs were wrapped tightly around his waist. They were rocking back and forth hard enough to make the sturdy table shake.
That was surprising, Chakotay thought. He would have thought that B'Elanna preferred to be on top.
They weren't doing anything all that unusual, but it was still riveting. The added titillation of watching people they knew made it irresistible.
Chakotay closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. It had been a long time since he'd had any meaningful intimate contact.
It suddenly occurred to him that it had been even longer for Kathryn, if one didn't count holograms. Which he didn't.
To distract himself, he concentrated on fixing his hair and smoothing the wrinkles out of his clothing, desperately trying to think of anything else. Tomorrow's duty roster. Mentally cataloging their purchases from the marketplace. Rummaging through his pockets for their claim chip, which they'd need to retrieve their packages from the storage locker up front.
Finally, at long last, the hostess arrived, slightly out of breath, apologizing profusely for the delay.
As they prepared to exit the room, Chakotay glanced back one last time. B'Elanna was lying face-down on the table, and Tom was massaging her back. He idly wondered which flavor of massage oil they had chosen.
He turned to Kathryn and caught hold of her hand.
"What do you think? Should we ask for some of that chocolate massage oil to bring back to Voyager with us?"
"Excellent idea, Chakotay," she said with approval.
B'Elanna sighed contentedly. It hadn't taken long for her to get over her inhibitions and want to do more than just watch.
Though watching had been arousing too.
They'd discovered that the brightly colored aromatic containers on the other side table contained massage oil, and they'd chosen one with a scent vaguely reminiscent of cinnamon.
"Did you get the feeling that somebody was watching us?" Tom drawled.
"And to think we were trying so hard to be more careful with appearances," she said sardonically.
"So much for not prying into the personal lives of the crew," he snickered.
"Are they still there?" she asked.
"They just left," he told her. "And they were holding hands," he added.
B'Elanna shrugged. "If they choose to pursue a relationship, that's their business," she said philosophically.
"Only there's no one to give the captain orders to use better judgment," he chuckled.
"Think we gave them enough of a display?" she asked conspiratorially.
"Oh, yeah. We sure gave them an eyeful."
"At least the captain can't accuse us of engaging in adolescent behavior this time."
"No, I would say our behavior tonight has been very… adult," he said, trying to keep a straight face but not quite succeeding.
She laughed.
He continued massaging her lower back, then moved his hand even lower to stimulate other regions of her anatomy. His fingertips grazed her most sensitive areas, eliciting a sharp gasp.
"Like I said earlier," he murmured huskily in her ear, "A few inches can make all the difference in the world between success and failure when it comes to sex."
B'Elanna shifted, pushing herself up to her knees and elbows, then gave him a meaningful look.
"In that case, you'd better get up here and put your 'inches' to good use, Lieutenant."
"Yes, ma'am," Tom said smartly. He climbed up on the table behind her and thrust deeply into her waiting center, making them both groan with ecstasy.
For them, any kind of intercourse was always exquisitely pleasurable, social or not.
The End!