Dinner with a Betazoid

Posted on 15 Mar 2012 @ 10:26am by Tarishiana Barel & Captain Jonathan Holliday

4,474 words; about a 22 minute read

Mission: Episode 00 - Pre-Deployment
Location: The Quarters of Tarishiana Barel
Timeline: MD 04 - 2045hrs

Tarishiana had stepped out of the sonic shower with fifteen minutes to spare. Despite the fact that she was a socialite by birth she didn't require that much maintenance. This was especially true since her current dinner plans involved sharing a meal with her Executive Officer, whom earlier in the day she had attempted to run though with a dagger. She hadn't intended the invite as a date, but simple the prolonging of an interesting afternoon. She was excited to see where it would lead. The thought brought a smile to the Betazoid's lips as she removed the towel from her hair.

With a fresh duty uniform on, John felt much more comfortable after the sonic shower had worked his magic. Even though he was off duty, the Commander felt much more comfortable with his skin covered by the markings of his trade, the now-familiar red of the Starfleet command division reminding him of the rank and responsibilities to which he was still only just adapting. He had remembered to look up his Chief Science Officer's room location from the computer before he had left his quarters, after all, he hated being late for anything, and finding out that he was late for a meal because he spent an hour wandering around the wrong deck of this rather small starship would probably have him ridiculed for hours, if not longer.

Eventually he found himself at the correct door, confirming the number emblazoned in standard Starfleet text across the door with the one that he had stored in his head only a few moments ago. Looking down, he quickly thumbed the chime and waited for a response.

Tarishiana's simple green dress was no more elaborate than the one she had worn to the holodeck, but the skirt was a simple one piece with a slit up the right side to her hip. It wasn't a seductive addition to the dress, simple allowing the dress to flow around her. Flipping her head forward she ran her fingers though her hair tousling the damp, dark chestnut locks. As she stood back up they fell around her uncovered shoulders. With one look in the mirror she headed towards the main living area of her quarters as the chime drew her attention. She tapped the panel on the wall, opening the door to reveal her company for this evening. "Come in." she said simply as she motioned towards her quarters.

As the doors slid open with their trademark sound, John took a moment to identify who it was standing in front of him; once again he had encountered Tarishiana out of her normal uniform, and for a second, John felt rather under dressed in just his standard garb, although nobody had mentioned it was a requirement to dress for dinner.

"You look very nice Warrant Officer" he said approvingly, he had always thought that he should invest more in his off-duty wardrobe, and perhaps this voyage would be the time for him to explore what treats the replicators on board were capable of producing for him.

"Although I wasn't aware there was going to be a 'best dressed' award after the meal?" He said, smirking as he accepted her invitation to enter the room

"That hazards of growing up at a socialite on Betazed." She began with a laugh; "Dresses are my equivalent to your uniform." she started as she motioned towards his attire. "They are my second skin...as comfy to me as sweat pants." She continued with a jovial tone. She moved though her small apartment like quarters towards the dining table. She turned once she reached one of the chairs and gave John a questioning grin. "So what would like to have for dinner? My handy replicator can make almost anything." She finished with a small laugh.

John was glad that so far his rather nervous sentences had been met without the usual trepidation and concern, he had to admit, the Betazoid in front of him seemed to exude a sense of a calm and relaxation that he found most beneficial, he had never thought that the launch of a starship would take so long and be quite so stressful.

As the doors closed behind him, John felt symbolically locked in for the duration of the evening, although right now he wasn't complaining, he was starving, and the offer of a good meal after a good workout had been too good to refuse.

"Surprise me, I haven't encountered a food I don't like yet" He replied, eager to see what the imagination of his science officer could come up with.

Tarishiana smiled as she turned towards the replicator and soon returned with two plates each containing the Betazoid equivalent to a mashed potato of sorts, a piece of roasted chicken with a gravy, and roasted zucchini. She set the plates down, "Please have a seat...if you are half as hungry as me you are probably starving." She turned and quickly returned with two glasses of water. Taking her seat she looked back at John with a grin. "I hope you like it...it is kind of a hodgepodge of my favourite foods." Lifting her fork she took a bite of the creamy white scoop of potato on her plate.

Gratefully picking up the water, John took a small sip, feeling how dry his mouth had been up until that moment, something that he wasn't aware of until the cool liquid washed across his parched tongue.
The meal served up to him was certainly interesting, but like he had always said, he was never against trying something new, and the cuisines of alien worlds was definitely one of the benefits to being in the service of Starfleet.

Taking a small piece of the chicken, he savoured the meaty texture and the slight tang of salt from the gravy, it was something that he needed right about now, and reminded him of home, something his mother used to make frequently when he was a child and somewhat of a fussy eater.

"Not bad Ms Barel, not bad at all, definitely the kind of thing I could get used to after a decent sparring match, don't forget you still owe me that rematch."

The meal was certainly filling an increasingly shrinking hole in his stomach, becoming more and more sated as he worked his way through the plate, interspersed with small sips of water to cleanse his palette. More and more he found himself thinking of home, part of him wanting to return to show his parents, mainly his father, what he had achieved since leaving the colonies of Mars, but other parts knew that his father would simply mock him for choosing the military over the sciences...he wasn't ready for yet another round of that particular fight right now.

"If meals like this follow it up, I can see it becoming a regular occurrence!"

Tarishiana let out a slight chuckle as she forked a piece of chicken ensuring she got a little of everything in that bite. Her eyes closed slightly as the marriage of flavours flooded her taste buds. "Well in that case..."she started before taking a sip of her cool water, "I say we add some stakes to our match. How about winner picks dinner and the loser hosts?" a smirk crossed her lips as she raised the glass for one more sip before returning to her meal.

Nodding in agreement as he finished off the mouthful he was currently working his way through, John lifted his glass in salutation of her decision.

"Sounds like a plan to me...I'll just have to make sure that I win next time! I can't have it getting round the ship that the military man was defeated by the scientist now can I?"

"Oh my..." Tarishiana began in most surprise, "Now we can't have that." The hand that had risen to her throat dropped back down to her glass. She didn't lift it to her lips, instead voted for another bite of her dinner. When she was finished chewing she looked over with quickly before pointing out something she had missed before, "By the way, it is Tarishiana...or Tarish." She gave him a crooked grin. "At the very least in my quarters and when I have you pinned to a mat." She gave him a wink, more playful then flirty.

Nodding at her offering of her name, John returned her wink with a short smile.

"Understood, Tarish, and I'm sure I can put up with John rather than Commander, at least when we're off the Bridge anyway. Just think another day or so and our next meal could be out in space...you feeling ready?"

"Actually yes." Tarishiana said as her mind drifted to the impending launch. "I much more prefer to be moving then being planet side." She took a sip of her drink before continuing. "I have this secret...well not so much a secret desire to be part of a first contact mission...which I can't do on Earth." she smiled happily as she finished the last bite of her dinner. Picking up her glass she leaned back against the chair, "How about you?...John...Looking forward to see what your ship can do?"

Rubbing the back of his head as he thought, John quickly let yet another smirk spread across his face, it was no secret amongst his superiors that he was not overly happy being posted to a science vessel, but over the past couple of days, his objections had slowly been dissolving with the skill and diversity of his crew starting to rub off on him.

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't....plus if we get to test out the weapons systems on this journey, so much the better. First contact is all well and good, but sometimes it's just good to know that you can protect your borders against any aggressor...Heh, my father used to tell me it was foolish to assume the military were the most important part of Starfleet....the Dominion Wars changed his mind on that I hope"

Tarishiana took a sip of her water while she listened to John speak. She nodded slightly as she listened. She leaned forward placing her glass back on that table. "Well being a linguistic...first contact is the biggest encounter I will ever come by." She said with a smile. "But I have to agree, being able to defend yourself is very important...even for a science vessel." She hoped that the fact that she was uncomfortable with the subject wasn't as apparent to John as it was to her. She gave him a half enthusiastic grin as she finished speaking.

"I guess it tends to be a case of what you know is what you expect....linguists like first contact, new languages, new cultures, whereas the old relics like me prefer the end of a phaser and a full round of quantum torpedoes...." He quickly took down a few more bites of his meal.

"What do you think of our little ship then? Good enough to encounter a few new lifeforms and new civilizations?"

"Yes, you have been in Starfleet a whole five years long then me." Tarishiana started with a laugh. "I will have to keep that in mind the next time I spar with an old relic...Go a little easier on you." she gave him a wink. "And yes, I love this ship. The labs are huge...and I have a good department of people...Even if I never get to meet and new civilization, I like it here."

"Haha old relic huh? That's it, next time I'm not going easy on you...I just didn't want you bursting into tears because you got beaten by your XO on your first fight" He laughed from deep within his chest, genuinely amused by her comment, it was nice to see such a relaxed attitude that would hopefully make this whole mission a lot easier.

"Unless you decide to go all telepath on me again, or did you think I didn't notice last time?" He winked.

Tarishiana bit her lower lip slightly as she shrugged her right shoulder. "One of the first rules of combat I learned was to use what you have to defend yourself." She said easily. "Besides you still have about six inches and about fifty pounds on me...so girls gotta use what she's got." She gave him a knowing smile and a little laugh.

"Fifty pounds you say? Damn I'm gonna have to lay off the snacks when I'm on the Bridge! You know just where to hit a guy when he's down huh Tarish? I'll have to remember that next time!"

John was more than happy he had met someone who shared his thoughts on personal combat, in a real fight, its kill or be killed, and he knew which option he would rather take!
Clearing away the last few bites of his meal, John dabbed at his mouth with the replicated napkin, and settled back in his chair, taking another sip from his glass as he savoured the remnants of flavour making their way around his mouth.

"I must say, that's a damn fine replicator you have there"

"So not what I meant. "Tarishiana had barely recovered from her laughter when John's comment had come out about her replicator. She nodded as she began to speak, "I programmed it myself. One of the joys of enlisting, you get training in how to do pretty much everything until you find what you are good at." She was rocked with an aftershock of laughter before she continued, "I spent the first two years of my enlistment in Starfleet training in operations and engineering...another fifteen months in tactical and security training until I stumbled upon a linguistic willing to train me." He hadn't really asked about her past, but the words just came rambling out. "Sorry, apparently I needed to talk about me for a second." she finished a somewhat embarrassed laugh.

"No problem, I hadn't realised you had had such a varied trip around our ranks! I'm not as great an engineer as I'd like to be, I seem to spend most of my free time trying to learn new tricks, I might have to make sure I spend some more time around the Chief down in engineering for a few weeks, see if I can't pick up on a bit of extra experience down there!"

It was true that although John's knowledge of engineering was on par with most officers of his rank and tenure, but he wanted to be more than that, something that he had aspired to for a while now ever since witnessing the somewhat impossible work that the "miracle workers" of the engineering corps always seemed to make happen, even when all conventional methods said it couldn't.

"Sounds like a good idea." Tarishiana replied with an easy grin. "I always believe it is good to have something intriguing to work on." Finishing the rest of her water she rose from her seat and gathered up the empty plates.. "Would you like some dessert?" she asked as she walked to the replicator, placing the dishes in the disposal bin.

"Why not? I've come this far, I may as well finish off, although I'll have to insist on pecan pie...I haven't gotten my hands on that stuff since I was last on Mars, the replicated stuff is never as good as hand made, but it'll do the job just as well."

He leant back in his chair, and took a sip from his glass, before returning his eyes to the replicator.

"Strange place Mars - likes to think of itself as different to Earth, but when you're there, the culture isn't all that different"

"I have never been there." Tarishiana started as she returned with two pieces of pecan pie each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Setting the plate in front of John she took her seat and toyed with the ice cream with her fork. She looked at the pie before looking back up at him. "I have also never had pecan pie." She took a bite with a grin.

"Then you are very much in for a treat, I doubt anyone, human or Betazoid, could ever say they didn't enjoy this little beauty."

Picking up a small portion on the end of his fork, John savoured the first bite, the wave of sweetness passing through his entire body. It was true that the replicated stuff didn't quite match up to his own recipe, but in space, the luxury of a full kitchen and the time to prepare the dish was somewhat lacking.

"Man that is good...I can tell you that without you having to probe my thoughts! Not a bad way to end a meal huh? Now the other thing that's worth a try, is the polar caps on Mars, the skiing there is pretty amazing, worth a visit next time you get some shore leave."

Tarishiana smiled as she took another bite of the sweet pie. "Like I said...unless my life is in danger or I am going to lose." She gave him a playful wink. "Your thoughts are your own." She scooped at the ice cream and piled it on the pie taking a bit of both at the same time. She did a happy little bounce in her seat. "I will keep that in mind the next time I have shore leave." She had thought about adding that she would like for him to join her, but after his reaction to her friendly dinner request she decided it was better to wait for another day.

"Good choice, who knows, I might even tag along, after all, if I can't beat you in the sparring ring, at least I might stand a chance when there's a mountain to ski down! I have to win something eventually. What about Betazed? Do you miss it there?"

"No." Tarishiana said simply with a shake of her head. She took another bite of her pie before setting her fork onto her plate. She looked back up at John. "I mean...not really...my mother is there." She continued with a laugh. "I am reaching the point in my life where I have spent more time away from home then I remember living there."

"Sounds like you've got a few skeletons in that closet of yours? I haven't been back to Mars for the same reason...my old man...there's an argument not worth having. You and your mother have a similar relationship?"

John was rather curious as to her back story, it was intriguing that there might be someone else in the senior staff that was of the same situation as he was, trapped in space because of a family member who refused to see reason.

"You could say that." Tarishiana said frankly with an almost forced smile. She let out a sigh, she would have to explain the situation sooner or later and in her mind at that moment--sooner was a far better option. "I am assuming you know about the genetic bonding practiced on Betazed?"

John kept silent, his eyes glazed over with a vacant look as she mentioned a topic of which he had no knowledge, instead deciding to go for the safer option of a mouthful of pie.

"Well the practice is used to bring families together." She continued. "Most parents don't require their children to go through with it...my mother is not one of those parents." She retrieved her fork but didn't take a bite. "I am an only child and my marriage into the Tomick family would boost my parent's social status...but I don't want to marry Lestian." She used her fork to draw lines in the melting ice cream.

"So it's kind of like an arranged marriage on Earth, or how the Vulcans do business? Damn...that's a sticky situation....is there a way out or is a one way ticket up the aisle?"

John knew that arranged marriages still existed within some cultures, even on earth in the 24th century, it was still done for religious reasons, albeit much less commonly than it once was. Some other species, such as the Vulcans did it out of necessity, after all, with something as aggressive as pon farr to compete with, it was always useful to have a mate on hand when it came around.

"Yes...arranged marriage would be an accurate comparison" Tarishiana said with a smile. "If my mother or Lestian's mother had had anything to do with it, I would already be married." She continued with a grin. "I...uh...ran away, I guess is the best term, the night before my wedding." That little fact still made her laugh. "Lestian is willing to let me out of it...but there are provisions." Deciding she had toyed with her ice cream enough she took another bite of pie.

"Provisions? Sounds like a hostage negotiation to me Tarish..." John frowned as he considered the position of his science officer. He had always thought that the children of any individual should be free to make their own decisions in life without being controlled by their parents.
"I can't imagine it would be easy to find a Starfleet posting that allows civilian families aboard either" he mentioned in passing, unaware of the finer points of Betazoid marriage requirements.

"Lestian is the Executive Officer of the USS Colton." Tarishiana said matter of fact. She returned to playing with her pie. She looked back up at John with a grin. "If we get married I am expected to give up my life in Starfleet, return to Betazed, have babies and return to the social circles....If I remained on a Starfleet vessel, it would be as a civilian." She shook her head, "The provisions are actually fair, at least I think so..." she took another bite of pie. "If I fall in love with someone else and plan on getting married, I am released from the bonding." She took a sip of water. She hated admitting that part. She always felt like she was throwing herself at any male she could find.

"A fellow XO huh? Well there's hope for him yet" John said jovially, taking another mouthful of his ever diminishing supply of pie.
"And how do you feel about that? I can't imagine being stuck at home pregnant would be as fun as learning a new language or meeting a new species? Something says you aren't overly happy with the notion?"

Tarishiana took another bite, "My my John...you dabble as a counsellor on your nights off?" She asked sweetly before actually answering his question. "Well...I ran off and enlisted in Starfleet despite the fact that I was accepted into the Academy." She took a sip of her water before she continued, "It isn't that I don't want children...I just don't want to become my mother. She married for social status, had a child for social status, and now has arranged my marriage for social status..." She tailed off for a moment before letting out a laugh though her large smile, "Is it so wrong to want to replace social status with love and affection?"

It took the comment from his science officer to remind John that it was not his job to sit here and work his way through her entire psyche before dessert was over. Blushing slightly, he cleared his throat and took a large gulp from his glass of water, pausing for a moment, allowing the fork in his hand to bounce between his thumb and forefinger as he considered his reply.

"Sorry, I just get a bit too wrapped up in things sometimes, never satisfied until I know the whole story you know? And err, no, no there's nothing wrong with that at all, I could never see myself happily leaving Starfleet, my life is here, in space, not on a planet."

For a moment he considered her almost impossible situation, and after comparing it to his own in his head, began to laugh alongside her, it seemed that no matter what planet a person was born on, or what society they developed in, parents were always there to make a mess of everything.

"A toast - to the wishes of our parents, and the efforts we go to in order to avoid fulfilling them"

"I can toast to that." Tarishiana said as she raised her almost empty water glass. "As you might have noticed, I am not a reserved person...I don't mind sharing the entire story." She gave him a little wink as she took a sip of her water. "Maybe next time, you can share your awkward family history so I won't feel like such a mental case." She added with a laugh.

"If that's the case Chief" he said with a devious look on his face "I'll have to bring something a little stronger than just water...it's a long story I promise...but that's for another night, with more pie, and no impending starship launches on the way!"

He had to admit, that as the meal began to draw to a close, he had definitely enjoyed himself, which was unusual, John didn't generally accept the input of others, or their prying into his own affairs, but this Betazoid seemed a little different. Either it was some kind of telepathy that she just hadn't admitted to, or he really was having a good time.

"And speaking of launches, I think I should be heading off to meet my next date - my bed" He said, finishing off the last few crumbs on his plate, and finishing off the end of his water.

"Your company has been most enjoyable Ms Barel, thank you for a lovely evening"

"I look forward to it." Tarishiana replied with a grin as she rose from the chair. She picked up the plates and glasses and took them to the disposal tray of the replicator. "I am glad you enjoyed yourself." She returned to the table and rested her hands on the back of her chair. "I had a lot of fun to night, I look forward to beating you next time and getting to see your quarters." She gave him a little wink.

"We'll see, don't get your hopes up, you might trip yourself over with it in our next match. Goodnight Tarish, I'll see you bright and early for the big launch!"

And with a grin, John headed for the exit, heading out into the corridor, destined for as close to a full night's sleep as he could manage before the big day.

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