Ensign Lyra Voss: A Particular Reputation
Sarah Terry
((Docking Ring, Deck 87, Starbase 118))
Sol gently put a hand on Lyra’s shoulder. Not a condescending gesture at all - just a kind one, but still, Lyra could feel her smile grow a little tighter and her cheeks a little warmer. For once in her life, what would it be like to not be on the back foot at the start of a conversation? Would she ever know? But the group had brushed past her comment and were already discussing their excitement and curiosity for the trip.
Voss: Well, we can go straight to the bonfires when we arrive. Or see what performances are happening around town - what are you guys thinking?
McLaren: I'm open to anything. See how we feel when we arrive?
Sylvax: That seems wise. ::a small beat:: Though I will admit, I’m curious about the bonfires. There’s something… intentionally symbolic about them. ::His gaze shifted to Voss.:: If Vestus is about renewal, it seems appropriate to begin at the point where people choose what to leave behind.
Taybrim: You might find this strange, but I am pleased to tag along and let someone else decide. I think too many decision in my day job and need a bit of a break.
Taybrim winked, his dark eyes glinting with warmth and humor. It was almost funny to imagine him as the leader of an entire sector of Federation space - not because he didn’t seem capable, but because it was impossible to picture him without that little sparkle and it wasn’t an expression one saw on many commodores. It was the expression of a youngest sibling. She’d seen it in Ondir’s eyes many times.
Voss: ::with a grin:: Well there will be an official program of events. We can always throw a dart at it if we get particularly indecisive.
Sylvax: But I’m content to follow your leads ::looking to Lyra and Sal::. This is your homeworld, after all.
There was a distinct separation for Ryden. Hers and Taybrim’s. Not his.
Taybrim: A dangerous prospect, I’ll find whatever seems the most thrill-seeking. And by find, I mean that I already know of a few potential options. That said, I do agree that the bonfires are brilliant and are a strong choice.
Lyra couldn’t help raising an eyebrow. She wondered what exactly the commodore’s definition of “thrill-seeking” was.
Voss: Well, we did have a group of sword swallowers attend last year, but I’m not sure they take audience volunteers. We might be able to convince them though, depending on – ::cut off by a boarding announcement over the intercom:: Ah, that’s us!
McLaren: ?
Sylvax: Lead the way.
((Timeskip - In Orbit of Betazed))
More than once over the course of their journey, Lyra found herself slightly envious of Taybrim. How well he exemplified that warm-hearted openness and compassion so many expected from a Betazoid. His interest in others was genuine and plainly spoken, he conversed easily and listened readily. He was the kind of person you opened up to without even noticing - and he was just as open in return.
She’d learned that, yes, of course, he was the youngest of three, and that he thought jumping out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft was fun. That they shared a love of Klingon opera but disparate opinions on bloodwine. And he’d gotten her whole Academy tale, plus a bit of insight into the occasionally fraught dynamics between herself, her mother, and her grandmother. He’d also somehow gotten her to admit to a brief early teen phase where she’d dyed her hair black and only answered to “Annabel Lee,” and she hadn’t allowed *that* to come up in casual conversation in very long time
As the ship slowly drew closer to Betazed, the quartet found themselves drawn to the large viewport windows. Lyra watched the slow rotation of those brilliant blues and greens with mixed feelings. She was excited to see her family again, of course, but these large events were inexorably tied to a position in the Sixteenth House that she didn’t want or feel capable of. In many ways, she felt more like her real self when she was away from Betazed, and that was a strange, uncomfortable realization she didn’t really know what to do with. Ryden’s thoughts were complicated as well - reckoning with a distance he struggled to understand. She heard his slow intake of breath before he spoke.
Sylvax: I’ve been here a few times. ::His voice was calm, thoughtful.:: When I was younger. My mother used to bring me to visit my grandparents. ::He folded his arms loosely, gaze fixed on the planet below.::I remember the trips. ::a small pause:: They just never felt like they belonged to me. It always felt more like… a destination. Somewhere we went for a while, and then left.
Voss: There’s only so much you can take in when it’s just periodic visits, I’m sure.
McLaren: ?
Taybrim: If this was your vacation destination, where was home?
Sylvax: Trill was home. This... ::he gestured slightly toward the viewport::... was where we visited.
Lyra found herself crossing her own arms as she continued to stare out at the approaching planet. It must be so strange - to know, in some abstract, academic way, that a place was part of you, but not to have that feeling. That nameless thing that sunk into place when you were *home*.
McLaren: ?
Taybrim: It sounds like you are reconsidering a bit.
Sylvax: I think I’d like to change that. Or at least understand why it never felt like it was mine to begin with.
Voss: ::a slightly rueful smile on her face:: Well, we can certainly help you to get to know it better. What you’ll want to do with it after that, I can’t say.
McLaren: ?
Taybrim: I find that as we progress through life we end up shedding old identities so we can become stronger, better ones based on our experience and lessons learned. I don’t think it’s a bad thing to change your relationship with someone or something – even a planet.
Lyra shook her head gently. She felt like her relationship to Betazed changed day to day, if not minute to minute sometimes…
McLaren/Sylvax: ?
He chuckled gently, warmly.
Taybrim: Goodness, I think I knew I wanted to get off the homeworld as early as my teenage years. I’m not saying my mother is overbearing… though I will say that distance lends enchantment to our relationship.
She laughed quickly at that comment.
Voss: Betazoid mothers do have a particular reputation. And certainly not unearned, in my experience.
McLaren/Sylvax: ?
Taybrim: That depends, what’s the first thing you want to do after arriving? Explore? Relax? Settle in?
Voss: How about we stop at the house and drop off our bags, and then we can set out toward the bonfires? They won’t quite be lit yet, but that’ll give us a chance to see some of the performers and vendors that are around and setting up.
McLaren/Sylvax: ?
With a plan relatively set, they settled in for their final descent down to Betazed.
((Timeskip - Voss Manor, Bellonphain, Betazed))
She’d already given Sol, Ryden, and Sal all the caveats by the time they’d made it off the transport and over to the grounds of the home she’d grown up in: her family was huge, a little crazy, everyone would be in a tizzy, she apologized in advance, blah, blah, blah. And the house itself… well, that would be an interesting sight. She was sure it was evident at this point that she came from a… well, an *established* family, but Voss Manor was impressive to behold. Members of her family had been living there, at the top of the hill outside the city, for almost fourteen generations, and the house had continued to grow in all that time. To stand in front of it today was to be dwarfed by warm sandstone columns and dome-topped towers. Lyra tried to get them in the door as quickly as possible.
She turned to them with a bit of a self-conscious shrug when they got into the foray.
Voss: Well, uh, welcome! This is the house. Built in 2053 and… yeah.
McLaren/Sylvax/Taybrim: ?
Ardeena: Darling, that’s hardly a fitting introduction.
A voice rang out from above them, and Lyra had to steel herself for a moment before turning around to see her grandmother’s descent down the long central staircase perpendicular to the front door. She pursed her lips and then went up to greet Ardeena, who kissed her on both cheeks.
Voss: ::turning back to the group with a stiff smile:: Allow me to introduce my grandmother, Ardeena Voss, Matriarch of the Sixteenth House, bearer of the Revalan Diadem and keeper of the Orb of Stars. Govanna, these are my friends and colleagues, Lt. Ryden Sylvax, Lt. Commander Solaris McLaren, and Commodore Sal Taybrim.
Ardeena immediately went up to warmly take their hands. She was short in stature, but had a presence that took up the entire room.
Ardeena: How *lovely* to meet you all! We’re thrilled to welcome you into our home for Vestus. I hope you had a pleasant trip?
McLaren/Sylvax/Taybrim: ?
Lyra tightly crossed her arms and wondered how quickly she could extricate them from her grandmother.