Hello All. I hope you're having a good week. Pardon if this chapter is a all over the place. Was, and still am, dealing with Real Life in the form of rent. Sigh. I hope the writing came out well. To everyone who is following, or has faved, reviewed this, or commented. Thank you so very much. You brighten up my day. These characters and this Universe belong to Bioware, I'm just playing with them.
Goop
Shepard
"Are you sure about this, ma'am?" Sanders looked at her dubiously, gesturing to the Normandy's Mess area.
"Biggest area with tables and a way to clean up." Shepard pointed out.
"If you say so." Sanders wandered off shaking her head.
Some hours later, Shepard began to think the Mess Sergeant was right to be uncertain.
The Mess had been transformed (mutated?) into a pumpkin carving area. Or as Vakarian so crudely put it – 'pumpkin disemboweling area'. Smart Ass Turian
Ash, Alenko, and Chakwas had joined in the fun. Joker was observing but not joining. Even something so simple as cleaning out a pumpkin could injure his hands and that he would not risk, nor did she blame him.
Tali and Liara had taken one look at the messy inside of a pumpkin and with shudders, head shaking, and tiny squeaks of dismay from Tali, they'd disavowed any desire to 'carve' a pumpkin. Human ritual or not.
Wrex had observed the scene for a few minutes and then wandered back to the cargo bay, muttering to himself. Shepard swore she heard him mumble something about vegetable sacrifices; but she might have misheard.
The Turian had also watched for a few moments and then wandered over to pick up one of the unclaimed pumpkins. It rapidly became obvious that his hands were way too big to get inside a pumpkin without cutting it to ribbons, and he refused to stick his hand into one wearing his gloves. He also complained that pumpkins smelled bad. Then he stood there for a while holding one of the pumpkins as if he was weighing it. Shepard thought she could see – Crazed Sniper Look #1 coming over his face.
"No sniping in the cargo bay." She reminded him, and she was sure she picked up a mandible click of displeasure from him as he, reluctantly, put the pumpkin back down.
Various other of the crew had also joined the fun. But the ones enjoying it the most, and making the greatest mess were the kids. The two humans had dived into pumpkin carving with both hands and were enthusiastically scooping goop out of their pumpkins. The two Asari after some initial shudders and squeaks had joined in the fun. They had pumpkin seeds and guts all over their faces and obviously could care less.
Oddly Halsen was managing very well and having a great deal of fun. Her hands being small enough to get into a pumpkin. Her talons were actually an advantage in that they could cut through the tough fibers holding the seeds to the inside of the thing. Though Shepard had no idea how she'd managed to get seeds and fibers dangling from the back end of one mandible. Chakwas had carefully checked out Halsen, Walea, and Nezzie to make sure that they weren't allergic to the pumpkins. Fortunately they were clear. Walea had professed no interest in pumpkins and was just watching the chaos and keeping an eye on her son.
However the center of the scene (mess?) were the Terrible Two – Nezzie and Trukle. Nezzie was scooping out (gutting?) a pumpkin with a great deal of enthusiasm. Seeds and fibers were flying everywhere. But he was nothing to Trukle. Somehow, somewhere the little Krogan had found the biggest pumpkin of the batch. Easily twice his size and was busy – well she wasn't sure exactly what he was busy doing – it looked like a cross between gutting a pumpkin and wrestling the darn thing. At this point he'd literally crawled into the thing and was shoving – with much growling – all the seeds and fibers out of it. It was rather unnerving watching the pumpkin rock back and forth, growling, as seeds and fibers erupted from its interior.
A number of the crew had elected to just watch and Shepard could see that they were getting vicarious enjoyment out of the kid's delight. The two humans – Seth and Amanda were, of course, the first ones to finish.
Ash checked out their work and after pulling out a few stray seeds she put in the small color changing lights that Tali had rigged up.
She turned them on and put the lids down on the pumpkins. Without being told Sanders turned the lights down in the mess area.
Typically Seth had done a scary Jack while Amanda did a grinning Jack. There were 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the other kids when they saw the finished products.
Sanders turned the lights back up and the kids redoubled their efforts. Soon there were pumpkin guts everywhere. Trukle finally emerged from his pumpkin completely covered in pumpkin seeds and goop. Looking like some kind of tiny orange swamp monster.
Nezzie took one look at him and started chirping madly. After a second, Shepard realized that he was giggling at his friend.
Trukle, however, took that as an insult and threw a handful of seeds and goop at him. It missed but splattered one of the Seena and Seth. Before Shepard could blink – a goop fight had broken out in the middle of the Mess. There were seeds, fibers, and pumpkin mush flying everywhere.
Acai and Seena screamed and ran for cover. Tali also squealed and hid behind Liara as she avoided a facemask full of seeds. Alenko put up a biotic barrier to protect himself, Ash, Chakwas, and Joker.
Trukle and Nezzie could have cared less and continued to pelt each other and everyone else with pumpkin guts. Most of the crew not occupied with a pumpkin vacated the mess. Those who had one joined in the fight.
Suddenly realizing that she was a rather obvious target, Shepard took cover behind the largest thing she could find. Vakarian. Who, rather gallantly, didn't run for cover and leave her exposed. He did, however, turn his back to the perpetrators so the high cowl on his armor took most of the hits.
"Thanks." Shepard said, as she hid behind him.
"I've always got your six, Shepard." He drawled, wincing as seeds and goop smacked into and lodged in his fringe. "Just didn't figure that it would be defending you from marauding pumpkins." Just then there was a particularly loud war cry from Trukle. He sighed. "Or small Krogans."
"Trukle!" Came a loud voice as Kalba came into the mess.
Trukle stopped hurling pumpkin to look at his mother. Nezzie also stopped, looking first to Kalba and then his mother. With a sigh, Walea got to her feet and walked over. Shaking her head at the squashy mess her son had become.
"That is enough." Kalba stalked over to him.
He squared up to her despite being covered in goop.
"I warrior" Shepard figured that if he was a gorilla he'd be thumping on his chest.
Kalba snorted. "Not yet, you have much growing to do." Ignoring his liberal coating of pumpkin, she picked him up and hauled him out of the mess. He was growling and grumbling the entire time. Walea was on her heels also carrying an equally messy, but much quieter, Nezzie.
Cautiously, Shepard peered from around Vakarian, who shifted slightly.
"I think you can come out now, Commander." He teased. "The pumpkin warriors have been vanquished."
"Har har." She scowled up at him and he just smirked back. She smacked him on the arm; but all it did was send pumpkin seeds flying. He glanced down at that and did an experimental shake. There were several soft plops as goop slid down off the back of his armor. He used one long taloned finger to wipe seeds and fibers off his arm.
"I think I will have to go into the shower wearing my armor now." He sighed.
Seena and Acia peered back into the mess. "Is it safe?" Acia inquired.
"I think our mighty warriors have been dragged off to the showers." Chakwas walked up, Ash, Alenko, and Joker behind her. Tali and Liara tagging along behind. Liara stopped and took in the extent of the mess.
"Goddess, is it always this messy?" She sounded appalled.
"Usually not." Chakwas informed her. "But with Trukle, I doubt anything is usual." They all chuckled at that.
Shepard noticed that some of the crew weren't finishing their pumpkins. "Those of you not on shift, go on with your pumpkins – we're gonna need quite a few of them to decorate the cargo bay."
"When you're done – Tali has some small self contained lights to put in the pumpkins. Then, I want you, if it's not your shift – to help clean up the mess. The party is tomorrow at the start of the evening shift. We'll be rotating people in and out so everyone can come. Costumes are acceptable; but not required." "And no – none of Joker's sexy adult costume ideas are permitted."
"Hey!" Joker was offended.
"Hey, yourself." She shot back.
"See, if I give you any great costume ideas."
"Riight, like I so want to be Commander Cutie." She retorted.
"I think you'd do that very well, Commander." Alenko spoke up eagerly. Shepard slowly turned to look at him, one eyebrow arching upward. Realizing what he'd said the biotic suddenly went very pink.
"Your temperature just spiked, Lieutenant, and your heart rate went up." Vakarian informed him helpfully. Kaidan went even redder at that.
"Are you ill?" The Turian was very concerned; and Shepard realized, after a second, unaware as to what was really going on. Ash started making suspicious choking noises, and Chakwas was smiling to herself.
"Come on Lieutenant." Chakwas took pity on him. "Let's get you checked out, make sure nothing is wrong."
"Yes Doctor, of course Doctor." Kaidan about ran into the med bay.
"Is he sick?" Vakarian looked down at Shepard, who started snickering at the clueless look on his face. Ash could hold it in no longer, and started laughing out loud. Leaving the Turian standing there, very confused.
