Interlude – Unlikely lunch dates
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
::ON::
Crossing her legs once more with boredom, Arrienye looked up at the ceiling while leaning back in her chair. She stayed like that until the familiar, uneasy sensation of being in one position too long crept up on her and she suddenly pushed herself up to stand. Taking a few steps towards the door to stretch her legs, the Romulan crossed her arms and sighed.
~Elements help me, I'm so bored!~ she cried internally. It was past noon and, had things been regular in her life, she would already be having lunch with her cousin. But as they'd set their minds to giving each other the silent treatment, that was a no go. And Arrienye, while not wanting to admit it to herself, found herself wanting company. The woman which most categorized as a very solitary animal actually enjoyed being around people. Granted, she was much friendlier off duty, of course. Work was hardly the place to be fooling around.
But working hours had stopped momentarily, at least for her and a few more of the people there. One of whom, she knew, was the chatty receptionist. And, despite what she viewed as her better judgment, she was contemplating asking the younger woman for lunch. After weighing the idea for the last ten minutes, she decided to suck it up and go through with it. Straightening out her uniform jacket, she left her office and headed to the reception desk.
"Arrain t'Merek!" Nahir was positively beaming, but then she had been free of Rh'vaurek's insidious oppression for weeks, and as he had promised she had her position back, along with a very positive reference. "What may I do for you?" Nahir asked as she checked the schedule for the next hour.
Arrienye walked up to the desk, resting and arm on it. "i-Orinwen," she nodded, then swallowed invisibly. "When does your lunch hour begin?" she asked her.
"In fifteen," i-Orinwen replied. "And not before if my cover is anything is to go by from what she said this morning - she's the secretary for the ..." Nahir trailed off recalling both from experience and experession how t'Merek disliked the personal touch. "Come back in fifteen minutes and I'd love to have lunch," Nahir said.
Arrienye blinked, both glad and slightly confused at how she knew that was her intention in coming to see her. And she was slightly annoyed at having to go back to her office and wait for her. Sure, she could sign off on a report while she waited but still. "Alright," she nodded nonetheless and went back to her office.
==Fifteen minutes later==
On time almost to the second, Arrienye came back to i-Orinwen's desk, looking at her expectantly.
Nahir smiled. "OK, I'm ready." she said getting to her feet. "Where do you want to eat?" she was curious about what t'Merek wanted, she had not thought the security chief liked her enough to bother spending any time with her.
"I'm not particular about any place. I haven't been here long enough to really know every restaurant or what it serves. As long as the food is good. Otherwise, it's your choice," Arrienye answered, walking with her to the turbolift.
Nahir shrugged. "Lets head for the promenade and try our luck," she suggested. "How hungry are you? I've heard good things about some of the human restaurants but maybe we should go for something a bit lighter." Nahir paused then swmiled as she continued, "One of the girls told me there's a new Tapa's bar on level two - they do 'interstellar' dishes, we can order a few different ones and experiment."
Arrienye nodded. "I like that idea," she told her honestly. "I've been meaning to try out something that isn't Rihannsu and I figure food is a good way to start," she admitted.
"There are other ways too," Nahir said cryptically as she recalled the night out she had had with Lemat, her Cardassian counterpart. Now that had been interesting. Nahir promised to remind herself to send a note to Taki, the young human she had snogged on the dance floor, but as she did not think Arrain t'Merek would approve she did not elaborate. "Food is a good place to start," she agreed instead.
But Arrienye couldn't help but be curious. "What other ways would do you mean?" she asked. She really did miss talking freely with someone and while she knew she couldn't speak too openly with i-Orinwen, there was some freedom there.
"Ohh," Nahir hesitated as she adjusted the truth in her mind. "I went out with one of the girls and we explored," she said, "we're young and unbonded, so we thought we would see who we could attract."
"Who did you attract?" t'Merek asked as they arrived in the small bar and looked for a place to sit.
"A human and a Trill, they were both quite charming, They do research or something in the facility here. I don't mean that I had ... that I attracted them both," she added quickly, "my friend was just as devastating to them."
"Hm," Arrienye just commented, feeling a bit sorry she'd asked. There was that ugly subject again - inter-species dating. "Well, that was just a fling, right?" she asked, feeling she should comment somehow.
Nahir sat and grabbed a menu. "Nobody was flung in any sense of the word," she said, wondering if t'Merek was in some way alluding to the rumor about the fling between herself and Rh'vaurek Raedheol. "We danced, and ... well, we kissed." Nahir admitted with a slight darkening of her cheeks. "I was curious."
"I understand that," Arrienye nodded, taking a menu as well. "I'd never do it, but I suppose in some way I understand it," she shrugged.
"Why not?" Nahir asked, glad that she had not mentioned her encounter with the Deltan in the arboretum too. "Why say never? Rihannsu blood is always dominant," Nahir said without raising the obvious example from recent days of a half breed coming home.
Arrienye made a mildly disgusted face and shook her head in a 'Ew, no way' sort of fashion, akin to a child being told to eat something they heard tasted awful. "The idea of it is just...I don't know how to explain it."
Though she kept her eyes on the menu as she spoke Nahir asked, "Why?"
"It's just...unnatural to me," Arrienye admitted, looking down at the menu herself. "And besides, why risk the fact that it may become serious?"
"I get what you're saying, but it doesn't have to be serious," Nahir said. "What about the spiced Bolian vegetables?" she asked.
"What?" Arrienye asked, then her eyes widened. "Oh! You mean for lunch," she said, shaking her head. "Sure, let's try that."
As they put in their order, Arrienye sat back in her chair. "And I know it doesn't have to get serious, but you never know. Several times in a row you may spend a very passionate time together, and then one night you find yourself tucking them in or catching them watching you sleep in the morning and that's it. It's gone too far and neither of you can turn back without getting hurt in the process." It was probably the most words in a row Nahir had ever heard come out of t'Merek's mouth, not to mention that she seemed quite passionate about it. Well, as passionate as she presumed Arrienye could get.
"I wouldn't know about that," Nahir said in a serious tone. "Do you want to talk, Arrienye?" she asked being quite bold in using her superior's given name. But then if it was talk, then rank did not matter quite so much. Not that i-Orinwen would forget.
t'Merek raised an eyebrow at the girl using her first name. "There is not much to talk about, i-Orinwen," she said, though used her name in a regular tone to show that, while she didn't find it terribly inappropriate for her to use her name, it was still too early. "I'm sure rumor will spread quite quickly. After all, it did for you. tr'Tahn is involved with a Bajoran," she explained.
Ouch! Nahir was about to complain. It was needlessly blunt to refer directly to her own, ill advised fling but she closed her mouth and paused for a moment though her gaze hardened a little. No wonder t'Merek wanted to talk to her, Nahir was probably the only person who was tolerant enough to listen. "t'Merek, I am sure that tr'Tahn is capable of making his own decisions. Besides, his new mentor has a thing with that human woman, he probably thinks that makes it acceptable."
"I seriously doubt there's much thinking involved there," Arrienye rolled her eyes. Then she noticed the look Nahir was trying not to give her and sighed. "I do not take notice of rumors," she finally said. It wasn't an apology, of course, but t'Merek did have a small regret for dragging Nahir into her emotional rant.
"Rumors are always worth listening to, sorting out the ones that are true is the tricky part," Nahir replied. The consulate was fueled by rumor as much as it was governed by whim.
"Well, all rumors have an element of truth in them. They are, after all, built on something factual," Arrienye observed.
Nahir pondered that for a moment. "Not all of them," she replied as the waiter approached with the selection of dishes they had ordered, "some are nothing more than malicious gossip, and those are the dangerous ones because they are created with purpose."
"Hm...I have not yet run across a rumor that didn't have any facts in it," Arrienye said, nodding her gratitude to the waiter as he set the food down.
"Then with all due respect you have not been paying proper attention," Nahir responded. The lie was the whole point of those rumours - it seemed like a fact, and seeing that it was not - well, Nahir had a knack for that. It was why Rh'vaurek had tempted her over to his side of the divide.
"Perhaps," Arrienye allowed. "But, as I've said before, I don't pay much attention to rumours. Especially those about myself," she added, shaking her head lightly thinking of all the things she'd heard over the years about herself.
"Only you know the truth of those, Arrain," Nahir said as she plucked up a piece of battered squid and dunked it in one of the sauces, "I would not presume to question," Nahir added as she popped it into her mouth. "Every rumor contains a truth, or it contains a lie," Nahir explained.
"Like a conversation," t'Merek said, trying something she didn't recognize. Tentatively putting it into her mouth, she chewed slowly, tasting the unique flavour.
"A conversation is usually facts," Nahir replied, "but there is a lot of overlap. Why do something that will offend someone you like if you don't have to? That's deception, but part of having friends?"
"Well, one cannot they always speak the truth. After all, how many times have you said 'I'm fine' and honestly meant it?" Arrienye asked. "And as for offending people, I've found that the truth often offends some people, so sometimes the only way to avoid offending someone is to lie."
"its all down to motivation, really. If you lie to avoid hurting or offending someone, or just because you don't want to tell someone something is it really an issue?" Nahir mused. Truth was a hazy business.
"I suppose not," Arrienye said with a small shrug of her eyebrows before returning her attention to lunch. It wasn't half bad, despite the unusual texture.
Was that it? i-Orinwen wondered, so much for conversation. "You'd probably feel better about it if you had someone to distract you," she suggested taking a mouthful of roasted vegetables.
Raising an eyebrow, Arrienye swallowed her mouthful and said: "You mean like a lover?"
"Well, is it not possible that part of your resentment is because you are alone?" Nahir suggested. The topic might be a bit personal but t'Merek had started it, and it was a consideration she should bear in mind.
"Who said I'm alone?" Arrienye asked, not minding the conversation getting personal.
Nahir raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle, pretending instead to cough, "You mean you're not?" she asked disingenuously, thinking that the Arrain did not talk to people long enough to be able to sustain a friendship let alone a relationship.
"I'm not," Arrienye told her, annoyed that the woman found it funny. She shifted uncomfortably.
Nahir raised an eyebrow. Now that was a surprise. "Ooh, do tell?" she said with a wicked grin, Nahir scented gossip.
"I'd rather keep that part of my affairs to myself, i-Orinwen. I told you of him simply because you seem to find the entire idea of me actually having a man to be hilarious." Arrienye didn't sound angry or insulted, simply annoyed of people's prejudice towards her. She was a very private person and didn't like shouting her personal affairs about.
"No, I don't find it hilarious," Nahir explained, "I'm just ... surprised. You're not the most natural conversationalist and, well, I just imagined you were happy that way - you know, without feeling the need to reach out for anyone else."
"Well, I suppose it just takes me a while to warm up to someone," Arrienye admitted. "Most people, actually. It's rare for me to meet someone I can speak with freely right away," she explained.
"And was that how it happened? You met and immediately found yourself comfortable with him?" Nahir pried.
Arrienye smirked. "Not even close. We met on one of the ships I was commissioned to. Didn't have much contact and when we did we didn't get along well," she explained. "It was professional."
"Not the most auspicious start," Nahir said as she wrenched a prawn out of its shell. "How did you get over that? Not getting along?"
Arrienye shook her head. "I don't know. I suppose in some way, we didn't," she admitted. The whole affair was complicated in more ways than one. "You have a way of getting information, don't you?" she suddenly asked Nahir with a small smile at the woman that had gotten her to somehow tell her more than she'd planned to, even if it was very little.
Nahir smirked a very slightly smug smirk. "That wasn't fair really. Rh'vaurek reckons that with a bit of practice I'll be able to talk information out of just about anyone. I was just seeing if that was true with someone who really doesn't give much away," Nahir said. "So its over now?" she asked.
Arrienye just smirked knowingly before taking a quiet bite of her lunch, obviously not about to let her know everything.
OFF:
Nahir i-Orinwen
As chatty as ever
Arrain Arrienye t'Merek
Chattier than usual
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Commander Isha t'Vaurek
Post Details
| Title | Unlikely lunch dates | |
| Mission | Interlude | |
| Author(s) | (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Commander Isha t'Vaurek | |
| Posted | Sun Aug 01, 2010 @ 4:43pm | |
| Location | Promenade | |
| Timeline | SD30 - Noon |
Crossing her legs once more with boredom, Arrienye looked up at the ceiling while leaning back in her chair. She stayed like that until the familiar, uneasy sensation of being in one position too long crept up on her and she suddenly pushed herself up to stand. Taking a few steps towards the door to stretch her legs, the Romulan crossed her arms and sighed.
~Elements help me, I'm so bored!~ she cried internally. It was past noon and, had things been regular in her life, she would already be having lunch with her cousin. But as they'd set their minds to giving each other the silent treatment, that was a no go. And Arrienye, while not wanting to admit it to herself, found herself wanting company. The woman which most categorized as a very solitary animal actually enjoyed being around people. Granted, she was much friendlier off duty, of course. Work was hardly the place to be fooling around.
But working hours had stopped momentarily, at least for her and a few more of the people there. One of whom, she knew, was the chatty receptionist. And, despite what she viewed as her better judgment, she was contemplating asking the younger woman for lunch. After weighing the idea for the last ten minutes, she decided to suck it up and go through with it. Straightening out her uniform jacket, she left her office and headed to the reception desk.
"Arrain t'Merek!" Nahir was positively beaming, but then she had been free of Rh'vaurek's insidious oppression for weeks, and as he had promised she had her position back, along with a very positive reference. "What may I do for you?" Nahir asked as she checked the schedule for the next hour.
Arrienye walked up to the desk, resting and arm on it. "i-Orinwen," she nodded, then swallowed invisibly. "When does your lunch hour begin?" she asked her.
"In fifteen," i-Orinwen replied. "And not before if my cover is anything is to go by from what she said this morning - she's the secretary for the ..." Nahir trailed off recalling both from experience and experession how t'Merek disliked the personal touch. "Come back in fifteen minutes and I'd love to have lunch," Nahir said.
Arrienye blinked, both glad and slightly confused at how she knew that was her intention in coming to see her. And she was slightly annoyed at having to go back to her office and wait for her. Sure, she could sign off on a report while she waited but still. "Alright," she nodded nonetheless and went back to her office.
==Fifteen minutes later==
On time almost to the second, Arrienye came back to i-Orinwen's desk, looking at her expectantly.
Nahir smiled. "OK, I'm ready." she said getting to her feet. "Where do you want to eat?" she was curious about what t'Merek wanted, she had not thought the security chief liked her enough to bother spending any time with her.
"I'm not particular about any place. I haven't been here long enough to really know every restaurant or what it serves. As long as the food is good. Otherwise, it's your choice," Arrienye answered, walking with her to the turbolift.
Nahir shrugged. "Lets head for the promenade and try our luck," she suggested. "How hungry are you? I've heard good things about some of the human restaurants but maybe we should go for something a bit lighter." Nahir paused then swmiled as she continued, "One of the girls told me there's a new Tapa's bar on level two - they do 'interstellar' dishes, we can order a few different ones and experiment."
Arrienye nodded. "I like that idea," she told her honestly. "I've been meaning to try out something that isn't Rihannsu and I figure food is a good way to start," she admitted.
"There are other ways too," Nahir said cryptically as she recalled the night out she had had with Lemat, her Cardassian counterpart. Now that had been interesting. Nahir promised to remind herself to send a note to Taki, the young human she had snogged on the dance floor, but as she did not think Arrain t'Merek would approve she did not elaborate. "Food is a good place to start," she agreed instead.
But Arrienye couldn't help but be curious. "What other ways would do you mean?" she asked. She really did miss talking freely with someone and while she knew she couldn't speak too openly with i-Orinwen, there was some freedom there.
"Ohh," Nahir hesitated as she adjusted the truth in her mind. "I went out with one of the girls and we explored," she said, "we're young and unbonded, so we thought we would see who we could attract."
"Who did you attract?" t'Merek asked as they arrived in the small bar and looked for a place to sit.
"A human and a Trill, they were both quite charming, They do research or something in the facility here. I don't mean that I had ... that I attracted them both," she added quickly, "my friend was just as devastating to them."
"Hm," Arrienye just commented, feeling a bit sorry she'd asked. There was that ugly subject again - inter-species dating. "Well, that was just a fling, right?" she asked, feeling she should comment somehow.
Nahir sat and grabbed a menu. "Nobody was flung in any sense of the word," she said, wondering if t'Merek was in some way alluding to the rumor about the fling between herself and Rh'vaurek Raedheol. "We danced, and ... well, we kissed." Nahir admitted with a slight darkening of her cheeks. "I was curious."
"I understand that," Arrienye nodded, taking a menu as well. "I'd never do it, but I suppose in some way I understand it," she shrugged.
"Why not?" Nahir asked, glad that she had not mentioned her encounter with the Deltan in the arboretum too. "Why say never? Rihannsu blood is always dominant," Nahir said without raising the obvious example from recent days of a half breed coming home.
Arrienye made a mildly disgusted face and shook her head in a 'Ew, no way' sort of fashion, akin to a child being told to eat something they heard tasted awful. "The idea of it is just...I don't know how to explain it."
Though she kept her eyes on the menu as she spoke Nahir asked, "Why?"
"It's just...unnatural to me," Arrienye admitted, looking down at the menu herself. "And besides, why risk the fact that it may become serious?"
"I get what you're saying, but it doesn't have to be serious," Nahir said. "What about the spiced Bolian vegetables?" she asked.
"What?" Arrienye asked, then her eyes widened. "Oh! You mean for lunch," she said, shaking her head. "Sure, let's try that."
As they put in their order, Arrienye sat back in her chair. "And I know it doesn't have to get serious, but you never know. Several times in a row you may spend a very passionate time together, and then one night you find yourself tucking them in or catching them watching you sleep in the morning and that's it. It's gone too far and neither of you can turn back without getting hurt in the process." It was probably the most words in a row Nahir had ever heard come out of t'Merek's mouth, not to mention that she seemed quite passionate about it. Well, as passionate as she presumed Arrienye could get.
"I wouldn't know about that," Nahir said in a serious tone. "Do you want to talk, Arrienye?" she asked being quite bold in using her superior's given name. But then if it was talk, then rank did not matter quite so much. Not that i-Orinwen would forget.
t'Merek raised an eyebrow at the girl using her first name. "There is not much to talk about, i-Orinwen," she said, though used her name in a regular tone to show that, while she didn't find it terribly inappropriate for her to use her name, it was still too early. "I'm sure rumor will spread quite quickly. After all, it did for you. tr'Tahn is involved with a Bajoran," she explained.
Ouch! Nahir was about to complain. It was needlessly blunt to refer directly to her own, ill advised fling but she closed her mouth and paused for a moment though her gaze hardened a little. No wonder t'Merek wanted to talk to her, Nahir was probably the only person who was tolerant enough to listen. "t'Merek, I am sure that tr'Tahn is capable of making his own decisions. Besides, his new mentor has a thing with that human woman, he probably thinks that makes it acceptable."
"I seriously doubt there's much thinking involved there," Arrienye rolled her eyes. Then she noticed the look Nahir was trying not to give her and sighed. "I do not take notice of rumors," she finally said. It wasn't an apology, of course, but t'Merek did have a small regret for dragging Nahir into her emotional rant.
"Rumors are always worth listening to, sorting out the ones that are true is the tricky part," Nahir replied. The consulate was fueled by rumor as much as it was governed by whim.
"Well, all rumors have an element of truth in them. They are, after all, built on something factual," Arrienye observed.
Nahir pondered that for a moment. "Not all of them," she replied as the waiter approached with the selection of dishes they had ordered, "some are nothing more than malicious gossip, and those are the dangerous ones because they are created with purpose."
"Hm...I have not yet run across a rumor that didn't have any facts in it," Arrienye said, nodding her gratitude to the waiter as he set the food down.
"Then with all due respect you have not been paying proper attention," Nahir responded. The lie was the whole point of those rumours - it seemed like a fact, and seeing that it was not - well, Nahir had a knack for that. It was why Rh'vaurek had tempted her over to his side of the divide.
"Perhaps," Arrienye allowed. "But, as I've said before, I don't pay much attention to rumours. Especially those about myself," she added, shaking her head lightly thinking of all the things she'd heard over the years about herself.
"Only you know the truth of those, Arrain," Nahir said as she plucked up a piece of battered squid and dunked it in one of the sauces, "I would not presume to question," Nahir added as she popped it into her mouth. "Every rumor contains a truth, or it contains a lie," Nahir explained.
"Like a conversation," t'Merek said, trying something she didn't recognize. Tentatively putting it into her mouth, she chewed slowly, tasting the unique flavour.
"A conversation is usually facts," Nahir replied, "but there is a lot of overlap. Why do something that will offend someone you like if you don't have to? That's deception, but part of having friends?"
"Well, one cannot they always speak the truth. After all, how many times have you said 'I'm fine' and honestly meant it?" Arrienye asked. "And as for offending people, I've found that the truth often offends some people, so sometimes the only way to avoid offending someone is to lie."
"its all down to motivation, really. If you lie to avoid hurting or offending someone, or just because you don't want to tell someone something is it really an issue?" Nahir mused. Truth was a hazy business.
"I suppose not," Arrienye said with a small shrug of her eyebrows before returning her attention to lunch. It wasn't half bad, despite the unusual texture.
Was that it? i-Orinwen wondered, so much for conversation. "You'd probably feel better about it if you had someone to distract you," she suggested taking a mouthful of roasted vegetables.
Raising an eyebrow, Arrienye swallowed her mouthful and said: "You mean like a lover?"
"Well, is it not possible that part of your resentment is because you are alone?" Nahir suggested. The topic might be a bit personal but t'Merek had started it, and it was a consideration she should bear in mind.
"Who said I'm alone?" Arrienye asked, not minding the conversation getting personal.
Nahir raised a hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle, pretending instead to cough, "You mean you're not?" she asked disingenuously, thinking that the Arrain did not talk to people long enough to be able to sustain a friendship let alone a relationship.
"I'm not," Arrienye told her, annoyed that the woman found it funny. She shifted uncomfortably.
Nahir raised an eyebrow. Now that was a surprise. "Ooh, do tell?" she said with a wicked grin, Nahir scented gossip.
"I'd rather keep that part of my affairs to myself, i-Orinwen. I told you of him simply because you seem to find the entire idea of me actually having a man to be hilarious." Arrienye didn't sound angry or insulted, simply annoyed of people's prejudice towards her. She was a very private person and didn't like shouting her personal affairs about.
"No, I don't find it hilarious," Nahir explained, "I'm just ... surprised. You're not the most natural conversationalist and, well, I just imagined you were happy that way - you know, without feeling the need to reach out for anyone else."
"Well, I suppose it just takes me a while to warm up to someone," Arrienye admitted. "Most people, actually. It's rare for me to meet someone I can speak with freely right away," she explained.
"And was that how it happened? You met and immediately found yourself comfortable with him?" Nahir pried.
Arrienye smirked. "Not even close. We met on one of the ships I was commissioned to. Didn't have much contact and when we did we didn't get along well," she explained. "It was professional."
"Not the most auspicious start," Nahir said as she wrenched a prawn out of its shell. "How did you get over that? Not getting along?"
Arrienye shook her head. "I don't know. I suppose in some way, we didn't," she admitted. The whole affair was complicated in more ways than one. "You have a way of getting information, don't you?" she suddenly asked Nahir with a small smile at the woman that had gotten her to somehow tell her more than she'd planned to, even if it was very little.
Nahir smirked a very slightly smug smirk. "That wasn't fair really. Rh'vaurek reckons that with a bit of practice I'll be able to talk information out of just about anyone. I was just seeing if that was true with someone who really doesn't give much away," Nahir said. "So its over now?" she asked.
Arrienye just smirked knowingly before taking a quiet bite of her lunch, obviously not about to let her know everything.
OFF:
Nahir i-Orinwen
As chatty as ever
Arrain Arrienye t'Merek
Chattier than usual