Posted by Major General Charles Tenkiller (Vice-Commander, Colonial Customs and Defense Agency) in The Plaza Exchange - Diamond Jim’s Speakeasy - Come Out and Play (Open to all)
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Oj’kiv, an L&D nurse, waved a hand to get her attention, “Hey Yavia…think you can get ‘Skip’ there to get on the intercom and talk, sing, whatever, for the maternity ward? Those mommas would be on cloud 9 listening to his voice.” That caused the other nurses to giggle and laugh. Yavia rolled her eyes, “Oh stop. Really.”

Ilena chuckled and leaned over, “Did you know he could sing?”

“He said he could. Said he used to sing for his family, I haven’t heard him sing before.” Yavia snagged a mozzarella stick of the tray.

Ilena laughed, “I think he owes you a private concert.”

Yavia

Eela was trying to remember the lat time she had done anything like this and it had admittedly been awhile. She had been grooving to the music the entire time, with clearly a sense of rhythm. Taking a sip of her whiskey, Dasca leaned in towards Jonathan. “How well do you think it would go over if I asked him if he would sing at whatever Cabinet party we might have?”

~Eela Dasca, Incognito Lt. Gov.

Jonathan laughed. “Oh, I’d pay to be the fly on the wall at that party,” he said, sipping his own drink.

“Absolutely not!” Had come Molly’s near thunderous response when Calvin had first mentioned the invite. She had, rightly so, lectured him on taking it easy… as he had promised both Dr. Fayth and Lucas he would do… but he had shot back that he’d sat on his ass for the better part of a month and he was sick & tired of being coddled! “I’m not a child, Molly… nor am I a goddamn invalid! Fayth also said it was good for me to get out and stretch my legs when I could. I think this is a perfect opportunity to do so. Please… I promise, I’m just going to sat in a booth and listen. That’s it… deal?”

For a moment, Cal thought Molly looked as though she might throw something at him before she sighed in a rather defeated fashion. It was at that very moment, Cal’s savior arrived in the form of his former Exec… and current host… Amelia Manning. With her normal good-natured approach, Amelia had offered to go with Calvin… knowing Molly deplored crowds… to keep an eye on her former Commander and more importantly, ensure he didn’t over-do it. It was then, and only then, that Molly conceded. As so long as he took it easy and did NOT get drunk, he could go… but she made a point that she was still not thrilled with the idea.

Aside from family and closest friends, Amelia Manning was possibly the person that knew the most about the ins and outs of the couple. Not because she liked to gossip or to meddle, but rather because she had taken upon herself to help them through one of the hardest times of their lives together, when both had been too stubborn to do anything about it. It hadn’t been easy, and it hadn’t been glamorous, but she would do it all over again.

Amelia knew Molly’s reservations, and she had her own to add to it, but she also knew her former Commanding Officer to know how tired he likely was of being indoors ‘taking it easy’. So Manning knew she’d be the perfect person to keep an eye on Cal when many would be afraid to do so. She had done it before, she would do it again. Plus, it would be a nice excuse to go out with an old friend that she hadn’t seen in quite a while.

When the evening had arrived, Harris dressed… with the added ‘dapper’ of the polished black ebony cane he was still having to use for the time being… in his favorite pair of dark blue jeans, black cowboy boots he’d gotten for his 25th birthday from the old boot shop next to Langston’s in Stockyard City, dark crimson dress shirt and his grandfather’s silver bolo tie, and the black Stetson his mother bought him when he’d graduated Top Gun. When he’d walked out into the living room, Jersey & Ali had both had nearly fallen off the sofa they were sitting on laughing and Erin had stopped mid-sentence with Gavin… raising her eyebrow with a chuckle, she had added. “Really Alex!?!” Harris touched the tip of his hat to Erin and smiled. “Dr. Cooper.” The response was greeted with an eye roll from Erin before she and Gavin went back to their conversation. Ten minutes later, Amelia stepped out… equally dressed to the nines and the pair headed out to Diamond Jim’s.

Through the course of her Starfleet career, Amelia had had the fortune to see a great number of unexpected things. Still, she was not expecting to see Calvin Harris, former Marine, and her former Commanding Officer wearing… a cowboy outfit? Trying her best not to laugh and to keep it together for her evening date, the smirk that still made its way to her lips told Harris all he needed to know.

When compared to Cal, Manning was wearing what she considered to be a much less flashy outfit. A pair of snug dark blue jeans, a black pair or flat ballerinas, a boatneck black lace shirt. Her hair was tied up in an elegant knot, and a thin gold necklace and pair of delicate golden earrings adorned her frame.

“Nice hat.” She said as she walked up to Harris. “I didn’t know we were going to a barn dance. Or is this what you Yanks wear to outings all the time?” Amelia winked, grabbing his arm in an exaggerated formal manner. “Shall we get on our way?”

“Smart ass..” Harris playfully grumbled as Amelia took his arm. As they headed for the door, out of sheer habit, he turned to address the girls but was cut off before he could say a word by Ali… in the most obnoxious accent she could manage saying “Y’all kids behave now.. ya hear!” Ali, Jersey, Erin and Gavin all burst out laughing as Calvin sighed and walked out to the car with Amelia.

It was not a long drive from the Manning’s place to The Speakeasy, so it didn’t take long for Cal and Amelia to find themselves at the door.

Walking up to the door, seeing three previous couples turned away, Calvin stepped forward to the guard… who was eyeing the CCDA General in a manner that told him the guard expected to turn them away at any second. “General Calvin Harris, Commandant General of the CCDA, and Lady Amelia Manning. I’m here at the invite of Skip Tenkiller.” The guard’s eyes widened ever so slightly before he merely nodded and opened the door for the couple… to the clear annoyance of the couple he’d just turned away.

Walking down to the hostess stand, Harris once again gave his name and with a smile, the young woman took the pair to a booth near the stage, the concert already in progress. As they sat, Calvin motioned to Tenkiller. “I never woulda guessed in a million years that that boy could sing! I mean… he’s not as good as I am, but…” Harris shrugged with a smirk. “… aside from Erin’s boy, not many are!”

Calvin Harris

“As good as you are, huh?” Amelia said with a smirk, taking a seat at their allocated table. “Feeling modest today, I see.” She gave Cal a playful wink. “Although, I have to say… we’ve served together for what? Two years? And I never really heard you sing! Heard a few things about it though… so I’m curious… when are you going to grace us with a concert of your own?”

Capt. Amelia Manning

“I’m classically trained on the piano, Amelia…” Harris began with a smirk. “… I started playing at five and began vocal lessons at eight. Mom always hoped… I guess, that if I could do something in music I’d be less likely to follow Dad into the Corps.” He chuckled. “Needless to say, it didn’t work! I did eight years of musical theatre, almost all of them in lead roles… Les Mis’, Oklahoma, Beauty and the Beast, hell… even West Side Story! I have a whole wall of awards from my time on stage at my folk’s place! But… I found piloting was something I was even better at my Senior year of high school and the rest… as they say… is history!”

After a short pause, Calvin added. “I still practice almost daily… it’s a way to relax and unwind. Needless to say, most don’t think a combat-hardened aviator as a musician. It makes me happy… what can I say!” He shrugged.

Gen. Calvin Harris

One of the people in line behind the pair leaned forward and said “That’s all well and good, but we didn’t come here to listen to you, now did we? Keep it down so we can hear.” The hostess arrived at that time and said softly “I’m sorry for the delay, General. Right this way.” and she led them to a booth off to the right side but with a clear view of the stage. As they walked towards the table, Tenkiller saw his boss and tipped his head slightly in Harris’s direction as he kept on singing.

Speakeasy Staff

Ilena poked Shrine, “Hey, isn’t that your favorite patient over there?” She nodded to Harris and his date.

Yavia raised a brow, “That is not Mly Holloway.” She gave the other ladies at the table a look. “I knew the man flirted, but really! I thought he was a better man than that.”

Shrine patted Yavia’s hand. “Calm down dear. We are all fond of Molly Holloway, and General Harris is heads over heels for her. That is Captain Amelia Manning, a close family friend to both Harris and Molly. It is where they are staying.”

Jessa snickered, “You know an awful lot about it. I thought you were too old for crushes, Shrine.”

The older nurse laughed, “Honey I had to do his discharge paperwork, and she visited several times before he was released. But I swear that man does anything be shouldn’t, he will hear about it from me in this bar. Eraras and I worked too hard to keep him alive.”

Yavia waved a hand, “Oh hush, I can’t hear Tenkiller sing over all your hen pecking.”

Crockett and Gaggle of Nurses

While he enjoyed Tenkiller’s singing, the casually dressed captain took in the crowd with interest, curious who might show up. The hard was that he was still too new to really recognize anyone, but his eye did catch a man walking in that felt familiar to him, though likely was only a face on a file. He leaned in towards Eela and discreetly point. “Who’s that? Someone we know?”

Captain McBride, Starfleet CO

Sharah had said she would think about coming. After her rounds she had returned back to the fleet district. Nothing was right. She had considered not going. It was her immediate reaction. A surprise call from Andrew, her brother, and his advice made her change out of her uniform and go anyway. It wasn’t hard to find the place, simply by listening.

However, once she entered the area of the PE, she was glad to be out of uniform. This was not, as General Tenkiller had told her and Eela, not a place to venture alone at night. She should turn around. Her only means of self preservation was to listen and steer clear of anything unsavory or dangerous. What did it matter anyway? If she wanted more out of life she would have to do it alone anyway.

She approached the guard at the door. “I am with Yavia Crockett’s party. I was running late. My name is Fayth.” The crowd was already nearly too much. Again what did it matter? It would never not be. She was attracting looks, having come alone. She waited patiently, refusing to glance around as someone’s slimy thoughts oozed over her. The man finally nodded, “Welcome to Diamong Jim’s, Doctor.” and opened the door for her. Sharah made her way down the stairwell and into the line of people waiting for a table.

As the song faded away, Tenkiller smiled out at the crowd. The band grabbed bottles of something dark and probably alcoholic, and while they took a quick break Tenkiller talked to the crowd. “Well then… good ta see a few familiar faces out there tonight. Let’s see… we got the CCDA General here, y’all! Give him some love will ya?! Man got blown outta the sky not a couple weeks ago and here he is! Good to see ya, General!’ and he winked at his boss. “Oh hey…” he said as his eyes fell on the table of nurses and Yavia in particular. “Looks like Sacred Heart let their best nurses out of their wards for a bit! I’m telling y’all… you ever need help, these nurse right here-” and he pointed at the table, “- are the best in the galaxy.” His eyes focused on Yavia and he grinned and said “Some of the hottest, too.” and he winked at her and then turned back to the band and said something. They all picked up their instruments and Tenkiller tuned back to the front. He began strumming and singing… and slowly the band joined in.

Loud thunder, heavy rain
Thin line ‘tween joy and pain
It’s a long strange trip, it’s all insane
You ain’t never gonna be the same
Living life through the night
Thin line of a lightning strike
Sometimes the only light
When the moon is tucked away

Pistons pumping
Minds are racing
It’s hard to sleep, man
When I’m shaking
Bad news surrounds me
It’s always found me
Creeping up when things are good
Yeah, the dark days find a way

Loud thunder, heavy rain
Thin line ‘tween joy and pain
It’s a long strange trip, it’s all insane
You ain’t never gonna be the same
Living life through the night
Thin line of a lightning strike
Is sometimes the only light
When the moon is tucked away

The camera captures
All the things that
Make us turn from
What we see
It’s always moving
It don’t stop rolling
I haven’t slept in three damn days
Yeah, but who needs that anyway?

Loud thunder, heavy rain
Thin line ‘tween joy and pain
It’s a long strange trip, it’s all insane
You ain’t never gonna be the same
Living life through the night
Thin line of a lightning strike
Is sometimes the only light
When the moon is tucked away

Loud thunder, heavy rain
Thin line ‘tween joy and pain
It’s a long strange trip, it’s all insane
You ain’t never gonna be the same
Living life through the night
Thin line of a lightning strike
Is sometimes the only light
When the moon is tucked away

Loud thunder heavy rain
Loud thunder, heavy rain
Thin line ‘tween joy and pain
A long strange trip, it’s all insane
You ain’t never gonna be the same
Loud thunder heavy rain
Loud thunder heavy rain

(Cody Jinks - Loud and Heavy, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfv9ijR7e6M )

Tenkiller

Fayth