Authors: Rick Bentsen
1.30.2136
0813
Gamma Epsilon Station
Soran’s Bar
C
OMMANDER K’Alan Ilan Bryce leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his Duterian Sunmist. He chuckled softly as he looked over to the person who shared his table.
“You know, Mario,” K’Alan started. He gently put his glass on the table. He leaned forward again as he continued. “I keep telling myself I’m never going to come back to this place. And yet every time I get transferred, this is where I end up. Here at this table, you and I end up having a drink and playing cards while I wait to go aboard my new ship. Every time.”
“I know,” Mario laughed. He knocked back a long gulp of his drink. “I think Soran saves this table just for us. Lord knows we’ve been here often enough.”
K’Alan picked his drink back up and took another sip. He looked around the bar. The walls were dark with small twinkling lights designed to appear as if the view from the windows extended around the entire room. Small square tables were scattered about the room. Each table was illuminated from inside by either a soft blue or red light. Along one wall, a long polished oak bar stretched the entire length of the room. Soran, the bartender and owner of the bar, stood behind the bar chatting amicably with a woman in a Star League uniform. Her back was to him, so K’Alan had no idea who she was, although the long green hair hinted that she was likely a Jaradan.
“You know, this place hasn’t changed much since we first came through here fifteen years ago,” K’Alan noted as he returned his glance to his companion.
“And if we live another fifteen years, Soran’s Bar still won’t have changed,” Mario grinned. He raised his glass in a salute of agreement.
K’Alan tipped his own glass back in a salute. He reached over to a pocket on his left sleeve and pulled out a deck of round playing cards. Mario’s grin broadened slightly when he saw the cards.
“So, since we usually play cards while we wait to go aboard our new ships, how about a quick game of poker?” K’Alan asked as he started shuffling the cards.
“Yeah,” Mario chuckled. “I was wondering if you had a deck on you.”
“Mario, when don’t I have a deck with me?” K’Alan asked as he offered the deck to Mario for a cut.
“Good point,” Mario chuckled again as he cut the deck. “Deal the cards, Kal.” He watched as K’Alan dealt out five cards to each of them. He picked up his cards and looked them over, frowning slightly. “So, what have you heard about our new commanding officer?”
“Little bits here and there,” K’Alan said as he looked at his own cards. He tossed three of his cards into the center of the table. “I’ve heard that she’s tough as nails and cold as ice.”
“Well, hold your tongue, ‘cause here she comes,” Mario whispered, inclining his head slightly to indicate the direction the captain was coming from. He tossed in four of his own cards, and K’Alan replaced the cards they’d both discarded before looking where Mario was indicating.
When he saw who it was that was coming their way, he almost dropped his cards. It was the Jaradan woman he’d seen talking to Soran, but what really surprised him was that he recognized her. He hadn’t recognized her name when he’d received his new orders, but now that he saw her face, he knew he should have. Her long dark green hair was combed back and worn just past her shoulders. Her eyes were emeralds and her smooth skin was olive in complexion. She wore a standard Star League duty uniform consisting of black pants, tunic and boots. Like the uniforms that K’Alan and Mario were wearing, her uniform had teal colored piping running down the middle of the front of the tunic and in four stripes running diagonally from about where her belly button would be to her left shoulder. The teal colored stripes designated her as a command officer. As expected, her rank insignia identified her as a captain.
Although he was surprised to see her, he managed to cover his surprise before she noticed. He was pretty sure however, that Mario had noticed. The slight wry smile on Mario’s face confirmed it. He knew that in time he’d have to tell Mario that he knew the Captain from the Academy, but he really didn’t want to deal with that just yet.
“Commander,’ Captain Thala Ker’sal said as she reached the table where the two friends were sitting. Her voice fairly dripped ice. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“The pleasure’s all mine,” K’Alan said, his voice cracking slightly. He forced a smile as he looked at his new commanding officer.
“I’m sure,” Thala snorted. She gave him another harsh glare before turning her attention to Mario. “Colonel Bonetti, I understand you wanted to speak to me?”
“Yes, Captain,” Mario nodded, sighing softly. He put his glass on the table and laid his cards face down next to it, knowing he’d need his full concentration for the task at hand. He always hated when he had to go up the chain of command to get what he needed, but it was sometimes necessary. This was one of those times. “See, I’m having some problems with your security chief, and I was hoping that if I spoke with you, we could clear up this problem quickly and quietly.”
“And what is the nature of this problem, Mr. Bonetti?” Thala asked. She crossed her arms and glared at Mario through have closed eyes. She made a point of completely ignoring K’Alan, something not lost on the Duterian officer.
“Well,” Mario said after a moment’s hesitation. “She won’t let my personal weapons collection on board.”
Thala raised an eyebrow, in surprise, clearly not expecting that from Mario. “And why in the name of the Lords of Jarada would a morale officer need to bring a personal weapons collection on board my ship?”
“Well,” Mario said, idly swirling his drink in its glass. “I’ve been collecting these weapons for over twenty years, and I’m an expert in each one of them. I used to teach their use to the ground forces in each of my assignments. I’ve also been known to go on a ground mission or two, and my weapons have saved more than a few lives in the past. Besides. I wouldn’t exactly feel comfortable on this assignment without them. And if the morale officer ain’t comfy...” He trailed off, letting that last statement hang in midair. He knew it would have the intended affect.
“Very well,” Thala sighed, rolling her eyes dramatically. “You have my permission to bring your weapons collection on board. If Masha gives you any further problems, have her come see me.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Mario smiled and saluted. He took another sip of his drink and picked up his cards.
“Commander Bryce, my office in one hour,” Thala said as she turned to look directly at K’Alan.
“Yes, ma’am,” K’Alan barked out, fighting the urge to gulp in desperation.
Thala turned on her heel after giving K’Alan one last glare. She strode over to talk to a young woman in another part of the bar. Mario whistled and shook his head as he watched her go then looked over at his friend.
“You are so screwed,” Mario grinned as he tossed his hand in the center of the table. “What’s the deal with you and the Ice Bitch over there?”
“Oh, just don’t ask. Just don’t go there, Mario. All I know is that this is going to be one very long and strange tour of duty.” He picked up the cards from the table and pocketed them again. “And just what did you mean by used to teach? You stopped? Such a shame.”
“Kal, you should have been on my last assignment,” Mario shook his head. He drained the last of his drink and waved the waiter over for a refill. “The captain didn’t believe in his troops learning what he considered primitive weaponry.”
“So what happened?” K’Alan took a sup of his drink and leaned forward in rapt fascination.
“A whole platoon of ground troops got sent down to this one planet. Something in the atmosphere wreaked havoc with the plasma rifles. So, since the platoon didn’t have any backup weapons, not one member of the platoon had a working weapon. They fought bravely, but the whole platoon got slaughtered. The captain, who’d insisted on going down on the planet with the platoon was captured. I ended up going in with my “primitive weaponry” and saving his butt. That’s when they gave me my gold bars,” Mario explained, proudly fingering his new rank insignia.
“Yeah,” K’Alan nodded. “I noticed you got promoted. Congrats, by the way.”
“Thanks,” Mario grinned.
“So,” K’Alan continued after taking another sip of his drink. “What happened to the Captain?”
“Court-martialed for stupidity and losing a whole platoon of troops as a result of said stupidity,” Mario laughed. The waiter came back with the refill of Mario’s drink. Mario smiled and took a sip before asking the burning question he’d been wanting to ask all morning. “Heard anything from Kit lately?
K’Alan took a long sip from his drink and sighed deeply before answering. “I haven’t talked to her in over two months. We’d been on silent running for a long time before my transfer to the White Knight. And with the transfer, I’ve just been running ragged. I’m going to call her before we leave.”
“Don’t forget to say hi for me,” Mario said, tossing off another of his famous grins.
“Sure enough,” K’Alan laughed. “Except she doesn’t much like you.”
“Everyone loves me!” Mario said, sounding wounded. “I’m just that kind of loveable guy, you know?”
“Yeah. Sure you are,” K’Alan grinned, nodding with his friend. “And you don’t have an ego problem either, right?”
Mario laughed long and hard. Yes, it was definitely going to be good serving on the same ship as his friend again.
“Hey,” Mario started suddenly, a thought occurring to him out of nowhere. “Stop by my quarters later. I have something for you.”
“I hope it’s a stiff drink,” K’Alan muttered tapping his glass idly. “I have a feeling I’m going to need one after I talk to the Captain. Listen, I’ve got a couple things I need to do before I go see her, so I’ll see you later, buddy.”
K’Alan gulped back the last of his drink and stood. He smiled at Mario, clapped him on the shoulder, gave him a wink and strode out of the bar.
“I don’t believe it!” Mario groaned as he watched K’Alan go. “He stiffed me with the bill again!”
1.30.2136
0847
Gamma Epsilon Station
Another Part of Soran’s Bar
Three girls sat at a table in a corner of the bar. Each of the three girls were nursing a root beer and they were all watching their friend who was making her way towards their table.
“About time you showed up, Sarah,” Kim Chellman grumped as Sarah arrived at the table. She crossed her arms and looked up at her friend. “I thought we agreed to meet here at 8 this morning.”
“Sorry,” Sarah shrugged as she sat down. The waiter came over and placed a root beer in front of her. “But guess what?”
“What?” Kim asked, uncrossing her arms and taking another sip of her root beer.
“I just talked to Captain Ker’sal. That’s why I’m so late,” the very excited Sarah grinned. She took a swallow of her root beer before continuing. “Mmm. Great root beer as always! Anyway, Captain Ker’sal told me that I was just assigned to the SLS White Knight as the Chief Engineer.”
“Like, shyeah, right,” another one of the girls at the table spat out the mouthful of root beer that she’d just sipped. “And I’m the next person to be named a squad leader. Sarah, get real.”
“You haven’t even been through the Academy,” the third girl snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. “And you’re too young to serve in the Defense Force anyway. So how do you expect us to take you seriously?”
“Besides, how could you get such a cushy job anyway. You’re a hermit!” Kim teased. She took another sip of her root beer and sneered at Sarah.
“I designed the ship,” Sarah said, matter of factly. She lifted her chin in a proudly defiant manner.
“SHYEAH!” all three of the girls said in perfect unison. They all looked at Sarah with complete disbelief, and Kim, the spokesman of the group, continued with a note of scorn in her voice. “Like that would ever happen.”
“I’m serious, guys!” Sarah pouted. She tossed a datapad on the table and slid it across to Kim. Kim picked it up and looked at it with a raised eyebrow. “You remember that ship I was designing last year? Well, they built it, and they want me on board as the Chief Engineer since I know the ship better than anyone else.”
Before any of the girls could respond, Mario made his way over to the girls table. He looked at the four girls with an appraising look and tossed off one of his famous winning smiles.
“Would one of you lovely ladies be a young woman by the name of Sarah Hodge?” he asked as he turned a chair around and straddled it.
“That would be me, sir,” Sarah smiled. She waved to the Colonel.
“There’s no need to sir me, Ensign,” Mario chuckled. He extended his hand in a friendly greeting. “I’m not an officer and I don’t much stand on formality anyway. Nice to meet you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine, Colonel,” Sara grinned, taking his hand in a surprisingly firm handshake.
“I understand you’re our new Chief Engineer,” Mario said conversationally as he took his hand back. He tapped his finger against his glass thoughtfully.