Aces High (Part II of III)
Posted on Sun Sep 13, 2020 @ 7:12pm by Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Civilian Jason Haines & Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon
1,350 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Et In Arcadia Ego
Location: Box Of Delights
Timeline: MD 5, 1600
Tags: Box Of Delights
Previously in
"I'm..." Jason started before Sampson cut him off.
"No, he's not an officer, he's a no good deserter that for some strange reason the Captain thinks needs to be on the station and needs protection. And I must have pissed someone off as I've had to follow your sorry ass around the base for too long today."
"Don't mind her", Jason said to Ace. "She loves me. As I was about to say, I am Jason Haines and I am a recently retired officer of the station. And don't believe the lies, like the Petty Officer seems to have, I am not a deserter."
And now the continuation
Sampson snorted.
"Retired, eh?" Ace asked nonchalantly. "So, what are you going to do with yourself now? Certainly probably gives you plenty of free time to chase tail. Of course, you need money to get tail, too." He gave a brief knowing laugh at his last statement.
"Oh, I am working on a plan, nothing solid yet though", Jason said. "I'm not worrying about tail either, I am content with what I have and I am not worried about money. It comes and it goes. Now, seeming how the good Petty Officer interfered..."
He placed a ball back on the table and shot, but messed up the three nines, leaving balls in play.
"Damn", Jason cursed and looked at the Petty Officer and pointed the cue stick at her. She snickered.
Nonchalantly, Ace took his cue, stuck it behind his back and holed the first ball. Expertly, he took a more steady stance, lined up the next ball and with a strange twist pushed forward his cue, there was a hop and the ball spun, holing the second ball, with the first heading towards the third and gently pushing it in another hole. Ace took his cue and blew over the tip and smiled at Jason. "So tell me about your woman that has taken a bloke like you off the market. Must be quite the catch."
Jason shook his head as Ace made the first of his shots.
"Oh, she's smart, funny, pretty", Haines replied, not liking he was going to most likely be paying for the first round. "and she happens to be the Chief Science officer to boot."
"If you ask me", Sampson piped up. "She isn't all that smart if she's hanging out with you."
"Well, luckily no one did", Jason replied.
"Science, eh?" Ace asked. "Science officers are either freaks or rule makers. Which is yours?"
Yolanthe arrived at that moment, tray in hand. "One Andorian Kneecapper, one martini. Shaken, not stirred, slice of lemon." She placed each drink down on the side table next to the Domjot table. "Do you boys need anything else?"
"I thought you were off the menu," Ace replied smoothly.
The violet skin turned periwinkle. "If you're that keen, the best I can offer is a holodeck program available in the spa, though the model hasn't been refreshed in a year or so. Other than that, I'm afraid it's just what's on the menu."
"I don't accept substitutes," Ace told Yolanthe with a knowing grin. "And there are just certain things that worth much more when they are not paid for."
She chuckled, low and dirty, "And those that are worth the most, when they're not available at all." She turned and went back to the bar.
"Interesting," Ace told Jason. "She might be fun. What's her story?"
"Her story", Jason said as he set the balls up again. "Inside these walls, she's the boss. Treat her with respect and you get to know a lot of things. Keep going like you are, you get to find out what Harry ate last. Anything other than that, you are going to have to get her to trust you enough to tell you."
Jason finished racking the balls and then stepped away so Ace could shoot.
Ace gave a nonchalant shrug as he barely broke the rack. The cue stuck near the balls with only one ball creeping to a wall and touching on the opposite side. He gave Jason a smirk. "I have to admit, you're probably as good at this as I am. Might be nice to have someone like you in my corner in a tournament."
Jason took a big sip of his drink and with one shot put in three balls. His next shot wasn't quite as good and he stepped away from the table so Ace could shoot. You barely know me and you are thinking tournament. Maybe I am just having a lucky day. Either that or if we won anything, perhaps I might take it all."
"Unless you were thrown out of the fleet, I doubt it." Ace lined up his next shot, holing several balls at once. He winked at a cute girl off in a corner and then shot again, putting in another ball. "I consider myself a fairly good judge of character. Not to mention that our bartender mentioned that you enjoy playing this game often." He lined up a ball to purposely miss by a centimeter or two, waiting to see how Jason handled it. "And if you have a hot Chief Science officer, you must have something going for you."
Jason smirked a little and said, "I have many things going for me, one is a dislike of an opponent throwing out 'give me's."
He then made a shot that sank all the rest of the balls.
"If you are going to play against me," Jason said. "Play to win."
"Just wanted to prove a point. You're not having a lucky day." Ace smirked at Jason. "Maybe we can cut the shit now?"
"Of course I am", Jason said. "I had my opponent throw the game because he was trying to psycho-analyze me with some point that only exists in his mind at this point. Definite luck. Would have preferred if there had been latinum on the table, but a win's a win. So, you seem to have something on your mind, so spill it."
"My point remains. You're full of it." He grinned at Jason. "And what makes you think I have anything on my mind besides that blue woman, drinking, dom-jot, or any other woman in this establishment?"
"Oh, I can't 100%", Jason replied. "After all you have a level of confidence that borders on arrogant. Your style of clothing indicates that although this style of establishment you can tolerate, but you prefer something a little more classy, at least in appearances. Your walk is a bit more formal, not too much, but enough, suggests you work for Starfleet, a corporation, or even some of the more refined crime lords."
Ace grinned at Jason. "New Ops Officer here, likely going to be Assistant Chief. So, you have that part right."
"Oh, lucky you", Jason said, his words dripping with sarcasm. "As the former Chief Intelligence Officer, a word of advice for you. Request a transfer as soon as you've spent your minimum time here."
"Why's that? Seems cozy," Ace replied comfortably.
"Let's call it hypocrisy on high", Jason replied.
Jason's escort snorted and said, "Word of advice, don't believe the words of advice coming from a deserter."
Jason laughed and put his drink down with one long draw from the glass.
"Well Petty", Jason said. "When you are the one getting raped by a psycho, I'll make sure not to break ranks and you can take your time and enjoy it."
She scowled at him, but said nothing.
"Top-up gentlemen?", Yolanthe's rich purr broke through the tension. She held up a large pitcher in a violet hand. "The usual, or something else?" she asked Jason, then nodded at Ace's martini glass. "Same again, or would you rather have it dirty?"
To be Continued…
Jason Haines
Station N'er Do Well and Live Bait Extraordinaire
Petty Officer Sampson
Security Officer
NPC'ed by Jason Haines
Ace Cannon
(Hopeful Assistant Chief) Operations Officer
DS5
Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner
The Box of Delights
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