Color Mixing

Posted on Fri 12th Apr, 2013 @ 11:25am by Commander Mikaela Locke
Edited on on Fri 12th Apr, 2013 @ 11:26am

1,742 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: https://sb109.sim-station.net/index.php/sim/missions/id/3
Location: Deck 600 - 'Orchids and Jazz'
Timeline: MD-05: 1924 hours

[ON:]

Mikaela Locke could not get over just how enormous everything was.

The promenade area of the station was big enough to be a small town. Several hundred decks filled with shops and restaurants of every variety and ethnic origin. She had been wandering around for about half an hour when she realised that, actually, she was quite hungry.

Of course, her immediate thought was to head back to her quarters and replicate something that would be a near-enough approximation of the meal that she had requested. But as she looked around at the throng of people bustling from one place to the next, she knew that, sooner or later, she would have to begin to explore the multitude of culinary options that the station offered. After all, this kind of multiculturalism was exactly the reason she had requested a deep-space assignment in the first place.

She paused to study her immediate surroundings and her eye was drawn to a colourful-looking establishment which advertised live jazz. Thinking this to be as good a choice as any, she headed towards the frontage, negotiating the multitude of people coming and going as she did so.

The dinner rush was on, though Jade noted that on a starbase with tens of thousands of people, there were quite a few rush hours. She kept revising her hours and needed to hire more people to cover the base Gamma shift, if she decided to keep the place open even longer. She was of two minds about it.

The Dendrobians, a six-piece combo which played every day and which Jade considered as belonging to the club, like her three-piece Cymbidium combo, were well into the swing of things tonight. At the moment, they were playing an upbeat instrumental version of Polka Dots and Moonbeams and she found her foot tapping as she worked behind the long wooden bar, getting drinks out to the servers.

Jade's eyes were drawn to a young human woman entering the club. Normally, she kept her powers of observation toned down or the colorful auras surrounding her customers would give her a headache, but she couldn't help seeing this woman's aura. If an aura reeked of scent, this one would fill the entire lounge! It denoted a woman who was strong, but somewhat in conflict within. Two colors stood out strongly: the deep red of a person who was grounded, realistic, strong willed and survival-oriented; the navy blue of fear of self-expression, some insecurity, and fear of speaking the truth.

It was attractive and interesting, and Jade wanted to know her immediately. Humans held endless fascination for her, and she couldn't recall seeing this young woman before, or an aura with quite that combination of confidence and lack of confidence. She signaled Reon, and he nodded.

"This is a night when fortune smiles upon you," Velasquez said to the woman. "Miss Lantz desires your company for dinner, as her guest."

Mikaela smiled at the approaching man, bemused by the unusual invitation. She had no idea who this 'Miss Lantz' was or, indeed, why she might wish to speak to her. But since the only way she was going to get to know anyone was to engage when opportunities arose, she may as well accept the offer.

"Well," she replied, with a nod, "If Miss Lantz desires my company, then who am I to deny her the privilege."

"Most astute of you," Reon responded, smiling slightly. He signaled Jenna and she arrived shortly. "Please escort our guest to the table Miss Lantz has reserved."

Though Jenna looked at the woman curiously, she simply nodded and said, "This way, please." She led the way to a quiet table with a view of the musical platform, but not so close that people sitting there couldn't chat comfortably. One of the nice things about Orchids & Jazz was that every table had privacy from those around it. The backs of the comfortable padding seating curved this way and that around tables, and plants helped to provide even more shelter to those seated.

"Here we are," Jenna said, gesturing to the table set for four. "What would you like to drink?"

"Er..." Mikaela awkwardly sat down at the seat indicated to her and looked around for something that resembled a menu. She had been far too busy absorbing the atmosphere, that had hit her as she had entered the club - as though it was, itself, something tangible. The sights, sounds and smells had almost overwhelmed her.

Unable to immediately lay her hands on a drinks list, she replied, "Um, I think I'll just have a martini, please."

"Coming right up," Jenna smiled and moved away.

"What did I do that for?" she asked herself out loud, as the cute serving girl walked away. She didn't really like martini - in fact, just about every other drink on the menu would have been preferable. "Oh well..." she mused as she sat back and continued to absorb the ambiance of the jazz establishment she had found herself in. Although she had a fairly eclectic taste in music, she had to admit that jazz wasn't a genre she listened to a great deal, but she had enough of an appreciation to know that the six-piece that currently occupied the stage were very talented. Indeed, it was a few moments before she realised that her foot was subconsciously tapping along to the shuffled beat.

She stopped it immediately.

Jade dried her hands and turned bar duty over to one of her servers. Technically, she didn't ever need to work anywhere in the organization, except to keep the books and ordering straight. She liked to do so, to keep her finger on the pulse of the clientele and the business. She couldn't imagine not being a hands-on owner. She slipped the apron off over her head, revealing the deep emerald green suit jacket over a matching skirt. The lapels of the V-neck jacket were studded with matching green beads that formed subtle orchid designs.

She approached her table, watching the young woman seated there as she controlled the impulse to enjoy herself. That reaction to Orchids & Jazz interested her as much as the mixed shades of the aura did. This was an unusual woman and Jade looked forward to getting to know her.

"Hello," she said in her mellow alto voice. "I'm Jade Lantz, owner of Orchids & Jazz." She salid in across from the woman and continued, smiling, "Thank you for agreeing to join me for dinner. I do hate to eat alone, and when someone interesting walks in, I often invite them to join me."

Jade studied the woman's face for a few seconds. "I don't think I've seen you in here before. Are you new to the base or just to my club?"

"To the base," Mikaela replied, trying to get a read on the exotic woman that had just sat down in front of her. "I'm Mikaela Locke - the new head of the communications department." She extended her hand across the table.

Jade shook her hand. "Welcome to Protector, then. Most people find that, in spite of being the back of beyond, Protector is an excellent duty station, and we're working to make it even more deisrable."

"So," Locke continued, genuinely curious, "You seriously invite all your new guests to dinner with you?"

"All? No, I wouldn't say that. I'm sure I miss a few. However, I make it a point never to miss someone who looks interesting, and you looked interesting the minute you walked through the door."

"Wow," Mikaela replied, with an almost disbelieving smile, "That's commitment to customer service."

Jade was amused and said, "It has nothing to do with customer service. It has to do with insatiable curiosity about people and their stories. You, for instance, have a mysterious air about you that's a combination of great self-confidence touched with great self-doubt. I find the combination fascinating, and I want to learn what has created such a combination." She had the feeling that not choosing to hide her motivation, being honest, would be the best route with the lieutenant.

Mikaela sat back in her seat, fascinated by the woman who sat before her, but also a little scared by just how accurately Lantz had read her - especially given her well-developed ability to disguise almost any emotion. "We've just met...." she said, "What makes you think I'm fascinating? Hell, what makes you think you know anything about me?" There was no anger in her tone, it was even, calm. "Are you reading my mind?" she inquired, "Because, where I'm from, that's considered rude."

"Where I'm from, too, but no. I don't have the ability to read minds or even emotions. I'm not Betazoid, and I'm not psychic. Maybe I am wrong," Jade shrugged. "If so, you've wasted an evening and gotten a free meal out of it. If not, all your secrets are safe with me. I never share anything I know or guess with anyone else. However, in case you don't know it, there are empaths and those who can read your thoughts, several in fact, here on Protector, so if you have shields, keep them up."

So far as she was aware, there was no one else on the base who saw auras, but she didn't really talk about her ability, and hadn't done so now. A person's aura was their own business. Jade couldn't help seeing them, but she didn't talk about what she saw, except with an occasional person, and then only about their own, and never about seeing it as an aura. Everyone had them, and an El Aurian ignored them as much as possible, but there were limits to being able to do so.

"Shall we order?" Jade suggested with a smile. "I can highly recommend everything on the menu."

"Let's..." Mikaela returned the smile. If Miss Lantz beleived thought that she was interesting, then Mikaela had to admit...

...The interest was mutual.

[OFF:]

---

This initial meeting was brought to you by...


Jade Lantz
Owner of 'Orchids and Jazz'


Reon Velasquez
'Orchids and Jazz' Doorman

and


Mikaela Locke
Chief Communications Officer

 

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