"My Dinner with Andrinn"

Posted on Thu Oct 31st, 2024 @ 11:19am by Captain Samuel Woolheater & Crewman Adelaide Kirkby & Consul Andrinn Orin

Mission: Season 6: Episode 5: A church beyond heaven
Location: Deck 32 & Deck 16
Timeline: MD1, 1600hrs
3610 words - 7.2 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

Crewman Adelaide Kirkby came into the MXO’s office with a modest sized plaque box in her hand. Flat and not too thin, she had been working on it ever since Captain Woolheater’s promotion to XO was announced. Sam was standing at his desk, looking down at the desktop as four different camera feeds from the last day’s watch were being played. He was reviewing the footage from the four prime views that should have captured something concerning Private Corelli’s attack. So far he had not found anything that could help. He looked up to see who had entered and nodded.

“Something wrong with your chair Captain?” she asked him with a slight grin on her face.

Sam paused the playback and stood up straighter, he yawned and stretched his muscled arms and cracked his neck and shoulders as he said, “Mmm? Nah. My butt was going numb. I’ve been reviewing these camera feeds and you know, trying to see if there’s anything here to use.”

She stopped in front of his desk as he looked at her, his yawn and stretching finished, “And?”

“Nada. Zip. You would have thought that fixing the damn video feeds here on our deck would have been somewhat of a priority? We have weapons inside an armory, industrial replicators that can replicate parts for weapons and oh yes, we can make arms here on this deck. And if the video feeds are considered non-essential then why would the sensor grid also be dead in certain areas?” he vented and then stopped. “I’m sorry crewman. I’m frustrated. Angry and embarrassed. But, I’ll deal with it. I didn’t mean to spout off like that.”

“Well, I’m angry and frustrated too. Seeing that you are having these feelings too makes it, I don’t know, I guess easier for us? The civilian staff I mean. Kind of like, its OK to be mad about what happened. Because if you can be angry and embarrassed; then we can too” she said calmly and in a supportive way. “It’s been a full day. But I have something for you that I hope you’ll like?” She handed over the document box to him.

He took it and wondered what it was. “Open it?” she asked. He opened it and inside, mounted in a frame was his framed promotion appointment document. Adele had dug out of the computer the document letter that would have been awarded to him had the Elysium been in Federation space. She had to manually recreate the document because there was no way to get a certified one from SFMC due to the distance. The appointment letter was printed on museum grade vanilla paper. Embossed with the color logo of the United Federation of Planets and the Starfleet Marine Corps. It was embossed with the SFMC manual embosser which she had found in a pile of rubble. And the frame and the mounting were replicated. She had reproduced the Commandant of the Marine Corps signature and Colonel Azhul had also signed it earlier.

Sam held the framed document in his hands, the black frame, clear, glassy window and heavy duty black frame on a wooden mounting was very well done.

Adele smiled as she watched him open it. He said, “Oh….wow…!! Shheeeeesh!! Where did you?.....”. She smiled broadly as she said, “I thought that you should have a record of it. It’s not everyday that you get to be XO.” Sam read the first few lines and he got such a grin on his face. Then he turned red in the face and he just smiled goofy and red in the face. She was happy and giggled twice, “Good. Getting hot in here is it?” He read it silently what should have been, under normal circumstances, performed in a ceremony on the parade grounds:

The
PRESIDENT
Of
The United Federation of Planets


To all who shall see these presents, greeting: Know ye that reposing special trust and confidence in the service, valor, fidelity and abilities of
SAMUEL RYDER WOOLHEATER

I do appoint this officer to Executive Officer in the
STARFLEET MARINE CORPS SIXTY-SECOND DETACHMENT - "SPARTANS"

To serve as such from this the stardate being 75187.5, the 3rd day of March two-thousand three-hundred and ninety-eight. This officer will therefore carefully and diligently discharge the duties of this office to which appointed by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto pertaining.

And I do strictly charge and require those officers and other personnel of lesser rank to render such obedience as is due an officer of this Federation and of this grade and position. And this officer is to observe and follow orders and directions, from time to time, as may be given by the President of the United Federation of Planets, or other superior officers acting in accordance with the laws of the United Federation of Planets.

This appointment is to continue in force during the pleasure of the President of the United Federation of Planets under the provisions of those public laws relating to officers of the Federation Starfleet and the Starfleet Marine Corps and the particular component thereof in which this appointment is made.

Witness, thereunto my hand, done at the city of Paris, Earth, Bureau du Président de la Fédération Unie des Planètes, this the 3rd day of March in the year two-thousand three-hundred and ninety-eight and of the Founding of the United Federation of Planets, the two hundred and thirty-seventh.


By the President

The Great Seal of the Office of the President of the United Federation of Planets
The Seal of the Starfleet Marine Corps
Signed, Commandant of the Starfleet Marine Corps
Signed, Secretary of Starfleet


Sam finished reading the document the document. He looked up at Adelaide and shook his head in surprise, searching her face for why she would do this for him and the words not coming. She said, to him, ”Speechless are we? You’d better pack it in for today an make sure you show this to Andrinn. Does he even know ?”

Sam didn’t know what to say and just stood there in surprise and thanks shaking his head, trying to say ‘thank you’.

”That’s what I thought. You had better tell him Captain. Sir” but Sam was at a loss for words.

”Good. It’s about time that I get the last word around here” she said smiling as she left his office and knowing that he did like it.



=== A SHORT TIME LATER - ANDRINN'S QUARTERS ===
Sam pressed the door chime to Andrinn's quarters and waited for a response.

Andrinn had been getting ready after getting a shower in. He had been looking over reports of some of the issues within the region and going over duty rooster information for both the diplomats and the DPT. Captain Richardson of the DPT wanted to make a list of which DPT personnel went with which diplomat, where Captain Richardson had gone over some of the information that Andrinn had sent his way. It was just a matter of final reviews and signatures before handing it over to Captain Taylor and Commodore Richardson.

Andrinn was fiddling with part of his collar when he heard the chime for his quarters ring out. Andrinn turned towards the door as he was fiddling and said, "Come in."

The doors to Andrinn's quarters parted and Sam stepped into the room. Sam smiled as the doors closed behind him and he whistled at Andrinn, "Oh! My word! Would you just look at the fine hunk of super-stud over there! Mmm-hmm!" he said as he crossed the floor and set his promotion certificate on the nearby table. The room smelled good and Andrinn looked good, as always, in a fresh uniform. Sam teased him as he got closer, "It's after 1700 and you still have your pants on? What's the occasion?" Woolheater's sandpaper feeling five o'clock shadow more stubbly than before as he closed in for a kiss and a hug.

Andrinn couldn't help but laugh as he slapped Sam's stomach playfully as he kissed Sam back. "I mean, we could always lose the pants later. But, for the moment, I just hadn't had the chance to switch out of my duty uniform into something more comfortable since I've been working on the duty rooster and reports from all of the people that work with me. How about you? What are you doing down here so....early? Late? What time did you have to work today?" Andrinn asked as he kissed Sam one more time before walking over to get the coffee that had been sitting on his desk getting cold.

"Late. I've been up since...0315 this morning?" He thought about telling Andrinn all about the attack on Private Corelli. But, he decided not to. Even though talking about would help him sort through it all. He didn't want to burden Andrinn with more issues. "Do you want to have dinner with me? I had a rough day today. And I'm looking to just forget about it for a few hours. And I have something to celebrate." Here he picked up the award plaque and offered it to Andrinn to read.

Andrinn had his back to him when he offered the award plaque to him and so he never saw the movement. Sam felt silly and so he quietly set the award back down and continued, "If you're up for it of course? I haven't had anything to chew on since...hell, I don't remember when. Lunchtime I think. Or, I'm happy with something in here if you're not busy for the next hour or two?"

Andrinn turned around and walked over to close the distance between him and Sam. He saw that there was an award or a plaque, or both quite honestly. Andrinn knew that Sam had been working hard lately and he was definitely due for an award, or so Andrinn thought. Andrinn picked the award up and read it over for a moment before his eyes got big and Andrinn gave Sam the biggest hug possible.

Sam welcomed the embrace and hugged Andy back tightly, lifting him a little bit off of his feet.

"Congrats on becoming the XO of the marines! I know that you've been working so hard towards this and you totally deserve it, Sam! This totally does deserve something fancy for dinner, Mr. XO Woolheater, sir!" Andrinn replied while getting out of the hug and giving Sam a little salute in honor of his promotion.

Sam was really very happy, "Thanks Andy. It wasn't anything I did. Captain Tonelly stepped down and so there was an empty seat. Colonel is giving me a shot at it and I figured I'd take the opportunity. I'm excited about it too. Adelaide did all this" here he indicated to the document plaque. "She found the files in the computer and then recreated them." Sam reached for Andrinn's hand and squeezed it. He laughed at the salute and said, "None of that here OK? Well, maybe just, when we're...in the sack. You can salute me with something else ay?"

"Aye, aye, my Captain, oh Captain...or something like that. However that little bit goes," Andrinn replied as he kissed Sam once more and looked him over once more. Andrinn couldn't help but love the man that he was married to. He was glad that they took the jump and went ahead and just got married a few weeks ago on that beautiful planet. It was absolutely beautiful.

However, Andrinn thought Sam said something about food and he said, "Oh! By the way, you said something about food, didn't you? What'd you have in mind for that wonderful meal? Klingon? Bajoran? Vulcan, if you're feeling freaking?"

"I could use a no surprises dinner. So, I vote Vulcan. A big ass bowl of Plomeek soup sounds...awesome right now. I know it's late; you had a senior staff dinner huh? Are you even hungry?" He squeezed Andrinn's hand and kissed him, "'scuse me...had to kiss you on the lips there stud..." Sam guffawed and then playfully snapped his index finger against Andy's "Adam's apple" and the sound of it was like that of a popping cork.

"Well, excuse you. But, the senior staff had our dinner last night, so I'm good for whatever you wanted to get for dinner. We can definitely go down to the Vulcan place on the promenade deck," Andrinn said with a chuckle as he playfully snapped Sam's 'Adam's Apple' back and it let off a sound very similar to that of his own.


LIKEET O.R. LUMPUT'S MASS QUANTITIES CONSUMPTION EATERY & BEVERIDGE DISTRIBUTION POINT

Austere...would be a word most appropriate for this place. As if it were decorated by George Orwell himself, the eatery was a stainless steel nightmare. But, they had the best Plomeek soup. And there was not a lot of chit-chat. No, "how are the kids" conversations, "how's your back?" Or any "You're looking great today! You're just beaming. Have you lost weight?" and zero chance of any "we've missed you/nice to see you again" awkward conversations even being started. It was purely transactional in nature. No waiters, no violin players, no flowered tables, no background music, no video feeds, no take out, no toothpicks for freely taking, no to extra crackers, no desert tray on a trolley, no coupons or groupons, no long lines, no reservations and no substitutions. Sam looked up at the sign and said, "Like it or Lumpit's, say whatever you want about the Vulcan's, but they do know how to run an efficient restaurant. Shall we?"

"Yeah, lets do this thing," Andrinn replied as he headed inside and guided Sam to one of the tables meant for approximately two people. The entire place was definitely something reminiscent of a Vulcan place of business. All business, no emotion. Once they sat down, Andrinn asked, "You said that you wanted some of the Plomeek Soup, right?"

Sam nodded and looked up at the digital display that had the only menu, "I think so. Been craving something spicy, but not drain-o my guts out. Yeah, Plomeek soup for me. And a frosty, cold Altair water. What are you having?"

Andrinn thought about it himself and looked over a menu that had been placed on the table for people to pick what they wanted. Andrinn waited a moment and replied, "You know, I think that I'll have the same thing as you. Plomeek Soup and a thing of Altair Water for me!"

"Awright-awright-awright...sounds like we're ready" Sam said as a wait staff came by and took the food order. "Thank you" as the waiter left. Sam yawned and stifled it down as much as he could, "Oh. Sorry. Long ass day. Ended much better than it started for me. How about you?" he asked Andrinn. The waiter returned and placed a tall couple long stems filled with cold and delicious, bubbly, bluey and botanical Altair water. A crystal bottle decanter was left behind hewn from the crystal caverns on Altair from whence it came.
The bubbles in the aqua liquid slowly rising. "Thank you" he said again and lifted his glass to Andrinn's in a toast, "Here's to surviving another day out here in Circinus."

Andrinn raised his own glass and tapped it against Sam's before replying, "Ain't that the dang truth! I'm just glad that we're here and get the chance to have a bite to eat with one another. All of us have been busy with work and everything going on that even when we had the chance to do some R&R, it didn't feel like it was enough, if that makes sense? I'm glad we had it, but we've all been through so much over the last few months."

Sam took a drink and then nodded. The drinky-poo was good. It helped to lessen a headache he had all day and forgot that he had it. "Yeah, I know. Sometimes I think this is just some dream. Some nightmare and I'm going to wake up in a Cardassian prison and learn they have been keeping me drugged and chained to a wall. But then, I wake up the next day and...its another day of survival until the end of the day." Sam took a long drink and emptied the flute. He poured another and offered to top Andrinn off, "Do you ever think...like...what's the point? If the ship could even do warp 9.8, we're still like thirteen-thousand years from home. So, what if we could do double or even triple that speed. Warp...fifty...Still we're three-thousand years from home. And sometimes I think...What are we even going to look like in twenty-years from now?" Sam took a drink and then added, "I mean, you'll still be a sexy stud muffin but the rest of us who aren't El Aurian...will you come visit us in the geriatrics wing of ol doc' Sthilg's sickbay?"

"Well, I look at the likes of the crews of Voyager and the various Enterprises. They've all been in some scrape, where it would take them more lifetimes than any of them to get home. But, they've all found their ways home before it got too crazy. So, I know that we'll make it home sooner rather than later," Andrinn replied as he took a sip of his drink and when the food came out, he started to eat the delicious soup. After a few moments more, Andrinn looked at Sam and took his hand as he asked, "Are you afraid we're going to be stuck out here forever?"

Sam hadn't yet eaten a bite. He was slowly stirring the soup with his spoon. Andrinn's question brought him out of his reverie and he smiled weakly, "No, of course not" he said. But the words were hollow and they sounded fake to him as well. He took a small spoonful of the soup and tasted it. It was good and he was so hungry for it. But his appetite had vanished and all he could think of as he averted his gaze away from Andrinn was Corelli's broken body lying there on the sickbay bed some hours before.

Even if it wasn't as obvious as it was, Andrinn could tell that something was going on and Sam was deep into thinking about something. While Andrinn had noticed it mid-sip from his spoon, he quickly put it down into the meal before him. Andrinn reached over and gently squeezed Sam's forearm and asked, "What's wrong babe? I don't think I've ever seen you turn down food unless something was going on. So, what's on your mind?"

Sam appreciated the gesture and he rested his hand on Andrinn's. He said, quietly, "Last night, end of watch, a Marine sentry was attacked and beaten. We think by fellow Marines based on what the private has told us. He'll be OK. Medics will take care of him and he's seeing a Counselor. He's only 21 years old. I have about twelve hours left to figure out who did this before I will have to bring it to ship's Security. They beat him...so bad...but they didn't kill him. I have to find out who did this, do something with them and get people's hope up by getting some achievable goals. Anyway, I've been at this all day." He looked at Andrinn, "Thanks. I needed to tell someone and get it off my chest. I still have to see the Colonel and make a report. It would be good if I can present her with the problem and the solution."

"Well, I hope that you're able to figure out who harmed this young man. Since you think it's another marine, do you have any clues as to the motive of why someone would've wanted to harm them?" Andrinn asked, still holding onto Sam's hand as he asked those questions.

"No. I can't think of any reason. It's more than just 'tough guy' pressure. It's more than hazing. Which should not ever happen. That fact that it has tells me that these feelings have been festering under the surface for a while. Anyway...sorry for bringing it up. I'm not a cop or a detective; I just want to find whoever did this and how many we're dealing with." Sam squeezed his hand and stirred his soup and took a bite. "Tell me something good ay?"

"How's that new 1st Lieutenant coming up? Isn't he training as a new sniper? Or has he been a new sniper?" Andrinn asked.

Sam took a bite and cocked his head, "New sniper? We don't have a new sniper. We're lucky that we have the people we have. Nobody is learning any cross job skills. Maybe we should start thinking about that but...not yet. Listen, don't worry about it. I'll figure something out. I'm not going to be able to get any sleep anyway until this is done."

"Oh, I think I was mistaken. That was my bad. But, haven't you been training him up or something," Andrinn asked, curious about what was going on within Marine Country.

Sam smiled, squeezed Andrinn's hand and said, "I'm glad you're here too Andy." They ate and talked and walked the arboretum afterwards. Late, Sam returned to Deck 32 to resume work.

[OFF:]