Message Waiting for Captain Rai

A blinking, but unobtrusive light flashed on the Captain's control panel inside his office on board the Hippolyta. It was a standard subspace transmission, waiting for him.

"What? What now?" he said, yet unable to tell from whom the message originated.
"On screen," he commanded, and leaned into his desk panel.

"Oh! Hello," Val Etilen appeared at the other end. He looked to be in his own room, and looked happy - though perhaps a little battered. There was a mark on his arm which was telltale of a bruise partially healed by regenerator and left to finish by itself.
"I thought I was going to have to leave you a message." he looked offscreen to an unseen companion. "You said he was going to be too busy to speak to me!" then back to Rai. "Don't worry it's just Ensign Jarvis, he was helping me call."

"This is a pleasant surprise," he said, smiling. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's splendid. The station's a little uneventful, but chugging along." Val cocked his head. "I just wanted to say hello, and I hope the mission's going well. Anything exciting happen yet?"

"Surprisingly, no. The Hippolyta has stayed in the sky and no one has attacked us," he rapped on the desk with his knuckles. "How's Akhil handling things?"

Val laughed at Rai's immediate mention of the half-Klingon's name, even though it made perfect sense that he would.
"He is doing well, I suppose.. I think he's a little wound-up, but.. he'll be all right. He's letting his tension out in healthy ways," the Bajoran parroted a typically counsellor-like phrase with a smirk.

"That is so good to hear, I knew I left the station in good hands," he said, his eyes flickering over Val's bruises, about which he said nothing. "Surprisingly, I find myself a little homesick for the station. Who would have thought?"

"Well, we miss you too. You'll be back on the Promenade soon enough," Val said, glancing at his companion. "And to tide you over, I have something for you... what's it called? A replicator code." An off-screen hand pointed to a slot in front of Val, who slipped a cylinder into it. "You should get it on your end. Just pop it into your replicator." he grinned with excitement.

A small pop up manifested on his console, containing a string of digits. "Should I enter it now? Is Jarvis still in the room with you?" he asked suspiciously.

Val could be seen shooing the ensign away, then the soft chirp of the door sounded.
"Don't worry, we're alone now," he said with mock severity. "I don't usually do this, because I just can't stand holo-technology.. don't let any Ferengi copy this one, all right?"

The code would replicate a small acrylic stand which was telltale of a miniature holographic portrait.

Rai rose and crossed to his replicator, entering the string of digits. He waited, and a small holographic projector materialized. "Oh Val, that's terribly sweet of you," he said, surprised that the Bajoran was even capable of sentimentality. He activated the holographic portrait and waited.

The figure that flickered into view on the acrylic stand was an image of Val, completely nude, and posing like a lewd temple god. It wasn't pornographic, but for a few moments the only motion was the rising and falling of his thin chest as he breathed and concentrated on keeping still. Then, breaking and smiling at whoever had engineered the recording session, dropping his head and laughing without sound, and going into his pose again.

"It's nothing," Val on the transmission screen insisted. "Just something to keep you company until you come back."

Rai's lips shaped a silent "O" as he watched the titillating display unfold. As the projection laughed, he let out an embarassed giggle too. His cheeks colored. "Well!" he said. "You're all heart, Val."

"Really - don't give that to any Ferengi," Val said. "All I need is competition from a holographic double who never gets tired. And you know I wouldn't get any royalties, either." He smiled. "And please stay safe."

"Oh please, you speak as if I have Ferengi friends. Your image is far too lovely for me to share."
He smiled sweetly. "Thank you for keeping me in mind."

"Thank you for keeping me in mind, Val," he said, smiling softly. "Won't you pet Papus for me? I miss him," he said.

Val grinned and swivelled in his seat, delighted that the captain liked his file.
"Of course! I'm going to let him loose in the gardens today to explore. Well. I'll let you get to it."