BACKPOST: Aftermath, Part 2

Posted on Mon Jan 8, 2018 @ 3:45pm by Commander Caleb Ryan & Lieutenant Liam Reynolds

1,408 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Victory Conditions
Location: Gino's
Timeline: RUMOURS MD 8 2000

"I'll be going to speak with this Lucent Speer personally then," Liam grumbled. "They should have had my office in the loop, and I should have got to speak to you. What happened at the tribunal? If you can talk about it?"

“Ambassador Speer of the Lissepians chaired the tribunal. Ambassador Qinee of the Ferengi was on it, as was Commodore Pierce of the Nemesis, Ambassador D'Aerrol of Romulus, Sujan Marrah and Kavan Fosset, Cardassians. Turval had brought a prosecutor in. We defended ourselves. They brought in one of the Cardassian soldiers, and the little girl we met, all grown up now, and then they had Bretav, the little boy, take the stand.” He shook his head. “Ah presented an’ summarized the official report an’ laid out our defense. Must have been an adequate job, because…” He gestured to his steak.

Liam nodded. "They still should have brought in someone from my team. Especially if you had other ambassadors there. I'll still speak to the Lissepians. They had no right to just beam you into cells, nor have their own establishment to be able to do that on the station. I'm pretty sure there's some literature around that in all the treaties with other races specific to our station."

“No kiddin’,” Caleb said darkly. “Ah was as surprised as you are ta find mahself locked up. We’re supposed ta be holdin’ prisoners for them until they can be transported.” He shook his head. “Ah s’pose they’ll argue exceptional circumstances, given who the prisoners were, but still…”

"Well, if I find what I think legally I can find on the running of their own cells, I'll get it to you. That racket needs shutting down ASAP. Who knows what else they have going on there. They can't just take justice into their own hands," Liam stated.

“That’s what Ah told ‘em,” Caleb said. “She’s hidin’ behind that treaty. Why the heck did the Federation sign that damn thing, anyway?” he asked, shaking his head. He sipped his beer.

Charlene sauntered over and set down a large slice of carrot cake, clearing away Caleb’s finished entree. “Ya want any dessert, hon?” Charlene asked Liam, flashing him a flirty smile.

"Tempting," Liam said, returning the smile. "What would you suggest? I can always go for a run in the morning. Work it off."

“The Death By Chocolate cake is ta die for, sugah,” Charlene said with a saucy smile at Liam. “It’s sinful,” she purred, leaning her hip against his arm flirtatiously.

"Well I do like chocolate and it's good to be bad sometimes," Liam laughed. "One slice please."

"We signed it as the Lissepians were offering to share with us some of their tech, and it guaranteed safety to many colonists in some of the more remote colonies. What we didn't envision was them seemingly getting in bed with the Cardassians," Liam told Caleb. "That's completely off the record, of course."

“Except the treaty provides no protection fer Starfleet personnel,” Caleb pointed out. “The Council shoulda never signed over it’s own authority over military discipline ta foreign powers.” He shook his head and skewered a bit of his carrot cake.

"I think you’re in with the waitress, by the way," Liam stated, sensing Charlene's fondness and attraction to the Human man.

Caleb nearly choked on his cake as he laughed. “Charlene?” he asked, giving Liam a grin. “Ya know she’s as much a hologram as this restaurant is, right?” he asked Liam.

"Really?" Liam reached out his senses, focusing solely on the waitress, and laughed after he found the sudden lull of emptiness. "Wowzers. So many people around here, the program had my senses fooled. It really draws you in, doesn't it? Huh." Liam looked confused, his eyes darting round the other faces in the crowded steakhouse. "Well, someone here fancies you. I'm definitely getting attraction in your direction off someone. You must have a secret admirer, Chief!"

Caleb flushed, glancing around. Was Opal here? He didn’t see her. He turned back to Liam. “Most of the staff are holograms.” He nodded to the big guy behind the bar. “Even Gino.” Caleb chuckled and bit into his cake again. “Spun off a failed holo-novel career inta a unique restaurant experience.” Caleb took a sip of his coffee. “So can ya tell who this admirer is?” he asked curiously. “Guess Ah’m not used ta noticin’ such attention since Ah got married. Always only had eyes fer Mika.”

"It could take me a while to zoom in with all these people and the Promenade in general, but yeah, sure," Liam said simply. The waitress returned and placed a large piece of indulgent looking chocolate cake in front of him. Liam picked up his spoon, snared a large scoop of the deliciousness, and chewed on it. Then he closed his eyes and started trying to wade through emotions and locate the person he had sensed previously. Beside him, he could sense Caleb was curious.

Sensing the person's emotions again, he opened his eyes and turned around to look at the bar area, then indicated it to Caleb. "Human lady, redhead in the purple sweater dress thing." She sat there drinking a glass of red wine. When she saw both men stare in her direction, she offered a shy smile and turned away.

Caleb returned the smile and gave a tip of his nonexistent hat to the woman. “Pretty thing,” he admitted. “Been outta the game a long time. Should Ah go over? Buy her a drink?”

Liam chuckled. "Do you want to?" he asked before popping another spoon of his chocolate dessert in his mouth.

“Ah don’t know,” Caleb admitted. “It is...flatterin’. But Ah’m kind of, not quite, maybe seein’ someone right now…” Caleb was unsure the status of his relationship with Opal. He sighed. He didn’t remember dating being this complicated. He’d had more than enough willing women at the Academy, but that all went away when he met Mika. The complication had come when Mika had Joined and he’d had to woo her again. She was almost a different person. But he still had loved her. She had warned him she wouldn’t be the same, and he had promised to be there for her when she returned, anyway. And she had returned, and he had managed to convince her to marry him.

Was he ready to do all that again? Even with Opal? Or should he keep his options open, like he had before he met Mika?

"Ah, kind of, maybe seeing," Liam grinned. "Been there. It is only a drink. You might make a new friend, if nothing further. Your call."

Caleb worried his lip. Then he gave the table a decisive slap. “Well, Ah ain’t no coward,” he said. He waved Charlene over.

“See that lady at the bar?” he asked the waitress. “Give her another of whatever she’s drinkin’, on me,” he said.

Charlene smiled. “Of course, Caleb,” she said, sauntering off.

"Smooth move," Liam stated, attacking what he assumed was some sort of brownie cake layer. He watched as one of the bar staff spoke with Charlene, smiled, and poured the lady in question another glass of vino. "Oh, she's happy and impressed. Very smooth." He grinned at the other man.

"Oh, she's coming over," Liam stated. He shovelled in the last of his cake.

"Hi," the redhead said. "I had to come over and thank you for the win. I'm Lamia." She held out her hand to Caleb.

Caleb stood from the table like a gentleman, taking her soft hand in his rough, calloused one. “Pleasure ta meet ya, Lamia,” Caleb drawled. “Caleb Ryan.” He was off duty, and so in civilian clothes, though nothing too fancy.

"And you are?" she turned and asked Liam.

Liam swallowed the last of his cake with a audible gulp. "Liam, and unfortunately I was just leaving. Please, have my seat." He stood up, pushing the empty dish away, and held the chair out for her. "I'll see you later, Chief. Have a good night." Liam shot the Human man with a wink and a smile before disappearing into the crowd.

TBC

Lieutenant Liam Reynolds
Chief Diplomatic Officer

Commander Caleb Ryan
Cheif of Security/Tactical

Charlene
Holographic waitress
NPC Caleb Ryan

Lamia
Attractive redhead
NPC Liam Reynolds

 

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