Swearing-In Ceremony Banquet part 3
Posted on Fri Jan 25th, 2019 @ 12:03am by Ambassador Geminik Odar & Captain Brady Dering M.D., PhD & Lieutenant Commander Kasia Tinsha & Cadet Freshman Grade Benjamin Hall & Samantha Fraiser-Odar & Captain Madeline Sanchez & Cadet Freshman Grade Phoebe Cavendish & Mackenzie Bergman & Cadet Freshman Grade Jondar Sito & Cadet Freshman Grade Gwen Morgan & Cadet Freshman Grade Rachel Gallagher & Cadet Freshman Grade Damian Blake
Edited on on Wed Jan 30th, 2019 @ 1:52am
Mission:
The First Step...
Location: Magellan Campus Conference Center
Timeline: 2388/08/26 1921 (August 26 2388 7:15pm to 9-ish)
Continuing...
Jondar nearly spat out his drink at Damion's antics, when he could breathe again he leaned over, "Looks like this Kelly is getting a following of minions, can you protect me from her mind control powers?" He had a pretend look of 'I can't possibly defend myself, can you help me' complete with eyelash batting. They currently sat at a table near the center of the room with some other cadets, the better to see and be a part of things.
"Oh I think you'll survive gorgeous." Phoebe grinned, "Besides, you're my minion aren't you?" she teased him.
"100%" He said with conviction.
Rachel nearly wanted to disappear under the table when Damian stood up on the top of the table.
Kelly blushed bright red, then she burst out laughing at Damian's antics. "Get down from there, you insane minion!" she said between fits of laughter.
Damian grinned. "Bet you didn't expect that to happen, did you? Stick with me, kid. Life will never be boring." He winked at her, then winked in Rachel's direction.
"Kid?" Kelly arched an eyebrow. "We're the same age or close enough. Bad minion! Get me a brownie."
"You don't like the brownies here, remember?" He asked with another of his dazzling grins. "And stop taking things to heart. You're going to age well before you're supposed to."
Mack got to her feet and moved over to the table where Kelly, Damian and Rachel sat, glad that it seemed her young cousin was making friends... or in this case... minions. "Kel... I'm going to go, but I wanted to tell you congratulations first. I'm so proud of you." She looked between Damian and Rachel. "Congratulations to the two of you, also."
Damian smiled, feeling rather proud of himself. "Thanks."
Kelly smiled at her cousin despite being irritated at her. She wouldn't cause a scene in front of her new friends, though. "Thank you, Mack. I'll see you later."
"Sure thing, kiddo. Have a good time." The petite redhead said, bending down to give the young cadet a hug before she headed out.
Kelly returned the hug and looked at Damian. "Are you being a bad minion already? I'll take what I can get for chocolate at the moment."
Gwen walked back in just in time to hear references to 'Kelly's Minion'. She started to walk over to Kelly curious but stopped at the table full of people she didn't know. She stood for a moment unsure by the wall as Kelly's cousin gave her a hug and took off. She caught Kelly's eye and gave a thumbs up over the peace offering.
Kelly waved at Gwen and motioned for her to come over with a wide grin.
Gwen paused then mentally steeling herself walked over, giving an uncertain smile to those at the table.
Giving a smile to her, Kelly indicated that Gwen take a seat. "This is my new minion, Damian, and everyone, this is my roommate Gwen." she said, pointing to Damian. "And I think you met Rachel at the station when I had my little incident."
"Hey, there, Gwen. Pull up a chair." Damian said with a grin, pulling the one next to him out for her.
Gwen smiled shyly at Damian and nodded at Rachel, she did remember her and remember she seemed nice. She sat down, "Nice to meet you." She said politely to Damian, getting used to be around people again after the blessed aloneness outside. Sometimes if she went far enough in her own head it took time to tune the outside world back in.
"How do you know it's nice to meet me? I could be a complete asshole." Damian said with a grin. It was clear he was joking.
Rachel smiled back at Gwen, "I remember Gwen...nice ta see ya again." she replied.
Kelly laughed and reached over to shove Damian lightly on the shoulder. "Bad Minion. He's kidding, Gwen. At least I hope he is."
Gwen relaxing a bit, "What's your degrees?"
"Intel." Damian replied. "How about you? And you." He looked toward Rachel. She'd been overly quiet, and it was time he got her to talk more.
Rachel had zoned out a bit while the others had been talking and looked at Damian, "Oh sorry... I'm Pre-Medical." she replied.
"Pre-Med, huh? Not something that's meant for everyone. Good luck." He said to Rachel, before turning to look at Gwen.
"I'm Helm all the way," Kelly said. "I'm aiming to be the best test pilot in Starfleet one day."
"Can you handle some competition?" Spoke out a young deep voice. A cadet holding a plate filled with various foods, stood behind the last empty seat. His eyes, grey and intense, watched her.
Kelly looked around as she heard a voice mention competition; seeing a grey-eyed male cadet, she smiled. "Always," she said and gestured towards the free seat. "Otherwise, how would I know how good I was if I didn't have some competition to pit myself against?"
"I agree", he said as he situated himself and his plate at the table. He then looked to everyone, "I am Benjamin Hall, and I too aim to be the best test pilot in Starfleet one day. Actually, many days."
"Kelly Khan," she said with a smile. "And it's a real shame there can be only one and I already have that course plotted." Her eyes sparkled at the challenge and she looked forward to the days ahead.
For a moment Ben looked uncertain as he thought about the words 'course plotted', and then applying them to a navigational term, he smiled, "You have a strategy?"
"Yup," Kelly said with a cheeky grin. "But if I told you, then you'd have one, too. Commander Bannerman already said that the only way I'd be the best is if he was in a torpedo case, so I told him I'd honor him with a fly by when that day came."
Ben nodded, understanding, "So you're not really all that confident..."
Kelly laughed. "We'll let fate decide when the time comes for which one of us comes out as the best."
"Well," he glanced back over at her, "I won't be waiting for Bannerman to die, that's for sure." Then he smiled before taking a bite of his food.
"Oh, neither will I," Kelly replied. "I was just being respectful to him when I said that. Personally, I think the man in the uniform is a butthole."
Chewing and then swallowing his food, Ben nodded again. "I have heard others say basically the same thing."
Closing her eyes, she shook her head and opened them once more to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. Nope, she was seeing her husband with another woman. Rage carried her three steps into the room before a little voice in her head screamed at her NOT in front of the Cadets! It was with that that Kasia took herself to an alcove to observe to see if she could maybe corner this woman.
Brighid picked up a small plate and went about placing various meats, cheeses and fruits on it. Munching on little bits of them as she did so and making soft appreciative noises. She picked up a strawberry and sank her teeth into it as the juice flowed down the side of her mouth and she grinned impishly while wiping it away with the back of her hand.
Creeping out of the shadows she held the anger and the trickle of pain that the idea of him touching another woman in that place within her built by years of teasing. Concentrating she spoke in a clear voice,without accent "My he is handsome"
"Hmm?" Brighid said with out thinking as she opened her eyes and the grin spread into a full mouthed smile. "Oh, yes quite handsome and taken." Brighid took another bite of strawberry as she placed the green leafs of the berry on her plate and picked out a cluster of grapes. Not listening to the voice just the words.
"Oh is he?" Kasia asked in that careful voice. Her tongue drifted out to wet her lips. Her wedding ring, she twisted around her finger absently.
The younger woman's voice traveled down into a throaty, husky note "Indeed, his heart is taken by his wife."
"That's a shame, I might have to test that theory." Kasia said in a throaty purr.
Brighid raised an eyebrow "Ha, feel free but that dog wont hunt." she paused to take a bit of cheese then added "As they say."
A chuckle escaped Kasia's lips "He just might for me m'lass" the brogue returned full force
The girl shrugged "I doubt that's very likely. Only one woman would be able to get him to hunt that dog and she isn't here." Brighid continued to graze until the brogue penetrated the haze of her mind and she spun. "For the free love of Flidas, what are YOU doing here?"
Dashing at her eyes to keep them from ruining what makeup she was wearing she spoke softly, to not betray the quiver in her voice "I could ask the same of you"
"Father was transferred here from San Francisco." Brighid said as the plate fell to the floor, forgotten as she flung her arms around the woman who was her mother.
Kasia cradled her daughter close, fought the urge to weep, and failed. Silent tears slid down her cheeks. Her hands rose to stroke the girls long curled hair, much reminiscent of her own style. "What do you say we surprise your father?"
Miach twitched visibly at the sudden change of emotion. The firey red of anger had morphed into love and longing. He had to steady himself and close his eyes for a second to block out the torrent that danced around his mind. When he opened them he searched the area for where the emotions were coming from.
Brighid blinked and shooed her mother away. "Father commented earlier that you were angry." she said as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place "He will surely feel the change of emotion and come looking for the source. If we're lucky he'll just be confused and not put two and two together to get you. Go, go, go I'll find you later." Brighid kissed her mothers cheek and quickly moved away from her to the far side of the table and locked eyes with her father who was walking straight towards her.
As the banquet proceeded, the room hummed with music, cadets talking excitedly, officers and well-wishers came and went to and from the banquet hall and the gardens outside via the large opened double doors.
The music ceased and Geminik Odar walked up to the grand piano. As he was a well-known composer of classical music, it was no surprise to many when he sat down and began to play. The surprise was Samantha sitting down next to him with a microphone in her hand.
Listening to Gem play the intro Sam smiled letting her thoughts wander to where it was just the two of them in their quarters, her singing along to whatever he was playing and her nerves melted away as she came in on time and in tune.
"Hearts beat fast
Colours and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I am afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone,
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
One step closer"
The remaining musicians joined in as instrumental accompaniments as she continued into the chorus...
"I have died every day waiting for you
Darling dont be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
Whats standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this
One step closer
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling dont be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
One step closer
One step closer
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling dont be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more..."
Kelly listened as the woman sang along with the piano-playing gentleman she recognized as the man who had given the speech earlier and smiled. She had a beautiful voice and Kelly wondered what role, if any, she had at the Academy.
Sam let the last note die away letting Gem see that the song was how she felt about him as much as entertainment for those in the room with them. She turned off the microphone, resting the hand that held it, in her lap.
The music slowly faded, and the applause began. Placing an arm around Sam's shoulders, Gem smiled proudly over at her. He just knew she could do it.
Leaning into Gem she smiled as she said softly "You were right that as long as I thought it was just us playing round it wouldn't be scary." She chuckled "Wouldn't the cadets be horrified to find out ex-Admirals still get scared."
Gem kissed her on the temple through his smile, and then said quietly back, "I'll never tell."
Sam's smile widened as she snuggled into him. "I think I owe you a dance Mr Ambassador ..." Her eyes danced as she teased him.
Returning the piano to the musician who had it before, Gem lead Sam away to the dance floor. The musicians began to play again, and this time with music that was perfect to slow dance to. It wasn't long before others began to join them.
Fresh from her chat with Brady, Maddie stepped back inside of the hall and looked around as people began to gravitate towards the dance floor. Sighing as she wished that Connor were here, she turned to face Brady and said "How long before it's polite to excuse myself?"
Not answering her, only giving her a look of understanding, Brady held out a hand, "How about we dance?"
Maddie sighed and then smiled at him as she took his hand and said "Okay, okay, you win." and with that she let him lead her on to the dance floor.
Taking her into his arms and keeping her at a comfortable distance, he looked down at her, "You can leave anytime you want, Maddie, you can leave now, but my question is...how will you feel about yourself later?"
"I know, I know, I'll be letting him down if I go." Maddie replied as they swayed to the music, the dance floor filling up quickly around them.
Brady shook his head. "I think you need to learn how to cut yourself some slack."
"Maybe one day." Maddie smiled back at him before adding "Now put the psychiatrist away and shut up and dance." she added firmly as she smiled up at him.
Inhaling deeply and exhaling out just as hard, Brady nodded, glancing away to see Karyn across the room. "Yes, Sir." he forced a smile back to her. "It seems old habits...", and feelings, he thought, "die hard."
"Well then how about we both forget about all our problems for a bit and just enjoy the dance." Maddie smiled at him, the glance over at Karyn not going unnoticed.
"I'm with you there," he smiled, and now for real. Reinforcing his hold on her, he swept them in a slow motion circle around the dance floor. One of the things Brady Dering loved to do most was dancing.
The evening continued without incident, and slowly the crowd trickled out until only Brady and the cleaning crew were left.
Brady smiled satisfied before going out the door, and just as quickly his smile left. His thoughts had gone to Connor, and what was happening at the station.
So leaving the building and as he slowly walked away, Brady found himself staring up at the night sky and wondering if the missing crew of a destroyed starship were to be found.
