First thoughts - Stardate 40889.9

Posted on 30 Jul 2020 @ 3:32pm by Lieutenant JG Drakkar Moq'Dar
Edited on 30 Jul 2020 @ 5:15pm

(Statements marked with ~ at the end have the biblical references in order in the tags)


Exhausted from the day's work, the orkraul trudged his way from his restroom to his personal desk and sat down.
Having just finished his nighttime routine, he was fully prepared to just call it quits and hop into bed.

A passing glance to his computer brought him pause.

"...now is as good a time as any..," he thought, aloud.

Inhaling deeply, he leaned towards the desk computer, pressed the activation button, and stared at the menu options. An organized and colorized system of menus, sections, and subsections covered the screen, the head title with the ship's name "U.S.S. Boston" in the upper right-hand corner.

Staring for a few more seconds, he selected the option, "Documentation", and then after it, "Personal Logs".

A bold numeral was beside the log count; 0.

'Personal Log: Stardate 40889.9, Lieutenant Junior Grade Drakkar O. Moq'Dar, U.S.S. Boston'

He paused, considering his beginnings alongside the matter of how he should begin.

Where would he start would be the better question. About a month had passed since he had first been assigned to the ship, and when the truth dawned on him, he scolded himself. He should have been documenting his days just like everyone else. He made medical logs as were necessary (all the time), personal logs should be no different.

'First thoughts..'

He paused for a moment, thinking on how he could start.

'The vessel is far bigger than I could have ever imagined. It is an Ambassador-Class starship which means that it is a form of heavy-cruiser vessel. To say that it is 'well-armed' would be a serious understatement. It is a long way from serving aboard space stations, most definitely.'

'With such a privilege comes the esteemed privilege of meeting the ship's captain-Captain Philip Demarcus. I'm not exactly sure what my thoughts are of him, as of yet. However, so far, his manner is..agreeable.
I've watched him in diplomatic dealings with other species. He most certainly knows how to bite his own tongue and exercise patience. A bit of wisdom I've learned from my father and mother growing up comes to mind when I think of him..'

‘He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly..’ (~)

He tilted his head in thought, mulling over the proverb, and continued,

'Well, Captain Demarcus is certainly patient. I will give him that. That, I most certainly find respectable.'

‘Next is the captain's first officer, Commander Jaya Raj. She is a nice woman; she certainly has the spirit of a fighter with the tongue of one too. She also commands a commendable deal of patience. Though,-'

He smiled to himself as he remembered her dealings with the Romulan in sickbay not too long ago when she invited him to the lounge for refreshment,

'-..not as much as the captain.'

He leaned back and thought on the others he's met so far.

'The others appear, so far, to be just as nice. Although, I am still getting a feel for them. I usually find myself in the position of initiating conversation in efforts to make the others comfortable. The socializing skills I've practiced at Starfleet Academy seem to really be paying off.'

He paused, a few people coming to mind.

'Ensign Kell Toran. I believe I first met her on Trill Prime when I first began to spend some real quality time with some of the crew. She didn't speak much when I was there, but she did appear kind enough. She seems to be of the friendlier sort, but I won't judge on appearances. Something tells me that I won't have anything to worry about, however.'

He paused at that, a certain Orion female coming to mind.

'One that I should perhaps be concerned about, however, is the Orion woman named 'Taka'. She is an able waitress and is a far more skilled conversationalist upon observation. I've learned a thing or two about Orion women from gathering wisdom and information from the past accounts of others. I shan't judge, however. She may just be friendly. Then again...'

He smiled,

'She seems nice enough, however. I do not foresee any issues between the two of us. From what I hear, she replicates a mean bowl of Jambalaya or at least brews an agreeable mug of raktajino. Her spaghetti is good, too. Something about her seems unusually..attractive.'

He thought for a moment, furrowing his brow in mock reflection,

‘..perhaps it is her eyes.’'

He chuckled to himself as he thought on the next person.

'Ensign Kelley Brevo. Now she is one with much spirit. She's 'got spunk' as my professor of botanical pharmacology would say. She's an engineer that takes pride in her work. Perhaps even great pride.'

He frowned, as troubled by thought,

'..if that is true..I hope she maintains that same energy in the face of failure. She is a nice woman with a friendly spirit. I don't want to see such a thing crushed. I hope her successes are many, and her failures, few. She is a very talented and bright engineer. Apart from that, she seems like one I may very soon may call 'friend'.'

He thought for a moment,

'Lieutenant Moi'ra, Junior Grade. Moi'ra Kilrai-a Trill. I am not sure if she is joined or unjoined. Such things are not my business, nor my concern. She is a very nice woman; very hospitable. Her mother seems to be even more so. When I met her and the others on Trill Prime, she was kind enough to bless us with her culinary gifts. From what I know so far, she works in operations but maintains a kitchen somewhere, as well. Ms. Taka may have some competition.'

A playful smirk graced his face at that. The thought of Moi'ra and Taka having a friendly rivalry over culinary mastery was amusing to think about. Perhaps they would have a "cookoff" in the near future. The others might like that.

'I've recently met Lt. Tirik. He is a junior grade Lieutenant as I am, and he works in engineering. Though I'm afraid, I do not know anymore about him apart from his name. He seems amicable, though. I've never encountered his species before - the Hayari. I have much to learn about them. I shall ask about his people the next opportunity I am afforded to speak with him. Should he ask about mine, I will be more than happy to teach him.'

A kind grin mellowed out onto his face as he thought of the next person,

'Lt. Elise is another kind woman that I've had the pleasure of meeting recently. She is the chief tactical officer of the vessel and a rather hospitable one at that. Best of all, she's french! I remember the first time I heard the language aboard Earth Space Dock while I was waiting for the shuttle to StarFleet Academy. A passing captain was conversing with an engineering officer in the language and I was immediately intrigued. French is an incredibly beautiful language. From what I've learned, It is the language of love.’

He chuckled to himself, a thought coming to his mind,

'Perhaps I'll suggest the language to Nol in efforts to facilitate his pursuit of a love interest. Maybe then, his chances will improve. He's into that sort of thing. Most pilots are.'

His kind grin grew into a more fond one,

‘Speaking of pilots, Ensign Joseph Harper is a capable one from what I hear. He is, quite literally, the tallest human I have ever seen. It's impressive, and he walks with a certain pride typical of one. A true 'flyboy', as my old friend would call it. He and Nol would get along well.'

'He appears to keep himself physically fit, too. He appears to be as strong as he is proud. Good. I think I may have found myself a training partner if he's willing. I shall ask him, one day. Perhaps when we're on friendlier speaking terms. I am still getting to know him. He, too, maybe one I will soon call 'friend'.'

Drakkar leaned back, taking a break to look over his work so far. He was making good progress. Clasping his hands behind his head, he leaned back and thought for a while on who next to write about in his log.

Soon, a certain Andorian came to mind.

He immediately moved forward and resumed his dictation.

'Lt. Kyr th'Vovass, the assistant chief of security. Andorian. He possesses a rather agreeable manner that I can easily relate to. Andorians highly prize warriors among in their culture and many among their people train with the hopes of becoming one; such is similar to the Orkraul way. He seems friendly enough. I cannot help but think of the first friend I made when I first arrived at Starfleet academy- Cadet Kehlaan Th'verhat.'

'Lt. Kyr th'Vovass is a capable officer. He seems to know many things, although he seems to have a bit of trouble conveying his feelings in terms of interpersonal relationships. I've sat next to him and Taka and have overheard a few of their conversations. He seems to have a thing for her, though, I'm not sure that it will last. I hope he finds someone with whom he will find the bravery to take the first step and find that his feelings will be reciprocated.'

'Other observations I have made lead me to conclude that he is an accomplished martial artist. Apart from his form and understanding of Andorian culture, he has a certain walk about him that exposes such. In Orkish culture, we learn to tell much about a person by the way they walk. The humans have theirs, the Klingons, theirs, the Andorians, theirs, etc. Each walk is different..and that walk is tempered by experience. A warrior's walk is among the most significant. It has a certain pattern, a certain gait, a certain readiness about it that is easy to recognize.
Among many that I have met aboard this ship, a few seem to have this particular walk and Kyr th'Vovass most certainly possesses it. I wonder what form he practices. I would love to test my skills against his, someday. I have heard of Andorian martial arts but was never afforded the opportunity to study it.'

'Perhaps he'll teach me Chaka Hramdal someday.'

He straightened up as he thought on the next individual,

'Chief Specialist Hastur is one that I know so much about. We are similar in some aspects in that we respect personal boundaries and we are straight to the point. He is Rigelian by the looks of it, one that uses the assistance of a visor.'

'..I wonder how that happened.'

His visage changed as briefly thought on the matter for a moment before setting it aside as inconsequential for now. It was none of his business and he was not going to pry. It wasn't a pressing medical matter.

Joy and gentle fondness soon found his countenance again as he thought on the next person,

'Tyler..Lieutenant James Tyler Fox, Junior Grade. I only know so much about this one, but from the looks of things, the two of us may become fast friends. He is of the amicable sort, easy-going, and he likes to laugh. He was very kind to me on Trill Prime when I first met him and naturally, he was the main one I stood next to because of his friendliness. He is one that definitely exemplifies the wisdom of 'A man that hath friends must first show himself friendly..’ (~)

'Mr. Fox is certainly such a man. He, too, I hope to soon call 'friend'.'

---

Drakkar took a moment to yawn, flexing his fingers as he got up from his chair and took a walk around his room. He wiggled his toes in the carpet, feeling the soft rug beneath the soles of his feet as he cleared his mind and thought on whom he would reflect on next. Such deep thought led him to stretch his shoulders, provoking from him another yawn. He would need to go to bed soon. It was late and he was obviously tired.

The sensible thing for him to do would be to go to bed.

Such gave him pause.

Sense. Logic.

...the Vulcan.

He immediately returned to his computer with newfound vigor and resumed logging,

"Lieutenant T'Char Le'el, Junior Grade, a Vulcan who joined the Boston's complement just recently. She is a kindred spirit. I've always maintained a certain level of respect for Vulcan's and their proclivity for logic, and overall, their culture that places high esteem on sterling self-discipline. It is similar to the Orkraul way..only, we do not suppress our feelings. We express them. The suppressing of feelings is something that, when I was younger, I had always marveled at. Father always spoke about Vulcan's who never laughed, never smiled, never cried, and never got angry. They found their only solace in logic, and I found that commendable. However, over the years, I've had to re-examine that view. One can only suppress their emotions for so long..-'

He paused,

'-..then again, I am not a Vulcan. Vulcan's have a far more resilient neurological integrity. What would be my limit in terms of patience would perhaps not even be child's play for a Vulcan.'

'She has a rather nasty laceration spreading on the epidermis of her orbicularis oculi, zygomaticus, and masseter. About 2.4 or 2.5 centimeters, I think. I do not know. I am tempted to ask her how she got it but..-'

'-..she does not carry herself like other Vulcan's. She can be bothered, and thatis interesting. Not in a good way. More perturbing than anything..'

He leaned back, thinking about it. The scar itself did not disturb him, it was the untold story associated with it that seemed to weigh on her shoulders that did.

'..She does not show it, which is typical for a Vulcan, but something eats at her. She seems particularly stringent with her emotions in a way that almost seems as if she is trying to keep something inside her at bay. I've seen that behavior before, both in previous patients and family members. It never ends well.'

'I hope she finds peace. I hope to soon call her 'friend'.'


With that done, he figured he could finally cease from his labor and go to bed.

Quite the contrary. His brain had decided that it was not yet time for rest. There were two more people to reflect upon.

'Ensign Carmen Duarte,' he began with particular intrigue, as if she were a puzzle he was currently, at the moment, trying to figure out,

'Carmen María de las Nieves Duarte Núñez is an...odd woman. She works as an Astrometrics officer aboard the vessel. She is nice enough. Very proud of her Spanish heritage, as well. She should be. However, what I find odd about her is her way of speaking. I've..-'

He paused as if to catch himself, checking to see if it was indeed true concerning what he was about to say,

'-No, I, in fact, have not, come across anyone who has ever spoken in such a way before. It's..different. I wonder why she does that?'

He thought to himself for a moment,

'She is a brilliant woman. She is just as brilliant as every other person aboard this ship.'

'..she may be hiding more than she lets on. It may just be her nerves. Whatever it is, I will not pry. It is her way. I sometimes find it..enjoyable. Though, I'm not sure why she oftentimes inflects her statements as if they are questions. I've noticed that many other humans do this. Particularly when they are annoyed, confused, or both. She doesn't seem to be either..'

'..perhaps I'll ask her soon someday. Another human custom I'd like to study.'

He was close to done. There was just one more person to reflect upon. He had been saving her for last.

'Ensign Seldi Zax, a joined Trill. She and I have been working together in sickbay for a while now. She is a very capable and resourceful nurse. Highly intelligent as well. However, she is very reserved. We are alike in that aspect.'

'We make a highly efficient team. Although, I've noticed that sometimes she needs a bit of pushing when it comes to socialization outside of work. I often invite her to join the others wherever they may be so that we all may participate in whatever conversation or social event is being held. So far, upon every invitation, she accompanies me and I am glad for that. It is never good to be alone, nor is it good to be without friends to talk to. She is one who I would readily call 'friend' if she found the need for it.'

His smile grew a bit wider.

'She's also challenged me to try Taka's famous Jambalaya some time. I do not favor spicy foods, but I said that I would take her up on it.'

'We've managed to put together several kits for the two new shuttle vessels that will be added to the Boston's hangar. Everything seems to be well and in order, so far.'

'There are more crewmen, officers, and citizens aboard this vessel that I haven't met yet, and with the ones that I have met, there is more to learn about them.'

He looked over his log, thinking of each individual he mentioned with fondness as a gentle grin adorned his features. He was satisfied.

'I am looking forward to it.'

"Computer, end personal log."

Tags: Drakkar, Log, First, Thoughts, Orkraul, friends, allies, Proverbs 14:29, Proverbs 18:24