Late Night Wanderlust Part I
Posted on Sun Sep 3rd, 2023 @ 8:54am by Captain Edmund Merrick & Sergeant Major Lachlan Barr
Edited on on Tue Sep 5th, 2023 @ 11:03pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Poseidon Station - Various
Timeline: MD006 0100 hrs
Cara was restless, she couldn't sleep, it was already past the time she would be in bed, well asleep that is. As she was already in bed. Tonight well make it the wee hours of the morning, she was still wide awake. She had tossed and turned, punched at her pillow seeking to make it softer maybe? Nothing worked. With a slight growl, Cara threw back the covers and went to get dressed in civvies, Not even were her breathing exercises helping either. She looked around at her quarters, her eyes falling upon the drinks that were available. She didn't want to drink by herself alone in her quarters, what she was craving was to be around people, it was way too quiet for her.
She showered and got ready, putting on a red dress which hugged her curves but swept out from her hips, a swing dress was what it was called, the skirt of it rippling around her knees. Upon her feet she wore black heels, a light touch of makeup enough to enhance slightly her facial features. Her hair was brushed to a luxuriant sheen, a light touch of perfume and she was ready to go out on the town. A quick glance at her image in her mirror smiled and blew a kiss at her reflection. "Don't wait up for me." she commented before she left. And the door closed in behind her. To the promenade she went, wanting to see who she could meet and see. As she passed several people she caught a glimpse of someone, who looked familiar but for the life of her she couldn't remember, then it dawned on her could it be Lachlan Barr from the Pioneer?
"Ah come on! Lachlan exclaimed in his Scottish brogue. "You cannae tell me you've ran out of whisky already. You're meant to be the bar that has it all." he pointed to the sign. "I didnae think having it all meant two bottles." he huffed.
"I'm sorry sir, if you want we have some English whisky..."
Lachlan looked disgusted. "Are you tryin to kill me?! I'd ner put that rubbish in my system. You ever drank coolant?" he asked rhetorically. The young barman went to answer but he held up his hand and stopped him. "Rhetorical mate. Just give me a shot of bourbon and I'll think about how not to hurt you." he smirked.
Cara raised an eyebrow at this, and catching the emotional level as to the young man behind the bar, she decided to try to dial things down just a tad. "Well as I live and breathe, hello Lachlan, tis a pleasure to see you once again. The first time was just all too brief." slipping onto the stool next to him, then adjusting the skirt of her dress. "What are you drinking tonight?" swivelling slightly around to be facing him. She propped her elbow upon part of the bar playing with one of her curls as she regarded him.
Lachlan turned as a woman's voice pulled him from the bar mans gaze. He looked at her and glanced away but quickly gave a double take as he realised who he was talking to. "Definitely too brief Commander." he said straightening up. "I was drinking whisky." he shot the man a look, "But that bar that has everything has ran out." he chuckled. "Why are you out so late?"
"Oh I couldn't sleep, and instead of just looking up at the ceiling trying to count sheep I decided I'd just have a walk about. And please, call me Cara. I am off duty and you are on shoreleave. I can also ask you the same thing, why are you up so late?" a twinkle in her eyes, she leaving off playing with her dark curl.
"Aye those sheep are pesky wee buggers." Lachlan chuckled. "And I'll try... sometimes when you've been a grunt as long as I have tradition and habit can creep in." he took a drink. "I'm always up late. Not very often I get a station to run about on so I'm taking advantage." he flashed a devilish smirk. "Plenty of beautiful sights on here." his eyes hung on Cara for a moment.
Cara nodded in understanding of his remarks of habits being hard to break. She also felt a glow of a small blush touch her cheeks. The man certainly was charming. "Well now, care to walk the station and seek out some more, spirits and have a meal with me? I'm trying to decide on the food I would like to eat. May help me fall asleep easier." taking in the man's physique and finding Lachlan attractive.
"Well I can guarantee a conversation with me might do you the same trick love." Lachlan grinned but rose from his chair all the same. As he stood there he extended his hand to 'help' Cara down from the bar stool, "You'll know more about the station than me and where is a good place to eat."
Taking Lachlan's hand, Cara smoothly slid off the stool, the skirt of her red dress drifting down gently to her knees, she still holding his hand. "Oh I don't know about that, unless you are speaking of the soothing tones in your voice. Then I will agree with you there." Cara thought for a moment, then her eyes lit up, "I know just the place and I used to work there. Its The Admiral on Deck. It is a pub, and has an excellent menu. We can order take out, or dine in, and it depends on how drunk a person wants to get." giving another laugh. "I've got a little bit of a collection of spirits as well. The real stuff, not the fake alcohol."
"Ah its awful nice to be called soothing." Lachlan chuckled. "Usually my accent has people squinting at me trying to decipher if I am speaking English or some unknown dialect of Klingon."
Lachlan's eyes lit up at the very thought of heading back to Cara's quarters for a 'night cap' but that would at the very least wait until they'd seen this pub she mentioned. "Admiral on Deck it is." he let her lead.
As they moved towards the pub he watched some of the nightlife still out and about. "Busy station, even at one in the morning." he said after just checking his watch.
"This station never seems to sleep, especially with entertainment that is being offered at different times of the night. " Cara answered with a bit of a smile.
They stepped inside and Cara took in a deep breath taking in the scents she loved so well when she worked here last. The scent of real food being prepared. There were some raucous laughter coming from a mixed group of females and males. They seemed to be in a heated poker game. To the other side were several people playing pool, and another set was playing darts. The place was lively, and Cara pursed her lips when she looked about the place. " A little bit busy here. I think we can get food to go to my quarters?" she paused, and said "Well after a few drinks here?"
"Of course." Lachlan commented about a few drinks first in the bar was wise. He had no issues with going back to her quarters, she offered and he never did usually turn down beautiful women. "I noticed your shoulders drop when we came in here. You're comfortable here, like it feels safe. You know it well?" he asked as they approached the bar itself.
"I worked here for a little bit, maybe a month but I do know the owner from way back in my past. He saw what was going on and offered me a place of refuge when I got tired of being in Starfleet. I left my other position, took a sabbatical and came here to work. " She led the way to the bar, giving a smile to the newest person who was working there. She'd not met this employee before. She didn't see Andre' nor see Faux but, she figured he was in the back cooking. Or even had stepped out for a little bit. "but yes I felt I could relax here, not be known by my previous rank, I was just me, Cara Letsul. A waitress, bartender, even a dishwasher in the back. At that point I was considered just a civilian."
She paused to order a bottle of whiskey and two glasses, then Cara looked at Lachlan, "Do you like your drinks neat or on the rocks?"
"Oh got to be neat love." Lachlan answered almost instantly. "Don't want ice watering that stuff down." he justified himself as then pondered her answer about the bar.
"I can understand the stepping back. Sometimes not being in charge, not being the person people run to can be quite liberating. I have a lot of people running to me on the Pioneer. Over 120 flapping mouths..." he shook his head a little and chuckled. "I will admit though, your civilian clothing just doesn't do you any justice." he looked her up and down with a certain amount of respect for her figure and that dress that clung to her.
Cara could feel her cheeks grow warm at his compliment. "Thank you." she directed her attention towards Lachlan then towards the drink. "They do have whiskey stones which chills but not dilute." Cara remarked. "However, there is the question of dine in? Or take out? I do see a table in the corner where we can just talk and enjoy the ambience here."
Cara was actually feeling slightly nervous at the moment and she didn't know why she was. She quickly analyzed the possible reason why. There had been only one man she had been with, ever since she had arrived on the station. And that was Raphael Mattix. Now she was here with a handsome man, whom she wanted to spend the night with. She couldn't think as to when she had ever had just a shore leave fling before. Had she ever?
"You're most welcome darlin'." Lachlan replied with a stronger twang of his accent than he had intended. Usually he tried to tone it down in the company of others. Some found it hard to understand if he went full Scottish on them.
"I'll try a whisky stone then, as you recommend it. As for dinner I don't see why we can't find a nice private booth and then take dessert back to your place, or mine. Although we would have to go through security, and with you wearing that I do think the guys at the airlock might have to throw you in the brig for being too sexy." he leaned in and whispered. "Spoil sports if you ask me... wouldn't be surprised if they'd never had their leg over anyone." he chuckled.
Cara could feel herself just melt hearing Lachlan's accent become more pronounced, "It would be at my quarters, its closer? " reaching out and caressing Lachlan's cheek she leaning in to place a kiss at the corner of his mouth. "The same could be said for you, Lachlan." her voice dropping to a sultry tone. "So desireable that it is a crime."
Lachlan smiled, not only was that the answer he wanted to hear but it also gave him the option of sneaking out in the morning. Not the most chivalrous thing to do but he'd often been caught sneaking out of quarters by passers by with sex hair and wrinkled clothing.
"Well then I guess we have dessert plans." he smirked a boyish smirk.
"Then it is agreed." Cara giving a warm chuckle.
"Now that dessert has been planned, they do serve a great ribeye with all of the trimmings and side dishes. The meat is real, the rolls are freshly baked and the bourbon is divine besides the whisky. Everything prepared here is not replicated. It is nice when people have connections in order to get supplies to prepare great tasting food." Cara realized that she was sounding like an advertisement for the Admiral on Deck but she loved the place, and it just felt like a home.
A Joint Post By
Master Sergeant Lachlan Barr
Chief of The Boat, USS Pioneer
First Sergeant, The Cure
Commander Cara Letsul
Chief Counselor
Poseidon Station Operations Command
Poseidon Station
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