JP: Ens. Yogan Yalu & Mirkl Zanti - Join me for a chat, Part 1
jkpbem
((Mess Hall, Deck 2, USS Resolution))
As Udaro took his first steps onto the barren planet, he knew that things would never be the same. Neeyo’s treachery was as unforgiving as the rocky, hostile landscape upon which Udaro stood, and from which he would rise again. Stronger. Renewed. Independent of Neeyo and the weapons of his thoughts.
Without taking his eyes off of the PADD screen, Yogan lifted the nearby mug of steaming, coffee-like beverage to his lips. So enraptured was he in what he was reading, he misjudged the approach and the enamel mug knocked against his front teeth. The pain was short-lived, but the surprise had caused him to recoil, sloshing the mug’s contents onto the table, his hands, and his PADD.
Yalu: Aoush!
Yogan acted quickly to contain the spill to the tabletop, first using the sleeve of his uniform jacket as a makeshift mop, then clearing up the rest with his napkin. The mess hall was mostly deserted at this hour, so there were precious few who bore witness to Yogan’s gaffe.
Yalu: oO I think that’s enough Embers Within Ashes for one day. Oo
Yogan toggled off the PADD and turned his attention to the stars outside, streaking past the windows at warp speed. He tried not to think about the novel, his first foray into Betazoid literature, and into whose plot he had become hopelessly engrossed. The work of contemporary fiction may have won its author, Levralet Izun, the 2396 Rixx Prize, but it wasn’t worth chipping a tooth or burning one’s forearms over.
Glancing back around the mess hall, Yogan noticed a familiar face had just entered; a member of Resolution’s science department. Yogan had been impressed at how the man had handled the Unity entity during their previous mission; clearly he was a competent scientist and a real asset to the crew. Yogan stood, collected his mug and napkin, and approached the wall of replicators where the other Trill was standing.
Unable to sleep and feeling a bit confined in his bedroom, Mirkl had decided to get dressed and head to the mess hall. He hoped the change of scenery would do him some good. When he arrived, he walked up directly to the replicators and ordered a glass of balso tonic.
Yalu: Hello there. It’s Mirkl Zanti, right?
Zanti: Yes, that’s right. ::beat:: Yalu, wasn’t it? I don’t believe I ever caught your personal name?
Yalu: It’s Yogan. Yogan Yalu.
Zanti: It’s nice to meet you, officially.
Yalu: I’ve been meaning to tell you, I thought the way you and Del and zh’Vranni dealt with the Unity entity was amazing. You probably saved all of our lives.
Mirkl was more than taken aback. To receive such a compliment from someone joined was… it was… well, amazing. Mirkl looked down at the floor, blushing.
Zanti: Thank you. ::shaking his head:: I didn’t really do that much. Ensigns Del and Sirin did the real communicating with the entity, and Ensign zh’Vranni worked with decoding the messages sent to the console. I’m really more of a humanoid xenobiologist and sociologist.
Mirkl had a habit of either clamming up or oversharing when he was nervous, and for some reason tonight he was oversharing.
Yalu: Well even if cosmic entities aren’t your specialty, you were exactly what we needed right when we needed it.
Feeling awkward and wanting to fill the silence, Mirkl asked the first thing that came to mind.
Zanti: What are you doing up right now? Did you pick up another duty shift?
Yalu: Not much at this hour. I came up here to read, but watching the stars captured my attention. Care to join?
Zanti: ::stammering:: I, um, sure. Yes.
Yogan grabbed a fresh drink from the replication and led the way toward the windows. Mirkl picked his drink up from inside the replicator and followed the joined Trill to a table for two near the bank of windows on the other side of the room.
Yalu: On a ship this small, it was a pleasant surprise to see another Trill on the bridge crew. Where are you from back home?
Zanti: I’m from a small city called Pemur. It’s in the Diar Valley of the Nalep Mountains. Do you know where that is?
Trill was a big planet, and although it was home to Yogan, he wasn’t familiar with its every nook and cranny. He knew the region, but the name of the town itself didn’t ring a bell.
Yalu: ::grinning:: I could probably find it on a map.
Zanti: Murona’s the nearest large city. ::He took a sip of his drink.:: How about you?
Mirkl could hear a slight accent in the other man’s speech but couldn’t quite place it. It definitely wasn’t from anywhere on the main continent of their world.
Yalu: I was born on Earth, and lived there until I was ten. But when we moved back to Trill, we settled in my mother’s family home in Grodor. It’s on the foothills of Bes Manev.
As Yogan quaffed the hot, acidic beverage, he tried to identify the expression on Zanti’s face. Yogan wondered if he'd said or did something to make his fellow Trill uncomfortable.
Yalu: Is everything all right? Did I say something wrong?
Mirkl was a little taken aback. Was he really that easy to read? He hoped not.
Zanti: Uh, no, not at all.
He paused. Was he really going to admit to this? He was tired, and his filters were lower than they usually were. Other people admitted to their feelings, right? What did he have to lose?
Zanti: It’s just that… well… You’re joined. Why would you want to… ::He shook his head, looking down into his glass.:: Nevermind.
Yogan had been sitting on the edge of his seat, leaning slightly forward with his hands resting on the table, fingers crossed prayer-style. Given his size and Zanti’s body language, he started to feel as though he were looming over the other man like some kind of henge. Yogan took another sip of his drink, using the moment to adjust his posture to something a bit more casual.
Yalu: No, please. What were you going to say?
TBC!
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Ensign Mirkl Zanti
Science Officer
USS Resolution
T238407S10
and
Ensign Yogan Yalu
Helm Officer
USS Resolution NCC-78145
Justin
D238804DS0