JP - Lieutenant Kimonzi Lahl, Lieutenant Jania Nis, Lieutenant J.G. Alex Forsyth, Lieutenant Commander Lhandon Nilsen, Lieutenant Morro Caras, Lieutenant Commander Josh Herrick, Lieutenant Sevantha Saa - Kimonzi Has a Birthday? Part 2/2
Nick Wilcox
((DS14, Main Promenade))
And they arrived into a party. …
Everyone: SURPRISE!
At the collective shout, several passerby were also visibly surprised, taking several steps away from the group.
Forsyth: Surprise, babe!!
Lahl: Wait, what’s going on?
She looked around, shocked to see everyone there at the party. Everyone was also out of uniform and in period pieces, herself included.
On Earth, some of Jania’s human friends had the curious custom of tapping their wrist to indicate they wanted to know what time it was. This apparently came from ancient Earth times when people wore timekeeping devices on their wrists. Ancient Trill timekeeping devices were rings, so she tapped her finger.
Nis: It’s party time!
Saa: …It’s clearly an intervention.
Sevantha’s dry wit was unusual for her but having just been released from quarantine and observation, she hadn’t quite, yet recovered her proper sense of speaking. Maybe she’d been in Rivka’s head too much.
Caras: ::laughing:: you’re pretty difficult to get chief.
Morro was still laughing after the whole ordeal. Mostly polite chuckles to himself, but he did keep playing Kimonzi’s surprise over and over in his head. Her realization really hit a part of his funny bone that had not been hit in awhile.
Nilsen: I nearly put the diplomatic department on to you.
Lahl: Wait…oh my goodness, you guys threw me a birthday party? That’s so thoughtful!
Forsyth: Yep, we realised we missed your birthday and wanted to make sure you at least have one.
Herrick: And, despite the hazardous conditions of being the Butler’s chief engineer, we’re expecting many more!
Jania side-eyed Josh. Something about the comment felt like bad luck. It was like that old saying, Never ask a xay’ix farmer how many eggs they’ll have.
Caras: I assume Alex might have a cloning system setup with talk like that.
Morro would suspect that Jania would have helped with that if that was the case, but judging from the look she gave, she was not.
Saa: Missions and work have a tendency of making one forget.
Gold scarred eyes drifted to Nilsen. Along with Wes Greaves the entire February birthday crew had spent their time on Koreli IV getting hunted.
Forsyth: I wasn't going to leave you without one, what kind of a girlfriend would I be.
Lahl: I just figured we were going to have to wait until next year. I forgot it myself if I’m being honest.
Josh resisted the urge to smooth his ruffled shirt; he’d hoped that he’d chosen the correct period piece. From the computer’s library, he’d selected the only pattern that had stood out to him: a blue suit with long coat tails, complete with navy vest, a top hat, and of course a white ruffled shirt with sleeves.
Herrick: Well, let’s rewind the clock ::beat, considering their experience time travel:: or at least declare today Kim-day!
Caras: A celebrated Kim-aissance period.
Nilsen: A Kim-wesome day!
Forsyth: A Kim…..I got nothing, sorry.
Sevantha tried to think of clever pun to join in, lacing her fingers in front of her as she pondered only to come up short. Sighing in defeating, she instead adjusted the midriff sleeveless top of her fairly simple evening gown and skirt once more, hoping it met the dress code.
Nis: It’ll be …. Kim-azing? Sorry, we’re not as good at punning as everyone else.
Lahl: Thank you…
Kimonzi was almost overwhelmed. Not only had they planned this, they had gotten the actual period she liked to play in in holonovels.
Herrick: We might want to get a move on to the first stop! ::motioning to Alex:: Our emcee will lead the way.
He kept the destination intentionally vague; the plan had been to find ways to continue to surprise the engineer throughout the evening. Whether it be locale, gifts or activities, they were treating it as classified intel.
Lahl: After you guys.
Forsyth: Right, follow me.
Hooking her arm through Morro’s as she walked, Sevantha leaned over to the others to gossip with the others in hushed tones to avoid alerting the Lady of the hour.
Saa: ::whispering:: How do you get reservations, this place is booked out for months in advanced?
She clearly had missed a lot being locked away for weeks.
Caras: ::whispering:: I had one of Nilsen’s diplomatic guys book it. Young orion guy, he said he wanted a difficult task and I certainly gave him one. A promising diplomat.
Nis: As long as Lhandon doesn’t run him off like he did the last one …. :: cringing :: We kid, we kid.
Forsyth: Well, I thank you Morro for doing so.
Lhandon just about heard that, and he felt a huge sense of pride for Shyvo. Nis was right, he went through about three different Yeoman’s, but the young Orion was the only one to stick around, and Lhandon felt like he had to support the kid, he was an anxious wreck but a damn genius at organisational matters
((The Starlight Table, Deep Space 14))
In a stroke of luck, when the party planning committee had contacted the ‘hottest spot on DS14’ where the waitlist typically stretched into years, the maitre d’ was familiar with the flagship of the Gamma Quadrant flotilla. He’d shared that they usually kept some space on standby for ‘celebrities’, which apparently included the Butler crew.
Lahl: Well, this is certainly a swanky place.
Forsyth: yeah, better than any of the pubs Clara took me.
Nis: It’s decent, we suppose.
Saa: I… didn’t think we’d count as celebrities.
They were the crew of starship, not a Matriarch, performer, or even a famous writer.
Caras: I would think of it more as honored guests. Starfleet is a duty with a lot of perks, and I wouldn’t call it thankless, but a lot of people see senior staff as elevated figures. I don’t tend to like that outlook, but we were insisted upon.
Nilsen: I won’t like, the perks are fun when used responsibly
As they took their seats, Josh found himself lost in the sight of New Bajor, visible through the transparent ceiling, backdropped with the bright shine of stars near and far.
Herrick: Absolutely stunning… ::looking at the menu, then to Lahl:: Anything standing out?
Lahl: Um…this looks suspiciously like…hm.
Josh wanted to follow up, but the comment felt more introspective than being offered to the table for discussion.
Forsyth: Anything you recommend to me, nothing too spicy.
She had to look at the menu more, but this was looking like something that Timorzin would have made. Which was fine, because Timorzin made some of her favorite foods.
Kimonzi seemed happy enough, so Jania started to socialize with the folks next to her.
Nis: So Lhandon, how are the diplomatic suites on the station?
Nilsen: The station makes ours look like a bus stop; it’s like a whole embassy here.
Caras: There is a surprising amount of talking that needs to be done in this galaxy, and a whole lot more listening. Lhando’s gotten the best ones.
As Morro shared the sentiment, Josh’s eyes flicked to Lhandon as he recalled meeting the freshly graduated flyboy who also tended to fly off the handle. Despite how chaotic the Kissoben Reach was, he’d become noticeably tamer. Diplomat was not where the second officer would’ve seen Nilsen going, but it now felt tailor-made.
Saa: Everyone sounds so busy lately.
Jania tightened her lips. It was true. Friends came second in Starfleet--the work was the most important thing. It was obvious, but it was also a little tragic. If only their job was hanging out together in the Writers Room all day. And these sorts of events seemed to be less common the higher up in the food chain she got. With all the chaos of the last mission, this was the first time all shore leave the CMO had had enough time to goof off.
Forsyth: Hey, are you ok?
For a moment, Jania thought she was talking about her. But it was Kimonzi who looked distant and lost in thought.
Lahl: Oh, it’s nothing. The menu looks like one I would have made in a past life.
Jania grinned.
Sevantha’s eye flicked to Jania suspiciously.
Saa: I have a feeling someone knows why.
Forsyth: le gasp, no way!
Nilsen: Why have you just suddenly turned French?
Nis: That’s no accident. We found an old copy of Timorzin’s menu in the archive Nis keeps. One of the ones Mibahm didn’t complain about much.
Lahl: You would Nis.
She stuck her tongue out at Jania, remembering some of the conversations Mibahm and Timorzin had in the past.
Forsyth: You know, Kim. You are very cute when you do that, cheeky Kim is the best Kim.
If Alex thought -that- was cheeky, she really hadn’t met Timorzin. But Jania loved the fact that Alex found Kimonzi so cute.
Nis: Awwwww.
Caras: I do like a party like this.. But being waited on as guests of honor really does make it feel kind of weird.
In the culture that Morro came from, if someone started to give you special affection or “perks” for free, that meant that they wanted something from you or wanted to make you think a certain way about them. Neither were good. It was something Morro could suppress but not shake.
Gently Sevantha extended her hand to place it on Morro’s arm.
Saa: You’re doing fine.
Nilsen: I get you, for humans it’s a compliment, for others it more of an awkward thing, but know that you’re with us Mo and I want you to enjoy this too. Think of it like we’re showing you our culture.
He looked around at the table of playful officers, and while he wasn’t the only two-and-a-half pipped officer at the table, he realized that he’d served the longest thus far out of all of them. It made him feel older, despite having only been in the service for two years. And, the main lesson he’d learned thus far, make every moment matter.
Herrick: And it’s not often that most of us get to experience this form of the high-life, so take advantage of new and unique experiences as you can. Whether it be first contacts out here in the Gamma, ::motioning to the table:: having way too many specific eating utensils for various foodstuffs, or trying something new… like this fish soup.
Forsyth: The Konaii fish soup, no thank you…Oh what Betazoid… Sevantha, how do you say this?
Sevantha looked down at the menu.
Saa: Altha'ae Lishe. ::She looks back up:: Peace by chocolate. It’s a chocolate-iced thin pastry made with Betazed grains, like a… pancake.
Forsyth: Oh, I'm not going to remember that, but I'll give it a try.
Words were hard for Alex, sometimes at least, and there were several recent examples she could think of where she was sure she'd gotten it wrong. Hopefully, the others would be understanding.
Lahl: I’ll have to remember it for you.
Nis: The real treat’s the Drinaer. We had our dad make a special piece for the farmers just to make sure the grains got to DS14 in time.
Lahl: Wait, you actually got the actual grains for Drinaer? I’m definitely going to be getting that.
It had been far too long since she’d had proper Drinaer. It was rare for anyone to be able to get the grain off planet.
Caras: hmm interesting…
Morro was about to carb up, but he did wonder if there was a market for Drinaer smuggling.
Nilsen: I’m just saying Nis, we look after those who look after us.
Herrick: Response
Alex rested her head slightly on Lahl, before looking at the drinks available.
Saa: ::pointing out a drink:: I think I’ll have the New Moon with a shot of espresso.
Caras: I’m going with the “Turbo Collider” whatever that is. Sounds like something that would give Lahl and I a headage in engineering
Morro grabbed his drink, it was in a long flute glass shape but was made completely out of ice. He pounded back the shot like most orions did. With extreme vengeance; an empty shotglass at a party was a crime… if Orions cared about crimes.
Forsyth: I'll have a fruity warp coolant cocktail, oh it got pineapple in it. Um, I'll just have a cola then.
Herrick: Now, you’re getting in the spirit!
Nis: We didn’t know Kimonzi when she was a little sprout. How did you celebrate your birthday as a kid?
Lahl: Well, usually it involved people giving me a lot of various engineering toys and then me dismantling them.
Caras: That sounds like a blast….. Or could be did you ever make anything that exploded?
Morro was mostly asking for small talk.
Lahl: Never intentionally.
Jania knew that explosions related to engineering was a bit of a touchy subject for Kimonzi, though, so she pivoted.
Nis: When we think of you as a little kid, we kind of just imagine you now but shorter.
Nilsen: Response
Forsyth: Yeah, bet you were adorable.
Saa: Most birthdays were excuses for large feasts in the neighborhood, any meal that could be shared widespread, was. The food was always good.
Nis: Oh, my birthdays were always just an excuse for my mom to bring lots of people over.
Lahl: Oh…that’s unfortunate Jania.
Jania waved her hand dismissively at Kimonzi. She had plenty of fun as a little kid--birthdays just weren’t usually it.
Forsyth: my birthday or my sister were small party. We have couple of friends over, we would blow out the candles and then play hit the pinata. We also love playing Starfleet and Klingons, just running around making phaser noises and finger guns.
Morro let out a little laugh. The fact that kind of prejudiced tradition managed to manifest in almost every society tickled him. For him it was green vs blue orions. He was always a blue orion.
Lahl: Ooh, that does sound fun.
Alex always had fond memories of those days, especially when she was the birthday girl and got to be the captain Kirk and doing an impression of him as well.
Saa: Sometimes birthdays meaning change, some people fixate on their importance while others forget, it should mean whatever you want it to mean to you. ::She looks at the menu:: Though my people’s tradition for sharing a meal I find the most delightful. It would be the celebrator who rang the chimes to show their appreciation for the chefs at home.
Forsyth: They are some of my favourite memories of my dad, he always made birthdays a big deal for us.
Lahl: That sounds like a good time. What did you do Commander Herrick?
She would have asked Caras as well, but her she assumed that he might not have until he reached Starfleet.
Herrick: I used to try and find some death-defying experience with a mostly willing friend. The last one was orbit jumping, like a more extreme skydive, but I’ve gotten my fill of thrills here. The birthdays themselves are simple affairs, typically just Mom, Dad, and my sister, Em, if we happen to be nearby.
To some, it may sound lonely, but to Josh, it felt just right. He wondered, with his far-flung station and his parents’ separation, if he’d have another of those birthdays again. As he contemplated this fact, Morro rounded it back to the celebrant.
Caras: Getting together to celebrate just you, Kimonzi, is well deserved. The fact that we almost had to trap you into it shows how much thought you put into yourself on that level. The roommate I had in the academy had what he declared his… “birthday week”.. And he made sure no one ever forgot it.
Forsyth: My….Ex was like that…..
Lahl: You mean I can’t celebrate all 6 of my birthdays?
She gave them all a mischievous grin as she took a sip of her drink.
Saa: Only if you’re providing plans for the next five.
Forsyth: See, isn't cheeky Kimmy cute.
Caras: I’m all for celebration of one’s individuality, but once out of 365 days seems like just the right amount
Nis: We’ll celebrate Kimonzi any time she wants.
Herrick: Happy Birthday!
Forsyth: Hear, Hear.
Kimonzi lifted up her glass to her friends before going back to her food and the conversation. Some of them were leaving, but she would remember them always.
--
Lieutenant Kimonzi Lahl
Chief Engineer
U.S.S. Octavia E. Butler
O240107KL4
&
Lieutenant Commander Lhandon Joseph Nilsen
Second Officer (soon) & Senior Diplomatic Officer
USS Octavia E Butler
O240007LN1
He/Him/His (Both player and character)
&
Lieutenant Jania Nis
Chief Medical Officer of Physical Health
USS Octavia E. Butler NCC-82850
O240108JN2
she/her/they/their (character accepts either); he/his (player)
&
Lieutenant. J.G. Alex Forsyth
Tactical
USS Octavia E. Butler
D239910AF1
&
Lieutenant Commander Sevantha Saa
Counselor | Head of Health | Second Officer
USS Thor
A240105SS2
&
Lieutenant Morro Caras
Engineering officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240106MC1
he/him/his (player/character)
&
Lieutenant Commander Josh Herrick
Intelligence Officer | Second Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)