Chapter 17 A Family Event

Rachel

July 24th, 2017

8:00 AM

USCC Oregon

Mediterranean Sea

"Pst! Rachel, wake up!" Alex hissed in my ear before.

I jerk awake and see Max's big cousin, or so call her big sister, next to my bunk I slept on. She startles me and I startle her when my eyes are wide open and I lift myself upward.

"Whoa! Bad dreams, Rach?" She asked.

"Jesus, Alex," I said. "What do you want?"

"What I want, or so help me what we want is for you to get your ass in the mess hall upstairs."

"The mess hall? Who's we?"

"Get on up and you'll see."

Whatever Alex woke me up for, it had better be worth my beauty sleep. After yesterday on the island and on the flight deck, I can only assume the worst. Alex escorts out of my bunk room and everyone else on the refugee deck is quiet this morning. Guess everyone doesn't sleep as well as war refugees.

When we reach the door to the mess hall, Alex leans against the corner. Acting like I should be expecting something out of the norm. She holds her finger in front of her and shushes. What could be happening that's making Alex act this way? Did Chronos play us? Do we have ConDef cells on this ship? Fortunately, I'm far off.

"You go first," said Alex.

As soon as I stepped inside, the place was black as night until the lights immediately flicked on and the room was packed with people who all yell in unison.

"SURPRISE!"

I immediately gasp and panic at how many people gathered just for me. Mom, Dad, Max, her parents and Bryan, Chloe, Joyce, Frank, Kristen, Fernando, David and Valor Team, Victoria and friends, Kate and family, Warren and Brooke, Steph and friends, even Admiral Penske and Captain Harvest were on deck too. It's like the whole crew came aboard to celebrate my special day that came days ago. All shouting and chanting underneath a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY RACHEL! sign made of streamers hanging on the ceiling.

"Surprise, surprise, birthday girl!" Alex expressed while putting a birthday hat over my long blonde hair.

"No way!" I said happily. "My birthday was two days ago!"

"Your dad decided at the last minute we throw this for you before going back to Meridian with the admiral's and captain's permission. Alright, everyone! The guest of honor has arrived! Let's get this party started right…now!"

The crowd applauds and chants and my mom walked towards me with a birthday cake held with her two hands and candles lit with fire for me to blow out. Precisely twenty-three candles and counting.

"Rachel, blow out your candles," she said. "Make a wish."

I wished for one last happy moment together with my friends and family if it's to be my last day alive. Then the alone blow out instantly with the huff of my breath. Everyone chants again.

"Well, here's to sister Rachel," said Chloe. "Friend, actress, dancer, and fighter."

Everyone around me makes a toast with plastic cups in their hands.

"That's some good red velvet," I said noticing the flavor. "Who made it?"

"I helped bake it with the mess sergeant," said Mom.

We all take a swig of red wine in our cups. Not everyone drank though given Kate's sisters were the youngest in the group.

"Comrades!" Alex shouted while climbing up on a table and standing on it. "Tomorrow some of us in this room are gonna shoot some ConDefs until we run out of ammunition. Tomorrow we are gonna make Alkaline, Joan Prescott, and Ares the Asshole of War and his Shit Order be sorry they ever fucked with Team Caulfield."

"Language, Alex," said Bryan.

"But today…today is for Rach Amber!"

Titan – Breton

The party was much wilder than I imagined. Not sure if it was because people had too much to drink or just wanted to light the room with fire. Either way, I should have as much as good of a time as any while it lasts.

Captain Cage and Lieutenant Major Heard have their first dance together on a table. Heard swings her arms around and Cage shakes his arms. Sergeants Logos and Newblood watch. Then accidentally falls off the table from behind and hits the floor on his back. Heard, Logos and Newblood laugh their asses.

"Captain, you're either drunk or a very, very daft dancer," said Newblood.

"I'm both," moaned Cage.

Fernando and Kristen stood between each other in a corner of the room. Flirting back and forth.

"Kristen, tu con tantas, y yo sin frenos (You with so many curves, and me without brakes)," said Fernando.

"What was that?" Kristen chuckled. "Say that again."

"Kristen, tu con tantas, y yo sin frenos."

"Say it again."

"Tu…con tantas, y yo sin frenos?"

Little did they know Victoria and her English boyfriend Freddy were trying to flirt as well. Right next to them.

"Oi, anyone can flirt in Spanish, mate," said Freddy. "And I don't think her curves match with your brakes."

"His majesty learned his Spanish," said Fernando. "You know nothing, Jon Snow."

"And you know every, Mask of Zorro?"

I got together with Frank, Max, Chloe, Steph, and Alex to reenact a scene from Dirty Dancing. Where Jennifer Grey throws herself at Patrick Swayze and she spins in the air. I run up to Frank and he holds me up high by my waist and spins me around as I laugh and hold my arms legs up high like an angel.

Hayden went to use the bathroom in the mess hall. But when he opened the door and entered, the stench was horrible and he shut the door immediately.

"Oh, god damn!" Hayden snapped. "Somebody shit the fuck out of that toilet! Oh, come on!"

Max and Kate play a game of Go Fish together at the bar table. It was Max's turn to draw.

"Do…you have any sevens?"

"Go fish," said Max drawing her card.

Then out of nowhere, Warren gets between them and barfs over the counter. The girls are frightened and disgusted by his gesture.

"Jesus Christ, Warren!" Max snapped. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"What's wrong with me," gurgled Warren. "Is that too much wine equals diarrhea in the toilet and barf!"

Warren hurled and threw up again and Max and Kate just left. With their game crashed by Warren. Then immediately collapsed to the floor. Wasted by too much wine.

Frank and I hid in the kitchen and started smothering our lips together and took off our pants as well. Ready poke our pickles for the first time. And we did. My body rocks back and forth and I huff and puff embracing the foreplay. Birthday sex prevails!

Cage decides to do some arm wrestling with his comrades of Valor Team. Other Valor Team members as well as other party guests including Max, Chloe, and Alex rooted for the captain. The first round was my ex-boyfriend Cayce versus Cage. Cayce attempted to beat his Captain with all his might but lost the round as soon as Cage shift and slammed his fist on the table. Then it was Logos's turn and he lost as well. Then Newblood's and was down for the count in an instant.

Chloe and I went to the firing range on the armory deck to fire some pistols and rifles. We shot as many rounds as we could at the targets distanced between us wearing safety glasses and earmuffs. It was an equal match.

The last round in Cage's game of arm wrestling went to David. Heard laid her hand on their fist clutched together and released her hand to begin the match. David wrestled against Cage's will vigorously. Only this time, David was getting stronger than Cage and losing the match. Everyone watching rooted for David and shouted is name together. And finally, David pinned Cage's fist on the table and won the match. Everyone hollered with glee and gave David either a hug or pat on the back. Game over.

Max

July 24th, 2017

3:13 PM

USCC Oregon

Mediterranean Sea

Little Sadie – Crooked Still

The morning had passed and the afternoon had come. Soon more people came to the mess hall for Rachel's birthday party. People from the refugee deck mostly. Families and couples dancing. Some from the Oregon's crew. Some from that Lebanese Resistance rescued from the fighting caused by ConDef in their country. Some recognizable faces as well. Tons of people I do and don't know dancing with a partner or doing light dances with their kids. All dancing around the mess hall with space made for a dance floor.

I spotted David and Joyce sharing a dance. As well as my parents, Rachel's parents, Kate's parents, Cayce and Kristine, Fernando and Kristen, Victoria and Freddy, and so forth all dancing along as well. My eyes are locked on Rachel and Frank's dance as I watch them leaning against the counter and taking a sip of wine. I was quite pleased for them that two get to have a happy moment together before we run on the battlefield tomorrow. It's just what we all need to get our minds off this war. Frank and Rachel both smiled and giggled with one another doing the fox dance or whatever you call. Never thought they'd be that great of dancers for a couple who once slept together in an RV. They've had some practice after their show they performed back in Vancouver.

Alex walked next to me to quell my loneliness. As much as I'd like to dance with everyone else, my cousin or so to speak my sister did not have a forte for dancing.

"I hate these things," said Alex.

"Tell me about it," I said.

"I've been thinking about what Dad said. I'm not sure if I've even fully processed it yet."

"You seem to be taking it better now."

"Doesn't mean I've forgiven you're – our…mom as of now. I've thought about making her an apology today but she's too busy dancing the night way with Uncle R."

"You don't need to apologize to her for anything. At least, not now. Give each other some space and you'll own up to it eventually."

"Fair enough. Rachel, she's uh…putting on quite the show."

The two of us see the birthday girl and her boyfriend finishing their dance with Rach leaning over Frank's arms with her arm and leg bent up high and low. The dancers give them applause for putting on the best show as the music ends.

"You can apologize to mom when this party blows over," I said. "How's that sound?"

"I'll see to it," said Alex. "She uh…say something to you?"

"Not really."

"Max! Hey!" Chloe called to me as she approached. "Some pretty sick dancing from Rachel, wasn't it?"

"Phenomenal dancing, I'll say," I said.

"Chloe," said Alex.

"Alex," said Chloe. "C'mon."

I know Chloe was going to pull me into this dance but I wasn't going to refuse her.

"You two have fun now," said Alex. "I'm gonna make amends with Dad now."

"Yes, ma'am!" Chloe spoke back with a salute.

Ecstasy – Crooked Still

Chloe pulled me into the middle of the dance floor where Rachel and Frank were dancing. She's how much I dislike dancing.

"You're such a dick," I said.

"Come on, don't you start with me," said Chloe.

"You know how much I hate dancing."

"And you know how much I hate it too. Yet here we are. Having one last good moment together should it be our last."

Chloe caressed her arms around my neck. I caressed my arms around her waist. The music being played was meant for slow dancing so we started dancing at a slow pace just to go easy on ourselves.

"Okay, I have a very serious question for you," said Chloe. "How bad do I smell?"

I took a sniff of Chloe's arm.

"Like a hot pile of garbage," I said.

"Oh! Okay."

Chloe smothered her cheek against mine. Just to mess around with her smell.

"How bout that?" Chloe asked.

"Ugh! Gross!" I chuckled.

"You love it."

Chloe hugged herself against my should for a second. Her arm still wrapped over my neck.

"Every guy in this room is staring at you right now," I said.

"My they're staring at you," said Chloe to my ear.

"They're not."

"Maybe they're jealous of you."

"Why? Cause I'm the traveler?"

Chloe shifted her head away from my shoulder. We look at each other in the eye now rotating ourselves in our surroundings at a very slow pace.

"Oh, Max," she said to me. "I think they should be terrified of you."

Without hesitation, we a very light kiss together. Then another kiss with our lips smearing together for a few seconds longer. Then smile lightly at one another.

"Hey!" A voice snapped at us. It was from Captain Cage. "This is a family event. Take your lesbianism elsewhere please."

"If we've offended you, Captain," I said. "We apologize."

We both walk away from Cage to dance elsewhere.

"Remember next time that there are kids around," he said.

"Yeah, like you're setting such a great example," said Chloe.

"Oh, just what this war needs. Another loud-mouthed dyke."

My jaw dropped at what the captain said. Then Chloe came at him.

"What the fuck did you just call me?!" Chloe bickered.

"Chloe, don't!" I warned.

"Hey!" David yelled as he barged between us and his captain. Shoving him with his hands. "Get the fuck away from them!"

"Get your hands off me, David!"

The music had paused and we ended up catching the attention of the whole mess as everyone stopped dancing and witnessed the fight.

"Chloe is my child, not yours!" David fought.

"David, what's the matter with you!" Joyce came in and yelled.

"Hey!" Rose intervened. Her husband James stepped in as well. "Enough! Both of you! Captain, whatever problem you have can be settled somewhere else."

"What about them?" Cage asked.

"You worry about yourself," said Rose.

"Just don't come crying to me, David, when you're child drops dead in the sand!" Cage yelled.

"Captain, stop!" James hissed. "Not during my daughter's birthday!"

Rose and James walked the Captain out. He's got a bigger mouth than Chloe talking to his commander like that.

"You all right, Chloe-?"

"What is wrong with you?" Chloe asked.

"He had no right-"

"And you do? I don't need your fucking help, David. We've been back together for only a day and you already have to treat me like we're in Arcadia Bay again. Exactly what I need."

David felt embarrassed and chose to step away.

"Right," he said.

Note: Hope you all are having a great a safe Halloween, everyone! In a year like 2020, we're gonna need it. Until next time, stay tuned, safe, and golden!