Bright Ideas - Shades of Grey

Posted on 18 Apr 2019 @ 2:39am by Lieutenant Commander Rafe Cassidy (Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War) & Lieutenant Junior Grade Eira Cortez & Lieutenant Jinn Tevran (Jan 2389 - TRNSFR After Gorn War)

Mission: Ka Hakaka Maikaʻi - The Good Fight
Location: Lounge
Timeline: During 'Bright Ideas-Party before Fight'

Cassidy’s eyes followed the exchange of greetings and also gave Jinn an easy wave. “Ah, it’s your new boss, who likes winding up Marines. He seems fun,” he commented quietly but sincerely to Cortez.

Jinn gave Cortez a grin and gladly walked over to join her and Cassidy. He gave a mock bow as he approached. “Miss Cortez, I would say neither of us are living up to our backgrounds as covert operatives right now, as I must say we are clearly the two best dressed individuals here.”

“And pleasure to meet you, formally, Lieutenant Cassidy.”

Cassidy extended a hand for a firm shake. “We’re off duty, Rafe is fine,” he said with a grin. “And clearly you’re both here to put a scruffy pilot to shame.”

Jinn shook Cassidy’s hand firmly and then chuckled at his remarks. “Oh, you sell yourself short, Rafe. You still cut quite the dashing figure in your beat-up flight jacket. I fully believe that most of you flyboys learn your trade simply because you can throw on whatever you want, drop the line ‘I’m a pilot’ and have people eating out of the palms of your hands.”

“I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing though.” Cortez laughed and nudged Cassidy in the ribs. “You’re both looking pretty fine to me tonight. But that’s just my opinion.”

Cassidy winked at her. “I can provide the rustic spacer charm, just for a bit of variety. But Lieutenant Tevran’s not wrong; showing off and getting attention is pretty much the main reason to become a pilot.”

“Why thank you, Cortez. Rafe, Jinn or Tevran, please. As you indicated, we’re off duty.” Jinn took a seat on the other side of Cortez but pulled it around so he could still face Cassidy.

“You bring up a solid reasoning though. I more or less joined intelligence for the same reason,” he paused to take a sip of his drink. “Plus, we get to travel to the most exotic locales and kill the most glamorous people.”

“More to the point we actually look glamorous doing it too.” Eira laughed again and smiled widely, holding the glass of sparkling juice in her hand.

“Neat,” said Cassidy. “I just got to sit on Beta Antares for a few years and almost get blown up several times when engineers swore blind the test flight would go right this time.” He shifted his arm to show the patches on the sleeve, and jacket. “And this isn’t half as glamorous. I didn’t even get to kill ugly people.”

“Awww, poor flyboy. Don’t worry, you’ll get to blow some stuff up at some stage” Eira laughed, making a mental note to do some research in maybe organize a holodeck session.

“The ugly ones are the worst anyway,” Jinn replied shuddering. “They don’t have anything to lose and usually put up more of a fight. The pretty ones end up begging, makes it much easier.”

He sipped at his drink. “My lord, synthehol is pure and utter garbage.”

“Isn’t it? I was still on Earth when I was old enough to drink, and between Vancouver and the Academy it was all I knew till I was on my cadet cruise.” Cassidy gave a wicked grin. “Then the XO decided to host all of us with a welcome dinner and I think he intentionally laid on his wine collection, real wine, only to hold drills at 0600 the next morning.”

Jinn laughed. “That sounds awful. Personally, I was exposed to all manner of illicit substances from a young age. It was part of the lifestyle. It’s easy to tell the real stuff from the fake.”

Eira lifted her glass and grinned, "Hence why I don't drink anything besides juices and sparkling. Synthehol does nothing for the figure." Low key flirting with them both? On point!

"Sure," Cassidy drawled, looking over at her. "Because I can tell you really struggle with that." He shook his head with a grin. "See, if I'd stayed on mining ships 'til I was older, I'd probably be way more hardened in moonshine and stills. My family would be ashamed of me."

"Now now, there's no need to be ashamed." Eira grinned and looked at him, "When are you next planning on visiting them?"

"I've not visited my brother in... a while?" Cassidy's brow furrowed with honest thought. "But if we actually get any chance for leave while we're in this neck of the woods, he and his business and family aren't that far away. Border miners." His lips twisted, and he had a swig of synthahol. "Always another prospect out here."

"Remind me to ask you more about that later? I'd like to know more, seeing as you already know so much about me." She took another sip of her drink and turned to Jinn, "You've gone quiet, please tell me you're not trying to read peoples minds?"

"Why, Lieutenant Cortez, that would be a blatant abuse of power and I am personally offended that you think I would stoop so lo-" Jinn broke out laughing at this point. "Sorry, I couldn't say that with a straight face. To be very honest, I was reading the room, but more for the empathic feelings and less for the specific thoughts. Parties are fun for telepaths, we can literally feel the emotion in the room."

Cassidy glanced at Cortez at her comment on him knowing a lot about her. "Turnabout is fair play but my story's not that exciting," he warned her, then looked at Jinn and his eyebrows raised. "Getting a vibe off the whole room, huh? Anything interesting out there?" He took a swig of his beer, brows still raised. "Or closer?"

Jinn sipped at his drink. "A general anxiety, most likely about the mission. Some of it heightened in others. Most likely about being in a social setting. Excitement. Joy. Lust. Annoyance. Love. It's a mixed bag, to be honest."

He winked. "As for closer, well that would be cheating."

"Oooh, do tell us!" Eira laughed: it would be interesting to know what was being thought of. Mental note: keep her own thoughts closed off in future, ha!

Jinn winked. "I'm going to pull rank here and respectfully decline."

"I feel I could cheat and point out I outrank you," said Cassidy with a lopsided grin. "But I'm gonna respect that a gentleman never tells. Not unless it's real funny. Just remind me to never play poker with you unless it's a game I want to lose."

"You guys suck, you know that?" Eira pouted and crossed her arms then laughed.

"I mean, if you're so eager for Jinn to tell us what you're thinking, you could skip the middle man and tell us. We can do this the old-fashioned way," Cassidy pointed out, then leaned back on his chair and had a swig of synthehol. "Or did you just not want to ask me what I'm thinking?"

"To be honest, the old fashioned way hasn't been my style since early adolescence," Jinn replied. "Mind-reader and all that."

"Sure, but Cortez has questions and you're being coy," said Cassidy with a wink, "so I'm putting the lady in the piloting seat."

Eira threw her hands up defensively, "Oh no, no no no. Not happening. I was merely asking a question, haha. But if you must know what I'm thinking, it's surprisingly not a lot: just that I'm actually having fun and that the guys I'm with are pretty okay. So neh!" she poked her tongue out at them.

"I can agree with that," Jinn stated. "This is rather fun. Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. I believe that's from your Earth bible, is it not?"

"I believe it's eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die" Cortez corrected him, not knowing how she remembered that when she'd never read it. "But here's to tomorrow, let it be a fun one." She raised her glass.

Cassidy, who had definitely never read the Earth Bible and was only familiar with the phrase as a colloquialism, just lifted his bottle. "I mean, I reckon we're ruining the sentiment with synthehol," he pointed out. "So maybe we stick with the more mundane eat, drink, be merry, and try that living thing tomorrow."

"Corinthians, my dear Cortez," Jinn replied. "In university, I used to... Frequent a delightful woman who's parents had raised her as quite religious."

He chuckled. "And Rafe, I always live. It's what spies are the best at."

"I can honestly say that I don't remember much about the last guy I sort of dated. It was over 3 years ago! So what are the plans for after this party?" Eira queried to both of them, "I'm keen for some fun, anything really."

"I may or may not," said Cassidy coyly, "have a few bottles of something in my quarters which might suit a proper after-party. Just a tipple or two ahead of the big day." He cocked his head at Cortez. "That is, if you're even allowed out to play."

"And here I was thinking you'd never ask" Eira smiled and bit the bottom of her lip, "As long as I've got at least half an hour to spare before we head off on the mission, I'm down for that." She shrugged her shoulders, "Official mission business, aint nothing wrong with that if Jinn comes too."

Jinn finished his drink and sighed. "Unfortunately, my dear, my team has yet another briefing before the deployment. Lieutenant Hargreaves is a strick taskmaster, but that comes with the territory, I suppose."

He offered up a weak smile. "And considering the meeting we just had with the Captain and XO, that kind of after-hours fraternizating wouldn't look very good. So, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I'm going to have to sit this one out."

Eira nodded and sighed as well, "I guess you're right. BUT. Give us a rain check on the drink, because I think we'll be needing it when we get back. What do we say to that?"

"Sure, I can restrain myself from drinking the bottle in the meantime." Cassidy took a swig from his synthehol, body language laid back, until he threw Cortez a side-long glance and his voice dropped half an octave. "So I'm going to hold you to that."

"You do that." Her response was flirty. Flirting with both of them, one her boss, how did this even happen? No complaints though.

"My dear friends," Jinn said, standing up. "While I must bid you adieu, nothing I said precludes the two of you from... having a drink in Lieutenant Cassidy's room."

He gave the two of them a wink, and with that, turned to leave the party, mentally kicking himself for being responsible.

Eira watched as he left, feeling something that wasn't there a moment ago, then looked back at Cassidy, "I.. should provably go too, keep that raincheck open and bottle closed for me yeah?" She leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips before looking into his eyes, "Remember that too." With a wink, she turned and hurried to catch up with Jinn.

Cassidy froze, eyes following her as she left the bar, and only when the doors had slid shut behind him did he give a low scoff and take a swig of his mercilessly syntheholic beer. "Oh, dust," he muttered. "Because my life's not too complicated."