#16 Feast Like It's Valhalla

Posted on Wed Jun 19th, 2024 @ 11:10pm by Major Jackson "JJ" Barnes {Meji} & Lieutenant Alona Tal "Centurion" {Meji} & Lieutenant JG Marcus Resch {Meji} & Lieutenant JG Sheyla {Meji} & Lieutenant JG Ainkara "Kara" {Meji} & Warrant Officer Shannon Money {Meji}

Mission: Shakedown II
Location: Starbase Danvers
Timeline: Current

ON:

Being who he was, JJ Barnes had used the Euphrates and replicated himself a full marine uniform of fatigues. He had contacted several others, requesting they all get dressed as they should be and then meet him in the banquet hall here on the planet of Danvers. The admin compound down here on the planet had just what they needed and he booked the hall for the day. While doing so Barnes had invited the lieutenant commander in charge of the facility to dine with them and enjoy some camaraderie along with whoever wanted to show up along with himself. Talking to the kitchens Jack then arranged for a buffet style layout, allowing each person to gather what they wanted to eat from the nearly one hundred delicacies from around the Federation, and even a few non-Federation worlds and societies. It took up a few hours of his early morning but by noon he was told that the foods were being created and the hall had been set up with tables and wetbars placed strategically around the chamber. Everyone who had served here on Danvers during the attack, or had been present, were ready to kick back, stretch their legs out, and enjoy good food, good company, and good stories from all those who would attend.

Sitting at one of the wetbars, having had his fill of booze for the foreseeable future, Barnes sipped a mug of raktajino, black. Reading through his PADD, Barnes did checks on the marines and all the data provided for them for the move to the new ship. On occasion people would stop to chat and Barnes would set his PADD aside and give them his full attention. It felt good to rub elbows and get to know these folks.

Having heard the summons there were several others who Barnes had called who were now back in the standard uniform of the day for Starfleet, or Romulans, depending on their division color and job specialty. Sheyla, Kara, Money, Alona, and Resch all came into the building as a group. They too were grins and smiles as they did so, talking amongst themselves and feeling a lightheartedness in the air that had been missing for some time now. Danvers was recovering from their assault, and doing a damn fine job of it. The Meji citizens had been stellar in aiding with repairs and upkeep, aiding where they could while also seeing to their own living spaces and looking after the nature preserve. They too were invited and had shown up in droves to add to the positive energy throughout the hall.

The group of friends entered the hall, stopped, and each head looked this way and that to try and locate Major Barnes. Finally, Alona chinned across the room. "Target acquired. Dead ahead, far side of the room."

"I see him," Resch said. "Follow me." Leading the way, Marcus made his way through the room, being polite to get folks to give them room to pass, before finally ending up next to Barnes.

Alona gave a grin as she looked around. "Nicely done, Major. With your penchant for gatherings you would make for a fine Romulan political officer."

"I'll pass, thanks." Barnes responded with a grin. "Communism, socialism, not my gig."

"Nor mine." Money said, backing how he felt on that. "Is there some Jame-O back there?" Shannon made her way around the backside of the wetbar to look for a bottle of Jameson's Irish whiskey.

Kara and Sheyla stood quietly, with both showing grins and smiles as the rest began to come back together as a cohesive crew. Master and Acolyte had both felt an urgency building all around them, their feelings telling them that the order for recall was not far off. Thankfully, both of them had already gathered their belongings, packed them in backpacks, and now had them sitting aboard the USS Euphrates. "Socialism isn't quite as bad as communism." Sheyla said. "But, I understand your dislike."

Jack's head tilted in a cynical way as he looked at Sheyla, his grin denoting that he was giving her a playful jab while at the same time imparting knowledge on the woman. "Doctor, if communism was beer, socialism would be light beer. Same shit that's gonna kill you it just takes longer. Karl Marx was a rich kid who grew up with a silver spoon, and chose to keep the poor down by imparting his twisted ideas on them. Which, of course, worked since they were too stupid to realize that he had turned them against each other in the working classes while the rich sat back and watched. Anyone who doesn't see that in the philosophy is a fool and deserves what they get."

"Excellent point," Alona said, agreeing with Barnes. "I am Romulan, and the Star Empire is as communist as you can get. Earth had the Berlin Wall, yes I've read the history, which is the same thing as a Neutral Zone. Once you cross over that zone and into Romulan space you can forget all your freedoms and free thinking. You either toe the line or you end up imprisoned into slave labor, or eliminated."

Kara raised her hands up to chest level in an appeasing gesture. "People. We're here to have a good time, NOT to discuss politics. There are two things you never discuss in polite company; religion and politics. So, why don't we change the subject."

Resch had been standing with eyebrows raised, listening to the back and forth. He also agreed that communism or anything similar was as evil as evil could get. Sentient beings were very susceptible to corruption and when you added in the stringent beliefs behind any communist or socialist doctrines, there would always be someone at the top who would benefit from the suffering of others. "Please, let's do that, folks."

Sheyla was glad her Master had intervened. She had said what she said and it had began to snowball into an avalanche before Kara had said something. "Apologies, everyone. I should have remained silent."

"Bullshit," Barnes said as he got up and came around to the Doctor, a smile on his face. He wrapped her in a friendly hug, then got in beside her with his arm over her shoulders. "Speak your mind, Sheyla. You're among family." He leaned over and kissed the top right side of her head. "You're a doll and we're glad for your opinions."

Alona grinned at that. It would seem that the Major had finally decided to make a move, and who better to receive that attention than Doctor Sheyla? It was not like she had not been trying to get his attention from all she had observed, and been told. She could even see Sheyla's cheeks changing to a slightly darker hue of blue as she blushed at his attentions.

"Thanks, I think." Sheyla replied, not sure how to proceed now.

Kara laughed. "Wow, a timid Sheyla. Never thought I would see the day."

The group all gave light laughter and chuckles. Continuing to talk amongst themselves it was announced that the buffet would be set up. They found a large, round banquet table and as a group laid claim to it. Once the buffet was set with two long rows of edibles to be had, Barnes and his group went first since this whole thing had been his idea. Once each of them filled a couple of plates each they went back to the table and sat down. The first half an hour was spent digging in, cloth napkins on laps as well as in hand to dab away juices, sauces, and tidbits that came off of the various culinary delights. Barnes had Sheyla to his left, and to the Doctor's left sat Alona. Resch was on her left, with Kara to his left, and so on.

"What is that?" Sheyla asked Alona, creening her neck to look closer, seeing what appeared to be a shellfish of some kind. "It smells delicious."

"Prawns," Alona said around a small bite of the juicy meat she had plucked from within the cooked creature's body. "I gave the cooks an old family recipe for Romulan prawns and they did it great justice. I am impressed."

"May I..." Sheyla went to ask, then hesitated to continue as she knew the Romulan tended to be a paragon of cynicism and sarcasm. "Nevermind."

Alona took up her napkin and swiped her fingers and then dabbed her mouth. "Doctor Sheyla, the answer to the query you didn't finish is, yes. You may have some. If you like them then there is an entire hotel pan full of them on the buffet line. Please," Alona said, moving her plate more towards the Andorian.

Using a fork and her thumb, Sheyla did the scoop motion under the prawn and then used her thumb to stabilize it while it was lifted and moved to her plate. "Thank you."

Pulling her plate back to center self, Alona glanced over at the Doctor. "Sheyla, I am a hard-nosed Romulan, to be sure. However, those I choose to call friends are always honored. You," she then looked around the table as she noted that others were now listening to her. "All of you, I consider friends. It remains to be seen if that friendship will stand the test of time. If not, we part ways as comrades in arms. If it lasts you will then have my loyalty."

Everyone around the table gave expressions of agreement as they nodded to her before going back to their own conversations and meals.

Barnes leaned over and kept his voice very low, just between the two of them as he got the Doctor to lean towards him by touching her shoulder. "Hey, doll. You want to go for a stroll after, to walk off the food? Just you and I?"

It was very hard for Sheyla to not just lean further in and give him a peck on the lips. ~I mean, they are right there~ she thought to herself. Instead, she gave a grin and her eyes showed that that request had been met with joy. "I would love to. Let me know when you're ready."

"Will do," Jack said, having eaten his fill and now leaned back in his chair to continue to chat with the table and observe the hall around them. This had been a good idea. Where all the others were he did not care. If they made it in as the event went on, so much the better.

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