LT Gila Sadar - At least it's not Eleven Weeks!
LT Gila Sadar
(( Sadar-Aqila Quarters - Compartment 83, Sector 03, Deck 6, USS Artemis-A ))
Word to the wise: never ask questions of a Portuguese in the middle of a generous spoonful of coral-flower soup. This was an experience that Gila had to make as she watched Sil-net heave for breath after many coughs, with the ever-kindhearted Lt. Commander Jovenan expressing sincere concern for his health as a consequence of his breathing troubles.
Though Gila couldn’t help the observation that, perhaps, her kindness was a bit more pronounced than it usually was...
Jovenan: Are you alright? Did you get food stuck in your throat?
Sil-net extended his thumb, and while the gesture was decidedly human, and thus culturally illegible to Gila, she realized that had he been in genuine pain, he likely would’ve requested aid in some manner of more urgency.
Silveira: I am fine, I was just surprised. It's OK. I am good. ::He tipped his head to Sada:: Why are you asking Sada?
Sadar: W-Well, i-it’s just... I-I’ve never known you to call each other by ‘honey’ and ‘sweetie’ before?
That seemed to catch them both by surprise. Sil-net seemed prepared to say something, a reasonable explanation maybe?, but stopped himself before turning towards Lt. Commander Jovenan, as if to seek permission. The blonde Edo’s expression changed, her pale skin tainted pink, and Gila blinked, confused. Blushing?
Silveira: Well… It’s a new thing… ::Leaning forward and reaching for Nan’s hand.:: Maybe we should tell Sada…
Jovenan: ::taking Silveira’s hand:: I think that’s what we agreed. It’s only fair.
A wicked sense of deja-vu enforced itself onto Gila’s mind, and she instinctively clenched her fists together under the table. This felt like a decided ‘actually, never mind, none of my business’-kind of topic, and she half-intended to vocalize this precisely, but Lt. Commander Jovenan got ahead of her.
Jovenan: We, uh, we’ve started dating.
…
...
Sadar: … D-Dating?
For a moment, Gila was certain she’d misheard.
Silveira: It’s something that took its course and, honestly, with all we've been through it ended up happening naturally. As that old expression goes “The heart has reasons that reason itself does not know”.
Jovenan: It felt the right decision in the end.
Sadar: Dating!?
Silveira: I admit I wasn’t the most discreet with my feelings. I am surprised you only now noticed something.
Evidently Gila’s utter confusion was a source of some amusement to her friends.
Jovenan: Apparently, we were obvious to some other crewmembers long before we decided to start dating. The Captain even tried to set us up for a date together. She did succeed too, so I suppose we should thank her.
oO THE CAPTAIN!? Oo
While Gila had absolutely no interest in forming any sort of coupling, romantic or otherwise, while serving on the Artemis-A, the revelation that Fleet Captain MacKenzie made the off-duty relations of her officers a personal matter was definitely a good motivator to stay far away from any such notion.
And yet, Gila couldn’t help but wonder:
oO Where was she when the First Officer was exercising everything but his mental faculties!? ELEVEN WEEKS INDEED! Oo
Silveira: Response
A frightening notion introduced itself to Gila.
Sadar: H-How long?
Nothing would be more embarrassing than if this fraternization had been occurring in the shadows throughout the course of their association, and Gila had had no clue! Especially considering that she’d found herself alone with these two individuals on a number of occasions, and never thought to offer them the smallest courtesy of privacy!
Oh, the horror!
Jovenan: We only, um, formalized our relationship a few days ago, but you could say that it has been a long time coming. ::looks at Silveira:: I guess it became harder to hide my feelings by the Frontier Day, but I felt too unready to start a relationship at that time.
Frontier Day would mean around the same time as the other fraternization incident - which Gila still recalled with a sense of horror - and Gila realized that perhaps Humanoids possessed by that frightening force known as ‘passion’ responded to mortal terror and peril in a very different way than Mizarians… Likely explained how their species had survived to modernity at all, considering their propensity for suicidal behaviour.
Silveira: Response
Jovenan: I’m sorry, Doctor, I hope this news doesn’t change the dinner plans. We considered telling you later, in case you had something else important, but there was no reason to deny it after you asked about it.
Sadar: Oh! Uhh, no, absolutely not! I-I’m sorry for asking something so personal of you, Lt. Commander! ::wrings her hands:: I-I didn’t intend-
Silveira/Jovenan: Response
A predictable response. Something that Gila would’ve come to expect of them after serving with them for so long… Which prompted another realization. Two years. TWO YEARS. She’d served with these two individuals for almost two years, and they had likely served together for longer than that, and they only just confirmed their coupling!
Gila felt like crying for joy at the realization that at least she could count on her friends to go about this in a sensible and entirely appropriate manner.
Sadar: C-Congratulations, both of you. I am genuinely overjoyed on your behalf. oO And so very thankful for your decorum! Lt. Commander Jovenan’s influence, no doubt! Oo
Gila tightened her lips slightly, as an idea started ruminating in her mind.
Silveira/Jovenan: Response
Sadar: O-Oh, it’s, uhh... I-It’s... W-Well... ::deep breath:: O-On Mizabet, when a close friend intends to start a coupling, it is the duty of their friends and family to perform a, uhh... Well, it’s essentially a, uhh, compatibility evaluation? ::raises her hands:: O-O-Of course, I-I don’t mean to infer in any way that you aren’t compatible, b-but I felt that, uhh... W-Well... ::clears throat::
She hated that translation, but how else did you describe a ceremony intended to verify the sharing of spirit and values between two individuals!?
Silveira/Jovenan: Response
Tags/TBC
LT Gila Sadar
Medical Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1