Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Arriving at Shuttlebay

Posted by Ensign Kajhel (Security Officer) in Arriving at Shuttlebay

(snip)

Kajhel was grateful of the off-record notes from Rand. He felt like he could trust her. Maybe he’d made his first friend here today already. But then, maybe she’s just friendly to everyone? It’s her job, isn’t it? He decided to just wait and see. There was already so much happening. It’s all good.

“Thanks! I’ll remember all that!” He hoped he would notice Willow some time. Cats were the first Earth animal he noticed upon arriving in Paris as a kid, after his mother got a job at the Federation Council civil service. Curious little creatures, with tiny little legs. He’d never touched one though, only “seen” them blurrily through his telepathy. He never dared. He has too much respect for alien creatures, he wouldn’t want to impose on them. But he had a little desire that one day, when sitting down in mess hall, that cat would come up and jump up in his lap. He wouldn’t be startled (in his day dream; in reality he’d probably be terrified), and the cat would purr while he petted it across the back and belly.

“Happy to help. The cat is actually very friendly and very curious. But there is a lot she can get into and get in trouble. We try to keep her contained. I haven’t figured out how she activates the motion sensor on the door yet. She’s supposed to be too small.”

Was Rand telepathic? How did she know he was thinking of the cats? He had not consented to her reading his thoughts. But she was human, wasn’t she? She didn’t feel like an other species, but perhaps he was wrong. The only species he knew he had met that was telepathic was the Vulcan one, and Vulcans certainly had a special feeling around them, even though they say they have no feeling. They ooze of Vulcanness, you can feel it half a mile away. That sensation has a particular flavour, it’s like salt mixed with some ground spice. Yes, that’s the flavour of Vulcans in the room. The flavour of the presence of humans was more petrichor, with some hot sweetness to it, as if in a sugary steamy broth. At first, it was somewhat repulsive, when he was 11 and just arrived on Earth, but like many foods, it was an acquired flavour. Now he likes it. Rand’s presence gave it too, but with a small dose of awkwardness, masked with rigidity and structure. But that sense of rigidity and structure instilled peace and trust in Kajhel. No, she wouldn’t have violated him like that, and more so, she was most probably not telepathic. It must have been a coincidence, Kajhel concluded.

Perhaps curiosity would be the best, before he might accuse Rand of something. Perhaps she also likes cats.

“I was just thinking about the cat! What a coincidence!” he said with cheerfulness in his voice. “I understand then that the cat was on your mind too. Pray tell, how come?”

(OOC: That’s great!)

At his question, Rand had to wonder if she had committed some faux pas even though he sounded cheerful. Some species didn’t like coincidence. Oh dear, what had she done now? She was horrible at making small talk, her social anxiety making the attempts a nightmare. She loved animals though and discussing the cat had seemed a good choice. Now she wasn’t so sure. She was not going to admit to him or anyone about her anxiety, but truth was always best. “As Captain’s Yeoman I am responsible for many things. The cat is one of them when the captain is busy. I love animals, so I don’t mind. Mentioning her just had me thinking of she was still in the room before the doors closed after I met with the captain this morning.”

Kajhel hummed with relief to Rand’s explanation.

“I hope I’ll get to meet Willow one day. I’m rather fond of cats. I used to live on Earth a couple of years when I was a kid, and then at the Academy until… uhm… earlier today. I’ve met some cats… Curious, aren’t they? Have you ever had a cat? Or other pet?”

He opened the door. He felt the size of the room, it was much bigger than he had anticipated.

Junior officer quarters are half the size of the department head’s quarters in layout and contain a single twin sized bed, shower/bathroom sink, and a work area.

“Will I share this room with anyone?” he asked.

– Ensign Kajhel (Security)

“No, all junior officers billet alone. So you will have this to yourself. If there is anything you need for your quarters you can let me or Chief Helpful, our quartermaster, know and we’ll get it for you.” Which reminded Rand to make a note to see if they could get a console put in that did the same thing as Kajhel’s PaDD so he didn’t have to transfer everything to a PaDD first. Rand did, but that was because she was always on the go.

The feeling that that answer gave in Kajhel confused him. On one hand, he enjoyed the liberation, freedom of being on his own, of having his space, uninterrupted by other beings and creatures. For the past 3 years he had had a roommate in the Academy, a Tellarite, Bark was his name, who was awfully cheerful (almost annoyingly so) and somewhat messy. Bark had been allocated to a different fleet even. He wondered if they’d ever see each other again. They had promised to stay in touch, but would they? None of Kajhel’s Earth friends from his tween years on Earth ever stayed in touch with him after he moved back to Andoria. It was just the way, we fade away from another when geography is our enemy, as his father had said.

“Thank you, once more,” he said, with nostalgia in his voice, from the memories of his long-lost childhood friends and the not knowing whether his friend Bark and he would stay in touch or not.

“You’re welcome Ensign.” Though Rand wasn’t sure what he was thanking her for, but social expectation was to respond politely to an expression of thanks.

When he was ready they took the lift to deck 2. “Torpedo and probe maintenance, storage, and control are up here. Escape pods are configured differently here than the rest of the ship because of the torpedo tubes and space they need. They are marked,” Rand pointed out one of the life pods and the label on the access hatch. Then Rand waited letting Kajhel explore a bit on his own and talk to any of the other officers on duty at the time.

Yeoman Rand

Rand was an excellent guide. She was so kind and patient with him. He tried to take it all in, memorize the details Rand gave him. It was a lot to take in. The ship was so clean, so sterile, that it was hard for Kajhel to find connotations as to what belonged where. Usually, something would have a little smell, a change in temperature, or something interesting across the echolocation, but the ship was annoyingly clean. It frustrated him a little, but he was certain people would be understanding of him. People always have. Why would the present be any different?

He moved his hand across the panels, and that comforted him. Ah, they have a particular feeling! Different uses of materials within panels, different sensations of temperature, texture and so on. He would figure this out. No one’s an expert on their first day.

“Will you introduce me to Mr Anders? I have been told to report to him. I’ve also been told to report to Sickbay for a medical evaluation. Which one should I do first? Or maybe we have more on our tour first?”

– Ens Kajhel (Security)

“Next stop is deck 5 which holds the security suite. If Lt Anders is there, I am happy to introduce you. There are a few more stops on the tour, and it ends at sickbay.”

“Very good, thank you,” he said. Why was he thanking her all the time? He was grateful, she was being more helpful than he could have imagined, but he hoped all this gratitude bestowed on her wouldn’t make her uncomfortable. He sensed she was a sensitive woman, with sensitivity to nuances. He hoped he wasn’t too overbearing. He decided to chill down a bit, for a while, keep a somewhat lower profile, but still show enough interest in the orientation. Verbal thanks weren’t perhaps as necessary.

When he was ready Rand led the way back to the nearest lift and down to deck 5. This deck would feel less sterile, had more personality. “The forward center section of the deck holds more JO and enlisted quarters. The rest of the deck is dedicated to the security suite.” This deck was more lived in and had more activity. “Armory and practice range, bring, security office.” Rand pointed out each as they passed them giving Kajhel time to investigate. Entering the security office was a woman with short light brown hair. “Rand! To what do we owe the pleasure?”

A brig! Kajhel felt the chills from it. There’s been some anxiety there. He supposed most people, no matter how “bad” they might have been, might feel uncomfortable through involuntary confinement. He hoped he would not have to use it… that there would be other ways to avoid danger, and commandeer those people who disobey.

The severity of the situation, of his actual mission, became obvious to him. This was no game any more. This was not training. This was the real deal.

“Lt. Tracey Morgan this is En Kajhel. He just arrived. We were looking for Lt. Anders.” Morgan nodded, “Welcome aboard En. He’s on rounds right now but should be back in about an hour.”

Yeoman Rand

“Ma’am,” said Kajhel while greeting her. He was a bit disappointed that Anders wasn’t here, he really hoped to get everything started as soon as possible. Ah well, he’d simply have to wait. What was an hour in the greater scheme of things, after all?

– Ensign Kajhel (Security)