Feeding the Masses

Posted on Tue 9th Apr, 2019 @ 9:31pm by Carlo Rienzi

1,020 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: A Diplomatic Affair
Location: Orchids & Jazz, Pub 10-42?
Timeline: MD-1, 1625 hours

In Orchids and Jazz, Carlo Rienzi chewed his first morsel of Welsh Rarebit and sighed contentedly at the hot, gooey, cheesy goodness and the small chunk of toasted bread that crunched delicately as he chewed. This meal counted as his breakfast. "That is something wonderful," he said to Jade Lantz from where he sat at her bar. He washed down the bite with a swallow of Austrian Spiced Coffee. "I am so glad I got here before 1600. I was afraid I'd miss it."

Leaning on the glossy wood of the bar just before the post-shift crowds descended, Jade smiled. "You know Marin would make it for you whatever time of day you came in. She likes you, and besides you're in the same business we are. Sometimes, that means we collaborate nicely with one another. Speaking of which, how's business at your end?" She hoped he was doing well. There was room for all types of restaurants on a base this large. A quarter of a million people guaranteed that.

"Business is going pretty well," Carlo said. "Had my first-ever Klingon customer the other day. Guy came in, asked what the toppings were, and then ordered an all-meat pizza with anchovies. After he ate it, he ordered a bowl full of just anchovies." Carlo shuddered. "Who does that?"

"People who eat Targ, apparently," she laughed. "We don't get many in here, either. Occasionally, someone who is part of a group, but I don't think my musical choices suit most Klingons."

"Probably not. Far too mellow!" Carlo said, chuckling. "By the way, you tell Marin that I like her too, and I adore her cooking. I suspect you pay her way too much for me to hire her away from you."

"I expect you're right, I -" Jade broke off as Gladia Delmarre came flying through the door from the back hall.

She glanced at Rienzi and hesitated but then spoke at a level they could both hear. "I thought you'd want to know. There are multiple messages about a tram accident on deck 700. It sounds like a de-railing and school children are involved. The medical teams are beginning evacuation, and it sounds like there may be a lot of injuries. Engineering has just shown up, and that's all I know. I'll let you know as details develop." She was gone almost as fast as she had come.

"Oh, no," Lantz said. "I hope - well, never mind, we'll find out. I'm sure they have plenty of people who've rushed to get in the way, but do you think there's something positive we could contribute?" She looked around the restaurant and saw most people carrying on normally, so the news wasn't out. Two engineers were hurrying toward the restaurant's exit.

"Maybe not right now, but they'll be hungry soon," Carlo said. "It's getting on toward 1800." He glanced at Jade. "At my pub, we do a thing where we make sure the first responders get something to eat if they need it--like if there's a security alert or whatever. I extend that to the families, too. Doesn't have to be anything complicated. It's usually spaghetti and meatballs because we can make that quickly, keep it hot, and get it out there to them. That or pizza, and coffee. You want to partner up? Sad though it is, not everyone thinks spaghetti and meatballs is God's gift to the universe. They'd probably like some variety."

Jade nodded, "Definitely. We can probably get others to help, too. Buffet, do you think? They can pick and choose that way, because some of them won't even eat humanoid food, unless they really are starving. I don't know about medical personnel, but my best guess is that engineering and security are going to be busy for hours."

She thought about what Marin might be able to fix in quantity and with speed. "Sandwich makings, definitely, things to sustain their energy, drinks, sides like potato salad and pok tar ... oh, vegetable biryani, definitely. I'll have to see what we have to throw into that. Yes," she looked at Carlo, "I think a buffet set up. I have tables and can have them set up, but we need to find out who's in charge and get approval. What do you want to do about drinks, other than lots of water bottles?"

Another thought suddenly occurred to her. "What about the parents who will be afraid for the children, waiting to see if they're alright? Should we leave them to the medical staff, or try to do what we can there, too?"

"I'm thinking coffee and tea," Carlo said. "The more we have of both of those, the better. What's that Betazoid stuff--jestral tea? We'll want some of that. It helps calm your nerves. That Bajoran lady at the religious store has good tea; she might be willing to donate some."

He thought a moment. "There's a counselor down in the River Village--a Dr. Anderson. Also a Romulan doctor--who's really nice, for a Romulan. Those parents--they might react better to civilians than counselors in Starfleet uniforms, you know? Uniforms aren't very homey. They make you feel like you've got to maintain self-discipline. Folks wearing civvies--you feel more comfortable falling apart if you need to."

"And parents might be blaming Starfleet for the incident, too, so that's a good point," Jade nodded. "Okay, you see about getting the coffee and teas, and maybe contact the doctor. I know Elizabeth, she's often in here, so I'll reach out to her, and I'll also get approval from someone ... Operations, do you think? Or the XO, perhaps. I don't think we need to go as high as the commodore. Or ... maybe we should show up without asking, because we can always apologize after everyone's eaten."

Carlo gave Jade a wicked grin. "Give them a fait accompli, eh? I like the way you think. I'll call the doc now." Carlo pulled out his CD* and put in the call. "Hey, ah, Dr. s'Siedhri's office? This is Carlo Rienzi, from Pub 10-42? If the doctor's available, could I speak to him for a moment...?"

 

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