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Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Drinking Yourself Blind

Day 01 [2200 hrs.] Drinking Yourself Blind

[ Lt. JG Hi'Jak | Deck 28 | Below Decks  USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage
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Jack must have been low priority on the list. As a junior Lieutenant he was supposed to get his own quarters, and yet had not been assigned a place to sleep despite his interview having been a little over an hour ago. A new com badge had been issued to him, and Jack's rank had been reinstated though on a ship of traitors how much did he really care about his old rank. Once again he had been put in place as a junior lieutenant. Tomorrow he would be a member of the science department.

Tonight he was going to end up sleeping in a bar, and what's worse was the dull throb in the back of his head. Maybe it was just stimulation overload. Between what happened earlier with Sera, and then the big meeting in the hanger deck, and the hours that had transpired after that. Jack was starting to feel a little worse for ware.

No better cure for a headache than alcohol which was the logic that had brought him to Below Decks. If he could dream big, than he could envision himself going back to someone else room to spend the night. Was that a little hypocritical? Him and Sera were something though neither him nor the other adult in that situation had ever defined what that something was supposed to be.

Also who exactly was he kidding? He had never been popular with the women back on the starbase what exactly changed between then and now? A daring jail escape in the middle of a battle. Right daring, which part? the part where you had used Sera as a human shield or the part where you nearly had to piss yourself the entire time.

Still better than that one guy who puked all over the meeting room.

His vision blurred for a moment and he shook it off this headache was just a minor migraine nothing to really write home about he was a klingon he was supposed to be better than this. So he went back to looking at the bar, looking for company and trying to figure out how he was going to spend the next few hours.

Oh and what to drink.

He had been a little disappointed when he had seen that the replicators here lacked the ability to do some of his old klingon favorites. He would program back in the proper mixes when he had time tomorrow, it was a low priority and he was more willing to go with some earth drink. It seemed even on a ship of traitors there was no Romulan ale options. The drink of legends that he had certainly never indulged in because it was illegal. and Illegal things were bad.

"So what am I going to drink today."

Re: Chapter 05 Drinking Yourself Blind |Day 01 [2200 Hrs.]

Reply #1 –
[ Deacon | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage, Kaligos

It had only been a few hours since the conference with the crew, followed almost immediately by the incident involving the andorian on deck 8, but in truth, the whole of the day seemed one long, interwoven chain of chaos and happenstance existing outside of his grasp.  He disliked this sense of watching his life unfold from the outside; being forced down the rapids without the means to stay dry, let alone steer.  Below Decks, at least, gave him some sense of peace, something he found himself hard pressed to locate anywhere else on the ship thus far.  He had hoped that the late hour would dissuade others from coming down, allowing him some time for reflection and prayer.

The sound of the port doors sliding open, however, assured him that any hope of peace and isolation was futile at best.  This vessel, for better or worse, did not seem to recognize a proper regiment of day and night activities.  He supposed the chaos that brought him here still swam in the veins of everyone else on board.  Rest, it seemed, would be a goal hard earned this day.

From where he sat, nestled neatly on the ground behind the bar counter, legs crossed one over the other and tail folded neatly into his lap, he could hear his newest unplanned visitor.  Sniffing at the air, ears folded back and  eyes still half-closed, Deacon filtered past the scents of food, booze and past guests until his nose revealed that this new arrival was likely klingon.

"So what am I going to drink today," the klingon asked, prompting a snort born of irritation mixed with amusement from the kzin.

"It is a wonder the crew does not wander around in a drunk stupor half the time," Deacon stated, not bothering to move from his seated position on the floor, but speaking loud enough to ensure he was heard clearly.  "This place is like an open excuse to become intoxicated and not a shred of strakh to be earned."

He rose to his feet, giving a sour glance at his left hand, flexing his fingers several times.  Had his hand fallen asleep?  It wasn't an uncommon situation, though he was certain he'd not done anything to warrant such a feeling.  Perhaps he's strained something while dealing with the incident on deck 8 earlier?  Was he that out of shape?  Unlikely, but whatever the cause, it was somewhat disconcerting.

Still, now was not the time.

Deacon's golden eyes turned to the klingon as he rose to his full stature.  Of all the major powers in the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, only the klingons were given some token amount of respect by kzinti bred from a commonality in culture, honor and bloodshed.  But where the klingons had finally allied -- for the most part -- with the humans and their Federation, kzinti still nursed old wounds and plotted their revenge.  And where klingons had prospered, the kzinti festered.  This was another lesson he prayed the Fanged God would teach his people.

"Some humans nearly cleared the bar of wine."  He considered.  "Well, come to think of it... one human.  A female.  Six bottles."  He tilted his head and folded one ear forward playfully.  "You'd almost think she was klingon."

He took a deep breath and leaned back to look at what remained beneath the bar.  "Fortunately for you, she stopped short of the more exotic stocks."  Carefully, he reached down and lifted several bottle up to the counter for display.  "Hmm... two vintages of kanar, breshtanti ale, perhaps some maraltian seev-ale...?" he offered, gauging the klingon's response.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #2 –
[ Krystal "Meony" Tancredi | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lt. JG Hi'Jak & Deacon
 
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Lordy! Tancredi was in a tiff. She was nursing a headache that wasn't alcohol-induced. After all that talking and briefing and acclimatisation to a new ship, the redhead just wanted to forget everything in blissful oblivion...for a while at least. After that near miss with the protective coil around the tumour in her brain, she was told to take it easy, get some rest, blah blah bleh, the usual stuff. Not that Tancredi was well known for listening to doctors other than Captain Kendrick.  So she followed three other Resolve crew mates, all clustering together, keeping with Marquez's instructions to have no less than two walking together. Even the redhead obeyed this one. Plus she was keeping an eye on her own team. But once they were in, she split off from them, making a beeline for Jack, who was being addressed by a catman, not of the same species as K'Ren though.

“Well, howdy sugah!” said Tancredi, “Ah was hopin' ya'd be hereabouts! And lo an' behold, there ya are.”

Looking at the selection the catman was bringing up, she grinned, “Mm-mmm! Ah do lahk yer taste uh...mister.” she half raised a hand with index finger out, and she gave the catman an uncertain smile. “Don't suppose there's any Romulan ale in there?”

Too bad none of the Resolve stock survived the explosion, or they'd really have a little party. Which reminded her of something, She lightly punched Jack in the shoulder, “Hey Jack, d'ya have the coding for Chech'tluth? That would be somethin' ta add here if they don' already have it!”

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #3 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark| Below Decks | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy 01 ]

There was still much left to do, Natalie thought to herself, as she made her way down to deck 28. People to reassign, meetings to be had, a potential assistant to bring in from the Resolve - to fill the hole in the roster she herself left when she was promoted to replace Hendrick's after he passed away. Died violently, you mean. the dark thought surfaced, unhidden, but refused to be dismissed. Damn.

She should be working, but she was just done, in every possible sense of the word. Hips swaying beneath her skirt, Natalie Stark forced her self to sashay into the Below Decks bar, refusing to let old ghosts keep her away from the place. She didn't want to be holed up in the barely occupied officers lounge. She wanted people around, for whatever that would be worth. Not that she was great for company just then. She was feeling like shit, after the raid, taking command in the wake of it, and then briefing so many new crew.

And never mind saying a few quiet goodbyes to crew that hadn't survived the battle. Far too many of those.

But she stopped in her tracks as she looked around the room, hearing the loudmouth science officer that had been swept off the starbase during the retreat. The one that had evidence against Ian Hawthorne, and yet seemed to doubt every word out of Captain Ives mouth. She scowled, then swiftly schooled her features. A sign of how tried she was - Natalie was too self concious to let her face betray her thoughts.

Which shifted to why is there a K'nzit behind the bar. Carefully she walked up to the bar, opposite the others and quietly sat down. She felt like she'd just stepped through the looking glass...

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #4 –
[ Lt. JG Hi'Jak | Deck 28 | Below Decks  USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage
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"heh, Federation drinks are nearly impossible to get wrecked with, the Synthohol doesn't stay in your system long enough for a hang over. Unless you drink far too much of it." Jack seemed to discredit the idea that the giant Cat-man brought up before actually turning towards the creature and seeing what exactly he was dealing with. His eyes widened for a moment as he looked over the larger creature.

When the cat behind the bar mentioned a woman who drank six bottles of wine he just shook his head, yep that was the kind of drinking that would cause a hang over, and the kind of drinking he was frankly here for. When he said something about Klingons however Jack's eyes turned on the creature. "Excuse me I didn't seem to catch your name? I'm Jack."

He knew for a fact that the cat thing had brought up the Klingon remark because of his forehead. It was always so innocent to others, and every single time it made his eye twitch. It didn't always strike such a nerve. He could remembered days before Simon, before Starbase 84, a bright eyed Ensign fresh out of the academy ready to serve and do his part to make the universe a better place. He remembered even before that under the green skies of Qo'Nos where he had been born and raised. He remembered the desire and pride of wanting to be a warrior like his older brothers and sisters. "tach 'oHbe' Daq batlh Daq vor neH."

Oh that nieve dumb bastard. Too smart to be a good Klingon, not crafty enough to be a good human. He tried to shake it off, but his eyes stared dangerously at the cat thing for it. "pong Hurgh poH Hurgh HIq. So I will take some of the vintage Kanar."

His eyes turned another familiar voice and he was quick to break into a smile. "Well if it isn't my savior of the day."

Jack couldn't help but chuckle at Tancredi's entrance and request for Romulan Ale, now that was a drink he could get behind. But he doubted that this place had anything of the sort. Ive's had been pretty clear about them all still being under Federation classifications. "Sadly my personal recipes were confiscated with the data pads that contain my life's work. So I probably won't get that stuff back till tomorrow after some ugly stuck up asshole science officer goes through it all to steal my work."

The only thing Jack had left of his possessions was the puzzle box, which he had made sure to keep close at hand ever since he had arrived. Currently it sat in a belt holster, which was supposed to be designed for a phaser, but he had to give up the weapons he had stolen from starbase security hours ago. His eyes turned only slightly to the third woman at the table, since she didn't speak or order anything he didn't address her.

"My new friend the bar tender was just getting me some Kanar, how do you feel about Cardassian drinks? They don't have the spice of the klingons, but they have just as many atrocities." Jack smirked sure he wanted to bash the cat in for being a little xenophobic, and yet he was willing to make jokes at the expense of the cardassians. It was just how he was feeling.

"So what do you think of the modern Bismark that we are sitting in?"

~~~
Translations:
"tach 'oHbe' Daq batlh Daq vor neH."

The bar is not a place for honor, but a place of healing.

pong Hurgh poH Hurgh HIq

Dark times call for dark drinks

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #5 –
[ Deacon | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage, Kaligos, Brutus

"Excuse me I didn't seem to catch your name? I'm Jack."

"Deacon," he replied as he cast another appraising glance down below the bar, deciding that it had been left to the free discretion of the crew for far too long.  "And according to the ship's avatar, for tonight, at least, I am keeper of this place."

"tach 'oHbe' Daq batlh Daq vor neH. pong Hurgh poH Hurgh HIq. So I will take some of the vintage Kanar."

With a tilt of his head, Deacon considered Jack's words before offering, "jIlegh. vaj HIq neH mo' Hegh," as he took hold of the second bottle of kanar and poured out the rich, plum colored liquid into a glass.  "That would explain why this place is so popular.  Well, then perhaps the Fanged God delivered me to just the right spot."

Two females entered in the klingon's wake, although he supposed half-klingon was perhaps a more accurate description.  Deacon squared himself, as the first female approached and inserted herself into the conversation, a faint tingle of offense running down his spine that he forced himself to swallow.  He'd already taken the measure of this crew hours earlier and there was no avoiding the manretti if he was going to be part of it and he could hardly spend every interaction with tension riding his shoulders to his ears.

At first she had requested Romulan Ale, which, according to Deacon's admittedly limited knowledge of Federation regulations, as illegal; and then she asked the half-klingon about chech'tluth.  Truth be told, given the alliance between the humans and klingons, he'd half expected the ship to be able to replicate most intoxicant suitable for klingon consumption, but perhaps therein lay another similarity between their species.  Perhaps klingons had no love for replicated alcohol just as he had no desire for replicated meat.

He regarded the female casually, or as casually as his training would permit, before he grabbed a second glass and poured an equal measure of kanar out for her as well. 

"Regrettably, the hour is late and I am not yet versed on the available food stocks, or I would prepare a proper meal," he added, returning the other bottles back on the shelves.  Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the second female sequestering herself at the far end of the bar, whether it out of wariness, weariness or some other desire for solitude.  Truth be told, he was happily inclined to let her sit in the corner ignored, but that didn't seem to be the expectation for this position and if nothing else, he took pride in his duties.  "nuqneH," he said, as he turned towards the the lone female.

"Do you want a drink?" he asked as he approached.


---
Translations:
"jIlegh. vaj HIq neH mo' Hegh" = "I see.  So the alcohol is just an excuse not to die." (implied "So it's purely for medicinal purposes")

"nuqneH" = "Excuse me."

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #6 –
[ Krystal "Meony" Tancredi | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lt. JG Hi'Jak, Deacon & Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark
 
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Tancredi's head whipped around to look at the newcomer, studying her momentarily, then quickly studying the exits and recounting her strategic extraction in her head again should it become necessary. She took in the measure of the woman and returned to catman, now Deacon, which was...at least to her...probably a lousier name than catman. But he poured her a drink, and basically, they'd already met earlier, during the whole thing with a drunk lady and some guy who was probably going to haunt her for a while yet. And she was still wearing her Tactical CONN suit, so she wasn't too concerned. Metal knee to the groin was generally good for defusing something, as long as the problem was a man.

“Well dat's a cryin' shame,” said Tancredi, “but Ah s'ppose it could'a been worse.”

She took a seat beside Jack and raised the newly poured glass to Deacon in appreciation, “Much oblahged, sugah.”

Sipping the drink, she nodded at Jack, “Atrocities ain't th' half of it, Jack! What th' hell?!?”

She wasn't really complaining complaining, but she was complaining. Romulan Ale would be so awesome. At his next question, she looked around her once more, taking the opportunity to study the structure and consider alternate strategies for escape. And who she'd be taking away with her in the escape. “It's fahn, Ah reckon. From da briefin' earliah, Ah gather we better get used ta it bein' our home. Whah d'ya ask? Don' lahk it?”

The catman was going over to address the other woman, and the young redhead followed his movements casually, as if idly allowing a movement and action to distract her, but she wanted to take in Jack's measure. She didn't know him all that well beyond that one meeting with him when she was following F'rell around. And where was his Borg friend?

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #7 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark| Below Decks | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy 01 ]

Natalie tried to tune out the jovial pilot from the Resolve (she could see the ship name on the flight suit) and the arrogant Little upstart from Starbase 84. Truly, she made the effort. But the pilots voice, it carried far, her twang quite distinctive, and the science officer...was clearly feeling the results of the day, going out of his way to insult the captain, and Thea.

Modern Bismarck indeed she thought darkly, about to open her mouth and correct the junior officer, when the man - he sure looked like a man - approached and said something she didn't understand, until the communicator translated it, then asked if she'd like a drink. He was....tall. Fuzzy. Polite. Not what one would expect of a member of a species that was one of the Federation - Humanity in particular - oldest foes. She'd only ever seen holos - and older 2D recordings - of his species. And yet, here he was, clearly taking Rory's old role.

War makes for strange bedfellows

"Yes please," Natalie could be polite, "I'd like anything you have that happens to be sweet, easy to drink. And strong enough to blot out - that is...to calm some fraded nerves." She managed to smile, leaning on the bartop, reminding herself that even off duty, she was Senior Staff, and that carried a responsibility with it, regardless of the hour. Ives and Trent would expect no less of her.

Even if that Bismark comment sat uneasy with the Lieutenant Commander.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #8 –
[ Lt. JG Hi'Jak | Deck 28 | Below Decks  USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage
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It was odd hearing Klingon come from someone inside of Federation space. Hearing Deacon's tone it was fluent and unusually well spoken for the area of space he was found in. Considering that a mere few hours ago they had been on the boarder of the Romulan Empire. He looked at the creature for a moment something akin to respect going through his mind as he picked up the plum colored liqueur. The problem with using the replicators was the synthenol, he had managed to make a reciepie that tasted almost exactly like  Chech'tluth but without the ability to mix and cure the proper Klingon liqueur that went into the drink it was a Federation carbon copy.

For now he had to agree with Deacon. "I am almost worried to ask this, but how long do you think the real drinks will last in your stores, I can't imagine this ship gets to dock for supplies very often."

Tasting the Kanar he seemed to have no problem with it. A little more sour than he was used too, and like he said it lacked the spice, but when it came down to it, he would drink happily. Hearing Tancredi's reaction to the drink he chuckled. "Cardassian's tend to lack imagination in their selection. But it still does the job, and frankly I will take anything over the Federation's replicator's dystilled vomit any day."

Going from the cat who spoke Klingon with no accent or hint of problems came the woman who couldn't even speak standard without her unconventional twang. It was adorable really, and one of the things that made him smile even if there was something about Krystal that made him think she was always a quarter inch away from driving a spoon into him. "To the contrary I actually love the ship. She's beautiful, I got to see a few maps, and looking at her from the outside she is attractive, curves in great places even she's a little bruised to be expected of anything that flies in space."

His tone was a little playful hinting that he wasn't just talking about the ship. Aside from their previous meeting he really did want to get to know the pilot a little better. She was one of the few faces he immediately knew on this ship, as he wasn't exactly sure where Six had vanished too, and Sera was down in the Sabine staying the night in her own ship, and hopefully not leaving him stranded come morning.

"There is one thing that's going to keep me up at night though... Well aside from the fact that I still don't have quarters. Back on 84, I would listen to the Federation daily casts, the theurgy came up a lot on talk shows, There was this one guy who was completely convinced that the captain was replaced by the ship AI after some kind of romulan sabotage. I'm just going to say it, paranoid as it sounds, but they took away my tricorder before the breifing, and I didn't run any life sign scans before the sabine landed. Sounds crazy, but than this is the same crew that believes invisible parasites have taken over the Federation so at this point, i just don't want to rule anything out." He took a sip of the Kanar, glancing over to the other woman at the bar, he knew nothing about her.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #9 –
[ Deacon | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage, Kaligos, Brutus


"I'd like anything you have that happens to be sweet, easy to drink. And strong enough to blot out - that is...to calm some frayed nerves," the lone female had said.

Sweet?  Deacon tilted his head slightly as he considered.  He had vague recollections of 'sweet', things he could eat when he was younger that would pass through him now like a herd of stampeding azkdow, let alone he'd long since lost the ability to taste anything that came close.  Sweet wasn't a critical dietary compliment among the kzinti, after all... meat, meat, and more meat.  They needed know solely if it had soured and turned rotten to avoid it, and they had nearly thirty words to describe its more savory aspects.

Still, admitting ignorance to the female was more than he cared to handle.  He considered his options, casting an appraising glance once more at the bottles beneath the bar, of which one stood out for its sheer lack of nearby companions.  The Risan wine.  The other female had imbibed great quantities earlier and while it was a stretch, he had to guess that manretti shared a similar taste.  And Risa was purported to be a pleasure planet of sorts.  Perhaps this would fit the bill.

He stooped, taking hold of the bottle, grabbing another glass with his free hand and pouring a liberal amount of the dark, violet fluid inside before placing it before Stark.  "Risan wine."  He looked at the bottle and then placed it on the bar before her as well. "To... 'calm some frayed nerves,'" he added with a slight incline of his head.

"I am almost worried to ask this, but how long do you think the real drinks will last in your stores, I can't imagine this ship gets to dock for supplies very often."

Deacon looked back towards the man -- Jack he'd said his name was -- and then cast a glance across the bottles out of sheer reflex, as if by will and repetition he might compel them to multiply spontaneously.  "I have not had the opportunity to take a full accounting of the stock," he replied, crossing back, flexing his hand in a vain effort to offset the numbness, "but given the rate of drinking I have seen tonight, we will likely need a distillery unless someone sets up a regular supply chain."

He crossed his arms, leaning against the back wall.  "And it would appear this vessel is woefully short on friends these days."

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #10 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark| Below Decks | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy 01 ]

The ...bartender, she supposed - was very polite, she thought, a stark counterpoint to the science officer across the bar, flirting - at least she thought he was flirting - with the pilot. Again, not what she was expecting. Natalie would have thought that she'd be past base stereotypes, and yet here she was, falling victim to them. Then again, her only exposure to the Kzinti had up until that point been history texts. And history was written by the victor - in this case, Earth, of centuries prior. Her people had come a long, long way as a species, but they still had some faults. Perhaps their descriptions of the Kzinit culture was one such thing.

Or perhaps this one was a weirdo. Who could tell?

"Thank you," She quietly replied, with another ghost of a smile, as the set the wine before her. Gingerly the COps took the glass by the stem, holding it tightly and giving it a gentle swirl. It was fragrant, and if it tasted anything like how it smelled, there was every chance it would be delicious. So she closed her eyes and brought it to her lips, taking a small sip. "MMmmmmmm," the noise tumbled out on his own accord as the sweet flavor splashed across her tongue and slid down the back of her throat, smooth as silk. Well, things were starting to look -

"There is one thing that's going to keep me up at night though... Well aside from the fact that I still don't have quarters. Back on 84, I would listen to the Federation daily casts, the theurgy came up a lot on talk shows, There was this one guy who was completely convinced that the captain was replaced by the ship AI after some kind of romulan sabotage. I'm just going to say it, paranoid as it sounds, but they took away my tricorder before the briefing, and I didn't run any life sign scans before the sabine landed. Sounds crazy, but than this is the same crew that believes invisible parasites have taken over the Federation so at this point, i just don't want to rule anything out."

Natalie choked on her drink, letting out a sputtering cough and nearly dropped the glass. The same skilled dexterity that allowed her to input multiple commands get her hands into the guts of the ship with ease allowed her to keep the wine from spilling everywhere, but it was a close thing. Swallowing, coughing again, Natalie was unable to resist confronting the sheer stupid she just heard.

Senior officer or no, she just couldn't stop herself from blurting out, "Are you kidding me? Do you really believe such utter hogwash?" Her tongue felt slightly thick from the sweet wine, but her words were acerbic, "You're a science officer, use your bloody head! Weren't you the one that came a board with proof that Hawthorne was a traitor? And you think the Captain has been replaced by the ships AI!? Of all the damned fool conspiracy theories...Do people actually believe that crap?"

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #11 –
[ Krystal "Meony" Tancredi | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lt. JG Hi'Jak, Deacon & Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark
 
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Grinning at Jack, Meony shook her head, “Don' worry, we're a smart buncha fucks. Ah'm sher we'd figger somethin' out.”

She pointed to Deacon with an appreciative smile, “Distillery! Ya see? Our problems are solved.”

She tilted her head back and poured that lousy drink in, “Ah hear ya, sugah,” said Tancredi as she turned and leaned her back against the bar, eyes on the escape routes, “replicators cain't capture ah...whaddaya callit? Essence!”

She frowned when Jack spoke about the ship. It seemed to be a double entendre there, and she glanced over at him curiously. But after that, he went on about Jien Ives and a conspiracy. She had to admit, that caught her attention. Replaced by an AI. The other woman didn't take what Jack had to say too well. Because she was choking, or she just hated her drink too. Speaking of which, Tancredi was ready for more of the horrible stuff. But before she could call on Deacon, the woman was scolding Jack, and Tancredi simply glanced back and forth for a while, then she looked at the lady, “Ye'll pardon me, ma'am, but Ah've seen an' 'eard weirder things than dis. So yeah, Ah do believe.”

Besides that, she knew Jack just a tad better than the lady, so...but to soften the blow a little, and because she wasn't looking for trouble...yet, she raised a calming hand, and added, “Ah mean, Ah ain't rulin' nothin' out, y'know? Sure, mebbe it's stupid, mebbe it's all jus' hogwash, as ya said, but Ah lahk to be prepared fer anythin'. And hey, don' take it all out on Jack. 'e's just theorahzin an' all dat, raht, Jack?”

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #12 –
[ Lt. JG Hi'Jak | Deck 28 | Below Decks  USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage
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Jack didn't turn to face the woman when she started choking he knew he wasn't being very tactful but after the day he had he was pretty sure it hardly mattered. When she started on her rant he turned to pay her some attention, but as he finished his Kanar listening to her speak his first reaction was to hold up his hand towards Deacon and signal for another glass.

"Could me and my friend keep the bottle to share between us?"He said gesturing between him and Tancridi. He was here to drink first thanks to his migraine. After that came finding a place to spend the night, and thirdly was putting this random officer in her place. One glance at her collar and he knew he had to try and play this a little safe.

But when she mentioned Hawthorne he grinned for a moment. "Yes, I brought evidence that Hawthorne had sold himself to the Romulans, and was willing to work with them to incite a war on all fronts. You know what was oddly missing from that evidence? Invisible parasites. So lets use our heads for a moment."

Jack's voice was rather calm as he actually turned to face her. He was glad that Tancridi was willing to come to his defense and he chuckled at the fact that she agreed with him. "Ockham's razor if two explanations exist the simplest solution is often the better. Which is simpler? That all of the Federation has been duped save for one ship, and the entirety of the admiralty has been replaced by something that can not be seen on any kind of scan. So that every task force, every action has been furthering some sort of agenda for possibly hundreds of years because time travel or when the ship went to romulan space something happened and one captain was replaced by an AI puppet head when no one was looking. One involves a con spanning hundreds of ships, planets and countless lives,  the other involves one replacement."

"So I ask you looking at the two theories which crazy conspiracy sounds easier to swallow? all of the Federation, or one experimental AI gone rouge?" Jack moved his hands as if he were balancing a scale. "Now that isn't saying that I won't rule out the possibilities of this camp fire horror story, but like my friend just said, I am not about to rule out anything, because I'm a science officer, and if you want to convince me I need facts. Hawthorne was a dick that's a fact, but an invisible parasite parading around in human skin, that's just a theory... like gravity."

Jack added that last part just to be a little cheeky as he turned to Krystal. "Thank you for the defense."

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #13 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark| Below Decks | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy 01 ]

With her drink set aside - momentarily forgotten - Natalie devoted her full attention and ire onto Hi'Jak. She'd finally remembered his name. To a lesser extent, she noted the pilot, who was at the very least trying to be polite. She thought. It was hard to tell - her accent was a bit tough for Natalie to parse, between the general exhaustion of the day and the half a glass she'd consumed so far. Regardless, it was the science officer that Natalie needed to focus on and disabuse him of his notions.

Use our heads? she silently repeated. Oh oh no, he was not 'just theorizing,' as the pilot put it. He was being an ass. And Natalie wasn't going to sit there and take it.  But she kept her mouth shut and listened to him, tried to remind herself that this was what the rest of the galaxy was hearing, day in, and day out. It just made her angrier. At the lies spread about her, her shipmates and her captain.

It was hard for Natalie to cut the pilot from the Resolve much slack either, even though she had been lost in space for three years, beyond the Romulan boarder. Natalie had no idea what she'd seen, experienced on such a journey, and any other day, any other topic, she'd be the pinnacle of sympathy and understanding.

But not today, and not about this.

"You're quite done then, yes?" She asked, paused, sipped her drink, and then started, "I have seen a hologram in action, and I have seen Jien Ives, it doesn't take much to tell the difference with  a pair of eyes. Observation," she stated, bluntly. She traced her finger around the rim of her wine glass as she continued.

"I have faced down a ship that should not exist, brought back from the future for the soul purpose of wiping me and my shipmates out of existence." She shot him a solid glare, "And you - both of you - have seen proof of that, in the form of the Reaver Fighter in the bay earlier this evening." Undeniable proof of at least part of their claims. 

"You have seen the logs, the videos - I'll grant you that could have been mocked up. Fine. You have heard their first officers testimony," she gestured to the red head, lifting her finger from the glass to do so, "As to how nigh on impossible it was to end Ian Hawthorne, which also collaborated our claims. An...outside observation, if you will. Since no one here can be trusted, what with being replaced by holograms."

"If you still think we're all holograms, well, there really isn't much I can do, save perhaps," she reached out over the bar, finding something sharp, and very swiftly cutting her palm. Oh this was a stupid idea, she thought, but she'd had a hell of a day and she was done with this (not to mention, when it came to alcohol, Natalie was an extreme light weight). The red blood dripped to the table and she slid the stained metal across the bar to Hi'Jak. "Analyze away, smart-ass." She then calmly grabbed a cloth napkin and pressed it to her palm. The regrets she'd have in the morning...

"Now I understand that I'm just a lowly Operations Chief, and not a vaunted junior scientist, but I still remember that Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation is a thing. A law. Not a theory." Not once, in her disdainful retort, did Natalie use her rank, save right at the end, and even then, not overtly, or so she felt. No, she wanted to put the little guttersnipe in his place on merit, not position. "So the next time you think about opening your mouth and spewing forth such crap, reconsider, and keep it shut."

Stiffing a hiss of pain, Natalie turned back to the bartender, and quietly apologized, "I'm sorry for all the mess."

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #14 –
[ Deacon | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage, Kaligos, Brutus

Deacon observed the growing confrontation with an equal amount of irritation and disinterest.  The lone female, it seemed, had been incensed by the half-klingon's observations, whether they were smoke or substance.  Either way, such mocking as not uncommon between kzinti trying to measure station within the prides, but it was uncomfortable seeing it here, so far from homeworld, on a species that had claimed such superiority over his own.

When Jack had made the assertion that the Captain may have been replaced by the AI, Deacon considered whether to interject that he, himself, could readily tell the difference between the two as the vessel's avatar had no discernible scent beyond a vague ionization, but the captain clearly did -- although admittedly that was something he caught across a room filled with literally almost everyone else aboard the ship.  Still, his ziirgah had never lied to him, and that was certain enough to tell the one from the other.  But the argument was not with him, and here, in this place -- for the night at least -- he felt he knew the order of authority.

Fortunately, the female with the curious accent beside the klingon had elected not to exacerbate the situation further, and for that, Deacon slid the bottle of kanar in her direction.  He would have slid both bottles, but that risked the supplies even further and given what he'd observed this night alone, these were going to be sorely needed in days to come.

When the confrontation arose to the point of the lone female slicing open her hand to expose her blood, Deacon found he'd reached his limit.  Slamming his hand down on the offered sample, silently grumbling about the unresolved lack of sensation and hoping he'd not accidentally cut himself in the process, giving both patrons a sour glare with his large golden eyes.  "Enough.  If you wish to duel, I will provide you with wtsai and you can take it into the hall, but I will not have unsanctioned bloodshed -- no matter how voluntary -- here."

Sliding the blood sample from the bar, he carried it over to the disposal unit and placed it inside where it disappeared in a shower of glimmering spikes.  From below the bar, he pulled out a box covered in what he fortunately recognized to be the Federation designations for first aid -- something he'd seen enough of during his few escort missions accompanying the raiding parties.  He pushed the box towards Stark.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #15 –
[ Ens. Krystal "Meony" Tancredi | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lt. JG Hi'Jak, Deacon & Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark
 
[Show/Hide]
Tancredi remained in her reverse position, leaning back against the bar in her Tactical CONN suit, cowboy hat low over her eyes, so with just a slight angling, and her eyes were hidden from sight, but she was still sharp and alert, watching everything. The lady was livid, furious, and Jack talking back, even if mildly in her book, aggravated the lady. Plus, she was drunk, but wasn't that her first drink since coming in? Maybe she couldn't hold her liquor. Or she already had other drinks earlier. Either way, it wasn't going well.

Her eyes widened when she saw her taking a sharp object to herself. Oh she wasn't that insane, was she?

Slice.

Apparently she was!

Tancredi sighed and raised a free hand to pinch the bridge of her nose between her eyes, “Oh not another one...” she muttered softly under her breath, “...cain't them Theurgy cowpokes handle a li'l drink?!?”

Other than that movement, Tancredi moved little more even as the bloodied item was slid over, only for Deacon to smack a paw on it. Well good for him. Then he handed the lady a first aid kit. Earlier, when he slid the bottle of Kanar which Jack asked for in her direction, she'd smoothly caught it without even turning or looking. Simply moving her hand to grasp it, and pour herself some more. Now she moved the same hand to pour Jack a drink. It was cool, if a little silly to move so little and do all this, but if she didn't spill, then she had the whole look of a cowgirl down pat. But that aside, she was really thinking everything through, and after taking a sip...and barely stifling a cringe, she finally turned her head and looked over at Jack.

“Ah would stop at dis poahnt,” said Tancredi privately to him, though the catman could probably hear her, if those ears of his are anything to go by, “dat woman's blasted.”

Any other day, if the Resolve was still functioning, and if Captain Kendrick were here, very likely, she'd have been fighting the woman already, and being read up on it later then confined to quarters. But she had no quarters, and she couldn't afford to be imprisoned even for a moment, so she refrained from her basic instincts. She placed the bottle between herself and Jack. “To sahns, and to theories.”

Glug.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #16 –
[ Lt. JG Hi'Jak | Deck 28 | Below Decks  USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage
[Show/Hide]

When she grabbed the knife Jack had old instincts, his hand impulsively went to his back. It was a sharp impulsive motion that clearly wasn't hiding it's self as he went to draw a weapon. A weapon that wasn't there leaving Jack to touch his back and find not the handle of what he was seeking but rather the cloth of his uniform.

~~
StarBase84 | Jack's former Personal Quarters ]

A security team was sweeping through the room of the Half Klingon, the man had gone missing during the day's events and his quarters had been opened to investigations. The room was a mess, the bed had been torn open as if someone had scrambled for an early morning. The last Replicator order in the system was an Americano coffee, and a serving of Targ'd jerky. A quick breakfast of a man running late. On the desk was a personal consol a screen saver consisting of a young Klingon woman in what could best be described as a Pin up position, the files the team were busy digging through where labled 'letters to my sister' and were so boring that the team had ended up deleting the entire file after only a cursory read through, and perhaps most importantly on the desk next to the tactical belt that Jack had failed to put on that morning was a D'k Tahg. One of the security team picked up the long Klingon blade, and gave a chuckle. "Hey isn't it like dishonorable to loose these things?"

~~
 Deck 28 | Below Decks  USS Theurgy ]

Jack's hand recoiled slightly a single thought running through his mind of just how helpful his weapon would be if she chose to stab him, and the emence gratitude when she decided to stab herself first. He was with Krystal on this one she was crazy, and he wouldn't be pressing this issue any farther tonight. Jack Physically scooted away from the woman which put him further towards Krystal. "Yeah I'm a little more worried for my safety now, probably best if we picked smarter topics."

Jack poured himself a new drink and raised his glass to Krystal's toast. At the same time his eyes cast a worried glance towards their bar tender who was treating the mad woman's injuries. He knew this ship had been through hell from the main briefing, but now that he had seen someone in action his question was more about if everyone aboard the ship was just as crazy as her.

"I'll drink to that." Jack said raising his glass. "You know I'm kind of scared."

as he turned around to look out over the bar as Tancredi was his eyes caught the windows watching the beauty of the Azure Nebula and the deep blue of the gas cloud outside of them. "lom juS, That's the Klingon name for this place. Translates to Corpse passage, For a hundred years during the war with the Federation as boarders were defined anything that exited this pass would be destroyed. Some of our greatest military victories, and failures came from the use of this nebula. Growing up you hear the ghost stories about haunted shipyards, dead worlds and terrifying beasts that would live in these clouds."

Jack took a breath and shook his head closing his eyes, feeling them rest for a moment as he took another drink of the Kanar. He had the oddest feeling that being in this place was not going to end well for them.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #17 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark| Below Decks | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy 01 ]

That hadn't gone quite as well as she'd expected. Still, she had apologized to the bartender - hard to think of anyone working their other than Rory, even if Edena Rez had done so after Rory's passing - but here he was, no use in trying to argue. She seemed to have shut up the doubter and his pilot friend as well, so she'd take the victory. Perhaps the willingness on Natalie's part to prove him wrong had been enough for him.

Perhaps he's just written you off as a loon. Good job, Nat, she reprimanded herself. No matter, she silently decided. She would not apologize to the younger officer (she assumed younger, she had no idea). If he wanted to play the fool then so be it. Someone would have to be alerted though - if not that this man had his doubts, then that the rumor was going around. Replaced by the ships AI? What a crock.

Sighing quietly she opened the first aid kit and withdrew an autosuture. She was no medic but she had enough skill to knit the skin back together. The device hummed quietly, the light at the diode flaring a bit as the beam pulled flesh back into place, sealing the cut and leaving her skin bloodstained. This, she took care of with a few antiseptic wipes, dropping them into a self sealing disposal bag. And then she took a long, slow pull from her glass, draining it.

"Thank you, again," she quietly addressed the bartender. "Do you mind if I have another?" She asked, pointing to the bottle he'd left on the bar, then the glass, wanting to check first. She had over heard him talking about dwindling stocks.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #18 –
[ Deacon | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage, Kaligos, Brutus

Deacon took a deep breath, pleased that he'd managed to diffuse the situation before it lead to another pride war.  He'd already been forced to untangle an assault in the halls earlier and he wasn't even responsible for the halls.  The outraged female had returned to her prior state of calm and tended her self-inflicted wound with a certain introspective silence that Deacon felt the situation warranted.

"Thank you, again," she quietly addressed the bartender. "Do you mind if I have another?" She asked, pointing to the bottle he'd left on the bar, then the glass, wanting to check first.

He considered the bottle and weighed whether the situation could bear the addition of more alcohol.  Would this add fuel to the flame or douse the fires further.  Carefully, he turned and lifted the bottle, refilling the glass.  "I suppose at this point, we will either make due with what we have or we will have a ship full of very sober, very angry people."  He considered the thought with some amusement.  Perhaps that was the heart of the kzinti problem... they didn't properly appreciate inebriation.

Stretching, he continued, "Given the events I've witnessed this night alone, I have to wonder whether such circumstances are more the norm, or merely the result of everyone being battle-worn and perhaps a little... what's the phrase?  Punch drunk?"

Sorting the scattered medical supplies, he lifted the first aid kit and returned it to its station before retrieving a rag from a nearby rack.  He wiped down the bar where the blood had been smeared along with the misty after effect of her incredulous spit take.  "The ship's avatar provided me with access for the night, but I suppose monitoring the stocks falls to whomever gets assigned permanent duty.  I was advised that such an assignment comes from..." he considered, turning his eyes upward and rolling his ears back, ".. Stark?  Yes, Stark.  I suppose I shall have to make an appointment with him after I speak with the Quartermaster."

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #19 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark| Below Decks | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy 01 ]

Appreciating that the furred man seemed content to allow her another glass- as unwise as perhaps that was, seeing how she'd already acted - Natalie watching him pour, watched the deep color fill the glass again, and smelled the sweet aroma wafting up from the crystal. It wobbled in the glass, not quite sloshing, then settled, and Natalie drew it in slowly, inhaling again (as she'd seen on many a holo, as she wasn't a practiced aficionado) and savored the moment. Push a bit of that spite away, she thought to herself.

"I suppose at this point, we will either make due with what we have or we will have a ship full of very sober, very angry people."  Something passed over the mans features as he spoke, and not being an expert in his species, Natalie couldn't quite be sure, but she thought he was amused. She continued to listen as she stretched, took his words, using him as a better reason to ignore the doubter and the pilot.

"Given the events I've witnessed this night alone, I have to wonder whether such circumstances are more the norm, or merely the result of everyone being battle-worn and perhaps a little... what's the phrase? Punch drunk?"

Frowning a bit, in thought, not displeasure, Natalie chose her next words carefully (or as carefully as she was currently capable of. "Despite what some might think," she began, a quick glance down the bar, keeping her voice low, "This crew believes in its mission. For months, we've been on the run, trying to do the right thing. That right thing....was broadcasting the truth of what had happened to the Federation. To Starfleet." She sipped her drink and sighed, staring into it. In its murky depths she could see the Orcus flames reaching out into space, snuffed away as the oxygen that fed them dissipated in the hard vacuum. Shivering, she looked back at the bartender.

"We Failed. We were usurped, our message corrupted, and here we are, trying to stay alive again after our best chance of warning the galaxy fell apart around us. This is what happens when good men and women give their best, full measure, and our found lacking." She tipped the glass up, taking a long pull, leaving it half empty after words, her head slightly fuzzy in the wake.  Far too insightful for your own good, Nat.

The operations chief began to feel hope when the makeshift bartender changed the subject slightly, focusing on the bar itself, and who would run it. Yes, that dragged up a brief memory of blond hair, bright eyes and a soulful voice that had threatened to steal her heart before it fell to the sharp knife of a crazed guard. There was no denying that loss of what might have been. But well...

"... Stark? Yes, Stark. I suppose I shall have to make an appointment with him after I speak with the Quartermaster." She giggled. God help her, she covered her mouth and giggled.

"Oh my," she managed, her head tipping forward, the brown locks spilling around her shoulders, brushing the bar top. She could see herself in the polished reflection. It seemed she was able to smile after all.

"Thank you," Nat knew she had to be sounding a little crazy and a little buzzed (a lot buzzed). "Oh, but I needed that." Squaring her shoulders she swept her hair back over the right one, exposing two golden pips and a darkened one. "I think your appointment started the moment you poured that drink." Seeing confusion on his face, Natalie placed both her hands on the counter top, crossed at the wrist. A finger reached out the stroke the stem of the wineglass. "Lieutenant Commander Natalie Stark, Chief of Operations. At your service."

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #20 –
[ Deacon | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Triage, Kaligos, Brutus

The surly female with the propensity for self-inflicted wounds and sweet wines was the person he needed to speak to about a permanent assignment.  Of course she was.  That did seem to be rather the norm for his day.  First the female on the bridge, then the captain, and now this one -- even the avatar!  For all he knew, the drunk, horny woman from earlier was probably a fleet admiral looking to expand her harem.  Were men even allowed into positions of authority in Starfleeet?  Or was it just this ship?  Could that be the reason it was rogue?  He struggled for a moment to recall how many males had been in command on the starbase.  No, this ship had to be the outlier in that equation.

Fortunately, his face remained steadfastly unreadable even as his thoughts whirled chaotically in the back of his mind.  She had even laughed.  Was it condescension or amusement?  Females were so hard to read which was long cited as one of the strengths the monkeys had maintained over the kzinti-- one of the very reasons why his people had lost so soundly in every encounter.

He refocused his gaze, clearing his throat awkwardly.  And here he had just yelled at this female.  True it had been intended for all present, but did she take it personally?  Was she laughing at the prospect of some vengeance now that she had the power?  She was going to have him spaced.  He was certain of it.  He'd crossed a line somehow and he was going to be spaced.

"I am..." he cleared his throat again, "Deacon."  Perhaps he should apologize?  Would that be a sign of weakness?  He might lose face in front of the klingon.  It would be so much easier to challenge them all to honor duels, at least then the worst that could happen would be his death.  Better to die once for real than suffer a thousand mental knives from doubt and self recrimination.  No, he did what he felt was necessary.  He would do it again. This vessel needed some semblance of order and even if it was here and here alone, he felt he could enforce that order.

"Well... then... I suppose I should ask if there's a more sustainable supply of intoxicants?"  Smooth change of topic.  Expose neither the throat nor the flank, he congratulated himself.  "Regular supply runs?"

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #21 –
[Lieutenant Keval ch'Rayya | Below Decks Lounge | USS Theurgy ] Attention: Everyone/Anyone

After a day like today, Keval knew only one thing;

He needed a drink.

Even with everything that had happened around him, Keval was still trying to process everything that had happened from the loss of their home of the last few years to suddenly being on the run from an extremely hostile alien force that had taken over the very organization that he had served for the past couple of decades of his life.

The main thing on his mind at that moment, the only bright spot, was his hope that the crew..namely the pilot..of the small ship that he helped prior to him having to evacuate from the Resolve to the Theurgy during their brief period of docking before everything else went to pot and he hoped that they managed to survive after all of the death of the day.

The Chan tried to force the thought out of his head as he headed towards the bar and looked at the person behind it. "Hello..this might be a bit strange but can I get something nice and hard along with a glass of water..I don't care what it is as long as it's not wine please." he asked in a respectable tone.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #22 –
[ Ens. Krystal "Meony" Tancredi | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: Lt. JG Hi'Jak, Deacon & Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark

[Show/Hide]
Tancredi didn't miss how Jack reached behind him like he was going for a weapon when the lady had taken a knife to herself. Of course, in her unpredictable state, the redhead likely would have reached for a weapon herself, except it was all taken from her! URGH! Talk about frustrating! Seemed like he was in the same boat with her, but of course, the whole thing turned to nothing. The woman wanted to prove she was not a hologram. Well she supposed she and Jack talking as freely as they did brought about the whole thing, but thankfully, it was now over, and as Jack raised his glass in agreement with her toast, she smiled easily at him, and then lost that smile just as quickly.

Sure, he was half-Klingon, but she wasn't sure whether it would be considered strange for him to admit to fear. “Uh...” was all she could think to say at that point.

She drank a bit more from her glass. It sort of grew on you...the taste. Or maybe beggars couldn't be choosers. Then she looked at it again, idly reaching up to lightly feel the newly sealed wound in her head. The faces of her fellow crewmates from the Resolve appeared to her, especially those no longer with the living. Captain Kendrick she still counted amongst the living, but those that she saw dying, that she heard Havenborn sending out to assist the Theurgy in a desperate battle that just went sideways so fast...she came to, and remembered that she was still in Below Decks. She was so very tempted to take at least half the contents in the bottle, and share the other half with Jack, but...she ultimately chose not to.

Not for now, she told herself. She felt she had a duty now to those of the Resolve. Like it or not, though they were essentially of the Theurgy, she had a feeling inside, that they'd always be part of the Resolve a ship that was no more. Jien Ives seemed like a good captain, and well intentioned, but the caution was given, and she'd watch him/her with a careful eye for a long time to come. He would just have to accept that the crew of the Resolve won't let go of their bonds to one another easily, and likely there will be tensions and frictions for a long time to come. No, she would have to be, ironically, resolute, and sharp. That meant she had to go easy on her drinks. Fortunately she could hold her liquor quite well, and despite having had some prior and possibly after this moment, she was confident if she took it easy, she could stay relatively sharp. Plus she was sure the doctors here had the sobering solubles.

And she finally came back to Jack, who was just explaining what the Azure Nebula is to his people, and what it meant. She remembered something from the old man on Earth who taught her how to survive and about honour. “Ah ain't dismissin' yer peopahl's beliefs, y'hear?” said Tancredi, “but Ah'm sure a great lot'o dat's cockamamie hogwash t'hide th'real threats. Ah mean lahk der's probably a grain o'truth to dem tall tales, but intermixed with more random stahf until ya cain't tell da truth from da lie.” She studied the nebula beyond. Oh there was danger all right, and she was going to put herself between it and her family.

“Whatever comes outta there,” said Tancredi, “if it ain't friendly, Ah'll shoot it. Simple. And if ya fancy, ya can study whatever Ah leave behahnd.”

She spotted Keval ch'Rayya entering and grinned, raising her glass to him, “Blueskin! Suh! Trah some Kanar! It grows on ya.” She flashed her friend a wolfish grin.

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #23 –
[ Lt. Cmdr. Natalie Stark| Below Decks | Deck 28 | USS Theurgy 01 ]

It didn't take years of counseling training for Natalie to pick up the hesitation in the alien's voice as he worked through implications. Oh, his face was perfectly stoic. But Natalie hadn't been fooled. He - Deacon - had put two and tow together and found the result not quite what he'd hoped it to be. But he was trying, bless him. And he had provided her with something to make the day a bit easier. So she could go easy on him, she supposed.

Taking his question seriously, mulling it around, Natalie took a slow sip of the wine. "We obtained a hefty supply from the USS Harbinger when we were on Theta...well, when we were able to catch our collective breathes," Before that damned hellship caught up with us, she thought darkly. It showed on her face and she forced it away, the grumpiness from before starting to bubble up again. "We may still have some stocks in one of the cargo bays. Cargo bay..." she paused, having to think a bit harder than she thought she should, "4? Or 5. One of those."

A small giggle slipped out again and she frowned at it, hiding it with a mouthful of the wine. Before she could say anything else, an Andorian saddled up to the bar and snagged Deacons attention. She frowned a bit at that, thinking of pulling rank, but then stopping herself. She was off duty. Why, she thought, should i give a fuck?

No sooner had the crass conclusion settled into her mind than she heard the pilot speak up, and her shoulders tensed, tightly. Blueskin and pinkskin had been slurs thrown back and forth between Humans and Andorians since Captain Archer first encountered the antenna bearing race in the 2160's. It set her teeth on edge, hearing it now, but if she could understand the thick accent of the pilot, she also addressed the Andorian "Sir." Shooting a dark look at the redhead, Natalie forced her eyes down to her drink, unknowingly starting to tap her foot on the floor.

Clearly they knew each other, which meant they were like as not both from the Resolve. She could deduce that much, given the patch on the pilots arm. All the same, it irked her sensibilities to hear such things, and to a superior officer. Clearly, discipline on that ship was lacking, after three years on the run. I'll have to talk to Cinn, warn him to keep an eye out for it. Why can't the all be polite like the fuzzy bartender?

Re: Chapter 05: Drinking Yourself Blind | Day 01 [2200 hrs.]

Reply #24 –
[Lieutenant Keval ch'Rayya | Below Decks Lounge | USS Theurgy ] Attention: Everyone/Anyone

Keval was waiting for the barkeep to reply when he heard Krystal's words but he winced at the word "Blueskin" before turning to face the red-haired pilot, a little bit of his accent creeping into his tone which wasn't a common thing as it only came out under certain conditions like when he was under a lot of stress and it was mentioned by a late member of his department months ago that he sounded like he was from some place called "Blackpool" in England on Earth.

"Krystal, you know I respect you a lot and consider you a close friend..but you know how much I don't like the use of that term." he stated in a gentle yet firm and honest tone to Krystal. "Plus Kanar..it's an acquired taste much like that Nuka Cola stuff, but I'll have a glass in a bit if you will?"

Keval then ran a hand through his hair as an attempt to start hopefully stop stressing when he noticed the human that was standing next to him and her expression. "Sorry, wasn't trying to be rude miss...it's been a bit of a day." he offered up with a polite smile before inclining his head towards her. "Lieutenant Keval ch'Rayya..late of the Resolve."
 
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