(Novi and Tora) A Grand Graduation!

[Novi]

[The Corner Bar - San Francisco, Earth]

The group of 7 senior Cadets burst into the bar. Already nearly full and full of music many others wearing a rainbow of colours were dancing, drinking, talking, and enjoying themselves. For good reason too, in 2 weeks time these people would all be graduating and recieving their first assignments! After many long years they were finally done! And its typically tradition the senior class go to The Corner Bar. One of the most popular bars for Starfleet Cadets for one last drink with everyone.

One of these seniors, a Trill by the name of Novi walked in with the group. She looked around, seeing a plethora of people, species, and food all around her. No Trills though. She was the only one in her class. All fine for her, she knew what she was getting into and with so many new foods to try her mouth was watering and she didn't even notice her friends had already divided into two groups of 3, mingling with the crowd and grabbing drinks for themselves. By the time she looked she couldn't find them anymore. Left on her own she dodged the crowd and grabbed the food. Grabbing a single scoop of everything and a large cup of whatever ale was in the right keg she quickly turned around and realized she had no place to sit.

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*"Okay Novi. That's alright. You just need to finish your food quick then you can start talking and dancing"*
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She scanned the room once again and found a small opening she could squeeze into. Awkwardly moving her way between her classmates she found a open seat at the bar and quickly claimed it to begin eating the meal. Making small talk with her friends and classmates. Being the odd one out though she was only able to interject with the occassional comment or opinion on the subject matter. Not that it mattered, whatever this Andorian Pasta was amazing and took up most of her mindspace. As she finished she quickly excused herself to go recycle her plate. As expected, the conversation continued fluidly without her.

Once Novi had finished recycling her plate she turned around again and found no one around her she knew and her opening to return to her previous position gone. Giving a nervous smile to no one in particular she took a big drink from her drink and tried to look like she did not have no idea what she was doing until she could find an opening in the crowd to escape...

[Tora Zalos]

[The Corner Bar - San Francisco, Earth]

Tora was, honestly, having an amazing night. The Corner Bar was packed to bursting with cadets tonight, each and every one of them from different branches of Starfleet Academy. Conversation, laughter and the sounds of jubilation filled the air, buoying her mood with ease. Ferengi bars were great, of course, but here where things were a little more orderly, Tora felt right at home. For a good, long while she was back in Suraya Bay Central Resort's central dining room, melting into the crowd with ease.

Only when the din began to die down a little so that people could make their orders with the bar's wait staff did she notice that something was amiss. A Trill girl, standing alone in the crowd with no one to talk to and looking thoroughly lost. Tora felt her heart sink. Everyone was here to celebrate, especially after all those years of intense academic study and training. No one deserved to be alone like that. "Excuse me." She smiled at the cute Ardanan girl she was talking to and squeezed through the crowd till she'd reached the girl's side. "Hi there! Is everything okay? Is something about this party making you uncomfortable?" She asked without hesitation.

[Novi]

[The Corner Bar - San Francisco, Earth]

Novi's eyes widened as she saw the Cardassian approach her and ask her how she is. Her brain wondering how she was able to just approach her like that she quickly smiled and took a drink, No I am okay! she yelled among the crowd, realizing she paused just a moment too long she quickly tried to say something,

"...I just don't have anyone to talk to right now!" Oh gosh why did I say that! I need more of something to drink! she embarrassingly thought to herself.

Novi quickly finished her glass of ale. This was the first Cardassian she ever met and didn't know how to act. She had nothing against Cardassians. Even though her parents lived through the Dominion War they actually volunteered as part of Trills response to organize their village in sending supplies to Cardassia. But even despite this Cardassians were very different from the other races she met, mainly humans and Vulcans, who were apart of Starfleet Academy.

[Tora Zalos]

[The Corner Bar - San Francisco, Earth]

Novi's eyes widened as she saw the Cardassian approach her and ask her how she is. Her brain wondering how she was able to just approach her like that she quickly smiled and took a drink, No I am okay! she yelled among the crowd, realizing she paused just a moment too long she quickly tried to say something,

"...I just don't have anyone to talk to right now!" Oh gosh why did I say that! I need more of something to drink! she embarrassingly thought to herself.

Novi quickly finished her glass of ale. This was the first Cardassian she ever met and didn't know how to act. She had nothing against Cardassians. Even though her parents lived through the Dominion War they actually volunteered as part of Trills response to organize their village in sending supplies to Cardassia. But even despite this Cardassians were very different from the other races she met, mainly humans and Vulcans, who were apart of Starfleet Academy.

[The Corner Bar - San Francisco - Earth]

Without hesitation Tora reached out and scooped the girl into her arms, holding her lightly to her chest for a few brief moments before letting go. She wanted to calm her down, for one, and two, who didn't like a good, firm hug? So far she'd never met anyone like that, be they weary merchant or tortured young human cadet - the latter were scarily more common than she'd ever imagined there being. To think that humans had grown past trying to whip their children into compliance with abuse... but that was a story for another day and another occasion.

"Consider yourself alone no longer! I'm here for you!" Tora declared, puffing her chest out proudly. She gestured towards the bar counter, which still had two available seats. "We'd better go, unless we want those seats to disappear!" She declared, taking her new friend by the wrist and nudging her way through the crowd to get there.

[Novi]

[The Corner Bar - San Francisco - Earth]

Without hesitation Tora reached out and scooped the girl into her arms, holding her lightly to her chest for a few brief moments before letting go. She wanted to calm her down, for one, and two, who didn't like a good, firm hug? So far she'd never met anyone like that, be they weary merchant or tortured young human cadet - the latter were scarily more common than she'd ever imagined there being. To think that humans had grown past trying to whip their children into compliance with abuse... but that was a story for another day and another occasion.

"Consider yourself alone no longer! I'm here for you!" Tora declared, puffing her chest out proudly. She gestured towards the bar counter, which still had two available seats. "We'd better go, unless we want those seats to disappear!" She declared, taking her new friend by the wrist and nudging her way through the crowd to get there.

[The Corner Bar - San Francisco - Earth]

Novi could nothing but give out a small laugh as the very friendly Cardassian pulled her towards the bar. The confidence to just push through a crowd like that! Novi chuckled a little too herself. Unfortunately at this point her own group had migrated to who knows where. So she resigned herself to this very friendly Cardassian. She didn't even know her name and yet the Cardassian still hugged her! Trill culture was no stranger to physical touch but they were typically a more reserved species. Even a hug was considered a display of affection. But she shook her head and reminded herself it was just something friendly as they both grabbed mixed drinks and sat at the bar.

Novi for herself. Found it difficult to find what to say. Everything happened so fast! But she was glad, if she could win in smalltalk with this person then at least her evening wouldn't be an awkward mess! "Thank you!" she shouted, wondering if her voice was too loud even in the filled bar, "My name is Novi! Astrocartography!" she gestured with her hand to her new partner as she took a sip of her drink. Trills, Originating from Marsupials, have an extreme sensitivity to bitter flavours making their entire cuisine extremely sweet compared to others. Her drink was no different. A concoction of various citrus fruity liquers, sugar, and syrup. It would make any lesser person pucker at the mere thought but in the back of her mind she wished it was a little more sweet still.