Back at the Large Vacant Storefront...

Jila approaches the open storefront again, this time with Major T'Preea, hoping to look around it and possibly rent it.

Power has gone out in the promenade due to the Orb. Major T'Preea opens the storefront for Sedal, manually tugging the door open.
"It would likely be in your best interest for you to linger here for a while."
She draws her phaser protectively.
"I understand there is a certain loss of accountability when power is lost to an infrastructure. I'm sure it will be a matter of time before Commander Rai gets matters under control. However, it would be unfortunate if you were injured before you could open your business."

"Does the power go out often here? I'm afraid that would be bad for business. On the other hand, I suppose I could have fuel burning stoves and dinner by candle or lamplight.

...nevermind... obviously you're quite busy. I'll stay put."

Jila is a bit perturbed to be left alone in the darkness with absolutely nothing to do. She sits down on the floor, for there are no chairs around.

Oh, well... this is a good opportunity for me to work out some matters in my head. She tries to focus on a menu or on supplies needed, but she can't help think back to the war and the times she sat in dark basements waiting for the fighting to stop. Of course, this brings back thoughts of her family... the cousins she'll never see again, her aunts and uncles. At least my parents are alive... I hope. Her parents were almost always off world, and often in remote sections of the galaxy, studying something scientific phenomenon or other, and so the likelyhood they got caught up in the war is slim. Still, what good are they if I can't contact them?

T'Preea quickly returns to Jila's side, and sits down on the floor next to her, resting her phaser beside them.
"As for right now, the most appropriate action I can take is to protect civilians. You're a civilian."
She crosses her legs beneath her.
"While we wait for the power to return, tell me, where did you learn how to cook?"

"My parents. They both enjoyed it as a hobby. It's part of what brought them together, actually." Jila smiled, thinking of her folks.

"I grew up on a small science-slash-cargo vessel with my folks, a vessel that they owned. They, ah, had some differing opinions and found it best, both personally and professionally, to strike out on their own. And so we traveled the Alpha quadrant, trying to find the balance between going where science took them and going where cargo clients needed them to take their cargo. Of course, because we weren't funded by the government, conservation of resources was important, so most of our meals were home cooked, often times from food found on nearby M class planets or bought at markets or from passing traders. I learned how to use what was at hand, and, in traveling, had the opportunity to try various cuisines first hand. As I got older, and more interested in cooking as first a hobby, and then a profession, I started to take advantage of opportunities to learn how to cook those cuisines from those who eat that food natively.

When I came of age, I decided I wanted more stability and structure in my life. I was tired of living life amongst the stars, never being in one place long enough to make friends. To the chagrin of my parents, I decided to enroll in the Cardassian Culinary Academy. Sure, they were fine with my attending culinary school... proud of it, in fact. However, they would have preferred anywhere but Cardassian lands. But I wanted a connection with my roots... not to mention, because I knew no one, I wanted to be close to family, and my extended family lived there.

Anyway, it was at the Academy that I learned the make-do ways of my parents were actually surprisingly conducive to haute cuisine, what with fresh, locally sourced, in season ingredients being the heart of good cooking. I did well, made friends, and graduated with honors."

"You sound very resourceful. Are there any planetary cuisines you've specialized in?" Major T'Preea rises.
"Additionally, how competent are you at repairing Cardassian power generators? There's one stored in a wall panel here," she says.

"I'm not very technically inclined, but I'll take a stab at it."

Jila walks over to it, presses a few buttons, pokes around at it. As she does, she replies with a twinkle in her voice, "As per my specialities, you'll just have to wait and find out with everyone else." The generator throws some sparks while she withdraws her hand, cursing in pain.

"I believe I should leave this to the professionals." As she puts the panel back on the wall that the generator was behind, the power comes back on in the area. Apparently the replacement of the panel bumped things around enough that they started working again. "Indeed." She shrugs.

She begins to look around the space, examining the area. It clearly needs cleaning and some cosmetic & structural modifications (sectioning off areas, installation of a kitchen) to become a good restaurant, but it's quite doable.

"Major? I believe I've found my restaurant." As they're about to shake hands on the deal, the power flickers & goes out again. "But I would like the rent pro-rated for all the time the power's out until the station gets stable again. When do you think a repair crew could make it down here?"

"'I believe the Commander will have the Promenade restored by the end of the day tomorrow. His engineers are extremely adept. You are naturally entitled to a pro-rated rent."
The lights flicker back on, the doors part, and two young Starfleet engineers enter.
"Here they are now," says T'Preea.
"I should hope your facilities will be operable soon. It would be wasteful for the visiting diplomats to be unable to sample your talents," she rose to her feet.
"Have you decided what your restaurant will be named?"