Posted by Lieutenant Cameron McDuff (Chief Of Security) in Downtime on Space Station Deep Space K-5

Posted by Lieutenant Miriam Cross (Chief Medical Officer) in Downtime on Space Station Deep Space K-5

Posted by Civilian Joe Milligan (Bartender) in Downtime on Space Station Deep Space K-5
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
[snip]
Xavier stepped through the door to the small bar/eatery or whatever this was, lured in by the image of a Dragon on the sign outside. To be honest, that was the only thing that had peaked his curiosity about what this place was as he searched for somewhere to grab dinner and a drink, before heading back to the overnight accommodation he had secured after watching his next posting, the Merrimack, arrive at K-5 from the viewports along the docking ring.

Average height, good looking according to his mother and a small circle of friends, clearly fit, Xavier blended in well to the regular crowds in most places he visited and that suited him fine. He seldom sought limelight or attention. Casual slacks and a collarless shirt was covered by a dark brown leather rocker jacket with a short and stiff collar, unmarked by any patches or labels but of quite good quality if one knew what to look for.

After only a moments pause he stepped forward again deciding on the bar as a starting point. The place wasn’t terribly busy, although Xavier was surprised by who he assumed was the bartender wearing dark sunglasses in such a dimly lit space. Looking around again he smiled slightly to himself, one corner of his mouth rising in a soft grin. It gave him Italian Mafia movie vibes considering the decor and low light, and in his head he joked to himself that the sunglasses wearing bartender was probably called ‘Joe’, that catch all Mafia bartender name they used in all the old movies.

A couple sitting at a table he passed caught his attention, more so because of the single platter and bowl that was sitting between them with chunks of meat in a dangerous looking sauce rather than any special attention that he gave the two patrons. They were probably on a date judging by the platter although, the sauce reminded him of the time his grandfather took him camping high in the mountains when he was young and proceed to produce ‘mountain oysters’ after a short hunting session for dinner. It was the one time his grandfather hadn’t managed to trick him into eating something weird as the young Xavier had realized, seconds before plopping the thing in his mouth, that oysters didn’t live on snowy mountain tops, but, Tahr did. Realizing he was probably staring at them and their food although it had only been a couple seconds, Xavier smiled at the pair, raised his eyebrows in a friendly greeting accompanied by a quick raise of the head in the time honoured silent hello, thought that probably looked weird, moving along now and turned his head back to the Bar.

Internally wishing the pair luck as his steps had carried him past the table, he picked a stool a couple over from a dapper looking man already seated at said bar, noted a poster on the wall behind ‘Joe’ that warned about the hazards of a certain layered looking drink, decided to avoid that at all costs, and slid smoothly into the seat drumming his fingertips on the bar top quietly’ish as he came to a stop. Taking a second he looked at his neighbor a moment while his imagination noted the slick way that he presented himself. Probably the young hotshot of the Mafia movie who got all the girls and butted heads with the older Mafia members, he thought. Quickly realizing now that his imagination was far too vivid, he contented himself with examining the alcohol on display behind the counter, looking for one in particular and hoping his brand was on hand.

There was plenty for him to do before he joined the ship but, for tonight the priority list was much smaller than it would be the following day. Hopefully, he would have time to find the elusive game store that K-5 was said to boast. Stocking up on Warhammer and Battletech models would tide him over till the next time they got into station.

Joe saw the young fellow enter and had like he did most that came in scanned him with his glasses. For one thing Joe did not want from this place which he was beginning to love was rowdiness. He found that he was the science officer on the Merri. Joe could only smile at that for the man’s tentative behavior as he walked through the place gently and quickly taking everything in pretty much screamed out someone who was a science type.

Joe just leaned against the bar smiling as he cleaned the same clean spot on top of the bar as he waited for the young man to take a seat. Finally, it liked as though the young man was coming in for a landing. Even after the young fellow sat down however Joe ignored him for a short time. The lad may be skittish like a young colt . Best not to crowd him too soon.

Finally, after a few moments Joe left off of his cleaning and walked toward Xavier. He slapped the bar with the palm of his hand and smiled saying, “Well young fellow good day to you! You look like a lad who could use him a good drink. What will it be something a bit exotic to Earth, something exotic on Earth or something a bit more common??

“Something a bit more common but probably only to people that know what they’re drinking.” Xavier grinned in answer to the man behind the counter, then pointed to a bottle he saw tucked away behind some others. “Lagavulin whiskey, two fingers neat, please. I really hope that’s the 16 Year rather than the 12 but, I’ll take a glass of whichever one it is and, if I can, a menu?”

Finding out Joe had given him a different drink instead the shot of whisky which he had drowned down cause he had been more interested in a female crew from the station, doctor Hunter had his hand over his throat .Telling the young man who had just came in ‘’ Bro, the barman in all likelihood have just poisoned me ,if I end up dead report .....the man never liked me while he was the previous Cmdr on the USS Merrimack, I’m already feeling dizzy ‘’ he knew nothing about Xavier joining the same ship but at least he had given him all the details before his imaginably demise.
Taking all things into consideration the dizziness was most probably in the doctor’s head...............

“Merrimack, you say?” Xavier looked between them, the grin from before settling into an easy smile. He doubted the poisoning tale, expecting that instead, Slick over there had been given something a little stronger than his usual. “Well whatever he’s having, I’ll just take my whiskey.”

Dariusz and Faith were enjoying the orange flavoured meat dish that Joe had brought them. Less so the wine. Faith would rather have had her usual Martini but neither Dariusz or Joe had bothered to ask her. Trade at the bar was beginning to pick up. A stranger had come in and looked them over. He was quite obviously Starfleet but dressed in civvies. They had no idea that he was the new CSO. He had now gone up to the bar.

“What’s happening now?” Faith asked Dariusz.

“I’m not sure,” Dariusz replied. “Doctor Hunter’s is holding his throat like he’s choking. That other guy is talking to him and Joe… Now Cara is here too!”

“Cara too! So much for a quiet date!” exclaimed Faith.

Cara Meow had just walked in, and she went straight up to the bar.

“Commander?” she asked Joe, “Or are you just Joe now? I wondered if it was you, Sir. I was looking at the station directory and I noticed Joe Milligan, Green Dragon Tavern and the Four Leaf Clover Restaurant. I didn’t think there could be more than one Joe Milligan. I took the liberty of telling the rest of the ship. And you missed quite a firework display when that comet entered the system!”

Xavier said nothing as the new patron spoke but raised an eyebrow ever so slightly and looked at the bartender, who, it turned out, was in fact called ‘Joe’. Relaxing forward with his forearms resting on the bar Xavier decided that, once in a while his imagination was likely to be right.

“Hello, Doctor Hunter,” she nodded, “are you okay?” and “Hello!” she said to whoever the other good-looking man at the bar was.

‘’Okay? Okay!’’ Hunter replied raising his voice for once ‘’ He ‘’ pointing a finger at Joe ‘’ Probably poisoned me ,I knew he never liked me from day one .He’s a psychopath and just ruined my date with Sara..... something I have been waiting for months if not years !’’ the doctor finishing off with an intense irritation and frustration.

“How about some water?” Xavier helpfully suggested. “It’ll help to dilute whatever you drank, maybe try soda next time?” .

Hunter looked at Xavier ‘’What? I’m not about to take anything from him and you best be careful for my order was a shot of whiskey ‘’ the doctor checked the time ,picked a bag which he had put next to his stool ‘’Excuse me ‘’ he told Xavier and left to find a bathroom.
Half an hour later Hunter emerged,dressed in his favorite white shirt with real gold buttons and black trousers and sat back on the same stool…apparently totally forgetting the poison.

And the show was going to go on apparently..........

Two female voices were heard bickering ‘’What’s wrong with you just cause you saw a paper Dragon at this bar ?’’ Cross was heard yelling at Kate the nursing officer ‘’ I just love dragons ‘’ Kate replied yelling even louder .

“Dragons are pretty cool,” the quiet comment was directed to Joe and accompanied by a casual shrug as the commotion drifted in the direction of Xavier and the others near him. “That’s what made me stop and come inside, in any case.”

‘’You think there is a real dragon inside with a knight in shinning armor waiting for you ‘’Cross retorted back but Kate was not about to back away ,they weren’t in sickbay and she was not about to take orders from the CMO ‘’ You dragged me to all the shops to buy clothes , shoes and everything in between, not to mention how many bikinis you tried and I’ll let you know you choose the ugliest one ....there!’’ Kate was quiet cuffed with herself for standing up to Cross.

Kate marched inside but not before telling the female doctor ‘’You can go to hell for all I care ‘’ .As she made her way the N.O caught sight of Faith and Dariusz ,seeing them made her smile and heading towards their table ‘’Oh I’m so glad to see some of the crew around here and get away from that devil ‘’ she said referring to Cross ‘’She wanted to go to that ‘Sin Disco’ tks,tks ‘’ she finished off shaking her head in disapproval.

“I heard there are really long access lines at that Sin City Club,” Cara told them. “And the drinks are watered down and an incredible robbery… unbelievable! Also, that Post Duotronic Acid-Tellurian Cargo Hold music sounds just like my ex wailing and crying after I left him… The club probably smells like him too! Maybe Joe has a dancefloor here that we can use? We just need a DJ?”

Cross never entered the ‘Dragon bar ’ she headed straight to the Sin City Club.

“Aren’t you going to go after her?” Cara asked Kate. “Joe Milligan is here. She’d be crushed if we left the station, and she never knew!”

Kate’s eyes widened ‘’Where?’’ she asked searching through the crowd in all directions until her vision fell on the barman ‘’Oh my God its true’’ she whispered to no one in particular and ran after Cross who by now was already on her way to the Sin club .

“You seem like a fairly popular guy,” Xavier made the observation to Joe, after all he couldn’t help overhearing what was said. “Bartender, heartbreaker, assassin,” with the last word his head tilted towards Slick, apparently a Doctor if what the woman had said was right, by the name of Hunter.

‘’Cross, Cross stop ‘’ Jane shouted at the top of her voice as she kept on running ,making other people look at her as if she had just escaped from an asylum. Finally getting hold of the CMO the nursing officer who was by now out of breath managed to say ‘’The …Cmdr.J.Joe is at the bar ‘’.

The doctor looked at Kate in a manner that said ye right but Kate nodded furiously. The next thing was Cross sprinting back to the bar ,on entering she saw him Her adrenaline had already been turned on, she frantically jumped on a chair then proceeded to a table and lastly on the bar ‘’ Joe ‘’ she cried out , the last jump was on him, wrapping her hands around his neck and both legs situated on every side of his torso ,no words came out instead the tears did the talking.

Then she turned to Xavier. “Hi! I’m Cara!” Her whiskers twitched, and her tail beat twice.

“Pleased to meet you Cara, I’m Xavier,” the man replied and offered a hand in greeting. The X was pronounced as a Z, rather than the eX it was often heard as. “Seems like I wandered into a reunion of sorts,” he laughed lightly and turned to look at the Bartender and woman wrapped around him. “I take it most of you aren’t regulars on the Station then?”

“No, I’ve never been to this bar before,” Cara replied. “I’m not sure about the others, but I haven’t been aboard our ship quite as long. No, this is what passes for ‘shore leave’ for us folks out there at the edges of known space! You look like you’re waiting to ship out yourself? Are you.....”

The male doctor felt a hand rubbing his back turning around he saw his date ‘’Sara you looking amazing ‘’ he complemented her and indeed she did. ‘’Shall I offer you a drink? ‘’ he asked ‘’ Sure tequila ‘’ Sara replied back with an air of confidence .

‘’Two shots of tequila please ‘’ his eyes were firmly set on the bottle just in case , one shots became two, then three ‘’ Lets go to the dance floor ‘’ the woman got hold of his hand ‘’ Oh but dear I don’t really know how too....’’ .The music changed to a slow one and that changed Hunter’s mind,loosing themselves among the others dancers ,Hunter positioned one arm from the elbow around his back and the other on Sara’s hip and for someone who had just been poisoned he sure could sway ,occasionally being seen whispering to each other .....when the dance was over Hunter and Sara could be seen leaving the bar .

Hunter Dr.

At that moment a station announcement sounded which made it impossible to hear what anyone was saying. FINAL BOARDING CALL FOR PASSENGERS FOR THE SS ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO TELLAR PRIME. PLEASE GO TO GATE 5 IMMEDIATELY

• Clara Meow

Wincing from the volume of the announcement it took Xavier a moment to reply, having lost the rest of Cara’s words and pausing to pick up his drink and take a sip. “The edge of known space?” He asked, “That sounds exciting. What is it exactly that you do on your ship? Oh wait!” He put down his glass and looked around to see if the bartender was free. “You’re at a bar and haven’t got a drink yet, that situation needs to be fixed. What’s your poison?” He jokingly referred to Doctor Hunters behavior earlier towards the drink he had been served. “Did you want to get one for your friend that ran off to get her a moment ago?” With his free hand he motioned to the woman that had launched herself at the bartender, Joe.

Xavier Khauv

Joe in the meantime felt as though he had been assaulted by some new life form. Then it occurred to him whose voice had called out to him before he had been slammed. Finally, he needed to come up for air. He pulled back and smiled at Cross and laughing said, “Darn it Miri you act like you miss me or something! Joe was bartender a than glad to see Miri . He turned to his bartender and yelled to him over the music of a steel drum band. “Hey, get on the intercom and announce a free round to all fleet personnel .” Turning then to Miri Joe asked her playfully since it was the only way he could think of to address her in the situation. “So Miri what you been up to? You been alright?”

Joe Milligan ( not the smooth talker )

Cross shook her head from side to side ‘’ No Joe I have not been alright since the day you left ‘’ she swiped away another tear with her sleeve .
How could he ask such a question …didn’t Joe understand how much he meant to her ?.
‘’ How are you health wise ‘’ she asked concerned.
Cross CMO.

Joe merely smiled at Cross for a moment, paused and looked back and forth nervously for a moment, and then returned his gaze to her to answer her question as he said, “Well to paraphrase my grandfather I’ve been happy as a hog in new wallow. ” Joe then kissed each of her hands and said, “So when are you going to quit treating boo-boos and giving physicals and run away with me?”

Joe Milligan

Cross nodded ‘’Yes I’ll shall run away with you for I don’t want to lose you again ‘’.

Cross CMO.

McDuff approached his crew mates, having just come aboard the Station after the Captain expressed his desire for Cameron to do so. “Hey Gang” He said lightly “Mind if I join you?”

Lieutenant Cameron McDuff - COS

Cross did not see Cameron ,in fact in her mind there was no one else in the bar except Joe but Kate did and remembering how he had helped her with Cross and shoved her on the bridge , she made a bee line towards him.

‘’Hi Lt ,how are and what took you so long to come ?’’ she asked a little nervous but happy to see him ‘’First drink is on the house according to the Bartender …just be careful cause Hunter thought he had pensioned him ‘’ the nursing officer finished the sentence with a giggle.

Kate N.O