Genkos Adea
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Posts posted by Genkos Adea
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I wanted to showcase this fantastic sim from @Jovenan. She played Tevet Elain as a childhood friend of Genkos in the last leave, then we encountered a youthful version of the character thanks to time-hopping shenanigans. And now we're back in the present, having changed the past - and Jovenan came right out the gate with this compelling antagonist. Five stars.
Quote((Imperial Battlecruiser Sword of Rixx))
oO We’ll be back sooner than you think. Be brave, be sensible and go in good faith. Oo
Then he had jumped through the window.
Tevet’s fingernails left a mark to the armrest of her seat. She thought of it often. It came to her dreams; it bothered her when awake. A time traveller enforcing some temporal destiny. A doctor of good conscience. A friend of hers.
And a bloody liar.
Tevet’s command centre at the belly of her imperial flagship was entirely silent. The staff dedicated to her personally were in full work by the various consoles monitoring the status of the ship and the empire, but not a word was uttered. The various orders to the bridge and the tactical centre were sent by telepathic means. Tevet would occasionally tap into the transmissions or straight into the minds of anyone in the crew; their natural encryption could not be breached by technological means, but they also had no secrets from her.
Elain: ~ Magnify. ~
The image on the main screen grew larger as the focus shifted to a specific point. A ship with a round saucer and a lower secondary hull supporting two nacelles abreast, it was easy to identify this vessel as Starfleet. There was just one thing that set it aside from the rest of the ships their hunting parties had discovered floating around: It was of a class that had never come to existence.
After Genkos and his companions had jumped through the window and into another world, Tevet had stayed. She had promised to stay there and guard the portal until they would return. After all, they had promised they would. For days, then months and finally years had she sat there, staring at a portal that would remain inert. For nothing. Tevet had learnt that promises weight little in the scales of the universe. Genkos hadn’t kept his. Federation hadn’t kept theirs.
Before the Occupation, Genkos’ parents had taught Genkos and Tevet that like doctors, veterinarians would promise to do on harm.
If no one had kept their promises to her, why should she have kept hers?
An imperial aide-de-camp twitched on Tevet’s right side. Without moving her head, Tevet eyes darted towards the senior officer who had now readopted the stiff, immobile posture. The aide wore almost identical uniform to her, barring the slightly toned-down honours and insignia when compared to the imperial fleet admiral’s uniform Tevet donned. She preferred the utilitarian yet striking uniform compared to the cumbersome and rather ridiculous robes the Betazoid nobility had had the habit to wear. It signalled the complete shift to the culture of her species she had ushered; they were a vengeful military empire now.
Tevet knew why the aide had flinched; she had sensed the pleasure and wrath that had filled Tevet’s mind upon recognizing the vessel. Tevet didn’t hide it; a wide grin arose to her face as the ship, halted, perhaps even adrift, turned so that she could read the letters painted across its primary hull: USS Artemis. A ship, one of a mission that didn’t belong to their world, had been found and was soon hers. Hers alone.
Elain: ~ Get their attention. ~
Genkos and his colleagues had shied away from telling too much of themselves in the presence of her juvenile self. However, they had let slip more than was beneficial to them. It had taken Tevet decades, but little by little she could follow the breadcrumbs they had scattered across the galaxy. Anyone who bore the name or symbols she had seen that day would wound up in one of the camps of her design. Any story that could be expanded by the mean of torture was of interest to her.
Experimental ship in the orbit of Betazed. Attempted attack against the Jem’Hadar by the Old Resistance and their unexpected benefactors. The pathetic attempt with a turret in Ki Baratan. Mizarian, Edo, Vulcan, Galadoran, Dakora, MacKenzie. Artemis. She knew it all.
A bright orange beam crossed the dark space, hitting the Federation ship to the wide side of the saucer. Barely able to remain on her seat, Tevet watched the Artemis gain momentum and shake. The starship didn’t respond. For a while, Tevet considered ordering the fleet to open full fire and rid her of the ship and the crew that had caused her so much pain. But where was the fun in that?
Elain: ~ Hail them. ~
After mere seconds, the image of the Artemis adrift in space was covered by another. It depicted an interior space, a bridge of common Starfleet design. And, at the centre of the image and of the bridge, a seat, occupied by a face she had seen once before, decades ago. Tevet felt like she could feast on the familiar tholtren until it would intoxicate her. So little had it changed.
Adea: Tevet? What’s going on?
Tevet smirked. The arrogance.
Elain: Hello, Genkos. Killed any senators lately?
Yellir/Kel: Response
Tevet observed the confusion on the Artemis’ bridge with malicious glee. The mechanics of time travel or the machinations of CloQ the False God were still mostly unfamiliar to her, but by the looks of it, she had caught them their pants down. They – no, he – had been her sole focus for decades, and her obsession was reaching its conclusion.
Adea: Response
Tevet leaned in closer to the screen.
Elain: Do you know how long I waited? Do you know how long I kept my promise and stayed in guard? I still have troops posted before that window, with the sole order to shoot dead anyone or anything that were to come through it.
Adea/Chevalier/Yellir/Kel: Response
Tevet leaned back on her throne and waved her hand.
Elain: I finally have you surrounded, Genkos. Drop your shields and prepare to be boarded. I wouldn’t want to give the order to destroy you; my fleet that surrounds you would be more than happy to oblige. And I wouldn’t want you to jump through yet another window either.
Adea/Chevalier/Yellir/Kel: Response
TAG/TBC
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Empress Tevet Elain
Sovereign
The Betazoid Chalice
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Finch: I’m glad to see you haven’t got a concussion and can still remember things, Lieutenant. ::She said, impishly grinning.:: But…hang on a minute. You had holo-addiction!?
Gnaxac: Worse! I d-d-died; eaten by a d-d-dinosaur. ::pause:: I g-g-got better.
She paused what she was doing and blinked a few times. More than a few times, actually. Then she lowered her head and stared at him, trying to decipher the connection he’d made…before she fell into hearty laughter.
Finch: On second thought, maybe you have got a concussion. ::She snorted.:: Here! Swap places with me, would you. I can’t seem to move that thingy over to the other loopdeloo.
@Doz Finch Hysterical response
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That cane. Nolen recognized it. He’d never served with Commander Adea, except once. His own cadet cruise felt like a lifetime and a half ago, but it was hard to forget a Captain with a cane. He wondered if that’s why Adea used it.
The telltale black eyes of a Betazoid squinted from under his wavy brown hair as the Lieutenant greeted the Commander, who turned to face him as he approached, with an expectant smile
Adea: You must be Hobart.
The smile faded but only just. Of course he wouldn’t recognize him. The Commander must have seen hundreds of cadets come and go. After a brief mental stumble, Hobart recovered.
I feel awful about this @Nolen Hobart - but I will point out that your cadet cruise might well have been the most important day of your life. For me, it was a Tuesday.
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@Jovenan deserves all the points for this excellent callback.
QuoteJovenan: It’s not lies. It’s possible because we’ve all come here… from the future.
What? At first, that confused Tevet even further than any other claim they had made. It wasn’t possible to travel in time… or was it? Mom had told stories about travelling in time, of time machines and ships that went into the past or the future, something about whales. But they were all stories, not true! Yet… It made more sense than any other explanation.
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Genkos Adea checking in!
"Prepare for trouble! And make it double!"
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QuoteAmy’s Winehouse and Spirits. Freddy MerCurry, home of the fish tikka masala. Avril Living, transforming your interior space from a Damn Cold Night into Springtime in Paris.
@Yalu You are a monster.
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(( Bridge, USS Berlin))
Lorana was not a telepath like the Commander but she observed him in the uncomfortable silence that had fallen across the bridge of the Berlin.
Her enhanced hearing picked up the noises of the Berlin, Adea's fingers drummed against the arm of his chair, creating an uneasy rhythm to all of the other noises of the bridge, the instruments and the low thrumming of the ship itself. For her it was a symphony, a song that evoked an unknown danger.
In order to distract herself she focused on the job at hand, Lorana had completed her mapping, and set the ships scans to begin routinely scanning to collect data on the behaviour of the nebula.
oO we may as well get some useful scientific data Oo
Caitians were curious creatures and Luxa more so than most. Some of the mapping she had extrapolated had begun to reveal curious oddities. There appeared to be pathways, ordinarily these would be created by regular starship vessels travelling through this area of space but surely that was not possible in the Paulson Nebula?
A cough from one of the other officers brought her attention back to Adea and the others.
Adea: Any change in the Artemis?
Lorana: No change. The communications array is down so they can't respond to our Comms.
Lorana, at first, had suspected that the Artemis was bluffing attempting to get the Berlin to lower it's defences. The more time that passed the less it appeared to be the case.
She thought of her friends over there. Her earlier misgivings about the drill began to creep back in and a sense of guilt washed over her.
oO were we responsible for what's happening to the Artemis? Oo
Yellir: Response
Adea: I didn’t think there would be.
Adea stood up and paced a little bit. She noted a slight limp, and remembered that he had a prosthetic leg.
Adea: Right. Can we figure out a novel way of contacting them? Visually perhaps? Audibly? Something to find out what by the four is going on here.
Lorana: Commander, if we're assuming that this period of :: stumbles for the correct word :: pause, is due to a real issue, outside of the drill, then it's logical that the Artemis would be trying to contact us? They have no communications array, so they'll likely use external probes, buoys or lights.
Yellir: Response
Lorana turns to her station and runs an analysis on smaller objects around the Artemis, listening to the Chief Engineers suggestions while she works.
Lorana: Triangulating for any communications signals coming from outside of the Artemis :: she catches a 'ping' :: That's weird. :: Checks again :: It's gone now, but I'm sure I got a reading. It wasn't Starfleet. Almost like sonar, some older transport vessels still use them to avoid detection, sir. They send a 'ping', almost like a bell in the night, for other vessels to triangulate their location. I'd have dismissed it as background noise of the nebula if I hadn't been specifically looking for alternative transmissions.
She was familiar with this, the syndicate used them as well as non-Federation traders. The kind of people you don't want to encounter in a nebula.
Lorana: I don't want to be too bold, Captain. :: Beat:: I think we're not the only ones playing in this sandbox?
She transferred the mapping data, along with the suspected pathways in the nebula to Adea and Yellir's stations. Bringing up the larger map at her console, standing from her seat to indicate to the map, as she waited for them to digest the information.
Adea/Yellir: Response
Tags/TBC
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Ensign Luxa Lorana
Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2I've been a fan of @LuxaLorana since she came aboard the Artemis, but this is a really lovely "nothing" sim. My act three opener for our current mission was intended to communicate time and boredom, and Olivia has seized upon that and taken it to wonderful depths. I particularly like the note on Genkos' drumming fingers and how she has built upon it beautifully. Keep up the good work!
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This month’s poll celebrates the bottle show, a Star Trek production hallmark since the franchise’s earliest days. The term “bottle show” refers to an episode produced with a limited budget and a self-contained storyline. Such episodes are designed to minimize production costs by using existing sets and not involving major guest stars.
Bottle shows were prevalent from The Original Series through Enterprise. Producers purposely sprinkled these budget-conscious episodes throughout each season to free up dollars for more expensive episodes, such as those featuring heavy special effects, location filming, new sets, or big-name guest stars.
Bottle shows have largely gone the way of the dodo since the franchise returned to television in 2017. Shorter seasons mean less need to pad them out with low-budget episodes. In addition, serialized storytelling makes it harder to plop one-off episodes mid-season without disrupting the main plot. In the case of the animated series, the entire season is written before the actors are even brought into the recording studio, and there are no sets to build, rendering bottle shows obsolete.
A well-done bottle show serves strong storytelling and character study instead of flashy visual effects. When done poorly, however, a bottle show feels like pointless filler, shoehorned into a Trek season to meet the 26-episode requirement in the cheapest way possible. Some of the most disappointing Trek episodes, including “Shades of Gray” (TNG), “Elogium” (VOY), and “A Night In Sickbay” (ENT), were conceived as bottle shows. Unfortunately, this means the term has developed an undeserved reputation as a euphemism for bad.
Despite their limitations, some of the most memorable moments in Star Trek have come from bottle shows. The tight focus of the episode forces the writers and actors to get creative with dialogue and character interactions. Bottle shows are an opportunity for the cast to showcase their acting skills and for fans to learn more about their favorite characters. We have bottle shows to thank for Jean-Luc Picard’s chilling monologue that begins, “With the first link, the chain is forged…,” and Beverly Crusher’s meme-able moment, “If there's nothing wrong with me, maybe there's something wrong with the universe.”
Even though they’re a mixed bag, bottle shows are essential to the Star Trek legacy. They offer an opportunity to tell stories that might not otherwise be told. They force the writers to think creatively and the actors to flex their muscles. They can also be a refreshing chance to have some fun and make an episode that is pure entertainment, free from the constraints of the series’ larger narrative.
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Oh you're far too kind! It has been a fabulous mission and we're having a rousing finale
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Attribution: Yogan Yalu
(I don't want my name anywhere near this slander, and on her birthday! - Genkos Adea)
In The Autobiography of Kathryn Janeway, “edited” by Una McCormack, the commanding officer of the USS Voyager writes of her years in the Delta Quadrant:
Reflecting back now on these cases where I had to make ethical decisions, all I can say is that I did the best that I could under the circumstances… I was out on a limb—a Starfleet captain without Starfleet. I could not summon up help or stop off at a starbase for extra supplies. I could not, for most of the time, even ask for advice on the decisions I had to make. (p. 151)
The Autobiography devotes five chapters to the Delta Quadrant. It expands upon many small details from the series and retells them from Janeway’s perspective. For example, she handpicked her chief medical officer, a longtime friend and former crewmate, who was then killed on Voyager’s first day in the Delta Quadrant. She writes, “I have never stopped regretting asking him to come aboard Voyager. He was a fine doctor, a good friend, and his death is one of the biggest regrets of my life.” (p. 181)
The book is also an apologia, in which Janeway defends her conduct and explains the reasoning behind her many questionable command decisions. There are examples of Janeway’s erratic, ill-considered, or simply perplexing decisions throughout Voyager’s run—isolating herself from her crew as they traversed the Void (“Night”), agreeing to sacrifice the Equinox and its crew in exchange for a reprieve from attacks (“Equinox”), and attempting to apprehend two Ferengi con men rather than transit a wormhole to the Alpha Quadrant (“False Profits”) are just a few honourable mentions. This poll, however, will focus on Janeway's greatest hits.
Stranding Voyager in the Delta Quadrant
Without our help, [the Ocampa’s] move toward self-determination would have been stopped before it had the chance. The Kazon were waiting to move in and seize the array, whatever it might cost the Ocampa. And I couldn’t let that happen. (p. 119)
Prime Directive issues aside, Janeway’s decision to protect the innocent Ocampa also smacks of the same paternalism for which she criticised the Caretaker.
Killing Tuvix
The Doctor would not perform the procedure, and therefore I took it upon myself. Tuvix died, and Tuvok and Neelix lived… Thinking about what I might have done differently will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life. (pp. 132, 180)
The classic Trolley Problem has no correct answer. However, the fact that Janeway refers to Tuvix having “died” at her hand suggests she believes deep down that she committed a wrong.
Allying with the Borg against Species 8472
What the hell could destroy fifteen Borg cubes? This, we learned, after sending an away team to one of the cubes, was Species 8472, which, as we discovered from the Borg logs, had defeated them many times before. (p. 139)
Janeway’s decision to ally with the Federation’s greatest existential threat against a vastly superior enemy—instead of the other way around—feels like a short-sighted tactical error.
Promoting everyone but Harry Kim
My last act as captain of Voyager was to give him a long overdue promotion to lieutenant. I would have skipped a couple of ranks if I’d been able: Harry surely deserved it. (His speed of promotion since has made up for it, however.) (p. 182)
The argument that the command structure on Voyager was too fragile to allow Harry’s promotion just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Chakotay and Torres received field commissions. Tuvok and Paris were promoted, the latter after having been demoted. Even Ayala managed to outrank Harry Kim.
Changing history to bring Voyager home early
The admiral complicated matters greatly by revealing details of her future to me: twenty-three years in the Delta Quadrant (dear god, the prospect…!), the deaths of Seven of Nine and twenty-two others, and the horrible thought of seeing my friend Tuvok’s faculties decline… (b. 175)
Captain Janeway is steadfast against altering the timeline until Admiral Janeway reveals the untimely fates of those closest to her: Seven, Tuvok, and Chakotay. Changing the future because things didn’t pan out for you seems like a subject that would have been covered at the Academy.
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So last week we had the finale of series three of Star Trek: Picard, which is confirmed as being the last series of the reunion show. So I guess the question we could ask is… which season was your favourite? A general warning that although I will not spoil the ending of S3, if you haven’t seen Picard, this might be one to avoid.
Season One of Picard was all about ex-Borg, Romulans and synthetic life. We had the return (from the dead) of everyone’s favourite android, Data. The series dived deeply into his relationship with Picard, and how his death at the end of Nemesis had affected our favourite “French” captain for the next thirty years. It also included returning appearances from Seven of Nine, Bruce Maddox and an always popular Soong relation.
Season Two of Picard was very Q-focused, dealing with time travel and the Borg (not former ones this time) - and ended with a rather beautiful tribute to that conniving trial master of humanity. It also included returning appearances from Guinan (both Goldberg, and a wonderful impersonation by Ito Aghayere), everyone’s favourite Punk on the Bus and an always popular Soong relation.
Season Three of Picard was all about legacy and the “next” generation, bringing back everyone and their mother as returning characters, before pivoting, for the third time, to the Borg… again. It also included returning appearances from Tuvok, Ro Laren and an always popular Soong relation.
So there are three seasons to choose from, each exploring an aspect of the Next Generation in an interesting deep dive. But which was your favourite? After you've chosen, please do drop us your reasonings in the comments below!
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Quote(( Chief Engineer’s Office, Deck 15 — USS Artemis-A ))
It had taken some time to warm up to this new workspace. But so far, there hadn’t been very much to do in Engineering. Everything was running at peak efficiency, and there wasn’t much she could do here that couldn’t be done in her quarters for the most part, as well as done in the presence of her cat, Aster. There had been some thoughts to bring him to her office with her, but Hallia’s paranoia that he might fall into a plasma was always the one factor that seemed to hold her back.
But, despite this being a new office and all, she did her best to make it feel… homely? There was a notable attempt to make the space feel right, but she wasn’t one to over-decorate, after all, these weren’t her quarters. But there was always a sweet spot to look for when decorating an office.
Being sparse by nature, Hallia left the layout of the room relatively untouched. But there were a few little bits and pieces that she had added in. For one, sitting at the far side of the room was a little slice of a lounge. A small set of couches surrounded a coffee table that house a metallic-looking tea set. It had gathered a little bit of dust as of late.
On Hallia’s desk, however, sat a few little pieces. Three little figurines rested directly opposite the Yelikan’s seat, a gilded nova class and a matching vesta class right next to it. Along with those, Hallia replicated some spherical lamps to take up a little bit of space inside the office. To take away from the bareness that was an office space. Also, stashed away behind a bulkhead, as a precaution, the Yelikan kept a few spare uniforms on hand, as she was well aware of how messy this job could get.
Today, however, there was a palpable tension in the room. While it wasn’t overt, it hovered over the room like a dense fog. Despite being able to taste the strained air, Hallia… was fine. Two Ensigns sat opposite her, looking like they were doing their best to hold their breath. Having seen and heard how Commander MacKenzie had gone about chewing out many officers, she drew some inspiration. There was almost a theatre to this, and Hallia was doing her best impression of the good captain, trying everything she could to be effortlessly intimidating.
But the Yelikan didn’t have the same touch to it as Addison did.
The Ensigns before her were some fresh faces, they had been stationed on the Artemis before she was appointed Chief. The one on the left was Ensign Kisos, a somewhat tall dark-haired trill, he had a five o'clock shadow that seemed to be peeking through a fresh shave. The other was a Bolian, Ensign Aradin — she was a great deal shorter than Kisos, with the telltale smooth head. Both of these were Ensigns Hallia hadn’t directly worked with herself.
Hallia tapped away at a PADD, and perhaps to the fear of the Ensigns before her, she kept that ever so slight positive expression on her face. But there was a droning silence, as she occasionally glanced up at the pair.
Yellir: Do you two understand just how much trouble you’re in? Borrowing EV equipment, without authorization, depressurizing an airlock without permission and walking on the hull of the ship without so much as notifying a superior officer. Not to mention setting off an intruder alert upon your arrival back onto the Artemis. Do you realize what kind of trouble you’re in?
It wasn’t so much in Hallia’s voice— but a cadence of disappointment.
Kisos: Uh… no..?
There was a lack of certainty in Kisos’ words, almost as if treading himself on a frozen lake, carefully feeling out where the ice had thinned.
Yellir: If I were you two, I’d start talking. Or the next time you do— it’ll be at your court martial. Something like this? Goodness… you could get your commission revoked if you’re not careful.
Hallia wasn’t certain this was a court martial-able offence, if anything, she was gassing this up like telling a child a monster would eat you for not brushing your teeth. The Ensigns share a look briefly, and it seemed like there was some almost desperate glance that was briefly shared.
Aradin: We—
Aradin stopped, as Kisos grew more and more concerned. With a raise of her eyebrows, Hallia motioned for Aradin to continue.
Aradin: We-we weren’t trying to do anything bad we were just—...
Yellir: Go on.Kisos: ::quietly:: What’re you doing?! We can’t just—
Aradin: Just what? It’s stupid anyway! Why not just tell her??
With a clearing of Hallia’s throat, everything from the wrinkles on the foreheads to the whiteness in the knuckles moulded into a shiver.
Aradin: We were signing the scorch! It was just some silly bingo game we heard about.
It all fell into place, and Hallia for the first time in a very long time felt herself cringe. Her eyes rolled so far back that she nearly went blind. They set off an intruder alert and violated goodness knows how many regulations, all to write their names on the oldest unreplaced hull panel on the Artemis.
There wasn’t a response elicited from Hallia at first, it was several seconds before she felt the urge necessary to respond.
Yellir: Ensign Aradin, do you have difficulty understanding simple speech?
Aradin: No sir.
Yellir: Do you, Ensign Kisos?
Kisos: N-No sir.
Yellir: Yet— for some completely mystifying reasons, simply outlined regulations were ignored and blatantly disobeyed.
Kisos: I take—
Yellir: You will speak when spoken to Ensign. Do you understand me?
At that moment, Hallia’s demeanour changed entirely. A sudden shift wiped the vague ghost of a smile off of her face, and she glared across the table, straightening her back.
Kisos: Yes sir, Lieutenant.
Yellir: It is staggeringly arrogant to think that you know better than the very people who put those regulations in place. You ignored safety protocols, overrode and worked around functions that were made to keep air-headed Ensigns like you safe. If you two need a reminder of the basic security protocols onboard this ship I will happily drag you kicking and screaming back to the academy myself. Understood?
A slow and silent nod had been shared between the pair.
Yellir: You’re lucky to still be sitting here before me, count your stars that I didn’t beam you to the Captain’s Ready Room the first chance I got. If either of you ever again steps out of line, and I mean even a wrinkle in your uniform or the slightest scuff on your shoe you are finished. Do I make myself clear?
‘Anger’ was a weird way of describing what Hallia was feeling. Putting it into words almost made her frustrated in the moment. The irritation she was feeling was aggravating to say the least, as her expression began to slightly pinch, and her foot tapped against the floor to punctuate every word that was said. Her arms were kept still but Hallia felt her jaw clench at any point she stopped speaking.
In unison, they replied with a very simple “Yes sir”.
Yellir: For the next week you’re being assigned to Chief Wilkens to micro-clean the transporter pads, and Lieutenant Delri’ise has offered a catch-up course on security regulations since you seem so hell-bent on ignoring protocol. If I catch either of you pulling any more irresponsible stunts like these I will not hesitate to have you thrown in the brig. Dismissed.
It was a slow burn to watch them leave. The realisation as well as the presence of being dressed down by a superior officer— they were aware of what they had just done, but nothing about this felt good to Hallia. She felt awful watching what were two first-year ensigns basically crack under pressure as she stared them down and utterly ripped the pair to shreds. As the aggressions wore away, the rush of anger slowly faded, and the past few seconds of saying what came to mind blanked away from the Yelikan. Until they had left the room, everything beyond that felt like it was little more than the heat of the moment, and it was just as fleeting as it had came to.
As the pair left the office, Hallia breathed a sigh of relief and sat back in her chair. But she couldn’t quite tell if it was remorse or regret that had been on her mind. But there was an icky feeling at the bottom of her stomach, dressing down two Ensigns that were just trying to have a bit of fun seemed harsh. Yet it was the right thing to do and it came with the job description of being a department head. If Hallia didn’t put her foot down now, especially when she wasn’t just working with her whole team on the Excalibur, there was a feeling others wouldn’t take her very seriously.
As the irritation vanished from her face, she walked to her replicator, and with her normal cheery tone ordered something.
Yellir: Computer. One bowl of honey-poached figs.
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant Hallia Yellir
Chief Engineer
USS Artemis-A
G239409EK0
I absolutely loved reading this - our normally delightfully cheerful CEO getting to tear things up. And a Blondie reference, what's not to love? @Hallia Yellir, great work as always!
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Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome!
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QuoteShe couldn’t help but think how bizarre the situation must look like to the new Ensigns. If, on her first day on the Excalibur, she had found Lt Commander Etan strapped to a bed, with Lt Seta and Dakora studying him on the side, but still chirpily welcoming her to the crew, she might have walked out and say she’d come back later.
@Jovenan being her sassy self
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Yogan nodded weakly as the words ‘instant regret’ darted around in his mind like pinballs.
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'Kos had developed the ability to listen and offer his opinion while enduring horrific flashbacks. It was quite the gift.
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Attribution: Yogan Yalu
March is Reading Awareness Month, a perfect opportunity to load up the e-book reader or visit a local library or bookshop to find an exciting new book to read. Why not make it a Star Trek book?
With over 850 original novels, short story collections, episode and film novelizations, graphic novels, and omnibus editions published since 1967, Star Trek has made an indisputable impact on 20th- and 21st-century popular literature. As most Trek novels exist outside of the franchise’s official canon, they often place our heroes in unconventional and unexpected situations. Trek novels are also known for expanding minor onscreen references into major plot points. A prime example of this is a scene from the DS9 episode “Rapture,” where Sisko tells a Bajoran militia officer, “You don't belong here. Go home.” This nameless extra became Yevir Linjarin, a central character in the DS9 Relaunch book series.
The first original Trek novel was 1970’s Spock Must Die!, in which a transporter accident duplicates the Enterprise first officer just as the diplomatic situation between the Klingons and the Organians begins to deteriorate. Weaving together threads from classic TOS episodes “Errand of Mercy” and “The Enemy Within,” author James Bish explores the question, “What happens to your soul in the transporter?”
Although TNG fans got hints at the relationship between Will Riker and Deanna Troi during the series’ run, it was 1992’s Imzadi that delved deep into one of Star Trek’s most enduring romances. This novel tells the love story of Riker and Troi across decades, from their first meeting on Betazed to an alternate future where a bitter, aged Riker mourns his long lost love. Bonus points: Jonathan Frakes narrates the audiobook version.
Una McCormack’s The Never-Ending Sacrifice is a classic coming-of-age story and recounts the events of Deep Space Nine, but from the perspective of a Cardassion boy. Christie Golden’s Homecoming picks up almost literally where the VOY finale leaves off, but instead of a “happily ever after,” the Voyager crew returns home to a weakened, post-Dominion War Federation that has little place for them. The state of the franchise in the mid-2000s means that there are fewer Enterprise novels to choose from, but J. M. Dillard’s Surak’s Soul is consistently ranked amongst the best Trek novels. In Surak’s Soul, T’Pol is forced to choose between her Vulcan ideals and her Human captain’s orders.
With fewer episodes per season and a shift to more plot-driven storytelling, readers devour the newer series’ novels for the backstories of our heroes and to fill in the gaps between what is shown on screen. Una McCormack’s The Way to the Stars tells the origin story of one of Trek’s most relatable and endearing characters, Sylvia Tilly, while McCormack’s The Last Best Hope shows Picard’s evolution from admiral to vintner in the lead-up to the new series premiere.
Finally, Trek novels can place our favourite characters in situations that might be impractical or unpopular for television. Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens’ Federation appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List in 1994, and has been described as a stronger Kirk/Picard crossover story than Star Trek: Generations. The Lives of Dax, edited by Marco Palmieri, isn’t even a novel at all; rather a collection of short stories about each of the Dax symbiont’s humanoid hosts.
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On 3/7/2023 at 12:32 AM, Yalu said:
This bit from @Genkos Adea has totally not been taken out of context.
Also, thanks. I know can't shoot anyone a smile for risk of getting put here....
I'M DOUBLE THINKING EVERYTHING
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Happy Valentine's Day StarBase 118! Today is a day to celebrate love in all its forms and what better way to do that than by taking a look at some of the most popular fan fiction pairings in the Star Trek universe. The Star Trek franchise has given us countless characters that we love, and sometimes that love extends beyond just friendship. Whether it's the classic Kirk and Spock or the unlikely Chakotay and Seven of Nine, these pairings have captured the hearts of fans everywhere. So grab a cup of hot cocoa, snuggle up with your sweetheart, and get ready to boldly go where no romance has gone before!
We want to know which of these fictional love connections is your favourite. Will it be the steady and supportive Chakotay and Janeway or the electric Picard and the Borg Queen? The decision is yours! So, without further ado, let's dive into these iconic Star Trek pairings.
Janeway and Chakotay take viewers on a compelling journey from enemies, to allies, to friends, to perhaps something more? Their relationship transcends space and time, and contains episodes rife with romantic tropes and subtext (“Resolutions,” anyone?) that can’t help but leave us questioning just how close they are, exactly.
Garak and Bashir have palpable tension, from their very first scene through their debates of Cardassian literature and holodeck hijinks. Both were given other romantic interests throughout the series, but all lacked the chemistry the pair had together (sorry, Ezri). Whether bromance or romance, Garak and Bashir is one of the most popular pairings in the fandom.
Of course, we can't leave out Kirk and Spock, possibly the oldest pairing in Star Trek. The exact nature of their relationship has been the subject of endless debates and speculation since the Original Series was on air, and prompted the creation of fandom as we know it with hand-bound fan-zines. No other pairing on this list can claim that!
While the previous pairing built on a compelling history and chemistry between characters, Chakotay and Seven of Nine almost came out of nowhere. Both were complex, interesting characters who developed more complex, interesting relationships with basically everyone else on the show than with each other, only to be paired off in the series finale. Still, despite this pairing’s limited build-up, it is interesting to watch Seven learn about romance, first through holo-Chakotay and then through a relationship with the real Chakotay.
And speaking of new love connections, we can't forget about the latest addition to the Star Trek universe - Star Trek Lower Decks! In this animated comedy, we have the pairing of Mariner and Boimler. These two lower deck officers may have started off as just friends, but their love story is one that has captivated audiences everywhere. With Mariner's mischievous streak and Boimler's by-the-book approach, these two complement each other in the most unexpected ways.
Last but certainly not least, we have Picard and the Borg Queen. Love may be the last thing on the minds of a Starfleet captain and a Borg drone, but their interactions were electric. From enemies to... well, still enemies, but with a touch of respect and a hint of attraction. Who knows, maybe love really can conquer all.
Of course, this list barely scratches the surface of all of Star Trek’s couples. Did we leave out your favourite pairing? Let us hear it in the comments!
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Quote((Deck 7, Sickbay, USS Excalibur-A))
Jinean didn‘t quite know why and how, but somehow she seemed to have made an enemy. The red-headed pah-wraith had haunted her office twice now, and every of her visits made the Bajoran Counsellor feel like she perhaps had returned to active duty too early.
She really didn‘t need the additional stress right now - not when the news she had received was already putting a strain on her carefully laid out plans.
Upon being assigned to Excalibur, Jinean had briefly discussed the option of “family on board” with Commander MacKenzie, but had never truly planned on making use of that option. Now, it seemed like the right thing to do.
With a sigh she entered sickbay, hoping to spot one of the doctors and get something for the headache that was plaguing her for the past few hours. While Doctor Adea seemed unavailable, one of their new medical Ensigns presently seemed to have nothing better to do.
Seta: Hey, Ensign…. Jones? Sorry, I am bad with names, but I am fairly sure we were teamed up a week ago.
She offered an apologetic smile, well aware that it wasn’t exactly flattering to have your name forgotten.
Hiro had been cataloging the emergency medical kits for the last half-hour. It seemed a relatively menial task, but as there were no patients at the moment needing attention and as the kits had recently gone through such a flurry of usefulness, he’d taken on the task. Now, at the sound of his name, he’d turned to see the Bajoran counselor standing just a few feet away. She claimed to not have clear memory of him (anonymity suited him comfortably), but she had gotten his name right. With a warm smile, he set down the polyvinyl/canvas bag in which he’d been rummaging, reaching for a tricorder from a nearby examination tray.
Jones: Ah, Lieutenant Seta, right? You got me in one. ::another (hopefully ingratiating) smile::
Seta: ::nodding:: Evidently you’re better with names than I am.
Jones: What can I do for you? Are you feeling alright?
Seta: Just a headache. I was hoping you could give me something against it.
After a quick scan to determine the cause of the headache, Hiro set down the tricorder, swapping it for a hypospray of a mild analgesic. As he pressed the tool against her neck, delivering the relief, he looked more intently at the woman before him. He’d known her in his brief interaction to be somewhat … brusk. She was to-the-point, but Hiro believed this abrupt manner didn’t come from any unkindness. It was always best to begin any relationship with an open mind. Until she gave him reason to think otherwise, Hiro would assume she had her own reasons for her mannerisms.
Jones: Are you ok, Lieutenant? Forgive me for saying so, but I get the feeling there’s more troubling you than a headache. I'd be happy to chat if that would help.
For a moment, Jinean peered at Ensign Jones. She was generally not too fussed about ranks and duty posts, but being offered a chat by a medical Ensign was a little strange - especially as a counselor.
But she couldn’t exactly complain about someone being nice.
Seta: :: with a sigh:: Sure.
Jones: Would you like to take a seat? Can I get you something to drink? ::looking around the room at the low-grade bustle:: Or we could find a less-busy place to talk?
Seta: Like one of the counseling suites? ::she raised an eyebrow:: I will say it usually works the other way around ::meaning that *she* was the one inviting people to talk:: … but I am not opposed. Plus, my office has tea.
Hiro self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck. No matter how hard he tried, it seemed he was incapable of completely de-role from his former life of a counselor.
Jones: Sorry about that. Old habits. No pressure, I was merely offering a friendly ear if you wanted one. ::beat to think:: And tea sounds lovely.
She nodded and led the way, still hyper aware of how surreal the situation was. But she *did* want to talk to someone, and she didn’t want to discourage the poor ensign.
Once more in her office, Jinean prepared tea for the both of them and took a seat in front of the desk, briefly entertaining the idea of Jones taking the one behind her desk.
Seta: I prefer tea over coffee. I get it sent from Bajor.
Jones: I’m right there with you. I get jittery with coffee. I (and my patients) prefer a steady hand.
He took a sip of the Bajoran tea. The warmth was delightful, and the rich aromatics were just floral enough without being overpowering.
Jones: This is really nice. Thank you for sharing it with me. It tastes almost like cardamom, but I don’t believe that grows on Bajor.
Seta: I have not heard of it ::she shook her head:: These are Cela leafs, native to Bajor. I grew up with it - and I will admit I might have a minor addiction by now.
She grinned, reminiscing about how her family used to send her Bajoran teas and spices. They had been so proud of their daughter's Starfleet career.
Jones: Ah. Well that makes sense.
Hiro took another sip to give her time to collect her thoughts. It really was a complex flavor profile. He made a mental note to get some for his private loose leaf collection (replicated is fine, but proper tea is made with real, honest-to-goodness tea leaves).
When no soul-spilling seemed forthcoming, Hiro prodded ever so gently.
Jones: Well, I offered a friendly ear. As such, would you mind calling me Hiro?
Seta: ::hesitantly:: I don’t mind, Hiro. You can call me Seta ::she paused, then clarified:: It’s not customary on Bajor to use someone’s first name. I know it’s different amongst humans.
Jones: I’m happy to adopt whatever makes you most comfortable, Seta.
She nodded.
Seta: I find myself.. on edge, lately. I’ve not been here long, only a few weeks longer than you have. Thus far, things haven’t quite worked out the way I wanted them to.
Jones: How so?
Seta: Well. ::she took a deep breath:: I guess I somehow expected to just get back to where I was before ::she paused:: I realise that sounds cryptic. ::another pause:: The first ship I served on was the USS Helsinki. Small vessel, perhaps two hundred people - and I absolutely loved it there. They were my family, I knew pretty much everyone, had good friends and a fiercely supportive commanding officer.
Jones: And you don’t feel that here?
The Excalibur was certainly a much larger than her last ship. Hiro considered how it must feel: going from an intimate, tight-knit group to a crew so large it was entirely possible to serve for months and still not meet everyone.
Seta: No. It’s a huge ship and my first few weeks here were spent in direct competition with a Ferengi who was convinced I was trying to steal his clients.
Doctor Gott hadn’t exactly made any friends, but he probably *had* made a fortune. Jinean didn’t understand how someone could put a price tag on mental health, but knew that Ferengi culture was very different to what she was used to.
A picture was forming in Hiro’s mind. Based on what she’d already shared, Hiro started to understand the curt demeanor. She’d been feeling isolated in a sea of people. He’d learned enough to know however, it was best to keep listening before speaking to an initial impression.
Jones: That must have been a challenge to say the least. May I ask what brought you to the Excalibur from the Helsinki?
Seta: The last months on the USS Helsinki weren’t great. I .. trusted the wrong person. Or maybe I just didn’t see how much help he really needed. ::pause:: Either way, I hate that I am still dealing with the consequences.
Jones: ::eyes narrowing slightly in concentration:: What consequences do you mean?
Seta: I didn’t transfer directly ::she clarified:: I spent a year or so on the USS Saint Raphael for… reintegration, of sorts. And before that I was on maternity leave. ::she offered a somewhat sad smile:: Consequences.
And yes, she was calling her daughter a consequence.
Hiro studied the Bajoran’s face for longer than would have been considered polite, but Seta was a counselor, and likely knew exactly the kinds of wheels currently turning in his mind. Her hands twisting slightly in her lap and darting gaze was enough to confirm one thing for Hiro: this daughter was not common knowledge - at least not on the Excalibur. She had said she “hated that she was still dealing with the consequences,” yet she didn’t seem the sort to resent a child for simply existing. That meant there was likely another factor here.
Jones: ::tentatively, delicately:: The father?
Seta: The Helsinki’s First Officer.
Jones: I see. And are the two of you still in touch? Where does the girl live currently? May I ask her name? oO Easy does it, Hiro. Not too many questions at once Oo
She drew in a sharp breath and considered her best words carefully. It wasn’t a surprise that she hated talking about these things, but talking *did* help - that’s what she told her own patients anyway.
Seta: Leo. Leothera - that’s her name. She lives with my sister on Bajor.
At least for the time being.
Jones: Do you get many opportunities to see Leo?
Seta: She is still very young. If she recognizes me at all, she probably thinks I’m an aunt.
Hiro sighed gently. The mental image he’d been painting had turned inside-out with this new information. It still resembled the original, but now possessed perspectives, new angles relative to the rest. Where before Seta had been dealing with profound loneliness, this new perspective showed the loneliness to be tinged with guilt for past decisions, guilt at current situations, and fear for future consequences. oO Ask more questions, Hiro. It’s not time to talk yet. Oo
Jones: When you think about Leo’s father, what is the first word that comes to mind?
Another very difficult question. Jinean and Aldris had been close friends, and then lovers, but never partners.
Seta: Frankly, sometimes I hope a transporter accident fuses him together with a dung-lizard.
Hiro suppressed a small snort of laughter at the venom in this response.
Jones: ::eyebrows raised and tight-lipped:: A dung-lizard. Got it. Can you tell me more?
Seta: He is Trill. Joined. I was a new Ensign fresh out of Academy, and he was older, experienced, and had the shiny pips. Everything about him was appealing, and he needed someone to make the mandatory counseling sessions less dreadful.
Which was what made the whole thing worse. Having a child with your FO was already a somewhat questionable decision, but when that FO was also a patient… well.
Jones: You were impressionable. I imagine it would be doubly-hard to fight those feelings on such a small ship. ::beat:: So, you joined the crew as counselor (which required you to tend to everyone’s mental health checkups - including his), then after a time grew close. One thing lead to another, then Leo. May I ask, did you leave the Helsinki of your own will or were you “encouraged” to take another posting?
Seta: When I had to report the pregnancy I was found guilty of misconduct and was demoted. I remained for a few more months but then took maternity leave. Returning was never really an option.
Jones: Seta, I’m so sorry. That was terribly unjust. oO A dung-lizard might be too kind Oo
Hiro let the truth and sympathy hang heavy in the room for a moment while considering his next words. The picture was starting to smooth out again, but that didn’t mean there weren’t new folds waiting. A few more questions.
Jones: You took maternity leave. How long after Leo’s birth before you joined the Saint Raphael?
Seta: Only a few months. ::she admitted:: I was.. desperate to get back to where I was. The way my siblings and parents talked about my career made me so incredibly proud, and I had made so many friends in Starfleet.
Jones: You wanted in a sense to go back in time? Even though you knew that’s not how life works.
She nodded. It had been naive thinking, she knew that.
Seta: I thought everything would be fixed if I could get back to that.
Hiro shifted in his seat, moving to the leading edge of the cushion and resting his forearms on his knees. It was a pretty typical counselor position and one he’d affected countless times to elicit feelings of connection in his patients, but now the posture came unbidden. He actually empathized with this hurting soul across from him. He wished for the ability to magically fix the situations that had wrought such pain in her life, but as he had just reminded her: that’s not how life works.
Jones: Seta, I’m incredibly sorry for what you’ve gone through. I genuinely am. ::His gaze found his own hands, now worrying together, and clasped them to still their movement.:: I won’t give you some trite saying or psychological babble about moving forward. We - neither of us - don’t need to hear that right now. Let’s start by acknowledging the pain. The way you were taken advantage of and then mistreated by officers meant to uphold a line of fairness and decency genuinely disgusts me. I want you to know, deep in the darkest corners of your heart, that what happened was a theft.
Hiro looked back into her face. It was difficult to see her clearly because the combined pain of empathy for Seta’s situation and the weight of his own past mistakes brought a glaze of tears to his eyes. He took a steadying breath before pressing on.
Jones: Second, you aren’t being punished. Leo exists. That’s a static fact. You’re her mother. Fact. You are a Starfleet officer. Fact. There are countless facts you can hold tight to before you start going down the rabbit hole of higher purpose. I don’t know how religious you are, and I don’t claim to be an expert by any means on the Bajoran faith, but I refuse to believe in any scenario where a child would be a punishment, even if one were merited.
Hiro let those words hang in the air. He’d done a fair amount of talking just now. It was Seta’s turn to take what he’d said or not. Every person’s situation was unique. The thing he’d never realized while he was an official counselor however, was that because of this uniqueness, each response to those situations must also be unique. Counselors, well-intentioned friends, nosy family - whoever was providing the input - were not there to solve the problem, they were there to help the individual create their own bespoke tools for turning the problem into something that would help them grow. Now, as he sat across from Seta Jinean, a woman who’d had so much stripped from her, he wondered what kinds of tools she needed to work through this.
Seta: That… makes a lot of sense. ::she nodded, having to admit that this medical Ensign apparently had the mental health segment more serious than any other academy graduate she had met:: Usually I deal with it quite well. ::beat:: Admittedly, not as well as I could. There is still a certain… distrust towards others. And I still find myself comparing Excalibur to the Helsinki, which isn’t healthy or useful.
Jones: You’ve heard that “comparison is the thief of joy?” It’s trite, but true. Just … give yourself the time and space you need to deal with these things in a healthy way. Believe me: ::with a self-deprecating smile:: counselors feel like they need to have everything sorted immediately because they’ve been trained to deal with issues, but the reality is: no issue is the same as any other. We build our lives on what comes our way, then build on that, then build some more. If we’ve put walls up, they become … load-bearing. You can’t just knock them down without careful planning and consideration.
Jinean nodded, reclining in her chair. Now that she had spilled the tea and told Hiro about what had happened, she felt more comfortable to continue the conversation. She had years to reflect on it, and she knew that her side was biased.
Seta: I know there is more to the story than I know. I know that I perceive things in a way that isn’t necessarily true, and I am working on dealing with that too. The thing is..
Hiro didn’t move a muscle. Whatever “the thing was” was entirely up to Seta to share or not, and he wasn’t going to impede her progress now.
Seta: ::deep breath:: My sisters … circumstances changed. She is no longer able to take care of Leo, and my parents are getting old. And as you stated, I am her mother. The logical conclusion is for her to come live with me.
On Excalibur, where the tacos were poison and a cloud of nanobots had tried to take the ship apart only a few days ago. Jinean certainly wasn’t going to make mother of the year, but even she understood that this wasn’t an ideal environment for a kid.
Jones: Logic isn’t everything. Please don’t tell any Vulcans I said that, but I believe it. If we only did what is logical, we would be robbing ourselves of the value of having emotions. ::beat:: What do you feel would be a healthy next step?
Seta: … Find a temporal anomaly and have her age into an adult?
This time there was no helping it. Hiro let out an involuntary guffaw.
Jones: Well I hear things on the Excalibur can get weird. That may not be entirely out of the realm of possibility, but in the meantime?
She sighed, though evidently she was not entirely serious with it.
Seta: I suppose the healthy thing would be to… discuss with the people who have families on board. Perhaps speak to Nicholotti.
Jones: Then I think you should consider that. Don’t act on it right away, but take time to consider what the ramifications would be. While you’re considering though, try to remember there are people on this ship - which is just as unique from any other ship as one person is from any other - that will have your back. Me, for one. You’ve always got a friendly ear and a helping hand from me.
He smiled, taking a sip of his now ice-cold tea. It was still delicious, but at this lower temperature, the earthy floral tones were replaced by heady, almost (but not quite) citrus ones. It really was fantastic tea.
Seta: Thank you. ::she smiled:: You really are good at this. Ever thought of going into counselling?
Jones: Can I make a confession?
Seta: ::carefully:: Yeah.
Jones: ::not meeting her eyes:: I was a Starfleet counselor for six years.
Ouch. That explained a lot, and at the same time brought so many new questions.
Seta: I see. ::pause:: Thank you for telling me. I take it it isnt something you share with the vast majority of the crew?
Jones: That’s a long story, and one I’m willing to share with you, but maybe another time?
She nodded.
Seta: Absolutely. ::she paused, then, with a sheepish smile, added:: I’ll schedule something.
Jones: Eager to flip the table?
Seta: Oh of course. Being pushy is the first thing they teach you at Academy.
Perhaps Jinean had been far too careful with that in the past few weeks. Maybe *that woman* was onto something when she had simply scheduled MacKenzie and Dakora for appointments, rather than asking them if they *wanted* one.
And even if they didn’t feel like talking about those big and difficult topics - they could always just sit here and have tea.
~ END ~
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Lt. Seta Jinean
Counselor
Excalibur-A
J239809TA4~ AND ~
Ens Hiro Jones
Medical Officer
Excalibur-A
E2395KD0Well well well, if it isn't a glorious JP from our resident lovelys @Hiro Jones and @Trovek and Sydin - a great example of counselling on leave
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(( Verso family home, Grodor Regional Municipality, Trill ))
Yogan stamped the accumulated snow and ice from his boots, then gingerly stepped out of them and crossed the threshold into his childhood home. Instinctively, he wiped his socked feet on the mat beside the door, just in case. Outside, the sky was clear and the sun shone brightly, but the ever-present wind blew weeks-old snow around in frenzied mini-cyclones, giving the pastoral landscape the look and feel of a blizzard. Winter in the foothills of Trill’s highest mountain peak always arrived suddenly and overstayed its welcome. Just a few towns away, at about a hundred meters’ lower elevation, the spring thaw had already set in.
K. Verso: Thanks again, both of you, for everything.
The corners of Yogan’s mouth turned slightly upward when he spun around and saw his younger brother and sister doing the same complicated maneuver with their shoes as they entered. His sister Kejana had spent the last several years at home caring for their mother during her slow decline. Kej, unlike Yogan and their brother Nedal, had never lived far from home. Also unlike her brothers, Kejana had no memories of living off-world; she was only three years old when their parents decided to resettle back on the homeworld.
N. Verso: Don’t mention it. I’m just sorry we didn’t get here sooner.
Ever since the boys left their exciting, cosmopolitan adolescence on Earth for the sedate, provincial life of Grodor Regional Municipality, Nedal and Yogan both dreamt of bigger things. For Yogan, this desire manifested in learning to pilot spacecraft, while Nedal developed his artistic talents and dazzled art institutes across the Federation with his poetry. They both had ambitions to be Joined, but while Yogan succeeded and became the eighth host of the Yalu symbiont, Nedal had washed out of the Initiate Program. He later found his voice and left home to follow his own path.
Kejana, however, was another story. Eight years Yogan’s junior, Kejana possessed a wit that was both cutting and comforting. Her warmth shone through even when her sarcasm eviscerated you. She never complained about the burden of caring for their aging mother, even as Yogan and Nedal moved farther away from home. Yogan used to wonder what Kej would do when she no longer had the commitment of being a caretaker, but he knew his sister well enough now that he hadn’t the slightest doubt.
K. Verso: You got here as soon as you could. ::beat:: I don’t think you would have felt any better if you’d seen her before she went.
Nedal had missed her passing by only a few hours. Yogan arrived early the following morning, after her body had already been taken from the house. The family matriarch, Haned, was only 73 when she died. For the last decade, she suffered from a degenerative condition that slowly, heartbreakingly, took her mind away long before her body gave out. Three years ago, when Yogan last visited, Haned didn’t recognize him, and he left feeling guilty for having squandered too much precious time.
A few days later, when he was in his hotel in the capital, packing his bags to leave, he received an urgent call from Kejana, beckoning him home.
(( Flashback — Verso family home — 2397 ))
Yogan entered the house sweaty and breathing heavily, but none of that mattered. His long legs closed the distance to the dining table in what felt like two paces, and he sat down across from his mother, who cradled a mug of tea between her small, frail hands. She smiled slightly, as if the movement required more energy than she could summon.
H. Jurea: Hello, Yogan. It is so good to see you.
Yogan struggled to blink back tears, his already pounding heart going into overtime from the emotion he was feeling.
Yalu: It’s good to see you too, Mother.
Kejana entered and draped a thick grey blanket over her mother’s shoulders, then whispered to Yogan.
K. Verso: I’ll give you two some time alone.
Yogan nodded his thanks, then looked back at his mother, attempting to etch her features and her charming expression permanently into his memory.
H. Jurea: I am sorry about the other day. I… wasn’t myself.
Yalu: Mother, you have nothing to apologize for.
With one hand, the woman reached out to the center of the table, wiggling her fingers slightly. Yogan took her hand, cold to the touch, and squeezed it gently.
H. Jurea: Kejana told me you completed your zhian’tara. How was it, Son?
Yogan struggled to find the right words, not because the question was difficult to answer, but because there were so many other things he wanted to say. His voice cracked as he spoke, and swallowed against the lump in his throat.
Yalu: It was amazing. ::beat:: Mother, I want to tell you something. I am so sorry I haven’t been here. I shouldn’t have stayed away so long.
Haned set her mug of tea on the table and held Yogan’s hand in both of hers. She looked him in the eye, and unlike last time, her gaze was fixed and lucid.
H. Jurea: Let’s not talk about that. We don’t know how much time we have. ::beat, smiling:: In fact, come over here.
Yogan looked at his mother curiously, and she repeated herself more forcefully.
H. Jurea: Come on. Come over and sit here next to me.
Yogan brought his chair over to the opposite side of the table and sat next to his mother, dropping his broad shoulders so she could wrap one arm around him. He held her free hand again and they sat together, mother cradling her adult child, without saying a word. Finally, Haned broke the silence.
H. Jurea: I love you, Yogan. Remember that for me.
(( End Flashback ))
Yogan promised himself he would put more effort into his relationships with his siblings. Starfleet and ship life made it tough, but he kept in touch with Neddo and Kej as often as possible. They had embodied Yogan's past hosts during his zhian’tara, and through the experience, he felt he understood both of them better.
K. Verso: When do you have to leave?
N. Verso: I ought to be getting back over the hill in the morning.
Going over the hill was the phrase locals used to describe visiting the Trill capital, which was situated on the other side of Bes Manev and the cordillera of mountains that flanked it. When Yogan and Neddo first arrived in Grodor, they laughed at the local vernacular, but quickly adapted when their schoolmates teased the Verso boys’ foreign accents.
Yalu: I can stay a couple more days. Only if you want. ::bites lip, beat:: This is your house now, Kej.
Kejana looked around the large living room. A glaze of ice covered the skylights, casting the interior space in grey-blue semidarkness. Only after a moment did the meaning of Yogan’s words land, and she eyed her brothers curiously.
K. Verso: Really? You mean it? I thought we’d need to discuss what to do with the place. I’m no lawyer, but Mother left everything to the three of us.
N. Verso: ::shakes head:: No. Yogan and I talked about it. You’ve been here. Through everything with Father and Mother. ::laughs:: And us. It’s home. It’s your home.
Kejana turned and looked around again, seeing the place with new eyes. For years, their mother’s decline had been mirrored in the state of the house. Kejana had ministered to both of them. In the last few years, the big old homestead had regained much of its former glory. The youngest Verso sibling hugged her brothers in turn, and Yogan felt his heart swell with the emotion of a thousand memories when Kejana stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck.
Yogan had long mistaken Kej’s strengths for weaknesses. He wrongly thought she lacked ambition because she didn’t possess her brothers’ obsessive desire to chase adventure. He felt no compulsion to be validated by institutions and audiences and rank pips. In many ways, she was the strongest member of the family, possessing qualities that neither Nedal nor Yogan had.
K. Verso: Thank you. You can come stay here anytime.
N. Verso: You can always come visit us, too, you know. Earth is a great place. I’d love to show you where we grew up.
Yalu: ::grins:: Deep Space 224 isn’t nearly as exciting as Old Sarajevo, but you’re welcome to come see me there. ::beat:: We just got a Burger Nagus.
Kejana laughed and nodded. It was a polite gesture, but Yogan knew the odds of her traveling halfway across the quadrant to visit were as good as Kirky winning a quiz. She had little interest in living among the stars, and that was okay. With their mother gone and their father enjoying his new life, Yogan felt a new responsibility for his siblings. None of them had partners or children of their own, so the duty fell on his shoulders to keep their small family unit together. But how he would do that from The Borderlands, he didn’t know.
K. Verso: ::wry smile:: And some guy who likes you, or so Nedal tells me.
Yalu: Neddo, you told her about Chippy? ::to Kejana:: He’s just a guy I’m kind-of-seeing.
K. Verso: Wait, hang on. ::long beat:: His name’s… Chippy?
And so the tables turned. Yogan, the oldest, the one with all the responsibility to look after his younger siblings, was instantly on the back foot in the face of Kejana’s playful questioning.
The three Verso siblings descended upon the kitchen and cracked open one of their mother’s old recipe books, determined to recreate some of their favorite childhood dishes. As the evening sky clouded over and fresh snow began to fall, they took turns sharing memories and retelling old stories, but nothing the entire night got a bigger laugh than “Chippy.”
Lieutenant Commander Yogan Yalu
Starfleet Strategic Operations Deputy Chief—Borderlands Sector
Deep Space 224
D238804DS0Justin / @Yalu reasserts himself as a tugger of heartstrings with this beautiful slice of family life.
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Nearby, a cornucopia of syllables spewed forth from Jones like liquid from a stream. Dwich tried to follow along, but he lost the plot after “Conductive.”
Jones: ::aloud, but to himself, eyes glazed in thought:: Conductive and insular materials make no difference. It's a guided system. Seeking energy signatures? No, that would be indiscriminate. This is more specific than that. It's a task list. This isn't a virus or a pathogen at all! Organic material would have at least caused a reaction, an energy-based entity would have been conductive. Genkos' hand would be fried from a bolt that size. This is ... ::looking up and exclaiming:: MECHANICAL!
@Yalu - this is understated comedy gold
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Welcome, congrats and thanks for being a pleasure to acadamise!
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Funny things heard on the USS Gorkon
in Appreciations
Posted
Excuse me? ::blinks::