Ens. Tahna Meru - [Backsim] Phone Home

[Alleran Tan]

A lovely little bit of family life from our Ensign! This was fun to read.

 

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((Tahna's Quarters, Deck 5, USS Gorkon))

 

Meru set a small white and gold prayer candle on the table beside her bed, something of a finishing touch. She hadn't had even time to unpack before her first mission and her first order of business post-ribbon ceremony was to fix that. She looked around her quarters -- still pretty empty, but she would have plenty of time to fill them. She finally felt settled in. She was about to change out of her newly decorated uniform into something more casual when the PADD on her bed chimed. Changing would have to wait. She plopped down on the bed in front of the PADD before answering the incoming transmission. 

 

Meru: Hanyu, ah’no peldar aka rokaya!

 

Rej: Hanyu, ja'ral!

 

Meru's mother and father waved at her from the screen. She smiled back, slipping easily back into her native Bajoran though it felt like forever since she'd had a chance to speak it. Her father, Rej, had the same easygoing lopsided smile she knew and loved; her mother, Yavarel, was never half as stern as she looked. 

 

Yavarel: How goes your first assignment, Ensign Tahna?  

 

Meru: ::Smiling:: I'm still in one piece. 

 

Yavarel: And decorated. Care to share?

 

Meru laughed awkwardly. This was why she had hoped to change before their call. 

 

Meru: I had a run-in with some Orion criminals. Scared them away with fireworks. You know, the usual.

 

Her mother did not look satisfied with that answer but to Meru's relief she pressed no further. Knowing her parents she guessed that her mother could identify the red and black Prisoner of War ribbon, though her father certainly could not. She had no doubt her mother would question her about it later in a private message when she could do so without worrying it would hit too close to home for her father. 

 

Yavarel: All in a day's work. ::She paused before changing the subject.:: Your father was complaining that you don't send enough pictures.

 

Rej: I wasn't complaining, but I would love to paint the Beta quadrant if you see anything striking. 

 

Meru: ::Smiling:: Only if you send me one of your paintings, fa. 

 

Rej: Of course, Mer. As many as will fit in your quarters. 

 

Yavarel: Have you had a chance to get settled? 

 

Meru looked over her quarters. Her uniforms hung neatly in the closet. A small painting her father made of the budding kava fields on her uncle's farm hung over her desk; below it sat a family portrait taken the day before Meru left for the Academy. Her father's hair was still auburn in the picture, now she saw it had grayed considerably since she'd left. Her mother looked the same as ever -- like she hadn't aged a day since Bajor joined the Federation.   

 

Meru: I just finished unpacking actually, and I can definitely fit more of your paintings.

 

Her father smiled in delight. 

 

Rej: I'll get right on that. 

 

Yavarel: I'm sure you have plenty to do. We won't keep you-

 

Rej: But we love hearing from you, Mer.

 

Meru: It's good to see you both. ::She smiled:: I love you. 

 

Rej: We love you too. 

 

Yavarel simply nodded and the call ended with a beep. Meru set the PADD down and fell back on her bed. Her mother was right, she did have plenty to do, but she felt exhausted from all the day's socializing. She stood up to change into something more comfortable, setting her PADD on the desk as she passed it. So much to do, but nothing said she couldn't start with a nap. 

 

((End.))

 

((OOC: Bajoran translations from here: http://www.cyberspaces.net/Star_Trek/BajorDictionary.html))

 

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Ensign Tahna Meru

Science Officer
USS Gorkon (NCC-82293)
G239801TM4