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New Home 2260.98 (OP)

Andrea shrugged nonchalantly at Ves’s observation. “It helped us feel like we belonged to something special. We all came from different situations but that all had the same result of none of us really being able to make a lot of friends. Take me for example,” she paused and took a sip of her drink. “I’m the youngest of five. By the time I came along my parents were just kind of done with children and I was often left to myself. I had my four brothers but it’s still not the same. I didn’t have a lot of friends as a child and that got pretty damn lonely. By the time I reached the Academy, I was a tough independent girl only concerned with getting through school and escaping into space. Then Alenis and I became friends and she and the rest of them showed me that there was more to life than that.” Andrea took a big swig of her drink. “Ah fuck, sorry… I just unloaded my whole life’s story on you.”

Ves nodded, unsure of what to really say to that.  He easily identified with her, though he had no desire to vocalize their common pasts.  He did not want to talk about it.  Her remark about having found it hard to make friends resonated in his mind, instances flashed by of schooling on Vulcan and homeschooling on Earth.  He understood it all too well.  ”It is alright,” he replied quietly.  

"Yup, that’s the one," Andrea responded with a nod. "We’ve known each other since the Academy. Part of the same small group of friends and all," she said. "We called ourselves the Island of Misfit Toys."

Ves understood her reference, though he did not find it...

Andrea shrugged nonchalantly at Ves's observation. "It helped us feel like we belonged to something special. We all came from different situations but that all had the same result of none of us really being able to make a lot of friends. Take me for example," she paused and took a sip of her drink. "I'm the youngest of five. By the time I came along my parents were just kind of done with children and I was often left to myself. I had my four brothers but it's still not the same. I didn't have a lot of friends as a child and that got pretty damn lonely. By the time I reached the Academy, I was a tough independent girl only concerned with getting through school and escaping into space. Then Alenis and I became friends and she and the rest of them showed me that there was more to life than that." Andrea took a big swig of her drink. "Ah fuck, sorry... I just unloaded my whole life's story on you."

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

"Just a little," Andrea responded with a lop-sided grin. "Y’know, I’ve got a friend aboard the ship that’s docked here who’s Bajoran. Maybe you know her?"

"Seeing as there was only one on board, I am guessing you mean Alenis?"  He nodded as he spoke.  "I talked with her several times.  I did not know her well, though.  How do you know her?"

"Yup, that's the one," Andrea responded with a nod. "We've known each other since the Academy. Part of the same small group of friends and all," she said. "We called ourselves the Island of Misfit Toys."

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

"So, part Vulcan, part Bajoran, but you lived on Earth?" Andrea raised an eyebrow. "That’s quite a mixture you got there." She took a sip of her drink.

Ves smiled a bit as he looked down with a nod.  ”My parents met on Earth, and that is where they have stayed.  I can hardly consider myself Bajoran, aside from physically.  But, I did spend quite a bit of time on Vulcan, as I am sure is fairly obvious.”

"Just a little," Andrea responded with a lop-sided grin. "Y'know, I've got a friend aboard the ship that's docked here who's Bajoran. Maybe you know her?"

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

"I should hope so!" Andrea said with a laugh. "But thank you." She paused as the waiter brought them their drinks. "So, where are you from, Ves?"

"I am from Earth," he replied, probably not as interesting an answer as she would have liked to have heard.  "I did spend part of each year on Vulcan, but my life was primarily on Earth.  In New Hampshire, in the United States."

"So, part Vulcan, part Bajoran, but you lived on Earth?" Andrea raised an eyebrow. "That's quite a mixture you got there." She took a sip of her drink.

Andrea laughed and gave Wei a lop-sided grin. “No, there’s no stains on your shirt. Greg mentioned it earlier when we were talking.” She thought back to the moment, just realizing how much she already knew about Greg after their first meeting. Good lord, was that boy a talker.

"I believe chatterbox is the word you're lookin' for," Andrea said with a grin, taking another swing of her drink. "Funny that you're a Chief of Engineering, too. It must be a requirement to be under 5'4" to get the job," she laughed.

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

"I’m the Chief of Engineering," Andrea replied as the bartender walked up to them. "Glass of wine for me, thanks," she said to the man. "What do you want, Ves?"

"I’ll have the same," he responded, addressing the waiter with a smile.  As the waiter walked away, he redirected his gaze again to Andrea.  "Chief of Engineering, right.  I should have guessed.  You seem quite adept at your job."

"I should hope so!" Andrea said with a laugh. "But thank you." She paused as the waiter brought them their drinks. "So, where are you from, Ves?"

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

Ves took a seat across from her, speaking as he sat.  ”I am the Chief Science Officer.  Or, I will be.”  He rested his head in his hand.  ”I have yet to begin my duties.  What about you?”

"I'm the Chief of Engineering," Andrea replied as the bartender walked up to them. "Glass of wine for me, thanks," she said to the man. "What do you want, Ves?"

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

"There’s a pretty good bar up on the main deck, though I forget what it’s called," Andrea replied, trying to remember the name. "Ah, never mind. Do you want to go check it out?"

"Sure," he said, nodding.  "I will follow you," he added, as he did not know where she was talking about.

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

Andrea finished up and snapped the vent closed, then dropped down to the floor. She moved the goggles to the top of her head. “There, that’s done,” Andrea shot Ves a lop-sided grin as she packed her things back into her toolbox. “Thanks for the help, darlin’. Say, if you’re not busy, we could go get a drink. I owe ya one after all.”

He stood as she spoke, hands lowering to his sides.  ”That would be acceptable, though I do not feel as you really owe me anything, you may if you wish.  Where shall we go?”

"There's a pretty good bar up on the main deck, though I forget what it's called," Andrea replied, trying to remember the name. "Ah, never mind. Do you want to go check it out?"

"I’m the Junior Medical Officer," Alenis replied after she finished ordering a drink for the bartender."I don’t do much, mostly just hang around and work on various projects until someone stumbles in that needs to be patched up."

"I can tell you that it’s the same until you hit CMO," Greg chuckled after taking another swig of his drink.  "I’m the Assistant CMO here and all I seem to do is just run around and do errands.  Now that I think about it, I don’t think I’ve even seen the CMO here…"

Andrea laughed and gave Wei a lop-sided grin. "No, there's no stains on your shirt. Greg mentioned it earlier when we were talking." She thought back to the moment, just realizing how much she already knew about Greg after their first meeting. Good lord, was that boy a talker.

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

"I see," he replied, staying as steady as he could while she worked.  He decided not to speak again until she was done, so as not to distract her.  

Andrea finished up and snapped the vent closed, then dropped down to the floor. She moved the goggles to the top of her head. "There, that's done," Andrea shot Ves a lop-sided grin as she packed her things back into her toolbox. "Thanks for the help, darlin'. Say, if you're not busy, we could go get a drink. I owe ya one after all."

New Home 2260.98 (OP)

"Hold your hands like this," Andrea demonstrated, linking her fingers together to form a sort of platform with her hands. "Then sort of squat down like you’re bracing yourself and hold you hands out. I’ll use your hands as a sort of step to reach the vent," she explained.

He did as she asked, wondering if this was really enough, if she might fall.  He could catch her, though, he supposed.  He watched her work with practiced precision, enthralled by how easily it was for her.  ”How long have you been in this line of work?” he questioned, if only to make conversation.

"It’s from a really old children’s movie, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer," Andrea explained. "He and his friends go to the island of misfit toys to find them all homes. The joke was that we were the toys, and the Academy was our home."

"Hey, isn’t that it?" Andrea said, then whirled on the man. "Why the hell do you have my friends wallet?" she demanded, making the man flinch.

Andrea took off after the man and began to gain on him. When she got close enough, she took a flying leap, managing to grab the man’s waist and causing him to fall to the ground. Making sure the man stayed put, Andrea maneuvered herself so that she now sat on the small of his back, preventing him from moving. As Priya reached them, she grinned up at her. “Got him.”

"It’s no problem, really. Oh, put you’re wallet away!" Andrea exclaimed, waving away the offer. "Just glad I could help. Also, I can make sure this jackass," she cuffed the man that she was still sitting on on the back of the head, "gets off my station!"

"This has been an interesting day, to understate. However, now that I have my wallet back, I really should return to the trading posts since that was my original objective." Priya slid the wallet into her pocket. She checked her watch. "Yes, if I wait much longer, I will lose the opportunity. Thank you so much for your help. I hope to see you around the station again, before we ship off."

"Same," Andrea have her a lopsided grin. "Hey, stay still!" She cuffed the man again. "Well, see you around, darlin'. I'll make sure this jackass gets handed off to security

"It's from a really old children's movie, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer," Andrea explained. "He and his friends go to the island of misfit toys to find them all homes. The joke was that we were the toys, and the Academy was our home."