Lt. Commander Sevantha Saa - A Walking Kitchen Nightmare
Sevantha Saa
((Holosuite #2, Deck Five, USS Thor))
Saa: Computer, I need a culinary bat’leth for reasons.
Rejac, the Klingon commander and potential murderer, had decided in the kitchen to fling verbal insults regarding her situation. Usually, Sevantha was even-tempered, calm, and while her voice remained soft spoken, her temper had revealed itself. Competition brought out the worst in Sevantha, as did failure that she was certain was programming error manifesting in her station, or outright sabotage.
Voice: Tick-tock, competitors, you have 2 minutes remaining. ::looks:: Commander Saa, it appears you do not have a dish prepared and must be removed from the running
The floor dropped out from underneath Sevantha and next thing the commander knew, she was sitting inside a large salt shaker, suspended over the rest of the contestants.
Tam: Saa! Are you okay? Can you hear us?
Taj’el: Commander I would like to remind you that this is a simulation. She should be perfectly safe.
And the wisdom of Vulcan logic continued to remind them that is was a scenario;
Saa: I can hear you. ::Addressing Taj’el:: A reminder Lieutenant, every training simulation and its dangers should be treated as real while the scenario is running.
Be it a disaster on a bridge or the amalgamation they faced, Tam was acting Captain and had to bear the weight of responsibility for her crew’s safety.
Vharo: Response
Voice: Time is up! Contestants, bring your dishes to the front of the stage for judgment.
Shifting her position, Sevantha peered down through the glass the best she could to study the dishes each of them presented. Seeing Vharo’s station, she winced, before looking over to Taj’el’s and noting how impressively clean it was. The commander suddenly hoped that they weren’t going to be sharing glass culinary cells. If all three were tossed into one, it was going to be a very tight and unpleasant fit.
Tam: What happens if we refuse?
Voice: Not advised, Commander Tam. If you refuse, your friend will be dropped in the soup. She will make delicious seasoning, don't you think?
oO …Out of the frying pan and into the soup. Oo
Seeing the enormous cauldron of soup appear below her, Sevantha frowned and stood up. The glass prison swayed a little unstably, causing Sevantha to press her hands to both walls to brace herself.
Taj’el: Vharo… ::spoken softly::
Saa didn’t speak, instead, she chose to observe the actions of the junior officers quietly. Tam hadn’t given them direct instructions beyond compete, which left her curious what Taj’el was choosing to do.
Vharo: Response
Tam: Computer, end program.
Suspended still in the air, Sevantha looked around, mildly concerned for the drop she was about to take if the program vanished abruptly.
However, nothing happened.
Tam: Let's continue, but let me know the moment either of you has an idea about what is going on or what we can do to break this thing.
Taj’el removed a phaser from Tam’s side and gave it to Vharo. Then they continued by ‘accidentally’ dropping their bowl onto the ground. Soup spilled across the floor, which reminded Sevantha of the cauldron still bubbling underneath her.
Voice: Contestants. What do you have for us today?
Rejac: I have prepared a jelly mold with Gotak worms.
Not even on a high production value stage did Klingon food look even remotely edible. The jelly wiggled back and forth as the worms within squirmed and writhed, creating a slimy inner barrier around them. Some Klingons swore the middle slime layer was the best part as it served as a faux filling, but the Betazoid was keen on validating their opinions. Sevantha felt her stomach turn as she could practically imagine the smell from her position.
Tam: I have prepared Bulgogi Beef Pizza.
Wait, was that one of Tam’s fusion recipes?
Taj’el: I have prepared a remainder vegetable soup in fish broth.
Sevantha’s nose scrunched at the word fish broth. Despite her love for the ocean, she was not particularly keen on seafood. Between spilled fish broth and Gotak worms, the Commander was suddenly fairly content in her cell, away from the smells of the dishes below.
Saa: And I thought Morro’s wing-slug snacks were bad.
Vharo: Response
A drum roll echoed, and the lights went out.
After a loud zap, Sevantha felt her prison space get considerably tighter as both Vharo and Taj’el appeared inside with her as well.
Voice: Congratulations to our two finalists! Our Long Time Reigning Champion Rejac oh and Commander Tam… Wish them both luck as they face off Head to Head!
The faceless crowd that had vanished suddenly reappeared, their roar thunderous, their population greater than previously.
Voice: For this final round we will allow the Commander to recruit one of their old team mates to help out! Come on, who do you want to join you in this final thrilling battle?
Taj’el: Hello Commander, and pardon me. ::spoken to Saa as their joined her::
Sevantha nodded her head towards Taj’el and Vharo, greeting them finally, as she continued to watch what occurred below. Tam now had a choice to make among her fellow officers. Logically, Taj’el’s skill made the most sense if she embraced the cooking challenge wholly-
Tam: I choose you, Commander Saa.
Saa: What?
Divya continued to prove herself unpredictable, even for the telepath.
Vharo: Response
Voice: What a twist! What was to be a boon for our finalist Commander Tam will now probably be a handicap! Choosing to pick the individual who was taken out of the show. What dedication, but will it pay off!
Rejac: This puny pray will need all the help it can get! Ha!
Again the holodeck chose to relocate Sevantha at its whims, sending her from her glass prison back down onto the stage. Although she was happy to no longer be cramped in the cell, she wasn’t certain how much of a boon she was going to be for Divya in this potential task.
She briefly glanced up and noticed Taj’el and Vharo appeared to be speaking conspiratorially, which meant Sevantha now knew her role. Distraction.
Taj’el: I apologize, Ensign Vharo, for placing you in this situation. I also apologize if any of the soup came into contact with your uniform. However, I believe I have identified a potential method of removing us from this scenario, particularly given that the program appears to be primarily focused on our commanders.
Saa: ::Softly:: Guess we’re in the final round.
Vharo: Response
Taj’el: Once the crystal is sufficiently heated, I will be able to lift you up to the metal cap above us. You may use my gloves to hold it; however, the heat from the crystal should be enough to warp the metal, allowing it to be opened. From there, we can exit the enclosure and attempt to locate a solution, perhaps even a means of altering the program itself. It would appear that a scientific background has its practical applications after all.
Vharo/Tam: Response
Gesturing upwards towards the two junior officers subtly to Tam, she attempted to indicate to the acting Captain the two were actively planning.
Saa: ::Softly:: The juniors are conspiring.
Voice: For the final round, Commander Tam, you will need to replicate what is behind curtain number one.
Lifting her hand, Sevantha shielded her face from the spotlight, uncomfortable with bright focus before she turned to see the other side of the stage. The curtain drew back to reveal a three-tiered white cake with tiny flowers cascading down the layers.
Visually, it was stunning. It reminded her of displays she’d seen at large festivals and parties on Betazed.
Tam: We are doomed.
Saa: …I wish Wyatt’s Govanna was here right now.
The crowd laughed, but Sevantha was being sincere. The woman could run a small bakery out of her home with how good her Betazed pastries were.
Voice: For the final round, Rejac, you will need to replicate what is behind curtain number two.
oO That’s just ovallishe, even I can make that! Oo
When the curtain drew back and revealed chocolate cupcakes, Sevantha turned to specifically and pointedly mean-mug the holographic Klingon.
Voice: You will each have three hours to complete your task. Commander Tam, I hope you didn't think Commander Saa would do all the work for you. It is now up to you to decide how she will be of service to you.
Immediately she turned away from the Klingon, facing Tam, waiting for her instructions.
Tam: Given that we are guests here, it is only proper that I gift Commander Saa to Rejac. ::turning to Saa:: Do your best to help him, the entire time?
Sevantha blinked, opened her mouth then closed it, processing the plan. Help clearly meant sabotage, but Tam used a friendly tone to deliver the deception like a gift, that the Klingon knew would hinder him.
Saa: Understood.
Vharo/Taj’el: Response
Pivoting, she made eye contact with the Klingon once more before walking past him into the kitchen set. Exhaling, she wondered if sabotage was best delivered sincerely or sarcastically. Her poor replicator had suffered the most when she was enthusiastically attempting to make a fusion recipe with naive hope it’d work.
Saa: We’ll need flour…
Rejac: Do. not. Touch. Anything.
He was too late. Sevantha was already pulling ingredients and tools, tossing them haphazardly up onto the table, before she stood up and looked at her partner that was now scowling at her in simmering rage.
Tam/Vharo/Taj’el: Response
Rejac: I will handle the ingredients.
Saa: Fine.
Kneeling, she instead started digging for cooking utensils, tossing them out every which directly for the Klingon to gather. Underneath a cooking sheet, Sevantha found it, a beauty that could not be matched:
A full-sized Bat’leth, because no true Klingon would cut their pizza with a smaller blade. Rising up, the Counselor held the weapon in front of her as one might a basket of goodies, biding her time and waiting. Yet, even just standing still caused the disruption, as if her very presence was part of a glitch in the system, as the Risa Deluxe three-ringed auto whisk he was using to mix the batter choked, then sputtered wildly, flinging the dough across the set.
Saa: You’re gett-
Furiously he turned on the Counselor before violently tossing the whisking tool aside.
Rejac: Not a word, soft one.
And that's when Sevantha heard the audience laugh again. This time, however, it was slow, distorted, almost broken sounding before it returned to normal. Lifting her head upwards, she realized the cell was now empty, and she’d lost track of the junior officers in their plan.
The distraction appeared to be working and hopefully, they’d be back to their regularly scheduled holodeck training session.
Tam/Vharo/Taj’el: Response