Meow!

Posted on Sat Mar 27th, 2010 @ 10:26pm by Commander Dhindara Vrel & Captain Anna Johnson

3,017 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Preparing The Fleet
Location: Johnson Quarters
Timeline: current

[Anna's Cabin]

After duty hours, and with a little breathing space, Dhindara rang the doorbell to Anna's cabin. She wanted to check on her and her sister, see how they were doing.

Anna was in the shower so Jana moved over to the door and opened it. When she saw who was on the other side she smiled and stepped aside. "Hi come in Anna should be out in a moment."

"I'm here as much to see you as I am to see her", Dhindara said, stepping inside. "So, how do you like the starbase so far?"

Jana shrugged, "It's okay I guess. I miss fresh air and sunshine."

Anna stepped out dressed in a tank top and jeans and noticed Dhindara standing there. "Hi," she said, glad she had come for a visit.

"Hey", Dhindara said, giving Anna a hug for a greeting. "I heard there was some action down on the planet. Want to share?"

"There was a quake and a storm that hit the shore at the same time. The shuttle with the cadets and their instructor went missing. I put together a weather net system, got it in place and started running scans for signs of the shuttle. I found it at the bottom of the ocean. Apparently they had issues taking off during the quake. They didn't even get a distress signal sent off. All hands were lost." Anna said.

"Oh", Dhindara replied. "I hadn't heard. Are there any cadets left?"

"There was one that hadn't made it to the planet yet. Most of the ones I had been working with were on the shuttle though." Anna said as she moved to the kitchen to start preparing supper. "We are having tacos for supper if you want to stay." She said as she started cooking the meat.

Jana moved in beside her and started chopping the lettuce, onions and tomatoes then she would grate the cheese.

Dhindara smiled at Anna. "Yes, I'd like tacos." Dhindara planted her rear on a kitchen chair. "I'm going to talk to the surviving cadet in the morning."

"I don't think he knew the others though he had just arrived." Anna said. She had two pans of meat cooking one with ground beef the other with ground chicken. Her and Jana had fixing food down to a system it would seem as the both seemed to finish what needed done about the same time. Anna moved over to replicate some taco shells both soft and hard style. Then everything was set out and plates were placed before the three. "What can I get you to drink?" Anna asked.

"Good question", Dhindara replied. "What's a typical drink that goes well with tacos? I've never had them."

"Typical drink is a margarita, it is a fruity drink made with lime and tequila mixed with crushed ice. Though pretty much anything will go well with tacos, iced tea or soda for example." Anna said handing Jana a glass of cola.

"Can I try that without the alcohol?" Dhindara asked. "I don't trust myself with alcohol."

"I can do that; there is a strawberry version of the same drink if you think you would like that better than the lime." Anna said walking back toward the replicator she made her own strawberry margarita and waited for Dhindara to choose.

"Yes, I think I would prefer strawberry", Dhindara replied, smiling. "I'm looking forward to trying this."

Anna got her the drink and handed it to her then sat down. There were already bowls of salsa and sour cream there as well. "Help yourself to what ever you want on your taco." Anna said grabbing a soft taco shell she put ground chicken, lettuce, cheese, onions, salsa and sour cream on it then fixed a second one with ground beef.

Jana fixed one of each as well but added tomatoes to hers as well and used the crunchy shells.

Dhindara watched and followed their examples. "Did you know that you two look like a professional team of restaurant kitchen staff when you cook?"

"When you have a big family you learn to work together to get the food done faster." Jana replied, "Mom was sick a lot the last few years so my brothers and I did most of the cooking."

"It's amazing how well you two have coordinated in such short time, though", Dhindara responded. "For me, as a telepath, it's fascinating to see how non-telepathic beings manage that."

Anna laughed "You don't have to be telepathic to work together on things. When you know someone well enough you know what they like to do best. If they are allowed to do that part then things tend to move more smoothly." She said.

Dhindara smiled and took a bite. It was good. "But this level of coordination is still exceptional."

"If you say so." Anna said with a shrug. Elenore came out of Jana's room and started wrapping herself in and out of Jana's feet. Jana looked down and shook her head and moved over to get her some food and water then sat down to eat some more herself. "Sometimes I wonder if cats are telepathic." Jana said.

"What makes you say that?" Dhindara asked.

"She comes out and usually manages to get exactly what she wants with a touch or a nudge." Jana said. "Because I do not understand feline, I know that much."

"Hmm", Dhindara thought. "I've never had a pet so I could only guess that you get used to what they do when they want something... some things are obvious, though. You eat, they come out and try to get your attention, they'll want food, too."

"I've just always thought animals were smarter than people give them credit for." Jana said.

Elenore finished her meal and cleaned her face with her paw then turned a moment. She sat with her front paws straight in front of her with her tail wrapped around her back paws. She stared at Dhindara a moment and let out a single meow.

Dhindara interrupted eating and turned her head. "Meow", she replied.

Jana laughed, "So do you understand her?" She asked.

Anna simply shook her head as she made herself another taco.

Dhindara shook her head. "Not really. I would guess she just wants attention. But I'm not going to pet her while I'm eating, I wouldn't want to get cat hairs over my food."

Elenore licked her paws and groomed herself once more, ~Silly humans still thinking I am the one who is the pet.~ She thought the moved off jumped onto the back of the couch stretched out then curled up watching and purring.

Jana shrugged and drank her soda before eating once more. Anna simply sat back happily full and sipped her drink made from synthehol in case there was an emergency. "I still think they know more than they let on at times." Anna said.

"Their thought patterns are very different from yours or mine, though", Dhindara responded. "My telepathy isn't going to offer any more insight, I can barely tell when they're distressed, which is a very strong emotion and easiest to pick up on generally."

"Well I don't think I can eat anything else except maybe one of these." Anna said and pulled out the box of Betazoid chocolates that Morgan had given her earlier that day.

"You sure know how to live well", Dhindara commented, smirking.

"This was a gift from Morgan Damron for taking care of the ecosystem of Tiberius V so quickly." Anna said holding out the box and offering one to Dhindara.

Dhindara chuckled, taking one. "She's a strange woman."

"This was my first time meeting her." Anna said as she passed the box to Jana. "I still haven't had the chance to meet the chief of security either now that I think about it. I've been so busy I haven't had a lot of time for meeting crew unless work required it."

"When I met Misses Damron I was asked to telepathically scan a man in the brig who was suspected of sabotaging the station for the Damron Group. Misses Damron insisted she didn't order any such sabotage and wanted me to scan him to verify that... I told her I could scan her instead to verify she was telling the truth, since I can't use my telepathy on a prisoner unless I've been authorised to do so. She was afraid I might steal her business secrets. I'm sure she didn't order the sabotage, she would have nothing to gain, but still... very strange woman. She threatened me, even."

"I guess some people let wealth go to their heads and are always afraid of others taking it from them." Anna said.

"That's my guess", Dhindara replied. "I'd like to have her as my patient."

"I think that will happen the day after the EMH has lunch." Anna said.

Dhindara nodded. "Yes, probably. But one can hope, right? I think she'd be my most needy patient, though."

"Just because you have wealth doesn't mean you have to be paranoid or have everyone bowing to your every need. It's a bit ridiculous if you ask me." Anna said.

"It's about power", Dhindara replied. "Some get it through buying people's loyalties, others get it because they make a military career, or because they get voted into political office. There are a lot of people who enjoy being in power."

"I would rather know that a person likes me because of who I am not because of how much I have or what I can do for them." Anna said.

Jana shrugged, "I like to bring as little attention to myself as I can."

"Attention is nice", Dhindara said. "Sometimes, at least. I enjoy it often enough... but power, I have little use for that. It just means more stress and responsibilities I don't need."

"I get enough stress running things here and keeping track of the few small businesses I have. I don't want to be some big power hungry person who needs security with her everywhere she goes." Anna said.

"You have businesses? I didn't know", Dhindara replied. "How do you have time for that, next to your duties?"

"I have someone else run it. I just back it." Anna said. "A small shop back on Earth. My brothers help keep tabs on it at least for now. I may sell them soon."

"At least it gives your brothers something to do", Dhindara remarked.

"Yes but they are in the academy now and will have less time for that and Jana is here. That's why I may either sell them or let my managers have them." Anna said.

"Or keep them, let your managers run them and just take the profits", Dhindara suggested.

"I need to keep my focus here." Anna said with a shrug.

"But it reminds me, I have two holographic programmes to finish which I want to sell", Dhindara replied. "They're good for a little extra income, so I can get real chocolate as a little luxury."

"I know where you can get that as well as coffee at a discounted rate if you need it." Anna said with a smile.

"That I'm always interested in", Dhindara replied. "Do share."

"It's my businesses." Anna said. "I have one that sells coffee and teas and ships them where needed the other sells chocolates and is a bakery though stasis units can only do so much. Pastries ship okay but cakes and pies tend to shift too much. Though I can replicate any of those recipes from here."

That surprised Dhindara. "And here I thought it would be an engineering-related sort of store."

Anna shook her head, "I do enough of that here." She said.

Dhindara nodded. "That is true. I guess I'll have to give you a list of what I want, then." She smirked.

"Sounds good I can have them send a shipment out once you know what is needed." Anna said.

"I do have a weakness for the stuff", Dhindara admitted. "There's a fitness club that has just opened on the promenade, I think I'm going to become a member for some regular exercises."

"There is also a gym for the crew as well. So you could use that equipment or you could always create a way to exercise in the holodeck." Anna said.

Jana started cleaning up the dishes then grabbed her journal and started writing in it while the 'grown-ups' talked.

"I wouldn't want to waste my precious little holodeck time on exercises I can do somewhere else, though", Dhindara replied. "It's a big base with a lot more people than available holodecks, after all."

Anna shrugged, "What ever makes you happy." She said.

Dhindara chuckled. "The details of that, I think, I should better not share with you just yet."

Jana peeked over her journal a moment shook her head and went back to writing.

Anna just shook her head and chuckled, "I don't think I know you well enough for that much detail yet."

"Safe to say, it does involve a large dose of chocolate", Dhindara grinned. She took a sip of the mixed drink.

Anna moved over and put on a pot of coffee then sat back down. "I think I will avoid that then."

"Why is that?" Dhindara wondered.

"I've seen some people have some strange reactions to large amounts of chocolate. I've heard that some even act almost drunk from it." Anna said.

"Oh.. well, not me, don't worry. I'd have noticed that in myself before", Dhindara responded.

"The way you were talking I was worried you might be one of those." Anna said.

"It would not do for a counsellor to show symptoms of drug addiction", Dhindara replied.

"Most people wouldn't consider chocolate a drug though." Anna pointed out.

"If you act like you're drunk when you've had some, then it is", Dhindara replied. "It's all about how your body reacts. Like, I can't hold a drinking contest with an Andorian, for instance."

"I can hold my own. I've had to listen to a few war stories with some Klingon colleges of mine and held up with the best of them." Anna said, "I regretted it the next day mind you but that's different."

"I would consider myself a lightweight", Dhindara responded.

Jana just shook her head as they talked and continued to write. Elenore jumped into her lap and curled up continuing to purr.

"I don't drink often. Usually for social reasons, almost never by myself and then it's usually with a meal." Anna said.

Dhindara chuckled. "Ah, good to know. Any other drug habits, maybe?" she joked. Then she added. "Hey, I'm off duty, relax."

"I am relaxed." Anna said.

"For a moment you sounded like you were trying to justify your drinking behaviour to me", Dhindara remarked.

"No I just wanted to clarify that I don't make a habit of it so you didn't worry about having to keep an eye on me." Anna said, "With my past and recent loss it would be easy to fall into a bad pattern of behaviors."

"You're too strong of a personality", Dhindara replied. "You don't appear to be very assertive often but it's there when needed. I wasn't worried."

"You've gotten all that from me already?" Anna asked.

Dhindara smiled. "I'm not always on duty, but I do always have the skills I was trained for with me."

"Well I don't tend to open up to too many people." Anna said. "I guess I'm getting more trusting than I use to be." She said.

"For me to know you're a strong personality you don't have to open up much", Dhindara replied. "But I am glad you've decided to trust me some."

"Is having a strong personality a good thing or bad?" Anna asked.

"Depends", Dhindara replied. "It can be both, it all depends how you use it. Some people use it to walk over everyone, other people are just not easily talked into doing things they don't like. I find it easier to deal with strong personalities, the weak personalities often turn out to be big chief whiny butts."

~This is so stupid.~ Jana thought as she nudge Elenore from her lap and went to her room. The cat followed her and once there she closed the door.

Anna watched as Jana left the room with a raised eyebrow not sure what else to say.

"She seems to think our conversation is stupid", Dhindara said.

"It is a bit pointless I guess." Anna said shrugging her shoulders she started putting away the left overs and clearing the table. "Do you ever do anything for fun or do you always just talk?"

"I love singing, as you know", Dhindara replied. "And given time and opportunity, I can disappear in an old library for weeks."

"I was thinking more along the lines of something we could do together besides talk all the time." Anna said with a sigh.

"Do you have a suggestion?" Dhindara asked. "Cooking is a bit of a hobby of mine..."

Anna shrugged, "Bowling, archery, movies or any number of other activities that are available in the holo-decks." she said.

"I could see myself try some archery", Dhindara replied. "The skill would be good to have. I've just never had an instructor... I've wondered what those old bows would have handled like."

"I'm not very good at it. I know the basics and can hit a stationary target." Anna said.

"Looks like something we can build on", Dhindara replied.

Anna nodded, "For next time."

Dhindara smiled and got up. "How about tomorrow, after work?"

"Sounds like a plan." Anna nodded. "I'll let you know when I get away from ops." She added with smile.

Dhindara gave Anna a hug. "Great. See you tomorrow."

Anna nodded tensing a bit at the hug but trying hard not to do so and nodded, "Tomorrow then, have a good night."

=/\\= End of Transmission =/\\=

Lieutenant Commander Anna Johnson
Chief of Operations

Lieutenant Commander Dhindara Vrel
Counsellor

Jana Johnson (NPC by Anna)
Sister of Anna

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