Posted by Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby (Diplomatic Officer / CNS) in Colter’s Quarters

Posted by Commander Daniel “DaVinci” Colter (Executive Officer) in Colter’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby (Diplomatic Officer / CNS) in Colter’s Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

<snip>

“There’s only a few people that called me Daniel. My parents and one other person that meant a lot to me. . . but she’e no longer a part of my life. She’s moved on.”

Sheleah would notice a hesitation when he spoke the last, as well as a hint of pain. DaVinci shook it off and returned to his normal confidant self.

“So call me DaVinci. I picked that name up in high school, from my friends. I was the guy who came up with ideas and no matter how stupid or dangerous they were, I had the uncanny knack to make hem sound fun so you’d wanna come along for the ride.”

He turned toward the bedroom, but stopped at the door. “Make yourself comfortable. I know I’m a beer guy, but I do have some other choices.in the cabinet. There’s some wines and other liquors–rum, vodka, whiskey, and plenty to mix it with.”

He went into the bedroom but left the door cracked so he could hear if she said anything. . . .

Colter (CO/CIO)

Sheleah got up and mixed herself a light whiskey and soda, partially for confidence and partially to calm her nerves. When the hell was the last time she’d been in this situation? Yeah, he was the ideas guy who the thought?

“Okay, DaVinci it is but I’d have taken Big D if you really wanted me to.”

He called out from the bedroom, “Is that a fact?? Who knows? The night’s still young, I may really want you too.”

“So about that little stunt in the lounge, I haven’t actually done that since I was 19 I think. I don’t know if I’m leading you on or not but I know there’s a lot about you that I think I like. I think I’m just looking to see what ideas you have that might be fun. Are you up for fun?”

Sheleah had even found one of those fancy cocktail stirs, so she stirred the ice in her whiskey soda and sat down on the couch. She had noticed DaVinci’s hesitation when they were talking and decided that was not a subject she would be bringing up. She was here as a guest, friend, and who knew what else by the time they were done talking. She was not here as a counselor.

• Sheleah

DaVinci stepped out of the room looking refreshed and comfortable. He wore a pair of loose fitting board shorts, and a tight t-shirt with cut-off sleeves. Emblazoned across the front, it read ‘U. of Wyoming Football’.

“Sheleah, I am ALWAYS up for some fun,” he replied as he reached in the cooler and pulled out a beer. He indicated the couch and motioned for Sheleah to have a seat.

“After watching you show off your talents in the lounge, I immediately thought of of a couple things that would be fun . . . .”

Colter (XO/Intel)

Sheleah threw back her head and laughed before sitting down. Yeah, she had kind of had a clue that he had thought of those things. So it was going to be one of those afternoons.

“Oh I’m sure you have. So, let’s start with the ones that keep our clothes on for the moment and see where this afternoon takes us. By the way you should know I have an appointment later this afternoon so better make it meaningful DaVinci.”

• Sheleah

“Oh, I do so hate to be rushed in certain situations,” he replied. “I hope that appointment isn’t to too important, you may have to re-schedule it–XO’s orders.”

DaVinci sat down on the couch and tipped his beer back.. “Let me ask you this time. Besides doing amazing tricks with beer bottles, what do you enjoy doing for fun . . . .with clothes on, of course?”

Colter (XO/Intel)

“Well, I like doing a little bit of everything I suppose. With my parents’ careers in Starfleet I was pretty much all over wherever they were stationed at the time and they were stationed all over the place I guess you’d say. Then after they split I split my time between them and then I joined the academy. So I like to run, ride horses, and even ballet which makes my mother happy to know end. Parents right?”

Sheleah had noticed he had suggested they keep the conversation to things one could do with their clothing on. It made her smile and she finished her drink rather quicker than she expected. Looking down she debated on whether to make herself another one and decided against it. Perhaps she would have to reschedule that appointment after all.

• Sheleah

DaVinci took her glass and got up to refill it. “This had what in it again?”

“Whiskey and soda, but please just the soda for now. I really do have that afternoon appointment.”

“There’s nothing wrong with ballet. It keeps you limber and. . . ” he turned to face Sheleah and grinned, “flexible. Never understood how dancers could stay up on their toes like that, though. That’s gotta take amazing strength..”

He finished making her drink and returned to the couch, handing it to her before setting down.

“You also mentioned horse riding. That’s something I definitely enjoy. Did you know that I grew up on a horse ranch in Wyoming? I still own it, in fact. In fact, Dante, Natasha, I and. . . . . we were planning a camping trip before I had to leave briefly.”

Colter (XO/CIO)

“Wyoming, yeah I like the shirt wasn’t a clue. If I remember right it gets pretty cold there. I don’t remember the last time I’ve actually been camping on a real planet to tell you the truth. Sounds like fun.”

“It only gets really cold in the winter months. I think the lowest temp ever recorded was about 65 below zero, and that was in the early 1930’s, I think. But that’s very rare. The spring and fall are the best times. . . .cool nights and warm days.”

Sheleah took a few drinks of her soda and thought for a few seconds. She couldn’t tell DaVinci where she was born because she didn’t actually really know herself. What did she claim as a home planet or even a home state on earth? Wow, lots of questions and not a lot of answers.

• Sheleah

“What about you, counselor? See, if I call you counselor, we can call this a official meeting, and not just a hook-up. (ahem, ahem). In your personnel file, your birthplace is redacted, so were you some kind of secret lab experiment? An effort to create the perfect woman? Seems they came pretty close.”

Commander Daniel “DaVinci” Colter
Executive Officer/CIO USS Saracen

Sheleah laughed and nearly spilled her drink. She said it down on the table and turn to look at him.

“The perfect woman, no I think I need to be a few inches taller for that to be the case. 65 below sounds way too cold for this girl. My toes are crying in pain just thinking about it. I think I was probably born in a climate a hell of a lot warmer than that first officer coulter.”

• Sheleah

“Well, that is the extreme. It usually doesn’t get anywhere near that cold. If you you go at the right time of the year. . . cool nights, warm days are perfect. In my younger days I spent plenty of time with my friends around a bonfire with a quarter barrel of beer in the hills. Usually after a Friday night football game. Saturday mornings, we’d wake up, make sure the fire was out then ride home on our horses or 4-wheel drive trucks and get ready to do it again the next weekend.”

He took a drink of his beer and stood up, offering his hand to Sheleah to stand as well. “As to being too short to be perfect. . . .

Commander Daniel “DaVinci” Colter
Executive Officer/CIO USS Saracen