[JP] LT Gila Sadar, Ens Lyara Alroyo & PNPC Kolya Aqila - To New Lives Ahead
Lyara Alroyo
((Shuttle, Docking Ring 3, Deep Space 9))
Lyara had gently been tapping on the shuttle console running diagnostics and mandatory checks. She had a very cheerful attitude as she was transferring to a starship as a Helm/Operations Officer. A posting she had been working for since she first started taking helm classes at the academy. While working on the panel in front of her she hummed to herself disco classics she used to dance to at the academy not too long ago.
However, her attitude came from the location itself. Despite only having a few days at the station she was able to cross off her bucket list now that she was a Starfleet Officer. The first thing she did upon her arrival was visit the temple to pray to the emissary, as she always did whenever she visited Bajor. She then of course spent a fine evening at the Las Vegas Lounge where she gambled with currency of old and danced with a stranger.
When she had finished the last of the pre-flight checks she got up with a smile. She had made a brief excursion to Bajor to see her bio-dad and returned to do two last things once her work was done, go to Quark’s for a quick meal and to play dabo. Lyara took out one of the strips of latinum she had been given and tossed it up and caught it. She felt lucky as she exited the shuttle and headed for the bar, hopeful to at least double her current latinum.
Lyara: When on Deep Space Nine… ::She thought for a moment:: Just do as they do.
((Docking Ring 3 - Deep Space 9))
Gila wandered along the interior of the Docking Ring on Deep Space 9, pulling some of the luggage that her sister had left in her possessions. Some souvenirs, some extra material for Yael robe modifications, some more jewelry… Oh, and her son. Not how she expected her trip to Mizar IV to end… Regardless, now it was time for her - them - to return home to the Artemis, and they would be doing it in a manner that Gila had not anticipated, at all.
Sadar: Okay, so our shuttle should be- K-Kolya!
Kolya rushed ahead, he had to take extra large steps to keep in front of Dona Gil Gil, but he was determined, ever since they arrived at the station there was so much to do and see... And no one seemed to care about the Wheel. Well, except his Dona, but he found that she wasn't as miserable as his teachers on Mizabet.
He liked the station, it was different with archways that reminded him of the paintings and artists that his Dona had sent him and now he was getting to see it all. His nuchals flushed with excitement.
This was so much better than Mizabet!
He would get to go on another shuttle trip … and a starship! He didn't know much of Starfleet, it wasn't something they taught him at school and his mother didn't elaborate about it beyond some hushed comments of disapproval of his Dona's choices. She had forsaken the Wheel. It made his stomach feel strange when he thought of home. Especially when he thought of his mother so he tried not to think of it too much. There was too much to see anyway to worry about any of that... Even if he missed her.
Gila rushed to catch up with the overeager teenager, huffing and puffing as she dragged the luggage behind her. Eyla must’ve packed his entire room in those blasted things!
Sadar: Kolya, slow down! You don’t know where we’re going!
Kolya: I read the map! It's just down here … I think! :: laughs :: Isn't it fun?!
Sadar: ::heaves:: C-Carry your own stuff! ::deep breath:: O-Okay, uhh... According to Ensign Alroyo’s message, the shuttle is waiting for us in Docking Bay 3-14.
Kolya stopped abruptly, his Dona almost collided into his back. He turned and laughed, and picked up his cases.
Kolya: You’re so funny, Dona :: ponders :: 3-14 you said? :: looks behind Gila :: Oh that's back down there? :: laughs :: We walked right past it!
He couldn't help but let a burst of laughter escape as he rushed past his Dona.
Sadar: Kol-! ::sighs:: Where does he get this from?
((Shuttle - En-route to Sol System from DS9))
Gila slowly entered the cockpit of the shuttle, looking at her new junior officer from a distance. She’d been surprised when word made it to the colony on Mizar IV that an officer from the Artemis would be picking her up on Deep Space Nine to make the trip back to the Sol System. She’d fully expected having to go on a commercial flight back to Earth, and while she wasn’t sure whether the unexpected tagalong would've been preferred so, she had no doubts that her nephew was still plenty excited about being on a Starfleet shuttle. For the moment, however, she would leave him to get himself settled properly, and instead turn her attention towards the unfamiliar pilot.
Lyara: ::She noticed the doctor:: Hello Doctor, how can I help you?
Sadar: Oh, uhh... S-Sorry. ::clears throat and sits down in co-pilot’s seat:: Estimated time of arrival in Sol?
Lyara: ::She checked the map and frowned:: Well, I hope the kid’s ready to be cramped because it’s about ten to eleven days if we maintain our current speed. But, we might add a day or two because we’ll want to make at least one or two stops. ::She scrolled over the map to look at different worlds:: Just so we don’t go crazy in this tight cabin.
That was an alarmingly long time. If it had just been a commercial ship they’d be equipped with faster warp engines, but the quality of the quarters and service would have varied depending on which ship was being operated. Thankfully, Lyara never had to take Ferengi liners growing up, but when she made a surprise visit during her academy days she lost all the Latinum she had been given for that trip trying to simply get on one before she called her step-dad to help. The luxury of using a Starfleet shuttle is that she got her own space, with the caveat of it being small. Another plus was she had all the raktajino she could ask for. She took a sip of her double sweet raktajino as she turned to the doctor.
Sadar: K-Kolya’ll be fine. He’s just, uhh... ::hears rummaging from the bunks:: Excited to be here... I-I’m sorry you had to come here and pick us up, Ensign.
Lyara: On the plus side, I’ll at least be able to meet one of my new crewmembers.
Lyara gave a polite smile to Sadar, she had noticed her stuttering over her first few words so she adopted a more calm tone in case the doctor was nervous. Her feelings of being excited to meet a crew member were genuine but she could relate to Gila as she had been nervous about starting the meet-and-greet process all over again.
Sadar: Ah, yes, w-well... ::clears throat:: I-It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Ensign Lyara.
Lyara: ::Thinking for a moment:: What’s it like on the Artemis?
She gently placed her raktajino down as she listened to her explanation of the Artemis. Meanwhile, her new senior officer was struggling to organize her thoughts.
Sadar: It’s, uhh... ::considers:: It’s chaotic most days. You never know when pirates or exploding nebulae or other such nonsense will interfere with the running of the Ship.
Lyara: Sounds like an interesting ship.
Sadar: ... It’s the best Ship in the fleet.
Lyara: ::She smiled brightly:: I believe you.
Sadar: ::flushes deep lavender:: D-Don’t relay that message to anyone. I, uhh... W-Well... To be clear, I’ve only served aboard the Artemis for a year, so, I-I might not be the best person to render judgment on that. ::considers:: I-I should introduce you to Lieutenant Silveira. He’s the Chief of Tactical, and I think he’d be able to give you a far better approximation of the Artemis as a vessel.cy
Lyara: By all means doctor, I’d love to meet him. ::She turned back to the console::
Lyara gently worked at the console to make sure the heading was right. Satisfied, she pulled up her PADD and opened the reading on the Borderlands where the Artemis would patrol. Before she even had a minute to read she heard the door to the cockpit slide open.
Sadar: All settled in?o
Kolya had immediately dumped his bags in the back of the runabout and then skipped his way to the most exciting part of any vessel. The cockpit.
Even on Mizabet they couldn't avoid the allure of journeying through the stars, driving your own ship!
His cheek folds vibrated at the sight of his Dona and the stranger seated upfront.
Kolya: Dona! You drive the ship?! Can I drive the ship?! :: he looked to Gila :: The Wheel turns in our favor Dona.
Gila nearly lost her marbles.
Sadar: Oh, uhh, I-I don’t think-
Lyara: ::She smiled and turned to Kolya:: Sure, you can be my copilot.
oO He can WHAT!? Ensign, that’s highly irregular!! Oo
But Kolya’s excited expression coupled with the immediate realization that she was outnumbered two-to-one meant that Gila could offer no audible objections. So instead, with a heavy sigh, she rose from the co-pilot’s seat and stepped aside to allow her overeager nephew to take her place.
Kolya practically pushed his Dona out of the way as he rushed past toward the seat next to the red headed alien. He paused and looked to her, he expected to be chastised for his boldness. A chastising that would never come, now that the nephew was beyond the confines of the homeworld.
Sadar: J-Just, don’t touch anything without Ensign Lyara giving you the go-ahead.
No scolding? Kolya laughed as he took his seat
Lyara smiled as she watched Kolya get into the seat. Once he was settled in she turned to address him..
Lyara: Hi I’m Lyara, you ready to be my copilot cadet?
Kolya: :: a little shy :: Hi Lyara. Uhm … :: looks to Gila :: I don't know :: lowered head :: I shouldn't.
Gila felt pain - a pain like none she had ever felt before - and she immediately stepped forward, placing a hand on her nephew’s sagged shoulder. She felt pain, shame and profound sadness, imagining the systematic rejection that he’d been exposed to so his vibrant and unbridled self had turned to this.
Become her.
Not out here. Not now.
Sadar: You’ve received permission, Kolya. ::smile:: Ensign Lyara will show you what to do.
She gently turned to the console with a slight hum as she turned off a few controls so Kolya couldn’t accidentally veer the shuttle off course. Kolya watched her silently, his heart began to race and everything felt wrong.
Lyara: So Kolya, I’m gonna let you use the navigation. ::She motioned in front of her:: This is the conn, but you won’t worry about that until at least three years in the academy.
She chuckled as she set up a map console for Kolya to interact with. His eyes poured over the map and then he stopped and turned to Gila.
Kolya: Dona? Is this bad? It feels … wrong?
Gila almost felt like crying, which an odd experience for her. She generally didn’t cry, hadn’t cried for a long time, and yet, knowing that because of her and her absence, Kolya hadn’t had anyone to back him, to be in his corner against the pushback, to the social pressure so prevalent in Mizarian society…
And Gila understood, more so than ever, why her sister had chosen to send Kolya to her. Even Eyla could see it now.
Sadar: No one’s going to force you, Kolya, but you’re not doing anything wrong. I promise. I’m right here with you.
Lyara gently smiled to him as she motioned to the console as a gesture that it was ok. After he turned to the console and the tension seemed to subside she gently pushed a button. The console had unlocked a few controls for the young Mizarian to assist in piloting the shuttle.
Lyara: Alright great, now if you press ::She points to a button:: that button, we’ll go up one warp speed. Can you press it for me?
Gila aimed a smile at her nephew, hoping to inspire some confidence in the younger Mizarian, and even as she watched him try to come to grips with this new frontier, the universe expanding before him and providing him sights and experiences he could have never had back home, she mourned the innocent and fresh mindset of the boy that he had once been.
And she realized that that night, the night that she’d bid his sleeping face farewell before she left for Mizar IV, was the last time she would see that little boy.
Kolya: :: hesitates slightly :: Okay :: pushed the button ::
But maybe that was for the best.
Kolya looked out the viewscreen, eyes wide.
Lyara: Good job!
He turned to Lyara and smiled, almost forgetting that she was an off worlder and a stranger. He had been taught to be wary of strangers.
Sadar: You did great, Kolya. ::to Ensign Lyara:: I’ve been away from the Artemis for rather long. Is, uhh... Is it okay if Kolya acts co-pilot until we’re closer to our next destination? I have some medical logs I probably need to update myself on.
Lyara: I’m sure the shuttle will be alright. ::She gave a warm smile::
Kolya's neck snapped back at his Dona.
Kolya: You aren't going far?!
Sadar: ::slight smile:: I’ll be right here. I just need to go fetch one of my PADDs, and I’ll be back.
Kolya nodded to his Dona and then focused his gaze toward Lyara and tried to smile. It was an uneasy one, he had been schooled to restrain himself around those he didn't know. Even though he didn't want too. He wanted to push all the buttons and ask her so many questions.
Maybe there was time.
Kolya: Okay … Ensign Lyara I'm your copilot. I promise I'll do my best.
Lyara smiled at Kolya as she turned back to the console. It was going to be a long ride to Sol, so a copilot was very welcome. She understood the wonder of the stars and what it was like being a kid that gazed at them. At one point in her life, she was Kolya sitting in the co-pilot of her step-father's shuttle on their first trip to Earth. She glanced at him and couldn’t stop herself from seeing that little child she once was, sitting in the same seat. Lyara could feel a lump in her throat begin to form from the reminiscing and quickly snapped out of it with a chuckle to herself. Kolya’s console lit up as she released more controls to him, she wanted this ride to be just as important as hers was.
The End
*************************
LT Gila Sadar
Medical Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1
&
Ensign Lyara Alroyo
Helm/Operations Officer
USS Artemis-A
D240108LA4
&
Kolya Aqila
Civilian
USS Artemis-A
As simmed by
LT Luxa Lorana
Science Officer
USS Ronin
A240004LL1