The Saloon Part II

Posted on Mon Jun 24th, 2019 @ 10:59pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Commander Katherine Malbrooke & Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna & Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke & Major Cornelius Tremble & Lieutenant Junior Grade Mignon Mejia & Chloe de la Vega
Edited on on Mon Jun 24th, 2019 @ 11:34pm

4,005 words; about a 20 minute read

Mission: Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: After 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD005 1800 hrs

Last Time On The Saloon Part I
Quinn was practically running out of his room, when he heard she was barely covered. He knew what that meant. Get over here now, or no sex later on. "On my way." He said, as he raced into the turbolift. It took him a few minutes to get down to the party.
And Now The Continuation...
Quinn walked into the room, and instantly found Ameri by the bar. Damn she looked fine. He walked over towards her, did not say a word, as he planted on a kiss on her. Telling the boys, to back off his wife. "Sorry I did not do that sooner." He said, trying not to bring up the point, he was late.

“I know you,” And that was all Ameri was going to say on the subject. “I’m glad you are here, what do you want to drink?” She was glad he showed up. Had he taken much longer she would have went after him. Quinn looked tired and his eyes had shadows. She wasn’t one tonag but if they didn’t start fading she would get some answers.

"One Scottish neat." He told Ameri, as she ordered his drink for him. "I would have been here earlier, El needed a signature." He told his wife.

“I see anything I need to know?” She asked him as she handed him his drink. “Thank you for coming.”

"Routine supply requests. How are things here?" Quinn asked, as he took a sip from his drink, and took a look around. Everyone appeared to be having a good time.

“Everyone seems to be having a good time,” Ameri replied. “I don’t know if I have met him but Clarissa seems to have gotten under that guys skin.”

Kat spotted the O Flannigains down at the end of the bar and waved her hand to get their attention. "Ameri, Quinn come join us. Drinks are on the boss." She wrapped her arm around her husband as she spoke. Her invitation had ulterior motives. She hoped the two officers would help her convince Tyler to go along with her transfer request.

Ameri walked over with Quinn, a smile on her face. “Hi, Kat!” She said with a smile. “This Was a good idea.” She said to the captain.

Kat gave her friend a hug. "Thanks. I wanted to celebrate everyone being back together." And hopefully she and Ty would be able to stay that way.

"Commander its good to see you again." Quinn said, not sure if he should call the Captain's wife by her first name.

"Please, call me Kat," she said. "Especially when we're off-duty."

Tyler passed out the drinks and clapped his XO on the shoulder. "Well done Number One, well done indeed. I wish we did as well up here as you did down on the planet." Tyler mused and then quickly changed his tact. "You know you have a wonderful little girl. Razor sharp wit..." His voice trailed off as he looked at his wife and thought about perhaps bringing her aboard the Pioneer. "Quinn how are we doing this fine evening?"

"Yes Enya is a wonderful child, and I am having an okay night. How about you?" Quinn said, feeling like he was about to be set up, for something. Probably something he was not going to like.

"I have to say thank you. I have given a lot of thought to what you said when you first came aboard. You have made me see the error of my ways. I wanted you to know that I have officially requested that Starfleet send us a teacher. I think it is high time that the Pioneer had full families aboard and become more of a home." Tyler realized that his XO was a little off. "What is making your night just okay? Is there something that I can help with?"

"That is wonderful news Tye." Quinn said, with a big smile as he looked over to Ameri and then back over at Tye and Kat. "Enya could really benefit from having a full time teacher, and other children on the ship."

“I agree with Quinn,” Ameri spoke up. “Enya is lonely for someone near her age to hang out with instead of her parents.” She looked at her husband. “I don’t think you answered the question, what makes this ‘okay’ instead of relaxing or fun?” She normally would have waited to push the issue until they were alone but Tyler and Kat were their friends

"Well this is a step in the right direction." Quinn said, they continued to chat a bit, before he noticed that Kat was trying to get Tyler's attention. He politely remained silent for the moment.

Kat caught Tyler's look. Was that a sign that he, too, was readyfor the two of them to live together and maybe start a family? Well, the family might have to wait a bit, but being on the same ship was a good start.

Ameri turned to Kat. “I have missed you. Tell me what is new, we need to catch up.” She wished Kat was with them on the Pioneer.

"We do," the other woman agreed. "I've missed you, too. And..." she hesitated, not sure if this was the right place. She checked to see that her cowboy was occupied. "I could use your help. I'll tell you about it later." She didn't answer the other question. There wasn't much new, and a lot that she wanted to change. "What's new with you?"

“I went back to work as assistant science chief,” Ameri informed her. “I was nervous at first but the Chief is very fair and I think we will work well together.” She smiled. “It feels good to work again.”

"I'm so glad." She smiled at her friend. "I envy you being here with your husband."

“It was never up for discussion lucky for us,” Ameri admitted. “I don’t think either of us would have handled it well. You are a stronger woman than me in that aspect.”

"Tyler's career is important, and and for a while it worked, but now..." Kat shook her head. She regretted a number of choices she'd made over the years. "Now I want us to be together."

“What does Tyler say,” Ameri replied with interest. “He has to see the wisdom of your coming on the ship.” She frowned for a moment. “He wants you here right?”

"He does, but we haven't talked about it yet," Kat admitted. "He's been so busy with everything thta we've hardly had the time to talk." She looked over at Tyler and smiled.

“Well if you need reinforcements I am here,” Ameri said sincerely. “I would love having you with us on the ship. It gets lonely for some women talk at times.”

"For me, too," Kat replied. She'd love to have someone she could really talk to. She glanced at Tyler. And a full-time husband. "I think I'll need those reinforcements."

“I have your back,” Ameri grinned looking at Tyler then Quinn. “We will win!”

Kat grinned back. Her husband was stubborn, but then, so was she. "Thanks."

Mignon walked in, dressed in a pair of tight jeans, cowboy boots, and a red plaid cowboy shirt. She didn't know most of the people here, but a party was the best place to meet them. She went up to the bar to see what they had on tap.

Jayna wore black jeans with a black leather vest over an olive green shirt. Instead of a six-shooter, she had a black Apache blade on her belt as part of her costume. Since she knew almost nobody here, she decided to walk around a bit first and get a feel for her new crewmates.

Hermia entered the 'Saloon' dressed as a US Calvary Officer, complete with sabre. She surveyed the room, most people seemed to be enjoying themselves and she was glad. Making her way to the bar and said. "Irish whiskey, neat."

Jenn put on the cowboy hat she found in the replicator. Above the jeans and shirt she looked great. And her braided hear just completed the look. She walked in to After 11 and walked up to Hermia. "Good evening, doctor." She looked to Chloe. "Scotch please, Chloe." She learned to appreciate Chloe and her manners. The first time didn't go so well. She then turned to Hermia again. "How are you doing, doctor?"

"Evening, Warrant, I'm better now, Sickbay has died down." Hermia said. "Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but sometimes it gets to be too much, ya know?"

Jenn nodded, "I know, I may not heal people, but intell can still be very hectic. Specially now. There was so much data coming in."

"From what I understand, our work does have similarities. You have to examine in coming intelligence and decide which is of the most importance to the Command staff, while I examine the injured and decide who needs the most immediate care." Hermia said. She then look around to see why her drink hadn't arrived.

"True that," Jenn said as she also went looking for her drink as well.

"Here you go girls." Chloe said as she placed the drinks down in front of them. "Oh I so feel your pain, it's hard to decide who to cut off when they've had too much in here." She mused knowing her job was in no way as important or had much effect on the running of the ship.

"Perhaps we should start a support group?" Hermia teased.

Chloe nodded as if deep in thought over it. "I'll bring the shots if we do. Support starts with the small glass." She said downing one of her own.

"Alcohol, does have some medicinal benefits, so I'll drink to that." Hermia said and took a large gulp of her drink.

Neil could hear the sound of music and the crowd twenty meters from the doors to After 11 and it gave him pause. He wasn't sure if he was ready for this sort of thing just yet, but had decided it would be more conspicuous if he didn't at least show up. His head still wasn't on right and he was half afraid something would set him off.

But still. Appearances.

Entering through the doors, Neil stopped to take things in and let his senses filter everything. That's when he heard the piano. He stopped and considered. Peering through the crowd, he could see it was an actual Tack piano, which drew him. Until he caught sight of the pianist.

"Well, drahk," he murmured to himself, his brain slowing to a crawl.

Richard walked in looking rather out of place. Although he knew it was a western themed event he had gone with the costume his significant other had suggested, a mistake and he knew it. His daughter Abigail was serving as his date and she wanted the two to wear a matching outfit one of her aunts had sent them.

Dr. Ballston was dressed in a traditional Azzian suit. The white silken brocade tunic was bordered with a richly embroidered hem. Reds, greens, golds, yellows, and blues were lavishly seven by hand into a floral tapestry. It came down well past his knees splitting down the middle and fastening with golden buttons from his waist up to about the base of his neck where his blue brooch fastened the collar together. His white brocade trousers were loose fitting around his legs, enough that his knee brace was well hidden, then came tightly around his ankles. The shoes were white as well but topped with the same colorful floral motifs.

The young ladies Azzian gown looked much like a sari with the actual gown made from the same white brocade and the floral motif echoed in the sheer silken wrappings that went around her and draped over her blonde hair. She too had a blue brooch that served to hold the long silken wrapping in place near her right shoulder.

Though Abigail seemed oblivious to the fact that they didn’t fit in Richard was well aware of the contrast and blushed in embarrassment for a moment. He drew in a deep breath and looked down at his daughter, “Who. Would you like to meet first?”

The girl smiled broadly, “the Captain Daddy, I don’t think I have ever met Captain Malbrooke.” She nearly didn’t breathe before she continued, “and then all your friends.”

Richard chuckled and nodded, “Alright, the Captain first it is but I don’t know if we’ll have time to meet all my friends.”

Guiding his young daughter over towards the Captain and his wife Richard smiled, Captain Tyler Malbrooke, Misses Katherine Malbrooke, I’d like to introduce my daughter Abigail Ballston.”

Kat smiled at the girl. "A pleasure to meet you."

Tyler smiled at the young woman. "Abigail allow me to welcome you aboard the Pioneer. I have heard wonderful things about you. What do you think of the ship?"

Resisting the urge to bow as her father telepathically suggested he skip the customary Azzian greetings and answer the Captains question, "from what Daddy has shown me I really like it," Abigal replied. Her face lit up as she talked, "I love the Intrepid class Captain, It is just the right size, small enough I get to see my Daddy once in a while."

Richard chuckled and gave the Captain a knowing look, "she has a model of a few Federation starships in her room Captain, I think she's going to become an engineer."

Tyler smiled broadly "Well she is a lady after my old heart. She loves a fine class of ship. I am sure that she will keep ships running long after we are all in retirement."

Richard chuckled and nodded, "that's for sure Captain."

He glanced down at his daughter with evident pride, "we shouldn't take up too much of the Captain's time Abigail, he's got a lot of guests to see."

The dark-eyed girl looked up at her father and nodded then turned her attention back to Tyler, "It was a pleasure meeting you sir, my father has told me how much he admires you."

"The pleasure was mine." Tyler said in response as he turned toward Quinn and the others.

T'Rish had arrived at the party and done what she enjoyed most. She watched the crew feeling the energy in the room. It was something she knew her Vulcan side would oppose but it was amazing to her how little internal conflict there was when no one was expecting her to act a certain way. Taking a sip of her drink she continued to stand nearest to the window. A contented grin on her Vulcan lips which wouldn't be noticed by many.

Abigail grabbed her father's hand and moved away scanning the room. There was a broad smile on her young face excited that her father had chosen to take her to a party like this. Her dark eyes twinkled like her father's and they sat on a blonde haired woman, "Daddy, who is the woman by the window?"

"Would you like to meet her?" Richard grinned as he bent down a little and talked to her in a lower tone, "I've mentioned her to you before."

The girl chuckled and nodded, "would you introduce me, Daddy?" "I think I know who she is, from what you've told me."

Richard chuckled and nodded standing back to his full height. He walked over towards the woman holding his daughter's hand. "Hello T'Rish, you look lovely tonight." He smiled broadly at the half Vulcan, "this is my daughter Abigail Ballston."

T'Rish knew that Richards personal life was more complicated than most. Nothing about it scared her away. She loved the idea of children even if she hadn't decided if she ever wanted any of her own. She lowered down so she was in line with Abigail, her hair hung around her bare shoulders in the halter-style dress she was wearing. "Good evening Agibail Ballston. It is most agreeable to meet you." She held out her hand in a traditional earth greeting which may have been as foreign to the small girl as it was to her.

Abigail looked at the hand for only a moment as the recognition of the human gesture took hold. She took it and gave it her best shake though she really knew little about the proper way to do it. Then letting go of her hand she bowed towards her, "may time be kind to you Miss T'Rish." There was a broad smile on her face and she looked over at her father for approval, "daddy told me you were good friends and that he was happy you had come back to the ship," she looked down blushing a little, "I mean the Pioneer where he works."

"You are a very smart child." T'Rish said in a standard Vulcan syntax but with more emotion than would have been expected. "Yes," She grinned up at Richard before raising back up to stand straight. "Your dad and I are friends. I am happy to be back on the Pioneer as well." She gave Richard an uncharacteristic wink.

Richard blushed in spite of himself as he saw the unexpected gesture and grinned widely. "Well," he began trying to think of the appropriate thing to say, "I'm a bit prejudice but I'd have to agree she is very smart."

Abigal chuckled as she saw her father's face redden, "Daddy, why are you blushing?"

The doctor glanced down at his daughter and smiled, "I always blush when around beautiful women like you and T'Rish."

Richard looked back at the Woman still smiling, "stop by tomorrow, I have something special for you."

T'Rish's face showed her question on her face, but she left it unspoken. "I will." She smiled before turning back towards Abigail. "It was very nice to meet you, Miss Abigail Ballston."

"Thank you," the girl said beaming at her, "it was very nice to meet you too Miss T'Rish."

Richard raised an eyebrow at the two women and then took in a breath, "have a great evening T'Rish."

"Now," the physician said as he looked at his daughter, "who else would you like to meet?"

T'Rish's heart warmed, in a vulcan way, at the tenderness, the man had for his daughter. Returning to her hobby of people watching and sipping on her drink she was content.

"I know someone else you can meet," Richard offered crouching down to Abigail's eye level.

Abigail's dark eyes lit up as if there was an internal fire, "one of the doctors?"

He questions made Richard chuckle. He tilted his head slightly as he gazed at the young woman, "she doesn't work in my department but she's a doctor at computers."

"Computers," the girl said as her eyes lit up, "you have computer experts on the ship?"

Again the doctor chuckled and nodded, "come on, I've got someone for you to meet."

He took the girl by the hand and walked over to where Masters was and waited for her to notice them, "Staff Warrant Officer Jennifer Masters, this is my daughter, Abigail Ballston."

Abigail gave a traditional Azzian bow, "may time be kind to you Miss Masters."

Jenn was standing at the bar holding her drink as the doctor and his daughter came up to her. She gave a nod to her. "Thank you, Abigail. Please call me Jennifer or Jenn. I have heard a lot about you and your world from your father, made me wanna look it up. And I have. It is so fascinating and beautiful." She smiled. "How are you finding the Pioneer?" She asked back in return.

"Oh, I'd love the ship!" The girl's eyes lit up again as she spoke, "Daddy says you're really good with computers, do you fix them?"

Jenn blinken. "Well, it isn't in my job description, but I can fix them. It is sometimes easier to fix a computer then to just get the database out. And of course, I need to know how to fix things, cause you can't always rely on engineering or operations to fix things. Not that they are unreliable, but in times of crisis it is important for them to focus on their task at hand, instead of running down to the SCIF. All intelligence officers in my department have a knowledge of fixing computers." She realized she was rambling on. "So, you got a computer that needs fixing, Abigail," She asked.

Abigail smiled and shook her head to the negative, "Oh no Jennifer my computer works really, really well but Daddy said you were a doctor for computers so I thought you fixed them."

She looked at her father with a puzzled look on her face, "what did you mean Daddy?"

"I said," he began softly putting a comforting hand on her shoulder and crouching down to her level that she was a Doctor at computer, not a doctor for computers." He smiled broadly at her and nodded, "I meant that she was really good with using computers, getting them to do what she wants them to do, not fixing them if they are broken."

The girl smiled broadly as a look of recognition crossed her delicate face, "oh I see Daddy, like Mommy Lie'halla is really good at decorating and serving food but not so good at cooking it."

Richard chuckled at his the blonde girl he loved so much and looked over at Jenn then back at Abigail, "yes like Mommy Lie'halla."

Abigail looked back to Jen again as well and chuckled, "I will have Daddy let you know if my computer won't do something I want it to do."

Jenn grinned and said, "That is fine Abigail. Have you also been to the SCIF?" She asked.

"No," the girl admitted, "I live on Empok-Nor with my mommies so I haven't seen much of the ship." She smiled at the woman as her eyes sparkled, "do they have a big computer?"

Richard chuckled at the girl's question, "we can go see it if we can get clearance."
To Be Continued...

A Joint Post By

Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer