Kali Nicholotti Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 ::There was a cakey kind of taste in the air as her friends mingledaround her; green swirls of light in her blackened world. Nessa wasgiggling as Levi slipped on some spilt beer and sprawled on the floor.The green swirl flashed with red, then blue and back to green as hepicked himself up, brushed himself off, and went to the bar to collectanother drink. Nights like this were rare, and they were getting rareras the group got older. Nobody muchly cares what a group of kids getup to in the big city during the night, but as you approach adulthoodcertain things are expected of you, it seemed. Even kids like them.The lost, abandoned, broken children of the world. "The bigger youget, the more useful you become so the more people notice you" is howArlie had put it. She hadn't seen Arlie for months now. People must'venoticed him for something. Nessa hoped it was something good - she'dliked him. He'd been the one that had saved her all those years ago,and also the one that had introduced her to the little pills that madeeverything so colourful. That was an accident on his part, but she wasnonetheless grateful for it. It was always so dull and boring withoutthem.::::She often wondered why she was the only girl around on nights likethis. Sometimes, when they went to the nightclubs or holomovies,there'd be other girls around. But they were never with her group.They were just... there. They all seemed very pretty; maybe that wasit. Maybe they were too pretty to be hanging around with the likes ofher, with her man-face and short hair. Arlie said she looked pretty,but he was the only one. He was probably just being nice. Besides, thehair was his fault in a way - though she couldn't rightly blame himfor the face.::((Flashback - 6 Years Previously))Arlie: 'ere, Euan. Be a good boy and look after this one, will ya?::The big burly one they called Arlie presented Nessa to the kid as ifshe was a present. Perhaps she was. She certainly felt delivered, fromsomewhere very dark and scary that she didn't much care for to...here, wherever this was. Some half-empty warehouse in the middle of astinking shipyard. There were bits of shuttlecraft everywhere, andsome bigger pieces that Nessa had never seen before. None of itworked, though. That would've been too easy. She could climb in andfly away into the sky, leaving smelly London and all her troublesbehind. Of course, she'd quickly be apprehended by Starfleet, or evenmore likely die in a massive fireball, but she was never one forforesight.::::Arlie couldn't have been older than eighteen years, but little Euanmade him seem fatherly by comparison. The Welsh accent really didn'tgive the boy chance to even pretend to be older, either. In truth hewas twelve, only a year older than Necessity. Though he tried tostretch that year out as far as it would go. It was hard to believeshe would become friends, of a sort, with Euan and his ever-cheerfulsing-song voice.::Euan: Alright there, is it? What's your name then little'un?James: ::Stroppily:: Necessity. And I'm not little!Euan: ::Thoughtfully:: That's a weird one, never 'eard that namebefore... you one o' them aliens or summut? Lots o' weird names theyhave like, Arlie tells me stories about 'em.::A grin of triumph crept across Necessity's lips.::James: Arlie *gave* it to me. I didn't 'ave one before. Or if I did Idunno know what it was, nobody never used it. ::She beamed:: Said I'mspecial and res... resor- ::The strange word gave her pause, so - trueto it's meaning - she found a way around it.:: summink what means Ifind ways of doin' fings. Even when they's too 'ard. I get's 'em done.Euan:: Resourceful, is it? Well, gotta be that out 'ere I suppose.James: Arlie says necesserty's the muvver of invention. Says I'm gonnabe an inventor.Euan: ::Under his breath:: 'spect she'll be the mother o' more'n that'fore long. ::He s[...]ed, then spoke louder, to Nessa:: That 'air o'yours. Breedin' rats in it, are we?::As much as Nessa scrunched her face up in offence and annoyance, shecouldn't actually remember the last time she'd washed her hair. Or anyof her, for that matter. Instead she resorted to the age-old defenceof crossing her arms and stamping her foot.::James: You're mean!::A scathing riposte, sure to win any argument.::Euan: Sorry precious, only commentin' like. Looks a bit of a mess,that's all. 'course, I could fix that for you, y'know.::She had been so eager for the remedy. Looking back, there wereseveral points along the way where a more suspicious girl - the cynicthat she would later become, for instance - would have noticed whatwas happening. But for eleven-year-old Necessity James it wasn't untilher fringe fell to the floor in front of her eyes that she noticed.She'd screamed then. Screamed so loud that Arlie had come rushing upthe stairs and stormed into the room.::Arlie: Euan! What in 'ells name, boy?!Euan: Quicker than washin' it, isn't it? Lovely now it is...::Nessa's eyes had narrowed in rage at the smile Arlie couldn't quiteconceal. Looking back, it must've been pretty funny for everyoneexcept the victim. Worse still was that Arlie actually restrained her,so that Euan could finish the butchery! Hours later when she was putto bed that night, Arlie came to her with a mirror.::Arlie: I know you're angry, Ness. But in time you'll realise thatactually, young Euan might've saved you a lot of trouble with that'aircut.::The restraining made sense almost immediately, when she realised howshe must've looked with only half her hair cut off. The actual cuttingdidn't make sense to her until much later, but he was right. That wasthe defining thing about Arlie; sooner or later, he was alwaysright.::((End Flashback))::Nessa smiled as she read the message on her PADD the next morning.There was to be a 'meet and greet' in the Holodeck on the Victorytonight. A chance to get to know everyone. She recalled bitterly thelast time she'd "gotten to know everyone", It was shortly before theentire bleedin' lot of them were shipped off to the USS Apollo alongwith the Captain she'd met for the most brief of moments, and left heron the station with another bunch of strangers. Except for a Caitiannamed- no, she wasn't even going to try that one from memory. What hadhappened to her, anyway?::oO They'd better not take Luna away... Oo::Puling herself out of her bed, she had a little giggle at the messthat greeted her in the mirror. Nessa pulled on some cargo pants and avest top, and stumbled over to the replicator.::oO This one's for you, Euan. Ya little taffy git. OoJames: One pair of hairdressing scissors, left handed.Computer: ::Playing a discordant error tone:: Access denied.James: ::Incredulously:: I'm denied... a pair of scissors?Computer: Access to sharp implements and cutting blades restricted inthese quarters.::Necessity stood, staring at the replicator in awe.::James: Oi, I ain't bein' told what I can and can't 'ave by a metalbox. What am I, six?Computer: Restriction implemented by Starfleet Counsellor Lisa Hyatt, 238901.18.::The date Nessa graduated from Starfleet Academy. She'd forgottenabout the Hyatt woman, and her objections to Nessa even enteringtraining, let alone graduating it. Nessa had expressed quite plainlythat she was not "a mental case", that a Starfleet Cousellor shouldnot be using such a term even if she was, and finally had given quitea detailed description of where she thought Dr. Hyatt could store herpsycho analysis report. Nevertheless, it seemed Lisa had gotten thelast laugh. Well, Nessa would just have to consult Lieutenant Valynabout that, wouldn't she...::Walker: =/\= Commander Walker to Lt. Valyn and Lt. James. =/\=James: ::Trying not to sound annoyed:: =/\= James 'ere, sir. =/\=Walker: =/\= I need your assistance in setting up the meet and greettonight, I'd like to get your opinions and determine what supplies wecan utilize. =/\=James: ::With a mischievous grin:: =/\= Not sure the kinda parties I'mused to 'aving are what you've got in mind... oO nor the type ofsupplies, for that matter Oo. But I'll give it a go, sir. Fancydiscussin' it in person? Feels like I ain't eaten for six weeks. =/\=Walker: =/\= [Response?] =/\=James: =/\= Sounds like a plan, sir. I'll meet you there in, what, an hour? =/\=Walker: =/\= [Response?] =/\=James: =/\= Five-by-five, sir. See ya then. =/\=------------------------------------------------Lieutenant (JG) Necessity JamesH/C/OUSS Victory/SB118 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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