Movie night. The First.
Posted on Fri Sep 12th, 2025 @ 7:47pm by Commander Rhupert Tyree & Commander Daynah Ral & Lieutenant Commander Richard Dalziel & Lieutenant Commander Zuub & Lieutenant Katya Davi & Lieutenant Aria Kanzaki & Lieutenant Amy Gordon
1,858 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
On the Trail
Location: SS. Adelaide at Warp.
Timeline: Before Arriving at Avan's colony. A couple days out of Empok Nor.
The lounger that folded, inflated could be covered with Andorran silk that naturally cooled had been a good add to the Adelaide’s crew lounge, Rhu decided. He finished setting up the multiple person seating luxury furnishing he’d gotten off Empok Nor’s HSN just before they’d pulled out. The adds had chased them all the way in and all the way out and he was decently…perturbed that the Cardassians had gotten nearly to a Ferengi level of barking wares.
Or at least allowed vendors on the co-run station to hawk goods.
Once the coverlet was in place, he flopped down and felt the nanotechnology material conform to lift him slightly, then fill the gaps with bead like air bubbles that let him adjust to the proper viewing point for the upcoming movie. The couch did encourage the crew to get a little closer than they might all want, but people needed to adapt and deal with situations.
It was character building.
Reaching up, he snapped fingers and the remote came online and Rhu advanced the eight by twelve projector on the wall to full size, then brought up the marquee for tonight’s showing.
Wriggling more into the cushion, he started debating snacks. He hadn’t put a snack bar in yet, but he was thinking about ice cream sandwiches later.
Or maybe root beer floats.
Adelaide was going to get them lazy and soft, he thought chuckling to himself.
Kat was the first to arrive. She made enough individual bags of popcorn for everyone to have two because what was movie night without popcorn? She also had another batch sitting in the industrial popper for anyone who wanted more. And, for variety, she also had a bowl of candy, including a dozen different brands that were often sold in old-fashioned movie theaters.
She walked in and looked around at the new movie area and noticed Rhu sitting on the industrial-sized beanbag couch. "That looks like fun." She leaned over the couch to set the bowl of candy and box of popcorn bags on the table behind where they were in easy reach, grabbed a bag of each, then turned around to sit down.
She intended to leave several inches between herself and Rhu, but the couch adjusted itself to make sure there was adequate seating and pushed her next to him. She tried to adjust, but the couch was determined to make this a cozy experience for the crew. Or it just wanted to make sure everyone would fit. "Sorry. I guess this is family seating."
"The infomercial kinda implied that would be the case, "Rhu said easily as he wrapped his arms around the back cushion to pull himself up into more of a seated position. "Supposedly, the more people added it'll level out a bit to ensure if you want personal space you'll get it. I think. I kinda fell asleep during part of that...woke up just in time to order it. But, I'm also not averse to some good bonding with my crew," he stated piously, a twinkle in his eyes. "And you brought snacks. Those are always welcome and I was just thinking about them."
"Uh huh. I think it's more the snacks than the bonding," she teased. "Unless you're bonding with the snacks, and I'm not sure if that's something I want to watch for the pre-show."
Aria entered the room. She wasn't quite sure what to expect, after all she was the newest member of the crew. She looked around briefly assessing the room before choosing a seat in the center left.
Zuub walked into the room, her antennae twittering with excitement. When she heard the movie that was to be displayed, something that many people told her that she would enjoy, she had no idea when she would have time to see it. But here, now, she was going to see it. In her neutral, soft, wispy voice, she asked, "Is there not a protocol to this holo?"
Waving at the Doctor, Rhu said, "Hello Doc. The protocol is to arrive before it starts. Grab some treats and a seat. Once we give the others a chance to show up, we'll get the show going." Rhu let his eyes glance toward his as of yet silent security chief, then glanced toward Kat.
"I am on only the best of terms with snacks and treats," he said, tossing a piece of popcorn at her. "If my waistline is any indication, I may be on too good of terms."
Kat tossed a piece of popcorn back at Rhu and grinned. "Your waistline is fine. Besides, life without popcorn and other snacks is intolerable."
Richard entered the room. "Do we have any Cheese and Onion crisps?" He asked before finding a seat. "An engineer I knew, Alan Porter, told me about this movie, he said the creator was from his homeland, seemed very proud, I haven't had the chance to watch it until now."
Zuub shook her head at Rhu and said, "I heard for this holo, people are supposed to dress up and quote the lines. Is that not so?" Nonetheless, the doctor went and grabbed herself some popcorn, then sat down, and awkwardly put a piece in her mouth.
"They are?" Kat looked from Zuub to Rhu. "I admit, I've never seen this one before."
Amy wandered in pausing for a moment to see how things were set up. It looked rather comfortable and cozy.
"A movie night. It's been at least a couple of years since I've gone to a group movie night."
She retrieved a popcorn and took a seat by Zuub.
"I've only seen parts of this movie. Haven't seen it all the way through." Amy popped a kernel of popcorn in her mouth.
"Then you are more knowledgeable than I. Beings always told me that I would enjoy this movie."
Shifting slightly around to look at his Valiants Assemble, Rhu said, "Richard. There should be some stocked in one of the cupboards. I tried to bring in a variety of favorites gleaned from all of your individual replicator histories: specifically, the junk food entries. Then I sent a list to a chandlers and. Well..." Grinning, Rhu continued, "I packed away a lot of snacks. Which reminds me..."
Turning toward Zuub and Amy, he said, "I noted something about Twinkies on searches? Those I wasn't able to source...my apologies." He kept his face straight as he shifted his elbow near Kat and said, "This is a classic movie from Earth about sweethearts that become stranded near a spooky mansion when their vehicle fails. The story follows them....something about innocence lost."
At the comment of Twinkies, Amy glanced over towards Rhu and just shook her head. "Good, we won't have to worry about creating an anomaly and bring about a calamity. Due to Twinkies" popping in another kernel of popcorn. "Good Popcorn, Kat"
Zuub's antennae started to alter between writhing and twittering. "There is nothing to apologize for regarding the Twinkies. They became particularly interesting when combined with a purple substance I found on Empok Nor. I have even started to reverse engineer it."
Kat covered her face with her hands and shook her head. Ruby told her about the glitter goo. "Why do I have a feeling of impending doom?"
"I do not know why you would have that feeling at all," Zuub answered, her antennae whirling unsteadily.
Rhu looked at the bag of popcorn he held in one hand and the cup he'd not placed in a holder yet. Wriggling slightly, he bit into the popcorn and chewed like a horse with a nosebag. After chewing thoughtfully at the cheese and butter. He ignored the detritus that stuck to his lips for a moment, asking "I thought the goo and glitter were two separate substances? Zuub, are you combining the two. And if so, to what end?"
Zuub's antennae twittered as she answered quickly, "Science! Curiosity! If we understand the nature of things, then we can utilize them in creative solutions. Not to mention, the Twinkies were there and I could not help but wonder about how the glitter and goo might make the Twinkies more useful."
Kat looked up. "Did you read the report on what that goo did to the Valiant? If not, you should." She could only hope the glitter goo was now inert--or had become so with Zuub's experimenting.
"I saw it firsthand on Empok Nor," Zuub countered. "Quite fascinating." Her antennae twittered faster.
"And dangerous. At least you know to be careful." At least, Kat hoped she did. With the doctor, there were no guarantees.
"Why would I be otherwise?" Zuub asked, her antennae starting to betray her with their wild thrashing.
Kat had no response that wouldn't get her in trouble.
Rhu watched with some amusement as his crew settled, not missing the exchange and deciding Dayna would need to check up on the doctor. Wriggling a bit more to get the couch to adjust just a bit more, he touched the controls which he'd attached to the back of his left hand. The lights in the mess lowered and the projector brought the wall ahead of them to life.
"Alright," he announced. "Curtain going up. There's about four minutes of cartoons before the feature so if you need snacks or the head: now is your chance."
"Yes, cartoons" Amy adjusting herself more in the seat. She did glance towards Zuub, thinking to herself, what have I done? And that report about what happened on the Valiant? That was a yikes in her book. For now though, turning her head back to the screen, it was time to watch some old time cartoons, and then the crazy movie.
Daynah arrived late as she wanted to check on the ship. It ran itself but at the same time it had to be checked. She took a seat and cocked her head to the side as the cartoons played about on the screen. It was not the images that perplexed her, it was the idea that they were all there watching it. This certainly was not your run of the mill Starfleet assignment. All of Ral's previous hosts save one thought it was nice and endearing to bond as a family like this. That one descension was Alaryc. The Starfleet Captain thought that aloofness was the answer to everything.
Commander Rhupert Tyree
Master and Commander
USS Valiant (aboard the SS. Adelaide)
Lieutenant Commander Zuub
Chief Medical Officer
USS Valiant (aboard the SS. Adelaide)
Lieutenant Katya Davi
Chief Operations Officer (and popcorn popper)
USS Valiant (Aboard the SS Adelaide)
Lieutenant Commander Richard Dalziel
Chief Engineer (and in search of Cheese and Onion Crisps)
USS Valiant (Aboard the SS Adelaid)
Lieutenant Amy Gordon
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Valiant (Aboard the SS Adelaide)
Commander Daynah Ral
Executive Officer
Chief Science Officer
USS Valiant (Aboard the SS Adelaide)
Lieutenant Aria Kanzaki
Security/Tactical Chief
USS Valiant (Aboard the SS. Adelaide)
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