Posted by Fleet Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Mike’s Place - Hanging out with the crew OPEN THREAD for all

Posted by Commander Garinder’Jen th’Jir (Executive Officer) in Mike’s Place - Hanging out with the crew OPEN THREAD for all

Posted by Fleet Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in Mike’s Place - Hanging out with the crew OPEN THREAD for all
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Kelly sat down at the bar and let out a sigh. To say it had been a long week would have been the understatement of the year. The week had been brutal and Kelly needed some downtime. She had debated about retreating to the safety of the officer’s lounge. Instead, she decided to be out among everyone. While she was the commanding officer to the Starfleet aspect of the ship, she was also what she termed the cruise director to the mass of civilians on board the Atlantis. Too often officers kept the roles separate. Kelly had an open door policy with everyone on the ship which included the civilians. It also helped that the place served food so it didn’t raise as many questions if people wanted to bring their kids. Looking at her watch, Kelly knew Ian would be here in a few minutes. She had sent out a message to all the other officers and hoped they would show.

Kelly Bordeaux CO

A shorter human woman, probably in her mid to late twenties, moved towards Kelly on the other side of the bar. She was slender, but her form was firm. Bright purple hair with bright orange roots cascaded down one side of her head, while the right side was shaved to reveal a tattoo of two Japanese anime cats in some kind of West Side Story knife fight. Her makeup was severe: dark red, almost black lip liner slowly faded to bright gold on her lips. Jet black eyelashes and somehow even darker eyeshadow sat under bright purple and thin eyebrows accented the bright brown eyes that flashed at Kelly. Tight black leather pants and a black crop-top with the words ‘Good Girls Wear White’ across her barely-concealed chest and showing off her tattooed arms completed a look that was both encouraging looks form various patrons while simultaneously saying ‘You can’t even begin to handle this’. As she approached, she said “Heya, Skip. What’ll it be?” in a voice that both musical and somewhat slightly threatening.

Bubbles

“Hey Rach,” Kelly said drumming her hands on the table. “Give me a couple of drafts, three burgers, a plate of nachos, and mozzarella sticks. I reserved a table but I am not sure how many are coming yet.” Tonight she was in it for the long game so food and beer were a must. She had sent an invitation out to all her officers for an impromptu happy hour by word of mouth. Sending it in a communique felt too much like an unofficial order to show up. With the addition of Maddie and Jordy, it would be nice to hang out as a group with some downtime.

“How are things hanging with you? Business seems to be good.” The place was just one of several civilian and Starfleet watering holes on the ship. Fleet had it’s own places but today Kelly felt the need to be with the crew of the entire ship, just not those wearing a uniform. Kelly liked the motif and climate of the establishment. One could almost imagine that exiting the bar, you would be stumbling out onto firm land instead a metal corridor.

Kelly Bordeaux

OOC: Skipping things forward a bit from the backstory for Nash that Kate and I are doing.

Happy hour was always an interesting term, or at least it had been for Nash for many years. Nash had rarely found anything happy about it but things had changed. He was still adjusting sure, and this place was far from anything Nash would usually frequent but it was the Captain’s choice, so here he was. Thing was, now he wasn’t here alone. Stepping through the door Ethan Nash was hand in hand with a stunning redhead whose smile could pierce the heart and light the night in the dark that had been his soul. For all the world it looked like Nash was holding her like he might lose her at any moment.

Wearing the leather jacket that he always wore off duty, Nash spotted Kelly at the bar and pointed her out to Emily. “Let me take your coat hun,” he said turning to her and offering to help her with the light garment she wore over her evening wear. “Burger, beer, and fries sound good? Apparently, the loaded fries in this place make it worth it.”

Nash, CE

“Hey,” she looked at him smiling. “This,” she made a swirling motion with her hand, “is called fun. Not taking a beach or bunker or whatever you did as a tactical officer. It’s called Happy hour so get happy. Stop making your face do that....thing,” she scowled at him. The joke about a frown was a long one between Ethan and Emily. “Now go drop the coats and come back with a smile or I will tell everyone E-dawg is being difficult.”

“No the hell you won’t,” he answered as her coat slid into his fingers, but there was no scowl on his face. “That phrase is off-limits, you left it behind on the prison planet, buried it under ten feet of ice and snow.”

“Damn straight I will call you E-dawg and not hesitate for a second,” she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him softly. Still not turning around, she walked backward and winked at Ethan.

He returned the kiss, and as she backed away his head moved with her until she was out of reach, then he shook his head and smirked. “I’ll get the drinks, don’t worry, I got this.” Turning, he walked to the bar with the coat.

Approaching the table, Emily slid into one of the open chairs. “Hi, Kelly. Are we late or early?” It had been years since she had seen the captain but when she had, both Kelly and she were cadets. Emily was a couple of years behind Kelly but anyone in school at that time had some opinion of Captain Fantastic and his spunky future XO.

“You are right on time.” Kelly raised a finger signaling Bubbles to come to the table when she got the chance. “Ian has just been held up for a bit and Jacen just commed in saying he is finishing up and will be here in a few. As for the others, they will be along soon enough.”

Kelly Bordeaux

“He still tinkering with the anatomically correct hologram he built?” Nash said as he slid into a seat beside Emily, and pushed a tray with greasy food between them. On the tray were two very large pints of beer as well. One, he picked up and put in front of Emily and the other, he took a long, deep drink out of. Then, putting down the glass, he gave Emily a wide, fake smile.

Cmdr Nash, CE

“You know there are times I am not sure even counseling can help you,” she rolled her eyes laughing at her husband.

“I second that,” Kelly toasted Emily. It was good and weird to see Nash first out in public and second being happy. It was rare things like what happened to him ever worked out.

“It can’t,” Nash shook his head, “Tried that, but the counselor didn’t have enough booze to get me through the session and passed out drunk first.” He shrugged innocently.

It was then Kelly noticed something else that was rare. Nash did not have a cigar in his mouth. Picking up her beer she turned her attention to Emily. Maybe it was time to stir up some fun. Kelly had heard Emily had no idea Nash took up the cigars during his absence. Maybe it was time to fill her in .

“I am so glad to have you on the ship,” Kelly said taking a drink. “You are such a good influence on your husband there. I mean I spent two years trying to get him to put that cigar down and you have him now down to like one a day. Usually it is still during the senior staff meeting so what the hell is up with that?” Kelly then directed her attention to Nash and winked. What the hell is up with that was a staple back in college. Since everyone but Dante was sitting around the table, Kelly figured why not get a few rounds in why they were waiting for the other officers to show up.

Kelly Bordeaux CO

Glancing at the door, she wondered when Evrilla and Ronar, Cara, Mardusk, Maddie, and the rest of the crew would show.

Kelly Bordeaux CO
OOC: Anyone can show up here if they want a place to post. Please feel free to join. ~ Kate

“Oh we are fighting dirty are we?” Nash’s voice returned to the gravelly, unpleasant tone that most people associated with him. “I’ll have you know that I can smoke a cigar whenever I want,” he glanced sideways at Emily then back at Kelly.

Emily paused taking a sip of her drink to angle her body to face Ethan from the side. Holding the drink she raised an eye brow with a smirk covering her face. “Can you,” she asked in an innocent tone. “I mean whenever you want.” It was strange even for her at times to slip back into the easy life of being with Ethan. Life was always easy with Ethan. She loved him. Living with Ethan at times could make her crazy. He was her husband. This was what she had missed and longed for however. The playful banter, the side glances, the promise of more personal conversations back in their quarters: all this and more what what Emily had thought she had lost but realized it was only misplaced.

“Whenever I want, baby,” Ethan turned to Emily and smiled, and his voice had switched back to a lighter, more pleasant tone.

“It that what you are gonna go with,” Emily teased him letting her smile grow wider.

“A huh,” He nodded, and picked up his drink again, taking a long swig.

“Yes Ethan,” Kelly could not help but egg the situation on. “Is that your story that you are sticking to?”

“It ain’t a story if it’s true,” he turned back to Kelly now, and his voice had somehow switched back to the gravelly tone he used. “I just choose not to. Your staff meetings are mind numbing enough that I still need one though.” Pausing he looked back at Emily, “What honey? I can smoke one whenever I want, we didn’t finish that discussion.” Again, his tone had changed.

Ethan Nash, CE

“Because we never started it because it was never a discussion.” Emily took a sip of her drink and smoothed down her dress as if Ethan was saying something not worthy of her attention. There was a fake persona right now about Emily and she was playing it up as if she were up for an Academy award.

“You’re totally right, we didn’t start it,” Nash slapped the table as if he had remembered something earth shattering. “Because you love me and accept me for who I am and I can smoke one if I want to.”

“I mean really. They are stinky and messy. There is no way you like that darlin’…do you?” Emily picked up her drink and batted her eyes at him.

Teasing her husband made Emily feel young, feel good. There was no way she was about to stop especially with Captain Chaos next to her.

Emily

“You are stinky and messy and I love you more than anything,” Nash came back with and then quickly leaned over and planted a big kiss on Emily’s lips, one hand behind her head to stop her trying to get away.

“I yak you too,” Emily winked and blew him a kiss.”

“Ugh seriously,” Kelly let out a good natured groan. “You were doing that back in the academy.”

“Loving Nash is like a fine wine. Just gets better and more robust with age,” Emily pulled his arm around her in the seat.

“So, when are the crowds arriving?” Nash said to Kelly as he released his hold on Emily and smirked, picking up a pickle nickle and offering to feed it to Emily. “Em, did you know that the last CIO gave Kelly a roofie on the last away mission to an Alien starbase? Then she got arrested and put on trial for assault with a deadly weapon? I mean, what the hell is up with that?”

Chewing the bite she let her forehead wrinkle up. “No way. Okay am so going to need a storytime out to here that one.”

Ethan Nash, CE

Jen slipped into the lounge feeling sheepish but showing his typical stoic Andorian façade that had been cultured over the years. His clothes were casual and loose and something he had, as well, learned what he liked over the years. It wasn’t that he didn’t like lounges. He was simply not used to them. And Starfleet lounges were so .. clean, more of a place for a mess dinner. Still, Mike’s Place tried to bring in ‘atmosphere’. Most of the time it left the pristine Fleet folks looking like a Skee out of the ice.

However, this was an invite and Jen was curious. He saw the Captain, Nash and Emily and veered over toward them after a short wait at the bar to claim a mug of beer. As he approached, he was trying to read the table and only ended with raising the mug in a silent salute as he joined the trio. “Hello all,” he said, straddling a chair in an automatic motion well ingrained from his army days, and wondering what ‘middle of a conversation’ he was entering with hearing ‘arrested’ and ‘weapons’.

Jen, XO

OOC: Yes, I have appeared out from the mists of time ..
OOC: Well those Wroshyr tree homes in the city of Rwookrrorro on the planet Kashyyyk are awfully high up. You should invest in elevators to make the ascent and descent faster. I could not resist lol. Welcome back Gene you were missed. Since we haven’t had a lot for some people to remember, feel free to make something up about. I will run with anything either as Kelly, Ian, or a random NE that could be sitting at the table. This goes for anyone else that wants to join too. ~ Kate

Kelly let out a half chuckle and shook her head. Oh if Nash wanted to start this, he was going to lose. Kelly was a woman and that meant she had the memory of an elephant. Leaning in she narrowed her vision at Ethan. “Are you forgetting the my unofficial motto? Tellagram, Tellaphone, Tellacom, TellaKelly.” The Tella joke was well known especially because Ian could not stop using it whenever she began to gossip and he was not interested in the topic. “I have a long memory my friend and you have clearly had a few things etched in it.”

Turning to her XO, she nodded and smile. “Glad you came. The game,” she said leaning back taking a sip of her beer, “is called what the hell is up with that. Basically the game goes like this,” she explained the game in case Jen had not been the boozey type back in the academy. “You share a story but trim it down to all the good parts but end it as if a rhetorical question saying ‘I mean what the hell is up with that? The official purpose is to get to know someone better. Mainly it is to catch someone off guard and put them on the spot.” She never took her eyes off Nash as she spoke. “For example, Hey Nash,” Kelly snapped her gaze to her XO. For all intents and purposes, she had made sure everyone thought Nash was going to be the target; however, it was never as good as when someone did not see it coming. “Did you know that once I was pissed at my husband, avoided his calls, got drunk in a bar and bad mouthed to someone named Jen I met on Outpost 42 about how Starfleet was sticking me with an Andorian as my new XO. I mean what the hell is up with that?” She had no idea if Jen remembered meeting her all those years ago or if he would admit to it and take his turn now that the game was thrown to him.

“I knew it,” Ian said looking at Jen. He did not care about Kelly talking to someone at a bar. That was something she always did, however Kelly had denied for years that she had been actively ignoring Ian that night. “You were completely avoiding me…back me up Jen,” he said with a laugh taking a sip of his drink as he made a beeping sound as if he were a vehicle backing up. “Take the drink, throw Kelly under the bus, and give me a win for once because her being pissed at me is not something anyone would ever ask what is up with that.”

Kelly Bordeaux

This totally was getting into something that was ‘in the middle of a conversation’, but in this case his memory was not that bad because that night was still in his memory. Still, it seemed a bit of a dance on who it was he was supposed to, as the Terrans said, roast. Cradling the beer in both hands his eyes flickered from one to the other at the table. He had ‘missed’ this game apparently, not having taken any Academy anything that was Navy like they had. His face set into a mask of trying to recall a moment in time. “I remember a lovely lady, even if she was a pale human, who happened to be downing the booze like a fish about to take a field trip through the Vulcan deserts and because that was such a priority was not responding to any calls. Probably thought that this XO was trying to call her when she was more interested in getting as many reps in as possible with her glass to say that her exercise weight lifting program was complete for the day. The way she was dressed made her look part bar fly and part ‘just out of the ball room dance studio’ but evidently had a bad case of antennae envy because of the way she kept going on and on about this fellow, who, by the look of it was pretty annoyed himself at having been stationed not as a marine unit commander or the likes but as a Navy posting. Who does that? What is up with that?”
- Jen, XO

Kelly broke out laughing and held up a high five for Jen. That night had been one of those cosmic meetings. The odds were improbable she and Jen had met and vocally discussed not being pleased with Starfleet; however, like most things in the universe, the universe had a way of righting itself. Kelly could not ask for a better half in her XO. While it was not part of the game, she raised her glass in a toast. “Here is the to best work better hand that keeps me on my toes and on the straight and narrow.”

Jen lifted his hand for this peculiar Terran tradition of the meeting of the hands. Andorian traditions held to similar gestures, however they tended to be less ‘near’ one’s antennae. Neither were they as boisterous as the captain’s fervor and praise. As a good soldier in a race where honor was, if not supreme then close to it, he sought to do well. However, that said, he was pleased that it was told that he was doing well.

“I second that. I wish I had your gift man,” Ian followed up the toast with his beer. “I can get her to do anything. It is that way with some people. They had a way of controlling people. Maybe it is the way you talk to them. Like Nash there,” Ian held out his beer before taking a sip. “Hey poet laureate of the engineering department. Tell me how E-Dawg got the lovely and charming Emily to fall completely in love with you even after you called her love grub. What the hell is up with that,” Ian let his eyes get wide as if he was shocked but it was clear he was just stoking the fire.

Kelly Bordeaux

His attention was drawn to Ian’s speech. Love grub? Euphemisms were never public on Andor. They could swiftly spark a battle otherwise. Humans seemed to thrive on those things. He saluted Ian back with his mug, a more common Andorian response.
- Jen, XO