Pool Table Discussion

Posted on Sat Mar 6th, 2021 @ 7:48pm by Lieutenant Darru

Mission: Mission 4 - Eden
Location: Recreation Room One; NX Atlantis
Timeline: Day 160 20:00
1784 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Maddison looked down the pool stick to the white cue ball and the black eight ball, focusing on her next shot as she pulled the stick back and then forward, sending the cue ball into the side of the eight ball, sending the ball into the side pocket, with the cue going into the corner pocket. "Shit," she cursed. In the far corner, three crewmen were heavily involved in a game of Poker. The Recreation Room was surprisingly quiet at the moment as she got as she laid her stick down on the table. Although she was half tempted to join the Poker game, the peacefulness of the one person Pool Game was both welcoming and a bit sad at the same time.

Darru did not head to the recreation room often but after the day exploring the ship he wanted to be around people. It was not a feeling he often indulged but with Sovar no longer around he had to approach others. He stepped into the room and noticed Maddison instantly playing a game he had researched. “I believe this is a two-person game Warrant Officer? Would you like company?”

Maddison turned and looked at Darru as she began to retrieve the balls from the pockets. "Why? Trying to set me up with someone else?" she smirked.

Darru shook his head once at her question. He was not going to make that mistake with her again. “I believe that would be a foolhardy approach as you have made your emotions quite clear, Warrant Officer.”

"Smart. There is hope for you yet, Lieutenant," Walker replied with a grin. "Grab a stick. Have you played billiards before?"

“I do try and learn from errors.” He murmured picking up the stick and weighing it in hands. “I am glad to see that this area has been repaired so quickly and to a good standard.” He mused looking around before answering her question. “I have researched in an attempt to repair relationships I may have upset when I tried to secure our future.” He admitted running a hand along the material of the table.

"No future is ever secure, especially in space," Maddison remarked as she racked the balls. "And I'll take your reply as a no. You may have the first shot then," she gestured to the table before hanging the racking triangle back up on a nearby bulkhead.

Darru lent over and levelled up his shot. It was not perfect but it was not a bad attempt for someone who had not played before. “Why I wanted to assist in securing something sooner rather than later but it was in error.” He assured quietly indicating it was her shot.

Maddison shrugged. "Glad to see that you admit your error," she said as she lined up her shot, aiming for the corner pocket. The shot bounced off the corner of the pocket. "I think you're bad luck," she commented with a lopsided grin at missing the shot.

“I do try and admit errors. You do not learn anything otherwise.” He assured not sure if that was her way of forgiving him or wanting to cause more arguments. Bad or good luck were nothing, it was skill and that alone that furthered one cause.

"Very true, though that is not always true of others. Vulcan and human alike," she commented as she watched Darru begin to line up his next shot.

"Well it is true of me and that is who you are talking to and expressing disdain for the fact I tried to set you up," Darru replied as he lined the shot up but missed the ball by a fraction. It was not as easy to play as to read about it but it was something different.

"Hmmm," Maddison hummed. "I thought you would be better at billiards," she teased as she lined up her next shot. "I am my own person. I don't need nor want to be set up by anyone." She made her shot, knocking the number nine ball into the corner pocket. "If it happens, it happens. If not, then I suppose it wasn't meant to be." She lined up her next shot and missed off the corner of the pocket.

“Even Vulcans need to practice Warrant Officer.” He remarked drily as he settled into his next shot and hit the correct ball into the correct pocket. “That is a very unique approach. How is security treating you?” He asked changing the conversation.

"It is a unique approach," she said. "Because in all honesty, I'm not sure I'm ready to date again after losing my fiancé when the Xindi attacked Earth," she explained. "As for Security, it is going fine at the moment. Happy to have some peace after dealing with the Vrav."

The man just nodded at her admitting about her fiancé’s death at the hands of the Xindi. His sympathies or lack of would just infuriate her and turn a growing potential friendship back a few months so he settled for moving on. “Yes. We all have had enough of them. Science is very much the same.”

"I believe it is still your turn," she nodded at the table. "Anything that you're specifically studying at the moment?" she was beginning to see Darru in a different light and not as a complete ass.

"It is my shot. I was considering my options. This game is very tactical. I understand why you play it now." Darru nodded it was his shot but he had been enjoying the conversation as well. He leant over and took the shot, the ball hit the back of the next and disappeared underneath the table. "Not really. I am looking to the distress call we have received and potentially new species for us to study and learn about. The life of a geneticist is sometimes not without its moments of relearning things that we have not learned for a time." He wanted to constantly learn but such a small ship it was difficult sometimes with his field of expertise to use it.

Personally. the life of a geneticist, or any scientists for that matter sounded utterly dull to her. Subjects in science had never been her strong suit and she was perfectly ok with that. "Well, hopefully this distress call will keep you busy then. So, you haven't told me much about yourself. Is there a Mrs. Darru for you back home?"

Darru hoped it brought something different to do especially with his fellow Vulcan out of the picture for the considerable future. Anywhere else it would not be an issue but here with no chance of support or assistance, it might prove fatal. Darru looked up at the mention of him having a wife and shook his head once. “Unfortunately no. She passed away just after our… wedding two years ago.” He offered the human word for the Vulcan equivalent of marriage. Heart defects and Koon-ut-kal-if-fee went hand in hand sometimes and V'lin had known her risk but had wanted to continue.

"I am sorry for your loss," she said sincerely, watching the man. "So," she began in an attempt to change the subject. "Were you assigned to the Atlantis or did you volunteer?"

“I appreciate your sympathy, Warrant Officer. I wish my own back to you.” The Vulcan nodded. He appreciated her sentiment of sympathy though it was a slightly foreign concept to receive it when Vulcans did not express anything like that. Darru cocked his head to the side wondering how he should respond. It did not matter why the Vulcan council had sent him there now. “I was assigned. But I think given the opportunity I would have volunteered.” He offered waiting for her to take the next shot. Neither of them was winning but it was giving them time to talk.

As Maddison lined up her next shot, she thought about what Darru said. "Odd. I thought Vulcans detested serving with humans, especially aboard starships." Her shot knocked the ball into the side pocket.

Darru stared back at her intently going over her words. Human’s were so intent on seeing the worst in all Vulcan’s that they forgot that some Vulcan’s did like humans and wanted to learn more about them. He indicated for her to take the shot before he started to talk properly. “Just because it is assumed that all Vulcans have a distaste for humans does not make it the truth. I quite like the humans I have met so far. Not all of them have the same uniqueness but as a scientist, I find you fascinating and some people like yourself have grown to be almost friends.”

"It wasn't my intention to offend you, it's just that the Vulcans I have known always complained about humans smell. Some even refer to us as primitive," she explained as she lined up another shot. "And thank you, but what exactly about me do you find fascinating?" Maddison took the shot, knocking another ball into the corner pocket.

"Of course they will Warrant Officer just like you refer to us as Elfs, emotionless and..." His list of name-calling faltered as he could not find a third so he just simply shrugged. There was bad feeling enough on both sides to power a space ship if they could bottle it up and process it. "You particularly? Well, you are stubborn and relentless. Certainly endearing qualities for any human but you seemed to survive on it. As a species, you have a drive that seems to be powered by dreams. It has been a long time since Vulcan's did that." He admitted putting the que down.

"Dreams are the key to innovation and is behind the human drive to better ourselves. Without dreams, we would have never invented flight or the ability to travel into space and beyond," Maddison said. "As for me being relentless and stubborn, thank you. I would be lacking in my job as an Armory Officer would I be anything else." It wasn't the entire truth, she knew. A part of her knew it more of a mechanism to keep from getting close to people.

Darru nodded to the woman, she was correct in all of her words. It was what made humans so unique compared to any other species in the universe. "I believe I should leave you to your evening now Warrant Officer." He mused.

"Hmm, if you insist. It was good speaking with you, lieutenant," she said sincerely.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening.” The Vulcan nodded at her and quickly left the rec room. He had a lot to think over for his meditation that day.

 

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