Posted by Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik (Chief Of Security) in Fantail Lounge

Posted by Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik (Chief Of Security) in Fantail Lounge

Posted by Lieutenant Elyss Zavey (Chief Science Officer) in Fantail Lounge
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
After a long shift on the bridge, Elyss returned to her quarters for a shower and change of clothes. Dressed in a white, off the shoulder top and full skirt with a leafy print, she now sat at one of the tables working on an individual puzzle whose goal was to remove a pin that was held all the other pieces in place. Next to her elbow was a cup of coffee and a glass of white wine. She hadn’t been sure what drink she really wanted, so had gotten both. Zavey sighed and rolled her neck to ease tight muscles there. For just a moment, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back to take a couple of deep breaths.

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

Thalos had just finished his shift on the bridge when he entered the lounge, intent on a moment of quiet to recalibrate his thoughts. The ambient lighting was low, the hum of conversation muted — an environment conducive to reflection.

Then he saw her.

Lieutenant Zavey.

His antennae reacted before his conscious mind did, a faint, involuntary twitch as they registered her presence. He dismissed the reaction as irrelevant data, though he knew better. This would be… an opportune moment to know her as a woman, not merely as the Chief Science Officer.

He approached, posture formal, tone measured.

“Are you alright, Lieutenant?”

There was no mistaking the restraint in his voice — controlled, professional — but beneath it lay a carefully contained curiosity. Whether that formality would remain depended entirely on her response.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

She didn’t hear him approach, but as soon as he spoke, her eyes fluttered open. “Oh, Lt, I’m fine, thank you.” Her hand sneaked up unconsciously and rubbed the back of her neck. “A little extra stress that I can’t seem to shake, I guess. I thought coming here and redirecting my thoughts with a brain game,” here she gestured to the puzzle on the table, “would help me relax. I’m not having much luck yet.”

Blue eyes scanned the handsome Andorian. After really noticing him on the bridge, this was her first opportunity to get to know him better, so she took a chance. “You’re welcome to join me if you like?”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

Thalos was… unexpectedly pleased by the invitation. It was an emotion he noted, acknowledged, and made no attempt to suppress.

“I would like that very much.”

The smile that followed was small, restrained, but genuine — the kind rarely seen from him on duty. He took the seat across from her, antennae angling subtly in her direction as he settled in.

For a moment, the formality of rank lingered between them — two officers, off-duty but still shaped by duty. Then, slowly, that invisible barrier began to thin.

It was a simple thing — sharing a table in a quiet lounge — yet it felt like the beginning of something far more complicated.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

Pleased he’d taken her up on the offer, Elyss smiled. “So, what brings you to the lounge tonight? In all honesty, I’m surprised to see you here. I haven’t had much interaction with Andorians to tell the truch, but my lessons taught me they are strong on honor, passion and observation.” She took a sip of the white wine. “Is that true? I also heard they are dangerous…”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

“That is very true — context matters.”

Thalos inclined his head slightly, antennae making a faint, thoughtful adjustment as he chose his next words with care.

“I do not object to admitting that I observed you on the bridge. I had… hoped we might encounter one another off duty.”

There was no bravado in his tone — only quiet sincerity. He did not wish to overstep, nor did he wish to misrepresent his intent.

As he looked at her now, the observation became impossible to ignore. Her eyes — a vivid blue — held his attention longer than was strictly professional. He corrected himself, returning to neutral composure, though the moment had already been acknowledged between them.

“It seemed… preferable to know you beyond duty reports and mission briefings.”

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

His words were lovely to hear. So, he had noticed her too during duty hours. A woman liked to be told she was interesting and that a man wanted to know more about her. Zavey was no different. “Well, why don’t we start with you calling me Elyss—at least when we’re off duty?” Was she flirting? Not yet, but she was letting the Lt know that she was open to further conversation.

She leaned her forearms lightly against the table, not crowding him, but not retreating either. Her voice was calm, steady, but there’ was warmth in it.

“I’ll be honest with you,” she said, meeting his eyes without flinching at the intensity there. “I didn’t invite you to sit down just because you’re striking — though you are. I’m curious about what’s underneath all that discipline. I want to know what makes your antennae lift instead of stiffen. What you miss about Andoria when the air’s too warm. What you fight for when no one’s watching. I’m interested in the things that matter to you — not just the uniform or the reputation. So if you’re willing… I’d like to know you. Not the guarded version. The real one.”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

Thalos leaned in a fraction closer, drawn by Elyss’ eyes — there was something about them that held his focus longer than was logical to allow. Mesmerising was the only accurate word, though he would never voice it as such.

“Well, Elyss… you may call me Thalos.”

His antennae lifted slightly, then, without conscious intent, angled toward her in a slow, subtle motion. The realization of the gesture caught him a heartbeat later. A small, almost sheepish smile touched his lips as he reasserted control — though he did not fully withdraw the movement.

“It would appear you have discovered one thing that causes my antennae to rise.”
There was the faintest hint of dry humour in his voice now.
“To learn the answers to your other questions will require time… time I am willing to give.”

The words were simple. The meaning behind them was not.

For a moment, the lounge seemed to fade into the background noise of the ship. Thalos became acutely aware of how close she was — of the subtle warmth of her presence, of the way her eyes searched his face without judgment.

His discipline wavered.

Only slightly.
But enough.

“I am… not accustomed to allowing myself such proximity,” he admitted quietly, the words leaving him before he could fully weigh them. His antennae dipped, then steadied, no longer held in rigid control. “On Andoria, closeness is not offered lightly. It is… earned.”

His gaze held hers — longer than regulation, longer than logic would permit.

“This is… unfamiliar territory for me,” he said, voice lower now, stripped of rank and formality. “But I do not find it… unwelcome.”

It was a small surrender — not of control, but of pretense.
And for Thalos, that was everything.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

She scooted the puzzle she’d been working on aside and took another drink of wine. “This territory you say is unfamiliar, is that just with humans or with other Andorians too?”

Elyss found him curious, worth getting to know, worth exploring personally. “Like I mentioned, I don’t have much experience with your species and really only know what the Academy taught, so I might blunder terribly as we move forward, but it won’t be on purpose.” A smile lifted the corners of her mouth just enough to bring out a twinkle in her eyes.

“If we’re going to stay here a while, why don’t you get yourself a drink or some food to make yourself more comfortable?”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

“With Humans… it is territory I would like to explore further.”

There was a faint smile now — restrained, but genuine — one that softened the sharp discipline usually written into his expression.

“A drink would be agreeable.”

He considered his options for a moment, and almost on cue, a server appeared at their table, as if summoned by the thought alone.

“We’re very quiet tonight. Can I get either of you something?”

“I will have a Saurian brandy, please.”
He glanced to Elyss, antennae tilting subtly in her direction.
“Would you care for another wine?”

It was a small, thoughtful gesture — the kind that carried more meaning than the words themselves.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

She gave a small shake of the head. “No, I’m fine, thank you.” Saurian brandy—she’d never tried it but might do so now out of curiosity. “So tell me a little about yourself. I think I overheard that you served in the Andorian Imperial Guard? That must have been–difficult isn’t the right word, umm…demmanding. Yes, that’s more of what I think it would be.” Everyone had heard stories of how strict and brutal the training was. Elyss had heard the stories in passing, in conversations she was not a part of but had still found the content interesting.

“How do you deal with the temperature differences? Isn’t Andoria sub zero at times? The climate here in the lounge must be really uncomfortable for you, is it?” Would he be cold to the touch? If they held hands, would her warmth win or would his lower temperature make her eventually shiver?

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

“I’ll be right back with your Saurian brandy,” the server said, offering a polite nod before moving away.

Thalos watched them go for a moment, then returned his attention to Elyss. His antennae lowered slightly — not in distress, but in a subtle, instinctive sign of reflection.

“It was… demanding,” he said of his time in the Imperial Guard. “I commanded my own squad until—”
He paused, just long enough for the memory to pass through him without being allowed to linger.

“—a shuttle accident took them all from me.”

The words were delivered evenly, but there was weight beneath them. Not grief on the surface — Andorians were not given to that — but respect for the fallen, carried quietly.

She wanted to know who had been taken from him, but the ability to ask for that personal of an answer would take more time. At this point they were still strangers.

“As for temperature,” he continued, shifting the subject with deliberate control, “we can regulate our body temperature to a degree. Starfleet-standard environmental settings are sometimes… warmer than ideal.”

There was a faint return of dry humour in his eyes.

“Though I have learned to endure it.”

Thalos let the silence settle for a moment after his admission, giving it space without allowing it to become heavy. Then, deliberately, he shifted the weight of the conversation — not away from honesty, but toward reciprocity.

“And you, Elyss?”

His voice was calm, but the question carried intention.

“Starfleet is not an easy calling. People do not choose it without reason.”
A faint, thoughtful tilt of his head followed.
“What drew you to science… and to this ship?”

Although Elyss would rather hear him talk about Andoria and his life there, she understood the early stages of connection and knew there would be a trading of information between them–haltingly at first, perhaps, and growing easier the more often they saw each other.

His antennae angled toward her again, not unconsciously this time — an intentional signal of attention and respect.

“I would like to know what shaped you, if you are willing to share.”

It wasn’t an interrogation.
It was an invitation.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

She swallowed another sip of wine. “I grew up on Earth–in New York on the coast of Glen Cove, so I have an affinity for water. I remember I used to love watching the storms come in. The really big ones were majestic–a little scarey too, but really something to watch as they got closer and gained more power.” Her vivid, blue eyes unfocased as she pulled up memories of her childhood to search if there had been one particular event that led her into a scientific career.

“I always wanted to know the answers that weren’t in books. I don’t think there was ever a time when I wasn’t curious about how things worked or where they came from. The first time I remember hearing that people traveled to other planets, I knew it was what I wanted to do.”

Elyss smiled with the memories. “My brothers chose different paths, but for me, Star Fleet was the way to get answers and live among the stars.”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

“I am… curious.”

Thalos hesitated for just a fraction of a second, then met her eyes again.

“How many siblings do you have—and what paths did they choose?”
There was a softness to his tone now, the formality easing just a touch.
“If you do not mind my asking.”

His antennae settled into a relaxed angle, signaling patience rather than expectation.

“There is no obligation to answer,” he added quietly. “Curiosity does not entitle me to your history.”

It was a small courtesy—but one that said a lot about him.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

She shrugged, “I don’t mind telling you. I have three brothers. Donovan is an oceanographer and tells the most wonderful stories about life in the seas, James is an actor currently working on a long running vid series about an apocalypse. It wipes out most of Earth’s population leaving small groups of survivors here and there. The series entertains as it follows the lives of individuals in those different groups who have to forage for ways to survive. Thomas is an astrophycisist. He was always the smartest person in a room, even when we were young. He works for the Federation in a ‘think tank’, trying to solve nature of celestial bodies and how the laws of physics affect them.”

Her expression became softer as she spoke about her family. “I miss them, but every time I get back to Earth I make sure we all get together. My dad still lives on the coast, but mom died two years ago. She was home alone and fell. They said she hit her head and died immediately, so there was no pain.” Elyss sighed, “I don’t know if I believe it, but it’s better than thinking she laid there suffering for even one minute.”

When her gaze shifted to Thalos, her eyes were glassy with the prick of unshed tears. She hurried to blink them away. “I’m sorry, that was more than you asked about and it got dark at the end.” She gave him an uncertain shrug. “Part of being human, I guess.”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

Thalos found himself quietly relieved that Elyss had trusted him enough to speak of her family. Trust was not given lightly — not on Andoria, and not by him.

“It was not my intention to cause you distress,” he said gently, his voice lower now, more personal than it had been moments before. “But I appreciate that you felt comfortable enough to share that with me.”

There was a trace of guilt in his eyes — not overt, but present.

“You may be as vulnerable with me as you choose to be,” he added. “I will not misuse that trust.”

His antennae dipped in a subtle Andorian gesture of respect.

“And if the question was… poorly timed, I apologise. I am still learning the more delicate rhythms of human conversation.”

That last line carried the faintest hint of dry humour — a small bridge back to warmth after the emotion.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

She watched Thalos as he spoke. In truth, she had related information about herself and her family that she would have told anyone else she wanted to become friends with. “I’m pretty open about my life. I’ve done a few stupid things that I’m not proud of, but I’m mostly okay with talking about anything.”

She had also been surprised at Thalos’ reactions to some of her comments. He seemed almost apologetic for asking about her and then surprised at how personal her answers were. Elyss though Andorians were more sedate and unwilling to share casually. His behavior puzzled her.

“You know, you don’t have to be less Andorian to talk with me. You won’t scare me away—unless you want to.”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

With Elyss’ help, Thalos became aware of something he would have normally dismissed — he had allowed himself to grow comfortable in her presence far more quickly than Andorian custom would permit.

The realization did not alarm him.
It simply… surprised him.

“Noted,” he replied, a small curve at the corner of his mouth betraying the dry humour beneath the formality.

His antennae eased into a relaxed angle, no longer rigidly controlled.

“Your influence appears to be… persuasive.”

It was said lightly — but the meaning carried more weight than the words alone.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

His response was unexpected. ‘…persuasive…’ How did he mean that? ISwallowing the last of the wine in her glass, Eyss spoke up. “Give me one second…” (OOC: I believe we only have replicators here, not actual staff) Making her way to one of the free replicators, she ordered another glass of white wine and returned to the table. “Have you become friends with any of the crew? M’Mera and I have enjoyed some personal time together. We actually went shopping back at the starbase. It’s very exciting learning about different species, don’t you think?”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack

OOC: I didn’t think we had replicators as it’s TOS era

“I have not,” Thalos admitted after a brief pause. “I do not find it… simple to form friendships aboard a vessel comprised primarily of Humans.”

There was no bitterness in his tone — only honest reflection.

“Cultural cadence differs. What is casual for you is often… significant for us.”

His antennae shifted slightly as she mentioned the name.

“M’Mera,” he repeated thoughtfully. “The former Chief of Security, yes?”

A faint narrowing of his eyes — not suspicion, but evaluation.

“I have reviewed her service record. Competent. Decorated. Firm.”

He looked back at Elyss.

“You know her well?”

The question was gentle — but deliberate.

Lieutenant Thalos ch’Ravik
Chief Of Security
USS Merrimack

OOC: I’m really sorry!!! Been a hell of a week with migraines!!

IC:
Elyss kept her smile in place while tracing a wet ring on the table from her wine glass. “I don’t know her well, but I believe I will in time. She’s wondefully honest and very open with Caitian information.” Her eyes raised to Thalos, “You should see her eat a steak! I’m sure it would put some people off because it was raw, but I believe ‘to each his own’.”

Pushing a bit away from the table, she crossed her legs, turning her body slightly until she could lean her back against the wall. It gave her a more complete look at the room and allowed her to sneak looks at the Andorian from under her lashes. “So, what would be a good way for me to get to know you? Are there rules I need to follow? Guidelines I need to learn? Or are you willing to just go for it?”

Lieutenant Elyss Zavey
Chief Science Officer USS Merrimack