Posted by Mar. Captain Eleanor “Iron Lady” Carnegie (Recon Squadron CO/Pilot) in [Alt-Timeline] USS Chimera – Crew Lounge

Posted by Commander Samantha Jean “Sam” Halloway (Executive Officer (Incoming)) in [Alt-Timeline] USS Chimera – Crew Lounge

Posted by Mar. Captain Eleanor “Iron Lady” Carnegie (Recon Squadron CO/Pilot) in [Alt-Timeline] USS Chimera – Crew Lounge
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
It had been a long day. Twelve hours of travel followed by a few extra hours to get everything in order before she was able to settle in on board the Chimera. It had been a long day repressing the feelings she had been feeling for more than a week now.

Eleanor Carnegie was tired and angry. Well… mostly angry. Somehow she didn’t think that was the best state of mind to start her new assignment.

To pass the time, she had read everything she could on the Chimera. It was another carrier, like the ones she was used to be posted in. Only this one was bigger than her previous posts and now she had a full squadron working under her orders. For a moment, she allowed herself to feel nervous.

Dawkins had been in the lounge about twenty minutes, himself just tossing a bag and heading for the Eight Forward. He had taken enough time to slip from his flight suit and into a fresh pair of jeans and University of Houston t-shirt following the fastest sonic shower he’d ever taken. Pulling on his flight jacket, the Marine found his way to the lounge and settled in to people watch more than anything else. The room was massive, over a hundred yards across at the widest point, it was mostly vacant so Malcolm hung out near the service area.

Having just left her quarters, Carnegie walked to the ship’s crew lounge, on deck eight. Docked at Halcyon, the ship was still only half staffed, but she managed to signal one of the waiters before seating at one of the tables.

Seeing the pilot from the wing knocking back shots and since the cavernous room was nearly vacant, Malcolm headed over to join his fellow aviator.

“A shot of vodka, please.” It was not sophisticated, but it would do the job.

As soon as the small glass was placed in front of her, Eleanor downed it in one go, as easily as if it was water, placing the empty glass upside down on the table in front of her. The waiter barely had had time to leave before she signaled him again.

“Another one, please.” She paused and looked at the young man taking her order. “You know what, make it double.”

CPT Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

“Make it two…” Malcolm said with a smile as he spun a chair and joined the young woman a her table. “… hope ya don’t mind the company.” His tone warm as he settled in his chair, he raised an eyebrow. “Nice specks hun… don’t see a lot of those around anymore.”

Dawkins, FL

Eleanor raised an eyebrow at the newcomer. “Not at all.” She said with a reluctant smile. “Thanks.” Carnegie acknowledged the compliment, and taking the glasses from her face, almost as if she had just remembered they were propped on her nose, she cleaned them on the front of her shirt. “They’re just fashionable. My brother gave them to me.” She forced her smile slightly.

“They’re cute…” Malcolm grinned. “… they suit you well.” He hadn’t taken his eyes from hers.

Somehow, the combination of the light tortoise frames with the SFMC ball cap and flight jacket over the clearly worn-out Steelers shirt would not strike Malcolm as ’fashionable’ being something the pilot worried about. It would be clear that either Eleanor was not very talkative or she wasn’t very keen on talking at the moment.

The Marine noted the lack of desire to talk and was about to leave the young woman to her drinks when the server began to approach the table.

Finally, when the waiter came with their drinks, Eleanor’s smile curled into a smirk. “I hope you can keep up flyboy. Let me warn you that if you pass out I’ll drop you in Marine country and leave you for the CAG to find.” Her smirk twisted sideways. “And let’s just say, I’d hate to drag you all the way down there.” And with a wink she downed the double vodka shot in one go, placing the glass upside down in front of her and signaling the waiter once again.

Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

“You’re cute…” Dawkins laughed slightly with a sly smile of his own. “But I assure you… I could say the same of you.” With that, he knocked back his drink and motioned for the waiter to bring the bottle. As he sat the bottle down, Dawkins quickly poured two more doubles and raised his glass. “That is unless… you’re chicken.”

Dawkins, FL

Eleanor watched Dawkins the whole time with a smirk on her lips. His last words being the only thing that elicited a reaction from her. As her eyes opened wide and her expression changed from amusement to outrage and back again, she repeated the name.

“Chicken? You wish! On the count of three?”

She pulled her glass to her and counted. “One. Two. Three.” And with that, she downed her second double shot of the night.

Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

Dawkins downed his second drink and smiled. “Easy there, Princess.” He chuckled as he poured the next double shot round. “A pretty little thing like you likely can’t goin’ round after round with a Texan.”

With that, he sat the bottle down once more and lifted his glass. “Knock yourself out Red.”

Dawkins, FL

Eleanor squinted at the fighter pilot and the smirk made another appearance on her lips. This time wider than before. “Are you completely sure about that? Because if I was you, I wouldn’t be.” She scoffed and shook her head. “On the count of three again? One. Two. Three.” And once again, she downed her third double shot of vodka.

Astro downed his shot without a second thought. Tapping the glass with a smile.

Reaching for the bottle she uttered something akin to “My turn now.” and poured the next double shots. It was funny though, she aimed for the glasses but half of the clear liquid landed on the table instead.

Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

Malcolm watched as the rapidly intoxicated flyer missed her target on approach and smiled. “I’d guess by your aim… you must fly Big Birds. Fighter pilots would get fired for shooting that badly.” With a chuckle, Dawkins took the bottle from her hand. Pouring a slightly-less-than-full double for them both, Malcolm gave the young woman across from him a wink. “Malcolm Dawkins…” His tone a bit flirtier than he intended thanks to his own drinking. “… what’s your name Pitts?”

Dawkins, FL