JP: Lieutenant JG Seleya & Lieutenant Naledi- That time Seleya flirted with the cute bug lady
EmpressKitsune
((This takes place during the shore leave before the Chin'toka's first contact mission with the Ah'rakkians))
((Deep Space Nine, Promenade, walkway outside the security complex))
It had been a long couple of days of classes for Seleya. She had temporarily relocated to Deep Space Nine for a security conference. It was nothing special, mostly updates on new protocols, additional training, and guidance on handling species from non-Federation cultures. It was interesting, but the constant lectures were beginning to wear on her. She had one more day left on the station before returning to the Chin’toka and she was hoping to have a bit of fun. There was also a shopping list to get through, and she knew she’d be lectured if she came back without a gift for a certain Bajoran.
Seleya glanced around the Promenade before heading toward one of the directories. As she approached, she noticed another Starfleet officer already there, likely not from the station either, if they were studying the directory. Seleya had never met an insectoid species before, but she wasn’t opposed to making new friends while on the station.
Seleya: If it wasn’t for this directory I would probably get lost infinitely looping this station.
Seleya gave Naledi a brief smile, trying to start off their conversation with some simple humor.
Naledi looked back at them. Why were they talking aloud at them? Their mandibles chittered a response.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss Creak…. That’s why they have them here.
Seleya: I’m Lieutenant Junior Grade Seleya of Khanda, from the USS Chin’toka, by the way.
Naledi looked down at the Lieutenant JG. They hadn’t heard of the USS Chin’toka, but judging by their uniform, and the way that they carried themself, they had no reason to doubt that the “Seleya” was lying about their identity.
Naledi: Crick Pop Chirp Tweak… Lieutenant Naledi, USS Compass Rose. Pop Snap Crick… No, USS Thor.
Seleya: I was here for a security training conference which just finished. What brings you all the way out here?
Did all humanoids wish to make senseless conversation?
Naledi: Crack Pop Snap… What do you want, Lieutenant?
Seleya: Nothing in particular, conversation really.
Naledi turned to them, facing the small woman with their whole body.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss Pop Chirp… You started a conversation with me, fine. But cut the small talk. What did you want?
Naledi knew they were being perhaps a little harsh on the “Seleya” who in all likelihood only wanted a conversation with them, as all people who’d never seen a Xindi before usually wanted. Right before they asked them something stupid, or personal, or both.
Seleya: I promise nothing more, you just seemed like an interesting person. It’s my last day here, so wanted to do something fun.
Naledi: Snap Pop Hiss… Then you have my apologies. Pop Snap Hiss… This one is having a dense time.
Or was the saying supposed to be “having a hard time?”.
Seleya: No need to apologize, perhaps we can make things a little lighter. How about you join me for dinner, maybe some drinks as well?
Seleya took a shot in the dark, she wasn’t really sure if Xindi-insectoids ate normal food, but that wouldn’t stop her from trying at least.
Naledi paused their browsing of the promenades directory, turning to face the… Kelpian? Kira… something… Octopus Lady head on. It was confused at the query, why did their interest make them want to eat with them? It was a function biologically the opposite of defecation.
Whilst the idea didn’t automatically appeal to them, they also had no real reason to refuse their offer.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hoss Twinge… This one consumes nutrients, where do you have in mind?
Seleya hummed, taking a quick glance at the directory in front of them, quickly trying to figure out which ones sounded restaurant-y. There was a part of her that was tempted to point at “Fredrickson’s Squid Vendor” for the humor of it, if Naledi would even catch onto it.
Seleya: How about this one? ::She reached forward to point at one:: The Replimat Cafe. Should be nice and quiet for a conversation.
Naledi: Snap Pop Hiss… Lead the way
Seleya gave Naledi a brief smile before turning to walk to the Xindi’s side.
Seleya: Shouldn’t be far, and I should probably ask. Do you have a preferred set of pronouns? Never met one of the Xindi before.
Naledi: Crack Snap Pop Hiss… This one does not utilise pronouns. Refer to it at your discretion.
Seleya: Very well then, darling.
Naledi turned to them once again. They’d clearly defined their name as Naledi, had they not? This “Seleya” was a very strange creature.
Seleya gave another smile, trying to look over the Xindi to gauge a reaction if she could.
Seleya: So you never mentioned what brings you here, if you don’t mind me prying.
Naledi: Snap Twinge Chirp Crack… It is preparing for deployment aboard the USS Thor
Seleya: Oh! That sounds exciting. I am not familiar with the Thor, Is it assigned to the Cardassian Border?
Naledi: Twinge Chirp Snap Pop Hiss… From what it was informed of in the transfer documents, we will be passing through the Bajoran wormhole and proceeding to the Gamma Quadrant.
Naledi paused. Maybe they should ask something of the octopus woman?
Naledi: Creak Twinge Hiss… What of the USS Chin’toka?
Seleya: We are assigned to the Partha Expanse and Solarian Sectors. Dealing with some political tension between the powers of the region. Including the Romulans. Is the Dominion a concern for you with the Thor?
Naledi: Crick Snap… Not recently
As the two walked along the dimly lit promenade, several officers were visibly heading back to their quarters for the shift change. They hadn’t considered it, but it was likely later in the day than they’d realised.
Seleya: Well hopefully it continues to be that way. ::Seleya glanced ahead:: Ah, that looks like the restaurant.
As they approached Seleya pulled out one of the chairs for Naledi, offering her a seat.
Naledi: oO Well, this is awkward Oo Chirp Crack Snap Pop… Apologies Lieutenant, this one is incompatible with Humanoid Chairs. Pop Cnap Crick Hiss… It will need to inform the management for an accommodation. Please be seated, It will return.
Seleya: Ah, apologies, I had not realized.
Seleya sat down at the table while Naledi went off to look for other accommodations. Seleya picked up the menu to glance over the selection as she waited for the Xindi to return.
Seleya: Were they able to find you something, darling?
Naledi had returned to the table with a holo-emmiter, which supposedly contained the image for a compatible chair, but the manager they’d spoken with seemed to want to say or do anything that would get rid of them.
Naledi: Crick Snap… It’s Naledi.
Naledi threw the emitter on the floor, then an insectoid chair shimmered into existence before them.
Seleya: The menu looks like it has a good array of options at least. Not entirely dominated by human cuisine. What’s the cuisine like where you are from?
Seleya was curious, she didn’t know much about the Xindi, or even what the insectoid homeworld may be like.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss Twinge Snap… It’s homeworld was primarily desert, or at least where I grew. Roasted Lizard was a personal favourite.
Seleya tilted her head, she was curious about the choice of ‘was’ when referring to their homeworld. Perhaps it was just a mistranslation, so Seleya decided not to press the subject for now.
Seleya: That sounds interesting, how big was this lizard? What did it taste like?
Naledi gestured to the size of the creature using their appendages, showing a size of around 4 feet.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop… It does not taste. That is a humanoid sense.
Seleya: I apologize I didn’t mean to assume. Does your culture have customs around doing activities with good friends, or socializing with complete strangers?
Naledi: Snap Crack Pop Hiss Twinge Crack Chirp Tick… We are a hive race. We rest, we work. The idea of “Free Time” is somewhat foreign. We seize the day, for we have but a limited time to live.
Seleya: Well I am sure that it has been quite the adjustment in Starfleet. Perhaps the better question to ask is what have you grown to enjoy in your free time, when you have it?
Naledi suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable.
Naledi: Chirp Snap Pop Hiss… It recreates historical battles of the insectoid race on the holodeck
Seleya: Is your preference to watch, participate as a soldier or general? Any battles that are particularly your favorite.
Seleya briefly turned away as their server approached the table and Seleya ordered the tea, and an appetizer of Andorian atlirith wings.
Naledi turned towards the server.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… Only a small bowl of crickets please. It ate yesterday.
Naledi turned back to Seleya.
Naledi: Chirp Twinge Hiss… It likes being a boarding party, invading the NX-01 Enterprise.
Seleya: Must be interesting to do that, and then immediately go back to wearing a Starfleet uniform after.
Seleya let out an amused hum, trying to tease a little bit. Doing some more testing and prodding to see if she could get a better idea of the Insectoid’s reactions.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… It can take the uniform off, but it will always be Xindi.
Given Naledi’s comments so far, Seleya’s preferred subtle approaches seemed to be going over their head. So Seleya decided to try her luck with a more direct approach.
Seleya: Well perhaps we can save taking off our uniforms for after dinner, if you would prefer.
Naledi’s head tilted.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… You wish to shoot defenders?
Seleya laughed softly, it seemed her suspicions were correct.
Seleya: I don’t mind being the ‘invader’, so long as the ‘defender’s are consenting.
Naledi did find this woman weird, in all senses of the word and in all sixty-something Insectoid Dialects.
Naledi: Snap Pop Hiss Crack Pop Twinge… Of course they are not. They are trying not to get killed.
Seleya laughed again, she was enjoying this way too much for sure. Perhaps even now she was being much too subtle.
Seleya: Well certainly people have called out to their gods with me, but never thought I’d bring them that close to death.
Before Naledi had the chance to ask if the Lieutenant had recently inhaled some kind of intoxicating gas, the server returned, their appetizers in hand.
Naledi: Pop Snap… Crickets
Seleya smiled at the server as they returned with their wings. Taking the eating utensils in hand as she pulled the meat off the bones, and then dipping them into the side sauce.
Seleya: I suppose I should be entirely clear that I am flirting with you, darling.
Naledi crushed the crickets with their fist, before they stuck their mandibles into the mixture, cutting it up further before the thick gloop of a liquid slid into their skull.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop… It is not familiar with that term
Seleya hummed. She really would have to spell it out, provide a definition and language of origin for this one. Not that Seleya would mind.
Seleya: It is complimenting you, with the intentions of either romantic or intimate result. In my case I am more interested in intimacy, and not any sort of commitment to one person for an extended period.
Naledi paused. Nobody had ever expressed these feelings to them before, they were unsure of how to proceed. Their species had no mating rituals as they did not need to mate. In every sense of the word, they were asexual.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… Why do you have these feelings? How do you have them?
They briefly considered the prospect of their antenna emitting pheromones.
Seleya: Because I find you cute, curious, and interesting. I like being social and around people, while, like I said, I am not looking for any long term connection. I do find brief intimate connections satisfying if the other is looking for them too.
Naledi looked into them.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… This one apologises, but it is uninterested in intimacy.
Seleya: No need to apologize. People are not expected to return my feelings. Hopefully you did not take any offense to my advances.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss Crack Twinge… None, it was interesting meeting you. Although a romantic or rather an intimate relationship is off of the table. I am open to friendship with specimens such as yourself.
Seleya: Of course, I can stop with the flirting then. And I would be open to friendship as well.
Seleya paused as she took another bite of her wings.
Seleya: What is going to be your duty post on the Thor?
Naledi: Pop Snap Creak… Intelligence Officer
Seleya: Oh! I am interested in Intelligence. I decided a bit too late in my academy days that I was actually interested in intelligence, but by that time it was too late to switch from tac/sec. Been trying to learn more, to hopefully one day transfer into it.
Naledi: Chirp Snap Twinge Hiss Pop… It’s own career path is similar to yours, you’ll find your way to it.
Seleya: I appreciate the confidence. Been taking a lot of post academy operations training to try to get caught up. I also have another friend that used to work in Intelligence that I can talk to, though she is in the Delta Quadrant now, working in diplomacy, so sometimes responses can take time.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss Twinge… The initial information it had with intelligence was from a guest lecturer with whom little contact is maintained aside from the odd query.
Seleya tilted her head as she pushed her finished plate aside, leaning forward to focus more on their conversation.
Seleya: Oh? Who was the lecturer? I am always interested to look into more resources I can learn from.
Naledi: Snap Pop Hiss… Someone by the name of Aitas
Seleya laughed at the odd coincidence.
Seleya: Ah, Aitas was the friend I referred to earlier. Funny how small this galaxy can be sometimes.
Naledi’s head tilted.
Naledi: oO Not small, dense Oo
The Server returned, politely interrupting to ask if they had decided for anything for the main course. Seleya looks over to Naledi.
Seleya: Were we thinking of a main course?
Naledi looked down at their half-eaten bowl of crushed crickets.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… It ate.
Seleya laughed, and then decided to order an entree, wanting to keep this meeting going for a little while longer. Even if Naledi wasn’t interested in any sort of intimacy, she was very entertaining to talk to.
END OF JP
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Lieutenant Naledi
Intelligence Officer
USS Thor (NCC-85852)
R240107AS3
&
Lieutenant JG Seleya of Khanda
Tac/Sec Officer
U.S.S.Chin’toka
C240202SK1