A moment's peace.
I didn't get leave, and didn't expect it - actually some of us are doing doubles. We have two new engineers - one with a heavy Russian accent, I'm not sure, but she might actually be in my department - and an Andorian who works under Indra.
I managed to finally sneak off during my lunch hour for some synthetic peace and quiet. I loaded up the program I often load up, when it's been too long away from home.
I sat down under a synthetic tree, and stared into the synthetic corrals, which contained synthetic horses which look nothing like any I've ever had. I pulled a klavatu -that at least is real - out of my bag and started peeling it. After finishing it, I took several centering breaths. Focused on my breath, trying to drive out engineering, Arianna, Rayshell (because she'll always be that, to me), Mama, Dad, Dawnie, my brothers, Marek, the great crowds of people in my mind.
For a moment, the one voice left, was so strong that it almost startled me out of my reverie: Gran. She is always allowed to be here. Her benevolent smile eased me into a calmer place. I leaned back against the tree with my eyes closed and started to drift off.
At least until the door chimed and slid open. I didn't expect that, at just that moment.
I usually only expect to be interrupted when there's something important. So to say the interruption startled me, is an understatement.
Therav th'Shan was somewhat dressed up - a nicely pressed Andorian tunic, boots. That's right, his date was tonight.
He climbed the hill, then lowered himself to the ground next to me.
"We are leaving in another twenty four hours," he said.
"I think I got that memo. How did it go?"
"How did -"
"Your date."
"It... went well, for the fifteen minutes it lasted," he said. He stared at the corral of fake horses. "I... put an end to things."
I pulled a second klavatu out of my bag, and started peeling; I split it into two halves, and handed one to him. "I hope you didn't break his heart too badly."
"He is resilient, that one," he said. He watched me for a time, then looked back out at the fake horses. "Where is this place?"
"Connor's Junction. McKittrick, California," I said. "My own keep."
"Are they yours?"
"The fake horses? No," I pulled out my PADD, and loaded up the pictures. "These are."
He flipped through the pictures, and seemed a little lost in thought. "What are they called?"
"That's Zephyr... Little Bit... oh, here. Star. My very first."
"Do you come here very much?"
"Sometimes... that's the thing, about seeing my home, and being homesick. Is I get more homesick."
He nodded with what I can only assume was knowing. He lingered for a very long time on the picture of Star, then looked back at me for a moment. I rose to my feet, he rose to his.
"You will not be pleased with me," he said.
I should've guessed he was going to pull out some kind of doozy, and I was not expecting what he did pull out.
"Commander ch'Vresh..." he said, "Believes that we have been..."
He was attempting to be tactful about this.
"Sleeping together?" I asked. "Just spit it out."
My hands went to my hips.
"Next time you're going to have an imaginary girlfriend, maybe you should ask that person first," I said.
"Of course I am in your debt."
"Yes. Yes, you are. You're so deep in my debt that you're not even going to get out in the afterlife."
"What sort of payment do you seek?"
I watched him for a moment, then said, "I'll think about it. Later. I'm going back on duty."
I managed to finally sneak off during my lunch hour for some synthetic peace and quiet. I loaded up the program I often load up, when it's been too long away from home.
I sat down under a synthetic tree, and stared into the synthetic corrals, which contained synthetic horses which look nothing like any I've ever had. I pulled a klavatu -that at least is real - out of my bag and started peeling it. After finishing it, I took several centering breaths. Focused on my breath, trying to drive out engineering, Arianna, Rayshell (because she'll always be that, to me), Mama, Dad, Dawnie, my brothers, Marek, the great crowds of people in my mind.
For a moment, the one voice left, was so strong that it almost startled me out of my reverie: Gran. She is always allowed to be here. Her benevolent smile eased me into a calmer place. I leaned back against the tree with my eyes closed and started to drift off.
At least until the door chimed and slid open. I didn't expect that, at just that moment.
I usually only expect to be interrupted when there's something important. So to say the interruption startled me, is an understatement.
Therav th'Shan was somewhat dressed up - a nicely pressed Andorian tunic, boots. That's right, his date was tonight.
He climbed the hill, then lowered himself to the ground next to me.
"We are leaving in another twenty four hours," he said.
"I think I got that memo. How did it go?"
"How did -"
"Your date."
"It... went well, for the fifteen minutes it lasted," he said. He stared at the corral of fake horses. "I... put an end to things."
I pulled a second klavatu out of my bag, and started peeling; I split it into two halves, and handed one to him. "I hope you didn't break his heart too badly."
"He is resilient, that one," he said. He watched me for a time, then looked back out at the fake horses. "Where is this place?"
"Connor's Junction. McKittrick, California," I said. "My own keep."
"Are they yours?"
"The fake horses? No," I pulled out my PADD, and loaded up the pictures. "These are."
He flipped through the pictures, and seemed a little lost in thought. "What are they called?"
"That's Zephyr... Little Bit... oh, here. Star. My very first."
"Do you come here very much?"
"Sometimes... that's the thing, about seeing my home, and being homesick. Is I get more homesick."
He nodded with what I can only assume was knowing. He lingered for a very long time on the picture of Star, then looked back at me for a moment. I rose to my feet, he rose to his.
"You will not be pleased with me," he said.
I should've guessed he was going to pull out some kind of doozy, and I was not expecting what he did pull out.
"Commander ch'Vresh..." he said, "Believes that we have been..."
He was attempting to be tactful about this.
"Sleeping together?" I asked. "Just spit it out."
My hands went to my hips.
"Next time you're going to have an imaginary girlfriend, maybe you should ask that person first," I said.
"Of course I am in your debt."
"Yes. Yes, you are. You're so deep in my debt that you're not even going to get out in the afterlife."
"What sort of payment do you seek?"
I watched him for a moment, then said, "I'll think about it. Later. I'm going back on duty."