Cleaning the Captain's Mess

Posted on 16 Jun 2024 @ 2:46am by Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Lieutenant Commander Joey Geisler

930 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Shattered Unity
Location: Captain's Mess
Timeline: June 19, 2390 || 1200 hours

Was it over? Zin Sinalin wondered when he no longer hear the very human sounds of pleasure coming from the mess. He looked over at the clock and saw that the Commodore and his wife had likely returned back to duty and dared to poke his head out. It was all clear. For now.

He looked at the beverage cart and saw that it had was in need of a cleaning and ventured past it, giving it a large berth as he looked into the mess hall and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the Commodore and his wife had already left.

"I need a Crewman in here now," he called.

Crewman Jackson Zenkman, a barely wet behind the ears and almost straight out of boot camp, approached the Bolian chef. He wasn't sure what he was needed for, but assumed he would find out soon enough. "Sir?"

Zin grabbed the hapless young man and gave a grim smile as he pulled him into the Captain's Mess. "You, Crewman, have just been made a very lucky man today!"

The young man blinked. What in the world was the man going on about? "I... you're going to have to be a bit more forthcoming with information. Unless... you need a doctor. If you sit down, I can get one for you. It shouldn't take long. Well... maybe a little longer than normal given the extra people."

The Bolian Chef laughed heartily and closed the door, then locked it. "Today, you have been elected to assist in cleaning the Captain's Mess! Grab some cleaning supplies and the first thing I want done is for you to completely clean down the beverage cart."

"I... I... can't," the Crewman stammered as he took a step away in the backward direction from the chef. Was he about to be put on the menu? It kind of felt that way.

Zin grinned and grabbed a phaser that was stored under his serving station and brought it up. "This should help if you're feeling squeamish," he said.

The color drained from Jackson's face. This is how it was supposed to end? "Whatever is wrong, we can talk about it. You don't have to do this. We're on a starship. There's nowhere to go."

The Boilian looked at the phaser and laughed when he saw the color leave the young man's face. "This isn't for you, you beetlebrain, it's for sterilizing the beverage cart." He handed it over to the Crewman with a laughed again.

The young human looked to the phaser that now seemed to be in his hand, to the beverage cart, then to the Bolian. "Wha...? Why does the beverage cart need to be sterilized, and why can't you do it?"

"It has to be done quickly. Now. Move," Zen said as he looked at the closed blast shields. "Computer, raise blast shields. Now we have a view, Crewman!"

Jackson looked to the phaser again. "Why can't you do it?"

"Because I outrank you," the Bolian said, not wanting to freak the Crewman out more than he already was. "I'll tell you after we're done."

The young man was already freaked out, and that was clear on his features. "Why do I need to clean it with a phaser? That's a bit extreme, isn't it?"

"Here, come here," Zin said and grabbed the Crewman's arm, bringing him to the cart. "What does that smell like to you? Take a whiff. Do you think that the Commodore wants coffee that smells like that?"

"What?" Jackson asked as he was practically dragged to the cart. "I'm not smelling that! I don't even know what that is! You're crazy!"

"Just put the phaser on wide beam and sweep it over the cart two or three times. I can't be sure how bad it's contaminated. Everything has to be thrown out and made fresh. What are you waiting for?"

If it would get him out of there faster, then why not? The young man thumbed the phaser to wide beam and pointed it to the cart, then fired, sweeping the beam over it as instructed. When that was done, he looked to the Bolian. "Better? I did what you asked, and I don't know why."

The Bolian chef looked satisfied and finally relaxed a bit. He looked around, then grabbed the ordering PADD on the table and deactivated it. In a hushed voice, he looked at the Crewman. "The Commodore had sex with his wife in here," he hissed.

Jackson blinked. That's what all of this was about? He couldn't help but laugh as he put the safety back on the phaser and passed it back to the chef. "Is that all? When the urge strikes, the location hardly matters. Captain's mess, ready room, pool table, pool... we're in space. Might as well sterilize the entire ship," he said. "'Cause I can guarantee more than Mom and Dad are getting busy around the ship."

"Don't say that out loud!" Zin hissed as he took the phaser back. "They'll be encouraged to do it everywhere!"

"Can I go now?" The young man asked.

"Yes and remember, you're sworn to secrecy," the Chef told him. "Forever."

"I'm not going to say anything to anyone. That's a private matter between a husband and wife," Jackson said as he made his way to the door. "If you're this squeamish, watch where you walk." And with that he was gone.

Zin shuddered and locked the door again, then began to sterilize every surface. Be careful where he walked indeed.

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