Posted by Captain Th’elin Zarath (Commanding Officer) in Captain’s Quarters

Posted by Ensign Amber Josen (Communications Officer) in Captain’s Quarters

Posted by Captain Th’elin Zarath (Commanding Officer) in Captain’s Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Th’elin manually lowered the lighting level in his quarters to dim as he stepped inside. His suite was larger than most of the standard crew quarters, but only slightly. It was sparsely furnished, but decorated moderately in greys and blues. He sank into a sitting position on one side of his bunk, tension headache beginning to fade ever so slightly now that he was away from the bright lights of the Sentinel’s bridge and corridors. His eyes went to rest on the small clan insignia that hung above the entry door, and then to the pair of Ushaan-tor mounted on a plaque on the adjoining bulkhead. They were not ornamental, they were the real thing. They’d been used in combat only once, but they were sharp and ready to be used again, should honor ever demand such a thing. He hoped it wouldn’t. Antennae curled and swayed as he tried not to think about his homeworld and the family he’d left there. Andorian’s lived and existed in large yet tight-knit family units, and Th’elin was no exception.

To halt this descent into memory, he forced himself to make a note in his log to visit Doctor Hudson about the headaches. He’d have to find some way to function without the brightness bothering his eyes so much. Humans were such odd creatures… He thought silently. He found them so wildly different than his own people, but also the similarities were bothersome. It was strange to him that some breeds of humans did in fact live in clan-based societies, similar to Andorians. Some though… Some were just odd. Loners. He was reminded of his First Officer. Cerny was definitely a loner, but the man had stuck with him throughout the last few years. There was an undeniable loyalty there, and he knew he’d trust Cerny unconditionally in their new roles as the command staff of the Sentinel. Sometimes, Th’elin thought he could sense that same loyalty and friendship in the others. However, they were too new. Doc was one, the man was downright bitter sometimes, but he seemed the same ilk as Cerny. T’pria, he wasn’t sure what to make of just yet. His people didn’t get on very well with Vulcans, and would’ve been at war with Vulcan probably indefinitely had not the Humans stepped in and proved they were just as good at diplomacy as they were causing trouble in the alpha quadrant. He’d tried hard to put aside this bias, and in fact, had asked for T’pria personally in hopes of forging some sort of working relationship that might grow the both of them. That was a long thread though, and who knew where it’d lead once it began to unravel.

Again, his eyes went to the Ushaan-tor on the wall. Certainly, he’d picked a fine crew. No Starship Captain could ask for better… They were talented and dedicated. They were fresh-faced and not yet jaded from the years of duty and service. He put a hand to his head, and then the other, rubbing his temples as his antennae curled and quested about, trying to allay the tension in his head. Would this crew stand for each other? Die for each other? As Cerny had already proved that he would? Time would tell, but the hope rose in him that it was the truth.

-Zarath, CO

She was standing outside his quarters with a tray in her hands. Amber had been on the bridge for most of the day, herself, and had noticed the CO hadn’t left to take a single break and only went to the briefing room a couple times to refill his drink. The tray was covered but had a couple plates of things she couldn’t pronounce but was assured they were decent Andorian faire.

She lifted her hand and chimed for entrance. She was still in her uniform, despite the lateness of the hour. She wasn’t sure how he would take her showing up in off duty clothes in the middle of the evening unannounced. At least this way, she could drop and run if he seemed off put by her bravado.

Ens Amber Josen
Comms Officer

The door chime brought Th’elin out of his thoughts and he stood up and pressed the button that would open the door. It slid apart to reveal Amber Josen, likewise still in uniform, tray in hand. His eyes widened in surprise, but he recovered quickly, antennae waving slightly as he smiled and stepped back to allow her entry.

“Amber, how are you? Aren’t you off duty?” His eyes fell to the tray, from which the aroma of Redbat stew and Hari bread, mingled with the pungent smell of Srjula Tea.
“Are you a fan of Andorian cuisine?” He joked, offering to take the tray.

-Zarath, CO

She stepped in. “Yes, Sir… off duty. Ensign Caplin has the comm and will inform me the moment we can reach the planet or catch their outgoing. I promise.” She let him take the tray because she couldn’t think of a reason not to since it was for him. “And no, I admit I have never tried Andorian food. Merely the wine you shared the day we met. But I noticed you didn’t eat on the bridge today. And something told me you didn’t come back to your quarters and ravage the replicator. So I thought I would bring you something. I hope I didn’t choose wrong. I can fetch something else if you prefer.” Her hands were clasped before her as she stole glances at his quarters and his face. It seemed both fascinated her and she was curious why.

Josen
Comm

He took the tray and set it on the desk. The Srjula tea glowed softly in the dimly lit room, a neon orange color, as he poured two small cups. He offered one to Josen, lifting his own to inhale the steam. “It’s perhaps not such a pleasant flavor for human taste buds… but it’s a special occasion tea for us. Srjula only grows under the ice shelf and is luminescent. It’s said to bring good luck.” The Andorian said. He didn’t say that the Aenar used it for divination and readings of the near future. He motioned to offer her the desk chair as he sat nearby on the edge of the bunk. “And don’t worry, I appreciate that you brought me something. It’s perfect.” He smiled.

-Zarath, CO

She took the offered tea, and seat. “It looks amazing.” She took a sip and smiled. There was something exotic and strong. Because she had been prepared for it, the taste was unexpected, though not unpleasant. “It’s different. I don’t hate it… but it is a strong flavor.” She smiled and took a sip. “You are right. It’s perfect.”

She smiled. “As to dinner. I’m glad you aren’t mad. I wasn’t sure if I was being too forward. But I would rather be chastised than have you sick or pass out because you aren’t eating. We need you on this mission.” She looked down at her tea, her finger lightly running over and over the handle of the cup.

Amber
Comms

He let out a slightly raspy chuckle, blowing on his tea, then taking a sip. “Oh I try not to think about it like that… Sentinel needs good people, and our loyalty should be to her as well as each other. It’s the divide that matters. If a crew is loyal to just the Captain… That Captain has a power that could corrupt him. He could lead them wrong and they’d blindly follow. However, if the crew is loyal to the ship, then they temper other loyalties by that final one. What’s best for the ship is what’s best for both Captain and Crew.” He stared into the glowing orange liquid for a moment, hot steam rising into the dimness. “I’m sorry to get philosophical, it’s what I was thinking about when you came knocking. What makes a good Captain, what makes a good Officer. Where the trust should lay. Putting a new Crew together, sometimes you don’t know if they’ll take to each other, or if they’ll put the ship first. Hells, that’s a question I couldn’t answer for myself until I served on a Starship and found it out first hand.”

-Zarath, CO

She smiled. “I think you make a good Captain,” she said. “I mean, the fact you consider the ship and crew first shows that. And from what I’ve seen, you are followed out of respect and as representative of the ship, herself. I know we haven’t been together as a crew long. But we are getting along and even fitting together already as a family. I admit, I was worried coming here, despite having asked for it. Just as you worry about if we’ll get along, I worried if I would want to follow my Captain.” She smiled and glanced at him. “I’m glad I do.”

Amber
Comms