Happy New Year

The revelry on the promenade was something that Jade hadn’t seen before. New Year was apparently a big deal for these people. In the weeks that had passed since the events with the Halloween crowd Jade had learned a few things about her new life. She was an under achiever with little to no ambition, who had been transferred from the Space Corps to the Blue Dwarf. She had never been in a relationship with Abbie in this universe, as she had never had the encounter with her manic obsessive Ex and so therefore had never had the close encounter with death that gave her, her motivation.

She sighed and sipped at some punch, trying to keep out of the way of the partiers and the dancers. She hadn’t seen any of the others from the ‘real’ timeline for days. It was strange, she still wasn’t used to so many people around, and felt utterly isolated that none of them knew who she really was. It seemed that fully three quarters of the crew had turned up for the New Year’s Party on the Promenade, Jade scanned the crowd again looking for anyone she knew. Briefly she caught sight of Jay in the crowd, before the dancers shifted and he was lost in the crowd. She tried calling out, but over the noise of the crowd, and the thumping baseline of Davie Bowie playing over the music system her voice was lost and only a random ensign, whose name happened to be Jay turned around.

“I never said thank you.” The voice was so close to her ear, and the approach so quiet that Jade hadn’t heard anything. She jumped at the sudden closeness and stumbled backwards away from the person. He was fast though, and reached out an arm and caught her before she tumbled backwards and landed in the buffet table.

“Who?...” She began, pulling away from the strange arm around her, noticing that the other hand contained a perfectly full, and un-spilled beverage.

“Apologies Doctor Black. I didn’t mean to startle you.” She finally focused on the man in front of her. It was Major Harris, she hadn’t realised how hansom he was at first.

“Oh. It’s… Ah… No problem. Please, call me Jade.” She said, the confusion must have been evident on her face. Harris frowned slightly, she didn’t know the man well enough to tell if it was frustration at her not getting it or frustration through embarrassment.

“I am grateful to you for ensuring that whilst I was under the effects of that bizarre transformation, I was safe. I am also grateful for the fact that you assisted in returning me to normal.” A fly buzzed past and she watched as his eyes tracked the movement, following it. Suddenly a long tongue darted out and captured the fly, pulling it in. He swallowed, grimaced and frowned harder. “At least, mostly normal.” He growled, evidently annoyed with himself. Jade covered her mouth with her hand and fought back a giggle. Jade blushed as she wondered what other uses a tongue like that had, there must be something in the punch.

“Oh. It’s nothing. Really.” She blushed under his gaze and looked away. He reached up and brushed a stray strand of hair out of her face away from her shoulder, she looked back as he accidentally brushed the newly applied tattoo. That was something else that this Jade didn’t have, any tattoos. That had been changed as quickly as she could get an appointment at a reputable salon. The midnight countdown started.

“Alright! Grab your partner’s people!” The DJ announced as the crowd cheered and begun the final countdown.

10…

“Nice tattoo.” Harris commented, his gaze was piercing, Jade hadn’t thought of him as this kind of person when they’d crossed paths during the attack when they had first ‘appeared’.

8…

“Nice scars.” She said, tracing the lines that ran through his hairline and across his temple.

6…

“Got them in the Butterfly War on Pandora. You don’t know…” He didn’t get to finish the sentence, Jade stood up on tiptoe, pulling him in and kissed him.

“Happy New Year.” She said, blushing, forgetting she hadn’t let go of his shirt yet.

“Happy New Year Doctor Black.” He said, leaning in and kissing her again.

*****

Krssshhhck.

Static. Retuned.

Squeeekkkssshh

Static. No reply.

[Stage one progresses. The humans have been distracted. Their revelry will occupy them. We have ensured that their inhibitions are lowered]

[Excellent. Progress to Phase two]

[Understood. Phase two in progress.]

Krssshhhhck.

Static. Excellent. They won’t know what hit them.

<Tag>

OOC – Someone has spiked the punch and something else is underway. Who or what is it? And what do they have planned? Let’s get creative and think about something truly terrible.