Lt. Commander Foster - Stroll Through The Night Garden
Jamie LeBlanc
(( Starbase 104, Outside the Night Garden ))
Cade Foster had done his level best to maintain his roguish charm and that hint of ‘I don’t care’ bad-boy attitude as if he had just rolled out of bed and still looked this good.
But of course, he did care, and the little details were a dead giveaway. His hair was very slightly unruly, but his beard was immaculately trimmed. His button-down shirt was slightly rumpled, but his suitcoat was perfectly fitted and dapper. His slacks were slightly slouchy, but his boot6s were perfectly polished.
And he smelled good. That Venusian aftershave that reminded him of sweet tobacco (not that he smoked, but it was a common scent in old holovids) and hints of pine. It always reminded him of camping trips with Grandfather Charles. And he got compliments on it before, so it was his go-to.
He waited with a bright, expectant smile which grew even brighter as the one he was waiting for arrived.
Foster: Good evening! My dear, you are looking ravishing!
He grinned, stepping forward.
Rajel: I hope I haven't kept you waiting.
Foster: Not at all. ::he moved near Jalana’s side:: have you been to the Night Garden before?
Rajel: No, I haven't, didn't even know this place exist. So I'm excited!
He considered the shop’s gently lit and dazzling façade. The name was engraved in a wooden sign in an old fashioned font, and the entryway was surrounded by a trellis where live flowers grew, hinting at the scents and sights within. That mingled with the scent of tea and coffee and other brewed beverages from around the Federation, and the always enticing scent of fresh bread.
Foster: I’m pretty sure it’s new to 104, though there are other ones across the galaxy. Or at least similar ideas.
He turned, offering her a chivakrious hand to guide her inside.
Foster: Are you ready?
Rajel: All ready to be enchanted.
He grinned.
Foster: Then let me be enchanting!
He opened the door for her, and the light scents they had been able to pick up outside intensified. It was all at once delicious and yet peaceful.
There was a counter, similar to a coffee shop, that displayed the menu of beverages. Mostly tea – over one hundred of the Federation’s best varieties – were available by the cup or pot, and then a selection of other brewed beverages from ciders to coffees and even raktajino. The food was all small bites from finger sandwiches to appetizers, all meant to be shared.
The entry area had a few tables, and a nice array of decorative potted plans and hanging baskets, but from inside you could start to see the main attraction – a full garden in the back where tables were nestled in-between the hedges and bushes and amazingly landscaped displays of twilight blooming flowers. It was highlighted by hanging lanterns and each table had synthetic candles that gave the whole thing a calm, peaceful almost mystical glow.
Foster: So, I think it’s common to order a pot or two of tea or coffee or… whatever beverage you fancy – to share and a few types of food so the table can share. They’ll serve the beverage in a semi-formal tea service, which is lovely.
Rajel: ?
Foster: You pick half, I’ll pick half and we enjoy everything?
That seemed fair.
Rajel: ?
Foster: Excellent!
The ordering was easy. The barista offered the pair an electronic flag for the table and invited them to stroll through the garden and select a table. That would be a bit harder only because every table seemed like a good table.
Cade picked up the flag and once again offered a hand to Jalana, before strolling out into the simulated twilight. Stars glittered in the simulated sky, and lanterns festonned the walkways giving a golden glow to the paths. There was just enough light that you could appreciate the colors of the flowers. Real birds twittered and flitted around the groomed gardens and a man-made stream flowed gently through it all. There was a little bridge separating the two halves of the garden, which Cade steered them towards.
Foster: Now the hard part. Where would you like to sit?
Tables were dotted around the garden spread out just enough to make each one feel intimate, but close enough to feel like it was all connected.
Rajel: ?
It wasn’t especially busy, at least not right now – which gave them plenty of options.
Foster: I do like the water. That little sparkle of movement under the lights is surprisingly calming.
Rajel: ?
Foster: Yeah, ::he nodded:: when I was a kid, I used to love being outside, going hiking and camping. I kinda lost that for a while when I was in Starfleet. But I love having places like this to rekindle that.
He figured he wasn’t the only one who had an experience like that.
Rajel: ?
~*~
tags/tbc
~*~
Lt. Commander Cade Foster
Chief Medical Officer
~Julian Beck
E239010ST0