[backsim] Mikali sh'Shar - Andorian Blues: The Boxes, Part III

[David Adams]

(( Remote hut, 100km out of Yaristia, Palanon ))

When Mikali sh'Shar woke up, not only was it weirdly night time again, but she was covered in a thick fuzzy blanket that she both didn't remember putting over herself, and didn't recognise at all.

The thick, pungent scent of smoke drifted into the hut. Fire!

She sat up, blinking and confused, struggling to come back to her senses. She flailed around, hand knocking over her laser engraver with a clatter.

Clearly hearing the noise, from the outside came a familiar voice.

Catscratch: Hey! I'm just making you breakfast, love, no sweat! ::She sounded out of breath and a little panicked. :: Just go back to sleep, I'm not ready yet, there's been a minor fire, but I got it fixed... sort of!

A... minor fire. Her antenna stood straight up. She could sense a large heat source outside the building, sparkling through the walls, her antenna drawn to the heat signature. Mikali threw off the blanket and, still in her underwear, dashed outside.

Catscratch had set up a little cozy-looking campsite just outside the hut, complete with a two-person tent, a pair of chairs, and a fire composed of local timber surrounded by gathered rocks, upon which a cast iron frying pan sat, dark smoke billowing out of the pan. The Caitian had clearly bought plenty of fire-starting equipment but no fire-extinguishing equipment and, accordingly, was stuck gingerly trying to snatch the overheated pan out of the heat with her bare hands.

Mikali knew what to do. She darted back in, grabbed her forging apron and gloves, hastily pulled them on, then snatched up a fire extinguisher. She clumsily lumbered out to the campfire, aimed the fire extinguisher at the campsite and quenched it with the freezing white spray of foam and gas. Then with her gloves, she grabbed the hot metal and moving it out of the mess. The bacon on it was totally ruined, nothing more than charred scraps covered in foam, and the pan's centre sagged.

sh'Shar: What the hell are you doing, you lunatic!? This is a rental! You trying to burn the place down?!

Catscratch smiled sheepishly, flashing a big white smile full of teeth, eyes narrowing to shy yellow slits.

Catscratch: Sorry! I was just trying to cook.

Groaning, Mikali put the pan down onto the ground and slumped into one of the chairs.

sh'Shar: There's a replicator inside, you know.

Catscratch: Oh! Neat. That's good, because I didn't bring anything else to eat.

Mikali just blew out a long, low sigh and shook her head.

sh'Shar: Catscratch... what the var de chem char are you doing here?

Catscratch plopped into the chair next to her, scooching over until the armrests were touching.

Catscratch: I just wanted to see you. ::She squinted slightly.:: You were in sickbay, then you went to counselling, then you just... disappeared. That's a worry you know.

It was true. She should have been more diligent to her friend. At least said goodbye.

sh'Shar: Sorry. I just... wanted some privacy.

Catscratch didn't say anything for a moment, then just nodded.

Catscratch: That's okay. I just got lonely. I can, uhh, go back to the station if you... ::She trailed off.::

Mikali shook her head.

sh'Shar: No, it's fine. You can stay if you want to. I know what it's like to want company and not have it. ::She squirmed around in the chair.:: Guess I have you to thank for the blanket, huh.

Catscratch: Yeah. I bought it for me, but then I saw you there, and I... well. You were obviously tired, so I figured you'd need it more than me.

sh'Shar: Andorians don't really feel the cold in the same way as most andorianoids, but thanks. I appreciate the gesture.

For a while, neither of them said anything. Catscratch's head tilted back, looking up to the stars. sh'Shar's eye followed. So many bright stars... like a billion pinpricks in the sky.

Catscratch: ::Softly,:: Beautiful, isn't it? There are so many stars away from the big cities.

sh'Shar: Yeah.

Catscratch started purring again. The two spent a moment, maybe ten minutes, maybe more, just staring quietly up at the stars, leaning up against each other, sharing a quiet, gentle moment. The wind gently bent the trees around them, rustling the leaves and causing the wooden hut to creak gently as it moved to and fro. Some distant clouds gathered on the horizon, high and not rain-bearing, like distant foggy mountains.

Catscratch finally broke the silence. The Caitian's face split again, eyes trailing down to the apron Mikali was wearing.

Catscratch: So. Apart from laying around in your underwear, snoozing on the ground surrounded by junk, what the heck is this? What are you wearing? Some kind of Andorian costume?

Mikali chuckled.

sh'Shar: It's a forging apron. I'm... making stuff.

Catscratch's right ear perked and twitched.

Catscratch: Oooh, stuff? For me? ::Her pupils dilated until they practically swallowed her irises.:: Do I get a present?

Mikali smiled sheepishly.

sh'Shar: If you're good, you might get something.

Catscratch purred happily, flashing a toothy grin.

Catscratch: But I'm always good.

There was an edge of flirtatiousness in Catscratch's tone that was unmistakable, and it wasn't the first time it had showed up. Mikali, just like the previous times, dismissed it. There just wasn't room in her life for that kind of complication.

sh'Shar: Anyway. I should get dressed, properly, and then maybe you can help me. It'll ruin the surprise though.

Catscratch smiled brightly.

Catscratch: You know, I think I might like that. I hate surprises. Go on, go put on some clothes, you silly cyclops.

Mikali hopped out of the chair with a groan, her whole body stiff from two days of solid physical work. Now that the panic of Catscratch nearly burning down her rented hut had evaporated, her body ached.

But just like the doubts creeping into her mind, spurred on by memories of her arrest, and just like Catscratch's flirtatiousness, Mikali ignored the complaining of her body, had a quick shower — a real one, taken from the rainwater tank on the roof — and then replicated some fresh clothes, changing into them gingerly, the movements stressing her complaining muscles.

Then, like a good pet, the replicator got fed the ruined pan, her old clothes, and a bunch of tools she wasn't using anymore. In exchange it burped out some bacon and eggs with chives and toast, serving two.

Mikali sat with Catscratch in the middle of the hut, surrounded by her tools, and the two of them ate a non-absolutely-destroyed breakfast.

Catscratch: So, ::Her mouth full of food,:: What are you going to make me? Is it cool?

Mikali's gut instinct was to ask her to wait, but if Catscratch really hated surprises, then it made sense to just tell her.

sh'Shar: I'm making you a bracelet.

The Caitain whined pathetically.

Catscratch: Oh lame! ::She scoffed.:: No. Make me a cool Starfleet phaser instead.

Mikali's antenna drooped, and from more than just the instant rejection of her handmade gift. There was something in Catscratch's tone — beyond simple complaining — that set off faint alarm bells in the back of her mind. The edge of a commandment, detached and empty, as though she were issuing orders to a computer. Her Caitain friend's struggle with holoaddiction, and some of the habits that might have sprung out from that, drifted back into her head.

sh'Shar: ::Quietly, but firmly,:: You know I can't do that. I couldn't while I was serving and I especially can't now.

As though the rebuke had shaken Catscratch away from a bad habit, the Caitian's ears flattened against her head.

Catscratch: I mean, um... ::Diplomatically,:: A nice bracelet would be just fine.

Mikali cautiously bit down on her toast, breaking the egg and sending a jet of egg yolk into her mouth.

sh'Shar: I'm making it for you no matter if you like it or not.

Catscratch, slightly more reserved, just nodded.

Catscratch: I'll be over here then. Out of your way.

Mikali finished eating, wiped down her face with a cloth, and then set to work.

Once more the wire was spooled out, this time wrapped around a large round log salvaged from Catscratch's campfire. She had anticipated going out into the woods to cut down a tree to find the wood, but this saved her a bunch of effort.

Mikali shaved the log down, sanding and shaping until it was a perfect dowel, about double the size of her own wrist, and then slowly wound the wire around the round log, her fingers complaining about the second day of repeated work. She elected for a stiffer, thicker gauge this time for strength, and when it was time for the second rotation, she interwove the strands, laying them across the first.

Slowly, painstakingly, Mikali worked under lamplight, her fingers weaving together the strands of metal, creating a braided pattern that gradually grew out from that original single strand, forming a strong, interleaved decorative design, working down until the braid was nearly six centimetres long.

Catscratch watched, mostly silent except for the occasional question, her big yellow eyes glinting in the night, reflecting every single bit of light that met them.

Finally, the braid itself was done, but Mikali didn't want to spoil the gift.

sh'Shar: Hey. Wanna scoot for a bit, just to let me finish up?

Catscratch's right ear waggled in annoyance.

Catscratch: I can't watch? I've been good.

Mikali couldn't really dispute that.

sh'Shar: Okay. Just... at least try to act surprised, okay?

Catscratch nodded happily.

With that out of the way, Mikali worked backward, threading the wire underneath the braid and back out to the middle. Out came the needlenose pliars again, and although her fingers complained, she threaded the wire tip up and out, forming a rough claw-like construction. Then, with a sheepish grin, she retrieved the next bit out of her parts bag.

Her old prosthetic eye.

Catscratch's tail lashed across the floor of the hut, sweeping up some of the carbon powder from Mikali's forging. She could obviously see where it was going, but sh'Shar just focused on her work.

Without saying a word, Mikali pushed the orb into the claw, snapping it in with a soft click. The grey optic stared up at her blindly, wires dangling down around the bracelet she'd built. Carefully, Mikali threaded the copper into the steel, winding around it, securely binding the prosthetic to its new home.

Three done.

Three gifts completed. Three debts addressed. Mikali stood with a groan, retrieving the third box, opened it, and laid the bracelet inside.

Catscratch: When do I get it?

That was a good question. Mikali ran her finger down the side of the box thoughtfully.

sh'Shar: No reason why it can't be now. So... okay. Stand up.

Catscratch did so, practically slipping up to a standing position as liquid as a changeling.

Mikali straightened her back, adopting a formal, almost ritualised posture, squaring her shoulders and turning to face her friend, holding the box in both hands.

And then did her absolute best trying to pronounce Catscratch's name.

sh'Shar: Vexa...ǂ...prymmal...ʘ...yersev-va.

The Caitain's eyes lit up.

Catscratch: That is actually pretty good. ::She smiled initially, but then stared in guarded confusion.:: You're kinda weirding me out though. Can't you just give it to me? Is this some Andorian thing? Are you about to challenge me to a duel? Using my real name to summon a demon?

Rather than disturb the moment, Mikali bowed formally at the waist, dipping her head, extending her arms out, presenting the box to Catscratch.

sh'Shar: I have made this for you. For your efforts saving my life after... recent events.

The Caitain, clearly remembering she was supposed to be feigning ignorance, faux-gasped.

Catscratch: A... box?

Mikali's antenna twitched. She had asked for this...

sh'Shar: No, idiot. Inside the box. 

Mikali opened the lid awkwardly, revealing the thick-wired bracelet she had woven, complete with the prosthetic eye as the crown jewel, the wires of the prosthetic embedded in the metal, wrapping around the braids of the band like a horrid monocular octopus. 

Catscratch, perhaps now seeing the completed work with new eyes, nestled into the soft padded box, inhaled sharply.

sh'Shar: I know you like morbid crap, so...

Catscratch squealed. She took the thing out of the box, holding it up to the light.

Catscratch: I freaking love it! So much better than a stupid gun!

How much of that was feigned or genuine was impossible to know. Mikali just watched as Catscratch slipped it on her fuzzy wrist, jangling it happily.

Catscratch: That is so creepy and weird. I love it. ::She grinned an entirely Cheshire smile.:: Guess you could say you've got your eye on me.

More flirting. sh'Shar wasn't sure exactly how to handle it, so she merely straightened up and closed the box, keeping her formal air about her as best she could with Catscratch being herself.

sh'Shar: The... meaning behind this gift is: I know that you're like me. You have a history that you're not proud of, that you're trying to move on from, improve yourself. But you're being held back. So if you ever need a reminder, you can look at it and think... change is possible. Even if it's painful and uncomfortable, and humiliating, sometimes the only way to grow is to get rid of the things in your life that are killing you.

The Caitain just laughed, maybe not even listening to her, jangling the bracelet a little more.

Catscratch: Honestly, I just love having your eye as part of my clothing. That thing was inside your skull, love! I looked you in that eye! It's perfect.

Relief. The message of the gift seemed to escape her, but she least she seemed to appreciate it.

One gift delivered. Two more to go. But they would have to wait until she was back on the station.

sh'Shar: C'mon. I have to go check-in at the local hospital so I can get a new eye. Get that process kicked off. We can catch a shuttle together if you want?

Catscratch laughed and threw her arms around Mikali, giving her a tight squeeze.

Catscratch: What about the other presents?

Mikali smiled gently, but unyieldingly.

sh'Shar: They aren't for you. I have other debts, you know.

Catscratch's disappointment was palpable, but she obviously tried to put on a good face.

Catscratch: Right! Well, okay. I'll help you pack.

fin

--

Lieutenant (j.g.) (ret) Mikali sh'Shar

Civilian

ReachOut Project

simmed by

Ensign Serren Tan

Security/Tactical

USS Gorkon

O238704AT0