Post 222: It's Five O'Clock in Seven

Stardate: 70616.1800
Title: It's Five O'clock in Seven
Author: Lieutenant Lily T'Ana
Scene: Seven Forward
Time: Following "Smile, though your heart is breaking"

After leaving Sickbay, Lily and Angus had decided to walk around the ship and talk awhile before heading down to deck seven.

Finally they moved through the doors of Seven, still engrossed in deep conversation. Trick London looked up from the bar and laughed to himself.

*Oh boy Angus, that's one Asian tigress you definitely don't want to tangle with.*

Angus looked up and saw Trick's face and could just read his mind. They had ridden shotgun, one for the other, for decades now. Like Butch and Sundance, the two knew what trouble the other could get into.

Angus shot a look back at Trick as if to say, I am only giving her a little comfort man, give me a break! Her uncle just had heart replacement and she is far away from home and needs a, er, um, shoulder to lean on ok?

They approached the bar. Lily sat down on a tall chair that was pulled up to it and leaned back.

"I don't think I have been this tired since working on that major glitch Starfleet had in their security transmissions back during one of the major Cardassian uprisings seven or eight years ago! Trick, I would just love a double,"

"You don't even have to say it. Gin and tonic with a double lime twist on the rocks. And since you're off duty, no synthanol."

Trick got busy with a display of art and mastery such as had not been seen since an early 21st century performance of the acrobats known as Cirque De Soleil.

Lily's eyes were dazzled by Trick's, well, tricks! Angus just sat there, rolling his eyes, barely amused.

When he was all finished Trick threw a fresh white linen towel over his left arm, turned to Lily, bowed slightly, and said, "There 'tis m'lady."

Angus rolled his eyes again. "Oh brother."

"Thank you so much sir." Lily ever so slightly nodded her head and took a drink and gave her approval with an "Ahhhhhhhh, perfect!"

She kicked off the red heels she had been wearing with her outfit of a matching red skirt and a red and white flowered silk wrap blouse. Red was one of her favorite colors and complemented her long dark hair and green eyes. Today she had worn her hair down, very simply with it parted to the side and tucked behind her ear. She also wore her signature perfume which had an exotic scent to it and which she saved for special occasions.

Seeing her Uncle that day in Sickbay, healthy once again was definitely was one of those special occasions.

She continued to drink down her gin and tonic and suddenly felt rather light headed and a bit strange, but ignored it.

"I am so upset that I did not get to go on the away teams down to Bajor. It's terrible what has happened. I have been trying to keep up with my new science officer, Micah Samson. Who, by the way, is brilliant! He is a specialist in this matter of meteorology and I know he had a plan earlier for a weather modification net, but because he was junior grade they wouldn't listen to him. Well between you two and me, it's just simply politics."

*Why am I suddenly talking a hundred miles an hour? Why is this room spinning?* Lily thought. She shook her head slightly trying to clear it. "Angus I think I may need something to eat, it's been awhile."

Angus immediately jumped off his chair and said, "What would you like? Sushi? I can make you anything you want. Filet mignon? Anything, anything at all."

"Whatever it is, it has to be fast because this drink is going to my head!" Lily began to giggle. Angus looked over at Trick and frowned.

"Nice going. Did you have to make it too strong and slip her a mickey?"

"I did no such thing, but if you are so concerned, get in there and make her something, anything, right now." Trick fired back at Angus. As he did, in marched February Grace with a look in her eye that would've killed a wombat 50 yards away!

"Uh oh, love, what's the matter with you?" Trick could see the emotion literally coming to a boiling point, ready to create steam that might come out of February's ears at any moment.

"Never mind what's the matter with me, what's the matter with my best friend here?"

February could see Lily almost collapsed across the bar, her shoes kicked off below her seat.

"What is going on and why are you two plying her with liquor? Don't you know she's barely eaten anything in the last two days and she has a bit of low blood sugar problem anyway?"

Bru remembered this last point because her symbiot Grace was telling her. It was knowledge that Wen, its previous host, had of Lily. "Get her some food, man! NOW!" February barked. Then she grabbed the drink off the bar, drank the rest of Lily's gin and tonic in one gulp and slammed the glass down. "Keep these coming, Trick!"

"But you just said," Trick looked puzzled at this new -and he wasn't quite sure if it was improved or not- February Grace.

"Not for Lily, genius." February demanded. "For me."

Lt. Lily T'Ana
Science Officer
USS Independence NCC-90791