Lunch Break

[Kirok]

[Mess Hall]

It was lunchtime the station.  At least according to Zex's internal cloak it was.  So she headed to the mess hall for come much needed nourishment.

She had been craving Deltan musk fungus for days now.  The replicators didn't do such a great job of making it.  In fact, it typically turned out like tasteless mush.

But she had finally 'persuaded' one of the cooks to prepare it for her.  And today was the day her carving would be satisfied.  Or so she hoped.

Zex entered the mess hall and walked directly up to the cook.  To her delight, he was waiting with a plate full of fresh Deltan musk fungus and a refreshing beverage.  She winked her thanks to the man and carried her prize to a small table where she planned to enjoy at least one of the comforts of her home.

[Marco Benitez]

Mess Hall

The smell hung in the air like a heavy green cloud.  Several of the more delicate races were already complaining.  To Marco it smelled like dirty miner laundry being boiled, although it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't harsh enough to disturb him.  His usual scowl already looked like he was smelling something bad anyway.

People got out of his way as they saw him coming, some looked at him with relief, hoping the security man could relieve the situation.  Marco made his way towards the culprit of the offending aroma and stood tall besides her, using his intimidating form in an offensive way.  "I should have known it was you."  His voice was a deep rumble and he glared down at Zex, the Deltan that continued to drive him mad.

Slowly he raised his hand and shoved her plate a bit with a finger, but didn't use it to poke at her food.  That would be unsanitary.  "What is this god awful thing you are eating?"  He asked, frowning more, if that was possible.  "I can smell it all the way down the corridor, and so can everyone.  How did you manage to get that?  I don't remember it on the menu." 

[Blokimus]

Chris entered the mess hall without looking up from his padd and made his way towards a replicator. Once he got there he order a coffee, once it was ready he collected it and turned towards an empty table.

Making his way across the room he still didn't look up from his padd so he wasn't paying attention to where he was going which meant he bumped into the tall angry looking security officer and spilled his coffee over the floor and his own uniform.

"I am so sorry sir, I was too focused on my report."

[Kirok]

Mess Hall

The smell hung in the air like a heavy green cloud.  Several of the more delicate races were already complaining.  To Marco it smelled like dirty miner laundry being boiled, although it wasn't pleasant, it wasn't harsh enough to disturb him.  His usual scowl already looked like he was smelling something bad anyway.

People got out of his way as they saw him coming, some looked at him with relief, hoping the security man could relieve the situation.  Marco made his way towards the culprit of the offending aroma and stood tall besides her, using his intimidating form in an offensive way.  "I should have known it was you."  His voice was a deep rumble and he glared down at Zex, the Deltan that continued to drive him mad.

Slowly he raised his hand and shoved her plate a bit with a finger, but didn't use it to poke at her food.  That would be unsanitary.  "What is this god awful thing you are eating?"  He asked, frowning more, if that was possible.  "I can smell it all the way down the corridor, and so can everyone.  How did you manage to get that?  I don't remember it on the menu."

Chris entered the mess hall without looking up from his padd and made his way towards a replicator. Once he got there he order a coffee, once it was ready he collected it and turned towards an empty table.

Making his way across the room he still didn't look up from his padd so he wasn't paying attention to where he was going which meant he bumped into the tall angry looking security officer and spilled his coffee over the floor and his own uniform.

"I am so sorry sir, I was too focused on my report."

[Corridor]

Zex looked up at Marco and batted her long brown eyelashes.  She was chewing a mouthful of fungus when Chris bumped into the Sec/Tac Crewman.  A comical turn of events if there ever was one.

Zex naturally laughed.  In fact, she laughed so hard that chewed Deltan musk fungus flew out of her mount.  And onto Marco's uniform and shoes.

"Sorry" Zex said as she brought a napkin up to her mouth.  She laughed nervously again behind the napkin.  "Really, I'm sorry.  But it funny.  Right?" she glanced at Chris for confirmation. 

[Marco Benitez]

Chris entered the mess hall without looking up from his padd and made his way towards a replicator. Once he got there he order a coffee, once it was ready he collected it and turned towards an empty table.

Making his way across the room he still didn't look up from his padd so he wasn't paying attention to where he was going which meant he bumped into the tall angry looking security officer and spilled his coffee over the floor and his own uniform.

"I am so sorry sir, I was too focused on my report."

Marco had seen the cadet from his peripheral vision and raised a hand to stop him.  The man bumped into Marco's outstretched hand spilling his drink over himself and fortunately not on Marco.  He scowled down at the man annoyed at his absentmindedness and clumsiness but he said nothing as Zex chimed in.

[Corridor]

Zex looked up at Marco and batted her long brown eyelashes.  She was chewing a mouthful of fungus when Chris bumped into the Sec/Tac Crewman.  A comical turn of events if there ever was one.

Zex naturally laughed.  In fact, she laughed so hard that chewed Deltan musk fungus flew out of her mount.  And onto Marco's uniform and shoes.

"Sorry" Zex said as she brought a napkin up to her mouth.  She laughed nervously again behind the napkin.  "Really, I'm sorry.  But it funny.  Right?" she glanced at Chris for confirmation.

He looked down at the mess on his uniform, and although he had had worse things on it, he couldn't help feeling it just a bit more because of her.  Marco had several options.  One of them is that he could yell and scream at her, but she would probably wind up crying and making him look like an ass.  The second would be to laugh at it and wave it off as a joke, but he was NOT the joking type, or laughing type for that matter.

So, taking the middle road, Marco lifted a hand and peeled off a mushroom that ejected unto his uniform and gingerly placed it back on her plate.   "At your earliest convenience, Ensign Zex, if you could meet me in my office, I would greatly appreciate it."  He spoke calmly as he kicked off another mushroom from his formerly polished boot.

Marco then turned to the cadet that almost spilled coffee on him and growled his disgust at him before pushing his way out of the mess hall.  No one said a word, too afraid of the tall stern security man, but as soon as he left the talk returned.  Not that he ever cared what anyone said to him or about him.  Marco just made his way back to his quarters to redress. 

[Blokimus]

Chris couldn't help but smirk at Marco as he growled at him before turning to leave and then turning to Zex.

"Hello I'm Chris, mind if I join you?"

[Kirok]

Marco had seen the cadet from his peripheral vision and raised a hand to stop him.  The man bumped into Marco's outstretched hand spilling his drink over himself and fortunately not on Marco.  He scowled down at the man annoyed at his absentmindedness and clumsiness but he said nothing as Zex chimed in.

He looked down at the mess on his uniform, and although he had had worse things on it, he couldn't help feeling it just a bit more because of her.  Marco had several options.  One of them is that he could yell and scream at her, but she would probably wind up crying and making him look like an ass.  The second would be to laugh at it and wave it off as a joke, but he was NOT the joking type, or laughing type for that matter.

So, taking the middle road, Marco lifted a hand and peeled off a mushroom that ejected unto his uniform and gingerly placed it back on her plate.   "At your earliest convenience, Ensign Zex, if you could meet me in my office, I would greatly appreciate it."  He spoke calmly as he kicked off another mushroom from his formerly polished boot.

Marco then turned to the cadet that almost spilled coffee on him and growled his disgust at him before pushing his way out of the mess hall.  No one said a word, too afraid of the tall stern security man, but as soon as he left the talk returned.  Not that he ever cared what anyone said to him or about him.  Marco just made his way back to his quarters to redress.

Zex watched in embarrassment as Marco placed the chewed up fungus back on her plate.  Luckily he had placed it on the edge of the plate.  Maybe she would eat it later given that she had not 'food issues' like some people did - but not in front of Marco.

Fortunately, Marco had kept his composure which was more than she could say for herself.  But given their complicated roller coast like friendship, she owed it to him to try to be professional.  "I'll be down as soon as I finish here, Crewman" Zex finally replied with a straight face.

Chris couldn't help but smirk at Marco as he growled at him before turning to leave and then turning to Zex.

"Hello I'm Chris, mind if I join you?"

"Please" Zex replied.  She indicated an open seat at the table.  "Im Zex, Medical Officer and apparently resident trouble maker" she added with a small chuckle.  "Do you need a napkin?" she asked.