Lt JG Tess Evinrude - Variety is the Spice

[Tess Evinrude]

((Clean Hall Lounge, Deck 6, USS Ronin))

Evinrude: ::With a grin, he shook his head, speaking quietly at first, with a glance at Zeyva bustling away.:: Why does she call me that? ::He shrugged.:: Anyway, I was...well, I was going to elaborate on distance. In relationships. ::He took a long pull of wine, finishing his glass.:: It's feeling more distant by the lightyear, to be honest, but my last relationship ended because I chose Starfleet.

Om-Zora: Response

Quentin, perking up with interest at the change in topic, leaned forward to fill Tess' glass.

Beck: What, was it an ultimatum?

Evinrude: Nothing like that, I-- ::He nodded, appreciating the fresh pour.:: Thank you! I...yeah, nothing like that. She didn't straight up say, "Me or Starfleet." She just...well, my new path in life didn't fit with her goals. We talked through that, several times...and she ended things.

Robin: Did that send a sourness into your opinion of her flavour?

Om-Zora: Response

Evinrude: I don't blame her. What I do feel guilty about, though, is leaving behind the projects we were working on. We, along with some friends, made holo-novels. ::He glanced at Beck.:: I actually took a...gap year, after the Academy, and it turned into a few years. Starfleet...didn't like that.

An unexpected reaction from Robin drew Tess deeper into the feeling of guilt that some senior Academy instructors had drilled into him when he announced his gap year.

Robin: Neither would I had I been them.

Evinrude: ::Eyebrows raised, he tried to recover gracefully.:: Believe me, there were several members of the admissions board that would agree. One in particular...

Om-Zora: Response

Quentin let out a snort, seemingly a mixture of surprise and amusement, and replied to Robin's comment.

Beck: And why is that, perchance?

Robin: It shows a lack of commitment. I wouldn’t like that.

Tess kept quiet, but Beck spoke up in disagreement.

Beck: While it was probably not the best thing to do immediately after graduating, it's not the first time someone has needed some additional time to sort things out - doubt it'll be the last time, either. And obviously, they got over it, or else he wouldn't be here now. The fact he decided to return tells me he actually is committed to it.

oO Thanks, Quentin. I see it the same way. Oo

Tess tried to deflect diplomatically, lest the conversation turn into an actual argument.

Evinrude: That's how I've found peace with my decision - I'm here now, things worked out. I made a concerted effort to show them my dedication, and I guess it was persuasive enough! ::He smiled, his tone attempting to bookend the topic.::

Om-Zora: Response

Robin doubled down, taking another sip of wine before looking Tess directly in the eyes.

Robin: Not a criticism, but if I made a commitment to bake a cake, I wouldn’t leave it to rot after it left the oven.

Quentin shook his head. Evinrude's face fell, but the emotion was immediately hid behind a sip of wine.

Beck: Baking a cake and joining Starfleet are not the same thing - but going with your metaphor, it sounds to me like he put the cake on ice, rather than just leaving it to rot. It might have a little freezer burn, but at least so far, it looks like it still ended up pretty tasty-looking.

The potential for Quentin's double entendre was lost on Tess, who was reeling.

oO For a culture who prides themselves on cuisine, their mealtime decorum leaves much to be desired. I see the tomato doesn't fall far from the salad. Oo

He fumed internally, each food-related reference a staccato of annoyance in his thoughts. Memories of Zeyva's increasingly complex, sometimes bizarre requests for equipment in the nearly-complete "Clean Hall" flashed across his mind as he tried to calm his emotions by forking up the perfect bite of hogfish and potato.

Evinrude: ::After taking a moment to chew and swallow a bite of the main course.:: I don't see it as letting my skills decay. ::He sighed, and continued, trying hard to explain himself clearly.:: Starfleet wouldn't have wanted me then, in my previous state of...listlessness. I like to think that the original, ah, cake I was crafting took a different turn halfway through the recipe.

Om-Zora/Robin/Zevya: Response

Beck looked to be grappling with something internal and pushed his plate away, picking up his napkin to dab at the corners of his mouth.

Beck: This conversation is starting to affect my appetite. ::to Zevya:: The food is delicious, but the opinions are growing bitter. Not a reflection on the Chef.

Tess' tone was amiable, even apologetic, but his internal thoughts were a simmering mess. He was empathetic enough to recognize that his sharing had, in a way, brought them here. And he was big enough to put aside his own bruised ego, re-opened wounds, and curiosity at why Beck seemed so affected by all this.

Evinrude: We can...turn the conversation away from my past, yeah? I didn't expect it to bring us here.

He took another few bites of the admittedly delicious main course, now cold.

Evinrude: Zeyva, honestly, this was impressive.

Om-Zora/Robin/Zevya: Response

Beck: Change of subject. When you're not doing whatever it is you do, what do you like to do to unwind? Personally, I am a big fan of the holodeck - there's an endless supply of potential adventures or entertainments to engage the mind. And I don't have the time for it I used to, but I do like writing holoadventures myself.

Tess couldn't agree more, but he wasn't yet ready to offer more personal perspectives, after where that last revelation went. He picked at his cold food, finding the flavor surprisingly solid, and listened.

Om-Zora/Robin/Zevya: Response

Evinrude: I found a lot of solace in the holodeck, especially growing up on starships and starbases. As a kid, teenager...it let me explore more than just the standard-pattern corridors of the Galaxy class I lived aboard.

He thought back to his recent conversation with Counselor Shortrith and smiled.

Om-Zora/Robin/Zevya/Beck: Response

Evinrude: Well, from the perspective of someone who used to create them...I'm aware of the temptation. But, kind of like me choosing to...pick a different path in life for a while, before returning to Starfleet...the experiences we live in the holodeck color and modify our real-world perspectives.

Om-Zora/Robin/Zevya/Beck: Response

[Tags/TBC]

--

Lieutenant J.G. Tess Evinrude

[he/him]

Operations Officer

USS Ronin

R240111TE1