The hum of quiet conversation filled the Dome Hotel’s lounge — a mix of travelers in civilian dress, a few uniformed Starfleet officers on shore leave, and the occasional dignitary with a small security detail seated at a discreet distance. The lighting was warm, a deliberate contrast to the glass-and-steel geometry of the Commercial District just outside.

Bryson Kale had claimed a table near the wide curved window overlooking the plaza. Beyond the glass, the evening light caught on the water features and scattered through the motion of pedestrians threading their way between restaurants and shops. It was the first stretch of unhurried observation he’d had since stepping off the shuttle two days ago.

A half-empty mug of Tarkalean tea sat on the table beside his padd, its steam long since faded. The padd’s display cycled slowly through a map of Oed City — not the tactical or political overlays he’d been given in his Starfleet orientation packet, but something more mundane: cafés, walking routes, bookshops. Places that might help turn a temporary posting into something that felt like a home.

He’d told himself the hotel stay was practical — his assigned apartment in the Medical Residences was still being prepared — but there was a kind of anonymity here he found unexpectedly useful. The flow of guests meant he could sit unnoticed when he wanted, and strike up conversation when the opportunity seemed right.

Tonight, the lounge was in that in-between stage — not empty, but not yet at its evening peak. Which meant there was space for a new arrival to choose their own level of company.

Bryson glanced up as a server passed, the question forming almost automatically: “Another tea? Or maybe something stronger to welcome the evening?”

“I think I’ll switch gears,” he said, his tone even but warm. “A Saurian brandy, neat.”

The server nodded, disappearing toward the bar.

He leaned back in his chair, letting his gaze wander again over the room. It was the kind of drink that invited lingering — and maybe, if the evening decided to lean that way, conversation.

Bryson Kale, PhD ∆
Psychiatrist