Club Neverwinter Part II
Posted on Mon Oct 14th, 2024 @ 10:08am by Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble & Lieutenant Mira Jayna
Edited on on Mon Oct 14th, 2024 @ 9:35pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 16 - Silent Cries
Location: Club Neverwinter - Promenade Lower Level - Empok Nor
Timeline: MD001 2100 hrs
Neil met her glance and shrugged as their order materialized, filling the air instantly with the smell. His stomach growled as it scented the bread and he picked up one of the slices and bit into it before trying any of the butter that had come with it. "I wouldn't mind getting ground under my feet again. Another camping trip could be fun but I'm not sure we'll have the time. Or we could just lock ourselves away in a visiting officer quarters suite and bar the door."
"While I'd love to go camping again, I think you're right. There's something brewing, but I'm not seeing anything definite on the intel channels. Whatever it is hasn't made a big enough ripple yet." She took a piece of bread and closed her eyes, enjoying the scent for a moment. "However, that visiting officer's quarters sounds perfect. Do we have to use our real names?" She knew they couldn't just disappear, and they'd get any important messages on their personal comms regardless, but it was a nice thought.
Chuckling, Neil replied, "Technically you're supposed to check in. However, it might be possible to get the assignments scrambled. Have to see what the Gunny network says." Glancing at the writhing mass of dancers he gestured, "You sure you don't want to join the masses?"
"I'm not sure I want to know what they're feeling--or taste the music. I was raised Bajoran, but I'm still part Vulcan." She was usually careful about touching most people, and this could give her more information than she wanted. She leaned closer to Neil. "Now, if it was just the two of us, I'd be tempted." She grinned and took a drink of her mead. Switching to his other comment, she added, "I'm fine with checking in and keeping my communicator close. I just don't want anyone dropping by for a visit. At least not for a day or two."
The waitress returned. "Would you like to order appetizers or a meal? The chicken and beef are good. If you like something a little spicier, there's barbecue and eel pie."
After another gawk at the menu, Neil opted for a salad and barbecued eel. The pie looked...disturbing and he wasn't in the mood for disturbing food. Glancing at Jayna, he waited for her to order with an amused look.
"I'll have a salad, too." She looked at the menu. "And potatoes." That had to be a safe option.
As they waited for the food, Neil's eyes flickered toward the crowded club again and he asked, "So. What's it like? Part of what they advertise is sharing an experience akin, sort of, what telepaths experience walking amongst the great unwashed that can't shield their minds. All those stray thoughts and the such?"
"I don't pick up random thoughts, unless I have physical contact. That's why Vulcan's don't shake hands. We get surface thoughts, much likes telepaths. A mind meld is...something else. That's where you can share thoughts and feelings." She paused for a moment. It had been a while since she'd done a mind meld. "It's like the thoughts and feelings are yours, but separate at the same time. It can be quite emotional."
Neil considered, remembering the time...times... he'd had others mucking about in his brain and he took a breath. "Something you're trained for though. What's that got to be like for the uninitiated? We get some training on dealing with mental incursions from telepaths, but its more along the lines of just that. Dealing."
Then he voiced his thoughts, "I don't know. Joining the masses in a shared experience might not have the best outcome. I've experienced bad things..."
Jayna put a hand over his. "I'm not surprised. There are some experiences you don't want open for the general public to experience." She glanced at the room and back to Neil. "That's one reason I don't want to try it. And I don't want to feel what they're thinking and seeing, either. But a mind meld is like..." She paused, considering how to explain it. "If it's done right, it's like slipping into a pool of cool water when it's dark and still." She looked in his eyes for a long moment. "I'll show you, if you want. When we're alone and some place quiet." Then, so she was clear, she added. "I won't go deep, and I won't put up any barriers."
"Probably isn't a bad thing," Neil said, wondering if he was sounded like he was sure of that or trying to convince himself. The worst moments in his life had happened when someone went fishing in his mind. "If you're going in, go in as deep as your instincts tell you to," he said quietly. "I trust you." He said simply.
Her hand tightened over his. "I trust you, too. Remember that I won't keep you out of anything, so you'll get as much as I do." She wanted to be sure he was ready to experience some of her memories as well. "There's too much to get everything, but important or strong memories will surface."
Neil tightened his fingers against hers and considered her eyes and smiled. "Generally, we keep those pretty deep under the surface. Dwelling rarely ever seemed to do me any good, though of course we are but the some of our memories and whatever potential we push ourselves toward." Then he twisted his mouth a little. "Pretty deep conversations for a date night."
"We do get into some interesting conversations." She chuckled. "Okay, no more talk of this now. It's too public, anyway." She had every intention of bringing it up later, though. She could tell, through their clasped hands, that it would help him--but only because those thoughts and emotions were closer to the surface right now. Her eyes met his and was again grateful that he and the others had come back. She felt herself tear up and quickly blinked them away. That was also something best left for the privacy of her quarters. Vulcans were supposed to have better self-control.
The waitress returned just then with their food. She set Jayna's in front of her first, then winked at Neil as she put his plate down. "Enjoy," she said before walking away.
Neil's gaze followed the waitress for a beat then swung back to Jayna's. Picking up a bit of bread he said, "Back in my wilder days I might have mistaken that for an invite."
Jayna glanced at the waitress' back. "It's often hard to tell. But in this case, I hope not, because we are clearly more than acquaintances." She squeezed his hand to emphasize her point, then let go so they could eat. The salad was fresh, with a variety of fruits and vegetables. The potatoes were pan-fried and dusted with spices. "The salad and potatoes are quite good. How is your eel?"
Neil nodded his head and chewed until he finished the mouthful and said, "It's better than I'd hoped. Some sort of citrus BBQ sauce was used to give the eel a sweet smokey flavor with only a trace of the fishiness. Simple and well done." Chuckling he settled back and met her eyes, "Though I think my taste has been mostly fogged from years of eating replicated food and ration packs. I'm glad you liked yours. What would you like to do the rest of the evening?"
She thought for a moment. "I don't know. I picked this place. Why don't you pick where we go next?" She knew she was opening the door for almost anything. The important thing to her was that they did it together.
"How about we wander," Neil suggested as he pushed his plate aside and looked around at the simmering stew that was the dance experience. "Bar hop and tour the Promenade levels. Maybe find some trouble? We can retreat to the VOQ suite we reserved whenever you're tired of the great in-doors."
Jayna watched the dancers for a moment. What was it they reminded her of? A snow globe. One of the old-fashioned ones you shook up and the snow seemed to swirl around before slowly drifting back to the bottom or ground. Only this time it was people who seemed to be swirling around the dance area. She turned her attention back to Neil. "Yes. Let’s wander around a bit.” She hadn’t really looked at the promenade before, and as he said, they had the VOQ.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Battalion Commander, The Cure
Lieutenant Mira Jayna
Intelligence Officer, The Cure
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