Two Who Walk Into A Bar... (Gideon and Serena)

[Gideon Drake]

[Ensign Gideon Drake | Promenade | Deck 14 | Katra Station]

Gideon waited at the Promenade for Serena to arrive, standing out prominently, no pun intended. Of course he would, how many ginger men were there on the station? And particularly, he was the only ginger somebody without spots; he had seen Lieutenant Falleg and her bairns once or twice in passing, and they weren't particularly hard to miss, even without the noise the bairns often make.

He managed to call Serena when she got off duty, while he also got off duty, and arranged a meeting at the Promenade. He had to admit, he liked her even more when he found out her first name. It was as beautiful as her looks.

So now he waited for her at one of the main places at the Promenade, where he can easily be seen. He often posed in a swagger but his expression was that of a crooked yet polite smile. The flyboy persona, as it were. It often got plenty of attention, especially since he was one of few people who were naturally ginger.

[Serena King]

OOC: Please note although this is Holodeck, by agreement, these posts are to be considered canon and part of the official backstory.

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[Katra Station | Promenade]

Serena stepped out of the turbolift, dodging past various inhabitants of the station going about their business. Oddly, she felt out of place. Always practical and pragmatic, she preferred to wear utility uniforms or workwear. But, today being a special occasion, the choice of outfit was... Something she didn't wear at all: simple white shirt, light cream coloured pants, plus a blue jacket (although she wore her normal Starfleet boots, those being comfortable, as well as quite form fitting).

Although she had agreed to meet Gideon, both had been a little oddly... Non specific, only to meet on the Promenade. Shrugging, she picked a direction, moving, not exactly stealthily, but she had mastered the art of rapid, but mostly silent walking years ago. Spotting him, she managed to sneak up behind up. "Why, Ensign Drake, you have the advantage of me since I don't know your first name."

[Gideon Drake]

OOC: Please note although this is Holodeck, by agreement, these posts are to be considered canon and part of the official backstory.

======

[Katra Station | Promenade]

Serena stepped out of the turbolift, dodging past various inhabitants of the station going about their business. Oddly, she felt out of place. Always practical and pragmatic, she preferred to wear utility uniforms or workwear. But, today being a special occasion, the choice of outfit was... Something she didn't wear at all: simple white shirt, light cream coloured pants, plus a blue jacket (although she wore her normal Starfleet boots, those being comfortable, as well as quite form fitting).

Although she had agreed to meet Gideon, both had been a little oddly... Non specific, only to meet on the Promenade. Shrugging, she picked a direction, moving, not exactly stealthily, but she had mastered the art of rapid, but mostly silent walking years ago. Spotting him, she managed to sneak up behind up. "Why, Ensign Drake, you have the advantage of me since I don't know your first name."

[Ensign Gideon Drake | Promenade | Deck 14 | Katra Station]

Gideon jumped when Serena caught him by surprise. He looked at her, the whole of her, and was delighted at what she wore. She, too, also wore a dress uniform.

Being from a noble family and almost a millennium's worth of generations of naval officers and air force pilots, every formal occasion and every night out meant they had to look their best, and their best attire meant dress uniforms. Even dates required dress uniforms.

"True, I didn't provide my first name," he said. "I'm Gideon. Though at the Academy, they used to call me 'The Gryphon.' Or Griff, for short. Generally since my flying skills are almost at mythological proportions, like the gryphon. If you don't know what a Gryphon is, it's basically a creature with the wings, talons head of an eagle but the body of a lion. A noble creature of flight. Somewhat like me. So I don't mind if you call me 'Griff.'"

He looked around at the various places to go and said, "So, fancy one of the places here on the Promenade? There's the Brauhaus Gamma, it has an excellent view. Or the Blue Belles, the whole place looks like it's made of ice."

[Serena King]

[Katra Station | Promenade (on way to Blue Belles)]

Serena arched her eyebrow. "I'm from a culture that does places high importance of knowing one's place in life. It's going to take me some time to adjust... Gideon." Clearing her throat, she more or less started off in the same direction, deciding to let her feet take them somewhere. "If you must know, when I started flying in a simulator at the Academy, apart from me getting sick, which you know about, I was named Goose. No dignity, little grace and exceptionally loud."

Eventually, (by fate?) they stopped at the Blue Belles. As one of the hostesses waved them in, Serena leaned in close to talk to Gideon, sotto voce: "I can't tell if blue is either her being too cold, or if that's her natural skin colour." She winked as she entered after the hostess.

[Gideon Drake]

[Katra Station | Promenade (on way to Blue Belles)]

Serena arched her eyebrow. "I'm from a culture that does places high importance of knowing one's place in life. It's going to take me some time to adjust... Gideon." Clearing her throat, she more or less started off in the same direction, deciding to let her feet take them somewhere. "If you must know, when I started flying in a simulator at the Academy, apart from me getting sick, which you know about, I was named Goose. No dignity, little grace and exceptionally loud."

Eventually, (by fate?) they stopped at the Blue Belles. As one of the hostesses waved them in, Serena leaned in close to talk to Gideon, sotto voce: "I can't tell if blue is either her being too cold, or if that's her natural skin colour." She winked as she entered after the hostess.

[Ensign Gideon "Griff/Gryphon" Drake | Blue Belles | Promenade | Deck Fourteen | Katra Station]

Gideon...or "Griff" as he used to be called at the Academy, noticed the gesture to come into the Blue Belles. Griff broke out a delighted smile. He liked the Blue Belles. For one thing, the whole establishment looked like it was made of ice. For another, it had plenty of dancing girls, what with Griff being a ladies' man.

However, Griff was accompanied by a lady that's completely different. Besides, as curved as the birds were, they were completely catlike. Griff was never comfortable around Caitians and other feline lifeforms, bipedal or quadrupedal. He decided today, with the most beautiful woman in the galaxy, in his opinion (apart from the Academy-talked-about Nira Said), on his side today, even more beautiful than the dancing birds, he was coming in because of the decor.

Griff looked at the hostess leading them in, the one Serena was mentioning. Responding in a similar tone of voice, he said, "With the antennae, probably both. You know Andorians."

Led to a table and couch, Griff gestured Serena for her to sit first, like the gentleman he is, and took a seat once she's in. Their hostess was soon back with two menus. She stood above them as she handed them over and said, "Somebody's out in uniform today. What can I get you today?"

"May I ask what the special is today?" asked Griff.

"We have the Andorian redbat," she said. "It's especially popular today."

"I'd like to give that a try," he said.

"Great. How do you like your bat?"

"Medium-rare," said Griff. He had Andorian redbat before, he knew it was popular enough that it's impossible to have just on helping.

"And for the lovely lady?" asked the hostess in a complimentary fashion. Like Griff, she could see Serena was beautiful. No doubt she could give even the dancing girls of the Blue Belles a run for their money.

[Serena King]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena tried to feign, what would be the best way to describe it? Aloofness? Playing it cool (excusing the joke)? Trying not to stare too obviously? Well, after all, the hostesses' outfit was both practical, but also, how to say, keeping her modesty intact... Though where did it attach and how does it defy gravity? She was also mindful of Gideon and the hostess... Shaking her head, she focused on the menu.

"Uh... Medium, please." She canted her head in Gideon's direction, though her eyes were scanning the room. For some people, it was the equivalent of a lion surveying the land. For her, it was taking in new input, new data. "So tell me... If your nickname is Gryphon, would that make the entrance to your quarters Gryphon-door?"

[Gideon Drake]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena tried to feign, what would be the best way to describe it? Aloofness? Playing it cool (excusing the joke)? Trying not to stare too obviously? Well, after all, the hostesses' outfit was both practical, but also, how to say, keeping her modesty intact... Though where did it attach and how does it defy gravity? She was also mindful of Gideon and the hostess... Shaking her head, she focused on the menu.

"Uh... Medium, please." She canted her head in Gideon's direction, though her eyes were scanning the room. For some people, it was the equivalent of a lion surveying the land. For her, it was taking in new input, new data. "So tell me... If your nickname is Gryphon, would that make the entrance to your quarters Gryphon-door?"

[Ensign Gideon "Griff/Gryphon" Drake | Blue Belles | Promenade | Deck Fourteen | Katra Station]

Griff smiled at that. Serena certainly loved making the occasional joke. "I've heard that before," he said with affection. "In fact...blimey, I haven't heard that joke since the Academy. Even my own family often made that joke when they first heard of my nickname. Of course, I suppose that was where the shortened version 'Griff' came in."

He looked around at the Blue Belles and noticed something he never saw before. It was a piano. He was certainly surprised by the sight. The last time he saw a piano was in the family estate, Drake Hall. Uncle Boothby was fond of it. Griff remembered sitting at his side as his uncle played, sometimes breaking out into song...

"Blimey, that's something you don't see every day," he said, gesturing at the piano.

[Serena King]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena flinched slightly. "A piano...?" All the poring over sheet music, all the embarrassment, all the tears. Yes, music inspired creativity, but for someone who wanted to be low key, it had the opposite effect. Then again, the love of classical music started there...

With a shrug, she went over. Although she hadn't played for a full decade, the keys beckoned to her. Straightening her back, windmilling her arms to get some circulation and flexing her fingers, she sat down and decided to start off with something easy to get warmed up, Brahms Hungarian Dance Number 5.

[Gideon Drake]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena flinched slightly. "A piano...?" All the poring over sheet music, all the embarrassment, all the tears. Yes, music inspired creativity, but for someone who wanted to be low key, it had the opposite effect. Then again, the love of classical music started there...

With a shrug, she went over. Although she hadn't played for a full decade, the keys beckoned to her. Straightening her back, windmilling her arms to get some circulation and flexing her fingers, she sat down and decided to start off with something easy to get warmed up, Brahms Hungarian Dance Number 5.

[Ensign Gideon "Griff/Gryphon" Drake | Blue Belles | Promenade | Deck Fourteen | Katra Station]

Griff looked up in interest when he saw Serena heading for the piano. He followed her over, and he could tell she had played before. When she began playing, he could definitely see she played the piano before.

What especially got his attention was the song she picked. It was fast-paced, attention-grabbing, and upbeat. It sounded like something Uncle Boothby would play. He always commented that pianos and other such classical instruments bored him, bored almost everybody. Which was why he always picked songs that demanded attention.

Uncle Boothby would like Serena, Griff thought to himself.

By the time she was finished, he was applauding, and he wasn't the only one. Plenty of patrons in the Blue Belles were joining along.

"Serena, that was brilliant!" he said.

[Serena King]

[Katra | Blue Belles]

Serena nodded politely and waited for the applause to taper off. "Thank you." She flexed her shoulders and canted her neck a bit to work out some knots. Wiping her sweaty hands on her pants, she poised her hands once more. Thinking for a few moments, she tried to think what else she could play and settled for Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, Third Movement

[Gideon Drake]

[Katra | Blue Belles]

Serena nodded politely and waited for the applause to taper off. "Thank you." She flexed her shoulders and canted her neck a bit to work out some knots. Wiping her sweaty hands on her pants, she poised her hands once more. Thinking for a few moments, she tried to think what else she could play and settled for Beethoven Moonlight Sonata, Third Movement

[Ensign Gideon "Griff/Gryphon" Drake | Blue Belles | Promenade | Deck Fourteen | Katra Station]

Griff sat at her side, taking in the gentle music. He was loving this woman even more. So talented! And so did the rest of the Blue Belles. It felt natural, since what happened to the station, and with the new blood, the patrons were, figuratively, blue. But the music brought in was livening them up.

[Serena King]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena sensed Gideon's presence, but didn't overly acknowledge him. She was in her groove. "One more, but that's it!" Putting her hands back on the piano, she decided to play Hoagy Carmichael's classic

[Gideon Drake]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena sensed Gideon's presence, but didn't overly acknowledge him. She was in her groove. "One more, but that's it!" Putting her hands back on the piano, she decided to play Hoagy Carmichael's classic

[Ensign Gideon "Griff/Gryphon" Drake | Blue Belles | Promenade | Deck Fourteen | Katra Station]

Griff nodded in understanding. Naturally, only doing a handful of songs would leave people wanting more. That's what Uncle Boothby told him.

So the gentle little melody Serena finished with was so fitting. And the way she played it out, it sounded so simple, yet exotic. Caribbean exotic, specifically.

By the time she was done, his clapping was the loudest of all in the bar.

[Serena King]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena stood up, aware that she was the centre of attention. Bowing, she waved for quiet, but the crowd wouldn't stop. "Really, please. Thank you." After a few more minutes, the crowd started dispersing and things returned to normal. Tilting her head, she made her way back to the table. "If they had a synthesizer, I could've played even more pieces."

[Gideon Drake]

[Katra Station | Blue Belles]

Serena stood up, aware that she was the centre of attention. Bowing, she waved for quiet, but the crowd wouldn't stop. "Really, please. Thank you." After a few more minutes, the crowd started dispersing and things returned to normal. Tilting her head, she made her way back to the table. "If they had a synthesizer, I could've played even more pieces."

[Ensign Gideon "Griff/Gryphon" Drake | Blue Belles | Promenade | Deck Fourteen | Katra Station]

Griff nodded in understanding and said as they returned to their table, "Hey, you would've worked miracles with that. You're brilliant at it! And so beautiful overall."

As they sat back down, he could see their hostess holding both their Andorian redbats. "About time," she said. "You could've had everybody here dancing down the Promenade," she added with a smile. "Your redbats are here. Enjoy."

And she served them out and left, mostly to rest her sore arms.