Just Another

Posted on 25 Oct 2014 @ 12:54am by Lieutenant JG Cyrin Xanth & Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov
Edited on on 26 Oct 2014 @ 2:59am

2,555 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84 - Lounge
Timeline: MD 08 1300

[ ON ]

Keval was glad this mission was over. It had been a nightmare, one that he thought would never end but it had. And despite the Triibles, Zombies and a bout with his claustrophobia he had survived.

Now, he just wanted some R&R, a chance to relax and unwind, but he didn't want to do so on board. He knew everyone, some more intimately than others and he wanted a break from it all.

So dressed an a pair of faded jeans and maroon and teal parises square shirt. He left the ship and on the recommendation of several shipmates headed to The Palladium famous for nightly Andorian blues and semi-fresh seafood. He' heard the crab cakes were to die for.

He made his way there ans stepped in and looked inside.

Cyrin had suffered through his hangover from the wild night long enough. He couldn't recall everything exactly that had happened, but remembered enough that perhaps a few more drinks would help him with that. Hopefully he'd never see those people again, but on small ship like the Galileo, it was statistically outside the realms of possibility. Anyways, another drink would help with the lingering headache.

The Trill was relaxing on a stool at a corner of the bar, farthest away from the other patrons as he could get, and nursing what looked to be a half-empty glass of synthale today with a plate of the famous crab cakes still steaming in front of him. Cyrin was in uniform, as he hadn't yet reported aboard and had time to start replicating some new clothing. His last posting had had limited space on their small ship and luxuries like civilian clothes would have been...illogical.

Keval remembered another night similar to this back on Earth near his home in what was still called the Castro District of San Francisco. It had ended badly, or well depending upon one's point of view. Then there was the litany of half assed relationships or attempts at relationships since.

He didn't want one more incident like that. He couldn't take it. He just wanted to be left alone.Not temptations. So he found a seat at the bar close to the end. Thee was just one other man, a Trill from the looks of him near him. "Perfect," he though to himself.

Both antennae curling back slightly he sat down. He ordered an Andorian ale, he had to keep up appearances didn't he, as the bartender set a menu in front of him.

Against his better judgement he turned to the man occupying the corner seat and said, "Are the crab cakes as good as they say? Should I get them?"

Lost in his own thoughts - and hangover - Cyrin hadn't noticed someone sitting next to him at first. How was he ever going to live it down that the first time with a big group of the new crew he'd be serving with, he made such a fool of himself? The Trill took another sip of his drink and sighed. A voice directed his way pulled him out of his revery, and he turned surprised grey eyes towards the Andorian who'd spoken.

"Oh, actually, I haven't tried them yet," he answered. Cyrin pushed the plate halfway between them. "Would you like to try them? I don't think I can eat the whole plate anyway. My stomach is...having issues."

"Sure," Keval responded trying not to give the rather attractive man the once over, but instead focusing on his eyes. Perhaps he stared just a tad too long before he turned his attention the plate that had been thrust towards him.

He picked up a cake and tasted it, "Wow, this is good. I think you'll like them. I was just going to get an apple walnut salad. You want to split that too? Maybe that would help with your stomach issues."

The long look he received made Cyrin shift on his stool slightly, but he believed it might be for entirely different reasons. The young man turned his gaze down to the bar top and eyed his drink. He'd heard Andorians could be very aggressive at times, and hoped he hadn't made some sort of cultural slip up. The last thing he needed was for his superior to get a complaint that he'd gone and offended someone, not after running down another Galileo crew person who had been waiting for the ship's arrival, and certainly not after the drunken fiasco of the night before.

"A salad?" he asked, looking back up at the other man. "Oh, sure, that'd be fine." Cyrin finished off the last of his synthale and took one of the cakes to begin nibble at. With his other hand he waived for the bartender to come over and take their orders. "I'll have another ale, please, with one for this gentleman, and an apple walnut salad for Mr. uh..." He smiled at the Andorian in expectation.

Keval smiled slightly. Had he been able to read the other man's mind and detect that Cyrin might have offended him in some way. "Unless you want something else. They have a lot of nice things on the menu, looks like."

Seeing as he wasn't fending off a bone-crushing attack by the blue-skinned man, and was in fact receiving a smile, Cyrin relaxed, "Oh, that'll be fine. But you still haven't told me your name?" The bartender moved off to fill the order, obviously aware that they weren't going to be making small talk with him. "Figure if we're swapping food, we can swap that too. I'm Cyrin Xanth."

"Sorry, very rude of me. I'm Keval Grayson," he said extending is hand. He almost added "What else are we going to swap," but decided that would not only be bad form, but out of character too. So instead he said, "Glad to meet you."

Cyrin shook Keval's hand, his grip firm despite his soft voice and unassuming manner, "You as well." He paused a moment as the bartender came back and set down their drinks and the salad. Having some company had taken his mind off his stomach pain and he found that he could eat properly.

As he chewed on his crab cake, Cyrin tried to unobtrusively study his bar companion. Keval had a thin frame, but looked strong nonetheless. That, combined with the short hair lead the Trill to make a guess, "Are y-you in Starfleet, Keval? Oh! Or um...is it c-customary for Andorians to use the s-second name? I don't w-want to offend y-you."

Keval turned to face him fully, his amber eyes casting him a sympathetic look. His antennae curling back. "Take it easy Cyrin, I wont bite. not on the first date anyway.

Seriously, you haven't offended me and yes I am in the Fleet."

Where Keval was a deep shade of blue, Cyrin began to turn a bright scarlet at the comment but he didn't seem offended. "Th-that's g-g-good to kn-kn-kn-argh!" The stutter had gotten bad enough that he gave up and took a long swallow his synthale. Then a second one for good measure. By then he seemed to have gathered himself.

"Station or ship?" There, he could say three words together just fine! Maybe next time he'd try four, but it wasn't every day he had men approaching him in bars so that might be pushing it.

~Watch yourself Keval, here we go again. Just tread carefully.~ "Ship, the Galileo. What about you?"

This time it was Cyrin's face that lit up with a smile, "Me too! Astrophysicist, just assigned." He leaned on the bar with one arm so he could face Keval better, held his drink with the other. "Hmm, let me guess."

Cyrin paused as he took a sip, grey eyes observant for any details. In the end, he couldn't venture a very good guess; Andorian body language was beyond him and even though Keval moved with practiced grace that made him think warrior. "Ship's uh...helmsman?"

"Not a bad guess, "Keval responded. He'd come here to be alone, to get away from things and people, but he was beginning to enjoy himself. His gaydar and ability to read another's body language was telling him the rather cute guy probably swam on the same team that he did. "Actually I'm in Operations, but like I said not a bad guess.

Do I make you nervous?"

The young man had nodded at the answer. Operations. Economy of movement seemed to make sense, but he was only guessing. Cyrin wasn't trained in any sort of psychology besides the basics provided to first year cadets. The question Keval asked him made him shift awkwardly on his stool.

"Yes, I mean, no! Err...I'm s-s-sorry, I don't get out of a lab much and I g-guess I'm always a little um...nervous." Not quite the truth. He didn't get out much, obviously, but he wasn't always this bad. His stutter only really popped up he found in two different situations. Cyrin just hoped that Keval might be as bad at reading body language as he was.

Then he recalled reading something in the Academy about Andorian physiology, specifically their antennae and the level of unspoken communication they could have because of their evolution. The redness began to creep up the Trill's spots again.

Keval was pretty sure he man was lying or at lest not being fully honest. Normally this would have angered him, but he was actually feeling somewhat sorry for the other man, and a bit guilty at being the cause.

His left antennae curled forward ever so slightly. "Well you have nothing to be nervous about. You handling yourself fine for someone that doesn't get out much. And you're a good looking man, don't be to hard on yourself."

"Th-thank you," he said, unable to meet the other's eyes now, for both the comment about handling himself well and his appearance. Cyrin drained the rest of his glass.

He was about to say something, but had to wait for the waiter to drop off the salad and replenish their drinks. After he left, Keval let out a soft sight and said, 'Would you be less nervous if it was just the two of us? We could go back to the ship. I actually have a cabin to myself, my new roommate hasn't arrived."

Maybe it was the synthale, or maybe it was the fact that he wasn't the only one blushing, but Cyrin began to feel a little more at ease. He finished off one more crab cake while the waiter was at their section, then pushed the remainder over to Keval in case he wanted some, then used his fork to try some of the salad. "I uh..." he began after swallowing. How to explain that it wasn't people who made him nervous, just people who focused on him? Still he was enjoying himself and he'd promised himself he'd make friends on this ship. "Sure, okay. M-maybe you can sh-show me around too? I h-haven't b-been aboard yet." This bit about the quarters though, best not to think about that or he would probably remember he left the replicator on in his quarters or something.

"I'll be glad to show you around, you seem like a really nice guy."

Cyrin had already made sure to have the lounge debit his small account for his meal and drinks, and didn't mind picking up the rest of the tab either. He'd waived the bartender back over one last time to ask him about it. It was easier than continuing to look at the handsome Andorian, but it didn't last long. Once the bill was settled, Cyrin stood and tugged on the bottom of his uniform jacket, "Where to first? And...th-thank you for uh, well, you know, p-putting up with..." He didn't even need to gesture to his mouth, the young man knew full well how awkward he was. Usually he could do alright, but being the focus of so much attention made him feel messed up.

Now both of his antennae were curled forward towards the Trill. " Thanks for getting the check. You didn't have to. As far as your tour goes, the ship's not that big. We'll start in the engine room, check out the labs and then stop at my place for some wine. After that, I'll see you get home. You could even stay if you wanted to." ~stay if you wanted to, oh yeah that's going to make him feel at easy you moron`~

He half-grinned and shrugged off the credits as they started to walk, Cyrin slowing his pace to make sure his long legs didn't have him outdistancing the other. He'd been about to tell Keval that it had been nothing but the last comment made him choke on his words. It took a moment before he could breathe right again, and when he looked up from where he'd been bent over trying to catch that breath, Cyrin looked angry, either at himself or at Keval, he wasn't sure.

"I'm s-s-sorry, it's n-not that I w-wouldn't...I mean, uh, y-you're g-good l-looking and...I'm n-not the k-kind of..." It all came out in a rush and ended with an audible click as his teeth came together and his mouth firmly closed. He was blushing today more than he had in years! "I'd like...b-but if we're g-going t-t-to work together..." Cyrin didn't know whether he wanted to feel offended or flattered. Sometimes, not often, but sometimes he really disliked himself for how confused he was.

The Trill reached out to put a hand lightly on Keval's left shoulder, took a deep breath like Gyce had advised him to when he was feeling nervous, and tried to get things out coherently, "I-I just met you, Keval and don't know anything about y-you. But, t-trust me, that's the best offer I've had in y-years." The only offer he'd had actual, but at least it was a kindly sounding rejection. He had patted the hand once then stepped aside.

Keval now turned a darker shade of blue than he had before. "I.. I'm sorry, that was much to forward of me and a really stupid thing to say. Well I mean not stupid, just stupid now.

I'm not very good at this. I try too hard, I guess I keep blowing potential relationships by jumping too soon. Can we rewind and pretend I never said that last bit. I think i last said, I'd see you back to your place."

Cyrin nodded and let his hand drop to his side. Better to put it behind them and forget about it. He felt bad for Keval too, the man had the sort of confidence and boldness that the Trill only dreamed of, and he'd obviously never meant any insult.

"I've f-forgotten al-already," Cyrin made a poor liar. "So, I think you said something about seeing Engineering?" he said with a smile, his tone of voice as if nothing really had happened, and started walking again. "I hear the Galileo has..."

"I did, yeah. were off for the Grand Tour."

[OFF]

Ensign Cyrin Xanth
Astrophysicist
USS Galileo

&

CPO Keval Grayson
Operations
PNPC Jared Nicholas
USS Galileo

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