Mess-y Encounter

Posted on Fri Sep 9th, 2022 @ 10:13am by Lieutenant JG Rafe Hunnicutt & Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph. D

4,071 words; about a 20 minute read

Mission: The devil wears tripolymer
Location: Main Mess Hall, Deck 3

Some days, it appeared that there was a shared idea on a ship. As if an announcement had been made, and everyone had dutifully reported to do said action. The action in this instance was going to the main mess hall, rather than the lounge, for food. It wasn't a replicator shortage, so perhaps it was a simple as it was a day of the week where people just wanted to be around people.

The only downside with that, Rafe Hunnicutt decided, was that there weren't many seats free. There certainly wasn't a free table, something that may have made an introvert shudder at the mere thought. Hunnicutt wasn't that bothered though, because he was still finding his way around the ship.

It felt like he droned on about it a bit in his head, but he had hit that point of being on a ship to be familiar with the routines of his department, and the name and faces of it, but the rest of the crew were still a mystery. Armed with his tray of a Ploughman's lunch, replicated but he had found one he liked, he walked around looking for somewhere suitable to sit.

The choice ended up to be a man sitting alone at a table, with dark blond hair that stayed in a way that Hunnicutt was slightly jealous of. So, because he was a man not afraid of approaching random strangers, he walked straight over. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked, meeting the man's blue eyes and giving him a friendly smile. "I tried to stand and eat, but it gives me a terrible indigestion."

"It's a semi-free universe!" Anthony said with a broad Glaswegian accent, which was a little broader than normal because he put a lot on to keep fairly open space around himself. He looked up quickly at the man's uniform and saw the Golden collar as the other man sat. he ran through the list in his head and they had indeed received a new engineer recently. He couldn't think of his name though; instead, he said "Busy isn't it."

Hunnicutt sat down, nodding as he met his eyes. The accent made the smile brighten up, and he gave him a nod. "As busy as Rangers playing the Celtics, but hopefully with far less blood," he said, relaxing and his own accent, a bit more watered out, came through. Hunnicutt has was transplant after all, and while he had lived in Glasgow, it was more like switching a language that something that stayed with him all the time. "Rafe Hunnicutt, Engineering. Not heard the sweet tones of Glasgow in a while."

Hearing a more watery Scottish accent similar to his own Anthony smiled. "Much less blood hopefully. My mother wouldn't let me go to a match by myself until I was almost out of my own teens so she knew I would be safe there., You never knew whether more blood would be on the pitch or in the stands." Anthony said often glad his mother would stop him going for as long as he did there were many children that knew how many languages he was already studying at Primary school. "Nice to meet you, Lieutenant Hunnicutt, I'm Lieutenant Edwards, I'm okay with Anthony in the off-duty areas."

"And I am alright with Rafe, or Hunnicutt, both on and off duty," Hunnicutt admitted as he picked up his fork, turning over the piece of cheese before grabbing the bread instead. "See, my mother wasn't paying too much attention. Snuck in when I was fourteen, never seen football before in my life. I was expecting the ball to float or something. It didn't, but I saw a few broken noses and a quick roundup of Glaswegian curse words. So Anthony. Judging by the cut of your uniform, or more the colour of it, you're either a poker, a shrinker, or a thinker. I'm happy to keep guessing randomly until I hit jackpot, but then I feel I need to put some sort of wager down." He looked up at Anthony, raising an eyebrow in a playful manner.

"You could put down a wager if you like, Though if you really want to I'll make fair I'll tell you that Blood makes me vomit, and that probably wouldn't make me a very good poker, so I guess that leaves you with a thinker or mental tinkerer!"

"Well if blood is an issue, I'd say that with that hint I can see you disliking deep emotions too, and also explains why your mother didn't let you go and see a footie match until you were old enough to clean up your own sick," Hunnicutt replied easily, before picking up a slice of pork pie. Or it looked like it should be a pork pie. "So thinker. Science. The smart group, who gave us great inventions like...great inventions of science."

"Yeah, probably a good reason for not going to a game. As for brainiac inventions I leave that to Lieutenant Wells, she has a much better grasp on the theoretical stuff. Tonk'peh me, i prefer gen-lis." (But me I prefer the languages in spoke Vulcan.)

"Bless you," Hunnicutt said, before he chuckled softly. "A lost art, languages. That was Vulcan, right? I used to do languages as a lad, but the universal translator has ruined it. Well. I did Cardassian and Bajoran, very handy on colonies between those territories." He paused, watching the other man with some fascination. "A linguist. My mother would have loved you, would mean she didn't have to learn 'trust me, I'm a doctor' in fifteen different languages."

Anthony actually laughed and said, " I'm impressed yes it was Vulcan. Yeah the UT is good but if it breaks you're stuffed. Apart from the hemophobia issue dealing with people not understanding is one of the reasons I didn't go into Medicine, as it was I was roughly twenty-five by the time I transferred to Starfleet to start earning some money after a master's in Language and Linguistics."

"See, one look at you, I knew there was brains behind the looks as well," Hunnicutt smiled playfully, nodding. "You're right, once the UT breaks, you are back to speaking slowly and loudly to be met with blank glances. I see the benefits of languages. But not being naturally inclined to it, I fell into repairing things. Technology has dialects, but the basic root is the same..." he paused, looking thoughtful. "Huh, I think I linguist-d that. Go me."

Opening his mouth a few times to say something that stuck in his throat as his head kept saying that it was the first time he had met Rafe and he should get to know him better. the final time Anthony opened his mouth he simply said "Oh brother... You're leaving it as Linguist-d. Well, I'll overlook it, because you engineers are some of the hardest workers out here and I don't look forward to walking home in an environmental suit.

"If you think we're the hardest workers out here, our master plan of making everyone believe it is working," Hunnicutt said, watching the other man with a chuckle. "So let me get this straight...you're a maverick at languages, and decided to...what? Practice them all in Starfleet? I mean, it is the best place to get that practice in, but more financial independence of having Starfleet's credit on anything seems a bit..." he stopped himself, shaking his head with a sudden grin, at himself more than anything. "Never mind. I'm ranting, sorry. It's none of my business. They don't let me out of my cage very often, not unsupervised. In case I bark too much."

Anthony chuckled at Rafe's insistence that Engineers appear to be working harder. "Maverick not really, I don't see it as being Unorthodox just someone that took an interest in learning them at an early age. The ancient earth languages, of course, have been anglicised and we all have slightly different accents, but all the ones I started learning at university have kept my ear very open to differing inflexions and slightly different languages. Every department has those that need to stay on a short leash. I am sure you'll be fine, you are at least not backwards in coming forward to meet people. To most people, I am the grouchy one in the corner with no one near me and that is exactly how I like it more often than not.

"Well, if you ever need me to buzz off, you let me know," Hunnicutt raised an eyebrow, watching the other man. "In clear letters, I'm not good at taking a hint. I'm also, despite the evidence in front of you, able to keep schtum for a couple of seconds too." he thought about what he had said, about the languages. "I don't think you're unorthodox. I suppose...there's so much out there, why Starfleet? Why be bound by the uniform, when you can communicate with everyone."

"Fleet born and bred. Well, that and there isn't actually that much call for actual linguists as many people think. Especially with how reliable the translator is and how protected it is in most ships nowadays." He didn't go into too much detail about his family as it was still painful five years later.

"Ah, that explains it. Born into it," Hunnicutt nodded, smiling easily at that. "To be honest, for me it was more the simplicity of it all. Once you're in, provided you don't mutiny, Starfleet covers all the bases. And it brings me face to face with a warp core, which in my book is a good deal."

"Yeah, you're an engineer!" Anthony said with a chuckle. Just the way Rafe said what he said about mutiny made him think there was some distrust of the federation in Raf's background which Rafe could speak about when he was ready.

"Oh, I picked out gold. Suits my complexion," Hunnicutt said lightly, watching Anthony. "Tell me, Anthony, do you enjoy a drink? Not necessarily the synthahol kind, but a wee dram of something? Only asking because I left my drinking buddies in my other trousers."

"Is the Pope Catholic? They used to ask in the twentieth century when a question was a little silly. Of course what one does in the privacy of one's own cabin is up to you and your guests, but being a Chief I generally don't drink much except Synthahol unless I am on shore leave. or organised parties." Anthony said.

"Ah, well...next shoreleave, let me know. I've been down in the past to...do a little bit of science experiments with a distillery," Hunnicutt offered, smiling as he watched him. "Not that I've had time to set up shop yet. Part of the challenge is use what you got at hand, and I am all out of tubing. At this rate, I'll have it up next year."

"Well so long as we stay away from Blood wine I'm good for scientific experimentation as well." Laughing Anthony added "I guess my glass tubes are fairly safe glass shards shaving your client from the inside is probably a bad thing."

"Well, I make gin. I call it gin, it's clear and it can be used as an anaesthesia too," Rafe laughed with him, considering it for a moment. "First batch on shoreleave will be yours. It'll be beautifully aged, perhaps even a whole day."

"I think most alcohol has been used as an anaesthetic at some stage, especially for those that need a bit of courage to get a tattoo. That said so long as you stick to gin over vodka I could be encouraged to take a couple of bottles to try it in the rough before I decide how long I should let it sit to be drinkable.

"Oh, trust me, if it sits too longer it will walk itself to the nearest airlock," Hunnicutt said, shaking his head before he took another bite of his much-neglected food. And to be honest, it didn't taste that great anyway. "You got any ink on you then, Anthony?"

Anthony laughed and said "You know why tattoo artists are always holding a tissue in one hand and their gun in the other right?" As he said it and thought about he took a deep breath followed by a swallow from his glass of water.

"In case they want to do some sketching?" he asked, grinning as he watched Anthony. "I haven't actually had anything done like that. Not into needles."

"Well I'm not doing a let's make a tattoo pact, that leads to tattoos like James Sulu from stupidity." Anthony said as he controlled his stomach.

"Not had the pleasure of meeting him, or his tattoos," he put down his fork, grimacing. "Is it me, or does replicated food taste the same at times? I can't tell the cheese from the pork pie." He pushed the tray to the side, so it was out of their vision. "You alright there?"

"Yeah, probably from having been liquid proteins not all that long ago. They give us what we need but never develop a taste." Anthony said with a chuckle and added "Yes I will be okay once I stop thinking about the blood."

"Ah, we can take care of that," Hunnicutt leant closer, holding his eyes for a long moment before he gave a smile so quick, it looked almost comical. "What's your favourite language? Always partial to anything I could talk myself, but I am curious what yours is."

"Don't ever tell the Romulans or the Vulcans for that matter, but linguistically they're almost still exactly the same, even after more than two millennia." Anthony said, I mean the words have changed slightly but the inflexions are still very similar, which still shows they have the same roots."

"So those are your favourite?" Hunnicutt asked, biting his lip thoughtfully. "I can understand why. Just listening to it, it sounds more melodic...far more expressive than the people who invented it, if you know what I mean."

Anthony chuckled to himself before he said. "Most of the Vulcan language is from the time before the sundering of Vulcan from Romulan societies so they were somewhat more expressive pre-Surak."

"I have to be honest...I can't imagine it," he admitted, looking down as he thought about it. "So you'll have to passionately talk to me in Vulcan at some point, so that I can say I've heard it."

Two thousand years of suppressing their emotions and just over three years of human warp flight I'd be very surprised if any human except Amanda Grayson has ever heard a Vulcan speak passionately."

"I don't need to hear a Vulcan speak it, Anthony...just hearing the language itself would be a hoot. Imagine Shakespeare done in Vulcan?" Hunnicutt cleared his throat, thinking for a moment. "And when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night...and pay no worship to the garish sun..."

Anthony smiled and said "As the Immortal Bard William said the Scottish play, Tor-morrow, heh tor-morrow, heh tor-morrow, creeps svi' nash petty sahr s' gad tor gad, tor wuh kim-shah zhit-shaya t' vipladau wak; heh ek' etwel yesterdays ma lighted duhsu wuh yut tor grazhiv tevakh. Si', si', brief ha'fek! Ha'kiv’s tonk'peh wuh walking duv, wuh ri donku-tor hahf ik struts heh frets ish-veh wadan fi-tor wuh skaf heh yi nam-tor puzhu-tor rai weht."

(To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more.)

Hunnicutt's eyes widened as he heard it, a smile spreading across his face. Once Anthony finished he clapped, letting out a low whistle. "I can die a happy man, for I have heard someone speak Vulcan with passion and emotion."

"It wasn't easy to find one that was passionate without being lovey dovey. Except for Romeo and Juilet which was a lovey dovey tragedy, over a murderous one William's work on tragedy is much better than the other stuff." Anthony said with a chuckle.

"A most excellent pick, if you as me. Much appreciated by me. I'll take it with me wherever I go, and will try not to giggle the next time we have a Vulcan Ambassador around..." he winked, sitting back as he studied the man before him. "Are you a gambler, by any chance? Nothing exciting, maybe poker?"

"Not particularly, between running the science department finding time to be with Lieutenant Wells and keeping well practiced with my Martial Arts and music keeps me pretty busy." Anthony said.

"I bet it does. Well, if that ever changes...I'm a bad judge of character, and I am not good at bluffing. In other words, I play poker to excess," Rafe said, nodding with approval. A Chief always had a lot on, he could respect that. Also one of the many reasons Rafe would never touch that spot. He liked having spare time, he liked getting out of doing things, and he liked not having to worry about people. "And there's always room for more people, Lieutenant Wells would be welcome too."

"She'd be there with bells on given half the chance of baffling me with her knowledge, as I said earlier she is much more theoretical than I ever was. Also given half a chance at a stimulating engineering conversation she would too." Anthony said smiling to let Rafe his bluff didn't work added, "I've never been that good with games of chance though, oh and your inflexion on bluffing was wrong you may want to work on that if you try to bluff a Linguist again."

Hunnicutt laughed, throwing his hands up. "I see when I am beat. Beaten up, left on the ground with my cards. Wouldn't want to see a grown man cry...the grown man being me, of course," he looked at his tray, sighing. "I better recycle that, and find something to do..." he stopped as something Anthony had said registered. "Martial arts you say? What sorts?"

"All the fun Japanese ones. Ninjitsu, Jiujitsu, Aikido, Kendo by name. I wanted to do Shoalin Kung fu, but just ran out of time before I left for space." Anthony said.

"I can barely pronounce half of them, and the other half I am scared of offending," Hunnicutt said, clearly impressed as he shook his head. "Well, I box. Which I know is very basic in comparison. Aikido is the...defence one, right? Or am I confusing it with something else?"

"Defence or more defensive is dependant on how you define those words. Does it openly punch people in the face, no, but that means that it isn't aggressive and a major principle of it is that your attack, is your opponent's attack controlled and redirected, though all Martial Arts have that as a principle." Anthony said before he switched to boxing rules, "That's why boxers duck and weave and hide behind the gloves. No disrespect meant by that, but Boxing is a little bloody for my liking."

"No disrespect taken, I like it because it is a little bloody," he admitted, shaking his head. "And because the punching back doesn't punch back half the time. I like staying in shape, but I also have to admit I am not one of the most coordinated human beings that ever flew in space. As my trainer at the Academy said..." he cleared his throat, and put on an accent that seemed to be more Russian than anything else. "If Starfleet had to rely on your two left feet in a war, Hunnicutt, we'd all be speaking Klingon..." he stopped and gave a quick shrug. "I never could get the gees right for Klingon, so I suppose we're lucky no one ever had to rely on me for a conflict."

"You had Chief Rachmaninoff too then. He stopped swearing at me when he realised I could work out what he was saying under his breath and I put in a complaint." Anthony laughed "Ancient earth languages aren't that hard to work out because a fair number of them have words within the English language and for those that don't all the inflexions are basically the same."

His eyes widened with surprise at his own impersonation being good enough for Anthony to know exactly who he was talking about. "Chief Rachmanioff..." he shook his head, tutting. "That man was personally responsible for many wet pillows in the cadet bunks. Only Chief I've ever wanted to hit. But after I graduated I realised he was part of the Prime Directive training. If you can survive four years with him, you can survive a diplomatic meeting with some very annoying people."

"Once I got out here and knew I would be very useful in those diplomatic missions I was very glad of having Chief Rachmanioff's as a trainer." Anthony said with a smile.

"Who else did you have?" he asked, curious as he found himself lost in the conversation. He was enjoying himself, finding as if he had found someone he really could talk to. "Oh, did you have...Reneke? I only did for a little bit, for the first aid stuff. Grip like a vice."

"Most of my instructor have slid from my mind in the almost ten years out here.I don't remember much first aid. You know the blood thing." Anthony said.

"Ah, most of Starfleet first aid is to give a hypo and beam them up to the ship," Rafe said with a grin, giving a nod. "I only seem to remember the ones I didn't get on with. Or my Engineering instructor...T'Lan. Oh, she was something. Couldn't crack a smile to save her life, but what she told me about antimatter has stuck with me. But I think no one really talks about the real lesson...when you get on a ship, when you find yourself doing the theory. And trying not to lose your mind."

"What did you expect from a woman with a name like T'Lan. Though that is one think about the Vulcans, They may be heavily controlled emotionally but no matter weather it is the sciences they choose to follow or Engineering or anything else they are balls to the proverbial wall. Or at least that is what it seems like, but that may just be because they have four times the life span of a human." Anthony had many Vulcan friends, which was helped by him being fluent in the language but he knew that most of them were so far ahead of him scientifically it was almost like he was a baby learning his first words.

"They got the brains and the lifespan for it, which is more than I can say for myself," Hunnicutt admitted, taking a deeper breath. "I should get going. I need to figure out where to hide from the Chief for my next shift...don't judge me too hard, I find that the more PADDs I can avoid filing out, the less heat the Yeoman gives on my department. I've never been good at crossing the Is and dotting the Ts...or however that saying went."

Anthony rolled his eyes and laughed as he said, "Yes avoiding paperwork is a very important task, Almost as important as finding the right place to sleep during the shift."

"Exactly," Hunnicutt said and stood, taking the tray ready to be recycled. "I'll seek you out, Anthony. Talking to you makes me miss wind, fog, dampness, cold...and it has been a balm on my soul." He winked, not giving the other man a chance as he walked of...in case he got himself distracted into talking more to him.

Anthony laughed as Rafe walked away, and said to his disappearing back, "With statements like that you give away that you weren't born in Scotland!"

OFF:

Lieutenant Anthony Edwards Ph.D
Chief Science Officer

&

Lieutenant Junior Grade Rafe Hunnicutt
Engineer

 

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