Posted Oct. 7, 2022, 4:52 p.m. by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice-Commander, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) (James Sinclair)
Posted by Civilian Yavia Crockett (Nurse - Sacred Heart Hospital) in Plaza Exchange - A Night On The Town
Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice-Commander, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in Plaza Exchange - A Night On The Town
Posted by Civilian Yavia Crockett (Nurse - Sacred Heart Hospital) in Plaza Exchange - A Night On The Town
Posted by… suppressed (33) by the Post Ghost! 👻(snip)
Tenkiller smiled and chuckled softly as he looked down and tapped the rim of his glass with his finger. “You know, I worked with a few Deltans in my time in Star Fleet. And I’ll be honest… I always found that whole vow of celibacy thing to seem more like a defense mechanism than an actual need. One of my Security officers on the Chimera was Deltan, and he felt much the same way you do. But between the Deltan official stance and Star Fleet regulations, he was forced to take that vow. And he hated it. He fell in love with another member of the crew, and it was reciprocated. But they couldn’t do anything about it unless they both left Star Fleet. They asked for special permission and it was declined.” and he shook his head with a syern look on his face. “I really think those two could made it of it wasn’t for bureaucratic nonsense.”Tenkiller
Yavia looked sad for a moment, but her hand flexed as if she thought someone needed to be out right decked in the mouth. “I am very sorry for your friends. What you describe, denying two people deeply in love and wanting to make a commitment, even briefly, is considered a great crime on Delta. I considered joining Star Fleet in order to leave my homeworld to practice medicine, but I refused to take a vow that I knew I didn’t believe in. I understand the historical necessity of such rules. When we Deltans first encountered the Federation rumors of our skills and telepathy and our penchant for indulging our senses in pleasure was far exaugurated and created problems and conflict. But to leave it in place or to put such a strict restriction.” She shook her head. “Was no necessary. The Deltan government wanted to believe that because our race was older that we must be superior and so acted as such. I don’t believe it. Yes there are risks that should not be ignored, but you have the same risks with Vulcan mind melds, which are very common, and intimate relations with Betazoids or Haliians. Humans are not an inherently telepathic race, but that does not mean they are weak of mind or spirit.”
Yavia
“One of several reasons I left Star Fleet. For an organization based on the principle of the self-determination of sentient beings, they do tend to try and direct that determination how they want it to go.” Tenkiller said with a hint of acid in his words. “Individuals should be able to forge their own path for themselves. And if some of those individuals want to make a life with others, as long as everyone is of an age to make an informed choice, then so be it. As Star Fleet and the Federation, we aren’t supposed to judge. We aren’t supposed to dictate. But yet… here we are.” he took a sip and looked at Yavia and smiled. “Maybe if you had been able to Join Star Fleet, we would have met in entirely different circumstances. Of course, that wouldn’t guarantee the bat.” and he winked.
Tenkiller
“Did you know that to use my natural ability to remove pain, a Deltan officer has to have consent of the CMO, the patient or their proxy, and the CO. No, I don’t think Star Fleet was ever a good place for me. Ah but if I had, I would have been strictly prohibited from doing this.” Yavia reached a hand across the table. Gentle, but work worn, from nursing the sick and batting practice. She laid her hand in his, and there was nothing but the warmth of another’s touch. “See not so scary is it? Just two people holding hands, but Delta and the Federation assume I have no self control and neither do you. It could be much more,” her brown eyes stared into is, a teasing question and maybe a dare, “if we wanted it to be, or not if that is what we decided.”
Yavia
Tenkiller grinned as his fingers tightened just slightly around hers and he said “But that should be left up to us to decide. Not some faceless administrator millions of miles away… right?” At that moment a server arrived to take the plates and refill the glasses, but Tenkiller didn’t look away or budge; he just kept looking back at Yavia.
Tenkiller
Yavia smiled, a look that conveyed understanding of points of view. “Right.” She was aware of the server arriving and refilling her glass, but her attention was given completely to the man across from her. She leaned forward slightly and moved her glass with her other hand from where the server had sat it back down. All the while holding his gaze. Then the server moved on. “So now you know the particulars about my name. What other information would you like?”
Yavia
Tenkiller stared at her for a long moment and then slid slightly closer to her and said, very softly, “Everything. Tell me everything about you.”
Tenkiller
Was that anticipation that ran from her palm to his as her cheeks turned rosy? Her voice was just as soft as his. “Everything will take more time than we have in an evening.”
“Indulge me as much as you can, then.” he replied with a smile.
Her eyes searched his for a long moment. “There is a reason Dr Fayth chose me for the security ward. Because I have a history of becoming attached to my patients, of becoming too compassionate and too involved. I won’t step aside or back down from what is best for my patient, even if the family doesn’t agree. Especially anyone trying to harm them. To the point it has gotten me into difficult situations.”
“Oh, I can empathize with that. Thats how I ended up leaving Star Fleet.”
“My passion is end of life care, no matter the age of the patient. To give enjoyment and comfort where everything seems so bleak. To listen to the stories they have to share when no one else will, but it took a lot out of me. I gave too much of myself to it and I left my position when my last patient passed on.”
Tenkiller said nothing, but gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“I hate shopping in the way most Deltans do. If I have a specific goal or purchase to be made I can spend all day, but I find it annoying and inane to simply wander from shop to shop with no purpose.”
Tenkiller chuckled and said “I’d normally agree, but I think the right company can help.”
“I adore long hot baths with bathbombs because I like the way they fizz and bubble against my skin. It is something I do for simple indulgence and just for me because I can.”
“I’m more of a hot shower followed by a cold bath guy, myself.” Tenkiller said with a shrug.
“I have never had a pet, but I think I would like having one if I didn’t work so much. Perhaps a beagle. My great great grandfather had 3 of them.”
Yavia
Charles smiled at that. “We always had animals. Dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, cattle… I don’t remember a time I didn’t have animals growing up. Haven’t had any since I left, though.” and he felt a pang of homesickness. He hadn’t thought of the animals in years, and a shock of guilt followed the homesick feeling. “Wow… thats a memory long quiet.”
Tenkiller
Her fingers curled more firmly around his. “Share it with me,” she recognized homesickness, felt her self at times even though she chose to leave. “But only if you wish.”
Yavia
He smiled and shook his head. “Oh no, nothing major. I just realized that I hadn’t thought about the animals back home in a long… LONG time. They’re all gone by now… whole new animals there that never have seen me. On my family’s land. Its just kinda… surreal… I guess.”
Tenkiller
“I can understand that. Maybe you should visit and meet the new animals?” She lifted her glass and let the wine sit on her tongue a moment before swallowing. “I have heard there is a veterinarian on Oed and he has 2 dogs that have had litters. Maybe I will go look, and you can advise me on what makes a good dog.”
Tenkiller smiled. “A good dog is one that you connect with. Its not so much characteristics as it is… character.” and he chuckled. “Growing up on a ranch, you get to learn these things from early on.”
“I grew up on an archipelago near the equator. I am an skilled swimmer, and love to surf, but was never very good at it. I have always wanted to visit Malea and surf the waves under their double moon.”
“Never surfed, but I like to swim. And I’ve never heard of Malea, but it sounds pretty cool. Maybe kick back on a beach and have a drink while you surf.” and he chuckled.
“And what drink would chose to have on a beach while I surf?”
“My favorite morning drink is an iced hazelnut coffee. I prefer hot coffee, but hot drinks make me sleepy.” Yavia grinned and winked, “And a sleepy nurse is a disaster in the making.”
“I can only imagine.”
“When I have a day off I like to hike or I play a Ipralt Flute. My skill is very basic and I would never torture anyone with it.”
Yavia
“Musical? Huh… I play the guitar a bit. And I’ve been told that my singing isn’t quite screeching.” Tenkiller said with a smile.
Tenkiller
Hmmm....if his singing voice was anything like his speaking voice, Yavia was sure she would thoroughly enjoy it. “I love music. I love the way the different notes and instruments sound and blend and dance together. I love the way it touches you here.” Her free hand tapped over her heart. “I have always wanted to play, but I am only hopeful. Now that I haven’t moved in awhile maybe I will take lessons.”
She fell quiet for a moment and then smiled widely, “It hard to know what to cover. What everything do you want next?”
Yavia
Tenkiller shrugged and said “I really dunno. I just like hearing you talk. Tell me about the Ipralt Flute. How does it differ form other flutes? And why do you like playing it?”
Tenkiller
“It is made from the branches of the Ilprslt tree of Cojnbev VIII. One end is drilled and the limb hollowed out by allowing worms to tunnel the pulp inside. The worms are removed before they eat all the way through then finger holes are drilled along it. The flutes are never straight and the shape and the striations made from the tunneling allow for variations of sound due to the striations. The sound is both chilling and mystic.” Yavia shrugged, “I suppose I like playing it because it’s weird and different. Why do you like the guitar and singing?”
Yavia
Tenkiller shrugged slightly and said “I dunno… pro’lly ‘cause music was always in my house growing up. My mom plays the drums, both regular and traditional. My dad plays the upright bass. So all of us kids grew up singing and dancing and playing music. But I really liked the guitar, and singing… well… I started when I was little and it was kind of a thing my family and folks enjoyed so I kept doing it. Now I pretty much stick to the shower, though.” and he laughed.
Tenkiller
“As long as it is pleasurable for you and your audience, that’s all that matters.” Yavia laughed with him. “That does sound lovely though. Deltans…or my experience anyway, there was no music unless it was very formal. Formal settings, professionals, lessons that were practiced strictly. We listened to music but we did not create it. Maybe that’s why I like my flute so much, the sound is not perfect and I am certainly not trained. Another small piece of rebellion.” She laughed again.
“Well, nothing great ever came from staying safe or blindly following along. A little rebellion is a good thing, I think.” Tenkiller said.
“Since I made the choice to leave Delta I have gone wherever I thought I could help. Each place a new adventure, and I have loved it. I thought I would always just move from place to place. But I love it here. I didn’t expect that when I arrived. I didn’t expect for the restlessness to go away and to be wake up each day wondering what new thing would happen rather than wondering when I’d be leaving and where I would go next.”
Yavia
Charles laughed. “Oed ain’t boring! That’s for certain!” and he laughed again. “I’m not sure if the prematurely gray hairs I’m prolly gonna get from this job here are worth it, but I do look forward ‘ta findin’ out.” and he smiled and raised his glass to her. “To never being bored.”
Tenkiller
Yavia lifted her glass “To never being bored,” and there was a bell like ring as the glasses touched. Then she sipped the wine and sighed, it was very good. “However, I think things are about to get a lot less boring if we don’t try this food that Carrie prepared for us.” Truthfully Yavia had seen the food delivered but had quickly dismissed it because she was enjoying the company and conversation so much.
Yavia
The dish was a simple filet of some kind of white fish with a brilliant burgundy and orange sauce across the top. At first bite it was sweet and salty, and then the heat came. Not completely overwhelming, but enough to make Tenkiller’s eyes widen. “Holy crap!” he said around a bite and chuckled into his napkin. “That sneaks up on you!” and he took his fork to the filet for another bite.
Tenkiller
The fish was flaky and the skin crisp, the salty sweet of the sauce was excellent. Yavia let it linger on her tongue getting the flavor of it, and that let the heat build unexpectedly. It made her cheeks flush and her eyes widen and then water slightly as she allowed it linger. Then she chased it with a swallow of the wine. “Oh that’s surprising and delightful.” Each bite was savored and considered an indulgence, and the whole thing was finished with regret. “I find myself wondering why she isn’t at some quadrant known 5 star restaurant, but then again I think I’d rather keep this place a secret.”
Yavia
Tenkiller smiled and said “So I had to vette her for the court. Seems she was a sous chef at some swanky Risian resort. Top tier kinda place. Seems the chef had some kinda beef (no pun intended) with an Orion Syndicate Underboss. Killed the guy in the middle of some high-profile dinner. Whole kitchen staff was black-balled from the planet. So she wound up here… much to the joy of her customers.” He swirled the wine in the glass for a moment and said “Seems ta be Oed is a good place for that… starting over.”
Tenkiller
Yavia’s eyes widened, “Really? She was part of that, or there when it happened? Of course who wouldn’t have a beef with an Orion Syndicate Underboss? They seem to take pleasure in creating such acquaintances. I remember hearing about it in the news. He died on a ship that blew up didn’t he?” Yavia leaned back with her wine glass, “So it would seem, but only if you are willing to keep going after you get here. Which she has certainly done. Good for her. I take it she’s doing well on her probation then? She’ll get to keep this place?”
Yavia
“She is perfectly fine. Its the restaurant that’s on the block. But she seems to be doing a solid job of staying clear of the problems her boss on Risa had. And I think she’ll keep it, yeah. She’s no dummy… she knows she’s got a once-in-a-lifetime shot here. Established place, good rep despite all the B.S. that happened, steady clientele… she’s on good ground.”
Tenkiller
“I wish her the best of luck in her new beginning then. Though she doesn’t seem to need it.” Yavia let her gaze travel about the room again, lingering on the stage for a second longer and then returned to his gaze. “Do they ever have music here or is the stage just a prop?” She grinned at him, one hand resting palm up across the table, “Or are you about to tell me you’ve played or sang up there? Because I’ll tell you, it doesn’t look like a shower to me.”
Yavia
Tenkiller smiled and set his hand on hers and leaned closer and said “Oh hell no I haven’t been up there.” and he chuckled. “But yeah, they have music there a lot of the time. Don’t know about tonight, though. This whole thing was kinda spur of the moment, in case you forgot.” and he laughed.
Tenkiller
“Oh I haven’t forgotten. But considering it’s all spontaneity it has been, and I hope continues to be, an incredibly memorable evening. Even if there is no entertainment in here, there was certainly plenty outside. I may need to find a bat first if we go exploring.” Yavia laughed and winked at him. Her finger curled around his hand, “Tell me something you’ve never done but always wanted to.”
Yavia
Charles leaned back and said “Now that’s a toughie… hmmm…” and he thought for a moment and then grinned and said “I have always wanted to visit Malea and watch a beautiful woman surf the waves under their double moon.” and he winked and laughed.
Yavia laughed with him and turned a little pink, “I think I would like to help you with that.” His response was a non-answer really, yet playful. She didn’t mind. She liked the playfulness and his laughter.
“Seriously, though… I want to take a cruise on a deep sea submersible. I love the ocean, but I’ve never been around it much except at the Academy.”
Tenkiller
“Oh I’ve heard it’s beautiful, a whole different world, like going out into space. On Earth or another planet?” The servers returned to take their empty plates and refill their glasses. Another server appeared and placed desert plates in front of them. A slice of smooth creamy chocolate pie. The graham cracker crust added a bit of crunch and smooth flavor to the dish. The whipped cream seemed to be the most obvious point of attack with it’s light dusting of red chili powder. However it was the cayenne in the chocolate that built immediately that made the dish exceptional. The chocolate cut the heat allowing the flavor of the pepper to show through, allowing the dish to warm you from the inside.
Yavia
“I don’t really care. I’d just like to do it. Maybe we’ll get lucky and they’ll terraform us an ocean for the weekend.” he said and smiled as he took a bite. After he swallowed, he said “And just some time without noise. Everywhere I go, there is always that background hum of modernity.” He shook his head slightly and said “It’d just be nice to get back to some nature, ya know?”
Tenkiller
“Is there a way to put in requests to the terraforming office? An ocean or just a large sea would be amazing.” She took a bite and hummed in thought a moment and then a faint spark like sensation between their palms. “I might know a place to get back to nature but away from the noise. It’s not perfect, but it might give you a taste of what you are looking for. I could show you some time.”
Yavia
Tenkiller grinned and said “You asking me out on another date? Whatever will the other nurses at the hospital think?” and he mock-fanned himself. “But… if its some kind of ‘secret’ spot, I suppose I should let you show me sometime. You know… colony Defense and all that.” and he winked at her.
Tenkiller
“The other nurses? They will shun me if I don’t.” She lifted her glass and swirled it, but didn’t drink. “If you need to tell everyone I’m just doing my civic duty to help protect the colony I call home. And that you are going to do your job, in order to protect your delicate reputation,” she grinned over the rim of her glass, “I can live with that.”
Yavia
“Delicate reputation, huh?” Tenkiller said and smiled. “Guess I gotta try harder if my reputation is ‘delicate’.” and he took a drink. “Or maybe just do something to finally solidify that ‘bad boy’ status I’ve wanted for so long.” He looked around and then said “Dammit. Where’s the paparazzi when you need to punch someone and smash a camera?”
Tenkiller
“You want the paparazzi, then we can go to the hospital. They are all waiting for shots of Harris or Holloway or their families. Vultures all of ‘em. I am sure at least 3 of them have done something to deserve to be punched.” Her voice hissed out like acid, telling exactly what she thought of it. “However if it’s a fight you want, I’m sure you could pick a fight with the Naussican outside. Plenty of people to take snap shots out there. Oh! There’s a bar over on Tevic square. There’s always fights there. Get 2 to 10 a week from there in the ER.” She grinned and waggled her eye brows a bit. “We could go find out.”
Yavia
Tenkiller pretended to think about it a moment and then said “Let’s save that for a truly special occasion. Like our first fight and we’ll take it out on them instead.”
Tenkiller
Yavia contemplated him a long moment, staring into his eyes. “That’s planning far ahead.” Then with a smile, “I think I like it.” She finished the last of her desert with a sip of the wine. “What do you like most about your work?”
Yavia
Tekiller wiped his mouth with his napkin and leaned back in the booth holding his wine. “I like that its never dull. And that its never the same thing again and again. And that I get to meet people from all over the galaxy that many other people don’t. And at the end of the day, I’m helping people. They may not know it like they do with you and your work, but what I do matters. And thats matters to me.”
“What about you? Why nursing?”
Tenkiller
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