Logical Maintenance - Part II

Posted on Mon Jul 31st, 2023 @ 5:20pm by Ensign Sar

1,549 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Deck 21, Main Engineering, USS Columbia
Timeline: Following Part I

=/\= On =/\=

"Coffee, hot, black, small", the Vulcan declared. It replicated and he quickly took the cup. Sir brought the white mug, emblazoned with a the Starfleet Delta, to his nose. He pulled away as if in distaste.

Sar leaned forward to cautiously sip it. His eyes widened as a look of confusion rolled across his features. "It does not taste pleasant, yet I feel compelled to try more", he said dryly.

Paisley laughed. "I am sorry. Next time, try it with cream and sugar," she suggested. "It IS good, though, but the black stuff from the replicator definitely requires getting used to," she said. "I find most things from the replicator are not quite the same as their real counterparts," she said. "For example, I like Hesperat Souffle. The replicator either makes it not spicy ENOUGH or TOO spicy. There needs to be a balance between heat and flavor," she said. "The best I've had was at my former posting; the Admiral's mother cooked for everyone," she explained.

"What sort of things do you miss from your home? Were you born on Vulcan?" She asked.

Sar looked contemplative for a moment before responding, "Indeed, I was born on Vulcan," he began, his voice measured.

"As for the things I miss from my home.. It is the serenity of the Forge, the peaceful contemplation amidst the arid landscape... and the calming embrace of my family. Vulcan teachings and traditions have shaped my character."

One could almost believe that his increased pace of speaking could show excitement on Sar's part, even though his vocal qualities never changed otherwise.

"I find solace in the familiar customs and practices that define my heritage", Sar continued. "While I have chosen to serve in Starfleet and embrace life among other cultures, there is a part of me that always yearns for the quiet beauty of my homeworld."

He lifted the glass and took another cautious sip. His left eyebrow quizzically raised.

She nodded. "I have heard that Vulcan is beautiful, indeed. Cardassia is pretty; my father's house butts up to a river. It is lined with trees and bushes, quite gorgeous," she said. Did she miss Cardassia Prime? Not exactly. She missed her friend Moxe and the familiarity of her childhood home, but she didn't really miss the place-it was an otherwise unremarkable planet-once you've seen one, you've seen them all. "I've wanted to visit more of your system; I've been THROUGH it but have never gotten to spend any length of time there," she said. "I was born on a shuttle, halfway to Earth from Cardassia Prime-I've seen many places because of my father's military and political career but...there's many more places to see." She realized she was prattling on, and smiled. "Sorry. I get a bit long-winded sometimes."

"It is efficient to share verbal information in a rapid manner", Sar said cooly. "The location of your father's home does indeed sound satisfying."

"One of my favorite locations to reflect is within a desert forest near my teenage home. The trunks are quite thin compared to many trees, as water is sparse. I have become familiar with a location where the rare desert rose blooms in high frequency."

His eyes looked to the distance as he thought of his homeland. "The graceful shavokh soars above the grasslands nearby. It is a natural existence. Peaceful. Logical."

His glance returned to her. "What guidance do you have for me regarding my work with the engines, Lieutenant?" The metallic-gold complexioned Vulcan looked eager as he listened.

Paisley listened to him describe Vulcan more, and smiled. "It does sound like a good, peaceful place. Maybe you can show me on the Holodeck sometime," she said. "If you'd like to." She said. It would be a good bonding experience, and she liked to learn new things.

"Well. My advice is to watch everyone else," she said. "Find the best people in your field, and watch what they do. Copy them. Then learn to adjust what they do to your own ways," she said. "That's how I learned. And don't be afraid to make a mistake. You learn best from messing up," she said.

The young Vulcan listened intently. "I shall endeavor to study my associates", he said thoughtfully. "It may be beneficial for me to occasionally simulate my homeworld. It would also be an honor to build upon our ties in such endeavors."

Sar surely had a unique manner of speaking. He found it easy to communicate with the Cajoran woman, as they both spoke quickly. He lifted the mug to his lips and took a longer sip. Once again, he recoiled suddenly as if shocked.

She chuckled lightly. "Why don't you recycle that one, and try again with something else?" She suggested. "I am glad you are amenable to that suggestion. I learned a lot by observation. Some of it, though, you just pick up over time, through trial and error," she said. "I've made plenty of mistakes-some big and some small-and I tried to use each mistake to learn from, so I know what not to do for the next time that scenario presented itself."

"I am attempting an experiment by exposing myself to the effects of the drink's caffeine." Sar continued, "Perhaps it will increase my efficiency." The Vulcan looked down at the mug, steam still rising from its black depths.

Paisley just shrugged. "Ok, if you insist," she said. "I just think you might find it more enjoyable if you tried it with a bit of cream or something like that. Can your people have cream?" She asked. "I know you can't have chocolate." Paisley had a THING for Romulans and Vulcans, both, romantically, but she hadn't been involved with one long enough to learn much. They were mostly one-time things, on shore leaves or something.

"Cream is an embellishment which I do not require", he said quickly. "I, as you appear to, will appreciate this beverage for its essence. Sugars and creams will only attempt to distract the tastebuds from the drink's bitterness."

Sar had never dated, only focusing on his studies. He thought Lieutenant F'Rar was an intriguing professional with a talent for her craft. He hoped to spend time with her, for what were professional reasons in his mind.

"Perhaps one day we can prepare Plomeek tea and participate in a soothing meditation ritual." His dark eyes seemed to study her blue ones momentarily. "It may lack the taste of the coffee you enjoy. However, it may provide an enriching experience."

Paisley laughed. “If you say so. Sometimes the pursuit of a new experience is enhanced by enjoyable parts,” she said, pointedly.

“That would be nice. I’d like for the entire Engineering department to have time to learn about each other and our cultures. If we hope to be a cohesive team, we need to be able to trust each other and I believe that comes from understanding each other. What do you think?” She asked. She was now finished with her coffee. “We have a few more tickets to complete today. Take your time but not too long,” she said.

"I shall endeavor to complete my work in an efficient manner", Sar said before pausing to think.

"As a Starfleet officer, it is only logical that I acquaint myself with the customs and traditions of others... Even if seemingly bizarre. A mind that is open to new experiences is a mind that can function properly."

His head twitched curiously to its side as he seemed to look over her face. "I look forward to working with and exploring the Galaxy alongside you."

"There is one major task on my docket for today. I must verify the alignment of the dilithium articulation frame. This will be vital if we aspire to sustain high warp speed throughout an eight week period", Sar said in his fast paced manner of speaking.

Paisley nodded. "Yes! I know. I agree; making sure we have enough dilithium, stored correctly, is key to keeping this baby in the air," she said. "I have to ensure the Captain's personal computers are in good working order; I may go into the hulls, too, to see what I can find. Knowing the inner setup of the ship is invaluable to us; the faster we can locate a problem, the faster we can solve it. PLUS..." she said, with a glint in her eye, "it's how you find out the best places to drop water balloons on unsuspecting crewmen when they annoy you." She laughed.

"Are you ready to get back to it?" She asked the young Vulcan. "Thank you for spending your break talking to me. I hope we can do it again. I know that spending time with your boss isn't exactly the best time, but I really do hope we can all do it again!"

Sar curiously raised an eyebrow as she mentioned dropping water balloons on crewmen. "Conversing with you was an enriching experience", he replied. "I shall return to my duties", he added with a nod. "Until next time."

The Vulcan turned and hurriedly moved along the corridor. He meditated to keep his thoughts focused on his tasks.

Off

Lieutenant Paisley F'rar
Chief Engineering Officer
USS Columbia

Ensign Sar
Propulsion Specialist
USS Columbia

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