There's a Turtle in My Beer (title 100% WIP)
Posted on Thu Jan 30th, 2025 @ 7:21pm by Captain Min Seong & Cornelius Warner MS & Lieutenant Gunnar Arnason
2,226 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Terrorpin
Location: Silver Tongue
Timeline: MD 01, concurrent with the finding the turtle post.
"I highly appreciate you agreeing to meet me all the way over here." Min had little time to be social with the crew as of late. Between Sandwich and the Lee-zurians, the paperwork that had piled up, and the colony's continued issues with their civilian leadership, Min was ... Busy would be an understatement. But when she did find the time, she distinctly remembered a recommendation The Silver Tongue that sounded appealing. The issue to that being - she did not want to go alone. Luckily, she had an excuse in checking in on Lieutenant Arnason. He had been acting head of medicine for so long, Min was fairly certain the whole colony assumed he just was going to be there until he got sick of it.
"I should be getting out more," she admitted to the taller man. "I am quite glad there are establishments like this that aren't causing giant hubbubs." She stared at the building they were in front of, as if expecting it to transform into a giant robot and cause havoc. "... It hasn't yet, has it?"
"Um..." A memory of stripping out of Viking era armor in an ancient tavern with talking crows flashed through Gunnar's head. "It was caught under the holodome-gone-wild and became an old-style inn. But everything in town was affected, and even then, it was a bit a haven to rest in," he added with as much of a reassuring tone as he could muster at the moment. Which given that he'd spent the last 12 hours dealing with the fallout of an emerging ...whatever that was in that field ... was not necessarily a tremendous amount.
"Oh." Min seemed less enthused to enter the establishment at the thought, nose scrunching and brow raising. Nonetheless, she stepped through the door that had slid open, "I had always thought deep space travel was going to find all the exciting stories. I suppose when you're in one spot, all the exciting gravitates to you."
"That has been my experience, Captain," Gunnar agreed, suppressing a sigh. Yes, he'd nearly lost an arm serving on a ship, but that had been nothing compared to the weirdness he'd encountered on his first colony posting. Thankfully this one had not hit anything like that level. Yet at least... "To be fair, malfunctioning holo-entertainment causing 'excitement' is something that's been an issue for over a century."
From his spot at the bar, Cornelius half listened to one of the regulars, a hydroponics researcher working on "the future of deep space exploration" babble about their theories on the best way to maximize water recycling for near-zero gravity environments. As far as they were concerned if they had been on the USS Voyager they would have been able to increase crop health by over thirty percent and could easily has single handedly solved the food problems for the crew. "Yeah cool," Cornelius said dismissively, straightening as he tracked the newcomers to the bar, with a Captain alongside Gunnar catching his eye as far more important. "I'll be right back," he added, grabbing two of the paper menus - there was something to be said for the simplicity of a paper menu over digital options - and slipped around towards the pair.
"Lieutenant Arnason, I don't think I've seen you for a bit, welcome back," he said, the warm host smile spreading as he approached, quickly assessing the other officer. This must be Captain Seong, the interim Captain until Luka rematerialized. A brief pang of missing snuck its way into his heart as he wondered where his friend had disappeared off to. "And you must be Captain Seong," Cornelius added, extending a hand. "Cornelius Warner, owner of the Silver Tongue, best place to grab a cold beer on the planet. Though maybe don't tell Aarav I said so," he added with a wink. With the practiced ease of a man who'd spent his better years running bars he directed the pair towards a quiet table off to the side. "We just tapped a fresh keg of both Exaggeration and White Lies a double and white IPA respectfully. If you want something a little lighter, 11th Hour Alibi is always popular, and I have a delightful Lemon Sour I am calling Bitter Truth that I think I have finally perfected and is on limited tap until the get runs out." Placing the menus down, he took a half step back to allow the pair a moment to get comfortable. "I have a Haumean Steak sandwich on special, made with local beef from a farmer a little ways down the valley and served on a ciabatta bun with house made garlic aioli and fresh cut fries. Or if you want something lighter Tamara gave us her grandma's home made salad recipes so we are doing a pretty basic chicken Caesar with homemade croutons and a garlic bread slice."
"I've been a busy of late, but it's a pleasure to be back, Mr. Warner," Gunnar replied with a smile. "You know, normally I go for something dark, but I'm still on call, so make it an 11th Hour Alibi." Besides a farmhouse ale sounded appealing - a bit of comfort even if the style was not the sort of ale common the farming regions he'd grown up in. "I'll take the steak sandwich too and extra fries, please - after a 12 hour shift, I'm starving."
Min took the offered hand as she tore her eyes away from a table nearby that seemed to have a pair of blue-shirted Starfleet enlisted at it. As they walked in, she had heard them avidly chat away about a scientific discovery about a form of wildlife she had yet to lay eyes on.
But, she was far from rude, smiling at Cornelius. "The pleasure is mine. Might as well make it two on that steak sandwich - I have not eaten much at all today, but that sour does sound like a good idea as well." She held back the desire to ask more about the location. This was relaxing time. She was supposed to relax, not play Captain. "Please, call me Min while I'm off duty." She offered Gunnar a sideways look as if to say 'you as well.'
"Two steak sandwiches, one of extra fries, an 11th Hour Alibi and a Bitter Truth for Min and Gunnar," Cornelius added a quick wink. "Food should be ready in about fifteen minutes, and I'll be back in a quick dash with the beers. If you can't see me, Tamara is behind the bar there, and Chuck is the kid cleaning tables over there. Let any of us know." He offered another smile, a light bow of the head and snuck off towards his bar.
"Thank you," Gunnar replied, and deciding the admonition to use given names gave him license to sit without waiting for the Captain... Min to sit first, took a seat. "I think you'll find this is a good choice. The food and beer are always excellent," he told her. It was all he could think to say that fit off-duty topics.
"That is not the first sterling review I've received about this place." Min was amused by the thought. Her eyes followed Cornelius as he ran off to work, but was back to the conversation nonetheless. She had herself in the seat, testing the cushiness of the it like an odd food critic. Which she was far from. "I've heard good about some of the other eateries around here, but I do not believe I have seen such a cry for craft brewing and 'brewpub' concepts in a long time. Not without having to tell half of a science department off for trying to turn a lab into a brewery." She paused a beat. "I am glad I was able to get us both off duty, I feel like memos and reports are not a good way to get to know someone who's been acting as the colony's de-facto Medical Chief."
The comment about a science lab brewery made him immediately think of Cornelius arriving in the hospital paralyzed from trying to add a native plant to a brew mixture. But he trusted the man had learned his lesson well enough that he didn't fear ordering anything here, so he wasn't going to mention the incident. "The colony does seem to attract people who dreamed of setting up their own brew pubs and distilleries. However, if I understand correctly, Mr. Warner arrived with considerable prior experience," he added by way of explaining why this one was so popular, and then turned to the topic at hand.
"I couldn't agree more with respect to this being a better way to get to each other." That seemed especially true here since their initial introduction been presenting his information on a possible interdimensional crossover. "And I appreciate the invitation, though I'm now just assistant CMO." Thank whatever gods might be out there. "While charge nurses are usually the ones who really direct things at a hospital, I'm very happy to have someone else officially in charge. I have been here awhile though, so I'll be glad to answer any questions."
"Oh good, I have so many-" The familiar chirrup of Min's badge range out. She cleared her throat, and her hand tapped the badge. "Go ahead."
"Ma'am, we have a pretty serious report of a-" As the message cut out, a tremor shook through the bar.
Min braced herself against the table they were seated at, hand to her badge again. "I am going to need you to repeat that." But to no avail, as another wave of tremors had her instinctively grab the table with both hands.
Reaction to brace at a tremor was becoming reflex, as was Gunnar's other reaction, which was to scan the bar for falling objects or people taking a fall. The pub had adapted to prior tremors and removed (or swept up) anything that might have fallen from shelves. A tray of orders however went flying, hurling steak sandwiches, salads, and beers across several tables.
He threw up a hand to deflect the glass coming at them, which fortunately was not actual breakable glass, but was full, resulting in beer shower. He licked a drop wiped from his bread - the lemon sour; he might have to order that next time - and looked to the Captain. "I think dinner may have to wait."
"It may indeed," she said in agreement, frowning at the delicious looking food now either being worn or on the floor. Her eyes wandered to a sudden sickly green flash outside the window. "... Oh dear, is that the agricultural lands out there?"
Through the window, a monstrous silhouette began to emerge from the glow. The spiked shell on the silhouette flower a similar green to what the creature was emerging from, itself being a deep, dark red. Despite its size, it looked little more than an oversized turtle. That was, until it reared up and let out a low-pitched roar.
"What the - " The reaction was cut short by the roar. And gave way to a flash of memory: news vid of an enormous angry creature rising from the waves. Which occasioned a muttered curse, quickly swallowed with the Captain right there. "I need to get back to the hospital."
The sound of brass on steel came from behind the pair and Cornelius walked up, slowly feeding shells into the old style shotgun. It was, by every measure an antique compared to the modern era, and had long since become somewhat of a party trick to keep around to show off to people. With the panic that had spread the bar owner could only offer a deep and whole bodied sigh. "They probably need you more," he said, more calm than the look should have been. "I'm going to take the patrons not a part of Starfleet to the basement, unless there are objections?" He racked the shotgun, feeding one of the red cased buckshot rounds into the chamber. "I would deeply appreciate it though if you could direct it away from here?"
"Not as long as your basement was built to withstand earthquakes," Gunnar replied. "Because that thing stomping around is going to cause more. As to leading it away, I'll be surprised if the marines aren't already moving," he added, then looked at Min. "Might it might be good to comm and coordinate this."
"That was the plan," Min stated, oddly cold as she eyed the shotgun. She had never seen one, but she was not unaware of them. She snapped her gaze to Cornelius, "If anything is to occur here, you know how to contact us if support is needed?"
"Oh I am good at getting the ear of Captains," Cornelius replied with a quick wink and nodded. "Don't worry about me, we'll be good."
"I’ll keep that in mind." She stood, already ready for the door. Her hand went right for her badge. "Ops, this is Captain Seong. I need one transport to Command and one for Lieutenant Arnason for the Hospital."
The Captain offered Cornelius a smile as she and Gunnar shimmered away in the ever-familiar blue light.
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