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Captain's Ready Room - Dinner is served

Posted May 28, 2020, 2:26 p.m. by Civilian Vorraye Anders (Diplomatic Attache) (Melissa Aragon)

Posted by Captain Alexander Cochrane (Commanding Officer) in Captain’s Ready Room - Dinner is served

Posted by Civilian Vorraye Anders (Diplomatic Attache) in Captain’s Ready Room - Dinner is served

The computer told Raye that once more the Captain was still in his ready room at nearly nineteen hundred hours. She sighed and glanced at herself once more in the mirror. She had actually taken time to look good, and not just casual, this evening. She ‘hadn’t’ planned on crossing the Bridge on her way, though. “Good thing they are used to seeing you nearly every night, Raye… or this would be ten times more awkward than it’s gonna be.”

She shook her head at her reflection then turned and headed for the corridor. At the table in her quarters she picked up the pair of dinner trays she had gotten for them. And in her other hand was a bottle of Scotch. The scotch was from a special collection she kept. She called it her ‘bribe box’. It was a private crate in the hold that contained various and assorted liquors, some jewelry from various races and tokens and vouchers in several different forms of currency. Sometimes she had to gift, or grease, to get things done… or thank those who helped her out.

Tonight, she had something different in mind. “Well, not ‘very’ different,” she laughed at herself stepping into the lift.

Coming out on the Bridge, she watched a few folks turn and one or two smiled in admiration. The Watch Commander smiled and nodded towards the room. “He’s in there, Raye. But my suggestion would be, with an outfit like that, you coax him to his quarters, first.” He laughed and waved a hand at her.

“Thanks, Braoadling. I’ll bear that in mind.” She blushed, despite her express desire being not to.

As she palmed the chime with her bottle laden hand, she smiled. She had her hair down, edges pulled back in two small clips. Her shirt top was well made, fit her just right and was sleeveless and a soft summer green. The leggings were a matching green with a deep emerald skirt that was cut higher in front and lower in back. A coil of gold wrapped around her neck and another matching one, wrapped around her wrist. Short ankle boots in the deep sapphire green completed the outfit.

Vorraye Anders
Diplomatic Attache

Cochrane’s said flatly “Come.” and the door slid open. As usual, he was seated behind his desk and waist deep in reports. His expression was one of slight annoyance and perturbed. He didn’t look up, he just “Yes? What is it?” His tone wasn’t short or curt, just… preoccupied.

Cochrane, CO

She stood there a moment and watched him with a soft smile on his face. He certainly needed a break.

Taking a breath and forcing her face to look neutral, she moved to the other side of the desk where there was some space and set the trays down. Her voice, low and even as if nothing were happening out of the ordinary. “So was breakfast or lunch your last meal, Cochrane?”

Vorraye Anders
Diplomatic Attache

Without looking up, he smiled and said “Ms. Anders. Now when did it become the purview of Federation Diplomats to make sure a ship captain was eating? Or am I just that problematic that you feel the need?” and he, finally, finished the report he was reading and looked up. A slight widening of his eyes indicated he did, indeed, see her out of the norm attire, but his face remained the same. “And to what do I owe the pleasure this evening?” and he smiled fully.

Cochrane, CO

She had seen the eyes and glanced back down swiftly, pretending she hadn’t. “Well, when I returned and we spoke, I told you I was going to make sure you ate.” She opened the trays and set one before him. Passing him a drink as well, she smiled and sat down in the seat across from him. “I was occupied last night. And something tells me if you ate, it was late, minimalistic and you probably don’t even recall.” She laughed. “Now what kind of person would I be if I failed to do what I promised? Can’t have the Captain passing out from malnutrition, now can we?”

Raye
Diplomat

He laughed and said “You did indeed make that promise, yes. And while I do appreciate the reminder, and no I didn’t eat dinner, I would never hold you to that promise. I know your schedule is almost as horrendous as mine is.” and he looked down to see what was on the tray.

Cochrane, CO

She smiled as she took a bite of her own meal. Lasagna with garlic bread, salad and a slice of chocolate cake were what he was looking at. The Scotch bottle, sitting on the end of the desk, was untouched… unmentioned.

She took a sip from her cup of tea and smiled. “I have to eat… and eating with you is an enjoyment I cherish.” She looked at him. She wasn’t overly flirtatious, but she wanted him to know it wasn’t a chore, it was a pleasure.

Raye
Diplomat

He grinned at her and said “Cherish is a strong word, especially for my company while neck deep in fitness reports and evals. Oh, by the way, that reminds me… do you want to see your evaluation before its submitted? I offer that chance to all Senior Staff.”

Cochrane, CO

Raye smiled. “If it’s handy. If not, I trust your judgement as Captain to give your professional outlook on my duties.” She looked at him after another bite. “And I do cherish it. Dinner I mean.” She waved her fork at the desk. “Even with evals and fitness reports. You know, you don’t have to do these alone. You are welcome to work with me. I mean, I did offer working dinners. Though, I will say, the trade off is, no work over dessert.” She smiled. “You need wind down time before you sleep. Your brain needs a break once in a while, Cochrane.” Her inflection was soft and genuinely full of concern. “Burning yourself out has no benefits in any direction. Personal or professional.” She watched him eat, his eyes constantly glancing around. She just couldn’t tell if it was reports he was contemplating, or her and the meal.

Raye
Diplomat

He looked at her and sighed and then smiled. “I wont burn out, trust me. But you are also correct in that I should probably allow my brain a respite every now and then.” He moved the PaDD… well, PaDDs… off to the side and focused solely on the talking.

“And you deserve a dinner companion not lost in thoughts about things other than you company y and the food before him. And before I forget… thank you, Ms. Anders. For making sure I don’t faint on the bridge.” and he smiled and raised his glass of iced tea to her. <e>

She smiled and nodded to his chivalry. “Here’s to not feinting… and to many dinners, and desserts, together to come.” She was about to clink glasses when she paused and pulled back slightly. “On one condition…all right, my apologies, two conditions. The first, dessert tonight is in my quarters with the cake slices and that,” she nodded to the bottle. When she looked back at him, it was to look at his eyes and face for his reaction. “And you stop calling me Ms Anders when alone. It’s Raye,” she laughed. “Or Vorraye if you are upset.... Deal?” She held her glass back towards him with a grin on her face.

Raye

He paused a moment and thought. The conditions were… unexpected, to say the least. At least the first one, anyway. But…

“Deal… Raye. But dessert will be short. I have a comm with the Admiralty first thing in the morning and I need my beauty sleep. Okay?”

Cochrane, CO

She clinked his glass and took a sip, smiling with a teasing wink. “That I can’t help with.” She laughed and dug into her lasagna. “Although… if you need to turn in early, I suggest the remaining dinner and dessert. You need to get out of this office so you can breathe a moment. That stack,” she nodded to the PaDDs. “They aren’t going anywhere.”

Raye
Diplomat

He laughed and picked up a fork. “I honestly don’t think I could make it that long without trying this. But I’ll eat fast.” and he smiled and winked and took a bite.

Cochrane, CO

She laughed and picked up another bite of her own. “See… I get you to eat.” She smiled and leaned back in her seat slightly. “I’m gonna have to be sure you don’t skip dinners anymore. You realize that. I hope you don’t get sick of me after a week.”

Raye
Diplomat


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