Party

Posted on Fri Jun 26th, 2026 @ 11:15pm by Chief Engineer Michael Burnstein & Ensign Alicia Moor

Mission: Cosmos
1897 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

The party had been in full swing for a while, and further proof of its success was written on the faces of the crewmen who were looking happy and a little tipsy from the drink that was flowing. Alicia sat on one of the couches, people watching over the bannister, looking at all the people coming and going on the final day of the exhibition.

She giggled as she spotted her former roommate from Arch, who seemed to be in a splendid mood for once, and that had probably plenty to do with the amounts of wine in her system or that she was finally approved for duties again and was shipping out in the morning on the Victory.

The mood of the party took her back to another night with another crew party, where Shona had been showing off an exceptionally ugly headpiece that she had been wearing for some Bajoran religious festival that she was suddenly supporting. She turned and bumped into someone, surprised. “I am so sorry.” She said, putting her hand against her bump automatically.

A tall caninoid briefly juggled an overloaded plate of canapes, then looked down, and down a little more, before offering a smile. “No, excuse me.” He rotated furry ears forward to soften the impression of sharp teeth and fangs at the end of a long narrow snout. Enough humanoids, especially short ones, had told him the view up into a Kainan smile was unsettling. “I was distracted by snacks.” He lifted the plate slightly, indicating the stack of beef taquitos and liver pate smeared on crackers.

"That is a very acceptable reason to be distracted by Sir." The security officer said politely at the larger man. Alicia was solid but nothing compared to the other species. She had not met many Kainans, so she was not worried about the bump even if her body still stung a little.

"Thanks. I think so," he agreed, popping a small snack into his mouth for emphasis. It was quickly swallowed, and the smile returned. "Lt. Rufus Marocain, CFO on Vesta." He offered a hand human-style. "Pleased to meet you."

“Ensign Alicia Moor. USS Cosmos. I’m currently a security officer but I am moving to Intelligence.” She admitted with a small smile as she took the hand and shook it. She was not at all used to saying intelligence yet or wearing that colour properly. She was not entirely sure she was going to enjoy it but it was what she had for now with the baby and Jarrett as Assistant Security Chief.

Rufus nodded. Kainans were good at reading body language - maybe better than words, in fact - and coupled with a slight shift in her scent, he could tell she wasn't comfortable with the new role yet. He didn't know why, but he did know department moves could be awkward, especially within the same ship. "That's a good move, pretty natural really. I transitioned from fighter pilot to helm a few years ago, myself. It was a little odd at first, but I'm pretty happy with it now."

Alicia smiled a little. “Well that gives me a little bit of hope that once things calm down and I find my place again that things will calm down.” If the man could do it so could she after everything that she had been through since Charon.

"You'll find your place before you know it," he assured. "Might take a bit of extra work to figure out how they do things, but honestly, I think people coming in from different backgrounds and asking questions straight-line career folks wouldn't think of is good for everybody. My old squadron had an engineer transfer in and while we take some engineering to be able to do basic maintenance and repair, I learned a lot from him. And likewise, while he knew a lot about our fighters' design, he hadn't thought through all the ways we used them. Ever since, I've made a point of getting to know engineering crew. In fact, the CEO on Vesta is one of my best friends." His tail wagged a little at the thought of him.

“I have done intelligence work so it’s not surprising but I have also enjoyed security but maybe eventually I can go back when not so pregnant.” She chuckled looking down at the bump that was visible. “I do not think I have ever met anyone who had ever put things like that. Thank you Sir.” This is what she needed someone putting it logically for her and offering an outside opinion. She smiled as she saw the tail swish behind him.

"I'm surprised security didn't have a desk job for you," Rufus remarked, then tipped his head in very canine attitude of thinking. "But intel might prove a better fit after. My mother always said she got much more intuitive after having pups. If it works like that for humans too, intel should want to keep you."

“My partner got promoted so it would be a conflict of interest if I stayed in security.” The woman explained blushing a little as Jarrett would have never allowed it to be but Alicia knew he could and would get protective even after seeing what she could do hand to hand. “Well I am not just human but let’s hope it works as well for other species too.” She said subtlety brushing a piece of hair away from her ear to show the pointed edge of her ears betraying some of her heritage.

"Ah," Rufus nodded. He'd caught something in her scent, but for a caninoid like him vulcanoids kind of fell into the category of humanoid - no fur, no tail, no claws, flat teeth, virtually nose-blind. He wasn't going to say that though. "I think it may just be a mammal thing, based on what I've seen or heard about mothers from my crewmates," he offered with a smile.

Alicia smiled sweetly and nodded. “Well, let’s hope your crewmates are correct.” Alicia did not have many role models herself, so it was a time when she was learning a lot both personally and professionally.

"It sounds like you'll have your mate there to help. And friends on your crew," he added. "I don't know much about humanoid or vulcanoid babies, but after the couple weeks when Kainan pups get mobile ...well, like the saying goes, 'It takes a pack'."

"Hopefully she'll take a little more than a few weeks to be up and about, but it is interesting to know that Kainan's are so quick to be up and around," Alicia said, smiling. She really needed to learn about other species more than the basics espeically Vulcanoid's as this baby would be a third Vulcan.

Rufus laughed. "You know, after First Contact, we were shocked to find out most other species took years growing up enough for parents to not have to carry them. But it seems more common for species that evolved from social predators," He paused a moment, tipping his head to the side in thought. "Though it's not a hard and fast rule. Klingon pups take almost as long a humans to be self-sufficient."

Alicia found herself laughing just a little at that. She could imagine that it was a strange notion that not everyone was as quick to grow up in the universe. That would certainly have surprised Alicia if she had not grown up on a colony world with a hodgepodge of cultures. "I can imagine. I would have loved to see people's faces when they realised." She admitted.

"The story goes that the Second Contact team had brought a family with them because my people were assessed as 'socially cohesive and very family-oriented', so they figured a human family would help show similarities and create bonds." The big Kainan chuckled, tail swishing a little. "What happened was that the humans wound up with a whole pack of doctors offering help to determine why their little ones' development was so stunted." Then realizing he should probably explain, since his species wasn't all that well known yet, he added, "For context, I'm 15 and was considered a legal adult at 7."

Alicia found herself bursting out with laughter as she took in what the man was saying. She could imagine how awkward that had been from both points of view. It did highlight why second contact was needed to explain a lot of the quirks of Federation species, and even more so with such unusual differences. "I am sorry, Sir, but that is funny." She admitted. "I have heard that some species are considered adults at different ages. My Betazoid security chief gets annoyed by her parents as they still see her as a child, as she is in her 30's."

"No need to apologize. It is funny," Rufus assured her with a big canid grin. "There's a play about it that's won all sorts of comedy awards back home. But even with our quick maturation, parents are parents. Mine were so proud when I was officially an adult in our pack, but it hasn't stopped them from asking if I'm getting enough to eat on every comm."

"Then you are lucky to have a pack then and now." Alicia had been surviving on her own since she was 10 or 11 until Starfleet Marines found her. "I am sure I will check it out. Jarrett is always looking for things to watch, and he likes a comedy." She knew he would get a kick out of the conversation.

"He should like it. The playwrite did a good job of putting in humor for both species. There's even a Vulcan dryly observing that no one under 30 should be considered mature," he said with a wink. "As to packs, yes, I'm lucky. I had a good strong one growing up and it set me up well to join 'found pack' in Starfleet. Which is good. There are only a couple other Kainans on my ship and they're in our Marine contingent." He smiled briefly, thinking of one of them - a female with a magnificent tail and a nose sensitive even by Kainan standards. He had been hanging on her perimeter enough for some of his human crewmates to joke about him 'stalking' her - apparently unaware that among his people that was a perfectly acceptable way of signaling interest in a female. A Kainan, especially one with her extraordinary nose, would always be aware of who's nearby and the number of Kainan women who wouldn't confront an unwanted admirer and tell him to get lost is roughly zero. So far, he hadn't gotten teeth bared at him in anything but a smile, which he found this positively encouraging.

"I will find it. It is his birthday soon." She decided. "I am very glad to have met you, Sir. This has been enlightening." The small woman said holding out her hand to the officer to shake his hand in a human gesture.

"It's been a pleasure," he replied, taking her hand to return the human gesture. It was funny how it had become the default in the Federation, but then most humanoids didn't have tails, a lot of his people's gestures wouldn't work across species. "I wish you both great joy with your new pup."