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Posted by Ensign Hawkeye Logan (Medical Officer) in Cobb and Logan’s holodeck adventure - all welcome

Posted by Lieutenant Tal Abara (Senior Researcher (Cognitive Science)) in Cobb and Logan’s holodeck adventure - all welcome

Logan then stood there and watched it. It was rather unusual for him but he finds it fascinating cause it’s funny but he never really wanted to mention it. “Captain. You ad a human, your feelings, and expression is intriguing and fun. You are enjoying this. I find it fascinating. It is nice and something soothing for a vulcan such as I.” He mentioned to the captain as he looked at him with a nice firm look.

Ensign Logan.

The exit of the two women had been unexpected, Zachariah resolving silently to speak with each of them privately once the game had concluded. But for now, his attention returned to the remaining participants and the curious Linnet Doyle.
“Aye,” he replied to Logan, “I do enjoy games such as this one. It allows us room to think. To ponder. To discuss observations and theories. And of course, to drink and enjoy each others company.”

Slipping gracefully into position between the two men, Linnet Doyle raised her own glass. “To the evening, then. Whatever it may bring,” she announced loudly. But then in a flash her demeanour changed, her eyes falling anxiously to her glass. “I only hope we shall have no more trouble tonight, Simon and I.”
“Trouble,” Cobb asked with a grin, his fingers twirling at his mustache as he spoke. Logan was right - he was enjoying this.
“Yes. From an old friend, who now blames me for ruining her relationship with her fiance. But can I help it if Simon chose me over her?”
With a chuckle, Zachariah glanced at both Logan and Trinity, before turning his attention back to Doyle. “Surely you can forget old love rivals on the night of your honeymoon?”
“Oh, would that not be lovely if I could?” Linnet was now close to tears. “But she has booked her own passage on this very same cruise!”

At that moment, a young man appeared on the deck. Tall and with roguish good looks, he strode over to the group, one hand reaching out and being met by Linnet’s own.
“I see you are making friends already, my dear?” he asked, his own eyes regarding the crew with detached interest.
“Why yes. This is the famous detective, Zachariah Cobb. And these are his associates.”
Simon nodded to each in turn, then turned his full attention to his new bride. “There will be plenty of time for socialising on this cruise. But tonight, my dear, is our honeymoon. And now, it is time for our dinner.”

And with that, Simon led Linnet inside the ship, she pausing to wave at the trio as she left. Once the newlyweds had disappeared, Cobb turned to his companions and, with a wide grin, asked, “Well, what do you both make of that then, eh?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Armed with a gentle smile, Abara observed the exchange in silence. She narrowed her eyes, fingers dancing idly against her glass, and considered the young woman before them. There was something curious about this Lady Doyle. Something strange. She was awfully troubled for a newlywed about to embark on a romantic getaway. Then again, even Tal found it suspicious that an old friend simply wound up on the same cruise as she. Perhaps the poor Lady had reason to worry. And perhaps she was another victim paralysed by overcaution.

Tal elected to reserve judgement. She watched as Mr Doyle invaded the scene, soon sweeping his wife from her feet to coax her inside. Abara furrowed her eyebrows, following the pair’s fleeting figures until they disappeared from view. It happened too quickly for the psychologist to assess. But, it was abundantly clear that Mr Doyle was too an unusual character.

Cobb’s voice tempted her thoughts back to him and Logan. She turned to them and wondered, briefly, if their observations were akin to her own.

“Like I said earlier ensign as a vulcan I dont show emotions cause it is illogical for us vulcans to show emotions. I know that for sure.” Said Logan. Knowingly that he isnt wrong with the fact that hes a vulcan explains a lot to them.

Ensign Logan

Zachariah frowned. “Aye, that’s all well and good, Mr Logan. But I meant, what did you make of our newlyweds there. Did nothing about either of them strike you as interesting?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“Mrs Doyle seems unnaturally distressed,” Tal offered as a starting point, “even for a newlywed.”

— Tal Abara

“She does, doesn’t she!” Cobb exclaimed, excited both by the developments of the game and of being in the company of an equally adept player. “And her comment on Simon ‘choosing her’, makes me suspect there is far more animosity between these two women than Mrs Doyle is for telling.”

“I’m not saying anything more about it. I’m just enjoying this program as if I was a human.” Since the fact that he is someone who doesnt have feelings he enjoys some activity. This is one that he does enjoy.

Ensign Logan

“Ah, but to be human, Mr Logan,” the captain once again twirled his mustache, “is to be curious, to question, to doubt and suspect all of those around us. Present company excepted, of course. You see…”
His words were interrupted by the loud, musical ringing of a bell.
“Lunch!” Zachariah roared, his enthusiasm for food equal to all else in this game. “Come, let us take respite from this relentless heat and enjoy us a hearty meal.”
And with that, Zachariah disappeared through the same door that had, only moments earlier, swallowed Mr and Mrs Doyle…

-*-

The dining room of the Karnak was of reasonably comfortable size, its furnishings as opulent as one might expect of a steamer of this class. Each of the several large, round tables was dressed with a crisp, while tablecloth and ornate, golden candelabra on top. Fresh flowers - lillies, poppies and deep blue lotus - hung in garlands across every window and in small bouquets on every table, lending a sweet and fragrant air to offset the spicy heat from the already laid out food. The buffet was perhaps slightly lower-class than the original Karnak might have served, but Cobb always found the sharing of food an excellent way to mix with the other passengers and learn a fact or two that would help him with the game.

“Come now, let us load up our plates. I am starving,” the captain roared, making an immediate beeline for the mountain of flatbreads at the far left of the display. Rice, spicy chicken, falafel, kushari, okra and stuffed vine leaves were all on offer, Zachariah taking a generous helping of every dish before selecting a table with three seats still to spare, and settling himself down with a nod of greeting to the other occupants. The two women across from him smiled in return, the older one with enthusiastic flair, the younger one more guarded but still pleasant. Then with a wave to Logan and Abara to direct them towards the other empty seats, the old man momentarily forgot the game and paid full attention to his meal.

• Captain Zachariah Cobb