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Crew Lounge - A quiet drink (All welcome)

Posted Nov. 28, 2020, 5:58 a.m. by Ensign Max Church (Nurse) (Russell Watt)

The debriefing, following their mission to Deba Colony and their rescue of the children, had been satisfactory. For the Vulcan engineering chief there remained no additional commentary she had not already shared, no deeply-buried trauma that would keep her awake for the coming nights. And yet in this, the first real period of downtime she had been granted since boarding the Sentinel, she found herself almost reluctant to retreat to the isolation of her quarters. To her own surprise, T’Pria was craving company.

Entering the Crew Lounge, the woman replicated a large glass of Saurian brandy, more for the taste than for any intoxicating effects, and chose a table in the upper-right corner of the room to settle onto and inspect the crowd for potential company…

  • Lt T’Pria (CE)

Entering the lounge, Kohana looked around for familiar faces from the Sentinal. Seeing only the CE from his ship, he ordered a drink and approached the engineer.

“Begging your pardon, Lt., but would you like some company or prefer to be left alone?”

CPO Black Wolf (helm)

The Vulcan glanced up from her drink and offered the helmsman an almost-smile. “I do not believe it will have any effect on the consumption of my drink whether you take the seat or not,” she offered. “So please, sit.”

For a moment she lapsed back into silence as her eyes studied the man across from her. Then, her almost-smile achieving that rare full, she added, “I wanted to thank you, for your assistance during the last away mission. The information you transmitted to us turned out to be most useful indeed.”
The engineer made a guttural sound from somewhere deep within her throat, almost as if she were laughing. “I can not claim to have been in any way prepared for an entanglement with domesticated livestock. Although from what I know of ancient history and how those animals were at one time treated, perhaps they were merely in search of some measure of revenge,” she concluded, offering Black Wolf an amused glance over the rim of her glass.

  • Lt T’Pria (CE)

“A lot of that goes to Lt. Josen. She found most of that information. I was just the guy to pass it it along. Yeah, normally cattle aren’t real aggressive, though bulls can be. Historically, cows were used for food. I know as a Vulcan you probably find that disgusting, but hamburgers and steak were popular foods on Earth. And their milk was used for all sorts of dairy products: cheese, creme, ice cream, milk. . . .”

The Vulcan nodded. The teachings of Surak would, in their ancient wisdom, dictate that she make no further comment on the matter. T’Pria, however, found herself responding, “Yes, we Vulcans had our years of barbarism too.”

Just then the new guy walked in and took a seat across the room. It looked like he was drinking something dark. It would turn out to be an old earth drink called “Root Beer?”

Banner

Kohana noticed the new navigator’s arrival and decided to make a point of introducing himself at some time before they pulled duty together on the bridge, but right now he was enjoying the chat with the engineer. “You deserve a lot of the credit too, Lt. Your team got all those kids out of the mine safely. That couldn’t have been easy.”

SCPO Black Wolf (helm)

“I can not make claim to a wealth of experience where children are concerned,” the engineering chief admitted. “There is a reason that I chose the way of machinery over man.” Briefly, a wry, almost-smile, flitted across her lips. “I am…relieved, that we managed to find all of them and then escort them to more stable surroundings.”

“You did okay with them from the reports I read. I mean, are Vulcan children really that different than human children at that age. Forgive me if I’m prying, but I’m just curious. That way I understand it, Vulcan children at that young of an age haven’t gone through that ritual yet, the one where you learn to control the emotions, the Koli–Kol-noor?”

“The Kolinahr,” T’Pria clarified before quickly falling silent. For a moment her angled brows knitted into a frown, as if wresting with the vocalisation of her following thought. Then quietly, her eyes fixed on her drink, she added in a near-whisper, “Not all Vulcans subscribe to the severity of the Kolinahr.”

Noticing her change in tone, Kohana wondered if he had touched on a sore topic with the engineer. He was about to ask her if she’d care to elaborate, but thought better of it. He wasn’t sure how private a person T’Pria was and considered the question to be more appropriate for a time when less people were around. She seemed to be enjoying his company for the time being and didn’t want to make things uncomfortable.

Petty Officer Banner kept his place and ordered a second drink. He did not know many people and he did not want to disturb others.

Banner

The lounge doors parted with the familiar ssssh! as Ivo wandered in. He walked directly to the replicator, and inserted a data tape into the slot next to it. A couple of lights started flashing as the device seemed to work a little harder than usual.

The Vulcan had also noticed the newcomer and was slightly confused at his choice to take a separate table when there were several vacant seats around theirs.
“Are we Vulcans truly so intimidating, Mr Banner?” she called over, before turning back to Kohana and once again flashing that almost-smile.

  • Lt T’Pria (CE)

Hearing T’Pria from his left, Baner turned and replied,

“Excuse me, sir?”

Robert Banner

“She’s asking why you’re not sitting with her,” Ivo offered helpfully as he stood by the replicator, waiting for the program to finish running. “Somewhat obliquely, actually…”
… for a Vulcan, he stopped himself from actually saying aloud.

He was now somewhat curious about Banner’s answer, though he was more interested in T’Pria’s question.

– Ivo Cerny, XO/CSO

The Engineering Chief exchanged a glance with Cerny, her expression appearing to suggest that the same could be asked of him.

Max approached the door to the lounge, and waited for them to open before entering. She was out of her nurse uniform and in a tank top, shorts and joggers, having just finished a workout in the gym. Her work out clothes were still in the colour of medical blue.

She went towards the replicator and waited for the others to get their orders before her own. She recognised the XO from his personnel file, and nodded to him,

“Commander Černý,” she said, smiling, while kicking herself, she just hoped she pronounced his name correctly, he’d be sure to correct her if she got it wrong, she was certain it wasn’t a court martial offence, but one never knew.

She saw the Vulcan, who she gathered was the Chief Engineer, T’Pria or something, she recalled, and then looked further around, not many others she could quite put a name to yet … give her time and they all would be known to her.

  • Nurse Church

Kohana grinned and also caught Banner’s attention. He waved the navigator over and offered to play off of T’Pria’s own comments. “C’mon on over and have a seat Banner. Vulcan’s don’t bite, they’re vegetarians.”

SCPO Black Wolf (helm)

“Except for Sundays,” the Vulcan added before she could stay her tongue, although if her attempt at humour engendered any regrets then they were in no way betrayed by her impassive face.

  • Lt Commander T’Pria (CE)

About to take a swallow of his drink, the helmsman choked on his drink at T’Pria’s comment. Wiping his face with a napkin and regaining his composure, he smiled and shook his finger at her. “Commander, you are casting a shadow over everything I’ve ever learned about Vulcan’s. For years I’ve tried to convince non-believers that Vulcans can be funny when they want to be. I understand that dry sense of humor, and it’s good on you.”

SCPO Black Wolf (Helm)

“Or any day that ends in ‘Y’” Max muttered quietly, but not so quietly that others nearby wouldn’t hear her.

  • Ens Church, Nurse

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