Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - I Scream, You Scream...

[Addison MacKenzie]

(( Taste of the Quadrants – Deck 229, Deep Space 224 ))

  

 

MacKenzie’s attention turned to Ensign Cole, eager to see what she thought of one of her favorite dishes. The security officer picked up part of her hasparat and took a bite. MacKenzie looked on, noticing that Cole’s face had become more flush than it had when she was eating her stew, and her eyes started to water. The commanding officer resisted the urge to laugh, her lips only pulling into a thin empathetic smile as she realized what was happening.

 

MacKenzie: Hasparat a little spicy?

 

Cole: ::holding back a spice induced cough:: Just a little. ::making a gesture holding two fingers pinched almost touching::

Richards: I tend to stay away from anything spicy. ::Tilting her head to the side:: Does that make me a boring redhead?

 

Her eyes shifted from Richards back to Cole as she bit her tongue to keep from laughing at the Nastasha’s misjudgment of the spice level. She hadn’t thought to warn her – the security officer seemed to have been keeping up with the spice level of her soup, after all. Instead, all she could do was offer up her basket of fries.

 

MacKenzie: French fry? They came with a garlic aioli sauce – that should help tame the heat a bit…

 

Cole: Thank you, ::picking up a few:: next time I’ll have to pick one or the other, not both.

 

MacKenzie’s eyes widened with horror as the security officer’s hand that had previously been holding the hasparat moved toward her eye. Fortunately, Natasha also realized the impending mistake and ceased before real disaster struck. Samantha just chuckled.

 

Richards: Anyone up for some dessert? ::Glancing towards Nat:: You know, some ice cream or something on the colder side. 

 

Samantha smirked, looking between the two of them.

 

Cole: I would LOVE ice cream. ::feeling the heat slowly return::

 

MacKenzie: ::nodding affirmatively:: Ice cream. I didn’t see any on the menu here, though…

Richards: I think I remember something about an ice cream shop around 224 somewhere. 

She pulled her PADD out of her bag and did a quick search while Natasha jammed a few fries into her hasparat to manage the next several bites.

Richards: Ah, right here ::pointing:: Looks like “The Swoon Spoon” is not far from here. 

 

Cole: ::tilting her head:: That’s an interesting name.

 

MacKenzie: I’m sold. What do they have?

The shop was apparently known for its eclectic names.

Richards: I for one, am curious as to what “Buttered up Bolian cone” or a ::holding back a laugh:: “Raspberry Riker Ripple” tastes like. Either of you interested in joining me?

Cole: ::drinking some of her drink:: I am at least, how about you, Doctor MacKenzie?

 

MacKenzie: You had me at Raspberry Riker Ripple.

 

Richards: Response

  

Cole: Ready when either of you are. ::smiling, trying to not show she was still feeling the heat::

 

 

(( The Swoon Spoon – Deck 229, Deep Space 224 ))

 

 

The trio took care of the rest of their meal, then proceeded to slip out of the booth and back onto the Promenade. MacKenzie, for one, was moving a little slower now that her stomach was full of hasparat, but she was grateful to have had a meal with one of her favorite dishes. Ambling down the promenade, a shoppe with a bright pink, white, and blue banner came into view. In the window next to the walkup counter was a giant neon ice cream cone.

 

A small crowd had formed around the counter.

 

MacKenzie: Looks like the wait might be a minute… That’s good – it’ll give your hasparat a chance to settle.

 

She smirked amusedly in Cole’s direction.

 

Cole/Richards: Response

 

MacKenzie looked up to the giant marquee filled with their list of flavors. There were almost too many to choose from. If there was one thing she hated, it was restaurant menus that were too big – decision fatigue took all the joy out of eating.

 

MacKenzie: What are you going to have?

 

Cole/Richards: Response

 

She swatted her hand in front of her face.

 

MacKenzie: Too many choices. I love raspberry, and Raspberry Riker Ripple was one of the first things I heard Samantha say, so I have to stop there.

 

Cole/Richards: Response

 

 

 

Tag, and TBC!

 

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Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A

Captains Council Member at Large

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