Good Manners

Posted on 12 Oct 2023 @ 12:21pm by Ensign Tora Zalos & Lieutenant JG Fynn Taymor

806 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 2, Mess Hall
Timeline: MD 16, 0615 Hours

[ON]

Fynn entered Galileo's mess hall and wasn't surprised to find he was the only one there. With the ship docked, essentially only the repair teams were left on board, with a few exceptions. Accordingly, he not shocked, but perhaps a little disappointed. Mealtimes were often a good time to meet others, and he was hopeful someone else would show. In the meantime, there was no sense in sitting around waiting. There was work to get to, after all.

He stepped up to a replicator and ordered a short stack of groatcakes, with maple syrup and a large glass of kava juice. He sat at the nearest table and tucked into his breakfast.

Surprisingly, one other did enter the mess hall - a short, attractive young Cardassian woman, who ordered a large slice of larish pie and what looked like a tall glass of some kind of reddish juice. Odd, perhaps, but not entirely out of place. As she searched the mesa hall for a suitable place to sit she would come across the young Bajoran man, seated alone, and smiled sweetly at him. She had nothing against Bajorans at all; she only hoped that he would extend her the same courtesy. "Hello! Would you mind company?" She chirped, hovering around the seat across from him. "I hope I'm not interrupting your personal time."

Fynn looked up, surprised to see a Cardassian in a Starfleet uniform standing before him. Any hesitancy lasted a millisecond at best as he returned the smile warmly. "I would love some company!" he replied, standing respectfully so she could take her seat. "You are not interrupting me at all, this is a rather pleasant surprise. I came here for breakfast hoping to meet some of the crew. I'm Fynn, the new Chief Engineer."

Tora had admittedly expected something of a stronget reaction from him. It wasn't too long after the Dominion War after all and to go a little further back, the Bajoran occupation. She'd half expected him to shoo her away or attack her, in fact - his actual reaction was something of a wonderfully pleasant surprise. "My name is Tora. It's wonderful to meet you." The Cardassian smiled and sat down across from him. "What a gentleman you are. Do you do this for everyone who joins you for breakfast?" She teased.

"I'd like to think so," Fynn answered as he sat back down. "The practice of good manners should be consistent. Though, um, I guess they can sometimes be overlooked in excitement." He stabbed a piece of his groatcake and swirled it through the puddle of syrup on his plate. "How long have you served aboard Galileo?"

What an unusual sentiment. Part of Tora wondered if he'd grown up away from Bajor, on Earth perhaps, where he'd been fortunate enough to escape the Occupation completely. Most Bajorans she'd met at the Academy hadn't been even half as nice as he was being to her right now. "Just a few weeks. I'm fresh from the Academy." She replied, stabbing her fork into her slice of pie. "How about you? Obviously you've served for some time, judging from your rank."

Dabbing the corner of his mouth with his napkin, Fynn did the math. "Eight years. I graduated in 84." He reached for his juice. "Although, to be honest? Sometimes I feel fresh out of the Academy myself. There's always so much to see and do... I don't think I can imagine our careers ever seeming routine." He took a drink and then asked, "Science of medical?"

"Science. Come to think of it I wouldn't have minded Medical at all, actually, but I fancied the idea of learning about people and cultures more, I suppose!" Tora laughed, a light, pleasant sound. "I'd like to join the Diplomatic Corps someday. Maybe when someone at Starfleet Command finds me suitable!"

"Well, you are certainly friendly, so you'll have that going for you," Fynn acknowledged with a nod. "I know this ship is supposed to be more scientifically orientated in its mission profile, so you should be able to gain some experience quickly. And make sure your department head knows your long-term goals... they might see you get assigned to help with anything diplomatic in nature."

"I'd be pleased to talk to them." Tora replied with a smile. "And I'm sure they'll be supportive. Last I checked Starfleet does need diplomats - exploration is our forte, after all, and that involves plenty of meeting new people, don't you reckon?"

"Anyway. You've been in service a while. Got any interesting stories to share?" Tora leaned slightly across the table. "Surely you must have. I do love listening to stories."

[TRUNCATED]

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ENS Tora Zalos
Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

LTJG Fynn Taymor
Chief Engineer
USS Galileo-A

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