Paint and Powder

A Star Trek anthology by Andrew Joshua Talon

DISCLAIMER: This is a non-profit fan based work of prose. Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager et al are the property of CBS Television, and creation of Gene Roddenberry. Please support the official release.

2376

Captain Sam Hale was, like many other Starfleet captains during this war, young and recently promoted. He'd managed to keep the Shiva from being destroyed in a battle with the Jem'Hadar after his captain, first officer and second officer were all killed in the fight. And he'd managed to work with his crew and AI to destroy the Cardassian destroyers trying to kill them. They'd taken heavy losses, but they'd emerged victorious.

So he'd been field promoted to captain, and given his new assignment: The USS Shinano. A Sovereign-class battleship was quite the step up from the Akira-class Shiva, but he took to his new duties as seriously as he could. And he'd received a lot of help from the mysterious ship's AI.

Shinano took the form of an incredibly voluptuous kitsune, with long gray hair, matching fox ears, nine tails, and a kimono that, with her body, could stop traffic on almost any world in the Federation. She was often sleepy, yet always kind, humble, and demure.

She also had... Another interesting habit.

Hale woke from his bed, feeling a warm body cuddling up against him. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling as he felt Shinano nuzzle against him in her sleep.

"Shinano, I need to get up," he stated.

"Mmph..." Shinano mumbled.

"I mean it," Sam warned.

"You'll regret it if you get up, sir," she mumbled.

"Maybe, but I need to do it anyway," he said, pulling out of her grip. He got up... And tripped on his nightrobe, carelessly discarded to the deck the night before. "WOAH!"

He caught himself on the bulkhead, as Shinano sat up and blinked at him.

"Told you," she said softly, "sir."

Sam gave her a glare.

"That's hardly the worst thing that could happen to me," he said.

"Mm, fair enough, sir," Shinano said, "this one will keep watch over you though."

"Thanks, I think," Hale muttered, as he went to the head to get ready.

The officer's meeting in the lounge went normally.

"We'll conduct the combat drills throughout the day," he stated to his officers, Shinano standing attentively next to him, "and I want the shuttle pilots practicing combat landings..."

He felt Shinano's tails wrap around him, as she cuddled up against him. She snoozed softly. His officers all struggled not to laugh, as Sam bit back a sigh.

"And we'll work on the MACO responses as well..."

The combat drill had turned into a real battle, as a wing of Jem'hadar fighters made a surprise raid on their flotilla.

Hale gripped his armrests as the Shinano maneuvered around several would be kamikazes.

"Lock onto the leader! Full phasers! FIRE!" He ordered.

A full barrage of phaser fire erupted from the Sovereign-class battleship, and the leader fighter went up in a massive explosion.

"Kinta," Shinano said, her eyes wide and alert, "change course to 098, full impulse, now."

The helmsman, startled, obeyed without question.

"Iyla," she spoke to the Betazed tactical officer, "incoming, fire all phasers port."

"Sir?" Iyla asked, looking at Hale. He shook his head.

"Do it!"

Iyla opened fire... And caught six Jem'hadar fighters dropping out of warp in the barrage. All of them were blown away by the starship's firepower, while the Defiants and Mirandas of their flotilla took out the remaining attackers.

Hale nodded, a grim smile on his face.

"Good work, everyone," he said, "especially you, Shinano. Stand down from red alert and-"

Shinano sat down in Hale's lap, wrapped her tails around him, and immediately dropped back to sleep. Hale gaped in disbelief. Iyla coughed suspiciously loudly, while Kinta suddenly became very focused on the helm. His first officer, a big Caitian named Rwrr, wagged his tail in amusement.

"I take it the threat is over, if she can relax, sir," Rwrr observed.

"So it would seem," Hale grumbled, as Shinano nuzzled his shoulder.

Hale had had enough. He stormed into his quarters after the shift was over and glared up at the ceiling.

"Shinano!" He barked.

His ship's avatar appeared.

"Sir, what can this one do for you-?"

"I know shipgirl avatars can be eccentric," he began, "and I appreciate that you have... Eccentricities from your abilities."

"Side effects of my study into ascension, yes sir," Shinano volunteered.

"But do they have to include you cuddling up to me every chance you get?!" He demanded.

Shinano blinked.

"Do you not like it when one such as I hugs you?" She asked.

"I... I didn't say that," Hale said, a bit less harshly, "but it can be extremely distracting!"

Shinano nodded.

"I understand."

"I just want to know why you're doing all this," Hale said, now calmer. Shinano blushed slightly.

"This one... Likes you," she admitted softly, "very much."

Hale blinked.

"... Oh," he mumbled, "but uh... We haven't really known eachother long-"

"This one sees futures in you... With me," Shinano admitted shyly, "futures that... I would very much like to pursue."

"What... What kind of futures?" Hale asked.

Shinano smiled, showing off her cute little fangs.

The next duty shift, a much more relaxed Captain Hale sat in his chair on the bridge... With Shinano cuddled up in his lap, sleeping peacefully.

Rwrr raised his furry brows.

"You doing all right, sir?" He asked.

"Yes," he said, "certain... Issues have been resolved, Number One."

"Good to know, sir," Rwrr nodded. He leaned in closely, and lowered his voice.

"You may wish to find a better way to conceal the bite marks on your neck in the future, sir," he murmured.

Shinano grinned smugly in her sleep, as Hale sputtered.

Just some fun.