"Aye, yer useless, lad," Scott sighed in exasperation.

"FINE. Then I'm going for a walk." Sulu had just really had enough.

"I'll need ye in a hour," Scott grumbled at the convoluted mess Sulu had made of a perfectly straight forward installation of the vertical mass controller they were installing for the Mvirin government. Since the Mvirins had just joined the Federation and the Enterprise was in the neighborhood, Starfleet had ordered Kirk to send an engineer to oversee the installation of the technology that would allow Starships to drydock there. Kirk had sent Scotty to supervise the installation and Sulu to pilot the Columbia and assist the engineer as best he could.

The Enterprise would be star mapping for two weeks until they returned to the rendezvous point.

Scott and Sulu were poor choices for this errand and they knew it. It was a simple errand and any ensign from engineering could have accomplished it. For that matter, any ensign with half a brain could have piloted the shuttlecraft to Mvirin.

The reason they had drawn this duty was not lost on the engineer or the helmsman. Kirk was punishing them. There had been one to many "THE WARP CORE CANNA TAKE ANYMORE!" from Scotty over the past few months. This was something Kirk could have directly reprimanded the engineer for but preferred to use this more subtle method. Sulu, on the other hand, was seducing his way through the crew, Ensign Chekov being his latest conquest. This was not only not wise, it was also against regs, which were crystal clear on the subject:

Starfleet Regulation 264961-34646.1646j

"Officers may engage in sexual liaisons with subordinates providing the following conditions are met:

"a. The sex is consensual.

"b. The relationship does not cause disharmony on the ship.

"c. The subordinate is not in the officer's chain of command."

Sulu was stepping all over letter c. with Chekov and both he and Kirk knew this. Rather than besmirch Sulu's career with a formal reprimand, Kirk had very pointedly suggested Sulu carefully read SFReg# 264961-34646.1646j.c on the way to Mvirin. Sulu had understood and was grateful to Kirk. He was fuming that he was in Coventry with Scott, to whom he was furiously indifferent, but still grateful for some time to cool off and figure out the best way to dump Chekov when he got back to the ship. It was not helpful that Scott was picking on him.

'I'm a pilot, not a mechanic.' Sulu was still pacing and fuming about this when a local resident sidled up to him. Unable to understand the language, Sulu was merely trying to figure out what sex his companion might be when his companion's accomplices jumped him from behind. Yelling for Scotty was the last thing he could remember until he woke up stretched out on a workbench in the dry dock control room.

"Steady, lad, y'ave a nice lump on yer head," Scott was holding a cold pack to the throbbing place on the side of Sulu's head and a medical tricorder in the other. "Ach. But you'll live."

"What happened?"

"Ye met some of the locals, ye did," Scott said calmly. "Glad there weren't more of them." The engineer displayed his torn up knuckles. "I've called the authorities in case there are more of them."

"Great." Sulu watched Scott apply the rengerator to his hands and take a swig of the local ale. He refused the bottle when it was offered to him and bent his head under the rengenerator. It felt good, he was still woozy so he leaned his head against Scotty's chest. It felt good when Scotty patted him on the back with his other hand and then left his arm around the pilot's shoulders. Sulu later decided it was the sharp blow to head that caused him to look up at the engineer with hungry eyes, their lips mere millimeters apart. He felt the electricity crackle between them and knew Scotty was about to kiss him.

Of course it was right then that the Mvirin police arrived to take their statements. Because they were offworlders, the Ministry of Offworld Affairs was contacted and a junior diplomat dispatched to the scene. Consultations with much frowning were held; serious decisions were made; heads were nodded.

The humans, the subjects of so much cogitation, would have simply liked to have gone back to work (Scott) and gone to bed (Sulu; alone or not alone - Scott was looking really good but it might have been the head injury.) Alas, it was decided that they would be taken to the new diplomatic housing (built for the swarms of Federation diplomats Mvirin hoped to attract) and sequestered there until a Mvirin doctor could examine Sulu and the police could do whatever Mvirin police do at a crime scene (which is nothing but that's a big secret).

After much futile protest that he HAD WORK TO DO, and then some swearing in Gaelic, Scott finally got in the back of the junior diplomat's airlimo and allowed himself to be driven to the diplomatic quarter.

Sulu, claiming to be still groggy from his head injury, leaned against the engineer for the duration of the ride. He considered it promising that Scott let him stay close and wished his head didn't hurt quite so much. He even dozed off for a moment but Scott shook him awake in case he had a concussion.

The spacers were ushered into comfortable quarters, handed a menu and left to their own devices.

Scotty fumed and ordered more of the local ale and some food to go with it.

Sulu roamed about the simply furnished suite, thinking the rooms had a pleasant simplicity that reminded him of the Tassajara monastery he'd visited as a teenager. He was thinking about the meditations, the yoga, the hotsprings, when he opened the door to the bath. It too had a soothing elegance, albeit more lavish, with its transparent wall and ceiling, a sauna, a waterfall shower and the biggest sunken tub Hikaru Sulu had ever seen in his life. It was all very sexy; Sulu thanked the seduction gods and hit the controls to fill the tub. He made sure he was standing outside the door as he pulled his shirt off.

"What are ye doin', lad?" Scott asked from the door, where he was taking charge of food and drink.

"I'm taking a bath." Sulu bent to remove his boots, thinking that if he could keep Scott talking long enough to get naked in front of him...

"Is that wise?"

"Why not?" Sulu's hands hovered over his fly.

"I mean, ye've had a head injury; ye could lose consciousness and drown."

Sulu hoped he was reading the situation right as he took off his pants and stood nude before Scott. "Well, maybe you should join me to make sure I’m all right." He turned and walked into the bath before the older man could respond.

Montgomery Edward Scott had lived long enough and well enough to recognize a come-on when he heard one. And yet he hesitated; he wondered if he was misunderstanding. After all, Sulu came from a culture where men bathed to together on a regular basis and there was nothing sexual about it. Scott, on the other hand, came from a culture where the only reason two men bathed together was to have sex. Also, Sulu had never shown the slightest sexual interest in him on the Enterprise. But why would he when the pilot had Chekov's, among the many's, undivided attention? Then again, Scott had never shown any interest in Sulu either. Of course, they had never been alone like this before, perhaps that's why Sulu was suddenly so attractive. 'Perhaps that's why he's just invited me to bathe with him,' Scott mused. 'Or perhaps it's just the head injury. Ach. It's worth a try.' So heeding the immortal words of James II, "never pass up a good thing when it comes along," Scott picked up the bottle of ale and sauntered into the bathroom as casually as he could. It took him a moment to even find Sulu in all the opulence. "I think yer right, lad; ye need watching." And began to undress.

Sulu successfully fought down a smirk and glanced that the bath oil he'd put within easy reach. He looked back to see Scott easing into the water and made the decision he'd been mulling over: he wanted Scott to fuck him. Hard, and for a long time. How to accomplish that was Sulu's next task. He was debating this approach over that when he realized Scott had spoken to him. "Excuse me?"

"I said, I hope I didn't misunderstand ye, lad."

"What did I say?" Sulu asked warily.

"Not so much what ye said, Sulu," the engineer moved closer. "But what ye've done." He gave Sulu a long look that could have meant many things depending on how one wished to interpret it.

Alas, here Sulu misstepped. "What do you mean, Mr. Scott?"

"Nothing." Scott reached for sponge and some soap and moved away.

Having blown it, Sulu desperately decided to try honesty. "Okay, I have been coming on to you," he said flatly. "I suddenly find you incredibly attractive. I suppose this will get me hauled up on sexual misconduct charges but, there, I've said it." He looked defiantly at the engineer.

Scott was silent, studying him for a moment. "We're a long way from the Enterprise, lad," he said reaching for Sulu. "What happens here needn't be anyone's business but ours." He drew Sulu into his lap and kissed him. Hard.

"So this is okay?" Sulu asked when he could get his lips back. He combed his fingers through the engineer's soggy chest hair, making zen sand garden patterns there.

"Aye. Shut up and kiss me." Scott ordered.

"Yes, sir." Sulu went back to the engineers lips and played every oral trick he'd ever known and invented a few more. He snuggled his erection against the older man's and was thrilled he had something to look forward to. Some time later and with bruised lips, Sulu demanded, "Let's make love!" He grabbed the bottle of oil.

"A fine idea, lad," Scott agreed, shifting his impending lover off his lap. He rose, hauling Sulu up beside him.

"Where're we going?" Sulu asked, still clutching the bottle of oil.

"The bed," Scott blandly informed him in a voice that made it a fact, not a suggestion.

Sulu had hoped to make love in the bath but, at this point, he didn't care where they fucked as long as he was fucked. Hard. So he followed Scotty out of the steam filled luxury of the bathroom and into the plain and simple bedroom. He slid into the bed and pulled Scotty into another lip crusher, gently rubbing his crotch against the engineer's.

Feeling the effects of the long tease and, therefore, in something of a hurry, Scott pulled Sulu astride him and began to probe the helmsman's gorgeous ass. Not wanting to hurt the younger man, Scott used quite a lot of oil and stretched him thoroughly.

Sulu, for his part, relaxed for his lover and amused himself by grazing on Scotty's neck. He was quite aroused when Scott rolled him onto his back and rolled him forward. He hooked his ankles around the engineer's neck and angled his hips up.

"Be still, lad," Scott murmured, pushing Sulu back down on the bed. He leaned down and teased each nipple on Sulu's smooth chest to aching hardness. Satisfied, he rolled the helmsman forward again and centered his cock. He slipped the head inside the younger man and, finding no resistance or pain on Sulu's part, sank all the way in. He paused, ostensibly so Sulu could adjust to the full-length Scott's cock in his ass, but mainly so he wouldn't come right away; he was very close and Sulu was very sexy right then. After a few moments of 'letting Sulu adjust,' Scott began to fuck him. Hard.

A more sensitive lover than he let on, Scott, although fucking Sulu hard, was aware of every nuance in his partner. So he was able to stop whenever he felt the younger man getting close to cumming. Not only could he sense Sulu's desire for climax, he was actually enjoying denying it. However, Scott did wonder how long Sulu was going to remain this passive. Not much longer, he discovered as Sulu rearranged his arms and legs and rolled them over so the helmsman was on top.

Pinning Scott to the bed so he could catch his breath, Sulu began to slam his body up and down on the older man's shaft. Hard. He was loving it and so was Scotty, who was trusting up to meet him. Sulu established a powerful rhythm, so powerful, in fact, they came in unison in a long, screaming climax. The helmsman fell forward into Scott's arms, shaking like a leaf.

Scott wasn't in much better shape but he did his best to comfort the younger man. When Sulu was coherent, Scott suggested they go rinse off.

Sulu tottered into the bath and ran more hot water. He had not been prepared for Scotty to be such a great lover. Totally impressed, he was ready for more. He looked over at a very relaxed Scot and straddled the older man's lap. 'Ah ha,' he thought, fondling the engineer's rapidly hardening cock.

Scott took a firm grip on Sulu's lovely ass and ground their erections together. Then he simply leaned back and let the younger man slide up and down in his lap, caressing their cocks together. He watched Sulu with pleasure, pleasuring them both. His orgasm was subtler this time but no less satisfying. He put his arms around Sulu, who'd had a kinder, gentler climax himself, and let the helmsman rest his head on his shoulder. "And what brought this on, lad?" Scott asked softly a few moments later.

"You." Sulu sat up and looked Scott in the eye. He wasn't going to be coy; it didn't suit him anyway.

"Me?"

"Yes. I've never been alone with you before," Sulu said matter-of-factly. "You're very sexy."

"Why, thank you, lad." Scott smiled. "But ye find everyone sexy these days."

"What?"

"Ye haven't been very discreet about your sex life, Sulu. I've noticed and I don't usually notice that sort of thing."

"Is it that obvious?"

"Aye. Were ye like this in yer old department?"

"Astro physics? Nah; I was all business there and off duty, too, pretty much." Sulu got off the engineer's lap and turned him so he could wash his back. "I think it's something about bridge duty. It makes me feel sexy." He scrubbed Scott's broad shoulders. "Do you ever feel sexy on the bridge?"

"Never. But I'm not wearing a gold shirt."

Sulu paused. "Do you think that's it?"

"Aye. There's something sexy about command; commanding the ship or the crew, that I've never fully understood." Scotty leaned forward. "A wee bit lower, lad."

Sulu scrubbed lower. "Hmmm. Perhaps it's power; power is sexy." He rinsed the engineer's back and handed him the sponge. "Do you think Captain Kirk is sexy?"

"I've never given it much thought, Sulu." Scott worked the sponge over the pilot's supple back. "Do you?"

"Sometimes."

"I wouldn't act on that, lad. Ye'll find yerself piloting a garbage scow if yer not careful."

"I know. I've been memorizing regulation 264961-34646.1646j.c."

"What?"

"Nothing. I understand. I'm going to change my ways." Sulu turned and climbed back into Scotty's lap. "As soon as I get back to the Enterprise." He murmured between smooches.

Mr. Scott did not disagree.

It was a pleasant interlude for both of them. They never mentioned it again when it was over. At least, not until the end of the five year mission, when they spent two solid weeks in a Goa hotel room that they never left; not even for meals, which they had sent in.

***end***