Dinner Date or Hostage Negotiation (Part 5)

Posted on Thu Mar 25, 2021 @ 4:09am by Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca & Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon

2,280 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Various
Timeline: MD 03

[PREVIOUSLY]

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."


[CONTINUED]

Ace noticed Bri's mischievous grin. "Exactly what are you thinking?" he asked with amused curiosity.

"Just wondering what she'll be thinking. I think I'll give her a generous tip, just to add to her confusion."

"No, no, no. I took you out on this date. Remember, it was my pleasure to take the most beautiful woman on the station to this restaurant. You can get the next one, if you insist."

She raised an eyebrow. Well, if they were going to be buddies, why not? "Okay. Next one's on me." She hoped their cease fire would last.

"Great. So, how should we torture this poor young waitress before we do something else? The extra mousse should be here soon."

"My existence is torture enough, by the way she glares at me." It clearly didn't bother Bri. "If she wasn't on duty, I'd suggest you ask her to dance. One dance, and you and I walk out together."

"Yes, that is a problem, her working." He stared down at Bri's mousse. "I would hate to make a mess of you or the dress but we could have her accidentally spill mousse on you and try and clean it up. There would be some comedic value in that."

"I'll pass on making a mess. But if she's due for a break, I'll watch the two of you dance before we leave," she suggested.

"You're really stuck on that. Well, when she gets back, we shall ask her."

Once again, the waitress appeared. She had a bag and billfold with her. "I've packed your dessert for you, ma'am. And," she said placing the billfold in front of Ace, "I will be happy to take that up when you are ready." She looked at Ace's arm around Bri and consciously kept her face neutral.

"If you don't mind my asking, when is your next break? I ask because my friend here would like to ask you to dance before we leave," Bri asked. She honestly thought it might make the girl's night, and she wanted to watch Ace dance. The second was more out of curiosity. If they were going to be friends, she might want to go dancing with him again at some point.

"Friend?" the waitress asked rather confused.

Ace picked up right where Bri left off. "Yes, we're rather good friends. She's been rather insistent that we have a dance. I just don't wish to get you in any sort of trouble."

"Once I take this payment I can take a break." She looked over at Bri and wondered at her. She also wondered at Ace's arm around Bri. None of it added up but she was not about to refuse, especially if it earned her a larger tip. She smiled warmly at Ace and said, "And, it would be fun."

Ace took a look at the bill and handed her payment. "I will wait for you here," Ace told the waitress.

Practically dashing away from the table, the waitress took the payment and disappeared.

"Well, this definitely should create some sort of stir within the restaurant, dancing with two women in one night where there is no dance floor, one being an employee," he told Bri. "I might start to get a reputation."

"That it will. You'll be infamous." Bri chuckled. "I think you'll also make her week. Maybe this will make amends for whatever I did to upset her." She smiled. "And I have, even if I didn't intend to. Besides, you're a very good dancer."

"It is very easy to dance with someone like you," Ace observed. "As to amends, well, normally she would have to live either way. Part of the risk of working in the industry, I'd say."

"While that's true, I do want to do something to brighten her mood. I'm afraid that involves sacrificing you on to the dance floor." She gave him a cheeky grin. "I'll make amends by dancing with you later--as friends."

"That clarification was not necessary, Bri," Ace replied laughing at her. "I swear, I don't get how you can be so simultaneously intrigued and terrified of me at the same time. I'll leave that for some counselor to sort out." He laughed again. "But I do think that you're overly concerned."

"As heavy-handed as you've been, I'm not taking any chances," she countered, only half teasing. "I'm actually enjoying your company, now that you're not trying to get me into bed."

"Well, I have to say that I'm curious as to what you think is heavy-handed. But I have no intent of getting you into bed. I think that would lead to complications and I'm not a complicated person," he told her with a chuckle. "And there is much more to you than meets the eye, Bri. We're going to have to do something like sky diving on the holodeck...."

She chose to ignore the first part and answer the second. "Maybe. I admit it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I'm sure it's better if I do it intentionally."

Laughing at that, Ace asked, "What's life without taking chances? Life is meant to be lived. It isn't a spectator sport."

"My thrill-seeking involves climbing trees and cross-pollinating plants. I'll leave the daredevil stunts to you."

"Who said that you can't do stunts that way? Besides, we didn't die and now, looking back on it, you have to admit that you had some sort of thrill from me taking that flying leap."

At that moment, the waitress came back again. "Here's your change." She stood and waited, holding her breath while she waited to see if Bri and Ace were serious regarding the dance.

"Excuse me, Bri," Ace told his date, taking his arm out from around her. "I believe that I owe this woman a dance here. I'll be back afterward it."

"Enjoy," the botanist said, knowing she would enjoy watching this.

Ace took the waitress' hand and she blushed in the dark, while giving a quick look over at Bri, wonderingly.

Once again, Ace arrived at the pianist. He danced closely with her but unlike with Bri, Ace did not sing to her. Bri could see the waitress leaning into Ace. She reached up to his ear and whispered something. Ace made no obvious response. When the song was done, the waitress rushed off once again.

Coming back to the table, he reached a hand out for Bri and asked, "Shall we went?"

"Yes, we shall." She took her extra mousse in one hand and put the other in Ace's so he could help her stand. "I must admit, I enjoyed watching the two of you dance."

"Did you now?" Ace asked wonderingly. "Why's that?"

"Because you made her night--probably her week--by doing that. She's not very good at blocking her emotions."

Ace shrugged nonchalantly. "Girls like Naomi are a dime a dozen."

"Is that what she told you?" Bri asked. "Her name? Still, it's nice to make someone's day from time to time."

Laughing, Ace told Bri, "I've made girls like Naomi's day much more than once. And yes, that's what she told me." She also told me her location of quarters and time that she gets off.

"Uh huh. If this was two hundred years ago, she'd probably give you the key to her apartment, too." She smiled. "Well, Mr. Cannon, this was a most unexpected dinner. I have to say, I actually enjoyed myself."

Purposely ignoring the comment about the apartment key, Ace replied, "Oooh. So formal!" He then giggled, "The entire point of this dinner was to have fun. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. I have as well. But I believe we have some dancing to do before I take you to your quarters. You have an early morning tomorrow," he reminded her with a small tip of his hand from his head.

She groaned. "I do have an early morning. And a long day." She held up her dessert. "At least I have this to look forward to."

"Sure, after we work up your appetite. Or maybe we take it to your quarters first so it stays out of our way while we dance?"

"Only if we keep it short," she said. "And I drop this off first." She did say she'd dance with him after the waitress.

"That's fine," Ace told Bri. "You already warned me that this would be a short night for you. Lots of plants to attend to in the morning."

"I like to start early. We're open all the time, but there are times of the day when the arboretum is more crowded. Mornings tend to be light, so we can get a lot done." She smiled blithely. "Besides, plants like mornings and take to some things better then."

"I admit that I'm not much of a morning person. I am a night owl. However, I make the best of what I can with whatever shifts that I'm assigned," Ace countered while walking along side Bri as she led them.

"I have more freedom in the arboretum. I can set my own hours, as long as someone is on duty." She liked being in the arboretum, too, and would often spend time there even if she didn't have to.

"Well, you must have a more understanding Chief in Alanna, than I. Then again, around a Starbase like this, something is always breaking, so, regular schedules are kind of a must."

>>do you want to have them chat more?

>>> We can but not sure how much more to say at this juncture.

She led the way into her quarters. One wall had shelves filled with plants. Some were in shallow troughs, some in pots, and others climbed up the sides. A system of lights and misters provided for their needs.

A couch, a desk, and a small bookshelf filled with books about plants, interspersed with folk and fairy tales, filled the rest of her living room.

She quickly checked her plants, then turned to Ace. "I'll be right back." She slipped into the tiny kitchenette to put her chocolate mousse in a container to keep it cool, then returned to the front room.

Ace looked around Bri's quarters. The woman was seriously into plants. He wondered at the folk and fairy tales. What did she find fascinating about that? Was she expecting a knight in shining armor? If so, that would again explain why she was so damaged. "Dare I ask what all of these plants are?"

"Probably not," she grinned. "Each plant has a history and I don't want to watch your eyes glaze over."

"Maybe you could tell me about one at a time," Ace offered. "I am interested in learning all about you. Isn't that what a friend does? Learn everything about their friend?"

"Little by little, yes." She pointed to a small flower with star-like petals and leaves that resembled tiny fern. "This is a Pernelian Star Flower, named after the shape of the petals. It blooms in the spring. In an artificial setting like this, it cam bloom for up to six months. Some say it glows under moonlight, but that's primarily because the white is reflective."

Bri could see Ace mouthing the words to himself, "Pernelian Star Flower," while focusing his eyes in concentration, as if trying to permanently ingraining the flower and its attributes in his memory. "So, does it or does it not glow?" Ace wondered. "And how long has this one been blooming?"

"It reflects the moonlight," Bri said. "So it appears to glow and mine's been blooming for four months so far. I'm hoping for at least five months before the flower dies. We have a room in the arboretum where we're working with moon mold. It has a phosphorescent glow when the moon is full."

"And despite what you're telling me about all of these night plants, you say you prefer the day?" he wondered.

"Artificial darkness. On a starbase, night is whenever you choose to make it," she said beatifically. "And the length of day can be altered, over time."

"Don't give the Captain any ideas," Ace responded. "I've never met her but I hear she wants us all to burn the candle at both ends, like her. I'd rather not have her order days be longer."

"I don't think Starfleet would go for that," Bri said. "Especially as the planet rotates the sun on a 24-hour cycle."

"I hope you're right. I enjoy my leisure time way too much."

"It would mess up the eight-hour rotation, so I think you're good. At least for now." She smiled. "So, you want to go dancing?"

"I thought you would never ask," Ace replied holding out his arm for Bri.

Laughing, she took his arm as they walked out the door.

____
OFF

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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