Star Trek: Rapture - kikos-café

: ̗̀➛ KIKO'S CAFÉ : ̗̀➛ ୨⎯ DRINKS°⎯୧ • Iced Latte • Iced Coffee • Iced Tea • Frappuccino • Hot Coffee • Hot Chocolate • Tea • Juice • Fountain drinks • Smoothies ୨⎯ SWEETS⎯୧ • Cinnamon roll • Iced cinnamon roll • Butter croissant • Chocolate croissant • Sugar cookie • Chocolate chip cookie • Snickerdoodle cookie • Pie° • Cake° • Cupcake° • Brownie • Banana bread ୨⎯ BREAKFAST⎯ ୧ • Short stack of (2) waffles° • Short stack of (2) pancakes° • Scrambled eggs° • Hashbrowns • Breakfast tacos° °Please feel free to ask for more specific options, sides, toppings, ingredients, and ingredient substitutes! (edited)

T’Asha walked into the cafe and looked around. She wondered if this was a just order type of spot, or if there were waiters. Well, only one way to find out, she supposed.

At the entrance of the restaurant was Sakkath! They were dressed in casual wear, very unusual to see them out of uniform. They wore long dark brown culottes paired with some matte black wedge heels. For their top they had a black long sleeved shirt with golden embroidery on the sleeves that extended up to their shoulders. As always they preferred to keep their outfit modest, avoiding any clothes at may accentuate any curves. In fact their uniform was probably the most anyone would ever see of their figure, otherwise it was hidden under layers of flowy fabric. Their hair was tamed today, natural-looking large beach waves framed their face quite nicely. They had one side of their hair tucked behind their pointy ear, revealing their prominent twin forehead ridges. They seemed to have grown more comfortable showing off their Vulcanoid features, but in reality they just got tired of their hair constantly being in their face so they had began clipping their hair back with bobby pins. In the cafe, they were surprised to see a familiar face-- it was T'Asha! "Greetings, T'Asha, "They greeted their friend with a ta'al and a nod of the head.

T’Asha was wearing a red sweater and knee-length black skirt, black boots to top it off. Her black-and-white hair was tied up into a high ponytail, and she was wearing a new necklace. It was carved from wood and looked obviously handmade by a novice at woodworking. She greeted Sakkath with her own nod and ta’al. “Hello, Sakkath. I had heard about this cafe and decided to pay a visit. Shall we sit together?”

The cafe was quite cozy, an attempt to recreate the feeling of enjoying a nice snack on a sunny afternoon. Warm, golden lights and salt lamps dotted the areas, as well as lush (but fake) plants, which balanced out the gold with warm and vibrant greens and browns. Various comfy and squishy couches, chairs (as well as a swinging bench) were placed around the cafe, with tables as well. Soft carpets overlapped on the floor and a few paintings hung on the wall. It was cozy, but not tight or stuffy. A faint smell of coffee hung in the air. A woman with short, ginger hair, wearing jeans, flannel, and a black beanie leaned against the counter, whipping out a PADD. "Hey guys! Welcome to my cafe! Please, feel free to find a seat. Our menu is above the counter but I can get you some PADDs if need be. I'll give you a sec to take a look and then I'll take your order!"

"We may," Sakkath answered T'Asha first, looking at her before they turned their attention to the host who greeted them. The cafe looked very cozy and with all the warm lighting it felt like they were back on Vulcan. Not Surak Prime, their little colony did not have the same comforts as the Vulcan home world. They nodded to the woman, taking note that her hair was of similar texture to their own. Floofy hair gang! "Thank you," They said to the host before eyeing an open seat close to the entrance and gesturing for T'Asha to follow them there. "I wonder if this place has Vulcanoid friendly versions of the sweets," Sakkath thought aloud as they looked up at the menu above the counter. Even if food was Vulcanoid friendly, they always were careful about the foods they ate. They looked at T'Asha, meentally making notes about her outfit. The necklace was nice, the boots and skirt looked pretty 'badass' as some would say.

She nodded to Sakkath, following them to the seats. It really was cozy. It reminded her of her parents’ small house, with its warm lighting and air of coziness. Though she doubted her home would be considered warm and cozy to anyone who wasn’t herself. “I do hope they are Vulcanoid friendly, the croissants look interesting. This week has been rather eventful. Alongside the steady progression of my crystal research, I have taken up a new hobby. I am now learning woodworking. As you can tell by my necklace, I am still a novice.*

"Oh, woodworking?" Sakkath raised an eyebrow, their eyes looking closer at T'Asha's necklace. The craftsmanship was good, as expected from a Vulcan. Not that Vulcans excelled in every new thing they tried, hardly, but the necklace showed T'Asha's attention to detail in the way the wood was lovingly carved. They were not very good at crafting themself so whenever other people made things they were always impressed. "It is very well done, I am sure you will continue to steadily improve," They said sincerely, their voice had a hint of warmth to it too. "Croissants. That is a French pastry if I recall," Sakkath really didn't remember much from their time in France. They were busy.. .Ah that was right, busy chasing their ex. "I think I will try that one too, and maybe some iced tea, shall we call the host over to order?"

“Thank you. I will devote more time to it at the conclusion of my research.” T’Asha had a lot of hobbies. She sketched, she crocheted, she even took up pottery once. It made too much of a mess for her taste, though. Mainly, things just caught her eye and she simply had to try them. “That is what I was planning on ordering as well. Yes, call the host over.”

"I look forward to hearing more about your artistic endeavours," Sakkath replied, thinking it was curious that T'Asha and Syrax both did arts. It was only two people on Rapture, but they remembered both of their exes were also very artistic. There was a trend here, hmm? They looked back up at the menu above the counter, making sure that there wasn't something else they wanted to try. All the other foods sounded very sweet, especially if they were going to have a croissant. Perhaps it was good just to try two things for now, next time they came they could try others. "We can both try it together then," They said thoughtfully as they waved their hand to call over the host.

“And I look forward to making more art.” All the other pastries were sweet. T’Asha didn’t want to put herself at risk of getting drunk in the morning. This wasn’t even in her quarters. So, she had to be a fair bit careful. “It does seem that the majority of the food here contains a large amount of sugar.”

She trotted over to their table, PADD ready in her hand to take their orders! She gave them both a cheery smile. "What can I get started for you two?"

Sakkath nodded at T'Asha and then turned to the nice host. "I would like some iced tea and a croissant," They gave their order and looked to T'Asha so she could state her order. It was the same, but why would they speak for someone else? Anyway, they eyed the swinging bench, thinking that would be a good place to relax if it didn't mean they'd have to sit next to someone... So close. Seriously, they wished two person seats were made for Vulcanoids too who needed space. Or what if someone just liked personal space? Anyway, they pushed back their frizzy hair that was quickly starting to overtake their face.

"Can do!" She typed in their order on the PADD and turned to T'Asha.

“I will also have iced tea and a croissant.” The lack of space definitely was an issue. In her house, there was enough space for everyone to sit a respectful Vulcan distance apart. But this was the Terran definition of cozy, and thus everything was close together. But the swinging chair was still tempting, she just didn’t trust herself not to swing it.

"Coming right up. I'll have that out for you both soon!" She gave them another smile and turned on her heel to go prepare their order.

Sakkath bowed their head to the server, not smiling but their appreciation was evident in the lack of coldness in their gaze. After a few seconds they turned to T'Asha. "I like the atmosphere of this cafe, it is quiet," They stated, taking note of warm orange glow that seemed to envelope the whole room. It felt like being under a giant heat lamp, which was not a bad thing at all. Sakkath was not a big fan of hot weather, but the heat they felt was more like... A warm embrace, but without having to touch anyone. "It has also just occurred to me we did not specify Vulcanoid friendly," They said in a perfectly calm voice despite their mind internally panicking for fear of eating real sugar. "Maybe we should call her over again?"

“Yes, it is very quiet. I always prefer relaxing in quiet areas, whether that is in my quarters or the arboretum.” When she was a child on Vulcan, she had always been fond of walking a little ways into the desert with her brother and seeing what she’d find. There were always cool rocks or desert plants. When she heard Sakkath’s next statement, a brief but definitely noticeable look of surprise and shock crossed her face. “Yes, we should. I start duty in two hours, I cannot be intoxicated on duty.*

"It is much more peaceful than the mess hall. We should tour the arboretum together again some time," Sakkath said to T'Asha as they rested their arms on the table. That's when they realised they should also tell their friend what happened just the day before. "There is something I must inform you of, I met a new person the other day. An Orion, we will be going on a date later today. To be honest, I do not understand his fascination with me," Sakkath was just some person. They were not averse to dating or others making romantic advancements on them, but they wondered why the Orion in particular was so fascinated by them. Even their ex boyfriend Miro was not so forward. They then raised their hand to call over the host, hoping she was still around.

Seeing the raised hand over the coffee machine, she went ahead and hopped over the counter, a slight look of worry and polite curiosity n her face. "Yes? Is there anything you need?"

“Yes. Though I advise tying your hair back next time to avoid getting it caught on bushes again.” She took off her necklace. There was a tiny scratch on her neck, from a part of the wood that wasn’t sanded right. She’d do a better job of it next time, she thought. “What is there not to be fascinated about? I have recently found myself in a relationship of sorts with a friend from my previous posting, so I personally would not pursue you, but I can see the appeal.” T’Asha was strictly monogamous. She just didn’t want to date more than one person, and she had high standards too. Luckily her new boyfriend-of-sorts met and exceeded her expectations.

"Apologies, can we get our food Vulcanoid friendly? We cannot eat sugar," Sakkath told the host, staring at her with their signature stoic expression. Remorse was illogical, but they did feel bad for troubling the poor host. They then faced forward to look at T'Asha again, expression still blank but their gaze was softer. "I have a headband I can wear and recently I have been experimenting with straightening technology," They said, thinking of testing out their new device for their date. Sakkath had not been on a date in while so this would be interesting. "I was unaware that you were in a relationship, may I ask what the person is like?" Sakkath raised an eyebrow to this, very surprised to learn this bit of information. T'Asha seemed like someone who would have high standards when it came to romance, the person was probably Vulcan knowing how logical T'Asha was.

The Orion giant walked in, ducking his head as he entered to make sure not to embarass himself...again, before walking up to the counter, waiting for the proprietor to take his order.

T’Asha nodded her head in agreement with Sakkath. It would be highly illogical to be drunk on duty. Sure, she indulged every once in a while, but that was when she had a day off, which was rare for her. She would probably have a drink or two at the Winter Ball though, she was fond of red wine. “It has not been official for very long, it has been approximately four days since. His name is Savek, he still works aboard the Starbase I worked on. He is Vulcan, as you probably suspect. I do have high standards for all my relationships, platonic and romantic. He is quite logical as I am, but still kind. I enjoyed doing geology projects with him.*

"So your conspirator is a geologist?" Sakkath asked, unsure if there was even a Vulcan word for 'boyfriend' so they just went with the Romulan term. It was gender neutral, but UT often spit out a literal translation of the term. T'Asha could probably guess the meaning of the word from context, Sakkath was not accusing her of any nefarious deeds after all. "Also, do your parents know about this? He does not have a betrothed already?" Important questions! T'Asha's family may have been less buried in tradition, but so many Vulcans still were. Sakkath wondered why Vulcans were so monogamous, were there not Vulcans who wanted to marry multiple people? Especially when a partner is arrange during childhood, it was highly likely that someone would find a more suitable partner when they were an adult. Sakkath continued looking at T'Asha as they spoke, but in the corner of their eye they noticed the eccentric Orion helmsman. It's him, they resisted the urge to sigh, they were not prepared for this much social interaction at that time.

The oaf, too tired and distracted to really pay attention walked right past the two after getting some desperately needed rest, he headed for a booth in the corner, before pulling out a padd and doing some work. He really had been in the gym quite a while, almost 4 hours...no more listening to books and working out for him! (edited)

“Yes, my conspirator is a geologist. His betrothed died in a shuttlecraft accident three years ago. And yes, my parents are aware and they approve. Though they do want to meet him. I shall have to schedule that when convenient for me and him.” She just liked having one dependable partner. Savek fit all her requirements and specifications- she was a lucky woman indeed. She was particular about these sort of things, truly. She looked over at Nokkul, wondering if this was the Orion that Sakkath was talking about.

"Absolutely!" She said, relieved that that was all. She went back behind to counter and bustled around getting out new ingredients. (edited)

Good, the Orion wasn't going to try and chat with them. Sakkath was already trying to mentally prepare themself for their date. Their eyes lingered on the Orion for only a couple seconds before they looked back at their friend. They didn't vocalise it, but they were happy that T'Asha repeated the Romulan term back at them. In the back of their mind they hoped the term would become popular. "Then I wish you two the best," With the ease of space travel, Sakkath always wondered how logical having arranged marriages was, especially so many Vulcans were leaving their homeworld or colonies. They wondered-- had they not been pre-arranged with Syrax... Would they have chosen him? It frustrated Sakkath to no end that they found Syrax attractive. It was just the idea of someone else making decisions for them. The nodded to the host, happy she had no problem accommodating their needs. "I take it you will return to Vulcan to get married?" Sakkath asked, very curious about this guy T'Asha was going to marry. Maybe they were just being a protective friend, but they hoped he was as kind as T'Asha said he was.

“I’ve only been dating him for four days, Sakkath. I am hardly thinking of marriage yet. He and I still have time. But yes, I would return to Vulcan to get married. I don’t think I would get married anywhere else. I’ve known him for five years already, though we were only close friends until now.” Sakkath was really jumping the gun here, huh? As much as T’Asha wanted to marry Savek, she wasn’t about to do it right now. She had around five years left, he had around that long too. They really did get lucky running into each other.

Kiko brought out two warm butter croissants and two cool Iced teas--both certifiably Vulcanoid safe! She set down the plates and drinks in front of the two, smiling. "Enjoy! Let me know if you need anything at all." The croissants smelled buttery and would taste just between sweet and savory. The roleplayer has no idea what iced tea tastes like, but the drinks tasted like that! Each came with a little flower, like how some drinks come with plastic umbrellas. After dropping off the meals, she made her way to the Orion, stopping next to him. "Hey there! Is there anything I can get started for you?"

He looked up from his padd, a soft smile on his face. "Hi there! Could I please get a protien shake and a large raktajino? Thanks!"

"I think I misunderstood how relationships between Vulcans work," Maybe their mother actually knew what she was doing when she promised them to Syrax. They were aware of casual dating, they had dated people in the past, but they thought that T'Asha was dating this man because she wanted to marry him? "I thought you and him only started your relationship for the prospect of marriage," At least, that's what they would do if they did not have a betrothed. They were not about to say it whilst in a public space, but the clock was ticking for T'Asha and Savek, they would need to be wed before their next pon farr cycle or well, unless they planned on meditating through it? Sakkath was pulled from their thoughts when the server returned with their food. "Thank you," They gave the friendly host a nod and looked down at the croissant and tea in front of them. It was Vulcanoid friendly, but it was still sweets and that... Worried Sakkath. They tried not to show it, but the rapid eye movement and blinking would be enough to hint to anyone observant enough that they were having a bit of a mental struggle in their mind.

"You know it!" She went behind the counter, this time to the replicator, and replicated a protein shake since it wasn't normally something she served. However, she did have the things to make a raktajino. As requested, she made it large! Soon, the beverages were placed in front of Nokkul.

“We are fully aware of what we will need to do. But we’re not planning a wedding right now. We have agreed to marry three years from now. Savek is currently in the process of transferring to another starbase and I am focused on my research, so neither of us have much energy to focus on that right now.” She took a bite of croissant. This was.. sweet- even if it was promised to be Vulcanoid friendly. While T’Asha wasn’t afraid of a little sweetness, she wasn’t expecting it in a breakfast food. At least she had ordered her iced tea black. That wasn’t sweet.

"I see, that is understandable. Syrax and I are still planning to get married in two years," If Syrax still consented in that time. The Romulan may not have had to fight the clock, but Sakkath did and speaking about it reminded them it may be better to perform the bonding ritual sooner rather than later. Those thoughts were quickly pushed aside as they watched T'Asha take a bite of the croissant. "How is it?" They asked, voice even and steady, hiding their own reluctance to try the foreign dessert.

Hm. She and Syrax hadn’t started on good terms, not at all. Although going up to her friend and saying such forward remarks to them was bound to get her attention. But she wasn’t about to suus mahna them behind the diner, not unless something truly horrible happened. T’Asha was fully willing to fight anyone who put Sakkath in danger, her having slightly more muscle than them. She hoped Syrax would be a good husband to Sakkath. “It is.. rather sweet. Even though I will not become intoxicated from it, I was not expecting it. My iced tea is fine, however.”

"And if you are wondering about Syrax, we are getting along fine," Nevermind the fact that Sakkath was literally just in Syrax's quarters... Holding hands. They looked down at their hands that were still resting on the table. There was also a part of their mind that wondered if they had unintentionally initiated the bonding ritual. But then they would have felt Syax's emotions at this moment and their mind was only their thoughts... For now. It was all in their head, they told themself. "I have found most terran desserts are, Vulcanoid friendly or not," Sakkath said as they sipped their tea. It was not sweet, in fact it was pretty strong and it had a refreshing quality to it. Their hands were still tingling as they kept thinking about the scandalous act they were engaged with not even an hour before. "I will try it," Sakkath picked up the croissant and took a small bite. It was sweet just like T'Asha said, which was why they immediately had to chase sit with the unsweetened tea to dilute the sweetness. Not bad, although sugary foods were still new to them. "Is it... Not as sweet as some I have tried in France. Is this your first time having a croissant?"

“That is good to hear.” It would be awful if your Backup Dude wasn’t a nice person. Especially because he didn’t need anything from Sakkath, but Sakkath relied on him. Her analytical mind could think of ten thousand ways for it to go wrong. But she trusted her friend. “I usually stay away from Terran bread. I find it too sweet for my liking. This is my first time trying a croissant.” Why do humans put sugar in everything? Isn’t it unhealthy for them anyway? She was Confused.

Sakkath just hoped that T'Asha wasn't planning on doing anything against Syrax, especially when they were more or less... Not friends, but they were not enemies that was for sure. They sipped their tea as they began to pick off bits of croissant to eat. The terran pastry was flaky, something they did not account for and their plate quickly became full of the tiny flakes. Maybe eating it like Kreyla bread was not the correct method. "Humans require sugar in their diets and as I believe it, primitive earth did not have a lot of natural sources of sugar. Because of that, humans actively sought out natural sweets like fruits and berries," Sakkath said, recalling what they had learned in their xenobiology class when they were younger. It really was a mystery why humans put sugar in literally everything. "That is why I prefer Vulcan bread, no sugar and I find Vulcan meals are... More balanced. Some terran meals can be all sugar, like American cereal? It is supposed to be balanced but I do not know how balanced a bowl of sugary biscuits are."

“Your preferences are similar to mine. I enjoy cooking, though. I’ve altered some Terran foods in the past to not be so sugary. I enjoy experimenting with things.” T’Asha was certainly knot planning anything against Syrax. Quite the opposite, she wanted to hear him out. She wanted to know more about this man. Plus, if Sakkath was going to be protective of her, she would be protective of them. At least Savek was as dependent on her as she was on him. Both had the threat of death looming over them- that and appreciation for one another had driven them together over the years. They took a sip of tea, croissant pretty much forgotten. While she hated the cold, she was a sucker for cold drinks.

"Hmm, I would be interesting in trying some of your cooking," Sakkath said, knowing that would mean they would need to visit T'Asha in her quarters or she would have to visit them. Scandalous, but at the same time they were friends so it was okay, right? They took another bite of croissant and chased it with tea. Definitely too sweet on its own. "What sort of foods have you modified? There are a few terran foods I have been meaning to try, but the added sugar made me reconsider," They said as they shifted their eyes left and right, wanting to see if the Orion was still there. Was he listening to them? Not that either of them was saying anything juicy, in fact their conversation was pretty boring to any observer.

Nokkul, sat looking at his padd, visibly struggling to stay awake, even after the raktajino, clearly not paying attention to anything other than whatever he was working on (he was just reading a romance novel).

“To put it bluntly, most of my experiments were failures that I am not inclined to repeat. For the sake of the ovens and the sense of smell of everyone in the vicinity.” She didn’t say she was GOOD at messing around with Terran stuff, just that she liked seeing what she could do with things. She was good at spice tea though.

"Hmm once you become more proficient I would be interested in trying. I am in no rush to try terran foods though, I find it is best to try new foods gradually than all at once," Sakkath stated as they took more sips of their tea. They would need to ask the host for the specifics of said tea because it was quite good. They were under the impression that all terran teas were ridiculously sweet, but not this one. "How are your projects going? The crystals if I recall?"

“I have isolated the type of crystal they are. I am collaborating with several scientists who have been inside the caves where the crystals are found to work out how they are formed. It turned out that they are just a variation of gypsum. I hypothesize that they formed the same way that the gypsum crystals in the Terran Cave of Crystals. My previous assumption they were silicate in nature was false, they are actually sulfates.” The Crystal Mystery was coming to an end. But the photos from inside the caves were so beautiful. Massive crystals in all directions, much bigger than the geologists investigating them. Oh how much she wished she was with them.

To be straight (as if Sakkath was), they had no idea what T'Asha was talking about but they listened attentively. They nodded along as they sipped the rest of their tea. They were interested in seeing these crystals for themself now, just to see what they were like. They didn't understand the science jargon, but a cave full of crystals? Sounded romantic. "I would be interested to see these crystals and if we ever get the chance, I would like to visit the caves. It would be quite a picture to put on Space Gram," Sakkath, despite their seeming apathy towards social media, was quite active online. Naturally a lot of social media was inaccessible in Romulan space, but ever since they returned to Starfleet they had decided to revisit their Space gram account. T'Asha knew about it too, at least they were sure they told her about it.

“Yes, it would be. But I think social media would be the furthest thing from my mind if I ever got the chance to enter those caves. I would be too busy investigating everything.“ Besides her YouTube channel, T’Asha had a Space Twitter and a Tumblr. Since the Tumblr was her dedicated anonymous shitposting account, she would never give it up- not to Sakkath.

"Oh do not worry, I would gladly take photos of you in the cave," Sakkath said, rather enthusiastically for a Vulcan. If they weren't in Starfleet, influencer would definitely be their ideal life. Imagine being able to sit online and make call out posts, especially when it came to Romulan influencers, those guys were all hot messes. "I do hope we have an away mission soon, hmm, but I doubt I will be going unless we are talking to aliens, there are no other aliens on the planet, are there?" Sakkath kept their movements subtle and delicate, resting their hands on the table and staring at their very sad flaky croissant with only a couple bites taken from it. They did not like wasting food, especially if they had to pay for it, however they could not tolerate anymore of the sweet pastry. Well at least they had saved up some money so this loss wasn't going to hurt too bad, especially when they did not need money often.

“No, there are no aliens there. The planet is not suitable for life.” T’Asha had gone on a information spree lately. She knew almost everything there was to know about that planet. She didn’t want to not know anything that might help her.

"Some would say the same about Romulan vessels, but I was there for two years," In a strange turn, Sakkath smirked and clicked their tongue at the comment. A very un-Vulcan thing, but they were also Romulan and Syrax and Zero said they shouldn't bottle up their feelings. Why not let it out with some snarkiness? Especially in front of T'Asha who did not seem to care if her friend was a little illogical sometimes. "Anyway, I would be interested in going on an away mission if given the opportunity," Maybe they could? Who knew. "Anyway I will not finish my croissant, do you want it? I would hate to waste food. Hmm, if you do not, I can bring it to my roommate."

“You may give it to your roommate, I do not want it. I believe if I go here again, I will only order tea.” T’Asha also hated wasting food, but there wasn’t really an option here. It was too sweet for her, she wasn’t going to eat it. Plus, she had things to do today and couldn’t spend much longer at the cafe.

"Alright, I will offer it to my roommate," Sakkath wasn't sure what Grivix liked but, they would still offer it. They reached into their pocket to pull out a little wallet with some latinum and placed the exact amount on the table. "I need to prepare for my date so, thank you for sitting with me and we can tour the arboretum again soon," Sakkath was not smiling, but their gratitude was evident in the lack of coldness from their gaze as they looked at their friend. They gripped the sides of the table as they stood up, always cautious not to accidentally bump it with their long ass legs. Sakkath was mostly legs, but they knew this and were very careful with their movements. "Hmm.. Jolan tru," Sakkath bowed their head, gave T'Asha a ta'al and headed out of the restaurant, flaky croissant in hand.

After Sakkath left, T’Asha left the payment for her things in the table and exited the cafe.

Having fully fallen asleep, now drooling slightly on the hand propping his head up, he jolted awake. Checking the time he saw he only had a short time to get ready for his date. Quickly pulling out the correct amount of latinum to pay for the drinks, he got up, slinging his bag over his shoulder and bolting for his quarters.

He walked in, wearing a tight, red satin button-up shirt stretched over his prominent pecs, with even tighter looking black leather pants hugging his legs, his face and hands covered in a dark body glitter, along with in his dark hair, swooped to perfection, a dark red lipstick and and black eyeshadow on his eyelids; a much more...modest look than usual, but he thought Sakkath may appreciate that he had listened and done the research on Vulcan culture, hoping to prove himself worthy for a relationship. He stood near the entrance, shoulders relaxed, a small, happy grin on his face, practically radiating excited eagerness.

Sakkath stepped into the cafe to see Nokkul was already waiting at the entrance. They greeted the Orion with a nod, taking note of the other's more modest apperance. The satin shirt covered his top half, although with how tight it was it hardly left anything to the imagination. Matched with the tight leather trousers-- well Nokkul was a flashy person, not that Sakkath minded. They did appreciate the lengths the other had gone through to look nice for their second date. They liked the sparkles and the make up, even if make up wasn't Sakkath's personal preference for themself. It looked like Nokkul was ready for a much different type of date than a simple cafe meal, but still, the effort was appreciated. Conversely, Sakkath looked ready for a completely different party. They donned a mustard-coloured blazer with a matching mustard colourd vest under it. Navy blue collared shirt with a bow all under that as well. Their pleated skirt matchede the navy colour of the bow and of course they could never show skin so they wore dark black tights with some simple black trainers. The outfit they wore was a school uniform, from old earth. It was apparently worn by one of the prestigeous art schools in some country in Asia, they weren't entirely sure, but the colour was eye catching. "Greetings, Nokkul. You look handsome today," They complimented, looking up and down Nokkul once more.

He took note of Sakkath's outfit giving them his own distinct look up and down, it was so cute; the whole 'student in a school' look something they could seem to really pull off, although they could wear just about anything and he'd be a fan. At their compliment a dark green blush crossed his face, his grin bright as an Earth first contact day fireworks display with the praise, and praise from Sakkath was truly a gift. "Thank you! You are absolutely stunningly gorgeous as ever! It's nice to see you, I missed your pretty face!"* He said with a grin, bouncing slightly on his heels, excitement to see them as obvious as possible, before gesturing toward a booth on one of the walls.* "Shall we?" (edited)

'Pretty face', the familiar compliment came once more and in response Sakkath nodded. They followed Nokkul to the booth on one of the walls. They were thankful that there was an open booth, it was more private and they did not want anyone to eavesdrop, not that Sakkath was planning on dropping any juicy secrets. They didn't have any, well, not of interest. They had quite a lot of personal stories but those were very private. Anyway, they sat down once they reached the booth and grabbed the menu. Nokkul's bright grin was to be expected. It was as bright as the lights on New Ocampa, not a supernova because Sakkath was Romulan and the word reminded them of tragedy and they would never reference such a horrible event so casually. "It appears we are dressed for two different parties. I am wearing an old earth school uniform. I found it in the replicator. It was a uniform worn by... I believe the term was idols? Celebrities that sing and dance. The colour was surprising so I thought it would make a good impression. And what is the inspiration for your.. Hmm.. Fit? I believe it is called?"

He took a seat across from Sakkath, and chuckled at thier levity and use of slang, always something that took him by surprise, but something he always enjoyed. His face never really went back to the neutral green around Sakkath, he enjoyed himself around them far too much for that, but he visibly relaxed as he wiggled further into the comfy seat, looking at Sakkath with a warmth to his eyes that they didn't often have when he wasn't around them. "I mean, I love that, I find myself being attracted to the differences just as much as our similarities. It definitely gave a good impression!" He emphasized his point by blatantly checking them out, a cheeky grin plastered on his face. "I tried to be a little more...modest than usual. I've been making a point of researching more about Vulcan culture and even got some advice from my friend about the dos and don'ts. I really want to be good for you, and make you as content as you can be. You do so much for me, and are so understanding, I feel its the least I can do." He blushed deeply, looking down at his menu for a moment before looking back up, when he spoke again it was in a low, quiet voice. "If you'll have me at some point I want to be a good Conspirator for you too!" He cleared his throat, looking at the menu intently. "These pancakes sure look good!" He said with a squeak at the end of his sentence.

Sakkath had long gotten used to Nokkul blushing whenever they were together. The dichotomy of the Orion's overt enthusiasm and Sakkath's Vulcan stoicism was something for the history books. It was a true story of opposites attract, although this scene was not new to them. Sakkath had always been attracted to those who wore their emotions on their sleeves. Perhaps it was because that was something they struggled with and seeing another person live such an open lifestyle was refreshing. "The pancakes do look good," Sakkath said, looking towards the breakfast options. They were going to avoid the sweets so maybe the savoury things and they'd of course get them Vulcanoid friendly. "I appreciate you taking the time to read up about Vulcan culture," Sakkath said, noticing the change in the Orion's voice. They wanted to say how their date's outfit was 'fully covered' but not very modest at all, but they decided to keep that judgment to themself for now. "However you do not have to change your actions or preferences to earn my affections. I am here because my attraction is to you now, what is to say I am not attracted to bold and flashy displays of emotion? I appreciate you trying to understand Vulcan culture more, but do not feel as if you need to modify your actions or way of dress just for me. If you do want to change, it should be for yourself."

He was dumbstruck for a moment, used to Sakkath's honesty and rather straightforward way of speaking, but he had never thought he'd get to see this particular version of them, he was flattered, happy, intrigued and completely in awe of the person in front of him. A soft grin appeared on his face as he willed himself not to cry from the open kindness and affection he was being shown. Other than Tura, he really never got much of this during his life and in some ways he was not sure how to handle it other than with complete honesty. "Everytime I think I start to have you figured out, you pull something like this out of your hat...you are just...I am so glad I met you." He cleared his throat, voice coming out slightly hoarse from the sheer emotion he was feeling. "I appreciate it, but I feel like in any realtionship there should be give and take. I was reminded recently that change is a good thing, no matter the reasons for doing so. And I would do it willingly again and again." He gave them a wide smile, a sly look in his eyes. "Oh, you like bold emotions you say?" He giggled. "Watch a romatic comedy with me and you'll see all kinds of emotions! Also, if you like the way I dress normally, then I'll stick with it, I just wanted to look hot for you today!" He gave them a silly grin, before placing his menu to the side, ready to order. "I have a bit of a uh, question to ask after our food comes!" He said, palms already feeling slightly sweaty. The advice Kraxtaayaal gave him rattling around in his head. To wait or not to wait? That is the question...this might be something he'll leave for when the moment comes.

Sakkath was unsure why Nokkul was looking at them with such an expression. They did not think they said anything particularly profound. They were only stating what was logical, but clearly it resonated with something within Nokkul. "I am not wearing a hat?" Sakkath was unfamiliar with the figure of speech, but they did not know a lot of idioms. Perhaps it was because they preferred to speak literally, it was the Vulcan way. "I will support your endeavours to change and improve yourself," Sakkath as not opposed to Nokkul wanting to adopt more Vulcan culture, but they were hesitent about if the Orion's intention were for himself and not for them. Sakkath considered themself to be just 'a person', not a role model or anything anyone should aspire to be. In fact they considered themself to be a good example of what not to be. "I accept you wholly as you are now. If you would like to change for yourself, that is fine. But do not think you need to change in order to look more attractive to me." Sakkath said before looking back at the menu to quickly decide what they wanted. "A question? Alright, I am ready to order, are you? I think I will get the tea and hash browns, Vulcanoid friendly of course," Sakkath didn't vocalist it, but Nokkul had a cute laugh. Oh the amount of emotions one person could have, it was interesting really.

He bit his lip and shook his head, trying to hold in the laughter. He wasn't sure how they managed to be so funny, but he could always count on Sakkath to make him laugh. He really was gone on them...he grinned at their compliment, wiggling in his seat at them being so kind, he loved them so much. "I'm gonna have the pancakes and a big mug hot chocolate, I'm not usually a sweets person, but all this sounds so good!" He licked his lips comically, excited for some food, having forgotten to eat that day. Grinning up at Sakkath, he tilted his head to the side, curious. "So uh, our second date..." His voice warbled, slightly unsteady because of his nervousness. He continued in a lower tone. "Would you like to make this a slightly more pemanant arrangement? As in, being in a romantic relationship? I read that Vulcan's appreciate a more straight on approach, so I figured I would just straight-up ask." He continued in his quiet voice, low enough that only Sakkath would be able to hear, biting his lips, his face blazing hot. "I really found that I not only love you, but I love when we spend time together and I feel that we would make great partners because I feel like we have really good chemistry and our mutual attraction." He finished speaking, taking a deep breath, his eyes wide and vulnerable, hands clenched and knuckles white,

The Orion's excitement for food was something Sakkath could not relate to personally but they respected it. It was their Vulcan upbringing that told them it was unwise to indulge too much with food-- or with anything for that matter. Because if they enjoyed something too much it opened up the door to feeling strong emotions about other things. It was something they were gradually working on, but the thought of 'not being allowed to enjoy anything' always weighed on them. Sakkath's expression did not change when Nokkul posed the question. It was their second date and he was asking to... Was he asking to be romantic partners? Well, they should have seen this coming. Nokkul always jumped ahead of things, the man was really in love with Sakkath for reasons the Vulcan-Romulan still coild not grasp. "Let us order our food first," There was a lot Sakkath needed to think about, but they needed a moment. They waved down one of the waiters and ordered their hash browns and tea. "Nokkul," Sakkath pushed the menu aside, speaking after Nokkul would have presumably given his order. "I am not opposed to a romantic relationship with you, however I believe our expectations of such an arrangement are different. There are still basic things between our two cultures that we do not understand and so a romantic relatioship makes me wonder if it would put too much pressure on each of us. For example, I do not like physical touch, but you seem to desire it. I am not opposed to it after a time, but I would feel ill equipped to be your partner if I could not provide that readily. Does that make sense?"

He nodded, what they were saying made alot of sense, honestly, he loved them but did he love them romantically, or was it like a friendship? He had never had any close friends really, so maybe his mind was in the wrong place with all of this. He really was getting ahead of himself. "Honestly, that makes alot of sense, I think I may have gotten alot of this wrong, I've never had a close friend before, and I think in this case, I had mistaken romantic feelings for ones of close friendship." He shook his head, as if coming to a realization. "I'm sorry for all of this! I think we are different people, so beings friends may be just for the best. I still wanna hangout sometimes! But I think before I can be in a place for a relationship, I need to know myself better. Thank you for helping me realize that!"

"You are allowed to have romantic feelings for me. Two people can feel romantic attraction for one another but not be in a relationship and just remain friends. It is simply not the best time to start, but perhaps when we get to know each other more a relationship would feel appropriate," Sakkath said calmly and carefully. They didn't want Nokkul to think they were rejecting them or did not want to continue their dates or growing closer. It was just the speed at which everything happened needed to be slower. Sakkath had speedrun relationships before it was not good for either party. The immense pressure it put on both people could easily be avoided if both of them had more time to know the other, specifically their boundaries. Sakkath gently combed their fingers through the ends of their hair, their gaze fixed on Nokkul. "What other things have you been studying about Vulcan culture? I assume you know about Surak's teachings?"

He nodded in agreeement. They really were very smart in matters like this. "Yeah that is true, definitely something to think about." He took a moment to recompose himself, feeling quite embarrased. "I've been learning about the food, the art, the interpersonal culture and of Surak's teachings. They are quite enlightening, if more people studied and learned from his teachings, I think this galaxy may be a much safer and peaceful place." He nodded, thinking about his experience learning about Surak's teachings.

"I am not sure if everyone would benefit from Surak. Logic was an elective class in the academy, but from what I heard many people took it as an easy A," Sakkath, of course, did not take the class. Also everyone learned a little about Surak in history class, but they also learned about many other philosophers from around the galaxy. The server soon returned with their food and drinks, placing the items on the table and then walking away to let the two converse in private. "Vulcan philosophy has its flaws too. I would not have done it myself, but I respect the Romulan's decision to leave Vulcan all those years ago during The Sundering. But then again, I am from a reunification family and I share the opinion that the two species should unite again," Sakkath stated, wondering just how much Nokkul's mother taught him about Romulan philosophy. She seemed like a nice woman, they wouldn't be surprised if she left out the unsavoury bits of Romulan culture when raising her Orion son. "Did your mother ever talk to you about reunification?" Sakkath asked as they picked up their cup of tea and began to sip it slowly.

Nokkul took a bite of his pancakes, pondering their question, before nodding and answering. "I would definitely agree with that opinion, although not being Romulan or Vulcan I really don't have any room to have that opinion. My Mother talked about it once or twice, but in general she really never talked about Vulcans at all, only teaching me the basics of Romulan culture, what I know of Vulcan and Vulcans comes from school and what little I learned at the academy. Its truly a shame they don't teach more." He said with a reserved look, feeling slightly out of sorts when talking about the two cultures; he was raised by a Romulan, he should know far more than he did. This was something that required much more thought and consideration than what he could at the moment, still stupefied by the extremely awkward encounter from earlier in the meal. He quickly downed his panckaes, and some of his beverage, wanting to extract himself from the situation as quick as possible, he only hoped that his interal panic did not reflect outwardly to Sakkath as much as he thought it would be.

What was so curious was that Nokkul knew about the Romulan dagger of intent but not about their relationship with the Vulcans? If she wasn't taking a dirt nap, Sakkath would have been interested to speak to Nokkul's mother. She probably had a lot to say, but more importantly they were curious how she curated the bits and pieces of Romulan culture she taught to Nokkul. Maybe Sakkath did know more about Romulans than Nokkul, but they still felt horribly lacking in the subject nonetheless. "I can certainly help you with learning about Vulcans and Surak," Ironic that Sakkath was offering to help Nokkul learn about emotional suppression and control whilst with Syrax they were learning how to relase their emotions. Quite the opposites. "How are the pancakes?" They asked, looking at Nokkul's food and then at their own. The hash browns looked..... Alien. Sakkath was really not sure about eating them, but the tea was good at least, it always was, but tea was hard to mess up.

He picked at his pancakes warily, feeling not as hungry as he had walking in, to be honest he felt alot different now than he had only half an hour ago. How much can change in that quick of time. He grimaced, feeling horribly self concious and pretty low in terms of self confidence. "I actually don't think I am that hungry anymore to be honest, I seemed to have lost my appetite." He said with a slight grimace, the thought of food right now mildly distasteful. He felt kind of icky, he needed to find a way out of this situation. "Thank you for the offer to help me learn! I may take you up on that offer! I think I need to get ready for bed, its pretty late and I have a shift early tomorrow. I appreciate the riviting conversation. It would be nice to meet up for a meal again sometime. Thank you!" He said, depositing the correct amount of latinum to pay for the meal, plus a generous tip before walking out of the diner.

Sakkath nodded slowly, watching as Nokkul picked at his pancakes. He caught sight of the other's grimace and then suddenly the Orion spoke. Sakkath didn't speak, but just listened, their face not betraying their emotions, but their eyes certainly did. As their date began to fumble with grabbing the latinum to pay the bill, they debated saying something. 'Don't leave' or 'you are fine', but for some reason their lips were not moving. Eyes stared, watching the whole scene unfold and before they knew it, they were alone in the booth with a small pile of money beside barely eaten pancakes. *Alone.*

"I seemed to have lost my appetite." "Sakkath, stop staring like that. You are making her uncomfortable. If you are not going to keep your emotions to yourself you can eat in your room."

The cafe fell silent, the soft chattering of others seemed to blend together to create a silent hum. They stared down at their hash potatoes and then at the half drank glass of tea. Nokkul had fled once again. Was he scared of them? Intrigued at first, but then once they got too close to the flames, they bolted. 'Walking volcano', that was right. Vulcans were touch telepaths, but it didn't take telepathy to read the room. They got the message, maybe it was them who was not fit for a relationship. Not when they constnatly pushed people away with only their presence alone. [D] Sakkath waited at the table for only ten minutes more, in hopes of not wasting food they asked for a take away bag. They were going to see if Grivix wanted the food, their beloved roommate.

[D] Before his shift, he stopped into the cafe feeing a rather desperate hankering for some caffiene. The small, light-blue skinned Andorian walked in clad in his duty uniform, although not fully done up, he clearly had just woken up. Walking up to the counter, his head just barely peeking over the top, he looked blearily up at the menu, trying to decide what he wanted.

Ace walked into the cafe. He wanted some iced coffee, and he was going to get it. Plus, definitely a cinnamon roll. He was wearing a leather aviator jacket, and he had curly dark brown hair with the beginnings of a mustache, but otherwise built like a twink. He walked over to the counter and waved to Tyhr.

He gave the Human a look, at the wave. Were they waving to him? Noting the friendly gesture and figuring he should atleast reciprocate it back, he eschewed his usually grumpy, dour countenance for a more relaxed one, waving back at the rather tall Human, a slight upturn to the corner of his mouth, antennae curved forward in interest. He turned to order briefly. "Eight shots of espresso over ice and a butter crossiant." He turned back to Ace giving them a good look, he was attractive with the dark curly hair and leather jacket. A sharp contrast to his own ice-white hair and delicate, almost angelic features along with his compact, somewhat curvy build. Hormones and surgery over the years could only do so much and he didn't plan on fully transitioning phyisically, there were some things he had no plans to change. He spoke in his usual flat, almost Vulcan tone. "Hello, I noticed you waved. Do we know each other? I sometimes forget faces."

Ace first went about ordering his things. “Iced coffee and a cinnamon roll, please!” Then, he turned to Tyhr. Taking another look, this guy was his type. The white hair looked good. Ace had once bleached his hair, but it looked so bad he ended up shaving it. “No, we don’t. I’d like to though!”

At the man's rather confident flirt, he blushed a dark blue from his face, down his neck, all the way to his hands. He typically found interacting with people a chore at best and deeply unpleasant at worst, but he felt a draw to this Human, maybe it was the attraction, maybe it was that he felt like they had a certain something about them that made him interested. When he spoke he couldn't keep the uncharacteristic burst of emotion out of his voice, a certain nervousness that unless someone knew him well, they'd never be able to tell. His antennae curved forward with interest. "Likewise, I am new on board and would be interested in associating with more of the crew. I've interacted with only a very limited part of the crew so far." He straightened his posture, all 4'7" of him standing tall, while the blush still ran rampant on his face. "I am Ensign Tyhr Ch'aranor, the Shuttlebay Flight Controller. And you are?" He said with a slight smirk on his face, giving Ace a curious look.

He smiled. He also felt a sort of attraction to this guy. Although, damn he was short. Ace actually felt tall with his 5’4 ass. “I’m Ace Horowitz, I’m one of the helmsmen. There’s like four of us I’ve met so far. Nice to meet you!”

"Four? That almost seems excessive, unless there are four shifts instead of the regular two for the helm." He said, his large, blue eyes twinkling with curiosity. A half-smile made its way to his mouth, this 'Ace' seemed rather like an excitable puppy. Hs imagined he must have quite a few friends if Ace was this geneial all the time. "Likewise. I have some time before my shift if you'd like to join me?" He said, gesturing to one of the nearby tables, one eyebrow quirked up.

Once he got his cinnamon roll and coffee, he sat down at the table Tyhr gestured to. He took a bite of cinnamon roll and smiled. Fuck, he loved cinnamon rolls. Probably because he was one. “I have a shift with one of them, she’s nice. We went out for dinner last night.”

He took a seat and had a generous pull from his coffee, savoring the cold, dark, bitter flavor, much like himself, he thought. He looked up at the man, eyebrow raising and a slight teasing smirk plastering itself to his face, antennae curved back in levity. "Oh? A date? How did that go?" He held his expression down, only his eyes showing his mirth.

“Oh no, we’re just friends. I’m single.” And ready to find another boyfriend. Dang, he hadnt had one since the Academy. He missed being taken.

He blushed at that comment, why was he so interested in the fact that Ace was single, they had just met. His face turned a dark shade of blue as he looked up at the man, an unusual fluttering feeling in his gut. "Ah, likewise. I imagine on a ship this size there are many opportunities for romantic partners should you ever want one." He took a bite of his crossiant, trying to alleviate some of his uncharacteristic embarrassment. He was usually a very stoic, grumpy man, but something about this Human brought out a different, more amenable side of him...interesting. "I imagine piloting a vessel of this size has its challenges? My experience is with shuttles, which tend to be much more maneuverable and quick."

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a challenge. But, it’s also really fun once you know the systems of the ship. Plus when everything’s routine you can just fuck around until someone needs you for something. And yeah, hopefully there’s some nice guys on this ship. Maybe even the guy sitting in front of me.” He smiled at Tyhr. He took another sip of his iced coffee. It tasted nice.

He paused mid-sip of his coffee, his eyebrows shooting up, antennae going rigid in place. Did this Human really? He had to admit he found the confidence impressive, if not a little amusing. He bit his lip, trying to contain his laughter, an even darker blush making its way to his face. He must look like a twink-shaped blueberry at this point. "I did not imagine helming a starship would be quite so mundane and also I can say with absolute certainty that I have never met a Human quite as confident as you, I am...impressed." With his own typical bluntness, he responded. "You find me attractive then?" He said, tilting his head to the side much like an Earth puppy.

“Yeah, I do. You’re pretty cute. We should hang out in the holodeck, I make holodeck programs as a hobby of sorts. I’ve got a cool flight simulator that can do a bunch of different starships as well as shuttlecrafts.” He had made picnics for Ressa, movie sets, mountain climbing, anything he could think of. He wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge.

He looked up at Ace with wide eyes, amazed by his candor and more attracted than he thought he would be at the sheer confidence. He gave him a slight smile, straightening his posture before answering. "That would be acceptable, I have yet to utilize the holodeck since I've been on board, and I would be interested to see your skills in the center seat. You are also very attractive, and tall, as most humans are." He smirked slightly before taking a sip of his coffee. "I like tall men."

“Though, like, heads up, I’m extremely asexual, so.. yea. Anyway, I am not tall at all, I’m like 5’4. Everyone I know is taller than me except for one girl.” It felt good being called tall. There were certain benefits to being around short people, he supposed.

He nodded, he figured now would be a good juncture to respond in kind with his own rather personal information that has hampered him in the dating scene before. "That is agreeable to know, as I too am asexual, I am also transgender, I utilize he/him pronouns, but they/them is also acceptable as well." He said in his usual flat tone, face relaxed and neutral. "Well, now you know someone else who is shorter than you. I have always been small, it is something I get from my Mother. He is also on the smaller side. My Brother and Father got all the height genes in my family." He gave them a small, humorous smile, having shown much more emotion than usual in this interaction, compared to one with his friend Sakkath where he is much more reserved in nature.

“You use he/they too? And we’re both asexual? Nice. And yeah, my sister got all the height in my family.” Halcyon was a Tall Girl at 6 foot even. She could pick him up and carry him around, something he very much liked as a child. They were just.. mm. Healthy sibling relationship where everyone loved and respected each other.

He noddedly sharply, they had alot of similarities, something he didn't expect to share, especially with a Human. He finished his espresso, moving on to the crossiant, taking a bite before answering. "It is interesting we have so many similarities. I've never really interacted with Humans much, but your people seem very friendly, atleast compared to my own people. What do you do in your off time?" He asked, his face showing genuine interest.

“I guess I’m the same. I haven’t met many Andorians. Oh, and I like knitting and sports. I made a baseball program in the holodeck once, it was pretty fun.*

He nodded, finishing his croissiant, looking up at Ace, a cute, curious look on his face. "That is an interesting combination of things, you are a rather fascinating person. I can say my off duty interests are a lot less...varied. I mostly prefer to study history and perform simulations in relation to my work." He gave Ace another intense look, taking in every detail. He was quite defined, his face disctinct and handsome. "What do you look for in a romantic partner?" (edited)

“I’m just looking for a nice, honest guy that I can talk to and be myself around. Plus, it helps if he likes horror movies. I love horror movies.” Ace’s favorite franchise was Final Destination, but he also was a big fan of Carrie. Surprisingly, not a fan of Saw. He always thought it was a tad too gory for his liking.

He grinned slightly, looking at Ace with no small amount of interest. He finished his meal, leaning back into his seat, feeling rather comfortable around the Human. Not something he was used to feeling to be completely honest. "Inteteresting, I feel like I have most of those qualities, I do not know what a 'horror movie' is thought? Is it some kind of Human cultural ritual? Or perhaps a festival?" He looked confused at the term.

“Horror movies are movies designed to scare or shock you. Sometimes they just shock you with the violence, though other times they can really make you think about how horrible the events in the movie really are” Ace would not survive in Final Destination. He would die in a very very preventable accident because he was very much an idiot when he wasn’t at the helm of a starship. Lovable, but an idiot. Golden retriever energy. He finished the rest of his cinnamon roll, now only his iced coffee remaining.

"Ah, that sounds fascinating. Humans have the best sense of imagination and media. I would love to watch one of these 'horror movies' with you, though I am a bit...skittish with fear, there may be a case where I will need to cover my eyes, I'm rather intolerant to scary things." For someone so big in comparison to himself, Ace was rather, cute. An interesting dichotomy. "If it were a real life situation, I would be sure to protect you." He said, a small smirk on his face. "I'm deeply protective of people I care about." Tyhr, as much as his stature and appearance would suggest, would do quite well in a horror movie, he was smart, and tactially proficcient, he would end up being taken out by trying to protect Ace as he was fiercly proctective of those he cared about.

“And I would protect you too! But I’d protect anyone who needed it.” If Tyhr got taken out protecting him in a horror movie, Ace would go full rage mode and take down the villain. Ace would win from sheer rage.

He grinned wider than usual, Ace was especially sweet, it was quite...endearing. He was glad to have met the silly Human. As much as he was not a fan of hiding behind his stoicism, he enjoyed the prescence of the Human. "That is quite sweet of you. Something I've noticed about many Humans is they are quite...cuddly. Are you the same way? Not many other species are the same, I myself only like being touched by people I trust."

“Yeah, I’m definitely more a physical touch kind of person. But there are some of us who don’t like it. We’re not all cuddly, not by a long shot.” Ace would hug anyone who needed it. He gave very good hugs, expected for this ball of sunshine in human form.

He snorted, giggling quietly, looking incredulously at the Human. "You may be the most Human, Human I have ever met." He shook his head with a slight smile on his face. Ace seemed like someone he'd love to spend some more time with, a very positive, happy person. "I would not be opposed to...cuddling with you. Perhaps we could while watching a horror movie. Humans are fascinating, I would be agreeable to do more research into your species."

“I’d like that. Maybe in your quarters? I don’t think my roommate would appreciate you screaming in terror.” Unless T’Kara had really good soundproofing. Plus his room was a hot mess at all times of the day and he didn’t feel like cleaning it at the moment.

"That sounds very acceptable, I have yet to meet my roommate, at this point she is practically mythicologoical." He said with a slight grin, finding the idea humorous. Giving Ace a flirty smile, he continued. "I am not one to scream, I'd be more likely to hide my face in your rather wide shoulder." He said, openly checking him out once again.

“Yeah, so long as leather doesn’t bother you. I know some people are kind of sensitive about the whole animal thing.” His friend T’Asha once said she would never even touch a dead animal’s skin, much less wear it. His jacket was real leather, probably expensive. He didn’t know because Ressa got it for him.

He grunted, snuggling into his seat looking up at Ace with a tilted head, captivated by the Human. "I am not bothered compared to most of my non-human brethren. We have a similar animal on Andoria that we use for meat and fabric. A part of the life cycle. It would be more than worth if for a chance to cuddle with you." He said with a solitary nod, accepting their fate.

“Honestly, I don’t know much about Andorian culture. You’ll have to teach me.” He didn’t mean this in a suggestive way, just a mattter of fact. He wasn’t suggestive about anything. He was usually very blunt.

"It would be agreeable to do so. You will have to teach me about Human culture in kind then." He finished his breakfast, checking the time on his padd, seeing that it was almost time for his shift. "This has been a most enjoyable encounter, we will have to have a repeat soon." He said with a slight grin, getting up and walking to the counter, leaving a few strips of latinum. He turned briefly to Ace, giving him another wave and walking out.

Whilst everyone enjoyed the festivities off the ship. The Doctor found herself here, able to enjoy a spot of tea in peace as she gazed out into the stars. Well, as far as she could see without being blocked by the hull of the space dock. The quietness of the room even allowed her to catch up on her reports. She settled at a table in the dead center of the room. And allowed her work flow to cross over into multiple PADDs. True, she could’ve easily done this in her office, but the atmosphere wasn’t the same.

Konrad entered the cafe and somewhere along the way from the starbase to here he had made a stop to change into his uniform and a shower to get rid of that liquor smell from the new year party, he saw another person in the Cafe but decided to simply let them be in peace as he grabbed a cup of coffee and sat down at a place by the wall but facing the empty void of space with a few lights here and there. Konrad took a sip of the coffee and let out a deep sigh of relief as he put his forehead down on the table with hands on top, thinking was what he was doing or at least trying to, he enjoyed the peace and quiet, it let him wander deep into his thoughts almost daydreaming.

The Doctor didn’t bat an eye when the new body entered the room. She simply proceeded to collect her gear and head toward the larger windows again for another peak into space. Coming closer to individual who had just entered, the cross near his table was inevitable. She would only be there for a few seconds anyway. She may as well address the young officer. She didn’t recognize his face, he must’ve been one of those new transfers. But she tried not to stare too long. “Lovely night isn’t it? At least. I think it’s night, sometimes I loose track of the time and space being pitch black doesn’t exactly help in that endeavor.” The Doctor said chuckling. While she looked out with arms positioned neatly behind her back.

Konrad startled by the voice awoke from his 'daydreaming' like a cat that had just been taken by surprise, he cleared his throat as he looked to the source- well, he did remember people getting a tad angry at him when he saluted them off duty so refrained from that. "I suppose it is a lovely night... Well I suppose it's sort of... Always night in Space, right?" He said as he sipped from his coffee and rubbed his face, maybe a bit to many drinks just maybe but he was still very much functioning. "Oh, I am Ensign Konrad Nordahl, I don't believe we have met before, since I just recently arrived here from my... Previous posting." He had a relaxed expression as well as tone, working out and and a good meal usually did the trick- and maybe that Moscow Mule had something to do with it as well

“Commander Angela Olson.” The CMO replied, before making eye contact with the Ensign. “I’m sorry? It wasn’t my intention to startle you.” She replied quickly after she had made her introduction. “You’re a little jumpy aren’t you? We aren’t even at red alert yet.” The Doctor chimed preparing to depart. “Any way, I’m sorry if I’ve disturbed you. I was just on my way out anyway, and just couldn’t fathom the idea of walking past you without saying anything.” She replied with a soft smile, theory confirmed, he was indeed from another ship. But what was such a nice looking young man doing in here alone? Surely the festivities couldn’t have ended so quickly, she had a bad sense of time. But she knew it was at least before midnight. And in the olden times the parties usually lasted up until 0000 hours.

"It's a pleasure to meet you and no I'm sorry I've just been a bit on edge these past few days." Konrad shook his head both because why he was talking this much today and he wasn't disturbed at all, surprisingly. "No you didn't disturb me at all, better than being with a room full of people, not in a rude way of course." Ruh roh, he said that last part out loud, fuck would be his usual thought when it happened but not this time, it was blank sort of like space before them or rather a piece of paper.

The Doctor chortled and then continued. “Agreed, I have been designated a people person on several occasions, however. There are times I do wish the room were cleared. You’re probably thinking I’m a counselor. I’m not. Far from it. Would it help if you had someone to talk to? I’m not busy at all, I could use the distraction.”

Well people can be indeed exhausting at times, he thought. Konrad listened attentively, he raised an eyebrow but quickly returned it to it's normal state as he thought why on earth he would need a counsellor well it didn't take long to realize even a fool could see it, he took a deep silent inhale "I wouldn't want to trouble you but I suppose, I do." He said as he put his hands together placing them on the table

“You aren’t troubling me at all. In fact it’s somewhat the responsibility of Senior Officers to check in on the Junior Officers. We don’t necessarily have to be in the same department to do so.” She said settling in the chair across from him. The stack of PADDS finding a place on the table as well. “Especially if it’s a newer transfer. I’ve been serving a long time, and I’ve gotten the jitters when moving from post to post. Not to say yours and my issues are the same as of this particular moment, rather the fact that I’ve probably been where you have been before- unless of course you have an entirely different problem. Which in that case my experience is rendered entirely useless.” She avoided the soft somewhat patronizing tone that some counselors often inhibited, because again she was not one. So she didn’t need to impersonate one. She flagged down the serving person again, and ordered herself another beverage. This time a Frappuccino.

Konrad listened carefully to her words and nodded with yet another silent inhale "Well I guess I am... I don't know the right words to describe it but I'll try, on edge? Afraid? I mean ever since the USS Cappy was destroyed, I lost most of the only friends I had and the only ones I really truly made in my life, and I guess what I am afraid of is trying to make friends now, but how? To be honest I'm not someone that makes the first move in a social interaction that's not work related." He leaned back in his chair taking a sip from his coffee as he took deep inhales and exhales to keep himself in check before speaking again "I am unable to adapt like the way I have done in the past." He added before sipping some more coffee, regular coffee was good sometimes and sometimes was now

“Well, I’m just going to presume that was your previous post and therefor you’re still grieving the loss of these people. So it’s understandable if you would want to sort of close yourself off. You’ve only been here a short time, so what’s the rush to make friends so quickly? If you ask me, you’re right in taking your time. But you shouldn’t be afraid to reach out whenever you are ready, because if you stop yourself every time you loose someone serving on a ship. You’ll be alone forever. As grim as it is, we all know the risks of the uniform, and therefor cannot predict whether the day will end with all of us sitting across from the one another at the table, or if we’ll be morning the loss of one of our own. It’s just the Starfleet way, space is dangerous. Having friends on the same ship on which you serve is dangerous. But that’s just a risk you’ll have to take.” She responded, she knew perhaps better than anyone else, she’s seen just about every type of officer or civilian in sickbay crying over the loss of their husband, wife, brother, best friend. It took them a while but eventually they made new friends found new people to love. “Just as long as you remember and keep them close to your heart. As cliché as that sounds.” She said taking a swig of her drink.

Konrad listened yet again carefully to the words, what was exactly the rush? He didn't exactly know but it was more of a feeling of loneliness "I knew the risks putting on the uniform though anything in my mind was better than home, but it still doesn't lighten the burden and I guess the rush for gaining friends is that I've been feeling lonely." He chuckled at himself for his last words there "Even though I'm not an outgoing person, I wish that those friend were not assigned to the same ship as I, we had all been friends at the academy there really wasn't anyone else." He sighed, he was about to take another sip from his coffee if there was anything left to even sip, he rubbed his eyes trying to hide the fact it was getting to him. "I'll just have deal with it... I ids int." The last part he didn't say in English rather Swedish northern accent but even with the UT it didn't understand it since it was relatively old & new ish accent that had/have developed.

“I get you. But remember you’re still very young. No matter how long you take. The people will still be there. Waiting to make your acquaintance. And if all else fails. You could always transfer to another posting. I hear starbases don’t see too much action. More like city life, have you tried looking at 777? We’re docked right now. Why don’t you try getting a feel for some of the people and the departments. Perhaps a career change is in order.” She suggested, 777 seemed like a nice place to get some down time in. And she was sure that a base such as this one was armed to the teeth, so attacking it head on would be a pretty unintelligent thing to do. Especially considering they probably have a small fleet of shuttles at their disposal. Starships were dangerous.

Konrad nodded, even 'if all else fails' he wouldn't transfer to another posting, he had taken some few inhales and exhales to calm his nerves and it seemed to be working to some extent, he chuckled "Well I was never one for city life, I was raised... Pretty isolated, beautiful forests and mountains nearby with snow on top, and my ol' dog Kalle, I- anyways, I am indeed... But my place is here now and I will have to adapt one way or another, besides I wouldn't be of much use on a Starbase." He said as he adjusted his collar on the uniform

“Well, if you believe your place is aboard this ship. Then who am I to tell you it is not.” The Doctor chimed after, moving to take yet another sip of her drink. “Well, to be fair, this ship has a complement of over 900 people. That’s not exactly a small town in terms of starship population.” She commented, there were indeed a lot of people on the Rapture. But in the past there were thousands of individuals on board a craft at once. Now those were true cities in space. It was almost sad they didn’t build ships like that on the regular anymore. But with the advances in technology. The logical step was obviously to shrink their craft so they could construct more at a time.

Konrad crossed his arms leaning back in his chair as he listened. "Well bigger than my hometown and I thought that place was big.." He did a half-ass smile, usually his smiles looked like he was high as heaven on something but not this time just a regular. "Thank you, Commander." Well, to be honest he wouldn't have realized the obvious himself without some sort of help from the outside, but he was glad he did and asking for help sometimes didn't seem to bad either. "Also just out of curiosity, have you ever been to Scandinavia? Because you're last name is pretty common where I am from- just asking out of curiosity of course."

The Doctor scoffed, but playfully so. “No, I’m not in fact I’m not even from Earth. I’m from a colony, in the Alpha Quadrant of course.” She added, she hadn’t quite thought of that old place in a long while. “Things fell through to say the least. But we got out of there alive. And I’m grateful for that. I find now I make my home where my post is. So now I suppose the Rapture is my home now.” While her parents did reside on Vulcan. That was more a vacation home to her. “But, for Earth I do try to get back whenever I can.”

Konrad listened, he felt a bit bad about asking a question that seemed sensitive at least it would be to him but that's what it sounded like to him. "I apologize for asking, and sorry." He thought for a minute, Cappy had been his home for four years. "I'm glad to hear it, truly and Scandinavia on Earth is a wonderful place especially for someone that is interested in nature." Well anyone interested in not burning down the forests were fine

“No it’s quite alright. It happened a long time ago. I’ll have to get around sometime. Now that we have the transporters and shuttles I’m sure that it wouldn’t be too difficult to arrange. I want to try and get to as many places on Earth as I can.” The Doctor thought for a moment, tapping the side of her mug thinking before continuing. “I think I might get a boat. Can’t fly around space forever. Perhaps it’s time I start thinking about where I’m actually going to settle down.”

Konrad waited for the Commander to finish speaking, of course he listened to her as well, he got a waiter to bring him another cup of coffee with some milk this time. "Well there's certainly much to see on Earth, a boat? Oh I've never actually been in a boat- other than an old fashioned rowing boat, but not the best option to use travelling over a large area." He chuckled as he sipped some coffee before he continued "Well, I had a friend at the academy who grew up on a boat so maybe that's something? I mean settle down wherever with a boat." He shrugged

The Commander thought about trying to survive earth on a row boat. And to say the least she could not imagine being alive much too long whenever a storm hit. The thought was unpleasant. “Well, I suppose I was thinking something a bit more sophisticated. Those exploration yachts can carry some weight. But then again, if I’m still gonna be exploring I had better find a crew. Or perhaps I’ll open my own practice. Or command a medical ship. I’m not in any rush to change from blue to red, but I think it’ll be a good transition to be on a vessel focusing on saving lives instead of exploring. That’s where most CMOs my age end up anyway- unless they go to teach at the Academy. But I’ve been there and have done that. And I’m in no rush to get back on that horse. But that’s a story for another day, perhaps even another life, I’m in no rush to retire anytime soon. I still haven’t gotten my turn on an away mission. And I intend to try just about everything on this ship before I walk off of it for the last time.”

Konrad sipped his coffee again as he listened, how many coffee's had he even drank today? Maybe a bit to much but that wouldn't be a problem at least not going to sleep with coffee in his system, he chuckled at the thought off being on a row boat around the world "Well surviving on a row boat over seas is a death sentence I meant more of a one manned vessel, some are apparently quite easy to maintain yourself and with what I heard today over the years some are far to luxurious for my taste. But well one day at a time, thinking about the future is good as long as one doesn't get stuck there, to be honest Commander you look to be just around the age my mother would have been today, so indeed no rush." He gave a smile before he took yet another few sips from his cup of coffee, the warmth was pleasant, not to warm not cold either just the perfect temperature.

“I take that as a complement and I think you.” She said raising her mug halfway in the air to signal a toast then she finished the drink off. “Well, I may look 50 but I can assure you I’m much older. And the new year has just barely begun and I’m talking about what I’m gonna do when I retire. Perhaps this will be the year I finally settle down. But I’ll never take some stuffy desk job that’s for sure. Unless it’s a desk on a starship, and that ship is traveling down a wormhole and hitting turbulence like there’s no tomorrow. I think I might honestly just travel the Galaxy until I pass on. Can’t really complain- I think I’ve had a solid life, and I will continue to do so. That’s certainly for sure.”

Konrad joined the commander in the little toast, coffee but he wasn't planning on having any more Moscow Mules for at least another week or two so coffee would have to do. "Well a friend I had said that people age and look differently due to how their personality and lifestyle is, and changed accordingly, call it Karma, would explain my father." He let out a short laugh at his last words before he continued "But scientific explanation would more likely be due to a unique combination of our parents and the climate, well as you probably already know Commander. A desk job would not be something for me either and hopefully travelling down a wormhole won't be on the list for this year or the next." He felt rather relaxed at the moment and it was showing, both because of working out, some drinks and being able to talk to someone even if they were the ones to approach him again this time.

The Doctor nodded along with the Ensign and added on. “Well, with that in mind what do you see yourself doing in the future as you rise the ranks. Perhaps head up an instillation of your own someday?” She added, she still couldn’t tell if he was Tactical or Command. Likely the ladder. Perhaps a helmsman? He had to be, she had seen a bit of the roster and was shocked to find there was an abundance of helmsman aboard the ship, not that you could really complain about having too many helmsman. They’re going to have to fight over the helm whenever they came under fire. In fact Angela quite literally wondered what the helmsman did whenever they weren’t at the helm. Aside from the standard report filing, a matter she’ll have to investigate sometime.

Konrad sighed more a sigh of what to say "I don't really have anything in mind but to continue serving, wherever that might be, though honestly I don't care that much for rising up the ranks, I just wish to do my duties as an Infantry Officer since well, I've honestly never been happier in life than on a starship, even if it might not always look like though." his let out another short laugh as he sipped his coffee, he scratched his stubble ish beard like he usually did when thinking of something in particular, whatever that was who knows but Konrad himself.

“That’s a first, usually you young Officers are eager to get to a Senior Position as fast as possible. At least that’s the way me and my colleagues were. Perhaps I should’ve let my career burn slower, it would mean much less paper work for me.” She said chuckling, the constant reminder of Senior responsibility taunting her in the form of PADDS sitting on the table. Luckily much of it was completed. And the fun could finally begin, she need to meet with her young protégé some time again and the near future. And call a meeting of the medical staff once again to discuss the latest topic’s concerning the department.

"Well." He said sipping his coffee yet again before continuing "I don't have any rush, I'm not one to lead besides besides can't rush in life it will eventually catch up as I've come to realize." He drank up the little remaining coffee in his cup and before he knew it he had ordered another one, he leaned back putting one leg over the other and a new cup of coffee in hand "The importance of smaller steps... I always think of it like an old wooden bridge, planks that are to far apart from each other mean you won't get anywhere but if you add some between them you can, there's a lot of sayings for it but some of us find our own."