Posted by Ensign Adrian Sorel (Doctor) in Lounge- A Welcome Lunch (all welcome)

Posted by Ensign Mwezi (Security) in Lounge- A Welcome Lunch (all welcome)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Lisa Caldwell (Engineer) in Lounge- A Welcome Lunch (all welcome)
Posted by… suppressed (26) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“I’ll take a black coffee, thank you.” Lisa stated, recovering from her outburst.

“Well, you know me, I’ll always take coffee,” Shara said. Caldwell’s outburst has passed so quickly but not without Shara making a mental note to address it later. “But I’ll come grab my own and give you a hand. since I promised nibbles.” The XO slipped out of her chair and winked at the group assembled.

Bethany laughed. “Yeah, you have your own replicator now, so you never come steal mine anymore.” She got up, “Be back.”

At the replicator, Shara was trying to maintain a calm exterior, letting Bethy grab the coffees first. “I wonder if crew socializing is somehow covered in Command school,” she said softly, giving Gadi a sideways glance. “If so, maybe I should put in to do distance classes.” The sarcasm slipped out and was a soothing balm to her uncertainty. Her, in clubs? The idea was somehow laughable. But she wanted to be supportive of the crew and would help them create whatever they needed, within reason, of course

~Shara Calloway, XO

“No idea about Command, but my counseling training covered it.” It had been brief, because if the nature of her training, but they had discussed it.

“I do play the guitar....occasionally. It has been some time though and I’m a little rusty.” She stated, trying to engage in the conversation and move on quickly, hoping no one heard her outburst. She hated that the incident had made her into some one different. She almost didn’t recognise herself anymore.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

OOC: Can I jump in here?

-Kieron/

OOC: Don’t see why not :)

Tom

Varen’s eyebrow raised slightly, “Guitar maybe you can play for us sometime”, he said taking a sip off his coffee. He leaned in on his elbows taking the weight off his back.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Varen Jorath
Chief Science officer U.S.S Asimov

Lisa froze. That hadn’t been her intention. She was only trying to make conversation. She sighed inwardly.

“Music! I myself do not participate in the musical arts, aside from humming to myself while I work. But my spouses are quite musical. Mwezi plays a,,, it is like the earth instrument, Violin and Shilo was part of a choir in their younger years. Perhaps a concert or music show could be organised?” Kula got excited at the prospect, and those around the table could hear the gentle thud of her wagging tail hitting the wall behind her.

Ensign Mwezi
Security USS Asimov

As she started ordering platters for the table, Shara looked back at the group, eyes alight. Music. Now there was an option that appealed to her. “Ummm, I play guitar and piano,” she said with a half shrug. Shara had played her guitar a few times in public places (usually when it was quieter) so many people knew she had a guiatar on hand and played, but she really didn’t share her ability with the piano to many people. Outside of the holodeck it had been a bit tricky too, especially on the last ship. Not exactly portable.

~Shara Calloway, XO

“I like music, but don’t ask me to play. I’ll offend someone and cause a war.” It was hard to tell if the security chief was joking or not. She ordered the various coffees and helped grab trays of food to carry back to the table.

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Adrian’s attention was caught about the discussion of music. “I play the Vulcan Ka’athyra, or lute.” He offered. “I have never played with a group before.”

~Dr. Adrian Sorel

Lisa looked over to Shara, she hadn’t known that she could play. She reached over and grabbed a coffee.
“Maybe we could start a group…or a band? Or just a jam night.” She suggested not wanting to suggest anything too formal or forward.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

Varen smiled “I would love to just come listen to you all play, It would be a lot of fund to just relax” he noted looking around at the group he wondered how the group had grown to a full social event. He checked the time casually to make sure he was not missing anything important.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Varen Jorath
Chief Science officer U.S.S Asimov

Shara moved back to the table with Gadi and set out trays of small bites, including some fun little pastries. “Watch for these ones”-she pointed to a small bite sized triangle pastry-” as they’ll be hotter than you might be expecting, unless you love spicy food as much as I do.”

She settled back at the tables and grabbed her coffee. Leaning back in her chair, Shara chuckled ad shook he head. “Okay, here’s something not many people know about me: my mother was a classical pianist and played with a local orchestra as a side gig. I grew up playing because of her. But I play guitar more often these days because outside of the holodeck, pianos are tricky to find and keep on a starship, especially our last one.”

~Shara Calloway, XO

“No there wasn’t much room on that ship, more here, but not by much,” Gadi said as she resumed her seat after passing out the coffees. “I wouldn’t mind attending a concert or recital.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

“A guitar is a stringed instrument, isn’t it?” Adrian asked the XO. “I wonder how it would sound with a lute.” He mused.

~Dr. Adrian Sorel

Calloway nodded. “Yes, it’s a six-stringed instrument tuned to E, with perfect fourth intervals and a major third. They go really nice together, as would the piano.” As her mind dropped into music, there was a subtle shift in Shara. She sat more upright and forward, and her eyes were alight.”

~Shara Calloway, XO

Lisa nodded with the explanation.
“E is the most common. There are alternative tunings but they require slightly more practice to get right. Who taught you to play Commander?” Lisa asked pleased to have the distraction of talk of music. It had been a safe space for her, a means of escape. She’d not played for years but had recently re-discovered the joy of escapism that playing an instrument could bring.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

Shara shrugged. “I taught myself. I had been playing piano so long that other instruments are easier for me to pick up. My brain really likes math and music is all mathematical. When I lived on a colony during my first marriage, the guitar was easier to have around than the piano. I usually kept the piano in the community hall for big events and played the guitar the rest of the time.”

“What about you?” she asked Lisa and Adrian, though she looked around the group, making sure to give the others a smile too to include them. Especially Kula who seemed particularly enthused by this turn in conversation.

~Shara Calloway, XO

“I picked up the Ka’athyra during my stay at Starfleet Medical when I was undergoing heart procedures in 2387. It gave me something to concentrate on in between my studies.”

~Dr. Adrian Sorel

Kula happily listened to the conversation about musical instruments. She grabbed a handful of the ‘spicy’ pastries and began eating them.

Ensign Mwezi
Security USS Asimov

Lisa looked over to Shara.
“My Father taught me. He was an avid blues player. Played in all the clubs. He’d take me along and I’d watch him. He couldn’t wait to teach me and I started learning as soon as I could hold a guitar.” She replied remembering him in his band “The Blues Breakers”. She thought back to their first lesson and learning her first chord. Then remembering him beam with pride when she could make chord changes. She smiled to herself as she remembered happier and simpler times.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

“Sadly, playing an instrament is not something I ever took time to learn, that said I would love to come listen to a concert.” he noted “It sounds like it would be very relaxing”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Varen Jorath
Chief Science officer U.S.S Asimov

Bethy knew all too well that Shara was out of her element and so Shara gave her a comical glance before she gave a long-suffering sigh to the group. “Well, I guess there’s going to be a concert,” she said with a small chuckle. “Did not see that coming.”

~Shara Calloway, XO

Lisa took a breath, a concert was quite the leap from discussing groups. She shifted nervously in her chair. She hadn’t played for a while, she had just been too busy to practice.
“I guess, the masses have spoken. A concert it is.” Lisa stated and smiled timidly.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

Eating something rather spicy sent his eyes into a squint and his mouth into a twisted mess of joy and regret all rolled into one. “How exciting” he noted. “I can’t wait, it will be a nice break for the Holo-Jazbar I frequent. ” he said pulling down some water.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Varen Jorath
Chief Science officer U.S.S Asimov

Bethany grinned back at Calloway. She thought it was great. “Well, we will all have to be patient. I’m sure they will need time to pick what they want to play and practice.” She raised her coffee and sipped, “I assume so, anyway. I couldn’t play a note on anything to save my life.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Adrian heard the COS’ comments and nodded. “We would indeed need time to practice together so that they could play together harmoniously.”

~Dr. Adrian Sorel

Shara let out a soft chuckle. “I wouldn’t expect a performance anytime soon, but it’ll be something to work on. Which, come to think of it, will be a rare things for me. I can’t remember the last time I had a hobby outside of work.”

~Shara Calloway, XO

Lisa looked over to the Commander and smiled slightly, she could empathise with that. She too spent much of her time working. Trying to come up with new ideas.
“I understand Commander. I tend to overwork.” She stated, she was looking forward to getting back to playing again.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

It was different for Shara. She hadn’t left hobbies behind for lack of time, but that they could have easily given her away during covert missions. So she had chosen personas that strayed from the beautiful music that spoke to her on a deeper level. It had been safer that way. Her entire lives during those missions had been utter fabrications, and even when she had let some details be true, there were small inconsequential ones that couldn’t be used against her. But her music? That was something from deep within her soul and had never been safe to share until recent years.

Calloway offered Lisa and smiling nod of understanding. It was the best she could do in this moment.

“For those who are not quite so musically inclined, perhaps some manner of Book or Media club might be fun?” Kula suggested. “It was an activity my parents enjoyed, reading a book and meeting regularly to discuss the book. Most meetings evolved into social gatherings where discussion strayed far from the subject-matter, but that is beside the point.”

Ensign Mwezi
Security USS Asimov

“That can be fun. My late first husband loved poetry and loved talking about it with people. He always said that having those conversations with other allowed him to understand himself better, even if it was all lighthearted and in fun,” Shara said.

~Shara Calloway, XO

“I rather enjoy poetry, they way one can express a thougth feeling or event in such away facinates me” he noted with out realy thinking about what he was saying he new little about poetry, just liked the sound of it.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Varen Jorath
Chief Science officer U.S.S Asimov

“Poetry has never really been my thing. But it sounds like a good idea.” Lisa replied, trying to focus on the conversation. She kept looking off into the distance.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

“I am afraid that I have never seemed to have understood poetry. I can read the verses and understand what it is referring too but I much prefer prose.” Adrian said. He had attempted to read poetry many times but just could not understand some people’s fascination with it.

~Dr. Adrian Sorel

“Well, I’m hardly an expert, but poetry can be a lot like song lyrics. It’s as much about what’s not said as what is said. It’s about the nuances between the words. The deeper meanings. Sometimes you can tell exactly what the author is trying to say, but at the end of the day it’s as much about what it means to you as anything else,” Shara said with a shrug.

~Shara Calloway, XO

“Ah, it is subjective then.” Adrian said musing on it.

~Dr. Adrian Sorel

Lisa nodded, more to herself than anything. She was getting to the end of what she could cope with. Being around all these people was getting.... a lot.

Lt (j.g) Lisa Caldwell (Eng)

Kula finished up the food she had brought for her lunch and packed up the dishes back into her bag.

Ensign Mwezi
Security USS Asimov

“I thank you all for the illuminating discussion. I will look forward to seeing what comes of it. Have a good afternoon, all.” He picked up his tray and made his way over to the reclimator to dispose of it before heading back out to sickbay.

~Dr. Adrian Sorel

“Doctor,” Varen said with a nod. “It was nice to meet you” he finished looking around the table and smiled warmly. “Well I must say I don’t think I have received a warmer welcome in my or my symbiot’s life time.” he said. “Thank you all very much for making me feel welcome, sadly my shift is calling me.” he said.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Varen Jorath
Chief Science officer U.S.S Asimov