It's Not a Table, It's Grand Central, Part 1

Posted on Fri Jul 15th, 2011 @ 6:46am by Commander Oralia Zeferino & https://starbase900.info/index.php/personnel/character/23 & Cadet Senior Grade Eli Ziyad & Captain Claudia Drake & Lieutenant Norval Tigan

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Nexus Club

* * *Nexus Club* * *

Having already asked Janice for a table, Oralia headed to the bar to ask Eli for a drink. She was at Nexus Club to meet up with Connor, have dinner with him and ask him a particular question that had her a bit more than nervous - which was why she was asking for a pre-dinner drink. Her nerves showed as she ordered a wine from Eli; she was certain Eli knew just what had her gulping down the dark red liquid courage, though he might not have a clue why the pending question had her so uptight.

Her attire also showed her nervousness: it was attention-grabbing, something that Oralia normally didn't go for. Her stilettos were sequined and ruby red and absolutely noticeable. The dress was understated, from the front at least: simple, black, draped in all the right ways; from the back, it was... almost not there, so low did it dip. A red ribbon twisted through her dark hair, holding it in a loosely up-swept style. For a Security Chief, she cleaned up nicely.

"Enjoy, Commander." Eli placed the glass of wine before her, his expression carefully neutral. Only the shift of his eyes let Oz know that someone had appeared behind her, and he moved on down the bar quickly.

Beginning at the small of her back, Connor's hand ran upwards to her shoulder, as he leaned in and kissed the curve of her ear. "Starting without me?", he smiled sitting down next to her. The lounge was lively, it had been a good day, and he was in a good mood.

"I'm hardly starting without you," she protested, despite the evidence: her wine glass was already three-quarters empty. "Well... just with the wine...." Oralia started to lean in to him but Janice caught their attention and led them to a table. Once seated, Oz knew she needed to just bite back her reservations and ask her question. But first, ordering for food and drinks happened - she, of course, requested another glass of wine. She'd wait till it came and was gone before she'd broach her subject. "Did you hear that an SCE ship has been assigned to ...ah... remove our... the shuttle from that planet?"

"It's still there?", he said, surprise showing in his tone. He took another bite of his meal, "Well, I suppose the engineers in this sector have enough on their hands", he added after swallowing. He regarded her as he took a drink of his water, "Are you alright?", he asked concerned, taking a hold of one of her hands. "Is it what happened on the planet?"

"Hmm?" He caught her mid-sip and she mentally choked. Right now would be a fine time to open her subject. "Um... no, I'm fine. Fine. Yeah, fine," she steered away from her real topic and instead asked, "I wonder whether we could get our instruments back. Maybe my rock collection, too."

"I put in a request for any of our belongings that survived the crash. I'll put in another", he reassured her, and continued to watch her as he took another bite. Something was wrong, he was sure of it.

Oralia was just playing with her food while Connor ate. Sipping her wine again, she decided: Here goes nothing..., and started off with: "Hey, Connor, I've been thinking... about us...."

The music in the Nexus Club was in full swing, Jackson himself crooning something Norval Tigan (and his prior hosts) didn't recognize but nevertheless begged to be danced to. The Trill, his shirt blue silk and open in front, his pants white and his feet in leather sandals, was enjoying the company of a human male. The two gave a uniquely Latin twist to the song, gliding across the floor... Or perhaps gyrating was more appropriate.

Sliding to his side, Norval bumped one of the empty seats at the table presently occupied by one Doctor McKinney and one Commander Zeferino. The Trill began to laugh at his own clumsiness, turning to apologize... but before he did, he noticed Edwards turning white.

"Oh, it's nothing, Eric," the Trill said. "I don't break that easily," Norval clearly misunderstood, what with EE being a jay-gee in Security, but also placed a healthy subtext behind his words. If anything, his dance partner was concerned with his superior officer seeing him in this context.

"Oz. Doc," Norval greeted them both with an easy smile. "I suppose I should congratulate you both on your promotions! How's life on 900?" he asked, even as he began to dance in place, snapping his fingers with the beat and keeping his legs and hips moving.

Connor's eyes went between him and Oralia. He was not crazy about the timing of the interruption, but with Norval's flamboyant movements, he was speechless and couldn't help but smile.

Claudia watched with a silent smile playing on her lips, she had been watching the Station's crew for a while from her vantage point in a booth. Jackson had been kind enough to lower the lighting where she sat. It gave her a good opportunity to survey everything that was going on. She was extremely interested in the situation between the uptight Security Officer and the Surgeon, she stifled a smile as the somewhat Lothario-attired Trill sat down next to them...for such a long lived race they did sometimes forget the niceties of humanoid interactions. Should she save them? She drained her glass of gin and walked with determination to the bar. She ordered a bottle of wine from the protected selection she knew Jackson kept for special occasions and then walked towards the two love-birds and their third wheel.

Smiling, Oz, both greatly relieved and mildly dismayed by his interruption, had just started to greet Norval when the Professor strolled up. "Hey... Norval... and Professor Drake...."

"Well good-evening," the Professor said with a broad smile on her face, "Such a lovely night for a romantic meal" she said, quickly glancing at the Trill, and then returning her attention to the woman and the Surgeon. She placed the wine on the table, "Think of it is a peace offering. It's Dom Perignon 2334, it's an excellent vintage," she smiled. "If I'd known you were a couple I would have only been a bitch to one of you." She then looked at the Trill. "And you young man, are going to give an old lady a thrill," she held out her hand, "...of a dance." She moved to lead him away from the table, hoping she had helped in some little way.

Norval blinked as he was led away by Professor Drake, offering first a brief confused look at Oz... then suddenly recalling who was leading him away, found himself scanning the dance floor for signs of two very large cats. Relieved not to see them, he was somewhat equally dismayed to see his prior partner had vanished.

"Oh, ok," Oralia lamely nodded and watched Claudia pull Norval away. Now or never, right?, she took a breath and started off again, "Right, so... about us, Connor...." And right then, Jackson appeared; again, Oz was torn about whether that was a good or a bad thing.

(Continued)

_________________________
Oralia Zeferino

Connor McKinney

Claudia Drake

Norval Tigan

Eli Ziyad