Out to Lunch

Posted on Wed Feb 12th, 2014 @ 7:00am by Sergeant Maal son of Torg & Lieutenant Saith i-Ki Baratan

1,783 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Mission 85 - Q-uality Time Aboard Starbase 400
Location: Saith and Maal's quarters, SB400
Timeline: Before the Bachlorette Party

Maal had just gotten to their quarters and called out for Saith when she didn't respond he found her message for him. So he decided to grab a cup of rajkinto and relax on the couch waiting for her.

Saith came into their quarters not in a rage, but disconcerted none-the-less. She paused abruptly when she saw Maal and shook her head. Without a word she went to the replicator and got a cup of coffee, strong and black, which she then sat on the table. She flopped down beside Maal, grabbed his hand with hers and hit her head against the back of the couch “I probably made a big mistake today.”

He gave her a look before chuckling:"What did you say now to stick your foot in your mouth?"

Saith sighed, “I think it is less what I said and more what I agreed to.” She sat up and looked at him, “I have been moved to Assistant Chief Security/Tactical. I am not sure that is a good thing for me. I should have refused, but we needed to make a space fore someone else and Brody is out until he is well.” She shrugged, “And Commander Lokran said he would take me on as an apprentice and be my teacher.” She stressed apprentice and teacher; her tone indicated how she felt about that, and she studiously ignored the amusement in Maals eyes.

“So, I explained to him that I would be his assistant, but I won’t mediate with him; that I am not an apprentice, he is my boss not my master.” She shook her head getting angry again. “Do you know what the little furballs’ response was?” her voice raised in pitch.

“He said I will need to demonstrate my skills to him. Then he said ‘You need not be threatened by a little furball like me.’ AS IF!” Saith took her cup of coffee and threw in the replicator without drinking it. “The idea that apparently everyone has to do what he does and has to do it exactly his way because it is the only way, just pisses me off! What do you want for lunch?” she asked Maal, irritated.

Maal just stood there and looked at her for a minute:"Well congrats on getting the Assistant Chief Security/Tactical job."

Saith spun and looked at Maal, she opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it and turned back to the replicator. “Thanks.” She said shortly. To the replicator she said, “Spaghetti with earth style meat sauce, garlic bread, and double-chocolate rum cake, heavy on the chocolate,” she paused, then added ‘heavy on the rum.”


He then howled with laughter:"You are so beautiful when you get angry."

Saith was still angry but hearing Maal laugh, and say she was beautiful calmed her. A smile twitched at the corner of her mouth. She set the bowl of pasta heavily on the table and went to get plates, setting them on the table. Then she walked over to Maal and punched him on the arm with her left fist, while circling his neck with her right arm. She leaned up to kiss him.

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her close to kiss her back.

When they broke the kiss she looked at him. Shaking her head she said quietly, “This could be a bad move though. I have seen how Lokran is valued. If he and I can’t work together, I will be the one blamed and who knows what they will do to me.” With a sigh she said, “I am expendable, always have been always will be.”

Maal looked into her eyes with a glare:"Don't you ever say that you're expendable again! You are a very valuable member of the Star Base. You and I both know that and so does Captain Pike."

Saith looked up at Maal, and felt some of her old wounds rushing back. She wasn't sure it mattered what Lee and Maal knew. She held his gaze for a moment. Then her eyes got teary, like they used to do, when she first came here, “have you ever been truly alone Maal,” she finally asked quietly. “I mean really, truly, no one to care about you, no one to even speak with you, for days, weeks, months alone?”

She sighed, “no don’t answer that. Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” She moved away from him resting her hand on the chair. After a moment she sat and dished up some spaghetti. “I am just worried that Lokran and I will always be in conflict, and that if push comes to shove. . .” she shrugged, “I am sure Admiral Bremer prefers him to me and my skills won’t mean squat. I am the one every thinks is difficult,” another shrug, “and I guess I am. I thought I was doing better, but I guess I am not. I still feel like I am fighting just to be.” She glanced at him, “can you understand that?”

He shook his head:"Everything will be ok my love. You will do fine in your new post I am sure of it."

She smiled wanly at him. "Thanks. After lunch I am going to have to go kick some furballs' butt."

Maal smiled back:"Welcome. Am sure will be interesting times."

Saith laughed softly, feeling better. “I am sure it will. At least I am still here, that's a change.”

He went over and sat down across the table from her:"So are you ready for Lee and Alex's wedding?"

She shrugged, “I guess. I mean, I am happy for them, but I haven’t ever been to a wedding. I don’t know what to expect.” She looked thoughtfully at Maal, “I don’t know Alex, I had asked once to talk with her but then there was a crisis. I barely know her. I really like Lee, though.” She twirled food around her fork. “I guess I should look up weddings and see what they entail. I mean, I know it is a legal union, but what else is there to it?” She stuck the past in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “What is your view on weddings? For that matter, what is your view on marriage?” she asked after swallowing.

Maal looked at her as they ate:"Alex is a good person, you really should try to get to know her more. I know they are planning to do a Klingon wedding. I am glad to see them get married and would like to get married myself. What is your view on marriage?"

“Hmmm, I am not sure. I mean my experience is complicated.” She took another bite and chewed slowly, thinking. Finally, “My dad and mom seem to do okay. Zara has no serious relationship problems that I know of. My biological parents ended up being a disaster and so far as I know they are both dead. I was so little when my father framed me, I barely remember them as a couple.” She hesitated. “Since I basically grew up locked-up, I have, as you know, very little relationship experience. I am not sure I have a view of marriage to draw upon. I certainly have never been to a wedding before.”

She glanced at him, “I don’t know what the difference between being married and not being married is; I suppose I could maybe ask Alex. She was married before, wasn’t she? Maybe she could explain the difference to me. If I knew her better I would definitely ask.”


He gave her a smirk:"Well you can start talking to Alex tomorrow night as we are inviting over to their place for dinner tomorrow night."

"oh, um," she hesitated, "okay, I guess that will certainly make me have to talk to her won't it." She smiled. "Are we supposed to do something or take something? I have heard that is a common practice."

Maal gave her a big grin:"Everything will be ok my love, we can take an appetizer. Think of a Romulan dish that you would like and we can bring it."

“Perhaps I shall take ‘lagga’ tarts tomorrow night. Technically, lagga means flower, but really the flavor is simply derived from flowers. They are similar to what humans call lemon, only stronger. You know how we Rihan like our tart foods. Human lemons are weak.” She smiled.


He was half way finished eating when he spoke:"And just to let you know my family will be arriving tomorrow for the wedding. So you'll get a chance to meet them."

Saith almost choked on her lunch. She hadn’t thought about that. “Your family,” she looked at Maal, half terrified, half curious, “it never occurred to me that they would be here, but it should have.” Her voice trailed off. She shrugged, nothing she could do about it. "that will be nice." she hoped she sounded like she meant it, because she did . . . sort of.

Maal let out a laugh when she almost choked:"Don't worry my love, my family already knows about you and is looking forward to meeting you.

Saith nodded and took another bite, chewing thoughtfully. “I know they know about me, as my family knows of you. Still, it is a bit . . . daunting.” She settled on.

"But I will warn you that my mother can be a tough one sometimes"

She considered his words about his mother. She briefly wondered if her birth mother would have ever felt that way, then decided no. If she had let her only child be sent away for a murder her husband committed, she probably wouldn’t care at all about a potential son-in-law. She sighed a little sad. “I could talk to my mom I guess,” meaning Gabriella Byrnes. She smiled at him, “As for your mother, I guess I will just have to win her over.”


He smiled at her:"Am sure you and my mother will get along."

Saith didn't answer except with a raised eyebrow and shrug. She wouldn't have much choice.

Maal then finished eating and stood up taking his dishes to the recycler.

Saith polished of the rest of her cake then licked the plate and smiled. "MMMM. I guess I had better go to the Holodeck. Cmdr. Lokran wanted to see my skills." She rolled her eyes at Maal. Picking up her dessert plate she deposited it in the recycler, and kissed Maal. Then she sashayed out of their quarters purposefully swaying her backside in his direction.

Maal stood there and watched her leave before heading out himself.

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