By Lt. Cmdrs O'Sullivan and Breaux
80317.13
Hours after Cat and Mouse
-=Holodeck Two, USS Serendipity=-
80317.13
Hours after Cat and Mouse
-=Holodeck Two, USS Serendipity=-
The party was amazing...the food, drink and camaraderie...all that anyone had expected. Breaux mingled and moved about and kept an eye on both O'Sullivan and Dalca. Neither Dalca nor O'Sullivan seemed preoccupied with Avery, which was pleasing to say the least.
Breaux was immersed in conversation with the blonde from Astrometrics- they had taken seats down by the pool, at the far end. An engineering crewman was striding to their location, Avery was feeling less and less the effects of the alcohol, as the evening had worn on, and it was becoming quite late. The crewman held a PADD and presently politely interrupted their conversation, "I'm sorry Mr. Breaux, the communique was marked urgent."
Avery took the PADD and apologized to his partner, she excused herself to retrieve another drink.
The message was from Angela Nolan's shuttle:
E7
Breaux deleted the message. He then set it on the edge of the pool next to him.
Avery knew that in the morning he would be headed out on his transport for R+R...the trip to Earth could be accomplished by a quick shuttle trip along with others bound for the planet. . .he would meet Angela in an antiquated part of New York. . . McSorley's Old Ale House on East 7th Street...one of their old haunts.
The woman from Astrometrics was talking briefly with O'Sullivan...and Avery leaned backward and set his hands on the edge of the pool, knocking the PADD into the water..."How clumsy of me," commented Breaux.
-=Across the courtyard=-
Keiran thanked the blonde for her time, and ended their exchange.
He had been watching, waiting, taking in not only the sights and sounds of the evening's reverie but also the behavior of his shipmates in general. No one seemed to be doing anything out of the ordinary- at least as far as O'Sullivan knew of their individual temperaments already- save the Bajoran priest and Keiran highly doubted that the Vedek was involved in any way with the Nolan affair. Whatever was bothering the man, must be personal in nature.
He had a passing thought occur to him. . . perhaps there was 'trouble in paradise' as the old saying went. Unrest between the Captain and her consort. The thought pleased him more than he wanted to admit, even to himself, and the idea brought a muted sort of smile to his lips.
The moment ended quickly however, as he looked over and observed the gleam in Zanh's eye as she sat by the fountain. She was dressed in an elegant black dress, lit up from within as her hands arced gracefully through the air, speaking to the Vedek without use of audible words.
Keiran scowled again, and reached instinctively for his flask. *Bloody empty.* He remembered, as he found it.
He saw Breaux making his move toward the door, and knew that now was his time to act. He wondered how much he had to tell the Captain. He knew at this point that he would definitely need to embark on a little trip of his own, to follow Breaux to Nolan, and see if perhaps he could determine the truth as to how involved Avery really was with the woman's illegal activities, or if he was simply a pawn on a much larger Chess board.
Moving toward Zanh, something that Keiran had avoided at all costs up until this moment- he gestured to her slightly, simply by inclining his head. Zanh noticed him in her periphery, and her expression altered. The easy, relaxed smile she'd been wearing all night vanished and a look of dread replaced it.
[[Liis?]] Jariel noticed the change in her manner immediately.
[[I have to talk to someone.]] She announced. [[Be right back.]]
Jariel noticed O'Sullivan standing by the staircase across the room. He stood as Liis rose, bowing to her gallantly. [[Captain.]]
She responded by flashing him the wicked, lopsided grin that he loved so well. [[Vedek.]]
She began to approach O'Sullivan, but his eyes warned her off. It was too crowded to have this conversation here. Too many eyes taking in their every move.
Taking the hint, Zanh veered off, breezing her way to the bar instead. She smiled at London as he reached for a cup and filled it from a decanter of coffee sitting beside it. "Enjoying the party, Captain?"
"You've done it again, Trick. Tell Angus he has my compliments. The food was amazing."
"He'll be happy to hear it, as am I." Trick turned away, and Zanh lifted her coffee cup, taking the moment to tap the badge that she wore affixed even now, to the front of her party dress. She tilted the beverage to her lips without actually drinking, allowing the motion to obscure her speech.
"Zanh to O'Sullivan."
Across the room, Kieran nodded at her.
"Ready Room, ten minutes."
He nodded again, raising a hand to his chin and stroking his beard just slightly to let her know that her message was received.
Zanh made her way to the arch, struggling to get past several members of crew who were saying it was still too early for her to leave. "I'll be back." She promised, "I won't be gone long."
She hurried from the room, leaving Jariel staring after her. His expression soured when he noticed as he glanced back to the stairwell that O'Sullivan was nowhere to be found.
****
Breaux made his way to his quarters, hearing the strains of Dixieland music behind him as the holodeck doors slid closed. He would travel lightly and before meeting with Angela he would stop off in San Francisco...another of the twosome's watering holes, The Buena Vista. Once in his quarters, he made certain his leave had been approved -it had. He knew that he and Angela could meet at McSorley's but would then work away from there so as not to be followed.
****
LT. Commander Avery Breaux
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
LT. Commander Keiran O'Sullivan
Chief of Security
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
LT. Commander Avery Breaux
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
LT. Commander Keiran O'Sullivan
Chief of Security
USS Serendipity NCC-2012