STF

Meeting the Captain(?)

Posted Jan. 22, 2023, 2:53 p.m. by Civilian Khabal (Civilian) (David Bennett)

Posted by Civilian Marishka (Lounge Host) in Meeting the Captain(?)

Posted by Captain Orvos Legen (Commanding Officer) in Meeting the Captain(?)

Posted by Civilian Khabal (Civilian) in Meeting the Captain(?)
Posted by… suppressed (20) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Khabal knocked on the door he was instructed to go to and waited patiently for an answer.

On the way there, most of the people he saw were in uniform with very few out of uniform. He wondered if they were upper echelon or civilian. There were some looks of curiosity but no one had seemed interested in stopping him, most likely because of who was accompanying him.

  • Khabal

“Come in,” came the sound of a distracted captain at his desk in the ready room, sensing the strange presence of someone new in the corners of his mind.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Marishka had left the cargo bay with Khabal. Offering to be his defacto tour guide served many purposes and kept him close.

“Oh please, after you Mister Khabal.” she said patiently.

After explaining to the COS what the ship was, and who Khabal was, Marishka had not shown any hostility towards him and maintained a cool professionalism. Still, she wondered how dear Orvos would react to seeing her in this near official capacity.

  • Marishka

Khabal stepped in as the door opened. Walking up to the desk and standing to the left, he waited for Marishka to step up beside him and make introductions.

  • Khabal

Marishka glided into the room after Khabal and stood slightly to the right of him.

“Captain Legen, may I introduce Mister Khabal because, if he has a rank, I do not know it. He is of Quarm.”

“Mister Khabal, this is our Captain, Legen. All that you seek is ultimately within his power to grant.”

Marishka stepped aside and sat in a comfortable chair. This was her indication to Orvos that she was not going anywhere unless he ordered her to.

  • Marishka

Bump

OOC: Sorry for the delay guys!

IC: Orvos soaked in the scene set before him in his ready room. He rarely saw her in his ready room, despite their fake marriage. Seeing her in this capacity alone clued him in that this was a strange situation. Orvos allowed his empathic senses to open up, getting a feel for both people in the room.

Orvos stood up and gave a warm smile. “Mr. Khabal, a pleasure to meet you. I must admit, while I’ve heard of your species, I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting someone like you in person. What brings you to the Athena?”

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Khabal’s smile was genuine and friendly and Orvos’ empathy could pick up on it, but he also felt the undercurrents of other emotions, cold, calculating, and other possibly alien emotional states that Orvos couldn’t identify.

Orvos’s demeanor mirrored the friendliness while in the back of his mind he took a mental note of other less savory emotions.

“The pleasure is mine. What brings me is that after extensive travels and such, my ship needs resupply. I was told by others that the Federation faction was helpful and more receptive of such requests so I sought you out. Not you specifically, this was just happenstance. I do not expect this assistance to be rendered without some compensation from myself of course.”

  • Khabal

Orvos raised an eyebrow. “I’m open to rendering assistance, but what sort of compensation are you offering in return?” he asked curiously. The Athena was typically able to give aid to those in need, but few offered something in return.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Khabal shrugged. He wasn’t psionically active but he knew Orvos’ people were. Khabal didn’t feel the need to mask his mind or emotions.

“If you know of my people or, more specifically, my genotype, there’s the obvious contract options. Also, I do have to maintain my own ship, plot my own navigation, operate my own weapons. It is a single pilot vehicle after all. Also I have a plethora of information contained in star charts and stellar surveys where species from this part of your galaxy have yet to tread.”

  • Khabal

Orvos raised a curious eyebrow. “We’re always open to information in star charts and surveys. Though I am curious about your ‘contracts’. I’m not terribly familiar with your species. Spiral Nomads don’t have a lot of recorded history with people here in the galaxy it would seem. What sort of contracts do you offer?”

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Marishka silently rose from her chair, went to the replicator, and did what most people on the Athena expected her to do best… Serve them in one way or another. She set a large tray of varied hors d’oeuvres, a pot of hot black tea, three cups, cream, sugar, etcetera on a small table.

“Pardon me Captain Legen. One thing you will notice is that Mr. Khabal’s physiology bears a resemblance to mine in the fact that he must eat well and eat often. Therefore this meal is in both of our best interests.”

As she spoke she served three small plates and three hot mugs of tea making Orvos’ the way she knew he preferred it and leaving Khabal to fix his own.

Khabal picked foods high in protiens, carbs, and electrolytes.

“As for these contracts, I am very curious to hear you explain them to our Captain as well sir.”

She picked up her plate and mug and silently returned to her seat.

  • Marishka

Khabal nodded.

“Of my people I am Quarm. We are of the step and the shadows. The takers of life. I’m one of the few to make it to release from the hand to be an independent operator. Contracts with a Quarm are contracts of death. We are obligated to complete any contract we accept or die trying. Of course it’s at the Quarm’s discretion to accept a contract or not.” Khabal explained before taking another bite of his food, “I understand that my kind are frowned upon in many societies yet we are called upon more often than you would likely expect by those very same societies. In this part of your galaxy the Romulans and Cardassians seem to have an affection for us. Even in your faction’s space there are groups that seek us out. But as inferred earlier, contracts are not all I have to offer.”

  • Khabal

Marishka’s ability to integrate herself into situation through what most would deem simpler means. Orvos knew her full well to know her asking questions was poignant. Her point of service was poignant. Most everything she did was with purpose. He learned to trust her, even if he couldn’t trust his own hormones around her.

Orvos sipped his tea as he listened, careful with his expressions. “I think we’re more interested in the charts rather contracts of that nature.” Orvos then typed in several commands into his computer in order to secure the ready room from any prying eyes and ears. A light chirp sound could be heard when it finished.

“But I must ask, are you currently under contract here on the Athena?” his tone was not strong or accusatory, but curious. He had considered that perhaps his interactions with Mariska on the outpost may have attracted attention. But perhaps he was truly here for repairs? He didn’t believe it if he was honest, especially given Marishka’s interactions thus far. Neverthless, even in privacy he was still “married” to her, and he would ensure that others knew that one way or another.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Khabal didn’t flinch and answered in a matter of fact manner.

“I have no contracts for anyone aboard this ship, if I had it would have been completed and I would be gone by now. You likely would have never known I was here. Having said that, I’m also sure you understand that even if I did have a contract here, I would be under no obligation to tell you but, consider, if I did have a contract, why would I expose myself like this…”

Orvos and Marishka saw him sitting in the chair one moment then…

”…When I don’t have to.” Khabal said from the other side of the room still holding his half eaten plate of food.

  • Khabal

Nearly all of Marishka’s training slipped at that moment. Luckily she was able to h0old onto it and her plate.

“Mr. Khabal. I have no authority over you so I merely offer you this advice. You might not want to let too many people aboard this ship see you do that unless it’s absolutely necessary. Unless you want to give more messy explanations.”

  • Marishka

Khabal gave Marishka a slight bow.

“I will endeavor to keep that in mind.” he said with a smile.

  • Khabal

bump

Orvos never expected Khabal to tell him whether he actually had a contract one way or the other. It was enough to rule out the man as not someone who was full of himself entirely. His abilities led the man to be confident, which for the time, was impressive.

“That is a valid point Mr. Khabal. Though surely a man of your nature would have no need to ask for assistance in repairs when he can clearly take the parts without a word to anyone else? Why do you ask for our assistance?” he asked curiously.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

For the first time Khabal’s gaze was chilling and icy.

“I’m an assassin, not a thief, sir.” came the simple cold edged reply as he walked back to his seat, “I am not of those who take without permission or compensation.”

It was obvious based on the change in expression, vocal tones, and the raw emotional flare of indignation, that Khabal took the implication that he would do such a thing as an offense.

As he sat back down, the outrage vanished as quickly as it came. For a brief moment everything else went with it leaving Khabal momentarily empathically invisible.
In but a moment, things returned to the state before Orvos had asked why he didn’t steal the supplies he needed. Back was the friendly gaze, the easy smile, and the previous emotional read.

“My apologies. I suppose it’s a fair question but my reply stands.”

  • Khabal

Orvos watched in curiosity, unfazed by the icy stare and change in demeanor. He gently looked the man over. He stood up and thought to himself pacing about the room. “You must understand my cautions here. The situation I find myself in, to me, seems thus. Someone of unknown origin and intent walks through my ship. Not only does he somehow skate by security and intelligence, he also manages to walk straight to the command center of one of the biggest ships in the fleet and stroll in to meet the captain. He professes to have extraordinary abilities and perhaps honestly points out that he is capable of killing for hire. To most, this would seem to be a hostage or terrorist situation. But he’s asking for help with his ship. And that’s fine, that’s good. But he could have easily spoken to security and they could have gotten a hold of our engineers to assist. And of course I could grant temporary stay until repairs are done, but this man does not request quarters. In fact, his only escort is Marishka.”

He paused and turned his gaze to Khabal. “Why are you truly here? Because at this point, I’m not sure how we’re going to convince my head of security on this ship that you aren’t a threat.”

The captain stood with a curious look on his face.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Marishka had seen Orvos pace like this a hand full of times and knew it wasn’t exactly a good thing. She also knew that a good officer did not interrupt her Captain. Luckily, technically, she wasn’t an officer of the Athena and she had always interrupted Orvos whenever she damn well chose.

“Captain Legen. My apologies, we came straight from the cargo bay where, in fact, Mr. Khabal met Chief Shock. He’s the one that suggested he come here in the first place.” she explained.

  • Marishka

Khabal raised an eyebrow and pointed at Marishka.

“As she said, I was greeted by your security chief in the shuttle bay and directed your way. As for quarters, I assumed I would be taking care of my more domestic needs within my ship.” Khabal replied, “I have no need to request quarters but, if you’d prefer it to keep an eye on me, you can assign me a berth. I’ll even wear a tracker if it’s deemed necessary, but only while I’m aboard your ship.”

  • Khabal

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