At one table ...
"You could set a chronometer to it. Every fifth day, assuming she's not on a mission; she sits there and stares into space, literally." The bartender finished answering the question to the patrons who were taking turns looking over shoulders to look at their Captain.
A male Benzite Ensign cocked his head to the side. "Do you know why?"
The Human server shrugged as he placed the last drink on the bar. "She's a private person if you can't tell, but scuttlebutt is she's got some demons for something that happened on a rescue mission against some Orion slave traders a few months past."
The Betazoid at the bar looked at Kathryn over her shoulders again and then shook her head. "Was it successful? I remember hearing about that mission. I really shouldn't be prying, and I'm not a counselor, yet I don't need to sense there is a sadness about her."
The server looked at the Lieutenant. "I'm not sure. I've only ever heard her speak with confidence and strength, like a Captain should in my opinion. If you think she is sad, then we should play poker one night. I need to go, but I wouldn't call it sadness ... more like regret."
At one table ...
"You go ask her."
The Tellarite was frustrated. "No, you go her!"
The other used his hands as a signal to lower voices. "Damn it, come on and help me out a little!"
Frustration subsided at her Human friend's attempt to keep their conversation from spilling onto other tables and sighed. "I meet her for bridge repairs. If you want love, ask her for it. You not need my help."
Her friend looked shocked, "Who said anything about love? All I'm saying is that I've heard rumors she is lonely and available. Look at her. She's smart, beautiful, tall, sexy ... everything a man could want!" He looked over his shoulder to the burgundy haired woman staring out the viewport.
Rolling her eyes, the Tellarite shook her head and grabbed a fork to stab at the food on her plate.
The man wrung his hands together nervously. "I mean, she's a woman, I'm a man. What could go wrong?"
"She Captain, you not," the Tellarite said with a mouthful of food.
His shoulders fell and he sighed.
At one table ...
The female Andorian looked at the Trill and Klingon. "I'm telling you this so we can stop discussing it. They dated in the Academy. It was a serious relationship the way she talked about it but she ended it when he proposed to her. I don't know why she did that and she hasn't talked about it to me since."
The Klingon security officer crossed his arms and frowned. "It is really none of our business and dishonorable to gossip about a superior officer."
Looking down as if personally shamed by the comment, the Trill Science Chief reached for her drink. "I didn't mean to impose. It's just ... she's not the most affable person to work with."
The Klingon half-whispered, "I disagree. She gets the job done and very efficiently. She has a warrior's spirit."
The Andorian nodded, "I agree with that at least. I'm probably her only real friend on the boat and I assure you, spend enough time with her and you'll see her bite is worse than her bark."
"Are you sure you said that right?"
Looking at the Trill, she responded, "About being the Captain's only friend? To be honest, I really don't know."
"No, I ... oh, nevermind."
At one table ...
"Are you serious?!" The Security officer put down his drink at the resolution to the story.
"As a heart attack!" The Chief of Security smiled as he rejoiced in the surprised look on the other three officer’s faces. "Don't cross her path, she has a heart of stone."
Another officer whistled a note as he recovered from the tale. "I can't believe she ignored Liberation Protocols."
The Chief nodded and took a sip from his drink. "Neither did I until the XO told me about her being a slave."
The third officer smirked. "Makes you wonder what kind of slave she was. Orion women are -"
"Hey!" The Chief pounded the table and looked around as nearby patrons looked at him. He waited for them to get back to their conversations before he turned his gaze to the members at his table. "Stow that talk, right here and now. She's not like that at all and she deserves more respect. Besides, she not Orion you jackass."
"Okay, okay, sorry Chief."
The first recovered from his commander’s defense. "I thought you didn't like the Captain?"
"Have you ever heard me actually say anything like that? You three know she pulled each of us out of some very tight situations over the past year. Remember that assault on Mallory's World? We'd all be dead if it wasn't for her single-handed defense at the crash site." The other three nodded as they recalled the scene. "I've stopped caring what she's gone through before Starfleet, and I'm proud she's Captain of this ship."
The Chief looked over his shoulder to the woman in the corner of the room. Without looking away he said, "I know she has some demons, but I think they fuel her to be the officer she is." He looked into his drink, took a sip and then looked to each of his comrades. "If I hear any rumors about her past coming from anyone on my team, they'll have to answer to me and you can spread that around."
At her table ...
The streaks of light had no pattern and that helped Kathryn's storm of thoughts find order and calm. The aroma from the Kanar in her glass soothed her muscles while the liquid warmed her core. The Excelsior-class ship was massive compared to her previous commands. It wasn't the largest ship in the fleet but it was plenty big for her. She considered the officer reports she had finished reading prior to coming down to Headsail Lounge and made some decisions, then prepared some phrases she would use to various persons she would be having meetings with over the next few hours.
When she looked toward the room, she caught the eyes of various persons. Some were too far away to discern if they were really looking at her or at least toward her direction. the Lounge was busier than when she entered the room and it started to feel crowded.
---
Cast:
Kathryn Beringer - Rachel Nichols
At first table -
Server - Clifton Kaea
Benzite - Dirput
Betazoid - Lyesaza Hipas
At second table -
Travis Mechols - Freddie Prinze Jr
Tellarite - Nudsa
At third table -
Anthi Ythysi - Katheryn Winnick
Omazei - Gemma Arterton
Bur'ar - David Ramsey
At fourth table -
Karl Melango - Jeremy Renner
Security Officer 1 with Karl - Ernesto Dobias
Security Officer 2 with Karl - Leroy Mallar
Security Officer 3 with Karl - Evan Hollister
(Names with no links are true Duty Officers on board Solaris)
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