By Yeoman Vincent Rogers

Mess Hall Cook

<<Stardate 47307.16 18:10>>

<<Captain's office->Mess Hall->Holodeck room>>

Vincent walked out of the Captain's office, hands trembling. He didn't know why he felt so... disturbed. He had dealt with Captains a few times, under worse circumstances. A little voice seemed to come alive at that thought, saying ::can we say, Daddy?::. Vincent shivered at that thought, and forced his mind to repress it. He was usually good at repressing thoughts, throwing away ones he didn't need.

When he had managed to regain his composure, he thought about the upcoming funeral party. He was definitely going to need all the help he could get, and that meant that he would have to find Frobo quick. His pace quickened and his breath became more forceful as he walked to the turbolift that would take him to the mess hall.

Arriving at the Mess Hall, Vincent noticed the crowd gathered around wasn't quite as large as the one on his shift. Or maybe it just seemed smaller considering the fact that he had to work alone. Vincent looked over and spotted the two Norvian's serving the customers their food, and quickly bounded over to them. The Norvian's were fairly surprised to see him there, or perhaps that facial expression meant something else, but Vincent wasn't going to question it.

"Close down the counter and have the customers serve themselves.

I have another job for you two, and it's going to take the entire staff to

pull this one off in about 3 hours. Call up the staff on for next shift

and meet me in the 10-forward lounge."

The two Norvian's turned and looked at each other, seeming to talk though there were no words. When they turned back, the one in front nodded to Vincent. Seeing the response, Vincent nodded back and turned on his heels. All he had to do now was to find Frobo and he would be set. Vincent pondered how he would go about doing that, when the answer caught

his eye.

A young woman, apparently an engineer, laid her dinner tray on the table and withdrew her tricorder, setting it beside her meal. Vincent approached the woman, and as she noticed him, he kneeled down beside her. As she turned, Vincent noticed the buttons on her uniform signifying her rank as ensign. A thought ran through his mind that deceiving a higher ranked officer could get him in trouble, but it was for the good of all that he did it, and that was all that was needed to quiet his conscious.

"Good day. I was wondering if I could borrow your tricorder for a few minutes. One of our food replicators is acting up, and I'm sure it will only take a few minutes to remedy the problem." Vincent smiled at the ensign, who he noticed was fairly pretty, but with a mentality much like other engineers.

"I should help you." the woman replied, almost like clockwork Vincent thought. He just shook his head and turned her attention to her food for a moment.

"Ah, I wouldn't think of disturbing your meal. I've dealt with these machines enough to know how to fix them. You just stay here and finish your meal, and I'll have the tricorder back to you by the time you are through."

The young ensign looked at him with an odd expression on her face. She appeared to be torn between her duties as an engineer and his reassurances. Vincent looked at her food, which the smell made his mouth water just a bit. The woman followed his gaze to her food, and finally handed him her tricorder.

"If you're not done by the time I am through, I will come back and help you."

Vincent took the tricorder in hand and rose to his feet. Smiling, he nodded his head.

"Thank you. If I need your help, I'll come back to your table." And off Vincent went, leaving the ensign to her meal.

Vincent read the tricorder readings as he walked through the corridors. As he read the readings, he thought to himself how much easier it would be for him to just use the computer. That is, if the computer would even respond to him. Following the directions on the tricorder, he found himself facing the entrance to one of the holodeck rooms. Vincent smiled, thinking to himself how silly it was of Frobo to leave his communicator on, especially since he could be tracked with a little skill and a tricorder.

Vincent played with several keys on the tricorder, then ran them over the button that opens the door. Engaging the emergency door opener, Vincent walked through the doorway and into a party.

The party was fairly elegant, with people dressed in formal gowns and tuxedoes. Everybody shimmered or shined in various locations, including on the clothes and from the ears. Vincent scanned the crowd with his eyes and tricorder, until he found what he was looking for.

There, talking to several dressed up businessmen, was his little blue-skinned friend. Vincent watched Frobo chatter on with the crowd, who apparently held their noses so far up that they were bent over backwards with their noses in their butts. Vincent watched as a waiter passed by with a plate full of drinks. Deftly, he snatched a drink from the tray and poured the contents into a small potted plant. With one final move, he tapped the glass against a table, cracking some off and leaving a fairly nasty jagged edge.

Vincent approached Frobo from behind, not paying attention to the crowd apparently gawking at him. Who would dress like a common cook at this social occasion, especially as a cook 3-400 years from then. When Vincent finally came up behind his blue-skinned friend, he tapped him on the shoulder. As Frobo turned around, his chuckling shifted into a surprised gasp. Frobo began stuttering, trying to explain why he hadn't been to work, but Vincent silenced him with the jagged glass.

"Listen, Frobo. I don't care why you weren't at work. I'll just pretend it didn't happen, as long as you come along with me. We have an important job to do, and I need everybody on hand to help me. Do you understand?"

Frobo was speechless. His eyes quickly shot from Vincent's face to the sharp-edged glass in his hand. He almost seemed to turn a palish blue color as he nodded his head. He was scared to death, and it was just the way Vincent wanted it. Quickly, Frobo went to turn off the program, when Vincent gained his attention one last time.

"Oh, and one more thing, Frobo..." Vincent added, just before stabbing him in the gut with the glass. Frobo doubled over in Vincent's arms, apparently expecting the glass to cut through his clothes and go straight for the gut. Standing there for a moment, Frobo looked around, and a few seconds passed by before he realized that he was in no way harmed by Vincent's actions. As he slowly leaned up, Vincent smiled and winked at him.

"You forgot about the safety parameters in these things. I couldn't have done any more than toasted you with this glass. Now, go to the 10-forward. I don't want to have to do this to you with a real glass."

Frobo stumbled backwards, then quickly canceled the program. Vincent snickered as his blue-skinned friend rushed out the door, nearly tripping over his own feet. He knew Frobo could be intimidated, but he didn't think it would be that easy.