Strawberry Dream

Posted on 09 Feb 2015 @ 6:42am by Clarence Pearl & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark

1,154 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84 - Bar
Timeline: MD 08 - 1500

ON:

Clarence Pearl was smiling as he mixed the cocktail, the white shirt tucked into a pair of jeans, the sleeves rolled up displaying his arms and a black waistcoat finishing it all. Sure, he wasn't as tall or handsome as the man who was working beside him, but he didn't care. It wasn't about that. Making cocktails was...an art. A science, actually. And science was something Clarence always had understood. Sometimes, too much. He took the chilled glass and poured the drink into it, reaching for the strawberry and cutting it, thinly, before fanning it out to let it float on top of the pink mix. "And here we have it...Strawberry Dream..." he said, gently pushing the martini glass towards the man.

Gabriel Stark watched it with awe, smiling warmly as he let out a long breath. He pulled it close, just admiring it for a long moment. "Wow... now that is a thing of beauty!"

"It means nothing if it doesn't taste nice," Clarence said and smiled warmly, leaning closer. "It's not on the menu...I made it up. But test it for me."

"I feel honoured," Gabriel grinned, leaning down to the glass, sipping it carefully. He sighed, closing his eyes. "How is it warm and ice cold and smooth at the same time? That's beautiful!"

He smiled, nodding as he pulled back, clearly pleased. "Good quality vodka, fresh strawberry juice rather than pulp..." he said, wanting to share with him. "And there's some raspberry liqueur there too."

"Mm, gives a slight lift," Gabriel nodded, he made a circle with his finger and thumb, grinning. "Can I live here please?"

"If you want to, but I am not going to be here forever," Clarence said with a laugh, shaking his head as he moved to clean the bar.

"No?" Gabriel lifted his eyebrows with surprise, sipping his drink with a soft sigh. "Where are you off to?"

"USS Galileo," he said and shrugged, a small smile coming to him. "My first ship, actually. Always been base or planet bound."

Gabriel's eyes widened before it became a full on grin. "That's where I am!" he reached to push his arm in a 'no way!' kind of gesture.

Clarence smiled at that, with hope. At least he would have one customer. He was a civilian afterall, so he wanted to have people visiting the bar. "I've been told she is small but filled with drinkers! I like that."

"Oh yes, and I'm one of them," Gabriel half admitted, half warned. "She's a very cool little hang out actually. Mood lighting....even a small stage area for singers and musicians."

"I like singers and musicians..." he said and nodded, watching with interest. "So what else? I know she's new. I'll be bringing new stock in as soon as they let me on the Galileo."

"It's compact...but we're a compact ship, so it matches," Gabriel laughed warmly. "They serve the real stuff and synth versions. Oh! And the food is mostly real too!"

Clarence nodded with a smile, considering it. "It would be a good place to start building a bit of a list. I am experimenting with fizzy drinks right now..." he admitted before shaking his head. "Got the formula..." he tapped his head with two fingers.

"Oooo retro!" Gabriel smiled, clearly impressed as he leant forward on the bar to him. "Bubbly and fruity?"

He met his eyes before biting his lip, clearly judging if he could trust him. He moved down before taking a glass bottle. He popped it open and took a straw, putting it in it. "Here...it's homemade ginger beer."

Gabriel watched him with curiosity, not having had it before. He took a sip, his eyes widening at the burn it gave. "Mmm! Oh that's amazing," he whispered, smiling. "Almost spiced."

"Ginger, some cinnamon and cloves too, I like those flavours. The rest is just a balance of spices and flavours. How long it takes to make it also intensifies it..." he said and shook his head, smiling. "There's a scientific formula, but it would bore you to death."

"Scientific formula?" Gabriel laughed warmly, shaking his head, his eyes shining. "You mean....a recipe?"

"Sort of, but not quite..." Clarence said and lifted a hand, pausing, before lowering it. "It depends on the strength of the available ginger. But...that is boring. This is the nice bit, drinking it. I think it is nicer without alcohol in it."

"So you can appreciate the different flavours?" he asked with a small but knowing smile, holding his eyes.

"Yes..." Clarence said and smiled warmly. "Besides, it's something for those that do not drink."

"I think it's a great idea," he said firmly, giving a decisive nod. "Especially on a ship. Can't drink if you have a shift ahead."

"Yes..." he said and leant closer, leaning over the bar. "So I'll be keeping an eye on shift patterns..."

"You really love your job, don't you," Gabriel smiled with warmth at his enthusiasm, finding it infectious.

Clarence nodded, his eyes shining. "Yes...yes, I do. It's...so much. Just so much. And music, the warmth, the...acceptance. And I like mixing things."

"I'll have to watch you," he winked as he watched him with an easy smile. "You might prove to be a security risk."

"So you work Security..." he said before offering his hand to Gabriel, with a soft chuckle. "Clarence. Clarence Pearl."

He shook his hand with a firm, accepting grip as he looked into his eyes, his own dark and sincere. "Gabriel Stark. As you correctly deduced, Security."

"Good to meet you, Gabriel. Always nice to have someone I know..." he winked before pulling back. "Now...enjoy the drink."

"Oh I am....you should enter this into some kind of drink...list...competition...thing," Gabriel laughed, trailing off with no idea of what there was out there.

Clarence laughed warmly, nodding at that. "I won it last year for my...Bomb..." he said and grimaced. "The year before I gave the judges the...runs. I miscalculated."

Gabriel covered his mouth as he laughed, a real, out loud laugh that made his side ache. "Those are two extremes right there!"

"Well, I had to...pretend I was someone else last year. Because they'd remember me..." he said and shook his head. "I...might have bribed someone to make me look Vulcan."

Gabriel shook his head as he held his face in his hand, groaning with the ache the laugh gave him. "Gets better and better...."

"Sorry..." Clarence touched his shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. "There's pictures."

Gabriel wiped his eyes as he forced himself to calm the laughter, shaking his head helplessly from side to side. "Oh Clarence, can't wait to get you onboard the Gally, mate..."

OFF:

Clarence Pearl
Mixologist
USS Galileo
[PNPC Markos]

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security/Tactical
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

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