Beer and BBQ, part 3

Posted on Thu Sep 15th, 2022 @ 3:39pm by Commander Kyle Reece & Captain David Tonelly [Reece] & Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece] & Captain George Charles [Reece] & Master Chief Petty Officer Chuck Finley [Reece] & Staff Sergeant Liam "Swede" Reece [Reece] & Captain Gary Taylor & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Captain Samuel Woolheater & Lieutenant Commander Malakai Starr [Taylor] & Lieutenant Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen [Taylor] & 1st Lieutenant Joshua Young [Taylor] & Chief Warrant Officer Man'darr [Naxea] & Senior Chief Petty Officer Fernando De La Rosa [Taylor]

Mission: Season 5: Time Warp
Location: USS Elysium, Holodeck 3
Timeline: 20 June 2397 / 1800 hours
1460 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

PREVIOUSLY...

Gary walked over and got a beer from the cooler. "Gentlemen." He said politely in greeting.

This time S'hib could simply nod and awkwardly wave before pointing to his mouth, chewing furiously so he could greet the man in return.

Gary nodded and smiled. "Understood Mr. S'hib. It's alright, don't choke."

The doors opened again and David rushed inside. As the doors closed, he looked at everyone assembled. "They're almost here!" He moved over to the table that held all the gifts and he put a couple small wrapped items there. "Everyone has a drink ready?" He quickly moved to the bar and poured three drinks. One for himself, the other two for Tim and the guest of honor, one of his oldest friends, Mattias.

AND NOW...

Tim with Matt in tow led him to the holodeck entrance. "You first." He said with a bright smile and stood aside to allow Matt the honor of entering first.

Mattias looked at his friend and narrowed his eyes. "If you have the holodeck programmed to display stripper Ferengi or Pakleds, you and I are going to go a few rounds, my friend."

"For Christ's sake go in and see just who's in there and what they're stripping." Tim fired back, a smile on his face.

Mattias nodded and chuckled. Then, unsure as to what was about to happen, stepped towards the large double doors.

As they slowly slid apart, the sounds of a gathering of some sort could easily be heard. Mattias took another breath, smelling bar-b-que, and stepped inside.

Samuel turned to see Captain Mattias Richardson enter the holodeck, Sam put two fingers in his mouth and whistled an ear piercing whistle/shriek to get everyone's attention. Raising his beer high he bellowed, "It's the GROOM!! Welcome to your funeral PAL!" and then started to applaud, "WOO HOO!!!

Malakai turned at the sound, saw Mattias and Tim behind him. He clapped loudly and then walked over to Mattias. "Welcome to your last night as a free man." He joked then added, "Seriously congratulations Matt. You're marrying a great lady." He then looked past Matt and talked to Tim. "Hiya Tim. still got all your fingers?"

Tim laughed heartily. "Hi Mal. Sure do. I hear you got hitched as well to Kara. Congratulations to the both of you."

Mal nodded a bright smile on his face, "Thanks Tim. Kara's pregnant with our first."

Tim smiled, "Now, that is something to celebrate. I wish I had brought some cigars."

Sam was trying to get to Captain Richardson and wish him well. The poor captain was seemingly 'mobbed' by well-wishers. Sam would wait his turn. As the group formed and people moved about, Sam found himself standing next to LCDR S'hib and Orin. To Andrinn he said, "Finding your way around the party OK Consul?"

"Yeah, just trying to wait and see who else shows up and if I would know them or not. Our dear Cap and you are about the only ones I know thus far, besides our CMO. So many different species!" Orin replied, taking a sip of the beer that he got from the table earlier.

Sam inclined his head with a nod and another swig of beer towards Commander S'hib. Sam said to Orin, "Now, this....is why I like Starfleet! C'mon? Let's go meet a talking horse?" Sam turned a bit to better face the tall and studly frame. His colorations and striations all of which must have meaning. The way the hair was braided. He had seen similar markings, similar body painting in very sophisticated tribal cultures.

"A wh...a what? A talking horse....what are you talking about?" Orin said as he followed in Sam's footsteps and made sure to not get lost in the growing crowd.

Woolheater had never before seen a....huh...., ~what species is that?~ he thought to himself. Sam realized that from Commander S'hib's point-of-view, Samuel was a "talking monkey". Speaking to the Commander, "Lieutenant Commander S'hib? I was hoping someday I'd have an occasion to meet you, sir. Sorry, I'm Woolheater. 1st Platoon CO. I'm new. I read your report when the ship was boarded by Highlaw's goons? That must have been a hell of a fight sir. I would like to see how you work with that lance? It's a modified phaser rifle isn't it?"

S'hib was taken aback at first, entirely prepared to sink into the background of this event despite towering over everyone, it was after all not about him he concluded before arriving. "I-It's modified yes," He replied with a low bow of his head.

"But only in the sense that it adheres to Starfleet regulations in regards to hand-held weapon systems aboard a vessel." He added before extending a hand, greeting the human marine in a way he would be comfortable with.

The man was big; imposing. Sam grasped for and shook the proffered hand. It was a strong grip. Thankfully not too strong. Command S'hib could probably split Sam's skull open with a well-placed, powerful enough hit he thought. "Thank you Commander S'hib." Woolheater said as he released the hand-shake, "Forgive my ignorance sir, please tell me your species? You remind me so much of a certain animal from Pacifica; that's my home, but we imported some of these animals from Earth. What is your species?"

"I'm a Sequus, but I grew up on earth instead of Sequella; so I'm quite used to being compared to horses, though I wouldn't use the term with others of my kind, it's uhh... a little derogative." He chuckled, making light of the situation.

Sam nodded, "Understood. I completely understand. I'm so glad I didn't say 'pony' ". He immediately went with, "Sequus...oh yeah....I remember from the Close Protection Detail? Oh. Hell. Where are my manners?" Sam turned and introduced Orin, "Commander S'hib, you probably have already met the Chief Diplomatic Officer? This is Consul Andrinn Orin. Consul? Our Assistant Security Chief, Lieutenant Commander S'hib" Sam said as he introduced them both.

Looking over at the Assistant Chief Security Officer, Orin just couldn't believe that he actually looked like a horse and all the markings he had on him. Orin hadn't had much interactions with his species before and made a mental note to do more research on them after the party because of it.

Orin stuck out a hand and offered it up to shake. "As the dear sniper said, my name is Andrinn Orin. You can call me either, or just plain Consul, as some people have before. It's nice to meet you Commander," Orin said as he waited for the handshake.

"As it is you... though I do hope the High Priestess hasn't caused your department too much trouble, she, like most of my kind, is rather set in our ways." He smiled, finally letting the man's hand free.

"She has made her presence very well known to me, as she's a very interesting character among the diplomatic corps onboard. She seems like she'd be one to make sure I keep happy 24/7," Orin said with a smile. He looked around at all of the guests and said, "How do you two know each other?"

"Well, I make it a habit to get to know everyone... but as for the High Priestess, she's more than a diplomat to me," S'hib said softly, shifting his weight and focus towards Orin. "She's one of my kind, and a very important one at that... as an elder mare her insight is invaluable, especially as I'm having a filly of my own soon."

Woolheater listened as the conversation developed; he hadn't really understood that this S'hib before him was the same S'hib that was the fiance of the Colonel. And thinking of how such a relationship would work; the wheels in his head started turning. He was just about to make a gaffe, he did have this as a rather natural ability; really a superpower.

Orin just smiled and waited for someone to speak, mainly because he knew that he could carry on a conversation for quite some time by himself. He didn't want to be rude or anything, taking the time from the other party goers.

It was just too much, one could see he was trying and failing to restrain. The wheels turned in his head. His eyebrows lifted, he got a mischievous grin on his face and a cocky look. He said, it almost just popped out of his mouth, "Colonel Azhul, damn sir, Colonel has more curves than a race track. Those eyes, that smile, that body. Whoa! It's like winning the triple crown! Although, I venture to guess that Colonel's still the boss and you're her Secretariat?"

~TBC~