R and R after some major BS (Part I)

Posted on Wed May 22nd, 2024 @ 3:04am by Cadet Senior Grade Meghan Stefani & Cadet Senior Grade Daniel Weaver & Cadet Junior Grade Shafin Todenhöfer

1,304 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Cadet Cruise
Location: Unnamed Lounge on Cavalier
Timeline: After: Bridge Training: Cardassian Conspiracy

ON:

Daniel stepped into the lounge and walked to a replicator. He could use something to eat and drink. Unfortunately, the Replicators weren't about to produce alcohol for a Cadet, but that's why he kept a bottle hidden in his quarters. After the bridge scenario, if you could call it that, he could use something strong to rid of this stress. Some nice Veklava would hit the spot. He tapped on the replicator and said "Veklava with Jumja Tea." before it appeared under the console.

He took the plate and walked over to an empty table. As he sat down, the Ops Cadet from the Bridge Training, sat down across from him. Daniel stared at him for a few seconds before picking up his Jumja Tea. "You should have let me hit him."

"He's a Commodore." The Cadet replied.

"He's also my father." Daniel countered.

"And which on do you think Starfleet would have cared about more?" The Ops Cadet said before giving him a smirk.

Daniel let out a deep sigh and shook his head. "What he did was messed up and you know it."

"Yeah... I do." The Ops Cadet replied, as he leaned forward in the chair with his forearms on the table, continuing to speak but in a softer tone. "And when Starfleet Command hears about it then he'll be in worse trouble."

Daniel shook his head again as he took a bite from his Veklava. "They won't find out." He said softly before putting down is fork and looking to the Ops Cadet sternly. "Wait... did you?"

"No." He replied before adding. "But, when we get back, the people in charge of this Cadet Cruise are going to want to review the reports and their sensor recordings of the training. When one of them sees everything about this training on the Bridge, they are bound to send it up the chain of command, eventually landing at Starfleet Command. Someone there will have to take action."

"Because it was not fair or because we didn't meet his expectations" the voice of Shafin said coming from behind Cadet Weaver. Shafin was carrying a tray with several glasses on them and a tall bottle of blue liquid. He sat the tray down and began pouring the contents of the bottle into the glasses.

Shafin looked at Daniel. "They may do something. They may not. I'm going to assume this was nothing new from your father, and that he's done something like this before, but we received additional harshness because of your presence."

Daniel let out a slightly frustrated sigh, taking a sip of his Jumja Tea, before looking over to him. "Look, Shafin... I wasn't expecting him to go all Kobayashi Maru on us. I thought it would be a nice and simple test, just like everyone else. So, I'm sorry, if this got in the way of whatever learning experience you were probably looking forward to."

The Ops Cadet raised a brow, looking over at Shafin's tray with an odd, yet curious look. "What's with the glasses, Shaf? You planning a party of one?" He let out a slight chuckle.

"Stop." Daniel interjected, looking to the Cadet.

"No... I'm actually curious why he needs all those glasses?" He countered before looking back to Shafin. "You're not one of those OCD Cadets who has to throw away a glass after every drink and pours his next one into a new glass are you?"

"That would be illogical," replied Shafin. "I am here to share with Cadet Weaver and by the fact that you are here, you as well."

The Ops Cadet smirked, folding his hands together, as he leaned forward a bit. "Well then... Shaf... Pour away. Let's see what strange concoction you've decided to share with us.

"You hoping its alcohol?" Daniel asked the Ops Cadet with a smirk.

"After the day we've had... You better hope its alcohol." The Cadet countered.

Daniel smirked a bit, gesturing to the Cadet. "Shafin... Cadet Leon DiNozzo."

"He's not wrong," replied Shafin. "It is alcohol" added Shafin.

Meghan needed to get out of her head for a bit and hoped that she could find someone to talk to in the lounge. But when she walked in and saw Daniel, Shafin, and another cadet she went over to join them.

She came up behind Daniel and raised an eyebrow at Shafin, then looked at the glasses.

Daniel looked over his shoulder to spot Meghan. He smiled at her, a sigh of relief escaped his lips, before pulling out a chair next to him. "Hey... How you feeling, Meghan?" He asked before adding. "Shafin brought us all something to drink."

"I noticed. Thank you, Shafin," she said before sitting down and answering Daniels' question. "I'm fine." She smiled to reassure him.

Daniel smiled back before gesturing to Leon. "Meghan... Leon. Leon... Meghan."

"Ahh... the lovely Chief of Science Cadet that Daniel can't stop swooning over." Leon replied as he extended his hand.

"Hey... I don't swoon." Daniel countered back.

"Boy... You swoon. You swoon... bad." He let out a chucked and looked back over to Meghan. "You did good up there, Meghan. You know... before you got hurt."

"Umm...thanks," she said, feeling it was undeserved. "I had a lot of help from the computer."

"Yeah..." Daniel said softly, looking over to Meghan. "I'm sorry that happened. You guys shouldn't have gotten dragged into this mess with me and my dad. He should have kept it professional."

"No, he shouldn't have tried to manipulate you the way he did, but even if it hadn't been a training exercise, we would have stood beside you. And when he tries it again, we will still stand beside you."

"All the more reason why I shouldn't be here." Daniel replied with a deep sigh. "This whole educational cadet cruise... " he said, throwing his hands up and making air quotations before continuing. " Is going to turn into another excuse for my father to put me through one of this lessons to teach me to be more like him. I should have bailed the moment I saw him."

"No. You should do exactly what you did. Stand up to him. Don't quit, don't let him get to you, and don't give up." She smiled and added. "Never give up. Never surrender." Then she leaned closer and whispered, "And remember that your friends are with you. I am with you."

"Correction," Shafin said. "I brought some ale for us."

"Ale?!" Leon seemed shocked by the answer before reaching for the tray and grabbing an empty glass. "You had me at alcohol. Lay it on me, Shaf."

Shafin put one of the poured glasses in front of the Cadet. "I do not travel anywhere without a few bottles. Normally, I'd use this for what others would consider a celebration. I think we have cause for that regardless of the result."

"And they let you bring ale onboard a Cadet Cruise?" Daniel questioned.

"Does it matter how or why he got it? He got it and we need it." Leon replied quickly before Shafin could answer. The Cadet reached over to one of the pour glasses and placed it in front of Daniel. "Drink up, Captain." He said, adding a playful salute, before holding his own glass up to Shafin. "You're the man, Shafin."

Shafin looked at Daniel "It's not like we're freshman," stated the Counseling Cadet. "Though it also helps when people don't notice you. You get to avoid their radar."

(To be continued..)

Cadet Senior Grade Daniel Weaver
Command Cadet

Cadet Junior Grade Leon DiNozzo
Operations Cadet

Cadet Junior Grade Shafin Todenhöfer
Counseling Cadet

Cadet Senior Grade Meaghan Stefani
Science Cadet

 

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