Racing Cars and Poetry?

Posted on Sat Apr 20th, 2019 @ 11:52am by Captain Jack Solomon

660 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: Promenade, SB400
Timeline: MD 08 1300 hours

ON:

Braxton sat on the Promenade sipping his coffee and people watching. Despite his tendencies to want to be alone he loved to watch people and guess at what they were thinking or feeling. When he was out and about he tended to keep his senses scaled back. Suddenly a familiar face headed his way. "Commander Solomon," he said when Jack got close enough to hear.

After spending his time in the holo-suite, Jack decided to take a wander around the Promenade, taking in the sights and sounds, something that he felt he never did enough. Upon hearing his voice he looked up to see Braxton with a drink in his hand. Jack wandered over to him.

"Haven't you gotten anything better to do than people watch?" He asked in a very unserious way.

Braxton smiled, "Absolutely. But I can't think of anything now....or at least I do not want to." He motioned. "Join me?" He didn't normally ask people but he'd left his previous Marine crew to start a new life and part of that was socializing. Besides all that Jack seemed nice and Braxton had to work on his social skills ... at least that's what his last ten thousand counselling reports said.

Jack made his way up the steps to join Braxton and took a seat at the tale with him. "So, how goes your day? Any plans to keep yourself occupied?" he asked his friend.

He shrugged, "Not really. We did a redecorating of the marine medical bay. I'm just waiting to get in there to see it and then I have the task of sterilizing it....not with a toothbrush." He smiled. "How about you?"

"I'm not even going to ask about the re-decorating..." Jack began. "I've just finished a session in the Holodeck, working through one of my favourite holonovels: Deathstalker One. God, I've missed the work out that gives you," he replied. "Other than that, there are the usual plans to get the wedding on track now that we have returned home from Cardassia...These things don't happen on their own."

He sat back for a moment before continuing. "Is there anything you like to do? Hobbies, pastimes etc.? I've never thought to ask before....surely there’s something you like to do off duty?"

He shrugged, "I like to ride horses, read, and race Earth cars, motorcycles....and poetry." He could have kicked himself for letting the last one fly. "I mean manly poetry." He tried to cover.

Jack smiled. "There’s nothing wrong with writing poetry, my dear Braxton, nothing wrong with it at all," he said. "But your secret is safe with me," Jack finished with a sly smile to reassure his friend.

Thinking further, Jack had an idea. "Racing Earth cars you say? What sort of cars may I ask?" He wondered, having had some experience of this past time himself.

He smiled, "Sports cars mostly. Many kinds. I have a program I could show you."

"I like the sound of that," Jack admitted. "I have some experience of racing different classes of Prototypes & GT cars in the Le Mans 24 hours events from the 20th & 21st centuries in previous programmes, so I'd be happy to join you."

Despite not having tried one of his racing holodeck programs for a long while, Jack was happy to have another go at at something similar with someone else.

Braxton smiled, "If you have the time now let's go!" He felt excited and happy to have someone who shared his passion for racing. He didn't realize how much he'd needed that.

"Now that sounds like a plan," Jack responded. I've got some time if your free now?" He offered.

"Of course. They are just finishing the revamps on the Medical Bay in the Marine section so I am only needed when that is over to scrub it clean. He didn't trust ops. He had a high clean standard. "You lead the way."

OFF:

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