Warrior's Mess (Part 5 of 10)

Posted on 30 Apr 2015 @ 6:39pm by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy & Ensign Arandon Khnailmnae Ph.D. & Ambassador Solene von Lanthen & Nesh Saalm

1,935 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 08 - NIMBUS
Location: IKS CharghwI' - Deck 18, Dining Hall
Timeline: MD 01 - 2310 hrs

Previously, on Warrior's Mess (Part 4)...

Dark eyes studied the woman, then he nodded. "I understand ma'am," he answered softly, "it happens... I haven't been having much of an appetite lately either."

Not knowing the man, Dru wasn't certain whether or not to read into his statement. There could be any reasonable explination for his lack of appitite, look at her own situation.

"What is your job when you're not making conversation with strangers?" Dru smiled at this statement, hoping to help pull the man a little out of his shell.

And Now, the Continuation...

[ON]

"I'm currently serving as Galileo's helmsman but normally I'm a support craft pilot ma'am. I'm also qualfied to fly Razors." Shyly, he held out his hand to her. "Cadet Wintrow Paragon, sophomore grade ma'am," he introduced himself.

Hesitating for a moment, Dru then took the offered hand with a smile as she gave the boy's hand a gentle shake. "You can call me Dru. I'm not very used to the professionalism of Ma'am and rank. Razors....it's a rarity these days that you get a ship equipment with those fighters."

"My dad taught me it's polite to address a lady as ma'am," Wintrow explained, really not sure it was right to address her by her name. "My last assignment had Razors, and I love flying. What do you do ma'am?"

Her position was always a sore point in conversation in casual situations. Moving her hands, she rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm one of the ship's counsellors. A lot different to flying."

"Quite a bit ma'am. But no less difficult, of that I'm certain," the youth replied without so much as a flinch. It was evident the teenager was used to speaking with counsellors, and that her profession didn't deter him in the slightest. "Both require dedication, and concentration."

Dru found herself smiling at the response as she studied the man a little more carefully. "Most people run and hide when they hear my profession; or at least put a guard up and talk about how like to avoid people in my profession. Have you a family member in the medical or counselling profession?"

Wintrow shook his head. "No ma'am, but I've had my fair share of sessions as I'm sure you can read in my medical records...and I even sat in on a few when I was seventeen, to see if it was something for me. I love to help people when I am able to, but flying is my passion."

Dru smiled at the young man as the sounds of arguments, laughter and merriment echoed around them both. "I wouldn't have any reason to read your file unless your my patient; to do otherwise without reason would be both a breech of moral and ethical merits. Are you linked in with any of our counsellors currently?"

"Not with any that are still here," Wintrow answered solemnly. "I spoke with Counsellor West...once. And with Father Walker, again just once." He gestured towards the party. "I'll make an appointment later...I'll leave you to the festivities, I'm going to have a wander around." He smiled guardedly. "Good day ma'am." Obviously, he wasn't ready to talk about whatever he really needed to talk about. And that alone, was a red flag.

As Dru watched the young man wander away she wasn't quite sure what to think of it. Walker was still on the crew...it was just down to him and her at the moment. On one hand the change in his body language and signals of raised guards had her concerned but on the other her hands were tied unless he came to her or he was referred by medical.

Letting out a small sigh, Dru turned her attention back to the room; a pine of loneliness drifting through her consciousness as she realised how much she was missing Markum being here. It seemed that it was to be a long night of trying to mingle ahead.

Solene and Arandon were some of the Galileo's snappiest dressers and after their conversation earlier, made quite the pair as they strode elegantly into the Mess Hall, as fashionably late as they were fashionably dressed. In contrast to the nebulous white outfit she had worn on the tour of the Galileo, Solene was now dressed in a form fitting, but still draping, dark red dress, nearest to the color of iron based blood as one could get and then some. Her signature white hair was slicked back and fell straight down the back of her dress, giving it a certain wet aesthetic. Arandon had adopted a certain variation of Solene's usually hair asthetic, having it all stand up and flow backwards in a coif, a conservative one though. It stood in comparison to Solene's voluminous, intricate mass of hair that she displayed this morning. It also put Arandon's ears on full display, perhaps not the wisest choice in a room full of Klingons but for all they knew, he could be half Vulcan. Truth be told, he never considered how other species discerned between Vulcans and Romulans.

Not that anyone would notice the faux pas, but Arandon was dressed in the same outfit he had worn to his dinner with Mott. Swapping out the plain black, opera length gloves for a pair of forearmed length ones of he same color, but with a near neon strip of blue panneling down the backs.

As they surveyed the room, Solene and Arandon made use of their keen observational skills. "I think we clash." Arandon muttered, but not changing his face as he continued to look around.

"Told you not to wear the blue." Solene also muttered, her expression more open and inviting than Arandon's but still in possession of a regal quality. While Arandon shot her a sideways glance, she gently pulled their linked arms towards the Admiral's table.

"Admiral," Solene announced as she neared Lirha on Arandon's arm. "What a pleasure to finally meet you at last." She said, stopping at the table to look around and posture herself gracefully, while Arandon stood near rigidly, loosening only a bit at the sight of some familiar faces.

Lirha turned and took in the appearance of an older purple-collared lady with strikingly white hair. She didn't think she had ever met her before, and smiled politely before addressing her. "Hello. It is nice to meet you too, miss...?"

"Solene von Lanthen, and my companion, Doctor Arandon Khnailmnae." Solene said, using her free hand to gesture to the tall half-Romulan whose arm she was hanging off of. "We had the fortune of meeting your sister on the way here, I'm afraid where we are fashionably late, she is just.... late." Solene said, not letting Arandon meek out a 'hello' and possibly as a quip to lighten the mood. "She must have gotten distracted on the way here, she was right behind us a few minutes ago." Solene explained further.

"Oh?" mused Lirha. She was surprised Nesh had decided to come. Actually on second thought, she wasn't. Wherever there was a social hangout, gathering, or party, her little sister was usually somewhere to be found, and she couldn't imagine Nesh would have passed on exotic food and bloodwine. "Is she here?" she asked Solene and Arandon.

Solene stared past the table to the other side of the mess hall to see a young green skinned woman surrounded by Klingon men seemingly more than twice her size. Clearly she was enjoying herself but Solene wasn't so sure if that was a good idea being a lone Orion girl among six or seven different Klingon men. "Well..." Solene started with a slight grimace. "...after a fashion."

Lirha wasn't familiar with that phrase and tilted her head curiously to the side. "What do you mean?" she asked, wondering if it was some sort of idiom.

"Oh, um..." Solene raised a hand to her head.

Arandon spoke up. "Meaning something has been done, but haphazardly or not correctly." He said, relaying the textbook definition he had been given during his Federation Standard lessons when he had asked the same question.

So Nesh was here. But haphazardly or not correctly? Lirha craned her head to look around through the crowded mass of Klingons and Starfleet personnel. Fortunately, there were only two other Orions present, one whom she wasn't familiar with yet, meaning the other was easily identifiable as her sister. And she appeared to be chatting with a group of Klingons very non-chalantly.

"Nesh!" Lirha called out, waving her green hand to catch her attention and wave her over.

Nesh continued to twirl her hair for a moment and smile at the assemblage of masculine energy around her before looking over at Lirha, her eyes catching her hand. With a look Nesh tried to fend off Lirha's summons, indicating that she was otherwise occupied with several flicks of her eyes.

"Ah to be young," Solene said, perhaps a bit sarcastically. "I don't think I was ever like that though, were either of you?" Solene asked, off-handedly curious.

Arandon didn't respond vocally, merely reviewing his more... 'open' days as a younger man.

Lirha sighed with a bit of frustration after watching Nesh continue on with her young self while not heeding the older Orion's invitation. "NESH!" she repeated, this time with her signature -come-here-now tonality echoing across the dining hall.

There was a moment of silence as the call cut through the once blusterous assemblage of Klingon and Federation officers. Nesh smiled awkwardly for a moment to her admirers before turning her head towards Lirha, giving her an annoyed glare. "What?" She angrily mouthed to her sister, not crossing the room. Now she was certainly less inclined to do so after that display from her sister.

"COME HERE!" The older Orion mouthed, exaggerating her facial expressions and giving Nesh that sisterly look to comply. The last thing she wanted was for her sister to be wooed by an entire group of Klingons and wake up hungover not remembering what she had done.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

RADM Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Atlas

CAPT Jonathan Holliday
Commanding Officer
USS Chronos

Ensign T'Vanna Murray
Chief of Operations
USS Aventia

Lieutenant j.g. Naois Mercy
Chief Medical Officer
USS Nautilus
[PNPC T'Vanna]

CPO Tyrion Faye
Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC T'Vanna]

Cadet SO Wintrow Paragon
Helmsman
USS Galileo
[PNPC T'Vanna]

Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy
Assistant Chief Counsellor
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (JG) Tuula Voutilainen
Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Ensign K'os Beaumont
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Executive Officer
USS Nautilus

LCDR Allyndra Warraquin
First Officer
USS Galileo

LTJG Luke Wyatt
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

CPO Keval Grayson
Operations Officer
USS Galileo

LTJG Grayson Jones
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Galileo

LTJG Emmarie
Asst. Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo

PO2 Eva Kovalev
Propulsion Specialist
USS Galileo
[PNPC Zhao]

LCDR Norvi Stace
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

ENS Janna Voutilainen
Stellar Cartographer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Olsam Mott, M.D.
Acting Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Crewman Apprentice Sigrid Thelin
Scientist's Mate
USS Galileo
[PNPC K'os Beaumont]

LTJG Benice Gyce
Security Investigations Officer
USS Galileo

LCDR Dea Mialin
Commanding Officer
USS Aventia

LT Jared Nicholas
Linguist
USS Galileo

LT Min Zhao
Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo

AMB Solene von Lanthen
Diplomat
USS Galileo
[PNPC Khnailmnae]

CDT Nesh Saalm
Scientist's Mate
USS Galileo
[PNPC Khnailmnae]

Arandon Khnailmnae
Botanist
USS Galileo

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