Lil’ Sis

Posted on Sat Oct 22nd, 2022 @ 7:36am by Ensign Mrera Sr’au

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Ten Forward
Timeline: Both characters’ first day aboard
548 words - 1.1 OF Standard Post Measure

The door to Ten Forward swished open. Chief Sean O’Keefe and Ensign Sr’au walked in together. Sitting at a table, O’Keefe ordered an Irish whiskey along with a mug of the “black stuff.” Mrera ordered a vanilla milkshake.

“Nothing more po’ent?” O’Keefe asked. “Yer physical is o’er.”

“Our ssystem,” Mrera explained, “cannot handle alcohol. It hass killed many.”

“Sorry abou’ yer luck,” the Chief expressed, trying to imagine what it would be like if her couldn’t drink. Not able to fathom it, he shook his head. “I won’ ‘old it against ye.” He chuckled as the drinks arrived.

Mrera placed a straw and attempted to sip a very thick shake. Before it reached her tongue, Sean had hit the edge of his mug with the shot of whiskey, causing it to begin to rise in his mug. He chugged the shot, then picked up the mug just as it was beginning to overflow. He finished the mug before she could get a taste.

Sr’au snickered. “Did you even tasste it?”

O’Keefe chuckled as he waved for another round. “I ‘ave a tolerance buil’ up.”

“That would have killed me,” Mrera mused. “You drink a lot?”

“Some woul’ say so,” Sean confirmed, “bu’ I don’ ge’ fluthered.”

“Why drink sso much?” Mrera asked. Sean’s next round came and he was about to do the same. Ensign Sr’au held her hand out over his. “Sslow down and talk to me.”

Sean’s eyes closed. “Usually,” he comfessed, “I drink to live it up. Tonigh’ I drink to ferget.”

“Furrget what?” Mrera probed further. She removed her hand and Sean took a sip of the Guinness.

“I transferred from the Sun Tzu because my Lil’ Sis left to transfer to the Hephaestus. I couldn’ serve there witout ‘er. I promised me da I’d take care o’ ‘er. She was raging. Said I shoul’ min’ me own business. ‘Ow can I keep me oath ta me dear da?”

“What’ss her name?” Mrera asked.

“Meghan, or Megs fer short,” O’Keefe responded. “I call ‘er Lil Sis. She’s me twin, bu’ she’s a wee lass. Said I was a melter, she did.”

Not sure what a melter is, Mrera frowned. “I’m ssure that wass difficult. Sshe may not have purrposely said it, just out of anger maybe.”

“She’s righ’, she is!” Sean admitted. “I can be annoyin’”

Ensign Sr’au nearly had a quarter of her shake down. Sean had a half mug of Guinness, plus he still didn’t do the shot of whiskey. At least she had gotten him to slow down.

Feeling empathy for the big man down on himself, she placed her hand on his. “I tell you what,” she said. “We came on this sship on the ssame day, kind of like your ssisster and you were born the same day. I’ll be yourr Lil’ Ssiss on the Elussium.”

Sean O’Keefe thought a moment. “Why do this fer me?”

“I could usse a furreind to,” she insisted. “We’ll look after one another.”

O’Keefe lifted his shot in the air. “Kitty,” he grinned, “ye got a deal!”

Mrera smiled then laughed as O’Keefe drank the shot.

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