Peering into the Dym

Posted on Tue Apr 28th, 2020 @ 1:21pm by Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri
Edited on on Tue Apr 28th, 2020 @ 3:38pm

1,954 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: USS Endeavor - Science Lab II
Timeline: MD03 - 0730 Hours

[ON:]

The doors swooshed open and Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri walked into Science Lab II. The person whom he was looking for would be unmistakable. Even though there were lots of Orions in Starfleet service, they were not as common as the numbers might lead one to believe. There were two people here already but Matt spied his target and started his approach.

"Well, mark it on the calendar and break out the booze; the computer said you would be here and here you are." Matt said with a grin when he got within earshot. "Lieutenant Kalani Liora, Alien archaeology expert for Starbase 400? Don't worry, you don't know me, I'm nobody. But I've heard about you. More precisely, I've read you in the Journal of Ancient and Alien Civilizations.

She smiled, "Well hello! She said cheerfully." She stood up. "I am indeed Kalani. And you?" She held out her hand for a shake. Very few people recognized her writing. It is something that always gave her a shot of pleasure. She didn't write to get recognized but to share her passion of all things ancient.

When Kalani stood up, Matt got a better look at her. Her black hair was thick and luxurious looking. Her chocolate brown eyes were alive and conveyed the intelligence and warmth of the person. Her green skin was a healthy and attractive glow. But what was most attractive was her smile. There was warmth there, the kind that comes from the heart. For Matt, it was good to see. She extended her hand and Matthew knew to responded with proper Orion decorum. He bowed his head, once, as he took her hand saying in his best High Orion, “Do’e al-lo Kol-ari.“ (Good evening, this (an) evening of Light.” He returned her handshake saying, “I’m Matthew Plumeri, Science Officer and Historian and I am so pleased to meet you” he said and then gently ended the sincere handshake. “Your paper on the ruins on Kaleb IV are insightful and intriguing. I can hardly wait to visit them and spend some time planet-side in New Hamption. I am amazed that the ruins have survived everything that’s happened in the Kaleb system and, for the most part, remained intact.”

He was a little bit star struck and he blushed, he felt hot all the sudden and realized that he had blushed. He changed the subject looking away, “Uh…I’ve submitted a few white papers to the Journal and been soundly rejected each time. However, I did make it into the Daystrom Technical Institute - Archaeology division with two entries.” He looked at her desk and said, “I hope I am not interrupting too much? Do you have two-minutes for a quick question” noticing the pips on her collar, same as his, he ended with, “Lieutenant?”

She grinned. "Please call me Kalani. I have lots of time. Your accent in Orion is wonderful! You have to let me read your work. As for the rejections I wouldn't worry I had seven before they published me and I keep every one of them." She motioned for the little lounge. "Let's get coffee. I've become quite fond of it seeing that my husband all but has an IV drip of the stuff hooked up to him."

He was happy and it showed, "Kalani. Cool." When she motioned for the lounge he stepped aside to make room and then walked alongside her. He said, "Oh yeah, direct line to the vein; I'll have to try that sometime. I'm addicted to it myself. I didn't think so until I tasted Klingon coffee. Raktajino, that has to be some kind of military conquest anyway?" He laughed playfully at his jest.

She smile, "Actually I think that they have added other influences to it and it seems to get better with each new formulation."

As they walked he said, "I have in my hand here some of the latest scans from the onsite dig on Sarthong V. It's a dig co-sponsored by the Interstellar Board of Antiquities and the Sarthong Heritage Foundation. Kind of a co-op. Doctor Sylva Argenta is leading the onsite portion. These are some of the scans of the second and third chambers."

He handed her the PaDD and on it were very tall vertical columns, some were still standing. And on the columns were what looked like glyphs. It was the ancient language of the Dym.

"Ohhhh this looks amazing!" She hungrily scanned the information. It had been a long time since she had been on a dig and she missed it. She missed working hands on.

Matt was pleased to see that Kalani was interested. "The scans are really detailed as you can see." He took the PaDD back but left it on when she handed it back.


Observation Lounge

The lounge was indeed more comfortable. Allowing Kalani to enter first, he followed.

Kalani entered and made straight for the coffee pots. There were several kinds. She turned to Plumeri, "Do you trust me?"

His eyes narrowed and he turned his head just a tad to look 'suspicious-like', he did his best to suppress a grin but he was terrible at hiding it, "Why...should I be on yellow alert?"

She smiled, "A trick I learned." She took two cups and started mixing several of the coffees there. They were précised measurements. She finally finished. "Try it." She grinned as she began mixing her own. "A trick I learned from Hades."

Taking the cup from her, Matt smelled the aroma. It was strong, he liked that. It didn't smell in particular, like anything he had smelled before. There was a formulae to it because Kalani had measured exact amounts of coffee; not just random pourings. He tasted it. It was smooth, aromatic and flavorful. Strong and not burnt. It had a kick to it but didn't taste acidic.

"What the...?" he said out loud. "This....is really good. It's so smooth and yet it's not weak." He took another sip, nodding, "mmm....it's the shizzle; quite good in fact. How did you, how did Commander Hades ever find this formula?"

She laughed, "Desperation. He was trapped in a medical facility with twenty pots of coffee that had only a gulp full each. So he used logic as to the most common brands and the tastes and flavours they carried and he experimented. Eventually he had enough for a cup." She shook her head. "As I said coffee addict. He gets clever when he has to be."

Taking another swig he motioned to an empty table and chairs offering her a seat, "Tell me more about Commander Hades? I read on the manifest for the Starbase before I was transferred that he's the Chief Medical Officer?"

She smiled, "Yup. He's CMO on the station...or rather was and the CO of the USS Mercy. He's...complicated." She laughed using Hades' favourite term. "He can be as gentle as teddy bear or as grumpy as lion with a thorn in the paw. His bark is worse then his bite and he really cares about crew. He can be quite mysterious when he wants and although he'll never admit it as stubborn as a Tilarian Mule."

Matt took another swig of the surprisingly good mixture of coffees and said, "Commander Hades wouldn't be the CMO of such a large station like Starbase 400 without being very capable and resourceful" Plumeri said as he indicated with a raising of the coffee mug to indicate the contents of the cup. "It's the mark of a professional, so I've been told. You've known him quite a while then I take it?"

"Actually not that long. Our courtship and road to marriage lasted only a few weeks. But we've been married for a while now." She sat back. "How about you. Do you have a spouse here?"

Matt's eyebrows lifted, "Oh? I didn't know that! You and Commander Hades are a couple. I mean, more than a couple; you're married. Huh, well I didn't know. That explains why you know him so well and you know the formula to the secret coffee" he smiled warmly with a little chuckle. "I haven't met anyone yet. I had...someone at the Academy. We grew apart when we got posted to different ships. That happens. I met someone at my posting before this. I wasn't on the Galileo long enough to form any romantic relationships. It's all good. I ain't worried too much. You see this nose?" he pointed to his nose, "I can smell a party or something fun from a sector away. Better than the Mark VI sensor suite." He laughed.

She laughed. "Well this is your chance. We'll get back to Starbase 400 and you'll see. It's less like a cold, heartless starbase and more like an extended family. Who knows. Don't close yourself to the possibility of finding someone." She laughed. "And you'll get to see the museum we set up there...it's still okay."

He nodded, "Thank you. I'll keep my eyes open then. A museum? What kind of a museum?" He sat forward a little and set the cup on the table.

"I had recently completed a museum of artifacts from various regions. I had just acquired some Klingon artifacts from the time of Kheless but then the station was boarded...I hope the artifacts are alright." She said.

"Yes" Matt nodded, "I hope so too. If the Klingons got there first then the worst they will do is take the artifacts back to Q'uo'nos and torch the rest of the museum. We'll hope for the best and maybe they don't know what a museum is and won't loot it?" He then remembered the PaDD in his hand. "Which reminds me, can you take a look at this?" He handed her the PaDD again after he activated it.

On it was displayed the beginnings of an alphabet. "Those columns that I showed you earlier on Sarthong V? I think this language here, these carvings are from an earlier era. Pre-Sarthoonian in fact. I think those glyphs are from the Dym? They are too similar to second dynasty glyphs from known Dym finds. But, I'm not really good at reconstructing the basic syntax. If these are from the Dym then these columns were brought back by a Sarthoonian campaign. Probably from Maastoorcht miltary campaigns? I'm guessing? I could really use your help?"

She grinned. "You got it! Let's go to the lab get this done." She laughed. "This will take some time. Grab the coffee pot and let's do this!" She couldn't wait to get into it. Languages and hieroglyphics of all kinds were a love she had."

"Really? You have the time? Cool!" he said with an enthusiastic and happy smile. He downed the rest of the mug and then stood up from the table. "Take the whole pot yeah? Should we make a fresh pot then?" Then he snapped his fingers in understanding, "Ah! Not necessary. With Hades' formula we can take the dregs from any pot of coffee and make it drinkable again."

She smiled. "Exactly." She gave him a wink. "This is going to be fun!" She couldn't wait to get started. She knew instantly that she liked Matthew.

He grinned back at her, grabbed any old pot and joined her as they exited and walked back to the lab. Inside, Matt was happy. He was back to work on something he liked with someone he liked. It was going to be a good evening.


[OFF:]

LTJG. Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer/Historian
USS Endeavor
NCC-72802

&

Lt. JG Kalani Liora
Archeologist
USS Mercy

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