The Adventure Begins With Tea

Posted on Thu Mar 31st, 2022 @ 10:05pm by Commander Nikolas Barakos & Captain Nimeeh Vixil

Mission: USS Tyche
Location: Forward Lounge, USS Tyche
Timeline: 0927 hours

In the forward lounge of the Tyche, Lieutenant Commander Barakos sat alone. Some might have found it strange, making camp in a large, empty room when there were other perfectly good workspaces aboard the ship. And yet, with most of the off-duty personnel taking advantage of a final chance for shoreleave and those who were still on the ship busy getting things ready, Barakos knew he'd have the place all to himself. And it had turned out...he was right.

The good news was this meant fewer distractions. Had he been in the flight operations office, it was almost certain he would have been forced to deal with all the constant interruptions. People calling or just showing up unannounced, wanting him to take care of something for them. While he might've been okay with that most days, today he needed the peace and quiet. He needed to be able to get through his own work so that it would be finished and out-of-the-way come time for departure.

Barakos took a sip from his tea. Then, he set the cup aside and returned his attention to the padd that lay across his lap. Line after line of text scrolled slowly across the display. Each one was the title of a navigation listing, flight plan, or after-action report filed under his department. It was his job to make sure each one was reviewed, approved, and submitted properly.

Nim entered the forward lounge, glad to have at least a few moments where she didn't have to be 'on', at least for now. Replicating a cup of hot chochola and a plate of shortbead cookies, she took them from the replicator and turned around to look for a seat. Noticing Commander Barakos sitting by himself, Nim approached the table the Thracian was sitting and offered the obviously distracted officer a smile. "Mind if I join you Commander?" she asked.

"Not at all, commander," Barakos replied, rising quickly to his feet as the Tyche's first officer approached, "Please..." He motioned to the open chair opposite him and the two settled down across from one another.

Setting the plate of shortbread cookies on the table, Nim pushed them toward the center with the obvious intent to share. She wrapped her hands around the mug, lifting it to her lips and taking a sip before signing contentedly. "It feels nice to just sit and relax for a few minutes," she said with a laugh. "I don't know about you but the pre departure checks for these supply runs seem to get more and more complicated every time we do one."

"You can say that again," Barakos agreed, waving his padd in the air before setting it aside, "They never tell you at the academy how much paperwork is involved."

Nim laughed. "Trust me, I have plenty of those of my own," she said with a shake of her head. "I walked out of my office today. I swear, I was only gone fifteen minutes at most. When I got back, there was at least two PaDD's for every minute I was gone!"

"Oh, is that where they end up," Barakos said. The look on his face was serious, concerned almost, as if he'd genuinely had no idea. He reached over and picked up his cup of tea. Then, just before it reached his lips, he smiled.

Niahm laughed. "Either that or they've taken over my office and turned it into their breeding grounds," she smiled. "Do you think they're a protected species? Or can I move them elsewhere?"

The Thracian laughed along with her. It might have seemed strange to some, but Barakos had come to appreciate his relationship with the Tyche's first officer (and the captain, as well). Both had been supportive of his stretching himself a bit more. They'd also been instrumental in helping him secure the assignment that was waiting for him at the end of this mission. "I'll tell you one thing," he said, setting his cup aside again, "I am not taking them with me to the Ngahue. Something tells me there will be plenty enough waiting for me when I get there."

Nim grinned wickedly. "Just for that, I'm going to make sure Operations slips a crate of extra PaDD's into your belongings when you transfer," she teased. "I'll even call ahead and have them set up in your new office waiting for you, just so you have something to remember me by."

"Somehow, I believe you would..."

"Of course I would!" Nim retorted. "How else can I make sure you don't forget me," she grinned as she picked up the cup and held it to her lips, blowing across the liquid for a moment before taking a sip.

There was a slight pause. When Barakos spoke again, his voice was different, softer and more serious than before. "Serving with you and Captain Donovan has been...a real honor," he said, "You've given me a chance to really grow here. And this new assignment...well...I wouldn't have gotten it without the two of you, so..."

"You'll be missed," Nim replied with a gentle smile. "They're very lucky to be getting you. Our loss is most definitely their gain, but I know you'll do wonderful things."

"Thank you, Nim..."

A glance at the chrono on the wall and Nim groaned inwardly. "Okay, my time is up. I have a missing Operations Chief, staff transfers I didn't know about and some missing supplies with my name on them. See you on the bridge later?" she asked, picking up her tray as she stood.

“Yes,” Barakos replied. He watched as the Tyche’s first officer crossed over to the replicator to dispense of her used materials, then disappeared through the doors into the corridor. Settling back into his chair, he paused one more time, then returned his attention to the reports that still awaited him.