Chance Encounters

Posted on Tue Oct 19th, 2021 @ 9:19am by Lieutenant Commander T'Par

Mission: A Day In The Life
Location: Arboretum
Timeline: MD-2
907 words - 1.8 OF Standard Post Measure

T'Par was walking through the arboretum. Unusually for her, she was actually wearing civilian clothing off duty, a simple green tunic and black trousers with matching boots. Her expression was as impassive as ever as she looked around the place, taking in the serenity of the almost natural environment.

A brown chicken waddled up to her, idly pecking at her boot, almost as if it was demanding attention. A second chicken followed suit, clucking in annoyance when the black shiny thing didn't result in any food, or even immediate attention.

T'Par looked down curiously at the chickens. She squatted down and carefully extended a hand towards one of the chickens. If it didn't flee, she gently began to stroke its back.

A second chicken appeared and then a third and a fourth, wings fluttering. "Ah there you are," a male voice announced a few seconds later. A young Vulcan straightened as he nearly collided with the set of legs in front of him. "Oh... I apologize, I was trying to catch the chicken to pen them up for the night. I am Stef, and you are?"

T'Par didn't seem to mind stroking the chickens. Her gaze was intent. If her face was emotionless, and it was, it was more of a serene than a severe expression. She glanced up at the young Vulcan's voice. "I am T'Par. You are the captain's yeoman?"

"Yes ma'am, I am," the young man answered, "and I am the caretaker of the animals here in the arboretum. The chicken you are holding, belongs to me. I raised it from when it was a hatchling."

"I see," she noted. "Why do you keep chickens in the arboretum?"

"Because here they can roam freely, and technically here is where I found them when they were just hatched." Stef shrugged. "They have more space here than in my quarters, though I will admit that I spend more time here than there too. I like it here and I am closer to the animals, should they need me."

"Interesting," T'Par said thoughtfully, arching a brow. "It does seem to be a popular area with many of the crew." She lowered her gaze back to the chickens again. She had never stopped stroking them. "They seem rather tame."

Stef nodded, smiling as he observed the woman's continued stroking of the brown chicken's feathers. "They were hand raised ma'am, though I have always allowed them to roam here. I do wonder where the rooster is, because if we want more, we really do need a rooster. Their mother was killed by some kind of vermin, and I saved the hatchlings. I actually do not know what the lifespan of a chicken is, would you know?"

"Gallus gallus domesticus," T'Par said slowly, as if trying to remember. "Up to ten years, but usually closer to seven. It depends on many factors." She glanced around the arboretum. "You said they were born here? A rooster would have to eat and would be rather conspicuous in most parts of a starship. Are you sure he is not still in the arboretum?"

"I am certain. I pretty much live here with my son," Stef answered confidently, "I was gone for a few days though...at least from this vessel's perspective. Perhaps the rooster went missing then? I started living here after my return, really. Well mostly, as we do spend time in our quarters." Stef cast her a somewhat guilty look. "But we prefer the outdoors."

"This is the closest one comes aboard a starship," T'Par said. "Except for the holodeck, but that isn't real. Perhaps someone else has taken the rooster in? Have you inquired about it?"

"I had not thought about it, but if someone has they should release it to the arboretum immediately. They have the space here to roam." The Vulcan's expression hardened a little. "Such creatures should not be owned and kept in tight quarters, which is why I do not keep mine in my quarters either."

A young boy came toddling up out of seemingly nowhere. "Hello, who are you?" he asked the woman, "I'm Alecx."

T'Par was about to say something else to Stef when the young boy appeared. She paused and looked towards him. "I am T'Par," she answered directly. She was still stroking the bird.

The child studied her for a moment. "You're a Vulcan too...just like daddy," he finally concluded. "I'm half..." He held his arms out towards the chicken. "Shouldn't hold them too long, they don't like that."

"Yes," she said with an arch of an upswept brow. She lowered her hands and then rose. "You are also familiar with the chickens?"

"Of course!" the boy explained, "they're my dad's. I spend a lot of time with them." The child then turned to his father. "Daddy.. don't forget.. you're supposed to take me to the doctor."

Stef nodded. "Indeed, I had almost forgotten. Please excuse us lieutenant, you may remain with the chickens if you desire however I would prefer you to allow them to scavenge freely. There is feed for them in the shed, if you like." He took his son by the hand, gave her a polite nod, then walked off.

"Take care," T'Par said as she watched them walk off. She watched the chickens for a few more minutes, curious, but she eventually resumed her own walk.

Crewman Stef
Yeoman/Animal Caretaker

Alecx
Stef's Son

T'Par
ACSO