Cornering the Market

Posted on 20 Sep 2023 @ 8:18am by Lieutenant Aria Rice & Commander Scarlet Blake

2,296 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: Regula 1 - Level 9, Shuttle Parking Bay
Timeline: MD 16, 1430hrs

[ON]

Aria Rice walked into the bar, glancing around. She was hoping to avoid the Galieo crew, but had also needed a quick escape from the Klingons. Besides, she had another motive. To find bloodwine. Enough to restock. A bar in a place like this seemed like common sense. For a moment she observed before she walked forward, to the bar itself. She wanted a drink. But she decided against something she couldn't shake of. "Synthol vodka, ice cold," she said to the bartender, glancing around for a moment. Her eyes went over the people there before she stopped and looked back at a familiar face from the time when Aria Rice had been serving on border patrol, catching smugglers and pirates, working for a safer...yeah, whatever, she had basically been a glorified customs officers.

Jessamine De Winter was perched on a stool at the bar, paper notebook in hand as she wrote in pencil. She hadn't changed all that much from those years either. Her hair was still long and blonde with a natural wave. Her penchant for frontier fashion showed itself in the leather trousers and white blouse that was secured around her by a cord that weaved up the front of her body. A group of very diverse people were sat at a table not far behind her, throwing the odd glance her way now and then. Clearly crew. She went to take a drink and sighed when she realised the glass was empty. She looked up to call for the bartender...and noticed the woman staring at her. It took a moment, but she finally recognised her, sitting back in the stool to hold her arms wide open. "Look...it's the little nutcracker..."

"And if it isn't my favourite...purveyor of exotic items of dubious origin," Aria said and smiled, despite her practising lately not to smile. Klingons were allergic to that unless there was some sort of blood involved. "De Winter...I should be surprised to see you, yet I am not."

"I'm like a bad penny," Jessamine quipped as she hopped down from her stool, walking around to meet her, leaning casually against the bar with one elbow, her booted ankles crossed. "Now...don't get me wrong, I like this look on you, but last I checked, leather and chainmail wasn't part of the Starfleet uniform..."

Aria took the iced shot glass filled with synthehol vodka, lifted it to her lips before knocking it back with closed eyes. "I'm currently part of the IKS Praxis," she opened her eyes and looked at her. "First Officer."

Jessamine actually looked surprised. It wasn't one of her usual expressions. She slid her hands into her pockets, shifting her weight onto one hip as she contemplated her with a small smile of amusement. "You. On a Klingon ship."

Aria motioned for another drink, not smiling, glancing over at Jessamine. "First Officer on a Klingon ship," she said before a small smile tugged at her lips. "So I have a responsibility. To keep the Klingons in check while we're here."

Jessamine blinked, just watching her with a mixture of confusion and disbelief as she considered why Aria would make it up. "Well isn't this just ironic..." she finally laughed softly. "Little Miss Rulebook playing with the Klingons..."

"That sounds so boring. I wasn't Little Miss Rulebook," she said to Jessamine, rolling her eyes before she took her fresh drink and knocked it back as well. "I was a Starfleet officer and you, Jessamine...had a rep. Besides, I like to think I was always nice to you!"

"I mean, technically, I suppose..." Jessamine relented, but watched her with a small smile on her dark red painted lips, reaching into her pocket to pull out an engraved cigarillo case, flicking it open. "And I'm not sure if I like the word 'rep'. What I have is a name."

"Sorry, a name with somewhat of a reputation attached," Aria said with a small smile, shaking her head. "It suits you and that reputation isn't a bad one. What you did have is a file that took me an hour to read, and I am a fast reader."

A soft chuckle escaped before Jessamine slipped a cigarillo between her lips, pulling out an old fashioned lighter. She lit the tip then shut the lighter with a single neat sweep of her hand. She just watched Aria as she took a drag before finally pulling it from her lips. "What can I say? I get around," her blue eyes shone with humour as she motioned to Aria. "I'm not the one moonlighting with Klingons though..."

"Never understood why it was called moonlighting," Aria said as finally the smile became genuine. Maybe it was Jessamine, or the absurdity of the situation itself. "Especially since I'm from Luna. But...I'm under orders to serve on the Klingon ship." She paused, suddenly thinking. "And actually, I have been tasked with finding bloodwine."

"Bloodwine!" Jessamine laughed, shaking her head slowly as she took a delicate drag from the cigarillo. "If I thought that you knew I was here, I'd think you're putting this whole thing on. Because the last time I saw you and Klingons together, you were chasing them down a corridor..."

"Well, they were smuggling Capercaillie..." Aria pointed out, pointing at her. "I'll never forget running after them, both of them with two birds under their arms. Seriously, who deals in birds? I was never sure if it was as pets or to eat!"

"The latter," Jessamine assured, twisting enough to lean back fully against the bar with her elbows propped up on it, stretching her legs out enough to casually cross her ankles. "You're serious, aren't you."

Aria nodded, watching her for a moment before she looked down. "I am. I am seriously the First Officer on a Klingon ship. I am seriously respected on that ship because I have taken out the one person who challenged me on that ship. And I am seriously wondering if the universe and my Starfleet Captain are punishing me for surviving so long." She motioned for another drink, glancing at Jessamine. She hadn't been able to be this open with people, especially since she was avoiding her old crewmates as much as possible. And you couldn't actually talk with Klingons this way. And sure, maybe Jessamine would sell her secrets or whatnot. Right now, two shots in, Aria didn't care that much.

"That sounds like quite a Klingon opera, Nutcracker..." Jessamine looked her up and down as she lifted the cigarillo back to her lips, musing on the situation. "I mean...that does sound like an easier way of gaining respect on a ship..." she finally said lightly, looking at the view with a small smile.

Aria looked at her before she laughed, bowing her head. "I think I should write it. A Klingon opera, with all of those things. Unfortunately, can't sing..." she tutted and watched Jessamine, considering something. And decided to get back on track. "How much are you charging for bloodwine nowadays, Jessamine?" she asked, using her first name. "Don't worry, not under a banner of Starfleet regulations right now."

"Well, bloodwine? All the way out here? There's not much call for it, so it'll be hard to get a hold of," Jessamine tsked, as if trying to work out just how expensive that would make it. "It wouldn't be easy, or quick...when do you need it?"

"Tomorrow morning at the latest," Aria said as she met her eyes, giving her the calm smile of someone knowing they would be fleeced for something. "But you'd have a ship full of happy Klingon customers."

Jessamine lifted her hands into the air with a small, innocent smile. "And how, pray, would a ship full of happy Klingons be of use to me?"

"Well..." Aria gave a shrug, before she turned to face her properly. "Customers, for start. Not many chances for them to resupply out here, given their...temperament. And there's also some things that they have that no one else in this quadrant can get. So...seems like a good trading partner. Besides, they like you, they're less likely to try and kill you."

"If anyone else said that to me, Nutcracker, I'd accuse them of threatening me," Jessamine teased, but she was smiling as she shook her head, watching the view as she took a deep drag from her cigarillo and thought on the pros and cons of getting mixed up with the Klingons. "You'll have your bloodwine," she finally affirmed, her head tilted as her arms stretched languidly against the edge of the bar. "But they'll pay for it. And if I come calling for a favour, I expect it to be heard..."

Aria nodded, watching her for a long moment. "Favour is mine though," she said, her voice quiet. "You come to me. Once I am gone, if I ever am, I'll be on a Starfleet ship. But I'll still do you that favour." She could do that. She had no choice really. Not if she was going to survive this.

"Oh well that's dull," Jessamine sighed dramatically and shook her head before finally looking over to her and offering her hand out to her all the same.

"I'm sure you'll take advantage of it anyway," Aria said playfully, her eyes shining as she watched Jessamine. "You look like you're doing well for yourself. I'm glad." Because the universe needed people like her, for those who weren't part of the Federation.

"I'm glad you noticed, Nutcracker," Jessamine winked to her, turning back to give Aria her full attention, her arm hooked up on the bar as she leant against it. "The further out you go, the more opportunity there is. And the easier it is to keep the Ferengi in their place..." she glanced casually to Aria at that. "Although I hear there may have been some problems with them recently."

"Meh, nothing that can't be scrubbed off the deck by some crewmen and wayward ensigns," Aria said with a dismissive hand, but she was watching her more carefully now. Jessamine truly had fingers in many pies. And besides, she wasn't readily going to admit the ship had almost been lost to the Ferengi. That was embarrassing.

"That's what I like to hear," Jessamine watched her with clear humour shining in her eyes for a moment, motioning for another drink. "I'll keep my ears open though...pardon the pun," she glanced to her innocently, as if she'd been unable to resist the moment.

Aria chuckled, motioning for another drink. "Hers are on me," she said, because it didn't hurt to keep things friendly with Jessamine right now. "Are you staying around here long? Or is this a short...stay trading post?"

"I'm thinking to stay out here for a while," Jessamine admitted, looking around the bar with interest as she stubbed out her cigarillo at the bar with one neat twist of the wrist. "These people are scientists. As resourceful as they might be in their work, real life seems to be something of a challenge to them."

Aria nodded with understanding, a small smile coming to her. "Having served on a science vessel...yes, common sense is one sense they do not all possess. That and survival instinct. I've once had to talk people into leaving a cave after someone died, but did they want to leave the dangerous cave with dangerous creatures? Oh no, they wanted to split up..." she rolled her eyes, deciding she had enough to drink for now. "Common sense. Precious, and oh so rare."

Jessamine laughed softly as she watched her with glinting eyes. She leant in close to lower her voice, leaning against the bar with her elbow almost touching Aria's. "Is that why you took refuge with the Klingons?" she teased. "Because I think you'd find my ship much, much more appealing if that's what you're after."

"Not ready to leave Starfleet yet, but if they kick me out...you know I'll find you," Aria said playfully, raising an eyebrow. She reached to touch her arm, her touch light. "But I am confident your ship is a lot more...appealing...than most."

"You'd better believe it, sugar," Jessamine watched her with playfulness dancing in her eyes, leaning in as she let a hand drape on her own hip. "I offer freedom, fire and a pretty decent cut."

For a moment, Aria was seriously considering it, biting her lip. Then she smiled and leant close, meeting her eyes properly. "Maybe in another life, Jessamine, I'd have taken you up on that in a heartbeat."

"Here's a secret, Nutcracker, it's up to you when you start a new life," Jessamine chuckled softly, shaking her head all the same. "Well...the offer's open. Come and find me when you see the light."

Aria looked at her, a small smile coming to her. "Thanks, Jessamine," she said, finding herself meaning it. She reached out and touched her hand, to give it a squeeze. A goodbye, perhaps, if things didn't work out and she didn't survive the next days or weeks.

Jessamine gave her a winning smile, her blue eyes glinting as she lifted Aria's hand, pressing a kiss to the back of it. Before letting the hand lower, she pressed a small gold pin into it. "Wear it with your Klingon uniform, sugar, it will look mighty fine."

Aria looked at it, a blush on her cheeks as she smiled. Jessamine was such a charmer. It was difficult not to be drawn to her. "I will," she said, meaning it.

[OFF]

Jessamine De Winter
Civilian Ship Captain
[NPC Blake]

&

Lt. Aria Rice
First Officer
IKS Praxis

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