Cmdr, Clifton / in the bar / tag Gavin or Colin

[Steve Bruin]

(( USS Odyssey Circe’s Lounge))

:: Clifton and Gavin adjourned to the ship's bar where they could get a drink, heaven knows he could use one with this witch on board and having to be treated like royalty.  Clifton had never had much respect for politicians, he knew full well how many of them had skeletons in their closets, or for the right amount of latinum could be bought. ::

:: Getting a seat at a nearby table, Clifton heaved a sigh and reminded himself that revenge was a dish best served cold. ::

Gavin: Clifton, I dinna ken if ye are aware that verra few people, including the senator ken that I have any telepathic ability at all. I doubt she even knows that I’m empathic. It was for that reason I was glad that she didna bother to get Hannie’s name right. Because of her eyes, everyone knows that she is.

Clifton: Yeah, I guess I just always assumed that since you three are family that you would all be exactly equal in your abilities. I guess that just shows how little I know about Betazoids.

Gavin: There is a distinct advantage to people not knowing they are with an empath, so be careful what ye say around Silva, aye? Of course, most people in her position would have learned it by now, but she is blissfully free of both intelligence and ambition.

Clifton: Oh, I'll be very careful what I say around that piece of ...  From nearby a waitress approached with their drink orders.

::The waitress brought their drinks, and Gavin reached into his coat pocket and took out a flask.::

:: Clifton silently reminded himself to get a flask like that and keep some real whiskey on hand, it was sure a lot better than this synthehol crap.

Gavin: grinning: Now there are some rules I dinna think twice about breaking, and drinking sythahol when we need a real drink is one of them.

:He reached over and added a good dollop of very fine whiskey to Clifton’s drink and then his own.::

Clifton: Gavin, you're my kind of guy.

:: When he stopped to think about it, Gavin was sure correct. Having an empath was a huge advantage, and one he intended to take full advantage of.  Not that he would try to force Gavin to violate his ethics (he knew full well how determined the family could be when they wanted to), but within proper parameters he could still gain valuable intel from that woman via Gavin. ::

:At that moment, Colin MacLaren walked in ordered a drink, and spotted them. He came over and sat down without asking.::

Clifton: Hello Doc.

Colin: If the two of you are here, that good stuff ye’re drinking. :: He held out his drink to Gavin, who laughed and discreetly pulled out the flask again and added to his brother’s drink:: So are we drinking to anything in particular?

Clifton: Yes, the woman who just beamed abaord.

Colin: That’s enough to curdle a man’s stomach to be sure.

Clifton: Or should I say, to finding out out what she's up to. Doesn't it strike you as odd that a "former" Senator, and one with a record like hers, would be taking part in negotiations with a newly contacted race?

Tag: Colin and/or Gavin:

Clifton: I'd also like to know what's so important about that one case she was carrying.  The way she clung to it, you'd think she had the last Ty Cobb baseball card in the galaxy locked up in there.

Tag: Colin and/or Gavin:

Clifton: Oh, you've maybe never heard of him.  For many years on earth a game called baseball was very popular. They produced small cards of many popular players and they were nighly sought after by collectors.  Ty Cobb was a very famous baseball player. If you did have a card in good condition, there would be people in this galaxy who would pay a pile of latinum for it.

Tag: Colin and/or Gavin:

Clifton: I realize that you two as Betzoids have special ethical rules.  I respect that and I don't plan on asking either one of you to break any of your own rules, just to help me.

Tag: Colin and/or Gavin:

:: Clifton lowered his voice to a conspiratorial tone. ::

Clifton:  I do have a plan B in mind, but it might be in a somewhat gray area, legally speaking.  As Security Chief I have ways of monitoring anything on this ship, but if either of you would rather not be involved, then say so now.  Even if this thing should go sideways, I want you to know that the entire responsibility will rest on my shoulders, I'll see to it that you are in the clear, should you decide to be involved.

Cmdr. Clifton

Security Chief

(and Chief snooper)

USS Odyssey