nexus_crossings | Back To School Special

Back To School Special

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?"

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A hobby that requires little in the way of physical materials has great appeal to a Shontin, and Chanath bobs her head, holding the needles and their work-in-progress out towards Adia. "Will you show me how it is done?"

Faris considers the question, and lifts a forepaw to waggle it back and forth in an ambiguous gesture he has seen humans use. He may not be entirely successful, but it is the thought that counts, or so he is told. "We are used to spending much time in unfamiliar surroundings, yet there are times when it is more comfortable to be with only each other."

"It is a place where we do not need to be concerned about the customs of those around us," Chanath adds with a small nod. "But it is sometimes lonely, yes."

Though Chanath has had little interest in the sports available on campus, Faris has done enough research out of curiosity that he can answer her easily. "There is a basketball team, and a sport called hockey," he says, though he sounds somewhat stumped as to why it is called that. "There is another popular activity called 'parrises squares' as well, a type of simulated combat with nonlethal weapons, though I understand it is also the sport responsible for the most injuries to cadets. Even if it was suited for non-bipeds, I do not think I would wish to try it myself."

"Oh. Um, sure." She takes back the needles, counting out the loops to remind herself where she was in her stitching. Knitting -- or doing anything, really -- in front of an audience always makes her a little self-conscious, but she'll try her best for Chanath. "Basically, you're creating a row of stitches along the needle, and as you finish off a row, it gets pushed down when you start another." She finishes off the row she's working on, the movement of her fingers slow but certain. "Then you start another knot and push it down the needle... like this... you need to keep track of what you're doing, because if you lose count the pattern will get screwed up."

She works her needles a little more, silently, listening to her friends talk about the academy. "It's so nice to have that privacy," she agrees. "When we settled on Atlantis, my friends Seth and Maggie offered to share a cabin with me, but I decided to have one of my own." Blushing a little, she adds in amusement, "Good thing, too, because Caspar moved in a couple months later and I don't think all four of us, plus the baby, would have been happy under one roof."

Still, loneliness is a very real concern. "Have you made any friends?" she asks. "I'll bet you two get along with everybody."

Adia has only vaguely heard of hockey. Some kind of winter sport, maybe? Parrises Squares is a new one to her. "It doesn't sound like something I'd like to try, either," she says, stating the obvious. "But I'm not very good at sports in general, except horseback riding." She pauses and recounts her stitches. "Track and field is okay, too. Do you know if Jim's Earth has the Olympics?"

Chanath leans forward slightly to see better, respectful of Adia's personal space as she watches. It does appear to be relatively simple, though she suspects it may not be as easy in practice as it is in theory, at least until her hands are trained in the skill. "I can see why flat garments would be simplest to make." The quiet clicking of the needles reminds her of claws tapping on deckplates, a comfortably familiar sound to her ear.

Faris has seen the sort of housing favored by humans, and he has to agree that four adults would be in close quarters indeed, even without accounting for space for the cub. "That is fortunate indeed," he agrees. As to the question of friends, he tilts his head. "Our peers are very curious about us; there is rarely a lack of fellow cadets willing to spend time with us. I hope to count them as friends, as we learn together. And Hunter will also be joining us!" he adds, with a purr in his throat.

Both Faris and Chanath look puzzled at the mention of the Olympics, and they share a silent mutual glance. If they had been human, perhaps they might have shrugged. "Perhaps. I have not heard mention of it," Faris admits. He has become accustomed to puzzling out new words from context, and takes a guess. "It is a sport event of some kind?"

The knitting needles clacking together is a pleasant sound for Adia, too. It reminds her of her grandmother, who occasionally knitted baby clothes for charity. "That's what makes a scarf easier than a sweater. But this book I'm checking out has some nice patterns, so I'm hoping it'll turn out okay."

She's happy to hear that Faris and Chanath are making friends. Happier still that Hunter will be joining them. "Oh, that's very exciting. I know he was hoping to spend more time with his Jim." She looks a bit wistful as she looks over her stitches, making sure she hasn't dropped one. "I think I would have liked to join the academy, if the Fleet had relocated to Jim's universe. I enjoyed my work on the Chiron, before everything happened."

As for the Olympics, she realizes belatedly she should have asked Jim himself about that. "Yes, it's two weeks of competitive sports. Mostly individual competitions, but some team sports as well. Each colony would be represented by their own team. It's a tradition dating back all the way to Kobol, and I learned that some Earths have the Olympics, too."

"I must try it for myself, then," Chanath decides, sitting back to watch the almost hypnotic, soothing motions of the needles at work. "I have never made a garment on my own, and in Starfleet, clothing is produced by machines from energy instead of being woven together. It is more efficient, yet less satisfying."

Though Faris knows the Starfleet she would have joined would likely have been in another universe than the one his fleet now calls home, he allows himself a moment's indulgence to imagine sharing a campus with her, as well as a twinge of regret that it is not to be. Not much of one, of course; this is proof enough that living apart is no obstacle to friendship, and he values her company regardless. "You would have continued your studies in the sciences, then? We too have found paths close to what we were with our fleet. Starfleet does not have warriors, though they do have security officers. And pilots, of course."

Two weeks of a sporting event seems like a great deal indeed; it is no wonder she would ask. "Have you ever participated?" Chanath asks, tilting her head slightly, curious.

"The replicators? Jim told me about that technology. That's well beyond anything we had in the Colonies." She smiles at Chanath briefly before returning her attention to her needles. "We'll at least have the machinery set up soon enough to make knitting by hand unnecessary, but you're right, it is more satisfying."

If she knew what Faris was thinking, she'd be honored and also feel a touch regretful. What fun it would be to attend Starfleet Academy with friends. "Oh, absolutely," she confirms. "And I bet I would have a lot to catch up on, too. Starfleet medicine is more advanced than ours. I remember talking to Jim at a friend's wedding and the shock on his face when he learned that our lifespan is about twenty fewer years than his." It's not like her to roll her eyes, but there is a slight suggestion of it in the way she looks back to her knitting. "You would have thought that I told him we used mercury as a tonic or treated mental illness with trepanning. But anyway, it would have been a lot of new things to learn. New diseases, too, probably."

She blinks at Chanath's question, then laughs self-consciously. "Oh, no... you have to train for years to be good enough to compete in the Olympics. I did watch them one year when Leonis hosted." She pauses a moment to adjust her yarn, which seems to spool endlessly from her messenger bag. "There's talk of starting them up again. We have a stadium, but right now it's only used for Pyramid. There are boxing and wrestling competitions, too. You don't need much equipment for either of those sports."

"Yes. They have the ability to create nearly anything. Our own technology is far behind it as well." If Chanath was religious, she might have gone so far as to call it miraculous. Either way, she greatly approves, despite the lack of tactile satisfaction.

Faris' ears cant forward attentively, surprised to learn that improvements in medical research would lengthen a lifespan to that sort of extent. He doesn't recognize the treatments she mentions, though her tone implies they are to be equated with incredibly outdated and ineffective medicines. "Exploration of new worlds come with many hazards, and disease is one our peoples have encountered also. There is always risk, and yet far greater rewards that make it worth the price. I am certain we will be learning of both for a very long time to come."

"Boxing," Faris muses out loud, the word sounding familiar, searching his memory for why. "That is the simulated combat using forepaw strikes only, correct? Yet there are no boxes involved, only ropes."

"They have sonic showers, too. At least, on the ships." She's not entirely sure how that works. "Jim says replicated food isn't quite the same as homemade. That was something we could have used, too... not anymore, fortunately."

She'd explain if he asked, but he seems to understand the point she's making. Who wants to talk about drilling holes into skulls, anyway? "We were lucky, we didn't encounter any new diseases. Although we didn't encounter any aliens, either. Are there diseases that are specific to your species? Did you have to go through a medical screening process?"

There's a brief smile on her face at the word 'forepaws'. It makes her think of cats and dogs boxing, but she tries to put that silly image out of her mind. "Yes, that's right. I think 'box' was an old word for hitting somebody. It's kind of..." she makes an uneasy expression, not wanting to insult anyone who might enjoy the sport, but not taking any pleasure in it herself. "...rough. You wear protective gear, but a blow to the head is still a blow to the head, you know? It's super popular with the military people... I know that Caspar likes to box, but nobody includes him."

Chanath considers this, then nods her agreement. "There is a project to program familiar foods into the machines for each Federation species, and what I have tasted of their attempts to replicate Shontin fare is... not entirely flavorful," she says, quite diplomatically.

"The machines also do not yet approve of replicating some ingredients which K'da enjoy in our dishes," Faris adds in a dryly amused tone. "The safety protocols do not yet allow addition of industrial lubricants to be provided within items meant for consumption." The reason is surely a mystery, is it not?

"We did require medical examination upon enlistment," he adds, when asked. "Several Shontine and K'da volunteered to allow readings to be taken of our... baselines?" The word is still new to him, but he is fairly certain that is the one that was used. "There are few diseases still active among our population, typically illnesses that affect cubs or those weakened by injury. Scouting teams returning from our long voyages were kept in our ships until our healers could determine we carried no harmful pathogens from our travels, so few alien diseases have taken hold among us. There is a song from the early days of the fleet where this was not yet done; an entire ship was lost to such an illness. Fortunately, the other ships were alerted in time to prevent its spread to other parts of the fleet." A sorrowful tale, but fairly old, given the way he speaks about it.

Simulated combat should be rough, in Faris' opinion, or else it is not a true test of a warrior's skill. Though injury is not exactly the desired outcome, he must admit. He bobs his head in mild agreement, then considers the rest. "Because he is a Cylon?"

"I wonder why that is... that's neat, though, that they're working on some of your foods." As for Faris' taste preferences, that gets a softly bemused smile out of her. Caspar told her all about the motor oil. "Surely you can't be the only Federation species that likes... um, industrial lubricants in your food. But I guess that is a safety issue if someone else accidentally orders that."

Her needles pause a moment in their steady clicking as she listens to his answer. 'Baseline' must be the right word, because she nods her head a little when he says it. She had assumed the Federation would request as much. His tale of a ship being lost to illness is a sad one indeed. "I'm sorry," she says, even though it sounds like it happened a long time ago. "Something similar happened to the Cylons. They had to cut a ship off from their network so the virus wouldn't spread. We didn't have any incidents that drastic. Do you think the Federation can help you with the diseases that are still active among your people?"

She nods, confirming his guess. "He's too strong to go against humans. There are a few Cylons who participate, but Caspar says they think he'll cheat." She's not entirely sure if that's true, or if Caspar only assumes that based on their history. "Honestly, I can't say that I mind. I don't like him fighting, even if it's just pretend."

Chanath laughs, high and birdlike. "It is all right. There will be many new things for us to try before we become lonely for our own foods. Perhaps by then, the programs will be more accurate."

"It is possible," Faris agrees, bobbing his head in a nod. "Though they have not eliminated all disease from their worlds, either. Whatever comes, I am eager to see the results of our peoples' cooperation."

The K'da is not capable of frowning, but the tilt of his head and the thoughtful circling motion of his tailtip make up the difference. "Would he not be disqualified if he broke the rules of engagement?"

Adia smiles at her friend's optimism. "Anything you've tried so far that you really like?" What do the humans at Starfleet Academy enjoy, anyway? Is pizza still popular? She hopes so.

"I don't think it's possible for anyone to completely eliminate disease," she remarks as she resumes knitting. "Many diseases are caused by pathogens, and they're trying to survive like any other species. The best you can do for some of them is manage the symptoms." She sounds rather philosophical about it, but that's due to her background in microbiology. She's studied viruses long enough to understand their true nature, which is to multiply by any means necessary.

The look she gives Faris is a little weary, although it's not directed at him. "He would. And he wouldn't cheat, although he likes to win. He keeps his distance with the other Cylons. Not all of them, but..." She sighs. "I don't know if that's because of them or him."

Oh, this question requires some thought. There have been so many dishes they have tried since their arrival on Earth, many of them delicious. Chanath considers it for a moment, humming in her throat. "There is a type of spiced soup with meat and noodles that I have enjoyed, called pho. It is difficult to eat, but tingles pleasantly in the mouth."

"Not as difficult to eat as the taco we tried," Faris says, a teasing note in his voice, and Chanath pushes his hip in good-natured retaliation. "I am afraid we created a sizeable mess," he adds to Adia. "The crunch of the shell was satisfying, but the structural integrity was compromised at once."

Of all the things Caspar's fellow Cylons might be wary of him for, cheating in a sport was not particularly something Faris would have considered. Particularly since it seems that fear is entirely unfounded, for multiple reasons. "It is good that he has you with him, though you do not play his sport."

Adia has never heard of pho before, but from Chanath's description alone, it sounds highly appetizing. "I'll have to try that... in the Nexus, anyway. We don't have the flour for noodles yet. But they're building a mill on the river right now, so maybe soon."

As for tacos, she has heard of them, which only adds to her amusement in Faris's retelling. "That's how they are with everyone who tries to eat them," she replies reassuringly. "They're tasty but those taco shells crack way too easily. My mom told me once never to eat tacos or spaghetti on a first date, because you're liable to make a mess with either."

It sounds a little ridiculous to her now that she's said it out loud. There are plenty of humans who continue to give Caspar a wide berth, but she has a feeling that he'd get along better with his siblings if he lowered his defenses a little. "Yes," she agrees soberly, before her mouth quirks into a smile. "I think if we tried boxing, he'd cheat in the opposite direction so that I'd win every time."

Faris has heard of spaghetti, though he found it to be rather plain in flavor, even with the red sauce and lumps of meat on top. But the topic of food has suddenly entered much more interesting territory. He has learned much of human courtship through observation, and several conversations that have occasionally caused his human friends to change their colors, but there is still so much more to learn. "I did not realize there were inappropriate foods for courtship. A prospective mate might disapprove of this?"

Speaking of courtship, Chanath smiles in the Shontine fashion as Adia speaks of her mate. "Are there similar activities you do perform together?" she asks curiously, much less versed in the intricacies of human relationships than her symbiont is. "Oh, what is the word... hobby?"

Humans can be so strange about courtship questions, can't they? Adia, at least, does not seem to mind the inquiry at all. "It's more that you want to make a good impression on a first date, and eating foods that can make a mess doesn't help." She shrugs a little. Her mom's advice was probably more appropriate for dates with relative strangers, but she always befriended her boyfriends first. "There's no, um... inappropriate food for courtship. Unless you're eating something the other person objects to for religious or moral reasons, I guess. What about for your species? Is food involved in courtship at all?"

Oddly, it's when Chanath asks her question that Adia blushes faintly, her mind still on physical activities, namely ones that she and Caspar engage in. No losers there, only winners. "Um..." Oh, she means hobbies. Haha, okay then!

She thinks it over, her needles pausing when the answer doesn't come to her immediately. "That's kind of hard to answer. There are a lot of things we do together, like cooking and gardening, but I wouldn't call them hobbies. We have fun, but we need to do them for our survival... maybe flower gardening? Caspar helps me plant all our annuals."

Why a person would be blamed for the inherent properties of their food seems bizarre to Faris, but then, humans can be so charmingly odd. "There are times when a courting pair may share a meal together, but it is not part of the process as it seems to be with humans," he explains. "For those who intend to bond for life, there is usually a great deal of conversation before commitment, and social activities for recreation. It can be complicated," he admits freely, though his ears flick back in mild embarrassment for his more unfortunate fellow K'da. "There are sometimes occasions where two K'da have great affection for one another, but find the other's host objectionable for whatever reason. Or perhaps the hosts themselves do not get along."

Chanath has seen this happen, and she bows her head slightly in both agreement and sympathy. "It is easiest for unbonded Shontine, I am certain. We have yet to face this issue, ourselves, but perhaps one day."

The Shontin has had blushing explained to her, but it is still fascinating to watch. Like a human equivalent of a K'da's battle-black, except with less danger involved, or so she hopes. What prompted this, she wonders? The eventual answer, however, is a deeply satisfying one. "If you have images of your garden, I would enjoy seeing them someday. I know little of gardening, but planting seeds in earth must be far more satisfactory than water gardens."

It is interesting to hear that food does not play as large a role in courtship for K'da. Maybe the dinner date has become too cliché? Anyway, she's curious to hear more about how K'da find their partners, although the problems caused by mismatched hosts was terribly sad. "Oh, that's unfortunate," she agrees sympathetically. "I'm sure one day you'll meet the right person, though, if that's what you want."

She can't comment on their relative attractiveness to members of their own species, but they are both such warm-hearted people. Surely the right K'da and Shontin are out there waiting for them!

The blush fades as quickly as it comes now that the topic is on gardening. She sets aside her needles entirely so she can pull out her PINpoint, a device similar in appearance to a smartphone. "I can show you now," she says eagerly, pulling up her photo app. She flicks through her photos until she finds a few from the past spring. "That's my house," she explains, pointing to a cabin in the middle of the frame. Surrounding it are several beds of tulips, mostly orange ones. "It is very satisfying. I've never cultivated a water garden, though. What do you have to do for that?"

"Perhaps," Faris agrees easily. "I was not of age to be concerned about these things when we began our duties as scouts. Now that those days are past, who can say what is to come?" In truth, he is still on the younger side to be thinking about having cubs of his own just yet, but there is no rule that states them to be necessary for romance, surely.

Chanath leans forward eagerly to see the image on the screen, admiring the colorful bouquet that frames Adia's home. "Oh, they are lovely! Such brightness and warmth, like a sunset. And you may see them every day!" What a delightful novelty that is, even now. "I am afraid I do not know much about them," she says, apologetic. "It is a technique for growing food and flowers without a need for earth, and was highly monitored aboard the colony ships to ensure the most efficient growth."

His comment on his duties has her looking at him thoughtfully. "I didn't think about that," she admits. "That would have kept you away from other people for long intervals." She smiles, a little shyly, and fusses with her knitting needles. "I wanted to do more traveling, so I wasn't exactly thinking about settling down, either. That's why I took the position on the Chiron. And then I met Caspar..." Her smile quirks at the corner. "There's a saying about love finding you when you least expect it. Maybe there's some truth to that."

It is Adia's nature to be modest, but there is an obvious pleasure she takes in hearing her friend gush over her choice in flowers. "Not every day," she points out. "Well, not the tulips, they're only in season in the spring. I try to have some kind of flower in those flowerbeds so long as the weather is warm. Orange tulips are my favorite, though."

She shakes her head. "No, it's okay. It sounds like an interesting style of gardening, but it's not one we need to pursue currently. And I'm guessing it requires quite a bit of water, which we couldn't really afford to spare. Our purification tanks were already running at their limits, and we had the algae vats that needed constant upkeep."

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