Sunset on Aldebaran

Posted on Sat Mar 30th, 2024 @ 8:48am by Ensign Liam O'Connor & Lieutenant Commander Savin & Ensign Quinn Alka-Sutton & Ensign Charlotte (Charlie) Washington

Mission: Character Development
Location: Cargo Bay
2476 words - 5 OF Standard Post Measure

Having spent his first week aboard the Athena Liam was taken a moment to reflect. Sitting at his desk in his quarters he was engrossed in a technical manual, when a notification popped up on his computer screen. His brow furrows as he reads the message: an invitation to the cargo bay. The sender is simply listed as "Unknown."

Pausing for a moment, Liam considered the implications of the mysterious message. Who could be reaching out to him from an unidentified source? And why choose the cargo bay as the meeting place?

Despite the uncertainty, a spark of curiosity ignites within him, drawing him towards the unknown. With a sense of resolve, Liam closes the manual and rises from his seat, determined to uncover the secrets that await him in the depths of the ship's cargo bay.

The trip to the cargo bay was quick and uneventful, it was late in regards to the ships onboard timing convention and was operating on a realist my reduced personnel count. His mind worked in over drive considering the implications of his actions, but he felt that nothing sinister was at hand given that he was serving aboard a starfleet vessel at warp and besides nothing ever happened in the first week of your first assignment. Right?

"Welcome," Charlie stepped from the shadows in the cargo bay as Liam appeared. "To initiation."

Liam's heart skipped a beat as Charlie stepped out from the shadows, welcoming him. "Initiation?" He said his voice quiet.

The initial introduction was creepy, but not overly so. Charlie wanted him to feel a little off guard, but not entirely scared. Then, to resolve any suspicion that might have entered the young man's mind, she ordered the computer to turn the lights on. The bay lit up as if it was the middle of the day, revealing a table full of drinks and what looked like a small stage. "Don't tell me you never heard of initiation while you were at the Academy?" Charlie half chuckled and nudged Liam in the ribs.

Liam took a moment to mull over Charlie's question. "Of course," he began, his Australian accent adding a casual flair to his words. "I've heard of initiations before, but never got to experience one myself. Starfleet Academy had its way of welcoming us greenies, but it was all pretty tame compared to this, eh?" He raised an eyebrow in mild surprise at the sight before him. The idea of an initiation on the Athena seemed unexpected, but not entirely unwelcome. After all, he'd heard tales of similar rituals back home on New Australia, albeit in different contexts.

"Seems like every crew's got their own thing goin' on," Liam continued, his tone thoughtful. "And hey, who am I to say no to a bit of banter? Besides, reckon I don't have much of a choice in the matter, do I?"

Savin approached from the opposite side, offering the man a drink. "I have not," he admitted, "but perhaps Vulcans were left out if such shenanigans?" He actually was pretty certain that might be the case as no-one had ever done this 'to' him on his first assignment.

"Err... they uhhh... they do make it sound scarier than it actually is," Quinn mumbled, approaching from behind Charlie, drink already in hand. The half-Bajoran paused for a moment, tilting their head slightly, "Though I suppose that might be the point."

Liam quickly settled into the impromptu gathering, feeling positive about his time aboard the Athena. Yet, lurking beneath his excitement was a niggling worry. He hoped he wouldn't be pressured into anything he didn't fancy or handed a dodgy drink. But for now, he was keen to bond with his new crewmates over a few laughs and stories. "So, what grog have we got?" he asked indicating to the table.

"I fear I do not know what grog is," the counselor answered curiously. If anything, this was going to be an educational endeavour, he realized. glancing at the new arrival, he sensed the worry quite easily. "Are you concerned that the food may be contaminated?"

Liam grinned nervously at the question, feeling a bit out of his depth. "Grog," he began, his voice betraying a hint of uncertainty, "is, uh, well... it's Aussie slang for booze. You know, drinks—like beer, wine, spirits, the whole deal."

He shifted on his feet, feeling a bit self-conscious under the counsellor's curious gaze. "I-I'm not concerned about contamination," Liam stammered, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "Just curious, you know? New ship, new crew, figured I'd, um, see what's on offer, before drinking it." He offered a weak smile, hoping he hadn't made a fool of himself in front of his new colleagues.

"I see .." Slang was something beyond his ability to see and understand, unless he had encountered it more often. "As far as I know, there is no requirement to drink," Savin offered, sensing the uncertainty and unease. "Relax ensign, you are off-duty, as am I. I am Savin." Belatedly, he realized he had failed to introduce himself. "Ship's counselor. Is this your first assignment?"

Charlie butted in before Liam had a chance to respond. "The counselor is right, on two accounts. There's no requirement to drink," she said with an emphasis on requirement. Sure there was no requirement but every self respecting new assignee knew you drank the grog if you wanted to fit in. "Secondly, you should relax. It's just a Samarian sunset topped with Aldebaran whiskey. Nothing crazy and no contamination, you have my word. Besides, assuming you decide you drink, you won't be alone." Charlie picked up a glass herself and smiled.

"Right!" the half-Bajoran Quinn chimed in. "I haven't been on board long, but if there's one thing I've learned it's that we all suffer together here on the Athena." They raised their glass a bit, eyeing the colours, "Hm, I suppose I can see where the 'sunset' came from."

Liam's shoulders relaxed slightly as Charlie spoke, reassured by her words. He nodded, grateful for her understanding and the offer of togetherness. "Cheers," he murmured, reaching for the glass offered to him.

As he took a sip, the smooth warmth of the Samarian sunset mixed with the rich flavor of Aldebaran whiskey washed over him, calming his nerves and easing the tension in his muscles. He couldn't help but smile as Quinn chimed in, their observation about the drink's resemblance to a sunset drawing a chuckle from him.

"Cheers to suffering together, then," Liam replied with a wry grin, raising his glass in a silent toast. Despite his initial nerves, he was starting to feel more at ease among his new crewmates. And with a drink in hand and good company by his side, he was ready to embrace whatever adventures awaited him aboard the Athena. Pushing his new found confidence, “So is there anything else I should know?"

Savouring his own -non-alcoholic, non-syntheholic- drink, Savin opted to simply observe the interaction between the junior officers. He felt he was here more to ensure things wouldn't get out of hand and if anything, observation was something he was fairly good at. "That depends," he finally answered the lingering question. "What would you like to know?"

He shrugged casually, his curiosity piqued. "So, what's the chief of engineering like? What kind of missions does the Athena usually embark on? And who should I keep an eye out for, or maybe steer clear of?" His questions flowed in a casual string, not necessarily demanding direct answers but rather seeking insights or examples.

Liam took a sip of his drink, savouring its delicious flavour as he awaited any tidbits of information that might come his way.

"I am the wrong person to ask who to avoid," Savin answered calmly, though his eyes seemed to hold an amused sparkle. "The chief engineer...is very passionate about her work. You will see and I have no doubt you will learn a great deal from her. Alas, as people tend to avoid me, I fear I do not know her well enough to give a comment about her beyond the realm of her duties."

"As for what type of missions..." Quinn looked up from staring at their drink, "Well, like I said, I haven't been aboard long but in my experience..." The half-Bajoran paused for a moment, "Well, you'll likely be able to keep busy, let's put it that way."

"You know, now that I think of it...it probably would have been useful if we had invited someone from engineering to this gathering," Charlie laughed. "I don't think any of us know Keating well enough to provide much detail, only rumors. She went on a leave of absence for a while and O'Connell was the interim chief. No one really knew if she was coming back. Some sort of trauma from the mission prior to shore leave, I don't really know the details. But who really needs details when we have drinks," she lifted hers up to cheers with the others.

"Why not page Ensign Paxton or Ensign Fenn and see if either of them is able or willing to join?" Savin suggested quietly, "you are correct, details are unimportant. The important part is, this vessel has a competent and passionate chief engineer."

"That's a relief," Liam remarked with a nod, a sense of gratitude evident in his tone. "I've heard a few horror stories myself, you know? Like, chiefs breathing down your neck every second or ones who couldn't care less about the crew's well-being. It's enough to make you wonder if you've signed up for the wrong gig."

He took a deliberate sip from his drink, savoring the warmth spreading through him before continuing. "But knowing we've got a decent chief like her running the show here, well, it's a weight off the shoulders, I'll tell ya." Liam's gaze shifted to the group, a genuine smile gracing his lips. "And hey," he added with a chuckle, "no offense to the present company, but it's always nice to expand the ol' social circle a bit, isn't it? The more, the merrier, as they say."

As the young man looked away, Savin didn't catch the last part of his statement even though he could see the man has said something. "She is," he agreed, "but even a good chief can accomplish very little without a competent team to back her up."

"I'll cheers to that!" Charlie raised her glass to the group and everyone followed in suit followed by another sip. "Now, on to the fun part. It wouldn't be an initiation without a little...initiation fun. Right?" A sly grin slid onto her face and she grasped Liam's shoulder pulling him into a side hug. "You know Ensign O'Connor, you look like someone with a decent set of pipes. Who here wants to hear the ensign sing us a bit of a tune?" She asked the crowd, knowing the response was sure to be a resounding yes.

Liam chuckled nervously, shaking his head in mock protest. "Oh, I dunno about that," he said, trying to deflect the attention away from himself. "I'm not exactly known for my vocal talents, you know?"

But deep down, Liam knew he couldn't escape this one. The expectant gazes of his friends and the playful nudges reminded him that he'd have to face the music, quite literally. Taking a sip of his drink, he braced himself for what was to come, already thinking of a song he could butcher with his less-than-stellar singing skills.

Quinn gave a quick grin, taking another sip of their drink and gesturing at the stafe, "Come on! Consider it a right of passage! Like... ummm... a get to know you." They looked to the others, "You can tell a lot about someone from the karaoke songs they pick, right?"

Savin shook his head. "I would not know," he clarified, "I can feel a beat if it is prominent enough but I would not know about songs. I have..sort of... indirectly experienced music, through telepathy, but never for myself as I cannot hear it."

With a mischievous glint in his eye, Liam sauntered towards the stage, swaying to an imaginary beat as he approached the microphone. "Alright, alright, I'll give it a shot," he announced with theatrical flair, earning a round of applause and encouraging cheers from the crowd.

As the music began to play, Liam couldn't help but let loose, his inhibitions melting away in the glow of the stage lights and possibly the punch. With exaggerated gestures and dramatic flair, he launched into the song, his voice booming and lively, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.

"And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no, no, no, I'm a rocket man..."

With each lyric, Liam's enthusiasm grew, his performance becoming more animated and showman-like with every passing moment. He danced around the stage, engaging the audience with playful winks and exaggerated gestures, fully embracing the joy of the moment. Despite any embarrassment he may have felt, Liam couldn't help but revel in the laughter and cheers of his friends, knowing that this impromptu performance would be a memory they'd all cherish for years to come.

As the song wound down, Liam's breath came in short gasps, his chest heaving from the energetic performance. With a sheepish grin, he leaned on the microphone stand for support, sweat glistening on his brow. "Phew, how'd I go, mates?" he panted, his voice slightly breathless but filled with exhilaration. "Didn't think I'd be crooning like a bloomin' rockstar on the bridge of the Enterprise!"

Pausing to catch his breath, Liam glanced around at the crew, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "But let's get this straight," he added with a chuckle. "You lot better not ask me to do that again, alright? I reckon I've done my fair share of embarrassing meself for one night!"

"No promises," Charlie shrugged as her lips curled into a smirk, "but I think that'll do for tonight anyway. So," she presented her palm for a handshake, "let me be the first to officially welcome you to the team."

Liam smiled and took her hand and shook it. “Thanks, I’m glad to be here” he said finally.

From the side, Savin observed the interaction, pleased that things hadn't gone out of hand. He watched Liam for a moment, sensing the exhilaration and amusement even if he couldn't judge the singing. "I think you will fit in just fine," he finally observed. "I will leave you all to your party now." There was no further need for him to be here now.