Tea Party

Posted on 06/26/2020 @ 7:39pm by Lieutenant JG Remigius ("Remy") Fawkes Ph.D.

Mission: S1E3: Visit to Starbase 375
Location: Deck 5 Chief Counselor's Office
Timeline: Day 1 at 0000

"Those who prepared for all the emergencies of life beforehand may equip themselves at the expense of joy."
-E.M. Forester.-

ON:

The turbo lift swished open on deck 5. Out of it walked Petty Officer 2nd Class (Fast) Eddy Felson. He was not walking with his usual saunter. Not today. Not now. Eddy was a man on a mission. He was told to grab his engineering kit and report to the Counselor's office. (After a brief protest period, it was made clear to P.O. Felson that it was NOT for counseling.) All that was known to Eddy, to the Engineering staff was that there was an important problem that needed to be addressed in the Counselor's office. And the Chief Engineer thought that Eddy was best suited for this assignment. Well, that and He caught Eddy trying to take a nap in a Jeffries tube. So, having been voluntold, Eddy grabbed his kit and hurried on his way to fix the problem.

Arriving at the office, fast Eddy rang the door chine, slightly wondering what could be so important as to keep him from his......duties.

"Enter," Fawkes called out as he stood before the nearly useless piece of equipment known as a replicator. A devotee of tea, he had a free standing apothecary chest crammed with tea from a number of worlds and a full tea service. As far as he was concerned, nothing else was required and yet, there were those who visited him who preferred ... coffee. He shuddered delicately at just the thought even as he frowned at the machine.

He turned and beckoned the individual in. "I'm Fawkes," he said in the deep purr that was as much a part of him as the eyeliner he wore. "And that ... " he said gesturing toward the replicator, "puts out an abysmal cup of tea. How can I serve coffee from it ... if it can't get a simple dark tea right? Hmmm?"

Felson stood there for a second not sure of what to make of what he has just seen, or heard. He was told to expect something important. Something that was imperative. But this is about....tea? "What?" He asked wondering if this was a joke.

"I am a counselor," Fawkes said as he dropped smoothly into his favorite wing backed chair, leaning forward to pick up his own cup of tea. Tienchi Flower this morning. "People visit me here and when they come, sometimes, I breach the awkwardness with something to drink. Sad to say, not everyone enjoys a good cup of tea. Hard to imagine though, isn't it? Anyway, because I don't have a fully stocked kitchen, I must rely on that ... that ... beast." His nose wrinkled as though punctuating the term. "So, I tested it with a simple cup of black tea." He gestured gracefully toward the low table that now held fourteen cups of black tea, some stacked on top of each other. "Its dreadful. Nearly undrinkable."

Felson looked confused for a second before he spoke. "Okay, what seems to be wrong with the tea, you know, specifically?" He asked wondering who put this as a priority assignment, and wondering IF they knew the meaning of the word important at all.

"Aah," Fawkes said as he crossed to the half-moon table. He ordered a cup of Darjeeling from the replicator and then spent a moment making the same cup of tea himself. When he was finished he brought both back. "Taste."

"Right." Said Felson moving toward the replicator. He removed the service hatch cover and gazed at the guts of the beast. He pushed a button and waited. "Just preforming a diagnostic. We should have the results soon." He said to Fawkes.

"Well then," Fawkes said, nodding toward the tea samples with a pleased smile on his face, "you'll have time to taste then, won't you?"

"Well, you can taste. I'm more of a.....You know what, sure." He said not wanting to be rude. Then, the machine beeped. "Okay, lets see here. Ok, it says everything is working correctly. But, it might need some fine tuning is all." And with that. Felson grabbed a coil spanner from his kit and went to work. for several minutes he was adjusting and adjusting. "Alright, try that." He said thinking that he just may have it.

"I will," Fawkes said. "Why don't you have a taste while I'm doing so." He waited, pointedly, for Felson to pick up a cup before he requested a cup of Darjeeling hot from the replicator. He turned back toward the engineer and raised his cup as though in toast. "Together then?"

"Here's looking up your old address." Felson said smiling as he put the cup to his lips and tasted it. "Yup, it's tea." He said. "But you are the expert here. I wouldn't know an Orange Pekoe from an English Breakfast. And to be honest, I'm actually surprised I knew those were the name of tea blends. So?"

Fawkes smiled over the edge of his teacup and took a sip, his glance sliding sideways for a moment, before returning to look Felson in the eye. "Nearly there ... Still a bit ... bitter."

"Right." Said Felson, going back in with the coil spanner. He continued his fine tuning. the odd chirp could be heard. Then, Felson took out his tricorder and scanned the unit. Then, went back to adjusting. "Okay, try that." He said.

"Fawkes ordered another cup of Darjeeling and took a sip and then another, longer sip. "It will never pass for freshly made tea," Fawkes said at last, "but its more than acceptable. I would not be embarrassed to have someone drink something that came out of this ... " he waved his hand as he searched for a word that wouldn't offend the young man before him, "machine. I do thank you for your help ... and ... what is your name?"

"Just call me Fast Eddy." Felson said putting back on the service hatch cover. "Oh, I also increased Heat by 2 degrees Celsius of the tea, and increased tea steep time by 1 minute. Do you need anything else Doc?" He asked.

"Hmmm," Fawkes said as he began to return the tea cups to the reclamation chute. "Maybe an explanation of exactly why they call you ...um ... Fast?"

"Because when it comes to Billiards or Domjat, I can run a table faster than anyone in the quadrant." He said putting away his coil spanner.

"Now that," Fawkes said, his voice dropping ever so slightly as he finished his tidying up and turned his attention back to the young man, "is definitely something to keep in mind."

A Post by:

Lieutenant JG Remigius Fawkes, Ph.D.
(Acting) Chief Counselor
USS Crazy Horse

and

Petty Officer 2nd Class (Fast) Eddy Felson
Engineer
USS Crazy Horse