[USS Charon, deck 10]
"This is most illogical" the young woman said to the universe in general. She had been rummaging (although when asked, she would never have used such a word) through her belongings, searching for a beautiful old wooden comb that T'Para had insisted she take along - just as about everyone in the family had insisted on giving her something they thought she might need at one time or another.
Well, short of a catastrophic event involving her ending up floating alone in space or a warp core breach, she felt she was equipped for anything from hostile takeovers to an unexpected game of … whatever this stick was supposed to be used for.
Even, so she thought with a half-smile, half-frown, for the unlikely event her hair might grow back to a length where it required more elaborate styling than the rather practical chignon she had grown accustomed to.
Well, short of a catastrophic event involving her ending up floating alone in space or a warp core breach, she felt she was equipped for anything from hostile takeovers to an unexpected game of … whatever this stick was supposed to be used for.
Even, so she thought with a half-smile, half-frown, for the unlikely event her hair might grow back to a length where it required more elaborate styling than the rather practical chignon she had grown accustomed to.
Now it was either T'Para's box with 'all you ever need to style your hair' or the barber shop again and right now everything seemed preferable to the latter. Finally Sakarra's searching eyes fell on the wooden chest that served as her nightstand. Of course. With a small sigh she walked over and opened it for the first time since she'd come on board. And right there were box and comb, nestled among other things she had filed as 'do not need right now' and left to slumber in her travel chest turned nightstand.
As she removed the intricately carved box, another became visible underneath. Her long curls, still unbraided and flowing happily about her upper body, fell in her face as she leaned forward and she impatiently brushed them aside.
"Hm." - she had just about forgotten about that, too. Well, not really forgotten, just filed away as unimportant and then chosen not to recall which for Vulcans qualifies as forget. What Sovar had been thinking when he'd stuffed this among her luggage … almost reluctantly she pulled out this box, too, and opened it. A bottle with alien inscriptions, and inside what looked like purple-blue liquid flame.
She stared at the wine for a good while with a tilted head - to anyone who knew her a sure sign that thought processes were happening in rapid succession - and then got up in one fluent movement. It was early evening ship's time but it would not do to pay anyone an unannounced visit much later than this.
With long black curls flowing freely over gold-brown robes, she left her quarters, the alien bottle safely cradled in one arm.
As she removed the intricately carved box, another became visible underneath. Her long curls, still unbraided and flowing happily about her upper body, fell in her face as she leaned forward and she impatiently brushed them aside.
"Hm." - she had just about forgotten about that, too. Well, not really forgotten, just filed away as unimportant and then chosen not to recall which for Vulcans qualifies as forget. What Sovar had been thinking when he'd stuffed this among her luggage … almost reluctantly she pulled out this box, too, and opened it. A bottle with alien inscriptions, and inside what looked like purple-blue liquid flame.
She stared at the wine for a good while with a tilted head - to anyone who knew her a sure sign that thought processes were happening in rapid succession - and then got up in one fluent movement. It was early evening ship's time but it would not do to pay anyone an unannounced visit much later than this.
With long black curls flowing freely over gold-brown robes, she left her quarters, the alien bottle safely cradled in one arm.
[Deck six]
The corridors had finally been cleared but the sound of numerous voices indicated that there was still a fair number of Charon's crew in the recreation area, enjoying what Mr Doyle had referred to as "Betty's latest delight". Most likely her 'bunkmate' could be found there as well, Commander Tisdale had proven to be quite a night owl, and a rather loud one at that.
Sighing silently, Sakarra stepped through the doors into cargo bay five, finding it dimly lit and filled with only the low murmur of muted conversations. Opaque force fields separated people's sleeping areas and with a tinge of amusement the young woman noted someone had decorated the makeshift hallway with an assortment of potted plants.
She sought out the rather quiet corner where she'd been told the Commodore could be found and was half prepared to leave when there was no sound from the improvised quarters, but then she saw light falling through an opening in the force field and quietly came to a halt in front of the - for lack of a better word - door.
The sight was rather unusual, her CO comfortably nestled in a large chair with a book on her lap. Fascinating…
Sighing silently, Sakarra stepped through the doors into cargo bay five, finding it dimly lit and filled with only the low murmur of muted conversations. Opaque force fields separated people's sleeping areas and with a tinge of amusement the young woman noted someone had decorated the makeshift hallway with an assortment of potted plants.
She sought out the rather quiet corner where she'd been told the Commodore could be found and was half prepared to leave when there was no sound from the improvised quarters, but then she saw light falling through an opening in the force field and quietly came to a halt in front of the - for lack of a better word - door.
The sight was rather unusual, her CO comfortably nestled in a large chair with a book on her lap. Fascinating…
Perhaps it was merely an old survival instinct ingrained in the psyche of her ancestors- or residual telepathic abilities ingrained from her Vulcan cousins and passed on to generations of Rihannsu as mere 'sensitivity.' Whatever the truth of it Shiarrael could always 'feel' when someone was looking at her. She carefully slipped a finger into her book and closed it. The instinct had saved her on many occasions but this time she knew there was no threat. Turning around she looked at her visitor "can I help you Lieutenant or do you intend to stand there gawking?"
"Good evening, Commodore" Sakarra answered mildly, tilting her head in a courteous greeting. The gawking comment nearly succeeded in producing a tiny smile from the young woman, it was certainly a new way of referring to someone politely waiting to be acknowledged. She filed it away as another of the CO's idiosyncrasies and made a mental note that one should try to be more 'noisy' in the presence of non-telepathic species, even those with excellent hearing.
"It is not my intention to intrude upon your time for long." Since no invitation had been made, she remained standing outside and only moved slightly so the light would catch the purple-blue liquid inside the bottle she was carrying.
"I understand you have a fondness for the beverage called 'rhennish'?"
"It is not my intention to intrude upon your time for long." Since no invitation had been made, she remained standing outside and only moved slightly so the light would catch the purple-blue liquid inside the bottle she was carrying.
"I understand you have a fondness for the beverage called 'rhennish'?"
Rhennish was Romulan wine and Shiarrael preferred it to the blue poison her people referred to as ale even though Rhennish was much more intoxicating then the latter "come in." Shiarrael finally invited the helmsman inside her makeshift room- she preferred it to rooming with one of the other crew, more for their sake then hers- she needn't keep anyone awake from fear that she might slit their throat in their sleep and even it was simple luxury compared to the Commander's suite on Aylhr or Ishae'Thrai. "And that depends on two things Lieutenant. What is the make and year?" Shiarrael carefully slid the book onto a makeshift shelf. The title on the cover was easily read as 'Shogun.'
Moving soundlessly just inside the force fields that made up the Commodore's current quarters, Sakarra tilted her head at the question.
"The year is 2375 Terran Standard. As for the make…"
Well, all she truly knew was that it was apparently one of the more exquisite types available, if one listened to grandmother Lhorexa there were connoisseurs who'd happily die after having visited her wine cellar and gotten a tiny taste of the treasures her son had brought to Betazed all those years ago.
"I will admit I am unable to judge it's quality. However, my father is rather fond of this special variety and insists no better can be found in all four quadrants. Betazoid tendency to exaggerate notwithstanding."
"The year is 2375 Terran Standard. As for the make…"
Well, all she truly knew was that it was apparently one of the more exquisite types available, if one listened to grandmother Lhorexa there were connoisseurs who'd happily die after having visited her wine cellar and gotten a tiny taste of the treasures her son had brought to Betazed all those years ago.
"I will admit I am unable to judge it's quality. However, my father is rather fond of this special variety and insists no better can be found in all four quadrants. Betazoid tendency to exaggerate notwithstanding."
The young woman decided that if anyone could make sense of the inscriptions, it would be her CO so she simply held out the bottle for the other woman to read.
Letting her own gaze linger on the book Shiarrael t'Rehu had been reading, Sakarra found another smile showing briefly in her eyes.
"Karma is the beginning of knowledge." she said quietly.
Letting her own gaze linger on the book Shiarrael t'Rehu had been reading, Sakarra found another smile showing briefly in her eyes.
"Karma is the beginning of knowledge." she said quietly.
Shiarrael smirked "2375 is a good year with good Karma. I still remember walking the streets of Cardassia- their bodies strewn everywhere and Klingons defecating on their corpses."
She sighed "such exciting times, but this Karma is such a beautiful concept." A wily grin appeared on her face and she held out her hand to receive the bottle.
When Sakarra handed it to her she took a moment to study the Romulan calligraphy "havrannsu rhennsih from the orchards of deihu Latasalaem." Shiarrael nodded her head in approval of the beverage "in 2375 deihu Latasalaem was tr'Aanikh- the current Praetor. There is no finer quality rhennish in the Empire. Your father did well."
She sighed "such exciting times, but this Karma is such a beautiful concept." A wily grin appeared on her face and she held out her hand to receive the bottle.
When Sakarra handed it to her she took a moment to study the Romulan calligraphy "havrannsu rhennsih from the orchards of deihu Latasalaem." Shiarrael nodded her head in approval of the beverage "in 2375 deihu Latasalaem was tr'Aanikh- the current Praetor. There is no finer quality rhennish in the Empire. Your father did well."
"It most certainly is an interesting concept." Sakarra said levelly.
"As for the 'excitement' of those times - I cannot comment since the only memories I have are those of a rather small child."
And those her parents and other family members had chosen to share, but that was another matter entirely.
Still, she could not help but remember the words of one of her instructors who had once observed, quite dryly, that considering the obsession some species had with 'excitement' it was astonishing they had not managed to eradicate themselves yet.
"As for the 'excitement' of those times - I cannot comment since the only memories I have are those of a rather small child."
And those her parents and other family members had chosen to share, but that was another matter entirely.
Still, she could not help but remember the words of one of her instructors who had once observed, quite dryly, that considering the obsession some species had with 'excitement' it was astonishing they had not managed to eradicate themselves yet.
----
[To be continued....]
Commodore Shiarrael Rehu
Commanding Officer
USS Charon
Commanding Officer
USS Charon
&
Lt. Sakarra Tyrax
Chief Helmsman
USS Charon
Chief Helmsman
USS Charon
