Parks & Recreation (Part 4 of 6)

Posted on 15 Oct 2016 @ 2:36am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant Min Zhao & Lieutenant JG Rahl Tyton Ph.D. & Ensign Miraj Derani & Korre Barras (KIA)
Edited on on 15 Oct 2016 @ 2:39am

3,472 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: Episode 12 - Recluse
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 7, Callisto Bar
Timeline: MD -03 - 0120 hrs

Previously, on Parks and Recreation (Part 3)...

"I can function without, but perhaps sometime instead sir, you might allow me to show you some techniques which many help."

He smiled. "I would like that. It has been a while since I was able to devote to meditation and emotional control and trust me...I need it. So I would very much appreciate it. And call me Braxton or Brax or Mac. I'm not much for formality and am always up for making friends."

"Very good, Braxton. When you and I can coordinate schedules we can work together." T'Lin made a small nod of the head..

He smiled. "Count on it." She might think that she was all Vulcan and not emotional but he sensed something from her. Knowing Vulcans didn't like to be called on emotions he simply let it go. "So have you made any other friends since you came onboard?"

"I have not had sufficient time," T'Lin responded though it was close to the same question that the Counselor had asked her. She did not think it worth the time to explain that friend meant something deeper then just knowing someone.

Braxton smiled. "Go ahead and mingle, enjoy the party T'Lin, let your hair down a bit."

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Deck 7 - Callisto Bar

Min stepped in as the party was already in full swing. She recognized a few faces from the command staff but many of the faces in the crowd were new, people who didn't know her story, who wouldn't ask the painful questions. Going over to the bar, she smiled at the bartender. "Martian Mojito. Double shot of rum."

With both tenders busy, Korre was stepping in now and again to pick up some orders. Now she smiled as the Ops chief stepped up. "I've got it, Ma'am."

It had taken Luke all off his motivation to attend the party, he had been fighting a loosing battle with himself with the situation he now had with Miraj and after her hasty exit from their training session they hadn't seen each other since. Sitting at the Bar he observed the crew with their smiling faces as they danced, drank and laughed. He had noticed Min take a seat one down from him. Knowing her past he decided to avoid any pushing questions and instead go for something light. "Evening Min"

Min saw Luke as she turned to look at the crowd. "Evening Luke. I see the ship is still in one piece. Few new faces but just the way I left her."

"Just about," He said sipping his drink which was filled with whisky and Coca Cola. "Though she has been through her fair share of scrapes, the crew included.

Having been musing in his thoughts for a moment he looked up and noticed those that had been around him were missing. He looked and saw further away Miraj had absconded with Braxton. He shook his head to himself. Looking down the bar a ways he saw Luke and a woman. He picked up his aldebaran whiskey and walked down towards them.

He nodded to Luke and tipped his stetson to the woman. "Evening Luke. I don't believe I know the stunning woman here next to you."

Min smiled at the man, nodding her head the slightest bit, "Lt Zhao. Chief of Operations. I am afraid you have the advantage on me however. "

He chuckled taking Min's hand in his. Instead of a handshake however he acted like an ancient courtier back from a time over a millineum ago on earth. He raised her hand to his lips as he kissed the top of her hand. "Lieutenant Rahl Tyton, Chief Research Officer at your service madame. It is my honor to meet such a lovely lady among this austere crew."

Min chuckled, "You flatter me Lieutenant. I am however pleased to make your acquaintance. Many new faces have come aboard these past few months."

Rahl grinned and winked at Min. "It's not flattery just the truth. I'm sure the commander there would agree. For now, at this bar, you are the lovely and radiant flower that will be gravitated towards." He took a drink of his whiskey. "Though I will agree with you about the new faces. When I came on board I did not expect to see an assembly line of processing people in. There must have been at least four or five others that came on board with me."

Min blushed a little at his remark about her beauty. If only he knew the truth behind the facade. "It is not uncommon for a ship of this type to cycle through crew as her missions change. The new faces are not unwelcome but some familiarity is nice after coming back from an unplanned leave of absence."

Rahl nodded as he perched himself on the stool next to her. "Indeed, such is the case with many crews. I guess I am a bit more used to it than most considering my span of years. Most of those I knew growing up other than Vulcans are now long gone. One of the downfalls of having such a long life." He shrugged and looked back to Min. "You said an unplanned leave of absence. Nothing bad or threatening I hope?"

Min tried to keep her face straight as she contemplated her answer. She could feel her face flush and she really didn't want a tear to form but her eyes feel damp and sh looked at him. "I'd rather not speak of it Lieutenant." he paused the briefest of seconds, "If you excuse me..." she said without so much as skipping a beat, brushing past him and heading for the door before anyone saw the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

Rahl let out a deep breath and silently kicked himself. He had felt something behind her walls. The walls she had built up were loud and clear. Or rather to his El-Aurian gift of empathic listening. However, he had pushed too soon. Making a woman run away crying was never something he would intentionally do.

He stood and went after her. Catching he clasped her arm. "Lieutenant, please hold for a moment. Allow me to apologize. I did not mean to cause offense or more hardship for you. I do not know what you are going through but I can feel the pain of it. Please, allow me to get you another drink from the bar. We can find a table and sit and speak of lighter things. Perhaps to start over again. If you like it can be a table close to the door. This way if you feel so oppressed that you absolutely cannot be around others you can slip out without anyone being the wiser. I promise I won't take it hard on my ego if you have to do so."

Min looked at him, tears streaming down her face. He was El Aurian, a race of listeners, so it only made sense he'd notice her pain. "I do not know if I can go back in Lieutenant. You are right the pain runs deep. I have a child on earth I left behind for safety, two in the grave who never saw the day of their birth, and the man I thought loved me and my daughter, who gave me the two who died, left me without so much as an explanation."

Rahl nodded and looked down for a moment. He noticed his flask was still in his hand. An idea came to mind. "I understand your hesitation. However right now being alone in your quarters is the last thing you need. Come we'll find a table near the door and I'll get us both a drink." He held up his flask. "Not synthelhol and not enough to get drunk, but enough to help take the edge off and allow us to talk more comfortably."

Min looked at him, defeat in her eyes. "I go into the same quarters everyday Lieutenant. The same reminders, the same memories. Except now hollow and I cry myself to sleep. How is tonight different from any other night? I came here to forget, or at least find a way to distract myself and dull the pain. Alcohol won't make me forget." She wasn't about to say that going to bed with another member of the crew was one of her acceptable distractions.

Rahl shook his head. "You are right. The alcohol won't make you forget. Nothing will make you forget. What happened will be with you for the rest of your life. However, the depth of pain and emotion won't be. If you will forgive me for using the cliche but it fits most appropriately here. Time heals all wounds. That means both physical and emotional." He took a long breath. "No it won't help you forget but used sparingly it can help you to keep yourself together and to relax for a time."

He looked down into her eyes. "You ask how tonight is different from any other night. Well, tonight you have a friend. One who is willing to sit and talk about whatever comes to mind. One who understands pain and loss far better than anyone else on this ship. You have lost a husband and a child. That is a terrible thing. It is a thing that I would wish upon no one. I know you think at this moment that nearly everything is lost and that there is little left to hold onto if anything at all. However, think about this. I am an El-Aurian. I have lost my family, my homeworld, my very identity as a race due to there being so few of us left. After a few more centuries I doubt there will be any El-Aurians left to listen."

He turned them both back towards the lounge. "While I know the extension of my race will be upon us shortly. I will face it in the eye looking directly at it. While our experiences are a part of us and help us to grow. It is our decisions and actions that determine the severity of the outcome and how we will face it and be remembered. Come let us find a table and sit and talk about things of no consequence. Who knows..perhaps we might find a hidden laugh or two in the conversation."

Min knew Rahl was right even if she wanted to forget, to go back to when life was better, when her husband still held her and the twins were a happy waiting game. Damn if the El-Aurian wasn't a smooth talker, no wonder their species was famed as listeners and counselors. She sighed, wiping the tears from her eyes. "Okay." She finally said, "Lead the way."

Rahl nodded and lead the way back into the lounge. True to his word he found a table near the door. He left Min sitting there for just a moment while he got two glasses from the bar with a bit of ice in them. Walking back to the table he set one of the glasses in front of her. Opening the flask he poured them both a hefty does of the whiskey. He lifted his glass and waited for her to do the same so a toast could be made.

Glad for the spot with an easy escape if it came to that, Min poured herself about the same about of the whiskey as Rahl poured himself. She lifted the glass, guessing he wanted a toast. "To bad memories." she remarked. Taking a sip of the liquor she savored the taste, letting it burn it's way down her throat. She could feel the edge already coming off her raw emotions as the burn settled into her stomach.

He shook his head. "And to making new and better ones." He took a drink of the whiskey leaning forward against the table. "Everyone's history is full of bad memories. It is up to us to decide how much sway to let them hold over us in the future. I won't sit here and say it's all going to be sunshine and rainbows. However, we don't live in a greek tragedy either. For all the downs we have there must be ups as well to balance them out. Otherwise life just wouldn't be worth living. Take tonight for instance. Yes, understandably saying bad things happened to you is an understatement. However, you have also made a new friend. One that can help you to at least keep an even keel in it all. If not at times forget about it."

Nodding as the alcohol began to take effect, Min smiled a genuine smile to Rahl, the first in a while. "It is still fresh so very raw at times but time does heal wounds, if not completely then enough we can move on and forward." She wasn't sure if she believed that 100% but it would have to do for now. She took another sip, the liquid not burning as much this time. "It would be nice to have another freind aboard. Jared, my ex, for all his faults was my best freind, the one who stood by me." She stared into the glass, looking at the Whiskey, her emotions souring as she mentioned Jared but she kept up the smile as best she could. "I would love to forget him for this evening."

Rahl nodded and chuckled for a moment. "Indeed, well you can consider me a friend or at least I hope you will." He took another drink as he listened to her. "Well then we shall speak of other things to help you to not think about it. And if the party gets to be to much there is always the holodeck. Or perhaps we can find...other..things to occupy our time."

"I think I will Rahl. Consider you a freind that is." She glanced around the room, noticing how everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, the general mood buoying up her own spirits. His mention of escaping to the holodeck, or finding other things to occupy the time, made her wonder if he was coming on to her, subtle hints at his desire for the evening. "I would enjoy a walk on the holodeck later, perhaps you can show me what this 'other' is that you speak of." Min remarked, taking another small sip.

Her glass was getting low and she wondered to herself if he had more. Perhaps she shouldn't imbibe more, this stuff was a lot stronger then her regular synthehol. "I'm sure you have a few non-work related stories you can tell?"

Having set Mimi up with Brax, Miraj ordered herself another cocktail, and looked around for someone else to talk too. She spotted Luke, talking to an elegant and sleekly sophisticated woman. It just proved everything. Luke didn't see anything more than a kid when he looked at her. She'd been dreaming. She sighed, and retreated to the edge of the bar to look for someone else to talk to, poking the fruit in her cocktail with the straw.

"Hello, Miss Derani," came Lirha's distinctive light and Yrevish-accented voice from close by. With Jesra in tow, Lirha approached the youthful Boslic hybrid and gave her a friendly smile. A small glass of Saurian brandy was present in her hand, but unfortunately it was of the synthol variety.

Miraj nearly inhaled half her drink. She hadn't expected the admiral to even notice her. "Hello admiral," she said when she could breathe again. She looked at the slinky dress and the tasteful jewelry. Even pregnant, the Orion woman looked unimaginably refined. Yeah, Luke was definitely out of her league if this was what he was used to socialising with. She covered her sigh with another drink from her glass. "Hows the baby?"

"Slowly getting bigger. Both of them," Lirha answered with a gentle pat to her belly accompanied by a small and private smile. "I may have to reconfigure my captain's chair within a few weeks if I wish to remain comfortable on the bridge," she half-joked. The next thing Lirha did was take in the young woman's appearance. It was...unique? she thought. No, that wasn't the right word. Strange was the closest thing she could think of within the Federation standard language. The bright blues and greens of her outfit combined with her bright pink hair could have been considered by some Klingons to be an assault on their visual senses. "You look very nice this evening," she complimented.

Miraj smiled. Enjoying the compliment even if she didn't feel half as nice as the elegant admiral. "Thank you. You look nice too. Amazing. Glowing even. twins. Wow. Are you looking forward to it?"

"Yes and no. But mostly yes," Lirha answered. It was a complicated situation and she didn't particularly feel like psychoanalyzing herself at the moment. That was reserved for those late nights in her quarters when she couldn't sleep. "I think part of me is nervous about what the future will hold for my children. But...all parents worry about that, yes?"

Miraj shrugged. "I wouldn't know. I've not had a baby." she giggled a little, giddy on the rum. "I've not even had a boyfriend. I haven't event thought about children. Too much stuff to do first."

Lirha did a doubletake. Not at the first admission, but at the second. "Never had a boyfriend...?" she repeated incredulously. The shock was obvious, and the Orion couldn't really believe that such an attractive young Starfleet officer hadn't had at least one suitor in her life. "How do you deal with your...needs?" she then asked.

The question broadsided her, and this team she did choke on her drink, trying not to spray the green liquor all over the bar. "Er, " she sputtered out, it wasn't that she didn't have needs, it was just that she couldn't bring herself to say the words. "I go flying." she finished lamely.

"...Flying..?" Lirha frowned and leaned in to ask the ensign a bit of a private question. "Do you find that be erotic?" she wondered in typical Orion fashion. She'd never experienced a sense of pleasure from her flight control training in the past. It was a unique challenge and she could see the appeal...perhaps even the thrill of it. But she wondered if there was a secret to it she might be missing.

"well, I guess no," And this conversation was getting weirder by the minute. She was beginning to think someone had put something hallucinogenic in her grog. "But when you fly, when you find that point when you can feel every twitch of the thrusters, the growl of the engines, the thrum of the shields. When its all moving in perfect harmony. Thats... " She gave a happy sigh. "That's flying, and i've never felt anything better."

Although the Orion believed more so in harmony among people, she could appreciate the mechanical comparison even if it sounded strange to her. That said, she could never believe that an occupation or mechanoid creation could replicate pure bliss. "It is the thing that make us most happy in life that we must hold on to, yes?" she replied, giving Miraj a soft pat on her shoulder.

"I've got a job I love." Miraj said agreed. Lirrha's hand felt warm to Miraj even through her her sleeve. "What do you hold onto?" Then she realised it was an impertinent, and took another gulp of drink to hide her embarrassment

"Oh...those things that I care the most about. And those things which I desire and could give me pleasure," Lirha answered in a soft voice, her eyes softly trained on Miraj's.

Miraj drained the last of her Zombie Prince, a little faster than she meant to. "Er. I don't mean any offensive Admiral, but as an Orion, things that could give you pleasure...doesn't that give you a very big list?"

Lirha nodded. "Oh yes. Very much so. I admit that I do not get bored very often." Hardly ever, now that she thought about it even further. "Well...unless paperwork and personnel reports are involved. Be careful you do not rise through the ranks too quickly or else you may find yourself desk-bound at the Academy. Like Captain Holliday," she teased with a chuckle and fond memories of her former XO.

"Yeah, getting tied down doesn't sound fun at all, " Miraj agreed.

"Oh...well that can actually be fun," the Orion grinned. "As long as there is a safe word, of course."

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

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