Star Trek: Starbase 777

All seemed quiet, a little too quiet, until, the sound of footsteps clopping along the ground echoed from afar, before coming closer and closer to reveal a skipping, twirling, ditzy young woman. It was time for a break, and Melody usually would cook lunch for herself, but decided not to and wanted to explore the station a little more. She hadn't met everyone there yet, anyway. She wanted to experience everything she could, to absorb the station, and to live amongst it as fully as she could. Did that necessarily mean she had to be the next best thing to a Disney princess? No. But she was a singing, slightly clumsy mess anyway. Well, not visually, but...

"Ahhhh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhhhh! Ahhhh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ahhhhhh!"

She sang as she hopped through the area, around multiple restaurants around her. It was wondrous! It was like Melody was in her own little Wonderland! But of course, this wasn't the Alice story she had read about growing up. Sights, smells, sounds, made her excited in ways she never knew possible - she had never seen so many diverse cuisines being served around her! Sacramento, Santa Rose San Francisco were only three locations she'd been to, so this was a completely different beast altogether. "Oh, this is wonderful!" Melody said aloud, moreso to herself than anything. "Someone pinch me! I've gotta stop at every single one of these places! One day, I'll have been to all of them! And tasted every dish! Universal love and appreciation for every single cuisine endeavor! Ah, it's perfect!" She kept on skipping, twirling around, while of course making sure not to run into anyone. But Melody saw every reason to smile here, as the continued exposure to all these new restaurants made her mouth water already. This couldn't get any better! Could it?

It had been quiet outside the restaurants, most people already hunkered away inside their establishment of choice after identifying where they wanted to go. Niwa was still in that latter process, perusing the different menus posted outside of the various restaurants so she could work out where to go. The problem was that practically everything sounded good. This was what days off were for, right? Putting on a nice dress, feeling pretty, and finding the best place for lunch? The replicator could make anything you wanted, but there was something that felt special about a meal that had been made by someone. It was as if them putting in the time, effort, and expertise made it even more worth the while. It was while reading over the menu of an Italian restaurant (read: pasta, and pasta was good,) that she heard the sound of… Singing? Progressively getting louder. She was no stranger to hearing random bouts of song – Kea loved to sing at random (at the top of her voice, and very out of tune), and as such she expected to find a parent approaching with a child… But when she turned to look, she found that it was an adult who was singing and hopping her way along the corridor. Well, that was… Something new. In truth she would have let this person simply carry on and do their own thing, but what concerned Niwa was how this was practically an accident waiting to happen. She could already see it now: this person was going to spin around some more, trip, smash her head off of a wall, end up with a concussion… It was the sort of thing that she saw in the medical bay all the time. Injury prevention mode activated, Niwa chose to take a few careful steps into the path of this skipping and twirling individual in the hopes that would slow them down. “Hi, hi, sorry-” she started as she tried to get the person’s attention. “Are you okay?”

Melody was so lost in her own singing and skipping around that when Niwa approached her, she jumped. "OOOOH!" She exclaimed, spooked. It was as if this itself was the very thing that was going to get Melody hurt, and she briefly skidded across the floor almost as if she was running on ice. But after a moment, Melody finally found her footing (alliteration) and came to a complete stop. With that, she straightened herself back up.

"Helloooooo!"

Melody sang, before approaching Niwa, although still giving Niwa enough space. Niwa seemed like she was concerned for her, given the expression on her face - so Melody decided to assuage that concern. "Oh! I'm okay!" Melody spoke normally. "It's so nice to meet you! I'm Melody. Melody Marshall, the singing baker and founder of Marshall's Munchies! I'm new here, can I ask what your name is? Pretty please with sprinkles on top?" Hearing Melody talk -- and sing -- it was legitimately like hearing a Disney princess. Although, this 'princess' wore overalls and Doc Martens, and had her hair in pigtails. Still, Melody oozed positivity and optimism from every inch of her body, and it was evident by her unbroken smile, even though it briefly left her face while she tried to regain her balance earlier. By her voice, it sounded like she was the most eager to meet Niwa, even though she and Niwa were complete strangers - at least, until now. Oh yeah - this day was getting better for Melody already!

Ah, a domino effect. It was typical that things had been going fine and this person hadn’t ended up in any trouble until Niwa decided to try to make sure she didn’t end up in trouble. That just seemed to be how things went! The world was a strange place like that. “Sorry,” she spoke hastily, cringing as she made the twirling person all but jump out of her skin… And then all Niwa could do was watch as she seemed to slide about comically. This was how it happened: you tried to prevent an injury and ended up causing one… Although thankfully that was avoided when the woman managed to catch her balance again. The smile that Niwa gave when the woman approached was cautious – both hands tentatively raised a little in case she suddenly tripped, slipped, or anything happened. At least the ‘I’m okay’ immediately answered the question that Niwa had been about to ask. “It’s, uhm, nice to meet you, Melody Marshall?” Niwa replied, although it sounded a little more like a question than a statement. Her brow raised as she looked this person over, trying to work out if this was, you know – normal behaviour or if there was something wrong. She had nothing against eccentric people; she just wasn’t that used to it, given that you had to be on your best behaviour working in a medical bay! There was no hiding that while Melody sounded enthusiastic, Niwa still sounded more concerned than anything. “I’m Niwa… Well, it’s Niwayiva, but most people just shorten it. Uhm, was there a reason you were… Running? Dancing? Are you late for something? Oh – and why would sprinkles go on top of a name..?”

Literally two seconds had passed and Melody already forgot she had even come close to falling. Well, she remembered it, but she'd have to be reminded of it. Still, Melody had completely moved forward and was now fully focused on Niwa. A new friend? How awesome! "Niwayiva! What a beautiful name!" She added a bit of vibrato onto 'beautiful' as she said it. "I've never heard such a beautiful name in my life! Even more beautiful than my own! Heh - Niwayiva!" Melody found herself amused by the name of her new friend, and stole a chuckle or two at finally getting it right! "It's lovely to meet you, Niwa! As for me? I do this all the time! I love life, and I love to live it without regrets every day! There's every single reason for me to smile all the time! Some people call me the happiest soul alive! I'm not the best dancer but I've taken lessons, but I love to get my energy out travelling from place to place! I gotta be focused when baking, ya know? Oh, and I sing! I don't know if I said I'm a singing baker?" She did, in fact. Melody couldn't help but giggle in a giddy fit at Niwa's confusion about sprinkles. "Ohhhh that? It's just a figure of speech! Putting sprinkles on top of something that you don't put sprinkles on top of means making it extra sweet! Just like me - and just like you!" Melody seemed as if she didn't have an off switch when she was meant to have an off switch... Or several.

“Oh, well, thank you,” Niwa stammered out awkwardly, already blushing. This was… Not really what she had been expecting when she had thought of going for a nice, quiet lunch by herself. Should she be surprised? This was Starbase 777: if there wasn’t something out of the ordinary happening here then it probably meant that the universe was turning inside out. “It’s, well, not a Human name – obviously. Being not Human at all.” Very obviously, given that she looked a grand total of zero percent Human. Humans didn’t have blue skin, or tendrils, or bioluminescent grooves. Why had she felt compelled to explain that? It was as if this very energetic interaction had made her brain come up with an error message. She shook off the mild confusion and instead listened to the explanation from Melody. “Well, that’s a nice way to see things – I fully agree with smiling all the time, but I’m not sure if I would have the energy for dancing about like you do.” She chuckled a little at that, definitely sure that she wouldn’t. And now they were already onto something else. It was going to take energy just to keep up with this conversation! “Sprinkles, figure of speech, okay – I’m very bad at those, so I’ll end up getting it mixed up with something else. And wait… A singing baker? So… You sing when you bake? Or is it your job to do both when… Selling baked goods? I’m sorry – I’ve never met a uhm, ‘singing baker’ before!”

Seeing Niwa blushing and stammering only added to Melody's own reaction to such, as she began to giggle giddily. "Hihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihihi..." yyyyup. Melody was a mess. Well, at least she did what she wanted! She gave Niwa a reason to smile! Hopefully. Maybe? Only time would tell. "It's okay if you're not human! I love everyone! Human, not human, even the rocks on the ground next to the shore, the grass, the sun, everything! There's love everywhere! And there's no reason why it should be kept from you. You're just as special as anyone else and deserve the same love!" Melody chirped. If this were another opportunity for Melody to make Niwa smile, she'd do it in a heartbeat. She really did care about Niwa, even after just meeting her. That was Melody's thing, y'know - she immediately found something she loved about everyone she met. Everyone was her favorite. Niwa included! Melody nodded, taking in Niwa's view on her singing and dancing - well, obviously she knew she was somewhat of a phenomenon for that. "That's okay! You don't have to dance in order to find reasons to smile! The universe is infinite, it can give you so many more reasons to smile! Dancing isn't for everyone, I'm not even the best dancer myself. But I don't have to be! I can smile for so many other reasons! And so can you!" Melody's pride in how she talked about that made her really seem dead set on finding any reason to smile. And it worked. Maybe a little too well. Melody couldn't contain her laughter once more when Niwa asked her about being a singing baker. "Heeeehehehehehehe! In fact I do sing when I bake! And it has become part of my job to sing when I sell baked goods! You actually are spot on! It's what's made my baking business so popular! In fact, it's the most popular bakery in San Francisco! But my parents are operating that branch down there, while I'm operating the one here!" x_divider

(edited)

00:21

With that, Melody became curious. "Speaking of 'up here...' what do you do here??? What's your role? Is it super duper amazing and special just like you? I bet it is!"

Niwa had hoped that the conversation might slow down a little but instead it seemed to speed up. She was used to somewhat unusual behaviour (how many people had she seen act completely loopy when being knocked out for surgery, trying to fight the general anaesthetic and saying the most deranged things instead?) She had seen a lot, but this… This was in the middle of a promenade, outside a whole bunch of restaurants, and also right in front of a lot of people who had come here to relax. Niwa was one of that number. She had a day off, Kea was at school, she was fed up of how her back had already started to ache and she had come here to fix a craving for pasta… Normally she would have been totally fine to entertain something like this but there was a time and a place, and it was not the time or place for that sudden giggling fit. “Let’s… Take a step over here,” she stated and cautiously manoeuvred Melody to the side so they were out of the way of any people who walked past, “slow down, and let’s use our inside voice.” Oop, she had accidentally crossed the threshold into gentle parenting mode. Maybe it would work..? “It’s really nice that you love everyone and everything, that’s an admirable trait!” Until it resulted in you getting walked over. Niwa was kind, but being literally ditched by her former partner had lessened her naïveté. You could love everyone to begin with, but you had to know when to set boundaries and stand your ground if they did something legitimately wrong. “It’s good that you can always find something to smile about, too. The world would be a nicer place if everyone had that ability.” x_divider

01:11

The medical officer did smile back at that, although perhaps a little restrained. Melody’s very vocal and outgoing nature had caught her a little off-guard. That wasn’t to say that being outgoing was a bad thing, of course, it had just been unexpected for the setting. “I’m sure your bakery business is great. I’ve never been to San Francisco – or Earth, actually. You setting up here means that I don’t get to miss out.” She was trying to play the middle ground between being nice to this woman in return, but not going over-the-top to try to match her energy. “And me? Ah, well – I am a surgeon. It’s not as fun as baking, but it’s still very interesting.”

Melody genuinely had no idea she was being that loud - or that she was even being a disturbance to others around her. In her mind, only she and Niwa existed at that particular moment in time - and she did find herself a bit disoriented when Niwa guided her over to the side. "Wha--! Whoa! Where are we going?" Followed by Niwa telling her to slow down and use their inside voices. "O-oh!" Melody obliged, turning down the volume of her voice. "O-okay! Inside voice!" Then it hit her. She was indeed both blocking traffic and being a bit of a disturbance to the other patrons. "Oopsie..." Anyway, Niwa didn't seem too off put by the fact that Melody was so nice and loved life. In fact, it just made Melody more excited! She even had to remind herself to keep her inside voice when she began again. "Thank you!! I've met a handful of folks who just are so negative, who look for the worst in everything, that's not the answer, it never was! So! I follow my family motto and always give others reasons to smile! And that in turn makes me smile, hihihihi!" Melody's face turned to massive excitement when Niwa mentioned that she wouldn't miss out. "You want to stop by sometime?? Yay!!" She said, still with her inside voice. "I'll make you your favorite treat and we can munch on it together!! How does that sound??" She was about to go on when Niwa mentioned she was a surgeon. Then... "Oh Em Gee! You're a medical officer?" She said, still quieted. But right away, she gave Niwa a salute and stood at attention. "Reporting for duty! Ma'am, yes, ma'am!" Melody meant this earnestly - she didn't mean to mock.

“No where,” she replied when Melody asked where they were going – which had been an odd question in itself. Had Melody thought that Niwa was going to just… Manhandle her away? Kidnap her in the least forceful way possible? “Just to the side, so we’re out of people’s way. Standing in the middle of where people are trying to walk is a very quick way to make them not want to smile.” Niwa didn’t reckon that was caused by people looking for the worst in everything – it was just a natural response to being inconvenienced. This poor, overly-enthusiastic woman… How long until she worked out that aboard a Starfleet station there were going to be a lot of grouchy officers who completely disagreed with her sentiment? Niwa felt as though she had to give a slight hint of caution. “…I don’t want to take away from your enthusiasm, but just so you know, not everyone is as… Happy as you. Starfleet can be a dangerous place, and a lot can happen that people find upsetting. It’s nice that you’d try to go out of your way to cheer them up, but just… Be aware that not everyone will like that. Some people will! Some people would be cheered right up! But – there are some other officers here who are strict, regimental types. They… Might not be so enthusiastic.” And speaking of enthusiastic… Niwa was never one to say no to baked goods, but what she would say no to was the saluting and the standing to attention. “You, uhm, don’t have to salute me,” she said with a little bit of a grimace. Normally she would have been better equipped to handle a situation like this, but second trimester symptoms were frustrating her to no end and she had come here for some quiet and to settle some serious cravings for pasta… Not to try to match the energy of someone who appeared to have drank too much caffeine. “You’re not a Starfleet officer. You don’t have to salute anyone. You… Won’t get told off for not doing it.”

As if she had just solved the mystery of a lifetime - well, not really, as her mind wasn't really blown but she did feel like she understood it better, Melody finally did realize she was blocking traffic until Niwa brought her out of the way. "O--ohhhhhhhh..." Melody realized, quietly. "I get it! Oopsie!" Melody immediately recognized Niwa as someone who would ensure she continued to make others smile - especially in situations like this where she could potentially block traffic. She didn't want to do that. Niwa was pretty smart! Although, Melody's tone changed slightly when Niwa warned her about those on the station who weren't as cheerful as she was. "Oh, I know! Not everyone has to be happy all the time like I do! It's not necessarily their thing! I just find it works for me! And there's nothing wrong with others not wanting to go along with it all the time. If they don't like it, I won't be a pest!" Melody melted out of the salute and relaxed back to her normal stance when Niwa said that she didn't have to salute her. "O-oh... Okay!" She responded, still eager. "Starfleet might be fun for me someday! Not right now, but someday. Do they have cooks? Bakers?? If so I'd love to be one as an officer someday!" Even with her quieted voice, Melody still physically acted like she was speaking full volume, unintentionally. Jeez, she was adorable. "If not that's okay! Just wondering." With that, Melody's focus was pulled away by one of the local pasta joints. Honestly, she was like a puppy seeing a --SQUIRREL! -- like a puppy seeing a bird through a window. One moment her focus was here, the next it was -- SQUIRREL! -- the next it was somewhere else. "Oooooh! I'm guessing you're here for some munchies too?? Can we get pasta together Niwa? Please please please please please please pleaseeeeeeee????" She hopped up and down, her excitement getting to her, maybe a little too much so, despite her quieted inside voice.

A reassuring smile was given to Melody when the other woman said a quiet ‘oopsie,’ letting her know that she hadn’t exactly done anything wrong. It seemed like Melody was a bit too hyperactive to be completely aware of her surroundings, that was all. The reassurance about what she would do if someone simply didn’t want cheered up was good as well. Niwa was glad that this singing baker would take that into account: there was nothing worse than the happiest of people being struck down emotionally because they didn’t realise that not everyone was on the same wavelength as them. Niwa was equally glad when Melody stopped the salute. It wasn’t as if a salute was some strange thing, given they were on a Starfleet station, but most officers here were… More relaxed. The majority of senior officers didn’t make you salute when you saw them, and she doubted that Captain Mo had the crew announce ‘Captain on the command deck’ whenever he entered 777’s equivalent of a ship’s bridge. Besides, she wasn’t in uniform – so the saluting and ‘yes ma’am’ing was guaranteed to turn some heads. Niwa was very much the sort of person who found it embarrassing if too many eyes were on her, and no offence to Melody at all, but this singing baker definitely seemed like the sort of person who could draw attention. x_divider

23:32

“Starfleet don’t have cooks as officers any more, no – I don’t think they’ve done that in a very long time. I think that using replicators is a lot easier than manually catering for so many people on a starship. Some civilians might be a chef on a starship, though, just for fun and morale – similar to what you’re doing here except it’s less of a business thing. Maybe that could be a reasonable compromise one day!” She followed Melody’s gaze to the restaurant she was looking at… But then was once again caught off guard by the sudden string of ‘pleases’ and the hopping up and down. How did you let down gently someone so energetic..? “I’m so sorry – I actually already made a reservation for someone else near here, I was just taking a look at the other menus before I went in. But – I’ll be sure to stop by your bakery some time instead! How does that sound?”

There was something about Niwa that Melody just couldn't put her finger on - Niwa was gentle, she was caring. It seemed that maybe Melody's energy was a bit too much for right now, but at the same time, it looked like, at least to Melody, that Niwa didn't seem to mind it in general. Perhaps now just wasn't the best time or place. She hoped Niwa would be one to at least open the door for Melody to see what life was really like on 777 - and it seemed they were both on their way towards that. It was never too late to grow, in Melody's opinion! Upon hearing that chefs weren't considered officers anymore, Melody didn't take that as a sad reality or a setback, but instead, she found herself even more curious. Who wouldn't need a chef? It was so much better to have fresh food made, not the replicated stuff. "Oh! O-okay! Yeah! That could work for me one day! I'd just have to be as good at cooking as I am at baking!" It was not necessarily the biggest surprise that Niwa was already here expecting a reservation with someone else, but Melody didn't take that personally. It was just how it was! Timing was everything. But, it sounded like Niwa did want to see her again and stop by the bakery. "Yay! You're the best Niwa! I hope you have an absolutely scrumptious lunch! Remember that you're special! I can't wait to see you a--" Interrupting her, Melody's stomach grumbled - she looked down and placed her hands over her stomach. "Oh! Oopsie again! My tummy's hungry. Probably should get something quick and easy anyway. But still! Have a scrumptious lunch! Remember that you're special in every single way! I can't wait to see you again!" And she quietly vocalized...

"Goodbyyyyyeeeeee!"

Before she skipped right off again, without twirling, as she didn't want to possibly run into anything again. But she was super excited and couldn't wait for Niwa to come to her second home - and see what her many-times-great-grandpa had helped her to start! (edited)

As arranged, Rai was meeting a trusted friend at a restaurant on the promenade. As a good middle ground, the two had decided to go to a diverse restaurant that had a variety of things on the menu and of course they had dino chicken nuggets on the kids menu too! Rai was very much not a child, but he was still allowed to order the Romulan variant-- birds of prey shaped hlai nuggets! It was a comfort food of his growing up and he was so excited this restaurant had it! He got the nuggets along with a tall glass of Osol juice that came with the meal! It felt like he was back in his home on Remus eating his favourite foods with his Reman family. He was regretting not getting the side salad with Reman croutons but maybe next time! He decided to be a little adventurous and try Yamok sauce mixed with Romulan chilli oil for the dip. Today Rai was dressed nicely as he always made sure he was. He had a pair of dark blue jeans with a black button down shirt and a beige blazer with the little Republic pin on it! He loved exploring fashion and would often consult with his brother about their outfits. His hair was still blue, but his natural brown roots were showing.

Having discussed meeting up with their Riov a week prior and having also decided it was a good idea Xaran had been fully mentally prepared to sit down and have a nice chat and catch up with him, only to realise after agreeing to the date just exactly when it fell. Not wanting to cancel, however, and knowing they need to live and enjoy their life, the XO had done their very best over the past week to carry on as normal and do their job, having also taken the day off on Thursday to have some time to themself. When the day and then time of the get together arrived, not wanting to be late, they showed up right at the time the two had agreed on, only to look around the restaurant briefly and see Rai sat waiting for them already. Heading over to him wearing a simple pair of dark pinky red red smart-casual trousers and a white shirt with a pattern of Denobulan Orchids on it, complete with small Lisianthus cufflinks and a ring made of Denobulan lava rock adorning one of their fingers, the First Officer greeted their boss with a friendly smile as they sat down, their hair just as neat (yet also somehow still messy) as ever. "Good afternoon, Riov." Their tone friendly and open just like it always was when the two spoke off duty, there was only the slightest hint of emotional tiredness in their voice through their otherwise seemingly happy demeanour.

Rai was just about to bite the head of one of the nuggets when the Eventide XO appeared! He dropped the nugget and put both hands palms down on the table and bowed his head respectively. Even though Xaran was under them, years in the Romulan Navy had taught Rai to respect everyone the same because who knew when your reputation needed to be defended! He did not smile at the XO, but he did notice their outfit! The flowers were pretty and he didn't much mind their hair. The gentle tossed look was trending and he always thought his XO looked well put together. "Jolan tru," He greeted back with a short wave. "I apologise for being so early, I get nervous if I cannot decide on a meal quickly," Rai knew restaurant staff were probably used to it, but he personally didn't like to keep them waiting. He sensed a bit of exhaustion in the other's voice, but assumed it was probably just due to their jobs. Commanding the Eventide was an important job, it still needed to be maintained even if it was docked after all. "The pattern on your shirt is very pretty, and I like the jewellery. It seems handmade? It's similar to some things a lot of Reman craftsman make," Rai had a lot of Reman jewellery himself even if he didn't wear it all the time. His tone was as plain as ever, he always had a Romulan-calm about him. It was still difficult for him to socialise casually, but he liked to think he was getting better. The XO was a safe person who he knew wouldn't judge him for his awkwardness. "Did you want to order first?" Rai handed Xaran the menu, sliding it across the table.

Hearing their CO's apology, Xaran's instantaneous and natural reaction was that of a reassuring look towards Rai, not passing an ounce of judgement. "Oh you don't need to apologise, Sir. I get it." They said reassuringly as their hands came to rest clasped in front of them on the table. Appreciating the compliment towards their shirt and jewellery, a small head bow was given in thanks. "Thank you. It is handmade, yes - Denobulan lava rock." They explained, glancing down at their hands briefly, before looking back up once again. "My mother gave it to me when I left to go off on my own and explore for a while before I eventually decided to join the Academy." Not wanting to get completely sentimental right now, they were really quite pleased when the subject changed to food, but despite usually being very attentive and focused it took a moment for the XO to respond to the enquiry. Their mind very much so focused on the moment their mother gave them the ring, the joy and happiness it gave now accompanied by grief and longing, it was as they were seemingly staring blankly at the Riov that they very quickly snapped out of it, blinking briefly as the slowly fading half-smile on their face returned. "Food! Right, yes. I honestly don't mind. Perhaps we could chat while I look at the menu. I should've looked it up on my PADD before getting here to save myself some time but I was a bit preoccupied." They responded as they reached for one of the menus to take a read.

Rai was glad that Xaran accepted his apology. He looked closer at the other's accessories when they told h im that it was handmade Denobulan lava rock. Rai may not have been Reman by blood, but he did enjoy a nice rock every now and then. "That was a kind gesture, it is very beautiful. I love and appreciate all rocks," Rai made a mental note to ask Tiravurik about the lava rocks, he probably knew where to get them and possibly how tasty they were. Rai could tell that Xaran had some nice memories of their mother. Rai technically had many mothers, Meruvix coming to mind first. He didn't count his biological mother, she was... Not the best. "They have a lot of variety. I am sure they have some of your comfort foods too," Rai said as he picked up a hlai nugget and dipped it into an odd looking yellow sauce. It was tangy and sweet, a good dipping sauce for nuggets! The taste was similar to terran honey mustard with a little bit of lemon. "Oh, is everything alright? I know we have a lot of stuff to do with our duties on Eventide," Rai didn't want to flat out ask Xaran about their personal life, but as a colleague and friend, he was concerned. He was no empath so unfortunately he couldn't sense others' emotions, but Xaran had something else on their mind.

Opening the menu up to begin looking to see if they did, in fact, have any of their comfort foods, Xaran practically froze for a brief moment upon the Riov asking if everything was alright, menu held in front of their face as their antennae spiked upward. Eyes closing for a moment as they took the slightest of shaky breaths in, trying to calm the onset of emotions before they arrived at the surface, their antennae slowly relaxing again, the XO slowly lowered and closed the menu before replying, looking down at their hands as they fiddled with their ring. "I'm fine, thank you. It's just- February 29th was- is my mother's birthday." The hybrid explained, voice quiet and somewhat strained, clearly trying to not to get emotional in public. "She went MIA in 2404 so it'll be- It'll be ten years this year." They said, swallowing briefly before continuing. "My cufflinks are Lisianthuses. They're a flower some people use to, you know, say thank you..." 'To the deceased' are the words Xaran outright refused to end that sentence with, unwilling to verbally acknowledge the possibility that their mother was dead, their voice nearly cracking on 'thank you'. They were mourning her being gone, but there was still a chance she wasn't dead because no one knew where she was. Despite their best efforts to not get emotional in public, the more they spoke the more their antennae drooped, revealing how they were truly feeling.

Rai had just taken a big bite out of the head of the one of the birb nuggets when he noticed Xaran's expression shift. He put the nugget down so he could focus on the reaction from the XO. He listened in silence and nodded as the other explained the significance of the day and the cufflinks. He thought it was nice that Xaran had items that reminded them of their mother and understood the stress of not knowing if she was alright. Rai remembered when he had 'run away' from home all those years ago, he imagined his family had felt a similar feeling to Xaran. "I am sorry to hear that," Rai didn't want to say 'sorry for your loss' as Xaran's mother wasn't confirmed dead, but he had a feeling in Xaran's mind that was certainly something they were thinking. He noticed the way their antenna drooped and thankfully from a previous friendship with an Andorian, he knew that meant sadness. "If there is anything I can do to help, you know I am always here to support you. I am Romulan, but you and the rest of your family are always welcome on Mol'Rihan with my family," Rai offered with a soft smile. Cerrub would probably love to have more guests over, he liked knowing that his sons were making friends.

'You know I am always here to support you.' Those were words that, throughout their life, only a select number of people had ever said to them. Their mother, their father, a few friends, and their therapist. Although admittedly for the former that usually also came with a 'within my abilities as your therapist', but that wasn't all that relevant. What was relevant is that all the people who had previously said those exact words to them genuinely cared about them in one way or another, and they could tell Rai wasn't just saying those words from the perspective of being their captain, but was well and truly saying them as a friend. "Thank you," The hybrid responded softly, antennae perking up just barely as they tried to focus on the positive notes behind what the Riov was saying instead of the situational context, eyes still fixed on their own hands. "My immediate family isn't that big, so if we were ever to visit you and yours I don't think we'd be too much hassle." They said, attempting to bring back a small bit of the humour they usually inserted into every conversation they had with their CO, even if they weren't smiling again just yet. "I have to admit, I've always wanted to visit Mol'Rihan. I just never got around to it. I don't know if my father's ever been, either."

Supporting their fellow officers was something that came easy to Rai. Maybe because he was naturally just a caring person. It was one of the many values of the Reman Torre'vnaus that never left him. He could tell his words had a profound effect on his XO, the thank you and the antennae movements were enough to convey such feelings. Rai picked up some of his hlai nuggets and ate them slowly before responding. "We have a whole Reman wing of my family's estate. It's a little cold, but the temperature in the rooms is adjustable and I'm sure we could make it a little warmer in the corridors for your stay," Rai would have to ask his mother, the head of house, but he had a feeling Meruvix would be glad to welcome guests. She'd probably want to cook for them too. "Oh, are you still interested in ordering something? Or you could have some of my nuggets," Rai may have ordered off the kids menu, but he was a fully grown Romulan and made sure to order a lot. It was a good source of protein! He moved his plate of nuggets towards Xaran if the person wanted to try. "Did you want to tell me more about your family? I'd love to hear about your experiences growing up. I can tell you about Remus."

"I'm sure my father and one of my grandmothers wouldn't mind the colder temperatures. He's part Andorian and she's fully." Xaran replied with a soft chuckle. "Me on the other hand, I prefer whatever temperature Starfleet usually keeps its ships at. I consider that optimum, but I was born aboard a ship so I think that probably explains a lot." Upon the mention of food once more, the XO rather suddenly remembered that this was, in fact, as restaurant, and not just a place to have a chat.8 *The offer of nuggets was appreciated, a bow of the head being given as their antennae slowly but surely perked up, gradually returning to their usual position of contentness. "I have to admit, I've been wondering what they taste like." They said as they took a fork and stabbed one of the nuggets with it. "Khlinae arhem." They replied, using what little Romulan they'd learnt since first meeting the Riov to good use. "My family? Well, as I said, my father is part Andorian. Andorian, Vulcan, and Human to be precise. And my mother is Denobulan and Betazoid, but I only got the Denobulan genetics for some reason. I don't really know any of my mother's side of the family, but my father has quite an extended family. I haven't met most of them, though. They're all busy people." divider

22:31

"His mothers are an Andorian and a Hulcan. They're lovely, and so is my aunt and her partner. My cousins are a pain in the ass during the holidays though, I must admit." They said light-heartedly, clearly quite fond of their family, or at least the members they've met, anyway. "I grew up initially aboard the old USS Monarch, but to avoid combat my family moved around a lot, be it to different ships or starbases. I was very much so a Fleet kid, but that gave me the benefit of the crew being there to look out for me whenever my parents were working, different shifts and all. Despite what people might think, growing up in the Fleet was surprisingly normal, all things considered." They said with a small smile. "What about you, Riov? What was Remus like for you?"

"I am sure we could accomodate that," Rai responded to Xaran, smiling softly as he popped another nugget into his mouth. For someone as large as him, the nuggets were no bigger than the palms of his hands, perfect bite size! To a child, and his smaller XO, they were more normal-sized. Rai's face lit up at the 'thank you' in his native Rihannsu. He understood that the Romulan language was not very useful outside of Romulan space and with the Romulans not being in the Federation, there was little reason to learn the langauge. The UT also worked wonders. "That sounds like quiet the mix, I am sure our medical team love it when you come in for physicals," Rai never had the mind for science, but he did know that hybrids often had some interesting physiology going on. Much like Rai reading the Starfleet tactical manual, he would imagine doctors always liked seeing those with different mixes of physiologies. "Hul... Oh, Human and Vulcan," It took Rai a few seconds to realise what the word meant. Standard was far from his forte. He took a few sips of his osol juice through the bendy straw. "That honestly sounds like the dream. Travelling around and meeting new people and new species. It is something I never got to do and one of the reasons I feel like the past four decades of my life has passed me by," Rai sighed and looked away briefly. "Oh, Remus," Rai looked back at Xaran to see them smiling. "It was beautiful. The caves were pretty and I had a good friend group. I would often help them play tricks on the Romulan guards. This will sound a little dark, but since i was Romulan, I could take the blame for everything. I would purposefully pester them so my Reman friends could get away with whatever stupid pranks they planned," Rai laughed softly at that, his deep voice carrying throughouut the bustling restaurant. "The biggest move i ever had was... I guess after the Great Loss in 2387. I.. Don't suppose that had much affect on your life?"

As Rai spoke Xaran listened, quietly eating their pinched nugget on a fork, like a candy apple but without the apple... Or candy, for that matter. As the Riov looked away briefly, mentioning the past four decades having passed him by, they offered him a sympathetic look. "Well, at least you get to be amongst endless different species and culture nowadays. I bet you didn't think you'd meet a Denodorihulcan in your lifetime." They said jokingly, combining all of their species together into one amalgamation of a word. At the mention of the Great Loss the XO almost instantly stopped smiling, their antennae drooping slightly as the sheer concept came flooding back to the forefront of their mind. "Actually, it sort of did. Not as much as it affected your people or the Remans, of course, but it did have an affect. The crew of the ship I was stationed on at the time had very mixed, very strong feelings on the rescue efforts being called off at the last minute. Some agreed with it, some very much so disagreed with it. My family, I was on the latter side." They explained, eyes looking down at the table between them and their CO as they spoke. "When it actually happened, when we got the reports through, when footage was shown, everyone stopped talking about it, stopped debating about if we should or shouldn't have done more to help, at least for a few days."

22:09

Xaran let out a brief sigh, before looking back at their CO, their friend, as they continued to speak. "After a while people started talking about what happened again, with most having joined the 'the Fleet should've done more' side of the argument. There were only a few people who still thought Command's decision had been the right one. And all the while I, a child at the time, had to cope with the fact I'd witnessed the biggest disaster anyone could ever experience, and couldn't do a thing to help anyone affected by it. That feeling of being unable to do anything fuelled my entire family, I think. It fuelled my father's ambitions to climb the ranks so he had a voice, my mother founded the Medical Fleet in response to what happened, and it thoroughly convinced me that I wanted to join Starfleet so I could actually help people who needed it."

"Deno...Denodori.. Dorito.. That is a long word," Rai's eyes narrowed and his brows furrowed as he struggled to repeat the word that his XO had said. He was already not very gifted linguistically, even Rihannsu and Havrannsu slang tripped him up from time to time. Essentially, if it couldn't be learned in a textbook, it was hard for him. He wished he was better at picking up things from social situations or cues but he was surprsingly terrible at determining nuance and tone with others. "I am happy to be catching up now, for sure," Rai said with a slow nod before eating another nugget. He liked hearing about how the Great Loss effected Federation members, and it made him happy to hear there were people who did support relief efforts. Meanwhile on the Romulan side, many people felt as if Federation citizens as a whole simply did not care. Being on the station though, Rai had learned that just like the Romulan people, the views of a few people in positions of power did not always reflect the views of the population. For so long the Federation had been presented to Rai has a monolith. "That is a great story to hear, I am glad your father felt motivated to help. I... Feel like everyone should strive for that, especially in Starfleet," Rai smiled weakly as he sipped his juice. He sympathised with Xaran's feeling of helplessness as Rai was also a child when the Great Loss happened. They were almost the same age, with Rai being only slightly older. "When the Great Loss happened, I remembered running to my mother, but my aunt pushed me away from the closing airlock door last minute," Rai sighed and shook his head. He remembered the event so clearly, the look on his aunt Eviess' face when she saw a 15 year-old Rai stumbling onto the evacuation transport. "That is why I am a Torre'vnau and not a Khellian, if it was... Ah I won't ramble about Romulan house politics, what I mean is that I felt helpless too, I felt very lost," Rai said with another sigh. (edited)

03:07

"I am happy my father saved me. After the Great Loss, I knew I wanted to do something to make the galaxy a better place. I did some foolish things," Like rebelling against the Free State on two separate occasions. "But I am glad I finally made it to the Republic. It's interesting that we were both impacted by the same event and followed a similar path even though we experienced it from different sides. I feel like we are making a difference; a Romulan CO and a mixed XO. A... Denodorihulcan! I think you would really like my Reman family, do you have any shore leave plans? I know it's very early, but I want to be able to support you and your family like you have supported me."

Listening to Rai's own Hobus Supernova experience, Xaran's antennae automatically drooped as their Riov told them about their aunt pushing him away from the airlock door. They could never understand how anyone would be able to even consider performing such a heinous act. They knew Romulan families were more complex than some, but to push a child away from safety? To essentially doom someone in a time of such danger? It was unthinkable to the XO. "I'm glad your father saved you." They replied softly, offering their CO a small smile as they spoke, antennae picking up slowly. "And I'm glad you made it to the Republic, too." A warmer, larger smile spread across their face as Rai said he felt like they were making a difference, antennae picking up further still until they seemed quite content, all things considered. At the mention and question of shore leave a curious look crossed Xaran's face, contemplation setting in as their antennae slowly moved in time with their own thoughts. "You know, now that you mention it, I don't think I particually do, actually. I usually just visit my father on Earth and, if I'm lucky, catch up with a few old friends if our schedules align." It was then that the warm smile returned to their face as the Riov mentioned supporting their family just like they had supported him. "Are you suggesting my family visits yours this shore leave?"

Rai was fully aware that Romulan family dynamics were difficult to grasp for outsiders. He wished it wasn't so complicated, but he understood why the Khellians did what they did. He didn't agree with it, but he understood the pressure to have a 'perfect house'. "I am glad too. As they say, it's been a long road, getting from there to here," Rai spoke the words to the terran song in Standard, surprisingly with good pronunciation. For all Rai said about his poor language abilities, his accent and intonation in Standard wasn't bad. If only he had the self confidence to try and speak Standard more. He smiled ever so slightly when Xaran did, happy to get their support in his endeavours. "I am, actually," Rai was happy to hear that Xaran and their family didn't have much in their schedule for shore leave. "My younger brother is getting married, it's going to be a beach wedding -- Reman beach so it's not going to be unbareable hot, I sweat a lot so I wouldn't do well in that weather," Rai rubbed his hands together and nodded. "But you are welcome to come. We will have music and dancing, if you're not into that we will have some quiet areas as well. I understand it's quite far from earth so I will not feel offended if you and your family aren't willing to make such a trip."

Listening to Rai's proposal about visiting his family, and then also going to a wedding, for shore leave, Xaran couldn't help but feel both appreciative and intrigued. Weddings were usually always nice, beaches more so, and getting to spend some actual personal time off duty with your CO outside of the occasional meeting for a meal or a drink was a really very nice idea indeed. There was nothing more important in the Fleet than the bond between officers, and when you were of completely different cultures the bond between a CO and XO was even more so. You had to be able to predict each other's moves and thoughts, even in the most tense situations. "Well I'd have to check the dates and see if they're all available or not, - I know some of them have quite busy schedules, - but a family get-together of sorts, especially for a wedding, does sound very nice. I'm honoured you'd even consider inviting us, if your brother is fine with it, of course." They said with a friendly smile. "My heritage is complex, and so is yours, so for our families to be able to mingle and learn from each other, as well as share in such an important occasion, would be really nice, I think. I can't guarantee my father won't try and act like a diplomat the entire time, though. He thinks its his job to represent the Federation twenty-four seven, especially when he's someone from another culture's guest." They added with a chuckle.

Rai internally felt very proud of himself for inviting his XO to the wedding! He knew Solait would be impressed to see one of his friends there. Rai ate a few more nuggets but they were already cold. That was fine though, he ate cold food all the time. It was a Reman thing. "Solait should be fine with it. It's a Reman wedding so the goal is to have as many friends there," Rai explained with a calm tone as he nibbled the last of the nuggets. "And no worries, my father is also a diplomat. He would be equally interested to learn about your family," Rai mused as he thought about both of their fathers talking politics. "And I can understand being dedicated to your job. I mean, you know, I take my position as the first bread captain in Starfleet very seriously," Rai chuckled in his very deep voice. He was unsure what genes came together to give him such a deep voice but he had one. "And if you have any special dietary needs, we can accommodate for that too, we shall have a lot of different foods," He added with a nod. He felt a tingling sensation all over his body, he was so excited for Xaran to come. He told himself nothing was set, but the idea that one of his friends would be attending was exciting! Rai, with friends!

Diplomat meets not-quite-a-diplomat. That'd certainly be an interesting conversation or two, Xaran thought. While their father had acted as a diplomat on behalf of the Federation countless times during his career, he'd never managed to pull himself away from Security or Command and shift to the Diplomatic Corps. Security and commanding ships had always been his thing, despite how dangerous the job had been at times. Now Xaran was getting a taste of that danger in their own career. While the hybrid still hadn't managed to wrap their head around why the Riov kept up the running joke about being a bread captain, they did find the comment about him being the first one in Starfleet quite funny, chuckling in response. "The majority of my family is vegan, but apart from that I can't think of any dietary needs." They responded to their CO with a smile. After a few second of silence the XO's eyes glanced over to the menu again and picked it up, eyeing some of the options on it for a brief moment, before looking back at Rai. "How do you feel about deep fried flatbread with Andorian green cheese?" They asked curiously, a subtle smirk mixing in with the smile they had on their face. Deciding to order just that, along with a glass of Bolian savoury wine to accompany the cheesy flatbreads, the Captain and the First Officer remained at the restaurant for quite a while longer, chatting about this, that, and the other. Family, friends, funny things that had happened to them in their respective and shared careers. You know, the usual. Eventually they parted ways, agreeing that they should meet up outside of work again soon, either before or after the wedding.

Day 3 of life as a new member of the crew of Starbase 777. Lorren Prevek has been spending the last few days becoming more accustomed to life on the station and balancing out his duties and his rest & relaxation. The Cardassian naively believed that spending eight semesters living in San Francisco during his tenure at Starfleet Academy would have actually prepared him for life fully away from Cardassian space. The sheer amount of amenities on this station has been absolutely overwhelming to the Ensign, as well as the amount of socialization that he's done from the comfort of his PADD, getting to know his fellow crewmembers and the civilians who live there. Tonight, he's decided that he's going to enjoy himself. This was also the same decision he made the previous night, and the night before, but that's not super relevant. To Lorren, that enjoyment meant partaking in something that the Cardassian never got to experience growing up on the wartorn ruins of Cardassia Prime. He was going to sit down in the Replimat and replicate himself a damn good meal, something he'd always meant to try but never had the chance. Bajoran hasperat was up on his list tonight, he wasn't going to overindulge himself with multiple dishes like he did on his first night. Although maaaaaybe he'll treat himself to a glass of kanar to get a little taste of home too. Sitting by himself, the Cardassian looks quite content, although by the way his eyes glance around the room, he might want some company.

Off-duty, Tennibrook Balmossie was free to dress however she chooses, within reason, and today she'd chosen to wear the old-style 23rd century Starfleet uniform that she'd owned since she was a child. It was one of the so-called "Monster Maroons", with an ensign's rank insignia on it, and a field jacket with appropriate 23rd-century phaser. She'd already gotten some weird looks and comments on it, like she had just come from a cosplay convention. But she'd always thought this style was Starfleet's best. Today she made the trip to the Replimat to get herself something to eat. She ordered a piece of sausage, egg, and potato quiche, a dish she knew how to make herself and regularly had at home, but it took an hour to cook and she didn't have that kind of time today. Or ingredients for that matter. To drink, a sweet tea. Then she looked for a place to sit. All the tables had at least one occupant, so it looked like she'd be making a new friend today. "Hello. Do you mind if I sit with you?" she asked the Cardassian ensign, Lorren.

As the two Ensigns in the Security department matched eyes, the Cardassian gave a warm smile as he took a bite of his hasperat, nodding in acknowledgment and gesturing for Tennibrook to sit down. Unfortunately for him, that particular bite happened to be quite spicy, causing the girl’s first impression of the Cardassian to be his reaction to the heat, his eyes widening in panic as his lips puckered up and his fist lightly hit the table! Managing to gather the strength to swallow, he took a sharp breath, before finally being able to use his words. “Good lord, how do the Bajorans do it?” He mused out loud, before realizing that he’s barely paid any attention to the other officer he just offered to share his table with. A bit embarrassed, he chuckled a bit. “Sorry, I guess I just don’t do spice well. Ensign Lorren Premek, a pleasure to meet you Miss. I must say that I’ve never seen a Starfleet uniform like this before.” His tone doesn’t seem as dismissive as the other naysayers who judge her uniform choices. It certainly has more flair than the standard uniform of the Cardassian currently praying for a bowl of human ice cream to soothe his tongue. “Command, right?” (edited)

"Security, actually," Tenni said with a gentle smile. "But this particular uniform style is more than 100 years old." Concerned about Lorren's reaction to the spicy hasperat, she ordered a tall glass of milk from the replicator, and handed it to him as she sat down in front of him. "I'm Ensign Tennibrook Balmossie," she said, giving him a light nod. "Phaser specialist. I've been here a couple months; seen a little bit of action on the Eventide, even. It's nice to meet you, Lorren. You can call me Tenni."

The Cardassian’s eyes widened as he grabbed the glass of milk, quickly downing it with the skill of someone who truly knows his way around chugging beverages (likely the alcoholic variety) and sighing in relief. “Oh my god thank you so much!” Taking a moment to compose himself, he breathed in and out. “That is quite the spice relief, humans always have the best remedies. I owe you one Tenni.” He gave her a wide smile. “And I think I know exactly how to pay it back, because I’m in Security too. I just got assigned here four days ago, I’m a patrol officer. Fresh out of the Academy, so I’ve been looking forward to this for quite a while. The next time you’re in a bind, I’ll repay the favor and lend you a hand.” Smiling, he took another, much smaller and more reasonable bite of his food, as he continued the conversation, his words moving at quite the lightning quick pace. “Got any tips and tricks of the trade for a new Security Officer? I must admit that this is a stark contrast to the Academy, let alone Cardassia Prime.“

"Computer, two more glasses of milk, please," Tennibrook said to the replicator, and she set them down in front of the Cardassian. "For the rest of your hasperat. "You could have gotten it mild, you know," she teased. She considered Lorren's question. "Well, security work, at least at the lower decks, isn't all excitement. Sometimes it's just repetition and hard work. I spend most of my time calibrating phasers. Sometimes I get to run the occasional war games simulation. It's kind of boring, but necessary work. No one wants to go on an away mission and find out their phaser doesn't work."

Lorren: He smiled and nodded in acknowledgment as Tenni put two more glasses of milk down. “Ah, but that would be quite the significant alteration to how the Bajoran people enjoy their cooking. And if I’m to experience all of these cultures while in Starfleet, I’d want to experience them at their most authentic…within the confines of my rather slim latinum purse of course. Any Cardassian can take a flatbread wrap and give it the right fillings, but to make it Bajoran hasperat, you need to give it that authentic touch. The flavor, the spice, it’s all what makes it stand out. That’s what makes it Bajoran. Anything else wouldn’t be legitimate.” He noted, attempting to be insightful. “There’s something dignified about having a quiet job like this. There’s a certain Cardassian trope, the repeating epic, where the same story plays out in the same way multiple times, emphasizing the meaning to the reader. Repeatedly tuning the phasers or patrolling the halls of the station, while there’s not much amusement for it, it is a service to the state that’s necessary for all of us. I’m very pleased that others in the department have a similar mentality towards it.”

"I suppose it's true that mild Bajoran hasperat wouldn't be authentic," Tenni said. "As for myself, I'm having some quiche. My mother's recipe, replicated. Not as good as when it's authentically cooked, of course. But not bad for replicated food." Tenni took her first bite of it, and chased it with some sweet tea, as she listened to what her new Cardassian acquaintance had to say. "That's true, and I didn't join Starfleet for the excitement. I did it out of reverence to what Starfleet is and what it represents."