Renato's Party Grows Enthusiastic
Posted on Fri 9th Oct, 2020 @ 1:28am by Commander Mikaela Locke & Lieutenant Commander Alora Baro & Renato Solis & Lieutenant Commander Lanis Dhuro MD & Purulence Addams & Ignatius Collins
1,121 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Resolution
Location: Brown Sector Deck 2245 Renato's
Timeline: MD 14, 1645
Previously, at our party ...
Paul nodded once in understanding at Mikaela. His question had only been an ice-breaker, after all. "There's some food left--vegetable dishes, even--and they're bringing in more. The tables are on the other side of this mob of people." Paul walked with the two of them as they skirted the edge of the crowd to where the buffet line was. "There have been a lot more people here than I expected," Paul said. "Word travels fast."
And now, party on!
Mikaela Locke and Andrus Grax each picked up an empty plate before filling it with a variety of the foods that were still available, and then followed Paul back to one of the tables. “Are these seats free?” Mikaela asked Paul, indicating the table in front of them.
Paul nodded. "I saw the people who were sitting here get up with their plates and leave." He pulled out a chair for Mikaela and then sat down once she did.
"Thank you," Mikaela nodded to Paul, as she sat down. As she did so, she caught the glance that Grax gave her. "What?" she asked, mock-indignantly.
"Nothing," Grax replied, with equal feigned indifference, taking a seat ... one of the seats next to her. "I'm just annoyed that he didn't pull my chair out for me, as well!"
Paul laughed. "What can I say? She's cuter than you are."
Grax and Locke both joined in laughing, and then all three turned their attention to their plates.
Alora came back with another plate of random bits and pieces, just sampling now as she found her seat again.
"Oh, good choice!" Hieronymous said, expansive after eating and having a drink or two. I brought back a few of those cherry-looking things, and they are quite delicious. Do not tell me they aren't cherries. I don't want to know what they are!" He laughed, but a listener could tell he was serious.
His wife smiled and patted his hand. "You've always been like that. If it tastes good, you don't really want to know what it is. Leave well enough alone, you always say."
"Absolutely," he agreed, taking another swig of his drink. "And I think I'll get some more. Would you like anything else, Beautiful?"
"I think I've had plenty of everything," she smiled at him, amused that he still called her beautiful after all their decades together.
She watched him walk away, a small smile on her face. Without looking at the woman sitting near them, she gave her advice. "Now that's the kind of man you want to find, my dear. Someone who still thinks you're beautiful after time has given you a few passes."
At the other side of the table Ignatius, hearing Mrs. Block's comment, smiled at Purulence, even though her face was turned away from him as she watched the antics of a little boy.
Haksin had contented himself to setting up a small table of his own, stuffed animals, bench rows, an improvised dining table imagined from a wooden palette. He was burbling mostly, since words were a problem for him, something a teacher would be able to help with were one suitably trained in this area. Renato had been trying as well, using subtle games to help him identify unions of word and concept. There were seven stuffed animals, but two of them had to share a seat. Haksin was fussing over their napkins, chiding them when they fell off the improvised chair, and lamenting over the lack of proper silverware.
Mrs. Block wiped her mouth and folded her napkin, setting it under her plate. She noted the direction of Purulence's gaze and saw the little boy playing alone. She could hear his voice, but not quite make his words. After a moment, she realized he really didn't have many words, and was speaking his own language, which she was sure had a lot of meaning for him. She leaned toward the young woman. "You should go play with him, dear. I'd do it myself, but I don't get up and down as well as I used to. He needs a verbal role model, and you are very well spoken. Plus, I think you like children."
Purulence grinned at Mrs. Block and chuckled. "He is adorable, isn't he?" She glanced around. "Well, if I wouldn't be in anyone's way. Ignatius, would you mind if I introduced myself to that little boy for a moment?"
"Not a bit," Ignatius told her. "I might even come and join you after I finish this roll of hasperat. It's generously portioned." It was three-quarters the length of his forearm.
Purulence laughed. "You'll be eating on that for a while!" She sipped from her drink, wiped her lips with her napkin, and then went over to where the little boy sat with his party of stuffed animals. She crouched down to be more on a level with him. "Hi! My name's Pru. You look like you're having so much fun! May I come play with you? I can help those two stay on their chair."
To his credit, Haksin could talk and form sentences, just in his own language. The UT couldn't pick up on it, but curious minds tried to glean the nuggets of intent to the avalanche of vowels. When he had the right words, he was able to spit them out well enough, so he defaulted to a few basic words long ago mastered. The pretty girl with stunning dark skin was mesmerizing all on its own for the boy, unaccustomed to such beauty and utterly awestruck.
In reply, he merely babbled, wide eyed at her. Standing up suddenly, Haksin toddled to his pile of toys, pulling a small girl doll with long black hair. A solid smile came over his face, and he pointed to a plush winged simian closest to him, "You can play?" A moment passed where Haksin's imagination perceived a terrible slight to hospitality in Albert the MonkeyBat's refusal to move for MissyPru. He pushed the monkey toy off the tiny chair, "Sit! Bad Alby, We Share!" Albert rolled away in shame, and the Cindy the Spacer fell off her shared seat once again.
He placed Pru's avatar in the seat closest to him, babbling on, the gist of which was, "I like honey cake do you?" A well handled piece of cake had already been brutalized to each place setting, the lack of cutlery becoming distressing again.
"Honey cake is yummy!" Purulence said. "So who are the other guests?" She settled herself on the deck and smiled as she remembered rainy afternoons of playing Poisoned Tea Party with her sisters and their dolls in the upstairs parlor.
RSS Feed