Celebrate Good Times, Come On!
Posted on Fri Jul 25th, 2025 @ 12:07pm by Commander Cressida Vale MD & Petty Officer 1st Class Alina Tevaris & Captain Niun Standing Bear & Sergeant Jace Morven & Lieutenant JG Elen Rell & Lieutenant JG Mieta
3,165 words; about a 16 minute read
Mission:
Prologue
Location: Deck 22: The Green Kiss
Timeline: The night after "Give Me a Second (Officer)" and "Warp Core Joy Levels: Supernova"
The Green Kiss was a popular spot on the Guinevere, especially among the ship’s LGBTQIA+ crew. The drinks, the music, the atmosphere overall, it all lead to the bar being pretty most nights, as crewmembers who were stressed from a long duty shift came for colourful drinks, loud music, and the occasional hookup.
When it was time to celebrate Cressida’s elevation to the position of Second Officer, Alina knew that her wife would want to do it there. She contacted bar management ahead of time and arranged for snacky appetizers, a selection of fruity cocktails, and for the holo-DJ to play some of the doctor’s favourite tracks.
A few friends had started trickling in at just after 2000, but Alina refused to let Cressida show up until 2045. Besides, it took forever to get the woman of honour’s hair just right.
And it didn’t help that the both of them kept making flirty jokes about command rank.
But at 2045, the two walked into the bar, Alina wearing her red dress — one of Cressida’s favourites — hand in hand with Cressida, who was wearing her long black dress with the red flower at the shoulder, which led the eye to the keyhole cutout, and the high slit, her hair pulled into two tight odango style buns, the rest cascading down her back. Did they draw a few eyes? Probably, but Cressida’s attention was on her friends already gathered.
Mieta had dressed for the occasion, swapping her uniform for a figure-hugging silver dress. The Kelpien had been chatting with one of her coworkers when Cressida and her wife appeared in the doorway; she stood up immediately and addressed the room: "And there they are, ladies! The lady and mistress of the evening!" She applauded loudly, cup in hand, which she somehow managed not to drop as she clapped along with the rest.
Cressida’s grin widened as she closed the gap to her Head Nurse. She clasped Mieta’s hand and pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you so much.”
"No problem at all. It's the least I can do for our newest second officer." Mieta returned the hug and pulled away after a brief period. She couldn't keep Vale all to herself, obviously, least of all from her wife.
Dressed in black, sheathed dagger at his waist, and wearing soft-soled boots, Niun entered with a wrapped package in hand. Gift-giving was an important part of life among the Cheyenne, something the Mri had never done and Niun, as an Azhadi warrior had owned (literally) nothing but the clothes on his back and his dagger for the entirety of his life on the home world. Still the traditions mattered and Naomi, Jackson's partner of many years, had given him a few things that he could use, should the occasion arise. He held one of them in his hand now, a hand-made shawl that felt as soft as spider's web in his hands, that Naomi had assured him most women would enjoy (except Vulcans -- that had been made clear).
Niun crossed the room, smiling, as he approached the doctor. "Congratulations," he said, in his accented Federation Standard, "this is for you."
“Niun, that’s so kind, thank you.” Cressida stroked the soft fibres and smiled. They had worked together long enough by this point that they were on a first-name basis when orders weren’t being issued, and she expected that they would only get closer as her command training went on. She recognized this had been crafted with love, probably by someone close to the First Officer. “And thanks for coming, it means a lot.”
The doors to The Green Kiss parted again...and this time, it wasn’t just an entrance. It was a soft declaration of intent.
Electric blue. That was the first thing people saw. Elen Rell stepped inside with all the energy of someone who absolutely did not do things by halves. Her top was crocheted, close-fitting, handmade, and somehow effortlessly scandalous yet nothing revealing; her black trousers were sleek and snug, balancing structure against curve. And her boots? Not Starfleet-issue. Not even close. High-heeled, black, rising nearly to her knees with just the occasional glint of metal at the seams, like they’d been made for dancing and kicking down doors.
Her hair was a crown braid half-undone by design, curls spilling like rebellion. Her lipstick was a deep wine red, dramatic in the way good engineering and bad decisions sometimes were. And she looked, frankly, delighted. She paused just inside the doorway, scanning the room with quick, flicking attention: music, lights, friends, colour, and somewhere in the middle of it all: Cressida Vale. Elen’s grin turned downright carnivorous.
“Stars and circuits,” she muttered under her breath, “Command will never know what hit it with her as Second Officer.”
Then she moved, heels clicking like percussion under the music, hips loose, posture relaxed but prowling. She cut through the room like a woman following a tractor beam she’d accidentally invented.
Mieta’s head swivelled round to look at Elen and her outfit though, and an eyebrow quirked at, well, daring was a way to put it. Clearly this girl was pretty good at toeing the line - something the Kelpien hoped didn't also extend to her work ethic. That'd be pretty dangerous.
Nonetheless, who'd she be if she didn't take even one nip at the bait dangling right in front of her eyes? Besides, it wasn't as if taking an introductory
"Well, hello there, electric girl." She purred when the other woman got a little closer. "Lighting up the room already, I see..."
Elen’s grin deepened, and she turned a little more fully to face Mieta, sensing an invitation...and not the kind you walk past. “Now you're just going to make me blush,” she said, laughing under her breath. “If I short out the lighting system in here, it’s officially your fault. Incendiary compliments at warp ten.”
Her eyes flicked past Mieta for a beat, tracking Cressida in conversation. Busy. No rush.
She turned back, comfortable now, her stance shifting just enough to settle into something a bit more comfortable. “And you’re Mieta, right? Cressida’s Head Nurse?” She tilted her head. “I’ve seen you around. Usually running triage like it’s a command simulation and still managing to look like you stepped off the cover of Medical Quarterly: Elegant Edition.”
She leaned on one hip, playful but sincere. “I'm Elen Rell. Engineering. Resident chaos vector, sometimes tea-gremlin, always wired on too little sleep and too many ideas.”
As Alina went to get drinks, Cressida’s rounds eventually brought her to Elen, who had already been found by Mieta. “Damn girl,” she told her best friend. “When I said ‘dress to impress’, you took that as a challenge!” She pulled her in for a tight hug. “Seriously though thanks for coming.”
Elen made an exaggerated oof noise as Cressida pulled her in, but the grin she wore was immediate and genuine. She hugged back hard, boots braced like someone anchoring joy in real time. “You said ‘impress,’ not ‘intimidate,’ but let’s be honest: with you out here looking like an admiral’s favourite daydream, I had to bring at least a little chaos to balance the scales.”
She pulled back just enough to give her best friend a once-over, lips quirking. “That dress? Illegal in at least three systems. And those buns?” She made a small spiraling motion near her own temple. “Perfect orbital symmetry. Frankly, I’m offended by how hot you look. You’re going to start diplomatic incidents just by breathing.”
Then, softer, her voice dropped to something a little more real beneath the glitter: “But seriously? I wouldn’t have missed this for anything. You earned this with all the fire and grace in that brilliant brain of yours. Second Officer suits you, Cress. Just like the stars always did.”
“Thanks, Bestie,” Cressida said, her smile never once fading.
Alina caught up with the three with a tray of glasses. She had gotten a selection of The Green Kiss’s signature drinks, so each could pick one. She set the tray down and then gave a little hug to each of Elen and Mieta, and waved the First Officer over.
As girl of the hour, Cressida took the three-coloured layered one, The Rainbow Kiss as the bartender called it. Red grenadine at the bottom, pineapple juice and coconut rum forming a golden middle, and diluted blue curaçao on top. One of her favourites. And given they had access to anti-intoxicants, she might have more than one tonight.
Elen accepted the hug from Alina with an affectionate squeeze, then peered at the glasses with mock-serious deliberation. “Okay. Science moment.” She crouched slightly to study the colours. “That one looks like a nebula on shore leave, that one’s giving ‘warp core breach but make it fruity,’ and that one-” she pointed at a luminous green concoction, “-probably glows in the dark and might get me court-martialed. I’ll take it.” She picked it up, smiling.
“Don’t worry, you have an in with the Second Officer,” Cressida quipped.
"And perhaps the First Officer as well," Niun said as he studied the drinks, one after the other, and shook his head. "Unwise," he murmured as he took a step back. A well-trained warrior, given to protection of those he called edun did not drink things that lessened control. "If there is one unclaimed, I will take a small taste."
Mieta smiled and listened quietly while sipping from a pink-colored drink that tasted like strawberries. Mmm. Her favorite.
Taking the cue from the First Officer, Alina took the blue and red swirl, the one Elen suggested was a fruity warp core breach. The one left was gold and she knew was the mildest, so she passed it to Niun. “It’s called a Solar Accord, sir. It’s smooth and sweet and quite mild.”
"Appreciated," Niun answered, smiling at Alina, as he accepted the drink and while he trusted her judgment, he resolved to take only a polite sip. When you are an Azhadi, you breathe control, of oneself, of one's actions. To do otherwise would be to put innocents in danger and this he could not do. And while those days were far in his past, the habit of discipline remained, ingrained into him from his first days of training.
“To Second Officer Vale!” Alina cheered, lifting her glass.
"To a well deserved promotion," Niun said as he lifted his own glass.
“To just being kick-arse amazing!” Elen grinned as she raised her glass, eyes bright. Then she looked between Cressida and Niun, her tone mock-suspicious. “And if the Commodore suddenly comes down with the space-sniffles, I’m blaming both of you...” She gestured between them with exaggerated solemnity. “Some sort of elegant, joint conspiracy....slow-acting sniffles with suspiciously impeccable timing.”
"Oh, pooh. I'll do what I can to put him right." Mieta smiled.
Jace entered The Green Kiss later than most, deliberately waiting until the noise had thickened and the room felt full. He wasn’t one for making a grand entrance, and in this setting, the last thing he wanted was to attract unnecessary attention. His movements were purposeful, grounded, as he made his way through the crowd. His off-duty clothes consisted of a simple, dark green jacket over a black T-shirt. Clothes that fit him like the uniform of someone who didn’t care about the specifics of fashion but understood utility. His jeans were practical, fitted but not restrictive, and he wore the same boots he wore on duty. He moved through the space like a predator assessing territory, his blue eyes scanning the room, missing nothing but burdened by the influx of information: loud music, people crowding, lights shifting color, and the smell of perfume and sweat in the air.
He saw Cressida easily. Surrounded by people, laughing. Alina was there, as was Elen, and Jace briefly recognized the nurse and... the warrior. His gaze flickered downward for a moment, his step slowing, hesitation creeping in.
No. He was here on a mission. She had invited him. She had asked, not ordered. It had been gentle. And he wanted to honour it. His hand twitched towards his pocket, the weight of something wrapped carefully in silk reminding him why he was here. He moved toward the crowd, eyes fixed on her, ignoring the rest.
"Commander Vale," he said, his voice pitched just enough to be heard over the noise.
Cressida turned away from the circle and smiled. He came! Some might think it a small gesture but to her, from him, it meant everything. He braved his comfort zone to honour her promotion. “Mister Morven!” she replied, matching his tone so they could hear each other. “Thank you so much for coming tonight!”
Jace met her eyes, briefly. Long enough for it to mean something, but not long enough to make it obvious. A flicker of acknowledgement before his gaze slid away, just slightly to the side. His shoulders were square, his stance neutral...rested but alert, like someone who hadn’t quite allowed themselves to fully step off duty. "Just to pay my respects," he said, voice even. No ceremony. No softness. But something quieter beneath the surface. Sincere, in the only way he knew how to be. He reached into his pocket, fingers finding the silk-wrapped bundle. He pulled it out with deliberate care, the fabric catching just briefly on a seam. He didn’t fumble. Just adjusted his grip and held it out to her, flat in his palm.
"Something to mark the day," he said. A pause. “Didn’t know the protocol.”
Inside the bundle, if she chose to unwrap it, was a pendant made from salvaged tricorder casing...old, Federation-issue, the kind of thing most people wouldn’t think to keep. But he had. Polished down until the edges were smooth, shaped into an oval that fit neatly in the curve of a palm. On its surface: a tree, or something like it. Abstract. Interwoven lines. Roots curling inward like circuits, branches fanning out like vascular maps. No words. Just the shape of something growing, something enduring.
He didn’t explain it. Didn’t ask if she liked it. His hand had already dropped back to his side, and he was glancing over his shoulder, as if already preparing for the exit.
Cressida almost gasped when she opened it. It was beautiful. Hand-made. This had taken time, to take something old and rough and turn it into something beautiful.
She honestly had no idea that her workout partner had it in him.
She looked up to see him checking the exit. "You should probably go; I think it's about to get a lot louder," she said. "But before you do, may I hug you? You don't have to say yes, but...I would like to give you a hug if I can."
Jace stilled.
Not a flinch. Not a step back. Just that slight shift in his posture...the kind you’d only notice if you’d watched him train. Tension pulled tight across his shoulders. His eyes didn’t narrow, but his focus changed. Internal.
He didn’t speak for a second. Didn’t move. Then, finally: “…Don’t tell anyone,” he said, voice low. Not warning. Not humour. Just the price of the moment.
And he nodded. Once. Permission, not invitation. He could do physical contact. He might not understand the reason behind a hug, but he could stay still for it.
And so she, slowly and gently, closed the distance and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. Just for a second. With a whisper of 'thank you' she released and stepped back. It was just long enough to communicate what she needed to. Not in the way he wanted to receive it, certainly, but in the way necessary for her.
The moment was broken when the voice of the holo-DJ piped over the music. "You all know why we're here tonight, people! Let's hear it for your new Second Officer, Cressidaaaaaa Vaaaaaaaale!"
Jace took the moment to slip away while everyone's eyes were on the holo-DJ.
Cressida took the moment to slip back in with her friends and colleagues as a number of assembled people cheered.
And the first bars of a special celebratory song began to play. Recognizing it, Alina stepped forward, took her wife by the hand, and led her to the dance floor.
The holo-DJ spoke up once more. "And now, crew of the Guinevere...let's daaaaaance!"
One more time
One more time
The botanist stood high on her tiptoes and planted her lips the Second Officer's. It was here, all those years ago, that they shared their first kiss. Not to this song, but a similar one. They danced and kissed to similar high energy synth music at their wedding too, that time surrounded by friends and loved ones, like today.
Celebrating something special. Personal growth. A future bright with promise.
One more time, we're gonna celebrate
Oh yeah, all right, don't stop the dancing
One more time, we're gonna celebrate
Oh yeah, all right, don't stop the dancing
One more time, we're gonna celebrate
Oh yeah, all right, don't stop the dancing
One more time, we're gonna celebrate
Oh yeah, one more time
Though some of their friends stayed on the sidelines, enjoying the company, the camaraderie, many others joined them on the dance floor.
Elen hit the dance floor with no regard for grace, others watching...just the moment, just the fun, moving with the music and the moment. She let it wash over her, grab and pull her.
Living in the moment was something Niun understood. Embraced. He had a love for dancing and music that had grown considerably through his years in Starfleet and so, he joined the group on the dance floor, bowing to Elen, as he stepped in beside her and ... danced.
Music's got me feeling so free
We're gonna celebrate
Celebrate and dance so free, one more time
Music's got me feeling so free
We're gonna celebrate
Celebrate and dance so free
One more time
Life would become harder for the CMO-turned-Second Officer. But with a spouse, close friends, confidants, and colleagues like these, Dr. Cressida Vale knew she would be just fine.
---
Commander Cressida Vale, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Second Officer
USS Guinevere
Petty Officer 1st Class Alina Tevaris
Botanist
USS Guinevere
Lt. JG Mieta
Head Nurse
USS Guinevere
Lt. jg Elen Rell
Engineer
USS Guinevere
Sergeant Jace Morven
Platoon Sergeant
Alpha Squad
Federation Ground Forces Detachment
USS Guinevere
Captain Niun Standing Bear
First Officer
USS Guinevere
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