[Shop]
"I was stopping in to...say 'hello.'" I was ordered to, he almost added. Instead he went on:
"It is indeed a pleasure to meet you ladies. Naira is a valued member of our team." He said blandly, clearly ill at ease. "Uh, I am Captain Adeyemi, by the way. Malcolm."
Saying his first name left him feeling even more awkward. Desperately, the strong looking and formidable Starfleet CO glanced around.
"Have you all eaten? Taken a tour of the Station? Our civilian hospitality liaison used to be a former Vatican City tour guide. She's very entertaining and informative. I chose her myself, after a holiday to earth holy sites last year."
[Lower Promenade - Orion Shop]
The ears of Naira's young aunt, who had been standing by door, perked up at the sound of Malcolm's rank. In Orion society captains were held in high esteem. And those with a captain...well she wasn't one to let such and opportunity pass her by.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain." She said as walked over, flipped her her long hair over her shoulder, tilted her head to one side and shifted all of her weight onto her other hip, extending it outwards.
From across the room, Naira could clearly see what her aunt was up to and tried to covertly signal her to disengage, but either her aunt wasn't paying attention, or more likely, she ignored it. Later, they'd all laugh about this, but in this moment Naira wasn't sure who she felt more sorry for.
"Perhaps you might want to..." She was twirling a stand of hair around her finger and sizing him up when another Orion woman entered the shop. One they did not recognize.
Or did she? Naira silently watched the exchange between the woman and the captain as she tried to place the woman. Had they met before? Or maybe there was something about her that reminded her of someone else.
Orion shop
Jada didn't answer, instead looking around for the ringleader of this group of women, figuring the eldest woman playing double-necked guitar to be the local matriarch but not wanting to make assumptions that might insult someone. She was a stranger here, and until she was welcomed, had surrendered her weapon, and been invited in as an honoured hostage, she wasn't going to stick her neck out. Besides, they might not want a barbecue or banquet right now.
Instead, Jada reached into the firepot, producing a large jar full of goop, seething with brownish purple lumps. They were slugs, Orion wing-slugs, creeping and crawling and bobbing in their own mucous. The most disgusting creatures in the Galaxy. 'I only have wing-slugs. They're better stewed or boiled.'
The elderly Orion woman who had been sitting in the corner playing music put down her instrument and slowly shuffled into the center of the room where the others were standing. She was half-blind and losing her hearing, but she was sure that she had heard someone say that they had a firepot and some wing-slugs.
"Well girls, don't just stand there. Help me get this thing fired up!"
She moved closer to the newcomer, squinted her eyes and closely examined her. "I don't know you. Who is your mother?"