Fancy finding you here... (Surely it's no accident)

Posted on Tue Sep 3rd, 2024 @ 3:10am by Civilian Aris Loch & GM Nicole & Civilian Killian Jones

2,486 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave & Ship Repairs
Location: Barisa Prime
Timeline: MD -1

The capital of Barisa Prime was a sprawling city, the center highlighted by tall buildings, and hovering cityscapes. The edges of the city spanning into shorter building, more parks and gathering places. Restaurants with outdoor seating, buskers on the corners miming or playing guitar. Further off red mountains in the distance maintained year-round snow caps that grew and shrank with the seasons.

Aris knew right where he'd find Killian Jones, and when he'd find him there. Jones was an asset, and Aris made a point to know how to find his assets when he needed one.

Killian was sitting in a bar, clad in his usual dark jeans and drinking his normal whiskey and coke, but not getting his normal drunk as per the strict instructions from his new boss, Zoe. The job she'd offered was something he was looking forward to and hopefully it would go off without a hitch and no one dying like last time. Hopefully it also didn't mean that trouble would be coming his way for it either.

Aris walked into the same bar wearing a non-descript long-sleeve shirt and gray pants. His Trill features were concealed by make-up that was impossible to detect, appearing to be Human to most onlookers. He took note of the room, and sat down at the table next to Killian's - their chairs barely a meter apart. When the waitress started to walk over he ordered a seltzer before she could get to the table. When she turned to walk the other way, he turned in his seat to face the bar.

"How long are you in town?" Aris asked.

"Hello goes a long way, you know." The familiar voice used to grate on Killian's nerves when they worked together, and it was one he couldn't forget. He put down the drink and turned to face Aris, "I'm here for a little while longer. What do you want this time?"

"I thought you didn't like small talk. I can buy you lunch, and we can catch up first if you like," Aris offered, "I have a day or two."

"You know I don't," Killian answered back and he raised an eyebrow, "But lunch is something I could do, your shout, otherwise it's... You know what, never mind, your shout. Burger and chips, thanks." He was always careful around Aris but knew that he wouldn't be here without a purpose.

The waitress stepped back with the seltzer Aris ordered and he stood up, putting his chair in and picked up the beverage. He flashed her a smile. "I'm joining my old friend here, put whatever he's having today on my tab," Aris said with a quick nod as he switched seats and took the one next to Killian. "Go ahead and let our extremely attractive server know how you'd like that burger."

Killian fixed his light grey eyes on the waitress. For once, Aris was right: she was extremely attractive. Not Evie gorgeous though. No one would ever live up to her standards. "A burger with the lot, fries on the side, and another whiskey and coke, thanks." Then he thought for a moment and asked, "What time do you get off shift?" There was no harm in asking after all.

"Not for a few more hours. Gotta slip out 'fore the dinner rush or I'll never get away," she answered, with a coy smile as she shifted her weight on her heels. She cocked her head toward Aris. "Can I get you anything else?"

Aris smiled at her, "Just the small nigiri sample plate would be great." He leaned back comfortably in his chair as she walked off. Aris watched her leave then turned back to Killian.

"When will you put yourself out there again? You know Evie wouldn't want you torturing yourself like this."

"Who says I'm torturing myself? It was a simple question of what time she finished," Killian hated that anyone else said her name, even though she would have probably actually liked Aris, much to Killian's disgust. Then again, Evie was sunshine personified and everyone who met her, loved her. "Anyway, that waitress, lovely as she might be, would most likely go home with you more so than me, if I'm being honest."

"I wasn't talking about that, and you know it," Aris replied. "You and I have all the time in the world for simple questions."

"Then what is it you're referring to then?" Killian said in a straight to the point tone. He looked past Aris and for a brief moment, watched the waitress walking around, serving other customers at the bar.

"If that waitress goes on a date with you, are you really going to let it turn into something serious? So, how's work these days? " Aris asked taking a sip of his seltzer and a close eye on the door.

"I..." Killian sighed and looked to the empty glass in front of him, "I don't do serious, can't do serious either way. It's all just casual fun. No strings attached." He then looked back to Aris and repeated what he'd said, "Work? Clearly, if I was working, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you now, would I?" Taking a deep breath in and out, he added, "I've got something lined up with a new crew that's due to be starting soon which should be interesting, to say the least."

"Starfleet's bringing a galaxy class ship into the sector to give the fleet here a tactical advantage. The ship's stopping off here first and will be docked at Starfleet's base in orbit here in the next day or two," Aris mentioned casually as the waitress returned.

She smiled kindly at Killian as she set down his drink. "Can I get you anything else?"

Killian took a look at Aris who gave him a knowing look, and then looked back to the waitress with an actual (fake) smile and took a deep breath in and out before saying gently, "How about your name and a yes to going out with me tonight?" He noticed she had beautiful green eyes that were sparkling.

"I'm so sorry, name's Dreya. She took out a chip card, about 2 by 4 centimeters in length, and placed it on top of her palm sized PADD before handing it to Killian. "I'm busy tonight but stop back by if you are around for a few days. And holler if you boys need anything else."

Once Dreya had left the table and was waiting on the other tables again, Killian turned back to Aris, "You were saying about that ship?"

"USS Astrea, Yadalla up to Melnos IV. One of 5 ships just assigned to this sector. A dreadnaught that's been recently upgraded. Boasts a slipstream drive, so it won't take long for them to cover that spread," Aris stated.

"Tell me the specifics of it then," Killian asked as he looked down at the chip card in his hand. If he had time, he might just go and see Dreya before he left.

"If you get into anything questionable, you might want to stay out of their way. But before any of them have you on their blacklist..." Aris passed a thin black box across the table to toward Killian. "I've got an easy enough gig for you."

Killian opened the black box to find a transponder sitting there and went to take it out just as Dreya walked back over with their food, so he discreetly slipped it into his pocket instead. He gave a genuine smile to her and thanked her for the food, "This looks delicious, thank you." It looked amazing, and another whiskey and coke was there too. Perfect. So he bowed his head in appreciation.

"You looked like you could use a refill," Dreya said. "On the house this time." She smiled at them and walked away.

Once she had disappeared again, Killian pulled the transponder back out of his pocket and out of the box, "So where do you want me putting this?"

"Somewhere discreet. Any of the auxiliary operations stations would be ideal. The one on Deck 35 should be fairly easy to get to, base engineering crews will be off and on the ship for a good 4-5 days," Aris said casually, not really looking up as he arranged the food on his plate.

"So, I'm just walking onto the ship, the Astrea, I take it?" Killian lowered his voice slightly, "Planting this," he held up the device, "And then walking off?" He leant back onto the seat and took stock of Aris, like really took stock of him. The shady bastard. "What's in it for you?"

"I get a transponder on the ship. I thought you'd me more interested in what's in it for you," Aris commented before taking a large bite of nigiri.

Killian rolled his eyes and took the bait, "Come on then, what's in it for me?"

"What's your preference these days: goods, services, or latinum?" Aris asked. "Sounds like you might be mobile for a while, so a beach house on Casperia might not be up your alley."

"Latinum never goes astray these days," Killian replied with a raised brow before he popped a couple of fries into his mouth.

"Seven bars." Aris punctuated his offer. "On successful completion."

"How about an even ten?" Killian countered.

"I'm not even asking you to go very far. I'll give you eight, but you have to take a second one and put it inside the runabout being used by civil operations. Anywhere discreet is fine." Aris took a sip of his seltzer.

"Ships have a civil operations department these days?" Killian asked incredulously with a short bark of a laugh having never been on a ship with that particular department and had never heard of it. "What's the time frame?"

"This one does. It's not standard. Astrea arrives tomorrow. If you give them a day to get settled, then I'd say within around 3 days after that will be your sweet spot," Aris informed him. "I'll get you credentials before then."

"I'm not sticking on a uniform, if that's what you're askin'," Killian retaliated as he took a bite of the burger. It was actually really nice and flavorful. The thought of putting a uniform on again was bitter and threatened to leave a bad taste in his mouth. "Because I ain't doing that."

Aris shrugged. "Up to you. It might be easier to blend in if you at least put on a pair of coveralls."

Killian looked at him with his light grey stare, "Get me the credentials, I'll manage to get something that makes me look like I belong there, and I'll do it. That's what you've been wanting to hear, right?"

"It's a deal then," Aris punctuated.

Just then Dreya walked back up to the table. "Any refills. Thinking about dessert?"

Killian looked up at the sound of her voice, "An affogato please, and whatever Aris here wants." He gave her a half grin and looked back down to his plate of food, finishing up the last of the fries then hesitated to ask, "Are you sure you can't finish a little earlier tonight? Drinks on me?"

Aris tried to help him out by giving the waitress a wounded puppy look on his behalf. Dreya looked as though she was giving it some thought, and offered a compromise. "I've got a break in an hour. You'll have thirty minutes to convince me to go out with you later. That is if you're still interested."

"Of course I'm still interested, and I promise it'll only take ten minutes," Killian admitted with a mischievous smile.

She shifted her attention to Aris, "What can I bring you?" She asked, gathering up his empty plate.

"I'll have the same," he said, more for the optic. He'd be leaving soon, and likely not touch much of it.

After Dreya walked away, Aris raised his glass of seltzer and looked at Killian with a pleasant grin, as if they were old friends. "I'm glad we are going to be doing business again."

"Here's to hoping this'll be the last time, even if it's just for a while" Killian raised his glass in response and offered a deadpan look with a grin in return.

"Don't we pay well enough for you," Aris chirped back with a smirk. He stood up. "You know what, I'm kind of full from lunch, what's that saying? Anyway. I'll be in touch."

Aris walked over to the bar and could be seen pointing out the table, and the waitress, and explaining something. A couple of minutes later another individual walked up to him with a pay scanner and Aris pressed his thumbprint to it taking care of their tabs. The door was just shutting behind him when Dreya returned to Killian's table with the two desserts.

She placed one down in front of Killian and the other down where Aris had been sitting. "Your friend coming back?"

Killian shook his head in reply, "You wouldn't happen to like coffee and ice cream, would you? Because he's not coming back and I don't want it to go to waste." Dreya looked like a genuinely sweet young woman and Killian felt a twinge of guilt because of what Aris had said about getting back out there, even if it was just to make himself feel better for a while before he disappeared again.

Dreya gave him a sympathetic look. "You know what, you're my only table at the moment. Give me a few minutes. I'll come back and let you know." She gave Killian a playful wink before turning back to the bar.

Once she had walked away, he took the opportunity to step outside for a few minutes and take a couple of puffs of a pen-like device that had something similar to and less horrible tasting than nicotine in it. A few deep breaths later after it and Killian was feeling a lot better about everything. His dealings with Aris though, not so much.

A little under ten minutes later Dreya popped out from the back, having ditched the black bar uniform top for a baby blue v-neck tee, and she'd let her hair down from a high pony, to having just the sides pulled off her face, her dark blonde hair spilling just past her shoulders in waves.

"Save me some?" She asked when she got up to Killian's table.

Damn, she looked gorgeous outside of the work clothing. He pushed the second affogato across the table gently, "It was near impossible to resist eating it, so this is all yours. Good shift?" He didn't mind the small talk occasionally, as long as it was with the right person, and she was one of them.

Dreya smiled. "It wasn't too bad. Your friend seems nice," she commented as she picked up a spoon.

~TBC~

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