Posted by Lieutenant Kaia (Chief Engineer) in Officer’s Mess (open)

Posted by Ensign Ka’sora Pru’moa Daveyla (Science Officer) in Officer’s Mess (open)

Posted by Lieutenant Kaia (Chief Engineer) in Officer’s Mess (open)
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Ka’Sora had set a goal to explore every deck of the ship, starting with the social spaces. She knew she would have to work hard to find her place here and that doing so was of the utmost importance to her physical and mental health.

In her sciences duty uniform, she stepped in around lunchtime, curious what might be happening the smaller of the eating places. If anything was true, it was that she would try to eat outside of her quarters whenever possible, especially if she was eating on her own.

Peering around the semi-busy space, she noted that the replicator was hidden by a large potted plant with wide fronds. Amused, her sense of smell pulled her away from the sight and towards a side area where something was cooking. Someone was cooking! How marvellous!

Moving over, she didn’t see anything within the dining space and ventured through a swinging door where something was cooking in a big pot on a stove. She lifted the lid to peer inside, trying to figure out what the unusual smell was. Most foods were unusual to her, but that just made them all the more fascinating to the Zaharan.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

Kaia stepped into the mess with purpose, tail swishing lazily behind her. She lifted a nose to the air upon detecting an odd scent, but paid it no mind, too focused on what she came here for.

With a bit of an eyeroll, she climbed onto the potted plant that blocked access to the replicator and instead used it as a step-stool to instead allow her more easy access. “A plate of sliced and lightly roasted pad’thesh, a cup of hot milk,” she paused, considering, “And a bowl of mixed berries - random selection of berries from Earth, Galdor, and Bajor, chosen within dietary tolerances for raka.”

“Do not give me raspberries again or I will dig through your circuits. Again,” she muttered under her breath while the replicator worked, then emerged from within the potted plant with her dinner. Another short hop and a journey across the floor led her to ‘her’ spot, a chair that, when kicked in just the right spot, would extend up so that she could sit at the table without feeling like a kitten.

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Ka’Sora half expected the person cooking the soup or stew, or whatever it was, to come out and scold her. She grinned to herself and then stepped back out of what was most definitely a kitchen.

She watched the new person settle at a table and realized she had no idea what species they were, but they were felinoid like her! Way more than her in fact. Fascinating! Her tall ears twitched in excitement and all thoughts of lunch went out the metaphorical airlock as she moved over and pulled out a chair. She sat down with a wide smile. “Hi! I’m Ka’Sora. I’m new here on the Manhattan.”

~Ensign Ka’Sora

Kaia adjusted her table-setting until it was all arranged to her liking, then picked up one of the lightly roasted slices of meat, about to take a bite when- - She let out an involuntary ‘mrrp’ as the newcomer slid up to the table and joined her, and put down the pad’thesh, repressing a small sigh. “Well, hello!” she replied, noting the cat-like ears with curiosity. “I am Kaia. It is nice to meet you, Ka’Sora.”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Folding her arms across the table, she beamed, her golden eyes taking in Kaia intently. “I’m sorry, Kaia, I’m just excited to meet people. Mine are communal and it takes me a while so settle into a place away from home. I don’t want to bother you if you’re eating. I was going to get myself some lunch if you don’t mind the company. But if you do, no worries at all, promise!” She was trying to be mindful and remember that she didn’t know other people’s ways here. She could be being horribly offensive right now, for all she knew.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

Kaia chuckled good-naturedly. Ka’Sora had a lot of energy, but then again so did Kaia, normally. She was just a little tired from a long and stressful shift. “My people are also communal, so I understand the feeling. I was so homesick on my first tour. Go on, get your food, then come back. I do not mind the company.”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Another communal people? That she wasn’t expecting! “Alright!” she said, getting up from the table and looking around the mess. The person cooking clearly was not around and that meant their dish was likely a long cooking one, so she would have to try the replicator.

The plant was odd though. It was likely someone objected to people using the replicator. Still, that was what she needed, so she ordered a beef stew with a hearty roll, pushed a large frond out of the way, and collected her tray.

Sitting with Kaia, she gestured to her companions dish. “May I ask what you’re eating? I’m eating a dish a friend shared with me when I was at the Academy. I haven’t yet gone to ask about uploading the replicator files that were created for me from my world.”

~Ensign Ka’Sora

Kaia ate a few bites of her meal while Ka’Sora was fetching her own food, chewing slowly and savouring the meaty pad’thesh. She inhaled the scent of the other woman’s stew, licking her lips a little. “Good choice. Smells good.”

Ka’Sora grinned. “Thanks! It’s beef stew. Red meat cooked with vegetables until the broth is thicker. It’s hearty and filling.”

At the question, Kaia stabbed her eating stick into another slice of pad’thesh and lifted it up. “This is pad’thesh. It’s a gourd that was cultivated by another one of the sapient species on my species’ home planet. The pad’thesh has a texture and nutrient mix that is very similar to red meat, so it is helpful for more carnivorous species like my own - I am not an obligate carnivore, but I do require a more meat-based diet than, say, a human. This,” she gestured at the mug, “is hot milk, patterned after Terran cow’s milk. And the bowl is just a berry mix.”

“Huh, interesting,” the Zaharan said. “Full disclosure, I’m a sociologist, so I’m simply soaking in everything about the other cultures i’m encountering. If I ask too many questions or am rude at all, please just tell me. I promise I don’t mean to make people uncomfortable. I’m just very curious and want to learn about other cultures as well as share my own.”

Kaia nodded. “Do not worry. I am not uncomfortable. Maybe a little tired, but that is no fault of yours.”

“And it may be your lucky day. I am an engineer, so dealing with the replicator and the food patterns is one of my department’s jobs. I cannot check right at the moment, but if you want to follow me back to the computer after we eat, we can check up on those files and see if they have been properly uploaded, if you would like?”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Her gold eyes went wide. “Really? That would be amazing! I don’t think more than a few dishes are in the Federation library, but I have a data stick from home I brought with me. It’s in my quarters and I can grab after we’re done?”

Ka’Sora tore a piece off her roll and dipped it in the stew before popping it in her mouth.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

“Certainly. That sounds like a plan.” Kaia replied, finishing off the last of her pad’thesh, then turning to the mixed berry bowl. Mmm. Strawberries! “Considering your choice of stew with vegetables, I gather you have a more omnivorous diet? If you have any dietary restrictions, such as allergies, I can program them into the computer banks for you, so you can experiment with new foods and flavours if that is something you like to do.”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Ka’sora beamed. “No allergies… that I know of. I suppose it will be an adventure and we’ll find out if i have any as I go,” she said with a giggle. “But yes, we are omnivores and in fact, there are plants from my home jungles that are vital to maintain my health, so I have to grow them here. Fortunately, Operations worked with”-she gestured to Kaia-“Engineering to make the necessary modifications to my dwelling.” She didn’t assume every engineer in the department would have known about her special needs, so she didn’t assume Kaia had any knowledge at all. “The infrastructure is mostly complete, so can create my living wall this week. We’re just tweaking the irrigation system before I start.”

She dug into the stew with a hearty appetite. The higher gravity always wore her out and burned more calories than at home and she countered that as best she could with bigger meals and snacking as needed.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

“It is not only allergies, but also intolerances. Many humans can digest milk, but many also cannot, and it causes… digestive distress. It is the same for substances like gluten. I myself have a restriction on plant fiber and complex carbohydrates. I can only have a limited amount. It makes eating more… communal meals, rather difficult, since I cannot really have much in the way of vegetables or breads,” she gestured at Ka’Sora’s stew and bun.

The Zaharan nodded. “Makes sense. In my time at the Academy and on my cadet cruise I tried lots of different food and beverages, but obviously there are only so many I can try and I did try to keep to a similar style of diet out of necessity. So far, there are no issues, but I won’t rule out something coming up.”

“A living wall sounds very interesting. I am curious to know what that entails. Oh, that’s why your name sounded slightly familiar, I saw the quarters modification request cross my desk. I signed the approval form and assigned NE Grant to do that one,” she chuckled. “She likes challenges.”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Her tall ears flicked and Ka’Sora tilted her head as she giggled. “I wonder if she was the one who did my sleeping sling as well. But if I may ask, what do you do in Engineering?” Signing off on request made it seem that Kaia was someone higher up in the department.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

“Could be. I’ll have to ask. I installed all the additions and alterations to my own bunk, so I’m not sure who actually handles the more mundane installations. Oh, I am the chief engineer,” Kaia replied casually, an amused smile appearing on her face for a moment before she ate another berry. When she was finished chewing, she continued. “I assumed it was clear from the,” she gestured at her collar, where two gold pips were set, denoting her rank of Lieutenant., “Lt. rank.”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Ka’Sora shook her head and smiled a little sheepishly. “On my cadet cruise, the department heads were a variety of ranks, so I never knew. Plus, cadets don’t usually get to spend social time with the senior staff,” she said with a light shrug. “But I appreciate that you are willing to take the time to look into my replicator files. When we picm up my data stick, I can show you the wall and what I have planned.”

~Ensign Ka’Sora