Blind Date #1

Posted on Thu Nov 21st, 2019 @ 12:37am by Lieutenant Aemilia "Millie" Stepanova

Mission: Side Stories
Location: 5 & Dime Lounge

Millie sat at the bar in Five & Dime, beverage in hand. She looked up at the chronometer, knowing she was still a little early. This was the first of the dates Patricia had set up for her, this one with Lt. Robert Lerner. She waved off the bartender's offer to refill her drink.

Said Lieutenant Lerner swaggered in through the doors of the lounge. He searched the muted surroundings, noting the possibilities. But he was here for one person tonight. Unless things went south, then he'd just switch targets and try again. No way he could lose twice in a row. Just where she was supposed to be, he spotted his quarry at the bar. As he took a seat, he placed his hand softly on her lower back. "Aemilia, I presume?"

“Yes, but you can just call me Millie.” The counselor gave a smile. “Robert, right?”

"Quite right," he said holding his hand out. When she put hers in his, he brought it up to his lips. "It is a pleasure to meet someone as beautiful as you!"

Millie was slightly caught off-guard by the gesture, but she smiled. “Please,” she said, gesturing to the vacant seat next to her, “have a seat.”

He nodded, sitting, but still facing her. "What are you drinking tonight?"

She smiled. “Just a club soda and lime.”

"Oh, well we have to fix that." He waved the bartender over. "Two shots of vodka, please. Best you have." He turned back to her. "So, you are in the Medical department?"

Out of the corner of her eye, Millie caught the eyebrow-raise of the bartender. She knew that expression, and she wasn’t quite up for breaking open her private bottle that was kept on ice for her. A miniscule shake of her head in the bartender’s direction, and her attention was back on her date. “Counseling, actually, but yes.” She paused. “And you’re at helm, correct? I was thinking I remembered seeing you on the bridge.”

"I am," he replied, taking the shot placed in front of him. "Best spot on the ship! Always first to see the action." He lifted his shot to her, waiting for her to do the same. "To a stunning Counselor, and hopefully, a stunning evening." He winked at her before throwing back the shot.

Millie likewise raised her glass. She kept the smile plastered on her face, but in the back of her mind, she wondered if his bravado was just a show, or his normal personality.

Robert moved closer to the brunette so that he was less than an inch from her, and whispered in her ear, "You wanna get out of here? Somewhere more...private?" As he spoke he drew a finger slowly down the back of her arm to her elbow.

Millie set the glass on the bar, having not taken a sip, and pulled away slightly so she could see his face. “But...you just got here.”

His lips widened into a charming smile. "It feels dead here, unless you want to get a bite to eat or something."

The counselor glanced to the crowd milling around the Five & Dime. It didn’t exactly seem ‘dead’ as the Lieutenant described it. There was a great deal of conversation, laughter, and an otherwise positive atmosphere. A look of confusion wrinkling her brow, she turned back to the Lieutenant. “Did you have something particular in mind?”

Robert shook his head, seeing the confusion on her face. "I know there's stuff going on, I just mean it's rather boring." He knew exactly what he wanted to do. "Didn't have anything particular in mind, just finding something more exciting."

In the back of her mind, she could hear the voice of Banks from over a year ago warning her never to go anywhere with men she doesn’t know. But, it was also Banks who was encouraging her to get out and meet people, and she had arranged the meet-up to begin with. “Sure,” she said, attempting to hide the hesitation in her voice.

Robert grinned and took her hand, moving off the stool in one motion. "Good, let's go!" He pulled her along, out the doors and to the nearest lift. When those doors closed around them, he turned to her. "You wanna go for a ride?"

Millie gave a nervous chuckle. “It’s...a turbolift. It’s a ride somewhere already.”

He laughed. "No, sweetie. I mean in one of the shuttles. I need to get flying hours in anyways." He leaned in closer, almost looming over her. "I can show you a good time out there."

Millie took a step back, almost up against the wall of the turbolift. “I--I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to go on a shuttle with you.”

He shook his head, taking a step toward her. "They don't mind. You'll just be in the navigation seat, and you don't even need to do that. I've got a track already submitted with ShutCon, so she's already to go." He put an arm around her and leaned in close. "I can show you things you've never seen before."

Millie pulled back again, now with her back against the side of the turbolift. “I—”

With nowhere else to go, he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers, seeking entry.

Millie’s body tensed. As if on instinct, she braced her back against the wall of the turbolift, shoving Lieutenant Lerner away with her left hand, and taking a hard swing with her right. Her fist connected with his cheekbone and nose with a hefty crack.

Robert doubled over with a deep groan, his hands covering his nose. "Whad wa dad fo?" He asked, glaring at her. His words came out stunted from a nose quickly filling with blood. He backed to the other side of the lift, keeping away from her.

In those first few seconds, Millie seemed almost as shocked as he was. She pulled her hand up against her chest and winced at the pain in her knuckles. Her brain then seemed to regain its composure. “Stop turbolift.” She paused as the lift came to a stop. “Deck 4.” She took a deep breath, the words of both Banks and Edruj in the back of her mind as she leveled her gaze at him. “If I ever hear that you’re using shuttles for personal rendezvous again, I’ll take that information straight to the Captain.”

The turbolift came to a stop, and the doors slid open. "Go."

The glare he shot at her flared up, but even if he'd had a retort, his likely broken nose made it hard to take any words coming out of his mouth seriously. So the glare would have to do. He backed out of the lift and made the short walk to Sickbay. This had definitely not turned out how he'd hoped.