Ens. Xandria Cain - The Enthusiastic Diplomat Special

[Doz Finch]

All I did was laugh from start to finish, reading this sim. Cain is so playfully and deliciously satirical, from the narration right through to the dialogue. Just brilliant 👏

Ens. Xandria Cain - The Enthusiastic Diplomat Special (google.com)

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((Brew Continuum, USS Gorkon))

 

The trio of cadets were sitting in the Brew Continuum, a cleverly-named coffeehouse on board the Gorkon, listening to their new First Officer’s stories and words of wisdom. Armed with coffee and Commander Neathler's sage advice, they finally broached the topic of shore leave.

 

Ylvor: What were people's ideas for shore leave? 

 

Avoi: I was hoping to visit Iana Station, but I can very well settle for Deep Space Nine. It’s quite the hub for antsy ambassadors and roving diplomats. ::smiling:: and I’ll bet my hat they have a firing range there too.

 

Xandria scoffed. She liked plenty of things other than firing weapons! She liked beaches, and shopping, and loud music…plenty of things!

 

Neathler: The Tyrellian Sector is the ship’s home. We’ll return sooner or later for you to visit the station and compare it with Deep Space Nine. It’s totally different and yet somewhat similar.

 

Ylvor: Oh if the walls of the DS9 Promenade could talk.. ::Torvi said, trailing off.::

 

Avoi: Oh, quite! Stations are a magnet for the famous and fabled.

 

Neathler: Just stay out of trouble. ::She winked briefly towards the ensigns, before she picked up her glass and took another sip while looking around.:: So what about favorite hobbies? Maybe I can connect you with other people of the crew with similar interests.

 

Cain: I do enjoy live concerts. Anything loud with a good riff, honestly. And ::she side-eyed Avoi:: I do like shopping. 

 

Just because she was a security grunt (for now, anyway) didn’t mean she couldn’t enjoy dressing up, though she strongly suspected she and Ensign Princess had vastly different taste in off-duty clothing. 

 

Avoi: I just love that! As for me, that’s easy. Give me any event where I get to dress up and socialise, and I’m in my element.

 

Neathler: Ensign Ylvor, you’ll have to remind me to introduce you to Lieutenant Stoyer. He’s one of our best pilots, I’m sure he’d be willing to help you out if you want to pursue that piloting career one day.

 

Ylvor: Oh thank you Commander, ::Torvi paused, unsure how to downplay her uncomfortable body language at the suggestion:: I would very much like to meet more of the crew. 

 

Neathler: Nothing is set in stone. We have several people in the crew who opt for a different department after a few years.

 

Torvi, despite the discomfort in her body language, didn’t shrink entirely from the assertion that she might end up a pilot after all. She did skillfully redirect the conversation to Commander Neathler’s career path, and Xandria sipped at her coffee as she listened. Still piping hot — this was a well-designed mug. A feat of fleet engineering?

 

Ylvor: You mentioned you were in Security previously Commander? 

 

Avoi: Oh yes, you must tell us all about that! It’s not a department I could ever picture myself in—far too dangerous and disorderly a profession—but that doesn’t mean I cannot live vicariously through another's stories. And who doesn't love a story?

 

Ensign Princess seemed continually disappointed with her drink, peering at it with big sorrowful eyes, and waving over a server. It looked fancier than anything the rest of them had ordered, how bad could it possibly be?

 

Neathler: I am… was. Joined the Gorkon, fresh out of the academy. It was that or medical. But I followed my mother’s footsteps. ::She took a sip from the glass, and swallowed slowly.:: The old man didn’t like it very much, though.

 

Commander Neathler shrugged, her tone level, like she’d distanced herself from this situation long ago. 

 

Neathler: And after a few years, I became Chief of Security and Tactical. It’s a good department with people you can count on, who’ll have your back in times of trouble.

 

Ylvor: I know a few of the past hosts have been in Starfleet, going back to the 2280’s or thereabouts. 

 

Neathler: Impressive. Maybe their knowledge will help you with your career in Starfleet.

 

The conversation lulled, and they sipped on their drinks. All except Avoi, who had finally caught the attention of one of the servers, and spoke to him with a tone and a smile that Xandria was sure could talk anyone into doing almost anything. 

 

Avoi: Would you mind adding some cream to my coffee, and a dash of orange flavouring. The peel is very pretty to look at, but is a little too subtle for my taste. ::a vibrant grin:: I *love* your apron! So very rustic.

 

He shook his head and left with her drink, since everyone else seemed more than satisfied with their own. Xandria nobly held in a laugh at the whole situation.

 

Neathler: Now I know you’re all in full health, but don’t forget to go for your medical checkup. ::She smiled briefly.:: And it’ll give you the opportunity to meet new people and the crew.

 

Avoi: Absolutely! And there is a lot to be gained from it, too. ::observing her PADD:: Mine is tomorrow at zero seven hundred hours—how exciting!

 

This time, Xandria did laugh.

 

Cain: I think you’re the first person to ever describe a medical check-up as “exciting.” 

 

Ylvor: Response

 

Neathler: Enjoy your free time during shore leave, visit Bajor or Deep Space Nine, or go to Trill for a visit, now you have the chance. Because I don’t know when we’re going to be here again.

 

Avoi: You have no argument from me, Commander. I fully intend to make the most out of it.

 

Xandria nodded, and glanced at her fellow ensigns. Perhaps they could find some trouble to get into together — she thought they both seemed like excellent prospects for friendship, and she hoped they felt the same way.

 

Cain: I’m definitely spending some time on the station before we head out.

 

Ylvor: Response

 

Neathler: And remember, my door is always open if there’s something troubling or concerning you.

 

Avoi: Thank you very, very much, Commander.

 

The server finally returned, “so very rustic apron” and all, carrying…well, carrying what Xandria assumed used to be Avoi’s drink. If it had been the fanciest of the four before, now it was on another level. Swirling with cream, a towering whipped topping, and coated in orange-colored sugar crystals. Xandria leaned back and sipped her own plain, boring coffee, a quick cover for the fact that her mouth was hanging slightly agape at the sight of the diplomat’s upgraded beverage. 

 

Ylvor/Neathler(?): Response

 

Avoi: And now the taste test! ::taking a sip, she paused, then rolled her eyes back with a groan:: Oh, that is a lot more palatable. ::raising her glass to the server as he merrily returned to his work:: Well, I don't know about you two, but I am already so very impressed by everything.

 

Palatable — palatable! She called it palatable! How– what were her standards, if that thing was only “palatable?” 

 

Cain: Maybe they should name it for you. ::She nodded at the drink.:: “The Enthusiastic Diplomat” or something, I don’t know, I’m no wordsmith. 

 

Ylvor/Neathler(?): Response

 

Avoi: Perhaps after we’re done settling into our quarters, we can gather together and really make the most out of our situation. I of course want to visit the station, but I’m very open to ideas.

 

She paused, seemingly having second thoughts about the statement that she was “very open” to ideas. What ideas was she not open to, then? Xandria guessed anything that might muddy her perfectly-polished shoes or disturb a curl on her head. 

 

Avoi: Ensign Ylvor will undoubtedly be needing garments and all sorts of things to fill her space with. Unless, of course, you have more luggage arriving at a later date? ::inclining her head::

 

Cain: We didn’t all bring an outfit for every day of the year, Miaxdiso.

 

Xandria grinned, good-natured, and set her near-empty mug down on the table in front of them. She’d definitely be back here, maybe even as a regular stop before her shifts. Replicated coffee just didn’t taste the same.

 

Avoi/Ylvor/Neathler(?): Response

 

Cain: Anyway, I am also interested in visiting the station. Beaches are my second choice, if we’re voting. 

 

Or if Torvi wanted to spend some time on an actual planet. Not Trill, obviously, there was plenty of emotional baggage there that Xandria was sure they didn’t know her well enough to dig into. But some folks seemed to prefer planets to space, even when they chose to serve in space, so she wanted to offer up the option. 

 

Huh. Maybe she was a better diplomat than she gave herself credit for. 

 

Avoi/Ylvor/Neathler(?): Response

 

Cain: I actually hope we become friends, not just shipmates. I really do like the both of you, quirks and all. 

 

Avoi/Ylvor/Neathler(?): Response

 

 

 

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Ensign Xandria Cain

Security & Tactical Officer

USS Gorkon (NCC-82293)

G239801TM4