Lieutenant (J.G) Sierin Ikaixar - Worlds Apart

[Sierin Ikaixar]

((Main Mess Hall, Deck 03 — USS Artemis-A))

Sierin felt her eyes drift from Cole’s as she spoke, steam danced following the heat that rose to press on her eyes. She stared into the vermillion mixture that sat in her cup, its loamy taste rising to fill her nostrils, it was still too hot to drink. Through wisps of foggy vapors she locked her gaze with the still surface. In this light its hidden depths made it feel bottomless with a yawning abyss waiting underneath A tranquil lake sat in her cup, daring her to stir the surface.

Parting the flesh of the pear again with her fork, she popped the last few bites in her mouth, leaving an empty space behind where leftover honey melted into sticky, gilded puddles. She watered down the sweetness with that too-hot tea, tempered by the comparatively cool pear pieces. Sierin seemingly forgot she even had a headache, the taste was nearly nostalgic.

Sierin’s eyes rose to look at Natasha again, mouth forming a thin line as she chose her words carefully.

Ikaixar: I felt I could do more good here. The outreach of churches can be helpful, but when Houses get involved, it tends to become a rather… irritating web of politics. Strings are always attached, and in time, knots form.

Cole lifted a waiting piece of food to her mouth, pausing before taking a bite. The Security Officer smiled.

Cole: Seems like politics will often complicate things, especially when good intentions are involved. ::taking the food into her mouth::

A gentle, satisfied sigh passed the woman’s lips after she finished chewing. Sierin found herself easing into the backing of her chair, nodding in agreement. Her lips held a touch of glee. It felt nice to talk like she was never involved in those politics. Truthfully she wasn’t much more than an accessory, the perfect Daughter Heir, treated like set dressing in her own house.

Besides, Houses were always better from a distance. Sierin had heard it said time and time again, ‘be wary of those Nobles, you can never be sure how they’ll dig their claws in’. There was always a degree of distrust with power like that.

Ikaixar: You can never be certain who might grab hold of your strings if you’re not careful. ::taking a sip:: But what about you? What’s your story, Lieutenant?

Cole: Someone ::beat:: wanted me to follow in their footsteps into tactical, but they exited my life when I clearly wasn’t being their ideal… child.

Sierin shared a rueful glance with her own reflection in her tea. She knew the feeling all too well.

Cole: After secondary school I intended to take a gap year before doing something, but I found myself doing odd jobs for about four years.

The Betazoid copied Cole, carving off another piece of the baked pear and chewing into the softened flesh.

Ikaixar: Mm? Must’ve been quite the many odd jobs to lead you here of all places. 

Cole: Oh the usual late shift Barista, theater stagehand, self-defense instructor, mortician's assistant, private security. I suppose I was trying to find myself. I think that’s why I was encouraged to join Starfleet Security.

oO Mortician’s assistant? Hm… Oo

Perhaps they could use her skills in the morgue. Thinking of it, Sierin supposed they had more in common than she thought. Whether Natasha thought that was up for debate, but it was strange different planets, Four, different families even could lead two people down similar roads. 

Ikaixar: You must have quite the varied set of skills, Natasha. I think you’d pass for a jack of all trades, perhaps I’ll ask Doctor Bancroft to lend you a few shifts in the morgue when we need it.

A joke, for sure, but Sierin hoped beyond anything that the morgue stayed empty. It took no time at all for thoughts of cold bodies to send her running for a counsellor after every mission. As tragic as it was, she had grown numb to the sight of the dead. But what was always jarring was feeling the emptiness in their minds, seeing nothing but the echoes left by their psyches.  

Cole: Response?

Sierin stared at those wide windows, not seeing the planet on this side of the ship, she let her eyes lock with that all-consuming darkness that surrounded them. It felt like staring into a sea of black velvet, seemingly dusted with specs of starlight, small enough to look like flecks of dust floating in her vision.

Ikaixar: What do you think will happen to us here? What do you think the Nascaik will do when they pass judgement on us?

Cole: Response

Ikaixar: I suppose all we can do is hope they don’t decide we should be executed where we stand. Those we’ve met have shown themselves to be quite a… hard people.

Cole: Response

—

Lieutenant JG Sierin Ikaixar 

Medical Officer

U.S.S. Artemis-A

G239409EK0