Posted by Ensign Kastarak (Doctor) in Deck 6 – Meeting a roomie (Tag: Zayne)

Posted by Ensign Umbri Zayne (Security Officer) in Deck 6 – Meeting a roomie (Tag: Zayne)

Posted by Ensign Kastarak (Doctor) in Deck 6 – Meeting a roomie (Tag: Zayne)
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Kastarak carried his bag across the corridors of the Chernov. He had been given a cabin that he would share with someone. He had not checked who it would be. He did not particularly like the thought of living with someone – his Academy days when he had to bunk with an Andorian were sometimes quite difficult though informative and educative – but he did look forward to it with a sense of anticipation. Surely, it couldn’t be much worse than in the Academy?

He found the door, buzzed it, and walked in. The first thing he saw was the window in his cabin. He would find that agreeable. The ever-changing fabric of space would provide interest for him.

Then he saw a human in the middle of the room.

“Peace and long life,” Kastarak greeted her with the Vulcan salute. “I am ensign Kastarak. I have been assigned to this cabin. I trust you are my bunkmate, as they say.”

Umbri was carefully editing the first draft of a piano piece she had completed a week before she boarded the USS Chernov. She would be sure to play through these edits once she managed to find a piano on this ship. Upon hearing Ensign Kastarak’s voice, she paused her work and looked up. ‘So my bunkmate’s a Vulcan, too. Today’s turning out pretty good so far,’ she thought. Umbri greeted him by returning the Vulcan salute. “Peace and long life. I’m Ensign Umbri Zayne, but please just call me Umbri. What do you prefer to be addressed as?” she asked.

Ensign Umbri Zayne
Security

For some reason, Kastarak was surprised at how his new bunkmate responded to him. He couldn’t quite point the finger at why or how or so, but he was slightly taken aback, but not in a negative sense. As a self-reflecting man, Kastarak made sure to make a mental note to meditate on the matter later. It seemed like Umbri understood his Vulcan-ness and did not appear uneasy at all with him. Being Kastarak should not prove too difficult in this room, he thought.

“It is agreeable to meet you, ens––” Kastarak guarded his tongue. “Umbri. We’ll be sharing a room. A room is a home of sorts, and a home is intimate enough for you to call me Kastarak in here.” Kastarak made sure reciprocate the human’s friendliness. He compromised a bit with himself, but he was sure Umbri had done the same for her sake.

“I do not mean to pry, but I see you are working on something. It is writing that I don’t recognise. Is it a language from Earth?” Kastarak had never been involved in the finer depths of music and musical notation was nothing he had ever seen. Yet, he was curious. The writing seemed to have harmony, logic to it, there were recurrent patterns and variations of it. In a way, while he could not make any sense of it, and in the few seconds that his eyes had seen it, he could not shake off the thought that it seemed… Vulcan-ish in a way. He did wonder what the actual meaning of the notation was, but asking this, he was sure of would mean crossing the line.

– Kastarak (Ensign, Medical Officer)

OOC: This was my reaction when I read your entry:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AxQ1ULNJ2f488CALLiIBBCNIAatGGOtM/view?usp=sharing
Yeah, I’m gonna have fun with this!

IC: Umbri’s eyes instantly lit up when she heard Kastarak’s question. She loved music with a burning passion, and she especially loved talking about the fundamentals of music. “This is Earth’s version of musical notation. It’s had many forms throughout Earth’s history, but this is modern staff notation. It was invented somewhere between 1025 and 1026 by a man named Guido of Arezzo. To put it simply, this is pretty much the way we humans write down music. I’d be happy to provide you with some music theory texts if you’d like to learn more about musical notation. Right now, I’m editing the first draft of a piano piece I completed a week ago. Along with majoring in Security at Starfleet Academy, I studied Music Composition and piano as well. I’m hoping I’m able to find a piano on this ship so I can play through these edits once I complete them. Plus music is my solace. I can’t imagine living without it. By the way, I imagine you’re wondering why a human such as myself is so calm around a Vulcan such as yourself. I actually enjoy being around Vulcans quite a bit because I tend to be on the same wavelength with them. I may be a little more emotional than Vulcans, but I try to think as logically as they do. Plus I meditate fairly regularly as I find it’s a great way to keep myself grounded, along with my music of course. So I’m actually quite glad that you’re my bunkmate, Kastarak. I hope we can be good friends,” Umbri said with a sincere smile.

Ensign Umbri Zayne
Security

Kastarak processed each and every word coming out of his bunkmate’s mouth. They were intriguing. There were many levels to analyse here. First of all, he had to think of how little he knew of Earth history and culture. He had stayed three years in San Francisco but had stayed mostly on the Academy campus. It had been illogical exploring the planet for curiosity when he needed to devote his time to his studies. He decided that he needed to read up more on this. He understood that music, especially Earth-derived and piano (whatever that instrument was, though he decided it was best not to ask at this moment), was important to Umbri. It would only be logical, he mused, to learn more of this so that he might understand his bunkmate more. The result would be a more harmonious cohabitation.

Secondly, Umbri appeared to be interested in Vulcans, and not necessarily so in an exoticizing manner. Countless people in San Francisco, and on campus, had tried to befriend him because he was Vulcan. There were not that many Vulcans left in the universe, and sporting one as a friend added prestige points among Human, Andorian, Tellarite and countless other species’ and cultures’ social hierarchies. Why are all other species so complicated? Umbri did not seem all that complicated initially, perhaps she really did identify with Vulcan culture and way of being. Perhaps a way to preserve Vulcan culture would be to share Surak’s way with other species?

Kastarak got ahead of himself. He noticed his heartbeat going up ever so slightly and the same with his blood pressure. He needed to meditate more. When had he meditated last? He had missed his last session because of the change of time during his transfers. That explained it. He would have to set aside more time tonight.

“I share your hope, Umbri,” he said in response to her invitation. “I look forward learning more about human musical culture and its expressions and analysis from you. Perhaps you would be interested in partaking in meditation with me some time? I regret I won’t be able to do so tonight, but perhaps tomorrow? Tonight I need to devote some extra time and intense to recover from my trip here. Don’t worry, you’ll be able to do whatever you like in your corner. I’ll just zone out, to loan an expression from my former course mates back in San Fransisco.”

He suddenly wondered what had happened to them.

“How long have you been here on the Chernov? What is your position?”

– Ensign Kastarak, Medical Officer

Umbri smiled. “I’d be happy to meditate with you sometime. And I actually arrived here in my shuttlecraft today. Just got out of my department briefing, in fact. I’m a Security officer, and since there apparently isn’t a CoS at the moment, the XO, Lieutenant Commander T’Aria, is who I report to,” Umbri paused, snickering a little. “She’s Vulcan as well. There seem to be quite a few of your species on this ship, but I’m certainly not complaining because it’s a lot easier for me to talk to Vulcans. As for communicating with other humans and forming friendships in general, I’m kind of terrible at both due to a very rocky history with my now-estranged parents. But that’s a story for another day,” she said, still feeling a little drained from telling that story to the XO earlier.

Ensign Umbri Zayne
Security