Saving the Galaxy
Posted on Tue Jul 4th, 2023 @ 6:21am by Major Cornelius Tremble & Captain Edmund Merrick
Edited on on Tue Jul 4th, 2023 @ 9:50pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Various - Poseidon Station
Timeline: MD004 2000 hrs
"So we can continue our discussion over just drinks or. I've got a suggestion, let's grab a bite to eat as well as a drink. There's this place called the Big Easy Bistro on SB50 which serves bonafide New Orleans cuisine. They do serve drinks, I don't know about you, I'm a bit hungry." Edmund giving a shrug. "And I work better in the idea department if I've got some food on my stomach. This place doesn't use replicated food either." quirking up an eyebrow at his CO. "What d'ya say?"
Neil checked his chrono, scrolled through his ToDo list and abruptly pushed everything from his schedule for the rest of the day. Part of his job was seeing to the social well being of his marines and he felt like he'd been ignoring that for the past few weeks.
Between concentrating on becoming Pioneer's XO and developing something of a personal life...he'd been slacking.
"Sounds good Ed," Neil said as he pulled his beret on, getting it set at a jaunty angle with the Cure's flash displayed prominently. "We've probably done enough work for the day but I'm all for seeing the sites and checking out the semi-indigenous population on the station."
Edmund gave a nod, "Good, glad you are willing, I was wondering if I had to do some creative persuasion to get you off the ship for a bit. After all it is also my business to keep watch over you and make sure you don't neglect yourself." giving a grin. "yeah I know I am not the XO of the ship but, I wouldn't be a good marine XO for you, if I didn't do my job, hmmn?" quirking up an eyebrow, and slipping on his own beret. "Lets go get some good food."
Once on the station, Edmund looked around, just giving a bit of a smile. "This place is so filled with surprises. You never know who you will meet from whatever walk of life they come from. The lifts are this way." Edmund remarked, heading towards them. "Heck I met the counselor, Lieutenant Vura on the Promenade."
Neil listened to his XO as they made their way into the station, making sure he wasn't missing anything that might be going on with the marine. The further removed he was from direct Command of the Cure meant that he didn't necessarily keep as close tabs on the Pioneer's marines as he used to.
Not so much as they need minding (most of the time) but just because they were his responsibility. Now the Pioneer's crew was part of that and it was more than a full time job. So Ed was his conduit to the Cure and the two of them needed to be in-step.
At the mention of the Pioneer's new counselor, Neil said, "I think the Captain checked her aboard. I haven't spoken to her yet, just read through all of her files. What's your take on her?"
Edmund gave a few moments of thought, then he said, "She's a good counselor, she's had a few things happen to her in her life so if she offers advice and gives an listening ear, the person who she talks to will find that she is receptive, personable and doesn't talk from a place she's never experienced. She is also quite the lady, has a lot of spirit, I called her a bit of a spitfire. Not to her face mind you but, she's got quite a bit of fire in her. She is actually the first Deltan I've ever met. Heck, she had to remind me of the protocols where Deltans are concerned. I felt really stupid when I finally remembered what to do and what not to do. The pheromones they have can be quite powerful. She is a bit of a flirt, all in all though, Vura has a good heart. Plus she will be hanging onto that Oath of Celibacy for dear life, where the crew is concerned."
At Ed's last words, Neil snorted. "That reminds me. I talked to Shy and he's slightly paranoid what with his experiences with the Kivicus entity. I've been through the Deltan threat assessment training and these are proscribed." Digging into an internal pocket, Neil pulled out a small, soft bag and offered it to Ed. "Nasal filters and a bio monitoring bracelet that should let you know in time if your system starts going haywire. Handy for more than just members of the Federation of course, but.."
"Better to be prepared, and sorry to hear about Shy, that was a rather um life changing experience there." accepting the small soft bag. "I will have to be a bit more wary. The one thing though the pheromones are more stronger if you have skin contact with them. When I first met Vura I didn't realize she was the new counselor. But back to Shy, has he been able to see a counselor yet?" tucking the bag into a pocket as they walked.
Arriving at the lift Edmund spoke, "Level 69 please." when he stepped in. "I need to actually speak to him, I've not really gotten to know too many of the marines yet, I've been sort of.. well.. neglectful?" giving a wry smile.
Smiling wryly, Neil said, "If you're letting strange, unknown people get that close to you without a clear idea of their intentions, Ed, it'll probably lead to just a bad relationships I always have the nasal filters in my kit for drop ship deployments. Well, you know how bad a load of marines smell."
As they exited the tube, Neil continued. "Andrew's doing alright. About where he should be as far as I can tell given what he went through. Like most of us, he needs to get back to work if the Counselor will open his cage. If not, we're going to need to get creative with something more than just the standard drudge of Light Duty."
"That would be a bonus to come up with something that won't make those put on light duty go insane. I could speak to the counselor but I think that she'd be wanting to avoid me as much as possible. I think I opened a door she didn't want opened as of yet. And where Vura is concerned, the only thing that happened was walking arm in arm to the art store where I picked up more art supplies." he shrugged slightly. "Didn't even kiss, it just wasn't something I was interested in. I had told her that I was bad luck where women were concerned anyway, so I've been keeping myself out of, well romantic entanglements. Yeah I am going to have to catch up on my reading now just so i don't get caught unawares." stepping out after Neil.
The two marines moved into traffic and adjusted their pace with the other beings that were moving about their various tasks. As was typical, the closer they moved towards center, the busier things got. Glancing at Ed as he talked about the Counselor, Neil grinned. "Playing hard to get works. You can semi-mournfully tell her that if the Corp had wanted you to have a significant other, they'd have issued you one. I've used that one before."
"You have, have you? I won't be getting involved with her though. There is someone I am interested in but, I've been keeping my mouth shut as to who it could be. Don't want to jinx it, as I really have to see if I can actually get myself to let someone in through the barbed wire and other protective precautions I've set up." giving a rueful laugh.
Rounding the bend the two men passed by the Klingon restaurant The Live Gagh. Klingon Opera could be heard playing when one of the patrons stepped out of the restaurant giving a loud belch. "Good food there, come in and try it!" the Klingon rumbled.
Edmund shook his head, "I had my Gagh early on."
"Oh?" was the answer.
"Yes it was good." Edmund responded, "We have to go now though. Qapla" he said and made his way around the Klingon.
The Klingon gave a nod and went back inside.
The Big Easy Bistro was just on the other side of the Live Gagh. And when Edmund stepped through the door, the background music was that of the soft jazz that played in New Orleans. A woman with dark skin walked up, her hair tinted with some silver. "Welcome to the Big Easy Bistro, what can I do for you today gentlemen?" her voice having a genuine southern accent with the tang of Nawlins.
"My name is Lisette Bacchus and I'll take you to your seat." the woman added, "I do hope that you will like our food, any particular place you'd like to sit, a booth or a table?"
The place was based off of a restaurant in New Orleans, with the scent of beignets and jambalaya and other goodness wafting in the air. Edmund took off his beret once he stepped inside, gotta mind the manners.
Neil was happy that his nasal filters weren't diminishing any of the rich smells coming from the restaurant. He could pick out smells of various spices and his mouth began to water. "Well I may be putting on weight this leave," he remarked as he glanced around the restaurant." He removed his own beret and slipped it into the front of his uniform tunic, next to his rank insignia so that the Cure's flash was displayed prominently.
"I think I smell bread too," he enthused. "Now if they have booze, we may never need to leave."
"A table if you please." Edmund replied to Lisette. Then he turned to Neil, to answer, when Lisette interjected.
"We have freshly baked bread and also, we do have drinks." Lisette flashing a smile as she led the men to a table. "Here you go, what sort of drinks would you like?" she also placed upon the table some menus, with the embossed lettering of the place.
Neil glanced at the menu but stopped when something caught his eye. He remembered his father mentioning the drink before and decided it was worth a try. "Your house Sazerac, I think," he stated with a smile toward Lisette. "Unless you recommend something better."
"That is a good choice, and we do have that. " Lisette remarked. Her eyes drifted over to where someone had just arrived, her face lighting up.
She called out, "Hello Cara."
The woman she called out to, answered.
"Hello Lisette, I'll wait until you are done." the woman answered.
Edmund's went rather wide when he heard the woman's voice, there was no way possible that she was here. Of all the places in the galaxy she couldn't be here. He slowly turned to see if his suspicions were correct, then stood up exclaiming.
"Admiral Letsul?"
Cara swiftly turned seeing who had called her Admiral. She noticed it was none other than, Edmund Merrick! And he was with Major Tremble. With quick steps, Cara neared their table, the skirt of her light blue summer dress moving around her knees.
"Uh hello, Captain Merrick, Congratulations by the way. And Major Tremble, good to see you again." the dark haired woman quietly remarked.
"Commander," Neil said smiling. "I see you're incognito, but you're welcome to slum it with a couple of the Cure if you'd like."
Cara chuckled, and then remarked, "I wouldn't call it slumming at all. My best friend slash adopted sister is Captain Brina Tracy-Hall XO of the Kingsmen. I am quite happy to sit with the two of you." then she looked at Lisette, "I'll take my usual today if you would please Lisette, my sea food gumbo." she then went to take a seat which Edmund quickly pulled it out for her to take a seat at the table.
"Thank you Edmund." Cara commented,
She then said to Neil. "Just call me Cara, I'm out of uniform and I'm just me. And that goes for you as well, Edmund."
Lisette had a huge smile seeing Cara seated with two handsome men. "What would you like gentlemen?"
Edmund ordered some jambalaya, with a whiskey.
Neil perused the menu for a few seconds until an item jumped out at him and he tapped it while he said, "I haven't had duck in a long time. I'll take the smoked duck étouffée with artichokes and wild rice. "
As the waitress bustled off, Neil leaned back in his seat and regarded Ed for a moment. The captain was star-struck. Glancing toward Cara he asked. "Duty looks pretty good on Poseidon. I'm afraid if I had menu's like this so close I'd lose my figure."
Cara gave Neil a definite once over, he showed the signs of being rather fit. "I don't think you would lose your figure at all. I do like good food, and I like to eat. However if things are eaten in moderation then its all good. Besides I keep active and I am certain that you do as well."
Edmund finally recovering just a touch, finally asked the question that had been hovering on his mind. "So, Cara, why aren't you an Admiral anymore? Why are you a commander? And why are you here on this station?"
Cara laughed he finally asked the question she knew Edmund had on his mind. "Its an interesting story, Edmund I'll give you the cliff notes though. I left as i had enough of being an Admiral and was contemplating on leaving Star Fleet. I came here to sort out things in my mind having taken a sabbatical and just being a civilian. However things ended up to where they needed someone as part of their command team. I had actually wanted to get back to my roots as a counselor and had requested for me to be here and down graded to commander. They made a counter offer, If I was willing to be part of the command staff then I would get my wish to be put to the rank of commander and I would also be chief counselor. There you have it pure plain and simple."
Edmund opened his mouth to give some sort of comment but then closed his mouth as he contemplated what she had just told him.
Cara, cast a glance towards Neil and gave a slight shrug. "At any rate, if you need something I'm the lady that can help you out in making plans for different details."
Neil had sipped at his drink and kept his chin in the palm of his hand as he listened to Cara and kept an eye on Ed. At her offer, he dropped his hand to the tabletop, leaned back and asked. "Ooo. They let you bust back? I wonder what the Captain would say if I asked to bust back to Gunny. These Oak Leaves aren't all they're cracked up to be."
Then he gave Ed a wink. "What do you think, Ed? That would leave you as CO of the Cure."
Cara waited for Edmund's reaction to all of this, a playful smile dancing upon her lips.
Edmund glanced at Neil then Cara then back at Neil, "Um no way I don't want that job yet, and don't you let go of those oak leaves." his eyes looking like a deer being caught in the headlights of a vehicle.
Cara threw back her head and just laughed.
"Cara, not funny at all." Edmund spluttered out.
Cara's laughter died down and she leaned her elbow upon the table and looked at Neil. "it does feel splendid not having the heavy pips, the only draw back is there are some avenues I can't personally tap into like I used to but, I do still have connections if I need something taken care of."
"Well there I have you, a little," Neil told her, his eyes amused at Ed's reaction. "I was a gunny and am still tied into that information network. You need to make friends with a few senior and master chiefs, Cara."
"I am working on the networking here now. When I left the station I had been on for years, I left behind a few of my contacts and a quite a few of my contacts have moved on with their lives. Call it almost starting from scratch and building up. However it seems that I am running into old friends." gesturing towards Edmund.
"And making some new friends, as well." giving a nod towards Neil.
Just then Lisette brought over the food they had ordered and placed it upon the table. "enjoy and let me know if you need anything else." giving a flash of a smile before she left again.
"Thank you Lisette." Cara called after her.
"She is actually an old time connection as well. I had met her when I was in the academy many years ago. To my surprise she and her husband decided to eke out a living out here." Cara stated before she took a bite of her food.
Neil sampled his and began looking around for the hot sauce. "I don't know," he remarked, "I've served in some backwaters. This place doesn't strike me as being that quiet. Not with that Anomaly hanging about. I'm actually surprised they haven't parked a MEU somewhere near. There has to be a fair amount of science traffic out this way.."
Cara realizing what Tremble was looking for, got several bottles for him. "I don't know what sort of heat you like, so here you go." she then sat back down. "No its not quiet, and I am rather certain we're going to be getting a lot of science traffic. Its not completely started yet, as that only popped up a few days ago. Word tends to spread out. Yeah that popped up right after the Breen attack."
Edmund started eating his food, listening to Cara and Neil talk. He did remark though before he returned to eating."Seems almost old hat for you, eh Cara?"
Cara spared Edmund a glance "Yes it has the echoes of familiarity." she went quiet to eat some of her food. "as in dealing with weird events, not Breen attacking or an anomaly appearing."
Edmund thought of things that happened at the station she had been Admiral at. And glanced back at her.
"Yeah, just regular run of the mill stuff." was all he decided to comment. Ed went back to eating.
"Well then, now anything i can help you with Major?" Cara directing her gaze to Neil.
Neil was in mid bite, having sampled the hot sauces until he found one that had heat that was on the edge of painful. Swallowing carefully, he shook his head and said, "Right now I'm good. Though starting in a couple of hours I have to meet with a few people about the Birthday Ball that's being held. Brigadier Sobel should be arriving in tomorrow morning and the ball needs to be rolling. I trust you're planning on attending?"
"I most certainly will be attending, just have to see who will be accompanying me there. As for the people you are meeting with, make certain the requisitions are sent to my office and I'll get them signed off immediately. That's one of my jobs of being part of station operations management. I do have a good staff that helps me run things." Cara looked down at her bowl, realizing that the food was most of the way gone, then her com badge drew her attention.
tapping on her badge she answered. "Letsul speaking."
"Commander we've got a matter that needs your attention as soon as possible." was the response.
"I will be there shortly, Letsul out." Cara turned her attention back to the two men at the table, "Gentlemen, I am sorry, but duty calls. No rest for the wicked." flashing a teasing smile."I'll see you both later, and great to see the two of you again." since Cara had met Tremble briefly when he left the Pioneer.
Neil slid back his chair and stood, "Nice meeting you Commander. Thank you for sharing food and all the help. I appreciate it and I'm sure the Judge will too. "
Edmund rose from his seat as well, "it was great to see you, Cara."
Cara smiled once more, "You look more at peace Edmund, looks like you've finally come home." she looked once more at Neil.
"Let the Judge know I will be available if he needs a meeting. And thanks for taking Edmund under your wing, Neil." Another teasing smile from Cara. She looked over towards Edmund giving him a wink.
Edmund was gaping at this point, just blinking rapidly.
Cara giggled, gave a wave turned around and left.
Edmund just watched as Cara left then turned to look at Tremble. "Don't know what happened but there is something different about her now. She seems happier."
Neil eyed the Commander walk away appreciatively and then cast his glance back to Ed. "I don't have a point of reference, but I'll take your word for it. Happier is good. What was she like before?"
"When I served on the station she commanded, as an admiral, she seemed to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. Cara was warm caring, but very, very disciplined more so than most betazeds I've met. Not that I am saying Betazeds aren't disciplined, as they have to be with their natural ability. Its just that, she internalized a lot. That is just my own observations." Edmund picked up his drink to sip at it before he continued.
"From what I had gathered before I had arrived, she and those who used to be on that station, were a close knit team, facing a lot of weird events. When her close friends left going into other areas making progress on a personal level, Cara just seemed to have a slight barrier, becoming a bit distant. She was in the here and now, but, in essence still at a distance. Compared to what she is now to then. I like this change in her." There seemed to be a bit more he could say but, just something was there that Edmund wasn't about to say, not in public.
"Command weighs heavy. Heavier to some and definitely heavier the younger you are," Neil said as he finished his plate and shoved it back. "And balancing command distance is something everyone deals with." Grinning, he said, "That's why I prefer to be seen as just mean and nasty by the crew."
"And how well is that going?" Edmund gave a laugh. He was done eating. "well shall we head out? We can finish our discussion at a later time. It was good to talk to Cara again."
Lisette at that moment walked over to see hwo they were doing. "Do you want dessert?"
Edmund looked at Neil. "I'm good, how much is the bill."
"Oh don't worry about the bill, Cara paid for the meal." Lisette giving a smile.
Neil slid from his seat and put on his beret. "Ed's sweet enough as it is. Me too for that matter," he told Lisette. "Thank you and the chef for taking good care of us. The food was excellent. I'll be back if there's time this trip."
Lisette gave a nod. "I do hope you both come this way again, and yes i will say that you both are definitely sweet like sugar. I saw that smile you brought to Cara's eyes. You both had quite an effect on her." she chuckled and sauntered away.
Edmund put on his beret and just shook his head. "Well that I say we can take that as a compliment." cracking a smile. "Sweet eh?" giving a grin to Neil. "Yup you are quite the charmer." giving a smirk. It was pretty fun seeing this side of Tremble.
A Joint Post By
Captain Edmund Merrick
The Cure Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Major Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Commanding Officer, The Cure
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