Darru's Day

Posted on Mon May 2nd, 2022 @ 7:13am by Kyle Cranston & Lieutenant Darru

Mission: Mission 6 - Memory
Location: Galley; E Deck; NX Atlantis
Timeline: Day 298; 0700 Hours
2044 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Taking time for a break as majority of Alpha Shift ate their breakfast, Kyle looked over the list of manifest on a PaDD. He wanted to do something that would cause the crew's morale to improve so he began looking at the birthdates of various crew. Which of course would add to his workload by having to bake a cake but he felt it was worth it.

"Hey Kyle," came a familiar voice as he looked up to see Warrant Officer Wlaker approaching him. "Hey Maddie," he greeted with a smile. It was a name he teased her with as he knew she hated being called 'Maddie.'

"Don't make me hurt you before I've had my second cup of coffee," she warned, holding up a cautionary finger. "What are you doing?"

"Looking to see who has Birthdays soon," he replied, looking back down at his PaDD. "I thought a surprise birthday party could help keep the morale up on the ship." He stopped as a piece of information caught his attention, causing him to grin. "And I just found it."

"What?" Maddison asked, curious as who the poor bastard was.

"Our most esteemed Vulcan Scientist, Mister Darru's Birthday is today," he stated, looking up at Maddison, who in turn laughed.

"Do Vulcans even celebrate birthdays?" Maddison asked as her laughing died down.

"Don't care but I'm baking him a cake--though Vulcans are vegetarians, so I'll have to do some improvisation," Cranston replied, setting the PaDD down onto a nearby counter. "Hmmm...Keyla is a favored bread among vulcans. I could spice it up and serve it as a cake instead."

"Bread instead of a cake for a birthday?" Maddison reacted in mock disgust.

This time it was Marston's turn to laugh as he went over to a nearby computer terminal to bring up the recipe for Keyla. "Could you bring Lieutenant Darru by later today? Around 1500 Hours?"

"Sure thing," Maddison replied as she turned to leave. She would grab Darru later in the day while alerting the crew--at least without raising suspicion in Darru.

=================
1430 Hours

Having spent most of the day informing what crew she could of the upcoming surprise party for Darru, Maddison made her way to B Deck to find Darru after ensuring Kyle was ready with the food.

Darru looked up confused as someone came into the empty lab that he was currently using as a base for supplies for the other labs. It had been the most damaged and where the four technicians had lost their lives so it was a space that would take time for people to want to use again. “Good afternoon Warrant Officer.” He said politely as he wondered what she was doing there.

"Hey Lieutenant," she greeted with a smile. "Why are you here alone? I'd expected you to be conducting some sort of test...on something," she shrugged. Science had never been her strong suit as she approached the Vulcan. He had possibly been the closest she had ever gotten to a Vulcan--friendship or otherwise.

"I have left the rock samples with others. Rocks are not something I claim to or want to have knowledge in so I have taken to organising this lab as you humans do not like to come in here." He said straight forward and to the point. It was a well-known fact and Darru did not mind the alone time as ever since his EVA suit walk he had been having a headache that would not go away in the slightest. It was nice to not listen to anyone else.

"Would you feel differently if the previous workers of the lab had all been Vulcan?" she asked.

“Vulcan are not superstitious.” Darru answered simply.

"Well, we humans can find entering a space that was previously occupied by those we lost and closely worked with unnerving," she explained. She knew that even on a NX Class vessel, the crew would have to get over those feelings in order for the ship to continue to function. She could still recall all of those lost since they first departed Earth--it left a gaping hole in her opinion, yet she still had a job to perform despite her feelings.

“I understand. Why I am the only here and keep volunteering for duties here to assist my human co workers with working through those feelings.” Darru said absently as he moved a storage box from the table and started rummaging through another.

"Well, how about you take a break from your duties here," Maddison suggested. "Let's take a stroll."

The man raised an eyebrow at her suggestion. He looked at the chronometer and nodded. “I have yet to take a break so a stroll would be appropriate.” He surmised starting to close the storage box and move to wash his hands just encase he had touched something that he should not have.

She was surprised that he had accepted her invitation to leave his duties and go on a walk with her. She was certain she would have to drag him down the corridor by his pointy ears kicking and complaining as she watched him wash his hands. "Wow, I thought you would have objected," she replied, grinning.

“You have asked me previously to come for a walk but I have always been busy and this time I am not and it is nearly my break period. I do not think Reade will mind.” Darru said simply. Plus he found her company more and more pleasant as time went on especially as she seemed to be less hostile towards him now.

"Ah. I feel so honored," she joked with a chuckle as the two exited the lab. "Come on, I was actually thinking of stopping by for a bite to eat at the galley. So have you discovered anything useful about the rocks that the science team picked up?"

“I have not been involved in the work around them as I am not a geologist.” The Vulcan admitted. “It would be unhelpful to offer myself to that task when the job could be done by my more skilled in that area colleagues.” He said without a moment's hesitation in it. It seemed no helpful to assist when he had no knowledge to offer and could be more use elsewhere.

"It never hurts to learn and expand your horizons--especially with our situation," she stated as she stepped into a turbolift and selected E Deck as Darru entered. "So, how has your day gone so far?" she asked, looking at him. Hopefully he would at least acknowledge his Birthday since she didn't want to raise suspicion.

“It would make little sense when people onboard have studied years to be geologist, but I will take your feedback.” He assured trying to stay polite despite his need to get the point across that it was unlikely to change in science as their professions took years to study for. “It has been quiet. How I prefer my birthing day.” He said simply leaving the subject there and hoping she would too.

The lift slowed to a halt as the doors opened, allowing the two occupants to step into the corridor on E Deck. "Today is your birthday?" she smiled at Darru. "Happy Birthday!" She couldn't wait to see his reaction when they entered the Galley.

“It is. Thank you.” Darru said quickly. He tried not to think on his birthday. It was not something to celebrate in his mind when there were much more important things to celebrate or at the very least acknowledge. He held the lift door open for her to step out before following him. “There are not any Vulcan birthday traditions.” he tried to explain but he was not sure any of the humans would understand.

"Well that sucks," she stated as she walked down the corridor next to him just as they entered the galley. "You really should."

"Happy Birthday!" came the shouts of various crewmembers in the Galley as the two entered through the doors. On a table near the kitchen was a multi-layered Keyla Bread with candles on the top.

Darru looked like he was going to back out of the compartment for a moment before he stepped forward a bit to take it all in. He realised just how rude that would be if he left and just how many steps that would be in his working with the crew. “Well, this was a huge surprise.” He finally decided were good enough words, to sum up how he was feeling.

"I'm glad I don't have to chase after you," Maddison laughed, placing her arm around his back.

"Come on over, Mister Darru," Kyle waved from next to the Keyla Bread Cake. "I know you Vulcans are vegetarians, so I did some digging into the computer and came up with a recipe for Vulcan Keyla Bread and voila! Hope you like it."

Darru looked down at the woman and her arm around him and pushed on with her prompting. He had not expected anything like that at all, nothing had prepared him for it and he found himself relaxing into it without much prompting. The crew were really trying to bring everyone into the same unit, maybe he could encourage Stenn more into the fold after this. "I am sure with the effort you will have put into it Mister Cranston it will be perfect."

"Of course it will be," he boasted with a smile. "Blow out the candles and make a wish, he indicated to the lit candles on top of the cake. He wondered if Vulcans ever made a wish, though he seriously doubted it. They probably considered it a foolish concept.

"I am relieved you have such an ego," Darru murmured with a raised eyebrow at the suggestion of blowing out the candle but looked around at the earnest way that people were staring at him. He bent over the Keyla Bread Cake and blew the candle out and made a wish. It was not a big wish but it was something close to his heart. "Thank you." He did not have many words for them all and he knew they would not expect it but he needed to say something to get across what he felt.

"You're quite welcome, Mister Darru, but it couldn't have been done without the efforts of Ms. Walker here. She helped to gather the available people for this get together," he replied as he removed the candles and grabbed a cake knife to cut the cake with.

"It was the least I could do," Maddison smiled with a slight shrug.

Darru looked at the woman and offered a nod. It was another piece of the puzzle that was Madison Walker that she had done this for him of all people. "And you act like me you do not like me Warrant Officer." he teased just a little in a low tone just so she could hear.

She looked at him, grinning. "I never said I didn't. Besides...I think you're rubbing off on me," she teased. She never would have thought that she would become friends with a Vulcan of all people, yet she had come to enjoy talking with and spending time with Darru when possible.

“You have rubbed off on me too.” He murmured back with a small incline of his head. “Something I would like to explore more if you are willing.” He said before going quiet as people hurried around to offer well wishes and get some bread cake.

"I think I'd like that," she replied, grinning before she and Darru were offered slices of Keyla Bread.

"Thanks, Kyle," Maddison said as she accepted the plate and took a small bite. "Not bad," she shrugged. She had never tried it and most Vulcan foods seemed to lack any amount of real flavor but the bread was moist and had a lightly sweet mixture to it.

Darru watched her reaction before turning away to speak to the other people that had come along to celebrate his birthing day with him. It would be a good evening he was sure of that now as he was out of the lab and was among people who wanted to enjoy time together.