Things Past – Serving Fate's Purpose?
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin
Post Details
ON:
Chief Petty Officer Jenna Minton was genetically half-vulcan but her friends wouldn't have said you could tell this, because contrary to the ultimate logic and control reputed of that race, Jen was much closer to the reputed characteristics of her human father from whom she had also inherited classic blonde Terran looks.
Her only concession to a literal *tip* to her mother's outwardly visible genetics were her pointed ears. Even her eyes were classic to the *blonde* look as they were deep cornflower blue and nothing like her mother's deep, dark brown orbs.
There was normally little to attribute to the maternal side in her characteristics either. Usually bubbly and fun to be with, little of the seriousness or depth of the template Vulcan was part of how people viewed Jenna. However, lately, nursing a broken heart and betrayal from a woman she had thought to be her friend, Jen was finally exhibiting some seriousness and introversion that hadn't been obvious before.
Entering the Box of Delights to deliver some administrative padds for the annual safety inspection and licensing, the Administrative Clerk looked around for the owner or someone in charge to entrust the electronic *documentation* to.
Her large, blue, soulful eyes took in the surroundings with a wistful air of someone who used to like places like these.
"You'll be waiting a while." The speaker turned on his bar stool, and gave her a sympathetic smile. "They're run off their feet tonight."
For a moment Jenna thought he might be staff, the man was certainly handsome enough, all dark eyes and high cheekbones and hair hanging past his shoulders. But he wasn't dressed like the staff. His pants were leather yes, but comfortable, not indecently tight, and he wasn't wearing anything that would show his chest or highlight what was undoubtedly a six pack. He looked like a good-looking man who just wanted a drink, and not a piece of eyecandy for consumption along with the cocktails.
"Oh, thanks" she replied, her cheeks pinkening as she dipped her eyes to hide the instinctive response of her pheromones. This one was exactly what she would have asked for if she had been granted a *wish list* for her ideal man. She hoped he wasn't empathic or she was sure he would be able to read her like a book. Actually, if he read body language, the way she had just *opened up like a flower blooming* would have told him as much without needing words or telepathy. She did everything she could to douse the fantasies that had just woven themselves into her mind and flushed deeper as she shifted onto a bar stool to stop her legs from failing to support her.
~Get yourself together woman!!~ her thoughts berated her, shocked at the sudden and all consuming physical reaction she was having. It had been a long time since Jen had felt attraction towards anyone, coddling her hurt after the last relationship she had rushed into had burned her. Jen had told all her friends she was *off men* and had dramatically pledged to *never fall in love again*. It was something of a cross between surprise and dismay that she now found herself so overcome so quickly. She tried her best to pour proverbial *cold water* on her own inner self by reminding herself of past hurts and silently lecturing herself about how it would come across if she didn't contain herself immediately and start thinking straight and talking sensibly.
Nothing much came out for a few, tortuously long seconds and then she managed to force herself to say something along the lines of "well perhaps I should come back later" but which left her as "I should come ..... later.... back... I mean...." ~DAMMIT WOMAN!~ "Sorry. I don't know why that didn't come out right.... I think I've been working too hard. It's been a long day and it's late and I've not been sleeping well.... and..." ~STOP with the excuses, ENOUGH already.~
She sighed, smiled with a resigned sort of lopsided grin/grimace and started again. "Look, I'm just digging myself in deeper here aren't I? You don't happen to have a spade you could lend me to finish this hole I'm now sitting in?"
"No, but I think there's one on the menu." He pushed the stool next to him out with a foot and signalled to the barman, "Top me up, and a risian maitai for the lady."
"Thanks" Jen said, settling on the stool. "I'm technically on duty but then again, I'm late to sign off. I was just going to finish this one delivery and then go. So I guess it's okay if I log out remotely." she thought out loud, marking the Padd she had carried in to show she had abandoned the task.
"Are you new to DS5?" she asked, trying to sound casually interested whilst thinking to herself. ~I can't imagine that even in a crowded place like this I would have missed someone like you!~
She took a sip of the drink, licked her lips appreciatively of the smooth, delicious taste and muttered. "mmmmmm. Not bad!" mirroring the thought as she spoke. "I mean good choice.... this drink.... thanks!" ~Damn that spade again!~
"I've been to busy to avail myself of the facilities before now." he replied. "But as they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
"I don't think you're the type to ever be dull but it could be too soon to assume that." Jen shot him a quick mischievous glance, her initial shyness at her first reaction beginning to subside a little with the help of the drink he had bought her.
He grinned back. "Oh some of the things I do are very tedious." He turned towards her slightly. "But it has its compensations..."
"Seriously? How so?" she asked, wondering how 'very tedious' could have an up-side.
"Well, I think I'm talking to one right now."
Jen blushed again and she felt it but could do nothing to stop it.
"Dammit!" she grinned lopsidedly. "How do you DO that?! Why can't I have a civilised conversation with you without blushing like a 15 year old?" she asked rhetorically as her eyes ducked his again to avoid another rush of blood to more places than just her cheeks.
"by outrageous flattery." He admitted. "And it works. So answer me this question, Miss Minton. What should we do with the rest of the night?"
"Let's eat, drink, dance and see what happens?" she said a lot more bravely than she was expecting. This drink was good stuff, clearly. "Do you want to eat here?"
"I'm planning on eating later. And since we've already managed drinking, shall we move to items three and four?" He held out a hand. "The night awaits..."
Jenna took his outstretched hand and the touch of his fingers as they curled around hers made her flutter even more. They moved up the short flight of open stairs to the dance floor above the bar, to the left and a mezanine up from the dabo tables to the right and rear.
It was early and the Bolian in charge of the entertainment was asking for requests for the music.
Jenna loved dancing. "What shall we ask for? Something fast and catchy?" she suggested, not yet feeling confident enough to move straight to slow and romantic.
"I can think of something to get the blood pumping." He caught the bolina's eye. Jenna didn't see what passed between them, but the music changed sharply, a rythmic arrangement of violens and other instruments. With a sharp tug, he pulled Jenna in close, settling her hands on his waist and shoulder. In time with the beat he stamped his heel down on the floor, sounding like a whip crack in the uncrowoded dance room. "let yourself go, and follow me."
Jenna did exactly that and before long she had allowed herself to be led into a whirlwind of exciting dancing that drew a crowd of watching enthusiasts who cheered them on and then eventually became swept up into the rhythm and passion of the frenetic activity. It soon became the kind of night that she never wanted to end. She was having so much fun and she was so entranced by the mysterious, fascinating, sexy stranger that she was sure this night would stay in her memory for the rest of her life.
Sadly however, despite the stamina and staying power they both displayed, broken only by short rests to snatch more drinks and a few quick words, shouted over the throbbing, loud music, the night finally *did* end and she woke the next morning with a headache that was still thumping to the same loud beat, only minus the music.
Jen groaned and rolled over, unsure at first where she was or why she couldn't remember what had happened last night. Ironic, she would later realise, given that she had believed this night was unforgettable. By the time she recovered enough to roll out of bed and stagger around her room unsteadily, Jenna was beginning to think she'd been run over by a wild herd of Valarian Stegahogs. Her head was still pounding, her legs ached... come to think of it.. EVERY muscle in her body ached. She got into the sonic shower which eased her muscles but she was surprised to notice the bruises across her torso and down her thighs. She looked at her aching back in the mirror and saw more bruising across her shoulders and down under her ribs. "What the Hell?" she thought.
She thought very briefly about asking the computer to locate the man she had been with but she realised she didn't remember his name. Had he actually told it to her? Or had the haze of revenge, brought down on her by the 'Oh God of Hangovers', wiped it away?
Deciding that she'd never see him again and that she'd been a fool to have got herself involved in...... what exactly? And where did these bruises come from? - that latter question was the first one that Chelsea Dunham asked as soon as the nurse attending Jenna when she went to Sickbay for some regenerative relief later that morning, once her head stopped spinning and her nausea cleared up.
"I honestly have NO idea!" Jen looked sheepishly down at the floor. "I went dancing and I got drunk.... obviously... but i have no idea what actually happened after that...." she reddened with embarrassment at how that sounded.
"Does whoever you were with have any ideas?" Chelsea asked as she stood with her arms crossed while the nurse did a regeneration job on the larger contusions and a overview check up to see if there were any internal injuries or other signs that she didn't explain but which included an ultra-scan and the logging of the checklist queries that were normally applied in the case of assault or worse.
"I don't know who he was." Jen began to sink into the chair. "This sounds SO bad doesn't it?" she muttered, dropping her head. "But I know I'll never see him again. I can't imagine a man like that would ever come back."
"I should bloody hope not!!" Chelsea answered, with an uncharacteristically sharp tone. Noticing the way Jenna winced at the tone of that remark, Chelsea softened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound angry with you, Jen. I was thinking I should ask Lieutenant Duquesne to keep an eye out for him and get you to do a sketch so he can make sure no other lovely young women come to the same fate!" she explained.
Jen winced again. She couldn't understand why she didn't feel comfortable agreeing with that summary of the situation but she couldn't admit out loud that if he *did* come back, the last place she'd want to see him go would be to the Brig. "But there's no evidence that it was him who put these all over me... perhaps I managed to do them to myself somehow... you know, like if I fell or stuff....?" Jen looked at Chelsea questioningly.
The nurse shook her head as if in answer and Chelsea raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Was he *that* nice?" she asked, pinning another of the questions Jen had been asking herself. "I...... I think so...... " Jen answered meekly, her colour rising again.
"You're an adult Jenna and I'm not your mother although right now, I do kinda *feel* that way. Just take care, tell someone where you're going and make sure you're not in any danger..... take your comm badge so you can call for help and don't drink *quite* so much when you're with someone you don't know if you can trust..... Does that make sense?" she asked, feeling guilty to be lecturing her friend this way but it was instinctive when she cared for her and didn't want to see her back with possibly worse injuries next time.
"Yes, of course it does, and I know you're telling me this because you care about me... " Jen replied quietly.
"Damn straight!" Chelsea declared with feeling and left Jen to the nurse's tender care, muttering about how some men were animals and going off to write a Supplemental Log for Jenna's file.
Jen left the Sickbay quite a bit later and returned to her quarters sadly but more comfortably with her superficial injuries fixed and her aching muscles beginning to return to their protests. "I need a hot bath....." she muttered to herself as her door closed behind her and she threw off her top onto the sofa, trailing more clothes as she progressed to the bathroom completely lost in thought and unaware of anything around her, so unexpected it was to her that anyone might be there.
A hand slammed against the shower door, smashing it back against the bulkhead. It left a bloody smear on the frosted glass. "Jenna!" the man from night before slumped against the shower splashback, one hand clutching his raggedly cut throat. His front was soaked with blood. He strained to reach for her, and died.
tbc........
A JP Between:
CPO Jenna Minton
Administrative Clerk
(NPC - jools )
&
Mystery Man
(NPC by Notty)
by Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin
Post Details
| Title | Serving Fate's Purpose? | |
| Mission | Things Past | |
| Author(s) | Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin | |
| Posted | Tue Oct 29, 2013 @ 10:07pm | |
| Location | Box Of Delights | |
| Timeline | SD72 20.00 hrs |
Chief Petty Officer Jenna Minton was genetically half-vulcan but her friends wouldn't have said you could tell this, because contrary to the ultimate logic and control reputed of that race, Jen was much closer to the reputed characteristics of her human father from whom she had also inherited classic blonde Terran looks.
Her only concession to a literal *tip* to her mother's outwardly visible genetics were her pointed ears. Even her eyes were classic to the *blonde* look as they were deep cornflower blue and nothing like her mother's deep, dark brown orbs.
There was normally little to attribute to the maternal side in her characteristics either. Usually bubbly and fun to be with, little of the seriousness or depth of the template Vulcan was part of how people viewed Jenna. However, lately, nursing a broken heart and betrayal from a woman she had thought to be her friend, Jen was finally exhibiting some seriousness and introversion that hadn't been obvious before.
Entering the Box of Delights to deliver some administrative padds for the annual safety inspection and licensing, the Administrative Clerk looked around for the owner or someone in charge to entrust the electronic *documentation* to.
Her large, blue, soulful eyes took in the surroundings with a wistful air of someone who used to like places like these.
"You'll be waiting a while." The speaker turned on his bar stool, and gave her a sympathetic smile. "They're run off their feet tonight."
For a moment Jenna thought he might be staff, the man was certainly handsome enough, all dark eyes and high cheekbones and hair hanging past his shoulders. But he wasn't dressed like the staff. His pants were leather yes, but comfortable, not indecently tight, and he wasn't wearing anything that would show his chest or highlight what was undoubtedly a six pack. He looked like a good-looking man who just wanted a drink, and not a piece of eyecandy for consumption along with the cocktails.
"Oh, thanks" she replied, her cheeks pinkening as she dipped her eyes to hide the instinctive response of her pheromones. This one was exactly what she would have asked for if she had been granted a *wish list* for her ideal man. She hoped he wasn't empathic or she was sure he would be able to read her like a book. Actually, if he read body language, the way she had just *opened up like a flower blooming* would have told him as much without needing words or telepathy. She did everything she could to douse the fantasies that had just woven themselves into her mind and flushed deeper as she shifted onto a bar stool to stop her legs from failing to support her.
~Get yourself together woman!!~ her thoughts berated her, shocked at the sudden and all consuming physical reaction she was having. It had been a long time since Jen had felt attraction towards anyone, coddling her hurt after the last relationship she had rushed into had burned her. Jen had told all her friends she was *off men* and had dramatically pledged to *never fall in love again*. It was something of a cross between surprise and dismay that she now found herself so overcome so quickly. She tried her best to pour proverbial *cold water* on her own inner self by reminding herself of past hurts and silently lecturing herself about how it would come across if she didn't contain herself immediately and start thinking straight and talking sensibly.
Nothing much came out for a few, tortuously long seconds and then she managed to force herself to say something along the lines of "well perhaps I should come back later" but which left her as "I should come ..... later.... back... I mean...." ~DAMMIT WOMAN!~ "Sorry. I don't know why that didn't come out right.... I think I've been working too hard. It's been a long day and it's late and I've not been sleeping well.... and..." ~STOP with the excuses, ENOUGH already.~
She sighed, smiled with a resigned sort of lopsided grin/grimace and started again. "Look, I'm just digging myself in deeper here aren't I? You don't happen to have a spade you could lend me to finish this hole I'm now sitting in?"
"No, but I think there's one on the menu." He pushed the stool next to him out with a foot and signalled to the barman, "Top me up, and a risian maitai for the lady."
"Thanks" Jen said, settling on the stool. "I'm technically on duty but then again, I'm late to sign off. I was just going to finish this one delivery and then go. So I guess it's okay if I log out remotely." she thought out loud, marking the Padd she had carried in to show she had abandoned the task.
"Are you new to DS5?" she asked, trying to sound casually interested whilst thinking to herself. ~I can't imagine that even in a crowded place like this I would have missed someone like you!~
She took a sip of the drink, licked her lips appreciatively of the smooth, delicious taste and muttered. "mmmmmm. Not bad!" mirroring the thought as she spoke. "I mean good choice.... this drink.... thanks!" ~Damn that spade again!~
"I've been to busy to avail myself of the facilities before now." he replied. "But as they say, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."
"I don't think you're the type to ever be dull but it could be too soon to assume that." Jen shot him a quick mischievous glance, her initial shyness at her first reaction beginning to subside a little with the help of the drink he had bought her.
He grinned back. "Oh some of the things I do are very tedious." He turned towards her slightly. "But it has its compensations..."
"Seriously? How so?" she asked, wondering how 'very tedious' could have an up-side.
"Well, I think I'm talking to one right now."
Jen blushed again and she felt it but could do nothing to stop it.
"Dammit!" she grinned lopsidedly. "How do you DO that?! Why can't I have a civilised conversation with you without blushing like a 15 year old?" she asked rhetorically as her eyes ducked his again to avoid another rush of blood to more places than just her cheeks.
"by outrageous flattery." He admitted. "And it works. So answer me this question, Miss Minton. What should we do with the rest of the night?"
"Let's eat, drink, dance and see what happens?" she said a lot more bravely than she was expecting. This drink was good stuff, clearly. "Do you want to eat here?"
"I'm planning on eating later. And since we've already managed drinking, shall we move to items three and four?" He held out a hand. "The night awaits..."
Jenna took his outstretched hand and the touch of his fingers as they curled around hers made her flutter even more. They moved up the short flight of open stairs to the dance floor above the bar, to the left and a mezanine up from the dabo tables to the right and rear.
It was early and the Bolian in charge of the entertainment was asking for requests for the music.
Jenna loved dancing. "What shall we ask for? Something fast and catchy?" she suggested, not yet feeling confident enough to move straight to slow and romantic.
"I can think of something to get the blood pumping." He caught the bolina's eye. Jenna didn't see what passed between them, but the music changed sharply, a rythmic arrangement of violens and other instruments. With a sharp tug, he pulled Jenna in close, settling her hands on his waist and shoulder. In time with the beat he stamped his heel down on the floor, sounding like a whip crack in the uncrowoded dance room. "let yourself go, and follow me."
Jenna did exactly that and before long she had allowed herself to be led into a whirlwind of exciting dancing that drew a crowd of watching enthusiasts who cheered them on and then eventually became swept up into the rhythm and passion of the frenetic activity. It soon became the kind of night that she never wanted to end. She was having so much fun and she was so entranced by the mysterious, fascinating, sexy stranger that she was sure this night would stay in her memory for the rest of her life.
Sadly however, despite the stamina and staying power they both displayed, broken only by short rests to snatch more drinks and a few quick words, shouted over the throbbing, loud music, the night finally *did* end and she woke the next morning with a headache that was still thumping to the same loud beat, only minus the music.
Jen groaned and rolled over, unsure at first where she was or why she couldn't remember what had happened last night. Ironic, she would later realise, given that she had believed this night was unforgettable. By the time she recovered enough to roll out of bed and stagger around her room unsteadily, Jenna was beginning to think she'd been run over by a wild herd of Valarian Stegahogs. Her head was still pounding, her legs ached... come to think of it.. EVERY muscle in her body ached. She got into the sonic shower which eased her muscles but she was surprised to notice the bruises across her torso and down her thighs. She looked at her aching back in the mirror and saw more bruising across her shoulders and down under her ribs. "What the Hell?" she thought.
She thought very briefly about asking the computer to locate the man she had been with but she realised she didn't remember his name. Had he actually told it to her? Or had the haze of revenge, brought down on her by the 'Oh God of Hangovers', wiped it away?
Deciding that she'd never see him again and that she'd been a fool to have got herself involved in...... what exactly? And where did these bruises come from? - that latter question was the first one that Chelsea Dunham asked as soon as the nurse attending Jenna when she went to Sickbay for some regenerative relief later that morning, once her head stopped spinning and her nausea cleared up.
"I honestly have NO idea!" Jen looked sheepishly down at the floor. "I went dancing and I got drunk.... obviously... but i have no idea what actually happened after that...." she reddened with embarrassment at how that sounded.
"Does whoever you were with have any ideas?" Chelsea asked as she stood with her arms crossed while the nurse did a regeneration job on the larger contusions and a overview check up to see if there were any internal injuries or other signs that she didn't explain but which included an ultra-scan and the logging of the checklist queries that were normally applied in the case of assault or worse.
"I don't know who he was." Jen began to sink into the chair. "This sounds SO bad doesn't it?" she muttered, dropping her head. "But I know I'll never see him again. I can't imagine a man like that would ever come back."
"I should bloody hope not!!" Chelsea answered, with an uncharacteristically sharp tone. Noticing the way Jenna winced at the tone of that remark, Chelsea softened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound angry with you, Jen. I was thinking I should ask Lieutenant Duquesne to keep an eye out for him and get you to do a sketch so he can make sure no other lovely young women come to the same fate!" she explained.
Jen winced again. She couldn't understand why she didn't feel comfortable agreeing with that summary of the situation but she couldn't admit out loud that if he *did* come back, the last place she'd want to see him go would be to the Brig. "But there's no evidence that it was him who put these all over me... perhaps I managed to do them to myself somehow... you know, like if I fell or stuff....?" Jen looked at Chelsea questioningly.
The nurse shook her head as if in answer and Chelsea raised an eyebrow sceptically. "Was he *that* nice?" she asked, pinning another of the questions Jen had been asking herself. "I...... I think so...... " Jen answered meekly, her colour rising again.
"You're an adult Jenna and I'm not your mother although right now, I do kinda *feel* that way. Just take care, tell someone where you're going and make sure you're not in any danger..... take your comm badge so you can call for help and don't drink *quite* so much when you're with someone you don't know if you can trust..... Does that make sense?" she asked, feeling guilty to be lecturing her friend this way but it was instinctive when she cared for her and didn't want to see her back with possibly worse injuries next time.
"Yes, of course it does, and I know you're telling me this because you care about me... " Jen replied quietly.
"Damn straight!" Chelsea declared with feeling and left Jen to the nurse's tender care, muttering about how some men were animals and going off to write a Supplemental Log for Jenna's file.
Jen left the Sickbay quite a bit later and returned to her quarters sadly but more comfortably with her superficial injuries fixed and her aching muscles beginning to return to their protests. "I need a hot bath....." she muttered to herself as her door closed behind her and she threw off her top onto the sofa, trailing more clothes as she progressed to the bathroom completely lost in thought and unaware of anything around her, so unexpected it was to her that anyone might be there.
A hand slammed against the shower door, smashing it back against the bulkhead. It left a bloody smear on the frosted glass. "Jenna!" the man from night before slumped against the shower splashback, one hand clutching his raggedly cut throat. His front was soaked with blood. He strained to reach for her, and died.
tbc........
A JP Between:
CPO Jenna Minton
Administrative Clerk
(NPC - jools )
&
Mystery Man
(NPC by Notty)