Posted by Lieutenant Logan Kelleher (Chief Engineer) in San Francisco - Smugglers Cove Bar - One Last Drink

Posted by Lieutenant Helena Laursen (Helm/Nagivation Officer) in San Francisco - Smugglers Cove Bar - One Last Drink

Posted by Lieutenant Logan Kelleher (Chief Engineer) in San Francisco - Smugglers Cove Bar - One Last Drink
Posted by… suppressed (20) by the Post Ghost! 👻
[snip]

“Well I never said they were your fault per se,” Logan looked innocent. “Just that I happened to be nursing plasma burns at the same time you were piloting that shuttle. Those burns happened because that freighter had a loose conduit that burst and overloaded our relay causing the console to pop. I’m pretty sure that scrape to the hull happened after the conduit burst anyway.”

It hadn’t, and Marceau knew it, but he didn’t say anything.

“I am sooo sorry you had to endure that, Logan. I’m amazed you made it through alive.” Helena was totally messing with Marceau. He could fly…barely, and usually made people motion sick. “That sounds like that Academy supply run we did to the asteroid mining colonies.” She pushed up her left sleeve, rubbing at her forearm. There was a faded thin scar along the inner bone (Ulna? Radius? Or something. She didn’t remember, she wasn’t the doctor) starting at the base of her thumb almost to her elbow. “I am not sure how we survived that one, and my trying to fly that dilapidated thing with one hand.”

“Ouch,” Logan winced. “That looks like it tickled.”

The radius, Marceau would tell her. He could always remember because one took a radial pulse by pressing the artery to the radius. And that pulse was just below the thumb. “I would have helped but I would have caused us to crash faster.” Marceau commented, shrugging. “I claim no skill at flying.”

Helena shrugged, “You fixed the arm, can’t ask for more than that.”

Helena nudged him with an elbow, “Don’t you have a meeting with the brass in....less time than you have to make it there?”

Lt Laursen

Marceau checked the time and made a face. “I can get there if I leave now,” he said, finishing off his water and standing.

The music track changed once again, still an upbeat tune but still not the club mix that had been playing before. This time it was another classic, an old Cage The Elephant number called Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked.

“Oh good song,” Logan grinned. “Wasn’t this playing that time we got into the bar fight, sorry, stopped that bar fight, on Jupiter Station?” He nudged Marc as well and then nodded to Laursen. “She’s right, you better get going if you want to make it on time. Traffics not so bad this time of night, you’ll make it.” As if to emphasize his point, he picked up the lid of the rum bottle and twisted it back on, closing it off, and then finished off his glass, pushing it towards the opposite side of the bar where the woman he had been flirting with earlier picked it up and slid it away to wash.

Marceau shook his head. “I stopped that barfight, you were a participant in it.” He said. “I’ve got to go, I’ll see you both later.” He said, and then as he hurried off they’d hear an “Au revoir!” Thrown over his shoulder.

Helena could not imagine Marceau in a bar fight. He was capable but she just didn’t see anyone being able to goad him into one. She waved an absent hand towards the retreating Marceau and called out, “Bæ! Farðu! (Bye! Get out of here!)”

“Hey you,” he said to the bartender gently with a soft smile and leaned forward towards her. “I got something for you, do you trust me?”

“Not on your life space cowboy,” the woman grinned but leaned forwards on the bar towards him as well.

“Good, I’d hate for you to get comfortable with me.” Logan smirked and then motioned with his hand to her eyes. “Close them a moment, it’ll ruin the surprise if you don’t.” Narrowing her eyes at him for a moment, she looked at both Laursen and Renault as if waiting for them to protest and warn her away from him.

Laursen shrugged at the woman. “I don’t know him, but he’s a friend of the Captain’s. You’re probably safe, but don’t hold me to it.”

Looking back at Logan, she smiled and shrugged, closing her eyes. When she did, Logan stood slightly and leaned forward over the bar towards her more. Standing up, his bulk and height were far more apparent from when he was sitting down relaxed. The two mouthy individuals behind him may even have realized their luck that the engineer hadn’t taken any offence to their earlier opinions about water. “Keep em closed,” Logan laughed, and he picked up the tiki umbrella that Marceau had put in his glass earlier, tucking it into the bartender’s hair as she faced him with her eyes closed like it was a small flower. “There, take a look, you’re even more perfect than you were before.” Logan sat back down on his seat and grinned like a teenager.

Opening her eyes, the bartender turned and looked in the mirror behind the bar and after a moment, a visible flush came to her cheeks as she looked at Logan in the glass. Turning back to him, she said nothing but bit her lip slightly as she most likely tried to work out something to say that wouldn’t sound completely out of place. Without saying anything else to her, Logan winked, the grin turned into a softer smile and he turned back to the two people beside him as more people down the other end of the bar began calling out protesting, good naturedly, his monopolizing of the bartenders time. “That’s probably enough drink for me tonight as well, I still have to get home myself.”

Lt Kelleher

~ Captain Renault

Helena looked around, bopping to the beat of the music. She set a foot on the floor in preparation to slide off the stool and glanced at Kelleher, “You like dance?”

Lt Laursen

Logan grinned for a moment, and then hid his mouth behind his hand just a second longer to stop the laugh that nearly burst out. “What do you mean ‘You Like Dance’? Why you gotta say it like I’m some kind of cave man?” He grinned at her and then slid off the stool coming to his full height, and held out his hand to help her off of hers or perhaps invite her onto the dance floor.

The grin didn’t falter but her head tipped slightly and her eyes squinted, thinking a moment. Language barrier. This is why she should never be allowed to speak to aliens. She had a hard enough time with Earth languages. “Oh, sometimes I forget…” but he was already talking again. Instead Helena took the offered hand and stood up. He had several inches on her, but her heels narrowed that distance.

“Yes I Like Dance,” he nodded. “I like sky ship too, but dance come first.” He spoke as if he was a cave man with a stupid grin on his lips, then laughed again. “The music is about to change though, and just cause I like to dance doesn’t mean I can. Wanna risk it? Play roulette with the song and a cave man on the dance floor?”

Logan Kelleher

Helena’s chuckled lightly and nodded. Dropping her husky accent I to her words. “I sure do. Life needs risks. Besides, didn’t you know cavemen invented dance. Moving to the primal sounds and rhythm of life. You’ll do fine Kelleher, just enjoy it.” Helena was already swaying and moving to the song that was starting, with absolutely no care as to the opinions of those around her.

Lt Laursen

“I always enjoy what I’m doing,” Logan grinned widely. “No point doing it otherwise right?” He followed Laursen onto the dancefloor as the beat picked up and launched into something that anyone on the dancefloor simply couldn’t help but move to. Almost immediately, his shoulders and head started moving in time and he even his hips started swaying. For a big guy, he wasn’t moving like a Neanderthal yet.

“Oh absolutely.” Helena waggled her brows at him, and as the riffs started she broke into a huge grin. “Perfect.” Her head started bopping to the rhythm and then it was her shoulders as they lyrics started. She turned in a playful spin to face him.

Oh don’t you dare look back,
just keep your eyes on me,
I said your holding back,
she said Shut Up and Dance with Me.

“Okay, so it’s an easy one to dance to, and a classic,” Logan smiled as he looked at Laursen. “You got lucky.” Because of Kellehers bulk, it actually served to clear some of the area around them and they had their own small, clear spot on the dance floor. Logan wasn’t moving much, but he was moving in time and smoothly rather than awkwardly as he faced Laursen while the music kicked into swing.

Lt Kelleher

We were victims of the night
The chemical, physical, kryptonite
Helpless to the bass and the fading light
Oh we were bound to get together
Bound to get together

As the music picked up tempo and beat, Logan began to move more, shuffling side to side and with his arms moving in motion. It was still an easy, controlled movement without flair but with a smooth control that looked effortless but, was pretty simple if you had any rhythm at all.

She took my arm
I don’t know how it happened
We took the floor and she said

Helena gave him a once over as her hips joined in the rhythm and steps. Was she appraising or comparing? “Apparently I got very lucky, Logan.” She fell into an easy sync with him. Helena danced with passion and almost lost to the music and moment, but there was nothing awkward or clumsy about it. “You know though, the secret to dancing is to have fun with your partner. That’s what made Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers so great. They had fun and that made them incredible.” She turned in place glancing over her shoulder at him as she did, once facing him her gaze was almost daring. “So how much fun are you going to have?”

Oh don’t you dare look back
Just keep your eyes on me
I said you’re holding back
She said shut up and dance with me
This woman is my destiny
She said oh oh oh
Shut up and dance with me

Lt Laursen

“Is that a flirt? Lieutenant?” Logan grinned as he moved, “Or did you just buzz my control tower?” As the beat slowed he deliberately stepped back a step, raising his elbows to clear a little more room around him. She clearly could dance, and well, and put her heart into it. He also didn’t miss how she turned from him, the look, almost an invite to get closer. But, she had seemed to dare him with fun.

Helena’s brows rose slightly holding back a wicked grin, “Don’t know too many pilots do ya, Lieutenant? Buzzing a control tower is flirting.” She stepped back as well when he lifted his elbows, giving him a little more room, but not enough to give the impression they weren’t dance partners.

“I can do fun,” Logan bit his lip slightly as he looked at Laursen and narrowed his eyes a little. “But can you keep up?” Maybe it was a challenge, maybe he was testing out what kind of fun she was interested in. He would see in a moment. As the next verse started, slower and more subdued than the others but still with a good beat to it, he launched into a full Carlton dance.

A backless dress and some beat up sneaks
My discotheque Juliet teenage dream
I felt it in my chest as she looked at me
I knew we were bound to be together
Bound to be together

Light, truly amused, laughter floated from her. She twisted her hips to the side and her arms started to move straight down back and forth one in front and one behind her - The Floss and adding in a little bounce to her steps as she turned to face the other direction. She matched his Shuffle with The Twist.

As the final words of the verse were sung, he shifted the Carlton into a quick Shuffle as he moved forward so that he was almost touching her. The distance was almost intimate but Logan didn’t put a hand on her as he moved back to the smooth sway that he had been doing earlier, just much closer while he looked down at her, his height clear but the smile on his lips was soft and mischievous. “See, I can do fun. So how much fun are you going to have?”

She took my arm
I don’t know how it happened
We took the floor and she said

Lt Kelleher

Oh don’t you dare look back
Just keep your eyes on me
I said you’re holding back
She said shut up and dance with me
This woman is my destiny
She said oh oh oh
Shut up and dance with me

Helena didn’t say anything, nor did she increase or decrease the space. She regarded him a moment. Logan seemed a good guy, and she wasn’t going to mess with him. He was Marceau’s friend after all. She flirted but she wasn’t ‘a tease’ as some people put it. She Logan seemed to type to understand that flirting could be fun, but just that. Her rhythm turned a little less fun and playful and a bit more enticing. It was a variation of Single Ladies that took out all the wilder, grander moves that required a decent amount of space, allowing the not quite intimate distance to stay.

“Oh Ok,” Logan pursed his lips and nodded in apparent appreciation of her movement, “this is fun.” His on movement changed from the gently rhythmic swaying that most guys did on a dance floor to a more upbeat movement that matched Laursen’s own. His elbows came up to the side a little and he began to ‘bounce’ slightly in time with the beat, and clapping his hands together as he did so encouraging her dance. Anyone into old style movement that had seen the video to the song ‘Happy’ would of recognized the moves, especially when Logan added a slight flourish in time with Laursen’s own playful rhythm. In other circumstances Logan may have fallen into a different dance that much more closely matched her own considering the distance between them, but, she was Marc’s friend after all. A bit of casual banter and fun, even a dance never hurt but Logan had seen the way she had smiled at Marc.

As the verse ended she did a small turn and then proceeded to Moon Walk a circle around him.

At that, Logan stopped dead and looked at her, then raised his hand and pointed. “You can do the moonwalk?”

Oh, c’mon girl
Deep in her eyes
I think I see the future
I realize this is my last chance

Lt Laursen

Logan just turned with her as she moved around him, laughing and nodding in tune to the music without taking his eyes off of her. As she got back to the point she had started from he started to move again, rolling his hands backwards in front of him as he rolled his shoulders from side to side.

She took my arm
I don’t know how it happened
We took the floor and she said

The music slowed down again shifting into a more mellow, rhythmic beat that he used to step forward closer to her once more. Their distance had been opened by the moonwalk but, now, Logan reached out and took her hand. Pulling her in, Logan raised their hands and spun Helena around so she would end facing him again.

Helena placed her hand in his and following his lead raised her arm and spun in a pretty little twirl that ended her facing him. Her hips swayed as she stepped lightly from foot to foot, her shoulders rolling and arms rotating and swaying with the rhythm as he held onto her hand. She grinned at him, one brow raised for a moment.

Once she had completed the spin, his hand rested on her waist and he smiled. The song wasn’t long for finishing and so far, they had danced, had fun and she had even moved a little more seductively. Now it was his turn to turn on the seductive part and she how she liked it. Letting go of her hand and letting it drop gently onto his shoulder, his other hand took position on her opposite hip and he began slower steps as he swayed his hips and shoulders in time to the music. looking her straight in the eyes, his forehead almost touched hers while he silently mouthed the words to the next verse, dancing in close contact with her.

Helena drapped her other arm over his shoulder and let her hips sway into his hands. She stared up at him, quietly singing along as well, a softer smile on her face. She didn’t close the gap but she didn’t move away either. If she’d met him under different circumstances, she would rather enjoy getting to know Logan on a closer basis. He was nice, wasn’t afraid to let loose and have a little fun, was a decent dancer (not the best she’d ever danced with, but fun made it better), he didn’t give off that ‘creeper, run for your life’ vibe, and he was easy to look at. But he was Marceau’s friend, and well there were other complicated matters involved.

Oh don’t you dare look back
Just keep your eyes on me
I said you’re holding back
She said shut up and dance with me
This woman is my destiny
She said oh oh oh

At the moment that the next line was about to be sung, Logan grinned and stepped back a little opening the distance between them from how close they had been. It served two purposes, he wasn’t trying to do more than have fun and flirt maybe just a little, and the next part wasn’t a close quarters dance. Raising one hand above his head and his other taking hold of hers, he began to bounce as he lifted his head and shouted, in time to the other dancers…

“Shut up and dance“

Lt Logan Kelleher

Her grin widened and she stepped back, her hand sliding into his. Her other arm raised into the air as she started bouncing and shouted with the rest of the dancers. The music came to an abrupt end and she laughed. “Logan you’re fun. Thank you.” She chuckled at the looks they were getting. You know you were having fun when people who didn’t know you were envious. “I think your dance card might be full, Logan.” She nodded her head at the women eyeing him up and down and giving her dirty looks.

“Oh no,” Logan looked around and grinned before looking back at Helena. “My quota for the night has been reached, I’ve got an early start tomorrow at R&D. That was fun, you can dance, no argument from me. Besides, good things take time right? These ladies can wait for next time I swing by here.”

“You’d know all about good things taking time, you’re with R&D. Try explaining that to them though,” Helena jerked a thumb over her shoulder at the crowd. “Not sure they want to wait till next time you show up.”

“Well that’s a pity, cause they are going to have to,” he looked in the direction where she had pointed and then back to Laursen. “Lets move, before the pack of hyena’s decides on the best way to pounce.”

She chuckled, “Really, let me thank you. I’ll see if I can snag you a tiny umbrella.” She made her way over to the bar, catching the bar tender’s eye as she went.

Lt Laursen

Logan laughed and made to follow Laursen, but a hand caught his arm and held him back as one of the women on the dance floor decided to try her luck at claiming a dance.

“What can I get you?” The bartender that Logan had been flirting with leaned over the bar slightly and smiled at Helena, her half rainbow coloured hair pushed to one side out of her eyes exposing her slender neck and the tight fitting necklace around it. “You know out of all the times the big guy has been here, that’s the first time he has ever danced with anyone.” Her eyes moved to Logan who was still talking to the woman who had taken his arm and she laughed as he was clearly trying to explain, politely and with good humor that it was past his bed time and he really couldn’t have another dance.

Lt Kelleher

“Shirley Temple.” Helena ordered with a grin at the woman. “Really?” she asked as she turned and glanced back over her shoulder. She laughed seeing Kelleher try to extract himself from the woman’s attentions. “I have a bad habit of getting people to do things they wouldn’t normally. In all honestly, he’s just curious because of our mutual friend.” She glanced back again and her shoulders shook in laughter, “Do you think I should help him? I feel like it’s my fault he’s in that mess.” Of course if it was Marceau she’d be right in there dragging him out of it. Marceau was quiet, didn’t drink, and kept to himself. Especially in places like this.

Lt Laursen

“Oh leave him, he’s a big boy and can handle himself,” she grinned and eyed the big guy again before lifting the tall glass of soda and grenadine to the bar top where Helena sat. On top, was the customary skewer with cherries resting on the ice and edge of the glass.

Helena picked up the glass and took a long sip. “Mmmm that’s good, thanks.” She glanced from the bartender to Kelleher and back with a grin. “Yeah it looks like he’s doing a great job of saving himself from the hyenas.”

“Your mutual friend?” The woman leaned forward on the bar again and folded her arms across each other. “You mean your boyfriend that was here not long ago? He left in a hurry, is he coming back?”

Lt Kelleher and Jinx (The bartender)

Helena laughed and shook her head, “More like older brother. We were cadets together.” Boyfriend? Hardly. Marceau would never look at her like that. She grabbed the skewer with a shrug and pulled a cherry off. “Meeting with the brass. No telling if he’ll be back or not.” She leaned into the bar, “You should put your number on one of those umbrellas and give it to him.” She nodded her head toward Logan.

Lt Laursen

“I’ve already got it,” the woman smiled. “He wrote it on whiteboard pen on his credit chit when he handed it over before you arrived.” She held up a small chit bearing the name Kelleher on it, a phone number written neatly across it.

Helena grinned and took a sip of her drink glancing at the credit chit. “You should hold onto that. Maybe even use it.”

“It’s a game we play, kind of like chicken. He comes in here a couple of times a week maybe and either he or I slip each other our number somehow, flirt a little bit back and forth and dare each other to call first. So far, neither of us have given in but both of us keep trying. He likes to play the long game, doesn’t rush anything and trusts that it will happen when the time’s right. I’ll tell you a secret, the guy is a romantic at heart, but I’ve seen him throw a MACO through the front door when it was closed and the guy was getting ‘handy’ with the ladies. He paid for the door after.” She bit her lip a little as she looked back at Kelleher who by now, had extracted himself from the grasping affections of the woman and was walking towards them, then placed a drink on the bar that was in a glass with an umbrella in it. Clearly it was for Kelleher when he arrived but there was no number on it, just the drink.

Lt Kelleher & Jinx

Helena nodded with a smirk and waved at the door where Marceau had exited. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. Our friend who just left, called Kelleher one of his closest friends. Marceau gets along with everyone, but he’s very picky and specific about who he calls ‘friend.’ Marceau calling you friend is like being awarded the medal of honor. So it does not surprise me a bit that Kelleher has a good heart and a strong sense of duty.” Helena leaned her folded arms on the edge of the bar and leaned toward the bar tender. She tapped a quick rhythm on bar counter. “Look, long games are fine. You’ve both rolled the dice to start the game but neither of you is moving your game piece. I’ve been in the Fleet 13 years, and you just never know what will happen. Opportunities abound everywhere, and that’s life, but once the opportunity is gone, it’s gone. That’s life too. Make a move while you have a chance, don’t let it be a ‘what if’.”

“That’s true, but it’s only been a month since he started coming here,” Jinx smiled and relaxed on the bar top herself.

“But you’re right, maybe it is time for one of us to flinch first and I had thought about calling earlier but the game,” she glanced back to Kelleher and then back to Laursen, “is fun. It creates suspense, a tease.” The bartender smirked slightly wider though as she looked at Helena, “But considering that tonight he drew a little more attention to himself out there, and now he has a group of admirers and seeing as that other man that was here isn’t your boyfriend and you’re gorgeous, maybe I should stake a claim seeing the way he danced with you.” Jinx’s voice held no tone of accusation or jealousy at all, quite the opposite, it was playful and friendly. Even inviting. “Unless you want to play tag team with him?”

“Mmmm…the game is fun, and worth it. Exciting, keeps you guessing, makes your heart race, gives you something to look forward too. But, you know, flying does the same thing. You should stake a claim. See how he reacts.” The grin on her face grew wider and she sighed at the woman, “Now that’s the most tempting offer I’ve had in a long time. BUT like I said,” she shook her head, “he’s good friends with Marceau. No, Kelleher in this case is Plan B. He’s a gentleman, nice, won’t push, he’s safe to have a good time with and not run the risk of a jerk getting handsy. He’s all yours, though it is tempting.”

“Very tempting,” Jinx agreed with a smile at Helena, then bit her lip lightly and moved her gaze back to the approaching Kelleher.

As Kelleher walked up Helena smirked, “Did you escape the wolves unscathed?”

Lt Laursen

At Helena’s words, Logan immediately began to stagger like he had been mauled by a ravenous pack while out trekking, and reached for the bar to steady himself with a grin. “Barely,” he said in a hoarse whisper, “but you should see the other guy.”

The ‘other guy’ in this scenario was the woman who Logan had gently let down, who was glaring at him with arms folded and clearly pouting. “I had to tell her she wasn’t my type and that Marc was my boyfriend,” Logan shrugged and then looked at the drink on the bar with an umbrella in it. Pointing to it, he looked between Jinx and Helena. “That for me?”

Helena almost fell off her bar stool laughing. She could see Marceau’s reaction to that piece of information. The pouting woman didn’t like Helena’s reaction and stomped away with a perfectly practiced pout and a good solid glare at the blonde woman.

“Sure is big guy, you looked like you might need some juice after having all that energy drained out of you by the blonde bombshell here,” Jinx grinned and winked at Helena.

“I knew I liked you for a reason,” Logan smiled at the small woman and sat down on the bar stool, picking up the drink. “You always got my back and look out for me.” Taking a sip of the drink, he turned to Helena but kept his body facing Jinx, clearly keeping her in the conversation. “So how long do you think Marc is going to be? You going to wait for him or catch up with him later?”

Lt Kelleher & Jinx

Helena winked back at her raised both brows in a universal girl expression of ‘see he’s interested,’ and then picked up her glass again. After a drink she shrugged at Logan. “No telling. You know how these late night calls go. If it wasn’t pressing, they wouldn’t pull him in so late. They would wait till morning. He may not come back at all.” She shrugged, “I’ll probably hang around awhile. I haven’t had a good night out in awhile.”

“The Cove is definitely worth a good night out,” Logan nodded. “I’m not long for home myself but I’m sure you’ll find some excitement around here.”

“Helena!”

“Wow, that was quick.” Logan looked at Helena and raised an eyebrow, then looked in the direction of the voice.

She turned on the stool to see a dark haired, dusky complexioned man, that was more bulky than built making his way toward her. “Gerard! I thought you were out on the Fitzgerald?” The man grabbed her in a huge hug around the waist, lifted her up, and spun her around. He planted a kiss on her cheek before he set her down.

“We arrived back two days ago. Didn’t know you were around.” Then he noticed Kelleher and slipped an arm around Helena’s waist as he gave him a once over. “Who’s your friend?”

Logan simply let a wide and slow smile spread over his face and said nothing, just nodded in acknowledgement of the man and raised his glass, finishing the drink in one then relaxing back on the bar with one elbow resting on it. Jinx, for her part, leaned forward and rested her chin on his shoulder looking at the man. “He’s kinda cute, you think he’s Plan A?” She spoke quietly but Logan glanced at her and then back to the ‘new’ guy. “Plan What?”

Jinx snorted a short laugh. “Never mind, I’ll tell you later,” she smirked.

Helena glanced at Jinx and rolled her eyes in a long suffering manner. “Gerard, this is Logan Kelleher, he’s a friend of Marceau’s, and this is,” she glanced quickly at the name tag, “Jinx my new friend.” The mention of Marceau seemed to relax Gerard a bit and he grinned and held out his unoccupied hand. “Nice to meet you.” Glancing at Helena, “Is he here?”

Logan sat forward and gripped the mans hand in his own, giving it a solid shake in greeting. “And you, it’s nice to meet more friends of Marcs and Helena’s.”

Helena turned on the stool, removing his arm in a quiet but clear manner, “He was, but he got called in by the big brass. Left us mere mortals here to fend off the wolves alone.”

“What mortals?” Logan asked and looked between the two women then back Gerard and winked. “Only goddesses are allowed in here with the riff-raff.” In response, Jinx playfully hit him in the shoulder from behind. “Charmer, be careful or I’ll call the pack over on you.”

Helena rolled her eyes a bit but winked at Jinx. Gerard on the other hand grinned hugely and slipped is arm back around Helena’s shoulders. “I’ll have to agree with Logan here,” Gerard announced giving her a squeeze. Helena smiled, but it seemed slightly forced, but she hid it behind her glass.

“Come on, then, not so alone. I’m supposed to be meeting Akela, Billy, and Kenson here in a few minutes.”

Helena’s eyes went wide in surprise, “Really? I haven’t seen Billy in....I can’t remember when. Are he and Akela still?”

Gerard chuckled, “Oh yeah, they got married about a month ago.”

“Congrats to them!” Logan added and then reached for his drink, then realized it was empty. Jinx began to arrange a few glasses on the bench top and make a selection of drinks, after all there were more people coming. “Charge that to the card,” Logan turned and told her, “celebration round for the newlyweds.”

“That’s wonderful, always thought those two would end up together.” She glanced back at Logan and Jinx, “Sorry, we all went through the Academy together, same squad all four years.”

Lt Laursen

“That explains it,” Logan laughed. “I still keep it touch with my class as well. It’s not quite the small fleet it used to be right, we got ships popping up everywhere now. People get assigned different places and it’s great to catch up when you can.”

Helena nodded, “We have managed to all get together once since graduation, but we all keep in touch. Gerard here was one of our linguists, Kenson planetary sciences. Akela and Marceau were our medics. Billy was our other pilot. I miss flying with him.”

“That’s because we were awesome!” A sandy haired, blue eyed man walked up, about their age, but his grin making him look so much younger. “Besides we all know who Helena’s favorite co-pilot is.” Helena gave him a look that dared him to talk and lifted Gerard’s hand off her shoulder and ducked behind him going up to the man. “Billy!” and then she hugged the shorter Asian woman with him. “Akela, I hear congratulations are in order. Why didn’t you tell us all?”

The woman grinned as another man, Kenson, walked up, hugging Helena as well. “Well,” Akela started, “it was all very sudden. I did a stint helping set up medical facilities for a new colony, when I got back, we decided we’d waited long enough.”

“Hi, I’m Julianna Nixx, but the riff-raff call me Jinx.” Jinx leaned forward over the bar and held out her hand to Gerard. “I’ll be your bartender tonight, what are you all drinking?”

Kenson glanced around, “It’s very nice to meet you Julianna. We’ll have a long island ice tea for the happy couple, an old fashioned for me, a Manhattan for Gerard, and Helena a Shirley Temple.”

“Hold on, your name isn’t Jinx?” Logan raised his eyebrows and paused. “Well you never asked,” the lithe bartender said out the side of her mouth and then looked back to Gerard. “Can I make you something special honey?”

Kelleher & Jinx

Helena shook her head, “Names are important Logan.” She quickly introduced Logan to the rest of the group, who were all very friendly. Kenson seemed to be doing a job of getting between Helena and Gerard, and sharing knowing laughs over it with Billy and Akela.

“Of course they are,” Logan grinned. “I just thought, you know, her name was Jinx. That’s what everyone called her.” He finished his drink and leaned back on the bar

Gerard was distracted by Jinx though and leaned against the counter toward her. He scanned the bottles behind the bar and then back at her, “I’m sure you can. How about a Dark and Stormy?”

Laursen & Cadet Squad Blackjacks

“I said something special, but I can work with that,” Jinx smirked but turned and began making the drink. “How about you two?” She paused and looked back at Logan and Helena with a question in her eyes.

“Just a refill for me, please.” Helena told her. Gerard shrugged, “I know what I like.” Kenson snorted, “Yeah to your own detriment. You need to branch out a lot.”

“Not for me, I’m still planning on leaving shortly and leaving this lot to your tender clutches.” Logan laughed and leaned on the bar closer to Jinx. “Well shucks, you make it sound like I’m good at what I do.” She teased back and placed the drink for Gerard on the bench beside Logan. Alongside the slice of lime on the rim, she had added in a splash of lime juice as well making it slightly more ‘tropical’. “Why do you think I keep coming back?” Logan left the question open ended and turned back to the group.

“So you all know Marc then from back in the Academy? That’s a wee bit longer than my acquaintance with him, but I’ve got a feeling he’ll be back before long. He wouldn’t leave Helena waiting too long, if I know Marc.”

Kelleher

Kenson smirked, “Picked up on that did ya?” Gerard sat and put an arm on the back of Helena’s seat and was quick to add, “Marceau wouldn’t leave any of us waiting too long. We’re all close.” Billy walked by and accidentally knocked Gerard’s arm off her chair with a hard glare.

Akela plucked her Long Island off the bar and passed the other to Billy. “Marceau and I met first week in medical class. We met a few of the others over the course of the semester, but then the rest when squads were assigned second semester.”

Kenson shook his head, “Yeah but Helena knew him before all of us.” Helena raised her drink, “I did, and if I hadn’t saved him he never would have made it to San Francisco and we all would have been denied the greatest cadet CO since Star Fleet was formed.” The all nodded, there was still a lot of pride for each other even after 13 years. “That’s true,” Akela admitted, “but you two have been joined at the hip since day one. OH!” She dug a PaDD out and flipped through a couple of digital files. “Proves my point.” She turned it around for everyone to see.

“Ohhh would you look at that!” Logan grinned and leaned in for a closer look. “Now that’s my boy Marc,” Logan looked up at Akela, “but I could have sworn he hated flying. Looks like someone has the touch.”

Akela laughed, “Oh he does, and your right.” Akela winked at Helena and the tall blonde rolled her eyes. “We had been up 48 hours. Didn’t sleep the night before because the rest of you passed out. We were afraid we’d all over sleep and miss muster.” Helena pointed at the picture and looked at Logan. “We made muster early, got in the plane, and they stuck us in the back where the commodore wouldn’t see and told us to pass out. Slept the whole flight, even through the stop over in Denver. Woke us up when we landed just ro hit a 3 mile hike before the sun went down.” Helena laughed, “I thought it was awful and I’d never make it. That was the easiest day that whole trip.”

A much younger Helena and Marceau were dead center in the picture, her head on his shoulder, his head on top of hers, dead asleep on what looked like a plane. Marceau was holding onto her hand. “Where did you find that? That was first year training mission wasn’t it? Where did that even come from?”

Leaning back Logan looked over at Jinx and grinned, in response the lithe woman raised her eyebrow and smirked back, shrugging one shoulder suggestively in a way that made Logan grin deeper. Especially when her eyes moved to the picture and Logan needed no translator to know what Jinx was referring to. “Second choice, huh?” He asked quietly, and Jinx just winked and turned to the bar.

Billy put an arm around Akela as he sat down next to her, “Helena you should see the photo files she has. She took pictures of everything. She even has one of me learning how to swim. Of course I don’t think she was documenting my triumph over the water demons. I mean I did cut quite the figure back then.” Akela turned red and poked Billy in the side, he placed a wet kiss on her temple and they all laughed.

Helena

“Well I’ll let you kids reminisce,” Logan finished his drink and passed the glass back over the counter, placing it to the side. “This old man has work tomorrow and if I don’t make my move now, have a feeling the wolf pack may return and then you’ll find my skeleton stuck somewhere years from now after the bones were picked dry.” Looking up, his eyes fell on the group of women who had been dancing near he and Helena earlier, and he stood, collective his jacket and in one smooth motion slid his arms through it and settled it over his shoulders. As he did so, he quietly put the group of Helena’s friends between himself and the wolf pack.

“It was great meeting you all,” he smiled around the group and offered his hand in farewell, “and especially you, Laursen. I’m sure our paths will cross again with both of us knowing Marc.”

Kelleher

The guys watched Kelleher’s gaze and then looked at the smirk on Helena’s face as she spoke. “Good to meet you too Kelleher. See ya ‘round. And avoid the wolves. We’ll give you a head start.” Kenneth and Gerard too the hint and got up, wading into the group of women while Logan made his escape.

Helena and her friends stayed at the bar for awhile longer, making plans to all meet up with Marceau the next day before leaving. Helena stayed at the bar a bit longer, hoping Marceau would come back and she would get to find out why they had been recalled from Titan so quickly.

Helena