Bad News, Bud - Part 3

Posted on Sat Apr 23rd, 2016 @ 1:43am by Captain John Theisman & Lieutenant Commander Daniel Divaro
Edited on on Sat Apr 23rd, 2016 @ 3:14am

1,241 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Pathways
Location: Divaro's Quarters
Timeline: Current - Immediately After Bad News, Bud (Part 2)

ON:

OLD:
"That's a hard question to answer," John said with a frown. "There are plenty of other officers on board who have their families with them, and the same is true on dozens of other ships throughout the fleet. There's always the chance for danger, no matter where you go. Even a planetside or station assignment has its risks. I can only promise you that I'll do everything I can to make sure your family is as safe as they can be."

NEW:
"I know you will, skipper," Daniel said. "And I didn't mean to insinuate anything different. I haven't seen Sassi in a long time and I guess I'm just being overly protective. I am looking forward to having her here and I guess I just have to look at it like whatever dangers we encounter, she will have both her parents here with her."

"She'll have both of her parents, and dozens of other little terrors for company. Plus the complete protection of every officer and crewman on this ship. She'll be as safe as anyone can expect on a ship heading into deep space," John said. "And it's natural for a parent to be worried and protective over the safety of their kids. That's why the children services staff are carefully selected by a panel of paranoid parents. I'm just glad we didn't get the Klingon grandmother that they almost sent."

"Yeah that could have been a bad situation all the way around," Daniel said slowly. "Especially where Sassi is concerned. Half Orion, 3/8ths Betazoid and 1/8th human butting heads with a Klingon? I don't even like to think about the outcome of that."

"Yeah, thankfully we got the Betazoids," John chuckled.

"So how long will we be at 171 once we get there?" Divaro asked.

"No more than 24 hours. We'll transport Velah and Sassi over and top off our supplies, then get underway to Romulus as quickly as we can," John said as he finished off another glass of whiskey.

Divaro finished his drink and held the glass out for his second--or was it his third--round? "Well you know what they say--'That which cannot be avoided must be endured...' I guess that will apply to Velah when she comes aboard."

John blinked as he managed, barely, to pour Divaro another round. "You keep this up and you'll drink me onto the floor," he joked as he topped his own glass off. Raising it, he toasted. "To that which does not kill you," he said.

"It only makes you stronger..." Divaro finished. "And if that's true, then after dealing with Velah I should be able to bench-press a starship." He grinned at Theisman, then added "And as for out-drinking you, I think this round is gonna have to be my last. Don't want to show up in engineering tomorrow morning with a hangover and have Walker try to take advantage of me again--and she would try if she thought it was a moment of weakness."

"I better make it my last too, otherwise my wife will skin me alive and hang my body from the front of the sensor pod," John said with a small laugh as he finished his glass off. It burned going down like always. "Well Commander, I guess we're going to have to stay on our toes, otherwise we'll be dead, or worse. You'll let me know if things with Velah get too far out of hand?"

"I really don't think they will," Daniel said as he finished his glass as well. "If I know her like I think I do, she will fuss and fume for a while when she gets here but then she will settle down into her role as CMO. I'm not saying it's gonna be easy--not by a long shot. But I don't think it will get out of hand."

"That's good," John said as he studied his glass of whiskey. He couldn't remember how many glasses he had had already, but the glass was roughly equal to a shot and a half, and he and Divaro had both gone through several. Mara would probably not be happy, but hopefully she would understand.

"I appreciate you coming by captain..." Divaro said. "This may not be the easiest thing to deal with but at least now that I know she's coming aboard gives me time to get used to the idea."

"Forewarned and being prepared is better than being completely blindsided, and I'd rather you know in advance that way things don't get out of hand," John said. Finishing his drink, he stood and blinked as the room tried to spin. Setting his glass down, he managed to grab the bottle and tuck it under his arm. "I'd best get back to my quarters before I have my own domestic issue to deal with," he said.

"Trust me, a mad wife is something you do not want to deal with," Daniel said, choosing his words carefully due to his condition. "But at least you don't have to deal with a mad Orion. They are excellent lovers but they DO have a temper."

"Orion women may be bad to deal with when they're mad, but trust me, Mara would probably be worse," John said. "She's half Cardassian, half Bajoran. I'm not sure if there's anything worse than her being completely pissed off and wanting my head on a plate, because she might actually go through with it."

"Okay I think I have to concede to you. I don't think I would want to face a pissed off Cardassian woman either. The only thing Velah ever threatened me with was something she had heard about from a Native American friend of hers. She threatened to stake me over an anthill naked and pour honey over my body." Daniel grinned, then added "I told her I would go along with it only on the condition that she had to lick the honey off when the ordeal was over."

"I think that falls under the subject heading known as TMI, commander," John said as he shook his head. "Mara's rarely threatened me, but when she has it's been worthy of notice. She once threatened to flay me alive, starting at, and I quote, "the parts that identify me as a man or rather simply as a male". It doesn't help that she actually has several really sharp knives that she's picked up on different planets."

"I now understand why you would be wary," Daniel said. "So I guess I'd best let you get on home before she comes looking for you. From what you say it could go very badly for the both of us. You for drinking and me for being a bad influence on you."

"Heh, I haven't been gone long enough for her to come hunting me down and dragging me back home, but I will have some explaining to do. Just as a suggestion, I'd recommend that you get in the practice of locking your doors. Angry Orion women, or any angry woman, can probably come up with some really unfriendly ideas," John said. Tipping his hand in a mock salute, he nodded. "I bid you good night, Commander Divaro. Sleep lightly my friend." Slowly so he could hide his stumbling, John walked out of Divaro's quarters and started towards his own quarters.

OFF:

Captain John Theisman
Commanding Officer
USS Hyperion

LtCommander Daniel Divaro
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Hyperion

 

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