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Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

Considering how many times she’d nearly been killed in her few weeks aboard the ship—and truthfully, not all of those instances were her fault—Enyd felt it wise to visit the gymnasium. While she preferred outdoor activities on a real planet or even a holoprogram that was real enough to soothe her cooped-up soul, Enyd recognized there was a time and place to visit the traditional gymnasium. Dressed in a belted teal skort gym uniform, Enyd eyed the gym layout, her mind cataloging the various chaotic instances of violence she’d had to live through recently, and decided upon the treadmill. Cardio was key in outlasting angry Klingons, outwitting calculating Romulans, and swatting away lusty Ferengi gropes.

Enyd looped her towel over the back of the treadmill and paused as she flipped through the options for training. After settling on a randomized interval setting for speed and incline, Enyd pressed start and set to work. It did not take long for her to enter a rhythmic flow state, her mind moving away from her surroundings and retreating inward to puzzle through her recent days. This was a much better way of processing through her emotional angst and work-related curiosity than by subjecting herself to another physical fight. Zark would likely pummel her personally if she tried that, anyway.

Enyd sucked in a much-needed breath as the treadmill switched pitch and increased speed. She was due to meet the captain later this morning, and she assumed it had to do with Rutherford’s condition. Heaving a sigh between needed breaths, Enyd took her eyes away from the vague point on the wall she’d been staring at. As she noted movement in her peripherals, she hesitated in a step, pitched forward, and lost her balance. The automated movement of the treadmill did her no favors as it mercilessly shot her backward. Enyd only had time to mutter a grandmother-approved curse word, “dog gone it,” before the belt tossed her, and she flew backward mercilessly at the mercy of gravity and physics.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #1 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz


It had been five days since he'd been woken up. Five days to start to get back to his life. Joseph Adams certainly needed to catch up on recent events. But moreso, he felt that he definitely needed some return to his usual routine to make him feel normal again. And that was how he found himself on Deck 6, duffel bag slung freely over his shoulder and training apparel as he entered the gym.

Instinctively, his free hand moved to the back of his skull to rub his head. The  synthetic portion of his skull still felt a little weird. He wasn't sure if it was a genuine reaction of some kind, or just in his head. So he was giving himself the opportunity to become accustomed to the replacement bone. He figured that after a week or so, it would be indistinguishable from the rest of him. And with that, he moved his hand back to his side as the doors gave way for him to enter the Gym.

Immediately upon entering the gym, his first thought was to cross the room and pass the boxing rings, to head to the treadmills disregarding any other crewmembers that might have been around. He didn't bother them, and they didn't bother him. Such was Gym decorum.

Any thought of heading to the treadmills however, soon shattered as a blurred shape shot from the treadmill like a bullet. Following it with his eyes for a moment, it took a second for him to register the fact that a person had indeed just zoomed past him with all the grace of a flying giraffe, having been ejected from the treadmill which was still running with a quiet hum.

Wincing upon witnessing the impending impact, Joe could only hope that the stranger had been lucky enough to stray just a little to the right so that the yoga mats nearby might break her fall. Although, at least that hadn't been him...

"Are you alright?"

He asked, waiting a few seconds after the impact so the unfortunate victim could come to her senses. He didn't recognise her, and so assumed that she was one of the newer additions to the crew.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #2 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

Abrupt but surprisingly soft, bouncy even, Enyd’s flight ended within seconds of its beginning. She landed with her legs curled awkwardly to the side, in a bastardized fetal position, arms cocked at equally odd angles haloed out from her shoulders. Opening her eyes, face still pressed against the gym mat, Enyd spied what had broken her “fall”: yoga mats. She’d contemplated doing yoga earlier; maybe this was fate’s way of bitching at her for not following through with the original idea in the first place.

A masculine voice interrupted her thoughts and broke through the building pain of the landing. Pulling her arms closer to her chest, Enyd pushed off the floor and looked askance to spy a tall, sveltely built brown-haired man staring at Enyd. She didn’t recognize him. But that wasn’t too surprising. She was still getting acquainted with a number of people and it could take well over a year to meet everyone with enough frequency to know their names on sight.

“I’m unsure if my ego is more bruised than my hip or vice versa.” Enyd chuckled, her body shifting weight until she could wobble her way to a standing position. “I already dislike mornings, but it seems this morning dislikes me.” Her eyes darted down over her body, checking to ensure there was no blood and that her clothing was still rightfully in place. Satisfied within seconds, Enyd looked back to the man and offered what she hoped was a welcoming smile as she extended a hand out, “Enyd Isolde Madsen, diplomatic corps. I don’t think we’ve met yet. I transferred in a few weeks ago via Klingon transport.”

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #3 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz


 Some relief as she impacted the yoga mats, he smiled ever so slightly. Better the mats, he thought, than the smooth, but hard floor. It was almost certainly luck that caused her to skid toward the softer surface. Watching her rise upward again, he somewhat adjusted his grip on the bag he was still carrying, the slight smile rising further at her remark. At least she could joke about what had happened. That meant that the damage was little more than a small whack and a 'bruised ego'.

Shaking her hand firmly, his smile grew to match her own as he greeted the woman. Taking a brief moment to take in her appearance and commit it to memory. He reasoned that he'd do well to start learning all of the new personnel's names and faces. And Enyd seemed as good a place as any to start. Although, flying off a treadmill was certainly one way to make an impression.

"Joseph Adams, Transporter Officer."

He replied, letting go of her hand and nodding slightly. He was tempted to add 'former iceberg' to the list, but thought better of it. The humour felt a little off.  Instead, he returned his hand to his side again.

"Pleasure to meet you. You were on Qo'nos?"

He was quite surprised at the idea, assuming that Starfleet had flooded the galaxy with propaganda about Theurgy by now. He was somewhat curious as to what the other people had heard, and he hadn't had the opportunity to ask. A morbid curiosity, he supposed, given how none of it was likely to be good.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #4 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

Enyd eyed Joseph a moment before smiling and gesturing back toward the treadmill, “If you’re committed to hearing the story, best we get in some mild cardio at the same time.”

She led the way, this time with a marginal limp, back to the treadmill.

“A little over two weeks ago, I transferred onto the ship from the Kajunpak’t.”

Enyd glared at the machine whose conveyor belt continued ever after launching her. Flashing Joseph another smile, she quickly stopped the treadmill and reprogrammed it to something far more mild and less conducive to her death.

Climbing back onto the machine, Enyd continued. “My first time to Qo’Nos was on a mission to install Martak as the new Chancellor and expose the Infested to the Empire. Soon after that, we stopped by the Federation Embassy to relay the truth of the Infested to them as well.” She nodded as she looked back to Adams. “Some seemed more inclined to believe our efforts than others. In any case, I believe we have been acquainted long enough,” She looked at her wrist as if she had an old Terran watch on it, shooting the transporter officer a sly grin, “for me to warn you about chaos. I tend to attract it. And I have proof.”

In a clinical tone of voice, Enyd described getting kidnapped by the Tal Shiar and “rescued” by the defector, Hirek; fighting off the rebel warriors and securing ties between them and MicKayla; getting attacked by a sabre bear while on a date; helping the Brigadier save one of their crewmates from a nefarious plot; sky diving and hunting with Callax and old Klingon friends; the perils that accompanied of Klingon comedy; and the dangers of going on historical tours that ended at the Orion outpost. Enyd was shaking her head at her own tales by the time she finished.

She looked over to Joseph and chuckled, “So that was the long way of answering your question. Yes, I’ve often been to Qo’Nos, and I don’t think Qo’Nos likes me much.” Enyd chuckled at herself, shaking her head. “What about you? Have you been planetside yet?”

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #5 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

"Two birds with one stone. Smart."

A small nod of agreement, he followed Enyd to the treadmill, setting his bag beside the adjacent treadmill, which had remained vacant since he arrived. That done, he stepped onto the conveyor and began programming  his preferred pace. Listening to Enyd as he started to jog.

"You mean proof other than your recent encounter with the yoga mats?"

He asked, mirroring her grin as he prepared to listen to these tales of both chaos and misfortune. He couldn't imagine being attacked by a bear mid date, somehow that scenario seemed less likely than a jailbreak from the Tal Shiar. Nonetheless, it seemed Enyd was a seasoned adventurer, regardless of whether she wanted to be or not. Who knew Diplomats could find themselves in such trouble? Joe always harboured the perhaps naïve notion that the diplomatic corps was all talking about things, arguing and making compromises.

Maybe he chose the wrong department-

"Not for a while, I've been in sickbay for most of the voyage actually. But I've been to Qo'nos plenty of times before. I've got an Aunt and Uncle who live there."

Oh, he'd nearly forgotten about them! He'd been so preoccupied with everything else that it had escaped his notice that they were close to the Klingon homeworld and he could visit without risk of consequence. Deciding he needed to visit them at some point, he filed that mental note away for later.

"Qo'nos doesn't like anyone. It's usually full of thunderstorms, there's tons of volcanoes and most of the wildlife wants to eat you. How do you think Klingons became such good warriors?"

Despite his complaints however, he still had a soft spot for the planet, and that was clear from the smile on his face. Yes, he'd definitely have to go planetside at some point before Theurgy left.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #6 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“Oh?” Enyd couldn’t recall seeing him in sickbay the dozen or so times she’d had to go because of her many haphazard adventures. “If you don’t mind my asking, what kept you in sickbay so long? I was a frequent ‘flyer,’ so to speak, and I don’t remember seeing your handsome face lying on any the beds.” In her peripherals, she saw his face change at the mention of his aunt and uncle, almost like surprise. “When was the last time you saw them? Your aunt and uncle.” She was half tempted to ask where on the planet they lived but decided not to. She didn’t want to come across as the interrogating type. She laughed at his description of the planet and nodded, “You certainly aren’t kidding. It has its beauty, of course, but it seems to be the definition of dangerous beauty.”

Enyd readjusted the controls of the treadmill, still keeping away from the randomized intervals but increasing the incline for more of a challenge. After the break in the conversation, Enyd again glanced at Joseph.

“So how does one go about getting to be a transporter officer? Of all the jobs on the ship, that one ranks fairly high in my list of ‘most complicated’ because if you mess up, you’ve just ended someone’s life, or at least potentially.” Enyd grimaced, realizing she’d added in callous humor before checking first. “I’m sorry if I spoke too soon, Joseph. I know transporter accidents happen, and I didn’t mean to come across as uncaring.”

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #7 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

"Oh, I was one of the crew in Cryosleep." So they probably kept me in a locker or something."

He replied, a small grin at the thought that technically, he was even more of a 'frequent flier' than she was. Also at the complement, even if it was only in passing.

A small tilt of his head as he recalled the last time he'd seen his family, it had certainly been a while. Maybe he'd spent too long on starships. He'd slightly neglected to visit his family as often as he should.

"Not for a while, I think. When I was on leave from the Gallagher."

He responded to her question, recalling the ship with some fondness. He'd been fortunate enough to get a post as comfortable as the Gallagher, especially for his first assignment. Maybe it was the Universe making up for lost time, that caused him to be assigned to the Theurgy and sustain a nearly fatal head injury after just one mission.

"Transporter Officer? Well I was always going to go into Operations. I didn't realise that I was good with transporters until my second year at the Academy. It kinda stuck since."

He'd always thought he was a good fit at an Ops console, however one of his classmates beat him to it and he, as a result, was made to take transporter duty instead. Only to find he was quite good at it. Thankfully, he'd avoided any 'fatal accidents' as Enyd put it.

"Accidents do happen, but luckily, not while I've been at the console. No, I like to think that you're in safe hands when I'm in charge of the transporter."

He'd chuckle slightly with this statement, hoping to put Enyd at ease again. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel as though she'd offended him in some way.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #8 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

Enyd raised an eyebrow, the gesture similar to her full-blooded Vulcan kin, “I hope I don’t come across as too nosey, but what put you into the cryosleep?” Considering that’s precisely where her former chief, Rutherford, was now, Enyd found herself far more curious than she might have been this same time just the week before.

She nodded at mentioning a name,’s name though she had no clue what type it would have been or how many would be stationed on it. Theurgy was her first ship; she was proof that one could go through officer candidate school to serve in Starfleet and have very little knowledge of the ships and their classes and compliments. Her legs were telling her it was time to adjust the angle of the incline and Enyd slowly did so as she continued to listen to Joseph. She was glad she hadn’t inadvertently offended the man. It was still early; she’d only had one cup of coffee before coming to the gym, and it was a miracle that she even sounded coherent at this point.

Tilting her head to the side, Enyd studied Joseph a moment before asking, “Do you know Lieutenant Leavitt?”

She knew Joseph hadn’t been the officer on duty when she and Alistair had beamed back from their date on Qo’Nos. That didn’t mean that the officer on duty hadn’t told Joseph about Alistair's state. So far, Joseph hadn’t looked at Enyd as if she was “the one he was talking about,” so perhaps there was little to worry about. Before Joseph could reply, Enyd stopped the treadmill and gestured toward the rowing machines, “Do you mind if we hit up another type of cardio? My legs are telling me I should refocus my attention further northward for a wee bit.”

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #9 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

"What put me in cryosleep? Well, a panel exploded behind me."

Pressing a few buttons, his treadmill began to slow to a stop and Joe kept pace with it as he continued to explain, gesturing to the back of his head as he spoke. Having decided to stop for a brief moment to retrieve his water from his bag.

"Quite nasty actually, I was out of commission until we encountered the Savi. I owe V-Nine, I suppose."

He mused on the idea for a moment as his treadmill stopped. What did one even get an alien robot as a way of saying thanks?

Snapped out of this thought by her question, he tilted his head somewhat as he thought. This was another crewmate, he believed. Although given his listing as an Assistant Chief of Operations, it would perhaps be wise to familiarise himself with what would likely turn out to be his new boss.

"I don't think so, He's Assistant Chief of Operations isn't he?"

Wanting to be sure his memory was still alright, he'd found himself doubting it somewhat, a blow to the head, being frozen and then immediately having an alien operation afterward were bound to do that. Even if it was just his body catching up from being a human iceberg for six months.

Now stepping off the treadmill, he turned away, hoisting his bag over his shoulder again. As he stood and waited for Enyd to lead the way, he took a moment to finally grab a bottle of water from the bag and take a swig of its ice cold contents. The joy of replicators..

"Northward it is."

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #10 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“Yeah, the exploding panel would do it.” Enyd dryly commented with a headshake.

Being her first tour on a starship, it was sinking in how dangerous these posts were. Even with all the fine amenities of holodecks, steam baths, arboretums, and gymnasiums, by and large, she’d nearly met with death more in the past two weeks than at any other posting, and that included Cardassia. At least on Cardassia she’d only been at true threat once, and on Vulcan only when she pushed herself through the pilgrimage. But here, it seemed every other turn had her bumping into another near-death experience. It was a wonder the ship wasn’t filled to the brim with devil-may-care psychopaths, because one could be exposed to those types of scenarios only so much and for so long before it took its toll.

“I’ve only seen a few Savi myself, but have yet to work with any of them directly. I’ve met crew who like them and crew who hate them and everything in between.” Enyd shrugged, waiting until Joseph was free of his momentary distraction before leading the way to the rowing machines. “I can understand both sides, having read up on their interactions from a third-party perspective.”

Enyd felt that small coil of concern ease away from her gut at Joseph’s lack of knowledge of Alistair. Either he was the best actor on the ship, or he truly was ignorant of everything. She chose the machines closest to the bulkhead—not liking to have her back to major through-ways—and set out programming her machine for a lake scene to show on the monitor, with the draw strength to reflect the body of water.

“Yes, he and I had an interesting outing on Qo’Nos not long ago. And I’d like to warn you of Klingon comedy as a result.” Enyd couldn’t help the blush that tinged her cheeks. “We both wrote official reports of the gist of how things went in case anyone else wanted to experience that part of Klingon culture.” Enyd shook her head, forcing a light laugh. “It was a surprising adventure, to say the least.” She didn’t speak again until she’d adjusted the seat and footrests according to her height and laid hold of the row bar. “If you don’t mind my asking, what was one of the craziest cultural encounters you’ve had in the service? Because I can say that night with Alistair was one of my tops, and I’m in the diplomatic corps.” She gave a playful wink before she began her rowing, waiting for him to either share or deflect.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #11 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

A small nod at her dry reply, he followed her to the rowing machines, listening to her recount her limited experience with the Savi race. He hadn't yet had the opportunity to find out what his peers thought of the aliens, having been far too busy with medical tests and settling back in to his old quarters. Ensuring one was fully thawed was a slow process, it seemed. Although he'd assumed it would be around a week before finally, he could continue uninterrupted.

Selecting the machine beside her to resume their conversation, he set his bag to one side and configured the rowing machine to a similar setting. A grin breaking across his face as she warned him about Klingon comedy.

"I suppose I'll give that report a read when I'm free. My Uncle told me that Klingon humour is a little different than human. I wonder if it'll be appealing."

He'd adjust his seat accordingly, although didn't require as much work to do so. Evidently the previous occupant had been a similar size to him.

"Craziest cultural encounter, huh?"

He'd muse, starting to find a regular rhythm as the simulated boat began to move forwards.

"Surprisingly, the craziest would have to be a friend of mine from the Academy. T'Mana, her name is. She was..."

Joe paused for a moment, as if trying to find the words to describe her. Finding no real alternative that could encapsulate her personality as well, he sighed in defeat and finished his sentence.

"Well, she was very Vulcan. For want of a better term. Quite cold, maybe a little condescending..."

Yet despite what were obviously unpleasant traits, he couldn't help but smile at the memory. evidently, something had changed between this first meeting and the present. He did wonder where his friend was now. Hopefully not arrested or otherwise punished by the Federation for being connected to a fugitive...

 

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #12 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“Klingon comedy is not for the faint of heart, let me tell you.” Enyd spoke between rows, “Not only do the comedians actively fight each other, they also invite the audience to heckle and fight them as well. Then there’s the performance art aspect,” Enyd’s cheeks warmed as she remembered the amount of nudity involved that evening, “with much of the performance not including clothes. And, well, yeah. Unless you’re trying to do a ‘trial by chaotic fire’ style first date, I’d suggest you take a date by at least the third outing, not the first.”

Enyd watched in her peripherals as he adjusted his seat and took position, starting but not finishing a story. Curious, she slowed her rowing just long enough to give him an exaggerated expression of expectation.

“Come on, you can’t start a tale with a name and a description like that and not finish! I achieved my master’s degree at the Metternich on Vulcan and once I finished my first posting on Cardassia, I took up a position at the embassy on Vulcan. That was just before transferring here. So when you say ‘very Vulcan’ I can imagine what you mean, but,” she waved excitedly in the air between them for encouragement, “you’ve got to give me more, Adams!”

She resumed her rowing only after giving her workout companion another eager smile, hoping he’d take the hint and finish his story. Or offer another instead.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #13 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

"So that's why my Uncle didn't let me see any shows."

He replied with a small raise of his brow. Of course Klingons encouraged their hecklers to fight them. He should have guessed. Another small nod of his head at her advice, he grinned. Obviously, he had no intention of exposing a potential date to such a scenario, as fun as it might have seemed.

These thoughts mixing with those of T'Mara and wondering about the situation of his friend remained distracting, so much so that it took Enyd's excited movements and encouragement for him to snap out of this momentary daze. A small shake of his head clearing all but the most essential parts of the story.

"Right! Sorry! Well, we were both at the Academy. I was in Ops and she was doing Engineering courses, so we shared a few classes. She was very standoffish to begin with. A lot of people thought she was a little rude too. I don't think she meant to be, though."

A small shrug, he'd since continued rowing after the small distraction and had balanced both this and reciting the context of the incident.

"We ended up on the same ship too, the USS Gallagher. I think I mentioned it earlier."

Indeed, the two of them were nearly inseparable. Conclusions could be drawn whether it was by choice or through circumstance, however the smile on the Ensign's face definitely seemed to mean he remembered the 'rude, standoffish' Vulcan with fondness.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #14 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

Enyd nodded in understanding at the description of Joseph’s former colleague, “Yes, it takes a lot of exposure and even more patience to pick on the very subtle emotional cues emitted by Vulcans. And of course, never tell them to their face that you’ve deciphered those emotional cues or they’ll look at you like you’ve peed in their morning tea. But yes, I can imagine a whole slew of misunderstandings cropping up between your average Vulcan and a human. I lived it.”

She paused to take a drink from her water bottle, mind wandering over the many available stories from her past regarding misunderstandings with Vulcans. It wasn't easy to pinpoint just one to share, but she figured one would suffice. She certainly didn’t want to monopolize the conversation.

“Did she ever feel like you were courting her and misunderstand a simple gesture of kindness as a gesture requesting deepened intimacy?” Enyd waggled her eyebrows at Joseph, setting aside her water bottle and resuming her rowing. “Before I joined Starfleet, I studied with an entirely different ‘brand’ of Vulcan, and let me tell you, for as standoffish as they may appear, some of them are very, very randy and quick to presume sexual interest where there is none. Or at least, that was my experience at the Metternich. A mutual friend informed me that one of my Vulcan peers thought we were dating and would consummate the courtship over the next long break.” Enyd laughed, nodding her head. “The ensuing conversation was as awkward as you can imagine. But we came through okay in the end. I attended his wedding a few years later. Must’ve had a thing for humans, though, because he married one. A similarly lusty one at that.”

Enyd paused again, this time to increase the strength of the row.

“Tellerite, Andorian, Vulcan, Cardassian, Ferengi, human.” She glanced at Joseph and smiled. “Those are the species I’ve had near-romantic encounters with, or rather, romantic misunderstandings with. I feel like Starfleet should create a new course on how to extricate yourself from unintended romantic interludes. What about you?”

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #15 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz


A small grin of amusement at the movement of her eyebrows, swiftly followed by a shake of his head.

"Surprisingly, no. That being said though, everyone else in the Academy probably thought we were. Given how few people talked to her for our first year."

She was definitely right about the emotional cues. T'Mara had been, and likely still was to this day, a mystery dressed in a Starfleet uniform wrapped inside a Jefferies Tube. It had taken him the better part of 3 years to work out the basics, and the remaining two years on board the Gallagher to manage to teach her sarcasm. He'd been almost like a proud parent when she actually used it. And stunned momentarily of course.

"Still, I managed to teach her sarcasm. So I think we both rubbed off on one another."

Resuming his own rowing as Enyd continued to speak, he nodded in agreement.  Romantic misunderstandings were surprisingly common.

"You've got a point. If nothing else, what if we fancy someone from another Quadrant and vice versa? How are we supposed to deal with that? I'm sure it must happen a lot, since Starfleet is huge..."

At least in his case, he was hopeless on that front. It was much easier to be friendly to someone than it was to try and romance them. Although, at least he'd apparently had better luck than Enyd when it came to awkward interactions.

"I couldn't imagine dealing with all of that, I'd just die of embarrassment on the spot."



He replied, pausing to increase the difficulty of his own workout.  Finishing his sentence, he was soon back at it, rowing against a more thick liquid, somewhere between Porridge and Custard in its viscosity. As such, his rowing was much slower. Apart from the T'Mara situation, no particularly awkward situations of note seemed to come to mind. Maybe the odd bar conversation with an attractive stranger, but aside from that, nothing.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #16 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“I know what it’s like to have a reputation for being something you’re not,” Enyd smirked at the memory. “I was very fascinated and amused to find out I’d had over a dozen sexual encounters in my first year of study with Starfleet. Transferring in from the civilian route got me more than a few dislikes from some of my peers, who decided to dig at me via my reputation. Going old school with their tactics.” Shrugging, Enyd continued her rowing. “At least the people I supposedly had sex with turned out to be genuinely nice people. I met with each of them individually to let them know I wasn’t the one spreading the rumors and yeah, it turned out they were decent folks just as confused and amused at the situation as I. One even wanted to turn things around and give the rumor a basis for a fact, but I wasn’t interested.”

When Joseph spoke of teaching his Vulcan classmate about sarcasm, Enyd laughed, having to pause in her rowing. She could easily imagine how long it had taken him and how many misunderstandings as well.

“The courses offered at the Academy are there because of necessity. As the Federation continues to admit more members and the body of Starfleet is more infused with other cultures, it will become an ever greater necessity to include inter-species intercourse methods 101 classes.” Enyd offered the sentiment in jest but knew it was a fact. “I’ve had my fair share of misunderstandings, but certainly not to the level as some of my peers. At least we have the UT helping us out. Imagine what it was like for Archer and the other pioneers of Terran space travel, in the pre-Federation days?”

Enyd stopped rowing and glanced over at the mats. They’d been occupied with a few wrestlers earlier but were now open. Looking back to Joseph, Enyd nodded toward them.

“Do you ever do partner-assisted stretching? I was hoping to work out some kinks before hitting the showers. I actually have a meeting with the captain soon and if I can go in with less tension in my muscles, that would be grand.”

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #17 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

"Oh, Academy rumours? There's plenty of those still around. It's actually kind of fun to find things out about yourself that you weren't aware of."

Some wit present in his statement, he grinned again at the thought. If he had a rank pip for every rumour he heard regarding himself and another student (Typically the aforementioned T'Mara) then he'd already be a Captain many times over. Besides, being one of very few non Klingons at the academy who spoke the language was bound to raise a few eyebrows. Maybe one or two thought he'd been surgically altered to appear human?

"You're not wrong there. You might actually have predicted something that they might introduce too."

He could certainly see a inter-species relations course being taught at the academy, although perhaps not involving as much intercourse .  Such behaviour was quite disgraceful for a Starfleet officer. There's more in space than things to bone after all..

"If memory serves, they had a Vulcan Science Officer aboard, didn't they?"

While his Terran Space Age history was a little rusty, he could certainly recall there being a 'chaperone' aboard the NX Enterprise. Ironically also an example of inter-human relations, if again, memory served.

At her question, he shrugged before nodding slightly, slowing down his rowing so he could stop the 'oars' in such a way that they were aligned for the next person.

"I'm familiar with them, but I don't often get the opportunity."

He replied, the reason being lack of partner. He rarely exercised with others even before 'hitting the ice' and especially less so now, where half of the crew were complete strangers.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #18 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“I won’t presume your enjoyment of the process and say, ‘today is your lucky day.’” Enyd winked at Joseph as she led the way to the mat and then took a wide stance on the plushness underfoot. “There’s a flow series I like to do whenever I can have a partner that focuses mostly on opening up the hip and lower back and ensuring mobility. The focus is on one leg at a time for each stretch, with light pressure from the partner on the leg, for approximately thirty seconds at a time.” Enyd glanced at Joseph one more time before she unceremoniously plopped onto her rear at his feet. “I can go first if you prefer?”

Still without a preamble, Enyd lowered herself onto her back, speaking through the series of stretches and vaguely moving her legs and hips to demonstrate each of the seven moves. The first required Joseph to take hold of her right heel in his hands while he knelt between her legs, his right foot locked over her left leg to secure its position, pressing forward with his hands on her right let to bring Enyd’s extended leg into an L position for a deep stretch. The second was similar but with her right leg crossed over her body, knee bent towards her armpit, while Joseph stepped his left foot up against her left thigh to keep it locked in line with the rest of her body, his right shin behind the bend of Enyd’s right knee. This one required Joseph to keep a hand on Enyd’s opposite shoulder for each leg stretched to prevent it from lifting off the ground. The third had one of her legs braced against his ankle as he walked the leg towards her head. The fourth was a typical butterfly stretch, but with Josphe’s hands on her knees, pushing her knees closer to the ground while Enyd lay on her back. The fifth had Joseph taking Enyd’s right foot and placing it on his left pec, then taking Enyd’s left ankle and crossing it over her right knee before using his body weight to press her right leg towards her chest. The sixth required Enyd to place both of her feet on the ground with knees up in the air, legs together, with Joseph kneeling beside her, taking one foot at a time and lowering her knee down and inward to where her foot used to be, using one of his hands to brace on her hips to keep them from lifting off the ground.

Enyd rolled onto her belly to demonstrate the last move, unpartnered, to Joseph, speaking over her shoulder as she did so, “For this one, you’d grab hold of my left knee and lift it up, pressing my foot towards my left glute and at the same time using your left hand to press gently on my left low back to ensure my hips don’t lift off the ground. And like all the others, you’d hold for thirty seconds, then switch to the other side.” Rolling back onto her back, Enyd smiled up at Joseph, “Ready for this?”

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #19 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

"It'd be bold of you to say that, yeah. We'll see how it goes."

A grin crossing his face, particularly at the wink sent his way, he paused as the woman proceeded to demonstrate each stretch on the floor in front of him. Confusion lifting as he tried to follow along with what Enyd wanted him to do, he did his best to pay attention. A little surprised at the apparent ease she seemed to stretch

"I think I got some of that...You might need to walk me through it while we do it."

He replied with a small nod, slowly bringing himself down into a kneeling position in front of Enyd before again, he paused, recalling the first position she demonstrated.

"So...Right heel in both hands? Then something with my right leg..?"

Tilting his head, he met Enyd's gaze questioningly, hoping he was more or less right about what he was supposed to do. He also figured that it would likely become necessary for Enyd to repeat herself and walk through each step again, as they proceeded. Just to make sure he was doing it right. Potentially compromising stretching positions aside. It would definitely be ironic if he himself somehow made the list of Enyd's rumoured suitors after their prior discussion on misunderstandings.

A little funny too, but that was beside the point.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #20 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“Yeah, it goes right here,” using her natural flexibility, Enyd curled around to help Joseph place his right foot where it was supposed to go, “then we just hold this for thirty seconds before switching sides. And after both sides, we just keep on going.”

She was quiet for the time it took to count through the first side and the second as well, only speaking up when it came time to explain the next pose. It required a little more “intimacy” for them both, but Enyd trusted Joseph not to read anything into the stretch as they moved into it together. Understanding being so close together quietly could be awkward, and almost just as awkward to force conversation as well, Enyd decided towards the ‘continued conversation’ side of the spectrum.

“So if I knew a single girl, or guy, who was interested in going out for a night of fun, would I turn them in your direction, and what sort of fun would I be telling them you’d be down for?” She recognized that it was an odd question to ask regardless of the circumstances but also to ask it while the stretch routine placed him between her legs, leaning forward against her knees, made it all the stranger.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #21 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

A little relieved at the conversation, something to cling onto to avoid thinking too much about what they were doing, he nodded somewhat at her question. Answering it wordlessly, but deciding to follow up with a verbal answer, he raised a brow at the question.

"Do you know a single girl, or guy, who's interested?"

He asked. a small tilt of his head following the statement. Well, it was one way to meet the crew he hadn't already, on one hand. On the other, however, he doubted there was very much he was interested in that could be translated into the atmosphere of a date. Dates were all, dinner in restaurants, picnics in fields, dancing in ballrooms, whereas he'd be more interested in using the holodeck for flight simulators or holonovel adventures of some kind. Not exactly the sort of thing that people did for dates. In fact, he was fairly certain that people much preferred the opposite. More relaxed, romantic enviroments. He had the strong feeling that he'd be out of his comfort zone there. Unless there was someone on this ship who happened to be just as bad as this as he was.

Which, come to think of it, could be possible. Theurgy had a standard complement of 870 Starfleet personnel alone  Who knows how that number had changed. The ship was still here, after all, so that probably meant the number was similar, if not exactly the same.

It was almost dizzying to think about, so many people aboard the ship.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #22 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“Well,” Enyd shifted positions and waited for Joseph to settle himself between her legs. To the casual onlooker, Enyd knew their partnered stretches would look more like slow, clothed, dry humping, but she was unconcerned. “I know more than a few single males and females, I suppose it has more to do with your preferences as to which I’d send your way.”

Breathing through the first moments of discomfort for the new stretch, Enyd continued, “If you’re keen on threesomes or even more than that, I can hook you up with some adventurous types. Or if you prefer a more dyadic relationship, I know a few for that as well.” Enyd chuckled, briefly making eye contact with Joseph. “I can say, it seems there are more females than males on the ship, and of those females, many of them seem open to open relationships.”

The conversation hit another lull as they moved to the last of the series of stretches, this time with Joseph behind her while Enyd lay on her stomach.

“So what say you? Do you prefer one sex over the other? The more adventuresome type or the more academic type? In my position,” Enyd paused, laughed, then spoke through her chuckles, “present position notwithstanding.”

The stretches finished and feeling most of the tension she’d built up over the past few days released from her muscles, Enyd rolled onto her back with a giddy smile. Holding a hand up to Joseph, she continued, “I’ve met many of the crew and can be a very good wingwoman.” Once back on her feet, Enyd excitedly patted his arm and gestured to the mat, "Your turn. I promise it feels great, even if it looks awkward. Trust me."

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #23 –
[Ens. Joseph Adams | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @Ellen Fitz

Well, he'd expected there to be plenty of people, but the idea of there being such a...range was staggering. Did Enid really know that many people who were single? It was a difficult question too, just what was he into exactly?

It was a little like being a kid in a sweet shop and being told you had free range of its entire stock, one never quite knew where to begin. So he decided to be as broad as possible. Maybe he'd find out somewhere along the way.

"I'm not entirely sure, actually, I suppose it'll be a good idea to just...wing it."

He replied with a shrug. Deciding to utterly throw himself upon Enid's mercy, he sighed before speaking again.

"I guess you could just throw whoever at me and we'll see how it goes.."

He suggested, an arched brow. He was sure that someone, eventually, would catch his eye, romantically speaking. And if things didn't work out as expected, there was still the opportunity of getting to know someone new. That was a plus.

Although at her offer, he did tilt his head in surprise, he was under the impression she hadn't much time.

"Don't you have a meeting with the Captain?"

He asked, surprised at her appearing to risk being late. Also admittedly a little skeptical about her claim, nonetheless laying down on the mat as she had done. Waiting for her instructions.

"I don't want to make you late.."

He added, sitting up from his previous position briefly to make eye contact with Enid properly. Lying on the ground felt a little compromising to be perfectly honest.

Re: Day 13 [ 0600 hrs.] Chaos Rising in the Morning

Reply #24 –
[Lt. Enyd Isolde Madsen | Upper Gymnasium | Deck 6 | USS Theurgy ] Attn @tongieboi

“Winging it is sometimes the best thing to do,” grinning, Enyd recalled her efforts to wing it at a Cardassian bar and shook her head, “except with certain species. Going into a potentially romantic scenario without a plan, or a way out, can prove difficult depending on the species.” At his innocent comment about having anyone tossed at him, Enyd paused, trying to picture how Joseph, as she knew him so far, would respond to the likes of Zark or Via. Both mental images brought a greater smile to Enyd’s face, and she had to shake her head, waving the man to get into position on the mat, “I’ll remind you you said that in the future, Adams.”

After glancing at the clock, Enyd shrugged, “We have just enough time to go through the same set for you, and then I’ll have to head on out. Would feel bad for getting you into such a position,” she grinned at his semi-sprawled self on the mat at her feet, “without complete follow through. Besides, if anyone is watching us and desiring to take things out of context,” Enyd looked around at the gym that sported a few others but that was still far from crowded, “then it is only fair we give them a balanced misconception.”

Kneeling next to him, Enyd pushed at Joseph’s shoulders before grabbing hold of his ankle and helping to manipulate him into the first stretch. “Also, if I’m to advocate for you to my single friends, I need to know how limber you are.” She winked to take the sting away from the grossly inappropriate comment. “But on a more serious note, I recommend keeping your eyes and ears peeled for the likes of Zark zh’Ptrell, security medic, or Via Wix, member of the Wolves. Both are a hoot to be around, and both tend to attract a fair amount of chaos, though of the most delightful kind. If you’re trying to get your feet back under you after the stasis, running into either of them will be a good bet you’ll get them under you and start running simultaneously.”

They moved through the series of stretches methodically as when she’d been on the receiving end. Aside from a few eyebrow raises and quizzical looks of the other gym-goers, no one stopped to ogle their work. Instead, they came to the end of the series without interruption, and true to her word, Enyd stood and extended a hand to Joseph to help him up. Once on his feet, Enyd reached out and lightly patted his shoulder.

“It’s been a pleasure, Joseph. I hope to see you around soon. And remember what I said about Zark and Via,” Enyd grinned, “I’m not saying avoid them. If anything, the opposite, if or when you need a distraction.” Giving him another light arm pat, Enyd dipped her head in farewell. “I’m off to woo the captain to another crazy idea, so I’ll leave you in peace.”

Giving him an archaic wave, Enyd headed to the exit, eager for a shower and less eager for the meeting.
 
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