Chocolate & Wine

Posted on Thu Sep 30th, 2021 @ 9:26am by Lieutenant Vira Vemre [Whavi] & Ensign Olivia (Carter) Voight

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: Promenade
Timeline: MD 3 0600
2863 words - 5.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Ensign Vira Vemre heard a lot of talk about a specific candy store here on the promenade and was dying to check it out. The risian had such a sweet tooth since being introduced to the creamy sweetness called chocolate while at the academy that she sought out the earth dessert often. It was probably the easiest and quickest way to Vira's heart, not that she would ever admit it.

The store front was so illuminated she saw it a mile away. Rushing as she got closer Vira entered the store wide eyed and mouth watering.

Olivia was slowly walking through the store checking out some of the new selections that had been added. She already knew that she was going to get some of the chocolate fudge, but was still deciding on what else to get during this trip.

Having been in the store a total of ten seconds, Vira already had her arms full. Chocolate bars, a mix of chocolate covered nuts, and more. To her dismay she dropped a bag of truffles in front of a trill female.

"I'm so sorry! But do you think you could pick that up for me and just add it to my pile?" She asked sheepishly as she juggled the other contents in her arms.

Olivia smiled as she looked at the young Ensign that had dropped one of her chocolate goodies. "Looks like you could use a basket for all of your goodies," Olivia replied as she knelt down to pick up the truffles for the young Ensign.

"That would give me more space to purchase even more."
Vira laughed, "Thank you for the assist. I'm Vira." She went to extend her hand in greeting but when the contents in her arms threatened to spill over she pulled it back.

"Nothing wrong with that, just as long as you don't over do it and eat everything in one sitting," Olivia replied as she reached for one of the baskets nearby. "I'm Olivia by the way." She held the basket so that Vira could start to put her goodies into it before everything fell to the floor.

Vira gave Olivia an appreciative smile as she started to unload her arms into the basket. "But how can you stop? I just eat and eat until im sick..."

"Then it might be a good idea to figure out how to set a limit so that you don't get sick all the time," Olivia replied. "Maybe set up a schedule of some sort portioning it out where you have a set amount each day. That way it will last a bit longer for you and you don't have to restock every single day."

Vira playfully narrowed her eyes, "You sound like a doctor....are you a doctor?"

Olivia softly laughed a little. "I am a doctor here onboard the Elysium," Olivia replied. "I'm the Assistant Chief. I hope you don't hold it against me though."

"Oh! I would never! I mean as long as you don't hold my over indulgence in sweets against me that is." Vira chuckled and noted what little Olivia was holding, "Is that all your getting?"

Olivia smiled a bit as she looked at the fudge she had already picked out so far and then back up at Vira. "This is just the start," Olivia replied. "There is still much more to decide on before I make my final selection on what else to get. There has been several new items added since the last time I was here in the shop."

"We didn't have a shop like this on my last post, which was probably better for my beltline." Vira joked. "What's been your favorite treat so far?"

"My go to is always the chocolate fudge," Olivia replied. "Then depending on what I'm in the mood for I will get some of the double dipped chocolate covered peanuts. The chocolate malt balls are good, but I have to be in the mood for those. They are big and you have to just eat one at a time because of the size of them. The chocolate covered caramel reminds me of milk duds." Olivia thought for a moment. "I've been checking out some of the new items to see if I want to try any of it."

Vira scrunched her brow, "A milk dud?" She gave Olivia a questioning look. "I've found I love any fruit or nut covered in chocolate, they may be my favorite."

Olivia laughed a little. "I know it is a bit of an odd name for the chocolate covered caramel, but it is good. Another one that I like to get on occasion is chocolate covered raisins. Have you had that before?"

After pausing to think back to the lengthily list of treats shed managed to try she said, "I don't believe I have, it doesn't sound familiar! I'm convinced humans put chocolate on just about everything!"

Olivia laughed a little. "If it's not chocolate," Olivia said, "it another topping like caramel, blue berry, strawberry, or cherry, depending on the desert. I noticed that some with a few of the guys I've dated."

"Oh?" Vira said intrigued. " I heard that wine goes excellently with chocolate. Have you found that to be true?"

"I have found it to be true with some of the chocolates," Olivia replied. "One interesting combination that one of the guys I dated for a little while introduced me to was chocolate covered strawberries with either wine or champaign every so often. It is one of those items used for a romantic date night."

"Well I think I'd like to try the combination before, deeming it romantic." She chuckled before adding, "Risian's have select foods they to consume in a romantic manner with their mates as well." She looked around the shop then back down to her basket. "Say, Olivia, are you free to test this combination with me? Strictly for research purposes! That and I detest drinking in ten forward alone."

"I am free to have a drink or two in ten forward," Olivia replied. "I just need to grab some of the chocolate covered peanuts and peanut butter balls. I can always get more stuff on another trip."

"Oh those sound good too! Where are they located?" She looked around again in search of more chocolate to fill her already packed basket.

"Come with me," Olivia replied, "they are up here on the left if I remember from the last time that I got some of them. Both the chocolate covered peanuts and the chocolate covered peanut butter balls are done fresh daily more than once since both are popular and go fast at times. It also why I went ahead and got the fudge I wanted."

Vira followed, eyes still bouncing around at all the delectable treats she was still yet to try. She mentally had to remind her impatient self to pace herself. Keeping both hands on the handle of the basket as to keep herself from adding more to it. "I wondered how they got the smells in here to be so fresh and constant. I had assumed it was just artificial."

"The smells are fresh due to the fact they are constantly making fresh each of the chocolate goodies and bringing them out to restock as needed," Olivia replied as she stopped in front of the chocolate covered peanut butter balls. "My favorite is the traditional peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate. There is also the ones where the chocolate has either orange or cherry flavoring added into it."

"I think of all that I've tried sponge candy is my favorite. Have you tried that?" Vira inquired as she too stopped in front the of display Olivia had led them to.

"That I haven't had before," Olivia replied. "Sounds interesting though. Might have to try it at some point."

"I'm surprised I've tried something you haven't! Oh! What kind of wine do you think will go best?" She asked as she headed towards the check out.

"I am too," Olivia replied. "I just may get some on my next visit to try. As far as the wine, usually one of the sweet wines is good for anything desert related. It just a matter of deciding on if you want red wine or white wine. I'm sure that we could try a couple different ones to see which one works best for our chocolate selections."

"Red. Always red!" Vira smiled at the cashier as she set her loaded basket onto the counter. She continued her conversation with Olivia as her chocolates were scanned and bagged for her. "I'm glad I bumped into another chocolate enthusiast. No one understands my 'sweet tooth' I was told its called?"

Olivia laughed a little. "Yes, it is called 'sweet tooth'," Olivia replied. "It just a matter of balancing it out as much as possible so that you don't constantly get sick. Got to venture out sometimes with some other goodies as well at some point."

Once all her goodies were packaged and she paid her bill Vira stepped back to allow Olivia to check out. The bags she had received were much heavier then she thought, causing her to feel giddy. "Yeah... i'll have to work on my gluttonous chocolate habits..." She chuckled lightly.

Olivia placed her items up onto the counter for check out. After a few minutes, Olivia paid for her goodies and turned to face Vira. "I'm sure you will figure something out over time," Olivia replied. "Its not an over night process to make any sort of changes. Now how about that wine?"

"Lead the way!" Vira smiled, surprising herself with how giddy and excited she was the try this combination of wine and chocolate.

Olivia laughed a little as she picked up the bag with her chocolate goodies in it and looped her arm with Vira's and lead the way towards the door of the shop. "Now why don't you tell me a little more about yourself," Olivia said as they walked along towards a turbolift that would take them to the deck where they could go into the lounge for wine. "Other than have a sweet tooth for various chocolates."

"Well, the Elysium is my second assignment, there's absolutely no comparing it to the Rosenbloom. I transferred in last week. umm..." Vira chewed her bottom lip in thought for a moment before she continued, "I'm Risian, obviously. I knew from a young age I wanted to join Starfleet, very young actually but no one took me seriously. Alot of them still don't." She shrugged a bit as they neared a turbolift. "What about you? Was being a doctor always your dream?"

"It was one of the career routes that I considered at an early age," Olivia replied. "The other dream career that I had for awhile was being a world traveler. Guess you could say that I am getting to do that in a way now that I'm serving on a Starfleet vessel. Plus, having three brothers helped direct me towards medical since they were always getting into some sort of fight when we were all younger."

“Three brothers?!” Vira exclaimed. “That sounds like such a fun childhood! I always wished my parents would have had more children then just me. Are you close with them?”

Olivia laughed a little as they continued to walk. "Yes, I am close to my brothers," Olivia replied. "Each of them are serving on different ships at the moment. There were times when I was younger when they would get on my nerves for one thing or another. Yet, I do have some information that I could use against them with our parents if I ever had to do so."

"Are they all serving in Starfleet?" Vira was surprised but knew better, a lot of families served, generations after generations. It made her wonder if her children would follow suit. "Oh I love blackmail." She commented with a smirk.

They had reached the turbolift and entered. They weren't alone in the lift but they went about their conversation regardless.

"Yes, all three of my brothers currently serve in Starfleet. Each of them are on different starships at the moment. We all try to get home as often as we can to visit with our parents," Olivia replied.

"Where is home? If you don't mind me asking." She inquired.

Olivia smiled a little at the thought of her home. "Home for me is Trill," Olivia replied. "There are places that I always go back to visit when I get the chance to go back to see my parents. Along with seeing my brothers if they happen to be there at the same time."

"Which i'm assuming is rare for you all to be there together unless its planned huh?" The turbolift stopped, the door opening seconds after. As Vira led the way out of the turbo lift she continued their conversation, "I miss the weather most I think. I've tried holoprograms but its not the same, it feels too fake. The water the wrong temperature, the suns rays never as bright as the real thing. Have you ever been to Risa?"

"Yes, it is rare that we all get to be home together unless it is planned well in advance," Olivia replied. "Even then there is the chance that something happens where one of us ends up not able to show up as planned for one reason or another." Olivia walked along the corridor with Vira as they continued to make their way to get drinks. "I know what you mean about holoprorams not being the same, but it has to fill in at times in until we are able to get back home to enjoy the real settings of our favorite places. I've been to Rise once, but it has been several years since my visit."

The two came to entrance of ten forward and walked in as a few others were exiting. Vira led Olivia to a table somewhere in the middle of the room and took a seat, setting her chocolate on an empty seat for the time being. "I've never been to Trill. Is it beautiful there?" She waved to the bar staff and got a nod before she turned back to Olivia.

Olivia smiled a little as she thought about her home world. "That it is," Olivia replied. "Though I think many of us think of our home world in that way. There are some places that I always visit when I get the chance to go back home on my visits."

"Same! Alot of the places I visit are secluded areas, secret spots and lagoons I found exploring as a kid. I always wished I had a sibling to explore with." Vira smiled as she shrugged off the small ball of self pitty that was gathering in her gut.

"Well if needed I could always loan you one of my brothers at some point," Olivia replied. "They could be a pest at times growing up, with them pestering me about a guy I was interested in at some point or having me patch them up from a fight that they would get into more than once." Olivia thought for a moment before continuing. "Maybe one day down the road we can show each other a few of our favorite places when we are able to do so."

Vira laughed, "Your brothers are 'loanable' huh? I'll have to keep that in mind but I think I would much rather you accompany me."

The waiter came to the table, a very thin bajoran woman with auburn hair falling in curls past her shoulders. "What can I get for you ladies?"

Vira looked to Olivia hoping she would take the lead on this, she had no idea what combinations would work with wine and chocolate.

Olivia thought for a moment on the wine choice she would start off with that would be a good pairing with some of the chocolate they had gotten earlier in the candy shop. "We will start with a glass of Pinot Noir wine," Olivia said to the waiter. The waiter nodded and went to fill their order. "The selection I picked for us to start with on the wine is one that is in the middle on some of the ones I've had before. It goes will with chocolate and caramel combinations. Hopefully it will be one that you enjoy."

Vira was giddy and squirming in her seat, she pulled a bag of chocolates from her bag and popped a piece in her mouth. The creamy chocolate immediately started to melt in the heat of her mouth. "I trust you!" She said with a smile.

"The wine I chose is a new one for me," Olivia replied. "I haven't had it before, so it should be interesting on this particular one to see if we both like it."

As the waiter approached the table with two glasses for them Vira's smile grew. She was ecstatic to be making friends, especially with someone who seemed to share her love for the earth desert chocolate.