Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade T’Aria (CMO) in Lounge - After Show Drink (Tag CMO)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Solomon Kane (Tactical / Medical) in Lounge - After Show Drink (Tag CMO)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade T’Aria (CMO) in Lounge - After Show Drink (Tag CMO)
Posted by… suppressed (25) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Kane made his way to the Lounge and took a table near one of the windows. He sat down and waited for the CMO to take a seat herself. As he looked around, he saw a few people playing games and few in quiet conversation. Brushing his hair out of his face, he pulled out a small band of elastic and tied the normally wild and cascading hair back into a half-hearted attempt at a pony tail.

Kane, Tac / Med

“The somewhat rarity of seeing your hair out of your face, Mister Kane, is appaling but not unpleasant.” Was that a playful joke? It was hard to tell with the monotony of its delivery. However, even if it were, T’Aria would not be as foolish as to admit it. Noticing the calmer nature of the lounge, she found it was pleasing. Adjusting herself, about where she had taken a seat, she glanced over at him. “What was your take on the performance, Doctor?” She inquired, blandly curious.

Dr. T’Aria
CMO

“Its always an absurd waste of time. But it’s an excuse to make a mess, and it can be fun in the right group.” Kane replied flatly. “So. What would you like to drink, Doc? My treat. I’m feeling philanthropic tonight.”

Kane, Tac / Med

“Fair,” T’Aria subitted, but said nothing more regarding the matter. “I do not often consume much more than water and tea. Do you have anything in particular that you find to be of at least decent taste?” The doctor was open to new avenues, in most cases. That was, so long as the drink didn’t contain sugar. She would not go that route. “Your generosity is appreciated, but unnecessary, Doctor.”

T’Aria

Kane shook his head. “No no no. I’m no doctor. No thank you. I’m either Kane or, if you want to be formal, PA Kane. And yeah, I got something you might like.” and he stood and went to the galley. He came back a few minutes later with two cups of steaming liquid. “You said tea, so you can try that on for size.” he said as set the cup in front of her. It smelled faintly of hibiscus and… something else that was hard to place. Kane sat and took a sip of his own and watched to see what her reaction would be.

Kane, Tac / Med

“Very well, Kane.” T’Aria agreed, finding that the request was understandable. Quirking an eyebrow, there was an undeniable curosity for what he had chosen for them to drink. Watching him leave, she adjusted her hands about the surface, to where it was comfortable for her. Raising her head, she studied the liquid he set down upon the table, recognizing the scent of hibiscus, which was apparent to her sensitive sensory.

“Thank you,” T’Aria hummed, picking up the cup and bringing it to her lips. When she tried it, she was taken slightly off guard. It was a taste she couldn’t quite place nor understand fully. “What is this?” She asked.

T’Aria

Kane smirked a bit and said “A little something I swiped from the Botanical Garden back home. Hibiscus flower, jasmine, rose water, and Darjeeling tea. Blended it myself. What do ya think. Doc?”

Kane, Tac / Med

“It is not an unwelcome taste, Kane. In fact, you did quite well in blending the flavors together.” She commended, sipping at the variation of tea she had been offered. “Quite relaxing, truly.”

Dr. T’Aria

Kane smiled slightly as he took a sip of the drink in front of him. “Thought you’d dig it. Guess I’m not just eye-candy for Sickbay, huh?” and he sat his drink down. “So. Tell me something, Doc. Why did you go to the show? I mean, I know it. And I know it well enough to know that it isn’t something your people would typically go to.”

Kane, Tac / Med

“I suppose not,” T’Aria returned, inclining her head in place of a smile. For a moment, she seemed hesitant to respond, being without much of one. “I went for the experience, Kane. I am keeping residence and working upon a human ship. It should seem only wise to understand more of the culture.” In other words, just because she was interested and wanted to. “If you know the show so well, why did you go? A matter of seeing something you enjoyed?”

Dr. T’Aria

“Nope. Just wanted to throw toast at something.” Kane replied flatly and took a sip of his drink. It was almost impossible to tell if he was being sarcastic or honest. “I will say, though… Rocky Horror Picture Show is probably not the best avenue for learning human culture. I mean, it has it’s moments. But for a true experience of what humanity is like there are other shows you should see.”

Kane, Tac / Med

T’Aria rose a brow, refraining from the commonplace comment she had previously been tempted to make. “Yes.. I realized that, after watching it for several minutes.” She sipped at the drink, hardly pleased with what she had seen in Rocky. “What shows do you suggest, Kane?” She inquired, curious to what he might answer with.

Dr. T’Aria

Kane shrugged a bit and said “Depends on what era you want to know about, what country… hell, what planet. We humans tend to revel in ‘uniqueness’. So you if watch, say, ‘The Blues Brothers’ from way back in the day, you will see a specific subculture of humanity indicative of the time and place. But if you were to watch ‘The Ballad of Chiros’ from a a few years ago, you would see something completely different.” and then he chuckled slightly. “We may not be very predictable, but we sure are never boring.”

Kane, Tac / Med

“Of humans today, Kane, what would you say would be notable? Any country, truly— better yet, what do you find to be the most pleasant?” T’Aria tilted her head to one side, offering a small grunt that sounded as if she were agreeing. “Predictable and rudimentary, are two terms that will never be used for humans,” She remarked, nodding to him. “It sounds as if you have a rather versatile culture, which is unsurprising for the way your species holds themselves.”

Dr. T’Aria
CMO

Kane laughed once. But it wasn’t a laugh of amusement… it carried a sense of anger with it. “Versatile… yeah. That’s one way of putting it.” and he slammed back the rest of his drink and set the glass down, leaned forward, and looked directly at the table top. “Versatile…” and he looked up at T’Aria, his eyes narrowed and his cheeks slightly flushed. “I’ll let you in on a little secret about humans, Doc… we suck. For all of our achievements and grandiose gestures of ‘galactic community’ and ‘equality for all’, we still divide and kill ourselves. We still have racism, economic disparity, greed, and the desire to put our boot on the throats of those we don’t like or who are different from us.” and he leaned back and chuckled softly. “We have cities on planets that rival the most beautiful things the Vulcans ever made, Doc. Seen ‘em first-hand. We have ships capable of traveling to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. We have helped form a government with other species and settled wars with folks who only want to fight. And with all of that…” and he shook his head, “… with all of that… I grew up starving in an orphanage with no heat. And when that place burned down? The humans in charge of that colony, the Earth appointed governors, threw us in the street. No family. No home. No support. I was lucky, I was one of the oldest… I was ten. The youngest was probably weeks old. She froze to death the first night.” and he leaned forward again and looked intently at her, directly in her eyes. His expression was one only a very, very few had ever seen… and definitely no one on the ship had. He looked sad… almost but not quite vulnerable. And then the walls went up and the typical scowl took it’s place on his face. “You want an enjoyable cinematic experience, though, the Blues Brothers was really good. The music is amazing.” and he stood and picked up his glass. “You want another drink? A Vulcan tea this time?”

Kane, Tac / Med

Without words to suffice for the intensity of his outburst, T’Aria was left in a state of dumbfoundedness. There must be a logical return to his emotion, but it was not one she could actively find. Heinous, she knew the Humans could easily be. They neglected those in need, for wealth, for material.. Something every culture had done at some point in their evolution. They were a liability to themselves, and to everyone around them, their need for ‘fun,’ ‘adventure’ and ‘thrill,’ taking over their necessities. In fact, they became the necessities for many of them. She frowned. Although, the emotion behind the action was incomprehensible, if it even existed in the first place. Her chill, a stoic ice capable of freezing over everything she felt, was no match for his flame, a flurry of of sparking emotion, setting fire to one thing and then the next.

“Humans are an intuitive race, adaptive and persistent.” Her voice was quiet, soft.. If one could find it within her. “Although, they are equally destructive to themselves and anyone who may dare cross their threshold.” A slowly quirked eyebrow. “A risk every species takes when accepting work alongside them, but a risk generally worth its liabilities.” She released a silent breath, something comparable to a ‘Vulcan sigh,’ “I cannot understand what you must have gone through, as a result of humanity’s unbalanced priorities.” Her voice was cold, a natural result of her species. However, her words were not hollow. That sadness, vulnerability, whatever she had seen in his eyes, wouldn’t fade from her memory, for quite some time. It would be something incapable of being burnt out by the intense heat of her meditation.

“Thank you for the suggestion, Kane.” T’Aria responded, clasping her hands upon the table, where she gave a simplistic nod. “That would be pleasant, thank you.”

Dr. T’Aria
CMO

Kane nodded and made his way over and retrieved the drinks. He came and set the cup of Vulcan tea on the table before T’Aria. He then took his seat. His hair had been released back to it’s wild state, cascading across his face. Whether this was an oversight or a subconscious reaction to his previous display was not apparent. But even through the hair, his eyes looked directly at T’Aria. His look had softened… not much, but just enough that she would have been able to tell if she looked hard enough. “So tell me about yourself, Doc. Haven’t known many Vulcans. I don’t even think I even saw one of you before I went to Earth.”

Kane, Tac / Med

“Itaren.” The word slipped from her lips without a second thought. It was spoken simply, but her accent seemed to drift into the pronunciation of the simple vowels that pieced together the rudimentary albeit eloquent phrase. “Thank you,” She added, to reiterate what the phrase actually meant, when spoken in Federation Standard, as opposed to the rustic flow of Vulcan. For a sheer second, she took him in.. The nature of his wild hair as it cascaded over his face, the glimmer in his eyes of whatever emotion danced across them, his attire, the expression dancing across his face. She had never truly take much time to see who Kane was, beyond what she knew him to be: the somewhat uncouth man, both in manner and clothing.

Tell him about herself? What was there to say? T’Aria wasn’t exactly accustomed to speaking of herself to others, unless it was reciting her medical capabilities and training.. Which had last been given to the Captain, when it was requested. “Vulcans have become somewhat uncommon, after the terrible tragedy of my people. However, they have begun to return to Starfleet and opposing organizations. Although, one may doubt you would want to see many of these stoic creatures.” She nodded, “Very well, Kane. I am not certain what you wish to hear.. Although, My full name is S’ovual Na’Ou T’Aria, and just as most of my people, I was raised upon the Vulcan homeworld, attending the Vulcan Institute for Youth and the Vulcan Academy of Science. However, unlike most, and perhaps shameful to them, I quit less than a year into the program.” She fell silent there, curious of how he might respond to that secret of hers.

Dr. T’Aria
CMO

Kane didn’t move or let his gaze waver. When she mentioned quitting he let a small pause occur to she if she was going to explain. Seeing she wasn’t, he said “Why’d ya quit? Not like what I know of your culture to drop outta something like that.” There was no condemnation in his vice, no judgement. It was simply a question.

Kane, Tac / Med

“You are correct. Vulcan find it shameful to quit anything they have started. They believe wholeheartedly in finishing a task you have initiated, a sense of responsibility for your choices, if you would.” T’Aria agreed. “There came a point when I realized, following the footsteps and orders of my parents was a truly futile decision. A child never learns much, if they are condemned to reliving the same life as the ones before them– one of the main downfalls of Vulcan upbringing.” She paused, for a second. “Not to mention, Kane, exploratory medicine for a vast number of alien species? A far more fascinating concept than basic, Vulcan medicine.” It seemed T’Aria was a bit of one to rebel against others, in a logical way. Not that her decision had been logical.

Dr. T’Aria
CMO

Kane stared at her for a long moment, his eyes looking directly at hers. He then grinned. Not is normal predatory and unnerving smile… but a genuine one. “Well, Doc… I think you and I have more in common than I thought.” and he chuckled and leaned back and looked around while taking a drink.

Kane, Tac / Med

Adjusting the band that held blonde hair back from her face, T’Aria could not help but agree. “Why do you say so, Mister Kane?” His smile, it was peculiar, the few– if not the only, genuine one she had ever seen upon him. In comparison to the others, it gave him a better light, one might say it even improved his outwardly appearance. Then again, T’Aria found most humans to appear better, for lack of better term, when they wete being genuine.

Dr. T’Aria

Without his expression changing or his eyes even blinking, he replied “You don’t like to be told what to do with your life by people who don’t take the time to learn what it is that drives you.” and then he leaned back. “Same here. That’s one of the reasons I had… issues… at the Academy. I wanted to be in Medical. I’m good at it and I enjoy it. And I wanted to learn how to operate a star ship, or at least how to protect one. They told me I couldn’t do both. I told them to stuff it and did it anyway. A lot of the tactical instructors didn’t like having a blue-shirt in their class. There were some… discussions… outside the Academy grounds about it.” and the smile changed briefly back to the more unsettling one. “I won those debates.” and then he leaned forward and said “I’m gonna say something that is probably gonna offend you, but it’s not like I’d know, right? You said something just now that I am trying to reconcile with what I have been taught about Vulcans. You said you found exploratory medicine and alien species ‘fascinating’. You do know that’s an emotion-based view, right? I thought you were supposed to be all about logic and such.”

Kane’s question came out in his typical fashion: brash and direct. Most people; Vulcan, Human, or wnatever, would have been put off by his demeanor. But there was a small change in him, a slight difference in the way he held himself. It was more open, more engaged, more… human. And his eyes opened a bit more. Physiologically, he showed signs of being socially engaged… something he hadn’t shown in his entire time on the ship.

Kane, Tac / Med

“You misunderstand, Kane. Emotion is not completely without its purpose in my culture. Vulcans are some of the most explicitly emotional people to have graced this galaxy. They are wild, barbaric and emotional in ways you could not begin to comprehend. However, in efforts to avoid the atrocities we faced as a young race –the babarism, killing our own kind, and endless civil war– we decided emotion was the root of our evil. In all intentions to make certain no Vulcan should die at the hand of their brethren, we purged them, enforcing elite practices due to the enlightenment of Surak, the father of our new era, and most commonly known as: the Father of Logic. Under his guided teachings, as gentle and yet strict as they were, Vulcans became a race seemingly superior to emotion, to any who might look in, from the outside. Although, seeing is hardly ever the truth behind a society.” T’Aria relaxed, something as rare of the Vulcan as it were for Kanr to be socially engaged, like this.

“Vulcans still feel the emotions welling beneath the surface of their stoic exteriors. We still feel the pain of losing someone we held in adoration– love. We understand the.. Heartbreak, if you would, in betrayal. Or the lightheartedness of happiness and peace. We understand emotions, in a way far deeper than many humans can. We simply find they are not worthy of our time, as they could be dangerous to us, and more importantly: the people around us. Thus, yes. I understand something fascinating to be undeniably emotional.” Her voice did not change much, besides growing peaceful in the stoicism she portrayed. T’Aria was a well of emotions, but those emotions she had not yet fully come to control. After all, she was still quite young for a Vulcan.

“I do not mean to insult you or your intelligence, by this explanation.” She apologized.

Dr. T’Aria

Kane laughed and shook his head. “I don’t offence, Doc. Appreciate the explanation, too. You all always seem a bit… complicated. Like a contradiction wrapped up in biological form. It’s… fascinating.” he said with a wry smile.

Kane, Tac / Med

T’Aria gave him a look that could have been interpreted in many ways, ridicule, confusion or simply a certain wry nature, herself. Whatever it was, it came and went as quickly as a blink of an eye. “You seem as equally complex to us.” T’Aria remarked, “I see you have come around to our, of sorts, emotional choice of word.”

Dr. T’Aria
CMO

Kane shrugged and said “Nope. Just bustin’ your chops a bit, Doc.” And he took a drink and looked out the window. “You still talk to your family, Doc?” he asked without looking at her.

Kane, Tac / Med

His question was.. Surprising, to the young doctor. A part of her wondered where it had come from. “No,” T’Aria responded, her voice blunt but quiet. “The destruction of Vulcan was not kind to many of them, and the remainder are still discovering themselves, and their people, on New Vulcan.” She explained, vaguely, avoiding the full truth, which she didn’t see the need in saying. “And you, Kane? Do you speak with your family?”

Dr. T’Aria

Kane looked up from the table and said with a slightly melancholy smile “Naw, Doc. I guess the word doesn’t translate well. ‘Orphanage’… like I said.” At any other time, Kane would have been acerbic and mildly hostile in his verbal response, but not this time. This time it seemed that he had taken no offense and simply chalked up the question to a miscommunication. “Never knew anyone I called family. And no one ever looked at me as ‘adoption material’.” and he laughed a bit. “Hell, Doc. Even at ten years old people seemed to keep their distance. Guess my charming disposition was apparent then, too.”

Kane, Tac / Med