Barefoot In The Park - Part 1

Posted on Mon Jun 8th, 2015 @ 4:54am by Niall Sala Ph.D. & Lieutenant Commander Robin Swift M.D., PhD
Edited on on Mon Jun 8th, 2015 @ 10:50am

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: CoronaTech Offices - Deck 285 / Lao's / Arboretum

The office space had been arranged in record time, based on Niall’s instructions sent on ahead when he leased the space. It had a large office for him, a conference room, a second office for Lani and a spacious reception area that contained his other two assistants. Another closed door led to a room full of computer panels that was the nerve center where messages and data flowed in and out in a constant, unceasing stream. The decor was minimalist, done in sleek shades of black, grey and silver. The two front assistants were busy as always and just now, Niall and Lani were emerging from the conference room, still in discussion. As they passed the closest desk, the man behind it passed a padd to Niall. He took it and began to read it over as he and Lani entered his office.

Robin stood at the front desk and waited for someone to notice him. He’d had a short day and went home to change before meeting Niall for lunch. Instead of his normal stuffy uniform he wore denim jeans, a blue button-up and a black blazer jacket, his version of casual wear. On occasion, he would ‘slum it’ in workout pants and a t-shirt but that was a rarity left for the gym and days when he was just too tired to move from the bed or the sofa.

“Uh, hi,” he said finally. “I’m here to see Dr. Sala. He’s expecting me. Robin Swift.”

The young man pressed a panel and moments later, Niall stepped from his office and appeared in the reception area with Lani on his heels. He nodded to Robin.

“Counselor Swift, I’m glad you could make it.” He pointed to the men behind the desks in the front area. “My assistants J.L. and Malcolm and this is Lani, who you saw briefly yesterday.” The assistants all greeted Robin.

Robin smiled and nodded all around. “You obviously have excellent staff,” he said, looking around the offices. “Getting this up and running so quickly couldn’t have been easy.”

‘Most was brought and ready to slap it up on the walls, as they say.” He looked back at Lani. “I’ll be out the rest of the day. Once that last manifest arrives, you three call it a day. Anything urgent will be sent on to my quarters.”

“Or course.” Lani nodded, but there was curiosity in her eyes as she looked from Niall to Robin.

“Ready Counselor?” Niall turned towards the front door. “I skipped breakfast so I’m ravenous.”

“Absolutely.” Robin followed him out into the main corridor and looked around. “I think this was a good choice of locations for your offices. This section of the Promenade is lovely.”

“And if worse comes to worse, the escape pods are not far down the way either.” Finally, a smile appeared on his face and he looked over as they walked. “So, Robin, what’s your fancy?”

Robin had noticed the change of attitude and smirked. “I think Lao’s would be a good place for you to start,” he said as they walked to a bank of turbolifts. “You really keep things separated, don’t you? Work and off-duty time, I mean.”

“Absolutely. What I do when I’m not at work is no one’s business but mine. They work for and with me, but it stops at the office.” Niall’s smile returned, more relaxed this time. “Lani is, however, very curious, especially given she knows it was your quarters to which she made the delivery of the whiskey. She won’t ask but she will speculate with the other two.”

“I can understand that.” Robin thumbed the button for an available lift and within seconds one arrived. They stepped in. “Deck 277,” he said. “I don’t prescribe to that myself, as I told you last night, but your business it quite a bit different than mine.”

“Yours is a much more personal business and I think it would need that. Much of my insistence on the separation is for the peace of mind of my friends. There’s also the clearance issue but that goes without saying in this line of work. None of them are telepaths either.” He turned to look at Robin as they descended. “Maybe they are right and someone does come turn me off at night and stuff me into a closet.” The thought made Niall laugh. “I certainly sound that way at times.”

Robin laughed a bit harder than he should have when a vision of Niall going stiff as a board and someone putting him on a dolly to wheel him into a closet ran through his mind. “Ah, well, it’s your business and you seem to do well at it, so why change it, right?”

The lift doors opened and Niall followed Robin’s lead. “So, Lao’s,” he began. “One of the absolute best restaurants on the station if you’re in the mood for Chinese, and even if you’re not, their dumplings are surely renowned throughout this part of the quadrant by now.”

“Sounds just fine.” They reached the red doors and Niall held one open for Robin. “It certainly smells wonderful. And I see our host knows you.”

The man had, in fact, smiled brightly and greeted Robin, then motioned them to follow him.

Robin smiled sheepishly. “I may eat here a little too often.”

They were seated were Robin normally sat, in a booth with a very good view of the fish tanks and a very good view of the rest of the seats. He liked to people watch as well as fish watch. He explained this to Niall while the server went to get them some water.

“The aquarium is impressive.” Niall watched in silence as the fish swam along the length of the tank. “It never ceases to amaze me how well we’ve adapted to life in space. Tropical fish, restaurants, shopping, offices. The only thing missing is dirt beneath our feet but I suppose the Arboretum even takes care of that.”

“Oh, the arboretum is just fantastic. It’s about three-quarters of the deck that it’s on, so it’s massive.” The server appeared with two ice waters and inquired as to their order. “I’d like to start us out with a large order of the dumplings, please, and give us just a moment for the main course. My friend has never been here so he may need a moment.”

Niall looked over the menu for a minute or two, then looked over it to Robin. “How about you order for us? I’ve never met a Chinese dish I didn’t like, so I’ll rely on your good taste.” He did, however, stop a passing waiter and requested sake, warm.

“Make that two,” Robin said, then added, “You know what? We’ll go with two of my favorites. Baiqie chicken and the shredded pork with garlic sauce.” The server nodded and walked away, leaving Robin to add, “The garlic sauce is potent and doesn’t do well for one’s breath, but it really is fantastic.”

That got a laugh from Niall. “We’ll make it I think, unless you have plans to kiss someone later?”

“I haven’t kissed anyone in ages, unless you count the occasional peck on the cheek for Dru, which doesn’t even happen that often,” Robin said with a smile as the dumplings arrived, the sake shortly afterward. He poured his own drink and waited until Niall had poured his own then raised his glass. “I don’t do too many toasts, but I think I’ll toast to this lunch and making new friends.”

“I’ll certainly drink to that.” Niall touched his small cup to Robin’s then took a sip. “So tell me, Robin, what have you planned for the rest of the day?” He took another drink, then set down his cup and moved his water glass aside to reach the dumplings.

“I know it sounds boring, but I was going to clean up my quarters then read a new novel I received a few days ago. I haven’t had time for myself in a while and, since my patient load was light today, I figured I needed just that.” He took two dumplings for himself and sipped at his drink before popping one into his mouth.

Niall devoured a few dumplings himself, then reached for his sake once more. “I have the rest of the day free, perhaps I could lure you away to see this Arboretum and pretend we’re out in the fresh air?” his smile was amused as he reached for more dumplings. “You’re right about these, by the way. They’re incredible.”

Robin nodded. “Oh, they are. And I’ll tell you a secret about the arboretum,” he said, then paused for a drink of the water to rinse his mouth, “I don’t know if I’m strictly allowed to do it, but I like to go up there, take my shoes off, and walk around in some of the soil and grassy areas. That really sells it for me. It’s not the smells of the flowers or the trees or anything else. It’s that. I think that may be why I’m so excited about my hiking trip. I’ll get to go barefoot anytime I want while I’m away.”

“Now that I can relate to.” Niall finished his sake and lowered the cup, his gaze on Robin now. “So does that mean I’ve convinced you to put off housecleaning till later?”

Robin watched Niall over his own glass and then put it down. “Oh, to hell with it. I’d much rather go to the arboretum than clean anyday! Want to go after we eat? It might not hurt to walk a little of this off.”

His point was made when the server arrived carrying the large platters of food Robin had ordered. With those two dishes, plus the dumplings, they were going to explode eating all of it, much of it would go to waste or they were definitely getting take-home bags.

“Then we shall.”

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To be continued...