Exploring the Boundaries

Posted on Mon 15th Jul, 2019 @ 7:24pm by Lieutenant Commander Andrew Eberstark

1,392 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: A Diplomatic Affair
Location: Orchids & Jazz, Deck 600
Timeline: MD 7, 1630

Looking up from tallying the liquor purchases for the next day's vendor contacts, her last job of the day, Serena was pleasantly surprised to see Andrew heading toward the beautiful wooden bar Jade had long ago acquired for her first Orchids & Jazz.

"Hello, stranger!" she greeted him. "How's the latest investigation of bad guys going?"

Andrew's mood was lifted when he heard the familiar voice from behind the bar and gave a weary smile as he approached the bar. Choosing the seat directly in front of where Serena was working, he unceremoniously sat down.

"Frustratingly slow moving, I'm sorry to say," he answered quickly. Turning his head to a location farther down the bar from where Serena stood, he motioned with his head, "Does Jade still have the good stuff down there?"

"Of course," Serena said. "Things are that bad, then? I wish I could help, but that would be like asking you the best place to order Argosian clams," she smiled at him and leaned against the smooth wood. "So what will it take to remove the frown line between your eyebrows?"

He blinked a moment, finding himself thinking for a second before answering equally honestly and sarcastically, "Oh, not much. Pirates stop terrorizing this sector. Nobody else gets murdered on the Starbase. Seems reasonable right?"

Seeing the blank look on her face, Andrew just chuckled, "Sorry to be dramatic. Long day. How about a drink and spending some time together and see how that goes?"

Serena glanced at the time interface on the safe under the bar. "Works for me. I'm off shortly, so what about a drink here and then going down to Carlo's for a pizza and canoli dinner? I know it would be healthier to have salad, but I think stress demands to have sugar, don't you?"

Nodding in approval, "Sounds like a great pairing with some drinks," pausing as eyes narrowed. "You're not gonna make me drink alone are you?"

"Maybe," she said, her eyes dancing with humor. "Depends on what you're drinking. What'll ya have, mister?"

Leaning back and folding his arms, Andrew answered in an equally playful tone, "I already told you. The good stuff. Ratzeputz if you had to give it a name, I guess. Jade keeps it around here somewhere. Can't imagine many other people have ordered it," pausing, "I'll warn you though that it's a bit strong if you're trying it the first time."

"I know where it is, but I'm sorry to disappoint you. I'm not drinking anything that sounds like Rat's you know what!" Serena laughed. She stepped down to a refrigerated section below the bar and brought out the drink he'd requested. "In point of fact, you are one of only three people who will drink it on the entire base, buddy." She opened the bottle, set it in front of him, and asked, "Glass, or are you going to be a tough guy?"

Shrugging, Andrew answered jokingly, "I guess I'll take a glass. I am in public after all. And I must say, those other two people must have some good taste in drinks."

As she poured the liquid into the glass he asked, "So if you don't drink anything that you don't like the name of, what do you drink if I may ask?"

"I'm not much for alcohol. Where I grew up, it wasn't really available, and really synthahol tastes the same, and that's usually not very nice ... like drinking vinegar or worse," she laughed and set the bottle next to his glass, still a third full. "I guess I mostly stick to water, apple juice, cow's milk ... sometimes lemon Coke hits the spot. I think I'll have that now."

As Alia prepared her own drink, she thought more about why she didn't care for alcohol, and shared with Andrew. "I hadn't thought much about it. I work here," she waved around the club, "but I'm usually not involved in the floor work, except later in the afternoons or evenings, if Jade is busy or the restaurant is near capacity. I was born on New Paris, did I ever mention that? Fourth generation."

Andrew raised both eyebrows, letting out an exaggerated happy exhale as he finished his first sip of the drink, "Well in my opinion, you're missing out. I'm going to get you to at least try this at some point. And no, you never mentioned New Paris. That's one of the Federation's earliest colonies right? Sounds like your family was there at the beginning. You must be proud of that."

Taking a slightly larger sip, already finishing half his glass, Andrew continued, "Not sure if I mentioned, but I'm from Earth. North American continent on pretty much the opposite coast of Starfleet Headquarters. That's usually the best way to describe it to people who aren't familiar with the planet."

Thinking a moment about his small hometown, he smiled, "The town I'm from, some folks still believe in," pausing to choose the right wording, "limiting their use of 24th century technology, let's say." He picked up the bottle Serena placed next to him and refilled his glass, "I guess that way of thinking made me appreciate some of the more antiquated aspects of humanity," motioning to the bottle, "like alcohol for example."

Serena leaned on the counter, her hands folded in front of her. "I've been to earth," she said. It's where I met Miss Lantz in the beginning. She advertised for an assistant manager, and I was there visiting college friends, so I applied. It's been a good arrangement for a long time, and I don't regret it. How did you get into Strategic and Tactical work? And do they really go together on a base this large?"

"How did I get into this work? How much time do you have?" forcing a smile, "I actually was serving as Chief Tactical Officer aboard the USS Samurai under Captain--" pausing to correct himself, "Now Commodore Suzuki, the current Commander of this Starbase."

Andrew finally started feeling some effects of his drink that he continued to sip. "Through a friend from Starfleet, I found out there was an opening here and got coaxed a bit into applying. And you bet they go together on a Starbase like this. I share a bit of the load with Tactical regarding the internal offensive and defensive systems, but as for coordinating the operations of this Starbase with the surrounding systems, you need to be fully aware of the capabilities of the Starbase. It sounds like a lot I know, including the title, which is a mouthful. But you get the hang of it."

Furrowing his brow a bit, Andrew questioned, "And you applied for this job on Earth? If you applied all the way on Earth, then how did you and Jade wind up out here?"

Serena laughed. "As you said, how much time do you have? This is not the first Orchids & Jazz ... location? It's the fifth! It's the second time we've been on a starbase, and the other three were Earth and then two ships. This is, by far, my favorite location, though. It's bigger, for one thing, and Jade has been able to expand some of the ideas she's had in the past, such as the loft and private dining rooms to reserve for parties. It's also the first time I've had my own office, so I appreciate that a lot!"

Smiling at a few memories, she added, "Jenna has been with us almost the whole time ... not on Earth, I think, but shortly afterward, on our first ship location. Not Marin, who came aboard as the chef three years ago when we opened this bigger, newer club. Reon has been with Jade since even earlier than I joined her. They go really far back, to when she managed someone else's club and he was a young punk, so he says," she laughed again. "I find that hard to imagine, but it's how he tells it."

Noticing his drink was almost finished, Serena said, "I think we're about ready for that dinner at Carlo's. Let me tell Jade I'm leaving and get one of the gang out here, and we can go."

Andrew nodded, finished his drink and rose from his seat, "Perfect. Food sounds good to me right about now."

 

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