What a day, Alcyone Brennan thought after leaving sickbay and making her way to what she had been let known to be a recreational area. With the number of personell-changes made to the Valkyrie before her next mission – including a new Captain – Brennan’s arrival had further inconvenienced sickbay’s staff. Doctors and nurses were polite enough toward her, but had evidently liked her predecessor and were sad to see her leave. 

In addition to that, it was Alcyone’s first posting as CMO. She had started out as a counsellor, then added medical studies and a medical degree to her portfolio, and built a rapport that had seen her promoted to her current rank and position. 

Which seemed to be good enough for Starfleet Command as they assigned her here, but did nothing to alleviate her nervousness in the new role. 

“Hey.”, she said to the bartender – an attractive woman with charming freckles – as she stretched and sat down by the bar. 

Caela, spun around after putting down the tray in her hands. The flowing dark floral pattern skirt rotated in a practiced manner, the kelly green blouse making her blue eyes pop spectacularly. “Well hello there,” Caela said moving closer to the stunning redhead. 

“Slow night? Day? Honestly, I don’t even know what time it is.”

“No. My brother and I just arrived, so still setting up and getting the lay of the land.” Caela offered. “As for time, since I am the bartender and we are in space, it’s five o’clock somewhere. In more practical terms, it depends on what you are in the mood for. Breakfast? Dinner? Tequila shots?” She said completely straight-faced. Then added, “ I’m Caela (see-lah), your resident mixologist.” 

Moving a few feet to the right she started placing copper components on the bar nearby while she waited for the patron to respond.”

“Nice to meet you.”, Brennan said, following up with an introduction. “I’m Brennan. The ship’s new Chief Medical Officer.” She paused for a moment, considering the woman’s question. “Dinner and Tequila shots sounds perfect. Something greasy and unhealthy.”

She kept assembling and grabbing copper parts as she thought about her reply. “Chili-cheese fries, and a side order of bacon jam cheeseburger sliders. 

She grinned. “It’s a cheat-day somewhere, right?” 

It took a minute for Caela to assemble a small tray of shots: three tall narrow shot-glasses, each rimmed with salt. A lime was cut into a star shape and each shot had a lime wedge on top. Nearby was a tiny garnish of extra salt next to the lime star. Caela placed the small plate of 4 tiny burgers, each with a small amount of sweet and vinegary bacon jam on top of the Swiss cheese beef burgers.  Then she presented the tray of shots. “I’ll be nearby working on getting this distillery up. It tends to be as much a work of art as functional equipment. ”

Alcyone gave a nod, for a moment remembering how she, as a young Ensign, hadn’t been drinking anything other than tea and fruit juice. The one time she had tried coffee she found it bitter and disgusting, and the one time she tried alcoholic beverages she found that she liked the slightly woozy feeling in her head way too much.

For a while, she watched Caela work. “So you’re new here too.”, she stated after having downed the first shot. “How are you finding it so far? Did you meet anyone yet?”

She put the finishing touches on the still, added a wine mixture, and set the unit. Glancing back over, she had a craving and created a plate of duplicate bacon jam sliders, then moved across from Alcyone as she sat on a nearby stool. 

“No one noteworthy, until now.” Then she added, “I’ve decided it’s break time.,” She pulled a slider up.”These are so dangerous. Sweet, savory, beefy. Cheat-worthy indeed. I’m sorry the stage isn’t set up yet. Holographic backup only gets me so wound up. So what about you? Anyone worthy?” Caela asked.

“Yes and no. I met my sickbay’s staff and they are largely disappointed that the former CMO left, and that her assistant CMO didn’t get the promotion. Which, honestly, I get. I’d feel the exact same, but it doesn’t make it any more pleasant to deal with.”, Alcyone shrugged and tried one of those delicious tiny burgers. 

“So leverage the departmental knowledge and experience. Even lead singers like me have songs that need backup.”She said, getting up to get a small plate of jalapeno poppers as much for her craving as to pause for effect. She was letting the seed plant itself in her customer’s brain. “That way, you encourage the partnership. Plus it’s medicine. You’ve done all the terrible jobs for years like everyone else.” She paused. “But sometimes a new lead singer isn’t always a bad thing. Just changes the music. ” Caela offered, snagging a popper and taking a bite. 

“You’re right.”, Alcyone nodded, considering the woman’s words. “Perhaps I should just take them here to get to know them better.” She smiled, wondering what that would look like, and decided that perhaps this wasn’t the best course of action to take right away. “You’re great at this. If you are ever looking for a job as a counsellor, please do come by my office.”

Caela let a snicker. Retrieving two more shot glasses, she rimmed them with salt, added the tequila, and grabbed two lime wedges. “I would hate the hours and this is my office. Besides, I have a better idea. What instruments do you play?”

Alcyone grinned. As a matter of fact, she played several instruments. And she decided that she, as a means of returning the favour of making her evening (afternoon? morning?) so pleasant, would invite her new confidant to try out the ones she had brought along. 

Perhaps their taste in music would match. That would be nice.