Acknowledgements
Special thanks to my fellow FFN writers Kehlan, for supporting Episodes 1 and 2, and AmandaG96, for her advice regarding certain portions of this episode. I highly recommend their stories as well.
STARBASE ONE
"Orion's Bow"
Prologue
Thorpe ran a hand over his thick blond hair, smoothed down his uniform, put on his most charming smile, and marched into his arena.
While he had never been one to see women as conquests, he did enjoy the sport of flirtation, especially against a worthy adversary.
Lately, Sal had been his sparring partner in this regard. The Draylaxian diner owner had provided plenty of back-and-forth without escalating further or losing his interest. He had rarely so enjoyed the game, even secretly wishing it would go on a bit longer before leading to more.
Ever-ready, Sal greeted him with a smile when he entered the diner. "Afternoon, Cap'n," said the golden-tinted woman, clad in her usual 1950s American waitress outfit. "Here for a spot of lunch? I can whip you up a nice Denobulan omelette? I'll warn ya though; they use reptile eggs in it."
Thorpe chuckled and made his way over to lean on the counter in front of her. "How about I make you something for a change? You, me, dinner, my quarters?"
Sal put a hand over her chest, exaggerating a flattered reaction, complimented by a gasp. "Why, you'd do that for little old me? You honour me, Captain…"
"Eric, please," he said with a grin, recognising that she was toying with him.
"Eric… But, alas, I am kept much too busy here. Especially during dinner." She shrugged.
"I could cover for you, Sal," said another voice. Both of them turned to see Azhri, the feminine Andorian who worked in the kitchen. She leaned out of the back doorway, wiping her hands on her chef's whites, with a helpful smile on her face.
Thorpe gestured to Azhri. "There you go! Such nice employees."
Sal smiled at Azhri. "You're too kind, my dear. As I'm sure the good captain will agree, however, he's just not important enough for me to tear myself away from my beloved establishment." She looked back at Thorpe with a smirk.
"I dunno, I'm pretty important," he said.
"And you do work awfully hard all day," said Azhri, playfully joining in the game. "You could use a break."
"I'll give you a permanent break if you're not careful," Sal said to her with a smile that conveyed that there was no serious threat.
Azhri, laughing, took the hint and returned to the kitchen.
When Sal turned back to Thorpe, he had his hands spread apart. "It would be the best way to stop me pestering you, at the very least."
"You think this is pestering?" said Sal. "This is just mild annoyance. I've had much worse." Her smile wavered ever so slightly.
"Excellent," said Thorpe. "So, what time should I expect you?"
Sal shook her head, chuckling. "Sorry, Mr. First Officer. Methinks you're only interested in one… aspect of me anyway." To accentuate her point, she leaned forward on the counter, displaying her triple-breasted cleavage.
With difficulty, Thorpe kept eye contact with her. Now he put his hand to his own chest, but with a look of mock offense. "I am shocked and appalled by the accusation, and I also have no idea what you mean."
"Uh-huh."
"Even if such slander were true, wouldn't a date be the perfect opportunity to get to know you better? Then you'd see if my interests are truly as… low as you think."
Sal stood upright again. "No," she said plainly, turning away from him to consult the countertop monitor. "Trust me, I'm doing you a favour. You have no idea what you'd be getting into."
Thorpe grinned smugly. "I like a challenge."
A base-wide announcement came over the comm. "Captain Thorpe to Ops, please. Captain Thorpe to Ops."
"Saved by the bell," he said to her. "Another time then."
"Only thing you're getting out of me is good food and terrible service, Cap'n," Sal said to him as he left.
Just before he went out the door, Thorpe looked back at her over his shoulder. He saw her smiling after him, only to look away quickly.
I'm getting there, he thought confidently.
When Thorpe arrived in Ops, he found Commodore North leaning over Commander McQueen at the science station. Heading towards them, he glanced up at the large viewscreen to see a perimeter alert had been activated.
Starfleet had placed several satellites around the outer edges of the Berengaria system, to notify them when any vessels warped in. It was a Vulcan innovation developed during the war as an early warning measure, and deployed in several Coalition star systems. Of course, the Romulans had resorted to using sublight ships in order to bypass this security measure, but the satellites still served a useful purpose, such as now.
"What's up?" he said as he approached North.
North stood to his full height and looked at Thorpe with concern. "An Orion ship has entered the system and is heading straight for us."