Nathan Hawkthorne’s Captain’s Log: As the mission on Artagus IV is well under way most of it has been handled capably by the lower decks. At this point there is not a lot of management to be done as everyone know their role and their position. Thus taking a page from Captain Sisko I have arranged a bonding excercie that I believe will build a sense of camaraderie within my senior staff. We’ve pulled a few other members into the game to help fill out the ranks. 

We will be playing baseball this afternoon.

[USS Anaheim – Holodeck 2]

”I think we should play football,” the Scottish First Officer said as he examined the baseball that the Captain had handed him. What followed was a debate about what football was and whether you actually called it soccer but in the end the Captain overruled everyone and while it had been going to a vote about which they’d play American football or the rest of the world’s football, they stuck with baseball.

It turned out that only Ensign Hume and the Captain himself knew anything about baseball, or anything to be useful, and so we’re chosen as Captains and picked their teams one player at a time which the Captain referred to as ’playground’ rules to the amusement of some of the crew who thought this was all dumb. Doctor Mueller had to keep from sniggering, but managed to.

The teams broke down like this:

• Team 1 – Anaheim Angels
• Captain Hawthorne
• Lieutenant James Young
• Lieutenant Yi Zhang
• Lieutenant Va’Tok
• Chief Petty Officer Nurse Rachel Smith
• Petty Officer Nurse Jennifer Westbrook

• Team 2 – Sehlats
• Ensign William Hume
• Lieutenant Commander Kan Th’kaotross
• Commander Travis McCleod
• Lieutenant Junior Grade Pr’Nor
• Lieutenant Junior Grade Yuhiro Kolem
• Lieutenant Commander Doctor Michelle Mueller
• Lieutenant Commander Tashai

There was a brief discussion on the two teams about naming the teams which is how one team got the historic focused named of the Angels, while the other team was called the Sehalts after a pet that Pr’Nor had owned as a young girl, at the insistence of Tashai who promised/threatened to throw the ball away anytime it came to her if she didn’t get her way. As just an Ensign and not all that bothered Hume as the team captain almost instantly agreed to the terroristic negotiating position.

Neither team was that familiar with the rules so they watched a holographic replay to teach them how the rules worked. Then after a coin flip Captain Hawthorne’s team was first up to bat, and the Sehlat’s collected their holographic baseball gloves and took to the field to scramble around arguing about who stood where as Ensign Hume had to physically move people around like giant 3-D chess pieces.

“Can I pitch,” Tashai asked.

”I think I should start,” Hume said.

”I would be very good at it, I bet you’ll see,” Tashai said.

”Given that the game‘s outcome has no bearing on anything would it not be logical to allow her to pitch,” Pr’Nor said from first base.

”We want to win,” Hume argued, it was pretty clear that the dynamic of those two was throwing off the team though he did not know why. They just always seemed to either be what he’d call if they had been human ‘cute bickering’ or having one and other’s backs. They were less a team than a two headed person with wildly different personalities.

The first two pitches were strikes but Hawthorne, who was first up, managed to his a home run and rounded the bases his arms in the air as the Angels scored their first point. Hume managed to strike out Westbrook and Smith but the general fitness of the rest of the team meant hits for them and then the Vulcan male whose name Hume had not caught hit another home run.

When they finally retired the other team and went to bat they were down four to nothing.

”It seems the strategy of picking mainly athletic humans is working for the Captain,” Pr’Nor observed.

”We’re going to get it back. Okay Tashai, you’re up first Lieutenant,” Hume said, sending his weakest player out to bat first.

She nodded, “I will score a field goal.”

Hume moaned as she strolled out to the plate and hit the first pitch over the simulated fence. She returned to a surprised team who had, like Hume all assumed she was going to be very bad.

”How’d you learn to hit like that?” Hume asked.

”I practiced, a lot. You have to be talented to play professional women’s baseball on Earth in 2105, I was the first basewoman for the Tokyo Dragon,” she said.

”I don’t know if you’re making that up but I could hug you,” Hume said.

”Please refrain from doing so, it would not be logical,” Pr’Nor intoned.

Hume nodded, “Okay Commander McCleod let’s keep this run going.”

He did not keep the run going and within six innings it was 13-5 with all five of the Sahlats points having been scored by Tashai, who was clearly the best person on either team. While even Captain Hawkthorne who knew the second most about baseball had to check the computer at times the El-Auriah was as if she was a living embodiment of the sport. She knew the rules, faster at times than the computer and all the angles and soon was let free to run around the field on her own catching the ball for other players.

At the end of the sixth inning the Captain called an extended time out and served food. A picnic in the park he called it but it had a selection of all sorts of foods from Andorian chowder to Vulcan vegetables. Hot dogs (both full meat and vegan) were served alongside burgers, and other picnic like foods. The teams broke up and grabbed plates and glasses.

Hume found himself a way of being alone with Lieutenant Junior Grade Kolem. 

“Are you avoiding me? We’re on the same team and haven’t said three words,” he said.

”I’m mad at you,” she said.

”Why?”

”Lieutenant Bartara walked by while we were talking,” she said, “And you had a rather intense emotional reaction.”

”But… ohh, ummm,” Hume said it did not seem fair to have his girlfriend or whatever Kolem was be able to read his emotions. He’d kept a perfect poker face as he had avoided eyeing the other officer, “That’s not fair.”

”No, it’s not,” admitted Kolem, “but I wanted to go slower so I just went with it. I’m only human I can’t control how I feel.”

”Well I’m sorry but I can’t promise never to look at another woman,” Hume said.

”I know. I wouldn’t ask you to, it’s my own thing to deal with, just keep trying okay. I promise I’ll get my head in the game,” Kolem said.

Hume laughed, “We talking about us or baseball?”

”Definitely not the baseball.”

”What’s up with Pr’Nor and Tashai?” he asked looking over where the apparently ancient baseball player was laying on the Vulcan’s legs which she had set on the ground to sit. Rather than seem annoyed by this the Vulcan seemed to not notice, or at least tolerate it without looking disturbed. 

“Can’t say anything,“ Kolem said.

”Because you don’t know anything?” Hume asked.

”Councilor rules,” Kolem said.

Eating a stalk of celery Va’Tok had the same question which he addressed to Pr’Nor standing over the two women as he looked down and asked, ”Why are you sitting on our Chief Flight Control Officer?”

”She’s the best pillow I brought,” Tashai answered.

”I do not understand she is a Vulcan not a pillow,” Va’Tok said.

”We are physically affectionate with one and other,” Pr’Nor said, “As to establish a deeper emotional connection.”

Va’Tok took this in stride, “I understand. A curious choice, as she seems most illogical. I had intended to ask you to accompany me to a musical recital but given your situation I will redirect my interest.”

Pr’Nor nodded, “Thank you. I may normally have said yes, but this is going well.”

”You make a most, aesthetically pleasing couple,” Ta’Vok said and walked off chewing on his celery.

”Oh I love Vulcans, that was cute, he has a crush on you,” Tashai said, leaning up and kissing Pr’Nor’s lips, an act that pretty much everyone at the picnic noticed but nobody commented on.

In the bleachers the tall Andorian sat next to the Cheif Medical Officer who was engaged in eating some corn on the cob. Kan Th’kaotross sat down next to her, his own plate mainly meat based. Doctor Mueller looked at it and judged the health effects of everything on it though she also knew that the Andorian could eat all of it and still be the healthiest person on the ship.

”You deserved the Second Officer’s position,” he said, “I’ve just stood at attention this entire mission, my department is fourth the size of yours and… well you’ve been to use a human phrase ‘killing this’.”

She shrugged, “You look like you rolled off a recruitment poster for Starfleet. You’re doing great too, yes it should be the CMO on a medical ship but we already have Doctor McCleod and the Captain wasn’t going to have another doctor. So yes it should have been me, but next best is you.“

”Are you suggesting I only got it because I look good in uniform?” the Andorian said in a way that Mueller could not tell if he was joking.

”Umm… maybe,” she said.

He smiled, “Thank you. I do look good in uniforms. You know he’s trying, he’s a good man he’s just. Bored I think. For most of us this is all new and exciting, for him, it’s been however many years and he’s not once got to do anything that the computer couldn’t do. I understand wanting to bring honor to your name.”

”Yeah I know, I just don’t have time for juggling the feelings of my male commanders while I’m running a large scale operation,” Mueller said.

”You ever not work?” Kan Th’kaotross asked.

”Not yet,” she confessed.

”Do you want to get a drink after this?“ he asked.

”As a date or as friends?”

”We can see how it goes.”

Mueller smiled, “I thought there was a ritual fight or something to ask me out first.”

”Well I’m trying to blend in, not a lot of Andorians on board,” he said.

”Clever,” Mueller said, “Okay but not Nine Forward, I don’t need everyone speculating.”

”Because of the rumors about you and Commander McCleod?”

”What rumors?”

Across the field Va’Tok was looking puzzled, “Hitting you would not be logical.”

”Trust me my core is tight man,” Li Zeng said lifting his shirt, “Pure muscle.”

Nurse Westbrook touched it and giggled, “It is.”

”I still do not believe hitting it would prove anything useful. I may be reprimanded,” Va’Tok said.

”Hit me come on,” Li Zeng said.

Against his better judgement Va’Tok him his stomach. The human bent over and fell to the ground the air punch out of him. 

From across the field Commander McCleod yelled, “Oi, don’t hit the junior officers. We only have so many.”

”Apologies Commander he insisted,” Va’Tok said.

The baseball game resumed due to the insistance of Captain Hawkthorne but only two more innings were played and seeming Tashai was the only one truly in it for the Sehlats. She scored another run and made a series of remarkable plays but it was not enough and the team lost to the Angels which had the effect of pleasing the Captain who presented them all with trophies.

”Thank you all this was fun. Next time we can play a Vulcan game,” he said.

”There is a game where we sit in quiet meditation for six hours and then discuss divergent points of opinion. I am quite good at that Va’Tok said.

“Maybe not a Vulcan game,” McCleod said, “How about caber tossing?”

”Sounds fun what’s that,” Captain Hawkthorne asked.

”You get a bloody big tree and throw it,” McCleod said.

”Wow, that’s…” Hume said then thought better of it when Kolem nudged him.

”Brilliant,” McCleod said, “We could eat haggis.”

Mueller made a face of disgust, as did a few of the other humans.

”What’s haggis?” Pr’Nor asked.

”Sheep’s guts,” Tashai said, “You wouldn’t like it.”

”Let’s table it for now, thank you all, and as a reward no work for two days, any of you,” the Captain said, “Let the lower decks handle this, and then we’ll finish up. This has been a dull, but important mission. We’ve saved lives and proved Starfleet’s non-military value once more.”

Hume found Kolem again, “Still mad at me?”

”No,” she admitted.

”You want that Holodeck adventure now?” he asked.

”Can we use it to play baseball?” she asked.

”I have better ideas,” he said as they exited into the hallway behind Pr’Nor and Tashai.