Dinner Talk

Posted on 09 May 2024 @ 7:55am by Ensign Tora Zalos & Lieutenant Jason Rhineholt M.D.

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: M-18 The Past is Future
Location: Mess Hall

Another day, another opportunity to sample something new on the replicator menu. Tora had made it something of a personal mission to try out everything on the menu at least once before transferring off eventually, and so far she'd worked her way down the menu a decent amount of the way - at least, that was what she liked to think. Today's pick, immediately next in line after the last option she'd picked, was some kind of human dish named laksa. She could swear the broth in which the noodles sat smelled very much of coconut, topped off with prawns, some kind of shellfish and what seemed to be some sort of fried fish cake. She slurped up a mouthful and coughed as heat filled her mouth. Ouch. As much as the spiciness of the broth hit her immediately, the flavor of it was divine, and she immediately proceeded to eat more. This she'd have to order more often.

Walking into the mess hall Jason soon realized the place was pretty much at capacity; he would have to make a mental note to start eating later in the evening if he wanted to avoid a crowd. Since he was already here he decided to have his meal rather than coming back later. After grabbing a tray and cutlery Jason made his way to one of the replicators "Hmm, what sounds good" he thought while looking over the menu. After a few moments he settled on meatloaf, mashed potatoes with gravy. Making his drink selection Jason looked around for a place to sit. Seeing an Ensign sitting alone at a table for two Jason decided if sharing a table might be in the cards.

Approaching the young women "Excuse me, would you mind if I shared your table with you" he inquired with a smile.

Tora didn't recognize the man who'd just spoken to her. He gave off surfer vibes, really, with his looks and blond hair, but that was all. Of course, she wouldn't have minded learning more. "Not at all. Please, make yourself comfortable. I do like company." She responded, smiling at him. Tora let him take his seat before commenting cheerfully, "Haven't seen you around before. Either you joined us from the Granger, or you've somehow managed to stay out of my way for this long. I would know. I remember practically everyone I meet." Tora winked and tapped the side of her head.

"The name's Tora. You? Or will I be going with 'handsome blondie' all evening?"

Jason could feel his face flush a little; he hadn't seen that coming but decided to go with it "Well you could go with that but you might get the attention of half the guys in this place" he replied with a grin "I'm Jason and you are very astute; I transferred over from the Granger, well eventually. Anyway it's nice to meet you Tora."

"Nice to meet you, too." Tora smiled a disarmingly sweet smile. "So, Jason, what'll you be doing on board? If I were to hazard a guess..." She glanced over him one more time and hummed. "I'd say maybe a security officer. Or maybe a doctor. Somewhere you'd put people at ease. Am I right?"

"Looks like you're two for two" he replied with a smile "Was it the fact I came here on the Granger or are you telepathic" as he paused "Actually I'm the new CMO assigned to the Phoenix. I see you're in science blue as well... what's your area of expertise."

"I'm an anthropologist. My job involves studying people and finding out what makes them people, and occasionally living with people to learn more about people. Think of it as using your social battery full-time." Tora quipped with a bright smile. "Good thing I've got a pretty big social battery. I don't think I'll ever have the head for medicine, with your pharmacology and biochemistry and all that. It's too dry for me, you know?"

"That certainly tells me how you come to have such a delightful personality" Jason replied with a grin "Actually what we do isn't that much different. I had to study all that 'dry stuff', and yes it was dull and boring at times, but they are merely tools so I can study my patients in order to fix their physical problems."

"I've been on the receiving end of such tools many, many times. I think you and your people tend to be really, really underappreciated. Shame, really." Tora replied. "I think physical health is extremely important - though I suppose when people don't maintain it they don't always want people to know about it." She quipped thoughtfully. "I suppose they're afraid of being judged. Some doctors tend to do that, don't they."

"Thank you for saying so, It's nice to be appreciated occasionally" Jason replied with sincerity in his voice "And yes physical health is very important. Being a doctor I'm not in a very physical environment so I try to work out two or three times a week just to ensure I'm getting enough exercise. I agree with your last statement with doctors having a tendency to judge their patients; although that may not be their intention. I do try and encourage people to take better care of themselves by showing the benefits of doing so. Anyway enough about work.....so Tora what do you like to do for fun when you're not studying the masses."

"Swim, read, play some sports, work out when the mood hits..." Tora smiled. "Mostly swim, really. Where I grew up the beaches were the best in the Federation. I'd go for a dip daily, almost. Then I moved away and that didn't happen quite so often anymore." She shrugged once. "I'll have to start it up again, now that I'm no longer healing from being roughed up by crazy Marines. How about you?"

Thinking for a few moments "I do enjoy working out, although I wouldn't always categorize that as fun, laying on a sandy beach in the holodeck, earth's twentieth century music, and I have been known to play the guitar on rare occasions" he answered then paused "That's where I've heard your name before. I read over the recent medical reports, and now that you mention it, you certainly ended up a little more than what I would call 'roughed up'. If you don't mind my asking what caused the incident."

"I was having lunch with crewman Sizia when they came up to us and joined us without asking, then started levelling accusations, more or less. That and unkind remarks about me and the rest of my people. Which escalated. Think the one who put me in sickbay slammed me into a table a few times." Tora cringed at the memory. Heck, she sometimes went to bed feeling a bit of aching between her shoulders. That had to be from the incident, right? "Well, now they've been dealt with I'm safe, I suppose, and I'm okay with that. Hopefully they get the help they need. I just think it's sad they fell through the cracks."

"WHAT!!" Jason stated realizing he was shouting "Oh sorry about raising my voice but that really irritates me. First and foremost you are a Star Fleet officer and should be treated as such especially by one of our own regardless of your species" he stated matter of factly "Look we all have a choice in this universe on how we conduct ourselves, what we believe, and how we deal with others so I wouldn't feel too sorry for those idiots. There is a very old earth saying....you reap what you sow....they wanted to sow bigotry and violence so now they get to reap the consequences of their actions. I do agree, I hope they get some help. Fortunately for you it looks like your Cardassian physiology served you well in this situation."

"Them getting help is what's important to me. Don't worry. I'm fine thanks to the medical staff and, I suppose, a bit of my physiology. I'll live for a long time more, I think." Tora replied cheerfully. "I try not to think too hard about it and carry on with life. I'm slowly getting back into my old hobbies again, though I'm told I need to take things easy for a while. I think I couldn't eat anything too solid for a week, ugh."

"I never would have guessed you'd been injured recently so that's a good thing. Unfortunately having to be on a mostly liquid diet isn't very pleasant or satisfying but it does allow the body to start the healing process quicker" Jason replied having finished his meal.

"That much I can deal with. But ugh. Hopefully never again." Tora shuddered. "Speaking of laying on the beach and soaking up sun. Join me sometime? The beaches of Risa are best shared eith someone else - though I'm sure you've probably served long enough to know that." There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye right about then.

"That's what I've heard but I've never had the opportunity to experience it for myself....so yes I'd like to join you some time" Jason replied with a smile.

"Tomorrow. Meet me on the holodeck at 1930 hours. Dress comfy." Tora replied with a mischievous smile. "I'll book a slot. Oh, and bring some sunscreen if you want. You might need it."

"Ok, tomorrow it is. Besides I could use some relaxing time" Jason replied with a grin "I probably should be going" as he stood "It was very nice to meet you Tora and I enjoyed our conversation." Turning he reclaimed his tray and such before making his way back to his quarters.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Ensign Tora Zalos
Science Officer


Lieutenant Jason Rhineholt, M.D.
CMO

 

RSS Feed