Joint Log Norbert Bernard + Sally Moffat + Cpl. Richard Cortez

Posted on Sun Sep 21st, 2014 @ 4:52pm by Corporal Richard Cortez

2,147 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Are You Touched?
Location: After Dark Lounge
Timeline: Current

Norbert stood behind the bar and anxiously studied the display screen above the replicator. His body was stiff with tension, motionless except for his eyes as he scrutinized the data before him. He held his arms folded tightly across his chest, as though trying to insulate himself against a cold wind.

Aware of the lounge in only a peripheral way, his focus was the display. He examined the various readouts as tiers of white digits adjusted themselves on the dark screen, as costs and prices fluctuated according to innumerous and often unpredictable economic factors. Every few seconds, one complicated set of matrices replaced another, causing the display to emit a soft electronic hum, and Norbert's mind hummed along with it.

It's going to happen, he thought: monetary values would slide the way he had foreseen, he would arrange the final transactions in this elaborate financial dance, and it would be done. Soon, he would be one step closer, one significant step closer, to being able to declare independence from his family and get off this ship and away from Starflet.

On the display, one of the numbers brightened, its hue shifting from white to a vibrant orange as it jumped past a threshold Norbert had earlier defined. The value decreased for an instant, but then climbed once more, causing a staccato color change: orange, white, orange again.

His mind devoured the ever-changing numbers on the screen in front of him, willing them to achieve the values necessary for the fulfillment of his plans. He remained fixed in place, waiting nervously, until the heavy shuffling of feet directly behind him prompted him to move. In a single swift motion, his hand darted up to touch a control on the smooth surface of the display, blanking the data, and he turned to find out who had come within eyeshot of his work.

It was only some crewmen wearing a Marine uniform, Norbert was relieved to see. He watched as the tall, dark haired figure dropped onto a seat on the other side of the bar not saying a word. Norbert took a second to glance around the lounge confirming that nobody else had snuck in while he wasn't looking, the place was empty. Not even Sally was here he noted, as her shift was set to begin precisely two minutes ago.

"You need a drink," Norbert said, nodding toward the man, and he was surprised to find that he felt momentarily Unburdened as the simplicity of bartending replaced the relentlessness of his high-risk deal-making.

“American Whiskey Double”, the man said without looking.

Norbert bent down behind the bar and quickly found the right bottle: tall and slim, transparent with a brown liquid inside, not even a quarter filled with what the marine had requested. An import hologram decorated with the circular ensignia of Starfleet was wrapped about its neck. Noticing that he had only one bottle of this type of whiskey left, "I'm going to have to order another case of this from my supplier," Norbert added as he stood and emptied the bottle into the glass. He placed the exhausted container on a shelf, later it would be disposed of using the ships recycling system.

“I don't believe I have seen you in here before”, Norbert said in the tone he had cultivated over the years to imply sincerity.

“That's because I haven't”, the marine took the glass in front of him and downed the entire drink in one gulp.

“Well its nice to see a customer in here”, Norbert responded, holding out his hand, “My name is Norbert Bernard the Third”.

“Richard Cortez”, he responded after several seconds reciprocating the hand shake.

“You need a refill,” Norbert said, motioning toward the glass.

Cortez nodded.

Norbert pulled the last bottle of whiskey from behind the counter and refilled the glass.

“You can leave the bottle”, The Marine stated, taking the glass and downing it again in one gulp.

“Wonderful”, Norbert said sliding the bottle next to Cortez, happy to be relieved of having to continuously refill the glass and also at the extra markup he could charge for a full bottle.

Cortez grabbed the bottle and refilled his glass, holding it up.

“To the Marines, the hell with fleet”, he said downing the glass again.

"Starfleet," Norbert grumbled out loud agreeing with the Marine. "Worthless. Valueless." He said at Cortez as though the two had been long lost friends, "They never want to drink anything. Only Eat" Norbert paused, then added, "And when they do drink, it's usually only synthehol."

Cortez eyed the man cautiously, and poured himself another.

The sound of heels tapping a fast pace could be heard entering the lounge.
Sally quickly checked the time as she came in, her pretty face momentarily spoiled by a frown.
{Sally...you're late!} she told herself but was soon encouraged by the emptiness of her surroundings.
{As dead as the proverbial Dodo whatever that was poor thing how awful to be remembered simply because you died out and no one knowing what you looked like or anything else except that you don't exist but of course lots of things have been wiped out so Dodos aren't alone and oh!}

Her thoughts stopped abruptly as she saw that there was a solitary customer at the bar and he was talking to Mr Bernard.

{Fish hooks and Sugar!} she thought rounding the end of the bar and walking towards them. She smiled at Cortez hoping that he might say something to forestall the inevitable reprimand she knew would be coming her way.

Cortez glanced at the approaching woman, ignored her smile and continued pouring himself another drink.

"Oh look who finally made it", Norbert stated at Sally. "That would be strike number two", he held out two fingers in front of him, "Now the first time you were late I let it slide because I am such a nice person", he lowered his fingers and grinned widely, clearly enjoying the power, "but now I see that was a mistake and you think that it is acceptable to be late". He stepped over to the console again and pressed a few keys, "I will be docking half your pay this shift and notating this on your record", he smiled at Sally then turned towards Cortez, "I ask for employees and all I get are idiots", he sighed.

Cortez took a breath and gulped down another shot. He was growing more and more annoyed with this funny little man.

"Half my pay?" Sally said in a mix of outrage, surprise and disbelief. "But Mr Bernard I have a real reason if you would just listen and I can explain it."

Her eyes darted to Cortez but he seemed disinterested so she continued on directing her attention solely on her boss.

"Ollie asked me to go to the beach with him you know who I mean the under-chef from the kitchen and I said had we time and he said plenty so we beamed down to the main resort and Ollie had just dived into the pool when Flipper McNabb you know him from the stores the man with reddish hair well he came past and said didn't we know everyone was recalled to the ship and why hadn't I and my very fetching bikini been there earlier and of course we didn't know and he said we had better get a move on so I called to Ollie but he didn't hear because he was nearly at the end of the pool because it doesn't take long to get there its so small and when he looked back and saw me waving he waved too and beckoned me in and swam off so I did but then couldn't find him because he was underwater and playing a bit of a fool actually."

She smiled at the memory but a look at Norbert Bernard wiped the smile from her lips.

"So anyway we got out and couldn't find our bag because someone had moved it then by the time we got back to the transporter there was a huge queue and lots of people all trying to say they had priority so that took an age and then Ollie lost his pass and we were held up again right at the gate so when we got back the turbo lifts were full and it took another age for me to get to my quarters and get changed and then run down here and I'm really sorry Mr Bernard it wont happen again."

"ENOUGH with your excuses", Norbert shouted, raising his chin, clearly enjoying this. "It had better not happen again, or else next time I will not be so lenient -".

Having heard enough, Cortez jumped up, "Hey why don't you leave her alone", he said taking a swig straight from the bottle. By this time he was at least half a dozen shots of whiskey in and quite annoyed with this slimy lounge manager. "I ignored you when you were talking about Starfleet even though you hadn't earned the right to do that, but now you want to verbally assault this young lady", He placed the bottle down on the bar and stepped towards Norbert, "I don't think so".

Sallys eyes widened in surprise at having a gallant knight suddenly take her part.

Norbert Froze as the Marine moved to within inches of his face. "Excuse me?", he said, stunned that he was being spoke to like this. "You have -".

"NO I wont excuse you until you apologize to-", Cortez interrupted and then looked at Sally, "I'm sorry, Whats your name ma'am?"

"Umm..Sally..Sally Moffat." she replied liking him more and more with every word he spoke.

"Thank You ma'am", he smiled at Sally then turned back towards Norbert, "You are going to apologize to Miss Sally Moffat here, and then tell her that you will not be docking her pay for the day", he looked at Norbert square in the eyes with the glare only someone who had seen major combat could give.

Norbert was intimidated to say the least. He decided it would be best not to antagonize this clearly drunk Marine any further. He turned towards Sally, "I apologize, I understand it wasn't your fault in being late and I will not be docking your pay today", he looked back at Cortez uneasy.

"Great", Cortez said stepping back. Turning back towards Sally he smiled again, "Now you said there was a long line of people waiting to get back onto the ship? Did you happen to hear why?"

Sally looked up onto the smiling eyes of the marine and felt her knees turning jelly like. She smiled back as her mind shot off in a direction surprising at so short an acquaintance. It was only when he looked at her quizzically that she remembered she hadn't answered his question.

"Only that all crew were being recalled and Ollie and I are crew as well even though civilians but we work on the ship and so needed to get back because being stuck on Quonos isn't something to relish is it unless you're a Klingon of course and then you wouldn't mind."

"Crew has been recalled", Cortez said taking a deep breath, "Well I guess that means vacation is over", he smiled at the thought. He hated time off because he never knew what to do with himself besides drink. "Thanks", he reached in his pocket to pull out his card to pay for the drinks.

"Oh no", Norbert said shortly, "Drinks are on the house this time".

Cortez smiled and looked at Norbert, "Well thank you very much", he glanced back at Sally, "And you let me know if he mis-behaves", he winked at her then turned to leave.

"Oh I will...." she said softly, looking up at his tall figure which dwarfed her own petite frame. The wink activated a dozen butterflies in her stomach. "Come back soon." she said and sighed in contentment.

Norbert watched as the Marine left the lounge and then sighed deeply. He looked back at Sally who seemed to be stuck in a daze and glared at her.

"I will be in my office", he muttered as he walked past her towards the back.

"Oh that's fine" she replied dreamily, her attention on the marines retreating figure. It was only when she had stared at the empty doorway for some moments that she realized that Norbert had spoken to her. She spun round expecting to see him standing arms crossed with a frown on his face but no one was there. She pressed her palms together and raised fingertips to her lips as she looked back at doorway soon lost again in a daydream that was decidedly sweet.

---

Norbert Bernard III
Lounge Manager

Sally Moffat
Waitress

CPL Richard Cortez
Marine

 

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