Star Trek: Erin

Part 62: Yuck

     The station's bar was unaffiliated with Starfleet, and so got away with calling itself 'The Lying Sprite.' It also explained why all the servers were in fairy outfits, which I didn't realize until later.

     We ordered a couple martinis from the world-weary bartender, but not before I obtained a couple Spican flame gems from a flamboyant merchant at the bar, much to the surprise of both the bartender and merchant. Gabriel considered me as we reached our table. "It's been a long time since I questioned your intelligence, Cobos."

     I tossed and caught one of the gleaming stones. "Ever heard of Rigelian flame gems?"

     "Yeah. They're illegal, actually worth something, and also not what you got."

     "There's a key difference between the Rigelian and Spican versions." I started to juggle the gems before thinking better of it. I'm terrible at juggling. "The former is illegal because they're constantly superheated. Touch those things unprotected and boom, third-degree burns. Not to mention they're indistinguishable from Rigelian core kraken eggs. And no one wants a fucking angry baby kraken erupting from their pretty jewel. But Spican flame gems are less hot, one-use, and activated upon submersion." I dropped the flame gem into my martini. Immediately the pale green liquid started giving off matching steam. "Ta da."

     Gabriel stared between me and the drink. "You just made your martini hot."

     "Yes." I sipped it.

     "Why?"

     "Because it's good." I offered her my other flame gem.

     "I'm not letting you ruin mine." Gabriel eyed the steaming martini. "Just give me some of yours."

     I passed it over. Gabriel took one sip and started gagging. "Holy—why—what possessed you to ever drink this?" She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I can't believe you let me try that."

     "Second weirdest thing to come out of the Glock V Academy," I said with a shrug.

     "First being you?" She turned away to cough a few times. "Wow. This is something a bunch of uni students came up with? Makes a lot more sense now."

     "I guess." I was struggling.

     She noticed. "You can spit it out."

     I forced myself to swallow and nearly threw up. "You'll make fun of me."

     "I'll make fun of you more if you keep drinking it." She discreetly positioned herself to block view of me.

     "Thanks," I muttered, pouring the hot martini into the nearest potted plant.

     Around that time, Lieutenant Uhura arrived at the bar with Ensign Chekov scampering along. I also noticed a pale humanoid with deep-set eyes in merchant attire watching them closely while fiddling with a metallic device that at a casual glance looked incredibly sophisticated. Well that's suspicious as hell. I positioned myself to watch him with my peripheral.

     Uhura and Chekov only stayed long enough to obtain an unassuming tribble.

     If only I'd known.

     Not long after, our communicators decided to wail simultaneously. Red alert. Fuck. We'd shot to our feet before I remembered. "Shields will be up. No beaming over." A pair of yellowshirts at the other side of the bar came to the same realization and settled back into their seats. I scowled as I realized one of them was Sprite.

     "Hey." Gabriel waved to get my attention. She was already re-seated. "Nothing we can do." She passed me her drink. "Might as well enjoy other people doing the work."

     "But that's the point of me." I sipped the normal martini. "I'll never advance if I'm stuck in bars while the Enterprise is fighting."

     "And you'll never advance if you stress yourself out while there's nothing you can do."

     True, I suppose. I smiled. "Hey, you're not allowed to be nice to—"

     "Levi? This is a surprise."

     Gabriel and I turned to the speaker, a tall woman in her early sixties by the looks of her lightly lined face and greying hair, choppily cut just below the chin. She wore similar light armouring to J'Ki and E'Vex—merchant escort—although hers had the wear and personal flair that had been missing from the Caitians' equipment. The theme was rich purple with a consistent four claw marks motif. Excellent branding. Her exposed arms were a tapestry of names and symbols. Successful jobs probably, as was a tradition among merchant escorts. The tapestry transitioned at her wrists; her entire hands were a deep violet strewn with gold speckles. Her face had a poorly hidden intensity that was directed entirely at Gabriel.

     I saw the tension in Gabriel's body and the faint, bitter smile that crept onto her face before both were gone. "Kith. Didn't think this was along your route."

     Kith leaned her muscular forearms on the back of the table's remaining empty chair, propping one boot on the seat. "Routes change."

     Why do I have to keep being the personable one? God. I grinned and extended a hand. "Junior Lieutenant Cobos. It seems you've already met Lieutenant Gabriel."

     My hand was accepted. Strong grip. "Kith Baronova."

     Gabriel's eyes narrowed.

     Kith raised her hands. In the light, they looked somewhat like claws. "I won't stay long. Just thought I'd check in. You know I love hearing updates. Lieutenant now? Congratulations." Her voice was soft but powerful, with a weirdly familiar element.

     "Thanks," said Gabriel.

     "And how's Alairyx? Last I heard he was on Glock V, but I'm sure that's changed. The family wanderlust."

     I was starting to feel like I was missing something.

     "He's fine. On Sol IV for now. Happily married."

     "Right, right. Heard about that too. What was his name... Silas?"

     "Sibris."

     The tension was visibly spreading from Gabriel to Kith. I decided to intervene. "Uh, hey. Yes?" Gabriel and Kith looked at me with the exact same expression and I knew the answer before I even asked the question. "How do you two know each other?"

     "Related."

     "Levi is my daughter."

     "Cool," I said, because I am a normal human that knows how to speak to people. Also noticed the red alert had ended. Hope that's a good thing. "So..." 'Why do you guys seem to hate each other?' I can't ask that. "Any news? From the trade routes."

     "Nothing that isn't out of date. The job I just got off ordered complete silence. I've been talking to the same four miserable fools for the past three months." Kith tilted her head. "But I am curious. How do you know my daughter?"

     "Colleagues," I said.

     "Friends."

     I glanced at Gabriel in surprise.

     She lifted her chin. "It's been great catching up, Kith, but we need to get back to the Enterprise."

     I stood as Gabriel did, feeling the absurd urge to bow.

     Kith straightened too, regaining a semblance of unconcern with the movement. "I'm not one to stand in the way of my daughter's work. Good luck, Levi. And do keep in touch."

     Gabriel led the way from The Lying Sprite without another word. Kith watched us go.