Life's a beach

Posted on 26 Feb 2012 @ 3:04am by Tarishiana Barel & Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm

1,927 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 00 - Pre-Deployment
Location: San Francisco, Ocean Beach
Timeline: MD - 3 1200 hours

[ON]

Tarishiana was fuming. Her mother just wouldn't let it go. "I still have two years." she reassured herself quietly as she walked along the beach. She had been told that her new commanding officer was located out this way and she had a feeling that the fact that she was an Orion female would make it easier to locate her. That might have been true hand Tarishiana not received a communication from her irritating mother just moments before.

It didn't matter how much Tarishiana accomplished since she wasn't barefoot and pregnant she was a failure. Lestian got to have his career, but not her. She let out a huff as she kicked the small lump of sand just in front of her foot. With her hands on her hips it took her a moment to realize what she had just done. "Perfect" she said softly, "I am so sorry." She started as saw who she had assaulted with her temper tantrum.

Fortunately for Lirha, her eyes had been closed as she dozed off on the sand underneath the morning sun. Feeling a shower of coarse grain suddenly pelt her face and chest, she pushed herself up on her arms and violently shook her head to clear the sand from her face. With her free hand, she took several moments to wipe her skin clean, then looked up to identify the offender. The sun was right in her eyes and she couldn't clearly see the person, but the dark and curvy silhouette suggested that it was a young woman. "What was that for?" the Orion demanded in a fussy voice. Lirha rarely became angry, but she was definitely displeased with the woman's actions.

"I assure you the only person that was meant to assault was my mother in law." Tarishiana said apologetically. "I will be sure to be more careful when I decide to punish the beach because of a self righteous Betazoid." She added as she lowered down next to the women and began brushing the sand off the women's towel. "With how my luck is going lately, I am going to assume that you are Commander Saalm." She smiled as she finished brushing the sand from where she could reach.

The Orion stood up and ran her hands through her dark hair to rid it of the sand, then adjusted the top of her bikini to relieve herself of the uncomfortable sensation. "I am," she replied as she looked into the woman's dark eyes, "And who might you be?" she asked with a stern face, still not happy with being rudely roused from her morning relaxation. The woman in question was not wearing her uniform and it was impossible for Lirha to tell what rank or position she might hold.

"Master Warrant Officer, Tarishiana Barel." She started. She could sense the irritation coming from the women who didn't yet know she was her new commanding officer. "I am your new Chief Science Officer." She continued, "Not my most impressive first impression I assure you." She added with a light almost nervous laugh.

The captain took in the woman's appearance. She was average height, a little shorter than herself with a slender frame and brown hair and striking black eyes. Betazoid, Lirha thought to herself. She had been around the Alpha and Beta Quadrants a few times and had learned to easily spot her species. Although she wasn't prejudiced, Lirha found herself slightly cautious around them due to their telepathic abilities.

"I'm not sure I've read your file, yet, Miss Barel. Are you a new transfer?" she asked honestly.

"Yes, Ma'am" Tarishiana said with a nod. "Was in San Francisco for some needed shore leave when I received my new orders." She looked over the Orion for a moment. "I had heard that you were out here and had intended on doing a little recon before we met...but that was before." she smiled trying not to obsess over the long list of things she hated about Lestian's mother.

With a sigh, Lirha calmed herself a bit as she realized she was probably being somewhat unpleasant to her new science officer. "It's nice to meet you. Please, have a seat." she said, and motioned to a nearby patch of sand while she sat back down on her towel, legs crossed. Almost fully exposed in her small bikini, her green skin was beginning to turn a deep olive color under the sun and contrasted elegantly against the multiple black tattoos which littered her back and shoulders. At the present moment, she looked anything but a Starfleet captain.

Smoothing the fabric of her dress beneath her as she sank into the warm sand Tarishiana couldn't help but smile as the breeze from the ocean touched her face. She took a deep breath before turning back towards her new captain. "I really am sorry about the whole sand thing." She had felt how that had gone over at the time and she was honestly apologetic. "Last time I will apologize I promise." She added with a smile.

"It's alright, you just happened to catch me in one of my more quiet and tranquil moments." she replied, finally returning the woman's small with a small one of her own. "So you are my new science officer? Was that a request, or an assigned transfer?" she asked Tarishiana, curious as to her current career situation.

"A little bit of both actually." Tarishiana started simply, "The Genevieve was being decommissioned. The CO had been granted a new command and the crew was given an option to stay or to go." As she spoke her finger found its way into the sand. Moving it around an abstract picture began to take shape. "I chose not to...so I was assigned here." she looked back up at the Orion. "Not many officer enjoy working below enlisted personnel."

"I see," she replied, and adjusted herself on her towel. "You must be a very competent officer to hold such a high enlisted rank. You appear close to earning your commission." Lirha stated, unsure of what prospects the warrant officer had on the horizon. "What is your service record like?" she asked, wanting to know a brief run-through of her previous postings and positions. She could have reached into her bag and recalled the information from her PADD but she wanted to hear it from a first-person perspective.

"I enlisted in 2378." Tarishiana began as she thought over the dates in her head. "I was stationed on the USS Kodiak Island until 85 as a language specialist until I was transferred to the USS Genevieve as a science liaison...Now I am on the Galileo as your Chief Science Officer." She could go into more specifics but most people didn't want to know. A general run down was her best bet.

The captain's ears perked up at the mention of linguistics. "Language specialist? Ench'ru mar ulik Thakolarivaj?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and also hopeful that she might be able to speak her native tongue with someone on her crew.

Tarishiana smiled for a moment as her mind quickly dissected the phrase. Thakolarivaj was the orion word for their empire. With in a few moments she was able to finish a rough translation. "Lecht Elt mar ulik Thakolarivaj, et keheru " She finished with a smile. The fact that she was a telepath made it a bit easier to understand a new language. While she had been introduced to the Orion language, she had never mastered the higher form.

"Excellent," Lirha said with a smile, then paused to try a more practical language. "tlhIngan Hol Dajatlh'a'?" she asked Tarishiana in Klingon, as her mind wandered to her upcoming mission. It would be extremely helpful to have another crew member well-versed in the language in case of any possible encounters with the Empire.

Tariahiana laughed lightly as she nodded. "Klingon, Tellurite, Andorian, Vulcan, Romulan, Ferengi, Denobulan." She started, "I have a working knowledge of quite a few more. I pick up languages quite quickly so I can usually stumble though the ones I don't know."

"Well I think you'll fit in quite nicely with the crew, Miss Barel. We have quite a diverse range of species on board, especially amongst the enlisted crew." the captain replied with a nod of approval. She unfolded her legs and once again stretched her body out on the towel, then laid back with her hands clasped behind her head. "Have you been enjoying shore leave in San Francisco so far?"

Tarishiana scoffed slightly, she hated shore leave. It was the one time she couldn't use the excuse of her job with her parents. "I love San Francisco...Not such a huge fan of shore leave." she looked out over the ocean. That last thing she needed was to have her new commanding officer think she was some mental case. "When you have parents in high social circles, being easily found is never a convenience." she added with a bright smile as she turned back to the Orion. "How about you? Other then getting covered in sand."

With a smirk, Lirha turned her head to the dark haired woman and looked into her Betazoid eyes. "I wish I could say that I was also on shore leave, but I was assigned my command two days ago with a launch window of only five days. As you can probably imagine, I don't exactly have time for vacation...only the occasional few hours when I can sneak away from the HQ." she said with a wink.

Tarishiana understood what Lirha meant. In the 11 years she had spent in Starfleet she had seen her fair share of the work COs put into getting their ships off the ground, or out of dock as it were. "Well if there is anything I can help you with, I am more then willing to cut my shore leave a a little short. I may only be a science officer, but I know my way around a starship." she finished by returning the Commander's wink.

"We have a systems check and an all-crew banquet in two days, but other than that, just relax and enjoy the rest of your vacation." the Orion replied. "Would you like to relax for a while with me? I think I need another hour under the sun before I'm fit to go back to work..." she commented with a mischievous smile.

Tariahiana appreciated the offer, but she had some arrangements to deal with. "Thank you, ma'am." she started, "I appreciated the offer but I have a few more sand piles to accost before I call my mother." she didn't even try to hid her disdain for the event, but it was necessary. She had to inform her mother of the change in date before Leviana Tomick did it for her.

With a nod, Lirha gave the woman a final smile before she departed. "Well, Miss Barel, it was a pleasure to meet you. I expect to see you for our systems check in two days?" she asked, "I will send the information to your PADD."

"Thank you ma'am." Tarishiana said with a polite nod and a smile as she brushed the sand of her skirt. Turning to head the direction from which she had come. She had wasted more then enough time. She had a call to make.

[OFF]

--

CMDR Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

MWO Tarishiana Barel
Chief Science Officer
USS Galileo

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