Cmdr. Clifton / Checking out local watering holes / no tag

[Steve Bruin]

 *** Starbase / civilian sector ***

   With Gavin out somewhere on the base, hopefully finding more answers to this than was he, Clifton quickly headed back to annonymously rented room and changed into clothes that looked civilian.  So far as anyone who saw him (but did not know who he was), he appeared like most any other civilian on the station, helpful he thought for casually speaking with different folks and casually inquiring about anything unusual that may have been going on recently.

   Taking a leisurely stroll through the civilian section of the base, eyeing a few items in store windows and basically trying to look like some businessman who had just arrived, he did his best to try and spot anything that was unusual.  Very little caught his attention, as he expected, and after casually striking up a conversation with a few people, he headed toward the best place in the galaxy to find some information.

   The sign above the entrance read "Nampa Bar & Grill", it looked like a tavern that catered mostly to humans and from what he saw when he walked through the door, most of the clientele were civilians, which meant he should fit in nicely.  Decorated up in a fashion that looked somewhat like a saloon from the old west, the place struck him as a nice place to spend some time and toss back a few drinks.  If he ever got the this base again after this whole affair were over, he reminded himself to visit again.

   Taking a seat at the bar he ordered a whiskey sour and just relaxed as if he were a normal customer.  As the next several minutes passed by, not to mention a few more drinks, he casually chatted with the bartender but learned nothing.  With much more pressing things to worry about than staying here and having more drinks, he was about to leave when a rather attractive lady of maybe 30 years sat down beside him and gave him a smile.

Woman: Hi, I hope you don't mind me sitting here.  There was some guy over there flirting with me, you know the type that just wouldn't take no for an answer.

Clifton: smiling : Oh no, by all means please have a seat.

Woman: looking about: Good, I think he must have left ... ugh, a real creep.

Clifton: Well, I'm just sitting here by myself with nothing to do for the afternoon, I'm glad you joined me.  

   Not looking at all like a strumpet one might expect to meet in some dive, this woman was well dressed with flowing, blonde-hair and blue eyes that somehow just seemed to say intelligent.  Her dress was navy blue, something of a business suit really, or what he had seem women wear in that setting.  About her neck was a fairly nice looking necklace and her black, high heeled shoes seemed to complete the ensemble.

Clifton:  Hi, my name is Clifton.  

   She smiled and extended a hand.  She introduced herself as Val, and added that she was just passing through the station and waiting for a passenger ship to a nearby planet.  From what she knew the ship wasn't scheduled to arrive for another two days, thus leaving her time to see all the base had to offer.

  For the next several minutes they chatted, ordered more drinks and continued getting to know one another better.  He gave her a bogus story about being involved in the cargo transport business, which Val seemed to accept at face value.  As she told him a few odd details about her life, mixed in with some funny anecdotes, he did have to admit to himself that this woman had charm, not to mention a great figure.  The casual chat went on for several minutes, the whole while the two of them seemed to sensing an attraction to one another, hardly a surprise to Clifton because he had picked up many different women in many different bars from one end of the Federation to the other.

   In time Val suggested they leave the bar and head to her rented room where they could have a few more drinks along with some privacy.  Never being one to turn down a nice looking lady, Clifton readily agreed.

   *** Ten Minutes later ***

   Clifton and Val entered her small, sparsely furnished, rented space aboard the station. As he expected there was little in the way of decor and only the barest of necessities about the main room.  No sooner than had they entered than did Val throw her arms around him and kiss him.

Val: It's been a long time since I've been attracted to a man the way I'm attracted to you.

Clifton: smiling : Well, I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't attracted to you too. 

   Val looked seductively toward an adjacent door.

Val: The bedroom is right in there, let's stop wasting time.

Clifton: I agree, we've wasted too much time already.

   He eyed the nearby door of the bathroom and told Val he just needed a minute to use it.  Stepping inside he strategically left the door ajar, able to look into the mirror hanging above the sink and see Val outside across the room.  As he had already come to suspect, Val was not interested in romance, or even a good roll in the hay.  Looking at her reflection he saw her pull out a lipstick from her pocket and dab it on her lips, only Clifton knew this was no ordinary lipstick.  It was an old trick called "The Good Night Kiss", where a prostitute used lipstick containing a knock-out drug to render a client unconscious and then rob him.  The anesthesia had no effect on the woman herself because she had already given herself the antidote before selecting a victim.

   Suddenly he heard him communicator activate.

  Delia:: using the secure communication code for Commander Clifton:: Clifton, you miserable piece of garbage! Answer me before I have forty Cardassian gangsters tear you limb from limb!

   Clifton clapped his palm over the communicator to cover the noise.

Delia: I told you to take care of the boss. I’ve had no less than fourteen of my informants saying that nearly every telepath on that base is hearing a call for help from the Boss. What did you do?

Clifton: whispering : Just what the devil are you talking about?

Delia: Get to him or I swear there won’t be a place in the galaxy that you’ll be able to hide. I know people...creatures...who will make you sorry you were born if you let anything happen to him!

Clifton: Okay, just stand by.  I'll get to him as soon as I can.

   Shutting off the conversation, he headed back out to Val and faced her squarely.  She moved in close in order to plant another kiss on his lips, a kiss he knew that would knock him out.  He stopped her in her tracks and gave her a very stern look.

Clifton: Okay lady, why don't you tell me what's really going on here?

 To be continued ....

Cmdr. Clifton

XO

USS 

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