Starships were always too cold.
Starfleet regulations aimed to create a temperature that would be tolerable for the majority of species, but Starfleet didn’t count on having many Cardassian officers. Even though Mira was only half Cardassian, she still disliked the chill.
She paced around the quarters she shared with Ensign Kaavi, as movement lead to warmth, and warmth lead to contentment. After a few moments, Mira found her body naturally performing flowing, rhythmic gestures.
The door to her quarters opened, permitting Kaavi to enter. The Orion watched for a moment, head cocked to the side. After a few moments, she spoke, "I didn't know you could dance."
"Cardassians take a great interest in the arts. All children are taught." As she spoke, her feet moved quickly about, and her skirt billowed out around her.
"I'm surprised they don't consider it frivolous," Kaavi said. She began to try and mirror the moves of her friend. They were oddly reminiscent of Earth tai chi forms, she realized.
"Students that perform physical activities tend to be smarter. Also, many dances taught at my school have a martial element. For example, high kicks are both graceful and forceful."
"That's a good point."
As if on cue, Mira kicked one foot up high, then skipped forward with one of her elbows arcing around in an attacking fashion.
“How come you never talk about school?"
"It is not a topic I enjoy discussing." She spun quickly around, extending her arms as though she were trying to push someone away.
"But I'm your best friend. And talking about the past makes coping easier."
Mira sighed, pausing a moment to collect her thoughts. Where to begin? Perhaps, she decided, with the story of the dance. "It was a hot summer day. Hot by our standards. The students of the Institute were performing this dance as we did every day, right before lunch."
"Outside?"
"Yes. The First Cardassian Institute was right next to the Mekara desert. The dust there blew around, propelled by a breeze so soft that your skin barely registered its caress," her eyes shut for a moment, and her mind painted the scene of a starkly beautiful desert.
"Is the Mekara desert similar to the Grand Canyon on Earth?" Kaavi asked.
Mira shook her head, frowning. "That is irrelevant." Though Kaavi was not human, she had picked up the irritating habit of attempting to equate everything to a place, person, or concept born of Earth. And they call Cardassians self-centered.
"OK, sorry." Kaavi knew she would have to be delicate and avoid prying, or else Mira would keep her thoughts to herself.
"At 12, students were separated by gender. We had little contact with males. But as it was so hot, we were all practicing this dance in a shady spot in the lee of a rock formation." Mira's movements slowed for a moment, before continuing in a more agitated fashion. "I was 16. He was 17."
"Oh, a boy you liked?"
Mira nodded sadly. "During our scheduled recuperation period, he and I spoke. He was the first who could look past this," she gestured to the row of ridges sitting atop her nose, "and to actually see me for who I am."
"Oh, Mira..."
"I am not finished."
"Sorry."
"It stayed hot every day. The dry fish we had for the afternoon meal left us parched, and water access was limited."
Kaavi bit down on her tongue to stop herself from protesting the treatment of Cardassian children.
"Every day he and I spoke. Six days that were the happiest of my life. He laughed at all my jokes. Shared his water with me. Genuinely cared about who I am..." She stopped her movements as her chin began to quiver. She fought to steel herself, drawing on the skills she learned in school. Her expression hardened, her eyes taking on a distant, longing look.
"He liked me. He's the only one who ever has." Mira sighed. "He told me he wanted to sneak out of the dormitories to see me after the joint classes ended."
Kaavi frowned. Men tended to do such things when they wished to get laid. "So what happened?"
“During our recuperation period one day, he held my hand. Our fingers were perfectly entwined, our hearts marching to the same frenetic beat."
The suspense was killing Kaavi. "And then...?"
"That day, his father was visiting. Legate Lavak. He saw us together. His son had just leaned in, his lips mere millimeters from mine..."
Kaavi was practically vibrating with the twisted desire to learn just what this boy did to her best friend.
"His father walked over. He yelled; more at me that at his son. He called me a half-breed. Aberration. Abomination. Half-and-half. Ridge nose..."
"Oh honey," Kaavi said, quickly moving closer to her friend to give her a hug. "What did the boy do?"
"There is nothing he could do, save joining his father in mocking me." The matter-of-fact way she spoke conveyed more than the words could. That was what was expected in Cardassian culture. Family first.
"That's not fair..."
"What hurt the worst was the look in his eyes. I could see as he disparaged the unfortunate circumstances of my birth that he hated himself for doing it."
"Oh Mira..." Kaavi had no idea what to say to comfort her friend, so she tightened her grip a bit, hoping that the embrace would make Mira realize that there were still those who cared for her.
"He was pulled out of school the next day. I never saw him again."
Starfleet regulations aimed to create a temperature that would be tolerable for the majority of species, but Starfleet didn’t count on having many Cardassian officers. Even though Mira was only half Cardassian, she still disliked the chill.
She paced around the quarters she shared with Ensign Kaavi, as movement lead to warmth, and warmth lead to contentment. After a few moments, Mira found her body naturally performing flowing, rhythmic gestures.
The door to her quarters opened, permitting Kaavi to enter. The Orion watched for a moment, head cocked to the side. After a few moments, she spoke, "I didn't know you could dance."
"Cardassians take a great interest in the arts. All children are taught." As she spoke, her feet moved quickly about, and her skirt billowed out around her.
"I'm surprised they don't consider it frivolous," Kaavi said. She began to try and mirror the moves of her friend. They were oddly reminiscent of Earth tai chi forms, she realized.
"Students that perform physical activities tend to be smarter. Also, many dances taught at my school have a martial element. For example, high kicks are both graceful and forceful."
"That's a good point."
As if on cue, Mira kicked one foot up high, then skipped forward with one of her elbows arcing around in an attacking fashion.
“How come you never talk about school?"
"It is not a topic I enjoy discussing." She spun quickly around, extending her arms as though she were trying to push someone away.
"But I'm your best friend. And talking about the past makes coping easier."
Mira sighed, pausing a moment to collect her thoughts. Where to begin? Perhaps, she decided, with the story of the dance. "It was a hot summer day. Hot by our standards. The students of the Institute were performing this dance as we did every day, right before lunch."
"Outside?"
"Yes. The First Cardassian Institute was right next to the Mekara desert. The dust there blew around, propelled by a breeze so soft that your skin barely registered its caress," her eyes shut for a moment, and her mind painted the scene of a starkly beautiful desert.
"Is the Mekara desert similar to the Grand Canyon on Earth?" Kaavi asked.
Mira shook her head, frowning. "That is irrelevant." Though Kaavi was not human, she had picked up the irritating habit of attempting to equate everything to a place, person, or concept born of Earth. And they call Cardassians self-centered.
"OK, sorry." Kaavi knew she would have to be delicate and avoid prying, or else Mira would keep her thoughts to herself.
"At 12, students were separated by gender. We had little contact with males. But as it was so hot, we were all practicing this dance in a shady spot in the lee of a rock formation." Mira's movements slowed for a moment, before continuing in a more agitated fashion. "I was 16. He was 17."
"Oh, a boy you liked?"
Mira nodded sadly. "During our scheduled recuperation period, he and I spoke. He was the first who could look past this," she gestured to the row of ridges sitting atop her nose, "and to actually see me for who I am."
"Oh, Mira..."
"I am not finished."
"Sorry."
"It stayed hot every day. The dry fish we had for the afternoon meal left us parched, and water access was limited."
Kaavi bit down on her tongue to stop herself from protesting the treatment of Cardassian children.
"Every day he and I spoke. Six days that were the happiest of my life. He laughed at all my jokes. Shared his water with me. Genuinely cared about who I am..." She stopped her movements as her chin began to quiver. She fought to steel herself, drawing on the skills she learned in school. Her expression hardened, her eyes taking on a distant, longing look.
"He liked me. He's the only one who ever has." Mira sighed. "He told me he wanted to sneak out of the dormitories to see me after the joint classes ended."
Kaavi frowned. Men tended to do such things when they wished to get laid. "So what happened?"
“During our recuperation period one day, he held my hand. Our fingers were perfectly entwined, our hearts marching to the same frenetic beat."
The suspense was killing Kaavi. "And then...?"
"That day, his father was visiting. Legate Lavak. He saw us together. His son had just leaned in, his lips mere millimeters from mine..."
Kaavi was practically vibrating with the twisted desire to learn just what this boy did to her best friend.
"His father walked over. He yelled; more at me that at his son. He called me a half-breed. Aberration. Abomination. Half-and-half. Ridge nose..."
"Oh honey," Kaavi said, quickly moving closer to her friend to give her a hug. "What did the boy do?"
"There is nothing he could do, save joining his father in mocking me." The matter-of-fact way she spoke conveyed more than the words could. That was what was expected in Cardassian culture. Family first.
"That's not fair..."
"What hurt the worst was the look in his eyes. I could see as he disparaged the unfortunate circumstances of my birth that he hated himself for doing it."
"Oh Mira..." Kaavi had no idea what to say to comfort her friend, so she tightened her grip a bit, hoping that the embrace would make Mira realize that there were still those who cared for her.
"He was pulled out of school the next day. I never saw him again."
