The Grand Tour

Posted on Wed Oct 14th, 2020 @ 5:16pm by Lieutenant JG Talia Flowers & Lieutenant JG Jennifer Bullock

1,467 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission 2 - Encounters of a First Kind
Location: Legacy
Timeline: 2168/07/27 1330

Talia nodded at the Captain and then at Lt. Bullock. Turning to Fornen she said, "Let's start at the beginning shall we?" As if she were Vanna White revealing a letter, she spun and swept a hand across the room they were in. "This, is the meeting room."

She chuckled and Fornen made a soft clicking in the back of his throat that turned quickly into a sound akin to an elephant-nosed walrus. Although it startled her, Talia hoped that it was a laugh rather than an issuance of some sort of challenge.

Turning to Jennifer, Talia said, "Lieutenant Bullock, please." Best let the Security Officer point her in the direction of places of interest open to non-crew members. She was just a Comms Bridge Officer.

Jenn nodded, "Of course, why don't we head to the mess hall then. Its a good place to socialize and enjoy a good meal. Shall we?"

Fornen smacked his lips together, his facial hair bristling a little as his whole face became animated. "Sounds perfect!" The perfect way to his heart had always been through one of his stomachs. Lifting two of his four arms, he offered them to each of the ladies. "Indeed, we shall."

Jenn politely declined instead standing at the door way to allow the other two to go, "Thank you but no." She quietly waited for the two to cross into the corridor before moving to lead them to the mess hall. There she started speaking once more, "Horizon is one of our most advanced ships despite a lack of luxuries. She serves us well and is very dependable."

Fornen easily shrugged off the polite but firm no. He folded his arms back in and listened attentively. “Lug. Shuries.” He looked to the speaker and apologized. “What are these lugs?”

Jenn stopped and looked to the man with an embarrassed smile, "Of course, sorry. We call any thing that is designed simply to be enjoyed and make you happy with out any other purpose a luxury. Don't you have any thing like that?"

“Ah.” Fornen nodded, visibly processing his answer. Their salvage ship was streamlined for... well... “Lug. Shuries. Not aboard our ship.” He smiled, trying to put this one at ease. “Some salvage is occupied, like this one,” he said, his face darkening slightly at the memory of past encounters. “Not all occupants are quite as understanding as you.” He blinked a little, as if to clear his mind. “So speed is more important than these lugs.”

He chuckled. “But others certainly have such things.” He nodded rapidly. “Their ships are... for other purposes.”

Talia’s eyebrows raised slightly, but she said nothing. She was only here in case some misunderstanding occurred. As was Lt. Bullock, to be sure.

"Well some of the ships in our fleet were built with a more multipurpose role design. They have the fire power of a warship, the scientific abilities of a research vessel and a few luxuries thrown in. Some of these are lounges, concert halls and a few others. I think Star Fleet is planing to try to include more in the next series of ships. Rumor is they are even considering adding a large arboretum", Jenn stated while leading the group to the mess hall. When the entered Jenn moved to the side allowing her guest to look around.

"So, this is the mess hall. Typically its used just for eating meals, but it does serve as a general socialization point, and some even chose to do work here. As you see, the port holes offer a nice and typically relaxing view of space", Bullock stated trying to be the best tour guide she could be while having absolutely no real experience.

Fornen looked out the port hole with some interest as he realized that the Mess Hall could probably be a perfectly comfortable docking station for their ship. “What kinds of things do you eat?” he asked. There wasn’t a great deal of variety aboard, but Kense and he did well enough between supply runs. However knowing what these aliens ate could help determine where the best markets might be for their needs.

"Most of our food is re-synthesized but it has been developed so some things can be made from the synthesizer just as from my home planet. Further more, some of the food we make does taste like home even if it doesn't look like home. Finally, our chef has some ingredients on hand. One of my favorite things to eat is the ships chocolate ice cream. Its not quite right in texture but it has the flavor down", Jenn answered as she took out a bowl and offered it to the man, "It is sweet, very sweet, so be mindful if that is something that may adversely affect you."

Fornen’s eyes widened as one of his arms reached out delicately to take the offered bowl. His fingertips felt the chill and he leaned forward, his nostrils flaring as they smelled the contents. “Chock. Lit.” He said the words very carefully as his tongue flicked out swiftly to taste it. His eyes widened further as a small sucking sound emptied the ice cream bowl. A blissfully tasteful error.

The joy in his eyes changed swiftly as if asking the ice cream mentally how it could betray his trust so completely. A sharp pain of chill started at the edge of his tongue and radiated outward. His eyes now watering, he still held the bowl in one hand as the other pressed against his forehead. “How amazing...” he whispered as though anything louder might shatter his head.

“A delicious tasting weapon of chock.lit. proportions.” Squeezing his eyes shut he felt the chill recede. “Ah.” Fornen chuckled. “You did warn me.”

"We call that 'brain freeze'", Jenn smirked as she replied, "it will pass in a moment or so. Its caused by the cold item causing your taste buds to open quickly or something like that."

“Brain freeze,” he repeated, placing one hand on his head. “At least you assume I have one,” he smiled. “Some people without a brain do an awful lot of talking.” He nodded gently, confident that the feeling had passed. “Are there any other places we can go?” His question was simply asked, with no inflection of an underlying agenda. After all, this was a tour, and chock lit or no chock lit. He knew there had to be more to see on this huge vessel.

"Of course, how about we visit the arboretum. It's a great place to see a small example of Earths plant life", Jenn suggested?

Plants. Hm. And Irth. “Excuse me,” Fornen smiled and opened his hands in a plea. “What is Irth?”

"Earth", Jenn explained as she began to lead the group through the corridors towards the arboretum, "is the name of my home planet."

“Irth,” Fornen repeated. “What is it like, this home of yours?”

"For one, the temperature is not like on this ship. Some places its hotter, some cooler", Jenn replied, "And a lot of it looks like what we have in the arboretum."

Fornen listened in some wonder. “If Irth is so diverse, why did you leave it?” His head cocked on one side in confusion.

"Some of us seek more. We have completely explored Earth. We know all there is to know of it so now we want to learn new things, explore new things and meet new people", Jenn said as she lead the group into the arboretum.

“Admirable,” Fornen interjected.

She moved to the side and slowly fanned her arm to draw attention to the plants and other items in the room. "This is the arboretum."

Fornen stood in the doorway, mouth open in a posture that implied shock. And awe.

“Green.” He finally took a deep breath in and inhaled the myriad of aromas, savouring them in his lungs, then swallowed them deeper into his air sacs. “I would have found it difficult to leave a place that was so...” Fornen searched for the word... “...complete.”

He smiled, folding one set of arms in front of him, the other relaxed at his sides. “So much.” His eyes widened.

“Show no one else.” Safety for their new allies. “Many would fight and die for such things.”

The group continued around unrestricted areas of the ship then returned to reunite with their colleagues.

"Well, what did you think", Jenn asked?

“Quite impressive,” Fornen replied. “Like you are carrying home with you as you travel.” Ideas... so many ideas...

“Thank you for showing me so much.” And avoiding the important and classified.

Talia took over. “Thanks so much for everything,” she nodded at Bullock with grateful appreciation. “I’ll make sure that our visitors get to their quarters.”

 

RSS Feed