Tales Don't Tell Themselves

Posted on 18 Apr 2014 @ 7:52pm by Cadet Sophomore Grade Alenis Taban & Senior Chief Petty Officer Keval zh'Erinov
Edited on on 18 Apr 2014 @ 7:53pm

1,710 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo - Observation Lounge, Deck 7
Timeline: MD 2 - 1520 hours

[ON]

After a short trip in the turbolift Taban and Keval emerged into the relative bowels of the ship on Deck 7. The Cadet followed the Chief down the corridor and towards the lounge. Breathing deeply a few times before they reached the doors, Taban stepped through into the bustling space. Quite a few of the ship's meagre compliment seemed to be there and, as the Cadet's eyes scanned the room, he became aware that most of the conversation had stopped and the eyes turned to him, looming as he was in the doorway. He just froze in place... part of him wanting to back away and hide in the Operations Office.

Keval walked in just behind Alenis, took note of the interruption in the conversation and gave his "death stare" at them. "Ignore them," he said, "They're just being butt heads."

Alenis had heard the term 'headbutt' before, but wasn't familiar with 'butt head'. He followed the older man to a free table in the near corner and took a seat with his back to the rest of the room, but which had a good view out of the window: a view of the ship which Alenis still considered home: the Jian'Karra. He gazed out at the ship's less-than-sleek bow-line as it matched pace with the Galileo, just behind and on a slightly wider orbit.

Keval followed Alenis' gaze out the window, "That must be the ship you're telling me about. Right?"

Taban nodded. "Aye... the Jian'Karra. Closest thing I've ever had to a home. Stowed away there when I was 15 and they let me stay." He was obviously not used to talking about such things and his body language showed his shoulders close-in and tense. There were hardly words for what he felt about the Jian'Karra and her crew - and the bond he'd formed there. "She's a hell of a ship..."

"I am sure she is." He reached out a hand on put it on the other man' arm,"It's okay Alenis, you can talk to me. I don't bite."

The youngster shrugged. "Hard to know what to say... I grew up in an orphanage from 4 until 15. Lived rough in a scrapyard for a while after leaving it. Built a transporter from the scrap and beamed off Bajor onto the Jian'Karra. Instead of killing me they let me join the crew and help keep her patched up. The skip's daughter is a Lieutenant and she talked me into applying for the Academy... and... I'm here. Sounds simple when you say it like that." His eyes moved down to the table. 20 years seemed a long time, but when you'd lived it day by heart-wrenching day, often not knowing what the next day would bring then it seemed the better part of an eternity. It seemed simple when you just said it, but life was always so much more complicated than words made it seem.

"That's pretty ingenious, I'd say operations would be the perfect place for you. I'm glad you decided to join Star Fleet. But aren't you going to be homesick?"

"Like you said... I've always liked tinkering. Some people like puzzles. I like circuits." he replied flatly "What home? I've almost lived at the Academy for as long as I've lived on the 'Karra."

Keval stroked his chin, "So you mentioned the Captain's daughter. Are the two of you in love?"

Taban almost choked trying to suppress laughter. "With Talara?" He spurted out between laughs. "No way. She's like a sister. Plus... since her joining... well... you know what joined Trills are like with all that kind of stuff."

Keval chuckled at Taban's reaction. "You know you really should try to find a girl to date. It might help with your confidence."

Alenis was not obviously confident about the notion... and cast his eyes between the table, the view, and his own hands repeatedly. Finally he came up with a way of moving the conversation along "So... didn't you mention something about a drink, Chief?"

"I did, indeed, Cadet." He thought for a moment about asking the obviously shy kid if there was anyone special, but he thought that a a bit too personal, perhaps even sadistic.

So instead he called over a waiter, a human who looked not much older than Alenis. "What could I get for you gentlemen?" he asked with a coy smile.

The Cadet rather cluelessly rolled his eyes for a moment - obviously trying to look as though he was thinking hard, but in fact giving away just how little he knew about such things. "Errrrr..." He finally began in response. "Root Beer, pleas...?." Tailing off in such an questioning manner it almost seemed as if the Cadet wanted to check if his choice was acceptable.

The waiter's smile widened, for some reason he found the cadet's choice entertaining. If Keval found it funny he at least managed to keep a straight face.

"I'll have a Kellean's Red please and bring us an order of onion rings too if you don't mind."

The dark haired waiter nodded, wrote something on his PADD, turned on his heel and left.

"Kellean's?" asked Taban once the waiter had left. "What's that, Chief? If yu don't mind me asking..." His exposure to these types of things was, by his own admission, extremely limited and so he was only familiar with what his very few immediate friends regularly had.

'It's beer or ale. Somewhat alcoholic made by roasting malted barley and letting it ferment. It has a caramel color. Something like you're root beer with more of a kick. You should try some."

Taban's eyes moved to see the two drinks being brought over on a tray. He nodded along to what the Chief had said. "I'll be sure to before I leave the ship..." he mumbled in reply. As the waiter drew near the table the Cadet's mind turned to business - both the Jian'Karra's and the Galileo's - and so fixing eyes with the Andorian he asked "So... I heard something about a labour dispute. Is that what the Galileo's here about, Chief? Just... seems a little strange to send a Science vessel..."

"Well it is more than just a labor dispute Cadet," the Petty Officer said with a neutral expression,"there are apparently some unusual phenomenon. They claim they are seeing ghosts."

"Oh..." replied the Cadet. "Guess that would explain it then." He gladly accepted the cool drink from the waiter and took a large gulp. "Thanks." he said as the waiter turned to depart. He gazed into the slowly bubbling liquid in the glass for a few moments. "What is it like being on such a small ship, Chief? Kinda reminds me of the Academy annexe: everyone seems to know everything about everyone before you have time to breathe."

"That is pretty accurate. I'd be careful if I were you about what I let out and what I shared. You can get a reputation in a hurry."

Alenis nodded. "Voice of experience, I take it, Chief?" he replied with a rare grin.

"No, not me, but our quartermaster friend comes to mind. And there's a friend of mine, that almost got booted off the ship because he didn't realize there were cameras almost everyplace except in private quarters. Me, my reputation is good. "

The Cadet smiled as he took another large gulp of his drink. "So I've not already committed social suicide being seen with you then?" he joked. He glanced around the room and again saw plenty of side-ways glances in his direction and hushed conversations. Sighing, he stared back down at his
glass.

"Um no, I think you're safe there. If you hang around with me too much people might assume our relationship is other than platonic, another reason you should find some attractive young lady."

"Ah." The Cadet nodded in reply. He didn't really know what to say. He'd heard about such people, but the sheltered existence which he'd lived had never allowed him to meet anyone like that - that he knew at least. "Well... Truth be told, Chief, I've always struggled to talk to girls - especially 'pretty ones.'" It surprised him how open he was being with a complete stranger. Part of it was that he found the silences which fell in the conversation at points unbelievably awkward - as had just happened; another part of it was that the Chief was being so open with him: it almost seemed rude to not reciprocate.

"I know what that's like, more or less. but the only advice I can give you is just to relax and be yourself. They're either going to like you or not like you But you'll never know if you don't try."

As advice on that particular topic it was about as middle-of-the-road as one could get, but on the other hand that was probably a good thing. He'd heard it before, but the problem was less talking to someone - it was finding someone in a suitable situation. The few times he'd gone onto stations and trading posts with the Jian'Karra crew the only women they would come across would generally be in the 'entertainment' industry - and normally either much older than him, drugged out of their skulls, or both. Once at the academy the problem was more, as they'd just been discussing, making a fool of himself in a small and relatively close-knit community; one in which he already stuck out like a sore thumb. Nodding along politely to the advice he downed the remainder of his drink and resumed watching the Jian'Karra while he waited for the Chief to finish his own drink so they could move on to the tour.

In short order, Keval did so, "Why don't I show you around the ship now and dispense with the love advice, I am probably the last person to be dispensing it."

The Cadet smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "Much appreciated all the same though. Can't wait. Thank you so much, Chief." With that the pair of them swiftly exited the lounge to begin the tour.

OFF:

Cadet (Sophomore Grade) Alenis Taban
Operations Officer (provisional)
USS Galileo

&

CPO Keval Grayson
Operations
PNPC Jared Nicholas
USS Galileo

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