The Bartender

Posted on Tue Jun 28th, 2022 @ 6:40pm by Tyler Armstrong & Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels

Mission: The Lost Brother
Location: Bar

Tyler sat behind the table, going over the crew in charge of the ship, first there was obviously the captain, then there was the first officer, Commander Antonia Stoffels, upon some digging around, he found that she was from a marine family. but chose the starfleet side of the family. Counselling department. It was quite the change for the family.

Tony had a rare spare hour and she decided to let her hair down a bit and have an alcohol free beer in the bar. As usual she sat on a table alone. Senior officers did not have that many friends on board and most of the crew would avoid them in their down time when they wanted to have some fun.

Looking over, he raised an eyebrow. The file he was reading indicated that the person entering the lounge, was the same. Setting the padd down, he made his way over, stopping at the bar, making an andorian sunset, and walking over to the table.

"Commander Stoffels, first drink is always on the house around here."

"Well thank you...." She looked at him. "I don't believe we have been introduced yet. I am Tony. And that is fine as long as it is alcohol free. I need to go back on duty in a bit."

Quickly taking the drink away, "perhaps after your shift then. Coffee for right now?"

"You don't have alcohol free beer?" Tony asked. "If not coffee is fine."

"Beer... you didnt look like a beer person to me." He replied as he got one. "You seem more of a whiskey."

She grinned. "I like both but I have not been able to find an acceptable alcohol free whiskey yet. Hence the beer for now."

"I may just have the solution." Tyler replied as he walked over to a crate. It was his private reserve, he sifted through the bottles. Brought out two glasses, and poured. "Vulcan Whiskey, all the taste, none of the fun. Made by the monks of some weird ass group. Its not that common, and I have yet to find someone who actually wanted to try nonalcoholic whiskey."

"O really? That is news to me." tony was intrigued now. "Now I have to try that."

Sliding the glass over to her, he picked up his own.

Tony took a small sip and the savoured the flavour. "Hmmm not bad, not bad at all. I did not think it was possible."

"Leave it to Vulcans to make things possible." He replied with a grin and taking a drink. The grin dissipated followed by him turning and spitting the whiskey back into the glass... "I was never a whiskey person anyway."

"Jeez! Don't do that. That is sacrilege." Tony said. "My dad would kick your but for that."

Looking at the bottle. "Well that was a waste of a month profit." He replied as he handed her a bottle. "Consider it a gift."

"I would gladly pay for it." She said.

Shaking his head, "Lets call it even, you did me a favour being my first patron, now you get to spread the good word of the best damn bar this galaxy has to offer."

"Absolutely. I can do that." She grinned. "So are you planning to have some entertainment for the crew as well?" Unwinding was so important.

"I was thinking, bringing in a Vulcan Death metal group for music nights."

"Is there such a thing?" Tony just could not get her head round that.

Grinning, "No, but I was thinking of finding a couple of vulcans to start one... know any?"

'You are shitting with me." Tony laughed. "You have guts, I like that."

He leaned back as he took out a flask from his pocket. "Now this... this is the expensive stuff." He took a swig. Offered her a taste.

"Alcohol free?"

"Wouldn't be so expensive if it was." He replied. "If I had the restraint... I would probably still be in starfleet."

"Oowww problem with authority?" Tony said with a smile.

"I spent more time in the bar, than on duty. Mind you I was a good officer, was just something that didn't settle with me. I love my alcohol, But I have never drank in excess. Entertaining is much more suited for me than Security ever was."

"A former security officer tending bar. Now that is one I don't hear every day. I bet you are having a great deal of fun. Hell there are days I wish I could do something else."

"I am enjoying it more and more each day."

"Yeah there are days that I could do without starfleet to be honest." Tony let slip.

Leaning back, "Brother missing is stressful Commander. I have my sources where things are going on with the ship. Bartenders are the more knowledgeable of the crew."

She laughed. "That works fast. The captain benched me." She sighed. "And I am not handling it very well."

"Why has the Captain benched you. Did he say for how long?"

"He said for the afternoon. But it may be longer now. I wasn't very nice to him."

Smiling. "What would you do if it was his brother... would you want him to go in emotional, or clear headed."

"Clear headed. But this did not help. I can't rest this way. I think it keyed me up even more."

Thinking, "Does helping mean you have to be with the Captain? Or are there aspects you can do alone?"

She paused for a while. "You know I have been so angry that I did not really think about that."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I am going to try and calm down first and maybe then I will do my own research if no-one else will have me."

"Though that is the right direction, the mindset can be twirked a little bit, and I am not talking about the ancient booty dance."

She had to laugh. "Damn you are good! You should come work in the counselling department."

"I like the gossip in bartending. But thanks for the offer."

She smiled again. "You can probably do as much good as the counselling department. Some people do not like to unwind to a therapist."

"Alcohol does wonders Commander. Have some handy and they will tell you everything."

"LOL. I don't have that many patients anymore. But I think I would lose my license if I did that." She laughed.

"Then make it unofficial and off duty."

"I will think about it. Or I will refer them to you." She smiled again. This was helping her relax.

"So what's your plan."

"My plan was to stay angry for hours and to stew in my quarters. But now I think I might actually do some work. Thank you for that."

"Then why are you still here."

She grinned again. "See you later."