Ensign Dasal - kari o- ke
Eric Kole
(( Brew Continuum, Port Observation Lounge, Deck 10, USS Chin’toka ))
He watched her drift into her thoughts and followed her gaze to the big blue pearl before them. Earth was a lot like his own home, yet different in its own ways. They had established peace without ignoring the darker parts of their past. He shook his head and looked back at her.
Dasal: Okay we got Sickbay, and coffee room. What else is a need to know for a baby officer? I was thinking of the torpedo bay… I’m kidding, I’m kidding, don’t give me that look.
Doucet: Well, there is the mission pod lounge. It’s very small but a few of us do up there for karaoke so it’s set up for that.
He wondered what a mission pod even was but hey it sounded fun. A part of him had thought once you got on a ship it would be all work and no play. So seeing all these free time activities put his heart at ease.
Dasal: Sure, sounds great! ::He held out his hand, offering to take her coffee if she was finished:: So besides stealing ships, what made you want to doctor it up Doc?
He took the cup and watched as she thought about her answer. He tilted his head as she began to tell her story.
Doucet: My mother is a doctor. Before the synths burned down Mars, she had a clinic there. I would go in with her regularly to help her out and it just fascinated me. She didn’t reopen the clinic on Earth when we had to move here, but she still does the work as part of a larger hospital. It just feels good to help people get better.
Dasal: I’m sorry to hear about your first home. I can see what drew you to wanting to help people though.
Korin watched her body language and wanted to do something to cheer her up. When she indicated that he should follow, he did.
Doucet: I actually wanted to go into engineering at first, honestly, but it just didn’t click for me the way medicine does.
Wouldn’t engineering be close to med—just guts versus gears, right? However, he knew the gut parts and not the gear parts, so he could see the logic.
Doucet: Let’s go. You can put the cups away on the way out.
Dasal: Cups away? Not in a replicator?
Doucet: Yeah, returns for cups go right there. The turbolift is at the end of the hallway to our right. It should take us straight to Mission Pod Level B. Have you ever done karaoke before?
Dasal: What is a mission pod? No, I've never done it. Honestly I was going wing whatever you threw at me and act like I totally knew what Karaoke was.
He walked over to the coffee bar and made an odd gesture toward the bartender, pointing to where he should put the cups. When he was given the okay, he set the cups down and gave a thumbs-up. Then he jogged to catch up with Doctor Doucet.
Dasal: So what is kari o- ke?
Doucet: Response
He raised hand to make a face mic and raised an eyebrow.
Dasal: Wait-singing!!! Really, like- is it hazing?
Doucet: Response
He lay against the turbolift, making little harmonic grunts—almost music-like sounds. He placed a hand over his face. He sounded like a dying something, and he loved that.
Dasal: With some alcohol I can see that being the best thing ever!