Space Racers

Posted on Wed Nov 22nd, 2023 @ 2:30pm by Lieutenant Alinar Vasatra & Captain Peter Nixon

1,219 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: S1E0 - Prologue
Location: Quarks, Promenade, Deep Space Nine
Timeline: 17:45 Hrs Station Time - Mission Day -5

He has been walking for about 10 minutes, but as much as he had tried he couldn't shake the bad mood he'd been put in by his briefing with the Admiral. For a change of scenery, he had taken a path that took him from the central command levels at the top of the station, down a number of barely used stairwells and out onto the second level of the stations promenade.

Nixon continued walking, well more sauntering now, through the crowds. Despite it being peak time on the station for shift changes and socialising, it never ceased to amaze him just how busy it got. With his newly acquired PADD deactivated and held firmly in his left hand he crossed a small bridge span that brought him from the outer side of the level to the inside section that had hatches to the various business. As he reached the upper entrance to Quarks, he stepped inside and made his way via one of the bars circular staircases to the main service area.

"DABO!!" Came the shout from the table as Alinar won yet again. He could feel the stares of the Ferengi, the ire of Quark and could see the sparkle in the dabo girls eyes as he flashed them a smile or a slip of latinum every once in a while.

As Alinar's turn on the wheel came to an end, he thought it best to quit while ahead, he headed towards the bar for a drink. As he did so he bumped into someone causing them to drop a PADD. Alinar bent down and picked it up, "Sorry Captain." He said noticing the pips on his collar and patting the man on the back before continuing his way. "A pint of that stuff Miles usually orders!" He yelled at the static barkeep.

"I believe that's my PADD," Nixon pointed at the PADD the stranger had picked up, "If you don't mind."

Alinar looked at the man and then down at the PADD. "Sorry." He shook his head. "Thought I'd dropped mine." He said sliding it across the bar to the man in red.

The Captain turned to one of the other bar tenders in the service area, and placed his own order "A pint of Guinness please."
Within a few moments the bartender had returned with a pint of ale for Alinar, and the Captain's own order. The cool nitrogenated black stout created slight condensation on the outside of the branded glass. Nixon studied the beverage's thick white collar of foam and gave a nod of approval before taking his initial long draw.

"Never could drink that stuff." Alinar admitted openly as the captain set his glass down. "Friend of mine here got me onto this ale but I usually only drink it here." He took a large swig of his drink. "Refuelling and restocking?" Alinar gestured to the outside of the bar towards the general location of docked ships.

"Something like that," Nixon said between sips of the pint of Guinness. He took a second to take in the person standing near him, "So, you race?" he asked rhetorically. From the pins on the strangers jacket it certainly looked that way. The Captain recognised some of them from his own experiences as both as a racer but also as a fan.

"Sure do Cap." Alinar gave him a quick off the cuff salute with two fingers. "Love it. It's the best feeling knowing you have your fate in your hands when you are in a high speed race against other competitors." he took a sip of his beer. "You know much about racing?"

"I competed in the Trans-Stellar Odisian Rally a good few years ago." he thought back to the event, which took place over a week in the Odisian Pass in the outer edges of the Beta Quadrant. An unusual event for space racing as most of the rally's course was in areas that had never been officially explored or charted.

"That was a tough one, exciting given the race boundaries are not always the same and sometimes you get an unexpected Orion attack like I did last time I won it." Alinar turned to show the pin on the other side of his jacket. "I've raced all over the quadrant. Jesepi 500 was one of my favourites. Slingshotting around a sun burned out a few other racers... didn't win that one. Conscience got the better of me and I went back for one racer drifting into the sun." he shrugged. "Bolian's can panic far too easily... but yeah. All the pins you see on me are from my wins, no-one celebrates second place." Alinar set his tankard down and cast his mind back to a few failures, too numerous over his life span to count and he was still considered young by El Aurian standards.

The Captain studied the pins for a few seconds, "I think you can find wins in many situations, not just from being in first place all the time." he took a longer draw from his glass.

"Whereas that is true, I prefer first place." Alinar spoke his mind. "Second place in a fight will only teach you a lesson, give you the chance to learn from your mistakes, if you survive it. However, that is not something I need to tell you Captain." he implied the end of the Dominion War. Many were lost, and even in his time in the Maquis he always wanted to put those in need first. Second place was not good enough.

"No, you need not." The Captain responded rather bluntly before taking the final draw from his pint glass.

"This has been an interesting conversation. May the wins continue to come your way. Mr...?" Nixon tipped the glass towards Alinar and placed it back on the bar top.

"Vasatra. Alinar Vasatra." Alinar slightly bowed at him as was his people's custom and then extended a hand knowing Human's liked their own. Well, most liked a hand shake. "I live a quieter life now." he added as he waited for the extension of the Captain's hand.

The Captain accepted the handshake with a firm grasp, "Serving onboard a Starship is hardly a quiet life, Mr Vasatra." He gave the El Aurian a wink just as the handshake finished and lifted his PADD. "I believe you report onboard at 2100 hours, no?"

"Very true sir, but if you'd lived through what I have so far I'll take a plush chair at conn at the moment over anything else." Alinar had placed a hand over the top of the Captains as they shook hands and released it just as the shake grew lax. "I do?" he raised an eyebrow, the question more as to how the Captain would know that but it didn't take a genius to figure out. Not only that he could feel the Captain's emotion as he said it. "Ah, you are Captain Nixon." he nodded.

"I look forward to seeing your exploits first hand, Mr Vasatra. If you'll excuse me, I'm late for another appointment." He smiled, before releasing the man's hand and turning to leave, the PADD that started this interaction securely stowed in his armpit.

Alinar smiled as the man walked away. He looked forward to serving on the ship as well.

 

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