Steeping & Sipping

Posted on Fri Feb 9th, 2024 @ 8:20am by Cadet Junior Grade Shafin Todenhöfer & Cadet Senior Grade Meghan Stefani & Cadet Junior Grade Xiran Sun

1,908 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Cadet Cruise
Location: USS Cavalier | Deck 05 | Lounge

It was normal for crew to come to the lounge on deck five to relax, to grab a quick bite to eat, or to socialize as it were. The adults as the case was and those learning underneath them, the cadets the majority of whom were juniors and seniors. Shafin was a junior but had loaded himself up on so many classes and extra curricular activities that it felt as though he were neck deep in a doctoral dissertation, but that was far off. Meghan on the other hand was a year ahead of the counselling student in her senior year, undoubtedly looking at the opportunities ahead that awaited her commissioning as an ensign.

Shafin was of a firm belief that Cadet Stefani had a good chance at getting a prized posting fresh out of the academy, some fancy science starship going into the depths of deep space or a starship destined for dozens of first contact missions. Him? He was uncertain where he would go. He may remain behind in the classrooms, laboratories, and lecture halls to earn a professional degree. He was still undecided whether to stick with counselling or switch over and pursue medicine.

What was abnormal besides Shafin in a room utilized for social interactions was that he did not order a beverage from the replicator but rather entered and had taken a seat with his own samovar and tea cups. He wanted to have some tea, truly good tea with Meghan and have a discussion about everything including Daniel. As Shafin prepped the samovar he saw that Meghan had entered and because he was practically a beanstalk of a young man, his waving her over surely got her attention.

Meghan was surprised to see Shafin with a samovar. She shouldn't be surprised. He was not a typical anything as far as she could tell. He was his own person. When he waved her over she smiled. "Hi. Thank you for your help during the training exercise."

"Shalom," he responded in kind and with a slight bow of his head and gestured to an empty seat. "You're welcome, Meghan. Though to which help are you referring to?" he looked at her intrigued. "With the activities needed to meet our mission objectives or with the the obstacle named Cadet Weaver."

Her eyes smiled before her lips did as she sat down. "Both. Daniel's father puts too much pressure on him to excel." She hesitated for a moment before adding, "And because for a moment I felt like no one would listen to me."

Shafin poured two teacups of tea and passed one to Meghan. The aromatics of the blend of mint, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, cloves, pimento, pepper altered the environment around them. "You are not alone," Shafin said assuring her. "Cadet Weaver is most exhausting and stubborn. A shroud of self-doubt clouds his decision making and the haze of his father's presence blinds him from seeing the contributions of others."

She took a moment to appreciate the mixture of scents from the tea before responding. "Yes. I know he's got the ability to do the job, but thanks to his father, he lacks confidence in himself." She smiled. "And yes, he is stubborn." But she saw the Daniel behind all that and he was the person that touched her heart. "I just wish his father would step back and let Daniel learn on his own. Did you know his father pulled strings to bring Daniel here as the acting commander? Daniel wanted to do security."

"I did not but I began to suspect nefarious actions of the string pulling nature" Shafin stated. "Daniel has potential for command. Far more than I do, but he should have been permitted to explore security and discover his command potential naturally. This pressure cooking method is doing more harm than good."

"I agree, and I'm worried about him." She looked at Shafin for a moment. "I think you make a good foil for Daniel. I'm glad he has you to work with to help him find balance. I'll do what I can to help him relax and not let his father get to him." At least she hoped she could. She cared a great deal for Daniel and hated to see how his father manipulated him. She got that his father meant well and thought he was helping, but he couldn't accept that Daniel wasn't going to be just like him.

"Perhaps he would benefit from a date?" Shafin suggested. Though reflecting on his words he sought to clarify. "With you I mean. The two of you seem to have something, at least your physiological responses when he's in your proximity would seem to indicate a mild attraction."

Meghan felt a slow blush creep up her neck. "Yes. There is a mutual attraction, and we do plan to have another date." She wasn't going to mention that they'd already planned one. She smiled. "I knew what you meant. And I hope it'll help him relax. Just getting away by going somewhere quiet to watch teh stars pass by might help."

Shafin nodded. "It will help him immensely. What would help even more would be his father receiving counseling" quipped Shafin. "That parental unit is malfunctioning."

Meghan grinned. "That would be your department. The commodore is fine with me dating his son, but I don't think he'd appreciate me confronting him about his parenting skills." As an aside, she added, "Even if he needs it."

She shook her head. "Sorry for being so blunt, but he brings it out of people."

"No apology is necessary. I have observed his behavior and how he treats Cadet Weaver. It does not put me at peace" Shafin added. "I may not be as fond of Cadet Weaver as you are, but he does not warrant that mistreatment."

"No." She sipped her tea before responding. "I'm glad he has you in his corner. You help balance his lack of self-confidence. In fact, you two make a good pair for command."

Shafin arched a brow. "I was tasked to be in his corner. I am just offering the support and contrasting approaches that makes for a suitable command team" stated Shafin. "I am more in his corner now than I was initially."

She nodded. "I understand." Sometimes you had to get to know Daniel to see the person he really was. She blamed his father for that, too.

"I don't believe he is fond of me," assessed Shafin. "I do not blame him though. I am self-aware enough to see that I can be a bitter little pill to swallow."

"Can't we all at one point or another?" Meghan chuckled. "We also all need someone to tell us when we're out of line before we go too far."

"Good thing for Cadet Weaver, he has the two of us to ensure he doesn't cross over the line and go too far" noted Shafin. He took another sip of his tea. "No easy job for either of us."

"No, but I think it will be worthwhile." She smiled at the thought and took another sip of her tea. She was an optimist, but even so, she knew Daniel could become a fine captain if he father would just leave him alone.

Shafin nodded "Yes, it will be worthwhile. Meanwhile though, we're stuck playing along with these simulations. I do not mind the challenges of them, but I do not enjoy the feeling they have been manipulated to be stacked against Cadet Weaver and by association, us."

Meghan set her teacup on the table and sighed. "Yes. I feel that way, too. It's like he wants Daniel to be better than everyone else by making it harder on him than anyone else. But that generally backfires unless someone is determined to succeed in that field. I just wish..." She shook her head. "What is the old saying, If wishes were fishes we'd all learn to ride?"

A junior year Cadet sitting at a near by table that had been nursing a mug of jasmine tea could not help but overhear the conversation. "If wishes were fishes I'd have aquarium" said Xiran Sun, a security and tactical studies cadet that was spending more time below deck than on the bridge.

"They've been putting us through battle drills like there is no tomorrow" she said shaking her head muttering something about sleep deprivation. "I would do anything to get some bridge time."

Shafin observed at the other woman came over and took a seat at the table with he and Meghan. "I am not sure you'd fine much enjoyment in that."

"Especially if you've heard about the most recent bridge training," Meghan added. "But from what I've heard, we'll all have a turn, so yours is coming."

Reaching a hand across the table towards Meghan, the tactical cadet sighed. "That cannot come soon enough. Xiran Sun, if that's a little hard on the tongue you can just call me Sharon, it's close enough."

The scientist shook her hand. "Meghan Stefani. I think I'll stick with Xiran. It's a beautiful name."

Shafin looked at the tactical cadet and gave a nod. "Shafin Todenhöfer" he said introducing himself.

Xiran was pleased to get to chat with someone that was not part of the security nor tactical. "Familial expectations can be a pain in the ass," she said shaking her head and muttering under her breath. "I'm doing this for my parents, and a bit for myself. One of the first Kriosians to attend Starfleet Academy, but being Kriosian isn't easy. Everyone looks at these and thinks Trill" she said pointing to her face adorned with spots that were nearly identical to those found on a Trill.

"That's because they are only familiar with the major races and forget there are more worlds in the Federation than they realize."

Shafin placed his tea cup down. "That happened a lot during the war. The Federation neglected smaller worlds, colonies, areas that were less important strategically speaking."

"Fortunately, so did most everyone else," Meghan added.

"Soon we'll have to go back to our tests and simulations" said Shafin. "We should probably bring a cup of tea up to Daniel. He looked like he could use it last time I saw him."

"Where is he now?" Meghan asked.

Shafin shrugged "Somewhere sulking over his father and impossible unwinnable scenarios looking like a pretty boy" assessed Shafin. "He's easy enough to find. We can consult the computer."

"I'll go find him," Meghan said, finishing her tea. She wasn't going to tell the others, but she wanted to give Daniel a hug and she'd rather not do that in public.

Xiran smiled as Megan finished her tea. "I'll keep your sarcastic friend here company while you go find your boyfriend."

Meghan smiled. "I'll be a friend for Daniel. You can be Shafin's friend." She smiled at the Vulcan. "And I appreciate his sarcasm."

"Thank you for the tea, Shafin," she said before pouring a cup for Daniel and heading out of the lounge.

Shafin watched as Meghan left. She was always running after Daniel. It was not anything either of them really hid. She liked him and he liked her. Nevertheless, it was fascinating to see them interact on the bridge.


A Post By:

Cadet Junior Grade Shafin Todenhöfer
Acting XO & Counselor

Cadet Senior Grade Meghan Stefani
Acting Chief Science Officer

 

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