A Proper Thank You

Posted on Tue Aug 31st, 2021 @ 12:08pm by Captain Karyn Somers & Lieutenant JG Samantha Blake, Ph.D & Nicholas 'Nick' DeMarco
Edited on on Thu Sep 2nd, 2021 @ 12:19pm

Mission: The Riixian Insurection
Location: Lounge & Quarters of Samantha Blake

[ON]

Samantha entered the lounge and made a beeline for the bar. She had been cooped up in a lab all day and was really in the mood for a drink to decompress. She ordered up a Tequila Sunrise and turned to look about the lounge. She spotted Karyn and recognized her as the Marine Officer who had led the rescue party of the away team. She asked the bartender to also fill a fresh glass of whatever Karyn was drinking.

The bartender returned less than a minute later with both glasses and Samantha took both to where Karyn sat. "Pardon the intrusion Lieutenant." She extended her hand with Karyn's drink. "I wanted to buy you a drink as a sort of thank you for rescuing me and the others."

Looking up from her glass of Andorian Ale and smiled "You are welcome, but I was only doing my job" she said as she took the drink that was offered, "please pop a squat" she said indicating the seat beside her as she finished her first drink.

Samantha took the offered seat. She looked at Karyn with an appreciative expression. "Love your hair by the way. Do you colour it or is that natural?" She took a sip of her drink after her question.

Bunching her hair at the bottom "it is natural, my Sister and Cousin and even younger Sister have varying shades of such red hair, we either have green or blue eyes too, it seems to be a family trait the Red hair, my father once had red hair before grey became the main colour of his hair, so I think we got it from him" she said taking a sip of her drink.

Samantha ran fingers through her hair. "Mine is sandy coloured. I have to use a special shampoo every night to keep it this shade of blonde."

"On that score, I am lucky, doubly so as we do not grey so quickly, but I do use conditioner to keep it as illustrious as it currently is, except for when I am on a mission," Karyn said taking another sip of her drink.

Samantha nodded. "I should be thankful too. My mother is well into her late 50s and still sports a full head of beautiful honey blonde hair." She looked at Karyn's drink and frowned. "A drink doesn't seem like a sufficient thank you for saving all of our lives at the pirate base. Please, if there is anything I can do for you to show my appreciation. Let me know." Her frown turned into a warm smile.

Looking up from her drink and she smiled back with a small smile "while I am grateful for your thanks I was only doing my job, it was Lieutenant Brannon who messed up from what little I hear, but no worries, as for what you could do I could use a friend here" she said.

Samantha's smile grew as she nodded reaching across the table to shake hands. "Consider us friends. As for Lieutenant Brannon, she was captured near the Embassy on Thorion IV and had nothing really to do with the away team's capture on Thorion III. We were all just being held captive at the same facility."

Taking the offered hand Karyn shook it and shrugged about the capture as they let go of each other's hands "while I do not have the experience of my sister I am quite adept at SAR stuff, so what are your hobbies then?" Karyn asked.

"I suppose the same as any Twenty-something." She raised her glass and gestured around the lounge. "Having a drink in a nice place, a fun evening shooting pool or playing darts, or spending the night with an interesting and attractive partner. Beats sitting in my cabin and watching four walls pressing in on me."

Looking at the Lieutenant oO is she hitting on me? Oo Karyn thought to herself but kept any such thoughts from her response, "Like drinking huh!" She responded as Karyn looked at the younger woman oO blonde hair, brown eyes she is attractive Oo Karyn thought to herself then suddenly something Samantha said came back to hit her in the face like a wet flailing fish "Twenty-something you are! Damn now I feel old at Thirty-three and yes I know I am a little old for a rank that is equal to an Ensign, but I was not originally an officer and never went to the Academy" Somers said.

Samantha gave a hearty chuckle before leaning slightly in and stage whispered. "You're really not much older than me. I just celebrated my second 29th birthday about a month and a half ago. I also never went to the academy either. My rank...," she tapped the fabric of her blouse next to her commbadge, "...is strictly provisional. I don't actually hold a commission in Starfleet. Captain Sterling granted me the rank so I could have my own quarters when I asked her if I could stay aboard."

Samantha stopped a passing waiter and ordered up fresh drinks for the both of them and a request for another one every 15 to 20 minutes, all to be charged to her account, including Karyn's initial Andorian Ale. She glanced across the lounge and gestured. "Tables open now. You up for a game of pool?"

Looking in the direction of the pool table then back again "why not!" Karyn said standing up and following Samantha over to the Pool table "you set up the table Sam" Somers said as she took a sip of her ale. As she did this she reflected on that time she dated a male, just to see what it was like, he was nice, polite and gentle and thought of her and treated her right, but it did not last long and soon he was out of the picture much to the sadness of her parents, but she was brought back to the present as clicking pool balls alerted her to the fact that the table was almost ready.

Samantha set up the table for a game of 8-ball. "Samantha, please. Ryan called me Sam when we were kids until I got so sick of it I had to stomp his butt so bad I got a months grounding." She gave a slightly nostalgic smile. "Nice thing though, he has been afraid to anger me ever since." She grabbed a pair of pool cues from the rack, handing one to Karyn. "Your break."

Taking a cue she picked up the chalk and covered the head and put the chalk down and lined up the cue ball in the D and looked down the cue and as she was moving the stick back and fore she looked up and with a smile "okay Samantha it is then" she said and returned her attention to the table and made the first break, the impact of the cue ball hitting the others at such a speed spread them over the table and two went down, one spot and one stripe. "Hmm, I will take the stripes," she said looking at Samantha.

Samantha gestured at the table as the waiter arrived with their next round of drinks. She took a long sip as she watched Karyn lean and stretch for her next shot. She walked to the other side of the table and leaned over to look at the shot lineup, giving Karyn a good look down the front of her blouse. "That's a tricky shot. Sure you can pull it off?"

Karyn took her turn again and she had been left with a tricky shot, Karyn noticed the position of Samantha's body giving her a direct look down her blouse Karyn mentally sighed and returned to her concentration to the game as she smiled "I think so, but I cannot guarantee that I can pot it, you did a good play on that one Samantha" Karyn said as she struck the cue ball hitting the striped ball, but it did not go in, so she stepped back to allow Samantha to take a turn "as I said unable to pot it" Somers said and picked up her drink and took a sip.

Samantha looked over the table for a moment figuring out what shot to make first as she chalked her pool cue. She stepped around and lined up a shot, she paused to look up at Karyn. "Want to make it interesting, perhaps place a bet?"

Tilting her head to the left as she lightly leaned on her cue "how so, and on what Samantha?" Karyn asked raising an eyebrow "moreover how much will this bet be?" She added another question.

Samantha looked up at the ceiling for a moment as she tapped her chin in thought. She dropped her gaze to Karyn. "If I win, you agree to let me cook for you and you help me unpack stuff in my new quarters. If you win, then just me cooking dinner for you. Deal?" She reached her hand across the pool table.

A little surprised by such forwardness oO Woah now that is a come-on if ever I heard it Oo Karyn thought to herself and smiled oO I am a lousy cook myself so it would be nice to have a decent meal Oo she added to her previous thoughts she took the time to decide then looked at Samantha "looks like it is a win-win for me, even if I lose I win" she said with a smile "okay I could do with a decent meal as I cannot cook, so you are on" Karyn said and she chalked her cue and aimed at a stripe, she was fully concentrating on the ball and then struck potting the targeted stripe, she moved around the table waiting for the cue ball to stop and when it did, the damn thing did not stop where she wanted it to, so she took aim and tapped it, the cue ball tapped a stripe but was in a place that would make it difficult for Samantha to pot a spot.

She stood up and back and with a mischievous smile "I will not make it easy for you Samantha" Karyn said walking over to her drink and taking a good long hard swig of it while Samantha took her turn.

Samantha ignored the obvious shot. Now that the bet was made it was time to show the beautiful marine she was playing with a ringer. She started with a double bank shot that tapped a solid into a side pocket. She followed by a deflection shot that dropped another into the corner pocket. She sank two more before grinning. "Hmmm, must be beginners luck on my part."

Looking at Samantha "more like I am being hustled, yes I think you are a hustler a pool shark, I will not make the same mistake twice, but as I said even if I lose I win" she said with a genuine smile "now take your next shot" Karyn added. She knew full well now that she was hustled into making a bet, this young vixen was a player and she just got played, normally that would upset her, but Samantha was different as she thought to how the woman acted the moment they met up, suddenly she realised that Samantha had been flirting with her since they first met off duty oO dammit Karyn you are out of practice girl, why did you not see this!? Oo she asked herself in wonder.

Samantha chalked her pool cue and shot running the last of her balls into various pockets. She decided to give Karyn one last chance and intentionally tapped the cue ball lightly. She turned to her opponent. "Last chance to catch up."

Looking at Samantha with a raised eyebrow "hmm, okay" she said and chalked her cue and took aim at a stripe and struck the ball, the stripe went in and the cue ball stopped in line to the next stripe and she potted that one too. This time the ball stopped in such a place that it was not so much as an easy shot, but she took her time looked at the more accessible pot and hit the ball which hit the cushion and bounced off in the direction of the striped ball and knocked it in. She managed to pot her stripes until there were only four balls on the table excluding the cue ball, the last shot she done and potted put the cue ball behind a stripe, but that stripe was directly behind a spot so she lightly tapped it and the cue ball lightly touched her stripe ball. She stood up, okay Samantha, your turn" Somers said.

Samantha chalked her cue stick as she studied the lay of the table. She then pointed with her cue stick to her next, and hopefully final shot for the win. "cue ball one rail, deflection 3 ball side pocket, cue ball second rail and 8 balls back corner pocket." She glanced at Karyn. "I make the shot and...you come back my quarters for a round or two of shots and chasers." She struck out a hand to seal the deal.

Hesitantly looking at Samantha "it is hard to drink a Somers under the table, we can hold our drink so why not!" Karyn said giving Samantha's hand a firm shake and stepped back to watch.

Samantha lined up the combination shot...and executed it flawlessly. She waved a hand to the waiter that she was ready to close out the tab.

"Well, I won either way, so I am not bitter," Karyn said with a smile as she laid the stick down on the table and finished her drink.

Nick walked over as he finished his set of Sinatra songs on stage. He looked at both women and shook his head with an ear-to-ear smile. "Recommendation, always ask the first person you meet on a new assignment if there are hustlers."

Looking at the guy who just spoke "I know right! Who would have thought there existed hustlers on the Leto!" she said looking over at Samantha indicating who she was referencing.

Samantha settled up with the waiter and turned to Nick and Karyn. "Don't believe everything this guy says. He's the second-best pool player on the ship. He tried hustling me a few visits to the lounge here." She looked at Nick with a grin. "He lost a pool game to me and his ego is still recovering. Which by the way, I will give you back your marker if you decide to team up with me for the next pool tournament."

Nick chuckled and shook hands with Samantha. "Deal." He glanced at Karyn. "Don't play cards with her though. You will probably lose your shirt."

Looking at this Nick with a smile "I look quite good without a shirt, I will thank you!" she said in a neutral tone, but she was joking "I do not play cards anyway so my shirt in that aspect is quite safe, as for losing the pool match to Samantha, I actually win because I am not a good cook and I have not had a decent home-cooked meal since I left home three years ago, Cafe food and replicator items on Starbase 51 were not the same" Somers said shaking her head ruefully and with a smile.

Samantha nodded at Nick after settling the tab with the waiter. "Have a good night Mister DeMarco." She turned to Karyn. "You ready? Patron awaits."

Karyn looks up at Samantha then at the Reader and gives a dubious look and smiles and then turns to face Samantha "Patron!?" She asked clearly puzzled.

Samantha returned Karyn's smile with a mischievous one of her own. "It's a very good, potent brand of tequila and quite smooth going down. I discovered it when I was in college for my undergraduate studies." She paused with a blissful smile. "Caused me to lose my shirt more times than any card game ever did."

Karen tilted her head to the right and raised a left eyebrow "a drink that causes one to lose one's shirt huh! sounds like my kind of drink, but you will find this strange I have never had tequila, I have had most other drinks, but not that one" Karyn said tilting her head the other way slightly.

Samantha led the way from the lounge to her new quarters. She opened the door to reveal a common area with a dozen or so boxes in stacks around the room. She gestured to the couch. "Make yourself comfortable and I will join you in a minute."

Following Samantha, to her room, she enters when invited "thank you Samantha" Karyn said as she fully entered and sat on the comfy settee and waited for her host, there was plenty of things going through her mind, this was the first time she had accompanied another woman to her quarters since she broke up with Jennifer some time ago, she was not happy that Karyn was being posted to the back end of nowhere, so that relationship broke down.

Samantha returned to the couch with a full bottle of Patron, two shot glasses and a plate full of warm cheese ravioli bites. She set everything down on the coffee table before taking a seat next to Karyn. She gestured at the ravioli as she poured out two shots. "Sorry for the replicated appetizers, but the program for them is a Blake family recipe I uploaded." She handed Karyn one of the shot glasses as she held aloft the other. "First toast is to you."

Holding up the glass in a toast "no, to you" she said with a smile and the glasses clinked before she knocked it back in one, then picked up one of the bites and took a bite "mmmm those are nice, I thought it was going to be a real meal and damn this is some strong drink" she said shuddering as the delayed effects finally hit her.

Samantha chuckled at Karyn's reaction to the potent tequila. "To good drink and good company to share it with." She tossed back her shot then fanned herself. "Gives you a warm feeling doesn't it?"

Looking at the bottle then at the empty glass "oh, yeah so that is what tequila tastes like, another one by any chance?" Karyn asked holding up the glass.

Samantha poured another round of shots. She leaned back on the armrest of the couch a demure smile on her face. One hand held her shot glass and she ran a finger of her other hand around the rim of the shot glass. "So your turn to give us a toast or...is there something else you'd like to do while we drink?"

She thought for a moment then raised the glass "how about to life and love?" She said still holding the shot glass up, her thoughts, on the other hand, were anything but calm, no other woman had never ever come on to her so strong in her life, it was usually her doing such a thing, now she understood how those women must have felt, talk about having the tables turned on you, but she showed none of this as she made the toast.

Samantha tossed back her shot of Patron along with Karyn then set her shot glass back down on the coffee table. She reached out to take hold of Karyn's hand, gently rubbing the knuckles with her thumb. "So, the Marry, Kiss, Kill game...any chance I can convince you to add a name to your kiss list?"

Finishing her shot of drink she put the glass down and felt Samantha gently holding her hand, she looks up "only if you can convince me" Karyn said with a soft lopsided smile as she grabbed the hand back, she thought she was handling the table-turning quite well, but then again her mind and emotions were not lined up with each other it was one of those times when she could not control the outcome and she did not feel the need to do so.

Samantha sat up and with her free hand, she gently stroked Karyn's cheek with her fingers as she brought her face closer. There was a seductive twinkle in her eyes as she spoke softly with desire. "Does this convince you, my fire-haired Goddess?"

Karyn felt Samantha gently stroked Karyn's cheek, there was something in the woman's eyes that spoke of a wild night oO Okay, so this is what it is like to be one the receiving end of a strong woman Oo she thought to herself and leaned forward it was all or nothing so Karyn simply went with it, they were both consenting adults and there was nothing wrong with what they were doing, so the night would end on a good note.

Less than ten minutes later, the only evidence the room had been occupied was the presence of two shot glasses on the coffee table. A trail of hastily discarded clothes and undergarments lead to the bedroom door.

[OFF]

1st Lieutenant Karyn Lynne Somers
Marine Executive Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916

&

Doctor Samantha Blake
Assistant/Acting Chief Science Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916