#114 Walkabout/Finding Ice Cream

Posted on Thu Jan 5th, 2023 @ 7:58pm by Captain Sean Silk & Chief Warrant Officer Niraasha "Nira" Whisperwind

Mission: BUGS OH NO!!
Location: USS Amandora
Timeline: current

ON:

After arriving at their quarters, and to her surprise, finding her new home all jungled up like her home world Puaza, Sera was in seventh heaven. But, with their absence from each other her parents had decided they needed moofty-woofty time so Sera decided to wander the ship. They had stopped by Operations and got her a badge of her own, which made her smile, and she placed it on her hip like her mother, on her bottoms instead of on her chest. Sera had also increased the semi-living black material that made up her clothing, creating boyshorts to wear instead of the bikini bottoms. Not being an adult she did not need her butt showing that much. Let mom have that honor.

Her dad had given her some earbuds to wear and a PADD which she hooked on her waistline, listening to what he called music, from his world of Earth. At first it was grating, but after a few songs and pieces were heard she began to like more and more of it. Listening to The Hollies: Long Cool Woman, she grooved her body this way and that as she went, the beat pleasant and entertaining. Passing people in the corridors she would smile and wave, and they would giggle and wave back, watching the tiny lavender girl jam and wiggle her way down the hall. Plus, Sera was wearing black, so she felt a connection to the song. Dad was right, each song she heard was a personal choice and there would be some she didn't like. Then, as that song ended 4 Non-Blondes: What's Up, began to play. So, Sera got groovy once more as she went along. Again, she was a non-blonde, so there was a connection in her little mind, which made the song that much more fun to listen to.

Finding her way back to the main lounge, and removing the earbuds, Sera entered the chamber and looked around. Seeing empty stools at the bar she went over and climbed up into one, leaning back and relaxing as she took in more of the room this time. It was full of people relaxing and drinking beverages, their conversations low key so as to keep a certain ambience. Her ears waved this way and that, practicing her aiming with her hearing, as she eavesdropped on conversations at singular tables, one at a time. Boring. All they could talk about was each other, and by each other it was those not present being chastised while not able to defend themselves. Were all humans like this? Afraid to say what was on their minds to the person who needed to hear it most? Interesting, she thought. Her mother had warned her that being around the various species would be confusing and would bring forth questions, which she would have to research herself if not able to ask her parents. So, she pulled the PADD up and accessed the computer library, speed reading each page as she sat there, going through each species one at a time to get a basic knowledge of their personality traits. Vulcans sounded way too boring, with all logic and no emotions. Tellarites sounded fun, and she was sure she could insult them adequately enough to be accepted by them.

A man behind the bar came over, smiling at her. "You must belong to Nira. Given the skin tone and looks. Can I get you anything?"

"Ice cream, please."

"Ice cream, got it. What flavor?"

The PADD was closed down and put away as Sera leaned forward with excitement. "Banana!" She announced. It was a flavor she absolutely loved.

"A bowl of banana ice cream coming right up." After about two minutes he came back, but not with a bowl. It was a full-sized ice cream boat with a banana split heaped into it. He put a place mat below the dish as he set it down and then set small jars of various flavored sauces before her. "We got chocolate sauce, strawberry sauce, and caramel. And, this." He set a can of whipped cream with the other items. "Would you like me to decorate?"

"Show me, please." Sera was all focus as she watched him decorate her banana split as per her instructions. She had tried chocolate already and found it to be less than savory. So, she asked for a bit of strawberry and caramel, then topped by the whipped cream. Once he had finished he sad "tah-dah", which left Sera looking at the ice cream castle, afraid to ruin such a thing of beauty. But, ice cream was meant to be eaten so she took up her spoon and dug in, wanting most of all to get to the raw bananas. In the background a song began to play. Sundown, by Gordon Lightfoot, which she began to move her body to while chomping down ice cream. She asked him to turn up the music to help with her digestion, which he laughed at but did it to appease his smallest patron. The rest of the room seemed to like the song too, with Sera noting several people be-bopping their heads to the rhythm. Sera Whisperwind had just fallen in love with her new mobile home.

***

Back in their quarters both Sean and Nira came out of the private room, which Nira had set up before she had left, knowing they would have a child living with them soon. When they stepped out and saw Sera was nowhere to be seen they checked her room. Nope. But, they did discover over a dozen banana peels piled in a corner, where their daughter had consumed the fruit before disappearing. "Damn, twelve bananas? Is that normal?"

"Seh seh (yes)," Nira said. "Puazi children grow at a substantially accelerated rate. Fueling the body is necessary, and she likes bananas. A lot, obviously." Not wanting to waste time, and having not got a call from Security yet, Nira tapped her badge. "Computer, location of Sera Whisperwind."

"Sera Whisperwind is in the main lounge."

Tapping her badge off Nira looked to her hubby. "See? She is fine. Puazi children also learn at an accelerated rate. We make sure they can survive from a young age, to be able to adapt to changes in their environment. It is why we use cloning to make children, not babies. Some choose the babies, but most go with a child already able to move and think when needed."

"Slow your roll, Nira. I was just asking." One thing he would never do was to insult his wife or her culture. She was who and what she was and he had chosen to fall in love with her, for better or worse. To question anything from her culture now would be disrespectful. "Should we go join her?" He gave a smile, wanting to spend quality time with his daughter since he had just done so with the mate.

"Let's go," said Nira, the two of them heading out together to go meet their daughter.

OFF: