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Side Sim - Mike's Place - Head Banging and Booze

Posted May 31, 2020, 12:47 a.m. by Lieutenant Auleraine Brison (Engineering Officer) (Melissa Aragon)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) in Side Sim - Mike’s Place - Head Banging and Booze

Posted by Lieutenant Auleraine Brison (Engineering Officer) in Side Sim - Mike’s Place - Head Banging and Booze

Mardusk walked into Mike’s Place. It wasn’t opened yet, but he needed a drink. Walking in, he heard and saw the jukebox and smiled. Rancid’s ‘DJ DJ’ was playing, one of his favorites. Walking to the bar, he looked around for his old friend. Not seeing him, the big green man took a seat on his stool and reached over the bar without looking. He found the bottle and pulled it out… and then noticed the shot glass sitting on the bar, placed just to the right of his seat. Mardusk smiled and poured the shot, slammed it, poured another, slammed it, and then yelled out “How’d you know I was comin’?!”

A voice from the back yelled over the music “Because you always do!” and a moment later Big Mike walked into view. He smiled at Gravel and said “Rough day?” Mardusk filled the glass and motioned for Mike to join him. “You have no idea…” Mike’s mouth twitched at the corner, but he simply grabbed a glass poured his and Gravel’s and held the glass up. “To hard days.” and they clicked the glasses together and tossed the shots back with practiced ease.

They drank in silence for a while, the jukebox cycling through half a dozen songs before Mike spoke up. “Ok. Work doesn’t get you like this. So its personal. What’s up, big man?” Mike asked, even though he knew the answer. Lera and he had become close over the past few days, so he knew. But it was Gravel’s story to tell.

Mardusk just shook his head and smiled as he drank a bit. “Honestly, Mike? I have no flippin’ idea. I was looking into this… thing… and it just took a turn I wasn’t expecting. Not sure why, either.” Mike smiled and looked down so that Gravel wouldnt see it. “Not sure why what, ya big ox?” and he looked up without the smile and said “Just say it. What is in your head right now?” and Mardusk looked at him and said simply “A woman. A woman is in my head.”

Mike looked at him but then turned and began organizing something so Gravel couldn’t see his face and the grin on it. “A woman? Huh… been a while since that happened. She must be something…” he said.

Mardusk nodded. “Yep. She most certainly is. She stared down some piece of crap that had caught her and her team and was using a damn whip on her, Mike! Just glared at the S.O.B. like it didn’t phase her, just pissed her off.” His voice was accented with a mixture of amazement and admiration. “And it was one of those damn Orion Male Right’s groups. Damn incels, couldn’t get laid in an Orion whorehouse with strips of latinum hanging outta their pockets.” and he poured shots. Mike stopped and said “So what? You worried she wont like you cause you look like them?” and Mardusk shrugged. “Those bastards had them for months, Mike. Used the women… said they were ‘turning the tables’ or some dumb shit. I dunno what all they did… but I know I would understand if she hated every green skin man who ever looked at her again.”

Mardusk and Mike

The door opened and Lera’s back could be seen as she laughed and hollered above the din of the music box. “MIKE!! Hey, are you having issues with your door? Two other doors on board are claiming they aren’t sliding like they should.” She was examining the door slot the barrier slid into. “And we have GOT to talk… How the HELL am I supposed to get Mar to stay in the same room with me while I work, much less long enough for me to figure out how to ask him to your opening? I need more than 3 days!” She cursed and shook her head. “Dammit… TWO days now…” She actually growled loud enough to be heard over the music.

Lt Auleraine Brison
Engineer

As if on cue, the music stopped as she finished talking. Both men looked at her, then at each other, then back at her. Mike said “Well… I think you just did.” and he looked at Gravel, who sat there in obvious shock, and shrugged.

“You’re welcome.” he said, and he set another glass on the bar next to Gravel’s chair. He then set two bottles between them and said to the space as a whole “Man… long day. Think I’m gonna retire. You two lock up. And don’t break the jukebox.” and he turned to walk into the back.

Mike

The green on Lera’s face as she froze and turned, could have riveled the skin on Mar’s arms. She bit her lip and then gave Mike an open glare that would have killed all her captors had she done it back then. “SHIT!” was all she could manage.

“Mike…” she actually put her arm out as if she could stop him. Dropping it, and realizing that if she left, she was running, she took a deep breath and pulled her shields back around her and walked up to the bar. “Chief…” she said and poured herself a shot and downed it immediately. After pouring a second one, she moved to the jukebox and tried to concentrate on the music choices.

Lera
Eng

Mardusk just stared. His face was a combination of shock, surprise, and confusion. It was a good thirty seconds before he spoke.

“Lieutenant… uh… um… you… I… I like your hair.” was what came out of his mouth. In his head his brain was screaming ARE YOU KIDDING!! ‘I like your hair’?!?! THATS your line here, you idiot?! and he cursed under his breath… but it was loud enough she could probably hear it… and the embarrassment that shrouded it.

Mardusk

A smile touched her lips as she raised a hand to touch it. It was coiled at the base of her neck, still. She wasn’t in uniform, her body clad in deep blue leggings and a matching tunic top that was untucked and flared enough to sway around her hips as she walked. She had on calf high black boots.

She closed her eyes a moment. He was trying. Whatever else she feared, or worried about or thought… he was trying. She opened her eyes and turned. The smile on her face, forced to begin with, grew a bit softer around the edges and turned genuine. “Thanks… and please. Not Lieutenant… it’s Lera.” She turned back and picked a random song, not knowing any of them, and moved back to the bar as she heard it make sounds she had come to realize were for programed reality affects before the song played. “Did you have a good day?” She asked as she took a stool on the front of the bar, near his seat, and in reach of the bottles.

Lera
Eng

Mardusk exhaled slightly. Chill out. She’s talking to you. She sat with you. So she doesn’t hate you. Just… be calm. he thought to himself.

“Lera…” he said, as if trying out the word. He poured her a shot and slid it to her, stopping just short of in front of her. He filled his glass and said “Not bad. You? You settling in ok?” He was faced forward, and there was a stiffness to him. Not uncomfortable, but… tense.

Mardusk

She smiled and took the offered drink. “Thank you…” Taking half of it down, she answered him. “I am, thank you. And it’s going all right. Couple ummm… sticky doors today.” She glanced back at the now closed door as if it mocked her that she couldn’t leave. Looking back at him, she smiled. “How’s the new chair? You and the quadruplets enjoying it?” She managed a laugh. It was short, but it was genuine. Looking down at her glass, it didn’t occur to her to brace for a brash response.

Lera
Eng

Mardusk chuckled and smiled, but still didnt look at her. “Its great. The oldest two like that it lets my legs stretch out so they can slide.” and he took a drink, then another. “So what brings you by to see Mike?” he asked. His tone was hitched, as if he was unsure if this was the right road to take. But he hoped that he was conveying that maybe… just maybe, he hadnt heard her request to talk to Mike about him… and asking him out. Even though there was no way he hadn’t, maybe giving her the out would help ease the tension a bit.

Mardusk

She laughed at his comeback. “I’m glad they approve.” When he asked, she glanced to the back. “Actually… Mike is the reason I’m here.” She took a deep breath and looked at Mar. “He told me if you and I didn’t show up at his opening, the night after next, there would be hell to pay. I’m not sure which of us he would give hell to. But something tells me he meant it.” She smiled and looked down, finishing her drink and wiping the back of her hand over her lips. “I had come to tell him it was foolish to ask such a thing.” She looked at the Chief. “I mean, it is… right? I get the feeling he can’t force you to do anything. Right? And I didn’t want you to be forced into anything.” There was the edge of something in her gaze. Hope… perhaps?

Lera
Eng

Mardusk swallowed his drink and took in a breath through clenched teeth. Damn you, Mike. he thought. Finally he turned and looked at her, his eyes locked onto her. “You want to have dinner with me tonight? Like… right now? We can go anywhere you want. I’d just like to spend some time getting to know you.” he said flatly, but with a hint of… hope, maybe as well.

Mardusk, CoS

Had she had a drink, she probably would have dropped it. She didn’t stiffen, but she did freeze for a moment. Turning her head, she cocked it slightly and a slow smile touched her lips. She hadn’t expected him to be looking at her like that and her eyes got caught.

It was the first time she had gotten a chance, and the nerve, to actually look at them. She had most certainly noticed them every time she had been around them. And she had most certainly noticed them in the holo program. But this time, despite something dark she saw floating behind them, the eyes she looked at were exactly as she imagined they would be. Full of strength and resolve.

She didn’t answer at first, merely nodded her head. “Yes..” she finally answered. The word broke her tension and she relaxed. The nod was more intentional. “I’d like that. But you know the ship better than me. Perhaps you could suggest a place? I admit, I haven’t been to any place other than your office and here, since I got here.”

Lera

Mardusk smiled. A genuine smile. “Ok. How about we keep it simple. Officer’s Mess? Shouldn’t be too crowded right now, so we can talk… if you want. And they make a really good Reuben sandwich.”

Mardusk

She nodded and stoppered the open bottle. “I’d like that. Shall we?” She slid off her stool and nodded to the door. Her mind was racing. She had tried to think of all these excuses just to coax him into entering Mike’s place in the same timeframe as her so she could fulfil Mike’s parameters without being overbearing about it. And here he was, asking her to dinner and talk.

Yet, something felt natural about it. She just wasn’t aware that ‘natural’ was the feeling she was having.

Lera


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