The Still
Posted on Thu Apr 16th, 2020 @ 6:36am by Lieutenant Commander Larim Myles & Lieutenant Elen Diari & Major Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Sat Apr 18th, 2020 @ 2:41pm
1,350 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 9 - Empok's End
Location: Main Engineering
Timeline: MD002 1200 hrs
El was struggling with a large container across engineering, yes she should have grabbed an antigrav, but the usual three of them were on walkabout- hopefully the network guys weren't racing them again.
She got to the dark corner, next to the Warp Core, but far enough to be safe, and pulled a panel aside, to access the still, and poured the container into it.
Neil was sitting in his office when an alert sounded and he glanced at the tag that popped up on his console. He'd been setting up the ship's computer to back him up and right now it was indicating a gas agent in proximity to the Warp Core that wasn't supposed to be there. He ran some system checks and nothing else seemed to indicate anything out of the ordinary.
But it paid to be thorough. Getting to his feet, he headed for Engineering.
Neil walked into Engineering, peering around and caught site of the Pioneer's Chief. Walking toward her, he said "Lieutenant Diari? How are things in Engineering today?"
El popped her head round the core "Hi, Neil, darling. we're good here- that new guard you sent down, Jose, I'd recommend him for combat engineering courses if you can get him on one, really useful down here." she chatted, wiping her hands.
"Oh, come and have a look at this, think you'll like it, just don't tell everyone" she beckoned.
Neil blinked and slowly followed the CEO deeper into Engineering.
He'd had a similar offer once on a Caveat IV outpost by one of the colony's more presentable prostitutes. You could tell she was at the higher end of the spectrum.
She still had all of her toes.
Smirking slightly at the memory, Neil asked replied, "I'm glad he's being useful. We'll see about rotating him to Rifle 3 and see how he likes blowing things up."
As they worked deeper into Engineering, he said. "Lieutenant, I'd set up some tell-tales to alert me to anomalies. The air cycler registered an airborne something that wasn't supposed to be there. Any idea what that was?"
"Oh yes", She smirked, "Would be this little thing, our new still" showing Neil the large glass and copper mess in the hole.
Just then, Larim walked in. He was just going to ask about an upgrade to the sensors. Just mundane routine. That is until he saw Neil and Elen standing off to the corner. He thought he'd say hi so he started over.
Elen sensed him coming in. "We're getting quite the party here, I'd better get some nibbles. Hello Larim, how's tricks?"
"Going good here, Elen." He grinned. "How're you? Hey Neil."
"Oh, you know," the marine said straight faced, "Finer than a frog hair split nine ways. How goes security? Any boarding actions lately?"
Then he turned back and regarded the still. "So, you've got a gin mill in here. What kind of hooch are you brewing, Chief?," he asked Elen.
"I'm not." El protested "It's coolant recycling, saves running the replicators on new stuff. Enough energy spared with this thing and a few other things, to have redundant reactor if needed. I hope no-one drinks this, or sickbay's going to have a fun time."
"Actually, you guys got any ideas on making sure it's undrinkable? A bottle of proper whisky, a 25 year old single malt from Caledon 4 if you can." She asked.
"How about we put our heads together and share it." Larim offered.
"Well you two can share it. Don't like the taste,not sweet enough for me, why it's unopened." El answered.
Neil removed his cover and scratched at his head, tucking the beret away in the front of his uniform tunic. "Well, it should be as simple as adding something that will make it unappetizing. What about Cthularian Death pepper extract?"
"Do you think that would put this lot off drinking it? " Elen asked "Know a couple of guys, Marines actually, who'd take it as a challenge."
Grinning, the Marine said, "Then add a vomiting/diarrhea agent to the mix as well. Between those, it would be unlikely anyone would do it twice..."
"Hopefully it'll stay around while I'm boiling the Deus out of it, was thinking you fine gentlemen would have something nice and nasty physical wise to play with- with your sensor alert, Neil Darling, know its monitored." the engineer trying her womanly wiles on them.
"Sickbay will definitely be busy. I will say that." Larim laughed. "Come to think of it there was an old earth liquid. Anti freeze if I recall. Similar situations I think."
Neil raised and eyebrow toward Larim. "Now there's a term that would confuse a Vulcan. The question would lead to something about the liquified remains of a parental female sibling kept in a jar of some kind at a temperature suitably chilled to prevent decay..."
Glancing at Elen, he smirked "Well, with assurances like that, I'll keep it in mind for the future. I'm just glad you didn't cook something up that would cook it's way through a few decks before it finished..."
"Oh, I have People for that, my dear. five years in Scientific Operations will do that. I have my boys wrapped round my little finger. Hopefully they'll be at Empok waiting for us." She smirked in a way that could be described as deliciously evil.
Larim just kind of laughed. "Could find a redshirt to test it on" he offered, grin forming at his lips
"One of things I've always wondered is the etymology of that ? Something to do with the old Maroon uniforms Grandpa used to wear?" Elen asked.
"Back in the day on Kirk's enterprise us security and engineering types were red." Larim laughed. "And one of his security guys always seemed to get it in the butt."
The marine snorted slightly and said, "Well if you want to talk history. In very ancient history, some military units wore red into battle. Legend had it that they wore bright red to hide the blood, but in reality red was the cheapest dye they could get to make their armies all dress uniformly."
Then Neil laughed at himself, "And what that has to do with anything, I have no idea." Looking at Elen, he asked, "Empok? What about your crew here?"
"Good suggestion." Larim agreed
"My Boys are people I've worked with before, mostly engineers at Spacedock, a few crazy scientists, techs, ops folk and assorted useful others. They've managed to get their own ship now, not sure if it's stolen or they've earned it. But gave them a call to help get Ricky's daughter back. Think Captain big ears would have a fit if they came and worked here." El smiled, thinking of some of them.
"Think you've met one of them in the past. Keef was the one who got everyone back from the different quantum realities. He was that angry lightbulb." She continued.
Neil's face tightened slightly at the reminder of his duality with Crewman Hoyle. After a moment he said, "Well, there's another someone I owe a drink to."
Then his contact blinked at him, reminding him he had work to do and he sighed. "Well, no rest for the wicked. You two try to keep the explosions down to a dull boom, hey? I'll see you later as duty calls."
"Yeah. I have to check the torpedo bays myself." Larim almost sighed.
"I'll give you a hand if you want, Larim, get me out of here for a bit." Elen asked, hopefully.
"Fine by me." Larim smiled. "Be glad for the company."
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Larim Myles
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Pioneer
Captain Cornelius Tremble
Marine Commanding Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Elen Diari
Chief Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
RSS Feed