Launch Party, Part 5

Posted on 16 Oct 2018 @ 7:02am by Lieutenant Lake ir-Llantrisant & Commander Luke Wyatt & Ensign Mimi & Master Chief Petty Officer Kai Mazen & Lieutenant Aria Rice & Petty Officer 1st Class Gabriel Stark & Petty Officer 3rd Class John Hollenday
Edited on on 16 Oct 2018 @ 7:03am

3,097 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Episode 17 - Crystal of Life
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 2, Mess Hall
Timeline: MD -182 - 2322 hours

Previously on “Launch Party, Part 4”

Breathing deeply, Lake took one long look around the compartment. His head slowly pivoted from left to right, and back again. For that long pause, it didn't appear Lake had any intention of playing along anymore. He told them, "The last time the Captain saw me out of uniform, it ended badly," Lake said dryly. "Very badly. But." --He shrugged-- "I don't see her now." And he shrugged his way out of his tunic.

And now the continuation…


[ON]

"Oooh! Okay, enough!" Aria gasped and touched his chest for a brief second. "Before I get arrested by my Chief for over drooling!" she winked playfully before she looked at Gabriel with a giggle. "And you, no drooling or else we are arresting each other!"

"We should arrest the counsellor too...I wouldn't mind sharing a confined space with him," Gabriel laughed softly, watching Lake with dark eyes, his lips lingering on the rim of his glass.

"No! Bad, bad Gabriel!" Aria said and slapped Gabriel's shoulder before she met Lake's eyes. "We...will behave. Put on the shirt again...before you get attacked by sex-starved crewmen..."

"Speak for yourself," Gabriel shot back to Aria, but with a playful smile, his eyes shining fondly as he slapped her backside with well practiced aim.

Aria squealed but grinned, wriggling playfully before she winked. "Now, now...one day you have to do good on your promises, Stark, and you will not like that!"

Keeping quiet, Lake shrugged his tunic back on, but made no further effort to close it up the front. He wasn't about to interrupt the friendly flirting. He just enjoyed the show and sipped at the cocktail he kept beneath the bar.

Decked out in her favourite knee length jade green dress with her tail poking through the purpose made hole Mimi followed the noise to the mess hall, the place was alive with sounds and scents; luckily not M'rthyr's yet. Seeing Gabriel and Lake at the bar she headed over to get herself a drink. "Good evening Gentlemen." She said.

"Hey," Gabriel smiled warmly to the woman with the feline features, lifting a glass to tap against Aria's with a grin. "Lake here has some good stuff hidden behind the bar, don't let him tell you otherwise..." he said with mock accusation.

"Do you have any Bajoran springwine?" Mimi asked Lake.

Looking from side to side, Lake muttered, "I don't, uh..." Before he finished that thought, Lake tossed a petulant frown in Gabriel's direction and he quickly said, "Don't listen to Gabriel," to Mimi. Two blinks later, and Lake replied, "I don't have springwine, but I do have a vintage from Rigel VII that will make you feel like you've been drinking springwine..."

Mimi smiled "A glass of that will be fine, thank you Lake."

"Will you dance for us, Mimi?" Lake asked, as he reached for the wine bottle. "I'm sure the entire crew would be enthralled by your talent," he affirmed.

"I may," Mimi replied. "I am not sure Nekomi dancing is right for the...... mood of this party."

Nodding slowly, Lake said, "That may be the case," as he produced an empty wine glass and set about filling it half-way. "Have you considered the mood of the party may be wrong?" Lake asked with authentic curiosity. "We all may benefit from the kind of mood you can influence?"

"Maybe." Mimi said, she waited till Lake had finished filling the glass before she took it. "I will see how I feel after I have finished this drink."

"I know I always think more clearly after a stiff drink. It provides focus --of a kind-- to the mind. Becomes far more difficult to multitask," Lake affirmed, and even as he was saying it, he wasn't entirely sure if he believe it. Still, he'd had enough to drink, he was able to say it with such conviction. "Who do you hope will ask you to dance tonight?" Lake asked, nodded over at the crowd behind her.

Mimi took a sip of her drink, it had a distinctly different flavour to springwine but it was still pleasant. "There is an engineer I am..... fond of, if he turns up."

"I suspect he will," Lake said, leaning in slightly. His dark eyes were all encouragement. He explained, "Everyone was invited, you see."

"True but he may..... what is the term, chicken out?" Mimi asked, she doubted John would but he might have fancied a night to himself.

"I'm curious about why you think he would chicken out?" Lake asked. For several of the syllables, Lake spoke in his empowering counseling tone of voice. However, for the back-half of the sentence, he sounded incensed because he took it personally. "Why wouldn't he like my party?" Lake asked.

---

Luke had found himself a drink and was wondering whom to speak to. He didn't have a hard time conversing and in fact, had spoken to several crewmen already, but when he saw the young group consisting of two of his security officers and Lake (the man who had been trapped with him inside his own quarters) he moved towards them. "Troops," He said raising his bottle towards them.

"Wyatt!" Aria grinned at seeing him, her eyes shining before she raised her glass in return. "Wow, here and drinking? Letting your hair down, boss man? Or drinking away your troubles when you saw my name on the manifest?" she winked playfully before, because she knew Wyatt and had served under him before, walked close and gave him a friendly hug. "Meant to do this way earlier, but you were being all important Boss and that would have been waaay too improper and would have landed me in counselling."

Caught somewhat off guard, but recovering quickly, he hugged her back making sure not to spill his drink. "Yes well, despite what you may think of me I know how to drink. I'm an ex-marine after all.” He joked giving her a knowing wink before adding, "So what are we all drinking tonight? I hope no one plans on going back to their quarters sober."

"Well, Ms Rice and I have the classy stuff," Gabriel arched a playful eyebrow as he waved the bottle of prosecco from side to side before refilling his and Aria's glasses, so they could get another glass down them quick. "Because we're just classy kind of people, obviously. And then, when we're good and drunk on that, we'll start on the dodgy stuff..."

"Exactly! What he said!" Aria said and pointed at Gabriel with wide eyes. "First the posh stuff, then the not so good stuff and then the blue aftershave and whoever is still conscious gets the rest of the people home. Everyone knows that!"

"We're getting a posh as posh can be," Lake chimed in. "The Captain gave us access to her private stock. Sadly, every bottle has its bottom."

"And it comes up oh so quickly when Aria is around," Gabriel said with a mock serious tone, sighing theatrically as he shook his head, his hand on her hair. "Counsellor, I think she needs your help."

"No, no, no! I do not need help, I need another drink so..." Aria slapped the bar counter and then grimaced, shaking her hand. "Ouchie..." she pouted and looked at the bar. "Wanker..." she murmured to it, as if it was its fault she had hit her hand too hard.

Luke rolled his eyes at his firecracker secuirty officer. "Aria,” he said starting with her first name keeping it informal. "Perhaps we should dance or sing some of this juice off before we have another drink. I’m also certain if we keep this up we'll drink the Galileo Dry and have nothing but water for the next 6 months." He teased.

Aria made a face before she laughed softly, watching Luke before she nodded. "Okay, Mister! To the dance floor with you! Gabriel...don't...break anything..." she said playfully and took Luke's hand to drag him to the dance floor.

---

Kai entered wearing a black t-shirt, blue jeans, and black cowboy boots. He took one look at the mechanical bull and shook his head. There was no way he was getting on that thing. He looked around and found the bar, with Lake playing bartender.

"Evening, Lieutenant," he said. "I don't suppose I could get applejack over ice, could I?"

Squinting back at Kai, Lake ir-Llantrisant snapped his fingers repeatedly as if that would help the synapses in his brain to pulse faster. "Applejack, applejack..." Lake echoed the words. They came from him vacantly at first and then he snapped a little louder. "Ohhh, is that the cider made through freeze distillation?" he asked, excitedly.

"Yep," Kai replied. "It's my usual drink, when I'm not drinking either hard cider or mulled cider. Yeah, I know. I'm cider obsessed. A friend back home had an uncle with an apple farm. I spent a lot of time there as a kid and later, visited a lot on leave. I became a connoisseur of all things apple."

"My family... owned orchards," Lake said, "back home... before we came to the Federation." There was something tentative in his manner, almost diffident. In his interactions with most people, Lake treated his history as an open book, and yet he struggled with showing vulnerability to Kai in particular. "I grew up on an apple farm," Lake said. Although, he pronounced apple wrong, because his family's orchards hadn't been growing apples exactly, but perhaps close enough.

"Really?" Kai said. "I never took you for a farm boy, Lieutenant. I've tasted your people's analog to applejack. My Raider team was involved in a few joint operations with Romulan special forces during the Dominion War. I hit it off with one of their medics and he had a bottle and I had a bottle of Terran applejack and we exchanged bottles. It was pretty good."

Ducking down beneath the bar, Lake reached inside one of the chillers. All the while, he kept his head tilted up and back to keep eyes on Kai. "One never knows," Lake remarked, "if that had been a bottle of a decent vintage, I may have picked the fruit in that bottle you drank... I've been a farm boy, a refugee, a bartender..." Returning to his full height, Lake proffered a chilled bottle to Kai, and kept a bottle for himself. "Now, the Captain's stock doesn't have any applejack," Lake explained, "but we've got a similar beverage freeze distilled from oskoid nectar. I can't imagine who thought oskoid would make for a decent cider, but it's wildly refreshing."

"I'll give that a go, then," Kai said, taking the offered bottle. He clinked his bottle against Lake's and then took a pull. "That is...surprisingly not bad, Lieutenant. Then again, Betazoids do know how to throw a party, and weddings aren't the only ones they throw naked. I've dated a few Betazoids. None of them could find a reason good enough to not take their clothes off at the drop of a hat."

"I can't blame them," Lake said in enthusiastic reply. He took a long pull from his bottle too, but was quick to keep talking. "We have so many cutaneous receptors in our skin," Lake went on; "You can hardly feel alive --feel connected to other beings-- with all that utility fabric covering them up."

"I suppose you're right, Lieutenant," Kai said. "I suppose you're right. This is one Hell of a party you're throwing."

---

John put on a nice uniform, nothing fancy, just clean and pressed. He did not figure to wear like a suit especially an enlisted man with a bunch of officers present. While he was not adverse to drinking, he decided that he would teetotal tonight.

He wondered if Mimi was anywhere about.

Despite the scents of everyone else in the room Mimi picked up John's straight away, excusing herself from the group she headed over. "Lumela John"

"Well hello there ma'am," John replied taking in the dress. "You look absolutely ravishing tonight. Iff'n you would not be so put off, could a nut buster third class ask the miss for a dance?"

"I am not sure how to dance to this kind of music John." Mimi said, disco and pop music were far from her style.

"Well then, I guess I will just have to show you how," John replied with a bow and held out a hand. "Might I have the pleasure of your company for this dance."

Quickly finished the last of her drink Mimi put the glass down somewhere safe then turned back to John. "Lets go." She took his hand and together they walked over to the dance floor, as they walked the music began to change to another slow song.

As they reached the floor, John turned and said, "Now this is a slow dance and as such you let me hold your right hand with my left. You put your left on my shoulder and if I may, the usual is for me to put my left on your waist like so..." as he talked her through it he moved her hands to the right position but as he got to the last one he paused to make sure she was alright with the more intimate touch.

"Go ahead John, do not worry. Everyone is dancing with everyone else." Mimi said. The group situation would disguise just how close they were.

"I always think it polite to ask especially if one is unfamiliar with a particular aspect." John took her hand and put his arm around her waist. She was soft and warm even through the fabric of the dress. "Now then we will start with a simple box step. "Now then I am going to step forward with my left which means you step backward with your right. Here we go." John pushed lightly and then took a small step being careful to watch so that he did not step on her foot. "Excellent now I am going to move my right to match my left and you move your left to match where your right is. Then we move to the side my right your left." He put a little pressure on her waist to indicate the direction.

Mimi followed John's instruction and his movements, just from the description she recognised the style of dance he was intending and she did know how to do it. As they reached the end of their first box she quickly lead him into the next part.

John was surprised and almost missed the step. "You have done this before? Or you just a natural?" he asked.

Nodding slightly as they carried on through the next sequence Mimi thought for a moment about what to say. "I have done a little before..." She hesistated a little again. "..with M'rthyr."

John said nothing just a brief cloud passed over his face. He did not want to have anything lessen the evening so he just said, "Well then, let's go then and show me how much you have learned. Twirls, Telemarks, Fleckerl?" he questioned.

"Fleckerl?" Mimi asked, she'd never heard that before.

"Basically sort of dance in place thing. Unlike, most Viennese Waltz which moves around. Here it's a six step move. You would do, RF to side and slightly back to inside edge of Man's LF, LF crosses behind RF, 1/2 weight a type of twist turn, End weight on RF, Draw LF back to RF, RF to side and slightly back with 1/2 weight and end with LF crosses in front of RF. Now let's take it slow and we won't worry about the small turns."

"This sounds hard but I will try." Mimi said.

"We will go slow," John said. He was glad that he had taken lessons. At least he did not look like just an ignorant brute. He noted she picked things up fairly quickly and pretty soon, it was like they were one entity as they went around.

The next couple of dances were more modern but he finally got the dj to play another waltz after a point. He selected the Blue Danube and returned making a bow just as the tune began. "Shall we?"

John had learned the European style and he kept to that as they whirled and moved with natural and reverse turns, closed and open changes, fleckerls which she had just learned, contra check, left whisk, and canter-time pivot turn.

"You are better at this then I thought you would be John, you did not look like a dancer to me." Mimi said as they danced.

"I took lessons. I figured better get some polishing or look like a country hick forever. Just told a lot of people heading off for the bar but went down to a dance studio." He smiled and moved. "I am glad I did, I would not have thought to have such a lovely time with such a lovely partner."

"I am glad you did too." Mimi went to kiss his but hesistated again, dancing with him in this enviroment wasn't too bad but kissing him, she wasn't so sure

John made a turn and a whirl to bring her back and leaned and whispered, "Maybe when we leave and I walk you home. Discretion best for now."


[OFF]

To Be Continued…



Lt. JG Aria Rice
Security
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Vansen]

Lt. Tris Shizn
Conn Officer
USS Galileo-A

LTJG Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant Lake ir-Llantrisant
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo-A

PO3 Constantin Vansen
Operations
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Vansen]

CWO2 Oliver Sylver
CONN
USS GalileoA
[PNPC Vansen]

CH Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

CDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo-A

PO1 Gabriel Stark
Security
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

Dr. Alexion Wylde
Medical
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

Laeon Wylde
Civilian Dependent
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Blake]

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Second and Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A

Crewman Draia Theroh
Engineer's Mate
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC ir-Llantrisant]

Chief Petty Officer Kala Gorvel
Engineering Officer
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Wyatt]

LuAnn Lovegood
Counselor
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant Marisa Sandoval
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

 

RSS Feed