Lieutenant Vailani Zoyara - Loneliness and Vulnerability
Ava Munro
((Kerrit Dromos Race Track - City One, Rylor))
Storm: I’m not sure the sabrecat and its entourage are going to be gone in time for Commander Munro to run that section of the track.
Zoyara looked at the crowd of junior officers excitedly trying to control the animal. It reminded her of children trying to catch water that would run through their fingers. She cringed, as one of the young women fell over.
K’Wara: ::makes a bellow with their hands:: Jump it, Ava! Long distance it!
Imril: I’m not so sure the Commander can win a jumping contest with a cat.
Vailani: This cat seems more enamoured with that foolish ensign.
Storm: I think Ro…ctor. Bancroft is gaining on her.
K’Wara: Indeed, the good ‘Roctor’ seems to finally be getting his engines warmed up. Come on, Roy, get up there! ::claps::
Zoyara noticed the lieutenant roll her eyes. Crew fraternisation was inevitable. Even she had gotten herself mixed up in relationships with crewmates. It only led to disappointment so she felt more pity for Storm than anything.
Especially because it happened to be ‘let down’ Bancroft that she'd set her sights on.
oO I thought you had more sense than that Lt Storm Oo
Imril: Keep back ‘til the cat glomps her, and sneak around!
Storm: But be careful! We already know the cat likes you.
Zoyara shot them both with a confused look.
Vailani: You both realise that he can't hear you, right? He's at least a kilometer away from us. Humans, to my knowledge, have inferior hearing comparable to most other species. In fact a Vulcan up in that hill :: points to a hill in the distance :: is more likely to hear your shouts than Doctor Bancroft.
The chief of operations interrupted at that point, perhaps this was one of those times that the counsellor had advised against. Sometimes it's best to remain silent.
K’Wara: At least slightly closer would be preferable. ::to the group:: So Vailani’s a holoprogrammer, I’m a sculptor, Ava and Roy are obviously jocks. What about the two of you?
Imril: I tinker here and there. Build projects.
Storm: What kinds of projects, Imril?
As a breeze blew passed, carrying in the air the sweet scent of the flowers from the nearby field. She looked off to the side and noticed a Bajoran man staring at her. She scowled at him and he turned away.
She was probably breaking some Bajoran protocol. Or maybe insulting the Prophets as she had not yet replaced the d’ja path that she'd released to the airlock after Clara's death. Instinctively she touched her ear.
Imril: I build models now and then. ::Thinking up examples:: I put together a mock-up of Vitor’s arcade holo, back when I was helping him expand it. Kept adding pieces to it as the program got bigger. And I made up a glass-walled variant of the old XCV ships for a holodeck program. Liked how it looked so much I made myself a miniature version for my quarters.
Storm: That sounds like a fun hobby. ::a beat, eyes flicking back to the track::
Zoyara agreed, she liked the idea of miniature versions of items. It seemed niche and quirky in the best possible way.
Vailani: Hopefully one day we'll get to see your creations?
It was an entirely selfish request but she'd learnt a long time ago that showing personal interest only led to more questions about your own interests. And she felt so inadequate in that area that she'd rather avoid it altogether. Ask her about fleet rotations in the Borderlands and she'd be able to speak on it for two hours happily. Ask her about herself and she'll run for those hills.
K’Wara: Response
Imril: ::To K’Wara:: What do you sculpt?
Storm: Do you usually work in your quarters, Tamio?
K'Wara: Response
Vailani: People have colours, huh? What shade of blue is that?
Zoyara nodded towards the race track where it seemed that Bancroft had gotten themselves into more trouble. The human seemed to have … tripped over his shoelaces.
K’Wara: Response
Storm: Cool. I … free climb cliffs and make pottery.
Vailani: I painted a horghan once on Risa. That confirmed to me that I have no artistic talent outside of a Holodeck. Pottery and sculpting are very similar, yes?
The memory reminded her of the near perfect day with Gila and Dakora exploring the lagoon before heading off to paint the miniature sculptures. Gila, her one time best friend and now the betrayer and Dakora the former XO and now missing without a trace. Life was full of happy memories.
K’Wara/Imril: Response
Storm: Not quite the same thing as sculpting, but there are some similarities.
Zoyara stood up, before she even really thought about it. This was getting too comfortable. Too cosy for her liking.
Vailani: I'm going to go :: looks to the others :: It's the sun and the wind. I need to … go.
Zoyara made her way across the row of spectator benches and then rushed off with barely a glance backwards, ignoring any calls to return or goodbye.
All she thought of was Gila, Clara, Luxa, Ian and the others. Her friends. It only confirmed to her that it was foolish to let herself make new ones that would only disappoint her and let her down. Her father always said that getting too close to people was a sure way to get yourself hurt or killed. He was correct.
She hurriedly rounded a bend to get some space and freedom at the back of the race track, away from people's glares and curious glances. Somewhere she could breath properly. Following a path that led to a park behind the racetrack. The cheers from the stadium behind growing more distant with each step she took.
Another breath. Inhale and then exhale. Just like the therapist taught her. And again. Inhale and exhale. She finally stopped when enough distance had been gained. The stands from the racetrack now part of the landscape. Separate and amorphous. Safe.
Her head swam with long gone conversations. Her last bitter words to Gila. Painful, cruel words. They were designed to damage and they had worked. And now she was alone.
A raindrop fell on her cheekz and she raised her hand to touch it. Then another fell and she noted that the sun was shining in the sky. It was tears.
Her vision blurred as more tears fell. A figure up ahead began to approach her. Some do gooder that wanted to make sure she was okay. She hastily wiped the tears from her eyes and her cheeks.
It was the Bajoran from earlier, the one that had been staring at her. More condescending Bajoran sanctimony. Great.
Vailani: Look, I don't need whatever you -
Bajoran Man: We are the Kosst Amojen.
The words erupted in her mind. They meant danger, she took a step backwards.
Vailani: Wha-
A hand grabbed her from behind covering her mouth, then several arms from several people held her. Her eyes widened as the man smiled.
Bajoran Man: We are the lost children of time… Mother.
Then her vision blurred as the glisten of a transport whirred around her.
End Scene for Vailani Zoyara
((OOC: this is the beginning of a larger arc that won't be resolved anytime soon because it's a long form arc.
It's also related to this sim) And a mission on the Ronin))
Lieutenant Vailani Zoyara
