I Have Never Seen A Tellarite Cold With So Little Mucus

Posted on Sun Sep 26th, 2021 @ 4:50am by Angel Ramirez & Nollel Livaam (*)

Mission: Mission 14: Holoworld
Location: Lounge
Timeline: MD-10 16:00
1151 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Nollel sat at the communication console just staring at it intently as if trying to work something out. She was tired and it had been a long day, but the bridge was still busy with people coming and going as they went about their duties, still on shift, unlike her just sitting there. Her head was pounding as she looked at the signals coming and going. It was not like her to zone out, so she was surprised when she heard someone calling her name like they had done it a few times.

“Hmm?” she asked, looking around.

“Earth to Nollel,” Angel said again. “You are a million miles away, girl. I said it's shift change and asked if you wanted to grab a drink in the lounge.”

Nollel blinked and looked at the familiar man and the woman stood next to him waiting to take her bridge station. “Yeah, I was a long way away, as I’ve never been to Earth and it was calling,” she said, standing with a smile as she covered how far away she had been. “Sorry,” she offered to the beta shift comms operator. “Yeah, a glass of wine sounds nice, despite it being early.” She would have a glass and then see if Michael still wanted to have dinner with Liha.

“Not early,” Angel said, falling in alongside Nollel as they headed for the turbolift. “On Earth, it’s a tradition called Happy Hour. Drink specials, the game on the television, winding down after a long day before going home and having to deal with the wife and kids.” He paused to let Nollel enter the lift first. “Simpler times.”

"That is not sexism at its best at all," Nollel commented as she entered the lift. Ardana was nothing like that. Even the class system for the most part was in the past now apart from very small pockets of resistance like her own family. It was the only way they could move forward and join the Federation. "I am glad Humans and Earth have moved for the most part past that notion," she added.

“Well, Happy Hour eventually extended to everyone,” Angel said as they rode the lift. “I mean, what bartender isn’t going to let the ladies pay up, too? Maybe I should tell you about Ladies Night,” he said with a chuckle as the lift doors opened onto the deck containing the ship’s lounge.

“I would hope so. Women bring so much to culture and the workforce. Maybe you should?” she said, raising an eyebrow, needing to know that it was not as sexist as she thought it was. The lift was quick and the door opened letting them out. Nollel stepped out and paused looking around blankly for a moment. “Where are we going again?” she asked quietly.

“The lounge…” Angel said, giving Nollel a side look. He gestured down the corridor to a large set of double doors. “Ladies night was a concept in bars and clubs to give women a pass on the cover charge. More women in an establishment encouraged more men to show up and have to pay. Plus they’d be buying drinks for the ladies. Completely sexist,” he said with a grin.

“Yeah.” Nollel nodded and took off down the corridor. “Sounds like a Ferengi’s dream concept,” she commented as the doors slid open to an empty lounge.

“The Ferengi aren’t all bad,” Angel commented. He looked around the lounge. “Where is everyone?” he wondered. It was shift change, so there should have been some traffic in and out as alpha shift came by for after shift and beta shift left to go on duty.

Nollel shrugged. She had never met a Ferengi who would not sell you to further their cause or profit. Persis was a testament to that after what had happened with her being sold. "Maybe the Tellarite cold is getting everyone." Nollel shrugged. "Maybe we all need what Cassie calls it... Hot tod... hot totty." Maybe the computer knew how to make that.

“Toddy,” Angel said. “If you want, I can whip one up. More a rum man myself in a nice mojito, but a hot toddy isn’t bad on a cold day.” He pulled a stool out from the bar for Nollel and took the stool beside it.

“Go for it. I really do not know what it is,” she admitted, climbing up onto the stool with a sigh. Maybe it would help with whatever was lingering around her.

“It’s whiskey, honey, and lemon in hot water,” Angel said, getting up again and going behind the bar. He plugged in the electric kettle and then perused the whiskey selection before grabbing a bottle. When the water was ready, he poured it into a couple glasses and added the whiskey.

“Do you prefer more sweet or more zing?” Angel asked, adding the lemon juice and honey. He stirred them with a cinnamon stick and added a slice of lemon in each glass. He made one with a teaspoon more lemon juice and one with a teaspoon more honey and put them in front of Nollel. “Take your pick, mija.”

Nollel took the one with more honey. She always preferred sweeter things than something a little more bitter. It was just who she was, much like she preferred sweet cocktails over whiskey and things. "Sweet will do me fine," she murmured, wrapping her hands around the glass, allowing the warmth to spread from the mug all the way through her body. "Thank you," she murmured softly, just staring into the concoction.

“No problemo, senorita,” Angel said. He paused and looked at Nollel, then leaned against the bar across from her. “You okay, chica?” he asked her. “You seem a bit...distracted.”

Nollel looked up at him and nodded, plastering a smile across her face. “Yeah. I think I am just run down at the moment. I have probably got the start of that Tellarite cold,” she said with a shrug. She did not really know what was going on, maybe it was wishful thinking. “Why I need this hot toddy.” She raised it in a salute to him.

Angel nodded and raised his glass. “Go to your quarters. Sleep it off,” he said. “Though I’ve not seen a Tellarite cold with so little mucus,” he admitted, tossing back his hot toddy.

“I have to meet Michael and Liha. Maybe after. And who knows how it affects my species,” she murmured, taking a sip of the hot toddy. It was good and it definitely hit all the right spots. Maybe he was right, but she did not want to consider it right then. She wanted to live blissfully ignorant.

“Fair enough, chica,” Angel said. “I’m no doctor.” When they were through, Angel cleaned up the glasses as Nollel headed off for her meeting.

 

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