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Posted on Sat 18th Nov, 2017 @ 5:31am by Lieutenant Commander Alora Baro

1,425 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: A Phaser as Deadly as a Candlestick
Location: Orchids & Jazz, Deck 600
Timeline: MD 1, 1400

Sitting in front of the empty bar, working on what needed to be brought from the storeroom, Jade was so intent that she jumped when Caroline Post sat down next to her.

"Whoa, not getting enough sleep lately?" Caroline asked.

Jade shook her head. "You know how I am when I focus on something. Takes a herd of wild horses to drag me out of it." She closed her PADD and looked at her friend. "It's good to see you. You've been scarce around here lately." It was an invitation, if the reporter took it that way, or an observation, if she didn't.

"Lotta things going on in the galaxy these days, you know? Or no, you probably don't. You don't pay much attention to the affairs of we short-lived species." Post was teasing and knew that Jade would understand that.

"Tell me one thing worth knowing," Jade said drily.

"Okay, let me think a minute. Alright, here's one, Taventa Robotics ... you know them?" Caroline cocked an eyebrow in question.

"Ummm, maybe. Sounds familiar. They make those robot things, don't they?" Jade said, pretending to be thinking hard.

"Oh, ha, ha, you are hilarious," Caroline said. "Yes, that's exactly what they make, and apparently a couple of them got onto a Federation ship somehow ... stowed away or whatever ... and caused some harm to a couple of officers before one blew up and the other one was caught in stasis. So how about that? Interesting, right?"

"Maybe. If I were into programming robots. I thought they all had positronic brains and couldn't harm humans, anyway."

The reporter stared at her. "You read Asimov? Listen, lady, you need to keep reality and fiction separated."

"Asimov is fiction? No way!" Jade exclaimed, looking horrified. "There's no positronic brain? Robots can run amuck?"

"Now I know you're twisting my ear," Caroline said, shaking her head. "I should have known."

Someone took the tall seat on the other side of the reporter, so she turned to see if it were someone she knew. "Oh, hullo. I don't think I know you." She extended her hand to the newcomer, another woman, and a lieutenant. "I'm Caroline Post, FNS News Anchor for Vanguard."

Baro had her usual tool belt and over the shoulder repair kit, a wrist mounted PADD on one arm. She was thankful the material of their uniforms didn't show rumples since she'd just been crawling in a tube to get to a repair junction. She didn't need to do such things herself as much anymore but found she liked the peace of a one woman repair deep in no where, it actually helped her think. She also had come up with, in her mind, a new staff rotation, sorted a quarters snafu, and organized several repair projects while she worked. It was all quite soothing. It was a good break when one could find it. She was also slightly distracted, her mind filled with schematics, repair orders, daily projects so it took her a second to process what had been said and she replied automatically, "No Comment," just to be safe and smiled politely even as she glanced briefly at Jade with a small nod of greeting. She had hoped to get her lunch, eat and get out. She wondered if she'd still be able to.

Caroline laughed out loud, but dropped her hand, figuring there was no point as the woman was intent on ignoring it. "Oh, no, my reputation precedes me!" Turning to Jade, her eyes crinkled in amusement, she asked, "Have you been telling tales?"

Jade shrugged, innocence in every line of her body. "Not me. But you are well known. Lieutenant Boro, please be kind to Caroline Post. She really is a good secret keeper, as well as a story-finder. I've never known her to report anything that wasn't a proven fact. And she knows absolutely everyone who lives on the starbase. You could make a worse friend."

The newswoman winked at Jade and turned back to the lieutenant. "I'm pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Boro. From your uniform, I gather the entire weight of this enormous city falls on your shoulders to keep running. For that, I sympathize and wish you well."

Realizing, belatedly, she'd been a bit rude in ignoring the hand, she'd actually not meant that last bit though being in front of a journalist was not her favorite place. She held up her own hands, to show some kind of dried gunk on them, and she pulled out a small bottle of cleaner from one of the many pockets of her work uniform to take care of it as she replied. "Fortunately I have an army to help me." She was used to knowing everyone and everything in her department, just by her own memory. Here, memory aids like the wrist mounted PADD that updated her schedule et al, were a requirement. She even had several yeomen whose job it was to keep her informed and on task.

She liked Jade but didn't know her well enough to accurately judge her opinion on people but made an effort to be polite, though her attitude was still cautious.

"So what are you interested in, Lieutenant? Maybe I can help you find it," Caroline said, adding with a smile, "off the record, of course. I really do know where everything is, and mostly all the people, too. Need a pet? Want to buy real books? I can help with that."

Alora blinked then glanced at Jade briefly before returning to Post with a slightly bemused expression, "You are certainly instantly helpful, are you the station's unofficial welcome wagon?" She joked even as her mind considered the question.

Unsure what the woman meant, Caroline smiled a lazy smile and said, "Just trying to make a good impression, and help out a neighbor." She shrugged, "But if you have no needs, then I can't help."

Alora looked thoughtful a moment as though trying to make a decision finally she said, "Not that it's a life or death thing but, since I now live in a city with choices, I was thinking it might be nice to look at non-standard housing. I've lived on Starships so long I almost forgot there was another way," she joked.

"Ah, now there's where I can assist you!" Caroline dug in her pocket and pulled out a small wallet. Opening it, she dug through one side. "Here we go," she said, pulling out a thin rectangular object. "Press the top right corner, and you'll see contact information for Oto Ando. He sells the rights to most of the real estate in Tivoli Gardens. He can tell you what's available, and where is best to live. Go see him in person, it's a better experience."

"Actually, I bought my condo through his efforts," Lantz added, slipping off her chair. "Anyone want a lemon Coke?"

Alora took the card and tapped the corner, making note of the information before handing it back, "Thank you." she said sincerely. Then she glanced at Lantz, "So pretty good realtor? And sure but what's a Lemon Coke?" she said, willing to try most anything once.

"No way to explain that one. It has to be experienced, but it's non-alcoholic, and it tastes good," Caroline promised, putting the card away. "Give it a go, and if you don't like it, you can always feed it to the dog." There was no dog, of course, not in the restaurant. It was just something Caroline's father had always said. "I think I have just enough time to get one to go, if that's alright with you, Miss Jade."

"Of course. I always expect that of you and am prepared," Jade laughed, getting out the glasses. "So, lieutenant, what about you? It's sweet, it fizzes, and it's tangy. An ancient Earth recipe, though whether this tastes anything like a lemon Coke of 500 years ago, I have no way of knowing. Guinan might, though I never thought to ask her. Maybe next time I see her."

Alora looked from one to other with a vaguely bemused expression, 500 years? Knows Guinan, I wonder if...nah..." What she said was, "Thank you Ms. Post for the lead and nice to meet you." She said sincerely, still with that vague expression that said she wasn't entirely sure she got all the jokes but she was game anyway. Then she nodded to Jade, "Let's give it a go, Barkeep, you only live once...I mean unless your a trill or something...."

 

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