Chris is messing with the tree still. He has been for the past three hours. While normally a naturally messy individual, he is a perfectionist when it comes to decorating. He got that from his father.
It's a slow process of hanging an ornament, viewing it from all possible angles, adjusting it, and so on.
He has also made a belt of ammo to wrap around the tree, along with a garland of chem-stick lights strung on a length of parachute cord. Chris is the base commander, he can do that.
Boing! There's the resident medic with an armload of wrapped, shiny gifts. It's a little cold to be wearing such a short skirt, but dammit, it was unseasonably warm and she's taking advantage of it.
David's like a ghost that haunts the base, most of the time. He shows up to collect paychecks and when someone pages him, but he's spent most of the last couple of months moving around in the background, fixing things.
Now he smells something cooking, so he pokes his head into the mess hall to see what's up.
...oh. Becky.
That's awkward.
He's going to try to leave as quietly as he came in.
Yoko pops up suddenly from the direction of the computer area/guard shack. She also has a whole armload of wrapped packages for everyone there (at least one for each person). She smiles widely and sets the presents down under the tree.
"Hi, everyone." And look at the festive green and red scarf! Somebody's happy. "Do I smell eggnog? Mmm. Is it all right if I have some?" She looks over at Kevin, blushes, and scoots offto go get eggnog.
"Uhm, I brought gitfs for people. I-is that okay?"
One of the presents Claire wrapped for Yoko is already under the tree. (It is almost certainly RAM.) Claire beams, wraps a strand of lights around her arm, and moves over to help Yoko with the packages. "That's totally great of you. Thanks.
"The straight eggnog's in the kitchen," Claire volunteers, "and this stuff has... a lot of bourbon in it." She drinks some and coughs a little; she burned it pretty badly.
"Thank you, Claire!" Yoko's present for Claire is most likely a book of some kind (it's a wilderness survival guide). "I'll go have some regular eggnog. I don't do well with lots of alcohol in me. And I still need to get home later."
She brushes by Kevin on the way to the kitchen and smiles at him. "Chris, a-are those... is that ammunition on the tree? Is that safe?" No, actually it's not. "what if it catches on fire?"
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It's a slow process of hanging an ornament, viewing it from all possible angles, adjusting it, and so on.
He has also made a belt of ammo to wrap around the tree, along with a garland of chem-stick lights strung on a length of parachute cord. Chris is the base commander, he can do that.
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Claire hands him a glass.
It's half bourbon, half eggnog.
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Chris takes the offered glass and steps back from the tree to take a break. He takes a drink, coughs, and breathes out through his nose.
"Whew! You know, I think you're supposed to mix some egg-nog with the bourbon, Claire."
He laughs, then gestures to the tree.
"So, what do ya think?"
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"...are you taking the tree to some kind of Army rave?"
She hangs up a simple red ball ornament. The glowsticks do work well with all the tinsel.
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"Hey, something smells nice in here!"
It's possible she can't see where she's going.
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"It could be the roast... or the garlic bread..."
She might be fishing for compliments here, folks.
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"Thanks. Careful with that big red one, though."
Over she lumbers to the tree, and crouches to place them a safe distance from said tree.
"...are um, are you guys planning to light the tree or light the tree?" She may be planning on edging away a tiny bit any second now.
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Chris smiles and hoists his cup of bourbo-nog.
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"The fuck is up, people? The party can start now."
He's got a big tupperware container of some kind under his arm, and he MAY look vaguely confused by the smell in the air.
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"Okay, maybe we should move those lights."
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Claire starts destringing the lights. Maybe she can set up a second tree or something...
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Now he smells something cooking, so he pokes his head into the mess hall to see what's up.
...oh. Becky.
That's awkward.
He's going to try to leave as quietly as he came in.
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"Hey, dude, where've you been?" Kevin waves him over. Loudly.
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David wipes his hands on a rag as he walks into the room. He's wearing jeans, a tool belt, and an old denim workshirt.
"Puttin' in a new furnace."
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"Hi, everyone." And look at the festive green and red scarf! Somebody's happy. "Do I smell eggnog? Mmm. Is it all right if I have some?" She looks over at Kevin, blushes, and scoots offto go get eggnog.
"Uhm, I brought gitfs for people. I-is that okay?"
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"The straight eggnog's in the kitchen," Claire volunteers, "and this stuff has... a lot of bourbon in it." She drinks some and coughs a little; she burned it pretty badly.
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She brushes by Kevin on the way to the kitchen and smiles at him. "Chris, a-are those... is that ammunition on the tree? Is that safe?" No, actually it's not. "what if it catches on fire?"
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"Yep, it's ammunition. And it's not gonna catch on fire. As long as you keep Tall DArk And Ugly away from it."
He gestures with his head to where Kevin is pouring bourbon.
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