The start of getting to know each other

Posted on Mon Dec 17th, 2012 @ 3:25pm by Sergeant Maal son of Torg & Lieutenant Saith i-Ki Baratan

1,834 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 81 - Revenge
Timeline: after Celebrations and Promotions, before Joy and Sorrow

Maal had just finishing up some stuff in the Intelliegence office for Captain Pike as he was at the holiday party. Maal wasn't too big on holidays much but there where a few Klingons who where. He decided to head for the Promeade to grab something to eat. He then spotted Ensign Baratan walking towards his direction.

Maal nodded:"Hello Ensign Baratan."

Saith glanced up. She had been wandering and found herself close to the promenade. The large Klingon officer was obviously the one who addressed her. "Sergeant," she nodded in reply.

"You look pretty tonight. He gave her a half smile

She smiled back, "Thank you. I was at the Admiral's party, but I am not really a crowd sort of person I guess." She looked around, "are you on duty?"

Maal shook his head:"No I just got off duty."

"Oh, are you headed home then?"

He stepped to the side and held out his hand pointing to a resturant/bar:"I was just about to get something to eat and a drink, would you like to join me?"

Saith thought about it for a moment. She had not eaten a thing at the party, only had drinks. "I would, I find I am rather hungry."

Maal smiled at her:"Ok sounds good. So what are you hungry for?"

"Hmmm, I hear there is a good Romulan restaurant here, although I have not eaten there myself."

He shrugged:"Well I have never tried Romulan or Vulcan food before." They started to head for the resturant/bar

Saith hated to admit it, but she liked the scent that eminated from the kitchen. It reminded her of home, and her mouth watered a bit. She smiled at Maal, and worked her way to a table at the back of the restaurant, in a corner so they could both sit with their backs to the wall.

"Is this alright?" she asked.

Maal nodded:"Yes this is fine." He waiting for her to sit down first then he sat down himself.

Saith scooted into one of the seats, placing her back against the wall. She could see the front door from here, but the sides were somewhat sheltered. She felt safer here.

He motions for a server:"Two Romulan ales."

Saith smiled, "I did not know if there was any Romulan ale to be had anymore. I suspect its production is not a high priority in the Star Empire at this time."

As the server left to fetch the drinks, Maal looked over at Saith:"So what would you recomded?"

Saith thought for a moment, if Maal were human she would recommend something easy but he was Klingon, so she said “If you are game, I would recommend the viinerine. Otherwise I would recommend the jumbo Rihannsu mollusks. They are not served live, but they can be served raw, even if humans rarely order them that way.” She smiled and laughed slightly, “then, I would recommend Osol Twists for dessert; they are not as sweet as Jumja sticks.”

She stopped suddenly, realizing she had slipped right into her Rihannsu background. That would not do if she was going to keep claiming to be Vulcan, so she quickly added “or so I have heard.” She was pretty sure however that even if Maal did not already know she was Romulan, he probably saw through her deceit, most people did.

Wishing the waiter would come back, she abruptly changed subjects, "do you always work, or is there something you like to do for fun?" 'What a stupid thing to ask' she thought to herself, but she had asked it, so she would have to wait and see how he reacted.


He smiled at her:"Well for fun I praticing Klingon martial arts, studying ancient Klingon history, boxing, wrestling, hunting. What do you do for fun?"

Saith felt her dread release and she smiled at him. He had not even reacted to her rambling or abrupt change of topic. "I like solving puzzles." She laugh, "I know it sounds weird, but I spent a lot of time on my own when I was young, and I wasn't allowed to go places so that is what I did. Sat, and solved puzzles. When I came to Federation space my dad, my new dad, he would sometimes sit and work them with me. . . " her voice faded away as she remembered those days.

"I think he knew it was a way to connect me." She realized her newest flub in not saying 'with me' but she let it slide. "I also like to read, box, and do some martial arts myself."

Just then the waiter came back with the drinks. Maal motioned for Saith to order first.

"I will have the viinerine." She looked at Maal waiting for him to order.

He then looked at him:"I think that I'll have the Rihannsu mollusks." The waiter nodded and left to place the order. "So tell me about yourself Saith?"

She thought for a moment; where to start? She knew that this left out a very huge portion, the majority really of her life, but decided it was a safe place to start. “I was adopted for lack of a better term, by Lt. Commander Josh Byrne and his wife Gabrielle when I was in my late teens. I have an adoptive sister. My dad was the one who got me into Starfleet, although I don’t know if that is a good thing or not.”

Saith smiled ruefully at Maal, “my personnel file is longer than the articles of the Federation. According to some of my past counselors I am a loner with anger management issue. Others seem to think I just need direction and some understanding,” She laughed. “I suppose they are all correct in a lot of ways.” Her voice softened, “I don’t know why I told you that. What about you? How did Maal son of Torg end up here at SB400?”


Maal sat there sipping on the Romulan ale:"It's ok don't mind that you told me. Do want to know everything about you. Well the reason I am here at Star Base 400 is cause of Captain Pike."

“Oh? That is an interesting statement.” She said with undisguised curiosity. She liked Captain Pike, so she was interested in why he was the reason Maal was here.

"Quite a few years ago my father General Torg was in danger while battling some Gorn and Captain Pike's uncle saved my father's life and by doing that General Torg swore a life debt to Colonel Charles Pike. So each of Torg's sons go with a Pike family member. I with Captain Pike, my brother Ja'Rod with Colonel Joseph Pike and my brother Morath with Colonel Jack Pike and my brother Azhurlar with Captain Sartak Pike. Each one of us willing to give our lives if need be to save a Pike family member."

Saith nodded, “I understand such a commitment.” Although she sometimes thought such things were a bit fool-hardy. She glanced up as the waiter approached with their meals.

“This smells delicious.” She said and the waited smiled and nodded. He also set down two new ales. After asking if they needed anything else he left them alone. Saith looked at Maal and the large plates of food, “Would you like to try this?” she asked.

“Viinerine is traditionally a military meal.” She felt comfortable enough with Maal to talk a little bit about her life in the Empire. “I was on my first ship, a d'Deridex, Type B (Bird of Prey) when I was just 13.” She paused knowing it was out of the ordinary, “I was considered dangerous.” She laughed suddenly, and then she became serious again, “I never partook of a formal meal of course, but I saw several of them when we had diplomats and such on board.”

She nodded towards his dish, “you know that the Vulcans used to have a dish similar to that.” She lifted her fork tempting him with a bite of the viinerine. She smiled.

Maal smiled and leaned over and took a bit of the viinerine from Saith. He then offered a bite Rihannsu mollusk to her.

“MMMhmmm,” she said eating the proffered mollusk.

"Thanks for the bite of vinnerine, it's pretty good."

"You're welcome, I am glad you think so."

He finished his Romulan ale and then ordered another for her and a Klingon bloodwine for himself "So have you ever had Klingon food before? My favorite is gagh."

Saith laughed and for the first time it really reached her eyes. “I think gagh is every Klingon’s favorite!” she said chuckling. “I have tried some Klingon food before, but I have never had gagh. I had . . .” she thought for a moment, “something called Krada legs, I did not know what they were then, and I am not sure I do yet, but they didn’t move!” She laughed fully and smiled at Maal.

She looked at the drink that was set on the table. She did not remember exactly how many she had drank tonight. She had started with drinks at the party, then there were at least the three Romulan ales here. She shrugged deciding she did not really care at this point, but as she thought she was probably eight or nine drinks into the night, she would try to drink this one slower.

"So, you have four no five, brothers?" she hesitated trying to remember and count them all. Her voice had became softer and she did not sound as guarded as earlier.

Maal chuckled and shook his head:"I have four brothers. Krada is ok, and actually my brother Ja'Rod doesn't care too much for gagh. If you would like one day I could actually make fresh gagh for you."

Saith laughed, “how do you ‘make’ fresh gagh, catch it yourself?” She smiled warmly. "I think I might like that."

He sipped at the Klingon bloodwine:"So have you ever drank Klingon bloodwine before?"

“Yes, I have had Bloodwine before, I actually think it is quite good to tell you the truth.”


Maal smiled at her:"I am really enjoying myself tonight and this has been a very good dinner."

Saith smiled, “Me as well, I think this is the best evening I have spent since I have been here. I don’t want it to end so soon, shall we order dessert? As I stated earlier I would recommend an Osol twist, but Jumja sticks are good also.”

Maal smiled again:"Am glad to hear you are enjoying yourself tonight. And dessert sounds good to me."

"Good! I like dessert." Saith smiled again.

Maal waved the waiter over:"I'll have Jumja sticks for dessert."

"And I will have Osol twists." Saith said, then to Maal "and we can share and have both if you like."

Maal nodded at Saith:"Sure sounds good to me." The waiter then walked away to get the desserts.

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