Lieutenant Hallia Yellir - Clairvoyant Nostalgia
Ryan Fender
(( Quark’s Bar, Promenade, Deep Space Nine ))
Deep Space Nine was by all means a must-see for any and every member of the Federation. Hallia had only ever seen it in pictures, but even those accompanied with anecdotes never captured the true essence of the station. Stepping onto DS9 was unlike anything she had ever done before. The station's interior was old— far older than anything she had ever really seen in the Federation. Just from the inside, Hallia could practically point out the lingering pieces of Cardassia that still stuck themselves to the station.
A very vague sense of brutalism filled the air. The sharpness of the architecture, the raised bars on the upper promenade and the narrowed oval windows— if there was ever a place that could make a circle feel sharp, it was this. The doorways were some variation of rolled shut doors that seemed to resemble airlocks and plump squares with flat corners.
Hallia was by no means well versed in shape language but as a stranger to this station, she wasn’t exactly put at ease. Lurking on the lower levels made her feel a little small whenever she gazed upwards— almost like the promenade had tried to swallow her whole. However, it wasn’t all bad. The bustling crowds of people that ebbed and flowed from one end of the promenade to another breathed life into the space, along with the warm lights that illuminated the station. From shop to shop, it was like night and day. With stark differences from one storefront to another, at times, it was almost jarring— watching a bright room filled with racks of clothing, just to snap around to see a dingy dimly lit dive bar.
One place did catch Hallia’s fancy— and while she was spoiled for choice, this in particular was a place of legend. Quark’s Bar.
A name she had heard even during a brief stint at the academy. Even from the outside, it looked incredibly inviting. Lively music and smiling patrons, even through the door it made her feel nostalgic for a place she’d never been.
Of course, walking in, there was an instant shift in the neutral smell of the station. The air grew aromatic and sweet, spices carried on the air and the small sour kick of citrus burned at her nose. The atmosphere was far livelier than she had anticipated, with this being far more than meets the eye— Dabo Tables, Holosuites for rent— it was clear there was plenty to do if you had the scratch. Hallia walked around for a moment, with a slight shock striking her system as she took in the room. She had drifted near the bar where a familiar voice took her off guard
MacKenzie: Can I get you something to drink, Chief?
There was a smile from the captain as she patted the empty seat next to her. Hallia returned the grin, taking up the offer.
Yellir: Tamarian Frost— something sweet to start with.
There was a wave to the Ferengi bartender— someone who could miraculously hear her over all the noise. A testament to sharp hearing.
MacKenzie: ::pointing:: How’s your hand doing? Hopefully CloQ took care to fix it for you when he returned us to our timeline.
Very absentmindedly, Hallia rested the hand on the bar. She closely examined her palm, giving it a slight squeeze before both her arms came to rest on the countertop.
Yellir: Nothing a dermal regenerator couldn’t fix. It could’ve been worse, I’d take a cut to the hand over a blast from a polaron rifle. ::chuckling::
The pair sat for a moment, as both very absentmindedly waited for their drinks.
MacKenzie: And how are you doing since… everything?
Yellir: Eh— to be honest I’ve tried to avoid thinking about it. But we’ve had worse happen to us, not sure this beats melting Talos’ counterpart. We’re all still here. Just with a few bruised egos and breached coolant pipes.
Even the mention of that made Hallia shudder for a moment. She’d had more than enough time to work herself through the event— but living with the memory and being comfortable with it were two vastly different things.
MacKenzie: Response?
Yellir: What about you? Are you.. Okay?
Hallia turned her head to face Addison as she rested her weight on her elbows.
MacKenzie: Response?
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant Hallia Yellir
Chief Engineer
USS Artemis-A
G239409EK0