The following message appeared on all consoles.

=^=Attention all crew. New crew party begins on the holodeck at 1600 hours. Bring your good cheer and leave your uniforms.=^=

Alita hadn’t quite figured out a theme for the party. She’d wanted to do Mardi Gras in honor of the Captain but the XO’s words just wouldn’t leave her mind. Neither would her conversation with Anna. So the best she could come up with on short notice was a very large bonfire with several cooking fires along one side. As usual, several of the security JOs were helping out and Alita, herself, was doing at least three things at once.

• Alita