Meet and Drink
Posted on Tue Mar 16th, 2021 @ 1:31am by Lieutenant Dean House & Lieutenant Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell
Mission:
The Jungle
Location: Deck 9
Her shower took longer than normal as washing away the filth of the Game felt like a process beyond her normal ritual. Her hair had been saturated with sweat and dirt and if not for the filtering of the transporter, she would have sworn there were bugs crawling throughout.
She had yet to see Sapphire, though she was sure she was around. The situation as a whole made her wonder if Sapphire regretted spending the night with her before this stupid Game got in the way. Either way, Bonnie figured Sapphire would at least appreciate the camaraderie and a good beer.
Mind elsewhere, she absentmindedly stepped out of the shower area and reached for a towel with her sore left arm, the pain bringing her thoughts back into focus. The doc did say it would take a few days to heal completely. Perhaps the pain meds had worn off already.
She dressed in her casuals, duty schedule had yet to be updated. Her pants only gave her a small fight, probably due to her lack of nutrition over the past week. She really didn't have the fight in her should they have held her for ransom, which her pants sometimes did.
Nearing the hour mark she left her quarters, still fluffing her hair so it wouldn't get frizzy, and entered a lift. "Deck 9, aft."
Dean gave a little sigh, being back in there, his quarters. On the ship, that was a hell of a first ‘mission’ since joining the ship. Crazy stuff for sure. Shedding his uniform on the floor. He’d get them later and clean. It wasn’t like he had anyone there to bitch at him for making a mess. Even though, it would end up bugging him later if he didn’t get to it after long enough.
Working on getting clean took a little time but not really much longer than it usually took him. Considering he was used to dealing with getting blood off, Dean knew what to use to help do as such much quicker.
After getting out and checking everything, he tossed the old uniform in the recycler to have cleaned. Putting a new one on instead of casual dress. He was more used to it. Heading out so he could meet Bonnie.
First one there, she entered the lounge and saddled up to the bar in a position to also look out of the windows at the warp nacelles. From the small span of windows the nacelles stretched hundreds of feet glowing with a bright blue and red light mixing to cast a purplish hue into the lounge. The lounge itself catered to the needs of officers mostly, and since the forward lounge always seemed the place to be, she preferred the quiet and secluded aft lounge.
Reaching behind the bar area she pulled out a bottle of something silver with a faded label and studied the words as the doors opened behind her. She turned and spotted Dean's face, smiled a welcoming smile. “Glad you could join me at casa Bonnea. Any idea if others will be joining us?” She asked casually.
“Casa Bonnea, eh?” Tilting his head a little bit to one side. Moving over to the bar where she was. Evidently she’d beat him there some how. That didn’t matter though really, shaking his head a bit. “No idea. I didn’t ask if anyone else wanted to.”
“Well then, “ She uncorked the bottle and poured out two glasses before handing him one. “Here’s to the survivors of The Game.” She raised her glass in a toast. Tired as she may be, she was here to get to know her fellow crew and maybe hear a story or two about their experiences on the planet. As stories were a hobby, nah a passion, when there was one to be shared, she was always an attentive ear.
Dean raised it and nodded. Clinking the glass with her. “Here, here.” Giving a little bit of a motion with his free hand after taking a sip trying it. “If you know of someone you want to invite, or someone we should, by all means.”
She thought about those she knew on the ship, there weren't many. "There's Anna but she's probably on duty in medical and well there's Sapphire but I haven't seen her since we beamed back." She thought for a moment. "What about you? Do you have anyone you want to invite?"
“I don’t believe so. I don’t know anyone other than who we just went through that with.” Giving a little shake of his head. “Who are Anna and Sapphire?”
She sloshed the bottle, "Oh, uh, Anna is the CMO and Sapphire is um Master at Arms." Then realization dawned. "Oh, you should meet her anyway. She will be on your staff, I think." She took a deep drink.
Dean finished off his glass, and then motioned for a refill, or if she wanted he could do it himself. Either way was fine with him. “I see. I’ve already met Anna then, just didn’t catch all the names. That also would be a good idea then to meet Sapphire.”
She refilled his glass, then sat the bottle down between them on the bar. “I don’t know you very well, but I think you two would get along. She likes being rough. Oh and she’s really good with a phaser. I’ve seen her ax though, heavy, don’t recommend it.”
There was a raise of an eyebrow for a moment, two different reasons. “I’m glad you think that and...you said axe?”
“Oh yeah. She has an axe and a kite shield hanging on her wall. See I thought you would like her.” She refilled her glass and looked out the window seeing the planet still circling down below. “I’m not sure it would have come in handy down there though.” She absently rubbed her wrist. “So tell me, how did you manage the Game?”
Taking a drink from the glass, which he forgot to thank her for, raising it first. “Thanks. I like all kinds of those, though I’m more into Bushido, so Katana’s Wakazashi’s and the like. It would still be interesting to see.” Giving a glance where she was a moment and then back. “Wrist still bothering you?” Dean would get to her actual question in a minute.
“Just a bit.” She gave a half smile. “It was the first thing I injured, stupid really. Almost fell out of a tree. The rope actually caught me, sort of.” She was never one to be good with small talk, at least not unless the conversation revolved around computers or history. The subject of history could often cover many subjects though, and historical weapons, though mundane were something she was somewhat versed. “So, Japanese weaponry fascinates you?”
“I’ve got something for that actually,” getting up and going to one of the replicators. “Wild yam cream, 3 ounce topical container.” Waiting a moment for it to materialize. Coming back with it and sitting down again, Dean opened the top. “Let me see,” motioning to her wrist. “As for both of your questions, all weapons do. Probably a given, considering. I’m not exactly sure what you mean by how did I manage the Game, however.”
She presented her wrist, curious what he had to offer. Anything to take away the pain was a blessing. “I guess, um, I mean you were in the jungle right? Did you encounter any traps or hunters or anything? I haven’t read the reports yet since they are still coming in and I’m just curious how you fared since you were obviously in sickbay when it was over.”
Reaching, Dean grabbed some napkins, sticking a finger into the cream and taking her wrist. Rubbing some of the cream all around it. Not too much, just rubbing it in. “That should start working in about five minutes.” Setting the container aside for her. “Yes, that, kind of all of them, and being shot, bit by animals and the like. Also having killed. Which I regret once we found out the truth.” Finishing off that second glass and tapping for another, “I’m not at all going to chalk it up to what I am, I could have been killed like any of the rest of us. I’m simply glad I was there to help how I did, and I’m glad how you helped. We couldn’t have done it without every single one of us.”
She poured him another glass. “Um, what do you mean, what you am?” She squinted at him showing her curiosity. “What are you then if you are not like the rest?” She understood that it was a collective team effort. And she did not feel her part in the matter was all that important, but just a part of the challenge.
She’d be wrong and Dean would tell her that again, as he already had, but she didn’t voice that feeling. “Everyone is going to find out anyway, the ones that needed to know already do. I’m an augment. That’s why what injuries I got weren’t as threatening as they should have been. So..essentially..lets say on par with a Vulcan or a step up and mix of on part with a Klingon? Something like that, I’ve never actually tested that on the basis of physical things or otherwise. I’m just different and my parents did it illegally.”
Bonnie’s eyes were wide in realization. “You mean like the augments of the Eugenetic wars?” She was familiar with the history and some of the stories that came from it. “I seem to remember one of Captain Kaylen’s former COs on board the Sunfire was a genetic augment and never knew. It didn’t end well for her, I think her Mother used her as a weapon of revenge or something.” She saw the look in Dean’s eyes and back pedaled, “Not that I’m saying you are like that or anything.” Conversations were hard. She downed another drink.
There was a raise of an eyebrow, but it really wasn’t that surprising to see when he tells someone that. “Yes, like the Eugenic Wars. I’ve still never found out what was wrong. Why my parents did this. It caused so many problems in my past.” Dean took another drink and finished it, so another refill.
Not even supposed to be telling Bonnie this, he had no clue of her clearance level. It didn’t matter, because everyone, as he said, was going to find out anyway. “I See. That’s unfortunate that happened to that person being used like that. All I care about is I’m treated like everyone else, regardless of my abilities.”
She took a drink and thought back to the conversations her and her father had had many times over the years about race and skin color. All she ever wanted was to be treated like everyone else and so immediately felt the same. She raised her glass, "To feeling like everyone else, regardless."
He gave a nod and could certainly toast to that. Raising his glass as well, “To feeling like everyone else, and treated as such.” Tipping the whole glass back.
She was about to down her glass as he did when she thought twice about the idea of feeling just like everyone else. Sure it was a goal of hers to fit in and not feel like an outcast, but in terms of a spectrum she always considered herself a hidden party. On one hand there were those hidden and shunned by society, while in the middle the normal people. At the far opposite end there were those people who simply shined like some bright star glittering in the night.
She looked into her glass, getting lost deep in her own thoughts. Several minutes passed until at last she realized the room had gone quiet. She blinked and looked at Dean, “It’s getting late. I think maybe I’ll turn in.” She stood up. “Thanks for the company, maybe we can do this again sometime?”
“Bonnie?” having caught that thoughtful look before she stood up. “What’s wrong?” If she didn’t want to tell him, that was fine. If she wanted to later, he’d gladly listen. Waiting for her answer before he said good night.
She shook off his enquiries, "oh nothing important. Just random cloudy thoughts of a tired old brain. Thanks for the drinks and, um, enjoy the view." She motioned at the view port then swished her hair and started walking away.
He gave a bit of a nod then, “You’re welcome, and I’d be happy for us to do this again sometime. Perhaps get Sapphire or some others to join us. Have a good night.”
She nodded, “you too.” and headed out to find her bed. Somewhere in the darkness it was calling her name.
