Approval from Friends

Posted on Thursday 13 October 2016 @ 06:41 by Major David Scarlet

Mission: Old, New Ship
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: MD8 - Late Evening
1076 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

===Deck 3 - Holodeck===

The rustic log cabin showed like a dark welcoming smudge through the blowing snow. Even against the gray sky, he could still make out the darker whisps of smoke from a warm fire. David trudged along through the drifting snow, his boots compressing the fluffy snow down until it squeeked with every step.

He didn't even know when he got to the door, just turned the knob and let it swing open. Snow whirled in around him only to fall and melt instantly in the heat of the cabin.

The other four men all turned and raised their drinks to him. "DAVE!" They called out as a toast and then used it as an excuse to drink, not that they would need one.

"Close da friggin' door b'y." Tony shouted as David stomped the snow off his boots and shut the door behind him. "Jus cause ye can't feel yer legs don mean we can't ye basterd." Tony grinned broadly as he got up and went to add a few more logs to the roaring fire in the fire place.

"Frig off Tony." David replied calmly as he took off his jacket and boots. "I'm not nearly drunk enough to put up with your shit." He walked over and sat in an old antique recliner that had seen many better days. It was worn, patched together, smelled funny, and was extremely comfortable.

"Ah..." Mads said as he reached over and put an empty glass on the end table next to David. "That... we can fix." He lifted the bottle of rum and fill the glass.

"How was the walk up?" Eli asked as he came back into the room and sat down.

"Doesn't get any easier the older I get I can tell you now." David replied as he took a sip of the rum. "You figure with numb legs I could just be able to walk forever and not get tired wouldn't you? That's bullshit."

"You're bullshit." Cole laughed from the corner where he was frantically dealing out cards in a demented game of solitare.

"If I wanted any of your lip I'd jiggle my zipper." David grinned. "Have you won a game yet or what?"

"Nope." Cole grunted as he gathered all the cards up and began to reshuffle them. "But I'm going to win one before the day is out and that's that."

"Christ Tony, you play with that fire any more and you'll piss the bed." Eli laughed.

"Dat's fine. I'm sleep'n in yer bed t'nite anyways." Tony said without looking up from the fire.

"Oh yes now... and where do you think I'm going to sleep?"

"Well, if ye don't want me piss'n o'er yer back I figures da floor." Tony quickly replied as he got up from tending the fire and sat down in his chair to face the rest of them.

"I got promoted." David interjected in a moment of silence. He leaned forward and placed the open box on the coffee table.

"You need to go back and ask for your stars, they gave you tic tacs." Mads said with a grin. "Congratulations my friend."

"Do we have to salute you now?" Cole asked from the corner.

"Do, and I'll break your frigging fingers." David growled as he took another sip.

The joshing and joking around continued for what seemed like hours, finally culminating in David having to stand up while a very drunk Eli attempted to pin the pips to his sweater. He settled back into his chair and enjoyed the banter, sometimes with a remark, other times just listening to and enjoying the conversation around him.

David glanced over at Cole, still frantically dealing out cards in an attempt to beat the clock. The conversation seemed to shift out of focus for him as he watched the slight man frantically deal out the cards and move them around according to some sort of rules that David didn't really understand. Cole could cheat, he could move a card where it wasn't supposed to or maybe deal out two instead of three. But he wouldn't. He never did. Even when it was just a game of solitare that no one else cared about but him, he wouldn't cheat and he wouldn't lie. It had to be done and it had to be done fair. David watched the hand movements, almost like twitches at this point.

Finally Cole slammed the last card down on the table raised his fists in triumph. "To hell with your promotion! I WON!" He slammed his fist down onto the cards so hard that his half full glass of rum flew into the air. Even as they watched, the glass fell back on the table, upside down, with the rum still stuck inside.

"HOLY SHIT THATS AWESOME!"

It was decided that Cole couldn't just lift the glass and waste perfectly good miracle booze. No, he had to drink it. Determined, Cole pressed his bottom lip against the edge of the table and carefully scooted the glass over so he could drink out of the upside down glass.

David sat back down in his chair, Cole pulled his own out of the corner now that he was content that he'd won. The five of them kept talking, bringing up old stories that they all knew, ribbing each other about the ones who got away... and the ones they should have never caught.

Then as time dragged on, David knew what he had to do and for a moment he regretted even coming here. It hurt. But then he just listened to the stories and smiled as Cole vowed to win the game again the next day. He felt the warmth, not of the fire, but of friendship. He felt the pips against his neck that Eli had put there, and that made it right. He couldn't really accept the promotion until they knew and accepted it.

He stood up and finished his drink. He wasn't one for good byes, at least not sappy ones.

"Computer. End program."

Suddenly the noise and laugher shimmered away. The warmth was replaced with sterile perfectly controlled and artificial heat. The images of his friends replaced memories of their wakes.

"Good night guys." He muttered, the illusion of his drinking disappearing with illusion of the old cabin and the last time they'd all been together.

OFF:

Lt. JG David Scarlet
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Merlin