Comfort food and a good chat.

Posted on Sat Jun 17th, 2023 @ 12:57pm by Lieutenant Paisley P'Rar & Lieutenant Commander Robert Hendon

Mission: Monsters of the Past
Location: Mess
Timeline: Current

[ON]

-Mess hall-

Robert had left his family back on Earth. Janet, his wife Alice's mother, had been taken seriously ill. So she decided to stay and help her recuperate. But Robert managed to speak with them as much as possible. Tom and Petra had both drawn him a picture. Alice was missing Robert but could not return yet due to her mothers illness.

So Robert was feeling a little low. As he sat down in the Mess with a plate of comfort food. A plate of Macaroni cheese on toasted bread. He also ordered a mug of Green tea which he dipped in thought.

Paisley entered the mess hall. She was a bit tired-the science officer was BUSY. The past mission had been a bit hairy, and she'd not had much time to orient herself before being thrown directly into the action. Still, she was able to make some cool progress. Back on the planet where they'd found the Dominion weapons depot, she'd snuck some soil, air, and mold samples. All were growing, and so far...they seemed normal but she had a few tests to run yet. Plus, her staff was slowly coming together to mesh as a team-she had learned quickly that, for example, Lt. Povis HATED to work with Ens. Clarke, so she put them on opposite shifts and it worked well.

She replicated herself a sandwich-ham and Swiss on rye, with some salad and fruit, and a glass of iced Jumja Root tea. She looked around for a place to sit. She found Dr. Hendon sitting alone, and approached. "Care for some company?" She asked. She placed her tray down. "Even if not, I can sit here anyway, and be quiet." She said.

“ Yes of course please sit and we can have a good chat. I could certainly do with some company. My wife and kids won’t be returning as quickly as we thought. You see my mother-in-law fell ill and Alice my wife decided to go and help my father-in-law on Earth. But she’s not responding as quickly as they hoped.” Robert said.

Paisley looked at him, cocking her head to the side. "I am sorry to hear that. I hope she recovers quickly," the CSO replied. "Hopefully they'll join us soon, though. I look forward to meeting them." Paisley explained. "Are private doctors any good? The ones on Cardassia Prime are only so/so, but then that's not our cultural focus, is it?" She asked, mostly rhetorically, and slightly bitterly.

“ The medical facilities on Earth are very good. Plus they have Starfleet medical to back them up when necessary. Alice, my wife is also a trained nurse so she can look after her mother and make sure she takes her medication. The problem is the kids, they can be quite a handful. My parents spoil them rotten it’s a Spanish tradition to cook large meals for one’s family. So no doubt my mother will be making a bath full of paella.” Robert said

Paisley nodded. "Interesting. My father's parents are both passed on, so I don't worry about having to care-take my elders. As for my father, as he ages, well...I'll hire someone to do it." She explained. "Are you Spanish? That's a very beautiful country! I went there once. My father has served the Cardassian government as an advisor and has traveled extensively. He took me with him until I was school-aged." She sighed deeply.

“ Yes but not for long. You see once I was born my father moved the entire family to Cambridge England. From stories and rumours that circulated it was more like fleeing. It seems my Grandfather upset a man who did not take kindly to being upset by people. Eventually he made peace but by then we were settled in England so did not return. How about you?” Robert asked

Paisley nodded. "Well. My father is pretty high up in the Cardassian military, and an advisor to the current Prime Minister, so he, too, has made a lot of enemies. My mother died when I was very young, so I was raised mostly by nannies and my father's girlfriends. Before I was in school, I would travel with him and a nanny, usually someone young and pretty." She explained. She'd had a pretty unconventional upbringing. "I was taught from the time I could walk and talk that manners and appearances were the most important thing." She stabbed a grape with her fork savagely. "I saw both Spain and England during our travels. I was actually named for a place on Earth, in Scotland. I suppose it's better than being named after my paternal grandmother." She shrugged. She was info-dumping; something she needed to work on but her analytical brain never really turned off.

“ They say this is a small universe. My eldest brother lives in Paisley it’s just on the suburbs of Glasgow. We used to go into the main town…..until a rather stupid drinking contest ended up with us both nearly dying of alcohol poisoning. You see in Glasgow they sell the real thing. But of course we weren’t told that. That was long before I entered Starfleet.” Hendon said

Paisley laughed. "I guess that IS a weird coincidence! And I am sorry to laugh, but that's funny! It's definitely a change from Synthale. Your Earth is an interesting place. I remember they had real soda, too, and when I was a child, I thought that food and drinks not from a replicator was pretty cool!" She explained. "Now I try to get non-Replicated food whenever I can. I feel like it's healthier, though that's not accurate, I know logically." She WAS a scientist. "Replicators certainly seem easier than what is shown of old-time life on Holovids, though!" She made a face. She couldn't imagine having to work, have children, FEED them, and do everything else, all while needing to buy ingredients, supplies, and etc.

“ From a medical point of view. The replicator is almost as good as the real thing. Plus extra vitamins and minerals can be added to a recipe program. Should the person need them in their diet for health reasons. But there are some foods that the replicator can’t seem to get correct. Usually fowl like chicken and duck it has problems taste wise with.” Robert said.

Paisley nodded. "I agree. It doesn't do well with Hesperat, either," she said. "The texture is weird." She reported. "It's my favorite Bajoran dish. Uttaberry pie is good, too, but the replicator gets that one done OK!" She said. She bit into her sandwich again. "But maybe not chicken salad," she wrinkled her nose.

“ I think it has something to do with a certain protein in the flesh of most fowl. The replicator has a problem synthesising it. It’s good at deserts though which is strange as the molecular construction is more complicated. My kids used to love replicated ice cream. Until the incident that is.” Robert said.

She considered. "Perhaps, though it's supposed to work well on the sort of large cells that proteins have, but I am only a Chemist," she said. She smiled. "The...incident? Now I have to ask!! What incident? Replicated ice cream sounds TERRIBLE, quite frankly, but I never did develop a taste for it. My half-lizard side, I think, doesn't tolerate dairy well," she said.

“ The incident. Well you see we had a computer lockout code placed on the replicator in our quarters.So the kids could order say a hot drink and scold themselves. Plus myself and my wife Alice like to keep an eye on what the twins eat. Anyway we were attending a ceremony onboard while a babysitter watched over Tom and Petra. Somehow they must of saw the lockout code for the replicator. Because they managed to get past the lockout and they started ordering quite a lot of ice cream. Somehow they hood winked the babysitter. When we returned all the ice cream they had insanely stuffed themselves with. Was not staying in their tummy’s luckily I am the ships Chief Medical Officer. We had to redecorate the kids bedrooms afterwards. The Captain took it quite light heartedly though which was a relief.” Robert explained.

Paisley laughed. "Oh gosh. I am sorry for laughing, but that sounds like something I would've done to my own father!" she said. Apparently, children of all races were the same! "He wasn't smart enough to lock the replicators, but at least I was afraid of them until I was a bit older, anyway." She said. Her heart hurt for a moment; she hadn't had a parent to care about what she did or ate. "And all my sitters were my father's current girlfriends, or sometimes, the Bajoran lady from next door," she said. Like her own mother, the woman next door hadn't had much choice in her marriage, but at least they'd made it work. " I am glad the Captain was understanding, though. That could've been a nightmare!" She could only imagine.

“ Yes. But there were repercussions. We could not get another babysitter after that. You would be surprised how quickly news travels on a ship this size. Then again the twins were getting a name for being a bit of a handful. Since they went back to Earth things have been a bit quiet. But knowing my parents they’ll be spoiled rotten. My mother is one of those who thinks everyone of her children and off spring need feeding up. There be a mountains of paella and her special recipe omelette by the shuttlecraft load. She makes these roasted vegetables that are so tasty. You don’t realise how many you have eaten until you weigh yourself.” Robert said.

Paisley smiled. "Sounds heavenly. I was raised by a single father on Cardassia Prime-his parents are dead. My mother was Bajoran; he...she was in a labor camp and I think she saw the marriage to him as a way out. Anyway. I wasn't allowed to know her family," she said. "I would love to babysit your kids, if you need someone. If I can survive life on Cardassia with a father in the Militia, I can handle twin children," she laughed. "It'll be good practice in case I have my own, anyway. I have a feeling mine would be a handful, too-like I was." She had always been a bright, curious child, and with that came a bit of mischief. "The good news is that that is usually a sign that your children are intelligent; dumb kids don't get up to trouble," she said.

“ Oh they’re intelligent enough. Top of their class both of them especially art. Both very good at sketching flowers and animals Tom especially. Petra seems to like modelling clay better. She is very good at making pots and model animals. But oh yes they can be naughty. Tom once turned his sisters hair bright green. In revenge Petra threw all his toys out the window. They both are regular visitors to the naughty corner. You must of had to undergo a lot of prejudice though. I heard that Cardassian society is quite archaic when it comes to mixed race children.” Robert said

Paisley smiled. "I am glad I missed that kind of thing, to be honest. I was an only child-while I missed having a friend like that, I DON'T miss shenanigans." At the Doctor's next comment, she lowered her head a little. "Some people are still...mean. Luckily, I was spared a lot because of my father's position in the military, but yes, ESPECIALLY my school mates were awful." She said. She had had few friends. "I think most of the adults knew better than to say anything aloud; I was the type of child to remind them that my mother wasn't exactly a willing participant in the marriage, and that if the they hadn't invaded Bajor to begin with, everything would be ok," she said, her voice tinged with a bit of bitterness. She sipped the tea, but then sighed. "Luckily, as an adult, I have found people to be more or less accepting of the facts, and most are pretty empathetic." She said, smiling. "At least, so far. There will always be jerks that exist, but I learned that it's MY responsibly in how I respond to them. I do my best to just wish them the day they deserve, and go on with my life."

“ Children can be cruel. I was lucky to have my older brothers around to fend off bullies. Although my brothers teased me quite badly and got me into a few scrapes as a youngling. But the one thing our parents always taught us was to be kind to others. That’s probably why my best friend at school was an Bolian boy. Preegle was his name.He was being teased by the school bully. Being called crease face and baldy. I jumped to his rescue. Got badly smacked around by the bully. Who was found the next day pegged out on the school soccer field minus his clothes. After that he never bothered me or my new friend. I still keep in with Preegle as it happens. He is Chief Science Officer on the USS Pike.” Robert said

Paisley smiled. "That's a great story! I was never the type of child to stand up for myself; I usually just let them say their words and then I'd tell my father later." Though, in hindsight, she'd probably made it worse doing this; who knows what her father had said or done to the parents. "I could've used a couple of brothers. And a mother," she said. "A Bolian Science officer?" She racked her brain. "Unfortunately, I don't know him, but he sounds cool. Is he in the Federation Science Council? I was invited to join recently, so perhaps I'll speak to him once or twice." She said. Council meetings were usually held via holoconference or subspace telecomm.

“ Actually he turned them down. Preegle felt being a member might restrict his research. He likes to do things his own way. That’s why I don’t belong to Starfleet Medical they would be sticking their noses into every prognosis I make. Then take the credit for any breakthroughs I might make.” Robert said

She nodded her understanding. "That's fair. I DO like the ability to bounce ideas and breakthroughs off of others who really understand, though," she said. "And it IS an honor to be asked; not everyone is." She broke the remainder of her sandwich in half. "But yes, there's a downside, for sure." She said, taking a bite of the remaining quarter sandwich.

“ Yes it is. Although I am concerned for him. Someone may take offence to being turned down. I remember a Dr Kitty McKray he did not like my turning her invite down. She once tried to discredit me but it kind of backfired on her.” Robert said

Paisley shrugged. "It IS a lot of politics and infighting, but that kind of thing, I hope, wouldn't be tolerated for long. This year, it's led by Lt. T'Pol, who has long retired, but he still participates as he's asked to, so hopefully it will be a good year," she said. "Hopefully, your friend won't have any issues." She tried to reassure him. "I am looking forward to it, anyway, and if I end up having to resign or something, that's how the cookie crumbles; I was worried we'd be shot down on the last mission, and that was the end for me!" She laughed a little, though bittersweetly. "What is he currently researching? Are you currently researching things? I minored in Xenobiology, so I know a bit of medicine, but only enough to bandage my wounds!"

“ Well he can be a bit of a joker so I am not sure if this is not a joke or not. But he was working on a way to get the replicators to produce a decent tasting Chicken. They can replicate Fish , Vegetables and Meats. But Fowl meat especially Chicken comes out rubbery. Preegle believes it’s the density of the molecules that’s the problem or lack of. That is why the replicator gets things wrong with Fowl. As for me apart from keeping an eye on certain crew members thanks to Dr Tolon not much. I have been working on the neural inhibitors trying to increase the power to repel non corporal entities. Problem is it can turn the wearer into a temporary simpleton.” Robert explained

Paisley smiled. "He's not wrong; fowl from the replicators IS, well....foul." She chuckled. "I'll take a whack at it myself; I don't know why it's never occurred to me." She shrugged. "Speaking of fowl, the chicken salad is pretty bad tonight," she said, placing the rest of her sandwich on the plate. She'd rather starve. "Interestingly, the Hesperat is pretty close to the real deal," she said. "My mother died when I was a young child, but I vaguely remember it being quite good when she made it. She made mine plain, because of course, I'd cry at the spiciness, but sometimes when I want to remember her, I'll have some." She paused a moment. "Neural inhibitors, huh? Would it be like a wearable device? Or an implant? That could have a lot of good impact on the future!"

“ Wearable. To be honest not keen on implants they’re difficult to repair or make adjustments….. Oh dear looks like time has shot past. I need to get back to sickbay got a mountain of patient reports to download. Sorry must go but it’s been really nice having this chat.” Robert said.

Paisley nodded. "Thanks for the chat. It's helped. See you around, Doc," she said. She was beginning to really enjoy her time here on the Leto.




[OFF]

Lieutenant Paisley P'Rar
Chief Science Officer
USS Leto


&

Lieutenant Commander Dr Robert Hendon
Chief Medical Officer
USS Leto