Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in The Eye the Storm
It was early, by anyone’s standards. Unless you worked Gamma shift and then it was past the half way point and boredom set in if there wasn’t enough to do. Shedda was still adjusting to a regular schedule again. During her trip out she’d allowed herself the odd Orion natural sleep rhythms. It wouldn’t take her long to adjust, but she needed to get her ‘sunlight’ lamps set up in her quarters and her office. They helped, and that meant less use of stimulants. Many Orions became addicted to the stimulants and Shedda would never allow that.

She stepped into the officer’s mess, it was early and it was empty, the lights were off except for a few turned to low in the early hours of the ship’s day. Dressed in her uniform, it was crisp and neat and fit well, but was not fitted; her hair, as always, in a small bun at the base of her neck. Her normally purposeful, crisp stride, relaxed with no one around. Her steps were quiet and light. She certainly wasn’t swaying with each step, but it was obvious she could if she ever actually let herself relax enough. She made her way over to the replicator and instead of speaking she simply searched the database manually. A large white ceramic mug materialized with a dark almost black liquid and the aroma of coffee appeared. She took the mug, brought it to her face and inhaled and then with a sigh took a long sip before moving over to the window and looking out and stood as still as the silence in the room.

Mal’athar, XO

“No no no no no no no… absolutely not. Not once. Not ever.” a voice said and the door to the kitchen swung open and a Bajoran man came out with a tall silver pot with a black handle in one hand and an empty dark blue mug with the Manhattan crest in the other. “You put that magician’s swill right in that recycler and sit down. You’re new, I’ll let it slide this once. But understand me. There is no replicated coffee allowed in my Mess. Period, end of story. Got it Commander?” and the man set the mug and pot on the table closest to her and then crossed his arms on his chest and gave her a look, then the replicated mug, then her.

“Well?”

Harv, Chef