JP: Cmd Alora DeVeau + Ensign Ross: Constellations (Part II)
Amanda Nordstrom
OOC: This takes place before the Invitational.
((Infinite Starlight, Starbase 118 Ops))
He raised his hand, leading her into a cautious little spin - it worked out surprisingly good. He couldn’t help but smile lightly. His was matched by one from Alora, and there sparked some light in her eyes.
Ross: Do I get another badge if we make it through the song?
DeVeau: Another badge?
As if she were twirling on a cloud, Alora turned back into the spin and wound up in the same position as where they started. Their feet did not stop, however, for the music drove them on, beckoning them to fall into the rhythm, glide into the beat and lose themselves in the melody.
Ross: :: chuckling :: Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a few Service Ribbons for Slow-Fox.
DeVeau: Maybe. I’ll think about it.
She let him lead, following his movements with ease, her feet floating over the floor. Alora was long practised, her body relaxed, and a smile remained upon her face, far more illuminated than it had been standing on the sidelines. She had missed this, very much.
DeVeau: Are you ready?
Ross: Ready for what?
DeVeau: For tomorrow. For your first step on the new path you’ve chosen?
It was official. He graduated. Now, he would live it. No longer would he sit in a classroom, or theorise about what might be the best course of action on a holodeck. Now he would actually be in the moment, making decisions on what to do in the middle of a mission. He had trained for years for this moment.
Ross: Well.
Kind of a tough question, especially when he was trying to focus on their dance at the same time - but the thinking distracted him from the noises around them very effectively, as did her illuminated smile. It was nice to think that she was actually enjoying this, even though he was struggling to keep the rhythm of their steps right.
Ross: To be honest, I try not to think about it too much. Back when I applied for academy I didn’t even dream about actually getting accepted - and here we are. oO Still surreal Oo Is it even possible to be prepared for this?
DeVeau: Hm. Yes. And no. Honestly, there’s a little of both. You’ve worked hard and you’ve trained, so even if the specifics don’t match, your ability to think through and act will carry you through.
Her kind words made him smile. It was reassuring that she seemed to believe in his abilities, even if they were to turn out as pure courtesy.
Ross: Maybe I should be more scared. Everything went by so fast, I don’t think I realized it yet. It’s all a little numb up there ::gesturing towards his face while raising his hand for another spin::
He didn’t know why he was so honest with her - they didn’t know each other well, but with each passing step, they floated deeper into a silent kind of understanding. Opposed to his worries, the dancing actually helped - slowly, the tension left his shoulders and he dared to lead his steps a little more freely while the music engulfed their heads.
And she? She followed along. Every step, she matched, where he led, she followed. Her hold upon him was light, her steps like a feather floating along the breeze. When he guided, she responded with smooth motions and quickness of step.
DeVeau: When I began, four years seemed like such a long time. When I graduated, it felt like it had flown by.
Ross: Did you always want to do… this? I mean… - I dreamt of the fleet a lot as a kid, but I never actually dared to apply.
Another smile played over her lips, but this one more nostalgic. Perhaps in her mind’s eyes was a garden, where two children, a boy and a girl, the former just a couple of years older than the latter, but who wore such an air of worldliness, it seemed he was so much more experienced than she. There, they gazed at a tiny flower and he had asked the question that made the ten year old pause.
Jones: If I said I wanted to take this flower to the other side of the galaxy, what would you say?
A soft sigh escaped for the former self that had been so innocent of what the galaxy contained, and yet, would she have chosen any different? No. She couldn’t. The idea implanted into her mind had taken hold and refused to let go. She had set her sights upon the stars, and since then, her feet hadn’t quite ever touched the ground again.
He noticed her absent-mindness like a soft curtain veiling her eyes. For a moment, Ross couldn’t make sense of her smile, whether it was a happy or a sad one - he watched Alora’s expressions attentively, as if they would reveal her thoughts to him if he just stayed patient.
DeVeau: No. But a friend said something that made me think, and the more I thought about it, the less I could resist. He pointed me to the stars, and I couldn’t look back.
Her words resonated with him like a call from the past. He knew exactly what feeling she was talking about.
Ross: Sounds like a good friend. A wise one. It’s just… appallingly beautiful, again and again, don’t you think?
DeVeau: And you? What inspired you to come to this point?
Everyone had inspiration from someone or something. Getting accepted into the Academy was no easy feat, and neither was graduating.
Ross decided for another spin, which gave him time to think about her question. Inspiration was a tricky topic - most of his fellow cadets were fuelled by a deep desire of success, of conquering space and doing good. Him, however? All he remembered when he thought of home was his mother’s voice, calling out for him. her soft timbre an everlasting rhythm inside his head.
Come in, it’s getting dark outside. You can’t stay out all night, darling.
When Alora spinned back towards him, his hand settled on her waist more thoughtlessly - it seemed the natural thing to do and maybe it triggered an honesty inside him that he hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Ross: It’s space. I think out there, you start to forget that you’re on your own very quickly. It’s not healthy. It’s kind of addictive. I really… needed something to do. Something that gets me back with people.
DeVeau: ?
Ross: Sorry if it sounds strange. I mean it’s not like I’m a hermite. I just left my home a long time ago, and maybe it’s time to finally find a new one.
Alora: ?
Ross: I grew up in Boston. You’re also from Earth, right?
He just had the feeling. Her movements, her expressions - it felt familiar to him, like they could have been teenage friends in another life, kids from the same neighborhood, returning to the same, grayish yards every day.
She followed where he guided, her step in line with his, every turn of her foot, every twist of her hip, every tilt of her head was all in choreographed perfection with where he led. The conversation flowed as easily as the music that surrounded them. Every moment there upon that floor, Alora felt lighter and far more at least. The combination of the harmonies working together, the feel of the floor beneath her, and the pleasant company that had so graciously joined her.
DeVeau: I am. I was born in Virginia, but we moved to Japan right after I turned ten.
So his intuition had been right after all. His eyes widened slightly when he echoed her response.
Ross: Japan! That must have been a rough change at such a young age. DeVeau: It was definitely an adjustment, but I loved it all the same. I learned the language, embraced the culture, and it’s more home to me than Virginia ever was.
Though now, things had changed again. Alora knew that while she would always love Earth and it would still be a home, it would not be her permanent home. Some day, when her time in Starfleet was done, Betazoid, which had already claimed her as its own, would be where she lived out the rest of her life. Even now, she had already developed a heart for the planet and its people. She had certainly given her heart to one of them, and the planet with it.
Ross: That's nice. I guess sometimes it takes some time to settle. Time… and courage.
DeVeau: So…do you think you’ve found it?
Ross: ::smiling:: My courage?
DeVeau: Your home.
His smile faded and only now he realized how effortlessly they were floating over the dance floor. The hushed voices and sounds around them seemed far away, dreamlike almost. Where did all this honesty come from? He listened to himself in awe, as if a stranger had taken control over his tongue.
Ross: Maybe. I guess I'd have to leave first, to know for sure. Home-sickness is a good way to tell.
DeVeau: You’re right, ::She agreed.:: It is.
Ross: Do you plan on ever going back then? To earth?
It was an unexpected question, but why wouldn’t he ask that? Both of them were children of Earth, born there, raised there, so wouldn’t they have a natural inclination to return to their homeland? Except that life wasn’t always so straightforward.
DeVeau: I still visit. I have family there. What about you?
Ross: I don't know why I haven't been there for so long. My sister still lives there, but I haven't talked to her in a while… do you have siblings?
Maybe Alora also had a brother who was terrible at staying in contact. He was almost inclined to ask her for tips on how to make it up to your estranged family, as she seemed all so understanding of his problems.
Alora smiled a little and nodded. Did she have a brother, he asked? The truth was yes. And yes. And yes and yes.
DeVeau: I do. I actually have four.
Ross: ::impressed:: Four! Sounds like an exciting childhood. What are they up to nowadays?
Ah, her dear brothers. She loved them all, but life had taken them all in different directions. They would go months without seeing each other in person, though technology allowed them to remain in contact through communications which was better than nothing.
DeVeau: Alain, the eldest, is a partner with my father for Starconn intergalactic.
The company was one of the largest contractors of technology in the sector and did extensive work for Starfleet. Despite that, her father, Etienne, had always prioritised his family and they had never felt that his work was more important than them. Alain did the same with his own, and both had found a healthy balance between the two.
DeVeau: Adrien…well, he wanders, tends to jump around the galaxy. There are times we haven’t heard from him for years…
How long has it been since they last heard? At least three by that point. In fact, the last time she had seen him was when he’d come to Earth during her recovery. Somehow, he’d found out that Alora had been involved in an accident and, despite gallivanting who knew where, had come to check on his baby sister.
DeVeau: Alexandre is a medical officer in Starfleet, and Aimé remains on earth.
He listened tentatively as she recalled her family story - he knew Starconn, of course, everybody who ever worked with tech probably did - but he was surprised to learn that it was Alora's family business. He had coordinated a few purchases from the company, not enough to be familiar with it, but to know how influential her family must be. Also - by the sound of it - they were able to proudly look at a line-up of successful, influential children.
This wasn't the story that lingered with him though. Something about Alora's second brother stuck with him and he caught himself glancing at her again, this time with a changed perspective. What did Christina tell people when they asked about him? Did her eyes radiate the same proud glow? By now he could hardly remember what it felt like to talk to her.
Ross: Your brother… the travelling one… you say he's not around often?
DeVeau: Adrien? He’s always been kind of that way, never was one for settling down in one place. He always wanted to be where the action was.
Even if the action wasn’t the best place to be. Still, they were not jailors, they could not tie him down to Earth, or wrangle him into an undesirable situation. He was his own person, and as long as he didn’t hurt anyone, should be free to do as he would. Even if it was sad he didn’t keep in touch as much as they liked.
Ross: Do you hold that against him?
Something inside him had tensed up. With the next spin, he almost failed to catch her back into his arm, causing them to stumble almost-
Ross: …sorry.
He took a deep breath and made a point to calm himself - a few seconds later they were back to the old rhythm, floating as if they never stopped.
Alora’s eyebrow arched upward, curious about the direction of the questioning, but more than willing to discuss it openly.
DeVeau: When he does reach out, we’re quite happy about it. Even if he does things and makes choices we don’t agree with, even if he were to go a dozen years between calls, he’s still family, and we still love him.
That caused a pinch inside his chest. oO She's not her. This is a different story. Oo
She paused, her eyes studying his face, but even that scrutiny could not break the flow of her motion, the way her feet continued to glide over the floor. It was as if the music had taken hold and she no longer needed to think about the dancing, simply needed to let it guide her. As she gazed upon him, she couldn’t help but realise there was more to his question than met the eye, and she wondered what spurred it.
DeVeau: This resonates, doesn’t it?
Ross: ::blinking:: Is it that obvious?
Maybe that was the thing about dancing - you couldn't hide your face, there was no way to close up.
************
Ensign Evan Ross
Intelligence Officer
StarBase 118 Ops
O240009ER2
&
Commander Alora DeVeau
Mission Specialist &
Second Officer
Denali Station
M239008AD0