Chapter 7. Enjoy the buffet

Chapter 7. Enjoy the buffet

He stood up and walked to the door. Not expecting anyone, he didn't want to give the command to open the door from the couch. Although he wasn't worried about what would happen, he just wanted to be left alone, and if there was an unwelcome visitor, he could intercept him at the door and ask him to leave. This becomes more difficult once a visitor enters his room.

The door opened and Daisy stood in the doorway. Even though she could tell his mood right away, she still managed to smile at him. They had known each other for a long time, so she could feel it immediately. "Can I come in?" she asked, seemingly unwilling to take no for an answer.

Noah took a step aside to make room for her. She entered the room and after his questioning they sat down. Daisy looked seriously at her friend and boss. "How are you?" she asked.

Noah squinted at her. "Yeah, okay!" He took a deep breath, thinking about how to explain his feelings to her. "It was so frustrating. And I don't even know which was worse, the situation with Tiny or my reaction to it. I could barely process it. I've been through decidedly tougher moments in my life though. But This situation is attacking me on a level that I can't handle. That's the problem."

Daisy touched his shoulder sympathetically. "Of course, this hits you hard. She is your daughter. This is a very personal thing. You cannot compare her to any critical situation you face in the universe." In her opinion, his comparison was a little outrageous. Sometimes, men and women do think differently.

"Yes." Noah nodded hesitantly. "You're right, of course. I just don't know how to describe to you how helpless I feel." He shook his head slightly, as if to emphasize his words. "I mean, why did she come here?" Noah said suddenly. "Is it to get to know her father? I can't imagine. She doesn't give me a chance to talk to her normally. She resists everything but pounces on me like a wolf to tear me apart. This is the only thing she comes for Purpose?" To Noah, this was unbelievable. He himself was so bound by Starfleet's ethics that he simply could not imagine the baser motives of revenge and gratification. Of course, he understood that there were many people whose actions were based entirely on such emotions. But never his own flesh and blood.

"She's angry and you can't blame her. As far as she's concerned, you were never there for her. You abandoned her."

"But that's not the case," Noah responded weakly. Isn't this really the case? Should he have been more insistent on keeping in touch with Olive when she left him? She refused to see him outright at the time, should he have been more insistent? But how did he know she was pregnant at the time? But he couldn't explain this to Tiny. She didn't listen to him. She definitely wouldn't believe it, and she didn't want to believe it. "I know she hates me. From her perspective, she has every reason. But she's here. She should at least give me a chance." His voice was full of frustration.

Daisy patted his shoulder gently. "Everything will be fine. But you need more patience now. Yes, she is here to see you. Maybe just to scold you. But she is here. It means she still has some interest in you. This may be An opportunity. Show her that you are her father, and at least from now on you will take your role seriously. Then maybe she will listen to you. But you need to have nerves as strong as a turbine runner."

Noah smiled. "That's good, this mission has no special challenges for us. So I can focus on this mission. At least in this mission, I won't get bored." He mentioned some of the workshops and seminars he has planned . He will no longer need these activities to distract him.

Daisy laughed too. It's good to be able to laugh about these issues because it makes the problem seem smaller and less dramatic.

"Is having a daughter a terrible idea?" Daisy asked after a few minutes of silence.

This question was a bit surprising to Noah and he needed some time to answer. "No, not actually," he said thoughtfully. "I have stopped thinking about having children for many years. For me, my life will be dedicated to the Federation. It is very strange to have a child now. If we have a good relationship, this may be a good idea." A very good feeling." He paused, trying to understand the conflicting feelings stirring within him. "But there's something else that makes me feel a little sad. I had a child and I didn't get to be a part of her life. I didn't get to see her grow and develop. I didn't see her being born, her first smile, her first steps. .I was never able to comfort her when she was hurt. I was never able to joke with her or make her laugh. I missed twenty years of her life. Twenty years when parents could be involved in their children's lives. Now she Having become an adult, now she will make her own way. I have missed something that I will never be able to make up for. A possible life was put directly in front of me, and it is not that easy to digest. If we cannot resolve our differences, I will Never being able to participate in her life. Then there is a descendant of mine in the universe who will be even closer to the people on my ship."

Daisy couldn't help but swallow. She realized more and more clearly that she could not understand Noah's inner storm, nor could she give him much help. In addition to being by his side and listening to his heart.

Her hands were still on his shoulders and she was leaning close. So they sat together in silence, each immersed in their own thoughts. Finally, Daisy cleared her throat. "I really hope you can reconcile with Tiny. But don't let yourself get too hurt if things don't work out. Your life doesn't depend on this. You did your best. If she doesn't want to understand, that's not in your control All you can do is reach out to her. If she says no, at least you tried." She wasn't sure Noah wanted to hear this, but she believed it.

He placed his hand on hers and looked at her lovingly. Daisy was nearly sixteen years younger than him. She was the closest thing to family he had so far.

Noah is extremely grateful for her support. "Thank you," he said simply, a word that said everything he felt. Daisy understood.

John sat at the console of the cabin, staring at the numbers scrolling rapidly on the small screen in front of him. He should have been paying close attention to the dilution crystal readings, as there had been some fluctuations in the last few days. But his thoughts were elsewhere entirely. This job is too monotonous. Practically the entire cabin is tedious to work with. Of course, there are always some different tasks to complete, something new. But the essence is always the same. The ship must be kept running, damage repaired, and new modifications tested to make the machine more efficient. It's the same every day. day to day. When work is over, life goes on. John returned to his dorm room, where his roommate had secured a different shift, so Kelly was at work when John's shift ended.

Kelly must have done this to spend as little time with him as possible. There is no doubt that this is all his fault. Besides, he was now lying in the infirmary, which meant John had a few days to himself in the quarters. Then he spent the evening alone again. Then he went to bed early, like every day. day to day. There is no escape from this relentless rhythm. It will continue forever. Until his last breath. Nothing changes except getting older and time passing like sand in an hourglass. What's the point of all this? Is this life? Is this what life is all about? If this is life, then what is sacred in creation? After all, is there anyone whose life and death have nothing to do with this world? If human beings just fulfill their duties diligently and are eventually trampled to death like ants, will anyone expect more from life? If it was really just like this, then he couldn't understand the whole life. What is the point of any hostile race destroying humanity? It doesn't matter. One doesn't miss anything at all, except the dull monotony and slow death until the very end. Why would anyone voluntarily choose such a life? Why would he choose this? Why did he endure all this? Why didn't he just end it all? Does anyone care?

"No!" he screamed in his mind. "No, not again."

He didn't want to dwell on the same thoughts that were causing him so much pain. It's always the same. These thoughts kept coming back to him almost all the time whenever he was alone. After each time, he felt worse. But he couldn't resist either. This way of thinking has become all too familiar. His brain automatically thinks about things like this, constantly draining his mental energy. He was simply too numb to being alone. He could no longer bear to be alone, but he could no longer bear to be in the company of others. He was so entangled in his heart that he probably had no chance of redemption.

He pushed these bleak thoughts aside with difficulty. He wanted to think of other good things. Something to give him courage. However, he only had the image of Tiny in his mind. She had captivated him since he first met her. She is so beautiful and graceful that she cannot be an ordinary person. She must be an angel, an angel who came to help him and save him. She was sure to bring meaning back to his life. With just a hug, or even a brief touch, she could help him. Is it a coincidence that she met such a wonderful girl? Tiny was only three years younger than him. There are very few people in this age group on board. And she boarded the spacecraft at this time. While he can still be saved. It was as if the gods had mercy on him. But he knew that this wish was really ridiculous. She was as untouchable to him as the moon was to humans in the Middle Ages. She hadn't even noticed him yet. If he'd spoken to her sooner, maybe that wouldn't have been the case. But he didn't have the courage. And he thought it would be arrogant if he could impress a woman like Tiny. Because he doesn't deserve it at all. He was a nobody, a nobody. There is no hope for him except some fantasy. He would witness her falling in love with someone else. And it's fast. Women like her don't stay single for long. For him, he can only become a bystander in pain. She would never be interested in someone like him. In fact, no other woman would be interested in him. He won't know what to do next. Life is always hopeless.

As a result, he was once again enveloped in melancholy and darkness. It's always the same. There is no hope of change.

Tiny was tired of staying in her own place. Of course, she wanted to avoid her father and not see him. After all, her feelings for him hadn't changed. But does she have to lock herself in her room and stick to the "city" because of this? He should avoid her. If he doesn't, then he needs to learn a lesson. No, she wouldn't avoid him anymore. And she didn't even know how long she would have to stay here. She had been told that the Republic would not turn back for her. They also won't cross paths with other spacecraft flying in the direction of Earth. If things got really bad, she would have to stay on the ship until the end of the mission. And that could take months, she had learned. She absolutely cannot continue to stay at her residence under these circumstances.

So she decided to go to a bar. Grabbing a drink and blending in with everyone seemed like the right thing to do. Even though most of the bar's patrons are Starfleet officers. However, contact with these people is inevitable. And some people seemed pretty good, like the doctor, she reluctantly admitted. In addition, there are scientists and their assistants.

She walked into the bar and first looked around the room. Only a few people were present, all of them Starfleet members of course. The sight of the red uniform brought her mood down again, and she began to wonder if coming here was really a good idea. But she mustered up her courage and went to a table by the window. As she walked, she noticed that almost everyone present was staring at her. It's not just because of her appearance. Although her figure-flattering outfit certainly helped attract attention. But the explosive news that she was the captain's daughter had spread throughout the ship. This caused a lot of talk and rumors spread. And because Tiny had hardly appeared in front of everyone before, everyone was full of curiosity about her.

When she finally walked past those curious eyes and sat down at the table. She made a decision in her mind that she would not leave until everyone else left. The process made her feel a little embarrassed. Because deep inside her, a voice told her that from the crew's perspective, she was the bad guy in this argument. Some have served under Noah for a long time and have had nothing but good experiences. For most people, it is simply unimaginable that the captain would do something as horrific as Tiny accuses.

In order to ignore other people's gazes, Tini looked out the window and stared at the stars, her mind wandering among the stars.

Suddenly, a voice sounded next to him: "What can I bring you?"

Tiny was so frightened that she almost fell off her chair. She didn't expect to be accosted at all. Her heart was pounding, and she felt her face turn pale at first, then turn red. It's so embarrassing. She looked up and her eyes fell on a friendly smiling blue face. The head was covered with snow-white hair, and two blue tentacles protruded from it, bending friendlyly to greet her. Tiny immediately realized that the person standing in front of her was an Andorian. Except she'd never seen one in person before. His clothing identified him as a bartender, and he was obviously there to take her order. But she was so frightened that she didn't hear what he said.

"Miss, do you need something to drink?" he asked in a friendly manner, ignoring her fright.

"A... glass of Sharia brandy," Tiny said, trying to sound relatively confident.

The Andorian nodded and returned to the bar.

Tini looked at his back and felt that she was so ridiculous. She knew she looked stupid when she just stared at him. It was so embarrassing that she wanted to crawl into the ground. And other people's eyes were focused on her again.

Soon after, the Andorian returned with a glass of amber wine and placed it in front of her. "Please use it slowly," he still nodded in a friendly manner.

"Thank you." Tini tried her best to pretend to be more confident, hoping to make up for the embarrassing impression before. Although to the man, it didn't matter. And the other crew members have their own opinions about her, too. These little things don't matter.

She took a sip and was disappointed to find that the drink contained no real alcohol, just an alcohol substitute. Although it is almost indistinguishable in terms of taste, the intoxicating feeling does not appear. But isn’t that the real purpose of drinking? She put the cup on the table dissatisfied and looked out the window again. The view of the flowing starry sky made her feel calm and was absolutely enchanting to her. She was so fascinated by the scenery outside that she couldn't get enough of it. She could stare like this for hours. She didn't notice anything else going on in the room. She wasn't interested in it either.

So again she didn't notice someone standing next to her and starting talking to her. She turned around in panic, nearly knocking the cup over from the table. She gasped with her eyes wide open, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Ah, it's you," she managed to say, even though she only knew the man visually. If she remembered correctly, he was Dre Ingmar.

"Yes, it's me." He looked at her with concern, but his eyes stayed more on her collar, where her breasts were still rising and falling. "Are you okay?"

Tiny nodded and slowly calmed down. "It's okay. I might just be a little jumpy today," she thought to herself. How could she talk so easily to a Starfleet officer?

"I noticed," Ingmar whispered, more to himself. And he seemed to take her candor as an invitation, pulling up a chair. "Can I sit down?" he asked, then sat next to Tiny without waiting for her answer.

Tiny noticed but didn't know what to do. Normally, she would never allow this to happen. But she was simply speechless. Apparently, she was still too frightened.

"Salia brandy," he said, spotting her drink and pointing to her glass.

She just nodded. She had to restrain herself even more.

"Excellent choice," he told her, smiling charmingly.

Tiny responded with a hesitant smile. She didn't know him and didn't know what to think of him. In fact, she had known it before. He was a Starfleet officer, so he must be like her father. But Ingmar, on the other hand, looked really good, she had to admit. He looked absolutely gorgeous.

"What do you think of our ship?" he wondered, seeming genuinely interested in her opinion.

"It's beautiful," she replied hesitantly. She didn't know what else to say. She mustn't show too much excitement, even though she loved the ship. The technology here is breathtaking. She had never seen anything like this before in her life. It must be fun to work with technology like this. It was a dream, one that her real life would never realize unless she joined Starfleet. And this was still impossible for her.

"Beautiful?" he repeated doubtfully. "It's great. The most beautiful ship in the entire fleet. Oh, no, there's nothing more beautiful in the entire quadrant." He said deliberately exaggeratedly, making Tiny laugh.

"You know what? What others say is nowhere near as beautiful as you really are." Ingmar said, looking deeply into her eyes.

"Thank you," Tiny replied simply, trying not to sound rude.

"No, really. You're like...like...oh, it's just indescribable. You're more beautiful than anything. Even angels pale next to you."

Tiny didn't know what to say. Although this was not the first time she heard such a compliment, she felt shy every time. She had never been good at handling compliments. She's always been like this. Maybe it's because she has to work hard everywhere and most of the praise she gets is false. She wanted to change the subject quickly, but she couldn't think of what to say.

Ingemar was faster than her again. "Your friend is really lucky..."

"I have no friends," she interrupted, slowly beginning to wonder where this conversation would lead.

"Really?" Ingmar pretended to regret, then laughed. "But it's better this way. Then I still have a chance," he joked.

Tiny's eyes narrowed slightly. "If you think so, then I won't be friends with you for a while," she replied flatly.

Ingmar smiled charmingly. "That was a joke. Sorry, probably not very funny," he explained awkwardly.

She looked at him, not knowing what to make of all this. "No, it's really not funny," she said afterward.

"You know, I'm new here too," he explained in a somewhat low voice, as if embarrassed. "I don't know many people yet. I think that to talk to people like you, I have to be humorous. But forcing a joke won't work. Please forgive me." He looked at her with loyal eyes. , such a look can usually melt a woman's heart.

However, Tiny was even more disgusted by Ingmar's behavior. Her eyes became cold and she looked at him firmly. Ingmar was exactly what she wanted in a Starfleet officer. A playboy, a putty. Just like her father.

Since Tiny doesn't respond, Ingmar must quickly think of a new plan. The gentle approach obviously doesn't work. Maybe she wanted a more direct invitation. "How about we go to the observation deck?" he asked, moving closer to her.

Tiny's anger rose. She almost wanted to fist her fist in response. It's just that she might be sent to a detention room, and she definitely didn't want to experience this kind of humiliation. "No, thank you," she managed to say.

Ingmar seemed to have no idea what boundaries were, because he didn't give up. He leaned closer to her and said, "The view from the observation deck is better than here." Since she had been looking at the stars, he thought this was a good reason.

This was too much for Tiny. She pushed him away hard, and he fell backwards with the chair, making him miserable. Tiny had stood up and stared at him with angry eyes. "If you dare to do this again, you will regret coming to this world!" She was so angry that her chin was trembling, as if she was considering whether to say anything else. But then she suddenly turned around and strode out of the bar.

Ingmar was completely frightened. He had never experienced such a reaction. Often, his success with women was overwhelming. What happened this time? Slowly, he got up. Only then did he notice that everyone around him turned their heads and observed him. He tried to look calm, rearranged his chair, looked around, and left the bar. He didn't plan on coming here again for the next few days. This whole thing was so embarrassing for him. Although he would never let others see it.

Busy staff moved the last bits of food to the buffet, where they were arranged beautifully. Nothing can go wrong and must be perfect. The crew here, while not trained as professional chefs or professional waiters, received clear instructions on how to present the food. And the food preparation was originally done by the replicator. Daisy also input some data from an Earth five-star chef into the replicator to create a menu specifically for this occasion. Clever programmers converted this menu into program code so that the replicator could put everything together through atoms and molecules as if it had been made fresh. To the uninitiated, this effect always gives the impression that a replicator can create all kinds of different things out of the air. However, behind the scenes is an extremely complex and cumbersome technology. And it requires a lot of energy. Of course, not everything a replicator produces is created from air, but rather by converting energy. This is because the matter-antimatter reaction of the twisted core generates so much energy that there is still enough energy for systems other than the dynamical system.

This is a development in recent years. Until a few years ago, technology and energy supplies were not sufficient to feed a crew via a replicator alone. Until then, food must be prepared in a large galley on the ship. However, preparing food for more than four hundred people is no easy task. Since the work is done in batches, both hot and cold food need to be prepared at all times. The space and resources required for this are not small. Also, the food choices are of course limited. After all, it’s impossible to cook individually for everyone every day. But now food preparation via replicators is different. Republic ships are still equipped with such galleys. But usually it's locked and sealed to prevent anyone from messing around inside.

The crew affectionately calls this place "The Dining Room," a reception space for the scientists, located on the 12th floor next to the old kitchen. Here, four replicators are placed for the crew to use for fetching meals. Several tables provide enough space for people to dine comfortably without feeling crowded. The leadership team also comes here to dine. Although the officers' quarters were equipped with individual replicators, Captain Noah required them to eat in the mess hall like the rest of the crew. On the one hand, they should show that they are part of the team and not different from others. On the other hand, the captain always emphasized that dining together is one of the oldest and most important rituals of mankind. It promotes team cohesion and facilitates the exchange of information in the private sphere. Therefore, the leadership team also accepted this without objection. In this way, the crew of the Republic formed an integrated unit, including the leadership team. This is not common on many ships.

Since this room is located inside the hull, there are no windows looking out into space. Nonetheless, the room looks inviting. The walls are painted in bright and warm colors, the floors are constructed of composite wood, and the lighting fixtures produce a soft, sun-like light that is comfortable but not dazzling. The walls are now also hung with paintings that complement the room as a whole. These paintings were created specifically for this room. Daisy discovered a few years ago that the crew was doodling in their spare time, and some of them were quite talented. It doesn’t take much time for these artists to design some suitable paintings for the restaurant. These paintings have been hanging here for several years. Since then, the composition of the crew has changed slightly as individual members have moved on, and of those involved in the painting, not all are still on board. But their paintings still hang in the dining room, as if a part of them still remains here.

Gabriel Kahlo entered the room just as someone was adjusting the last plate on the buffet. Preparations are complete and in a few minutes the guests will appear. All scientists are invited, along with their assistants, laboratory staff, and members of all Republic's scientific departments.

Carol was pleased with the reception prepared by the Republic's crew and scientists. In addition to scientists, nearly a hundred people from the leadership team were invited to attend. Since the captain was busy with other matters, Carol was responsible for organizing the preparations. Now she saw with satisfaction that everything was ready. They brought in a waiter from the bar and found four other volunteers, where they would serve drinks to guests. Solve service problems through buffets.

Gabriel Caro's eyes fell on the delicious food that exuded a tempting aroma. Its aroma had permeated the entire room, immediately arousing appetite. Dishes from every planet in the Federation are served here. There are waterfowl from the Regira system and pigs from the planet Denubora, a type of pig with fins. There are also vegetarian dishes from the planets Drelon 3 and Vulcan. There are also elaborate side dishes from more than a dozen planets in the Federation. There are hot and cold dishes, soups and dried fruits. There are also countless sauces and dressings. In addition, there is a dedicated salad bar displaying a variety of salads that Carol has never seen before. There are many green salads, but there are also red, yellow and even some blue ones. However, the highlight was the pink salad. Carol isn't sure she'll try it yet, even though it's a naturally colored food.

The dining table was almost bent under the weight of the food. Still, there may not be enough for everyone. The assistants will definitely need to use the replicator multiple times to replenish the food. And there’s dessert to prepare later. According to the recipe, the portion size of the dessert will not be small. Carol now dreads seeing what the scale says in the morning.

She turned when she heard the door open. Her colleagues Ingmar, Celia, Daisy and Vida have just entered the room. Carol noticed again that, of all the ladies, Ingmar looked like a snobbish rooster.

"Hello, Commander," Daisy greeted her. "The aroma here is so tempting." When they walked into the room, the aroma of the food almost hit their cheeks.

"That's true," Carol nodded. "My stomach is growling right now."

“Hopefully the opening speech won’t be too long,” Ingmar said with a smile. What he said actually represented everyone's aspirations.

Carol glanced at him only briefly, then gave everyone a friendly look. "I see you're all dressed up." They were all dressed in special-occasion evening gowns. Although this is not a direct order, etiquette requires it. Although no one likes to wear evening gown. It's a little stiff and the cut isn't comfortable. I wonder what the person who designed this costume was thinking, without considering the officers who wore it.

Shortly after the four arrived, Jeffrey also arrived. He took most of the scientists and their assistants with him. The room filled up within minutes. Everyone feels that the aroma here is so good. Some looked longingly at the buffet, but etiquette dictated that the buffet should not begin until everyone was present.

Carol thought that all the invited guests had now arrived, so she nodded slightly and signaled the waiters to start passing out champagne glasses. They moved nimbly among the crowd, holding trays and handing champagne to each guest. Champagne in the glass contains real alcohol. This is an absolute exception, as alcohol is actually not allowed on board. And the replicator will not produce alcoholic beverages, due to previously preset safety protocols. So Carol didn't reveal where she got so much real champagne.

After the wine glasses were distributed, Carol tapped her own glass to attract everyone's attention. People who had formed groups and were having first conversations stopped and turned to Carol.

"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Captain Noah, who unfortunately cannot be here today, I once again welcome you to the ship. We are honored to have so many of the Federation's brightest minds here. Considering the food and lures that have been laid out, I don’t want to torture you with a long speech. Let’s drink together to a successful mission and good cooperation.” She raised her glass.

The guests applauded briefly, seemingly pleased by the brevity of the speech. They clinked glasses and then the noise in the room gradually returned. Some people began to get their food, the sound of clinking plates filling the air, while others continued to gather around and talk. This continued until they saw the line at the buffet getting shorter. Gradually, people dispersed to the tables and started eating. Academic discussions among some scientists are also continuing. This is the first gathering of all scientists involved in the mission. So they used the opportunity to discuss some of the preliminary findings from the Mandela report. At the same time, they also divided some professional fields and stopped some potential competitors. Of course, some personal topics were discussed. This allows for a better understanding of each other, especially among the scientist's assistants. Most of them are students who have completed their internship here. Not only are they interested in scientific research, for them it is also a social platform. They have the opportunity to meet people, build friendships, and more. As a result, well-defined cliques quickly formed. Scientists from the same or related disciplines join some Republic researchers to discuss tasks and expectations.

Small groups quickly formed among the students, who mainly discussed their origins and future expectations, their study experiences, and personal topics. Therefore, some permanent assistants and officers of the Republic remained. They form groups with each other, or, like Commander Carol and Ted, join in discussions among scientists, even though they know next to nothing about what's going on.

time flies. As Celia exits her discussion with several virologists and biologists to pour another glass of champagne, she meets Daisy, who apparently has the same idea.

"Are your discussions so boring?" Daisy asked.

"I can't tell. I haven't been able to keep up with my thoughts for a few minutes," Celia said with a crooked smile. "For me it was more about the alcohol making me tired. I should have stopped, but the opportunity to drink real champagne is rare."

Daisy smiled back. "That's true. We have to take advantage of this opportunity."

They continued to stand and chat for a while, but then they decided to sit down. Of course, keep drinking champagne. They continued chatting about various topics around the table. Scientist Joseph Ive also seemed ultimately uninterested in the discussion. He quit his group and walked over to Celia and Daisy's table.

"Hey! Beauties." He smiled, letting his huge body sit on a chair. "So you two are sitting here!"

"But now you're here, how nice it is!" Daisy replied happily. She had clearly had too much champagne. Although the alcohol wasn't that strong due to the delicious food, she was still tipsy.

"I can't let two such beautiful ladies drink alone." Yves greeted them with a wink. "But of course I don't want to interrupt you. What are you talking about?"

Celia looked at Daisy. She was already drinking quite happily. "We just decided to call each other 'you.' Isn't that weird? We've been working together for five years and we still call each other 'you.'"

"That's certainly not surprising," Daisy replied. "After all, you are still very young. How can I call you 'you'? You will lose respect for me."

"Well," Silia pretended to flip her eyes angrily. "She is pretending to be very old again."

"I'm about 20 years older than you. From my perspective, you two are still young people," Joseph Evine interjected. After all, he is almost fifty years old.

"We are still young people," Daisy said firmly and raised her wine glass. "Let's cam for this. We will never be like this again."

Their wines touched together, attracting some confusing eyes, but they didn't care.

"Now that we have called each other, my name is Joseph Iv," scientists said to them.

"I am glad to meet you, I am Silia." The doctor couldn't wait to answer. She leaned forward and shook hands with him.

"I'm Daisy." Daisy hesitated a little. She is not sure what to do next. But then she threw these ideas behind her head. Joseph Ev must not have other plans, just some pleasant exchanges, although some of his words are a little ambiguous. After all, he is likely to be her father's age.

"You must have been to many places?" Silia said. "Then you must have encountered some weird characters, right?"

Joseph Ev nodded subtlely. "Oh, yes, I have encountered it."

"Tell us the craziest encounter," the doctor said to Yifu.

He raised his eyebrows, stunned for a while, and rose slightly at the corner of his mouth. "So one of the craziest things in my life happened nearly 30 years ago. And that was not at work, but private aspects. During a holiday. Although I didn't feel interesting at all. Do you know the Star Star? It is one of the most beautiful planets. Thirty years ago, I went there with my wife at the time. My job was too busy and had almost no time to take a vacation. Therefore Make it a particularly beautiful and unforgettable holiday. In fact, it is definitely unforgettable. "

He watched the two ladies and ensured that they were listening to him. Then I continued: "We want to spend a romantic and unusual holiday. So we chose to drive a planned carriage through the prairie. Only we two were completely exclusive. In this way, others could not disturb us. We can relax, and almost no one can find us, and we also give up all the technologies. So I don't need to work hard to work next to it. "

"The scenery of that planet is so beautiful. The sun is shining every day, although the weather is already a little cool, because it was the end of the year. In short, everything was ready to spend an absolutely perfect holiday.

Then, the problem came. This horse, or what kind of animal is it, pulling our car and trained well, and said euphemistically. It does not obey instructions. What it wants to do. And occasionally it suddenly panic. This even started on the first night. We are so comfortable to do something that only two talents will do, and suddenly hear the sound of horseshoe running. Then the abominable animal hit the carriage, and then disappeared. It disappeared like this. It just slipped away. We spent the middle of the night and the whole day to find this stupid horse. We walk through the wilderness and look for our horse. I saw more scenery than I thought. In fact, I hope to see my beautiful wife during that holiday, if you understand what I mean. "

He asked them to laugh first, and then stop. "On the second night, the plan for love was also put on hold. We were so tired of the tiredness of finding, and we could only sleep." He shook his head on these memories. "This is the case later. Even if there is a carriage behind the horse, it is still panicked and out of control. I took a lot of effort to re -control it. On the fourth day, the terrain was a bit uncomfortable, and the horse was soaring again. The wife was fell out of the carriage, and her head fell down to the ground. "

Silia and Daisy looked at him in shock. "Is she okay?" The doctor asked immediately.

"At that time, I knew it a few minutes later," Joseph Ivs continued his story. "I must continue to fight that horse until finally let it stop. Then I returned immediately and took care of her. She lost consciousness at that time and had a little bleeding on her head, but it was not a big deal, but I didn't know at that time, but I didn't know at that time. . I feel panicked and I don't know what to do. We were eager to stay away from others at the time and not let anyone contact us, and now this has become our predicament. Only in several places in this wilderness can establish communication communication. Contact. Since there are no satellites on the track of this planet, we are trapped here. I eventually wake up her. She is a little embarrassed, but it is okay overall. We return to the carriage together and then drive to the nearest contact station. Fortunately, we marked these places on the map. Then a spacecraft came to pick us up. My wife was sent to the hospital for examination. As for the abominable horse, I hope they have cooked it into meat. "

Silia wrinkled her nose, but couldn't help laughing. "You really have a romantic holiday," she said ironically.

"Yes. And, the story was not over yet," Joseph Ev's voice was strange. "It continues."

"Do you actually start driving a carriage again?" Daisy asked unbelievablely. After listening to such a story, she had long hoped to return to work as soon as possible.

"No," he waved his hand and refused. "We have enough to that car. But there are many beautiful lakes there. Lakes, you can't even see the other side, the distance is too far. We plan to spend a few days in a small wooden house. That looks safe. And the first day is indeed as wonderful as we think. Wow, that's one day. There is one night. "He laughed teased. "The next day we set off on a boat, we were quite far away, and the other side was invisible, and the engine turned off suddenly. We couldn't start it again. We were trapped in the middle of the lake." He paused. At first, in order to emphasize the dramatic nature of his words.

"Once again lost the wireless connection with the outside world," Silia speculated.

"Yes," he confirmed enthusiastically. "I can't describe the sudden tension. Fortunately, we have a small emergency paddle, and I am crazy. And we also found a small section of water, we used it. It took me a whole night to reach the shore. By the way, I never dared to sail on the lake since then, "he added, which caused a laughter. "I think I have never been so tired that day. And we haven't even returned to our shore. Our hut is still several kilometers away from here. Afterwards, I learned that according to the shoreline Killing, and not a straight distance.

Fortunately, after we walked two kilometers, we found another hut. It is uninhabited, but there is a boat parked in front of the door. We borrowed the ship and came back slowly along the shore. Just for safety. "

"You stole a boat?" Silia seemed to be unhappy about this, but it was really interesting in this case.

"We just borrow it," he replied firmly. "I just hope that no pitiful guy is trapped by the lake because there is no boat." He smiled. "After that, we were in a hurry to go home, and the holiday was over."

They laughed together, and then touched with a cup. "But this holiday is not why you separate from your wife?" Silia asked, the two took a sip.

"No," he waved his hand lightly. "I am both a hedonist and a workaholic. Not every woman can adapt to this life. In my life, I have been married four times. But none of the marriage lasted for a long time."

Silia raised her eyebrows in surprise, although he could imagine it.

"Mr. Joseph Iv, can you give us a little time?" A scientist standing next to Jeffrer shouted, apparently, it requires his professional knowledge or opinion.

"Of course," Joseph Ev replied and stood up from the chair. "Please forgive me." He said goodbye to the two again. "Don't run, I will come back soon."

"We will be here," Silia promised. When Evy walked towards others, Daisa looked around the room. There may be more than twenty people present. The rest have gone. Time passes faster than her.

"After a marriage," Silia repeated helplessly. She took a sip of champagne. "How about your love life?" She asked Daisy with a teaseful smile.

Daisy looked at her in surprise. Obviously, alcohol can reduce human suppression. Even so curious doctors did not dare to ask this yesterday. "I don't have a love life," Daisy replied. "I always show too clumsy. And I have a chance when I have the opportunity to meet newcomers."

"But it is also difficult to know newcomers," the doctor said, and it seemed to think suddenly. After all, she has the same destiny as Daisy on this issue. "It is not easy to take the initiative to find strangers. And you can only judge with appearance. But most of the beautiful men already have partners, or homosexuals, or they are just idiots."

"Sometimes it may be both three," Daisy said with a smile, and then they laughed.

"But how can I know a person?" Silia became serious again. Obviously, she really thought about this issue many times. "Moreover, it takes time to love each other. Only when you know more people and find common and similar hobbies, will you fall into love. When you find that there is no other party, everything becomes boring and boring. When you are no longer willing to do anything with each other. But you must first understand one person to find this. This is a vicious circle. "

"So, do you mean, do you love at first sight?" Daisy confirmed.

"Yes, that's nonsense," she replied firmly.

The engineer Daisy said with a smile, "I thought only I thought so. After all, most women dreamed of love at first sight. But you are right, real love is almost impossible. And as time is time, as time is time. Push, the requirements will also be improved. Compared with the age of 20, the requirements are now different. "

"And changing things that have become accustomed to become more difficult," Silia added.

"Yes." The two smiled and continued to drink champagne. "No, the current situation is good," Daisy finally answered and returned to its original question. "I usually satisfy the status quo."

Silia smiled naughtyly. "Just occasionally need someone to sleep with it, it is perfect, right?"

Daisy smiled. Alcohol obviously made her more talkative. This also makes her easier to answer. "Yes, it's almost the same. Do you mean a special friendship?"

Hearing this description, both of them laughed. Silia laughed loudly and caught the attention of others. Others looked at them, the two were obviously a little surprised, but they were also very interesting. The two ladies have never been so relaxed and relaxed. Jeffrey, who was still standing among scientists, picked the eyebrows on the right. For Jeffrey, the behavior of the two ladies showed him the vulnerability of human races again.

"I think we'd better speak a little bit," Silia said with a smile.

Daisy put the wine glass on the table. "I think we should go back to the dormitory and go to bed. We will go to work a few hours later."

Silia nodded reluctantly. But she certainly knew that Daisy was right. She has enough discipline, and she is not unknown when she is drunk. So the two of them stood up together and walked towards the door with concentration.