The Halo is the primary social space for the crew to relax during and after their shifts or when they need a place to hang out with friends and enjoy life aboard a Federation starship. Crewmembers of all ranks including the Captain on rare occasions can be seen in the booths, along the centrally located bar, or at a table. The lounge was often a favorite of the ‘middle’ and ‘lower deckers’. Including that of Ensign Daniel Linton.

He had been assigned to the Paramount shortly before the Underspace crisis; where multiple apertures into the expansive labyrinth opened across the galaxy. Including one within the corona of the sun of the Vespara system, another near Deep Space 19, and one not easily forgotten responsible for pulling the ship to the Delta Quadrant. His very first mission in Starfleet saw him facing a medical emergency and a lesson. Showing that his life in Starfleet would be nothing like it was back on Earth.

“Dan the man,” rang the voice of the energetic Ensign Kepa Norza.

The young Bajoran had joined the crew when the USS Tiro had brought them to the location of the damaged SS Calgary. Linton groaned quietly as he looked up from his PADD at the grinning face of his friend. A word he probably wouldn’t have used to describe their relationship. Linton knew if Kepa was here, the rest of their squad; and soon enough he felt the presence of two people behind him. Turning his head slightly he saw Ensigns T’Vaya and Lyric Joran join the table.

T’Vaya and Joran were both fresh out of the academy. With T’Vaya going through OCS and Joran going through the normal four years as had Linton and Kepa. Upon joining the crew T’Vaya and Linton formed a close bond marked by his appreciation for the Vulcan way of logic over emotion. Eventually, he would reluctantly introduce her to his Bajoran comrade. Joran and Linton met on an away mission in which Linton saved her from an EPS exploding in her face. A debt she claims can never be settled.

Linton gave them both a curt nod as he resumed looking at his PADD, taking a sip of the Vulcan tea that was in front of him. A beverage he enjoyed greatly for its rich taste and flavor.

Looking at the PADD he resumed reading the letter from his parents. After reaching out at the end of last year the trio had begun to reconnect. His mother had written him a long letter about how much she missed him and wished he was still home. While his father begrudgingly accepted Linton’s ion to join Starfleet instead of taking over the family barbecue business in the center of Dallas, leaving it to his enthusiastic cousins to take over the restaurant.

“So what do you plan on doing when we get to SBB Dan,” Kepa asked him.

Looking up he realized he had missed the entire conversation. “I’m going to take a transport to Risa to visit my parents. They say they went there to finally get a taste of what life was like from away from Earth’s gravity,” his Texan accent softened after four years in San Francisco. “At least that’s what it says in their letter.”

“That sounds pleas-,” Joran started before Kepa interjected. “It sounds boring. We just left our family and you’re already heading back.” Linton gave him a cold stare as the Bajoran turned his attention to the two ladies at the table. “What about you two?”

Before either one of the girls could answer, the lights in the lounge switched to a yellow hue as the intercom crackled to life. “All hands emergency stations, report to your department heads for an update.” Came the cool voice of the ship’s Captain. Around the lounge, officers began to depart their friends and had to their duty stations for an update on what had happened. Joran chuckled as she and Kepa stood from their table.

“It would seem our storytelling will have to wait.”

Kepa humphed at her remark as they both filed out of the door with a few of the other officers. Linton smiled softly as he watched the two of them play fight as they departed the lounge. He stood up alongside T’Vaya as he grabbed his cup and drank the last few drops of the dark colored liquid before he left returning to sickbay.