JP - Cadet Leenaya Edrei & Cadet Lyara Alroyo - Come fly with me! [PART 2]
Lyara Alroyo
(( Time skip - Runabout, over the San Francisco Bay ))
Lee was designated on lookout duty, which made sense given that she was the one who asked her friend to help her with the mission. After a while flying over the bay, she pointed to a spot on the ground.
Edrei: Hey, that seems like a good landing spot, what do you think?
When she glanced over she was met with the sight of a beautiful hidden beach with a grassy spot up on a hill to land.
Lyara: That looks promising.
She scanned to see if there were any people along the beach or landing zone but luckily found it to be a lonesome beach.
Lyara brought the shuttle down to the top of the grassy hill and gently landed it. Leenaya burst out laughing the moment they touched down.
Edrei: I can’t believe we pulled that off!
The assignment? A total lie. Their shuttle clearance? Courtesy of some very persuasive bribes. The fun, though? Through the roof. They’d been plotting this little getaway for weeks now, even though some other cadets had made their heist trickier by pulling their own shuttle-stealing stunt a few days prior. Still, they managed it. It wasn’t the first time the two Cadets did this kind of shenanigans, but it was their biggest one yet.
Lyara started laughing in response as she wiped some sweat off her forehead.
Lyara: I gotta be honest, I half-expected it to be busted when he didn’t like your clearance. ::She stood up:: Crazy he didn’t question mine at all.
As Lyara stood up she began to unzip her academy uniform revealing the fleet-issued swimsuit underneath. It wasn’t the cutest swimsuit she owned, it was actually the only one she owned, so her options were limited to begin with. Lee followed her example, the Betazoid actually owning a real swimming suit, and she silently made a note to herself to buy Lyara one. The shuttle’s door slid open, giving them a beautiful view of the beach.
They grabbed their bags and made their way outside. There were lots of small beaches and deserted creeks in the area, and they’d chosen a remote one, protected by the trees. This way, they could escape the sun once it got too hot.
Lee put on her sunglasses, sent her bag flying a little further away and slumped down on the sand with the grace of a potato.
Edrei: ::grinning:: This was a marvelous idea. Our little graduation gift to ourselves.
Lyara gently placed her bags down and opened one to rummage through it. She brought out a beach towel and gently placed it on the sand. After straightening it out she graciously sat down and looked across the water.
Lyara: Gift that keeps on giving.
She reached into her bag and brought out a small cooler, she felt a little silly as it needed a separate one but if she had taken a cooler to the shuttle bay they never would have gotten in. After setting it down she popped it open and grabbed a sparkling water off the top. There were plenty of drinks for later that were on the harder side for a Starfleet cadet to obtain, but the sun hadn’t even started to set. Lyara looked at Lee and motioned to the cooler offering her some.
Lyara: Thirsty?
Edrei: You know I am.
Lyara watched her friend look over the available options.
Lyara: Be smart, I brought wood for a bonfire later. Don’t want to have too many drinks before the big event.
Leenaya rummaged through the cooler. Almost all she could see was alcohol, and she gave a side glance to Lyara.
Edrei: Easy to say when all you’ve packed is alcohol! Seriously, did you rob a bar?
Lyara laughed as she took a sip of her sparkling water. She at least was going to limit herself, as delicious as some springwine sounded. However, she did bring some snacks to eat before the dinner she would prepare once the sun set.
Lee then smiled when she saw that her friend had packed some uttaberry juice for her. It was one of her favourites summer drinks, which happily reminded her of Betazed and the wild uttaberries that grew in her family’s backyard.
Lyara: Oh there are some snacks in the bag behind us if you want something to nibble on.
She turned toward the bag Lyara was talking about and grabbed it.
Edrei: What do you want to eat?
Lyara opened the box with food revealing she had packed some homemade kava rolls.
Lyara: I’ve got some Bajoran delicacies. ::She pulled out a roll:: Kava rolls.
Lee nodded and grabbed a pack of apple slices for herself before sitting beside her friend.
Edrei: ::sighing:: I wish we could be assigned to the same ship after graduation.
Lyara had been in the middle of grabbing some kava rolls as she froze at her friend acknowledging something she had been pushing to process later. She turned to look at her friend and placed the rolls down, thinking for a moment before she spoke.
Lyara: I mean, we could have gotten very lucky. But I feel the Prophets have laid out different paths for us in this regard.
She let out a sad sigh and looked at the water. Lyara wouldn’t admit it but she had spent the past month practically crying at her altar thinking about the people she might never see again from the academy, particularly her friend Leenaya.
Edrei: I know! It’s going to be so weird after putting up with you for four years. ::smirking:: At least, I won’t have to see you fainting at the sight of blood anymore.
Lyara laughed and gently pushed her friend, a blush forming on her face. It had happened quite a bit during her medical class and Lee never let it down.
Lyara: You know what just for that, I’m gonna get hold of a slipstream drive so I can warp to you when I faint.
The Betazoid let herself fall, her back hitting the sand, as she laughed.
Edrei: ::laughing:: Oh no, that’s not my problem anymore!
Lyara gave a mock gasp as she leaned forward to peer over Lee. Poking her shoulder with her index finger.
Lyara: I’ll just have to find another doctor I guess. ::She let out a sarcastic sigh:: One more skilled than you…
Leenaya slowly lifted her head to look Lyara in the eyes.
Edrei: What did you say now?
She raised an eyebrow and laughed at her response, responding with a more teasing tone.
Lyara: Jealous?
Was she? A little bit, if Lee was being honest with herself. Was she about to tell Lyara? Not in a million years.
Edrei: You wish. ::she scoffed:: I just pity your future doctors. They don’t know they’ll have to work overtime with you onboard.
Lyara: Oh but you like it when I make you work overtime.
She pointed a finger at her friend.
Edrei: Don’t even try to pull that bullshit on me. I know better.
Lyara rolled her eyes and let out a huff in protest.
Lyara: No you don’t.
Once again, the Bajoran was right, but Lee wasn’t going to admit that either. Instead, she got up and grabbed two beers in the cooler, handing one to Alroyo.
Edrei: ::winking:: Maybe that will make you talk less crap.
Lyara gave her friend a weird look and questioned the logic of alcohol suppressing talking crap. She can remember times specifically with Lee where she’s said some funny, but a little rude, jabs after a drink or two.
Lyara: Highly doubt it. ::opening the bottle and taking a sip:: Just know, you’ll never find a pilot as good as me.
She gave a slight wink to Lee as she placed her bottle in the sand.
Edrei: What are you on about?
Lyara: You don’t know? I’m the best pilot this side of Bajor. It’s true, look it up.
Leenaya rolled her eyes at the Bajoran.
Edrei: Sure. Of course. Same way I am one of the Four Deities.
Lyara clutched her chest and mimicked a heart attack as she fell backwards onto the towel.
Lyara: You wound me! ::pointing an accusatory finger:: Didn’t you take an oath to do no harm?
Edrei: Oh right, sorry. ::mumbling:: I’ll make sure to treat that massive ego in the most delicate manner.
Lyara shot a small glare at her friend, her ego was big but there was no way she’d give Lee the satisfaction of admitting it.
Lyara: What’s that?
She gave an innocent smile to her friend.
Edrei: Mhh? Nothing, of course.
Lyara rolled her eyes at her friend and took a sip of her drink.
Lyara: Whatever.
She took a sip from her beer but choked on it and coughed.
Edrei: That’s karma coming back at me. That’s on me for lying.
Lyara: Oh so we’re lying now too? How scandalous of you.
Edrei: Yeah, my mom wouldn’t have nice things to say about that.
Alroyo giggled as she batted at her friend lightly after the complete scandal of her little lie.
Lyara: You know I had a surprise for you. But I dunno if you deserve it anymore.
The Bajoran woman smirked at her friend as she tried to sneakily reach for the bag she brought. Lee knew that her friend would tease her for ages, so she tried to go for it before Lyara snatched it away from her. Lyara noticed Lee look at the bag as if she was about to pounce on it so she quickly moved to grab it.
Edrei: Give it to me!
After a brief tug of war Lyara was victorious and with an air of triumph opened it up to dig around in the bag.
Lyara: Hold your impulse engines!
She produced from the bag a camera she borrowed from her step-father. It was an old “disposable” from the late 20th century her father had replicated for when she wanted to save a memory to “last forever”. Lyara couldn’t wrap her head around the idea of anything being disposable as on Bajor it was crazy talk to waste almost anything.
Lyara: ::Inspecting the camera:: I’ve got this camera from my dad. It uses film, so it’s totally ancient.
Lee wasn’t sure it even worked, judging by its appearance.
Edrei: Wow, it looks like it’s ready to fall apart.
Lyara scooted closer to Lee as she spun the dial with her thumb. If she remembered correctly she had to do that then just “point and shoot” as her step-father described. She held her arm out to do what ancient humans would call a “selfie”.
Lyara: ::Pointing the camera to the two of them:: Say cheese!
With her direction to Lee she rested her head on her friend's shoulder and then gave her a moment to hit her own pose. The Betazoid simply put her head on her friend’s and wrapped her arm around her waist.
Edrei: Cheese!
Lyara pressed the button on the side and a slight click emitted from the camera. It was a little anticlimactic but the picture would at least be cute. Her father had been right, it would help make this day last forever.
Lyara: Do you think we looked cute?
Edrei: Duuh, of course. We always do!
She grinned at her friend and she ruffled with her hair playfully. Lyara batted at her hands in response.
Lyara: Hey! You’re gonna mess up my beautiful hair.
Edrei: ::rolling her eyes:: Yeah, yeah sure, you have beautiful hair. So, show the picture?
Alroyo looked at her friend with a sheepish grin. Clearly Lee didn’t know the inconvenience that was ancient photography.
Lyara: We can’t. We’ll have to develop the reel in the shuttle and that’ll take awhile.
Lee looked at her friend in bewilderment.
Edrei: What do you mean we can’t? How long do we have to wait for?
Lyara: We’re lucky we can do it in less than a day. Back then it’d take a week sometimes.
The Betazoid fell back on the sand, groaning.
Edrei: By the Four, the past suuuuucks.
Alroyo rolled her eyes at her whining then flopped herself on the ground next to Lee.
Lyara: Well, the greatest things come to those who wait.
Edrei: ::grinning:: That’s true, just like our cute little shuttle theft.
Lyara looked at her friend and gave her a huge smirk. She’d miss their shenanigans but at least she had one last outing to remember, and a picture to go with.
TBC in part 3
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Leenaya Edrei
Medical Cadet
Starfleet Academy
C240107LE3
&
Lyara Alroyo
Operations/Navigation Cadet
Starfleet Academy
D240108LA4