Breakfast at Zora's

Posted on Tue Jan 21st, 2025 @ 11:00pm by Commander N'Garzi Zora & Lieutenant Ame Solis M.D.

Mission: Character Development
Location: USS Athena: Zora's Quarters
Timeline: MD3 AM
1767 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

It had taken a decently sized storage box to hold the makings of a proper breakfast spread, and Ame had made sure there was more than enough for both of them. Replicated food just wouldn’t cut it after the last few days of strenuous activities; her body was still protesting, and she swore her legs might stage a mutiny by the end of the week. Her collar was loosened, and a few stray strands of hair clung stubbornly to her face despite her attempts to blow them away.

She moved quickly but carefully through the corridors, the enticing aroma of cooked meats, fresh bread, and ripe fruit trailing behind her and drawing curious glances. More than one crewmember sidestepped to avoid her hurried pace, though one near-miss required an impromptu twirl that saved both her cargo and their dignity. By the time she reached Zora’s quarters, she exhaled sharply, shifting the box to one arm as she jabbed the chime with her elbow. She straightened, blowing another errant lock of hair from her view, and waited at the door.

Ame was early, or was she, Zora, late? The El-Aurian couldn't decide and either way, it didn't make a difference. "Come in," she called as she finished setting the table with the silver cutlery she used for special occasions. She turned to face the door as it opened and was whipped in the face and back with several of her braids. She wondered where she had placed her favourite head wrap but that thought was replaced by curiosity when she saw the size of the doctor's box. "How many people are coming?"

Ame winced at the lash of braids, “Are you okay?” she asked, stepping inside with the storage box cradled in her arms. Without waiting for a reply, she moved to the table and set it down carefully. “I, uh, might have gone overboard,” she admitted with a sheepish smile. “I wasn’t sure what you’d want, so I brought a little bit of- well, everything Chef had. Choices, you know?” She began pulling out assorted cartons and opening them into a glorious spread that would overwhelm most.

“I blame Astrja, honestly,” she added with a chuckle. “She got me thinking about roasted Jub-Jub birds, and before I knew it, hunger took over. How are you this morning, by the way?” Her hands hovered over the cartons as if deciding which to open next.

"We need to work on your decisiveness," Zora said with a smile. She pulled her hair out of her face as she moved to the replicator. "I am well thank you, just preparing for the upcoming mission. Apart from raiding the galley, how are you?" She pressed a few buttons on the replicator and turned to face the doctor. "Can I get you a drink? Assuming you don't already have something in your box of tricks?"

Ame blew a puff of air through her lips at the Commander's comment. “I made a decisive choice that I simply must try everything,” she quipped with a grin, continuing to unpack the assortment of food. “Grounded and ready for the day, though. Trauma packs are to be prepped, and our new Ensign is finding their feet, slowly but surely. No drinks in the box. I figured it best not to tempt fate with liquids on top of all this. I’ll take a black coffee or a Raktajino, please.”

Satisfied with the spread, she tidied away the lids and folded the now-empty storage box before claiming a seat. Her hands rested lightly on the edge of the table as she looked to Zora with genuine curiosity. “Everything about this mission sounds… precarious, from what little I’ve heard. I’m intrigued, though, what’s your take on it? Who, or what, could have created something capable of causing such destruction?”

Zora placed a glass full of dark, molten liquid in front of Ame and then took a seat, putting her Bolian frost tea in front of her. She picked up one of the pastries and put it on a plate in front of her and delicately cut it in half. "Who indeed," she said. She picked up one of the halves and started peeling away at the layers and slowly eating them as her plate filled with crumbs. "I think the bigger question is why. Why create such a weapon but then let it roam free across the galaxy? And what caused it to malfunction?" She struggled slightly as she pulled another piece away and ate it.

Ame took a sip of her Raktajino, letting the rich bitterness settle before she spoke. “Thank you.” She reached out to grab a flaky pastry from the array, tearing off a bite-sized piece as she mulled over Zora’s question. There was no use of utensils, unlike her Commander. “What if it wasn’t supposed to roam freely at all? Maybe its creators lost control, or maybe it outlived its purpose and was abandoned. For all we know, it could be following orders that no longer make sense without context.” She popped the piece of pastry into her mouth, speaking again after a thoughtful chew. “Different civilizations have wildly different values. To one, it might have been a deterrent they never intended to use. To another, it could have been a flawed solution. Reshaping worlds for colonization or even wiping out a biological threat.”

"Maybe we'll never know, just another mystery sent from the goddesses," Zora said between chews. She finished her mouthful and took a sip of the blue drink. The coldness slithered down her throat leaving a feeling of freshness in its wake. She loaded her plate with some more food and started digging into the mini feast. "Do you always eat like this, or is this a special occasion?" She askes cheerily.

Ame nodded gently at the mystery. "Would be good to know though—there might be more..." That was a thought she didn't really want to entertain; an active device still coasting through systems would mean potential genocide. Another rough tear sent flakes of pastry drifting down to her plate as she wrinkled her nose. "No, not really. Food is a good way to get to know people—or that's what I was told. It hasn't steered me wrong so far. Oh! I had dinner with the Commodore last night. I planned for a main course and brought a dessert..." She widened her eyes at her plate and shook her head gently. "He can really cook."

Zora stopped midmotion, her arm half raised to her mouth, which was open with surprise. She hadn't known that about her commanding officer, and she felt a pang of jealousy that this was how she was finding out this bit of information. "What did you have?" She asked, recovering quickly and loading her mouth with some meat she had never tried before.

“Why do people keep giving me that look? I’m not some chosen one, am I? I’m a test subject. I understand it's a new leaf.” Ame supped from her cup before she realised it was far hotter than she expected. Sucking in sharply through her teeth, “Grandma Kane’s stew.” She gave a chef’s kiss to the air. “I do love a savoury, probably why I was so blindsided by being asked for a dessert. I had a good night, it was nice to get to know him.”

Zora gave a small smile as she picked at some more food on her plate. "The thing is the Commodore is a very private man. Some people haven't seen the inside of his quarters, never mind being asked to dinner. For a lot of people it's a great opportunity to be noticed, you know what the officers are like. I'm happy you had a good time though, just be careful of being a target, especially among the more ambitious ones."

Ame almost choked on her Raktajino at the mention of being a target. “A target? It took me five years to even consider looking at taking on responsibility like a department head. Part of me was ready to head back to Starfleet Medical to die inside a research lab never to see the light of day again.” She scratched along her jaw and sighed with a scrunch of her nose. “I mean he said he was looking to have dinner with all his senior officers, I figured I wasn’t the only one until you’d said.”

Zora chuckled at the Bajoran's reaction. "Don't fret Doctor, they will need to get past me first. Don't let my small stature fool you," she added, seeing the unconvinced look in Ame's eyes. "I know how to hold my own. You don't get to be my age without learning a thing or two." She winked at the woman and then took another sip of her drink.

“My life is in your hands, Commander.” Ame grinned and took a moment to admire the other woman in front of her, “Formidable. Great things come in small packages. Wait … we’re about the same size. We’re small?” The last piece of the pastry found its way to her mouth, “I’m a very simple person, I’m not exactly a threat to anyone.” A shrug rolled from her shoulders as she spied a small compote with some kind of creamy dairy, collecting a portion to try.

"Doctors are always a threat," Zora smirked. "Once you get past the Hippocratic oath you're so attached to, then you can do some real damage. I mean you know where all the pressure and pain points are...right?"

A smirk spread across the Bajoran’s face. “I would or have never purposely caused someone pain without their consent in a very narrow set of circumstances that would not violate my oath in any way.” Ame dipped a spoon into the pot sucking it gently in a test of its contents.

"Of course not," Zora replied. She picked up a piece of bread and spread it with something that smelt vaguely of lavender before taking a bite. "So we're both forces to be reckoned with, I think we can watch each other's back. Planet killer or not, I think we have this."

“To formidable women forces to be reckoned with.” Ame raised her Raktajino toward the El-Aurian as she set down the spoon.

"I'll drink to that," Zora said with a smile as she raised her drink.