Judgement – New Friends #2
by Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Lieutenant Bridget Stapleton
Post Details
OLD: "Husband...." said Rick thoughtfully, then his face cracked into a big smile. "I like the sound of that......wife." He gave Chelsea a hug, but was interrupted by the food arriving, and soon Rick was distracted by his favourite food. Pizza. He would eat it all the time if he could.
NEW:
Bridget and Edward exchanged knowing glances as their plates were set before them. "So are you wearing your dress uniforms to get married, or more traditional garb?" She sipped her tea and listened, watching their faces across the table.
“The fact that I have been thrown out on my arse from my own quarters, on more than one occasion by the dress maker and her entourage, you better believe Chelsea will be wearing a dress or I’m going to put in a letter of complaint.” Said Rick with a nod to affirm his statement, “I’ll be in dress uniform I think.”
Chelsea looked a little sheepish. "I DID say I was sorry....." she said defensively. "Madame Pompadour *was* a little aggressive about that but when I tried to tell her no, you were out of that door like a shot before I could get her to go, so you can hardly blame me for that one. It was like you'd seen a ghost and couldn't escape fast enough!"
"I wouldn't dare get between you and your special day," said Rick sarcastically and rolling his eyes. "Besides the XO has me working extra long and hard Ma'am," Spoke Rick again referring to her superior rank, and new position to boot. He smiled charmingly.
"I keep telling you." Chelsea looked exasperated for a second. "It's not just MY day, it's for BOTH of us. I hate all this *the Bride's day* excuse for some women to be totally selfish. It has to be all about US, not just me. Stop pushing me forward and yourself back. You know I hate being stared at and the centre of attention."
Rick didn't miss a beat. "So how do you cope with being the absolute center of my universe, gorgeous love," Said Rick with total abject truth, sincerity, and love.
"I don't mind when it's you," Chelsea melted, making doe eyes at him. Suddenly she remembered with a blush that they were not alone. "Sorry." she said to Bridget and Edward, linking her fingers with Rick's affectionately, severely hampering his ability to manoeuvre his pizza.
"Get a room," Bridget replied, a saucy grin on her face. She chuckled and waved her fork in the air for emphasis. "Actually it's endearing. Too many married couples these days lose the ability to be affectionate with each other, whether it's in private or in public. I know we've got PDA rules and that's all well and good. But it's a healthy thing to be a little lovestruck once in awhile."
She gave Edward a sidelong glance; their relationship right now wasn't exactly affectionate right at the moment, and she felt a little like the pot calling the kettle black. For his part, he seemed rather focused on his lasagne, wolfing it down like he hadn't eaten in a week.
Chelsea spotted the glance but mis-understood it to be one of a little bit of *lovestruck* of their own. "Awww!" she replied, doe-eyed still. "How long have you two been together?" she asked, taking a forkful of her chilli at last.
Rick however had spotted it and was about to leap in to change the subject so as to brush around the one they where currently on. But Chelsea had beaten him to it. He cringed internally, and wondered what was going to happen next.
"Well now, it all depends on what you mean by together," Edward started in, and wiped his lips with his napkin. "See, we've been married 17 years, but she's had my heart from the first time I saw her."
He gave Bridget a quick glance, and from it she felt mixed signals. Where was he was going with this? But at the same time, his words made her breath catch in her chest. She was caught off guard by the romantic commitment he so openly portrayed. He was doggedly loyal, and for that she was grateful. Afraid to say anything lest her voice crack with emotion, she just smiled through misty eyes, and reached a hand under the table to rest it on his thigh.
His smile broadened at her touch, and he felt that old connection with Bridget that had seemed so tenuous lately. "So how about you two love birds, how long has it been?"
"It'll be a year next week" Chelsea blushed, smirking as she watched Rick's face as it seemed to dawn on him he would have walked into that broadside. He didn't look as if it had been on his horizon of *things to remember*.
"Yes it will" said Rick nodding his agreement sagely, yet making a mental note of the date that he had completely and abjectly forgotten. "Its seems a lot longer though" said Rick playfully tickling chelsea ribs with the tip of his fingers.
Chelsea squeaked and pulled back out of reach. "It could be shortened if you like?!" she threatened, her soft, half-Bajoran ridges creasing together as she tried to look menacing.
Rick pursed both his lips together to try and hold back the laugh behind them, as he looked upon her menacing face. "You're gorgeous when your menacing honey."
"I'm gorgeous ALL the time and don't you forget it!" she scowled deeper at him, pretending to be fierce with fire in her eyes and if she could have managed it, she would have liked to have been blowing smoke from her nostrils like those dragons in the holodeck yesterday.
"And cute when you scowl" said Rick unflinching under the bore of her intensive look from her brown eyes.
Chelsea gave up the attempts as suddenly as she had begun. Dunham was clearly seeing right through her as if she were made of glass. "Dammit" she muttered with a smirk. "I suppose i can't even tell you off when you're being so complimentary" she pretended one last attempt at a huff but it was no good, she couldn't be cross with him, not even in fun.
She softened, a look of love replacing the pretence, as she nestled against him.
"And on that note, I've got to get back to work," Edward said, and slid his chair back. "Rick, Chelsea -- it was nice meeting you both." He held his hand out to Rick for a handshake.
Rick grinned and took the man's hand warmly, "Edward you too, a pleasure. Take care....." Rick paused a moment still holding the man's hand as he thought about how to phrase what he was going to say next. "And urrrmmm keep both eye's on that Ibalin. She can be trouble, and I don't mean the good kind."
Chelsea looked at Rick, wondering what he meant and what made him say that. Rick was usually so laid back he rarely thought ill of anyone, let alone spoke out about it. He was a man given to allowing everyone a fair hearing and plenty of opportunity to show their best side.
In fact, he sometimes worried her by being too nice to some of the most suspicious people around, in his determination not to show prejudice. It was both noble and endearing but sometimes it seemed as if he liked everyone, no matter what they did or said. She wondered what Yolanthe could have done to bother him into giving a warning like this.
She didn't say anything at this juncture, just stood up and gave Edward an informal peck on the cheek goodbye. "It was great to finally meet you, Edward. We must do this again when you're off duty." she said, smiling warmly at him.
"Well, yes," he replied, mildly taken aback and unsure what to say. Between Rick's strange parting words, and the unexpected affection from Chelsea, he had an urge to find out more about the couple - do a little digging and see what their backgrounds were. "As soon as the two of you are free, let's have a drink together. Although that might be awhile. I understand there's some sort of big hoohah going on tomorrow that's going to keep you two tied up for a bit." The corners of his mouth twitched as he barely held in a smile.
Rick smiled and scratched the stubble on his chin thoughtfully "Yeah.....better not forget that.” Rick had that mischievous little smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He appraised the other man, he didn’t know where he was coming from, and didn’t seem like your average sort of guy working in a place like this. But he seemed to have his head on straight, in fact the couple seemed lovely.
Edward missed Rick's appraisal, because his eyes were on Bridget, who'd also risen from her seat. "Gotta go, Babe." He gave her a peck on the cheek and a friendly squeeze on her upper arm.
"Bye," she let his hand slide down her arm and she held his hand for a brief second. She just didn't know what else to say. There was a lot unsaid and unsayable, considering they weren't alone.
Rick watched Edward go, then looked at Bridget; his mouth around a slice of pizza. "Looks like you two need to have a long chat about something," Said Rick conversationally around a mouthful of food.
"RiiiiiiCK!" Chelsea was shocked that he was so frank. "I'm sure they're just fine." She looked at Bridget, expecting a full, surprised denial.
"I...we..." Bridget stammered. Her shoulders sagged with a sigh; it felt like getting caught with her fingers in a cookie jar. But why deny it? It would show false if she did. That wouldn't be fair, especially to Chelsea.
"Yeah. You're right, Rick." Her eyes went to Chelsea. "There's some issues we haven't figured out yet, and it's straining our relationship." She sat back in her seat, and took a sip of her iced tea while the other two resumed their places at the table. "But it's not serious enough to cause us to get divorced or anything."
Rick gave Chelsea a I told you so kind of look, before looking back at Doctor Stapleton. He tried to be as nice as possible with what he said next. "That's fair enough Bridget, but talk about it soon......or it might." Rick tried to move the subject on a little, "as long as its not how me and Chelsea have fights...It normally involves throwing water on each other." He smiled and gave Chelsea a wink.
Chelsea blushed and had to admit the truth too. "Well, to be fair, it usually involves *me* throwing water on *him* actually." She was rewarded for her honesty by yet another of those slightly smug looks, in answer to which she narrowed her eyes and picked up her drink menacingly.
Rick raised his hands in mock surrender and smiled he said "I surrender," he then winked at Bridget. "She wins all the arguments." Out of the corner of his eye Rick spotted a rogue pepperoni isolated on his plate. "Ohhhh pepperoni," he said dexterously swiping it off the plate and shoving it into his mouth unceremoniously. He smiled again like a kid who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Her mood effectively lightened by Rick's antics - and relieved at not having to explain the complication with Edward any farther, Bridget let out a chuckle and shook her head. "You two are adorable."
"Well, *he* is... " Chelsea smirked, her happiness clearly visible in the shine in her eyes and the adoring way she looked at Rick. This was probably a very different, much more open side to Chelsea than the one she usually showed when she was working.
An idea occurred to Bridget as she nodded in assent. "Hey, do you guys play pool? Er... billiards?" She realized that some people called the game one thing, and others called it another.
Rick scratched the stubble on his chin thoughtfully, a slightly distant look on his face "ooooooh not since my academy days" he said reminiscently "though we had one of those holo tables that didn't use real balls but holographic ones instead.... wasn't good when your balls fizzled out and disappeared mid game."
"Probably the only way you could win..... " Chelsea challenged. "Some of us learned on Bajor where EVERYTHING is real..... including the talent." She puffed up and gave him a look that was pure mischief. "Tournament? Talon of Carberry Rules?" she grinned.
"That wouldn't be fair....because I always let you win everything anyway." said Rick with a smile creeping along the edge of his lips.
"You SO do NOT!" Chelsea rose to the bait - hook, line and sinker. "You KNOW that's not true, Dunham!"
"Yes dear," he said sweetly and fluttering his eyelashes.
"Grrrrrrrr..... You know it infuriates me when you patronize me like that!" she objected but his eyes-to-die-for were more than she could resist. She shoved him gently and muttered about how she was going to *get him back* later.
"So... I don't detect any competitive natures here," Bridget said, grinning. "No wonder the two of you have risen to top ranks in your fields. That's going to make one hell of a marriage."
"I hope so" Chelsea smirked, looking Rick up and down cheekily and then ducking to avoid an implied threat of retaliation. "So, where do they keep the tables here? Is there a holosuite?" she asked, going back to the idea of playing Pool.
The group got up from their chairs to have a look around for a pool table, there were none on the ground floor of the box where they had been eating. They made their way up to the next level, but still no tables, Dunham made a quick enquiry with a passing member of staff, who told him they did not have any games like that on the premises, however they were pretty sure they had a holodeck programme for it.
"Fine, lets take a session in the holodeck then.... is one free?" Chelsea asked.
The member of staff nodded and directed them to Suite 3. They set it up and entered, taking their drinks in with them.
"I wonder who our fourth is," Bridget asked.
"I am," replied a male voice.
Bridget looked left, toward the voice. Her jaw dropped. "Don Ameche?" She didn't even know the actor from the middle 20th century had been a pool player, let alone that a hologram of him would have been made for anything except classic movies. Not that she knew much about him at all.
"Pool isn't just for swimming, young lady. Or cocoons, either."
Bridget saw the puzzled looks on Chelsea and Rick's faces and commiserated. "Is this wierd or what? Do you guys know who this is?" She pointed her thumb in Ameche's direction.
"No, I'm very sorry.... " Chelsea addresses the *No* part to Bridget and the apology to the hologram.
The man was dark with handsome latin looks, perhaps in his late 50s, Chelsea wasn't a very good judge of age just by looking at the person's features. Terrans age so very differently on both the outside and the inside. A person's character could be *old before their time* or sometimes their bodies could be more frail and afflicted than one might expect of their actual years.
Suddenly realizing she was scrutinizing the man too closely for politeness, Chelsea blushed. "Sorry, curse of being medical by profession.... " she muttered, excusing herself.
Rick snapped his fingers and grinned like a child when he finally figured out who the man was. "Cocoon: The Return 1988..." he looked almost awestruck, "brilliant...bloody...brilliant..."
Ameche's dark, pencil-thin mustache twitched in amusement. "At your service," he replied with a theatrical bow. When he straightened up, he approached Chelsea. "My, what a ravishing creature you are. I must have your name, so that my dreams will know what to call you. 'Angel' just doesn't seem to come close."
"Oh, that's okay, Angel works for me," Chelsea pretended to preen. "But Rick calls me Nuisance," she added, returning to a more reasonable modesty.
"As you wish, Angel-Nuisance." Ameche's stunning smile lit up his handsome face and infected those around him into smiles, too. He kissed her hand and let it go, making a big drama of it so that it looked as if he could hardly bear to be parted from her.
Then, as quickly as it had begun, his alleged *dreams* of Chelsea were transferred.
"And now, my heart's desire. My Rose to make all other blooms wilt with jealousy. My own beautiful Rosa..... What should I whisper to you when we are alone in my dreams?" he asked Bridget, dropping into an equally deep and exaggerated bow in front of her, taking her fingertips in his and kissing each of them in turn.
Unsure how to react, Bridget's default was to burst into laughter. The absurdity of the situation! "I'm sorry," she said to the shocked and hurt expression on holo-Ameche's face. This program was good! Cheezy... but good. A chuckle still tinged her voice as she continued. "I'm happily married, and she soon will be," Bridget pointed at Chelsea. "...to him." She moved her pointed finger in Rick's direction.
Don Ameche's head hung. "Tis my luck, that the two most ravishing women in the universe have already been claimed by another." He gave a dramatic sigh as he turned on his heel and headed toward the rack of pool cues, dragging each foot slowly behind the other as he walked.
"Ah well," his voice perked up as he turned, holding out a second cue in his other hand. "My dears? Angel? And...." his eyebrow inquired of Bridget.
"Bridget," she said, and motioned with her hand for Chelsea to take the cue, in deference, while she passed Ameche to the rack of cues to choose one.
Chelsea took the cue with a "Thank you" to Bridget and a nod to Ameche. Then she looked at Rick and decided to offer him the cue, passing the deference across.
"Are we playing as tag teams? Or two separate games?" 'Nuisance' asked.
"Tags" said Rick as he polished the tip of his que with a chalk cube. Chelsea made the break and the game was on. Chelsea was much better than Rick at this game, her skill showing prominence between the couple, however Bridget showed up both of them, with her expert skills at eight ball pool. There where laughs and giggles from all, as they cleared away the balls from the table.
Off:
Cmdr. Chelsea Adams
CMO & 2CO - DS5
and
CAG Squadron Leader
Lieutenant Commander Richard Dunham
and
Ensign Bridget Stapleton
Doctor (General Practice) - DS5
by Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Lieutenant Bridget Stapleton
Post Details
| Title | New Friends #2 | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Lieutenant Bridget Stapleton | |
| Posted | Fri May 27, 2011 @ 12:12pm | |
| Location | Box of Delights | |
| Timeline | SD 37 - Directly after New Friends |
NEW:
Bridget and Edward exchanged knowing glances as their plates were set before them. "So are you wearing your dress uniforms to get married, or more traditional garb?" She sipped her tea and listened, watching their faces across the table.
“The fact that I have been thrown out on my arse from my own quarters, on more than one occasion by the dress maker and her entourage, you better believe Chelsea will be wearing a dress or I’m going to put in a letter of complaint.” Said Rick with a nod to affirm his statement, “I’ll be in dress uniform I think.”
Chelsea looked a little sheepish. "I DID say I was sorry....." she said defensively. "Madame Pompadour *was* a little aggressive about that but when I tried to tell her no, you were out of that door like a shot before I could get her to go, so you can hardly blame me for that one. It was like you'd seen a ghost and couldn't escape fast enough!"
"I wouldn't dare get between you and your special day," said Rick sarcastically and rolling his eyes. "Besides the XO has me working extra long and hard Ma'am," Spoke Rick again referring to her superior rank, and new position to boot. He smiled charmingly.
"I keep telling you." Chelsea looked exasperated for a second. "It's not just MY day, it's for BOTH of us. I hate all this *the Bride's day* excuse for some women to be totally selfish. It has to be all about US, not just me. Stop pushing me forward and yourself back. You know I hate being stared at and the centre of attention."
Rick didn't miss a beat. "So how do you cope with being the absolute center of my universe, gorgeous love," Said Rick with total abject truth, sincerity, and love.
"I don't mind when it's you," Chelsea melted, making doe eyes at him. Suddenly she remembered with a blush that they were not alone. "Sorry." she said to Bridget and Edward, linking her fingers with Rick's affectionately, severely hampering his ability to manoeuvre his pizza.
"Get a room," Bridget replied, a saucy grin on her face. She chuckled and waved her fork in the air for emphasis. "Actually it's endearing. Too many married couples these days lose the ability to be affectionate with each other, whether it's in private or in public. I know we've got PDA rules and that's all well and good. But it's a healthy thing to be a little lovestruck once in awhile."
She gave Edward a sidelong glance; their relationship right now wasn't exactly affectionate right at the moment, and she felt a little like the pot calling the kettle black. For his part, he seemed rather focused on his lasagne, wolfing it down like he hadn't eaten in a week.
Chelsea spotted the glance but mis-understood it to be one of a little bit of *lovestruck* of their own. "Awww!" she replied, doe-eyed still. "How long have you two been together?" she asked, taking a forkful of her chilli at last.
Rick however had spotted it and was about to leap in to change the subject so as to brush around the one they where currently on. But Chelsea had beaten him to it. He cringed internally, and wondered what was going to happen next.
"Well now, it all depends on what you mean by together," Edward started in, and wiped his lips with his napkin. "See, we've been married 17 years, but she's had my heart from the first time I saw her."
He gave Bridget a quick glance, and from it she felt mixed signals. Where was he was going with this? But at the same time, his words made her breath catch in her chest. She was caught off guard by the romantic commitment he so openly portrayed. He was doggedly loyal, and for that she was grateful. Afraid to say anything lest her voice crack with emotion, she just smiled through misty eyes, and reached a hand under the table to rest it on his thigh.
His smile broadened at her touch, and he felt that old connection with Bridget that had seemed so tenuous lately. "So how about you two love birds, how long has it been?"
"It'll be a year next week" Chelsea blushed, smirking as she watched Rick's face as it seemed to dawn on him he would have walked into that broadside. He didn't look as if it had been on his horizon of *things to remember*.
"Yes it will" said Rick nodding his agreement sagely, yet making a mental note of the date that he had completely and abjectly forgotten. "Its seems a lot longer though" said Rick playfully tickling chelsea ribs with the tip of his fingers.
Chelsea squeaked and pulled back out of reach. "It could be shortened if you like?!" she threatened, her soft, half-Bajoran ridges creasing together as she tried to look menacing.
Rick pursed both his lips together to try and hold back the laugh behind them, as he looked upon her menacing face. "You're gorgeous when your menacing honey."
"I'm gorgeous ALL the time and don't you forget it!" she scowled deeper at him, pretending to be fierce with fire in her eyes and if she could have managed it, she would have liked to have been blowing smoke from her nostrils like those dragons in the holodeck yesterday.
"And cute when you scowl" said Rick unflinching under the bore of her intensive look from her brown eyes.
Chelsea gave up the attempts as suddenly as she had begun. Dunham was clearly seeing right through her as if she were made of glass. "Dammit" she muttered with a smirk. "I suppose i can't even tell you off when you're being so complimentary" she pretended one last attempt at a huff but it was no good, she couldn't be cross with him, not even in fun.
She softened, a look of love replacing the pretence, as she nestled against him.
"And on that note, I've got to get back to work," Edward said, and slid his chair back. "Rick, Chelsea -- it was nice meeting you both." He held his hand out to Rick for a handshake.
Rick grinned and took the man's hand warmly, "Edward you too, a pleasure. Take care....." Rick paused a moment still holding the man's hand as he thought about how to phrase what he was going to say next. "And urrrmmm keep both eye's on that Ibalin. She can be trouble, and I don't mean the good kind."
Chelsea looked at Rick, wondering what he meant and what made him say that. Rick was usually so laid back he rarely thought ill of anyone, let alone spoke out about it. He was a man given to allowing everyone a fair hearing and plenty of opportunity to show their best side.
In fact, he sometimes worried her by being too nice to some of the most suspicious people around, in his determination not to show prejudice. It was both noble and endearing but sometimes it seemed as if he liked everyone, no matter what they did or said. She wondered what Yolanthe could have done to bother him into giving a warning like this.
She didn't say anything at this juncture, just stood up and gave Edward an informal peck on the cheek goodbye. "It was great to finally meet you, Edward. We must do this again when you're off duty." she said, smiling warmly at him.
"Well, yes," he replied, mildly taken aback and unsure what to say. Between Rick's strange parting words, and the unexpected affection from Chelsea, he had an urge to find out more about the couple - do a little digging and see what their backgrounds were. "As soon as the two of you are free, let's have a drink together. Although that might be awhile. I understand there's some sort of big hoohah going on tomorrow that's going to keep you two tied up for a bit." The corners of his mouth twitched as he barely held in a smile.
Rick smiled and scratched the stubble on his chin thoughtfully "Yeah.....better not forget that.” Rick had that mischievous little smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He appraised the other man, he didn’t know where he was coming from, and didn’t seem like your average sort of guy working in a place like this. But he seemed to have his head on straight, in fact the couple seemed lovely.
Edward missed Rick's appraisal, because his eyes were on Bridget, who'd also risen from her seat. "Gotta go, Babe." He gave her a peck on the cheek and a friendly squeeze on her upper arm.
"Bye," she let his hand slide down her arm and she held his hand for a brief second. She just didn't know what else to say. There was a lot unsaid and unsayable, considering they weren't alone.
Rick watched Edward go, then looked at Bridget; his mouth around a slice of pizza. "Looks like you two need to have a long chat about something," Said Rick conversationally around a mouthful of food.
"RiiiiiiCK!" Chelsea was shocked that he was so frank. "I'm sure they're just fine." She looked at Bridget, expecting a full, surprised denial.
"I...we..." Bridget stammered. Her shoulders sagged with a sigh; it felt like getting caught with her fingers in a cookie jar. But why deny it? It would show false if she did. That wouldn't be fair, especially to Chelsea.
"Yeah. You're right, Rick." Her eyes went to Chelsea. "There's some issues we haven't figured out yet, and it's straining our relationship." She sat back in her seat, and took a sip of her iced tea while the other two resumed their places at the table. "But it's not serious enough to cause us to get divorced or anything."
Rick gave Chelsea a I told you so kind of look, before looking back at Doctor Stapleton. He tried to be as nice as possible with what he said next. "That's fair enough Bridget, but talk about it soon......or it might." Rick tried to move the subject on a little, "as long as its not how me and Chelsea have fights...It normally involves throwing water on each other." He smiled and gave Chelsea a wink.
Chelsea blushed and had to admit the truth too. "Well, to be fair, it usually involves *me* throwing water on *him* actually." She was rewarded for her honesty by yet another of those slightly smug looks, in answer to which she narrowed her eyes and picked up her drink menacingly.
Rick raised his hands in mock surrender and smiled he said "I surrender," he then winked at Bridget. "She wins all the arguments." Out of the corner of his eye Rick spotted a rogue pepperoni isolated on his plate. "Ohhhh pepperoni," he said dexterously swiping it off the plate and shoving it into his mouth unceremoniously. He smiled again like a kid who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Her mood effectively lightened by Rick's antics - and relieved at not having to explain the complication with Edward any farther, Bridget let out a chuckle and shook her head. "You two are adorable."
"Well, *he* is... " Chelsea smirked, her happiness clearly visible in the shine in her eyes and the adoring way she looked at Rick. This was probably a very different, much more open side to Chelsea than the one she usually showed when she was working.
An idea occurred to Bridget as she nodded in assent. "Hey, do you guys play pool? Er... billiards?" She realized that some people called the game one thing, and others called it another.
Rick scratched the stubble on his chin thoughtfully, a slightly distant look on his face "ooooooh not since my academy days" he said reminiscently "though we had one of those holo tables that didn't use real balls but holographic ones instead.... wasn't good when your balls fizzled out and disappeared mid game."
"Probably the only way you could win..... " Chelsea challenged. "Some of us learned on Bajor where EVERYTHING is real..... including the talent." She puffed up and gave him a look that was pure mischief. "Tournament? Talon of Carberry Rules?" she grinned.
"That wouldn't be fair....because I always let you win everything anyway." said Rick with a smile creeping along the edge of his lips.
"You SO do NOT!" Chelsea rose to the bait - hook, line and sinker. "You KNOW that's not true, Dunham!"
"Yes dear," he said sweetly and fluttering his eyelashes.
"Grrrrrrrr..... You know it infuriates me when you patronize me like that!" she objected but his eyes-to-die-for were more than she could resist. She shoved him gently and muttered about how she was going to *get him back* later.
"So... I don't detect any competitive natures here," Bridget said, grinning. "No wonder the two of you have risen to top ranks in your fields. That's going to make one hell of a marriage."
"I hope so" Chelsea smirked, looking Rick up and down cheekily and then ducking to avoid an implied threat of retaliation. "So, where do they keep the tables here? Is there a holosuite?" she asked, going back to the idea of playing Pool.
The group got up from their chairs to have a look around for a pool table, there were none on the ground floor of the box where they had been eating. They made their way up to the next level, but still no tables, Dunham made a quick enquiry with a passing member of staff, who told him they did not have any games like that on the premises, however they were pretty sure they had a holodeck programme for it.
"Fine, lets take a session in the holodeck then.... is one free?" Chelsea asked.
The member of staff nodded and directed them to Suite 3. They set it up and entered, taking their drinks in with them.
"I wonder who our fourth is," Bridget asked.
"I am," replied a male voice.
Bridget looked left, toward the voice. Her jaw dropped. "Don Ameche?" She didn't even know the actor from the middle 20th century had been a pool player, let alone that a hologram of him would have been made for anything except classic movies. Not that she knew much about him at all.
"Pool isn't just for swimming, young lady. Or cocoons, either."
Bridget saw the puzzled looks on Chelsea and Rick's faces and commiserated. "Is this wierd or what? Do you guys know who this is?" She pointed her thumb in Ameche's direction.
"No, I'm very sorry.... " Chelsea addresses the *No* part to Bridget and the apology to the hologram.
The man was dark with handsome latin looks, perhaps in his late 50s, Chelsea wasn't a very good judge of age just by looking at the person's features. Terrans age so very differently on both the outside and the inside. A person's character could be *old before their time* or sometimes their bodies could be more frail and afflicted than one might expect of their actual years.
Suddenly realizing she was scrutinizing the man too closely for politeness, Chelsea blushed. "Sorry, curse of being medical by profession.... " she muttered, excusing herself.
Rick snapped his fingers and grinned like a child when he finally figured out who the man was. "Cocoon: The Return 1988..." he looked almost awestruck, "brilliant...bloody...brilliant..."
Ameche's dark, pencil-thin mustache twitched in amusement. "At your service," he replied with a theatrical bow. When he straightened up, he approached Chelsea. "My, what a ravishing creature you are. I must have your name, so that my dreams will know what to call you. 'Angel' just doesn't seem to come close."
"Oh, that's okay, Angel works for me," Chelsea pretended to preen. "But Rick calls me Nuisance," she added, returning to a more reasonable modesty.
"As you wish, Angel-Nuisance." Ameche's stunning smile lit up his handsome face and infected those around him into smiles, too. He kissed her hand and let it go, making a big drama of it so that it looked as if he could hardly bear to be parted from her.
Then, as quickly as it had begun, his alleged *dreams* of Chelsea were transferred.
"And now, my heart's desire. My Rose to make all other blooms wilt with jealousy. My own beautiful Rosa..... What should I whisper to you when we are alone in my dreams?" he asked Bridget, dropping into an equally deep and exaggerated bow in front of her, taking her fingertips in his and kissing each of them in turn.
Unsure how to react, Bridget's default was to burst into laughter. The absurdity of the situation! "I'm sorry," she said to the shocked and hurt expression on holo-Ameche's face. This program was good! Cheezy... but good. A chuckle still tinged her voice as she continued. "I'm happily married, and she soon will be," Bridget pointed at Chelsea. "...to him." She moved her pointed finger in Rick's direction.
Don Ameche's head hung. "Tis my luck, that the two most ravishing women in the universe have already been claimed by another." He gave a dramatic sigh as he turned on his heel and headed toward the rack of pool cues, dragging each foot slowly behind the other as he walked.
"Ah well," his voice perked up as he turned, holding out a second cue in his other hand. "My dears? Angel? And...." his eyebrow inquired of Bridget.
"Bridget," she said, and motioned with her hand for Chelsea to take the cue, in deference, while she passed Ameche to the rack of cues to choose one.
Chelsea took the cue with a "Thank you" to Bridget and a nod to Ameche. Then she looked at Rick and decided to offer him the cue, passing the deference across.
"Are we playing as tag teams? Or two separate games?" 'Nuisance' asked.
"Tags" said Rick as he polished the tip of his que with a chalk cube. Chelsea made the break and the game was on. Chelsea was much better than Rick at this game, her skill showing prominence between the couple, however Bridget showed up both of them, with her expert skills at eight ball pool. There where laughs and giggles from all, as they cleared away the balls from the table.
Off:
Cmdr. Chelsea Adams
CMO & 2CO - DS5
and
CAG Squadron Leader
Lieutenant Commander Richard Dunham
and
Ensign Bridget Stapleton
Doctor (General Practice) - DS5