Drink with me

Posted on 30 Aug 2018 @ 4:52pm by Commander Luke Wyatt & Petty Officer 3rd Class Constantin Vansen

3,008 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Avondale Shipyard - The Tri Bar
Timeline: MD 139, 2100

ON:

Constantin Vansen had a thing for bars. It was a mixture of the people, who usually came out because it was a better alternative than staying in the quarter, as well as the atmosphere. Having spent so long alone in his childhood, it was a lot better to surround yourself with people. He was out of uniform, opting instead for black canvas trousers and a dark blue henley over a black vest top. Clothes, for him, were not just to look good in. Although he was still vain enough to think about things like that. No. He tended to wear things off duty that could be helpful if off duty suddenly became 'the ship is in danger and everything will blow up'...which in Starfleet happened more often than any recruitment poster would ever claim.

Constantin had found his preferred position in the bar too. Against the counter, on a barstool, a beer in his hand and his eyes towards the stars outside. Without doubt, the best view for him. Also granted his access to turn his head and see pretty much every single person in the bar. Good for recognising familiar faces, although he didn't know many people. He wasn't quite clean-shaven. Stubble had already started taking over his face. His hair, still a bit longish, was free and almost reached his jaw. He would get it cut soon, before it became a problem with the uniform. After all, he was trying to be a good little enlisted. He tipped his head back slightly as he drank from the bottle, enjoying the taste of the cold beer, the slight hoppy, almost sour notes of it. Refreshing. Light. He had to admit, beer was a great invention. He wished he could drink more of it but between his diets and exercise and medication he tended to try and stay sober.

Walking into the small bar of the Schofield Abbey stood to scan the crowd before her. Today she was sporting her normal bar get up, long camo tank top, black denim jeans with hair worn down. As usual, her Terran Empire pin was barely visible clasped on a belt loop above her right pocket. The brief scan didn't reveal anyone she knew so she decided to head straight to the bar, at least the bartender there could hold a decent conversation.

Sitting down on the bar stool she used her normal icebreaker and ordered a beer, as usual, the bartender remarked how unladylike it was and suggested a strawberry daiquiri and also like usual Abbey laughed before stating she was far from a lady. It wasn't till after she received her drink that she noticed the person she was sat next to, without thinking she said "Constantin Vansen, isn't this a surprise" She said with a teasing tone, the man sat beside her looked younger than she remembered maybe it was because he didn't have the years of battles behind him and that gorgeous scar running across his face. Abbey actually had crushed on the assassin go bounty hunter for a while until he tried to kill her for the lousy sum of 50 bars of gold press Latinum but this man had a totally different look about him, not that he wasn't handsome... Just different to what she was used to.

Constantin looked at her with surprise at hearing his name. The smile that came to him was slow but filled with charm and he shifted in his seat, swinging around with surprising grace. He leant closer, searching her eyes, his own taking her in. "I'm sorry...I don't think I know you. Or if I do...I am grateful you don't slap me and I'm sorry I forgot? I must have been...drunk..."

She chuckled "Don't flatter yourself, it was a different time and place... Literately but you are surprisingly similar to the Constantin" Abbey held out her left hand since her right was occupied as she sipped her drink looking over the rim of the glass. "Abbey St James, We actually haven't met before," she said. The mysterious approach not usually her type of game but his reaction was cute and funny.

He held his beer lightly in his right hand, by the neck, tilting his head as he took her words, analysed them and came to a conclusion. "Well, good for him and shame for me. It's nice to meet you, Abbey St James. What is a sterile Starfleet bar doing with a girl like you?"

Abbey shrugged the hair on her shoulders falling off to one side as a result. Her now half full glass now resting on the bar too. “If you haven’t noticed already there is s serious lack of weapon systems and a well-stocked armoury, so I’m bored and when I’m bored I do things. So this bar is me trying to avoid those things. This ship wouldn’t last two seconds in the Terran Empire, I’ve seen garbage scows more heavily armed! And what is a sterile Starfleet bar doing with a guy like you?” She said returning his question.

He sipped his beer, taking a few gulps of it to stall while he considered what to say. He lowered the bottle and licked his lips, chuckling. "It's the best view on the ship without going outside," he admitted, in honesty. Because it was. Oh, it was. "You know, you must have seen some pretty advanced garbage scows. Starfleet ships are decently armed. Sure, some smugglers and a lot of the other fighting species have a lot more...but it isn't all in the brawl..." he tapped his temple and grinned. "Got to have a tactical mind too. Be smart about it. Of course..." he rolled his shoulders and placed his now empty bottle down. "That's just my point of view. And as an Operations Officer, I can safely say...all that is out of my league."

She shrugged “Well I know that you have a tactical mind locked away in their somewhere” Abbey pointed to his head and finished the rest of her drink quickly. “Are you going to get a girl another drink?” She flashed a smile and raised her eyebrows. “Just enough and I can think of a few things that could be within your league”

Constantin chuckled as he looked at her before he motioned for the bartender. "Another beer and whatever the lady wants," he said before he looked at her, studying her. "I almost dread to thing. I must be twice your age." But damn...she was a stunner.

She shook her head her hair bouncing across her shoulders as she did, “Nope, not much I don’t think so! Unless you’re 36... in which case you put most 36-year-olds to shame. Abbey took her drink as the bartender slid both glasses down next to them. “So what Starfleet? And why operations? I know you have a mean streak about you! Do you know much about the ‘mirror universe’” She emphasised her home universe with air questions marks and a roll of her eyes.

He looked at her, two fingers going to rest against his temple so he could just take a moment and reset his mind to all the talking she was doing. "29," he said after a moment. "And...Starfleet's the only way to get into space so...space. Besides, I repair things. So Operations. Easy, easy..." he let his hand drop and flashed her a charm-filled smile. "And I...have never heard of the mirror universe."

“It seems to be a recurring thing, like Starfleet likes to hides things from their people as much as the empire did... where do I start?” She paused for a moment. “Most people describe it as an evil Starfleet. Generally Xenophobic and rule most of the galaxy. When the Vulcans came to earth instead of meeting them open handed they killed them and took their ship using the technology to make our first warship. A few decades or so later you have the Terran Empire, your evil-doing Starfleet. Which I and you and most of this ship was a part of. Your counterpart was a particularly skilled assassin and bounty hunter who I worked with for a while.” She explained in the most simplistic of terms. “Only difference, other than he had more assassinations under his belt than you probably do is a handsome scar “ she pointed along his face where it had been. “Very handsome indeed” she smiled having another sip of her drink

. “I am from that universe, so I do and see things in a different way. Which is why I think starfleet likes to keep me near my adoptive father and near this crew since they’re really the only people who know my story.” Abbey way back slightly before crossing on leg over the other. “Think that’s the quickest I can explain it all.”

Vansen just stared at her, his jaw a bit slack, his eyes wide. He swallowed before letting out a breath. "Wow," he said and shook his head. "And here I thought I had a messed up past..." he took his new drink and took a large drink of it, closing his eyes. "Handsome Assassin, huh? I...don't think I have ever killed anyone." Although he liked the idea of her thinking he was handsome. It made him wonder what his other universe self looked like. Most likely more like...an Earther. Muscles, more bulk. Less chance of bones breaking.

“The Empire wasn’t all that bad mostly a lot of propaganda but yeah it wasn’t the greatest either, killing isn’t for the faint-hearted.” She let out a slow breath and followed the man with a large sip. “So tell me about your version of things? How did you grow up?” Abbey asked showing genuine interest.

"On a ship in space," Vansen said as he looked at her, surprised at the interest and not ashamed of it. "My parents didn't want anything to do with the Federation so bought a rustbucket and off they went. I was born there and raised there...downside of that is that I am not that good with...gravity."

“A spacer huh? I was born on the Terran Cruiser Portsmouth so we do have something in common after all.” Abbey sipped her drink again in thought to her next line of questions. “How come you eventually joined Starfleet if your parents hated the federatin? “

"They got sick. Dad died," Vansen said as he smiled weakly. "My Mam, she was pretty far gone so I sent out a distress call. We got picked up by the Marco Polo. I was 15. They evacuated us and...and I thought I was going to die. I couldn't even handle 1G back then. I am better now. On some good medication, a good diet and a lot of exercises to keep my body up for it. So...when I was at a level they'd accept me, of course I applied to Starfleet. To pay back for what they did for me. And to get out in space."

“I’ve heard worse reason for wanting to join and I’m sorry for your loss.” She said sadly before trying to perk things up again “You could have become an assassin geared across an empire so I think you turned out all right. Anyway! I’ve asked more than enough questions feel free to chime in at any time it’s only fair and the one about the Mirror Universe was a freebie”

He looked at her with interest as he considered it, raising an eyebrow. "So how old are you? I know, I know, not meant to ask a lady that but..." he gave a small shrug, chuckling. "I told you how old I was and I am bad at telling ages on people. Like...really bad."

"Do I really look that much of a lady?" She said with a chuckle, "I will only tell you on the pretence you buy me another drink? It is not often I meet someone that can hold a decent bar conversation and I'm enjoying your company." Abbey finished her second drink of the night, its effect slowly beginning to make itself known.

"Sure, I will buy you another..." Vansen said and sipped his beer, not even half-way through it. But he still motioned the bartender over and asked for another for Abbey, watching the woman with some curiosity. "Isn't a bar conversation just a conversation though?"

Abbey thought for a moment “Yes and no I like to see it as an opportunity to say things and express yourself in ways you wouldn’t usually let’s say at work with a colleague. There’s also the added mystery of just walking up to someone in a bar and talking to them” she explained as the bartender brought her next drink though she had decided to savour this one.

"Huh," Vansen nodded at the words, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Well, I have to admit, I like conversation no matter what form it ends up taking."

“I suppose you’re right,” She said nonchalantly. “Do you reckon you’ll make a career out of Starfleet it just to the short stint before doing something else?” Abbey asked genuinely.

"I...I want to be out here," Vansen said and shook his head, slowly. "Starfleet gives me that. I...my priority was getting out here. Now I just need to make sure that I stay out where I belong. In the black."

"I can appreciate that, I think being in space is where I belong too. I think I'll live forever out here and one day I'll die, whether it's because of a cause I believe in or when I am grey and old" Abbey smiled at the thought as she sipped at her drink finishing the contents of it and placing the glass on the countertop its contents now warming her body.

"Or a random accident," Vansen said lightly before he suddenly smiled. "It's the way the majority of Starfleet causalities go nowadays. Random ship failures and away team accidents..."

"I'm sure either way we'll be fine for the foreseeable future, anyways this conversation has got a little sombre don't you think? And I'm out of alcohol and the will to drink it anyway! Would you walk with me? I don't want to fall victim to a Randon station failure now would I and the station is sort of peaceful this time of night" Abbey asked standing up from her stool only slightly lightheaded.

Vansen took one look at her stance before he nodded and stood, moving to her side. "I'll walk you to your quarters," he said, as simple as that. He was ready to crawl into his bed anyway. Drinking had been a good excuse to not sit and mope.

She smiled gratefully and said her goodbyes to the bartender, as she went to walk out the bar she slipped her hand through his turning to him "For balance" She said not that she needed an excuse to do so, she gathered in her current state he would have helped her anyway. "It's not far, I promise" She added as they left the bar.

"I can still have walked it, even if it was far away," Constantin said lightly with a playful smile. "So don't worry..." he added before he looked ahead. "And hopefully we won't need to go by the brig either. Don't want to spend another night in one of those."

"Yes I think avoiding the brig tonight is a good idea. I'd like to hear how you would have ended up in one, you seem to sweet to have done anything wrong" She said genuinely thinking about what sort of misgiving would end him up in the clink.

Constantin smiled at the words, shaking his head with a chuckle. "It involved dancing, a fight I didn't want to be a part of and a chair..." he said lightly. "Details for another time."

"Well, you have to tell me them when I don't feel so tired," She said with a yawn emphasising the matter. "Do you have far to go? I'd hate to be an inconvenience to you" Abbey said only slightly protesting, in truth, she enjoyed his company.

"I'll be fine. Let's just get you to your place and then I'll head on," Constantin said playfully as he looked at her. And she did sound tired.

The walk didn't take long, Abbey made small talk with Constantin and he made her laugh she was enjoying the company, perhaps the last real company she'd share from someone of the Galileo Crew. As they neared her quarters she sighed "Well here we are" She said having sobered up in the fresh air and knowing that all that awaited her was a sore head and spinning room.

He nodded and smiled, pulling back from her slightly, but made sure she had a balance. "Well, good night. And thank for the talk. Don't forget to hydrate," he added the last with a cheeky smile, because no one drunk ever wanted to drink water. He certainly didn't!

Abbey hung for a moment in the doorway, "You don't want to tuck me in?" She teased wanting the company to last that little bit extra before she let out a sigh. "Thank you, Constantin," She said leaning forward and kissing him on the cheek.

Constantin kissed her cheek in return before he chuckled warmly. "More than welcome. Sweet dreams, Abbey..." he said before he pulled away, turning to head towards his own quarters.

Abbey lingered in her doorway for a moment watching him leave, a few months ago she would have already had him in her bed. Oh how this universe had changed her she thought as she too turned and walked inside, the room already spinning as the lights dimmed.

[OFF]

Ensign Abbey St James
Security Officer

PO3 Constantin Vansen
Operations

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