Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nikki Brako (Chief of Operations) in XO’s Office

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nikki Brako (Chief of Operations) in Promenade

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nikki Brako (Chief of Operations) in Promenade
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The great doors slid shut behind him. The hydraulic hiss and dull thud of the door closing halted the breeze that he felt from behind. It had brought a mix of ozone and lubricants to his nostrils. His first thought was that the hydraulics were off, though, as he looked around at the aging outpost, his next thought was that that was going to be the least of his worries. He stepped back to allow a hover cart filled with crates driven too fast by a young Bolian to pass by. With a ships’ arrival there was always a flurry of activity followed by the inevitable ‘wait’ for the next. How busy was this place commercially? How tight a hold did the Feds have on it? They tended to strangle initiative where they were deeply rooted in.

‘Dressed’ for the occasion, Nikki wore his traveling clothes - a dark pinstripe suit with a high open collar, maroon shirt and darker blood red tie. Between his teeth he had a half smoked cigar which he chewed on through one side of his teeth. It was uncertain if it was a real cigar or one of the simulated ones now popular in some circles - again a Ferengi invention not unlike synthahol. Peering out from under the fedora that hid his distinctive hair style he simply looked around. Th e deck plating showed wear from years of use; some slight warping seen here and there. The usual cleanliness of Starfleet ships - or his own family’s yachts - was not there. Instead there was what seemed to be a layer of grime that simply could not be cleaned. “What a dump!” he said more to himself than to anyone in particular - none of whom was really paying any attention to him. This was followed up by, “What an opportunity.” Like it or not this was his territory now. ‘You make of life what you will. Don’t let others do it for you. Shape your dream and make it happen.’ his grandfather had said to him. he had been alive in the ‘transition’ where the gangs of Sigma Iotia started to come together and they looked then to the stars. Of course his life had not precisely gone in the direction he had anticipated, but then his destiny was different. And Nikki was nothing if not resilient.
- Nikki Brako, COO

Nikki took a short tour of the promenade to see what was about. It was a dank, squalid affair. Pausing at an air vent he sniffed. Electronic filters long overdue, and was that scratching sound a vole or a poor circulatory system? He squinted and made a face of distaste before continuing on his tour. He was scheduled with the boss’ runner up, the muscle, in a little while yet. He’d looked Teller up. Impressive dame. Her looks for sure. The photos he had seen of her were okay but they’d be better if they were accentuated by holding a phaser rifle or shotgun. Enforcers always looked better like that. Otherwise a dame that was a knockout like that should only be on a fur rug.

After another fifteen minutes of moving about he determined it was time to check in. His gear was, hopefully, going to be delivered. Somewhere. Likely the QM until he knew where he was holding up. Hopefully delivered by someone other than that Bolian kid who should be better suited as a driver on a getaway car. Stopping at a kiosk where there was a menu display, the Iotian got his bearings and set his own course for the bridge, or should he say operations center of the .. sickly beast. Finding the nearest lift that would take him up, he stood straight up in the center of it, hands clasped behind his head, teeth clenched and chewing on the cigar. Small trails of smoke wafted up from it. The way the lift moved made him wonder if it would make it. Here and there it sounded like a wounded beast on its last breath. “Hell, they sent me to hell,” he muttered to himself. “At least I should find friends here,” he said as the lift stopped and doors slowly parted …
Nikki

OOC: Anyone about that might react to an oddly dressed fellow exiting the lift? .. Gene <G>

OOC: Lol, who says it’s odd, you should meet some of my family! :)
OOC: So you’re saying Nikki’s one of your strange uncle’s? <G>

IC: Akane let out an audible yawn as she leant against the bulkhead waiting for the snail express turbolift to arrive. It had been a very long day and she was ready for a drink, perhaps even a bit of karaoke. She had a quick stretch as the doors to the turbolift finally creaked open to reveal a very curious sight. She blinked a few times and wondered if she had started to hallucinate from exhaustion. Deciding this was not the case, she quickly cleared her throat and extended her hand. “Apologies, I’m fairly new here, I don’t think we’ve met?” she asked tentatively, knowing full well that she would have remembered meeting this chap.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

The doors opened and a rather short dame dressed in Starfleet drag was there looking for all the world like a narcoleptic bit of statuary. Humored, he watched her blink, one hand eventually coming up to snatch the cigar from between his teeth. “Were ye a bit taller, lass, I’d have mistaken ye for me dear Fiona standin on the far side o the loo.” He stepped out enough not to be entombed again by the lift and shook her hand. It was small, but soft and pleasant. “Nikki,” he said. “Just off the boat. Likely sent me luggage to Bajor instead o’ here.” His eyes took her in. “Small package, aren’t ye?” he commented. “But likely fiesty.” He gave her a quick wink that could have meant a dozen things. “I’m supposed te be yer new engineerin chief. Operations they call it. I’m tellin ya, this place could use a good operation.” He knew the looks of the boss but this dame he didn’t know. He didn’t see her on his scan of the principle crew on the way. In truth he had tried to sleep a lot of the way. The transport was about as smooth as a tug boat and had a bad plasma injector that caused the thing to jerk and shudder with every course correction - which was frequent due to, what he figured, was a poor navigational computer.
- Nikki Brako, OPS

Akane raised an eyebrow as she tried to follow Nikki’s unfamiliar accent, she could only recall hearing something similar once in the star-fleet archives of the USS Enterprise-A crew, the renowned Montgommery Scott. After a couple of seconds she tuned in to his accent and chuckled at his remarks. “Size isn’t everything…” she said with a wry smile, wondering if he had any idea how good a martial artist she was, “and I can certainly be feisty if the occasion demands but I try to keep that side a closely guarded secret…” she whispered with a snigger. “Lt Akane Sakai, I’m the new counsellor here, just arrived a few days ago actually, I’m glad I’m not the only new face around here,” she added.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

“Arr lass, ain’t that the truth,” he replied related to size and the rest of what she said. He liked her smile. It told him that she could indeed be feisty. But then he wasn’t thinking this in relation to a boxin match, as fun as that could be. He winked noticeably, almost an exaggeration. “Your secret is safe with me.” There was a twinkle in his eye that, inside, Nikki was thinking ‘you have no idea how safe secrets can be with me’ but came out as good humor. He lifted his fedora revealing his ginger faux-hawk underneath and close cropped sides. “Pleased te meet ye, lass.” His head bowed just enough to be noticeable then it was back up and his hat was back on his head.

“I don’t want to keep you too long. Ye were headin somewhere and I imagine I’ll be meetin with you soon enough. I’d be obliged if ye could point out the boss to me. Yer XO. I should be makin my acquaintance with her before startin te bang about the place ye know.” He stepped aside so that Akane could easily move past him - hopefully after pointing her in the right direction. “Maybe we could do a spin of the promenade and get te know the place better soon.” There ‘had’ to be some useful shops, not to mention a good drinking establishment. Maybe they even played poker there. One learned a lot about people and places and what’s what around a good whiskey and cards.
- Nikki, Ops

Akane smiled warmly and nodded. “I’d like that very much, I’ve not really had chance yet to see most of the place, it would be nice to have some company.” She replied as she instinctively tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Nikki watched her. The last thing he expected was to meet a dame in the first hour here - at least one that was in his position. Well, likely barring the international intrigue, family business, leaning towards skeet shooting and the likes. But hey, you never knew. People never ceased to surprise him. He just had to keep from marrying them. Well, maybe. “See what kind of a mess we’ve gotten ourselves into,” he said, eyes gleaming. He was sure it was a mess. All stations were. Even newer or patchwork quilt they always seemed to need more care than their fair share.

Akane felt her cheeks flushing as she smiled coyly back at Nikki, he could certainly turn on the charm.

Seeing her flush, Nikki gave her a quick wink.

Nikki intrigued her, it wasn’t very often that she met someone as interesting as him. There was a flash of mischief in his eyes that both fascinated and scared her a little. She quickly looked at the diary on her padd. “I’m off shift at 1900 hours, do you fancy grabbing some dinner?” She asked hopefully.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

“Deal,” he said, feeling the urge to shake her hand in a contractual fashion. There was no way he’d be on duty this early with no accommodation (yet) and no uniform (yet) and frankly no idea where they wanted him to be. But he would find out soon enough. He still had his ‘checks’ to get through, and one likely with this lass. He was always fancying something good to eat; he was, however dubious on whether that was possible on this station. But he could be, and was willing to be, surprised. He thought for a moment. “On the Promenade there is a holo shop.” He struggled for the name as he had just glanced at it on the way to the lift. “Holo-Matters.” He nodded. That was it. “I’ll meet you outside that at quarter past. I’ll scout out a place in the meantime. What food do ye fancy?” A replimat style could do any food but he wanted something more formal than that. Something with music. Replicators. Might as well be the equivalent of old style TV dinners.
- Nikki

Akane shrugged her shoulders, she wasn’t really accustomed to men asking her out. “I don’t mind, I’m easy…” she replied then grimaced at herself as that statement could have several connotations. “I mean, I don’t mind where we eat…” she added hastily. “There’s a nice brewery on the Promenade?” she offered. She hadn’t really had chance to visit anywhere else yet, besides which she was quite intrigued to see what Evie & Nikki would make of each other. “Unless you fancy something else?” she suggested.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

He had not seen that brewery, but then he’d not really looked too far. It would be worth checking out and seeing what they had. A brewery implied not replicated. Unless they tried to use replicated grain. That was a disaster in the making. If it was good enough he might consider investing in it. But back to the matter at hand. The lass was easily flustered, and, by intention he met her eyes then slid them over her quickly then back up. Nikki was one of appetites which were like the waves on the sea. Sometimes settled. Sometimes stormy. “Brewery it is,” he replied. “I like easy.” He would let her form what connotation that was to her. Hopefully they did vegetarian there. “Seven Fifteen then outside this Brewery.” He didn’t think there would be a dress code there, but right now this suit was all he had unless his luggage arrived. A modest annoyance coursed through him. They wanted him here quick but had no accommodation and his luggage was who knows where.

Akane grinned and nodded. “Looking forward to it,” she replied then decided to make a hasty retreat before she said anything else embarrassing.

“Now if ye’d kindly point out the boss, I’ll let ye be until tonight. Ye were heading somewhere before we bumped into one another and I don’t want te keep ye.”
Nikki, Ops

Akane gasped and chuckled, she had completely forgotten this had all started with him asking for directions. “Of course! Sorry, you want to take the snail express here up to deck 2, the XO’s office is in the command centre, 2nd on the left sir,” she replied helpfully and threw him a little playful salute.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

The Iotian put the cigar back between his teeth and, while his mouth couldn’t ‘smile’ so much that way, his eyes certainly did as he took in her response. She was like a bouncy castle all rolled up in one compact bundle. His eyes followed her directions. Up more. He thought he had gone up as far as he could, but evidently not. The lift had a mind of its own, but then it likely stopped for her when she was getting on and had called it and he had gotten out without looking. Well, the fates did have a way of showing their hand. He stood aside after her salute, gave an exaggerated bow and held out his hand gesturing for her to go into the lift first. It also gave him a quick view of her caboose as she went in. Fleet uniforms did a better service to the guys where they didn’t look like they were in pajamas, but the big boss, Kirk, his time had a much better style with the dames. Too bad they didn’t bring that back, he thought. “Deck 2. 2nd on the left,” he repeated. “Got it.”
- Nikki, COO

Nikki continued up to Deck 2. That was a short trip, certainly. “Wait’ll they get a load of me,” he said, grinning behind his cigar. Maybe that would have been lessened in thought if he had a uniform to wear but he was decked out in good duds. When the door opened he stepped out at once and, after a quick glance to see whether the XO boss was there, determined she wasn’t, he scanned then for the second door. Spotting it at once, he moved steadily toward it. His walk was not a swagger, but it displayed a particular self confidence in motion. Ignoring everyone else he reached the XO’s door and pressed the buzzer. The dame may not be in but this was the first stop before he had to go hunting.
- Nikki, COO
OOC: Name change on the Topic to attract the XO’s attention <G>

OOC: Bump