Lieutenant JG Tali Namura - Sobriety Is Giving Me Difficulties
Jo Marshall
((The White Lion, Docks, Iana Station))
Tali stopped beside the long table and slid herself down into the booth-like chair. Immediately, the menu flew up from the table, accompanied by half a dozen advertisements for new transport, the nearby colonies, tourist destinations, and new holonovels, among others. She flicked them away with disinterested fingers.
Namura: The menu looks as inspiring as expected, so what's it going to be?
Loxley: Chips, obviously. Chips and beer.
The youthful doctor across from her tapped his thumb ring on the menu as he browsed through, and Tali wondered if he needed the noise to distract himself from the barrage of thoughts from the previous mission. By all accounts, apparently, it was harrowing. She, however, had a marvellous time with the blood and the nightmares.
Tagren-Quinn: I haven’t had a good burger for a while. And, beer… most likely.
Sirin: I believe I shall start with an uttaberry cider.
Namura: Meallai cocktail, jiadilla berries on the side.
Loxley: I believe it was the responsibility of our newest doctors to get the first round in? I recommend four pints of ale and whiskey chasers. ::He grinned.:: And something for the rest of you, too.
Bryce laughed heartily, bringing a rosy tint to his cheeks, while Tali inhaled, a wry smile appearing, and a slow shake of her head. Beer was absolutely not on any acceptable list Tali drank from, at least in this universe. Recollections of a Skarbek doctor swam up to the forefront of her mind, as did the memories of several hazy nights spent in the company of a blonde engineer and her distillery assemblage. The heaves were not wonderful and neither were the accompanying hos.
Tagren-Quinn: Of course, help yourself. Anything you want. Meidra and I are prepared.
Sirin: You are correct. I am ready for almost anything.
Smirks abound across the table between the Psychiatrist and the Doctor, while Tali took the second to look around at the bar and its inhabitants. Starfleet uniforms sat around a table, their wearers somewhat the worse for wear, while a mixed group of travellers occupied another. Drinks rattled on the surface as the rapid transport tram, or RapTram, flew by in the tunnel beside the White Lion, momentarily obscuring the view through the windows.
Loxley: I like this set-up. ::He gestured to the pub around them.:: Reminds me of home. I bet there’s a landlady called Rose or Mavis who says “yes luv, what can I get ya?” when you go to the bar.
Sirin: All we need is a few old men telling tales at the bar of when they first knew their future was in the stars.
Once again, Tali shook her head, although this time, it was a good natured roll of the eyes that accompanied it. Significant time had passed since the medical team had found reason to go out to Iana Station, and less so since Genkos had decided it was time to depart the realm of the living and take up with the land of the larger conference tables and mood lighting. She ought to ask Caedan to bake the cake again; it was quite divine.
Glancing from the rocketing RapTram as it sped through the tunnel outside, Tali caught the expression marching like a security officer toward Lieutenant Sienelis across Bryce's face. Those bright green eyes of his had spotted someone on the other side of the establishment, and as Tali followed his gaze, she saw the dark haired woman heading toward them, her arm descending from a wave. Almost vulturous in her approach, though the young doctor couldn't deny she appreciated the gold dress clinging to every curve.
Female: Paging Doctor Q-T Pie… What are you doing here?!
The notched tips of the young Doctor's ears gained a bright red shimmer as green eyes darted between his medical colleagues and the woman planting her hands on the small table and leaning close enough to him, Tali imagined she had a full view of his pore count. She noticed his shoulders tense and that never boded well.
Tagren-Quinn: ::Sighing:: Um, hey Gexena. ::Clearing his throat,:: Everyone, this is Gexena. Gexena… everyone.
He motioned around the table as the woman leaned away from the table, the smirk adorning her red lips suddenly striking Tali as reminiscent of her mother, in her younger years. The kind of smirk that spelt only trouble yet could be read so differently. Flipping her dark hair over her shoulder in a tidal wave of ebony and Tali quirked up an eyebrow. Dark eyes said Betazoid and the way she carried herself...
Gexena: Pleasure.
Namura: Isn't it?
Loxley: Response
Tagren-Quinn: If… ::He raised his hand and smiled apologetically to the other three.:: Excuse us for one moment.
Sirin: We will be here. Waiting.
Loxley: Response
Bryce pushed himself away from the table and guided the Betazoid woman toward the bar. Fingers laced into belt loops as the woman pulled the doctor to her, sharing words his colleagues couldn't hear. When the woman leaned in to kiss him, Tali looked down to the menu flashing impatiently beneath her hands, and when she looked up to find Bryce again, Gexena had walked away. Hips sashaying. Clearly, on the arse end of agitation, the green eyed doctor sat back down.
Tagren-Quinn: Yeah, um, sorry about that.
Sirin: Apologies for her behaviour are unnecessary, I assure you.
Namura: Unless they come from her.
Added simply as Tali peered at the menu, trying not to say what she wanted to about the nature of ex-partners, and concentrated on the delights to await them. Perhaps she'd have a quiet word in the future with the doctor, about learning techniques to defend against the dark arts of beautiful people. Thankfully, her ex was a number of lightyears away, likely with a dozen admirers swooning over his every word, and punctuating his existence with inconvenient breathing.
Loxley: Response
Tagren-Quinn: She’s, uh… my ex. You know how it goes. Now, about those drinks…
Sirin: Ah yes, I have one of those too. I think he rejoined the priesthood after our relationship ended.
Loxley: Response
The hybrid hid a giggle as she looked down at the menu buzzing animatedly from the table. Once more, Tali's eyebrow found an upwards angle, intrigued by the tale but not so much to ask in a public forum. She'd heard that one before; running off to join the Priesthood instead of committing to a relationship/baby/marriage/bar of soap. Surprisingly, not many stayed within the cloistered confines.
Tagren-Quinn: Let’s get our food, that first round, and maybe share some stories.
Sirin: Yes, stories are always a welcome diversion amongst friends.
Namura: I doubt they'd be quite as exciting.
Loxley: Response
Tagren-Quinn: Response
Drinks were ordered all around, they appeared in a manner of moments, replicated from a conveniently placed replicator beneath the table. Once all were requested, the centre of the table had parted and a silver tray bearing an inscribed lion rose up from the middle.
Tali stirred her drink beneath her hand, the polymer rod between her fingers. The dark amber nectar swirled with silvery sparkles as the spices blended together, wafting the scent of old world pears and ginger up to her, with the small clipping of jiadilla berries dangling delightfully off the side of the glass.
Namura: May the first round not be the last. Judging by the start of it, we may need them along the way.
Loxley/Tagren-Quinn/Sirin: Response
Namura: That's what I always found lovely about Iana Station. It's in the middle of everything. ::She glanced across from them, at the travellers occupying the yonder table.:: You never quite know who is going to end up here at any given moment. What else do you expect from the bar where seventy-five percent of the dark corners are occupied?
Loxley/Tagren-Quinn/Sirin: Response
The RapTram rocketed by once more, lending the rattling of drinks to the cacophony of noise and what passed for ersatz music drifting from unseen locations. Hotels, bars, and restaurants were plentiful, as were the docks, the apartments, and the beautiful arboretum retreats. Tali pushed the berries from the side of her glass as she flicked one of them toward Loxley.
Namura: Alred Evatt could appear from around the corner, burn a hole in your frontal lobe and we'd thank him for his service.
Loxley/Tagren-Quinn/Sirin: Response
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Lieutenant JG Tali Namura
Acting Chief Medical Officer
USS Gorkon
G239304JM0