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Going to the mess hall -everyones welcome-

Posted Oct. 18, 2022, 2:06 a.m. by Ensign Hawkeye Logan (Security Officer) (Christopher Logan)

Posted by 2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea (Security Officer) in Going to the mess hall -everyones welcome-

Posted by Ensign Hawkeye Logan (Security Officer) in Going to the mess hall -everyones welcome-

Posted by 2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea (Security Officer) in Going to the mess hall -everyones welcome-
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻
As ensign Logan was going to the mess hall he had his book. He grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down. Although he liked his coffee but then realized the fact that he misses his tea. So he grabbed a cup of his favorite tea and started to drink that instead.

Ensign Logan.

-bump-

It was the same nightmare that woke Eghimea from her sleep again. She had thought about rolling over and trying to push through the emotional roller-coaster that the unforgiving dreams would normally set her on. That idea was rejected because her green-skinned roommate had ‘friends’ over. The group of chattering females were talking about some new world they were going to visit. Eghimea wondered if she could be allergic to the Caitian among the group of Science Officers, due to her red eyes before leaving her room. Or it could just be her lack of sleep. Leaving it behind, Eghimea walked into the Mess to an even greater disappointment.

It was the first time that Eghimea had walked into the main mess of the Saracen during the lunch time hour. She frowned inwardly at the large number of people eating and enjoying socializing. She wasn’t disappointed that they were all enjoying their time with each other, it was that there wasn’t a single empty table in the entire mess, let alone available seating. And after being woken up during her normal sleep cycle, she wasn’t feeling at her best. Drawing in a slight breath, she half thought of just turning around and finding somewhere else to relax. Letting out her breath in defeat as she accepted that this was pretty much her only option.

She walked over to the repicator, “water, with ice, please,” she softly said. The idea of such a device was still a wonder to her. Sure, she knew of them, and even seen some before. But to watch them work on a daily basis was just fascinating. Her eyes danced over the other crew members, the people of the Federation. She wondered if they really knew how lucky they were to live in a world where such technology was at a person’s finger tips. That was when her eyes caught Ensign Logan. ‘Hawkeye Logan,’ she pondered deeply, ‘what a strange name for a Vulcan. I wonder why the deviation from their normal naming conventions.’ She noticed that he was sitting by himself and that there was a book with him.

Picking up her glass of water, she walked over to the table where the young Vulcan set with a cup of tea. “Good evening, Ensign,” she said softly. Considering that for Eghimea, this was the middle of her night, she often didn’t make the mental corrections that for the rest of the crew it was their midday lunch time. The second cup filled with coffee didn’t escape her notice. She half wondered if he had been expecting someone.

Standing before Ensign Logan, stood a Bajoran female of average height yet slim build. She has become well known aboard the Saracen due to her first explosive day aboard. She was Laju Eghimea, a Bajoran Exchange Officer. Surrounding her were rampant rumors of a crisis that brough the very weight of the Captain down to the Sick Bay. With the rumor mill contained, 2nd Lieutenant Laju is now assigned to the Security Department on the graveyard shift.

2nd Lieutenant Laju wore a Bajoran Uniform. To the casual observer, they could easily mistake the uniform as standard Militia. Though for the keen observer and those who follow Bajoran politics, they could tell the uniform was of the now disbanded Bajoran StarGuard. She wore the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, and a unit patch with the words, “BSG Örlagaríkur” on the patch. There is a hand-woven black ribbon sown over the patch. (See her profile for more on the uniform design) Her uniform, including her black boots were in perfect form and without a hint of error, assuming that the observer knew what they were looking for. For Eghimea, it was simply a matter of pride to her former ship, her former shipmates and her former commander to ensure that she looked her very best, even when off duty.

“There does not appear to be any open seats,” she stated as a matter of fact. “Do you mind if I share the table with you, Ensign?” Her voice was flat in tone as she did her best to conceal her emotions behind the thick walls of her personal masks. Still, there was no amount of make-up or skill that could hide the thick rings under her eyes. A tell-tale sign that she had been deprived of full nights of sleep for some time.

2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

Ensign Logan then noticed the young bajoran and then said “Yes Lt. by all means. I’m not picky one who sits here with me. Although, how can I help you?” He asked. As he didn’t really know this 2nd Lieutenant at all.

Ensign Logan

With a slight nod in gratitude, Eghimea lowered herself and slid into the chair across from the Vulcan male. Her movements were precise and with purpose intention. Her back was rigid, and her arms pulled into her sides. Her motions and posture were a sharp contrast to those effortless and graceful movements of Lieutenant Ruby. A stray thought regarding the movements of the two had captured Eghimea’s mind for but a moment.

“Thank you,” she said softly with an even tone. To her new shipmates, she had been accused of being cold and detached in her dealings with them. She had tried to explain and had failed to get her point across to them. She now wondered how a member of a race, well known for their cold and detached dealings, would see her. “I do not require your assistance,” she said calmly then added, “though I do have a query for you.”

She paused a moment to take a sip of her water. The ice softly rattling against the glass drew her attention. Memories of the nightmares that brought her to the mess on this late hour were still fresh in her mind. She blinked a couple of times, forcing her mind back to the moment of here and now. Drawing in a slight breath, she continued, “your name Ensign Hawkeye Logan. It is not traditional in terms of the Vulcan naming conventions. I am curious if you would mind sharing the story behind it.”

2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

“Well, Lieutenant. I was born on Earth until my parents died. The Vulcan high council found me and took me to learn their ways. They have also assigned me to a new family that is Vulcan and I am very happy with my new family. I’m able to suppress my emotions well enough as a human who has learned the Kohlinar ritual.” He said to her as he was a little confused.

Eghimea set across from him listening carefully to his words and watching his movements with a keen eye. That was until he said, “I’m able to suppress my emotions well enough as a human who has learned the Kohlinar ritual.”

‘Wait,’ she thought almost dumbfounded, ‘what!?’

Her mind raced through what she knew of his personal file. It clearly labeled him as a Vulcan. ‘Was he saying he wasn’t a Vulcan,’ her mind questioned. It was as if her mind ran headlong into a brick wall.

While he was a little confused about it he asked, “Why do you ask Lt?” He asked. He wasn’t so sure what else to say. He didn’t really know the main reason of it.

Ensign Logan.

It took a moment for her to blink through the replaying of the conversation in her mind before she could speak again. When she resumed speaking, her voice was calm, direct and her tone was flat. “Your personal records indicates that you are a Vulcan with a rather non-Vulcan name,” Eghimea explained. She tilted her head to get a slightly better perspective on his ears, “I apologize if this sounds rude.” She paused a moment before asking her question. “Are you Human or Vulcan,” she asked softly.

2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

“No Lt. I should apologize. You are correct. I didn’t know what you were talking about. It was meant to be said, my Vulcan parents had died. I was adopted by human parents when I was born. Once I was born, I wasn’t given a name until my human parents gave me the name Hawkeye Logan.” He said.

Ensign Logan

Leaning back in her chair Eghimea gave a slight nod, “there is no cause for apology, Ensign Logan,” she said calmly and softly. She fell silent for a moment as to collect her thoughts before continuing, “I have noticed that a great number of crew members have that similarity in common.” She paused as to take note of something then self-corrected, “tragedies linked directly to their families.” Placing a hand on her chest, “I too have such a similarity.” Her tone drifted slightly darker as the hint of grief was present to the keen listener as she explained, “I’m the cause of my own family’s death.”

Once more she fell silent as her eyes dance over the space between them. When she spoke again, her voice had returned to her normal flat and even tone. “I’m curious if such personnel deployment is intentional by StarFleet Command,” she said softly. “Such similarities could form unconscious bonds between crew members,” she pondered.

  • 2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

“Lt. What are you saying by unconscious bonds between crew member?” He asked her as if he didn’t know what she meant in this case he doesn’t.

Ensign Logan

Eghimea was thoughtful for a moment. Her eyes seemed to move left to right as if she was reading some invisible paper between them. After that moment, she began to speak once more, “Doctor Sana Krishnan wrote of Relationships via Shared Trauma as such. ‘The brain has evolved such that we form social, emotional being-to-being connections in many ways.”

She paused a moment to take a breath, “one such way of forming friendships and other relationships is sometimes colloquially called ‘trauma bonding’ - that is, friendships formed when two individuals talk about experiences of past trauma, rather be directly shared or common. Such conversations of vastly layered experiences which can be deeply empathetic, heavy, eye-opening, perspective-providing and have proven to lead to tighter bonds between the two individuals. The study revealed that individuals who have created such bonds cannot effectively articulate the basis of their bonds without the trauma.”

Drawing in another breath, she gave a soft nod to inform her table companion that she was continuing, “during her study, Doctor Krishnan found that even when such conversations are not shared, that some individuals form bonds completely unaware of their shared trauma.”

She blinked a moment as she fell silent to ensure that she had offered the correct information. Satisfied, she gave a nod again as she asked softly, “does that help you understand what I mean, Ensign Logan?”

“Yes it does Lt. Thank you. But say if we had that. What happens” he said.

Ensign Logan

Eghimea’s eyes moved back and forth a bit as she considered the question posed to her. “I suppose that would require us to better understand the crew assignments of Starfleet,” she finally replied. “Here aboard the Saracen, there are at least four that I am personally aware of who shares similar family tragedies. My Roommate, at least one of her friends, myself and now you,” she said counting with her fingers as she continued to speak, “have all experienced tragedies that have left us orphans to some degree.”

“If Starfleet’s crew assignments are benign, then there is nothing of concern,” she said softly. Her tone grew slightly darker as she continued, “however, there could be the possibility that the crew of the Saracen are unwittingly taking part in a large controlled social experiment.” She waited for a moment before the tips of her lips slowly curled into a slight smile as her eyes softened a bit, thus allowing the hint of her joke to float between them.

Waving a hand, her voice returned to its normal soft and flat tone as she finally conceded, “I merely find it an interesting observation, Ensign.”

  • 2nd Lieutenant Laju Eghimea

“Well I am glad that it is an interesting observation. Although,” as he paused for a second as he lowers his voice a bit. “What about like relationships. Like other then friendship relationships. I know it isn’t right for a starfleet officer to fall in love with another. But what if that comes intonplace?” He asked quietly.

Ensign Logan


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