Varik & Arin

Posted on Mon May 24th, 2021 @ 1:39am by Warrant Officer Arin Merkara & Lieutenant JG Varik

2,987 words; about a 15 minute read

It hadn't taken too long for Varik to settle into her new quarters on the USS Ontario. A lot of people in the Federation were fairly light on possessions at the end of the 24th century, even more so in Starfleet given the possibility of being moved around and reassigned. This made logical sense to Varik, she had only brought a couple of bags from her old ship, a few traditional Vulcan dresses which had plenty of wear left in them, small personal items largely revolving around keeping her hair looking neat and revolving around meditation such as candle holders and lamps and a collection of personal Holos. Dotted about her quarters were a holo of Varik with her mother and another with her father on Vulcan, another of a few of the USS Hutton crew with whom she had served since leaving the Academy and one of a younger Varik as a cadet with another human cadet beside her. It was from this cadet she had acquired an interest in Ficus Elastica 'Tineke', known colloquially on Earth as a rubber plant. She found the giant, patterned leaves soothing and inspirational and so, having donated her last to Hydroponics on the Hutton due to its large size and not having space to replicate one in her quarters Varik headed to one of the larger replicators dotted around the ship.

"Just a few moments ma'am," a Crewman explained as she arrived, "we're replicating a few parts. Won't be long." Varik nodded and waited her turn.

Walking into the replication center on the ship, Arin joined the queue. She was behind a shorter woman, at least she thought so, since they hadn't met yet. A wave of nostalgia came over her and she spoke to the person in front of her. "Your hair looks very luxurious. Reminds me of the last time I saw my daughter. I used to love to braid it."

Varik turned immediately and looked up at the taller woman she discovered had stealthily joined the queue behind her. Her routine perusal of all crew medical records meant she knew exactly who she was looking at, although they had not met in person, half-orions were relatively rare and as such somewhat more memorable. Arin Merkara was certainly striking in person, especially her Amber eyes. The subject of the complement -Varik's hair- was today in a half ponytail which rested on her shoulders and the top few inches of her back and caught the lights of the replication centre with brilliance and lustre, splitting out shades of dark chocolate that melted into each other as the Vulcan moved.

"Thank you," she acknowledged the complement gracefully. "My mother used to braid mine, and taught me to do it to myself as a method of learning dexterity. It was a... bonding... experience. I imagine your daughter may have appreciated it as I did?"

Arin chuckled as she said. "She was fussy at first, but it wasn't long before she was showing me more complex ones. Eventually as you say she was coming to be and it became a bonding experience. I even taught her to do several versions on me so that she could manage on her own." She paused looking around. "You'd think there would be more than two replication stations on a ship. I miss my roses. I thought a nice hydroponic growth chamber would brighten up the place and freshen the air. Feel free to not answer but what are you hear for. I cannot remember where, but you look familiar. Have we met?"

"Manage on her own", "the last time I saw my daughter"... These phrases suggested the warrant officer hadn't seen her daughter in quite a while. As was often the case with personal questions Varik was unsure whether to to ask or whether to stay quiet on the subject. She chose the latter in the short-term at least, letting Arin take the lead on that front.

"We are here on similar purpose, I have come to replicate a plant for my quarters. My roommate at Starfleet Academy had a Ficus Elastica which I have always found fascinating and had an example of in my quarters ever since," Varik told her queue-mate as they waited. "I understand the ship is of an older design and has recently taken on on quite a few new crew members simultaneously. Perhaps these factors lead to replicator queues in the short-term?" She added. "But I do not believe we have met. As a Xenobiologist I would remember someone as unique as you. You may have seen me around sick bay. I am Doctor Varik."

"A pleasure." She bowed slightly knowing Vulcans don't usually prefer shaking hands. "As unique as I am." She smirked and laughed a bit. "That's downright flirtatious for someone from your species." She let that though stew in the other woman before adding, "I'm teasing. I have an outgoing nature. I will have to look up that plant. The project is for some of the rose cuttings I have in stasis."

Varik quirked a pointy Vulcan eyebrow at being called flirtatious.

"You will see the plant as soon as I have the opportunity of replicating one." Varik was looking forward to having the Ficus back in her quarters. She had missed it. "I take it from your gold uniform you are not a Botanist. Are Roses a hobby?" She asked.

"Aye. Arin Merkara." She said realizing she hadn't introducing herself. My dad taught me how to garden. I'm not big on toiling in the dirt. Switching to the hydroponics makes it easy to set up especially inside a starship. After that it's just upkeep. Let's go back to the unique part." Arin said, batting her eyes at Varik. "Unique as a study I assume. The alluring, inscrutable Orion women. We could always paint you green and see who notices. Could be an interesting experiment. Make me a more normal skin color and we can make it double blind." Arin smiled, indicating she was kidding. How much the very young Vulcan would pick up is another question.

"Speaking purely as a xenobiologist there are common genetic pairings and uncommon genetic pairings," Varik returned, extremely matter-of-fact. "Purely from a scientific standpoint your physiology is rare and as such more worth the study, even if for no other reason than to be a more effective physician should you come to harm during your time on the Ontario. As for social experiments, I am noticed enough already without adding green skin, however if there were socialogical benefits to be recorded for some research I would be willing to partake."

Arin wanted to reach out in sympathy but stopped herself as a broad smile went across her face. Her Gaelic accent getting a bit thicker than normal. "Darlin' I was teasing. I tend to do that as I find it more interesting. Though it seems my efforts have gone to naught." She pondered for a moment. "If you want to study me, I am willin' to submit. Though I am reserving the right to say when the pokin' and proddin' ceases." She added, "I have a suspicion that we're going to be friends. Do Vulcans have friends or only colleagues?" She asked honestly.

"Teasing a Vulcan rarely elicits the desired response unless the desired response is an extremely literal and unemotional reaction", Varik retorted in an extremely Vulcan way. "My roommate at Starfleet Academy found that out quickly, but it was not to the detriment of our relationship. We are still in touch and remain good friends. So, your suspicions could turn out to be true. I would relish the opportunity to run a few scans and tests if you think you can bear the invasion," Varik confirmed with whatever equated to excitement in Vulcan terms, fervent interest perhaps.

Arin nodded in acceptance. "I can manage a few scans. Though can I ask you a mildly personal question? You look awfully young to be in Starfleet AND have a full doctorate. That's incredibly driven or you have beauty secrets because you look barely old enough to drink legally. Any bouncer in the sector would ask to scan your chit."

"I am young for a Vulcan serving in Starfleet," Varik confirmed. Even if other people's opinions about her were largely irrelevant she recognised the compliment and the gesture behind it. "I identified at a young age the direction in which I wished my studies to progress and I was able to apply myself largely to achieving my goal of becoming a Starfleet doctor with little distraction. My mother is a successful Starfleet officer, an Admiral in fact and I was raised from birth on a Starfleet vessel. Both my parents encouraged me in my chosen field. These are circumstances conducive to achieving goals based around the Fleet in a remarkably short amount of time I think you would agree? I also have it on good authority from having been told as much constantly during my time at Starfleet Medical Academy that I appear younger to most than I actually am. Having had the opportunity to study the phenomenon I have concluded this comes from a combination of genetics and the predisposition of species that do not live as long as Vulcans to judge the age of another based on their own species' appearance of aging. Their perception is not aided perhaps by Vulcan's tendency to appear largely the same from around the age of forty until well into their second century. This I think is why guessing our age is such a popular activity, especially given such guesses tend to be wildly inaccurate."

"I don't know about wildly. If you looked any younger, you could pass for my daughter. " Arin commented. "But you're correct, accomplishment matters more than any chronological data at this point." She paused. "Perhaps that your longevity makes you more focused? That fact that you get more time in life could explain quite a bit. There are more aspects but also that you've have more time to sort things out in your own culture tends to make you seem more mature and centered. For example, for much of human history, by the time you reached 20, you were already very close to middle age. The rush to complete things, have kids, a career, education, all tends to jumble together."

"An astute observation. While I have no empirical data to back your statement it does sound logical," Varik agreed. "It is true that Vulcans often have a few careers or callings during our lives. Some have even left Starfleet and come back a few decades later."

Varik paused for a moment.

"How old is your daughter?" She asked.

Arin was always will to talk about her daughter Lisa. She held the locket on a thin gold chain around her neck. Pressing a nearly hidden button, a holographic image came out of the locket. Lisa had long brown hair, lighter than her mothers, Michael's eyes but it was easy to see she had Arin's bright smile.

"She's twelve now. Ten in this picture. My idiot ex-husband sued for sole custody and it took years to work out a solution. It's control issue for him. Maybe I should replicated a short sword while I am at it. At least I could stab a holographic version of him without legal issues." Arin paused. "I think he's getting a bit of the flip side now though. Lisa is approaching puberty. I don't how Vulcans deal with it, but human girls tend to get very moody and get cravings mostly chocolate. I usually wanted salty things."

"Speaking as a Xenobiologist it is a very common occurrence that species undergoing the process of becoming sexually mature become erratic in mood as a side effect. Endocrinologically speaking it is almost an inevitability. Of course the exact response and the forms it takes is as varied as the different species that make up the Federation but in my experience it is a lot more common than not." Varik chose not to answer the question about Vulcans directly, her people were often cagey about anything relating to mating or sexual maturity.

"I do not have the data to comment specifically on the case of your daughter however logic dictates an advantage lies with a parent who has been through a similar experience."

Arin started to feel like she was back in the lecture hall at college. "I think I'm going to need a quadruple latte with an ibuprofen foam on top to get through today." She said to no one in particular. Turning back to Varik, she teased, "Does your brain ever get tired?"

"Yes," Varik replied, naturally showing no emotional response to the teasing whatsoever.

Arin's face went limp and deadpan. It's okay if you don't like me. Not everyone has good taste."

Varik recognised the teasing as all Vulcans did, such a common occurrence as it was. Her face remained passive while she squashed out a tiny flame of emotion in her chest. In her opinion being made fun of for being unemotional was unjust, after all it was everyone who benefited from it. An uncontrolled Vulcan was strong enough to do a lot of damage.

"I do not believe I offered an opinion either way on the subject," she responded mechanically, "if anything was implied by what I said that was not my intention."

Arin threw up her hands. "I surrender." Her shoulders slumped. "it's just that I have had a horrible day. I've only been on the Ontario a short time, and you are one of the first people that my brain perceives could be sympathetic to mine." She waves her arms a bit erratic. "Don't analyze it. Lord knows I've spent enough time trying to untangle my own self. I need someone onboard to be friends with and for better or worse, I've picked you. Yes, it's human, well half human." She said with half a chuckle.

Arin's expression changed. "I think I figured it out. Most people have a tendency to judge but Vulcans only do it on empirical evidence not speculation. That way I am free to be who I am. Though, I seem a bit.....bizarre for lack of a more accurate term....I will become more normal." She blew out a huff and clasped her hands behind her. "Please be my friend. I'll let ya scan me all you want. Now might be a good time." She smiled again.

There was an unnatural sort of pause, in which Varik regarded Arin in a strange unflinching manner. The gaze of her dark eyes never wavered aside from a blink or two.

"If we are to be friends," she said after taking adequate time to consider her response, "it would be under the condition that you do not become more normal and in fact present the unaltered truth of who you are. Similarly, while you will not receive any judgement from me, you will also not receive an emotional response to anything as that is not the truth of who I am. If that is acceptable, I would be glad of a friend. I have come from a ship on which I had some good friends and my family around me. I relish the opportunity Ontario gives me to strike out on my own but it is done with the discomfort of not having around me those who in the past have given me comfort and support."

Arin's mouth dropped. She's knew enough Vulcans to know that Varik was nearly showing emotion. Subtle but there is one paid attention. Realizing that her jaw was down, she closed it and moved into a wide smile. "Humans tease one another for a variety or reasons. Sometimes at their expense. Sometimes it's meant to be hurtful. Most of the time for me, it's because I like someone. Trust me growing up with green skin in Ireland gives one the ultimate lesson in teasing."

She added, "Don't worry about me being 'normal' whatever that means. Being a half Orion female Engineer in Starfleet, a Warrant Officer no less, normal isn't really how I do things."

"Noted." Varik turned as her pointed ears picked up footsteps approaching from behind.

"We're done, ma'am," the crewman told her. Varik acknowledged this with a nod and went to the controls to replicate her ficus.

"I believe the appropriate step now would be to meet for a drink. Do you concur?" She asked as she entered some parameters.

Arin's smile stayed in place. "I like the way you think and completely agree. After this, I will meet you in the lounge, I need to pick up some ingredients. Unless you have an alternate location?"

"I can think of no more appropriate location," replied Varik as she bent down to place a firm grip on the pot holding the plant that had just shimmered into being. "Ficus elastica.." Varik gave Arin a few moments to admire the intricate pattern of the leaves before she moved out. "I shall see you in the lounge," she said as she made to leave.

"Love the broad rubbery leaves on that Ficus elastica" She offered to Varik making sure to get the name right then added "Grand! Let me get my planter pods in my quarters and I will be there presently. I think this could be enjoyable for both of us." Arin said. She saw Varik exit the room and turned her attention to the replicator, she set it to replicate two hydrophonic chambers. Grabbing a nearby antigrav lifter pad she set both on top and went back to her quarters. Once the there, Arin raided the liquor cabinet for a bottle of Irish whiskey that had aged in wine caskets to give them a spiced taste and a bottle of hard cider. The rest she could get at the lounge.

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