|
Post by Imperium Administrator on Aug 31, 2009 6:06:04 GMT -6
Crew Quarters
A place where simmers can Simm freely with regards too; treating character flaws, meetings, appointments, chance run ins, etc....
(Note: These posts are 'out of sync' with the timeline of the Main Story. Thus, if in the Main Story the Starship is being boarded or under attack, on these boards it's just a normal day. Remember - the Cold Harbor is a living ship, so many things can occur at once; please Simm freely!) [/size][/center]
|
|
|
Post by 'Chief' Bob on Aug 31, 2009 6:11:00 GMT -6
Bob hummed happily to himself as he diced some bell peppers on a wooden cutting board next to his cooking fire. He wanted his gumbo to be visually pleasing, so he cut up a little of a red, green, and yellow bell pepper, to make it colorful. “Hmmm, I’m missing something…” Bob wracked his brain trying to remember what he missed. He got the meats… Granted they weren’t as varied as he would have liked, he only had so much available in his quarters, and at the moment he only had shellfish and insects to choose from, he chose the legs of one of his large spiders (taste and texture like soft shell crab), shrimp, crawfish, and catfish. He got the all the spices… Trade secret, spicy, but not too spicy, just enough for a kick. “Onions! I can’t believe I almost forgot onions!!!” Bob jumped up from his comfy spot on the moss covered floor, almost dumping over his cut peppers, and hurried to his mini aeroponics bay, it was just enough for him to grow a few vegetables in, it had a lid on it to keep the light down in his room.
Satisfied that he now had all the ingredients that he needed he sat back on the floor chopping and humming happily. His prized 100% non-replicated gumbo was almost finished as he added the chopped vegetables, he let everything simmer while he went to feed his light bugs, they looked like an oversized firefly, with rear ends huge compared to the rest of their bodies. They were the only source of light in Bob’s quarters (besides his fire), they hung upside-down from the net on his ceiling, and as long as they were fed, they were very content to just hang there. Each light bug had a different hue, depending on its mood, casting a very odd multicolored glow over the room. For an engineer Bob’s quarters was just about as far as you could get from technology, it was like walking into a swamp, heat, humidity, vegetation, bugs (although they were caged, it still sounded like a swamp), only the fire and the light bugs for illumination, and the running water of his tank. Very rarely did he use the replicator, he always preferred food prepared fresh over flame so he had the fire suppression systems turned off (the perks of being the chief engineer).
Once he had his light bugs fed, he stirs his gumbo, and starts setting the table. Which he had to find first… He shoved everything in the ‘treasure chest’ that his students had given him. They said that no fish home should be without one. Bob grabbed his wooden dinnerware off its shelf and set the table (which was also his work desk, made from solid wood). “Ahhh, everything is ready.” Bob took two serving dishes and scooped the cooked wild rice into one and the gumbo into the other, and set them on the table. “She should be here any moment” He smiled, should he clean up more? Dust off his sisters’ art work? Sweep the floors? Bob chuckled, not much you could do to your floors when they were carpeted with peat and moss. Oh well, it had been a long time since he had anyone over for dinner, but he was sure she would be fine with whatever.
|
|
|
Post by Kael Giral'i on Sept 2, 2009 6:42:38 GMT -6
Kael, carried a small basket as she made her way along the corridor. She had never been the most outgoing person so making friends had always come with a little more difficulty for her. So being invited over to have dinner with Bob was something she had been looking forward to, as he was the crew member she felt closest to. It had not taken any arm twisting, that's for sure. She wasn't sure what to expect since his culture was so different from her own, so she had chosen to wear khakis and a button down blouse instead of going for her own more traditional garb. It would be easier to bridge a culture gap that way, at least to her way of thinking.
She finally located the correct door number and pressed the chime. Bob greeted her and she smiled, holding out the basket somewhat shyly, "I brought some rolls for dinner as well. I hope they go well with whatever you've fixed."
A few steps inside she realized this was quite different than any quarters she had yet seen. The temperature was wonderful, she tended to keep her own quarters fairly warm and humid as well. More like home. However, she had never spent much time in a swampy area, so the sounds and decor were intriguing to her. Looking up at the bug lights she asked, "How are they suspended up there, and how do you control the lighting?" They were certainly beautiful and created a very warm an inviting living space.
|
|
|
Post by 'Chief' Bob on Sept 4, 2009 1:20:50 GMT -6
Bob trotted over to the door when it chimed; he opened it to see Kael standing there, he smiled at her and deactivated the force field “Come on in”. She held out a basket somewhat shyly, "I brought some rolls for dinner as well. I hope they go well with whatever you've fixed." Bob smiled “That they will.” He watched nervously as she took in the décor of his room. “I like to keep everything as natural and non technological as possible, that way I can leave my work at the door and feel like I’m back home in the swamps on Earth.” Looking up at the bug lights she asked, "How are they suspended up there, and how do you control the lighting?" Bob chuckled, “They just kind of do their own thing, I tack a net across my ceiling, for storage of knickknacks and the like, and it also makes a wonderful perch for the lazy bugs. Their color depends on their mood, this is about as bright as they get, and they stay that way as long as their fed, otherwise they start to dim.” Bob walked and set the rolls down on the table, “What would you like to drink? I have several fresh squeezed juices and nectars; I also have a whisky from back home, very strong, otherwise anything from the replicator?” Once he got her a drink, he pulled out her seat, or stump rather “Please have a seat; I have made a Mississippi Gumbo over wild rice, all home grown and fresh. I hope you like it.” He served her a portion of her choosing and then scooped one for himself.
|
|
|
Post by Kael Giral'i on Sept 10, 2009 7:48:58 GMT -6
Kael smiled as Bob explained the light bugs to her. "They are absolutely lovely!" She walked further in the room, her eyes glued to the ceiling. She was lucky she didn't trip over anything.
“What would you like to drink? I have several fresh squeezed juices and nectars; I also have a whisky from back home, very strong, otherwise anything from the replicator?”
"Some fresh juice sounds wonderful," she took the glass from him and settled down on the stump he pulled out for her. The food smelled delicious as well and he portioned out some for her. She took a bite and couldn't help but murmur an approving, "Mmm."
"This tastes great, you are a really good cook! you know, I never spent much time in that part of Earth, but now I wish that I had. This is not exactly like my home, but the way you live here in your quarters, it reminds me of our ways." She smiled softly, "We chose to limit our everyday dependence upon technology. sometimes I really miss that mind set. But most of the time I am so used to the replicators and the turbo lifts and the transporters that I forget this is not the way I have always lived." With a light laugh she quipped, "I have become rather soft and spoiled I suppose."
|
|
|
Post by 'Chief' Bob on Sept 11, 2009 1:21:43 GMT -6
Kael smiled as Bob talked about the light bugs. "They are absolutely lovely!" Bob smiled wide “Thank you”
"Some fresh juice sounds wonderful," Bob nodded and walked over to his enclosed mini aeroponics bay, shut off the light before he opened the lid so he didn’t blind them, and retrieved a few clusters of sweet red grapes. He went over to his juicer and squeezed the juice into a clear stemmed glass; he added a hint of sparkling water for looks and handed it to her and smiled “Sparkling grape juice”
Bob waited for her to take the first bite, per his customs, if she didn’t like it he was required by law to cook something more to her liking. "Mmm. This tastes great, you are a really good cook! you know, I never spent much time in that part of Earth, but now I wish that I had. This is not exactly like my home, but the way you live here in your quarters, it reminds me of our ways." Bob swelled with pride “I’m glad you like it, and thank you, I love to cook, all Mur’gul males are required to do all the hunting and cooking, most resent that fact, but I look at it as edible art, a relaxing way of self expression and creativity. Next time we are around Earth I will have to take you to New Orleans, best Cajun around, I know this excellent restaurant Sisko's Creole Kitchen, everything is homemade.” Bob shivered at the tasty memories “So you lived in a swamp?”
She smiled softly, "We chose to limit our everyday dependence upon technology. sometimes I really miss that mind set. But most of the time I am so used to the replicators and the turbo lifts and the transporters that I forget this is not the way I have always lived." With a light laugh she quipped, "I have become rather soft and spoiled I suppose." Bob chuckled as his misinterpretation of ‘our ways’ “Ah ok, yeah technology has its advantages, but nowadays people become so dependent on them, those who have experience in ‘the basics’ like you and I, have the advantage in case for some reason technology gets taken away. Spoiled? Soft? Not at all, just taking advantage of the situation.” Bob smiled “It’s good to get back to get back to your roots, but I was exiled from my school when I was 6, so while this room is a wonderful representation of where I come from, it’s also a reminder that I can’t go back.” Bob took a few bites, savoring in the wonderful flavor as he did so he noticed a small tattoo on her right palm. “What’s the significance of the tattoo? If you don’t mind me asking.”
|
|
|
Post by Kael Giral'i on Sept 21, 2009 7:21:23 GMT -6
“It’s good to get back to get back to your roots, but I was exiled from my school when I was 6, so while this room is a wonderful representation of where I come from, it’s also a reminder that I can’t go back.”
Kael eyed him thoughtfully, "If it is not too presumptuous of me to ask, why were you exiled?" She thought that perhaps the reason she felt so comfortable with Bob was the similarities she did not even know were there. Kael knew all too well what it was like to never be able to go home again.
Bob took a few bites, savoring in the wonderful flavor as he did so he noticed a small tattoo on her right palm. “What’s the significance of the tattoo? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Glancing down at her palm she gave a small shrug, "Every Lo'Ami receives one at birth, it's a consecration mark. The shape tells what caste I was born into and the color tells to which deity I was consecrated. You also receive an etao, or real name at the same time."
|
|
|
Post by 'Chief' Bob on Sept 24, 2009 23:11:27 GMT -6
Kael eyed him, "If it is not too presumptuous of me to ask, why were you exiled?" Bob smiled “Well because I decided to join Starfleet.” He took a bite and went on “In my culture the adult males are responsible for taking care of the family, hunting, cooking, building, fixing, teaching, and anything else the matriarchs ask of us. Young males are suppose to go out and get educated and bring knowledge back to the society and share it, when my father prematurely died, I was the only male left in the family and it was my responsibility to take care of their needs. Well I decided to join Starfleet instead. I’ve always believed that I could contribute more in the long run by doing so. Well my mother was shamed, and shaming a female, especially the high one, is illegal, so I was banished and denied the right to bare offspring, she didn’t want me to pollute the gene pool with my radical ideals.” Bob chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, he had respected the high ones decision and was glad that he wasn’t executed.
Bob munched while he listened to Kael explain the tattoo, “So your social status depends on which family your born into? Not your gender?” The fact that males were the lesser sex had been drilled into Bob from the moment he’d hatched, the highest male was always below the lowest female. He had always had a hard time shedding that particular part of his upbringing, like it was written into his genetic code or something.
|
|
|
Post by Kael Giral'i on Nov 2, 2009 23:35:33 GMT -6
Kael listened as Bob explained why he was exiled from his school. It was so foreign to her. She had never dared to think beyond the Lo'Ami way before she was rescued by Starfleet. It had never crossed her mind that she might be more than a Mayim. "It is an admirable thing to follow through on your convictions even if it means losing the things most dear to you. I would never have had such courage."
“So your social status depends on which family your born into? Not your gender?”
She nodded, "Gender has no bearing on Lo'Ami society. Partners share decisions, and men and women have equal chances in any field of work within their caste. It seems rather cruel to me that you are not allowed offspring," she paused for a moment as she considered something, "But then it is extremely rare that bonding between two members of different castes takes place. And when it has happened, the offending higher caste member moves down into the lower caste of his or her partner. Such punishment tends to dissuade these romantic sentiments and helps to keep the standard as it has been for thousands of years. So I suppose my people have their own cruel punishments." She smiled a bit in a poor attempt at lightening the mood.
"Anyway, tell me what past times you enjoy?" She took a sip of her juice and listened to his response.
|
|
|
Post by 'Chief' Bob on Dec 8, 2009 3:21:57 GMT -6
"It is an admirable thing to follow through on your convictions even if it means losing the things most dear to you. I would never have had such courage."
Bob frowned a bit, “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit milady.”
"Gender has no bearing on Lo'Ami society. Partners share decisions, and men and women have equal chances in any field of work within their caste. It seems rather cruel to me that you are not allowed offspring," Bob shrugged, not disagreeing with her, just that he accepted his punishment and didn’t think much on it. "But then it is extremely rare that bonding between two members of different castes takes place. And when it has happened, the offending higher caste member moves down into the lower caste of his or her partner. Such punishment tends to dissuade these romantic sentiments and helps to keep the standard as it has been for thousands of years. So I suppose my people have their own cruel punishments." She smiled, and Bob returned the smile. “One day I’ll end up going back, I’d probably be executed, well if this job doesn’t kill me first” Bob chuckled “I want to prove that I’m of more value to my people with all that I’ve learned in Star Fleet, I want to change their minds about male learning and our value to society, lofty goals I know…” Bob rolled his eyes.
"Anyway, tell me what past times you enjoy?" Bob thought for a moment. “I enjoy cooking and gardening, but mostly I love to tinker. I used to be very good at writing programs and building gizmos for Star Fleet intelligence, and enjoyed contributing in that manner. But ever since I ticked off an Admiral and was ‘demoted’ I was not allowed to do such work anymore, so now my tinkering talents go towards more mischievous ends. Said Admiral has a virus in his comm. badge one that automatically downloads into a new badge if he replicates one. It chirps as if someone is calling him every time he walks through a doorway. Quite ingenious if I do say so myself, last I heard, he’s still having problems with it. I also have been working on a gizmo that makes any standard issue captain style chair have an audible squeak every 5 minutes on the nose.” Bob rubbed his hands together and grinned roguishly. “How about yourself?”
|
|