You'll Never Journey Alone

Posted on 28 Oct 2015 @ 12:12am by Lieutenant JG Nizan Rydit & Crewman Ezra Koenig

729 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 09 - Empires
Location: Observation Deck
Timeline: MD 04 Just after Gamma shift

ON:

Nizan sat in the Observation Lounge, staring out the window at the stars. He had gone to his quarters and changed into something more comfortable that wasn't his uniform. It had been a long shift and he had been looking forward to unwinding and almost didn't realize someone was nearby.

Ezra Koenig lifted the book off his face. He'd fallen asleep looking at the asteroid from the observation viewport. He'd heard Nizan come in, but was too groggy to say hello. When he was a bit more alert, he sat up in the bench he was on and rubbed at his face. "Well, hello." He said finally.

"Huh? Oh, hey, Ezra." Nizan said, only a little startled by the other man speaking up. "Long shift?" He asked, even though they were both on Gamma shift, and he could probably guess.

Ezra gave him a small smile, though it seemed to crinkle around his black eyes more than stretch his cheeks. "The longest," he said before chuckling. He waved a hand in the air as if he were swatting the words out of the air. "But I don't mind." He tossed the book he had onto the seat next to him and he leaned forward to put his elbows on his knees. "Enjoying the view out there?"

"It'd be better if they were the stars from our universe." Nizan said, rubbing his tattoo absentmindedly. "I doubt the prophets exist here. If something was to happen, my Pagh would be trapped, nowhere for it go."

"Oh I don't know about that." Ezra wrinkled his nose a little. He didn't care much for maudlin sentiments, preferring to keep things light and positive. He stood and walked over closer to Nizan. "I would light a duranja lamp for you. The crew would't let you walk that journey alone. You would find your way." He watched the way Nizan rubbed at his tattoo with interest. Along his travels he was always interested to see how important symbols were to people, not just Humans or Betazoids.

Nizan smiled, glad someone would at least help him along if something happened. "Thank you, Ezra. It is good to have such friends who would help your spirit along."

"It's curious," Ezra now stood close to the viewport. He had gotten used to seeing stars out of windows but he much preferred seeing and waking up to the humid northern vistas of Denobula, or the arid sand dune regions of Setareh VI. Very much the explorer, Ezra felt much more at home on alien worlds than he did in space. "Do you find the stars unsettling?"

"These stars, yes. The stars are believed to guide one's Pagh to the celestial temple. The duranja lamp is used to point to the right path. With so many stars it can be hard to find the right path." Nizan said, with a smile. "We are all destined to join the Prophets one day, and they watch out for us."

"I've only been to Bajor twice. The last time I was there I was lucky enough to participate in the Gratitude Festival." Ezra chuckled softly at the memory. "Such a wonderful spirituality you have. I think I spoke to a Vedek that was there for nearly an hour about it."

Nizan gave him a gentle smile. "Did you get your ear grabbed?"

Ezra let out a good-natured belly laugh. "More than a few times," he said as his laugh turned to a chuckle. "My Pagh is pretty mediocre I think."

"You'll get used to the grabbing if you visit more often." Nizan replied with a sigh.

Ezra didn't say anything for a few moments as he let his eyes wander over the starscape. He was behind Nizan just enough to subtly give him a once over before returning his gaze back out the viewport. It seemed as though the Betazoid had gathered in that brief gaze everything he needed to know about the Bajoran. "Maybe one day." He finally agreed. "In the mean time there are so many more places to visit in my lifetime." He tucked his paperback book under his arm. "It was really nice chatting with you again." He said, stifling a yawn.

END

Crewman Ezra Koenig
Security Officer
[PNPC Beaumont]
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Nizan Rydit
Security Officer
USS Glaileo

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