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Side Sim - 10-F - A Mid-Night Snack (Tag Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby)

Posted Sept. 20, 2022, 1:27 a.m. by Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby (Diplomatic Officer / CNS) (Catt Bennett)

Posted by 2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea (Security Officer) in Side Sim - 10-F - A Mid-Night Snack (Tag Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby)

Posted by Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby (Diplomatic Officer / CNS) in Side Sim - 10-F - A Mid-Night Snack (Tag Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby)

Posted by 2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea (Security Officer) in Side Sim - 10-F - A Mid-Night Snack (Tag Lieutenant Sheleah Ruby)
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Eghimea walked into the 10-Forward with her normal emotionless face. She took a few steps into the spacious lounge and paused to take it in. The place was vast compared to the ship she had previously served upon. As her eyes danced from empty table to empty table, she was grateful for the graveyard shift she had been assigned. She didn’t mind serving among so many aliens, but at the same time she always seemed to feel their eyes upon her. Working alone allowed her time to continue her studies of Federation Law, Star Fleet Operations, and ship policies while at the same time serving her ship and crew.

With a rigid posture, she turned and walked over to a nearby replicator. “Hasperat, with Vihas Souse, warm please,” she said trying to conceal the tiredness from her voice. She took her dish from the unit as she ordered up a glass of water. Then taking both, she headed to a table on the far side of the lounge.

Hidden under layers of masks, was a woman exhausted. Still, she walked with her back straight and her head held high. Her eyes fixed on the table she always took at this very hour and minute. She didn’t need to keep searching the faces of those in the lounge. Of the Seracen’s six hundred crew, only a small percentage of them worked the graveyard shift with her. She knew all of them, well, knew of them.

As she slowly took her seat, she could feel their eyes on her. She knew if she turned to look, she wouldn’t catch them looking at her. Though she knew that they were watching her. Taking her seat, she slowly set her tray down perfectly centered on her seat and body. She didn’t mind that they kept their distance from her. Eghimea had found that speaking to most of these aliens was hard. She didn’t understand most if not all their customs. From the corner of her eye, she caught an ensign looking at his chrono just as she was about to take her first bite. There was laughter at his table as credits were exchanged.

She enjoyed the time alone. There were times where during her entire shift, she wouldn’t have to speak more than a dozen words. The rest of the time, she was able to become lost in her own mind. Many considered the graveyard a shift where careers go to die. On her own ship, it was a shift meant as honor. Who else but the most trusted could stand watch while everyone else slept in their beds. Despite the grumblings of others on the shift, Eghimea enjoyed the graveyard. After all, sleep was still a luxury that was often driven away by the dreams.

Eghimea didn’t allow herself to become distracted on the lack of sleep or the hours alone. The graveyard allowed her to focus completely on her duty and the alien woman she served. Lieutenant Commander Atoded was a task master with an eye on perfection. She wondered if the Commander knew how much she was like Eghimea’s own father in that regard. It was a pleasant surprise that Eghimea thanked the prophets for. Having to work for someone so close to what she was used to was refreshing.

Her wrist-mounted computer chimed, and she glanced down at it. It was a change in the duty assignments for the second half of her shift. She had been reassigned to Cargo Inspection. Her fellow Security Officers had often complained about Cargo Inspection. They had said how they hated the time-consuming and boring task. Among those on the graveyard, it was, according to them, the worst of the worst.

She concealed a smile at the edges of her lips. Cargo Inspection had become one of her most enjoyable tasks. One that she had turned in to a bit of a game. The rules were simple, if it wasn’t on the manifest or if there was a mistake in the manifest, it didn’t come on board. She often would suspect that the pilots of the visiting resupply shuttles were in on the game as well.

‘Probably not,’ she thought taking another bite. Though she did take a twisted bit of joy at their disappointed or outright angered looks when she would approach for their inspections. Sure, the transfer of cargo took longer, but nothing was missed or added. Each documentation that went past her eyes would be completed correctly by those pilots who would curse her name under their breaths. Not once had Starfleet’s rules or regulations been bent or violated. Eghimea felt a sense of pride that she would be entrusted with such an important duty.

2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

Sheleah had become quite pleased with her new assignment. Adapting to ship’s culture was made much easier when she had a 30 pound feline at her side. He was, of course, the most adorable conversation starter.

Sleeping in new quarters never got easier since she refused to take sleep aids unless absolutely necessary. It usually took about two weeks of kava tea and relaxation techniques for everything to kick in properly.

Tonight she and rex had both felt restless so, after slipping in to some off duty clothes, Sheleah decided they were both due for a walk.

45 minutes later they had found themselves at 10 Forward. Perhaps she could drink her tea here and slip back into bed in a few minutes. Stepping in, it wasn’t hard to find an empty table. Smiling, she waved at a few people while ordering her refreshments and snacks.

From the edges of her perception, Eghimea watched Sheleah enter the lounge. It was not that she meant to be rude or untrusting. The new motion in the area drew her attention like metal shavings to a magnet. Her eyes barely moved from her meal, though her attention was keenly on Sheleah. She took a bite of her Hasperat while the sounds of pleasant greetings filled her ears.

As she made her way back tot he table she had selected she saw Eghimea and stopped to say hello.

It was a strange sight for Eghimea to behold as the alien woman and her strange four legged ‘friend’ were moving across the area. She had often heard that animals would reflect the mannerisms of their owners. Eghimea found this very fitting regarding Sheleah and her pet, Rex. The pair moved with grace that drew smiles and waves from the other crewmembers. To Eghimea, Sheleah had this natural ability to cause the people around her to relax. It was something that caused Eghimea to always be amazed by the blond-haired alien.

“Good evening, morning. I hope I’m not intruding.”

  • Sheleah

Eghimea gave a soft smile, and a nod of greetings. Though like all other expression she offered, it was only skin deep. Just another mask that Eghimea had been taught to wear. “You are not intruding, Lieutenant Ruby,” she said with a formal yet soft voice. Despite the casual appearance, Eghimea figured that these polite formalities would be better until asked to be dropped.

She motioned to the empty seat across from her, “you both are welcomed to join me.” The offer was genuine. Eghimea enjoyed her time spent with Sheleah. The blond-haired alien made her feel comfortable within her own skin. That she did not have to wear as many masks around Sheleah. Though her logical mind attributed this to Sheleah’s special powers of ‘relaxing’ her victims before probing their minds.

This stray thought caused Eghimea to smile inwardly as she just as quickly dismissed it. “I can have a Hasperat created for you,” she offered then added, “if you two are hungry.”

2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

Sheleah shook her head and smiled as she set down her tray.

“Kava tea with ginger for sleep. Apples with peanut butter because it reminds me of home and was one of the constants even when we travelled. Warm fish because Rex has been a very good boy today.”

Sheleah slid into the seat and arrange her tray so that the two of them could eat comfortably. Rex barely fit on her lap anymore but that never stopped him from trying.

As Sheleah was taking her seat and getting comfortable, Eghimea gave a soft yet professional smile. “This has been my favorite take on Hasperat since I was a little girl,” she stated as she motioned to the wrap. “My brother Breeje created it when we were both younger. He would use a different style of wrap instead of a flour-based one. A mixture of peppers along with other diced fresh vegetables were used instead of pickled vegetables.” She looked down at the green wrap with a sad look. “I remember the times we would be in the kitchen of the Örlagaríkur.” Eghimea fell silent for a moment as she smiled with sadness in her eyes.

She had long given up trying to hide her emotions from the alien woman across from her. After all, she learned during their first meeting that the alien was some kind of mind reader. Not that she was offended by the alien gazing into her mind. Afterall, Eghimea felt a sense of relief from the weight of her masks while around Sheleah.

“He would make us both Hasperat just like he used to back home while we would talk for hours,” she explained. “You see, he had a way of making the Night Watch pass during long patrols.” She paused a moment before adding, “that was before he became the Captain.”

“So are you a night owl or is it just a shift thing?” she asked attempting to initiate pleasant conversation.

  • Sheleah

“It is the shift I have been assigned,” she said stiffening her back with pride. “In the BSG,” she said speaking of the now dissolved Bajorian StarGuard, “serving Night Watch is a posting of pride and a show of trust.” She smiled with genuine happiness, “who else is more trusted than those who are to stand watch while everyone else sleeps.”

2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

Sheleah thought about that for a few seconds as she chased a glob of peanut butter around on her small dish with an inadequately thin slice of apple. She could have had the replicator make them thicker but mom and daddy had always cut them very thin so that’s just how sheleah had learned to make them.

Eghimea watched the blond-haired alien seemingly playing with her food. It was a strange pasty brown thing. Though she had to admit the smell of what ever it was, was alluring. Still, in those brief moments, she wished she was a mind reader like the alien was. She wondered what things this woman was thinking.

“I can see where that would definitely be a point of pride. Protecting people and valuable objects when they are at their most vulnerable could definitely be seen as an honorable duty.”

  • Sheleah

Eghimea was taken back a bit by the response, though wasn’t completely surprised by it either. “I have found that what I know of the Federation is not completely accurate,” she stated softly. “What would you consider honorable duty, Lieutenant Ruby?” She asked softly. “Surely not a firry death filled with glory, during the heat of combat,” she added mocking a very Klingon response.

-2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

Sheleah wrinkled her nose, shifted positions, and finally set Rex in another chair.

“I’ve about had enough of your mischievous behavior.” she whispered to Rex as she pushed his plate in front of him. He shifted positions to have both front paws on the top of the table and began nibbling the fish.

Sheleah looked back at Eghimea and smiled.

“I’ve come to realize that honorable duty is whatever makes you proud of yourself and usually serves the greater good of your community so, for me, what might be honorable duty would not be the same as what it is for you.”

  • Sheleah

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