<USS Avalon> Downtime

Downtime


by Mary O'Donnell and Amelia Renaldi

Note: Follows directly after Bedside Manners

Having returned to her quarters, Mary languished in the sonic shower for nearly 
twenty minutes. She was glad to get out of her uniform which had absolutely 
reeked. Changing into a T-shirt, low-slung jeans and her favorite baggy jumper 
she hit her comm badge. "O'Donnell to Renaldi. Are you off the clock? If so I 
recall somebody saying they could show me how to live it up a bit on this ship."

Looking up from the letter she was writing to her parents, Mia smiled. Skyler 
had to work the late shift so seeing her would be out of the question, and with 
everything that had happened, living it up sounded damn good. Smacking her 
comm. badge she replied, "Give me ten and meet me near turbolift fifteen."

It took five minutes for her to find the rendezvous on a deck plan and then the 
rest to actually get there. Mary arrived to find Amelia already waiting. "Sorry 
still getting used to the layout of this tub. So what we gonna do?" 

"Do you gamble?" Mia asked with a gleam in her eyes. Reaching out she pressed 
the call button for the turbo lift. 

"Gamble? I've played a little poker at the Academy. It became all the rage when 
it got out that was how the flagship senior staff unwound. Never much good 
though." She smiled. "Is that what you had in mind?"

Mia smiled as she stepped onto the turbo lift. "We'll have to see what Max is 
running tonight." 

Mary looked at her companion sideways, "Max? Who's he when he's up and dressed?"

"Maxwell St. James' petty officer down in support services." Mia answered 
before calling out their deck. The ride was short and the two women soon found 
themselves on the enlisted deck. They walked all the way to the end of the hall 
and went left before finally coming to the right cabin. Mia knocked rather then 
ringing the chime. 

"Yes?" Came a male voice.

"It's Mia." Mia replied. The door slid open and smiled at the small group of 
people inside. "Let's get to it boys."

On one side of the room was a table where a couple of people were playing black 
jack. In the middle of the room was a poker table, and near the windows what 
looked to be a mini bar. 

"What no craps?" Mia asked before calling over to the red head by the bar. "Two 
vodka and raspberries for me and my friend Mary here, Princess."

A tall dark haired man smiled as he come up and hug Mia. "No one dares to throw 
the dice without you, Mia." Max looked at the woman Mia had brought with her 
and smiled. "And you must be Mary."

The redhead looked around, then looked at him and laughed, "Unless someone else 
came in with us that's pretty shrewd detective work Max. So this is where the 
action is?"

"You name it Red and it'll be here." Max replied with a wolfish smirk.

Mia smacked his arm. "Be good Max." 

"I'm always good, Mia, just ask KellyAnn." Max beamed. 

"Don't listen to him, he's rubbish." Called the redhead from near the bar. 

Mary raised an eyebrow and cocked her head at Amelia, "So you going to show me 
you prowess with the 'cubes of fate'?" She then winked at their host. "And 
sorry Max, you're just not quite my type."

Mia nodded her head over towards an corner of the room where a few other were 
waiting. "Don't worry he's no-one's type." As she approached a Vulcan reached 
out his hand and held out a set of dice. "Who's buying my next pretty party 
dress, boys and girls." 

Taking a long pull of her drink, Mary watched the game commence. "Didn't think 
craps was the Aristocratic scene. From you'd said before I had you down as what 
the English call 'The Hunting, Shooting, and Fishing Set'." 

"That would be my father, mother, and brothers." Mia replied as she took the 
dice once again and threw them against the wall. 

"Seven." 

Mia smiled. "They're the sliver spoon up the ass type."

Mary grinned back, "Oh I didn't mean it quite like that. I meant you'd be a 
participant in the outdoors side of things, but not all the pomp and bollocks 
that goes with it." 

"There's nothing better then walking the streets of Berlin on a spring day, or 
going for a ride in the country." Mia admitted as she tossed down her slips and 
tossed the dice. "What about you? Outdoor type?"

"Being from Ireland, of course. I just wondered because Moira, my sister sent 
me a holo-program. She and her pilot Pim use it at the Academy to blow off 
steam and improve their marksmanship. She said it might help me with mine." She 
took another sip of her drink. "I've not used it yet and thought it might be 
more interesting if I had someone with me?"

Mia smiled as she collected her winnings and then turned to face Mary. "Sure 
I'll check it out with you."

"Good, now changing the subject completely, what do you know about a male 
yeoman with the cutest arse in the known universe?"

About a dozen asses and their respective faces flashes through Mia's mind. "You 
wanna give me a little more detail?"

"Tall, blonde, lanky, young, blue eyes, cute arse. It's all I've got to go on. 
Oh, injured recently, I saw him in Sickbay."

"Stryker." Mia said once the face became clear. "Thinks he's a ladies man but 
he's really just a boy. Though in the right hands he has the potential to be a 
really good man."

Her jade eyes twinkled as she drained her glass, "Stryker, hmmm. Think my hands 
could be the right ones Amelia?"

Mia smirked as she moved across the cabin to black jack set up. "Don't know 
Mary, I've never seen those hands at work."

She glanced across at the blonde, "You flirting with me Amelia Renaldi, 'cause 
that was the most forward come on I've heard in a while."

"Then you've been hanging out with the wrong crowd." Mia's smirk turned into a 
bright grin as she winked at Mary before placing her bet.

Placing her fingers between her lips, she let out a piercing whistle which got 
everyones attention. "Max! Two more drinks over here my good man." Turning to 
her companion, "So am I with the right crowd now then?" 

Mia looked around at the small gathering of people and laughed. "It's a start."

Mary raised an eyebrow as the drinks appeared,"Why? Who else did you have in 
mind?"

"No one really." Mia laughed. "I haven't taken the time to make many friends."

Mary placed an arm round the womans shoulders. "Well I know of at least one 
you've made. Now are you going to help me meet the gorgeous Yeoman Striker?"

Mia smiled brightly. "Absolutely."

"And may I ask why you are being a woman of few words tonight?"

Sighing Mia thought about it and then nodded. "Grab the drinks and come with 
me."

"Okay." Mary picked up their glasses and followed her friend
. 
Mia lead the way into Max's bedroom which was decked out with tons of pillows 
and soft places to sit other then on the bed. Lowing herself onto a satin 
pillow she took her drink from Mary. "Have you never been attracted to someone 
who pushes to move things faster then you want, though they don't know they're 
pushing?"

Mary shook her head. "That what you're dealing with ?"

"I've never dated someone longer then a weekend before and now I'm being 
offered a relationship and it scares the hell out of me." Mia confessed as she 
sipped her drink.

Mary smiled "Just see where it takes you Amelia. Enjoy the ride."

Mia sighed. "I'm trying to, Mary, but if she had it her way we'd be standing in 
front of a priest or something."

"Whoa! that is moving fast! may I ask who this is?"

She hesitated. If this got around things could get ugly, but she needed to talk 
about it. Sighing she answered, "Skyler."

Mary's eyes went wide, her mouth gaping in astonishment. "The Commander? I'd 
have never have guessed!"

"She's extremely private." Mia replied as she swirled her drink around. "And I 
enjoy spending time with her, I even like how she makes me feel, but she wants 
it all and she wants it all now."

"Have you explained how you feel?"

Mia nodded. "I've tried. Either I'm not saying it right or she's just not 
hearing me."

Mary drained her drink. "That's a tough call."

Mia nodded and then sighed before smiling. "I'll deal with all that later. Lets 
go have some fun."

"More booze first I think!" Mary flashed her a full-beam smile.

"We'll drink all of Max's best and walk out of here with all his money as 
well." Mia laughed as she got to her feet and headed for the door. "Thanks for 
listening, Mary."

"It's what friends do for each other." She said as she followed the blonde out.

"Alright boys and girls." Mia called out as they entered the main room. 
"Perpare to leave here broke."

"You don't stand a chance people." Mary giggled.



"If there's nothing wrong with me... maybe there's something wrong with the 
universe!" 
~ Dr Beverly Crusher (ST:TNG, Remember Me)



                
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