Posted by Ensign Kastarak (Doctor / Counsellor) in Side Sim: Reunion with Old Friends (TAG Kastarak, T’Aria, and Sega’a)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Umbri Hawkins (Acting Weapons Officer) in Side Sim: Reunion with Old Friends (TAG Kastarak, T’Aria, and Sega’a)

Posted by Ensign Kastarak (Doctor / Counsellor) in Side Sim: Reunion with Old Friends (TAG Kastarak, T’Aria, and Sega’a)
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻
True to their word, Umbri planned on having a little get-together with Ensign Kastarak, Commander T’Aria, and Sega’a in their quarters to celebrate their return to the USS Chernov. After sending out the invitations detailing that it was a casual affair, Umbri got to work tidying up their quarters (mainly getting all the dust off since like the Captain said, no one had touched it while they were away). Then, they got changed into their favorite outfit (https://urstyle.fashion/styles/3404958) settled down on the couch with a good book (OOC: It’s Embracing Your Inner Critic by Hal Stone & Sidra Stone. One of the books that get me through life.), and waited for the guests to arrive.

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Umbri Hawkins, Acting Weapons Officer

When Kastarak received Umbri’s invitation, he felt a warmness in his gut. He would be reunited with Umbri. He read the fine print of the invitation – casual affair - which meant that he could not wear his uniform. He would normally wear it – what else would or could he wear? It would be illogical to have a variety of clothes in his quarters when most of the time he would wear his uniform or other Star Fleet-issued wear. But he needed to honour his friend.

He was wondering he could borrow any clothes. He thought first of Nurse Sutalo, but Sutalo was much shorter. Any of Sutalo’s shirts or trousers would not fit him. Should he ask Blaze? Blaze always looked dapper. But his rapport with Blaze wasn’t as good, Kastarak reckoned, to ask for a shirt and trousers at a random time on the ship. Maybe Pawl? Pawl was a bit more broad-shouldered than Kastarak, but then his shirts would definitely fit Kastarak, even a bit loosely. But it was informal after all. But it was not long ago he had an intense psychological evaluation with Pawl, and it might be a bit ethically complicated to ask for such a strange favour. He could ask Sega’a, but he had understood that Sega’a’s outfits were not as aesthetically pleasing as one might hope, and Kastarak would thus most likely be uncomfortable wearing any of Sega’a’s clothing. There was also the issue of any of Sega’a’s clothes still having the scent of Sega’a on them…

Kastarak felt some heat rising to his head, his breathing getting faster along with his heart bear. It is illogical to get anxiety over clothes, he told himself, purged all emotions and decided to figure something out.

Now serene, he devised a plan of action. Non-Vulcans always expect oddness from Vulcans. This could be an advantage. He walked out of his quarters. It was around lunch hour, so there were people walking around in the corridors. He scanned them up and down, trying to find someone with a similar build as himself.

Finally, he found one. A human crewman, a red-shirt – what was his name again? He had never actually spoken to him, but he had seen him in Sickbay at some point. Oh yes, Crewman Armin Hasanbegović, that’s it.

“Mr Hasanbegović,” Kastarak stopped, and saw the expected surprise on Hasanbegović’s face.

“S-sir?”

“Might I ask a favour? It’s of private character, and you have every right to decline.”

Kastarak noticed signs of curiosity in Hasanbegović’s face.

“You might ask…” he had replied.

“Do you have a shirt I could borrow? And trousers? I’ve been invited to an informal gathering, and all I have is uniforms or private formalwear. I notice we’re of similar build. I would of course return them disinfected.”

Kastarak noticed how Hasanbegović’s eyes grew larger. Two seconds later, Hasanbegović laughed.

“This is an odd request, sir,” Armin Hasanbegović continued to smile. “But it’s such a fun one, why not? Come with me to my quarters now?”

“Most certainly, I appreciate this gesture, Mr Hasanbegović,” replied Kastarak.

He followed Hasanbegović to the lower decks. It’s not often that Kastarak would frequent them. Last he had been there was when there had been a case of alleged cardiac arrest (actual panic attack) among one of the crewwomen. He followed Hasanbegović to Hasanbegović’s quarters. It looked similar to Kastarak’s, only slightly smaller. Hasanbegović shared it with crewman Tkar, an Andorian warp technician, who said hello without any any enthusiasm. Kastarak returned the greeting with similar engagement.

Meanwhile, Hasanbegović rummaged through his wardrobe. He found a light-blue button-up shirt. “How about this one?”

Kastarak touched it. It had an interesting, new texture to it. “The texture… this textile is a material I’ve not experienced before. What is it?”

“It’s linen, from the flower flax on Earth. Do you like it?”

“Yes, it seems light.”

“Try it on.” Armin handed Kastarak the shirt and looked at Kastarak.

“Here?” Kastarak was perplexed. Change in front of Armin?

“Yes? Oh yes, you Vulcans are prude. I’ll turn.”

“I am not prude,” Kastarak replied, and took off his uniform top and put on the shirt. The buttons, in a “bluer shade of blue”, were odd. He didn’t need help buttoning them, but they were odd, and it felt strange buttoning the myriad of them. Why did humans persist in using this kind of unnecessary clothing item? Why couldn’t they just use robes?

“Looking good, my man,” replied Armin with a smile. “You were right, we’re similarly sized!”

Armin then tossed Kastarak a pair of dark-blue chinos. “How about these?”

Kastarak didn’t bat an eye, and quickly changed into the trousers. They fit perfectly.

“Very handsome, doctor Vulcan!” Armin cheered.

“Are you gonna cosplay a human?” said Tkar disengaged, looking up from his padd. “Give me a smile.”

Kastarak ignored Tkar. “Thank you, Mr Hasanbegović, may I borrow these now and then return them tomorrow?”

“But of course. Call me Armin, by the way. If you’re gonna wear my clothes, we might as well be on a first-name basis.”

“Thank you, Armin,. I am Kastarak.”

“I know… Everyone knows you…” Armin smiled.

....

An hour later, Kastarak left his quarters and headed up to Umbri’s. As soon as he saw them, he felt a lightness in himself.

“Peace and long life, it is agreeable to finally see you again,” he said, noticing a sense of warmth in his voice he had not expected.

– Kastarak

OOC: Tried to dress Kastarak in the clothes you dressed him up in for that lovely avatar you created for him! <3

OOC: Aw, thanks!

IC:
Umbri opened the door to see Kastarak surprisingly out of uniform. They had seen him out of uniform while on Risa, but never on the ship. Nevertheless, they were unbelievably happy to see their friend. “Kastarak! It’s been too long! Please, come in!” they said, gesturing into their quarters. They went to the replicator, making themselves a mango iced tea with a bag of salted peanuts. “Can I get you anything to eat or drink?” they asked.

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Umbri Hawkins, Acting Weapons Officer

Kastarak noticed the happiness in Umbri; it gave him a sense of comfort and serenity. All was well.

“Indeed, it has,” he said as flatly as he would normally do as a response to Umbri’s “it’s been too long”

“Tea, thank you,” he asked, and when noticing the iced tea in Umbri’s hand, “hot”, he clarified.

Umbri nodded, making tea for Kastarak and handing it to him.

“Thank you,” he said, as he took the cup with both his hands.

“What is it you’re nibbling on?” he asked curiously about the peanuts. It was something he had never seen before. They were covered in crystals. Sugar? Salt? Something else? What was the purpose of it? Could it be supplements? Did Umbri look paler than usual? Were they anaemic?

He got a grip of himself and went out of doctor’s mode. This was a time of friendliness, not doctor–patient relations.

– Kastarak (off duty)

Seeing the gears turn in Kastarak’s head, Umbri laughed a little. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. It’s just salted peanuts, an Earth snack. I’m trying to eat healthier, and this is one of the things a lot of experts on Earth recommend. I’m certainly doing a lot better than when I was a child. I used to be a really picky eater,” they said, sitting down across from Kastarak.

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Umbri Hawkins, Acting Weapons Officer

They used to be a picky eater. They’re trying to eat healthier. Did they not eat healthy before? What is healthier? Why do they need protein and salt? He started thinig again. In humans, hyponatraemia – or deficiency of sodium in blood – is characterized by decreased ability to think, headaches, nausea, poor balance, confusion, seizures, and coma. A differential diagnosis might be high protein content in the blood.

No, the Umbri did not show any symptoms of hyponatraemia. Good.

He needed to snap out of his doctor mode.

He took a sip of his tea. It was too hot still.

“Trying to eat healthier? How are you feeling?” he asked.

– Ensign/Dr Kastarak (off duty tho!)

“I’m feeling fine. I just have to maintain a certain physique as a security officer. I also have to make sure I stay in shape because the job can involve a lot of moving around at times,” they said. They were laughing in their head. Kastarak was clearly trying to get out of doctor mode.

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Umbri Hawkins, Acting Weapons Officer