Unexpected Encounter

Posted on Sat Nov 5th, 2022 @ 6:34pm by Captain Ivan Petrov & Warrant Officer Ahira Kasamoto
Edited on on Sat Nov 5th, 2022 @ 7:38pm

Mission: In-Between (S1:E3-S1:E4)
Location: Beaux Night Club(Vengance Holodeck)
Timeline: Mission Day 25 at 2345
2094 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

The night was perfect. A few scattered clouds were moved slowly along by a breeze blowing from east to west. The temperature was 20 degrees Celsius, which for a San Francisco summer night, was practically balmy. Ahira hadn't been sure which bar he was planning on visiting on his trip, so he hadn't dressed as wildly as he might have, had he known he was going to drop in at the Eagle, or Powerhouse. Still, he was very definitely not wearing his uniform.

He was wearing an old-fashioned pair of black skinny jeans that were snug enough so that if things got heated would leave nothing to the imagination. His maroon short-sleeved polo shirt was similarly tight fitting showing off(on purpose of course) his swimmer's build torso.

He would have loved to get drunk, or at least a buzz, it had been ages since he'd done so. Unfortunately, with how things worked in the bars he could visit, that wasn't going to be possible, so he'd have to settle for something else he hadn't had in a long time.

The breeze picked up a bit as he crossed Noe to Market Street. It was Friday night, the busiest night of the week, and there was a group of about twenty or thirty, mostly shirtless Terran men, most of whom were under thirty, thin, and at least just as good of shape as Ahira was, that had spilled out of the bar and out onto the sidewalk outside.

it was just like he remembered it. No one seemed to notice he was only half-terran, or if they did, no one seemed to care. He felt empowered there. It was a place where he could, for once, let his guard down. He weaved his way through the gaggle of males and into the bar itself. It was even more crowded inside than out with bodies three deep at the bar.

He finally made it through and ordered a beer for himself. It wasn't the best tasting beer he'd ever had, but it wasn't the worst either and at least it was cold. He'd drunk about half of it when he felt someone tap his shoulder. When he turned, he saw a blond man well over six feet with broad shoulders, a scruffy face eyes the color of the Pacific.

He took hold of Ahira's shoulder and began to tug him away from the bar. "let's dance," he said, a command, not a request. Ahira could have broken away if he had wanted to, but he didn't. He'd made sure the encounter would be random, to surprise him, but it knew he liked badboy types.

They'd been slow dancing for what seemed like half an hour when Eric, the blonde badboy, grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. Ahira knew what was coming, a kiss. He didn't resist, this is what he wanted. He kept his eyes open as his mouth drew closer and closer to Eric's.

Ivan was a busy man, but the appointment of his son to the role of full-time XO had done alot to occasionally release him from the confines of his office or the desk in his quarters. Lyra's recommendation for his new Bodyguard had been moved up the paperwork train very quickly as it was considered top priority, and he had done some research into the candidate suggested. He decided to drop by and meet the young man but paid no attention to the private nature of the holodeck simulation.

The Captain had noticed that something was different about this bar the second he'd stepped in, and it didn't take him very long to reason out what that something was. The Empire was a rigid place, and bars like this were often heavily regulated and observed, or so he had read. All in all, men with men and women with women was normally kept a neat and tidy political secret at court, though it was normal for the common people.

"Hey, Silver Fox. Want to buy me a drink?" Came the voice of a short tan-skinned man in a tight pink v-neck. Ivan noticed he was being spoken to immediately, and responded with a furrowed brow.

"Back off, boy. I'm a happily married man," he said, and, placing his large hand on the man's chest, physically pushed him away and moved past him. He scanned with his eyes, hoping to locate Ahira in the crowd.

The young hologram that had made a pass at the ship's captain had kind of liked being shoved away. It was kind of
a turn-on for him. But then the words changed that and he sulked away.

The warrant officer Petrov was searching for was usually a keen observer and aware of what was going on around him, that's what made him good at his work-and had kept him alive on more than one occasion. But at the moment, his mind was on other things.

The kiss, a rather lengthy and intimate one, finally broke and Ahira let out a contented sigh. It wasn't quite like the real thing, but it was more than decent.

"So," Eric said, "you want another drink or should we just go back to my place?"

For so many reasons, if this had been the real Beaux Night Club, that Ahira had been to back in San Francisco, he would have been an extremely rare occasion to go with a complete stranger. But, this wasn't reality. So with a coy grin, he stood to his feet and started to lead Eric out of the bar.

Then he saw a familiar face. He'd never met him in person, but he knew exactly who he was. This was the last place he expected to see him in the program.

With a rather guilty expression on his face, he cleared his throat and released Eric's hand. "You were looking for me I assume? I can explain. I mean this is just my private program it really wasn't meant for anyone else."

Ivan managed to keep his face neutral, though it wasn’t particularly easy for him. He watched as the two men released each other’s hands and stood in place, listening to the warrant officer’s blubbering. He was trying to save face, but Ivan wasn’t interested in knowing any more than he already did.

“Perhaps I should have knocked.” The burly Captain said, his eyes moving between Ahira and Eric but indicating nothing of his feelings. “I just thought it time we met.”

Though the Captain may have been trying to keep his face neutral and was doing a commendable job of it, but reading people was one of Ahira's specialties, besides he had plenty of experience with this particular sentiment. He'd experienced it since he was a teenager.

He couldn't read the Captain's thoughts, so couldn't be sure exactly what was going on in the senior officer's mind, but he had a pretty good idea. He also realized that he'd been going on and on, and saying nothing.

Without stepping away from his new holographic friend, and standing a little straighter, he met Petrov's eyes for the first time.

"That is a good idea, sir. After all, I'm going to be watching your as... six. We should know each other."

"Computer, end program."

The bar scene faded away and was replaced by the orange grid.

Ivan blinked as his eyes adjusted to the change of lighting. The hologrid was familiar to him, of course, so he didn’t react too strongly. He put what he’d seen to the back of his mind and instead focused on the reason he was here in the first place.

“You come highly recommended, son, by your department head, coworkers, and your record is strong. Despite the problem of your heritage, people seem to think highly of you, which means I’m inclined to give you the benefit of the doubt. But there are several things I want to be clear about before we can move forward. The first thing is that I have been a soldier since you were toddling around on the floor and I don’t need protection.” He said, a stubborn look in his eyes. “But I know the regulations and I live by the Imperial Starfleet Code, and that means I need a bodyguard. I won’t make protecting me easy; I won’t stop doing what I believe is necessary for personal security reasons. Is that clear?”

Ahira smiled when the Captian talked about the recommendations he'd received, it was nice to hear that he'd developed a positive reputation. His heritage had always held him back since he joined up. So his expression didn't change.

"I appreciate your giving me the chance," he said.

Then his expression did change into a smirk. "I'm assuming you were a soldier before I was a gleam in my father's eye."

"I know something of your reputation, it doesn't surprise me that you're not going to make my job easier and I don't expect you to change anything about yourself. So, yes, it's crystal clear."

"That was the first thing, what do you want to talk about next?"

"The second is that I expect your loyalty, even more than the rest of my crew. You will be the one to whom I will often turn my back. I don't want to find your standard-issue dagger in it because you got some ideas in your head." the Captain said. "I will be watching you closely to assess your loyalty. Very closely."

The smirk disappeared as soon as Petrov talked about his loyalty. For just an instant he glared, his ire clear. at the Captain, before he started to get control of his emotions and it became a mask of neutrality. His voice dropped an octave "I. Would. Never. Betray. You. You can watch me as close as you goddamn well please."

Then getting greater control he continued, "My apologies sir, I shouldn't have spoken that way. You don't know me so I can understand the lack of trust. But I have no desire to climb the ranks that way. My honor wouldn't allow me to do that."

"That's good. Because any man who betrays the trust of his superior would be foolish to expect the trust of the man who used him. They would know you are a liar." Ivan said, clapping a large hand on the man's shoulder. "But there's no need to worry about that."

"Some general housekeeping: you report directly to me and are a department of one. You can get my schedule from Yeoman King and can coordinate with command, but I am your only boss. You work the same hours I work unless I dismiss you. I am considered guarded in my quarters and office where I spend most of my time. You will be waiting around quite alot, standing guard over a man who isn't in danger sitting at a desk in his underwear. Congratulations."

"I get all of that. I'll probably be bored a lot. I can live with that. But, we are a long way from home. You may wind up needing me more than you know."

"We shall see," Ivan said with an understanding expression. "Until then, you are a fly on the wall. Standing close to me, you will hear and know alot. You must keep your mouth shut. That's very important."

Ahira glanced behind him at the now deactivated holodeck. "I think I'm pretty good at keeping secrets."

"You've told me my rules, and I agree to all of them. But, I have one for you."

"I'm not going to interfere with your work, or get in your way, or make comments about anything that's not my business. But, if something does come up if you are attacked, and I have to actually do my fucking job. Then you're going to do what I tell you to do until you're safe again."

Ivan smirked then, looking down at his new bodyguard.

“Nice try, Soldier.” He said. “But I can agree to hear you out. That’ll have to be enough unless I’m unconscious.”

Ahira smirked and shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I tried at least," he replied. "But, I think I can live with that, you're at least willing to listen. Will there be anything else?"

"I leave my quarters at 0630 sharp. Be at my door to accompany me to the Ready Room." Ivan said simply.

"Aye, aye, sir."

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