Miranda And The Marines "
By: Peter Singer , Marine , [NPC]
Miranda, Lounge Manager, [RNPC]
Al Beckett , Marine , [NPC]
Scott Taylor , Marine TO , [NPC]

Stardate: 58208.07 2000

The Marines descended on Miranda's in waves. Technically, it wasn't an assault, but it had all the formations and earmarks of one. Until they stepped inside that is, and then a different story emerged as the group of hardened men shifted their focus to relaxing and having a good time.

Taylor, Chords, and Beck settled in seats at the bar and all three scanned the room and its occupants, each in their own way. Beck was rather obvious and grinning at half a dozen ladies as he'd spot likely candidates. Chords was a little more circumspect and his gaze quickly settled on the barmaid.

"Shut your mouth Marine," said Taylor as he watched Beck eye the ladies. "You are going to get drool all over the bar." Taylor gave Beck a hard time about it but in truth, he was enjoying the scenery as well. Wearing dark sunglasses all the time had certain advantages.

"Who cares?" said Beck who was now watching the bartender as she mixed up a rather exotic drink for another customer.

"You will care when she has to come down here and wipe up the bar after you drool on it," said Taylor trying to suppress a grin.

"He's right, Beck. You don't want to make a bad impression on the ladies. And man, drooling all over the bar will turn even the ugly ones off. Not that there's any ugly ones around here..." Chords grinned as he eyed the female patronage of the lounge, his gaze eventually settling on the bartender that Beck was drooling over.

"Fifty credits..." Chords offered as he continued to watch the barmaid. It never failed, anytime Chords and Beck got within a hundred yards of a pretty girl, there was a wager as to who could get a date first. "But it has to be a =real= date. Not that pitiful thing you tried to pass off as one last time," he added.

"Only fifty? How about an even hundred," replied Beck.

"A hundred, hmm?" Chords glanced from Beck back to the barmaid and smiled. She was easily worth it. "Sounds good."

Taylor took a good look at Miranda and then back to his men, "You boys are way out of your league with this one." He put extra emphasis on the word "boys" as he spoke. He chuckled as the barmaid spotted them and moved in their direction.

"Do we have a bet, Beck?" asked Chords.

Beck nodded and the two of them slammed their closed fists together to seal their wager.

Miranda smiled warmly at them as she approached, "Welcome to the Zion boys, I'm Miranda."

"Hello Miranda," said Beck. "Has anyone ever told you that you have beautiful eyes?"

Miranda almost rolled her eyes, but managed to resist the urge. "At least five times a day; ten when new Marines join the ship," she replied wiping the top of the bar in front of him with a rag. "Besides, your eyes have to move in a more northerly direction to actually see my eyes. You probably do not even know what color they are."

Taylor let out a quiet chuckle but did not say anything.

She looked at Beck for a moment, "Just a sec." She went to the shelf behind the bar and pulled down a couple bottles. When she returned, she placed a faintly red colored drink in front of him. It had a red cherry floating in it. "There you go. Enjoy!"

Chords shook his head and laughed as he watched her set the cherry drink down in front of Beck.

"Oh man... That's harsh.." Beck looked from the drink to Miranda and smiled good-naturedly. It wasn't the first time he'd been shot down and probably wouldn't be the last. It wasn't like it was going to stop him from using a different approach. The game was just getting started.

Turning to face Chords she stared at him and waited for his best shot.

Chords gave her a winning smile. "That was priceless. It's a pleasure to meet a woman of quality, Miranda," he told her. "The name's Peter, by the way. Peter Singer. But everyone just calls me Chords. The guy crashing and burning over there is Al Beckett, or Beck," he motioned to Beck, who raised the glass she'd given him in a partial salute. "And this is our TO, Lieutenant Taylor, or Visor," he motioned to Taylor. He was trying to win her over without blatantly coming onto her. "It'd be my pleasure to buy you a drink if you'll let me. When do you get off work?"

Miranda giggled, turned and went to work behind the bar. When she returned, she placed a mug of steaming hot chocolate, topped generously with whipped cream. "I am afraid it will be well past your bed time before I get done with work tonight."

"We'll probably just bet getting up when you go to bed then," Chords grinned back and scooped up a finger full of the whipped cream to plop in his mouth. "As sweet as you are, Miranda."

"Oh man... that one's older than dirt. And soooo lame," Beck chuckled and shook his head at Chords.

She looked at Taylor, who had not said much. "How about you?"

"Brown ," he said.

"Brown?"

"Your eyes," he said, "they are brown."

She smiled at him and once again went to work behind the bar. She grabbed a single bottle and a large shot glass. Placing the glass in front of Taylor, she uncorked the bottle and poured the glass full of the amber liquid. "Scotch, Neat," she said. Miranda produced two more shot glasses and left them on the bar with the scotch bottle. "I'll leave you kids," she said glancing at Beck, "alone to enjoy your drinks."

Beck winked at her and saluted her with his drink again. "I love cherries. You know they're the color of your lips." He was teasing and serious at the same time.

"Talk about old..." Chords laughed. "And lame..."

"I'm saving the good stuff," Beck grinned back.

"Man you better dig deep and get it out quick cause you're goin' down fast," Chords teased.

Taylor grabbed the scotch bottle and poured Beck and Chords a drink. "You guys are in for a long night," he said sliding their drinks over to them. "You might as well start getting drunk right now."

"I have reserves you boys haven't even seen yet," Beck insisted as he took the offered drink and tossed it down with a "Hooha!" and thumped the empty shot glass onto the bar.

"You better have another, boy because my odds are going up by the minute," Chords grinned at Beck and tossed back his own drink, adding a "Hooha!" when he finished and thumped his glass on the bar.

"The night is SOOOO young," Beck laughed as he rubbed his hands together and pulled up his sleeves. He looked down the bar at Miranda. "Hit me again, Visor," he pushed his glass towards the TO, never taking his eyes off the barmaid. "Then I'm going to mosey on down to that end of the bar. I think she's softening..."

Taylor poured him another drink, shaking his head he said, "She is out of your league boys...out of your league."