An Elliciean Gathering part 3: The Meal

Posted on Sun May 24th, 2020 @ 5:12pm by Commander Ta'mas & Lieutenant Jaime Mallory & Commander Paige O'Halloran "Banshee" & Commander Christopher SilverShadowMoon & Commander Arlaena Torr & Master Chief Petty Officer Mississippi 'Missy' MidnightWaters & Cadet Freshman Grade Charlie StarPocket & Cadet Freshman Grade Teryn Sera & Graken Sunheart & Graken Soul Friend & Penny QuickTail & Kofe OathStoneWay & Drayce 'Dray' SnapFire & Ruelilly 'Lilly ' BrightBloom

Mission: Ready For The Weekend!
Location: Small Elliciean Village, Serene Colony
Timeline: 2388/08/31 1810 (Sun. Aug. 31 2388 6:10pm, last backpost)

Previously...
An Elliciean Gathering part 1: Arrivals and Greetings
An Elliciean Gathering part 2: The Challenge of Getting There


Penny QuickTail loved meals like this, especially any that included those outside her immediate family. The twins were obnoxious to say the least, and she missed having more of those her own age.

The drums playing in the background made her want to dance. Her father had finished his greetings of who she figured were the cadets. This sparked an idea and she ran towards the girls, dodging the grakens performing a mock aerial battle. She briefly thought perhaps she should open a door and let them out, but this wasn't Elliciea so she ignored the thought.

Near the girls she picked up speed and pounced the Elliciean girl. Charlie was older and taller, and probably stronger but Penny was called QuickTail for a reason.

They grappled with tails, teeth, and claws. Their thick velvety skin provided protection from any real harm. The adult Ellicieans merely glanced at them. Penny was almost flipped twice on to her back but her tail quickly came from between their bodies and grabbed the older girls hair.

Charlie grunted at the hair pull, regretting the fact she hadn't let her hair more loose. The younger girl was wiley but also not nearly as experienced. Wanting to end the engagement, Charlie faked a failed hold and slid her tail around the girls leg and pulled her hard to the floor and went straight for her neck with her teeth. Touching without breaking skin. Penny was forced to accept defeat.

Both girls were grinning as they separated. "Swellifsh rusillisf" came out almost in union.

Penny looked to Tery. "Swellifsh rusillisf, worry do not that I will pounce you. "

Tery was chuckling at the playful kittenish manner the two were displaying. At Penny's assurance, she laughed softly. "Thank you. It wouldn't do for either of us to get hurt." She was well aware that the other girl had some advantages, but Tery had grown up during the Occupation, so she was a little afraid that she might accidentally lose the here and now and do harm. Those had been hard -- and terrifying at points -- times.

Although much younger, Penny picked up the shift in mood, a sadness or pain unresolved. Her father was more experienced in handling himself in such moments. Her mood sensing ability was strong and she found it to be overwhelming and difficult to ignore. Unlike with other empathic abilities, Ellicieans could not turn it off and couldn't focus it on purpose. It was a sixth sense and for some, like Penny, it was less background noise and more intense. There was a moment of silence between the girls, where Penny felt awkward and Charlie was confused by Penny’s reaction to Tery.

The older Elliciean girl decided to ignore the younger, instead she loudly declared. "Hungry I am. Let us sit. "

Tery wasn't sure why the smaller girl looked uncomfortable, and she had her mental walls up as she always did in public, so she couldn't read the emotions to know what that unease was. Charlie's declaration made her chuckle. Her stomach's agreement with it made her laugh outright. "Apparently, Charlie, my stomach agrees with you."

"Then let us not disappoint it." Charlie laughed and started to explain. "Once all have been greeted.." She took one of the backless seats made for tailed folk next to one she figured her friend would be more comfortable in. "Kofe's lifemate will begin the meal."

The sight of the food had her own stomach loudly complaining.

Kofe had chuckled at the girls as the last of their guests arrived. Walking over he held out an arm to Ta'mas. They had never met but he knew the man to be familiar with Elliciean ways.

Ta'mas reached out with both arms in return, grasping Kofes forearm as the Elliciean did the same. He couldn’t return the tail wrapping, but he brought his face in to rub against the Elliciean’s. The exchange was short, and he suspected it was due to him being part Vulcan, that the Elliciean was well aware of his sensitivity to touch.

Paige stood politely nearby as they greeted one another, a small, easy smile on her face.

"Swellifsh rusillisf, Kofe OathStoneWay I am."

“Live long and prosper, Kofe OathStoneWay. I am Ta’mas.” No way was the Vulcan hybrid going to return the Elliciean words, he’d never managed to accomplish their difficult language, no more than most non-Vulcans could pronounce his surname.

"Welcome Tamas, SilverShadowMoon has spoken well of you and your life mate. Honored we are to have you both. " He responded.

"And we are honoured to share a meal with you. " Ta'mas replied respectfully and looked over to Paige, “This here is my better half, my wife Paige.”

"Welcome Paige. Swellifsh rusillisf, " Kofe greeted, putting out his arm to grasp hers. "Your beauty was not exaggerated."

Paige smiled, “Go raibh maith agat as do chuid focal. Beannachtaí duitse agus le do Theach.” She said fluidly, in the lyrical language of her homeland. She translated, “Thank you for your kind words. Blessings to you and your House.”

Kofe's smile widened at the lyrical sounding blessing. The language was fascinating and made him think of ancient Elliciean, used now only in spiritual rituals. More fluid than the language his people spoke now.

His tail gently came up and ran along her up and across her neck. "You honor your own as well as mine. Please " he looked between them both. "Come eat, you are family tonight. "

Paige stepped back and drew out from the leather satchel she carried a moderately sized wooden box, “These are words of Blessing and Peace, it is a tradition among my people to give such a gift upon a first invitation.” She explained as they looked at the hand carved words in Irish Gaelic, Betazoid, and Vulcan. She offered him the box, “The box is carved by a member of Ta'mas' family and the item inside, made of ancient Connemara Marble Irish Gemstone, by mine. A gift from our clans."

Kofe was speechless. Both the artistic work put into the gift but the symbolism. He gently took the box and opened it and froze. He wondered if they really understood the immense value dragon art was to his people.

The large Grakens of legend. The great ones, were spiritual symbols for freedom and courage. Grakens, themselves, held a sacred place among his people. Although, what he held in his hands, did not look like a dragon of his world, it mattered not.

(imagine it made out of Connemara green marble)

Kofe cleared his throat, "You have wound my tail with honor. Do not know I do to say, but thank you. This is beautiful and indeed special."

Paige smiled, pleased her research, which included bugging Ta'mas, had paid off. "We too have legends of Great Dragons on Earth." Indeed she had grown up with them and had spent many an hour as a child having grand adventures with her imaginary dragon friend. "Stories that included courage, loyalty, and wisdom long before we even had much in the way of civilization. Though we have found no proof, I always liked to think they were there before moving to their next adventure." Her smiled softened into something quietly radiant pleased to have given such a gift and sharing a childhood dream. And if one knew what she looked like one could see Paige's mother in her features.

Ta'mas felt his grin widen at the expression on his wife's face. He had a feeling it was slightly sappy. Thankfully no one commented on it.

To Kofe' he said, "We are honored to eat with you and the food smells delicious."

Kofe stepped to the side and put an arm out invitingly. "Then please, let us eat. Have my tail my life mate will if the meal grows cold."

***

Tery followed her friend to the seats and took one that was more comfortable for those who were not lucky enough to have been born with a prehensile tail. "I am really looking forward to this! It smells so good!" A second's pause, and her expression became slightly apprehensive. "Is there any protocols to this?"

Charlie hissed for a dejected looking Penny to sit beside her. She then turned her attention back to her friend. "Honor to our Elliciss, our god, Penny's mother will give and then eat we will. As honored family, do not you need to be concerned."

Penny added when Charlie paused, trying to decide how to explain the rules Ellicieans followed. "We, those of us with tails, will only eat with our left hands, pass food on with our right, and our tails can not touch food. These rules are for when we eat together, we do them to honor Elliciss."

"Too many rules our people have." Charlie replied on a sigh, remembering from when she was a child and her fathers tail slapping her own when she had grabbed some meat with it. It had hurt for three days but she had never done it again.

Tery noted the rules and chuckled softly. "Betazoids have some weird as hell rules about meals too. There's this one tradition that involves a gong. Really annoying." She chuckled again softly then became serious. "I can do the whole eat with left hand and pass food with the right if that's how things are done."

Arlaena noted the rules too. "No tails. Got it. Is there anything else I should know?"

Penny offered reassurance, not wanting their guest uncomfortable. "Welcome you are to do as we do, but no offense will be had if you do not." She said looking between Tery and Arleina.

Chris took a seat next to Arleina, not far off, overhearing the girls. "Rules kept peace on Elliciea. " With some pride coloring his voice he continued. "Elliciss children do not, have not, warred amongst themselves."

"Neither have Trill." Jaime interjected as she slid into a seat next to his. Eyeing the food, she started leaning forward, poised to help herself, "Well, hardly ever..."

Chris watched out of the corners of his eyes as Jaime slid a hand toward the food. "On Elliciea we have had disagreements. Clans that do not trade or interbreed. But fight we do not, it is forbidden."

As Jaime went to pinch part of a roll, Chris's tail came up and gave her hand a quick snap. He gave her a slightly amused negative shake of his head. Distracted he missed the fly by and grab of SoulFriend, until it was too late.

"Aka!"

Jaime had mouthed ow! and with a contorted face, started rubbing her hand. “Good for you, SoulFriend!” she yelled out in the direction the graken flew off to, and then gave a smartass smirk back to Chris.

It was clear the children had come to the table as their laughter erupted, momentarily overpowering the adult conversation. Penny and Charlie both tried to hold it in but the look on Christopher’s face ruined their control.

Ruelilly remarked in the direction of their guests. "They like to steal food." She laughed some more, "More funny it is when they bring their own to share."

Tery laughed softly as SoulFriend stole some food on a fly-by. She knew she shouldn't -- it would only encourage such behavior -- but she couldn't help it. The smaller creature was so damned cute about it.

Arlaena giggled a bit at the Graken. "I know we can't touch the food with our tails, but can we use them to defend our food from flying thieves?" she asked teasingly but also wanting to know.

Drayce managed to get his mirth under control. "Steal directly from your plate they will not. Only from what is for all or from bond mate." he scanned for the pair. "It is a good sign for them to be here."

The other Ellicieans at the table echoed this sentiment.

Charlie was caught up in a conversation, or more accurately getting rebuked, in high Elliciean with her uncle.

Listening to Christopher talk to Charlie, Jaime elbowed him in the side and gave him a "stop it" expression. While she could pick up bits of the language, she knew there were those there who hadn’t been around it their whole life, like she had. Not that there was anything wrong with quick conversations in his natural language, but Arlaena was there, sitting on the other side of him. Jaime reminded him of that, with a side nod and roll of her eyes. Not for the first time, she wished she had her own tail. If she did, she would have grabbed his and wrapped it around the other feline’s.

At first he could only stare at his friend blankly, confused as to why he was getting elbow jabs and eye rolls. With eyebrows drawn together, he turned back to Charlie and found her shaking her head at him and hissing in Elliciean, "Her, tailed friend, you idiot."

The younger Elliciean then promptly turned away to socialize with her friend.

Bemused, Christopher sighed. If he could snap himself in the back of the head he would have. The grin he turned on Arlaena was more shit-eating than charming.

Arlaena giggled a bit, watching the byplay. She hadn't really been so much offended as watching curiously and trying to see if she could pick up the language a bit at a time by listening. It had worked in that old Earth movie… what was it called again? The Thirteenth Warrior? "Got a bit distracted, did you?" she asked him playfully.

"Uh, yes. My apologies, my " He nodded his head to indicate Charlie, "niece she is." Chris was annoyed with himself for choosing to rebuke her at the table rather than later. He saw Ta'mas and Paige heading towards the them.

"Ah, here comes my friend, indeed I would like you to meet."

Arlaena chuckled softly. "It's okay. I've seen far worse, trust me." She followed his gaze to the new arrivals and smiled. "I'd love to!"

Hand in hand, the couple casually arrived, Ta’mas smiling as he heard Chris. "Hello, everyone."

Chris's smile grew, more natural now, directed to all at the table with him he introduced. "My good friend Ta'mas this is, Chief of SCE Operations. And Chief of Security, his lovely wife Paige." He then introduced those sitting there with him, ending with Arlaena, his tail once again finding hers.

Paige smiled and waved to everyone, "Blessings to all and your House." she said easily with genuine warmth.

Arlaena was purring. She seemed to do that a lot around Chris. As his tail found hers, she twined hers with it in a gentle twist. "Hello, both of you. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Ta'mas had nodded, "The pleasure is mine," and then gave a knowing smile, sensing something going on between her and Chris. He then leaned down, giving Paige a quick kiss on the temple, and squeezed her hand before letting go. "I have something to do," he held up the small bag he'd been carrying, "and will return shortly," he told her and winked at Chris as he left her there, heading back on over to Kofe.

Paige looked at the retreating back of Ta'mas and not just because of the view as she wondered what he was up to. She glanced at Chris, "Do you know what that was about? Or do I not want to know?" She asked with a smile.

The tips of Christopher's ears flicked back in confusion. "Your guess is as mine. " Given Ta'mas's wink he wondered if he should know. His friend could be quite unpredictable at times which was one reason Chris enjoyed his friendship. Still he was curious as to what his friend was up to.

Penny had long turned her attention from them to Tery. "Bajoran you are?" she asked.

Tery smiled at the girl asking her questions. "Half, yes. The other half is Betazoid." she answered easily. "Have you met many Bajorans or Betazoids?"

"Bajoran, yes. A Bajoran friend I once had, several years ago." Penny smiled, remembering. "The work of my father and mother brings us many places."

Tery nodded. She could feel the nostalgic quality in the other girl. It was warming in a way. Most of her memories of Bajor were far less warm and fuzzy. It did get better toward the end, but that was all a lifetime ago. She pushed it away and smiled. "I see. Were you on Bajor itself?" Curiosity drove her on. Wasn't Arlaena supposed to be the cat? Okay her and, well, everyone here except for herself, Jaime Mallory and the two newest arrivals anyway.

"Sadly, no Bajor I did not see." Penny shook her head, causing her mane of loose hair to dance about her face. "On a space station I met her. Her father an artist like my own."

Tery frowned, but it was more in thought than anything else. Not about the space station; that could have been anything from Terok Nor — No, Tery, now they call it Deep Space Nine… dumb name. It means nothing. — to one of the many Starfleet stations. She'd heard that she was not the first Bajoran to join. That honor had belonged to someone named Ro Laren. "Hm… well, I've been told that more and more of us are joining the Starfleet, so…" Another shrug. "I love some of the pieces, by the way. It was a lot to take in all at once, but now that I can sit and look at each piece separately, they are really beautiful."

Penny bowed her head in thanks. "Honor my father you do. Hope I do to follow his path one day." if he would only stop seeing her as child, she could be starting that journey.

Tery smiled. Penny's voice gave away some of her frustration, though only a tiny bit. "Do you have any samples of your art? I would love to see it." It was true, but she wondered if that had been too forward, aggressive. No, intrusive was more the word she was looking for.

The younger girl nearly beamed with delight at the question. "Love to show you I would! Perhaps later, bring it down I will to show you tonight."

Tery grinned, pleased. "I would love that!" She felt honored by Penny's willingness to show her art. Art was a very personal thing, and to share it was to share a part of oneself. Tery wondered if she could be so open if the roles were reversed.

The younger girl nearly beamed with delight at the question. "Love to show you i would. Perhaps later, bring it down I will to show you tonight." Her tail moving happily behind her. She knew she could not claim to be as skilled as her father but she had his assurances that she did not need to feel shy or embarrassed by it. It was the pride in his voice that had meant the most.

Tery's grin remained. "I look forward to it! I'm sure it's lovely!"


After a few minutes of conversation between those at the table, Ta'mas reappeared. Christopher practically choked with surprise. He should have known.

Jaime gripped his arm at the sight. "oh wow..."

Although he lacked the colouring of an Elliciean and some of their height, Ta'mas filled the skirt, or more like loin cloth, Elliciean men wore.

He had placed his hands on his nearly bare hips and gave his wife a wink at her reaction.

Paige's mouth fell open and if asked would not have been able to give her own name in that moment. It didn't matter how often she saw him in various modes of dress, he always had the power to get her full attention. And he did wear the loincloth well. She closed her mouth remembering it was agape, there were entirely too many people here she thought grumpily.

She actually had to put her hands in her pockets until she was sure the urge to touch had passed. She glared at him as only a wife could that he better not dare laugh at her.

Kofe' let out a laugh "Friend come join us." delighted at Ta'mas' humor and the reactions of the others. Laughter and good humor were prized for such gatherings.

"I would be honored too," Ta'mas replied and then casually took his seat next to Paige, not looking at her, although he could feel her eyes on him, just giving Christopher an amused boyish smile.

Paige gave him a somewhat gentle/not gentle kick under the table, muttering her breath. "You'll pay for this." She promised.


Once all had seated, Kofe stood and indicated with a stretched out arm, Missy. "This is my lifemate, Mississippi MidnightWaters, and provider for our table." The look of love he gave her was both fierce and tender. He then looked out over their guests. "On Elliciea we hunt or gather what we eat, respect we do that which feeds us. "

Missy stood, the bright and bold colors of her dress contrast sharply with her dark colours. The split that ran all the way down the sides of her dress, along with her hair freed from braids fanned out like a mane, illustrated the huntress she was.

She raised her face, arms, and hands, palm facing upward. Her tail, along with all the Ellicieans sitting at the table, then rose as well.

"To Elliciss we give thanks. To Elliciss we give our joy for friends and for family." Missy looked out over all. "Let us eat, talk and laugh for we are all family." She sat back down. Shooting Drayce a dirty look, and giving an angry hiss, for his tail being on the table.

The young Elliciean shrunk back and quickly removed his tail, not wanting to receive the punishment for the insulting table manners.

Conversation began to flow, much of which centered on the food before them, while each dish was passed around and plates began to fill. Missy leaned into Kofe' and whispered in high Elliciean. "Good it is we came." Having previously been uncertain. For her Starfleet career it was a good posting but there was more than herself to consider. Her life-mate had a calling one which she prized above her love of Starfleet. Yet she could see, between the company before her and those she had met since she had arrived, that Kofe' was needed. It also pleased her that Sapientia provided a home away from home for her children, more fulfilling than living on a starship.

Near the end of a conversation, Penny found herself distracted by the argument in Elliciean between her younger siblings. It came as no surprise to her, although unexpected to the non Ellicieans around the twins, when RueLilly sprang from her seat, right over the table. With the force of a typhoon, the girl slammed into her brother rolling them both over the back of his seat and into a ball of teeth and claws. Although it looked ferocious, the Elliciean adults turned back to their meal and promptly appeared to be ignoring the fight.

Charlie looked amused and Penny laughed, "Funny it is." she explained." They fight over a color and remember neither does correctly."

"Christopher and I use to play that way," Jaime said with an expression of reminiscing. Glancing over to him sideways, she gave her childhood friend an amused smile, "And I always won." and plopped a berry into her mouth.

Paige laughed, "Reminds me of myself and my sister. One time I got a hold of her grades and she was going ta pitch it. I knew it had to be seen by our parents." Her eyes went to a kind of faraway amusement, "That fight was epic, over three rooms and two guards it took to pull us apart."

Arlaena didn't say anything. She had gone somewhat internal at the talk of siblings and playfulness. She remembered her siblings. They had been playful kittens once too. Then she, Devaen and Kelaen had gone to the Testing Center followed by the Training Complexes. A few years after that, everything changed. She shook off the thoughts that followed that remembrance and focused her attention back on those around her.

Christopher huffed a laugh. First imagining Paige and her and sister before remembering the play fights between himself and Jaime. He rarely got to play with another Elliciean child while growing up. So he had learned to be more gentle with other children and leave the pouncing to play time with his mother. However, the older they got the more sly his blonde friend had become. She was truly Elliciean at heart.

Once the meal was done the Ellicieans cleared the table and pushed it out of the way. Giving more room for them all to dance. The music was turned up a little, heavy on drums. Charlie looked at Tery "Want to dance?"

Tery blinked up at the taller girl for a second before grinning. "Sure! I can't say I know your people's dances, so watch your toes," she joked with a small laugh, "but I'm game to try anything once!"

"Nothing to know. Dance must come from within" Charlie replied as she spun literally on her tail onto the dance 'floor' and began to move her body to the beat.

Christopher turned likewise to Arlaena "The drums call. Come dance?" he asked. His eyes twinkling with a mix of enjoyment and the mild amount of Ulsh weed incense drifting through the air.

Ta'mas had already grabbed Paige's hand, leading her out there and moving his hips to the beat.

Deciding to forgo any immediate vengeance, she wasn't stupid, allowed herself to be pulled to the dance floor as the beat thrummed through her veins.

Arlaena's azurite blue eyes glittered as she met Christopher's blue ones. She had to look quite far up to meet those eyes, and not for the first time considered climbing him to be on eye level. She restrained that impulse though as it would have been completely undignified... for both of them. "Where you lead, I shall follow." Their tails were still entwined gently, and she stepped up closer to him as they moved toward the dance area.

Christopher tilted his head, touched at her sentiment, and partially aware as those around them began to dance. His eyes drifted for just a moment to their hosts, the intimacy they shared with just a look, and the dancing that involved tails. A sudden sadness washed over him as he realized he had never had the privilege to see his parents dance together. His father had died when he himself was very young. Shaking it off he gave Arlaena a full smile, teeth and all.

"Honored to lead I am." Guiding her into the midst of friends, letting the beat overtake them.

~~~End~~~