Lounge respite

Posted on Sun Jul 25th, 2021 @ 10:49pm by Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Stone & Lieutenant Amanda Rose

1,524 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Out of Time

Siren had tucked herself in the far corner of the lounge. She was sitting at a booth with an extra large PaDD, a stylus, and some pink cocktail. She wore her uniform pants and a tank top, with her hair in a poorly done pony tail. Her right wrist was encased in a rather large brace instead of its usual delicate sleeve. Which left her fumbling with the stylus a bit. She grumbled, took a sip of the froo froo drink, then refocused on her task.

A cheery voice called from behind Siren, "Well, hello there! Fancy seeing you here!" Without waiting she pulled up a chair next to Siren. "Do you mind some company?" Noticing the brace, Amanda asked, "What happened to you? I would ask, 'Are you OK?' but everything seems to indicate that you're not."

Siren blinked, taking a moment to process the sudden appearance of the far too cheery voice. "Umm, hello. No, I don't mind some company. I over did my physio, then tried to shoot right handed, it'll be fine by morning. I just put the heavier brace on to remind me not to use it anymore for a bit." She paused just a moment, then gave a little cheeky smile. "Did I get all your questions? They did kind of come out in a jumble."

"Sorry about that," Amanda replied blushing. "I just hate to see people in pain." She sat down next to Siren and asked, "What are you having?"

Siren shrugged. "It always hurts, I'm used to it. As for the drink, I honestly have no idea. I said surprise me, so I guess I deserve the froo froo concoction, but it's actually growing on me." She took a little sip. "You should get one."

"I think I will." Amanda called the bartender over and said, "Can you please get me one of whatever you made for her?" The bartender acknowledged the order and went about making the drink. "So, you don't like 'froo froo drinks'? Any particular reason?"

"They're usually far too sweet and sneak up on you. I usually like a simple whiskey, but like I said, this is actually growing on me. Makes the studying slightly more bearable." Siren watched Amanda's drink arrive and looked over curiously, wondering what the woman would think of it.

"Studying?" Amanda prodded, as her drink came to her. She thanked the bartender before turning her attention firmly back on Siren.

"The LCARS at the navigation center is as ugly as a stood up prom date, and it's just different enough from what I'm used to on a fighter, that I had to look up the customization options. I don't think it would do my career any good if I flew us into a black hole or something."

"Probably not, but if you flew us into a black hole, would your career really be an issue anymore?" Amanda offered with a giggle.

Siren chuckled in return. "Very good point" She took another sip of her drink, and glanced around the lounge. "So, what brings you in tonight?" Siren asked. "Got a date?"

"I wish," Amanda replied somewhat despondently. She took a sip of her drink and said, "Mmm! Quite good, actually!" After a moment she thought and said, "You know, I never asked you what I should call you. Feel free to call me Amanda. Just not, Mandy...."

Siren scrunched up her nose. "Don't worry, I won't call you that. You can call me Siren." She took another sip of her drink and grinned, happy to see she wasn't the only one enjoying the froo froo drink. It was much less embarrassing to be drinking with somebody else.

"Siren. Tell me, how did you come about that name?" Amanda wondered curiously.

"Call sign." She explained. "One of the other pilots made a crack about me having the dulcet tones of a Siren, and then he got punched in the arm and somebody else said 'Nah, but she curses loud enough it's like a Siren.' It stuck of course." She grinned. "It's a lot more fitting than Elizabeth. At least you got a name that doesn't make you sound like a British Queen."

Amanda threw her head back slightly as she laughed, her auburn locks falling into her face. "Well, my middle name is actually Elizabeth. So, I didn't get away from that. And my name is hardly inspiring. Amanda is rather dull and Rose.... Do I look like a flower to you?" She snickered and added, "OK. My hair might have some weed like qualities...."

"No, I can't say you look like a flower, but your hair is fine. Not weed like at all. If you don't like Amanda, just give yourself a nickname, and punch anybody who doesn't use it." Siren smirked.

The Counselor had been taking a sip of her drink when Siren concluded by saying "punch anybody who doesn't use it." The moment that she heard that, she tried not to laugh but the effect caused her to turn, snort, and have some of her drink spit out from her face. She quickly found a napkin, cleaned herself up and said, "I don't think that would be very counselor like, do you?"

"pfft. Do you want to be counselor like? What does that even mean? Sit behind a big desk, have your patient lay on the couch and talk about their mother, or god forbid their foot fetish?"

Amanda laughed again, this time harder, her head going downwards and then back up. "I'm not an aggressive person. That's all I meant. It just isn't in my nature." She then gave a quick elbow to Siren and said, "Trust me, I've heard a lot more bizarre than foot fetishes!"

Siren guffawed and mock shuddered. "I realllllly don't want to know. I don't know how you do it, I'd end up telling somebody to grow a pair and get over it."

"That does not work," Amanda replied seriously. "People have to want to change. It is my job to assist people in figuring out how to do that for themselves or correct their own behavior, if that's what they want to do. Others need to hear that they're not weird or bad for thinking things that they perceive not to be normal, when in fact, it is, or certainly not outside the norm."

Siren contemplated, being unusually quiet. She'd never actually had anybody try and define counselor for her. Amanda clearly took the issue very seriously, and Siren found herself with no reply. It certainly didn't sound like the counseling she'd been forced into, and still frankly resented. She took a sip of her drink then turned her attention back to her PaDD.

"I'm sorry," Amanda apologized. "I didn't come here to talk about work. I mean, most people don't ask. Half of the people I see look at me as a potential villain. Sometimes it can be hard to gain trust." She blushed. "Oh, gosh! I'm doing it again. Is there any actual alcohol in this drink?" she wondered absently, hoping for any excuse to explain her behavior.

Siren took sympathy. "See I told you, Froo-froo drinks sneak up on you." She gave Amanda a small smile. "I'll order us some french fries."

"Oh, those would be nice.... Perhaps with some cheese on them, too." She smiled at Siren hopefully. "They taste so good, but as you can see," she pointed to her bottom and thighs, "they're not so good for these."

Siren just snorted in amusement, and went to get the french fries. Though her own had no cheese. She also brought back 2 glasses of water. "There, that should keep the hangover away."

"Oh, gosh! Was there that much alcohol in it? I can't remember ever having a hangover...." Amanda eyed the ooey-gooey cheese fries and tried not to obviously salivate over them. Politely taking a fork, she stuck it in several of the fries and shoved it into her mouth, some cheese leaving itself on her chin and between her nose and lips.

Siren just grinned. "You'll be fine." She then grabbed fries with her fingers and shoved them in her face unceremoniously. The thought of having to work the fries off later had her scoping the lounge for a companion for the evening.

"Honestly, I'm not concerned. It might be fun in certain circumstances. The only issue is that it is a depressant and I really don't like getting depressed."

"Does anybody?" Siren responded, but it was rhetorical. She certainly didn't want to start talking about depression. She shoved a few more fries in her mouth, and decided it was time to extricate herself from the conversation. "So, I really should finish studying." She grabbed her PaDD. "I'll see you later."

Oh, Gosh! Did I say something to offend her? I hope not! Well, best to clarify it later. I do not want to make her feel more uncomfortable or make her feel like she's under the counselor's nose. "Good luck with that," Amanda replied cheerily. "I'll look forward to seeing you again, soon! This has been fun!"

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