To Boldly Go

THE SECOND CONTACT

Episode One (Part One)

Captain's Log

Stardate: 2365.208.9

We are swiftly approaching a second-contact planet on the edges of the alpha quadrant. Commander Newt has been assembling an away team amongst the crew and we shall be arriving in the planet's orbit in a few hours. As we are preparing for extensive research of the planet, most of the crew are excited about the grand opening of a social hub called "Seven-Eleven" on Deck 7. It is being kept by a friend of Lieutenant Commander Opals.

Captain Anthony J. Berkley

Signing off.

"Daphnea! It's great to see you here! I feared you were going to miss out!" Solomon Reid stretched out his arms to capture the grumpy security officer in a hug. The young bartender was quite definitely short with curly black hair and calm dark eyes. His skin was a glowing pale colour that defined the lines between what was hair and what was his face. He wore a shawl-like kimono in the eye-killing yellow and pink.

Daphnea squeezed back, breathing heavily before exhaling out, "Sol, I will have to miss your grand opening," She squeezed tighter, "It's the protocol for the chief security officer to supervise the away team, in case an accident arises," This eclipsed a sigh from the barkeeper, who promptly let go of his friend and shuffled over to his bar. "I can grasp that," A small punch to the shoulder from Daphnea, who followed him.

The eleventh room on deck seven of the USS Intrepid was originally empty until Solomon boarded five weeks ago. It was large and had fifteen floor-to-ceiling windows on the west side of the ship. In the present, Solomon had decorated the entire room with tables and chairs and multiple significant items from different Federation species.

When asked why he set up a business on the smallest ship in the entire fleet, Solomon would blurt out something along the lines of "smaller audiences, bigger profits" but in reality, his only friend and the love of his puny human life were both stationed on the Intrepid.

"Well that's too bad," He said, "I guess you'll just have to return to a normal bar after your exploration, no grand opening discounts or a welcome feast," Daphnea raised a brow. Leaning over the bar, she stared at Solomon, "Welcome feast? You haven't told me about a welcome feast before," Solomon looked sheepish and avoided her gaze, "Ooh, this is about Lt. Trimpock, isn't it?"

Solomon didn't respond.

"It is! You want to impress her by doing something Klingon, don't you?" Daphnea smirked, although the room was empty except for the two of them, her voice raising in laughter, "You're such a sycophant," Solomon shook his head and reached out to lightly punch her shoulder.

He opened his mouth to retort but Daphnea's communicator chimed, "Commander Newt to Lieutenant Opals," Daphnea pressed a hand to her badge, "Lieutenant Opals here,"

"Captain Berkley wants the security team in his ready room before we reach orbit," Commander Newt's semi-robotic voice drifted out of Dahpnea's communicator. "Acknowledged, Commander," She waited until she heard the familiar sound of the transmission ending before returning to Solomon, "After all of this, we're going to talk about how to properly woo a woman,"

As she began to walk out, she heard Solomon call out, "You know nothing about Klingon women!" She rolled her eyes, not that he could see her doing it, and told him, "At least I know women, unlike you, who know nothing about either culture!" as she walked out the door.

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