Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Nikki Brako (Chief of Operations) in Been There Brewed That - Dinner Date with Brako (Side Sim)
Snip

Nikki gave a light snort. “Worst thing the ‘fleet did was change uniforms,” he said without a pause; evidently he had that thought in mind many a time. “Course if they were dressed like you nobody would get anything done.” His eyes quickly slid over her again and chuckled to himself as he remembered earlier when he did that and her reaction. While it had come across as a ‘snappy’ slap in the face it only had encouraged him. He wanted to know a little more about her, and the dress was a good start. “So dollface,” he said in his best Iotian accent, eyes amused as if testing her on his way of speaking, “When yer not actin official in uniform or lettin yer hair down like now, what do ya lounge about in?”

Nay giggled and absent mindedly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “That’s probably why they changed them, too much time keeping an eye on the ladies instead of the sensors!” she replied with a cheeky wink. She raised an eyebrow at his dollface comment as she looked deep into his eyes and pondered a response. With a sultry smile she replied, “…maybe that’s for you to find out Lt…?” she whispered, surprising herself with the rather forward comment.

Nikki’s eyes drifted about the room, catching the eye of a waiter and giving a quick nod before returning to Nay. He purposely let his eyes meet hers then drift along the pronounced curves that the dress revealed, then nodded. “Yer probably right,” he said with his mind in the last century’s dress code. One of me relatives who was there at that time wrote in his diary that he thought the dames of his time could learn a thing or two from the dresses of Kirk’s women and that the men on the Enterprise could use a good tailor instead of running about in their pajamas.” But then given how the dames dressed did they need to change out of their pajamas? he considered. Her smile could have melted a duranium hull. A lesser man may have blushed and looked away, though Nikki had grown up in the back and forth of banter, playful or otherwise. He was getting the distinct feeling that there was more to this than playful banter. Had he read her wrong before? Or was this another, far more sensual facet to her? Leaning in and resting his chin at his palm, a finger gazing speculatively at her as though to give a thoughtful consideration of her words, his eyes expressing his unspoken answer of ‘I’d like that’, he said instead, “Perhaps I will,” then, “and lass, it’s Nikki. If ye drop the rank title again I’ll have te put ye over me knee.” His tone was a mix of light with an undertone of challenge and dare.

Nay gave him a cheeky wink as she replied. “Is that a promise…Lt?” she whispered, teasing him with a grin and a raised eyebrow. She wasn’t sure if he was joking or not but she was enjoying the game.

Shifting over in the chair to be, if only briefly, to be closer to her, he leaned in and, right hand on the menu and the left reaching out to lay lightly on her forearm to catch her attention, he caught her eye then asked, “What do ye think of the fish menu here? I’m a takin it that the ‘Latoli’ is a local fish, but it blackened and with the rice and greens, it looks pretty good.” His hand lifted to point to where he was reading on the menu. Her perfume was heady and she radiated a warmth that he could feel. Glancing back to her then to her menu he was curious what she was looking at.
- Nikki

Sakai felt an electric excitement as she felt Nikki’s hand on her arm and it momentarily caught her breath. As she felt herself relax a little she instinctively leaned in a little further. “I’ve not tried it personally, but it does sound lovely. I’m leaning towards the Palamarian sea urchin, I’ve heard that it’s quite delicious,” she added, smiling as she felt Nikki’s breath softly on her cheek.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

It was still fish and it did sound like something the family chef would pull out - depending of course on how it was made. “Ya favor fish, Nay?” he asked. If he had his own druthers, he’d pretty much stay with a vegetarian diet with fish mixed in - with, he added, the occasional lamb. In replicator-land of course he could replicate a glass of water and it would have whatever other nutrients he needed in it. Personally he thought that was cheating and no fun at all. To live on ice cream sundae’s and know that they were perfectly healthy was just wrong. With a last glance at the menu he tossed it down on the table. “That settles that. I’d suggest a Risan White from the Davison vineyards and,” he paused, thinking, “and Andorian ice wine te finish.” He glanced about at the place and mentally shook his head. It would be a miracle if they had the real stuff here, but in this place beggars couldn’t be choosers. He glanced about as if to make sure nobody was about then leaned in, “Between you and me I’m a sucker for the ice wine.” Whether by intent or not he had brought his lips in close to her ear. After having said that he winked and shifted back, but not as far away as he had been before.
-Nikki

Nay smiled as she thought back to meals at home with her family and she let out a little laugh. “I do indeed favour fish, my father would have disowned me if I didn’t! When I was a little girl, he used to take us out for hours by the lake to fish. My sister usually got bored and wandered off, my brother was very good though. For me it was more about time with my father though…” she said with a nostalgic smile. “Do you like to fish?” she pondered as she studied him. Nikki seemed like a man of action so she imagined he’d be pretty good with a fishing rod.

Listening to her Nikki pictured those moments as best he could. It sounded very sedate. He felt a momentary impulse of anxiety when thinking of being on world and forced his mind to picture her with the family. “Was it on a boat or off a dock?” he asked. He presumed the latter if her sister could walk off unless she could walk on water. “Where was this?” he continued asking. “Paint me a picture, Nay.” He did, however answer her question. “Te be honest, only once. And that was off a larger boat and more deep sea. We fished with heavy line off the back of it as the seas were not so still. The boat was movin and the lines were dragging along the back. While we were waitin te see if anything bit we shot some skeet off the sides.” He shook his head. “Me stomach was no small way challenged. Shot horribly that day but I did catch some fish, one of them a Risan Pike. I’ll have that bad boy up on my wall when me gear arrives.”

Nay smiled warmly as her thoughts took her back home. “Neither actually, it was a park on the outskirts of my home city, Kyoto. Much of the original culture and scenery has been preserved over the years and there is a beautiful fishing spot by the Higashiyama Jisho-Ji Temple. In the summer the trees are a luscious bright green and my father knew a secluded spot where we could fish in peace…we would often take a picnic and spend the day fishing and wandering around the beautiful gardens…” she spoke fondly of her childhood as she was lost in her memories momentarily. “Perhaps I could show you on the holodeck some time?” she offered with a smile. She chuckled as he recalled his fishing trip and nodded in agreement. “I never had the stomach for it at sea either!” she replied as she saw the mental image of Nikki staggering about on a boat.

As Nikki leaned in, Nay’s heart skipped a beat as she caught the scent of his aftershave and felt his warm breath graze her ear. She gulped as she turned to face him so they were just a couple of inches away from each other. “I don’t believe I’ve ever had it…” she said softly, “but I’m willing to give anything a go…” she added as he pulled away. She lingered for a moment, almost willing him to lean back in as she subconsciously moistened her lips before withdrawing.

Lt Sakai (CNS)

Their moment was broken by the approach of the waiter. When she turned he could virtually taste her breath and he instinctively breathed in deeper to take in more of her before he leaned back to address the waiter. “I’ll have blackened latoli, and the lass will have the Palamarian sea urchin.” He glanced at her to make sure that was the final choice there before continuing. “When dinner comes bring a bottle of Davison Risan White. If ye have the real stuff, make it anything before ‘72.” They’d not talked about appetizers, but the lass was making up for that all by herself. “I’ll have a glass of yer best copper ale and,” he glanced at the menu, “as an appetizer the buttered escargot looks good. What would ye like te drink te start Nay?” he asked. They hadn’t quite got that far. “Or any other appetizer?”

Nay had a quick look again at the drinks menu. “I’ll have a Samarian Sunset please,” she requested, quickly switching to a more professional tone than the one she had been using with Nikki.

When the order was over and the waiter gone he turned his attention back to Nay. Nikki did lean in again, remembering her look and her lips. “Aye, it is a part of life te not be afraid te try new things.” His hand slid to her knee and gave it a squeeze. “Ye’re here. Way out here in the middle of nowhere. That takes guts.” He remembered her words and added. “Anything kin happen. Ye make yer future with each day.”
- Nikki

Nay’s breath caught for a moment as she felt Nikki’s hand on her knee and she got that electric buzz again. She gazed into his eyes and smiled. “As are you Nikki, whether by choice or not,” she added as she instinctively moved closer. “Besides which, half of the fun of trying new things is sharing it with someone…” she added quietly as she mirrored him and gently placed her hand on his leg.

Lt Sakai (CNS)