Getting acquinted with a new ship

[Alexandria "Alex" Kavanaugh]

With Kathleen in tow, Alex burst into ten-forward. It seemed almost like the one on their old ship, yet somehow it was different. Some personal touches here and there that hadn't been on the Crudaigh. Alex smiled. She liked it.

"Come on," she called to Kathleen as Alex raced over to the replicators. She ordered one of her favorites. A cheesburger with a large order of fries and a Coke, an old-fashioned Earth beverage she had been introduced to during her time waiting for her dad to recover. As her food appeared, she waited for Kathleen to join her and to see whom else she might meet on the ship.

Tag Kathleen/Any

[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

Alex was nothing if not enthusiastic but Kathleen refused to run. She would certainly have to learn her way around the ship and she seriously doubted they had a brochure... this was most definitely not a pleasure cruise.

She followed her into Ten Forward and was very pleasantly surprised. It was a nice space and there were a few pleasant decorations and other touches. She nodded appreciatively and went to the replicator. She ordered a Machaca Burrito with some medium salsa and Horchata.

She moved toward one of the tables by the large window watching to make sure Alex was following.

"Ok sweetie," she said. "What's our first target?" she bit into the burrito.

Tag Alex/any

[Alexandria "Alex" Kavanaugh]

Following Kathleen over to the little table, Alex plopped her tray down and began to devour her delicious treats.

"Ok sweetie," she said. "What's our first target?"

"Um," she started and realized her mouth was full. Alex tried to quickly chew the large bite of hamburger she had taken. Finally when she swallowed, she spoke excitedly, "What about the arboretum or the cetacean labs?"

Alex picked up a french fry and holding up bit into the salty potato. "Where would you like to go? Anything you want to see?" She asked Kathleen.

Tag Kathleen/Any

[Lieutenant JG Fau'cheth]

Fau'cheth had dozed way too long and waited to start her day. But she was hungry and coming into 10 Farward was easy from their shared quarters just 2 decks away. As little as she could understand the reasons that might have caused the bond she was still in a happy fog.

She went to the replicator and ordered a ham and cheese omlette and some juice and tea. She took her tray to a nearby table and sat to eat. Looking around the room she saw some civilians and waived to the little girl. She smiled, unused to seeing civilians on a starship but then of course the ship she'd served on before was very small compared to Nike.

She heard them discussing where they were going to go and check out the ship. She knew she wanted to do the same thing but didn't want to butt in.

Her food was deliscious. Sometimes replicated food just didn't taste quite right and others it was wonderful. So far whoever had programmed this one had done a pretty good job. Her tail tip flipped closer to her feet when someone walked by.

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[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

"Um, What about the arboretum or the cetacean labs?"

She watched Alex try and eat the huge burger and then talk through her big bite. She must have been hungry to order something like that and she had to admit it looked pretty good.

One of the beauties of replicators was that you could eat whatever you wanted and it always provided you with exactly the right neutrients. She imagined that aboard a ship like this there was some way a persons health was tracked including the foods they consumed.

She finished her bite and replied "That sounds great! How about both and then we'll go back and unpack." She watched the young woman come in to the room and smiled when she waived at Alex.

"You know what Alex? I think it would be nice if you could help me recognize those ranks. I know daddy is a Captain wears red and has four of them but that lady is in red too but has only one. Maybe you can help me learn. What do you think?"

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[Alexandria "Alex" Kavanaugh]

"I think that would be great!" Alex said with a smile in response to Kathleen's request. They could start on their learning as they made their way around the ship. "I can definitely help. Let's see," Alex moved in her seat, looking around the room. Her eyes fell on the Caitian female and her mouth opened a bit. She had known only one other Caitian before, on her daddy's last ship.

"Oh, look," she said, a bit too loudly as she turned back to Kathleen, "Have you met any Caitians before? I knew a really nice engineer, Pesh'ewa." Alex smiled towards Kathleen, before turning back to smile at Fau'cheth. She wanted to meet the new Caitian but wasn't sure if she should.

"See, she's wearing red too, because she is part of command or helm." Alex tried to spot her collar, but with her hair in the way, she wasn't sure what pips the Caitian was wearing. "We'll work on ranks and colors more as we go! Are you ready?" She turned back and popped a fry in her mouth with a grin.

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[Lieutenant JG Fau'cheth]

Fau's natural senses carried their conversation to her not that she was trying ot overhear them. She normally would simply ignore conversations that weren't intended for her ears but in this case the girl had mentioned her mate!

How could this child know her husband. The curiousity was much more than she could bear so she rose from her seat and approached the pair.

"Hello" she said "I'm Ensign Fau'cheth and a helm officer" she said with a smile to the girl.

"I'm sorry but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation and...' she was a bit uncertain how to say it. "I just wanted to tell you that Commander Pesh'ewa, that you seem to know, is aboard this ship as its Chief Engineer." she paused for a moment and then with a smile added "I'm his wife."

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[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

I think that would be great! I can definitely help. Let's see, Oh, look, Have you met any Caitians before? I knew a really nice engineer, Pesh'ewa."

Alex's mind was moving a mile a minute and he mouth was trying it's best to keep up. Kathleen laughed gently, she'd most certainly met Caitians before but then she'd only met a few in her fathers circles.

"See, she's wearing red too, because she is part of command or helm. We'll work on ranks and colors more as we go! Are you ready?" She nodded at the question but just then the young Caitian woman came to their table.

"Hello" she said "I'm Ensign Fau'cheth and a helm officer. I'm sorry but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation and... I just wanted to tell you that Commander Pesh'ewa, that you seem to know, is aboard this ship as its Chief Engineer. I'm his wife."

Kathleen stood with a big smile. "Oh, it's so good to meet you Fau'cheth. I'm Kathleen and this is my daughter Alex. We're here with my husband Captain Kavanaugh." she reached her hand out to shake the woman's hand.

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[Alexandria "Alex" Kavanaugh]

"I just wanted to tell you that Commander Pesh'ewa, that you seem to know, is aboard this ship as its Chief Engineer." she paused for a moment and then with a smile added "I'm his wife."

Alex sat for a moment, her mouth hanging open. Pesh'ewa was here? And he was married? It was true she didn't know him all that well back on the Crudaigh, but he'd never mentioned a wife. Maybe, like her daddy, it was something new.

Alex jolted up just like Kathleen did, imitating the way she greeted Fau'cheth.

"I'm Alex," she stated, then blushed, realizing Kathleen had already introduced her. Kathleen had called her her daughter and Alex really liked the way that sounded. Now that the adoption was final, she really was Kathleen's daughter.

"I knew Pesh'ewa back on the Crudaigh. My daddy was the captain then. I hope I can say hello to him while we're here. How long have you been married? Would you like to join us? I would love it if you did!" Alex was simply talking on in her bubbly fashion, not really realizing that she needed to slow down a bit and let the others reply. "We just got here. We were going to explore the ship. I bet the Nike is just like the Crudaigh. Galaxy-class and all." She beamed up at Fau and then back over at Kathleen.

Tag Either

[xDameon Ropalski]

Dameon sat quietly in the far corner of the Forward Ten, sipping real tea, brewed from a supply of teabags that had kept him going since Earth. The past several months had weighed heavily on his supply, but his order for more had arrived only two days before, the day before he'd boarded the Nike. In his other hand was a PADD with a spectacularly old book loaded into it - Dozens upon dozens of them, actually.

With prestige came privilege, he firmly believed. The nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first century books loaded into the PADD attested to this belief. He read quietly, lips moving along with the eloquent poetry he'd long-since memorized, eyes tracing over the three distinctive beings.

Alexandra Kavanaugh, and her step-mother, Kathleen Kavanaugh.
Ensign Fau'cheth, Helm Officer, wife of Pesh'ewa.

He thumbed the 'off' switch on his PADD, and set it down, sipping lightly at his tea.

He abruptly stood, and walked fluidly to the table where the two women sat, and the Caitian stood, "Good morning," he smiled brightly, "Dameon. A pleasure to meet you, miss..?"

Dameon set down his tea at the edge of the table, and dipped his head slightly, a charming smile dancing on his lips, hand extended, with a flourish, to Kathleen. He glanced up at the Caitian woman, "Ensign," he murmured respectfully.

If she shook his hand; Or refused to, he'd quietly ask, "And may I sit, ma'ams?"

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[Kathleen Kavanaugh]

Alex's reaction was a bit stunned and it appeared that when she'd known Pesh'ewa he hadn't been married. She fired several questions at the young woman but before she could answer, a gentleman rose and crossed the room to their table.

"Good morning," he smiled brightly, "Dameon. A pleasure to meet you, miss..?"

Kathleen was used to greeting people she didn't know. Her family had to deal with it almost every day of their lives but she didn't necessarily feel comfortable with her own daughter exposed to it. Yet, they were on a star ship and this wasn't any kind of a groupie.

He extended his hand to her so she took it and answered with a pleasant smile. "Kathleen Kavanaugh, and this is my daughter Alex." then turning she smiled and indicated the Ensign. "and this is Ensign Fau'cheth. We've just been forming an acquaintance."

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[xDameon Ropalski]

He turned, smiling, and bowed deeply to Alex, "Good morning, Miss Alexandra," he offered a bright smile, and held out his hand to her, "Are you enjoying our lovely ship?" He glanced aside, and gave Kathleen a brief smirk. It was apparent he liked kids.

"I'm a civilian, as well, actually... Glad I'm not alone for this cruise. It can be rather annoying trying to keep oneself entertained for months on end, though the results are generally worthwhile."

He gave a little half-wincing smile, and a quiet chuckle.

Tag: Alex, Kathleen

[Alexandria "Alex" Kavanaugh]

"Good morning, Miss Alexandra," he offered a bright smile, and held out his hand to her, "Are you enjoying our lovely ship?"

"Good Morning," Alex responded with a bit of a giggle as he bowed before her. He was an interesting person, that much was for sure.

"So, what's your job on the ship?" Alex asked, ever to the point and sometimes a bit blunt. She looked over at Kathleen, hoping that she didn't disapprove. "My daddy's helping with the new mission. That's why we're here."

Alex looked over at Fau'cheth. The Caitian had grown exceptional quiet while Dameon spoke. She threw a smile towards Fau, hoping to encourage her to join in the conversation as well.

"We were thinking about touring the ship, do you want to join us too?" Alex asked both him and Fau'cheth, looking between them both. "Or we could stay here, too..." her voice trailed off a bit as she looked over to Kathleen. She was talking too much again, she knew it, but she just couldn't help herself. Alex got excited when she was in new places and meeting new people. She vowed to try a bit harder, so she quieted down to see if any of the adults had something to say.

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[Lieutenant JG Fau'cheth]

Fau'cheth was just a little bit intimidated to know that she'd approached a Captain's wife and child though she tried hard not to show it.

"I knew Pesh'ewa back on the Crudaigh. My daddy was the captain then. I hope I can say hello to him while we're here. How long have you been married? Would you like to join us? I would love it if you did! We just got here. We were going to explore the ship. I bet the Nike is just like the Crudaigh. Galaxy-class and all."

Her smile got bigger and bigger as the girl kept going and she began to wonder if she was going to take a breath.

"Well, I know its kind of strange for humans but I just met Pesh'ewa yesterday." She smiled at them "Our species sometimes bonds instantly upon meeting but it's very rare on a Starfleet Vessel, we were just very lucky." she looked back and forth between the two of them.

"So, I haven't had a chance to know him very well yet. We were only married yesterday." she still had stars in her eyes from the experience. "I'd love to explore with you!" she said. "My last ship was very small and this one is massive. There's a lot to see."

Just then Dameon came over and introduced himself. She remembered seeing him at the Celebration last night even though she and Pesh hadn't stayed for very long. She acknowledged his address and Mrs. Kavanaugh's introduction.

She laughed gently as Alex was off to the races again. Children were a joy and it was evident that Kathleen and Alex loved eachother.

She knew she'd want a litter someday but with everything so new they hadn't really had a chance to talk about it.

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[xDameon Ropalski]

His grin turned mischevious, "I'm afraid that's classified," he purred airily, his voice at its' most mystifying and enigmatic.

He gave a dismissive twist of his fingers, and reclined, an eyebrow raised, "This is a very large ship," he acknowledged, with a nod to Fau'cheth, "And there's quite a bit to see. Other Helmsman on duty?" He raised an eyebrow at the Caitian, "Or will they need you, soon?"

"If you're free," he offered, magnanimously, "Then we can tour the ship together."

He nodded, thoughtfully, with a bright smirk.

Tag: Any