"So, Elnor, how are your studies going? That was almost always Picard's first question as they settled down to breakfast, the sun warming them on the outside veranda.
"I'm overjoyed to be learning so many new things!" Elnor's enthusiasm shone on his face. "It's not like the nuns neglected my education on Vashti. They taught me all they could in addition to combat skills. But I'm finding there are so many more things to learn, things that no one on Vashti had the skills to teach." He added in a wistful tone, "At least Spock had the advantage of having first attended the Vulcan Science Academy. I'm finding that I'm very far behind most of the students. Usually I'm in classes with students much younger than me. I'm making up lost time rapidly though," he added with another confident grin.
Laris set their plates in front of them, then settled down with her own plate. "Talking about school again, are we? School is more than learning advanced calculus, quantum physics, how warp drives work, and battle tactics, you know. How is your social life going?
Elnor gave her a puzzled look, "Social life?"
"Yes. Are you making friends with other students? Attending social events?" she paused as Elnor continued to look puzzled.
"I am trying not to in-butt," he said.
"You wouldn't be 'in-butting' if other students asked you to join them for a movie night, or perhaps to go off-campus to enjoy a meal at a restaurant."
"No one has invited me," he said. "I think perhaps they feel uncomfortable around me. Not because I'm Romulan." He glanced quickly at Laris, knowing she could manage to fit in quite well in the company of humans.
"The Way of Absolute Candor," she stated.
"Yes," he nodded, "that's not something about myself that I want to give up. It feels dishonest to say anything other than what I'm feeling. Do humans not appreciate honesty?"
Picard and Laris both chuckled. "No, Elnor," Picard said around a mouthful of scrambled eggs, "Most will tell you they do, but if ever a woman asks you if an outfit makes certain parts of her anatomy appear too large, do not, under any circumstances, be honest!"
Laris pretended to glare at her husband, but couldn't maintain the facade of anger. "Now what kind of lesson is that to be teaching the youngster?" she chided instead.
Not knowing how to reply to that, Elnor contemplated his aptly named orange juice, a beverage which he found infinitely preferable to any of the famous Chateau Picard wines. He thought back to his first, and he sincerely hoped his last, taste of an alcoholic beverage in 10 Forward in the company of Raffi, Seven and Picard. Despite seeing both Seven and Raffi consume copious amounts of such beverages, he suspected the appeal of alcohol might be a mystery he never solved.
Then he saw it. The small shadow from the night before sauntered slowly across the veranda, its fluffy black tail held vertically in the air, waving with each step it took. It walked as if it owned the place. Number One, laying at Picard's feet, didn't challenge the newcomer. Instead the large dog turned his head away, studiously ignoring the much smaller animal. With a small, graceful jump, which looked to Elnor almost as if it levitated, the creature took the seat beside Picard. Green eyes the same color as Earth's grass stared at Elnor across the table. As Elnor watched, entranced, he was startled to see the creature's black pupils change from a broad oval to a narrow, vertical slit. Clearly this was a creature who could adapt its eyesight to function well in either bright or dark conditions. Elnor felt a tiny bit envious wishing he had the same ability.
Elnor looked up from the creature's penetrating gaze to find both Picard and Laris looking at him, each of them trying to hide a small grin. "Is that...? What is that?"
"That," said Picard with a smile, "is a cat. I believe you might have met her last night when you came in."
Elnor looked chagrined as he realized he hadn't managed to enter the chateau nearly as quietly as he had hoped. "I believe I did meet her when I came in last night. Does she know higher math extremely well?"
Now it was Picard and Laris' turn to look puzzled. "No," Picard answered. "I don't believe cats know math at all. Why do you ask?"
Elnor grinned, "She seemed to know the infinity symbol very well last night. She demonstrated it a number of times around my feet."
Picard laughed heartily, "Elnor, you are just beginning to learn about cats. You might find that you have more in common with them than you do with most people."
"What is her name?" Elnor asked as he studied the creature again.
"Why, that, my boy, is up to you. Laris and I just got her this week. We thought you might like the pleasure of naming her."
"Ummmm," he gulped, "could I get to know her better first, before choosing something as personal as a name for her?"
"But of course!" Picard answered. "I would expect no less. Cats often have very strong opinions about their names. She may, in fact, end up telling you her name."
"Are cats telepathic?" Elnor asked sincerely.
"Oh, no, not at all. At least as far as we know, and not with humans."
"Then how will she tell me her name?" Elnor wondered if maybe cats were telepathic with Romulans even if they weren't with humans.
"Oh, you'll know. For all that they're not telepathic, cats have a way of making their wishes known." Picard nodded with a knowing smile, thinking of the many different recipes Data had created and programmed into the replicator for Spot.
As Elnor finished his new favorite breakfast food, a huge stack of blueberry pancakes, he puzzled over the mysterious cat who would somehow make her name known to him, but he found no answers.