After Party
Posted on Monday 6 August 2018 @ 14:28 by Lieutenant JG Saren Barel & Lieutenant Marbim Rejal
Mission:
Shoreleave
Location: Starbase 306 Crew Lounge
Timeline: Post Welcomes and Ceremonies
1873 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure
Saren sat at a table alone sipping a Denobulan Starmist. He had told the bartender to give him any drink and the man had picked this one. He found it enjoyable. On the table was his award. He had never gotten an award in the Romulan Star Navy. The ship he was on hadn't faced serious conflict. The superiors made sure to keep junior officers down as much as possible so the few notable accomplishments he had, hadn't crossed the ship commander's desk. Or if it had, it was put in under someone else's name.
In Starfleet he had noticed that many major accomplishments were put forth as a team and so far he had, had problems dealing with other Starfleet officers and opening up to them. It was a hard thing to do, especially with 67 years of Romulan conditioning behind him. He found himself somehow enjoying the fact that he got an award, despite that it was not anything he would have received on a Romulan ship.
Stephanie walked up to the bar. "Jameson and Ginger Ale". She said, watching the bartender mix the drink. She took the glass, and much to the astonishment of anyone who happened to be watching, she downed it in a single gulp and asked for another.
Saren looked up just in time to see Stephanie down her drink and ask for more. The woman was one of the new crew for the Merlin, the Chief Engineer. He wasn't certain of her engineering skills, but she did seem to have experience with the consumption of beverages.
Stephanie took the second beverage, sipping at it with a little more restraint as she looked over to the Romulan who was sitting at the bar quizzically, trying to figure out exactly what he was doing here and weather or not to ask him.
Stepping out of the shadows, Miles places his empty glass on the bar and ask for another "Klingon Bloodwine, and can you make this one a few more degrees warmer, thank you." Looking over at the Chief of Engineering, Miles will smile at her, "Well, any woman that can drink like that must have a few stories to tell. I'm Miles, the Chief of Operations. Once we can get some alone time, I have some ideas I'd like to run over with you about ways to protect the eps concuits and relays, and perhaps upgrade the output of our phasers...unless you'd rather just drink and talk, i'm good with that too." As he finishes he looks from Stephanie to the, um Romulan in the room, "Yes, he is someone we should have a drink with too."
Stephanie rolled her eyes at Miles. Her more mischievous demons told her that she could have a lot of fun at his expense. On the other hand, her practical demons told her that it was going to be far more trouble than it was worth. After a few moments, they settled their arguments and the latter won... Still no need to let him get away with his ego intact. It will at least give him pause before he tries this on some other poor unsuspecting girl.
"I've met Ferengi with better pickup lines than that." Her thick Irish accent sounded equal parts bemused and annoyed, but half a smile formed on her lips. "If tha's th' best ya can do, boyo, then yer gonna be a very lonely man."
However, there was a kernel of truth in what he said. She looked over to the Saren, regarded him thoughtfully for a few moments, and walked over, leaving Miles without another word. "Drinkin' alone sucks," She said with no preamble. "An' that guy... errrf." she titled her head in Miles' direction then shivered visibly. "He's more'n jus' a little creepy." She sucked down the remainder of her drink and set the glass on the bar, indicating to the bartender she wanted another. "Syntheholic nonsense. Takes ya forever t' get a halfway decent buzz. I was brought up on th' real thin'." She extended her hand "Stephanie O'Hara. I'm th' new Chief Engineer. Pleased t' meet ya." She smiled an infectious smile as she picked her fresh drink up from the bar. "Ya look like a misfit t' me. We misfits recognize our own. Birds o' a feather an' all that..."
Saren looked at her with a discerning eye, all the while still amazed at human greeting customs. He shook her hand.
"I am Saren, Chief Science Officer of the Merlin", he replied. "And I can see how Lieutenant Rejal and I can easily be singled out as misfits, but what makes you a misfit. You seem to be what humans would consider 'normal'."
"I probably see things a wee bit different f'rm ya. Like that guy?" She indicated Miles again. "He suffers from a classic malady that has plagued males across th' universe since th' dawn o' time: Two heads, an' only enough blood t' work one at a time." She sipped her drink. "As f'r what makes me a misfit? Well, just f'r starters... " Stephanie tilted her head to one side and shook the hair away from her neck to reveal the data port attached to her neck. She then righted herself and rearranged her hair to cover it.
Saren wasn't sure why, but for some reason he felt at ease right now, not just with the company, but the room, the noise, the entire atmosphere. Usually this type of setting would have him wound very tightly and make him want to bolt for the door.
He chuckled and looked at Stephanie's neck. Pondering a moment he said, "I wouldn't say that necessarily makes you a misfit as you keep it hidden. If you were truly a misfit you would be proud of it. Usually neural interfaces make one more efficient as well, so that might keep you out of the misfit category. Your interface, is slightly crude, at least by Romulan standards, but still it is discrete with your hair style, which has its advantages. Regardless, it must have served you well all this time or you would not have it."
"Tha', m' pointy-eared friend, is jus' th' tip o' th' iceberg," Stephanie responded. "Normal is a state o' mind, na a state o' bein'."
He looked around and thought a moment and then said, "I believe there is a stereo-typical human joke here, something along the lines of, 'A Romulan, Cardassian, and Engineer walk into a bar...'"
He takes a sip of his drink.
Once Miles has his new drink he will wander over, a bemused look on his face, and with a slightly British accent will bow to the lady, "My pardon madam if my previous statements did make ill of my manners." He will then turn to Saren, "Marbim Rejal, Miles to my friends or those I work with. My mother met Chief O'Brien once, and tried to have a fling with him. When I was old enough to read, I looked through her journals. Her passion for science and what impressions he made on her life, seems to have impacted mine as well." With his hand out to Saren, "I'm the new Chief of Operations, and yes, we do make for a bad human joke," looking up at the ceiling for a moment, he looks down with a mischievous look in his eyes, "of course it could also be said that we three are plotting something, which is fine with me as it adds to the mystery of why I was allowed on a Federation Starship at all." He finishes with a sad smile and a long draw on his drink.
It's been said that you never get a a second chance to make a first impression. As far as Stephanie was concerned, 'Miles' had already fumbled his initiative on that front. She rolled her eyes and sipped on her drink. "Are ya gonna try t' hit on me again? There's is a sayin' among the Irish. 'Many a time a man's mouth broke his nose.' I give full marks f'r persistence boyo, but do mind yer nose." She took a sip of her drink and let him absorb that for a moment. When she judged the moment had passed, She continued. "Just so we're crystal clear, ya lack two very important things for me t' find ya even th' slightest bit romantically interestin'."
Miles smiles, and then nods, "Point taken madam. I hope we can at least be friends. I do have some ideas I'd like to go over with you, once my padd finishes compiling some of my notes, and some research I have it doing." He then turns his attention to Saren. "The 'Great Mystery' started as a cadet. I had to prove my allegiance and willingness to be in Starfleet several times to human who felt they should rule the galaxy and leave us 'alien scum' to the dregs (as he is talking he does seem to become heated/agitated)," taking a long pull at his bloodwine seems to calm him down. "I made a dear friend while in the academy, another misfit of sorts. Matark of House El'Ton. It doesn't matter if you haven't heard of it, the Borg destroyed the world it was on. Matark 'escaped' with about 300 of his clan members. With his parents gone, no one else would accept him, except Starfleet. So when I say its still a mystery as to why I am here, especially on this ship, it makes one wonder whether is is divine intervention, or someone saw potential in me, and in the case of the latter I plan on putting my potential to good use."
Saren looked at Miles and then at Stephanie. Obviously the Cardassian had tried to impress the woman. He smiled a bit slyly. The Cardassian's story was 'interesting'.
"I am Saren, the Chief Science Officer", he said to Miles. "You do realize that when you ask 'why was I allowed on a Federation Starship at all", it makes you sound like a lost fvai rather than a member of a once strong and proud race. If your purpose is a mystery to you, than you should perhaps re-evaluate things. As far as plotting something, one should always be plotting something, it keeps the mind sharp."
"I'm sure it's a mystery t' us, too," Stephanie offered helpfully. "I normally enjoy a good mystery, but I'll make an exception in this case."
"Well, let's not worry about the mystery", Saren replied. "We are all either misplaced, displaced, or some other sort of misfit. It seems the Federation is composed of the three. Probably its biggest strength and its biggest weakness."
He raised his glass to the two of them.
Stephanie raised her glass as well. "Sláinte." She said an imbibed deeply.
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LTJG Marbim "Miles" Rejal
Chief of Operations
USS Merlin
LTJG Saren Barel
Chief Science Officer
USS Merlin
LTJG Stephanie O'Hara
Chief Engineer, USS Merlin
