"A Little Talk"
By: Ensign Shirik Lektar - Operations
Ensign Raina Derrell - Medical

Location: Lektar & Derrell's quarters, USS Sulu
Stardate 57908.12, 16h20

***

Shirik sat on her bed relaxing. The lights were dimmed. She was still in uniform, and a mug of awful-smelling klaas sat on the nightstand. She was reading over her notes on her PADD, and didn't really expect to see her roommate again tonight. She seldom saw her, and that was fine with her.

Raina returned from another long day on duty. The medical staff had been running around in an attempt to be prepared for anything with this Gamma Quadrant deployment. For once she was looking forward to a quiet evening. "Good evening," she replied cordially to her roommate upon entering their shared quarters.

Shirik looked up from her reading, surprised to see Raina. "Evening.... Will you be staying? I can return the lights to normal..."

"You can leave the lights as they are if you want to," she commented. "But yes I'm staying. There's nothing that requires my attention for a change and I'm glad."

Shirik nodded and returned her attention to her PADD. She hardly knew Raina, and didn't know what to say, so she said nothing.

As roommates Raina figured they should at least be civil, though she hardly knew Shirik and when she did talk it seemed she didn't say much. "How was your day?" Raina moved to change into something more comfortable once she could decide on exactly what to put on.

Shirik lowered her PADD to her lap. It seemed her roommate wanted to talk. "My day was fine," she said.

"You don't talk much but I figured it would make life easier if we knew a bit more about each other," Raina commented as she located something comfortable to wear. The idea crossed her mind then vanished just as quickly when she realized her muscles were still protesting a bit from that fall in the holodeck. Sure it had been a few days but then she hadn't really had a chance to take it totally easy since then either.

"Very well.... What do you wish to know?" she asked. "My personnel record is easily viewable if you wished to look at it."

Raina got the feeling this was going to be a bit like pulling teeth. "Tell me something that isn't in your service jacket. I've read that."

Shirik thought for a moment, but her service record, she thought, was fairly thorough. "I'm afraid I'm not very adept at social interaction," she said. "Perhaps you could tell me more about yourself." She paused. "How are you feeling? I've not seen you since that day I took you to sickbay...."

That caused Raina to pause. "Well I'm not that adept at the social thing either. As for how I'm feeling, ok, I guess. Being forced into talking about problems in front of the entire medical staff hasn't exactly been the highlight of my tour of duty on this ship so far. Don't get me wrong, it's just that some of them have some wild ideas of why I reacted the way I did."

"If the medical staff's professionalism is any indication of their skills in treatment, I think I prefer to treat my own injuries," she said. "Unlike me, you unfortunately don't have the option of avoiding them. I don't envy you your working environment. Mine is far more pleasant. I work alone."

Raina had to smile at that. "Well it's never a good thing when a nurse decides to start attempting to diagnose psychological conditions that in this case don't exist. However I happen to do fine in sickbay. I have enough allies there."

"That's good," she said. "If that nurse bothers you again, do let me know."

"Oh, I will, believe me. Thank you again. It really wasn't my intention to scare you like that," Raina replied sincerely.

Shirik raised an eyebrow at her. "I wasn't scared. But you looked like you were."

"I was, because it all came flooding back to me with such force. Thing is my choice of words there was more of a figure of speech since it's not my usual form to greet a roommate in that manner." Raina knew that Shirik would understand, after all she was more than willing to go chase down the offender if it happened again.

Shirik nodded. "You don't need to explain yourself. It's just a good thing I was here to make sure you got medical attention."

Raina smiled. "I know but it's only the right thing to thank someone for their services. Terran custom I guess you could say."

She paused for a moment, then said, "You're welcome."

"So what has your attention for the evening on that PADD? You look like me when it comes to reading materials, usually something more academic than recreational," she commented.

"I keep all my notes on it," she said. "Notes on my shift, notes on my research... I usually work on several projects at once."

Raina nodded. "And which project is most interested to you right now?"

Shirik considered her answer. "Most of my projects involve studying the behavior and culture of fellow crew members," she finally said. "I also do holoprogramming projects."

"Very interesting," Raina commented as she quickly stepped into the bathroom to change then returned a short time later wearing something more comfortable. "Individual projects always provide good insight into various personalities."

"Indeed," she agreed, glad that Raina hadn't asked which crew members she was studying. "What do you do when you're off duty?"

"Depends," Raina replied. "I spend my time studying the latest medical journals. With our extended journey into the Gamma Quadrant I'm taking a few medical courses via correspondence or I relax by brushing up on Astronomy."

She nodded, although none of those things sounded interesting to her. Studying and more studying. "Do you do anything other than study?"

"Astronomy is purely a hobby. I enjoy various sports including scuba diving," she answered, realizing how dumb her first comment sounded.

"I'm not much on sports myself," she mused. "Unless you count knife fighting and unarmed combat...and horseback riding. That's about it."

"Martial arts are a great thing, and while you can count them as sports I usually don't classify them there," she offered. "And I quite enjoy just listening to some relaxing music occasionally."

Shirik nodded. "I'll listen once in a while, but I'm not a big music fan. I'd rather read."

"Generally I don't subject others to my tastes in that unless they ask, so you'll usually find me wearing a headset or if I'm in a holodeck working out alone," Raina reassured her gently.

"That's acceptable," she agreed. She glanced over at her mug of klaas on the nightstand, noticing that Raina hadn't commented on the smell. Perhaps her nose didn't work, she thought. Just as well.

Raina had smelled whatever that was on Shirik's nightstand. It reeked something awful but she wasn't about to say that out loud. "So how are you settling in aboard this ship so far?"

She considered for a moment, then actually smiled just a bit. "Rather well, actually," she said. Much better than she had expected. She actually had a couple of crewmates she considered possible friends, and potential assignments ahead that could be very interesting.

"Glad to hear that," Raina replied casually. At least someone appeared to be finding their place aboard the Sulu with relative ease.

She studied her roommate for a moment. "I take it you haven't been settling in that well?" She had thought the incident in Sickbay was likely an isolated one.

Raina shrugged. "Depends on how you look at it I guess. After that incident in sickbay Dr. Sefton decided to do a little team building in the holodeck. That one little campfire talk turned into a no holds barred immature yelling match. As if that wasn't enough I was teamed with Cristobel Sefton and the one nurse who made an error that night in sickbay. Ok, so the treasure hunt was going fine until we had to send someone to the bottom of a well, she volunteered since I'm leery of confined spaces. The rest of us held the rope, it snapped part way down and injured two of us, Cris was the only one who wasn't injured in that mess."

"Perhaps you should try to spend more time with personnel who don't work in medical," she suggested. "The crewmen in Security seem much more...mature." She was certain she'd never visit Sickbay again unless she were dying.

Raina laughed. "Believe me that little excursion wasn't by choice. I know, I know, seems contradictory to say that but it was an order by my department head to see if things could flow better among the sickbay staff. I'm not sure personally if that's possible."

"From what I've seen of the medical staff, I doubt it," she said. "Although I would hope that Dr. Sefton has enough control over her staff to curtail problems."

"Yes I can say she does," Raina commented simply. All too well she knew the CMO wouldn't put up with that kind of thing in her sickbay. But that didn't mean the staff couldn't do what they wanted outside of there.

"So, what have you been doing outside of work in sickbay?" she asked. "Anything?"

She thought about the question briefly. "Varies because I'm spending a lot of my off duty time studying for classes when I'm not in sickbay. That and I've been trying to get to know the crew. One of my professors had this theory that medical officers will have an easier time with their jobs if they are at least familiar with the crew outside of sickbay."

"Exactly," she said. "Especially considering who you have to work with. If I were you, I'd be spending every off-duty moment with anyone who wasn't medical staff."

Raina nodded, "Yes I tend to do that anyway. What about you?"

"I've been.. here, mostly. I have started scheduling some off-duty activities for myself, though. I'm going to be taking meditation lessons from Saavar, and I had dinner with Lt. T'Kal a few evenings ago." The memory brought a smile to her lips.

"Now that is the most social I've seen you since we first met, " Raina returned the smile. "Congratulations. It looks to me like you enjoyed the evening." She was pleased to see her roommate was having a good time.

"I did," she said, though her tone and the look in her eyes said more. "Hopefully, I'll get to do it again."

That one made Raina look twice but she just smiled, "I won't say anything except good luck. It's nice to spend time with that special someone."

She blinked at her. "Oh, no... it's not like that..." she quickly denied. "He...has someone."

"I never said it had to be romantic or that those feelings aren't there on one side or another even if one is attached." She paused. "And more than that you never specifically said which one. It could just be as good friends either way that's a good thing to have around."

"Well, you rather implied it when you said 'that special someone'..." she said. She nodded. "I think I would like him as my friend. I've not had any real friends since I left home to join the Academy."

She smiled. "Didn't mean to confuse you but I have to admit I've only seen that look when someone tells me they are serious or seeing someone beyond just friends. But that term is my way of saying you have a close confidant and not just a casual acquaintance but it doesn't necessarily cross the line of being in love or married to. If I'd really wanted to know I would have said so for sure and used one of the two terms."

"Well...we don't really know each other all that well yet..." she said, taking her mug into her hands. "And we can't be anything more than friends anyway." The smile was gone from her face now.

Raina nodded in understanding. "I apologize for misinterpreting there." Lately she seemed to just be stumbling over the correct thing to say.

"No need to apologize," she said. She wondered just what look Raina had seen in her eyes.

"You just look like you see something more than just friends there if it was possible," Raina quietly added. "That's what made me ask."

She shrugged. "I don't mind your asking," is all she said.

While Raina wouldn't push the point any further she took that as a positive sign for the way things were going between her and Shirik. It always helped to have a roommate that one didn't argue with. She simply nodded in response.

---

"Y'all Come Back Now, Y'Hear?"
By: Lieutenant j.g. Nathalie Gui - Communications Officer
Ensign Mason Farrell - Operations Officer

Location: USS Sulu, Officer's Lounge
Stardate: 57908.12 18h10

***

Nathalie Gui sat at the bar in the Mess Hall alone, her Black Hole drink half done. She groaned, dropping her head into her hand as she lazily drummed her fingers against the glass of her drink. She was slowly becoming a Security Officer and receiving praise from her crewmembers but she couldn't help but wonder how she couldn't still manage to keep tabs on her pet.

Her pet was indeed an odd little thing to figure out, and while she did make her treks around the ship or starstations in the past on very rare occasion, somehow she managed to cause trouble for Nat one way or another; in this case it was with Farrell's room-mate Sanat Vijay.

Gui had decided rather out of humiliation to attempt to avoid speaking to the human-Vulcan as much as possible. No doubt after what happened she was more than certain he was still furious over what happened during his first day onboard. Covering her eyes with her hand Nathalie attempted to fend off the raging headache occupying her mind as she tried to figure how she would work her way through this literal mess.

"As I recall, a sense of joy generally accompanies promotion. Is it so bad?" Farrell's voice sounded next to her. "Skorikos," he called to the pretty waitress. "I need your replicator balances from last shift."

"Right away, sir," Skorikos called, finishing the round of drinks she'd been serving and heading for a console.

Nathalie took a swig of her drink before looking over to Mason.

"I'm still a Junior Officer just like you are, though slightly higher in rank. I will begin to celebrate with great joy once I figure out how you managed to succeed to the rank of Admiral so quickly and back to Ensign," she remarked, lazily tracing a line through the perspiration on her glass.

"Admiral?" Farrell asked. "Ah yes, admiral. Those were the halcyon days, as I recall," he got wistful and theatrical. "Gallivantin' around the galaxy, saving civilization as we know it. Ah yes," he gave a mock sniffle and wiped away an imaginary tear. "And now here I am. Tracking replicator balances in a lounge. Oh, how the mighty have fallen." He stood for a solemn moment, and then broke into a grin. "So what's so bad that you're in here boozing it up?"

"Is what so bad? That I have the sudden urge to skin my pet, or out of humiliation I've taken the liberty of avoiding your new roomie?" Gui asked with false cheerfulness before downing another swig of her drink.

"Is that what you've been doing?" Farrell said, looking at her. "Vijay's not mad, Nat. He wishes he could have made a better first impression, but we're keeping the Joji-kabob jokes to a minimum."

"He wishes he could have made a better first impression? He probably thinks I was out for blood when I threatened to haul him off to the Brig." Nathalie's features turned worried for a moment. "Hell the way I acted he probably thinks I'm some blood thirsty amazon who'll use my power first chance I get."

"Well, you were in your ass-whuppin pants. Maybe he felt a little threatened," Farrell mused. "But he's ok, as far as I can tell. He's a good guy."

"That's good to know, though I still feel terrible about what happened...I have no idea how I'm going to smooth things over with Vijay, and I think the last person he wants to talk to is me right now..." She chuckled humorlessly before adding, "I seem to have a problem with first impressions. When you and I first met on the Holodeck you probably thought I was going to kick your ass."

"When we first met, I couldn't tell which one was the hologram. I had no idea who was fighting who for a little while there," he chuckled.

She chuckled smiling, turning to Mason she then asked, "So do you have any idea as to how I get myself out of this mess?"

"Well," he said, accepting a PADD from Skorikos with the requested statistics on it. "Thank you," he said to the dark-haired woman. She smiled and went about her business. He turned back to Nat. "You could just say hello and see how it goes from there. It's been a couple weeks."

"You think that's the best option?" she asked as she stared down into her dark drink before looking back over to her friend skeptically.

"You have another plan?" Farrell asked, with the mild sarcasm that only friends use with each other. "The ship's not big enough for you to avoid him. Sooner or later, you're going to run into him again. Do it on your terms."

Laughing Nat playfully swatted Mason on the arm. "Very funny, Peril, if anyone of us were to come up with an insane plan of some kind it would be you...thanks for talking to me about this, I appreciate getting advice from you...despite what oh, say, Lyrr thinks otherwise," she remarked rolling her eyes.

Farrell gave a short laugh. "Well, it pays to be unpredictable. Just come on by the Swamp sometime and say hello. No worries."

"The Swamp? What happened to the Black Lagoon of No Return?" she asked, smirking.

"Swamp's shorter. It's where we drunkard bachelor-creatures live," he smirked back. "And stay clear of Lyrr. I saw her snap you back at the staff dinner. Stay snapped back. Okay?"

Nathalie moved closer to Mason and patted his hand reassuringly. "Don't worry. Just because I stepped on the XO's toes doesn't mean I'll just as soon step on the toes of an Admiral." She wrapped her arms around Mason's neck in a short friendly hug. "You watch your back too, okay?"

"No worries there," Farrell quipped, patting the small of her back. He held up the PADD. "Back to the grind," he smiled.

She watched Mason leave before turning her attention back to her drink. Talking to Sanat, perhaps that was the best choice by far. Couldn't hurt could it?

---

"A Lack of Tact"
By Lieutenant (JG) Nathalie Gui - Security Officer
and Ensign Sanat Vijay - Flight Control Officer

Location: USS Sulu/Mason Farrell & Sanat Vijay's Quarters
Stardate: 57908.12 20h46

***

Stopping outside Farrell and Vijay's shared Quarters, Gui dusted off her uniform vest for what must have been the fourth or fifth time upon coming down here. Recently she had spoken with Mason in the Crew Lounge discussing whether or not she should attempt to make peace with his room-mate Sanat Vijay. The answer to that question seemed obvious; she wanted to get things smoothened out between the two of them, plain and simple.

She felt an odd mixture of emotions swirling around inside her; worry, dread, and possibly anger? Sighing, she puffed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes as she pushed her long braid behind her. Just relax, Nat, the sooner you get this over with the better. Brushing away her bangs Gui took a deep breath before she reached out to press the door chime.

Vijay was into his 11th cycle of Soham and nearing a state of true meditative harmony when the door chime startled him. Without opening an eye to see who was disturbing him, he called out in a terse voice, "Enter!"

Entering Nathalie immediately noticed that the room had been cleaned since the incident. Stepping forward her eyes scanned the room briefly before landing on its current sole occupant.

The door slid open to reveal Sanat sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, arms lying in his lap, and eyes closed. He was dressed in baggy cotton clothes reminiscent of traditional East Indian design. The ensign's face was composed but focused.

She watched Sanat meditate a minute or so before she softly cleared her throat and spoke to the still meditating human/vulcan. "Ensign Vijay?" Nathalie asked, voice slightly tense.

His eyes popped open upon hearing her voice. It was the owner of the canine from Hell! What could she possibly want here? Assuming she was seeking Farrell (it seemed to him that every woman onboard was looking for the man from Texas.), Vijay stated as fact, "Mason's still on duty, Lieutenant Gui." The man's face was guarded as he stared at Nathalie with a strange intensity.

Biting her lower lip, Gui looked down towards the floor before looking back at up Vijay. "Yes, I know he has duty on Beta shift, while I have Alpha. I came to speak to you directly, Sanat, or am I disturbing you?" she asked dryly.

He resisted a strong emotional urge to state the obvious; that she was indeed interrupting him, however, try as he might, his left eyebrow arched uncontrollably out of sheer curiosity; surely she didn't come here to talk to him? The half vulcan managed to force a smile. Motioning to Farrell's chair, he replied, "Sorry. I don't have many visitors. Please sit down."

(By either unspoken mutual accord or by whimsical chance, Mason favored the chair while Sanat preferred the couch/divan, and both men tended to use their favorite piece of furniture in 'The Swamp' exclusively.)

Nodding, Nathalie crossed over to the chair to sit down; it could have been just her but she swore that she thought Sanat obviously did not want to see her. Sitting down in the offered chair Nathalie waited until Sanat did likewise.

Uncrossing his legs and standing, Sanat moved over the couch and sat down comfortably. He looked at the attractive red-haired woman sitting across from him and then begrudgingly remembered his manners. "Would you like something to drink, Lieutenant Gui?"

"No, no thank you I'm not thirsty." Closing her eyes Gui ran through how as best to approach this situation and get it over, done and settled. "Let me get right to the point...I came to talk to you, after what a mess my pet had made of yours and Mason's Quarters. I understand I should have taken better measures to see that she did, or rather, does not get out of my own quarters...."

Eyes open she looked to Sanat. "I was hoping that we could make amends or perhaps try and become friends."

Sanat simply said, "Perhaps. What would you consider a suitable amend?"

He'd seen her temper before and was dubious about the prospect of them forging a friendship without clubbing each other to death first. There was just something about her that made him uneasy in her company (although their first meeting may have well prejudiced his objectivity in this matter). The half Vulcan could not quantify the gut feeling he had, thus he opted to see how things progressed before committing to any one course of action.

Folding her hands Nathalie looked down at her thumbs, suddenly becoming oddly fascinated with her nails. Was it just her...or did this seem to be harder than she thought it would be? She looked back at Sanat choosing her words carefully she then stated, "Well, we could attempt to get to know each other better, and go from there...it seems a reasonable start to me," she replied plainly.

"I see...."

Sanat looked at her trying to decide how sincere the aggressive woman really was...Nat seemed honest in her appeal, but something about her set his teeth on edge and his leftover ire got the best of him. He quipped, "And how might we do this, Lieutenant Gui? Sit by the fireside and sing sad campfire songs to one another?"

His face transformed itself from the guarded look of a few minutes ago to one accentuated by a wry smile. Before she could reply to his first sarcastic query, he further pressed her with, "Oh yes, you could take me to the brig and beat some friendship into me...I might actually enjoy it!"

Nathalie's hand tightly scrunched her pant material in her hand as she listened to Sanat snap at her with venomous sarcasm. Looking up she remarked dryly, "You're lucky I didn't just as soon beat it into you when we first met, but considering the fact that someone was too upset for having fallen into a mud puddle I figured I'd wait until later to lay any punishment on you!"

The typical ice cool demeanor Gui usually wore had literally melted away; her brash, fiery side was now unleashed. Standing, Nathalie stared at Sanat, eyes daggersome. "You know I have met some Vulcans, full-blooded and half-blooded, but you sir I could just as soon mistake for a Romulan with his head stuck too far up his own ass who cannot even accept a simple apology! Though knowing you, I'm surprised you didn't just as soon shoot me before I was given the chance!"

"Temper, temper Mon `Cheri," he wagged a finger at her while replying, "What you suggest is anatomically impossible, besides, I didn't have a phaser...oh yes, since I'm supposed to be a Romulan, I would need a disrupter instead...anyhow, there are no weapons readily available at the time."

He stood up to return Nathalie's glare; Sanat was outwardly calm and still taunting, but inside his temper equaled hers. That ungrateful bitch! Didn't I accept her first apology tactfully enough? What does she want? An engraved plaque commemorating the occasion?

Crossing his arms and tempering his ongoing response to avoid shouting or giving the appearance of open hostility, he commented nonchalantly, "I find your anger most intriguing...could my questions be more accurate than you wish to admit?"

Vijay moved his right arm upward and placed the corresponding forefinger on his lips and then, seconds later, flicked it away to say, "Maybe you are right, I cannot gracefully accept an apology from a woman that cannot control her rat with big ears...although it did look like a very tasty kabob on legs...."

RAT?!

"RAT?! Joji is no rat, maybe if you looked in the mirror lately you'd see what a real rat looks like and then you can judge for yourself. Then again you seem to have no real sense of logic so I don't see how that can very well be accomplished now can I? Oh but wait, I forgot, you're a Vulcan, naturally you're supposed to know everything," Nathalie countered icily.

She managed to find a small chink in his emotional armor. But a fatal blow it was not, however, it was enough to elicit in return, "LOGIC?!" The word burst forth from his mouth before he could stop it. "My dear Lieutenant Gui! What on earth makes you think that I'd dare apply logic to this situation?!"

Sanat's face transformed from causal indifference to a reproachful glare, "And as to my heritage...I believe you'll find your assumed knowledge is not nearly as complete as you may think...." His voice tapered off to almost a growl and his body language took on an agitated posture.

"Oh I don't know, perhaps the reason you're not applying logic to this situation is purely based on the fact that you assume you know everything!" Glaring at Sanat she then quipped dryly, "And excuse me if my race is not as all high and mighty as yours...Elf Boy!" Gui had looked at Sanat's profile briefly when she had been informed of the new crew roster, curious to see if this half Vulcan would indeed have Vulcan like characteristics. Apparently the answer to that in her opinion was 'Yes and No'.

His face showed momentary confusion as he considered Nat's latest jab.

At first he wasn't sure what she meant by 'Elf Boy'; Sanat took a second to analyze the insult and then decided it must have been meant as a slur against his partial Vulcan ancestry. She should have known that he was half human too; otherwise, the attractive woman's current tirade of assailing his mixed bloodline was a misnomer in the extreme.

Letting his emotional constraints reassert themselves before his fury took on a physical tone, he quipped as his face brightened to include a faked sarcastic roll of the eyes, "Yes, well being descended from an ape as you obviously are, it can be difficult to grasp complex concepts like logic...much less quantum physics...."

Fuming Nathalie threw up her hands in anger. "That's it! I can certainly see my time in coming here to in an attempt to smooth things out with you has failed. I have never, met a more stuck-up, arrogant, son of a bitch in all my life! You want to talk to me again, Sa-nat...you're going to have to apologize to me first because I see that I have obviously wasted time trying to do so with you." Seething, Nathalie turned on her heel and stormed out of Vijay's quarters, a mixture of anger and confusion on her features.

He watched her go without uttering another word. It would have been a futile gesture anyway given how well they were communicating at this juncture...his lack of tact had infuriated her beyond all measure.

The real question was, why he'd respond to her gesture of goodwill that way in the first place? Petty revenge? Stupidity? No...what then?

Sanat shrugged to himself and went over the divan and plopped down. He strove to breathe deeply to try and calm himself; looking at his hands, Vijay tried to stop them from shaking with the pent-up aggression he was feeling right then...it appeared he had some drinking and thinking to do about one Nathalie Gui.

---