Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Kiama Naim ((A) Chief Science Officer) in CSO’s Office - Questions over questions

Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in CSO’s Office - Questions over questions

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Kiama Naim ((A) Chief Science Officer) in CSO’s Office - Questions over questions
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“I understand,” Kiama nodded in reply. Throwing caution to the wind, she continued, “In fact I know more about confidentiality and security clearances and the like than most people would expect; especially from someone who only recently graduated from Starfleet Academy. But because of Betazed’s recent past and my family’s position in society, it’s been a part of my life for almost as long as I can remember.” Almost as if in an afterthought she added, “At least till I left.”

~Lt.jg. Naim, aCSO

Faye couldn’t help but smirk a tiny bit, though she fought to keep an impassive face despite knowing full well the person before her was a telepath. Speaking of security clearances…

Leaning more deeply in her chair, she shrugged slightly. She wasn’t about to give away that she knew way more about this woman than she would expect Faye to know, and especially why she knew it. “Then you understand how delicate a thing it can be. I don’t want to be evasive, but I do understand that people are curious.”

~Faye Calloway, Data Specialist

Kiama nodded in reply and for a moment merely looked at Faye; studying her body language. She had a hard time keeping her curiosity in check, but she definietly didn’t want to alienate Faye either. So she pondered for a couple of moments which question to ask next. A personal one or one related to their new mission. She felt like she should stick to work matters right now, as they were the important things to discuss. But when would she get the chance again to ask her something more personal? Or maybe she could ask a combination of both?

Eventually Kiama asked, “I saw in the files that you started to build a garden on this ship and in your personal file I read that you grew up on the Maquis colony on Tracken II. Am I guessing correctly that you know about gardening and farming?” And before she could stop herself, she continued, “What was it like to grow up with the Maquis? Were you aware of what was going on?” Though almost instantly after she’d asked those last questions, her expression became slightly apologetic. After all, she did want to respect Faye’s privacy. But at the same she felt like - despite all the differences - they had the experience of living with the resistance in common.

~Lt.jg. Naim, aCSO

The woman’s audacity smacked Faye fully in the face and for several moments all she could do was gaze at Naim, mouth agape and more than a little surprised. “Wow…” was all she could say at first.

Kiama flinshed ever so slightly at Faye’s reaction. Not that it came utterly unexpected, though. She just hadn’t thought her words would come as that much of a surprise. Maybe a little less bluntness would have been in order, she thought to herself, but managed to keep her mouth shut to give Faye the space she needed to reply.

Normally it was Faye who was the more social awkward one, so there was something rather intriguing and almost amusing about things being the other way around.

Then Calloway found herself leaning back more in her chair and considering the other scientist. “Huh. Well, uhhh, it’s… complicated, but yes, I knew. When you’re twelve years old and your parents put a phaser rifle in your hands and tell you that you need to learn to use it because you might not be able to be sure someone else will protect you, you understand that you’re in a life or death situation. And yes, I know a lot about growing things because we were a self-sufficient colony with limited resources. We acquired what we needed, or in the case of most food, we grew it ourselves or hunted or fished for it. Starving wasn’t an option. It was a good life until the Federation decided to give our home away to the Cardassians.” People rarely saw it that way, but the Maquis had and that distinction mattered when having a conversation like this.

~Faye Calloway, Data Specialist

While her fellow officer leaned back, Kiama found herself leaning ever so slightly forward, her forearms resting on the desk; one on top of the other. She listened intently to every word Faye said. Wanting to understand. Not for the sake of morbid curiosity, but because she cared for the people around her. So even after she stopped talking, Kiama remained silent for a few more moments. “How did that make you feel?” she eventually asked softly. “I remember very clearly how I felt during the Occupation of Betazed, but of course the circumstances were different and we all perceive things so differently…” Her voice trailed off and for a brief moment an expression of … indignation or maybe annoyance played across her dark features.

~Lt.jg. Naim, aCSO

Faye’s brows knit as she worked through how to answer this. Normally these conversations were the stuff of bar room talk with drinks in hand. If she drank, that was. She technically no longer had the restriction in her file, but knew better than to indulge in anything more than a tiny amount. How did she feel? How did she feel? It had been a long time since she had actually thought back to life under threat before the Dominion wiped out the colony. She could talk about their idyllic colony life, and she could talk (in loose terms of course) about losing everything knew had known and loved, but being a child soldier as it were? Hmmm. Faye wasn’t sure she had really ever considered what she had felt during that time. “It’s was exciting, to a point. I mean, I knew nothing and didn’t understand the implications,” she said casually tracing a circle with the point of her index finger on the desk. “But I got to spend a lot of time with my father, who was an elite computer security expert who had retired from the field to live a simpler life on Tracken Two. But his skills were in high demand when the colony joined the Maquis and I got to help him. There wasn’t anyone in our community who naysayed joining. We were fighting for our lives and the Cardassians made it clear it was necessary, even though kids like me had no idea about the greater socio-political climate surrounding it all.”

~Faye Calloway, Data Specialist