There’s No Bolian On My Ship Part 1

Posted on Sat Oct 21st, 2023 @ 4:36am by Rianne Edei (*) & Leiddem Kea (*) & Delaney O'Callaghan

Mission: Fractures
Location: Bar
Timeline: Future
2180 words - 4.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Rianne was not sure why she was asleep in the rec room but she was just glad that the sudden noise from someone walking in had only jolted her a little, so she sat up and looked around. The room looked brighter than any other time she had seen it and slightly cleaner if that was possible when she had thought the compartment had been clean for civilian standards. Had she drunk that much? No she did not feel like she was hung over but there was something on the tip of her tongue that told her that something was not right but she could not place it at all

“Morning,” Rianne called out offering a wave to the person who had come in, she did not recognise her but that did not mean anything at all as she was still learning the crew. “Was there a big party last night as I woke up here.” She laughed spotting the chronometer was saying 18:00. There was no way she had slept all day and missed all 3 meal periods. Someone would have tracked her down after an hour of no breakfast she was sure how people eat onboard.

It took the whirl of a booted foot to locate the source of an unfamiliar voice and, too late, it became obvious that the woman had been mid-conversation via the comm. system at the time of interruption. Round eyes, caught between green and blue, scrutinised the chef before an attempt at concluding the current conversation made way for this new one. "I can cover both shifts if they need you. But you're up for dinner, even if it's hand-delivered." The reassurances from the other end curled the brunette's lips into a twitching smile, though the threat of an over saturation of personal promises prompted her to interject. "Listen, looks like I've got some early birds. We'll make it work, gotta go."

Hands on her hips, Eva did her best not to appear too confused. As was entirely typical, this was met with almost instant failure. "Well, not unless you threw one yourself, which honestly wouldn't be the first time. I'm surprised nobody disturbed you though." The bartender wrinkled her nose in thought. "You okay? You look a little peaky."

Rianne nodded and slowly swung first her legs off the couch and then the rest of her until she was fully sat up if not using the table to keep her upright. "I think so could I get a glass of water or something." She wondered thinking if the woman was there she might be Mykaia's support. "I do not feel like I have a hangover but I do feel off. Peaky might cover it all." She admitted.

With an expression still lingering on the vaguely quizzical, Eva withdrew for a moment and disappeared behind the bar in search of water. "Our duty shifts usually only see us close-up for a few hours in the cross-over. You must have just missed us." Never known to be overly subtle, the brunette dumped a couple of ice cubes into the glass and wandered back with eyes trained on the other woman's face. "You've just arrived, right?" Eva herself was only a month or two back into life on board, a return she hadn't ever really anticipated but life had a way of throwing surprises. So far, it had been noticeably easier. She had more of her shit together than the last time she'd tried mingling work and travel.

Rianne shook her head. "No. I am the chef I have been here since we left Hysperia." Rianne nodded her thanks to the woman and took a sip of the iced water and sighed happily. It made her senses instantly come back and she looked at the woman, noticing her dark familiar eyes. "I have not seen you either, normally it is Mykaia here and there isn't any help for her.

Not usually prone to silence, Eva stood and stared for much longer than was probably polite. Technically, her treatment was stable enough now that she could consider herself outside the adjustment stage, but having a far more regulated psionic capacity didn't make the processing of every unique interaction instantly easier. The other woman believed what she was saying, as much as Eva could discern. This was a shame because she was speaking absolute nonsense.

"I don't think...I know what Hysperia is."

"Planet with Dragons. Beya got made Harvest Queen." It had been an epic way to join the ship as all. The woman might not have abilities but she knew enough to know when another telepath was trying to work out whether she was saying the truth or not. "Rianne Edei." The woman offered an introduction to the other woman knowing that she had not met her so wanted to know who she was maybe she had seen her name and not the face.

"I guess that was before my time." Whilst she still sounded dubious, her brow puckered in faint consternation, Eva managed a slight smile and reciprocated. "Eva Kohl. Was here, wasn't here, back again. I have no idea who this Makayla is though, Gregnol reached out because the position had been vacant for just long enough that everyone was crawling up the walls, apparently."

"It isn't vacant as long as I have been here," Rianne said confused taking another sip of the water. Her and Mykaia came on at the same time it was why they had not caught each other for a while. This did not make any sense at all. "Who is the chef?" She wondered finally deciding that it was a good question to ask.

It was about then that Eva arrived at the decision to involve other people, namely security, in this discussion. She just wasn't sure how to go about that without possibly provoking the woman. "Grexx has been here for a while now, though probably less than a year. Couldn't tell you specifics." The cheerful Bolian had arrived somewhere between Eva's departure and reinstatement and exuded the familiarity that suggested he had been around long enough to feel at home. It was difficult to tell for sure because his temperament very much lent itself to open-armed joviality from the onset.

Rianne looked unsure and shook her head. There was no Bolian onboard let alone someone who was in her position. "That isn't right." Was all she could mumble to herself. "There is no Grexx onboard. I am the Chef." She finally said gathering herself together. This was a horrible joke to be playing on her she was sure this would be a Leiddem or Maurice from Engineering who had planned this but it was getting past a joke now.

"Maybe we should get someone down here who's been around a little while to sort this out." Slow steps backwards took Eva towards the bar and the comm. panel that allowed for more discreet conversations. She'd requested it having enough prior experience to value an option that didn't broadcast her intent to a room full of belligerent drunks.

Rianne stood to say that it was not necessary but the way the woman looked at her knew that she needed to stay and to allow her to do what she felt was needed. “I’ll just wait just here.” She said mostly to herself.

"Kohl to Security."

Eva offered the other woman a bright smile as she waited for a response, having all but given up trying to think of a rational explanation for Rhianne's presence, much less her claims.

"What is up, Kohl?" Came the lazy voice of Leiddem Kea who sounded like he might been asleep or at least very close to it.

Despite everything, Eva shot an incredulous look at the ceiling. "Someone sounds officious this morning. Which is probably a good thing." The bartender turned her back to the room and lowered her voice. "I have someone calling herself Rhianne Edei bunking out on one of my sofas. Seems to think she's supposed to be the chef."

There was a sound of a bed moving in the comms before he spoke up clearer than he had previously as he tried to make sense of what had just been said. "Say that again."

"I know, it sounds bonkers, but I'm telling you. I opened for the day, she's making herself right at home and seems to think she actually belongs here."

"What? Did you say Edei... I am on my way." Leiddem sounded fully awake and was already

"I'll try not to provoke her." It was said mostly to an empty channel and Eva, who had been pleasantly surprised by how comforting it was to be back amongst these people, rolled her eyes in good nature before turning back to the day's asylum escapee. "Someone's coming down, we'll figure things out."

Rianne sat very still watching the other woman as she kept the bar between them like Rianne was some type of pariah or unusual. The Betazoid knew she was unusual with no telepathic ability but that did not mean she was a danger or anything. "Who did you call?" She finally decided to venture into a question.

"Got our Chief of Security out of bed, shouldn't be too long."

Now that she found herself with the responsibility of entertaining a possible stowaway, Eva found herself uncharacteristically drawing a blank on any small talk. For a bartender, it was a debilitating prospect, and not one she was in a hurry to covet.

"Sooo...what do you cook?"

The faint twitch of an eye suggested the empath understood how utterly ridiculous the question was.

Rianne raised an eyebrow before laughing. It was a ridiculous question that she could have answered quickly without comment but it seemed daft. "I have no telepathic abilities but even I can see that you are freaking out so pour a drink dear and calm yourself. I am not going to kick off but I will wait for the Chief of Security." She assured.

Eva screwed her face into an expression of amused guilt. "That obvious, huh? Well, I guess it's got to be weird for you too." Rather than take the other woman up on her offer, the bartender moved back across the room without a drink and released a breath as a putter of lips. "Honestly, it's probably just me having no idea what's going on. I worked here for a short while, then..." She paused to piece together the next part of the explanation. "Yeah, not some of my fondest memories. Coming back was kind of a whim and things are just that level of strangely familiar but also pretty different."

Rianne nodded and shrugged. It was strange for sure. "Unfortunately but it's okay. I cannot judge you for this when I have no idea what is going on." She winced as her headache returned so she took another sip of her water. "Must have been hard on you returning but you seem to be okay before I woke up here." The chef laughed softly as the door swished open and Lieddem padded in looking tired.

"And here he is, immaculate as ever." For a moment, mild amusement distracted Evahnae from her confusion. "Married life too much for you?" As the Betazoid pulled up alongside, she did her best to drop her tone to a murmur to add, "I thought you said things had calmed down around here."

"Baby." He commented with a yawn as he paused and looked Rianne over. "It really is you," he said shocked and slid into the seat in front of her. "Its always been calm you just came at the wrong time." He said distracted.

"It is really me. Lei... what are you going on about." Rianne wondered back raising an eyebrow. "You saw me this morning before you all went off to the Bridge to tackle the pirates."

"You two know each other?" That was a positive start, Eva supposed.

“We do.” Both Leiddem and Rianne said in different tones. One certain and the other confused and uncertain about the situation. Leiddem could feel it was the familiar woman and could almost taste her signature honey bread if he thought hard enough but it could not be her.

“That was 2398.” Leiddem finally said.

"What was?," Eva asked, unabashed by her perpetual state of bafflement. "Leiddem, what the hell's going on?"

“I do not know but what she is speaking about was nearly 3 years ago.” Leiddem said making the chef laugh.

“That is impossible.” Rianne commented softly before she looked between the pair and paled. “Can I get something stronger than water please.”

Gaze swinging back and forth between the pair, Eva opened her mouth to respond and then gave up, turning back towards the bar to honour the woman's request. Swiping up a glass and selecting exactly the amount of neat whiskey she would have required herself once upon a time, the empath shook her head and muttered just below her breath, "I picked a hell of a time to go sober."