Ensign Aratta Eriddu: Timpok Seed

[Gogigobo Fairhug]

Very touching @Aratta

 

 

 

 

 

((Arboretum, Starfleet Research Station, Ring 42))

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The public gateway transporter has just delivered the Bajoran Ensign right outside the incomplete and developing Research Station. Despite the crates, boxes, antigravity sleds and various containers scattered along the way to the research center, the place had an unmistakable beauty. Many tree and plant lifeforms could be seen in the background, revealing the direction for the future arboretum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commander Falt told him that there was a peaceful lake with a small central island, right next to the Arboretum, and Eriddu thought it would be an ideal place for the burial ritual. He walked towards the gray bushes carrying a cubical wooden box in one hand and a bottle of water with a bizarre seed inside in the other. The seed was from the Timpok tree, a common type of flora found in the province of Kendra on the planet Bajor. Despite all the historical events of that place, this particular tree was part of his childhood memories with his mother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eleven years ago, he had lost his mother during an undercover mission and his life changed drastically after that. Forced to live with his uncle on New Bajor, then with his biological father on Earth, he hasn't heard from his mother's disappearance for quite some time. Now he had her ashes and was about to find a place to bury her. At least he would be able to pick a place where he could pay his respects from time to time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way to the lake, the Bajoran officer nodded to a few crewmen and a few civilians, but none of them stopped his walk or bothered him in any way. It seemed that Commander Falt had explained in advance the purpose of his presence there. At the edge of the lake, he found a small antigrav sled with a long pole carefully laid out for him to use. The central island was just a few meters from the shore, but there was still no bridge or walkway built on the site. So that would be his transport across the lake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aratta: ::with sad expression:: C’mon! Let 's do this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He jumped on the sled, giving it some momentum. Struggling to keep his balance and avoid dropping the precious urn into the lake, he began his journey towards the small island. After a few minutes he arrived at the small open hill, beautiful bedecked with colorful flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aratta: Lindoya! ::teary eyes:: Mother!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before the excruciating emotion could overtake him, he bent his knees to the ground and began to dig with his bare hands, following an old tradition. He soon realized that if he didn't do it quickly, he wouldn't be able to do it anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aratta: I therefore commit your remains to the ground… ::breathing deeply:: ashes to ashes, dust to dust … ::choked voice::

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost crying, he took the wooden cubic urn and placed it carefully over the small hole he had dug. It was only about a foot deep, more than enough to put the seed and cover it with soil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aratta: May this seed bring once again your fruits to this world. ::he lay down the timpok seed over the urn::

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With that last sentence, he quickly covered the seed with soil. Then he took the bottle and watered the spot where he had just placed his mother's ashes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aratta: Let life bloom once more! ::closed eyes::

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tradition has it that if you could actually say goodbye to your loved one, the seed would grow strong and tall. Otherwise, if you are still attached to the person, the seed will not bear fruit. In that case, a lifetime of sadness and pain may follow the individual.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But before he could complete the ritual, he heard a strange, loud hiss. Startled, he quickly opened his eyes and to his astonishment he was no longer in the lake. A vast, massive metal dome had completely replaced the lake. He turned, trying to identify any landmarks, but he couldn't find any. Eriddu didn't even know where the light that illuminated that structure came from. Confused and scared, he lowered his head, preparing to stand up, but in the blink of an eye, the landscape returned to the previous one. He stood up and felt a shiver run down his spine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aratta: What was that? ::eyes wide open::

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----

 

 

 

Ensign Aratta Eriddu

 

 

 

Science Officer

 

 

 

Denali Station

 

 

 

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