Porcelain Rose - Family Heirloom

Posted on Sun Aug 15th, 2021 @ 11:21am by Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D & Lieutenant Haruna Mizuhara & Lieutenant Amanda Rose

1,435 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Out of Time
Location: USS Ontario | Deck 07 | Botanical Laboratory
Timeline: After - "The Jig is Up" | Before "Stumble, not a Setback"

Lieutenant Percival Bálor had spent the past few hours typing up the botanical lab, pruning and plotting. He wanted to make the lab presentable and adjusted the lighting several times over. He had gone to lengths that he would not dare go to for even his closest of friends, but Amanda Rose was no friend of Percy's. She had been from the moment he had set foot on the Ontario, his sworn enemy.

Now, he was preparing his lab for her arrival. At least he was hoping she would come. He had entered her web a few times. It would only be polite to venture into his jungle. Percy had used industrial replicators to replicate a small round Cafe table and two chairs, set up in the middle of the lab like the balcony of a Venetian cafe. He had even gone to his quarters and retrieved his grandmother's tea set, 'the good china' as she called it.

The half-Tellarite took a deep breath, leaned against a console and tapped him comm badge. Here it goes he thought. "Bálor to Rose. Counsellor, I know you're off duty right now, but will you meet me in the botanical laboratory on deck seven?"

Amanda had buried herself in her work today. Part of that was to get over the slight stomach ache that she had from all of the ice cream, alcohol, and junk food that she had consumed with Siren the previous night. The other part of that was so that she would not have time to think about Yiv or Percy. Unfortunately, the Tellarite would not let her rest. What was it that Siren had said? Cry it out yesterday and today put on your big girl pants and be over it?

Percy was a problem. And, as the ship's counselor, she had to solve the problem and put him on a better path. It was her professional obligation. Nonetheless, hearing his voice so soon was a bit jarring. What in the world could he want now? Was it not enough that he put a wedge between her and Yiv? That he might have stolen him from her? She shook her head, steeled herself and called back, =^= Is there a particular reason that you require my presence? =^=

"Good God woman, can you get anymore insecure," he replied and took a deep breath. Behave yourself. "Sorry, I meant please. Please come see me because I would like very much to speak with you, but I want to do it face to face." The hell. I should just shake a pint of ice cream.

=^=Dr. Balor,=^= Amanda started, growing annoyed at the half-Tellarite's analysis. =^= If you are so desirous of speaking with me, you can come to me. I had other plans for the evening. =^=

"Oh?" Percy replied. "What's the feature film tonight? Sleepless in Seattle?" He rolled his eyes. "Counsellor Rose, I am trying to be pleasant. I suck at it especially when I'm dealing with a Fek'lhr, but please come to my botanical laboratory. I just made tea and it's going to get cold...or would you rather I just invite Yiv here with me alone?"

Siren told him about last night? Why?! =^= My plans are no concern of yours. Whatever you're planning on doing with whomever is not my business after hours. =^= Is he really having Yiv over? Why would he do that to me? Flaunting it? He's really a horrible person.

"Right...they aren't my concern, but you are," he replied. "Counsellor, we have to sit down like civilized mature adults and have a conversation. Communication is key in any relationship. Ours is a work related one, professional, and frankly this war has gone on long enough. I made us tea and I would like to actually make some progress with you."

=^= Dr. Balor, there is no war. There only is one in your mind. You see things that are not there. If you wish to arrange for a counseling session, we can explore these things. However, this is not my working hours. You can keep your work concerns to working hours. =^=

"Got it," he replied and sighed. "So basically, you are saying that you don't want to sit down and discuss our personal issues that are potentially problematic professionally to our ourselves and our colleagues aboard the Ontario," Percy summarized. "Delightful. I was hoping we could work on being friends, but I see that you aren't ready to attempt that yet."

=^= Dr. Balor, perhaps you should learn when things are appropriate and not. Counselor Rose out. =^= The Counselor cut the comms and headed towards wherever Siren might be.

Percy sighed and groaned. predictable he thought. He then walked over to the hatch in his lab that lead into a maintenance chute that was part of the Jefferies tube system. He knocked on the hatch knowing who was inside.

A simple two knocks came back before the hatch slowly opened to reveal Haruna, laid on her back staring out of the opening upside down.

"Did you get all of that?" he asked the Chief Engineer and gestured to the café table. "Tea?" he offered. "I think you and I have some things to discuss, Mizuharachan."

Haruna frowned slightly. "And she said I have issues..." she sighed simply. "Can you put sugar and milk in it? I like sugary milky tea Onii-Chan"

"Absolutely, I like a little sweet myself," replied Percy. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. She tends to find issues with everyone else as she runs away from her own. Are you a cream first kind of person?"

"Tea first always" Haruna replied. "Although, you're not doing it in a saucepan are you?" she asked referring to an old traditional Japanese method of making 'Western' style tea. Usually Green Tea's would be unsweetened and in small clay cups, but Haruna had a sweet tooth, how else was she supposed to fuel her crazy little noggin?

"Not quite," Percy replied. "I built a kettle and put a power source to it. I guess you could say that I made a 24th century electric kettle?" he added and shrugged. "I transferred the water into my grandmother's antique teapot. I have the whole chinaset."

"You built a kettle..." Haruna placed both hands on the edge of the hatch and quickly slid her way out. "Lemme see!"

Percy went around the lab and grabbed his Frankenstein kettle creation. "Okay, so it works but it isn't the prettiest thing. I'm open to letting you make improvements on it," he said to the Chief Engineer. "What kind of tea would you like? I have a whole bunch of leaves from different plants."

"Black tea. Two sugars, stirred in before adding the milk" Haruna said as she examined the kettle, pulling out a hyperspanner and began to prod and poke the device.

Percy tended to the table where he prepared he and Haruna's tea in his grandmother's porcelain rose patterned China teacups and sat them on the matching saucers. He couldn't help but think about Amanda. "She's kind of like porcelain, the counsellor," he said to Haruna.

Haruna stopped and looked over at Percy, her head cocking to one side. "Huh?"

He didn't press any further on the topic of Amanda. Instead he shifted to Haruna herself. "On the Constitution Class starship. Your behavior and tone shifted a bit. I'm sorry if I said something that hurt your feelings. I know I made a joke or two that was a bit...much" he gestured her over for tea.

"Oh?" Haruna asked. "I was in 'Haruna Mode' I think. It happens. I get super focused and my tunnel vision kicks in. It doesn't happen often" she said. "Sometimes I don't even realise its happening. How long was I like that?"

"A while...not sure, I was too busy being chewed out by the ice queen," he said referring to the First Officer. "I'm just glad it wasn't anything I said. I value your friendship, you're becoming like a sister to me."

On hearing those words Haruna froze. She has never had anyone say anything like that to her before. "I..." she stopped. "I've never had a friend or sibling before Onii-chan. People just don't seem to like me much." She paused for a second. "However, I value it also"

"Now you do," Percy replied. He enjoyed his tea and the company.
___________

Lieutenant Percival Bálor, Ph.D
Chief Science Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counsellor
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Haruna Mizuhara
Chief Engineer
USS Ontario

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