Food for Thought - Part II

Posted on Wednesday, 22 March 2023 - 1:57pm by Lieutenant Alex Kingsley & Commander Soral & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali
Edited on on Wednesday, 22 March 2023 - 7:55pm

Mission: Operation: Lobes & Liberties
Location: Mess Hall | USS Standing Bear
Timeline: Current

Previously on Food for Thought....

"I do appreciate the offer. I do however have plans for dinner. I think on it is called a dinner date? I could be mistaken." She looked around. "I um...could use advise though."

“Oh?”

She pointed to the vats of hot drink. "The tea in those vats is it fresh brewed or replicated and just placed out?"

“It depends on how much of the day’s tea has been used up” T’Lanna smiled. “You might just be lucky enough to have arrived in time to get the fresh batch.”

She gave a nod. "Thank you. I apologize for Intruding. Lieutenant Vali it was agreeable to meet you. I look forward to speaking with you tomorrow."

“It was nice meeting you too” T’Lanna smiled warmly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Have a good evening,” Alex offered, but the woman was already walking away. “Have you met any of the interns yet? They are an … eclectic group.”


And Now the continuation...




She gave a nod of thanks and headed to the drink vats. She found a small tea pot and two clean cups taking them with her to one of the empty tables. She had been about to sit down when the Klingon, the one who’d earlier caused a problem in Ops, came in. He seemed to look around, go get a drink and then walked over to Bella’s table. There was a brief exchange and then the Klingon took her wrist. “You will join me for dinner!”

She stared at the man. “I shall do no such thing. I am not interested in Klingon courting rituals nor am I interested in you. Leave and I shall spare you broken bones.”

Before the Klingon could say anything, a figure moved at an alarming speed. With a rarely displayed strength the Klingon, a foot shorter than the figure behind him, was lifted off the floor and dangling helplessly. “I believe you were asked to let go of her hand and asked to leave. While the Sublieutenant is generous with respect to broken bones I am not.”

The Klingon got in a swing but Soral was quicker and tossed him aside like a rag doll where two security officers promptly took over. He spoke to the security team. “Get him off my ship!” The force and snarl in the words seemed to surprise the officers and silence the room for a moment. He turned back to the table.

Bella had been staring at the exchange cradling her wrist. Soral approached and said something to her then gently took her wrist lifting the sleave and looking at the wrist. There was a quick exchange and Soral and Bella sat down.

T’Lanna sat open mouthed for a moment, before she looked at Alex. “Did I just see what I thought I saw? Soral fighting a Klingon?”

Alex had watched the entire thing in stunned silence before turning her attention back to her ice cream. “And the Klingon still lives, there is more of him left than I thought,” she mused as she stabbed her spoon into the chocolate dessert, trying not to stare at the other table. It was only when Jayce, still safely in Ilian’s care let out an adorable laugh to an almost silent room that the mood in the mess hall seemed to shift back to normality now that security had dragged away the soon to be former intern.

The table was not too far away that conversation did not carry to Vali and Kingsley’s table.

“Perhaps a trip to sickbay.”

“Appreciated but unnecessary commander.” Bella paused. “Thank you. I had been plagued by this particular … pest earlier.”

“Indeed, the pest shall be dealt with if not by our tactical friends, then by me personally. My apologies for not meeting with you earlier. I had things that required tending.”

“No explanation necessary. I understand however I was slightly disappointed that you did not greet us. I had hoped to meet you upon boarding.”

“Oh?” Soral stared at her. She was lovely, he could understand the Klingon’s fascination with her. Those blue eyes…

“Indeed, you are the savior of the Romulan people. I must admit I have never been to Romulus but my sister was there and she and her family lived because of you and no thanks to the Federation. I have always admired your devotion to both Romulus and Vulcan. Being…half of each I find that for me it is often difficult to separate the two.”

Soral stared at her. “You are half Romulan that was not in your file.”

“Indeed, Vulcan thought it best. There are still some that distrust how Starfleet treats those with Romulan blood.”

Soral sighed, “I can understand that.”

“I do not understand how you can continue to work with these…people. Because of Mars they let Romulus…I mean.” She looked down fisting her hand on the table.

Soral reached out and touched her hand. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Starfleet never understood this. I can see you were affected by the incident here. I can assure you I shall not let harm come to you. Come, let us go to the holodeck I can show you Romulus. Something to take the mind off of things and perhaps I shall explain my logic in being here now.”

She smiled, “Where you lead I shall follow, as is the case with many.”

Soral sat back a moment. Those same words were once said to him, another life. “I…” He shook his head and smiled. “It has been a long time since someone had that much blind faith in me.”

“You surround yourself with fools and the unworthy.”

Soral threw his head back and laughed causing another silence in the room. He stood and offered her his arms, which she willingly took.

T’Lanna looked at Alex, it was obvious Soral wasn’t bothered how things looked in-front of Alex. Whether that was a ploy to try and make her jealous was another thing. “Would you like to go home? or to my place? Get away from here?”

By the time the pair of them stood several people were openly staring, Soral’s words about the Federation not landing well. Especially with his wife. There was more fury than jealousy as she heard her husband agree and seeming to revel in the attentions of the new arrival. “No, I think I’m better off alone. Or in the brig so I can’t be accused of murdering him,” she whispered, pushing away her dessert. It felt like everyone present was staring at either her or them. “Thank you though.”

“Not a problem” T’Lanna gave her friend an understanding nod. “I believe it’s time Soral and I have a very frank talk, and next time I see him it will be just that.”

With a vague nod, Alex said a hasty goodbye and slipped out the opposite door that Soral and his new friend were heading for. She was sure the gossip would fuel a thousand starships before morning. She had slumped back against the wall, stewing in her fury as the doors began to close. How could he? After confiding that the Romulans themselves may have had a hand in the destruction of her home? Of so many innocent lives, including her father?

And what was that all about? It was sickening to watch them. Did he even care that she had been in the room?

Before she could remember to tell the computer her destination, the doors opened again.

“Not so fast Alex” T’Lanna stepped inside, having left Jayce in Ilian’s care she had followed Alex.

“I’m better off alone, far far away from whatever the hell that was!” Alex hissed. “I mean what was that?!”

T’Lanna shook her head. “I have absolutely no idea, but I definitely don’t like it. Soral can’t go around airing his views like that. Plus, he had a nerve acting like that in-front of you.”

Alex frowned, “he always hated the fact Starfleet withdrew, that the Federation stopped the evacuation… but they were talking as if it was just a bad day at the office. My home is still burning. My dad, so many friends and innocent people. And they talk about it like it was nothing?! And what was that laughing all about? I’ve heard him laugh but he was always so private and reserved about showing emotion to the rest of the crew. But two minutes with her and he’s all fighting Klingons and laughing. He’s two days away from another accidental marriage and more children.”

“He’s Not our Soral anymore Alex, you know it and so do I.” T’Lanna sighed. “I see more of the other Soral in him, and I only met him briefly. I never sensed emotions from Soral before, now I do and it’s unsettling to say the least.”

“Oh, no, you are wrong,” Alex said as she shook her head, “he’s always had emotions he just had a tight control over them most of the time… but this… if he wants to run around acting like some lovestruck idiot then that’s on him.”

T’Lanna nodded. She was at a loss for words, anything she said wouldn’t go very far in making Alex feel any better. “I’m sorry.”

“It isn’t your fault,” Alex assured her. “Just promise to speak nice of me at my court martial…”