Back To School Special

[poetwarrior]

Storm? What storm? The inside of the library is as cozy as ever, comfortably warm and dry. In one corner of the study area, two aliens have commandeered a low table and some kind of soft, squishy seat that looks much like a couch made out of a giant bean bag. The table is heaped in books and datapads of various academic flavors, and Chanath holds another one of the devices, scrolling slowly through an introduction to warp physics. Unlike her typical manner of dress, the Shontin is wearing a red synthetic outfit tailor-made for her body shape, the golden delta of Starfleet perched on her collar. Her quadrupedal symbiont is sprawled out next to her on his belly, his long tail loosely wrapped around her waist, and between his forepaws is a hardcover book on the subject of basic intergalactic diplomatic techniques. Unlike his host, he wears no uniform, but there is a red band around his neck made of the same material, with Starfleet's symbol on it.

Studying from printed text instead of learning through song and speech is tedious, however, and not at all what they are used to, so it does not take long for Faris' attention to wander, finding people-watching to be of greater interest.

"If given an opportunity to study a new subject, would you take it?" he asks, of those who seem interested in conversation. "What would you wish to learn?"

Comments

[seven_lifetimes]

There is another Starfleet individual in the library today. Jadzia Dax is gathering her own books. The Grand Library seemed like the best place to seek knowledge.

The sight of the Starfleet delta catches her attention.

Jadzia approaches. "Yes. I would take that opportunity."

"The knowledge would live on."

[poetwarrior]

The uniform this woman wears is unfamiliar, but the insignia has become well-known to them both over the past year, and both host and symbiont look up curiously as she approaches. She is not a cadet, or she would be wearing red, but the lack of training in Starfleet etiquette means that neither of them salutes her or gets to their feet.

Faris does bow his head politely in greeting, however. "Any knowledge, or does a particular subject hold your interest?"

[seven_lifetimes]

Fortunately, since most of her time on DS9 is dealing with civilians, other species, and her fair share of cadets... Jadzia is not worried about Starfleet etiquette being followed right now.

"While at the Academy, I earned Premier Distinctions in astrophysics, exoarchaeology, exobiology and zoology."

"And then I finally proved myself to become a joined Trill. And since then, so many more subjects and studies have struck my interest." Jadzia smiled.

[poetwarrior]

It is probably for the best. Faris still has not figured out how he is meant to salute, lacking the proper shape of paws or forehead for the human gesture. That will likely come with later classes, or what is more likely is that Starfleet will decide a quadruped cannot be reasonably expected to perform the same ritual gestures as a biped. Either way.

Faris' long ears perk up immediately at the mention of her species, and Chanath's attention is also caught, her eyes widening a little. "We have been told of the Trill," the Shontin says, putting down her datapad on her lap. "You are also a symbiotic species?"

[outpostcook]

Kinner is initially surprised by the sight of the large reptilian creature - he guesses the being must be from another universe, at the very least another planet, because there's nothing like either being on Earth. He's vaguely reminded of a dragon, in both size and general body shape. The lizardlike creature is large enough to startle him, though both of the aliens seem friendly. He's not hostile to aliens because of his bad experience with the Thing. That wouldn't be fair.

He recognizes the Starfleet symbol. Definitely an alien, then. Kinner sits down, smiling, and waves hello. He isn't a common library visitor, but any port in a storm, as the saying goes.

"Well," he says, "I'd like to play the guitar one of these days. Folks say I can't sing, and they aren't wrong, but I have a knack for fiddling. I'm thinking I could learn how to play with time and a good teacher. And I've got all the time in the world to learn here in the Nexus, so maybe I'll look around sometime."

[poetwarrior]

Chanath is fairly engrossed in her reading, and glances up briefly when Kinner speaks, enough to see that Faris is engaging him in conversation. She waves briefly with a four-fingered hand before returning her attention to her datapad, half-listening to the two of them.

Faris has heard of guitar, thanks to a friend who can play one, and his long ears perk up at the mention of the instrument. "The guitar is a fine instrument. I enjoy the sounds it makes, though I am afraid I cannot learn to play one myself. What is fiddling?"

[outpostcook]

"Oh - a fiddle is another word for a violin. You play it with a bow. If I had one on me, I'd demonstrate, but then again this is a library. Wouldn't be, uh, appropriate." Kinner chuckles. "Also thought about learnin' how to draw. Y'know, for fun. Want to have a few more things to do 'sides cooking."

Not that cooking's bad, of course, it's how Kinner earns his keep here. But he'd like to pick up a few hobbies in the Nexus to keep himself busy. "What kinds of instruments do they have where you're from? I'm kinda curious."

[poetwarrior]

"Ah, the violin," Faris says in satisfied recognition. "I have heard this instrument also, though I fear I have an even lesser chance of learning to play," he adds, humor curling into his tone.

As to the newcomer's question, the K'da's ears lower a fraction, towards their more neutral position. "My people do not use instruments; our songs are carried in our hearts and voice alone. Although some of my host's people are skilled in the use of the ghrem."

"It is most similar to the human instrument called drum," Chanath adds, looking up from her reading again. "I do not play one myself, though my sibling was quite talented in its use."

[hybriddino]

It's been a while since the Indoraptor has met Faris, and he spends some time in the library, both because it's a good hiding place from the storm and to test his intelligence by reading. He's currently scanning the shelves for something good to read. Unfortunately for him, he's afraid to take a book for fear of tearing it with his claws.

Hello! The dinosaur looks up to greet his friend, giving a friendly churr as he approaches. I'm interested in learning how to read books - they're a bit delicate for me, though. There are some I really want to read, though! Are you hiding from the winter, too? Who is your friend?

[poetwarrior]

"Hello my friend!" Faris recognizes the dinosaur at once, and his tail flicks against his host's hip, unintentionally getting her attention also. "This is my host, Chanath of the Shontine."

Chanath inclines her head politely, her gaze traveling over the Indoraptor without fear, and if her eyes linger a little on his claws, it is only because beneath the rugged exterior of her boots, her own feet are not too dissimilar. "It is good to meet you, friend of my friend."

"Have you chosen a name yet?" Faris asks, eager to complete the introduction with the proper name, if it exists.

[hybriddino]

Host? The Indoraptor hears the unfamiliar word and is curious about what it could mean. He gives a friendly churr. Are you two part of the same pack? Or are you family?

He has the intelligence of a human, but the social instincts of a raptor, thinking in terms of pack and not-pack. His own pack consists of two humans, a plant-creature, two Velociraptors, and an Indoraptor. None of them, as far as he knows, are blood related.

No,I haven't chosen a name yet. I have too many good choices!

[poetwarrior]

'Pack' is not a term the K'da and Shontine tend to use, and while Chanath has not yet spent enough time around human English to understand its meaning, Faris has. "'Pack' could be an appropriate term," he says after a moment's thought. "A union of those who cooperate together, yes? My people cannot survive without hosts to shelter and nourish us, and in return, the Shontine have our loyalty."

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

Aal's half humming to herself softly as she browses a bit, She hadn't got much of a chance to visit one of her favorite places in a while. And in these weather she was rather loath to go out into the cold for longer periods of time then she needed to.

She tilts her head at the sight, more curious than anything, though the Starfleet symbol is familiar to her. She smiles at the pair warmly and in a friendly manner. Her eyebrows go up at the question and she ponders that over for a moment. "Oh, Ello and erm...Aye, I like learning new things..and ooh that's a hard one..there's all sort of realms and cultures filled with fascinating things out there." She remarks as she rubs her chin a little her eyes lighting up a little. "I suppose to start a safe secondary or other ways of traveling to them would be a good start." She replies with a wry chuckle.

She had folks in quite a few of them she often needed to help and communicate with and get too on the regular or would like to. And it had been increasingly difficult to do so in recent years. Or at least have something stable and such to do so for long periods.

[poetwarrior]

"Hello," Faris greets her in return, and while he cannot smile the same way humans do, he drops his lower jaw in the K'da equivalent. "You speak of a manner other than a PINpoint, I assume?"

[delphicbooksandbaubles]

She slightly tilts her head and then softly hums and nods, "Aye. It's rather more advanced than most things we got back home..or the realm we got transported too several years ago..I'm.." She looks around for a chair she could pull up since they were having a conversation but she also didn't want to intrude on the space of the pair. "Ahem, not sure certain things would be compatible.." She informs him gently.

[poetwarrior]

There are plenty of chairs or other seats available for the taking, and Faris shifts his position to sit more upright on his haunches, using a forepaw to turn the book face down to save his place, and inadvertently bending one of the pages.

"Compatibility is vital," he agrees without hesitation, though his thoughts trend to the social kind of compatibility than the technological. Still, he is not at all unfamiliar with the idea. "My people recently used PINpoint technology in conjunction with our ships' engines to transport our entire fleet from one universe to another. It was no small feat."

[readvondaniken]

Palmer's a surprisingly avid reader, provided that the books around are of the kind he reads, and books about aliens are in no short supply. He needs something to distract him from the storm. However, he quickly notices the two strangers, neither of which are human. Coming over, Palmer recognizes the Starfleet symbol with a slight twinge of envy. What he wouldn't give to visit new worlds and learn about alien species!

Speaking of aliens, that's what he's guessing the two other visitors are. Palmer won't prod yet, but consider him interested.

"Hello, there." The mechanic puts away the Walkman he was listening to. He ought to introduce himself first, then listen to music later. His social skills aren't that bad. "I don't think we've met before. I'm Jim Palmer. As for your question... I'm interested in learning how to fight. So I ain't so much of a burden on expeditions, and so I don't end up somebody's lunch. Too many close calls, and I'm only 27."

[poetwarrior]

Faris has begun to get a grasp on human names and how they work, thanks to a good deal of time spent in their company, but it still surprises him to hear the same names repeated as often as some of them are. No wonder humans need more than one name; they need to tell one another apart in a crowd of Jims. The K'da opens his mouth slightly in his species' smile, bowing his head slightly. "I am Faris of the K'da, and this is my host, Chanath of the Shontine."

Chanath looks up at him, and while the human's answer is something better suited for a warrior to respond to, she has seen battle too. "Learning to defend oneself is an important skill, if not easily learned from these devices," he says, poking at the datapad. "Are there classes you may take, or are such things only allowed when enlisting in a combat-oriented service?"

[readvondaniken]

"K'da, huh?" Palmer's curious about the concept of a host, since the only frame of reference he really has is the Thing, which only consumes and destroys. The arrangement between Faris and Charnath seems much more pleasant and open, to the mechanic's interest. "Shontine? I take it you're from another planet? I'm from Earth - nothin' too special there."

"I just wanna learn how to defend myself so I don't feel like I'm holdin' anyone working with me back. I ain't a fighter. There's danger out there. Those creatures are horrible." Palmer doesn't even like thinking about them. He's almost been eaten too many times for comfort. "And there's worse, I'm sure. I almost died out there. If it hadn't been for Furiosa and Harley having my back, I wouldn't be here right now..."

[prescription_grade]

Storm or not, Danny doesn't have a whole lot of options for shelter yet in the Nexus, and settling in the library for some warmth is just an all-around good idea as far as he's concerned. And he likes to read, although right now he's mostly buried in YA horror fiction. He likes vampire novels. The Twilight series hasn't come out in his time yet. Honestly, if it had, he might be into it, too, regardless of differing public opinion on its quality.

"Depends who was teaching," he says in response to the question, pausing with a couple novels in his arms to look at the two aliens curiously. He's never seen anything like them, but he's also great at taking things in stride, so he doesn't seem scared, either.

"I've been, uh, homeschooled since I was about eleven," he says. "Feel like I might have missed out on some history. I wouldn't mind brushing up on that a little."

[poetwarrior]

Faris and Chanath are both quite used to odd looks, whether it is shocked disbelief or merely idle curiosity for meeting a new species or two. Faris bows his head politely to the newcomer, his tailtip twitching slowly like a cat's might. "Homeschooled," he repeats curiously, sounding out the word. He has seen human schools even before the Starfleet Academy, and they did not seem much like a home to him. But then, when you have an entire planet to spread out on, of course it makes sense not to sleep in the same facility where you learn.

"You were taught by relatives?" he guesses, tilting his head to one side.

[prescription_grade]

"...sort of." It's complicated. "Well, no. Not really."

Wandering a little closer, he sits on the edge of a bench and rests his elbows on his knees. "I went to regular school up until my master found me, and then I was just his apprentice and he taught me. 'Till recently. He had...um. Some business. And I was on my own in New York. I mean, until he finishes up and comes back for me. Only I guess he's not likely to come here."

Truth is, Danny's pretty sure he's been dumped and his master's not coming back, no matter where he is, but you don't open a conversation with that.

[chiron_survivor]

Locked out of most Nexus coordinates, during the Winter storm, Adia is still able to visit the library on occasion. She has an armful of books with her, as usual, What might be a little different are a pair of knitting needles sticking out of her messenger bag.

"Hi, Faris. Hi, Chanath." She smiles at her friends, recognizing their Starfleet uniforms easily. Setting down her books in a neat pile next to their much larger collection, she looks for a chair, although if there is another squishy seat lying around, she won't say no to that instead.

"I'm always trying to learn something new." She shows them a book from her pile, about the basics of knitting. "Right now I'm trying to learn how to make a sweater. How about you two? Are you in Starfleet now, officially?"

[poetwarrior]

Extra chairs and beanbags are plentiful in this cozy little corner they have claimed, easily rearranged to sit as close as she would like.

"Adia Costas," Faris calls out in warm welcome, pleased to see a friendly and familiar face. It has been some time since he has been able to visit and see his Nexus friends, and while he has enjoyed meeting his new classmates and broadening his social connections in his new home, it is relaxing to spend time with someone more familiar. "You look well."

Chanath also lifts a hand to wave, setting her datapad down on the table and craning her neck slightly to see their friend's choice in reading material. "A practical skill to learn," she says in approval. "Skilled weavers are always needed." To her question, the Shontin dips her head in a nod, the gesture more familiar now that she has spent months around humans. "We are officially Starfleet cadets," she says, sounding out the unfamiliar rank. "Our first classes began six days ago."

"There is much reading to be done," Faris adds, looking down at his book and deciding it is a lost cause to attempt further reading right now. He turns it face down, accidentally wrinkling a page, and makes a soft sound of dismay as he smooths it back out with his forepaw. There, good as new, yes? "We are enlisted in classes meant to teach basic principles to those who are new to the Federation, for our first learning period."

[chiron_survivor]

Squishy beanbag it is, then. She settles in easily, leaving her pile of books on the table, save for the one she showed her friends. "It'll be a while before I call myself skilled," she says with a laugh. "So far I've only made scarves." Especially long scarves, because knitting for a dinosaur is a lot easier than making sleeves.

She slips off her messenger bag and sets it at her feet, then retrieves her knitting needles. There's the start of something attached to those needles, soft gray and patterned in thick cable braids, but whether she will successfully turn it into a sweater or not remains to be seen.

Oh, congratulations!" she says brightly, albeit quietly. (They are in a library, after all!) Her smile speaks volumes, anyway, proud of her friends for joining the academy. Faris' mild complaint turns her smile sympathetic, although truthfully, she cannot think of anything better than sitting and reading all about new subjects. "I think you'll catch up quickly. How are you liking it, aside from the classes?"