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Exhileration there is nothing like it...

Posted on 02 Feb 2025 @ 1:48pm by Lieutenant JG Zhivise Silatuyok & Lieutenant Callisi Veera

1,452 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Miranda
Location: Bridge x Mess

The exhilaration she felt with every press of a button and every shudder of the thrusters. The Nebula class was a barge, but she was so smooth, "All right, just a few more maneuvers," she muttered, fighting the urge to do some of her crazier maneuvers.

"...right, that went well," she muttered, nodding to the helm officer who came to replace her. As she left the bridge, her hands were shaking a little, which they did every time she got to pilot, there was just an adrenaline rush she got every time.

...Mess...


Stepping off the lift and down the corridor, hoping she was going the right way for her quarters. And, of course, she did not, and she ended up in a mess, "...right, not my quarters, but I could eat," she muttered as she went to get some food, tomato soup, and water.

The mess was crowded, but not too crowded, "um, d do you mind if I sit?" She asked, choosing a table with only one other person.

At the table, there sat a rabbitess, a human that had all the qualities one would think of when one thought of a rabbit. Long ears? Check. Muzzle? Check. Large paw feet? Check. Presumably a tail but that would require investigating. What she had that most rabbits didn't was an eyepatch over her right eye. The scar that escaped from the top and bottom of that patch told the story that silence couldn't tell on its own. Something happened, something sudden and violent. This was the result.

Still, though, she was rather pretty despite the patch. Curves were needed, long legs, and even with the patch in place, she was certainly pretty. She looked up from her tray and her meal of a bowl of soup, a plate of mushroom pieces cut into squares, and a light salad. "Certainly, by all means." she offered across, going so far as to reach a foot out to nudge the chair in offer. "Haven't had a chance to meet everyone. My name is Callisi. Ops."

"Pilot, Zhivise Silatuyok, but you can call me Zhiv much easier," she quickly realized that she should have told the commander that, next time, "...oh and thank you, um, I got lost trying to get back to my quarters," she added awkwardly.

A soft smirk, "The ship is vast and all the corridors look identical, you'll get the hang of navigating soon enough. Took me forever to find my way, you'll find yours." a pause, "Pilot, now that takes me back." she offered. "Back home, served in the naval forces. Dropship pilot, nine years. Ran plenty of ops, some I can even talk about." a bit of humor. Hard to read her expression. "I haven't had the privilege of flying a craft as massive as the Odin. How does she handle it?"

"Surprisingly nimble for her size," perked up a little bit when she heard that she was a pilot and piloted drop ships, "...but I do miss the smaller and more agile vessels I have flown, but before this, I was doing a lot of transport piloting," she added taking a few sips of her soup.

A nod from the rabbitess, "Transport piloting, civilian or military?" she inquired, "IF.. you're cleared to talk about it."

"Starfleet and it was mostly boring supply transport, with a few crew means of transport, but yeah, boring," Zhiv said with a chuckle, "...so yours was personnel drop ships, or was it supplies?"

"Personnel. Dropship, troop transport. Flew some grey ops missions behind enemy lines. Most of the runs? Flawless. Got hurt on one run." She looked up. That's where she must have gotten the patch. There was the faintest blue dot glowing under that patch. The eye beneath must be a replacement, which meant...

"I'd never call any of the runs boring, but some were less exciting than others." she offered. "Don't ever let anyone sell you short. Without shuttle transporters, everything grinds to a halt."

Zhiv smiled but was blushing hard; she did not handle compliments all that well, "...um thanks," unsure of what to say next, like always when getting a compliment.

"My old deckmaster back in the navy always said, recognize when you do wrong, be recognized when you do right. I don't know if that applies here in Starfleet, but it's how I run my department." she offered.

"I think that is a common thing among services and species," Zhiv said as she finished her soup, "and probably schools," she said allowing her mind to wander a bit, "did you enjoy your time in your service before joining Starfleet?"

Callisi paused, for a moment she started to reach a free hand up to her face, but stopped. "I.." she paused again and turned to look Zhivise in the eye. Callisi's one good eye was a haunting blue, the color was deep. Endless. The eye had no shine to it, no reflection. Just a matte painting of the soul.

"I did my duty, and when the time came to renew I did so. Twice. Nine years." she offered. "It was different from this, from Starfleet. I find my time here enjoyable. The people are more approachable, and the duty more enriching. During my service back home it was nine years of war, against an enemy that does not stop. Always another front, always another drop... but I served. Always." a pause, as she sighed and visibly relaxed. Trying to go from intense memories to more pleasant moments in the here and now. "It was different there. But it's more enjoyable here."

Zhiv didn't know how to respond, yes there were some big wars, for her, the closest one was the Dominion War, and that one, from what she remembered learning was that it did feel like it would never end, and then you had Wolf 359 with the incursion of the Borg. But, for the most part, it was peaceful yeah there were the skirmishes, but again it was over when it was over.

"I am sorry, I I, um, didn't mean to bring up painful memories, I guess we are lucky that, for the most part, it has been peace, or I have grown up when it has been mostly peaceful," she added.

"Accepted." Callisi started, "You couldn't know, so you meant no offense. I'm still a.." a breath, a pause. Seems now it was Callisi's turn to be at a loss for words. "The scars it left are more obvious to me. I'm reminded of those years every day. I should be better at talking about it, about my accomplishments. I should be proud of what I accomplished, but all I see are the scars."

A soft smile creased her features, "You're very lucky to be here in a time of peace. I'm lucky to have provided peace to others. Are they connected, no. Not at all." she held her smile, "But we're both here to make things better for others, so we can work towards that."

"I like that, that has always been my parents' philosophy as well," Zhiv said with a smile as an inward sigh of relief happened as she felt like she fitted in better than her last assignment, then again, no one was thrilled with that assignment.

Callisi gave a nod, "My parents were... disappointed when I came home injured. Proud of what I did, proud of my record, disappointed in my injury." she shook her head, "Another reason Starfleet appeals to me. Less disappointment." she paused to take a few nibbles off her plate. "We should do this again. Sit, chat. It's nice."

"...in Starfleet, yes, but parents are a whole other thing," Zhiv said with a little bit of a sigh, "my parents are still proud, but...," she said leaving it hanging.

Callisi smirked, "Your mastery of the art of suspense rivals the playwrights of the fourth dynasty." she teased, "But, as they say, what?"

Zhiv chuckled a little, "...they can be proud, but still be disappointed because you didn't do it the way they would have done it, or that it took longer, or whatever they claim," she said with a shrug.

"My people put a lot of emphasis on appearance. How you look, how you dress, how you present yourself. An injury this severe is just, was just a bit much for them. I call them, I talk with them, but I haven't been home in..." a pause, "A long time. But you're right, parents can be proud and disappointed. So..."

She raised her mug, "To proud parents, and not being grand disappointments."

"...to proud parents, and not being grand disappointments," Zhiv said shortening it a little.

 

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