Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Henry Rodier (Chief of Security) in Lounge - Come for the drinks stay for the stories (All Welcome)

Listening to them begin this game, Grayson raised an eyebrow slightly. His doctors were about to play a drinking game and he first topic was wrong limbs they had fixed by mistake. He was sure there was some kind of malpractice claim in here somewhere but that would he covered by the Ferengi Medical Insurance Union. At least he could find out which of these two not to visit if he broke an arm. Picking up his drink, he took a small sip, just enough to show that he had not, indeed, fixed anyone’s wrong limb.

Grayson Rhodes, CO

“Well….” Said Alex, considering how best to tell his story,

“Back in medical school, my study group were performing an orchiectomy procedure on an adult male Tellarite… and I don’t need to tell you how complex their reproductive system is right… Daphne?” Alex paused slightly before using his superiors given name, not wanting to seem overfamiliar given the teacher/student relationship.

“Why yes…Alex I have been on the underside of a Tellarite carriage once or twice but only in a strictly professional manner,” she let out a laugh using his first name and imitating his pause. She completely understood why he was testing the waters with her name. Alex was not just a run-of-the-mill cadet. While she could not off the top of her head remember how long the man had worked at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, specializing in emergency trauma surgery, the point was the man had more experience than most strolling through her doors. In all actuality she preferred the staff call her by her first name. Screaming out a doctor in the middle of a medical emergency just made everyone look up and nothing get accomplished. It reminded her of a movie she had seen long ago where two doctors were meeting a team of doctors and for the next two minutes all everyone did was nod and say doc in greeting to each other. Besides everyone was big boys and girls and knew when to be formal with rank and surname. This however was not a rank and surname event.

“Well, one of my group managed to screw up the CT imaging so that is projected as a mirror image…. So said Tellerite had a completely healthy organ removed and my group spent several hours scrubbing dissection tables in the lab…. Fortunately this was only a holodeck simulation or the consequences would have been far more severe…. Especially for the Tellerite gentleman.”

Cadet Alex McCall, MD

OOC: did I do that right?

OOC: Perfect, well done! Just like a bought one! :D

-Dave

She let out a laugh and picked up one of the onion rings dunking it in a sauce as she spoke. “Pfffft you were fine. I mean if you had tossed it in the trash and then realized you had to go in hip deep after it....well then you would have had a problem but surgery is like a cookie. Both have a five second rule. Just blow on it to get the dust off and viola,” she took a bite of the onion ring, “it is perfectly fine.”

Grayson said nothing, he simply took a bite out of one of the random deep fried items he had grabbed while Daphne made her comment, then slowly chewed it while staring at her as if he was silently judging her. Which he was. The thought that he may need to control his CMO did cross his mind, but as yet the evening was just starting to get interesting. Maybe he could contact his old XO, Dante Knight, and have the Saracen nearby so that his CMO would be available in case Grayson needed medical treatment.

Lt. Rodier was next to pass through the lounge’s doorway, his mind a twofold mess of indecision.

First, should he let NC Borkol off with a warning? After all, stealing a fellow officer’s belongings was a fairly serious infraction. Then again, he doubted the writers of that statute had sandwiches in mind at the time of writing, which would normally have led him to a quite laughter-filled response to the complaint. The issue, of course, was that the complainant was none other than NLt. jr. gr. Chernob from the Medical department, who, despite being of equal rank to Henry and therefor having no technical power over him, did have a unique ability to make his life difficult. The last time he’d gotten on the doctor’s bad side, he’d somehow gotten ahold of the security schedule and managed to reschedule a mandatory physical for an officer so that it overlapped with her shift, forcing Henry into an hour of extra work to cover for her. The Chief wasn’t usually one to back down easily, but he couldn’t help but give it some thought given he still had no idea how Chernob had managed that feat.

Second (and of equal importance), should he get peas or corn with his meal? Corn was usually a good compliment for chicken, but he had also been contemplating turkey, which was usually better paired with peas. Then again, the dampness of peas could help with a dry chicken, which this lounge’s replicator was known for.

About thirty seconds later, Rodier was headed to the other end of the lounge carrying a tray laden with a chicken breast, corn, and peas, with a cup off to one side containing a purplish liquid. Then it was that he became threefold indecisive, for he couldn’t seem to spot any of his immediate friends in the lounge, but neither did he particularly want to sit alone. This mental combat was ongoing as he meandered over to the edge of the room containing the booths.

~ Lt. jr. gr. Rodier - CoS

“Who is that,” Daphne nodded her head to the left at Rodier and the tray while she spoke to Grayson.

Lt. Daphne Frankenstien CMO

“That, is our Chief of Security,” he explained and then waved his own arm towards the Lieutenant. “Rodier!” He half-called out using the mans last name. The night may be casual and his DH and Cadets getting even more so, but he at least needed to keep some sense of decorum. Last names it was. “Come, take a seat. We have plenty of room and I need backup. Frankenstein and Igor outnumber me. Bring your pitchfork.” He inclined his head towards Dr Frankenstein and Dr McCall, now bearing the nickname of Igor, Frankenstein’s loyal assistant.

Henry paused, caught like a deer in the headlights - a colloquialism still in his vocabulary thanks to his rural early life. Well, there goes that decision made, he thought. “Not sure how much help I’ll be there, sir. Mine’s not much bigger than yours.” He lifted his fork slightly as he set the tray down at the booth, sitting next to Grayson. Scanning the table, the Chief realized he hadn’t actually been introduced to anyone there besides his immediate superior officer. “Oh, manners. Henry Rodier, it’s a pleasure.” He nodded in turn at Frankenstein and McCall, and sat back to listen and lightly pick upon his food, which he now realized was by far the healthiest thing at the table.

“Igor,” Daphne let out a laugh and then choked trying to keep the drink in her mouth and not all over the table. “He called you Igor,” she repeated and threw a fry at McCall. “You know that means if you are not out of here by Halloween or hooked up with Nancy from science we have our Halloween costume,” she winked at McCall. “We can get Blake so maybe graduate too. He can’t pass his surgical rotation so if you let him add a prosthetic hump and then remove it,” she said slowly as if weighing how it would work, “then I can graduate Blake.”

“FYI Grayson if McCall is gone then you are up as Igor and as the captain, you will do anything for your crew right,” she ate a pickle nickel with a smile.

The partially frosted doors to the Challenger’s lounge slid open at a slower rate and with a softer swish sound than the other doors Nate had encountered during his first day onboard. That’s more like it. There’s no reason why the doors on this vessel should rip open the way they do. It’s discerning.

The soft, inviting music was pleasantly inviting as Nate entered the lounge and took in the room. Just my luck, there’s Dr. Frankenstein over there with Alex and . . . oh jeez, is that the Captain? Oh man. It’s Captain . . . what’s his name, damn it?!? I’ve no idea. Please don’t see me, please don’t see me. Nate felt perspiration quickly gathering into droplets around the edges of his hairline, threatening to stream down his face.

The lounge seemed to be the it place tonight with all of Daphne’s newbies showing and a few of the senior staff as well. The entry of Cadet Nate Holcomb pulled Daphne’s attention off the CoS and zeroed it directly on Cadet Nate Holcomb. “Hold that thought,” Daphne patted Grayson on the shoulder. The booze and the near-death experience arriving on the Challenger with Grayson had eliminated all nervousness on the medical chief’s part about being around the captain. It obviously eliminated it for Grayson with Daphne since before everyone had arrived he was just about to propose with onion rings.

“Nate,” she waved her hand hoping to catch the attention of the cadet yet the ambient sounds of the room and the size of the space seemed to be obscuring their group.

“Do you think he saw us,” Daphne said to everyone and no one in particular. The way the cadet casually seemed to look at them and then scan the room made Daphne’s forehead wrinkle up.

“Oh he saw us,” Grayson said. “He’s just wishing he didn’t about now.”

“I don’t think he saw us. We should call him over,” she announced in a confident tone.

What a day. First, I went to sickbay to report or duty and get my evaluation before even going to my quarters to drop off my pack and bag. Then I reported back to sickbay and apparently forgot my lunch. I swear I had brought it, but it sure wasn’t there at break time. And now I’m starving. And I need a drink . . . like . . . don’t say it Nate . . . don’t do it

“Stat,” Nate whispered to himself. He chuckled before rolling his eyes at himself. “Lame-o, bro. L A M E O. Lame-O”

Seeing an open seat at the far end of the bar, Nate tries to inconspicuously make his way over to sit down without being noticed.

OOC: I’m not trying to actually avoid hanging with everyone, he’s just a nervous wreck is what I’m attempting to RP.

• Ensign Nate Holcomb - Medical Cadet

OOC: Oh you were never going to escape us lol. Excellent use of the OOC and perfect descriptions in the post. ~ Kate

OOC: Great posting both of you Cadets!

IC:
Rising up as much as she could in the booth, Daphne cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled out, “Nate…Nate over here.” The action might not have been becoming a senior officer but Daphne had never been one to stand on rank whenever possible. Just to make sure Nate did not miss where the voice was coming from, Daphne added a rather vigorous hand wave usually used by someone three times her age to flag down someone. “Nate we got plenty room over here.”

Wedged slightly in to a corner, Alex was forced to lean back and perform evasive maneuvers to avoid getting his chiefs elbow in his face as she waved her arm about like an over excited pre-schooler that needed the bathroom.

Looking at Alex and then Grayson, she said “okay everyone scooch over a bit.” As she spoke, Daphne was already pulling on Grayson’s sleeve to move him closer as she wiggled over so there was more than enough room for her, Grayson, Alex, and anyone else that might want to sit down at the table.

“Oh shoot,” Gray muttered. “Scooching now, yes master,” he said in an imitation of the old TV movies that matched her last name while he slid the plates, trays and bowls of deep fried foods over to make room. He scooched enough so that by now, with the added number of people he was basically shoulder to shoulder with the CMO.

“Master…I like that,” she laughed. “Live it love it learn it,” Daphne smiled at the CO.

There was no way the cadet was going to be able to ignore his pint-size boss or be able to feign ignoring his boss.

Lt. Daphne Frankenstien CMO

OOC: I literally laughed out loud when I read your post, Kate.

IC:

Nate froze mid-step and felt a searing heat rise in his reddening cheeks. He sensed that everyone in the lounge had stopped what they were doing and were all staring directly at him. His ears began to ring, and he started to hiccup, a nervous reaction he’d had since he was a kid. His reaction only intensifying the embarrassing experience. In fact, it wasn’t at all uncommon for Dr. Frankenstein to yell out whatever she might be thinking and almost no one seemed to take notice.

“Nate we are over here,” she waved a few more times vigorously from a seated position. “Do you think he saw us?”

“Absofreakingloutly,” Gray said, grabbing a fried jalapeno and munching on it contentedly. “So did everyone else in the lounge, and the science labs, and probably Main Engineering and the shuttle bay too. The crew in lower decks is probably cowering in fear of a sound that is now echoing throughout the empty corridors and I’ll have reports of ghosts when I get back to the ready room.”

Glancing over at Grayson she pointed a finger at him playfully. “Just remember to smile. Cadets are always nervous around the CO and XO for some unknown reason. I mean you put on your pants one leg at a time just like the rest of us right?”

Pausing in mid-reach for another jalapeno, Grayson looked at her slightly confused. “I am smiling,” he said with a completely straight face. “I also use a more advanced technique for putting on my pants, see I use two legs at a time rather than one. It saves time and time management is important at the higher ranks,” his fingers flicked his rank pips casually. Leaning back he made a show of looking at her under the table. “Also, you don’t wear pants. You wear a skirt and,” he looked again to double check, “knee high boots. We are not like the rest of us.” He finished his statement with his right eyebrow turning to a frown and his right raising as an exclamation mark to what he said, then, he looked at her under the table a final time and his lips broke into the barest hint of a smirk as he picked up both his drink and the jalapeno he was aiming for at the start.

“That is why no one is scared of me. I don’t wear pants.” Letting out a laugh she shook her head. “Yeah that sounded better in my head than out loud. Scratch that last comment.”

Well, that didn’t go as I had planned. I guess she’s feeling better. Sounds like all that work to keep her from having a headache was for naught. Nate looked over to where CMO’s voice had blasted forth and waved. He attempted an expression that tried to convey, Oh there you are. I’ve been looking all over the place for you and forced a smiled.

OOC: a small tip here, we use Markdown as well as HTML so when you want to do italics (for thoughts and such or to emphasize something) you can use an asterisk either side of your statement, you don’t need to use the < i > style of HTML. It’s a wee bit quicker.

OOC: Ahh, good to know. Thanks!

Nate made his way to the table that was more crowded than he’d prefer and stood there nervously. “Good evening, Doctor Frankenstein. Alex. And good evening, Captain . . . .” Looking to the gentleman in a red shirt and the insignia of the junior lieutenant, “Evening, sir. I’m Nate Cadet. I mean, Cadet Nate . . . Nate Holcomb. I’m new to medical. Dr. Frankenstein is my Chief Medical Officer.”

Oh, dear lord.
“Evening, Nate. I’m Henry, Security Chief. Frankenstein been treating you okay, I hope?”

“Very good to meet you, Chief. Yes, my . . .” Nate nodded toward Alex “I mean, our CMO has been great so far.”

“Welcome to the Challenger Doctor Holcomb,” Grayson said easily with a smile that Daphne couldn’t reprimand him for later, “find a seat, stake a claim and join us.”

“Good evening, Captain. Thank you.”

Nate quickly turned and motioned to an empty chair at a nearby table, “Anyone using this chair?”

“Absolutely not. The more the merrier,” she smiled picking up her drink and taking a sip. “The bartender would be back around in a minute but feel free to eat any of this if you want,” she gestured to the table littered with snacks.”

The two individuals in red shirts and black trousers gestured dismissively to the chair without missing a beat of their conversation.

“Thanks.” Nate took the chair and pulled it to the nearly full table and sat down. Fidgeting with the trim at his sleeve, his ears were singularities of intense white-hot heat. Nate looked back to his CMO. “Feeling better, boss?”

Nate glanced at the myriad plates of food on the overcrowded tabletop and searched for something to try. Eyeing the jalapeño poppers Nate across over the table and popped one into his mouth. “Lub doze darn tings,” Nate said with a little too much in his mouth.

“I am like that watch in that holomercial from IFEA. I take a licking and keep on ticking,” she let out a laugh. “Not much keeps me down for long.”

“Excellent, very good to hear, boss. You certainly know how to get a make a first day on the job exciting,” Nate said with an exaggerated look on his face.

Ensign Nate Holcomb – Medical Cadet

“Hi Nate,” said Alex, glancing at the captain, their boss, the ceiling, and then back to Nate, his expression neutral except for his eyes which told their own story.

“Good to see you,” Alex smiled, the “Thanks for the reinforcements” part being left unsaid.

Nate raised both eyebrows with a wide-eyed expression and a deep sigh. Oh boy, did I arrive too late to the party? Or is this just going to be a loud, rowdy group. glancing to his CMO “Loud has already been established*, Nate thought with a smile.

“It’s already a ‘tradition’ that if you sit down you have to order an alcoholic beverage, add something unhealthy and deep fried to eat to our feast, and tell a work story that involves borderline malpractice.”

Alex lifted his own pint glass in salute.

Cadet Alex McCall, MD

“Well, I’ve never been one to pass up an opportunity to sample a cold adult beverage,” Nate said and glanced around to get the server’s notice.

Daphne let out a huge laugh and shoved Alex’s arm. “Translated that means we are having a nice social gathering where we become foodies trying wonderful new combinations of vegetables and discuss work-related matters. Learn the lingo cadets,” she picked up a pickle nickle, and turned to Alex. “I mean technically this is a cucumber slice so why focus on the fact it’s fried. Focus that it is a vegetable…plus,” she let her voice trail off before adding, “just don’t define the plus.”

The Benzdichlo should metabolizes in about 24 hours. Though the alcohol may extend that . . . a lot.

“Oh my god,” Grayson said suddenly as he looked over the food. “You’re right. This is all vegetable.” His voice had taken on the sound of someone disappointed that they had committed a cultural sin. “Waiter!” He yelled out, just as enthusiastically as Daphne had done for her Cadets, then took a long drink, emptying his glass as the waiter arrived.

Well, that should get the server’s attention. Again, loud has been well established. I’ll be sure to include a nice tip, Nate determined.

“Yes, Captain?” the Betazoid asked as she got her PaDD ready for another order. Whatever the empathic or telepathic crewmember could sense from the CO was making her very, very attentive. “We need a bowl of lamb ribs heavy on the barbeque sauce, a bowl of southern fried chicken nibbles and a bowl of crab legs in Old Bay seasoning. Throw in some deep fried mussels with chilli as well and I’ll take a Lagavulin on the rocks and a wine for Frankenstein. Make it a rich red Cabernet Sauvignon.” The fact there was no meat on the table had to be rectified, and as the game seemed to be about medical fubar’s he felt safe ordering the powerful whiskey that competed with blood and caffeine in his veins.

Well, sitting at the Captain’s table isn’t without it’s benefits. Just don’t say or do anything stupid, Nate.
“I’ll take a stout, please. Guinness if you have it,” Nate said to the server.

“Why you got to be hatin’ on me,” she looked at Grayson. “You know it would be a shame if no one was there to do your check in besides Blake?”

Popping the pickle nickle in her mouth she chewed for a second and then looked at Grayson. “Speaking of malpractice we need to discuss Blake as some point but right now,” she looked back at the table, “I think it is time for another question.” Glancing at Nate she took a sip of her drink. “We are playing never have I ever. If you have ever done something you have to take a sip of whatever your poison is. So,” she got a huge smile. “Never have I ever been in a situation where someone was accidently hypoed with Benzdiplopenchloride and I had to treat them.”

“That is oddly specific.” Grayson said as he waited for the food to arrive. Tapping his fingers on the table, he turned and looked at Holcomb intensely, tapping his fingers on the table waiting for the man to answer.

Looking at Nate Holcomb, she smiled knowing full well she had set the man up to have to take a drink. It was also a way for her to spotlight how fast on his feet the new cadet was. According to the rules of the game, Nate would have to drink and explain why he was drinking before being the next person to ask a question to the table. The more Daphne thought about Alex’s comment however the more she realized the name of the game should be Never have I ever been involved in a borderline medical malpractice situation.

Lt. Daphne Frankenstein CMO

OOC: I invented IFEA a long time ago along with Bang, Gaggle, Spacebook, and Chipper as the social media platforms (Bing, Google, Facebook, and Twitter. It is Kate-cannon. (IFEA) is Intergalactic Ferengi Exports and Acquisitions. Think a Ferengi Amazon of the future. ~ Kate

OOC: They have the IFEA Prime . . . Directive? ~ Bill

Alex half lifted his drink, pursing his lips as if about to take a big gulp, before breaking in to a smile and setting the glass down again. Everyone he had ever hypoed had been 100% intentional after all…

Nate didn’t have a drink yet but decided to play along anyway. “Well, I’ll drink to that once I get my drink.” Nate looked around and saw the server approaching the table. “Oh, I guess I have to explain,” feeling the table starring at him.
“So, I didn’t hypo anyone with anything. But Blake, another cadet in the medical unit . . . well, he’s a bit . . . uhh, well . . . let’s just say he’s a little clumsy. Anyway, the more concerning thing is walking around with hyposprays. I mean, loaded hypos that aren’t safed. Especially, with a schedule drug.” Nate glanced over at Doctor Frankenstein who seemed to be enjoying the story. “His momma should have named him Grace. But, it looks like the boss lady is doing much better now.” Nate lifted his freshly arrived Guinness and took a long, deep draw, and wiped the tan foam from his lip.

The food arrived at that moment and the waitress spread the various bowls of fried, baked and otherwise prepared hot meats across the table and placed the whiskey in front of Grayson, the wine in front of Daphne, and a tall dark stout in front of Nate. Turning to the CMO he grinned at the reaction to the wine in her eyes. Reaching out he took a crab leg and a mussel, placing them on a small plate in front of him and picked up his Lagavulin.

Oh, gimme some of those, Nate thought dragging a couple of the lamb ribs onto a clean white plate and sucked the excess barbeque sauce from his fingers.

“Couple more beers here and take this stuff back,” Daphne handed the wine back to the server. “You,” she pointed a finger at Grayson are getting a full workup by Blake when you least expect it.”

When in Rome . . . ., Nate thought and took the wine back from the server. “I’ll drink that; it should pair well with the ribs. But, yeah, I’ll take another Guinness, too, please.”

“Where were we? Oh yes, hypoing people by mistake, carry on,” he took a small sip of his drink but the drink was slightly longer than normal. It might have been admitting to something, but it may also have just been taking a much-needed drink.

Captain Rhodes, CO

“Oh, yes, sir. Well, that’s about it. I administered some fluids and electrolytes. Oh, and I thought we’d try a Physiostimulator since it elevates metabolic function. Otherwise, you’d have to titrate Benzdiplopenchloride over a few days. It was selfish on my part, if I’m being honest. I’m anxious to get my residency going and that wasn’t going to happen if my CMO was laid up in a biobed.” Nate took another deep draw off the Guinness. *Darn replicators do a fine job. Hmm, wonder if this is the real stuff? Probably not.
“Say, this stuff is really good. This stuff replicated or the real deal?” Nate asked holding his glass up and then draining it’s contents in a third gulp.

Alex took in the newly arrived dishes as they were plonked down on the table one after the other. He savoured the various scents as each dish slid past him, his mouth watering as he realized it had actually been quite a while since he’d eaten anything more substantional than a hurried sandwich. After waiting a beat to make sure everyone knew he wasn’t drinking as part of the game, he downed the rest of his pint in a couple of smooth pulls and managed to catch the waitress before she left.

“May I have a Lagavulin too please Miss, neat.” He asked, the warmth of his smile for the watress aided and abetted by the pleasant glow already spreading from the beer downed slightly too quickly on an empty stomach.

Cadet Alex McCall, MD

“Well I haven’t,” Daphne said. “And for the record Nate here,” she broke off a crab claw and pointed at Holcomb, “didn’t either. He just came in at the right time. I mean I was strapped to the table and moaning so if he does having perfect timing down between that and catching me when I fell.”

Lt. Daphne Frankenstein CMO

Henry’s eyes widened, though his mouth stayed shut except to allow entry for a stolen bit of fried chicken. He was quite glad he’d been called over, as the CMO was giving him a time and a half of interesting stories.

~ Lt. jr. gr. Rodier – CoS

“Right, no that was all Blake’s goof.” Nate took a bite out of the perfectly seasoned, savory lamb ribs. Whoa, these are awesome. “Oh, yeah, my turn, I guess. Ummmm, let’s see. Uh, never have I ever . . . uh . . . .” Come on Nate, think of something. “Oh, okay. Never have I ever skinny tipped in the fountain in front of the Academy,” Nate asked knowing it was a fairly common tradition. Nate immediately lifted the glass of red wine Dr. Frankenstein had tried to return and took a generous drink.

Ensign Nate Holcomb – Medical Cadet