Relaxation Ritual [6/6]

Posted on Wed May 13th, 2026 @ 4:14pm by Captain Jaro & Petty Officer 1st Class Moana Thomas

498 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: Episode 0: 48 Hours and Counting
Location: Holodeck
Timeline: T -20 hours

Jaro looked at the extended hand for a fraction of a second while his internal cultural sensibilites recalibrated. By Denobulan standards, physical contact, even when completely casual, was generally reserved for the intimate partners and/or spouses. Taking in somebody’s scent was usually perfectly sufficient where he was raised. However, decades of service in the multi-species Starfleet had taught him that for most others such contact was less an invasion of privacy and more a vital "bonding ritual," a tangible confirmation of mutual respect and shared endeavor. He had spent a fair amount of time in his younger years overcoming his internal resistances and practicing the specific tension required in the human handshake to convey sincerity without accidentally inflicting pain or appearing too limp.

With a graceful movement, he reached out and met her hand, returning the gesture with a grip that was precisely what he understood to constitute a "firm sporting handshake."

"I shall look forward to the training sessions, Petty Officer," he said, his smile genuine as he released the hold. He looked around the flickering, neon-drenched room one last time, his gaze lingering on the stained carpet and the slightly-too-loud "Game Over" screen of a nearby cabinet. "Though I must muse... if I am to truly master this particular discipline, I may require more frequent access to a facility of this nature. Preferably, one with significantly less patina on the flooring and perhaps a slightly more... ventilated olfactory profile."

He began gathering up his discarded ochre and slate-grey wraps, draping them over his shoulder. "However, I would not wish to appear selfish by monopolizing such a unique anthropological resource, let a lone an enitre holodeck. Perhaps we might consider expanding this simulation? A larger complex, integrated with more modern—or ancient—pastimes to suit the entire crew in a less confined setting. It seems a waste to keep such a high-concentration of competitive 'nourishment' confined." He picked up his feathered head-piece, adjusting the plumage with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I suspect the engineers would find great spiritual fulfillment in trying to out-calculate the 'Dig Dug' entity. What do you say?"

Mo considered the proposition for a moment, instantly a fan of any initiative to create ongoing social spaces but also somewhat preoccupied by the inherent implication of the Captain's final reasoning. Piecing together a better polished program wouldn't be too difficult; she was a pretty amateur programmer but a much better visionary, so surely there would be someone out there with the technical skills to bring creative concepts to life. More to the point, however, was the immediate expansion of opportunity, and that potential brought the slow creep of a coniving smirk to the nurse's features that did more to seal the deal than any other appeal to a wider social need.

"I'd say," she retored, "that they'd better start practising now."

[End]

Captain Jaro
Captain
USS Amazônia

Petty Officer 1st Class Moana Thomas
Head Nurse
USS Amazônia

 

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