Bar Talk
Posted on Sat Feb 18th, 2023 @ 8:06am by Commander Rize Tedeza & Captain Taiga Aisaka & Lieutenant Commander Ryuuji Takasu
1,204 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Sand Sea Fun and Surf
Location: Resort Pool
Timeline: Approximately 1 day after "To Taiga & Ryuuji!"
"Chino-Chan! Watch me do a cannonball!"
"Do I have to?" Chino sighed. "I don't see how this is supposed to be any different from any other canonball..."
"Uwaa~ So mean!" Coco pouted.
"Cut her some slack, Chino," Rize insisted. "We're all here to relax by the pool and enjoy ourselves, we can humor Coco a bit and watch her do a cannonball."
Chino rolled her eyes and set down her PADD. "I'm afraid I don't see the point in this, Captain, but... I suppose I can humor you, if that's what you'd prefer."
Chuckling to herself, Rize turned her attention to Coco and nodded. "Just this once, Coco; Chino's trying to read a holonovel, and she'd like it if you weren't bothering her every two minutes!"
Grinning, Coco took a few steps backward before breaking out into a small sprint and catapulting herself into the pool. Unfortunately, while the resulting splashdown was indeed spectacular, it also had the inadvertent side effect of drenching everyone in the immediate facility- Rize and Chino included.
"Well, that was a mistake, as expected," Chino sighed as she began to wring her hair out.
"Well, I mean at least on the bright side, we're only wearing our swimsuits," Rize pointed out.
It was at that point that Coco surfaced for air, evidently pleased with herself with the (literal) splash she had just made.
"Ehehehe~ so what do you think?" she grinned.
"That was... something," Chino replied, trying not to sound too judgemental.
"It was great, Coco," Rize assured Coco, if largely just to flatter her. "Now, what's say you leave Chino-Chan be for a while?"
Coco pouted in disappointment, but there was little she could do to argue once Rize set her foot down and ordered her not to be a nuissance, so she eventually turned and paddled off to the far side of the pool.
"I think now's your chance, Captain," Chino whispered once she was certain that Coco was out of earshot.
Rize blinked. "My chance for what?"
Chino gesticulated in the direction of the poolside minibar, where a familiar blonde and her male companion were sitting down, likely for a drink.
"I figured you'd want to talk to her without Lieutenant Hoto causing a stir," she explained. "And don't worry if she comes back, I'll find some way to keep her distracted."
"Thanks, Chino; I suppose I owe you for this one," Rize smiled as she got up from her chair.
"No need to owe me," Chino replied.
Taiga and Ryuuji took their seats at the poolside bar. It had been a 'long' night for them as one can imagine, their first night as a married couple. It had taken most of the morning for Ryuuji to drag Taiga out of bed, mainly with the promise of something tasty to eat and drink.
"Captain Aisaka?" came a familiar voice.
Taiga turned around to face the familiar voice. "Oh, its... what was your name again?"
The taller woman frowned. "My apologies, Captain," she expressed, bowing her head out of courtesy. "Commander Rize Tedeza, United Star Ship Europa. I just wanted to apologize again for my Conn Officer's behavior the other day; I feel it wasn't the best first impression I could've made..."
"Ah yes, the Commander of the Idiot Lieutenant..." Taiga replied as she remembered the events of the other day. "Well Commander, you caught me in a good mood which is rare for this time of day."
Ryuuji caught the eyes of Rize for a second. He simply nodded.
"Oh; and this would be...?" Rize replied, gesturing towards Ryuuji.
"Ryuuji Takasu" Ryuuji replied. "Her husband, as of yesterday"
Rize blinked in surprise.
"My sincerest apologies, Mr. Takasu," she stated as she moved over to shake Ryuuji's hand. "I'd sincerely like to congratulate you on your matrimony. Your wife is nothing if not a hero for everything she's managed to accomplish for the Federation these past six years, and we could all stand to learn a thing or two from her."
Ryuuji let out a small chuckle. "Seems like you have a fan Taiga."
Taiga punched him lightly on the arm. "About time someone from Starfleet recognises all I've sacrificed for the uniform." She gloated.
"Well that's certainly news to me," Rize responded. "I've heard nothing but high praise regarding you in the command circles I've been a part of; I've heard some of them even liken you to Mikoto Misaka."
"Captain Misaka of the Ermiana?" Taiga asked. "How am I like her?" she asked curiously. She had heard of the Captian before, but wasn't really aware of what the commander meant.
"You haven't heard some of the recent comparisons?" Rize gawked in surprise. "Quick thinker; highly-efficient tactician; fiercely loyal to her crew; doesn't back down from a fight; I've heard say that you're to this generation what Misaka was to the last generation- and that's some fairly high praise, considering she's a Medal Of Honor Recipient."
"I have only heard of her in passing before. I've not actually met her" Taiga replied. "Sounds like you're a bit of a fan-girl aren't you..." she teased.
"Well... yes?" Rize blushed. "I mean, in my defense, this is perhaps one of the most fascinating times to be a CO in Starfleet since the Dominion War; we've got people like Mikoto Misaka, Kaede Kayano, Akeno Misaki, Kagami Izumi, Ritsu Tainaka, Maho Takahashi and... well, yourself making history on a near-daily basis! The landscape's practically unrecognizable from where it just a decade ago, thanks to the leaps and bounds today's commanding officers have made!"
"Cross the second to last one off the list" Taiga grumbled in response. She turned to face the commander properly. "Commander, one word of advice. Don't try to walk in the shoes of who came before you. Every one of those people you just spoke about, they all got where they are from taking their own paths. They made their own mistakes, myself included. If you want to be a good commanding officer, then learn to do it in your own way and not someone elses."
Rize seemed taken aback for a second, likely not expecting such profound advice from one of her heroes.
"I... understand," she nodded, bowing her head in a gesture of respect. "Thank you, Captain."
Taiga looked smugly at Rize. "Well, we have another engagement to attend to." She told her. "I'll see you out amongst the stars Commander."
"Yes, I..." Rize seemed a little disappointed at having to cut the conversation short, but she nonetheless respected Taiga's time. "I'd best be leaving you to it, then..."
Taiga gave her a friendly nod before turning and leaving with Ryuuji in tow.
Posting by
Lieutenant Coco Hoto
Flight Control Officer
USS Europa (NCC-71852)
Lieutenant Chino Kafu
Chief Operations Officer
USS Europa (NCC-71852)
Commander Rize Tedeza
Commanding Officer
USS Europa (NCC-71852)
Captain Taiga Aisaka
Commanding Officer
USS Tokyo
Lieutenant Commander Ryuuji Takasu
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Tokyo
RSS Feed