A Friendly Face

Posted on 01 Dec 2018 @ 10:44pm by Ensign Mimi & Petra Varelli Ph.D.
Edited on on 03 Dec 2018 @ 6:07pm

1,214 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 17 - Crystal of Life
Location: USS Galileo-A - Lounge
Timeline: MD -152, 1810 hours

[ON]

Petra helped set up the lab she would share during work hours, and spent some time wandering around the ship, but there really wasn't a lot for a civilian to do on a starship.

She took her meals in the lounge so that she could people watch and get to know the others she would be working with. And to see who she knew from her days with the old Galileo crew.

Having just gotten off duty Mimi headed for the lounge, the shift had left her very peckish. Heading through the door she looked around, most of the lounge was occupied by crew she'd not met except in passing but then she caught sight and scent of someone familiar. "Petra." She called out.

Petra looked up and grinned. "Mimi! Come join me!" She hadn't seen her friend since...well, in a while. It would be nice to talk.

"Give me a moment." Mimi went to the bar to order her food then headed over to join Petra.

"It's good to see a friendly face," Petra said, grinning. "You look nice and chipper. How have you been?"

"It is good to see you too Petra." Mimi said as she sat down. "I have been alright though I am finding the deputy chief position a little hard."

"How are you finding it hard?" Petra asked.

"I did not..... plan on being deputy chief, I am not sure I am up to the task." Mimi said as she picked at her fish.

"I think you are. You've had plenty of experience."

"But I have never had to run a department." Mimi countered. "The biggest one on the ship."

Petra shrugged. "Marisa says it's all a matter of organizaton and delegation. I've never had to deal with it myself, but knowing you, I'm sure you'll do great."

Mimi smiled. "Thank you Petra, I hope I can live up to what Captain Saalm expects."

"Don't live up to what she expects. You know what is required of a Starfleet officer. Do your best, trust your instincts, and continually improve." Petra shrugged. "You're better than her expectations."

"I am glad you have confidence in me," Mimi said after stabbing a potato with her fork. "I am still not too sure."

"That's a fairly common problem, not thinking you're up to the task. At least, that's what Marisa used to say. So, what you need to do is prove you can do it." Petra grinned. "And find yourself a good man. That always helps."

"I think I have that part sorted." Mimi said with a small smile.

"Good for you," Petra said, giving Mimi a conspiratorial smile. "I hope you're having fun."

Mimi nodded. "Romance is a whole new thing for me Petra, it has been fun so far."

"Romance is great," Petra admitted. "I haven't been able to get past the first stages myself, but I'll be cheering you on from a distance."

Mimi was a little surprised. "Really, a nice lady like you has not found a partner yet?"

Petra laughed humorlessly. "Most men aren't interested in a long-term relationship." She sighed and leaned closer. "Just between you and me, I've been taking whatever I can get since Kreanus. Just to feel alive."

"Then I think we have a.... task, find you someone long term before the end of this assignment." Mimi said taking Petra's hand to try and reassure her.

"Thank you, but at this point, I'm probably a lost cause."

"A lost cause, I thought I was that Petra." Mimi told her. "I did not think I would ever be attracted to anyone but another Nekomi and when I did find someone I liked I had trouble reading human emotions, would always say the wrong thing and every thing would go wrong but eventually I found someone I loved. If I can I think you can."

"You've never been a lost cause, but I'm glad you've found someone, and I'm especially glad you're happy," Petra said. Then, to change the subject, she asked, "Any more luck finding your homeworld?"

Mimi shook her head. "Not yet, one day." She said.

"I'm sorry." Petra knew how much it meant to Mimi to find the Nekomi homeworld. "Maybe we'll find some information out here?"

"I doubt it but anything could happen." Mimi shrugged a little. "When we get nearer the..... outskirts of federation space I might have better luck."

"I'll be happy to help in any way I can," Petra said.

"I know you are Petra." Mimi paused to take a bite. "And you have been a great help to me already."

Petra smiled at that. "Good. So, what can you do for fun around here?"

"Same as the old ship, we have a couple of holodecks, a nice garden and gym on deck 7 and...." Mimi paused for a second. "I think there are some packs of cards behind the bar."

Petra smiled. "That could be interesting."

"I agree." Mimi finished her food then nipped to the bar to fetch a pack and returned to the table. "What do you want to play? I know a couple of games."

"Me, too. Should we start with a simple game of blackjack? Or do you prefer poker?"

Mimi shook her head. "I find poker complicated, blackjack would be fine."

"Good enough. I like solitaire, but that's not much of a group activity," Petra said as she shuffled the cards and set the deck in the middle of the table. "I shuffled, so you deal."

Mimi dealt a pair of cards for her and Petra. "Solitaire is an interesting game, there is something about taking a random mixed deck and getting everything back in order that I like."

"It can be fun," Petra admitted. She looked at her cards for a moment. Then she signaled for another card.

Dealing Petra another card Mimi looked at her own, her ears twitching slightly unknowingly telling Petra she had good cards.

Petra watched Mimi and her ears, then looked at her own cards. Not good enough to hold. She drew another one and set it face up on the table. She shook her head and put the rest of her cards down. "I bust."

Mimi smiled and placed her cards face up. "Twenty." she pushed both sets of cards to one side and drew another pair for them both, her ears twitched again but less frequently. She drew another card, then another before finally busting.

They played several more games, neither one having a clear advantage, even though Mimi's ears gave her away. Petra was glad she never got the hang of poker.

"That was fun," Petra said. "But I need to get back to work. We should get together for dinner, or something."

"I would like that Petra." Mimi said. "Whatever we end up doing."

"Great! What do you like to do?"

"Not sure..." Mimi thought for a moment. "I have the holodeck booked for a couple of hours tomorrow if you want to come with me?"

"Sure. Sounds like fun."

Mimi smiled "Then... it is a date, tomorrow at 1415hrs."

Petra grinned. "I'll be there. See you!'

[OFF]

--

Petra Varelli
Forensic Anthropologist
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Sandoval]

Ensign Mimi
Asst. Chief Operations Officer
USS Galileo-A

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