Daily Logs 11-26-15

I. Fallan and Elspeth chat
II. Jalen and Fallan meet

I.
Fallan: *Walking down the halls, not using a cane but still a little limp-y. Just minding his own business for now* 
Elspeth: *after weeks of fighting off beetles and crew members while working to find a cure, the Doctor has found herself worn out, and asked to be put on quarter-shifts for a while. Due to her notable service during the crisis, her request has been granted, and she's been using her time to unwind and reacquaint herself with the happiness that can be found on the Legacy. At the moment, she's gazing out a view port into deep space, chin on her hans* 
Fallan: *Walks by the window and stops, just to look at the view.* Good afternoon, I hope you don't mind if I join you? *Wow it's that pretty doctor with the nice hair.* 
Elspeth: Not at all! *turns, and smiles, beckoning Fallan over. There's room for both of them, there* Look at the stars. A gift, yes? 
Fallan: A gift? From who? *Comes over to the window and watches the stars anyways* 
Elspeth: *laughs* Who knows? A gift need not have a giver. The delight is in the opening. 
Fallan: *Nods, he guesses that makes sense.* If that's the case then yes, the stars are a wonderful gift today. 
Elspeth: I am glad for the chance to breathe and enjoy them. Sometimes, this ship, it is a lot to bear. 
Fallan: It is. What's made you tired today? *It's probably the mummies. Or maybe the alternate universe people, he heard something about those.* 
Elspeth: *rolls her shoulders* I am recovering from the bugs and their mess, yes? It was quite the ordeal for Medical. 
Fallan: I saw, were you sick or just working hard? 
Elspeth: The two are not always all distinguishable. Stress, too, is an illness. But no, I was of the fortunate to not succumb. And yourself? I was not on track with keeping all who fell ill. 
Fallan: I was sick. I had a lot of bugs on me. *Bleh. He makes a face. Gosh he wishes he knew how Elspeth did her hair because he'd like his to do that* 
Elspeth: *unfortunately, humans can't replicate it: Keldarian hair is coated in a substance that keeps it soft, but also reduces water retention and resistance* It is understandable. Do not blame yourself. many of our best fell to menace. *she smiles at him, the sort of expression that could light up a room* Besides. It is over. 
Fallan: *Has no idea about the hair thing. He smiles back at her, he can't help it.* It is over, yes. It could've been much worse than it was. We could've all died. 
Elspeth: Oh, I do not think so. We would, perhaps, have all been consumed by the illness, and become a ghost-ship, drifting amongst the stars. A lethal gift to be opened by rescuers, only to spread the illness. *she winks* Death, it is not the worst fate, yes? 
Fallan: *Wow that was way more creative than his idea* ...I suppose so. *blinks. Awkward silence as he envisions a deadly trojan horse ghost ship* 
Elspeth: *waves a hand* It is a children's fable from my homeworld. A cautionary tale. Do not plunder ghost ships, for you may not be liking what is found. 
Fallan: ...Did you live somewhere where children often found ghost ships? 
Elspeth: Oh, I never lived there. A story my uncle told me. But yes, the Keldarians are a trading people's and we see many strange things. 
Fallan: Ah. That explains everything. *Nodnod* 
Elspeth: My parents, they were trading as well. I was born on their ship. But they died when I was... *she frowns, and reaches up to her needles, brushing an enameled dot on each one* Quite young. 
Fallan: ...I apologize. *Has no idea how to react to this, hopefully his somberness is appropriate* 
Elspeth: *her eyes dance* Oh dear. Were you a meteor, in a past life? I'm afraid I'd have to be quite the crossing with you. 
Fallan: *That was a sudden change. He laughs a little,* Excuse me? 
Elspeth: Oh, that is what the shuttle struck, I was told. So if you were apologizing, it might have been due to a previously-meteoric nature, hm? *she giggles* 
Fallan: *Having a hard time understanding Elspeth's standard. Standard is for losers. Something about it strikes him as funny though, so he laughs with her.* Are you still new to the language? 
Elspeth: *sighs, and shakes her head* No. The language, it is very different from my native one. And Keldarian minds are retaining of their neuro-plasticity in a manner quite unlike that of humans. Multilingualism is not a gift granted to us, though I try. My uncle was birthed and grew on Earth, and still he speaks Standard not quite well. 
Fallan: No, don't apologize, I understand. *Huffs.* Standard is a silly language. It doesn't even abide by it's own grammar rules. It's a silly, silly language. 
Elspeth: *laughs* Oh! You should attempt Keldarian. It is, I am told, a nightmare for the learning. It has meaning from phenomes, yes, but also, gestures, and tone, and the scintillating of the eyelids. And the grammar! *she mimes fainting away* 
Fallan: *Smiles and laughs,* Oh, you would like Efrosian. We use two voices, and where the second is in relation to the first determines meaning, and where the first is determines meaning as well. No scintillating eyelids though. 
Elspeth: Yes. Language, it is always a difficulty for me. But were I to use a universal translator, my patients would find my movements, my blinking, quite unsettling. So I am adopting of human motion and speech. It is, 'in bed manner'. *she frowns* Or bedside manner. I do not recall, but am proficient at both, yes?
Fallan: Well I wouldn't know if you were proficient at both, but I'll take your word for it. *Doesn't remember being her patient. He might've while unconscious, maybe?* 
Elspeth: *winks, impishly* One is more fun than the other, yes? 
Fallan: *Nods, though not too enthusiastically.* Usually. Sometimes. 
Elspeth: *takes the backoff signal* Ah, well, it is not for everyone. *hops up into the window* So, what is it that you do? 
Fallan: *Sorry Elspeth, if he did anything more strenuous than lifting something heavy he'd probably snap his hip or something.* I'm a geologist, and something of a chemist I suppose. I'm still studying, I should have a degree next year. 
Elspeth: It is true, there are not many rocks in space. *she pauses* Or... well, I suppose all rocks are in space! *mind. Blown*
Fallan: *Well she's not wrong* Well, there are many planets, that is what I study the most. Planets, where they've been, how they formed, and how they will die and where they'll go. 
Elspeth: *nods, thoughtfully* Most of our work is a bit more in the moment, yes? 
Fallan: Most of it. As I learn chemistry, it can be hard to think about things in the moment. I'm used to thinking of things in geological time. 
Elspeth: Well, simply divide by ten to the thirteen! The age of the Earth becomes about four hours. 
Fallan: Well that's not useful at all in chemistry, that's what I mean to say. 
Elspeth: That is fair. I simply meant that it is all change in scale. 
Fallan: *nods* I understand now. I apologize 
Elspeth: Twice in a conversation! *laughs* 
Fallan: *Smiles. Okay now he just has to ask the question.* I know this is sudden, but how do you make your hair so nice? *His will be white like that eventually and he wants to be a stylish old man at least.* 
Elspeth: *chrono starts beeping* Oh dear. Time for a quarter shift. That is very kind of you! *hops out of the window* Please, I must away. 
Fallan: Oh, of course. Have a good shift. *nods and gets out of her way* 
Elspeth: *bounces off on her way to places unknown*

II.
Jalen: *sitting at the lounge, trying some turkey for Thanksgiving since Terry was really into these things* *does not like so far*
Fallan: *Walks into the lounge, still hobbling but not as bad.* Jalen, there you are. How are you?
Jalen: *smiles* I'm doing well, thank you. And yourself? *looks down, a little concerned at his hip*
Fallan: Better. I wanted to apologize for Rala earlier
Jalen*small smile* Don't worry about it. Do you still need a brace?
Fallan: I think not, it seems to be healing. *Sits by Jalen, again with some effort but less than before.* She can be abrasive, but she means well.
Jalen*nods* I hope so. This isn't the first time she threatened to hurt me. *grins*
Fallan: Well maybe she likes you. *Shrugs*
Jalen *chuckles* If that's true, then I'd hate to see how she treats her enemies.
Fallan: Likely with no mercy.
Jalen: I'm sure. *pauses* Oh! Happy Thanksgiving! *
Fallan: *blink* It's Thanksgiving already? I had forgotten...
10:17:43 PM <Mountain-Thundersong> the alien said to the other alien
10:21:21 PM * nopinky I did too, until I saw the notification I set on my PADD. *smirks* You can thank Terrence for that.
10:23:11 PM * ToastBusters Fallan: *scratches his head* I...I'm afraid I don't remember who that is.
Jalen: *frowns* I'm sorry, he must have left this ship earlier than I thought. He was a Human who loved celebrating Terran holidays like this one.
Fallan: *He remembers something about ugly sweaters. Maybe he should replicate a set for this holiday season.* Well, that sounds a little familiar...
Jalen: He was a counselor, with tan skin and a ponytail. *frowns* I'm not exactly sure what he's doing now.
Fallan: *thinking....oh yeah.* I do remember him. He wasn't a good counselor. *Not to fallan anyways.*
Jalen: *chuckles* Why do you say that? *realizes that might be personal* ...If you're comfortable with telling me, that is.
Fallan: It's a long story. I hardly remember it, actually. *It's been so long. He scratches his chin.*
Jalen:  Oh. *sounds a little disappointed* No matter. Have you ever eaten Turkey before?
Fallan: Yes, I've celebrated Thanksgiving, it just has never been a very large deal. We have a similar holiday, but it's at the beginning of the year, so I always forget Thanksgiving...
Jalen: *tilts his head* What's your holiday called?
Fallan: Oh, it's called --*Speaks in Efrosian, his second voice is still rusty and whatever he just said, it sounded like some consonants mixed with some gargles.*
Jalen: *blinks* Your... holidays certainly sound interesting.
Fallan: Oh, why thank you. *Smiles*
Jalen: *nods and smiles* What does it mean in standard?
Fallan: As far as I know there's no real standard translation. The best I could give you is "Week of Remembering"
Jalen: *nods* You honor your heritage?
Fallan: *Makes a face* No, no, that's Mother's day. The thing we're remembering is the word that doesn't translate.
Jalen: *nods* In either case, happy delayed week of remembering.
Fallan: *Smiles.* Well, thank you, that's kind. and Happy Thanksgiving, since you're celebrating it.
Jalen: *smiles* And thank you too. *makes a face as he finishes his turkey and stands* I would enjoy Thanksgiving more if the food tasted better.
Fallan: That's my reason for not liking Thanksgiving as much either. *Smiles some.* Are you leaving?
Jalen: *nods* My shift begins in 5 minutes. I'll see you later, Fallan.