Romulan Ale

[Finn 0]

Nick had been sitting on the sofa in his quarters since he had arrived there about half an hour ago. He was staring out into space, contemplating his situation and wondering what he was supposed to do next.

Finn had said that going back to Earth would be like a defeat. Nick wasn't too sure he shared that opinion. Right now a break seemed quite appealing to him.

Finn strolled cautiously along the corridor, still finding his way around the Lewis and knowing that if he was stopped, by pretty much anyone, he'd have some explaining to do. He stopped by the door which he had hoped was Nick's quarters and pressed the doorchime.

Nick gave a start as he heard the chime.

Who on Earth would want to see him?

"Enter," he called out, not really sure whether he really wanted company just now.

Finn walked into the sparsely furnished cabin. The Lewis had found them quarters which were unused. Decent, but with an air of abandonment to them. He raised an eyebrow as he saw Nick.

'You said I could stop by.' he said.

He shuffled the small holdall he was carrying to redistribute some of the weight on his shoulder.

Nick forced himself to smile and nodded.

"Sure, come in." he said.

He watched Finn as he looked around the quarters.

"It's not much but at least we have somewhere to sleep. How are you doing?"

'The jury's still out on that one.’ Replied Finn, still looking around the room.

‘I have one heck of a headache. I tell you, getting slammed against a lifeboat bulkhead is not the greatest experience.'

He finished assessing the room and placed the holdall on the small table. 'You were pretty harsh back there in the mess hall. I figured you could do with some company. Figured it would be better than bottling it all up.'

Nick just nodded and motioned for Finn to sit down.

"I'm not sure I really want to talk about it, you know. I mean it's just that everything seems to be going wrong at the moment."

'I do understand', replied Finn, taking a seat by the table.

'The Aegis going, our friends dying...'he paused for a second, 'DJ leaving.'

Nick looked up in surprise. Then he remembered he had confided in Finn as far as his feelings for DJ were concerned.

"Yeah," he replied weakly. "I think this whole mess would be a bit easier if DJ were still here. Her leaving didn't exactly boost my morale."

Finn just nodded and pulled the holdall towards him. He looked at Nick for a moment, appearing to consider something, and then undid the fastening on the holdall.

He pulled out a bottle of very dark liquid and two shot glasses and slid a shot glass across the table to Nick.

'Just don't ask.' said Finn.

Nick grinned. This time it was genuine.

"Finn, you're a real friend!" he said.

Finn inclined his head.

'It took me three hours and I can't tell you what else in order to find the lady who kept this. I persuaded her it was a medical emergency of course.'

He poured the Romulan Ale into the two shot glasses.

'It's 2301. I don't know if that's a good year or not.'

"Who cares whether it's good?" asked Nick. He watched closely as Finn pushed one of the glasses toward him. Then he frowned and looked up. "Does it make sense that I feel guilty?" he asked.

Finn shook his head.

'Nothing is supposed to make sense. You can feel guilty that it's the loss of Aegis, or you can feel guilty that it's DJ. You can even feel guilty over drinking prohibited ale. I don't think these sorts of situations have any kind of benchmark to put your feelings against.'

Finn downed the glass and poured himself another.

'I think every member of the Aegis crew is feeling guilty about something right now.'

Nick downed his own drink and then paused to think for a moment.

"I think I need to find out what I really want. DJ made me realize that my life lacks something, you know?"

He frowned again and poured some of the Ale into his glass.

Finn nodded.

'I felt like that before I joined the Aegis. Things change though.'

He leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs.

'You could always ask for a posting nearer to DJ. I guess now's the time to think about moving on, if ever there was a time.'

Finn looked out of the window and across the stars.

'I'm glad you and Mimi made it out, mate. The Aegis, well, it was lucky we got away with what we did.'

"Yup...it was pure luck so many of us got away.’ added Nick.

‘I was kinda worried when I heard you were injured. Too bad not all of us got away with just a concussion and a few bruises."

This time Nick just took a sip of the drink and then contemplated his glass.

Finn nodded and drained his second glass before refilling it.

'Well hopefully I get my complete discharge tomorrow from sickbay.’ he said.

‘I'll get myself on the rota and try to get some sort of routine going. Do we even know where we are headed?'

Nick shrugged and then downed his glass too and held it out for Finn to refill it.

"No idea.’ He replied.

‘I guess some starbase. I think they want to give some of us the chance to take a break of some sort... go to Earth. I think some of the crew will need more than just a bit of counselling. So, you will be requesting a new assignment or re-assignment to Aegis if it is rebuilt?"

Finn poured the ale into Nick's glass.

'I'm not sure.' he replied, genuinely thinking about it for the first time. 'I'd like to be stationed on the Aegis. Of course, it was that particular Aegis I'd wanted posting to, in that sector. I think I might find starship life a little too prescriptive, a little too much like the Academy. I dunno, but at this moment in time, I'd like a return to

somewhere like the Aegis.'

He stared at the dark liquid in his glass, then up at Nick.

'And you?'

Nick took a moment before answering. He knew exactly what he wanted but he also knew it was impossible.

"Ideally I'd like a post close to DJ. I'm convinced we could have been happy with eachother. Realistically...hmmm...I guess I'd be glad if most of the crew could just stay together, that is if we get a new Aegis."

Finn sighed.

'I'm sure there will be something in the Cardassian sector.’ he said. ‘After all, the Romulans, the Gorn, the Ferengi, they all have an interest. Aegis was becoming a hotbed of political activity. Unless they relocate to Cardassia Prime, I would have thought there would be a need for some sort of facility nearby.'

Nick nodded and took another sip of the drink. "True but who says it will be a Starfleet facility? And what if this rumour about the Breen declaring war on us actually proves right? If they build another station it might be re-located."

With that he downed the drink again. The taste needed some getting used to but by now Nick had had enough not to care about that anymore.

'If the Breen have declared war' said Finn, feeling the effects of the ale himself, 'then we could be posted literally anywhere. My guess would be the front line.'

"Yeah,’ agreed Nick, ‘and I'm not thrilled about the idea."

Nick poured himself a fourth glass.

"It's probably just the uncertainty that's bothering me the most right now."

'I know exactly what you mean.' replied Finn. He looked at the glass suspiciously.

'Takes some getting used to this stuff.' He turned his attention back to Nick. 'It certainly takes the edge off things anyway. I'm surprised the Romulans have time for all their intrigue with this stuff kicking around their homes.'

Nick chuckled. "If I confess everlasting love to you later in you'll know I've had enough."

'And by that point' continued Finn 'I'll probably agree to marry you. Good stuff, this Romulan Ale.'

Finn's tone grew serious.

'Nick, I've been wanting to ask you something. How long would you expect a concussive amnesia to last?'

Nick looked closely at his friend. "You still can't remember what happened?"

'Parts of it.' replied Finn. 'I remember the majority after Grissom's lifeboat left. Prior to that I'm pretty certain I was doing something or scanning something important. I can't for the life of me remember what it was and it's right at the back of my mind.'

"Give it some time.’ said Nick. ‘It's a good sign that you can remember something. If you want to I can make a few scans and see if everything's alright but you know how it is... it's hard to say how long those things will take."

Nick tried hard to suppress a chuckle but didn't quite manage.

"I'd better not do it tonight though or I might find that you're pregnant."

Finn found Nick's statement, boosted by the Romulan Ale, incredibly funny. For the first time that day, he laughed out loud, unable to contain the ale already in his mouth, it spat out onto his tunic as he held his stomach.

Nick choked on his own drink as Finn started spitting his ale around the room. When he had recovered from the coughing fit he joined in Finn's laughter.

"Imagine I was the father. We'd have to marry after all," he said still laughing.

'We could have Mimi as Best Man' laughed Finn. 'Myrom as Bridesmaid.'

"I'd love to see you and Myron wearing dresses." Laughed Nick. He couldn't stop laughing and he wasn't really trying. This outburst was feeling good after the last few days.

'We'd have to make it quick' said Finn. 'I'd want to be married before I started showing.Oh the shame of it'

Nick leaned back on the sofa, still chuckling. "You'd make a beautiful bride!"

Finn chuckled.

'As long as the dress brought out the colour in my eyes.' he joked. He wiped down his tunic and looked over the table. The bottle was looking more and more appealing. He poured another glass for himself and one for Nick.

'I must thank the lady for her donation of the ale. Most Generous.' Finn realised his words were getting slower. Still something lingered at the back of his mind. He dismissed it and took another swig of the ale.

Nick quickly took another sip of the ale.

"This reminds me of the time back at the Academy. My roomie would get this incredible rum somewhere. All I remember was that the days after were very...well long and painful."

'Well we've had a few long and painful days.' replied Finn.

'The ale is certainly helping on this occasion.'

He checked his chronometer.

'I hate to leave the groom on the night before the wedding,' he said, 'but I should be heading off. I've got a very important meeting lined up with Nurse Elsa.'

:"You should change before you meet her and don't forget the breath mints.” said Nick.

Remembering they last experience with women Nick chuckled again. "I hope she doesn't just ask you whether you know Myron. Thanks for dropping by, mate. Guess that's what I needed."

'I thought you might need a drink with a friend.' said Finn, standing up. He poured the last of the romulan ale into Nick's glass and then put the empty bottle back in the holdall.

'I'll get rid of the evidence.' he grinned. 'Just don't forget to get rid of the glasses!'

"Aye, sir." Nick said as he downed the last of the ale. "I'll blow them out of an airlock or something. Let me know if you want me to do those scans."

Finn nodded.

'Yeah. I'd like that.' he replied. He hefted the holdall across his shoulder and patted Nick on the shoulder.

'Have a good night mate. I'll see you in the morning.' He made his way to the doorway and as they swished open, he looked up and down the corridor to make sure he could get out unseen with the holdall.

"Night, mate," Nick mumbled as Finn walked out of his quarters. Then he lay back on the sofa, closed his eyes and for the first time in days he fell asleep without thinking of dying people, explosions and screams of pain.

[KhreRiovtRex 0]

 

He poured the Romulan Ale into the two shot glasses.

'It's 2301. I don't know if that's a good year or not.'

"Who cares whether it's good?"

 

ROFL... Au lloannen'galae, Au-kneu-'ginye, So au think!?

Na.....we Rihannsu....do na irho ch'Rihan kheh, from little shot glasses, but mugs.

And when jhme'mi pa'rshed, I only irho kheh from ch'Havran for it is kon to that of

ch'Rihan. ch'Rihan actually is eihwai known for it's lehe'jhme.

 

Hna back to au Kool-aid little Lloannen....

 

 

<LOL...nice log btw, I'm just teasing>