Fast Ship, Loose Man

Posted on Sat Nov 7th, 2015 @ 1:33am by Commander Louie Rousseau & Suresh & Marabeth & Ensign Reva Madhava & Lieutenant Commander Cyrus Thorn & Robart

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Saturnalia / OSN Kyllini

* Saturnalia *

Saturnalia was busy with its usual evening crowd, both in the main bar and spilling out into the open square outside its doors. The conversation level was boisterous and full of laughter. As Louie and Cy made their way through the crowd and into the bar, a blond in a low-cut dress reached them.

“You gents want a table, come with me.” She turned and moved through the crowded tables, several wolf whistles marking her progress.

Louie looked at Cy and shrugged. “You heard the lady, let’s go.” He turned and followed her.

“Hey, do like the Romans do, right?” Cyrus followed Louie following the hostess. As they walked along, he started to doubt she was actually a hostess for the bar... but, hey, she led them to a decent table from which they could see nearly the whole bar. Which meant, of course, that the whole bar could see them, too. When she scooted into the booth and gestured for them to sit on either side of her, Cy’s suspicions were confirmed: she wasn’t a hostess.

“Thanks for the table,” Louie said. He looked to Cy with some amusement. He took a seat and when the waitress appeared, he ordered only two whiskeys. “It’s not often we have such pleasant company.”

“Yeah, usually I have to put up with just him. But, you know, maybe I like it that way sometimes. Appreciate the table, sweetie, but we’re not here for any company besides our own,” Cyrus whispered to the woman before she could order a drink.

Getting huffy, the woman eyed the two. “Fine. This once.” She got up and flounced off.

Cyrus looked at Louie and shrugged. “Unless you feel like paying for her company?”

“No, don’t think so.” The waitress finally arrived with their drinks and Louie looked up at her. “Can you tell me if Suresh is here?”

She looked both Louie and Cy over and finally nodded. “Sure. He’s just over there with Marabeth.” She waved towards a table not far away where a dark-haired man sat. The blonde who had left them was now sitting in his lap, her lips brushing his ear. “Thanks.” Once the waitress was gone he looked at Cy. “That’s interesting.”

“Surely she pointed out the wrong guy?” Cyrus said, watching as the woman’s hand dropped between her hip and Suresh’s torso. “Six quit the Fleet for that?”

Louie’s jaw twitched as he watched the scene. He raised his glass and drained it, then looked over to Cy. “That was my first thought too. If this guy’s her ‘significant other’, I wonder if he knows that? Or doesn’t care? He could smother in that woman’s cleavage. What the hell?”

“How could he not know? We could tell Reva; I bet she’d pass that on to Six.”

Louie sighed aloud as he casually watched Suresh. “I am...floored, Cy. What the hell has this kid gotten herself into?” He thought about Cy’s suggestion and nodded. “Maybe we should. How is it possible that she doesn’t know when he’s this public with it?”

"Which she? Though I can't imagine that they both don't already know. Then again, Louie, who are we to judge? Maybe Six knows and is perfectly fine with it. Plenty of cultures practice polyamory, bigamy, etc." Cyrus sipped his whiskey.

“Six is Halanan,” was Louie’s reply. “That’s way off the table for them.” He raised his hand as the waitress passed by and she nodded. “I think you’re right. Reva first. She knows Six and will know what to do.” He lifted his empty glass and eyed the bottom, hoping for a few drops, but to no avail. As he did, a shadow fell across the table.

“Good evening, gentlemen.” Suresh stood there, his posture casual, hands in his pockets.

"Back at you," Cyrus said curtly.

“Hello,” Louie answered. He noticed that the three of them were now getting some attention from the other patrons.

Suresh sat down in the empty seat, not waiting for an invitation. “I heard that you two were asking about me. I don’t think we’ve met before, have we? What can I do for you?”

"Nothing. We were simply curious," Cyrus said. "My assistant mentioned you in such ...glowing terms... that I just wanted to see who she was talking about." He smiled tightly.

Amusement flashed in Suresh’s eyes. “You must mean Reva. Six mentioned that her friend would be helping out a professor at the Academy. Which would make you Commander Thorn and you,” he turned to Louie, “Commander Rousseau. Reva doesn’t think much of me, as I’m sure you gathered.”

“She made that abundantly clear at lunch today when we met Six.” Louie’s smile was chilly and his gaze slid past Suresh to where Marabeth sat waiting.

It was Suresh’s turn to smile now. “So you met my girl. I see. Were they alone?” His tone made it clear he was actually interested to know if Six was behaving as she should.

“Would you be distressed if we told you they were with someone? It seems as though you two must have an open type of relationship.” Cyrus, like Louie, glanced over at Marabeth. “She’s a lovely woman as well.”

“We have nothing like an open relationship,” Suresh answered evenly. “Though I’m not sure what business it is of yours….regarding Six or Marabeth. Both know their place.”

Louie’s grip tightened on his glass, the urge to throw it at Suresh’s head overwhelming. “Why it’s our business is our concern. I will just say that this trip has been most enlightening.” He glanced over to Cyrus and raised his eyebrow.

“Yup, sure has,” Cyrus nodded. “I can see why Reva is such a fan of yours.”

That made Suresh laugh outright. “You’re quick.” He brushed back his hair and leaned forward just a little. “But you know what? I don’t give a damn what Reva thinks of me or what I do. I’d also appreciate it if you stayed out of my personal life, especially where Six is concerned. Is there anything else I can do for you gentlemen before you leave?”

Cyrus could think of a half dozen things, but he didn’t voice any of them. Doing so might just make Suresh angry. Not that he cared if Suresh were angry, but, then again, he liked his skin where it was. “No, nothing for me,” he said.

“Tell me one thing.” Louie couldn’t resist pressing the question. “Does Six know about her?”

Suresh’s smile returned. “I tell Six what I want her to know.” He stood and looked from one to the other. “So the answer to your question is, it’s none of your business. Good evening. Come back when you can’t stay so long.” He returned to his table and Marabeth.

“Wow, such a warm welcome. I almost feel like we need to get up and leave,” Cyrus said. “I’m so telling Reva about this.”

“I think that was his intent, Cy,” Louie grumbled. “Along with his hint that it wasn’t our place to tell Six anything. What the hell? Makes me want to go upstairs, find her and get her the hell off this station for about a week and deprogram her.”

“Hmm... think we could get away with that?” He debated that internally for a moment. “No... I don’t suppose we could, unless we had a fast ship.”

“Or a friend with a way to make us disappear.” Louie grinned. “Let’s go find Reva.”

“Let’s,” he stood and headed out of Saturnalia with Louie close behind him. “I wonder if she’s at home,” he commented to Louie then spied a computer kiosk and went over to it. He queried the computer for Reva’s location and turned a bemused look on Louie as the computer told him: =^= Reva Madhava is aboard the OSN Kyllini at Dock 1701. =^=

Louie pulled out his comm badge and tapped it. “Rousseau to Ensign Madhava. We need to see you and it’s rather urgent.”

The response took several moments in coming. Finally, Reva’s voice came over the comm, “Urgent? Right now? We’re about to go for a ride, Commander Rousseau, would you like to join me?”

Cyrus frowned and asked, “A ride? What sort of ride are you going on?”

“Robart’s ship can go warp ten, so he’s taking me out for a spin,” she answered.

Louie looked at at a suddenly eager Cy and shrugged. “We’ll be there in five, Reva.” He closed the channel and grinned. “Looks like the cowboys are going for a ride. Come on Sundance.”

* OSN Kyllini *

“Ah... my mother sent him,” Reva said, flashing a small smile at Cyrus as she answered his question. “He said that, technically, the ship is mine and I have quarters here,” she looked a smidge uncomfortable with that idea but then grinned again, “I don’t really care. All I care about is that the ship can go warp ten. We have a departure slot in ten minutes.”

“Warp ten!” Cyrus had the same reaction Reva had originally had: pure excitement.

“Metalheads.” Louie grinned and shook his head. “There’s something important we need to discuss. Do you want to start while we wait?”

“Start what?” Reva asked.

Cyrus started to answer, but paused as a large Orion approached them. Reva saw his hesitancy and made the introductions, “This is my uncle, Robart; Robart, meet Commanders Rousseau and Thorn, who I’m working with at the Academy.”

Robart nodded to the two, “Welcome aboard the Kyllini, Commanders. Cyllene, would you rather be on the bridge or in the engine room when we hit warp ten?”

She bit her bottom lip, thinking about the options. “I don’t know! But we have time? Cyrus, what were you about to tell me?”

“Ah... that we saw Suresh,” he said and glanced at Louie. He, too, was thinking about whether he wanted to be in the engine room or on the bridge.

“I’d suggest the bridge on the way out and the engine room on the way back,” Louie answered. “And yes, we went down to Saturnalia and met Suresh. He was in a rather interesting situation. To be blunt, he was wearing a blonde like a second shirt. Does Six know about this? If she does, why the hell is she putting herself through this?”

Reva’s expression turned darkly angry. “He’s such a piece of....,” she cut herself off before she started spouting bad words. “Whether she knows or not... I don’t see how she can’t know, since I do. But I guess she’s ‘so much in love’ that she can just look past it.”

“He made it clear that he dictates what Six does and what she is allowed to know. He even went so far as to ask if you two were alone at lunch.” Louie leaned against the rail behind the captain’s chair and crossed arms. “Doesn’t really matter I suppose. Even if she doesn’t know now, she will eventually. It will crush her either way. The question is, what do we do about it? My earlier suggestion is sounding better all the time, Cy.”

"Remember what I said we'd need for that idea?" Cyrus replied and held up a hand indicating the ship they were on. At the pilot's console, a lanky Orion told Robart they were ready at his mark.

"What are you two on about?", Reva asked. "Yes, Six will be crushed when she finds out, if she doesn't know already. I think she does and she chooses to ignore it."

“She deserves better,” Louie stated. “Call her. Get her here. Now.”

"We're about to leave, Louie," Reva pointed out. "Besides, I invited her for this outing and she said she had something else she was doing. I'll ask her about it tomorrow."

“Are you really okay with letting her just go on that way?” Cyrus was incredulous. He reached out and grabbed her arm, a move that made Robart take notice and sit up a little straighter. “You’re her friend, call her, make her come down here and tell her!”

Reva jerked her arm away. “Have a seat. Let’s just enjoy the ride. We’ll deal with Six and Suresh when we get back.”

Her casual attitude about the situation was what Louie sit up a little straighter. Something seemed off and he’d spent a lifetime in the Fleet reading people. For whatever reason, Reva didn’t seem as wound up about it as he’d expected. He shrugged finally.

“Let it go Cy, we’ll discuss it after we get back.”

Robart settled back down and when notice came that they had clearance to leave, Rekkar took the ship out of the Station’s air space before they went to warp ten, thrilling Reva to no end.

* * *

“That was incredible!” Louie enthused once they were back in the docking bay. He smiled at Robart and offered his hand. “Thank you for the trip. Now, I can say I’ve been through just about everything. Back when I was still at the Academy on Earth, we didn’t believe it was really possible to sustain warp ten.”

Robart took Louie’s hand in his and shook it solemnly; his hand completely swallowed Louie’s. “Terrans are not known for their great imaginations where technology is concerned,” Robart insulted the man mildly but smiled, as if that softened the insult.

Reva laughed and hugged Robart. “Thank you! Not many of the Fleet’s engineers can say they’ve gone that fast!”

Cyrus, too, grinned and overlooked Robart’s crack at Terrans. They’d discussed some of the foibles of Terrans while out on their ride; the Orion’s observation was just a continuation of that conversation. “Indeed, Robart, thanks! I’m glad Orions have beefed up their safety measures.”

“Me too but what a rush.” Louie’s smile lingered as he turned to Reva. “Your class with Cy tomorrow will interest the students quite a bit I think. Are you going home or would you care to join us for coffee?”

“I can go for coffee, or really, something without a stimulant in it. Otherwise, I’ll keep Riley up all night,” she smiled at Louie.

Cyrus’ brows rose slightly. He had the feeling Riley wouldn’t - or shouldn’t - mind being kept awake by Reva, stimulant or no stimulant. “Java, it is, then.” He saluted Robart as the three of them made their way through the hatch and down along the docks.

They arrived several minutes later and took a table out on the patio area. Once they’d ordered, Louie looked at both Cy and Reva and shook his head. “I’m still trying to really believe we were traveling at warp ten. Utterly amazing and I’m glad you took us along.”

“Oh, I’m glad you were along. Did you see those readings on the engine? Sedrick is Robart’s engineer and he’s done an amazing job with the anti-matter/matter balance. The engines’ fuel usage barely showed an uptick when we went to warp ten,” Reva rattled off, obviously more than a little excited about the Kyllini’s abilities. What Cyrus and Louie didn’t know was that she was hiding some irritation, too. Not with them but with Robart. He’d taken her aside and told her about his incident with Desta and Pash. For now, Reva was focusing on the fun of having gone warp ten and of seeing the Kyllini’s engines in action.

Cyrus nodded, laughing. Amused by Reva’s chatter, he simply watched her for a moment. Then he remembered: “It’s too bad we were contacting you about Six’s situation, but I’m glad we did when we did, since we got to go with you.”

“Me too. I apologize if you thought we were hassling you, that wasn’t the intent. Consider it extreme worry spilling over. It’s a crappy situation.” Louie fell silent as the waitress brought a round of hot chocolate, then departed. “What’s your take on it?”

“I don’t like it any more than anyone else, but, in the interest of my friendship with Six, I try not to rant and rave at her about her choices. She knows what I think of Suresh - hell, anyone in Saturnalia knows what I think of the ...pa’tagh... I threw a drink in his face, after all - but we’ve agreed to ... I’ve agreed to not call him bad things when she and I get together,” Reva said, making up part of her statement on the fly. “After all, she’ll need friends when she finally comes to her senses.”

Louie lowered his mug and considered what Reva said. “Do you think she will? Before it all goes to hell?”

“I don’t know,” Reva replied, a touch testy.

Smacking his lips after a sip of the hot concoction in his mug, Cyrus caught her tone. “What will be will be, right, Reva?”

She shot him a short-lived glare over the rim of her mug. “Yeah. Six might not have a ton of life experience like you two do, but she is a consenting adult. I can tell her what’s going on, but if she chooses to ignore me or the information, then,” she shrugged.

“Yeah, you have a point. I suppose his whole attitude just rubbed me the wrong way,” Louie answered. He drained his cup and set it back on the table. “Do you want one of us to see you home?”

“You have to remember that Suresh is an ass with no redeeming qualities. I can only guess that he’s good in bed,” she said and then gasped. “Ah... nevermind that last bit. I’m good getting home. Sedrick will make sure I’m safe.” Reva pointed over her shoulder to where Sedrick, a conspicuous Orion, was lounging across the Promenade walkway.

Cyrus eyed him. “Robart watches over you, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah. I’m trying to get him to stop calling me Cyllene,” Reva said.

“Good luck with that.” Louie smiled and stood. “I’m going to call it a night. I need to get home and check on little Kahuna. See you tomorrow, Reva.”

“I’m with you, Louie,” Cyrus stood as well. “Goodnight, Reva.”

She smiled and watched them go then sagged with tiredness before getting up and heading home.

*****************
Lt. Commander Louie Rousseau
Lt. Commander Cyrus Thorn
Marabeth
Suresh
Ensign Reva Madhava
Robart