trainingwings | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

Player Name: Alex
Are you new?: Yes
Character Name: Ezri Dax
Character Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

1. [Action]

[Hiding out back around the corner on the patio of HQ, sitting at at table with five half-finished drinks already shoved back, Ezri contemplates the glass of blue liquid in her hands. She lifted it and took a deep breath over the glass before wincing, and setting it down quickly before even taking a drink. She pushed the glass back with the others and frowned at them.]

Okay. Kali-fal, no. Romulan alcohol was a bad idea anyway, Ezri, what were you even thinking? Curzon was crazy, that's what I was thinking. I have to find something I can actually drink. Think, Ezri, you came out for a nice time, and you are going to enjy yourself.

Firewine. I'll ask if they have any fire wine.

[She sighs.]

No. We served that at Jadzia's wedding. I can't drink that. So. Maybe...Risan wine. Curzon liked it. Maybe I will. Curzon also like to look for jamaharon after drinking it. And then Arandis killed him. But I don't actually have a horga'hn, right? Maybe I can risk it. Besides, I'm not over a hundred, I'll be fine. One glass. That's it.

Okay, Ezri. Go in there and ask. They'll just think you can...hold your liquor. That's a good thing. Impressive. Or they'll think you're drunk and cut you off. Won't know until you try.

2. [Video]

Hello. Um. Yes, hello. Heh.

[She smiles nervously at the journal.]

My name is Ezri Dax. And, well. See, the thing is, I don't really have any kind of ability or skill that is, you know, immediately useful. Here. Not exactly. I mean, I've been an engineer and studied astrophysics and exobiology and exoarchealogy and been a test pilot and all of that, but it's not really, well, my thing. At all. I mean, I get spacesick in shuttles at warp, now, so I'm not exactly the greatest pilot. It's complicated.

Anyway. Um. So. I am, I was, a counselor. On a starship. The Destiny. Um. And, well. I thought that, maybe, since, well, I'm not really doing anything else, maybe I could, um. Offer to, you know. Talk, or something, if anyone wanted an ear. Listen. I mean, don't expect much, because I'm still new here. And new at this. I mean, I'm not even really a full counselor, just an assistant, but I've been training and studying. I had been, anyway. And, well, it doesn't seem like anyone is offering anything formal, and I really, really need to do something useful, so I thought that maybe...

[She breaks off and clears her throat.]

Right. So. I was thinking, maybe. Well, we could use one of the room in the dome. Make a private area, screens to block the viewing area, no fighting or anything. It would give us an hour to talk, if...if you wanted. Since, well. You might?

I'll stop talking now. Just contact me if you're interested. It's Ezri Dax. And I'm not going anywhere, so call anytime.

[Another nervous smile, coupled with a nervous laugh, and then she gets a look that says she knows she sounds like a total fool right before the video cuts off.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[As a bartender, Ginia takes it upon herself to make sure everyone that comes through HQ is having a good time. So there's a light, friendly smile on her face when she comes out to check on Ezri. The unfinished glasses do not go unnoticed.

She pulls out her phone and swiftly pulls up a message, holding it out so Ezri can read the screen.]

Everything okay out here?

[Ezri leaned in a little to read the message, pursing her lips and then shaking her head.]

No. All of this is absolutely disgusting. I hate everything I've ordered. I actually liked the saurian brandy before, but now all I can think of when I drink it is this night on Risa fifty years ago with a Caitian, two Andorians, and a Nausicaan. I hate Nausicaans. I shouldn't. I've never even met one, actually. But that night.

[She groans and leans her fist on her chin. And even though nothing has been finished, most of it has been sampled, and she may seem the tiniest bit unsteady.]

Risa. I died on Risa. I think it is probably one of my favourite places in the Federation.

[She looks up at Ginia.]

I don't think Risan wine is going to be any better. Do you have something sweet? And not Klingon?

[For someone unfamiliar with the intricacies of a Trill and their symbiont, Ezri's words are understandably confusing. Ginia does her best to keep along with Ezri's rambling, wondering if she should cut Ezri off from drinks now.

But something sweet, something not Klingon. Hmm.]

Do you like oranges?

[More writing. That was something to ask about. But later. There was a more pressing concern right then.]

Orange. Hmm. Bottle. Bottle. Lable. Bottle. Glass. Lable. Icecubes.

I can't think of anything I used to drink with orange. Sounds perfect. Oh.

I should clean up my mess, first.

[She paused, looking at the table, and sighed.]

I can't believe I ordered all of these.

[Ginia waves a hand dismissively; she's not a server, but she'll come back for those later, or someone else will. But she will be right back.

Orange juice, splash of cranberry juice, shot of vodka. Mix, shake, pour into a chilled glass, garnish with an orange slice. She returns with the drink on a tray, setting it in front of Ezri and moving to clear the other glasses.]

[Ezri nodded, albeit reluctantly, looking a little embarrassed by the glasses, and waited.]

Good job. There aren't that many people here, Ezri. I'm sure you can convince them all you've lost your mind with only a little effort. Add another check mark, that's one more down. Ugh.

[When Ginia returned, Ezri had her face in her hands, and looked up after a moment with a slightly lopsided grin.]

Curzon never had to work at enjoying himself. Liquor, some cards, and a pretty lady was all it took.

[She made a vague gesture at Ginia as if to indicate an example.]

Jadzia didn't even need the cards. And now I can't even find something to drink.

[She shook her head and looked at the glass the bartender had brought back.]

Drunk? Or crazy? Probably crazy. Not like I've actually had hardly anything to drink. I'm definitely guessing crazy. You're human, right? Stupid question, everyone here is human. Mostly. You are a human, right?

[A groan and she rolled her eyes at herself.]

Hi. Can we start again? I'd like something sweet, and I don't really know Earth drinks very well. Except for a caipirinha. Jadzia loved Rio.

[She got a little smile, and then seemed to remember herself.]

Um. What was I saying? Oh, right. Heh. Something with orange sounds great, thank you. I'm Ezri Dax, it's nice to meet you. I'm going to stop talking now.

[With that she sank a little in her seat and avoided making eye contact.]

[Ginia's expression shifts between light amusement and understanding as Ezri works through things. New feather, maybe, at least Ginia's never seen Ezri around, though she hasn't met most people either. Always hard to tell in the village.

She sets the tray down on the table, types out a message, then gently taps Ezri's shoulder to get her attention.]

It's nice to meet you. I'm Ginia. Yes, I'm human, and I brought you a Madras; cranberry juice, orange juice, vodka. Let me know what you think.

Thanks. May I ask, why the...um. you know?

[She waved at the message. After taking the drink from the tray, she took a drink, and brightened a little.]

Hey, this is actually pretty good.

[She took another small drink.]

Sorry, by the way. About. Well. Me. Things have been kinda weird for the last few months. It's strange waking up and remembering being nine different people. At least I haven't introduced myself as 'Curzon' for over a month. It's a step forward.

[She lifted the glass and took a much longer drink.]

Mute. Can't talk.

[But yay, one happy person who likes the drink. Always a good step.

Ginia's lips purse as she wonders if she should press. Multiple personalities, or something else at play?]

Is that common, remembering being nine different people?

Oh. I see.

[Suddenly, some problems seemed small. Like not knowing if you are a man or a woman when you wake up in the morning. Minor, really. Still...]

Common? No. No, no. Trill spend years preparing for a symbiont. Most get cut from the program long before they come near one. Joined trill are the best our people have to offer, they represent the leaders in their fields, knowledge and capabilities we can preserve for generations. I mean, Dax has been an engineer, an athlete, an ambassador, a scientist, as an example. I'm the ninth host. Ergo, nine people.

[She began pointing at the unfinished glasses.]

That was Torias's favourite. Curzon was fond of it, too. He was also fond of that one. That one. That one. And that one. All of them, really. Jadzia shared a lot of his tastes. I don't. Obviously. But I remember loving each and every one of them. So I order it because Curzon always did, and then I realize that Ezri can't stand the smell of Kali-fal. Rinse and repeat. Just change smell to taste. Texture. Whatever.

Then you add in all of the extra memories of everything, and even stuff I used to like before I was joined, I can't stand anymore. I'm left handed. Until I was joined, I was right handed. It's really not going...smoothly. Or well. At all.

And I'm doing it again. Rambling, I mean. Something else I never used to do. Believe it or not, I was actually self-composed. I had a career in front of me, I was doing well in counseling, I had a path. Now I'm always slightly surprised to not see the face of hundred year old man when I'm in front of the mirror. After eighty years, you just get used to it. You come to expect it. Even eight years later after dying twice.

[With that, Ezri emptied the glass Ginia had brought her.]

[Ginia does her best to process everything as Ezri continues, focusing on key points.

She's a trill, which may explain the spots starting around her forehead and going down the side of her face. And they prepare for a symbiont, which is presumably transferred from one host to another.

That she can remember things from eight past lives, plus her own, is incredible to think about, yet overwhelming. Likes, dislikes, memories, feelings, all felt and owned without any ownership.

No wonder Ezri seems so confused.

Ginia gives her shoulder a gentle, comforting squeeze. The rambling is fine, who wouldn't be confused?]

The rambling is okay, honestly, I think I'd be pretty confused with nine lives to sort out on top of being in a strange village with wings.

Also how do you spell your name?

[Absently, Ezri pulled the glass still full of blue alcohol towards her.]

I mean, really? I'm not a centimeter tall. No one here is playing Wadi. This place isn't composed entirely of holograms made by a lonely old man, and it doesn't appear and disappear every fifty years. And it's hardly the first time I've dealt with temporal displacement. I can think of, oh, four, five times in the last six years.

And the wings? It's not the first time I've been surgically altered. Going on a first contact mission isn't so bad, but when you're doing a study of a pre-warp culture, it isn't really good to go bouncing around looking like this when they have a dozen fingers and horns or something. The wings aren't that bad. Almost cute.

[Without thinking, she took a deep drink from the glass. Immediately, she coughed and almost dropped it, covering her mouth with an arm until she recovered a bit.]

Sorry.

[Ginia takes the glass back and makes sure all the other ones are far away. If there's one thing to be said about Ezri, it's she's certainly lived through nine interesting lives.]

Don't worry. I need to take these glasses back, but I can come back and chat for a bit if you want. And bring another drink.

[Sup. Have someone who's the exact opposite of nervous.]

Hello, Ezri. It's very nice to meet you. I'd love to talk with you sometime!

Oh. Oh.

[And then there was an awkward pause; she had to figure out what she was going to say now tht someone actually took her up on her offer.]

Uh, yes. It's nice to meet you, too. I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.

[If there's any awkwardness, she doesn't even slightly notice.]

Oh, my name is Grune.

Are you a New Feather?

Well. A pleasure, Grune.

[She smiles a little more comfortably this time.]

Um. New feath...? Right. The wings. Um. Yeah. Yes. Yes, I am.

Is this place anything like home to you? I think it's nice. Ignoring the giant walls, of course. And the tattoos. The wings. Lack of replicators and sonic showers. The bugs. There are a lot of bugs. But still, nice. The nightlife is a little slow, but that's not too bad. I mean, it's not like anyone here plays tongo anyway. Not that I play tongo. I used to. Well, Jadzia did. And Curzon. But I haven't. I mean don't. I think.

Anyway, have you been here long?

[Grune listened very carefully to all of that, but it would have become apparent that the longer Ezri went on, the fuzzier her focus became.

When it comes to the question, she looks a little muddled.]

Hmm.... I wonder.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only