AT/D04 - Officer's Lounge

[Paul]

==

[Robin Mayfair]

== Some indeterminant time between launch and arrival at the nebula ==

The Deck 8 Starboard Lounge was one of the smaller ones scattered throughout the ship. While the Artemis (like many Starfleet vessels) had a large traditional Ten-Forward Lounge, this one had been unofficially adopted by the crew to serve as a different sort of gathering place. Drinks and food were available, but only through the standard replicator. Most didn't come to 8-Starboard for the refreshments, but for the vibe. It was considered the place for music. At all hours of the day or night there were crewmembers playing instruments, singing, and enjoying a bit of a coffee house atmosphere. Most came to listen, some to perform. By tradition the atmosphere was positive, with criticism kept to a minimum for any honest attempts to perform.

Robin Mayfair entered the lounge and gave a quick glance around. It was 1900 hours, and the CMO's shift was over. It had been a quiet one filled with routine physicals, aside from dealing with one crewman's unfortunate and embarrassing new 'social disease' that she preferred not to think about. She wasn't in the mood to go back to her quarters, but by the same token didn't want to go to the busy Ten Forward lounge. This was perfect, and as an added bonus no one was using the piano.

The perfectly-tuned antique upright was hand-crafted on earth and had been aboard the Gettysburg, the ship previously commanded by Captain Crawford. Some crew considered it a good luck charm. No one was playing at the moment so the purple-haired Augment headed over to the piano. A few of the lounge patrons took notice as she took a seat and tapped a few keys, testing them.

Robin's oddball genetics came with the ability to pick up new musical instruments insanely quickly, and she'd been working on the piano ever since the grim mission aboard the USS Brittany. It had been a joke, about learning to play ragtime, but she'd found she loved the style. She'd used a good chunk of her replicator rations after the mission to have a piano replicated for her quarters, but the nurse was tired of playing alone. She'd loved performing and hadn't gotten to do so for a good long while.

She turned to the lounge patrons. "Anyone mind me playing some ragtime?" No one objected, and Security crewman Khaz'kol gave her a thumbs up, an odd gesture for a Klingon. She gave him a smile and turned to the antique instrument.

OK, here we go.

The sounds of the "Pineapple Rag" by Scott Joplin (a late 19th-century composer) filled the lounge, giving the place a bit of an old-west saloon vibe. The CMO lost herself in the music, genuinely enjoying the experience.

== Tag anyone who wants to show up ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

16 hours was a long time for most any activity, but it was especially so when isolated to one location, being subjected to ongoing monotony. Hangar Bay 2 had been Hallowette’s duty station since coming aboard the Artemis, and this was just another in series of long days. Chief Petty Officer Garrett was a tireless man, one of strict standards born of years of war, struggle and political manipulation. it was his intention that his Hangar and the crew within it were going to be ready for anything that might arise.

Hally admired the veteran crewman; not only for his vigor and devotion to duty, but for his kind acceptance of those under his charge that may have come into his area and believed they knew better than him, owing only to high marks at a respected Academic institution. Luckily for Hallowette she hadn’t made a particularly bad impression, at least socially. She knew there was a lot she had to learn, it had just been CPO Garrett’s gentle attention that helped her to realize just how little she did know. 

The plucky Trill/Bajoran was never one to back down from a challenge though, especially in regard to a being she genuinely respected, so she had resolved herself to work every single minute of every shift the grizzled CPO did. Her body ached, her eyes burned, but she was learning, grasping at new concepts, and hopefully she was making the old man proud.

At least he wasn’t sighing at her as much. At least not lately.

So it was that after this particularly exhausting double shift that Hallowette changed from her dingy uniform and stood within the Midshipman’s berth looking upon herself in the mirror. Her normally vibrant eyes were fatigued and her limbs were heavier than normal, but for whatever reason she found herself restless. The 3 other Midshipman in her berth were chatting about how handsome the bar owner was, and one mentioned Commander Coleman as being particularly attractive before they began to gossip about Coleman’s removal from the ship, and how they heard this or that. Hally wasn’t one for that sort of thing, nevermind the fatigue her body felt, so given sleep wasn’t in the cards anyway, she decided to wander the ship for a bit.

It wasn’t long until the small boyish figured redhead happened upon Lounge 8-Starboard. It seemed low key and comfortable, almost like the Caff shop she frequented back in Cardiff on Earth. Humble, quiet and filled with a sort of familiar intimacy.

Because of Hallowette’s health issues she wasn’t able to imbibe alcohol, choosing to even avoid synthahol due to a particularly unfortunate incident at a party, so she ordered a simple caramel, vanilla and blueberry latte. She sat at a window looking out into the void and she allowed herself to simply be still for a few moments.

Hally was far away in thought when the sound of the piano lifted her from her daydream. The composition was upbeat, far different from anything on Trill, Bajor or Cardassia. She looked across herself at the stage half listening but growing more invested as she realized the skill on display. Whoever was playing was actually really good. She figured it must be a civilian entertainer, though she thought it odd that civilian’s would be aboard during a mission. She thought that particular Starfleet experiment had ended with the Dominion War, but she figured like with many things of late, she might just be mistaken.

Hally watched for a moment before she got a good look at the person playing the keys. A small humanoid, female maybe, wearing a starfleet uniform.

Purple hair. Cute. Human?

It couldn’t be.

Hally stood from the table to get a better look and cradled the cooling drink in her hands. She walked a few steps forward before she confirmed her suspicions.

Robin Mayfair!

Robin had been a classmate at the Academy, well an upperclassman at least, 3rd or 4th year to Hally’s 1st, but someone she had taken particular note of. Robin was the star of the Academy Choir, a person with an incredible voice and cunning intellect. As someone fascinated with language and voices, Hallowette had immediately become a fan, though at the time she hadn’t dared told her. Robin was an incredible example to the young Trill/Bajoran, and while Hally had little of Mayfair’s natural talent, she had been inspired to sing every time she watched the violet haired human perform.

Feeling reinvigorated by seeing a familiar face, Hallowette spent a few moments watching Robin play before she approached the piano, timing it that her arrival coincided with the ending of the ragtime melody. She waited for the music to fully leave Robin’s fingers before smiling broadly and giving a warm nod, applauding awkwardly against the beverage in her hand. 

“Bravo...” she grinned, teal eyes sparking happily, before she recognized that Robin Mayfair was now Lt. Commander Mayfair. “Uhm Commander.” she said somewhat sheepishly. She let the phrase sit for a moment before continuing, wondering internally if she was being too informal, “Uhm, you probably don’t remember me, but we were in the Academy Choir together back a few years ago. I’m very pleased to see you are still performing.”

==Tag Robin and all else!==

[Robin Mayfair]

Robin finished her song. She was reasonably pleased with herself. The piano was an instrument she'd taken to, even more than the guitar she'd been playing since she was young.

I think I have a new favorite instrument. I can really cut loose on this thing.

There was a smattering of applause, but the nurse was surprised to hear genuine enthusiastic clapping and a "Bravo!" She turned on the old spinning seat to see a young woman approaching. "Uhm Commander." There was a bit of nervousness in her voice. "Uhm, you probably don’t remember me, but we were in the Academy Choir together back a few years ago. I’m very pleased to see you are still performing."

Wow, that was me only a couple years ago. Afraid to even approach a superior officer.

She grinned. "Of course I remember! How are you doing, Hallowette? Do you still like to be called Hally?" She paused for a moment, realizing that since she hadn't changed out of uniform the Midshipman probably didn't know what to call her. "And I'm off duty. Call me Robin."

Pfft, how long did it take me to learn to do that with Tyra and the other department heads? Well, maybe I can make it easier on her.

She motioned to a nearby table and chair set, stopping only to order a coffee for herself from the replicator. While she wanted to play some more, it could wait. It was good to see a familiar face from the Academy, even if they hadn't known each other well. A bit of conversation and catching up sounded good. Besides, Hallowette was one of the few cadets who hadn't been standoffish or outright hostile to the young Augment.

"Truth is I haven't had much opportunity to perform lately, and that was my first time with the piano in front of an audience. Trying to get back into it. Oh, and welcome to the Artemis!"

== Tag Hally and all other peoples ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Robin grinned. "Of course I remember! How are you doing, Hallowette? Do you still like to be called Hally?" She paused for a moment, realizing that since she hadn't changed out of uniform the Midshipman probably didn't know what to call her. "And I'm off duty. Call me Robin."

Hallowette beamed. She was thrilled that Robin remembered her, much less knew her name. "Oh, yes, I still go by Hally!"

She allowed the augmented medical officer to lead her to a nearby table and she sat as Robin did.

"Truth is I haven't had much opportunity to perform lately, and that was my first time with the piano in front of an audience. Trying to get back into it. Oh, and welcome to the Artemis!"

"Thank you...Robin." Hally said genuinely, still vaguely aware that she was sitting with a senior officer, and one that she had quite admired just a few years prior. "The Artemis is an incredible ship. I still can't believe I got her as my first assignment." She took a sip of her latte and placed her arms on the table before her, gesturing with a quick nod towards the piano, "By the way, I wasn't aware you are such an accomplished pianist. I mean, I knew you sing - I will never forget your solo during the Reman delegation visit. You were incredible!"

Hally's enthusiastic smile softened a bit as she realized just how much she had needed to see a familiar face.

[Aeryn Miller]

The sensible thing to do would be to go to her quarters, change, and relax enough to get some sleep before returning to the lab to finish the last remaining probe. However, Aeryn quickly decided that the sensible thing could wait, because she needed a change of scenery, and what better way to unwind than visiting the crew lounge on Deck 8, replicating something tasty, and hopefully bumping into someone she knew.

Sure she might look a little messy with the random hair falling from the plait she had worn that day, and her uniform jacket had been left unzipped, thanks to discarding it earlier to work on the probes, but considering she was now off duty, the redhead hadn't made an effort to rectify it. Upon entering the lounge, Aeryn smiled remembering the day she had first come across it, loving the informality it provided, although Ten Forward also happened to be a favourite hangout of hers.

Taking a moment to look around, Aeryn spotted Robin talking to a redhead she hadn't seen before, catching herself from trying to grin at how they seemed to be taking over the ship. Amused since she was counting herself, Aeryn waved at Robin, before walking over to an available replicator, where she proceeded to go through the selections and figure out what she was in the mood for.

After a few minutes of careful consideration, the Commander made her choice in the form of bacon, sausage, and pancakes, along with a black forest latte. Picking up a tray, Aeryn then began looking for a place to sit.

== Tags ==

[Robin Mayfair]

"Thank you...Robin. The Artemis is an incredible ship. I still can't believe I got her as my first assignment."

Me neither. But those were very different circumstances.

Robin's first experience aboard the Artemis had been during a life-and-death struggle against the Borg, and it had almost ended with her getting blown out into space due to a hull breach. She pushed the dark thoughts aside. The nurse felt that her job was to help new officers even when they weren't part of her staff. Trouble would come in its own time. It always did. 

"By the way, I wasn't aware you are such an accomplished pianist. I mean, I knew you sing - I will never forget your solo during the Reman delegation visit. You were incredible!"

The CMO smiled warmly. "Thanks! To tell the truth that was nerve-wracking. I mean, the Academy board was there too. I almost threw up before the concert." The experience had been a good one, though, and it had helped build the nurse's confidence. 

"And I only started the piano a few months ago. Just part of being enhanced, I guess." 

Robin always became embarrassed when talking about such matters. Her genetic enhancements allowed her to learn new skills incredibly quickly and retain them without effort, and music seemed to be hard-wired into her DNA. She could pick up new instruments with only a few months of study and sing without effort (or even warmup). Mara had (justifiably) chewed her out once when she had tried to downplay her abilities, but the thought was always there. She'd heard more than one whispered voice at the Academy saying that her talent came out of a test tube, and there was a lot of truth to it. 

Still, it was nice to receive honest praise. She wondered how much Hally knew (or cared) about her being an Augment. Many of the cadets had certainly cared.

Another redhead had entered the lounge. Aeryn looked like she'd had a long shift and was getting some food. Robin regretted that they hadn't had the chance to talk much lately, but trying to run departments was more than a full-time job. The purple-haired young woman waved her over with a smile. 

"This is Aeryn Miller, our Chief Science Officer and former Chief of Security. Aeryn, this is Hallowette Maxas-Darl, a new Midshipman and friend from the Academy. Wanna take a seat? There's more than enough room if you'd like some company."

Robin's strict upbringing had always called for proper introductions in the manner of the old United States south where her ancestors had lived. Truth was she liked doing them, viewing them as good manners in an era where such things seemed to matter less and less. 

The nurse scooted her chair over to allow her friend more space at the table. The food smelled amazing, and the perpetually-hungry Robin decided to grab some herself in a few minutes. 

== Tag Hally and Aeryn. And you, person reading this. Join us. ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

The CMO smiled warmly. "Thanks! To tell the truth that was nerve-wracking. I mean, the Academy board was there too. I almost threw up before the concert. And I only started the piano a few months ago. Just part of being enhanced, I guess." 

So the rumors were true. Robin really is an augmented human. 

Hally had dated a guy for a *very* short time who came from a family who was overtly anti-augment. Being non-human Hallowette had little in the way of a natural bias towards genetic augmentation, in fact she personally knew a Bajoran who had undergone gene therapy to treat a disease he had suffered from since birth. It had worked, giving him a quality of life that would have been undreamt of without. She understood why some species were wary, even frightened of augmentation - the Academy history classes had gone into extensive detail about the Eugenics Wars on Earth, but that was centuries ago. It wasn't like Robin had volunteered to become a super soldier...so far as she knew. Ultimately whatever reason Robin's parents had for augmenting her, she may have gotten a leg up here and there, but down deep she was still whoever she was before. Robin had always seemed kind, considerate and empathetic. If that is what augmented humans were like, then she knew quite a few humans, as well as other species, that could stand to undergo a tweak or two.

Besides, she really makes that purple hair work.
 
Hally smiled warmly, attempting to reassure her old classmate that she was never among her detractors. She cradled the remains of her latte in both hands, bringing the mug to her lips and engaging in a deep sip to finish the cup. Augment or not, Hally was just glad Robin was here. Somehow she felt safer knowing the woman was overseeing medical on the ship. Just as Hally set the cup down she followed Robin's gaze to the crimson haired woman that was standing at the replicator. 

Hallowette chuckled internally as she saw another redhead. One of the senior enlisted had made a joke on her first day that had taken some time for Hally to decrypt. She had just overheard him say to another something along the lines of, "Great, another member of the Red brigade. Before you know it, Captain's gonna require us all to get a dye job." Hally had begun to understand the man's tease. The Artemis did seem to have an above average number of auburn haired people.

Good for us!

"This is Aeryn Miller, our Chief Science Officer and former Chief of Security. Aeryn, this is Hallowette Maxas-Darl, a new Midshipman and friend from the Academy. Wanna take a seat? There's more than enough room if you'd like some company." her purple haired companion said as she waved the woman over.

Friend from the Academy! I didn't even know you knew I existed before tonight! Hally thought to herself with satisfaction.

Following Robin's prompt, Hallowette scooched over in order to make more room at the table. As she did so she stood, smiled and nodded sincerely towards the ship's CSO. "It's a pleasure to meet you Sir." She pulled a chair out from the table, offering it to the attractive senior officer.

==tag my table peeps et al==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn wasn't surprised, to say the least, when Robin called out to her, grinning slightly upon hearing her friend's voice. Of course, the CMO wasn't going to let her sit by herself, not when there was a new person to meet, and the CSO didn't want to be rude or anything. Besides, it felt as though she hadn't seen Robin in ages, apart from the briefing, and Aeryn was no longer the type of person who would avoid being social.

The introductions were made as soon as Aeryn approached the table, and the woman gave her fellow redhead a warm smile before Hallowette stood and pulled out a chair for Aeryn to take.

" It's good to see you Robin, and welcome to Artemis Midshipman, although please call me Aeryn, we're off duty after all".

That was one thing that always mattered to Aeryn, regardless of rank, as she offered her thanks to Hallowette and took the offered seat, once she had placed her tray on the table.

" How are you finding the ship?" she asked with some natural curiosity, as she settled into the chair, genuinely curious as to how Hallowette was finding life aboard Artemis.

== Tags ==

[Robin Mayfair]

"It's good to see you Robin, and welcome to Artemis Midshipman, although please call me Aeryn, we're off duty after all," the CSO said warmly. Robin was glad to see it. All too many officers were dismissive of middies, forgetting that everyone started off at the bottom of the proverbial food chain, inexperienced and nervous. Aeryn wasn't like that.

Of course, not all of the Midshipmen we've gotten in the last few years have been winners. I don't think Hallowette here is going to start eating any random soup she finds in a supposedly 'abandoned' space station.

The thought was amusing. Robin had been trying to adjust to the turmoil aboard the ship, not surprising after the terrible briefing they'd been through not too long ago. With the command crew shakeups people were still walking on eggshells. The CMO hadn't yet had a meeting scheduled with the new First Officer, something that was a bit of a surprise. Word was he'd been rather standoffish with the Bridge crew. She wondered if she should push the issue, and then decided against it. He'd set up the meeting if he wanted. And if he decided to just put in his time on what might well be a temporary assignment then that was his concern.

And that left the issue of the Captaincy. Tyra Crawford was again sitting in the big chair, but Captain Givens was still on board. What was going on with that? Tyra had seemed as confused by the whole matter as everyone else when she had walked into the meeting. What weren't they being told. What was Tyra not being told? And there was no word on Elias or Coleman.

Matters for later. Her job was to keep her department running. The bizarre personnel changes were matters for others.

"Would you like another drike, Hally? I think I'm going to order some food, too, if you want anything."

== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

"How are you finding the ship?" asked the friendly woman with the light accented speech. Soon after Robin enquired if she wanted anything from the replicator.

Hally addressed her friends question first, figuring that Aeryn's would take a bit more thought. "Uhm, sure!" Her stomach ached hungrily with the mention of food and the aroma from that already on the table. "I'll take an iced sweetened black tea, maybe in the Carolina style? And maybe a taro root hasperat...if it's not too much trouble." She grinned sheepishly at her friend, taking note of Robin's purple irises...a feature she hadn't ever noticed before. "Thank you so much Robin..."

She then turned her attention to Commander Miller.

The CSO's question was one she'd been asked a couple of times now; once by the bartender up in Ten Forward, and once by the ships intake counselor. Both times she had been polite, giving the answer that most expected - That things were perfect and wonderful and she was living her dreams. 

Truthfully, while Hally was entirely gracious to be here, her first weeks as a member of the crew had been far from what she had anticipated. The fact that she was working as a lowly deckhand wasn't the issue. Hallowette understood full well that there was a ladder to climb, and a reputation to build. She was more than willing to work for her place - it was more so the odd sense among the crew that things just weren't ok. Not that she was an outsider per se, most beings had been welcoming - it was almost more the sense that they didn't trust...well anyone who hadn't survived their last mission. She heard hushed whispers about the senior crew, about how Starfleet had it out for the Artemis...that the ship was cursed.

I want to say it's a bit unsettling...sometimes... she thought to herself, letting the grin on her face soften.

"I think I am really lucky to be here..." she said with sincerity. Hally paused and caught her breath, glancing at Robin to measure how she might take this next part. "If I can be honest Commander....uhm, Aeryn..." Hally looked into the depths of her empty cup before bringing her teal eyes up, sympathy lining her gaze, "I know the Artemis hasn't had...the best go of things lately..." She brought a hand up, laying her fingers gently against the spots lining her neck, searching for the diplomatic, yet honest remainder of her thoughts. She returned the hand to her cup before beginning again. "I just want to contribute. To do my part and learn from everyone here. The crew I've met..." she nodded slightly towards her friend, "Robin, yourself, Lt. Grant, CPO Garrett...others...you are all remarkable people. The ship equally so." Hallowette smiled warmly, her eyes pinching at their sides boyishly, her youth and inexperience evident in her features. "I am really glad to be part of your crew. I'm very proud to be Artemis."

She settled her eyes on the older redhead and held it with assurance.

==tag tag==

[Louise Liu]

Though hardly her favourite place aboard ship, the Deck Eight Lounge was one of the few places where Louise could go where attention had a central focus, namely not towards her. Since joining the Artemis crew, Louise had tried her best to stay out of the way; as a new addition to a crew which desperately needed a top-down psychiatric review, her position as Assistant Counsellor, not yet in possession of a doctorate, had made her something of a target for those who resented mandatory therapy sessions, especially with a mere Ensign. Professional discourtesy she could deal with, Starfleet seemed to revel in such an attitude, but it was the way people looked at her that bugged her the most. Her resemblance to her sister was almost identical, save for the tattoos, hair and eye colour, and meant that veteran members of the crew often did double-takes when they passed her in the corridors.

She had deliberately used her birth mother's name and excluded her father from her application and service record to prevent the "family name" affecting her service, but one couldn't ignore genetics or the reputation of her older and far more notorious sibling.

Unfortunately that association, or the desire to avoid it, had meant that she had not struck up much of a rapport with the other members of the crew, even the other non-MD therapists that made up the bulk of the Artemis' counselling department. Alex had warned her that becoming the ship loner would be more harmful than beneficial, especially as a therapist, as how could she expect anyone to open up to her if she wasn't open to them? As she watched her Department Head enjoy a lighthearted conversation with the Chief Medical Officer and a Tactical Midshipwoman Louise had seen in her graduating class, she felt a twinge of envy at how easy they all found it.

It was easy to blame her social ineptitude on being bounced from duty station to duty station as a child, or her conservative adolescence on New Kanto, but deep down she knew that she was simply afraid that she'd be found out and inevitably compared to her sister. Her sister the rock star. The war hero. Wherever she went on the Artemis, there were reminders of her sister; it was said that even the piano that Commander Mayfair had been playing had been one of her favourite instruments, and that she'd been the one to sneak it onto the Artemis rather than letting it gather dust as part of the Gettysburg museum.

On one hand, people act like she walked on water. On the other hand, people label her a dangerous renegade. To me, she's just "the favourite".

As she sipped her tea, Louise continued to observe the group enjoying their conversation; part of her wanted to wander over, nonchalantly introduce herself, and see if she'd be invited. Self-preservation kicked in, however, before she made the attempt; Miller and Maxas-Darl were newer additions to the Artemis crew and had not served with her sister, but Mayfair had; the more time she spent with the Augment, the more likely it was that she'd figure it out (if she hadn't already), and once that secret was out there was no bottling it back up again. Captain Crawford and Commander Morgan knowing was quite enough.

And so Louise went back to people watching, content to observe her new crew as they went about their business. Though she was not yet ready to try and enter someone else's social discussions, she knew she would have to eventually. Until then, she guessed she would just have to hope that someone would take pity on her and begin the interaction, or remain content to be the proverbial wallflower.

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn didn't blame Hallowette in the slightest for answering Robin first, aware that the question she had asked, might take some time to think about. She hoped that she hadn't made things awkward for the new Middie. However, she would respect whatever she told her because it took a lot of courage to be able to be honest, especially with two senior officers present. Sometimes Aeryn forgot just how senior she was compared to others, and yet still presented that same warmth and approachability that she always carried with her, regardless of the rank she now held.

She wanted people to be open, to tell her straight if something was bothering them, or at the very least have an understanding, because it made for a better relationship overall. " Hasperat happens to be a favourite of mine too," the redhead remarked, thinking back to when Merle introduced her to it. The memory of that first time was one that Aeryn remembered fondly before Hallowette responded to Aeryn's question with warmth and sincerity.

The tactical officer wasn't wrong with her assessment of recent events, understanding how it might seem to someone new to be arriving after one of the more physically demanding and emotionally draining missions she had ever been a part of. Yet there was a determination and assurance that spoke of honesty and, despite the ship's reputation of late, Hallowette hadn't let it put her off. It was quite the opposite, which told Aeryn that she would fit right in with them.

" I appreciate your honesty, Hallowette, and from what you've said, I do not doubt that you'll fit right in here because even through the hardest of times, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than Artemis".

It was then that the CSO spotted another unfamiliar face, and broached the topic with those she was sitting with.

" It seems as though we have another newcomer. I think we should invite her over".



== Tags ==

[Lucy Devereaux]

Lucy entered the Officer's or Crew Lounge with a mixture of feelings, mostly shame. It was her own fault for not filtering herself. Comedy came from a sense of timing, which she was starting to feel she didn’t have. She was certain she didn’t have it. The right thing to do was generally the thought that you stop before you go to do something inadvisable. The clue was most definitely in the word.

There were a number of officers she recognised, but she needed to order something from the replicators. About halfway to the Hugora Nebula and the most dramatic things had happened during the briefing, It was definitely for the best. If the Cardassians got annoyed there would be more than sufficient drama. Lucy arrived at the replictors and placed her order. 

“Double cheeseburger, onion rings, fries and a strawberry milkshake, please.”

Her meal arriived on a tray with the milkshake in a tall glass. Lucy cautiously lifted the tray and looked for a group that wouldn't mind her joining them. She saw Aeryn, Robin and a new officer. She made her way through the tables and carefully set her The benefit of fries and onion rings was that they could be shared, Onion rings were an acquired taste, but she liked them.

“Hi.”

== tag. ==

[Robin Mayfair]

The lounge was starting to get busier, though it was by no means full. Not surprising; there had just been a shift change, and with the Artemis en route to its assignment there wasn't much to do that required officers to stay on duty.

Hally asked for some food, which the nurse was more than happy to grab for her. "I'll take an iced sweetened black tea, maybe in the Carolina style? And maybe a taro root hasperat...if it's not too much trouble. Thank you so much Robin..."

"No trouble at all. I'll grab them."

"It seems as though we have another newcomer. I think we should invite her over," Aeryn noted. The CMO saw the new arrival, a young Ensign in Medical teal, but who wasn't part of her immediate staff who she all knew by sight.

Must be a new counselor. Wow, she looks almost exactly like...

"I'll take care of it," the nurse said to her friend. She got up and headed towards the replicator. Lucy Devereaux had also come into the lounge and had grabbed some food, heading over to where the group had gathered. As Robin passed the Science Officer she grabbed an onion ring from the tray and popped it in her mouth. "Thanks," she said with a chuckle as she passed by.

Robin wasn't the type to hold grudges or be judgmental. She'd dealt with too many judgmental people to ever allow herself to feel that way for long. During the insanely tense briefing Lucy had proposed having a drinking game afterwards and had even asked Robin to officiate, an idea that had gone over as well as proposing to use the warp core for phaser target practice. Robin had been exhausted from a long shift even before the briefing had started, and it had taken all of her discipline to stop herself from snapping at the copper-haired woman. Lucy had a bad habit of failing to read the room. But truth was Robin had no hard feelings, and getting some sleep had helped immensely. It just wasn't that big a deal.

She stopped by the other new arrival. Robin gave her her best warm smile. "Y'know, by long Artemis tradition that I just made up wallflowers aren't permitted in 8-Starboard. Since this is apparently turning into a bit of a get-together to welcome new arrivals feel free to join us, Ensign...?"

== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

" I appreciate your honesty, Hallowette, and from what you've said, I do not doubt that you'll fit right in here because even through the hardest of times, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else than Artemis"

Hally nodded respectfully. The CSO's words (as well as Robin's actions) were incredibly gracious, and the Bajoran/Trill hybrid felt their value more deeply than she anticipated. She realized validation had been somewhat in short supply since she arrived, so it was nice to hear those from the senior crew be so welcoming and warm. Hallowette hadn't expected such kindness, but she appreciated it deeply.


“Hi.” followed the gentle thud of a tray of food being laid on the table, and Hally looked up to note yet another attractive, copper haired female wrapped in science blue. 

She chuckled despite herself. (While red hair was relatively common among Bajorans, it was more or less rare among the Trill - having grown up on the latter, she had been an anomaly, a curiosity. Seeing so many Humans among the crew with auburn hues in their hair was a nice change.)

Hallowette gave a quick wave and returned the affectation, "Hi!" She checked the situation around the table, noting that Robin was speaking with another newcomer, an Ensign, maybe? She cleared a bit more space, hopping her chair a bit more towards Robin and Aeryn's chairs before addressing the science officer who had just joined them, "Now that looks good! I may have to get a milkshake myself!"

[Louise Liu]

"Y'know, by long Artemis tradition that I just made up wallflowers aren't permitted in 8-Starboard. Since this is apparently turning into a bit of a get-together to welcome new arrivals feel free to join us, Ensign...?"

Sipping her tea quietly, Louise had watched as the party of women at the table grew, and as Commander Mayfair rose, presumably to get another drink. She was surprised, therefore, to look up from her beverage to see the purple-haired Augment standing before her. For a brief second, Louise thought she'd offended someone by staring, but quickly reminded herself that not all cultures were as closed-minded as the one she had been raised in on New Kanto.

"Y'know, by long Artemis tradition that I just made up wallflowers aren't permitted in 8-Starboard. Since this is apparently turning into a bit of a get-together to welcome new arrivals feel free to join us, Ensign...?"

Louise suddenly felt the desire to sink into her chair, through the deck plating, and into the between-deck spaces where she could hide. Her face flushed red and the desire to run far, run fast flooded her system. Placing her tea down, Louise ran through a quick mindfulness exercise in her head that Alex had taught her when she had first moved to Earth. While she had hoped to avoid the attentions of the senior staff for a few rotations, maybe her entire tour on the Artemis, she had known deep down that this wasn't entirely feasible.

At least she didn't start with "Do I know you? You look familiar..."

Looking back up at Mayfair, Louise couldn't help but smile back despite her embarassed blush. Whether it was natural or a product of genetic engineering, Mayfair possessed a smile that was both warm and adorable at the same time. Almost like a pixy, but taller and sans-wings.

"Liu. Louise Liu. I joined the counselling staff while the Artemis was docked at Deep Space Nine."

Briefly, Louise considered rejecting the Commander's invitation. Remaining isolated from the crew would ensure she was left alone, but as Alex had said, a closed therapist wasn't an effective therapist; how could she expect people to open up to her when she was a closed book? Some of these people would probably need her services someday, either as a therapist or a field medic, and they needed to have faith that she had their best interests at heart.

"I'd be delighted to join you. I admit my social life has been...nonexistent..."

[Aeryn Miller]

" Thanks, Robin," Aeryn said as her friend offered to invite the other newcomer to their table, since the CMO was getting up to fetch food and drinks for both her and Hallowette. What had started as her simply wanting to have a bite to eat and unwind a little had turned into something better, and regardless of how she might feel following a long shift, the CSO was glad that she could spend some time with friends and potential friends.

However, they would be joined by someone else, specifically Lucy Devereaux, the Lieutenant under Aeryn's charge. While their last encounter had involved reading the junior officer the Riot Act, Aeryn wasn't about to get up and change tables or deny Lucy the chance to join them. Hallowette was the first to greet Lucy, before commenting on the milkshake she had.

" They're pretty good, especially the ones Orrin makes in Ten Forward" Aeryn revealed with a wink, before greeting her fellow Science officer. " Hi Lucy, this is Hallowette Maxas-Darl, our new Tactical Middie".

Continuing the introduction, Aeryn then told Hally about Lucy.

" Hallowette, this is Lucy Devereaux, one of my Science Lieutenants".

== Tags ==

[Robin Mayfair]

The young Ensign flushed red and for a moment looked like she wanted to be anywhere else. Robin was a bit taken aback for a moment. She hadn't really even gotten used to the idea of being senior staff, especially at her age, and it was intimidating meeting superior officers... especially in a social situation. She herself wasn't completely comfortable with it

I was no different. Meeting the Captain and First Officer as a middie at the wake after the Megasphere battle. And them asking to be on a first-name basis. That wasn't how I was raised.

""Liu. Louise Liu. I joined the counselling staff while the Artemis was docked at Deep Space Nine."

Her voice has a familiar tone, and this close Robin was sure of who she was related to. A sister? A cousin? It wasn't a matter for discussion here anyway, if ever.

Mama and Papa taught me never to pry into people's kin. If she wants to talk about it she will. Lord knows the rumor mill will start grinding soon enough.

"I'd be delighted to join you. I admit my social life has been...nonexistent..."

Robin smiled warmly. That was all too familiar. It'd been months before she started making friends. She'd felt like she was walking on eggshells for the first few weeks, and had almost entirely kept to herself. And the rumor mill had been going full time for her too. She heard it all, every whisper behind her back. 'The Augment.' The one who'd sued to get into the Academy. (She hadn't; she'd THREATENED to sue and hired a lawyer.) The cheat. The dangerous menace. It had only been when she'd met Beka that things had really started to change. If she could make things easier for the new counsellor she would.

"Nice to meet you, Louise. I'm Robin Mayfair, the CMO. Call me Robin. We're pretty informal off-duty on this ship. I'll introduce you to the rest of the people here. And you can help me grab some snacks for everyone over at the replicator. I'm thinking wings."

== Tag Louise ==

[Miles Grant]

Miles needed a drink.

With everything going on, especially with the Captain, Commander Coleman, and Commander Elias, there had been enough stress and anxiety to go around. On top of that, Miles was definitely getting a better hang of (and more understanding on what the Captain had meant by) the paperwork aspect of his position as a Department Head. He was, by his own admission, a man of action. He also understood the importance of paperwork, and knew how important it was to his position.

Nevertheless, his shift had ended, and it was time for a much needed decompressing. He could have easily gone to his quarters, but he felt like maybe, if available, he could socialize. That was why he made his way to the Officer's Lounge on Deck 4. Once he entered, he looked around. He noted a few members of Medical and Science, to include his contemporaries, but he also saw a newer person that he recognized from files as his new Midshipman. He hadn't had a chance to speak with her in depth, but it could wait. She was clearly in a good conversation that he did not want to impose upon.

As such, he made his way over to a spot and ordered a drink. He took a deep breath as he allowed himself to relax a bit, but showing he was open to conversation for anyone interested.

==Tag any. ==

[Lucy Devereaux]

It hadn’t been that long since she’d embarrassed herself in front of the senior and junior officers, or at least the ones who had been at the meeting, and yet Aeryn and Robin didn’t seem to be too put out by her appearance. Lucy smiled a little when Robin helped herself to an onion ring. It was a small thing, but starting from square one would take time.

Making some proper progression in social interactions was what kept Lucy moving. Maybe making some friends in the process. Also there was the small matter of learning how to fall in love again.

“Welcome to the Artemis, Hallowette.”

Lucy recalled that Hallowette had commented on the milkshape and so had Aeryn. Milkshakes were good. Homemade and a decent packet mix had their merits. Mixing fresh ingredients with milk and ice cream was always worth it if you didn’t get too experimental. Orrin’s milkshakes were excellent.

“Totally forgot about Orrin’s milkshakes. Do you think he’d be open to the idea of a Raktajino milkshake? Don’t know if the flavors would balance out. Certain culinary experiments should only be tried once and never repeated if they are a disaster. The replicator milkshakes are good, but sometimes a homemade shake can be special.”

Lucy grabbed her burger and took a bite. A mind could wander too far and she was somewhat afraid of rambling. She tried to chew thoughtfully and chased the burger with a gulp of her shake. It was really good. Diner food has a special place for Lucy and she wanted to clear the fog of emotions she was wrapped in before they arrived at the nebula.

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

“Welcome to the Artemis, Hallowette.”

Hally nodded politely and a genuine smile appeared on her freckled face.  "Thank you Lt. I'm proud to be here."

As the lounge began to fill, the young Midshipman cast a glance around the room, noting her supervisor Lt. Grant, as well as a number of others. While she didn't feel awkward, or like a fish out of water, she was more than aware of the history everyone in the room shared, and how far she might have to travel to earn their trust. The last months of the Academy were half optimistic hope for the future, and half horrific horror story, as it seemed a great deal of advice centered on biding one's time, not expecting to be fully accepted at first, and 'you better hope you aren't assigned to *this ship or that*'. 

To Hally's credit she had done her best to ignore that sort of thing, and just accept what her future held. Still, the Artemis was one of the most technologically advanced. It was storied, well known, and those who really knew of her history were aware of the reputation the crew and it's Captain had. Even when receiving her orders the administrative officer had arched a brow and said, "Artemis. Hmm. She has quite a crew from what I hear..." before moving on to the next in line.

Hally had been elated to get assigned here. She was on a top of the line ship with every opportunity to learn, experience and do. And so far, if the Officers at this table were any example, the Artemis' crew was more than welcoming (well, aside from those in Hangar 2) - and Hally wasn't really one to be shy.

"So, Aeryn...uhm..." she dared to call the new Lt. Junior by her first name, "and Lucy - what sorts of things do outgoing, friendly, and totally interesting redheads do on the best ship in the fleet when not saving the galaxy?" She grinned broadly as she allowed a bit of her personality to peak out.

[Aeryn Miller]

While Lucy and Hallowette spoke, Aeryn caught sight of one Miles Grant, something that the new Artemis Middie had also noticed, considering that Miles was her DH. Naturally, the CSO wouldn't let her friend sit by himself unless he wanted some alone time, which she would totally get considering what had transpired so far, and what was about to come. So, Aeryn immediately tried to get his attention, by waving him over, as Lucy talked about Orrin's milkshakes.

The idea of a coffee-flavoured one did sound appealing, assuming you could get it right. " I mean anything's possible, but I guess it would be trial and error when it comes to getting the mix and flavour right, I also don't mind the replicated stuff, especially if I don't have time to go to Ten Forward".

Replicated was a great alternative, and it had served Aeryn well over the years, considering she wasn't a good cook. Hallowette then brought up an interesting question, giving them a glimpse of her personality. A quality that was nice to see and perhaps a sign that she was getting comfortable around them.

" Lots of things" Aeryn teased. " When I'm not doing my part in saving the galaxy, I'm either spending time with my girlfriend Beka, who is also a redhead, keeping up with my fitness, somewhere like here or on the holodeck".

Aeryn tried to fit in as much as possible, preferring to keep herself occupied rather than dwell on anything unpleasant.

== Tag Hallowette, Lucy and Miles if you would like to join us :-) ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

" When I'm not doing my part in saving the galaxy, I'm either spending time with my girlfriend Beka, who is also a redhead, keeping up with my fitness, somewhere like here or on the holodeck".


Hallowette chuckled when Aeryn mentioned her significant was a fellow redhead. 

Red hair was common on Bajor, and though her Father had never known his family, she was certain that her own auburn locks were the result of his genetics and not those of her dark complected Trill mother. While lighter shades of hair were not unknown among her mother's species, titian shades and their like, were close to unknown. Growing up with the rare hair color usually was the first sign that young Hallowette wasn't fully Trill, and she had suffered a great deal of attention and speculation - all thanks to her very curly, and very red hair.

So it had been a humorous thing to see so many on the Artemis of a ginger haired persuasion. Hally had wondered if it was on purpose, or just some odd statistical anomaly, but given her new friend Aeryn was a redhead, as was the Captain among others, she felt she was in good company.

The young Midshipman finished her drink and paused a moment to swallow it down. She raised her chin happily towards Aeryn, and tucked her arms under chest and across her stomach before cooing mischievously, "Ooh, a girlfriend eh? Do tell!"

[Aeryn Miller]

The chuckled response from Hallowette made Aeryn grin, and it was to be expected considering how the number of redheads on Artemis had increased. Truth be told, Beka's hair colour hadn't been something she had thought about, almost as if it was second nature to her, and it certainly wasn't the deciding factor when she realised that she very much wanted to embark on a relationship with the Doctor. Beka was so many things, and Aeryn loved every one of them.

Hallowette then got all mischievous, wanting to know more about her girlfriend, and Aeryn didn't blame her for asking. After all, she was new to the crew and the CSO didn't get much chance to discuss it.

However, she did keep her waiting for a minute or two as Aeryn took a sip of her drink, all in good nature of course, before answering the Midshipman.

" Yes, we've been seeing each other for over a year now", Aeryn began. "Beka Sydesh is one of our doctors, and we met her through her roommate. Well, I was returning her boxing gloves. We got talking and the rest they say is history. I never thought I'd be in a relationship again, or that it would be with a woman, but I have to say it's been wonderful and more than I ever thought possible".

It was nice to talk so freely about the most important person in her life, and Aeryn had a feeling that Hallowette would get on well with Beka.

== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Love was not something Hally was unfamiliar with - she had known crushes, infatuation and even the broken heartedness that many times accompanied the relationships of youth. She had never considered herself a natural beauty, definitely not like her mother - or her father for that matter, both of her parents routinely considered very attractive examples of their species. No, she was considered too short, too lanky, too boyish (as her grandmother had pointed out more than once) - most walls had more curves her. More than one friends parents had made the quip that "at least she had a good personality."

Hallowette's experiences dating as a younger woman consisted of boys within affluent Trill families looking for an in with her influential grandparents, or the occasional peer who was curious about how her hybrid genetics manifested in "less obvious ways". Rare was the date who genuinely showed interest in her as a person, at least until she got to the Academy.

The last few years had been kind to the auburn curly haired girl. As she matured the harsher aspects of her appearance had softened, and the subtle, more attractive parts of her genetic pairing had gently overtaken her less desirable features. She still was too lean and stick thin, and more than once when wearing a hat or other hair covering she had been mistaken for a male - but that was ok. In the Academy she found a variety of men and women among various species that saw her for more than her flaws, and her experiences dating had been more positive than not.

She listened quietly to Aeryn gush about Beka, and a content, happy smile sat on her freckled face.

Aeryn was undoubtedly beautiful. It's likely she never had any issue finding parties who found her desirable, which almost made her happiness that much more tangible. She had witnessed her own Father battle to find true love. He never seemed to have an issue with interested peers; time and again it was his own happiness that eluded him, sacrificed for that of others. And it was that way, at least for a time.

To see Aeryn speak with such genuine affection...it didn't take an empath to feel her joy, and get caught up in it as well.

"To Beka." Hallowette said softly, raising her empty glass. "And to love."

[Aeryn Miller]

Before Aeryn met Beka, the CSO had spent a lot of time trying to move on from her last relationship and the grief that came with it. Merle had been her everything until fate cruelly intervened and snatched it away. He was the man she was due to marry, but all that came crashing down on her, leading the redhead down a dark path before she found a beacon of hope in the darkness. That beacon had come at the right moment, allowing Aeryn to accept that she could get through it, which had led her to Artemis.

She was finally in a good place and had healed enough to welcome love again with open arms. Now she couldn't think of anywhere else she'd rather be, and Beka held a special place in her heart. So, of course, she wanted to shout from the bulkheads that she was in love, and nothing would stop her from doing that.

Hallowette smiled in response and told Aeryn everything before the tactical officer raised her empty glass and gave a toast.

" Yes to Beka, and love" she echoed, raising her half-empty glass to join in.

== Tags ==

[Lucy Devereaux]

“To Beka and to love.”

Lucy raised her milkshake with a smile. She recalled seeing Aeryn and Beka at last year’s Christmas party. It was good to get a little more context. It was good to have somebody to share your spare time with. Somebody to find some perspective with. Maybe one day.

Lucy’s own experiences had been mixed. She wanted to know the meaning of love. Lust and passion were easy for a given value, love needed thought and work. She had feelings she needed to understand.She knew she wasn’t saving the galaxy material, though she might get there, one day.

“The gym and the holodeck are good. A little rock climbing or the Klingon calisthenics program if you need something more visceral. That’s if it is still on the list.”

Cardio was good for working things out. Lucy needed something to take herself out of herself. The chips were good, but long as the replicators or the kitchen were in working order the food in the Lounge was always good.


== tag. ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

The trio joined together in the toast, the warmth of the moment a palpable thing to the younger of the three.

She paused and allowed the moment the time it sought to really sink in. During that time her large teal eyes studied each of the women at the table, fellow gingers, and then she turned her attention to the others in the lounge. Robin, Grant, the unknown Ensign and others - all peers sharing some aspect of the same dream that drove her to join Starfleet and seek out the stars.

“The gym and the holodeck are good. A little rock climbing or the Klingon calisthenics program if you need something more visceral. That’s if it is still on the list.” Lucy mentioned, circling back to Hally's earlier question.

"Oh! I love to work out. My Dad is a fitness fiend. I..." her thought trailed as her grandmother's admonishments regarding her habit of oversharing crept through her mind, "I uhm, had some health issues as a child..." the fair freckled skin of her cheeks blushed ever so slightly, "Bajoran and Trill biology is generally compatible, except when it isn't...." she offered a chuckle, hoping that the information wasn't a discomfort to her new human companions, "and physical fitness did more to help me overcome those issues than any Doctor I ever saw on Trill." She straightened in her seat and placed her hands in her lap before squinching her eyes and grinning the mischievous smile that had escaped more than once already, "I have to say though, Klingon style calisthenics definitely sound... vigorous..."

==tagarinos==

[Aeryn Miller]

Lucy silently joined in with the toast, her smile the only response needed before the junior officer added to the previous topic regarding what Aeryn liked to do off-duty. Rock climbing was something that the redhead hadn't done in a long time, and as for the Klingon calisthenics, well, that sounded interesting enough. Hallowette seemed particularly keen about the latter, after divulging more information about herself, without having to go into specific details.

Regardless of any health issues she may have suffered as a child, it hadn't held her back or left the CSO feeling uncomfortable, especially as she let her mischievous side come out to play again while commenting about the Klingon programme. If anything, Aeryn was glad she could share as much or as little as she was comfortable with. 

" I haven't done any rock climbing in a while, but I have to agree that calisthenics does sound interesting. I tend to do a lot of hiking, and I'm always up for having company if you'd like to join me sometime?".

The offer was also extended to Lucy, because despite the potential fragility of any friendship they might have, thanks to recent behaviour, the CSO wasn't the type to leave anybody out. Besides, it might go someway in helping her wayward officer to improve both socially and emotionally.



== Tags ==

[Lucy Devereaux]

Lucy’s mind went blank after Hallowette’s response. Rather like the mythic blue screen of late 20th century computing. She didn’t think the conversation had been going in that direction and while she had an interest they’d only met. She wasn’t great at subtle communication. Before Lucy shorted out, Aeryn’s response helped her recalibrate.

Lucy thought over what she knew and had experienced of the Klingon calisthenics program. Granted she hadn’t ventured beyond novice. Except for that time at level 1, which had been exciting and brief. It had been a while since she’d looked for it. Probably, definitely not recommended for a crew bonding time.

“Given my track record, hiking would be safer. The calisthenics program is really more of a melee combat simulation. Somebody found it in the holosuites at Quarks. There were two versions, one created by a Lieutenant Worf and the other by a J. or C. Dax.”

Lucy and sharp implements would not be a good mix. Hiking was much safer. She was meant to be being good, for a given value, and her copy book was nothing but blots. Technically a hiking stick was a sharp implement, but at least there weren’t strange creatures trying to kill you. Lucy downed an onion ring. Some constructive exercise would be very good.

== tag ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Hallowette had maintained her mischievous smile, but allowed it to fall a bit as she noticed Lucy's reaction to her playful comment seemed... was it confusion? Hally had spent an inordinate amount of time with Humans since joining the Diplomatic Corp as a teen, but even more so when she attended the Academy. She had thought her joking lighthearted and jovial, especially given the reputation Klingon physical fitness tended to have, but maybe she used the wrong word? Hally was a natural linguist, but that didn't mean that regional dialects (of which humans seemed to have many) couldn't get mixed up or even that the universal translator was perfect. That was one reason she preferred speaking without the UT. At least then she knew her intended meaning was conveyed in her own words. It allowed more intimacy to hear someone's natural accent - more connection. Language was music, and the Universal Translator for all it's uses and good did take that away - the cost of a multicultural and vast galaxy, she supposed.

Hally began to address her phrasing, to ask Lucy if she had offended or had been unclear when Aeryn spoke up.

"I haven't done any rock climbing in a while, but I have to agree that calisthenics does sound interesting. I tend to do a lot of hiking, and I'm always up for having company if you'd like to join me sometime?".

Aeryn had addressed the other redhead at the table and Hally couldn't help but sense that there might be a bit of history between the two driving the offer. Of course Lt. Commander Miller was the superior science officer, and Devereaux her subordinate, but whatever was unspoken in the offer seemed deeper than just work related drama. It was none of the Bajoran/Trill's business of course, and she had nothing she could add anyway. 

“Given my track record, hiking would be safer. The calisthenics program is really more of a melee combat simulation. Somebody found it in the holosuites at Quarks. There were two versions, one created by a Lieutenant Worf and the other by a J. or C. Dax.”

The Dax symbiote. A legend, even among other species. And one Hallowette had grown up hearing about many times. Her Grandmother had been friends with Curzon years prior, and the Dax symbiotes influence is what had driven her now very successful mother's entrance into Starfleet. The mention of Dax still sat in her pouch oddly though. To hear symbiote hosts referred to so casually. On Trill there was a reverence for them that was almost holy. Almost. 

Hally's smile was a bit more forced than she had expected, but it eased naturally into something more genuine as she continued the conversation, "I met Ambassador Worf once as a teen. I think we were at a conference on Risa. He's an impressive man. First Klingon in Starfleet. Very measured and calm. I can't imagine working for him on a Starship though." she said with a chuckle as she continued, "And I hope I'm not imposing, but if any hiking takes place, I'd love to join in if there's room. I adore the outdoors and seeing new places."

==tags==

[Aeryn Miller]

Something seemed to change in the air for just a brief moment, not that Aeryn chose to dwell on it for too long as Lucy answered them about the current topic of conversation. It could have been the way the younger science officer had come across, and while the CSO wasn't at liberty to share the issues that had occurred, it was up to Lucy to give Hallowette a brief overview, if she so desired. Then again, maybe it was best for all concerned to continue talking about fun stuff, as opposed to anything work-related, which suited Aeryn just fine.

Although the subject of Dax and hearing how Hallowette had once met Ambassador Worf at a conference when she was younger, certainly counted as a fun tale, especially since Aeryn was such a history nerd.

" Yes, I know what you mean, I've read lots about him, and I would have loved to have met him. If you didn't know already, I'm quite the nerd when it comes to history in general".

With her meal finished, Aeryn then considered whether she should treat herself to dessert or not when Hallowette asked if she could join in on a hike, revealing how she enjoyed the outdoors and seeing new places.

" Ah, a kindred spirit, it seems, and, of course, you can join in with a hike. I've got a few different programmes, ranging from the Highlands of Scotland to a little pleasure planet that I've visited a couple of times".



== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

"Yes, I know what you mean, I've read lots about him, and I would have loved to have met him. If you didn't know already, I'm quite the nerd when it comes to history in general". the pretty CSO offered.

Nerd. 

A distinctly human word that had analogues in most other species. Hally had even once known a Nausicaan scholar that embraced the word. Of course he studied the various uses of animal bowels in religious ritual among Alien species, but still; the chap really, really was into it. And you had to respect that...she supposed.

 "Ah, a kindred spirit, it seems, and, of course, you can join in with a hike. I've got a few different programmes, ranging from the Highlands of Scotland to a little pleasure planet that I've visited a couple of times". Aeryn stated as she finished the last of her meal.

"Oh, I'd love that." Hallowette said sweetly. She genuinely liked the idea of spending time with her peers among beautiful scenery. She had joined Starfleet in order to broaden her horizons, whether on a holodeck or on some faraway planet really didn't matter. She just loved new places and interesting people. Hally especially just liked people.

"There was a place near my childhood home on Trill that I loved to explore. I..." The girls freckled face blushed slightly as she continued, "Programmed a copy of it for one of my programming courses in the Academy. I...brought it with me." Teal eyes gleamed with pride before she quickly added, "It's not perfect by any means, but I'd be happy to host you guys for a hike sometime...if you'd like."

=Tagarinos==

[Aeryn Miller]

The more nerdy side of Aeryn didn't often come out to play, at least not when she was with others, especially new people. However, the CSO decided it wouldn't hurt to share that part of her personality, considering how the conversation went. Besides, this was all about getting to know one another. While she had never admitted it out loud until now, with perhaps the exception of Beka, Aeryn felt good rather than feeling any shame or embarrassment. As for the idea of them hiking together, Hallowette responded in the affirmative regarding the programmes that Aeryn had mentioned, causing the redhead to smile.

Artemis' latest officer then explained about a programme that she had brought with her, specifically one that was based on a place near her childhood home, which again appealed to the science officer, not bothered about it being perfect or not. After all, that's what made a personal programme uniquely your own, based on your experiences and a love for places that you called home or those that appealed for other specific reasons.

" Sounds like we have a plan", Aeryn remarked. " Not to mention different places for us to visit, without having to leave the ship". The pride on Hallowette's face was evident, and in some ways reminded Aeryn of herself, which only added a certain special something to the conversation and fate bringing the hybrid to Artemis. " I'll see if I can tempt Beka to join us".

She would understand if her girlfriend didn't want to take part, but at the same time, figured it would be good for Hallowette to have another friend on the ship. " I don't know about you, but I could use another drink, maybe some dessert".


== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

"Sounds like we have a plan", Aeryn remarked. " Not to mention different places for us to visit, without having to leave the ship". A familiar look crossed her face before she continued, " I'll see if I can tempt Beka to join us".

Aeryn's genuine warmth was a comfort to Hallowette, who had felt a gamut of emotions since she had come aboard, but one had recently gnawed at her more than others. She had readied for the first bit of her tenure to be somewhat lonely, but Hally was very much a people driven person, and she remembered all too well the times of her life where she was somewhere new, or fresh to a program. The empathetic hybrid was prone to melancholy when she was faced with an extended period of social isolation, and while she wasn't quite there yet, she had become aware as time wore on that staying busy and learning her new job was only going to keep her content for so long.

Seeing Robin, while not a close friend...or even an acquaintance really, had given her a much needed dose of happy. Chatting with Aeryn and feeling welcomed into not only the crew, but given a of a glimpse into her life and the people important to her, meant more to her than she realized. She promised herself she would be worthy of her new friends trust.

"That would be great! Beka sounds like a wonderful person." answered the young Tactical officer. 

With that the kind CSO shifted the conversation. " I don't know about you, but I could use another drink, maybe some dessert".

With the mention of further libations the Trill/Bajoran hybrid perked up in her seat, her nose pinching into the Bajoran ridges that lined the bridge of her nose. "Oooh dessert. That DOES sound good." She peered past Aeryn and Lucy at the replicators. "Lessee..." She said with a laugh, "These milkshakes have looked soooo good, but I think maybe some sweet pudding would hit the spot..." She then turned her teal eyes back to Miller, "I absolutely might be wrong, but I think I recognize your accent as being from the...northern part of the United Kingdom on Earth? While I was at the Academy, there was a pub that we would visit in a little town called Dunfermline. I used to get a dish called chranachan. It used a berry native to Earth that was so delicious." She narrowed her eyes and eased the last part of her words gently, "Anything you might be familiar with?"

==TAGS==

[Aeryn Miller]

" That she is," Aeryn remarked, knowing that she could wax lyrically about her stunning girlfriend; however, that wouldn't be fair to Hallowette or Lucy. Even now, Aeryn still couldn't quite believe that she could speak about someone in that way, especially after imposing an embargo on herself following Merle's death, but at least she was now able to put that firmly in the past, without having to forget that time of her life and look back on it fondly.

Hallowette was also in agreement with Aeryn's suggestion of getting dessert, and she was right the milkshakes wouldn't quite cut it, despite being the right amount of sweet. The Tac officer then mentioned how she recognised Aeryn's accent, before informing her dining companions about her visit to Dunfermline and how she used to order cranachan. Now that was a dish that Aeryn was very familiar with, as she answered the hybrid. " You've guessed right, I was born in the small town of Portree in the Scottish Highlands, before my parents relocated to the research station on Tamanga III for work. They always made sure that I never forgot my roots, and I would go back to Scotland during my time at the Academy, and while on leave to visit family".

Aeryn loved immersing herself fully in learning more about her family, the culture, and the traditions as often as she could, and at this point, a visit home was long overdue. " I'm also very familiar with cranachan, both my Granny Miller and Granny McDonald used to make it all the time, in fact, Granny Miller still does, but I've never been able to find one that was quite like theirs, even with the replicators, but it's not a bad substitute whenever I'm craving something from home".

By the time Aeryn returned to Portree, she was old enough to have the traditional version, and even though the ship version contained synthehol it still hit the spot. " We could get some if you wanted, unless there's another preference?".


== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

"Oh yes please!" she said with a naughty gleam in her eyes. Freckled cheeks harbored a hint of childish joy as she continued, "I loved it. And Dunfermline. You come from a beautiful part of your world." She added coyly, "There was a boy there..." a nervous chuckle wrapped the remainder of her words, "He...was lovely too."

Hally's thoughts dwelt in that time and place for only a second but that was enough to bring back the warmth and special memories. Nothing (well mostly nothing...) had even happened between them. Just a local guy who had befriended her and had given her a new "appreciation" for humans.

"Uhm..." she said, suddenly feeling very shy, "the marm there was very kind. She was always so willing to make one without real alcohol in it once she realized I was allergic. Her synthehol was somehow not replicated as normal, and tasted very authentic...or at least that is what my friends said."

"So, Aeryn, mind to tell me a bit about your home there? Portree? Do you speak any of the local language there? I know your accent is very idyllic, but if you know of any phrases or words unique to your subculture, I'd love to hear it."

==tags==

[Aeryn Miller]

Hallowette's response to Aeryn's suggestion of getting some cranachan was met with an approving smile, especially upon seeing the naughty gleam in the tac officer's eyes, along with her appreciation of Aeryn's culture. Something that Aeryn hoped to return to in due course because she always enjoyed learning about other cultures and practices. " Ah, Scottish boys do have a certain charm", Aeryn replied knowingly, although that came from what she had heard and seen, rather than experiencing it herself thanks to her upbringing away from her original roots. Moreso from her cousins, and how they were happily married to people who weren't necessarily from that part of the world or even Earth itself.

" I'm glad you loved it there" she added, not forgetting that part of the conversation, and, in a way, it made her a little homesick, which she was able to quickly shake off as Hallowette revealed somewhat shyly about how the landlady had been able to make her an alcohol-free version of the dessert and why. As far as Aeryn was concerned, there was no shame in that at all, because despite her small collection of whiskey, it wasn't as if she had to drink every day, so she would happily have the same version as her friend. " I'm sure it was, my Granny sometimes did a similar version for me, especially when I was younger, so let's see how the replicators fare with an alcohol-free one".

" I don't mind at all, and yes, my accent seems to come back stronger whenever I visit there," she said. " As for some phrases and such, I'm sure I can teach you a couple. I'll get dessert, and then we'll have a little lesson on the Scottish language".

Leaving the table briefly, Aeryn fetched two alcohol-free cranachans and two lavender lemonades and returned with them. Sitting back down, the CSO thought about a phrase that they could start with.

"Keep the heid, which means keep calm under pressure".


== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Aeryn spoke of her ancestral homeland with a fondness that Hallowette found slightly envious of. 

The young Trill/Bajoran woman's upbringing had straddled not only two species, but multiple cultures and societies - and while that had granted many positive elements, such as exposure to a much wider universe view, and often curious peers eager to know her, it also had contributed to a longing her in soul to belong to something. Simply put, while she had kinship with both sides of her parents species, she didn't fully fit in with either. Both Trill and Bajoran, but neither fully one or the other. She was singularly unique as far as she knew. Special, yet an anomaly. 

As Aeryn left the table to retrieve their treats, Hally took a moment to look around the lounge. Robin, Lucy, and several others were chatting or occupying themselves with this or that. Laughter filled the space, as well as the low murmur of familiar friendships that lilted from quiet to loud and back. Hally did as she sometimes did, turning off the implanted universal translator and basking in the native, genuine sounds around her.

Most of the words and phrases she could identify. Her natural ability with languages allowing her to understand far more than she couldn't, though sometimes more contextual languages required more thought than just the simple replacing of one word with another. Still, it was beautiful in so many ways. Robin's softly accented accent english contrasted distinctly with that of someone at another table whose english was much harder, more firm - more direct. The translator often smoothed language or harshened it as required by its specific listener. Hearing their words and tones without manipulation was both jarring and comforting. Simply put there was so much beauty that most beings weren't even aware of. So much connection missed.

As Aeryn sat down with the crannoch and two delicious looking beverages, Hally looked on at her new friend, eagerly anticipating the woman's natural voice.

"Keep the heid, which means calm under pressure." the CSO said thoughtfully.

Her voice was like honeyed poetry. The natural lilt of her accented voice sharper than Hallowette had anticipated, but still perfectly understandable, and wonderfully subtle and soft in other ways. The boy back in Dunfermline had sounded very similar, but there were small variations.

"Keep the heid." Hally said back to Aeryn cheerfully. "I like that." 

She waited for her friend to distribute the snacks before she took a quick sip of the lucious, fruity and slightly floral drink in front of her. "Ooh, now that is good." she said almost to herself.

"Aeryn, you have a beautiful voice." Hally said as she spooned a bite of the dessert in front of her. "Just so you're aware, I sometimes turn off the UT so I can hear what people sound like without being filtered." She looked up from the dessert before taking the bite, and quickly added, "I'm happy to turn it back on if you prefer, but I've found that certain phrases and words gain much when not optimized for simple interspecies communication."

==tag==

[Aeryn Miller]

" I do too, especially when it comes to our line of work", Aeryn quipped jovially as Hallowette repeated the phrase that she had just taught her, and told Aeryn how she liked it. If she liked that one, then there was plenty more where that came from, as her new friend sampled the lavender lemonade. The CSO knew it wouldn't be to everyone's liking, but it served as another reminder of her ancestral home. " Lavender lemonade, a traditional drink of sorts, and one that I find to be quite refreshing".

Aeryn thought it was only polite to explain what Hallowette was drinking, as Aeryn took a sip of lemonade, savouring the memory and the unique blend of floral and citrus. Hallowette then went on to not only offer up another compliment regarding Aeryn's voice but also reveal that she had turned off her UT, as well as the reason why she did it. Far from being surprised or wanting her to turn it back on, Aeryn thought about the benefits of doing so now and then.

" Thank you, and no, you don't have to turn it back on. I like the reason why you turn it off sometimes, so you can hear the subtle differences and nuances of someone's true accent and voice".

It also seemed that the cranachan was hitting the spot, as Aeryn availed herself of a spoonful or two, washed down with the lemonade as she considered what to teach next.

" Oh, I've got another phrase for you, gie it laldy which means give it your all".


== Tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

" Thank you, and no, you don't have to turn it back on. I like the reason why you turn it off sometimes, so you can hear the subtle differences and nuances of someone's true accent and voice".

The younger woman smiled broadly as Aeryn stated that she understood one of her sometimes eccentric behaviors. To her surprise not everyone was ok with it, and she had learned to disclose the habit when one on one with someone. She didn't want someone to feel compromised in any way, especially when intimacy wasn't intended.

Hally placed the spooned pudding in her mouth and an explosion of the exotic familiar flavor wrapped itself around her taste buds. 

"Ooh, that is good." she purred quietly before getting another bite to replenish the sensation.

"Oh, I've got another phrase for you, gie it laldy which means give it your all". her new friend offered as she took another sip of the floral liquid.

Hally listened to Aeryn's unencumbered words, noting the lyrical quality that reminded her in some ways of the traditional Bajoran poetry her father was so fond of. Gie as give - that seemed to maybe be related to a simple difference in dialect?

"It" remained unchanged as "it" was in standard terran english, but "laldy" as "all" - while similar, it was different enough that either the root english word was of a common root word, or perhaps had been influenced by (a more...musical?) language from earlier on, likely the very one that influenced her distinct accent to begin with.

"I really like that one too." she said with a smile. "It's always intrigued me how many dialects can come from an area, even relatively small ones. The same language in so many ways, but they can be so different also." She took a sip of the tart iced drink, swallowed and continued, "It's even more interesting how many space faring species reverted to a single planetary language once they took to the stars. I suppose..." she said thoughtfully, "that the challenges of interstellar flight and taking part in a universal community demands a more singular way to communicate among its members." She grinned as she realized she had let her own nerdiness emerge, "Uhm, and at the risk of REALLY demonstrating what a language nerd I am, I guess that is why I like to turn off the UT. Language is as much community as anything. And while the UT does work to permit different people to share in a greater community, it's just nice to see how someone's language...their culture, contributed to where they are today."

"The Pagh cries out with that which champions it." she said softly, before adding, "as my father's people say."

==Tags==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn had to admit that she was enjoying sharing snippets of her native tongue with Hallowette, who liked the second one as well as the first one. Of course, the redhead had chosen them specifically given their translation, before her new friend spoke about dialects and language, particularly about their complexities and simplicities. Hearing the different dialects associated with the region of Scotland that Aeryn once called home was something that she was used to, without thinking too much about them, but breaking it down with Hallowette gave the CSO a new appreciation for it. Following her train of thought also led to a better understanding, and it appeared as though the two women had a love for both different and similar things.

" I suppose it does, and I never thought of it like that until now. I guess it was just normal for me where I primarily grew up, as yes, we used the UT, but a lot of the time reverted to our natural accent. I agree with you, and if anything, it's given me not only a new appreciation for it but also a better understanding of something we take for granted".

Hallowette then provided a saying, one that came from her father's people, people that Aeryn had grown fond of, thanks to her relationship with Merle. " I like it, then again, I haven't forgotten my love of Bajoran culture as a whole", she began. " Before I came to Artemis, I was involved with and supposed to marry a man named Loren Merle, who was from the Rankantha Province. Unfortunately, I lost him when our ship, the Alexandria, encountered an anomaly that killed a third of its crew. I'm still in contact with his family, as well as the d'ja pagh that he gave me".

It felt right to give her friend some context, even if the story wasn't as happy as sharing information about her Scottish background, but at the same time, she was never ashamed about her past, or who she had lost on the way.


== tags ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

" I like it, then again, I haven't forgotten my love of Bajoran culture as a whole..."

Hallowette was already warmly engaged with her new friend, but somehow that perked her up even more. She had just spooned another generous bite of the delicious scottish dessert, but placed the utensil against the side of the dish as she focused her attention on Aeryn's next words.

"Before I came to Artemis, I was involved with and supposed to marry a man named Loren Merle, who was from the Rankantha Province. Unfortunately, I lost him when our ship, the Alexandria, encountered an anomaly that killed a third of its crew. I'm still in contact with his family, as well as the d'ja pagh that he gave me."

Oh. Oh no.

Hally felt her stomach drop as Aeryn mentioned the memory of a lost love who happened to share her father's species.

"Loren Merle..." the hybrid muttered reverently. 

Hallowette's father had spoken the names of his closest friends lost during the war every night before he went to sleep. As a girl, she had interrupted him once when visiting him on the space station where he worked as a security officer. Instead of sending her away, or berating her for interrupting his ritual, he had sat her on his lap and explained what he was doing.

Tali'm Freya. Hedron Pall. Degon Bray. Kallum Iris... and more.

All names she had etched into her young mind. All names that she still lit a candle for when she went to temple. All names she still thanks the Prophets for - for protecting her Daddy. For giving her a future. A life.

"I...I'm so sorry Aeryn." she answered softly. "I'm going to recite something to you. Something my father used to say...when he honored those he lost in the occupation."

The young woman placed her spoon down, and interlaced her hands in a particular way where her fingers formed a circle, then placed it against the center of her chest. She lowered her head and quietly said, "Raka-ja ut shala morala... ema bo roo kana... uranak... ralanon...Loren Merle... propeh va nara ehsuk shala-kan vunek ...tal'on, Pro'feta talon'i shalon..." She looked up, her voice suddenly heavy with emotion -  the happy burden of carrying with her that which also belonged to her father. 

"Translated, it means, 'Do not let him walk alone... guide him on his journey... protect... the one named Loren Merle... take him into the gates of heaven... until we gather again with the Prophets who have seen us home...'"

==Tag: Aeryn==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn didn't know why she felt so compelled to share what had been one of the most traumatic experiences of her life, but being around Hallowette, and learning about the value of language and its context and meaning had allowed the redhead to be comfortable enough to share her story. She might not be overly religious, but she did appreciate the Prophets, and all that they stood for, having received that symbol of Merle's love, and becoming fond of the Bajoran culture as a whole. Beka knew about him, and so did Robin. Besides that, she had told very few people, with maybe the exception of Damian. It had simply never come up in conversation, as other things had demanded her attention, but now that she could sit and think, even if it was only for a short while, it just felt right.

Hearing Hallowette repeat his name brought more memories to the forefront of Aeryn's mind, their first meeting, how they had clicked, and his teaching her all about the Prophets, and Rakantha Province, as if she was opening the pages of a book. It had been a while since she had done that, and again there was no shame because she loved Beka with all of her heart, and had processed a lot of what she had experienced since changing ships.

It was okay not to forget, to look back fondly without bursting into tears before Hallowette spoke to her softly, and offered to recite something that her father used to say. " Thank you, I still miss him, and I think I always will, but I know he'd be happy seeing me loved, and I'd love to hear it".

With nothing to distract her as she set down her almost empty bowl of dessert, Aeryn focused on Hallowette's words, recognising the language being used, and appreciating the tone of her friend's words. When she finished and explained what they meant, Aeryn let that soak in, bringing her some comfort.

" That's … perfect Hallowette, and I have such an appreciation for the Prophets and what they represent. Even now, I sometimes ask for their guidance and to watch out for those I care about, especially in times of trouble".

== tag ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Aeryn's words flowed like aether through Hally's prayer, filling in any sense of void in Hally's admittedly limited understanding of grief and loss.

"Thank you, I still miss him, and I think I always will, but I know he'd be happy seeing me loved..." was how she had put it. The weight of her new friends words coupled with her unexpected willingness to show vulnerability had affected the young hybrid deeply.

As Hallowette finished the prayer a thousand memories of her father raced through her thoughts. Ever the large, fit, muscular warrior, he had struggled mightily with the wounds that the occupation had asked of him. She had been lucky enough to have known him almost entirely as the man who had made peace with his past. Who had put to rest those hurts and tears. But she still saw the scars. The pain in his eyes when remembrance of his lost colleagues visited him. The sadness and tears that crept in his gentle kind eyes when he lit his duranja lamp and recited the prayer for the dead that she had just given to Aeryn.

Hallowette allowed herself the slightest exhale of breath as she finished explaining the translation, and the small gesture forced a single, lone tear to hang stubbornly in the corner of her eye.

"That's … perfect Hallowette, and I have such an appreciation for the Prophets and what they represent. Even now, I sometimes ask for their guidance and to watch out for those I care about, especially in times of trouble". the COS stated thoughtfully, the meaningfulness of of her compliment not lost on the young hybrid.

Hally smiled softly, her large green tinted eyes sparkling in the low light of the lounge. "The Prophets..." she said carefully. Hally's relationship with Bajor's gods was complicated, but then, so too had been her fathers.

"My father...was not a person of faith until he joined Starfleet." Hallowette let slip a quiet laugh, "Isn't it funny that it took joining an organization outside Bajor for him to find his way back to the gods?" She continued as she quickly wiped the tear from her eye. "As for me, I was raised on Trill. My grandmother wasn't the most supportive person when it came to educating about my father's species...my species...." She sighed heavily, "The Trill are not a spiritual people. We are artists, scientists, diplomats and and entertainers. But people of faith? Not so much."

Hally took another drink of the floral lemonade and then looked at her friend, "I want to be, I try to be. But I fear I have too much of my mother in me. It's one of the ways my Dad and I differ, though he says he had the same struggles with faith when he was my age.", the words obviously giving some small comfort, "Still, I do believe that the Prophets spared him. They led our people to freedom. The Emissary brought us together, led us to join the UFP, and opened the entire galaxy to us." She paused in thought, "And...I do think that if Merle was a good enough man that you wanted to spend your life with him, that the Prophets would have welcomed him into the heaven with open arms."

==tags==

[Aeryn Miller]

It didn't take a genius to spot the lone tear that threatened to spill from Hallowette's eye. Then again, Aeryn couldn't blame her friend for experiencing emotion given the nature of the prayer, and the situation that they had been discussing. Then again, Aeryn felt it too, and didn't know how she was holding it together. She had cried until there were no tears left on several occasions following the tragic death of Merle, had traveled to the brink of despair and back before an old friend had pulled her out of it, and given her a reason to continue, which had led to her arrival on Artemis.

There was also a lot to be thankful for, and Hallowette's prayer had reminded Aeryn of this, before her friend then told her more about her father, particularly how he hadn't been very religious until he joined the Fleet. Thinking that she had some things in common with him, Hallowette continued. The difference in how she was raised was felt by the CSO, particularly as Aeryn had been fortunate not to encounter any familial issues as her friend had.

" I suppose it is. I guess you don't realise how much you might need it until something happens to change your perspective. I'll admit I was the same before I met Merle". "I'm also sorry you had to go through that while growing up. Some people clearly aren't as open-minded as others, even if they have good intentions or not".

The conversation progressed with Hallowette sharing her personal views on the matter, how she was wanting and trying to be more when it came to faith, and the similarities she had with her father at that age. " I'm sure things will work themselves out, and that you'll know when it happens". Then talk turned back to the Prophets themselves, and Aeryn smiled softly, especially about how she saw the Prophets bringing Merle home to them. " He was, he would do anything for anyone, so I like to think that they did".

Aeryn paused for a moment, before speaking again. " Your father seems like a wise man, I think he and I are quite alike when it comes to how we seeing things".


== tag ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

" I suppose it is. I guess you don't realise how much you might need it until something happens to change your perspective. I'll admit I was the same before I met Merle". Aeryn responded as they spoke. "I'm also sorry you had to go through that while growing up. Some people clearly aren't as open-minded as others, even if they have good intentions or not".

The younger woman nodded in acknowledgement before continuing on, but the apologetic tone in her new friends words was not lost on her.

The two continued the chat, and the busy lounge around them melted away. As far as Hally was concerned, it was just the two of them, sitting alone on a cliff face, eternity reflected back at them through the viewing port at their side.

Miller allowed a soft smile as Hallowette offered her thoughts on Merle joining the Prophets in Heaven, a comment not made out of a need to provide any sense of solace, but one grown from genuine empathy and affection for the human woman she had just met. A kindred spirit. Someone she somehow felt like she had known for ages already.

As Aeryn mentioned Hally's father, she couldn't help but smile. She paused before speaking, gathering her thoughts and fully trusting that Aeryn and her dad probably were more alike than not - which may have explained a bit of the familiarity and comfortable vulnerability that she had so readily surrendered to the summer haired woman across from her.

"Darl Brennan - well, Bren to his friends." she said as she sat back a bit, a more genuine and affectionate emotion reflected in her features as she began to speak of him. "I...think he probably is a lot like you."

She stirred the bit of remaining dessert absently as she continued, her voice present, but far away. "My mother is a Captain in Starfleet Intelligence. Dad...and her were never really together-together, so I don't have any memory of them as a couple, or even of them having really any connection. All either of them will tell me is that they met during the war, and as things sometimes do, they...grew close." She began to grin broadly, but it took no great feats of empathy to discern some sense of pain behind the facade, "Mother and Dad are both incredible people; Intelligent, Bold, Beautiful, Charismatic - both of them." her eyes dropped to the spoon in her fingers as she continued, "Where...they differ though is that my mother is ambitious, stoic and driven to duty - Duty above all - She was even selected to host a symbiote." She forced a half grunted laugh and sighed. "My father...my father grew up in a Cardassian work camp on Bajor. He had...nothing." Hally lifted her eyes solemnly, "He killed his first enemy before he was 10. He fought, lost and kept fighting until one day he didn't have to. Yet he kept fighting because that was all he knew..." She stopped and the sadness in her words became lighter, "He said that when he found out about me, he didn't feel the need to fight anymore. That for him, the war had finally come to an end."

Hally wondered silently if this was too much. She knew she was prone to oversharing-  to talking too much, but the warmth shown by Aeryn, that familiarity begged she continue.

"Dad fought to join Starfleet, and succeeded. She became a security officer, and kept fighting - but this time to prove to Mother that he was worthy....of me." She shook her head and laughed again, but this time it seemed more pointed at herself, "I don't mean to bore you. Long story short, my Dad overcame a lot. When I was old enough I chose to leave Trill and join him, and we spent several years together as just father and daughter. His posting on the Ark Royal was where I learned to love to fly, and his subsequent decision to join the UFP Diplomatic Corp is where I learned to love...people."

Hallowette allowed a quiet moment before she briefly continued, "My father...is my hero. He saved me. He taught me that the greatest warriors fight for more than themselves or duty. That kindness, compassion and love are worth risk and sacrifice - Even if that means putting down your sword and making peace with your ghosts." she smiled at Aeryn, the twinkle in her teal eyes returning, quietly inviting Aeryn to share with her as well, "Something tells me you've fought for those things more than once yourself..."

=tags - and please, everyone else, feel free to jump in!==

[Aeryn Miller]

When speaking about Hallowette's father and their similarities, Aeryn opened up the conversation to a change of topic, well, a different thread from what they had already been talking about. A subject that was met with a smile before her new friend revealed her father's name and how she thought he was probably a lot like her. Aeryn smiled again at the comparison, keen to hear more about Bren, and in turn, Aeryn was willing to share more about her parents if Hallowette asked about them. " I like him already", she quipped, before focusing on what her fellow redhead had to say. The story of how she came to be and her parents was one that Aeryn found insightful and informative, nodding her understanding of what she meant about their relationship status at the time. She knew of others like that, both successes and failures, while never having to experience it directly.

The tale wasn't without emotion, particularly about the differences when it came to her parents, the tragedy of war and its effect on her father, and the horrors he had to endure because of the occupation. It wasn't the first time she had heard of such things, thanks to Merle's family and what they had also gone through, but it didn't make it any less personal or emotional to bear witness to someone else's hardships and appreciate their spirit to carry on, and not let it break them. As Hallowette's tone became lighter and she told Aeryn about what had stopped her father from fighting, brought out another smile.

Rather than intervene, Aeryn's attention never wavered as her friend continued, this time the story being of how Bren had gotten into the Fleet, and became a security officer. Far from boring, Aeryn was enjoying hearing everything, especially the part about how he had overcome a lot, as well as how Hallowette got to spend that precious time with him. Something that she missed with her parents, but at least she had spent the majority of her younger life with them until she left for the Academy. Hallowette then mentioned why her father was her hero, and Aeryn couldn't fault her reasons. Before, she brought up something that Aeryn couldn't ignore.

" You haven't bored me at all, and thank you for sharing all of that with me. You're not wrong either, as I've also overcome a lot since deciding to leave the research station and join the Fleet".

Aeryn paused as she thought back on it all, then told her story. " I always thought I would stay on the research station and become a Botanist, and help our community continue to grow and flourish until I met the crew of the Einstein. I'll never forget what they did to save us from a rogue asteroid or how Captain Amirez inspired me to change direction. The Academy wasn't easy for me, and I did reach burnout to the point where I almost lost everything. Thankfully, I was able to try a different department, and I never looked back, although I kept Botany as a minor. Security was like a new lease of life for me, and the Alexandria was like an extension of that. So, Captain Amirez was my role model and mentor, who never gave up on me, and encouraged me to continue. I still keep in touch with him, and he wasn't surprised when I moved back to Science. It was like he knew that I would eventually find my way back to who I needed to be".


== Tag ==

[Mara Calleja]

Mara’s blood was still pumping from a heavy workout as she wandered into the lounge, even after a shower and a fresh uniform. Her tunic was slung over a broad shoulder, heavy muscle tone shifting under the bare caramel skin of her arms as she headed over for another round of breakfast.

The Security Chief was starting to be a regular at the lounge. Her towering physique called for a constant stream of calories and she’d started to make the effort to get out of her quarters and be more sociable, in the hope that maybe the rest of the crew would find her a little less intimidating to talk to and she could hang out a bit more. Those who knew her well knew how little edge there was to her when she was off-duty but her inner circle was still very small, and most of her time was still split between the gym and the Security office.

Could prob’ly do with makin’ a few more contacts Calleja thought as she accepted a steaming hot mug of coffee and a plate with two heaped bacon sandwiches, nodding her thanks before looking for somewhere to sit.

Dark eyes caught sight of where the group of officers were sitting. Aeryn and Robin she knew, the others less so.

Ah sure. Aeryn will almost certainly have the intros done before I can even find a chair, knowin’ her.

There was a wry smile on the COS’ face as she made her way over.

“Hey up,” she said with a nod of greeting. “Room for one more?”

== Tags! ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

The emotion that had arisen in Hallowette had ebbed and lingered as her new friend offered her support then offered a bit more about herself as well. Aeryn, like most people she supposed, was more than she first suspected.

"I don't know if I'd have guessed you would have had struggles in the Academy. You seem so smart...confident." Hally felt the heat of embarrassment begin to creep up her neck as she struggled to find exactly what she was trying to communicate. "What I'm trying to say..." She stopped and slightly hunched in her seat, her slight slender form seeming to crumple a bit before she straightened again, continuing, "Some officers you meet, you know they were destined to do amazing things. They just seem the very picture of leadership. They exude qualities that inspire those of us who are learning, experiencing, and growing - who aspire to be what they see in them. If you are a reflection of what Captain Amirez inspired in you, then I'd say Amirez must have been a pretty incredible person." She put a hand on the perspiring cup of lemonade and she turned in a couple of times as she gathered more thoughts, "So, botany, then Security? That is a pretty big departure from plants...I'm not sure I'd have pegged someone so...intellectual...as a security officer..." she teased with a laugh - which immediately melted as she noticed the massive woman who arrived at their table - a woman who was well known among the ships junior officers, and one that Hallowette may have just inadvertently insulted.

KOSSK, please don't have let her hear that, it was just a dumb joke!!!

Hallowette quickly stood, banging her knee on the table as she did so, a jolt of dull pain shooting through her leg. "Oh, uhm, good evening Lt. Calleja!" She spurted respectfully. 

Calleja was roundly feared by all the Midshipmen on the Artemis. An intimidating presence, she was known for her fiery disposition, and one of the first things Hallowette had been told by her team in Hangar Bay 2 was keep your nose clean, abide by ships rules, and stay under security's radar. Hally, to her credit, was the child of an ex-fleet Security Officer. Her father had been the Chief of Security on the Ark Royal. Like Calleja, he was tall, muscular and fit - focused and keen. They, Bren and Mara, honestly, likely would have really liked one another. 

But as much as Hallowette saw their similarities, she had to admit that Calleja scared her. 

"Uhm, please, yes. Uhm. Yes, join us." the young Trill/Bajoran hybrid stammered, the pain of her knee beginning to throb. 

==tags! Glad to have you Mara!==

[Aeryn Miller]

Talking so openly and candidly might be a rare occurrence for Aeryn, but once she started talking about her past, and what had led her to the Fleet, ultimately Artemis didn't feel so scary after all. If anything, it showed the raw emotion, and who she still was beneath the pips and the title, even if she held herself differently to those who didn't always get to see the girl who had battled and fought every step of the way. On the outside, she was confident, as Hallowette put it, and on the inside too, despite the odd wobble that caused that hard-earned confidence to sway like the thistles on the moor.

What she didn't like was seeing her new friend struggle as she tried to explain her reasoning, although as she continued, Aeryn understood exactly what she had meant. The way she spoke reminded Aeryn of why she had wanted to do her best, to keep going despite wanting nothing more than to walk away on two separate occasions, and how Amirez, Captain Crawford, and Damian had given her the tools to stay, tools that she already had. Every experience, good and bad, was learned from, processed, and put away for future reference as to what and what not to do.

" He is, and you weren't wrong with what you said. It's nice to be reminded of how far I've come since then, and how I try to live by those traits and lessons learned every time I step into that lab".

It had been the same when she was in Security, as Hallowette teased her about her department switch. However, before either of them could continue, they were joined by Aeryn's friend and the woman who had taken over from her. Mara's arrival caused Hallowette to get to her feet quickly, banging her knee against the table in the process, which made Aeryn wince for her. Given her due, the Tac officer didn't let it show as she welcomed the Bandaran COS.

" It's good to see you Mara", Aeryn began, hoping to put Hallowette at ease. " This is Hallowette Maxas-Darl, our newest Tactical Midshipman".



== Tags ==

[Mara Calleja]

Mara laughed her harsh, barking laugh as the youngest member of the table sprung up out of her chair with a loud organic-sounding bang.

"Uhm, please, yes. Uhm. Yes, join us." the young Trill/Bajoran hybrid stammered.

"It's good to see you Mara." Aeryn was immediately into her stride as peacemaker. " This is Hallowette Maxas-Darl, our newest Tactical Midshipman."

“Sup,” Calleja replied. “And fuckin’ sit down, will you?” she said to Hallowette, a good-natured smile on her face. “We’re off duty. Call me Mara. I can’t pretend to be an intellectual but I ain’t that bad company I hope.”

There was a waspish glint in the Security Chief’s eye as she took the offered seat. She’d heard alright, but it was also going to take a lot more than that to offend her. She loved the back and forth of good-natured abuse and actively encouraged it where she could.

“So Aeryn’s happy about escapin’ Security. I don’t know how I should take that. Maybe I am bad company after all,” she teased with a grin, before taking a huge bite out of one of her sandwiches.

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

Somehow the pulsing pain in her knee somehow was less shocking than the good natured response that accompanied the widely feared chief of security. As the tall, formidable woman chided her playfully to sit down and then to address her by her given name, Hallowette's mind flip flopped to process what she had been told about the ships foremost security officer, and the person that she just met in person - and it simply didn't jive. 

For a moment Hally wondered if maybe she had mistranslated the woman's rather unique accent. She suddenly wished she hadn't turned her UT off, but she was rather certain that her words meant what she believed they did. Lt. Calleja -  Mara - may have been rather straightforward with her turn of phrase, but as far as the young tactical officer could discern - Calleja was open - friendly even. 

Hally did as the CSO ordered, but she did it in a much more methodical manner than when she had stood a moment prior. Her heart was pounding, but between Calleja's smile and Aeryn's calming presence, the hybrid didn't feel the need so direly to excuse herself any more. Hally was just about to return the introduction in kind, to offer some small greeting that might create some small sense of kinship, but Mara continued before Hally's mind could catch up.

"I can’t pretend to be an intellectual but I ain’t that bad company I hope.”  The look in the muscular woman's eye held a mischievous note, one that Hallowette had seen in herself more than once, “So Aeryn’s happy about escapin’ Security. I don’t know how I should take that. Maybe I am bad company after all...”

Despite it all, and to her own surprise Hallowette laughed. A genuine, unexpected laugh born of some small sense of familiarity. Maybe it was the fact that she had grown up being treated as the kid sister of a dozen fleet security officers on the Ark Royal, or maybe it was just that she was desperate for Calleja not to be the boogeyman that her peers had made her out to be.

"It's been my experience that 'intellectuals' are generally less fun than 'bad company' anyway." Hallowette dared tease back.

Prophets, I hope she doesn't think that's lame - thanks diplomatic corp training! The thought crossed her mind just as the words left her lips, which manifested another chuckle in response, Welp, no going back now...

"It's good to meet you Mara." she followed, her own grin broad and welcoming, her eyes settling on the newcomer, then darting to Aeryn, then back to Calleja.


==tags!==

[Aeryn Miller]

Aeryn wasn't sure how Mara would react to Hallowette, but when the COS laughed, Aeryn took it as a good sign, especially with how Mara then spoke to the newest crew member. That wasn't the end, as Mara belied her reputation by smiling good-naturedly, and told Hallowette to call her by her first name, something Aeryn had done upon meeting the Tac officer. It didn't stop there, and for someone who knew Mara well, it was fun to see who she really was come out to play, especially when she teased them both.

It was the kind of back and forth that Aeryn had come to enjoy being on this ship, and from being friends with the Bandaran, as she waited to see how Hallowette would take all of this. To some, Mara might appear intimidating, but at the same time, she was a fierce, loyal, and protective friend who Aeryn knew would fight her corner when she needed it. Not that Aeryn had anything to be worried about, as Hallowette laughed in response, which again was only positive as the younger officer continued teasing.

The redhead found it all very amusing, even if some of it was at her own expense, but that was the point of being around friends, and having a laugh even more so with the upcoming mission.

" I might have escaped, but I'd rather have this kind of company any day, and I taught you well", she quipped at the end, knowing that Mara had done a great job alongside her and as her replacement.

== Tags ==

[Mara Calleja]

"It's been my experience that 'intellectuals' are generally less fun than 'bad company' anyway." The new face was apparently feeling bold, and that brought another grin to Mara’s face. "It's good to meet you Mara."

Calleja nodded as she finished off the first sandwich. Her appetite was undiminished.

"I might have escaped, but I'd rather have this kind of company any day, and I taught you well,” Aeryn quipped.

That one drew a laugh from Calleja.

“Yeah, anyone tryin’ to teach me tact and diplomacy is wastin’ their fuckin’ time,” she replied. “You gave it a good go though. I don’t think I’m sittin’ here as Chief without it. So thanks.” She nodded her head in genuine appreciation of Miller’s efforts. The two hadn’t worked together long but the redhead had put in the hard work to blunt some of the Amazonian officer’s rougher edges.

Dark eyes looked over at Hally.

“So you fresh outta the Academy? I think I saw your name on the new arrivals list. Which bit of Tactical d'you prefer? Flyin’ the ship, or makin’ shit go bang?” Mara asked with a feral smile on her lips.

The old rivalry between Security and Tactical wasn’t one that the Chief subscribed to. After growing up surrounded by the constantly changing and often treacherous alliances of the Bandar City gangs, she wasn’t in the least bit bothered by a bit of needle over career choices. That didn't mean she couldn't indulge in a good-natured ribbing though...

== Back atcha! ==

[Hallowette Maxas-Darl]

The freckled boyish Midshipman looked on quietly as two of the ships Chiefs enjoyed a moment of shared experience, one that reminded Hallowette that while all of this was shiny and new to her, months and years of companionship, bonding, drudgery and crisis had come before her. These women, impressive in their positions - but just as starkly so as to how unalike they were in personality and decorum, had formed something that she longed for - true respect, friendship and camaraderie. They may have seemed worlds different in countenance, but they still were working towards the same mutual goals - and they seemingly were closer for it than not.

Calleja's uncouth demeanor, while slightly shocking, was honestly somewhat of a refreshing change of pace for the young hybrid. As the most junior of officers, often she felt like she was still in the Academy. Every i dotted, every t crossed, every title, name and nom de guerre attended to properly and presented without flaw. The microscope had felt as if it had been keenly trained on her from the moment she entered the ship. Her experience in the lounge had been among the first real times she had felt accepted for who she was, and not the job or rank she portrayed. Mara's (and her reputation) had caused her to regress, but her informal bearing and disregard for rank had caused her anxiety to ease. Of course, as a linguist, Calleja's choice of expletives (among the first she had heard, at least with this frequency) interestingly served to settle her as well.

“So you fresh outta the Academy? I think I saw your name on the new arrivals list. Which bit of Tactical d'you prefer? Flyin’ the ship, or makin’ shit go bang?” Mara said with a wicked smirk.

Hally laughed, knowing full well where this was going. "I zoom zoom, and let others boom boom." she said mirroring the Chief's smile. "Though I scored well enough during the Tactics finals to serve as a weapons officer. The appeal...certainly isn't lost on me." She sat back slightly, winking slightly. If Mara wanted to pick, then she was happy to do so, even if she still was a little bit terrified of the woman. Besides, Pilots were among the fleets best at bravado, and that usually included an unhealthy amount of ripping goodnaturedly at one another. "How about you Chief? Those big arms used for anything other than signing brig detail PADDs, and cleaning phasers?" She followed the jest with a wolfish grin of her own, and she glanced at Aeryn, ensuring that her new Scottish friend was invited to play too.

==TAGS!!==