Posted by Ensign Viyara Nazeen (Scientist) in Chuy’s On the The Station - Working Out The Kinks

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Daggum Hammor (Chief Operations Officer) in Chuy’s On the The Station - Working Out The Kinks

Posted by Ensign Viyara Nazeen (Scientist) in Chuy’s On the The Station - Working Out The Kinks
Posted by… suppressed (11) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Focusing back on her, Daggum said “Oh, I like just about everything really. But if I had to pick an absolute favorite type?” and he pondered for a moment. “I’d have to say Japanese cuisine from Earth. I could eat that for the rest of my life and not be real upset by it.” and he smiled and said “What about you?” It was at that moment the large man came by and set two glasses of water on the table, handed them menus, and said “Hey, you two. Welcome.” and he smiled and looked form Viyara to Daggum and back again and smiled larger. “Trill and an Orion? Now thats a first time I seen a couple like you two.” and he grinned at both of them.

“Good. So you made a new experience today,” Viyara quipped and then winked.

“Anyways, in case you don’t know, this is a fresh food place, so we cook everything when you order it. May take longer than a replicator, but my great-granmama’s manicotti don’t come from no machine, know what I mean?” and he laughed again. “You two take some time with the menu. Any question, you just holler. Name is Mario.” and he turned and walked off to help another table.

Hammor watched him depart and then looked at Viyara. “That was… um… yeah…” and his face flushed slightly and then he simply chuckled.

Hammor

Viyara laughed good-naturedly both at the waiter and also at Hammor’s discomfort. “Who cares what other people think, ey?” she asked and briefly placed her hand on his. “And to answer your question,” she continued, “I’m not a picky eater either and there are a lot of things I like. Though if I have to pick a favourite I’d probably go with Bajoran food.”

Peering down at the menu, Viyara found herself a little at a loss because of the vast quantity of things listed. There were just too many things that sounded good! “Any idea what you’ll go for?” she asked without lifting her gaze off the menu.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

He looked at the menu and then simply shrugged and said “I have no idea what ninety percent of this stuff even is.” and he laughed softly. “But… it has been my experience that in a situation like this there is only one solution.” and he raised his massive arm and waved to Mario. The man came over and said “Yeah yeah… question there, big guy?” Hammor smiled and said “Is it okay If I just ask you to bring me out the, say… three things you like best? Because I have never heard of almost any of this.” and he smiled. Mario laughed loudly and clapped Hammor on the back. “Of course that fine! And you wouldn’t be the first… well, most people order one thing, but I bet we can accommodate ya.” and he turned and smiled at Viyara and said “And for the lady?”

Hammor, Ops

“Hmm,” Viyara mused for a moment, still not certain. “You know,” she added and closed her eyes. Flipping through the menu, she randomly jabbed her finger at something on the menu. Looking down, she grinned as her finger had landed on something she wasn’t even sure how to pronounce it. Let alone what it might be. “I’ll have that,” she grinned. “And whatever starter you think would go well with it.”

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

Mario looked at her and grinned. “Nice finger poke. You’ll like that, I think. And appetizer will be out momentarily, you two.” and he winked at her and went towards the counter.

Hammor leaned back a bit and looked at Viyara. “So… tell me about yourself. Who am I having lunch with… besides a forensic scientist with a decent left jab?” and he winked at her.

Hammor, Ops

“Hmm,” Viyara pondered. What did she want to tell? How much could she share? She felt oddly comfortable in his presence and as if she could share things with him and he’d understand. Yet she never ever shared anything and was afraid what it might lead to if she did. Not to mention that she just didn’t want to think about certain things. Eventually she said, “Well, I’m someone who like to see new places and get to know new people. And I’m not good at staying too long in one place. I get restless.” She laughed softly. “How about you?” she asked back.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

Hammor’s head cocked to the side slightly, and his emerald eyes stared at her mismatched ones. “You realize you just described about every one in Star Fleet… right? And somehow I get the impression you are a bit more unique.” he said, making it clear that he knew there was a lot more to her her story. He took a breath and let it drop, though.

“I guess you’re right,” Viyara laughed softly. Daggum had hit the nail on the head. Maybe she’d tell him more later.

“Well, you know where I grew up. After I got out, I worked here and there on Orion, earning what I could and trying not to get murdered. I lucked out and I had met this human in the Pits, good guy. He taught me a lot. Anyway, he shows up one day and says ‘Came to get you out of here. I have a ship, why don’t you come work for me?’ So I did. Spent the next few years traveling and learning about starship systems. Applied to the Academy… failed… applied again… failed again… applied again… barely made it. Managed to get out of there with my Ensign pip and then here I am.” and he gestured broadly and smiled at her.

Hammor, Ops

“I had someone, too, who guided me towards Starfleet. Without her I’m not sure if I’d even have applied. Let alone get into the Academy,” Viyara chuckled. “I always liked science, but I never finished school. So I thought I wouldn’t have a chance to be accepted anyway,” she shrugged. “I guess I misjudged Starfleet.” As she remembered the time right before she applied for the Academy, an almost gentle smile played across her face. There were a lot of things in her life she wanted to forget, but that wasn’t one of them. Yet it was also a somewhat bittersweet memory.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

“Yeah… my very first day of formal education was the first orientation class at the Academy. Talk about being behind the curve…” and he chuckled. “I will say this… Sometimes Starfleet is pretty good at seeing talent. And at the end of the day, I’ll take a talented scientist with little education over a book worm with no talent any time.”

“I agree,” Viyara nodded. “I’m glad that Starfleet sees past such things and looks at talent sometimes. Or else neither one of us would be here today.”

Mario appeared and sat a plate in front of them, on which sat triangles of something fried and a small bowl of a reddish sauce. “Fried house made mozzarella and marinara…” and he looked at the blank stare form Hammor, “… fried cheese and you dip it in the tomato sauce.” Hammor nodded and said “Perfect, got it. Thanks, Mario.” and the man nodded once and left. Daggum looked at Nazeen and said “Have you ever had this before?”

Hammor, Ops

A wide grin spread across Viyara’s face. “I have, actually. It’s really good.” Picking up one of the pieces of fried mozzarella, she dipped it into the sauce and then took a bite. A soft sigh escaped her lips and she closed her eyes for a moment as she savoured the delicious taste and texture of the food. It had been a while since she had anything like this. Especially freshly made. And she was going to enjoy every bit of it.

“What did you like best about being at the Academy?” Viyara asked curiously before taking a sip of water and then another bite of the fried mozzarella.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

She asked at the least opportune moment as Hammor had just popped a piece of the fried deliciousness in his mouth. He covered his mouth with his hand and laughed silently as he chewed, enjoying the flavor and textures. Taking a drink of water, he swallowed and said “You either have the worst timing in history or you tried to make me choke. Either way you need practice.” and he smiled at her.

“Or maybe I’m just trying to make you think that,” Viyara replied with a wink and an impish smile.

Hammor shook his head and said “Liked best? Probably the girls.” and he winked at her and laughed. “No, honestly… what I liked best was probably the level of teamwork you had to have. Group projects were amazing to me. I had never really had a team to work with, so it was an eye opening experience.” He took a bite and started to chew while he looked at her. “What about you?”

Hammor, Ops

“The girls were definitely great. But so were the boys,” she laughed and wiggled her eyebrows. “Otherwise I really enjoyed all the science classes I took. Which were a few more than I would have needed, strictly speaking. And for the most part I also always looked forward to all the survival training we had to do. I liked the challenge.” If only people hadn’t always insisted on trying to make everyone share things about where they came from, their families and all that nonsense. Helping herself to another piece of fried mozzarella, she let her mind wander for a moment, remembering some of the most fun things of her time at the Academy.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

Hammor watched her for a moment and then said “You don’t like talking about yourself, do you? Like… at all. That’s fine, and I’m not saying you have to. But it does lead to lop-sided conversation.” and he smiled and took a sip of water. “Survival class my third year sucked. I was teamed with a Bolian. How is that fair? He can literally eat anything! Bastard kept picking up gravel and tossing it in his mouth and making Mmmm- hmmm noises. I almost tossed him in a ravine.” and he laughed.

Hammor, Ops

Viyara laughed with Daggum. “No, that definitely isn’t fair.” She shook her head and fell silent again, becoming uncharacteristically silent. There even was a small frown on her face. And not the ‘I’m concentrating hard’ type of frown. For several moments she just nibbled a little at the mozzarella. As if she was trying to make up her mind about something.

Eventually she looked up again and when her mismatched eyes met his, there was a fire in them. “I don’t, no. I never learned how to, I guess. And if I were to let people get too close …” She narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. “Let’s just say it’s not only through boxing and martial arts that I learned to defend and protect myself.” Reaching for her glass, she took another sip of water without breaking the eyecontact.

~Ensign Nazeen, Scientist

Daggum’s eyes didn’t leave hers. He held the contact and said “You keep protecting yourself when there isn’t something attacking you, you’re bound to have pretty lonely go of it. And Im the last person to judge someone for their past… but it sounds like you have one.” He took a drink, but kept his eyes on hers.

“But one thing I can say with absolute certainty… your past doesn’t have to dictate your future.” and his head cocked to side and he smiled a warm, friendly, wholly accepting smile.

“Or your present.”

Hammor, Ops