The Outside Looking In

Posted on Mon May 4th, 2020 @ 7:44pm by Lieutenant Farizah Alani & Lieutenant Valenna

Mission: Around The World in 8 Days
Location: Earth - Streets outside of the Grumpy Goat
Timeline: Shore leave

Lieutenant Alani had departed from The Grumpy Goat before the majority of her shipmates, choosing to wait outside of the establishment and spinning her web. She read some information on her PaDD as she waited for the opportunity. People exited the drinking establishment thinking nothing of her. Most too tipsy or too damn jovial to notice her. Others just nodding as they passed by. Her blue skin stood out in the moonlight.

When the silvery gray haired Klingon exited the bar, Farizah made a quick move. Following the woman for a few feet, shadowing her. She's a Klingon the Security Chief reminded herself. Though the woman had taken no action, no deviation to indicate otherwise, Farizah suspected that she knew she was being followed. "I know you know that I am following you, Klingon" the Bolian said aloud. She stopped and the Klingon appeared to do the same a few feet ahead of her.

Valenna had walked out of the Grumpy Goat. She had had a nice time enjoying a glass of bloodwine and getting to see some of the new crew she would be working with. One thing she would definitely enjoy was being able to serve with people a little bit older than young adults. As she was walking out and heading to her quarters, she felt someone walking behind her. It could have been her paranoia, but Klingon's are never paranoid. She paused and turned around. "Can I help you..." looking at her rank insignia, "lieutenant?"

Farizah had gotten a decent look at the Klingon from at the Angry Goat. That gray hair was not cosmetic. It wasn't some fad. It was natural and came with age and experience. "I just want to talk. I am unarmed" she said with a small chuckle. "If you don't mind me keeping you from returning to the retirement home" teased Farizah. "Or did you miss the barge of the dead?" added Farizah.

Valenna was honestly confused. She had hoped the officer was unarmed, but the very fact that she needed to inform Valenna was peculiar. She frowned at the Bolian officer and crossed her arms. She certainly didn't like the comment about her age, but she had nothing to be embarrassed about when people discussed her age. Sure, she was fairly old, but she had dedicated her entire life to science and honor, more than what some people could say. "I'm free to talk, lieutenant...as long as you behave yourself."

"I'm pretty tame on the first encounter" she replied to the Klingon with a smirk sweeping upward at the corner of her mouth. "Three dates in and it starts to intensify, but that is a whole other story for another time and place. I don't think your old heart could handle it" the Bolian added.

Valenna rolled her eyes.

She gestured towards an alleyway off the main route as there were some pedestrians around, and possibly some of the Astraea's crew. "Not here" she added swiftly. "Too many people" Farizah explained briefly.

Valenna was a tad bit annoyed. "And what is so secretive, lieutenant, that you can't say it out here?"

Farizah glared at the Klingon. She lead them further away from the pedestrians and down the alleyway, at least until she felt as though they were far enough away from people. "Do not trust the crew" she said in a firm tone of voice. "Yes...yes...yes, I know. I sound paranoid and how unjovial of me as a Bolian, but they cannot be trusted right now" she added. "I am Lieutenant Farizah Alani, USS Asraea's Security Chief," the Bolian said finally introducing herself.

Valenna stared at the young officer for a while before replying back. She didn't know what to think about this current situation--the ship's chief of security pulling her aside and then telling her not to trust anyone. Something like this had never been something she would have thought to happen on the first day back into the Fleet. She wondered if she should even trust this person. "Well, for one, it's nice to meet you Lt. Alani. I'm Valenna, chief science officer." She tossed her gray hair and frowned. "Now that introductions are out of the way, would you mind explaining this--this chatlh? Why should I not trust my own crew?"

Lieutenant Alani scoffed and used a Klingon idiom directed at the woman "Foolish is thy warrior who drinks first from the blood wine served to the masses" which hinted that one should always anticipate poison and allow some other fool to consume it first. The Bolian did not need a universal translator. She knew enough the Klingon tongue to get by.

"Doq bIQtIq!" replied the Security Chief. The river has reddened. It was ancient Klingon expression, meaning something was either afoot or that a monumental occasion occurred, but this was no time for the consumption of war nog nor wine made from bleeding foes. "I come to you as a sister. Though we do not share cloth, womb, nor bosom; I know species more reputable for their honor. A cowardly P'takh serves among the crew."

The gravity of what Farizah said was astounding to Valenna. Something like this had never happened in her Starfleet career. She sighed, processing all of the information that the Bolian security chief was bestowing upon her, including the Klingon idiom which Velanna was all too well familiar with. She had to admit, she was fairly impressed with her use of Klingon tongue without the universal translator, but even with that--this was still a lot of information to process.

Even with this being out of character of normal parameters that she was familiar with, she felt the concern that Farizah had, and her use of Klingon expressions made Valenna realize even more how serious she was. Her face was solid as she stared at the blue-skinned woman. Valenna's first thought was how could something like this happen? Definitely not unheard of, but Valenna never expected it to happen to her.

"I hear you," Valenna said slowly, "and I take your warning with caution. Thank you for informing lieutenant, but this sounds like something you might want to bring up to the captain if you haven't already."

The Bolian sighed "If only it were that simple, Valenna" replied Farizah. "I trust the Captain; however, only because I had been working on her behalf. Outside of that, I trust not a single soul aboard. Someone tampered with a device that was crucial to a special assignment personally bestowed upon me by the Captain herself. I failed her, and now I must get to the bottom of who is responsible" explained Farizah.

"Where were you heading? We can find a public transporter and go there to discuss this further" Farizah presented. "Because you are new and have yet to be aboard, you are clean. I cannot uncover nor unravel this alone, but the Captain knows of my independent investigation, the better for us all."

Valenna nodded, hearing the reasoning behind some of the actions and precautions Farizah had taken. They all sounded pretty reasonable to her. Because she was new aboard the Astraea, she couldn't have been the person to have tampered with whatever device Farizah was speaking about. "I was heading to my quarters to retire for the evening, but perhaps we could have a drink alone in my room." She raised an eyebrow. "Follow me." As she led the security chief to her quarters, she said: "So Farizah, why Starfleet security?"

Agreeing to follow the woman, Farizah felt it prudent to continue to engage in the idle chatter. Trust would need to be forged quickly between the two; however, she was begining to feel that this Klingon considered her believable. "I majored in Psychology and minored in Peace and Conflict Resolution, the softer yet more cerebral route through the Security program at Starfleet Academy" remarked Farizah.

Valenna nodded as they walked. She did wonder how the other security officer worked with someone who had majored in psychology rather than the usual security. Valenna had to admit that it would make her an effective investigator. "Interesting career choice. Most psychology majors go into counseling. A Bolian counselor might be quite enjoyable for some officers."

"Counseling was certainly on the table, but if it hasn't been made clear to you, I'm not your stereotypical jolly blue Bolian" she noted swiftly. "Security allows me to use my Psychology background while not having to listen to everyone's problems, yet it permits me opportunities to make a difference" she explained.

"I guess we'll just have to see how well your psychology background actually helps as security chief," Valenna said flatly.

She looked at the woman and prodded her with a audible mmm sound and a raising of a brow. "You have a tongue woman" quipped Farizah. "Let's hear it. Why the hell did you go with Science? I'll let the Starfleet go for another time. That feels complicated."

Valenna smirked. "Klingon scientist--you don't hear about those everyday. Kurak was a warp field specialist and B'elanna Torres was an engineer. As racist as it might be to assume that every Klingon wants to die as a soldier, it's actually not true. I was a curious Klingon girl who wanted to do more than slice open a body with a Bat'leth. I found science to be that avenue. I felt the best way to honor Kahless was to become a gifted scientist. Unfortunately, being a scientist in the Klingon Empire is not regarded very well." She smiled and turned towards Farizah. "But you already knew that.

"That's what brought you into service of the Federation" replied Farizah. It was a loose question more than anything. "Where are you staying while the ship is on shore leave here?" added the Bolian. "I'm not a blood wine sort of woman. So, I hope you have something else."

Valenna gave a fairly hearty chuckle. "I'm staying in my guest quarters, which used to be where I actually lived when I was working at Starfleet Academy." She gave Farizah a pat on the back. "You can't speak the language of Klingons and not have Klingon drink--but I guess a Klingon martini might do you better." She paused. "Will that be alright with you?"

Farizah continued walking with the woman, holding back a laugh at the bit about not drinking Klingon drinks. "Raktajino is about as Klingon as I go with food or beverage, but I would partake in the Klingon tea ceremony with you once we get to know one another better" commented the Bolian. "I know enough of the language to get around. I haven't had a Klingon martini before, but I'm open to a new experience."