Star Trek: Starbase 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.

As soon as he got into the mess hall he walked straight for the replicator just like everyone else was. He made sure to focus on his breathing and blinking, not that anyone was staring at him, but he didn't want to give anyone a reason to stare. He was tall with dyed ash blue hair and pointed ears, it wasn't exactly easy for him to 'blend in'. Once he was to the front of the queue he froze, wondering what to get. Should he get his normal bio-lubricant? Would anyone notice? He blinked a few times and then glanced around the room. Everyone was doing their own thing, perhaps it would be fine. "... Scone with maple syrup, bio lubricant," He spoke quickly when stating the second item, hoping no one would notice. He stood awkwardly at the replicator, waiting for it to make his meal.

Styre just so happened to be standing right behind Alizati. His slightly taller frame arched over the man. Styre first happened to notice the unnatural hair color… perhaps a human and their mysterious ways. But then Styre noticed something more peculiar… pointed ears. Was this a detached Vulcan whom abandoned the ways of Surak? Styres curiosity piqued. Styre waited until they got to the front of the line, not wishing to interrupt over such a trivial matter. But Styre’s ears twitched slightly as his more sensitive ears heard the individual order “bio-lubricant,” an odd choice. But the yellow color indicated either engineering or operations, and lubricant was a necessary addition to their work… but why order it in the mess hall? Styre moved toward towards the replicator, eyeing the new individual slightly as he asked for “Chicken dumplings with soy sauce and water.”

As soon as his food materialised, Alizati grabbed his tray and turned around to grab a table. He noticed the taller man who was standing behind him and they locked eyes for exactly zero point twenty six seconds. Blond hair, tall, pointed ears, red uniform, Vulcan mixed with something else most likely. His pointy ears picked up on the other's order, 'chicken dumplings with soy sauce and water'. An interesting choice, but if he was half that would explain the taste for earth food. He walked slowly to what seemed like the only empty table and sat down to eat. It took him an extra three point six seconds for him to realise he had indeed sat at the only empty spot and if the other Vulcan (half? The blond hair was throwing him off) was planning on eating there he would be sitting beside him. Alizati made sure to move his tray just in case. He picked up his fork and poked the scone a few times, causing the sides to crumble. Honestly, he was not too interested in eating foods, he was just here for the bio lubricant which he drank slowly.

Styres vigilant eyes scanned the room for an empty seat as he moved away from the replicator. His eyes briefly meeting with that of the man lined up before him. After scanning the room, he noticed an empty table… but it seems as if the man was heading towards it. Styre found this the perfect opportunity to engage in conversation with the peculiar man. He grabbed his tray and moved towards the empty seat, setting his tray on the table and sitting on the chair in front of it. Although, Styre wouldn’t be the one to start a conversation, he found that just too… socially unacceptable for him to do.

Just as he predicted, the blond Vulcan man was sitting at his table. It was the only logical place to sit and he was pretty sure the other was also Vulcan. He picked his fork back up and began to slowly eat his scone. The texture was a bit strange and the taste, well it was alright. After only a couple bites he picked up his cup of bio lubricant and drank it slowly. Oh-- Friends. Like a true Vulcan, Alizati was content with eating in silence and not conversing with strangers, however he had decided he would attempt to make friends at this new posting. It was something his superiors had continually mentioned in his performance review. 'Be more sociable and connect with your colleagues', as if that was something easy for a Vulcan. "Hello, I just arrived at this station, I am the new Chief Engineering Officer," He put his cup down and blinked a couple times. He was awful at starting conversations, but at least he made an attempt. At least if he was speaking with another Vulcan, his emotionless tone wouldn't be an issue.

Styre had just picked up a dumpling with his chopsticks as he eyed the man next to him drink a large amount of bio-lubricant. An odd thing to do… something was off about this individual… and it wasn’t just his pointy ears. Styre had finished chewing his dumpling, the chicken flavor saturating his tongue. It wasn’t the flavor he desired, after all, for him it was illogical to judge a food on its taste. It’s nutritional value was far more important to him. It just so happened that chicken dumplings tasted well and had a decent amount of nutrition. Styres ears twitched forward as the man next to him spoke. Oh, he was the stations Engineering Chief. That would explain the lubricant.. but would not explain why the man drank it like it was water. Styre took a small sip of his water before looking over to the man and answered. “Greetings. Commander Floyd Styre of the Eventide.” he said stoically before holding up a Vulcan salute.

He did not stare, but he did take note how the other individual ate. He briefly wondered what replicated dumplings would taste like, although with both of them being Vulcan it was hard to discern what the other's opinion of the food was from his facial expression. "Greetings Commander Styre," Alizati also held up a Vulcan salute. The blond hair was still throwing him off, however he had learned inquiring about others' races could come off as rude. He picked up his cup and took another sip. "How long have you been here?" He put his cup down again and took a deep breath, blinking a few times as well. It was very difficult to focus on those two things when eating, but of course it wasn't like anyone could tell. His facial expression remained neutral, he was the embodiment of calm.

Styres tone remained unchanged, without any form of expression or emotion. Styre had thought about inquiring into why the other person was drinking lubricant, but felt it was the wrong time to bring that up. Perhaps he could get his inquiry out and answered further into the conversation, at a time where it may be a more appropriate question. Styre stopped eating his food and dropped the Vulcan salute and took a glance towards the man. Pointy ears, unnatural hair color. This man must’ve been a Vulcan. “I’ve been here since the Eventide docked aboard. Where are you from?” Styre inquired, figuring that one question could answer multiple.

"I was born on earth, but I split my time between earth and Vulcan," He replied, his tone equally devoid of all emotion. He always disliked the common 'where are you from?' question because it had many layers for him, but he had figured out a way to keep it simple and divulge as little information as he could get away with. "And you?" He raised and eyebrow, wondering if this blond Vulcan had a similar experience. Unless he also was into dying his hair (a rarity amongst a logical species), he was mixed with something. Perhaps they could bond over their shared multicultural experience? Alizati took another deep breath realising he almost forgot to do so.

Styre was hardly focused on the breathing or blinking mechanisms of the (what he believed to be a) Vulcan that sat akin to his position. The answer gave him what he needed. The man was at least partly Vulcan, and seemed to be at least somewhat following of Surak… but that didn’t explain the hair. Styre felt it was not-so-courteous to dive into the personal semantics of a person whom he had just met and is only slightly acquainted with. Despite the amount of questions Styre has, his inquiries would remain simple. “I was born on Earth and lived on Earth my entire life. The only experience outside was a one week excursion to Vulcan where my father was asked to give a lecture at the science academy. But while on earth my father taught me to embrace my Vulcan-ness, and taught me the ways of Surak.”

The other's reaction (or well lack of) was good, it meant his answer was satisfactory. If he was human he would have felt relieved he was doing a good job. The other's answer was a bit more detailed than his own, but he didn't mind. If his father taught him how to embrace his Vulcan side then his father was the Vulcan, fasinating. Just like his own father, although technically speaking, Alizati did not have 'parents' in the normal sense. "Would it be logical to assume that you are half Vulcan then? It is not every day I see Vulcans with blond hair," He inquired, still emotionless as ever. He picked up his cup and took another sip of his bio lubricant, drinking it as if it were coffee.

Styre gave a quick nod as he took a gulp of water. His throat was quite dry, and the water had satiated his wishes. His tone was still stoic and emotionless, with only one tone echoing through his mouth. “Half Vulcan, half Human.” he answered simply. His eyes wandered up to the other Vulcans hair and then back to his pointed ears. Styres own ears twitched slightly before he began to talk. “I have yet to see a Vulcan with the color of hair akin to yours. Are you, too, a hybrid?”

Mixed, just as he suspected. Of course he was right, his analysis on others was usually correct or at least not too far off the mark. He noticed the other's ears twitching before he spoke, was that just a subconscious reflex of some sort? Maybe he should try to integrating such a quirk into his own systems, it could help him seem more organic. "I see," He nodded and looked back down at his food and then at Styre. "No, I am fully Vulcan," He stated plainly. "My hair colour is artificial," And that was all the explanation he was going to give for that. He took another slow breath and looked back down to see he was out of bio lubricant.

Styre nodded and eyed the individual for a second longer before taking a second look at his hair. It was indeed dyed, that indicates a more rebellious, illogical Vulcan. Styre had let out a heavy breath before nodding again. “Fully Vulcan…” he said, allowing his voice to trail off. “Does that bio-lubricant provide nutrients? More so than water will provide?” Styres stoic monotone turned into a more curious tone as he asked.

No doubt that Styre was judging him for his choice in hair colour. when he said 'fully Vulcan'. However the reasoning behind it was much too lengthy for a first meeting conversation. If he was only judged for his dyed hair that would be a blessing in his book given the multitude of things he had been judged for in the past. The other's next question came as a bit of a surprise. How did he know? He must have heard him at the replicator. It took him exactly zero point sixty two seconds to come up with an explanation. "Yes, it does," He answered flatly, blinking a few times before going back to eating what was left of his scone. He was not nervous, that would be illogical, there was nothing to be worried about anyway. His facial expression remained neutral as he ate.

Styre was not one to judge anyone for anything. He had met his fair share of rebellious Vulcans and found them to be tolerable. But for some reason, this one was different. His mannerisms were slightly off and he displayed no specificity towards logic or illogic. It all happened to confuse Styre. What hit Styre the most was the fact that this man had just admitted that he believed bio lubricant to be beneficial than water. This was the point Styre believed he was being messed around with. His ears twitched a little bit more. “Commander, if you believe this conversation to be superfluous, I can head to my quarters and eat there.” he said rather simply, there was no hint of madness, anger, no emotion existed.

Alizati caught the other's twitch of his ears and stared at him, unblinking. Was this a sign that he did something wrong or that his answer was unsatisfactory. If he was human, he would be panicking at this very second, but he was Vulcan and he would handle this situation logically. "I do not think that," He stated, his voice still devoid of all emotion. His eyes shook a little as they scanned over the man's facial expression. Of course he couldn't analyse anything, they were both Vulcan after all. "Was my answer unsatisfactory?" He asked, his voice was robotic as he spoke. He had stopped blinking and breathing and just stared at the other.

Styre was about to nod when his ears twitched again, possibly in lieu of the nod. He noticed the man stop breathing and blinking, and the robotic voice may have been a giveaway if Styre was not so oblivious. “It was only logical to assume that you, as a Vulcan with colored hair, were messing with myself in a manner that is malicious. I felt it more pertinent to find a possible end to the conversation. But if you felt the conversation was beneficial, and you are not a malicious actor, then we may continue.”

That's when it occurred to him; he had forgotten to breathe. He blinked a couple times and took a breath. The Vulcan inside of him was scolding him for acting so illogically. Putting up an act like this was a waste of energy and therefore illogical. Thankfully, his focus never wavered and his outward expression neutral. "I did not colour my hair to be rebellious, perhaps it may seem illogical to alter one's hair colour but this is not for fashion. I, too, follow the ways of Surak," He stated as his mind tried to calculate what sort of conclusions the other had made about him. For anyone to assume that Alizati, a senior officer, would ever be 'messing' with anyone was illogical. However he had no doubts the other was confused by his outward appearance. Perhaps it was better to excuse himself from the conversation before things got too awkward he thought.

Styre looked forward blankly, his mannerisms remaining absent as he thought for a moment. The Chief Engineering officer... a Vulcan who dyed his hair not out of rebelliousness... but then out of what? If it was not for fashion, then there is no logic in dying ones hair, as opposed to chopping it off. If one wished to seem non rebellious yet dye their hair, blonde or brown would've been... more indiscriminate. Anyways, Styre finally took a breath and began to speak. "Commander, if the artificial color of your hair is not for fashion, and is not illogical, then what was the purpose in doing so?" Styre got straight to the point, not wishing to 'dance around the issue,' feeling that was quite an illogical path to take.

"It is to differentiate myself from my father," Alizati stated without a second of hesitation. His eyes shook for a moment as the literal gears in his head began to turn a little faster. He paused for a moment so he could think, choosing to break eye contact for exactly four points three eight seconds. "We look very similar and even share the same name. It was only logical that I change my apperance to avoid mix up," He explained without a shred of emotion in his voice as he spoke. He spoke with the same air of confidence as an organic Vulcan would.

Styre sat back and continued looking at the Vulcan in front of him, despite the mans attempt to break eye contact. He was quick to speech, not wasting a moment to breath or even a moment to think. His rebut was immediate, said instantaneously. "That is illogical." his tone simple and concise... it took a moment for him to elaborate on what he meant. "Vulcans tend to look similar, very similar in some circumstances. It is illogical to wish to dive away from that example. But if you wished to do such a thing, changing the cut of your hair, or dying it a lighter brown or even black would have been a much more logical choice than to go for such an artificial color."

Alizati blinked a few times and breathed slowly, purposefully allowing a small gap of silence. He defintely responded too fast to Styre's earlier question, he needed to allow some 'thinking time'. He kept his eyes on Styre and leaned forward on the table. "You are correct, it would also be logical to change the style or dye my hair a more natural colour-- however I look very similar to my father that even doing those things would not separate me from him, especially seeing as I work around humans who tend to be less sensitive to subtleties than Vulcans," Well this was a sight, two Vulcans 'arguing' but both of them were both emotionless and monotone the whole time. He had never gotten this type of reaction about his hair colour, was it really a bad choice? "I also do not believe exploring one's freedom to chose is illogical, in fact, I would like to have more experiences outside of what I was raised with as a Vulcan amongst other Vulcans," Perhaps this did make him sound rebellious, but he was a man who had been considered 'property' for most of his life. Bodily autonomy was something very important to him.

Styre remained leaned back, in a more 'comfortable' position. Although Styre was not seeking comfort, he felt that the position he was in was the most pertinent, especially considering the circumstances both of them were involved. He did not feel hostility from the Commander, and he did not intend to push any hostilities towards the Commander. His questions were merely that.. just inquiries that he had in order to gauge the Commander. He gave a quick nod before continuing. "I find that answer satisfactory. I still do not know why a logic-following Vulcan would enjoy exploring 'experiencing outside of being a Vulcan' if they are Surak following. But the teachings of Surak are that of following logic to ones extent and to avoid war. It is not my place to impose my view of logic to the onset of another, unless their logic is objectively wrong."

At least his answer was satisfactory. He would rather be judged for his hair colour than being a 'Synth' any day. Alizati straightened his posture and rested his hands on the table. If only Styre knew, but he wasn't going to tell him or anyone for that matter. Not unless the situation demanded it. If anyone was really curious, they could just look at his name on the roster and see 'Android'. "It was not originally my idea, but it is something I have been told to work on. I am sure you have received similar comments in your performance reviews. I have been told many times I am too cold and need to make friends-- it is not easy, but logic dictates if we are to live amongst illogical species it would be wise to try and understand their way of life even."

Styre shook his head. His performance reviews mentioned nothing of the sort. No "get better at socializing", no "make more friends", nothing existed. Only bad remarks were that from the court martial that took place those months ago. That moment is still something that Styre regrets, but he refuses to make mends for he did what he believes was right, and what he believed necessary. He looked at the Commander and blinked before taking a sip from his cup. "I do not find unnecessary interactions necessary or pertinent. As a biologist by trade, it is my duty to understand their physiology and well... their biology. But I am not an anthropologist, nor am I a social worker. My work mustn't extend beyond what I am trained in and have practiced. If I were to seek out and try to 'understand their way of life' would be a disservice to my logic."

So this other Vulcan did not get the same reviews as he did? Maybe he slipped up, Alizati took another deep breath as he realised he spoke way too much without taking one. He looked away from Styre for a moment whilst the other took a sip of his water. "I agree with your logic and personally I would prefer not to engage in unnecessary social interaction, but I do not think it would be a disservice to your logic. I wonder, Commander, what about your human side? Surely it must be difficult being a mix of two vastly different cultures," Finally he was able to deflect the conversation from himself, he was not going to continue to debate his logic any further.

As soon as his humanity and human-nature were brought into the conversation, his ears twitched again. Surely, the Commander would've noted this oddity within a Vulcan. He gave a quick nod... trying to think back to his sisters, seeing them smile and play in their yard, hearing their laughs and their grins on all the gift-giving holidays. Seeing their friends in the kitchen whenever he got hungry... all while he remained in his room studying or learning. It was only logical for him to do... but his human side yearned for interaction and yearned for the happiness that was given to his sisters. Soon though, he outgrew these desires. Long sessions of meditation and Vulcan reading led him to logic. He felt his choice sufficient. "My sisters were both raised by our mother. They embrace their humanity and continue to present as pointy-eared humans. But my human side is long gone. The emotions that were once there, they were pushed far deeper inside, never to escape, never to resurface. That would make me an illogical being. Following emotions instead of logic is dangerous, especially when you've followed it for so long."

As strange as the Commander's words may have seemed to a human, his logic was sound and Alizati could understand it. Whilst not his own memories, the experiences of Dzharok came to mind. He was a Vulcan man who also raised hybrid children, choosing to educate them in the ways of Surak instead of letting him run wild with emotions. "As compelling as the teachings of Surak are, I do not meet many hybrids who have chosen to completely abandon their emotions. You certainly made the most logical choice," He said he had abandoned his emotions, but his ears twitched again? Alizati was still trying to find out what it meant. He took another slow and even breath and looked down at his empty tray. Logic would dictate that their conversation would end here, he was finished eating and had no more reason to stay in the mess hall. He looked back at Styre, his artificial eyes seemed to shine under the lights of the mess hall, another dead give away of his synthetic nature.

Styre too was done with his food. All that remained in front of him was a quarter-full cup of water. He took a deep glance towards Dzharok... were his eyes off? Styre blinked... no they were definitely different than all the other Vulcan eyes he had seen. Perhaps his eyes were just strained and he was off entirely. He for sure was not going to ask about it. "My entire person has been dedicated to logic and following it therein. But I will admit, as is only logical, that my human side slips few every now and again. Especially in the department of Human love. My heart desires nothing other than to hone up to another individual and call them 'mine'. But it is a far-fetched idea, one on which I meditate longingly to get rid of. No matter how hard I try, the human emotion of love surfaces again and again."

"Human love, interesting," The words meant nothing to him and if he was human, he would be filled with self hate because of it. But he was Vulcan and hate was definitely illogical. He blinked and took another breath, focusing his energy on remembering to do those two things. "It is a powerful emotion I hear, but being fully Vulcan I have never thought about it," He stated flatly. Alizati's eyes vibrated subtly, causing him to look away and blink a few times to try and cover it up. Another very distinct android reaction that he could never fully eliminate. "I believe the experiences of hybrids to be fascinating and I do hope we cross paths again, commander," Alizati said as he stood up and grabbed his tray to leave. This certainly was an interesting meeting, he thought. At least he passed for an organic and that was all that mattered.

Styre nodded at the thought and grabbed his tray, but did not stand up. He looked up towards the Commander as he took a long sip of his water. "I do wish we come across each other again, and I do hope that your endeavors are sounds. Farewell, Commander."

He gave the other Vulcan man a polite nod before heading back to the replicator to return his tray and exiting the room. He was satisfied with their interaction and already had a list of mannerisms and other small things to add to his programme to use in his next encounter.

1

A small metallic 'thunk' sound could be heard repeatedly. It was coming from within the walls...

After his Kal-toh session and a mini update, Alizati headed to the mess hall to begin his shift. He got a call from an ops officer about some issue with the replicators. It appeared the voice input was faulty and needed to be replaced. Being the expert on artificial intelliegence, Alizati believed the problem was most likely the sensor needed to be updated. You know, the classic install the latest update, turn it off and turn it back on again, usually did the trick. He was in full uniform, hair neatly combed and standing at the replicator that was completely open, exposing all the wiring inside.

The Andorian sat there, staring at nothing else but her food, not even recognizing the Commander, or even noticing him. She held her own uniform in a similar fashion to Alizati, impeccably clean. The food tasted better than what she was used to in “Kirk’s Time” as everyone said, and were lightyears better than the rations she had to eat, stuck inside that dreaded wormhole. It had been work, work, work for almost the entire time she was here, perhaps a fear of being left vulnerable again, the fear of losing. She hated that feeling.

Alizati was just chilling, fixing the replicator, when he spotted a familiar face at a table. There was hardly anyone there that day, it helped being an off time, but also there was usually not many people in the upper habitat ring. "Jolan tru, Commander," He approached the Andorian, expressionless as always with the same flat tone. "How is your meal?" The meaning was friendly, but the delivery was anything but. He spoke more like he was giving an order or some demand than a casual question.

“Greetings.”, She stated, her tone being just as plain as Alizati’s. “It is above average quality.” Such a Vulcan way of speaking, if her younger self were to see her speak like this, she would be furious. However, even if they were the same Andorian, their lives could not be more different. “Do you intend to eat, Commander?” Was perhaps the first inviting thing she said in 3 days, which isn’t a lot, but still odd. Her face subtly twitched, her eyes would be unfocused for just a second, signs her current behavior could ripped apart in the slightest moment.

Alizati gave the Andorian a polite bow of his head and stood straight with his hands clasped behind his back. "I am fixing the replicator, which is why I asked," He explained, not showing it on his face, but he was actually enjoying this more calm interaction. He always liked it when he met another person who was as calm as he was; hard to come by in his department. Not to roast engineering, but whilst they were all incredibly talented at their craft, their personalities were as disordered as the Romulan senate post Shinzon. Alizati was Romulan, he could roast his own people for their political shortcomings. "I do not require bio matter consumption at this time. Have you noticed anything strange about the food in the past 24 hours?" He asked, looking at the Andorian and then at her food. It was a very normal action, but internally his eyes were scanning the food on her plate for irregularities.

“No irregularities. Though I did have negative experiences with more severe irregularities in the past.” She switched her gaze from the food and the Commander, she hadn’t expected to talk with someone, and it somewhat was apparent she didn’t prepare for socializing. She hardly had met the senior staff, nor much of the Tactical division itself. Maybe that’s why they sent her here. She could tolerate paperwork due to the isolation, speaking of which, “Do you require any reports from the Tactical division?”

"Have you? Hm," Alizati pondered over her reply as his gaze moved to the replicator behind them where he was working. The room felt oddly empty, especially when compared to mess halls in other levels. Perhaps it was the Romulan paranoia finally getting to him, but it made him uneasy. However despite this, having a familiar face to speak with took off some of the uneasiness. "I read your reports daily. Is there anything you wish to tell me? Engineering and tactical do not have much overlap, save for the issues with environmental controls in your office," Hello environmental controls my old friend. Actually, they were always acting up because of course they were. Alizati was already in talks with some other engineers about upgrading the whole base's environmental grid.

“There is nothing further I am require to inform you, when it comes to the reports, I was simply inquiring if there was anything else I could give in addition.” She paused, listening the the Vulcan as he spoke of environmental controls. She didn’t notice anything odd, but maybe that’s because she liked the cold. “The environmental controls in my quarters and office are satisfactory enough, if temperamental.”

"There is nothing," He replied plainly and simply before he realised he had not taken a breath once during their conversation. Was it odd? The Commander clearly didn't notice or if she did, she was not mentioning it. There was something awfully Vulcan about her demeanour, not that Alizati minded. He walked back to the replicator that was located directly behind Madelii and resumed his work. "I assume you keep the temperature cool? There are a number of officers who also enjoy a cooler climate, may I ask what temperature is comfortable for you?" Alizati wanted to make note of it in case whatever work they were doing on the controls malfunctioned and he had to reset everything.

“Andoria’s regular temperature, that or Northern Canada’s environment.” She didn’t pay much attention to the mannerism of the man, only what he was saying, and how he was saying it. All that mattered was that.

"Alright, I will make note of that," Alizati said as he continued to tinker with the various wires of the replicator. He installed a new voice chip, not all that was left was the update. Another benefit of being a machine was that he could store file and programmes internally. His creator was not a fan of having ports or wires sticking out of him, but she did give him the ability to transfer data via his fingers. So that is exactly what Alizati did; stuck his fingers in the replicator and waited. "If you would, I would like to you test out my upgrades once I have completely my repairs. what would you like me to replicate for you?"

She thought for a moment. It was likely he would leave after completing this task. So, after a brief hesitation, she knew her answer. “Irish Gin.”

Irish Gin, an interesting choice for an Andorian, but he did remembered her file mentioned earth. The android gave her a nod and continued his work on the replicator, pulling and clicking wires. It only took a few minutes and he had the front panel back on the machine ready to use again. "Irish Gin," He stood back, speaking to the replicator as it began to materialise the drink. Even though the replicators only my synthol, Alizati never had a desire to try an alcoholic beverage. Perhaps it was Dzharok's dislike for ale or his Romulan father's strict prohibition on any mind altering substances. Apparently it was very dangerous for his line of work. "Here, please tell me your thought," Alizati placed the cup in front of Madelii, for a split second he felt like Men serving customers at Surak Snacks.

"I have nothing in my thoughts." A lie, and she knew it. Her tone reflected her uncertainty, also hinting the fact the gin was an emotional choice. It reminded the Andorian of her- No. she shook her head briefly, quickly correcting herself. She looked back at the Vulcan man, her face devoid of expression. "Did you assume I did?"

Alizati looked at the Andorian with the most unamused expression before giving her the Vulcan eyebrow raise of judgment. "I mean about the gin, because the replicator should be working fine now," He clarified, his eyes focused on Madelii even with his eyes shaking as he stared. Despite the obvious judgment he was giving her, his posture was relaxed and his voice calm.

Oh for fuck's sake. Of course. She took a slight sip of the gin, as in her mind, she remembered her life before. She remembered her. Her eyes blinked, taken aback. "It is... nostalgic."

Alizati was still giving her the look of judgment, it was his unwavering stare complete with a lack of blinking and breathing. There was a gap of silence as the android was trying not to judge the Andorian too hard. "I am asking about the quality. There are no strange tastes or irregularities? What about the structural integrity of the glass? "He realised he would have to be more specific with his questions to get the answers he wanted. He was not here for small talk, he was terrible at that, obviously.

"If I have not said any faults then there is none." She was getting a bit irritated at the questioning, but did her best not to show it. "I assume that is all? Or are there factors still needed to be verified?"

"That will be all, thank you, Commander," Alizati gave her a nod and walked back to the replicator to do some final checks. Everything seemed to be in order, it seemed the update was the key. "Kreyla," Alizati ordered from the replicator. The machine hummed and a fluffy piece of the Vulcan bread popped out. He took the bread and put it in his mouth like he was late for anime school-- actually he just wanted to try out the replicator for himself. Once he was done nibbling the bread he left to go continue his duties for the day.

1

[D] And look who's back, Mr. Alizati Dzharok who has a million other names, but for the sake of simplicity just Alizati. He was dressed in full uniform as he entered the mess hall and lined up for the replicator. He didn't often come to the mess hall as he would usually eat at Surak Snacks if he chose to eat, but he had to go to work later and needed all the bio lubricant he could get. "Bio lubricant, warm, kreyla bread," The bread was optional, he didn't need it, but it helped make the bio lubricant taste less muddy.

[D] The tall lady had been walking around the Upper Habitat Ring, after her settling in her quarters. She's already focused on trying to meet as much of the fellow staff as possible before she began her job. Zizi stretched out her wings before heading on over to a replicator. "Pack of sardines. With bone. Blueberry smoothie." A small bowl of the fish would appear under the replicator, Zizi happily taking it with a hand, and took the cup in her other hand when it appeared. She slowly turned her head around, examining the room. Zizi had spotted Alizati, walking towards him. She spoke with a southerner accent. "Hey? I just had arrived, would you mind me sitting next to you?"

1

Alizati was just minding his business sipping his warm bio lubricant and nibbling his Kreyla bread when-- an Aurelian? Alizati had never seen one before and he was certainly intrigued. To outsiders, Alizati seemed like the typical Vulcan. Pointed ears and slanted eyebrows. The cobalt blue hair was definitely not natural and the forehead ridges pointed to his Romulan heritage. "You may," Alizati replied with a nod as he put his cup of bio lubricant down and looked at the officer. "I am Lieutenant Commander Alizati Dzharok, and you?" He asked out of politeness. Alizati's voice was as one may expect from a Vulcan, very flat and monotone, almost robotic in nature. If one was perceptive they would have also noticed Alizati was really out here not breathing or blinking, nope, just eating his food and staring straight at the Aurelian.

"Engineering? Pleased to meet you Lieutenant Commander Alizati Dzharok. I am Commander Zellina, though I preferred being called Zizi." Her eyes focused on the bio lubricant momentarily, before she sipped her smoothie from a straw. "I've been walking around the base for a bit trying to meet more of the staff." Had this been Voris or Grivix, they would have been immediately put at unease from the staring. However Zizi was not fazed even in the slightest.

"Zizi, understood," Alizati nodded, calling the Commander by the name she had given. The android also picked up on her unique accent, easily identifying it as southern-- from the United States on earth? Honestly, terran culture in the west was a mystery to him. Even thought he was 'born' on earth, he did not really travel outside of the small islands of Okinawa or really the Daystrom Institute. "That is logical. This is a good place to meet people," Alizati state, referring to the mess hall. Dark eyes stared straight at Zizi, unblinking, but shaking ever so slightly. "You are Aurelian. I have yet to meet a member from your species. Is the station properly accessible to your physiological needs?" He inquired, such a thing was important!

"I had thought it would be an appropriate place to meet fellow senior staff." Zizi would take a few bites of the sardines, tilting her head slightly. "Yes, the station fits adequately to my needs, thank you for asking." She noted she hadn't seen the Lieutenant Commander blink, not even once. The Aurelian had met a number of Vulcans before but sworn they all did blink. Possible outlier? "Interesting... what about you? I can tell you're Vulcan, possibly with Romulan..." She didn't want to seem rude.

"Senior staff, I am the chief engineer," He stated, realising he did not reply earlier when the other asked his department, too much information happening in his mind. Alizati sipped his bio lubricant slowly as he listened to the Aurelian speak. The taste of the liquid was terrible so chasing it with the Kreyla bread as a good idea although he wished he had ordered another drink. "I am glad to hear that," He said in regards to the Aurelian being able to get around the station. He was not familiar with Aurelian physiology, but he imagined their needs were different from their humanoid peers. The fact that it seemed the station was adequately equipped for them to move around smoothly was good and he did hope he would be seeing more non-humanoid species. "Yes, half Vulcan, half Romulan, by appearance," He stated, putting his cup down with his gaze meeting Zizi's. "However I am an android," He wondered if the other had noticed his lack of organic functions. Perhaps? Alizati had already disabled his blinking and breathing as they took up quite a bit of RAM. "And what is your position on this station, Zizi?" He assumed she was senior staff since she was in this mess hall and her rank was Commander.

"Interesting. I don't think I've actually met an android before!" She said with some excitement. "I look forward working with you. I'm in the command division, First Officer." Zizi had a cheery attitude, and happy to meet someone who was unique. Her feathers fluffed up a bit before she spoke again. "I have heard about androids before, but yet to actually meet one until today." Zizi then stated in a more calmer tone.

Alizati, in contrast, did not make any move to smile or express himself even half as much as Zizi. The android was as stoic as a flesh and blood Vulcan. Each move was carefully calculated, from the way his fingers gently ripped the Kreyla bread to eat it to the way he set down his cup of bio lubricant. He was graceful and cautious with each movement. "Androids have only been legal for around thirteen years now, perhaps you will see more in the future," Alizati stated. The synth ban had significantly reduced the number of androids and those that did make it well... They had to be hidden. Or locked in a drawer disassembled. "I was created in the Daystrom Institute on earth, but I spent most of my time on the Vulcanis Lunar Colony on my family's farm. Where are you from, Zizi?" He asked, not knowing where Aurelians call home and-- species did not always correlate to homeworld.

"I really do hope to meet more androids, it's super interesting to see one already. Plus I feel more confident with one in the senior officers staff." Zizi stated in a friendly manner. "A farm too? I grew up on Aurelia on a family farm as well. It started off as a small company but eventually grew big enough. It was then I travelled a bit and eventually went to the academy." She ate the last few sardines she had on her tray.

"I appreciate the compliment," Alizati responded, actually accepting the compliment instead of trying to dodge it with some weird Vulcan logic. He pulled apart more pieces of Kreyla and decided to be bold and dip it in the bio lubricant. The gooey liquid had the colour of coffee so the scene wouldn't look too off to someone watching, but the taste was anything like coffee and biscuits. Alizati had to stop himself from making a disgusted face as he ate the Kreyla bread covered in bio lubricant. "That sounds enjoyable. What are Aurelian farms like? Vulcan farms are much like their terran counterparts. I milked the Vulcan cows and sheered the Vulcan sheep," He explained, his eyes looking at Zizi with curiosity. Finally Old McDzharok was real.

3

"A lot of work! I didn't work with the animals though, I mostly moved the heavy objects around because I was the strongest one in my family." And the largest. She was adopted into the family as an egg, so she was evidently different then the chicken looking Aurelians. "Plus when I did try to work with the critters, they end up running away from me." Zizi shrugged.

"Moving heavy objects, I can relate to that as well," Alizati said as he recalled his time on the Vulcanis Lunar Colony. It was such a mixed bag of memories. The life style was definitely his taste; slow moving, structured routine, and fresh farm produce. Not that Alizati could ever enjoy it, he wasn't allowed to eat. "I am sure you did a fine job on the farm. My family..." Alizati paused as he considered how to phrase his next sentence. "They are Vulcan and by their logic I was no more than a tractor or robotic farming device that could talk and they treated me as such. The life style was enjoyable though, I have always preferred a slower pace," Which was another reason him and Men got along well. Men was also not one to rush and Alizati always felt comfortable taking his time. Whether it be Kal-toh or cooking, they complimented each other perfectly. "What sort of critters do Aurelian farms have?"

4

"Well we had some close to... bugs? They're relatively large though. Some folks might be squeamish about that." She gave a small chuckle before sipping on her smoothie. "Though the critters were definitely squeamish of my sheer size." The woman stood at 6'7, no wonder. Though she could stand taller if she wanted to.

"Bugs do not bother me," Alizati replied as he sipped his bio lubricant, trying not to think of the terrible taste. He really had to have Men try and make him better tasting stuff. Men had mentioned trying to modify it to make it taste better. "I would be interested in seeing some pictures of these bugs. Perhaps you could send me some spacepedia articles about them?" Alizati said as he finished the last of his bread. "I am interested in agriculture on different planets," He grabbed the sides of his tray, preparing to leave. "I must be getting to work. If you ever want to explore the utility ring, I recommend visiting the restaurant Surak Snacks," Of course he had to promote his boyfriend's restaurant!

She took out her PADD. "Of course! I can send you all the articles I have on them. My father wrote them!" After a few tapping, she would have sent the articles for Alizati. "You can read them on your own time. I wouldn't want to keep you from you job." She got up from her seat, holding the smoothie in her free hand.

"Really? That is impressive," Not only was Zizi knowledgeable about farming, but her father wrote articles about Aurelian bugs? He stood up and gave the Aurelian a polite bow of his head. "That would be great, I will read the articles once I have time. Enjoy your meal and.. Smoothie? There must be some sort of smoothie boom, I find many officers have been enjoying that cool drink," Strange, but such a treat was a popular item on some planets.

"Yes I always have a smoothie with my lunch, fruit and meat for the diet!" She said with a gleeful tone. "Tasty and healthy! Not surprised that it's becoming popular." Zizi stretched her wings again before closing them back up. "Well, I'm going to walk around the station to exercise my legs. It was enjoyable talking with you."

"Yes, you too, jolan tru," Alizati said before heading back to the replicator to recycle his tray. He then headed out the door, ready for his day at work. He was curious if Allan would know anything about the smoothie hype. Perhaps this was some weird Spacetuber trend? SpaceTok trend?,

2