Guess What Day It Is?

Posted on Wed Nov 27th, 2013 @ 3:37pm by Captain Li Hawke & Commander Oralia Zeferino

Mission: Breaking New Ground
Location: The Nexus Club
Timeline: Following 'Administrative Send-off'

* * * The Nexus Club * * *

Li entered the Nexus with Oz, still in uniform and incredibly grateful that she’d just gone off shift. It had been a long day…in fact she wasn’t sure now if it still counted as a single day or was running close to two. She’d finished with all the away team prep, sent Rick and El-Shar off on vacation and now, it was time to unwind. She intended to mix business with pleasure. Once inside, she requested a table from Camille, one in a quiet corner. Once they reached the table, she settled into her seat with a sigh and rubbed her eyes.

“What a day,” she commented.

Motioning to a server to bring two drinks (they were in the Nexus often enough that their ‘usual’ drinks were well known), Oz chuckled and said, “Yeah. I thought Rick was never going to leave.”

“It’s been too long since we had time to sit down and be, hopefully, uninterrupted. How’s everything with you and Jackson? He left a message for me a few days ago asking if I was still alive and I feel bad but I’ve still not answered.” Li smiled.

"I'll let him know - that you’re alive, not that you feel bad. Things with us are pretty stellar." She paused as a waiter approached, delivered their drinks, and then picked up after he’d moved away again. "How are you and Sakkath doing?"

Unlike Li’s usual habit, she was more open with Oz and actually answered the question. “Enjoying actually being in the same place at the same time. Or should I say enjoyed? The away team is leaving in just a few minutes. Still, we’ve recovered from my unexpected trip to the alternate 900.” Li paused a moment and shook her head. “I’m sure Darwin must have told you how strange it was to meet Sakkath over there.”

Nodding, Oz smiled and said, "He did. He told me quite a bit about the ...about 'over there'; all the things that didn't fit neatly into a report." She then shifted topics: "The away team... I'd love to go with them. Excitement, adventure." She grinned.

Li raised her eyebrow but remained silent until the approaching waiter placed refreshed drinks on the table, then moved away. She took a sip and sighed with satisfaction, taking a moment to enjoy the warmth that followed the alcohol. It also left Oz hanging for a few moments. Finally, she spoke.

“Yes...about that….”

"About what? Oh, the away team," Oz prompted her.

Li nodded. “Yes. You already have Aliso going and besides, I need you here. With Admiral Wegener taking a short vacation on Archadia, and Sakkath leading the away team you know what that means.”

Oz paused, her drink halfway to her lips, and stared at Li. After a long moment, she set her glass down and whined, "Nooo... That means I'm going on a diplomatic assignment with you!"

“At least until the Admiral is back, yes.” She gave Oz a wicked grin. “I know how much you enjoy the job.”

Wrinkling her nose, Oz playfully grimaced at Li. "Oh, yes, I just love it! How long will the Admiral be gone?"

“A few days he said so it’s open at this point. I doubt much will be happening. It has been quiet of late and for that I am grateful. Given that, I am off tonight and we are finally going to get to Lao’s. With Kh’ali on the away team, I left Commander Leroy on duty tonight.”

"It's so quiet, I'm sort of waiting for a storm to blow in." Ever the optimist, Oz shrugged and glanced around the room, subtly people-watching. She leaned in to Li slightly and commented, "The green dress over there?" She nodded her head towards the woman in the dress - the dress itself was rather more see through than anything. You... well, Jackson might catch me in that at home but in the Nexus? No thanks!

Li followed Oz’s gaze as she lifted her glass. Then smiled. “You don’t know who that is? She’s likely on your ‘list’.”

Again, Oralia wrinkled her nose in an expression. "Most likely, she is." She watched a male in a blue uniform on his way toward the bar and smiled in appreciation of the fit of his pants. "Do you have anything pressing on your desk? Anything that will need my immediate attention?"

“As much as it will surprise you, no. There’s that diplomatic conference and the members will arrive in four days, but Lt. Dobry has it well in hand so we should see little impact. You lined up security details last week and anyway, it’s low-level, non-antagonists. More a vacation for them than anything. I’m due to visit Archadia in two days and I’d like you to go along. Other than that, the usual. Since Chance is gone, Kai has offered to do double duty as the XO’s assistant.” Li fell silent and sipped her drink.

"I'm glad for that," Oz said, flashing a smile at Li. "Whatever grief Chance gives you, he'd give me double. How is he doing in that position anyway?"

“Surprisingly well, I must say.” Li smiled for a moment. “I think it’s finally sinking in that the point of giving him that position isn’t to turn him into a secretary, but to give him first-hand experience with every facet of the station as well as seeing what it’s like in an officer’s shoes. I think it will assist him in deciding on an area in which to specialize. He seems a little uncertain yet, unlike his classmates.”

"If that's the case, I have a hard time blaming him. Dying, coming back from the dead, probably goes a long way towards unsettling one." Oz's smile faded and she shrugged slightly.

“Absolutely. I am hoping that this gives him the chance to try it all out.” Li paused for a moment to finish her drink. “Eli is aiming for intel and I know they are close. If that attracts Chance, so be it but I want him to have the room to figure out what’s best for him. Not fall into something because Eli does, you know?” Her tone softened. “It’s a hard life and something you have to really want or you won’t survive it. You’ve seen enough of that side to know very well.”

"I have," she nodded. "Chance would probably do well in it, though, given his talent to charm nearly anyone into doing things for him. Maybe I'll have a talk with him when they get back. I know our brothers would rather see him in Ops or Security."

“Believe it or not, it would be safer, strange as that sounds.” Li shrugged, then relaxed back in her seat. “But all business aside, what do you have planned for tonight?”

"What I'm doing right now, plus, if I'm still awake when Jackson gets home... Well, those plans are none of your business."

The comment got a laugh finally from Li and she shook her head. “You’re right, I do not want to know. I was thinking of dinner at Lao’s, then maybe a stop at the Playground. You in?”

Oz didn't even stop to consider the proposition. "Absolutely! Let's not mention Lao's to Jackson, though. Otherwise, he'll want me to bring dumplings home."

“Let him get his own.” Li stopped as the waiter appeared, unsummoned, with two fresh drinks. He left them on the table and as he stepped away, Li grew very still. She spoke not a word, but looked up at Oz, her eyes wide.

Oz, who had been watching the server's exit, was slow to catch Li's look. After a moment, she did and said, "What?" Then, she knew what: both drinks had swizzle sticks in them. Swizzle sticks adorned with small, bright blue fish. "Oh."

“Hey!” Li called out to the waiter, who turned and hurried back at the XO’s call.

“Yes, captain?”

“Who sent these drinks?” Li’s posture was tense as she questioned him.

“Oh, that gentlemen right over --” He turned and pointed to a table that was empty. “Strange, he was just there.”

“Thank you.” Li waited till he left and turned back to Oz. “What the hell? I’m not sensing anything or anyone unusual.”

"Random chance?" Oz didn't believe that, even though she was the one voicing it.

Li met Oz’s eyes for a moment and frowned. “I don’t believe it either.” She pushed the drink away without tasting it and stood. “Change of plans. We have somewhere to go after dinner.”

"We do?" Oz's brows went up before she looked at the drink before her and debated drinking it. Finally, she just downed it in one swift swig and stood. "Okay, then let's go."

***************
Captain Li Hawke
Ichthyophobic In Blue

Oralia Zeferino
Just along for the ride