Previous Next

Lunchtime Encounter

Posted on Fri Jan 10th, 2025 @ 6:26am by Lieutenant Naoe Kanno & Lieutenant Commander Sakaan

1,567 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Season 1, Episode 0: "A Time To Heal"
Location: Mess Hall

After a morning of wrenching on the Twingo chasing a problem with the fuel system, it was time for Naoe to grab some lunch. So, she made her way from the shuttlebay to the Yorktown's mess hall, strolling up to the replicator to order a dish to be expected of a former professional pizza delivery driver:

"Pizza, large, extra pepperoni, traditional crust."

The pizza materialized before her in a large box printed with the Starfleet delta on it. Plucking it from the replicator just as she would the warmers at the restaurant, Naoe turned and began seeking out an available table, one that she could ideally sit at alone and enjoy her meal in peace...

Predictably busy, the Mess Hall was thronged with people. Sakaan had managed to grab a table for herself, her PADD and her her Turkish pide. The crust of the bread was convenient for her to eat her food and read the reports she had requested to her PADD to make the most efficient use of her meal time. As she had hoped, most of the crew had avoided her given her department and their un-earned reputation for listening in on everything.

Due to Naoe picking a bad time to grab lunch, there wasn't a single available table in the mess hall, so Naoe had begun looking for tables occupied by only one or two officers. She'd already been turned away because officers were waiting on the rest of their parties. Naoe had several times walked past the table occupied by a Vulcan Intelligence officer, hoping to find alternatives, but now things were getting desperate, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could resist the pizza's scent while looking for a table.

"Excuse me?" Naoe asked as she stepped up to Sakaan's table. "Are you waiting on someone else to join you?"

'I am not,' Sakaan replied, honesty overcoming her want to read her PADDS. Looking up at the Lieutenant in command red, she nodded, indicating the empty seats around her. 'Please make use of the free seats. You've been looking long enough for a place to sit, don't you think?'

"Indeed, I have:" Naoe responded as she sat down and flipped open the pizza box. "I was just about ready to find some out of the way corner to eat my pizza in. Oh, feel free to have some if you want: My eyes always tend to be bigger than my stomach."

'None for me, thanks,' Sakaan replied with a polite palm-outward gesture. 'One of the few things I still hold to from my upbringing is a vegetarian diet. I've found over the years that it is much more agreeable to the Vulcan body than eating meat.' She paused a moment, curiosity flickering in her eyes then asked, 'you're one of our flight-control officers, are you not?'

"You could say that..." Naoe said as she took a bite of the pizza. "You'd be more accurate to say that I'm the lead flight control officer. The buck stops with me in regards to the flying of the ship and operating of the shuttles."

Is that ego prompting the response? Sakaan wondered as she studied the officer a moment, falling back into her training as she would a jacket. After a moment's cool consideration, she filed the notion away to be observed at a later date. 'I suppose being the lead officer takes you away from what you actually enjoy the most - piloting? And driving, if the automobile aboard is any indication.'

"I see that thing has become something of a celebrity, hasn't it?" Naoe remarked. "Nah, I actually enjoy some of the more maintenance-oriented tasks. Frankly, I'd rather be covered in grease and sweat in the shuttlebay than on the bridge with the Captain's eyes on me like I'm constantly about to scratch her ship."

'So, being the lead has taken you away from what you actually enjoy,' Sakaan replied with a nod of her head. 'I find that humans have an affinity for that which is older than them. During my time in Starfleet I'm fairly sure on every tour there's been a human who has a collection of rare collectible books, antique weaponry. If I recall correctly, one Commander had a hanger full of early to mid twentieth century aircraft back on Alpha Centauri.' She spread her hands, 'this isn't something that you find amongst other species - even those with comparable life-spans as humans. Why do you think that working, collecting and displaying objects from humanity's past is such a popular set of hobbies?'

"Have any of those Humans ever let you live their hobby through their eyes?" Naoe asked. "Sorry, terrible metaphor- what I'm trying to say is, I suck at explaining, but I give really good demonstrations. I'd be happy to show you why old cars are fun to me after this, if you have some time?"

'I would be happy to experience a demonstration,' Sakaan replied. 'Though I imagine that it is the noise and speed is what gives you the pleasure. I assume a demonstration on the holodeck? I doubt you could race the Twingo down a Constitution's corridors, as good a driver as you may be.'

"Yeah, it would have to be the holodeck." Naoe sighed. "The Constitution III's corridors may be wider than the average Starfleet corridor, but they're still not wide enough to drive a car down."

Her lip twitched, as much as she would have liked to have seen the attempt to race a ship's corridors, Sakaan conceded it was mostly impossible. 'Perhaps when you're aboard a Starbase you could ask for permission for an attempt.'

"My last assignment was a Starbase." Naoe responded. "Ever heard of Starbase Dutch Harbor?"

'Indeed - one of our many facilities along the Romulan Neutral Zone.' Sakaan quirked an eyebrow as she recalled a piece of information. 'I believe the entire complement of garrison vessels are all derivations of the Defiant class? Quite an unusual arrangement, I'm sure you would agree.' She looked at the younger pilot, 'it seems quite a few of us have served in close proximity to the Romulans. Quite a logical criterion for this crew, would you not agree?'

"If we were to go to war with the Romulans tomorrow, we'd probably be the most prepared ship in the fleet." Naoe commented. "Unfortunately, I don't think that's what Starfleet has planned for us."

'War is not something to be wished for,' Sakaan replied quietly, remembering well her time during the Dominion War. 'Far better for us to prevent one from breaking out, and extending the hand of friendship to those who ask for it, don't you think?'

"Indeed I do." Naoe nodded. "It's about time I work to repay the favor that got me out of that hellhole."

'What hellhole?' asked the Vulcan, putting her utensils down as she leaned in to listen more closely.

"Ever heard of the Crimea penitentiary on Earth?" Naoe asked.

She shook her head, 'I have not,' Sakaan replied. 'Is it similar to the penitentiary colony in New Zealand. Intrigued by the officer's history, she waited for the response.

"Indeed it is." Naoe responded. "It had something to do with the aftermath of World War III, something about it being the only sensible compromise over the peninsula's status. Of course, I think that was before the United Earth was formed, when nation states still existed on Earth."

From what little Naoe could recall, it seemed evident that talking about the history of the prison she had been interned in wasn't something she really wanted to discuss at great length.

Sakaan blinked, and waited a moment, hoping for more. When it became apparent that Noe would not continue she spoke up. 'I sympathise with your history, Lieutenant. We are both products of harsh environments, though mine are through choice and assignment rather than involuntary confinement.' She paused once more, then said, 'it is said that talking through these things can help. If we arrive at the point that wish to talk, I submit the logical choice is myself given my experiences. As I am Vulcan, I will not be offended should you not take up that opportunity.' Sakaan arched an eyebrow.

"Tell you what, when you become a certified counselor, I'll tell you a bit more about me." Naoe said sarcastically.

A feeling of irritation crested in Sakaan before she clamped it down firmly. 'I do not offer it as a counsellor Lieutenant. I doubt they have your service experience and would simply refer you to textbook course that would likely offer you nothing of value.' She shrugged in imitation of the humans she had spent time with, 'it is your choice, of course, and you will not cause any offence with any decision you make.'

When the Vulcan clarified, Naoe was admittedly curious as to what the other woman meant.

"How about this?" Naoe proposed. "Let me think on it, and I'll get back to you, then."

'That is a reasonable counter-proposal,' Sakaan replied controlling the feeling of satisfaction that welled up inside herself. 'Take as much time as you need.'

Posting by

Lieutenant Commander Sakaan
Chief Intelligence Officer

Lieutenant Naoe Kanno
Chief Flight Control Officer

 

Previous Next

RSS Feed RSS Feed