A Grain Of Sand

Posted on Wed Jul 15th, 2020 @ 5:11pm by Dixoho Saa (*)

Mission: Mission 11 - Prospecting
Location: SS Mary Rose
Timeline: MD03 - 20:00
1558 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Avalon pursed her lips and tried to fight back the little bit of worry in the back of her mind. The plant wasn't doing well. Considering some of the other worries on the ship, like the fact that the captain was missing and could be dead, it was a grain of sand compared to a mountain. Maybe she was really worried about him and projecting that worry onto her work? Entirely possible. But, she still wanted the damn thing to grow. Sighing she pushed it aside after muttering a few hurried and cheer words to it and headed for the mess. Maybe she could hear some news and have an actual conversation with someone who could talk.

As the woman was coming out Dixoho was heading into hydroponics looking for a specific herb. "Oh hey Avalon," Dixoho said sidestepping the woman to avoid a collision. It was would do no one any good without a chief medical officer to have someone injured.

Avalon blinked. "Hello. Sorry, can I help you with something?" She took a big step back and rubbed her face. Coffee seemed to be in order when she could get some. Then again maybe what she needed was more sleep.

"Well, I am looking for a specific herb. I am feeling little nausea and thought it might help." Gikabacca was barely known herb but it was the best thing for nausea in trills, it helped their immune systems and hopefully would allow her to get back to normal.

"Oh well I have a few but if you can't find it here we can always replicate something." Avalon reentered the bay. "Mostly I try to focus on things that are edible that most species will eat but I keep some herbs for spices and such. What was the name of it? I got in some more exotic ones from a friend just the other day." She moved things around as if she'd forgotten where she'd put them.

"Gikabacca?" Dixoho asked hopefully. She knew that it was a long shot but all these feelings of worry were making her remember the last time she had felt like that. She knew then that it had been solved by tea made from the herb.

"Weirdly, I think I do have that. Someone gave it to me and I've not known what to do with it or what it was really. How come you're feeling unwell?" Avalon asked interested. "Sorry, I know it's none of my business. I'm just curious."

“Nerves,” Dixoho admitted coming further into the hydroponic bay now that it was hopeful that the herb could be located. “I’m worried about Gregnol.” She knew everyone was worried but none of them knew why she was so worried about losing the ship and the man who had been protecting her for years.

"Ah, yeah." Even if they didn't know Gregnol well, this was his ship, it was their livelihood plus there was just old fashioned care as no one wanted anything to happen to a friend and crewmate or even another human being. "Well be careful with it. I've heard that in certain species it can have a sedative effect that can be pretty powerful, I guess you'd know that. Do you want to have a drink? We could talk about it?"

"I do know that." Dixoho knew that it had that effect but she was not planning to take it for that purpose at all. "Just to stop nausea I swear." Dixoho looked at the plant cutting off a leafs to make a drink out off. "Sure. I can have these at the same time."

Avalon snipped off some mint for herself. "Better not make this a habit though. Everyone will be down here to get herbs for their drinks and meals and I'll be swamped. I like keeping this part of my job secret. That way my friends just think I'm a really good cook, or they would if I had any friends. I thought I had one but I think he's just been so busy lately. Eden tried to set us up." Avalon moved toward the door and down the corridor in the direction toward the lift.

"Ah, Eden is trying to set you up too?" Dixoho said with an only a hint of amusement. Eden was known for doing that but Dixoho had so far stayed out of her radar after the whole Michael thing. It had been run whilst it had lasted but it had never been the same after her doppelganger had taken her place.

"Yeah, but he kinda disappeared on me. Maybe he was embarrassed about the whole thing? Not sure? Oh well. Wasn't like I needed a love life. This kind of life just doesn't seem predisposed to love. Too many variables and we have jobs to do." Avalon shrugged.

"Who was it?" Dixoho asked genuinely interested in something that was not directed at her. "I do not know. Many people seem to find love out here. Just depends on what you are looking for I guess."

"Jasper," Avalon said, not bothering to use a last name. Honestly she couldn't think of what it had been though she was sure he'd told her. They'd only had a couple of meetings before he'd disappeared into work leaving her confused to say the least.

"Ah one of the folks from 2246." Dixoho looked a little sad for a moment before she shrugged. "His loss." Was all she said on the matter as they made their way to the mess hall and the stillness of it all. It was getting late and most people were either doing jobs or resting. It was what Dixoho should be doing as she needed to find the route for the next stop but it would wait for now as Gregnol was missing.

"2246?" She asked confused as to what that meant. Some kind of club or group that other members of the crew had belonged to? The mess hall was just as Avalon liked it, quiet. She couldn't abide the noise and clutter of it during peak times, it didn't let her think and she genuinely loved and needed to hear her thoughts floating around her brain.

Dixoho looked at the woman confused for a moment before she frowned a little. "Some of the crew are people that were trapped in the transporter they were from 2246?" Dixoho thought everyone knew that but obviously not. Maybe it should be put on the welcome pack or something.

"Oh." Avalon said looking at her seriously. "How did that happen?" Avalon got herself a drink and picked a table, eager to hear what the other woman knew about the event. "I'm kind of new here and I really haven't gotten out much."

Dixoho smiled and set out adding her Gikabacca to hot water before she followed over with a piece of bread, butter and some jam to make a snack. "Really? How can you not know that event? It is one of those events that pretty much haunts us." Along with the other universe but she tried to not mention that one much as it really did haunt her. "Well, some of the crew are from 2246 and were stuck in the ship's computer for 150 years as no one thought to get them out or even attempt it." How awful must it have felt for the crew to have to make that choice to not get them out.

"How terrible. I cant imagine that. Then again I don't like transporters, not at all. I'm not really a computer person either, I prefer plants but then you knew that already. So . . . . how long have you been here? And what do you do on the ship exactly." Avalon blushed a bit as she felt she should have known that if she kept her head out of the sand long enough.

“Four years.” The Trill admitted. It was a long time but it was a good hiding place and one she did not want to give up on if she could help it. They maps and charts were still safe and that was all that mattered to her. “Feels like the only gone I’ve ever had now?” she shrugged nibbling on the toast. It was cheesy but it was how she felt. So much had happened both good and bad.

"Hmm, that's a long time to be on a ship. You must like it. I haven't decided how I feel about things. I thought I was happy when I first came." Avalon shrugged. She seemed to be second-guessing herself now. "So . . . I was thinking of having a game night or something in my quarters. Would you know some people you could invite? It's high time I made some friends."

"Of course I do," Dixoho said with a roll of her eyes. She knew more than enough people to have a little party or game night. "When this is all over with how about we have a crew party?" She wondered looking around the mess hall and what could be done with it. "I am sure Gregnol will like to do something like that when he gets back." She refused to believe that he was not coming back.

"That's a good idea," Avalon said happily that the idea seemed to be taking hold. "When we get him back."