The Journal of Orzal Dax.

Ranih sent me an image this morning — a small, beautifully wrapped present sitting on a café table on Bajor. Copper ribbon, Bajoran charm, the whole aesthetic practically whispered “thoughtful surprise.” She captioned it with nothing but a wink emoji and the words “For you, my symbiont-bearing mystery.” Naturally, I’m now left to ponder the possibilities. Should I be worried? Is this a romantic gesture, a cultural token, or some elaborate prank involving spring-loaded hasperat? I wouldn’t put it past her. She’s got that quiet mischief in her smile, the kind that makes you double-check your seat before sitting down. Still, the wrapping is elegant — too elegant for anything explosive. Unless it’s emotional. That’s the real danger with Ranih: she knows how to wrap meaning into the smallest things. I’ll probably open it and find something that makes me laugh, then cry, then want to marry her twice. Until then, I’ll keep the image saved and speculate wildly. If it turns out to be a pair of ...

James is doing extremely well with his vegetable patch. Instead of placing it in his garden, as he originally planned, he’s using a plot of land near the colony’s science station. Either way, it’s looking great. I had the impression he wasn’t very good at gardening, but I think he underestimated himself. He’s even added flowers as a decorative touch, and they work beautifully. All of them are native to Docosie III. Some of the vegetables are native as well, except for the broad beans, carrots, and cabbages. The science team is helping him, since it’s a great opportunity to study how non‑native plants grow in the Docosie environment.

Next week, Ranih and I will be visiting Grand Nagus Rom and Leeta on Ferenginar. A lot has changed since I last saw them as Ezri. There have been some reforms in Ferengi society, though not as many as Rom or Leeta would have liked. It can be difficult to push against centuries of tradition and deeply held beliefs. People can be frightened of change—or simply stubbornly resistant to it. One major change involves Ferengi women and clothing. They can now wear clothes if they wish, but from what I’m told, the vast majority still prefer not to. Mostly it’s out of respect for tradition, but amusingly, many say it’s simply easier. Rom has assured us there shouldn’t be any issues with Ranih wearing clothes. Even so, Ranih told him that if it makes things easier for any Ferengi men present at the time, she’s willing to respect their wishes. It’s one of the many things I adore about my fiancée. She’s so open‑minded and respectful of other cultures and traditions. It’s probably one of the reasons...

Well, that was most unpleasant and distressing. As one of the lead administrators for the colony, one of my roles is dealing with the captain’s of non‑Starfleet vessels—the ones that deliver supplies and transport colonists to and from Docosie III, both existing and new residents. Today I had a run‑in with the captain of a cargo vessel, a man by the name of Deca Inkel. We have very strict protocols we must follow, and I don’t know what his problem was, but he was in an incredibly disagreeable mood. I tried my best to explain everything—protocols he clearly already knew—but for some reason, today he was determined to be unreasonable and argumentative. He was also quite insulting, which was entirely uncalled for. He even suggested that I didn’t know what I was talking about and that I was simply being a hindrance. I disagreed with every one of his points, but he was so stubborn that reasoning with him was impossible. I’ll try to learn something from the experience, though I’m honestly no...

Every effort has been taken, during conceptualisation, construction and continual day to day running of the colony, to ensure that we do not have a detrimental impact on the environment and ecosystems of Docosie III.  Hard lessons have been learnt on countless worlds across the Federation and throughout the centuries of what happens when too little action is taken too late.  The waste management systems and policies of the colony are some of the most advanced and sophisticated of any colony in the Alpha Quadrant, a everyone takes great pride in being part of this achievement.  James's project to grow a selection of vegetables in his garden is another great example of saving the energy to replicate said vegetables with the added satisfaction of knowing they were freshly grown.  I will be helping James with his project as I remember, when I was Audrid,  growing various vegetables and fruits my back garden on Trill and the pleasure and pride I got from it. I saw my...

From the picture Ranih has sent me, it certainly looks like she and her two friends are having a good time. They are currently visit a city in the Kendra province, which looks so vibrant.  The two ladies she is with, both work at the school. It's good to see she has made friends since we moved to Docosie III from Trill. Moving somewhere new and different can often be quite daunting. It helped considerably to have two good jobs already in place for when we moved.  I have made some good friends at work, particularly James, who is quite a character but is honest, decent and trustworthy.