Snip!

“Thank you, I am well. I find myself accustoming to this ship easier than anticipated. How are you? And how are you finding accustoming to the ship?” he asked.

He slurped some of his soup. It was a little too hot, still. He remembered he had not had many interactions with Mr Batario. The main interaction he had had with him was during Batario’s medical and psychological evaluations.

– Ensign Kastarak (physician / counsellor)

“I am doing well Doctor Thank you for asking.” Pawl said kindly to him. “I am getting accustomed to the ship just fine. I have a pretty good understanding of the Romulan language and terrain English. Sometimes I slip up but that’s normal for a new language.” He said with a small smile. As took a few more bites of food and let it go down. As he waited for more from the doctor.

Lt Jg Pawl Batario (Off duty)

Kastarak listened carefully.

“I share in that,” he said, “We both hail from other planets that Earth. English, or Federation Standard as it is often called, does not come natural for me too. I do my best, and I notice, so do you. When and how did you learn to speak it?”

– Ensign Kastarak (doctor / counsellor)

“It was a rather rush job of learning the language in general. It was not an easy thing to deal with but I did ok.” Pawl said calmly to the man. “Sometimes I get there slang wrong or the phrasing wrong.” As he grabbed his drink and too a good long sip.

Pawl Batario - Tinker

“I find slang difficult, too,” confessed Kastarak, thinking that sharing something might perhaps help bonding. He wanted to get to know Batario – not only as a colleague, but perhaps deeper than so still. He was not sure what to say though – small talk didn’t come easy to him. What could he ask? What was appropriate? “I find that in a professional setting, slang does not take much space.” Yes, that was not the best thing to say, Kastarak, he told himself, but immediately sensed empathy for himself. It wasn’t easy.

“How is your drink? How is your food?”

Still bad questions, Kastarak.

– Kastarak