Ensign Ayhan - "From Contraband to Welcomed 'Cargo'" (Tags: Aurora / Arrington / Parker / Partiers)

[Ensign Ayhan]

((Duronis II, Embassy Shipyard))

Ayhan: =/\= Captain Turner, I believe that you and Captain Arrington should join me at his ship…an inspection has revealed something that demands your attention. =/\=

Turner: =/\= Can it wait until tomorrow, Ayhan? Say around 0800 hours? Captain Arrington is having dinner and I'm on my way home to see my children. =/\=

::Ayhan's gaze swept over the 15 bioluminescent canisters neatly tucked into the compartment as he crouched on one knee beside their previously-hidden entrance.  While their integrity was somewhat questionable, they were not going anywhere as long as access to the ship was restricted.  The Vulcan would have rather taken care of the issue tonight but understood (begrudgingly) that the Captain had other plans.::

::Standing, he looked to Aurora who had moments before joined him at his side::

 Ayhan: =/\= 0800 will be acceptable, ma'am.  I will see you then. =/\=

Turner: =/\= Thank you. I appreciate your consideration. By the way, where is his ship located. Arrington was asking me earlier, and I told him he would have to ask you. =/\=

:: Ayhan nearly sighed audibly; the Charybdis' location was no secret and he had not gone to any length to keep the information from Arrington.  Why the civilian Captain had to go through Turner to get the information was a far departure from standard protocol and chain of command.  If Ayhan knew better, it would almost seem as if the man was attempting to frustrate the engineer:: =/\= Captain Turner, please inform Captain Arrington that he can find his ship at the shipyard, enclosed bay Theta, though access to it will be restricted until our coming-together tomorrow. =/\=

::While Ayhan turned to the Master Chief to begin a conversation, the comm channel that they had thought closed chirped again.::

Turner: =/\= Ayhan, looks like the senior staff has been invited to dinner tonight. I hope that you will be able to go. It will be a good place to meet everyone. Oh and if Arrington gets in touch with you, perhaps you could bring him with you too. =/\=

oO A dinner party? Oo

::Given formality and custom, a dish and gift for the hostess was acceptable practice among humans and given the subject of the message that his Captain had just forwarded to his PADD, a gift for the new father was understood as well.  Where was he to find gifts at this hour and in a place that he had barely unpacked in, let alone researched the shopping options?  The idea of a boisterous party of Starfleet officers and Marines coming back from a nearly-fatal mission did not appeal to him in the slightest but Ayhan knew that if he were to establish relationships on the ship and in the Embassy, it would not be spent meditating in his room.::

::The sigh this time was audible though not so even for Aurora merely two feet away.  Ayhan tapped his comm badge::

Ayhan: =/\= I will endeavor to be there and see you at Major Parker's residence.  I will also seek out Charybdis' Captain for his attendance. =/\=

::Waiting a moment longer than he would have normally to make sure that the channel was indeed closed, he finally spoke to his female companion::

Ayhan: "Chief Elliston, I'm sure you overheard but this ship and its contraband here" ::he said with a subtle sweep of his hand to his right-rear:: "and ship will need to be secured.  We will be meeting tomorrow morning with the Captains to better understand the situation.  Until then, it seems that my presence is...requested elsewhere.  Have a pleasant evening."

[TAG: AURORA]

*****

((Duronis II, Junior Officer Quarters, Room 27A))

::Ayhan looked into the pot as it rolled to a subtle simmer, the thin, tan liquid steaming and leaving rivulets of steam up the container's aluminum walls.  Taking several leaves from the "tableside" (what he assumed would be his candle shelf once he unpacked completely), the Vulcan crushed the green leaves between his thumb and forefinger, gently rolling them together to allow the chemicals to be released from the plant matter, a tang wafted from the flakes as they fluttered down and began floating atop the soup like ships on a stormy sea.  Inhaling deeply, Ayhan nodded to himself and reduced the heat to the lowest setting::

::Turning to the second dish, the engineer frowned...the krei'la he was attempting to make was an abomination given the substitutions that he was forced to endure.  True, he knew that nothing else would truly emulate the yon-savas (fire-fruit) of Vulcan, but he hoped that the flavor of the apricot he did find would blend well with sage.::

::As he worked the large balls into smaller ones, he flattened them and placed them on the hot surface he had jury-rigged by running heating conduit under a (now removed) maintenance access sheet in the room.  As they baked, the very appealing smells filled the room and brought the Ayhan back to meals around the meager table his family shared on Volan III.  True, it might have been considered meager by outsider standards but the conversations; lessons in logic, life and liberty; and familial bonds that were created there would be foundational to who he was as a Vulcan.  The fact that his mother was a cook of ability beyond words did not make mealtime a drudgery, this was for sure.::

::Ayhan's comm badge vibrated on the floor next to where he knelt.  Picking it up, he called out::

Ayhan: =/\= Ensign Ayhan =/\=

[TAG: ARRINGTON]

Ayhan: =/\= Yes, I was told you were attempting to reach me.  We will meet tomorrow with Captain Turner at 0800 in the Embassy Shipyard, Theta hangar.  Access to your ship until then is restricted. =/\=

[TAG: ARRINGTON]

 

Ayhan: =/\=I apologize for the inconvenience but it is necessary.  On another matter, I have been directed to extend an invitation to you for Major Parker's celebration this evening.  I know that Captain Turner would...appreciate your attendance. =/\=

[TAG: ARRINGTON]

Ayhan: =/\=Understood.  I will see you then. =/\=

::The timer buzzed softly and Ayhan placed the comm badge back on the floor, removed the traditional Vulcan pastries and placed them on a serving dish before covering the Plomeek soup.  Standing, he moved to the modest dresser and changed into his off-duty attire: sandals, a subdued dark bluish-brown long-sleeved robe with thin, muted gold script running vertically astride the center clasps, and an overjacket, the latter held around his shoulders with a red triangular clasp with his family's crest emblazoned upon it in gold script.  It was simple and practical, muted in appearance and brightened only by the clasp and Vulcan script.  It also was all that he had and he was thankful that it had been offloaded this afternoon while he was away::

*****

((Duronis II, Senior Officer Quarters, Parker Residence))

::Ayhan immediately recognized the problem when he arrived to the doorway.  Leaving his room was a simple enough affair though now that he was here, he needed to actuate the enunciator, a task made more difficult by his hands being quite full.  He obviously was in the right place given the amount of conversation that was spilling through the wall and determined that it would be an unknown amount of time before another party-goer arrived so he used his elbow to strike the chime, carefully balancing the krei'la so that they would remain on their intended plate.  The sound was soft against the multitude of voices inside and it was several moments before the door opened to reveal the Marine for whom the party was held::

Ayhan: Greetings, Major Parker.  Might I congratulate you on your wife's pregnancy.

[TAG: PARKER]

Ayhan: I apologize that I do not have an appropriate gift for you but I hope that these additions will help feed your growing crowd.

[TAG: PARKER]

Ayhan: You are too kind, sir.

::Following the black Marine, Ayhan stole several looks around the crowd.  Many he had seen before (at least in passing) though some were brand new.  Many children were here as well and seemed as jubilant as the adults.  Alcohol was flowing freely as a short and slender brown-haired woman drank a clear liquid that she seemed to find quite agreeable while Major Adarnis finished what was obviously not his first libation of the night.  A slight-in-stature female Vulcan in a (somewhat non-Vulcan) fetching midnight blue and jade dress was conversing with a dapper and ostentatiously-dressed...Human? Betazoid?  Humanoid at any rate though Ayhan was unsure.::

::Placing the soup and pastries on the table astride other delectable items, the Vulcan engineer met the gaze of Parker's wife::

Ayhan: This, ::slowly dropping his chin and gaze to the pot:: is Plomeek soup while this, ::performing the same action though towards the scone-like objects:: are krei'la, a traditional Vulcan pastry.

[TAG: ALLISON]

Ayhan: It is the least I could do though I apologize that I do not have something more...personable for you to commemorate the occasion.  Perhaps at a later time.

[TAG: ALLISON]

Ayhan: Of course.  I'll leave you to your guests and thank you for the invitation.

::Turning and stepping away from the food so that others could move past him, Ayhan surveyed the room.  He was not often one to start conversations and thought it best to at least observe for a few moments before wading into the social sea that swirled around him.  If he wished to meet his fellow crewmen, this most certainly was the place and time to do so...::

((OOC: Feel free to start up a conversation...don't worry, Ayhan doesn't bite (luckily, Vulcans are vegitarians!).))