Geniuses and Idiots

Posted on Tue Mar 10th, 2020 @ 9:07pm by Lieutenant Commander Feyd Relor & Crewman Thomas Jefferson

Mission: Coming Aboard
Location: Various
Timeline: Current

Off:

Ok, let's do this. Sorry Mystery, we had this JP well underway before you posted so I worked it in as best I could. Feel free to start another with me and Jefferson though, I'm game!

On:

[Sickbay]

Feyd heaved a sigh of relief, as the biobed indicated that Balrog was stable. The Chef knew his business, and that irked the Doctor. He had never been so upstaged in his medical knowledge...well, not after he earned his MD anyway.

"He's stable." He said in response to the XO. And no, there is no risk to the ship, as far as I can tell. The toxins in his bloodstream have been neutralized and there's no evidence that the Drexel Pods are mobile any longer."

He was distracted momentarily as nurse Grimm walked by, his eyes drawn to her posterior, then shook his head.

"If there's nothing else, Commander." He said, and retired to his office.

He pulled up the dossier of one Thomas Jefferson, Chef, then whistled low. The man had three PHDs; in Biochemistry, Botany and Xenobotany. No wonder he knew exactly what kind of toxin the Drexel Pods had injected into the Operations Officer, and how to treat it. It was risky, but it worked.

He knew Jefferson was a nephew of one of his old crewmates and good friend, John Sunfeather. He could see the family resemblance, in several ways.

"Nurse Grimm, would you please watch after the good Lieutenant?"

"Mmm hmm," she said, in an entirely provocative way. Negative, Feyd. Bad idea. He tapped his comm badge.

"Doctor Relor to Crewman Jefferson."

=/\= "One moment. =/\= Came the response.

[[Captains Ward Room]]

Jefferson added the finishing touches to his appetizer, meant to be the main course, and took a deep breath. "Go ahead."

=/\= "Do you have time for a drink?" =/\= The doctor said over the comms.

"I do now. Meet you in the Mess Hall?"

=/\= "Be there in ten." =/\=

[Mess Hall]

Thomas entered the Mess Hall and saw that Dr Reylor was already sitting at a table. A number of Crewmen were sitting at various tables eating or relaxing on break. Walking over to the table he set down a small covered tray, two glasses and a carafe with an orange liquid in it.

Taking a seat across from Feyd, Thomas handed him a set of chopsticks wrapped in a napkin and set another set of chopsticks in front of himself. Taking the lid off the tray Feyd saw strips of a pink gelatinous florescent meat on a bed of shredded carrots. Pouring a measure of the liquid into each of the glasses and handing one over to Feyd Thomas said "Please, try it and tell me what you think".

Feyd looked at the tray, then the chopsticks, then at Thomas and back to the tray. Never one to back down from a challenge he picked up a piece of meat with the chopsticks, dipped it in a small sauce tray and popped it in his mouth. The flavor was a mix of rancid bear poop and sweet nectarines, his tongue went numb (probably from the toxin) and then the endorphins kicked in.

Feyd's first instinct was to spit out the concoction in his mouth, but then he was overwhelmed by a sense of euphoria, faster acting than any drug he was aware of. He chewed the meat slowly, savoring the odd taste. "Wow," he said, after swallowing. "That's...really really good."

"Thank you," said the Chef, a knowing smile on his face. "I was mildly concerned that it would cause your brain to melt"

Feyd couldn't tell if Thomas was serious or joking and decided joking was a better way to take it. "Funny." Taking a sip of the liquor he says "You were spot on about the Lieutenant's treatment. I didn't really have time to second guess you, so I'm glad you knew what you were talking about."

"It's really not that impressive" Thomas replied "Any first year intern could have figured it out, I just thought I would save you some time on the diagnosis and researching a treatment." Reaching out with his chopsticks he plucked a Drexel slice from the tray and popped it in his mouth. "I am disappointed that most of the shipment was lost from that crewman messing around in my shipping container." Taking another piece of meat and savoring the flavors "Do you have Any idea how hard it was for me to arrange that shipment?"

Feyd chuckled to himself, the rush of the endorphins caused by the exotic dish perhaps adding a tad more volume than he had intended. He'd dealt before with people with high IQs, they were always the same, unaware that they were ten steps ahead of anyone else in the room and frustrated that few could keep up. Thomas reminded him very much of Sunfeather, and it made him wonder where in the Galaxy his friend was. He hadn't heard from him in over a year, and knowing John, that could mean a different realm of existence entirely.

"I bet." He said, taking another sip of the liquor. "Ferengi can be like that, especially when they're trying to operate on a Federation Starbase." He looked down sheepishly at the meal, realizing that offering it to Feyd was no small gesture, given the circumstances. "Is this...all there is?" Feyd said tentatively.

Feyd was not normally interested in what others thought of him, and certainly was not normally interested in making friends. But if Jefferson was anything at all like his uncle, and recent events made him think he was, the effort would be worth it. One or two good, solid friends - friends you could count on no matter what, was all a man needed.

"Unfortunately, yes." Taking a sip of the Rigelian Whiskey as well, nearly a perfect match to the Drexel Pods but not quite Thomas thought to himself, if he could only get some more pods to work out the complimentary courses and drinks, but alas that might be a few years before that can happen again. "There is not much usable meat on any individual Pod, and they have to be harvested just prior to molting and shedding their shells. But at least I was able to harvest the toxin sacs, I believe there may be some medicinal uses for them."

Standing up rather perfunctorily Thomas said "I have the Captain' dinner to prepare." He turned to go, paused and turned back "I remember you, you came to our town with my Uncle years ago while he was on leave. I haven't seen him in quite some time. Let us meet for dinner soon and catch up." Before Feyd could respond, Thomas was gone, having left the half full decanter of liquor behind.

Off:

Lieutenant Commander Feyd Relor
Chief Medical Officer
USS Independence

and

Crewman Thomas Jefferson
Chef
USS Independence