You Have Entered a Strange Dimension... Next Stop, the Twilight Zone

Extending a hand, the Betazoid smiled.  "Ria Stavros.  I suppose lieutenant... I'm your new diplomatic officer."

"Dominic Gray.  Magic man."  Reaching for her hand, he pulled a casino chip from her palm, like magic.  "Whoops.  What's this?"  He pulled another from her ear, clucking as he held it up in the light.  "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe gambling is illegal on Starfleet vessels."  He glanced at Dante Winters.  "Should we put her on report?"

At Stavros' expression, he merely grinned.

Before they could respond, a big fish floated up and introduced itself.

"At ease," someone said, who looked and sounded like Gray.  "Though I guess that's strange to say in this case.  Would you like a cookie?"

What the hell?  Gray took two steps sideways, looked at the spot where he had just stood, then at the floor... where the (not-)mice left a mess of the (empty) box of cookies he had brought in – unless his eyes were playing tricks on him.

The aquatic alien – a Tilit named Indas – took a cookie from a box Gray didn't have, and proceeded to eat it.  Then, to add to the confusion, the fish asked, "Where did your Santa hat go?"

Perplexed, Gray patted his head.  What Santa hat?  The hat was gone before Gray entered the corridor.

Weird.  Either they just slipped into a parallel universe... or someone needed to go back and re-read previous posts.  Maybe Indas saw Gray on deck 3 earlier.

"Laundry day," Gray answered the Tilit, wondering if the species was related to Xindi Aquatics.

As a junior science officer, Indas should have reported to a senior science officer... but, with the confusion of everyone getting squared away, the gaffe could be overlooked.  Even Gray knew hardly anyone yet.  Now that Indas reported, she could go to her own quarters on deck 7, where junior science officers were quartered.  The ship would launch soon, and Gray had things to do.

"I have things to do," he said.  "Nice meeting you."  He nodded to Stavros and Indas.  To Winters: "Help them get settled in, Commander.  We'll talk later."