The Chip To Success

Posted on Wed Sep 20th, 2017 @ 11:47pm by Commander Jacob Bannerman
Edited on on Wed Sep 12th, 2018 @ 7:12pm

Mission: My Place In This Universe
Location: Seedy Bar, Starbase Zulu
Timeline: 2388/08/17 1940 (August 17 2388 1940) After 'Got Ya!'

Finally! After a few weeks of searching high and low on the starbase, Adonai had finally found the one item that was potentially going to give him his ticket to the Academy. The young Nygean teenager had, within his grasp, an isolinear chip. It wasn't any ordinary isolinear chip though. On that chip was a holodeck program of the most unique kind. He hoped to give it to Commander Jacob Bannerman, a Starfleet Officer and instructor at the academy, who had declined his admission requests on more than one occasion. Today was going to be different though. Adonai could feel it in his bones.

After consulting the starbase's computer on the whereabouts of the Commander, Adonai headed down towards the Seedy Bar where he was currently located. Adonai, himself, had been to the bar a few times but due to his lack of funds he'd been restricted to just water. Not that water was a particularly bad thing to have mind you. It just wasn't the usual drink at a bar.

As Adonai neared the entrance to the bar, he came across someone else who was just storming out of it. They were about the same height and appeared to be around the same age. Obviously something had happened to displease his fellow teenager. That wasn't really his concern for the moment though. All that mattered was convincing Bannerman to allow him to go to this Academy. Nothing else mattered. And so, with that in mind, Adonai entered the bar.

Adonai surveyed the room from just inside the entrance and it only took him a few moments to locate his quarry. "Commander!" he said aloud. "Commander!" he called again as he approached the other man. A smile adorned his face as he spoke to Jacob. "It's a pleasure to see you this evening... Sir." He made sure to clearly annunciate that last word as a show of respect.

Jake, who had just gotten himself reacquainted with the lovely Katrine groaned and dropped his head against her chest where she sat on his lap. "What is it with you kids tonight huh?" he groaned as he raised his head to look at the youngster who had repeatedly sought him out over the last few weeks.

"Jakie sugar?" Katrine pouted, "What's with you and all these young boys?" she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Whoa!" Jake's head shot up and looked at her in dismay, "I'm a teacher...or I'm gonna be at least." he tried to explain, "The last one was drinking illegally and this one, well, this one likes following me around."

"Hmmm...I can understand that sugar." Katrine purred as she got off Jake's lap, "I'd follow you to the ends of the universe if you asked me." she leaned down and kissed him lightly, "I'll leave you to your...teaching then." And with that she turned and sashayed away.

"Now look what you did!" Jake glared at Adonai then gestured to the retreating back of Katrine.

The fact that he was the reason for the woman's departure didn't phase the teenager though. "Based on what I've seen of your behaviour since I've arrived, Commander, I'm sure that you'll find another one soon enough." He then reached into his pocket and took the isolinear chip in his hand. "Actually, it might be sooner than you think," he said as he brought the data chip up to eye level.

"Oh you think so huh?" Jake shot back then narrowed his eyes at the chip and asked slowly "What's that?"

"A gesture of my sincerity and good will," insisted the Nygean. "I was told that one of these things could be used in your holographic chamber rooms. There's a... program on it. A custom one featuring the most beautiful women from this quadrant. And it's yours..." he started handing the chip to Bannerman.

"Wait a minute, you're trying to bribe me?" Jake pretended to look affronted though his eye lingered on the little chip in Adonai's hand.

"A bribe?" Adonai quickly shook his head. "No, no, no. That would probably be the worst thing that I could do. It's a gift." He moved his hand forward to give it to the Commander but quickly pulled it back. "However, I was still hoping that you could arrange a meeting for me with this Captain of yours. I'm quite eager to partake in this Starfleet..." The Nygean looked in the direction where Bannerman's friend had gone. "Especially if you get a catch like that."

"Ah...wanna be an officer to bag the ladies huh?" Jake grinned at Adonai, liking the boy more than before.

"Not exactly," Adonai corrected with a shake of his head. "You're already aware of my motives for wanting to be in Starfleet, Commander. I want to make a difference in the lives of others. On Nygea Prime I wasn't permitted to do such things."

"You can make a difference in a lot of ways you know." Jake commented having already made up his mind on the subject of Adonai.

"That's true," acknowledged the young man. "Since I was a young boy I've helped many people alongside the healer of my district. I wasn't really allowed to help in this manner, but I did it anyways. It's... it's just... I think that I am capable of being able to accomplish much more. I want my life to mean something," Adonai tried to explain.

"Yeah..." Jake looked wistful for a moment, "I was young and stupid like that once but then life came along and kicked me up the ass." he turned to Adonai and asked "So you really want to do this huh? You really want to leave home not knowing when you might get a chance to go back. You really want to live with a bunch of people you don't know and provide your knowledge and services to a Federation of Planets that you know nothing about?"

It was true. There was much for Adonai to think about. He had yet to acknowledge the fact that it could be some time before he could return to see his family. That thought alone threatened to turn his stomach. He did miss his parents and his siblings. This was the only way for him to have a life though and his parents gave him their full endorsement. "There is nothing for me left on Nygea Prime," Adonai stated. "I can never reach my full potential there."

"Well then," Jake said as he looked at the chip, "Considering you just made my evenings a lot more fun, I'll have a word with Sanchez but I'm not promising anything, the woman seems immune to my charm." he added, wondering why Maddie was so stubborn.

"Is there anything further that I can do that might sway her decision?" Adonai asked. His eyes were wide and he was almost pleading.

"Don't offer her a chip like this that's for sure." Bannerman replied before shaking his head and saying "Just leave her to me kid. I'll find a way to convince her."

Adonai nodded. It was up to the Starfleet Officer before him then. "You are a honourable man, Commander," he said as he extended his hand to shake Bannerman's. "I truly appreciate all of this."

Honourable? Jake had been called many things over the years but honourable wasn't one of them. Besides, agreeing to the boy's request in order to have fun with a rather risque holoprogram wasn't very noble at all. With a wry smile at the inaccurate comment, Jake took the hand to shake it and said "No problem kid but wish me luck with Sanchez she's no push over."

"Good luck then," conceded the teenager. If the Commander's words were to be believed, it sounded as if he was going to need it. "I'll let you get back to what it was you were doing, Commander. I'm sure that you'll be able to catch up to your lady friend if you hurry." Adonai clasped his hands behind his back and nodded slightly. As he did not want to take up any more of Bannerman's time, the Nygean turned and departed promptly from the Seedy Bar.

Jake watched the youngster go before looking down at the chip and then over at Katrine who was chatting with the barman. Tossing the chip up in the air and catching it, he grinned and stood up as he mumbled to himself "She can wait, right now I have a few things to uh...do." Whistling a happy tune, he left the bar in search of an empty holodeck.