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 (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“Humans can fit in the Jeffries Tubes. I do mean literally in the walls. I had a bad habit of popping out of access panels in places I wasn’t expected. It was fun.” Kaia grinned, remembering the days. Jump-scaring people by being in the walls had been fun. She was sad she didn’t really have time for that kind of chaos anymore, with all her responsibilities.

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

“Ohh! I understand now,” Ka’Sora said, not at all bothered by her misunderstanding. This was all part of the experience of meeting new people. Some could be quite self-critical about even small errors, but Ka’Sora welcomed every opportunity to learn. “I can see how that would be amusing, for sure,” she said with a grin. “I am sometimes amused by how people get around in my native gravity. It’s not difficult per say, but it takes some getting used to.”

~Ensign Ka’Sora

“How so?” Kaia asked, curious. “From the context, I can assume your gravity is noticeably higher or lower than Starship Standard?”

Ka’sora nodded. “Zahara’s gravity is 0.915 G. So, while it might not seem like a big difference, you definitely feel it,” she said with a light laugh. “For me it’s a bit like going swimming for awhile and then getting out of the water. Yes, it’s lighter in my quarters, but after all day in ship’s gravity I’m quite tired.”

Finished her meal, she quickly took her dishes to the recycler, then gestured for Ka’Sora to lead the way to her quarters to retrieve the data stick for the replicators.

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

The Zaharan recycled her own dishes and followed Kaia out and walked to the turbolift. “I’m on Deck 6, so not too far to go.”

At her quarters, Ka’Sora unlocked her door (to prevent accidental wandering in and injury- yes, it had happened before). The first meter and a half had a graduated gravity change so the shift from the hallway to her space was not so drastic, but her observations thus far were that it was not a smooth as it could be. She moved in slowly. “Careful as you come in,” she told Kaia. “There is a graduation but it’s still an observable difference. Take your time.”

Kaia stood at the threshold for a few moments, considering it. “My homeworld, and the moon I grew up on, have higher gravity than standard grav-plating. Galdor is 1.13G, Oba is only 1.09G, but still higher. I should see about getting my quarters adjusted like this…” She then proceeded forward.

But despite the less than ideal transition, it was immediately clear the effect that her native gravity had on Ka’Sora. She moved more easily and with grace, her felinoid ancestry even more apparent. For those that were not used to the lighter gravity, it could be a bit unsteadying. Every movement easily overdone.

Kaia stumbled briefly, but already functioning under lower gravity than she was adapted for, it didn’t take long for the smaller feline alien to adjust. She took a few intentional hops, grinning as she got a little higher than she usually did on the Manhattan. “Ooh, that is fun.”

Her small quarters were more or less than standard set-up… at first glance. But the reception area was plain because of the gravity transition. Instead, shelves had been installed on one side, ready to display objects of her choosing, while the replicator was on the other. Stepping through to the bedroom, It was a bit cramped given all they were trying to fit in there. One wall had the infrastructure for her living wall. Her desk faced the adjacent wall, and in the other corner instead of a bed, was a large dark green sling hung securely from the ceiling. Draped across it was a soft knitted blanket in a pale blue and white.

Ka’Sora moved to her desk and pulled a data rod out of a drawers, brandishing it with a gleam in her golden eyes. “Apparently, Ambassador La’kia’s pet project has been to accumulate Zaharan recipes for transliteration to the replicator. We have seventy-three so far and she promised me she would send more in batches as they became available. “

~Ensign Ka’Sora

Kaia looked around Ka’Sora’s quarters with interest, noting the hammock with an appreciative nod. “You might enjoy seeing my set-up. I’ve got somewhat of a climbing wall in my quarters. Not exactly suitable for visitors, as it is sized for me. But I enjoy it. Anyways, lets get these recipes uploaded!”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Ka’Sora nodded. “I am always curious about how other people arrange their living spaces. It can say so much about their occupants, or very little, as the case may be.”

Moving through the ship, the Zaharan was doing her best to track her surroundings ad get a feel for not just the layout of the ship, but the inherent logic behind it that told you about the ship and its purpose.

Reaching Engineering, Ka’Sor took in the warp core with a slight intake of breath. “Oh wow,” she said softly.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

Kaia watched Ka’Sora and grinned. “It’s pretty great. And I get to spend every day in here.”

Eyes fixed on the glowing cylinder, she Zaharan managed to smile at those that came by but was mostly too transfixed to interact properly.

A few of the engineers greeted them, then got back to their jobs, and Kaia brought Ka’Sora to the computer core. “Alright, hand over the data drive,” she said. Once it was in her hand, Kaia grabbed a PaDD and plugged in the drive, scanning it for malware. Satisfied that it was safe, she plugged the drive into the core and uploaded the replicator patterns. “Aaand… there you go. Your recipes are in.”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Ka’Sora bounced on her toes. “Oh, thank you! I know it seems like such a small thing, and I am all about delving into other cultures, but there are days when my body just wants the food it knows it can have,” she said with a laugh. “And since my space might actually be too small to cook in, at least I can potentially serve my people’s food to guests.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

“I know the feeling,” Kaia nodded thoughtfully. “I think I mentioned I have some pretty strict dietary restrictions. I remember this one time, I went to the mess hall for a meal and there was some kind of Buffet set up. Tacos or something. And the chef insists on disabling the replicators in the mess hall so that everyone is forced to participate in their little… community meal. So here I am, standing there in front of a bunch of spiced meat that could have all sorts of allergens or irritants in it, cheese, vegetables and carbs I can’t eat, thinking… what am I supposed to do here? I managed to convince them to give me a bowl of un-spiced meat, but it was a battle.”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

Ka’Sora frowned. “That’s… unfair isn’t even the right word. I’m sorry you had to struggle like that. Food is so important- no one should have to fight to get what they need,” she said with an emphatic sigh.

Her expression shifted as a smile swept over. “But I do have a replicator and I have recipes to use now. So, if you ever want to spend time in my gravity, we can both have the food we want,” she said, beaming. Was it okay for a junior officer to make a social offer like that? So far she seemed to be doing so a lot so at this point Ka’Sora figured she might as well just go for it.

~Ensign Ka’Sora

“He thought it would foster community if everyone was forced to eat the same meal. He accounted for human dietary differences (corn tortillas for the gluten-free, for example), but not for people with entirely different dietary needs. Anyhow, I think I’d enjoy that, thanks Ka’Sora! I’ll comb through my culture’s database for recipies and see what I can share with you as well. I get the impression your people don’t eat raw meat?”

Lieutenant Kaia
Chief Engineer USS Manhattan

She shook her head. “No, we don’t generally. We will meat to preserve it and thus not cook it, but it’s not the same, I’m sure. But I know there are some dishes even on Earth that are raw and I’m not opposed to trying something at least once,” Ka’Sora said with a smile.

~Ensign Ka’Sora