Hands Full with a Handfull (Part 2 of 6)

Posted on 17 Oct 2023 @ 2:22pm by Commander Morgan Tarin & Commander Scarlet Blake & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant Aria Rice & Lieutenant JG Rafe Caradec & Lieutenant JG Sofie Ullswater
Edited on on 17 Oct 2023 @ 2:23pm

2,519 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: Regula I - Level 16, Mess Hall 2
Timeline: MD 18, 1739 hrs

Previously, on Hands Full with a Handfull (Part 1)...

"Oh she's steady now," Constantin said with a quick smile, nodding. "But I am seriously ready to relax a bit. And maybe even have naps. Many naps." He took another sip of his drink, his eyes on him. "You got to be feeling the same way, seeing as you were a one-man department for ages."

"You're right there," Gabriel admitted easily, his arm draped comfortably around Constantin as they strolled through the throng of revellers. "But I haven't been running around fixing a ship up since arriving here. What say we stick around here for maybe half an hour then slip off earlier for a very long night?"

Constantin smiled, his eyes shining at the prospect. He nodded, leaning into it. "That, to me, sounds like a most excellent plan," he admitted before he kissed his cheek and laughed.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

Mess Hall 2, Klingon Banquet

Allyndra avoided such events. Other than some of the liquid refreshments, there was little that she could actually partake of. She figured though she should at least make a quick appearance, but as she got to the proper place, she stopped and sniffed the air. "Bloodwine." She murmured and turned her steps to the opposite party. "Pardon me, but I smell Bloodwine and was wondering if I might get a mug?"

Many Klingons in the mess hall adjacent to Galileo's party suddenly became quiet and glared at the foreign winged Starfleet doctor when she entered their private room. Low-volume chuckles started to emanate from them in regards to the new Federation nuisance, prompting one nearby robust warrior to rise from his seat with a large goblet of the coveted drink clutched in his hand. "What do you know of bloodwine, Starfleet?" he challenged.

"The name is Allyndra, forget Starfleet, we aren't even a part of the Federation." She sniffed once more. "I can tell blood." She then opened her mouth wide to show off the folding fangs before allowing them to go back to their resting position. "I get some synthetic stores but to tell you the truth, it is not the same. I came down the hall, and I could smell that drink." She jerked her head toward the door. "I feel all but starved at times with that group. Blood bothers them."

There were several audible gasps followed by more murmuring from the Klingon contingent of officers. Some appeared repulsed by her oral biology while others found it unique and fascinating. One young prominent officer with a bald head and black ponytail rose from his seat and waved his hand at the woman. He narrowed his dark eyes at her. "You are not a Klingon so you must be Federation. What do you really want from us?" asked Torn, the tactical weapons master. "You wish to take our bloodwine then leave, like Starfleet takes from any world which they benefit from to assimilate?"

"Did I say leave? I will, if I must, but you're going to leave me to starve. Fine, I'm sorry I disturbed you." Allyndra turned to leave.

Torn folded his large arms across his chest, his leather armor creaking. "What do you have to offer us in return?"

Allyndra paused. "I can sing. I can dance. What would you wish?"

He chuckled at her offer with a deep, throaty laugh. "So, the Federation has sent us an entertainer?!" he spoke not only to the foreign alien but also to the other Klingons in the room. A decent number of the warriors mockingly laughed in reply. "Very well! I accept your offer and wish you to do both. Entertain us while you drink, Allyndra!" The sudden repeating, rhythmic pounding of multiple goblets against the table tops from multiple Klingons echoed their collective approval.

Allyndra made a curtsy. *Wish there was a pool but what the heck*. She straightened and then, with a bound, launched herself into the air catching it with her wings. She did as she would a water dance and danced while on the wing and begin to sing. She performed Laʻu meke nao nukou or this song is my gift to you though she knew that they would not understand the words. She knew that no matter the reputation that Klingons had, they actually appreciated music having their own operatic traditions. As she finished the song, she made one last pirouette in the air and came to curtsy but still hovering on her her wings. "Good enough for a cup?"

The mocking grins and chuckles slowly faded as many Klingons now watched the aerial display and listened to the accompanying harmonic lyrics. They continued to drink their bloodwine while quietly murmuring among themselves with curiosity. When the Starfleet officer finished her routine, they began to pound their goblets on the table once more with appreciation.

"Let her drink!" one of them yelled. Several others raised their goblets to concur.

Torn had remained standing throughout the display along with several others, and now agreeing with his crew mates, he proclaimed, "Good enough! Ha! You may drink our bloodwine. For now..."

Allyndra tilted her head took a goblet that was sitting without any owner and dipped it into the cask. She tilted it back and drank it down without pause. "You don't know how good that tastes to me! To the Klingons!" She refilled and toasted.

Aria watched Allyndra from where she was sitting, a goblet in her hand. There was food set out here too, Klingon specialities...and a stack of cupcakes because Aria wasn't going to be outdone by Klingons. Spiced cupcakes with a dark chocolate ganache. After all, she couldn't really change what she looked like. She also hadn't made a big deal of them, just put them there amongst the pipius claw, broiled krada leg and various other Klingon favourites. She raised her drink to her lips, sipping it.

It had been only a moment after she and Lamar had entered the Federation party that Sofie had found herself wandering to the other room. She'd stood in the corridor for what felt like an hour, building up the courage to enter the Klingon's banqueting hall. But it wasn't the Klingons that were giving her pause and once she finally plucked up the courage to go in the object of all that anxiety was immediately visible. That one specific Klingon warrior, who Sofie had spent the last fortnight avoiding, sat in front of her pile of cupcakes.

Avoiding her had been easy ever since she had joined the Klingon crew and who knows, with their respective ships soon to depart, this might be the last time the two friends would ever be in the same room. Sofie couldn't leave things off like this. What am I going to say? What if she hates me? Did she hear what happened in the brig? Sofie's thoughts were racing, they could have come up with a million more questions but before she knew it she was there, right behind her friend. Sofie's hand reached out to tap her on the shoulder "Hi Aria."

Aria turned her head and only those that knew her could see the panic in her eyes. She kept her features neutral and stood, slowly. "You should not be here, this is a party for the crew of the Praxis," she said, her voice lowered to avoid many Klingons hearing. She wore a Klingon uniform, no colour in her hair which hung free and framed her face. There was the scar on her face, still healing, and a scabbed over cut on her chin. Her pale blue eyes were framed with black, more dramatic than Aria would have done on the Galileo, more like war paint. "The Galileo's crew are all across the hall."

Sofie had been expecting something horrible, she knew this had been a bad idea but as it coalesced into reality in front of her it was so much worse than she could ever have imagined. She had thought she was prepared for the worst but no, there could have been no preparing. Aria hated her and Sofie knew that she was right to do so. This was the end. She froze like an animal caught in headlights. "I-" There were no words here, nothing that could fix this. Her eyes darted over to the exit and then down to the floor "I'll go, sorry." She turned without looking up, she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, that twitchiness of the nose but she would not give Aria the satisfaction of seeing any tears.

Aria watched her friend go, her features stern even if inside she wanted to run after her. But she had to focus on her own survival...and Sofie's safety. With the death of Captain KahG, tensions were already high. She did not want to risk Sofie getting stuck if there was a fight, or someone took exception in another human there. She sat down, taking her drink and drinking as much as she could down, closing her eyes at the taste and strength.

With no warning, a strong hand clapped Aria on her back. The female Klingon's body, wrapped in dark red heavy fabrics and punctuated with a touch of leather, slid down deftly beside her. "Is she a friend?" Etisa asked as she watched the retreating form of Sofie. "She is an adorable little pipius...I could just gobble her up..."

Aria chuckled, finding herself leaning a little into the touch before she met her eyes. "One of the reasons I sent her away," she said lightly. She gave a small nod to her question, frowning. "Hopefully, should I return to the Galileo, she'll still be a friend."

"Friends do what they must for each other..." Etisa waved a hand, as if this was such a fundamental fact of life it was dull to have to say it again. "Even when they are things they do not want, but they need. That is true kinship. A burden, but a burden worth bearing."

Aria looked at her, a small smile coming to her that she then had to force away. "And what would you do, Etisa, in my shoes?" she asked, but teasingly. She knew the Klingon woman well enough to guess.

"Send them back to their boring Starfleet party, then tell them later that you saved them from at least seven broken bones and minor poisoning..." Etisa grinned to her, pushing another drink into Aria's hand without waiting for approval. "They are too feeble for such a hangover."

Rafe walked down the corridor and saw the two contingents and stopped in the hallway between them, Starfleet in one mess hall and the Klingons in the other. He was wearing an immaculate white Egyptian cotton button up shirt, which did nothing to hide his muscular build, with pressed navy blue slacks and dress shoes. He caught the smell of the food and couldn't wait to start. It smelled amazing. He looked into the mess hall of Starfleet personnel and almost started in but glanced around to the Klingons and saw Lt. Rice with them. Curious, he thought to himself. He turned his body around and walked up to her and tapped her on her right shoulder. "Lieutenant Rice, I see you're eating with the Klingons tonight. I'm not familiar with Klingon food, but would it be okay if I joined you?" Rafe could already hear the jeers and feel the stares being directed his way. He could also feel that careless way about him creeping up through his being. He could tell, this is going to be a great night!!!

Aria looked at the man she had never seen before with some surprise, but he was clearly Starfleet and knew her name. Now usually, Aria would have a thousand questions including who are you? Did we meet before? Oh god not that party at Risa, I had waaaay too much to drink and so forth, but this wasn't usual. This was Aria, the First Officer on a Klingon ship, in Klingon uniform, watching a man she had never met before in civvies. "This is a party for the Praxis crew," she said, her voice measured. "I am part of that crew. You're not. It might be safest if you find the nearest exit." She gestured with her head to the door.

Rafe, bending down, whispered in her ear, "I want to have a drinking competition with a Klingon. Should I insult one of them to get things moving?" Caradec had always heard of the strong Klingon spirit, but had never actually faced one in combat or in a challenge. However, he thought since the crews had worked together and that they were now friends, that some sort of friendly challenge couldn't hurt.

Aria pulled away a little bit, tense the moment Rafe bent closer to her. She looked at him, meeting his eyes. "Insult one, and the only thing spilled will be your intestines on the floor," she said quietly. Whoever he was, he seemed not to get a hint. So his own funeral it would be. "Go and ask someone for a drink. And then, say you want to have a drinking competition and take it from there. But...I want to make one thing clear. I advise you to leave this party. I won't be held responsible for what my crew does to you."

Rafe seemed to sense an undertone of her voice, the sudden caution in it. And then he looked at her face and realized he had stepped over a boundary by the way she looked at him, how she had suddenly tensed up. "My apologies, Lieutenant.", as Rafe stood up. Louder for some of the others to hear he said, "Lieutenant, I shall take leave of you so you may celebrate with this honorable crew, a crew of warriors!" With that he turned around and marched out of the dining hall and straight into the other one with his fellow officers.

Etisa leant to Aria, her blue eyes shining with amusement as she lowered her voice...as much as it lowered anyway. "You saved that one at least ten broken bones, a concussion and a very nasty bitemark..."

"Thought the bitemark was for marriage...he doesn't seem your type," Aria said lightly before she shook her head. "Now who the hell that was is beyond me though." But she was hopeful, at least, to keep the bloodshed to a minimum at this party.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

CMDR Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A

LTJG Sofie Ullswater
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

LT Aria Rice
First Officer
IKS Praxis

LTJG Rafe Caradec
Senior Conn Officer
USS Galileo-A

Etisa
Klingon Officer
IKS Praxis
[NPC Blake]

LT Torn
Tactical Weapons Master
IKS Praxis
[NPC Tarin]

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