People Watching
Posted on Tue Mar 12th, 2024 @ 9:00pm by Lt JG Fenora & Captain Marc Kidd
Edited on on Fri Apr 12th, 2024 @ 12:25am
2,078 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
The Sins of History
Location: The Sidebar Lounge - Deck 5 - USS Artemis
Timeline: MD006 2100 hrs
It took Fenora a good part of the day, but she finally completed her personal check in list. She liked to get it done as soon as possible because she never knew when she'd be asked to work on one assignment or another. She also knew it didn't take much for her to immerse herself in her work and forget things like physicals and evaluations. Even though the captain told her she'd have more free time due to the nature of the ship's assignments, she still needed to complete that list so she could move on to other things.
Her job on the Artemis promised to give her more free time than she had in her life and she wasn't quite sure what to do with it. She had time to explore her options, but after her years studying at various schools and universities where her time was spent in study or exploration, she was temporarily at a loss. She'd do more research and reading, of course, but there would be time for her to try new things and new experiences. Like socializing. She hadn't done much of it for a variety of reasons, and she found it a bit intimidating. She would, she decided, start with buying the captain that drink she promised. After that, well, she'd have to see. There was also that promise of solving murders with the captain on the holodeck--if the captain had any free time. She had to admit, at least to herself, that she was looking forward to it.
After her shift, she went to her quarters to freshen up and change into a pair of snug-fitting charcoal pants and a cobalt blue poet's shirt. Then she ran a comb through her hair and headed for the Sidebar Lounge.
With the ship at warp and in pursuit mode, as he called it, there was not much for him to do. He always fancied himself the Captain who kept his finger on the pulse of his crew. To this end he went to the Sidebar to see what he could hear about the comings and goings of everyone. When he walked in there was many greetings of 'hey Marc' and 'Captain nice to see you out and about.' In due time he arrived at his usual stool. One that was in the corner where the bar met the wall. It allowed him the best view of the room and it had the best acoustics for listening to conversations. He ordered up an Irish racktijino, and began his people watching.
Fen walked into the lounge and took a quick look around to familiarize herself with the layout. It was a nice space with a number of people at the bar and at tables, talking. She spotted the captain in the corner, watching the others in the room. Should she go up and offer to buy him a drink as she said the day before, or just ask the bartender to give him another drink on her? She wasn't quite sure what the protocol was and he didn't look like he was expecting her to follow through on her offer.
Still, she did want to buy him that drink. Or the equivalent. She tucked her hair behind her right ear and headed for the bar. Better to go somewhere than stand there drawing attention to herself. She felt like a first-semester freshman or a cadet, which made no sense. It wasn't her first time in a new environment.
During his people watching Marc noticed Fen's arrival. He figured that she did not know many people on the ship as of yet. So, he signaled that she should join him. It may be nice to have someone to chat with while getting the feel of the crew. Besides he could at the very least introduce her to some of the crew. He knew better than most that they were not there to make friends, simply to do a job. However, having friends always made it easier.
She smiled and walked over to his end of the bar, grateful she didn't have to sit alone. That was the main reason she often avoided the lounge. "Hello, captain"
"Fenora, come join me for a drink. When we are in here it is Marc, the pips are left at the door. Come to see who is out and about?" Marc sipped the scotch that he had as he waived for the bartender to come over. At the moment he was happy for the company. It seemed that the crew that was here was in good spirits despite all that happened around them.
"I figured I should." She took a seat next to him. "It came highly recommended." When the bartender came over, she ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc.
Marc had his scotch refilled. "Yeah a lot of the new ships are being built without bars or lounges. I made sure that the Artemis had one. A crew needs a place to let their hair down and unwind. Especially with what we are dealing with. I like to come down here and just watch. Helps me keep tabs on how the crew is doing."
She raised an eyebrow. "That's surprising. You'd think with all the time we spend on a starship there would always be a place for the crew to relax and socialize." It was the one place everyone was welcome. She glanced around the room. "This looks like the best place to people watch."
"That's why it is my favorite bar stool. It is kept open just for me. Call it Captain's prerogative." Marc laughed at his own joke. "It allows for the perfect blend of Captain's distance, and being one of the gang as it were. I believe Starfleet's view is that there are a number of places on a ship where a crew can unwind and socialize without the synthahol."
Fen nodded. "Very nice." The bartender set her glass in front of her and she smiled her thanks. "Yes, there are a number of places to relax, but not everyone is going to socialize in the gym, or on a holodeck. this is a place to wander in and people watch or join a conversation. It's not the same. I saw a lot of this in school. We could go to libraries or join social clubs, but the local bars were always crowded at night."
"See, you get it. Bars on ships are never crowded, because at any given moment most of the crew is on duty." Marc paused to sip the drink that had now been placed before him. "But I bet you didn't come here to only socialize. Most newcomers come to a place like this not to socialize but to get a feel of the people they will be working with."
She nodded again. She didn't want to come here alone and the pretense of buying the captain a drink gave her a reason to show up. She'd at least know one person. And she did enjoy the captain's company, so she hoped it wouldn't turn into an awkward encounter. She wasn't much of a socializer at the best of times--unless she was talking science or history. But she did feel comfortable around Marc--she had to remind herself they were off-duty--and hoped it would help her feel less awkward the next time she wandered in. "It helps to have a good guide your first time," she replied flashing him a grin.
"Indeed..." Marc began as reply to her remark. "...And if you know what to look for you can see how people try to hide things from the Captain. For example: You see that couple seated by the window. He is in Science and she is from Engineering. He outranks her and they have been a couple for I believe two weeks. However, here they try to hide it. Afraid I would do something because of the fraternization guidelines. Truth is so long as you can do your job without hindrance, I really do not care. Anyway, they don't hide it well if you pay attention to the way they hold hands under the table and maintain eye contact." Marc chuckled to himself for what seemed like no reason and then sipped his drink.
She watched the couple for a moment. "You're right. They're terrible. They even ACT like they're trying to do something covert." She shook her head and took a drink. "I think most captains overlook the old fraternization rules since a ship can be in space for months at a time."
"I would agree with you. However, couples do have to understand there may come a time when one of them is ordered to die. Hell, there may come a time when one of them has to order the other to die. So long as people are ready for that eventuality I am ok with it. Tell me, have you ever been with one under your command?" Marc asked for two reasons. The first was that he was actually curious. The other was to gauge how people may react if the idea of him and Nala ever got out.
"No, but I had to walk away from my home and family and start over on another world," she said. "It's not the same thing, but I've learned to appreciate what I have while I have it."
"Indeed, a loss of another type..." Marc smiled and sipped his tea. Another advantage of where they sat was that they could eavesdrop on others. At the moment there was a group of Ensigns wondering why the Captain was not out with his girlfriend. Marc tried to ignore them and continue his conversation. "...This is the tightrope that we in command have to walk. That of being friend to your crew, but not too close for like the sun they can burn you. But you are right a ship being out for as long as they are you are going to pair up. I often wonder how any work got done back in the five year mission days."
Fen had also heard the discussion and hid a smile. It explained his previous question, although she did wonder if that had been his point. "I imagine it was much the same, although it was probably more difficult to keep a relationship private. I think that keeping it hidden can be more of a problem than just being open about it."
"Perhaps..." He began and used his tea to cover the pause when he began to think about his own relationship. "But a Captain has watch themselves. So, I make sure that the crew does not know much if anything about my private life. It is safer for everyone that way."
She raised an eyebrow. "A laudable goal, but not always practical on a starship. Scuttlebutt is usually pretty accurate."
"You don't know how truthful you are." Marc began with a laugh. "It is almost like High School with all the rumors and innuendo. But tell me what brings you to a bar in the middle of the night? Any particular gossip that you are looking for."
"No. Just escaping my thoughts," she admitted honestly. Then she shrugged. "Sometimes getting lost in a crowd is helpful, as is people watching." She generally kept to herself--or her lab, unless she needed an escape, like tonight. But she was about ready to take a walk around the ship before heading back to her quarters to read.
She finished her drink and set the glass on the bar. "Well, I thank you for the company, and not making me feel like a fish out of water my first time here, but I think I'll leave you to your people watching."
"Enjoy the rest of your evening. My door is always open Fenora." Marc said and then raised his glass in a salute before she left. She has got to be the most un-Vulcan Vulcan that I have ever met. he thought. The one thing that Marc knew right now was that time would reveal exactly how this unique individual would contribute to his life.
A Joint Post By
Captain Marc Kidd
Commanding Officer, USS Artemis
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
Lieutenant JG Fenora
Forensic Anthropologist
Starfleet Criminal Investigations Unit
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