Home Is Where The Heart Is
Posted on Sat Jun 29th, 2019 @ 1:07am by Corporal Adélaïde Moreau
Edited on on Sun Jun 30th, 2019 @ 12:18pm
2,610 words; about a 13 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: White Stag Pub, Empok Nor
Timeline: MD001 1900 hrs
This pub reminded her a little of her Irish roots, even though it was Scottish but they were kinda like fun cousins. Adélaïde could hear the musical notes of the Scottish accent from behind the bar and it made the hairs on her arms stand up.
Yes she was born in France, moved to San Francisco when she was 4 and had only visited Ireland to see family but still it felt a bit like home from far away.
The Pioneer was due to arrive tomorrow so she was getting in some last minute drinking before she had to act all professional again. Sometimes leave ended too quickly...
Tallida loved to just be around people. She would have loved a cloak of some type that would make her invisible. Just being a fly on the wall to see all the life she had never had a chance to live, until now. Meriam had pushed her to go and explore the station and Talli found herself wishing the women had come with her. She had heard about a bar that was friendly to outsiders and if anyone qualified as an outsider it was her. She was smiling as she rounded the corner, smiling but not paying attention and she collided with a women. "Oh my god, I am so sorry." She started putting out her hands to balance the other women, her hands embarrassingly missing her shoulder.
A blue blur was all that it could be explain as. Adélaïde was waiting for another drink as she turned, a simple 90 degrees as another person bumped into her. To make matters that little more awkward as Ade wobbled the woman had attempted to stabilise her but instead of shoulders, her waist, hell even her arms this woman with bright blue hair had grabbed her chest. Not even a little bit either, nor did she let go. She stood their hands extended, hands full and staring.
Adélaïde had stopped swaying and looked at the woman who'd gotten to know her a little better, "You know its customary where I come from to buy a girl a drink before copping a feel." she joked.
The shock and the horror was written across Tallida's face in neon sign fashion as she quickly realized where he hands had landed. Instantly dropping them down, her face flushed as she looked down at the floor. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean too, uh." She gave out a nervous chuckle, "I didn't mean to do that."
"Ah so you meant to put your hands somewhere else on my body." Ade said with a playful wink. "Gotcha." She wasn't embarrassed, hell she'd been in worse states whilst trying to find people under rubble, lost in jungles or uneasy terrain, and when she found people they'd grab at anything to get out. It would take a lot more than some minor fondling to get her to blush. Marines don't do that easily, albeit she was in her civvies so no-one knew what she did. "I'm Adélaïde, and you are? Overeager?" she joked again.
"Yes, no, uh," Tallida stumbled over herself. She laughed at the ridiculousness. "I am Tallida." She grinned. "I should in fact buy you a drink to apologize. To additionally make up for spilling your drink." She moved to take a step past the other women and couldn't help but look her over convincing herself it wasn't anything more than a look.
Ade smiled, "A drink sounds good to me, but I'll take your company even more so. This Scottish guy behind the bar keeps giving out free toasts about welcoming strangers and I'm pretty sure he's getting me drunker... drunk? Anyway, I'll have whatever you want sweetie." she said, her cheeks a little flushed from whatever alcohol the bartender was peddling. "I love your hair by the way. Looks amazing!"
"So we shall stick together to ward off deviant behavior?" Tallida teased. She reached up and touched her hair. "Thanks, it is a long story." She replied as she tucked the cotton candy colored hair behind her ears. "Scotch or tequilla?" she asked as the pair moved towards the bar.
"Well let's not ward off too much Cotton." Adélaïde replied subconsciously biting her lip and looking the woman up and down. She knew her hair looked like something but God if marines didn't like their nicknames. "But I'm in a tequila kind of mood tonight. Last night of leave and all that, got to go fight that good fight somewhere."
"Tequilla it is." Tallida replied easily. She hadn't missed the term the Marine had used but felt a little self conscious about it. Striding up to a small table in the middle of the chaos she ordered the two drinks and returned her attention to her companion. "So," She started. "If I am not mistaken, you are a Marine."
"Am I that easy to make?" Ade asked almost disappointed she was easy to read, but still graciously accepting the drink. Their hands meeting for the briefest of moments.
Tallida noted the disappointment on the other women's face. "If it makes you feel better I am a medical doctor with a specialization in psychology." She grinned as the drinks arrived. "Basically, I am an observer." She reached to take the drink and her hand brushed against Adelaide's briefly sending a zing thought her. She found herself hoping it would happen again.
"A shrink eh?" You know they make me come and see one of you when I'm finished digging bodies out of the ground?" She said very matter of fact. Truth be told she'd been to see 'grief' counselor a lot as it was part of her role to come across people at their worst, and best. People that survived and those that didn't. A hard job to say the least. For a moment she noted that her comment sounded very serial killerish. "I'm not a sociopath or anything by the way."
Quickly changing the subject, "So you must know a bit about the body then?" she half asked with girlish enthusiasm.
"More than a bit." Tallida said simply. "I didn't think you were a sociopath, at least not yet." She teased. Part of her wanted to ask more about her, where she was stationed, where she was going but that might prompt her to have to answer the same questions. She was enjoying someone not knowing everything about her.
"A woman of mystery? I can understand that, although with hair like that Cotton you're easily spotted." Ade said with a smile. "Here's to finding out the mysteries of life... tomorrow." She said toasting her tequila shot up in the air. "Tonight I just want to have fun."
Tallida watched her for a moment before raising her glass just the same. She liked the idea of just being unknown and having fun for a night. It thrilled her the way Meriam told her it would. "I like that idea." She raised the glass to her lips, tipping her head back, she downed the shot before setting the glass on the table. "Another?"
"Oh God yes!" she yelled in excitement. Ade signaled for multiple shots to be brought, and a bottle of something green. As they waited she looked the woman over once again but this time checked out her behind out. "So Cotton, how many psycho's have you met? Loads?"
"Not as many as you might think." She grinned. "It is the sociopaths that are the most interesting. They can mimic normal expectations but they can't feel it. They can't be apart of it." She blushed slightly when she realized that the Marine hadn't meant it was interesting or for her opinion on the matter.
"Right, right..." Ade nodded in thought, "So no kinky guys? Mad stalkers that follow you with a zoom lens and spray cotton candy scents in rooms that you may walk into?" she asked incredulously, the alcohol taking effect. "I'm, eh, asking for a friend..."
"Kink is in the eye of the beholder." Tallida replied with a flirty wink that she had no idea where it came from. She cocked her head at the cotton candy comment and twisted her head in question. "Not that I am aware of. That would be a waste of film." She muttered as she downed another glass as it was newly delivered. "This friend of yours is curious?" She asked, the warming sensation loosening her awkwardness a bit.
"Oh yeah, they ask all sorts of questions." she laughed. "I wouldn't say its a waste of film." Her eyes lit up and she moved her hand onto Tallida's, hoping that was alright.
Tallida looked down where Ade's hand was resting on hers for a moment before looking back up at her beautiful face. The sensation dancing across her skin was new and thrilling. She smiled at her before speaking again. "I wonder if your friend is as pretty as you?"
Adélaïde giggled. "She's the brains, I'm the pretty face ma'am." she added beaming a bright smile her way.
"I am not old enough to be a ma'am." Tallida teased back as she took a drink of the green liquid that practically glowed in her glass. Her head spun slightly. She didn't drink often and knew she should slow down but the energy around her egged her on.
"Oh I know, I just hit marine grunt mode. I forget sometimes that I'm not in uniform." she took the green drink that Tallida passed. "Ah Absinthe, my mothers favourite forbidden drink." she said taking a large swig.
"I will forgive it this one time." She joked. Her skin felt hot, but in a pleasant way. "I shouldn't drink this much." she said with a smile. "I have never done it before and who knows what could happen."
"Well thank you gorgeous." she smiled. "I just think maybe you should stay away from the Green Fairy. It's not that you shouldn't drink this much, just that you should in my company."
"Are you safe company?" she asked as she took another sip of the liquid. Her question was asked innocently enough but there was an implication there. She watched the other woman as she turned her hand over and began to gently touch the skin at her wrist.
"I keep people safe, I find people. So yeah I'd safe I'm pretty safe company to keep." Ade looked, "You know marines, Starfleets loyal lap dogs." she kind of halfheartedly joked.
"Not any that I have known." Tallida replied. She could feel everything around her. It was a nice sensation but something in the back of her mind warned her that this was not the best idea. "I don't know about Starfleet, but I like marines. They are a fun challenge."
"Oh so you see me as a challenge Doctor?" she said running a finger up Tallida's arm playfully.
"Marines are the hardest to study." Tallida replied with a slight catch in her speech caused by the attention from Ade. "You all tend to close ranks and take care of your own." she smiled. "Nothing against that, simply a challenge."
"We are a close knit bunch, that's for sure." she said thinking about her previous unit. It made her smile knowing they would always be friends for life. "Although... I am free to study in a more intimate setting." Her eyes twinkled playfully as she lifted Tallida's hand up and gave it a kiss.
"Perhaps in a quiet place." Tallida replied. Her eyes were fixed on the woman as she placed the kiss. "Not here?" she offered awkwardly.
"Well they don't offer us a fancy place to stay here. If you have a private place, maybe with more alcohol and room to stretch. Maybe that green fairy knows where to go?" she pointed to the empty bar stool. Sometimes she loved being half Irish, good for holding your liquor.
Tallida looked over at the empty chair and gave it a questioning look as to who she was talking too. With a shake of her head, which was a bad idea, she turned back to her. "I don't have any alcohol, but I do have a replicator." She laughed. "Could be worse."
"Well Cotton, let's take the party home." she said seductively as she rose from her seat running her fingers up Tallida's arm once more before moving behind her. Ade's warm breath on the back of her neck before moving up to her ear and whispering, "Let's see how much you enjoy a challenge."
This was not how Talli had seen the night going. She had hoped to only watch the crowd that she was never apart of and now, she was apart of it. The thrill of Ade's implication sent a zing of excitement through the sheltered doctor. She said nothing as she took the women's hand and lead them towards the door. She had never been one to place gender on who she found attractive, but she had never met a women like Ade.
Truth be told this wasn't how Adélaïde saw her night going either but random nights of random fun are often the best ones. This woman was interesting, in an awkward doctor kind of way. Ade liked all kinds of people, never confined herself to any one kind of thing or person so this was fun. She followed the woman out, "So where are we going?"
"I have quarters in the habitat wing." She smiled. "It is, uh..." She started as she stop her progressing and looked around. She gave a nervous laugh. "I don't remember where they are. Give me a second."
"That's ok." Ade smiled, "This station is like a maze at the best of times I think so I shall sway here and if I fall I'm sure you'll catch me."
Talli smiled and whipped her head around, which was not a wise choice. The world spun slightly and she found herself leaning against her counter part who wasn't standing much better. She found herself reached out and took her hand. The touch still thrilling. "This way." She said, not at all sure she was going the right way.
"I don't mean to suggest you don't know where you're going Cotton, but I'm sure this is the way to the cargo bays." she said pointing to the signage above. She was Search and Rescue after all and this needed a little rescuing. "Habitat ring is this way silly." she said tugging her a little hoping to spark her memory.
Tallida let out a laugh that was not in character for her. "This is why I keep you around," She laughed keeping the women's hand as she moved towards the correct lift this time. "Sleeping in a crate again doesn't sound like fun." She joked.
Ade made a confused face as the lift began to rise. A crate? To sleep in? That much be some kind of inside joke she had with herself, but Adelaide was too drunk to question it and before they knew it they had appeared in front of the woman's quarters.
The doors opened and what followed was not for the faintest of hearts. Thank God the doors closed behind them as when their eyes met all bets were off.
A Joint Post By
Lance Corporal Adélaïde Moreau
SAR Specialist, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Tallida Ovaa
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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