Dinner before Serving

Posted on Mon Aug 29th, 2011 @ 3:34am by USS Paladin & Lieutenant Valkris Edwardson- tSepeS
Edited on on Mon Aug 29th, 2011 @ 3:37am

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Location: Nexus Club
Timeline: Current: Prior to Unorthodox Offer
Tags: New Crew of USS Paladin

Chris stepped into the Nexus Lounge with Keir. He scanned the crowded lounge for a spot for them to sit.

Keir walked beside him, one hand holding onto his. After taking care of some official business earlier, she had changed from her uniform back into the wear that had become more typical for her in the past few years, a dress.

Chris leaned into Keir, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "You look lovely tonight." His eyes caught sight of Valkris as they waited to be seated by the Matre 'd.

Keir smiled. "Thank you." Her gaze followed his and she also caught sight of the woman she had met earlier

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Valkris sat at her table alone, and rereading the latest intelligence updates and fleet movements. The initial subspace report from the Paladin stated that they had encountered a hostile group of pirates that had been operating in and around Halmar II. They had recovered 38 survivors, one of which was the security Chief on the Nevada, which is confirmed destroyed sometime ago by said hostile forces. '...enough of the bad news for now...' Valkris said to herself as she picked up another PADD with a number of backlogged messages from Mek'tor

Looking up she notices the Blake family, dressed in their civilian clothes. Smiling, Valkris nods her head at the both of them.

Evan walked into the Nexus Lounge looking for something quick. Although he had the time, he really didn't want to be in there long, only because he had other tasks that required his attention. After just being handed a new assignment, he wanted to assimilate all the information he could about the post and the officers and crewmen that were serving there before the ship returned to base. Glancing around the room for an open table, he walked a few feet before spotting the Lieutenant that he had spoken with a few days prior.

Evan smiled and decided that maybe they could sit together, perhaps talk a bit more, but not about work unless absolutely necessary. He made his way over to the table and just before he got there, he noticed that she was smiling at a couple who was also approaching her direction. Evan decided to ask, to make sure she didn't have any plans before just imposing himself on her, "Hello, ma'am. Just wondering if this seat was reserved??"

Her eyes shifted to that of the young Ensign who had been assigned to her mates ship. "...Yes Ensign, take a seat..." she replied "...and I am off duty You may simply refer to me as Ms Edwardson.." she added with a chuckle. Valkris turned her head towards Keir and Chris, indicating that the two of them should join her...and Mr. Longoria at her table.

Evan smiled and nodded in accordance with her wishes, then he replied, "Of course, Ms. Edwardson." He placed the PADD that he was carrying around with him everywhere he went, just so he could find his way around, on the table in front of him. But before he sat, his attention turned towards the two that were approaching the table, two that he didn't know.

"Hello, I'm Evan Longoria." He smiled and held out his hand as a friendly gesture.

Chris took Evan's hand with a firm grip and shook it. "Christopher Blake. Pleasure to meet you Mr. Longoria."

"Keir Blake. Good to meet you." Keir smiled pleasantly as she shook his hand next, also firmly.

Chris turned for a moment and pulled out a chair for Keir to be seated as he nodded to Valkris. "Good evening Lieutenant. Allow me to introduce my wife, Keir Blake."

Keir sat down as she looked up at her husband, clearing her throat. "We...already met, this afternoon." She had intended to speak to Chris during dinner to tell him about her own meeting, but this surprise run-in with Valkris had preempted that announcement.

Valkris smiles inwardly as the thought that perhaps Keir hadn't also told her mate of her promotion either. "...Good to see you Mrs Blake,... This is Ensign Evan Longoria, he'll be joining you on the Paladin when she returns." said Valkris as she nodded to the new CONN officer.

".... We've finally been able to make contact with her, and they are inbound from Halmar II. We expect them in just over 36 hours,......correction, 18 hours now at warp 7. They will be undergoing some repairs and taking on new crewmen then." Valkris pauses, wondering just how much she should or could tell them about their new home.

"...There will be a period of transition once they arrive but with you 4 to lead the way, i'm sure things will work out..."

Chris knew the USS Paladin to be an Intrepid-class Light Explorer with a very diverse crew species. It was also a ship with a heavy presence of KDF personal involved in the Officer Exchange Program. He looked wistfully out the view port at the stars of the Delta Quadrant. He was happy to be returning to space, even if he still did not know anything about what his new assignment. It somehow didn't feel right though. It would be the first time he had gone into space without Amanda, his sister, at the helm.

It just dawned on Chris that he didn't even know Amanda's current assignment. Last he had heard was Amanda and Miranda, Amanda's daughter, were still back on Earth. The incident with Sivran several years ago had been the end of their serving together, the Romulan govenment had seen to that.

Evan nodded slightly, acknowledging his introductions. He looked at Valkris and then said, "I didn't think that they would be here that quickly, but no matter. I've actually been looking forward to this new assignment of mine... well, ours. It won't be easy having an Imperial Klingon male as our Executive Officer, but even then I think that it will prove it that much more interesting."

'Here we go again-' Valkris thought to herself "...Mr. Longoria,.....would you care to explain why it might be difficult> to serve underneath a Klingon as opposed to any other race?" she replied "...Just to clarify things for you, there are three Klingons presently serving on board, two on the command staff and one...well she had once been taken by the Borg but was rescued" her fingers suddenly out of stiffness rather than anything the Human had just said about her Klingon heritage.

"The Empire doesn't look favorably upon warriors who they consider to have crossed over to Sto-vo-Kor. Since it was a Federation mission which reclaimed her, and she was already declared dead, I can understand why she is serving in Starfleet!. However, the latest reports indicated that the ship under the command of the XO with the CO being placed on Medical leave!"

Chris gave the young Evan a stony look for a few moments before himself making a comment. "I served as the XO for a Klingon Captain one time and I can assure you. It was my distinct honor and priviledge to serve with Captain D'nadia. She was a credit to both her race and to Starfleet. The Klingons are an honorable and noble species...and quiet fun engage in competitive sports with." The last remark was said with a wry grin on his face.

Evan smiled as Chris gave his opinions about Klingons in athletic activities, but then retaliated a bit in his own defense, "I didn't mean any offense, of course, however it is know that Klingons do generally expect more from their crew than any others that we are used to, except for maybe Vulcans." He said, leaving that last bit open a bit, letting everyone know that he was pondering that. He didn't mean, nor was it his intention to offend his fellow crew mates, especially on the first encounter, however it did seem that they took it that way. But that was their prerogative, and he would respect their opinions of him no matter what they were.

He then looked around the room a bit, now feeling a bit uncomfortable in this unfortunate situation with his fellow officers, and then asked, "I wonder how many more crew are here now that are going to be transferred on board. I'm excited to get started."

"...Well if it is excitement you are expecting, you will most certainly find it on board the Paladin Mr. Longoria!" Valkris added, turning her gaze back to the others.

Chris' smile dropped momentarily as thoughts of his first wife came to mind. T'Lana had been Vulcan. He looked at Keir. He loved Keir deeply, but T'Lana and he had shared a special mental bond from the first time they had met. His smile returned, albiet weakly. Chris reached for Keir's hand he silently mouthed the words Love you.

Keir returned the smile warmly, trying to project reassurance. She could tell something had come over him, it didn't take much effort for her to recognize that.

"...Now then, I wanted to give you three some warning about what you can expect upon your reporting for duty on the Paladin. First, I regret to inform you that there has been a report of...several casualties on board during her last mission..."

Chris had a concerned look as Valkris related the news about the casualties. "What...what was the extent of the casualties aboard? How did it happen?"

Evan, after hearing the report from Valkris, decided that the time for sarcasm was long past and it was now time to be serious about this new assignment. As he heard Chris start asking about the extent of the injuries, Evan added, "Was it some sort of attack on the vessel?"

Keir simply looked from both men over to Valkris, her expression somewhat worried, waiting for her to answer their questions first before she jumped in with one of her own. She was of course concerned, but the answers to the inquiries of her more tactically minded companions here might enable her to put forth a more informed response of her own.

"The ship was attacked Mr. Longoria, there were some casualties and a number of the crew as normal are at the end of their duty rotations and are being transferred off the ship. This isn't a bad thing but instead should be looked at as an opportunity for advancement." Said Valkris

"..Mr. Blake, on that subject, I'll need to meet with you sometime tomorrow before the Paladin arrives.."

Chris nodded silently.

A waiter approached with a burgandy colored wine menu in hand. He hovered for a few moments to make sure the conversation these patrons were having was at an end. He then took the last few steps to the table. "May I get each of you something to drink? An appetizer perhaps?"

"If no one else has any comments or questions, then lets get our orders in before the kitchen gets too busy! I don't know about the rest of you but I could eat a Ferengi right about now!!" Valkris chuckled as she turned to place her order with the waiter.

The assembled officers did likewise and for the rest of the evening, simply enjoyed each other's company and learned more about their new posting and their fellow crewmen.

Soon, the busineess of serving on board a Federation starship would begin again and moments like this would be few and far in between. The Paladin was due to arrive sometime the next day and there was still unfinished business to attend to.

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Lieutenant JG Christopher Blake
Status and future in limbo

Lieutenant Keir Blake
Chief Science Officer
USS Paladin

Ensign Evan Longoria
Flight Control Officer
dabbler of Medical Science
USS Paladin

&

Lieutenant Valkris tSepeS- Edwardson
Strategic Operations Officer, SFA Grad Student
SB 900