SIM:TDakora Cultivating An Asset Pt.2
((Nova Room, Deep Space 26))
(Time index: The Night of Theo's Promotion Party))
The Nova Room was as busy as the last time Talos had been there. The dingy, poorly lit bar was full of various nefarious looking patrons ogling the girls working the dabo tables and carrying on boisterous conversations as the drinks flowed. He’d narrowly escaped getting caught up in a massive bar fight on his last trip, but a glance at the positively monstrous Bolian man behind the bar told him that history was unlikely to repeat itself tonight. Talos had led Aitas over to cleanest looking booth he could find, nestled in a dark corner near the Tongo tables and they had already received their first round of drinks from their weary looking waitress.
Dakora: So, what do you think?
Aitas: You believe me if I said bars like this feel like home?
Her accent had shifted here, moving from Vulcan composure to what might sound like a mix of Risian and Orion influence to a trained ear.
Talos shook his head and laughed.
Dakora: I had a hard time picturing you in a place like this back at the party, but now, dressed like this ::He cocked his head to the side.:: I get it.
Aitas: Places like this have the best drinks. ::She took a sip from her glass, which held a pale blue liquid topped with mint leaves.:: Bartender’s got all the nuances of the Risian ones down just right.
He glanced down at the melting ice cubes in his whiskey and took a sip. He’d tried to keep up appearances and order tanaja, a Betazoid grain alcohol made from fermented cavat, but they didn’t have any in stock. It was for the best anyway, she would’ve seen right through it. Talos found himself a bit enraptured by Aitas, he fully understood that whatever they were going to share had a pre-defined expiration date, but he figured there was no reason not to fully enjoy their fleeting time together. He leaned back in his seat a bit as he shifted his gaze back up to her.
She tilted her head, taking in Talos’ emotions as much as the sights and scents of the room around them. Sweat, old hints of spilled drinks embedded in the carpet and the cracks in the tables. A clink and then a sigh from the Dabo tables.
Aitas: So, since you’ve been here before, any more suggestions on the drinks?
Talos frowned, swirling his drink so that the ice cubes clinked against the glass.
Dakora: As you can see, my time in the Marines ruined me..::He leaned in and took her hand in his for a moment.::~Word on the street is that they deal in Romulan Ale here, if you can say the right thing to the barman.~ ::He let go, continuing aloud with a laugh:: I’m not touching it though. Too many promising nights ruined by that stuff in my younger days.
Her foot brushed against his beneath the table, sending a few teasing thoughts through the brief link.
Aitas: Oh, don’t worry. I’d not drink so much that I can’t wear you out later.
Talos shook his head and let out a sort of long slow exhale in an effort to regain his hold on the conversation. He wouldn’t have considered himself easily flustered, but the imagery she’d fed into his mind had done the trick. He felt her amusement flowing through him like it was his own.
Dakora: Ahem. ::He cleared his throat to buy a few precious seconds of composure.:: So, what about you? The drink… the accent.. ::He punctuated his words with a sip.:: Spend some time on Risa?
She smiled at that, clear pleasure at his attentiveness showing through her emotions.
Aitas: More than a little. I spent some time working for an old friend there. ::she sipped at her drink.:: The beaches are as lovely as they say, though sometimes it’s a bit of an endeavor to find a quiet one.
Talos had never been to Risa himself, but he’d heard enough to find the idea of visiting very enticing. Enlisted Marines didn’t rate that sort of extravagant shore leave. He was purposely trying to avoid talking about their shared home world, though he supposed that was something many of the children of the Dominion War did.
Dakora: I’ve never been, but it sounds nice. ::He grinned and sipped.:: I did spend a week of leave on the beach of an uninhabited class M once. Spent the whole week surfing and drinking with friends. ::He grinned proudly.:: Didn’t wear a stitch of clothing the whole time I was there.
He let his hand brush against hers again on the table, pushing imagery of the untamed beach from his memory.
That earned a small burst of pleased laughter.
Aitas: Oh, that sounds pleasant. Quite the sight to see I’m sure.
He leaned in, letting his elbows rest on the table.
Dakora: I thought so! ::He grinned.:: Though I don’t think the Marines I was there with would agree. An oddly prude bunch, those Terrans.
Nostalgia flashed in his eyes as he recalled an eager young PFC who had made that trip a bit more...memorable.
Aitas: ::chuckling:: As much as I appreciate Betazoid formal, most places about are too cold for my tastes already. I take after my father in that regard.
The last was accompanied by a gentle turn of her head as she took another sip of her drink, one pointed ear poking out from beneath the curls of her hair.
Dakora: What a cruel twist of fate... ::A lopsided grin fell across his face.:: I bet it'd look great on you…
Talos became aware that somehow, through all the mental noise of the room; all of the drunken, undisciplined minds, it felt like he could only feel her. It was actually a rather pleasant sensation.
Aitas: So, besides Risa, are there any planets you’d particularly like to visit? I’ve actually never been to Vulcan.
They were dancing around darker topics, now. Trying to leave the ghosts of Betazed where they lay.
Dakora: I’ve visited plenty of places. ::He frowned.:: But I was usually there to protect or destroy something. And they usually weren’t exactly tourist hot spots. ::He thought for a moment.:: I think I’d like to see the mountains of Bajor again. They’re probably more enjoyable when you aren’t hunting a Maquis cell…
Aitas: You mountain climbing is a pleasant thought. ::Her gaze drifted down toward his arms.:: Though my imagination is hardly concocting the most sensible outfits.
He sipped at his whiskey and beamed.
Dakora: If I was there with you ::He met her gaze with smirk.:: I’d hope neither of us would be wearing anything sensible.
That prompted a soft burst of laughter from her, and she hid her grin behind her glass for a moment before continuing.
Aitas: Actually, I can’t say I’ve seen many tourist hot spots myself. Some, certainly, but a lot of those I worked with then considered themselves to have more discerning tastes. At least they usually had good parties.
Though they seemed to have much in common, Talos could feel she had lived a portion of her life so far out of his frame of reference that he had a hard time imagining it. And those were just the parts she was willing to talk about.
Dakora: I joined the Corps practically before I came of age. ::He stared into his glass with an inward laugh.:: Before the party tonight, I wouldn’t have called any party I’ve been to fit for discerning tastes.
Aitas: I can find no fault in that. The Marines do tend to have very...honest parties.
He held up a finger like he was going to say something, but paused.
Dakora: Honest? ::He tilted his head.:: That’s a nice friendly word for it.
She laid her hand atop his for a moment, smiling as if sharing some private joke.
Aitas: ~Don’t worry, I don’t expect any tales of your past that you would not wish to tell.~
His studied her face for a moment. It was a safe bet that they both had their share of skeletons in the closet.
Dakora: ~I’m sure we both have… things that are better left in the past.~ ::He gave a her a kind of conspiratorial grin.:: ~You keep your secrets and I’ll keep mine.~
They continued talking, laughing and flirting punctuated by an occasional decidedly inappropriate telepathic exchange as the drinks kept coming. Talos’ fascination with Aitas hadn’t lessened any, and his desire for her had only gotten stronger as the night wore on and his already low inhibitions hit the floor. There was a brief lull in the conversation and he leaned back into his seat as he fixed her with a sort of amused expression.
Dakora: You know, you are not really what I expected... ::He winced slightly, before remembering her empathy.:: In a good way... you know what I mean.
Aitas: So I do. ::She gave him a teasing smile across the table, tilting her head back to showcase the elegant line of her neck.:: And I’ve always found fitting into different environments a useful skill.
He felt the fire that she’d set inside of him earlier flaring up again, threatening to burn him down. He drummed his fingers on the table as he spoke, trying to refocus his preoccupied mind. As the talked, Talos had gotten the impression that she sort of enjoyed getting him worked up like this. Staring across the table at his companion, taking in her severe, angular, but utterly beautiful features, he let his gaze descend down a graceful neck and... The blaze roaring in his chest won
Dakora: Do you want to get out of here? ::He glanced over towards the gambling tables:: As much as I love the sounds of people losing money, someplace quiet sounds nice...
That earned a soft chuckle. Her own emotions were still more contained, a softer mirror of his own.
Aitas: I’d like that. ::grinning:: They do keep telling me I need to relax more. And I am so looking forward to that Absinthe.
A joint-post by:
Lt. Commander Aitas
Chief Intelligence Officer
Second Officer
Starbase 118 Ops
O239307A10
And
=====//////=====
'Ens. Talos Dakora
Intelligence Officer
USS COLUMBIA
O238811CD0
Return to Talos Dakora