Lieutenant Drex - All quiet and it's raining

[Alora DeVeau]

((Drex’s quarters - 38th Floor, Soldotna))

 

 

The days had passed quickly after his return from the routine mission to improve communications within the Ring. The unpleasant experience in the parallel universe had caused Drex to spend much of his free time studying subjects outside his speciality. The amount of work, however, was excessive, and he had ended up in Commander DeVeau's office with the utopian expectation of receiving a magic formula that would free him from the discomfort of ignorance.

In what little free time he had left after returning from the boat trip with Araxxu, Falt and the new Ensign Tanner, he had tried to make himself useful by looking after little Shyla whenever Alora needed a good night's sleep.

So, hour after hour, day after day, he had spent little time in his apartment and neglected to call home.

In the end, however, he had had to give in to the call of hibernation, and when he had found himself at home with nothing to do, he had called Ayra before going to bed.

 

Ayra: You’re still wearing the pendant… :: The tone halfway between question and observation ::

 

Drex lowered his gaze to look at the metal disk hanging on his chest. It was a silly superstition, but harmless. And he liked the shape and color.

 

Drex: Won’t harm.

 

Ayra nodded. From so far away there was little she could do for her brother. She had asked him to come home and even thought about visiting him on Denali herself, but Drex had categorically refused both options. Gods knew who he wanted to impress by being tough!

 

Ayre: Are you resting at least?

 

Drex looked back at the monitor and smiled.

 

Drex: Yes, I am. And I’m ready to hibernate. :: He straightened his shoulders, showing off his pajamas.:: What about you? When will I be an uncle?

 

Ayra caressed her belly gently, returning the smile.

 

Ayra: Two more months at least… Do you want to know if it’s a boy or a girl?

 

Drex: I already know! :: He smiled slyly ::

 

Ayra: You do? Who told you? :: She frowned :: 

 

Drex: Nobody… I bet is a girl. You look so beautiful and bright. It has to be a girl!

 

That was one of their mother’s theories: girls would make the mother prettier. And supporting this theory was the fact that Lora had never made a wrong prediction. Years before, when the family held a bet about the first pregnancy of Dania, Drex searched for a scientific explanation. With his own surprise he even found a valid reason in the production of male hormones in the fetus. Nevertheless he was far from his mother's infallibility.

 

Ayra:  :: Nodding :: We’ll name her Meli. :: She took a brief pause :: How's it going over there? I tried to call you more than once in the last week, but you’re always busy. What’re you up to?

 

Drex shrugged slightly.

 

Drex: The usual. Working, studying… I’ve been out trying the boat. 

 

Ayra: I saw her out of water. Dad was filling her with all the scanners she could take.

 

Drex: Yeah, way too many… Will he really analyze all that data? The whole Ring is artificial, what does he hope to gain?

 

This time it was Ayra the one who shrugged.

 

Ayra: I’ve no idea. He didn’t involve me in this.

 

Drex: Of course he didn’t :: He smiled slyly :: He knows you’ll tell me what he’s up to, but please inform me if he leaves Kalus. I don’t want to find him knocking at my door.

 

The woman giggled and nodded.

 

Ayra: I will. So… any news?

 

Drex: About what? 

 

Ayra: About anything… Dominique or any other…

 

Drex shocked his head.

 

Drex: Pregnancy is making you worse than Ral, you know , don’t you?

 

Ayra: Oh, come on! Don't think I'm going to imbibe the story you've been studying all day!

 

As Ayra bended towards the display, Drex turned his eyes away. Out of the window, clouds had covered the sun and the evening was darkening fast.

 

Ayra: Ah ah! What is it? No, no… Who! is it?

 

Drex: I think I have to go now. :: He moved as to interrupt the call ::

 

Ayra: Don’t you dare Drex or you'll have to worry not only about dad at the door.

 

He did not let her finish her threat. The display went dark. The notification of a new incoming call began to ring a second after. He ignored it and, getting up, went to the window.

With the clouds gathering in the sky, rain was not long in coming. 

The first drops wet the window and Drex followed one of them with his finger along the glass.

If he had been smarter, he would have told her something about Dominique. Now she would have tormented him until she got the truth.

Lucky, he will have five to six days to hope her own business would distract her enough to leave him alone.

 

oO Credeghe… she’ll find out, just tell her now. Oo

 

He chose a new drop to follow.

 

Drex: It ain’t any of her business. 

 

The notification finally went off. 

  

oO Safe for now. But you’re hiding from yourself. Oo

 

Drex: I’m not. I just need to go to sleep.

 

oO Liar. You like her. Oo

 

Drex: ::Taking a deep breath:: I… don’t. And you know it. And we know it’s complicated. She’s a good friend, at least, I hope we can be friends.

 

The Denobulan took his finger off the glass and closed his hand.

 

oO I know. Then why are you so scared of Ayra? Oo

 

Drex: Because I know her. She won’t believe I’ve changed so much to babysit someone else's child.

 

oO But you are. And you’re doing great. She told you more than once. Oo

 

Walking towards the bed, he touched the environmental controls, plunging the bedroom into darkness. He needed to sleep. The surreal conversation he was having with himself was clear evidence of the confused state his mind had now entered. 

He crawled into bed and curled up on his side, finally closing his eyes.

There was only one woman he was in love with, and she was on Denobula. And the five years he had been away have not changed that.

 

NT/END

 

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Lieutenant Drex

Science Officer

Denali Station

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