Lt. Robin Hopper: Girl Trouble
Robin Hopper
((Wet Goods Tavern & Karaoke Bar, Grand Mezzanine – Amity Outpost))
Hopper: ::Shaking her head:: Maybe this is more than you wanted to know, but like, when I transferred to Amity I was freshly single and I thought “this is my chance” – you know, to have a little fun? Avoid anything too serious, or messy…
Keehani: ::Knowing nod:: Mmm hmm, I understand. At my age, and in this stage of my career, I just don’t need the complication.
Robin pointed at Keehani, nodding emphatically.
Hopper: Exactly. You get it. We’re both focused on our careers – on our professional development. That doesn’t leave a lot of room for ::stirring her straw absent-mindedly:: serious relationships. Besides, I’m a Starfleet Officer. I could be transferred half-way across the galaxy at a moment’s notice.
Keehani: ::Smiling:: Oh, I guarantee you the FDC would protest… ::Nodding:: but our minds are the same on this.
Robin sighed, half-amused and half-dejected as she looked down into the icy remnants of her drink.
Hopper: But, for whatever reason, I’ve just hit a bunch of dead ends. Who knew everyone on this station was an old fashioned romantic? You know, I’d like to meet one person who isn’t looking to get seriously involved. Is that asking too much?
Keehani: ::shaking head slowly, smiling:: Absolutely not.
She looked across at Keehani and sighed, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand, her elbow on the table. She wondered if perhaps Keehani, working in the civilian sector with an entirely different array of connections, might have had more luck.
As she stared absent-mindedly, she tried to conjure an image of the ideal person – and came up lacking. It wasn’t about his looks… not exactly – there was plenty of handsome to go around; It wasn’t a matter of his career, or his clothes, or his dance moves… It was a sense of security, in feeling understood, feeling respected, feeling free. Maybe that was too much to ask from any one man.
Her eyes refocused on Keehani, realizing that she hadn’t said anything in a while, and spoke.
Hopper: What about you, then? Anyone striking your fancy?
Keehani: Oh… you know… ::smile:: not really.
Robin raised her eyebrows.
Hopper: No? ::Squinting:: I see something in that little smile. You sure?
Keehani rolled her eyes playfully, before a big broad smile appeared across her face.
Keehani: Uh, well… ::slight blush::, I think you are a wonderful person, and if circumstances were any different I think The Four would ensure we’d have a wonderful time together.
Robin blinked, smiling, feeling like perhaps she’d missed something – but Keehani kept speaking, leaving her trying to keep up.
Keehani: ::Smiling, lifting finger, cheekily:: But the universe is not different, so instead you and I, Robin, ::playfully:: are going to be great friends whether you like it or not.
Robin’s mouth opened - but, for a moment, no sound came out. At last, her mind caught up.
Hopper: ::Eyes widening:: Oh.
A goofy befuddled expression overtook her. She’d never realized – oO But of course, it makes sense, I guess… Oo – and she shouldn’t have assumed – oO I just saw as much as I wanted to… Oo
Hopper: Yeah. I mean, of course. ::Looking down, shaking head, nervous chuckle:: I should be so lucky. ::Rolling her eyes, then looking at Keehani:: I don’t… But if I did…
She didn’t exactly know what to say, and so she just trailed off, finding the whole situation a comic sort of irony. In many ways, Keehani was that person. But not for Robin – and she guessed that Keehani sensed that as well.
Keehani: ::Looking sheepish:: No- ::closing eyes, thinking:: what I mean is-
Robin was about to hold up a hand and tell Keehani that it was alright, that she had nothing to explain, when suddenly Keehani’s gaze was drawn elsewhere, over Robin’s shoulder.
Hopper: Wha–?
Keehani: I- ::lifting finger:: - excuse me, Lieutenant, something’s wrong…
Robin shook her head. oO Wrong? What..? Oo
Hopper: Keehani, I didn’t mean that…
But Keehani’s attention was elsewhere. Robin trailed off, trying to work out what was going on. She looked around the room and spotted another women – a Betazoid as well? – across the room, staring at them with furious intensity.
Hopper: Oh #$%@. ::Nervous look at Keehani:: I’m not getting in the middle of… something else, am I?
She didn’t immediately recognize the other woman, but by her clothes, she looked like one of the many Nobles that had been calling Amity home since before Robin had even set foot on the station. Scenarios raced through her mind. Was she about to get grabbed by the hair or have her brain melted by a furious spurned ex?
As the other woman marched over, Robin shrank into the booth, and was startled when Keehani leapt from her seat and wrapped her in a hug. The two embraced, but Robin could tell that emotions were still high between the other women. oO What is going on…??? Oo
Keehani audibly gasped and leaned back, clearly shocked.
Keehani: She can’t do that- ::looking down, interrupting herself:: yes she can, Section 83 of the Betazoid Nobility Charter…
Polgonz: ::Shaking her head, on the verge of tears:: So, she’s really within her rights?
Keehani: You don’t spend years going through the Reconciliation Forums of Betazed against six noble houses, whilst also at the same time being an exopolitics student, and not study the Charter.
Keehani Put her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. At last it began to dawn on Robin that whatever was going on between the two of them, it most likely did not directly involve her. She relaxed her posture, slightly, and inched towards the end of the booth once more.
Hopper: ::Ahem:: Umm… ::Nervous smile, little wave:: Hiiiii…
Keehani: ::Hand on chest:: I am so sorry. Lieutenant Robin Hopper, have you met Daughter Ascendant Tri’lea Polgonz of the Twentieth House of Betazed?
Most of the words went over her head – but she heard something about a Daughter of a House.
Hopper: Polgonz… Like, Daughter Lohani?
Was this Lohani’s daughter?
Hopper: ::Flustered:: Uhh– Sorry. I, uh – No. ::Holding out her hand:: We haven’t had the pleasure. ::Correcting herself:: I haven’t.
The other woman took her hand, but Robin could sense her reluctance.
Polgonz: ::Reserved:: Charmed.
Keehani: ::To Polgonz:: Let’s you and I… ::trailing off, to Robin:: Robin, I apologise but I must cut our night short, ::turning to Tri’lea:: I have a friend that very urgently needs support. ::Back to Robin:: I would love nothing more than to do this again, very soon. ::Smiling:: Could we do that?
Robin was just happy to have something to respond to that she understood. She replied, probably more enthusiastically than she should have, given the circumstances.
Hopper: Sure!!! ::Smiling, trying to seem ‘normal’:: Yes, uh, definitely.
Keehani reached for her small bag, and smiled one last time at Robin.
Keehani: ::Smiling:: Next time, it definitely will be a Betazoid song.
Hopper: ::Nodding:: I’ll practice my accent.
Keehani: ::Wrapping her elbow through Tri’lea’s:: Come, Daughter Ascendant.
As Keehani walked off, arm-in-arm, with Daughter Something, Somebody-or-other Polgonz, of… Some House… Robin was left rather stunned. She turned back to the table, looking across at the empty booth.
oO Is Wet Goods cursed? Am I cursed? Oo She looked side-to-side, as if a crowd of people would be standing around looking back at her. oO I just wanted to sing some karaoke… Oo
She sighed, then downed the rest of her drink.
Hopper: Oof..
It was a comment as much in reaction to the watery dredges of her moscow mule as it was a comment on the situation.
Hopper: ::To herself:: At least you’re not a homewrecker…
Robin furrowed her brow. She hoped Keehani understood that she wasn’t put off by what she’d said. Surprised, definitely. Caught off guard. Flattered, a little. It crossed her mind that, were she a bit younger – back in University still – she might have even been intrigued. Maybe she’d given Keehani ‘signals’ unintentionally… after all, she certainly did think her friend was beautiful – and had a personality to match. oO A kindred spirit… Oo she mused to herself.
Shaking her head, Robin slowly made her way out of the booth and towards the exit. She’d about had enough of bars and Betazoid nobility and drama for one Shore Leave… Suddenly, the relative peace and quiet of home didn’t seem quite so bad. Maybe a nice relaxing evening in the conversation pit, curled up by the fire with a book and a glass of rosé was exactly what she needed to settle her restless mind – if only she could shut the thoughts off for a while.
She needed to unburden herself. To talk to someone about what a crazy week it’d been. Someone she could confide in, who would understand, who wouldn’t judge her… She tapped her combadge.
Hopper: =/\= Lt. Hopp– ::Cutting herself off, smirking:: Rambo to John Mason. Do you read? =/\=
There was a brief pause. Robin waited as the train pulled into the station.
Richards: =/\= Response =/\=
Hopper: =/\= Are you busy? … I’m just heading home and I was wondering if you might want to come over – just to talk? Hang out? ::Shaking her head:: I’ve got a lot on my mind… =/\=
Richards: =/\= Response =/\=
Stepping aboard, she could already feel the weight she was carrying begin to lessen.
Hopper: ::Smiling ironically:: =/\= Girl trouble. =/\=
Richards: =/\= Response =/\=
TBC
