New Faces

[Cptn Swain 0]

Quark’s was rarely quiet these days. With the galaxy largely at peace, and traffic to the Gamma Quadrant at the highest in years, the Ferengi’s now legendary bar hummed with activity nightly. This evening was no exception. Behind Thomas Ellington, two Volian traders were arguing over which of them deserved a night with the dabo girl. Smirking the Marine Major, ordered another drink.

 

“I’ll have another of whatever this was...” he said, alluding to the purple drink that burned down his throat like a plasma fire.

 

The bartender nodded and headed to make it.

 

“I believe they’re called Albearean Protostars,” a voice next to him said. “They’ll turn your mouth purple.”

 

“Lovely,” he said without looking over to the voice. “They taste good.”

 

“I am sure they do.”

 

Finally looking over, he noticed a human woman in what he imagined to be in her 30’s. She was wearing a red command uniform, with three pips. Lovely.

 

“What would you suggest then?”

 

Grinning over a glass of deep red wine, the Lieutenant Commander eyed the marine. Ebony skinned with curly, close cut hair, he couldn’t have been a day over thirty. “The Bajoran’s have managed to cultivate a pretty good attempt at a malbec,” she said tipping the glass back. “Though after what you just drank, I doubt you could even taste it.”

 

Ellington took his newly refreshed drink in hand, slid a credit chip over to the bartender and knocked it back with ease, then coughed.

 

“I am telling you,” the Lieutenant Commander said, taking another drink of wine, “the Bajoran Malbec.”

 

Putting his glass down, Ellington looked over at her. “So, you going to to introduce yourself, or just keep taunting me?”

 

“Taunting jar-heads is always fun,” she said. “But I suppose I do owe you an introduction.”

 

“Barnacles,” he said lowly as he took another drink. “Always think you’re so cool.”

 

“Who said I was a … barnacle? I am not even wearing gold!” Remaining quiet, he continued drinking.

 

“Anyway,” she said putting her wine glass down on the counter. “I am Lieutenant Commander Constance d'Aubigné, though my friends call me Rooster.”

 

“Rooster?” He said with a little disbelief. “What kind of nickname is that? You don’t even have red hair!”

 

“Not anymore,” she said with a wide grin. “Hair dye is a magical invention on par with alcohol and holodecks. Now, are you going to repay the favor?”

 

“The fa -- oh right -- I am Major Thomas Ellington, though nobody calls me that.”

 

“Then what do they call you? Duke?”

 

Laughing and taking another drink, Ellington grinned. “Jazz.”

 

“Cute.”

 

“Thanks,” Ellington said with a wide grin. “I do my best.”

 

“So, Duke,” d'Aubigné said, “just what brings you to DS9?”

 

“Jazz,” he corrected her, “and I am waiting for my ship to come in.” He took another drink, finishing off the black concoction.

 

“Oh,” she said mischievously, “waiting for your ship to come in. Is that supposed to be some sort of Marine come-on-line?”

 

Ellington blushed, despite himself, and waived the bartender over for another drink, though he considered asking for water. “I meant that literally.”

 

Sipping her wine, and enjoying toying with the marine -- a little like a cat with a mouse -- d'Aubigné smirked. “Oh, so you’re on stand by too?”

 

“Yeah,” Ellington said. “You?”

 

“I suppose I am waiting for my ship to come in, as well,” d'Aubigné said.

 

“And what ship is that?”

 

“The Excalibur.”

 

Ellington turned to face her with a sort of horrified look. “Tell me you’re not their new XO...”

 

d'Aubigné giggled. “Hardly.”

 

Relieved, Ellington took his drink, making a mental note to nurse this one, all the same. “Oh,” he said. “Good to know. Didn’t want to look like a drunken lout in front of my new boss.”

 

“So you must be one of the Marines from the … 49th was it?”

 

“You bet,” he said proudly, “finest outfit in the fleet. What about you then?”

 

“I am the new CAG.”

 

Ellington groaned. The only thing worse than a security goon was a flyboy...err girl in this case. Talk about egos. “Flygirls...” he said, shaking his head.

 

“Ha!” d'Aubigné said finishing her wine.

 

“So what do you know about her?”

 

“Who?” d'Aubigné said raising her eyebrow.

 

“The Excalibur.”

 

“Oh,” she said. After a moment of thought, she continued. “Not much really. I know that they’ve been assigned to the GQ for pretty much the last six years. They’ve had what, three different commanding officers in two years? Some crazed Dameon, some other guy I’d never heard of, and the guy they have now... Asher Swain. Just lost their XO and Chief Engineer. Apparently they have quite the reputation for, well how to put it …”

 

“They get all the ‘fun’ assignments,” Ellington said over his drink. “At least that was what some other people had heard. Their former Marine CO was an alright guy, I didn’t know him too well, but I’ve read his reports. Looks like we’re going to have a lot of … fun.”

 

“Yeah,” she said flatly. “Same here with their old CAG.”

 

“So what about Swain?”

 

“The Captain?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Never really heard anything about him before now. I guess he’s seasoned enough,” d'Aubigné said. “Though he doesn’t have a whole lot of experience when it comes to combat.”

 

“Yeah, I read his file. Science geek,” Ellington said, before adding. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that, just not the type you expect to see commanding an Akira.What about the XO?”

 

d'Aubigné wrinkled her nose. “Miranda Hawthorne.”

 

“Oh?” Ellington said. He’d yet to hear the name of his new boss.

 

“Yeah. That’s all I know though.”

 

“Lovely,” he said. “Nothing like a bunch of people who don’t know each other being tossed into the fire.”

 

“Gotta learn somehow.”

 

“I suppose.”

 

“Though from what I’ve heard,” d'Aubigné said, letting her rather catty side take over. “We won’t be getting anything to ‘fun’ right away. I guess the brass at Camelot is ticked at Swain over something that happened on their last mission.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yeah. Though don’t ask me what. Apparently their last mission is classified.”

 

“They seem to get a lot of those.”

 

“That’s what worries me.”

 

“Yeah...”