Tanta Marie Bakery.

[Deleted]

Kayla twirled her hair with the tip of her finger. The bear-claws on Angel's plate, of which she had never seen the woman without, made her stomach churn. She kept a straight face, but her mouth emulated the look of uneasiness as the Commander took a bite of it. She quickly straightened and answered the first question.

"I don't have any experience in food service. I have plenty of experience in entertainment. I think I put that on my resume." The Bajoran girl picked her head up in attempt to peak onto Commander Reynold's padd, but it was angled too steeply away from her to see. Her attention was misdirected as a Kzinti walked in.... no.. Caitan. They looked similar, but this was clearly a young Caitan, given his lack of elongated cuspids. The next question from the Commander caught Kayla off guard, as her attention was unprofessionally elsewhere.

"For fun?" she casted a glance at the marines on the other side of the bakery. She thought better of speaking her mind, and instead said a bit smugly, "sitting in bakeries, talking to people." The words didn't seem to go over well as Commander Reynolds immediately added something to her padd.

The final question was the biggest surprise, but interesting. "I would be a great morale officer. I think I am more than qualified... well, except for the time I slapped the wrist of the Klingon.. or the incident on Risa.. and then the time I had to free my father from the obsid... well - yeah... morale officer sounds nice." It was clear, however, that her odds of finding a job were decreasing. She was distraught enough to not even notice when the marine at the other table passed a glance at her.

"I think I should be going," realizing the interview was basically over. Kayla, realizing she wasn't cut out for whatever job or jobs that Commander Reynolds was hiring for, offered her hand in a weak-wristed handshake before getting up from the table.

Excusing herself, she sulked her way to the counter, ordering a glass of replicated water, and a biscotti, which she would allow herself to eat in angst. Mustering up a smile for the young Caitan man she passed a few years her elder, she moved to the back corner of the bakery, and bit off a piece of the biscotti.

[Deleted]

It was fortunate she did not actually call him a Kzinti. He would have become quite offended, and reminded her that Kzinti do not walk upright, are not members of the United Federation of Planets, and have 'an excess of cheek fur.' However, rather she glanced at him...and smiled.

This imbued him with a bit more pride, though he was certainly not in any way cocky. He ordered an Arcturan Fizz and something called 'Bat Soup' which, being a feline, was just as it was called. They were replicated, and he stuck his roll into the soup, following beside her after stopping for some sort of a quick prayer.

He took the seat at her table, purring to her. "I assume this is not taken, merrow. I am Cadet J'Varr T'Ress. This a pleasure to meet you." He made himself comfortable in the chair. "Was there anything I can get for you, or do for you? I exist to serve, especially one such as ye."

[Zhukarak Hrisvalar]

"I thought the marines would be a good way to explore the galaxy." said Leo

Zhuk was sizing him up, there was something he was keeping to himself. The name still bothered him too. "You could have done that as a fleeter, a regular naval officer."

"Not exactly, Starfleet itself never held much apeal for me to tell the truth" he took a sip of his second cup of Earl Grey.

"You can relax, marine life is not that bad."

"Oh no sir, i've been around marines all my life...I just didn't expect to come across one as high ranking as yourself...quite so soon...hm..." he used a balled up fist to stifle the cough and took another sip of tea and waited for an answer.

~All his life he says...hm.~ "Tolkien...General Tolkien, There were two infact from what I recall in the academy. You must be a decendent."

<Leo>

The young cadet then admitted his lineage and explained some of his family's history. Zhukarak was glad to have met the young man and hoped he would see more of him. He rose to take his leave. "Well I must be on my way. I am sure you will do your family proud, I have no doubt in that." Then he leaned over so that only Leo could hear. "By the way, she has returned...good luck." He nodded towards the back corner of the bakery as he took his leave.

[aparis]

Angel realized how this might have looked to who she was interviewing, and was a little shocked that the girl didn't stay longer. ~Well we will have to work on that, after all her listening skills aren't what they should be, but I think she would do wonderfully. I bet she could pick up some of the needed skills with a little practise and patience.~ She thought and watched observing where the girl went noticing the Cait was sitting with her.

She walked over to that table knowing she wasn't done with Tiara. "Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but, Tiara, I wasn't finished. Hello there, I'm Angel Reynolds, who might you be?" she said first to the girl then to the Cait.

"Its a pleasure to meet you. I hope you enjoy your stay on the base," she said and then pulled out a blank padd quickly writting something on it before handing it to Tiara. "I must return to my sons, both of you have a good day," she finished and then walked away. She stopped a few feet away and turned back to watch Tiara's reaction to the news.

The padd contained
Tiara, I noticed you need a little work in some areas, but I don't see that as any reason not to hire you. I look forward to working with you and training you in the areas I will need you in. Please report to the Abyss tomorrow at ten o'clock sharp. Thank you, Angel

(Tiara)

After watching the reaction Angel returned to her mother-in-law and her sons along with Commander McFarland.

"Oh I'm not stationed here. I don't get to see my daughter-in-law and grandsons hardly enough," she said giving Alex a little more of the pastry making Angel shake her head.

"Okay, I have returned, mother dear, any more of that pastry and he might bounce off of every wall around here," she said and smiled.

"Well, I'm suppose to spoil them," Kristie responded wiping some pastry goo off of Kyle's face. Angel winced a little knowing that she was going to lose this battle even if she tried. She sat down with her own pastry and juice.

"So, Commander, what is your area of expertise?" Angel said hoping to strike up a conversation.

[leo]

"Tolkien...General Tolkien, There were two infact from what I recall in the academy. You must be a decendent." said the colonel

"Yes Sir, You know 2 of them, Walter and William correct?,...Walter is my father, William is his father. In reality there has been 16 General Tolkiens heh, Its a big name...Very hard to live up to...I hope to make them all proud though. For as long as there have been marines in some fashion, there have been General Tolkiens." said Leo, he suddenly realized just how much information he was giving out.

"Well I must be on my way. I am sure you will do your family proud, I have no dought in that." said the Colonel, Then he leaned over so that only Leo could hear. "By the way, she has returned...good luck." He nodded towards the back corner of the bakery as he took his leave.

Leo Looked around into the indicated corner. He saw Tiara, and a Caitan sitting at a table, and Commander Reynolds standing there, she appeared to be writing something on a PADD. She gave Tiara a PADD and headed off to join her family, Feeling it would probly be innapropriate to interupt Tiara's chat with the Cait, so he just continued sipping his tea.

[Deleted]

The biscotti tasted alright. A bit on the light side. And as far as Kayla was concerned, preferably so.

The padd in her hand had orders to report as Morale officer. She shook her head at the top. "Tiara" was her given name, not her first name. It was a common mistake among off-worlders of Bajor. "Morale officer?" she said out loud, trying the name on for size. It didn't fit... plus - her actions would constantly be scrutinized. Turning the padd over, she moved to more pressing matters. "The name is Kayla." She batted her eyelids at the officer.

The feline officer sat purring while making small conversation, until an officer came, stood at attention, and put forth a padd with transfer orders. T'Ress purred louder, and thanked the officer.

"What is that?" Kayla asked with a certain naivete. She had forgotten about her padd in front of her by now. The Catian was transfered to the USS Jefferson, and had immediate transfer orders.

"So that means you have to go?" Kayla frowned, as the muscular officer removed himself from the table. "I suppose that means yes." she said, in a disappointed tone.

T'Ress left the bar, leaving Kayla alone only for a brief second. The marine was alone now, and had moved himself closer. He was still pretending not to notice the Bajoran girl, but every once in awhile she could see him peaking over. One time, to make it completely obvious that he was caught, she held her hand up low and wiggled the tips of her fingers in a small wave. This must have been the cue the marine was waiting for. Within a few seconds, he was sitting at her table.

Immediately removing the padd on the table, she accidentally invoked the erase command. Her one track mind didn't seem to register the opportunity lost with the erasure.

"My name's Kayla," she said in all smiles. The last of the biscotti was on the table, but there wasn't a chance she was going to eat the rest of something so unhealthy... not in front of Leo anyway.

"Are you a cadet?" She knew the answer, but small talk was small talk. He looked a few years older, and if he were a cadet, it would confirm it... but he wasn't out of her league by any means. In fact, to Kayla, nobody was out of her league unless there was some superficial quality that wasn't optimal in the girl's mind.

In her nervousness of speech, the padd she had on her lap dropped to the floor. The napkin muffled the noise of it falling, and not noticing it, it got kicked into the aisle as she crossed her legs back the other way.

"Are you going to be going on one of those training ships?" She nestled her chin on her knuckles, with her elbow propped on the table. She stared into his eyes as he answered, trying her best to be tantalizing.

Not paying attention when the waitress asked whose it was, Kayla missed her chance to retrieve the padd. It was subsequently taken to the waste station, to be dematerialized for its energy content. A job, however, was the last thing on the Bajoran's mind at the moment, even though her priorities suggested it probably should have been her first. Girls will be girls!

[leo]

Leo had been sitting alone at his table for some 20 minutes, finding it increasingly boring, every once and a while he would sneek peeks at the Bajoran Girl sitting with the Caitian, just when he was about to leave an officer came in carrying a PADD, whoever he was, he took it strait over to the Cait, handed it over and walked off, the Cait seemed to have instantly lost interest in the Bajoran and made his way strait for the door, leaving her in mid sentance no les...and Leo could have sworn he heard the man purring...~well that was rude~ thought Leo, draining his teacup... he stole a glance over at the Bajoran, now alone at her table, she seemed reletively displeased with that turn of events...Leo went back to looking around the room at the odd assortment of people here, however every time he scanned the room his eyes were inevitably drawn back to the Bajoran...After about the sixth time he saw her wiggle her fingers at him in what she thought was an inconspicuous attemp to get his attention. He got up, placed his empty tea cup on the tray of a passing waitress and made his way over to the Bajoran Girls table.

"My name's Kayla," she said as he sat down.

"Kayla...I'm Leo Tolkien" said Leo

"Are you a cadet?" she asked, he knew she already knew the answer to that, he also noticed the mysterious absense of the PADD that had been sitting on the table until he got there.

"Yes I am, Marine Cadet 4th class" said Leo, he thought he heard a thud, come from under the table.

"Are you going to be going on one of those training ships?" she asked, now he knew where the PADD was, it had just slid into the isle, although it didn't seem to bother Kayla one bit so he left it alone.

"I imagine so, havn't gotten my orders concerning that yet, so i'm not sure" said Leo, pretending not to notice when one of the waitresses picked up the PADD and failing to find who it belonged to, waled off with it.

<Kayla>

[Deleted]

Kayla looked at her chronometer. It was getting late in the evening, but she still had some time left. Not that she wanted to leave, but she was only allowed to speak with her father once a week; a monitored communique, for 5 minutes. She had to pay off some influential people to even get that much service. Orion prisons weren't exactly known for their hospitality.

"How dangerous are the training missions?" The idea that this marine was willing to put himself in harm's way for the sake of the Federation made her curiosity bubble.

Not paying attention to her actions, she bit into the biscotti she had been trying hard to ignore. Realizing what she was doing, she thought better of spitting it out. She forced herself to chew the treat while listening to the marine's reply, hoping during each chomp that the aerobic workout she did four days a week would be enough to counter the effects of the mistake. A few hundred calories never hurt anyone, but then again, nobody was as consumed with their figure as Tiara Kayla was.

She itched her nose ridges and took a drink of water. Looking at her wrist again, she felt she owed Leo a bit of an explanation, "I am sorry that I look so disinterested. I assure you, I am not." Kayla brushed the crumbs left by the biscotti into a miniature pile, and circled her index finger around them as she spoke. "I have a prior commitment that I have to attend to soon, but that's not for a little bit." She looked up from her mess on the table and smiled.

"I wish I could join Starfleet- but I am not really good at mathematics or science... it's all gobbily gook to me." She looked at Leo's arms, "and I'm not that strong either," The Bajoran girl held out her arm and flexed her muscle. It was enough to give her arm a gentle curve, but not nearly enough to endure any physical stress. She gave her best mean-looking face while she did this, and not trying to be convincing, she busted out in laughter. "Hey - it's a start."

"Tell me more about yourself. I don't have much more time, and I suspect you'll be gone soon on training. That always seems to happen."

Kayla shook her wrist until the face of her chronometer was upright again. The gentle breeze this created scattered the biscotti crumbs, and she once again piled them together as Leo replied.

[methos]

Methos walked into the Tante Maria's Bakery. He was in his civilian clothes so that only the few people who knew him would even know his rank and status. He saw that there was a Marine cadet sitting with a Bajoran female. He walked up to their table and asked if there was room for him to sit with them.

<Leo and Kayla>

After they had given him permission to join them and introduced themselves, Methos pulled up a chair and introduced himself, "My name is Methos, It's nice to meet both of you."

[Deleted]

A random fellow came and sat down between the two, emanating a superiority complex only a marine could possess, yet he was not wearing a uniform. Kayla, of course, hadn't detected any of this... but anybody with more than a little sense about them could tell.

Out of politeness, Kayla nodded in agreement when Leo told him he could take a seat.

"My name is Kayla," she said quietly, never looking the newcomer in the eye. He pulled a chair from across the aisle for the table set for two, and bellied himself up to the aisle-edge.

"So as I was saying, Mr. Leo...,"

"My name is Methos, it's nice to meet both of you." he said, cutting off Kayla in the process. She ignored it, but forgot what she was going to say. Sitting in quiet while Methos was chatting it up with Leo, she grew bored.

"I think I'm going to be going. I really need to get back." She checked her chronometer. Only eight more minutes until her five minute communique window opened. She had better hurry.

"It was nice meeting you Mr. Methos," she said quickly. "And you too... Mr. Tolkeen." mispronouncing the Cadet's last name. "I'm going to be busy for a little while interviewing for jobs." *The padd!* she looked around, but couldn't find it. But there wasn't time, she had already lost another thirty seconds in conversation, and she would miss her weekly communique. Her father would be worried.

"I must go! Hopefully I'll get to see you Leo after training!"

She sauntered to the exit of the bakery, turned around, and waved goodbye to Leo, who had moved himself around to the other side of the table as to not sit awkwardly close the Methos. She continued walking. When she was out of his site, she made a mad dash for the turbolift.

[jed]

Jed stepped in to the bakery, hoping to see it bustling with people for him to meet. However to Jed's dismay, there wasnt to many people. Jed prefered to meet lots of people, but these here would do for the time being. Walking up to a marine-in-training, and another man in civilian clothes, Jed began to introduce himself. "Hello, my name is Jedediah Smith, but you can call me Jed."

<tag Methos and Leo>

"Do you mind if i join you?" Jed said sitting down, not waiting for a reply, since most people dont mind. Jed looked around really quickly to see if there was anyone around he would rather spend his time with, there wasnt. Looking back at the table, he looked both men up and down, trying to get a feel for them. 'i guess they are harmless enough' Jed thought to himself. Ordering a drink from a waitress, Jed waited until some kind of conversation struck up.

When his drink came and no one talked, jed figured he would give it a shot. "So, what do you two do here?" he asked, hoping to get a response from one or both of them.

<tag Methos and Leo>

[westgate]

Westgate was, per usual, in the fine bakery on SB Conqueror, having his morning coffee. It had been a few weeks since the Hanson had finished her mission and debarked, leaving her crew here awaiting the next mission and sending the last batch of cadets off onto their own ships, signaling the beginning of their various careers.

Westgate thought often of his last Cadet, Lucy Grey. She had a fine sense of what Counselors did and should know, and she was a quick study. Westgate was immensely proud of her, and if the truth were known, his feelings ran a bit deeper than that, although he would never say so, to her or to anyone else. There was a void in him of which he had been aware for many long years, an emotional void primarily caused by not having had a love interest in his life. Cadet Grey had threatened, in her sweet and wonderful way, to overrun that void with feeling and deep pleasure, and Westgate was in no way immune to those feelings, and would gladly have welcomed them had the circumstances been different.

But such is the nature of work and age and personal choice. She was young, he wasn't. She was beginning a career, he had already had most of his. In some ways he coudn't properly understand, there had been and was a strong connection between them, but there was also the truth that it was better left as it now was, a kind of mutual admiration, a delightful tension that was as pleasing as it was fanciful.

This morning's coffee was good, as it always was. He had before him his PADD, perusing the names of the new cadets who would be soon boarding the Hanson just as the last ones had done. He wondered briefly who these kids were, and how space-savvy they might be. He wondered, too, if there were any among them who would challenge him and make him a better officer.

His PADD alerted him to an incoming message. His foirst thought was that Earl Dean, his brother, had sent along something to tell him. He was completely surprised and delighted to see, however, that the message was from now Lt. Grey, serving aboard the Nevada-B.

'Doctor, I've been assigned to the USS Nevada. I like it here and I've met several members of the staff already. It's wonderful. I want to thank you for all your help during my final exam. I don't think I could have gotten through it without you.'

'Love, Lucy.'

Westgate broke into a broad smile. She was happy where she was, and he was glad for that.

He finished his coffee and headed for the nearest terminal, so that he could post a reply. He already knew that the smile she had brought him would last all day.

[Deleted]

With the current Academy XO on special assignment, Commander Manto had to work doubly as hard to get the Academy's affairs in order. The stack of padds on the table in front of her were a testament to how large of an operation Section 47's Academy was.

"I suppose I'll take some sort of caffeinated drink." Caffeine had no effect on the Cardassian. In fact, it caused a tingling sensation on her upper palate. She just wanted something different, and it was too early in the morning for a brandy.

The Bajoran waitress went back behind the counter to replicate the drink. Konal never thought in her life that she would use replicator rations to have someone serve her like this... but then again she never really saw herself in Starfleet either. Wah-lah... both are now true.

"Thank-you." the Cardassian said to Kayla when she brought back the drink. "Is it busy today?"

"Not really," she replied, twirling her hair with her finger as she spoke. The girl was young, and perhaps could be called clumsy as well. She was beautiful, though. Konal remembered the time in her life when she considered herself beautiful. That was before the war.

"We had a whole bunch of cadets come through here the other day. After that, it got sort of quiet. I don't think I am going to get paid enough this week, the business has been slow." She shrugged off her tension. "Anything else?"

"No thank you." Konal said, looking back to her padds. Keeping up with the newest join forms was a daunting task, if she were to rid herself of the possibility of a backlog. She sighed. Back to work.

OOC: Feel free to join in Instructors, Cadets, Acting Ensigns, and those waiting to become Acting Ensigns. It's too quiet in here!

[Deleted]

"Where did you say this order went?"

Tante pointed over to a table of Klingons. She didn't look too happy. In fact, Kayla took the eye-roll she gave as some hint of Tante being upset. Maybe she just had something in her eye, though. Kayla tried to look at the positive side.

Clearly, the table of Klingons were far from being the positive side of her day. She tried to stay away from Klingons, after her incident with one as a Dabo girl got her fired. Her job, now, was more important to her than before. Now, luxury did not drive her motivation to work and earn latinum. The act of coming to work daily as a waitress reminded her over and over again of her father's unfortunate circumstances. Latinum would be the only way to get him out of prison. If the magistrate wouldn't accept the bail, she would use it to bribe. The known universe was vast, and she had only been witness to a small part of it. Still, her physique usually commandeered expected responses. Manipulation was easy to come by as a 19 year old on a Starbase filled with Starfleet types. It wouldn't be much different at a prison camp.

"Here are your..." looking at the plate, it looked like a pile of worms covered in some sort of whipped topping. "your deserts..." she moved the tray as far from her as possible. As she one-by-one lifted the plates with both hands, she turned her head sideways to not have to look at the moving dessert. "Why couldn't they stick to those Bearclaws?" she thought. At least those weren't made from real bear claws!

She itched her nose ridges. It was her method of stalling while waiting for some sort of gratuity for her service. Her motions, however, went unnoticed by the Klingons. They were too busy inhaling their dessert, laughing about a joke she did not understand. It was probably better she didn't.

Heading back behind the counter, she noticed traffic picking back up.

"The Hepta has returned," Tante Maria said, noticing the same heavy traffic. "It's probably going to get busy in here again."

Kayla nodded. The last time the Hepta crew were in the bakery, the place was a madhouse. She was only a customer at the time, not an employee. She could only imagine how busy she will be the next few weeks. Hopefully she would have time to herself... or maybe with someone else. Her mood changed from stressed to gitty under the realization that more officers and cadets meant more... well... fun times.

Looking into the reflection on the nearest bulkhead she fixed her hair.

"Miss! Where is my Eclair?!" a voice yelled from behind her.

"Shoot!" she said to herself. Turning around, she yelled, "be there in a moment!" and ran back to the replicator.

[kratak]

After everything that had happened he wanted to spend some time alone. The easyest way he found to do that was to goto a public place. It seemed people were to busy with having fun to notice you and that suited him for the moment. Walking into the bakery he sat down and listened to the sounds around him.

Things were going to get interesting over the next couple of months. He was not the acting xo of the hepta, which he didn't mind at all. After all he had commanded his own ship when he was a member of the klingon defense force, so being a xo didn't bug him.

Still he sometimes wondered why he didnt go back, but he knew the answer to that. If his people didn't change there ways they would servive long. History had proved no matter how powerful a empire is it always doomed to fall.<Tag anybody>

[Deleted]

Kayla looked over to where Tante Maria was pointing to this time.

"Another Klingon?" She realized she said that loudly when a few people toward the front turned their heads in confusion at her statement. She repeated herself again, but quieter. "Another Klingon?"

Tante Maria went on a multilingual journey, most of which was probably gibberish since the universal translator passed through the voice of unbelief that Tante set out, although it did not make any identifiable translations until the end. Kayla was going to be the death of her, she swore.

"I'll go see what he wants. If he orders something that is still alive, that's it. That last table of Klingons..." she squirmed her face, making her nose ridges bunch up, "blyuck". She shuddered her shoulders in the thought. She let out one more shiver before composing herself for the officer... hey, he was an officer!

Tiara Kayla, or Kayla as she was known around the bakery, had only been working there a few weeks and already she was causing problems. Plates of food were being dropped on customers, energy rations were almost depleted when she forgot to place dishes back into the waste regenerator, her tenacious attitude toward male officers and cadets- it all spelled trouble. Lately, however, she had been keeping her nose relatively dry. Uncle Max handled calming Tante Maria down. Kayla noticed that she seemed to get upset over everything. If only Tante could be more care free like her, things wouldn't go wrong.

"What can I get for you?" she asked the officer. She hadn't seen him before... perhaps she had, but she couldn't remember. All she could think at the moment was, **please don't order anything living... please please please**

She smiled through her thoughts, however. She was very good at acting a certain way. She was also good at acting to get her way. Still, this instance was a case of the former, and she awaited his order.

[kratak]

Looking up as kaya asked him what he wanted to order. She was new to him or he hadn't ever noticed her before. "I'm not quite sure what I want" Smiling alittle trying not to seem so over bearing. " I'll tell you what why dont you choose, and please choose something that a klingon would never order. I"m away from home and if I wanted to eat klingon food I could have stayed in my quarters or stayed on the home world." he was trying not to laugh because he could tell he caught her a little off guard.

She hid it well he could tell she wasn't use to being caught off guard. Something told him she had seen it all, so he took alittle pleasure in it.<Tag anybody else who wants to join in>

[Deleted]

Although she generally knew how to handle most lines of conversation, even if the topic was over her head in its nature, she was taken back by the non-chalantness of the Klingon officer. This could be the first polite Klingon she had ever come into contact with. It was enough to spark curiosity, but she kept it to herself for once.

"I think I'll bring you an eclair," she decided out loud. "Personally, I wouldn't purposefully come within a parsec of the thing. They are horribly filling, in an unflattering way if you know what I mean." and with the remark, she patted her slender stomach. She spared the officer, who introduced himself as K'ratak, the question of whether she looked fat or not. He hadn't known her long enough to give an honest answer she decided.

"I'll get right on it." Turning around, she slinked back behind the counter, putzed at the replicator, and after a few incorrect order IDs, she finally got the computer to recognize her input. Even though replicators understood linguistic pragmatism for most of recent history, the Bajoran still managed to phrase things just ambiguously enough to confuse it. She blamed the engineers who designed it.

She placed the eclair on the plate. It came out warm. She didn't know if that was correct or not, but he said to surprise him. She could count the possibility of a mistake as a surprise rather than error.

Her shapely figure slinked with purpose back over to the Klingon officer's table. "Your eclair..." As she was placing it down, she bumped the end of her tray on the top corner of a chair. The plate jumped off the tray, but Kayla caught it with her free hand. "That was close. Here you go." She placed the plate safely on the tabletop.

"As soon as I can figure out what I did wrong with the replicator I'll deduct the rations from your account on the Starbase. The stupid thing constantly acts up... and it only acts up for me!" She was genuinely naive and clueless to the implication she suggested. "Let me know if you need anything. I'll be around for a little while longer before my shift ends." She placed a napkin on the table, smiled pleasantly, and started to walk away.

[kratak]

Accepting the plate and smiling at kayla he took a bite, it was sweet beyound anything he had tryed to date. " I would have to agree with you to many of these and I would need a bigger uniform"

He wasn't quite sure if he liked it, after all he wasn't use to anything this sweet. Taking a few more bites trying to make up his mind. He looked over at the other klingons sitting a table, he felt sorry for them. " You know its hard sometimes looking at your own people and know that it might all end" pausing for a moment he sometimes found it easyer to talk to strangers about how he felt.

" I mean that all through history there have been many empires even great ones. But they all share one thing in common, they all fell none have ever lasted the test of time. I wonder what will happen to mine if we dont change our ways" <kayla>

[Deleted]

"I'll have to continue slapping their hands," Kayla said, in a voice that was the closest yet to anger she had emitted since being aboard the Starbase. "I can't stand them. Disgusting." She stuck her tongue out in disgust. "No offense." K'ratak did not look like he took any.

"I am not very good with politics. I just know that there are a lot of bad people out there." She put down her tray and sat down. The customers with orders would have to wait, as Tiara Kayla entered into a monologue that required her to ignore her duties.

"My mother died when I was younger. I guess that's where it starts. She was killed in a transporter accident." She laughed, only to stop herself from showing any negative emotion. It was quite clear that was what she was doing.

"After the war, when I was born, there was a lot of work. My father had an alcohol problem." she shrugged it off. "didn't like synthehol I guess." her left finger started twirling her hair when she talked. Already customers could be heard complaining that their orders were taking too long. Combined with the waitress visibly taking a break, the mood slowly became unruly. Kayla didn't notice. She was too deep into her story. "He never got any work because of it, even though there was an abundance of it. We roamed place to place, with him doing odd jobs that required no reliability, only brute force for a day or two."

"Anyway, I don't know who he got involved with... but some group, I guess that's why I thought of this. You said 'empire' and I thought a group of people trying to control others." K'ratak didn't say anything, so she continued.

"I don't know what he did, but he is now in a prison camp. If I were a parent, I would say he fell in with the wrong crowd. But he's my father. I think he was just trying to care for me." She smiled and looked out of the bakery into the Promenade of the Starbase. "but I learned long before how to take care of myself. I just don't have the brains to do anything beyond being a waitress." and even that was at jeopardy. A Trill could be seen complaining to Uncle Max about the lack of service.

She once again shrugged. She perked back up. "Well, I got work to do. Sorry to bother you with my problems." She walked away, but this time there was no slink to her step. She rarely told the story of her life... and although she had given the abridged version to the officer, it still brought back emotions she tended to bury. In fact, her ability to submerse her worries into the depths of her consciousness was the reason she always was so cheery.

Uncle Max met her behind the counter when she returned. He had a few words he wished to impart.

[kratak]

Sitting there listening to her story and understanding it. He too found that sometimes it was easyer to talk to a complete stranger about your life. They didn't know you so they couldn't judge and sometimes that was what you wanted.

It had seemed that her life was not a easy one, but he was impressed that she kept going and didn't let it stop her. As she walked back to the counter he got up and went over to the table with the klingons. After a few brief words and them realizing who they were talking to they got up paid and left. Heading back to his table he sat down and waited for Kayla to return. After all he needed something wipe the extreme sweet taste out of his mouth, he didn't regret trying the new sweet but it was a little to much for him.

[stone]

Marshall had returned just in time it seemed. It was now Admiral Drew's turn to be called away for some period of time, leaving Marshall in charge of the academy starbase. He thought back on his own recent assignment, a whirlwind of a court-martial trial. He would have much rather preferred an assignment of a clandestine nature, but it wasn't to be...not this time at least.

Finally all caught up with the most recent reports, Marshall decided he wanted to go visit this Tante Maria's bakery that he kept hearing about, it seemed to be the social hotspot for this base. Following the computers directional ques, it didn't take long for Marshall to find it at all.

Spotting the Klingon with Commander's pips on his collar, Marshall decided to go ahead and join him. Being an Xo required for him to get to know the people around him, not really something he took great pleasure in but he did it nontheless.

"Commander, mind if I join you?"

<k'ratak>

[kratak]

Looking up to see the Marine officer and Conqueror xo on top of that, asking him if he join him.

" By all means please take a seat, I would be happy with the company right now. I'm Commander K'ratak Tatical office and acting xo for the Hepta." <Tag Stone>

[Deleted]

Kayla returned to the table to find a marine sitting with Commander K'ratak. "A Marrrrinnne.." she said, drawing out the word cutely, and finishing with a wink. She giggled. "What can I get for you?"

The marine ordered, and Commander K'ratak voiced his wish to get rid of the overly sweet taste in his mouth. "I could replicate you some water. Is that ok?" She suddenly was no longer interested in waitressing though, as both men had turned their attention toward her.

"My shift ends in a little while, then I am heading over to the Starquake for some coffee. I know this place makes probably the best cup - but to sit at work when I don't have to," she shook her head quickly 'no', "uh uh, not for me. Join me if you want!"

She left to fulfill the orders. The Promenade was still bustling. The Hepta had yet to leave for training again, and new Cadets and other Academy types were coming and going constantly. The bakery was unusually slow, however. Tante blamed it on the new wait staff. Kayla blamed it on her bad attitude. Still, the place took in enough rations each week to pay Kayla the latinum she desperately wanted- needed- to free her father.

A yell came from across the room. "There are worms in my Lunar Sundae!" The Trill who had already complained once had more reason to complain now. A Klingon at a different table exclaimed, "and I ordered my bread WITH worms."

It was teaming up to be a horrible day, and quitting time couldn't come soon enough. She replicated new food items for the two unhappy customers, convinced them not to tell her boss, and finished replicating the order for K'ratak and the marine Stone.

"Here you go." She smiled at the Commander as she set down the drink, almost missing the table with the glass. It sparked her back to reality, and she payed extra attention to Stone's order. "And here youuuuuu go." She sat it down perfectly.

"If you need me I'll be right over there!" She pointed with with one finger toward the counter while the other hand held the tray. She grabbed the tray with both hands, and made her way back to the counter, swaying the tray side to side playfully as she walked.

[dawnthief]

Having dropped his stuff off in his room and reported in, Quinn decided to take a look around, and grab something to eat. Walking down the promenade, he noticed a bakery that looked quite busy.

'Busy usually means good.' Quinn thought to himself as he entered, looking around he saw few spaces, though one table which a waitress had just left had a space. Catching up with the waitress he made his order and then returned to the table.

"Mind if I join you? Not many seats available." Quinn asked.

<Kayla/k'ratak/Stone>