JP: Lt (jg) Zenno & Ens Saava - She Ain’t Heavy, She’s my Sister (Part 1A)
Cobalt Penumbra
((Liner Ruby Seven, on final approach to Qualor II))
Zenno laid back in his seat and luxuriated in the knowledge that for right now, he had no worries. The empathic officer getting taken over by malevolent space clouds wasn’t his problem currently. The Engineers poking at alien tech that was likely to explode wasn’t his concern. He was worried, however, about missing his connecting flight.
Saava and Zenno had spent hours trying to coordinate shore leave schedules and flights so they could both get to Theta Reticuli IX in time for the Parrisses Classic. Given that they were both coming from the opposite ends of the Federation, they had limited travel options and they would only have a four hour window on Qualor II to meet up and then embark on the next leg of their journey together.
Before leaving, he had synthesized some comfy civilian clothes. The last thing he wanted was to get drawn into anything because he was wearing a Starfleet uniform. Saava would disapprove, but she disapproved of most things he did, even if just to give him a hard time. It had been their way since they had first met.
((Flashback - Starfleet Academy Plebe Summer))
The new cadets were lined up on the grass while the Officer paced back and forth in front.
Division Officer: OK newbies. When I give the word you will sort yourselves by team and report to your designated billets and turn in your orders. Do not delay. Go!
The cadets all broke and moved so they wouldn’t draw the ire of the Cadre on the field if they were the last ones to get moving. Zenno had looked at his orders and ran for Building 4, Deck 3, Compartment 7 with alacrity. Heading down the hall, he noticed that there was already a line formed outside his destination. He took his spot at the end of the line behind another cadet. He had run most of the way in the heat and the citrusy smell typical of his species when sweating was in full bloom. There was nothing for it, however. Zenno calmed himself and awaited his turn to enter his billet for his next orders. His moment of calm was broken however when the cadet in front of him turned around and addressed him.
She was a Vulcan, perhaps 1.6 meters tall and she held her head tilted to one side with her Cadet-approved short A-Line bob falling off to one side, which highlighted her pointed ears.
Saava: You did not need to run here. You are now emitting an unpleasant odor and I fear my uniform may pick it up and require laundering.
Zenno: Is this the way you normally begin conversations? You must be very popular at social events.
Saava: I am cataloging the various deficiencies of this cadet cohort so that I may make wise choices about whom to avoid. Currently, you are trending towards the top of the list.
Zenno considered for a moment and then smiled widely.
Zenno: I am also cataloging. I am looking for other serious cadets who are not prone to wildly erratic and emotional outbursts. Do you wish to know where you stand in this ranking? oO I am not sure, but I think she is having me on? Hard to tell. Oo
She raised her eyebrow and turned back around to wait without another word.
((Present Day, Liner Ruby Seven, on final approach to Qualor II))
Zenno smiled to himself. From the moment that they had met, they had always gone on like this. But in time, he had come to know that it was just her way to criticize with words, but she also had that barely-discernible twinkle in her eye that let him know it was just part of the Vulcan façade.
Computer: Docking Complete. All passengers disembark. This is the termination of Ruby Flight S-885. Please check your seat and ensure that you have all your personal items. Anything left behind will become the property of Ruby Star Lines and be sold at auction. oO Ahhh, the joys of taking non-Federation liners… Oo
Zenno picked up his bag and headed for the exit.
((Spaceport, Dresk Junction, Qualor II))
Zenno moved through the hustle and bustle of the Spaceport, looking for the designated meeting place. In a typical Saava move, she had picked some ridiculous Vulcan/Tholian fusion chain restaurant called Molten Hot Veggies. There was one Raft-One too but Zenno hadn’t tried it. He was sure that Saava would order a bit of everything and encourage him to try it all. She did have that power to convince him to acquiesce to whatever idea she had, even when it may not be, strictly speaking, the best plan. But Zenno was always one to go along and get along in his private life. On duty, he had to watch, decide, and enforce. It was a line he enjoyed keeping in place. It kept him balanced.
((Earlier, Molten Hot Veggies Restaurant, Spaceport, Dresk Junction, Qualor II))
Saava entered the guest room of the restaurant she had picked days before. It had been an easy pick and one of the first things she had put down on their traveling plans. It checked all the boxes she required to have a good time: It had some Vulcan influences in its food, it was not too busy during the early afternoon and it had a lot of menu items she was sure Zenno had never tried - and would never try, if she did not convince him to. The only concession she had made to Zenno was wearing casual clothes and no Starfleet uniform. She had replicated a Vulcan suit in a pale green.
A quick gaze through the guest room told her that Zenno was not here, yet. Perfect! She took only a fraction of a second to make the logical choice of seating. A smaller table in a less visible area of the restaurant. She would be sitting with her back to the entrance - and Zenno’s spot would have no clear view of either the entrance or the doors towards the kitchen at the back of the guest room. If she would allow her emotions to leave the small area of her brain where she kept them in check, she would have had a mischievous smile on her lips.
With determined steps she moved towards the table and put the PADD down next to the already laid plates and sat down. When Saava noticed that the PADD still showed her last performance review, she quickly closed the message and pulled up the travel plans. She had gotten the review about a week ago and it had troubled her for quite some time now. Something that was probably not considered logical or even Vulcan.
She put all those concerns aside, attempted a purge of her feelings, and awaited the arrival of her friend.
[TBC]
Ensign Saava
Nurse, Medical Division
USS White Pine
As simmed by
Lt. Connor Dewitt
Engineer
USS Arrow
A239901CD3
And
Lt (jg) Zenno
Acting Security Chief
USS Arrow
A240006Z13