SIM:Lael Rosek - Drinking Buddy (Gorkon)

Previous sim "A Bit of A Spat"	Lieutenant Junior Grade Lael Rosek HCO Officer Starbase 118 USS Gorkon NCC 82293	Next sim "Whoa, What Was That?"
	View Template

((Antosian Embassy, San Francisco, California, Earth))

::It had been a long day and drinks had been had to celebrate his return. He was just tucking his daughter into bed with her new stuffed toy when he heard the beep of his comm. He kissed her goodnight and stepped outside into the garden to take the call.::

A. Thoran: ::grins:: Hey, missy. How’s it going so far?

L. Rosek: ::murmurs:: Not good. Jansen and I got into a fight. ::pauses:: You feel up to a drink?

A. Thoran: ::pauses and does the time calculations:: Liara’s asleep. I can be there in 20 minutes. Just have to hop the next transporter trip.

L. Rosek: Oh. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. You don’t have to…

A. Thoran: Are you kidding? After what you did for me recently? I want to.

((Flashback, Officer’s Lounge, USS Yarahla -- One Week Earlier...))

::Lael’s brow furrowed as she studied her friend. Something was clearly bothering him. He’d hardly touched his whiskey.::

Rosek: Okay. What’s going on? You’ve been quiet all night and you’re not in your usual drinking form.

::Anjar looked up, grimacing. It had been two days and he was still mooning over Quinn--No. Lt. Reynolds--like a lovesick schoolboy. He sighed. He’d really fouled things up.::

Thoran: ::clears his throat:: Did I tell you I ran into Lt. Reynolds in here a couple days ago?

Rosek: ::eyes widen:: No. What happened?

Thoran: ::glances down at his hands and shrugs:: We talked for a bit.

Rosek: ::arches an eyebrow:: You talked? That’s it?

Thoran: ::grimaces:: I may have said some things that made her uncomfortable.

Rosek: ::frowns:: May have? ::pauses:: Like what.

Thoran: ::murmurs:: I’m sure if she didn’t know at the beginning of the conversation, I’m certain she did by the end.

Rosek: ::gapes and blinks:: You told her you’re in love with her counterpart, didn’t you?

Thoran: ::sighs and throws back the shot of whiskey:: Not exactly.

Rosek: Then what DID you say?

::Anjar sat the glass down and ran his hands through his hair.:: Thoran: I’ve never...This isn’t me, Lael. I’m not this...this… Rosek: Uncertain? Thoran: ::nods vehemently:: Yes, yes! That’s the word! Uncertain. ::sighs:: Whenever I’m around her, I can’t think right. My heart starts racing like it’s going to burst out of my chest. Rosek: ::smiles affectionately and lays her hand on top of his:: Oh, Anjar! You’re in love. <nowiki>::Anjar froze. No. He couldn’t be. Could he? He shook his head violently.::

Thoran: I don’t fall in love. I have crushes, but never love.

Rosek: ::gives a lopsided smile and shrugs:: It was bound to happen sooner or later. ::pauses:: Did I ever tell you how Jansen and I first met?

::Anjar shook his head.::

Rosek: My now ex-boyfriend had just been transferred and I was having nightmares from the Sicarius mission. I went in to Sickbay to get a sedative. ::smiles:: But I left with a friend. ::glances down at the beverage in her hand:: We were friends for awhile, but the entire time, I was falling for him. ::murmurs:: I felt much the same way you’re feeling now. ::laughs:: It made me crazy trying to puzzle out whether he felt the same way. ::sighs:: That kiss last Christmas changed everything. That’s when I knew it was real.

Thoran: ::closes his eyes and sighs:: She practically ran. How am I supposed to fix that? It’s obvious that she’s not interested.

Rosek: ::pauses:: Women are just like men. We get overwhelmed and we deny our heart things that it wants. Not that you should harass her or anything. But don’t give up so easily. She might surprise you. Court her. Show her you’re serious.

::Anjar sighed. His mother certainly hadn’t prepared him for this. Then again, Quinn was unlike most women he’d ever dated or hooked up with.::

Thoran: I suppose.

::Lael poured him another glass of whiskey and he nodded, then took it down in one gulp, making a face at the burn as it went down. Then another. And another. And another. He grasped the glass in both hands for a moment.::

Thoran: ::slurs:: I should probably call it a night. Gotta be up early to work on my mission reports. ::rubs his temples and sighs in frustration:: They’re likely to eat up my whole shore leave.

Rosek: ::frowns:: Don’t you dare waste your entire vacation. You deserve a break. All of us do.

Thoran: ::offers a crooked smirk:: And you’re gonna stop me, Pixie?

Rosek: ::scowls in irritation:: I’m taller than most Human women. I’m NOT a pixie. And besides that, I’m twice as strong as you, male or not. I WILL kick your ass if you EVER call me that again.

Thoran: ::snorts:: I could SO take you.

Rosek: ::scoffs:: Keep telling yourself that, Thoran.

::She frowned when she noticed that he could barely keep upright. She then stood and moved around to lift him out of his chair.::

Rosek: Come on, big boy. You’ve had enough. Let’s get you back to your quarters before you fall over.

Thoran: ::slurs:: I can walk just fine on my own.

::But when he shoved Lael’s hands away and tried to stand by himself, he almost collapsed to the floor.::

Rosek: ::chuckles:: You big lush. Seriously...you’re gonna hurt yourself if you keep it up.

Thoran: ::sighs and slurs:: Fine. But only that far.

Rosek: ::loops his arm over her shoulders and wraps an arm around his waist:: Well, this seems familiar.

Thoran: ::grimaces:: Don’t get so haughty, missy. I’ve had to do it for you more than once.

Rosek: ::smiles and murmurs:: I’m sure we have many more times like this to come...both of us. Though I don’t plan on getting drunk anytime soon. I’ve made a pretty big fool out of myself the last several times.

Thoran: ::smirks and slurs:: You just opened a giant can of worms, Lael.

::Lael shook her head, choosing not to respond to the comment and helped him the rest of the way to his quarters.::

((End Flashback))

::He could almost hear the smile in her voice.::

L. Rosek: Thank you. I’ll be at Stella’s.

A. Thoran: Grand Rapids, right?

L. Rosek: Yeah. I’ll see you in 20.

((Stella’s Lounge - Grand Rapids, Michigan, Earth - 20 minutes later…))

::It was a good thing he’d come. After giving his Dad the heads up, he’d headed for the nearest transporter pad. Lucky for him, the crowd had been large enough that they decided to transport the first group a little early so they could keep on schedule. He’d then grabbed a hovercab to Stella’s to find Lael already on shot number 3 of the nastiest drink known to Humankind--or at least that was his opinion--tequila.::

::He grimaced. He’d never understand the appeal of it. It had been banned on the Antosian homeworld because it was just too dangerous. People did some awful things while under its influence.::

A. Thoran: ::slides into the chair next to her and motions to the bartender:: Whiskey on the rocks.

::The bartender nodded.::

A. Thoran: ::turns to Lael:: So...what happened? You two were doing great last I heard.

L. Rosek: ::grunts:: He’s pissed I didn’t come see him for the Counseling I was required to submit to after our Year of Hell.

A. Thoran: ::frowns:: Wouldn’t that be a conflict of interest, what with him being your boyfriend and all?

L. Rosek: ::snorts:: Yeah. That’s what I said. At the debriefing, they said in no uncertain terms that I was to see someone they picked--no exceptions.

A. Thoran: And what did Jansen say to that?

L. Rosek: ::rolls her eyes:: Are you kidding? He did his “I was good enough to do your post-mission eval” bull.

A. Thoran: ::murmurs:: He really shouldn’t have, though. Should have left it to...what’s that other guy’s name?

L. Rosek: Dalton. Tobias Dalton. ::throws back her fourth shot:: Yeah. I’ve been seeing him for Counseling since we got home. I guess Command thought that was a conflict of interest, too. ::runs a hand through her hair and exhales heavily:: I’m a mess, Anjar. After what happened to Abigail out there...God, I can’t even imagine.

::Anjar laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.::

A. Thoran: ::murmurs:: It’s going to be okay. We’re home and we’re alive.

L. Rosek: ::fights tears and nods, taking back two shots in a row:: ::rasps:: I hate it when Jansen does this. He can hurt me so much and it doesn’t even phase him.

A. Thoran: ::nods:: He can be a bit of an ass sometimes. He has a right to his feelings, but he doesn’t have a right to make you feel like crap over it.

L. Rosek: ::shakes the thought from her head:: ::slurs slightly:: So...how’s Liara?

A. Thoran: ::grins:: Grown up. ::pulls out a PADD:: I took these today when she was opening her presents.

L. Rosek: ::grins as she studies the pictures:: She’s getting big. Turning into a beautiful young lady.

A. Thoran: ::murmurs:: She takes after her mother.

L. Rosek: ::lays a hand on top of his and squeezes:: Are you doing anything special for the Anniversary?

A. Thoran: ::shakes his head:: Not this year. But I’ll at least comm her parents.

L. Rosek: ::arches her eyebrows:: You always do something. What’s changed?

A. Thoran: ::sombers and tosses back the remainder of his whiskey:: Not in much of a celebrating mood. Besides, Lia is here. She’s all I need.

L. Rosek: ::murmurs:: This is about Lieutenant Reynolds, isn’t it?

A. Thoran: ::shrugs:: Kind of. She made me realize that I should be focused more on Lia. Love will come when it comes.

L. Rosek: ::nods:: Good for you.

((Stella’s Lounge - Grand Rapids, Michigan, Earth - 0155 Hours))

L. Rosek: ::slaps Anjar’s hand away and slurs:: I’ll decide when I’ve had enough.

::Anjar sighed, glancing at the 12 upturned shot glasses on the counter. He should have cut her off six shots ago.::

Bartender: We’re closing in 5, lady. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here.

A. Thoran: ::wraps an arm around her shoulders:: Let me get you home or Jansen might just disembowel me. If I’m gonna die, I’d prefer my body be intact for the burial.

L. Rosek: ::stumbles:: ::slurs:: I can handle myself fine.

A. Thoran: ::to the bartender:: Could you please call a hovercab?

Bartender: ::grumbles:: So long as you get her out of here.

::When Anjar realized Lael was incapable of standing, he lifted her and tossed her over his shoulder, then grabbing her crutches. She tried to squirm free, so he smacked her bottom to still her.::

L. Rosek: ::face flushed:: o0This is utterly humilating.0o ::slurs:: Anjar Thoran! Put me down!

A. Thoran: Nope. You’ll trip and hurt yourself. Then Jansen really will disembowel me.

::Despite her continued protests, he carried her out of the bar and sat her in the cab, closing the door on her curses. He then moved around to the other side and slid in, closing the door behind him.::

Cab Driver: Where to?

A. Thoran: Cedar Springs.

::The cab driver nodded and pulled away from the curb.::

---

LtJG Lael Rosek
HCO Officer
USS Gorkon
I238110RH0

&

PNPC Ensign Anjar Thoran
Engineering Officer
USS Gorkon
I238110RH0