[JP] LT Gila Sadar & Kolya Aqila - (Mis)understanding Aliens

[Michelle Pehrson Dupont]

((The Sadar-Aqila Quarters - Compartment 83, Sector 03, Deck 6, USS Artemis-A))

There was an old alien adage about hearts and stomachs, and while Gila never quite understood the linkage between those two organs in any other fashion than the anatomical one, the excited expression on Ensign Lyara’s face upon the mention of hasperat briefly made Gila remember it.

Lyara: Hasperat? I could go for some hasperat.

Ensign Lyara immediately followed Gila’s suggestion to gather some food for herself, just as the door chime rang once more.

Sadar: Oh, I’ll, uhh-

Aqila: Don't forget to welcome them to the Aailudet :: frets some more :: It's only proper. 

Kolya placed Ensign Lyara’s gift on one of the carefully placed tables, resisting the urge to tear it open but he was worried that she'd think him rude. Instead he joined her at the food table, and grabbed himself a plate. 

Lyara: The more the merrier!

Gila went to the door in a hasty manner, afraid to leave whoever was waiting beyond it waiting for longer than was proper. Of course, as soon as she opened the door and she saw the familiar sunny expression of Lieutenant Vitor Silveira, those concerns vanished. She sincerely doubted Sil-net would ever consider any amount of waiting ‘improper’... He was far too relaxed for that.

oO Wait, what are those- Oo

Silveira: Hey, welcome back. ::he grabbed the big present and made his way inside.:: OK clear some room, I need to set this down. Hello everyone.

Watching the Kindly Tempest invade her domicile with nary a care in the world made Gila simultaneously want to shake her head in exasperation and twist the anxiety band off of her finger, but since she couldn’t decide on which course took precedence, she just ended up following him back to the others with a confused expression on her face. He deposited the large presents on her couch, quite unceremoniously, before turning to face his dumbfounded audience.

Silveira: It’s good to see you again Doc.

Sadar: Y-You as well, Sil-net, but... What in the world-?

Kolya’s eyes widened in shock and his jaw loosened somewhat as he took in this … alien. So unusual, so comfortable in his manner. Kolya felt a spike threatened, which was immediately followed by shame. He shouldn't have such thoughts towards a guest. 

Silveira: And you must be our newest guest. Welcome to the Artemis. ::He winked at Sada:: I am your new crazy uncle Sil.

Aqila: :: confused and looks to Gila :: Uncle? :: confusion turns to shock :: Doda?!?

That question simultaneously made Gila so pale she might as well be translucent, and so embarrassed that she could tell her nuchal folds were accumulating moisture at an alarming rate.

Sadar: He is not! ::frowns at Sil-net:: Lieutenant Silveira, please don’t make such jokes haphazardly. ::to Kolya:: He’s a fr- colleague!

Sil-net, in his usual complete wanton abandonment of proper form and decorum, didn’t even bother to look at her while she attempted to clear up the mess he put her in, before greeting the other assembled guests.

Silveira: Al, Tarrik. Good to see you both already here.

Lyara: If you can claim crazy uncle I think I’ll claim wine aunt.

Gila had to resist the urge to hide her face in her hands. This was heading towards complete and utter chaos at a mind boggling rate.

oO Aliens are weird Oo

This was the moment when Sil-net decided she’d gotten all the time he was going to allow for her to get accustomed to her presence in her quarters, and he called her attention back to the two ludicrously large mystery objects occupying her couch. And completely messing up the carefully arranged throwovers at the same time…

Gila felt a kind of kinship with the haphazardly disturbed fabric. That was very much how she felt right now.

Silveira: Sada and Kolya, I got you both a welcoming gift. I thought of bringing something to eat but I think these are right up your alley, especially yours Sada. Let’s unwrap them.

Sadar: P-Presents? But I-

Aqila: I think I like presents :: looks to the unopened gift from Lyara :: 

Kolya felt a rush of excitement at the thought of both opening the gifts and of receiving them. The allure of a mystery of what could be inside was almost as exciting as discovering what was inside. He always knew what his ima would have gifted him, she was perfectly Mizarian in that way. Utterly predictable. 

These aliens were far from predictable. They had ways of exalting themselves to family members so casually and flippantly it almost made him feel … wrong. But Dona had explained that this was the way of aliens. There were many things they would say and do that would seem … improper. 

The first present that got unwrapped was the one for Gila herself, which contained a large lamp with accompanying buttons. Perhaps sensing her confusion about the lamp, Sil-net stepped forward to turn on the lamp, which caused Gila’s eyes to widen with recognition.

Silveira: I thought this would suit you. I believe you recognize the symbol.

That was a foregone conclusion - even in this modern age, the ancient symbol for the healing arts (though it had a rather complicated history in that regard) adorned the logo for Starfleet Medical - and Gila found herself handling the lamp with the same kind of reverence she did the tools of her trade when faced with a patient.

Sadar: I-It’s a Caduceus lamp... ::slight smile:: Thank you, Sil-net. That’s very kind of you.

It wasn’t the kind of gift she had expected from the tempestuous Human - she had expected something far more scandalous and distinctly alien - but it was a gift she would have no trouble treasuring. She wondered if this was what ‘heartfelt’ meant in practice?

Silveira: And that, Kolya, is a football, it’s an exact replica from the one that Portugal, my home place, used when they won their first major international competition. I will set us up a holoprogram for us to play with it. Its a good exercise and someone has to teach you some proper games.

Sadar: ::blinks:: F-Football? Oh, uhh, a sport. You... Kick the ball?

Kolya unwrapped the gift in that universal way that all children tear and pry at the paper, like it's a game of its own to discover the hidden object inside. 

He then  handled the spherical object like it was a bomb that was about to explode in his hand. 

Aqila: :: hushed wonder :: A foot ball … :: looks to Silveira :: I … :: looks to Gila :: What does he want me to do with it? 

Silveira: Response

Sadar: ::whispers to Kolya:: He’s not a bad person. He’s just, uhh... Excitable? ::louder voice:: Take your presents to your room, Kolya.

Aqila: Yes, Dona. Thank you for my :: looks at the ball :: Gift. 

Kolya placed the spherical item under his arm and gathered up the still wrapped gift from Ensign Lyara and quickly made his way to his room, giving Lieutenant Silveira a wary look as he left. 

Hix expression was not lost on Gila as he left, but it was an expression she wasn’t used to seeing on Kolya’s face, so she didn’t know how to accurately read it. Moreso, she wasn’t given the time to even begin analysing it, before Ensign Lyara interrupted her thoughts with a question.

Lyara: So Dr. Sadar, how’s it having your nephew here? Doesn’t keep you too busy, I hope.

The notion of a reality where Gila could’ve become busier than she’d been prior to Kolya’s arrival was humorous, but in such a way that Gila couldn’t laugh.

Sadar: A-Arguably, less busy. Having Kolya here- ::looks towards the door Kolya disappeared through:: Having someone who’s waiting for you to get off work is... odd.

She’d never tried that before, and she still couldn’t really decide whether it was a pleasant or anxiety-inducing sensation.

Her crew, who knew her far too well for their own good, would likely say it was a bit of both, as were so many things with her.

Silveira: Response?

Lyara: Well if you ever need some babysitting I'd be willing to help. ::Motioning to Sil:: And I’m sure crazy uncle would be a great influence.

Gila’s face was indescribable at this moment.

Sadar: ... Y-You’re not- I-I-I mean, h-he’s hardly a baby! H-He’ll undertake his Walk of Acceptance in two years!

Never mind the very notion that Sil-net - for all his boundless kindness - could ever be considered a ‘great’ influence.

Lyara/Silveira: Response

Sadar: O-Oh, uhh... No, that’s…

Lyara/Silveira: Response

Sadar: H-He’s staying while he’s studying. Mizabet doesn’t have an, uhh.. An ’arts degree’, and Kolya is.. ::searches for the best word:: ‘stubborn’.

There was an almost doting fondness in Gila’s expression as she said this.

Lyara/Silveira: Response

Any: Response

TAG/TBC

LT Gila Sadar

Medical Officer

USS Artemis-A

A240006GS1

&

Kolya Aqila

Arts Student

USS Artemis-A

As simmed by

Lt.Cdr. Luxa Lorana

Science Officer

USS Ronin

A240004LL1