Posted by Major Taylor Zigman (Battalion Surgeon.) in Frankie’s Pizza (open to all)

Posted by Mar. Captain Eleanor “Iron Lady” Carnegie (Recon Squadron CO/Pilot) in Frankie’s Pizza (open to all)
It was a small restaurant. In fact, it was less of a restaurant and more of a shop. The worn out tables, made of plywood and plastic, lined a single wall allowing the few that wanted to sit in to eat indoors. Orders were taken by the door, at a gap on the long wooden counter where a short shriveled old man waited expectantly for the next client to enter. A small plastic menu taped to the counter advertised calzones and hoagies as the main specialties of the place and glass panels kept the customers from the rest of the counter where pizzas with different toppings were on display.

Sitting alone at a far table, Eleanor waited for her meal to be brought to her. The iced tea bottle sat undisturbed in front of her, as the pilot mindlessly twirled the highball glass between her fingers. She hadn’t bothered changing from her flight suit, so within the mostly black and yellow colors of the few patrons, the Marine seemed slightly out of place, if it wasn’t for the interest she seemed to have on the Steelers game currently on on the joint’s only screen.

Beyond the restaurant, the Holodeck had been left open, in the hopes that maybe someone would stumble upon the program and join her. If not, the Men of Steel would make her feel less lonely.

Cpt. Carnegie, Recon Squadron CO

Finding the gym and treadmills extremely boring, Taylor was using the corridors as her training grounds—running through them, darting left and right to avoid crashing in to others as she passed them. Since deck 6 contained the holodecks and suites, there wasn’t a lot of traffic she had to sidestep, but there was enough. As she ran, she flipped the activities of the day across the screen of her mind, reviewing them and making sure she’d tied up all loose ends for the night shift that had replaced her an hour ago.

She’d just mentally started going over her plans for the next day when an aroma hit her and made her mouth water. “Oh God…is that…? PIZZA!” She exclaimed as she came even with the holodeck doors that had been left invitingly open. There proceeded to be a mental war in her head as she tried to talk herself out of going in, but in the end, common sense won out.

It only took a minute to make her way through the line where she ordered a cheese calzone and a beer, then she was looking out over the tables for a place to sit and enjoy it. She spotted Capt Carnegie immediately and walked over. “Would you like some company or were you hoping to be alone?”

—Ziggy

Eleanor took her eyes from the game to see who had spoken at the same time that the shop’s sole other employee brought Carnegie her own calzone. Startled for a moment she managed to shoot a quick smile and thank you to the busy cook before turning her gaze to the Marine standing in front of her.

“Oh! Please, some company would be nice.” She said in a surprised tone motioning to the spot across from her on the table. After a very short pause Eleanor added apologetically. “I’m sorry. You and dinner came in all at once.” She smiled. “Major Zigman, right?” Carnegie asked making sure she hadn’t gotten the name wrong. “It’s been a long week. I’ve been spending so much time inside a cockpit that if it wasn’t for my crew I wouldn’t have seen much life the past few days…” She chuckled pushing her glasses back against her face.

“So, Major, how’s MarMed treating you?” With her meal sitting in front of her, Eleanor didn’t touch it, patiently waiting for Zigman to be brought hers too so as to not start without her.

Carnegie