Requested Plan of Action: Vodka and Grappa

Posted on Tuesday, 9 March 2021 - 7:20pm by Captain Barret Stillwater & Crewman Leopold Eberhardt & Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt
Edited on on Tuesday, 9 March 2021 - 7:22pm

Mission: Operation: Trail of Tears

Adrianna donned her uniform and had asked the captain for a private word. She was unsure how he was going to react. After all, he'd only just approved the message to begin with and she didn't fancy an 'I told you so'.

She looked to Leopold before they went in to the captain's office, "keep your cool, ok?"

"As a cucumber before being turned into a delicious pickle," he said nodding. "Yah, I got it. I'll let you do the talking. I'll provide what I can when needed, but you have more experience dealing with him than me."

"We'll get this sorted," she replied with a small smile and quickly kissed him, before sounding the chime and being allowed entry, "Captain, good morning."

Captain Stillwater had welcomed his visitors in, meeting them at the threshold of his Ready Room and gesturing them in. He knew Adrianna well, but Leopold was nothing more than a name on the manifest. However, he was aware the two were involved.

"Come on in," he said gesturing to seats. "Help yourself to the replicator if you want anything. What brings the two of you in here... together? Do I hear wedding bells?"

Adrianna chuckled, "Together, yes, wedding bells, yes, but I'm afraid that is not why we are here together." She took a seat, not bothering to get a drink to help calm her nerves. The woman seemed to hide them well. She continued, "though we must discuss wedding plans. You can marry people, of course."

"When they so desire if they want an old Captain like me carrying out old maritime tradition, but some opt for other options." Stillwater fetched himself a hot rooibos tea and took a seat. "You look fine, Petty Officer. You... Crewman look like hell. So what is it?"

Adrianna looked quickly to Leopold, giving her time to find the wording before replying, "the message to Ekos, the one you had to sign off on, it seems to have not been well received. Crewman Eberhardt's parents have been taken into custody, pending trial, for espionage amongst other things. Ekos still enforces public execution of criminals, sir." She braced herself for a response.

Stillwater swallowed a sip of tea and shook his head. "Fucking Ekosians!" he shouted. "No offense, Crewman," added Stillwater. "I have never dealt with them directly, but they are well noted in Academy classes on First Contact chapters."

Adrianna flinched at the raised voice, but quickly recovered. Clearing her throat, she tried a more diplomatic steer, especially in present company, "Sir, I appreciate the issue this has caused, and I am still very new to the full Ekos story, but we cannot sit bye and let this unravel because of an opportunity to resolve some homesickness and actually send good news home about health and nuptials."

"Unfortunately," replied Stillwater lowering his voice a bit. "Ekos is a touchy subject. Any issues with the Ekosians goes above my head. Even with Four rank pips, no Captain is going to touch Ekos without getting approval from above."

"Might I suggest something less dramatic?" she offered, "the crewman and I take leave in an un marked. I have someone who will be near our position shortly, on a run. We leave the federation out of it. We can be there and back in a week, maybe two if we run into problems."

"We are in the middle of this Romulan transmission mess," noted Stillwater. "Soral and Kingsley are away with Dr Rose and Lieutenant Kolani. I can't afford to let anyone go right now, especially you."

Stillwater mulled it over. "If you can keep your asset in the area for a few more days, I'll grant you two leave. You and Crewman Eberhardt, off the books. Wherever you choose to go off duty on leave is at your discretion. It will take some time for me to work on getting assistance from Admiralty."

Adrianna nodded, "with the pause on action then, I'd like permission for us to send another transmission. We can at the least attempt to postpone the trial. We cannot sit around and do nothing in the meantime."

"You have my permission to send as many transmissions to Ekos as you wish. Hell, if you want to find a way to hack into the mass advertising of Free Cloud and have it rerouted to Ekos, be my guest. In the meantime, you may want to catch up on everything Ekosian."

Leopold chimed in. "I will happily assist. These are my parents after all."

Adrianna smiled to Leopold then looked back to the captain, "let's avoid Freecloud. Too many 'friends' there. I'll get some more transmissions sent, sir. Thank you."

"You're welcome," replied Stillwater. "Though after we are done here and the away team has returned...if you go to Ekos, it may be a one way trip for a while at least. I'll have my hands tied. I cannot come in with the Standing Bear and scoop you up. You may be there a while until I can hardball Admiralty into giving a damn."

"I understand, sir," she replied without hesitation. She looked to Leopold, "you got out once, you can do it again."

Leopold nodded "Last time I got out, my parents were safe. If I leave again will they be?"

To that Adrianna didn't have an answer. "I don't know, but we can do everything in our power to make sure they will be." She reached over and put a hand on his, "that's all we can do."

Captain Stillwater gave a reassuring nod. "You worry about the here and now. I will handle the future. The Federation does not take kindly to the false imprisonment of Starfleet families. It does not matter if they aren't Federation citizens, Crewman, you are. I won't let any Admiral forget that."

Adrianna looked to Stillwater. It was clear she was grateful for his support. "Thank you, sir," she stood up, "I'll leave this with you, but I need to contact a Russian about him hanging around. He's going to need a lot more persuading than usual."

Stillwater chuckled. "I may be of some assistance, Petty Officer," he said setting his mug of tea down. "Walk with me," he said to her gesturing to the exit. "I have a bunch of my belonging from Prairie stored away in one of the cargo bays. Several bottles of Romulan ale and a few bottles of top-shelf vodka. Is your Russian a drinking man?"

Adrianna smirked, "I normally bribe him with the family's grappa, so, yes." She stood up, patting Leopold's shoulder on the way out. Ade hoped he wouldn't mind her leaving for this. She was, after all, trying to help.

"I have some Romulan ale that I acquired from the Romulan settlers on Prairie, but what may sweeten the deal a bit more is the Vodka. We had a good bit of Quadrotriticale on Prairie. It was perfect for the environment there and the soil took kindly to it, but I would use it and make Vodka with it. It's damn good."

"You are making me want to exchange a bottle of Baciami grappa for a bottle for myself, sir, " Adrianna grinned, "I even have the diamond stuff."

"We can do business," Stillwater said with a small chuckle. "Some Bacimami grappa for some Stillwater Vodka. I think the Vodka would be a good lure to keep your Russian associate around a bit longer. I have a good collection of alcohol albeit that one bottle of Rosé killed an Admiral and damn near took me with it, but I have nothing in my collection from who I received the Rosé from." Stillwater smiled. "I think the rest of my stash is safe for consumption."

"I'd give him that wine," she grumbled, teasing slightly, "I'll take the vodka for him, but we'll have to see if it takes more than alcohol to keep him around. He's - - well, he's him." She blushed a little and shook her head, "I'm sure it'll be fine." the woman had yet to show fear of any kind up until that point, but now her stomach was knotting and it was a struggle to hide it.

"Let me know if he gives you any trouble, Petty Officer," Stillwater said sternly. "If it comes to down to it, we will make him stick around longer whether he wants to or not. We are a border patrol vessel. If his vessel touches even an inch of Federation space, he's under our authority for a random search and seizure, and I have ways of finding some interesting things that would merit impounding him until he makes amends."

Adrianna snapped out of her train of thought," I'll keep that in mind, sir. He'll be carrying stolen artifacts or opium. Or both. I'm not sure if he's coming or going from a run though. We'll see. We have options and I am a thousand percent sure that the crewman won't like the Russian as and when he meets him. It will be me that will be drinking the vodka."

Captain Barret Stillwater cleared his throat. "Just keep me informed and updated. I'll stand by if you need me, but I'll leave it in your hands to make the call."