[Round 6] Mikali "Banshee" sh'Shar - Happy Families, Pt II

[FltCapt. Sidney Riley]

(( Mikali sh'Shar's quarters, USS Independence, 0326 hours. ))

:: GREEN! Bright bright green. The brightest green light she'd ever seen.

Unable to stop herself, Mikali burst out into a wild laugh. Green! It was

green! ::

:: Ecstatic, sh'Shar did a little jumping happy-dance on the spot, something

she'd seen someone else do recently. ::

sh'Shar: Go Mikki! It's your birthday! Go Mikki, it's your birthday! Uh! Uh!

Uh!

:: She hadn't called herself 'Mikki' since she was a child. Gleefully, the

Andorian picked up a discarded PADD. She couldn't work it fast enough,

fingers flying across the controls. Tap tap tap... scroll! ::

:: A triumphant stab with her finger. She bought up the Andorian

Reproductive Register, scrolling once more. Allika sh'Shar... Bellitaki

sh'Shar... Charr Michaelson-sh'Shar ... ::

:: She scrolled faster. ::

:: ... Liletta sh'Shar... p'Pelli sh'Shar... too far! Back, back, back. ::

:: ... Milarra sh'Shar... Mikali sh'Shar, #33419472. That was her! She

opened her file, tapping way too many times in her eagerness. Back, back,

back... ::

:: sh'Shar, Mikali: Assigned breeding group 2384.98-J. Status: Unknown. ::

sh'Shar: oO Unknown, huh? THAT'S about to change! Oo

:: With a squeal of glee, sh'Shar bought up the contact details for the

thaan of her breeding group. Might as well start with him. ::

sh'Shar: Computer, open a subspace channel to Kitan th'Crax on Andor.

Computer: Specify.

sh'Shar: Cross reference Andorian Breeding Group 2384.98-J.

Computer: Standby.

:: sh'Shar tapped her foot impatiently. The wait seemed impossible to

bear... ::

:: The face of an extraordinarily handsome thaan Andorian appeared on the

monitor. He looked to be in his late forties but sh'Shar thought he looked

very attractive, wise and strong, with tall antenna and a full head of hair.

Behind him stood a younger looking chan. The room itself... or at least,

what sh'Shar could see, was wonderful. It appeared to be the central living

room of an apartment- no, sh'Shar could see large windows on the edges of

her vision- it was a house! Exercise equipment was visible on the far right

hand side, and a string of various degrees and diplomas were hung across the

spotlessly white walls at foot-spaced intervals. They were educated, it

seemed, and they took pride in their accomplishments. ::

:: They both wore broad, welcoming smiles. ::

th'Crax: This is Kitan th'Crax, 98-J residence. How can I help you?

:: Mikali gave the first genuinely happy smile she'd given in a while. Her

face lit up like it had been plugged into ten thousand volts and she felt

joy surging throughout her entire body. She was suddenly conscious of how

filthy and unkept her room was behind her, but fortunately they wouldn't be

able to see much of that from the camera angle she'd chosen. She leaned to

one side to screen more of her mess out with her body. She suddenly wished

she'd worn something more flattering. ::

sh'Shar: I'm- I'm Mikali sh'Shar. I'm calling from the starship

Independence. Hi!

:: The chan behind th'Crax laughed boyishly. ::

ch'Rell: Heh, hi Mikali. Wow. Starfleet's calling us?

th'Crax: Did we do something wrong?

:: The two males exchanged a playful, adoring grin. ::

ch'Rell: She's not in uniform, I doubt it's that serious.

:: th'Crax leaned in slightly, a light frown on his face. ::

th'Crax: It's not about my brother, is it? He serves on the USS Eclipse,

and-

:: sh'Shar shook her head emphatically. She couldn't help but resist an

entirely out-of-character giggle at that. ::

sh'Shar: No! No no, no. It's- It's all good news.

:: th'Crax raised a white eyebrow at that, his expression turning bright and

cheerful again. ::

th'Crax: Great, great. Omalli? We've got a call from Starfleet! Come listen!

:: A zhen wandered into the frame, a long braid of white hair thrown

casually over her shoulder, running down her front to her waist. She looked

younger than even th'Crax and had a cooking apron on that was splattered

with dough of some description. In her hand was a tray of freshly baked

Andorian sugarsquares. Mikali's mouth watered. They were her favourite food

as a child! Just like how her zhen used to make them... they were the ones

that traditionally prepared them, but these days anyone was allowed to. Her

own thaan had cooked them a few times. ::

:: Home. This place was home. She belonged there, she could feel it in her

every bone. ::

sh'Shar: Oh my...!

:: A stunned silence from her end. sh'Shar's blue hand cupped her mouth,

happily lost for words. She could feel that she was crying, but they were

happy, joyous tears. ::

:: ch'Rell leaned his chin on the thaan's shoulder, his face concerned. ::

ch'Rell: Hey, are you okay?

:: Mikali swallowed, nodding and gently dabbing her cheeks with her finger,

wiping them clean. ::

sh'Shar: Sorry, sorry. I'm fine- I'm fine... sshh, I'm fine.

:: Home... she would have a home. A family that loved her. A happy family...

::

:: The zhen spoke up, her long eyelashes blinking in surprise. ::

zh'Khall: Then whatever's the matter...?

:: A voice came from off-screen. ::

Voice: Who are you talking to?

:: A fourth Andorian stepped onto the edge of the screen. She was obviously

in the middle of a shower- an old fashioned water shower- but had come out

at the sound of voices. Her hair, cropped short into a Terran pixie-cut, was

sopping wet and there were drops of water glinting off her shoulders. She

was fit... very fit. An athlete, a runner... maybe a cheerleader. Stronger

than Mikali, even, and she had amazing hips. Somehow, even with her hair

that short, she'd kept a great deal of her femininity- but had possession of

strength and masculinity enough as well... full lips, long eyelashes, a

strong jaw. Brilliant set of perfect white teeth. Strong arms. Tall

antenna. She honestly could have found work as a model. ::

:: A shen. ::

sh'Shar: oO Oh no- no...! Oo

:: zh'Khall, the zhen, casually slipped her hand around the shen's waist,

leaning into her. The shen returned the gesture, giving zh'Khall a fond kiss

on the cheek. Not like you'd give a parent, not like you'd give a friend...

one you'd give a lover. ::

sh'Nala: Who's this, babe?

:: The shen's feminine, yet amazingly strong voice came through Mikali's

speakers like a hammer blow to her heart. ::

:: zh'Khall smiled at sh'Nala fondly. ::

zh'Khall: Hey, Fellia. You didn't have to stop your shower... it's Mikali

sh'Shar, she's a Starfleet officer. We don't know why she was contacting

us... we were just about to find out...

:: Fellia... a pretty name. Mikali did her absolute best to maintain her

composure, but her voice quivered. The shen was much prettier than her,

younger, fitter, smarter... better. ::

:: They were all so perfect. Mikali saw the friendship and love in all their

eyes- they were a *team*... ::

sh'Shar: ... no, sorry, wrong number.

:: The four exchanged a look. Confusion, concern... ::

:: Mikali could tell they were a union. A perfect union. They were all

handsome, attractive, they felt for each other- they laughed and joked, they

had a clean house, nice food, luxuries like a water shower... they were

rich, probably, not that such things mattered these days. Educated and

smart, judging by the huge number of qualifications that decorated the walls

of their home. A happy family. They took care of themselves, they ate right

and worked out, had good genes. They would make amazing parents and raise

the cutest, smartest, bravest little kids- kids who would be pillars of

Andorian society. Become leaders, teachers, diplomats... one or two would

probably enter Starfleet. ::

:: All without her. ::

ch'Rell: Are you sure...?

:: sh'Shar's voice was a quiet, absent mumble. ::

sh'Shar: ... 'm sorry I bothered you...

sh'Nala: Wai-

:: Mikali closed the connection. The Starfleet logo appeared on her screen

instantly, floating in a black empty sea. ::

:: Her hands shook. First a light tremor, building to a violent shake. With

a roar sh'Shar ripped the computer display from the desk and hurled it

against the bulkhead. It shattered into a million different pieces, each

tinkering quietly as they found their rest on the metal deck of the

starship. Panting, enraged at a universe that had done this to her, Mikali

just stared at the debris. ::

sh'Shar's Demons: oO ... well. You knew this was going to happen... but you

just couldn't leave well enough alone, could you? Had to find out for

yourself. Well, now you know. Oo

:: She'd been replaced. ::

-----

PNPC Mikali "Banshee" sh'Shar

FA-150 Pilot

USS Independence-A

As simmed by,

Lt (jg) Alleran Tan

CAG

USS Independence-A