"For Argument's Sake"

Posted on Thu Apr 15th, 2021 @ 2:14pm by Lieutenant Nikosh Targus

871 words; about a 4 minute read

__***"For Argument's Sake"***__
Personal Log of Lt. Nikosh Targus
SD 202104.15


. Intelligence Officer Lt. Nikosh mok Targus was taking a break from his duties to get something to eat. He'd left the Bridge and was in the Officer's Mess standing in front of a replicator trying to decide what to get. He was still suffering some mild indigestion from the Hot Wing Challenge that Cmdr. Oliver Queen had proposed and didn't want to overdo it. He chose "tuna salad on wheat", some sort of sandwich composed primarily from the flesh of a large salt-water fish from Earth, and a glass of water, and after it had materialized in the replicator he turned to see one of the Science Officers standing next in line, a Lieutenant himself judging by the pips on his collar, and Vulcan judging by the pointed ears and slanted brows.

. Nikosh grunted at him, "Vhy you breathe down my neck, eh?"

. The Vulcan raised an eyebrow. "My apologies, Lieutenant. Apparently your neck was beneath my nostrils in direct line of my exhalation."

. "Vas dat a jab at me being short?" Nikki bristled.

. "It was merely an observation of geometry, considering that my nostrils are approximately 18 centimeters above the nape of your neck, and that I stood less than a meter behind you."

. Nikki glared up at him. The Vulcan was a good 7 inches taller than he was. It didn't necessarily mean the Vulcan was tall, since Nikki was only 2 inches over 5 feet. "It *vas* jab at my height! Hmph! If you had decent snout like normal folks, you vouldn't be dumping all your vaste breath down your belly, it would shoot straight out like it's supposed to! Not that you have a decent belly, either!" Nikki pushed past the Vulcan and took a seat with his sandwich.

. The Vulcan ordered plomeek soup from the replicator and turned to see Nikki glaring at him from his seat. He stepped up to the Tellarite, holding his soup in one hand. "If it pleases you, sir, this seat is the nearest place and the most logical place for me to sit. Would you mind if I joined you? After all, if one is to enlarge one's belly, one must consume sufficient quantities of foodstuff."

. Nikki grunted and waved as he took a bite of his sandwich. The Vulcan sat himself. "My name is Stolaak. I have had some interest in Tellarites, being that they are one of the founding races of the Federation, but had never met one. I am not yet decided whether that was good fortune or ill."

. Nikki nearly choked on his tuna. He took a swig from his water and managed to get it down. "Vell, any meeting of a Tellarite is alvays good fortune, yes? Though I am not convinced meeting any Vulcan is, no?"

. Stolaak inclined his head, "Logic would dictate that any meeting with Vulcans would be neither good nor ill fortune, but rather merely happenstance. Much like finding a Tellarite in Starfleet. I have heard your species isn't exactly Starfleet material." He lifted his spoon and delicately slurped soup.

. Nikki scowled, and squinted his already beady eyes at the Vulcan. "Most Tellarites choose not to lower themselves to Starfleet standards like Vulcans do. Vere your grades not good enough to get into ze Vulcan Science Academy?" He bit his sandwich and chewed.

. Stolaak looked up and raised an eyebrow. "My grades were never in question. But, your comment does cause me to wonder how you managed to get posted as an Intelligence Officer. I would have assumed it required intelligence. I suppose I would have been mistaken." He dipped his spoon once more into his soup.

. Nikki finished chewing and swallowed, eyeing the Vulcan as he did. "You vhere ze blue uniform of Sciences, yes? And pride yourself on ze logic, no? All dat analysis of data and vhatnot? But you are blind, yes? And deaf, too? You cannot see and hear ze intelligence of ze Tellarite in front of you? And here I thought ve vere having such a nice dialog."

. Stolaak swallowed and dapped at his lips with his napkin. "Neither blind nor deaf, sir, and indeed we are engaged in a reasonably intelligent dialog. Perhaps, if you would practice, we may be able to engage in more at some time in the future." He stood, lifting his now empty bowl, and stood there a moment.

. Nikki stared up at him for just a second, then gave a slight nod. "If you feel ze need to broaden your own intelligence, I suppose I'd be villing to share some time to help you out. But ... I think ve both need to get back to our duties, yes?"

. "Indeed," Stolaak said, "I suppose I will be required to communicate with you again, Mr. Targus. Good day." He carried his bowl back to the replicator to return it, then turned and gave Nikki a slight bow.

. Nikki grunted and gave a small salute and stood to return his own plate and head back to the Bridge. As he left, he thought to himself, ~*Dat Stolaak fellow must have really studied Tellarites. Dat vas very good intelligent dialog. I tink I am making new friend, yes?*~

 

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