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Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

[ Lt. RraHnam | Engineering | Deck 6 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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[D07|0800] Tour the Ship

April 25, 2381
0800 hrs.
Stardate: 57671.55

Of course, there were welcome tours. As is customary on any ship, new crew members were given a more or less detailed tour of the ship. They were sent from station to station in small groups, each with a guide. It was important that they had been through it all once. They had to learn about the different safety zones and regulations that different configurations of a ship type entailed. So, it was more of a necessary evil than a punishment that she hadn't been able to keep her paws still and transfer to the new ship. RraHnam wanted to transfer. She wanted to make room for Brightman, who she was sure would do a damn good job. She voluntarily accepted a position that was below her previous one just so that a human could benefit from her leaving. But she equally recognized the opportunities that this new position could offer her. RraHnam let the monotonous stream of talk from the human man named Mueller, who had probably drawn the short straw to show them the ship, wash over her. Half-heartedly, she tried to stifle a yawn, but failed to do so when she saw other people in the group who felt the same way.

"Vector 1, engine room," Mueller announced. "This is where the 'Helmet,' as the ship's top vector is called, is powered from." His remarks really only covered the basics, and RraHnam felt fatigue rising in her. If he recited a few more sentences in this tone, RraHnam would find a quiet corner, curl up, and devote herself to the most popular pastime on Cait. Not much was missing as something else caught her attention. A commotion was occurring behind her. Someone had fallen and taken several people with him. A roar of laughter rang out.

RraHnam rejoiced. ‘Finally, something to do’ she thought. Immediately she switched to professional mode and helped the fallen person back to his feet. "Are you alright?" asked RraHnam. But the stranger replied in the negative. "I think I twisted my knee."
"Okay, sit down here and hold it out." She tapped her Starfleet badge. "RraHnam to sickbay. I need a medic to treat a fall injury. Vector 1, Deck 6, in the corridor outside Engineering."
It took only a few moments before she received the response. "This is sickbay. Roger that. Medics are on their way."
"Thank you. RraHnam out.", she finished the request for medical personnel and her mind's gears switched into working mode. "What happened?" she looked at the rank insignia on his collar that identified the man, who was also an ensign. "Ensign Kalim, ma'am." the young, dark-skinned man introduced himself, looking to the side with embarrassment and pain in his eyes. "That was foolishness of my own, ma'am," he explained. "I was fooling around and lost my balance."
"Fooling around?"
"Yes, ma'am. I wasn't watching where I was stepping."

RraHnam looked around. The path was clear. There was no box here, no cable, nothing. There was no work going on at all. Either he really was as clumsy as he pretended, or he was trying to hide something. But then the security officer shook his head. ‘Why make up a lie about something like that?’ Besides, he was human, and humans were usually less skilled than Caitians. RraHnam often forgot that fact, which sometimes made her see conspiracies where there were none.
"The medic will be arriving shortly, Ensign." she said and stood by his side, making sure he would use his leg until help has arrived.

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #1 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Engineering | Deck 6 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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'Fuccckkin' shut up....' Via internally groaned as she listened to every monotonous word that came out of the tour guide's mouth. She did not want to be there. In fact, the pilot tried her best to avoid any type of orientation or tour for the past seven days since she joined the Theurgy. She always felt that the best way to learn how things worked in a new environment was to experience it first hand, not off of a scripted speech...and she would rather do anything else with her time. Productive things like watching holovids, drinking, eating junk food, reading romance novels, 'intimate' relaxation, etc. 

So when something happened that broke the mind-numbing cycle Via audibly sighed with relief. She heard a loud crash followed by laughter which prompted her to turn around. The woman laughed herself at the sight. An Ensign somehow managed to trip himself while he was walking which caused him to bring down several unsuspecting people with him. He twisted it according to his own word though to Via it didn't look like he was in any pain. Including other factors, Via immediately knew he was lying. Since what he did was something like she herself would do to get out of things she found stupid the woman envied the man. That's when a light bulb went off in her head. One way or another she was going to get out of the tour or make this day a little bit more interesting.

"Uh...*cough fuckin' *cough*cough" Via rose her hand like a student asking a question. "Miss LT? My ass is sick, can I leave too?*cough...and my head hurts like shit."

She clearly did not look sick but she stated so anyway.

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #2 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Engineering | Deck 6 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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The paramedics were quick. It took them less than five minutes before two people in blue uniforms arrived and attended to the man. They examined his leg with a tricorder and chatted in their typical manner. The two medics threw around technical words that the universal translator didn't recognize nor wanted to translate. It was a welcome change to watch the two humans do their work and to interrupt this unspeakable tour for it. Why did I do this to myself again? Oh yes. I was new on the ship and was obliged to follow this briefing. Just like the rest of the attending crew, which was just here, with her, in the corridor.

That included this Ensign, who was wearing a Tactical Conn unform under her hoody. A female pilot, that's all I needed, she thought. The human woman, unconvincingly, feigned a cold and asked to be dismissed from the Tour as well. RraHnam got an idea and played along.
"Headache, huh? You want one of the medics to look at it?"
RraHnam leaned down to the two humans.
"Looks like we have some more injured and sick people. Do you guys’ mind take a look at it?"

When the two know nodded with smiles, the security officer rose. She wasn't really one to bend the rules much. But every now and then it was necessary to do so to prevent a greater wrong. In this case, it was multiple murders by Mueller's monotone manner of the group he was supposed to lead through the ship. Or a single murder committed by a good dozen present against Mueller. She had to counter both possible situations, and the easiest way was to bend the rules a bit.
"No problem, lieutenant. Who else got hit?" one of the medics asked.
"The pilot here is complaining of a headache. I am unwell as well and struggling with extreme fatigue."
"Ah, I see. Then I would suggest you all line up. Then we'll check you one by one."
RraHnam pushed the Ensign who was complaining of a 'headache' forward, so they could begin with her. Then she looked at the faces of the rest of the group and saw some amusement. They all lined up and the medics began their 'work'.

"Um.", Mueller interjected. "You do realize that we'll have to repeat the tour next week then, right."
"I get it, I get it," RraHnam explained after she was 'examined'. "Or you can just check off that the tour is done and let us do our jobs." The security officer approached the man. "No one has to know, do they, Ensign?"
She bared her teeth slightly. Her tail wagging slightly in amusement. The duratanium alloy implant flashed in place of one of her fangs. The human male's eyes snapped open, and he swallowed hard once. He looked at his PADD.
"Well, ma'am, it seems like you are right. From the looks of it, that had been the last stop on our tour. I hope you learned something. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me, my colleagues or the computer. Have a nice day."
He checked off the remaining points on his PADD and asked everyone present to sign off before disappearing with an angry snort. RraHnam closed in on the pilot.
"Looks like you owe me a drink."

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #3 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Engineering | Deck 6 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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Via watched as everyone else piggybacked on "her" idea when the medics came. It was clear that everyone shared the same sentiment about the tour and how terrible it was to sit through. She was so happy everyone followed through on getting out of it. Even the Security officer whom the pilot honestly thought was going to snitch, helped out by heavily suggesting to the Ensign that was in charge of the tour to sign off on everyone for attending even after they all called out “sick”. That made her one of the good ones in her book like Zark.

“I don’t owe you shit- If anythin’ you owe me a drink for commin’ up with the idea.” She spoke lightheartedly and crossed her arms. There was something familiar about her. While Via had been on the Oneida for a few months she never had the luxury to meet the entire crew personnel as she was essentially confined to sickbay due to her injuries. She did however see a whole bunch of them coming in and out.

“Hey, was your ass on the Oneida? Shit, I swear I saw you somewhere before. Name’s Via.” She extended out an arm for a handshake. “Fighter pilot as your ass can see on this badass jacket.” She showed the clothing off in a playful childlike manner. “If I’m bein’ honest I kinda expected all you cops to be snitches and shit but so far y'all are cool.” She spoke sincerely.

Growing up Via’s dealings with the police had always been a mixed bag. There were several precincts in her residential zone alone and more than half were bought off by her gang so that could better facilitate their illegal operations. When Via got in trouble the Cops there typically looked the other way or she stayed in jail for a day or two before getting released. Outside of her residential zone however, she had to be more careful. She never thought highly of them or snitches in general but she never hated them…

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #4 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Engineering | Deck 6 | Vector 1 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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RraHnam's lips twitched for a moment as the pilot insisted that it was her idea and that, on the contrary, RraHnam owed her a drink. It may have been her initial spark, but it was RraHnam who cultivated the idea and developed it into a ploy that eventually, and with a little pressure from a higher-ranking person and perhaps a little suggestion of violence, set this charade in motion and carried it out. In the end, she didn't care. RraHnam wasn't going to dwell on it. She wanted to get this wretched spree over with as quickly as anyone else present. That she managed to do that with this dishonorable trick suited her, and she didn't want to make a fuss about it.

"Fair." she finally said. After all, RraHnam had to acknowledge that the initial spark was indeed hers. Then the pilot seemed to recognize the security officer.
"Lieutenant RraHnam.” she said. “Yes, my 'ass' was aboard the Oneida. If I remember correctly, you were one of those pilots we rescued in the Omega incident, right?" RraHnam braced one of her paws on her hip and considered the human girl before her. Her ears perked up and her pupils constricted before her whiskers began to twitch. The woman's honesty surprised her a little. She had expected her to continue making stupid remarks and was not prepared to accept a compliment. "My job is to solve crimes. I want everything to run smoothly here," it came reflexively. Then, after a slight sigh, "Thanks, I guess."

By now, the group had dispersed and taken off in both directions of the corridor. The medics had taken Ensign Kalim to sickbay. The accident report had already been prepared, signed, and released. There was nothing more to do here. RraHnam put her paw on the pilot's shoulder. "Come, I'll buy you your drink." Playfully, RraHnam turned around several times to find the direction where the nearest bar was. In doing so, she hoped to provoke a smile or even a laugh in the human.
"That way."

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #5 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Engineering | Deck 6 | Vector 01 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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When RraHnam mentioned the Omega incident Via felt a sudden rush of dread that only lasted a moment before subsiding. This happened occasionally with her never genuinely getting over what happened during the training flight or how she almost died. Mostly she did her best to bottle it up. Throwing the memories and her feelings back into a deep corner of her mind to avoid facing them entirely. On the outside, she would play it off like any other training mission. Via nodded in response to the Security officer's question and noted her reaction to the compliment she had given her. 'She is fun' the pilot thought as she followed the Lieutenant to the bar.

 | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy |

Via walked into the alcohol establishment with euphoria expressed all over her face. The Below Decks was practically a second home for her at this point. Nearly every day when she was able she would spend her time drinking with friends or by herself often reading another low-rated romance novel or holovid. Whether with or without company the young pilot always seemed to find a way to enjoy herself. She joyfully made her way to the bar table and sat down on one of the open stools waiting for her new friend to sit with her. "Ok ok... get me somethin' and tell me how the fuck your ass got yourself off the Oneida. Shit, I was only lucky, I wanted out since I woke up on that shitty ass hole...heh ass-hole...asshole..." Via giggled to herself. "I am just sayin' so what if I lost 3/4ths of my lungs and shit. Keepin' me stuck in a small ass sickbay with no booze ain't going to fix it any more than bein' out and about and shit. By the time she told me to head to the Theurgy I deadass was goin' to murder someone." She laughed and then realized who she was talking to. "Im jokin' chill girl, I ain't in that killin' business anymore don't worry...really."

 

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #6 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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"That shitty ass hole, as you like to refer to, was my home for nearly two and a half years," RraHnam explained to the pilot with the peculiar way of speaking. "I liked serving there." She raised her paw and stopped the bartender. With short words, she ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, without alcohol (it was still early in the morning) and for herself she ordered a cold glass of watermelon lemonade. The bartender briefly confirmed the order and went on to mix the drinks.

"I left voluntarily," she said after a moment of awkward silence. She didn't want to hold her remark against her. Somehow, RraHnam believed Via's way of speaking was a kind of protective mechanism. Sounding hard and cool while your insides crumble. Had she not yet processed the trauma surrounding the incident at the Omerga training facility? Surely not. After all, it had only been a few days. The Security Officer decided to cut her some slack for now.

"I have a colleague on the Oneida who has some learning to do, and the Investigations Officer position on the Theurgy was open." The bartender placed their drinks on the counter for the two women and went back to serving the other patrons. She pushed the virgin cocktail over to the pilot with her paw and cached herself the other drink. "Since I was able to take down one of these infected in combat shortly before and experienced firsthand the threat they pose, I was able to kill two birds with one stone. My colleague got his promotion, and I can hunt these beasts."

The Caitian took a sip of her drink. "Ah... Very good. Revitalizing. Just the thing after that awful tour."
RraHnam watched the human woman at her side for a moment. "Don't worry though. You never would have made it back into the killing business. To prevent that, I had enough guards posted, even in the infirmary." Then she smiled and winked at her. She nudged her shoulder. "Tell me a bit about you. Who is Via Wix and what do you do in your spare time?"

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #7 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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Via absolutely did not feel bad about her comment about the Oneida, then again she rarely felt wrong about anything she said, accurate or not. Her experience on the vessel was shitty therefore the ship itself was shitty according to her logic. Just because it was someone's home did not change that fact in her mind, in fact, she was about to state so but was somewhat taken aback by Rrahnam's choice of drink for the both of them. The pilot just gave a "What the hell is this?" look when she saw she order the Iced Tea with no alcohol but neglected to say anything out loud. She let the Investigation officer speak and, while she did, placed her own elbow on the table somewhat unamused.

"WhoaWhoaWhoa...first, the Oneida still pretty ass, I lived on my shitty ass home planet for most of my life and it still shit too. Like I ain't playin' its fuckin' bad as hell.  Happy I'm outta there. Second, thought I didn't do anythin' why are you interrogatin' me?" She ended with a playful chuckle. "I'm playin'...kinda. You are cool but I dunno, the last time I was talkin' to a badge he tried to make me snitch and I ain't no snitch. He was nice too, got me Ice cream..." Via's averted the Officer's eyes briefly. "Uh...shit why don't you tell me what your ass does on your spare time? I've been watchin' a new holovid of this sweet ass Super Hero..."

While Via was trying her best to befriend RraHnam, her relationship with law enforcement historically had never been good. Only recently have her views changed but still, she had a hard time trusting out of instinct. 

"I like...buy clothes and shit when my ass has time...music...readin'...sleep. I ain't special really..." she added on hesitantly.

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #8 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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The security officer listened to the pilot's explanations. She was trying to figure out who she was dealing with here. She wanted to get to know Via Wix. Her use of language, so flowery and unorthodox, suggested that she had not always had an easy life and had earned her place through skill. That impressed the Caitian.

RraHnam sipped her drink again. "I'm not interrogating you, Via Wix. I just want to get to know you." She smiled slightly when Via said she thought she was cool.  The Lone Wolf then explained that she rarely spoke to police officers and that the last one tried to make her an informant. That was interesting information, RraHnam thought. But RraHnam decided not to dwell on it. It was in the past. More importantly, it was Via's past. If she wanted to talk about it, she would do it on her own and not if RraHnam would probe. On the contrary, that would surely only make her not want to talk to her anymore she guessed. Apparently, Via drifted off into reminiscence for a moment. Unpleasant ones? RraHnam wondered. But then the pilot turned the tables. She revealed some information about herself and then wanted to know what was going on with the security officer.

RraHnam gave a short laugh. "Well, that's something," she said and began to tell of hers, "In my spare time, I like to play sports. I play Vra'shan, do martial arts and a little bodybuilding. I'm always up for holonovellas, though. What are you reading right now?"

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #9 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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The pilot blushed and looked away from RraHnam when she asked her about what she was reading. "Eh...nothin'...somethin'...ain't anythin' anyone needs to know..." She said hiding the fact she reads romance novels in her spare time for different reasons than a typical person would expect.

Her eyes lit up when she mentioned martial arts, however. With a child-like glee she bounced around on her stool. "Oh shit, your ass knows martial arts?! Like the dude in CyberNinja Chronicles?! That's fuckin' cool as shit!! I bet your ass can like break durasteel with just your hands usin' the 'block chop of justice'. Ohohoh!! How many dudes are you thinkin' you can take on at once? Bet like 10 right? Break them dumbasses like sticks."


The pilot got off her seat energetically and got into a fighting stance. "My ass saw this dude when I was like 12. He took on 5 Klingons when my ass was walkin' to the store. I'm thinkin' he was like a chump or somethin' but like all them Klingons all surrounded him all angry lookin' and shit and they were like "Today is a good day for YOU to die puny Betazoid." and the dude was all zen and shit and fuckin' then went sayin' "I will defend myself if my must' and then went all cool and shit! He was like [insert bad karate demonstration noises] a then was like [insert badder karate demonstration noises] then fuckin' he did [insert more bad karate demonstration noises] and one of the Klingons tried to run but he was like "Nah I got your ass now" and went [insert even more really really bad karate demonstration front kick noises] and broke his spine. Like your ass had to be there it was so cool!!" Via dropped her stance, panting from her explanation and child-like immature reenactment of what she witnessed as a child. "My ass wanted him to teach me some of his shit but the Klingons gang heard want happened and shot the shit out of him the next day...which fuckin' suckkkkked cause my ass had no school all day that day." Via said with causality that could only be described as scary for someone who was talking about how a person was straight-up murdered, but such was a common occurrence for her to see on her home planet.

"Is Verashen like a fuckin badass martial arts game it somethin'? Oh can you show me somethin'!! Please!!!" she said gleefully.

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #10 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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RraHnam laughed heartily as she watched the young woman show off her bad karate and bounce around like an eight-year-old. The Caitian caught herself getting caught up in her enthusiasm, throwing herself into feigned cover here and there. RraHnam took another sip of her watermelon lemonade. It was cool and invigorating, which made her want to order a couple of slices of the actual fruit.
"Those are great moves, Via Wix," RraHnam praised. She also offered her a piece of the watermelon. It was not lost on RraHnam how casually Via Wix spoke of the death of a man. But RraHnam did not address it. It was a trauma she had to deal with. The security officer remembered her training but didn't let on. She knew better than to interfere. It was something Via had to talk about on her own. RraHnam sized up the human woman so that she would clam up if she probed.

"No, not like the CyberNinja. I'm trained in fighting, proficient in various fighting styles." RraHnam emptied her glass and slammed it down on the counter. Then she leaned forward and bared her teeth. Her gold fang implant flashed under her tattered lip. She placed one of her fingers in the human's direction and snikt the claw.
"I'm better than the CyberNinja. I take on several Jem'Hadar, a lot of Klingons and those infected alone, and Vra'shan..." she paused meaningfully before continuing. "Vra'shan is the most popular and probably the most demanding team sport on Cait. If you feel like it, I'll show you on the holodeck."

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #11 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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Via took RraHnam's tone as a challenge which may or may not have been a good thing considering her physical acumen wasn't anything to brag about. While she was able to pass the standards required of her as a Pilot Via wasn't particularly known as a person that enjoyed physical exercise or had the build of an Athletic wonder like some of her colleagues in TacCONN. She did enough to get by and pass, a mindset she often applied to many things that typically wasn't enthused about. Not to say she wasn't capable of more, she certainly was and would if she was motivated in rather simple ways such as rewards, "threats", mockery, etc.

"Fuck yeah!!" Via said enthusiastically followed by hesitantly taking the piece of watermelon from the Caitian. The young pilot inspected the fruit having not had the opportunity to taste an Earth melon before and took a moderate-sized bite of the green part which her tastebuds quickly regretted. She cringed, shivered, and grimaced visibly. The texture and flavor of the fruit were not to her liking. It reminded her of the time when there was a water shortage in her residential district that resulted in the local government distributing cheap emergency hyper-hydrated survival nutrient packs which tasted absolutely dreadful. As a result, Via's first instinct was to spit it out. What stopped her was the lingering feeling that she would get in trouble for doing so, a flashback to her initial cadet summer training when she was a freshman at the Academy. So she swallowed forcibly which caused her to gag a bit but it was too late now. "The fuck is that?!" She coughed and wiped away the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "That tasted like fuckin' ass. Like straight up...fuck..." she chuckled slightly to keep it lighthearted but Via was not having a good time. 

With what seemed like a final throat-clearing cough Via looked up at RraHnam with tired eyes but with a wonder-like expression after noticing her golden fang. "Oh shit! Is that...oh that's fuckin' cool as fuck!!"

She coughed again, her voice was a bit raspy. "How the shit did you get a latinum tooth!? Only the big players can afford them, shit my dumbass mother as a few too. Which boss did you waste?" Via wasn't giving much context but on her home planet having golden teeth was a sign of power and lethality. The more you had the more crime bosses you killed to advance your gang, territory, or personal cred. "So fuckin' badass Rara..." Via said enamored walking closer to the Catlian to capture a glimpse of the tooth again.

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #12 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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RraHnam laughed heartily when she realized that the Ensign was eating the peel of the fruit, straining to fight the bitter taste. "The peel is not actually meant to be eaten," the security officer explained. "You can eat the white part, but it's still a little bitter in itself." RraHnam said. She took another piece of the red-green fruit and gnawed on the delicious red pulp. "The red, that's what you want to eat. This is where all the sweetness is. You can just spit out the seeds." RraHnam demonstrated again. She took a bite and enjoyed the watery sweetness on her tongue. Then she reached for an empty bowl on the counter and spit in there the seeds she hadn't swallowed. "See. Simple."

"I earned the implant when I was on Betazed when the Jem'Hadar attacked." RraHnam mused. Terrible memories of that day rose in her mind. That day she lost her partner and their daughter, their only child. She remembered the time after that in the underground of the city and that during that time she could not feel her face because it was afflicted by swelling, fever, and infection. "I think my tooth is still stuck in that bastard's Ketracel White pump and is rotting in the ground of that damn planet," she then said after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "It's not latinum though, it's just duratanium alloy. Just like some claws of mine, too."

RraHnam deftly skipped over the innuendo and tried not to make the pilots past an issue. She tried to change the subject. "Are you interested in sports, Via Wix?"

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #13 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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Via was not familiar with the Dominion War apart from what she learned in the Academy and Flight Training. Due to her home planet's neutrality and strategic location as a massive trade and commerce hub for many corporate and political entities it was well protected from the Allied forces during the conflict. Via remembered when every day she saw Klingon ships overhead and officers roaming the streets preparing for an attack that would never come. Criminal Cartels and syndicates had a massive economic boon during this time, supplying much-needed war supplies to the Allied forces at a marked-up fee. Everyone became rich off of the Dominion War and no one on her planet had to suffer from the mental and physical devastation the invading armies brought to several worlds. She heard many stories from her instructors who were all Vets from the war. The young pilot also had only seen a Jem'Hadar in training sims and textbooks, to talk to someone who was actually there, on the ground was..surreal to say the least.

As much as she was curious and wanted to press the uncomfortable silence reminded her of herself. If she didn't want people to press into her past then she wasn't going to ask someone else to. She did find her claws to be incredibly cool, however.

"Eh..." Via said unsure. "Not really. In the Academy, I tried boxin' and wrestlin' but that shit didn't last long. I had to study and do other dumbass stuff."

Still tasting the aftertaste of the melon Via was reluctant to take another bite of the actual fruit part. She did though, slowly and carefully. The actual taste itself was miles better than what she had before but tasted 'weird' in her opinion. The young woman chewed, swallowed (including the seeds), and then put the fruit down.

"I mean...this shit is ok...hm..." She refocused on the topic at hand. "Oh, I like wrestelin' and shit. I used to do that all the time when I was a kid." Back to being suspicious Via crossed her arms and asked. "Why you askin'? Is there a type of...*ahem* club or somethin' If you be catchin' my meanin'?"

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #14 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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"I don't know what you mean.", RraHnam answered sincerely and looked confused for a moment when she mentioned a club or something similar. RraHnam hastily took another sip of her lemonade to hide the confusion. She wasn't sure if it was meant to be a joke or if the question was serious. In the former case, she didn't know what was supposed to be so funny about it. In the latter case, she would find out soon enough and hunt down this club and its organizers. Somehow it sounded absurd. Why should there be an underground fight club on this ship? People had enough to do with real fights, so why would they still seek the fight in their spare time? There was so much that was offered to the staff for recreation and those who actually craved a fight could always go to the holodeck.

The Caitian woman enjoyed the company and the light conversation, but she also wanted to inquire a little more seriously. She emptied the glass and briefly considered how to begin. "Do you have plans?" She made a gesture that included the ship "For how to proceed when this is all over?" RraHnam pointed to the ensign's rank insignia. "Do you want to maybe work on a promotion at some point?

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #15 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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Via did not forget she was talking to a security officer whom she didn't quite know where to put on the 'should I be alluding to participating in scandalous activities with this dude' spectrum. She also didn't pick up on whether she was joking about not knowing about what a "Fight Club" was, based on how Via perceived RraHnam there was not a lot of doubt that she was joking but past experiences told her to play it safe, and not press.

"Ain't somethin' to worry about." Via said dismissing the matter.

She was taken off guard when RraHanam asked if she had any plans or was working on a promotion. First, she instinctively checked if she still had her pip on her collar having lost hers several...several...several times during the Academy and flight training. Once she confirmed it was there she relaxed a bit and responded with a slight chuckle.

"My ass just started! What you talkin' about? Ain't even been outta trainin' until a few months ago." The young pilot crossed her arms and thought briefly, cocking her head to the side. "Fuckin' uh...class of 2379, graduated flight school 2380, went for more advanced entry trainin' this year...stuck in med bay for few dumbass months...I ain't done shit and I ain't tryin'." Via smiled remembering the dream she had with her sister after they both finished their time in Starfleet. "Doin' 7 and I'm out. Me and my dumbass sister goin' to get our asses a freighter all to ourselves and be tradin' and livin' the good life makin' bars and workin' for ourselves. Ain't no one gonna tell us what our asses can or can't do no more."

Just as soon as she said it however the dread that her sister might have been killed or worse came back into her mind. Via kept them repressed just barely. "Hopefully, anywho...my ass tryin' to learn a bunch of flyin' shit, get hired with my Starfleet fighter experience. All I gotta do is not get my ass shot or anythin' for 7 years. Easy enough." She chuckled again and then checked if she still had her pip. Still there. "Why promotin' even matters. Ain't you just have to do more shit and be in charge? Who's dumbass like that?"

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #16 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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"I was so stupid, for example," RraHnam answered Via's question. She was not offended or anything like that. On the contrary, Via's view on the subject was a refreshing change of perspective and at the same time not unfamiliar. "I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps and become an engineer back then," RraHnam began to tell. She talked about doing her apprenticeship at Starfleet Academy and the waiting for the next job opening. But since it was still months away, she decided to do something completely different.

"I got an offer from a sports club from Cait. I should play as a professional in the national Vra'shan League." RraHnam smiled because she had to think of that stupid holo she had watched with her mate back then. "That was an offer I couldn't refuse."
She ordered herself another drink. "Well, that's just how I ended up working as a reserve officer for Starfleet and being able to follow my dream of a professional career." She took a sip of her drink. "Later, however, I changed my mind and wanted more responsibility. I took additional training to become a security officer and was then assigned as Deputy Chief of Security on the Oneida."

Again, she took a sip from her glass. The wet goodness wet her tongue and RraHnam savored the delightfully sweet taste for a moment before continuing. "But you've already made it yourself. Look around you Via." RraHnam gestured to the bar. The room was packed with dozens of different species, some wearing Starfleet uniform, others in casual clothing. They shared food, had drinks together. Some laughed at stupid jokes, others seemed to exhausted. The room was filled with life. "You're not on your home world anymore. You took responsibility and joined Starfleet to fulfill the dream of you and your sister." RraHnam winked at her. There was a hint of pride in her gaze. For a moment, she felt as if she were talking to her daughter again. “You took a vow to protect every citizen in the Federation to your best abilities. Even if you just do it for seven years, you already took responsibilities.”

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #17 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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"Shit you soundin' like that Starfleet Academy Recruiter." Via chuckled playfully. The Caitian was right, however. Via had already assumed a myriad of responsibilities whether she liked it or not. Such was the charge she was given when she was commissioned into Starfleet and became an Ensign. While her duties as a junior officer and a pilot were quite introductory with a focus on followership and learning, Via would be expected to lead at some point. Whether that be a flight or possibly an entire squadron the young Ensign could only skate by so long until more responsibility and leadership would be trusted upon her, especially if the number of Pilots continues to be as small as it was.

The young woman shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose...my ass did make it. I ain't gonna waste my time and shit for 7 years. Imma do somethin' with my time...like...uh...I dunno...somethin'...cool and badass." Via kinda got lost in thought thinking about what she should do in terms of her time in Starfleet. She never had really thought about it and most likely she would forget what she thought about after the conversation but it held her up for a few. "Somethin'...hol up." she shifted the convo back to RraHnam. "So like...are ya goin' to go back and do some of that sports shit when you are done with your 7 years? Or is your ass goin' to say like them old ass instructors for...shit like 200 years or somethin'?  Be a captain'? OH, oh...I have another question. So like...shit how long your ass been in Starfleet? I'm assumin' you like it cus' you're a badge and shit...or actually I be knowin' some badges that hate their life so I ain't really be knowin'.

Via was genuinely curious about RraHnam. So far she had been the chillest "professional" person she had ever talked to up to this point. The young pilot's experience in Starfleet and her impressions so far was quite all over the place. She loved the quality of life, never she had to worry about food or health. or staying clean, but the rules, regulations, and people with stick-up their asses annoyed her greatly, but she also loved flying. She considered staying longer than 7 years at that moment and she wanted to see if doing so would be worth it.

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #18 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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„I would love to go back to my old life.“ RraHnam said with a wiry smile on her face. “You see, I am enlisted since I am eighteen. I am in active duty for just over about four years. So, there are around twenty years of me being a reserve officer.”

RraHnam thought about her last Vra’shan Grandmaster Title Final. Before her inner eye, she could see the stadium filled to the brim with fans, shouting, cheering, and just having a good time. She remembered the chills shivering down her spine as she first stepped into the field. It was an overwhelming sense of anticipation, a feeling she would never forget.

“If you want to look up onto my sports carrier, you can search the network for either my name or Va'kass. That’s the team I played for.” RraHnam smiled again, but this time it was more of a suggestive smirk then an actual smile. “I hope you don’t have a problem with nudity.”

Vra'shan was a team sport, and it was historically played in the nude. RraHnam could remember the time when it was discussed whether players should wear clothing. Leading in this discussion where the sponsors who wanted more room for advertising, but in the end they lost. Mainly to the fact, that the players of the top leagues protested their proposing. They argued against clothing for advertisement purpose since the game would be corrupted with capitalism. Rich teams would by good players of the market and if a lesser fortunate teams happened to find the next star player, they couldn’t pay enough to keep them long enough. Also, most of the players never had shame to play in the nude, since it was a historical thing, and because everyone was naked. It was normal for them, and it was normal for RraHnam. As a compromise, uncomfortable players were given the option to wear some regulated clothing. To soothe the sponsors, the silk ribbon at the end of the Vra’Shan, the ball, could be printed with advertising as well as the player ribbons and side fencing.

RraHnam shifted in her seat. “But I think for now I will stay here until sometime all of this is over. Until then I will be the best Starfleet Officer I can be.” Again, she emptied her drink. She picked another piece of watermelon and nibbled on it, her thoughts drifting of a bit. “You know, I think. I will work on my promotion to Lieutenant Commander, so I can be easier be instituted as a department head. Maybe Captain is also a pursuable job for me. A ship of my own.”

RraHnam juggled some possibilities and then addressed the young pilot next to her. “I would need a capable helmsman for my own ship. You don’t happen to know anyone, don’t you?”

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #19 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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When RraHnam started to list how long she had been in service to Starfleet in its various components, Via had thought to figure out how old the Caitlian was. After observing her features, the young woman had already determined she was seasoned, though Rra didn't look 'old' by her standards. Plus Via didn't know how long Catlians lived, the species might have been similar to Vulcans who lived generally for 200+ years. So all the woman had was her human perception of age to compare her to. While she spoke the pilot started to physically add the years utilizing the fingers on her hand. It took her a few silent expressive tries but eventually, Via managed to figure her age out.

Before blurting out her answer she was caught off guard by the nudity comment. Not that it bothered her, more so she was confused why that would be related to anything with sports.

"Wha? Wait." She pulled out her PADD and began typing in the name of the sports team in the network search engine. When the results populated she saw an image of a team photo in which all the players were naked. Via however didn't notice anything which only increased her confusion. She looked all over the photo and all she saw was just a furry humanoid body with vaguely suggestive features of mammaries. Physically turning her PADD every which way to see if she was missing anything, Via looked back at Rra when she asked if she knew any helmsmen.

"Ah, fuck them helmsmen. There asses thinkin' they are so cool. Ain't seen none of them do anythin' other than sittin' down and talkin' shit." Via put down the PADD "Oh, my daddy flew on the Enterprise! My ass flies big ass ship, I do all the work. Basically, I am the Captain, meh". She mocked. "Fuck them. Durin' the Academy them asses were just jealous all they were goin' to fly was some small ass shuttle carryin' stem bolts or some shit. Fuckin' helmsmen...stupid...know it alls" Clearly there was something that happened with helmsmen in the past which she neglected to talk about.

"Anyway..." She crossed her arms still upset about helmsmen. "What you meanin' about nudity? Are ya prankin' me? I ain't seen nothin' nude bout your team. I mean, y'all ain't got clothes on but I don't see anythin'...also you ain't look bad for 50 years old..."

Via pouted and tapped her foot. "Shut up fine...I be knowin' one who is alright...she dropped from flight trainin' with us. He's cool. wanna know about him?"

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #20 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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RraHnam chuckled in amusement when she noticed the confused expression on Via's face. She turned her PADD in all directions, trying to locate the naked people. Then her expression changed, and she appeared a little disgusted when RraHnam spoke of a helmsman for her future ship. Slightly stunned, RraHnam shook her head. Apparently, she had not understood the innuendo that RraHnam was suggesting her as her helmsman. But Via quickly tossed the matter aside. She changed the subject back to her previous statement, continuing to look for naked players.

RraHnam took the PADD from her hands and pointed to the picture. Then to the players, who wore nothing but fur. "No, I'm not pranking you. See? All of them naked. That's proper for Vra'shan." Then she laughed heartily. "Did you think nudity was like yours everywhere? Like you hairless monkey kids?"

It felt good to laugh. It had been a long time since she laughed over something so innocent. It was liberating and a delightful feeling. “That’s really cute. Oh, poor little cub. I am sorry to crack your worldview.” RraHnam let the pilot fidget for a moment longer. "But thanks for the compliment, I guess. I guess I look a lot older than I am.” RraHnam studied her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. “But if you do the math again, eventually you'll figure it out," she winked at her. "And about the helmsman? I was referring to you, Via Wix."

At her last sentence, RraHnam tapped the human woman on the nose with her finger. "If you feel like it, I'd be happy to invite you to a game sometime."

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #21 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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"Uh...yea- Hey! I ain't no monkey!" Via rebuked and crossed her arms. Even with her exposure to a quite diverse amount of alien species from childhood to Starfleet academy, she still saw everything from a 'human' point of view in a way. Species like Vulcans, Andorians, Tellerite , etc shared similar features with humans so she imprinted human norms in terms of biology onto them. Catlians didn't have their 'privates' showing out therefore they were not 'naked' to her. It wasn't something she put much thought in if any...until now.

However, when RraHanam clarified that she wanted her to be her hypothetical helmsman for her crew Via gasped in shock. She was completely flabbergasted, surprised, astonished, dumbfounded, blown away, and all other variations of the word. Even when RraHnam tapped her on the nose she just continued to stare at her in shock. She? A helmsman? One of those self-centered, ego-centric, annoying, out-mouthed, baffoons?

She finally spoke. "I- Nah, I ain't be hearnin' you right. I know your ass didn't just be askin' me to be a fuckin' helms...helm...I can't even say it. Fuck them guys! I am a pilot! I ain't that good but at least I ain't a fuckin' helmsman with there fuckin' trashy ass hair and fuckin' looks...and shit. Do people really be thinkin' I would make a good helmsman? The fuckin'- what am I doin' wrong? There ain't a worse thing for a wolf to be called than a dumbass, weirdass, stupidass..." she stopped to think for another word. "...dumbass, helmsman. Shit what does beachhead say again? Oh! 'I am insulted.'" Via said the last part in a very very bad British accent in an attempt to mimic her English Speaking RIO. After her tirad she thought for a second more and conceded a bit. "Well...aw shit, you know what my ass might make n' exception for you cuz you're cool n shit."

The young pilot uncrossed her arms and gave a playful smirk back at the officer. "If ya do you better give my ass a fighter...and unlimited flight time whenever I want...yeah...oh and shit I would love to go with your ass to a Vark-ass game. I bet ya could get them free tickets and special seatin' bein' famous and shit. How much Latinum does your ass bring in anyway? I bet its a shit ton! Like...one hundred billion bars of latinum! I wish I had that much..."

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #22 –
[ Lt. RraHnam | Below Decks Lounge| Deck 28 | Vector 3 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @ob2lander961
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RraHnam gleefully watched the facial expressions of the young human woman. First and foremost, the Caitian thought she could read confusion and shock on her features. Then something like indignation mixed in. If one had held a bucket under her mouth, one could certainly have fertilized a field or two with it. RraHnam laughed unconcernedly.
"I'm glad I could convince you, Via Vix. I'm going to make sure it's a damn cool ship. Maybe one of the Theurgy's sister ships?" RraHnam gave her an encouraging nod. "And as for a fighter, I think we can work something out."

The thought of continuing her education and eventually sitting in the captain's chair herself didn't occur to her for the first time. RraHnam had actually thought about it a few times. Now that her family was gone, she wanted to create some sort of replacement. However, she was not yet ready to take another partner. Instead, she eventually came up with the idea of commanding her own ship. But until she was ready for a position like a Captain of a ship, a lot of water would flow through the Hur'a.

RraHnam nibbled again on a slice of watermelon. The sweet taste tantalized her palate, and she began to purr softly. "Ah, these tastes exquisite," she complimented the bartender on the fruit just before she addressed the young pilot again. "The stadiums are always packed. You'll love the atmosphere," RraHnam began. "Of course, there are only the best seats, whereas you can see well from anywhere these days, but we have our Lounges there. As a team member, I even get to attend all the league games for free.", she smiled as she reminisced about those nostalgic memories. "My daughter used to get all excited when she got to attend a game."

An idea occurred to RraHnam. "Hey, how about you? Do you have the time? We can watch a game in the holodeck if it's free."
 

Re: Day 07 [0800 hrs.] - Tour the Ship

Reply #23 –
[ Ens. Via "DixeBee" Wix | Below Decks Lounge | Deck 28 | Vector 03 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Nero
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"The ship has a sister? That ain't even possible. You meanin' it has a daddy and mommy too? Bullshit. Wait...nevermind" Via questioned but quickly forgot about it after Rra mentioned about seeing if they could get the young pilot her own fighter in the hypothetical scenario where she would be the Security officers CONN officer.

"Mhmm...shit if your bitchass gets me a fighter I would do anythin' for you. CONN ain't be that bad-" She paused and gave RraHnam a warning look. "you better not be quotin' my ass. CONN is still ass... but my ass ain't ass only their dumbass's...ass." she said trying to make sense of her own words. "Fuckin' nevermind. Their asses ain't got no honor or whatever them Klingons be cryin' about. Be careful." the young woman said still trying to find reasons to hate her parent department.

When RraHnam started describing what it was like to go to one of her Vra'shan games she remembered she had always wanted to go to a real sports game. There were fighting clubs only unofficial that she had attended in person back on her home planet but both were sorely underfunded and many times were beyond rigged so enjoying the game was next to impossible. Getting tickets to real games was something even her gang couldn't afford. In fact, It cost her a fortune to get a genuine holovid of one of the early fighting tournaments back when there was slightly less crime and more respect among her home planet's populace. It was a genuine stadium, with thousands of people, and she loved it. Sadly the holovid was one of the things she had to leave behind during her escape, but now after joining Starfleet and meeting RraHnam she could fulfill her childhood dream of actually going to a real stadium and witnessing a real game of something in person.

Via's eye's widened with excitement. "Nah, you be playin' with me? Is your ass serious?!" she was nearly squealing. "My ass always wanted to go to one for real!! Back home there ain't be no way of gettin' a ticket without sellin' your body to some gene modder or bein' rich as fuck. You gotta take my ass someday! Damn, I can't believe-"

Her combadge chirped.

"What you want?" she said unamused for being interrupted.

"Ensign Wix ma'am?" It was Charles her RIO.  "The ops officer in the processing section told me to tell you that you filled out Starfleet Form 35-667 incorrectly and that-"

"What?!" Via said confused as to what he was talking about.

"Your Form 35-667 is filled out  incorrec-"

"You know my ass don't know what you are talkin' about."

"You filled it-" there was a pause. "Uh...ma'am. She is telling me to tell you that if you don't come by and fill it out correctly she will have no choice but to mark you as red on your STAR record which will be notified to our commander and probably get you taken off of flight duty...and that all you Wolves are the sam- hey!"

Via flipped her head back and groaned. "Fuckkkk...my ass gotta do this. Fuck this shit, stupid ass paperwork." she said genuinely annoyed. "Our asses can go later right? I know I could be tryin' to tell these guys to shove it up there ass but I ain't tryin' to lose my wings." She dryly chuckled.

OOC: Cool if we fin here? :)    

 
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