Rockin' Christmas Party; Karaoke, Caitians, and Kings... (Part 4)
Posted on Tue Feb 18th, 2025 @ 9:45pm by Lieutenant JG T'lenn & Ensign Dani Harper & Ensign Charlotte Dawes & Lieutenant JG Kasper Andersen M.D & Lieutenant JG Jason Williams III & Ensign Cha'joga d/o H'gren & Ensign S'Niri & Ensign Quinn L'khet
1,697 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Happy Holidays
Location: Paddy's Loft (Ten-Forward), USS Astrea
Timeline: Christmas Night, After Part 3
Karaoke was now in full swing in the background, and Charlotte was starting to feel the effects of the punch. "Hey. I need to get signed up for something. Are any of you guys going to sing?" She asked the group. She bumped Kasper with her shoulder playfully. "You seem like you could put on a show."
"Nope," Kasper shook his head as he finished his drink and gave her a playful grin back, "Only if I've had quite a bit more to drink. Otherwise, Leif's your guy for that one." He then turned to everyone else and called out, "Who's up for karaoke?"
"Fine then, I guess I'll have to sing by myself," Charlotte did an about face and walked over the terminal by the karaoke station and spent a couple of minutes scrolling before she put her name in for a song and then came skipping back to the crowd.
"Happy to sing after you though," Kasper watched her walk away, knowing she'd always be walking away from him, so he turned to everyone else, "Come on, let's not leave Charlie here to sing by herself, go and sign up to sing already." He put his drink down, "Look, even I'll do it so everyone can hear what a terrible decision it is to let me have a microphone."
Charlotte grinned. "Good, I already signed you up for one," she said before exploding into full on laughter.
"Oh jeez, do I even want to know what song it is?" Kasper rolled his eyes and laughed along with her before he brought her into a friendly hug, "Only you'd do this to me, Charlie, only you,"
Jason shrugged. "I'll give it a go." He then made his way up and waited his turn to sign up and pick a song. Once that was done, he returned to the group. He smiled warmly at T'lenn, as he sidled back up to her and asked, "Are you going to sign up for a song?"
"I do not believe that any song I would know how to sing would suit the atmosphere of this party," T'lenn replied in earnest.
Jason stepped closer and gently squeezed her right hand. "We could do a duet?" He grinned eagerly, giving her a loving wink as he spoke.
"Perhaps next time," T'lenn stated, though were she to be persuaded to sing in such a setting, it would require an extensive amount of persuasion.
Jason smiled softly at T'lenn, as he gave her hand another gentle squeeze.
Dani nodded enthusiastically, ignoring the fact that they may have been having a moment. "You should definitely do a duet, it would be total hit," she said enthusiastically.
"A hit?" T'lenn looked at Jason and Dani questioningly. "This may be a euphemism of which I am unfamiliar."
Jason smiled warmly as he responded. "In this context, a hit means, something that will be enjoyed by those who observe it. I'm sure there are musicians, poets, even scientists, back on Vulcan, that created something that caused a positive stir among the population?
"A stir among the population would not be considered postive in Vulcan culture," T'lenn replied matter-of-factly.
Grinning slightly, Jason responded. "But you do understand my point, don't you?'
"You have provided an adequate definition of the word, yes," T'lenn replied, briefly giving him a look that was reserved just for him.
Jason grinned softly, feeling a warmth in his chest when he saw the look in her eyes. As their time together continued, his love and devotion for her grew stronger and stronger.
A very thin Caitian walked into the party. Still in operations gold, he was tall, thin with a graceful stride and nervous energy. This was the new quartermaster Quinn Le’ket. He had been hesitant to join into the festivities, not really one for the crowd and nervous in his own body. Though nevertheless he was here looking around for anyone he knew.
"Oh, watch my drink," Dani said tapping S'niri on the shoulder. "I'll be right back." Dani left her drink on the table near her friends and speed shuffled across the floor to greet an old Academy friend. "Hey Quinn. I didn't think you were coming. Do you want a drink?"
Quinn smiles shyly, nodding his head. “A…a drink would be nice. Thank you”
He was a big ball of nerves. He had come to get out of his shell or so his fellow ensigns had told him he should do. Dani had been a friend at the academy and he was grateful for her supporting him.
"Awesome, let's grab you something and I'll introduce you to people," Dani said. "The house is serving this fruity punch," she said pointing to the trays of drinks being passed around. "Or we can order something at the bar."
“The fruity punch sounds…sounds nice” He was quick to reply with a stutter as he followed behind Dani to the bar. He looked about the room, the energy of the party was electric. Lots of talking, energy, movement. His tail laid flat behind him.
"Alright," Dani took a detour toward one of the servers carrying a tray of drinks, and grabbed Quinn a glass of punch. "Mine is back over there," she said handing Quinn his glass.
Dani approached the group of friends she'd just left with a gregarious wave as she retrieved her drink. "Hey guys, this is Quinn. We were at the Academy together. He's a little shy. Make him feel welcome!"
Quinn gave a shy wave to the group, a small smile.
"Hi Quinn," Charlotte said warmly. "Did you join us at Barisa Prime?"
Quinn nods. “I did. Barisa Prime was nice though, but I’m excited for this opportunity.”
"Well welcome," Charlotte elbowed Kasper. "Right Kasper? Kasper joined us there as well."
She'd elbowed him right in the ribs, causing him to groan and glare at her. Turning his attention to the newcomer, "Yeah, I've only been here for a little while too." He stuck out his hand for a shake, "Kasper Andersen, one of the doctors on board. Good to meet you."
Quinn softly nodded, accepting the offered hand and shaking it gently. "it's nice to meet you."
S'Niri was painfully aware that Ferasans and Caitians normally didn't like each other very much - which wasn't to say she didn't get the occasional kick out of appearing directly in their field of view and waiting for the result. "Hey there. Don't mind me, just coming over to say hi." She grinned a saber-toothed grin as she padded over to greet the newcomer.
“Hello.” Quinn replied. “I’m…I'm Quinn, I'm the new quartermaster” he said fumbling still over words.
"I'm S'Niri. Security officer. Relax. We don't bite the heads off quartermasters unless they want us to. Or if they annoy us." S'Niri purred. "No matter what they tell you in supply school."
Quinn’s eyes widen. He wasn’t sure how to take that. “I…I’ll try not to annoy you then” he says nervously, meekly. This person scared him a bit.
In the background Charlotte heard the DJ call her and Kasper's name for their song. With an excited laugh she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him along with her as she made her way to the microphones. "It's our turn! Come on."
"Are you at least going to tell me what song we're going to butcher? I mean sing?" Kasper whined as she dragged him along. "Or is this another surprise?" If it meant he got to spend time with her, he wouldn't complain too much more.
"You'll see, they project the words right up in front you," she giggled as she positioned him on the stage and handed him a microphone. "You'll sing the blue words."
As the music started playing a couple holographic lion cubs started playing and jumping around where the words would soon be projected to a song from an Earth musical that was still popular today.
Charlotte looked over at Kasper with a big grin on her face and started singing:
I'm gonna be a mighty king, so enemies beware.
"Well, I've never seen a king or beast with quite so little hair," Kasper half sang, half spoke the words. He'd never heard of the song but saw that Charlie was having fun so he decided to loosen up a little with it.
Charlotte gave him a playful hip bump as a red-billed bird fluttered out of view before her words started up. Singing to the crowd now, Charlotte looked out and held her palm out over her head in a sweeping motion.
I'm going to be the main event, like no king was before,
I'm brushing up on looking down, I'm working on my roar!
Dani laughed as she saw Charlotte as she used one of her hands like a claw out in front of her. "Oh my gosh, she's having so much fun! This is hilarious."
T'lenn turned to Jason, "Is the purpose of Karaoke performances to be humorous?" she asked curiously.
Jason made a thoughtful face as he considered the question. He then replied. "Well...yes and no. It's main purpose is to s8mply have fun. Now, while some people sing their chosen songs seriously, I guess the majority of the time, most people just do it to be a bit silly. It can tend to the sillier side of things, when alcohol is involved." He finished speaking with a soft grin on his face.
"If we are to prepare a musical number to perform together, I am not confidant that I would be successful at being silly," T'lenn stated.
Jason grinned at this, then leaned over and gently kissed her cheek without thinking about it. As he sat back, he replied, "Well, you could always just play it straight, and I'll be silly enough for the both of us."
T'lenn raised a precarious eyebrow at him as she turned to continue to watch the performance.
Dani stumbled over a chair as she looked around. "Hey, where did Tyler and Kash go?"
~tbc elsewhere...~
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