Stardate 80119.2100
--=After Shore Leave and Imitation of Stars=--
Dabin laughed uproariously as the newcomer, Avery Breaux, regaled the table with his tales from the Erasmus. He tilted back in his chair and broke off a piece of the pastry he had chosen to finish his dining for the evening.
Dabin Reece had sampled a bit of everything Fleur had offered, and gone back for seconds on most of it. At the moment the prospect of moving from his seat was completely out of the question, as overindulgence had firmly set in.
Dabin had set his only productive goal for the evening at finishing the pastry he currently had in hand. It was a lofty goal to be sure, given his current state, but he felt that strongly about it.
He tossed the piece he had broken off straight up into the air, tilted his head back, and opened his mouth.
He closed his eyes and waiting for the sweet taste of dough and icing to land upon his taste buds. Either that, or the bittersweet plop of failure that would signify that the morsel of food had either landed on the floor or somewhere on his face other than in his mouth.
He waited a moment... three seconds... four seconds.
Finally he cracked one eye open and wondered if his bite of food had stuck itself to the holopanels above. He cracked open his second eye and turned to his right. There, Lair Kellyn sat with the pastry between her thumb and forefinger, holding it up to Dabin.
"You'll choke." She chided him, and dropped the morsel onto her empty plate.
Dabin grimaced and tore off another piece. He faked tossing it up in the air and Kellyn flinched. He grinned and popped it into his mouth. Kellyn balled up her napkin and threw it at him.
"I need more coffee." She declared, and stood up from the table.
"I'll join you." Avery said, following behind her.
"Hey, I need me more Erasmus!" Dabin called as Avery left. "You can't leave me hanging in Toussaints!"
"Relax Mr. Reece, there are lots more tales where that came from, as long as you have more for me about what you all have been though." Avery gestured at the table full of people.
Dabin watched Avery and Kellyn, as they picked up fresh cups for their coffee and waited their turn in line. He caught Avery shooting a quick glance in the direction of Fleur Le Marc.
*Did you see that!* He thought to February Grace, who was chatting with TC Blane to her left.
*See what?* She asked.
*The new guy. He just looked at Fleur.* Dabin declared.
*Is that a crime?* Bru wondered.
*Well no, but it's not the first time, I think he likes her.*
*Is that a crime?* She asked again.
*No, but he doesn't know that Fleur doesn't know that we all know about her... deal.*
"Are you OK February?" Blane asked, as Bru seemed to space out on him.
"Sorry TC, continue." She smiled at him.
Dabin decided to leave February be and go see for himself. He walked up between Avery and Kellyn and wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders, giving them each a squeeze. He turned towards Avery.
"Quite a little chef we've got here, don't we?" Dabin asked.
Avery sensed what Dabin was getting at, so he tested the water.
"Amazing...what a sensational meal-this was incredible...the Sera is lucky to have her."
Dabin just laughed.
Breaux let the laughter hang for a moment and then followed, "I hope I haven't insulted someone...she's an attractive woman...I only noticed...that's all...she's been very nice to me."
Dabin looked about, "No harm, no foul mate...didn't mean anything by it...she's attracted to the Vedek, you know...but she can't seem to close the deal...but that might not be the biggest of her problems."
Avery leaned in, "Ok, I'll bite."
"She was a stowaway and when we put in, well, we all put in a good word for her with the Admiral but I don't know what Starfleet will make of her in the end analysis," whispered Dabin.
"Do tell," offered Avery.
Dabin, "I can see why she caught your eye, she's an interesting woman to be sure...but I only notice from afar...married to Bru you know."
"So I understand, a belated congratulations..." Breaux surveyed the scene. "Well if you're telling me to steer clear of the chef, it won't be a problem, trust me...old dog, new tricks and all that."
Dabin laughed, "I thought it was 'let the big dog hunt'?"
"No, you're mixing your Terran metaphors...I've logged too many years in Starfleet not to know better...go with the flow on new assignments..." Breaux gave a wide, knowing smile.
"Look, Breaux, I'm not going to tell you she's off limits or anything, just that you may be sailing into dangerous waters. The Vedek is a great guy, wise man, but he's as dumb as a bunny where Fleur is concerned. He loves only Zanh Liis, but Frenchy over there just isn't going to accept that." Dabin jerked his thumb in Fleur's direction.
"A triangle of sorts. Not my favorite scenario. No worries here. . .Hasn't anyone told Mr. Jariel?"
"We just can't bring ourselves to do it. We know what kind of person he is and he'll probably hate himself for leading her on, even if he didn't do it consciously. Right Kellyn?"
Lair Kellyn had reached the front of the line and was pouring herself a fresh cup of coffee. She mixed in some cream, stirred it contemplatively, and finally looked up at Dabin.
"I'm just not even touching this." She concluded.
"Aren't you having a cup, Mr. Reece?" Avery asked, as he refilled his own coffee.
"Hells no. I mean, no thank you. I never acquired a taste for the stuff. Now come on, I think you promised me some more stories."
Avery stood to help himself to some coffee, "Well I guarantee I won't get in the middle of that...stories...well there was the time on Ranax..."
Breaux caught himself...the Skagaran whisky had been a bad idea...he hoped no one had caught what he'd said..."
Reece, "Ranax?"
Avery laughed, "Did I say Ranax...I'm slurring my words...Skagaran will do that...but yet, if a bottle shows up...I have no defenses against it...Rha-nous...Rhanous," he enunciated very carefully, mocking himself..."Well Rhanous was a time I must say..." He stared down the arboretum wistfully.
Lt. Avery Breaux
Engineering Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Lt. Commander Dabin Reece
Chief Science Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012