Date Night Debacle (Part 2)

Posted on Thu Dec 5th, 2024 @ 2:44am by Lieutenant Julianna ("Jules") Raihan & Lieutenant Daegan Baas
Edited on on Thu Dec 5th, 2024 @ 2:49am

2,185 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: A Silence of Friends
Location: On the Starbase
Timeline: MD002 - 2000

:: Previously ::

Hips swaying slightly, Jules did a runway model's walk, pirouetted and stopped, waiting for him to leave his quarters and join her in the corridor. Out of long habit, and without making a show of it, she quickly checked the corridor in both directions. If she had aroused the petty (emphasis on the 'petty') officer's ire, then it would be best for her to be a bit more careful.

As she walked passed he grinned, "Nice spots."

"Let's eat," she said, hooking her arms through his, "I'm starved."

:: Currently ::

Putting his hand on her he led the way. The restaurant wasn't overly fancy but more upscale than usual cafe you would find on the station's promenade. True to the reservation request, the hostess led then through the place to a balcony table over looking the park across from his quarters with the station's night lights reflecting off it's small lake.

Handing each of them menus, she remained, "Can I get you anything to drink while you look over the menu?"

Daegan motioned to Jules with a raised brow.

"Could I get a glass of Sauvignon Blanc," Jules asked as she looked up from the menu and caught the waitress' eye. "How about you, Daegan?"

"Bourbon, neat."

"Perfect. I'll be right back with your drinks." With that she walked off eyeing her other tables for things they might need.

Looking to Jules with a wry grin. "So what were you going to say earlier before you cut yourself off?"

"You know," Jules answered as she pulled her napkin off the table and settled it in her lap, "I don't actually remember. All blown away at the sight of the angry petty officer from our earlier meeting. You two had a personal relationship, I'm guessing."

"That's one way to put it. It's a story for sure but for later maybe. I wanna know what you have been up to...", looking around the edge of the table with a humorously appraising expression, "...and when did you get those boots?"

Jules grinned, "You like? I keep a fairly extensive wardrobe, mostly bits and pieces that I put together for undercover work but ..." She shrugged her shoulders lightly. "They have other uses as well. Not always time or resources to replicate a wardrobe. Learned that the hard way."

He waited on his reply as their drinks arrived and he took his glass swirling its contents. "Now I'm really curious. What 'other uses'?"

"By the glint in your eye," Jules said as she lifted her glass, "I think you've guessed one of them. They draw attention." She checked her surroundings to make sure no one was near, swiveled in her seat, and extended her leg out and up, nearly to her head, giving him an unobstructed view of her leg. "And sometimes, when its the right individual, attention is good." She returned to her former position, boots crossed at the ankles, and took a sip of her wine. "Oh, that's good. Synthehol just doesn't have the same taste, you know?"

If he had lifted his glass off the table he probably would have dropped it as he took in the contours of her leg...and he flexibility. With a reminiscent smile the memories of a previous host, Jinel, and how she had used similar 'tactics'. But he was a man again, with all that entailed. "Yeah...hard not to notice that." He had watched her lower and cross her legs, following them up her side to see her deceptively delicate arm raise her glass to her lips to sip at her wine. Taking the opportunity to sip his own, he took a sniff as he drank and savored the notes of his whiskey. Pulling his glass away he looked from the glass's contents to Jules. "This is true, nothing beats the real thing."

There was an obvious double meaning from a joint prank they had pulled and they had played this game before during their time at the Academy with the innuendo, teasing, and playful flirting. He was actually looking forward to it again and he looked her in the eye, silently wondering.

The brief silence was broken when the waitress returned, "Are you ready to order?"

"I'll have the spicy salmon poke bowl," Jules answered as her gaze drifted upward to meet Daegan's, a slow smile forming on her lips, "and a small salad."

Smiling back, "I thought you said you were starving?" Looking up to the waitress, "I'll take the wamwI’ Ha’DIbaH (Hunter’s Meat) with the Risian lobster tail."

The waitress nodded "Perfect, I will get these right in."

"Well, you know what they say," Jules said, with a slight shrug, "if it's not satisfying, go for round two."

He chuckled as he took another sip, looking at her questioningly. "Saving room for later? I thought you preferred to live in the moment?"

"I am living in the moment," Jules said. "The poke bowl sounded good. Reminds me of that week I spent in Hawaii a few years back. I'll deal with the next moment when it comes. So when did you get so interested in how much food I consume?"

Holding his hands up in surrender, "Not trying to mother you. Just wanna make sure you have enough energy for the rest of the night..." Purposefully pausing, "...you still like to dance don't you?"

"I surely do," Jules said, smiling happily, as she took a sip of her wine. Over the top of the glass, she took in her surroundings and saw nothing out of place. She would add the petty officer to her list of people-to-watch-out-for but so far, it was just her and Daegan. "Takes me back. Dancing all night and then trying to stay awake the next morning in class ... and that instructor looming over us ... we ending up pinching each other and just in time too."

He laughed at the memory. "I don't think we will be able to get a way with pinching each other on the bridge, conference room maybe." He was about to ask her if the Captain had mentioned giving her a bridge station but as he was about to ask their food arrived. The two bowls were placed in front of Jules were as a large platter with an encrusted steak/roast accompanied by a good sized Risian lobster tail was placed before Daegan a board with a warm loaf was placed in the center of the table.

Smelling the mixed aromas from the his dish and the fresh bread. He glanced up at the waitress, This looks fabulous."

"I hope you both enjoy. Can I get either of you anything else?"

"Nothing for me, thanks," Jules said. She curled a finger around her fork and lifted it up, spearing a tiny bit of salmon. She was nodding with satisfaction as she chewed. "Good," she said. "This is really good."

He had cut and was chewing on the savory meat from his order and was already cutting more. "Oh you Have got to try this!" Stabbing the cut, he held out his fork for her to try his.

Jules reciprocated, offering him a generous forkful of spicy salmon, while she took tried his, and hummed her approval. "Also good," she said once she had chewed and swallowed. "Good choice. And as tradition requires, next time, I'll pick the place though this one will be hard to beat."

He nodded, "That is good." Catching a smile or two from others in the restaurant he grinned himself. To the casual observer anyone seeing them would assumed a serious relationship as they fed one another. They had been the best of friends while at the Academy and seemed to have picked right were they had left off as if the years had only been days. Back then they had come close to being even closer but someone was always around or something always happened to prevent anything further. He wondered.

Distracting himself he cut several pieces of bread, offering her a piece.

"I've been undercover," Jules said, as she accepted the piece, "pretty much always since I left the Academy. I think its made me a little ... " She shrugged lightly as she searched for the word. " ... less forthcoming, I guess? That's something that has to change, especially with you." She talked between mouthfuls, looking for truth, and happening upon one almost at once. "You're right," she said. "Seems like I'm always hungry and that would have been a giveaway because it's the kind of thing that carries between identities. A no-no for a field agent. So, I eat smaller meals when I'm out in public and bigger ones when I'm alone. Going to take me a bit to put all that away, you know? Just go back to being my authentic self."

Daegan was working on a rather stubborn section of his lobster that just didn't want to come out of the shell. "It doesn't matter what it is, you know..you can always tell me anything. That will..never change."

Jules nodded, kind of an awkward bob of the head, as she attacked her poke bowl in earnest. "Same goes for me and you know what they say, no one keeps a secret like Intelligence." She smiled, moving past the awkwardness of the moment, as she found her rhythm again. "Give me a piece of that lobster, will you?"

Just as he was about to reply the connection between flesh and shell snapped and the morsel shot up into the air over and over the edge of the balcony. A moment later, "Heyyy..."

Grimacing he looked towards the rest of the dinning room, the mishap seemingly to have missed the incident. Calling out into the night, "Sorry."

Jules laughed, at ease again, as she peaked over the railing at the irritated individual below and turned to look at Daegan. "Good thing its not a Nausican, huh?"

Laughing at the situation and seeing how relaxed she had become he smiled, it was good to she her relaxed. "Nahhh...Nausican, Klingon, Cardassian, or another humanoid; a good throat punch will usually bring any of them to a halt." Popping the last bite of his steak he raised a brow, "You want desert or you wanna go party?"

"Party," Jules said at once. "These boots are made for dancing after all."

Standing he offered her is hand, "Well let's go." Adding as they walked out, "At least I'll still be here tomorrow and won't have to hear you gripe about sore feet."

Jules let the comment slide by because really it didn't deserve a response. Dancing, Krav Maga, running, gymnastics. She lived in motion, thrived on it, and dressed accordingly. Course, she thought, as she walked beside him, not trying to match his longer stride, she could always not so accidentally step on his foot. Then they'd see who had the sore feet. Cheered by that thought, she took the time to look around her. Quartering the landscape. Looking for trouble. People that looked out of place and finally, at the shops and venues.

Daegan had done a little recon, not that it took a whole lot, and found the stations most popular night club. Multiple levels, multiple bars, and a huuuuugge dance floor. Even with the sound dampening they could hear the music as they approached. Unwrapping her arm from his, he held her hand as he stepped out in front of her, walking backwards as he did a little jig to the beat. "Here we go..."

The music called to her and her hips began to sway lightly, she raised her hands over her head, dancing in place, head bouncing to the beat.

As they entered it was still early enough that it wasn't too crowded, but it wouldn't take much to change that. The lights pulsed and swung with the music that could be felt as well as heard. Leaning in so he knew she could hear him. "You wanna get a drink first?"

"Uhh, no," Jules said as she pulled him out onto the dance floor. "I want to dance ... all night long."

That was the Jules he knew. Given her figure he had no doubt that she was going to give him a run for his money. He still worked out, and ran regularly but if she was even a fraction of the woman he had know years ago he was in for a long night. The music throbbed and pulse as they both moved and swayed with it and around each other. They moved towards, away, and against one another as the music continued on and on. Daegan's eyes never left her but as the evening went on he had the feeling they were being watched. But that was too far fetched as he had caught several sets of yes giving Jules a glace from time to time.

Thing was, so did Jules.

(To be Continued in Part 3)

A Post By:

Lieutenant Daegan Baas
Chief of Security
USS Thunderbird

and

Lieutenant Julianna ("Jules") Raihan
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Thunderbird

 

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