STF

Meeting the CE

Posted Nov. 16, 2022, 11:12 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Akirel Ros (Chief Engineer) (David Shotton)

Posted by Civilian Brooklyn Halsey (Quartermaster) in Meeting the CE

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Akirel Ros (Chief Engineer) in Meeting the CE

Posted by Civilian Brooklyn Halsey (Quartermaster) in Meeting the CE
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Snip

“As to my coffee I prefer it light and sweet. I have never had to make do with black due to supply issues because,” she paused and looked at Ros as if to finish her sentence.....” I am the supply officer.”

“You know black coffee isn’t just a supply shortage of milk, right?” Ros asked with a smirk. “Some people actually like to have their coffee taste like coffee instead of diluted with unnecessary additives. But I’ll give that purifier thing a pass,” he handed the PaDD back to Halsey. “I think we can handle a shoe or two being removed when needed.” Ros continuing grin was now accompanied by a wink.

“Oh I like coffee-flavored coffee but sometimes one bean choice makes it more like a weak tea. Cream and sugar hide bad beans because there is such a thing as a bad cup of Joe.” Most coffee drinkers joked that there was no bad coffee but there was and Halsey had had some. Most of the time it was alien races that felt like they could harness the power of the Earth bean in whatever brown water they passed for coffee. Pretty much all the time alien races were wrong in this endeavor.

“Then be grateful you ran into me hun. I don’t come with bad beans, and if I do, they are bad in the good way.” Ros smirked lightly and gave a very slight, almost imperceptible wink.

“Mr. Ros you are not a bad bean but I am positive you are probably more of a spicy pepper. You know the kind that you look at on a tray and think yum, that looks delicious but that first bite bites you back. So do you bite,” she asked casually looking over her cup with a slight smirk. Ros was easy on the eyes, maybe too easy. He could be the type that flirted for the fun of it without any substance behind it but then again there was a saying about judging a book by its cover. Akierl Ros however was someone Halsey would not mind flipping through a few chapters on before making any firm opinion on the man.

“Maybe, maybe not,” Ros replied just as casually. “For some people my spicy pepper might be too spicy perhaps, but I’ve had very few complaints so far. Then again, I don’t often come across people that can’t handle the heat so maybe it’s me that’s the picky one. How about you? Once you’ve taken the bite, do you swallow?” Leaning against the nearby console he looked at her as if her answer was keenly anticipated.

“Spitters are quitters,” Halsey said shrugging. “I mean what point is there to trying something unless you give it that old academy try right? Sometimes your first taste of something makes you want to wrinkle your nose up and spit it out however,” she held up a finger, “in the case of say Margheritas, the first sip makes you want to wretch and do that thing where your stick your tongue out and wave your head back and forth to flick off any tequila residue because it feels like your mouth is just on fire and the tequila has pooled at the bottom. If you commit and take a second sip, then you get the residual notes of the salt, the sweetness of the sugar, and sour of the limes mixed with the tequila. It makes the difference between some chicks saying they hate tequila and others wanting to name their firstborn child Jose. Cuervo is not your enemy. He is your friend and if you just spit and quit, you will never learn how absolutely fulfilling that relationship can be. I try to embrace life not quit on it even if it does bite me back.” Ros was a flirt.

“So if I need anything brought on-board without any paperwork, you’re my girl. Got it.” Ros nodded in understanding.

Halsey let out a laugh and followed him toward his office. “My last ship made me a t-shirt that said Halsey Haulaways because I could always bring in the haul so in a nutshell I am your girl. You name it and I got my finger in or my network does.”

“You got anyone with an in to the Lupidian Snail racing scene? The latinum is going hot at the moment I hear. Asking for a friend.” Looking back at her, he smirked and opened the door, standing aside to let her go in first.

“No, but if you give me more info and what you need exactly I will deliver.” Pausing she looked at Ros and scrutinized him. The man was well built, well spoke, and entirely charismatic. She realized this all in the hot minute she had met him. She also was starting to see his sense of humor was well defined. To Halsey, this was the hallmark of a good superior officer. “Unless you are looking to start snail races which I would suggest hitting up the bio labs before sinking money into the Lupidian Snail racing scene. I mean it’s a snail. How much faster can a Lupidian snail be except when it is trying to run from a fork and a vat of butter?”

“You’ve never been Lupidian Snail racing before have you Halsey?” Ros asked her.

“Can’t say that I have but I did chase one around on a plate before. Never doing that again,” she let out a laugh, “although I am hoping we don’t have to eat the loser of the race. I would feel the guilt of even picking one for the win.”

“You’re gonna be in for a treat, it’s fun and I bet you’re the kind of woman that’ll try anything once for a good time. My treat for the next racing meet, interested?”

“As long as I am not eating last place....yes,” she said with a smile. Ros had a great smile. It was slightly flirty but also neutral enough that it made one wonder if it was directed to them for more than just a friendly gesture.

“Great, in that case I’ll make it a date. We’re in the vicinity of Lupida so I’m sure they won’t mind a small shore leave for a weekend of high speed, jaw clenching snail racing.” Ros paused and turned around to face her, leaning in close as he lowered his voice. “It’ll get your blood pumping.” Smiling as he leaned back again, he turned once more for his door.

“The snails or you,” she leaned back looking at him. Point and serve, she thought lobbing back a flirtatious smile. It had been a long time since she had free time. Being new on the Athena afforded her some playtime until things got busy.

As he walked he turned his head to the side to look at her sideways for just a moment. In that moment, the corner of his mouth and the one visible edge of his eyebrow both curved upwards in a grin that would make any rogue proud. The look seemed to answer everything, yet leave nothing answered, only anticipated. Ros knew it, too.

Arriving at his office, Halsey leaned in as if surveying the place. This was what she did expect, however. The office was exactly what she had expected from a chief engineer’s office.

Except for the desk in the center of the room, the office was mostly bare. Only one or two PaDD’s still ay on the desk, three or four more seemed to be lying to the side as if they had been pushed to the side when not needed. Two uncomfortable looking chairs sat in front of the desk facing a comfortable looking office chair behind it, and to the side was a replicator that was placed beside a large wall PaDD with a cut out schematic of the Athena on it. The room did have a number of shelves but most of these were empty, either denoting the man was fairly new to the ship, or had little need for decoration or home comforts. Around the shelves seemed to be scattered small nic nacs of almost meaningless value or gimmicky nature. Thumb cuffs, a pirate eye patch, shot glasses and an odd looking flute were representative of the kinds of things scattered around.

“No germs, I swear. What do you think goes on during crew evaluations?”

“I don’t know but I am rather curious to find out. I am sorta imagining a science fair type thing where your officers bring in their experiments and a few of them go, poof, where you get that smoke ring around the mad scientist googles and your hair is all askew.” Halsey leaned against the door with a smirk spreading into a smile.

“It’s far less show and tell, mostly oral.” Ros shrugged casually.

Giving Ros a small smile, she moved in front of the large wall PaDD like they were back in primary school. Placing her hands behind her back she locked eyes with Ros. “My name is Brooklyn Halsey. I am 27 years old and a Scorpio. I like delivering mail and do it with a smile.” Turning her face she gave Ros a fake and cheesy smile. Pulling a PaDD from her back pocket, she held it out to Ros. “Now show me how much you like me by telling the Padd. Just sign at the bottom and it would really help for you to hit me with a five-star rating.”

“A what star rating?” Ros looked at the PaDD a second before turning it around so it was the right way up. “What the hell is this Halsey? A Gaggle review or something? You an ex-IFEA agent?”

“It’s something I created for myself. Starfleet doesn’t care but it just makes me feel better to say I give five-star service but I am gonna need your signature and you to color in those stars before I let you actually take ownership of the parcel. I may not look it, but I am wiry and will wrestle you to the ground for it.” Halsey winked at Ros and waited for him take the PaDD.

“Oh really? Good to know, I can add that to the list of Halsey tips and tricks then. 27, Scorpio, loves delivering great service with a smile and will destroy me if I don’t fill her star in. So how do I do it, just use my finger like this?” Ros looked at her and motioned with his head for her to come look.

Halsey rose on her toes and looked down at the PaDD in Ros’ hand. “Yep there you go. Just tap each star once until you get to all five.” She spoke slowly and in a slightly sing song encouraging tone as if coaxing the chief to cut the red wire before the bomb exploded.

Hitting each star in turn, Ros leaned on the door and tilted his head towards Fletcher. “You want the lad to bring the box?”

Ros, CE

“Um yeah. Just because I delivered it doesn’t mean I know what is in it and I am rather curious about you Mr. Akirel. Your Bajoran right so last is first and first is last?” Halsey did not wait but proceeded to move into Ros’ office and swipe a corner of his desk clear of PaDD’s. Patting it she let out a whistle as she tapped the desk and looked at Fletcher.

Brooklyn Halsey Quartermaster.

Fletcher placed the box where directed then gave Halsey a smile as he exited the room, and at the same time Ros was fetching coffee from the small exploratory in the office after placing the PaDD that Halsey had handed him on his desk, but on the edge closest to his chair.

“Yeah, my family name is Akirel (he pronounced it Ahh-kee-rell) and my given name is Ros. Call me Ros unless someone bigger is watching or you really want to use my rank.” The corners of his lips twitched in a smirk again before they relaxed as he worked the replicator.

“Got it. Higher food chain around and you are Ahh kee rell vs. the grease monkey crewman’s Ahh Keer eil.” Halsey could not help by work to stifle her grin. She was going to have fun with the man in front of her. Her mind briefly wondered how often and for how long he turned that sly smile and heart skipping gaze on the fairer sex. Since he was without any indication the was spoken for it was probably until the next sultry senior staffer or coy civilian batted their eyes back at him: yet for now she might toss batting her eyes into the rink.

That same smile that Brooklyn had just been thinking about shifted on to her again as she spoke his name in different ways. “Bit of a mouthful, I know. You’ll get used to it, trust me. If not, you can just use ‘Sir’ until you get the pronunciation right and learn to twist that tongue the right way around it.”

That replicator had a small plaque above it that read If ye make anything other than coffee through this machine, may yer soul be cast to the monsters of the deep when ye walk the plank. Coffee only, don’t taint me coils with ye needless carbs.

“Creamer and sugar right?” Ros handed her an oversized cup of bean juice, while his own was a large metal flag on of pure black coffee, the aroma of Rhodes Foundation Roast number 5 strong from it.

Ros

The coffee smelled amazing. It reminded Halsey of the first whiff one had when waking up. It filled her with a sense of calm and happiness. Taking the cup she inhaled it deeply and let out a sigh. Raising it to her lips she paused and looked at Ros over the rim. “If I drink this are you going to make me walk the plank since I tainted your coils?” Ros seemed to be on the edge of flirting with her. Halsey thought she would lob one back. The man was easy on the eyes and if it went out of bounds so be it. Life was not lived if one colored in the lines.

“Yes, but I think I can handle my coil being tainted a little by you,” Ros didn’t bat an eyelid as he caught her lob. “If you asked for pumpkin spice latte though, you wouldn’t even get the pleasure of walking my plank, I’d probably just have to go straight to keel hauling you.”

“Ohhh can I be blindfolded while you hum a dirge matey,” Halsey added with a smile. Brooklyn whistled out a series of notes that sounded more like a trumpet being crushed by a trash compactor than the classic pirate tune one would associate with a dirge. The look on her face showed that on some plane of celestial existence she felt her rendition would pass for the tune was going for however it was not in the celestial existence Ros and her were standing in.

Sipping the coffee he held in one hand, Ros reached out and picked up the pirate eye-patch on the shelf. “Already prepared, can’t have a plank walking event without an eye-patch can we? The thumb-cuffs help to set the mood too but, hun, can we not go with that rendition of whatever tune that was, I have a feeling your songbird impression might kill that mood.”

“So what’s in the box,” she tried not to sound as eager as she felt. Ros was interesting and while it was probably just a wrench or some other engineering tool, Halsey was interested enough to risk the disappointment it would not something to tell her more about him.

Halsey Supply officer

“Nothing important,” he grinned wide now. “I’ll open it later away from prying eyes. A guy has to maintain an air of mystery don’t you think? I mean what if its’ only a box of hand made socks from my mother? A guy has a reputation to maintain right?” With a laugh, Ros sat on the edge of his desk facing her.

“You might go up a few points on the bring him home to momma scale if it is socks and you wear them,” Halsey taunted them.

“Oh I am not the kind of guy you bring home to momma, trust me.” Ros laughed, “Really, the only time I have ever been brought home to momma resulted in me being assigned to a ship on the opposite side of the quadrant. It wasn’t momma that had the issue, it was the father. That’s not the kind of pre-date info that someone would normally share, I know, but you did ask earlier if I bite.” There it was again, that slow smile on his lips. Ros was enjoying the conversation, the woman was clearly intelligent and social, outgoing and not afraid of being herself. Looking ot the side, he picked up the PaDD with her review on it once more and looked at it for a moment.

“What about you, Halsey.” Ros leaned forward and placed his elbow on his knee as he spoke, taking a drink of his coffee. “What was the last thing you received, yourself? Not for anyone else here but just you? You look like the kind of girl that collects something.” As he said that, his eyes shifted to the box she had brought him then back to her again. She probably would love what was in the box but now wasn’t the time to open it. He could do that later and for now, he was more interested in opening the first few layers of what made Halsey tick.

Akirel Ros

“Stars,” she shot back immediately eyeing the PaDD she had given to Ros. “Specifically five. I love stars. Like Luuuuuuuvvvv ‘em.” Jerking her head to the right she gave him an encouraging smile as if daring him to try something new and exciting. “Go on. Give it a try. See how it feels. Betcha it will make you feel good,” she taunted him with a sing song voice.

Halsey Quartermaster

“Oh you think so? Feel good huh? Lets see now. Yep, I think that’s about it. And I sign down below right? Just here.” Writing on the PaDD, this time Ros didn’t let Brooklyn see what he was doing before he switched it off and looked up at her, coming to his feet.

“I’m not so sure you should see what I wrote, I feel like you aren’t someone who accepts criticism very well. I should hang onto this to spare your feelings.” Ros bit his lip lightly as if thinking and then nodded, quickly sliding the PaDD into his back pocket as he did and standing with the back of his thighs against the desk so that she couldn’t easily get behind him.

“Does it make you crazy not knowing how many stars I gave you? Does that anticipation make you feisty? You didn’t answer my question, what was the last thing you received?”

Akirel Ros

Bump


Posts on USS Athena

In topic

Posted since


© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service

Version 1.15.9