Ice Cream Social

Posted on 01/22/2024 @ 1:52pm by Captain Cara Letsul & Sergeant Lance Faraday
Edited on on 02/26/2024 @ 2:42pm

2,503 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Mission 24: The Kingsmen: Duality
Location: Promenade/32 Below
Timeline: Before the Duality mission

Cara had just finished a counseling session, and needed to take a walk to clear her head. It had been her fourth session of counseling with a member of the station staff member. It was time for a walk about before getting to her other duties. She had gotten herself an ice cream on a cone and just started meandering aimlessly. A young child went running passed being chased after her mother, almost careening into Cara. This caused Cara to quickly sidestep the child, twisting about to keep from bumping into the mother but she ended up bumping into someone else, having miscalcuted a small amount of her steps.

Cara slammed into someone, barely keeping her ice cream cone from hitting the person in the chest. She was dressed in her civvies, blue long sleeved tee shirt, black pair of sweat pants and runners.

"Oh! Sorry!" she exclaimed.

"'Scuse me, I wasn't looking where I was going," Lance said quickly stepping back. "Pretty casual, I guess being comfortable is a priority here, which is good. Oh, I'm Lance Faraday, Sergeant Lance Faraday, brand new on board the station, sort of getting my bearings and being a lookie-loo." He smiled broadly. "Ice cream? Oh my, gonna have to find out where that came from!"

"Well I can direct you to a really good place, its it called 32 Below. That is where I got this ice cream cone." Cara giving a smile. "My name is Cara. Also not only is this station run by Star Fleet, there is also a civilian population here so yup you are going to be meeting people in civilian clothing." she nodded towards a group that was passing by. "However let us be off to 32 Below." giving a laugh.

"I'd seen some earlier, who were definitely Starfleet. I just took you for Starfleet, not sure why, but I did." Lance admitted. "Good thing having civilians on board, I'd imagine some even have their families with them." It was not like Starbase Fifty was a ship where there just would not be accommodations for family. "So yes, let's head for this 32 Below, I could sure use an ice cream!" Ice cream? Things were really looking up.

Cara gave out a soft chuckle, as they stepped into the turbolift, "Deck 67." she said to the computer then turned to marine she was next to. "Lance, you have a sharp eye there. As a marine should have. If you don't mind, I'd like to call you by your first name, ranks being set aside. Just in case you want to know, I am of Star Fleet, in fact, full rank status Captain Cara Letsul. Just don't salute, and currently just call me Cara. I'm semi off duty. When one is in command of a station, a person isn't completely off duty. Still I like to do a separation of command and personal time, hence my attire."

Stunned for a moment, Lance stammered, "Uh, yeah, 'er yes, sure that's fine." He was used to dealing with brass in his former world, but he had never encountered one in civies that he had not dealt with in uniform. And those situations were far and few between as he was seldom in Officers Country.

"That caught me by surprise Cap-uh, Cara. Not every day I would run into command staff in civies, well, before now I would suppose. This thing is massive, not that I haven't been on other stations, but this one is much newer and way bigger! So far I'm happy here, aside from getting lost from time to time, but then I suppose that happens with anyone new."

"This is a large station." Cara giving a nod. Her mind going briefly towards another station a few years back. The turbolift slowed down and the door opened. She stepped out to await Lance. Her ice cream cone was almost gone by now. "I think I am in the mood for a banana split now." giving a laugh. "There are good people here on the station. Sometime I hope you will get the chance to meet the Chief of Security, Commander K'doc Valadorn. He's a Klingon Marine but is assigned to this station. The one thing you can count on is both security and marines working together when the need arises."

Up above there was a sign which listed the business that were on the level. Besides the ice cream shop, 32 Below, there is the Book Worm, The Repulsive Sailboat Bar/Inn. Bank of Bolias. ( to name a few)

Lance looked up at the sign and smiled. "The Repulsive Sailoat, now that sounds like it ought to be down some dark alley somewhere in the Delta Quadrant." Le laughed at his own remark even though that was exactly how that name sounded.

"So let me ask you this, unofficially of course, what are folks doing for fun on this station, granted there are likely bars and places to get a meal that aren't the mess hall. You know what I mean, like what? Dances? Holodeck games? Gee, I'm at a loss there were so many things available on Rigel Ten to do. Maybe not so many on a station like this one, but that seems a bit far-fetched, even for Starfleet. No offense."

"Oh this station offers quite a bit besides bars and eating places. There are areas where those who love to dance go to. Depending on the night, a person can dance to different music and time periods. There are holodeck games as well. There is also museums to go visit. I love to go dancing. Hence my being part of a dance group."

They arrived at 32 Below "As for the Repulsive Sailboat bar, it is actually a fun place to go, very deep into the pirate thematic flavor. And the drinks are really good. The owner of the bar, of which I consider more of a tavern, as it has rooms as well, she makes her own drinks and they are quite good."

Cara taking a seat at one of the tables.

"Hopefully not Orion Pirates flavor." Lance said as he took a seat across from Carla, "Oh maybe I need to get up and order, or do they come to the table? Some do, some don't guess it depends on the place. The sailboat place sounds intriguing anyway."

"They will come to the table, also there is the digital menu as well." she stated giving a nod. "As for the drinks I do not know what you'd call an orion pirate flavor." giving a slight shrug. "Anyway tell me a little bit about yourself." Cara putting in an order for her next ice cream dish then took the final bite of her ice cream cone. "Where did you serve? Do you have family?"

Lance was pleased to see his favorite on the menu, pecan pralines, he ordered himself a quadruple dip in a bowl, with no frills. "Oh, I meant The Orions have some strange tastes in, well, everything. Guess that's why they're green." Probably a poor joke, which he already regretted.

"Well let's see, the usual training commands I suppose, except for demolitions of course. Assault Training Command out of Langley Virginia was my first stop thinking I wanted to be one of those Special Ops guys, that got me aboard the Ranger and tied in with some heavyweight operatives. Some stuff can't be talked about. I applied to Force Recon training out of Perris Island and was accepted. All pretty boring really."

Cara chuckled at his last part. "Oh I've heard that sort of story from other marines." her mood sobered up slightly though, "What has been your experience where Orions are concerned? Don't worry I am only giving you the second degree instead of the third degree." Cara giving a bit of a wink.

"Really, not a lot." He said between bites. "Knew a couple female cadets way back when, but did cross paths with some of Syndicate boys when we were on a mission. You know the Syndicate's hobbies include gambling, racketeering, smuggling, piracy, slave trading, extortion, and of course, assassination, right? Not the nicest guys in any quadrant. So we had to beg off so the mission wasn't forfeit. Rescuing a Cardassian ambassador being held by some Suliban traders who were more than they appeared. Well, nobody died and we got the Cardy away and back home."

"Yes those who work for the Syndicate are a rough bunch. Not all Orions work for them. A few Orions that I have met, they are trying to escape from their own background so try to be mindful as to what you do say, souind good?" Cara ordered herself a small banana split, then went onto to say, "Glad you were able to get the ambassador away from the Sulibans, those can be a nasty lot to deal with. Curiosity, you had mentioned if there were places to dance. Do you like to dance?"

"Oh sure, I know that not all of them are Syndicate like not all of us are Starfleet," Lance replied, again between bites, he set his spoon down and smiled, "Dance, sure I like to dance, but I really like live music, most any kind actually." Then he took up the spoon and attacked the pecan praline ice cream again. "Good stuff!"

"It does look good!" Cara taking a bite of her own dish. "Live bands they do have them here, it has been a little bit since I've gone to one. And I haven't been to one since I've been here. So what sort of foods do you like to indulge in? Besides ice cream" Cara asked with a laugh.

"Oh man, food? Burgers, pastrami dips, but mostly a good thick steak, and any of the varieties available. Some of the beasts that can be found out here are really tasty!" He responded, "But good old Angus beef is by far the best. I've had some decent replicated steaks too, believe it or not."

"Oh I believe it. There is a restaurant here that serves a really fabulous steak. In fact the food is non replicated. It is run by Terrin Faux, and his place is called Admiral on Deck. There are a few eating establishments that are on this station that serve real food and not using replicated ingredients." Cara stated with a firm nod. Even if the things are replicated ingredient wise they are good nonetheless, but a person who is a food lover, they can tell." she went to work on her banana split, which had caramel, chocolate and crushed walnuts on it. along with whipped cream and a cherry upon it. She was certainly enjoying this delightful frozen dessert.

"That sounds like the place I'll have to frequent. me? I'm a real meat and potatoes kinda guy." He admitted. "Great to know that there really is real food, hopefully both grown, and animals harvested. Hardly a polite way to say it, but I believe that is what some animals are for. Hey, we have teeth for a reason, way off the subject though. The ice cream is great, replicated ingredients or not!"

"I've been with a couple of elite units in my career so far if you could call it that. The Knights, now, seem different than the other outfits I've had a chance to work with. I mean cooperation and teamwork are the hallmarks of the Corps. This all just feels different."

"Different in what way? And this group of Marines are called the Kingsmen, with the Knights being a part of them. What sort of difference have you noticed when it comes with these men and women on this station?" Cara was curious as to his answer.

"Simple, well at least as I see it. All elite units are elite for a reason, or reasons, commitment, cooperation, and dedication. The Knights, well, they are a step above the norm when it comes to elite units." He said frankly, "The Corps is not real crazy about elite thinking the Corps itself is as elite as it gets." He smiled, "Not so's you'd notice."

Cara gave a half smile, "You'll find out that these men and women are actually rather humble as you get to know them, Lance. And yes, they also do have a sense of pride and they should have one. Out here in the gamma quadrant, we need people like the Kingsmen to help out in situations when it comes up. Like for instance, they worked with the Chief of Security and the security teams to deal with an attack by the Breen. The whole station, this includes civilians, pulled together in defense of their home."

"I've been told that humble may not be in my dictionary, but I can do that. And yes, I will most certainly work to fit in, though most of the folks I've met, and that's not many have me feeling at ease and a part of rather than a part from." He responded. "It has been easy to feel comfortable here. This will be my first run-in with the Breen, even so, you can count on me when that happens and the time comes."

Cara gave a nod at his statement. "Aye I can see that." her half smile turned to a full one. She went back to eating her banana split, after a few bites, she remarked, "Now you have some goals, explore the station, find the places where they play live music and get to know the people here and about?"

"Yeah, yeah I can do that, best set of orders I ever got. Well, the easiest to comply with. Orders to this station and this command may well be the best orders I ever lucked into." He said with a smile, although he meant that.

Another laugh from Cara, she finished her banana split, giving a sigh of satisfaction, she stretched then said. "I am going to have to get back to duty, thank you for having some ice cream with me." a twinkle in her eyes.

"My pleasure Captain. But it's me that owes you a thanks for showing me this place. I just might become a regular here." Lance said with a smile, "You have a good watch, Ma'am."

Cara gave a nod to Lance "You are welcome then. Take care Sergeant Lance Faraday." another pleasant smile. She picked up the dishes and took the refuse to the recycler, then one more smile and she left the ice cream shop.

He was idly stirring the remnants of his pecan praline ice cream as he watched he, returning the smile and then following her with his eyes until she disappeared from view in the crowd of people.

'This could just be the real deal afterall.' He thought as he dug into the liquid that ad been ice cream. 'Yep, could be.'

Captain Cara Letsul
Acting Commanding Officer
Poseidon Station

Sergeant Lance "Lethal" Faraday
Demolitions
Weapons Platoon

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