Lt JG Tess Evinrude - Momentum

[Tess Evinrude]

((‘Disco Inferno’ Roller Arena, The Farm, Endicronimas V))

((OOC: Note that some tags have been removed in short timeskips, don't take this sim as a conclusive list!))

No starship or starbase Tess had lived, traveled, or served aboard had been equipped with such a facility.

A gleaming kitchen with deep fat fryers, toaster ovens, slush-drink machines, and a multi-flavor ice cream maker. A cozy bar, where beer and other fizzy beverages were served from a lengthy array of taps. Two-dimensional entertainment machines, with physical buttons and control sticks. Beautiful polished hardwood. And the carpet! The patterns, gaudy and psychedelic and adorned with streaks of what looked like phaser fire!

It was very nearly perfect. There was just one thing missing.

Evinrude: ::To a Human attendant wearing a badge that read Disco Inferno Shift Manager.:: Yeah, I think that would work. It's pretty quiet over in that corner, by the transparent Tribble holding tanks.

Shift Manager: ::With the patient smile of a therapist.:: Those are claw machines. And the Tribbles aren't real, they're plush! There are a variety of toys from a variety of worlds, we find that they bring about feelings of security and innocence.

Tess blinked and returned the man's smile, though his might have been a little patronizing. He liked The Farm; it was beautiful, the food was great, and there was a staggering variety of activities both fun and relaxing. But he just couldn't shake the feeling that, at the end of the day, it was a medical facility.

Evinrude: Really? Well, I'll have to try my hand at the claw. So the karaoke machine...?

Shift Manager: Yes! It should be set up momentarily.

The Ronin officer looked back over towards the claw machines, and his eyebrows raised in surprise. A Bolian wearing a small utility belt was already setting up a device that resembled a transporter console, but with a larger viewscreen and six handheld microphones hanging from its front.

Evinrude: Oh! Wow...thank you. ::Turning back to the attendant, he gave a more genuine smile.:: Much appreciated. Come join us for some karaoke, if you want!

The attendant's response was polite but noncommittal as Tess turned and pushed off from the railing. He wasn't great at this thing called rollerskating, that much was obvious, but he hadn't fallen.

Yet.

He spotted Alyndra and started to attempt a course change to invite her to sing, but noticed she looked a little preoccupied. With a moment of sadness, he kept rolling on by, making a mental note to find some time to talk before the Ronin eventually departed Endicronimas V. Without her, if the rumors were true.

He did manage to attract the attention of a few familiar faces, in an uncharacteristically disruptive fashion...mostly because he was unable to stop.

Evinrude: ::Gliding by several groups of people, voice only mildly panicked.:: Hey! Karaoke! Back in that corner! By the Tribbles! Come sing after the ceremony! Karaoke!

He discovered that if he made small course adjustments he was able to decelerate, and by the time he hit the railing on the opposite side of the roller rink the impact was completely absorbed by his outstretched arms.

oO That wasn't so bad... Oo

The table on the other side of the short wall held some kind of dumplings and/or empanadas, and - with a firm one-handed grip on the rail - he scooped a few of the fried pockets of mystery filling onto a plate, along with some cherry tomatoes and pickled pepper rings. He carefully turned around and spotted his next target - the bar.

Evinrude: ::Quietly.:: Set a course...

He pushed off the railing again.

((Short Timeskip))

Evinrude had taken position by the railing, leaning back against it almost casually. He'd learned that the four-wheeled contraptions strapped to his feet had friction pads on the front, and his knee was popped forward so the toe of the skate pushed firmly against the floor.

Compared to the last ceremony on Proxima Sigma IV, this one was quite casual - officers clustered together organized by choice rather than department, and Tess had found a spot near some of his favorite people. As Captain Niac opened the ceremonies, Nurse Rox glided to a remarkably graceful stop as their CO began, as if she was a born skater.

Niac:  It’s a pleasure to see you all together once again.  I believe we owe the staff of The Farm our compliments, it certainly seems to have lived up to its restorative reputation.  Up until I put these ridiculous roller-wheels on, I was the most relaxed I’d been in months.  

The captain seemed unusually off-balance, though their XO looked comfortable enough, positioned slightly behind their bearded leader, perhaps poised to assist.

Niac:  In the interests of conducting our business here today before I need to avail myself of medical care, I’ll be as brief as reasonably possible considering the broad scope of your recent accomplishments.  Because of you…because of your steady nerve in the face of a horrific attack…because of your focus under pressure…because of your dedication to one another…the embers of a grave threat to the Federation were extinguished before they could ignite an inferno.  You have once again stymied the plans of a ruthless organization and shown them that Starfleet stands firm against terror for profit, against opportunistic brutality, and against anything that would reduce life to an expendable asset.  

Evinrude's face darkened, and he lifted a half-empty pint of beer to his lips to try to distract him from moving down a mental rabbit-hole of darker emotions. He'd made peace with his own actions, but the Consortium's could never be forgiven.

Niac:  To that end, each member of this crew is receiving a Silver Lifesaving Ribbon for your efforts to save our brothers and sisters from the Compass Rose.  Let it be a reminder to you of the souls you were able to make safe…and all those others who will forever remain on patrol in the Kappa 214 system......

Forever on patrol. Something about those words hit Evinrude hard.

((OOC: Cutting off dialogue and other tags for another short timeskip to avoid duplication))

Beck, Kel, Syrex, and Rox all earned much-deserved medical commendations. He applauded, musing in a bittersweet way that it was probably the plague, their intervention, and their decision (or perhaps Starfleet's mandate) to take leave here on Endocronimas V that led to the new position he'd heard Alyndra had been offered.

oO Will this place take Quentin, too? Oo

He knew it would happen, he just didn't expect it to be so soon. You can't keep your friends close, in Starfleet. At least not geographically close.

Niac:  While our medical personnel were distinguishing themselves, let us remember that they did not crack this problem alone.  Lieutenant Commander Marty Tucker, Lieutenant Junior Grade Tess Evinrude…front and center.

That interrupted Tess' thoughts, likely for the best. He didn't want to dwell on things that might distract him from the present celebration.

Though he was a bit apprehensive about being announced alongside Chief Tucker, he knew that the captain wasn't calling them up to the awards table for a dressing down. He gave Marty an amused little shrug as they made their way forward, Tess once again using his "push off and hope for the best" style of locomotion.

Evinrude: ::Quietly, to Tucker.:: Think we're about to receive a Gott Co. gift certificate? "Thank you for letting our product steal a day of your life."

Tucker:  Response

Tess' journey was uneventful, but he had misjudged the force needed to push off and reach it. Stalling out about three-quarters of the way there, he actually used Quentin Beck's shoulder as a push-off point to gain him the last few meters of distance, turning around to grin at the doctor.

Beck: Response (optional)

As he turned away to begin his final approach to the awards table, he scanned the crowd. His face lit up when his gaze passed over T'Fearne; despite the fact that they had just been talking, he still felt a rush of affection. He made eye contact with a few others, Shortrith and Syrex among them, but someone was conspicuously absent.

oO Where's Ian? Oo

He would have to track down the third Amigo later. Again using the stopper on the toe of his skate, he came to a sort of attention in front of the CO and XO, the former wearing a glare that was, Tess realized, mostly an act.

Niac:  Although you were somewhat…haphazard…in the conduct of your duties, there is no getting around the fact that your work on the Consortium delivery mechanism and the subsequent capture of the creator of this plague were instrumental in developing a treatment.  As such you are both awarded the Innovation Ribbon…and reminded that I still have those bracelets in my office. Congratulations gentlemen.  

Tucker: Response

Evinrude: I prefer this over the bracelet... ::He said, accepting the ribbon.:: ...but thank you for the reminder. Sir.

He could have sworn he saw the faintest smile playing at the corners of the captain's mouth as he skated away. Tess glanced down at the ribbon, and felt some hollow little emotion settle in his chest. Guilt, perhaps?

oO Ian should be here. He had...things he needed to take care of, but we were a team... Oo

((OOC: Another short timeskip to avoid duplication))

Evinrude hadn't spent much time with their sec/tac chief, Jack Kessler, but the man's service record was impressive. He, along with Commander Raga and Alyndra, earned leadership ribbons for their part in keeping the chaos at bay while the plague tried to do what plagues do best.

Niac:  Lastly, there is one member of the crew who, although new to the Ronin before these events, has quickly found a home among us and become someone the crew, myself included, look to for warmth and support.  Ensign Renaie Shortrith, please step forward.  

Their new Klingon counselor rolled slowly forward and returned the command staff's smile.

Niac:  Ensign, to say your introduction to the Ronin was a trial by fire is an understatement.  Yet during the course of the mission and all the horrors it entailed you were a steady voice who kept the welfare of the crew first and foremost in mind at all times.  Since then you have guided several of us through the traumas they endured and attended to our mental health with the same degree of skill and compassion that the staff here brought to our physical care.  For that reason I am awarding you the Unity Ribbon.  Congratulations, Ensign Shortrith.  

Shortrith: Thank you, both of you.

The sounds of cheering and clapping quieted down as the crowd realized the captain had more to say.

Niac:  Don’t go anywhere Ensign, there is one further matter to be resolved.  After examining your service record from your prior postings and seeing for myself the high degree of skill which you’ve brought to Ronin, I have been forced to conclude that you cannot serve aboard my ship as an Ensign any longer.  To that end…Commander Raga has a small addition for your uniform.  ::He nodded and Toryn produced a small wooden box from within his uniform jacket.::  It is my great pleasure to promote you, Ensign Renaie Shortrith, to Lieutenant Junior Grade with all the rights and responsibilities befitting of that rank.  Congratulations Lieutenant!

The now-lieutenant's humble reply was nearly drowned out by applause, growing more thunderous by the second.

Shortrith:  Um… Thank you. I won't let you down.

The command team waited several minutes for the celebratory commotion to settle back down, though Tess saw that some officers had started to skate around to their comrades, congratulating those who had earned accolades.

Niac:  With our business concluded I’ve been told to inform you that something called ‘free skate’ begins in a few minutes and…

Evinrude was just contemplating the journey to the bar to acquire another pint, but  a sudden interruption in the captain's voice and a thud from the podium drew his attention. Realizing their CO had fallen, he winced in sympathy. Spirits were high, and there were a few jovial gasps, but not a soul expressed any real malice at their fearless, bearded leader's misfortune.

Niac: ....dismissed.  

Before the room could come alive, Raga skated over to their fallen CO and tapped him once on the shoulder. He announced for all to hear.

Raga: TAG, you’re it!

The XO grinned and retreated nimbly into the throng of assembled officers as a few moved to help the captain up. Evinrude pushed off towards the bar on a course that would take him right by Niac.

Evinrude: ::To Niac:: Grab you a drink, sir? I saw a bottle of Alvanian Brandy behind the bar!

The bar did not have Alvanian Brandy, but they did have an old-Earth drink called Malort, which Evinrude managed to trick the captain into sharing (or perhaps the man just humored him, knowings its acquired taste). He also managed to win something from the claw machines while waiting on his turn to sing karaoke, and gifted it to T'Fearne with exaggerated ceremony. He wasn't, however, able to find O'Connor, but made a mental note to catch up with him first chance he got.

All in all, it was quite the free skate.

[Tags/End Scene for Evinrude]

--

Lieutenant J.G. Tess Evinrude

[he/him]

Operations Officer

USS Ronin

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