((Holodeck 2, Masquerade Ball))
Mec: Home is the Conny, now, isn’t it? Though, I know you mean my home world. ::A pause:: Do you think itronoks count as birds?
Maramox: I… Don’t know what an itronoks is. I assume flying… Do they have feathers? I think a good bird needs feathers. If it doesn't, maybe we should redefine birds.
The clicking of their heel has settled; Maramox showing a calm moment for the first time since they arrived on the Constitution.
Mec: Or reprogram the universal translator. What is a bird, anyway? It’s different from me to you to a Bolian, isn’t it?
Maramox: I do think so. Our birds were… I liked watching them. I used to climb the tallest trees in my backyard to see them take off. Did you ever try and watch the itronoks? ::Giving a small head tilt towards Mec::
He tilted his head back and laughed before plucking the glass right out of Maramox’s hand and setting it on another hologram’s tray.
Mec: Absolutely not, the things are twenty feet tall and carnivorous! ::He extended an open hand to them:: Would you say we’ve chatted long enough for a dance, yet, or do we need to speak more on birds?
They paused for just a second; before accepting Mec’s hand. It was softer than the callouses would have anyone believe. Ready and willing to follow him onto the dance floor.
Maramox: A dance sound about right. I’m sure you can tell me about your smaller birds later.
A slower song started playing and like a teenager again; Maramox felt a giddiness dancing with their masked friend.
The masked engineer gave the corvid-faced doctor two entire dances before he bowed away to rejoin his colleagues.
_____
Ensign Maramox (they/them)
Medical Officer
StarBase 118 Academy
C240209M12
@pickledpike on discord (they/he)
&
Ensign Jori Mec (he/him)
Engineering Officer
USS Constitution-B
C240209JM2
@marselliot on Discord (he/him)