Lunch on the Run

Posted on 30 Apr 2015 @ 9:08am by Commander Norvi Stace
Edited on on 30 Apr 2015 @ 5:28pm

1,614 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 08 - NIMBUS
Location: USS Galileo - Mess Hall
Timeline: MD 2 - 1200 Hours

ON:

Stace had left Allyndra on the bridge taking care of the developing mission as her grumbling stomach had forced her to retreat to the replicators of the Mess Hall to satiate their yearnings. She walked with a strident gait to propel her as quickly as she could so that she wasn't missed at her proper place in her chair. She veered the corner as the smells from the kitchen filled the room. Her stomach growled again as she walked up to the counter and took a plate. She looked at its offering and then noticed who was stood next to her.

"Tyrion. How are things?"

"I don't have much today but a date later today," Tyrion smiled, "so if you are short on hands anywhere let me know?"

"To be honest," Stace admitted, taking her bowl from the counter, "you're best off speaking to your department head. Or Commander Warraquim. She's been in charge of the duty roster since taking the First Officer position." She paused and then added. "I'm kind of eating on the run, but have a couple of minutes to spare if you want to join me."

"I'll have a small lunch on the go with you," the Betazoid grinned, "I'll speak to the doctor about bridge duty and working alpha for a few days. My department head is on the Nautilus." His smile widened. "A shift change would be welcome, I'd get to see more of Grayson ma'am."

"More of him?" Stace queried. She cocked her head to the side and indicated to the small, vacant table by the window. "I'll be over there."

As she made the small walk to her seat, her eyes widened. She contemplated the story that she projected would now unfold whilst she spooned a fistful of noodles into her mouth opposite the rather open Tyrion. She cleared her throat awkwardly and then took her seat, not making eye contact with anyone else in the room. Why was she consistently put in this uncomfortable predicament, she thought, taking in a mouthful. She was a career woman because of her lack of emotional tact and yet, for some reason, people seemed to gravitate towards her to divulge their romantic dalliances. She squirmed a little before Tyrion saw her.

Following, Tyrion felt so happy he didn't even consider how it might be for another. "I meant more often," he clarified, then blushed awkwardly. "Though I suppose the other may apply too. It just.. feels right, you know. Safe, as if I've known him a long time.."

Stace paused for a moment, and without speaking shoveled another spoonful of noodles into her mouth. It was a ploy to buy a little more time before she continued the conversational thread, and to also process the thought of a now naked Grayson who was flitting about her overloaded brain. It was also a means to hasten the dinner so she could get out of there and flee from Tyrion's tawdry tyranny. She spluttered a little, too much food trying to ease its way down her closed throat but then regained composure, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Sorry," she said as she placed down her utensil. "I'm lost a little. Are we talking about your date with Grayson?"

As the words left her mouth, she instantly regretted asking but no signs of it showed on her face. Lifetimes of manipulating her features had bestowed upon her a talent for deceiving others; but usually only for honourable purposes. She winced into a smile, looking interested but feeling so uncomfortable that she could almost feel her Symbiont squirm inside of her. She longed for the days when she was an aging, curmudgeoned old captain when no one dared speak to him of personal things.

Tilting his head, Tyrion studied his captain for a moment. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with my enthusiasm. I just feel very happy right now ma'am. And I haven't felt this way since Kot left."

Suddenly, as though an epiphany had parted the clouds of her muddled mind, the black, telepathic eyes of the Betazoid sitting across from her betrayed his sensory empathy. She relaxed somewhat, almost giving up the ghost and laying down her guarded barrier. She widened her eyes as though she were a five year old child caught with her hand in the biscuit tin and relented. So much personal information had washed over her in the space of four hours that her head was about to explode. First Gyce Benice and Lirha Saalm's indiscretion and now this?

"It's not that I'm uncomfortable, Tyrion," she lied. "Well, yes, it's just that, actually. I'm uncomfortable." She placed down her spoon in a relinquishing manner and sighed. "I'm just not very good at the personal side of friendships."

As the words left her mouth she realised how stupid they sounded but she couldn't take it back.

Tyrion sat back as he watched her, a look of hurt on his face. But that quickly evaporated as he smiled again. "That's alright," he answered, sipping his tea to give himself some composure. "It's alright to be uncomfortable about it, nothing wrong with that. I'll try to reign myself in but I'm not sure I can ma'am..."

She swallowed, and with an upwards glance at him flared her eyes in a jovial manner. "Don't make me order you, Chief Petty Officer!" she said, picking up her spoon again. "I suppose I just dial-in to the more militarist aspect of Starfleet. And since being stuck on a tiny, eight-decked ship with a love interest - or love failure - is my idea of personal hell, I just keep myself to myself romantically and I feel like it's spilled out into other people's lives too." She paused as she caught up with what she was saying, and then with a wide-eyed realisation expression added quickly, "I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful of your feelings, Tyrion."

"I'm not upset," Tyrion lied smoothly, "not everyone is interested in another's personal stories. I understand, really, I do. I just can't help feeling good for a change, and I think that might benefit my work too..."

"That's good then," Stace replied, wiping the corners of her mouth with a napkin. She took the glass of water on the table and took a sip, smiling back at Tyrion.

Finishing his own lunch, Tyrion just kept smiling. "I suppose we have to run back to our stations now," he mused, then yawned. "Usually I'm in bed at this time, this is so strange, being up..."

"I don't want to be too far from the bridge with the games starting in a few hours. I just thought it best to not try to command on an empty stomach. But I don't envy your sleep deprivation, however." Stace stood, and then with a sweep of her hand pushed the chair back under the table. "If you need anything, let me know, Tyrion. And if Commander Warraquim doesn't come through for you with regards to the duty shifts, let me know. I'll see what I can shuffle around."

"Oh, I don't need special arrangements," Tyrion waved her offer off, "it'd just be nice to be able to spend some time with Grayson."

Stace paused for a moment and then let out an awkward breath. "I'm not entirely sure on duty is the time for social visiting, Chief Petty Officer," Stace winced, an air of uncomfortable cadence to her voice. "Perhaps it would be best for you to actually work towards keeping your distance from each other whilst on duty. At least in the early stages of your... friendship." In truth, Stace had never agreed with fraternisation between crewmembers, and attempted to downplay its importance to herself. And, when she thought about the exchange on the way back to the bridge, decided that this was a discussion best directed towards the commissioned head of department, not Tyrion. But with the conversation with Gyce earlier that morning still rattling about her brain, she almost felt resigned to allow it to unfold without advice. But her own personality got the better of her.

Tyrion blinked in surprise; obviously, he was being misunderstood. "I meant that if it's impossible to switch my shift around I don't need special arrangements to get them switched ma'am. I merely meant that if I'm able to get them switched then id be able to spend my off duty time with him, while he's off duty."

"Ah," Stace replied, the situation now clicking into place a little more clearly. "I was thinking that I was going to have to separate you two on different decks then," she half jested. Stace actually seemed to do a lot of half-jesting when it came to the personal discussions of other people's relationships and for a moment she even half considered exploring the possibility of going to the counsellor to move forward with the block that she seemed to experience when it came to this. But then, over her lifetimes, she had come to the conclusion that relationships, especially of the personal variety, were considered rather trivial to Joined Trills. Not to disparage anyone seeking such companionship, but that they offered more nuisance than nurturing benefits. And she was well rid of that interruption. Maybe one day she would find someone to change her viewpoint but she certainly wasn't about to go off in search of them.

"We'll be professional while on duty," Tyrion promised. "I have to get back to work now."

OFF:

Lieutenant Commander Norvi Stace
Commanding Officer / First Officer
USS Galileo

CPO Tyrion Faye
Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo
[PNPC Murray]

RSS Feed