The mess hall was thumping with music and the dance floor was packed. Spock shook his head, watching from their table. Had it really only taken an hour and some alcohol to reduce the finest in Starfleet to this?

Kirk sat at the head of their table. He was already pretty buzzed and was looking forward to his plans for tonight. Sulu and Pavel sat next to Scotty and Bones. Pavel was looking kind of dazed and Sulu was playing with the peanuts. Bones looked sour to Scotty's giant sweet grin.

Uhura and Donna were chatting in a loud and intimidating way next to Spock. Apparently they were scrutinizing staff's personal clothing choices from what he was hearing.

Marie did not drink as much as her counter-parts, Spock noticed and actually did not seem to be reacting to the alcohol she had consumed.

Spock was about to inquire but Kirk beat him to it. "Hey, hot-stuff, don't drink?" Kirk asked swigging so Andorian firewater.

"Oh, I drink," Marie, replied glancing away from the dance floor to her Captain.

"So why the sober face?"

"I need to drink a lot to get drunk and I just don't feel like drinking a whole bottle of whiskey tonight," she said with a confident smile.

"Whoa whoa, there isn't anyway you can out drink me though." Kirk said sitting up a bit more.

Spock quirked an eyebrow, "Captain, from watching her, I believe Marie is telling the truth. Her alcohol tolerance seems to be quite high."

"Jim, don't drink any more. I don't wanna deal with ya' giant hang over tommora'" McCoy complained. His accent always came out a bit more when he was drunk.

"It iz true, Keptin. Koshechka iz better zan me at zhe drinking." Apparently the accent thing was true for Pavel too. Marie giggled listening to him. "Ah, do not laugh at meee"

"What in the Sam 'ell did you jus' call 'er, Chekov?"

"Ah, a keeten or a pussycat." he looked down at his drink seemingly embarrassed.

Kirk's eyes bore into him. "Why did you call her that?" he asked, elongating the last word.

"Em, well, um, you see—" he trailed off. He implored Marie with his eyes. She nodded. "I noteeced vhile ve vere vith King Rullum zat she has a most feline like bodee structure."

Spock watched as each of the men at the table not so subtly appraised Marie. Spock was included of course. He notice that her sleek hair and streamline body could be compared that of a large feline.

"Well son of a bitch, Chekov, you're downright naughty!" Bones exclaimed happily, leaning on Kirk to laugh.

"Aye, ya're worse dan the boys in engineering!" Scotty said laughing. Marie felt like she was watching a game of "who-can-pull-off-the-stupidest-accent" between Chekov, Bones, and Scotty.

"Hey wait, guys, I know what we should do! I wanna play a game!" Kirk stood up and gestured for the bar to bring over a round.

"Al'ight." Scotty quipped happily and looked around for nods.

"We are gonna play this game called "Pick-up". One person is gonna be it. Everyone has to try an pick them up with a chessy pick up line and how ever else you wanna go about it." Kirk said passing out the drinks. "Alright, okay, so then after everyone tries, the person whose 'it' has to pick which person picked them up. Then the two link arms and take shots." He smiled at the table.

"Captain I do not—"

"Shut up, Spock, you're playing."

Marie's face lit up when Spock merely huffed in response. So he was going to play.

"Alright, Uhura goes first! Hey honey, wanna have sex in the Captain's chair?" Kirk started with a completely straight face. The table erupted with laughter. Uhura just rolled her eyes and looked at Scotty.

"The engine room is warmer," he said with a giant grin. Uhura started laughing and Marie leaned on Spock because she was giggling so hard. Spock raised his eyebrows at the nonsense. Marie's bare arm rested on his hand and he could feel the emotions flit across her mind. They were warm and happy. He did not dislike the feeling.

Pavel got up and began murmuring broken Russian into her ear. Uhura started burning bright scarlet after a few sentences. He had been attempting to teach Marie Russian and she could make out something about a bed and some rope. Nyota tapped him on the shoulder begging for him to stop. Chekov gave her a drunken, hazy smile and settled back to next to Sulu who was looking at him with wide eyes.

"Kare ga itta koto." Sulu said poking Chekov. Uhura just shook her head and laughed. It was Marie's turn and she tried to think of something.

"You know, if you and Donna want to, we could make a reverse Oreo," she said trying to keep a straight face. Donna cracked and the three began cackling. Bones looked scandalized and Kirk looked thrilled. Everyone looked over at Spock.

"I do not know how to "pick up" someone." he admitted looking at the Captain for guidance.

"Just, compliment them about something in a sexy way." Kirk said drinking a bit more firewater.

Spock looked at Nyota considering his words. "Nyota, in our previous relationship, your mind was a large part of why I found you suitable, but you also look amazing with clothes on. I'm half-Vulcan, not half-dead.," he said evenly looking her in the eyes. She looked like she was going to melt. Kirk looked like he was going to pass out.

"You've seen her NAKED? Oh, why not me?!" The Captain curled in only half-fake anguish. The table once again began to roar with laughter.

Nyota turned to Donna who just gave her an enthusiastic kiss that was met by whistles from most of the men at the table. Bones was last to go.

"There ain't anything I can't do in bed," he said simply taking a mouthful of draft. Kirk shoved his shoulder playfully.

"Alright, cutie, who wins?" Uhura looked around the table and ended up linking arms with Donna as they downed shots.

"I think ve should do Marie next!" Pavel said happily. Kirk nodded and looked at her for a long moment.

"Marie, I want to have sex with you," his face was completely serious.

"How blunt," she said laughing, "and that's kind of normal for you."

"Ugh, all the beautiful women in the universe and the ones closest to me don't want me." Slumping back in his seat he nudged Scotty. "Your turn, buck-o."

"Ah nah, I'm nae about to go hit on the wee lass. She gets enough a tha' in the engine room."

"Oh come on," Kirk whined.

"Al'ight," he steadied himself and looked Marie in the eye, "you 'ave the best 'ands on tha engineering deck. I want ya down there mo'."

"Aye aye, Mr. Scotty." She gave him a mock salute. Pavel got up and started to slink around the table.

"Sulu, is he always like this when he gets drunk?" Kirk asked watching as Chekov basically sat in Maries lap.

"You have no idea." Sulu buried his face in his hands shaking his head. Kirk's eyes widened and looked back at Chekov curling into Marie. They giggled together and Pavel started whispering to her. He put his hand in her hair and began to mess it around. Spock looked at them and his eyes got wider too.

Marie just kept laughing listening to Chekov's amused little whispers. He was like this 2 days ago when they were drinking at the Palace. Pavel was just a very affectionate drunk. She liked it. He was fully in her lap now and just kind of hugged her.

She looked over at Sulu. "You want him back?" Chekov just nuzzled into her neck with a sound of protest.

"I think he wants to stay with you," he said smiling at Pavel. "It's my turn—can I join him?" She shook her head and looked at Spock.

Spock looked at her and at Pavel who was playing with her hair happily. He moved his hand up to her face and let it hover there. "May I?"

She nodded and Spock rested his fingers on a meld point. He sent the lust from his dreams through the bond. He realized only afterwards when the two were staring at each other through heavy lidded eyes that it might have been a bad idea. He began to apologize when her hand shot up to his face. His mind was inundated with images of the two of them pressed up against a wall having sex. They were not of his imagination…but hers. His eyes shot open and met hers with surprise and desire.

Their minds began to reach over and wrap around each other. Suddenly a thought jumped to the forefront of Spock's mind like a shock of lightning

T'hy'la