Making New Friends

Posted on Mon Sep 30th, 2024 @ 10:23pm by Lieutenant Commander Andrew "Drew" Chandler & Lieutenant Commander Mira Napier & Lieutenant JG Mike Barton

2,316 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: To Boldly Go...
Location: Quark's
Timeline: MD001, 1730 hours

Drew entered Quark's and went to the bar. It was an exceptionally busy night. There were no empty seats at the bar. He glanced about and and saw that all the tables were occupied. He was about to give up and head home when he spotted a vaguely familiar face sitting alone at a table. He approached Mira, stopping just short of her table. "Pardon me for the intrusion, but would you mind if I shared the table with you." He gestured around before nodding at the chair across from hers. "I think that's the last available seat."

Mira looked up and gave a polite nod, "You may sit with me." She sipped her drink. "I was reading my Security team list for Deliverance." She scooted the padd closer to her, so it wasn't taking up his side of the table.

Drew nodded as he looked at Mira. He finally recognized her after her reference to the ship. "You're Lieutenant Commander Napier. Chief of Security and Second Officer aboard the Deliverance. I believe we met during the mission briefing prior to the Breen incident."

She nodded, "You're our new Chief Strategic Operations Officer that I've heard mentioned." She gave a half smile, "I hope you'll enjoy your time on the Deliverance." She motioned to a chair, "Feel free to sit. My name is Mira Napier. You may refer to me as Ms. Napier. Until, I feel like I can trust you to call me Mira." She raised an eyebrow, "That okay?"

Drew took the offered seat and extended his right hand across the table. "Name's Andrew Chandler. My friends call me Drew." He appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Though one special lady has a different name for me. She calls me Dad."

She gave a little nod, "I didn't know you had a daughter. What would you like me to call you?" She made a mental note to research the senior staff. "My apologies."

Drew took a deep breath, releasing it as he pondered the question. "Whatever you are comfortable with."

A Ferengi waiter came up to the table. "What can I get you Commander Chandler?"

Drew looked at Mira's drink for a moment. "One of whatever the lady is having." He looked at Mira. "Would you like another one Ms. Napier? I'm buying."

She made a little humming noise as she finished a note on one of her padds. "Sweet Tea, please." She nodded to the Ferengi and then she placed the padd back down, "I haven't decided on what to eat, Drew." She sighed a little with a little face made, "You can call me Mira. I don't like the Napier after all. Thought I might."

Drew had been on Deep Space Nine for the better part of five years. He was quite familiar with the cuisine served at all the restaurants and cafes of the station. "Well, Quark's is pretty good with traditional bar food from a fair number of planets. Though if you are wanting something more traditional there's a few other eating establishments throughout the Promenade. Do you have a certain culinary style in mind Mira?"

"I don't" Mira said. She frowned a little, "I'd say more American, south eastern style." She looked to Drew, "I don't want to intrude... I'm usually an aloof type person."

"No intrusion at all." Drew thought about Rachel and Ashley for a moment. "Quite honestly my daughter and sister would probably be thrilled to know I was socializing with a colleague." He glanced towards the food service station. "Quark's actually has pretty decent surf and turf or I know of another place on the Promenade that has really good Creole food. Your choice, my treat. If that's acceptable to you?"

"I was thinking more like Soul food type." She couldn't figure out how to exactly explain it. She gave a sip of her drink, "I should socialize more with the crew, but it's been hard with the losses..." She bit her lip a little, "I have a hard time accepting." She gave a sad look.

The Ferengi waiter returned with a tray of two Sweet Teas and set them on the table. "Would you like to order food."

Drew shook his head and pressed a thumb on the PADD to pay for the drinks. "Not at this time Kron. I think we will be getting dinner somewhere else. He turned back to Mira and raised his glass. "I know just the place. The Gourmet Soul on the top deck."

Mira toasted Drew, "let's head there then. Hopefully, it has some good home cooked food." She gave a slight smile as she drank what she could of her drink and then she sat it down. She got up from her seat and she straightened her outfit.

Drew led the way out of Quarks and gestured to the stairs to the right. "Up that way and about 20 meters down the causeway on the left."

She followed his instructions, coming up on a nice little establishment on the Promenade, "Nice." She said as she observed the outside, "Hope they do have good food." Her stomach grumbled and she looked a little embarrassed.

Drew entered and spoke to the hostess at the podium who grabbed a pair of menus and led he and Mira to the dining area. There were very few patrons. The hostess turned to Mira and Drew. "Would you prefer a booth or table?"

Drew turned to Mira curiously.

"Up to you." She said looking to Drew. "Either one is fine with me."

Drew considered the choice for a moment before turning to the hostess. "Tables fine." Choosing a booth would have appearances of implying a desire for an intimate dinner. A table would put a respectful distance between them.

The hostess led them to a table.

Drew pulled out a chair for Mira. His father had taught him to always be a gentleman and it was just habit as he gestured for Mira to take the seat. "Please."

She gave a polite smile as she sat in the seat, "Thank you." She helped him scoot it under the table, but not too much. She nodded to the hostess that gave them their menus, before leaving.

Drew looked over the menu. He pretty much knew what he already wanted, but always checked in case something new was added. He looked up at Mira. "See anything you like on the menu?"

"Potato Soup" She looked up at him, "With sweet tea."

Drew nodded. "That actually sounds pretty good."

A waiter came to the table. "Good evening Mister Chandler. May I start you and your lady with drink?"

Drew gestured to Mira.

"Sweet Tea please." She said to the Waiter.

"Peach tea for me please." Drew glanced at Mira. "Would you care for an appetizer or just order?"

"Just order, if you don't mind." She looked down at one of her hands that was shaking a little.

Drew nodded and turned to the waiter. "Two bowls of potatoe soup please."

The waiter jotted down the order. "Coming right up."

Drew watched the waiter depart and turned back to Mira with a concerned expression. He had caught the slight trembling in her hand, but had not wanted to bring attention to it in front of the waiter. He spoke softly. "Are you alright? Do you need to go to the Infirmary?"

Mira shook her head, "No Infirmary." She smiled a little, "I just need the nutrition." She reached into her pocked and used a little device on herself to stop the shake. She glanced around, "I'll be fine."

Drew looked at Mira for a few seconds with genuine concern. He finally took a deep breath and and changed subjects. "So tell me about yourself. I gather a career as a Starfleet Security officer has had its share of excitement?"

She shrugged, "It's had it's share of uncomfortable moments." She smiled a little, "what about you and operations?"

Drew pondered the question for a few moments. "Strategic operations is mostly about analyzing intelligence data, performing threat assessments based on that data and development of tactical countermeasures." He paused briefly as their drink order arrived. "I actually started out in security and tactical, like you. Five years aboard the USS Venture. Spent a couple of years at Starfleet Command as an analyst before transferring to Starfleet Special Warfare Command and training for a year. Earned my trident just as the Dominion War started going from cold to hot. My platoon was forward deployed to Starbase 375 until after we retook Deep Space Nine. I was on a deep reconnaissance mission when the Breen attacked Earth. Ashley had been visiting her grandparents and Renée was scheduled to join her the following day, she lost her life while rescuing eight cadets from Cochrane Hall." He took a deep breath.

She gave a sad look, "I'm sorry. I don't have the experience that you do ."

Drew sighed, a sad smile on his face. "Honestly, I hope you never do. Losing Renée was the worst thing I ever had to go through." He looked at his left hand for a moment. "I...was still wearing my wedding band until a little over a month ago. It...was my way of honoring her. But, it was also an anchor that made it impossible to move on."

She gave a slight nod, "I had an ex love harass me, when I joined. I was starting a relationship with the Captain and I feel I shouldn't. It'd made it easier for my life to have been given over his." A few tears formed, but she held her own, "Sorry, I'm just not in a relationship position. I prefer friends to enjoy and hang with. It's still raw to me." She was about to say more, when the waiter gave them their drinks and told them that the food was soon on the way.

She quietly sipped her drink, before she spoke again. "I just never told anyone..." She let a tear fall, "I was offered XO to the Captain, but I turned it down. I don't want a bigger reminder than I already have. I want to do better where I am. Improve." She said with a little confidence. "Do my best in honor, before I feel comfortable in finding someone."

Drew slowly nodded his head. His thoughts traveled to Jenny Goldstein, the woman he had gone on one date with when he was attached to the Deliverance for the Breen mission. While Jenny had not perished on the mission, she had been wounded and treated for her injuries. It had been determined upon returning to Deep Space Nine she needed more extensive care in her recovery and once treated at DS9 was transferred to the hospital ship Olympic and returned to Earth. "My advice, don't wait five years. I was lucky to have family to help me through, but...," Drew sighed. "Relying on just memories to get you through...it just isn't enough. Trust me."

Mira shook her head, "My parents are too busy with station life much to care, and Atlas is married to Lee that they still keep trying for a baby." She gave a smile, "we all process grief differently."

Drew nodded slowly. "Well, I may not be a Counselor, but if you ever need a friend to talk to. I'll be there for you."

She gave a smile in return as their food arrived, "I'd like to be a friend for you, when you need."

Drew nodded graciously. I would like that." He picked up his spoon and gestured to Mira's bowl. "Bon appetit."

They ate their meals quietly. After she finished, she looked to him, "I better see if I can board Deliverance and help set things up for the security team and others there."

Drew nodded as he paid for their dinner and stood up. He offered his hand to Mira to help her up from the table. "I'll walk you to the airlock. What with all the traffic through the station recently, there's been an uptick in lone individuals being accosted by thieves i in the last week or so."

She nodded, "Appreciated." She walked with Drew to the Airlock.

Drew was quiet for most of the walk to the airlock. His mind focused on their surroundings. He was keeping an eye out for potential trouble. There were many folks he recognized from his years on the station, but several individuals they crossed were unfamiliar.

She didn't dare bother to look at other patrons, just her path forward. She learned that ignoring can help people who may know her, know she's focused on a though and not bother her. She closed her eyes a moment as she walked, hoping that her past won't catch up to her.

Drew came up short as the reached the corridor to the airlock. They had reached their destination without incident. He turned to Mira and brought up his right hand. "Airlock is down the end of this corridor. I thanks you for the company and I look forward to working with you aboard the Deliverance. Petty Officer of the Watch and a guard should be just inside the airlock door."

She nodded as she walked down the corridor and through the airlock.

Once inside, Mike noticed Mira and he followed her quietly, until she got to her office. He waited a bit, before he entered the office. He was not actually the guard, he just relieved the one that was on duty, because of his status. that officer would return, noticing drew not far from the outside of the corridor.

Drew waited until Mira had boarded the ship before turning back towards the station interior. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day and it was going to be an early start. He still had a few tasks to wrap up before launch.

 

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