First strike

Posted on 16 Jul 2016 @ 3:02am by Ensign Katniss Sutherland

1,690 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Risky Business
Location: Talon's
Timeline: MD4

Leaping on to that most human of inventions, the bar stool, Dzhossen spun lazily around in a few circles. They were brilliant things really, comfortable and yet utilitarian, and amazingly fun. Sort of summed up the whole species as far as he was concerned. Not at all like boring escort duty. Sunbeam's manual landings were about the only thing fun he got to do in the cockpit anymore. His red hair was still matted to his head with sweat from his cranial, but Discord had taken the time to change out into a freshly replicated Bad Religion t shirt and a pair of rough looking jeans. Spoiling his look were a pair of bright red flip flops that had simply been too comfortable for him to forgo.

Each spin afforded him a look at Talons, the Blackhawk's bar, which seemed oddly slow tonight. Perhaps it was the tension of the nebula getting to people. Or it could have been all of the extra duty being pulled in expectation of the upcoming battle. People reacted differently to stress. Dzhossen gave the bar stool an extra kick and enjoyed a few more moments as the world spun about him.

"Barkeep!" He said, stopping his spin as he grabbed the bar. "Chocolate milk, please, and a targ steak. Rare."

"Targ steak!" said Selah with a grin. "Don't let the Klingons hear you." She called the order to the kitchen, though, and grabbed a chocolate milk from the replicator. "Sorry," she said as she set it in front of him. "The stasis pod malfunctioned and all the real stuff spoiled. We wouldn't have this problem if we just had a couple cows on board.

"You don't have a real cow, but you're telling me you have a live targ?"

"Of course not," Selah answered. "But, we have fresh steaks. That stasis pod is just fine."

"Soooo... If it's not fresh, does it matter how I want it done?"

"It technically is fresh," answered Selah. "I mean, it's been in the stasis pod for several weeks, but inside the pods, it's been like an hour, so...." She grinned at him and went to the other end of the bar where other customers were trying to catch her attention.

Katniss slowly walked into Talon’s, this was only her second time here. The first was completely by mistake when she was looking for the swimming pool, she got ordered to stay and it kind of turned into a girl’s night. It was fun and it made her feel welcome, but tonight it was definitely quieter.

She looked up from the padd she was reading, perhaps she should have changed out of her uniform, after all none of the crew had seen in her in anything other than her uniform. ‘Maybe next time’ she thought as she headed towards the bar. She noticed a male whose flip-flops defiantly made him look out of place. She glanced at him, she hadn’t seen him before. She positioned herself exactly one stool to the right of him and signalled Selah to come close.

“I’d like some of that…what did you call it? You know. The one you introduced me to on our girl’s night. From your special reserve, none of that synthehol crap, please” she whispered.

"Oh, yes, the secretest secret that ever secreted," Selah replied conspiratorially. "Coming right up!"

Katniss couldn’t help it, her mouth always got her into trouble. While she was waiting for her drink she turned to the unknown male sat next to her. “Nice flip flops.”

Taking a long gulp of his chocolate milk, Dzhossen smiled before whipping the milk from his upper lip. "Thanks! I know they're not really great for aboard ship, but they're just so comfortable that I couldn't part with them after I put them on. I'm new here. Dzhossen," he stated with an impish inflection, thrusting his hand out towards the green eyed human female. "You can call me Discord."

"Sky jockey hmm, I've knocked a few of you on their ass before now" she said smiling as she reached out to shake his hand "I'm Ensign Sutherland, but you sky jockey can call me Katniss."

"Bold statement. If you want to fight, let me know, but I'm going to finish my steak first." The targ was excellent, charred on the outside and cool blue in the middle. Cutting off another slice, Dzhossen dunked it in the yamok sauce Selah had served on the side. Stuffing the slice into his mouth, he closed his eyes to savor the taste, then carved another slice off while he chewed. He offered it to Katniss, yamok sauce dripping on the bar as he spoke around the food, "Wanna byt?"

"I could always do with a sparing partner and don't mind if I do." she replied before she took the slice of targ on offer and placed it into her mouth. She began to chew "Could do with some more seasoning, tuff on the outside and not rate enough on the inside, targ should still be dripping with blood in the centre, as you slice it." she managed to muffle as Selah brought over her drink.

"One secret," Selah announced simply, delivering the glass to Katniss.

"You know, I've been dreaming about this all day." She said reaching out for the drink and taking a moment to take in the smell of the drink. "Now I really do owe you a favour for this, I know your personal stock is running low," she winked.

"Nah, don't worry about it," Selah said. "I share with my friends." And with a smile, she was off to tend to other customers.

Still tearing at his steak, Dzhossen gestured with the fork between bites. "You know. It really is amazing. You walk into a bar, with a view of from INSIDE the Hadyn Nebula. There is a Vulcan, eating a steak. And the first thing you say to me, aside from noticing my snazzy flip flops... The first thing is 'Hey wanna fight?' and 'This targ isn't bloody enough.'" Raising his glass of milk, he saluted the Katniss, "To a woman who has earned her forehead ridges!"

Katniss turned back to Discord, he really was making quite the mess. She slowly took a mouthful of the drink Selah had brought her, she still didn't know the name of it, but hell it tasted good and it burned on the way down.

"So Discord, I'm new as well, I'm the new nurse."

Dzhossen began to choke and cough. After clearing his airway and taking another drink of chocolate, the pilot lifted both his plate and glass and carried them to the other end of the bar, as far away from the new threat as possible. After he had settled in he waved Selah over.

"Why didn't you tell me she was... one of those!" He accused the bartender in a whispered tone.

"One- one of... what, exactly?" Selah asked, slightly confused. She opened her mind to him and found that he was terrified, but of what, she couldn't imagine.

Katniss watched as Discord was whispering to Selah, she had only mentioned that she was the new nurse, he nearly choked and then just up and moved. She gently sniffed, well she certainly didn't smell. She took another mouthful of her drink. She looked down at both of them again, she wasn't going to let this drop.

"Discord" she yelled as she marched down to him "Do you have a problem with me?" she asked "You know you should be nicer to the medical staff. After all I have a very long memory and people who annoy me tend to be the first ones I suggest to the Chief Medical Officer when she asks for suggestions for random medical screening." she stated smiling.

In a flash, the bar stool went flying backwards and the remains of the targ and chocolate milk were dumped behind the bar as Discord's arm snapped out, an accusing finger only centimeters from Katniss' nose. His pupils were dilated wide, black holes in a face flushed green with blood. Body shaking visibly, Discord's voice was oddly calm, seeming detached even to his own ears.

"Do not," The tone was low, just enough to be heard by Katniss, and perhaps Selah. "Do not ever threaten me again. I submit to my yearly physicals, as per Star Fleet regulations, as well as my arrival and departure exams. I will not be threatened by medical personnel so that they may have the pleasure of causing me further pain."

Turning to Selah, Discord dropped his arm and his posture relaxed just a bit. "I am sorry for the disturbance." With that he hurried from Talons, virtually running back to his quarters.

Selah gasped and struggled to close her mind, but instead just stood there, terrified and furious along with the odd Vulcan. When he finally stormed out, she blinked, coming back to herself. "Wow," she said, blinking again and shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "I have no idea why, but he is terrified of you."

Katniss looked at Selah "I...I...." she didn't know what to say, she was only trying to lighten the mood, after all it was the first time in her life that anyone had physically got up and moved when she had introduced herself. For a moment she looked sad, she certainly didn't want to be upsetting people, not with her been so new.

"Selah, should I go after him. Apologize? I mean I don't know him well enough to even guess, or does he have any close friends who I could speak to maybe find out the best way to apologize? I...I" Although she hadn't know Selah long, they seemed to get on well and Katniss knew she was always going to be someone she could come to for advice.

"No!" said Selah quickly. "No. Just... let him be, I think. And maybe... I dunno, maybe just give him a wide birth for awhile. That was incredibly strange."

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