Captain's Mess - Part 2

Posted on Mon Jan 20th, 2025 @ 10:32pm by Captain Daegan Baas & Ensign Garath Of the House of Varal [Baas] & Petty Officer 2nd Class Sizia Sh'velihr [Baas] & Lieutenant Commander Ridge Maguire & Lieutenant Liam O'Riley & Lieutenant Morloth & Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome & Lieutenant Erin Cussen & Ensign J'Haz Sasha & Lieutenant Daniel Graham Dr & Ensign Stevie Thomas [O'Riley] & Chief Petty Officer Elena Graham (PhD) Dr & Julianna Raihan-Baas
Edited on on Wed Jan 22nd, 2025 @ 10:24pm

2,319 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: A New Beginning
Location: Valhalla Lounge
Timeline: Evening

An athletic appearing young woman appeared at the main hatch of the lounge. She looked around with a subtle smile before pushing deeper into the mixer. She wore a sporty blue unitard with a white pullover that kept shifting to expose one shoulder or the other.

The young woman's blonde hair was barely regulation, curled and stacked on her head. The updo style revealed the upward slope of her delicate ears. She worked her way to where the greeting line began.

When her opportunity arose, she smoothly introduced herself. "Ensign Sasha, ACSO, feel free to call me J'Haz."
She looked around at the people surrounding them before making eye contact with the members of the greeting line.
"You have to love that new ship smell, yes?"

Daegan looked at the young woman, his normally stoic features holding a slight grin. "It's getting harder to pick up but yes." After some contemplation, "Sasha... Sasha...AH yes you are our R&D refugee aren't you?"

The blonde gave the Captain a wry grin. "Yes, and thank you for the opportunity to make my escape. That research center was a delightful opportunity to make scientific discoveries, but the night life was quite intolerable."

"Well I'm glad we could help. I can't say anything about the 'night life' aboard ship as yet but I'm sure there are always a few musicians amongst the crew, activities with other members of the crew, and if all else fails, there are always the holodecks."

"What kind of night life do you enjoy," Jules asked, her curiosity peaked by her own preferences. Once upon a time, in Earth history, there had been the idea of pubs. Local nightlife. She thought she would have fit right in.

Sasha pondered for a moment with as much focus as she might use in a scientific endeavor.
" I enjoy variety, for anything to refresh the mind after hours spent over a hot teicorder. I believe it was the human philosopher Jack Torrance that noted that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. New experiences and encounters broaden the mind and lifts the spirits. Rather than the 127th night in a row of three-dimensional chess, I would prefer playing music with others or even the occasional game of Fizbin. To coin yet another truism, variety is the spice of life."
She gave the Captain a cheerful smile.
"Even a night at a holopub watching a rousing game of parisies squares is welcome from time to time."

Daegan glanced at Jules. There had been many a evening where they had participated in performing for the crew. But nothing like that had happened since he had become a Captain. He had originally been hesitant to play in front of others but he actually missed it from time to time. "What do you play?"

The blonde Ensign spoke with a hint of excitement at the query. She loved talking about music. "Keyboards like piano and tol'kra, the Vulcan harp, and a few others with which I dabble. But I get the greatest enjoyment from playing guitar. My father used guitar to teach me the beginnings of science, so I have a special fondness thanks to that history."

Jules shared a look with Daegan because, she too, remembered those days and too, one of her undercover personae was as a nightclub singer.

He was contemplating telling her that he to played the guitar but he say a trio approaching.

Erin found the Captain and drew his attention. "Captain I would like to introduce you to our Counselor, Dr Danial Graham and Dr Elana Graham, Biologist," Erin said.

"Excuse me Ensign." Stepping away from the immediate conversation, "Good evening, Doctor." Glancing to the two she was introducing. He extended his hand, "Ah yes our joint service couple. Welcome aboard to you both."

Daniel took the proffered hand. "Thank you Captain and congratulations on this beautiful ship. She is a beaut," he said. Elana stepped forward to greet the Captain. "Good evening Captain," she said, obviously the quiet one of the two. "Thank you for the invite and warm welcome to us all," she said.

Daegan smiled. "Thank you, she definitely came with all the bells and whistles. Well I hope we don't keep you too busy." He glanced around at the festivities, You both, and well all of the senior staff, missed my announcement when I first came aboard. I told the crew at the time that I expected their best....and that I try to give the best. Hopefully this proves that."

"Absolutely!" Daniel said. "I think it is the first time my first duty was to attend a function of this nature. We will have try to party as best we can, you know, to keep up the standard of excellence," Dan said with mock seriousness. He just hoped that Captain had a sense of humour and he hadn't just, in his first conversation with the CO, put his foot in his mouth.

Daegan stood there looking at the man stoically but several lifetimes of exposure to humans had exposed Baas to all sorts of sarcasm. "Well don't party too hard. Would want you to be the first occupant of our brig." After an awkward silence he let his features crack a bit of a smile.

"You do realize that us South Africans make our own standards. I will however, try to figure out the norm here, and perhaps try to stay within the parameters of this social setting. I am apparently supposed to be a counsellor, so I should be sensitive to those kind of things," Dan said. "Please don't let me hog you, I am sure everyone wants to talk to you, being Captain and all."

Baas chuckled slightly with a bit of a nod. "Thank you Doctor, enjoy the evening." With that he moved off to refresh his own drink and get some of the food before someone else stopped him. As he did he walked passed Jules as she talked to a pair of crew members, his hand dropping and giving her a clandestine pinch as he continued on. Replying to a greeting casually, "you're welcome crewman. "

Startled, Jules moved, turning the start of a jump into slide to the side, and privately thanked her years working in taverns and bars both inside and outside the Federation for the ability to cover. Her gaze slanted toward her husband for a moment as she contemplated her future reaction before returning smoothly to her conversation.

Erin saw the Science Chief and grabbed Elena. "Excuse us gentleman," she said weaving through the people to get to Urushi.

"Lieutenant," Erin said attracting her attention. "Can I introduce you to Dr Elena Graham? She arrived late this afternoon, but is the biologist that will join your team," she said. "And the wife of the other Dr Graham, our counselor," Erin said smiling.

"Nice to meet you," Urushi said. "I'm Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome, Chief Science Officer. I'm looking forward to working with you." She greeted them.

"Me too, Lieutenant" Elena said quietly with a soft smile. "I am afraid, this kind of gathering has me a little intimidated. My huband's joviality has not rubbed off on me," Elena said, hoping to leave quietly without anyone noticing.

Urushi simply smiled. "I'm not a 'party person' either." She admitted. "However it's not necessarily a bad thing. Afterall we're all in the same boat... quite literally." She giggled. "We're out here together so we need to form relationships in order to survive."


[Junior Officer gathering]

Stevie walked around meeting different people rather enjoying herself as well as the atmosphere. Seeing a Klingon male standing a short distance away she walked up to him "Hi, I'm Ensign Stevie Thomas computer systems specialist and whom might you be" she inquired with a smile.

"Garath of the House of Varal, security." After introducing himself he indicated the table next to him. "Would you care to sit?"

"Thank you yes I would" Stevie replied with a smile as she sat "So tell me Garath of the House of Varal, have you always worked in security or is this a new position recently acquired."

Garath chuckled slightly with a grin at the question. "You could say that. I was child when Romulans attacked Deep Space 5. My father was assigned their and was leading the external defense of the station. Some managed to board the station and in the fighting my sister, step-mother and others were trapped. I stood my ground, but being a child I was laughed at and just slapped aside. There was a struggle and a blade slid across the deck. I picked it up, ran, and prove it to the hilt into the Romulan's side.

"I didn't know it at the time but I had stabbed in through the heart. After that, my father, my grandfather, pretty much everyone treated me as a warrior. I was protecting others from an early age; so like my father security seemed to be the correct path."

Realizing he had been rambling, "My apologies. That's probably more a an answer than you were expecting."

"That's quite all right, that's how we get to know one another" Stevie replied with a grin "And I did ask."

A tall blonde Vulcan stepped up to a nearby replictor, "Snozzberry nutrishake, frosted." A tall glass of lavender delight materialized inside the replicator, which she claimed with a eager smile. She saw the pair of young officers, "I am J'Haz Sasha, ACSO. May I join you?"

Stevie look up at the young women with her drink in hand "Yes, please by all means" gesturing to an empty seat " I'm Ensign Stevie Thomas, computer systems specialist, it's very nice to meet you J'Haz" as she smiled happy to see another women joining them.

"Garath stood slightly as the woman sat and he followed. "I'm Ensign Garath, Security."

J'Haz nodded to each of them with a warmer than expected smile coming from somebody with pointed ears.
"I am honored to meet you all." She took a seat and a sip from her lavender drink. "Are any of you musicians? I am hoping the opportunity arises to create a group to create and perform music on board the Valkyrie."

Garath shock his head. "I am not, but rumor has it that the Captain is. Though the thought of a Captain preforming for his crew doesn't seem very...appropriate."

Stevie had to grin at Garath's last comment "Unfortunately I don't have a musical bone in my body; I'm happy if I can just hum a tune" she replied with a slight chuckle "I even went so far as to take music classes as a youth but that was a complete disaster" then she paused "J'Haz did you study music growing up?'

J'Haz nodded with a smile after taking a sip of her drink.
"Yes. I was quite fortunate to have two parents who were both musicians in addition to scientists. My father especially was involved with cultural musicology. He impartedto me his interest in the study of music in cultural anthropology. I find it quite ....fascinating."

Two crewman, fresh out of the Academy and feeling their oats, came to the gathering mostly for the free food and drinks. Their goal was to leave their mark on the Valkyrie for as long as they served on that ship. As the two were talking, and looking at all the women present, one of them noticed a gorgeous woman sitting at a table talking with some of the others.

Stevie suddenly felt a pair of eyes starring at her like they were trying to undress her. Looking over she saw a young crewman, still wet behind the ears by the looks of things, as she thought to herself "Ok creep! Why don't I give you something to look at" as she turned ever so slightly giving a better profile view of herself then winked at her admirer "There that should make your day you little pervert" Steve thought them resumed her conversations with Garath and J'Haz.

The young crewman was all excited as he informed his friend, who had his back turned to what had just transpired "Hey Vince check out the chick over there with the long brown hair....she just gave me a profile shot and winked at me. What a fine piece of........."

But before he could finish his sentence "Where" Vince inquired all excited at the news and whipped around to check out this chick as the XO walked up behind him just in time to wear the young crewman's drink " Sorry mate" Vince commented in his Aussie way then made a comment not realizing who he was addressing " Nice ears mate" he stated in a rather flippant tone.

"That would be Commander to you ... mate," Ridge growled as he stepped back, his blue eyes turning stormy as he studied the young man in front of him. "Name, rank, and duty station."

Vince's smirk suddenly disappeared like someone had just slapped it off his face as he realized who was standing in front of him. Swallowing hard he immediately snapped to attention "Vince Mays, Crewman, operations Sir" he replied as he saw his very short Star Fleet career flash before his eyes.

Garath leaned towards Stevie as he readied himself if needed, whispering, "Did you hope that would happen?". Shaking his head at the collision while it had been an accident the tone was insubordinate. He wait to see how the XO reacted.

"Obviously no, I hadn't counted on the XO being in the wrong place at the wrong time" Stevie stated "You have no idea what it's like being a women and having creeps like that undress you with their eyes. I thought I would show him what he never, ever had a chance with" although she did feel bad for the XO at the moment.



TBC...

 

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