Making Good on IOUs [for losthunter]

[boldygoing]

True to his word, about five days after Jim's first venture into the Nexus, he finds the time to send a message to Hunter's PINpoint via his own version of the gizmo, an attachment he's hardwired into his standard-issue communicator.

Hey handsome. Enterprise in port for minor repairs. You free this evening? -Cpt. JTK

He sure hopes so. It's been a long day, and he'd love the chance to relax with a friend. Bones and Spock are both busy with personal business, but that's just fine with him, since he owes the friendly neighborhood artist a night at a bar someplace.


[[OOC: Image link to replace broken one below: Jim's civilian outfit]

Comments

[losthunter]

"Thanks." Hunter will take the compliment to mean both the bar and his clothing choice. A dual compliment.

"I didn't want to make your first drink choice, since there are plenty on the menu. And I didn't want to assume." He sits back down, and pats the seat beside him a little affectionately.

[boldygoing]

"I'm an adventurous guy," Jim says with a grin, and slides into the offered seat, right on the edge of Hunter's personal space. "Don't suppose they've got Romulan ale? It's illegal in the Federation and I've always been kinda curious if it's actually any good."

[losthunter]

"You could ask." It is the Nexus. And the bar caters to many dimensions and many worlds.

Hunter feels very warm and comfortable sitting beside Jim, and doesn't mind that he is on that edge of personal space.

[boldygoing]

Jim's spent a lot more time in real bars than pubs, but the basics are the same, and he's clearly at ease in this kind of environment. And to his satisfaction, the young lady who comes around to take their order confirms that they do indeed stock the galaxy's most notorious alcohol, so Jim asks for a half-pint. Wouldn't do to start drinking hard from the get-go, and he wants to actually get a sense for the flavor of the thing this time instead of getting toasted immediately.

And once that's taken care of, he leans forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So how've you been? Anything exciting happen lately?"

[losthunter]

Hunter on the other hand, orders a pint of Guinness. It is a taste that he enjoys, and also can handle a couple pints in one night.

"In the last five days?" Hunter chuckles lightly. "I'm afraid my life is not one that is on a spaceship, traveling to new places every day."

[boldygoing]

Jim's an experienced drinker, but he's heard stories about the potency of Romulan ale. Maybe exaggerated, maybe not. But the night is young, and there are plenty of other drinks to try.

"Hey, you never know," he says with a shrug, one side of his mouth tugging up in a smile. "Starships aren't the only place you can run into trouble."

[losthunter]

"Trouble is another story all together." Hunter smiles lightly.

"Mostly, I have been working on my art. And trying to understand a little bit more about Kendra, the witch who changed my life. And her magic that still has an influence in my life."

[boldygoing]

"More than just the spell she put on you?" It still feels weird to say that, but he's making the effort to take it seriously. An explorer of the unknown should treat such wild claims with a measure of scientific skepticism, true, but there's a difference between needing to gather more empirical evidence and outright denial, and as a starship captain, Jim knows he needs to strike that balance.

[losthunter]

"Well, the spell was placed on me, with her ultimate goal that it would end. That I would find that True Love."

"Kendra didn't want me to be hurt. She told me that since the spell didn't come to its natural end, there are still fragments of her magic within me."

Hunter speaks softly. He is watching Jim for signs of complete disbelief, in case his more scientific upbringing starts to question things.

[boldygoing]

"Fragments?" Jim frowns a little. "Like... magical shrapnel, or something like that?"

He won't be seeing any signs of absolute denial from the captain. Whether or not he believes in magic, or any other spiritual or cultural aspects of new people he meets, at the very least the worst diplomatic thing he could possibly do would be to insult someone else's beliefs. And he has seen proof of magic's existence, so he can accept it as real, even if he doesn't remotely understand it.

[losthunter]

"There are a few of my tattoos that used to move. That had a magical element to them."

"I already told you about the roses, that were on my arm, that aren't there anymore. There is an Egyptian eye on my other hand, that used to wink at me. And there is a large heart-shaped cluster on my chest, that used to beat."

"And I have had a recent experience, where the tattoos signalled that I had a poison in my system. A friend of mine was able to save my life."

[boldygoing]

That is strange and kind of unsettling, but Hunter doesn't seem to see it that way, so Jim carefully schools his expression to one of concern and curiosity. "That sounds weird but useful."

[losthunter]

"Kendra left me with the impression that I could do more, but I have been sort of left in the dark on how to go about finding out exactly what..."

Hunter smiles softly. "I still am trying to wrap my head around it all."

[boldygoing]

"Yeah, I can imagine." Jim doesn't really get it either, though he's a relative newcomer to the whole magic thing anyway.

[losthunter]

"What sort of other wonders and new experiences have you had in the Nexus?"

[boldygoing]

"I haven't had as much time to explore here as I'd like just yet, but I did find a huge used bookstore with all sorts of stuff I've never read before. And supposedly there's a Vulcan antiques store somewhere, so I've gotta find that one of these days."

Their drinks arrive, and Jim's beverage is a bright, vivid blue that almost glows under the light. The captain picks it up and sniffs at it, following it up with an experimental sip. He raises his eyebrows, impressed.

[losthunter]

Hunter has to cock an eyebrow himself, at the sight of the bright, vivid blue beverage. "Well, I am glad to hear that you are finding somethings that connect to your universe."

[boldygoing]

"Me too." Jim takes a deeper drink of the Romulan ale, rolling it over his tongue before swallowing. "Anything Vulcan is kind of... rare, these days." And there's that somberness again, though Jim's trying not to let it dominate the mood.

"Oh, that reminds me," he says, reaching into his pocket. He pulls out a little spool of real gold wire, and sets it on the table at Hunter's elbow. "My payment for the bracelet. Figured this'll be more useful than credits."

[losthunter]

"Oh wow..." Hunter delicately picks up the spool of gold wire. He runs his fingers along it, for a moment, a million ideas going through his head.

"And here I was just expecting enjoying drinks with you." But in a way, he is glad that there is no business-connected to this experience anymore. Sort of makes it more like a 'date'.

[boldygoing]

Jim's glad to get the business out of the way too, and he doesn't seem to realize that even this small amount of gold is worth a small fortune in the early twenty-first century. It's just average electronics construction material to him.

"Nothing says we can't still do that, right?"

[losthunter]

"We can. But now... it is more comfortable." Hunter leans into Jim slightly.

[boldygoing]

"Awesome." Jim leans into him, in turn, mouth quirked up in a grin. "This Romulan ale's got a hell of a kick. Want a taste?"

[losthunter]

"I'm game." Hunter reaches for the glass. "Can you compare it to anything?"

[boldygoing]

Jim considers that, sliding the glass over in easier reach of Hunter. "Ever had moonshine? It's like that, but fruitier."

[losthunter]

"Nope. But here goes nothing." Hunter takes a deep sip of the Romulan ale. He lets the drink set on his tongue, letting the taste tingle against his taste buds.

"Why is this illegal?"