Lt. Cmdr. Lhandon Nilsen, Lt. Cmdr. Toxin Arlill, & Cmdr. Katsim Peri - "Reflections In The Mirror" (Part I)

[Amanda Nordstrom]

(Botanical Arboretum, Lower, Deck 9, USS Octavia E Butler)


The planning was over, the awards had been assigned, and Katsim, Arlill, and Nilsen stood in the middle of the Arboretum. Around them lay a series of stones, deliberately arranged. Lhandon knelt nearby, with a stone overturned, finalising the programming for them ahead of the awards.

Toxin wasn’t one for pomp and circumstance, and he couldn’t decide what he was going to classify this event as. It wasn’t something he’d ever heard of, expected, or really ever planned to be a part of. He now wondered how he really felt about the stones, but his best friend was enamoured with the idea, and that was enough for Toxin; he’d go along with it.

Nilsen: So what I’m hearing is that you want to be as far away from people as possible. You’d be happy to do the entire awards via a conference call from the other end of the quadrant.

Arlill: ::quietly:: Not the worst of ideas. ::beat:: But this is important, I’m here for them, not me.

He knew Lhandon was talking to Katsim, but it was hard not to respond with the quick quip.

Peri sighed softly.  It wasn’t that she didn’t like people.  She did.  They just exhausted her.  In her life, a few people hadn’t, but they could be counted on one hand: Ayna and Wes.  Even her other friends, as much as she loved them, had to be taken in certain dosages.  Rox, for instance.  After engaging with Rox, Peri always felt like she needed a full night’s sleep.  Avander wasn’t so bad, but eventually, she needed a break.  Wes was the only one who didn’t drain her warp core. After the ceremony, she would likely collapse and avoid people for a while. 

Katsim: It’s not the people.  It’s just…

She trailed off, uncertain how she could explain it to them.  From her experience, both Toxin and Lhandon were introverts, and she was very much the opposite.  

Katsim: It’s just…getting up in front of people…talking…

Nilsen: Tell you what, Katsim - let us do most of the talking. It will be our final act as your senior grunts. ::Smiles.::

Arlill: ::grunting:: Here here. We’re your minions, use us as such! ::smirking towards Katsim::

That brought a small smile to her face.  As much as she wanted to applaud her fellow crew members, the joy of a celebration was tempered by a distinct lack of one of those people.  Wes had been called away by Starfleet, and though it wasn’t for as long a period of time as before, it still dampened the experience for her.  

Nilsen: You know, you should be proud. I know, you and I didn’t… erm… mesh, and I could have done a better job, but we got through that crisis without punching each other. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a win in my book. ::Holds his hand out to Peri.:: Shall we agree not to hate each other?

Lhandon regretted how his first time as part of the command trio had gone. He hadn’t been ready—though he hadn’t realised it at the time. Back then, he thought he was so much better, which had led to clashes with Katsim. Now, he was happy to leave that short, unexpected chapter not as enemies or rivals but, at least, as friends.

Surprise registered over Peri’s features at the question.  She blinked and stared down at the hand, then slid her eyes back up to stare at the man.  Although she had no problem taking it and agreeing to such a thing, she didn’t see why it was necessary. They had never been enemies, and couldn’t understand why he thought they were.  Yet, she knew it wasn’t the time or place to question and clarify, and she didn’t want to get into an argument, so Peri took his hand and shook it, her grip gentle, yet firm.  

Toxin couldn’t be sure what had happened up on Deck 1, but it didn’t seem like anything good. All he had were the official reports—and as always, they only told part of the story.

There was more that happened on the bridge than the acting first officer had been made aware of. Of course, he was only about a third of the way through the after-action reports that had been filed officially and still under a mountain of systems repair allocations. Toxin was grateful they all made it back to their universe; that was what really mattered.

At that point, people arrived at the arboretum.  Upon entering, they stepped into a room transformed from what they normally visited.  Rather than the bright light, adjusted to mimic sunlight on a planet, they stepped into a world at night.  Above them, the ceiling had been transformed into a sky of stars, silver specks on a sea of ebony.  Even as those below watched, they twinkled, as if truly seen from the surface of a planet.  Around them, gentle, glowing lights enhanced their vision without detracting from the darkness of the atmosphere.  Shadowy silhouettes of plants and trees brushed against the background, while the colours of flora nearby almost glowed under the gentle illumination.  Three people greeted the officers as they arrived: Katsim Peri, Toxin Arlill, and Lhandon Nilsen.  Peri stood in the middle, Echo returned to her shoulder, dwarfed by the men on either side, Toxin to her right, and Lhandon to her left.  As the officers gathered, she stood there, hands clasped behind her, face settled into a passive, unreadable expression, eyes falling upon each person as they entered. When the last person finally entered and the doors closed behind them, she lifted her chin, then glanced over at Toxin and nodded.  Stepping forward, the man silently moved through the group and tapped Kimonzi Lahl, Vala Morton, Jania Nis, and Gwen’ora Tasen, then beckoned for them to follow.  Thus, he set a course down his chosen path, the ground glowing faintly to light their way. 

There were more than those four gathered, however.  After Toxin guided his group away and they disappeared from sight.  Silently, Peri turned and nodded to Nilsen.  With that, he stepped forward and tapped four more shoulders: Morro Caras, Sevantha Saa, Alex Forsyth, and Anton Richards. Once chosen, Lhandon motioned for them to follow, and he stepped onto a second path, one that wound in a different direction.  

Rouiancet, Promontory, Herrick, Brzezinski, and Shepherd remained, and in silence, Peri stood before them.  Only after Lhandon and his group disappeared from view did she beckon them to follow, then wordlessly turn and set them down a completely separate path.  

(TBC)

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Lieutenant Commander Lhandon Joseph Nilsen
Senior Diplomatic Officer
USS Octavia E Butler
O240007LN1
He/Him/His (Both player and character)

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Lieutenant Commander Toxin Arlill
Chief of Operations
USS Octavia E Buttler NCC-82850
Writer ID.: O239910TA4


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Commander Katsim Peri 

Chief Science Officer 

USS Octavia E. Butler 

M239008AD0