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

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nikki Brako (Chief of Operations) in Nikki’s Quarters - Deck 4
Armed with his berthing instructions, Nikki took the (to him) tortured lift down to Deck 4. Senior officer quarters. He rather thought that it was an oxymoron for one of his arbitrary rank to be ‘senior’. He would have to see whether anyone in one of the shops might be interested in some poker. While Fizbin had been debunked as a clever ruse of Kirk in his day, a clever Iotian had invented the game - albeit rather different in rules than had been originally laid down. It also had never caught on anywhere but among Iotians. That was on his list.

The doors opened at his touch and the lights obediently ‘flickered’ on. “Quaint,” he said around his cigar as he stepped inside. It smelled faintly of cleaning chemicals and wet dog. Curling his nose he stepped inside; the doors behind him closing. Eyes traveled around the sparse territory. This was the ‘main’ room - a mix of sitting room, workroom and whatever else he wanted to make of it. An alcove held a communications system. Nikki glanced at it. “Might as well use two tins and a string for all the good that will do,” he murmured. Turning to the ‘window’ he took in the sight of space beyond. Below him ships were docked and worker bees moved about. “This is more like it.” Closer to home. Something he could relate to. Otherwise the room was empty. Sparse. No furniture at all. He would need to see the quartermaster for furnishings. Three doors were near the middle of the back wall.

The center door turned out to be, unsurprisingly as the lavatory. The one redeeming feature of it was what was a replica of an antique claw footed bathtub, but larger. “Now that’s more like it!” He said with a smile widening on his face. Kneeling he saw it was replicator fed with subtle controls that mimicked knobs. Looking further he saw that it connected to two other rooms - likely bedrooms. His thought was found to be correct in going through the adjoining door to the right. It too was conspicuous by its emptiness. Looking into the closet he saw it was spacious enough but smelled of vole. “No surprises there,” he said into the emptiness. His voice seemed to echo hollowly. Again the best part of this room was the view outside into space. Standing there Nikki just took in the view before inspecting the other room. Nearly identical to the other it was slightly smaller and could double as a bedroom, work room or anything. Nikki had the image of a classic ‘man cave’ here. It could work. It was missing an outside view but that didn’t matter.

Thumbing through his civilian Comm-PaDD he brought up the promenade menu. “There ye be,” he said. “A hotel. Had to be one. He shook his head at the name. The ‘Veni Somnum Vincere’. “Quaint but it will do.” He chuckled around his cigar, then taking it out and flicking imaginary ashes. “Come Sleep Conquer. Has got to be an egghead who thought of that name. But beggars can’t be choosers. Old Nikki needs a bed tonight.”
- Nikki, COO

Later, Nikki lay in the ‘Courageous’. What a lame name for a hotel. He would have to have a word with the proprietor about that. Fingers laced behind his head he stared at the ceiling. This was a holo-hotel. He should have figured given the amount of space that this dive had. It took up two floors on the Promenade and was set in a kind of saloon style place. To its credit the main floor with the bar, probably faux wood styling and gambling pit at the back had a nice feel to it, as did the wrought iron staircase going up to the second level where the rooms were. Nikki always had some issue with holodecks. Even though the ‘room’ program showed a much more spacious room – on the ‘Fleet’s’ tab – Nikki knew the room was cramped and small and an illusion. Again, to be fair, his family had ‘StayCation Cruises’ where everything was holographic. What was the point? What was ‘in’ was the new ‘real’. Cooked food. Room service. Not fake trips and holographic people.

Squirming some he looked about the room. Old West style. His jacket hung on the chair with plush – if worn looking – upholstery on thick wooden frame. The fedora rested on a corner of the same chair. He had not checked into it (yet) but he figured if this was a Western style of establishment then it would have the ladies of the evening – holo style available. The prices did go up beyond his own selection. There was even the faint sound of a saloon piano wafting through the door. Nice touch. He imagined he could ‘turn it off’ if he so desired.

This was the first time he was able to just relax since his speedy deployment. It felt good, even if it was in a holo environment. Since arriving he’d met his two primary … were they friend or foe? They were both dames so that skewed his perceptions toward the latter. Most dames didn’t quite get him, especially in the ‘fleet. He could be charming in his own way, and he ‘did’ see Akane, the counselor, for a walk of the Promenade. She was a nice kid; they would have to see if this friendliness extended past their official meet and greet tomorrow. The boss, the XO, was also a dame. To Nikki too many dames in positions of power was a recipe for disaster. No matter how hard the ‘fleet tried to milk that out of him it just wasn’t happening. The jury was out with her. He’d have to work close to that dame in the Ops are so he’d be able to keep a close eye on her. But she was easy on the eyes so he could deal with that ‘job’. She exuded the essence of bein attached. Good. She’ll be distracted.

He would have a busy day tomorrow. Meet with Akane, get his obligatory physical. Another dame from what he had seen in charge there. Maybe he could bring some sense to the joint. He also needed to see the quartermaster about furniture for his place. Find a useful replicator and get a uniform. Check on the whereabouts of his luggage that was lost. Scope out his new digs with engineering that he was supposed to be in charge of. Who’s been running it in his stead? In his time Nikki had managed a great deal on the Liners. Dropping it to one area should be a piece of cake. He drifted off to sleep with his increasing list of things to do and wondering what was happening back home.
-Nikki COO

The next morning Nikki showered and stood by the mirror, shaving. The night before he had called ahead to have his uniform prepared only to find that none of his ‘stats’ were in the system. He would stop by the tailor’s on the way and get a quick ‘scan suit’. Apart from the necessary checks – all of which were in the afternoon – the Iotian was able to relax in the morning and find out what happened. He’d finish the day with his tour of engineering and give the boys another day of freedom. Maybe he would even have some furniture in his space by nightfall. Twisting his face to one side, cigar clenched between his teeth, he felt the blade scratch along the underside of his beard. While he had little use for shaving, until he found a place on this station who did that he was having to do it himself. This hotel served a breakfast in the common area of the ‘saloon’. Feeling the rumble of his stomach he wanted to get down there before they dubbed it finished. He had a hankering for some old fashioned oatmeal and some fruit on the side. Hera had had a habit of chiding him about his diet that was quite tame and totally opposite from their tumultuous, short marriage. But he was more than used to it now.

Later, Nikki was again standing in his echoing, empty quarters. Looking outside from the main room he gazed at the stars and planet below. He’d grown up in space and on the few trips or stays on a world he had never been entirely comfortable with it. He preferred space. His eyes caught sight of a small Ferengi freighter coming in to dock on one of the nearby pylons. It was one of their group that had put him away in the slammer. His eyes narrowed and teeth clamped down on the cigar. “No hard feelings, boys,” he said. “Just business.” His words sounded hollow in the empty room and maybe even inside him. “We remember.” As the ship docked turned, bored and annoyed. Scanning the room his temper flared. He wanted to throw something but there was nothing here at all to throw. “What the hell am I here for!?” he roared at the empty room. Then he froze.

“I’m not supposed to be here,” he said. It began to make sense now. The sudden orders. The subpar transport ride. Nobody really expecting him here. His luggage conveniently lost. Wheeling around to look at the freighter again it dawned on him. “It’s a set up. Ol Nikki has been set up.” The question was, by whom? Removing the cigar and idly scanning space before him Nikki felt he had a purpose now. Engineering? He could do that. Once he got his boys running in his own groove then he would be able to think on this more. What was he doing here? Why here? But moreover, what could he do while he was here to turn things to his advantage? There was always opportunity somewhere. One simply had to look for it.
– Nikki, COO