Stop and Smell the Flowers

Posted on Sat Apr 8, 2017 @ 10:27pm by Lieutenant JG Mar Megara & Lieutenant Colonel S'er'in'e

Mission: An Orion to Die For
Location: Arboretum
Timeline: MD6

"Lilies!" breathed Meg, gazing at the flowers she so loved. And these were particularly lovely. Huge, milky white and hip high, they brought a smile to her face.

She glanced around sheepishly to make sure nobody was around before bending to sniff them. She had done the same for almost every flower she had encountered since a small boy had spotted her smelling roses and asked a million questions about flowers on Qo'noS that Meg was unfortunately unable to answer.

As she stood, she spotted a familiar face. Well, it was hard for it to be unfamiliar, being who it was. "Hello, S'er'in'e," she said, approaching carefully; she didn't know how he would feel about her after how their first conversation had turned out. "How are you feeling today?"

S'er'in'e was busy collecting soil samples for his own means, he needed to find the right combination without resorting to having the replicator do everything for him. A bag, several small containers each holding a sample of dirt and a scanner sat beside him. "Doctor." S'er'in'e stood and put his hands behind his back as he stood and customarily bowed his head to her. He hid his hands because his claws were out, using them to be fine and detailed in his collecting. "I am well thank you, and yourself if I may ask?"

"Very well, thank you," she replied. "Are you planting flowers?" she asked a bit too eagerly for a Klingon.

"Soil samples." S'er'in'e replied as he wiped his claws with his hands before bringing his hands forward into view again. "I find the replicator to be impersonal, takes the joy out of the work. So I collect samples myself, test them for mineral composition and see if they suit my requirements given the flowers I grow."

"Wow," replied Meg, impressed. "You really meant it when you said you enjoyed horticulture. Most people would just plant them and see what happens."

"A typical example of most, but to us Caitians even flowers have a beauty that has to be nurtured. Like offspring as they get older they look to us and learn, follow our examples. Seeds depend on us for nourishment, help mold them, remove the withered elements before it affects the rest and the reward is the blossom at maturity." S'er'in'e explained. "It can take weeks or months for a plant to mature and the journey can be a difficult one, but effort put in is rewarded at the end, even in failure."

Meg's smile slowly changed from amused to admiring as he spoke. "That is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard," she told him. "You could turn that into a poem."

Another slight bow. "Thank you." He spoke. "May I ask what brings you down here, I doubt you came all this way to see me play with soil?" Wondering if there was anything wrong or came up in his scans that only just revealed itself.

She grinned again. "I came to smell the flowers," she admitted. "I like them, remember? Although, watching you play with soil may be fun. I wouldn't know as I haven't watched it, yet."

S'er'in'e smiled though making effort to keep his fangs hidden. "I, Doctor, have not played in soil since I was a very, very small infant and thought it was most enjoyable to dig into. My Mother however disagreed and as white fur is rare on the Homeworld, she always wanted me kept clean."

"How unfortunate," she commented. "Children always get dirty. My mother used to say that dirt would see me and jump onto me as a child. It still seems to do that," she added, indicating the smear of dirt on her pantleg that she had no idea where it had come from.

S'er'in'e smiled and looked at his own attire, clean. He drew his tail forward....not so much. "Even I still get dirty." Dirt having been swept up by his tail in the sweeping motions behind him.

Meg grinned. "Dirt likes you, too, I see," she commented cheekily.

"Perhaps the one place that gets dirty frequently given its length and and movement." S'er'in'e replied returning his tail behind him.

Meg gave him another cheeky grin, her brain going somewhere else entirely. "Understandable," she replied simply. "My leg not so much, though."

"Have you enjoyed the flower present. I have noticed many varieties, tulips, lilies, there is a rose bush in the corner behind a small fence. No doubt to stop people raiding it for the beautiful blossoms." S'er'in'e asked.

"They are lovely," she replied, glancing at the lilies. "I think they may be the most beautiful thing ever. Present company excepted, of course," she added with a wink.

S'er'in'e smiled, a slight bow in thanks. "Again, kind words Doctor." He stood upright again. "Has your day been productive?" Now asking about her day, giving the attention and focus to her.

"Not particularly," she admitted. "It is my day off, so I am resting. still, I suppose rest can be productive, too."

"True, that it can be." S'er'in'e replied as his scanner chirped. "Excuse me." He turned it off but the sample was not a viable one. "The soil lacks the required nutrients, I could have the replicator create ideal soil but that takes away much of the development of the planet."

"That is disappointing," she replied. "Still, perhaps one of the other samples is viable?"

"I remain hopeful." S'er'in'e spoke as he stood up. He brushed his whiskers between finger and thumb as some had crossed each other slightly irritating him. "Patience is a constant in this line of work, it can not be rushed and to do so would risk unravelling everything accomplished so far."

"And we certainly would not want to do that," she replied, looking around. "I do not think this place has enough flowers as it is." If was obvious that she was being silly because every square inch of this particular area was crammed with nothing but flowers.

"Is everything alright Doctor?" S'er'in'e asked. Perk of being Caitian was being observant, his keen eyesight telling him something was amiss.

She offered him a grin. "Not at all," she said. "It was a sort of joke. You know, because there are so many flowers here."

Humour was not one of his strong suits. "Would you like to go somewhere else perhaps?" Offering a change of venue. "Deck Ten or Ten Forward perhaps?"

"If you like," she replied. "I do not wish to interrupt your task, though."

"It would not." S'er'in'e replied with a smile and a slight bow. "Please. Lead the way, you know the ship better than I?"

"Perhaps," said Meg as they headed towards the doors of the arboretum. "But, I have only been here for about a week, so I do not know it much better than you do."

"Still longer than I." S'er'in'e replied as he packed up his things and followed her out of the Arboretum. "May I ask what made you choose this ship as an assignment Doctor?" Was it by choice or did she pick it?

"To be honest, I liked the name," she replied. "Perhaps it is because I am part Klingon, but... Triumphant! It is even better than Victorious."

S'er'in'e smiled, everyone had a reason, some just randomly picked, others were told to go here. He saw other crew side step out of his way, it made him wonder that despite the uniform, was he really that intimidating to some. Part of him hoped it was her they feared.

Meg, however, didn't notice the behavior of the crew. She never noticed. Sometimes she noticed stares, but rarely anything else. "Have you had lunch, yet?" she asked, just realizing that she was a bit hungry.

"No, not yet." S'er'in'e replied. "If you are hungry I can eat something small." His meals were far larger than most and as a result meant he often ate alone.

"I know just the place," she declared. "The Black Hole. It is phenomenal. They make wonderful steaks."

"Then by all means, as long as I am able to have the steak cut up. I am unable to chew, only cut." Hoping that would not be a problem for her or make her uncomfortable.

"I will cut it for you," she replied, not the least bit embarrassed by the request. "To the Black Hole!"

He motioned for her to lead and he would follow, when the Turbolift came there were two other officers inside. Expected given a ship of this size. He had to duck his head to enter and patiently waited for it to arrive at deck 10.

When it did, Meg left with him, not worrying about the stares and led the way to the Black Hole.