I drank my non-alcoholic beer which was sitting next to my refreshing fruit juice while I had my arm draped around the back of my girlfriend’s seat. Lieutenant Bailey was still as red as a tomato while both Lieutenant Zu and McAllister were pretty much losing it at Bailey’s expense.
“C’mon Bailey, pucker up, you really didn’t ruffle my feathers.” Bailey had been moping for the last couple of minutes after he had come back from getting us our drinks. I had ordered another non-alcoholic beer on the side of my ginger apple juice so I could switch between the two drinks.
“Still, it’s poor form, Commander.” Bailey pouted. “I should not have said that about a commanding officer. At least not to the Commander’s partner…”
“If you knew what marines talk shit about during navy parties, you would quickly change your opinion of that.” I chuckled and put my pint down on the table, taking one of the paprika flavored peanuts out of the small bowl that was served alongside our drinks and placing it on the table. With a quick flick of my finger I launched it towards Bailey who in turn managed to catch it with the palm of his hand before it would land on his lap. “You should join one of their parties in the near future.”
“We are allowed to do that?” Zu asked.
“Didn’t you know?” Luna asked in return.
Zu shook her head.
“It’s true that the invitations for the parties that the marines throw circulate mostly within marine circles, nothing stops you from joining them and having fun with the marines. They actually really like it when other people join in on the fun. You can ask McAllister. I’ve seen her around partying plenty of times together with the marines.”
“Wha- And you didn’t invite me?” Zu crossed her arms and she looked actually miffed at the Lieutenant for not telling her.
McAllister shrugged. “As the Commander said, those parties are generally a bit rough around the edges so I thought you wouldn’t be interested.”
“How long have you been going to them?” Bailey asked. He seemed a bit less stressed already as the conversation had started rolling.
“Pretty much from back in the day when I used to fly shuttles during the war.” McAllister replied. McAllister was one of the older officers who had a lot of experience under their belt. I hadn’t flown with her personally but I have definitely heard about her skill during the war, flying under fire. It’s not a big surprise that she managed to qualify to pilot the first big FTL mission after all. In contrast to Zu and Bailey who basically got put on the ship directly after finishing the academy, albeit very much as the top scoring officers to ever graduate from it.
“Damn, I didn’t know you were such a seasoned partygoer, McAllister…” Zu replied. “You always seem like such a…” Zu suddenly put her lips tight on one another.
“Hmmm?” McAllister squinted and straightened her back. “What were you going to say?”
“Uh, nothing.”
“I don’t know, to me it sounded like she was going to say you are kind of a lightweight, McAllister.”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking as well, Commander Davis…” After we looked at each other we slowly turned our head towards Zu who was sweating bullets right about now.
“Look, you said it, I didn’t.” Zu raised her hands in her own defense. “But I will admit that you do seem woozy really fast after having had a drink, that’s all.”
McAllister chuckled and leant back in her seat, downing a glass of whiskey in one go without even coughing a little. And from my memories, that whiskey is darn strong. “I can assure you that I am absolutely not a lightweight.”
“Then why what do you do? You pretend you are drunk?” Zu looked confused as heck.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
McAllister sat down her glass of whiskey on the table and then pointed at Zu with a smile. “Here’s the thing, Zu. People tend to lower their guard quite a bit when they think you are not quite there anymore. It makes it a lot easier to break the ice with certain people. I’m pretty sure the Commander can attest to that.” McAllister looked back to me.
I nodded. “Especially if you’ve made a name for yourself in combat, people tend to put you on a pedestal. It creates a certain distance which isn’t the most fun thing to happen at parties. It’s a weird kind of loneliness. But if you are drunk, or are performing to look drunk, it makes it a lot easier for people to approach you, that’s for sure.”
“I suppose that does make sense.” Lieutenant Bailey, who had been following the conversation intently, nodded.
“Although, admittedly, most of the time I wasn’t performing.” I chuckled. “But thanks to my girlfriend over here that has turned around quite a bit.”
Luna blushed as I said that and started to act a little shy so I laid my hand on her shoulder and quickly pulled her closer to me before letting her go again.
“Have you stopped drinking altogether, Commander?” Bailey asked.
“I still drink occasionally.” I replied. “Though a lot less than I used to. I tend to keep it for special occasions now. Like this evening for example.” I looked at Luna and she gave me her approval with a simple nod in return.
“Then what are you going to have, I think I’ll take the same.” Bailey smiled.
“I haven’t decided yet, but I’ll go take two next time.”
“Don’t take anything too strong though.” McAllister chuckled. “We have now clarified that I am not the lightweight they thought I was, but in return I’m not so sure about the greenhorns, especially Zu…”
“Hey!” Zu jokingly banged the tabel and the looked straight at me. “Commander, take the strongest thing that’s on the menu, I’ll have two to begin with.”
I chuckled in response and eased her down with a hand gesture. “Zu, be careful what you are starting. Have you ever even had the strongest thing on the menu? That thing is like 96% alcohol…”
Zu’s eyes went wide. “R-really?” She then pulled back into her chair. “Okay… then maybe not quite the strongest thing.”
I chuckled once more. “I’ll go with my personal favorites, at least with those you can still use your tastebuds afterwards.”
We talked for a while longer before we went for the second round of drinks. Luna went with me to the bar to go and collect them while Bailey, McAllister and Zu stayed behind to discuss how well they would all hold back the alcohol. Well, at least Bailey wasn’t holding back anymore.
As we arrived at the bar, Luna poked me in the side and leant in so she could whisper something in my ear.
“What is it?” I smiled.
“I was just wondering…” Luna looked at the bar. “Have you actually tried that drink you mentioned before?”
“Hmm? The 96% one?”
She nodded. “Yes, that one.”
“I have tried it once.” I nodded in return. “It’s a Polish spirit. I don’t think you are meant to drink it like that because it really wasn’t good… At least it wasn’t to my taste.”
“...”
“Before you are thinking about trying it, I’m pretty sure with your constitution it would outright kill you, so you better stay for away from it.”
Luna immediately waved my comment away. “Oh no no no, I wasn’t thinking about that, I was just wondering why people would make such a thing.”
I shrugged. “I suppose some people like it. I prefer something that actually has a taste besides alcohol though.” I then browsed the alcoholic beverage menu on the synth bot behind the counter. “Ah, looks like they don’t even serve it here, so I lied to Zu. I suppose it’s not too weird, considering it’s almost pure alcohol.”
“Stupid question, but why is there even alcohol allowed on this ship?”
“Hmm.” I hummed contently while I put in the order into the interface. “That’s actually a good question. On most military ships it’s not. But they made a distinct exemption for long-term exploration vehicles. We can’t make port often to blow off steam like other vehicles can. Putting this many people on a ship without handing them that common way of letting loose is really not a good idea. Although that does make alcohol abuse quite the problem as is evident by my own doing. But at least you and Eva put me back on track which I’m of course very grateful for.” I continued by giving my girlfriend a kiss on her cheek which resulted in the other officers whistling at me.
“Less flirting with Luna and more getting us drinks, Lauren.” McAllister yelled.
I rolled my eyes as both Luna and I started laughing. Right at that time the synth bot put the ready-made drinks on the tray for me to carry. “Let’s hurry back before they get even more rowdy.”
“Will you be drinking more after that one?” Luna asked before we went.
“I promise this is my last for the evening.”
Luna nodded happily and followed me as I walked back.