Perspective Endings

Posted on Sun Jul 6th, 2025 @ 12:56am by Commander Rosa Coy & Lieutenant Leo Da'Cinci

781 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: *CD*
Location: Forward Lounge

She was walking slow, up to the lounge whose doors parted way to admit entry. A number of people were inside, yet there were empty tables and more importantly, empty stools at the bar. She attempted to put on a smile as she entered, making careful to nod to the Ensign who she almost bumped into on her way out. Then she plopped herself down at the bar and waited.

Not ten minutes later, Leo entered the lounge. His short stature and gruff no no-care attitude appeared to be resting heavily upon his shoulders. He, had come to drink. Upon looking around, he spotted his ole verbal sparring partner, nodded to himself, then crossed the room and climbed up onto the stool next to her.

She gave him her best side-eyed glance then downed the rest of the drink sitting before her. It was a heavy sort of Whiskey, on the rocks. As the glass returned to the counter, he noticed she still babied it with her hand, refusing to let it go, or perhaps refusing to let something else go and the glass was her metaphor.

His drink was sat in front of him, also heavy, straight, no rocks. Why water it down, he always wondered. "How are you holding up lass?" He asked, showing at least a little compassion.

This caused her to turn and eye him curiously. "What do you care?" He was a Tellerite and one not known for understanding or compassion.

"I don't, really. Just thought it would make for a good show of character, you know I like a good story as much as the next, ya dig?" The drink in his glass suddenly shot down his throat in a single motion and he tapped the bar top for another.

She contemplated his request. What was a story without a good plot, some worthwhile characters and an ending. Without that ending could there really have been a story at all? Who plays a game of chess just to walk away before it was over?

"Well if you must know, I've been contemplating endings. Our last mission never seemed to find any sort of finality to it. Now, I find myself at a crossroads of sort. Do I stay here, patiently waiting, biding my time until some Captain changes the game or..."

"Or do you move on to bigger and better things." He finished for her as if he were contemplating the same thing.

"Yes. That's exactly right. Change is, for a lack of a better phrase, difficult." She took another drink finishing as the glass sat back upon the bar once more. "But change can be rewarding, even healthy too. As a Trill, I should be used to change by now."

"Ah, but you were forced to join, were you nah? Besides, not all change is good. You ever change a bern's nappy, nasty things. O'ffen filled with the worst surprises." His straight-faced, looking into the distance, delivery caused Coy to chuckle at his words.

"Not me personally, but previous hosts have. And it's not about the nappy, but the bern wearing the nappy." She gently corrected him.

"Ah, so you're sayin' in't all in how you're lookin' at the change. Aye, I can get behind that. I myself have also reached a road that crosses."

"You?" She questioned simply. "What sort of change are you contemplating?"

He gave her the same confused look she had given him. "Like you care, lass, but as my favorite drinkin' compannion, I'll be out wit' it. My skills here go unappreciated. It's this ship, too fancy for her own good, me thinks. I need something older, with more... character."

"Some place where your talents can be noticed. I get that. You've been a bit of a ship slut haven't you?" Coy asked in the most Coy way she could.

He choked on his drink before recovering and responding, "Aye, I supposin you can put it like that. Four ships in as many years is not so much a slut, me thinks. But I do love me a beautiful lady with some class. Maybe what I need now is an old girl who has been around the block once or twi."

She raised her glass in a toast, "Perspective."

He took her meaning and clinked his against hers. "Perspective."

They each finished their drink he asked, "Made your mind up then have ye?"

Coy grinned, "Not yet, no. But the one in the corner over there has been giving me signals with her eyes since I walked in. And it would be a damn shame to not find out how that story ends. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Damn shame indeed."

 

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