The Fated Meeting Place
Posted on Tue Aug 17, 2021 @ 4:14am by Lieutenant Rei Yamashi & Lieutenant Commander Kaedon Draesni
Mission:
Mission 1R - Vigilance Be Our Shield
Location: Turbolift 03
Rei was a patient creature, she truly was. A little extra wait on the lift was nothing that she couldn't endure. It was once she was ON the lift that things took a turn to the ridiculous. It seemed that every single deck had someone in need of a lift, and that this particular lift was the only lift in operation. In fact, if you told her that some malevolent transdimensional omni-entity had removed all other lifts from existence EXCEPT for the one she was currently in, she'd probably believe you.
Swish, nod, people on, wait. Swish, nod, people off, people on, wait. It was her own fault for needing to essentially travel from one end of the ship to the other, but this was a test. She tapped her broad boot in time with the decks passing by. Always the icon of patience.
The doors opened again, and this time a younger man entered alone. Judging by his appearance, he must have been in his early to mid-thirties, though with a certain air about him. He wore a uniform of command division red with three silver pips across the chest, which were visible before he turned around to face the front. Two solid and one hollow.
“Officers’ quarters,” he said, giving instruction to the computer. There was a chirp of acknowledgment. The doors closed and the lift resumed its motion through the ship.
Silence was never something that Rei enjoyed. "I hope your day has been well, sir?" an awkward ice breaker, but still effective. Her lusterless eyes turned to at least address him semi-directly. Pools of color, without a gleam or glimmer to them. Endless pools one could drown in.
“So far, it would seem,” Draesni replied, turning toward the woman who had spoken. Upon seeing her, however, he was momentarily caught off guard. Although he had served with people from many different worlds during his time in Starfleet, the person standing before him was not of any species he recognized. He immediately took note of the services gold color of her uniform and the two solid pips indicating her rank. From there, his attention was drawn to her eyes, then further upward to the long ears that stood above her head.
She gave him the time to admire her, to see her for all she was. She knew how exotic her appearance was, and how most member of the Alpha quadrant reacted to her appearance. "Sir." she started with a smirk, "My eyes are down here." she offered, amused. Never before would the universe present her the chance to use such a line. She had to take the moment.
"I take no ill intent. I know none is implied." she forgave him instantly for his curiosity. "I'm Rei Yamashi, a recent addition to the crew."
“Kaedon Draesni.”
A nod. "I wish you well in your endeavors, sir." He didn't seem the type to engage in conversation. An oddity given the populace of the Alpha quadrant, or so she had read. Still though, the preference of the higher rank. With that, she had two options: Talk to herself or say nothing.
The remainder of the turbolift ride would be in silence. It wasn't rude, it wasn't awkward, it's what was wanted. It's what was proper.
“…and to you, lieutenant,” Draesni replied, wondering if perhaps it was some sort of colloquial custom to wish one another well. As he thought about this, he noticed that she had turned her attention away and was facing forward again. It occurred to him, somewhat belatedly, that perhaps his brief response had given the impression he wasn’t interested in further conversation. But that was not the case (at least, not for him).
“So…” he said slowly, causing her to turn toward him again, “You mentioned you were ‘a recent addition’. Where were you serving before you came here?”
"Training ships and graduation cruises in Starfleet. Back home, the Empire imposes three years of service of all its citizens. I served my three, and used what I learned there to get into a better academy. From there, I used what I learned from both to apply abroad. This is my first Starfleet posting, but hardly the first time I've been in an Engineering pit." she replied. "I'm the assistant to the chief. So when she's up to her elbows in repairs she'll either delegate to me, or send me to handle the small requests. I haven't had the chance to find out if she's a Take Charge or Make Change operator."
Somehow, it didn’t surprise Draesni to learn that Yamashi came with as much experience as she did. Though the Hornet may not have been the most prestigious assignment one might find in the fleet, serving aboard a Monarch-class was no slouch, either. This was especially true when one considered the mission they were about to embark upon.
“You know, I don’t think I’ve met her, either,” Draesni said, “but then again, I’ve only just come aboard myself…from the Majestic.”
She offered a soft smile, a ghost of a smile more than anything else. "I've always enjoyed the names given to Federation starcraft. Simple, elegant, and direct. Evoking images of their mission without sounding negative. A venture, but never a tour. A quest, but never a chore. Regal, but never to excess." she continued, "One of the starships I served on back in the Empire was the Dauntless Bulwark, roughly translated." she clarified. "We served our three and moved on. Some stayed. Career potentials." she offered.
"And prestige is what you make of it. No one is handed greatness that can appreciate it, and those who are rarely know how to hold it. It's like holding smoke."
Yamashi’s choice of metaphor intrigued Draesni. Not only did it seem to capture what she was describing about fleet service, whether to Starfleet or her own, but it also resonated with him on a deeper level as well. He didn’t have very much time to think about it, though. For at that moment, the turbolift slowed to a halt and the doors opened, revealing that they had reached officers’ country.
"It appears our time is at an end." she commented, "Until next time, sir. I look forward to our next encounter." and though she was in no way blocking his path, she stood to the side to give him not just the space, but the courtesy of said space.
Draesni offered a nod of appreciation. “Until next time,” he agreed. And, with that, he stepped out of the lift and disappeared into the corridor beyond.
OFF
Lieutenant Commander Kaedon Draesni
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Hornet (NCC-94650)
Lieutenant Rei Yamashi
Deputy Chief Engineering Officer
USS Hornet (NCC-94650)
