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Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

[PO2 Kino Jeen | Personal Quarters | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @BipSpoon @Nesota Kynnovan 
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It had taken a little over a week, and some ‘shady’ dealings behind closed doors; but Kino got what she needed in the end. Bending – well, breaking– a few rules and regulations for it didn’t matter. They were all still traitors, right? Fuck ‘em, she smirked as she washed the day off in the shower. If someone wants to cause a stink about it – so be it. Not that she honestly thought they would. There were bigger fish to fry.

Rinsing her short hair again, shaking it under the water with both hands before turning the shower off, she stood for a moment to look down at herself. For all intents and purposes, minus a few small scars, she appeared completely whole; but her eyes lingered on the faint lines that separated her true flesh from synthetic. The seam at her right shoulder, the one just above her right knee, and the most telling of all: the thin line that wrapped around her left hip, across her lower abdomen, then turned due south. She frowned then, as the fingertips of her left hand traced along its length.

Jerking the hand away to run over her face, Kino blinked water from her eyes. Everything’s changed so fucking fast, she shook her head. How much longer before I don’t even recognize myself anymore?
 
Her brows met as she grimaced at the question. Fuck that. I’m still me, and I’m still here, and I’m gonna see the fucking mission done. Whatever happens after, happens. Get your head out of your ass, Kino. Flinging water from her arms and fingers, she pushed open the shower door to dry off and finish getting ready for the evening, shaking the thoughts of tomorrow away. Tonight wasn’t for that – tonight was for getting together with some folks that she owed a personal debt to, and getting to know them, hopefully. It was about acknowledging them, what they did for her. And catchin’ a buzz doin’ it, Kino smirked, her eyes lingering on the foil-wrapped packages on her bed.
 
She’d sent out the invites that morning, as soon as the items had been secured; it had been a little awkward for her to find the right words, spending more time than she’d ever admit trying to explain more than what was needed. In the end – keep it simple, stupid – won out.

[Attn: LT Amarik, LT Ashby – Meet me below deck, 2000 hrs. Got somethin for ya. No weapons required. -PO2 Kino Jeen]

[A short time later... |Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03]

She'd caught some looks on the way down, especially in the turbolift, sandwiched between pips. Dressed in black boots, faded blue jeans (with both knees ripped open to white shreds), studded belt and Misfits t-shirt; Kino didn’t begrudge their glances – with the damn glowing eye, and all. As for the packaged items in her fists? The few that were inquisitive enough to ask questions got a shrug and a simple answer: “Birthday presents.”
 
Nothin to see here, mind ya business, she chucked to herself as she strolled into the Lounge; dodging around a group that was leaving. The place seemed pretty tame, not too crowded yet, which suited her just fine. Throwing a nod and a grin to Xenia behind the bar, she made her way to the very last stool on the far side and set the foil-wrapped items of to the side before her as the hologram approached.

“Welcome back Petty Officer. What can I get for you,” Xenia asked, glancing between the Trills face and the items on the bar – one obviously a bottle, the other a square box.

Kino checked the chrono over the bar, then frowned as she thought it over. “Uh, some popcorn’ll work. I'm waiting for some folks,” she shrugged, resting her elbows on the bar after seating herself. The pretty sable-haired holo nodded curtly before turning to saunter off to get her order and attend the other guests. As Kino watched her go, the non-com’s brows knitted as she leaned forward. “Extra butter please,” she added, probably louder than was needed. You always forget the fucking butter, she huffed, turning to face the entrance while she waited.

OOC: Guess the rotation will be me, @BipSpoon, then @Nesota Kynnovan - have fun guys!

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #1 –
[ Lieutenant Valyn Amarik | |Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nesota Kynnovan @Dumedion [Show/Hide]
Valyn had spent the majority of the day in the Intelligence suite, sleuthing through a multitude of data regarding the current condition of her contacts within Romulan space, and trying to get every shred of information so that she could contact them. Not even all of them, if she could just reach one or two, she’d have considered it a success. While she’d gotten close to several of them, she had hit a brick wall. The invitation was a welcome reprieve from the growing frustration she’d been feeling and she accepted it with ease.

On her way to the lounge, she stopped by her quarters and procured the small, engraved flask. It was the one from the Enterprise, a gift from her shipmates upon her reassignment. Enterprise was her first Starfleet assignment, and held a special place in her psyche, though she likely wouldn’t admit to it. She dressed herself in some snug-fitting leggings, and a tank top, throwing a comfortable leather coat over herself and shoving the flask in the pocket of the coat. Of course, her combadge still found its resting place on her chest, and the knife that followed her everywhere was still tucked at the back of her waistband, a constant comfort and constant reminder of her past and all the distance that she had come since the Dominion War.

She entered the lounge at 2000 exactly, and glanced around the place. It didn’t look nearly as crowded as she’d figured it may have been. Pressing forward, she took a moment to explore her surroundings before searching out her mark. The small, holographic dance pad caught her attention first. While Valyn was certainly no dancer, at least by human standards, it intrigued her, and as her eyes caught glimpses of a handful of holograms, dancing the night away…there was a moment of jealousy. Only a moment, and it was gone almost as quickly as it came. That existence simply seemed so…peaceful, comparatively. Valyn still found herself struggling with the events of Azurite Station. She’d killed plenty before, but never had she found herself in a situation where her enemy was practically unkillable, and she’d been forced to watch as one under her command was brutalized by the creature before her eyes. Her work had been her escape.

Clearing her throat, she looked around for Kino, quickly finding her at the bar. She approached, a small smirk growing on her lips as she did so. “Well shit you’re lookin’ better.” She called out, odd southern accent loudly exclaiming across the room as she neared the bar.

She took her seat beside Kino and looked at the bartender. “Could I get an Osul Twist?” She removed the flask, and set it on the bartop, before taking off her jacket and slinging it over her chair, sitting atop the leather coat. She’d been craving the Romulan confection nearly all day, “Realized on my way over, I haven’t had a bite to eat all day.” Her eyes focused on studying Kino for a long moment, “How you feelin’?” Last she’d seen the Trill she’d been going under the knife, so to speak. Truthfully, she was painfully curious as to what exactly it felt like, to have all those memory, all those different sets of consciousness just lurking beneath the surface.

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #2 –
[Lieutenant Junior Grade Amanda Ashby | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]
Attn: @BipSpoon @Dumedion

Lieutenant Junior Grade Amanda Ashby didn’t even had to look at the small chronometer on the upper-right corner of her PADD to know that she was running late. In fact, she was already running late before she’d even left her quarters; being too preoccupied with the preparations of next morning’s trip to the Shrine of Molor to actually pay close attention to the time. It was mainly because of the resulting lack of time, in combination with the fact that she had no casual clothes prepared for tonight, that Amanda had chosen to not waste any further time by getting changed. As such, Theurgy’s resident Psychiatrist now found herself walking through the doors of the Below Deck Lounge wearing the same uniform she’d worn all day and, after only mere seconds, reached the uncomfortable conclusion that she was totally overdressed for the occasion.

It was an uncomfortable feeling that was only further amplified when her blue eyes spotted the familiar short-cropped silver hair of Petty Officer Kino Jeen; leading her to discover that both the enlisted Security Officer and Lieutenant Valyn Amarik were both wearing casual clothing along with the majority of the people within the Below Deck Lounge.

With a soft sigh, Amanda bravely pushed forwards and made her way over towards the bar. When she reached the two women, a smile began to adorn her face before she spoke up. ”Hello there!” The friendly tone of her voice only further accentuated the smile on her face. ”It is nice to see you again, both of you! How are you doing?” Amanda took a seat on the other side of Kino and, after briefly turning her attention towards the Orion bartender to order a cup of tea, looked back at Kino. ”How’s the symbiont life?”

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #3 –
[ PO2 Kino Jeen | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @BipSpoon @Nesota Kynnovan
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From her vantage point at the far end of the bar – bobbing her head slightly to the rhythm of the music in the background, munching on popcorn – Kino noticed Valyn’s entrance in her peripheral; the Romulan was hard to miss. Damn, she wasn't that hot in armor, Kino felt her brows rise up with the thought.  Observation, subtle or otherwise, was a skill she’d learned at an early age; experience and training had refined it, mostly to identify threats, but one needn’t be an expert in facial expression or body language to notice the momentary change in the Romulan’s face as she paused to watch the holo-dancers. It only lasted for a second, then it was gone, leaving the Trill curious.

Kino remembered Valyn as she’d last seen her: fighting tooth and claw to buy time for Dr. Rez to perform the life saving surgery that spared the Jeen symbiote’s life – by extension, her life. To say that the LT left an impression on the non-com would be an understatement; the woman was a brutally efficient fighter and an inspiring presence in the shit, but perhaps most intriguing of all – to Kino at least – not entirely what she seemed. The look on her face just then proved it, and piqued Kino’s interest. Shit, did she lose someone, was her immediate thought; loss and regret clung to those who fought on the front lines like flies on shit, after all. Nah, that was something else. What’s eating her, she wondered, as the moment faded with the Romulan’s approach; Kino fully turned to her with a lopsided grin after hearing Valyn call out. Almost forgot that accent! Damn, she sounds just like Chief Tanksley from ACT – where was he from? Kentucky, no...T-ten, something. Tennessee? Ah hell, it doesn't matter.

Her grin bloomed as Valyn took the seat next to her, and she scooted her popcorn over a tad. “Can have some if you want,” she offered. “I’m…,” she shrugged, “Still here, still in the fight,” she answered, then lifted her chin a tad, “Thanks for coming,” she grinned, before picking up a handful of popcorn. It wasn’t a very descriptive answer – in truth, it was intentionally vague. Kino assumed she was asking to be nice, so spared her the details of how utterly confusing the previous week had been. That can, and more than likely will, come out later. It was always good practice to try to feel people out first before telling them your life story, after all, and regardless of what they’d shared in battle – they were practically strangers. Hey, wanna hear about how I cried myself to sleep over shit that never even happened to me for a week, she thought sarcastically. Yeah, lead with that, that’s impressive.

She’d ordered a pint of blonde ale while she’d been waiting, the synthetic shit, which made her not want to drink it at all (which was the point). Ever since Aldea – waking up with a laundry list of terrible news – Kino had hit the bottle harder than she’d liked or would ever admit. Tonight isn’t for me anyway, its for them, and things are different now, she mused sullenly, sipping the fuzzy, bitter brew to wash the popcorn down; she managed a small smile though, regardless. Don’t start the night out with your bullshit, she told herself. Your not just Taer, not anymore, and tonight is for celebrating. Tits up, Kino. She busied herself by stacking popcorn atop each other in a little tower while Valyn’s twist was brought out – the few minutes of respectful quiet broken by the cheerful greeting of Ashby soon after.

Kino’s head came up and she threw the same lopsided grin to the smiling blonde, who looked like she’d just come off duty. “Hey doc,” Kino lifted her chin to her, using the common expression all grunts used for any medical personnel, whether they plugged holes or poked around in people’s heads. “Glad you could make it,” she patted her palm against the bar, arching a brow at the shrink’s choice of drink, then glanced at the profound bust of her uniform. Good night, lady, she smirked. Sandwiched between two blondes – one sporting loaded torpedoes on her chest, the other concealing what Kino assumed was a short-handled blade (given the slight bulge at the Romulan’s waistband) it appeared the silver-haired Trill was the only one unarmed. Well that ain’t fair, she huffed quietly, then flexed her cybernetic hand. Eh, I suppose that counts, she smirked.

“It’s a weird life,” Kino answered Ashby’s question, twirling her fingers up at her head. “Still figuring it all out,” she grinned, lifting a shoulder dismissively. “You guys look like ya had a day, both of ya,” she gestured at them, “how bout a pick me up,” she asked through a mischievous grin before popping another kernel of popcorn in her mouth. Reaching down, she secured the items at her boots, sliding the foil wrapped bottle to Valyn, and the box to Ashby. “A small token of our appreciation,” she grinned at them both, gesturing to herself, then rested her elbows back on the bartop. “Hope ya both enjoy it thoroughly,” she nodded to them, after raising her glass.

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #4 –
[ Lieutenant Valyn Amarik |Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nesota Kynnovan @Dumedion [Show/Hide]
Valyn looked over her shoulder as Amanda approached, giving her a quick friendly smile. It’d been a while since she’d seen the woman, the last time they’d been together having been a violent affair. It had been one of Valyn’s baptisms by fire and anointed her to her new duties on the Theurgy. Theurgy was not going to be some boring posting on some station in the outer reaches of Federation space. Theurgy was going to be a true test of her wit, will, and ability. She didn’t want it any other way.

“Good to see ya, Doctor.” She stole a glance at the bartender, who delivered her Osul twist, as well as a cup of matching Bajoran tea. “Could I get a cup of hard cider as well, apple please.” She dipped her head and took a bite of the pastry, letting out a pleased groan as the sweet bread hit her tastebuds.

“I’m great. Been busy, but not bad. This though…” She pointed at the sweet and made an ‘ok’ hand signal with her index finger and thumb. She pushed it to the side, giving a silent offer for the other two to try some should they so desire.

Valyn reached over to Kino’s bowl and popped a few pieces of the popcorn into her mouth too. “Mmm-“ She gave a few nods of approval then washed the food down with some of the freshly delivered cider. “That’s all we can do. Keep fighting til we can’t and when our time comes, we die standing.” That was her philosophy anyways, one that had been ground into her existence since she was old enough to even understand spoken language. She was an asset to be used, and that was something she ought to take pride in. At one point she’d served the Empire, but then…then it was the Federation, but still that attitude held.

Die standing.

Valyn did seem genuinely interested in Kino’s situation though. She’d fought tooth and nail to ensure that the surgery had been able to be completed successfully, the outcome of that procedure and the patient, were just as important to her as repelling the enemy. Of all the life lost that day, she’d managed to save at least a few.

The knife at her back was only ever so slightly obvious to the discerning eye, but Valyn wasn’t trying particularly hard to hide it either. It was part of her, and Amanda herself had seen it in its full glory, in bloody combat.

“New job’s a busy one.” Valyn admitted. She couldn’t exactly go in depth as to what she was working on, but she could say that much. She was well and truly one of the spooks again, and it felt good. Even if she had to keep her post-work venting to the most vague of gripes. Valyn reached for the bottle as it was slid over to her, and raised a brow at Kino, “You didn’t need to get me anything.” She smiled though, and dipped her head in appreciation, “Thank you, though.” Slowly, she started to peel the wrapping off of the package, allowing the surprise to slowly reveal itself.

As Kino raised her glass, so too did Valyn, “To fallen comrades.” She knowingly didn’t use the word ‘friends’. As much as she mourned the loss of fellow officers, she had hardly known any of them. She had lost at least one though, the one who’d given her the very opportunity to move back into her natural field of talent. Someone she would certainly never forget. After a moment of thought, she took a long chug off of the bottle of cider.

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #5 –
[Lieutenant Junior Grade Amanda Ashby | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]
Attn: @BipSpoon @Dumedion

As she listened to the two women, Amanda realized just how good it felt to see Kino and Valyn again. They had quite recently been through some pretty tough times together after all, with Valyn actually saving her life from hostile Klingon intruders and persuading her to take up arms as well in the process. It resulted in her rather close involvement in the fight for Sickbay where Kino Taer -correction, Kino Jeen- received her emergency symbiont transfer at the time. While Amanda often thought about the events of that fateful afternoon, and mainly the bad ones in particular, standing here in the Below Deck Lounge with the Trill and Vulcan women suddenly reminded Amanda of one of the few good things that happened on that day; she’d made her first two friends aboard the USS Theurgy.

Amanda was just about to reach for her cup of Bajoran tea when Kino suddenly slid two wrapped packages over towards her and Valyn. Raising her eyes in surprise, Amanda took her package and briefly looked at it before her happy smile returned once more. ”That really wasn’t necessary, Kino. I was just doing my job.” The tone of her Martian-accented voice was endearing though and only further accentuated her smile. As Valyn began to unwrap the package, Amanda turned her blue eyes over towards the wrapped bottle and grinned when it was revealed to be a bottle of cider. Even though she’d never been a big drinker herself and instead preferred to save alcoholic beverages for very special occasions, Valyn’s surprise nevertheless revealed that it apparently was a rather good brand of cider.

Now Valyn had unwrapped her gift, Amanda turned her attention back to the wrapped box in front of her. As she unwrapped it, the gift was revealed to be a rather nice wooden box with beautiful carvings. Upon opening the box, it turned out to be filled with a variety of different flavoured teas which were, at least according to the names, native to Trill. While she wasn’t sure who had told Kino that she enjoyed tea, it was a lovely surprise and Amanda’s enthusiasm clearly showed in her smile when she turned her attention to the Trill woman sitting next to her. ”I love this, thank you Kino!”

When Kino raised her glass and Valyn followed, Amanda quickly picked up her cup of tea; regardless of how awkward it was to make a toast with a teacup. ”To fallen comrades.” She echoed Valyn’s words and softly added ”And new friends.” when the Vulcan woman took a long chug from her bottle of cider.

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #6 –
[PO2 Kino Jeen | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @BipSpoon @Nesota Kynnovan
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There was always an sense of awkwardness that hung in the air whenever someone offered thanks for a deed done ‘in the line of duty’. Kino had seen it hundreds of times, even felt it herself while laid up, recovering from the first time she’d gotten herself blown up during the War. They’d marched into the recovery ward, decked out in dress uniform, said some words she barely remembered and pinned two medals on her chest.

The fuck am I getting these for, she remembered thinking.

So she offered an understanding look of acceptance, flavored with a humorous smirk at her comrades’ common reactions. “I know, I know,” she held her hands up, dipping her silvered head in a faux grimace. “It’s not that big of a deal guys,” Kino shook her head, grinning, “I mean, don’t get used to it. Hell, if it were up to me, you’d both get medals and a proper shake, maybe a beer. Dunno about you two,” she paused to sip her beer, “but I haven’t been to an award ceremony in a hot minute,” she continued, “not that I’m complaining, mind.” That last was muttered under her breath, dripping with contempt. As far as Kino was concerned, the only thing worse than an award ceremony was a damned change of command. Ugh, she shivered just thinking about it.

Pointing to Valyn’s bottle of bright azure liquid, Kino winked. “Yours was easy; somebody – not gonna mention names, but they’re really close – decided to throw a fight night a few days back, with all manner of genuine alcohol. Course, all that product leaves a trail, which I followed later, since I was too jacked up in the head to attend,” she explained, gesturing as she talked and grinned. “Kinda butthurt about that, honestly,” the Trill murmured, then blinked to refocus. “Anyway, that there happens to be the last ‘officially’ counted bottle, so, there ya go,” she shrugged, then turned to Ashby. “Yours, on the other hand, took some work. I couldn’t get a strait answer from your staff on what you liked to drink, other than tea; so I improvised.”

Taking another sip of her beer, Kino shrugged as she set the nearly empty glass back on the bar. “Bottom line is you two stuck your asses out for me, and I felt it was necessary. So there,” she nodded, smirking. “Now that that’s done, we can get to bullshittin’ and catchin’ a buzz,” Kino grinned, perking up to catch the bartenders attention. She didn’t want beer any more; she wanted to try something new. She pulled a piece of Valyn’s sweet and popped it in her mouth, thinking it over as she chewed.

Her eyes widened as the deliciousness melted in her mouth. “Hory sheet dis is good!”

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #7 –
[ Lieutenant Valyn Amarik | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Dumedion @Nesota Kynnovan  [Show/Hide]
Valyn allowed her nose to scrunch up at the idea of having to suffer through a medal ceremony. “I’d prefer the booze to a medal, if I’m being honest.” Her own view of medals and commendations had been soured by her experience on her home planet. She’d achieved what to many was the highest commendation a Romulan could receive, and still she’d been betrayed and written off as though she’d never existed. She knew Starfleet wasn’t the same, nonetheless, it had soured her view.

Glancing to Amanda, she rose her cup and replied, “And to new friends.” She threw back her drink and took a long swallow off of the pleasant-taking elixir.

Turning her eyes to the bottle of Romulan ale that had been gifted to her, she couldn’t help but grin. “Well I wasn’t exactly hiding my propensity for drinking far too much Romulan ale.” She inspected the bottle, running a thumb gently over the side of it as though she was petting a little animal. It was gingerly done, with utter care. There were few things as valuable to Valyn as a bottle of authentic ale, it was one of the few things she was still able to get from home. “Always reminds me of home.” She let out a small chuf and set the bottle down.

“Well, you might have missed the big event, but if you ever want a sparring partner, just say the word. I’m always up for a good fight.” She chortled, and finished off her cider, motioning to the bartender for a cup so she could bust into the bottle of Romulan ale.

“That’s my favorite pastry from Romulus. Surprisingly, Starfleet replicators get it pretty damn close. I’d make it myself but I’ve never been much of a cook.” In truth, she was absolutely terrible at cooking. She was able to throw together a meal in an emergency or when camping but a true, delicious tasting meal? There wasn’t a chance. Her training hadn’t exactly including cooking technique in her training schedule between her class in pressure points and her class in weapons handling.

“What about you? What’re both of your favorite things from home?” She motioned the bartender over, and would relay whatever they said to him, asking for orders of each of them. If they were going to be sitting around sharing culture, she wanted to try theirs as well. It was an idea that Enyd had inspired in part, to see what they all had in common, to build a bridge between each of them. More so than the one built in the pitch of battle through the halls.

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #8 –
[Lieutenant Junior Grade Amanda Ashby | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]
Attn: @BipSpoon @Dumedion

As she sipped her tea and smiled at Kino, Amanda briefly caught herself wondering as to whom of her small staff had been subject to the silver-haired Trill’s inquiries. The Counseling Department didn’t have any official support personnel after all, given how they were a subsidiary branch of Starfleet Medical themselves and could usually simply call upon the enlisted Medical personnel for help if required, so that could only leave ‘her’ Morale Team.

The Morale Team was a small group of enthusiastic volunteers originating from Theurgy’s various Departments. They planned and organized the wide range of semi-daily activities throughout the ship and, while they mostly did so autonomously, the Team was still required to meet up on a weekly basis to discuss their ideas. As Morale Officer Amanda presided over these meetings, arranged the paperwork where necessary (like reserving part of a Lounge for birthday parties, just to name an example), approved ideas and maintained the schedule to make sure that there wouldn’t be any overlap or conflicting activities. In that regard, the Morale Team was the closest thing she had to ‘personal staff’, and Amanda had a rather good suspicion just who of the Team Members had ended up suggesting tea.

It was a thought that made her chuckle and, as she watched how Kino took a piece of Valyn’s pastry, Amanda genuinely felt happy. After everything that had happened these last couple of weeks, it was good to sit here and relax amidst friends. Upon hearing Valyn mention Romulus however, Amanda turned her attention to the woman and arched an eyebrow; up until that point she had always held the blonde-haired woman for a Vulcan, maybe a somewhat more emotional one than the average Vulcan, but she’d never really paused to give it thought. Not that she’d had the time for that either but, irregardless, in hindsight it made a lot more sense for Valyn to be a Romulan. In response, Amanda simply raised her teacup and smiled. ”Here’s to Romulus then!”

When they began to reminisce about home, Amanda couldn’t help but sigh. ”I don’t know, I guess I miss hockey.” The smile which adorned her face became a little more enthusiastic when she reminisced about the sport. As a child, her father had shown her the older highlight reels of famous moments, many of which dated back to the times when anti-gravity boots weren’t a thing yet and the sport was still played on ice instead, and from that moment she’d been absolutely hooked on the thrill of the game. ”Back aboard the Aurora, my previous ship, we had to improvise for not having a holodeck and we would host a sports night in the Officer’s Mess each week. I lucked out there because I wasn’t the only Officer with a preference for hockey, so we would set up a view screen and watch that week’s Hockey League game. It was a lot of fun, but you know… it can’t really beat the thrill of sitting in a Stadium and watching the real thing.” Amanda paused for a brief moment to take another sip of tea. ”I considered hosting such a thing aboard Theurgy, but our Officer Corps is too big compared to the Aurora’s and we have holodecks here so... it wouldn’t be the same.”

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #9 –
[PO2 Kino Jeen | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @BipSpoon @Nesota Kynnovan
[Show/Hide]
From somewhere in her memories the sweet, delicious taste of a Risian passion daiquiri got Kino's mouth watering, so she ordered one, joining Ashby's toast to Valyn’s homeworld, then listened with interest. Humans enjoyed so many flavors and styles of competitive sports; she'd always loved that about them. Her own people were competitive enough, sure, but in a more…refined way; academics, professions, art and the like. All of it for the honor of earning the privilege that practically fell in my lap, she thought sadly. Every one of her previous hosts had gone through considerable lengths and made endearing sacrifices to be hosts. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

The corner of her lips twitched in a melancholic smile, as she attempted to visualize Ashby playing a sport. Must be difficult when you can’t see your feet, her brow twitched up at the thought, glancing at the busty Martian. “That sounds like a good time,” she agreed before taking a sip of what looked like a bright green slushy. It was sweeter than she remembered, the mixture off slightly due to the lack of real rum, but still tasty. “I liked watching and playing rugby during my short times on Earth, that and darts. So many fun games from Sol,” she inclined her head to the blonde with a smirk, then tilted her head back a bit as she folded her arms on the bartop.

“Trill is a beautiful world,” she began, but hesitated, finding Valyn’s question difficult to answer. She had so many memories, most of them not her own. “Ugh, okay,” she laughed, closing her eyes at the onslaught of information rampaging through her mind. “This’ll be easier if I do this by hosts so hang on,” she explained quickly.

“Amina loved to wake up and drink her tea on the balcony of her ocean-side house, early enough to watch the sunrise over the Southern Strand. Mercal would bring her breakfast and they’d chat in the peaceful moments before life stole their attentions away from each other. She was a peaceful, romantic soul at heart, and cherished those mornings with him; even on cloudy days, the dawn always warmed her heart,” she spoke through a smile, seeing it all in her mind’s eye like it was yesterday.

“Menara traveled extensively most of her life, due to her work, but she always found time for her kids. They hiked up the Alantier Ridge one time on vacation, just the three of them, camping out under the stars far from the cities. Her boys were amazed at the stars and traffic in the sky. They spent the night wide eyed, asking her all manner of silly questions…just being kids, you know,” she grinned at her friends.
 
“Dayak,” she laughed, taking another sip of her drink, “Ah, Dayak…this guy got it in his head to try ice fishing off the northern coast of Himier Island with Andi, a girl who had no reason to be out in those conditions. Shit people do to impress others, you know?” She rolled her eyes. “So he’s out there on the ice, trying to set up camp, and the sun’s dropping crazy fast ‘cause their so far north, right? And she doesn’t know fuck-all what to do to help, so she just starts trying to unpack shit. Anyway, soon enough the light fades altogether, but they notice everything starts to turn green, and the ice and snow starts glowing,” Kino grinned, pointing up with both hands. “They look up. The sky is alive with rivers of light – ribbons of high altitude static discharge, dancing like crazy – it was a solar storm, and they were at exactly the right spot, at exactly the right time to witness it. Let me tell ya, despite the cold, ol’ girl warmed them up right quick after that,” Kino grinned.

“And Kaylon…,” her smile faltered, but didn’t vanish. “He loved conspiring with his brother on pranks, and just being a goofball in general,” she shrugged. “One time, he couldn’t have been more than…15, 16? They were having this get together with a bunch of people at the house – family friends and the like – and these two knuckleheads thought it’d be hilarious to spike the punch with Xerna extract. Shits bitter has hell, and too much of it’ll clean your guts out, real quick,” she explained with a chuckle. “Mom made her signature dish, Orri-pie,” her eyebrows lifted as she smacked her lips. “Outstanding pie, trust” the Trill grinned before she continued. “So, they spike the punch, everyone sits to eat. Dad does the toast, everyone drinks except these two, mind – and everyone spits punch everywhere,” Kino giggled, unknowingly familiar to the way Kaylon himself giggled. “The accusations fly at them, and soon enough so does the pie – Dad threw it without even thinking, right in front of everybody. Kaylon took the most of it, laughing his ass off,” Kino shook her head, taking another sip. “Man, that was good pie. Good times.”

She nodded then, thankful for the trip down memory lane. Her own memories from home were…well…she didn’t really want to talk about them. Wasting my life because my parents were shitheads? Yeah, pass.

“Sorry for yammering away you guys,” she chuckled instead, twirling a finger at her head. “That’s not even scratching the surface up here,” Kino smirked, arching a brow at them. “But it’s good to remember stuff like that, you know? Not really something I had, before. You guys have family,” she asked, tilting her head slightly. “I mean, other than the one we’re stuck with,” she grinned, waving a hand at the folks around them.

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #10 –
[ Lieutenant Valyn Amarik | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Dumedion @Nesota Kynnovan [Show/Hide]
Valyn watched both of them, each of them having shared what to most was likely a rather traumatic event with one another, but it hadn’t dampened their spirits. Each of them still held onto joy, and the things that made them who they were. Even Amanda, who Valyn had worried for the safety of. Her lack of comfort with a weapon made Valyn cling to her during the fight. She watched the Klingons tear through the crew, and she had no wish to see them tear through Ashby.

She saw the arched eyebrow and arched one of her own in return, “What?” She had thought it entirely obvious that she was Romulan and not Vulcan. She by no means hid her emotions. While she kept some things secret from her comrades, she was a far more open being than many other Romulans, and certainly more so than Vulcans. If she was angry, those around her would know. “To Romulus.” She returned the toast, though it was with far less excitement than Amanda’s toast. Valyn had a troubled relationship with her home world and with her people. She knew it wasn’t all of them, it was the government that was in power that caused all the suffering, yet she still struggled to toast to the wellbeing of the planet, and by proxy, the government that had taken every ounce of freedom from her from the moment of her birth.

“Hockey?” Valyn thought for a good long moment. Human sports had never really been her thing beyond fighting sports like boxing or general martial arts. “Is that the one with sticks?” Immediately she remembered there were multiple human sports with sticks. “Not the one with horses right? That’s polo. I’ve done that one.” She wasn’t exactly great at it.

“Well…maybe don’t have it be something we just watch a holo of. Why not have us participate? I dunno you could either program teams to play and we can all actually watch, or you could even host a league.” She shrugged, “If you like it that much, then it’s worth a try. Hell, I'd give it a shot.” While she wasn’t exactly skilled at many human sports, she did have pretty good coordination. She had a natural talent in physical pursuits, it was more the rules and regulations she struggled with.

“Rugby is a good one. Humans have a lot of sports though. It’s a lot less varied on Romulus. At least, what I was exposed to.” Which frankly, wasn’t much. She hadn’t been granted much time to pursue hobbies or interests beyond her career when she was with the Empire. She’d been to a few games, but nothing like she’d experienced on Earth.

“I’ve never been to Trill. Always meant to, but ran out of time. Some day.” She intended to visit and explore as many worlds as she could, getting as many photographs as she could with the holographic picture device that she’d seen so many dragging around during her time with the Federation, taking snaps of the environment, their friends, and even their food. Valyn listened as Kino ran through her previous hosts, entirely enthralled. She hadn’t served with many joined Trill before, only knowing what she’d read in textbooks.

“How exactly does the memory work? Is it just like…integrated with your own memory or is the symbiote selective with what it shares and when? I’ve never really understood it all. We didn’t have many Trill on Romulus obviously, and I haven’t served with any that were joined. Until now, ‘course.” She leaned slightly forward, taking a deep swallow from the drink and letting her nostrils flare as the pungent spices of the ale ran across her tastebuds.

“Do you…get curious about the descendants of previous hosts? Are you allowed to talk to them? I imagine that would be fascinating. To see where the line that you helped create through teaching and experience, is today.” She didn’t know how it worked, but she was curious. It was a question she actually may not have asked prior to coming aboard Thea, but Enyd had instilled a sense of curiosity in her about other races. While not as strong as the curoisity in most diplomatic officers, knowing more about other races would no doubt help Valyn with her own vocation.

Valyn froze then at the question, and took a drink of her ale. “Honestly, I don’t know if I have family or not. They uh-“ She looked over her shoulder, to see if anyone was listening, “They took me when I was a baby so if I do have family I have no clue who they are.” She was immensely bitter over that. She had been turned into an instrument of violence, to be wielded by an oppressive state, and they’d taken everything that made her an individual.

“I do have Starfleet now. Made a family of my own.”

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #11 –
[Lieutenant Junior Grade Amanda Ashby | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy]
Attn: @BipSpoon @Dumedion

As she listened to Kino and Valyn, Amanda couldn’t help but to feel a little bit sad. While it was nice to hear Kino talking about the memories of her previous hosts, it was quite honestly a little depressing to hear that neither one of them knew the warmth and comfort of a real family. It made the blonde-haired Martian wonder how her own family was doing, and as she stared into her cup of tea a soft sigh escaped Amanda’s lips.

She knew that Krat would understand her decision to defect to the USS Theurgy in search of her brother, and he would likely have some kind of dry comment about irony in that stupidly annoying Vulcan way of his. Her parents-in-law, judgmental and difficult as they could be at times, would most likely also understand that she wanted to learn the truth about Theurgy. What bothered her most was the thought of her parents; they had been worried sick about her brother when the USS Theurgy and her crew were initially branded as traitors, and she couldn’t even imagine what they felt like upon learning that she’d also defected in order to learn the truth. A part of her wondered if they even knew that he passed away in the bombing of the Diplomatic Council. She sure hadn’t, otherwise she wouldn’t have disobeyed direct orders about not asking difficult questions and she’d likely be aboard the USS Aurora at this very moment.

Valyn’s comment about having a Starfleet family at least brought a smile to Amanda’s face, and she answered both women with a friendly nod. ”Now there’s something I drink to. To our little Starfleet family.” She raised her teacup to toast before taking a sip of the warm liquid. There was truth in Valyn’s words too; there was a surprisingly strong esprit de corps aboard this ship and, for what that was worth, definitely made the crew feel like one big family that would go through the fiercest fire for each other.

Having taken her sip of tea, Amanda put her teacup back on the counter and turned her attention back to the two women once more. ”Okay, so hockey! It used to be played with just sticks in the early days, but when they added anti-gravity boots to the game and gave it an additional dimension things became even more intense!” As she spoke, the enthusiasm in Amanda’s Martian-accented voice gradually became more genuine. ”I remember this one time when I went to a live match with two of my friends from the USS Aurora. It was amazing and, truth to be told, Amber, Hailey and I loved the game almost as much as we did fawning over that one Klingon player of our home team.”  A soft sigh escaped her lips as she remembered those days and, for the briefest of moments, she wondered what Amber Beale and Hailey Bennion would do if they’d cross paths now; they would likely draw their phasers on her or even stun her outright for being a traitor to Starfleet.

”But yeah, Kino!” In an attempt to leave those downtrodden thoughts behind herself, at least for tonight, she quickly took a hold of Valyn’s previous question and went along with it. ”Please tell us something more about symbiote memory! I am rather curious about that myself.”
 

Re: Day 11 [2000 hrs] For Those That Remain

Reply #12 –
[PO2 Kino Jeen | Below Deck Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @BipSpoon @Nesota Kynnovan
[Show/Hide]
Ehh…this'll be hard to explain, Kino thought. Her nose scrunched up a bit at Valyn's question, but it was hidden as she finished off her drink. The non-com didn’t begrudge the Romulan’s curiosity – far from it – she just didn’t quite know how to answer. Thankfully, she continued, giving the Trill time to think.

Kino noticed Valyn’s reaction to the question about family and winced mentally; it was a touchy subject for her too – at least for her parents. Shit, at least I know who they are, Kino thought, chewing her lip absentmindedly. She couldn’t really decide if that was such a good thing or not. All of the previous hosts had known where they came from – exhaustively in some cases – so she found the Romulan’s case of familial ignorance tragic. So much of our parents is imprinted on us. What would life be like without that, she wondered. To be taken and denied that, she shook her head, shit, that’s a good enough reason to burn the whole thing down, root and stem. Whoever “they” were – and Kino had her suspicions – needed another hole in the head for pulling shit like that.

As she opened her mouth to reply, Doc Ashby spoke up, buying Kino even more time. The curvy blonde seemed to pick up on the shifting mood of the conversation, opting to inject something more upbeat, which Kino silently thanked her for. Nice work, Doc. The Martian’s enthusiasm for hockey made the Trill grin in a lopsided smirk as she nodded. That shit sounds fun as hell. Even if the notion of anti-grav boots gave her pause, Kino was up for anything physical and competitive.

Then Ashby put her on the spot, too.

Ah, shit, the Trill cleared her throat. “Uh…,” she grimaced, scratching the back of her neck. “It’s…hard to explain, guys. I’m still trying to figure it all out myself, really. Sometimes it feels like its all just…me. Sometimes its like I have – what’s that called? Multiple personality disorder? But then other times, stuff just comes to me. I think that’s the worm trying to help. You have to understand…I never intended to be joined. People dedicate their whole lives for the chance to earn it. I never wanted anything to do with it. It’s all pseudo-political garbage – but I wont get into all that.” Her eyes turned to Valyn, and a shoulder lifted. “I looked up some folks, after I woke up; didn’t find much, with the coms blackout and all, so it didn’t really pan out. Some would frown upon the attempt, but I don’t give a shit. I was…emotional, and curious. Didn’t really help, because even if I’d found them and tried to talk to them, they aren’t…who they were to me…anymore. Does that make sense? I don’t know,” she laughed. “Shit, it’s complicated.” Kino chewed her bottom lip for a second, shaking her head. “That probably didn’t tell you much of anything,” she muttered, but smirked. “I’ll never regret doing it though, that’s for sure.”

With that, Kino popped a kernel of popcorn in her mouth and waved the bartender over for another drink. “So, hockey fanatic,” her thumb jerked to Ashby, “mental nutcase,” she smirked, pointing at herself, “what’s your story – what’re you into,” a brow arched at Valyn, then she turned to the busty blonde sipping her tea. “And Doc, Let me know if you ever change your mind about putting a game together – I’m down,” Kino nodded with a grin.

And so it went, as the Lounge steadily filled around them; three unlikely friends brought together in the worst of circumstances sat and enjoyed the simple things in life for a bit longer while they could.

~FIN~
 
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