Zebra Stripes

Posted on Sun Jul 3rd, 2011 @ 12:40pm by Commander Oralia Zeferino & Jackson Banning V

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: The Nexus Club

Dressed in a curve-hugging, sleeve-less purple dress that stopped inches above her knees and high, zebra-and-purple-striped heels, Oralia Zeferino sauntered into Jackson's club and bellied up to the bar where Janice was working. If asked about her attire, she'd claim she was 'just blending in', versus wearing her uniform and making Jackson's clientele nervous. "Hey, Janice, any chance Jackson might be around?"

"If he sees you in that dress? Around is the only place he will be." Janice smiled at Oz as a young man hovered, waiting to fix her a drink. "Go ahead and order, Eli will take care of you while I go tell Jackson you'd wearing zebra-striped stilettos."

Janice vanished into the back and the young man looked at her, waiting. Oz turned a smile on him that made most men melt; he wasn't immune and took a moment to register that she'd asked for a glass of red wine - a heavy, velvety vintage. As she accepted the glass and turned to look around the club, she tried to put her Security Brain on break and just enjoy the scenery. She wasn't entirely successful, but with just a quick frown and a roll of her eyes, she managed to just file away certain behaviors on display.

A few minutes passed, which was more than enough time for a Ferengi to gather his courage and approach her. "Surely one as beautiful as you is not here alone," was his opening line.

Oz's smile twitched. "No, I am not alone," she said, then gestured around them, "There are plenty of others here."

"Ah, well, that is... observant," he hedged, not quite sure what to make of that line.

Again, her lips moved but held her smile. "I tend to be just that. Did you have a comment to make other than to inquire whether I'm alone?"

"Well...," the Ferengi hemmed and was rescued by Oz's sudden and delighted laugh.

"Jackson! It feels like ages since I've seen you," she pulled the man into a quick hug, one that had the Ferengi quickly saying goodnight and backing off to his original table, where two pretty aliens sat waiting for him. Releasing Jackson, Oz looked him up and down. "Moving to the Starbase seems to have been a very good thing for you."

Jackson gave her a lingering once over as well. "I could say the same thing for you. Zebra stripes suit you very well. And what a delicious image they would make under other circumstances." He grinned at her and reached out a hand to take the glass of bourbon Eli handed across the bar.

The look she gave him was a puzzled one. "What image and what other circumstances?" She lifted and flexed a foot, showing off the purple and black pump as she looked at her foot.

He caught hold of her ankle and raised it higher. "Just picture it." Then he gave her a purposely lewd wink. "Speaking of feet wavin' in the air, how's life with Connor? I've not seen him much of late."

Scandalized, Oz actually blushed as she wrested her ankle away from Jackson's grasp. The image he'd just put in her head was one that, if she wasn't taking that medication to lower her libido, would have had her and Jackson making a spectacle of themselves or, at least, had Oz going out in search of Connor. The medication, though, worked beautifully and kept her from feeling even a twinge of desire. "Um... to be honest, I haven't either. We've both been busy - and working different shifts," she shrugged. "He asked me to move in with him. I suppose, in hindsight, I should have agreed. At least then we'd see each other at night. We're meeting up a little later tonight, though."

Jackson shook his head and made a 'tsk'ing' sound. "Wrong reason to move in, just so you can say hello in passing. You have a comm badge for that. So what brings you in tonight, and all gussied up? You know you almost gave Eli a heart attack, which is amazing considerin' he's only nineteen."

She knew he was right about that being the wrong reason to shack up with a boy... which is precisely why she didn't want to live with Connor. Just yet, at least. "Gussied up?" She grinned at the colloquial term. "I'm not gussied up, I'm just blending in. I just wanted to come down, see how you're doing and check out your club. See if, perhaps, you're giving me any reasons to toss you in the Brig again. Last time was so much fun." Her tone wasn't sarcastic, but her words were.

"As I recall, last time, you had designs on my person." His tone was coy.

Chuckling, she nodded, "Yeah, yeah. I promise that the next time you're in my Brig, I'll keep my designs to myself." She sipped her wine and changed the subject, "How are things going here? It seems busy; are you having any ...problems?"

Jackson gave her a slow, lazy smile. "Sugar, I am the last person anyone on this stations wants to piss off. No one wants to risk gettin' cut off or barred."

"I see," she grinned. "And does your friend Eli over there usually listen in so closely? Or is he just trying to see whether one of us is going to proposition the other?" She tilted her head slightly towards the nineteen year old who was hanging nearby and who'd jumped slightly when she'd mentioned his name. "Or is it the dress that keeps him hanging on?"

"That dress would keep a monk hangin' on, if you want my honest opinion." Jackson swirled his glass. "Nah, Eli's a new arrival from a local planet that suddenly didn't like his views. Good kid, gonna send him Claudia's way when she gets things up and runnin'. But be careful, unlike me, he can pick up your thoughts at range, so I bet he's awfully amused right now."

"Wh...?" Oralia looked over at Eli and couldn't help but think of Jackson's earlier lewd image involving her shoes; her mental image was a bit more colorful. Clearing her throat and sipping her wine, she nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I bet he is. Bet he's handy at being a barkeep, too." Again, she assessed the kid and wondered whether that mental ability would translate into a good thing for a security officer. Intel might be a better place for him.... "You really want Claudia to get her claws into him?"

"Oh, she already has. Now he's workin' on convincin' her to let him in. Apparently she likes his company, who knew? As for the rest of it, Janice and I are his 'family' I guess you'd say. Kh'ali wanted guardians on the station so there you go. What better influence could a kid have than me?" He gave Oz a cock-eyed grin.


"You? A good influence?" She chuckled and shook her head. "Oh, poor kid doesn't stand a chance. Maybe Janice can keep him from being completely crazy." Leaning in suddenly, she touched his forearm and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I have to get going. Connor's supposed to meet me at my quarters."

"Lucky him, and you can quote me on that. You two ever want a table, you've got it. Over in the shadows where you can get all smoochy." He smiled once more. "Now go have fun, huh?"

"You're the best, Jackson," Oralia smiled and headed off.

"So I've been told." Jackson moved back along the bar with a cheery whistle.

*********
Oralia Zeferino
Security Chief
Starbase 900

&

Jackson Banning
Club Owner & The Best Ever
The Nexus Club