Well Drinks

Posted on Fri Nov 24th, 2023 @ 7:06pm by Lieutenant Xex Wang & Lieutenant Axod Qo & Lieutenant JG Leighton Romanowski & Lieutenant JG Sheldon Parsons

Mission: Stardust and Sin
Timeline: Mission Day 2 at 1835

[Gravity Well Bar]
[Hukatuse Tagumik]
[1835 Hours]

Standing half enshrouded by a stand of potted plants, Ensign Parsons watched TImmoz, Marwol, Ratthi, and Cross enter The Gravity Well. The foursome had stood in the doorway for some time before finally splitting up and heading inside in different directions. "Let's give it a couple of minutes before we go in?" he asked, turning to Doctor Wang -- the senior officer of his group -- for confirmation. "Just so we, um...don't look too suspicious coming in right after?" If Sheldon was so concerned about not standing out, he picked the wrong copse of potted trees. They really didn't conceal his form much at all and, if anything, only made it all the more apparent that he was trying to hide.

The senior officer in question had drifted past the stand of potted plants, irrestistibly drawn by a merchant who's trailing gravsled of goods included piles of vibrant-hued fabrics. He was reaching out to pinch the cloth between his hands, in fact, when Parsons spoke. "Hm?" he asked, distracted as the merchant continued, his assistant trotting to catch up and shooting Xex a suspicious glare. Xex turned back to the array of plants, looking mildly disappointed. "An excellent suggestion," he said, gaze drifting over Parson's shoulder and into the smoke-wreathed interior of the bar and then back to the poorly-concealed engineer. "But perhaps," Xex fought hard to keep his lips from twitching into a smile, "We can lurk somewhere less... obvious? I daresay Doctor Qo will be able to find us wherever we lurk.," he added, referring to the ship's counselor who had been held up by a mental health emergency on board, and hadn't made his way through the station with them. "Look!" Xex's attention was snagged by what appeared to be a fur-clad being, human child-sized, with a large apparatus around their form that seemed to be chilling something inside. As they watched, the being was approached and proceeded to draw out a conical thing from which wisps of cold wafted. This thing was exchanged for something they couldn't see, and the purchaser then began to eat it. "Comestibles!"

Leighton had watched Sheldon standing behind the plants with a slight smile on his face. When Sheldon gave Leighton a slightly wide eyed look, Leighton coughed into his hand to hide his laughter. "He does have a point, the three of us look more suspiciuos standing around here than if we mingle with the crowd," he said before he turned to follow Xex over to the vendor. When they drew nearer, he could tell that the being was wearing a small refrigeration device that protruded from his chest. Leighton looked between the three of them before saying, "So, who wants to go first?"

"Not me," Sheldon replied matter-of-factly, having come up behind Leighton and Wang and assumed a resistant expression. "With respect, sirs," the Ensign spoke up, "how are you both so nonchalant about all this?" His nostrils tightened as he voiced the question, resulting in a tone more nasal than normal. This was asked quietly, of course, so as not to be overheard by the vendor, who was busy helping another customer ahead of their trio in line. "I'm kind of...terrified to be here," Sheldon clarified the intent behind his question and perhaps posing another unspoken one: namely, why weren't they scared, too?

"Sensible," Xex replied without looking up from where he was staring intently at the vendor's wares. "I'm just not one to be terrified on an empty stomach," he added, with just a touch too much flippancy. Flashing Sheldon a smile which then turned on Leighton, he said, "Unequivocally, I want to go first. " Suiting words to actions, he stepped unevenly up to the vendor as the patrons in front of them moved away, glanced back over his shoulder at the pair behind him, and then held up three fingers. With an economy of motion born from long repetition, the vendor drew out three oblongs, each about the length of Xex's outstretched hand. The doctor didn't even bother to haggle, handing over the asked-for fee and receiving the oblongs in exchange. Although he just about vibrated with the need to shower the vendor with questions, he managed to hold his tongue. Kodak's warning was fortunately still forefront in his mind. Mustn't stand out. Mustn't make a scene. At least if he wasn't on-task, he could manage to not make a scene.

Turning away from the vendor, Xex shared out the treats , sniffing cautiously at his, which was held on a fragile-feeling stick. Red in color, it appeared to be some sort of frozen water, but it had obviously been dipped in something grainy after the freezing. It was just as obviously extremely cold: waves of sublimating water vapor rolled off it like a holovid prop. "I find, given a terrifying scenario over which you have little control," he continued his explanation to Sheldon, as though it hadn't been interrupted, "It's best to lean in. What is this but another space station? Surely you have plenty of experience with those. And if your'e anything like the ensign I was, you'll have even more experience with drinking establishments." Having apparently completed his inspection, Xex took a bold bite of the oblong and rolled it contemplatively around in his mouth, sucking gently. Abruptly, his eyes widened and with a series of complicated gurgling noises, he just about managed to swallow the bite without choking. Rather than distress, his face melted into a grin quite irregardless of his streaming eyes and the light sweat that had beaded at his temples. "It's spicy!" he exclaimed with delight.

Leighton had watched the doctor take a bite of his with an upraised eyebrow before he stared down at his own....stick...before he gingerly took a bite. He covered his mouth with his free hand to keep from coughing as he tried to swallow the food. He got a sour look on his face before glancing back up at Xex, "Mine isn't, Its sour," he offered before glancing over at Sheldon who watched them both wide eyed. "Sheldon, you do realize that by staring at us with that look your drawing more attention to us," he whispered as he discreetly threw the rest of his food into the nearest waste receptacle.

"Well, th-that's true about space stations," Sheldon nodded, accepting the offered treat-on-a-stick from the Doctor. "Spent a lot of time on Pathfinder before we came all the way out here. An-and Deep Space Nine," he offered up. "Wanted to see the wormhole that started a war," the engineer explained, lifting the comestible to take a ginger bite. Where Xex's was spicy and Leighton's sour, his own was intensely sweet. So much so that the experience melted the look of abject terror on Shelly's face and replaced with with one of sublime bliss. "Mine is sweet and amazing," he said through a mouthful, excited to discuss why their treats -- which all looked the same -- would hit each of their palettes different. But then Leighton was chiding him and a crestfallen look settled over the young man's features.

"I-I'm sorry," Sheldon stammered in a whisper back. "It's not on purpose, sir. I'm trying, I promise," he assured.

Boldly crunching down another bite of his treat, Xex grinned at the crestfallen ensign, clapping him on the back in a most comradely fashion. Best of buddies, these three-- or such was the impression he hoped they were radiating. "You're doing fine," Xex assured him after another contortion of swallowing the spicy confection, a bit of sugar coating for Leighton's rebuke. He wiped his streaming eyes with his free hand while steering Sheldon toward the Gravity Well's doorway with the other. With a jerk of his head toward the established, he cleared his throat and observed of the group ahead of them, "They seem well established now-- shall we? Doct--" he broke off, correcting himself, "Mister Qo will be looking for us inside anyway."

Leighton took a moment to casually glance around before he followed the two towards the doorway. It was very brightly illuminated, and he could hear some type of music pulsating from inside. The sounds were not unpleasant, infact it sounded somewhat familiar to him. "This must be the main nightlife attraction," Leighton said after they crossed the threshold into the buzz of activity within. He'd had to shout so that his colleagues could hear him, the soundproofing giving way once they entered. "Reminds me of Mamma Rita's Tavern on Starbase 32," he said again as he tried to look at all the various faces in the flashing lights.

"You know what, it does!" Xex agreed, glancing back over his shoulder at Leighton. "Let's just hope the drinks aren't as strong, eh?" Flashing the young man a grin, he dropped his hand off Sheldon's back and craned his neck around, taking in the ambiance. Glancing over the ensign's shoulder he saw Sheldon had his PADD out and ready. Raising his voice close to Sheldon's ear to be heard, he asked, "What have you got there?"

PADD in hand and directly in front of his face, Sheldon half-shouted, "According to the map, this is the rear entrance! Near where the performers play! That must be why it's so loud," he grumbled. "Today it's some group called The Skallot Shellers?" he reported from the details about the bar on his PADD. The last was said as if a question, though: what the heck was a Skallot?

As the trio entered, they faced a sea of mostly-occupied tables, with aliens of all manner talking (well, half-yelling) to each other as they watched the live band play their strange instruments up on the main stage. Intricate lighting had been set up, with beams and lasers of various color moving across the performers and crisscrossing in the air above them. At the opposite end of the room from the stage was a smaller bar than those in the main section of the Gravity Well: clearly, this bar was specifically meant to server the patrons enjoying the live entertainment.

"Well if nothing else," Xex shouted, "The Skallot Shellers are loud! Let's get drinks, shall we?" Without waiting for an answer, the silvery-skinned man led the group with his slightly uneven gait through the miasma of light and smoke-- trying not to think about what exactly he was inhaling-- to the smaller bar. It was busy, but he inserted himself between two groups and deftly twisted his body to carve out a little place for their own trio. Then, in the manner of bar patrons everywhere, he set about catching the real, live bartender's eye.

Leighton followed the group as he struggled to hear over the noise. Once at the bar, he tried to press himself close while keeping his head on a swivel. He could hear those around him shouting and laughing as the bartender worked furiously to fill all the drink orders. There was something else in the air, some aroma that was hard to ignore. He sniffed the air again, the smell becoming more powerful before he leaned to shout at the group. "Do you guys smell that? It....well what ever it is....it's strong," he said. before smiling slightly, "But not unpleasant."

"I smell it, too," Sheldon half-yelled over the noise. The smell was, indeed, strong -- earthy, a little sweet, but also maybe a bit...acrid? Sniffing the air, the engineer attempted to discern where the scent was coming from. Was it the swaths of smoke swirling around their heads, byproducts of various aliens inhaling and exhaling their mysterious vapors? Or was the smell coming from the bar itself...maybe the strange little creature who bandied up to the bar to take their order? Shelly was unsure but whatever the source, he hoped he wouldn't have to breathe it in for much longer. Unlike Leighton, he found the smell a bit off-putting.

"What will you be having?" the alien squeaked at extreme volume over the din. He was very short and decidedly mouse-like, barely coming up to chest level for the Starfleeters and their varying heights. The bartender looked up at the trio with bright, brown eyes limned in black, a set of impressive whiskers flaring from either side of his pointed nose and thin-jawed muzzle.

Though it seemed impossible that he couldn't notice the cloying smoke, Xex made no comment on it-- his attention had turned squarely upon the bartender whose eye they had finally caught. Leaning casually on the bar to both get closer to the alien's eye level and to bring him close enough that he wouldn't have to shout quite so loud, Xex said, "It's our young friend's first time on station--" he jerked his head back at Sheldon who certainly looked nervous enough for the part, "--and we were hoping to show him the real Gravity Well experience."

The bartender looked from Xex to Parsons and back again. "Your friend looks like a scared phratna," was squeaked out, the universal translator having no translation for the word. "You sure he should be here? This place can be a bit...rough for the uninitiated," he said. His eyes flicked to a large, imposing alien standing against the wall. Perhaps female, though it was hard to tell, this woman was clearly hired muscle for the bar. "Would have for him to run afoul of Guhteska there," the mouse commented, ears twitching with concern. "For your friend, I pour our specialty -- the Tagumik Tornado. But watch out, it may turn his pinky face green," the bartender chuckled in squeaks. "What you and him want?" he asked, pointing to Xex and then Romanowski.

"We'll have the same," Xex shouted, hoping his own constitution was strong enough to keep his silvery face from turning green. "Make that four!" He held up the requisite number of fingers, in case he couldn't be heard.

As the bartender scurried off to prepare the drinks, Xex turned his attention back to his compatriots. "When he comes back, it should be the perfect time to ask after the 'friend' we're meeting," he said, gaze drifting out over the other two's shoulders, scanning the crowd that shifted and swirled behind them. "With any luck, payment for our drinks will be the perfect time to loosen his tongue."

While Xex had been talking with the bartender, Parsons had palmed the tricorder in his pocket and pulled it free of the jacket he wore. Surreptitiously opening the device, his eyes traced across its glowing display, drinking in the details the sensors were feeding to him. The tricorder had been set for continuous scanning ever since they left the Docks, so there were a lot of readings to sift through. One in particular, however, caught the engineer's eye.

"Picking up traces of Kazon DNA here," Parsons reported. "On that table," he gestured, the table in question currently occupied by two rather imposing-looking fish-people. What's with all the aquatic species on this station? he wondered to himself, having now seen at least seven different varieties of fish-like humanoids on Tagumik. Studying the readings again, Shelly shook his head. "Can't tell if it's Kaldri's DNA until we get closer, though," he lamented.

Leighton also looked over at the table as he waited for his drinks. The two individuals where rather large, and one turned to look back at him. Leighton turned back to his group, his gaze averting at the last second to not draw attentino. "We Just ordered our drinks. Hopefully by the time we talk to the bartender, those two at the table will be gone. then we can sit over there," he said quietly as the bartender returned.

Xex, who had turned around to lean his elbows on the bar, the better to survey the rest of the establishment, allowed his gaze to slide casually across the table in question. "Or," he put in, gray eyes seeming black as they twinkled in the pulsating light, "You could go over there and chat to them while I wait on our drinks." The suggestion was framed as a genuine suggestion, without the undercurrent of 'I am your ranking officer and I'm ordering you to do this without actually ordering you to do it' that sometimes ran beneath the surface of ranking officer suggestions. He lifted his brows in inquiry, wondering if the pair would take the suggestion. Before they could however, the familiar tones of Federation Standard interrupted them.

"Ah, here they are," came a voice; it was at a half-yell to be heard over the music. A young Andorian woman in non-descript clothing approached, her bearing confident but deferential to the trio at the bar. "Mr. Qo got held up getting off the ship," she said, gesturing to the man at her side. "He couldn't make the deployment time so t'Nai," she used names rather than rank to keep their cover, "asked me to escort him over to you. This is where I leave you," the security officer said, smiling to the head counselor before nodding to Xex and the rest. "Good luck," the Andorian offered before disappearing back into the crowd.

Axod winked and silently thanked the Andorian woman who had escorted him as she left the group. "Howdy fellas," he said to the trio he was joining. The Doosodarian man leaned on the bar and pushed his red hair out of his face. His loose, flowing top fell open at the chest as he looked around, taking in the details of the room. After a few moments, he turned and asked, "So what are we drinking?" He flashed a winning smile and clapped Sheldon on the shoulder.

Sheldon looked at the Counselor with eyes wide in surprise. In their last session, Bracco had mentioned that Qo would be taking over as Head Counselor, freeing her up to return to Pathfinder at the next crew exchange. This had understandably thrown the engineer for a loop given that he'd only just gotten comfortable sharing his private thoughts with the woman. Feeling the hand on his shoulder and looking Qo up and down, however, Shelly couldn't help but wonder if this was really the counselor replacing Bracco?

"Um, hello," he intoned nervously, offering Qo a nod. Sheldon was way too uptight and anxious right now to flash any kind of smile, warm, vacant, or otherwise. "I'm uh, Parsons," he said to the Counselor. "Parsons Sheldon. Er, Shelsons Pardon," the engineer cleared his throat, getting it wrong again. The touch from a stranger, it seemed, was throwing him off. "Sheldon Par-Parsons," he finally stammered out, mostly successfully. "Nice to meet you."

Xex, who had greeted the new arrival with a smile, now widened the expression into a full grin. "We're drinking Tugamik Tornados," he answered the man's question, amusement wreathing his shouted voice for Sheldon's flubbed greeting. Shoving himself off the Bar, Xex leaned forward so that he could shout slightly less loudly and still be heard, "It's the house specialty for our young friend's," he also clapped Parsons on the shoulder, but dropped his hand almost immediately afterward, "first time on-station," he explained, to make sure Qo was on the same page as far as their explanation for being in the Gravity Well went.

Qo smiled at Sheldon tripping over his words. While he hadn't had a chance to go over Branco's patient files, he had received a list of regular patients and recognized the Ensign's name from the roster. He leaned on the bar and gestured to the barkeeper. "I'll take a Tugamik Tornado as well." He turned to face his crewmates and added, "When in Rome, right?"

The Doosodarian took a quick but observant look around the room. He was trying to take in as many details as he could. He made a mental note of the groups that peppered the establishment, the exit, the employees that were sprinkled about the room.

Leighton had had to look away briefly as Parsons had stumbled over his words before he'd offered a greeting to the counselor by lifting his own drink in acknowledgement. Leighton had met Axod on their shuttle ride over from Pathfinder station, and they got along well. "Have any trouble finding us," he asked shouting to be heard before taking another sip from his drink. Leighton had to admit that the more he drank, the more he could feel his tongue loosening.

Axod nodded. "I did. But the lovely woman, wherever she went, was extremely helpful." The counselor, continued to look around the room, trying to look nonchalant. He turned back to the group and lowered his voice. "What have you guys found since being here?"

"Kazon DNA trace," Parsons said, his stutter gone in the face of focusing on the work. "Coming from that table over there," the engineer said, again nodding to the table in question. "We need to get closer for a more detailed scan, though. Can't tell if it's Kaldri's from here. Unfortunately," he sighed, the sound inaudible in the blare of music, "that table is rather occupied at the moment."

"Or fortunatel--" Xex began, a positively wicked gleam in his eye, but he cut himself off at movement around the table in question.

As if some greater power in the universe were watching over the Starfleeters and machinating events for their benefit, the aliens sitting at that table suddenly began to rise out of their chairs, tossing a strip of metal down as a tip before moving off towards the exit. Across the way, another group -- also standing in wait of a place to sit -- spotted the open table and began to move in its direction.

"Quick," Shelly hissed, already in motion. Despite never having played American football in his life, the engineer somehow was like Running Back possessed. Slipping between and pivoting around various people between himself and the table, Parsons suddenly slid his butt down into a chair just as the other group arrived. "S-sorry," he stammered, not courageous enough to look any of them in the eye. "Th-this one's taken." And with that, he crossed his arms and stayed planted like a root until the other group sighed and headed back for the bar. As his comrades made their way over to join him, Parsons pulled out his tricorder and began what he hoped was a covert scan.

Xex blinked after the young ensign with a mixture of disbelief and surprised respect. He honestly wouldn't have thought the timid engineer had it in him, but he certainly had to hand it to Parsons-- he'd made the play when it counted. The other group of-- were those feathers?-- aliens whose table hopes had been dashed had not yet dispersed, and the silver-skinned doctor decided strength in numbers would be their best play. He glanced across the bar to where the bartender was just gathering up what Xex sincerely hoped were their drinks. Catching the wee being's eye, he gestured vaguely toward the table. Then, jerking his head at Qo and Romanowski, he set off in Parsons' wake.

Not a moment too soon, either. The jilted aliens were beginning to puff up what, upon closer examination, definitely were feathers, crests rising on their heads. "Taken?" the boldest of them asked, her voice whistling melodically beneath the pumping beat of the 'music.' "We'll see about that," she began, just as Xex, having taken point with Leighton behind him, arrived at the table.

"Great choice!" he exclaimed loudly, clapping Parsons on the shoulder as he moved past the ensign and slid into a seat on the opposite side of the table. This put his back to the feathered beings, which meant he either trusted violence not to erupt, or was confident enough that he need not fear such violence. Xex wiped his palms surreptitiously on the fabric of his trousers, thankful the air was too smoky and dim for nuances of nervous sweat to be obvious.

Qo joined them as well, hands in his pockets. "Looks like we got the best seat in the house." He feigned an excited smile to his comrades, ignoring the feathered groups approach. Clapping Sheldon on the shoulder, Ax took a seat next him. "Pretty good for your first visit. Really getting the whole experience of the place."

As all four of them settled into their seats, the glowering aliens apparently did not find a fight over the table worth their while, and, feathers still ruffled, began to disperse, whistle-muttering to each other as they sought out other, easier territory. Keeping half an eye on them lest they change their mind, Xex craned his neck as though he would be able to see Parsons' covert tricorder. At least he managed to resist whipping out his own in some semblance of discretion. "Any match on the DNA?"

"It's Kaldri alright," Sheldon nodded to Xex and the others. "Her blood, actually. Right there," he gestured with his left index finger. Where he pointed was a light smear which had been mostly wiped away with a dirty rag at some point. But there was enough genetic material left behind to complete the trace. "Why was she bleeding in a bar of all places?" he wondered above the din.

Xex found his gaze drawn inexorably to the smear, despite its dubious provenance. It was not as though he could discern anything from a poorly-wiped splash of bodily fluids and yet, he found he could not tear his eyes away. So she had been here. Something about that was comforting-- or at least, it would have been if she hadn't been bleeding. Parsons' question finally drew Xex's attention and he lifted an eyebrow across the table at the young man. "In a place like this? I would be very surprised if that is the only blood this table has seen," he said dryly.

"Especially when a band's playing to a big crowd," came a familiar voice. It was the bartender, who'd personally come over carrying a tray laden with drinks. He set the Tagumik Tornadoes down in front of each of the Starfleeters in turn. "Had a knife fight in here just a couple days ago. The security here's usually pretty quick to respond but big crowds are hard to thread through," he said with a shrug. "Want me to grab a rag? Don't mind wiping it down...but it'll just get dirty again," he loudly lamented over the music. Reaching down, he picked up the empty glasses left behind by the previous group and pocketed their tip metal.

Axod picked up one of the drinks and took a healthy swig. He couldn't quite place the flavour, but he was sure it was familiar. "That type of thing happen a lot in here?" He asked the Bartender. "Knife fights I mean?" He was curious, as the answer could pertain to the group's immediate safety and Ax liked to be prepared in case a situation went sideways.

Xex flashed the bartender a grin, lifting his Tornado in a thankful salute. "Don't worry about it," he declared, "we were merely speculating as to its provenance." Flicking a glance at Axod, he settled back to sip his drink, letting the Doosodarian ask the questions for the moment. His would keep, and in any case, he was interested in the bartender's answer-- if Kaldri was involved in the knife fight, they might be able to find more from this tack than any other.

"Oh, you'd be surprised how often," the bartender replied, shaking his head. "This station caters to smugglers and people who want to remain hidden from outside law enforcement. People get pretty insistent about protecting their own agendas here," he said, looking back at the bar to ensure his coworker had things under control for the moment.

"Take the fight the other day. Kazon woman, very gruff," the bartender explained. "Sounded like she was trying to call in a favor from someone based on what I overheard. They said no. She didn't like that and pushed him. So he goes and pulls a knife and then stabbed her plain as rain. An Enforcer took him for processing but pretty sure he'll end up out here again soon," he said, shaking his head once again.

Xex felt himself jerk at this description, and he forcibly bent his head to his drink, hiding his expression.

Parsons had been staring at the blood smear while the bartender told the story. Upon its completion, though, his eyes drifted back to the group of avians whom he'd beat to secure this particular table. Were they going to come stab him? He visibly gulped before turning back to the drink bringer and asking, "Why don't you just outlaw weapons in here? Make it a safe environment for everyone?"

"Kid," the bartender rolled his eyes, "do you know how long it would take to strip everyone of their weapons when they walk through the door? And the manpower it would take to do that with three entrances to this place?" It was as if Sheldon had suggested changing the orbit of a moon or something. "Besides, a weapon gives most folks a sense of security around here. Having one keeps them from freaking out: makes them feel safer. I think hand to hand violence would be much more prevalent here if people weren't able to carry something small but effective."

"Ah," Parsons responded, having no counter argument to that.

Having apparently gotten himself under control, Xex chimed in with, "I know I feel safer for it." He patted the cargo pocket on his thigh which actually carried a roll of self-sealing wound gauze, but hopefully the motion was enough like checking for a weapon that it would lend them the right kind of dangerous mien. Right.

"Tell me," he said, before the bartender could take his leave, "Did you see what happened to the Kazon woman after she bled all over your table? You said the Enforcer only took the one of them for processing..."

Axod listened to the bartender's words. He could understand of course, even though he didn't grow up in a place where weapons were a common sight, he knew a lot of people who had. So he could sympathize withnthe bartender, a man who simply didn't want any extra hassle in his life.

"Needed medical attention, didn't she? Bleeding all over the place like that," the alien shrugged, placing the now empty tray in his arm pit, held in place against his body by his arm. "She paid her tab and said she was going to see Doc Zamaya for a patch up job. That was the last I saw of her," the bartender said, a suspicious gleam in his triple eyes. They were asking a lot of questions about the Kazon woman...

"Listen, if she owes you money or something, I don't think you're going to have much luck," the alien added. "She seemed pretty desperate for metal for some reason, so I doubt she can pay you back. But uh...try not to get yourself thrown in the Hole for trying to collect? You seem like nice people," he said. With a parting nod, the bartender drifted back to his station as the band blared on, leaving the Starfleeters to themselves.

"According to this," Sheldon held aloft his PADD indicatively, having already run a search of Hukatuse's database, "this 'Doctor Zamaya' runs the local Infirmary. It's not far from here if we want to check it out. Maybe they'll know what happened to Kaldri after the fight? Besides," he visibly gulped again, "I think those bird people really want this table." The engineer's eyes shifted to indicate the group, which had obtained drinks and were now loitering about 30 feet away, directing intense stares at Xex's group.

Bleeding all over the place like that, echoed ominously in Xex's mind as he struggled to keep a pleasant expression on his face. Whatever taste the Tornado had before, it seemed to have soured; the good doctor appeared to be having serious trouble swallowing his most recent sip. Even once he managed that, he struggled to force what he hoped was a carefree grin. "Oh no, nothing so serious," he said, and despite his best efforts, looked as though he'd eaten something that didn't agree with him. "Thanks for your help!" he called after the bartender, and then immediately turned back to the table and lowered his voice as much as he could in the blaring music.

"This station does not seems like the sort of place that offers free medical care," he observed, "If she was low on funds and seriously injured, she might be in real trouble. We definitely should see what this Doctor Zamaya has to say." Xex spoke intently, his expression set as he caught each of his fellows' eyes around the table. "I don't know about you gents," he said, pushing his glass away from him, "but I've lost my appetite for drink. And it sounds like time is even more of the essence. Let's go," he added with the first hint of command he had thus far shown on the station. Planting his hands on the table, Xex pushed to his feet, studiously ignoring the group of feathered aliens still staring keenly at the table.

Leighton had listened quietly as the bartender had divulged the information. At the doctor's order, Leighton downed his last bit of drink before standing to follow behind the other two men. Before stepping away, he pulled out a few strips of metal from his coat pocket and tossed them onto the table. He then looked over at Axod and motioned to the others. "We'd better hurry before they leave us behind."

The Counselor nodded in agreement. He took a last long swig of his drink and then left the glass on the table. Axod pushed his chair back and stood up with a bit of a jump. Without pushing his seat back in, the Doosodarian sped up to meet his comrades as they headed to the exit. He pushed his red hair out of his face and waved to the bartender before joining his friends.

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

Lieutenant Xex Wang
Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant Axod Qo
Chief Counselor

Lieutenant (JG) Leighton Romanowski
Operations Officer

Ensign Sheldon Parsons
Engineering Officer