Marine meeting
Posted on Tue Jul 3rd, 2018 @ 9:13pm by Michael Taggart & Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke & Major Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Tue Jul 3rd, 2018 @ 9:17pm
2,327 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Episode 3 - Weary Travellers
Location: White Stag Pub - Empok Nor
Timeline: MD003 2000
Charlie had a little time on her hands and decided to go and explore the station. She had never been on Empok Nor, but she has been on Deep space nine. Both stations weren't all that different. Aside from the arrangement of establishments on the promenade. She was taking a walk and just took in the different sounds and smells.
Hermia was exploring the station, it hadn't been long since she'd left here in a shuttle to meet the Pioneer. She remembered hearing about a Celtic pub on the the station somewhere, but dammed if she could find it.
Charlie stopped in front of a bar and stared to the image of a white horse. She bumped in to someone. She looked up to them. "Excuse me!" She excused herself, but the person seemed preoccupied.
"England Forever! Scotland fer a wee bit longer!" Followed by loud guffaws were heard from withing the pub. "No, Mick The White Stag fer a wee bit longer..." followed by more laughs. "Ya bet yer arse..."
"Ireland forever and a day." Hermia said as she entered the White Stag.
Mickey leaned over the bar and saw the woman walking in. "Abair ach glè bheag agus abair e gu math, tha thu bòidheach Èireannach." (Say but little and say it well, you Irish bastard.) Mickey said with a smile and added "Mus be da shortest day in history"
"Aye, t'at maybe. But yah know, yah Scots are a bunch of idjits. We gave yah the bagpipes, centuries ago, as a joke, and we've been laughing at you ever since." Hermia replied
"Alright you bonny lass from the Eire. What praytell can ye possibly want from Albannach?" Mickey replied with a broad smile.
"I was looking for an good Irish pub, where I could get a fine dram of whiskey, but there isn't one here, so I'll have to settle for this place instead." She explained. "You do have whiskey, right?" She asked giving him a sly smile.
Charlie had walked in to the bar and watched the conversation between the two, bartender and officer. She walked over to the bar. She wasn't much of a drinker and she didn't spend a lot of times in bars to great disappointment of the few peers she had. But ever since she started dating Harry she was a little more open and outgoing. He did something to her which she was curious to explore. She walked up to the bar. "I would like some of that action, I am not really of Scottish or Irish decent, but all sounds like fun to me."
"The more the merrier." Hermia said in response to the other woman's comments.
Turning toward the newcomer Mickey spoke "Well lass no one is perfect or almost perfect." He motioned his thumb toward Hermia when he said almost perfect. "However, here at the White Stag we are all family no matter yer lineage or planet of origin, so, I bid ye welcome." Then he turned toward Hermia "In terms of whiskey we have Scotch. Scotch of various ages and lineages. But all scotch, I also have some Aldabarran whiskey. So lasses name ye poison."
"Sounds like we're having Scotch. What would be a good age?" Charlie nodded to Mickey. She looked to Hermia. "Marine Captain Charlena DiLucca, Marine CO USS Juno," She introduced herself. "How about yourself, Starfleet?" She inquired.
"Lieutenant Hermia O'Rourke, Assistant Chief Medical Officer USS Pioneer." Hermia said.
Cornelius worked his way through the promenade, keeping his eyes open for Klingons. According to logs, Shog and Larta had left the station but that didn't mean she hadn't left a minion to lurk around for him.
Maybe he was being paranoid, but that didn't mean someone wasn't out to get him.
He slid into yet another of the station's bars and took in the crowd, his first glance told him there weren't any Klingons. He caught site of one of the Pioneer's officers and a Marine Captain
A few days ago, he'd have went about his business. Niceties however required he pay his respects. Sighing to himself he approached, waiting for a pause in their conversation.
"Excuse me Captain, Lieutenant. Sorry to barge in, I just wanted to introduce myself. Second Lieutenant Cornelius Tremble; USS Pioneer."
Charlie took the glass of scotch from Mickey and looked to the marine that had joined them. "Marine captain Charlena DiLucca, USS Juno," Charlie introduced herself," Nice to meet you, Tremble." She hit the stool next to her. "Join us, we're having scotch," she said smiling. If anything she found him a little tense and in a hurry. She hoped he would relax a little, but then she realized she used to be like that. A few days ago she wouldn't even have set foot on the station.
Hermia grudgingly accepted the scotch and took a sip. When the Marine Lieutenant joined them she said. "It's not proper whiskey, but it will suffice. Nice to meet you, Lieutenant. I'm Lieutenant Hermia O'Rourke, Assistant Chief Medical Officer USS Pioneer and Marine, in all but name."
Neil sid into the indicated seat and glanced at the bartender. "Well, if it's Scotch, I'll take a whiskey ditch. Anything older than I am, your choice." Glancing curiously at his fellow Pioneer he said, "Sounds like a story there some place, if you want to share it."
Mickey smiled to the officers in front of him. He poured the drinks requested for DiLucca and Tremble. In front on Hermia he placed and empty whiskey glass and he smirked knowingly. From the top shelf of the bar he drew a bottle down, it was caked with dust. He wiped the bottle clean with a bar rag and poured to fingers over rocks for Hermia. "For da wee Eire lass she gets something special. Dis here is Glen Alba made in Scotland. As far as it's age let us jus say it is old enough to buy it's own scotch." He placed the bottle down next to the glass, but not before pouring his own. The label read that it was made in 1998.
Hermia took the drink, took in its aroma and sipped it. "Not bad, for scotch." She said giving Mickey a wink. Then turning to the two Marines, she asked. "Should we find a table, or sit here at the bar?"
Charlie shrugged. "All is fine by me." She picked up her glass. "But a table might me a bit more relaxed and intimate," She continued. "What do you say, Tremble?" She asked the other chat companion.
Sipping at his drink and looking around the bar, Neil nodded. "A table's fine by me. He walked to a table that was about a third of the way back and took the chair that faced the doorway, spinning and straddling it so that he could lean against the back.
As the others wandered back, he asked "So Captain, has the Juno's CO let you out to play lately?"
Charlie grinned, "As a matter of fact, he did. You heard about the attack on new Bajor. The Juno went after the people that did this, I lead the team that was entrusted to board the prison base where the Bajorans were kept and got them out." She took a sip and then said in return, "Word around the station is you had a little action yourself. The New Maquis?"
Neil grinned wolfishly at that. "Our part was fairly routine. Boarding action under standard rules of engagement, so it took more time. The fight for the station's ops was hand to hand and that got heated. I think they had a bit more fun with the boarders that beamed onto the Pioneer though, from the after action reports and feed I watched."
Glancing towards the O'Rourke, he asked "I think you were in the middle of that, weren't you Lieutenant?"
"Just missed it, I'm afraid, I came aboard with the new XO." Hermia said. "But to clarify my comment earlier, my father is a Marine Colonel, and he trained my brothers and myself to be Marines. I joined the fleet, but went through Marine bootcamp, in order to try and appease him. I spent nearly 3 years aboard the Jonathan Swift, before being assigned to SFMCB - Patton in Cardassian Space, for almost 8 years. I think my father my have had something to do with that."
Neil colored slightly at his mistake and took a pull from his glass. "Well, fathers can be like that. I bought the full line, but never talk to mine much. " He went to take another drink and murmured into his glass, "Though it seems I'm going to be forced into contacting him."
After letting the whiskey slide down his throat he sighed. "And here I am a butter bar. Maybe the old man wasn't so far off on some things." He grinned to keep the maudlin sentiments from taking over. "Of course I had a knock down drag out with him the last time I saw him. It did do wonders for his opinion of me."
"My striking a superior officer while on an away mission, probably didn't endear myself to my old man, even though the officer in person was incompetent and a fleeter." Hermia said before taking a sip of her Scotch. At least its not Bourbon. She thought as the liquid slid down her throat.
Charlie just listened to the doctor and the marine talk. She put the glass to her lips as she thought a moment about her own father. She hadn't heard from him since the funeral of her sister. He was probably trying to find the bottom of a bottle of whiskey some place.
"Oh fathers," she just said. "Mine was a marine, he was a man of discipline and care. He held a strict regime in my family. And then my mom walked out on us, she not only took his heart, but also his pride and discipline." She sighed and then sipped her drink. "So it's safe to say, when I was old enough to join the marines, I did. Hadn't spoken to him since."
"The Corps makes it hard," Neil mused. "At least mine decided early on to keep his presence at a minimum. I guess I've tried to follow in that. Haven't been home in ten years."
To O'Rourke, he said "That happens. Fleeties don't seem to know how to deal Marines or the mindset that comes from hanging out with us too much."
"Hear, hear." Hermia agreed.
Neil considered the smokey amber liquid in his glass, sniffing the scotch, then he swirled the glass letting it heat in his hand. Finally, he regarded then his two companions and lifted the glass.
Mickey was used to Starfleet, but not Starfleet Marines. As a barkeep he was an observer of people, and it seemee that they were entirely new breed of officer, of people. When one of them raised his glass in toast. Mickey rang a small bell that was behind the bar. At the sound of the bell the bar quieted down and all raised their glasses and looked toward the Marine. You see toasts were a tradition in the White Stag, it was a requirement to accept the toast and return in kind. So it was in Scotland, and so it was here. Mickey would have it no other way.
Tremble spoke...
"Here’s to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking;
If you cheat, may you cheat death;
If you steal, may you steal a lover's heart;
If you fight, may you fight for a brother;
If you drink, may you drink with me!"
Responses of 'here here', and 'well toasted' came from throughout the bar as the patrons drank. For his part Mickey raised his glass toward the table of Marines and softly spoke to himself. "Aye, an 'eres to ye. Drink well, and live life."
Draining his glass, he considered it's emptiness and asked, "Well Captain, Lieutenant is that heel taps or do we delve into the mystery that lays in the bottom of the bottle?"
Charlie looked at her companions. "The bottom of the bottle sounds appealing, but I don't want to make it too late. But you two are free to do that." She smiled as she got up.
"Sláinte, Captain, Lieutenant." Hermia said. "Don't worry, Skipper, I'll make sure to drink your share."
Neil smiled at Charlie at that point and said, "Cheers, Captain. Watch your six and don't start any wars without inviting me," he half jested.
"Right,"said Charlie, "But if you ever come across the Crescent of Sephira..." She grinned and then left the bar.
Glancing at Hermia then, he asked, "So then Lieutenant. If we're going to do this proper, is there a reason or is the fact that we're here and alive reason enough?"
"The latter." Hermia said remembering the close calls she'd been through.
"Right, well then we'd best be at it." Signaling to Mickey to refill their glasses, he glanced at Hermia. He wasn't sure where the conversation would go; or if there would be singing. But, it was as good away as any to break in his new rank and job.
He coaxed Mickey into leaving the bottle and took another sip of the whiskey, then asked, "So Lieutenant, ever heard the one about the Tellarite and the Sadirian Tree Frog?"
A Joint Post By
Marine Captain Charlena DiLucca
Marine Commanding Officer, USS Juno
Lieutenant Hermia O'Rourke MD
Assistant Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
Second Lieutenant Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Michael "Mickey" Taggart
Owner/Bartender "The White Stag Pub", Empok Nor
PNPC Malbrooke
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