Star Trek: Eventide 777 - upper-habitat-mess-hall

Tulas was indeed seated at a table with his platter of goodies. Two hot dogs and just plain old ketchup on each. The buns seemed to be garlic bread... the Reman certainly had style. He licked his lips and raised the first to his mouth, taking a bite. From the window seat he head, it was a booth seat and seemed to be one of the few seats open.

Ellanor came walking inside. She scoped out the area and saw the only unoccupied seat. She gathered a cup of tea and walked over to the booth with the empty seat. She smiled at the occupant of the booth and smiled at him. "Hello. May I sit? It seems to be the only seat available." (edited)

He looked up at the newcomer mid-bite and furrowed his brow-bones. He dabbed the ketchup off of his upper lip before responding, "Yes, miss. I don't see why you can't sit... feel free." The Reman seemed to be very amicable towards Ellanor, though he went back to another bite after he spoke. A hot dog enthusiast.

Ellanor smiled at him before placing her tea on her side of the table and sitting down. "Thank you. I just didn't want to take it in case it was being saved for someone. My name is Ellanor, by the way. What's yours?" She waited politely for him to finish eating before he responded.

"Tulas. Tulas Harris Ervek, though you can simply call me Tulas or Harris," he replied once he finished his current bite. He sighed and chewed slowly with his next. Garlic crunchy bread. "Nice to meet you, Ellanor. You're here to have a tea, I suppose?"

"It's nice to meet you too, Tulas." She smiled again at him, then took a sip of her tea. "Yes, I figured it would be wise to go out and get to meet some of my coworkers instead of being cooped up in my quarters alone. How long have you been aboard?"

“Two and a half days. I’m fresh out of the academy. How about you, hmm?” He yawned and took another bite, brow cocked slightly. He seemed to be tired from the process of getting set up on the ship and everything.

"To be honest, I just got here. It's my first day as a science Ensign." She took a sip from her tea and set it back down on the table. She kept her hand on it to soak in whatever warmth it had left. (edited)

“That sounds awesome. One’s first day is always tough... my first day at the academy indeed was. What is your specialty?” He rubbed his nose and blinked at her.

"I mostly enjoy plants. I love all sorts of them. I guess I'm considered a plant freak." She laughed at herself and finished her tea and gently set the cup on the table. She looked back up at Tulas and adjusted her glasses.

“A botanist. I was considering that field as well, though biology ultimately took the forefront. A Reman science officer... in biology. Many in the academy found it comical, the bastards,” He replied, giving a bit of an insight into how they poked fun at him in the academy. Not a common sight for sure.

"That's not very nice that they thought it was funny. I think it's really cool! Screw the stereotypes." She laughed. It was her attempt to make him feel better about being a botanist.

He smiled chuckled softly, digging into his second hot dog. He looked at the woman and shrugged. “I did defy them to end up here... if my mother didn’t defect from Remus and come to Earth I wouldn’t exist. Anyway... enough about me. How are you doing on this lovely Sunday?” He grinned slightly, pearly white teeth. Humanlike teeth. It seems that his human quarter won out for that.

"Well I know we just met, but I'm glad you exist." She smiled at him and looked out a window for a moment before looking back to Tulas and smiling. "I'm doing alright. I'm super excited to be here and to meet everyone I can. How are you doing?"

He smiled at her after her first statement, taking another bite out of the hot dog. It was especially tasty. "I'm doing fine myself. Excited... and a bit nervous. I don't really know what to expect... and I do. It's one of those feelings. Will I report to the correct science lab? Will I..." He droned on a bit.

"I understand. But we all learn from our experiences and were bound to make a mistake at some point." She traced the top of her teacup with her finger. "We can't expect to not make a mistake at first. It comes with the job."

"I agree with that. Doesn't quell the nervousness, however. You seem surprisingly held together and I admire you for that. Are you going to eat?" He asked, noticing that she didn't possess any food with her drink. Did she come to simply socialize?

"I may look held together, but I am a little nervous about meeting our commanding officers. Have you had a chance to meet either of them yet?" She looked down at her empty teacup and back at him. "I'm not all that hungry, honestly. I may grab a bite to eat later."

"I didn't get around to meeting our commanding officers. I've only been here getting set up... though I'm scheduled to start tomorrow and get those meetings squared away," he replied with a slight shrug, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. "Did you get their names, per chance?"

Ellanor shook her head. "No, I'm afraid I haven't received their names. I hope your first day goes good, though. All the luck to you, Tulas." She smiled at him and looked out the window for a moment, wondering what her grandparents were up to. Were they worried? Excited? She would have to get into contact with them if she could.

"I wish you luck as well, Ellanor," he replied with a half smile, finishing off his hot dog. "If I may ask... what's on your mind?"

She smiled at him for a moment. "Oh, I'm just thinking about my grandparents. I'm just a worry wart when it comes to them. I'm just wondering if they're worried about me too, is all."

He smiled and chuckled softly, his own grandmother coming to mind. Through his line of mixed species... was a single old human lady adept at baking cookies. He sighed. "They may be worried... but they also must be rather proud of your accomplishment here. It's said that only the best of the best make it up here into Starfleet. Why don't you call them on the console in your quarters, hmm? Every room has one, unlike the Academy."

"You're right! I had completely forgotten about that. Thank you for reminding me." She smiled at her new friend. That would be make her life easier to know there were just a quick call away.

"Indeed. Not everything is as complicated as it seems. I do miss my grandmother... a human woman. She bakes wonderful peanut butter cookies... I could go for some of those right now," he replied with a chortle. He had some human in him, his wild card factor.

"Oh, those sound really good. I bake myself, but I highly doubt my cookies would ever match up to hers. They don't even match up to my grandmas." She laughed. "So do you like sweets in general or just your grandmas cookies?"

"Without sweets I'd certainly lose my mind. Heh. Pastries... but nothing ever beats m'grandma's cooking. Baking... whatnot. What's your favorite kind of sweet?" He picked up a french fry from his plate and chomped it.

"Well I'm not trying to brag or anything, but I make a super good chocolate cheesecake. I just love baking in general, it's an amazing stress relief for me personally." Just to talk about her baking she started to lightly bounce her leg from excitement.

“I’d love to try this chocolate cheesecake. I absolutely love cheesecake. You’re getting me craving some of that tasty goodness,” He grinned and chuckled, a bit of a light pitched one.

Ellanor laughed along with him. "I enjoy sweets a lot, but chocolate cheesecake is what I make the most, which is probably why it's so good."

"I agree... heh. Chocolate cheesecake. Chocolate. Who doesn't love chocolate?" He smiled softly and chuckled after that. "Maybe I can try some sometime?"

"Oh absolutely. I do not mind sharing when it comes to any sweets I make." She smiled at him. "I'm a sucker for anything chocolate."

"Especially the dark chocolate... hmm... I wish to share my baking secrets with you as you... will share them with me?" He was proposing a trade, a trade of baking secrets. He was giddy as ever.

"I don't have a ton of baking secrets but I'll share with you what I do have." She herself was excited. She only really had her grandparents to tall about baking with, so this was new to her.

“I am happy about that. I have a few as well, they’re just fun. I love baking. Huh. You know if these quarters have ovens standard?” A valid question.

Ellanor shrugged her shoulders a little. "I honestly have no clue. I haven't spent much time in there."

“I don’t know either...” He sighed and rubbed his right arm. “Anyway, I should be going, thinking of meeting my commanding officer ahead of time to knock it off of my list. See you around?”

she smiled at him. "Of course. We're in the same department so we will be seeing each other really soon. It was very nice to meet you, Tulas."

"You as well, Ellanor," he replied, bowing slightly to her before rising with his spent plate of goods. He recycled them and vanished off to the gallows.

Ellanor smiled at him and waved. She lingered for a while longer staring out the window. She then decided to stand. She recycled her cup and out she went.

[D] Zeza was here just eating while she looked at a Pad with a frown as he read over her Engineering reports there was still some work that need to be done in the ship before the marauder voyage and she has so many other things to take care of in such little time. She has Engineering teams on every deck working as hard as the could to keep the Station up and Running now they excepted her crews to increase the already stretched work load with out additional staff. It was going to be an interesting time. She continued to eat her soup hoping it would calm her but, instead she bit her tongue. She just cursed under her breath and continued working.

Styre walked in and immediately heard a particular word muttered. He looked over to see a yellow-shirted Lieutenant Commander frowning at a PADD. He shrugged, but the thought persisted that he may be able to help. He turned towards the Lt. Commander and spoke in a low monotonous way. "Commander?" He did not want to seem off-putting or aggressive, so he left his remarks at that. If the person failed to wish to communicate, Styre would be on his way.

She was startled she didn’t even see anyone enter. She rose from her chair. “Sorry Commander, just having a rough day.” Zeza said as she wiped her mouth off with a napkin. “Would you like to sit with me sir?” She asked hopefully show him that she was better than her worst moment stuck in paper work.

Styre saw the startle and nodded. He listened to the Lieutenant Commander as his ears twitched and he moved to the seat across from Zh'ashrellil. "It is alright, Commander." he said, his stoic tone still continuing with no sign of changing. "May I inquire as to what specifically is making your day... rough?" he inquired.

“I just am having trouble managing Engineering teams for both the ship and the Station without any extra support staff. We could use some more Operations officers to handle the extra work.” Zeza said sitting down at the table again. She left the Pad on the table.

Styre nodded once again as he set his PADD on the table, searching through some records before looking up again. "I do see that we lack a Chief Engineer for the Eventide currently, and so the responsibilities do fall to you. Yet, we have capable officers in both Engineering and Operations. The Eventide has Lieutenant Commander Tema as the Operations Chief. I am sure she can help take some of those responsibilities away from you, especially in concern to ship operations."

“Thanks for your help. I know our team is very capable. It just making sure that your ship is ready for it’s maiden voyage.” Zeza said nervous about how busy her officers were we wanted them to have free time and lives.

"I understand that priorities are important. But you must understand that we reside at a Station with very capable officers and we are a crew of equally talented officers. You and I have no reasons to worry about our departure, we will make it and we can give our crews a rest. A much needed rest." Styre said, failing to relate or even acknowledge the sympathy portrayed within the Commanders nervous tone.

"Well, I guess I had better get back to work. I need to make sure we have enough hands working on getting everything around the Station fixed and getting your ship ready sir. Thanks for your words of encouragement. I will do my best to ensure the safety and mental health of my team." Zeza said with a smile as she gathered her things. Putting the uneaten food in the replicator and recycling it. "I wish you good luck on your maiden voyage if I don't see you before then. It was nice talking to your Commander."

After walking right over to the replicator, she got herself a herbal tea and a dish that had a name she was sure she could not pronounce. She had eaten it before, it had been rather too spicy for her preference and yet she found herself ordering it again. A little later she made her way over to one of the tables at the edge of the room, choosing her seat in way that allowed her to watch the room.

T'rell entered the mess hall and replicated herself a warm bowl of stew before noticing the Lieutenant Commander and making her way towards her. "Commander, mind if I sit?" She asked, checking to make sure it was alright. No rule against it of course but it was the polite thing to do.

The plate with the food on it had been pushed to the side, while the tea had been placed in front of her next to her PADD. She had just started going over some of her own notes when T'Rell approached. "I do not mind." Evoras gestured vaguely towards the other chairs and then after a few moments of silence she asked: "Has anything of note happened?"

"Not much after the incident at PACT Galactica, a couple newbies like ourselves but nothing of note. Nothing work related anyway. How have you been Commander?" She asked curiously as she took a sip of her stew.

She closed her PADD, pushed it aside and wrapped her hands around her mug of tea. "Adequate, nothing entirely unexpected happened. Well since the incident." Both applied to her work as well as personal life this was 'theoretically' not a lie, if you squinted at least. "I expect, you have not had any major incidents privately either?" That... didn't sound right. She wasn't entirely sure if not asking about how the Lieutenant had been doing privately would have been the more prudent course of action. Either way you could not unspeak words and so she just slipped on her tea.

She took another sip of her stew. "Met with the new Romulan Ambassador actually." She smiled fondly. "It was nice to hear about New Romulus and all the happenings there. And it was interesting to see how our backstories differed too. Since I went to Vulcan when Romulus was destroyed and he hopped around until he settled in with the Republic."

"I see. I must admit that I am not familiar with the happenings on New Romulus. They would be of... personal value to you." She really didn't know much about New Romulus, but then again she wasn't overly familiar with most planets, past the scientific facts that was. For a while she simply focused on the warmth of her mug against her hands. "I assume you came to Vulcan in 2387?" Until two years ago Evoras' longest shore leave on Vulcan had be a little over a week at a time, so when she had suddenly been stuck there on sick leave she had realized that she didn't recognize it anymore. Both she and the planet had changed and being there had somehow felt akin to watching a holomovie.

"Yup, lived in Vulcan more than half my life after that." She shrugged. "It was certainly an interesting experience. You're from Vulcan too right?"

"I am, left for the academy in 2385. I've lived on ships and stations for longer than I have on any planet." She looked past the Lieutenant and scanned the room for nothing in particular.

"I suppose that's the same thing for me as well, as soon as I could leave I did." She mused and took another bite out of her food. "Oh hey, there's a new Ensign researching something about the Vorta and their genetics. Thought I'd tell you so you could check up on him and see what he's doing every now and then."

"Has he given you any reason to be cautious or are you simply informing me due to the field of study? What's the Ensign's name?" She unlocked her PADD, ready to look into said Ensign.

"Just informing, it's some pretty interesting stuff that sounded like it could really improve relations between us and the Dominion. His name is Ratana Nalas I believe." She said thoughtfully. "Yeah, it's Ratana Nalas one of the new ensigns. He's Bajoran.'

She skimmed through the Ensign's file, making a few mental notes. Then after a few minutes she turned off her PADD again. * "I shall look into it." *The topic did seem interesting, even if it would be some time before she would be willing to insert it into her time table.

She nodded and took another bite out of her food. "He has some sound theories for sure. It'll be interesting to see the result of his research."

Evoras nodded and returned her attention to her food. Then the yellow alarm sounded. "It appears we were too hasty talking about the things that happened.". With that she stood up and turned to leave the room.