The Crew's First Celebration

Posted on Sat Jun 25th, 2016 @ 4:05pm by Captain Rueben Gregnol
Edited on on Sat Jun 25th, 2016 @ 4:07pm

Mission: Mission 1 - Bridges
Location: SS Mary Rose: Lounge
Timeline: MD 20 18:09
1543 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Talon had a surprise for Reuben. Upon his earlier tour, he had noticed how low on stock the ship was in alcohol. So Joss went back to the Iron pub, did some bartering with the owner and managed to get four cases of a variety of liquor. He thought it would be good for the morale of the crew and a way for them to begin forming that team bond they would need.

The bartering was the easy part. Coming back and pilfering another two cases was the tough part. So, now he had six cases for the crew to enjoy. Getting them aboard, he placed them in the ship's lounge.

Talon went to the First Officer's suite. He considered it strange that Reuben hadn't moved over to the Captain's suite, since Barton had been arrested. Technically, Reuben was now the Captain. Why wasn't Reuben acknowledging that himself?

Reaching Reuben's quarters, Talon reached out and rang the chime. He had already began Reuben's medication. If Reuben chose to drink tonight, he wouldn't need it, so he didn't bring his PADD with the MAR. It was Talons way of holding himself accountable to Reuben's medication.

Rueben looked up from his book as he stretched out on his rickety old couch. "What?" Was all he yelled quickly chucking his glass behind his pile of books.

"Just your friendly neighborhood Doctor," Talon responded, thinking the greeting strange. "Is all well?" Rueben frowned a little, it was starting to be his usual facial expression since Barton had been arrested. The man sat up an instant before the man came in, he relaxed when he saw it was Talon he wouldn't need to cover up his bare chest.

"You are not friendly." The man countered putting his book down.

"No?" Talon had a hearty laugh at that. "Expecting some one else?"

Joss didn't like the fact that Reuben's eyes were glossy. It meant he was drinking along with the medication he was taking for his pain. These guys and their bravado, thinking theY can endure all things and come out on top. Mixing the two would send Reuben to an early grave.

"Not in the slightest. Barton would be the only one i would invite willingly to my room and he is being held at Starfleet's pleasure... Saa just thinks she can come in when she wants to." He said with a roll of his eyes, The Trill was passionate and determined like most of her species.

Talon raised his brows and laughed at the thought. He wondered why Reuben would mind.

"Boss, I'd just have to say, if Saa insisted upon walking into my quarters like that, I'd be awaiting her in the buff with a bottle of wine." Talon laughed as he thought of Saa walking in on a nude Reuben.

"Maybe you should suggest that to her, it would save me throwing her out of here." Rueben said softly knowing it would upset the Trill to know more people were calling her Saa instead of her first name. He didn't want a relationship with the Trill or anyone else on the ship.

"Still, it might be nice for you," Talon suggested. "I think she had a thing for you."

Now that Talon was somewhat staying in one place, maybe he'd test the waters of a relationship. Yes, he'd been with women before, but nothing serious developed, as Talon has constantly been on the move. Now, he was technically going to be serving in one place to one people. At least, for a while.

"I'm just checking on the effectiveness of the medication I've given you. How's the shoulder feel?" asked Talon. Rueben smiled more and moved the book to let the man sit down and have a proper look at the damage.

"You can see properly." He offered knowing the man as of yet hadn't looked at it properly.

Talon ran a hand along the scarring, pressing intermittently, while watching Reuben's face for any sign of pain. He could tell there had been considerable tissue damage to the muscle and skin.

"I'd say one of your first medical investments should be a tissue regenerator," Talon suggested. He pulled on his earring as he thought things over. "Even with the best out there, you'd have to go through several treatments." The human kept his eyes trained on the wall ahead trying to show no hint of pain or let on about the booze he had already had. He was good at covering up the alcohol intake after many years of hiding it from Barton, he never used to use alcohol as a crutch but it seemed to work at the Moment.

Rueben frowned. "It is why i covered more of them with tattoos." He muttered thinking that he would never be able to get full momentum and movement back into his shoulder. It was a fact he was slowly going to have to deal with and possibly cover himself in more designs

"You can only cover up so much scarring," Talon affirmed. "Ultimately, we must regenerate the tissue." He paused then decided to report the alcohol he brought aboard.

"I've also brought good news," Talon added. "I've procured six cases of liquor. I thought calling all the crew together for some bonding time would be great. It will give an opportunity for us new folks to meet everyone."

Now came the bad news for Reuben. "Of course, I'd have to give you the choice of the drink or the meds tonight."

"Which one would you suggest?" Rueben said with a smirk. He was starting to suspect that the man knew he was drinking.

Talon arched his brows and pinched the ridges of his nose. He shook his head and announced, "One or the other; not both. If you keep doing both, you will be in no shape to command this ship. Who else is going to lead this ragtag team? Your throne with the commanding presence. If you fall, this crew will fall. They're counting on you, Boss! The word is, you've given them hope. You've become a savior to them. This muipo plant is nothing to fool with. You add alcohol to it, your thinking will be blurred, your mind will falter, and if it continues, you'll die because of your choices."

Talon realized he needed to get off his soap box. He felt like he was lecturing his boss and realized he needed to tone it down. "Look," Talon quietly said, "I've just met you. You seem like a decent person, someone I would like to know and work alongside. I can't allow you to destroy yourself. I know there's something you want to achieve. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here. So, let's achieve it!"

The human raised an eyebrow taking in his words. Barton had never once said anything to him just let him get on with drowning his sorrows over his lack of choices in his life at the moment eg he couldn’t have Jeassaho and he couldn’t have his Starfleet commission back which two things had been his reasons for waking up each day.

“You have no idea what you are talking about.” Rueben confirmed softly but nodded. The younger man was right, he was the only one with the qualifications and organisation to keep this bunch of people alive and possibly give them reasons for living again .

"So tonight," Talon continued, trying to build morale not only in his new boss, but also in the rest of the crew, "you have a choice: meds or drink as you party with the crew. Of course, the party with the crew isn't a choice. I would imagine you would want to be there and give some words of inspiration."

Talon didn't believe he was wrong about Reuben. The man seemed to have a sense of honor about him despite being a privateer. It's one reason Talon found it easy to follow the man. Sure, he was gruff on the outside at times, but deep down within him there was a sense of purpose. Talon had picked up on that and knew that it would play a role in what they did as a crew.

"Which one will help me forget things?" Rueben finally asked thinking long and hard about which one of them would help him forget the side of him that had been the one in control before the scars.

"Either one of them," Talon ensured, "but, to tell you the truth, it would add to the crew's morale to have you share a drink with them."

"That is good," Rueben unhid his glass and knocked back the last of the liquid it held. "Cause i don't like wasting."

Talon rolled his eyes. The Russian may have thought he was hiding something, but it was hard to hide the smell. "We'll hold off on the medication until morning," he said with a grin.

Talon wondered exactly what Reuben was trying to forget. Could it be the same incident that caused the scarring? Whatever it was, it was best the crew not be drawn into the darkness. Tonight was best served celebrating, bonding, becoming a team.

OFF::

Rueben Gregnol
Executive Officer
SS Mary Rose

Talon Joss
Field Medic
SS Mary Rose