Greetings I [18+]

Posted on 23 Mar 2013 @ 10:34pm by Crewman Jaeih & Crewman Athlen
Edited on on 23 Mar 2013 @ 10:41pm

1,217 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo: Multipurpose Laboratory
Timeline: MD04: 0820 hrs

[ON]

There were many things about Vulcan culture that still perplexed and distracted Jaeih, but it had its benefits as well. Namely what she had begun to think of as The Look, a tool that had far more uses among other cultures than it ever would have among either of the cultures from which she'd sprung. The Look was bland and bored, yet incisive; an expression that expressed both apathy and impatience at once. Nearly every Vulcan had one. Nearly every Romulan had a joke about one. Yet that small difference was enough, when wearing the expression on her own face, to make her first impression primarily Vulcan, and to make people she didn't want to interact with give her a wide berth. 'Vulcan At Work - Do Not Interrupt'; it could easily have been painted in red across her chest as she clipped to the turbolift and rode down to the multi-purpose laboratories in search of the Rigelian who had outed her.

Her lip twitched slightly in irritation, but she'd calmed it by the time she stepped off the turbo-lift. So much cream and chrome. She released the desire to sigh and approached the laboratory with her stack of PADDs. "Crewman Athlen," she spoke with the clipped accent of a Vulcan native. "Lieutenant Liyar sent you this," she offered the PADD in question.

Athlen looked up from his terminal and smiled warmly at her, standing up to greet her. He was either oblivious to The Look or used to it after nearly a month of working day and night alongside a Vulcan. A particularly impatient Vulcan, at that. "Crewman Jaeih, yes." His own accent and mannerisms were neither Vulcan nor Romulan, and despite his physiology, it was an alarmingly alien difference. Romulans were emotional, but regimented. Rigelians were open. There was no hint of guile or deception in his body language. "Thank-you." He took the PADD and skimmed it. MS1. That this was the first request hardly shocked him. He flagged it and continued. Taranis IV. Sikar VII. Trajek XI. Sol III. Oriyan V. Rigel V. He flipped through the pages with a finger and created a separate column, beginning what Liyar often referred to as a priority list. MS1 was dragged up to the top.

Then he focused his attention on the Romulan/Vulcan hybrid in front of him. He took note of the fact that she hid her forehead, and that she spoke with a primarily Vulcan demeanor. Faevren had told him directly, that she was Romulan. Had in fact said she was more Romulan than she was Vulcan. Yet, she had the bearing of a Vulcan. Athlen may not have been as intelligent as his coworkers were, but he wasn't stupid, either. He realized very quickly that her Romulan heritage must have been a secret. Faevren had told him specifically, to... warn Liyar? But, he shook his head. Even if he hadn't told Liyar, he doubted Jaeih would remain hidden for long. He frowned to himself and sat down in front of her. It was rude to stand in the presence of an elder unless it was by guard. In that, he ironically knew, there had been little change in any of their culture.

"May I interrupt your work for a moment?" she asked.

Athlen set aside the PADD on the desk in front of him. The chair was angled outward slightly, so that he was facing her and he nodded. "Yes," he said curiously, watching her owlishly.

"I appreciate it." Jaeih stepped inside the room and shut the door behind her. "You and I are going to have a conversation now." She eyed him, "Who are you?"

Athlen blinked at the question. "Athlen thrash-khan Rhias of the Southern Hemisphere of Rigel V." He answered it with a slightly questioning lilt. "Is this an intimidation attempt?" he asked, in such a blunt way that it wasn't accusatory. He didn't think he'd ever been intimidated by someone before. It was an unnerving experience. "Because, I have to say, it is working quite well." He tilted his head to the side.

"Think you're funny?" she asked, lifting her chin. She knew of Rigelian connections to Vulcan, but she didn't have enough details about just where and how far those connections went. "What business is it of yours, Athlen thrash-khan Rhias of the Southern Hemisphere of Rigel V, who I am or where I come from?"

"It's my job," Athlen said with a shrug. "My secondary position aboard Galileo is running diplomatic admin. Which your arrival fell under. I passed along the information I was given. If you have an issue with the information, then you should speak with Faevren. He commed me to tell me that you would be coming on board. The Venture records hadn't yet come, so I gave Lieutenant Liyar what I knew. What business is it of yours intimidating people?" he blurted out angrily before he could take it back, and his face quickly became meek. "...Ma'am."

"Faevren," she repeated, ignoring his burst of anger. She could have enjoyed a fight, but brawling in the labs her first day on board wouldn't go far towards her intention to stay under the radar. "Who is he?"

"Faevren tr'Kilar. He's a doctor, he worked at Ka'veya. He now works at the Miran refugee site," Athlen supplied dutifully, folding his hands on his lap. "If I die, it probably won't be very good for you, so, please don't kill me." He smiled awkwardly.

Tr'Kilar. Rage boiled. She released it on a hundred quick exhales, her lungs pumping air out through her nostrils. "I have no intention of killing you," she murmured. "We're having a conversation. You're being very helpful." She took a step closer, "Was the Lieutenant the only one you passed this information along to?"

"Of course," Athlen nodded, speaking truthfully.

"When the Venture transfers my Starfleet dossier," her voice dropped lower as she stepped still closer. "I would appreciate your using the official information. Not hearsay from the idle. Would you do me that favor?"

Athlen turned to the side for a moment, holding a hand up as his PADD blinked. He picked it up and read it. In the future, you will use these records instead, when referring to Crewman Jaeih. Her Romulan heritage is not to be discussed outside of myself, and Crewman Jaeih. That is a direct order. ~Lt. Liyar He looked up. Then down. Then up again. "Certainly. I apologize, that I inconvenienced you. Your orders are right here, Crewman Jaeih ko'T'Ekkhae of the House RIyosh." He smiled.

Jaeih touched his cheek lightly. "Thank you. Perhaps we can try again on better footing."

Athlen unconsciously tipped his face up. Rigelians were known for being touchy people and it was rare and nice when it occurred. He realized, though, that she'd been intimidating, and now she was not, which unbalanced him. Also, Vulcans and Romulans did not do such things casually. He inhaled and arched his eyebrows up at her. "Hi. I'm Athlen."

"Hi," she smiled, rubbing her thumb over his cheek. "I'm Jaeih."

[OFF]

Crewman Athlen
Sociologist, SSC
USS Galileo

Crewman Jaeih
Diplomatic Officer, DDT/SDD
USS Galileo

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