Promotion Party

Posted on Sun Jun 16th, 2024 @ 12:57pm by Lieutenant Ayana Hillis & Commander Samantha Howard & Lieutenant Imik S'Niohun & Lieutenant Inara Senn & Lieutenant JG Kate Kono & Lieutenant JG James Phoenix & Ensign Torog Zakhov

Mission: Man & Machine
Location: Officer's Lounge

The room stood silent as everyone awaited the guests of honor to arrive. A large table well set with a buffet style arrangement of various treats, all culminating to the Ktarian chocolate puff. Ayana had ensured that all present had drinks, and now everyone awaited for the doors to open and the two newly minted lieutenants to enter. Finally the doors opened and Kate and Phoenix entered, to a great fanfare. Ayana approached them both and offered her congratulations, shaking both of their hands.

Kate Skated into the Officer's Lounge on a skateboard and ran directly into Ayana with a hug just prior to shaking her hand. She kicked her board up into the air to catch it and it had a single gold pip, followed by a large hollow pip cared into the board next to a pair of hands with their index fingers and middle fingers out in the Victory Sign/Peace sign.

"I thought I was in trouble when they called me into the office," Kate said. It had been a while since she got back so she had the time to recuperate after a heavy ordeal. "But then when I saw Phoenix was with me, I just assumed I was serving as witness to his destructive talents." Kate playfully punched her friend in the shoulder.

Imik stood slightly apart from the main group of guests, she hadn't been here long and as such didn't really know anyone. But a promotion party was known to her, she had attended them before. *Humans do like to celebrate almost anything*, she thought. Waiting for someone to talk to, she held her chocolate milkshake close to her mouth and sipped it.

"Ow" Phoenix whined as Kate hit him. "I assumed it was because of your actions" Phoenix retaliated jokingly.

"Congratulations to you both" Ayana said to Kate and Phoenix. Looking at Phoenix, "You know the promotion comes with a move to Beta shift, right? I'm sure Imik will expect big things you and hold you to high standards, just as I will. Of course, her standards will be nearly impossible to meet, but I'm sure you will be fine. Why don't we go talk with her and make sure you are clear on everything" she said as she held back her laughter.

Sam hurried as, late as ever from sickbay but determined not to miss the festivities. Everyone needed to let their hair down and she intended to comply with her own doctors' orders. Grabbing a drink from a tray she headed into the crowd.

On hearing her name, Imik looked towards the two lieutenants. A faint smile crossed her lips as she listened about her high standards, perhaps she should continue the humour and set impossible goals. But she decided against it, not knowing this crew it might upset or offend.

Ayana walked with Phoenix over to Imik. "Lieutenant, good of you to come to this gathering. I was just informing Mr. Phoenix here that with his promotion comes with new responsibilities and expectations. Care to comment?" she said with a slight smirk.

The Ojnas bowed to the others as they approached her, "Blessings on you all and thank you for inviting me, as for new responsibilities and expectations. Your duties will of course increase, extra bridge duty, extra cleaning duty. And of course as the newest Lieutenant in Security, you will be most responsible for keeping the Chief of Security well supplied with food and drink." Imik glanced at Ayana and gave a little nod, "And the Assistant Chief must also be cared for in this way, are you willing to take on these duties Mr Phoenix?"

Kate jumped on her skateboard and slowly rolled over to Imik and smiled a big toothy grin. Kate found herself suprised that, after everything that happened to her the past week, she felt a relief that she could still be herself. In fact, the skateboard was Kate's attempt to look back on her childhood and remember simpler times, before Q transported her to the 24th Century and stuffed her head full of Starfleet knowledge. Looking back on Earthly things was a great escape from looking out into the void right now while she recovered from the trauma of her past mission. In fact, she felt more alive now than ever.

Kate waved at Imik as she stood in her skateboard. It was her way of telling her she was interested in the new face onboard and she couldn't wait to ask if she liked Holodeck adventures, which was generally one of the first questions she asks any new friend. She gave another push as she smiled at Imik and then rolled to a stop to look at Torog.

She then rolled away from him without saying a word. A while bad passed and she rolled back over to him with a huge slice of cake in her hand, outstretched in his general direction. "Hellooooo!" She said in a cheerful, happy tone. "I'm Kate! You looked happy so I figured you would want this slice of cake. I've never seen you here before! You must be new! It's nice to meet you! Are you security or engineering?!"

Phoenix looked at Imik and Ayana. “I most certainly am sirs” James said, chuckling at the slight joke. “Jokes aside I’m ready for anything.”

"Good answer" Ayana said softly. "But don't get too ambitious. You never know what will happen next on this ship to challenge you. I mean, look at what we just dealt with as an example. A rogue AI that built an army of machine to exterminate a human population, on a world that was already highly irradiated. From what I have seen and heard, had we not arrived when we did, the machines would've won the war in a matter of weeks. Now the planet has peace, environmental healing is well underway, and a bevy of StarFleet's finest are overseeing a full planetary reclamation project. You can only imagine what we'll deal with next."

Looking at the happy faces around her, Imik now glanced down at the floor. "Mr Phoenix, in space there are many things which will trouble or even harm us. But with a good crew and friends even family, we can face them and with skill win our personal battle. I congratulate you on your promotion, it was well deserved." She smiled and then continued, "Now go and enjoy this party, as you Humans say. The night is young."

James returned the smile. "Thank you sirs" he said before turning to go enjoy the party. He was grateful for Ayana and Imik's advice. The Lieutenant had a lot to learn, but he was glad that he his colleagues and superiors believed in him.

"Lieutenant Hillis, a word if you please. Before the party spirit takes over, I must inform you that being a psychic I can hear peoples thoughts. Anything I hear tonight, will be ignored and not held against anyone. That being said, do you wish me to remain?" She looked at Ayana and then to the happy crowd, "I would not wish to intrude by accident, but synthahol can make for strange thoughts." Imik now waited for response, she felt it better that the Humans know now rather than find out later."

Inara walked pass Imik. "Synthehol is what people drink when they are damned lightweights, and If people are having strange thoughts from synthehol, then they are in the ops department." The Chief Science Officer was in one of her more festive moods. But still she was as social as a honey badger.

"I think you'll be fine lieutenant" Ayana replied to Imik. She looked at Inara, "You sound like you are wanting something a bit more than your typical formal party. Perhaps you want to drink to forget some troubles. Deanna can be overwhelming, but I assure you, she is quite a fun person to be around if you are open to friendship."

"Yeah, well I'm not a good person, I'm not even a good Starfleet officer, and I even killed people if you can call Jem'hadar people. I certainly do not refer those engineered blue bastards any kind of lifeform that has a concept of civility. They're war machines, nothing more." Inara noted. "I'm a scientist, that has been dragged by Starfleet into wearing a uniform like a goddamned British Impression into the service of the Federation. Though I do admit I haven't been very... disciplined lately. Of which I apologize sincerely. Being fucked over by a god leaves one quite disturbed." Inara mentioned. "And most people don't like that I'm a scientist first and a Starfleet officer second. They want it the other way around, but I hold true to what I am, despite the militarization around me." She grabs a bottle and looks at it as she raids the bar for the good stuff. "Well now, we have chateau Picard piss. We have Saurian piss. We have Aldebaron piss. We have Klingon Piss, if some of us are adventurous. What other kinds of piss do we have?"

Ayana gave a soft chuckle. "Deanna is right, you do like to throw the shields up and toss around poor attitude in hopes of keeping everyone away." Ayana walked over to Inara, "Let me tell you something though, it won't keep everyone away from you on this ship. Certainly not me. You don't have to like being an officer, but you are one. I suspect your projected anger about everything is designed to mask pain you don't want others to see. If that is the case, mask it the way we have on Earth for millennia, drink your cares away." Ayana went behind the bar and pulled out a clear bottle that looked like it had the logo of a bat on it. "This is a party; we should be drinking rum. This is one of the bottles I made sure the barkeep has on hand. Real, honest to God Bacardi rum. Start with shots and see where this goes" she said with a smile as she poured a pair of shots, handing one to Inara. Raising her shot glass she offered a simple toast, "Let's get pissed!" and then downed her shot.

Torog, who on the advice of some other junior officer aboard the USS Washington, had attempted to blend into a 'human party' by dressing the part. So, he had made an effort to wear the most inanely, brightly colored Hawaiian shirt that he could find on the replicator. However, looking around the room at the senior officers and department chiefs, he had clearly miscalculated. So, he continued to drink some sort of blue cocktail drink he had been passed, with straws, flowers and an umbrella in it, whilst trying to badly keep a low profile. Torog was then approached by a Human female, with black hair, dark brown eyes and who was short and very skinny. When she spoke, he was going to respond with yes child. But seeing that she had the extra rank pip instead responded "Yes Ma'am. Engineering Ma'am." Torog then pointed at the skateboard. "That seems a rather crude way to get about Ma'am. Would you like me to modify it to make it hover?"

Someone had just handed her a plastic glass made for a beer, but it was filled with something called -- Ardi? She handed one to Torog as well and stepped down off the board.

"You can do that?! That'd be so cool! So, would a hoverboard work on water?" Kate wondered. She took a gulp of what was in the cup, and it made her neck muscles tighten and she gasped for air as she sat down in a chair next to him, followed by coughing as the liquid burned on the way down. She managed a strained "Holy Self Sealing Stembolts...." The young girl said as she looked at the plastic cup full of rum. ".... that's not Root Beer."

Kate breathed in deeply and tried again, but this time, a smaller sip as she talked with the new engineer. "... I'm always up for trying something new, so if you want to, that'd be cool! You can make one for yourself too! I imagine these things would be great for coasting down Jefferies tubes!"

Kate wheezed between drinks, but the taste of the rum slowly started being more bearable as she managed to get in a few gulps as she acclimated to the burn of the beverage.

The bartender brought a second bottle of the Bacardi over to Ayana before taking another bottle out onto the floor to pour some fresh drinks. "Thanks Jack" Ayana said as he smiled at the two lieutenants.

"Not a problem my dear" he said in a somewhat slurred manner. He made his way over to where Kate and Torog were seated. He looked at the two of them and then poured a drink into Kate's cup. He then looked at Torog, "Now here is a man with a problem. The problem is not the problem, the problem is your attitude about the problem. Savvy?"

Inara found a very nice vintage of wine and poured herself a glass. "Ugh, Shot drinkers." She noted. "Now this is a drink of elegance, and no doubt Deanna is the type who would join an academy sorority and keep on chugging down Tequila to the sound of her sorority sisters shouting 'Do it.' like a profane ritual of imbibery." Inara mentioned. "Now this is a drink, unlike the others that will earn you a trip to the brig, and are merely ingredients to a good sauce. Also rum is a vile drink that turns well standing beings into complete scoundrels!!!!"

Kate took another deep drink of the Rum after staring in surprise at Inara's reaction to what she thought was the best drink in the universe. She looked over to Jack.

"Come on..." She grabbed hold of him and pulled him toward the Replicator. She replicated a microphone and another...She handed him one and then programmed the computer to change the music.

A synth tune appeared and holographic letters floated across the room for them to read as the tune went by. Kate clicked the microphone on and started singing.

"Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray, South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio!"

Kate jumped onto a table, spilling various drinks and motioned for Jack to jump up there with her as she tried not to lose track of the lyrics as it was obvious she had done this before -- only privately, in her room -- from a time long ago where holographic letters didn't exist...

"We didn't start the fire!" moving her near nonexistent hips to the music and slapping her hands against the microphone while making room for Jack to get up there with her "It was always burning since the world was turning!" She wasn't the best singer, but she wasn't bad either -- mainly she was just having a great time.

'Why am I even here? I sure as hell am not getting promoted. Time to go back to my quarters where there is less noise.' Inara said to herself as she turned to leave. Setting the wine glass somewhere.

"Leaving already?" questioned Ayana as she walked up behind her. "Surely you don't want to miss the newly minted lieutenant making a complete fool of herself" she said as Kate could be heard singing.

"If she knew what she was getting into, in the upper ranks of Starfleet, she would have politely turned the pip down." Inara mentioned. "Maybe I should tell her before she gets big dreams, that they could turn into big nightmares."

"Always with the negative waves" Ayana slurred ever so slightly. "Why not try a little positivity, some levity, and just let that dark cloud around you melt away."

Sam made her way over, still nursing her first drink and in no hurry to lose focus. "Something up?" She asked as she approached Ayana and Inara.

Torog looked at the two glasses he now held in turn. He shrugged then put them both on the bar. Shoving his hands in his pockets he then balanced himself back and forward on the edge of his hooves. Tutting to himself in thought he then decided to find that proper human drink…vodka.

Inara looked at Sam. "Aw nothing. It's just Kate's getting promoted... and she doesn't realize how much it will suck yet." The woman folded her arms. "I mean check it out, she's making more noise than a Klingon in the hall of heroes. But don't mind me.. Im in a perpetual sour mood." She folded her arms.

"I don't think that's the case at all. I think you care about people more than you admit" Sam retorted "but you're sick of being either ignored and dismissed. Mood has nothing to do with it" she finished boldy.

A new song started and Kate's eyes narrowed at Inara from the table she just jumped off of. The young woman duck-walkws over to Inara to the beat of the song and cranked her head from left to right in front of her while sporting a goofy smile before she started singing the lyrics to her face.

"I - LIKE - BIG - HUGS AND AND A SHIP TO FLY --- You Starfleet dwellers can't de-nye... When Inara walks in, need a nura-ep-frin cuz shes got a frown on her face she needs RUM!" Kate seemed to pull a glass of rum out of nowhere while dancing happily in front of Inara to the tune of 'Big Butts' .

Inara stared at Kate and picked up her wine glass and gave it to Jack. "More...."

Phoenix had been avoiding the alcohol up until now. Not that he needed to he hadn't needed one. Until now. "I need a drink" he muttered jokingly after seeing the current situation unfold.

"Savvy love" Jack said as he filled Inara's glass. "You just let Ol 'Jack know if you need anything dear, savvy" he said with a wry grin.

Ayana made her way behind the bar after overhearing Torog tutting to himself. Grabbing a bottle labeled 'Smirnoff' she looked over at Torog, "Ensign, give this a try. I think it'll straighten your chin hairs."

Kate skated back over to Torg and fell off his board. She reached into her Starfleet Jacket pocket and downed a couple of anti-intoxicant pills and jumped back up dancing to the new tunes that took the place of Karaoke.

"How do you like it on the Washington so far, Ensign Smirnoff?" Kate wondered. "I mean, sorry. Let me wait a sec for these pills to kick in hehehee"

Ayana looked and listened to Kate. She chuckled softly and thought to herself, lightweight. She walked over to Jack and whispered in his ear, and he smiled.

"Of course love" he replied rather indiscreetly. He walked with her over to the makeshift stage area that seemed to mysteriously appear and grabbed the microphone. Ayana for her part seemed to adjust her outfit and let her hair down, and suddenly she looked like a sultry minx ready for 90s club life. Suddenly the lights dimmed and a spotlight hit Jack and another Ayana, followed by a Spanish guitar riff for a song intro.

Jack began to sing in a perfect seductive voice,
Tonight we dance
I leave my life, in your hands
We take the floor
Nothing is forbidden anymore
Don't let the world dim my sight
Don't let a moment go by
Nothing can stop us tonight...

Suddenly Ayana began to dance seductively around Jack, reminiscent of a seductive samba as Jack continued to sing and joined her dancing.

Jack continued singing as they danced,
Bailamos, let the rhythm take you over
Bailamos
Te quiero amor mío, bailamos
Gonna live this night forever
Bailamos
Te quiero amor mío, te quiero.

Kate, still on her knees where she fell, spun around and smiled at the sight of Jack with Ayana dancing around him. Kate screamed and cheered as she clapped to the beat of the music while she watched Ayana strut her stuff and have a good time.

"Yeah whooooOooO!" Kate screamed and giggled

James watched as Ayana, Jack, and Kate danced in a comical horror. He had kept himself mostly laid back because both his superiors were in the room. It was fun seeing everyone have fun, and the current sight was even funny. But it was starting to be a little much for the newly promoted Lieutenant. At this point, he'd rather hangout with Ash and maybe a few drinks. With that, James started to make a quiet attempt at slipping out of the party.

As she didn't, and in fact couldn't drink alcohol, Imik started to hear more and more of the unguarded thoughts of the revelers, she then picked up the thoughts of James. Walking over slowly she spoke to him, "I think your wish to leave is a wise one Lieutenant, I to wish to depart this party simply because I can hear thoughts best left unheard."

She pointed to the door and made an unusual comment, "For the sake of appearances if we leave together, your companions will think we have become a couple for the night." She then smiled, "This is of course not the case at all, but it will serve our purpose in leaving. Do you agree?"

The one song ended and the fanfare continued as Ayana took a bow and then cheered for Jack. Jack for his part smiled and had a swig of the rum, then smiled a bit more as he twirled his mustache ever so lightly. Then a new song began to play, the sound of a more classic American rock song ringing out. And then Jack began to belt out the tune,

Here she comes now sayin' Mony Mony
Shoot 'em down turn around come on Mony
Hey she give me love and I feel all right now
Come on you gotta toss and turn
And feel all right, yeah I feel all right
I said yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

It seemed the song was a hit with the crowd, as they all cheered and danced and clapped along.

James hesitated and looked at Imik. "Respectfully ma'am, if they think we've become a couple for the night then that might be dangerous for our careers, since you are my boss" he said half seriously. "I don't disagree about leaving however. Things are starting to get a little too wild for me."

Imik now smiled at James, "Your logic is correct, and I made an error of judgement. As your superior we should keep a respectful distance, I thank you for pointing that out. Now Lieutenant, I suggest we leave this party. I am Duty Officer of the Deck tomorrow, you will also be on duty. As my assistant, dismissed."

James simply nodded before leaving. Part of him felt bad, but his judgment was correct. It wasn't that something like that was disallowed in Starfleet, but if gone about wrong it could set a dangerous precedent, even if it was a prank on the others. James turned out the door and made it way to his quarters.

The party continued on for a while longer, and those present seemed to imbibe copious amounts of both synthale and the real thing. When the party finally came to a close, the last people around were Kate who was laid out in a large chair in a corner gripping her new hoverboard, and Ayana and Jack who staggered out singing what sounded a bit like an old sea shanty while Jack continued to drink rum.

 

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