Posted by Lieutenant Cara Esmé O’Farrell (Counselor / Education Specialist) in Side Sim - A Much Needed Vacay

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Gravel Mardusk (Chief of Security) in Side Sim - A Much Needed Vacay

Posted by Lieutenant Cara Esmé O’Farrell (Counselor / Education Specialist) in Side Sim - A Much Needed Vacay
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Gravel didnt stop kissing Cara, but gave Tugm a one-fingered salute, and the cranky bartender chuckled. After a few more lingering moments, he pulled back and said “Damn, Tugm… and here I was gonna ask you to be my best man.” and he laughed.

As the hours passed and through crowd thinned, soon it was the core group of staff, regulars, and those privileged enough to be welcome in the bar past closing. Serchena had made her exit a bit before claiming an early meeting, and now less than a dozen people were leaned against the bar laughing and drinking.

Gravel

Cara was picking at a basket of loaded nachos after another burger, fries, and a giant pretzel with beer cheese. Tugm walked by wiping the bar down and cleaning up. “Make that last, the kitchen is closed.” He looked at Mardusk and grinned, “I told you earlier, feed her and she never leaves.” He snorted and lifted a tray of glasses and carried it into the back.

Suddenly there was laughter and the squashed nosed bartender came out, tears leaking out of his squinty eyes, carrying a large old fashioned white board. Cara recognized it immediately and almost spit out her beer. She choked on it instead. “You still have that?” Across the top of the board was “Who can out drink Cara?”

Cara

Gravel’s eyes narrowed as he looked at rhe board. “What is that?!” he asked loudly. “And why didn’t I ever k ow about this?!” he asked with a laugh.

Gravel

Pelthyz, the cook, looked up and slammed his hand on the bar and began to howl. He pointed at it, started to say something, looked at Cara and laughed harder.

One of the long time regulars snorted. “We all got bored just watchin’ her drink everyone under the table. It started as a joke, speculating on who and how we could manage to out drink her. Then it turned into a pool.” He waved at the board that was filled with names and amounts. Some were even two people vs Cara. Some were crossed out.

Tugm shrugged, “Probably because you haven’t been here since it started.”

Cara glanced at it, “All that money. What will ya do with it, Tugm, since there’s no winner?” The porcine bar tender began to laugh so hard he actually sat down. He waved at the board. “There’s a winner…”

Cara

Gravel looked at the board for a long moment, puzzling out the convoluted tracking system they had used to track who, when, how, conditions, and lovers. Finally he started chuckling and then laughing so hard gold tears formed in his eyes. “OH HOLY S#!T!!! HE IS GONNA LAUGH HIS A$$ OFF!!” and he bent over the bar and banged on it with his hand. Suddenly he sat up and looked at Tugm. “Dude. Call. Him. Right now. Tell him. EVERYBODY SHUT UP! Seriously… call him and tell him. We gotta hear this.” He looked at Cara and said “You are gonna piss your pants.”

Tugm stared at Gravel and then started laughing and nodding his head. “Oh HELLS yes. Quiet! Quiet everybody.” he said and he went to the office and came back with the portable comms. He punched in a series of digits and then said “He’s traveling, so it may not go through.” Gravel said “Where’s he headed?” Tugm said “On his way to Oed V.” “Huh? What’s out there?” Gravel asked. Tugm shrugged and then said “Ok ok!! Its connecting! Shut up!” He turned the screen so only he could see it and a voice said “Tugm? Whats happened? Is everything ok?”

The voice was familiar, but with the distance and minor distirtion it was hard to place for anyone not really familiar with the speaker. “Hey. No no, everything is fine. Nothing happened except… well… you won.” There was a long pause and the voice said “Won? What are you talking about? What did I win?” “The pool. Here at the bar. You won the pool.” “Tugm, are you drunk? There is no pool at the bar! Where the hell would we put a pool?!” the voice yelled. Tugmm started laughing and said “Not a pool… the pool. You won! Mardusk did it. He out drank her. And only slightly less surprising is they got engaged about three hours ago.” and he spun the screen so everyone- especially Cara and Gravel- could be seen in the screen…

By Michael ‘Big Mike’ McKenzie.

Gravel

Cara didn’t recognize the voice at all. Maybe if it was singing she would have, but she did recognize the face. Her eyes went wide and she blinked and looked at Tugm. She hissed out a whisper, “Mike McKenzie bet on my pool?” Tugm nodded. Cara laughed, “That’s epic…” but whatever else she might have said was cut off by the image of a copper blonde woman entering the screen, she was pulling her hair loose from the back of her dress. She laughed, “So if Mardusk out drank her, that means the woman can hold her liquor…and I know what it take to try and keep up with him.”

Cara’s hand gripped his forearm. “Oh my god…that’s Revna Edman.” Yes, one of the most famous punk rockers and owner of Cara’s favorite bar had won a pool about her…but Cara was more in awe of the woman standing just over his shoulder.

“Rev? Yeah… you know her?” Gravel asked.

“Know her? Everyone in Star Fleet medical knows her. She’s amazing! Never met her…” Gravel called her ‘Rev’…Cara told herself she was not going to be goofy over this.

Revna laughed, “McKenzie now. I’m glad to see the appointment to the Atlantis has worked out so well for you Cara.” Cara might have gripped Gravel’s arm tighter…the woman knew who she was. Revna grinned at Mardusk and then set a hand on Mike’s shoulder. “You now if the ship hasn’t left, we may have to send Runa to pay our congratulations.”

Revna McKenzie
and
Cara

Gravel smiled and said “Mike, I dunno if I should be flattered or insulted that you thought of me first in a drinking contest.” Mike laughed and said “Buddy, I think of you and only you first in three things: bass guitar, immovable objects, and drinking.” and he laughed loudly. Gravel shook his head and said “Rev… How the hell do you put up with that guy? And you married that schmuck, too. What were you thinking?” and he laughed. “You guys okay? Doin’ alright? How’s Runa? Heard she got married?! That can’t be real.”

Gravel

Revna laughed, “Oh there was no thinking involved in that decision. And I am sure you know exactly how that feels.” She kissed Mike as she sat down. “Runa? Oh she’s great. Yeah she got married. Less than 12 hours after she met him. It’s Runa what do you expect. A bar however was not involved…apparently it was coffee.” Revna said it like it was some sordid secret and laughed.

Revna and Cara

Gravel looked at Tugm who was tapping his wrist. “Ok, you gotta tell me about that. But I’m getting glared at here, so can you guys call tomorrow and we can catch up? Cara and I are in town all day tomorrow but leave for Ireland day after.” Mike opened his mouth to say something and Gravel held up a finger. “One fu<%ing leprechaun comment from you, McKenzie, and I will drink your special bottle.” Mike grinned but his mouth snapped shut. “Ok. I’ll just tell Revna when we hang up.” and he laughed. “Hey. Seriously though… much love, brother. Congrats. Cara, hope we get an invite to the riot-” and Revna’s hand went loudly against the back of his head “- er, wedding.” and he looked back at her. “I owe you one now.” and he grinned before turning back. “We’ll call tomorrow. Talk then. Tugm! Carte blanche for Cara. She’s family now!” and the comms went dark. Tugm looked at Cara with an odd smile. “He says that like its something new.” and he smiled at her and said “Congratulations, Cara. Be happy.”

Gravel