Need To Stop Meeting Like This Part 1

Posted on Sun Apr 14th, 2019 @ 9:10am by Commander Alexis Agrax (*)

Mission: War Games
Location: Proving Grounds
Timeline: War Games
1464 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

The Hundari Void had bent but it hadn’t broken Alexis in the slightest she was still healthy looking even if her eyes no longer held the carefree look that they used too. Everything was coming back together but it might never be fully healed.

The new Commander grinned as she saw the man across the promenade that she had been keeping an eye out for. She might have had a few eventful months with dying when the ship was invaded and the whole even in the void but she had never had the tabloids talking about her. She weaved through the crowds and looped an arm around him stopping him in his tracks. “I had thought to mention triplets but I assumed you would have had enough of that and I would never be able to keep the act up.” Alexis greeted the man with only a hint of a giggle as she looked him over.

"Really, " was all he managed to say, "get in line, I hear there might be an Orion with octuplets, were waiting on DNA testing." He smirked, "its good to see you, Alex, buy ya a drink?"

"An Orion?" Alexis put her free hand to her chest feigning shock. "You, my friend, have exotic taste and I thought I was wild." The woman said having spent two years sleeping her way through anyone who had hit the base in an attempt to get rid of the pain she was feeling. "Gosh, a drink would be awesome. Looks like we could both use it after the last six months."

It had been some time, since the last time the two had met and yet like most typical friends they were able to pick up right where they left off. They had known each other for some time and yes, like most of Neil's female friends, had started a few rumors. But the simple fact, Alexis was more like a kid sister than a romantic interest. "After the last few months, I could have more than a drink, maybe three. Who knows."

"Well let us start with one and go from there." Alexis offered glancing around through the crowds to see if there was anyone watching or following her. She was dressed in civilian clothes for a reason to avoid detection. It was easy to slip into one of the quieter bars and sit at the back of the place. "I think this is one of the nicer places we've had a drink." She admitted once the server had left.

"Considering some of the places you and I have visited over the years," he laughed, "that is not saying much. So what brings the newly minted Commander Alexis to this hole in the wall dump," he asked? "Surely it wasn't to share a drink with an old friend?"

Alexis shrugged a little as she looked around at the place avoiding the question from a moment before she looked back at him. “I just wanted to see someone familiar.” She lied. It was a habit she had picked up working and living among other species but she wasn’t any good at it really especially when Neil was staring at her the way he was. “Liam is alive.” Was the biggest reason she needed some advice. They had both lost their spouses around the same time so it made sense to her.

"Oh dear," he muttered as he picked up his glass. "Are you sure," he asked.

Alexis nodded as she pointed to the promenade where the man in question was walking. It was easy for the woman to distinguish the man in a crowd, she was very intimate with his mind after the fight to get him back. "Very sure." She said thinking of the punch she had given him to knock him out to allow security to haul his ass to the brig for medical to help him.

Neil followed her finger as it stopped on the man in question, staring a bit too hard he commented. "Oh my," he stated, "I am actually uncertain of what to say..." he paused. "Does he know you are here," he asked? If the answer was no then this was about to get even more awkward, as Liam appeared to be headed in their general direction. "I can leave, if you wish," Neil's mind was starting to think of an exit strategy.

The woman squeezed his arm. "No. I promised you a drink." Alexis sighed softly as the man they were watching moved walked past them making Alexis relax muscle by muscle until she was breathing normally. "So I think we have a lot to talk about right?"

"Clearly whatever is happening in my life pales to whatever is going on in yours," he kept a watchful eye on Liam, "I don't even know where to start, hell I am not sure I even want to start." He snorted, "last time I started talking about former flames, my EX showed up with twins." He raised an eye, "that was an attempt to lighten the mood."

He moved his chair close, "why did you ask me here," he knew it was more than the drink. "We could have shared a drink anywhere, on any station... why this one?"

Alexis shrugged. "I didn't know if you would be here, to be honest. I guess you might be seeing you are our Task Group Executive Officer but you might have gotten out of it like Elysium. I've been keeping an eye out for you today when I heard your ship had docked as I saw the tabloids." She admitted softly. "As I said before Liam showed up I was gonna turn up and tell you I'd had triplets but for one I didn't think you needed that and secondly... I take my contraceptive shots on time despite being technically married at that point." She teased just a little. "I felt that you might need a friend?"

"Always," he laughed, "and besides, my Engineer is getting quite used to me increasing the size of my quarters, a few more couldn't hurt." He pointed to their empty glasses as the waiter walked by. He sighed, "it wasn't an easy bit, having your EX show up with a blow like that. However, I can't say I handled it well at all, " he almost cussed, "Adira really put a damper in things, that is for sure." He brushed it off, "nothing like having the entire ship talk about you behind your back." He look in his eye said more, it almost glossed over when he said her name.

Alexis found herself giggling just a little at the thought of his Engineer and the fact it almost seemed normal. She couldn't imagine the shock and surprise of it all. "I don't think there is a good way to handle it. Been there, my friend. Had it happen a few times on Cass, ships are gossip mills why after what happened with the void space I was moved to Cosmos and under Ehestri. Didn't expect them to move Liam there either but it seems someone thinks we should be together again."

"Do you," he asked rather plainly? "The odds of you two landing here, at the same time is rather thin," he added.

"Not in the slightest. I am sure one or both of our parents arranged it." She said with a roll of her eyes. There was so much that she could say around it but Neil wouldn't want to hear it even if they went way back.

Neil smirked, a little bit but opted not to press the matter. Raising his hand he flagged down a waiter and ordered a refresher on their drinks and something to eat. By the way, this meeting started, he assumed they were going to be there a while. He sipped his drink, and then looked up at her. "Sounds like we both had, or are still having, an interesting week." He took another sip, only this one a bit longer than the last. "We both had an EX show up, the only mine took me to another universe," he hinted at their last mission to the Carlson Nebula.

Alexis nodded relieved that he hadn't carried on the conversation about Liam. It was just so complicated and such a mess that sometimes Alexis just wanted to cry. "I had heard rumours. But not my place to listen to rumours, only friends." She said smiling softly that he remembered her usual drink without a moment's hesitation. "I was already in the void so you win. Want to talk about it?"

OFF::

Commodore Cornelius Harrington, III
TF27XO
USS Nogura
(PNPC Borden)

Commander Alexis Agrax
Chief Of Security
USS Cosmos
(PNPC Gregnol)