Time to Recharge

Posted on 11 Dec 2016 @ 9:48am by Commander Jayla Kij & Lieutenant JG Catherine Cooper

1,212 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Click Three Times
Location: Talons
Timeline: MD 9 BACKPOST

Jayla walked into Talons, glancing around at the crowd. The place had certainly grown popular quickly. Jayla was sure it was partly because of Selah's sparkling personality and partly because she mixed good drinks and had a good cook. She grinned at a couple of ensigns sitting awfully close to one another with heads together and made her way to the bar and hopped up on a stool.

"Hello, doctor!" said Selah cheerfully as she approached.

"Good evening, Selah," Jayla replied. "Busy tonight."

"Yeah," answered Selah. "People need to unwind after everything we've been through. Thank you, by the way, for not commandeering Talons as an infirmary."

"No problem," replied Jayla with a smile. "I try to stay away from functioning recreational areas. People need them to get away from their troubles. I've also managed to clear out two of the holodecks. Hopefully, we can get them back up and running soon."

"No doubt," said Selah. "Anyway, what can I get you?"

"Surprise me," said Jayla with a grin.

"You got it!" said Selah and she hurried off to prepare the doctor a drink.

Cooper came in typing on a PADD and dodging around people with the ease of someone used to it, her movements were graceful as she made her way to the bar.

Jayla glanced over as someone sat in the stool next to her. "Hey, Catherine," she said cheerfully. "How's it going?"

Cooper looked over and smiled a welcome, "It goes and goes and goes..." It had been a long week, even for her. "You?"

"Pretty good actually," answered Jayla. "I mean, you know, on a personal level. Obviously as far as duty goes, it's pretty terrible, but... well, I've had a few good day," she added with a cryptic smile.

Drawn out of her own serious thoughts Cooper smiled, trying to push aside her own worries of the moment being unable to change them anyway, "Oh really? Do tell. Or I'll start babbling until you submit you know I can..." She joked, she never meant to drive people crazy but sometimes her her mouth got away from the reins she put on it.

"Well," began Jayla, eyes sparkling. "I met a certain rather poetic Vulcan. I know weird combination, but he makes it work."

Selah turned up carrying a glass filled with some sort of blue liquid. "One blue Hawaiian," she announced proudly, setting it in front of Jayla. "And what can I get for you, Lieutenant?" she asked, turning to Catherine.

Cooper drummed up another ready smile even though she still worried over the Cochrane crew. "Strongbow Ale, one of the pilots got me hooked on it..."

"You're in luck!" announced Selah. "I've got a bit left. I'll be right back!" And off she went again.

She turned her attention back to Jayla, Cooper had done all she could and now was forced to wait. She tried to meditate and focus on work but the mind sometimes needed a true break or lose all sense of peace. "Poetic Vulcan huh?" She asked questioningly happy to focus on something positive at least for a bit.

"Yeah," said Jayla with a goofy grin. Sure, she was concerned about the Cochran crew, but they'd get it all straightened out and there was no point in working herself up over something she couldn't control. "Well, he's also Betezoid, so I suppose that has something to do with it," she added. "But, I have to say, he's the first man to make the medical names for facial muscles sound romantic."

Cooper took a drink, "So jealous..." She joked then saluted with her glass, "Good for you." She said meaning it. "Who is this paragon of sensitive manliness?"

"Vorian Sulvai," Jayla replied. "Engineer. To be honest, I did not see it coming, but apparently he did. He told me he did not expect me to 'take the next step' for about three weeks." She shook her head, grinning. "Vulcans: They've got everything mapped out."

Cooper blinked, "Well it was nice of him to inform you first..." She said jokingly, "I'm happy for you though, you need to take happiness where you can....Unless he meant marriage then maybe wait a bit...."

Jayla grinned. "Well, Trill don't actually get married," she said. "I mean, it's not completely off the table if we're involved with someone from a culture that does but otherwise, we just sort of take up together and start families."

Cooper laughed, "You sound like Jarveth..." she joked paused realizing what she just said, her face grew somber for a moment then cleared as she tried to remember he would be amused by this, and tried a smile, "Must be a Trill thing but I think Vulcans seriously bond so you'll want to watch for that. Me? Maybe I'll get a cat..."

"Cats are good, too," agreed Jayla. "Better maybe. They don't argue with you and always say the right thing- nothing."

"True and they don't care enough to pretend to like you or not..." Cooper said, raising her glass, "May we all survive to not go to bed alone if that be our choice..." She said half seriously.

Jayla raised her glass with a mischievous grin. "Or at least go to bed with the genus we prefer," she laughed. "Because, you know, if you have a cat or dog, you'll never go to bed alone."

Catherine laughed, it felt good to laugh. She'd been more serious than was her habit because of circumstances and it seemed like forever since she'd hung out with a friend and chatted. She decided that Jayla was good for her mood, everyone needed a friend who could pull them out of themselves, and Coops initial impression of a friendly spirit was well founded. "Speaking of which there's something I've been curious about, feel free not to answer but were you and the Skipper ever a thing?"

"Sort of," answered Jayla. "Well, maybe not really. I think it was more like friends with benefits than an actual relationship. He broke it off. Said he has some things to work out. I guess that was a good thing, in a way. I'm... not quite sure what I would have done if he and I still had a thing going when I met Vorian."

An image of all three crew popped in her head unbidden of just how that might have gone and just as quickly was suppressed. Her mind, trained from long practice, moved on. She remembered when she met the CO, she'd accidentally spilled coffee on him and had assisted in clearing up the light burn and getting him a new uniform top. She'd seen his muscled chest but not really 'seen it'. Not that he wasn't attractive but Cooper had only seen him as her Commanding Officer with all the immunity of being seen as 'hot' as ones Dad. "I can see where that would be....complicated...." She finally said.

"I would like to think I wouldn't have even let my brain go there," Jayla replied. "But part of me isn't so sure. I'd hate to hurt either of them."

"Point well made." Cooper nodded, drinking her drink, they continued to talk easily and covering a variety of topics before duty called once again.

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