Girl talk

Posted on Sat Jan 9th, 2021 @ 9:40pm by Lieutenant Commander Melanie D’BrooNi- Haistro

2,677 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 2 - Echoes Of An Empire
Location: D'BrooNi quarters
Timeline: MD4 15:00

ON:

Mel hadn't been expecting anyone especially as Charlie was on shift as Captains helper. She had her hair down for a change and was surrounded by the books Keiben had let her borrow.

She pushed them carefully onto the coffee table and walked to the door. "Come in. Tam," her face beamed. "How can I help you?"

"Well first off, I bring a gift. Verona our Chief of Security, did some cooking and I decided to bring you some. And second of all, speaking of Charlie, I'd like to talk to you about something. Don't worry its not bad, but its like a proposal of some kind." setting the plate on a clear space on a table.

“Thank you,” Mel said at the plate. “What about Charlie? Did she not get to keep her Captains assistant role?” She asked concerned.

"Actually, yes she will keep her role as Captain's assistant, but it was discussed on making it something more. There is a program that is out there, basically an ROTC, where those who are age 12 through 17, take courses in preparation to join Star Fleet Academy. Most times its done during the summer on Earth but, this is a different setup, and I suggested it to Keiben, and those who were in the Messhall. She would be getting a cadet uniform, basically a red jumpsuit complete with the symbols indicating her status. Plus, Charlie would be given a combadge. Keiben thought that he'd get in trouble if an admiral happened to come aboard, but he wouldn't. It can be taken care of officially, but only if you will approve the paperwork. She will have to keep up her schooling, but I don't think that will be a problem for she would be watched by Keiben and myself in an official capacity. "

"Wow," Mel said. "Can i get you a drink? Let me process that for a second."

"Green tea with lemon and honey, please." Tamaska requested.

She ordered a cup of tea to have with the plate of whatever smelt so good and what Tam requested. (can amend if shes not thirsty!)

Sitting down she cast a glance over at a photo of Ian. It felt a little conflicted for a moment. One of the parenting solo but she was pretty sure they would have been united on this and two as suddenly he was completely in the past as a new chapter had begun today with Keiben. But then it was Ian. He had met Kieben and he wouldn't want her to spend her whole life alone.

"He would be so proud of her. But I'm just a little worried. Is it really what she wants?

If it is I can't and won't stand in the way and she has my full support but remember she's 14. And just gone through what we did. We are older and more in-depth to handle it. Well we think we are. Its just," she locked eyes with Tam and nodded, "She's in the throws of puberty, hormone central. At home she can ... well she's the perfect teenager swinging one way then the other. Its a lot of pressure so young to ensure she abides by our work rules. And I know Charlie would be mortified if ... well she ... if in a situation she became a slave to her hormones. If you get what I'm saying. Is she mature enough to handle it and now?

"I believe she is mature enough to handle the job, and the way her eyes lit up when it was suggested, it seemed to have given her a boost to her morale already. I don't think her studies will suffer for her new position."

"I have no worries about school. She's always graded well, well apart from math but we have strategies in place there," Mel mused. "Maybe we let her try but if you and Keiben can be conscious she's not your typical teenager wanting to join starfleet. Most haven't seen and experienced what we went through."

Tam nodded, "It is something we're conscious about." giving a nod. Then she gave Mel a rather, sharp look, then smiled slightly. "Something seems a bit different about you, Mel. I can see the corners of your mouth lifting ever so slightly, and there seems to be less of a worried look in your eyes. They seem to have just a bit of a sparkle in them."

"I'm …" she started but had the feeling the other woman could see right through her. "There's someone," she admitted with a smile. "Its very new. Unexpected but ..." she smiled again feeling like she was 20 years old. "So wonderful."

"I am glad that you've found a special someone, I just wonder whom it is." asking innocently, even though Tam had a good idea on whom it maybe. "It does my heart good at seeing the light in your eyes." Tam seemed happier as well, not like what she had been when she had come in to get her hand fixed.

"Thank you. Its complicated and Im just taking it one day at time right now as I have been so out of ..." she didn't know how to term it. Was he her boyfriend? Were they dating? "being with someone" she settled on

" .... I'm sorry you will have to make do with it being a mystery man for now. Charlie doesn't even know. I mean I'm enjoying just getting to be me for a change and someone interested in me for me. Not just the doctor, not just a mother. Does that make sense? I will tell her when the times right," Mel said honestly.

"What of your guy? What happened? Did you speak to him?"

Tamaska chuckled, "I'll let it stay the mysterious love interest for now. Mel." chuckling, it eased away as she set to answer Mel's question. "I did speak to him. I decided to answer his message, and then we met. Apparently he had been looking for me, and when the ship had gone in for repairs, he managed to find me. We talked, and he didn't know anything about the engagement announcement. It seems that, it was a call for him to go back to where he has been stationed at. He couldn't tell me where, he did ask me if I'd go with him, and we get married." Tamaska paused, looking into her cup of tea, remembering, her cheeks just a bit flushed.

"Wow," Mel said. "Did you get engaged?" she asked suddenly reaching over for her hand. There was no ring. "No. What made you refuse him?" she asked.

"I just didn't feel like it would be right for me to leave. Maybe before the Copernicus had been attacked I probably would have accepted it in less than a heartbeat maybe, but.. I just couldn't, not now, not ever. I just can't leave, I've bonded with the Copernicus now, and with the rest of the family that is here, just wouldn't be fair." she looked at Mel, "Do you think me stupid not to have taken his offer? It still didn't feel right, even if we kissed." her cheeks flushing a lovely coloured pink hue.

"No not at all," Mel said simply. "If it didn't feel right it wasn't right or the right time in your life." She thought about Kieben. That despite all the nuisances with him being the Captain and her own worries, fears and her verbal hosts all having opinion's. It did feel right. Not that she was angling for a ring or anything. But them coming together now something more, it was right.

"I've been married five times," she said. "Two were mistakes. So trust me when I say only do something like that if it feels right."

Tamaska nodded, "I will definitely be doing that, getting together with someone, when it feels right. You know, he was the first one that truly made me feel a normal size, instead of being so tall. And his kisses... were so divine."

Mel cocked her head not quite understanding that. “Tamaska your bodies just fine. In proportion and perfectly healthy. Trust me I’m a doctor.”

Tam blushed, " My first love is taller than me, his name is Kaiholo. I've been taller than most kids back in the day and well, one day he and I were set up to get into a fight but we found out that lies had been told and we well.. clicked. Hence my words of him making me feel normal and at times dainty and petite. He even had a pet nickname he called me, Naupaka its a flower that is unique, it seems only half of a flower until you match it to another. The male flowers are found by the sea, the female ones are found only in the mountain. Its a flower that is prized on the islands of Hawaii."

“Hawaii sounds wonderful, ” Mel said. “But again trust me. I've been lots if different heights. It's what's in here that's more important, ” she tapped where her heart was. “Not how tall you are. Please don't have hang ups on that.”

"I guess just seeing him, sort of brought it more to the forefront. I do know there are Klingon women who are just as tall as me, or even taller. They told me I was a good size and could do no wrong in getting a real man, as in Klingon. I wasn't going to insult them on the offer. " giving a bit of a chuckle. "They were good friends." Tamaska said.

“Klingon men are rather interesting, ” Mel chuckled. Memories of some of Leikos dalliances flashed through her mind. “But I’d say there just as real a man as any other. Have you ever had one decide to read you poetry?” she asked with a grin.

Tamaska almost choked on the tea she had been drinking, when Mel asked that question. Once her coughing fit died down, she looked at Mel, and nodded. "Yes, I've had one who decided to read me poetry. He decided he was interested in me, because of an altercation at a bar on Starbase One. Myself and several others had to break up a brawl, said Klingon was in the midst of it. I knocked him to the floor, cutting his lip, and apparently that got his interest. I wasn't considered a mere human female to him after that."

"In my experience Klingon guys tend to pick the worst times to decide your worthy of poetry. Like your already in a committed relationship and they don't care do they? I mean they just go ahead and try to court you anyway," she laughed thinking about Dverok's pursuit of her friend Valeia years ago. Leiko of course hadn't minded on jot and had happily cheated on her 3rd husband.

"Indeed, I was on patrol one time as was required and my Klingon suitor proceeded to accompany me all the while spouting his poetry, which I did find touching. He was extremely pleased that I knew how to speak his native language." Tamaska started to chuckle, "He was rather, particular as to whom I tried to date. This was after I convinced him that I wasn't interested in dating him nor to share his bed. He determined that if he couldn't have me, those who were going to court me as he put it, they would have to have an audience with him. Needless to say, I was not happy with him for doing that. In his words, "A woman as valuable as you, must have the very best." Tamaska shook her head, "Goodness, he was actually trying to be my marriage broker."

"Its rather odd but look at it another way. What an honour. Klingons rarely consider alien women close to how their rever their own. Something in you really impressed and made an impression on him," she smiled. "So much so that he took it upon himself to," she giggled, "Im not even sure if any Klingon translates to this .... But he's looking out for you."

Tamaska chuckled and nodded, "I suppose he was. All in all, I am glad that I found out the truth and that I could have some closure where my first love is concerned. Its not fun when there are questions, and wonderment, still dwelling in the back of the mind. " Tamaska looked at the books that Mel had laying about. "What have you been studying?" looking at her friend.

“Oh right...” Mel said suddenly flushing slightly. “I borrowed some of Keibens books. The T’Kon it's one of his specialities. I figured it was worth reading up ready for the mission. Surprisingly one of my hosts has a little history there too it seems.”

Tamaska's eyes widened, "Oooh sounds like some interesting reading and one of your hosts has a little bit of history. I'll probably need to wait on the information during a briefing for all of us to be there. I am hoping that I can be able to have some input into that. Though I must confess I'm probably sorely out of knowledge on them."

“Theres not a lot of knowledge out there Tam, ” Mel said. “They are a long gone, really ancient mysterious civilisation and I know one has history I just don't know what it is. Which is infuriating me to be honest. There's not supposed to be blocks and secrets.”

“Shows what you know, ” Hal chided her. “And it's staying that way.”

"Blocks and secrets, like one of your hosts protecting you? I am not really familiar with the workings of trill and the symbiote. Hopefully you will be able to unlock the information you are needing. Would be great to have the information on hand. I mean could the locked information have something to do with the attack on us?"

Mel went white at the idea. “I hope to the ancients that any prior host of D’BrooNis was not involved in a situation that would lead to that attack. I couldn't bare that Tam.”

"Oh gosh, no, I didn't mean it that way." Tam horrified at making Mel distressed. "I don't think the host was involved in a situation. It was more on the information that could be hidden away from you. I think I am just grasping at straws here, after all, whomever targeted us wouldn't even know whom your hosts were." Tam shaking her head.

“You would be surprised how many know or go out of their way to find out who the other hosts are. Leiko got kidnapped by someone the one before had a beef with, ” Mel said.

Tamaska's eyes widened, "No way! I was just throwing out a hypothesis, as to why we were attacked. Now I am wondering if that could be true, that someone was looking for information that one of your hosts knows. Okay, I am going to stop right here." though her mind was now starting to wonder about if there could be the possibility of someone having had tried to find Mel, and get at the information, hence the reason why they were attacked. Maybe she should talk to Keiban about that, maybe Verona could dig up some information. Tamaska mentally scolded herself. She was making a mountain out of a molehill.

Mel nodded. “Lets hope that never happens. But it is worrying Hal’s hiding things.”

"Well hopefully your host will cough up the details so to speak." Tamaska replied, then looked back at the books then at the food she brought over. "Well I think I had better go to leave you to the studying as well as, eating that delicious food Verona made. I'll be seeing you later, okay?" giving her friend a smile.

Mel nodded, “I look forward to it. Take care Tam.”

Tam smiled and left, giving a small wave to Mel, as Tam stepped out into the corridor.

Mel smiled after her as she left then pulled the food she had kindly brought to her and dug in.

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