Little Umbrellas and Honey

Posted on Thu Jun 28th, 2018 @ 1:44am by Commodore Domingo Martinez & Lieutenant Commander Gabriel Sharpe & Lt Cdr Sarah Sanchez-Gillman

2,250 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: [USS Ottawa] S1, E3: The True Way
Location: Risa Beach Resort
Timeline: 05/30/2394, 2000 Hrs

Dom was in lounging back in a chair, when he heard a soft voice getting his attention. "Your drink sir," said the Waitress. Dom had to turn around and sit up. He was sun bathing, and trying to be real lazy. The lady brought him a little umbrella drink, a Risian Mai Tai with a drop of honey. It was chilled and had a lot of crushed ice in it. "Thank you sweetie." Said Dom. As he took a sip, and looked at his arms to see how his tan was doing. He was only wearing risian palm tree shorts, and a lot of sun screen. He took a couple of small sips.

"Sweetie? Really?" Gabe said with a shake of his head, "Did ya drag me outta engineerin' just ta listen ta ya badly chat up the staff?" He asked, a grin on his face.

Like Dom he wore only a pair of shorts though his were basic blue, He'd thought the palm trees were a little "loud" for his tastes. Though to be fair not of what was happening right now was to his tastes, he was well outside his comfort zone around now.

"Can't be rude to the ladies, Risian's are known for their hospitality, I could have left ya on the ship with Ensign hero worshiper, but thought you could use a breather." Suggested Dom, with big bear style laugh. "It's not bad out here, look at the all of this potential." Suggested Dom, as he gently slapped Gabe on the arm. Suggesting without actually saying it, to have Gabe hit on a few ladies.

"Hero Worship... which bloody pillock decided it'd be a good idea ta make me the subject of an academy lecture?" Gabe shook his head in disbelief.

Dom smiled, from ear to ear. He knew who it was. It was him. But he was not going to tell him that. "You can worry about that later, look at all this potential." He said as he watched a couple of ladies pass by. "Hello." He said, as they smiled, and waited by the two men.

"And for reference, your rubbish at being subtle." Gabe chuckled. "I'm here ta rest and drink. Nice trick sendin' Ensign Patterson with ya little message by the way. Ya knew I'd turn it down if it was you that came didn't ya?"

"Don't make it to Captain, without learning how to get your chief engineer out of engineering." He said, as he took a couple of sips from his drink.

Gabe raised an eyebrow, "Right. Ta be fair it was probably the best way ta do it." he said, reaching for his drink. The sun glittering off the scar tissue on his arm.

"See anything you like?" Asked Dom, hoping Gabe would open up a little. Let himself go, and have a fun time.

"It's a beach, not a market. Besides, I doubt it'd really matter if I did, it's Risa chances are nothing will come of it in the long run." Gabe answered.

"Let' increase your odds, lets get you a Horga'hn." Suggested Dom, as he started to walk away from the lounge chairs and back to the main building. "It will be fun Gabe." He suggested, practically dragging Gabe to follow.

"Your idea of fun and mine differ greatly in this case." Gabe replied, standing his ground. "Basically ya forced me to come down here and now ya wanna go against my wishes and tell me how ta "enjoy" myself?"

"I know your first love will always be a starship engine, but even engineers need companionship, once in a while Gabe. We are on a tropical planet, with all of this potential. Do not let this opportunity go to waist." Suggested Dom with a big grin on his face.

"Yeah... Wam bam thankya ma'am isn't my style, There's a reason my surname's Sharpe not Oldfield." Gabe replied, most definitely not grinning.

"Well I had to try, Gabe. But looks like your old faithful! Your only love, is an engine!" Suggested Dom, as he raised his drink and tapped it with Gabe's. They started to walk down the warm sand. The two suns were setting, and the warm air was striking them gently on their faces.

Gabe did his best to keep his face passive, although it didn't stop the glass in his hand from cracking in his tightening grip. He took a deep breath and relaxed his grip, staring at the cracked glass in his hand.

"... Actually her name was Emma."

Dom was a little surprised. "Emma?" He asked with a hint of confusion on his face. Gabe had never mentioned her before. This was a surprise to him.

"We met on Starbase 205 which should tell ya everythin' ya need ta know." Gabe said. He closed his eyes, a mental image of her coming unbidden into his head. The memory of the last time he saw her ran through his head.

"After the incident there I pushed her away... pushed pretty much everyone away. Only time I slept is when my body gave me no choice. I was a mess and frankly stopped caring about pretty much everything. Even resigned my commission for the better part of 2 years."

"I knew you had resigned, never knew the reason why." Said Dom, trying to give his friend the floor. He hoped Gabe would tell him a bit more. He was curious. Who was the mysterious woman, that won his heart over? What happened to her?

"Didn't exactly advertise it, just wanted ta drop off the face of the galaxy. Went ta England, actually spent some time in my "homeland". Kept myself to myself and stayed outta sight... Shut myself off really. Found a dark hole, jumped inta it and hoped nobody would find me."

"Sounds like someone found you, I should thank that person, personally." Suggested Dom with a big grin on his face. He was happy that Gabe rejoined Starfleet.

"That'd be Jairia, by way of my mother. Ignored me when I told her ta bugger off, After a few visits she left a uniform on my bed and a message that helped remind me of who I was." Gabe replied, looking for a recycler to throw away the glass in his hand, which was dangerously close to falling apart.

"I see, well I have more news for you Gabe. In the next twenty fours there are going to be a few changes on the USS Ottawa. Starting with your promotion to Lieutenant Commander, this was something way past due." Said Dom. Curious to see how Gabe was going to reply.

Gabe gave a slight smile and nodded, "Thank you." He said evenly and calmly. "But what else is goin' on? other then drinking on Risa that is."

"In due time my friend, in due time." Dom said, wanting to tell him more. But right now, was the appropriate time.

"Fair enough." Gabe replied with a nod. "I think I need a new drink. ... And no bloody horga'hn." He added.

Dom was about to party up the night on Risa with Gabe, when he noticed her and smiled. He saw her approaching their position. Which brought a smile to his face. At least she was not hiding in her office anymore.

Sarah had come out to enjoy Risa. Who knows when they would be back here again. She put her hair loose and was wearing a tankini and a wrap skirt on. She walked barefooted with her sandals in her hand to the table that Dom was seated. She nodded to Dom and Gabe. "Captain, Lieutenant. May I join you?"

Gabe took his new drink from the waitress that had turned up seconds after Sarah and nodded. "I don't see too much of a problem with that, but ya'd have ta ask, the Party Captain over here." He said, thumbing in Dom's direction.

Dom smiled at Gabe. That was an amusing comment. He smiled at Sarah, as he said. "Always welcomed to join us. We were discussing the finer points of enjoying ourselves. The Lieutenant here does not want to collect any horgh'hn's." He said with a big teasing grin on his face.

Sarah sat down and ordered herself a cider. "So the finer points of enjoying ourselves?" Sarah asked. "What are we talking about? Drinks? A nice sea breeze? Good company?" She nodded to the men present "I would like to hear them too."

"I'm not the strapping young man you once dated in high school, were talking about the lovely ladies of Risa. And how Gabe needs to get up on the saddle. And find himself a nice lady." Dom said with a grin. He felt bad, for putting him on the spot. But Sarah asked.

Gabe raised an eyebrow as he took a drink. "Ya really not gonna let this drop are ya?" He asked, placing his glass on the small table net to him. "Is it that important ta ya?"

Dom smiled, as he looked to Gabe. "The emotional stability and happiness of my crew, is always important to me!" Said Dom, giving Gabe a classic bs line. In reality, he was just having some fun with his good friend.

"Uh huh." Gabe replied, "While I don't doubt that, something tells me there's more ta it then just that. So what's really goin' on Dom? Ya think there's more ta drag outta me?" He added with a grin.

"I'm being promoted. Did not know how to break it to ya, so I thought. Why not tell him on Risa!" Said Dom, as he waited to hear how Sarah and Gabe were going to respond.

"Well that explains the Risa trip." Gabe said, raising his glass, "Congrats Kiddo, So what's ya plan going forward?"

"Breaking the news to Colonel Ellis, that she is being appointed my successor for the Ottawa, but your not getting rid of me that easily Gabe, the Ottawa, will be my flagship." Said Dom, with a playful teasing tone.

"Good, I only just got here, I'd be annoyed if ya buggered off so soon." Gabe replied, "Ya sure Sheppard's stayin'? If ya like I can have a talk to her, afterall I know a little about what she's goin' through. Granted my... Experience ain't as bad as her's but the theory's similar."

Names and faces jumped unbidden into his head... As good as his Eidetic memory was, he found that times like this it was as much a curse as it was a blessing.

Sarah was a little surprised by this, but not less happy for him. "Congratulations, Dom. You deserve it." She said. She didn't want to ask, as she knew Dom would take her with him wherever he would go. She would gladly follow him to his next post, he has been such a great friend trough everything she went trough.

"You know your coming with me, right Sarah?" He asked, he had need of her skills as a diplomat.

Sarah nodded and said, "I had a feeling." She smiled. "Wherever you need me, Dom."

"I would take you Gabe, but I think you would be miserable on a station." He suggested.

Purely by reaction, Gabe ran his fingers over the scar tissue on his right arm. "Not my favourite place, no." He said before taking hold of his glass. In his mind he could see the events that had at the time broken him. His fingers danced across a console, trying in vein to outspeed a computer virus to keep the forcefields active. Everytime he managed to get the field up, the virus advanced deeper into the system and dropped the field. In the end there was nothing he could do but watch in horror as people were flushed out into the void of space.

"I've moved on since then, took a while but I got there. But then I'm guessin' it's more my skills aren't as needed."

"You are needed, especially on the Ottawa. I fear staying with me on a port station, would make you feel like your being punished. You are an engineer, you should be on the ship, not on the station." Said Dom, as he took a small sip from his drink.

"Pretty sure that's my line, but it works for me." Gabe replied, "I have plenty of stuff left ta to."

"So what are ya and Miss Sanchez-Gillman have planned on this little trip?"

"Gabe your looking to closely into this, we are just friends. All of us, plus Lieutenant Commander Sarah Sanchez-Gillman is still married. However with that said, I do have need of her diplomatic skills, details will be coming soon. After our vacation is over." He said, knowing that he should keep his professional distance. At the moment though, he was smiling and hoping for a little breather from his daily tasks.

Gabe raised an eyebrow slightly. "Diplomatic skills right, that answers my question. Not sure where the rest came from. But ya right, I don't do diplomacy. That's best left to those with the patience for people talkin' at other people for way too long." Gabe said, mentally smiling to himself.

"That they do my friend, but Sarah is one of the best, and for my next mission. I need a good talker. She is the best." Said Dom, as he looked to Gabe. "Enough work talk, let's have another round." Insisted Dom, as the scene starts to fade.

 

RSS Feed