Solares glanced at Cassandra, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. [color=#00FFEE]“Sounds like a plan, just a moment, I’m going to grab some food and a coffee.”[/color]

Maya’s holographic form flickered beside her helmet. [color=f08080]“Coffee again? Really, Solly, you don’t need another caffeine spike right now. You’ll be bouncing off the walls before lunch is even halfway over.”[/color]

Solares laughed softly, the sound low and warm. [color=#00FFEE]“Fine, what would you suggest instead?”[/color]

[color=f08080]“Mulled spiced apple tea,”[/color] Maya suggested, her cyan eyes glinting with amusement. [color=f08080]“Cinnamons strong, subtle clove undertones, apple notes. Emotionally stabilizing, zero caffeine in it is highly recommended from me.”[/color]

Solares nodded and made her way over to the station’s food counter. The scent of fresh bread, grilled meats, and roasted vegetables filled the air, mingling with the faint tang of metallic surfaces and the ever-present hum of life aboard the station. She scanned the trays, eyes locking on a freshly made sandwich: marinated, antibiotic-free chicken, melted jack cheese, grilled onions, jalapeño peppers, lettuce, and tomato, nestled in a soft, slightly sweet brioche. Instead of the usual mayo, a bright, spicy BBQ sauce had been added, promising a subtle heat that would complement the sweet bread.

With a careful hand, Solares collected her sandwich and a steaming cup of the mulled spiced apple tea, the aroma curling up to greet her senses. She carried the tray back to Cassandra, weaving through groups of humans, Sangheili, Unggoy, and Kig-Yar, their conversations a low hum of chatter and laughter.

Sliding back into the seat beside Cassandra, Solares set the tray down with a quiet clink. She peeled back the foil of the sandwich deliberately, letting the layers of chicken, cheese, peppers, and sauce glimmer in the cafeteria lights. Lifting the sandwich to her mouth, she took a slow bite, meeting [color=a36209]Tapo’Hatam’s[/color] gaze across the table, a slight fire behind her own. Solares's mouth twitched slightly into a smirk, as if silently declaring, [i]Look what I can do, chew.[/i] She bit carefully again, savoring the interplay of flavors, then letting the tea warm her hands as she took a slow sip.

Maya’s holographic form hovered at her side, tails flicking with subtle amusement. [color=f08080]“You think he will pick up on the subtle teasing? Actually, I would be surprised if he didn’t. I wonder how he will react.”[/color]

Solares glanced at the AI, one corner of her mouth curling into even more of a smirk. She chewed thoughtfully, letting her gaze roam over Cassandra and [color=a36209]Tapo’Hatam.[/color] Solares set the cup of mulled spiced apple tea beside the tray and angled the foil back just enough to keep the sandwich warm. She chewed deliberately, savoring the brioche and that BBQ-spiced tang, then turned her head slightly toward Cassandra.

[color=#00FFEE]“So,”[/color] she said, voice low and easy, [color=#00FFEE]“Anything interesting going on in your life as of late, hmmm?”[/color]

At the same time, Maya's form walked over and took a seat near the edge of the table, cyan tails flicking lazily as she tilted her head toward [color=a36209]Tapo’Hatam.[/color] [color=f08080]“Oh, this is just delightful,”[/color] she murmured, almost to herself.

Her cyan glow reflected faintly across the table, tails curling in measured arcs as she studied him, voice smooth with a teasing lilt. [color=f08080]“You carry yourself with such deliberate precision, every tilt of your head, every slight pause, it’s like watching someone perform a private choreography. You think it’s invisible, but it’s not. And yes, it’s more than a little entertaining.”[/color]

She leaned forward just enough for her eyes to catch the light, tails flicking subtly, a spark of mischief in her gaze. [color=f08080]“I can’t help but wonder, what it’s like for you being here, surrounded by so many friends, enemies, all layered together in this station. Their stories, their grudges, their moments of unexpected camaraderie, what was given to them, what was taken, how do you navigate it all? Is it real trust, or just a fleeting thing, held together by circumstance and mutual respect? I imagine it requires a kind of care most people wouldn’t even attempt, and I have to say, the way you manage all of that, with patience and awareness, I can’t imagine anyone doing it as gracefully… or as charmingly, on top of everything else, it’s impressive. There’s a quiet strength there that commands attention, even without trying.”[/color]

There is a short pause as Maya tilts her head slightly to the left, then takes a seat next to Solares once more. [color=f08080]“Or I could be completely wrong about all of this,”[/color] she said, cyan tails flicking with a hint of sheepishness. [color=f08080]“If so, I apologize. Curiosity and over-analysis are, unfortunately, traits I cannot seem to suppress.”[/color] A moment later, her smirk returned. [color=f08080]“Though… I doubt I am wrong.”[/color]