The "In" Crowd

Posted on Wed Feb 8th, 2023 @ 9:21pm by Captain Tristan Faust & Lieutenant Michael Amato & Ensign Tobias "Toby" Dienstag & Lieutenant JG Marcel Knowles

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Mission 2: Rendezvous At Starbase 10
Location: Starbase 10: Captain Nemo's
Timeline: M2 MD02 (2268.6.04) 1800

After enjoying their first adventure on the promenade, Toby had invited Marcel to join Mike and him for a drink. He figured it was also a good way to help Marcel become better acquainted with the Midway's crew. Being the son of two chefs, Toby of course picked the ritziest place on the Starbase, Captain Nemo's.

Toby and Mike had already been seated at a table down in the well nearest to the place's trademark windows. The place was known for their terran and exotic cuisine plus its loor to cieling windows which spanned two decks. The view tonight was once again the majestic shape of the Midway herself.

Marcel had not met Mike yet, but he knew how to spot Toby easily. You look for the one that looked like he should be with his parents ordering chicken fingers. That said, Marcel got a little lost navigating the starbase. He entered the place, finally the correct one and spotted Toby.

"I'm sorry," he said briskly and paused to catch his breath. He had clearly been sprinting recently. "I went to the wrong deck and ended up at a completely different place called Captain Isano's" Marcel explained apologetically. "This place looks much nicer and I suspect the squid isn't blue here."

"Or as tough," Toby responded with a chuckle, "And no worries at all Marcel..." He looked at the young man to his left, "And this is Dr. Michael Amato our surgical resident," he said.

"A pleasure Marcel... Knowles was it?" Mike responded, a smile across his face. The smile seemed to.mask the bags under his eyes which marred his handsome olive toned face. He was wearing a shirt with a print which could have been described as wallpaper. It was blue with little white flowers.

Marcel nodded "Yes, Doctor. Knowles. You look like you haven't been sleeping very much" Marcel noted. "Hopefully the time spent on the starbase will help with that" he added. He had seen a few nice looking spas on the starbase.

"Well, for our first cruise there was only two doctors aboard, Dr. Kitchner and I," Mike responded, "Although I heard we're supposed to be getting a third doctor, I hope he sticks."

"And doesn't need to bring Bessie with him," Toby commented.

"Right," Mike confirmed with a chuckle, "And yeah all of us our looking forward to enjoying the starbase's amenities. I have a massage booked for tomorrow, so I'm definitely looking forward to that."

"Excellent," replied Marcel. "A good massage goes a long way in relaxation. The Midway sounds like an interesting assignment. Toby and I had some fantastic burgers on the starbase, after having some questionable alien squid."

"It is," Mike responded, "We were launched about six months ahead of schedule so the Captain pulled in many favors and raided the academy to fill the ship... A Constitution is a plush assignment but not many officers were just hanging around Earth waiting for an assignment." He shuddered, "I would say most alien squid is questionable," he responded.

"As questionable a seafood from a convenience stop in the midwest" Marcel quipped with a chuckle. "Or at least that has what I've been told" he stated. "I could use a plush assignment. I've been on an Ares class since earning my commission."

"I wouldn't let the Captain hear you put down the Ares class," came a voice from behind them. A man in his early thirties was standing there. He possed a long tanned face with a cleft chin, blue eyes and sported a blonde pompadour on top of his head. He smiled as he rounded the corner of the booth and sat down, "It was his first posting after the academy and his last posting was executive officer on one." He looked at Toby and Mike, "Sorry I'm a bit late," he said, "Good to see you two... Feels like it's been ages."

"Only a few hours," Mike responded with a chuckle.

Marcel straightened and stiffened his posture. "I don't dislike the Ares class, Sir. There just is something about being on a Constitution Class. I appreciate my time aboard the Ragnarök."

"No need for sirs, I'm just the janitor," the man responded with a smirk. He looked at the waiter who showed up, "Gin martini, orange peel no onion or olive." He looked around the table, "Anyone else want anything? On me."

Marcel liked that charm of the janitor. There was something familiar about him, but the young lieutenant just couldn't place where he'd seen that face before. "Where I come from, I should be the one treating you to a drink" Marcel said looking at the janitor.

"And why's that?" the janitor asked while Toby and Mike ordered their drinks. Something was clearly up since the two of them were struggling to keep straight faces.

"A few reasons," Marcel replied. "Firstly, I've already had two martinis and and a cosmopolitan before I got here, and secondly, because you look like one of the rigid handsome models of those Starfleet recruitment posters."

The man blushed and chuckled.

"Well that has to be the most accurate description I've ever heard of you, Tristan," Mike commented with a giggle.

That was when it hit him. He had seen the man before when doing some research. "Oh Captain," Marcel said. "Captain Tristan Faust" he said feeling embarrassed.

"At your service lieutenant," the Captain responded with a chuckle, "Sorry, it's a bit of a joke."

"You better watch the captain, he's tricky," Toby commented.

"He did this same thing to poor Thraxina, our Helmsman for something like 30 minutes," Mike commented with a smirk.

"Well she was under a shuttle at the time and I just happened to be standing there," Tristan responded with a shrug. He looked at Marcel, "I hope you didn't drink too much before sitting down, since like I said, the tab is on me."

"I'm from Mars," Marcel stated proudly. "We're just a sturdy folk. I can hold a fair amount of drinks, Captain Faust. Thank you for covering the tab." Though this was not how he expected to meet the man, Marcel was content with it.

"Good to hear! I'm guessing neither Toby or Mike mentioned I was also coming? I do try to keep everyone on their toes," Tristan commented with a smirk, "And what I said was true... I am the janitor... The captain always has to clean up everyone's messes..."

Marcel Knowles scoffed and playfully looked at Tristan. "I will do my best not to make too many messes, Captain. I can't speak for anyone else, but I like to consider myself fairly tidy."

"Glad to hear there, there were a few messes I had to deal with," Tristan commented with a sigh, "Included our former ship's psychiatrist... At least I would ever have to hear his catch phrase again..."

"You're ok and I'm ok," Mike mocked.

"Exactly," Tristan agreed as he took a long sip from the martini glass. He snapped his fingers, "Waiter, how about a menu," he said, then he looked around, "How about a round of appetizers to soak up this booze?

"Mozzarella sticks!" blurted Marcel. He wasn't fancy, blue squid aside. He loved mozzarella sticks and he wasn't ashamed to admit that openly. He could live off of them and be completely content. "Please" he added.

The Captain chuckled, "Mozzarella sticks, crab dip, ah... chips and salsa and... How about a fondue pot?" he said to the waiter who nodded and left them, "Of course you all will stay for dinner. The stuff here is real... I unfortunately cannot say the same aboard ship as much as it pains me." He looked over at Toby, "I always wonder how you manage to bake so well with synthesized ingredients..."

"All comes down to the programming sir," Toby responded with a smirk.

"What I want to know is how did Toby get to be so dang smart" commented Marcel. He looked at Toby and a kind smile was shot Toby's way. "I probably look forward to working the most with you, no offense to the rest of the crew."

The ensign blushed and then Mike spoke up, "He got in line twice for the smarts," he commented as he put his arm around the young man's slight shoulders.

"He certainly has come in handy," Tristan responded in agreement. He then turned his attention to Marcel, "So Lieutenant... I've read your service record but that doesn't tell me much other than you're eager to get to the top as quickly as possible," he said, "What makes you tick and what do you want to get out of this assignment?"

"Adventure makes me tick, Captain. There are so many mysteries out there, so much to see and do, and I want to be part of a team that does it" he stated confidently. "I want to earn my keep. I want to climb the rungs and get some more stripes on my sleeves."

"Plenty of adventure," Tristan said, "And you certainly will be on that time." He smiled, "And with how quickly we keep losing senior officers, there appears to be plenty of room for advancement." The waiter returned and distributed the appetizers onto the table. Tristan handed him his empty martini glass and promptly ordered another. "I've been trying hard to assemble a good team, I guess we'll see how this latest incarnation will be," he announced.

Marcel's eyes lit up. "Captain, if you need me somewhere different than my normal assignment, just say the word or point me in the direction. I may not be Toby level smart, but I adapt well to new and exciting things for the most part."

"High praise for Mr. Dienstag," Tristan commented, "We are in need of a navigator and Mr. Novo needs help in engineering. Our navigator was severely injured during our fight with the Orions and most likely will be medically discharged. Whereas Commander Stoneking realized a Chief Engineer posting wasn't for him."

"Mathematics were always my strong suit, Captain" Marcel stated proudly. "Data, formulas and equations. I can work my way around the learning curves, and I am always open to try something new."

"If you want to have a go at navigator you are welcome to it," Tristan responded, "I can teach you. I was a navigator for ten years, although mainly on lowly Ares classes..." He chuckled.

"Just don't let Thraxina get you," Toby said with a chuckle.

"Yes, our Andaran helmsman," Tristan commented.

"Her culture is a obsessed with beauty... And she's incredibly high strung, she'll probably swallow you whole," Mike added with a smirk.

"Although perhaps engineering would be best," Tristan countered after thinking about this poor young man being eaten by their rancor of a helmsman, "Novo is an odd duck, but he knows everything about the ship as he was the project manager at the shipyard."

"I can handle a vivacious Andaran and whatever odd ducks we happen to have aboard" Marcel stated confidently. "The Ragnarök wasn't without its own eccentric bunch. I can work with a variety of individuals."

"Well that's good to hear, the Midway's crew is certainly an odd bunch," Tristan responded, "It's what happens when you launch extremely early."

The food finally arrived.

"Ah yes," the Captain added, "Finally... Well gentlemen I hope you enjoy." He said before taking another sip from his Martini glass.

"Thank you," replied Marcel and he planned to do so without making a fool of himself any further. He would enjoy the company as well.

The Captain thoroughly enjoyed his time with his junior officers. They were all exceptionally bright and eager for adventure which was refreshing. So many of his senior staff were unwilling to even associate with him off duty for fear of saying the wrong thing and being stuck in their position forever. He enjoyed being "one of the boys again," while the junior officers enjoyed being in the "in" crowd.

 

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