The Concert

Posted on Thursday April 7th, 2022 @ 12:31am by Commander Kanaka Shakura & Lieutenant Commander T'Pri & Commander Sam Perkins & Lieutenant Oscar Vladinchi

3,415 words; about a 17 minute read

Mission: S1-A1-Ep. 2: Our Foremost Virtues
Location: Mess Hall, Deck 06; U.S.S. Poseidon
Timeline: Departing Starbase 129; Cardassian Refugees in tow
Tags: Concert, Sam Perkins, Piano, Mess Hall

::ON::

-Mess Hall-

Sam had always got on well with his stepmother. It was she who suggested he take up music. Sam had a vague childhood memory of hiding from bullies under the orphanage piano. So it seemed only natural he should learn to play that instrument. With his photographic memory, he learned very quickly.

Playing seemed to give him a sense of peace. But he always had a bit of a phobia playing in public. A visit to a child counsellor unseated the reason. Because he was badly bullied as a small child. This gave him a fear of public ridicule. A few sessions seemed to fix this.

Until today.

With the end of the recent mission, it had been decided to give the crew a musical concert. However instead of signing his name down to play the piano. Sam not only denied playing the piano. When told it was on his bio he could play. Sam said it was a mistake. Moving quickly he hurried away to the mess hall. Once there he ordered a very strong cup of coffee. As he moved to find a seat he almost bumped into some crew.

"Hello Sam, you look a bit distressed, is there a problem"? T'Pri asked.

T’Pri must have heard what happened. Perkins took a sip of his drink.

“ Well……” He began but caught sight of the Chief Counsellor. Sam took another sip of his drink.

Not coming in too far behind from Sam was the Chief Counsellor, who just so happened to catch sight of the Chief Science Officer running off to the Mess Hall from the Theatre Complex. It just so happened that she was already on her way there to meet Lieutenant Commander T'Pri for a hot drink - something they were beginning to make a regular habit of - before also planning to attend the concert.

Walking into the Mess, her eyes scanned the room for both Sam and T'Pri, whom she quickly noticed was currently talking to him. Before striding over to greet them, she noticed in the corner of her eye who was on security duty in the Mess that late afternoon.

"Lieutenant Vladinchi," Kana said warmly, "it has been a while. How have you been?" Since T'Pri and Sam were currently talking, she felt she could take a minute to say hello to the Security Officer.

Oscar Vladinchi had maintained his routine throughout the course of Poseidon's duties over the last few months. Now with more cadets and a more stable academic leadership, his role of security was more important than ever. While they didn't end up breaking up fights as often, security did come in handy maintaining order as cadets learned procedures. That was what he was doing now, just before the Executive Officer interrupted him.

He stood at attention briefly, nodding with an acknowledgment of "Ma'am" before responding to her question.

"Very busy, Commander," he said with a hint of a smile. "Cadets have kept security busy. I'm here today making sure the cadets on rotation find the mess hall and act appropriately. We've had some incidents in the last few days warranting my presence. Nothing outstanding or worth your attention, Ma'am, just people adjusting to their new lives in Starfleet."

Security. Had the Officer come here to assist the counselor, if Sam refused to go with her? Was it just a coincidence? Perkins pretended to sip his coffee while he waited to see, what would happen next.

Kana didn't even have to look at Sam to sense the growing level of anxiety that was emanating from him; it was becoming easier to pick out even amongst the fluctuating emotions of all the overexcited cadets on their break. Kana smiled back at Oscar and replied, "Well, with you around I'm assured nothing will require my attention. Even so, if you require anything, you now know where I am. If things quieten down, do feel free to come over."

Oscar gave a friendly nod and smile to his superior officer, not intending to specifically take her up on the invitation but glad nonetheless it was offered. There was protocol to follow and that meant that duty came before personal interests. "Thank you, ma'am," he replied kindly.

Politely taking her to leave from the Security Officer, she stopped by the bar of the Mess to order herself a drink - her regular of Green Tea, with a full pot for refills - which she directed over to the table at which both T'Pri and Sam had sat at together.

"T'Pri, I hope I haven't kept you waiting too long," Kana spoke in a much more casual manner, smiling warmly at the Vulcan as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Not at all Kana, I know that your duties keep you well occupied. I myself have been taking the Starfleet Executive Officers course by correspondence. I took and passed the bridge officers course in the holodeck just least month." T'Pri replied.

"I've been receiving the reports - I'm very impressed, though not at all surprised at your success T'Pri. You'll make an excellent Executive Officer." Kana was genuinely excited for T'Pri's advancement in Starfleet, though she did hope this would not lead to her leaving the Poseidon any time soon.

"Most kind" T'Pri acknowledged.

Kana then looked over at the Chief Science Officer, "Sam, it's nice to see you here too. Am I correct that I just saw you run over here from the Theatre Complex?" She imagined he likely knew that she had seen him, so she felt it best to address it directly before his anxiety grew more unbearable. Her tone was polite and considerate.

T'Pri looked at Sam, perhaps that was what was bothering him. T'Pri mused.

Just as the XO met with T'Pri, Oscar saw two cadets in the corner of the mess hall begin an altercation of some kind. He observed that one was a Cardassian and the other a Bajoran. Oscar grunted as he saw the Bajoran fling their food at the Cardassian, a group of cadets beginning to huddle around. Oscar tapped his communicator, signaling for backup as he approached the situation.

T'Pri nodded to Lieutenant Vladinchi. "We better break that up," T'Pri suggested.

Oscar nodded to the Lieutenant Commander. "On it, Ma'am," he affirmed as he moved towards the growing event. Cadets were brushed aside, some politely and some not, as Oscar made way through a growing crowd to confront the troublemakers.

The fighting had almost started by the time he reached them, but his presence turned heads from all the cadets around him. Just as he approached, two more Security Officers rushed in from the entrance to the Mess Hall and quickly approached behind Oscar as they pushed through the crowd of cadets.

"Both of you!" He said, pointing sternly at the troublemakers. "With me, now! Follow! Everyone else, disperse!"

Their heads lowering dejectedly, and the crowd dispersing, the two confrontational cadets followed as they were each escorted by one of the supporting Security Officers. Oscar grimaced with a snarl as he led them out of the mess hall undoubtedly to be dealt with quite harshly by the Security Officers. After his departure, another Security Officer entered and took his place temporarily. The cadets in the mess hall, having seen the conclusion of the confrontation, went back to their meals in a somewhat more subdued fashion.

"Fascinating" T'Pri said.

“ Those two were supposed to be in my class later on.” Sam was glad the fight had caused a distraction. Maybe no one would press him. Into why he ran from the theatre complex like a whipped dog.

Kana didn't turn her attention away from Sam for a moment, having already sensed the growing tension between the Cardassian and Bajoran. She knew Oscar was there, she knew he could deal with it. She waited for the commotion to die down for a moment before she caught Sam's attention again. "Sam, why were you running from the Theatre Complex?" Her face was still warm and kind, but she decided to be a little more direct this time.

Perkins took another sip of his drink.

“A simple misunderstanding,” Sam said trying not to look her in the face.

"A misunderstanding?" Kana arched her eyebrow, lowering her head so she could still see his face even as he tried to look away. "A misunderstanding over what?" She already had her suspicions, but she would not voice them lest they come across as accusations.

Sam thought hard.

“Yes…..no…..yes….um…. There is a mistake in my bio. Yes, a mistake. It says I can play the piano but it should really say I cannot yes yes” he said sipping his drink.

By this time Oscar had returned, talking briefly with the Security Officer who had replaced him temporarily. He then resumes his station, watching keenly over the crowd as he kept an eye on the cadets. When he would make eye contact with one of the others, he'd either give a smile or a nod of acknowledgment.

"Do you play anything, Kana"? T'Pri asked

Kana knew that Sam was lying. The biographies of serving personnel generated by Starfleet for officer profiles rarely ever had "mistakes" in the manner that he alleged; so the question then became, why lie? Was he embarrassed about his talent -- no, much more likely he was embarrassed to play to an audience. Could that be all?

At T'Pri's question, Kana turned to face her Vulcan companion and smiled proudly. "I do, as a matter of fact. The violin; my father brought my one from Earth after a business trip there back when I was a child. I haven't had much chance to play recently since our venture to the Betreka Nebula, but I intend to make time for it soon. Especially if this concert is going to become a semi-regular occurrence."

Kana kept Sam in her peripheral vision, keen to see how he would react to the conversation if the focus were shifted ever so slightly away from him, but still focused on the matter of the concert and music playing.

"If it does, then I shall have to start practicing my lute so that I can join you," T'Pri said.

"That sounds like a delightful idea," Kana responded excitedly. She had heard about T'Pri's lute practice before, but had yet to see it for herself and was keen to do so.

Perkins finished his drink and got up.

“ Anyone need a refill. I’m getting one myself so if you want one it’s no big chore.” Sam said waving his empty mug around.

"I will have another Sam," T'Pri said.

"I have my pot already, thank you." Kana gestured to her pot of green tea that sat quietly steaming away in the center of the table. Once Sam walked away to go and get a refill from the bar, Kana would innocently lean over to T'Pri and whisper very quietly into her ear so that nobody else could hear.

"I think we should encourage Sam to come and join us in watching the Concert this evening. I think he's nervous to perform; perhaps watching others do so would help boost his confidence, seeing how it buoys the spirits of the rest of the crew?" She proposed, curious to see what the Chief Intelligence Officer thought of the idea.

Sam saw them talking. He had to slip away. But how without it looking very obvious. After ordering the drinks he began to walk back to them. He realized then that he had ordered a drink for himself. So a quick escape was now impossible. Placing the drinks before them he sat down.

“There you go.” He said

"Thank you, Sam, most kind," T'Pri said. Looking at Kana, T'Pri added, "That is a logical approach, though I have never heard him play, I am quite curious."

Perkins shook his head.

“I have never played in public,” Sam whispered.

Kana just managed to catch his whisper. She was actually quite proud of him, to choose to suddenly be more open. Accepting that there was no need to run or be ashamed. She smiled, as she poured herself some more green tea. "Was piano playing something entirely personal for you, Sam?"

Perkins looked at his drink as he spoke.

“My birth mother rejected me when I was born. Eventually, it led to my father divorcing her. He remarried a few years later. She was just like a real mother to me. She couldn’t have children you see. So she treated me like I was her real child. Anyway, she was a music teacher… still is. I was always worried she would turn into my birth mother and hate me as a child. So I learned to play the piano. I figured if we both had an interest in music. She would not hate me. I was….. still very good at it. Just never played in front of non-family members.” Perkins explained

"Did you ever win your mother's affection, Sam"? T'Pri asked.

“ My stepmother oh yes. But not from my birth mother. Lost touch with her after the divorce. In fact, in court, I kicked her in the ankle and called her a bad person. Mind you I was six years old.” Perkins explained

"Do you have any regrets?" T'Pri asked.

Sam’s face darkened.

“When I was born my father could not look after me. I was in an orphanage. My birth mother was the nurse there. I fell off a climbing frame and broke a rib. She acted like there was nothing wrong with me. Despite my obvious distress she refused to even look at me. The head of the orphanage had to take over. When my father found out he took me out of there for good. But after that I hated her. So no I did not have any regrets. My stepmother was more of a real mother to me.” Sam explained

"Logical reaction considering the events of the time and your understanding of them. I was raised, trained, and educated by both my parents on Vulcan, While I had some traumatic experiences growing up, I was well cared for and protected. I was raised in Vulcan tradition and in the teachings of Surak, The Father of Vulcan logic." T'Pri said.

Kana had listened intently throughout the whole conversation, observing how Sam seemed less conscious about opening up to T'Pri about his feelings and his traumatic past - perhaps her Vulcan logic meant he felt more comfortable talking about his traumas without fear of judgement? Whatever the case, it was instructive for the Chief Counsellor to just take in the information and come to understand more about the Chief Science Officer.

"Sam," She finally spoke back up, speaking to him more personally now. "I'm proud of you for sharing that with both T'Pri and I. I have no doubt it wasn't an easy thing to talk about. Traumas can weigh on us for a long time, and in some ways they never truly leave us; but that shouldn't deny us our pleasures and our dreams. For what it's worth - speaking to you as a peer, and not as your superior officer - I would very much like to hear you play." She concluded, smiling warmly.

Having finished her pot of green tea, she stood and stretched slightly. "Now, we need to go to the concert." She said, looking across at her date, T'Pri. She then looked back at Sam, "If you don't want to come with us, I understand; perhaps take the time to think about your step-mother. Remember what it felt like to play; there will always be another time."

As she parted along with T'Pri, she placed a comforting touch on Sam's shoulder, before leaving. She gave a nod to Lieutenant Vladinchi as she and T'Pri passed.

Oscar maintained his vigil over the affairs as he continued to observe his surroundings. He wasn't one to get involved with large parties, so he happily kept his distance and maintained his posting.

== A Short Time Later ==

The evening had waned, with conversations having gone their course or continuing to that effect and individuals either retiring for the evening or resuming their stay. The Cadets had mostly filtered out to the most experienced - and professional - of the bunch. Oscar had, finally, been replaced by a senior member of Security and he found himself with some time to play with. He took some time to catch up on a good meal in the Mess Hall, enjoying a synthehol drink afterward as he went to meet up with Sam.

The two had been acquainted somewhat. Oscar knew that the Gorn down below had more acquaintance with the Chief Science Office than he did himself, but nonetheless, Oscar and Sam had met at a few points - however briefly. He approached the Chief Science Officer, who was now in a smaller crowd of individuals from before.

"Lieutenant Commander," Oscar greeted as he approached. "I'm Lieutenant Oscar Vladinchi. We've met a few times, I believe but haven't had the pleasure of talking much. I've been on station all this evening as security, just got relieved, do you have a moment to talk?"

“Yes,” Sam said

T'Pri returned carrying her lute and walked back over to Sam and an officer she really didn't have many dealings with as yet, but she remembered his name Lieutenant Oscar Vlandichi.

"Greetings," T'Pri said to Mr. Vlandichi.

Oscar gave a wave to T'Pri and a smile.

Perkins looked at her instrument.

“ Is that a lute?” He asked

"Yes, it is a Vulcan lute, you know your instruments. I thought I could join Mr. Perkins in a duet if he will permit me." T'Pri said.

"Lieutenant Commander T'Pri!" Oscar greeted the Vulcan as he gave her a nod, "Very nice to meet you here. Yes, I was just about to ask Sam if he liked playing any instruments. Seeing you both play, would be very entertaining."

Sam considered what T’Pri had said. He would not be on stage on his own. That had been his main worry. Being up there alone and if he messed up. It was just him that the audience would laugh at. But if T’Pri was on stage too?

“ Yes please.” He said to her.

"What would you like to play?" T'Pri inquired.

Sam thought for a moment.

“ How about some Chopin?” Perkins said.

"Can you play Chopins Minute Waltz? I am familiar with that piece." T'Pri said.

A big smile crossed Sam’s face.

“ Not only is that my favourite piece but it was the first thing I learned to play,” Perkins replied.

"I am rather fond of that piece too, I learned to play it in San Francisco." T'Pri acknowledged.

They both went up on stage and set up to play.

Chopins Minute Waltz was originally meant to be played on the piano, however over the years it had been adapted to many instruments, even the Vulcan Lyre it turned out. Both played beautifully and by the sound of the applause was very well received.

Sam gave a bow then stood up again. He clapped towards T’Pri.

T'Pri curtsied to the assemblage as was the custom.

Oscar clapped energetically. He had grown up on his household hearing these classic pieces. This piece in particular was written by a Polish composer whose name had slipped his mind at the moment. Still, the performance brought back positive memories and he expressed his gratitude and his appreciation for the performance.

T'Pri clapped towards Sam as was the custom. He really had exceeded her expectations.

The whole time, as T'Pri had managed to coax Sam to perform rather brilliantly on the Mess Hall's own makeshift stage, Kana had been watching from one of the doorways. She didn't want to be too present in the room as to make Sam self-conscious of their conversation earlier, but she was glad that she did finally get to see him play. As everyone else applauded, so did she, and in that moment she was grateful for moments such as this.

:: OFF::

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A post by:

Cmdr. Kanaka "Kana" Shakura
Executive Officer & Chief Counsellor
U.S.S. Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Commander T'Pri
Chief Intelligence Officer/ 4XO
USS Poseidon

&

Lieutenant Oscar Vladinchi
Security Officer
USS Poseidon

&

Lt.Cmdr Sam Perkins
Chief Science Officer
USS Poseidon

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