Friendship And Connections

Posted on Tue Aug 2nd, 2022 @ 1:46pm by Ka'see 'Cassie' Anderson (*) & Beya

Mission: Mission 15: Adrift
Location: Cargo Bay
Timeline: MD04 23:00
1593 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Cassie had left Jake for him to go to sleep, but she was still not tired despite knowing she should have been tired. She looked around seeing she was feeling like she should make more friends not that she was feeling able to after working out some of her thoughts. She saw Beya sitting by herself and approached. "I think they are going to be starting drunken karaoke soon." She offered as a way of greeting as she sat down hoping it was not too much of an interruption. The woman had been friendly enough and seemed to be something of a magnet for some but Cassie could not remember really talking to her away from the group before.

"Is there any other kind of karaoke?" Beya asked with a laugh. In her experience, the answer was usually 'no' - in all the years it had been available in her mother's lounge, she'd rarely seen anyone agree to get up on stage for that without having had at least two strong drinks or however many beers gave an equivalent amount of alcohol beforehand. "What do you think people here will sing?"

"I am sure some cultures do not need to be drunk," Cassie said having a clear and perfect memory of going to a Japanese Karaoke bar and it being taken so seriously that she at the time had thought them more like her than other humans. "I am sure it will be a rendition of that Klingon opera from someone like last night. Something to get the blood pumping I believe was the phrase that was used."

The Orion cringed at the memory. "I could think of much better ways to get the blood pumping," she said swiveling her hips and flashing a saucy smile. "But if everyone else is too uptight for a nice friendly orgy I can still think of hundreds of tunes better then Klingon opera for that."

"I think it is because they have a very different opinion on a connection and sex," Cassie said offering her viewpoint on what a nice friendly orgy meant to people. "Friends with benefits is not a term that I hear often in this time. Maybe my time was a little less uptight." Cassie wondered aloud before she glanced at the drink wondering the strength to make her babble a little bit.

"It's still weird to me that most non-Orions think friends should mean no benefits. Like, if someone's a friend, why wouldn't you want to share pleasure with them?" Beya shook her head with a sigh. Despite Cassie's comment about 'her time', she doubted the Vulcan hybrid would up for an Orion friendship. "Anyway, as long as we can avoid Klingon opera, I'm okay with any music."

"But yes... there are much better songs than Klingon opera." Cassie said shaking her head at the woman and the sauciness that was coming from her. "I do not believe we have ever spoken just us two." She said in an almost apologetic tone to the woman.

Beya thought a moment, then nodded. "I guess everyone has been busy. Honestly there are only a few people outside medbay that I've really gotten to talk with much."

“Well I am glad that we are getting to talk.” Cassie admitted. She wanted to get to know the crew, everyone on bird had been there for her at her lowest and had never given up. It was time for her to repay that kindness in talking being present in their lives.

"Anyone can talk to me any time," Beya offered cheerily. "Orions are known for being good at talking." Granted, most people suspected them of running a con or something every time they did, but it didn't mean she was going to go all Romulan silent and stand-offish just because other people believed what they saw in cheap holonovels.

“I know some female Orions are capable of emitting highly potent pheromones maybe it is that?” Cassie offered back gently. She did not think Beya had that ability or she had something that blocked it but she knew in her time that it caused a lot of problems for people in positions of authority.

"We are, but it's not like we can make men turn into mindless sexbots,' Beya objected. The subject hit a nerve. she deeply resented having to take suppressants, alter her biochemistry and hormonal cycles, just because human men couldn't be bother to keep their wits about them. "Honestly, all the stories come down to stupid weak men who can't exercise a little self-control. Okay, the guys who don't know we can do that are extra easy to manipulate but anyone aware of it just needs to make a little extra effort to think with the head on ther shoulders instead of the other one."

“I do not claim to have much experience with Orion’s I am afraid. Your species were not well known in my time other than slave traders, smugglers, criminals, and traffickers so I apologise my knowledge is limited. I do not intend to offend I just offered the possibility of what it could be that put people off. I do agree that males are weak in most cases.” Cassie admitted slowly hoping she had not offended when she seeked knowledge in a suggestion of why people had not really spoke to her. .

"It's okay." Beya sighed. "It's just that sometimes it seems like a lot of people in the Federation haven't moved past those stereotypes about Orions. Anyway, you said in your day. I think I remember seeing in your medical file that you'd been in a transporter buffer for a long time?"

“Yeah. A lot longer than anyone should be.” Cassie admitted darkly before she shook her head. It had been playing on her mind since Evelyn had mentioned it earlier in the party. “2246.”

"Wow." It was the response that immediately came to mind and despite Beya's early training at social graces, she couldn't help but express it. "I saw no notes in your file on issues due to residual pattern degradation, so I'd assumed it was at least late 23rd century."

“The ship at the time was theee years old.” It was a sad state that the ship had been so badly destroyed and lost when it had been so new. “No one had ever mentioned it but I believe we were cycled through the system as I have strange memories of transporting over and over.” She admitted with a shrug. Maybe it was wistful thinking on her part but no one else had ever mentioned any degradation.

"Whoever set it up did a good job," Beya said, making a mental note to look up whatever was in the ship's records on that. From what she understood there had protocols for that back then and in some ways it might have been more reliable than stasis, depending on the suspension time. But she'd never heard of anyone using it successfully for such a long period of time.

“Sebastian Deaureux… He was our Captain and Eden’s husband.” Cassie explained. “I am here and I guess it’s all I can ask for. I do not believe that I have any longer term effects but if I did what could they be?” The woman could look them up at any other time but it was impossible in the situation they were in.

Beya paused. The effects could range from catastrophic to minor to long terms risks due to minor induced mutations. It was the sort of thing that could lead to hypochondria in a lot of people. But Cassie was half-Vulcan, so she'd probably be fine. Besides she was a scientist and would look it up herself if she decided to. "Most of them would be things whoever examined you when you were materialized would have flagged right off. The only risk now is minor DNA sequencing errors that could lead to premature aging, or potentially cancer, though we can catch and treat that easily enough so you don't need to worry as long as you do your regular physicals."

"First thing I will do when we have a doctor again," Cassie promised with a small thoughtful smile as she considered a few things about her life and the past. "Been a while since I have had a medical or anything." She admitted.

"You shouldn't put it off just because of that," Beya chided, though amicably. "A standard medical scan is something either Oliver or I could do."

"Oh... I would have thought it would need someone more..." Cassie shrugged. "Well, when we are out of this. I will get my medical check-up." Cassie knew she owed it to herself to get it done.

Everyone thought things needed someone with an MD... Beya suppressed a sigh. "I'll put you on the appointment list. I may not count as a doctor, but I'm not going to let someone have some underlying health issue go to worsen on my watch."

"I appreciate you keeping me straight," Cassie said. "More reliant that any other medical personnel onboard." Cassie reminded her quickly. The ship was cursed she was sure, always had been since before Cassie joined.

"Thank you," Beya replied, genuinely warmed by the compliment.

“Someone has to be stable.” Cassie slightly shrugged. There was not stability when people kept changing. “And I could use friends who stick around.” The Roman finally said something that had been on her mind recently as she reached out trying to make connections again.