Pre-Launch Party, Part 3

Posted on Fri Feb 16th, 2024 @ 3:35pm by Attaché Phesg Tel'im & Captain Remy Johansen & Major Clay McEntyre III & Lieutenant Jules Mundy & Ensign S'Niri

1,707 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: The Menagerie: side stories & mischief making
Location: Ten-Forward
Timeline: The Night Before Launch: 2000 hours til morning After Part 2

[Part 3]

"I still have some left. Thank you for offering, though." S'Niri grinned toothily. "I'm sure we can find your friend someone he'll like - plenty of eligible guys here tonight. How about you, Thisbe, looking for anyone this evening?"

From the bar, Thisbe shrugged. She was still in love with the Vulcan from the station, even though she knew they'd leave soon and she'd have to say goodbye. A bit later, she returned to the others, handing Taylon his beer, and sipping at her springwine. "Not really. Was hoping I could convince this Vulcan I met to come along with me, but he had duty," she said.

Tel'im smiled as she made her way through the party. Noticing a cluster of crewman, she headed in their direction. "I hope I'm not interrupting... I seem to be a bit of an officer out of kind--Tel'im, Romulan Affairs Attaché. You all are?"

"I'm Dani," the Orion officer responded. "Science. Nice to meet you," she said cheerfully.

Thisbe smiled. "I am Ensign Thisbe P'rar, Engineering. Nice to meet you!" She said. As she had with the ladies before, she nodded at Taylon. "This is Taylon Janes, Ops. Also an Ensign," she said. "Tel'im. Nice name. Vulcan?" She asked.

"S'Niri, security. You'll see me around the ship a lot on patrol." The Ferasan grinned.

"Ha, honestly, you're the first to ask if I'm Vulcan based on my name... I usually get Rigelian... Romulan, actually." She smiled at the group. "Don't worry--I'm no Tal'Shiar operative--although if I were, I couldn't tell you." She took a sip of her Scotch. "Hmmm, Security, Engineering, Science... I was a... What's the term--'Lower Decker'? myself once. I sense good people, but trouble... You all can relax--I'm here to make friends, promise."

At that time, a man entering the Lounge caught Thisbe's eye, and she elbowed Taylon in the side. "WHO IS THAT?" She asked, loudly, to her companions. "Oh, I think that's the Chief of Security. Go say hi!!" She pushed Taylon away, and then turned to S'Niri "Looks like it's just the two of us left."

"It is." The Ferasam grinned widely. "Shall we find somewhere to sit and drink?"

Thisbe nodded. "Sure. I should say HI to my boss, though, I guess," she said, making a small face. He was nice enough, of course, just...a boss.

"Why not? He's not going to bite your head off if you do! Unless he's a Ferasan, of course." S'Niri joked and elbowed her in the arm. Lightly, of course.

"May I join you? After you've said hello, of course? ... I hope I'm not overstepping?" Tel'Im looked from the furry one to the green Orion curiously.

"It's a party, you can't worry about that," Dani said. "Join in, have fun. Grab a drink if that's your thing!"

"Hmmm..." Tel'im drained the last of her first one. "Be back in a moment--find us a table?"

Taylon made his way towards the Security chief. "Hello!" He said.

Clay smiled at the approaching Vulcan. He was very easy on the eyes, and handsome to boot. "Why hello there. Enjoying the party?" He asked.

"I am, now. I came along with Ensign P'rar. She was at the Academy with my younger brother," he said. "How about you? Can I get you a drink?" He asked, a little shyly.

"I'd love a drink, parties for me are always loud, noisy affairs"

Clay smiles at the Vulcan with a sly smile, very interested in them.

"Hi. I am Taylon Janes. Can I..uh. Sit by you?" he asked, shyly. He picked himself up a bit. "I just saw you come in alone and thought you could use a friend to chat with!!"

"Of Course, and parties are generally not really my things. Full of crowds, and people making awkward small talk."

Clay smiled as he offered a seat to the man before him.

-------

Mundy stopped in front of Dani. "Allow me to introduce myself, Jules Mundy. And you are?"

Dani had seen him coming, but feigned surprise when Mundy stopped to say hello. She looked up at him and smiled warmly. "Dani Harper, science, cross-training in medical. You're uh, senior staff? Chief of Operations right? I should be calling you, 'Sir," Dani said playfully. She smiled a little more flirtatiously, hoping that he'd not have her actually call him 'sir.' At least not tonight.

"You can call me Jules." He smiled at her. "So," he paused, "you here with anyone?"

"Not really," Dani said with a shrug. "A few of us who met this week sorta did the whole, 'see you there' thing,'" she said gesturing to the group behind her. "What about you?"

"All alone. So, what say we find an empty table and have a few drinks together?"

"Oh," Dani responded in surprise. "Um, sure... why not," she said with a flattered look. She turned over her shoulder at the others, "I'll be around. Catch you later on."

Thisbe smirked, but nodded. "Have funnnn!!" She said.

Turning back to Jules she made a gesture with her hand for him to lead the way.

Jules led her to a table by one of the large windows that show the stars in all their glory. He pulled a chair out for her.

Dani looked up at at Jules graciously as he slid the chair back for her and adjusted her dress as they sat down. "So, now that we're alone is this where you reveal you are some top secret Federation spy? Or no, Orion pirate in disguise?" Dani asked playfully as Jules took his seat.

Jules flagged a passing waiter. "Whiskey neat for me and??" He looked at Dani.

"Amaretto sour please," Dani said looking up at the waiter sweetly before turning her attention back to Jules.

"Well..." she said with a playful smile. "Are you determined to remain a man of mystery then?"

He smiled back. "Depends, do you find mysterious men attractive?"

Dani let out a very deliberate laugh as their drinks were set in front of them. "Oh mysterious men can be pretty to look at," she said, twirling the cherry around along the top of her glass. "But attractive? That's more than skin deep, don't you think?" She took the cherry and pulled off the stem with her teeth and chewed it carefully while she waited for his answer.

"Then I'm just a simple man who enjoys a drink and the company of a beautiful woman." He smiled at her again. "Besides that, is there anything else you want to know?"

Dani looked down into her drink, swirling it with her straw before taking a sip. "Simple.. that's not very mysterious is it," she said winking at him.

"Okay, then let's get down to basics. You are a beautiful woman, and I am very interested in you. How about we start with dinner sometime?" Jules said straightforwardly.

"I think we've already started with drinks right now," Dani said cheekily. "But I wouldn't turn you down for dinner."

"Tomorrow night then? Here? My quarters?"

Dani narrowed her eyes, a coy smile playing on her lips. "Do you cook?" She asked. She felt herself drawn to him, his attractiveness toying with her inhibitions despite the fact that he hadn't said much at all.

"I've been known to whip up a meal every now and then. Do you have a favorite meal?"

Dani took a sip of her drink and winked at Jules. "Favorite? Depends on the day of the week you ask me. I'll let you surprise me."

"Then surprise you I will. Who knows, maybe you'll end up surprising me." Jules stared at her. "How does 1900 hours tomorrow sound?"

"I can make that work," Dani answered nodding in agreement. "What should I bring?"

"You can bring desert." Jules responded.

------

Lieutenant J.G. T'lenn typically felt out of place at Starfleet gatherings. They seemed to be an excuse for the crew to gather and put their emotions on display, often by imbibing in alcoholic beverages despite Starfleet's recommendation that its crew elect synthehol over alcohol due to having few side effects. However, T'lenn had learned that many officers seemed to accept the unfortunate side effects in exchange for the ones they considered... pleasant.

Still, a pre-launch party, she had learned, was one of those places where you draw more attention to yourself if you do not attend. Therefore she found herself in Ten-Forward wearing light gray slacks and a loose fitting lavender blouse. She observed a fellow Vulcan officer speaking with the Security Chief. Nearby was who she assumed to be the Romulan Attaché. She walked toward this particular sub-unit of gathered officers to make acquaintances.

"Greetings, all," T'lenn said when she was closer to the group. "I am T'lenn. There are not many officers on board with whom I have had the pleasure of working with before. Therefore, I thought it prudent to attend this party and attempt to get to know my fellow grew members. How are you all this evening?" Some of her lines were practiced, given to her by others over the years to help her fit in more with the heterogeneous blend of races that make up Starfleet.

Vila smiled. "Hello...T'Lenn, was it?" she said, having met the woman during her and Remy's unfortunate meeting with the Bracelets of Doom. "Nice to see you!!" She said, pleasantly, waiting for Dr. Beckett to make his move...or not.

"Hello, Dr. Lorut. It is agreeable to see you as well," T'lenn responded. "And same to you, Dr. Beckett. Greetings."

"Aye yes, we met in Sickbay the other day," Malcom said lifting his glass as a form of hello. "Glad ye good make it out, T'lenn."

Sara and Nash smiled and nodded, nodded and smiled as people milled about and came and left the bar. Nash noticed a stern-looking Vulcan female enter and observed her interacting with various crew members.


>>Continued To Part 4 >>

Commander Vila Lorut
First Officer
USS Astrea

Lt. Commander Clay McEntyre III
Chief of Security
USS Astrea

Attachae Phesgm Tel'im
Romulan Affairs Officer

Ensign S'Niri
Security Officer
USS Astrea

Ensign Dani Harper
Science Officer
USS Astrea

Attaché
Mission Advisor
USS Astrea

Lieutenant Jules Mundy
Chief Of Operations
USS Astrea

RSS Feed