Intrepid Meeting
Posted on Thu Feb 7th, 2019 @ 5:06pm by Diane Kent & Lieutenant Theodore Winslow
1,147 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Groundwork
Location: Lounge
Timeline: MD 29 - 19:00
With the first story being written, the hard part was always pressing submit. Diane could not peel her eyes off of the one command on her PADD. Was the story a good representation of the facts, would it catch the interest of the consumer? These were always questions that she mulled over, however, this story was different. It was easy to bank on a war story or the cry for help type articles. However, this was the foundation of a new colony, one where the ship had not even landed yet. Was it enough? With a sigh, Diane downed the rest of her merlot as if the synthehol would give her the courage to press send. It did. Diane looked up from the table to notice that the lounge had gotten busy since she had fallen into editing her story.
Theo sighed to himself wondering why he had signed up to a new colony when he was from a colony world, It was never any different at all. Always followed the same process, the same hopes and dreams of leaving the old way of life behind. Sometimes he just wondered. He hated the lounge but he wanted a proper drink tonight thanks to drills and how badly the civilians had done. “Do you mind if I sit here?” He wondered.
Taking a moment to look up to who was speaking with her, Diane smiled as she replied, “Sure.” She reached out her hand, “Diane Kent, freelance reporter. What’s your name?”
“Theodore Winslow.” The man said taking her offered hand politely. He sat down but realised his mistake as he did so as this woman was the reporter they were taking to the new colony. She was going to be reporting on them and all the new discoveries. “I am the Chief Security Officer.” He said cooly as he took his hand back.
There it was, thought Diane. It was like she had the plague. A seemingly normal person who found it almost impossible to have anything resembling a real social life, Diane sort of shook her head and gave a slight chuckle. “I’m off duty, no interrogations and no gotcha reporting,” she tried to reassure Theodore.
“Good cause I am really quite boring,” Theodore assured in his usual cool way of doing things. He was anything but a warm person to most people who took him at face value, most people didn’t see what he was hiding under the surface. “What are you drinking?” He offered seeing a waitress coming their way.
“The last report is filed and I’m free,” Diane replied with a sigh of relief. “I’d almost drink anything to celebrate,” she answered truthfully. As a new reporter, she had learned to drink whatever the other person was drinking. It was a trick that made the other person feel a little more relaxed.
The Steward came over with a flirty smile. “Hello Lieutenant the usual?” She wondered making the normally cool and composed man smile just a bit.
“Make it two.” The Security Chief said looking back at the woman sat across from him. “So what will you do once we get to the planet then? Just go back to where you came from?” The man wondered. He knew exactly where he was going when he delivered the cargo both in supplies and people to their new home.
“I plan to set up shop, maybe even start a life,” Diane replied honestly. She pointed out next that, “The new colony will need a local source for news.” The reporter glanced over to where the Steward had gone to check on the status of their drinks. “What about you? Surely there will be more to life than Starfleet duties.”
“Not a clue really. Wasn’t really planning on staying. Was going to just get you there and then go wherever I am sent,” Theo admitted as the the woman returned with two dark blue drinks. “It’s strong.” He said quickly before she dove into it. Everyone had been asking but Theo didn’t know if he would ever settle down in one place.
Never one to go bottom’s up on any drink, Diane nodded her acknowledgement. She carefully sipped the beverage, and immediately found that Theo had been correct. “A wanderer among the stars,” she pointed out. “That was my life before I got aboard,” the reporter added, “but this kind of assignment doesn’t come around often.
“I guess it doesn’t.” Theo said with a small smile over his glass. “I don’t think my life will change ever.” He admitted gently despite the fact he was going to be trapped on the colony for awhile. No one had ever made him take a reassessment of his life choices in the slightest.
“Life always changes,” Diane pointed out. “We are all influenced by things that we have no control over. I’ve seen enough in my career to never tempt fate, the Prophets, whatever you want to call the universe.” Her career had shown her good people doing bad things, bad people doing good, and many other seeming contradictions.
“Not mine. Nothing has created any motions as of yet.” He assured with a raised eyebrow before he smiled a little. He knew maybe one day it would but nothing had stirred change in his yet. The woman was trying to make conversation with him when he was so cool and he found himself appreciating it. “How is the drink?” He wondered knowing it wasn’t to everyone’s taste.
“Strong,” Diane chuckled a bit. The blue color of the drink left a few possibilities of what the drink was. “What is it?” she asked, trying to keep the man talking a bit.
"The closest term I can use to describe is Betazoid vodka." The man said with a shrug. "I like it. I acquired a bottle last time I was there." He admitted with a bigger grin. "There is always some behind the bar as well. I don't mind sharing." Was this how people spoke and shared towards people that they wanted to become friends or at least acquaintances with?
Nodding a bit, Diane said, "Maybe I should get some if I ever need to loosen someone up. If I'm ever on Betazed." From what she could see, she was making a little progress in getting Theodore to open up a bit. From experience, she knew better than to press her luck. "Thank you for offering to let me share in your stock," she smiled.
The man nodded and took another sip before his commbadge started to beep requiring his attention. "Apologies." He really did just need to have a night off without something happening.
"No worries," Diane replied. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, it was was probably time to turn in anyway.
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