Ras El'Heem - Do you hear our plight?

[Kali Nicholotti]

((Stardate 239101.30, The Root, Verdant Belt, Sylvana Prime))

 

The classroom had been increasingly empty over the past month. Ras still attended as his parents insisted that his primary school education must continue despite everything that was going on. However, his mind had been fuzzy as of late. The rations his family were entitled to were hardly able to sustain all four of them. Most of the creche he had grown up with were migrating with their families away from the blight. Although, not all of them had left because they were moving, some of them had left Ras’s life because they did not get enough rations to survive. One loss in particular weighed on Ras these last few days.

 

Ras looked over at a desk that sat a few rows ahead of him and to the left. It sat empty, as it had for less than a week. Every time he saw that seat, melancholy washed over him. Maybe he should’ve forgone a day or two of rations to sustain his crechemate. It would’ve been hard on Ras no doubt, but he should’ve done something. He felt immense guilt over the loss even though in reality he could not have prevented it, his parents had told him this very fact many times since Kael Jena’s composting. Why did they even need to compost her? The Verdant Belt had grown withered since those botanists unearthed the mutant mushrooms in the Great Barren North. There was nothing for Kael to return to. He supposed they did because it was tradition. A way to honor those lost, even if it was in vain.

 

Ras’s faith in tradition had waned since the only things on his mind were his empty stomach. The growling kept him up at night too, the lack of sleep surely contributed to the fuzz in Ras’s head. He floated in that cotton, his thoughts adrift. Thoughts of leaving all this pain behind, thoughts of his now frail baby sister, thoughts of the dead stares his parents have as they reconcile with how to provide for their children. Thoughts of food. Basted Variegated Palm stalks, grilled tufted mushrooms, fresh Star Blooms that the Bloomgrazers hadn’t gotten to yet. His stomach growled now, and it snapped him back to the present just in time to hear his instructor calling his name.

 

E’Na: Ras. Ras did you hear me?

 

Ras: ::Looking up.:: No I’m sorry Shila E’Na. What did you say.

 

Ras sat up at attention. He wanted to show respect to one of the few Shila’s that still came to teach the children in their classes.

 

E’Na: I said that they’re closing this Root at the end of this cycle. In two days time, we will no longer have the facilities to run anymore. There’s only three of you in this class anyways. ::She cleared her throat as her voice broke.:: Go home, spend time with your family. I know your minds are elsewhere children.

 

Ras looked around at the two others that still came to class. They looked back. Sadness in their eyes, all of their worlds had crumbled around them this last month and here further were more changes that kept a semblance of routine in their lives.

 

((Later that day, Ras’s Sha, Verdant Belt, Sylvana Prime))

 

Ras stood outside his Sha, a multiple family dwelling. The home used to be buried in lush greenery with many crops to sustain the families within. Now it was a former shell of itself, most of the plants yellow and dead, all edible foliage stripped of their former life-providing fruits weeks ago.

 

The Sha was an efficient way to live, in fact it was the way most Kressari lived, not just on Sylvana Prime. The small communal pods emphasized a division of labor that sustained the massive cities and towns without encroaching on the many protected wilds on the planet. It also fostered a particular respect among the Kressari people’s that was largely responsible for their pacifist lifestyle.

He used to love coming home to see the other children in his Sha. Usually running into the home with Kael Jena laughing and joking like they were blood siblings. The two were inseparable. And now it was just Ras walking into his quiet home. The once lively structure now housed only one and a half families, the El’Heems and what was left of the Ka'ari’s although he didn’t see much of them since their patriarch succumbed to starvation. The silence in the Sha permeated every inch of it. Most of Ras’s free time was spent taking care of Lira, his younger sister who rarely left her bed now.

 

Ras: Lira I’m home. The Root here is shutting down, I don’t have to go-

 

Ras stopped as he walked into the El’Heem’s portion of the Sha. His parents were sitting at the table completely overcome with exhaustion.

 

Ras: What’s going on? ::Fear in his voice.:: Is Lira okay? Mom? Dad?

 

Tal, Ras’s father looked up at the boy, his hands crossed in front of him. His eyes flashed colors of dejection and defeat. Mira, his mother, stood and walked to the counter but didn’t look his way.

Tal: Lira’s not doing well. ::His voice cracked.:: As you already know. But we’ve been able to secure her transport with the Starfleet evacuation ships off world.

 

Ras: How did you manage that?

 

Hope for salvation had been a far cry for awhile, and now he was absolutely flooded with it. Ras practically ran to the table and sat down, looking at his father.

 

Ras: Isn’t this something to be celebrate? We won’t have to split rations four ways and Lira will get the help she needs!

 

Tal: Yes this is all true but ::Tal paused and looked at Mira who was now turned around looking right at them.:: the government has announced that the rations are down to 10% and Starfleet can’t provide enough food to sustain all of us.

 

Confusion and anxiety swirled in Ras’s head. The hope he had just acquired, dashed on the rocks. Ras stood up in anger. The chair fell back and toppled over. Both Tal and Mira looked at him but didn’t protest, they knew how much this was to take in. How much all of it had been to take in.

 

Ras: ::Tears welled in his eyes and his voice was weak and broken.:: Why can’t you find a solution? In a world full of botanists, why can’t you find a cure of this plague! You two are supposed to be some of the best. ::Ras was yelling at this point.:: I can’t sit by and do nothing. I’m coming to work with you at the lab after Lira leaves. I either do everything I can to help fix this, or I starve doing nothing and I can’t sit by and do that. Not after Mr. Ka’ari! Not after- ::Ras burst into angry tears.:: Not after Kael!

 

Tal and Mira looked at each other. A glimmer of pride in their eyes at his determination.

 

Mira: Ras.

 

Ras: Don’t even try to stop m-

 

Mira: ::Cutting Ras off.:: Ras. You’ll come with us to the lab tomorrow, then. We’re not going to stop working towards saving Sylvana Prime either.

 

He stood in shock. All the emotions of the day. The lack of calories to sustain all this energy. He felt woozy.

 

Ras: O- Ok. I’m sorry for yelling. I- I need to say goodbye to- to Lira.

 

Tal: ::Getting up and taking Ras’s arm.:: Lira’s not leaving until next cycle. You need to lie down Ras. We’ll start preparing tonight’s rations and get you ready for tomorrow.

 

Ras almost collapsed into his father’s arms. He leaned on him, not only physically but emotionally too. They walked together to Ras’s bed, next to Lira’s. Tal sat him down and swung Ras’s legs up for him. Ras looked up at his father through blurry eyes. He wanted to be just like him and help people too. Then Ras looked over at Lira, who laid asleep to his right. He wanted to help people like Starfleet was helping Lira. His vision waned. He tried so hard to keep his eyes open. To look at Lira for as long as could before she was gone. Gone like Kael. It became too much. He shut his eyes and fell asleep.

 

NT/END

 

Ensign Ras El’Heem

Junior Medical Officer

USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)

K240106RE3