#13 A Gathering and A Date

Posted on Sat Jul 20th, 2024 @ 8:47pm by Captain Taavis & Captain Rogue "Ro" Green & Commander Kehlani & Lieutenant Sean Loewen & Lieutenant JG Gavin Lasso & Lieutenant Lenore (Len) Holbrook

Mission: NAZGUL: {CD&MISSION} Reflections of Shadows
Location: M-69
Timeline: Current

On:

After duty Len had went to her quarters and changed into a black ankle length dress with long sleeves. She headed over to the station and went to Club Bliss.

As she approached the club she noticed a number of Klingons hanging around and inside the club. She took a few seconds to remind herself that the Klingons of this time period are the enemy they were in her time period. She squared her shoulders and entered the club.

She sat at the bar and ordered a whiskey, sipping it when the bartender put it in front of her.

Lasso, while Taavis had been busy sending the Klingon data to the Commodore's staff, had noted the lone Human woman who had come in, dressed in all black. She had hesitated in her steps to enter, but then appeared to steel herself and proceeded to enter Club Bliss despite the Klingon invasion. Sitting down in a less crowded spot along the bar she ordered and received an amber colored beverage. A hard liquor he was sure. Moving over to the bar from the business side, he gave her a smile as he spoke. "Welcome to Club Bliss." He said, even though he was still in his uniform wearing the vest variant (TNG). "I'm Gavin Lasso and I am not associated with the club except for being the beau of," He winked at his little joke and thumbed back at Taavis over his shoulder, her back still to the both of them.

Len smiled at him, "Thank you. I'm Lenore Holbrook." She takes another sip of her whiskey. "It is the first time I have been here."

Gavin's smile remained as he replied. "Knowing this place it won't be your last. Taavis and Manny, the big cornfed bartender over that way," he chinned the direction of the burly Human serving drinks. "Are partners. Co-owners."

Kehlani stepped up beside Holbrook, holding an empty Klingon goblet, the spatter and residue of sloshing bloodwine seen down the front of her and providing an erotic sight as her cleavage was wet with the beverage. Mingled with sweat it was a rather enticing sight but not one unfamiliar to those who associated with Klingons. The women chose to show off their cleavage without shame just as much as Orions liked to show off everything else. "Is that green-blooded elf finished with her homework?" Kehlani asked, giving a Klingon laugh.

Len looked at the woman next to her, noticing that she looks like the Klingons from her time versus the ones with the ridges on their foreheads. She raises her drink up towards the other woman.

Seeing the raised tumbler, Kehlani leaned in and sniffed it. "Ah, yes. Whiskey. From Earth, if my nose is correct. I spent many of my formative years on Earth so I am familiar with a great many cultural aspects. What brand?"

As the two women spoke Sean Loewen entered Club Bliss, having heard about the Klingon celebration from other members of the crew. Captain Green had allowed for two more days of shore leave for the Nazgul crew since they had outdone themselves in preparing for departure. He wore a black button up shirt, untucked, with a black tank top underneath which was tucked in. His pants were black relaxed fit jeans and his footwear was a pair of Roper-style cowboy boots that matched the black of the rest of his outfit. Approaching the chatting group involving Len, he came in to where she could see him along with who she was engaging in conversation. He gave a polite nod and grin to her as she got asked the query by the Klingon Commander.

Len grins back before responding back to the Klingon with her Georgian accent coming out, "Legends of Georgia is the brand."

Sean noted the Klingon nodding at the answer, so he felt that addressing Len would not be rude at this point. "Hiya, Lucky," he said with a smile, using his new nickname for Holbrook. "I see you're making friends with the best of people."

Kehlani responded with a grin of her own. "tlho' (thanks), jIDoy'taH (I appreciate that)." Seeing his face contort into misunderstanding she gave a light laugh. "I said; thanks, I appreciate that." She then looked them both up and down. "Are you Starfleet, or civilian?"

Loewen, being polite, decided to let the lady speak first and motioned for Len to go ahead.

"We are Starfleet." Len said, before finishing her whiskey.

"Captain Bjorgo is a fine commander," Kehlani said. "He..."

"...Is not the Captain." A female voice added in as she stepped into view from the crowd. Captain Ro Green came to stand with her officers and address the Klingon. "It's good to see you again, Kehlani. Bjorgo was recalled to Starfleet Command. I am now CO of the USS Nazgul." She gave a smile for all to see, her eyes dancing around among them with mirth. She was in uniform, wearing the old school red shirt from the 2260's and form fitting trousers tucked into her boots.

"majQa'! (very good!)." Kehlani exclaimed. She grabbed Ro in a Klingon bear hug. "Captain Green!? About time."

"Thank you, Matriarch. Seems we have some tales to tell when we find the time." Green switched her attention to the two sitting in black. "Going to a funeral or is black just a preferred color?"

"Black and Blue are my preferred colors, don't know about Sean." She gives the Captain a smile, feeling a slight buzz from the whiskey, knowing that her metabolism would make quick work of the alcohol shortly.

Loewen gave a nonchalant shrug at the barb towards his choice of color for clothing. "Johnny Cash, Captain. I'm a fan. Plus, it's easier to get stains out of black than it is any other color." He gave a smile and matched the mirth in the eyes of his CO.

"Good answer, both of you." Green said. "And, for the record, I like Johnny Cash too. Will the Rokeg be around in case we need you, Commander Kehlani?"

"As always, Captain." Kehlani said. "Klingons remember who our allies are, even if they don't often reciprocate. If Nazgul calls, we will arrive like a den of saber bears."

Loewen adjusted his feet and stance, which had him scooch a little closer to Len. He had formed a bond with her whether she felt the same or not. "Some day, before I die, I would love to see the Ketha Lowlands. I hear they are absolutely beautiful. It would be an honor to see them with my own eyes."

Len noticed Sean getting closer to her, while listening to him talk. She does find him attractive and it has been over two years since she had allowed herself to feel anything towards anyone.

Kehlani gave a nod of pride when the Ketha Lowlands were mentioned. "They are exactly that. Beautiful and dangerous. Also, the seat of House Kehlani, the colony world known as KorKang, has much to offer in the way of beauty. I invite you." She glanced around at them all. "All of you, to visit whenever you can. There is much that is untamed and unexplored. Having served in Starfleet myself back in the day, now honorary, I know the expertise of intrepid explorers and researchers."

Len nodded to Kehlani. "Thank you for the offer." She looks to Sean, "would you like to grab some food with me?"

"That sounds great," Sean responded, then looked to the other two since Lasso and Taavis had also wandered off somewhere. "Pardon us, folks. Thanks for the conversation. We'll see you later, Captain." He then looked to Len, putting his hand lightly on her lower back as she stood up, in the fashion of a gentleman.

They walked over to a table that was off to the side of the club and sat down. When the waiter came by she ordered a water and a Ruben sandwich.

Not really being hungry, Loewen walked along behind Holbrook, letting her lead them to where she felt more comfortable to sit down. As he had followed they passed a cluster of Klingons around a barrel of bloodwine and Sean took up an empty goblet and dunked it into the beverage to fill it. He raised it to the Klingons with one word spoken; "Qapla'." After her choice had been made for a table off to the side of all the main happenings in the club, she sat down and then ordered for herself. Sitting down in the chair to her left, Sean sipped his bloodwine, a beverage he found most tasteful even for a Human. "Much better," he said. "No need to shout over everyone around us."

"Agreed. So what do you like to do when not on duty?" Len asks, while waiting for her food.

"Hmm." He put forth as his mind worked out an answer. "Well, I like to go fishing, I read a lot, and I enjoy music. All kinds of music. If it sounds good to my ear, for whatever reason, I listen to it. I don't know, really." Sean said. "I just do whatever comes to mind, which is usually something I haven't done in a while. The holodecks usually have a reservation for me at least once a week." He gave her a grin.

"Well that is good. I love music and reading as well. I also love to cook, when I can. As for the holodeck, I'm still trying to get used to them." Len sipped on her water.

Loewen gave a chuckle. "As real as they may seem, the holodecks are nothing but photons and light, using the basis for it all. The actual explanation is more complicated but you get the gist. Knew a guy once who used the holodeck for a relationship. Wife, kids, you name it. He said that if he were to die out here then that would leave no one to grieve. Needless to say he became quite the topic of conversation between the CMO and Counselor at the time." Sean gave another grinning giggle at the memory. "I use them for relaxation and training. It's how I've become rather good at being able to take over a duty station as a relief at a moment's notice." He gave her a friendly salute with his goblet, sipping more bloodwine.

Len nodded. "I have used them once I arrived in this time, I meant we did not have holodecks at all."

"Count your blessings, Lucky," Sean said, using his personal nickname for her once again. "Back in your day people had to gather in the lounges, or the mess hall and actually talk to each other. Play chess, charades, whatever. In my opinion it made a crew more unified. More of a family. I often walk the corridors of the ship I'm on simply to meet as many people as I can from various departments. Plus, it's good exercise rather than being sedentary." Loewen sipped more wine and looked over at her.

The waiter brought over her food and she thanked him before he left. "It was simpler time. Although it took everything I had to walk into this establishment with the Klingons being here. I had to remember that they were allies."

Loewen gave a light laugh. "All thanks to the Enterprise-C under Captain Rachel Garret. The Romulans attacked Khitomer and when they sent out a distress call the Enterprise answered. The ship was lost and many of the crew killed or captured as political prisoners. That was when the Klingons realized that the Federation did have honor because the Enterprise had routed the enemy while sacrificing herself to do so. As the Klingons would say; it was a good day to die."

Sean went into a few moments of thought before he continued. "During the Dominion war the alliance was fractured and once again the Federation had to fight the Klingons, as well as, the Dominion, Cardassians, and all the axis powers aligned with them. Captain Sisko uncovered a plot by the Dominion to replace the Klingon High Council with Changelings, and for that effort, the alliance was reformed." He laughed at himself as he looked over. "Sorry. I got a bit long-winded, there. I love history and read up on it whenever I can."

Len had finished eating her sandwich while listening to him talk. "It's all right, history is interesting." She grinned. "It has been a long time since I let myself have some fun, and I have been having fun tonight."

Sean sat up and leaned forward with his arms resting on the table, his angle more towards her in an ever-so-slight show of interest. "Well, we'll have more fun, I promise. Once we're out there on patrol we won't have all this to keep us entertained." He opened his mouth to say more but a warbling came from his shirt breast pocket. Sighing, he reached into it and brought out his combadge, placing it on the outside of his shirt pocket before tapping it. "Loewen, here."

"Mister Loewen, Captain Green. Report to the Ready Room on Nazgul when you are free to do so."

"Aye, Captain. On my way. Loewen, out." Sean tapped the badge off and then looked to Len. "It seems duty calls." He stood up and looked down at her. "Rain check for the ship's lounge, any time?"

Len nodded, "Of course. See you later. "

Giving a nod and grin, Loewen left Club Bliss.

Off:

Lieutenant jg Lenore Holbrook
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Nazgul

Lieutenant Sean C. Loewen
Flight Control/Helm Chief
USS Nazgul