Gifts

Posted on 15 Feb 2015 @ 9:18pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Pieter Van Zyl Ph.D.

2,872 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 6, 06-1003 EN
Timeline: MD45 - 1400hrs

[ON]

Although satisfied with the way the previous day's inspection had gone, Pieter was happy to be putting his dress uniform away. Despite his love of service, there was just something slightly pompous about the way he looked in it, like he was off to some soiree, to brown-nose with a bunch of snobs. Once it was back into it's proper place, Pieter set about cleaning up the rest of the room.

From the end of his nightshift, until now, Tyrion had not been back in his quarters. Resulting in an extremely tired Betazoid when he finally did come home. "Ah...you're home!" His expression was one of surprise, as if his roommate had come home too soon from his shift.

He carried something in his left hand, which was covered by a large cloth, obviously hiding something underneath. "Here, this is for you," he said, clumsily thrusting the cloth covered item towards Pieter.

Standing up to wipe his hands with a dry cloth, Pieter looked at the item skeptically. "What is it?" he asked, cautious.

Holding it out, the cloth wiggled slightly and some soft scurrying sounds could be heard (by those that could hear). "Go on, have a look," Tyrion smiled, all but stuffing the item in the botanist's hands. "I got you something."

Pieter's eyes widened as he saw the cloth move around. A bit nervous, he allowed Tyrion to put whatever it was in his hand only to be met with the feeling of something warm and leathery. And moving. He looked down at it, then back up at Tyrion, silently telling him to lift the cloth up.

Still smiling, Tyrion removed the cloth to reveal a completely fur-less and smooth skinned baby rat of approximately eight weeks old. Aside from it's whiskers, there wasn't a single hair on it.

It stared up at Pieter with beady eyes only to have the large human stare back. It was a standstill as they seemed to size each other up. Finally, Pieter looked up at Tyrion, handing him back the rat so that he could speak.

"Explain," he just said, unsure of how to respond as he stared at the creature. At first it had looked incredibly unpleasant but now, from this angle, with it's whiskers twitching, it looked a little pathetic.

"Well...I know you're allergic to anything with fur, and I wanted to get you something because you're my best friend and you're looking out for me. So, a pet with fur wasn't an option and I looked at hairless cats and docs and aside from the impracticality they just looked hideous. And then, while prowling the starbase, I found a dealer who had a litter of naked rats. I'm not quite sure whether this is a male or female, but there's not a hair on it, so you should be fine."

Pieter continued to stare down at the thing between glances at his VOICE screen. It was a nice gesture, if anything, but Pieter didn't know how to take care of a rat, of all thing. Didn't they used to kill these things? They were vermin! Still, it seemed unkind to turn away a gift, and Tyrion looked so excited about it, Pieter actually felt bad about even considering it. Not that he would ever admit such a thing.

"Where do we keep it? It needs a cage."

"We can replicate one, and bedding and food, and toys. I found this ball thing where you can let it run around in our quarters when we're home. And this whole system of tubes, there's so much to find on these creatures it's amazing!" He was all but hopping on his feet in excitement. "What are you gonna call it?"

Pieter looked from the rat, back to Tyrion's smiling face. He was getting way too excited for this. "I don't know," he replied finally, unsure. "How big should the cage be?"

"Uhm...about this big I guess." He measured a distance of some fifty centimeters with his hands then added other dimensions. "It's only one small rat but it'll need some space to run and play right? I've never had a pet before Piet, I wouldn't know."

"I never had one either," Pieter replied, going over to the replicator. Where does one look for a rat cage in the options? Fiddling with the controls, he finally managed to find the right file directory and begin replicating it. Less than fifteen minutes later, they had a cage filled with bedding, a water bottle and a food bowl, along with several toys Tyrion read were good for it. Finally taking the rat from Tyrion, Pieter put it into the cage and took a step back.

"Do you like it?" Tyrion asked cautiously. Pieter wasn't responding as enthusiastically as he'd hoped he would.

Pieter looked at Tyrion, suddenly realising he had completely misplaced his manners. He smiled at his friend. "Yes," he said, only partially for his sake. Maybe a pet would be a nice distraction, something to look after. It wasn't a plant, but Pieter could adapt to something with teeth.

"Thank you. This is very nice of you."

"Well all you have is your plants, and you know...maybe it'll make you less lonely, especially when I'm on duty too." Tyrion smiled carefully, not quite sure how Pieter would take his words, especially since he refused to read his mind or mood. "Rats can be taught things too...you see. They're not just dumb pets."

Pieter raised an eyebrow at Tyrion's words. 'Lonely?' he wondered. Is that what he looked like to Tyrion? With that in mind, despite it not being true to Pieter's real feelings about his being single. Sure, there were moments when he thought having a girlfriend would be nice, but he was an adult, not some teenager longing for fulfillment courtesy of someone else.

"That's really a nice sentiment, Tyrion," Pieter said, choosing words carefully. "But, contrary to popular belief, I'm not lonely. I have friends and family that I see or talk to every day. You shouldn't worry about me."

"Why not? Isn't it only fair, because you worry for me? And I never see you hang out with anyone...." He gestured to the tiny rat. "What are you gonna call it?" he asked again.

"I don't know, I'll have to think about it," Pieter admitted with a small shrug, looking down at the rat exploring it's new home. "I don't have friends on the Galileo," he added. "But I have them on other ships, so we talk through comm links." He motioned to the screen at their joint desk. Of course, that all being said, maybe Pieter should try to get out more on the Galileo. Still, it was hard for him to really connect to other people. His job was mostly solitary and he'd always been discouraged when it came to fraternizing. Even on his last ship, it had taken a good year or so before he'd really relaxed.

"Except you, of course."

"I don't have a whole many here either besides you," Tyrion admitted, "then again I don't have a whole many friends period. Maybe...you should come with me when I go out again. You know just to Ten Forward or something akin to that, and have a drink. Not a date, just friends. Meet new people. That's what Tuula did with me, and that's how I met Kot."

With a frown, Pieter looked torn for a few moments. While he didn't like the idea very much, he felt guilty just brushing Tyrion off and going back to what he was doing. Finally, he sighed. "Fine."

"Just drinks," Tyrion promised happily, visibly itching to give the man a hug but not wanting to risk being thrown away again.

"No hugging," Pieter warned, anticipating Tyrion's intentions. It wasn't for the reason the Betazoid anticipated or because he didn't fully trust Tyrion (even though he was still a little unsure). Pieter simply wasn't a hugging person, with the exception of his siblings.

"Ahww," Tyrion pouted, though he backed away a little. "Alright, no hugging." Though really, what he wanted most right now was in fact a hug.

"Do you want a hot drink?" Pieter asked, hoping the warmth of the beverage would make a good substitute.

"Please." He smirked at his roommate. "You know what I like!"

After a nod, Pieter went over to the replicator and set about replicating a big cup of hot chocolate for his roommate. Glancing to the side, he saw the rat had climbed the bars of its cage and, with it's nose poked out through them, it's beady eyes stared up at Pieter.

"I think it wants a treat," Tyrion suggested as he watched the interaction with a smile. "See, it likes you already, I'm sure you'll be best friends."

Pieter shot his roommate a look of skepticism but nevertheless he replicated a small piece of apple. Taking the hot chocolate in one hand, he slipped the piece of fruit through the bars, watching the rat grab at it and start to nibble away. The sight of the creature's simple joy tugged lightly at the corner of Pieter's lips as he turned to Tyrion and handed him his drink.

"Thanks." Tyrion smiled, carefully sipping the drink as he watched his friend. "You know...maybe you can teach it tricks.."

"I think figuring out a name should be a priority," Pieter suggested, watching the rodent finish its snack before climbing onto the bars to stare at him again.

"It's sure begging for treats," Tyrion observed, while sipping his drink again, "and a little acrobat. But it's a cute little thing, isn't it?" He smirked up at Pieter. "We should shave our heads bald too, maybe it wouldn't stare so much at us then."

"You first," Pieter said with a smirk. "I suppose it is cute. A little ugly, but cute. I need to read up on care," he added, making a mental note to do that as soon as possible. It wasn't the animal's fault that Pieter was a little hesitant about taking care of it.

"Oh are you daring me?" Tyrion challenged.

Looking back at Tyrion, Pieter raised an eyebrow. "Maybe."

"If I do it, you have to do it too. No chickening out," Tyrion counter-challenged.

"Fine," Pieter said with a shrug.

"Go get the tondeuse then," the Betazoid laughed, seeming unphased about shaving off all his hair.

Pieter nodded, going into the bathroom and quickly coming back with the device in hand. With a smirk, he tossed it into Tyrion's lap.

"You do it," Tyrion said, "all of it, off." He held up the device then gestured to his own dark locks. "Challenge accepted."

Pieter just nodded, crossing his arms over his broad chest and looking on.

"Well? Go on, shave mine off. You think I can do this myself?"

Sighing in exasperation, Pieter walked over and took the razor from Tyrion's lap. "Get up," he told him, going to the replicator to get a large covering for the couch. The last thing he wanted was hair to get everywhere. Once everything was set up, Pieter stood behind Tyrion. "Last chance to back out," he warned, though knew that Tyrion would decide to go ahead with it. It was a matter of maintaining one's integrity now, after all.

Tyrion shook his head. "A dare is a dare, and I accepted," Tyrion answered stoically, "I'm not backing out. You're no gossip, but I'm no coward either."

Nodding, Pieter activated the device, watching the little rat jump and run into its shelter, hiding from what Pieter assumed was the loud noise. Taking a deep breath, Pieter went about shaving Tyrion's hair, starting from the back of his head and working his way up and to the sides.

Tyrion sat perfectly still, only briefly regretting his decision as he saw his long locks fall onto the covered couch. "All of it," he reminded his friend, wondering if Pieter would chicken out when he was done.

Another few minutes passed before Pieter turned the razor off, finally finished. Putting the device on the couch, he walked around it to get a look at his work. At the sight of his roommate without hair, he bit his lips.

"That is not a good look for you," he admitted honestly.

"It'll grow back," Tyrion shrugged, picking up the tondeuse. "Your turn."

With a nod, Pieter waited until Tyrion stood up to take his place. Sitting down, he ran a hand through his hair, which was already pretty short.

Carefully, the Betazoid went to work. Within minutes, his roommate was
as bald as he was. "Doesn't look too great on you either," he said.

Pieter gave him a shrug. "I've been this way before, during training." With that, he stood up and began cleaning up the mess.

"I haven't." He smiled as he stood to assist. "Either way, very cool of you to not back out."

Pieter smiled back. "I never back out of a dare," he said, then reconsidered. "Unless it's something against regulations."

"Such as?" Tyrion looked up as he helped him clean up.

"Breaking into someone's office."

"Ah someone's office I'd never do either. Nor would I hack into anything for a dare, that one's reserved for specific orders only."

Pieter just nodded and then was quiet for a few moments before speaking again. "I did break into someone's office once, but it wasn't my idea."

"Why did you do it? For kicks? Or was there something in there that you desperately needed back?"

"A friend wanted to get something so....she talked me into it," Pieter explained, shaking his head as a small smile appeared on his face at the memory.

"Ahh...a sucker for pretty girls," the Betazoid teased, echoing the smile. He prodded his roommate in the side, his smile widening. "Sucker!"

"You're one to talk. You're a sucker for pretty boys, and pining over cute Bolians," Pieter said back with a knowing smirk.

"Ahhh...but I never denied I was," Tyrion retorted, "and Kot is cute and I'm not pining. I miss him yes, but I knew what I was getting into. Honestly.. you need to go out more."

"Please stop," Pieter said. "You sound like my sister, and my brother, and my grandmother, who keeps telling me she wants to see if my babies will come out blond."

"I never said you had to go on a date," the Betazoid reminded him, "I said you need to go out more."

"I know," Pieter said with a nod. "It's just that I keep feeling like everyone wants to get me involved with some girl. It's making me paranoid. My sister visited me on the station and the first thing she asked was whether I had met someone on the Galileo." With a long sigh, Pieter shook his head.

"Well, you did," Tyrion chuckled. "Sort of...." He thumbed himself on the chest. "Me!"

"As overjoyed as my family would be that I had met anyone, I don't think I'm ready to start lying about things like that," Pieter said.

"I did tell them about you, so expect a sweater or something the next time I get one."

"Oh dear...what did you tell them?" Tyrion rolled his eyes as he cleared away the last of the mess.

"That I had a good roommate. He's Betazoid and he cleans up after himself," Pieter replied simply, sitting down on the couch and letting Tyrion clean up what was left. Curiously, he ran his hand over his head.

"Smooth as android's bottom," Tyrion chuckled as he watched him, while tossing the last remains away. "Feels a bit weird... I do wonder what others will say."

"I wonder more about what we'll say," Pieter admitted. "Now that I think about it, seems a little childish."

"How about the truth?" Tyrion shrugged. "Childish as it is... it was kind of fun and exciting, and all because of a teeny tiny bald pet." He pointed at the rat sticking it's nose through the bars again, whiskers quivering.

"Already causing trouble," Pieter observed.

"Nah, just begging." He grabbed Pieter by the arm, dragging him towards the door. "Come on, we're going for a drink."

Sighing, Pieter allowed himself to be pulled away, stopping briefly to make sure the door to the rat's cage was secure.

Once outside, Tyrion released him and grinned broadly. "I'm buying, but you can choose where to go."

"Anywhere is fine as long as we're back in time," Pieter warned seriously, already setting his VOICE on a timer to vibrate in two hours to make sure they aren't late.

"In time for what?"

"We're required to be back on the ship by 1900 hours," Pieter reminded. "So I'm setting up an alarm to give us ample time to make it back in time."

"Ahh ok. Well having a drink with a friend doesn't have to take hours," Tyrion smiled. "Shall we?"

Pieter nodded, leading Tyrion down the corridor towards the nearest docking port.

OFF:

PO1 Pieter Van Zyl
Botanist
USS Galileo
[PNPC Idris]

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

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