Catching up with Old Friends
Posted on Mon May 21st, 2018 @ 6:31pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Chloe de la Vega
Edited on on Thu May 31st, 2018 @ 9:19pm
3,111 words; about a 16 minute read
Mission:
Episode 2 - The Enemy Within
Location: After 11 Lounge
Timeline: MD006 2300 hrs
Tags: SD 71384.2300
Elloma was on her way down to after eleven lounge. She knew that Rissie would probably arrive before she did. Engineering was closer than her quarters were. She walked at a normal pace, thinking about what to say to Rissie.
Rissie wanted to meet up with Elle after the day they had. She heard that her friend was placed in a difficult position. All she knew was Elle did well under pressure. The two ladies agreed to meet at the lounge bar. Clarissa was new, and really did not have an opportunity, to social to much.
Rissie was stuck in engineering pulling double shifts since she boarded. They were still short staff, the Pioneer was understaff and no one felt the strain of that more than the engineering department. Well according to Rissie, no one felt the strain more than engineering.
She walked into the lounge they called After 11. The place was impressive looking. She started to look for Elle and noticed she had yet to arrive. She walked over to the bar and noticed an attractive female behind the bar.
"Hello names Rissie Rockwell, I'm looking for friend. Her name is Elloma Essu. Surely a good looking lady like yourself keeps tabs on the sexy ladies in her bars. She has blonde hair and has spots on her face and back." said Rissie with a smile.
Chloe turned, grin already plastered on her face. If this was someone trying to butter her up they were sure going the right way about it. "As a matter of fact I keep track of all people in my bar, which is why I saw you as soon as my doors swished open." she said with a courteous nod of the head and gave her a free shot. "I know Spots, always causing havoc in here so she is... I do have a soft 'spot' for her." Her mind wandering before snapping back.
"It's a little early for her unless you've made this time definitive. She'll be down soon I'm sure, can never keep her away from this bar for long." Chloe said grinning.
"Are you sure were talking about the same gal?" Asked Rissie, remembering how uptight she was during her academy days. Which was only a few days go.
"She was a bit reserved when she came in but a few lemon drops and she was as chatty as my Aunt Estella." she said with a little laugh."Although they do say something about loose lips and sinking ships." she muttered to herself.
"I'm happy to hear she has finally opened up, may I assume your partially responsible for that?" Asked Rissie, with a huge grin on her face.
"Ha! You could say that although I'm sure she always had it in her. Nice person who likes to drink... my kind of woman." Chloe replied.
Elloma walked into the room. She headed towards the direction of Chloe and Rissie, "Hey Chloe, can I get a lemon drop?" She asked. She wanted to sit down and talk about her feelings. She heard Rissie give her order as well.
"Sure thing Spots." she answered and turned to begin its preparation before handing it over with her award winning smile.
Elloma and Rissie both got their drinks and took a small table on the far side of the bar. Just in case the captain stopped by. She wanted to have a little separation between them. Elloma started to fill in Rissie on the events of the past few nights and almost sleeping with the Captain.
Elloma and Rissie took a seat. Elloma put her drink down, and started in with a deep breath. "Rissie, what the hell is wrong with me?" She asked, looking at her best friend, with eyes that were pleading for help.
"What do you mean?" Asked Rissie, needing a little context to the conversation. That question was very vague. She was curious, what was on the mind of Elloma, what had made her use that particular question.
"I don't think tequila is my friend, despite what people tell me." Elloma said, avoiding the topic for the moment.
"I like to refer to it as a to kill ya, not tequila." Rissie, said realizing that Elloma was warming up to the conversation.
"I almost slept with the Captain yesterday, sad thing is....I still want too." She said softly as she leaned in closer to the table so no one else could hear them.
"Oh boy!" Said Rissie, as she took a big sip of her drink.
"That's all you have to say?" Elloma asked? She was puzzled why Rissie would respond in that fashion? Was she not suppose to tell her best friend, how she felt. Human interactions were so confusing.
"Elle, you can not sleep with the captain, for one he is your commanding officer and second he is married." Insisted Rissie with a stern look on her face, but saying it in a soft tone.
"Does not change the fact, that I desire him. He is a charmer, and he paid attention to me." She said, not really sure how to process all of this. Back home, her mom would not allow her daughter of nobility descent to be trotting around and acting all improper with a boy or anyone.
Everything was about protocol and being all proper like. But the Captain's charms were very intoxicating. She found it hard to resist these advancements.
"There are a lot of single men on this ship, trying reaching out to one of them, or give it a few weeks, they will start knocking on your door." Suggested Rissie.
"But he is right there, damn that cowboy hat looks so good on him." Said Elloma, looking all dreamy at the captain.
Rissie slapped Elloma on the face. To get her attention off of the Captain and back into reality.
"Owe, what was that for?" Asked Elloma, as she reached up and grabbed her cheek.
"You needed that!" Suggested Rissie.
"You're right I did, how am I going to get out of this mess?" She asked Rissie. She wanted advice from her best friend.
"Put those thoughts to the side and move on." Suggested Rissie, as she stood up and grabbed Elloma's hand.
"Were putting a stop to this, time to talk to the captain, and tell him you want to be friends only." Ordered Rissie, knowing this was probably not going to work.
"I can't do that." Said Elloma.
"Let's go on the dance floor, and try to get your mind off of him." Suggested Rissie as the two ladies started to dance.
Tyler walked into After 11 fairly happy with himself and his crew. The ship had survived major combat with little casualty. The crew pulled together and now they were on the way out of the Badlands. Larim had designed one hell of a western holoprogram. So to top everything off he went to After 11 for a drink with his Counselor, Chloe. Tyler was still dressed as a cowboy. To his surprise not a single strange look was given to him as he walked through the ship. The program must have been taking off.
"Evening Tex." Chloe said stifling a little laugh at the mans getup. "Been rustling up some cattle or whatever it is you cowboys do?" she asked giving him a little wink.
"Evening Darlin." Tyler said as he returned the wink. He was happy to return the flirts, as for the time being it seemed that it made him more approachable. "I was busy rustlin up some relaxation. Now it is time for some booze. I am still of a cowboy mood so tequila it shall be." He added as he sat down on a bar stool and took off his hat.
"My pleasure mi capitan." she replied and got her bottle out from under the bar. Across is had the words 'Botella de Capitanes' or 'Captains Bottle' so that no-one else would touch it. "You enjoy yourself then?" She asked.
"Gracias mi consejero. So tell me how has the crew fared through all that has happened? Perhaps more importantly how have you and the bar fared?" Tyler said with a smile as he took a shot of the tequila.
Chloe half smiled as if she was holding something back. She caressed her ribs, a place she had bumped whilst the attack had raged on but she neglected a sickbay visit... they ask too many questions. However the bruising was evident but only slightly showing from the bottom of her top as it wasn't big enough to cover her midriff.
"Bar has been fine, had to do some minor redecorating but I think this a sturdy little place for it. Can't say the same for my stockroom that I had to spend hours resorting but I won't bore you to death with that." she replied to him.
"The crew are alright, glad to be on the other side of this mission I think. Can't say I blame them, fights are never nice nor good for business."
"Agreed... But for a CO there is no better way to test your crew than in battle. Especially a new one..." Tyler said and then took another shot of tequila. He glanced behind the bar at all the bottles and a thought occurred to him. "You know before I got the job of sitting on my butt I used to be good at setting things up. Whaddya say we get back to the station and I will install a forcefield for you. It will engage when the ship is attack. This way things don't fall." He smiled and winked, "Say you got any salt and lime?"
"Sure do sweetie." she replied passing him the shaker and a few cut limes in a bowl. "Oh come on now, I can't have you splashing out on me. What will people say? They'll think we have something going on with all these gifts, hats and forcefields not withstanding..."
"Whelp the way I figure it, you make the crew happy, so I better keep you happy." He said as he shot another tequila with lime and salt this time.
Chloe smiled in reply at his statement. He was right, she did seem to make the crew happy... either that or it was the copious amount of real alcohol she provided to them. "Oh Captain there are many ways to keep me happy." she said with a twinkle in her eyes.
Tyler cocked an eyebrow wondering what she meant. He would hate to admit it but after the week he had, he could use someone warm and soft in his bed. "Well then I think you need to tell me more about what I can do to make you happy over more tequila. Especially while I am in the giving mood." He said returning the flirtation right back. He would hate to admit it but there was a voice in the back of his head that began to shout. She is at the station, she will never know...
Over the next half hour Chloe whispered sweet nothings to the Captain as his drinks were refilled then emptied in quick succession. She would tease him with longing glances, slight touches of his hand whilst passing him shots of tequila and just be her playful flirtatious self. What would the harm be?
30 minutes later
Elloma and Rissie where both dancing the night away, they were dancing a little provocative with each other. They were just having fun. Elloma was trying to clear her mind of Tyler. She felt her infatuation with the captain was a little out of control and she wanted to get some help, but she did not want to talk to a counselor. She wanted no written record of her feelings.
The ladies were definitely getting the attention of some of the junior officers on the USS Pioneer. When the boys started to make their move, Rissie got them off the dance floor and heading over to the bar. "Sorry boys, we're thirsty." Said Rissie as she blew a kiss at the young officers, she was egging them on a bit.
"Your so bad!" Said Elloma, as she put her arm around Rissie as they walked over to the bar.
"You're one to speak." she said, pointing to Tyler, and then headed towards his direction. Rissie made sure they were was a little separation between them. She was trying to point out the Elloma was off limits.
Elloma smiled and winked at Chloe. "Sweetie can I get another..." She started off to say. When she heard Rissie ask for one as well. "Two lemon drops, thanks sweetie."
"No hay problema (No problem) sweetie." Chloe replied and turned to prepare the drinks.
Tyler smiled as the ladies approached the bar. "Elloma, and I believe you are Clarissa Rockwell. Welcome..." He took another belt of Tequila.
"Yes it is Captain." said Rissie as she stood in front of Elloma, in a protective manner. Elloma looked over the shoulder of Rissie with a warm smile. She watched Chloe making the drink. She was trying to distract herself from Tyler.
"Well good to see you were able to pull yourself away from repairs to have a drink." Tyler smirked as he placed his hat on the bar. He poured another two shots and slung them back.
"Figured after nearly a week of double duty, a night off would not be a bad thing, plus I missed hanging out with Elle." Said Rissie, as she reached in to give her a big hug. She was literally snuggling on Elloma, which did not bother Elloma at all. The two were really close friends.
"Here you go señoras." Chloe said placing the lemon drops on the counter for them. She noticed the close protective nature of this 'Rissie' and wondered what the need was. She tried not to pry too much into other people's business unless they wanted to spill it. "Having a good time you two?" she asked.
"Looks like..." Tyler chimed in, he had reached the point of disconnect. He was quite content to keep going however.
Elloma took a big sip, of her lemon drop. Then slid in front of Rissie, still cuddling on Risse. Elloma still keeping a small distance from the captain, she was trying her best to avoid her temptations.
The angle she was standing made it hard for her to see Chloe, so she turned around and slightly bent over to lean into the bar. To make it easier to talk to Chloe. "Do you ever take a night off?" Asked Elloma, as she felt a hand slap her bottom. She recognized that slap it was from Rissie.
She was probably trying to tell the captain without saying it, that Elle was now hers, and he needs to back off. It was only a theory, a theory deep down Elloma wanted but at the moment a theory she did not want.
Chloe laughed a little at the expression on Elloma's face from the smack of her bottom. It was priceless but she still answered the question nonetheless.
"I take days off..." she said looking as if she was thinking about it. "Truth be told if I took the night off I may miss your pretty faces in here and not hear all the stories you have to tell me over lemon drops and shots of tequila." she said smiling at them all.
"This is why we love her, such a charmer." Suggested Elloma, as she took another sip, trying to loosen up, after the day they had.
"She is a charmer, Elle." Suggested Rissie, with a grin on her face. She could tell that Chloe was trouble. Was the tension between the captain partially her fault, wondered Rissie as she wondered how her sweet friend Elle, could have feelings for her a captain. Worse than being her captain, he was also married.
Tyler shot more tequila and looked at the three ladies chat. The alcohol was beginning to take effect he just wasn't sure how to play it. He could order Rockwell back to work which would open the way, but that would be too obvious. "So ladies who is up for some shots? Chloe set up a round of kamikazes it is time to see who can last the night and who bails." Tyler added one of his trademark boyish smirks at the end of his statement.
Why did he had to be so irresistible, Elloma wondered. She had a hard time keeping her eyes off of Tyler, despite Rissie's best intention. She knew she needed to talk to Tyler, as soon as possible. But Rissie was not going to allow her to do that.
She was trying to plot the perfect time. Right now was not it. She continued to sit at the bar, looking at Tyler and sipping on her lemon drop.
Chloe would have to be blind not to notice the tension that was brewing between Spots and Tex but she was damned well sure she wasn't going to get into the middle of that. She'd been in triangles before and it never ended well for anyone. She would however be on hand if Ellie needed her for advice, what were friends for? Although it seemed her old friend from the past was there to keep her on the straight and narrow, even for a short time.
The Captain on the other hand had no-one Chloe would really call a 'friend' as all people on the ship were his subordinates. She liked to think that he looked on her kindly and held some respect for her even if she was a young age. He definitely respect the booze she had that was for sure. She hoped he considered her a friend, someone he could get close too and talk too if needed away from the Starfleetyness that stuffed many a collar.
Looking between the pair of them, Spots and Tex, she wasn't sure how this night was going to end but she was definitely having a tequila for good measure!
A Joint Post By
Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Elloma Essu
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Clarissa Rockwell
Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
PNPC Essu
Chloe de la Vega
Bar Mistress After 11, USS Pioneer
PNPC Zano
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