Part II - Lunch

Posted on Mon Aug 5th, 2024 @ 11:47pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant JG Zai & Lieutenant Lanna Alexander & Lieutenant Chloe O'Connor MD

1,464 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Lacertae Mortis
Location: Mess Hall | USS Arcadia
Timeline: On the way to the shuttle

Previously on Lunch....


Smiling warmly at Chloe Lanna turned her attention to Zai. “Oh?” Lanna looked at Zai curiously, “what would that be?”

"It has been a long time since I have spent time with empaths. While you, Counselor are Betazoid and empathic by birth, you Doctor O'Connor are human yet you showed an empathy level and a level of understanding that...I have never seen in humans. Being around you both, as selfish as it sounds, is like being home with my tribe. I feel less homesick."

“I think perhaps meeting Doctor McDonald first may have swayed your opinion of me,” Chloe teased. When compared to the CMO, even a tyrant wound probably seem tame. And the irony being that he hadn’t quite shown that side of himself yet. He was doing rather well, considering. “Missing home is a natural thing, is it not? I do at times. And even though you have your family here, there must be times you miss your home too counsellor?”


And now the continuation...

Lanna nodded. “There are times I miss Betazed, but my home is wherever Jarin and Jayce are, right now that’s here.” She smiled warmly. “Actually we’re planning to add another child to our family, hopefully sometime soon.”

“I honestly couldn’t imagine being a parent and how I’d deal with that in an emergency,” Chloe admitted as she took a drink, “let alone multiply the dilemma. But hey, if you’ve decided it’s what you both want, I wish you luck.”

"Big families are good but you must teach the children to respect one another. I come from a large family and I must say it was not the most pleasant of experiences." He studied the two women. "As for Doctor McDonald...he is who he is but your compassion for Lee Fang...I will not forget it." He gave a slight bow from where he sat. "Thank you Doctor O'Connor."

“No need for thanks,” she assured him. “And as I recall you helped far more than I.”

"Doctor may I ask what lead you to medicine?" The one thing about Zai was he always wanted to figure people out. It was a habit.

“It kind of runs in the family,” she confided. “I enjoyed the sciences, I saw the difference my dad made caring for people in our community and maybe a part of it was giving back. In my head it is the only career I ever really considered. What about you? Did you always want to be an engineer?”

And there was the question that he'd always dreaded. A wave or apprehension rolled through him. He could feel his palms sweating. How to respond without responding? "No. I was born into a family where...I was expected to pursue what my parents laid out for me. When I left Capella and came to Earth it was then I decided. On my first day of University I was beaten within an inch of my life and Lee Fang saved me. I decided to study engineering so that I can repay my debt." All true with important elements left out. Zai knew that one had to be as truthful as possible but not all needed to be revealed. "But my family, my tribe for that matter, we were all healers empathically and using herbs. We were known for that...that is why it was so easy to attack us."

Chloe recognized an evasive answer when she heard it, yet she had no intention of prying. “I’m sorry that happened to you,” she told him with a frown, unable to imagine why anyone would ever do such a thing. Yet she had seen first hand that such things did happen, and how serious the consequences could be. She opted to change tact. “If engineering is more of a way to repay a debt, where does your interest lie? In medicine, or something completely different?”

He shrugged. "I honestly do not know. Throughout my life I have worked and trained as a healer on Capella, I have had to become a warrior during the war and working with the Engineering Warrior's battalion during the Klingon war, I have had use diplomacy, leadership...I am good at Engineering and building things...I have varied interests I guess. For the moment I am content where I am. We shall see what the future brings." He looked around. "We haven't gotten a meal yet. If you ladies will tell me what you like I shall go and bring it for us."

“A chicken salad would be perfect, thank you,” Chloe decided.

“I’ll have the same, thank you” Lanna smiled warmly.

Zai gave a nod. "Then I shall return shortly." He stood gave a bow and headed to pick up lunch

“I’ve met your father once so far” Lanna smiled at Chloe, “he’s definitely a man whose...set in his ways.” She gave a wry grin.

“You have?” Chloe replied, surprised. “When did you meet him?”

Lanna nodded. “I needed my medical so I met him when I checked in, he’s definitely not backward in coming forward with his opinion is he?” She smiled at Chloe.

Chloe frowned for a moment, confused until she connected the dots. “You mean Doctor McDonald I’m guessing?” she ventured. “That is probably an understatement. But he isn’t my dad… unless he has seriously been keeping secrets.”

Lanna shook her head. “What on Earth made me think he’s your father!? You don’t even have the same surname!” She sighed. “I swear I must have had a mad moment.”

“Don’t worry about it. I think a lot of people assume I can work with him because of some kind of family tie, and while we think of each other as the next best thing, we aren’t related.”


Across the room Zai picked up a tray and loaded it with food and drink not skimping on the sweets for after the meal. He gracefully carried it dodging people with a practiced grace. He smiled as he came back and dished out food like a waiter in a restaurant. He noted them looked. "Lee Fang and I worked as waiters during the Academy. It was an interesting job. I met lots of people. Torture for Lee Fang, he's more introverted." He placed the tray with desserts in the middle. "This feast is for after the meal."

“A restaurant is tame, try bartending in a Dublin pub,” Chloe countered with a grin, “then we’ll talk.”

"Ohh you can mix drinks! Now there is something we have in common." Zai leaned in. "I make a mean Engineer's Hooch....but don't tell Ito or Lee Fang. Stop by engineering I'll save you a bottle."

Lanna couldn’t help but grin. “It seems you are an expert in finding people with whom you have something in common Zai, I’ll admit it is nice to have someone who appreciates the fact that I’m empathic. As a Counsellor it tends to put patients on their guard.”

"He smiled genuinely. As I recall I was quite on guard when I first met you." He took a sip of his water. "It is...a different feeling to meet people you have things in common with but from a different background. That is the part I like the most about Starfleet. Your class, cast, tribe doesn't matter. You are all in this together. Many planets, including my own, could learn much from Starfleet."

Lanna nodded in agreement as she picked up a small stick of celery and nibbled it. “Hmm...we’re all part of one big family you might say.”

He laughed. "I guess that Starfleet counts."

Lee Fang entered the mess to grab a coffee. A familiar laugh drew his eyes. He finished pouring his coffee and looked around, his eyes landing on a laughing Zai. He smiled when he saw Doctor O’Connor and the Counselor. Zai was coming out of his comfort zone and making friends. While Fang himself was not the best at this he was happy to see Zai smiling.

Fang added some milk to his coffee and headed over to say hello. It didn’t take long weaving through the full mess. “Hello Doctor, Counselor.”

It was Zai who turned around first and Fang stopped for a moment, eyes widening at the genuine joy on Zai’s face, something he hadn’t seen in a long time. Zai was having fun. He felt an odd burning behind his eyes but resisted the urge to rub them.

“Lee Fang! Have you come to join us?”


To Be Continued...

 

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