Post 12 - The Barbe-Cutie, Part I

Posted on Mon Feb 8th, 2021 @ 5:55pm by Captain Björn Kodak & Debbie Gless

Mission: The Waiting Game
Location: Isle Delfino, Risa
Timeline: Shore Leave Day 1: 1321 Hours

[Pianta Villas]
[Isle Delfino, Risa]
[Shore Leave Day 1: 1321 Hours]

Trudging towards the shore, Kodak felt the ocean try to pull him back into its embrace. The current wasn't strong, exactly, but the tug was certainly there. It was as if the bright, sparkling waters of Isle Delfino didn't want to let him go and, for a few moments at least, the Chameloid was highly tempted to let the waves draw him back in. His first dip into paradise was literally going swimmingly but Kodak had promised Jel and Rodney that he'd stop by their villa for a late lunch. That commitment carried him beyond the waves and onto the beach ahead.

Debbie Gless was stretched out on a lounger, a sun hat five times the size of her head shielding her eyes from the overhead rays. As Kodak approached -- rivulets of water running down the contours of his stockiness -- he could clearly hear the woman snoring beneath her overly-large sunglasses and hat. A half-drunk beverage smelling strongly of alcohol and fruit sat on a small table beside her, the glass' surface covered in beads of condensation.

Smirking, Kodak found himself tempted to let the woman sleep. She'd worked incredibly hard during the month-long journey back to the Alpha Quadrant, running Ten Forward full-time in its 1960's diner configuration. Given the lack of reliable replicators and the enforced power constraints, the place wasn't as great as it otherwise would have been, sadly. But Debbie and her staff had gone very far out of their way to make it a haven from the challenges they'd been facing.

Kodak found himself thankful she was getting to relax. The feeling pushed aside the earlier irritation he'd felt at being neighbors, though part of him still wondered if there might not be a way to create some separation between them if needed. Gently clearing his throat to wake the woman, he offered a smile under his aviators as she roused.

"Did you just...transport up from the water?" she asked groggily, still managing to sound hawkish. "One second you were in the waves and the next," Debbie yawned, "you're up here. Kind of an irresponsible use of transporter credits, hmm?"

"You fell asleep," Kodak rasped, his voice full of warmth. "Must have needed it. But I think what we both really need right now," he deeply inhaled the smell of cooking meat nearby, "is one of those steaks. What do you say, old friend?"

"I say," she reached up, signaling Kodak to help her out of the lounger, "that I'm not old. I've just...been around awhile," Debbie chuckled as the Chameloid pulled her up. "And steak sounds great right about now. As does the rest of my cocktail," she grinned, plucking her drink from the table and taking a sip. "Think we need to freshen up or anything?"

Kodak thought about that for a moment, suddenly unsure. What did one wear to a backyard Risian BBQ, exactly? But as he looked up towards Rodney and Jel's villa, the answer became immediately clear: this wasn't a backyard affair at all, it seemed. He could, in fact, see Jel and two of others he didn't recognize setting up a couple of portable tables and chairs in the sand in front of their villa. They were all pretty much dressed the same way he and Deb were, though much less "loud" than the latter.

"I think we'll be just fine," the Chameloid smiled at his companion. Reaching up to lower his glasses to the tip of his nose, his startling yellow eyes stared back at Debbie. "Maybe we could skip any embarrassing stories this time, though?"

"Pshaw," Debbie waved the man off. "I'll be good. Or at least, as good as I can," she chuckled, falling into step beside Kodak as he led the way up the beach. "You going to wear those the whole time?" she idly asked, quiet enough that her voice didn't carry. The question almost implied that she wouldn't approve of an answer in the affirmative.

"The glasses? Why not?" Kodak replied, unconsciously adjusting them on his face.

"It's Risa. In the year of our Lord, 2399," Debbie adopted a very stilted, formal tone. "No one is going to care that you're a Chameloid, sweetie. I'd wager most people won't even put two and two together. Your people are mythical already; kind of doubt most people would even know about them."

"Perhaps," Kodak shrugged. "But do you know how many times I've heard, 'Hey, you look human but your eyes are like lamplights. What are you?'" He let the question hang in the air for a moment before adding, "It always leads to awkwardness, so might as well keep them on. Would rather keep my vacation complication free, thank you," he rasped lowly, though still in good humor. "Oh look, we're here. Hello Jel," Kodak greeted the man warmly as he and Debbie stepped within a polite speaking range. "Can I lend a hand with anything?"

"Björn! Thanks for the offer," the man nodded back. "You can help me spread this tablecloth out if you don't mind? And oh!" Jel suddenly spied Debbie. "Who's this beautiful creature? You two married?" he grinned, looking back and forth between them.

The compliment energized Debbie's fancy, it seemed. "Debbie," she said simply, reaching out to shake Jel's offered hand before moving to help with the tablecloth as well. "And no, not married. I'm more like his big sister. And a terrible pain in the ass," she laughed musically. "He likes boys, you see," Debbie lowered her voice conspirationally.

"What a coincidence! So do I," Jel chuckled back. "My husband Rodney is inside with the others. I'm sure they'll be out soon." Gesturing to the table, he bent over to start unfolding the tablecloth he'd brought out. Together, the three of them were able to spread out the cover quickly, weighing it down with some rocks from the beach. They then tackled the second table as the voices from inside the house suddenly grew louder.

Moments later, the glass doors swung open to admit Rodney, who was carrying a large plate of steaks covered in heat-preserving wrap. Behind him, a pair of Andorians -- male and female -- followed, also carrying parts of the meal. There was a large plate of corn on the cob and a sizeable bowl filled with some kind of cold soup. They set the dishes down and introduced themselves as Prokthal and St'aania before heading back inside, returning moments later with condiments and cutlery.

"Hi guys!" The new voice drew everyone's attention to the side of the villa. A burly man was making his way around the building, heading directly to the place where they were standing. The sun reflected off his bald head, which contrasted with his short but full and well-groomed beard, and quite frankly every other part of his hairy body. The small shorts and loose, unbuttoned floral print shirt weren't really covering much. A bag of clinking bottles hung from his elbow.

Jel and Rodney moved to intercept and were each met with a bear hug and a kiss. The new arrival handed the bag to Jel and said something about a Ferengi. Jel handed the bag to Rodney and with an arm around the shoulders, guided the new guy to the table.

"This is Andrew, he's one of the residents I mentioned. Rodney and I met him last year when we were here for Lohlunat." Jel paused and smiled as though he was recalling their previous encounter "and this is Björn from the villa next door and his beautiful friend Debbie."

"Good to meet you," Andrew said as he extended his right hand towards Björn for a handshake. The smile on his face seemed to be even wider now than it was when he did the huggy-kissy thing with his old friends.

As Jel introduced yet another new face, Björn turned to meet the man properly, momentarily putting down the pile of silverware St'aania had asked him to parse across the tables as Andrew arrived. "The pleasure's mine," he smiled, shaking the hand offered him. His eyes hidden by reflective sunglasses, the quick up-and-down look over of the new arrival went unnoticed by anyone who might be watching -- including Andrew himself, the Chameloid hoped. Holding the hand just a touch longer than one normally might, Björn suddenly found himself wishing he'd gotten one of those bear hugs, too.

Smile widening, Björn released the hand and indicated Debbie, who beamed at Andrew as she stepped up to introduce herself. "Love your shirt, sweetie," the older woman said as she pinched the material of Andrew's floral-print top. "One of the benefits of Risa...so many handsome men wearing so little," she clucked appreciatively.

"Don't mind her," Björn chuckled warmly as the sea breeze suddenly ruffled his hair. "She's been cooped up on a barely operational starship for the last couple of months. Tends to make one a bit..."

"Thirsty?" Debbie asked, smirking around the straw she was now sipping her cocktail from.

"Eager," Björn laughed, rewording as he regarded Andrew with a smile he couldn't turn off. Were he being honest with himself, it was he who was feeling a bit of that thirst. Debbie wasn't wrong that Risa afforded a climate where wearing less was a commonality. The Chameloid's occluded gaze lingered on Andrew's open shirt as he busied himself with the resumption of passing out silverware.

"You know, I've just learned the most interesting thing, Andrew," Jel spoke up then, coming back over with a bucket of beer bottles stuffed into a mound of ice. "Apparently, Mr. Björn here likes boys. Sound like anyone else you might know?" he winked.

"Stop it, Jel," Rodney huffed with a smirk, coming out of the house with a plate brimming with hamburger and hot dog buns. "Always playing matchmaker, that one," he shook his head and mock-eye rolled. "It's good to see you again, Andrew. Sorry to message out of the blue -- we all got in yesterday morning. We were remembering all the fun we had last year and figured we'd see what you were up to. Glad you could make it, handsome. Drink?" he asked the bald one before looking to Debbie and Kodak. "Drinks?" he asked again, smiling.

"I'm fine here for now," Debbie smiled back, lifting her cocktail in salute. "Thank you, though," she nodded before turning to Prokthal, who needed some helping passing out plates.

"One of those would be great," Björn pointed to the beer bucket Jel had placed on the first table. He accepted the bottle handed to him -- its top taken off by Rodney's expert bottle-opener skills -- and took a long draw from it. A lingering sliver of ice had been clinging to the bottle's surface, though it now slid down to fall from the bottle entirely. It landed on Björn's chest, melting into the bed of soft hair there. "How about for you, friend?" the man asked Andrew warmly. "What's your pleasure?"

Andrew realized he was still looking at the spot on Björn's chest where the ice had melted. "I'd like a Woo-Woo," he said, turning to face Rodney with a mischievous grin.

Rodney was about to ask what was in that but remembered Andrew had a penchant for euphemisms and responded with a raised eyebrow instead. "We have a pitcher of Risian Sunrise made up, is that ok?"

"That sounds perfect," Andrew replied, just before Jel shepherded him towards the blue-skinned guests who had just finished laying out the plates and cutlery.

"Andrew, meet Prokthal and St'aania," Jel began as they exchanged smiles and handshakes. "Andrew is one of the resident scientists here ... conservation, I think." He looked back towards Andrew, who confirmed with a nod.

"Andrew, come meet Joe!" Rodney called from the glass doors. He was holding a fancy cocktail glass that was filled with a brightly colored liquid.

The new arrival excused himself and disappeared into the house for the last of the introductions, collecting his cocktail on the way in.

"So what do we think?" Debbie asked, sidling up to Björn and bumping him playfully with her right hip. With Rodney and Jel escorting Andrew inside, they had a few moments to themselves suddenly. "Have we named the kids yet? I imagine there will be at least three. Let's see," she doted mischievously, "there's Edgar, Neville, and...little Kody?" she smirked wickedly, eschewing her straw as a roadblock to revelry. The little red tube was stuffed behind one of her ears, much like the stylus of her order-taking PADD back on the Adelphi. The act allowed her to drain the rest of her drink in one go as she watched Björn expectantly.

"Red alert. Intruders in the shuttle bay...of my mind," Björn softly laughed back, hiding the reddening of his cheeks with another long pull from his beer. "Am I that transparent?" he then asked, seriousness creeping across his face as he lowered the bottle from his lips.

"Only to those who care about you," Debbie clucked, suddenly all motherly-fashion. "He's a handsome guy and I'm pretty sure Jel meant he was into boys, too. What could it hurt?" Care embedded itself in the careworn lines of her face as Debbie regarded her longtime friend.

Björn leaned back against the guardrail of the deck, thoughts deep. "What if we do click, Deb? We're only going to be here a couple of weeks. And even then, we have no idea if we're going back to the Delta Quadrant or being sent on assignment on the other side of this quadrant. Should probably just keep my head down while we're here, at least on that particular front," he somberly intoned before taking another sip, the sound of waves breaking the shore hissing in his ears.

"Oh, he'd like your head down alright," Debbie guffawed, drawing a look from one of the other guests across the way. Gathering herself, the woman quieted so only Björn could hear. "You never know what could happen, Björn. I can think of at least five...make that seven good reasons to live in the moment with this stuff."

The seven people who died on the Adelphi," Björn thought to himself. Seven people they -- he -- had lost. It had started with five, but Isan and Sora'a had made seven at the end. Seven families he'd had to contact when the ship had returned to the Alpha Quadrant. Seven faces who meant life was always shorter than anyone ever expected it to be. "I can think of them, too," Björn nodded slowly, looking around. People had begun taking their seats and the Chameloid figured it was time for he and Debbie to do the same. "Wanna sit together? Don't want to cramp your style, as they say," he rasped humorously.

"Oh honey," Debbie rolled her eyes. "I've got dinner plans all lined up. Well, more than a little dinner, I hope," she heh'd, smacking her gum. "I got no style to cramp right now, so let's sit...here," she thumped the backboards of two particular chairs. They sat at the second table, where no one had yet taken a seat.

Björn lowered to her right and set his beer down on the white, linen cloth, its condensation soaking into the fabric. "Sounds like you've got quite the night ahead," he smirked at his longtime friend, happy for her. And honestly, he was happy for himself, too. After spending the day with Debbie and, now, an unexpected houseful of new people, his social energy was already mostly eaten up. A night to himself sounded kind of amazing.

"Who knows," Debbie winked. "Maybe you'll have 'quite the night' yourself," she snickered. "You want another one of those?" she asked as she rose, pointing at her empty glass. "Because I could certainly use another myself."

"Sure Deb, that'd be great," the Chameloid smiled, nodding back. As the woman moved off, Kodak's eyes couldn't help but drift to the man standing beyond the glass doors of the house. He could see Andrew talking with Jel, who was filling his glass from the pitcher of Risian Sunrise. Maybe it couldn't hurt to at least...talk? he wondered, downing the last sip of his beer to strengthen his courage.


=/\= A joint post by... =/\=

Captain Björn Kodak
Currently Unassigned

and

Debbie Gless (NPC of Kodak)
Currently Unassigned

and

Andrew Munro
Biologist and Furry Floozy
Risa Native