A New Sunrise

Posted on Mon Dec 30, 2019 @ 10:11pm by Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Lieutenant Elleese Elloyia

1,703 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: The Box of Delights
Timeline: MD15 2000

[ON]

It was a reasonably busy night in the Box, not as heaving as it would be when a large ship arrived and several hundred people all got shore leave at once, but you couldn't call it dead either. Therefore, the hum of conversation washed out of it, past the enormous Gorn watching the door with a patrician eye, and onto the Promenade, where the siren call of people having a good time tempted yet more passers to step into its welcoming embrace.

There was a part of Elleese that was almost unable to enter this spot of station life--the...Box of Delights, as it was called--but she knew that understanding the people she worked with and would be helping here meant understanding the place itself. She had heard of this location mentioned more than once, and so she knew it was a good place to start.

Even if it wasn't as busy as it could be, the crowds were still bordering on overwhelming for the slender, pale-colored Betazoid. She shored herself up inwardly, however, and made her way inside with a nod from the Gorn at the door. She paused as the inner workings of the main floor came into view, spotting an empty section of bar that she made her way over to so she could take a seat and gain her bearings...

The relaxed crowd meant that the bar tenders were taking time to show off their skills, juggling and spinning and throwing bottles and shakers and other tools of the trade as they built a variety of cocktails and other drinks, but Elleese only had to wait a moment or two before one finished their current order and came over to her.

The woman was one of the tallest women Elleese had seen, well over six foot, and dressed in a white shirt and pants, but her skin was a rich violet, with hair and eyebrows several shades darker. Her eyes was plain white, with no noticeable pupils or irises. She gave Elleese a grin and a not. "What can I get you."

Elleese returned the smile, although hers was more smile than grin. She wasn't one for flagrant demonstrations of emotion, but what she did show was always genuine. She took in the woman before her, contemplating her species. "Have you ever heard of a Dacian Sunrise?" she asked lightly.

The bartender shook her head, but did it with a smile, "I'm sure if you hum it, I can sing along. I've got syrup and juice for several types of Sunrise. Just need to know what you want mixed in."

"You know, I am not actually aware of the specifics of its composition," the silver-eyed Betazoid laughed softly. "But I know it is sweet. Perhaps if you have another type of drink by the sunrise name that you like, you can make it for me and I will try it."

"No problem." The statuesque woman looked at the shelves of bottles behind her thoughtfully, and then chose a couple. "Something similar." She held a small bottle in one hand. "Andorian ice spirits," She held up the other hand, "featuring a splash of tellurian rahia which is a fruit liqueur. "

A long glass was placed in front of Elleese and then there was a flurry of bottles and soon the bartender was tipping long pours into the cocktail shaker, adding juice and then the bartender was shaking it by throwing it back and force in a spinning toss, before cracking it open into the glass.

Yolanthe dropped the spoon in, and let the bright red syrup drip down into the yellow juice. She topped it off with a couple of cherries skewered by a paper umbrella. "There you go. Let me know if that tastes okay?"

"I certainly looks colorful," Ell said, pulling the glass close and taking a sip. "It does. In fact, it is not far off. Good choice." She sipped again. "You look like a woman who is not a novice at this job." Ell smiled.

The woman grinned, and the violets of her skin and hair was replaced by a pale but warm blue. "No. ...Four years I think. I've lost track of time really."

A very handsome young human came over and handed the bar tender a padd. "The Wireless has gone again. That's for table thirty. I'm going to go in back and get another. Back in five."

"Okay." The bartender studied the padd intently, not putting it down until the young man, with his dark hair down to his bum had his back firmly turned. Then Elleese caught a distinct whiff of lust, and the blue turned pale pink. The bartender turned back to the Betazoid. "So, I'm pretty sure I would have remembered seeing you in here before. New to the station?"

That emotion was always a heady one, and somewhat hard to contain around one like her. Ell looked into her drink as she took a sip and cleared the surface feelings, easing a hint of pink back out of her pale cheeks. When she looked up, she smiled politely with no obvious sign that she'd "read" anything at all. "I am, yes," she said with a nod. "I just arrived yesterday and I am...working on settling in. It is a lot to acclimate to."

"We're an interesting old place, sure enough." The bartender agreed. "I'm Yolanthe, welcome to the Box."

"Elleese," the station's newest citizen replied with a polite smile. "Thank you. I am pleased to be here."

"So are you here for the planet, or to work the shipyard?

The counselor laughed softly. "Neither," she replied easily. "I work here on the station. I am in Starfleet."

"Ah," Yolanthe put a full glass of something green onto a tray and put another under a beer tap. "In that case, I should warn you that all my drinks are artisan production, never replicated, so you can't shrug off the sythehol, as there isn't any."

"I can tell," Ell said, lifting the glass slightly before taking another sip. Her somewhat...enhanced sensibilities afforded some interesting effects, one of which was to tell the differences on her system when drinking synthehol versus "real" liquor. "It is quite good, although I will not be indulging in more than this." Getting truly drunk for her could have disastrous consequences.

"Oh, the never say never." Yolanthe waved a hand, "The night is young. You never know what may come. Something pretty may catch your eye. Or someone."

Elleese smiled, but it was a somewhat wistful expression behind its otherwise guarded nature. "Never say never indeed, but there are some things that cannot happen and for good reason. As such, my self-control is well-practiced." She made a silent toasting gesture with her glass before taking another sip. "But the drink is a good one for just having one for the evening."

"Well, if I can't tempt you with the booze, is there anything else you fancy? I've got card games, dom jot, dabo. Upstairs I've got holosuites that can provide every manner of delight, from beautiful country strolls through the wilderness to something much more...active."

"What makes you think I need to be tempted with anything?" the Betazoid asked with more than a hint of amusement in her voice and in her silver eyes as she tilted her head.

"Oh," Yolanthe's had become purely violet now, with purple hair. "No-one needs to be tempted, that's why its temptation. And temptation is my job, to lure you in, and trap you like Vedanyae Pathfinder as she hunted for her lost sisters. This is afterall, The Box of Delights."

"Vedanyae Pathfinder?" Ell repeated curiously. "I do not believe I am familiar with this name, or apparently the story that goes with it."

"A legend from back home. She boasted that she could resist any danger, and that never ends well. Her comuppance wasn't a monster, but a box that showed her hopes and dreams and amazing things." Yolanthe put a third drink onto a tray. "So, what dreams can I show you?"

Ell laughed quietly, twisting her glass in her hand and looking into the colorful liquor. After a moment, she lifted her silver eyes back up to meet the bartender's. "You are a very intriguing person," she commented. "I am afraid, however, that you shall find me a very boring one in return. I do not dream much at all. I infrequently look beyond my profession."

"That sounds more lonely than anything. Whats the profession?"

"I am a counselor," she replied. "A psychologist. I have recently come to this station to serve as the chief counselor." On a station this size, that made for no small job. She took a long sip of her drink as she briefly allowed herself to appreciate the enormity of it. She usually didn't, since she knew it was likely to just overwhelm her.

"Ah." Yolanthe put another drink on to the tray. "But who counsels the counsellors? You of all people should know the importance of taking care of the spirit as well as the body."

Elleese laughed softly. "Of course," she said. "There are different ways to do it, however. I have good reasons why I must be very careful to never lose control of myself."

"Which are?"

"Ah yes, the eternal question," Ell commented with a small smile as she finished her drink. "Maybe that is a story for my next visit."

The narjeep grinned, her body turning a bright blue. "I'll hold you to that. Cant have the person who keeps everyone together falling to pieces themselves."

Ell's smile remained but became sad. "I have been through many terrible things without losing myself. I will manage. I always do." She shrugged slightly. "What was this drink called again?"

"Dacian Sunrise." Yolanthe supplied, "Is it going to become a regular choice?"

"Yes, I believe so," Ell agreed easily. "I very much enjoyed it. Thank you for making it for me."

"Its a pleasure. And I look forward to making it for you again. Soon."

[OFF]

Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner
The Box of Delights

Lieutenant Elleese Elloyia
Chief Counselor
Deep Space Five

 

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