About Our Mutual Friend

Posted on Sun Jul 28th, 2019 @ 9:39pm by Lieutenant Aleksander Voroshilov & Ashe Zachariah

Mission: War and Peacekeeping
Location: The Raging Deity

Tebiza walked into the lounge, unsuccessful in dragging her boss along with her for a drink. She could only stand him in his analyst's trance for so long before it kind of weirded her out. Regardless of whether he was going to get a drink, she needed a double. Taking a seat at the far end of the bar she spotted the bartender, a rather delicious rainbow haired woman, giving her a smile. Perhaps there was a way she could turn this night around.

Ashe was a little more tired than she usually was, thanks in large part to a surprising lack of sleep of late, but still she smiled as she engaged each of her customers, serving drinks and making jokes. Finally she reached Tebiza, offering an easy smile. "Sorry about the wait," she said brightly. "It's been a busy night. What can I get for you?"

"No complaints, we're all a little busy. At least the view was nice," She tapped on the bar, looking around at her wares, "Something strong if you have it, something pleasant if you don't."

"Give me a minute, I know exactly what you want," she said with a smile, disappearing into the back to a large freezer that she shared with the kitchen before returning, setting two frozen shot glasses on the counter between them and pouring out two measures of vodka so thick it could almost have been described as a syrup. "Why not something strong AND pleasant," she said with a wink.

The Bajoran took the glass, looking at the liquid before smiling at the woman, "Just the way I like it," Since being on board she found exactly one person with any sort of sense, and at this moment that person was losing any sense of reality. She was hoping with enough alcohol in her she could be in a similar state, "To a relatively smooth departure."

Picking up the second shot glass, Ashe held it up momentarily. "May it continue as smooth as it has started."

Yellow lights started flashing as the overtly cheery voice called Yellow Alert, "I take that as a sign it won't be," Tebiza laughed, downing the shot quickly. Setting it the counter she shrugged, "Not really anything we can do right now."

"Well, you know what they say right?" Ashe replied with a laugh as she refilled the shot glass. "Tomorrow we go to war, but tonight we drink!" She held up her first glass, giving Tebiza a wink. "Salute," she said before tipping her head back, finishing the shot of vodka and setting the glass back down on the bar, noticing the people that were starting to look around anxiously. "It's alright, you can relax," she called cheerfully. "It's just a yellow alert, there's nothing immediately wrong. You can finish your drinks, finish your meals, for the love of the deities don't offend the new chef!"

"He's that bad?" Tebiza realized that any chance of seeing Aleksi walk through that door was zero. It could be worse, she could be getting the call to leave the bar. Still, she couldn't help but look at the door.

"He's a Klingon who takes his craft quite seriously from what I've heard,' Ashe said with a smile between serving other customers. "Waiting for someone?" she asked curiously, watching the other woman glancing toward the door repeatedly. "Must be someone important if you're this antsy about seeing him."

"Klingon's are proud creatures for sure," Tebiza chuckled, turning back to look at her, "It's a friend of mine, he's a bit of a wreck at the moment and this," She pointed up at the flashing light, "Isn't going to help. What he needs is a drink and sleep, what he's going to do is slowly go out of his mind."

"Well, I can help with the drink," Ashe replied with an easy grin. "I have something here that suits everyone, just get him in. I also have a phaser out back if you think that will help with the sleep component," she said with a wink before moving away momentarily to serve another patron.

"Unfortunately the phaser may only excite him. It'll be a hell of a task to get him here, he has this wonderful little mystery he just needs to solve. A stubborn one he is, surprised he's lived this long," Drumming her fingers on the counter she chuckled, "He did tell me to send his regards to...Ashley? Or maybe it was just Ashe. So perhaps he isn't all that hopeless."

"Ashe?" the woman behind the bar countered, curiosity now obvious on her face. "And exactly who might your friend be?"

"The local vagrant, Aleksander Voroshilov," Tebiza raised her brow, starting to piece things together. Sticking out her hand she smiled, "Nice to meet you Ashe, I'm Tebiza."

"Ah, Aleksi," Ashe took Tebiza's hand. "I should have known that he'd have a slew of female friends trailing around behind him," she said easily.

"I am his inept guardian angel, sent to protect him from himself," Tebiza laughed, winking at Ashe, "Although if you're the kind of trouble he finds himself in I can deal with that."

"You know, I'm thinking that perhaps I'm the one that should be concerned about the kind of trouble I'm going to end up in with him around," Ashe shot back quickly. "So, you're the one that schleps around after him? You'd have all the good stories then," she said with a grin. "What can you tell me?"

"That's a fair concern, he seems to find it easier than most. When I worked as his professional thief we had a few run-ins with the local law," Tebiza leaned in a little, "If you ever want to see something impressive, watch him charm his way out of getting executed on the spot. He even managed to score the key card, though that had to do more with criminal talents. I've always thought his real skills were wasted in uniform, he would make a much better underworld kingpin."

"He does enjoy the finer things when he can get them, legally or otherwise, I'm sure you've experienced it," She had seen the champagne he'd left out to chill, "But deep down he's still a simple guy. I caught up with him when he was...on his vacation in the Klingon Frontier and in his shitty little camp with that rusty Bird of Prey was the happiest I've ever seen him and even he couldn't fake that. By the way, if you ever get the chance try his braised Targ."

She lowered her voice a little, trying to keep the next part between them, "The man's immoral, cocksure, paranoid, and is not a fan of authority. He's honest though, charming to a fault, and likely the best friend you could have if you manage to earn his trust. Don't ask me how that part works, I'm still trying to figure that out. As for how he is as a lover," Tebiza's voice was a bit louder than she intended, "No idea on that one either, out off all the illegal things I did for him, prostitution was not one of desired options. He was actually quite the gentleman when the conversation strayed towards that subject."

Ashe laughed, stepping away with a shake of her head for a moment to serve again before returning to Tebiza. "Honestly, I was surprised at exactly how gentlemanly he was, I expected him to be much more Rogueish, I guess first impressions can be... misguided... sometimes." She smiled, refilling the other woman's glass with the vodka. "Though, honestly, I'll give the braised Targ a miss. I spent 6 months running a bar on a Klingon Freighter. I've had enough Targ and Gagh to last me a life time!"

Really? He must like you then,” The Bajoran to the vodka glass in hand, “He’s more complicated than he lets on, usually out of choice. Don’t get me wrong he isn’t a wounded little boy wearing a suit of bravado that cynical attitude and general distaste for authority are all authentic but like the rest of us he has his weaknesses. Apparently his involve rainbow haired women who can see through his bullshit,” Taking a sip of the vodka she smirked, "I suppose that's not surprising, he always loved a good challenge. How was your evening with the agent of chaos?”

"It was more an early breakfast after a long day," Ashe replied with a hint of a smile. "Crepes, caviar and champagne, oh, he definitely tried to impress."

"Oh please tell me you had a moonlit walk," This was a side of the man she hadn't heard before, "It sounds oh so...decadent."

"No, not as such, but there was a starlit stroll through an otherwise empty observation deck," Ashe said, her smile growing a little. "He was very sweet, very charming, and trying very hard to impress me." Her smile became a grin. "And just between you and I, he totally did."

"It'll be our little secret," Tebiza grinned in return, enjoying hearing about this side of Aleksi. Something to tease him about later. She took up her vodka, "To dangerous days and starlit nights."

Pouring herself another half shot of the vodka, Ashe smiled. "To all things yellow... be they alerts or stars," she replied, holding her glass up momentarily.

Tebiza tapped her glass against Ashe's, just in time for the shot to be snatched out of her hand. Aleksi took a seat next to her, downing the shot. His face read a mix of irritation and fatigue, "Sorry for being late, principal called a few of us in," The statement may have been for the Bajoran, but his smile was for Ashe, "Someone was naughty, sadly it wasn't any of us."

"Yes, I'm sure that's what you always say," Ashe replied with a roll of her eyes as she retrieved another glass and set it down in front of Tebiza. "Your friend here was just telling me all about you," Ashe said with a wink in Tebiza's direction. "I must say, she has some very interesting insights..." with that Ashe moved away to tend to the two patrons who had just come up to the bar to be served.

"Oh?" Aleksi looked over at Tebiza, a smirk on his face. He could use a bit of light banter, "I hope you only mentioned my good qualities."

"You don't have any," Tebiza raised a brow, a practiced look of frustration on her face, Downing the shot, she watched as Aleksi topped off all three glasses. She did want to say that he was doing good work, but she didn't want him to rest on his laurels, "Except talking your way out of shit, you're good at that."

"I'll drink to that," He was a bit more curious about what Ashe said to his crewman but knew better than to ask. Women tended to keep the secrets of other women and he knew better than most how much Tebiza could keep secret.

The Bajoran laughed a little, taking up her glass, "You'll drink to most things."

"But that's what makes him so much fun," Ashe replied with a smile as she returned. "So what are we drinking to?"

Aleksi looked at the Bajoran with a smirk before he turned to Ashe, raising his glass, "My silver tongue and your dazzling smile I believe."

Tebiza shook her head, mouthing the word charmer to the barkeep. Raising her glass she added, "And let's not forget my radiant personality."

"So what's going on up there?" Ashe asked, turning her attention toward Aleksi. "That's the worst part about being a civilian, no one ever tells us anything."

"You're about to get busier," He downed the shot, "The Zendaya has experience some sort of catastrophic failure and we're going to pick up the other delegation. The Chief will be down here soon to talk about adding additional security to the Deity," A smirk crossed his face, "It's going to be a busy couple of days and if we aren't careful we could turn the situation from bad to worse. It's going to be fun."

"Sounds like fun," Ashe replied with a grin. "It's been a while since I had a decent bar fight!"

"Hopefully they won't disappoint," He chuckled, not so secretly hoping for the same thing, "So long as there aren't any murders or diplomatic faux pas, ours or theirs, I think it'll just be uncomfortable, which is always my favorite situation to put people in. Well," He winked at Ashe, "Most people anyways."

Tebiza took the opportunity to quietly leave the adults to their business. Tomorrow was likely going to be a long day and unlike the half-demon, who was staring into Ashe's baby blues, she needed her full eight. She couldn't be the guardian angel if she was only half coherent.

"Any plans later?" Ashe asked with a smile as she leaned forward on the bar, looking across at him. "If you're still up and about, want to walk me back to my quarters when I close up? It's an awful big ship, I might get lost on my way if you don't."

"I think my schedule just cleared up," He could put his little mystery on hold, especially if it was for the woman across from him. Placing his hand on hers he smiled, "And we can't have you getting lost. Who else am I supposed to have long walks and share contraband with?"

"I told you, flattery gets you everywhere," Ashe said with a smile. "I need to get back to work, I'll see you at midnight?"

"Since I can't trick you it's the only thing I have. I certainly can't serenade you," Standing up his mind was abuzz with ideas on what next to surprise her with, "I'll be on time, I can even help toss the stragglers out."