April 2366
Chapter 10
"Now add the pre'chat," Ma'Leth commanded from his stool next to the stove. B'Elanna hefted the bowl of vegetables and added it to the massive pot that was bubbling on the fire. Since his bout with the cold last month, Ma'Leth had taken to doing less and ordering more – perched on his stool he conducted B'Elanna like a one-woman orchestra.
It had been working fairly well – there had been few complaints about the food since B'Elanna had started doing more of the cooking. But today all that was coming to an end. B'Elanna would start her new job tomorrow – leaving Ma'Leth to fend for himself in the kitchen.
Stepping back from the fire and wiping her brow with the bottom of her apron, B'Elanna looked over at Ma'Leth. "What are you going to do when I leave?"
Ma'Leth laughed. "I managed to survive many years without you as my assistant."
"I know, but…" B'Elanna trailed off.
"You burden yourself needlessly, puqnI'be'. I may have grown lazy, having you around to do my work for me, but I'm not feeble."
"Okay, I just-"
A loud crack broke through the rumbling and hissing of the pots as the kitchen door swung open, smacking against the wall. "B'Elanna." Krel'Tah stood in the doorway, a hand on her hip. "Your friend is back."
"My friend?" B'Elanna asked, but it was too late. Krel'Tah was gone.
"Go see this friend." Ma'Leth rose from his stool. "This is a good opportunity for me to show you I'm not yet in my grave, after all."
B'Elanna rolled her eyes, and her grandfather chuckled as he turned away to tend to the pot of pre'chat.
B'Elanna hung her apron on a hook near the door and stepped into the dining room. Even though the room was only partially full – it was just half past sunset – the room echoed with the laughs, shouts, and clanging dishes. Why do Klingons do everything so loudly?
A wave from the far back corner caught her eye. It was Tevi. B'Elanna's eyes went wide – it had been almost two months since that night she'd fixed the translator, and while Tevi had said she'd drop by the next time she was in Qam'Chee, B'Elanna hadn't held her breath.
Crossing the room, B'Elanna tried to ignore the stares of the Klingon diners as she passed. She was dressed shorts and a tank top – for her, a necessity in the hot kitchen - but unusual garb for Klingons. Even when dressed in a more Klingon style, her small stature and lightly ridged forehead often received questioning glances. But when dressed like a human… the glances turned to stares and open gawking.
Crossing her arms tightly across her chest, B'Elanna hurried through the gauntlet of diners and slid into the booth across from Tevi. "I'm surprised to see you back."
"I said I would be." Tevi moved her drink to the side and placed her forearms on the table, leaning in so she could be heard better in the loud restaurant. "Between the food and the company, why wouldn't I come back?"
"I just…" B'Elanna paused. Why had she assumed Tevi would never be back? "I mean, I didn't know if you'd ever make it back to Qo'noS."
"Ah, well, I think my work will be bringing me back every month or so." Tevi took a sip of her drink – B'Elanna's nose caught a whiff of cH'aI as she set the cup down.
"Your work?"
"I haul goods." Tevi launched into a detailed description of the goods she transported and her various ports of call. Halfway through, B'Elanna wondered why Tevi thought she needed this much information. Not that she cared - listening to someone speak in Standard was like having coffee with an old friend.
When her words finally slowed, B'Elanna asked, "Do you like it? Being a hauler, I mean."
Tevi shifted in her seat, bringing her leg underneath herself to sit on her foot. "It's a good job, but it can be lonely. I've been told that once I get into port I talk a mile a minute just to get in all the talking I missed over the long haul – not letting others get a word in edgewise…" Tevi laughed. "Kinda like right now. I think you've said all of ten words."
"Maybe fifteen…" B'Elanna smirked.
"Completely inexcusable. So, how are you?"
The conversation began in the realm of the usual pleasantries - the health of B'Elanna's family and the weather in Qam'Chee - before heading to less well trodden areas. They chatted about how B'Elanna's family came to run a restaurant; how Tevi's mother had worked for a time as a cook; how Miral couldn't prepare a meal to save her life. Krel'Tah had come and gone, bringing food and drink.
After describing her mother's work as a research scientist, B'Elanna cleared her throat. "Actually, this is my last day in the kitchen. Tomorrow I'll start a new job at the same company as my mother."
"Really? Doing what?" Tevi asked, taking a bite of her food.
B'Elanna explained the details of the job - or at least what she'd been told of it in her interview.
Tevi sat back in the booth, her face dawning with realization. "This explains how you could fix my translator. I'd thought it was strange that someone who worked in a kitchen could also do that."
"Yeah. So, um," B'Elanna said, wanting to redirect the conversation before she had to start answering questions about the Academy. "You said you'd been on your ship for twelve days. Where were you last?"
"Oh." Tevi glanced over at the table next to them, where a boisterous family was enjoying their dinner. "Federation space, near the Cardassian border."
B'Elanna racked her brain, trying to remember what was in that area of the quadrant – nothing that she could think of. "What were you doing out there?"
Tevi shifted in the booth before flashing a smile. "It was just my last port of call." Tevi took a sip of her drink, before smiling at B'Elanna again. "You know, I was thinking about going out tonight – the more time I can spend away from my ship, the better. You have any recommendation for a club? I know some places around the port to get a drink, but I'm always up for trying something new."
B'Elanna hadn't been out since she'd left Earth… she wasn't even sure Klingons had clubs. "Um, I don't get out much."
"Really? Why not?"
"I… I haven't met many people since I got here."
Tevi slapped her hand down on the table. "That's because you aren't going out! Not every new friend is going to just land in your restaurant with a broken translator…"
"Sure, but-"
"No, no 'but'. You're, what, twenty?"
"Nineteen."
Tevi rolled her eyes. "Whatever. The point is, you're too young to just sit around at home." Tevi paused, her lips pursed. "Do you like to dance?"
B'Elanna didn't know how to respond. She'd liked it on Earth… but who knew what Klingon dancing was like. "Maybe?"
Tevi let out a sigh of mock exasperation. "Well, that's a ringing endorsement. Look, I have nowhere to be tonight and you need to celebrate your new job. How about we go out after you're done with work? – I owe you one for fixing my translator, anyway. I know a place near the port… If you're not feeling it, you can go back home."
B'Elanna weighed the offer. Miral had cautioned her against the Port District, but if Tevi knew the place, it would be fine. And what was the worst that could happen? Putting a smile on her face, B'Elanna replied, "Sure."
=/\=
B'Elanna walked through the darkened streets of her neighborhood, enjoying the warm night and the buzz of alcohol. It was late, but B'Elanna didn't really care. While it might be less than ideal, she still had time to get in a solid six hours of sleep before starting the new job in the morning.
She'd meant to get home earlier. When she'd left the house, she'd told Ma'Leth – who'd been sitting in his chair reading – she'd be home by twenty-seven. But it was later than that when she'd finally boarded her transport home.
Tevi had taken her to the most cosmopolitan place B'Elanna had seen in Qam'Chee. The patrons had been a rainbow of species; the menu had just as much variety. No one had stared at her or ask if she was actually Klingon. After her second whisky sour, Tevi had pulled her out onto the dance floor, and much to B'Elanna's surprise, she'd enjoyed herself. Grinding to rhythms spanning the quadrant, she'd accepted dance partners and drinks until Tevi had pulled her from the club.
"I'm starving," B'Elanna moaned as they walked out of the club.
"I bet you are." Tevi glanced up from a message she was reading on her PADD. "The only time you stopped dancing was to get more alcohol."
"Well, one must have their priorities." B'Elanna stumbled, the combination of heels, cobblestones, and alcohol getting the best of her.
"Whoa there!" Tevi reached out, grabbing B'Elanna's arm with her free hand. "Let's get some food into you."
"I'm not that drunk."
"Uh huh. In any case," Tevi held B'Elanna's arm tight and steered her down the street, "some food can't hurt you."
"Yes, food," B'Elanna agreed, conjuring up what she wanted. Terran? Andorian? She looked over at Tevi, who was again glancing at her PADD. "Who's messaging you?"
Tevi stashed the device in the pocket of her dress. "No one." She flashed B'Elanna a wide grin. "I'm not a good influence – getting you shit faced the night before you start your new job."
"I'm not 'shit faced'." Looking over at Tevi, she saw the disbelief on the older woman's face. "I metabolize alcohol a lot quicker than humans." Really, she'd be fine… soon.
Tevi quirked an eyebrow. "Whatever you say…"
B'Elanna had left Tevi after they'd eaten at the nearest replimat – and B'Elanna had proven she was indeed sober enough to get herself home. Now just a few doors away, B'Elanna pulled her PADD out of her pocket to check the time. Thumbing it on, her heart leapt into her throat. Ten missed messages from her mother, all of them with the same general message: where are you?
Shit.
B'Elanna picked up the pace, the mugginess of the air suffocating her as her footfalls echoed through the empty street. Had something happened? Had Ma'Leth been sicker than he let on? She rushed inside, seeing the lights in the main room were still on, and she could hear the clicking of boots as they paced the stone floor.
"Lanna?" She could hear the worry in Miral's voice.
"It's me. What happened?" B'Elanna asked as she shut the door.
"Where in the name of Kahless have you been?!" Miral snapped.
"I went out with Tevi." She checked the time again on her PADD - only thirty-five minutes late… what was the big deal?
"You went out? Where?! And who the hell is Tevi!?"
B'Elanna tried to keep her composure. Yelling back wouldn't be productive. She edged into the main room. "Tevi is my friend – I met her a few months ago at the restaurant. We went out to a club near the port. I told VavnI' I'd be back at twenty-seven… I'm not that late."
Miral rounded on her. "Your grandfather was asleep when I got home. I had no idea where you were! Why didn't you respond to my messages?"
B'Elanna looked down at the PADD again. The messages had only started an hour ago. "I hadn't checked my PADD in the last hour. Did you just realize I was gone?"
Miral's eyes narrowed. Shit, why can't I keep my damn mouth shut? "I was with Jarek. I told you I would be home late. And this is not about where I was, it's about where you were. Down by the port? With a friend I've never heard of before?"
"I'm not a child!" B'Elanna crossed the room to stand toe to toe with her mother. "I lived on my own for a year and a half, going out with all kinds of people you'd never met!"
"Hopefully they had more sense than this new friend! You reek of alcohol and gephat smoke! Do you have any idea how dangerous it is near the port? Especially for non-Klingons?"
B'Elanna stepped back. "'Non-Klingons'?"
"Just look at you!" Miral waved her hand up and down, gesturing at B'Elanna's clothes. "Human shoes, human dress, human makeup…" B'Elanna looked down at her strappy black wedges and lightweight halter dress. She thought about how she'd carefully applied makeup before she'd gone out, using foundation to even out the darker skin under her ridges – making them less obvious. Miral continued, "You may have Klingon blood, but everything else about you is human."
"You mean, everything about me is weak! And whose fault is all of this, huh? I didn't have any say in whether I was born or not. Maybe you should have thought twice before marrying a human if you hate them so much!"
"You will watch your tongue, B'Elanna."
B'Elanna clenched her fists. She wanted nothing more than to hit something, or maybe to run as far and as fast as she could from the house. Taking a deep breath, she faced her mother. "I'm sorry you were worried. I'm sorry I was late." B'Elanna's eyes narrowed. "And I'm very sorry I'm not the daughter you wanted." B'Elanna turned, marching to her bedroom and slamming the door shut before Miral could say another word.
=/\=