Dinner Date or Hostage Negotiation (Part 4)

Posted on Wed Mar 24, 2021 @ 6:42am by Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca & Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon

1,996 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Giuliani's
Timeline: Day 03, 1800

PREVIOUSLY:

"The thorns aren't there for the roses. Their job is to protect the blossoms from invaders."

"And yet they cannot protect everything. For example, certain animals, like deer, have been known to eat the thorns and rabbits nibble around them. And one being cautious, may yet pluck the flower." He sighed pleasantly.

That was an interesting answer. "So, now you're a doe?" she asked. "As in doe, a deer?"

"No, just a deer," he replied with a grin. "So, you still want dessert?"

With poor timing, the waitress returned, "How are the two of you doing? Is everything to your satisfaction?" Even in the dark light, the two diners could see that the waitress was turning pink under her collar.

NEW:


The timing was perfect. Brianthe looked at the blushing waitress. She might actually be good for Ace. The botanist wondered how she could get the two of them together. Maybe even tonight. "I'll have a chocolate mousse."

Ace was dearly tempted to tell Bri that she could just get the chocolate and spread it on him for her moose but let the thought go in front of the waitress. "I'll have the tiramisu."

The waitress nodded and asked, "Do you want coffee or tea with your dessert?"

Ace was getting smarmy again, but Bri couldn't pin down exactly what he was thinking, or if it was just more of the same old Ace. "Actually, I would like a glass of milk." It was a nice contrast to chocolate mousse.

"Milk?" the waitress confirmed but also asked in a slightly critical voice. "And you sir?"

"Coffee," Ace replied. "Black."

"Very good," the waitress replied before turning and going to put in the order.

Ace told Bri, "I doubled up my coffee and caffeine, it seems. I will have energy to be up all night." He grinned at Bri. "So, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?"

"We were talking about forest animals," she replied. "And their propensity for eating plants."

"Ah, yes," Ace replied, wondering if Bri wanted to continue with the innuendos. However, the waitress' appearance had interrupted his train of thought and the fun of the game. "So, how do you feel about dancing after this?" he asked, still not knowing fully what to do with Bri. After all, his normal MO of seducing her would obviously backfire but having a female friend was daunting, as was being patient for her. "I think there's a place on the above deck that has a mix of 20th century pop music. I might have to find some blue suede shoes, though," he told her with a charming chuckle.

She smiled. "Somehow, I can't see you as Elvis." Then she grew serious. "I think I'll pass on more dancing. I enjoyed the one dance, but..." The waitress' response kind of changed that. "I'm not in the mood for more. Sorry."

Ace frowned, disappointment evident. "You need to tell me who the guy is that hurt you so badly so I can punch him in the mouth."

"I appreciate the thought, but it's not because I was hurt--and it's not because of you. I would feel awkward dancing tonight."

Looking even more confused, Ace exhaled a long, "OoooooKkkkk."

Just in time, the waitress arrived. She placed a glass of milk before Bri and some coffee before Ace. "I apologize. I should have asked if you were done with your meals. Were you finished? If so, I can box up any leftovers, if you wish."

"No, I'm fine, thank you," Bri said politely. "Please tell the chef that the food was delicious."

"I'll hang on to mine at the moment," Ace said. "The food is and was delicious."

The waitress could feel the awkwardness in the moment and said, "I'll be right back with your dessert, then."

Ace shook his head and then asked Bri, "A penny for your thoughts?"

"You should know by now that's a dangerous question," she said, chuckling. "I was thinking about the waitress."

"And, you should know by now that danger and I are good company. But why are you thinking of the waitress?" Ace asked curiously. "She seems to be rather focused on you, somewhat negatively, if you ask me. She also has a lousy sense of timing. Every time I feel like we're getting into a rhythm, she manages to interrupt it."

"You didn't see her blush? She's sweet on you, Ace. Take it from another woman. She doesn't think I'm treating you very well." And she wanted to take Bri's place, but she wasn't going to add that. Although, she hoped Ace would take the rather broad hint.

Ace shrugged. "Maybe she is. Maybe she isn't. It is not the first time that's happened to me. I doubt it is the first time that it has happened to you, either. I'm sure that if it was a waiter, he would be flirting with you."

She couldn't deny that. It had happened before. Not when she was with a gentleman, but when she was with a group of friends. Alanna had commented on it before. "At least she's not trying to be obvious about it. So, to change the subject, what made you decide to go into operations?"

"I had to do something with myself," Ace answered honestly. "Dad's a civil engineer and I never really gravitated to anything in particular. Jack of all trades, master of none, some would say. But, I've always been a bit of a tinkerer and one can't live at home forever, not that I had any desire to, either. Besides, there's just so much out there, right? So, I signed up for Starfleet. Ops always has something new and different and covers so many areas, so it keeps me occupied."

She nodded. "It's a good job for a tinkerer. Especially here. Life on this station is never dull."

"Definitely not that," Ace responded. "Yolanthe gave me free credits fully knowing that I would lose them all and then some," he replied with a laugh. "I met Alanna's boyfriend there. Nice guy. And then of course, there was that crystalline entity that did all the damage to your arboretum. What's next? An invasion?"

"Well, both the Cardassians and the Raddon Corporation have issues with Captain Soran. But I doubt either group would go as far as to rally an invasion force." She shook her head. As upset as the Cardassians were, she didn't think they're risk war over being evicted from the station. "Jason is very nice. A group of us used to go out from time to time."

"A group? Jason, Alanna, you, and who?" Ace asked curiously.

"Erich Hartmann. He was the former head of operations."

"The former Chief of Ops?" Ace did not know whether he wanted to laugh or cry. Clearly Brianthe had a thing for ops folks because he knew somewhere in there, she had a thing for him. "So, is that person that broke you?"

She set down her spoon. She hadn't meant to talk about it, but now that he asked directly, she answered. "He did not break me. He asked me to marry him and then was called home for an emergency. I haven't heard from him in almost a year. He didn't even bother to tell me he changed his mind."

Ace's eyes went wide. No wonder she's a project! And let me guess, she has not dated since then and hasn't slept with anyone since then. How messed up. So, friend zone for now? "Look, Bri, that really sucks. I can't blame you for not trusting anyone else. I'm not a counselor but I know enough to know that if you don't talk about that, you're going to be stuck with plants and nothing else forever. And while you might like those plants, they're not able to dance with you, converse with you, or...." He cut himself off before he said "keep you warm at night."

"I'll be fine. For eight months, Alanna thought Jason was dead. I just got dumped. Erich told me he got home, but then...nothing. I'm over the hurt and just feel angry."

"You didn't get dumped. You got ghosted and shafted and not in the good way," Ace replied, scowling. "I'd kick his ass if he ever showed his way here. He had no idea what he had." Ace clenched his fist. If you were going to be ditching a girl, at least it should be after what was a one night stand, not after proposing. That was just cowardly. "You need to talk this out with someone," he told her. "Look, I'm sure it is no secret that I think that you're gorgeous. And sure, I had hopes of doing much more with you tonight than just dancing."

He sighed. "I can't believe that I'm going to say this. IT is just so.... Well, it is not normal for me." He took a deep breath and then said, "I think we should cool things until we know that you're ready. Maybe try friends first. I can't really remember having a female friend, so, it would be a bit of a novelty...."

His words made her smile. As far as she was concerned, there was nothing too cool, but for the rest... "I've never had a friend quiet like you. It would be a new experience for me, too. Why not? Might be fun."

He laughed and said, "You've never had me yet, as a friend or otherwise." He laughed again. "Maybe someday," he told her shrugging. "But not unless and until you get yourself completely sorted." He cringed. "And, well...." He was not sure what to say here. A female friend was a very new concept. He thought about it and thought to himself, Can't be too different from having a male friend, right? "Who knows? Maybe you could be my new wing man, or woman, as the case might be?"

As ever, the waitress appeared at the most unusual time. She had two desserts in her hands. She handed the first to Bri and the second to Ace. "Enjoy," she said as she put a couple of forks in front of them.

Bri looked at Ace and laughed. She'd never been a wing man before. "Thank you," she said to the waitress. "Your timing is impeccable." She took a bite of her mousse. She would definitely worth come back for that, as well. "Can I have one to go, too?"

"Of course." The waitress looked over at Ace and then back at Bri, wondering why someone would order a second dessert.

Ace started laughing as well. He put his arm around Bri and said, "Nothing's too good for this woman! Let her eat cake!" He laughed harder.

The waitress looked at the two of them confused and said, "I will be back with your to go dessert."

Grinning as she left, Ace told Bri, "Any other day, I might have told her, just personally deliver it when you get off work. Tonight," he wrinkled his nose and shook his head.

That set Bri laughing again. That was not the Ace she expected. "That poor waitress. I'm not sure I want to know what she's thinking right now."

"Well, she's probably thinking, those two are two peas in a pod and they're making fun of me. Though, as you said, she doesn't think that you're treating me well. And yet, here I am with my arm around you. She might even think that I'm an idiot. On that count, she might be right." He laughed again.

"Maybe she'll rethink her assumptions. Just because we don't fit her mold, it doesn't mean it's a problem." She gave Ace a mischievous grin. "Well, maybe it is, but it's our problem."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
Deep Space 5

Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca
Assistant Chief Science Officer
Deep Space 5

 

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