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Description
The awkward smile on Bateson’s face said it all. He felt like a dinosaur next to Captain Innes -who insisted that he was addressed as Billy, rather than William.
The young commanding officer of the starship Kelvin-A was an accomplished officer and had been rewarded for his albeit short service to the fleet by being promoted to captain at the tender age of 27.
Bateson stood next to him at the bar, waiting to be served and was becoming increasingly annoyed that the server was taking his time with the two Orion women that had just ordered a pair of fancy cocktails. The barman was showboating, spinning bottles and pouring alcohol like liquid was pure liquid latinum.
Bateson knew he didn’t have long, that he had to meet with Admiral Kirk shortly. All he wanted was a glass of brandy to ‘take the edge off.’
He didn’t want to make idle small talk with Innes, despite the young captain’s insistence.
“So what brings you back to Earth?” Innes asked, seemingly unphased by the long wait to be served.
Bateson swallowed hard and let out a deep sigh. Fine, he thought I’ll make conversation with the young nipper captain.
“We’ve just finished a three month refit, pulled the whole ship apart and put it back together, I was on my way to see the admiral, to see what he has in store for us.” He replied as the barman made his way over to Billy.
“What can I get for you.”
Bateson looked at the barman as if to say that he was next, that he had been waiting longer than Innes, -it was though he was invisible, further infuriating the captain.
“Oh for the love of god. I’ve been stood here for five minutes, I’m not exactly hard to miss.” Bateson snapped.
Billy turned to Bateson and smiled awkwardly and then turned to the waiter and said, “He’ll have a brandy, on me.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
“Well, it’s not every day that you meet the renowned Captain Morgan Bateson now is it?”
“I’d hardly say ‘renowned.’” Bateson practically blushed.
“I’ve read the reports, your time on the Klingon border was stuff of legend, in fact my crew frequently talks about you and the Bozeman on the border, fending off hoards of ferocious Klingons on the boarder worlds.”
Bateson smiled politely at the barman who brought him his drink before raising the glass to his lips. He could smell the sweet and nutty aroma of the brandy -it was almost intoxicating. But he paused before taking a sip. He waited for the barman to give Billy his drink and raised his glass once again, “Captain of the Kelvin hu?” Bateson asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“She’s a fine ship. Where you headed too next?”
“Annis III, diplomatic mission.”
“Ah, so you’re headed to Klingon boarder?”
“Indeed.”
“Well, here’s to the Kelvin! May the wind be behind you and the Klingons in front of you.”
Captain Innes laughed, “I don’t think I’ve heard that one before.”
“Take it from me kid, you never want those bastards behind you, you want them in front of you, staring down the barrel of your phaser banks, praying to whatever god they believe in that you won’t give the order to fire.”
Their encounter seemed to take a dark turn. Billy could see…Billy knew that that Bateson had been through a tough time on the boarder, that the Bozeman truly was out on the frontier making a difference, but he didn’t know how much it had affected the Captain, his crew.
“To the Bozeman!” Billy replied before they both clinked glasses and downed their drinks.
Bateson swallowed all of the brandy in one long gulp and slammed his glass down on to the bar. He looked up at the chrono above the bar and realised he needed to be somewhere else, that he would be late for the admiral if he didn’t get a move on.
Slapping Billy on the shoulder, Bateson made his way out of the bar, “Watch your back out there kid. I’ve heard a lot about you, what you can do. Those Klingons won’t stand a chance if they’ve got a man like you at the helm.”
And as Bateson swaggered out of the bar, Innes watched the man, the living legend that was Morgan Bateson walk away. Billy knew that this brief encounter would be one he could recount to his crew, that he could tell them about the time he bought a drink for Captain Bateson and as the barman came back to see if he would like another drink, Billy sat down at the bar and looked out of the large viewport, out into the interior of the spacedock and saw her, the Bozeman. There she was, her hull gleaming, her engines glowing and as the work bees and travel pods moved away, ready for her departure, he wondered if he would ever have the opportunity to go aboard that famous ship and meet Bateson once again…

“Mutual Admiration”
by Jonathan Crosby-Bromley

Starring:
Sebastian Suave as Captain Billy Innes
& Kelsey Grammer as Captain Morgan Bateson

Image and words by Jonbromle1

Description
The awkward smile on Bateson’s face said it all. He felt like a dinosaur next to Captain Innes -who insisted that he was addressed as Billy, rather than William.
The young commanding officer of the starship Kelvin-A was an accomplished officer and had been rewarded for his albeit short service to the fleet by being promoted to captain at the tender age of 27.
Bateson stood next to him at the bar, waiting to be served and was becoming increasingly annoyed that the server was taking his time with the two Orion women that had just ordered a pair of fancy cocktails. The barman was showboating, spinning bottles and pouring alcohol like liquid was pure liquid latinum.
Bateson knew he didn’t have long, that he had to meet with Admiral Kirk shortly. All he wanted was a glass of brandy to ‘take the edge off.’
He didn’t want to make idle small talk with Innes, despite the young captain’s insistence.
“So what brings you back to Earth?” Innes asked, seemingly unphased by the long wait to be served.
Bateson swallowed hard and let out a deep sigh. Fine, he thought I’ll make conversation with the young nipper captain.
“We’ve just finished a three month refit, pulled the whole ship apart and put it back together, I was on my way to see the admiral, to see what he has in store for us.” He replied as the barman made his way over to Billy.
“What can I get for you.”
Bateson looked at the barman as if to say that he was next, that he had been waiting longer than Innes, -it was though he was invisible, further infuriating the captain.
“Oh for the love of god. I’ve been stood here for five minutes, I’m not exactly hard to miss.” Bateson snapped.
Billy turned to Bateson and smiled awkwardly and then turned to the waiter and said, “He’ll have a brandy, on me.”
“That’s very kind of you.”
“Well, it’s not every day that you meet the renowned Captain Morgan Bateson now is it?”
“I’d hardly say ‘renowned.’” Bateson practically blushed.
“I’ve read the reports, your time on the Klingon border was stuff of legend, in fact my crew frequently talks about you and the Bozeman on the border, fending off hoards of ferocious Klingons on the boarder worlds.”
Bateson smiled politely at the barman who brought him his drink before raising the glass to his lips. He could smell the sweet and nutty aroma of the brandy -it was almost intoxicating. But he paused before taking a sip. He waited for the barman to give Billy his drink and raised his glass once again, “Captain of the Kelvin hu?” Bateson asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“She’s a fine ship. Where you headed too next?”
“Annis III, diplomatic mission.”
“Ah, so you’re headed to Klingon boarder?”
“Indeed.”
“Well, here’s to the Kelvin! May the wind be behind you and the Klingons in front of you.”
Captain Innes laughed, “I don’t think I’ve heard that one before.”
“Take it from me kid, you never want those bastards behind you, you want them in front of you, staring down the barrel of your phaser banks, praying to whatever god they believe in that you won’t give the order to fire.”
Their encounter seemed to take a dark turn. Billy could see…Billy knew that that Bateson had been through a tough time on the boarder, that the Bozeman truly was out on the frontier making a difference, but he didn’t know how much it had affected the Captain, his crew.
“To the Bozeman!” Billy replied before they both clinked glasses and downed their drinks.
Bateson swallowed all of the brandy in one long gulp and slammed his glass down on to the bar. He looked up at the chrono above the bar and realised he needed to be somewhere else, that he would be late for the admiral if he didn’t get a move on.
Slapping Billy on the shoulder, Bateson made his way out of the bar, “Watch your back out there kid. I’ve heard a lot about you, what you can do. Those Klingons won’t stand a chance if they’ve got a man like you at the helm.”
And as Bateson swaggered out of the bar, Innes watched the man, the living legend that was Morgan Bateson walk away. Billy knew that this brief encounter would be one he could recount to his crew, that he could tell them about the time he bought a drink for Captain Bateson and as the barman came back to see if he would like another drink, Billy sat down at the bar and looked out of the large viewport, out into the interior of the spacedock and saw her, the Bozeman. There she was, her hull gleaming, her engines glowing and as the work bees and travel pods moved away, ready for her departure, he wondered if he would ever have the opportunity to go aboard that famous ship and meet Bateson once again…

“Mutual Admiration”
by Jonathan Crosby-Bromley

Starring:
Sebastian Suave as Captain Billy Innes
& Kelsey Grammer as Captain Morgan Bateson

Image and words by Jonbromle1