Launch Party, Part 4

Posted on 16 Oct 2018 @ 6:54am by Lieutenant Lake ir-Llantrisant & Commander Luke Wyatt & Lieutenant Aria Rice & Chief Warrant Officer 2 Oliver Sylver & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Verity Thorne
Edited on on 16 Oct 2018 @ 6:55am

3,133 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 17 - Crystal of Life
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 2, Mess Hall
Timeline: MD -182 - 2257 hours

[ON]

"You look beautiful," Oliver Sylver said softly as he walked down the corridor, holding Verity Thorne's hand. He had dressed up for Verity. Not for the party, but for Verity. Dark blue tailored trousers, black shined shoes, a blazer in the same shade as the trousers and a black shirt. Because dressing up for something like this felt...special. He had made sure he looked as presentable as possible and maybe he had overdressed. At least he had not put on a tie or bowtie, instead the first buttons of the shirt were undone.

"You *always* look beautiful," Verity laughed softly, shaking his head gently as he looked over him. Not for the first time, he wondered how on earth he'd managed to snag someone like Oliver. He had opted for black himself...black trousers and a simple black shirt. When he caught glimpses of other people coming and going outside the lounge, he shook his head at himself, realising how....dull he looked with all the colour others were wearing. "Maybe I should go and change."

Oliver looked at him before he let go of his hand, wrapping his arm around him before he leant to kiss his hair. "No, you look stunning. You are wearing my favourite shirt...shows off your slim waist..." he gave it a gently squeeze with his arm. "Let's go and have a drink. And I want to dance with you. A slow dance."

Verity relaxed at that, smiling warmly as he leant into his arm as they walked in. "I can't remember the last time we danced," he admitted softly, squeezing his hand gently. "Wow, this place is...alive," he laughed softly as the crossing music beats hit him. "I'm not sure I'm dancing to this..." he teased.

"Neither am I," Oliver looked around with a warm smile, taking it all in before he laughed. "Okay, let us get a drink. We may as well let our hair down a bit..." he leant to kiss Verity's hair, enjoying the warmth and scent of it before leading him to the bar. "What do you want?" he looked at Verity, just taking in the details of his face. Every time I look at him, it is as if I am seeing him for the first time, he thought, taking a slow breath because it made his heart skip a beat. This man was his boyfriend, his lover. This amazing man.

"Scotch on the rocks, please," Verity said both to Oliver, and to Lake, who he was surprised to see was their barman. He chuckled softly, pulling Oliver's arm warmly around his shoulders so he could rest in it. "Given up on counselling us already?"

"Maybe the good counsellor has decided to medicate us instead," Oliver said and smiled warmly, looking at Lake before he gave a nod. "I'll have the same please."

Coming back to the bartop with a half-empty bottle of scotch, Lake pulled off the stopper in a performative manner. "Haven't you heard?" Lake asked rhetorically; "Bartending is an ancient and wizened profession." --He poured out two tumblers on ice-- "I have half a mind to serve my delta shift office hours behind the bar of the Calypso Lounge," Lake said in all seriousness.

"I think you'd make very good business out of that," Oliver said with a warm chuckle and raised an eyebrow at Verity before looking back at Lake. "In fact, I bet there would be a line out the door..." he added playfully. "Starfleet has always been known for its...drinkers."

"Listen, if Lake gets to do that, then I get to move the chaplaincy into the bar too," Verity shook his head firmly, laughing softly at the thought of it. He'd probably get more 'business' if he did that...

Lake had to laugh at that. Given how many drinks he'd sampled at this point, he laughed far too loud and far too long than was in any way reasonable. Offering up a Romulan gesture that was akin to a genuflection, Lake said, "As your department head, I approve."

"See...your boss agreed," Oliver said playfully to Verity before he took his drink, watching Verity before he raised it in a gentle toast. "To you, to us, to the ship and everyone on it...and the man who pours the drinks."

Verity smiled warmly as he lifted the glass to the toast, sipping the real alcohol with a soft sigh of appreciation. "Did you really do all this yourself, Lake?" he asked, clearly impressed as he looked around.

"I'm a counselor, I'm cerebral, I'm an ideas man," Lake said. There was something vaguely self-depreciating about the way he said it; perhaps these had been insults that had been lobbed at him by previous XOs or ex-lovers. However, Verity and Oliver didn't know Lake very well, but Lake didn't stop to explain the reference. "I was, perhaps, the playwright behind this function," Lake said metaphorically, "but it was the Operations department that had to serve as directors, set-dressers and actors."

"Oh that's okay...the director is the one who usually gets all the credit and glory," Verity teased softly, smiling warmly as he shook his head. "Not sure about the red lights though. Maybe a little...bordello chic?" he added with a playful lilt to his voice.

"I wouldn't know," Oliver said innocently and sipped his drink, blue eyes shining with playfulness. "I am just an innocent man, not knowing anything about the naughtier side of the universe..."

After gasping suddenly, abruptly, Lake locked eyes with Verity. His dark eyes were wide with panic and his jaw was left hanging agape until he was ready to share his surprise. "I just remembered," Lake said, still struggling to collect his thoughts as he spoke. "I think there's a specific regulation against fraudulent red alerts..."

Verity laughed warmly, unable to help himself, his eyebrows lifting with disbelief as he shook his head. "I can't believe you're more worried about that than being accused of running a bordello!" he teased.

"Priorities," Oliver laughed warmly and shook his head, sipping the drink. "The former Marine in me approves..." he winked playfully, his hand going to Verity's back, stroking it. He found himself touching Verity whenever he could, almost as if reminding himself he was there after so long in a long distance relationship.

Between the music and the gentle alcohol-generated fog on his brain, Lake had missed part of what they'd just said. He waved his palm from side to side in a gesture that said no. "I didn't run the bordello per se," Lake said, as if in reply, "I only tended bar in the waiting room."

"Oh, now the truth comes out!" Oliver said as he smiled warmly, his eyes shining as he looked at Verity. "Should we be worried? We are out here for awhile, this sounds like it could be the opening of a new business...." he teased and looked at Lake with a chuckle, his arm going around Verity's waist. He couldn't keep his hands off him, knowing Verity was close to him again.

Verity slid his arm around him in return, leaning comfortably into his arm with a laugh of disbelief, shaking his head. "Well that's a different kind of therapy, all right...but what do I know. Seminary kept me sheltered, I'm sure."

Snorting a bit of a laugh at the two of them, Lake said, "No, Starfleet doesn't leave much time for hobbies," in something of a reassuring tone. He shook his head, as he poured his own self a paper plane. He explained, "I wasn't an officer, nor even a medical professional back then. Just a refugee in a strange land, looking for amusement to fill my days."

"Sounds like a story," Oliver said softly before he smiled gently, shaking his head. "Maybe some day, you can come over for a few drinks and tell us about it?"

"I'll show you my sad story," Lake wryly said, "if you show me yours.”

---

Luke running fashionably late after being stopped by several crew members who had spilt out into the corridors adjacent to the mess hall finally made his way through the actual doors of the party. He was in awe to see just how busy it was and thought that the number of crew in the corridors would mean more space in the hall, that however was not the case. If Luke was a crying man he may have cried, the moment reminding him of the celebration after the war when his unit returned to sol. He could see just how badly needed this party was. He didn't bother looking for anyone in particular, between the music, the bodies all up against each other and pulsing lights it would be a miracle to spot anyone in particular out in the crowd. Instead, he began making his way through the continuously growing crowd cheers erupted from where he could make out a crowd had formed around a mechanical bull and made a mental note to try that out later, but first he needed a drink and some company.

Gabriel Stark was already singing to himself as he made his way down the corridor, hands in his pockets and body moving with the rhythm of his song as he walked. The down side of being sent out on a ship? No clubs. It had been what he'd lived for at one point...a dark, thrumming club with hot music, hot drinks, and hot people. And while he'd tamed himself a little over the years, he still missed it. So he intended to make the most of this party.

Gabriel hadn't hesitated a moment when he'd picked the tight leather trousers he wore, coupled with a sheer, dark red shirt that gave glimpses of what was underneath as he moved and shifted. He'd put on heavy eyeliner before leaving, and his dark hair had gel to keep it styled just so.

As Gabriel moved into the hall, his body instinctively started to move with the beat of the new music. He spotted Aria Rice all too easily, making his way to his partner in crime with the rhythm of the music. He grabbed her waist from behind, laughing as he gave her a squeeze. "Say, say, two thousand zero zero, party over, oops, out of time..." he half sang as he looked over her shoulder to her drink...........and not seeing a second. "....and where's my drink!"

Aria's eyes widened and she threw her arms around him, grinning. "Oh, I drank it!" she declared before she almost giggled, stroking over his arm. "Wow, you look so good..." she let out a low whisper before hitting his chest. "Okay, let's get you a drink. A lot of drink and then we'll find some sexy man for you and you can dance and grind and we can dance on a table and oh! I want a dance with you, if not several!" she grinned and waved at Lake. "Lake...can we have a drink when you're free. Or give me a bottle and I can take care of us."

"And who precisely is this us?" Lake asked, clearly agog by the man Aria was clinging to, and the easily familiarity of their embrace. He waggled a finger in Gabriel's direction and that wasn't all. Blatantly, Lake looked Gabriel up and down, but he didn't wait for an answer. Lake ducked beneath the bar to pull a bottle from out of the chiller. He popped back up, waving a bottle of prosecco by its neck. He asked, "Will a bottle of bubbly do?"

Gabriel grinned at the offer, one arm sliding around Aria's iddy-biddy waist, the other arm on the bar as he leant forward to the new 'bartender'. "Will it 'do'? Pop the cork, Lake, get the party going," he teased with a smile. "Gabriel Stark..." he offered his hand over. He knew who Lake was, he recognised the Romulan as the ship's counsellor. He'd usually go into hiding from him, having been referred to counselling a number of times. But with the party atmosphere....and as the man controlling the alcohol flow....he relaxed.

In a controlled fashion, Lake ir-Llantrisant pulled the cork from the bottle, without launching it across the compartment. There was occupational health and safety to consider, of course. "You can call me Lake," he said, introducing himself in return. Lake plucked three champagne flutes from beneath the bar and starting pouring out equal measures between them. "You know," he said enigmatically, "like the body of water you immerse yourself in."

"Have you seen how smoking hot Ms Rice is tonight?" Gabriel laughed warmly as he looked her over, shaking his head with a tut. "How can I compete."

Aria rolled her eyes at the words, shaking her head as she smiled warmly. "Oh please...all eyes will be on you two handsome men. Not me. I just dress up because it make me feel good..." she chuckled and shifted, to lean over the bar and taking two champagne flutes, her fingers just grasping the top of them. She pulled them out with victory and put them down on the bar.

Gabriel laughed warmly, taking a hold of her waist to keep her steady as she stole the glasses for them. "Keep bending over the bar like that, sweetheart, and you'll be getting a lot more attention..." he teased.

Aria grinned as she wriggled in Gabriel's grip, her eyes shining. "Why do you think I didn't put on a skirt? No, I knew I would be bending over and grabbing things..." she raised an eyebrow playfully before she smacked his hip playfully.

Frowning in disbelief, Lake squinted at Aria. He squinted at Gabriel and he squinted at Aria some more, shaking his head. "That sounds like more reason to wear a skirt," Lake said assertively. He balled up the fabric of his black uniform jacket in the front, and remarked, "I was just thinking I should have worn a skant."

"I think you got the legs for it," Aria said lightly before she laughed warmly, shaking her head before she bit her lip. "Mmm...I am seeing it now...in my head...and I like it!"

"You and me both, sweetheart," Gabriel grinned, laughing warmly as he shook his head, draping his arm comfortably around Aria's shoulders. "To be fair, he'd probably look good in anything," he added with a small, knowing smile. He got the feeling that Lake was something of a player. It took one to know one.

"Oh, is that so?" Lake replied. It seemed as if he was aiming for an intonation of pantomime-scandalized, but it just came out as vaguely condescending. Condescending and thick-tongued. "What precisely would you like to put me in?" Lake asked directly.

Aria considered it before she looked at Gabriel and then back at Lake. "Birthday suit," she finally said and winked to Lake, laughing warmly as she shook her head, enjoying the buzz in her body from the drink. And she loved it.

Gabriel laughed softly, nudging Aria playfully in the side, tutting as his eyes gleamed with humour. "Don't mind Aria...she can't resist a tall, handsome man that gives her prosecco," he teased, shaking his head with a grin to her. "Give her a dance too, and she'll swoon. Must be the corset..."

"Don't mind her?" Lake echoed back Gabriel's words with shock and incredulity in his tone. Shaking his head, Lake raised his hands to his collarbones, and pulled open his uniforms black and grey overjacket. Revealing the body-hugging teal tunic underneath, Lake scoffed at Gabriel again and he looked Aria in the eye. "Aria, I'm only going to encourage you," Lake promised.

Gabriel made a play of covering Aria's eyes with his hand, but didn't exactly avert his own gaze from the tightly clad torso. "Don't look, Aria! Don't look! Don't worry, I'll protect your modesty..." he teased, the laughter in his voice clear enough. "Shame on you, counsellor...leading innocent young women to sin..."

Aria squealed and laughed as she twisted in Gabriel's grip. "Let me see! Let me see!" she said playfully before leaning to lick Gabriel's hand to make him pull away.

At the same time, Lake decided it was only fair to give Aria something to see. She was making such a fuss and going to all that effort, and he was still technically in uniform. Lake loosened his tunic at the collar and opened it enough to turn the turtleneck into a deep-vee that bared skin down past the swells of his pectoralis major and his sternum. Referring back to their earlier banter, Lake chimed in with, "She's not young. She's only short."

Gabriel let out a whistle, shaking his head as he released Aria, slapping her encouragingly on the back. "I take it all back...keep going, Aria, he might launch into the full strip tease."

Aria laughed warmly and stood on her toes, looking at Lake for a moment before she nodded. "Okay, okay...more, more, more!" she giggled before she wrapped her arm around Gabriel, hugging him.

Breathing deeply, Lake took one long look around the compartment. His head slowly pivoted from left to right, and back again. For that long pause, it didn't appear Lake had any intention of playing along anymore. He told them, "The last time the Captain saw me out of uniform, it ended badly," Lake said dryly. "Very badly. But." --He shrugged-- "I don't see her now." And he shrugged his way out of his tunic.



[OFF]

To Be Continued…



Lt. JG Aria Rice
Security
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Vansen]

Lt. Tris Shizn
Conn Officer
USS Galileo-A

LTJG Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant Lake ir-Llantrisant
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo-A

PO3 Constantin Vansen
Operations
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Vansen]

CWO2 Oliver Sylver
CONN
USS GalileoA
[PNPC Vansen]

CH Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

CDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo-A

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

Dr. Alexion Wylde
Medical
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

Laeon Wylde
Civilian Dependent
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Second and Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A

Crewman Draia Theroh
Engineer's Mate
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC ir-Llantrisant]

Chief Petty Officer Kala Gorvel
Engineering Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Wyatt]

LuAnn Lovegood
Counselor
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant Marisa Sandoval
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

 

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