A Wine of Certain Vintage

Posted on Wed Jun 1st, 2022 @ 6:45am by Captain Samuel Woolheater & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Staff Sergeant Colton Renth

Mission: Rejoinder
Location: SS Volmarre's Dawn
Timeline: Present
Tags: Tuleberry Wine, Volmarre's Dawn
1581 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

=== SOMEWHERE JUST PAST JUPITER ===



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The Mark V torpedo case with Samuel Woolheater inside had struck something. From inside the torpedo, Sam knew that he had stopped moving. He knew he had hit something. But what?

=== SS Volmarre's Dawn - ENROUTE FROM DEEP SPACE NINE - LOADED WITH ONE-HUNDRED THOUSAND GALLONS OF TULEBERRY WINE FOR STARBASE 001 ===

The container ship’s automated alarm sounded, and the card game was over for the crew. “What the hell is that sticking out of vat #4?” asked one of the Volmarre's Dawn crew. He pointed on the senor screen and then activated a camera. Something that looked like a Mark V photon torpedo was lodged into the side of the vessel. And Tuleberry wine was venting into space from the gaps that were caused.

Jennifer Crane, a maintenance personnel activated emergency shielding from a control station causing the breach to seal as wine splashed onto the deck. Seeing it was safe to enter, she wondered what the hell had happened. Was the torpedo a dud? She wasn't aware of any war games being conducted by the base nor would they with the amount of traffic currently coming and going to the base. "Breach is sealed. You guys are lucky this happened. I was wiping the deck with you, she called to the others.

The fat man laughed at Jennifer and folding his cards said, "My dear, luck had nothing to do with it." The rest of the crew were on their feet. The outer breach had been sealed but the inner seal was damaged. Tuleberry wine, all the way from the Gamma Quadrant was spilling from the mid-ship compartments.

An electrical engineer, a guy named "Maggot" was on his feet and was trying to activate a containment beam. Not altogether unlike trying to seal a hatchway. Regrettably, the wine had a heads start and went under the panel and spilled onto a console. It erupted in sparks and showers of electrical sparks. The panel popped open and a fire broke out down the hall, near Vat #5.

"Maggot", his real name Tuk Yew, a Begendsian by creed, panicked when he saw the fire and yelled, "Oh nooo!!!" He ran down the corridor and yelled for Jennifer. "Jennifer!! Fire! Fire! What do I do? What do I do?" he stammered and then remembered the training video provided by the fat man. "Oh! I remember, the song." Maggot stopped in hs tracks and tried to remember the fire training video as liters of Tuleberry wine spewed onto another panel. "Ahem! (singing)

'"If a fire starts to burn,
There's a lesson you must learn.
Something, something, then you'll see,
You'll avoid catastrophe!"

He couldn't remember it. "DAMN!", he said and stomped his feet.

The fat man looked in shock at what was happening and yelled, "Where is the Captain?"

The Captain a large, burly man had heard the automated alarm and came running, brusting through the hatch and Yelled "What in the hell is goining on!” as looked and saw the chaos unfolding before him “Maggot activted the Fire supression sytems ya idiot!” and get the catinment feild up we’re losing litium by secound!” the captained yell before muble to himself “When find the hit that luanch that troped I’m gonna ring their neck.

Maggot nodded, "Oh yeah! Fire containment field." He pressed a few buttons and a fire containment field went up. The field deprived the fire of oxygen and suppressed further ignition. The smoke started to clear. The fatman came back into the corridor. "What hit us?"

Another crewman answered, the same one who first got cameras on the object, "Looks like a torpedo casing? I'm not getting any weapons signature from it. But...I am getting lifesigns from inside it. I think...there is somebody inside it Captain?"

The Captain looked puzzled for a moment before barking his next orders " Alright get it out da vat, and get what moron is inside out, have the doc look them over and drag 'em up to my quarters, and get damage control procedures started, I don't what to lose anymore, we lost about 3 weeks pay or more already, now move!" he yelled before heading back to quarters muttering "Blasted idiots wrecking my ship, I'll Shore patrol standing by when we dock to deal them."

=== INSIDE THE TORPEDO ===

Sam could feel the torpedo being moved. So, he had struck something. He could hear cables and straps being put on the torpedo case. Then, with a prying sensation and a "POP" the torpedo case swung free and he felt himself being lifted up. He could feel the case being moved and then lowered. And then, THUD! and the movement stopped. Now, fourteen hours and change inside a torpedo tube, even if you have been sedated does nothing to stop the inevitable full bladder. And Sam had to pee really, really bad now. He heard the buttons on the outside being pressed. Then he felt his ears pop as the seal was broken and air was allowed in and out. Something that felt like water seemed to be seeping in and all over him and he hoped that he hadn't just peed his pants. Here, the lid was lifted up and then removed.

There was a bright light in Sam's face. He was dripping with something wet which seemed alcoholic in nature. He sat up and removed the breathing mask. He wiped the liquid off of his face and out of his eyes and looked around. "Could you...stop shining that light in my face please?" he asked as he tried to get his surroundings. Two crewman pulled him up and out of the torpedo tube and onto his feet. He was soaked in Tuleberry wine.

The light was moved out of Sam's eyes and he could now see that he was aboard a merchant ship. "Who are you?" one of the merchant crew asked. Sam, soaked in Tuleberry Wine answered, "Lieutenant Samuel Woolheater. On my way to rendezvous with the Elysium. Where am I? What ship is this?" Sam asked. He started to do the "pee dance" too. Shaking a leg and squirming uncomfortably.

One of the crewman answered, "You crashed into our ship. Lodged into one of the storage vats holding about a hunnered-thousand gallons (approx 454000 liters) of Tuleberry wine for Starbase 001." Sam asked, "You guys got me out?" They nodded. "Thanks!" Sam asked, "I really have to take a piss. Can I use the head please? My back teeth are floating!"

"Sure...Captain wants the Doc to check you our anyway. This way?"

=== LATER ===

After about a ten minute pit stop to relieve himself, and a twenty-minute check for anything broken on him with the ships medic/cook/armchair general, Lieutenant Woolheater was brought before the Captain.

"Sorry about...you know...arriving the way I did. I guess the rendesvouz with my ship didn't quite go according to plan. I hate to ask after I...y'know...crashed the torpedo into your ship and all. But, do you think you could drop me off at Starbase 001?" Samuel asked.

The Captain scowled at Sam "lucky for ya, That's were heading anyway, I have my comm officer tell ya onboard and we deliver ya to the starbase, When we get I'm gonna a long chat with the powers that be about the compensation for damage to my ship, and loss of the 4oo+ liters of wine ya cost me. Don't break anything else or so help I'll jettison ya the closest airlock, we'll be at the base in about 2 hours.

"Thank you Captain. So sorry about the damage. I'm sure something will get worked out to compensate you and your crew." And after a moment, Sam left the Captains presence.

=== TWO HOURS AND CHANGE LATER ===

There it was, filling the window, Starbase One. Sam stayed out of the way and watched as the SS Volmarre's Dawn pulled into the cargo port of the massive Starbase. He said to the person standing next to him, "It sure is big huh? Never seen this side of it before.

The captain came up and said, "alight docking procedures will be completed and in a few moments the boarding airlock is that way." pointing down the hall, you lucky Starfleet agreed to repair my ship, provided generous compensation for the loss of the product ya, caused, else ya be working that debt, and by me estimated you bee working for me for 4 years and change, no get going before I change my mind." the man said with a scowl as he motioned for two large men to escort Sam to the airlock.

Sam nodded and got his gear. The crew gave him some dirty looks but he could totally understand why they were upset. Escorted off of the merchant ship; everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Samuel made his way into the Starbase. He stunk of Tuleberry wine and sweat. Everything he owned was damp with wine and his uniform was stained. He passed by a reflective surface and got a good look at his condition and thought, ~This is just...perfect!~


[OFF:]

SSGT Colton Renth
62nd Marine Scout sniper
USS Elysium

&

Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea
(Signed off by Woolheater)


&

1st Lieutenant Samuel Woolheater
“Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas”
Division VI, MARDET 62nd Company "Spartans", 2nd Platoon CO
=/\= USS ELYSIUM - NCC-89000 =/\=