Try, Try Again

Posted on 14 Feb 2015 @ 6:58am by Clarence Pearl & Laeon Wylde

2,324 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84 - Bar
Timeline: MD 10 - 1630

ON:

Clarence smiled as he entered the bar, ready for his shift. It was going to be busy later but he didn't mind. It was one of those things that he could deal with. He walked through and behind the bar, nudging the other barman. "Anything I should know?"

"There's a child annoying me," the bartender said, with a frown. "Keep an eye on him, he's a sneaky little one."

Laeon looked around, holding his drink close, pursing his lips. He had been wondering around alone, getting a feel for the base and what was on offer. He glanced to the barmen, seeing the change over with a small smile. The teenage looking youth moved to the new one, handing the small slide across. "I'll have a martini, thanks...."

Clarence watched him before smiling, leaning closer to him. "How about something...else? I make a mean virgin cocktail you'd love."

Laeon held his eyes, stubbornness in his own for a moment. "I'm pretty old you know...."

Clarence gave a small nod, watching his eyes. "Afraid I still can't serve you alcohol or synthol. Not worth losing my license over."

Laeon frowned, glancing down. "I'm 50 years old!" he leant on the bar, shaking his head. "You're as bad as your friend."

Clarence chuckled, nodding at the words. "Yes, I am. For the same reason. We follow the rules given to us. I can't serve you alcohol or synthol."

Laeon frowned, shaking his head with frustration, rubbing his forehead with the palm of his hand. "You know, I'm pretty much older than everyone else on the ship," he said quietly, sighing. "Okay, just give me anything then."

He chuckled, watching him fondly as he nodded. He started to make a virgin cocktail. Something...fruity with a kick of heat and bitterness to give the appearance of alcohol. "What ship are you on then?" he asked, with a small smile.

"USS Galileo," he looked to him, finally giving a small, half smile. "I...my ship. I live on, don't work on. My father is a doctor there."

Clarence nodded, watching his eyes for a moment. "There's a lot of you Galileo people here," he admitted, grinning. "Good thing I will be going with you."

He watched with surprise, leaning to him with a sudden grin. "I mean...I'm a Lieutenant..."

He laughed warmly and nodded, shaking the drink. "Well, what's your name then, Lieutenant 50 year old but father is a doctor?"

A small, playful smile came to him with the game being up, but still fun to play. "Laeon, Sir. That smells good...."

"I'm Clarence...no Sir," he said and smiled as he took a chilled tall glass, adding some ice cubes before pouring the liquid over. "Never been much for Sirs."

"It seems to be what everyone calls each other here," Laeon smiled softly, shaking his head with a gentle chuckle. "It is confusing."

"I know..." he offered him the drink, a weak smile coming to him. "I find it confusing too. So I just don't call anyone Sir. If people are desperate for that sort of respect, they can tell me."

Laeon watched him with a smile of awe at that, liking the idea of it. "Clarence. I have never heard that name before. It's nice. It...rings."

"It's...old," he said and shrugged, with a small smile. "I like it too, even if some find it strange."

"What does it mean?" he asked with curiosity, tilting his head to the side with gentle eyes.

"I...don't know," he said and frowned, clearing thinking it over. "I think it is a family name, somewhere down the line."

"That is good then...honour and strength," Laeon reached for the glass, pulling it close to smell. "Can I try it?"

"It's yours," Clarence said and grinned, nodding. "Try it. See if you like it...it might be a bit spicy."

He leant forward to take a small sip, smiling around the straw as the tang and heat hit his tongue. "That's wonderful..." he sighed, quickly taking hold of the straw to take more, the tingle on his tongue making him shiver.

"It...I was trying to replicate the warmth of alcohol," he said with a grin, pleased that the boy enjoyed the drink. It was still quiet so it made sense to take care of the lad.

"It...it reminds me of home," he said softly, enjoying the moment with a small smile, looking down. "Spice and heat. Warmth and herbs."

"Tell me of your home?" he asked as he moved to cut some lemons, but watched the boy.

Laeon watched him, his blue-violet eyes honest as he rubbed his finger down the edge of the glass. "Unique," he said softly. "My people, we....have Talents. Many different types. It forged a culture, a city....a beautiful place, where the differences in us all made something bigger and better."

Clarence smiled at that, watching closely as he let out a breath. His imagination ignited, he leant closer. "Tell me...what was it that made you all feel so special?"

"That Talent...they were....unique gifts, things that not all others could do," he smiled gently to him, shaking his head. "Some could feel and hear other people's thoughts. Others could move things by will. My father is a Transferer. He can transfer from himself to another person, or the other way. Thoughts, feelings, Talents, energy...it means he can heal people. It's why he had to be a doctor."

"And...you?" he asked softly, searching his eyes with wonder. These abilities...their brain had to be so different, their bodies so different. It was strange to hear about things like that, how different ones could manifest in the same species. "What are you finding yourself doing?"

"Not much yet," he admitted, giving a half smile before sighing. "I suppose you have found me out anyway. I am still young for my people, it's only just starting in me. But...I catch things."

Clarence tilted his head, watching his eyes. "It's when you're...developing that everything just rushes at you. Just...remember that nothing is that important that you should feel miserable over it. Yeah?"

Laeon smiled softly at that, holding his eyes for a long moment. "You don't feel miserable. Not anymore."

He smiled at that, nodding as he touched his hand, a friendly gesture. "You're right. I'm not. Not anymore. And neither should you be..."

Laeon smiled softly, looking down into his glass, letting out a gentle breath. "There's not many of us left anymore," he said quietly, shrugging with a frown. "Not many who...understand."

He watched his face, searching his features before smiling gently. "I...no one really admits this. But even when there's millions of you, few will ever understand...you. Only those who love you can truly understand you. And even then it comes hard at times," he winked, smiling gently. "You are special. For who you are, not what. I'm sorry about your people...but you are the best example of them the Federation could have."

Laeon searched his eyes at the words, the feeling making his throat tighten as he let out a shaking breath. "Does it feel the same for everyone then?"

"I think we...all perceive it the same, regardless," he said as he watched the boy, giving him a gentle and warm smile. "But everyone's different too...inside. How they react is different too."

"How did you react?" he asked softly, but his eyes held his with the kind of honesty that youth brought.

"Badly, when I was young," he admitted as he held his eyes. "I wasn't quite...level. I thought everything was my responsibility."

"And was it?" he asked, but with a soft smile as he leant closer to him, his fair hair falling forward with the motion.

"In the end, no...no, the world isn't my responsibility. To think it was..." he looked down, smiling to himself. "Arrogance and madness."

Laeon shook his head with a soft smile as he looked down. "No....no, just, misunderstanding."

He looked at him, his eyes gentle as he watched his face. "Misplacing priorities too."

"It's all you hear though," Laeon smiled softly, shrugging gently as he stroked the cool glass. "At least it was at home. You grow up with stories of heroes and people who made a difference. Great inspirations and role models."

"Great, only no one tells you that they all have flaws too," Clarence said as he shook his head, smiling. "But you learn that too after awhile."

"When I am all grown up you mean," he chuckled softly, looking down with a crooked smile, sighing gently. "I suppose so. Maybe."

"You seem to be getting there just fine," Clarence said and touched his shoulder, reassuringly.

His smile brightened with the words and he reached to squeeze his wrist with gratitude. "I hear alcohol helps with that...."

He laughed warmly, his eyes gentle as he shook his head. "No, but if your father comes and says you can have a drink, I will make you one drink. But only if he says it."

"He is busy....as usual," he shrugged, looking around with a soft whistle. "He said I could explore though. He trusts me."

"Takes a lot to get that sort of trust," Clarence said and smiled warmly, shaking his head. "When he gets here, okay?"

Laeon nodded with a small smile, sipping the drink gently, sighing with the warmth it brought. "I suppose that'll do."

~~~~

"Here...eat these," Clarence placed down the spicy sweet potato fries, his eyes warm. Laeon had ended up spending the evening here and after awhile Clarence had started feeding him. It was oddly quiet anyway tonight...maybe the Galileo crew were hungover or something.

"Mmm...." Laeon pushed one into his mouth eagerly, just the smell making his mouth water. "How did you know I was starving! You're a betazoid in disguise, aren't you!"

"God no, I'd never want to know what was going on in someone else's mind!" Clarence laughed warmly, shaking his head. "You just...have been here awhile."

"He is always hungry," Alexion Wylde assured as he approached them both with a smile of amusement, one hand slipped comfortably into his pocket.

Clarence smiled to the man, watching him before nodding. That had to be Laeon's father. The resemblance was there. "Can I get you a drink?"

"Please, I will take..." he glanced over his shoulder in thought, pressing his lips together for a moment. "Some kind of dark beer...ale?"

"I can get that for you," he said and smiled, moving to get the ale. "How are you doing today, Doctor?"

"Doctor?" Alexion arched an eyebrow with surprise before chuckling, shaking his head at Laeon. "Been talking."

Laeon gave a small, almost playful smile, shrugging lightly. "It got me food....?"

"If you are hungry as well, I can get you something," Clarence said and smiled, arching an eyebrow.

"Something filling," Alexion chuckled, moving to sit next to his son with a soft sigh. "I hope he has not been in your way?"

"He hasn't...he's been good company," he said and smiled, moving to press the com. "Can I have two bowls of the spicy stew of the day..." he asked the chef before turning to face Alexion.

"Alexion," he offered, holding his hand out in the human way, hoping he was not making a mistake in his heritage.

He took the hand, shaking it as he smiled to him. "Clarence. It's nice to meet you, Alexion."

"Clarence is a....mixologist?" Laeon looked back to Clarence to make sure he'd remembered it correctly.

"Yes I am," Clarence grinned, his eyes shining as he patted the bar. "I make the cocktails happen."

"Oh...oh!" Alexion blinked, shaking his head quickly. "Then I shall have to try one. Anything...with an edge. Strong, dark and spiced."

"Okay, I can do that," Clarence said and turned to face the bottles. He took the spiced rum, a vodka he had with chillies in, some limes, some mint and a normal dark rum. He then glanced at the fruit juices before picking the pineapple to counter the spice.

Alexion watched with interest, his head tilting as he wondered how he would make so many different flavours work together.

"He is a very clever," Laeon leant to whisper to his father.

Alexion glanced to him with surprise, a small smile coming to his features. "He said that?"

"No...I just know," Laeon smiled to him, nodding with honest eyes.

Clarence grinned as he stirred the drink, watching what he was doing carefully. "Well, sometimes, you need something...different."

"What is your favourite?" Alexion asked with genuine curiosity, watching his work with eager eyes.

"Mine? I...Moscow Mule. A classic, I know, and rather straight forward. But I love it," he admitted almost shyly, adding slices of fresh chilli as garnish.

He watched with awe; he loved chillies but had never had them in a drink before. "That sounds...unusual," he chuckled.

"I know..." he said and offered the drink over. "Try it...see if you like it, Alexion."

He sipped it, closing his eyes with a sigh at the strong hit of alcohol that was warmed with the heat of the spice and chilli. "Now that is perfect. Does it have a name?"

"Not yet..." he said as he smiled warmly, shaking his head. "I can come up with one."

"Firebrand," Alexion grinned, sliding it over for Laeon to try. "You can just make things up like that?"

"I like that name..." he said with awe and nodded. "I can. It can sometimes go wrong of course..."

Alexion chuckled softly at the words, shaking his head as his eyebrows lifted. "Ah, but that, Clarence, is what makes life interesting..."

OFF:

Clarence Pearl
Mixologist
USS Galileo
[PNPC Markos]

Laeon Wylde
Civilian Crew Family
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

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