Drinks In Your Belly
Posted on Wed Oct 6th, 2021 @ 2:50am by Chloe de la Vega
Edited on on Wed Oct 6th, 2021 @ 2:51am
1,760 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 11 - Family Matters
Location: After 11 - Deck 11 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD004 2000 hrs
Lunara walked through the doors to After 11. She'd recently gotten off duty, but had taken the time to change in her quarters. She was wearing typical fashion for young Trill women; a wide necked shirt with a flowing purple and blue pattern coupled with dark navy pants. It was evening, and it had a good crowd. Only a few seats near the bar remained open. She quickly took one before someone else could. "Three days on the ship, and I'm already sick of replicated food…"
Chloe glanced over at the remark made by this new woman. She had not seen her in After 11 before, and she made it her business to know who was in and around her place. "Doesn't get any better baby." she said as she closed the woman down at her place on the bar. "Although, I boast to having a real chef in my kitchen. Isn't that right Alphonso?!" she yelled through the back.
"She's got me in chains back here!" he yelled with a mix of levity and seriousness.
"Oh pay no attention to him. He loves it, he is kinky that way..." she said before looking over her shoulder. "And if you want out then you'll have to be a good boy, wont you?" she shouted back before turning to her new guest.
"What can I get you?" she asked.
Lunara closed her eyes and laughed. "Well, as long as you remember to feed him and walk him, I don't see a problem with it." She paused. She'd been feeling kind of homesick lately, and some comfort food certainly would hurt. "Mm... got anything good from Trill?"
"He gets out when he is good, which isn't often." Chloe laughed. "And that is just how I like them. As for something from Trill... I don't get asked a lot for food from there, anything specific you were hoping for and we will see if we have it."
"Well, I'm sure he'll learn soon enough." She chuckled. "Mmm... how about a zendel omelette? Or some danzeg soup?"
Chloe nodded and went behind the dividing wall to the kitchen. There was some shouting, a little equipment dropping and the sound of a slap. Then quiet.
Chloe came back out looking a little flushed and fixing her clothes a little. Things had gotten a little heated and she smiled at Lunara before composing herself. "He will make you that omelette. We store some things from Trill in status so luckily he is easily swayed to make the right choice."
Lunara chuckled. "Well, lucky for me his boss is so persuasive. You made some good arguments in there!"
"Yes, well... the trick is not letting them talk." she said with a wink. "He's all hands anyway. It must be a chef thing, equal measure of rough and gentle, but anyway... besides the replicated food, what brings you here my lovely little Trill?" she asked.
Lunara leaned forward, grinning. "Well, I do like to know the crew, especially since I'm a counselor now. Besides, our jobs aren't that different. You just serve drinks when talking to your customers."
"Wait, you're a counsellor?" she said taking a more hesitant approach. "You know I'm just kidding right? I do not have someone tied up back there." Which was a lie, she did and she enjoyed it. A counsellor made her feel nervous, something she was not used to. Like she was being judged on what she said and did. "Our crew is cool, I mean they have a lot of issues, more than me."
Lunara laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "Hey, don't worry! I'm off duty right now, you know. I'm here as myself. And right now, I'm just a girl who wants to get some food and maybe some drinks in her belly." She seemed cheerful about the whole thing, but she was a bit worried this would be a recurring problem. Hopefully her occupation wouldn't get in the way of making friends on the ship.
"Well it would be my pleasure to get you drunk." Chloe grinned. "Counsellors tell the best stories after a couple, especially those that do not know I feed them real alcohol here." she poured a shot and placed it in from of Lunara, and herself. "To getting some drinks in your belly." She said holding hers up. "I never let my girls drink alone." she winked.
"Well, I'm glad to know I'm in good hands. I'll try not to disappoint." Lunara grinned, tapping her glass against Chloe's and downed it. "Oh." She blinked hard. "|Oh, damn|," she said in Trill. She examined the glass in her hands, turning it slowly. "Just what did you pour me?"
"Honestly?" She asked. "I can't remember. It changes every time I make it." Chloe laughed a little as she poured another. "I use Spanish red wine as a base and throw in what I want to see how it tastes. Not quite the Sangria my people make but I think it packs quite a hit." she said taking another shot herself then re-pouring it quickly.
"Hey now, you keep drinking like that and I won't be able to keep up." Lunara winked, taking her second shot. "Can't believe you serve real liquor here. It's been... ages since I last had that."
"Well..." Chloe said with a sly look in her eye. "The Captain lets me away with a lot." she said with a bit of a wild grin. "And honey, no-one can keep up with me." she said as she downed another shot and poured 3 more.
Lunara watched her finish, mildly concerned with how much alcohol she could put away. "Well, I won't try then, hm?"
"Smart girl." Chloe smiled as she was passed a place of food. "Here ya go. Fresh from the captive man."
Lunara grinned. "Ah, perfect! I haven't had a decent meal since I left home 3 months ago. Only thing they served us in OCS was replicated slop. It was torture, I tell you. I'm pretty sure they turn down the precision on the replicators to make us suffer." She took a bite of the omelette and grinned. "Mm, delicious!"
"Well that simply will not do." Chloe said nearly offended for her that she hadn't had a proper decent meal. "I pick up fresh ingredients all the time whenever we stop over. I like to cook as well but sometimes it tastes better when someone else does it for you." she grinned.
"Mm, finally someone who speaks my language!" Lunara winked. "People these days are too happy to eat out of a replicator and drink synthahol. Whatever happened to the real stuff, hm?"
"Do not get me started. Honestly the amount of guys who have thought they could impress me with replicated food is unbelievable. I mean put the effort in and MAKE me something. Don't get me wrong, I still sleep with them... a girl has needs." she shrugged. "But they don't get my full effort if I'm not impressed... or drunk."
Lunara snorted. "Replicators? Is that what people try to impress with these days?" She took a sip of her drink. "I guess I really am old fashioned, huh?"
"The male species thinks we are easily impressed." Chloe shrugged. "I am not. Got to work hard to keep my interest." she admitted. "They might try other things but if they have nice arms, nice other parts then I use them how I want."
Lunara snorted. "Well, as long as it's all functional, hm?" Lunara took another drink from her glass, blinking a bit as she put it back down.
"Carina, if it's not functional then why bother? All that effort... and so little reward." she said in a half serious tone before a look of pure devilish intent flew across her face.
Lunara blushed a bit and looked down, trying to stifle a grin.
"You know what I mean." She grinned back. "Hiding your face... girl I can feel heat from your cheeks." Chloe laughed.
Lunara shook her head, looking up. "You know, I didn't expect people to be so... open with me so suddenly"
"Might just be me, but I'm open with everyone." Chloe admitted taking a shot. "I don't have much inhibition..."
Lunara snorted. "I can certainly see that. How many is that, tonight? You certainly could have won some drinking games for us back in college..."
"You know I've no idea." She shrugged. "Almost like water to me but thanks hon... Nice to know you think I'd have made it to college and not under a table or in someone's bed." She winked.
Lunara winked back at her. "Who said you can't do both? I went to Betazed U, after all."
"I've heard that place is pretty fun. I'd rather have my face stuck to someone than a book so I chose to not follow my fathers advice and ran. Here," she said raising her arms out wide so show off After 11. "I am who I want to be right now."
"Can't say I fault you for that. If you enjoy it..." Lunara threw back the rest of her drink, wincing. "Ah, damn. Like I was saying, if you enjoy it, no reason to leave, hm?" She looked her over discreetly, trying to see if there were any subtle body language cues she could pick up. Parental issues, common as they were, rarely got better untreated.
"No reason at all." Chloe said nearly slamming the empty glass down on the bar. "After 11 is an escape for more than just me." she inferred to those that came there to shake off the day. Chloe always gave off positive body language, it was a trick she'd learned early on and she always came off as confident and sure of herself, that and she rarely cared for what people thought of her.
Chloe saw someone trying to get her attention further down the bar, they'd been trying for a while but she'd gotten caught up with Lunara. She would not apologise for that, just who she was. "Well this has been great. Should actually do this when I'm not meant to be working. See you next time." she winked and off she went along the bar for her next victim, I mean customer.
A Joint Post By
Chloe De La Vega
Owner/Bartender "After 11", USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Lunara Hol
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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