Guy's Night Out
Posted on Wed Feb 21st, 2024 @ 7:26pm by Lieutenant JG William Verhoeven & Lieutenant Callan Armidale & Lieutenant JG Kaydren Aukai & Daniel Martinez & Fleet Captain Maxwell Culver & Commander Rylen Lyo & Lieutenant Commander Frasier Greene & Lieutenant Scott Jones & Lieutenant Roaa & Cadet Senior Grade Freki Azorius & Xavier X-1 & Lieutenant Commander Ukram Gocx
Edited on on Wed Feb 21st, 2024 @ 7:27pm
3,725 words; about a 19 minute read
Mission:
Home Sweet Home
Location: The Office Bar and Grill
Timeline: MD1: 2000 hours local time
Ukram entered the bar, dressed to the nines. He had long given up the traditional Klingon dress. Today, he wore dark, tailored jeans, a white shirt, and a green sweater. He thought he looked nice, all things considered. It was a nice change from his uniform, at any rate. The bar was hopping and he was out to have a good time. He claimed two tables in the back and pushed them together for one large table. From there, he figured everyone could go off on their own after a drink and chat.
In a rare moment, Dr Frasier Greene arrived at a social event and was early! Perhaps he was trying to set an example or had become lost and by blind luck stumbled upon the bar where this get-together was taking place.
"Looks like you've got this all planned out my friend," he observed Ukram with his Klingon form moving the tables together with ease. "Any idea how many will be joining in?"
Ukram's head popped up from the menu PADD. "Hey, Doc," he said. "Everyone except Commander Rush RSVP'd yes. At least everyone on the first R&R rotation," he said. Some of them had first the group gathered today. The rest would have a chance in three days. (we'll do this offscreen)
"Potentially a good turnout then," Greene mused taking a seat. "Always good to unwind and dress down every now and again.
Xavier, the newest arrival to the ship was next to arrive. His platinum-colored hair and lack of a uniform had caused a few raised eyebrows since he'd come aboard. No stares, that he knew of, but definitely raised brows. Here, at the bars, that was not the case. He was just another guy. He was dressed in a pair of gray chinos that some might consider tight and a black tee shirt, that everyone would consider snug.
"Need any help? he asked as he approached the two men.
Ukram shook his head. "No. Have a seat!!" He said, cheerfully.
The Android nodded his head and took a seat, just as he'd been instructed.
Just then, a waitress appeared and set a tray with a pitcher of ale and some glasses on the table. "Ordered some beer—anything else you'll need to get yourselves. The menu is on PADDs here," he said, holding it up. He turned back to the young (apparently) woman, who he assumed was a local, and smiled. "Can I have the steak special, please?" He asked.
She nodded before turning to the others already present.
"I'm good for now," the Doctor smiled after taking the menu from Gocx and yet undecided on what to order.
Xavier scanned through the menu, perhaps a tad bit faster than his human counterparts. There was such variety. So many options he could have chosen Food wasn't a necessity to him, it was a luxury to be savored. "I'll take the lamb chops," he said.
Max and Dani showed up, holding hands in front of the crew was not something he would often do in front of the crew, but this was shore leave and he was home. He just hoped no one made notice of their rings.
“Looks like you picked a high-end joint,” Max said to Ukram, noting this get-together was in A’ransari.
Ukram nodded. "I like the finer things in life, Cap," he said.
The expansive bar hung well above the town below. Several balconies jutted out to allow the patrons to get a good look at the sprawling ground-level city. A glowing jigsaw of streets, homes, and schools below while other buildings hovered above those streets, as this one did. Many of them reached high into the sky and A’ransari looked, from a distance, like the ancient Earth game Tetris.
“Who knew this place was so beautiful?” Dani wondered out loud. “It’s crazy how worlds can still hide away. Like little jewels too rare to be seen.”
“I like that. I’ll have to send that slogan along to the Council of Elders when I meet with them this week,” Max joked. “Of course, I do believe we stay hidden because we can…and because of what happened the last time the El-Aurians joined an Alliance.” Max wondered why the Elders were hidden here when the right El-Aurian or Starfleet officer with the right clearance could give the society away.
Max heard Dani ordering a Selayan Sunset from the bar and held up two fingers to indicate one for him as well.
"It's certainly quite a view," Frasier commented from behind the menu. "A great hike too, if you have time."
“I completed the Thelas course with my brother, Bran, before I left for Starfleet. It was there that Bran convinced me to ‘run away’. And yes, a hell of a hike!” Max laughed as he remembered the pep talk.
Ukram laughed. "I am sure it is," he said. "But I plan to only view the ladies," he said. "What about you, Doctor Greene?" He asked. He was nonplussed by Max's PDA with his fiancé. Things like that didn't bother Ukram.
"We're not on parade Gocx, Frasier will be fine," the Doctor glanced sideways at the Klingon still pondering his poison. "I'm here to unwind, anything else is a bonus."
"Alright," Gocx replied. "Ukram, then," he said. "Ah. I was thinking you'd have some of the ladies already lined up," he said.
"Sorry to disappoint my friend," Greene continued. "I didn't get the memo about bringing along any guests."
Ukram snorted. "Sorry, I think I sent it to "Dr. Greene" instead of "Fraiser". He shrugged lightly.
The human scoffed behind the drinks menu.
It only took Rylen Lyo a moment to find his comrades. The Ops Chief was running a bit late, although purposefully; social gatherings meant lots of strangers, which meant that Rylen needed an hour or so of meditation to keep his empathic abilities well controlled. The Kriosian smiled at each person individually; most of them he knew by name, if not by reputation. He was a teetotaler, so he wouldn't order anything alcoholic. Only quinine water with a grapefruit twist for him. Rylen took the drink and joined his friends.
"Hello, Rylen," Gocx greeted. "Nice to see you. We're waiting on a few more people, but feel free to get something to drink and eat," he paused. "Oh, you have a drink! Sit down." The Klingon indicated a chair.
Max took the drink Dani offered and the pair held their glasses together, just tapping the others. The Selayan Sunset did exactly as it was meant to, the contents held aloft fell into the liquid below, which initiated a chemical reaction that mimicked a sunset on the planet Selaya. The alcohol was not very ‘hard’ and Max was not likely to be poisoned because of his poor drinking habits.
“So, me and you - you and me - and about a dozen or so of my senior staff. We should have found something more intimate to do on our first night here.” Max sighed.
Dani caught Max’s eyes. “You don’t like to show me to your crew, Captain Max?” Dani asked, his Spanish accent sounded thicker when he whispered. Sexier.
Max held his chin high. “They’ve already seen you. It’s time to let a new world see you. You can’t hide this much beauty away. That would be a crime.”
“Jeez, what’s a guy gotta do to get a drink for each hand?” Kaydren shouted as he entered the bar.
“Here comes it,” Dani said, the sexual tension between him and Max going out of the bar with the breeze. “Thee trouble!”
Kaydren’s eyes fell on his flatmates. “Hey! The party started without me! Let’s have a bloody anything!”
Max caught their server. “He means real blood.”
Rylen reached into his tunic pocket and withdrew a small curvaceous bottle, perhaps one hundred milliliters in volume, filled with a viscous red fluid. “Not exactly blood, but highly prized among my kind,” he said, placing the container in the center of the table. “Blood Flower Nectar, an extremely rare vintage. It is extracted from a flower that blooms for only eight days each solar year on the fifth moon of Jevathia II. It takes sixteen years just to make a bottle this size.”
Ukram looked interested. "Bloodflower?" He asked. He took a sniff from the flask. "Can I?" he asked Lyo.
Rylen gestured with his right hand toward the vial. “I brought it to be shared, Doctor Gocx. But be forewarned: the nectar is extremely…intense.”
Naturally, the comment had the group intrigued. Frasier included having finally lowered the drinks selection and settled on his choice of hearty stout. As Ukram examined the bottle he hoped Lyo wasn't expected to return back to the ship with some of the precious liquid left. Judging by the hungry expressions around the table he believed the small vial would be consumed as soon as the Commander turned away.
"Ukram," the Klingon replied absently, carefully pouring a small amount of the liquid into a glass. "I drink bloodwine and eat Targh. This can't be worse," he said. He took a small sip. "Not bad. But yes, intense. If you don't like Kanar, you'll hate this," he said.
At that moment, the doors opened and an unfamiliar face entered. The young Caitian, red-furred and lion-like, was wearing Cadet tags. He looked around nervously before heading towards the table.
Will saw the newest cadet addition to their journey. Saw him heading right for the ‘adult’ table and redirected him. “Hey there, I’m Will and you’re new here. Despite the ‘Guy’s Night Out’ invitation, I don’t think they mean us…um, I’m an ensign at the helm until we get someone permanent to alpha shift. Unless you’re looking for a bridge buddy, but I wouldn’t count on it. The captain doesn’t notice me and I get the feeling the XO hates me.”
“Oh, um, Will. I’m Will Verhoeven.” Lead with the introduction, he reminded himself for the future.
The silent cadet seemed to stand frozen for a moment before Will grabbed him by the wrist and gently pulled him into the bar.
On route to the bar having taken an age to choose his drink Greene arrived at the side of the new younger recruits. "We don't bite you know," the Doctor butted in. "Though I'd watch out for Kaydren, our furry blue friend." He nodded over his shoulder. "He does bite, quite literally. That being said, we're all here to have fun, leaving ranks, titles, and responsibilities behind. Come sit with us."
Kaydren heard the comment and turned to let out a guttural growl, baring his sharklike teeth. His eyes reflected a reddish color in the dimming light. Then he relaxed into a smile.
"He's only teasing," Greene assured them.
“We’ve been noticed,” Will said to the Caitian. “Fight or Flight?” Will asked with a laugh as he headed toward the table.
Roaa, having changed into casual pants and a light shirt entered the bar, and made his way to the tables. On the way, he asked a server for a nonalcoholic Risan Sunrise. Reaching the table, he said "Sorry I'm late folks. I got stuck in a mountain of padds. Oh, and I'm Lieutenant Roaa. Chief Counselor in case we haven't met yet."
Max seemed comfortable watching his crew interact. After the tension on Triton Seabase, what with all the Romulans, he was happy to see everyone happy and getting along. His eyes darted to Dani’s whose eyes were further locked onto a young, blond ensign that flew his starship. Max couldn’t find fault, the Dutchman was quite easy on the eyes.
A wry smile spread from ear to ear. “You know…Kaitos is classified, so everything that happens here stays here. If you want to take him home, I wouldn’t say no.”
“Look at you two bein’ dirty-minded, eh?” Kaydren interrupted via his prehensile tail. “Ain’t your room full enough?”
“It doesn’t mean we cannot look,” Dani answered.
“Or consensually touch,” Max added with a chuckle and a momentary mischievous expression from Dani. “Did it just get hot in here?” Max asked, his cheeks glowing red.
“Change of topics, my drink is mostly ice. It’s your turn to get me a drink. Tell them I want something tropical,” Dani ordered.
“Be careful, the El Aurian tropical drinks pack a lot of power,” Max warned before Dani waved him away.
Back at the table, Ukram's booming voice rang out. "Ensign, Cadet. Come on over. For now. Ranks don't matter on Guy's Night," he said. They'd have to keep it tame-ish, though, until the Cadet found himself some trouble to be distracted by. He waved the two men over. After, he spoke aloud again. "Culver! Get me another, please? And a stout for our friend," he said, jovially, indicating Fraiser.
Max nodded back to Ukram. ’ Did he just call me Culver?’ Max thought as he ordered and directed those drinks to the growing table.
"OK, so now we're mostly here," Frasier returned to his seat. "What's the plan? Cards, tall tales, jokes?" he turned to the Klingon. "Women and songs?"
“Men and songs?!” Max suggested, obviously joking.
"Or that," the Doctor twisted round to the Captain with a smirk.
“Well, I only play guitar. I don’t sing,” Max admitted.
“You sing just fine,” Dani chided his fiancé. “Don’t put yourself in a corner at age fifty, you’ve got a thousand or more years to perfect it.”
Max gave a dramatic eye roll before smiling. It felt weird being normal with the crew. It was nice showing him off to half the crew too.
Scott Jones, newly appointed group commander to the partially assembling crew before him had snuck into the bar having been warned for a good night out. He was dressed in his best-distressed jeans and low-cut white short-sleeved shirt that was already only partially buttoned. Leaning against the bar he was sipping on quite a strong drink, looking for a friendly face or an opportunity to interrupt. Scott was anything but the shy retiring wall flower but he also knew that first impressions, even in what was meant to be a relaxed social situation mattered, although if he didn't have at least one of the crew on shots by the end of the night he would consider it a deep personal failure and a slight on his character.
“Ooh,” said Rylen coyly, observing the new arrival carefully. He knew the person was an Intrepid crew member. And a pilot…one of the Kriosian’s weaknesses. He was almost literally surrounded by them. First Lieutenant Verhoeven, and now this. Rylen checked his hair in the reflective table surface, then stood and slid next to the new arrival. “Hi,” he said in a sugary-sweet tone. “Rylen Lyo, Operations.”
'Well, that didn't take long,' Scott thought to himself as he twisted his body round to the man that approached him. Keeping one elbow on the bar he took a sip of his drink and replied, "Scott Jones, Group Commander," he put down his drink, and extended a hand, all while keeping his other elbow on the bar. "I'm guessing I have found the right group of people then, the Intrepid crew?"
Lyo took the offered hand and shook it vigorously. He had a strong grip. “You guess correctly, Mister Jones. Come, meet the men of the senior staff. I’m sure they will be as excited to meet you as I am.” Rylen mentally smacked himself in the head for saying something so obviously improper. Such coarseness was unbecoming of a son of the Sovereign Dynasty of Krios. And with his active empathic abilities effectively ‘turned off’ for the moment, Rylen would just have to learn better behavior.
"Less of the Mister, call me Scott," he teased with a playful wink, "Mister always reminds me of my father, and there is no way I look that old or hard done to by life." He surveyed the group as he approached, "So, boys' night out for the staff? How much trouble will we get in before the ship even leaves?" he chuckled fixing his hair back into place, and began politely nodding to people around, at times mouthing, sometimes muttering a polite 'hi' or 'hello' to the faces he didn't recognize who looked in his direction.
“Some would take ‘how much trouble could we possibly get into?’ as a personal challenge,” said Rylen. He narrowed his eyes, attempting to focus his empathic abilities and cursing himself for going through the meditations that had effectively turned them off temporarily. “For me, it depends upon how you define trouble.”
"When is a statement like that, not a challenge," Scott gave a wry smile, akin to a smirk, "and I would define it as the type of trouble young, hot shot, Starfleet people who are young free, and single could get up to in a two-night short shore leave," he gave a very slow and deliberate wink, "so take from that what you will and I shall leave that to you and your imagination."
Aaron Soong was the last to enter, of course, considering he was in full glitter bomb kit. He’s only done some light eyeliner and a powder to reduce shiny skin. Wearing a light blue crop top t-shirt and white shorts. His nails were painted like ocean waves and even moved like them too! At the end of his never-ending legs were perfectly pedicured toes in flip-flops.
Aaron’s eye scanned the room and found Xavier. “You beat me here,” he announced loudly. As if the life of the party had just arrived. And for the right currency, he could give these men a show…a wicked smile crept from one corner of his mouth to the other.
"I did," the Android replied. "There are of interesting people here." Xavier looked him up and down. "What took you so long?”
“Beauty like this takes time,” Aaron replied smartly. “So! Who thought we’d be in a bar on “New El-Auria? I’m guessing no one since we only just found out it exists…”
Xavier nodded his head. "I'm just happy to be here Or any place for that matter. It was fortuitous that we survived."
“Never doubted it,” Aaron lied. They were cutting it really close to shutting down their life support before the Intrepid found them, racing ahead on fumes, so to speak.
As the group gathered and began to couple up, the food arrived and had arranged large platters of appetizers of all cuisines-local dishes, some exotic, some familiar. "Help yourselves," he said. "I did a little bit of scouting ahead of time youngsters might enjoy the bar next door more of a disco place," he said, having no idea what the kids were into that day. At nearly sixty years old, those days were LONG passed for the Klingon. "I may check out the ladies myself, though," he said, with a wink to Frasier. "You want to come? I'll need a wingman," he said.
"Are you sure?" Greene asked lowering his half-drunken glass. "I'm rather rusty, but OK."
Ukram laughed. "Don't worry, it's just like riding a bike. Once you know how, you never really forget," he said. "Besides, I'll need a babysitter, I've had already had three of these," he said, picking up the pint glass. He'd regret it tomorrow.
"Only three?" Greene teased. "Lightweight."
"For now," he said. "Anyway. We'll head out in a moment, then," he said, draining the rest of his ale, and then standing up. "Alright, gents. The docs are going off in search of some skirts to chase. Anyone else?" The Klingon asked. He was softer for a Klingon and hoped that the fact that he was a doctor would impress instead of frighten the locals. Things between Kaitos and Qonos hadn't always been great.
"Please guys, don't let me do this on my own," Greene pleaded jokingly.
Gocx laughed. "Don't worry," he said. "I have it on good authority that there will be people there," he said. "You ready?" He stood up and headed for the door, looking back to see if the Doc was following him.
Draining his drink Frasier sighed wondering what he'd agreed to.
Max and Dani moved off from the massing crew. They found a high top for two on the balcony. The lavender sky seemed to melt away into the night. That was often the case on their controlled atmospheric areas of the planet. In places where the climate wasn’t controlled, great storms and savage waves raged due to the four moons in orbit.
“Why do you separate yourself from the others?” Dani asked quietly.
Max smiled. “It’s my job to be accessible, but apart,” he answered. “After all, I’m ‘the boss’,” he added.
Another chair seemed to glide across the deck from another table before ‘the psycho, blue koala’ as Vila called him, Kaydren crawled up and settled into it. “That’s bullshit. You just use being the boss to keep yourself separate.”
“I don’t know, maybe I can take it up with Rena when I get back to work. Until then, the discussion is tabled. Are we going to order dinner or are we just getting slowly shitfaced?” Max asked as he held up a finger to draw the waiter’s attention.
Eyes flickered over to the man before Kaydren asked, “Do you think they’ll just bring out something raw?”
Max and Dani laughed. “Probably,” Dani answered while Kaydren looked puzzled.
“What’s so funny?!” he asked in all seriousness before the three of them laughed together.
Max watched as the swarming mass of nearly a quarter of the patrons made their way slowly past the bar and out the door. Catching a look from Gocx, he nearly waved to indicate their trio wails be sitting this one out.
The Klingon doctor merely gave a gentle nod of his head before turning his back to make merry with the rest of the crew.
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