<USS Avalon> Day Three: Dinner Revelations

Day Three: Dinner Revelations

-Dodge Thomas

 

Their quarters were acceptable by human standards, a total loss by some of the 
more luxuriant species, but to Dodge and the rest, they were a God-send. Real 
beds (they hadn?t had any since the Avalon), soft furs and blankets, and new 
clothing made the odd, musky odor that permeated the entire castle of Vanngard 
completely worthwhile. 

Vanngard was the capitol city of the tribe of Vann who had rescued the group of 
stranded and half frozen Starfleet officers. Located some fifteen thousand 
kilometers beneath the surface of the planet (on the other side of their 
original entry point none the less) in a great cavern that spanned possibly the 
entire sphere of the planet, Vanngard rested on one of many solid basalt 
pillars that supported an icy roof twenty kilometers above them.

Luckily, the wind was kept to a minimum so far down.

The group of people had been allowed to rest for several hours, but to Dodge, 
it felt like ten minutes before someone was pounding on the stone door to his 
quarters. 

?Come in.?

The door opened laboriously, and the head of Carson Fuller popped in.

?We?re going to be late for their big dinner. It would ?honor them greatly? for 
us to attend.?

?Do they expect us to wear what they are? I?ll freeze to death.?

?Wear it over the survival suit. I?m sure they won?t care. I?ll wait in the 
hall. Leila is already there, I think.?

?Okay.?

The door closed again with only a slight struggle on the part of Carson.



Five minutes later, Dodge emerged, swaddled in the well crafted furs that had 
been provided for him. With the bulky survival suit filling in the gaps, the 
furs fit just fine. Without it, they would have fallen right off.

?Do we know where this dinner hall is?? Dodge asked, suppressing a slight 
shiver. Even several kilometers down, the temperature hung around negative 
fifteen degrees.

?Just follow the shouts and roars.?

Sure enough, several passageways, two staircases and a vaulted chamber later, 
the two men emerged into the main dining hall. Vann of all shapes and sizes, 
not to mention colors, sat around four giant rectangular tables arranged 
roughly in the shape of an ?E?.

At the center of the primary table, a well decorated elderly looking Vann 
stood. The room became silent. 

?Welcome, visitors of the gods. We greet you with open paws. Please, dine with 
us this night that we may all share in the brotherhood of the Vann.?

Murmurs of agreement rose up from the group of furry, bear-like people.

?I am the Lord Javat Klandra the third. I believe you already know my daughter, 
Urma.? He indicated the female seated next to him. As in the night before, her 
outfit seemed several sizes too small. Her makeup looked as if it had been done 
by an intoxicated six year old. She smiled at Dodge.

?Um?we accept.?

?Excellent!? The Lord Klandra practically roared. ?Be seated, Sir Dodge 
(finally, they were pronouncing his name correctly), Sir Carson and of course, 
Lady Leila.?

Not wanting to offend them, Dodge accepted the honorary title and sat down a 
few seats away from the ruler. Several dozen servants flooded out of what had 
to be the kitchen, bearing silver and gold platters piled high with smoking 
meat, baskets of breads and fruits, and caldrons of pungent soup. Quickly, the 
alien cuisine filled the four tables to the point of overflowing. 

The setting itself was lovely, rivaling some of the great dinner parties on 
Delta Prime or Earth. Light came from several shining chandeliers hanging from 
the ceiling, while great tapestries depicting complex and obviously important 
eras of the Vann were attached to the wall in a most aesthetic way.

However, despite the civilized appearance of the room, the barbarity that was 
dinner would put a room of drunken Klingons to shame.

Dodge watched in near awe the controlled war that took the place of plate 
passing and reflected wryly that no one would put candles on the table for the 
risk of total conflagration over a stuffed olive, or whatever those little 
green things were.

In addition, light came from baskets of oil burning in wrought iron cups set 
into the walls. And the great fireplace sported a blaze that would have 
violated every fire regulation known to man.

His own plate was wide and formed of some coppery material. He also had a cloth 
napkin not quite the size of a two-man tent and a dinner knife more suitable 
for a cavalry charge than for dinner.

Despite a lingering hesitancy over the alien cuisine his mouth was beginning to 
water. At least with that monstrous fire blazing half a dozen meters away, it 
wouldn?t freeze. He dug in, gingery cutting at the food on his plate. It 
managed to stay off his clothes, but also off his fork. He looked around, then 
reached up table for something that resembled corned beef. It could just have 
easily been the pickled liver of a pregnant targ. Nonetheless, it looked 
inviting and smelled better. A knife came down and just missed his fingers.. It 
was wielded by a rangy Vann several seats up from him. The native gave him a 
good natured grin and carved off a choice portion for himself.

Dodge gritted his teeth, half-closed his eyes, and made a long-range stab with 
his own knife. Surprisingly, he came back with the rest of the roast, or 
whatever it was, and nobody?s hand.

Presently, a harsh voice bit over the din of the room.

?So! You have chosen to dine without the guidance of the Enforcers!?

Five Vann, all dressed in superior armor than anything Dodge had seen so far, 
filed into the room. Obvious signs of distaste and disgust were clearly visible 
from both the seated Vann and the five Enforcers. Dodge recognized 
Svalld-va-Rusch as the one who had spoken.

Javat Klandra stood. ?We do not need your guidance to eat. Your presence and 
our appetites are mutually exclusive. Leave now!?

Svalld-va-Rusch ignored him and continued. ?And you dine with these servants of 
the gods without even displaying their holy and honored banner? What form of 
barbarians are you??

Growls issued from several of the diners and the Vann to Dodge?s left bristled 
visibly.

?All rise.? va-Rusch ordered. Nothing happened. ?All rise, or your women become 
the undeniable property of the Enforcers till daybreak.

Quickly, all of the Vann who had been seated at their respective tables stood. 
The Enforcers were brutal, and they had complete power.

?I do not believe your bullying is befit for a soldier, Svalld-va-Rusch.? 
Protested Javat Klandra the Third. ?You act--?

?Silence old man. Our actions are to please the gods. Not to please you and 
your old style thinking!? He turned and ordered to one of his men. ?Unfurl the 
banner!?


Two of the Enforcers walked to the wall opposite the blazing fire, one on 
either side. They each pulled one of two golden braided cords. Something 
enormous and blue began to cascade down from some hidden cache. 

?All hail the flag of the mighty empire of the gods!? Roared Svalld-va-Rusch 
reverently.

Dodge watched in silent, shocked horror as the banner unfurled before him, 
revealing none other than the emblem of the United Federation of Planets. His 
jaw dropped, and to one side, he heard Leila take a sharp breath. Carson simply 
shook his head sadly. Dodge simply couldn?t believe what he was seeing. From 
behind him, he could hear the reverent chanting of some holy prayer to the flag 
issuing form Svalld-va-Rusch. Then everything clicked.

?Oh shit.?



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