Click this link to go back one chapter. Chapter one - The Long Walk
2 THE PUB
A place like no other on the ship, The Pub was by far the loudest, messiest, and rowdiest locale in all of deep space. For Alexis, it was the one place where she felt like more than just some cog in a machine, more than just the Director of Technologies, more than a means to keep the ship on its course. For a few hours, a couple nights a week, she was simply a woman in a crappy bar, spending too much on drinks and sub-par food.
There were many bars and restaurants on the ship, but this one was unique. It reminded her of home. It was one of the few places on the ship that didn't share the same sharp, metallic aesthetic. The inset wooden double doors and the brightly lit, but sort of dank-looking sign above the entryway served as a welcoming reminder that life wasn't always so cold.
As she entered, she spent a few moments looking around the room to find the usual groups of miscreants. Crowding the bar were the folks who were only there to get drunk as quickly as they could. They couldn't care less for the music or the atmosphere, they were only there to find peace at the bottom of a glass. In the back, there were several full tables of card games, an area that typically hosted more than a few fights by night’s end. And to the right was the stage, where the band was hammering out their best covers from back home and enjoying the attention of those who had already spent their day's wage on alcohol.
She moved swiftly through the bar and sat at a table furthest away from most of the action, but in just the right spot to keep everything in sight. While she never really liked doing what most people were there to do, she did enjoy watching them do it.
A waiter brought her usual drink and a menu to the table, and as he walked away Alexis noticed a man at the bar watching her. The man quickly downed two of his drinks, snatched up another pair, and began to strut toward her.
She surveyed the man as he sauntered over. He was very well kept — tall, decent figure, nice clothes. Obviously took no small amount of pride in his appearance.
Great hair, she thought. Then she noticed his toothy smile. A mix of confidence and a little too much drink. She nearly let out a laugh before realizing that she was staring. She coyly looked away, feigning disinterest, and took a sip of her drink.
"Hey there, lonely girl. In the mood for a drink?" the man asked in his best sleazy pick-up voice.
"I guess I am, since I'm drinking one right now," she responded as she pulled the glass from her lips. "And my name's not Lonely Girl." She attempted to alter her position in order to regain her view of the band, but the man, unhindered by her disinterest, adjusted his stance to match.
"Fair enough. Terrible name anyway."
He grabbed a chair and sat down. "I'm David," he said as he beamed her a cheesy smile and slid the extra drink across the table. "I'm pretty sure I've seen you here before."
"The way you're drinking, I'm surprised you can see anything," she said, unable to hide the snark in her voice. "But since you've taken it upon yourself to sit at my table, I suppose you can call me Alexis."
"Great! Lexi it is." David raised his glass. "To David and Lexi!"
Alexis never really liked the shortened version of her name and only ever allowed certain people, mostly family, to use it, but after a brief hesitation she chose to let it go and offered her glass in return. She looked at him quizzically, trying to decide whether he was just trying to be funny or was just completely obnoxious. "You are so odd."
"I know, but you love it, I can tell." The smile on his face had grown twofold. He winked and clicked his tongue as the two glasses clinked together.
Alexis sat frozen for a moment, staring blankly as she held her glass in the air until the oddness of it all forced a laugh to the surface.
The conversation and drinks flowed, and they became friendlier, moving closer to each other as the night went on. During a lull in the conversation, as they both rested from their laughter and drinking, David was finally able to muster enough courage to steal a kiss. Nothing particularly sensual, just a simple peck on the lips.
"Just testing," he exclaimed in a way that sounded like a promise, or perhaps a plea for safety. "No strings atta—"
Before David could finish his sentence, Alexis had grabbed him by the back of his head and pulled his lips back to her own. They spent a few long moments enjoying the alcohol-tainted flavors of each other’s lips before she broke the bond, snapping her head back. And without realizing it, the two had somehow managed to stand and migrate to a nearby corner during their moment of passion, flipping the small table on its side in the process. She looked around the room and noticed they had become the main attraction for everyone in the bar. Even the band’s gaze had become entirely fixed in their direction.
"I think... I think we should go somewhere a bit more private," she stammered as she wiped off her lips.
Regaining his composure, David straightened his shirt and carefully replaced the table and its contents. He gave the room a quick wave and grabbed Alexis by the hand, pulling her out of the bar as every other patron erupted into a collective boo.
Now led by Alexis, they made their way through the corridors, stopping only when they needed to wait for an elevator or when the heat and passion forced them into an embrace.
When they finally reached the door to Alexis' quarters, she struggled to enter the code into the keypad to get it open. Twice her attempts were met with a harsh buzz and a red light. She tried desperately to focus as David nibbled up the side of her neck. Fearing they’d be arrested if she didn’t get the damned door open, she put her hand up on his chest and pressed him against the door.
Panting heavily, he looked down at her hand and smiled as he raised his eyes back to hers. He tried to move forward but she pressed again even harder as she slowly punched the numbers into the lock. Finally, the light turned green and the door slid open. David would have fallen into the room had Alexis not gripped his shirt and pulled his lips to hers.
Once inside, they unleashed all the energy they had been forced to suppress on the way up, clawing and pawing at each other’s clothes, desperately trying to undress each other. Alexis pulled David backward toward her bed. Still holding onto him, lips locked in a kiss, she sat down on her bed and slid herself back, allowing David to climb on top of her. As he lowered himself, his hand missed the edge of the bed, causing him to tumble to the floor beside it.
After a brief moment of shock, Alexis threw her head back onto her pillow and let out a blusterous laugh until up popped David's face, flashing his goofy grin, and he crawled back up to join her.
