Movie Night
Posted on Wed Jun 17th, 2026 @ 2:18am by Commander Rhupert Tyree & Commander Daynah Ral & Lieutenant Commander Richard Dalziel & Lieutenant Commander Zuub & Lieutenant Katya Davi & Lieutenant Amy Gordon & Ensign Nyx Calder & Petty Officer 1st Class Luna Barto
Edited on on Wed Jun 17th, 2026 @ 4:46am
3,451 words; about a 17 minute read
Mission:
Operation Kakori
Location: Messhall, USS Valiant
Timeline: Tail end of Operation Kakori
Rhu settled back in his office chair and stretched. He’d been writing after action reports for the past couple of hours and his repeater indicated the escort was on the tide side of the Badlands and their sensor sweeps were getting them more and more detail, so he felt comfortable enough to take a break.
He was still wired though. Valiant and her Valiants had done well. Between the Command staff and the trials on Avan’s Colony and the Enlisted with the aborted refit at Deep Space Five, the old girl was getting around a lot but still in fighting trim. Rhu was too tired for sleep and the Trembles had all but hung out a do-not-disturb sign on his quarters, so mediation in his personal space was out. Clearing his desk and powering down the holo-display, he swiveled in his chair and decided a movie might be fun.
Pulling up the comm, he typed out a quick query to the chief steward and almost immediately received an answer in the affirmative. He tapped in a few requests, then sent out a message to all hands on the non-primary channel.
ALL HANDS AND GUESTS, JOIN ME FOR A VIEWING OF A CLASSIC FILM IN THE MESS HALL IN FORTY MINUTES. WE’LL BE SHOWING GHOSTBUSTERS.
He sent off another directed message to Kat, recalling a rumor Chef passed along, that she should get her popcorn popper prepped and working.
Rhu was helping the steward move tables around so that the screen they’d rigged was accessible to all of the extra chairs they’d replicated and brought in. The movie was already queued up and had been filtered through for optimal sound and clarity given the movies antiquity.
The Chef had the coffee, hot chocolate and a lemonade fountain running and Rhu had an ice chest full of beer. He’d gotten the Admiral to sign off on Valiant having a Rum Issue, since she was technically assigned to Federation Intel and their guidelines were a bit looser. Beer, or beer like substances were ok. Hard liquor was the providence of the Captain or XO and CMO as a medicinal issue.
That they’d stolen from an archaic Fleet Marine reference.
Rhu was of a mind that special occasions warranted rewards.
Kat walked in, pushing an air cart with an industrial popcorn popper, butter, salt, and a stack of bowls and napkins. "Hi!" She was off-duty and chose to be comfortable, so she wore a pair of denim shorts and a tank top with a pink panther on the front. "I'll have the popcorn ready shortly. Anything else you want while I'm making snacks?"
Rhu had ditched his uniform tunic and was finished wiping down the galley beverage service cubby for the chef. It hadn't been the dirty but when he'd asked, Chef had tossed him a cloth.
"Popcorn sounds grand, as long as there's lots of butter and enough salt to give my cousin Cade high blood pressure over on the Orcrist," he said with a grin towards Kat. "Nice shirt. Isn't that Twixa Wan, the Caitian pop star?"
"Of course. Plenty of butter and salt. Real butter." She looked down at her shirt and grinned. "I don't know about that. The computer said it was the pink panther from an old earth cartoon. I'll have to check out the Caitian later."
Richard entered the Mess Hall with Mercy in tow. "Cap, I found this poor Lass in the corridor, apparently she hasn't see 'Ghostbusters', so I invited her along."
Kat smiled at the newcomer. "Welcome, Mercy. Grab a drink and some popcorn."
Amy arrived, once again there was a movie night, and the scent of buttered popcorn smelled divine. Ghostbusters, a good movie. She'd not seen it in a very long time.
"Hello, how are things?" Amy greeted the small group that had already started gathering.
Waving to the new arrivals, Rhu coaxed people from bottle necking at the entrance toward the food and seats, "Things," he said without preamble, "Are very decent. Now that we're starting to get into smoother sailing, I think everyone is bleeding out some stress so a good movie might be just what the doctor ordered."
Chuckling, he said "Well maybe not all doctor's. But some might."
As if on cue, Zuub appeared and told everyone, "I would like some popcorn, as well."
At his Chief Engineer's arrival he said in mock seriousness, "Good heavens Richard, then by all means usher her to the food and a seat up front." To the marine he said, "I hope you enjoy yourself aboard the Valiant, Sergeant. We're small but do try to treat our guests well. Let me know if anything could make the passage easier."
"Thank you, Sir, but its Warrant Officer, Warrant Officer Mercy Ryan. My father would make me watch spy and heist movies growing up."
Amy chuckled at Rhu's response, moving further inside to find a place to sit. This was also a new experience even more so, a blending of two ships crew mingling, in the lounge.
She grabbed some popcorn, a drink then took a seat, Amy found it interesting to see the messhall being a modular set up. The tables folded up against a wall and chairs set up in two rows so that the crew could watch the movie.
Amy sat in one, near the center aisle on the right side of the row. There was a cup holder to place her drink in and the chair was made of plastic, the seat and the back comfortably cushioned. Amy shifted herself just to get it she crossed one leg at the knee over the other, picking up a kernel of popcorn to munch on it.
"Good Popcorn, Katya." Amy called out to her friend.
"You're welcome," Kat called back.
Daynah grabbed a hasperat from the replicator. It was no where near as good as the real stuff. But it was something she surely needed at the moment. "Enjoy the movie. I have dinner, and the Bridge." She smiled at the crew as they assembled and began to leave the Mess Hall. It was nice to see the crew bonding as a family after all the madness that they had just gone through.
Nyx arrived like she’d followed the scent trail through half the ship.
She paused just inside the mess hall, blue-green eyes locking onto the industrial popcorn popper with immediate, almost spiritual focus. The room had been rearranged into a little makeshift theatre, people gathering, drinks flowing, chairs lined up, and somewhere in the middle of it all Kat had become the patron saint of butter and questionable life choices.
“Ohhh,” Nyx said, hands lifting slowly like she’d just walked into a sacred temple. “You weren’t kidding. There’s actual popcorn.”
She drifted towards the snack setup, completely ignoring the fact there was a classic film queued up and a captain in the room. Priorities were priorities.
“Kat,” she said, voice low and serious as she eyed the butter. “I take back one bad thing I said about this ship in my head. Not all of them, don’t get greedy, but one.”
Then she grabbed a bowl and glanced towards the screen. “Ghostbusters, right? Cool. No idea what I’m walking into, but if ghosts are involved and snacks are this good, I’m emotionally available.”
"It's a great movie, and there's plenty of popcorn," Kat assured her. "I'm glad you're here." She smiled cheerfully, then turned to check on her popcorn popper. She wanted to make sure there was plenty for everyone before finding a seat for herself.
Amy turned to see Nyx, the chief pilot. She'd not spoken to the pilot directly, the mission with those from the Pioneer took up much of the time. She decided to greet her.
"Hello Nyx. I'm Amy." though the intelligence officer was certain that Nyx already knew that. Still better to be more personal in the introduction.
Nyx looked over with a bowl already half-filled, one brow lifting in bright interest.
“Amy,” she said, testing the name with a quick grin. “Chief Intelligence, right? Nice to finally meet the person I’m supposed to blame when everything gets dramatic and classified.”
She tipped the popcorn bowl in a tiny salute. “I’d shake your hand, but I’m currently handling sacred cargo.”
"We can take care of that later on." Amy replied with a smile towards Nyx. "And we can talk about blame then as well."
Richard grabbed himself some popcorn and gave it a sniff. "Hey Kat, is this real butter? Cause you know that fake stuff could eat right through 30 cm deck plating in a matter of seconds." He said.
"Of course! It's not the same without real butter," Kat replied. Although there were times she liked the old fashioned movie butter popcorn.
Rhu bustled about, getting everyone settled and drinks then began bringing up the movie before he got himself settled with a tub of cheese, butter and black pepper with a electrolyte apple/cinnamon drink.
Shy walked in, pausing slightly as eyed turned toward him and he self consciously grinned and gave a half wave, then moved to help himself to the popcorn, heavily salted, and pulled a beer from a cooler. Seeing Amy, he. nodded and ghosted her a wink as he began looking for a chair.
Zuub made it a point to sit next to Nyx. "How are you, Nyx?" the doctor inquired, her antennae writhing.
Nyx glanced sideways as Zuub settled beside her, catching the writhing antennae first and the doctor’s face second. Her grin appeared slowly, like someone had just handed her a secret and told her not to open it in public.
“Well, well,” she said, lowering her voice just enough that it sat between them. “Look who found me in the dark with snacks. Careful, Doc, people’ll start thinking you like me.”
She shifted her popcorn bowl slightly, guarding it with one hand while offering Zuub a single piece with the other, like a tiny peace treaty.
“I’m good. Popcorn’s real, butter’s real, and nobody’s made me talk about feelings yet, so honestly? Big night.” Her eyes flicked briefly to Zuub’s antennae, then back to her face, grin turning soft and wicked all at once. “How about you? Behaving yourself, or should I be worried?”
Zuub accepted the popcorn and her antennae leaned curiously towards Nyx "Is there something that I should be worried about in others thinking that I like you, Nyx?" The antennae then started to warble. "Why would you be worried?"
Nyx paused with a piece of popcorn halfway to her mouth, then gave Zuub a sideways grin.
“Oh, no, no. Not worried like bad worried,” she said, lowering her voice a little. “More like… if you decide you like me, I’m probably gonna get distracted, make bad choices, and blame you for at least half of them.”
She offered Zuub the bowl again, eyes bright.
“And when I said behave yourself, I meant in the fun way. Like, are you behaving, or are you about to make this movie night way more interesting than the captain planned?”
"While it might be interesting to do that, I have long learned that others are much more prudish about these matters, so I will save it for later," Zuub answered.
Ruby almost bounced into the room. She missed the last movie night and she wasn't about to miss this one. She made herself a big bowl of popcorn, grabbed a root beer, and went to find a good seat. She looked around to see who was there, just in case, but ended up sitting in an empty seat.
Jayna was curious about movie night--and about fresh popcorn. The combination was too much to ignore, even though she and Neil had been taking advantage of the opportunity for a brief honeymoon. She glanced around to see if her sister was there, then helped herself to a bowl of popcorn and a drink before finding a seat.
Emiko walked in quietly, observing the room and Jayna's behavior. She then took a bowl of popcorn for herself and sat herself next to Jayna.
Noticing Shy's arrival, Amy motioned towards him patting the seat next to her. She wouldn't mind him sitting next to her.
Luna stepped inside, the fact that there was a movie night she had to participate. She looked around to see if there was anyone she recognized, her eyes landing upon Nyx. She went to get some popcorn, along with a drink and took a seat on the other side of Nyx.
"Hi there Nyx, love the fact we're having movie and its, Ghostbusters." Luna popping in a few kernels of the buttery goodness, into her mouth.
Nyx glanced from Zuub on one side to Luna on the other, then slowly looked down at her popcorn like it had become evidence in a very strange trial.
“Well,” she said, grinning. “Looks like I’m popular tonight. Either that or the popcorn’s using me as bait.”
She nudged the bowl a little closer to Luna. “And yeah, Ghostbusters. I’ve been promised ghosts, shouting, and questionable science. So far? Very on brand for this crew.”
Andrew slid in next to Amy, the chair accidentally bumping hers. "Thanks ma'am," he said with a bright eyed smile.
There was an return accidental shoulder brush from Amy.
"Ma'am? A bit formal aren't we?" Amy giving a chuckle nudging Shy's shoulder with hers. This time it wasn't an accidental touching of the shoulder. "And its my pleasure"
Another arrival, moving a bit slower was Edmund, he had been released by Zuub. Watching a movie sounded really good after the finding himself back on the Valiant. A look around, his eyes paused on Ruby.
Walking over towards Ruby, Edmund greeted her. "Mind if I sit by you during the movie." his voice was a bit raspy, when he spoke.
Ruby looked up, surprised. But when she saw Edmund, she grinned. "Sure. You're always welcome. I'll even share my popcorn."
"Thank you." Edmund responded, carefully lowering himself to the chair, next to Ruby,
"I like this movie quite a bit." Merrick remarked as he adjusted himself, then took a few pieces from the bowl.
"Me, too. I'm not sure who I like best, Spengler...or Slimer," she replied, taking a small handful of popcorn.
"I like those two as well. Hard decision right?" Edmund giving a smile. "This popcorn is really good." the flavor having hit his tastebuds just right. "Oh real butter not replicated. Yummy."
As the credits ran, Rhu chuckled as the scenes from the movie ran through his head and he half murmured, "There is no Dayna here. Only Zuub."
Zuub looked at Rhu, her antennae wobbling unsteadily. "I believe the line was Zuul."
Nyx, halfway through a fistful of popcorn, slowly turned her head toward Zuub.
“Wait,” she said, eyes widening with entirely fake horror. “So you’re telling me there’s no Doctor Zuub? Only Zuul?”
She leaned back in her chair, clutching the popcorn bowl to her chest like a shield, grin already breaking through. “That explains the antennae. They’re not medical sensors. They’re demon reception.”
A beat, then she pointed one buttery finger at Rhu without looking away from Zuub.
“And for the record, Captain, if she starts levitating or asking for a Keymaster, I am not cleaning marshmallow off the bulkheads.”
Zuub looked at Nyx, her antennae bobbing up and down. Her antennae then writhed. "Just clean it off me, then."
"No worries, doctor," Kat said in an effort to deflect her from the pilot. "I'll just hose you down."
"Playing in the water could be fun too," Zuub replied with her antennae starting to writhe more frequently and if possible, seductively.
"I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought," Kat replied, using a line from the movie. There was something about the doctor that scared her a little and made her very, very cautious. "Actually, there's an industrial hose in the cargo bay. It does a good job of cleaning things off. Including, I'm told, doctors."
"Why are you scared?" Zuub asked Kat. "Are you from a species that does not like to play? I admit that I have not thoroughly checked your medical records on that point."
"Oh, I like to play...under certain circumstances," Kat admitted. And she loved a good verbal repartee. But the doctor gave off vibes that made her a little uncomfortable at times. "But I don't think you and I have the same ideas about what we consider fun."
Zuub's antennae circled around. "I do not believe that you have taken the time to compare that with me. I should be most interested in such an exchange."
Kat laughed and shook her head. "Sorry. I'm a one man type of woman. Mark me down as no fun at all." She wasn't going to mention that there currently was no one man, but it was the point that mattered.
Zuub told Kat, "Good thing I'm a woman, then? Hm?" Zuub's antennae started to twitter happily.
"No. Sorry." She'd already figured Zuub was a predator, but this was a whole different level. "I'm afraid you'll have to set your antennae elsewhere."
Even though Amy had seen the movie before, the face off with Gozer and then the Stay Puff Marshmallow. Lets, face it, she got into the movie.
She had snuggled up against Drew, having wrapped her arm around his arm. Half burying her face and peeking towards the screen with her other eye.
Luna leaned over to Nyx once the movie was over. "Let me know when the next game is on. I would like to see if our team wins." With that the security officer got up from the chair and left the messhall.
Rhu watched the interplay and shook his head. It was likely a good time for the captain to exit, stage left. Standing, he said, "Thank you all for sharing the movie with me, but needs must I'm afraid." Turning to his medical officer he said, "Ahh yes Doctor. I know. But using word play and quoting lines from cinema is a time honored tradition on earth and I won't buck tradition."
As he stood he tilted his head near Richard's ear and said quietly, "If the doctor refers to Nyx by Sub Creature...Wait. Forget it. I don't want to know."
Straightening Rhu collected his popcorn and made his way toward the hatch.
Jayna enjoyed the movie, but now that it was over, she went in search of Neil to see if he was done for the evening.
As much as Kat enjoyed the movie--and the popcorn--she was feeling a little overwhelmed with all the extra people in a small space. She needed to go somewhere quiet. Somewhere she could be alone. As the others filtered out, she began to clean and dismantle the popcorn popper so she could pack it away until next time.
When that was done, she headed for her office/ops/studio to give her mind some quiet time.
At the end of the movie, and the popcorn all gone, Edmund smiled at Ruby, moving his arm from around her shoulder, "That was fun, and thank you for letting me watch the movie with you."
Ruby grinned. "Any time. I had fun, too."
The moment that Jayna got up to leave, Emiko did, as well.
"Great movie." Mercy said getting up. "I love to hang around, but I hear my bunk calling me." She added making her way to the hatch.
Richard watched the others leave. "Looks like I'm on clean up duty." He said half to himself as he rose from his chair and began collecting the bowls and cups for the recycler.
END
A joint mission post by:
Commander Daynah Ral
Executive Officer/Chief Science Officer
USS Valiant
Lieutenant Amy Gordon
Chief intelligence Officer
USS Valiant
Major Edmund Merrick
USS Pioneer
POFC1 Luna Barto
Security
USS Valiant
Ensign Nyx Calder
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Valiant
Lieutenant Commander Zuub
Chief Medical Officer
USS Valiant
Petty Officer 3rd Class Emiko Marley
Intelligence Officer
USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Jayna Tremble
Intelligence Officer, the Cure
USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Katya Davi
Chief Operations Officer
USS Valiant
Lieutenant JG Ruby Rojas
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Valiant
Commander Rhupert Tyree
Also writing Sergeant Andrew Shy
USS Valiant
Lieutenant Commander Richard Dalziel
Chief Engineer
USS Valiant
Warrant Officer Mercy Ryan
Marine Sniper/Gymnast
USS Pioneer
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