[HALLOWEEN PARTY!] -- [Open to ALL PLAYERS!] -- [IC Event!]

[kirktastic]

It had gone out as an announcement over a month ago, sent to every padd and station by one very excited Captain. A Halloween party! Must come in costume, must have fun!

Despite the hell that had been going on for the last few days, Kirk was determined that it still would happen. After a long discussion with the ship's quartermaster, along with a small army of crewmen who wanted to help, the largest rec room was decorated.

A huge buffet table had been prepared by the galley and sat spread out, all in Halloween theme. Green punch with floating eyeballs, cake decorated to look like a gravestone, a huge bowl of candy, a holographic severed hand that was scurrying around on the table top. There was even a bar set up with quite an expanse of liquor that had been secured on Risa.

There was a small seating area off to one corner, a huge dance floor, tables spread out for a real meal, and a small corner set up for music.

(OOC: Just like the thread with Risa... this is a party that's 'open' from now until Sunday night at midnight! Go nuts! This IS supposed to be IC, like the Risa party, so keep that in mind!)

Comments

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

The problem with going around as Bill, Jim thought, was that he had no idea which of the people Bill had sampled knew their secret. He ambled up to Tina, his smile friendly and sort of non-committal where BillvsJim was concerned.

"You look incredible," he breathed sincerely, for she really, truly did. She looked like something he'd seen termed a "Hollywood starlet." "It reminds me of home."

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"Thank you." Tina's answering smile was a good deal more flirtatious. "I'm almost sorry to tell you that I've already spoken with your doppelganger this evening, Jim."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim scowled playfully. "He's hitting everyone first," he groused. Then he smirked. "I guess he's not as good an actor as he thinks."

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"Oh, he's pretty good," Tina said. "I very nearly propositioned him. Thank God I caught on."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim shrugged dismissively. "That doesn't mean anything--Bill's hot." He stopped, stared at her for a moment, and smiled slowly, his smile finally matching her own. "Should I take that to mean exactly what it sounds like?"

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

Tina laughed. "And here I thought I was being pretty direct with my messages..."

She leaned toward him, close enough that her lips were nearly touching his ear. "But if it sounds like I'm asking you to take me to bed sometime, then yes. That's what it means."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim raised an eyebrow, glancing at her sidelong and smiling. "You're always... direct, Tina," he said. "You're not always specific. In an effort to be both: Yes." He glanced unerringly across the room at Bill. "It seems I'm going to live up to his impression of me," he said, not sounding the least put out about it.

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

Tina laughed again. "If you do, I think you're going to find that you're busy for the next month or so, at least." She tilted her head, looking at him consideringly. "On that note... Do you happen to have plans for after the party tonight? I could certainly use some help getting out of this dress."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"None pressing," he assured her, one corner of his mouth lifting even more. She was forward when she wanted something, and he liked that. Jim was not one to mind being chased--though, apparently, he wasn't one to play games about running, either. On top of that, Spock was still missing, and while Jim knew he'd know the moment anything was wrong--while he could contact Spock any time--he was feeling his absence more than he cared to admit.

"Do you think Bill thinks me in need of the exercise, or inept at acquiring opportunities on my own?" he inquired lightly, clearly amused. "Or is he merely using my reputation for his own gain?"

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"Hmm, if I had to pick one of those three, I'd say the last," Tina said. "But I'll also put forth an additional option: that he's just having fun being you for a night and wants to see what he can get away with."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim laughed. "I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted," he said. "Though I'm sure I'm not half so amusing as Bill as he is as me."

He stood closer, leaning down slightly. He wanted to ask if she was all right, if her invitation--her change in strategy so to speak--was significant of anything. But it could wait. She was beautiful, and looked like she was having fun.

"You do look amazing," he said. "That's from me, not Bill."

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"Thank you." Tina batted her eyelashes dramatically. "I'm glad I finally have an excuse to wear this gown, and Nyota and I had a lot of fun doing hair and makeup before the party. You look very nice, yourself."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

He took her hands in his and spread them to the sides, as if to display her more properly. "You should hardly need an excuse," he said. "Or maybe you should make more of them." He grinned. "I have a feeling I'll look even better before the night is out, but thank you."

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

Tina grinned. "I always feel awkward enough when I get called back to work too quickly to change out of my civvies and I'm just in shorts and a t-shirt. I think an evening gown would be far worse."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"I don't know," Jim chuckled. "I think it might bring something to sickbay. Morale, for one, would go through the roof. And you would never have to worry about being lonely."

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

Tina shook her head. "You know it's never that simple with either morale or loneliness. Anyway, I'm sure the laundry facilities on board aren't equipped to deal with sequins on a regular basis. Better to keep the special dress for special occasions."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"Maybe you're right," Jim shrugged. "I just wish they weren't so far between, sometimes. How have you been? Since I saw you."

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"I've been how I always am, for the most part, though I have had some exciting moments," Tina said. "I now know two good reasons never to grab an excited Vulcan's hand, for example."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim's eyebrows rose. Because his Vulcan wasn't even on board, and that meant...

"Is this a story better left for the bedroom, or can you tell me now?"

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"I can tell you now, but I should warn you that the first part of the story is a little on the disgusting side. The second part is that he delicately informed me afterward that I had been unintentionally grasping an erogenous zone."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim was well aware that if the Spock in question was of the less-smooth variety, "disgusting" was probably a light term for it. But still--they were at a party.

"That," he said, "sounds like the set up for every good story I've ever heard. You can't avoid it now."

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"On your head be it, then," Tina said. "I've been getting to know the most recently-arrived of our Spocks, and he was in sickbay with me when Dr. McCoy startled him. I knew that he had some reason to fear the sickbay of his own universe, and I could see that he was agitated, so I touched his hand and... Ended up with some unexpected and seriously unwanted memories."

She grimaced, before continuing the story in as light a tone as she could manage. "At least I know why he doesn't like sickbay, now. Oh, and I threw up on my boss, which is the sort of thing one very rarely gets the chance to do in life."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim's face immediately held all the sympathy he felt. It wasn't easy, getting a memory-dump of all sorts of unwanted thoughts. Bad enough when it's expected, agreed to. He reached out instinctively, pulling Tina closer with one arm.

He was picking something up from her tone and choice of words, something he hadn't quite expected. "That... likely wasn't at all intentional," he said. He looked down, watching her. "But you know that, don't you?"

Like the Narada being here, Spock and Pike being still at large would be on his head if it went wrong. He trusted his instincts, but that didn't mean he couldn't imagine being wrong.

[rn-chapel.livejournal.com]

"It was an accident," Tina confirmed. "And he... Well, I won't say that he felt as bad about as I did, because I was sick for half a day which is pretty bad, but he was concerned and apologetic."

She leaned into Jim, steadied by his arm around her. "He assumed that I wouldn't want to be his friend anymore," she added, more quietly. "Which, after seeing those memories, which are just a fraction of what he's experienced in the life he's lived... It's very sad."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

There was such a thing as being too sympathetic, Jim thought, if it did one harm. And Tina being ill from the images certainly triggered his protective instincts not only as a man but as a captain, even if he wasn't hers.

And then she spoke again, and he stiffened slightly, though he didn't let go. It was more the stillness of surprise.

"Friend?" he repeated. "He--and you--used that word?"