Franz Teller - Sláinte

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Danny Lee

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Jan 6, 2020, 6:45:44 AM1/6/20
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((Hallway outside Captain’s Mess, USS Veritas))


Franz
: ::holding out arm to Rivi:: You should watch and learn from your father, you too may have a beautiful lady on your arm before you know it.

She looked back over at Franz.

 

Vataix: I'm just down the hall.

Franz led the beautiful woman on his arm out of the captain’s mess, leaving Geoffrey and Wil behind him.  He turned to look at Geoffrey one last time.

Franz: ::Smiling:: But, of course.  Someone of such importance should be able to retire so close to the ship’s captain.

As the doors closed behind him, he led Rivi down the hall.

Vataix: Franz, I believe we both have concerns that could be solved with an elegant solution. You wish for your son to find a partner, and I’ve been working on rebuilding the Eleventh House of Betazed in the wake of the Dominion War and the Ohmallera attack. Did you know that on Betazed, the sex ratio is now just 82 men for every 100 women?

Franz: You mean to tell me…

 

Vataix: If your son is interested in finding a well-educated, strong-minded partner in life—and from what I sense of him, I think he does—then there’s no better place to find one than on Betazed.

Franz: Well, ordinarily, it is not my place to suggest to my son how to live his life.  But, I am willing to make an exception in this case.

Vataix: Excellent! I’ll get started immediately then on looking for a suitable match!

 

Franz chuckled when Rivi let out a high-pitched squeal of delight.  When they arrived at the door of her quarters, she walked in, but then turned at the last minute to look at him.

Vataix: Have you ever been to Betazed yourself, Franz?

 

Franz: 10 women for every 8.2 men?  ::Smiling::  I like those odds.  After losing my wife… but then after tonight, my heart started again oO Roshanara Rahman Oo and… well I may be inclined to visit sometime soon.

 

A big smile appeared his face.  Rivi replied with a playful expression of her own.

Vataix: It might be worth a stop on your way back to the inner Federation. I suspect you would enjoy our hospitality.

 

Franz: ::Grinning:: I suspect I would enjoy it too.

Franz nodded, and chuckled a little, before he leaned his hand against the archway of the door and looked down, pondering.  He was ecstatic to be re-united with Geoffrey, and ideally would have loved a grandchild from his son.  But he was also proud of him and what he had achieved in Starfleet.  Geoffrey was 26, and his own man.

Franz: I want to do the best by my son.  You may be certain, but I can’t guarantee he will be interested in marriage.  Depending on what he says, I may or may not be on Betazed soon.

Vataix: I guess we’ll see. Don’t be a stranger if you do stop by.


A charming smile broke across his face, as his eyes glistened.

Franz: I wouldn’t dream of it, your majesty.

He lifted her hand slowly to his mouth, and gave it a gentle kiss.  He then lowered it gently before letting it go, and smiling again.


Franz: I bid you adieu, fair maiden.

Vataix: Good night. We’ll be in touch!

 

He stepped back from the doorway, and let it shut.  He looked both ways down the hallway, and saw the back of Geoffrey’s young friend walking out of the Captain’s Mess.

Franz: Wil!

 

Wil turned around, and smiled.

 

Ukinix: Hey, Franz! How did your escorting duties go?  You back off to Geoffrey’s quarters?

 

Franz closed the gap to him.

Franz: I guess I am.

Ukinix: ::gesturing:: C’arn, we’ll head back to deck 4 together.  You can tell me another Geoffrey story on the way.

They both made their way to the turbolift. 

Franz: ::Smiling:: Or maybe you can tell *me* one.  I have many years to catch up on.

Wil chuckled.

 

Ukinix: Geoff would kill me if I did.

Wil pressed the button to call the turbolift.

Franz: You know, I haven’t been out Geoffrey’s quarters much since I’ve been aboard.  But now, ::inhaling:: I feel alive!  And you know what?

They entered the turbolift together.

Franz: ::Proudly:: I feel like a whisky.

Ukinix: ::Hands behind back, looking up:: Deck 4.  ::To Franz:: There’s the officer’s lounge on our deck, you can get a drink there, no worries.

Franz: Replicators?

Ukinix: ::Nodding:: Oh, yeah.  Just watch them though, the computer interface is - annoying.

Franz: Come on young man, have just one whisky with me.  Tell me a story or two about GJ.

 

Ukinix: ::Smirking:: Alright Mr. Teller, you’re on.

 

((23 minutes later, Officer Lounge, Deck 4))

Four empty whisky glasses with melting ice were on the table in front of Wil and Franz.  Each man had another glass in their hand.

Ukinix: …and then he… ::laughing:: … he rolled up his sleeve, and no crap, there was an exaggerated tattoo of Roshie, naked on his arm.  And I mean… ::gesturing with hands:: …exaggerated.

Franz: ::Smirking:: Ohh, that’s priceless.

 

Ukinix: It was funny. ::lifting glass to mouth::  Well, funny, until my Klingon girlfriend tried to bash the door down to get her prosthetic arm back.

Franz: ::Shaking head:: You boys.

Ukinix: ::Shrugging, taking sip of whisky:: One of those silly moments.

Franz:  So, besides the Orion woman, has he ever been interested in anyone?

Ukinix: Besides the warp core?

Franz: ::Raising eyebrow:: The warp core?

 

Ukinix: Oh yeah, he loves that thing.  ::Taking another sip:: Talks to it, pats it.   If you want Geoffrey to have grandchildren, I’d be marrying him off to that.  You’d have tiny little starships sitting on your lap calling you “Grandpa”.

Franz chuckled, before taking a large swig of his drink.

Franz: Well.  He may be betrothed sooner than he thinks.

Ukinix: ::furrowing brow:: Really?

The elder teller simply smiled and raised his eyebrows, giving a knowing nod.  Wil’s jaw dropped, before he smiled incredulously.

 

Ukinix: You mean – ::pointing up:: - via Rivi?

 

Franz’s smile got bigger as he nodded proudly.

Ukinix: Holy sh- I thought you were only joking!

Franz shifted his head from side to side, pondering before he answered.

Franz: I was...hmm, hedging my bets.

 

Ukinix: Mate.   Mr Teller.  Franz.  Just – be careful.  Some of those Betazoid nobles – they’re lovely people but they can be a weird mob sometimes.  I’m part Betazoid, and I went to Betazed for the first time a few months ago - ::gesturing with head up towards ceiling:: Some, not all, but some of them are just, I don’t know, power hungry.  Very vein.  Gossipy, and all about show.  Possibly inbred.  ::putting glass to mouth:: Probably inbred.

 

As Wil took a sip of his drink, Franz spoke up.

Franz: Well maybe Geoffrey will be good for them.  ::Grinning:: Increases their chances of improving their gene pool.

 

Wil coughed from laughing into his glass, as the whisky burnt his throat while he chuckled.  Still holding his glass, Franz pointed at Wil.

Franz: Besides, Mr Ukinix, ::raising eyebrow:: “people in glass houses,” as they say.  You had your eye on Rivi.

Wil chuckled and nodded.

Unbeknown to Wil, Solak, who was sitting several tables away, tapped “people in glass houses” onto the “TODO” list on his PADD, and kept pretending not to hear the conversation.

Ukinix: Let’s just say I saw some of that Betazoid nobility weirdness on full display tonight before the dinner, and it messed with my head.

There was a few moments of silence.

Franz: She is a beautiful, privileged lady.  That is enough to mess with anyone’s head, man or woman.

 

Wil nodded, and finished the contents of his drink.  He decided that Franz was right. He had waited for G’var, not knowing where she was, what she was doing, or whether she’d ever come back.  Seeing Rivi naked had rattled him. 

He stood up, and offered his hand to Franz.

Ukinix: Time for me to crash.  It’s been a pleasure, Franz.  Next round’s on me.

Franz stood up, and shook Wil’s hand.

Franz: Until next time.  ::Lifting half-finished glass:: Sláinte.


As Wil made his way out of the lounge, Franz sat back down.  Looking at the stars, he cast his mind back to June.  He lifted his glass to the window.

Franz: ::To himself quietly:: June, no matter what happens.  You will always be my one true love. ::Lifting half-finished glass to window:: Sláinte.

 

Franz finished his drink then stood up to leave, but jumped a little when, to his surprise, a tall Vulcan male was standing in front of him.

Solak: Mr Teller.  My name is Solak.  I am the ship’s stellar cartographer, but previously I have studied philosophy at the Vulcan science academy.  Based on personal data analysis purposes, may I ask you a few questions?



[End Scene]

 

 

Teller. Franz Teller

Welder. Shaken, not stirred.

Archer IV

V239511WU0

 

 

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