Station: Admissions

Posted on Thu Aug 14th, 2025 @ 7:26pm by Lieutenant Griffon Resch & Ainkara "Kara" Ski'a {SIS} {SoB}

Mission: Stellar Problems
Location: Club Bliss
Timeline: Current

ON:

Kara headed for Club Bliss after returning to the Civil Administration office to give herself a Sir name, or last name of Ski'a, taken from Ancient Greek. On her way she stopped at a leather shop and had the tailor make a cut, add some patches to it, and then put it in a cardboard box that it fit perfectly in when laying inside. Lid on, she carried the item under one arm and got back on track to her destination. Entering Club Bliss, her own cut on display, Kara got several wandering eyes at her new look, and all of those glances went down to her midriff where her muscled, athletic abs were on display along with ehr belly button. A woman's short vest. She went around behind the bar and got the evil glare from Manny. "What?" She asked, not thinking.

"Patrons are on that side, sweetheart," he motioned to the other side of the bar. "Get moving or get tossed over."

It dawned on Kara why he was being this way. She stepped in closer, seeing him put his towel and the glass he had been wiping free of extra water droplets down on the counter. "Whoa! Easy there big guy." Hand up to deter any sudden of action from him. The bar had a good sized crowd, but it was not super loud yet. "Listen to my voice and look at my eyes. It's me, Manny. Kara."

Squinting his eyes to show he focused on her face, and not missing the other looks from folks standing close enough to the bar that they heard what she said. "Kara? Damn, you look a lot different." Manny said. "What gives?"

"Just felt like a change. I'll explain it better at another time. For now, come with me." Kara led him into the back office, placing the box on the desk top closer to him as she went further towards the chair side of the desk. "Go ahead, open it," she said with a smile.

Stepping over to the box, Manny took the lid off, seeing the cut inside. As a man who liked history, and had a fascination with biker MC's from back in the day, he grinned when he saw the patches on the upper left breast. The patches were a white field with dark, forest green lettering. One said Manny, the other had two capital letters: VP. As he lifted the cut to examine it and see the two rockers on the back, Kara spun her back to him and pointed over her shoulder at her own. She got in next to him and they faced the back shelves. "Did I do good?"

"This is," Manny paused. "This is epic, darlin'. Thank you. What's the VP about?"

"Saints of Bliss MC, like the patch says on the back." Kara explained. "Instead of Motorcycle Club it means Merchant Club. I want the Saints of Bliss to be operated like an MC, along with the loyalty and brotherhood that entails. With your contacts you know from being here, and from your previous life, I'm sure you can talk some captains and owners into joing the MC as a large family plying the space lanes for profit. See?" Kara tapped the patch on her own cut that said Prez. The nameplate for the MC name she would go by said Ski'a.

"Ski'a (Sky-uh)? What's that mean?" He asked.

"It's Ancient Greek, it means 'Shadow'." Kara responded. "You think you can gather some experienced transport owners? If so, their ship is their crew, in all ways that term is used. They become Capos in the MC, because they run their own crews. Crews that will also be SoB, or they move on and we help the capos gather people willing to join. The prospect method will be used to test courage, loyalty, all that. If they fail they get sent packing. If they pass, they earn their patch. That simple."

"Can I come up with our actual logo patch?" Manny asked.

"As VP, absolutely."

Manny slid his vest on over that six feet five body, with rippling muscle. It looked good on him. He reminded Kara of an Andorian she knew named Rohber in Dark Harbor. For an Andorian he was over six feet tall and also built with muscle mass he had honed into the body of a power lifter. No one messed with Rohber. "It fits you, in every way, brother." For that she got a hug, lifting her lithe, athletic frame off the deck, with the bear hug popping a few vertebrae before he set her down.

"You better mic up and explain the changes and who you are, people are looking confused," said Manny with a grin. "Go get 'em, sister. Prove it's you and give them a song or two. Maybe start with that 'This is War' tune you sang the other night."

"I'll consider singing," Kara said with a grin. "But, as for letting our patrons know about the change in management from my end, you're right. Let me see to that and then we'll go from there. Looks to be a good night. I saw several transports coming in towards the station for cargo transfer and pick-up. That, or just a stop before continuing on." Giving Manny another hug and then slapping his chest she gave a growley, goofy southern accent. "Get 'er done!" Giggling, she walked away, heading back out front. Walking along the bar behind it, Kara used the steps behind the bar to go up and over to the stage proper, taking up a mic and activating it as she when to front stage, center. "Everyone, everyone, if I could please have your attention?" The room went quiet as all eyes looked her way. "Thank you so much for your indulgence."

Kara gave a polite clearing of the throat before going on. "As our valued patrons and customers, Club Bliss feels that you should know of certain changes. Namely; management. I offered to buy out Taavis, her half of Bliss, and she accepted." Murmurs went through the crowd as she spoke. "So, to let you know and not try and be secretive, I am now partners with everyone's favorite Grumpus," her left hand made a gesture towards the bar area. "Manny. We are now the owners of Club Bliss, together." Again the crowd spoke in hushed tones around the place, but all eyes remained on Ainkara. "To that end we want you to know that there will be some changes, but not anything drastic enough to severely curtail our dedication to all of you; our patrons. Club Bliss will always be Club Bliss, no matter what. However, fuck around and find out is still our policy," she said with a smile. "We love you and we love having you here but, if you start fights, break Bliss property, anything of that nature we will be the boot that steps on a bug. I say all this out of respect for you, and just ask that Bliss remain a favored place for your free time. Have a drink, get some food, and carry on. Thank you."

As she finished the crowd started with slow applause and then it gathered strength once all she said sank in. Patrons of any ilk really did not care so long as they had a watering hole to go to, or a place to just sit and relax with comrades and love interests. Kara was glad that it was going to be business as usual and not hurt the current profit margin too much. She left the stage and was about to step back over the bar to get behind it when a familiar voice sounded in her ears. "Hey, Kara," was said as a form of hello.

Turning to the source and hopping down to floor level to face him, Kara was met by the handsome face of Griffon Resch. "Griff! Good to see you." A big smile and a hug were given to him. "Can you chill for a while, or just stopping by?"

"I'm here to hang out," Resch said, returning the hug with his own grin. "You got somewhere we can talk more privately?"

Kara saw in his eyes a bit of mirth, some anxiety and...shyness? She had never, in all the time she knew him, ever seen a hint of shyness in this man. It made her that much more curious, and the Force was telling her that all she had seen in those eyes was also in his spirit. Interesting. "Sure. I'll always have time for you. Drinks too, or just dry-mouth it?" She asked in jest.

Griff smiled and shook his head. "A drink is fine. How about we share in some whiskey?"

"Have you ever had Meridor?" She asked.

"Meridor?" Resch asked, his head tilting in a moment of thought. "Doesn't sound familiar, so I would have to say no."

Kara smiled. "You're in for a treat if you'll indulge me?" He gave a friendly nod that he would. She gave a head gesture for him to follow, then they stepped up to the bar. "Manny, a bottle of Meridor and two tumblers, please." The big man did as requested, placing the bottle of dark blue liquor on the bar top then finger pinched two tumblers together and placed them next to it.

"No one ever drinks the stuff," Manny said. "Unfortunate, that. Some of the best liquor I've ever tasted. Enjoy, sister." His eyes went to Griffon. "If it's your first time prepare yourself. It has a kick but goes down smooth as water. And, the flavor, muah." Manny gave the kissing, finger explosion off the lips with a grin.

Resch was doubly curious now. Must be something Kara learned about while at Dark Harbor. As he stood there waiting for Kara to gather the items, Griffon's eyes caught Manny looking him up and down. Their gazes met for a brief moment but there was no mistaking a subtle warning there as Manny's eyes flitted to Kara before returning to his own in a very serious set. Choosing to not bring light to it, and not wanting to ruin the time with Kara, Resch simply followed her as she got them moving. She led them to the privacy niche and placed the items on the table before going to the control panel for the management niche.

Kara accessed the control panel with the code, then set it for sound dampeners, white noise, and a forcefield that was opaque so outsiders could not see what they were doing within the octagon shaped bubble. "There," she said as she came and sat down. There were four chairs at the table within. Kara adjusted her chair to face another on the same side, with enough distance that the people sitting in them could lean forward to touch each other while at the same time providing a bit of leg room for comfort. Sitting down she motioned to the seat in front of her, which he took, and then began to open the fresh bottle of Meridor, beginning to pour an amount in each tumbler.

Griffon was curious. "So, what is this stuff? I can't have drugs in my system, Kara. Not good for the job description." He was smiling when he said it.

"Like I would ever do that to you," Kara said with a grin as she stopped pouring and set the bottle aside, handing a glass to Resch. "This is a Gorn libation. Hard to believe that a species like that produced a liquor like this. But, here we are. Cheers." She saluted with her glass, which was returned, and then they both sipped. Kara closed her eyes at the delicious flavors rolling across her tongue. A robust, fruity taste combined with finite fermentation techniques, perfect distillation, and the exacting processes of malting and mashing. How long the liquor was aged was unknown for each individual batch, but however long it was, it was perfect for the creation intended. By the look on Griffon's face, he too found it absolutely delicious.

"Wow," said Griff. "Just, wow. That is smooth and the flavors are a delight to the tongue. The Gorn, eh? Kudos to them for this. For a species bent on devouring and hunting others, seems odd they would enjoy something fruity over shredded flesh."

Kara leaned back casual in her chair, the pose that was more Human. She fidgeted with her glass as it sat on the table, spinning it this way and that as they talked about various topics, with her occasionally taking sips from it. During a respite in the chat she decided she needed to come clean with Resch, to let him know some things she needed to get off her chest with him. She owed him that much for always being a loyal friend and confidante she could always count on. "Griffon, I need to tell you some things," she said as she looked at her glass, the ripples in it every time she spun it. They ahd already refilled once. Kara's eyes came back to him. "I'm not all that I appear to be with all this." Her hand gave an offhand gesture in regards to Bliss. "I am now an agent for Federation Security-slash-Intelligence." She allowed a pause in case he felt the need to respond.

"Really?" Griffon's expression showed a bit of surprise at the news but his professional side took it in stride. "You know, I'm glad to hear that. Before you disappeared you were such a dedicated officer, Kara. I knew that Ainkara was still buried in there somewhere, no matter what she had been through. It's why I love you so much as a friend, a confidante. You can't stand to be idle when others are being hurt."

Giving him a knowing gaze while taking a good swallow from her glass, Kara knew it was time to be totally frank with him. "I wish that were true. I do still hold to helping the downtrodden and innocent but, when it comes to the perpetrators, I believe in justice without mercy. Matter of fact, I will be returning to Dark Harbor for some unfinished business and I promise you there will be plenty of pain and death. It cannot be helped, it needs to be done."

Resch looked into her eyes, the eyes that used to be brown but were now a very beautiful and bright hazel color. In that hazel were flecks of amber, the same color he had seen her eyes change to when she went after Tore and Billi. But, that was an eerie glow, this was a part of her new eye color and it had not been done through cosmetic surgery. She was dangerous, for sure, but she was also driven. By what exactly, he could not say. The only word that made sense was; revenge. "Just keep being my Kara, okay? Can you do that for me, at least? Use restraint when you can, think things through like my old friend Ainkara, and know that what you do may affect our relationship. I'm sorry I have to say that but you know me, who I am and what I'm about. Cross a line and I will have to cut ties insofar as time spent together. It would..." He paused because his emotions were getting the best of him but, she was being honest so he had to be. "It would break my heart." When he said that he noted an instant change in her expression and poise. As if the thought of breaking his heart was so foreign to her that it actually caused her to mentally stumble in place.

Kara, after collecting herself after his admission, set her glass down and sat up straight, scooting her chair closer to him. "I will use every ounce of self-control I have to not lose my best friend. You have my word on that."

Griffon set his glass aside and matched her pose, scooting his own chair forward enough to have to place his feet on the outside of hers, with her knees now in the space between his knees. He took her by the hand with both of his. One holding her right hand, palm down into his right palm, while the other hand patted and stroked the top of hers in a caring manner. "I can't give on this, Kara. I love you. I've loved you for some time now. If that Kara disappears or falls into a dark pit, I can't follow. I'm sorry."

Feeling his emotions well through the Force, Kara knew he was telling the truth and opening his heart to her. Even though she knew what she was feeling to be true, she still had to ask. "By love me, you mean..."

"Yes." Resch cut her off, his hands now holding her right hand in a focused grip, his eyes laser focused on hers and hardened to show he meant that single word with conviction.

Something broke in Kara. Several of the walls she had built around her heart crumbled upon hearing that absolute truth from a man she felt the same about but never had the nerve to admit it to him, or herself. When he admitted his love for her, that his heart would be forever broken by any decisions she made to offset his beliefs, an icy chill ran through her being at the thought of losing him even as a friend. However, it scared her to reciprocate those feelings after what she had been used for. Her chin dropped and she hid her face by letting her hair fall over it as she looked down at her thighs, tears welling in her eyes in shame.

The hand released, Resch then used a hand to gently place fingers under her chin to bring that face back up, the other hand moving her hair aside so he could see her better. "I'm not trying to hurt you, Kara. I...I know the truth hurts less than lies." His hands suddenly dropped to his lap, his demeanor changing by his own will. Angry at himself for coming at her so hard, in his opinion, he made to stand as he said, "I'll leave you alone."

Kara's hands shot out and grabbed his right hand, causing him to pause and not stand up as her pleading eyes looked at him. "Please, don't. My actions were not meant for you but for me. I was entertainment and satisfaction for money. I lost my maidenhead to unscrupulous beings from various species who find sexual gratification the same way as Humans do. It makes me feel...feel like filth. Unwanted and undesired. I dress how I dress now to be wanted and desired from afar, a way for me to come to terms that I would never have a husband due to that past. An unfortunate stigma that many cultures adhere to. My way of saying you get to look but not touch. Does that make sense?"

Resch, while listening, had changed their hands to where they were now holding both hands between them, on her knees since they were on the inside lap area. He gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "Nothing is lost on me in what you've said, Kara. It kills me to think that I am partially responsible for all that. I should have tried harder to find you before...well, before all that. Finding you and bringing you home has been the one shining moment in my life and I don't care what you had to do to survive. I care that they hurt you and made you into that, but now, seeing you thriving, none of that matters to me. YOU matter to me." He gave a warm smile and copied her query to him. "Does that make sense?"

Not able to help herself, hearing his words, Kara broke into a grin. Her heart was his as she now knew she loved him. The same way he professed his love for her. She could not deny that now. "Yes. I am yours, Griffon, I have been for a while now. No one has even come close to capturing my heart like you have. Friendship, yes, but beyond that...it never even occurred to me. Also, intimacy may be a difficulty. As much as I love you and want to be with you physically it is an area I don't often think about, for the reasons mentioned."

"That will happen when it happens," Resch said. "I won't push at you about it. One day it will happen and I can then show you that not all sexual activity is a bad thing. But, only when you decide you're ready to try." He gave a light laugh. "Once you experience that level of love and intimacy, it's the spontaneous moments that make it all worthwhile."

Kara pulled her hands free of his, and by the look on his face she knew he thought he had done something wrong. Quite the contrary even as she showed him. Her hands grabbed his head/face near to the ears and pulled him in as she went forward, kissing him hard. He was frozen in place at first and then, as the kiss went on, he gave into it. The passion in that long, lingering, open-mouth kiss was full of the feelings they had for each other. When they separated, Kara gave him a lascivious smile, her eyes full of want and desire. "That was...whoa!" She fanned herself. "That was quite...stimulating."

Not able to help it, Griffon laughed. "Told ya. Intimacy with the right person is very pleasant." He leaned in and gave her another short, lingering kiss. He was now going to be cheeky and playfully cruel in light of the situation as he stood up and looked down at her still seated. "Capernum could be called to leave at any time. You know where to find me and how to contact me. If you'll have me, Ainkara, then I am yours. You and I and no one else." Even he could not just walk away without one more, so he leaned down and kissed her again with another teasing remark. "The clock is ticking, babe." He turned and walked out of the octagon, casting a grin and wink over his shoulder as he did so.

Watching him leave, her body very warm and tingly, she sat open-mouthed at his audacity to do all that to her and then walk away. But, she saw that playfulness in his last few minutes, seeing it for what it was. "Cheeky bastard." She said under her breath with a giggle. Seeing the two half full tumblers, Kara downed them both and then stacked them, corked the bottle and shut down the octagon before heading over to the bar. Going around it she could not help but see that Manny was watching her. After placing the bottle under the counter away from prying eyes she gave the big man a wry look. "What?"

"You're glowing." Manny said, giving a crooked grin. "There isn't any biological matter to clean up in the octagon is there?"

"What? No!" Kara said, trying to sound offended but failing, a naughty grin coming to her face. "Not that I didn't want to but no. We just talked...for now."

Manny was wearing a pleasant expression, but his eyes went hard as diamonds as he gazed into her eyes. "If he breaks your heart I break him." That was it, his position stated and ended right there. Like it never was said he went back to work.

Kara decided to tease Grumpus about his protectiveness over her. "I promise, dad, he has good intentions."

"Good girl," said Manny, not looking at her while mixing some drinks. "He'll live to see lieutenant commander, then."

"You're so mean," Kara said with a twinkle in her eye and a smile. "Anyway, books time. If anyone comes knocking for me I'll be in the office." Having relayed that Kara went into the back areas of the club.

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