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

Posted by Mar. Captain Malcolm “Astro” Dawkins (Flight Leader (Blue)) 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 (12) 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

Putting the bottle down, Eleanor smirked again, never seeming to lose confidence. There was no telling whether that was her general personality or the alcohol speaking… or both. “And you must be a fighter pilot. Because only fighter jocks would have issues with someone having something bigger than them.” She winked back before accepting her glass. “How do you know I am from Pitts?” Her brain felt more sluggish than usual. “Eleanor Carnegie. At your service.” She said nursing the shot glass in her hand.

Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

An eyebrow raised playfully and Malcolm laughed. “Damn girl… you go straight for the kill don’t cya hun?!” It took Dawkins about a half second to figure out what was going on then, with a soft smile, he reached across the table and rested his hand on top of the hand Eleanor had on her drink. “Well, Eleanor, I kinda got it from that worn out Steelers shirt you’re sportin’. Pretty obvious if ya ask me. Now…” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “… how ‘bout we slow it down a bit so I can actually enjoy a bit of your company and sharp wit before you pass out drunk on the floor. I think you’re much cuter sittin’ up.”

Dawkins, FL

A soft gasp escaped Eleanor’s lips as his hand rested on hers and she blushed way brighter than she would if she was sober. “Oh…” She said as she realized how stupid she had been for not connecting the dots.

She was cute… Dawkins definitely had to admit that. Thankfully, his alcohol tolerance was markedly higher than most so the buzz was just barely hitting him… unlike his drinking partner.

She let out another soft gasp as his fingers gently squeezed hers. Yet, Carnegie raised an eyebrow at his words. “I’m not drunk, Dobbins. And I am certainly not about to pass out. But sure, let’s stop since you’re so scared… Let the record show though, that I’m not chicken nor did I chicken out!”

The second little gasp caught his attention and he unconsciously bit his lip at the soft sound she made in reaction to his touch. “Well… Nelly, my name ain’t Dobbins… its Dawkins. But if you weren’t already sauced you’d know that, right sweetheart?” He gave her a wink as he continued. “And I never said you’d pass out… right now. I said I like you conscious, that’s all. Now, I ain’t scared but I would like to actually talk before having to carry your drunk ass back to your quarters. Therefore… I’ll concede that you didn’t chicken out.”

“Well, my name ain’t Nelly either, so, there.” Eleanor said, clearly oblivious to the fact that she had just botched his name completely. “You don’t have to concede. I didn’t chicken out. That’s just a fact.”

Finally, with a soft smile and a brighter blush again, she continued in a slightly flirtier tone. “So… what sharp wit of mine do you want to enjoy first?”

Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

Malcolm leaned a bit closer, his hand giving hers another squeeze as he smiled and said. “Let’s start with your fearless ability to come after any target you like. I wouldn’t mind being in the cross-hairs of a tongue that sharp from time to time.”

Dawkins, FL

Eleanor let go of the glass so that his hand was completely on hers, swallowing hard as he leaned closer. Her face was bright pink but she tried her best to act as if it was nothing.

His eyes locked on hers, Malcolm glided his thumb along the skin of her hand and without thinking moistened his lips.

“Oh really, now?” Carnegie said, leaning closer as well. “I grew up with two brothers. That pretty much taught me everything I know… if you want I could give you some private lessons…” The tone was heavily suggestive.

Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

“Trust me honey, there ain’t nothin’ they taught you I’m interested in… though…” He smiled slyly. “… I can think of a few things I wouldn’t mind teaching you.” Another hand squeeze found him nearly face to face. His breathing heavier than he’d have liked but he was sure as hell not backing down now.

Dawkins, FL

Her mind was a turmoil of emotions. Another hand squeeze, another gasp, and her face was bright red again. And a chance to get back at Will. Without warning Eleanor closed the distance between them, softly kissing him in his lips.

Malcolm’s other hand found Eleanor’s knee under the table and as he leaned into the kiss, gave it a playful squeeze. He relished in the taste of her kiss and knew in that moment he had to get to know this girl better.

When they broke out she asked seductively. “And what would those things be?”

Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

“Let’s just say…” He stole another, deeper kiss. His hand slightly above her knee. “… it’s not something I could show you here.”

Dawkins, FL