LT Gila Sadar - Some People Start at Minus and Work Their Way Up

[LT Gila Sadar]

((Sunset at Temtibi Lagoon - Risa))

Being the First Officer of a vessel had to come with some kind of superior negotiation skills. If not, Gila genuinely had no idea what grace the Wheel had to have given Lt. Commander Dakora for him to get her and Vai-net to actually show up at this drinking establishment, dressed as they were? Gila’s aquatic robe was downright scandalous, showing her clothed ankles due to the shortness of the covering fabric, and Vai-net’s? Gila simply could not fathom how aliens wore these thin fabrics in such a limited fashion without dying from hypothermia... The evolution that occurred on their planets was crazy. Must’ve come from the primates that many of them evolved from.

She wasn’t at all surprised with Lt. Commander Dakora’s outfit though. She supposed they had to thank the powers that be that he even wore clothes in the first place.

Dakora: I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely going for a swim. The water looks amazing. ::He furrowed his brow.:: You two can swim, right?

Vailani: :: offended :: My father taught me to swim since I was three years old. Even if he hadn't, we both graduated from Starfleet Academy. Of course we know how to swim :: to Gila, uncertain :: You do, don't you?

Sadar: W-Well, I, uhh... I swim... ::realizes how lame that sounds:: I-I mean, I’m a decent swimmer. Mizarian school children do multiple summer excursions to the oceanic bluefarms, so it’s obligatory for us to learn how to swim.

Even if it wasn’t obligatory, there was some biological memory in their bodies that tended to expedite the swimming training. Aquatic births were still the most common method for fathers to deliver their babies on Mizabet, so most Mizarians came into the world swimming.

Dakora: Great, so you’re in, then? ::He pointed to Vailani:: How about you?

Vailani: Yes … I guess. A little dip can't hurt can it? 

Lt. Commander Dakora shed his shirt, thankfully saving them from the full-frontal experience of ‘Betazoid formal’, and the reaction that Vai-net had to this behaviour was very telling. Unfortunately, the Lt. Commander was going to take some time for Vai-net to get used to. Gila walked into the water with long measured steps, surprised by the warm temperature that soon enveloped her.

Dakora: Holy strokes, the water feels amazing!

Sadar: It does... I wonder if the algae contribute to the heat dispersal through the water? Perhaps it holds onto the heat of the suns alongside the light itself?

The trio moved further out into the water, soon arriving at a depth where Vai-net - shorter in stature as she was - had to hold onto a float to not submerge herself into the algae-lit water.

Dakora: So, Zoyara, How are you finding the Artemis, so far?

Gila frowned slightly at Lt. Commander Dakora’s persistent disregard for protocol in the usage of Vai-net’s first name, but she stayed out of it. She knew that Vai-net was more than capable of telling the friendly Betazoid off on her own. Or, at least, she would if something hadn’t gotten her to fall off the float and fall underwater for a few moments. Gila was concerned for a brief moment, as the now thoroughly drenched Bajoran spat out water and fought her way back to the float.

Vailani: Ugh … :: avoid :: I just want to show the captain that she can count on me. 

Lt. Commander Dakora too hoisted himself onto a float, leaving Gila to inspect the algae on her own. She picked up a small handful with interest, and filled the other hand with algae-free water, trying to test whether the two had any temperature-difference.

Dakora: You’ll find that Captain MacKenzie likes to make a strong impression on all our new arrivals.

Vailani: I have served on the Artemis before? :: under her breath, annoyed :: you'd think an intelligence officer would know that. 

Dakora: So, how do you two know each other?

Gila looked up as the question included her.

Vailani: :: bluntly :: We both served on the Artemis. I actually nearly died but I was just a lowly ensign then, may as well have been invisible to you it seems.

oO Uh-oh Oo

Gila knew Vai-net well enough to immediately recognize her change in temperament, and she felt anxiety start to creep up her nuchal folds. Vai-net’s often problematic attitude wouldn’t necessarily damage her reputation with this particular senior officer after just one encounter, but Gila wasn’t interested in letting Vai-net start her Department Chief career by antagonizing one of the most senior officers before she even had the chance to move in all her stuff.

Sadar: ::warning:: Vai-net.

Dakora: Response

Vailani: Gila, don't you have to collect some samples? 

She did, and originally, Gila would be more than happy to abandon these two to their merry argument and just focus on whatever could remove her from the conversation, but - unfortunately - she felt some sense of responsibility here.

Dakora: Response

Vailani: :: frosty :: I'm fine. I just think we should focus on the task at hand. Can't all be cocktails and surfing and hiking. 

Sadar: I-I’d welcome your help, Vai-net. ::scrambles for idea of how to distract her increasingly testy friend:: I-Is it possible you could gather some of the algae further that way, by those cliffs? Those would’ve been in the shade for half of the day, so I want to see whether there’s any difference to their luminescence compared to the others.

Vailani/Dakora: Response

((OOC: The following has been cleared with Vailani’s writer))

As Gila looked at Vai-net who strategically maneuvered the float towards the cliff she’d pointed out, she looked towards the Lt. Commander, a slightly guilty look on her face.

Sadar: P-Please don’t think ill of her, Sir. V-Vai-net is... She can be... ::searches for best word:: Testy, but she’s a brilliant officer and a good person. oO Considering what she had to work with Oo

Gila still sometimes had bad memory flashes of her encounters with Gossiper Pol Chella.

Awful woman.

Dakora: Response

Sadar: I was, uhh... O-One of my patients was, uhh, being... ‘Persistent’ while I was on break at the Continuum? ::fond smile:: V-Vai-net showed up and told them off for bothering me, and ended up sitting with me to ward them off. We’ve been friends since.

Dakora: Response

Sadar: I can’t deny that.

Dakora/Vailani: Response

TAG/TBC

LT Gila Sadar

Medical Officer

USS Artemis-A

A240006GS1