Book Club (open to all)

[Kirok]

[Lounge, Katra Station]

Tess did a good job of outlining the story.  Wolves were such a primary character in stories across cultures and across the galaxy.  Typically they were bad in nature, so hearing that they had positive aspects in Tess' story was a good twist.

She nodded to Jada's request.  "I was thinking the same" she said.  "If you don't mind of course" she added.

[Rayek trLhoell]

Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[Katra Station - Lounge]

[Katra Station - Lounge]

When Rayek mentioned the book Tess had brought to the book club she smiled and turned away to pull her hand bag towards her. After opening it, she retrieved a leather bound book and put it to rest on her lap.

"It's a collection of Ba'ku fairy tales", she explained with a soft smile on her face. This book meant very much to her. Picking it up she turned it so the others could see the cover of the book. "Those are 'qordlur' - wolf-like creatures. They barely come close to the village so they're kinda 'mysterious'." Tess chuckled. "Not really, but very little is known of them. So they made it into several fairy tales of the Ba'ku. Usually they seem scary at first but then they turn out to give wise advice to the person in the story."

Turning the book back to her, Tess leafed through it. It was written in Ba'ku and there were nice illustrations in it. "Animals are very important in the tales, usually it's them who show the way for the protagonist. My favorite story is of a girl who was chosen to save her home from a mysterious force that threatened to destroy her world. She had very little faith in herself to accomplish what was asked of her but as she set forth, while struggling at the beginning, she coped with her task and when she returned from her journey, she had learned to believe in herself and what it was she could really do."

As Rayek sat listening to Tess describe the book of fairy tales, he realized he'd overlooked the best book of all to read to their child.  The Romulan had been self-teaching himself Ba'ku - mainly the spoken language though he'd had to translate by hand his missives to Rahul so he wasn't completely unfamiliar with its written basics - ever since he first realized that the wedding would be held on her home planet.

Admittedly, he'd put aside his self-teaching over the past couple months, what with worry of perhaps being discharged from the Fleet...   but this was the perfect opportunity for him to continue that and for a very important reason.    He smiled.

[Lounge, Katra Station]

At Tess talked, Jada leaned forward so she could get a closer look at the qordlur. 'Yeah, I think I saw one of those.' she said with a chuckle, referring to her hike on Ba'ku before the wedding. It had been a difficult but healing trek for her – literally so under the restoring metaphasic radiation – and she felt it had left her stronger and wiser, better able to make the choices she was now. 'Though I think it was a little rhyl that showed me the way.' she added with a gentle smile as she remembered the cute furry little creature.

Tess's outline was an age-old model for countless tales, so it was easy for Jada to tell see elements of it in her own trek through the Ba'ku wilderness, and she wanted to know more. 'Is it a long story? Maybe you could read a bit or tell it to us?' she tried to coax her.

When Jada suggested she read an excerpt, Rayek smiled and nodded his agreement.  "I too would love to hear you read a portion from your favorite story." he encouraged softly.  He wouldn't press the issue too hard, Tess obviously had had a long day.  If she were too tired, he would accept that and merely suggest that they head home for the night.

[Tess tLhoell]

[Katra Station - Lounge]

Tess chuckled at Jada's little joke about the rhyl. "Actually, a rhyl is found in the story as well. It will become the girl's companion", Tess smiled, recalling herself playing with the tiny furry animals.

When there was consent for her to read a bit from the book, Tess complied happily. "Okay, let me see which part I'll read to you", she said grinning widely as she leaned against Rayek's side again, her elbow resting on his thigh as she leafed through the book. The pages were yellowed with time and there was the faint smell of paper coming from the old book's pages.

Eventually Tess stopped and began reading from the story that was titled 'The Seven Caves'. "Okay, this is the girl leaving the village to start her journey", Tess explained and then began to read without a hurry, her voice soft. While it was written in Ba'ku, Tess wasn't sure if everyone was wearing the UT, so she translated directly.

"She took nothing with her but a ring from her parents as a memento, a loaf of bread for hunger, a jug of water for thirst and a chair for fatigue.

Now she went on and on, far and wide, until the end of the world. She came to the sun, but it was too hot and terrible, and she feared it might eat her alive. She ran away in a hurry and ran to the moon, but it was too cold and horrible and evil, and she was too scared to get closer. Then she quickly left and came to the stars, which were kind and good to her, and every single one sat in its special chair. The morning star rose, gave her a little bone, and said, 'If you do not have the little bone, you cannot open the crystal cave, and in the crystal cave, there is the tree of answers.'

The girl took the bone, wrapped it in a cloth, and went away until she reached the crystal cave. The gate was locked and she wanted to get the bone out, but as she opened the cloth, it was empty. She had lost the gift of the good stars. What was she to do now? She wanted to save her village but she now had no key to the crystal cave. The good little girl took a knife, cut off a little finger, put it in the gate and opened it happily.

When she had entered, a dwarf hobbled towards her to meet her and said: 'My child, what are you looking for?' - 'I am looking for the tree of answers,' she replied. The dwarf said, 'This is the home of the lord ravens, but they are not at home. If you will wait here until they come, enter.' Then the dwarf brought in the ravens' food on three plates and in three cups, and from each plate the little girl ate a nibble, and from each cup she drank a little, and into the last cup she dropped the ring which she had taken with her.

Suddenly, there was a fluttering and croaking, and the dwarf said, 'Now my masters are coming home.' And the three ravens came to eat and drink, looking for their plates and cups. One by one they said, 'Who has eaten from my plate? Who has drunk from my cup? It has been a child's mouth.' And when the third came to the bottom of the cup, the ring rolled out to meet him, and he said, 'If only the little girl would be here, and we would be free.' As the girl who stood behind the door and listened heard the wish, she stepped forward, and there - all the ravens regained their human form. The eldest of the brothers said, 'We shall grant you access to the tree of answers, for you have saved us.'

There, Tess stopped when she thought she had read enough of it. But she did want to show the illustration of the tree of answers to them so she lifted the book up and turned it around so Jada and Zex could see it - Rayek likely had already seen it while she had been reading.

OOC: This is adapted from a German fairy tale of the brothers Grimm called 'The Seven Ravens', since I'm not a fairy tale writer^^

[Kirok]

[Katra Station - Lounge]

Zex had placed her hands together.  Then brought them close her mouth.  As if she was praying while listening.

The story had some familiar elements.  The child visiting various things and then eating drinking from various things.  Those elements reminded her of other stories.

When Tess was done, she pulled her hands away from her mouth.  "That was so beautiful and well written.  I want to know how it ends.  But I don't know if I would rather read it myself or hear you tell it?' she said sincerely.

[Jada]

[Lounge, Katra Station]

As Tess began to read from her big old book, Jada sipped the last of her tea and settled into the couch to listen, first with intrigue and then with growing fascination. The story held many strange and surprising things, magic and wonders, with cultural themes and elements she could barely guess at, but it was easy enough to follow. 'Thanks, Tess. That was beautiful. Weird and a bit grisly, but beautiful.' she complimented with a smile. 'Orions don't have much in the way of fairy tales and myths – our ancestors were torn from their Stone Age into a Space Age, so they quickly learned how the world really works. Our legends are grounded in real history and cosmography. But it's nice to hear the fantastic from others, thank you.'

She checked the time, and said 'Okay, I think we're getting to the end of our time-slot; someone else will want the lounge next. Should we wrap up now? I'll see about scheduling another meeting in a month or two.'

[Kirok]

[Lounge, Katra Station]

Zex wasn't really sleepy, but knew the Tess had fallen asleep earlier.  "I could stay longer.  But it is up to you guys" she said.  She looked from Jada to the loving couple. 

[Rayek trLhoell]

Ensign Rayek tr'Lhoell
[Katra Station - Lounge]

Rayek peered over Tess' shoulder at the book's pages as she read.  The words were somewhat familiar having traced Ba'ku letters numerous times while he was hand-transcribing his missives to her brother, Rahu, into the Ba'ku language since Rahul did not know or read Federation Standard.  Rayek could recognize several of the more common connective words - like 'the' and 'and' that he'd had to transcribe repeatedly.   But unfortunately the three or so messages he had sent were not quite enough to make him proficient at reading the language.

But perhaps Tess would be willing to teach him over the remaining course of the pregnancy.   Rayek smiled at his idea, while he listened to her translation.  The story was darker than what he thought a Ba'ku fairy tale might be, but that just made him all the more interested.

When she finished reading the section, the others commented on the book, while the arm wrapped about her shoulder gave a brief squeeze. "That was very intriguing.  I look forward to reading myself - with your assistance."

When Jada indicated that their time slot was just about up, Rayek nodded.   "Thank you Jada for starting this.  I will have a book selection to review myself for next time." he assured, then began to careful extract his arm out from behind Tess, so that he could stand first and offer her assistance up.

After that he turned to Zex and offered a slight bow.  "It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Zex. Goodnight."

Then when Tess was ready Rayek would escort her back home to their quarters.

[Tess tLhoell]

[Katra Station - Lounge]

Tess enjoyed very much the positive reactions to the book she knew by heart in her childhood. The thought that her own children would grow up with these stories pleased her. Looking to Zex she said, "I'm glad you enjoye me reading this", she chuckled. "I could scan it and send it to you. It's written in Ba'ku but the translation program should be able to transfer it into any language you enjoy reading most."

When it seemed it was time to go, Tess watched as Rayek stood up first and was glad when he offered his hand to her. She wondere how 'immobile' she'd become once the baby bump would grow bigger.
Standing on her feet, Tess leaned lightly against Rayek, feeling subtly for his hand to interwine her fingers with his as she smiled at Jada and Zex. "It was very nice. I apologize for having fallen asleep and I think I missed a really interesting story", she looked regretfully to Jada. "I'm looking forward to the next session. Goodnight!"

With that she left with Rayek.

[Jada]

[Lounge, Katra Station]

'No worries, I understand.' Jada assured Tess, and started to pack up the remaining biscuits (she'd overestimated the number needed), grabbing one for herself and saving the rest for snacks back in her quarters. After wiping up the crumbs, with book and PADD and biscuit packet stacked in her hands, she rose from the couch and nodded to Rayek, Tess, and Zex. 'Thanks for coming, everyone. I really appreciate you making the time to come listen to me talk on and on. I hope you enjoyed it all. Good night.' she ended, looking quietly thankful to them before she departed.