Merry Artemismas!

[Tyra Crawford]

== Thread for the 2023 Artemis Christmas Fiasco. ==

[Mara Calleja]

== Incoming fiasco! ==

A huge banner made to look like a festive scarlet ribbon hung above the wide doors to the ship’s biggest cargo bay, with Merry Artemismas! written large in white cursive text.

Inside, the room had been split into 7 different zones with big signs overhead. A particularly warped sense of humour had clearly been let loose when it came to making this party happen, as a lot of them carried a twist on human holiday traditions.

Central Zone - The Still

Set up in the centre of the bay was a steampunk masterpiece in the form of a giant moonshine still, all pipes, valves and gauges that hissed and occasionally vented alcoholic fumes. Spreading out from the still was a network of bars of varying sizes and heights, complete with bar stools and a copious supply of clear plastic cups.

Each bar had a row of taps hanging over it that spiralled out from the main still. There were options for ‘pure shine’ that was strong enough to make the Medical department very nervous, as well as a non-alcoholic variety that somehow still managed to make the drinker feel like they were being punched in the throat, and various mixers, spirits and beers depending on which bar you were stood at.

SW Corner - The Mistle-Zone

A hologram tree had been set up in the centre of the corner zone, its branches laden with bunches of mistletoe conveniently just above head height. Carved into the tree trunk was a scene of a sinking paddle steamer bearing the nameplate ‘Loveboat’, and set up around the tree were tables stacked with PADDs containing advice on safe sex, headsets loaded with break-up songs, and the comm frequency for the ship’s counsellor.

Port Wall - The Obscene Snowman Zone

The long wall had ankle-deep fake snow, bins of scarves and hats, twigs, carrots and coal, and a competition for the best obscene snowman. The sample entries made by the staff setting up had been a giant hand with an extended middle finger that wore a hat and scarf, and a figure making a very suggestive gesture with a strategically placed twig that everyone swore looked faintly like a past COS from the Gettysburg’s glorious history.

NW Corner - The Rocket Sled Zone

Flying high above the partygoers’ heads were holographic sleds towed by skeletal reindeer. Set up in the north-western corner were a series of authentic looking and sounding shoulder-mounted rocket launchers that could be used to fire on those sleds, and a leaderboard from floor to ceiling showing who was the most proficient at shooting down Santa.

Every now and then, a hit would bring one of the nightmarish constructions hurtling down through the deck plate in a blaze of light.

NE Corner - The Insecure Male Zone

Here were ‘test your strength’ machines, weight-lifting stations, gun ranges with enormous scoreboards overhead, axe and knife throwing, arm-wrestling tables and pretty much any other way that crew members could physically and publicly compete with each other. Support and Security staff kept an eye on things to make sure nobody got too competitive, with a healthy dose of cynicism and mockery for all.

Starboard Wall - The Idol Zone

This wall had pods set up down its length, where crew members could indulge in some karaoke or belt out their own songs. There was a selection of different instruments and mics in each pod, and clever use of sound-deadening fields meant that only those standing directly in front of each pod could hear the music from it.

SE Corner - The Safe Zone

The final zone looked a lot like a corner of the Southern bar near the Crawford ranch. It held traditional pub and bar games like pool and darts, with a few board games as well. Frequent signage warned against excessive drinking and swearing - this was the designated safe space for those who didn’t want to risk what was going on elsewhere, or had just had enough and needed a break.

[Mara Calleja]

It had started out as a joke, as these things often did.

Faced with trying to organise a festive party for their department, 2 Security officers who didn’t want to do it had chatted amongst themselves about who would be the worst possible person to take their place.

To be a truly terrible holiday party organiser, it would have to be someone who actively detested the forced merriment, wanted nothing to do with people, and had no understanding of the human traditions or desire to learn.

There was someone who came to mind. She had an unfailing ability to be elsewhere when social gatherings usually took place, grew up on a relentlessly grim and miserable planet with no traditions that could be remotely described as festive, and who had been known to respond to relentlessly cheerful people with a stream of invective that would have made the most hardened Marine blush.

There had been a lot of creative swearing when the fake message volunteering her made it to Mara Calleja. Her desk had a new gouge on it where she’d damn near smashed a PADD straight through the surface. It was the closest she had ever come to breaking a 15-year vow not to touch alcohol. But then, something had clicked in the darkest recesses of her mind. Her lips had pulled back in that faintly unsettling feral smile of hers. If they wanted an Artemis holiday party, then that’s exactly what she was going to give them.

Word had spread amongst Support when they realised what Mara was doing and before long, that plan had led to this refitted cargo bay and an open invite to the whole crew. If it went badly wrong and the jokes didn’t land, well, Mara was the organiser. Shame for her. But if it went well, of course it couldn’t have happened without the efforts of the crew in purple…

That had been the bargain struck between Mara and Cera Morgan, and the Security officer was just fine with it. There was some risk involved in poking fun at the Artemis’ reputation on several fronts but she didn’t want anything to do with another bland textbook gathering. She had ended up organising a party for the crew and if nothing else, she wanted to make sure it was memorable.

I don’t think anyone is gonna forget this in a hurry Calleja thought to herself as one of the holo-sleds zoomed overhead. The Captain is either gonna shoot me or drink with me. Although if she really wants to punish me, she’ll make me do this again. This was a lot of work, gettin’ all this outta my head.

Mara herself was leant against a bar with a glass of the non-alcoholic ‘shine. She was wearing a long-sleeved thigh length black dress with an ornate beaded bodice, tall boots, and black and white dias de los muertos facepaint. The left side of her head had been freshly shaved that morning, her hair tied into ornate braids that hung over her right shoulder. A black and white Santa hat completed the look, and she watched the faces of the crew as they came through the door and took in the sights and sounds of the Artemismas party.

== Let the festivities begin! Please have fun with this - there's plenty out there to run with.   ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn loved Christmas and when given the chance to attend the Christmas party organised by Mara, it was something that the Chief wasn't about to turn down. On a more personal note, she was attending the party with Beka, allowing the pair to socialise outside their respective quarters. Usually, the redhead didn't have an issue with picking an outfit for something like that, but for some reason, it had been more difficult than normal.

It wasn't as if she hadn't been to a gathering involving the Artemis crew before, or maybe it was simply her subconscious self wanting to look her best, especially where Beka Sydesh was concerned. The mere thought of the doctor always brought a grin to Aeryn's face and if people happened to comment or ask questions, then she wasn't afraid to admit or be embarrassed about it, and it wasn't as if she hadn't heard the rumour mill either. Tonight was going to be about having fun, and lots of it as Aeryn walked towards the cargo bay with Beka, dressed in a red vintage v-neck midi dress with white fur trim around the collar and cuffs. To compliment her outfit, she wore red heels to give her some added height, and she had left her red hair in loose curls.

Catching a glimpse of herself reflected in the bulkhead, Aeryn smiled, happy with her choice before turning to her girlfriend. Even thinking that word evoked a lot of happy emotions from Aeryn, and she knew she was lucky to have followed her heart rather than her head. " Are you ready to have some fun?".

== Tag Beka ==

[Robin Mayfair]

As Robin entered the cargo bay she paused, a bit overwhelmed. This wasn't what she had been expecting.

Wait, what was I expecting?

The entire party was the opposite of how she'd been raised. On Iota Tau Christmas was serious business. Not depressing or without enjoyment, but serious. Christmas parties were times for family to get together, swap stories and see people you hadn't seen since the last party. Her extensive family would gather at the huge ranch house where she'd grown up and chat, then have a huge and very traditional meal of turkey or goose. Everyone was expected to be on their best behavior, though a few of her uncles would inevitably slip out back, indulge in the family moonshine, and start target practicing with phaser rifles set to kill. They didn't shoot cans off fences, they disintegrated them... and frequently, parts of the fence. The Augment could smell the alcohol from the still from the door, and that did remind her of home.

Still, while Robin was the designated 'good girl' at any party she didn't take it seriously. It had been over a decade since she'd left the confining, dry colony world, and she enjoyed a good get-together. She didn't drink out of any disapproval towards alcohol, but because her odd metabolism was vulnerable to alcohol. One drink enough to get her seriously buzzed and two enough to get her drunk. It looked like there was a spot to pick up non-alcoholic drinks, though, and then of course there was a food table. She appreciated the effort on that. The nurse headed towards it like a shark heads towards blood in the water.

The Artemis CMO was wearing a custom-designed red and green 'ugly sweater' with Artemis bow-and-arrow patterns and a large green Star Fleet delta in the middle. On her head was a pair of fuzzy brown reindeer antlers, and she'd actually put on a bit of make-up for the occasion, a rarity. She wore a white skirt with a blue snowflake pattern and green shoes with red puff balls on the toes to complete the intentionally tacky look.

Stopping off to get some grub, the nurse filled a plate with cookies, blondie brownies, and some chocolates. There was a coffee decanter and she grabbed a cup, something that she needed after a long shift. She looked around and spotted Aeryn and Beka. They were a couple now, and though Robin hadn't had the chance to interrogate her best friend over it now was the time, before the party well and truly got started.

She waved towards the (hopefully) happy couple. Aeryn had evidently put a lot of thought into her outfit and looked gorgeous, and the short, slight nurse envied her for a moment. "Hey, you two. Merry Christmas!"

== Tags ==

[Lucy Devereaux]

Lucy had to hold back tears of laughter when she saw how the bay had been decorated for the crew Christmas Party. There were a couple of zones where she knew she was capable of getting her self into trouble with the Captain. Whoever organised this deserved a drink or three and a kiss if they were open to that. The Insecure Male Zone looked fun. She certainly had an idea for her entry in the Obscene Snowman Zone. A quote from one of her favorite movies came to mind. 

It doesn’t have to be a snowman.

People were slowly arriving adding life to the party. She saw Aeryn and Robyn with a redhead someone identified as Beka Sydesh. The body language between Aeryn and Beka filled Lucy with joy and a small amount of jealousy. She didn’t know how to express how happy she was for them. Dating the captain of the cheer squad had really ****ed with the status quo of the cliques at college in the most beautiful way. When she hadn’t been studying or supporting Jacklyn at some sports , they had spent some of the most magical moments together.

What? You thought you were the only one?

In her case Jacklyn had made the first move and she didn’t know where her affections fell in the time before. Zherru had been mutual attraction. Lucy hoped and longed to find the start of something special. The Idol Zone looked promising. Maybe it was a blessing that the pods were soundproofed except for when someone stood in front of one. She couldn’t play an instrument, but she loved belting out rock tunes. First port of call was The Still. A little something to get the night going.

A little Runaways, Joan Jett, Lita Ford, Cindy Lauper, Aerosmith, or Hole?

“One Baby Guinness shot, please.”

It was a simple cocktail shot. Half Irish cream and the other coffee liqueur. Done right it looked like a miniature glass of the famous stout. The trick with shots was not to let the liquid touch the sides. The other trick was keeping count so that you had a night worth remembering, She didn’t want to wake up in someone else’s bed and not remember how she got there. The shot was liquid magic going down. It was those few seconds before the feeling blossomed that Lucy really enjoyed. The question was what to do next?

[Emily Star]

"Whoa..." Emily said audibly as she entered the cargo bay. She'd been prepared for holiday decor, maybe music, add in some other Xenoethnology to ensure it was inclusive. But what had been designed and crafted was the last thing she'd expected when prepping for her first-themed event. It went beyond the realms of her imagination. Probably a few personal boundaries too. 

The still caught her attention in the middle of the room, and Emily grinned. As much as she was known for reserved awkward ways, alcohol was always welcome and usually helped. However, as tempting as ordering a drink sounded, it would have to wait; the rest of the space demanded exploring before it would occur.  With her hands lightly clasped behind her back she meandered around the zones.

Oh dear...avoid the Mistle-Zone. 

How could such a thing exist in a space when different ranks mingled? Her cheeks flushed at the thought of it. What a way to complicate things. The rest of the zones were equally, if not more, bewildering. 

Obscene snowmen? Sleds? Weights? Karaoke?

Emily ran her hands anxiously over the fabric of her soft red sweater dress. Her desire to live in the safe zone was immediate but instead, she moved back to her first instinct and walked to the still. It was time for that drink. 

"Whisky sour," She ordered, "Please."

It arrived with a sprig of holly to decorate and Emily grinned.  She took a long draw once the drink was crafted and in her hand. The welcoming taste calmed her nerves. She'd stay put for now. This drink would be gone in a blink and the next would be equally as welcomed.

[Beka Sydesh]

Truth be told, Beka was more than a little nervous as she made her way to the cargo bay where the party was taking place. Last time she’d gone to a crew party with someone, she’d been tried in the court of public opinion and convicted of being a skank inside 10 minutes, and then dumped within 20 minutes. She’d rallied and gotten on with her life, but the redhead felt much less confident about herself since the injury and wasn’t sure she’d be as resilient now as she was then.

If that happens again, I’d probably have the transfer request filed before the door closed behind my sorry arse…

Still. Beka was Beka, and she had spent some time picking and tailoring her outfit after deciding to put her own spin on a tuxedo. The formal white shirt was unbuttoned from the top down to a couple of buttons above the right side of decency. She was wearing a fashionably untied tie and cummerbund in matching emerald green, the cummerbund doing a perfect job of hiding her synaptic enhancer. She’d gone with a short skirt and fitted jacket in the same deep black fabric, with the faintest diamond pattern in an off-white woven in. Her legs were daringly bare all the way down to an elegant pair of open-toed heels, her nails painted pastel green and her fiery ginger hair woven into an elegant mermaid braid.

It made the doctor feel good to have put some real effort into looking her best, as opposed to uniform or hiding away in joggers and a hoodie. There was no getting away from the fact that Beka was noticeably less muscular than she had been when she joined the crew, an unavoidable side effect of her spinal injury putting real limitations on the exercise she could do, but there was still enough tone to her long-limbed frame that she also looked nothing like the skinny runt she’d been growing up.

That at least I’m glad about. I’m not ready to deal with a barrage of skinny jokes. I miss being hench as f*ck but I’m OK with this lighter body too. When it works, at least.

As she caught up to where Aeryn waited, Beka couldn’t help but sneak a real proper head-to-toe look at her date. Their relationship was still new and shiny, and this was their first time out together. It meant the doctor could really appreciate every inch of her fellow redhead’s form as she approached, and then held out an arm for Aeryn to take.

“Milady. May I have the pleasure of your company?” Beka purred with a mischievous smile on her lips. “You look gorgeous, Miss Claus.”

"Are you ready to have some fun?" came the reply.

“Oh yes. We’re due, I think,” Beka said, her grin that little bit wider as the two stepped through the door.

As she looked around the party, a not particularly quiet ‘holy sh*t’ escaped Sydesh’s lips. This… This was a lot. She had been expecting a few tables, maybe a bit of music. Not a full-on carnival devoted to the Artemis crew and the ship’s reputation. She laughed as she took in the different zones, and how people seemed to be enjoying them.

“Sheesh… If I’d known there’d be all this, I might have dressed down a little,” she confessed to Aeryn.

Someone waving caught Beka’s eye, and she soon realised it was Robin.

"Hey, you two. Merry Christmas!" came the call.

“Ready to go be couple-y at someone?” Beka whispered, before leading the way over.

As she got there, she swept her best friend Robin up in a huge hug.

“Hey you. Merry Christmas!” the redhead replied. “I gotta admit, I feel like I got my present already,” she said, hooking arms with Aeryn again. “Makes a very pleasant change from getting binned off,” she added with a roguish grin.

== Tags both! ==

[Robin Mayfair]

“Ready to go be couple-y at someone?” Beka whispered to Aeryn.

Robin didn't say anything, but she gave her friend a slight knowing grin.

C'mon, Beka, you know I heard that.

Bless her, the redhead (well, one of the redheads) seemed slightly nervous. Understandable, since this was the first such event in quite a while aboard the perpetually-busy Artemis. And Beka didn't have a good track record with parties... whether breaking up with someone or being chewed out by Cera. Combined with her slow recovery Robin had to admit that she was a bit surprised to see her friend here at all. The purple-haired young woman was determined not to make her friend feel awkward. She desperately hoped her best friend would be happy with Aeryn; she deserved some real happiness. She got scooped up in a massive hug, which she eagerly returned.

“Hey you. Merry Christmas!” the redhead replied. “I gotta admit, I feel like I got my present already,” she said, hooking arms with Aeryn again. “Makes a very pleasant change from getting binned off,” she added with a roguish grin.

"I'll bet! But you deserve it, both of you," she said, addressing Aeyrn as well. After their talk on the holodeck Robin knew how difficult it might be for her as well to be close to someone. After the recent events that the crew had been through Robin felt the need to live vicariously through others for a bit. She felt worn down, like a bit of her soul had been torn out in the last few grim missions, and combined with the inevitable stresses of being CMO she needed to see some true joy, to remember what it was like to be among friends and see them doing well.

She offered each of the happy couple a cookie off her plate before destroying one herself, a chocolate-chip that she guessed was supposed to resemble a Santa hat but somehow completely failed in that regard. It tasted fine, though, and that was all that mattered.

"So... ummm... where do I even start with this thing?" She waved her hand in a gesture across the cargo bay.

== Tags ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Hearing Beka's compliment brought out a mischievous smile of her own before her girlfriend responded to her about her being ready to have some fun. " Oh most definitely," Aeryn remarked as the pair walked arm in arm into the transformed cargo bay. Taking a moment to look around, Aeryn let out a low whistle of amazement, knowing exactly who had been responsible for all of this. Mara might have been coerced into fulfilling this particular assignment, but she had certainly outdone herself when it came to her knowledge of the Artemis.

The remark that escaped from Beka's lips before she let out a laugh, told Aeryn that the Doctor had been just as surprised as she had been, upon looking at what was on offer. " Not at all, as I get to show you off," she said playfully as Robin caught the couple's attention. 

" Yes" was Aeryn's reply, as it was only a matter of time before someone wanted to know the details, and besides, Aeryn was proud to be on Beka's arm as her fellow redhead led them over to the CMO. " Merry Christmas Robin" Aeryn added after Beka had hugged their friend and admitted to Aeryn being her present. The Chief had known about Beka's past and slight reluctance to attend the festivities, but she'd made sure to offer plenty of reassurance as she wanted this relationship to work.

" Thank you, it's good to be with someone who really gets me" acknowledged Aeryn as Robin told them both that they deserved this happiness before offering them a cookie. Aeryn accepted it with thanks as talk then turned to what was going on in the bay. " I think it's brilliant, Mara might not have wanted to do this initially, but she's pulled off one hell of a party".

== Tag Beka & Robin ==

[Eun Ju Han]

==Invited by the Dashing Damian Coleman as +1==

“Are you certain I’m allowed to go?” Han Eun Ju asked once more, just to be sure. The grin that Damian shot her said he was either not sure himself, messing with her, or hadn’t actually asked permission. None of that mattered though, as she was already here, and he had invited her via a discussion just the other day they had via PADD. The Artemis was a very large ship, at least, compared to the Philly, it was massive. Looking at the gleaming hull gave her a bit of jealousy for those who were able to get their hands dirty and keep her functional.

Tonight though, was not about Engineering or even their jobs. Tonight was about celebrating a Terran holiday that Ju was glad to have someone to celebrate it with. She had enjoyed Christmas celebrations from time to time during her Academy tenure, but she hadn’t expected the ships to do too much. Now though, as he began leading her into the ship she was more excited than nervous. “I don’t need another black mark after the Ichika Incident.” She admitted, the Ichika Incident was over and everything had worked out all right but that didn’t mean she wanted something else on her record.

Damian was wearing a smart tux coat which was black with plum accents. He wore matching trousers and some shoes. Eun Ju was wearing a cream long sleeve shirt which was tucked into a high waisted deep green skirt that fell to her knees. She wore a pair of silver sparkling high heels which caught the light as she walked. Her hair which was most often tied back due to her position as Engineer was left loose and curled at the ends. She hadn’t put on a lot of make up just some eye liner and a little lip gloss. Damian took her arm with his own tucking her hand into his elbow as they entered the ship together entering the cargo bay.

The whole bay had been turned into an .. unusual wonderland. Ju’s eyes weren’t exactly sure where to land as there was so much going on. The snowman competition was the first place it landed on, then the massive metallic pipe structure in the center of the room, as much as Eun Ju drank she had never had experience with moonshine and so she wasn’t quite sure what the whole structure was about. There was some sort of shooting game, a karaoke area, and more. Everything lead to being a good and fun night, as long as you had the right sense of humor which Ju did.

“This is amazing,” she admitted as they had paused just inside the doors to the side slightly. Her chocolate brown eyes, darker than your average brown, surveyed everything. The longer she stood there the more she saw. A .. bar that was more rustic than anything she had ever seen. There was also an area where it looked like mistletoe was hanging as well as a pile of PADDs for what.. she wasn’t sure. Maybe it was a selfie station or something cute like that.

Ju was surprised to see there was no dancing area but with enough time, the effects of booze, and camaraderie would probably create one naturally.

“Where to first?” she asked her date. He would probably enjoy the shooting game, she would be well enough at it but nothing like a Security officer. She wouldn’t mind singing but she didn’t want to be the first couple. Maybe they should start off with a drink? Or snacks? Though her stomach was rumbling slightly as she was still nervous since this was her first ever Artemis event and she was the only one who didn’t belong to the ship. Chances like this would be few and far between if they did pursue some type of relationship with one another since they were on different ships. So she was going to enjoy it while she could.

“Maybe something to drink…”

==Tag Damian and Crew==

[Tyra Crawford]

As was usually the case, rumblings and whispers of a Christmas party had reached Tyra's ears, though, truthfully, she had paid them little attention. The Artemis was, usually, filled with different Christmas gatherings at this time of year, some large and some small, but Tyra usually opted out of attending even the ones she was invited to. Oh sure, she would make an appearance at Cera's annual get together and any the senior staff might throw but she knew that the captain's presence was usually a contradiction to truly enjoying the festivities. And she remembered how critical such events were for bonding a crew together, usually through terrible decision making and alcohol.

However, Thorsdottir had made a point of mentioning this particular party no less than five times during their morning lifting sessions and Tyra had finally asked what exactly made this party any different than the usual Security alcohol-fest. The stout Nord had taken her time answering, finishing her set of deadlifts before shooting Tyra the most gleeful and mischievous grin that Tyra had seen from her in years -- since her own years as Chief of Security and overseer of the always eventful Christmas Smash. It hadn't taken more than naming the unlikely organizer to have Tyra's full attention, eyebrow arch and all, and subtly query to Cera later had confirmed it was valid intel.

It was really no surprise that Tyra couldn't resist, at least, seeing the spectacle, even if it was just so she understood why she had an inbox of complaints the next morning about the tastelessness of the Artemis' general sense of humor. Given the gallow and dark humor of security, she could only hope that Calleja had toned it down just a little for the general audience but Brid had assured her that it wasn't going to result in a huge headache for her the next day, or no more than usual.

Her first impression was positive, though she had to stifle a chuckle or two as she noted some rather on the nose pokes at Artemis' cultural quirks. Leave it to Calleja to avoid any subtleties and dive right into the heart of Artemis' reputation as alcoholic, love starved maniacs but if the shoe fit.

"I'm going to go crush some egos. I haven't been working on my deadlift for nothing," Brid commented with a grin from Tyra's right. The stout blonde made a show of flexing her lats, though her oversized ugly sweater with a Viking skull and a lopsided Santa hat didn't exactly do her any favors in the endeavor.

For her part, Tyra had picked a much more subtle outfit: brown leather leggings, boots and a green sweater that was subtly Christmas themed, except at closer glance the snowflakes that trimmed the top and bottom were actually little Vikings with swinging battleaxes. It was a hold over from when security had done a Viking Christmas years before, which was also where Brid's sweater had come from.

The redhead looked around before her eyes fell on a beacon of light and hope in the wasteland of terrible jokes. "And I'm going to see how authentic the still is, though I don't suppose the expert is here lurking anywhere to give his opinion," she commented, pointing towards where her attention had been grabbed and not even bothering to glance around for Elias in the crowd.

With that, Tyra was left to her own devices as Thorsdottir slipped away with far more grace than should have been trapped in such a muscular package. As she moved, she caught sight of Robin, Beka and Miller in a tight group, though there seemed to be a tone there that Tyra wasn't exactly sure how to interpret. Devereuax and Star were both at the bar, where usually one sought shelter when a little unsure of oneself at a party, and Tyra didn't think her approach would make that any better. However, the most curious sight was seeing Damian with a rather young lady on her arm, who definitely did not belong to Artemis, but the redhead did vaguely remember Cera telling her a story about gummy bears, too much alcohol, and some midshipmen that had taken a liking to Damian.

Is this another Frost, Damian? she thought with just the tiniest of smirks as she forced herself to continue on her way to the still instead of investigating that particular question. She was sure she'd circle back to it later, like a shark with blood in the water.

Her gaze flitted over the large masterpiece of metal with far more of a critical eye than she was proud of but she took her alcohol seriously, particularly the alcohol of her ancestors. At a glance, it looked authentic enough, even if it had far more flair than any mountain man from Appalachia would be comfortable with. And the shine the bartender poured for her certainly looked, smelled and tasted right with a clean burn going straight to her core.

She took another sip as she scanned the room, greeting a few of the security officers that were brave enough to saddle up to the bar next to her. There were a few choice jokes and chuckles as they got their drinks before departing for what looked to be an area with laser rocket launchers. All Tyra could do was shake her head and smile before her eyes fell on the woman of the hour leaning further down the bar from her.

"Do I want to know how you acquired so much shine in such a short time? And not the shitty stuff either," Tyra said by way of greeting Calleja, raising her glass in appreciation at the last sentence. "This certainly takes the cake for the most uniquely themed gathering too."

== Tag Calleja ==

[Miles Grant]

Miles found himself walking the corridors to the Cargo Bay, where the festivities had been assigned for the Artemis crew and guests. It was the holiday season, after all, and Miles thought it would be good to get out of the normal hum drum and enjoy himself alongside the rest of the crew. He was wearing a simple but well-looking suit combo. A dark red dress shirt, sleeves rolled up, with a white tie, forest green vest, and black slacks.

As he reached the Cargo Bay, he noted quite a few members meandering in, though it did appear the party was already in full swing when he had arrived. This didn't really bother him all that much, as there had not really been an assigned time or else one would be considered "late".

He did see that Captain Crawford had arrived just before he did, as she had made her way to the still in the center of the room to speak with Calleja, who had been appointed, possibly randomly, as host for this particular get together.

If Miles were honest with himself, he was not so secretly relieved that it had not been him that had been chosen for the task. He really didn't know what kind of theme he would go with, nor how he would be able to pull it off. As it was, he took the opportunity to look around at the different areas.

There were definitely a few that piqued his interest, including the "Insecure Male" and "Idol" zones. The "Mistle-Toe" zone gave him pause, as well as small pang of sadness.

With their differing schedules and obligations, there was uncertainty on whether or not Lina would be able to make it to the party, though Miles had sent the invite. There had been a recent influx in Cadets, as well as the Academy's own celebrations. Not to mention Lina's and Miles' family's on Earth that had slowly gotten to know one another thanks to the relationship the two had. Miles was happy his mother would have people to spend this time of year with.

He shook the betraying thoughts away. After all, Lina would say herself she would want Miles to enjoy himself. So, he continued his look around before making his way to the still to start with a light drink before deciding what activity he would get himself into.

==Tag any and all. ==

[Emily Star]

Watching people off duty was a favourite pastime of the new midshipman, and although it was just getting started, Emily was certain that this party would leave her with some unique insights into her new crewmates. With the second drink of the night in her hand, she watched people enter and find those they were most comfortable with. It was only natural. People navigated to what they knew. 

Or what they wanted to get to know. New friends. When not usually allowed, gain some influence with higher-ranking staff—or the obvious, finding a possible new lover. Everyone's actions had an intent behind them. Some were obvious, others not as much. All of it was fun to observe. 

Taking a sip of her drink, she continued just to sit and watch happily.

[Lucy Devereaux]

Lucy looked around before stepping away from the bar. The Obscene Snowman Zone had the strongest lure. She had pondered the Rocket Sled Zone, but knew her marksmanship really wasn’t up there. She really wanted to invite Emily the new medical Middie to join her, but wasn’t sure if the S-no-man she had in mind was something Emily would appreciate. She had a mental image of a few ideas. There was one that was just the right side of risqué. Of course, her right side of risqué was likely raise more than a few eyebrows.

The ’snow’ was good. Not the kind that soaked your gloves or made you question what you were shaping with. The initial form was a tall column with a head on top, not taller than herself. Some of it was a self-image, slightly enhanced. She shaped the sides into approximations of arms. She carefully used the edge of her hand to draw a line to show the length of the legs and made a similar line on the opposite side.

Then Lucy lifted two average sized pieces of coal and a smaller piece. She picked out a carrot that was just the right length for a cute nose. The hat and scarf were tricky as she couldn’t go with red or purple, that would be confusing. Blue or green were also options. Science blue was just the right fit. She placed the two pieces of coal at the right height for the eyes and inserted the carrot in roughly the middle of the S-no-man’s face. Using her pinky finger she drew a smile and placed the smaller bit of coal as a beauty mark to the right hand side of the face, just a bit above the smile.

She decided to leave the hat and scarf to last as they were the S-no-man’s hair and they would impede the last two additions if she added them too soon. Taking a handful of snow she went round to the back and added one buttock then the other at the right position below the perceived waistline. Lucy cautiously shaped them together. She was glad when they stayed in place.

Going back round to the front Lucy assessed her creation and lifted an orb of snow and shaped it until it felt about the right size. She placed it on one side of the torso with the top an inch or so below the line of the armpit. She shaped another orb and placed it next to the first one. Lastly she draped the scarf over the head to simulate flowing hair having both ends going forward over the shoulders and placed the hat on top.

Lucy looked upon her S-no-man and was satisfied. It would be fun if she won, but she was likely to be up against some very stiff competition. She did wonder who would be assessing the snowmen. There was such a thing a playing to your audience. She left her entry to the judges or whoever it was and went back to the Still. This time she took a seat next to Emily, but didn’t know how to start. She took a risk and placed an order with the server who approached her.

“Hot chocolate with marshmallows, please.”

A glass of steaming brown liquid topped with a mixture of white and pink mini marshmallows was presented before Lucy. She watched the marshmallows melt as she tried to formulate her next move. She had expressed herself in very broad brushstrokes. The S-no-man was open to a mixture of interpretations and she’d be lying if she didn’t say she was a little anxious about how she would be received.

[Mara Calleja]

As she watched people walk in and look around, their reactions were enough to make Mara smile to herself. Her involvement wasn’t common knowledge - at least, she didn’t think it was - and she was certainly likely to be some way down the list if anyone was trying to identify a likely suspect.

I think it was worth the effort though. So far, at least the Bandaran thought to herself. Stood alone at the bar, she watched Miller, Sydesh, Mayfair and Star all enter. Their reactions made her laugh, and she was still grinning to herself as she topped off her glass.

It turned out Mara was in good company, as Tyra greeted her.

"Do I want to know how you acquired so much shine in such a short time? And not the shitty stuff either," the Captain said, raising her glass. "This certainly takes the cake for the most uniquely themed gathering too."

“High praise indeed comin’ from you,” Mara replied with a waspish grin, raising her own glass of the non-alcoholic version. “I don’t drink so I can’t take credit for the ‘shine. I found a couple of stills that the owner thinks he hid when I was on patrol. Nearly dismantled ‘em but I know how this crew works. So I copied ‘em, went back and took a sample, and that’s the basis for what the still here is churnin’ out. I made a dark bargain with the benevolent Cap’n Morgan for her help puttin’ on the show and she knew someone who made it work.”

“As for the rest of it…” She turned to have another look, the smile plastered across her face. “I’ll be honest. I was f*ckin’ nervous waitin’ for people to get here. You make jokes, you don’t always know how they’re gonna land. It’s a risk. I could still end up over the coals if the complaints come rollin’ in. But better that than another cut and paste, borin’ as sh*t, drinks in the lounge style of thing. I hate those. There’s no gettin’ away from the awkward. This at least, there’s no excuse for anyone to hide in a corner.” She paused and then grinned again. “Well. ‘cept the safe zone, ‘cause that’s what that’s for.”

== Back atcha boss! ==

[Beka Sydesh]

Beka was happily eating her cookie as she listened to Robin and Aeryn talk, squeezing her date’s hand at ‘it's good to be with someone who really gets me’.

There was something going on with Robin, but Beka couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She felt like her friend was holding something back. There had been a few times she’d actively considered trying to set Robin up with someone, but the plan had been abandoned because she still hadn’t found anyone she considered worthy. But she was looking.

The type of person who’d date me is definitely off the list she thought. I think Robin needs someone a little quieter, someone who will let her express herself. She probably wouldn’t thank me for trying but she should be happy, she should have something for herself. Someone maybe.

"I think it's brilliant, Mara might not have wanted to do this initially, but she's pulled off one hell of a party."

After a moment Beka’s brain caught up with her ears.

“Hang on. You said Mara did this?” the doctor asked. “Mara Calleja? The big one? Security officer? She organised this party?” The disbelief was clear in her green eyes, and she looked around again. “No way. This has got to be a real Artemis long termer, surely. To be able to crack these jokes at our expense, that’s got to take some confidence.”

She paused for a second.

“So what are we going to play then? I’m not sure my back would thank me for going hard in the Insecure Male Zone, and the safest place to be when I’m shooting is where I’m aiming…”

== To you two! ==

[Robin Mayfair]

"I think it's brilliant, Mara might not have wanted to do this initially, but she's pulled off one hell of a party," Aeyrn said. Beka mirrored Robin's thoughts as she responded.

“Hang on. You said Mara did this?” the doctor asked. “Mara Calleja? The big one? Security officer? She organised this party? No way. This has got to be a real Artemis long termer, surely. To be able to crack these jokes at our expense, that’s got to take some confidence.”

Robin nodded in agreement. She never would have figured Mara for a party planner, especially something like this. She was impressed. It was creative, fun, and already seemed to be generating enthusiasm among the crew. Far better than the run-of-the-mill Christmas parties she'd been to. She stared a moment across the bay, spotting Dr. Sonaalk (of all people) in the southeast corner, engaged in a chess game with another Vulcan crew member, a female she recognized from Science. In all her time aboard the Artemis the nurse had *never* seen him socialize, never seen him attend any event that wasn't work-related.

Is this a date? Do Vulcans even do that? I mean, sure, he's playing chess at a party, but is this progress?

She determined to go say hello to him later. She was technically his superior, despite his having decades of experience more than her. The only reason he wasn't CMO was because he had outright refused the job. And he'd been invaluable as an advisor, never seeming to mind when she had questions. The young medic needed all the advice she could get.

“So what are we going to play then?" Beka asked. "I’m not sure my back would thank me for going hard in the Insecure Male Zone, and the safest place to be when I’m shooting is where I’m aiming…”

"Yeah, don't think I could handle axe-throwing with my stringbean arms, but I wouldn't mind giving knife-throwing a shot. And of course I've gotta go to the Idol Zone later. How about you, Aeryn? Do you have a preference?"

== Tags ==
== And anyone else, join us if you want! ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Even though Aeryn was engaged in conversation with Robin, the redhead couldn't help but smile as Beka squeezed her hand, loving how such a simple gesture could convey so much without having to utter a single word. There was, however, a small chuckle from the Security Chief upon hearing Beka's reaction to finding out who had been responsible for the party, mixed with a little disbelief that was entirely understandable.

" She did, and agreed it does, so I can't fault her for what she's done" Aeryn remarked, before Robin nodded in agreement about Mara's involvement. When Beka then asked about what they were going to play, and mentioned her back, and what she could and couldn't do, it was Aeryn who gently squeezed her girlfriend's hand in reassurance as Robin also made some suggestions.

While Aeryn could understand and respected people's limitations, and would never force anyone to do anything they weren't comfortable with. She also didn't have a specific preference as to what the trio could do first, as for her, it was all about having fun, no matter what form that took.

" I don't, but I think knife throwing would be a lot of fun, it's been a while since I've done anything like that".

Aeryn had always kept a knife, one that was ornate and very useful when caught in a bad situation, but it had been some time since she had last used it, so doing something like that was right up her alley. " We could make it interesting" she said a little playfully, showing her slight competitive side.

== Tags ==

[Beka Sydesh]

"Yeah, don't think I could handle axe-throwing with my stringbean arms, but I wouldn't mind giving knife-throwing a shot. And of course I've gotta go to the Idol Zone later. How about you, Aeryn? Do you have a preference?"

"I don't, but I think knife throwing would be a lot of fun, it's been a while since I've done anything like that."

“Knife throwing it is then. Not going to lie, I didn’t expect us to end up there,” Beka replied with a wry smile. “I did get shown how to do it years ago. Let’s see how much I remember. Hopefully enough not to need the medkit I squirrelled away in this jacket.”

She reached out and picked up one of the plastic pint cups stacked up near the taps that hung over the bar, and scanned the labels until she found what looked like a safe soft drink and poured herself out a measure.

“I think I know what I’m singing when we hit the Idol Zone later,” she added. “It’s a bit spicy but hey. It’s me. That halo slipped a very long time.” The redhead grinned before taking a sip of her drink.

Once the others had had a chance to get something to drink, and in Robin’s case something else to eat, the three made their way over to the Insecure Male Zone. It was the only zone with a healthy presence of uniformed crew on duty, to keep partygoers safe from each other and themselves.

Beka stopped at the first empty range. It had sets of 3 throwing axes and knives, and a range with a target sat at the far end.

“OK, who’s throwing first?” she asked. “I volunteer Aeryn. Because I want to know how she plans to make it interesting.”

The grin was very much still present on the doctor’s lips as she picked up one of the knives. The blade flashed under the lights as she started to twirl it between her fingers, something she’d done a thousand times before with an exoscalpel as a dexterity exercise before surgery.

== Hope you don’t mind me leading us over! ==

[Robin Mayfair]

== Nah, it's cool. Glad you did. ==

Robin, having mercilessly destroyed a plate of defenseless cookies, was looking for something a little more substantial as the trio headed over to the Insecure Male Zone. There was a platter of finger sandwiches and the perpetually-hungry young nurse grabbed a few of them along with a sweet tea (making sure it wasn't of the "Long Island Iced" variety) to go with it. Expertly-prepared mini turkey clubs, perfect. She didn't want to stuff her face the whole night (well, she did) and decided to get the eating out of the way early.

“I think I know what I’m singing when we hit the Idol Zone later,” Beka said with a grin. “It’s a bit spicy but hey. It’s me. That halo slipped a very long time.” Robin laughed at that. She'd never heard her friend sing, and couldn't imagine the doctor singing anything that wasn't spicy anyway.

"Can't wait!" she said around her last mouthful of sandwich. With the food vanquished she dropped her plate in a garbage can. The three reached the knife/axe range.

“OK, who’s throwing first?” Beka asked. “I volunteer Aeryn. Because I want to know how she plans to make it interesting.”

"Yeah!" Robin said with a broad smile. "Show us how it's done, Aeryn! If you accidentally hit anyone you've got two medics with you," she kidded her friend. She watched Beka twirl a knife between her fingers like the expert surgeon she was. Robin herself had never done that, though at one point at the Academy a rather obnoxious medical student had challenged her to twirl a scalpel. The nurse instead ended up getting some experience in with the dermal regenerator when he'd tried it himself. She'd resented his attitude, acting like the purple-haired Augment was some sort of circus performer there for his amusement.

Robin picked up a knife, felt its weight and balance, then put it back down for Aeryn. She wondered if knife-throwing was part of Security combat training.

== Tags ==

[Miles Grant]

After getting his first (and possibly only) drink of the night, Miles took a look around again to see the various zones where the crew were enjoying the activities and company. He smiled as his eyes fell on the zone he felt would best garner his initial attention to join in on.

Making his way over to one of the vacant booths, Miles picked up one of the axes and weighed it in his hands. The shape was similar to that of the Dane Axe he and Lina had purchased in York when they had visited the Jorvik Viking Center. It was, however, much smaller, as it's purpose was different. Still, a lot of the historical workmanship of both were similar enough that his practice with the Dane Axe could be beneficial.

As he prepped his first axe, he overheard and saw the approach of a few of his fellow Department Heads, Lieutenants Miller and Mayfair, as well as a woman that Miles believed was Miller's date, that he also recalled being a Medical Officer by the name of Sydesh. He noted with some amusement that Sydesh was volunteering Miller to be the first to throw, curiosity about how she was going to make the event interesting. Turning back to his own axe, he twisted it in his hand once more before pulling back.

THUNK! The sound of the axe hitting the wood of the target resounded as it embedded itself into the center of the bullseye.

==Tag==

[Aeryn Miller]

" You'll be okay, I promise" Aeryn assured her girlfriend as the trio made a pitstop by the bar, so they could fetch drinks or, in Robin's case, some more food, before Beka mentioned that she had already chosen a song when they eventually ended up at the idol zone. " Well you know that I like spicy, and so has mine" Aeryn remarked with a grin, unable to help herself as she ordered her usual poison of whiskey. If she was being honest, the redhead had never really sung in public before, so the thought of doing some karaoke did instil some fear, but with enough liquid courage that would likely change.

Until then, they still had knife throwing to enjoy, and as Beka led them over to the insecure male zone, and stopped at the first empty range, Aeryn grinned upon seeing how it had been set up. It was also no surprise that Beka wanted to volunteer Aeryn to go first, and her reasoning made Aeryn grin even more. Robin was also in agreement before the CMO kidded with her, which brought out a chuckle from the security officer.

" Okay, okay, I can see that I have no choice in the matter" she teased, watching as Beka picked up a knife and twirled it in her fingers. " As for how to make it interesting, well I thought we could make a game out of it, first one who gets all three knives near or in the middle of the bullseye wins".

If Beka or Robin had any other ideas, Aeryn was open to hearing them as she picked up a knife and got into a throwing stance. As she prepared herself, Aeryn noticed Miles not too far away, and the clunk of the axe he had thrown as it hit the centre of the bullseye, earned him a smile. " Nice throw Miles".

Returning to her focus, Aeryn then proceeded to throw, her knife landing above the centre of the bullseye, which wasn't bad for her first attempt.


== Tags ==

[Robin Mayfair]

"Okay, okay, I can see that I have no choice in the matter" Aeryn teased. "As for how to make it interesting, well I thought we could make a game out of it, first one who gets all three knives near or in the middle of the bullseye wins."

Robin agreed as the Security chief took her first throw. It was close, right above the center. Robin picked up a knife and attempted to imitate Aeryn's throwing style, tossing it at the target.

It hit nearly center, which would have been impressive for a first throw if she hadn't hit the target with the handle. The knife bounced off, dropped to the deck with a small clang, and spun for a few moments. Robin laughed uproariously, then retrieved her blade.

Hey, despite the bad holostories we Augments aren't automatically better at everything.

And it was true, at least to a point. If she practiced for a while her enhanced hand-eye coordination and learning speed would probably allow her to hit the bullseye every time, just as she did when playing darts, but she was genuinely enjoying the challenge. She usually didn't like to play dexterity games with people because she felt like a cheat.

"Hey, at least I didn't hit anyone!" she said with a wide grin, then stepped aside for Beka. "You're up, Doc. Imagine there's a face in the bullseye. I'll bet you can think of a few." Robin was already feeling better, the weight of recent events slipping away and allowing her to just enjoy the party and being with her friends.

== Tags ==

[Tyra Crawford]

== Hijacking of Coleman done with player's permission! ==

“High praise indeed comin’ from you,” Mara answered with an answering raise of her glass. Tyra couldn't help but laugh at what was likely a double shot at her heritage and her rather notorious alcohol consumption.

“I don’t drink so I can’t take credit for the ‘shine. I found a couple of stills that the owner thinks he hid when I was on patrol. Nearly dismantled ‘em but I know how this crew works. So I copied ‘em, went back and took a sample, and that’s the basis for what the still here is churnin’ out. I made a dark bargain with the benevolent Cap’n Morgan for her help puttin’ on the show and she knew someone who made it work.”

Tyra's eyebrow only twitched just a little as Mara spoke; the redhead could only assume she knew what stills the security officer might be referring, though she certainly couldn't acknowledge that. The handful of operations aboard might be the ship's worst kept secret but no one was stupid enough to spread that info beyond their bulkheads. As captain, plausible deniability went a long, long way so she decided that she wouldn't comment on that particular piece of information.

"Selling one's soul to Miss Morgan is risky business but it seems to have paid off. I can attest that the moonshine is likely to grow hair and possibly damage organs. It's probably safer that you don't partake," the redhead said with another chuckle, taking another sip for emphasis.

And it burned just as much on the fifth sip as it had the first but it was a burn she loved.

As for the rest of it…” Mara turned to have another look, the smile plastered across her face. “I’ll be honest. I was f*ckin’ nervous waitin’ for people to get here. You make jokes, you don’t always know how they’re gonna land. It’s a risk. I could still end up over the coals if the complaints come rollin’ in. But better that than another cut and paste, borin’ as sh*t, drinks in the lounge style of thing. I hate those. There’s no gettin’ away from the awkward. This at least, there’s no excuse for anyone to hide in a corner.” Mara paused and then grinned again. “Well. ‘cept the safe zone, ‘cause that’s what that’s for.”

"I certainly think we'll be learning a lot about our crewmates tonight and tomorrow when I undoubtedly have a few complaints to accidentally misplace in my shred pile," Tyra commented with a mischievous grin. "Not everyone can handle the security brand of humor and it's always good to pick them out early."

Tyra's blue eyes shifted over the room, taking note of those having found their groove and those still hiding behind their drinks. "Speaking of learning a lot about people, I'm very curious about where our dashing commander found his rather young date. She doesn't look broken enough to be one of ours but a night here might change that," Tyra commented with a wry chuckle.

It was without much thought that she caught Coleman's attention with almost half-wave that was really more of a twist of the wrist and her eyebrow raise was probably what caused his answering grin as he began steering the young woman in question towards the bar. She wondered if he felt like a diver in a shark cage as he approached but she mentally promised to be nice, even if she would tease him mercilessly during their next meeting.

"Damian," she greeted on their approach. "You're making me feel a little underdressed but it suits you well. I can only assume you didn't pick it out," she teased with a warm smile.

Her gaze quickly turned to his guest, her smile keeping its warmth even as it shifted from familiar to a smidge more diplomatic. It was what her husband called her "Admiral" smile, all warm and charisma but with dash of formality. "Hi there, I'm Tyra," she greeted, offering her hand. "You must be the stylist; excellent taste."

It took a great deal to swallow the teasing barb that almost followed at Coleman's expense but she figured there was no sense in throwing the young woman too far into the deep end. She wasn't sure Mara would play as nicely though.

== Tag Mara, Ju and Coleman when he's back on his feet ==

[Eun Ju Han]

Damian didn’t say anything giving Ju time to take in the insanity of this Christmas party. Eun Ju had never seen anything like it and imagined it was going to get really rowdy before the end of the night seeing the sheer amount of booze that was being offered. Already people were carrying around cups, filling them at stations, and some even getting refills. There was a hum of conversations, cackles of laughter from the depths of the room, and people enjoying themselves. Eun Ju was not entirely sure that she would fit in here, there was always the ‘everyone matters’ mantra that they slapped you within Starfleet but this was a different ship. It almost felt like Damian was bringing her home to meet his family, because, in essence, that was what a ship crew was.

Without a word, he began to lead her across the room. She had been so busy honestly gawking at the party attendees that she hadn’t seen the red-headed woman from across the room wave to the pair. She walked beside him looking at their destination now that there was one. The smile on Damian’s face and the comfort she could feel wafting off of him allowed her to feel more confident that they weren’t heading into a wolf's den or something like that.

The red-headed woman teased Damian about his wardrobe causing Ju to smile softly knowing that she had a small hand in picking his outfit. Though, to be fair, when he said Christmas Party, she had imagined a fine affair. Large Christmas trees, dangling mistletoe, cranberry-flavored drinks, small bite-size snacks, a dance floor with swirling lights, the traditional Christmas cake, and possibly a cheesy visit from Santa. This, was certainly not what she expected, and had she known the Artemis and it’s crew better she might have known she could dress more comfortably. She felt overdressed, but at least she could make a good impression, or so she hoped.

The woman introduced herself to Ju, stating that her name was Tyra. The name didn’t ring a bell, except that Damian mentioned her from time to time during their conversations, but Ju had no idea that she was the Captain. Ju reached out confidently and took Tyra’s hand offering it a nice shake, firm, but not hard. “It’s really nice to meet you. I’m Eun Ju, but mostly I just go by Ju for ease.” She smiled brightly. “I may or may not have had a strong hand in helping his wardrobe. However, he didn’t tell me it was more of a relaxed atmosphere, we should have gone with our second plan, the ugly Christmas sweaters,” she nudged Damian playfully.

“I hope you don’t mind me crashing your party. Damian and I met in a craft store which turned into a fun evening at Quarks’.. well it’s a long story.” She smiled softly looking at the red-headed woman. She was older than Eun Ju but she seemed nice enough, at least for now. The smile was open enough and Ju was just happy they weren’t angry at her for not being of the Artemis crew, though, she was afraid she was the only one here he wasn’t stationed on the Artemis. “I’m an Engineer on the Philly.” She stated what she figured that it might come up at some point. Ju was still very new, many would say wet behind the ears, she had not yet even had her first mission. She knew that she would grow up quickly under Starfleet, she was a harsh task master and teacher. People started out as semi-adults and grew jaded and experienced rather quickly due to the situations they were placed in.

==Tag Mara, Damian, Tyra.-==

[Mara Calleja]

"I certainly think we'll be learning a lot about our crewmates tonight and tomorrow when I undoubtedly have a few complaints to accidentally misplace in my shred pile," Tyra commented with a mischievous grin. "Not everyone can handle the security brand of humor and it's always good to pick them out early."

Mara laughed at that, feeling that she was suddenly on much safer ground. Her sense of humour was one of those that should come with a health warning. Her initial plans for the party were even more robust than the final version that the Artemis crew were now coming face to face with. But the Captain’s approval gave her some reassurance that she’d come close enough to hitting the mark.

"Speaking of learning a lot about people, I'm very curious about where our dashing commander found his rather young date. She doesn't look broken enough to be one of ours but a night here might change that." There was a wry chuckle as Tyra finished.

Calleja turned.

“Young? You show me those 2 without tellin’ me better, I’d think he was introducin’ his daughter to the crew,” she replied with a wolfish grin. “All power to him though. She looks well outta his league.”

She held back as Tyra greeted Damian and Eun Ju, dark eyes gauging the relationship between the two before making herself known. Although it had been toned down considerably since she joined Artemis, Calleja’s accent was still very strong to anyone meeting her for the first time.

“Boss,” she said, nodding to Coleman. “Very sharp. All you’re missin’ is the hat with a feather,” she added with a grin.

Mara let the younger woman introduce herself to Tyra before she leant over.

“Ju. Welcome,” she said. “I’m Mara, although I answer to most things. And don’t worry about crashin’. There’s enough goin’ on here and plenty to drink for everyone. You’re very welcome. And not just ‘cause you turned up on the FO’s arm. I’m sure he’s got hidden depths, and maybe once you’ve had a couple drinks we can convince you to tell us what they are, ‘cause he’s battin’ way above his average,” she teased gently with a grin.

Calleja was doing her best to be welcoming and not in the least bit intimidating, but that didn’t come easy to a woman who stood a powerfully-built 6’2” before putting on her boots. Still, she was harmless enough, her sense of humour apparently aimed firmly at the First Officer.

== Welcome! ==

[Beka Sydesh]

"Okay, okay, I can see that I have no choice in the matter," Aeryn teased. " As for how to make it interesting, well I thought we could make a game out of it, first one who gets all three knives near or in the middle of the bullseye wins."

“Oh. That it?” Beka’s eyebrows raised as a wicked smile flashed across her lips. “Just a little friendly competition? That is a let-down.”

She wasn’t entirely certain that her teasing was why Aeryn missed the bullseye on her first attempt, but Beka would definitely be taking the credit anyway. She was feeling much more relaxed now, and laughed right along with Robin as the CMO’s throw clattered away.

"Hey, at least I didn't hit anyone!" Robin said with a wide grin. "You're up, Doc. Imagine there's a face in the bullseye. I'll bet you can think of a few."

“Oh, I’ve got a list,” Beka threw back. “‘Do no harm’ doesn’t apply to parties, right? It certainly didn’t with my ex.”

The redhead flicked the knife around in her hand so the hilt settled into her palm.

“I think I remember how to do this,” she said. “It’s about getting the spin right so the blade hits where you want it to… The guy who taught me, well, let’s just say he had plenty of practice.”

Her outfit wasn’t exactly conducive to taking a proper stance, especially the heels, but she got comfortable, drew her arm back and threw. The knife was nearly flat when it hit the target, the tip of the blade just about biting for a couple of seconds before it slid out and hit the floor.

“Hey, I’m seeing out my goes, I’m close!” Beka said, her competitive streak reasserting itself as she braced for the mockery. Blocking it out, she corrected her aim and threw again, the second knife sticking halfway on the bullseye, halfway into the next ring. She adjusted again and the final knife buried itself to the hilt in the middle of the target.

“Gotcha,” she said with a smirk on her lips, before going to retrieve the blades they’d all thrown. “Let’s see you two finish off now!”

[Aeryn Miller]

" For now" Aeryn teased back as her girlfriend succeeded in distracting the redhead long enough, which resulted in a not-so-perfect throw. Although Aeryn didn't mind, this had more to do with friendly competition than their lives depending on her success. Aeryn also enjoyed the natural banter that flowed so easily between her and Beka. That sentiment also extended to Robin as the CMO took her turn, which proved to be a little on the disastrous side. Fortunately, Robin managed to brush it off with a laugh, which was good to hear, as their friend retrieved the knife and joked about it before stepping aside for Beka.

" Yeah, I've heard about that list," Aeryn remarked playfully, keen to watch her girlfriend throw without having to distract her. " That's exactly how I was taught too" she added encouragingly. Again there was no mockery from Aeryn, as she watched Beka, who quickly regained her competitiveness and corrected her aim. The second and then the third knives hit their targets, earning her a proud grin from Aeryn, as she fetched the knives, complete with a trademark smirk, before speaking to both her and Robin.

" C'mon Robin, let's show her what we've got and remember what you've seen us both do, you'll be hitting the target in no time".

There was nothing wrong with being encouraged even if this was a competition, and was determined to focus that little bit more. Aeryn then changed tactics slightly as she threw her second knife, grinning as it landed on the bullseye, and repeated that move with her third and final knife, only this time it landed just off to the side but within the bullseye area itself. Retrieving them, Aeryn then returned, so Robin could take her turn.

== Tags ==

[Robin Mayfair]

The friendly banter between Aeryn and Beka warmed Robin's heart. Beka deserved happiness, and she also deserved someone who could match her force of personality. Aeryn certainly qualified.

“Oh, I’ve got a list,” Beka joked. “‘Do no harm’ doesn’t apply to parties, right? It certainly didn’t with my ex.”

"Nope. It's in the second part, the one no one reads. Ex's are fair game," Robin said with a broad smile.

“I think I remember how to do this,” she said. “It’s about getting the spin right so the blade hits where you want it to… The guy who taught me, well, let’s just say he had plenty of practice.”

Beka's first toss wasn't much better than Robin's first throw, falling to the deck. But her next throw hit the edge of the center ring and her last buried itself dead center. Robin applauded.

"C'mon Robin, let's show her what we've got and remember what you've seen us both do, you'll be hitting the target in no time," Aeryn said. Robin smiled at the encouragement. As the nurse had expected, the Security chief's throws were expert. Two shots dead center. She retrieved her knives and stood back.

Robin lifted her knifes, felt their balance. It was true, she'd watched both women throw, seen how they held the knives and how they'd moved. She took a breath and centered herself.

I think I've got it. Don't worry about showing off. Both of them are your friends. And don't worry if you embarrass yourself, either.

Time seemed to slow for the young Augment. With sudden speed Robin whipped a knife out with her right hand, followed a moment later with the one in her left hand. The first knife buried itself dead center, exactly where Beka's blade had hit, and the other landed a moment later a centimeter to the left of it.

"How was that?" she asked with a grin.

== Tags! ==

[Beka Sydesh]

Beka sighed as both of Robin’s knives thudded home.

“I hate you two,” she said, before breaking out into a good-natured grin. “I was all proud of myself and then a minute later, boom, I’m last! Lucky I love you both.”

Laughing, the redhead reached out and wrapped her arms around both her companions’ shoulders.

“Can we do something I’m not terrible at next? Although to be honest, I don’t think that’s a very long list right now,” she added, a wince flashing across her face as her back made it abundantly clear how ill-advised that big reach was. One hand disappeared under the back of her jacket as she upped the setting on her synaptic enhancer.

“I’d say let’s try the axes, but I’m not sure me or Aeryn are ready to lose to someone who’s smaller than the axe,” Beka teased gently as she went to retrieve her drink.

[Robin Mayfair]

Beka's reaction got a deep laugh out Robin. "Hey, you should know not to play dexterity games against me. But Aeryn still won." She had, after all, managed to hit all three knives, and had two bulleyes. She fixed the Security chief with her best fake evil glare. "This time. Soon the whole Federation will fall to my genetically-enhanced knife-throwing skills."

“Can we do something I’m not terrible at next? Although to be honest, I don’t think that’s a very long list right now." Robin caught the small wince, and reminded herself that her friend was still in recovery. The doctor adjusted her synaptic enhancer to compensate.

“I’d say let’s try the axes, but I’m not sure me or Aeryn are ready to lose to someone who’s smaller than the axe,” Beka teased.

"You probably wouldn't," Robin said with a laugh. "Knife throwing's one thing, but axes take physical strength too, and I'm definitely at a disadvantage there." The nurse didn't mind losing, and actually wouldn't have minded trying her luck to see if she could even get the axe to the target. She didn't want to do anything that would cause the redhead pain, and axe-throwing was really pushing it. "We could go over and humiliate some of the tough guys at the gun range, but I'm pretty sure none of 'em would want to take on the Security Chief at that. We could also go over to the Idol Zone and do some singing, or anything else. So long as it doesn't involve me drinking I'm up for pretty much anything. Aeryn, what do you think?"

== Tags (and anyone else who wants to join us) ==

[Tyra Crawford]

Tyra smiled warmly as the young woman, Ju, responded to her greeting with a lightness that suggested she didn't know who Tyra was or, maybe, she didn't care, though that attitude was usually reserved for those that grew up among the admirality. She hardly seemed to have run in that circle but it was curious all the same. However, since Tyra tried to get some of her own crew to treat her like a regular human being, she'd take it.

“I hope you don’t mind me crashing your party. Damian and I met in a craft store which turned into a fun evening at Quarks’.. well it’s a long story.”

Tyra manages to keep her eyebrow in place, even as she took a drink of her moonshine to hide the smirk that almost escaped. It seemed this was one of the young ladies from the gummy bear episode Cera had recounted for her, though she was certain that Cera had stated Coleman had met the pair of midshipmen at Quark's. Cera was rarely ever wrong on such details but there was a first time for everything. The more important detail that Cera had related was that both of the midshipman had belonged to Jenny, making Coleman's choice rather daring if true.

“I’m an Engineer on the Philly," Ju explained.

Now, Tyra's eyebrow arched ever so slightly as her eyes shifted towards Coleman with a dangerously teasing gleam. He had to know he was playing with fire; Jenny was known for being protective of her young officers, as well as extremely hard on them, and she doubted Jenny would be impressed with one of her midshipman being paraded around on the arm of a first officer. She would no doubt give Coleman a teasing earful later, particularly since she'd be the one running interference for him with her own sister in law, but the young woman didn't need to be any wiser.

Fortunately, Mara jumped in to assure the young engineer that she was absolutely welcome while Tyra was amusedly looking at the next member of Jenny's kill list. It seemed Mara was just as willing to poke at Damian as Tyra was, though Tyra knew he'd come back swinging at some point.

"Now now, let the good commander revel in this rare win. It's not like there are very many of those once you switch from orange to crimson," Tyra said with a grin of her own, nudging Mara ever to slightly in the process.

"So, Ju, how are you liking the Philly so far? Is it still lugging around that curse or did they finally manage to excise it from the bulkheads and decking?" The redhead asked, her tone light and warm as if she was genuinely curious.

= Tag Mara, Ju and Damian! ==

[Aeryn Miller]

" And I love you too" Aeryn responded with a grin as Beka reacted good-naturedly after watching her and Robin land their targets with the remaining knives. Of course, if Beka had taken it badly, Aeryn was sure she could soon get on her good side again, once they were alone. For now though, Aeryn was quite happy to have Beka's arm wrapped around her, as Robin laughed and reminded Beka that Aeryn had won, before she got all evil with the Security Chief.

Aeryn couldn't help but laugh, loving how they could all be this way around one another, as Beka suggested that they do something else. Taking notice as the doctor adjusted the synaptic enhancer, which naturally always concerned Aeryn ,especially if she was in pain. At the mention of axes, Aeryn chuckled as Beka teased Robin, who accepted it with good grace and another bout of laughter.

" You're right they probably wouldn't" Aeryn remarked at the idea of taking on some of the male officers at the gun range, before Robin mentioned the idol zone, a subject that the trio had touched on earlier, when deciding what to do first. When asked for her thoughts, as Robin was up for pretty much anything except drinking, the COS knew she would need some more alcohol before she even attempted to sing.

" Let's go to the idol zone, but I need to make a pitstop at the bar first, because I'm going to need some fortified courage, before you get me near a microphone".

== Tags ==

[Eun Ju Han]

Ju had been rather nervous to meet some of Damian’s crewmates and friends. Afterall, he was older than her, and definitely her senior in rank, but he was very down to Earth. He had promised her that while the crew of the Artemis might have been a little rowdy and crazy they were honest people who wouldn’t be too harsh on her. It did not take a lot of convincing for Ju to come, she had mostly been concerned about how it would look with someone only the rank of Midshipman to be on the arm of not only a Commander but a First Officer and on a ship he partially ran not just was assigned to.

She was still wet behind the ears, and didn’t even have a mission underneath her belt yet. But, she was also excited about not only having a ship in which she was assigned but to get her hands in that first mission. Damian had talked her up a lot about how her career would take off and before she knew it she would be a pro with confidence under her belt and experience to fall back on. Right now, she just felt very uncertain of herself.

The pair seemed open enough to tease Damian, already Ju found she liked the dynamic of the ship, at least off duty. There was a warmth of almost familial relationships here, it might be because she was an empath and could feel how close everyone seemed, or it could just be that the two women standing here reminded her very much of her own brothers and their relationship back home in Korea. One of them, a newer woman who had been standing beside Tyra, said all he was missing was a feather and a hat. Ju had to laugh, nudging her counterpart, “Notes for next time,” she teased.

The teaser said her name was Mara but she would answer to just about anything. The woman who spoke was extremely tall. Ju was average height for her race, but this woman towered over her causing Ju to look up so that they could make eye contact. “Nice to meet you as well.” She smiled warmly. Mara continued to tease Damian about if he had good qualities they didn’t yet know about. Eun Ju couldn’t help but smile, she found Damian not only charming but kind. The two talked a lot when they had down time, usually over their PADDs because it was hard to meet up in person with them both being different officers, ranks, and assigned to different ships. However, they had enjoyed some free time on the Promenade, and once the ships took off they had plans to stay in contact while on their missions even if it was quick messages on the PADDs.

Tyra said to allow Damian his rare win, causing Ju to chuckle. Was the Commander that bad at finding dates, or were they just teasing him in a good natured way? She would be surprised if he wasn’t some sort of ladies man, though, she hoped if they became exclusive that he would put that lifestyle to the side, she had no idea what they even were. They had certainly had good times, and their messages allowed them to get to know each other a lot better, but there was a lot more to know. Only time would tell if they continued as good friends, embarked into something more exclusive, or something in between. Ju had not expected to find someone quickly whom she had a lot of chemistry and attraction with but Damian was older than her and Ju wasn’t certain they were even in the same places in their lives for what they were seeking to get out of this.

Only time would tell.

Ju had no idea of any curse on the ship, but she also didn’t know the history of the ship as much as she would have liked. To be honest, she had done far more simulations and research into the larger ships with massive engineering departments, she was one of a few Engineers who ran the Philly. “From what I understand the last séance cleared it from the rivets but, you never know, curses have a funny way of sticking around,” Ju smirked. Eun Ju didn’t play about with curses, in Korea, they were highly superstitious and did believe that you could be cursed, though usually it had something to do with what you had done in your past life. She hoped she had saved the King or something so she would bring good luck to the Philly. “I have actually researched the Artemis a lot, back when I was at the Academy, she has an impressive Engineering deck. I was surprised to be assigned a small ship like the Philly but I’m certain we will definitely put wear and tear on our little deck.” Ju didn’t go off on how much she had enjoyed researching the Artemis because that would just make her seem like an Engineering Fan-girl which she was.. but it wasn’t exactly cool when faced with your possible boyfriends friends.

“I just want to say, it’s really nice to meet some of Damian’s friends and shipmates. He talks a bit about people but putting faces to names is much better,” Eun Ju smiled at the two women. “So, since you’re Damian’s close friends, I’m sure you have great stories to share about our Commander,” she smiled looking at the two women with a mischievous grin on her face. “Surely there are some too good not to share.”

==Tag Tyra, Damian, Mara==

[Robin Mayfair]

Aeryn agreed. "Let's go to the idol zone, but I need to make a pitstop at the bar first, because I'm going to need some fortified courage, before you get me near a microphone."

"Sounds good to me." Robin had dropped off the plate and drink from earlier and was determined not to stuff her face during the entire party, so she didn't stop at the food table again as she followed the Security Chief. There were some non alcoholic drinks available, but most of them mimicked spirits and weren't to the colony-born farmgirl's taste, so she refrained.

Besides, I swear I'm gonna get tipsy just from the smell. It's like hanging out at Uncle Frank's, in the 'barn' out back he wouldn't let most people into. Glad he finally went legal and started selling the stuff for real.

She still had nearly a dozen wooden boxes of her uncle's finest sitting in a cargo container. The Augment didn't drink, but they'd been terrific gifts and had also made great bribe material when she'd needed a piece of medical equipment or an engineer to put a move on with a repair. Perhaps 'bribe' was too strong. Motivators?

Robin helped herself to a cola over some ice, bottles of which were sitting as mixers on a table. She took a sniff just in case they were spiked, but they turned out safe. She didn't think Mara would do such a thing, of course, but better safe than drunk from a single cup.

Yeah, not gonna get plowed at a party where command staff is, and I don't care whether everyone thinks I'm Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes. Which I am.

"All right, girls, let's show 'em how it's done."

== Tags ==

[Tyra Crawford]

Tyra chuckled as Ju joked about holding a séance on the Philly but given the ship's long history of misfortune, she half-way thought it wasn't a terrible idea. Actually, it had probably been tried by a few desperate enlisted and it didn't seem to have changed much.

“I have actually researched the Artemis a lot, back when I was at the Academy, she has an impressive Engineering deck. I was surprised to be assigned a small ship like the Philly but I’m certain we will definitely put wear and tear on our little deck.”

It always struck Tyra as odd when she was reminded that Artemis was known fleet wide for its state of the art technology. While Tyra was use to being on renowned ships, it was rarely because of any technological supremacy. The Avenger had been renowned because of its origin and its unique crew composition. The Gettysburg had been renowned for its storied history and its ghost stories. The Artemis was renowned for something none of them could control, though she suspected the crew's reputation proceeded them as well for better or worse.

"Well, if I knew where the Chief was, I would happily introduce y'all and you could geek out over Arty together. Unfortunately, he's not a big party goer," she glanced at Damian for a split second, "and while I love the Artemis, I don't think we appreciate the same aspects of her," she said with a light laugh. "However, if we ever have need for a séance, I know who to call."

“I just want to say, it’s really nice to meet some of Damian’s friends and shipmates. He talks a bit about people but putting faces to names is much better,” Ju smiled warmly at Tyra and Mara. “So, since you’re Damian’s close friends, I’m sure you have great stories to share about our Commander,” her smile continued but there was a mischievous nature to it. “Surely there are some too good not to share.”

Tyra wasn't certain how close Mara and Damian were but just by the nature of their positions, she considered Damian a good friend, despite their short service together in comparison to some of her previous first officer. She suspected it was their similar backgrounds and complimentary personalities that allowed them to work well together, professionally and personally. As such, while she could probably dig up an embarrassing story or two that had been told to her over a drink after their official meetings had concluded, she wouldn't do that to Damian.

But that didn't mean there wasn't anything on the table that was fair game…

"Has he told you about his relationship with the science department? Or his role in the infamous Hug-Gate incident?" she asked, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief over her glass as she took a big swig of the moonshine within.

== Tag Ju, Mara and Damian! ==

[Beka Sydesh]

"We could go over and humiliate some of the tough guys at the gun range, but I'm pretty sure none of 'em would want to take on the Security Chief at that. We could also go over to the Idol Zone and do some singing, or anything else. So long as it doesn't involve me drinking I'm up for pretty much anything. Aeryn, what do you think?" Robin asked

"Let's go to the idol zone, but I need to make a pitstop at the bar first, because I'm going to need some fortified courage, before you get me near a microphone," came the reply.

"Sounds good to me."

“You pair of lightweights,” Beka teased. “I don’t even drink and I’m still going up. Even though my whole ‘public singing’ career was one chorus around a camp fire in the Delta Quadrant.”

She tailed her companions back to the nearest bar, draining her cola and then pouring herself another one. Whilst they were loading up, the redhead also helped herself to another round of snacks. Everything seemed to be in good supply and she’d been behaving herself lately, so she saw no harm in indulging a little.

"All right, girls, let's show 'em how it's done," Robin said.

“That sounded a lot like volunteering to go first to me,” Beka shot back with a waspish grin. “Do these booths do choir girl? If it really was our Security department who set them up then I’m gonna bet no.” She caught the look on Aeryn’s face. “Present company excepted, of course!” she added quickly, still grinning.

In all honesty, Beka was already coming to terms with going first. Her self-confidence had taken a battering lately but she was still the most head-strong of the group. Plus there was the fact that, as an avowed teetotaller, she didn’t need to get tanked up first.

Which is probably a bad thing. Me and Robin have such different tastes I don’t know how one follows the other. Unless we use Aeryn as a buffer… Not sure what she’d be singing though.

== Tags! ==

[Mara Calleja]

"Now now, let the good commander revel in this rare win. It's not like there are very many of those once you switch from orange to crimson," Tyra said with a grin of her own, nudging Mara ever so slightly in the process.

The Bandaran smiled darkly and took a sip of her drink, content to listen for a while. She was still relatively new to the crew and certainly to the group so whilst she’d heard rumours - Calleja had a knack for being in the background whilst people were talking so she was up to date with most of the Artemis gossip - she didn’t actually know much about the Philadelphia or the crew. There were so many stories about cursed ships and crews that she didn’t pay that much attention.

“I just want to say, it’s really nice to meet some of Damian’s friends and shipmates. He talks a bit about people but putting faces to names is much better,” Eun Ju smiled at the two women. “So, since you’re Damian’s close friends, I’m sure you have great stories to share about our Commander,” she smiled looking at the two women with a mischievous grin on her face. “Surely there are some too good not to share.”

Mara looked at Tyra and then back at Eun Ju.

I barely know the guy… I’m only takin’ the shots ‘cause he’s likely too nervous about the Cap’n and his girl gettin’ off on the wrong foot to pay me any mind!

"Has he told you about his relationship with the science department? Or his role in the infamous Hug-Gate incident?" Crawford teased.

That one made Mara laugh.

“Yeah. I may be Security department, but boss man is definitely the Hug Police,” she said with a wicked smile. “He’s the friendly face of friendly fire.”

[Robin Mayfair]

“You pair of lightweights,” Beka teased. “I don’t even drink and I’m still going up. Even though my whole ‘public singing’ career was one chorus around a camp fire in the Delta Quadrant.”

"Guilty of being a lightweight as charged. One cup o' that drain cleaner and I'd be loaded." She tossed her empty soda cup and headed over with her friends. There were a few people already singing, but with the sound dampers their voices were muted by the sound dampening fields and even Robin couldn't hear them. She motioned to a booth as Beka joked.

“That sounded a lot like volunteering to go first to me,” Beka shot back with evil smile. "Do these booths do choir girl? If it really was our Security department who set them up then I’m gonna bet no. Present company excepted, of course!”

"They'll do." Of the Artemis crew, only Beka had actually heard Robin sing, and it really was at a church on her home colony. She'd performed a bluegrass gospel song for the congregation, and had loved it. Robin had been so busy that she hadn't had the chance to sing in public again. "And I'll show you a 'choir girl,'" she said with a grin that matched Beka's. She stepped up on the small stage and picked up a bass guitar from among the selection of instruments. There was a console available for karaoke background music, and she selected a song and entered a few instrument settings. The purple-haired young woman quickly and expertly checked the tuning, humming a few perfect notes and making tiny adjustments.

She tapped the console and the music started. Robin began playing the guitar, clearly relishing the chance to sink her teeth into something different. She'd played this back on the SS Triple Seven during a Christmas party when she was 15, and had relished the chance to spread her wings and perform something less serious. The song would have been scandalous on her serious homeworld.

"Haji was a punk just like any other boy
And he never had no trouble till he started up his Oi band
Safe in the garage or singing in the tub
Till Haji went too far and he plugged in at the pub

'Twas a cold Christmas eve when Trevor and the skins
Popped in for a pint and to nick a back of crisps
Trevor liked the music but not the Unity
He unwound Haji's turban and he knocked him to his knees

If God came down on Christmas Day
I know exactly what He'd say
He'd say "Oi to the punks and Oi to the skins
And Oi to the world and everybody wins!"

As she sang, her voice crystal clear, she lost herself to the music and the guitar. Her voice wasn't right for punk, so she'd gone with more of No Doubt's version.

As she finished with a loud "Oi! Oi!" she bowed and put the bass guitar back.

"Choir girl," she said with a wicked smile at Beka and Aeryn.

== Tags ==

[Aeryn Miller]

" I might be a lightweight for now, but the most I've ever done is sing in the shower," Aeryn remarked as Beka teased them and Robin teased her back before the trio called at the bar and snack tables. Knowing that she should probably eat something to counteract the booze and not make a complete fool of herself, Aeryn grabbed a handful of snacks along with a pitcher of some delightful-sounding cocktail and a glass. In the redhead's mind, it made sense to do so, rather than have to make a repeat journey until they were finished in the idol zone.

Then came the moment of reckoning as Aeryn followed the others to the idol zone, where Robin was keen for them to show everyone how it was done. Easier said than done in Aeryn's opinion, wondering where this sudden nervousness had come from. Taking a deep breath and finding somewhere to sit and rest her drink and snacks on, Beka teased Robin again, before making a comment regarding security. If it wasn't for the fact that her girlfriend was beautiful and adorable, not to mention loving that grin of hers, Aeryn might have taken offense. Instead, she grinned back, taking the comment for what it was.

" You'll be surprised by what we can do" she quipped as Robin picked up a bass guitar, determined to show them that she was no choir girl. Intrigued, Aeryn then gave their friend her full attention, enraptured by what she was singing and impressed with her guitar skills. Even if she didn't recognise the song, Aeryn could safely say that Robin had definitely confirmed that she wasn't a 'choir girl'.

" Indeed" she replied with another grin, as she then turned to Beka. " I'll let you go next as I still need to figure out what I'm going to sing". It might be delay tactics, but Aeryn was equally determined to give it a go.

== Tags ==

[Eun Ju Han]

==Apologies for delayed response, I was waiting to see if Damian was going to jump in==

It was a shame the Chief Engineer of the Artemis was not a big party person, she would have loved to meet them, and honestly, the thought of geeking out with someone that was able to control a ship like this was exciting. But, if she continued to spend time with Damian she might get to meet the Chief at some point, or maybe one day, she would be lucky and they would have a hole on their Engineering team desiring someone to fulfill that role that happened to have their specialties in propulsion. Ju laughed a little as Tyra said if she ever needed a séance she knew who to contact. “I’ll be happy to offer my curse breaking services.”

Eun Ju was excited to learn more about Damian and his work on board the Artemis. Surely, there were great stories, possibly embarrassing ones that they could relay to her Ju could use as ammunition later. She and Damian were still getting to know one another but Ju had to admit she really enjoyed spending time with the Commander. There was some sort of story which regarded the Science Department and then there was something that Tyra was affectionately calling ‘Hug gate’. That one made Ju’s brow rise curiously.

The Security officer, Mara, stated that Damian was the friendly face of fire, and was considered the hug police. Ju looked over at her counterpart for the evening and gave a little questioning grin. She returned her attention to the two women who held Damian’s secrets in their little minds but were clearly willing and able to share these stories with Damian’s guest.

“Oh I must hear this story, please tell.” Ju said with a mischievous grin on her face. Damian had been keeping quiet, and that was fine with her, the more stories she could hear the better. It would also give her a bit more insight on the man who had caught her attention.

==Tag Tyra and Mara==

[Beka Sydesh]

"They'll do. And I'll show you a 'choir girl,'" Robin said with a wicked grin of her own.

“Oh here we go.” Beka laughed, recognising the familiar signs of her friend in full ‘I’ll show you’ mode. “This is going to be good.”

The redhead watched as the CMO pick out a bass guitar. She already knew just how good Mayfair’s voice was, and just how quickly the Augment could pick things up. She half expected her to come off the stage and breezily say that she’d never picked up a bass before.

And she’ll still be amazing with it. Stupid gifts. There was a grin on Sydesh’s lips. She was a little jealous of just how good Mayfair was at some things, even though there was a cost that her friend was paying on a daily basis. But only a little - the rest of her was just glad to have such a great friend.

Discretely Beka hooked her arm around Aeryn’s and rested her head on her fellow redhead’s shoulder to watch the show. There was still that nagging voice at the back of her mind that she was going to do something wrong, or had already, and she would be going back to her quarters single again. There was a momentary frown as she tried to bury that thought, before the smile reasserted itself just as Robin stepped up to the mic.

The song was definitely not what anyone would have associated with someone who was yet to swear in public. Robin’s voice couldn’t quite carry the lip-curling attitude but she certainly gave it a damn good go. By the time she was finished and stepped down, Beka had gently slipped her free to give her friend an enthusiastic standing ovation.

"Choir girl," Robin said triumphantly.

“It’ll take more than a song to shed that rep,” Beka teased. “But you’ve definitely given it a good go!”

"I'll let you go next as I still need to figure out what I'm going to sing,” Aeryn said to Beka.

“Gee thanks. Let me try and follow that up,” the doctor replied with a grin of her own. “Fine. I can’t promise such a dramatic departure from the norm, but I’ll do my best,” she added with a gentle nudge to Aeryn’s ribs.

As she stepped up onto the pod’s stage, Sydesh didn’t go for any of the instruments - she was a straight-up singer without any real aptitude for anything else. She already knew the song she wanted to sing, and which particular version of it. Someone had sung it at a festive party she’d been to before and the redhead had made a mental note, storing it away just in case she was ever lucky enough to be at a party herself with a girlfriend.

And here I am, so here we go…

The music started up, and Beka picked the mic out of its stand.

“Jingle bells,
Jingle bells,
Jingle all the way.
I can't wait for Christmastime…
So I can roll you in the hay.”

She winked at Aeryn before taking a deep breath and launching into the song proper.

“Easy come, easy go,
Have a good time with lots of dough.
Slippin' up high, slippin' down low,
Love 'em and leave 'em, on with the show, yeah…”

Beka’s voice wasn’t as strong as the singer she was trying to imitate. She didn’t quite have the range, and her low notes lacked a little of the bite. But she was close. What she did have in spades was the confidence and the attitude. The redhead was a natural performer, moving her hips in perfect time and strutting around the small stage like she owned it.

“I like female form in a minimum dress,
Money to spend with a capital S.
Get a date with the woman in red,
One holy night with her in my bed, yeah!
She got it and I want it.
She got it and I can't have it.
But I want it, but it don't matter.
She got it and I’ll go get it.”

Her green eyes locked on to Aeryn’s grey-green gaze as she sang.

“I want a mistress for Christmas!
I want a mistress for Christmas!”

There was a real mischievous glee to Beka’s performance as she swayed in time to the guitar solo.

“Easy come, easy go,
Slippin' high, slippin' low, yeah!
She got it and I want it.
They got it and I can't have it.
And I want it, and it don't matter.
She got it and I can't get it!
She got it and I want it.
She got it and I can't have it.
But I want it, it don't matter.
She got it and I can't get a…
Mistress for Christmas!
You know what I'm talkin' about, yeah!
A mistress for Christmas.”

“You gotta send me down…
Send me down…
Mistress for Christmas.
I want the woman in red with a bow in my bed.
A mistress for Christmas.
I’ll slide down that north pole, baby.”

Beka took a deep breath and launched into the big finale.

“I want to ride on your reindeer, honey,
And ring your bells!
Mistress… for Christmas!”

She held the note, and popped her hips one last time as the music died away. Slotting the mic back into the stand she climbed down and went straight for Aeryn, holding her date’s chin delicately in one hand before leaning in for a kiss.

“Sorry,” she said after. “Well. I’m not. At all.” Sydesh laughed as she picked her drink up. “And I bet that was exactly what you both expected from me!”

== This was Halestorm’s version - https://youtu.be/KkKKV11RcRc?si=SnHLvtiUq7KUiCpx - with a couple of tweaks to the lyrics. I'll leave it up to Aeryn whether the attempt at a kiss was successful or not. ==

[Aeryn Miller]

Once upon a time, Aeryn would have blushed at such a public display of affection, but she had learned quickly not to shy away. Merle had taught the redhead a lot and while she might not have initially realised Beka's intentions, all that had changed, making the security chief happy and proud to be called the Doctor's girlfriend. Aeryn also knew how Beka had been burned before and had no issue providing that reassurance, that she wasn't going anywhere, as Beka hooked her arm around hers, and rested her head on Aeryn's shoulder.

Enjoying the close contact made Aeryn feel invincible before Beka cheered and teased Robin about her performance, separating the pair for the moment, as Beka then reacted to what Aeryn said next. " I know you will," Aeryn remarked, grinning following the gentle nudge to her ribs.

Beka's confidence was just one thing that had added to Aeryn's attraction, loving her ability to just be herself, almost like it radiated from her. Watching with that same pride burning in her eyes like a moth to a flame, Aeryn knew that she was in for a treat, regardless of what song Beka had chosen. Recognising the music instantly, Aeryn's face became alight with interest, as she loved Halestorm, having been introduced to them at an early age.

Her gaze never left Beka's enjoying the sound of her voice and the altered lyrics, feeling as though they were the only people in the room. For Beka to sing directly to her, was something else entirely and Aeryn's reaction reflected her appreciation and enjoyment. It also reminded her that it would be her turn soon enough, but she was far from scared at the prospect because she had the support of Beka and Robin. Once Beka had finished, Aeryn clapped loudly until her girlfriend approached and kissed her. Relishing the contact between them, Aeryn returned the kiss, not caring who saw them, because they didn't have to hide who they were and that they were now a couple.

" Exactly, there's no need for you to apologise, and I loved it".

Downing the rest of her drink, and giving Beka a quick kiss on the cheek, Aeryn approached the stage, taking a few minutes to select her song. Satisfied she had found the perfect one, Aeryn took a deep breath as the music started.

"Mississippi in the middle of a dry spell
Jimmy Rogers on the Victrola up high
Mama's dancing with a baby on her shoulder
The sun is settin' like molasses in the sky.
The boy could sing, knew how to move, everything
Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for".

Her voice was shaky, to begin with, but as time went on it grew in strength, and all nerves were completely obliterated.

"Black velvet and that little boy's smile
Black velvet with that slow Southern style
A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees
Black velvet if you please".

On it went and Aeryn swayed to the beat, but did little other than concentrate on her voice and make sure that she didn't mess up the lyrics. Then, just as soon as it had begun, the song came to an end, and Aeryn stepped down with a buzz that no one could take away from her.

== Tags ==

== If anyone is interested, it was Kobra & the Lotus' version of the song :-) ==

[Robin Mayfair]

“It’ll take more than a song to shed that rep,” Beka teased. “But you’ve definitely given it a good go!”

"Yeah, fair point," Robin laughed. She really was the 'good girl,' and she wasn't actually eager to shed that or to change. Even during her teenaged years, freed from the confining control of her homeworld, she really hadn't done much in the way of rebellion. "I'm not exactly going to go punk, though I wouldn't have to dye my hair."

She actually had tried dying it once, as a teenager, and never had again. Her attempt to go blonde had instead resulted in a horrible pink usually reserved for stomach medicines. The crew of the Triple Seven had laughed for weeks. She wasn't ever going to be as daring as her friend, and that was fine.

I mean I won't even walk through the ship corridors in a bathing suit. Choir girl I am, and Choir girl I shall remain.

Aeryn had let Beka go next. Robin wasn't sure whether the Security Chief was shy or really didn't know what she was going to sing. Robin hoped she hadn't pushed her friend; some people were really shy about singing in public. But it turned out that Beka wasn't one of them. She was a natural performer, belting out a song with a skill and gusto that impressed the young nurse. It was a great performance and Robin cheered loudly. The redheaded doctor headed straight for her new girlfriend as soon as it was over.

Robin felt a bit of jealousy. She wasn't 'into' girls, but she loved to see happy couples and the two of them made such a great pair; for a moment it reminded the Augment of her completely nonexistent love life. She pushed the feeling aside.

Yeah? Whose fault is that? I've had chances and I always passed on them, and truth is I've been all too comfortable with the 'everyone's little sister' thing or claiming that I was too busy with work. Be happy for them, you little twit.

And she was. Both Beka and Aeryn had known great tragedy in their lives, and they deserved happiness more than anyone. She really, really hoped it would work.

It was Aeryn's turn. A version of 'Black Velvet' that knocked Robin's socks off. Aeryn had a great voice, though she wasn't practiced. Her confidence and voice improved with every line, and by the midpoint she was absolutely nailing it. Robin was cheering again even before it was over.

Man, I needed this so much. Gotta make sure to thank Mara.

"All right, ladies, what's next?" she asked when the song was over and Aeryn had climbed down. While Robin could have spent the entire night happily singing, there was too much to do here. Maybe later, she decided, especially if Aeryn and Beka decided to have some quality time together.

== Tags Aeryn and Beka ==

[Lucy Devereaux]

Lucy gave almost her full attention to her hot chocolate, ensuring she made a steady progress before the marshmallows melted into a sticky mess. She had taken in the ongoings around her. She liked having fun the trick was not feeling self-conscious. Decisions made her uncomfortable. Letting her heart overrule her head occasionally led to consequences. Falling for Jacklyn had been a worthwhile education. She needed to open her heart and be ready to give and hazard all that she had.

Lucy drained her hot chocolate. She had taken away her last excuse. Seeing Emily sitting at the bar had filled her with a curiosity and left her with a question she wanted to ask. She wanted to know the answer, but she needed to be ready for what the answer might be. If she thought about the question too much she might never ask it. She needed to set her fears aside and ask, then be satisfied with whatever the answer turned out to be.

“Miss Star... Emily, might I interest you in a kiss under the mistletoe?”

Lucy wasn’t one for parasitic plants or convoluted tales. She wanted to know if she could fall in love again. To be ready to open herself up.  To let go of her past regrets and find someone to live for. Not knowing scared her most. Once she knew, then depending on the answer. what was next?

== tag ==

[Lucy Devereaux]

Lucy tried to figure how far wide of the mark she’d gone. Emily hadn’t responded to her query. There was the likelihood that Lucy wasn’t Emily’s type. Lucy did really care much about the mistletoe. Some traditions made no sense to her. She was only interested in a kiss and if it led to getting to know each other deeper.

The best pickup line in the galaxy would have no effect if the interest or attraction wasn’t there. In Lucy’s case it had been curiosity followed by chemistry. She wanted to find that chemistry again. She felt she was ready to try again. She needed to shed whatever was weighing her down. A few songs in the Idol Zone might be just what she needed. She slid off her stool and looked to Emily.

“Come find me if you change your mind.”

Lucy looked from the Idol Zone to Emily before heading towards the zone. Whatever she was feeling wasn’t logical. It was a something. Empathy of a human sort mixed with a little affection. It was hard to quantify. Lucy scanned through the songs trying to find on that struck a chord. Some felt a little too near the bone or just more emotionally raw than she was ready to feel.

She landed on one that raised a smile. She wasn’t that into shirts, but they could be versatile. She hadn’t been one for short skirts, but she did have the legs. Maybe another time. She entered her selection and stepped into the booth. Listening to the opening chords she started singing along with the words. It did feel good to let her hair down. 

"Let’s go girls
C’mon

"I’m goin’ out tonight, I’m feelin’ alright
Gonna let it all hang out
Wanna make some noise, really raise my voice
Yeah, I wanna scream and shout, uh

"No inhibitions, make no conditions
Get a little outta line
I ain’t gonna act politically correct
I only wanna have a good time

"The best thing about bein’ a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun and

"Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy, forget I’m a lady
Men’s shirts, short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild, yeah, doin’ it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action, feel the attraction
Color my hair, do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free, yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man, I feel like a woman (hey!)

"The girls need a break, tonight we’re gonna take
The chance to get out on the town
We don’t need romance, we only wanna dance
We’re gonna let our hair hang down

"The best thing about bein’ a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun and

"Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy, forget I’m a lady
Men’s shirts, short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild, yeah, doin’ it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action, feel the attraction
Color my hair, do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free, yeah, to feel the way I feel
Man, I feel like a woman
Uh, huh

"Oh, yeah
The best thing about bein’ a woman
Is the prerogative to have a little fun, fun, fun

"Oh, oh, oh, go totally crazy, forget I’m a lady
Men’s shirts, short skirts
Oh, oh, oh, really go wild, yeah, doin’ it in style
Oh, oh, oh, get in the action, feel the attraction
Color my hair, do what I dare
Oh, oh, oh, I wanna be free yeah, to feel the way I feel
(The way I feel)
Man, I feel like a woman

"Hey!
Oh, oh, yeah, yeah
Act totally crazy
Can you feel it?
Come, come, come on baby
I feel like a woman"

Okay, what’s next?

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn considered Robin's question for a moment, although she became easily distracted when Lucy decided to follow in their footsteps and have a go at Karaoke. The COS had to admit that it was a good choice of song, realising that tonight would be about a lot of firsts. No doubt Mara had that in mind when she had organised this shindig, and so far Aeryn was having a lot of fun. As tempting as it was to stay in this zone, listening to Lucy and anyone else who was brave enough to sing, Aeryn looked at Beka and then at Robin as she finally thought of something for them to try next.

" How about the southeast corner?" she suggested, aware that it was the final zone, but it might be what they needed, before moving onto the rocket sled or the obscene snowman zones.

" That's if we want to take a break for a little while, otherwise we can either try building an obscene snowman or destroy some sleds with rocket launchers".

Both looked equally as fun as what they had done so far, watching with a hint of satisfied amusement when one of the holographic sleds was brought down in a glorious blaze of light. Being destructive wasn't necessarily part of Aeryn's personality, but who could resist the opportunity to use a rocket launcher? Even if the targets were Santa and his reindeer. Mischief played at the corners of the redhead's grey-green eyes while she waited for the others to decide.

" Whatever we decide, I'll need another refill on the way".

Aeryn wasn't planning on getting drunk, but it wouldn't hurt to get another drink, more because of the subtle buzz than ending up unable to walk properly.

== Tag Beka & Robin ==

[Robin Mayfair]

"Y'know what? I wanna build a snowman." Robin said to Aeryn. "It doesn't have to be a snowman." She sang the last line, a grin on her face.

Wonder if either one of them has seen that film.

"Though we could do the rocket launcher too. Rocket launchers are cool. Beka? Your call. We'll definitely stop and get Aeryn a refill."

== Tags ==

[Mara Calleja]

“Oh I must hear this story, please tell.” There was a wide grin on the young Engineer’s face.

“Well…”

Mara was about to tell the story when Cera Morgan swept in. There were some whispered words, and then the Quartermaster, the Captain and the First Officer all excused themselves. Damian did not exactly look happy about the timing, and the looming Bandaran didn’t make things any better by shooting him a wink and a wave as he left.

“When Queen Bee calls, you answer. Artemis 101 right there,” Calleja said with a grin. “Anyone who bangs on about Support not bein’ a full department or somehow rankin’ below everyone else, never had a good QM. We got one. Shit just works around here. Pretty easy thing to get used to.”

The Security officer’s broad shoulders tended to cope pretty well with pressure as a rule. It took a lot to get through that, but organising this party and then steeling herself for Tyra Crawford’s judgment had come very close. Mara felt herself starting to unwind as she drained the glass of lemonade and treated herself to a refill from one of the spiralling taps.

“So yeah. Hug gate.” She laughed. “Big chunks of that mission are classified, and I gotta admit I wasn’t there at the time, I was chargin’ off somewhere else on a wild goose chase. But our crew were tryin’ to find a double agent or infiltrator or whatever you wanna call them. And we had a suspect cornered, and her great plan to postpone justice was to turn on the waterworks.”

Mara took a sip from her drink.

“The worst part of it? It actually worked,” she added with a grin. “One of the team actually went to comfort the enemy agent and give them a nice big hug, and tell them it was all gonna be OK. Except your beau over there, he didn’t like that. And instead of making a calmly reasoned argument, he shot the pair of them right then and there. Friend and foe. Zap!”

She laughed again, shaking her head.

“I wish I’d have been there. I mean, I can’t tell you whether I’d have opened fire as well or just hung them both from their ankles until common sense prevailed, but still. Made me laugh at the time and still does now.”

Calleja didn’t entirely remember which bits of the Utopia Planetia mission were classified or redacted, and she’d also decided not to name and shame the hug giver for now, but she still had plenty to tell the story with.

The spark of amusement danced in her dark eyes as she watched Eun Ju’s reaction to the revelation.

== Tag Han! ==

[Beka Sydesh]

Beka’s green eyes shone as Aeryn returned the loving gesture. The doctor’s earlier jitters had been well and truly squashed, and the confidence was infusing her from head to toe. Even the pain in her back seemed to ease off.

When Miller stepped down from the stage, Sydesh was right there with an arm around her waist and a gentle kiss to the neck.

“Smashed it,” she whispered.

She was basking in the haze of a date going well as Robin and Aeryn discussed where they were going next.

Girlfriend and best friend, and a crew party where everyone got the memo… Yeah. Doesn’t get much better than this!

"Though we could do the rocket launcher too. Rocket launchers are cool. Beka? Your call. We'll definitely stop and get Aeryn a refill." Mayfair asked the question.

“You want to set my warped sense of humour loose with a snowman?” A positively filthy smirk settled on the redhead’s lips. “Fine by me. Just come bail me out when I get myself arrested by the fun police.”

Beka gently led the small group to one of the spiralling sets of taps. She treated herself to a refill as well, even if hers was non-alcoholic.

== Tags! ==

[Eun Ju Han]

Eun Ju was all ready to hear about whatever Hug Gate was, surely, with the looks on the faces of those around them it was about to be good. Ju couldn’t help but want to hear all the dirt on the Commander. They were still very much getting to know each other but she didn’t have a lot of fun Starfleet stories to tell at the moment because she was a fresh graduate. Of course, she knew that was going to this party was putting a large magnifying glass on the both of them and what they may or may not be. Good thing was; even Han Eun Ju didn’t know. She also was in no hurry to find out. What evolved would evolve on it’s own and she wasn’t the kind that was going to force it or push it.

Someone came out of the crowd and leaned in whispering quickly to the Captain and her Commander. No, Ju, not yours, just the.. Commander. she reprimanded herself. They two turned away, and Tall, Dark, and Commanding, shot her an apologetic look as he headed off with the Captain. Ju tried to shoot him a reassuring look, everyone here seemed pretty friendly so far, so she didn’t feel as though she had been abandoned. Hopefully, he would be back at some point but she also understood the Starfleet life. Whomever she dated would be busy often and the problems with dating a superior officer is she wasn’t privy to the information of what he was doing.

Ju was okay with all of this, she was self secure enough not to need someone at her side all the time. Seeking out his attention and companionship would be nice when their ship schedules aligned, but she wasn’t clingy.

Mara said something about the life of Starfleet bringing Ju’s eyes back to her and a smile on her face. “It’s never ending, that’s for sure. I have two brothers that struggle with my schedule because they think I should be available for video calls all the time,” she chuckled with a smirk.

The officer began to fill her in on Hug Gate and exactly how it happened. How cliché it was for some woman to turn on the water works in an effort to not get in trouble. Ju listened to the story as she spoke about how Damian had decided not to bother with any of this mess and shot both his officer and the enemy they were trying to obtain. Ju’s eyes widened as he shot a friendly, but she also knew he probably was ready to end the ridiculous mission and it was a good way to end it while they were both occupied.

“Wow. He just.. shot them both!?” Ju couldn’t help but chuckle. “I somehow imagine that. He’s just too tired to deal with crying women so he just shot her.”

Ju was still learning a lot about Damian, but she assumed he was not the one to cry to during a bad day. Ju had been raised by a very tough Grandmother and crying had not been encouraged as she grew up. Thus, if she was crying, it was usually pretty bad or a broken heart. Ju, at her heart, was a romantic. A slight silence fell between the two officers with the story now told in it’s most basic form.

It was time to change the subject, she didn’t want to talk about Damian all night. Well… she did, but she didn’t think that was going to make her any friends, or be a good idea for the rest of the night. Especially, since he wasn’t there to embarrass now.

“The Artemis is a massive ship, I’m kind of jealous. I’ve been assigned to the Philly, and I hear it’s a tiny ship.” She sighed with a bit of disappointment. “I hope it’s like this though, everyone here is so lively and welcoming. I don’t feel out of place as much as I thought I would.”

Ju smiled at the woman who was still giving her attention. “How long have you been assigned here?”

==Tag Mara==

[Aeryn Miller]

Beka's arm around her waist, the gentle kiss on her neck, and the whispered praise made Aeryn feel invincible. Not that the redhead hadn't appreciated the positive comments that she'd received so far from both her girlfriend and Robin. Aeryn usually wasn't the type to seek out such validation, but when she got it, of course, she was going to make the most of it, cherish it, and see it as a bonus. Tonight was no exception as she was thoroughly enjoying herself, not wanting it to end, as Robin and Beka answered her about what they should do next.

" You know I'll bail you out," Aeryn remarked, perhaps a little playfully, as a decision was made, and she caught sight of Beka's filthy smirk.

" Obscene Snowmen it is".

This should be interesting Aeryn thought to herself as Beka then led the trio over to one of the spiraling sets of taps, so they could refill their drinks. Thinking that this might be her last alcoholic drink of the night, Aeryn stuck to her usual poison of vodka this time mixed with lemon soda, before taking a sip to taste it.

" Perfect".

== Tag Beka & Robin ==

[Mara Calleja]

“How long have you been assigned here?”

“Me? Erm…” Mara was genuinely stumped by the question, and it took her a few seconds to do the maths. “6 months or so I think? It’s only been 2 missions, and there’s only so much I can say about either. Life around here certainly ain’t borin’.”

She chuckled dryly.

“But you were right about Artemis bein’ welcomin’,” she added. “Don’t get me wrong, standards are high around here. And it can be a bit intimidatin’ at first, workin’ for a Captain who’s a literal legend and serial hero. But if you can keep up and make the most of the opportunity you got bein’ here… There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Calleja took a sip from her glass.

“They took me in. I… I don’t have a spotless record, it’s fair to say. Definitely not your normal path to Star Fleet either. But I got a blank slate here, and a chance to impress. I took it, and I’m gonna keep takin’ any more they give me. Not sure I did with this though.” She made a gesture to take in the party. “This is my warped imagination in action. I don’t think many of them have worked that out, but yeah. They made me feel like I belong here, so this is my way of sayin’ thanks. In my own weird way.”

She grinned.

“I don’t know much about the Philly, but I’m sure you’ll be fine. Although you gotta tell me. How in the name of inappropriate relationships did you end up with our fine FO? There’s a story there I gotta hear.”

It was clear from the glint in her eye that Mara was teasing Ju. The Security officer was just enjoying the novelty of someone being happy to talk to her without being worried or intimidated. That was her real ‘dark secret’. Despite her height, her build, her reputation for tearing through Cardassians bare-handed, Calleja was absolutely no threat to anyone on her own side. The protective instincts ran deep, as did the waspish sense of humour.

== To you Ju! ==

[Eun Ju Han]

Mara had not been here as long as Ju had assumed. Only two missions or about six months was all. The level of comfort the woman had within her own skin had lead Ju to believe that it had been a lot longer. It was interesting to find out these little tidbits and to be reminded how assumptions went when you were just taking someone at face value. She knew that not everyone thought she was going to be a great officer, but at the same time, she knew that she would prove herself through time and experience. Ju was glad and lucky that she would be given that opportunity here in Starfleet.

The young officer talked about how the ship was amazing but working under such a well known Captain and hero was daunting. “I can only imagine,” Ju admitted as she turned to the bar while Mara continued speaking and quickly picked up one of the drinks sitting out on the counter for those walking by and enjoying their time. Taking a sip, she pursed her lips a moment at the strong taste but didn’t wince. She was used to bitter and strong having grown up in Korea.

When Mara admitted that she had no spotless record and yet the Artemis had not only taken her in but also given her a chance to prove herself without judgement Ju gave a soft smile, she didn’t have any kind of record to speak of yet but knowing the kind of Captain that seemed to be running a ship that accepted outcasts. “That’s nice. I haven’t even gotten a chance to really meet anyone on the Philly except one friend. And I didn’t leave the best taste in the Captain’s mouth but… I guess lessons are learned the hard way in the Fleet.”

It was then that the real questions began. Mara asked how in the world she had met the First Officer and how did they end up together. A grin crossed Ju’s face with a slight blush dusting her cheeks. She stalled a moment to try to let the smile on her face fade by taking a sip of her drink again.

“So it’s quite a story. I was on the Promenade and ran into a girl who was also just graduated who was also assigned to my ship. Destiny, I guess. We decided to kill time by buying some supplies. I like to do origami and crafts so we hit the craft store which is where your Commander ran into us. I’m not sure why he was in there, or maybe I didn’t retain it.” Ju gave a smile.

“Anyway, we decided to check out and leave after Ichika, my friend, destroyed a whole display of paint and glitter. We headed to Quark’s get a drink and just talk. Once we sat down and ordered our drinks I pulled a bag of candy out of my pocket to have some fun with a drinking game. The Korean culture .. we like our drinking.” She chuckled giving a bit of a shrug.

“Anyway, we were all set, talking about the rules of the game when Ichika takes one sip of her drink and completely headbutts the table. The sound was so loud. We were absolutely shocked. Caught the attention of everyone in the bar including my now Captain. So turns out Ichika has some sort of allergy or something to alcohol and so we had to abandon the plan, take her to the medbay. After we dropped her off we hung out for a couple hours until she was released.”

Ju couldn’t help but chuckle at the whole situation. “I’ve never, in all my life, seen such a light weight. It was absolutely nuts and it made the Commander and me look like we had allowed her to drink too much. Tea only for the Japanese from now on.” She smiled remembering that day quite vividly especially since it was so recent.

==Tag Mara==

[Mara Calleja]

Mara listened as Ju told the story, her expression shifting smoothly from wry amusement to disbelief and back again.

“OK. So you snared our intrepid FO with an unholy combination of paint, glitter, candy and hard liquor.” She shook her head and just laughed. “I’ve been doin’ it all wrong all these years. Clearly what I needed to do was go wreck someone and then make a move in the Sickbay waitin’ room.”

The Bandaran drained her glass and helped herself to a refill from the nearest tap.

“All these crazy stories about people gettin’ shitfaced just make me even more sure I made the right call swearin’ off alcohol,” she said. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna start preachin’. You do you. Or boss man. Whatever makes you happy.”

It was obvious by the filthy smirk on her face that Mara knew exactly what she had just said.

“And hey, if it all goes wrong for you two, the Mistle-Zone over there will help,” she added. “This crew… The reputation for being maneaters and ladykillers, and in some cases both, has hung around for years. I didn’t know much about it until I got here but wow. Lot of people like gettin’ their horizons widened of an evenin’, that’s for sure.”

Calleja was doing her best to keep the mocking good-natured. Her sense of humour could veer off into caustic if she wasn’t careful, but she was enjoying Ju’s company even if the two of them didn’t exactly have much in common.

== Back atcha  ==

[Robin Mayfair]

“You want to set my warped sense of humour loose with a snowman?” Beka said with a filthy smirk. “Fine by me. Just come bail me out when I get myself arrested by the fun police.”

"I make no promises," Robin responded with a grin.

Aeryn was willing, though. The three stopped off for refills, Robin getting herself only a sweet tea.

The Obscene Snowman Zone was pretty much as she expected. The colony-raised young woman had little experience with snow, it being something that simply didn't fall in the small settled zone of Iota Tau. She liked it, but it did seem a bit weird to her. She reached down and picked up a handful from the ground, patting it together into something vaguely resembling a ball... then with an evil grin whipped it at Aeryn.

== Tags ==

[Eun Ju Han]

Mara seemed utterly shocked as the story of how she snagged Commander Dashing’s attention in the most off the wall way. “Well to be fair, I had gotten covered in paint. Ichika ingested glitter, which she also proceeded to puke all over the floor around our Captain,” Ju couldn’t help but laugh, the whole thing sounded like something out of an anime or some sort of comedy show but to think it had actually happened to the both of them was true and had likely called more attention to herself than if she had just been a normal girl.

“Don’t knock the off the wall methods, I’d like to say it was diabolically planned but I really just happened to walk into a wall of accidents which led to spending time with him. I’m not even sure what it all means, but he brought me here, so I have a little hope anyway,” Ju blushed a little and took another sip of her strong drink while Mara refilled her now empty cup.

Except, it was the wrong time to be taking a sip because Mara admitted she was glad she had quit drinking but that she didn’t want Ju to think there was anything wrong with drinking. She told her to ‘do her’ or at the very least ‘the boss man’. At that terminology Ju snorted her drink in both shock and humor caused her to short her alcohol which went straight up her nose and then back out her nostrils. It burned, her eyes watered, and she cried out in slight surprise. Her eyes slammed shut and her left hand came up to squeeze the bridge of her nose in an effort to quell the pain even slightly.

As the pain receded Ju opened her eyes and wiped away the few tears which had escaped from both laughter and the sheer pain of alcohol anointing your sinus cavities with it’s cleansing properties. She would not have to worry about seasonal allergies for some time. Mara admitted that if things went south she could find others who could fill the needs of Ju since there was no shortage of men and women on board who were always willing to enjoy a good night together. Ju chuckled. “Well, I appreciate the .. uhh.. information. I’m not entirely sure what Damian and I have … or don’t. But, I’m not really like.. struggling for .. anything if you know what I mean.” Ju’s face had gradually grown brighter red with each piece of sentence she struggled to pull out of her frazzled mind.

“Okay so.. lets talk more about you! I don’t know anything about you at all under surface level. Do you have a special someone on board? If so; how did you guys meet?” That’s the ticket Ju, bring attention to someone else, not just yourself!

==Tags Mara==

[Mara Calleja]

The dirty smile on Mara’s face only widened as Ju managed to get a significant quantity of moonshine down the wrong pipe and spluttered the rest back into the glass.

Gotcha.

“Well, I appreciate the .. uhh.. information. I’m not entirely sure what Damian and I have … or don’t. But, I’m not really like.. struggling for .. anything if you know what I mean.” With every word, the Korean woman managed to flush a deeper red, and by the time she was finished she was apparently desperate to change the subject.

“Okay so.. lets talk more about you! I don’t know anything about you at all under surface level. Do you have a special someone on board? If so; how did you guys meet?”

“Very nice attempt at deflection,” Calleja replied with a wolfish grin. “It ain’t gonna work though, ‘cause my personal life is pretty much non-existent. Nobody is linin’ up to make a run at me, and I don’t see that changin’ any time soon.”

Broad shoulders rose and fell as she shrugged.

“I’m used to it by now. I scare guys. I’m taller than most of ‘em, heavier and stronger too, and the rank doesn’t help. There’s only 3 full LTs in Security and I’m one of ‘em. Plus there’s all the stuff goin’ round about me smashin’ face in a fight… Yeah. Then if they ever do try and shoot their shot, you just got a dose o’ my sense of humour. Gonna be single a good while yet I think.”

Dark eyes sparkled as Mara spoke.

“Maybe one day,” she added wryly.

She took a long slug from her drink. Even the non-alcoholic version of the ‘shine had a vicious kick to it, which was very much the intention.

“So what did you say you were?” the Bandaran asked. “I think you said engineer. Any particular specialty?”

== Tag Han! Sorry for the wait, busy few days. ==

[Eun Ju Han]

Deflection…

Ju supposed that’s exactly what it was, she needed to get the subject off of her and Commander Hot and Dark. There were a lot of questions, she herself, still had regarding their relationship and if it was even a full relationship or not. For now, she was just along for the ride until things settled a bit longer and they could have a conversation about it. Right now, there was no point in having a conversation about their relationship when it was still so very new. They hadn’t even had a first kiss yet so she didn’t think it was anything serious just yet.

Mara admitted that she didn’t have much of a personal life, so there wasn’t much to talk about. Ju’s heart fell a little as she listened to her new friend talk down about herself and her hopes for a relationship. Mara talked about how she was taller and stronger than most not to mention that she was a Lieutenant and that scared people especially men away from her. Ju rolled her eyes, “Why are guys still jerks? You would think in this day and age when acceptance is everything that those kinds of things wouldn’t be an issue.”

Ju smirked. “I have two brothers you know,” she grinned. “Well… wait, one, because the eldest is married.” She laughed with a bit of a glisten in her eyes. Neither of them were in Starfleet but she was also just trying to bring Mara out of the pit of self despair where she had gone due to her dating prospects.

“Ahhh deflection.” She teased back at Mara who had called her out earlier with such tactics. When the question settled Ju nodded. “Yeah I’m an Engineer. My main focuses are in Propulsion and Life Support Systems. I want to make the Life Support Systems more effective and to use less engine capacity but also I want to make ships faster. I have a need for speed, it’s unhealthy, but I think there’s a lot of room for improvement with some creativity.”

Ju decided to turn the question back on Mara. “What about you? Security is your department but what are your focuses? Apparently you’re good at fighting, but what else besides smashing faces?”

==Tag Mara==

[Mara Calleja]

“Focuses? Nothin’ quite as cool as a need for speed,” Mara replied with a smile. “We could definitely use some of that ‘round here to get us outta the trouble we normally end up in.”

Her manner was open and pleasant enough but the Bandaran was still guilty of being closed off, particularly if she didn’t know people that well. She certainly wasn’t being as forthcoming as Ju was about her motivations and family and where she came from.

“As for me… Squad tactics and hostile environments are probably what I’m best at,” she added. “I just got used to fightin’ in bad places. It doesn’t phase me any more. Ruined cities, starships, wrecks, toxic atmospheres… Whatever. You just got to get used to the different rules of fightin’ in suits or not bein’ able to shoot. It helps that I seem to be good at reassurin’ and calmin’ down my teams. And the tactics stuff, I get a real kick outta outsmartin’ people. Where I come from gives me a different perspective, so I can mix that in with what Star Fleet taught me. Makes me tough to predict, and I like that.”

Calleja smirked.

“That good enough, or am I gonna get accused of deflectin’?” she asked.

== Back atcha, if you want to carry on? Or now that we’re on shore leave, we can park this and work on something in the current timeline? ==