Lt. Commander Ross - Time to go home

[Hannah S]

((The Bottled Repose))

Ross had stopped caring about the game a while ago – but it seemed the other members of their game still very much did. 

It was almost like a comedic skit, watching the unmoved, smooth manner in which A'Mayri absolutely tore the Ferengi to shreds.

Ross: Come on now.
 
Lyra’s turn was next. She picked up her cards and immediately leaned in to whisper with Evan.
 
Voss: Wait, so, the J is ten? Seven, ten, four, but the ace is eleven?

Ross leaned in, taking a look at her cards, but for some reason he had a hard time focusing on her question. J is ten, ace is eleven – who cared, when he could almost feel her curls brushing his skin, picked up the faint, sweet smell of her perfume? 

Ross took a deep breath, but it went nowhere. 
 
A'Mayri: :: Eyes locked onto her cards as she takes another sip of her new drink:: J is ten and Ace is eleven yes.
 
Voss: And you have to pay attention to the… the card’s jacket…?
 
Ferengi: The SUIT! Suit! How are you still in this game when you don’t remember how it’s even played?

Ross smiled and settled back in the bench, taking a sip from his whiskey, which had been magically refilled for the second time now. Now that he took a good look around, he noticed a pretty distinct green flush on A'Mayri's cheeks, who had just plucked the peppermint stick out of her drink and stuck it between the corner of her lips like one would a cigarette. She almost looked like an old school detective from one of Corey' holo-novels. 
 
A’Mayri: Your words mean nothing if my friend still remains even with her well meaning confusion. Perhaps that is cause for some self reflection into your own abilities.

Turned out, A'Mayri was an absolute menace. Ross' eyes widened slightly, but he buried his excited grin in another sip. 

When his eyes fell back onto Lyra's deck of cards he noticed she was close to collecting a trio. Without thinking, his hand clenched softly around her shoulder, as he nodded towards the set in the middle.

Ross: ...look.
 
Klingon: ::with annoyance:: I didn’t realize the rules allowed for a coaching section.
 
Lyra casually rearranged the cards in her hand and lightly replied:
 
Voss: SoHvaD qeS veb Quch 'e' vISovbej... lugh, bImejpu'! (I'm sure he'd be happy to give you some advice too next... Oh right, you're already out!)

Ross' Klingon was a little rusty, but it was enough to know that Lyra was taking no hostages tonight. The smile tugging at his lips was pretty proud – and his hand stayed where it was, lightly embracing her. 

Their newfound peace didn't stay long though. 
 
The woman’s eyes immediately widened and then she snarled and slammed a hand down on the table.
 
Klingon: maj, puqloD – (All right, you little –)
 
Ross was already half ready to jump onto his feet, when the Ferengi put out his hand to calm her.
 
Ferengi: We’ll get their money and then who the hell cares what the stupid little lovebird says, huh?

Ross was already taking a deep breath, but A'Mayri was quicker: 
 
A’Mayri: Your confidence and well meaning assurance to your counterpart is admirable, but the doubt I see in your eyes and the hesitance I detect in the fluttering of your hands is counterproductive.

The Ferengi was the next one to sharpen his gaze and huff at the half Vulcan.
 
Lyra just grinned as she looked at A’Mayri.
 
Voss: It’s not like I’m the one you have to worry about anyway.

Stupid little lovebird. The words still echoed through his head, but Lyra didn't seem to mind – well, maybe they were stupid little lovebirds. Who cared, right? 

It seemed he was not needed in this interaction – and to be honest Ross didn't mind that at all. He let out a small breath and leaned back against his seat while the girls handled their opposing players with ease and foreign languages. 
 
A’Mayri: ::biting down on the peppermint stick with an openly pleased hum, Vulcan and Federation Standard mixed on her tongue:: Tor sadalaya uncontrolled ambition, ri tor mastevau svi' greed, acquainted veh.
(Do release uncontrolled ambition, don't drown in greed, acquainted one.)

For a moment he felt like having a stroke, then he realised she had mixed Standard and Vulcan. Ross squinted as he lowly repeated her words, trying to find the verb in her sentence.

Ross: ...let go of... release uncontrolled ambition? Don't swim... plant? In greed? 

Whatever she had said, it seemed to be a call for victory. With a firm knock, A'Mayri announced another round in her favour.
 
Voss: ?

Ferengi: I grow tired of hearing your knocking, Vulcan! ::small curse under his breath, using the last turn to swap another card.::

The Vulcan remained unmoved. It was hard to tell whether she was enjoying herself – but the glance she threw them sparked with amusement. 

A’Mayri: I look forward to the revealing of our hands. ::sharing a small and openly amused glance to Lyra and Evan.::

Ross leaned in, gently plucking one card from Lyra's hand and exchanging it for another, completing her set of Js. 

Voss: ?

A’Mayri: Interesting indeed. King, Queen, 9. I do believe that is a total of…29? I could be mistaken. Please hold me accountable if I have miscounted. ::Looking to Lyras cards with a soft grin:: I am impressed with your hand as well friend. You and your mentor are quite formidable ::completely ignoring the fuming ferengi::

Ross, who felt amazingly dizzy by now as well, indicated a bow and tipped against his head.

Ross: Thanks, Ma'am. 

Voss: ?

The Ferengi swiped his cards away, his hand the lowest of the three. The female Klingon jumped to her feet, her chair scrapping across the floor as some of the other patrons moved to clear a way. Ross took a sharp breath, but before much more action could occur, A’Mayri shoved a small handful of latinum towards them and put the rest back into the now overflowing container. While the Ferengi was quick to accept the gift, the Klingon was still fuming. Why did it always have to end like this?! 

A’Mayri: Let us be off– ::plopping a few bars to many into a observing and slightly horrified bartenders hands::

Ross: Right. Let's go. 

Voss: ?

He meant to stand up, but for a moment, Ross was completely thrown aside by the way A'Mayri barely made it to her feet. She swayed in an invisible breeze tugging at her limbs which suddenly seemed twice as long and almost comically thin – her otherwise controlled movements looked a little uncoordinated when she grabbed both of their hands each with surprising strength and pulled them from the booth. Automatically Ross let go of Lyra – and a short wave of disappointment washed over him when her warmth was replaced by a box filled with latinum being shoved into his arms. It could have been twice as much – he still would have preferred the the sensation of her breathing next to him.

Together they stumbled out of the bar, leaving behind the excited crowd and the raging Klingon.

((Time skip, Ashalla District))

The simulated night air hit him like a pleasant gush of water – Ross blinked and tried to adjust to the dimly lit streets as they ventured away from the bar and further up the alley, until A'Mayri finally let go of their hands. A breathless laugh escaped Ross' lips – he could feel a pleasant buzz spinning behind his forehead and he was pretty sure A'Mayri and Lyra were in a similar mood when he grinned at them. 

For a moment they all just stood there and took in the night. He could feel his heart beating in his chest, faster and stronger than ever, and a rush of excitement shivered through his whole body when he realised that all was well: A good friend by his side, the prettiest girl in the world smiling at him, all a little drunk on liquor, chocolate and the remnants of a night well spent. 

A’Mayri: I may have consumed too much sucrose and sugar forward beverages, and thus will be experiencing un-optimal symptoms and physical coordination. I apologize in advance and hope I remain in good standing.

After a beat, the half Vulcan did anything but remain in good standin – quite literally. She puddled onto the floor in a tangled mass of baggy clothes and loose limbs. Ross jumped forward to catch her, but he himself wasn't in charge of his reflexes as well as he was normally – and grabbed thin air.

Ross: Woww!! 

A'Mayri: Funding....::still face down, hand wobbling as she vaguely pointed in their direction:: for- ::small hiccup::  -for future planet side courting rituals...

Voss: ?

He didn't even process her words properly when he crouched down next to A'Mayri, putting a careful hand on her shoulder.

Ross: Ensign – are you alright? 

He glanced up to Lyra with a grin somewhere between worry and amusement – then he handed her their budget box and grabbed A'Mayri's arm, put it around his shoulder and hoisted her back upwards. They swayed gently as he steadied her stance.

Voss: ? 

Ross: Do you know where her quarters are? We should probably get her home.

((Short Timeskip, A'Mayri's Quarters)) 

It probably wasn't a good look: A second officer, getting an Ensign drunk after her first mission and having to carry her home. Ross was glad Lyra was with them, leading the way towards the turbolifts and towards the habitat section – again and again they giggled like school kids, sneaking through the corridors so no senior officers would catch the unusual sight of a Human and a Betazoid dragging a delighted Vulcan through the base. 

When they had finally loaded off their happy relationship counsellor on her bunk, Ross made sure about three times she seemed actually okay – hopefully, A'Mayri would just sleep it off. Even now he felt a tiny sting of regret, but was too drunk and in a good mood to really care: They had gotten her home safely, and that was all that mattered when they stepped back out into the corridor and the doors closed behind them with a soft hiss. 

Their cheeks were still reddened, their mood heightened from the unexpected venture through the nightly base – but slowly, Ross' breath deepened again, his heartbeat slowed down and the peaceful quiet of the habitat section's corridors dawned between them as they locked eyes. 

Ross: ::slightly out of breath:: My god... what was that, huh? 

He grinned, but it came out a little wry – because suddenly, his heart rate had picked up pace again. They were on their own again – and Lyra's dark eyes sparkled brighter than ever.  

Voss: ? 

He hesitated, just another second – then he nodded down the corridor.

Ross: Mind if I walk you back? 

Voss: ? 

--

***

Lt. Commander Evan Ross
Intelligence Officer
StarBase 118 Ops
O240009ER2