Liam and Mort's Big Night Out
Posted on Wed Feb 3, 2016 @ 7:07pm by Lieutenant Liam Reynolds & Civilian Tianys Dalav’ni & Qinee & Second Lieutenant Emily Ransom
3,352 words; about a 17 minute read
Mission:
Pangaea (Wrap up)
Location: Lotus Lounge
Sir Mortimer groaned as the message popped up on his console. He had sincerely hoped that the proposed outing with the Ferengi would be forgotten about. First, he found the diminutive trollish creatures distasteful, and second, he had never set foot in a nightclub in his life.
"Gerald, perhaps you could inform Lieutenant Reynold that I've been struck down by a terrible stomach bug, something I ate at the Replimat." Another establishment Sir Mortimer did not frequent.
"Lots of colorful detail?" Gerald asked with far too much cheer.
"Just enough," Sir Mortimer replied. "I'll take this opportunity to return to my quarters."
He rose from behind the desk and made his way towards the door. A look of alarm clouded his face as the door chime rang.
Though he couldn't prove it, Gerald was sure the boss was about to make a dive for cover behind the sofa.
"Come in," he said.
"Mortimer," Liam said. "Thought we could arrive together, a nice show of solidarity. It feels like we are going into battle, no?"
Liam had the suspicion the knight was going to try wrangle out of this and the quick embarrassment he caught off the man and look of terror now facing him backed up those thoughts. Liam had no intention of doing this solo. "Gerald, you are more than welcome to join us. The more the merrier," he directed at the aide.
Gerald sighed. "Alas, I seem to have eaten something that disagrees with me," he said, making sure he didn't catch Sir Mortimer's eye. "I thought the soup in the Replimat tasted a little off. If you'll excuse me..."
He made a very quick exit without waiting for a reply.
"Right then, Mortimer," Liam said, indicating the door, feeling the laughter off the man retreating and annoyance off the one stood next to him. "After you. First stop, the Lotus Lounge."
Sir Mortimer clapped his hands together. "Why, I've thought of nothing else all day," he said, and it was true.
Liam led the way to the Lotus Lounge. "If you’re not comfortable with the gambling, I'll do that. I'm pretty good at losing. Have you met the Ferengi ambassador?" Liam asked, wondering if Mortimer knew of her "interesting" fashion choices.
"I have not had that pleasure," he replied. "I am merely a backroom boy and don't aspire to meet the dignitaries. Many of them would consider that presumptuous," he explained with monumental self-deprecating pomposity.
"Oh, Mortimer," Liam said brightly. "I don't think of you as a backroom boy. You’re my right arm in all this. Well, you get the pleasure this evening.”
It was a pleasure he could have quite readily forgone. Uncomfortably he wondered if his niece came to this sort of place. She was aboard the station, the Captain's Yoeman. It seemed more an establishment for the younger crowd.
He glanced around awkwardly, but at least she did not seem to have been sucked into this web of hedonism. Perhaps it would be wise if he warned her away from it.
=== Lotus Lounge ==
Liam entered. The assault of pheromones hit them as soon as they stepped through the door. It was twice as crazy for Liam in that he could pick up on emotions of others there reacting to them. He smiled as he recognized a familiar face.
"Tianys, how lovely to see you again. Is everything set up ready for our Ferengi guests?" he said. He had asked for a booth so they could play whatever games he was going to lose spectacularly in this evening, and a mix of Ferengi and human snacks. Next to him he could feel Mortimer’s uneasiness battering against him.
“Of course,” Tianys smiled. “A private room,” she emphasized, “so you may have whatever delights of pleasure you wish without prying eyes.” She pressed Liam’s hand with her own, her skin soft and supple, her scent filling him, sending pleasure tickling along his nerves. “I thought a booth would be too…gauche for such an occasion and took the liberty of upgrading your request. For no additional fee, of course,” she promised with an enticing smile.
“Please, relax and enjoy yourselves. That is all we ask here at the Lotus Lounge,” she said to Mortimer, pressing the older man’s hand. Her scent made him seem decades younger again as it caressed along his pleasure centers.
Politely and precisely Sir Mortimer removed the woman’s hand from his with his free one. "Dear lady," he said, feeling the warmth rise in his cheeks, "I'm sure you have a very pleasant establishment."
Tianys led them through the club to a set of large oak doors, clearly a kind of VIP room. Her figure was encased in the diaphanous gown she wore that did little to hide her lush figure, teasing and enticing, though other Rowa’ni in the club wore nothing at all. Tianys gave the heavy doors a push and they opened easily and silently.
The room inside was large. Tables along one wall were filled with the food Liam had requested, and a Rowa’ni male in the loose, diaphanous trousers and vest in a buttercup yellow that matched his hair stood behind the bar. But there was also more than just food. Several trays of various intoxicants had been put out, from different kinds of mushrooms, leaves, or roots to pills of various colors. Even a sizable hookah for smoking whatever herb one preferred. Small holocubes were set near each selection, preprogrammed with a lightshow, tailored to each drug. A large gaming table had been set up on that side of the room, as well.
The other half of the room was a rather large, shallow well of sorts. The bottom couldn’t be seen for all the lush, large, thick silk and satin pillows in a variety of hues that filled it. Four golden bronze poles stood at the cardinal points of the well, shined to blinding brightness.
Around the room various Rowa’ni of both genders stood ready to serve. Some wore the house uniform of pantaloons and vest for the males, and thin, diaphanous gowns for the females. Others were naked.
Tianys turned to Liam and held out a padd. “Any of my employees here, of course, would be happy to meet any of your needs,” she said. “But should you wish someone else, here is the entire catalogue for you,” she told them. “I will personally attend you, as well, should you wish,” she offered with a smile.
"That will be quite alright, dear lady," Sir Mortimer said, not quite knowing where to look.
Tianys tilted her head a moment and smiled. “Ah, the Ferengi are here,” she said, going to the doors as a male and female Rowa’ni escorted in the Ferengi ambassador and her attaché. Nazl wore a simple suit and was practically drooling on the female escorting him, barely keeping his stumpy fingers from groping at her. She seemed not to notice, merely smiling pleasantly.
Qinee was dressed much as Liam had seen her earlier. It was a different gown, but it was still in bright and garish primary colors and dripping with bling. In his research, Liam had found that the newly emergent Ferengi female businesswomen – once forbidden from even wearing clothes – now used clothing as a status symbol to declare just how much profit they were making. Sexual dimorphism may have reduced the size of their lobes, but they still had the lobes for business!
Qinee looked around the room and raised an eyebrow, clearly rather impressed with the ostentatious display the Federation was putting out for her. Her eyes wandered to some of the Rowa’ni males, and the way her breathing quickened clearly indicated the aliens’ scent was affecting her, too, but she managed to maintain a decorous demeanor as she approached Liam, Mortimer, and Tianys on the arm of her escort.
“Most impressive, Lieutenant,” Qinee complimented Liam. “You certainly have gone all out.”
Tianys gave Liam a knowing smile and gave his arm a squeeze.
"Thank you, Ambassador, and, of course, to our lovely hosts. There is just one problem. In our last discussion about this evening and in terms of it continuing to happen after discovery of your aide’s rather disgusting and worrying behavior, I thought I made it clear he was not to be included in these festivities?" Liam stated firmly.
"Mr. Nazl, I have to ask you to leave," Liam said just as firmly. He was not going to budge on this. "Of course, I cannot stop you using and enjoying the facilities of the rest of the Lotus Lounge, but you are not welcome in the activities and evening planned in this room laid on and paid by me."
Qinee shrugged indifferently. “Go on, Nazl,” she said, shooing him off. “Of course, I know you have plenty of work back at the office,” she said pointedly, not even allowing him to remain in the club.
Nazl scowled and gave a stiff bow before turning and striding through the doors held open by a pair of Rowa’ni.
“My apologies,” Qinee told Liam. “I find I am more relaxed if I know where Nazl is and what he is doing,” she said with a snaggle-toothed grin. “And you’re letting your Federation hypocrisy show again, Lieutenant,” she said pleasantly enough. “While I didn’t condone Nazl’s behavior, the girl did make a verbal contract, and by Ferengi law, she was of age. By her age, most females are sold off to husbands by now, anyway,” she sniffed. “And the incident happened on Ferengi soil,” she reminded.
"I do not blame you on the first point, Ambassador," Liam replied just as pleasantly. "However, on the second, why don't we agree to not get into that debate about different cultural behavior and let the security chief do his job and investigate what actually did happen in regards to his daughter. Let us not let it ruin what could otherwise be a lovely evening. What game do you fancy playing?" he asked, steering her towards one of the couches.
Qinee picked up a glass of stinkweed wine offered by one of the Rowa’ni and took a sip, eyebrows rising in appreciation. “Good vintage,” she commented to Tianys, who merely smiled.
“The Hew-mans have an interesting game,” Qinee said. “It is less raw chance and more playing one’s opponent. Call it a game of skill in insight,” she smiled. “I believe it is called Texas Hold ‘Em.”
“I know the game,” Tianys nodded. “I will volunteer to be dealer, if you wish.”
"What do you say, Mortimer?" Liam asked his colleague. "Are you in or am I the only one playing?"
“Come. It is more fun with more money to win,” Qinee said with a snaggle-toothed grin.
With only a thought from Tianys, the Rowa’ni around the room moved to prepare the table for the game.
Sir Mortimer would gladly have eaten all the gagh in Q’uit's if he could have gone home this second, and he hated Klingon food, but he tried to make the best of it. "As the saying goes, it would be rude not to," he stated.
“Wonderful!” Qinee smiled. “Slime tea,” she ordered from one of the Rowa’ni. “Iced, please. Need to keep my wits sharp,” she told Liam and Mortimer. “Alcohol and business never mix, unless it’s the client who’s drunk!” She adjusted her dress as she took a seat at the table across from Tianys with the two gentlemen on either side.
“The game is Texas Hold ‘Em,” Tianys said as she shuffled the cards. “Standard rules. No wilds. Do you have your stakes?” she asked.
Qinee withdrew a credchip from her bodice and handed it over to Tianys. The Rowa’ni woman inserted it into the table. There was a flicker and a stack of holographic poker chips appeared in front of the Ferengi ambassador.
"I'll take a beer please," Liam said, handing over a credit chip of his own.
The custom established, Sir Mortimer did the same.
Liam clinked the bottle at Mortimer's when the beers arrived and raised it and indicated it in Qinee's direction. As Tianys dealt the round, he nodded at the Ferengi. "Ladies first,"
“Hmmm…” Qinee mused, perusing her hole cards and the cards dealt out on the table. “Check,” she said, putting in the minimum bet to see what the Federations would do. Her small, dark eyes locked on them, studying them, having given only a single glance at her hole cards.
Liam didn't even lift up his hole cards and look. He had to lose a certain amount regardless to save the Ferengi's face, and he wanted to see if it unnerved her him not bothering. "I'm in," he said softly, matching her bet. "Tell me, Ambassador, do you often get out to socialize like this?" he asked.
“Not as much as I would like,” Qinee said. “The demands of the job and all that. Mostly boring diplomatic functions. This certainly is…different,” she said with a smile, eying a naked male Rowa’ni as he came by with a tray of delicacies.
"Mortimer?" Liam asked indicating the table. "Are you matching?" He wasn't sure if the other man knew the game or not.
"Of course." Out came that genial smile again, both condescending and slightly sycophantic at the same time. It said that he wouldn't dream of being so rude not to. He placed his chips.
"Well, hopefully our little welcome to all the delegations won't be too boring for you," Liam added.
Qinee shrugged. “They’re all the same. Posturing and veiled insults. Sometimes it would be nicer if someone actually would put a dagger in someone’s ribs. Certainly more exciting!” she said with a cackling laugh as Tianys dealt out the next card. The Ferengi ambassador eyed her developing hand critically. “Certainly not my ribs, though,” Qinee chuckled. “And I know you Hew-mans abhor such bloodsports. Ferengi do, too. But if the Klingons, Romulans, and Cardassians want to have their fun…”
"I hope we have risen above medieval tactics," Sir Mortimer said. "Although I will admit that they once served an ancestor of mine very well."
"I would rather," Liam said firmly, "that they have their ‘fun’ outside the diplomatic arena." He didn't want his first big event ending with any daggers in ribs. "Besides, the main summit chamber is far too beautiful architecture to be tainted by dripping blood." He cocked an eyebrow in interest at the first flop card suddenly in the middle. He realized now he really did want to look at his hold cards, but had to ignore the urge. He had committed to that course of action now.
Liam took another sip of his beer and found himself relaxing into the atmosphere, waiting for the further cards to come.
Though he had not touched his drink, the atmosphere and the perceived aura of the card sharp had left Sir Mortimer feeling somewhat raffish. Sir Mortimer leant slightly towards Liam. "What happens now?" he asked in a breath, his lips not moving as he did so.
"Our lovely host deals more flop cards and then we have another round of betting of which the Ambassador will go first," Liam said quietly to his colleague. He had played this before. It was coming back to him.
Sir Mortimer groaned inwardly. "And people regularly do this for pleasure," he said to no one in particular.
Liam grinned inwardly. Mortimer was definitely of another time. Perhaps to get him comfortable he had to reach him in that time? "Some do; mainly for the thrill that they might win big. Did they not play and bet on games of chance in medieval times? It can't be a new concept," he asked.
Sir Mortimer coughed. "One of my ancestors had quite a reputation in the eighteenth century. He made and lost a fortune many times over. Not quite out of the top drawer, something of a rake, you understand. His profession is listed in the family bible as a professional gambler." He paused for a moment, reflecting on the more colorful side of his background. "I believe he ended up in the colonies."
"Your family history sounds much more interesting than mine," Liam stated. "The Fifteenth House would never have a professional gambler. Maybe that's where they are going wrong?" He snorted. Tianys put down another card; again Liam fought the urge to look at his two on the table.
"When one can trace one's line back to the Normans one is sure to have the odd skeleton in their past. You must tell me some more about your lineage at some point," Sir Mortimer smiled and looked again at his cards. Unlike his raffish long dead relative, this was not his game.
"Ah, well, that's somewhat problematic, Mortimer, as right now," Liam said, "I'm kind of dead to the family."
Tianys dealt the final card. Liam looked to the ambassador for it was hers next to play.
Qinee had stilled, her face all business now as she studied the developing hand before her. Finally she pushed in some chips, a rather sizable raise. “One hundred,” she said.
Though not exactly proud of the knowledge, Sir Mortimer knew that the next round was to bet, to equal or raise the stakes. "One hundred," he said sliding his own chips across.
"One hundred." Liam grinned tossing in his own chips. "Ambassador?" he queried wondering what she would do.
“Check,” she said, looking to Tianys for the next card.
The Rowa’ni dealt the next card to the center.
“Interesting,” Qinee said, her beady little eyes studying the two males for their reactions for several long moments. “Five hundred,” she said, pushing forward the chips.
"And I call it," Liam said, happily throwing his five hundred also in.
“You are brave, Lieutenant.” Qinee gave a snaggle-toothed smile.
"Too rich for my taste I'm afraid," Sir Mortimer said, folding his cards and laying them face down together. "I think I'll take the opportunity to get another drink."
"Brave," Liam laughed. "Nope. Probably more stupid," he added. "But we need to rectify what happened. Okay, then let’s see those cards," he told her.
Qinee slowly revealed her hole card, showing a full house. She waited for Liam’s and stared as he revealed a full house as well, only slightly higher.
“Hmmm…well played, Starfleet,” the Ferengi said with a scowl as Tianys collected the chips and pushed them over to Liam. “That is quite the win.”
Liam looked stunned at the chips. He had done everything he could to lose. How could he have been that lucky? He was never that lucky playing to win. This was not going the way he wanted it too. He decided to try a different tact. What if they kept playing and he kept winning. The situation would not be resolved.
"Ambassador," Liam stated. "If I was to donate, I don't know, the sum of 1000," he looked at the chips, making the calculations, making sure that Qinee got back her stake, "to the Ferengi embassy could we consider that making amends between us for the incident occurred? I know it’s not officially above board, but with the situation as things are, it’s unlikely I can settle things in the proper fashion. What do you think?" he asked hopefully.
Qinee considered the matter a moment, and then nodded. “That is quite more than we were originally asking for our rescue of the children,” she said. “I cannot stop my employees from bringing their own private civil actions against Starfleet,” she pointed out, “but as far as the embassy is concerned, it is acceptable.”
Ambassador Qinee
Ferengi Ambassador
NPC Caleb Ryan
Underambassador Nazl
Diplomatic Attaché
NPC Caleb Ryan
Tianys Dalav’ni
Owner, Lotus Lounge
NPC Caleb Ryan
Lieutenant (jg) Liam Reynolds
Chief Diplomatic Officer
Sir Mortimer Praxis GCB, KBE, MVO, MA (Oxon)
Senior Diplomatic Advisor
NPC by Louise
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