Living dangerously

Posted on Saturday 7 August 2021 @ 19:29 by Civilian Sansa Draxx-Jones

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: The Round Table
Timeline: MD 10 2100
2048 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Sansa had managed to get back to her quarters without further incident. She fed both Belle and Nibbles, had something to eat, rested on the sofa for a while catching up on her whale studies, then got changed ready to head out again. She put on a simple yet flattering dress and headed to the Round Table.

She arrived slightly before their arranged meeting time so she went to the bar and got a bottle of Aldebaran whisky (From her own supply, Melody was getting sick and tired of her pinching hers), two glasses and ordered a bowl of nachos with some melted cheese. She then found a table near the large windows that spanned the front of the room and poured herself a drink while she waited for Jack.

Walking into the Round Table, Jack had just come off shift and had just enough time before the time their meet up was slotted for to get back to his quarters, take a quick shower and change into civilian clothing. As he hadn't expected this to be too formal he was dressed in a simple pair of cargo pants with a red Hawaiian shirt. Quickly looking around, he spotted Sansa off to one side seated near the large window that was a great feature of this bar. Seeing that she was wearing what he thought was a very cute dress, Jack felt a little underdressed but he was already here so might as well make the best of it.

Making his way over to Sansa's table, Jack cleared his throat as he approached, "Sorry I'm late, there's a lot to do on such a large ship"


She looked up and smiled at him. "It's ok. You're here now." She motioned to the seat opposite and as he sat she poured him a glass of green liquid a slid it in front of him.

The waiter, who Sansa knew well, came over with her nachos and set them down in front of her. "Here we are Doctor Draxx-Jones." He said with a friendly smile. He turned to Jake. "Anything for you Sir?"

Jack looked up at the waiter with a smile, “Don’t call me sir mate, I work for a living” he said before giving the question some thought, “whiskey and dry please my friend”

The waiter nodded and headed back to the bar. Sansa raised an eyebrow at him. "Well if you like whisky, you have to try this." she indicated the glass she had slid towards him. "It's Aldebaran whisky." she took a sip of her own drink. "So tell me a bit about yourself."

Picking up the glass, Jack took a sip of the green liquid before nodding, “Not bad. So something about me? Well I was born and raised on Earth. My parents died in an accidental warp core breach when I was 12 then I was raised by my grandfather until I enlisted in the Marines” he said in a matter of fact way, like listing off mechanical parts, “How about you? You’re a doctor already?”

"I'm sorry about what happened to your parents. That must have been tough on you," she said, giving him a reassuring look. "The Doctor thing...... That's a long story." she said as she finished off her drink and refilled her glass from the bottle."

"During our last mission when we encountered a probe that was similar to the one that was sent to Earth to contact Humpback whales, you heard of that?"

Jack nodded, “of course I have, wondrous piece of technology”

"Anyway. it led us to a planet and a race of beings. Mom managed to make peaceful contact and I ended up with an alien ambassador sharing my body while she experienced our existence for a while. Her name is Fay, she's great." She smiled, remembering the times she spent with her. "We really got on well. She transferred into another host and went home but it seems I've retained some of her ability to understand whale behaviour and what they are saying and doing. The Tylor institute has given me an honorary doctorate. In fact, they want me to help on a colony mission. They are creating the first off-world colony for Humpback whales on Fay's planet."

“That’s a lot of work for someone as young as you. Hell, I’d have trouble handling such a task” Jack commented, taking another sip from his glass, “though it sounds like quite the engineering challenge. How many whales are they planning on moving?”

"They're starting off with 12. six males and six females are the first group and a whole tonne of fish and krill so they can establish a sustainable food source. If all goes well, the second group will be joining them in 6 months." She took another sip of her drink and a handful of nachos. "Hang on a moment. You enlisted in the marines? So how did you become an engineer?" She asked, remembering what he had said earlier.

Jack shrugged, “I finished my first stretch and chose not to reenlist. Instead, I decided to become an engineer like my father. After all, three years as an EOD specialist became a little dull after a while and I wanted to live up to what I remember of my parents. Dad was an engineer onboard a Galaxy class and mum was a scientist, a bit like yourself I’d like to think. Kind and yet strict when needed” he said as he became lost in what pleasant memories he had left of his mother. The smile had dropped from his face and he looked like he was about to tear up, “the last time I saw her was when she was leaving home to welcome dad back from his tour of duty. If only he’d noticed that housing crack….”


She put her hand in his for a moment. “Hey. I think both of your parents would be proud of you, following in your father’s footsteps as you have. It shows great strength of character.” She let her hand linger a bit too long and she pulled it back slightly embarrassed. She finished her glass and filled it again. “So, is a Tribble the most unusual thing you’ve found while fixing something?” She asked as she poured another glass of Aldebaran whisky for him as well. “Mom tells me Nibbles, that’s her pet hedgehog, escaped once and she had to crawl through the lower decks of a Starbase to find her.”

“Yea I heard that when I showed the tribble to the other engineers, apparently a few of them got a good laugh out of it. As for the strangest thing I’ve ever found, tribbles are definitely up there, but I’d have to say finding a pair of uniforms scattered across a Jefferies tube was something interesting”

Sansa's mouth dropped open. "Two uniforms?" She asked surprised as various scenarios played through her head. "You mean a couple of crew members were getting.... familiar with each other?"

Jack shrugged, “don’t know, never found them. All we did was recycle the uniforms through the replicator into a few stem bolts. So if you really want to look at it that way, someone’s uniform is currently holding up a bulkhead on Utopia Planitia” he said thinking it over, “got to admit, it would’ve been amusing to watch two officers make a run for their quarters”

Sansa laughed as she drained her glass and filled it again. “That would have been a sight. So what about you? You got a girl stashed away? Long blond hair… blue eyes, legs that don’t quit and an ass like a ripe peach?”

Jack gave a sarcastic smile, "do I look like I have the time for a relationship? I was late here today, how would you react if this was an actual date? I'd bet you wouldn't have been so forgiving"

Sansa raised an eyebrow, in a very similar way to how Melody did. "If this had been a date, I suspect you wouldn't have been late. So it's like that is it?" She asked with a sly grin and a chuckle. "No relationships, just a girl on every starship and starbase? You sly fox you." She then knocked the rest of her drink back. "You're not doing a very good job keeping up on the drinking front. I thought you marine types could handle your drink?"

Giving a sigh, Jack shook his head before shooting what was left in his glass then filling it back up, “Wanna bet on who’s going to drop out first?”

Sansa humphed, but smiled at the same time. "Well, it's hardly fair since I'm half a bottle ahead of you now. I better let you catch up."

Shooting down his refilled glass, Jack grabbed the bottle and smiled, “well, if I’ve gotta catch up, I better get a move on” he said before taking a swig from the bottle itself. After a few gulps, he put the bottle down to catch his breath, “So wanna go get another bottle while I finish this one off?”

Sansa smiled "You know this is coming out of my personal stash, it's not replicated. I hope you appreciate that." She said as she called over the waiter who had served them earlier. "Can you bring another bottle of my Aldebaran whisky and another portion of nachos with melted cheese please?"

He smiled and nodded and headed back to the bar. "You know this stuff creeps up on you. It's not for the... uninitiated."

"That's what I'm counting on," Jack said as he finished off the bottle and handed it to the waiter, "can I trouble you for a pitcher of water my friend"

"You think I'm uninitiated?" She asked incredulously, then let out a chuckle. "Oh boy, are you in for a surprise."

The waiter returned with the water, the whisky and the nachos, and Sansa pour them both another glass.

“Now when did I say that? I meant I hope this is as strong as advertised. I need to relax” Jack replied, as he poured himself another glass from the new bottle, “what about you? Got anyone on the hook?”

The glass paused on its way to Sansa's mouth and her smile dropped slightly. Hamish had asked about her love life earlier and it was still a bit of a sore spot. "I.... was in a relationship but it.... it ended. She left." she quickly drained her glass and filled it again, trying to shake the unhappy memory of Hayley's sudden departure.

"Oh sorry to hear," Jack said, taking another sip of whiskey, "I know splitting up from someone you care about is never easy, though I haven't experienced exactly the same thing. The object of my affections never knew of my feelings towards them"

"Thanks". She managed a small smile. "She was my first," Sansa added as she tossed back the rest of her drink.

Just then her comm beeped. "Jones to Sansa. if you're drinking my private reserve of Aldebaran whisky, you're going to be in trouble young lady! There's a small puppy here who's a bit upset. I think she needs your attention."

Sansa blushed. "Don't worry mom, I'm not drinking your whisky. I'm on my way." She stood and looked at Jack "We'll have to pick this up another time."

Quickly standing up, Jack gestured for Sansa to stop, "Hold on, wait. I've got just the thing to tame the beast as it were." he said before hurrying over to the bar, asking the tender for a tall green bottle before returning to Sansa, "Here, give this to her" he said, holding out a bottle with the label of Jamersons Irish Whiskey, "It's the proper stuff from Earth"

Sansa raised an eyebrow. "Greasing the wheels with the Captain already are you? Bold move." She accepted the bottle. "Thanks. I don't think she's drinking at the moment but I'm sure she'll like it. I'll maybe not tell her that you called her a beast though." She mentioned with a sly smile as she turned and headed for the door.


OFF:

Sansa Draxx-Jones
Civilian
npc Jones

Chief Petty Officer Johnathan ‘Jack’ MacGyver
Engineering specialist