Her memories are fine. Just fine. Too fine

Posted on 12 May 2017 @ 5:05pm by Lieutenant Amaranai Franklin & Ensign Miraj Derani
Edited on on 13 May 2017 @ 6:17pm

1,923 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: USS Chaka - Sickbay
Timeline: MD -43, 1030

[ON]

Amaranai felt the need to talk to Miraj. She seemed so confused and Amaranai hoped that by talking to her, possibly about going on a pirate adventure, would bring Miraj back from whatever confusion she was locked in.

Heading to sick bay, the security officer relieved the guard and sat down next to her friend.

"Miraj," she said. "How are you feeling?"

The half-Boslic looked up at the strange woman. As was becoming normal she couldn't place the face. And trying to break down the features wasn’t helping. Human, brown haired. Round here it didnt narrow it down. "Sorry." Miraj gave an apologetic wince. "We know each other, don't we?"

Amaranai sighed at the statement. It seemed that she was still unable to recognize anyone, even people that were her friends.

"Yes," the brunette said. "I'm Amaranai Franklin."

She paused.

"We're friends. We had a holodeck adventure where we went hunting for vampires."

That was definitely not something that one would forget. Or, at least, Amaranai hoped Miraj had not forgotten that.

Miraj grinned. "Oh, I remember that. You made me wear that leather cat suit with the corset." She sighed. "There's nothing wrong my memory. I just don't recognise anyone."

At least she remembered the moments.

"That's good," Amaranai said. "I guess."

She paused.

"So have the doctors found any reason for not recognizing faces?"

Amaranai had not checked with the doctors about Miraj's condition and figured the woman would tell the brunette anything she knew.

"They think its brain damage. When Abbey shot me, I hit my head on the conn. I get a scan every day to check that its not getting worse. I'm just waiting on today's results. How are you? Did you get hurt when those Klingons tried their mutiny?"

Amaranai recalled the moment that Miraj had been stunned but didn't remember her hitting the conn station. That would be a good reason for the brain damage. She hoped that it could get better, or at least, not get worse.

"I did get hurt a bit," she said. "Mild concussion from being slapped and hitting the deck, and Chorag was choking me not in a good way, so my neck has some bruising and my windpipe is a little sore." She paused again. "And general bruising across my body, but the doctors were able to take care of me."

She thought about saying something about Lirha also taking care of Amaranai, but thought against it at the moment.

"I'm so sorry." Miraj felt guilt twist at her guts. If she'd grown a brain and found a way to warn people sooner then her friend wouldn't have been hurt. "I was so stupid."

"Don't be sorry," Amaranai said to the young woman. "It wasn't your fault." She paused. "From what you've told us, you warned Luke and you told Lir . . ."

Amaranai caught herself.

"You told the admiral. And we stopped Chorag. That's the most important thing."

Another pause.

"And we're alive. That's pretty important also."

"I feel so stupid anyway." Miraj pulled her knees up. "I just seem to attract creeps and crazies."

Amaranai wasn't sure what to say to the statement at first, but smiled and chuckled regardless.

"You can't remember faces, but you remember that you attract creeps and crazies?"

She shook her head.

"Besides, I'm sure they haven't all been crazy."

Miraj smiled at the woman she was only eighty percent sure was Amaranai. "I know, weird isn't it?" She gave a shrug. "Well, Luke isn't. Jury's out on Lirha." A look of worry and regret crossed her face. "you know I told you about Lirah coming onto me, and me freaking out?"

The comment about Lirha possibly being crazy made Amaranai shiver inside. Instead, though, she stayed stoic and then when Miraj mentioned Lirha coming onto her and freaking out, Amaranai nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "What about it?"

The brunette wondered what Miraj would think about the two of them together now. Would she suddenly consider Amaranai crazy as well for falling for the CO? Or would she be happy?

"I did a stupid thing. I tried to... give her what she wanted. And screwed that up too."

"What?"

That was something that Miraj hadn't told her before now. And something that Lirha hadn't told her either. Of course, Amaranai didn't need to know Lirha's private life. Whatever the woman did before they were together was her own business. If she didn't tell Amaranai, it didn't matter.

"Well, after you told me that about being with girls, I thought maybe I could go through with it. Get my flight status back." Miraj looked away. "I couldn't do it." She suddenly realised what she might be implying. "Not that it was gross. I don't mean that. Under other circumstances I think I would have liked it. I just kept thinking about Luke, and I couldn't go through with it."

Amaranai listened to Miraj's confession of trying to have a fling with Lirha just to get her flight status back. It made sense. After their conversation about Lirha hitting on Miraj, of course Miraj would see that as a way to get back to what she wanted - fly. But then Miraj mentioned that she couldn't do it, Amaranai was almost relieved. Again, it wasn't because she was angry with Miraj or jealous or even mad at Lirha. It was a moment that Amaranai didn't need to be privy to.

Looking at Miraj, Amaranai thought for a moment.

"So what was the admiral's reaction to you suddenly changing your mind?"

Miraj sighed. "She wasn't happy. She put me back on duty, but I don't think either of us felt very good about it." She twisted a strand of pink hair around one finger. "Then we got stuck in the lift after dodging that starfleet vessel. That was awkward. Turns out that she thought I was the one using her." Miraj snorted with disbelief. She still hadn't got her head round that.

It was interesting to hear about what happened. Amaranai knew that Miraj was back on duty but hadn't really gotten the details. Again, though, she knew that Miraj nor Lirha had any need to tell her what happened, but it was still interesting. Amaranai chuckled at the thought of the two officers stuck in a lift after the awkward conversation.

"Why would she think you were using her?"

Miraj frownes, her orbital arches casting shadows over her blue eyes. "She thought I was using her feelings for me against her." Miraj looked and sounded utterly baffled. "And I mean feelings feelings. Not just get inside my pants feelings. It was so weird. I had no idea she felt anything. I mean, I'm a weirdo i know that. And she's..."

Beautiful. Wonderful. Amaziing. Intelligent. Sexy. Amaranai rattled the adjectives in her mind.

"Well," she said aloud. "It's all past now, so I guess you don't have to worry about it. Right?"

"I hope not. But I do worry. I mean when you tell someone you think they're the most beautiful woman in the quadrant," Miraj blushed as pink as her hair at the memory, "and they then say they're waiting for someone else... I hope she doesn't hold a grudge. Especially because I went along with a plan to send her off to Davy Jones."

"I don't think she'll hold a grudge," Amaranai said. "And she is beautiful, so she's probably moved on already."

Amaranai knew how the statement sounded, so she immediately added.

"Not that you're not worth it," she said. "But maybe she realized that you weren't what she needed right now."

"I guess." Miraj looked as deflated as she sounded. Lirha's attention, as unsought and unwanted as it had been, was still incredibly flattering. To think it was gone so quickly... She guessed she was right the first time. Despite what the Orion woman had said, it was all about getting in her pants. "If one week I'm the most beautiful person in a thousand light-years and she cares deeply for me and the next she's off seducing someone else, I guess I had a lucky escape. I feel sorry for whoever her rebound is. I hope they know how fickle she is. Or they are going to get very hurt."

Amaranai could see that Miraj looked saddened by the statement and felt bad for even offering any consolation. Amaranai had almost been ready to tell Miraj about she and Lirha but stopped herself when Miraj mentioned feeling sorry for whomever Lirha was with now.

"I . . ." she wasn't really sure what to say.

It suddenly made Amaranai think about her relationship with Lirha. It had been such a short time and now Amaranai wanted to question Lirha about what Miraj had said. Was Lirha really that fickle?

"I suppose," she started. "That whomever the admiral has chosen is adult enough to know the difference between casual sex and anything else."

What else could she say? After what Miraj said, Amaranai didn't want to admit her relationship for fear that she would think Amaranai stupid for getting involved with the admiral.

"Probably," Miraj admitted. "Most people know more about this stuff than I do. I've got zero experience. If you've been around the track a few times, I guess Lirha must be more obviouous. She kind of blind-sided me."

"I do have some experience," Amaranai started. "But I don't know about how obvious she is. Maybe I'm just not seeing it."

She had to keep avoiding anything that might lead Miraj to think that Amaranai was involved with Lirha.

Miraj shrugged. "Well, she's not our problem anymore. Do you still want to go play wenches in the holodeck when we get back to earth? I'm either going to be released or cashiered when we get there, so either way, I'll be free."

"I'm up for being a wench," Amaranai said, glad to change the subject. "And however you get free, we'll be pirates, so what's freedom anyway?"

Miraj laughed, and she gave Amaranai a really happy look. "Awesome. You so totally get it. You're the best."

Amaranai giggled at the comment.

"You're pretty good yourself," she said.

Amaranai stood up. "I should let you get some rest," she said. "I'm sure the doc is going to be coming soon." She paused a moment. "We'll get to wenching soon."

"Good." As if summoned, one of the Chaka's doctors started to approach, padd of results in hand. Miraj gave Amaranai a hug. "Come see me again soon, okay. You never know, new ship, lots of people. Maybe we can find you a guy. Or a girl. I'm in here enough at the moment. I could try setting you up with a nurse or doctor, if you want."

Amaranai accepted the hug and hugged the other girl back. She was a good friend and even if she didn't recognize the security officer's face, Amaranai was glad that Miraj seemed to be feeling better.

At the comment about finding Amarani a guy or girl, she coughed but quickly covered it up, especially in front of the doctor, lest they think she was sick.

"Oh, I just need some water," she said with a smile.

"Yeah," she said, turning back to Miraj. "You never know, I might be able to find someone on my own."

[OFF]

--

Ensign Miraj Derani
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant jg Amaranai Franklin
Assitant Chief Security / Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

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