Posted by Commander Taiya Keali (XO) in XO’s Quarters - A Visit

Posted by Lieutenant Mwezi (Chief Weapons Officer(COS)) in XO’s Quarters - A Visit

Posted by Commander Taiya Keali (XO) in XO’s Quarters - A Visit
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Seeing as their past few meetings had been somewhat chaotic, Mwezi thought that he should meet the XO and her little family in a somewhat calmer situation. Firstly, he wanted to get to know them for personal reasons, but there was also a small part of him that was the Security Chief and wanted to make sure of the security side of all this.

He stepped up to the door and pressed the chime, standing stiffly as he waited an answer.

Mwezi, CTO

“Well…what do you think we should do doctor?” Taiya asked with a solemn sigh. Peering at the small stuffed squirrel laid on it’s back in the middle of the floor, Lia thought for a moment and sighed as well. “I don’t know doctor, it’s a tricky one…” the little girl replied with an equally serious look. Suddenly getting an idea, Lia smiled. “I know! We should give him some medicine…nurse! Bring my medkit!” she called to Alex who gave a little grin as he passed her a toy medkit and she began to rifle through it. As the door chime went, Taiya kissed her little girl on the head. “Well, I will leave the patient in your capable hands Doctor Lia,” she chuckled as she left Lia & Alex playing in her bedroom.

She jumped to her feet and straightened her uniform as she came out into the living area and replied. “Come in!”

Commander Keali (XO)

As the door opened, Mwezi blinked slightly, then stepped through the frame into the room.

“Commander,” he spoke, touching his fingers together and slightly dipping his torso in respect for the woman. “I am here to request a social visit. If you are not busy, will you and your family join me for warm beverages? I have heard that leaves steeped in hot water is a rather popular beverage among humanoids.”

Mwezi, Security Chief

Taiya smiled warmly as she ushered Mwezi in. “Of course Lt, please do come in. I’m sure Lia will be pleased to see you again, I think she was quite fascinated by you in sickbay,” she replied as she offered him a seat. As she poked her head around the corner, she called to her daughter. “Lia? Come and look who’s come to see us?” she asked as she heard a little squeak of excitement from the next room. Lia had always been a very sociable child and loved meeting new people. She trotted out of her room, followed closely by Alex, still clutching the toy squirrel they had been playing with. She beamed in delight when she saw the funny man with the tail and ran over to show him the small stuffed creature. “Look!” she squeaked as she thrust the toy towards Mwezi with no hint of fear. “He was poorly but we made him better with medicine!” she added excitedly.

Commander Keali (XO)

Mwezi nodded slightly as Keali spoke. “Yes, I noticed that. I apologize for the behavior that you witnessed. I find that Kane in particular tends to bring out the more negative aspects of my… instincts.”

Taiya smiled and shook her head. “No need to apologise, my former posting was as a CMO, believe me, I’ve seen a lot worse!” she chuckled as she offered Mwezi a seat.

He paused as the small child ran in. His ears tilted forward slightly at the sounds, and then relaxed as the small child stuck the toy out towards her. Mwezi lowered himself to her level, kneeling on one knee and examining the toy. “Looks like he’s doing very well. You must be a great doctor, Miss Lia Keali,” he said, his voice a little softer than the more professional tone he had been using with the Commander. Something of note, now that Keali had a moment to pay attention, there was a delay in the movement of his mouth and the sound of his voice, and his words definitely didn’t match up with his lips.

Lia giggled and nodded. “I’m going to be a doctor one day like Mummy!” she said excitedly as she ran back to her room to get her pretend medical kit to show him. “See, I already know how to use the trirecorder and the hydrosprayer…” she announced proudly as Taiya had a little chuckle at her mispronunciations.

He stood up, bowing his head to Alex. “And you are the father of this little ray of En’ris-shine. It is refreshing to meet a being who’s initial impression of me is not worry.”

Mwezi, CTO

Alex smiled and nodded as he shook Mwezi’s hand. “Indeed I am, Alex Keali, it’s good to meet you under more pleasant circumstances, please, do come in and join us.” he added as he took a seat on the sofa behind Lia, slightly wary of her trying to grab his tail again.

Keali Family

Mwezi nodded. He sat on the sofa as well, smoothing his legwear as he did so. “It is unexpected to see a child on a Starship. It is not something that happens among my people,” he explained. “Galdori ships are made with economy in mind - they are never larger than they need to be. No room for extra beings.”

He tilted his head slightly. “It is certainly curious.”

Mwezi

Keali nodded as she looked warmly at Lia playing and chattering to her toys. “They aren’t normally on federation ships either but I was allowed special dispensation after…” she paused, not wanting to mention Lia’s illness as it still scared the little girl but she just nodded in her direction hoping Mwezi would understand.

Alex picked up on his wife’s hesitation and ruffled Lia’s hair. “Let’s go and get everyone some tea muffin?” He suggested as Lia nodded enthusiastically and followed him.

Taiga smiled and turned her attention back to Mwezi. “So how long have you served on the Chernov Lt?” She asked curiously.

Keali (XO)

Mwezi caught the silent gesture at the child. He thought quietly. The child had seemed somewhat nervous in Sickbay, but seemed to want to be a doctor of some sort. Or she played being a doctor. It must be something very familiar to her, but uncomfortable, which meant one thing to the Laleri. The child must have spent a lot of time in medical facilities, time which might not have been pleasant for them. His best guess was that Lia had been ill at some point and gone through a lot of treatments.

When the child and her father had left, Mwezi tilted his head down towards the floor and looked sideways at Keali. “The child was ill at some point, I surmise?”

Taiya felt a familiar lump in her throat as she nodded. “Yes…four years ago…we nearly lost her…” she said quietly, instinctively glancing towards her little girl over the other side of the room. “She is still very wary of sickbay as you probably noticed from our visit…” she sighed as she sat back in her seat. Although she had been over it a hundred times, talking about it was still difficult for her.

He left it at that, answering the question given to him. “I believe it has been about a year. Perhaps a little longer, since I joined the crew. The Captain believed that my service was exemplary, and asked my superiors to promote me so that he could give me a higher-authority position as the Chief Weapons Officer,” he explained. “I hope you have had a chance to read the provided files on myself and the other Senior Staff. If so, you would have read that I am what you might call an exchange officer. My world, Galdor, has a small interstellar empire - we have a couple dozen star systems in our control. Galdor’s government is considering whether we will apply to join your United Federation of Planets or remain a neutral outsider. Evidently there is much that we can exchange, so the Federation allowed my world to do an exchange. Six of the Galdori are in Starfleet, and there is a small variety of Federation people in the Galdori Space Fleet.”

Mwezi, COS

Taiya nodded and smiled warmly. “So I suppose we’re both somewhat outsiders here then? There are very few of my people in star-fleet as well. How have you found integrating into the crew?” She asked curiously.

Commander Keali (XO)

Mwezi nodded quietly, reflective. “I feel as though, no matter how long I spend among humans, they always find some new way to confuse me…” He fumbled for words for a moment before settling. “I struggle to integrate. Not only am I from a different culture, I, well… Look at me. I am surrounded by creatures that are so different than myself, it is difficult to stay grounded. There is also the lack of emotions from humans. Or rather, readable emotions. They have their own way of expressing emotions, but they are difficult.”

He deflated slightly. “My people are highly attuned to emotions, in a way that is difficult for me to explain. Although, I hear that your species has a telepathic ability, so perhaps you can understand at least somewhat. We don’t need to express physically to emote. I can express my anger or joy or sadness, and even if you couldn’t see or hear me, you would understand that emotion. And respond likewise. To me, it is like being suddenly surrounded by trees.”

Mwezi, CoS