A Kiss Is Still A Kiss

Posted on Fri 15th Jun, 2012 @ 4:39am by Commander Brian Windsong

1,758 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: http://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/1
Location: Orchids
Timeline: Current, 1400

After he met with the Colonel finding the rumors he had heard to be true, he had found the cabin he had been assigned and spent a good forty-five minutes familiarizing himself with it so he would not need Wicker's help to get around. He had barked his shin a couple of times but was otherwise unscathed.

He decided to go down to the Promenade to walk around because he didn't want to deal with the replicator there. He has been walking for about ten minutes when he heard the distinctive sounds of Terran jazz coming out of a room. He allowed the dog to lead him there hoping he could be entertained and fed at the same time.

Jade looked around her latest variant of Orchids & Jazz, open for business only . . . she checked the time on the computer at the end of the wooden bar across one end of the jazz club . . . four hours. She leaned on her arms and listened to the Cymbidiums. Two of the three on the stage had come with her from her last location, but one was new. Their music sounded as if they had played together for years.

She looked up as a man with a dog walked through the doors. She nodded at Reon, her doorman, and gave him a signal as she recognized that the animal was not merely a pet, but served the man in some way. She came out from behind the bar and strolled toward her personal table against the wall, near her office.

At her unobtrusive gesture, Reon leaned into the visitor. "Sir, Miss Lantz has extended an invitation to her private table. Jenna will be happy to show you the way." The attractive server had appeared at the newcomer's elbow, as if by magic.

"Thank you," said to the man with a nod of his head.

"This way, Sir," Jenna invited, noting the diplomatic colors the man wore. "What kind of dog is that?"

He gave her an easy smile, after five years he had grown used to the curiosity and questions. "Her name is Wicker, and she is a guide or seeing eye dog. If you're asking her breed, its Yellow Lab from Earth."

"You have an interesting place here, I learned to appreciate jazz when I was at the Academy."

"Oh, it isn't my place. It belongs to Jade Lantz," Jenna said, leading the man to the far side of Orchids & Jazz. "I've been with her for four years, since the first jazz club on Kepler, but I'm merely a server. The dog is beautiful."

She stopped when the dog stopped and sat at the edge of the table. "Your guest, Miss Lantz," she said, and faded away.

"Please join me, Commander," Jade said in a mellifluous voice. "Welcome to Orchids & Jazz, and unofficially, to Protector."

He reached out experimentally with his hand and found the bench. "Thank you," he said, "It is good to be here," he said as he sat down. "I do love jazz, even learning to play the piano. You are wearing a lovely fragrance I might say, not one I recognize. I don't think you're human either."

"No, I'm not," Jade answered. She reached across the table and took the hand of the officer seated there, shaking it as she introduced herself. "Jade Lantz, Commander. I own Orchids & Jazz. I'm guessing you might be CDO, but the grapevine hasn't come up with a name for you yet." As she waited to see whether he would share that information, her foot tapped in rhythm to Chattanooga Choo-Choo played enthusiastically by the jazz combo on the small stage at the other end of the club.

"I am the CDO thanks. And I apologize for my rudeness. My name is rather long, part of my culture, I'll just give you the shortened version Brian Morgan Windsong"

"It's nice to meet you, Commander Windsong. Would you care for a drink or a meal, perhaps? On the house, as a welcome to the starbase. Besides," Miss Lantz smiled, even though he couldn't see it, "it's opening day here at Orchids & Jazz."

"I'd love a drink and something to eat, I am famished. If you have a White Merlot that would be fantastic. If not than a White Zin. As for the meal, I'm not picky. Anything spicy will do. The spicier the better. Tell me do you have a dance floor?"

Jade beckoned her assistant, Serena, over to the table. "Please bring our guest a glass of the Amiche White and . . . ," she thought of the day's menu, ". . . the sandwich of the day, fried Cajun turkey - for two. Extra spices on the side for the Commander. I'll have a lemon Coke." Serena nodded and used the PADD to send the order back to the kitchen. The restaurant owner turned back to Windsong. "I think you'll like this, but you can spice it to your taste.

"As for a dance floor," Lantz continued, "yes, there is a small one in front of the piano platform. It's a wood floor - faux earth oak, of course. I try to make things as authentic to the jazz era as possible, but some things are just too expensive. Do you dance, Commander?"

"I do," he replied, "Being blind is not a real handicap as long as I'm dancing with someone. And the turkey sandwich sounds fantastic There is just one small item, you are really going to need to quit calling me Commander. It's Brian or Morgan either one. You can even call me Windsong, but Commander us far too formal."

"Very well . . . Brian," Jade answered. "And I'm Jade to my friends. I hope you'll wind up being one of them. Do you like jazz?" As she asked the question, the gentle strains of A Kiss is Still a Kiss" drifted over the restaurant. It was one of her favorites and she loved playing it on the alto sax. She hummed under her breath.

"Indeed I do Jade," he replied, "and this is one of my favorite songs. Would you care to dance with me?"

"Commander . . . Brian . . . I can't. I would very much enjoy dancing with you, but if I do," she nodded around the club at the rapidly filling tables, "half those men out there would expect me to dance with them, too. It wouldn't be fair not to, and then my business would never be finished. My feet would definitely hurt after the majority of them stepped on me, too. Thank you so much for the offer. I would have enjoyed it, I know." Her voice held a wistful tone that let him know she wasn't being coy or flirtatious but meant what she said.

He smiled and nodded in agreement, "Perfectly understandable Jade." he commented then though he knew she had not been flirtatious he could not help but add an edge of flirtation in his voice, he was after all Akadian and Akdadians almost universally had no preference when it came to partners, "I do have a collection of Jazz and Andorian blues in my cabin. We could always dance there."

He didn't really expect her to take accept his offer, but it didn't hurt to throw it out there. Though truth be told he had been celibate since his fiance Morgan (who's name he had taken as part of his own)had been murdered and he wasn't sure what would happen if she actually agreed to come to his cabin.

"Now that's a very tempting offer, Windsong, but I'll be working here until 2 am, and afterward I'm won't be good for any kind of social occasion," Jade declined as gracefully as possible. She didn't socialize with anyone, even those she had known for years. It didn't pay to get involved with short-lifers.

Jenna arrived with a large tray piled high with food. "Thank you," Jade said, as the server set plates and drinks on the table. "This looks wonderful. I hope it's spicy enough for you, Brian."

A tinge of green reached his face, for he had read her surface thoughts almost inadvertently. He quickly dialed his mental shield up a few notches and smiled, "Again I understand," he said with a smile, "but the food really smells wonderful." His hand moved down to the table and he grasped for the plate, making contact with it almost immediately.

He took a bite of the sandwich then sat it down. "It tastes as good as it smells. My compliments to the chef. It needs just a touch more spice, could you direct me to where those extra spices are?"

Jade thought for a moment about the best way to describe what he needed. Of course, she could take his hand and put it on the container, but that seemed a little personal and presumptuous. "If you know Earth clock positions," she decided on, "then it's at 2 o'clock, a small shaker."

Brian moved his hand experimentally to the designated position and found the container. He shook some into the palm of his other hand, then scattered it over the plate.

He took another bite and grinned in satisfaction. "I do know some jazz, I understand you have a couple of different acts, are you open to another? I could audition for you."

Jade was surprised by the request, but answered, "Auditions are Wednesday mornings at ten hundred hours and Thursdays at zero two hundred hours. Do you sing or play an instrument?" She tried to imagine the man with a cello, a saxophone, or even at the piano, but none seemed quite right.

"I play the piano and I'm pretty good at it. I can sing a little too, but mostly harmony. I don't think you'd want me being the lead."

Lantz finished up her sandwich and smiled. "I'll look forward to hearing you play sometime, then. Sometimes we get a little jam session going, when it isn't too busy mid-afternoon. Or we did in our last location. I'll buzz you if it happens here." She glanced up and saw her assistant, Serena, giving her a signal. With a sigh, she said, "I've truly enjoyed our lunch together, Comman - uh, Brian. Sadly, business calls me back to duty."

"I do hope you'll visit us again," Jade added with a smile, as she stood.

"I will make a habit of it I'm sure and I would love to get on one of your jam sessions. Thanks again for the dinner, I'll let you get back to making a profit."

 

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