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Holosuite 1- Even Leaders Have to Eat

Posted March 24, 2021, 11:49 a.m. by Commander Jennifer Wallace (Executive Officer) (Riley W)

Posted by Commander Jennifer Wallace (Executive Officer) in Holosuite 1- Even Leaders Have to Eat

Posted by Fleet Captain Ghubari Koraia (Captain) in Holosuite 1- Even Leaders Have to Eat

Posted by Commander Jennifer Wallace (Executive Officer) in Holosuite 1- Even Leaders Have to Eat
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“I admit, skiing is terrifying,” Jenn agreed, waiting until Ghubari had sat down before beginning to spoon some rice onto her plate. “I’m as graceful as a giraffe on stilts, so I fell a lot when I tried it. Glad I was wearing a lot of padding. Academy friends, eh… They’re quite a thing. Have you kept in contact with your old pals?”

Wallace, XO

Koraia sort of half nodded. “Some here and there. As happens you lose touch with people over the years. And we lost some of our group during the Dominion War. Occasionally I hear from someone, but I’m much closer to friends I had when I was younger, or those I’ve worked with later in my career, like the Captain I worked with when I first became an executive officer.”

“What about you? Do you keep track of those you knew from the Academy?”

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

“Fairly extensively. The majority of my childhood friends are…” she trailed off a little. “Well, most of them are still boots on the ground back home. And most of them felt more like annoying cousins than anything resembling friends. The Dream Team was my first real group of friends. I’ve weaved in and out of being on the same ship as my first friend, Shess. We keep bumping into one another, amusingly. He’s on temporary assignment to a station in the Andorian sector right now. Gari is taking some time off to get adjusted to his new Symbiote. Elonat is,” she paused, fiddling with her fork, “on the USS Ja’reth as their Chief of Science, and H’Morr was on the Ark Angel for a bit, but I’m not sure where she is right now. We lost Ellie… Kupo and Krull were actually with me on the Equinox, and Percy and Egam are serving on a medical ship, the USS Sunset. It was a big group,” she grinned. “Shess coined the term Dream Team for some reason, not sure what the origin of that was.”

Wallace, XO

“I’m not sure either,” Ghubari said with a smile before she delved into the curry. It was rich with warm and earthy spices with a dose of sweetness from the banana and the umami flavour from the beef. While she would have preferred it much, much hotter, this mild version was still very nice.

“I was closest with the crew of the Cheyenne, where I was first officer. And while I still talk with Captain Barnes, as I mentioned, I left under… awkward circumstances and a lot of it was personally really difficult. Many of those relationships didn’t survive.” Her expression wasn’t sad though, just introspective. “However, coincidentally, one of our scientists I know even better now, since she happens to one one of my sisters-in law,” Ghubari said with a laugh.

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

Jenn listened, nodding slightly. “Your sister in law? Wow, this really is a tight ship. I did hear that you’re married to Konral Vander, the CoS? How do you balance that relationship with your professional relationship as Captain and Officer? I’ve heard that it can be done, but I haven’t met a Captain who was married to one of their officers before.”

Wallace, XO

Ghubari inhaled deeply, releasing it between her lips. “Strangely, it’s not been a problem. The married part I mean. Konral and I are old hats at it by now. It was harder in the early days when he was new to the ship and a junior officer. I struggled with that balance, that sense of what is right and proper on a ship. I was very much of a mind that dating a member of my senior staff could only be problematic.” she tapped the tines of her fork against some rice. “So when I promoted him to Chief, I ended our relationship. And it was a terrible thing, Jennifer. Because I didn’t realize that I was in love. I did come to realize it a little after and we had a confrontation about it all and… well, sometimes you have to choose love. There was more conflict introduced when I discarded it then by accepting it wholly. And I’m a better person for it,” she said with a soft smile.

“I didn’t think I’d get married though. The old joke about a captain being married to their ship has been very true for me. But a lot has happened in the years since I took command and I’ve changed a lot. Konral planned an impromptu wedding when both my parents were here, which is a whole complicated story in of itself, but it just felt right. It was scary, taking that step, but I’ve not regretted it a single moment since.”

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

Jennifer nodded. “That’s neat. I’m glad you ended up happy after all that,” she said with a quiet smile. She took a bite of the curry and pursed her lips in fearful anticipation of the heat. Well… it was pretty spicy, and she could feel a faint burn on her tongue, but it might not be too bad… She chewed and swallowed, then coughed as the after-taste of the spice rose, searing her tongue. It wasn’t as spicy as Ellie’s curries had been, but it still burned. She stuffed some rice in her mouth, flushing a deep red from reaction to the spice and embarrassment. The rice helped a little, but she washed it down with water and grabbed some of the flatbread.

“I am sooo sorry,” she coughed, taking a big bite of bread and trying not to make a mess.

Wallace, XO

Ghubari couldn’t help but chuckle and shake her head. “Nothing to apologize for. I grew up with spicy food, so I’m acclimated to it,” she said gently. “Can you taste it, though? Sometimes focusing on the flavour behind the heat allows you to not be affected by it so much. There are ways to calm the heat too. A dollop of plain yogurt works wonders.”

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

“Well, the spice usually hits me when I swallow - when it hits the back of my tongue is where I’m most sensitive. I could… somewhat taste other flavours but when you’re as weak to Fire Types as me, it’s hard to make out,” she grinned. “If I was a Pokemon, I’d be Abomasnow. Four times weak to Fire. Uh, if you even know what that is.”

She grabbed another bite of bread, feeling like the heat was finally fading. She thankfully hadn’t started tearing up. It would have been even more embarrassing if she had to wipe her nose in front of her new Captain.

Wallace, XO

With a grin, Ghubari shook her head. “No clue. but that’s okay, I think I get the idea. If you keep eating the curry, definitely make sure there is rice mixed in and that will help too. But don’t feel obligated on my behalf, Jennifer. Eating should be an enjoyable experience. No point in forcing yourself to eat what you don’t like. We don’t always get a choice in other areas, so I feel at least under norma circumstances that food is the one area you should be bold about but always gravitate towards what you like.”

There was a small hint of ease between them that she was enjoying. Ghubari wasn’t sure exactly what it was, but she was glad it was there.

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

“Aah,” Jennifer looked at the curry, then pushed the bowl away and focused on vegetables and rice, grabbing mouthfuls of it and chewing so she didn’t have to talk for a while.

“I think I’m going to stick to the non-spicy food if you don’t mind,” she smiled sheepishly.

Wallace, XO

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