Sitting in the Mess Hall

Posted on 15 Jan 2019 @ 9:30pm by Ensign Edtoto Nar'Sivaro (Jan 2389-POW-TRNSFR After Second Battle of XFY) & Gunnery Sergeant Kyle Walken

Mission: Ka Hakaka Maikaʻi - The Good Fight
Location: Mess Hall

Edtoto sat down at a table in the mess hall, looking over a circuit board she was working on. She was alone, as she very often was on this ship. On... every ship. "Sit with the crew during meal times..." She muttered to herself, her tongue running along the bridge in her muzzle, stopping her from making everyone in the mess hall lose their desire to eat. "People will talk to you..." She added, her head twitching to the side. "Computers are more interesting anyway..."

It was official, Kyle had received his orders that he was transferred to the Hawaii. It wasn't so bad, a few other of the survivors from the Wyoming were here as well. Not that he really knew any of them other than Ensign Taltos, a simple meal was all he had today. It was then he noticed someone sitting alone in the mess, a lizard. Memories of the Gorn flashed in his mind for a second but he remembered this lizard. She was on board the Wyoming. He walked forward and stopped at the table, "This seat taken?" he asked.

The lizard froze, slowly looking up at who spoke to her, drawing her attention away from her work. She looked at him, her yellow slitted eyes showing no sign of really any emotion at all, before she looked back down to her work. "No Sargeant. The seat is free, you may use it however you wish," she said, her tone artificial and cold, as if he were being spoken too by a computer.

"Alright thank you." He spoke quietly as he sat down. He ate in silence for a few minutes until he focused on what she was doing, hoping to break the awkward silence he spoke up. "Not sure if you remember me but I remember you from the Wyoming, Sergeant Walken." He introduced himself. "So what are you working on?"

"I am aware of who you are Sergeant," Edtoto said, looking up at Kyle. "Ensign Edtoto Nar'Sivaro," She added, soldering something down. "As for what I am working on? A mild project. Recreating my peoples EVA suit. Yours are pressurized for the whole body, which reduces my mobility and increases the risk of atmospheric containment by a significant margin," She said, looking at Kyle. "And if you're curious, I used to repair you and your team's equipment often. Sadly you never utilized the modifications I made to them..."

"I didn't know that your species need a different type of EVA suits," Kyle said, looking at Edtoto. "Have you brought this up with the Captain? I'm sure he could help you out with this," He said, going back to his food. Then he paused. "Wait you were the one who fixed Marine equipment?" He asked, laughing a little. "To be honest, I didn't know that we broke our things. Well, thank you Ensign sorry I didn't take notice before this."

"Not a problem at all," Edtoto said, looking back at her work. "I am used to going unnoticed. People don't like me," She explained, tweaking a part with a classic screwdriver. "I am... abrasive, as I have been told," She said simply, putting the chip down. "And I do not need the Captains help. He knows nothing of my peoples technology, it would be pointless to ask."

"How can you be sure he doesn't know, maybe he studied your people's tech before." Kyle exclaimed as he set down his fork, taking a moment, picking it back up again. There probably wasn't a point to argue. "Well you haven't given me a reason not to like you, so I will notice," He offered after another breif silence, giving the alien woman a slight smile. "Not much coming from a dumb Marine, I know, but hey! At least it's something, right?" He asked, hopfully.

Edtoto stared while Kyle spoke, her eyes unyielding in intensity and lack of emotion. Like she was breaking him apart, stripping everything he was and said into smaller, more manageable parts, and putting him back together in a way she understood. "I appreciate the words, but I have heard them before," She explained, pulling out her Datapad. "I will fade from your mind. You don't need to waste your breath to try and make me feel better."

Kyle frowns after he finished his meal, he looked Edtoto in the eyes as she spoke. "You are not making this easy you know. I'm trying to be friendly here." He was now rubbing his temples now, he could tell why she was sitting here alone and not with others.

Edtoto paused at Kyle's words, then let out an explosive sigh. "Clearly my inputs are incorrect," She said, putting the Datapad down, interlocking her fingers in consideration. "Honesty was something that I was told was a value," She explained, her head ticking to the side like a bird. "What is your suggestion for this interaction?"

"Honesty is always nice but when someone is being kind it is generally good to at least fake that kindness back as well." The marine was wondering if this was a good idea or not, it wasn't like he really knew this person at all. "Are making connections and friendships not something you look for?"

"Have you ever tried to stick a half inch bolt into a quarter inch nut?" Edtoto asked, looking at Kyle. "There is a moment where you can try, and try, but no matter how you look at it, you either need to grind open the hole, or grind down the nut," She sighed, standing up. She reached out, pulling her hand back for a moment before moving forward and tapping his hand, the motion unpracticed. "It is alright. I appreciate the attempt, as you might say. I have just accepted long ago that I am not capable of making friends," She said, her voice unwaivering, but somehow the words were depressed.

Kyle shook his head, it was like trying to talk a brick wall and it was going nowhere. "Alright, I get it, attempting a friendship with you is pointless because you are unwilling to give an effort." The Marine got to his feet. "Thanks for letting me eat with you, goodbye Ensign."

"Goodbye, Sergeant," The alien woman said, her tail drooping slightly. She looked at the transfer orders on it, and sighed. Maybe she would have a similar opportunity another time, one that wouldn't be affected by a transfer. Regardless, she started walking away, to grab her things and await her new post.