A Guest for Dinner

Posted on 07 May 2020 @ 2:47am by Lieutenant Sovok & Lieutenant Quinle Rahl

3,767 words; about a 19 minute read

Mission: Changing Faces
Location: Ten-forward

Quinle sat in ten-forward eating with her head up, her long neck exposed to the light as she mechanically cut and ate, bite after bite making its way from plate to mouth without thought to each bite she was taking. Settled into her own thoughts, or possible communicating with her symbiot, as she sat with her legs flat on the floor before her staring off into nowhere.

Dressed in a freshly replicated uniform, the grey and red Lieutenant Sovok entered the area known as Ten Forward. The middle-aged Vulcan was the talk of much conversation lately: a civilian promoted to Chief Helm Officer, even if he was a decorated Starfleet officer, surely ruffled some feathers. Still, no worry crossed the bridge officer's face as he surveyed the room; no emotion did.

Like so many of his kin, he was extremely hard to read. His expression was passive, but his eyes were anything but. His gaze was keen, exact, and sharp. He observed and processed details at an alarming rate; a trait common among high level ship pilots. In the time it took him to inhale and exhale a calm breath, he had observed each person in Ten Forward, each exit of the area, and the ranks of each of the bar's patrons.

Seeing a person he had not been introduced to, he quietly walked up to Quinle, standing far enough away as to not loom over her, but near enough to alert her to his presence. Like all his actions, the distance had been calculated using some sort of formula. He stood there silently, letting her finish her bite, and to be the one to speak first.

The ship's counselor had not noted Sovok's appearance until he was at the edge of her vision as lost in thought as she was, turning her head with a measured smile on her face she knew instantly who he was, which was no surprise with the whispers on the ship and the gossip that was passed to her in her sessions.

"Lieutenant Sovok, I am pleased we are finally meeting." She laid down her fork and knife then gestured to the seat across from her, one that was often empty just due to the nature of her position on the ship. "If you would care to join me?"

Her eyes were dark, almost black and today she had her hair braided up in an intricate figure eight twist held in place with antique earth onyx sticks that blended into the deep black twist. The uniform she wore was impeccable and the only addition that reflected her nature was a pair of earrings that draped below her ears, chains chimed softly as she turned her head and the silver brushed her jaw bone.

"Councilor." Sovok said in greeting. He looked to the chair in front of Quinle and then back to her before nodding and taking a seat. Sovok was of a slightly larger build than your average vulcan, and it became more apparent when he sat, the tightening of his uniform gave brief previews of that the modest, conservative garb tried to conceal.

Like his posture, the vulcan's appearance was impeccable. His black hair was evenly cut in a bowl shape. His face was devoid of all facial hair, even stubble. So accurate and exact was his grooming routine that it was quite possible that he did such with, quite literal, laser precussion.

"I am pleased to finally meet you." He said dryly. "I have found councilors aboard Starfleet vessels to be treasure troves of knowledge and debate."

"Well, we will have to see if I continue this trend for you then." She said, her smile warming as she focused on him, the gift of her profession allowed her to focus on him alone in the room. "Philosophy was a course of study for me in the past, that and art studies."

She was youthful in face and her form was soft, though she was taller than the average human and held a regal bearing. "I hope things are proceeding well with you taking over your new commission? There has not been much reason for me to be on the bridge lately and have just focused on morale and those still having transition issues."

"My department is rather small, but the Captain assures me that some new helmsman will be selected for training soon." He said evenly. He studied his counterpart across the table as he spoke, observing each and every detail of her appearance and her body language. No reaction came to his face as he continued.

"I have found my new duties to be a welcomed challenge. The routine of it all is likewise welcomed. The senior staff has been as accommodating as one would expect. No interpersonal problems so far, but that is what I expect. We did not have many grievances on my last ship."

"I imagine that this ship will tend to be a little more," she paused and tipped her head slightly, "evocative in personalities than your last." Speaking easily it would have been hard for a person to tell if she was joking whether they were in tune with others emotions. Hands folded in her lap and had she not taken liberties with her jewelry she would seem every measure of a proper officer.

"hopefully the new trainees will be easy for you to adapt to the requirements of helmsmen. If you do ever need my services for any of them please let me know." Quinle met his eyes and did not shy away from any appraisal.

Sovok nodded in understanding of the counselor's words. It was true, this ship would be far more complex than his last posting aboard a all vulcan ship, but that was not such a bad thing in his mind. He relished knowledge in all its forms, though such enjoyments were secondary ronlogic and duty.

"I have served as an instructor before, and I am confident I can do so again. My time at Starfleet Academy was well spent learning how to...work efficiently with people of strong emotion."

Sovok tilted his head as a thought came to his mind. A small hum of amusement escaped him as he continued. "Ferengi religious philosophy is a fascinating delve into a deeply flawed, sexist society, but there are nuggets of wisdom among the waste. Rule of Acquisition number 95 states "Expand or Die" and I take this rule to heart when it comes to knowledge or skills. Expand your mind or face the stale death of stagnation."

"And Rule # 285 is No good deed ever goes unpunished, so I am in agreeance that their society has flaws, yet all philosophy bears a little truth to it if you seek hard enough." She smiled and nodded her head, "I am certain that you will train them well, but if any of their personalities seem to have need of a mediator, my office is open. Though you may not wish to tell them whose office you are going to. It seems the counselor's office is not a place many seek out with a content peace of mind."

"Are you hungry? I am happy to finish the rest of my meal with you if you would like." Her offer sounded sincere and pleasant.

"A counselor's office is something that should not be avoided. The mind is a complex machine, and all machines need a mechanic...to put your profession into very crude terms." He said with a pleasant tone. A smile did not cross his face, but it was clear that he was amused by his own analogy.

"As to the food..." The vulcan said as he looked down at her meal. He did not show outright displeasure, but a keen eye would notice a extremely slight furrowing of his brow as he spoke. "We vulcans enjoy a diet very unlike most other species. It has been described to us as boring, bland, and mundane. We enjoy our foods, as simple and vegetarian as they are. Though I will admit that some human drinks are...fascinating."
"They do very good vegetarian meals in the replicator, I have had a few as I prefer them most times over meat." Her hand waved to a replicator nearby. "I try to not eat too heavy as to make me weary from the intake."

A smirk crossed her lips. "This mechanic is thought more of as scrapyard, somewhere to go when you are falling to pieces than for general upkeep. I do not mind so much, even though it means I eat most meals alone."

"If you prefer company, I am sure we can arrange meal times together. Unlike most of the people we serve with, I do not fear your profession. Vulcans are incapable of it."

A hint of humor was in his voice in his last line. He did not smile, but for a Vulcan, his dry humor would have him branded as a wild comic among his people. At the very least, it was obvious that he was at least trying to have a normal, non vulcan conversation.

"Company would be welcome, and it might even give me a reason to leave my quarters more often." Her smile was genuine and her eyes lost the shadows that had been there since the murder for a moment. Quinle's body relaxed just slightly.

Tipping her head in that regal manner she had that was proper and yet just this side of being off putting, "Have you had a moment to speak to the people of this time? They have some strange thoughts and blindspots compared to our time."

Sovok studied the trill before him. While not trained in the medical arts of psychology, the vulcan was a student of body language. He read hers and notice her relaxation. Normally others were off put by his seriousness and dry attitude, but she was not. It was something worth exploring.

"Heavy is the mind that carries the emotional weight of an entire crew. If my presence can be of some relief to that, it is only logical that I offer it, and beyond that, an academic mind would be a welcones conversation partner if you can tolerate my idiosyncrasies." He said recently, but there was an inflection to his last line. It could be interpreted as humor or even playfulness...for a vulcan.

Quinle laughed and her head tipped back just slightly, ankles crossed and she tucked her legs under her chair as opposed to the flat on the floor adaptation she had been using. "To me idiosyncrasies are what make others interesting. Studying them is something I enjoy a great deal, as much a philosophies of a species the little things that make one unique are far more telling."

"Infinite diversity in infinite combinations." Sovok said in response without much context to the statement. This brought the Vulcan to nod to his table partner. He rose from his seat and calmly walked towards the replicator, but he paused to continue his thought before continuing. "One thing the more conservative of my race do not understand is that this means we are not the sole answer to the universe. Like your given example, we must accept all walks of life, for there is truth and wisdom in all."

Sovok went to the replicator and commanded it to make a bowl of plomeek soup. Oddly, he ordered his drink off the human menu; a ginger ale. He placed both items on a tray and brought them back to the table, sitting back down gracefully after.

"The stars are easy to explore. I have piloted all over this quadrant and extensively in the Beta Quadrant. Such things came simply to me, but the exploration of within, the true exploration, only came in time. I imagine the joined of your species do not have this dilemma. You can compound your strengths with the lessons learned from multiple lives. It is truly fascinating to think upon."Sovok went to the replicator and commanded it to make a bowl of plomeek soup. Oddly, he ordered his drink off the human menu; a ginger ale. He placed both items on a tray and brought them back to the table, sitting back down gracefully after.

"The stars are easy to explore. I have piloted all over this quadrant and extensively in the Beta Quadrant. Such things came simply to me, but the exploration of within, the true exploration, only came in time. I imagine the joined of your species do not have this dilemma. You can compound your strengths with the lessons learned from multiple lives. It is truly fascinating to think upon."

Dark eyes scanned around them to see if anyone noticed his words. "We can speak on that later I am certain, I would enjoy hearing of your travels but do not wish to keep you from your meal." Picking up her utensils she took another bite of her meal that she was about half through. "The thought of traveling everywhere is one of the reasons I joined Star Fleet."

Sovok took a spoon full of the red soup and gave a him of satisfaction as the familiar taste was recognized. Starfleet replicator technology had almost gotten the taste of vulcan cuisine down. Almost. He sipped his ginger ale as well. An odd beverage for a vulcan but not unheard of. Certainly it was one of the milder human drinks on the menu, but in comparison to vulcan drinks, it was outlandishly boisterous in flavor.

He neatly wiped away any excess liquid from his lips with napkin before continuing. "The heart yearns for the familiar, but the mind needs the new and strange. This is how progress is made. I am...pleased with my small contributions to it over my career."

"And here you are, in a new time sphere experiencing an entirely different present day from the familiar completely. That is what troubles many that speak with me, that and the worry they will never see the familiar again."

There was a delicacy and precision with how she ate, like she had been schooled on properness and it was a lesson learned that never seemed to leave her. And maybe she had, though being proper never seemed to worry many Trill outside of their own customs.

"The unknown is nothing to fear. Loss is nothing to fear. Such is part of the cycle of life and death and change. While I would like to see Vulcan again, my Vulcan, I should say, if it does not happen, I will adapt. I am fortunate in some regards. I was never bonded to another nor do I have children. I am what humans describe as a "career man", so in some ways, this change did not affect me as severely. Still, I endeavor to return home and to see this crew home. Such is the duty I have taken on."

He spoke while she ate in a calm, collected tone. Despite sharing some personal information, he did not seem uncomfortable talking on the subject. His thoughts on the subject were well compartmentalized and thoroughly explored. His tone seemed almost practiced as if he had debated this with himself for some time.

"Besides the fact that your people are not allies in this time." Noting over his shoulder how one of the Terran group stared at them as they ate, but not making eye contact with the person. "My parents are my only tie to our other time, though there are others worries in many things here." Lowering her head for a moment to her plate then looking up again.

"I am looking forward to see how philosophies here have changed compared to our time, and art. You never know how one change can alter everything you know. Though likely I will not get off the ship, but I can read through the links we have established."

“This time has some interesting blind spots, like the shape shifters being unknown to most. I feel like differences are not as celebrated, or accepted as they were with us before. “ picking up her tea she took a long drink, it clearly had something in it as it did not smell of plain tea, yet not of alcohol either. “I am certain we will be able to discuss many interesting changes our, re-route caused.”

"It will be quite the endeavor to go through all of history to see what has changed, exactly. It will be a challenge for any would be historians aboard. Right now, I would settle for information on how to get home. Preferably within the next year." He said before taking another spoon full of soup, followed by a sip of his ginger ale.

"The burdens you face are not yours to face alone. That is the cornerstone of the Federation; strength through cooperation." He said with a more empathetic tone. While he did not feel stress in the same way she did, the vulcan did try to understand how others did and to help if he could.

Quinle smiled at him and nodded, “Though I did not wish to be in charge of counseling at any point,it is mine now and I will do my best by all that seek my department out, for whatever reason. “

"As we all aim to do. I did not wish to wear this uniform for some years, but here it is upon my body. We live in dangerous and interesting times. Many rely on us for safety, travel, and other necessities. We can rely on each other when we can."

Her hand came up and brushed a lock of hair back that was not actually loose, a habit it seemed. “Life and time have a way of making us dance to their toon. Just the moment we think we have something in order, it shifts and teaches a new lesson.”

"Dancing is not a skill we vulcans put much stock in." He said dryly, though by the content, it was clearly a jest. "I understand the analogy, though. I prefer to think of life and time as a river and I am floating upon it's current till I reach the distant shore and what lies beyond. Though now, it seems we are all placed in a new river with different currents and lessons."

Raising her eyebrows at his joke then shaking her head along with a delicate laugh. “Why Lieutenant Sovok, that was positively poetic, are you certain you are not a hidden artist at heart?” Taking another drink now, “It is very appropriate though.” Raising her eyebrows at his joke then shaking her head along with a delicate laugh. “Why Lieutenant Sovok, that was positively poetic, are you certain you are not a hidden artist at heart?” Taking another drink now, “It is very appropriate though.”

"Poetic inflections are not frowned upon in vulcan society so long as the core of logic remains. Without creativity, we do not evolve. We do have artists, you know." He said matter-of-factly after finishing his soup. "Piloting a vessel in combat takes much more than knowledge on how to ship. It takes improvisational skills, creativity, and the application of tactics and logic all within the blink of an eye. All manner of this equation are important to me, including creativity, thus I try to exercise that muscle as much as I can. The poetic analogies are the gym for the creative muscles just as the gravity weights are for the body."

“I have read some Vulcan poetry and done some art studies.” She admitted with a smile, not highlighting if she had been testing his humor or not. “I have yet to see the ship’s gym, I am afraid that is not my strength, I exercise the mind long over the body.”

"Both are needed for balance." Sovok said with a nod. "The mind is wasted if the body fades and the body is wasted if the mind fades. If you like, I can assist you in training either at the gym or in private. I know some pressure point therapy that could assist."

Quinle suppressed a shudder and instead looked at her plate. “I am not the most gifted physically. A child of scholars means that books were more important than the physical.” Unable to not help but comment, “Except dancing, I know a few of those. If you think one of these might help I would be happy to at least try.”

Sovok nodded and spoke in a kind, gentle tone. Perhaps he was practicing his teaching technique on the trill. "I would be happy to instruct. I find martial arts to be good exercise, a way to clear the mind, as well as a practical skill. It could save your life some day."

“In the Academy they trained me a little but it was the only class that I almost failed.” The truth didn’t seem to bother her to admit. “But it would be good to do something on board, so I accept your offer Lieutenant Sovok.”

The meal continued, as did the conversation, when all was done plans for more meals, and for Quinle to report to him for training in the gym was arranged. Taking her dishes to be cleaned, she mused over the conversation in her mind, enjoying the interaction with Sovok again, distracted in her thoughts she did not even notice a person from the Terran group moving to intercept her and she ran right into him.

Catching her elbow to steady her, a deep voice spoke and sent a shiver down her spine. “Careful there, Moss.” Looking up Quinle’s eyes widened and she almost jerked free of the hand that held her, but managed to not show any other reaction.

“My apologies, I should have been more careful with where I was walking.” She moved to step around him, but the male did not release his grip so she remained.

He looked deeply into her eyes and tipped his head. “I am told you are the counselor here and I would like to arrange to speak with you.” Drawing his hand back finally. “I am specialist Eaton Froy.”

*”Run!”* Her mind insisted, but settling into place she nodded her head. “I will arrange a time to meet with you. For now,please excuse me, I have an appointment.” Low heeled boots carried her all the way to her quarters and within before she turned and her back hit the wall, the Trill slid down to the ground and dissolved into tears.

 

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