[Isabelle Cooper]

2105
Mess Hall

Isabelle hurried to keep up with the longer stride of Captain Harris as the two of them headed towards the Mess Hall. Harris carried a case of beer that had arrived on the Shiva, Izzy did not know if it was by accident or that someone had decided to send the Expedition members a care package. She usually didn;t drink beer, and prefered a glass of wine over the fizzy drink. Cooper herself carried a bottle of whiskey that Harris had given her, apparently it was from her home state, and the Captain said they needed to bring it for "back up".

"I didn't know people on expeditions drank." Isabelle said as she looked at the bottle she held in her hand, Harris laughed and looked over at her as they turned a corner, "You obviously have not seen the I.M parties we have, talk about a drinking game." Kata replied with a laugh,being new to the base Izzy didn't know what she was talking about but it sounded interesting. "So what are we doing tonight?" she asked, Kata shot her a rather mischievous grin, "An even better drinking game." they two of them reached the mess hall and Kata headed towards an empty table, Izzy looked around at the lack of people in the room. "Don't you need people to play a drinking game?" she asked walking to where Harris was. The Captain looked up from what she was doing and looked down at her watch, "I told everyone 2015, so they have a few minutes. That is if they read their email.." she frowned for a moment before walking off mutering something about finding ice for the beer. Izzy watched her go, sighing she sat down at the table, setting Harris's bottle of whiskey on the table before her she looked down at her watch, thinking about other things she could be doing besides being pulled into a drinking game by a rather excited American.

[Steve Hamrick]

2105
Vedas Base Personnel Quarters
Major Hamrick's quarters

Steve shoved his tablet away. "I don't want to go."

Blake was sprawled casually on his back on the narrow bed. "Come on, it'll be fun, babe. I just got your butt back after spending a month terrified that I was never going to see you again. We're going, we've got like ten minutes."

Steve glanced irritably at his open email. "It's a social event, even if we go it'd be gauche to show up on time."

"Right, I forgot. When it comes to socializing, you run on Homo Standard Time." Blake rolled over. "Come on, it'll be fun. Just a few drinks, I mean it is welcoming all of you who vanished on the Shiva back, kinda."

Steve huffed and sighed, turning around from the desk to see Blake's big chestnut-brown puppy-dog eyes looking up at him. There might have been lip quiver. There were a lot of things and people Major Stephen Hamrick could say "No" to but Blake with that face wasn't one of them. "All right, fine, we'll go to Captain Harris' little party, kitten."

"Great! Can I call you 'babe' in front of your team?"

"Only if I can call you 'kitten' in front of Captain Oxford." Steve's grin was completely Cheshire Cat. Blake's frantic negative head shake answered that as the Marine hit the desk laughing.

"No, no, no, hell, no. I'm barely starting to build up some respect with him and Lieutenant Skala."

"I heard you saw a wild animal and screamed like a little girl. Luckily I love you and so won't go looking for a manlier partner on the expedition." Steve got up to put Turing away in the desk as Blake sputtered to explain how big the animal had been and both men left the room to head for the mess hall. But Steve turned around to grab something from under the bed.

[Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr]

2105
Vedas Base Personnel Quarters
Travis's Quarters

"So tell me again," Travis rose an eyebrow at Bobby, "Why aren't you dragging Matt?" He had forced to keep the report he was reading aside for now. Usually when Bobby needed a drinking buddy, it had always been Simon. Especially since the two had turned twenty-one, oh so many moons ago. Pat and him always been brushed aside, even when their turn came and went.

Scowling, Bobby glared at the blond officer, "You want me to order or send a memo?" Si wasn't here nor was Pat. Asking Matt was wrong on so many levels. Heck just the man's presence would kill the fun, "And I thought most members did this without the Expedition leader being aware."

Leaning back, Travis rested his interloped hands on the base of his skull and kept himself entertained by picking on their other fearless leader. Oh wait ....that's sounded so wrong ot his mind, finding the whole thing funny he grinned, "Last I knew expedition's XO didn't join the fun either, but I forgot; your are not a typical XO, you can sniff alcohol from a mile away."

Now it was Rob's turn to raise an eyeborw, "A mile you say?" he leaned on the door, "All I can smell is your half baked excuse. Come on, let me have fun at your expense." Surely Trav had done more foolish crap out here in space than at home. Right? The Guards Officer could only pray.

Insulted, Travis mocked a broken expression, "I can feel the love, Cuz," he waved his hand in dismissal, "Go away I got work."

Work? WORK? "Can't it wait?" He nearly whined, "You have all the time to read these. Don't make me drag your sorry rear outta here after beating you up."

A short laugh escaped, "A stain on your XO spot, I'm sure you don't want that?" And flipped the page, "IOA, just might be around the corner."

Turning his head to look outside, he didn't see any IOA agent, but did see Warren and Hamrick, "You two wanna help me carry the Colonel to the mess hall?" He called out.

Tag: Kata Harris, Steve Hamrick, Blake Warren

[Blake Warren]

2105
Vedas Base Personnel Quarters
Hallways

Blake shook his head with a laugh. "I kind of have to help you, Captain, huh?"

"This is the definition of rock and hard place." Steve leaned in enough to call to Colonel Oxford. "Come on, sir, between the Pirates of the Space Caribbean wannabes and The Clonus Horror and trying out firsthand exactly what happens when you pull the power from a running hyperdrive, I think we all need this." Steve gestured vaguely toward the mess hall.

"And everybody makes a solemn agreement of a complete vow of secrecy about anything anybody's else Drunk Self says." Blake nodded like this was an excellent idea, God knew he'd said things he shouldn't while drunk. But that's what long-time partners were for, to pull you off when you were too drunk.

Steve rolled his eyes at his partner before looking at Captain Oxford. "Oh yeah, of course, two grown-up club kids like us and that's the first thing you'd think of. We met over enough alcohol to kill a horse, sir. At some point, buying each other drinks to flirt turned into a drinking contest."

<<tag Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr, Kata Harris>>

[Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr]

2105
Vedas Base Personnel Quarters
Hallways

Bobby almost rolled his eyes at Blake's words, and shook his head, "Well," he began, "I don't think it's like a rule or something."

"Doctor Warren," Travis opened his mouth, "Let's not stroke his ego." His was already amused by the interaction of two flagship members, "that's the last thing, Bobby here needs." Only to see Bobby raising his eyebrow at him, which Travis did ignore. Hamrick had a point and so did Bobby, getting the Captain intoxicated at his own expense was a chance he might not get again.

"What Jack Sparrow wannabe?" Bobby asked with a laugh, he had read over the report and heard it from Matt. He wasn't going to admit but the bartering for Travis's and Henry's life, he couldn't imagine what it took to keep everything aside and strike a deal. Then again, he had a little understanding of how it felt. The clone horrors made him shudder.

Snickering, "Bobby hasn't gone past adolescences." Then decided that he might as well join the group.

Touche, Bobby mused. Travis always had been, "Like you ever went past being a class clown."

With a roll of his eyes, Travis marked the file and joined the group, "Don't make me remind you that, I'm XO of Delta expedition and Vedas Project's chief adviser. In other words, I can take your XO title and there little you," he gave two jabs to Bobby's shoulder, "can do about it." Moved out to the hallway, "Are we leaving or staying here?"

Twisting his face, "Don't gloat bro. It will cost you."

Tag: Kata Harris, Steve Hamrick, Blake Warren, and anyone else jumping in

[Steve Hamrick]

2106
Vedas Base Personnel Quarters
Hallway

"'Obedient' isn't in your vocab, Blake." Steve braced both hands on the bulkhead behind him as the Oxford's jostled each other. So that's what it looked like to have a good relationship with your sibling.

"Hey, I listened to Colonel Moore just fine back at the SGC. And there was that one time your guys were on security for us. I listened to both of you."

As Colonel Oxford threatened Captain Oxford's place, Steve thought he was joking but it was hard to tell. He'd never joked with Kelly. "Well, Blake and I are headed to the mess, gentlemen. And you and I's definition of 'listen' don't match. I distinctly remember Lieutenant Baker chasing you all over the village since you kept leaving your security."

Blake waved a temporary goodbye to his team leader before fighting back at Steve. "Oh come on, I didn't 'leave' Jarod, he just didn't move fast enough and I had about a dozen elders to talk to. I swear, Captain, I'm not the wander off type."

((Gentlemen=proper plural of "sir" and I realize the proper Oxford relations, I don't think Steve does.))

<<tag Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr, Kata Harris>>

[Kata Harris]

2108
Mess Hall

Kata had already opened herself a beer, she offered Cooper one but the younger woman said she wanted to wait. So as Kata started on her drink she and Isabelle sat across the table from each other, both woman just staring at each other. "So you're from Italy?" Kata asked after taking a sip of her beer, Cooper looked up and nodded, "Yes, and you're from...Alabama?" she asked slowly. Kata smiled at the way she prounced the word; instead of the usually "Ala-bama" the Italian seemed to say it like "Allen-bama", her accent humored Harris. "No. I'm from Georgia, which is right next to Alabama." Cooper nodded again, "Sorry, the Southern parts of the US all seem the same to me. Country music and fried food." 

Harris's mouth turned into a flat line, "Well Italy is just wine, pasta and tiny cars." she replied flatly, "Now you know that is not true" Izzy replied, Kata shrugged, "Neither is it true that the South is all country music and fried food. I don't really even like fried stuff...unless it's my momma's chicken, now that's a different story." Cooper rolled her eyes, though the Captain annoyed her at times, she did enjoy getting to know her. "Still....fried food.." Izzy said with a smirk, Harris took another sip of her drink, "Go eat some pasta." 

"Go sing about a truck and your dog"

"I don't have either thank you very much."

"Well...

"Well what?"

"Well is anyone actually going to show up or is it going to be you and me bickering and drinking?"

Kata set her bottle on the table and looked at her watch a moment before looking up at the door, "One of the Oxfords said they'd come..." she looked up at the entrance to the mess hall, "And I bet you a chocolate bar that Colonel Oxford has his head buried in paperwork." leaning back in her chair she picked up her bottle again. "So till anyone else decided to join us it's you and me." Cooper resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, "So.." Kata said as she rested her hands on her stomach, "What's your favorite pasta?" she asked. This time Izzy did roll her eyes, "Giuro ... più?" she muttered under her breath.

[Blake Warren]

2108
Mess Hall

Blake was pretty much towing Steve, knew it, and didn't mind a bit as they reached one of the doors and it activated, sliding silently away.

He saw Steve shake his head, just a second of looking far away. Blake blinked a little, it wouldn't even be noticeable to anybody who didn't know him like Blake did. "Did you do that?"

"After near giving everybody on SV-3 airsickness, I'm working on it. I kinda think I told the Vedas system to not do anything automatically for me, minus emergencies." Steve walked through the door into the mess where Harris and Cooper were talking together.

"Kinda?"

"After the mess with the Magadhans, I'm trying to get more use out of it. They were ready to keep me permanently for it."

Blake stopped on hearing Captain Harris. He didn't know her well, but they'd both been on the initial shot through the gate, and knew that even the flight to Heaven connected in Atlanta. "This where the party is, ladies?"

"No, Blake, clearly Captain Harris meant the other mess hall on Vedas. I'm not sure if we've properly met. Steve Hamrick, from the Shiva. And Signora Cooper, haven't seen you since we got here." Steve lightly put down the bag he'd brought from Earth.

Blake really wanted to know whether or not his specific liquor request had been met by his boyfriend.

<<tag Kata Harris, Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr>>
((Took a look around Google Maps. Blake and Kata really are a stone's throw from each other in northern Georgia. Different colleges, though.))

[Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr]

2108
Mess Hall

Soon after the Blake-Hamrick's, Bobby was more or less dragging Travis and heard the comment from Harris, "Not anymore," Bobby called out, "you got yourself two Oxford boys. Ain't that right Colonel?" Taking a seat, he looked at Harris, "Now, you own me a chocolate bar."

Rolling his eyes, Travis placed his hands on Bobby's shoulder and mockingly shook it, "And if you don't behave, I'll kick your pretty butt into next week." And looked at Blake and Steve, "We have two mess halls? Since when?" He was joining the poking and moved to grab a beer, "Is Calmara joining us?" he asked as he brought the bottle to his lips, "Harris, you did make the Toga's optional right?"

Bobby looked at Travis in amusement, "Toga?" he asked then chuckled. He did pay a good amount of cash to see Travis dressed in one.

Tag: Kata Harris, Isabelle Cooper, Steve Hamrick, Blake Warren

[Kata Harris]

2109
Mess Hall

Kata stood up when Steve addressed her, it was a long time habit, ranking officer? You best stand up, also she wanted to get everyone a drink. "Kata Harris, SV-2." she replied to the Major, "Nice to finally meet you. Take a seat and I'll get you a drink." she said turning to where the small cooler was. 
Izzy smiled at Steve, "Sorry Major, I am still finding my way around, though I do think we were on the Shiva together...though I can't exactly remember. Maybe?" Cooper was still trying to learn everyone's names and postions, it got confusing sometimes. 

Kata was turning back with a beer for Blake and Steve when she heard what sounded like Captain Oxford saying something, he soon appeared dragging Colonel Oxford close behind. "You got yourself two Oxford boys. Ain't that right Colonel?" Harris starting laughing as she set the two beers she held in front of Steve and Bobby, "Now, you own me a chocolate bar." her smile quickly vanished as she realized what he said. "But I only have two left! What about one of Witwers cookies or whatever she always carries?" she asked going back to the cooler for drinks for everyone else. This time handing drinks to Blake and Izzy Kata sat down, Cooper looked down at her bottle, a small grimace crossing her face, "American beer is just...not the best" she shook her head and took a sip. 


"Harris, you did make the Toga's optional right?"

She leaned her head back and looked at Travis,"You didn't bring yours? She asked, "Damnit, I was going to but I forgot mine, I think I left it on Delta. Next time though, mandatory Togas." she gave him a wink before looking at Captain Oxford, "Togas, very comfy and you don't need to worry about a blanket if you pass out somewhere." Harris told him before taking another drink. "And you know this how?" Izzy asked, she knew there were other expeditions, but it sounded like certain ones got a little crazier than others. "I honestly don't remember...just a fun night and then a splitting headache the next day."  she smiled, "Though it wasn't as bad as some peoples."

[Steve Hamrick]

2109
Mess Hall

As Steve accepted the beers, Blake grabbed two chairs and pushed them together for the two of them. "Thank you, I heard you guys had the gate vanish on you? Seems like everybody had some crap missions on this round. All I'm saying, Parts: The Clonus Horror, D-movie classic that The Island ripped off."

"No, Steve was being sarcastic, Captain. His response to stupid questions is really my fault, I pointed him at the Blue Collar Comedy guys." Blake propped himself on a chair.

"And I showed him MST3K, we're even. I was doing computer work on the Shiva, I don't think crew crossed much with the passengers." Steve dropped into a chair and pulled Blake down into the next one as the toga talk continued. "My last toga party was with a bunch of other young and drunk midshipmen."

"Which was then followed by you heading out to LA clubs none of the other midshipmen would go to for fear for their virginity?"

"I lived dangerously in college." Steve grabbed his multi-tool from his belt and flicked out the bottle opener then cracked the beer. "My morning afters usually involved some iteration of the words, 'what's your name again?'"

<<tag Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr, Kata Harris>>

[Kata Harris]

2110
Mess Hall


"Thank you, I heard you guys had the gate vanish on you? Seems like everybody had some crap missions on this round. All I'm saying, Parts: The Clonus Horror, D-movie classic that The Island ripped off."

Kata frowned and nodded her head, "Almost twenty hours of no sleep...Good fun." she said before taking a sip of her beer. Isabelle was listening to Black and Steve go on about, she just laughed and shook her head as Steve talked about his morning afters, "I've done that a few times...good fun, though it's best to sneak away before they wake up."

"I think we all have stories like that.." Kata said glancing around the table, "Now..the real reason why we are here. The game ladies and gentleman is Never have I ever...to summerize the rules, we go around the table and everyone says "Never have I ever....blank"," her eyes went around the table again, "If you have done said thing you take a drink, don't worry, we have plenty of beverages. If you hadn't done whatver was said, then you don't drink. Or you can I don't care." having said so she took another drink. "Any questions?" she asked.

[Blake Warren]

2110
Mess Hall

Blake shook his head on that. "Unless you're the kind of person who wants breakfast the next morning."

Steve took a drink from the beer before fighting back. "Hey, I paid and we both needed the Waffle House hangover cure. Anyway, I'm in for a game. So who's got the first question?" He handed the bag he'd brought to Kata. "And for my contribution, I bring Blake's second-favorite Captain." Steve raised his beer toward Oxford.

"Alright, I need a shot glass and that rum. And as the only civilian at this table, I claim first turn, if nobody objects." Blake thought for a moment with his beer raised and grinned. "Oh, I think I've got one; never have I ever totaled a car."

Steve drank with a sideways glare. "In my defense, I'm from California and I never drove on ice before being sent to MCB Albany."

<<tag Kata Harris, Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr>>

[Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr]

2109
Mess Hall

Seeing the beer Bobby scowled at the bottle, then moved it in front of Travis. The man could have another after he was done with the first, "Flavored Water," which had Trav in snickers, Bobby titled his head to see the Army Officer clearly and frowned, "Something funny Colonel?" He asked only to see the blond man shake his head. He turned back in time to see Harris smile fall and twisted his lips in humor. "I think the cute little Witwer might kill me if I touched her precious cookies. If I wanted to die, I will touch them." He wanted to his son grow up and pray that the boy came out as a fine young man.

Reminding his initial reaction to the garment, he shook his head, "God no," he voiced, "Please, the idea of wearing them back then was horrible. Just no." He still could see it clearly, "I merely did it for Doctor Garcia. A favor." And grinned as he saw her wink.

"Greek/Roman male dress," Bobby smirked, "No thanks. Although I did love it if anyone took a picture of him," he jerked his thumb towards Travis, and saw the killer narrow eyes, "I did pay for it."

"Don't even think about, Bobby," the Delta member hissed, "Harris, supply any, I swear to you, you will regret it."

The cousins watched the interaction between the Hamrick-Warren with Harris, and soon enough both rose their eyebrow in unison, "Second favorite?" Travis asked very slowly, then ruffled Bobby's hair, "I'm impressed. Warren, what...." he made a face, "you like about him?" For the love of lord, "Better, you are someone's favorite? I never imagined that other then Robbie, you are capable of being favored by another human being."

"Very funny. You are breaking my heart Trav," then listened as Harris explained the rules, and was amused by Hamrick drinking, "Let me try, I have never ever fallen in love."

That, Travis knew was a lie, as he took a sip of beer after Bobby spoke, "Well damn, I have never ever welll..." he studied Bobby, for a second "been nice."

Tag: Steve Hamrick, Blake Warren, Kata Harris, Isabelle Cooper

[Steve Hamrick]

2110
Mess Hall

Blake shook his head as he dug in the bag for the plastic shot glasses and poured a shot of rum, gesturing to Oxford. "Come on, not many people look at me and say, 'Gee, I'm going to put this scrawny guy on my team.' Even my team leader back at the SGC called me a pipe cleaner with eyes and Colonel Moore actually liked me."

"You're not scrawny, Blake, you're slender." As Captain Oxford put out his 'never,' Steve smiled, looked at Blake and took another slug of beer. And Blake downed his shot of rum then poured another one as Travis put out his.

"Wait a minute, how are we defining nice?" Blake had the shot glass raised.

"You got up at 2 am to take the wife and sick toddler of one of my Marines to the ER. Drink." Steve took another drink of his beer, as Blake muttered something about 'being a good officer's spouse' and took the shot. "Fetching your drunk troop from the Shore Patrol Saturday night and not giving him office hours Monday counts, right? The corporal'd suffered enough by the time my gunnery sergeant got done chewing him a new one for calling me instead of his sergeant. Okay, never have I ever been overseas on Earth."

<<tag Robert "Bobby" Oxford Jr, Kata Harris>>