Saddle Up to the Bar

Posted on Fri Jan 25, 2019 @ 2:58am by Lieutenant Jason Haines & Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin
Edited on on Fri Jan 25, 2019 @ 3:03am

1,591 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: The Box of Delights
Timeline: MD 03 1330

[ON]

As Caleb retreated, a new bartender, this one an incredibly tall, violet-skinned woman came over to him. "You look like you need another?"

Jason was taken aback a little. He had never seen a Bokkai before. She was quite pretty.

Jason smiled at her, nodded positively to her question, and then replied, "I bet you say that to all the guys who accidentally throw a crewmate under the bus."

The woman paused to wipe a cloth over the bar in front of him. "I do," she admitted. "And to the broken hearts, and the lonely hearts, and the out-of-lucks and the lost and the wretched, and the tempest-tossed. Its a temporary reprieve, but a reprieve none the less."

"So, you aren't just another pretty face", Jason said. "This place seems quite popular. How long has it been on the station?"

He gave her a smile as his eyes darted around the room.

The bar tender gave him a grin, and her body turned from violet to a soft periwinkle blue, her hair a shade darker. "About two standard years? Closer to three I think now. Starting to lose track of time." She looked around. "Its not a bad crowd for a lunchtime, but it jumps in the evening. We have live music, comedy nights, you can rent a private mini venue if you have a club. We have the station AmDram and Amatuer Operatics in here every week, more when they hit rehearsals."

Jason nodded and said, "Interesting. So why here? DS5 is a bit far out and off the beaten path. Wanted to get in with all the prospectors? I would imagine there is more profit to be made in other sectors."

"Its a long way from a lot of things," She nodded her head at his empty glass. "But not as far as you'd like. Another drink?"

"Please, but not the real stuff", he said. "I'll get lost easily enough on the promenade sober. I can't imagine where I would end up drunk. So, how do you like working here? You have an air about you that says you are good at many things if you weren't working here."

The blue of her body got a little stronger. "Flattery will get you everywhere. But we don't do replicated or synthehol. But I do a mean virgin sunrise."

"Well then, I will take what the good lady suggests", Jason said. "So, what led you to running a business?"

He smiled. Although coming in here was a bit rocky given the situation like this, if he played his cards right, he might have an important contact. This place seemed to be rather popular.

"I'd had enough of being told what to do. And this place out of the way. No-one was very interested in it. A good place for a quiet girl who wants no trouble. Or so I thought."

"So, is it lack of quiet or trouble that has you questioning the situation?", Jason asked watching her eyes and facial expressions. He was sure there was a story, but he wanted to make sure that he didn't get drawn into something that might not be appropriate for him.

She looked under the bar and collected several mostly empty bottles from the fridge there, adding them to a shaker. "Nothing to worry your pretty little head over."

Jason chuckled and said, "Even a business owner needs an ear to talk to. I think of the customer - bartender relationship a two way street if you know what I mean."

"You're very sweet." she said, pouring out another measure of something, and mixing it in the shaper. "I've not seen you around before?"

"You sure haven't", Jason replied. "I just rolled into town today. I requested leave at my last assignment. Starfleet agreed and thought this would be the place for a vacation."

She smiled at him. "I'm Yolanthe. Odd place to come on vacation." Her pure white eyes narrowed, "Are you here for Pangaea?"

Jason smiled back and said, "I'm Jason. Thanks for sharing your name. For many, names are sacred. Indeed, I am here to study Pangaea, amongst other things. There is a lot going on in this neck of the galaxy. Not a boring place from all I have seen and heard today."

"Trust me. Today is quiet. Give it a month or so there will be a murder, or a bomb, or some anti-alien protest." she shook the cocktail and poured pit the mixed juices. picking up a final bottle she said. "Probably sooner, now they've opened the colony."

Although the murder and the bombing were bad in their own right, a centralized population of the current size on the base was bound to cause issues. The racism was the key concern for Jason, as that one item would lead to the others.

"Who has a hair across their tuckus in regards to the aliens?", Jason asked. "We are all aliens to someone out here."

"Melvyn Raddon." As she said his name the sky blue skin gave way to a dirty mustard colour. "That's his place, The Dilithium Chamber." She nodded her head toward the the open front of The Box. On the far side of the prom, one floor down and just to the right of the central core, the club could be seen. "Thinks humans are being made into second class citizens just because they don't run everything and have every non-human in a collar."

Jason looked where Yolanthe was indicating. Looked like he was going to have to go 'clubbing'.

"How many supporters does mister Raddon have?" Jason asked.

She shrugged. "They don't tend to come in here. Enough to be a nuisance when they get together."

Jason let out a, 'Hmmm' and then said, "Well, I think I may have to learn a bit more about Melvyn and his merry band of nuisances. After all, can't let the supremacists have all the fun."

She let a syrupy red liquid slither down a long spoon and into the bottom of the glass, where it started to rise. "I'd keep that pretty head of yours out of his business. He knows some very unsavoury types."

"I imagine he does", Jason replied. "That doesn't mean he can continue what he is doing. Trust me when I say though, I have no plans to go toe to toe. I found it better to let others do themselves in, with a little guidance of course."

"Very smart of you." She shook the bottle in mild annoyance as it ran out without putting in enough syrup. With a sigh she tossed the empty into a bin under the bar, and pushed the drink over to Jason. "There's far safer, far more fun things to do here."

Jason smiled, took the drink, and raised it in a toasting fashion and took a sip.

"Well, I do plan on investigating the far more fun things as well", he replied to her. "What is your favorite fun thing to do here?"

"I have some holoprograms my friend wrote for me," She glanced to a padd just under the bar where a new order had popped up and began assembling glasses. "Nothing fancy. Mostly running, a bit of climbing, bit of everything really. You?"

"I like physical activities myself", Jason said. "Swimming, scuba diving, sailing, parisses squares. Although a good night of cards or dancing makes for an excellent night. Between the planet and base, I think there will be opportunities for all of the above."

"Absolutely, and if cards are your thing..." She pointed down the bar towards the back of the ground floor, where patrons were crowded roind tables dedicated to several different games, "we run black jack and tongo as standard, and can open tables for anything else if we have a croupier who knows it."

"I always like a 'friendly' game of poker myself", Jason said with a smirk, looking over to the table. "I've never played tongo and I notice no dabo wheel or am I just not seeing it?" He turned his face back to Yolanthe and gave her a smile.

"The wheel's open a little later. Look for the pretty boys and girls in very tight clothing." Yolanthe smirked. "They're all very pretty." If he played, she wanted him watching the boy, or the girl, not the wheel.

Jason snickered some and said, "Distract with the shiny huh? It is a classic and has existed for hundreds of years at least. And, it still works. Then again, when one comes to an establish such as yours, one is looking for fun and distraction. I might have to come in some evening, but set a limit. I can see myself getting distracted."

"I should hope so. My girls and boys put a lot of effort into their jobs. They'd be offended if you didn't." she gave him a wicked, bright blue, smile. "And I'd take is as a challenge."

"Well then", he said with a smile. "You have given me much to mull over, including figuring out a way to not be seduced by your dabo girls before my latinum runs out."

He stood up and continued, "Thank you Yolanthe. You've made the day a bit brighter and I look forward to coming back."

"Don't stay away too long. My people like to see a new face."

"I wouldn't think of it", Jason replied with a wink and then left.

[OFF]

Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner, The Box of Delights
DS5

Lt.(jg) Jason Haines
Chief Intelligence Officer
DS5

 

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