The Deity Rages On

Posted on Sun Feb 7th, 2021 @ 3:10pm by Captain Abigail Laurens & Lon Nren

Mission: New Beginnings
Location: Ships Lounge

The ships lounge was a far cry from the small facility that had provided off duty entertainment on the Akira class. Everything on the Odyssey class vessel was bigger and better, something that was definitely still a very bittersweet experience. Who would have thought that something as simple as a bat'leth above the bar would be something she would miss seeing.

Glancing around the establishment, Abigail's gaze finally settled on the tall dark haired male that was approaching her. Offering a smile, Abigail held one hand toward him. "You must be the new Lounge operator?" she asked politely.

"Lon Nren." He said with a smile, taking the offered hand. "Captain Laurens I presume?" He took noted of the pips.

Abigail smiled and nodded. "That would be me. It's nice to meet you Mr Nren. Tell me, what do you think of the lounge? Is it up to your standards?"

"It took some time, but it certainly is now ma'am." Lon looked around the room with pride. It certainly did shape up well. "What brings you in today Captain? Can I get you something to drink?"

"I can never refuse a chai latte," Abigail said with a smile. "I was just talking a walk, trying to familiarize myself with the ship, I thought I'd take a look at the new lounge. I heard we had a new lounge manager assigned to us, it seemed like a good opportunity to say hello."

Lon moved behind the bar and took up a spot by a vintage looking piece of machinery. It began to hiss as he worked at it. He looked up and smiled at the Captain."It is certainly the best looking lounge I've ever had the pleasure of running." His hands were working below the sightline of the bar. After a moment he placed a mug on the bar. "I hope you don't mind, I used my own special blend of Tholian and Betazoid chai leaves."

"I'm always open to trying something new," she said with a smile. "I'll give you a little inside information, the First Officer, Commander Gail, is especially partial to blended Dalacari tea and gingersnaps. You'll definitely be on her good side if you can master that."

“So most of the crew has served together previously?” Lon asked, knowing he had heard something to that effect when they first came aboard.

Sliding into a seat at the bar, Abigail picked up the mug and took a sip, sighing appreciatively at the taste. "A large part of the crew were on the previous Astraea before she was destroyed," she said quietly, setting the mug down again. "When I was reassigned to this command, I asked for my crew back. They're a good team, a family."

The word family filled Lon with a warm feeling. Family is what he had on the Galxay, and he had hoped he could find it again. “I’m glad you were able to do that.” Lon was feeling emotional thinking about the families that Starfleet unknowingly creates. “I can only hope that I’ll be accepted into your family eventually.”

"I'm sure you'll fit in just fine," Abigail said with a smile. "The crew is very diverse, but also very accepting. They're good people, I'm sure you'll like them, and they will like you."

Lon smiled."I meant to ask, is there any decor you and the crew would want in here?" He looked around. "How was your last lounge?"

Abigail laughed. "It changed regularly. Ashe had some rather eclectic tastes it seemed. I don't think there's any specific requirements for decor. What did you have in mind?"

"On my last ship the Captain had a stuffed Targ head gifted to him by a Klingon Ambassador. It eventually made its way behind the bar and became a staple of the lounge for years. He was dressed up for holidays, and shared in all the celebrations." Lon smiled, fondly remembering Tribble the Targ.

Abigail paused for a moment, contemplating what it was that he'd just said. "Well, I'm sure it would be a talking point," she finally replied before laughing. "What ever you need, just put a request in to Operations. I'll approve anything you need."

The Betazoid smiled and nodded. Although He wasn't sure what could be such a talking piece in this lounge. Suddenly, he remembered what he wanted to ask of her. "I know the ship is taking on the name of your previous command. I wondered if you had wanted to carry over the name of the lounge as well? A good lounge needs a name."

There was another smile. "I think that is a legacy I would like to continue, it was a place that the crew were happy. I'd like to hope that carries over here on this ship as well."

"What was it called?" Lon was curious now, since it seemed the lounge was a cherished place aboard the last Astraea.

"The Raging Deity," Abigail replied with a smile as she recalled the lounge. Finally, drawing a deep breath, she straightened her back and looked across at Lon. "I'm sure the crew would appreciate the gesture."

“Then the Deity shall rage on.” Lon smiled.