Daily Logs 6-27-15

I. Loris and Roca converse in the lounge
II. Leslie bets with Rorin - or How To Confuse An Empath


I.
Loris: *in the lounge with a Bajoran coffee and smiling over the screen of her PADD*
Roca: *stops behind Loris* Hey, Celin. *let's see if this is really going to work out* *totally didn't come here just to try it* *totally hasn't gotten a cup of rokassa juice to calm her nerves, either*
Loris: *puts her PADD down and turns a little, to look at Roca* *a little bemused, not being used to being called 'Celin', but not hostile* *maybe actually possibly pleased on some deep level that she's trying to hide in her neutral expression* Gi-Gilonna. Hi. *small smile*
Roca: It's just “Gilonna”. *smirks a little and sits down across from her* How's life without truth serum? *hasn't seen her in a while due to hiding a lot and then working with away teams a lot*
Loris: A lot more private. So, nicer.
Roca: Mhm. I have to admit, it got rather frustrating in the end.
Loris: *nods* I found myself doing anything to keep from talking while on shift on the bridge.
Roca: Good thing I don't have to talk on duty. *humourless grin, then shakes her head* But I had none, either. There was no immediate danger on board and the security center is fully equipped...
Loris: Lucky for you, hm?
Roca: The privilege of /not/ being First Officer. *takes a sip of rokassa juice*
Loris: You miss it. Don't be smug.
Roca: Mhm. I miss it and you envy me. What do you think of a position trade?
Loris: *snorts* I'd be no good as an ambassador playing Security.
Roca: I'm a /soldier/ playing ambassador playing security.
Loris: I'd be even less use at that.
Roca: *snorts* You'd be a better ambassador, I'm sure.
Loris: *small grin, takes a sip of her drink* And here I thought you knew me.
Roca: What? Am I wrong? *eyes her curiously*
Loris: Me? Ambassador? *scoffs* I'm blunt and a scientist.
Roca: I'm blunt and no scientist. That's why they chose me.
Loris: I don't think it would be a good idea.
Roca: Cardassians have a reputation of being sly and lying, right?
Loris: Undoubtedly.
Roca: *snorts* Am I either?
Loris: Probably.
Roca: *laughs roughly* Why, thank you. But my point was that I believe my government thought that the Federation would trust a soldier over a trained diplomat.
Loris: That's true. They'd never trust a diplomat.
Roca: And I saved some of your officers. I was perfect. *sighs amusedly*
Loris: Yes, it's a wonder they didn't welcome you back with open arms and give you a medal.
Roca: I got your captain's thankfullness. I think that's rare enough.
Loris: I don't think he's ever said 'thank you' in his life.
Roca: I'm sure you're wrong.
Loris: I'm sure I've never heard him.
Roca: That I believe.
Loris: Finally something you trust me on.
Roca: Hey. It's not /that/ rare.
Loris: *grin* Seems like it.
Roca: Now, now, you're beginning to understand just what a benign and friendly person I am.
Loris: Oh, is that how you describe yourself? What an interesting choice of words.
Roca: Is that not how /you/ would describe yourself?
Loris: Of course not. I'm anything /but/ benign.
Roca: Well. You have a point. *amused*
Loris: Of course I do. I like to think I know myself fairly well.
Roca: Fairly. There are parts you don't know. But I do.
Loris: *wryly* I know.
Roca: Hah! *triumphantly*
Loris: Do you know how strange it is to know someone who knows things about you that you haven't even realized?
Roca: I'm Cardassian. *humourless smile* What do you think?
Loris: I'm not sure I know what that's supposed to mean.
Roca: It means that I do know how strange it is. *nods to underline her words*
Loris: Oh, good. I'd hate to be alone in this.
Roca: I've had good teachers.
Loris: So have I but clearly they were teaching different subjects.
Roca: It must be so. You're a scientist. I never knew what I even had so many scientists on my ship. Most of them were kind of useless.
Loris: *slight frown* Are you implying I'm useless?
Roca: *closes her fingers around the cup and opens her hand again* Not at all. *as if that was obvious*
Loris: Oh, good.
Roca: You're first officer, and not on a warship.
Loris: *probably still useless though* Fair enough.
Roca: *not useless to her* Do you think the observation deck is useless?
Loris: Well, no. But it's not necessary to the operation of the ship.
Roca: No. And it's a weak spot. I was pretty confused when I first went there.
Loris: I'm sorry our ship isn't defensively sound.
Roca: *snorts a laugh* I look at it with different eyes now.
Loris: You'll miss it when you go back.
Roca: I wouldn't go that far.
Loris: *shrugs* It was a guess.
Roca: I won't miss much when I get back. Except maybe a few people. And the arboretum plant.
Loris: But maybe not even the arboretum plant. Since you'll have all of Cardassia.
Roca: I can sure get myself a new one.
Loris: Of course you could.
Roca: And you will go to that plant and miss /me/. *grins*
Loris: Yes, if I'm still here. Though you've harassed me everywhere. I could go anywhere and miss you.
Roca: *snorts a laugh* I like the sound of that. *drinks*
Loris: Don't get used to it.
Roca: Cardassian, remember? *taps her temple* We don't forget.
Loris: No, but I'm Bajoran and I do. And I change my mind.
Roca: *makes a face* Ooh, don't do that. I'm set in my ways.
Loris: You're only a year older than me.
Roca: So?
Loris: You're no more set in your ways than I am.
Roca: Yeah. Think about it.
Loris: I'm pretending I'm not set in my ways.
Roca: See? Next year you'll have given up on that.
Loris: Ah. It all makes sense now.
Roca: *nods* I told you so.
Loris: I won't believe you until it happens.
Roca: All right, then. You always spend some time denying it.
Loris: I have to have /some/ individual thought.
Roca: But why, if I'm always right in the end?
Loris: Because then I can at least say I tried.
Roca: Oh, you tried. You try every time.
Loris: So someday maybe it'll work.
Roca: I wouldn't hold my breath. Ah. Any word as of your next mission? Or is it top secret?
Loris: *nods* Confidential, yes. The ship will know soon though.
Roca: Ah. *nods* Just make sure not to fly us into yet another strange phenomenon, will you?
Loris: I'll do my best. Though, steering isn't my job.
Roca: And if it was, you'd deny it at first.
Loris: Of course I would.
Roca: So how can I be sure?
Loris: You just take it on good faith.
Roca: *snorts* That's more difficult than it sounds.
Loris: Then you'll have to get used to it.
Roca: *shrugs* I'm already used to it being more difficult than it sounds.
Loris: Good.
Roca: *takes another sip and thereby finishes her rokassa juice, then gets up* Now, if you'd excuse me. *takes the cup*
Loris: Of course.
Roca: Thank you. *humourless smile, walks to the matter disposer to put the cup away and then returns to her quarters to try and call Madro, since they're apparently in no embarrassing phenomenon* *well, hopefully*



II.
Leslie: *on the O-Deck, standing by the window and watching the planet through the glass* *relaxed and in civvies*
Rorin: *definitely hasn't been in trouble all week-- if he's asked, anyway ^^° but there was probably some difficult terrain he /had to/ explore, for adventure~ and Science, like e.g. a bit of free-climbing, but mostly it's a really nice peaceful planet from which he returned just yesterday* *after catching up on both sleep and some tasks aboard (and changing into civvies), locates Leslie and heads for the O-Deck, enters*
Leslie: *ignores the door and keeps looking out the window*
Rorin: *the lurv* *small friendly smile, quietly* Hello, Leslie. It's been a while.
Leslie:  *still without turning* *all the lurv* I counted the hours.
Rorin: *tilts his head, standing right in front of the closed doors of the turbolift*  That must have been quite some work.
Leslie: *slow nod, turns a bit to look at him* *wow he's way over there* It took lots of concentrating. Also lots of time on my hands.
Rorin: Heh. Good thing Kalion VI is quite peaceful, if your hands were busy counting the hours. Anyway, I am glad you missed me so much. *the lurv though*
Leslie: Actually. *raises an eyebrow* I was wondering if you'd notice if we left you down there. Since you were gone for so long.
Rorin: *coughs* I may not have noticed. Well. I would have noticed yesterday. *small grin* So either the captain didn't think of leaving me behind or he likes me after all. *walks towards one of the couches*
Leslie: *raises the corner of her mouth in the beginnings of a smile* Maybe he just didn't want to deal with the hassle of explaining to Starfleet why he needs a new navigation officer.
Rorin: He could tell them that I decided to become the first settler on the newly discovered planet. A quite big step for me, but sadly he's in need of a new navigator. *grin widens slightly* But not another empath, please.
Leslie: And Starfleet would be none the wiser. Not even confused that you wouldn't live alone like that. And they'd send a replacement who would never quite live up to your *smirks* *heh* legacy.
Rorin: *chuckles* *to his legacy* Obviously it would be very difficult to live up to my legacy. I set a high standard for being me.
Leslie: Somebody would have to reach to the stars to even try.
Rorin: At least a navigator would know how to locate the closest stars. My skills are still not replaceable.
Leslie: *raises both eyebrows at him* *he didn't continue her pun* *he is not friend worthy* What on earth could you possibly be able to do that Starfleet can't teach?
Rorin: Heh. *small grin* You'd be surprised.
Leslie: But I presume that it's /all/ beneficial and adds to the good of the ship?
Rorin: *nods slowly* Ahhh, yes of course. For the good of the ship. *was leaning against a couch somehow, sits down now* Anyway, I'm glad that I wasn't left behind. I'd get lonely on an uninhabited planet.
Leslie: You could make friends with the larger members of the wildlife.
Rorin: I'd rather not, though. *:/ huge animals* I prefer humanoids or smaller animals.
Leslie: *small grin* But Rorin. Big animals. Maybe there's some sort of creature you could domesticate to become a horse. *^^* *starts walking towards the couch*
Rorin: You'd like that, wouldn't you. *leans back* I might die in the process, though, and we wouldn't want that to happen.
Leslie: Or you could get used to it, like you should get used to video calls. And then there would be yet another rideable animal in the galaxy. My life would be a little more complete.
Rorin: *makes a small face* Video calls, though. But Leslie, have you /seen/ what horses /do/ when people try to tame them?
Leslie: *slow grin* Rorin, my parents /raise/ horses.
Rorin: *o.o* *blinks* They-- /raised/ them? You grew up with horses?
Leslie: *nods, still grinning* *sits on his couch, leaving space* Every day all day. Got my own horse when I was...thirteen? We have this big ranch out in the middle of nowhere. Breed, raise, break, pasture, board. Anything.
Rorin: *blinks some more* You sat on a horse when you were thirteen. They are huge, Leslie. /Huge/. And they're flight animals. Huge flight animals. They panic. *he says, with his enormous horse knowledge...*
Leslie: *blinks back at him* I was riding probably before I could walk.
Rorin: Now you're exaggerating. Humans don't ride before they walk, do they. *do they??? o.O*
Leslie: *gives him a funny look and nods* Yeeees? The parent gets on and then holds the child in front of them. *pantomimes holding a child* It's completely normal and safe.
Rorin: *o.o … … … …* Were you not-- afraid?
Leslie: *shrugs* I might have been the first time, but I mean, my dad was holding me and he wouldn't put me on a dangerous horse.
Rorin: *blinks* I should ride a horse. *why did he say this* *ego, be damned*
Leslie: *omg* You don't like horses. Why would you?
Rorin: Because I can. Or more precisely, I should be able to sit on a horse.
Leslie: I would /love/ to see you try. You wouldn't manage it.
Rorin: *no, don't challenge the empath!* *smirks* I would.
Leslie: *rolls her eyes* Wouldn't.
Rorin: You'll see. *grinning* *too late* *by the four deities, his fate is sealed*
Leslie: *omg she got a bet heck yeah* And what do I get when I'm right?
Rorin: Heh. /If/ you're right. I'll owe you one, unless there's something specific you want.
Leslie: *quickly* A favor.
Rorin: A favor. *nods grinning* Very well. And when I'm right, I'll get a favor from you?
Leslie: *nods back* Yes, absolutely. But you won't.
Rorin: I so will. *ego, be cursed* *we got along so well on Kalion VI and now this!*
Leslie: I'll believe it when I see it. You, on a real horse, not freaking out because of how big and flighty it is.
Rorin: I can bring up a massive amount of self-control, if I have to. *and he'll have to* How difficult can it be. *blinks* A serious question, though. /Is/ it difficult to sit on a horse? Mounting doesn't look complicated, if the horse stays calm. *by the four deities, let it stay calm*
Leslie: *somberly* Oh, so difficult. It takes years of practice to completely master the art. Even then, the most experienced may suddenly fall off for no reason.
Rorin: *blinks* … *looks at her stubbornly* You are not going to win.
Leslie: *grins* See, I don't like that you can tell if I'm telling the truth. But I /will/ win.
Rorin: *grins at her* I do like it, though. It makes me very sad when I can't tell truth from lies.
Leslie: It makes me very sad that I can't convince you of things.
Rorin: Yes, I know. I feel your pain.
Leslie: *makes a face at him* Very funny.
Rorin: *smiles* So it's settled?
Leslie: It is.
Rorin: *nods* Agreed. Now all we need is a real horse.
Leslie: Easier said than done.
Rorin: Perhaps, if we ask nicely, Starfleet lets us visit Earth again sometime soon. It's been a while.
Leslie: It /has/ been awhile. I miss my kids.
Rorin: *blinks* Your kids? *so much blinking*
Leslie: *starts to nod and then:* Oh! *sheepish grin* Not /my/ kids. My younger brother and sister, and my honorary nephew. Those kids. Sorry. I got done calling my mom not too long ago and I might still be in that mindset.
Rorin: Heh. *smiles* I see. Those kids, then. Are they doing all right?
Leslie: *her kids also includes her cat but let's not confuse the empath more* *nods* They are. I have a large family, so I didn't get an update on everybody, but the main ones are doing all right.
Rorin: *thank you, very kind ._. this conversation is indeed a bit confusing* That's nice. And it is a thing that we do have in common. My family is large as well-- they aren't as averse to video calls. So now and then they do call me. *the struggle is real*
Leslie: You poor disoriented Betazoid. *leans back and stretches out a bit* How do you cope?
Rorin: *sighs dramatically* I bring up that massive amount of self control I mentioned earlier. *^^*
Leslie: Oh, yeah. That self control you say you have and that you'll use when you meet a horse.
Rorin: Exactly. *nods* It got me through many difficult situations.
Leslie: I can't wait to see it in action.
Rorin: Perhaps we /should/ ask nicely for a trip to Earth.
Leslie: You know, they had horses on Aquibana.
Rorin: *heh* A pity that we aren't on Aquibana anymore. But we'll certainly visit the planet again at some point in the future. *damnit*
Leslie: And then we'll see. *pause, tilts her head* In the meantime, I have a horse-riding program on the holodeck if you want to work on preparing yourself.
Rorin: *small grin, about to reject, then reconsiders and nods* That would be nice. It will certainly help to learn the technique before I sit on a real horse-- not that it would change anything about my self control or confidence.
Leslie: Because you're already drowning in both of those, hm? Can't add to something that's already limitless.
Rorin: Guilty as charged. *grins* Though it does have a limit. Somewhere.
Leslie: I'll find it when you sit on a real horse. But until then I can teach you on a fake horse whenever you like.
Rorin: Thank you. I would like that.  *holo-horses will be all right, they don't send flight animal panic vibes ^^*
Leslie: *nods, smiling* I'll look forward to it.
[And then they talked for some more and eventually parted ways.]