The Return of the Tuna Fish Smasher

Posted on Mon Apr 1st, 2019 @ 8:05pm by Captain Jayam "Jay" Vidod & Senior Chief Petty Officer Nicole Walker & Senior Chief Petty Officer Teri Lane & Professor Melody Kingston

Mission: Ready For The Weekend!
Location: Magellan Docking Station
Timeline: 2388/08/30 1500 (Sat. Aug. 30 2388 3:00pm)

Three days ago…

"Was I ever that obnoxious?"

Melody glanced over to follow Teri's line of sight, from where they sat on a bench near the campus. Although there was quite a few maturer cadets reading, studying, or relaxing in the sun during a break in schedule, there was also cases like the group of young cadets engaged in what could only be described as mooning and posturing. "Only for what’s-his-face."

Teri snorted, slowly unwrapping her unabused Tuna salad sandwich. 'What’s-his-face' was Melody’s name for her boyfriend the year before her first commission as a yeoman. Her friend had never liked him and Teri was certain she never even bothered to learn his name.

"Really?" She asked incredulously, turning to look at Melody. "How?"

Melody sighed, giving her the 'you asked' look. "Remember that club we went to, the one with that bald bartender?"

"The one you later got us kicked out of, yes."

Melody waved that off. "You had had your first date with What’s-his-face a few days prior, and was so pleased to see him. I honestly thought you were going to swoon and pass out."

Teri rolled her eyes as Melody continued, noting she had yet to pull out her lunch.

"During your conversation he was eyeing every bosomed chest in his vicinity whenever you looked away. I did try and tell you but you were quite enamored."

Frowning, Teri found she had a vague memory of Melody trying to talk to her about it. She sighed, "Men."

Melody laughed, "If it’s any consolation, I heard he had earned a bad rep and doesn't have good luck in the lady department these days."

Teri laughed before it hit her that 'heard' might mean something else to Melody. "Wait.. What do you mean you hea-"

"Ah, now there he is." Melody interrupted. Teri followed Melody's gaze and watched as an Orion man made his way towards them. "Isn't he a fine piece of meat."

"Wait, Melody... What did you do? " Teri hissed, before plastering on a much less annoyed expression. Her eyes unable to look away from what she had to agree was a damn fine view.

Melody ignored her, instead stood and gave a brilliant smile to the Captain. "Glad you made it."

Approaching them, he returned a smile of his own, "Glad I could make it too," and then his eyes went over to her friend. He hadn’t been expecting another person to Melody’s lunch invite, not that he minded, and his smile grew.

If anything, he wasn't entirely sure why the archaeologist had invited him. Yet in typical Melody fashion she had cornered him the day before and like a force of nature, declared he was to meet her for lunch.

Taking a seat on another bench next to theirs, he asked her as he looked between the two, "So are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Melody smiled, a simple and apparently innocent smile. Something which Teri knew was not the case, not needing the woman's eyes to give it away. Melody Kingston was never innocent, she was always plotting.

"Jayam Vidod, this is my friend, Teri Lane."

"Miss Lane," Jay smiled with the realization of why she had been so adamant he be there, and reached over a hand, "It’s very nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you as well, Mister Vidod." Despite knowing what her friend had set up, Teri didn't have to force a smile. Rather the opposite, she had to clear her throat because, damn, he was hot when he smiled. good lawd, I'm getting as bad as Melody.

"Please, call me Jay."

"Tay.. I mean," Teri inwardly grimaced, "you can call me Teri." She was still going to murder her friend regardless of the gorgeous vista in front of her.


Today, three days later...

"Teri!" Nicole waved her hand as she saw her friend exit an airlock, and then walked up to her smiling, offering a hand to help with her bags.

Handing over the smallest of her two bags, Teri smiled and huffed at her luggage. "You know, I packed for several weeks but I knew, I just knew that I wouldn't be gone even half as long."

Grabbing the bag handed to her, Nicole teased in mock surprise, "You mean none of this is from shopping?"

Scoffing, Teri looked offended, a hint of a smile betraying her. "Shop? Me? Never."

"Of course not," Nicole continued to smile, rolling her eyes, and they began to walk, "Maybe the next time we have some time off together, I can kidnap you and force you to go on a shopping weekend with me." That was when she noticed the change in Teri's rank pin. "Oh my gawd.." she stopped them both, "You were promoted!"

Teri gave a wide grin, a sense of pride warmed her eyes and belied her next words delivered on a mock put upon sigh. "I expect I won't only be kidnapped now, I can see celebratory assault in my future." If she wasn't assaulted by at least one friend in the next 24 hours, she'd be thoroughly disappointed in mankind and his many extraterrestrial friends.

"Well, yeaah," Nicole replied, feeling extremely happy for her friend. "And I see you've become psychic too. So," she started them walking again, "what do you say about a little celebration this evening?"

Teri mouth twitched with a smile, "I'd say take me hostage now!" After a beat she looked thoughtful, "Where are you thinking for this celebration? After our last 'celebration ' I'd like to be able to actually look my co workers in the face the next day. Especially here with all the eye candy."

"Hmmm...your co workers, or an extremely gorgeous intelligence instructor?" Nicole teased.

Blinking owlishly, Teri flushed lightly. Originally she hadn't thought about Devin, now that she was, obnoxiously ridiculous scenarios tap danced through her mind. Noooo, no.

"Promise me...no table top attempts at dancing." She almost begged, refusing to answer Nicole's teasing question. Though if it was to save her any dignity, she'd needn't have bothered.

Nicole laughed as she looked over at Teri. "Okay, I promise." she grinned, allowing her friend to avoid the topic of Devin...for now. Still smiling, she looked straight ahead, watching where she was walking as they turned a corner. "Okay, how about this?" she glanced over at her, "We kidnap Jaime. I'm pretty sure she's scheduled off-duty tonight, and we go to the Subspace Cafe. Grand opening tonight, along with some live entertainment. I know...I know. The place is geared for the young adult crowd, but, whatever. So, what do you say?"

"Well for one I'm not that old. " Teri responded and sniffed, "And I think it's you whose psychic. I was just thinking this wouldn't be complete without Jaime." Melody too, but unfortunately, she wasn’t available, they both knew.

"It sure wouldn't," Nicole agreed. Then they stopped before a turbolift, and waiting for the doors to open, Nicole gave Teri a sideways glance, with a sly smile.

Teri returned the smile. Almost tap dancing into the turbolift when the doors opened. On a second thought her head whipped around to face Nicole. "Ohh that smile... you better not be planning anything missy! "

"Mwua?" Nicole lightly teased, entering the turbolift to stand beside Teri, and then added as if thinking out loud, "I wonder if Commander McCall will be there..." as the doors closed.

~~~End~~~