Project D Reunion
Posted on Sun Oct 31st, 2021 @ 6:59am by Commander Keisuke Takahashi 'K.T.' & Lieutenant JG Takumi Fujiwara 'Tak'
Edited on on Tue Nov 2nd, 2021 @ 1:06am
1,392 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Handling the Fallout
Location: Forward Lounge "Five Forward", Deck 7
Timeline: Concurrent with 'Jane Sinclair's Busy Day, Part The Last: Partners In Crime'
After settling in to his quarters, Takumi decided that beer with Keisuke was in order, and gave his combadge a tap to see if his old Project D running mate was available.
=A="Fujiwara to Takahashi;"=A= Takumi said. =A="If you have a moment, I think I'd like to take you up on that offer to grab a beer."=A=
=A="Takahashi here:"=A= Came Keisuke's voice over Takumi's combadge. =A="Yeah, I'm available; just give me a few minutes and meet me down at Five Forward."=A=
Knowing Keisuke wouldn't be one to skip town, Takumi moseyed in the direction of the Myogi's forward lounge, nicknamed 'Five Forward' by the crew in reference to 'Ten Forward' aboard Galaxy class ships. When he arrived at the lounge, a quick scan of the crewmembers within the lounge was indicative that Keisuke had yet to arrive, so Takumi took a seat at an empty table and signaled to the barkeep to order a Cardassian Sunrise.
A few minutes, and half a Cardassian Sunrise later, Keisuke finally showed up. When Takumi saw the familiar spiked blonde hair enter the lounge, he waved Keisuke over to his table.
"A Cardassian Sunrise, huh?" Keisuke commented as he approached. "Well, your tastes have certainly developed since the last time we talked..."
"It's really good!" Takumi said, defending his beverage choice. "It's really tangy and it tastes almost like a smoothie."
"Whatever, man; you do you." Keisuke said, turning to the approaching bartender. "I'll take a Risian Dilithium Mine."
"Sounds like you've got some expensive tastes yourself!" Takumi responded as the Bartender went and fetched Keisuke's drink.
"You know, Maporin introduced me to the stuff ages ago, and its addicting as fuck:" Keisuke explained. "You know of those martinis where they coat the rim in sugar? It's basically that, but the sugar is colored to look like Dilithium crystals, that and it's got good flavor without it tasting like you're drinking hand sanitizer; you know what I mean?"
"I getcha." Takumi responded. "Sometimes the martinis go just a bit too heavy on the tequila for it to be fun, and ultimately you wind up disposing of the thing. I'm sure someone exists who is capable of drinking straight tequila, but certainly not me."
Takumi took a sip of his Cardassian Sunrise.
"So, who's the girl in the captain's chair?" He asked, curious to get Keisuke's take on the girl he obviously likes enough to share his surname with.
"Huh, you mean Maporin?" Keisuke asked. "Ah, she came aboard with a few other Academy graduates a few years ago; was everything I didn't know I even wanted in a woman: You remember Nakazato from back in the day?"
Takumi blinked.
"Yeah, why?" He asked.
"Well, she's the reason I can now with confidence call him my best friend." Keisuke said. "Didn't think you'd hear that coming from my lips, now; did you?"
"Wait, does that mean Nakazato's here, too?" Takumi asked, looking around.
"Sadly, no; Takumi:" Keisuke sighed. "A year ago, he transferred off into the Seventh Circle of Hell: Starfleet calls it the USS Tokyo, but I know better; the woman who commands that ship is a demon released onto the Galaxy by Satan himself. She... She... SHE FUCKED EVERYTHING UP! Put my friend through the fucking ringer, cost my mentor his place in the fleet, and she even sent her god damn loyal attack dog to ruin my wedding! Lord, have mercy if I ever cross paths with that heartless monster again..."
"Is she really that bad??" Takumi asked, baffled.
"Oh, yes:" Keisuke fumed. "And she pulled the lowest of all lows and insulted my woman's womanhood just for doing her fucking job! Doesn't that make you sick, Takumi?"
"Come to think of it; that is pretty scummy..." Takumi remarked.
"It's sickening that she's managed to get away with a serious crime." Keisuke said. "Seriously, forget that fucking Romulan colony; that evil bitch has proven just how broken the justice system is. Senpai is completely justified when he says the trial was rigged."
"I see..." Takumi muttered. "Well, what became of Nakazato, then?"
"Oh, he got kicked out of Starfleet." Keisuke explained. "Something about him being seditious for loyalties to his old captain over his new one when the real seditionists were the ones who gave him the boot."
"Keisuke, are you okay?" Takumi asked, genuinely concerned about his friend. "I've known you to be a little snappy, but you seem more irascible than usual lately: Does this have to do with something going on domestically?"
Keisuke stopped for a moment and looked into Takumi's eyes. He had been so caught up in his rant that he hadn't taken into account that he was unnerving Takumi. A tense moment passed before Keisuke sighed and sat back down.
"Sorry about that, Takumi;" He said. "It's just that... Well, on top of everything else that I just ranted about, I'm also about to become a father..."
"Say, what?" Takumi gasped.
"It's my own damn fault; I got so excited with the wedding that I forgot my contraception injection." Keisuke muttered. "Not like it matters, since the doc's no longer here to yell at me about it, and the wedding's ruined anyway..."
Takumi smirked. Same old narcissist Keisuke... He thought to himself.
"Keisuke that's great news!" Takumi said. "And who cares if it was a mistake? A child is a child regardless. Frankly, after Kyoko, we were kinda worried that you'd never find love, let alone become a father..."
"Thanks, Takumi:" Keisuke said. "That means a lot coming from you. Anyways, how have things been going with you and your chick?"
"Oh, we've been getting by:" Takumi said. "She was actually a major crutch to lean on following the accident, and frankly, I don't know if I'd have been able to get through rehab without her."
"Well, this is a new development:" Keisuke smirked. "I'd heard you were going into professional racing after Project D disbanded, and was curious why you joined Starfleet."
"Well, long story short, my driveshaft snapped and sent me into a damn canyon." Takumi explained. "I'm sure the scars the accident left me with are pretty evident, considering my posture and walking stick. But, it's nothing to worry about; I've been cleared to fly."
"I see:" Keisuke said. "Well, if you ever need to speak to anyone about it; we recently got a new counselor on board, and I've heard great things about Dr. Scott from Maporin. Otherwise, my door's always open, except when me and Maporin are... Well, I'm sure you get the idea." Keisuke began blushing.
"I get you..." Takumi said, also blushing. "Though, frankly, you should probably lay off her while she's pregnant."
"You're probably right..." Keisuke muttered. "Though I have heard that doing it can help with labor."
"That is one piece of information I did not need to know..." Takumi spluttered.
"Anyways, have your accident injuries prohibited you from getting back behind the wheel of a racecar?" Keisuke asked.
"Well, the doctors did say that if I got back behind the wheel too soon and got into a crash like the one I had again, which, let's be frank, shouldn't be likely, as lightning never strikes the same spot twice, I wouldn't feel anything from my belly button down for the rest of my life." Takumi explained. "If it's a real racecar, it probably won't happen, but a holodeck with safety protocols is a different story."
"I was hoping you'd say something like that:" Keisuke grinned. "I've been itching for someone to give me a real run for my money for a while now. Besides, you still owe me that rematch from back in the day."
"Oh, it's on:" Takumi responded, a grin emerging on his own face. "Perhaps if we can spare a moment in the next few days, we can hit the holodeck; settle the score once and for all."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Keisuke said.
Posting by
Commander Keisuke Takahashi
Second Officer
Ensign Takumi Fujiwara
Flight Control Officer
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