Shops and Dives Ahoy Pt 3 - The Hunt

Posted on 05 Jun 2019 @ 3:23am by Commander Amelia Fox & Lieutenant JG Lilura Karakalakss

Mission: Shakedown
Location: Starbase 308 - Main Excursion Deck
Timeline: MD2 - 2023 hours
3336 words - 6.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Lilura looked over her holomap being broadcast from her wrist computer. She was a little disappointed in that the StarBase had divided the bars apart to be smaller joints in one area, then larger dance clubs into another. It was fun to go from a larger club at the beginning of a night and end up at a smaller club for dancing, drinks, and possible brawling in the wee hours of the morning. She smiled to Amelia and said, "Well, too bad Chad has late shift tonight... his backside and legs showed he probably had the stamina for many dances, of many styles." She looked back to the map and said, "Darn, the Starbase kindof kept the dance venues and the smaller venues apart for some reason.. do you know why?"

Amelia thought for a moment then answered with a wry smile "It could be that all that the smaller venues like it quieter than the big noisy places. Which do you prefer?"

Lilura gurgled and replied, "Well, shoot, I generally like going to an electronica, then a small joint.. Hard to do here. So, what do you feel like? I'm game for anything. My best fun has been in umm, I think they were called Honky Tonks and also Bikers? Neither has my style of music, but I have gotten free drinks.. and some interesting Brawls... but I don't see them marked here on the map. So... I'll follow your lead tonight, okay?"

"I prefer somewhere smaller. They tend to attract a nicer selection of clientele. It also easier to have a conversation somewhere where the music isn't so loud it vibrates you. Also might find some company for a nice slow dance and..... other things."

Lilura slowly nodded her head as she listened to Amelia. While she would stop at second base, she knew many races unattached would go ahead and go further. She now added, "That sounds delightful. Alright, lets see.. how about this one? Top Hat Billiards, with live band Autorythmics, a tribute to Eurythmics. Any band with rythmics in it should be good to dance to, eh?"

Amelia nodded in agreement. "Sounds good to me, shall we?" as she gestured for Lilura to lead the way.

Lilura led the way as she already had the route memorized. As they got the the bar, it was a decent sized one, and a bar, not a dance club. There was no bouncer in front, and the door has an open sign. As they entered, there was a secondary door with a checker behind the typical transparent aluminum barrier. He smiled to Amelia, raised an eyebrow to Lilura, then asked, "Id's please. Only 24 and older into this bar, standards, you see."

Amelia raised an eyebrow and flashed the bouncer a killer smile "I'll take that as a complement young man, from someone who is either very brave or very stupid." Amelia pressed her thumb to the PADD he was holding which immediately brought up her information, including her rank and position.

Chris raised an eyebrow to Amelia this time. He said, "I would say the same to you. The bars are safer on the officers deck, but, as you aren't in uniform, so be it." He looked up at Lilura. She did the same. Chris snorted out in humor, "And, wow, why you two are together. You both pass our muster, so enjoy, and take it easy on the guys, okay? They don't have the training you two do."

Amelia batted her eyelid at him. "You're sweet. We don't plan on causing any trouble." She looked at Lilura "We only killed what..... four Boslicks in that last bar wasn't it?"

Lilura shrugged as she replied, "Three, one lived, not much of a life to look forward to, though."

Chris's face squinted at them. He couldn't tell if they were pulling his leg or not, but he had asked. He snorted out in humor and said, "Well, no killing tonight, please. Go on in."

Inside, the bar was a very typical Friday night bar setup. There was an area for billiards with four tables, an area for darts with four counting dart boards, a back area with a stage, dance floor, and tables surrounding the dance floor. Some music was playing, but not by the band, so it must be intermission for them. The bar was towards one side, with the bar surface flowing around in an oval track with four bartenders serving. Out and away from the bar was tables and booths. In the area opposite the band was a kitchen with four cooks scurrying about with the finger foods.

Lilura stopped at a junction flow point and looked about. She smiled down to Amelia and asked, "So, what would you like first? I can shoot a mean game of pool, decent at darts, love dancing, or even hitting up a spot at the bar to check out the guys is on the agenda."

" Lets get a drink first. Then shall we hit the pool tables and see if we can have a little fun? Maybe get some company along the way?"

She made her way to the bar "A bottle of Saurian brandy and two glasses."

The bartender, name of Erica Grim, smiled to the two ladies. She did not bat an eye at Lilura being an alien type. She handed over the Saurian Brandy with two glasses, saying, "150 Credits, please, or three strips of Latinum."

Amelia handed over the strips of Latinum from a concealed pocket and picked up the bottle and glasses.

Lilura led the way to the pool tables. As she did, she held out two strips of Latinum, "Here for my share. I love Saurian Brandy, and, umm, I can't get drunk. So, if you want to leverage that later, I'm game."

"Be careful what you wish for Lilura" Amelia replied with a wink.

At the pool tables, there was a smattering of races: Andorian, Tellerite, Vulcan, Trill, Klingon, and Terran. All four tables were busy.

Lilura came up to two side tables with three people hogging them. She tapped a Trill on his shoulder. He turned around to snarl, then stopped as he looked at the chest of a tall female. He looked up, and then saw a muzzle full of teeth as the teeth asked, "I wish this table, can you move?" He nodded, his eyes like saucers, and moved to be with his friends at the other side table. Lilura turned and smiled to Amelia, saying, "Observation Spot, all ours. Please pour us a drink as I put a slip onto a pool table to reserve."

"Wait a minute there," Amelia said to Lilura, the wheels of her mind working. "This might be a good opportunity to part these guys of some of their latinum. Play like a rookie to lure them in, you game?" She then whispered to her "Remember, Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate."

Liura raised an eyebrow at the last, but the former she readily understood. As an 'alien' race, so many other races dismissed her having any knowledge of Terran games. However, all cultures had similar games with just variances on number, size, and rules of the balls on the table. She stood up, going towards a pool table, then called out to Amelia, "So, just put a Latinum slip on a table to reserve next game, and then you can show me how this game rules work?"

Several guys nearby groaned at hearing another newbie getting involved. However, a table with a Klingon, Trill, and Two Terrans got a gleam in their eye at the chance to fleece a newbie and her probably mediocre playing friend. Abercrombe Fletch and Lokun Krurgh were one pair (Terran, Klingon), while Yisfer Arraran and Regon Tuad were the other pair (Terran, Trill). Abercrombe moved over to Lilura and then only noticed her size. At least his Klingon friend Lokun was nearly as tall. "Say, honey, you can put your slip onto ours as we are finishing up our game shortly. And, if you want to play pairs so as to get extra insight into the game, we're up for it, depending upon what your partner says."

Amelia gave him a coy smile "Go on then, may i..... break...... is that the right word?"

Abercrombe nodded and replied, "Correct. When we finish, we will set up the next rack, and then you can break for your team. My team will be Lokun and myself. So, give us a few minutes, alright?" The two pairs finished the game with Ysifer and Regon winning. The quad, knowing they might have a fish on the line, played it to be Abercrombe and Lokun were the worst ones, when in reality, it was opposite.

The game finished, Lokun gathered the balls and set up the rack, nice and tight, the 8 over the spot for standard easy stack. He looked at Amelia and said, "Your Up, Missy."

Amelia split the pack badly and the first game missed almost every shot.

As the game was doubles, after she missed, it was Lokun, then Lilura, and finally Abercrombe. Both Lokun and Abercrombe did medium, making easy, missing medium, while Lilura was hit and miss, doing a little better than Amelia. When the game ended with Abercrombe sinking the eight ball, he smiled to the two ladies and said, "Nice game. You two have potential. Wanna play again?"

Amelia replied, "Oh Shoot, I know I could do better. How about a little latinum on the next game? It might encourage me to play better...... say a bar of latinum..... I'd that a lot?"

Lokun shook his head imperceptibly at Abercrombe. Nobody was as bad as Amelia was, not and was able to even pick up a cue stick. Abercrombe laughed out loud and said, "Hell no, no way Lady. If you are as bad as this, I feel for you. But if you're hiding your talent, you could be a pool shark and my latinum would be gone. A bar is a heck of a lot of credits. However, if you really want a wager, we can go a strip each. That would be the winning team taking in 100 credits, no small wager, eh? What do you say?"

Amelia regarded him for a moment with a subtle smile on her face, perhaps a trace of respect forming for him. "Ok, I promise you I'm no pool shark. We'll try again." She looked over to Lilura with a gesture to let her know to up her game..... But not too much..."

Lilura racked the balls this time, asking Lokun for spotting and help. She did a decent job, making sure they were tight under Lokun's tutelage. It was Lokun's time to break, and he managed to put in one stripe and one solid. It was selection choice. He looked at the table and selected solids. Lilura remarked she liked that choice as she loved stripes, especially as she was naturally wearing stripes. Lokun put two more balls in before missing. Lilura put two in before missing. Abercrombe put one in before missing and leaving the cue ball behind two stacked solids. With the table at 3 solids, 4 stripes, and an eight ball, it was Amelia's turn to ply her trade.

This time, Amelia made it a closer game with one or two 'lucky shots', still missing one or two shots but her game had improved from last time. The guys won again, but it was close. She looked at Lilura. They had to keep them interested but not make themselves look too novice or they might get rumbled.

Amelia came over to Lokun. "We almost had you that time. One more, double or nothing? She smiled at him, a definite attraction forming.

The Klingon had been impressed with Amelia in how she tried to dig out of her situation. Yisfer had chatted with Lilura on and off during the match and came over to Abercrombe, whispering, "They 'like' getting free drinks, hence the over the top acting at first. I think Lokun and you impressed them by not just falling for the initial act." Abercrombe made a sign to Lokun to accept Amelia's offer, just to see how far the girls would, or could, push their game.

Lokun glanced back at Abercrombe and saw the sign. He turned back to Amelia and said, "You're on. Let's see just how good you and your partner are, shall we?" He joined Abercrombe for a quick drink and then Abercrombe came over and racked for Lilura. She watched closely as he did a tight rack with the eight ball just a touch below the marker spot on the table.

Lilura moved to the side a touch and hit the rack. The balls moved around the board, but none fell in. Lilura was grinning as she said, "Hey, I got them scattered, nice." She moved by another spectator and said, "Thanks for the tip on the move." He looked up and smiled to her, glad she overheard him talking about the rack. Lokun and Abercrombe overheard this, so they now paid closer attention to Amelia as this Lilura was obviously the lesser pool player.

Abercrombe came up to take his turn. He walked around, then frowned. Yeah, the table was a mix all right, a royal fudgin' mix. There was not a clear shot anywhere. He looked over at his partner with a snort and a slight shrug. Lokun looks, and realizes that between Abercrombe's low placement and Lilura's hit, they had screwed themselves out of a shot. Abercrombe called a bank and rail. The solid was hit and moved along the rail, but then just hit off the corner of the corner pocket. However, the cue ball was snug against the rail. He called out to Amelia, with a subtle laugh in his voice, "You're turn, Sweetheart"

Amelia studied the table for a moment and sized up the competition. Finally she shrugged her shoulders and thought 'what the hell'. She began running the table with solids after a high English shot put the nearby ball in while bringing the cue ball out into the middle of the table. Finally, it was just the eight ball nestled among the stripes. She deliberately lined up the shot slowly looking like it was going to miss completely, then at the last moment tweaked the angle and power a ricochet off the far cushion and struck the final ball which itself shot straight into the far corner pocket. in a trick shot that would have put John Virgo to shame, winning the game.

She stood her cue and looked at the pair with a raised eyebrow.

Abercrombe and Lokun had watched with an appreciative gaze as Amelia ran the table. Abercrombe came over with the eight Latinum strips. He handed them to her with a handshake and said, "That was some great shooting, Lady. You have some moves, so it was well worth the bet just to see you run the table." He moved his head in Lilura's direction and asked, "Is she as good as you, or is she just tagging along for the ride?"

"Oh, she's good alright. You two play a good game yourselves. Tell you what, why don't you fellas join us for a drink? Our treat."

Lokun glanced over at Lilura, appreciatively looking over the powerful female friend of Amelia. He looked back to Abercrombe and signed he was game. Abercrombe barely kept himself from laughing as he knew Lokun loved strong ladies and dating challenges, which an unknown Race definitely gave him. He held out his hand to Amelia and said, "We're game. So, introductions. I'm Abercrombe Fletch and my Klingon friend is Lokun Krurgh, please call us Abercrombe and Lokun. And, unless you're wanting to be called Missy and Honey all night, what's your names?"

Amelia took his hand. "I'm Amelia and my friend here is Lilura. Come one shall we see if we can find a table."

Lilura tugged the chatting pair over to a table for six that had opened up between the bar and the dance floor. Lokun noticed where she was going and began clearing the way for them. They arrived to the table without it getting occupied, especially with Lokun glaring down any getting near as well as those nearby noticing the large dragon lady was also heading for that table. If a Dragon Lady and a Klingon wanted that table, they were more than welcome to have that table.

As they arrived and sat down, a Caitian Waitress came over to take their orders. She said, "Hey all, glad you could join us. What would ya all like?" Lilura, having read the name tag, spoke up first. "Hey there, P'Mria, thanks. We gals are treating the guys for letting us have a win at billiards. So, them first, then us, mmmkay?"

P'Mria nodded, then looked expectantly at the guys. Abercrombe smiled and said, "Lokun will have a Ra'taj while I will have a Weller Special Reserve Bourbon whiskey, neat." He smiled to the gals and said, "Your turn." The mention of an unknown drink to Lilura perked her interest as her tail moved up to point towards Lokun as she smiled to Amelia, then said, "I'll have what he's having."

"I'll have a blood wine, 2309 if you have it." Amelia replied.

P'Mria moved off to get the drinks. Out of the blue, Lilura asked, "Say, guys, do either of you dance? I just love dancing, settling into the beat, kind of like a ritual hunt to feel out and conquer the dance in a way to be enticing to others without caring about what others think." Abercrombe got an astonished look on his face as he whispered to Amelia, "She has depth to her." Lokun was looking at Lilura with an impressed expression. He straight out said, "I never thought of it that way, Nice. And, yes, I do dance. Growing up with this knucklehead, I had to learn so the girls wouldn't be disappointed with his dance moves."

Lilura snorted out a quick laugh in humor at the comradery and quip. She smiled to Amelia and said, "Say, these two are growing on me. I wonder if they're housebroken?"

Amelia was appraising Abercrombe with a critical eye. "Even if they're not, I like a challenge. Come on then Romeo.... Let's see these moves of yours."

Abercombe grinned and replied, "All right, let's see if you can match them." He looked over at Lilura and quipped, "Good luck, Klingons being housebroken is a hit and miss proposition." He bowed lightly to Amelia as he held out his hand for her, then led her to the dance floor.

Lilura grinned to Lokun and said, "So, we wait here for the drinks, then catch the next dance?"

Lokun chuckled and replied, "Sure thing, I wanna see how you like the... and speak of the Ra'taj..." P'Mria came over with the drinks. After setting them down on the counter, Lilura whispered into her ear, and whatever was said peaked P'Mria's interest. She nodded and handed over a small card with contact details.

Lokun looked on with interest, and then after P'Mria left, asked, "So, can I know what...?"

Lilura grinned while tilting her head and said, "Maybe new friend for shopping and the like, not everything is about bedroom time.. but could be."

Lokun laughed at this and watched as Lilura took a sip of her Ra'taj. She grinned and said, "I love the taste." She held it up to him and said, "Salute, may we get a dance in before our wingmen try to dance their feet off."

OFF:

●○ Lieutenant JG Lilura Siana Karakalakss
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Andromeda


●● Lieutenant Amelia Fox
Executive Officer
USS Andromeda