The Beauty that is Yours

Posted on 22 Mar 2014 @ 8:47am by Commander Norvi Stace & Ensign Matthew Plumeri

866 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 05 - Solstice
Location: Corbiere's - San Francisco
Timeline: MD 31 - 1230 hrs

ON:

Having spent nearly a week back on Trill, and over a week travelling back and to via special transport, Lieutenant Norvi Stace had now returned to the Sol system in order to finalise her life a week or so before returning to active duty. Her time on Trill in her country retreat had reset her mind and recharged her batteries. She was now in the frame of mind to organise and administer the new science department in her own image, so to speak, and she was chomping at the bit to get her hands on the challenge.

She'd managed to secure quarters back in the science division of Headquarters and had unpacked within twenty minutes. The sun outside was bright, and yet the clear winter's day was brisk in temperature. She had missed Earth. Having downed two espressos, the Trill was now ready to face the day, but more importantly, grab some dinner.

The special transport that had ferried her across space was nice enough, but the food, in contrast, had been terrible. She had spent the first two days on it tearing her cabin's food replicator apart to try and fix it, but to no avail. She was now sincerely looking forward to chowing down on some heart-warmingly stodgey comfort-food. As she walked into Corbiere's, a French restaurant on the outskirts of San Francisco, she took a seat at the bar and enjoyed perusing the menu at her leisure.

"You should try the french onion-soup.", Ensign Matthew Plumeri said from the table across from hers. "They make it fresh here everyday." He pursed his lips and made the 'magnifique' sound with his lips and his fingers 'Mmmmwoaaaaa!' , "It is the best in the city as far as I'm concerned."

He smiled back at her. He wasn't in his uniform and was enjoying some downtime as well. He wore khaki colored pants and black shoes. His blue buttoned up shirt was open at the top and his A-shirt underneath shone through a cool, bright white. The sleeves were rolled up to his forearms and the sunlight streaming in through the window highlighted his short spiky blond hair.

"I hope I wasn't being too forward there in offering a suggestion?"

Stace smiled, and cocked her head to one side, quickly glancing down at the menu again to locate the soup. She glanced back up and then furrowed her brow in an amused almost playful expression. In truth, since her conversation with Kohl via subspace back on Trill, she hadn't really spoken with anyone save for arranging her quarters and transport, and welcomed a personal exchange even if it were with a stranger. Her emerald eyes pierced through the space between them mockingly; over the menu in her slender hand and across the table. "A girl can't just live on soup though, can she?" she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Waiter," she then said turning to the man brushing past her table and raising her hand for his attention, "I think I'll order the 12 ounce steak, please. Rare. And with all the trimmings." As she spoke, she eyed the stranger once with a confident yet knowing look. "Oh, and a bottle of something strong. Maybe your single malt?"

"Lady knows what she wants." Matt said as he laughed and smiled back at her. "Rare too. The steak. Not the fact that a lady knows what she wants." He offered an apologetic commentary. He finished off his dopio espresso and said, "I'm free this afternoon. Just 'in town' so to speak. I could even help you burn off some of that rare steak with all the trimmings that you ordered." He playfully grinned at her. Totally enjoying the repartee with this beautiful, strange woman seated at the next table. He wondered...how far do the spots go down?

Norvi cleared her throat and broke eye contact with the man sitting across the other table from her, glancing down to the tumbler of scotch that had just arrived on the white-linnened table from the waiter. She clasped her hand around it and poured the contents into her mouth in one fell swoop, swallowing it quickly without savouring the taste. "I imagine, sir, that you wouldn't quite be able to put up the competition I'd need for such a feat." She looked back to him, a mock disdain now adorning her fair and freckled features. "I mean, I'm not claiming to have been the best, but I was on the First team of the Science Division's academy Hover Ball squad. And we won. A lot. But I am more of a long distance runner in my old age."

"Hmmm?? Sounds like a challenge to me? I like a challenge. Mind if I sit with you? Like I said, I've a bit of free time and...you are so interesting!"

Indicating to the waiter again to freshen up her glass, Norvi raised her hand and then pointed to the glass with a smile. She then turned to face the man on the other table. "I don't see why not. Please, join me."

[TRUNCATED]

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LT Norvi Stace
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

ENS Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer
USS Nimitz

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