Posted by Lieutenant Julien Smith (Doctor) in USS Athena - Docked (open RP)

Marishka was keenly aware that it was bad manners to tell another species how she thought they should behave so that matter could be dropped. She wasn’t certain what questions she had answered but, hopefully, she had answered them correctly.

With a slight smile she nodded and stepped closer keeping pace with him. It had been quite some time since she had put herself through the strict meditation regime that kept her unique pheromones in line. It didn’t seem to matter anymore and might even help her on this new assignment. With vigorous Klingon and Orion bio-chemistry complimenting one another, she could be quite a force to be reckoned with.

“Indulging people is something I’m very good at. What do you want?” she asked softly.

• Marishka

He grinned and it was almost feral and cunning in it’s entirety, he looked over at her with dark eyes burning with curiosity “Rumour has it you like to make your own perfume, add your Orion genetics and I’m absolutely afire with curiosity what uses you put this perfume to and more than a little curious as to what you put in it”. One of his ears came up so he could better hear the answer.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Marishka recognized a cunning grin when she saw one but his question was not what she had expected.

“Out of all the questions to burn in those nice dark eyes you choose that one? Really? That’s something better shown than explained. All my secrets and I know almost nothing about you. No, I don’t think so Commander.”

There was a long teasing note to her voice. She could be friendly while still trying to figure him out. On another level, her mind was racing with things she needed to do, places she needed to be, and people she needed to meet.

“And now I have a burning question for you. Just to get it out of the way… Which part of my lineage do you find most disturbing? It’s a common theme so lets have it out here and now.”

She was still calm and friendly but very curious.

• Marishka

He paused and turned to look at her his dark eyes unfathomable. “You ask a frank question, you deserve a frank answer. I was once under the thrall of a genetically enhanced Orion who nearly managed to get me to kill T’Pon, my nephew’s wife. That also answers why I picked the question I did. Take my past experiences of Orion pheromones, the deep shame I feel at nearly killing under thrall to them and add to that my position on this ship and I’m fighting primal defence urges. You say you know nothing about me, well now you do and I’ll add one more thing, I put the “P” in paranoia and the last time I felt this paranoid was when one of the crew turned out to be a killer robot…” He stopped in mid sentence smiled ruefully and finished with “I do believe that’s the longest statement I’ve made for at least three years”.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

If circumstances were different Marishka knew that there was so much she could tell him but that might never be the case. There were other truthful things she could say. Whether they would put Stark at ease or not was out of her control.

“Yes, I can understand why my mother’s side of my genetics would have you quite paranoid. I doubt you have anything on that level to fear from me, I’m just the bar tender right?” she asked with a smile and decided to explain her love of perfumes.

“I understand that Caits have a very good sense of smell. You might not walk up to someone and remark that they smell as lovely as a particular summer’s day but, if they do, some ancient part of your brain will remember that. I prefer for people to remember me favorably although, I will take infamy in a pinch.” she finished.

Stark was the type of person Marishka could see eventually befriending but that would probably take quite a while.

• Marishka

He had watched her carefully as she spoke and to the best of his rather considerable skills she was being straight with her revelations. The pause at the beginning of the conversation was natural and not too long based on their brief acquaintance, her heart rate had not spiked. He forced himself to choke down his past, it would take time but then everything worth doing would take time.

“I understand” he said, “and I thank you for sharing with me. As to being just a bar tender, I’ve yet to meet one who doesn’t possess a variety of skills that would make the Starfleet Diplomatic Corps jealous so I look forward to getting to know you in that role”.

He continued “If you wish to continue your hobby with perfumes, I’d recommend you talk to T’Pon our gardener. She knows a great deal about fragrances and all think arboreal. I think you’d both have some things in common.”

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Marishka gave a slight smile and nodded.

“I’ll be certain to look her up. I’m also going to need massive amounts of foliage when I rearrange the lounge. It’s also getting a new name, 17/18 sounds like a Borg designation. Creepy if you ask me.” she said waiting for the lift to arrive as she nodded politely to passers by.

“Agreed” Stark said emphatically.

Marishka wanted to be in the lounge. Eighteen hours at high warp was not as comfortable as she thought they would be. The old Andorian’s berth hadn’t been the proper place for her to rest the way she needed to after everything she had been through in the last few months.

“Am I going to have to rewrite the Athena’s recipe for Raktajino?”

• Marishka

“Probably” Stark said amiably his tail twitching slightly, “The bar has been less than tended of late and things have slipped a bit but I’m sure with your skills it’ll shape up quickly… have you considered having a competition to name the lounge?”

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Marishka hadn’t expected this to come up but was pleased that it did.

“Actually, I already have a name in mind, and a title for myself.” her silver eyes met Stark’s dark ones, “You may call me Kyría tou Parthenóna.” she intoned in perfect Greek without the aid of the Universal translator.

It was then that the lift doors opened and Marishka stepped in, turned, and beckoned for Stark.

She was having a bit of fun for the moment but knew things could turn deadly serious in an instant.

• Marishka

Julien was sitting at a small corner table, reading a few medical files on a PADD and having a late lunch that he had just finished. It had taken some time, but he had finally fallen back in a small resemblance of routine that he had perfected all those decades ago as a young medical JO on his first assignment and it was something to take his mind of his real mission for a bit and let him forget about how much he was missing… many things.

All of a sudden he caught a very familiar, very unique scent and his pulse instantly went up several paces. He stood up so fast that his chair almost toppled over and honed in on the origin of the scent…

that’s when he saw her, entering the lounge next to Stark. For a moment all his better judgement and focus on his mission was forgotten and all he could think of and feel was the pure joy and elation of her being here. He started making long strides towards her even before he realised he was moving, wanting nothing more than to sweep her up in his arms and… then he looked at Stark for a second and it was like a cold shower.

As Marishka walked confidently at Stark’s side something at the back of her neck started tingling. Instantly she straightened and walked with more pride and purpose, her silver eyes sweeping the area until she found him. It had been more than three months since Marishka and Julien were in the same room together. When he left the Genesis she hadn’t kept tabs on him. It was the only thing she could think of that would honor where he was going and what he was doing. Perhaps Julien thought he wouldn’t see her again for at least three years. Marishka had almost made peace with that fact when her old handler had reached out to her. Cleaning up the Romulan mess a second time was not what she had in mind, but it was an order. So was attending her Brother’s wedding which turned out to be painful on many different levels. Marishka wondered if Stark and Julien could hear her heartbeat quicken for a few seconds.

With an almost inhuman will he cramped down his emotions with brute force and slowed his step, fighting to get his facial expression into check. Too many crew members in the lounge had already taken note of his hasty movements and were paying attention. Silently he let of a volley of curses in his head.

She looked amazing, of course she did… he forced his eyes away from her and over to Stark.

“Cmdr. Stark. Good day.” he said, realising he needed a resason to talk to Stark. “It’s good that I see you, I really need to talk to you about your nephew.” he said, fighting with every ounce of strength to keep his eyes locked on Stark’s. Of course the Caitian could probably hear that Julien’s heart was hammering in his chest with the speed of the heart of an excited kitten. He forced his android arteries to constrict, slowing the blood flow.

It was the first thing he could think of. He was hoping Stark would recognize the situation for what it was and give him a way out, he had to know of Marishka’s recent history on the Genesis.

• Julien Smith, doctor

As she watched Julien aproach, she got the sense that this was not the time to take him in her arms and ask him where a lovely dark corner was. Bowing slightly she smiled and turned to Stark instead.

“And who is this handsome Human?” she asked in a low teasing voice.

OOC: Ok so lounge on the Athena or the station?

• Marihska