Officially not a date.

Posted on 01 May 2014 @ 11:03am by Commander Scarlet Blake & Commander Luke Wyatt

2,369 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 7, Callisto Bar
Timeline: MD -05 - 16:30

ON:

Pressing the chime quickly, Scarlet leant in the doorframe, her arms folded and hip against the curve of the frame. She'd been waiting for a chance to enjoy the new bar, who hadn't? And she knew someone she owed a drink to.

Stepping from the shower room mostly dressed with just his shoes and socks to put on he pressed a towel to his head drying his hair of the remaining moisture left by his shower. Luke's quarters were empty since his nausican room mate made a quick get away and very bare. Stepping up to the door he pressed the panel whilst his left hand threw the towel onto his bedside.

Scarlet straightened up when she saw him, pushing herself off the frame with a small smile. She wore her uniform, but being off duty, her long, dark hair was allowed loose on her shoulders. Seemed fitting afterall. "Hi, Luke. We have a nice, shiny bar, and Lily is quizzing the Chaplain on where dragons come from, so I wondered if you wanted to grab a drink. A real one."

Luke couldn't help the involuntary smile appearing on his face, "Sounds like a great idea let me just finish getting dressed." He moved to to the side of the door to allow her to enter the room. "I've just come back from the holosuite an despite what people say riot control is a lot harder than what it looks"

"Oh, I can relate," she assured with a soft chuckle, moving inside. She took the chance to look around, taking in his living space, what was in there that reflected who he was. "In my experience, it's been more about knowing when *not* to attack to keep the control. One nervous new boy on riot control taking an early shot can spark the fire."

"Its not about doing the right thing at the right time but avoiding doing the wrong thing at the wrong time" He said tugging his socks over his feet followed by his shoes. "Something I was told once at the academy" Standing up he curled his toes and uncurled them. "Ready?" He asked, the question itself carried no meaning he knew she was ready.

She nodded, looking back to him quickly so as not to be caught out staring at his room. "Let's go," she nodded, leading the way out, rolling her shoulders to try and relax a little. "Did you have a good leave?"

Luke followed behind zipping up his grey sweater "It was long than what I am used to but I got along just fine, doing the odd thing here and there. What about you?" He asked picking up his pace so they now stood shoulder to shoulder.

"Quiet, relaxing, good," she nodded with a small smile as she thought on it. "Caught up on some time with Lily. Just silly stuff, you know? Parks, boats, animals."

"Dragons?" Luke asked with a chuckle. He remember quit well that Lily, Scarlet's daughter was fond of the mystical creature and in fact it was her escapist adventure for the dragon aboard Galileo is how he had first met her.

Scarlet gave a dramatic sigh as they moved through the doors to the bar. "Alas, as hard as we searched, we couldn't find a dragon zoo."

"When you do please tell me, I'd very much like to see one myself!" He had wondered if out there was a genetically or visually created dragon to some degree. "What crazy thought led you to going to the bar?" He asked curiously.

"I need a drink," she admitted, stopping to look around it with a small smile, admiring what they had managed to achieve with the small space. It might be compact, but it had a good, real bar atmosphere. "And drinking alone is a bad sign. Besides, I owe you a drink from last time, and Lily is happy with Verity," she looked across to him with a small smile.

Nodding, "Well then a drink it is... or two?" he shrugged before moving to the bar looking around he could see what they had transformed the room from and into. He missed his times on Aleron where the Bar was the social hub of the barracks he hoped that this to would see such. "What are you drinking?" He asked looking to Blake with a smile, but holding back so that she couldn't tell just how glad he was to be here with her.

Scarlet picked up a menu to see what real alcohol offerings there were. She chuckled when she saw the cocktail list, taking a soft breath. Sounded just about perfect. "I'll have....an Old Fashioned," she nodded. Bitters and whiskey, it fit the bill. Strong and bracing.

Luke looked over the menu and decided also "Two Old fasioned's please" He asked the waiter debating whether or no hats how you was meant to say it. He usually didn't go for cocktails but Scarlet's choice intrigued him.

Scarlet moved to a small table, settling down with a soft sigh. "So is your preparation for the upcoming away missions going well?"

He nodded "Its hard to prepare for the feelings of angry miners, one moment they'll be your friend there next your being shot in the back with phaser fire" He admitted "And personally I'm not sure how the security personnel are taking to me especially after Rhode's outburst. They don't understand how easy they got it, in the Marines... well you know what it would be like"

"Indeed," she nodded, leaning closer to lower her voice, offering a small smile. "But they didn't choose to be a marine. They chose to be security and tactical staff in the fleet. They're not just soldiers, they have to be many things that aren't necessarily shared with the marines. It's not easy. Ready to fight, but also have to maintain the same ideals and practice as other officers, and guard this idea of peace and cooperation that Starfleet ships carry with them....while being ready to kill if they have to. I don't know. It sounds difficult to me. Marines, you know where you stand. You know what you do. Security and Tactical in the main Fleet? It's such a blur between standards."

"I get your point but I'm not asking them to be a Marine or anything like that. They just need to see that Rhodes is the chain of command instead of making wise comments about the cardassians. At the rate it sounded we wont need them to kill us were be at our own throats" Before he could continue there drinks were brought over and placed in front of them.

Scarlet nodded to the young woman, watching her leave, remaining silent as she did so. She took a sip of the strong cocktail, sighing almost with relief at the strength of it. The mention of Cardassians had reminded her as to why she was so tense and wanted a drink in the first place. "Honestly? I don't care what people think about Cardassians, so long as they follow their orders when they're told to assist them," she said with a clipped tone of voice. She could more than understand the urge to work against them. "And so long as they don't mouth off to their superiors. You know where to send someone if needed."

Luke nodded "You? Lily has more bite I'd imagine you're an all bark and no bite kinda woman" He teased raising his glass to his lips and sampling it. After the first sip he smiled "This is a damn good drink, much better than drinking it straight" he admitted.

"A dash of sweetness and bitterness makes everything whole," she arched an eyebrow, shaking her head with irony before giving a small smile. "It's interesting you say that. I don't think I shout very often at all. The angrier I am, the quieter I get."

"Well it was just an observation maybe I was wrong, something unlike most Marines cant do is admit when I'm wrong" He sipped his drink again allowing the liquid to rush down his throat. "Sweetness and bitterness makes everything whole" He copied with a smile "Hows it feel to be first officer?" Luke asked snapping the conversation into a new direction.

"Different. Intense. Satisfying," she smiled at that, relaxing at the change of conversation. "I wanted it, but never thought it would happen this quickly. What about you? How is Security for a Green?"

Thinking carefully into what his replied would be he frowned "Its certainly a different experience to what I am used to but I think I like the change what I don't like is the paper work and the hours I've got to put into bleeding my eyes over inventory check lists and staff manifesto's but then who does right?" In a weird way Luke hated being sat here with Scarlet knowing that she was unreachable by any means but also enjoyed her company despite the difference in motives. A true paradox.

"Not me," she shook her head with a soft laugh. "Who would have thought the First Officer had so many bloody reports? Well, I suppose it makes sense when you think about it, but I'm still allowed to complain if I want to," she winked with a soft chuckle. "If it's worth anything, I think you'll work well in Security. You'll have a different view and approach to things, it's always good to mix departments up now and then. If you need anything in the transition though, just ask. I know what it's like making the move from the Marines to the Fleet; not always easy."

"Thanks, its good to hear that. I sometimes think that everyone has a place but sometimes it just takes someone to come out of their comfort zone to shine" He shrugged "Then again the same person could stumble and fall all the same" He laughed "You know we should make a thing of this, coming to the bar talking about things that don't necessarily mean anything." He paused allowing her to think over it "I think we both deserve a chance to unwind and just talk stuff out and I have never been one for counsellors well... the ones that sit you in a room and just listen to you babble about life"

"I've always been a great believer in that sort of counsellor," she chuckled, a wry smile on her lips before sipping her drink. Perhaps it wasn't right, as the former Chief Counsellor, to say so. But she was realistic. She knew that some people just wouldn't take themselves to a counsellor's office. She had been one of them herself. She'd stopped her own counselling after she was freed as a prisoner. That was when just talking over a drink could vent a lot and help people in a different way. "My ear can always be bribed to listen with a drink," she assured.

"I can be bribed to do anything with a bit of drink, but that an entirely different topic we should not be getting into!" He warned sipping at his drink so that only half of his glass was full. "Here's a question for you Scarlet" Luke wasn't always one to use first names but he enjoyed how her name rolled easily of his tongue "Are you a glass half full or glass half empty kinda girl?"

She blinked, not having expected the question. "Hm," she set her chin on her hand, resting her elbow on the table as she thought on it. She didn't remember ever being asked that before. "It depends which day you get me," she chuckled. "Some days, it is half full, others, half empty. But I am usually quite good at talking myself around to thinking it half full instead," she shook her head with a small smile. "What about you? Although, I don't really think I need to ask..."

""Oh really is that so?" He leant back frowning "I'd figure you to think like that really. I like to look at it like this, if you fill a glass to half its half full and if you empty a full glass to half its half empty!" He allowed her some time to think about his logic behind his hypothesis.

Scarlet couldn't stop her small smile of amusement, pressing her lips together. "As I thought...complicated," she teased.

I'm complicated?" Luke scoffed "If I am complicated then in your most professional words what would you call you!" He countered taking a victory sip of his glass which was now empty.

Scarlet laughed, shaking her head as she folded her arms, rolling her blue eyes as she pursed her lips. "You think I'm complicated?" she said with genuine surprise.

"Oh please!" He laughed shaking his head trying to wrap his head around her denial "You Miss Blake are probably the most complicated person I have ever known but don't worry that's why I..." He shrugged holding back his words "Its a good thing".

Scarlet laughed with genuine surprise and humour, shaking her head lightly as she crossed her legs. "Then perhaps I'd reply I drink from a bottle, not a glass. Just to be awkward."

Tensing his mouth and titling his head to the side with a shrug. "Well that sounds like a whole better way of seeing things! Another drink?" He asked picking up his empty glass and waiting for her reply.

Scarlet glanced to the empty glasses for a long moment, holding her breath. "Sure, why not," she nodded with a small smile. "Just a wine this time though, please. I'm not sure I should be seen chain drinking cocktails," she winked.

Luke stood up chuckling, "Ill be right back" As he walked away he couldn't help but wonder how long he could keep up this friendship knowing how he really felt about her. Standing at the bar as he ordered their drinks he glanced a look in her direction. Luke couldn't help the feeling that he was making things a lot worst.


OFF:

CMDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo

CPO Luke Wyatt
Security Officer
USS Galileo

RSS Feed