Ensign Morton: What might have been
James
((The Mirror Gardens, Cryethrae))
Lhandon and Vala were getting to know each other pretty well, and cooking appeared to be yet another area they shared a mutual interest. You could tell the difference between someone who simply loved eating food to someone who loved cooking by the way they talked about food. It seemed to Vala, that maybe he liked cooking as much as she did. Maybe even more. What were the chances?
Morton: That sounds pretty delightful. Do you enjoy cooking?
Just seeing his reaction was all the response she needed. It didn’t take an empath to see how much he obviously adored it, and that made her grin even before he spoke the first word of reply.
Nilsen: Aw mate, I love cooking so much. I’ve always got the stove on. Remind me to add you to the list, I’m always hosting. You know I nearly dropped out of the academy to become a chef. ::showing with thumb and fingers:: I was this close
Morton: That sounds wonderful.
Vala used to love hosting too. Usually, she preferred small cosy gatherings. However, when the need arose she could cater for large groups too and had done back home a few times. Her quarters were rather tiny though and not equipped for cooking. She hadn’t given any thought to hosting on the Butler though. She really didn’t have any friends on the crew yet, but was starting to think of Lhandon as one. She couldn’t help but wonder about the other part of that - the admission that he nearly chose to drop Starfleet for another path.
Morton: What made you consider dropping out?
Nilsen: That, my friend, is a story for another time. I totally would have gone home or found a spot on earth, Chicago has a great food scene.
Morton: I understand. I think a lot of people have doubts about their direction from time to time. I considered other paths for myself, too. Heck, even this situation we just got out of got me wondering if I’d made the right choice.
Nilsen: Alright then, I’ll bite, what would you have done if you didn’t join Starfleet?
Vala chuckled before responding to that one.
Morton: Probably the same thing I was doing before I decided to join Starfleet! I didn’t sign up straight after school. I took a 2 year gap-year and worked with my mother on conservation projects. I did environmental surveys and restored degraded ecosystems, such as a coral reef and a coastal mangrove ecosystem under threat. I led educational talks, wrote to off-world officials, and helped sway opinion.
Vala hadn’t initially planned on joining Starfleet at all. No one in her immediate or extended family had joined Starfleet so it was never really on her radar. It was during this 2 year period that she developed a passion for the idea. She wanted to take the work she was doing and do it on a bigger scale. See worlds no one had ever seen before. Restore ecosystems and dying worlds to their former glory.
Nilsen: Response
Morton: Oh yeah, it was tremendously exciting and rewarding. Hard work but worthwhile. I wouldn’t change a thing. Well - maybe just one thing.
She shivered as though a cold wind had chilled her, though the air nor temperature had stirred. Something barely perceptible changed in the atmosphere.
Nilsen: Response
Morton: Well… ::Tapping her chin thoughtfully:: If I’m going to share the scariest moment of my life, we should grab a snack. Something comforting and then it’ll be like campfire tales - only realer. Besides, my butt’s getting a bit numb sitting here so long. ::She giggled:: And all that talk of food got me peckish anyway. There’s bound to be a snack stand nearby. What do you think?
Vala had no problem sharing the old story - it had happened more than 5 years ago now, and she had come to terms with the experience. There was still some discomfort around very tight spaces, but it was manageable. On the other hand, the horrors of the recent mission and questions about whether the crew would get back home to their own universe were too fresh. She’s worked through much with the counselor, but still preferred not to go there and to keep the conversation lighter.
Nilsen: Response
Morton: Okay. We can follow our noses. In the meantime, I'll start us off... I was doing a geological survey within a cave system, and I became trapped. I’d never been afraid of the dark before, but when the cave-in happened I couldn’t even see my own hand in front of my face. It was a really small passage, and it felt… it felt like I had been buried alive.
For the most part, she was able to talk about the event without it impacting her emotionally. You might have thought it had happened to someone else from the mild way she recounted the story. It was just right at the end that her face scrunched up a little and she choked up just a little as a small lump seemed to form in her throat.
Nilsen: Response
Vala smiled, and continued on warmly. She had a naturally sunny disposition and enjoyed chatting. Typically she preferred one-to-one or small group settings. She could enjoy large gatherings too, in certain circumstances though they tended to be more draining. In any case, there wasn’t too much more to tell, and it was easy to speak of. All was well (more or less) that ended well.
Morton: I found out later that I’d been trapped in there for just over 8 hours. When they got me out I was uninjured and only mildly dehydrated but it really shook me. I still get nervous about tight spaces now. Do you have any fears, N? ::Adding hastily:: Oh! Don’t worry if you don’t feel like sharing. ::Giving him a sly smile:: I can always get it out of you later.
Nilsen: Response
Ensign Vala Morton
USS Octavia E Butler NCC-82850
O240205VM3