Dinner at Gino's

Posted on Mon Jan 4, 2021 @ 2:25pm by Commander Caleb Ryan & Lieutenant T'Lul

2,238 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Things Past
Location: Promenade/Gino's
Timeline: MD5 1900

Commander Ryan had suggested Gino's, which was apparently one of his favorite restaurants. She was intrigued at the prospect of going there, and somewhat considered whether he considered this a date. There also was the awkwardness regarding his daughter. So, T'Lul hoped that meeting her along with the Commander for dinner would clarify some of that mystery.

Caleb was fairly easy to spot as he made his way through the crowded Promenade. He was tall for a Human. He wasn’t in uniform, but wore a pair of black slacks over his black cowboy boots, a black shirt, and the black Stetson on his head, which also made him stand out in the crowd. He paused outside Gino’s, looking around for T’lul, who was much shorter.

T'Lul immediately noticed the wannabe cowboy. She did wonder where his daughter was, though. So far, she had not spotted the half-Trill girl. T'Lul's garb was practical, but relaxed. She wore some black trousers with a grey sweater that had a black snowflake-like design on it. Her hair was long but curiously curled to be wavy at the bottom side. It flowed freely about her. "Good evening, Commander," she announced to Caleb as she sidled up next to him.

Caleb turned at the voice, and gave T’Lul a smile. “There ya are,” he said, taking in her look, the way her hair curled slightly and was long, very much not like any Vulcan’s he had met. She was actually very attractive. “Well, why don’t we see what’s on the menu for this week?” he suggested.

The doors to Gino’s slid open, and they entered the low-lit interior of the restaurant, stepping into another world. Large windows wrapped around the corner of a block, offering an excellent view of the River Seine and the lights of the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. They were greeted at the door by a gorgeous Human female, buxom, blonde, and blue eyed in a tight, low cut, high hemmed little scarlet dress and stiletto heels that further enhanced her astounding assets.

“Commander!” the blonde enthused. “Welcome back, mon ami! she gushed, pressing her buxom bosom against Caleb’s chest as she kissed each cheek. She turned to T’Lul. “Oh! And this is not your usual beauty!”

Caleb cleared his throat with embarrassment. “This is Lieutenant T’Lul. She is our new Chief Counselor.”

The blonde gave a sly smile. “Ah, so you spend time on her couch, no?” she teased. “I am Charlene, your hostess for the evening.”

T'Lul quirked her left eyebrow at the hostess. If the hostess was willing to make such a flirtatious gesture, Caleb must often come here. She would inquire about Charlene later.

Charlene led the way to their table with a sashay in her hips. Caleb noted that Gino -- a solidly built Human man with brown, receding hair -- was at the piano rather than behind the bar playing some Debussy. The table they were led to was in a private little nook conveniently screened off with some potted plants to allow for maximum romantic privacy. Candles illuminated the real paper menus that Charlene set down on the table.

“Can I get you wine to start?” the buxom blonde offered.

Although Vulcans were famed for some of their wines, T'Lul was not known to be much of a drinker. However, she decided that one glass would not detrimentally affect her faculties. "Do you have something that you recommend?" T'Lul asked simply.

“Depends on what you will eat, red or white. We have an excellent chardonnay and a pinot noir tonight,” Charlene said.

T'Lul looked at the menu and considered her appetite. "Most likely I will have something vegetarian. Would I be correct in pairing that with something white then?" she wondered aloud, also noticing that the atmosphere was such that it was built for romance. The fact that Caleb came here often made T'Lul wonder whether the commander was a womanizer. That did not seem to be in accord with her first meeting with him when he was obviously still in pain over his wife's passing. Curiouser and curiouser.

“It depends, then, on what you order,” Charlene said with a smile. “A white would be good with a cream sauce, but red for a tomato sauce. But really, it is just what you like,” the buxom blonde explained. “If you like whites, you should drink that regardless of pairing,” she reassured the Vulcan.

“Ah cain’t help ya there,” Caleb said with a chuckle. “If it doesn’t bleed, Ah don’t eat it,” he joked. “Though Zandy went through a vegetarian phase. She said their vegetarian white lasagna is pretty good.”

"I bleed. Do you intend to eat me?" T'Lul asked deadpanned. "But, if the vegetarian white lasagna has good reviews, then I will have that." So where is his daughter? Why is she not here? I will save that question for later.

“Depends. Do you taste like bacon?” Caleb asked T’Lul with a grin. He looked to Charlene. “Start with some bruschetti an’ the pinot noir,” he said. “Then the chardonnay with the lady’s white lasagna, an’ Ah’ll have the pesto chicken with a sauvignon blanc. For dessert, the tiramisu, with amaretto for a digestif,” he ordered.

Charlene smiled. She didn’t appear to write any of that down. “Excellent, Commander,” she said. “Please let me know if there is anything else you would like,” she told them, before sashaying away, pulling quite a few eyes toward her figure as she moved.

"Considering that I have not eaten bacon, I cannot say whether I taste like it or not," T'Lul replied, tilting her head lightly to the side. When Charlene left, T'Lul took no notice. "So, it does seem that you come here a great deal. The food is that pleasurable?" T'Lul asked.

Caleb smiled. “It’s Earth food, way out here. An’ not replicated,” he said. “It’s like home,” he admitted, “an’ the service is...quite pleasant,” he said with a chuckle, eying Charlene’s backside as she bent over at a nearby table to refill a drink. “Gino’s a friend, too.” He sipped the ice water from his glass. “There might be a good Vulcan restaurant on the Promenade you could find,” he allowed. “Ah’d have ta ask around, or the information kiosk could probably point somethin’ out.”

T'Lul once again noticed Caleb's wandering eye and decided to mention it. "You are attracted to our waitress. Have you not considered asking her on a date?"

“Fairly certain many a man has broken upon that rocky shore,” Caleb said with a chuckle. “While not impossible, such a relationship would be...limited. Charlene is a hologram,” he explained. “So is Gino over there.” He indicated the restaurant owner behind the bar. “All the staff are.” His gaze swept the room to the other servers. “The restaurant is a small holodeck. That’s how they can change it up every week. Food is real, though. Nothin’ replicated.”

"Ah," T'Lul observed. "Somebody must prepare it, then. Who would that be? And who brings it/beams it to the holodeck?" she wondered.

“The holodeck is capable of creating a fully functional kitchen,” Caleb said. “The chefs are holograms. Food storage can also be created by holo-technology. Saves him labor cost,” Caleb chuckled. “Though that’s offset by the higher cost in technology maintenance. But he can make his restaurant anythin’ an’ anywhere he wants it ta be.”

Abruptly, T'Lul decided to change the topic. "May I inquire why you have not brought your daughter? I thought that when we were to meet that she would be coming, as well."

Caleb’s face almost visibly turned off then. He gave T’Lul a tight smile. “Aleczandra is currently off station with her boyfriend at the moment,” he said. “She wasn’t able ta come.”

You're hiding something. Why? What is so problematic about his daughter? "Boyfriend? Really? You let her go off station at such a young age with a boy?" The Vulcan tilted her head inquisitively.

Caleb smirked. “‘Let’ implies I had a choice,” he said. “Teenage daughter an’ all that. Shootin’ the boy is frowned upon, ya know.”

"There always is a choice," T'Lul responded simply. "And while I have yet to have a child, even teenagers need limits."

“Ah trust mah daughter, Counselor,” Caleb said. “She’s where she needs ta be right now,” he said cryptically, and then they were interrupted by Charlene coming by with the bruschetta and pinot noir.

Again, T'Lul had to wonder what the Commander was hiding. Something was off, but he was not budging. What could be the need for such secrecy? The entire thing was perplexing. "That is high praise. I am anxious to meet a child that you have such high praise for. When do you think we can arrange that?" T'Lul pressed.

Caleb put down his glass. “Just what is yer interest in mah daughter, Counselor?” he asked directly, scowling slightly.

"At first," T'Lul started, "it was nothing more than meeting her and your family and getting to know you. However, now, I believe that you are concerned about your daughter or there is something wrong with her. Whatever the answer is, I cannot assist you unless you trust me." She leaned in towards Caleb in a fashion that was calculated to be both interested and trusting. "You must remember that anything that you tell me is confidential."

“It isn’t a problem you can help with,” Caleb said simply. “An’ trustin’ people is how we ended up in this situation,” he said bitterly. He didn’t think Cade had deliberately told their secret, but the Symbiosis Commission had only started poking around them after they had told the former station XO.

"Trusting nobody is a certain way to not receive the help that you obviously require," T'Lul countered logically. "And you do not know what I can or cannot assist with at this juncture." She placed her hands delicately so that the fingertips touched each other. "I am here and I am willing to assist you, but to do so, you must talk to me."

Caleb glared right back at T’Lul. “An’ how can Ah know Ah can even trust you?” he asked her. “You’ve been on the station all of five minutes, an’ already yer askin’ after mah deepest an’ darkest, an’ draggin’ mah daughter in. You’ve never met her, have no reason ta even be talkin’ about her. Why so interested?” he asked suspiciously.

"I am interested because she is your family and your suspicious behavior alludes to other problems," T'Lul responded, unphased by Caleb's reaction. "Perhaps you have forgotten that it is a counselor's job to assist? And perhaps you have forgotten a Vulcan's reputation for honesty and integrity?"

“Perhaps you’ve forgotten that certain things cannot be discussed, Lieutenant,” Cale said right back. “Any problems mah daughter an’ Ah might have won’t be solved by talkin’,” he said dangerously.

"What could not be discussed?" T'Lul asked curiously. However, when Caleb stated that any problems that he might have would not be solved by talking, she knew that there was trouble, and it was her duty to assist. "I doubt that is true, Commander. All problems can be solved logically."

“Not always,” Caleb said. “We ain’t dealin’ with Vulcans.”

"I had not realized that you were a speciesist," T'Lul replied with a raised eyebrow. "Well, if you will not allow me to assist, then you limit my choices, Commander."

“Yer choice is ta let it drop an’ enjoy your dinner,” Caleb told T’Lul. “Sorry ta be blunt, but mah family is important ta me, an’ Ah don’t appreciate them bein’ poked at. We’ll deal with our own problems.”

T'Lul shook her head and rose. "You and your family's welfare are important to me, as well. However, your behaviors indicate that whatever is going on is a bigger problem than you are willing to admit. If you do not wish an ally and assistance, I cannot force you. However, your refusal may force other actions on my part, Commander."

Caleb scowled, putting down his silverware. “An’ just what are you threatenin’ me with, Lieutenant?” he said darkly.

"I make no threats, Commander," T'Lul responded neutrally. "However, as I am certain that you are aware, every choice puts another set of choices into play. Some choices have natural consequences. Others have multiple outcomes. Your choices limit mine. That is all."

Caleb’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded. “Ah think that will be all, Lieutenant,” he said. “Ah’ve lost mah appetite for the evenin’.” He pushed back from the table. “Please feel free ta finish. Charlene will take good care a ya. Ah’ll settle up the bill.” With that, he headed over to Gino at the bar.

T'Lul did not wait for her meal. Instead, she simply walked out. She had to consider her next options carefully, but she was fairly certain that she would have to investigate the daughter. Caleb was not yet presenting as a danger to the station, just himself. She would have to figure out who to contact for snooping.

FIN

Lieutenant T'Lul
Chief Counselor

Commander Caleb Ryan
Executive Officer

Charlene
Server

 

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