Small Talk

Posted on Thu Jan 27th, 2022 @ 7:28am by 1st Lieutenant Kyle Walken & Ensign Verelan

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: Current
1528 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Verelan sat in a quiet booth, gathering the eye of a waiter. "Can I have a large bowl of 'osol twists' and a hot kettle of a Vulcan spice tea?"
The waiter nodded and quickly walked away gathering other orders before he completely disappeared behind the bar.

She breathed in and sniffed, her ear itching. Scratching it she sighed and smiled at someone from across the room. Eventually she pulled out a small pen and some paper and started writing about the various people in the room and others that were imaginary.

"Here you are, Ensign, 'osol twists' and Vulcan spice tea." It tickled on the nose and Verelan smiled widely. She loved them both as a child but her mother always made 'osol twists' from scratch. She put one in her mouth and closed her eyes happily. Verelan smiled widely as the taste erupted from her mouth and down her throat. She shook with nostalgia.

The spice tea was hot, just the way she liked it, and as she curled her fingers around the cup like a small child.

Walken sets down his datapad on his table, jumping from a simple NCO to CO was one thing but he was now responsible for the Battalion as a whole. Taking a break from squad rosters and training Kyle sighs quietly to himself drinking from his mug of coffee.

He stares at his steak and fries before him, the marine had ordered a while ago but hardly touched his meal. 'Well, this is what I signed up for.' He thought before taking the last bit of steak he had cut off and eating it.

The sudden coffee aroma was quite bitter which made Verelan look up from her pen and paper. Had it been that long; there were many different people from the last time she looked.

Shaking her head and arching an eyebrow, the caffeine smell was still quite strong so she looked around her general vicinity to catch the culprit. Finally he was a few seats away from her with a plate of what looked like meat. Verelan shriveled up her nose but nodded. Most Humans did like their beef...lamb...pork...

"Trying to stay awake? Coffee will do you for a while, but it will probably bring you down much quicker than you think." It was such a pick up line and she knew it. She followed it with a smile and her bowl of 'osol twists'.

"Nope, just can't drink when I'm on duty so I settle for coffee," Walken answers honestly as he looks up at the unknown woman who was talking to him.

"You should try an 'osol twist' or even a Vulcan spice tea. The 'twist' might have you on your toes but the tea, well, the tea just makes me...grounded."
After a few moments Verelan wasn't sure if she should sit and he didn't offer her a seat. She felt awkward and finally asked, "How was your meal?"

"I will keep that in mind." Kyle nods as he motions for the young woman to sit down before shutting down his datapad. "It was fine, nice to have some more ration options as an officer now."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, how rude of me. My name is Verelan." She flashed a smile at Walken and chuckled hoping to break the ice.

"Kyle Walken, Marine Commander. Curious, it's not every day a spook comes up to you and has an informal chat where they are not trying to get something from you. So Miss Verelan, are you looking to pry information, or are you interested in an honest conversation?" He asks his tone neutral as he was honestly curious himself about this.

Verelan covered her mouth with a hand, stifling a tremendous laugh. She held up her other hand by way of an apology. "Forgive me, Marine Commander, I did not mean to laugh at you." Taking another sip of her tea she continued, "I am no 'spook'. I like to think of myself as an...interrogator and my information usually comes from an unwilling participant. It's easier for me that way."

She popped another 'osol twist' into her mouth and licked her lips.

"As far as an honest conversation goes, it is rare these days, don't you think?"

Kyle laughs aloud, "It's pretty normal, everyone is lying about something. That's why I'm a marine, I don't need to lie." The young man takes another bite from his portion of steak. "But then again you still didn't answer the question." He speaks matter of factly before setting his fork and knife back down.

Verelan had her tea refilled and straightened her back in the chair. She breathed in the aroma of her cup and arched an eyebrow at the man opposite her. She answered carefully, "When I am in this place, at this time, I am not 'prying'. But if you see me in the Brig or in an Interrogation room, ask me again there."

"No reason to be in brig unless one of my marines does something stupid, so odds are I won't see it." Walken answers with a shrug.

"My...abilities are considered irrelevant by some and wonderous by others. I wonder if they would call that 'prying'?" She thought.

"I guess that would depend on who you are using your abilities on Ensign. Tell me, why join intelligence?" Walken sets down his fork and knife looking up at the young woman.

Verelan's sigh was deeper than she wished it to be and she visibly sagged into her seat. "It wasn't my idea." Her tea was now stone cold and she turned her nose up at the acrid smell.

"Sounds from your tone you weren't given a choice," Walken commented.

"During my first week there is obviously a class involving 'Forensic Psychology', is there not?"

"Wouldn't know, enlisted marine when I started. You get tossed into basic."

"Well, during that period, my class was given a...'test' I suppose you could call it and, I suppose not twenty-four hours after that test was completed, myself and a few others were simply whisked away to I don't know where."

Verelan suddenly fell into herself, remembering the unknown people she saw, the horrid words she heard, the blood-curdling screams...
"Sorry, Lieutenant." Verelan smacked on a fake smile but it fell just a quickly. "I was just...reminiscing." She shook herself to remove the images that were seared into her brain.

"Sounds like it wasn't the happiest memory you were thinking when you trailed off there Ensign. I may not like counselors but you may want to take the time to talk to one." The Marine suggested.

"Forgive me, Lieutenant Walken, but counsellors are something that I will avoid at all costs." Verelan didn't mean to get angry and hadn't realised the exact moment she had gotten angry. She cleared her throat and gulped her cold tea as a sort of punishment. She sighed and shook her head. Her voice was low and quiet, "I don't like them. I never have and never will."

Trying to lighten the atmosphere that had quickly descended over them both Verelan countered with, "But I usually have my Mother or Father to talk to and take advice from. Do you have family?"

"No worries, I feel the same about them. As for family, yeah if something needs to be brought up I have my parents and younger brother back on Earth. I also have my twin sister on board." Walken answers after finishing his steak. He shifts his attention from his plate to the young Ensign. "If you are having issues, you could always speak with the Captain. He is willing to listen to any problems the crew is having, he isn't a counselor but I know he is willing to hear you out."

She shook her head and sucked on another 'osol twist'. The tartness of it cleared her head.

The bowl was in the middle of the table so she pushed it ever so slightly towards Lieutenant Walken. "It will freshen your palette and clean your mouth."

Walken pushes it back, "No thanks."

"The Vulcan tea will cleanse your body too." She lifted her cup to her lips. "I've seen Human bodies benefit from it."

"I'll take your word for it, but if I'm going to have one I will order it myself thanks."

Verelan sighed and frowned. “You’re a hard nut to crack aren’t you, Lieutenant?” She nodded almost to herself.

"I guess you can say that." Kyle nods.

“But I will abide by your decision.” She sipped her tea again and inhaled the aroma, closing her eyes happily. “I will admit though that you’re…more open than most of the crew.”

"How so?" He asks aloud.

“Well, you’re the first full conversation I’ve had… with anyone.” Why did she feel shame and embarrassment? She shook her head and took another ‘osol twist’. “I appreciate it though. Thanks.”

"Be happy you aren't a marine, I would have been shouting orders this whole meeting then." Walken laughs. "But my free time is up, need to get back to work."