Lt. Cmdr. Lhandon Nilsen - A Toy Ship

[Lhandon Nilsen]

((Level - 3, Kaelith’s Caverns, Central Subterranean Excavation, Marohu III))

Lhandon had just been thrown by some force away from the statues of himself, the same ones where Anton presented to his child self ice cream to answer the riddle “A childish offering?”

Nilsen: You thought of Ice Cream…why that?

He had to ask the question, but Anton seemed to just shrug.

Richards: I dunno, ice-cream is awesome, right? Never really had it much as a child, but I mean, who doesn’t like ice-cream.

Looking down, Lhandon wondered a few things. The rejection of the rugby ball stung; from a shy, overweight child into the confident, built individual he had become. As he weighed this choice, a memory flashed; a younger Lhandon standing awkwardly on a rugby field, fresh-cut grass filling his lungs, the anticipation mixing with fear and hope swirling in his chest. He realised the rugby ball was what he needed as the older Lhandon, not the child. Yet Anton just shrugged.

Nilsen: I mean, yeah but…Anton, did you not get ice cream as a kid?

Richards: Nope. The old man always said something like, “Q-Cream rots your brain.” or “If you eat that stuff you’ll get Ferengi Teeth.”

Richards nodded, and Lhandon felt like he should give the guy a hug to make up for a childhood of not having ice cream. Lhando was still in a state of shock when he asked again.

Nilsen: You never got ice cream?

An answer wasn’t expected; it was more of a quiet muttering of disbelief.

Richards: So. What are you gonna choose? Because…

Looking towards the statue, Anton commented.

Richards: I think he’s getting impatient.

If last week, one would have said that a statue could turn to look impatient, Lhando would have asked a) if you were high and b) could he have some, but now, such a concept doesn't seem as far-fetched or trippy.

Nilsen: Yeah…he is.

Lhandon stepped forward again and saw his own statue and his child self. He would later reflect on this and would realise that he had given the statue what he, the twenty-something-year-old Lhandon, needed, not what this child who was no more than nine had needed.

Richards: Response (optional)

Nilsen: So, hey again, buddy, it's me. Erm… hi.

The statue didn't respond to his words; it was as still as a statue.

Richards: Response

Nilsen: I got something for you.

In his hand, he thought of a toy, but this toy wasn't one to be found in a market; rather, it was different. At the same time, he thought of his grandma, Althea, and the two thoughts together created an Excelsior-class starship toy, big enough for a child to play with.

Then… silence for just a moment, as whatever entity this computer was, or this statue, or whatever anything was here, considered the offering.

Richards: Response

Nilsen: So this is our grandma's ship, and she's so proud of you, Lhando, and she says that you're brave and you're strong, and until she gets home, you can fly her ship around as much as you want.

Richards: Response

There was another moment of consideration, then the statue seemed to smile and go into his own world as he flew the ship up and down in the air.

Nilsen: My gran always knew what to say.

A moment later, the statues seemed to dissolve, leaving behind a single blue cube about the size of a 20th-century Rubik's Cube. It had a faint dark blue glow emanating from inside the cube, and around each edge, it had a silver border.

Richards: Response

Nilsen: Is this Kaelith? Or maybe what he sent us in for?

Tags/TBC

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Lieutenant Commander Lhandon Joseph Nilsen

Second Officer & Senior Diplomatic Officer

USS Octavia E Butler

O240007LN1

He/Him/His (Both player and character)