Have a seat [5/6]

Posted on Fri Sep 4th, 2026 @ 10:18am by Captain Jaro & Lieutenant Commander Riaani ek'Meru

1,028 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: The Fissure
Location: Bridge - Deck 1 - USS Amazônia

A flicker of puzzlement punctuated the pause this time around, as if ek'Meru had failed to anticipate this interpretation of her response and was now trying to figure out how the pieces fit together. When her expression cleared, she dipped her head in understanding and yet still took a moment to consider an explanation before speaking up. These first steps were fraught, it would seem, with opportunities for misunderstanding and the last thing she wanted was to be the cause of the Federation's incorrect assumptions about her people and their customs.

"Quite the opposite, Captain. Amongst my people in particular, professional connections are considered to be a form of kinship. Any situation that forms a bond that requires cooperation and joint endeavour is afforded due care and diligence. My intent was more to gauge the nature of meal times aboard your ship." Riaani smiled. "My people congregate for meals. From what little information I have, this seems not entirely alien within your Federation but our contacts aboard the station you have claimed have expressed some surprise that we are so regimented about it. Every duty roster has allocated meal times, it would be considered highly irregular outside of an emergency situation for anyone to opt to avoid them in favour of eating alone."

Jaro listened intently, his fingers lacing together over his knee as he absorbed her explanation with open fascination, a thoughtful smile playing beneath his mustache. "A most interesting distinction. Though I can assure you, Lieutenant Commander, if I were to impose a strictly mandated meal schedule on this crew, half of my department heads would likely view it as a grave invasion of their personal privacy. In Starfleet, such rigid dining rosters are generally reserved for first-year cadets at the Academy—used primarily as a pedagogical tool to instill time management and collective discipline in fresh recruits while allowing for a dense curriculum. Once posted to a starship, however, we grant presonnel complete autonomy over their off-duty hours. While every shift is supposed to include a pause for a sit-down meal, how, when, where and with whom an officer chooses to eat is entirely at their discretion. Replicator technology has rendered mass, synchronized food preparation functionally obsolete, leaving us with a wonderfully ad-hoc system where one can dine at three in the morning or three in the afternoon with whomever they choose to do so."

He paused, gesturing broadly with one hand as he expanded on the social nuances of the practice. "That is not to say we do not value the communal table. While the Federation encompasses far too many species for me to speak universally, for the vast majority of Starfleet, a shared meal is considered prime quality time. Some officers form tight-knit, virtually unbreakable dining circles, while others prefer a more fluid, wandering approach—pulling up a chair with whatever crewmates happen to be free in the mess hall to forge new acquaintances or discuss the day's duty. It is a social anchor born of choice rather than obligation." Leaning forward, Jaro offered her an encouraging nod, his eyes twinkling with lighthearted curiosity as he indicated the small ceramic cup on the glass table. "Speaking of shared culinary experiences, I am extraordinarily curious to hear your assessment of the espresso. I have to admit that I developed a rather formidable fondness for it during my own student days in San Francisco, though I am well aware its intensity can be rather harsh to an uninitiated palate."

The request drew Riaani's attention to the drink, which up until then had been a strange offering without cultural context and had prompted a more generalised introspection resulting in accidental dismissiveness. Now, drawn towards a specific focus for her intrigue, the Kodaaj'ek first peered into the mug to gauge a visual perspective before tentatively lifting it to her nose. A mild reaction proved encouraging, though there was consternation buried in her slight frown that suggested first impressions were currently on hold.

"It seems potent," she eventually surmised, fingers curling to draw in the warmth of the ceramic whilst she still processed the initial experience without adding her tastebuds into the mix. "What is it made from?"

Jaro’s eyes brightened on account of having been given an excuse to explain an object of fascination. "It is derived from the roasted seeds of a plant native to Earth—specifically, coffee beans. The process is remarkably precise. The roasted seeds are ground into a fine powder, and near-boiling water is forced through them under high pressure. That rapid extraction pulls out essential oils, rich sugars, and aromatic compounds in a matter of seconds, leaving behind a concentrated dark liquid crowned with that delicate golden foam you see on top—what Terrans call crema."

He picked up his own cup, taking a small, appreciative sip. "It is sharp, bitter, and intensely aromatic, meant to be savored in small, deliberate sips rather than drunk quickly. Students and scholars on Earth have relied on it for centuries to sharpen the mind during long hours of study—a habit I picked up myself during my Academy days. Think of it less as routine hydration and more as a concentrated jolt of sensory wakefulness."

The first sip was not exactly tentative, though it lingered a little while with the cup still angled forward, as if to provide ample access to a second opinion whilst making sure not to rush the first. ek'Meru's reaction was not the pantomime perhaps anticipated, nor did its understated nature appear to be in any way calculated to hide distaste out of consideration for Jaro's hospitality. Rather, the Kodaaj'ek seemed to be considering something, a contemplation that eventually warranted a follow-up sip before her scrutiny shifted from analysis of taste to additional exploration of what the contents of her cup actually looked like.

"It has a familiarity I'm struggling to place," she eventually admitted. "The bitterness in particular seems reminiscent of something I've had before." A faint, thoughtful smile tempted her lips. "I fear this will bother me until I can place it."

[TBC]

Captain Jaro
Captain
USS Amazonia

Lt. Commander Riaani ek'Meru
On-loan Executive Officer
USS Amazônia

 

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