Taking out a scroll onto the promenade after a day of working and doing some podium talks on the progression of counseling and how to proceed further in the future did wear Arwa a bit down. However, everything was going as planned; her career looked great, and she had performed remarkably as best as she could. Miwela, a Bolian who worked closely in her department, joined her. She could almost consider her assistant, but nothing was official on paper. 

“So finally taking a breather" Miwela stated cheerfully, it was her first time in weeks that she could relax a bit. She loved working in counseling as much as Arwa did, and Miwela saw her as an inspiration source. “Or are you going to plan yourself to do more work?” 

Waving her hand, “No, no, I have taught that lesson well enough at Eos…overworking is going to backfire like a Ferengi counter deal," Arwa stated, shaking her head slightly. “Don't worry so much; I took time to breathe. The last thing I want is to be out of commission for long.” Arwa tried to calm Miwela's concerns but knew she was doing too much.

A smile formed on Miwela's face as she looked into the Promenade. “Alright, let's get something to eat; I want to try that Trill joint. It had fried food that is to die for.” She is trying her new selling tactics. 

Nodding to her friend, “Alright, let's check it out; I am convinced that you are not going to try to poison with your weird taste of food just yet.” She pointed out some of the weird kinks she noticed in Miwela and saw her look at her in shock. “Oh please, worms? That Klingon place was too much for me.” Arwa felt her stomach protest at that idea. 

“I would never try to poison you; I have a fine taste of cuisine, you know….” Miwela placed her hand on her chest, offended by the mere idea that she had a peculiar taste in food, but laughed slightly. “Well, I have to admit that worms for food is a bit stretching the extent…..thought that soy sauce on it was not bad.”

Giving a bump to Miwela's shoulder, “Please stop. I can still feel them move in my mouth.” Arwa smiled as they walked towards the restaurant. “Just don't pick out any weird stuff for me?” 

Walking into the restaurant, “I don't think there is unusual stuff if you don't try them first,” Miwela tries to rub off her culinary wisdom onto Arwa. “ One has to try everything to consider whether they like it or don't. So if you don't like it, you have at least tried it and have the legitimate right to refuse something or even complain about it.” Smiling at Arwa, she saw her roll her eyes while waiting in line.

“Right, I will consume this all-knowing knowledge of the foodie.” Arwa bowed slightly and grinned in her direction as she looked around. “We are not going to enter the restaurant?” 

She nodded and said, “Nah, it is reserved only. We're going for a quick bite.” The Bolian smiled in excitement at what was awaiting them. “The meat is to die for….really, it melts like butter on your tongue, and I still have no clue what it is,” Miwela thinks for a second. “Some kind of cow…or whatever they call it?” 

“I am out…” Arwa started, turning around and getting held back by Miwela as she held her shoulder. “If you don't even know what it is, I do not trust it…” 

“Oh, come on….Arwa, please, for me…it is great.” Miwela looked with puppy eyes at Arwa.

Arwa narrowed her eyes in her friend's direction and wanted to answer her, but a voice interrupted them.

“Arwa?” 

Miwela saw her friend freeze up, and her expression changed to cold. An expression whenever thought she would see on Arwa. Looking over her shoulder, she saw a Bajoran man standing there. The uniform indicates he is in engineering, as her eye glared to the neck, seeing the pips of Lieutenant Commander. She let go of Arwa's shoulder and stepped at her side. “Commander….what can we do for you?” She tried to smile but gave a side eye to Arwa, who stood there still with her back turned around. 

The Bajoran eyes were locked on Arwa's back and finally broke off to look at Miwela. “I…. am sorry to interrupt so rudely. I am Lieutenant Commander Yiful Juss, the Chief Engineering Officer of a wonderful classic Sovereign class. We just got docked and thought enjoying the event here would be a great idea.” He smiled at her. “I just…didn't expect to meet Miss el-Imam here.” 

“Is that so….how do you two know each other?” Miwela tried to keep the conversation going, giving Arwa time to collect herself as she saw Arwa in distress, but she didn't show it to Yiful.

Yiful smiled slightly and paused for a moment. “We know each other from the Academy time; we met in the third year, and things have happened. But…she transferred to another location before I knew it.” He shrugged a bit. “It was quite sudden, and it was after a small incident.” 

The head of Arwa finally moved up when hearing those words and turned slowly around, facing Yisuf finally. She felt a chill going down her spine when she saw those eyes looking at him and averted her look. She took a moment to let the rollercoaster of emotions go through her. “I….I have to go, I lost my appetite,” Arwa stated, and without a moment for anyone to respond, she moved away in a rush. 

Blinking a few times, “I …am sorry, Commander, please excuse me.” Miwela gave a slight nod and followed Arwa. She had never seen a woman such as Arwa, who was always happy and cheerful, in such a distressing stage. What happened to her? What happened between this commander and her?  Miwela was entering an unknown area.

A breath left Yisuf, seeing the two leave. “She is still holding onto it after all those years..” 

“Who was the pretty lady Chief?” A man punched Yisuf on his shoulder. “Another lover of another station?” 

Seeing Arwa leave his eyesight, he turned to his coworker. “Someone I knew from a past that is unresolved.” He turned around and walked towards the conference. “Let's go, less snooping in my private life, Lieutenant,” Yisuf said with a harsh tone, but his mind was somewhere else.