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@Wil Ukinix playing Annamae Barberra truly is a treasure and I'm thrilled she's a visiting character. I wanted to put a quote in the Ronin appreciations quote, because it's entirely possible I've fallen a little bit in love with the existence of this character in general, but then I just kept finding more quotes that were good in this one and decided it was best I just share the whole thing 😂

Anyone else unable to get the mental of Starfish Shayne.....? No...? Just me....?

Nothing makes me happier than the mental picture of Mandy in rocket shoes and a Petfleet uniform.

((Soldotna, 21st Floor, Mac's Quarters)) Mac sat in one of the few chairs his living room currently held. He had been alternating an ice pack on and off his left forearm for the last thirty minutes. He'd stopped by the Clinic before heading back to his room, and one of the nurses had verified Mac's assumption that he'd overdone it in his workout, but they treated his arm and assured him he should be fine in a day or two. McGillian: Computer, begin personal log. Personal Log, Daniel McGillian Jr, Stardate 240104.16, I'm not sure where to start really. I thought I had started out on the right foot here, but clearly some old habits die hard. Mac was referring to his habit of trying to handle stressful situations on his own, and his lifelong struggle with connecting to people. McGillian: Instead of just easing into my new position, I managed to make myself look like a fool in front of the Commodore. ::sigh:: Atleast Falt thought I showed initiative. Mac did some of the deep breathing and grounding techniques that Tristana Yodel, the Counselor aboard the Alamo had taught him during their many sessions throughout his teenage rage years as he had come to call them. McGillian: If im being honest with myself here, I'm disappointed at being grounded instead of on a starship out exploring, and it kind of puts me on edge. Counselor Yodel would say ::imitates Yodel:: Daniel, you are allowing your fears of the unfamiliar to limit your ability to connect with your surroundings and your peers. ::sighs:: Pretty sure she'd be right too. I practically ran out of the awards at the first opportunity. Mac's thoughts swam. He'd been so focused on safety he'd fallen short on a key factor of security, your crew mates. He'd always wondered if it was his experiences or his Rodulan heritage that seemed to make it harder for him to connect with people. Maybe it was both. McGillian: Not everything has been bad, I had a good talk with Alex, Commander DeVeau was nice. ::wide eyed:: I should have seen if she needed anything after the awards. I never answered Lt. Xiron's question either. Mac stood up and started pacing. He felt bad for rushing out at the end of the awards ceremony, and although the Commander was certainly a capable woman, Mac just wanted to help. He had read about her loss when going through reverification paperwork, and postponed Deveau's until after the child birth. No one needed security clearance stress when dealing with everything she had going on. McGillian: I will check in with the Commander soon, I wouldn't want to disturb her now. ::loudly sighing:: I suppose I should probably make an appointment with the station's Counselor, maybe. I should check in with the new Chief of Security, Lt. Cmdr. Kendrick, first thing tomorrow. Computer, end log. Mac stretched his arm and stopped pacing at the front door. He turned to face his living room, and brought his hand to his chin while his brow furrowed. McGillian: Definitely need more furniture. NT/END _________________ Ensign Daniel McGillian Jr. Security Officer Denali Station D240104DM2

((Lora’s home - Kalus - Denobula)) ((OOC: this sim takes place almost at the end of shore leave. I haven't put any tag but if someone wants to meet Drex's family, please feel free to jump in!)) If Drex had made his calculations right, the house would have been empty. His mother Lora had a lecture at the Science Academy and his half siblings had moved from the house years ago. He was the last one to abandon the nest, but since he was not married he did not really leave it after all. He placed his right palm on the security panel near the main door. With a soft hiss the door unlocked itself. A sweet scent of flowers escaped from the inside, traveled through his nose and broke out into a nostalgic smile and a childhood memory of him and Ayra playing hide and seek with their mother. If he had made his calculations right, he had the time to refresh himself and eat something before anyone would find out he had returned. But "if" was wrong. As the door opened he realized his calculations were based on totally false axioms. Not only was his mother at home, he could hear her contagious laugh from the main living room on the right, but he could recognize at least six of the other members of his large family. Tara with her son Adrax and her daughters Alina and Riel, Tes and…wait! Was it Jorx the one who almost choked himself laughing? He surely was. Why were they all at home at that hour of the day? Instinctively Drex turned and raised his gaze to the sky towards the sun: it was definitely late in the morning. As he watched the sun moving motionless in the sky he toyed with the idea of closing the door again, nullifying all his good intentions, inventing an emergency to return to the ring and blaming anyone of his superior officers for his absence. oO They’ll never find out Oo Surely they would not. oO Oh… Yes. She will and… she will too. She knows you better than anyone else, you can’t lie to her. You did and she made you regret it.Oo Drex: Ayra :: He murmured with a deep breath :: oO And she, she will ask you about the ceremony. You can lie, she doesn't know how it really works, but are you ready for the consequences if she'll find out? You won’t lie to your section head officer. Oo Drex: Oh... just shut up. :: He commented bothered :: Ral: Always talking to your imaginary friend? The deep voice of his half brother caught him completely off guard. Drex lowered his gaze from the sky to the taller Denobulan. He forced a smile, trying to hide his disappointment of being mocked once again. Drex: Ain’t a friend. He's more of an annoying brother. The other man had kept walking and was now face to face with the science officer. Ral was half a head taller than Drex, but of the same build. Since they both inherited their mother's coloring and curly hair, they could easily be mistaken for twins. And the few years difference had not yet left any wrinkles on Ral's face. Ral: You miss me so much I’m one of your hallucinations now? :: He chuckled :: Drex: Hallucination? :: He shook his head :: Not at all. My hallucinations are all beautiful and kind and gentle and useful. But… I can classify you as a nightmare if you really insist. :: The mouth curved into a wide, sincere smile. :: I’m glad to see you, Ral. Ral returned the smile. Ral: I’m glad you made it. Ayra was driving me crazy, she even insisted that I come to pick you up at whatever place you could be. Ral reached out with his right hand for Drex’s bag as he rested his left hand on his shoulder. Ral: Let’s get inside before you decide to run and hide on a Starfleet ship once again. Drex: I did not hide. Why’s everyone here? You assured me they all had to work today. Ral: Yeah, I did :: He nodded and gently pushed his brother inside :: Drex took three steps backwards and with the forth he witnessed the door becoming the block of his only escape route. Drex: So, what happened? :: He insisted :: Ral: Mom is pregnant. She was keeping it a secret, until the marriage, but :: He shrugged :: she felt sick this morning while she was with Tara and you know how she is… Drex: Tara loose tongue. :: He sighed :: The older Denobulan nodded. Ral: You bet she is :: he laughed :: You’re better turned, our mother made some changes to the house and you risk tripping over something if you don't watch where you're going. Drex was forced to leave his bag to his brother while turning to face the following two steps that would have placed him right in the center of the doorway of the living room. An uncomfortable silence felt in the room. It lasted hours, or so it seemed to Drex. But he blinked his eyes only twice, before a voice he knew well and had missed too much shouted his name with joy. Lora: Drex! You made it! The woman rushed to her son and gave him a big hug resting her head on his chest for a moment. Drex inhaled the smell of her curly brown hair and his heart smiled. Drex: Hi mom… Ral told me the news, congratulations :: He embrace her for no more than five seconds before they pull apart :: Lora: Oh… He was supposed to be a secret. :: She slapped the air in false frustration with her left hand :: Come. Come and sit. You must tell us all your adventures before your sister sniffs you out and takes you away for preparation. Half shuffling and half walking, Drex reached the center of the room, where he was surrounded by the others. Despite having tried in various ways, he had never managed in all those years to make them understand how much he really hated that type of situation. On the other hand, how could a Denobulan be born and raised in an overpopulated city and in a family structure which, if one also included uncles and cousins, could count a few hundred members? For a few seconds the voices overlapped, but then one silenced the others. Jorx: Let him breathe :: He entered the room from the kitchen :: I’m curious to hear about his fabulous Starfleet. Drex clenched his jaw, even ceasing the forced smile he put on for being the center of attention. When his mother stepped aside, allowing him to see past her, he stared hard into his father's smoky gray eyes. Half of Drex’s family was home that morning. That was unexpected, especially since his half brother Ral had guaranteed him the house would have been empty. Instead, due to his mother's unexpected pregnancy, Drex found himself facing not only his mother, but also his father, among some of his own siblings and nephews and nieces. He has been away from home for more than a year now. The last time he visited his family, things did not go as smoothly as they should have, and an innocent remark caused a major row between Drex and his father, Jorx. Drex left Denobula the following hour and had not spoken to his father since, but now his twin sister was getting married and made him promise to help, so he found himself, for better or worse, facing his old man. Jorx: Nice to have you finally home, son. I hope you put some salt in that head of yours. Drex was tempted to walk away, but with the corner of his eye noticed Ral blocking the way. The doubt that he had lied to him and the meeting was prepared crossed his mind. Drex: Guess ain’t something you should care about. :: He spitted out :: But since you asked, I’m fine, thank you. And satisfied. He unzipped his jacket and got a small box from the inner pocket. Drex: Got something for you. He approached the older Denobulan and handed him over the box. Drex: I got promoted a few days ago. :: He ignored the small chat and congratulations the news produced on the others presents :: And Commodore Oddas gave me this for saving lives during the last mission. As you can see, I’m not wasting my time. I’m making a difference. Jorx took the box and looked at the ribbon inside. Jorx: Saving lifes? :: He snapped the lid shut :: You’re an architect, you save lives designing safe buildings! You… Drex: I’m not gonna waste my license arguing with you. I already proved my point. You are scared, I understand that, but you cannot control my life! Jorx shook his head with a snort of disbelief. Jorx: I never wanted to control your life, but you are letting others do it. You gave up your freedom for what? This? :: He raised the box a little :: Great deal :: A grimace marred his face. :: Lora: Leave him alone, Jorx, or leave this house now. His mother’s interference stopped Drex as he was ready to reply. His fist twitched against his side and he managed to bite his tongue before saying anything else. Drex: I’m the one leaving, mom, as you said a few minutes ago… I need to see Ayra. Ral: I come with you. Drex: No… I know the way. Drex was upset. Not only with his father, but with Ral and the others as well. They had planned to trap him, until his mother realized there was no way the two of them could come to an agreement that way. Without too much grace, he pushed his brother aside, making room for himself to reach the corridor and from there the exit. When he reached the outside, Drex walked without stopping down the avenue. His gaze to the pavement, he did not pay attention to the blue spots created by the blossoming Denobulan almond trees that lined the street. It had once been his favorite sight. He had hundreds of paintings in his laboratory, each a different attempt to photograph the magnificence of nature with the brush. He never got even close to perfection, but he never desisted, till today. Absorbed in his thoughts, mostly focused on complaints towards his father, he reached the building where Ayra lived. He and Ral had designed this building. A 23 floors tower, with balconies bursting with trees and shrubs. It was the first job Dorji had given him as chief architect. As he reached the entrance, he stopped and looked at the result of his first work. He felt proud of his achievement and the clouds that darkened his heart cleared. He entered the doorway and then the lift. His sister lived on the last floor. The rapid ascent lasted only a few tenths of a second, but it gave him time to put what had just happened in the back of his mind. As he knocked on the door, he realized how much he had missed Ayra and how much he wanted to hug her again. He felt stupid for not coming back sooner. He laid his hand on the sensor. The door opened and Ayra appeared. Her black hair was dyed mid-length a bright purple. The surprise on her face was sincere and a wide smile lit up her face. Ayra: Drex! She threw herself around his neck, hugging him. Drex: Easy! Easy! :: He laughed, hugging her back :: You’re gonna choke me. He moved forward, carrying her inside the apartment. Ayra: I missed you so much. Drex: Let go :: He chuckled :: Yet he was still holding her. His heart and his brain were in conflict with each other. She was his friend, his confidante and the model for all his lovers. She was, in fact, the reason why he never got married. Drex: I need to take a shower… :: He breathed in the scent of her hair one last time. Then he let go. :: Alone. :: He added in a whisper :: His sister took a step back with a smile, setting him free. Ayra: When did you become so shy? :: She mocked him :: Drex: We’re not kids anymore, Ayra. :: With a slight note of regret :: And you… :: He pointed at her :: you’re the one getting married tomorrow for the second time. Ayra: Oh… I see… now it’s my fault, isn’t it? :: She walked away pretending to be annoyed :: Make yourself at home then. Drex: Thank you. He took his jacket and shoes off, placing them in order in the cabinet near the door. Drex: Do you still have some of my old clothes? I left my things at mum’s… Ayra: Were you there before coming here? Why didn’t you take a shower there? Drex: Dad was there… long story… Ayra raised an eyebrow. Ayra: Long story? Your shuttle landed less than two hours ago. Get in the shower. I’ll get the clothes and you’re going to tell me what he said this time. She approached again, giving orders, but he saw the concern in her gaze. Drex: I don’t want to talk about that now, really… I… Unexpectedly, Ayra hugged him again. Ayra: You’re doing great, Drex. :: She whispered :: Don’t listen to him. I’m proud of you. NT / END ============ Ensign Drex Science Officer Denali Station D240011D14

I feel this is almost like @Lt Aine Olive Sherlock is embracing her inner Picard in this exchange. Also, no wonder the Chey'd are pre-warp, they need to appreciate the finer things ✍️.

I really enjoyed these paragraphs from @Mister_Wake's T'Reyna. I just wanted a telepathic deer and I got a whole inspired thesis on natural spiritualism!

What can I say, except: I love Renirs SO DANG MUCH. @Jovenan truly has made the best PNPC in the fleet. Reading her torment my jellyfish is an absolute delight.

Help, I need an adult! An adultier adult! 💀💀 @Ian OConnor has slain me with this.

I wanted to mention @Sylvie Doucet and the various bird-based puns in their last two posted sims. For context where it is needed, the Tinalli are a flightless avian species. It all made me chuckle, and the reference to the Caitian Captain being a "big cat" too Put me in mind of Sylvester and Tweety Pie! Taken from the sim 'Stabilized For Now' Doucet: Hmm. We’d need to be careful, especially since we essentially just politely turned down their own help in rescuing one of our officers. We took a lot of control over the situation away from them, so we should probably start with offering our help in a way that allows them to take the lead. This is their home, after all. No sense in ruffling any feathers if we don’t need to. It took a moment before Sylvie realized the inadvertent pun she made and she had to carefully conceal her sudden amusement. oO This is probably not the time for making stupid avian puns. This is no time to fowl it up. Oo Taken from the sim 'A Nest of Uncertainty' (( Conference Room, Tinalli Orbital Spacedock )) Once everyone was in the conference room a few minutes later, Sylvie cleared their throat and motioned towards Dor’ar’ny’sa. They were going to be winging it a bit here but it was worth it to get things going. The Tinalli did seem a bit nervous about the Captain being a big cat, but not in a way that made Sylvie feel like his presence was a major risk. That much was good, at least.

Are we that obvious??? 😛 @Jack Kessler

We’re here with another interview with a newer member of our community. The title of this column is “Lower Decks,” hearkening back to the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled “Lower Decks,” in which junior officers aboard the Enterprise-D speculate on the reasons for recent unusual actions taken by the command crew near the […]View the full article

((Paoike Colony, Drever IV)) Jalana had basically fled the scene. On one hand she tried to keep a distance on Diz’mim, still not over the fact that the guy she had been flirting with and spent all night talking with on Arentis was now her First Officer. She did not want to give him the wrong impression and distance was the best thing she could do. On the other hand she did not want to cross paths with Tagus. Hearing that name after all this time had shocked her to the core. She checked on her Tricorder and the rudimentary outline her scanner had made to figure out which way to go to get to these ruins. She should just go around this building, through this field and then straight until- Kiamon took a few steps, eyes down trying to avoid the puddles while he balanced his PADDs in his arms. He didn’t even register that there was another person there until he quite literally collided with them, PADDs flying everywhere. Bending down, he was startled by a memory… But it wasn’t his memory. Not really, anyway. Same as in this moment it wasn’t exactly Jalana’s memory, but in a way, it still was… (( FLASHBACK )) (( Trill - A bookstore )) The room was dimly lit. At least it appeared that way, as the ceiling high shelves packed with books blocked out the sun, so the visitors relied on the light coming from the ceiling. It gave them enough to see the titles, to read a few pages, but one would not want to linger and read. It was the kind of atmosphere that invited to browse and buy, but one wanted to read in a better spot. Perfect for a bookstore. That new book smell hung in the air. Paperbound hardcover, soft cover, printing ink. Paradise for bibliophiles. Fascinating that it was the same on many planets. Books had an universal smell as if different species had discovered the same secret formula to what made books smell like magic. Pinar hummed to herself as she walked through the bookstore. Her dirty blonde hair was messily plopped on the top of her head in a large bun with strands hanging out that inadvertently framed her face. Her long fingers trailed along the shelves and occasionally moving up to the spines of the books, appreciating the beauty and history as she felt the various textures on her fingertips. Her blue-gray eyes focused on the titles, not sure yet which book she was looking for, but knowing that she would be certain the moment she saw it. A few aisles down a young Olen moved along the shelf with purpose. A few books already on his arms his finger moved along the spines in front of him to focus on the titles, following the finger helped him to not let his eyes stray. He could swear that he heard a hum somewhere, maybe it was the climate control, so he shook it off. Pulling another book from the shelf he opened it to flick through the pages before a smile appeared on the young man’s face, exactly what he needed. Piling the book on to the pile in his arm he continued his path along the shelf. Maybe there was more on the other side. So he took a turn. Pinar had just selected one book and had flipped it open as she rounded the end of one aisle and intended to move on to the next. She knew approximately how many steps to take before turning, but was rather taken aback- quite literally in fact- when she felt the sensation of running into something solid. Her newly discovered read fell from her hands as she herself stumbled forward, reaching out to brace herself in case she fell. Something bumped against him, straight frontal bump, sending the books flying. He only heard it, the weight gone from his arms, because in the surprise he had closed his eyes, stumbling backwards. Blinking a few times, more out of shock than anything else, she saw the man she must have collided with and felt her cheeks flush. She couldn’t see his eyes yet, as they appeared to be snapped shut, but he was still rather physically attractive to her even without knowing the color. Dahn: Oh dear.. When he opened his eyes again his dark brown gaze looked down into the most beautiful blue-gray eyes looking right at him. From what he could tell just as startled as him. Varel: E..excuse me. I… are you hurt? Pinar looked down at herself to verify what she already knew. Dahn: No.. ::she nearly whispered the words and spoke a little louder:: What about you? Why was she nervous? Pinar’s heart skipped a beat even as she felt herself desperately trying to form words and sentences longer than a few words. Varel: No, no. I’m fine. He cleared his throat and took a step back. As he went to bend down to pick up his books, she did the same and he once more bumped into her, this time his head against hers. He rubbed his forehead. Varel: Sorry. It’s fine. I can… Pinar blushed harder, even as she rubbed her own head after their second collision trying to pick up their fallen books. She smiled softly at the man who was obviously as clumsy as her before moving slightly and continuing to go through the books. As she went on to pick them up he looked at her, something formed a knot in his chest. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. And of course he had to practically beat her up like that. Exaggerations were definitely his style. She picked up a book, thinking it was hers, but found it was not what she was expecting. She looked back at the man more curious than ever. Dahn: Are you.. That is.. Do you write? Varel: Uh.. yes. Yes I am. Well aspiring Author rather. Something all these books about writing, styles, prose, and character development might be able to tell her. Pinar’s lips quirked up, and she handed the man one of the books he had been holding. Dahn: Aspiring? Have you published anything yet? Varel: No, not yet but…. Well, I’m working on it. He had been working on it for a few years, getting stuck here and there. Non-Fiction was so much more challenging, but it was what he wanted to do. Following in the footsteps of the great philosophers… Pinar flushed more, aborting her start to collect more books to instead brush off her dusty hands and reach out. Dahn: Pardon me. I seem to have lost my manners in the collision ::she winked playfully and extended a hand:: I am Pinar Dahn. These cheeks being blessed with the soft tint of pink made her look even more radiant. Pinar.. The name sounded like music. Olen stared at her for a moment longer like a lovestruck teenager. Even though the teenage years were just behind him. Then he realized she had extended her hand, the wink speeding up his heartbeat. He wiped it off, making sure there was no sweat on them and took her hand to shake it. Varel: Nice to meet me… you… I’m Varel…. Olen.. Olen Varel. ((END FLASHBACK)) Kiamon smiled to himself as he remembered the now bittersweet memory. There was a flood of conflicting emotions when it came to Olen, but before the hurt there were some good memories. Shaking his head he pulled himself back to the present and remembered the person he had nearly tackled by accident. Tagus: Are you hurt? Jalana snapped out of the memory at the voice. Just now realizing that the hard thing she had ran against was not in fact a wall or something like that but a person. She raised a hand rubbing her forehead, even though she had hit him with her chest. Rajel: Yeah… I mean no, I’m fine. :: She looked around realizing her hand as empty. :: Are you hurt? He looked at the redhead, feeling himself blush ever so slightly. She was beautiful and Trill and… Starfleet? Tagus: No, I’m fine thank you. I’m so sorry about that.. Rajel: No no , I’m sorry I should have looked where I’m walking. Still looking for the PADD she saw a whole pile on the ground hers and a few others and nodded as she took half a step forward and bent down to pick them up. Kiamon bent forward to grab the PADDs and instead hit his head against the woman again. Rubbing his head he gave her a sheepish smile. Tagus: I guess I never learn. Sorry about that.. What were the chances? If she had a strip of Latinum for every time that happened… she had two strips, which wasn’t a lot, but it was crazy that it happened twice. Rajel: Likewise. She said with a little laugh and picked up the PADDs before straightening up again. She looked down on them to find her own when she saw what was displayed on them. Rajel: Oh, are you a Scienti- She began and her stomach sank, realisation hitting her. .oO Please don’t let him be a Trill, please please please. Oo. Looking up she looked into those blue-gray eyes that could almost be Pinar’s. And there they were. The tell-tale spots around his face, stunning her into silence. .oO Shit Oo. Kiamon smiled and looked up from the single PADD he had managed to grab before her. His eyebrow scrunched together in confusion for a moment, though as she trailed off. Shrugging it off he used his best charming voice. Tagus: Caught me! I’m Kiamon Tagus. ::He looked politely at her, silently asking for her introduction as well:: Rajel. .oO I know Oo. ::She simply stared at him when he introduced himself, swallowing. He was not Pinar, yet she could see her in him, how was that possible?:: I… I’m Jalana. So this was Jalana. He had known the name sounded lovely, but he would be lying if he said he didn’t think she was as lovely as the name. He nearly laughed at himself, realising how silly and unprofessional he was being. Besides, now finally he could get somewhere with the help that he had asked for. Jalana was the Commanding Officer. But Jalana what, exactly? Tagus: Such a pleasure! I, uh.. ::he chuckled slightly:: I have to admit I never did catch your surname on the report. She had to tell him. He had to know. It wasn’t fair that she did and he was in the dark. Pressing the PADDs against herself like a shield of protection she took a deep breath. Rajel: Jalana … ::She repeated, pausing before taking a deep breath and adding.:: … Rajel. As a scientist, Kiamon knew that physically time had not truly stopped or slowed, but relatively speaking it had. He felt like he had been sucker punched in his gut as all the air in his lungs escaped and he dropped the PADD in his hand. Rajel. She had said Rajel. His heart pounded against his chest as if trying to escape and Kiamon took a stumbling step backwards, away from the Trill before him. Tagus: Rajel.. It was barely a whisper and if Kiamon had cared he wouldn’t have been certain that the woman could hear him. Instead, he shook his head and blinked back the tears forming in his eyes. Blue eyes that may as well have been Pinar’s with the amount of tears they held. He couldn’t breathe. Why couldn’t he breathe? She heard it. All the charm, the smiles, all of it gone. The whisper pregnant with disbelief, with shock and painful memories. She couldn’t blame him, not one bit, not at all. It was all on her. No, on Olen. It was his fault. She remembered it and the memory squeezed around her chest like an iron fist. She had been in its grip from the moment Bolen had mentioned his name. Of all the worlds, of all the galaxy, why did he have to be here? It had been so much better to run from the past. Kiamon wasn’t a doctor, but he was certain he must be dying. He- or rather Tagus- had experienced death many times over. This must be it. The end. But with an anger that was most definitely not typical of him, rather channelled from Pinar herself he set his jaw and glared at Olen. No, not Olen, Rajel… Tagus: You! His voice was gritty and filled with hatred. With hurt. With a pain nobody should ever feel or know. She couldn’t help it, the tone of this single word made her wince. She should have known it would come. Of course he would hate her. No… she would hate him. Pinar would hate Olen for this. Rightfully. But these memories were part of them, it was near impossible to keep them distant. Rajel: ::whispering:: I… Tagus: How could you?! Rajel: ::quietly:: Pinar… Tagus: Kiamon. It was short, but as much a reminder for himself as it was for her. She wasn’t Olen. He wasn’t Pinar. She cursed inwardly. She knew that. He was not her, even if he carried her memories, her life with him. Rajel: Right.. Sorry. Kiamon. ::She sighed.:: I… What was she supposed to say. Sorry that I tore myself out of your life? Sorry that I made your world crumble into pieces? How would one apologize for that? Kiamon cringed. She was clearly struggling and he wanted to care. He also wanted to switch off these memories and get on a shuttle and put as much distance between them as possible. He had always known it was a possibility this could happen, but after so long there was a hope that this would be avoided indefinitely. Tagus: You.. ::no, not her, he reminded himself:: He.. He left.. Them. It was a struggle to put that separation, but he tried. He felt the pain as if it was his own. The heartbreak hurting as if it had just happened all over again. Even the way he said it was all in a kindness to her. Pinar’s words wanting to slip out. oO Coward. How could you, Olen? Oo Every cell in Jalana’s being wanted to tell Kiamon how sorry she was. How much she regretted something that she had not done. The memory was deep ingrained into her. Olen was after all the symbiont’s first host. Rajel: I’m sorry. It was merely a whisper. It didn’t even come close to how sorry she was. There were no words to express it properly. The heartache, the pain, the grief. Everything that Olen had caused, the way he had hurt his wife and their daughter. Without an explanation. Kiamon took a deep breath and began pacing, completely forgetting about the crops and the PADDs and the mission. Lifetimes and lifetimes filled with the lingering grief of losing Olen. And for what? How many people were offered an opportunity like this? And yet, he didn’t know that he wanted to hear it. What could Rajel possibly say that would make this okay? Tagus: He had a family and he just… ::his fists clenched and unclenched repeatedly:: Jalana closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Rajel: I know. He stopped pacing and looked up at her, even though it pained him to do so. The woman he had found so enrapturing now gave him flashes to painful memories. Tagus: I just.. ::he huffed, wishing he could be more eloquent:: I want answers. I need answers. Rajel: No. I don’t blame you. I… I cannot explain it right now. I.. ::she hesitated.:: I will try. But not now. Kiamon’s eyes flashed in frustration and he faced her fully head on. Tagus: Why not now? Rajel: We have the colony to worry about first. ::She said gently looking up to him.:: As much as I want to explain, it… there is a lot to unwrap and ::with a sigh she added, as gently as she could.:: … it won’t bring those lost years back. But we can help the people here to not lose their years… yes? Kiamon shook his head, battling his anger again. Of course he.. No she wouldn’t want to talk about it. Olen never wanted to talk about things. Stubborn until the end- clearly a trait that Jalana shared. Tagus: And perhaps you’ll conveniently just beam back on your ship and leave before we get that chance to talk? ::the accusation was clear in his tone:: She couldn’t blame him for thinking that. It would be easy to finish the work here and run again, never to be seen again. But she knew it would just be a matter of time until she’d have to face it again. She had to give him answers. Rajel: No. I promise I am not trying to push it under the rug. You will get answers. He still wasn’t sure he believed her, but the moment he took to breathe reminded him that they were standing out in the open where anyone could hear and that wasn’t particularly appealing either. And stars, she was right. As much as he hated to admit it, the mission was more important than this right now. Curse his Starfleet training guilt tripping him. Tagus: ::muttering:: Fine.. Jalana hoped that he agreed, but she didn’t understand what he muttered. So under his breath. Rajel: Sorry, what? Kiamon cleared his throat and reluctantly spoke louder. Tagus: I said fine. But I promise you this, if you try to leave without talking about this I will seek you out. I’m not Pinar.. I am far more persistent. Her gaze rested on him. Pinar had been gentle but when she wanted something she dug until she got there. It was how she had managed to deal with Olen all these years, especially when he lost himself in his writing. She was the one to be able to get him out of that world into reality again. But she had no doubt that they had a different kind of persistence. She could already see it in the brief interaction. Rajel: Wouldn’t expect it any different. Kiamon reached his hand out for his PADDs with a sigh, his other hand running through his hair leaving him looking dishevelled. Tagus: So… were you off to somewhere in that hurry or…? It was an olive branch. A peace offering. A signal that he would do his best to play nice right now, even though every fiber of his being was screaming at him to yell at her. Seeing the hand outreached Jalana had the urge for a moment to take it. She already loosened the grip on the PADDs to reach out but then realized he would want his PADDs back and changed the direction of her hand as if that was always planned this way and made sure not to give him hers. Holding out his PADDs she nodded. Rajel: Yes. Ad… Sir Bolen mentioned ruins outside the settlement from the old power plant and such. I wanted to have a look at it. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about them, do you? JP by Commodore Jalana Rajel Commanding Officer USS Constitution B Image Team Co-Facilitator A238906JL0 & MSNPC LtCmdr. Kiamon Tagus Botany/Ecology Specialist On Special Assignment As played by: -------------------- LtJG Dr. Eleanor "Ellie" Park Medical Officer USS Constitution-B Writer pronouns: She/Her or They/Them Character pronouns: She/Her A238908T10

@Jovenan proceeds to have the most entertaining PNPC in this damned fleet. Renirs is a gem no matter who she meets. 🤣

Truly a sentiment for a Klingon greeting card.

@Erik Johnson

I can just hear the internal sass from @Avander Promontory

I truly would rather die, but Gods speed to you, Sporty Ensign Spice.

I live for, and would die for Astrid.

The Training Team is responsible for training all new applicants to prepare them to be posted to a ship within our fleet. Today we meet with Training Team member Lt. Commander Robin Hopper so we can learn more about this important part of our community! DeVeau: Thank you for joining us. Can you please start […]View the full article

@Quentin Beckand they move ODDLY 😆

YAY BOOM! @Jack Kessler

We’d like to congratulate all who saw their hard work and dedication pay off this month with a promotion to a higher rank, and we welcome everyone to congratulate these members around the forums and in chat! Amity Outpost USS Astraeus USS Gorkon Want to learn more about advancing in rank like these hard-working fleet […]View the full article