[M&M] Parties and Costumes

Posted on Monday, 26 October 2020 - 5:31pm by

Mission: Operation: Dreamweaver
Location: Jupiter Station
Timeline: 2393

{ON:}

Tilian Grol sat across from the big events room on the Promenade of Jupiter Station. All day he’d been covering for Soral, attending events that the XO should attend. It appeared the Soral wanted to spend some time with his family which was understandable. He hadn’t minded going to all those meetings it was this event that he had minded being asked to cover.

A costume party. Really?

It was a way of the Jupiter station welcoming new arrivals and he understood the principle behind it but the logic in it being mandatory was…ridiculous. He wondered if he’d see anyone from the ship. Now he sat, drink in hand, staring at the door trying to put off going in.

Costume wise? Well he’d opted for something simple. A vintage uniform and a wig and he’d transformed into a poor man’s Pike. He observed the other arrivals in some fascinating costumes but he planned to go in, make his greetings to the CO of the station on behalf of Soral and stay for a drink or two and then hightail it out of there as quick as possible.

Grol had never understood the need for people to socialize outside of work…well he did but not at these ridiculous events. A costume party?

Shaking his head Grol stood up. He straightened his uniform jacket and finished his hot chocolate and headed to the big event room doors. He counted the steps and the seconds until the door hissed open and he put on the best fake smile he could. The line to say hello to the CO was long and when he eventually got there. He made Soral’s excuses greeted the CO and delivered thank you words and then was ushered further into the maelstrom of people milling about.

He did manage to pick out some crew that he knew, nodded their way and made sure that they saw him so that it would get back to Soral that he had actually attended the event. He weaved his way to the bar, ordered a cranberry juice and proceeded to a quiet corner where he could people watch, a favourite activity of his.
What surprised him was the familiar face that he saw weaving his way towards Grol. “Dallas?” He said as the man made his way towards Grol. Dallas was dressed, as his name hinted, as a Texas cowboy. “Interesting costume,” he said.

Dallas laughed. “Yeah it was all I could think of.”

“What are you doing here?” He asked.

Dallas, pulled out a chair and smiled as he sat. “Here on business. The CO of Jupiter station wants to have a conference on Risa and they want to use my hotel.”

Grol raised and eyebrow that would have made a Vulcan proud. “I see.”

Dallas studied him. “So who are you supposed to be?”

Grol sighed. He’d had to explain his costume to the Jupiter Station CO as well. “I’m Captain Pike.”

Dallas laughed, “Oh….okay I see.”

There was a small awkward pause. Dallas was the first to break it, “So I take it you are not enjoying yourself. You have that ’I want to escape’ look about you.”

There was some truth to that. “Yes…well I am here representing our XO who could not be here.” He finished his juice and then waved at the bartender for another before turning to Dallas. “Two drinks and I can officially leave. I finished one and just ordered the other.”

Dallas laughed. “You calculated that pretty precisely.”

“Indeed.” Grol sighed as the drink arrived and took two big gulps bringing the glass to half empty.

Dallas laughed again. “Well I was going to go for a walk through the arboretum. Feel like a walk? We can catch up.”

Grol gave a nod. “Sure.” He finished his drink and the two weaved their way out of the room. When they were safely away from the crowed Grol let out a sigh. “Thank goodness that is over.”

Dallas smiled. “Yeah I’m not big on big parties either. How’s your cat?”

Always happy to answer questions about his pet he smiled, “She is adapting to our quarters well. She has already claimed everything for her own.”

Dallas grinned, “Yes well cats are just that way.”

They began to walk and a companionable silence settled between the two.

“So why Pike?” Dallas asked breaking the silence.

“Personal hero.”

“Well the point of costume parties is that you pick a costume that is scary and unusual.”

Grol thought a moment. “Well this costume is frightening to me.”

Dallas smiled, “Oh? How so?”

“I’m scared that I will never be the man that he was.”

Dallas shook his head smiling. “I have a feeling that you already are Tilian.”

{OFF:}