Aftermath

Posted on 14 Oct 2021 @ 8:06pm by Commander Luke Wyatt & Nesh Saalm
Edited on on 29 Oct 2021 @ 6:40pm

2,243 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 17 - Crystal of Life
Location: USS Galileo-A
Timeline: MD 06, 2300 hrs

[ON]

Nesh Saalm hesitated for a brief moment before she rang the chime of Wyatt's quarters, taking a slow but deep breath and exhaling. She wore a simple dress that showed off her figure, but the sort of thing she had a lot of and threw on without a second thought. Her long hair was up, tendrils of it falling down the back of her neck, across her forehead and cheeks.

Truth was, now that all had settled, she wanted to see Wyatt. To talk. Now that she was calm. She had kept thinking of him during all this, about what had happened...and she wanted to talk about it. Talk about him, her, everything. And maybe they could move past this.

Sitting crossed legged and alone in the dark in his old single quarters Luke had been listening to the ambient workings of the ship, it was mostly non-existent however if you learned to control your breathing you could start making out the low hums, hisses and beeps like Galileo's own heartbeat. When his door chime broke the relative silence he sat in silence. He had upon the return of Lirha and the away teams confined himself to his quarters not wanting to speak to anyone, and it seemed mostly everyone was willing to give him his space except whoever was on the other side of his door usually it would have been his daughter Abbey, except she was dead and her replacement away carving her own new path.

Not getting a reply, Nesh pressed the chime again, sighing as she moved her hand to the door. "Open up," she muttered, eyes closed. "Open up or else I will have to stay out here all day like an idiot..."

Eyes opening Luke sighed before saying out loud "Computer Unlock doors and open" The room was momentarily cut in half with a beam of light from the corridor and at the bottom still sitting was Luke's form Looking up to Nesh in the doorway. "How things seem to change." he said in a sad voice.

Nesh watched him before she walked in, looking around and making a face. "Yeah, but it seems we all have to go through dark and broody glooming..." she said lightly before she moved to sit down with him. "So. A bit further on, here we are. And me without my knife selection..." she kept her voice light, but she wasn't looking at him.

"And here we are" Luke said softly before turning his body so he sat opposite Nesh eyes closed again as if in deep thought. "I think I preferred the knife approach, a soft careful Nesh is actually scarier. At least when you was angry I could tell what you was thinking."

Nesh considered the words, weighing them over before she looked at him. "I am here to see where do we go from here," she finally said. "You know me. I don't...hold grudges. And Lirha doesn't really either. So I am here to see where do we go from here, Luke. To put this chapter behind us and move on, because I got better things to do with my life than letting those days consume me..." she spoke plainly, but it was all measured and calculating, looking at him for any reaction.

"I am working things out, on my own." If Nesh was looking for a reaction the tight lines which were carved onto his face would give away his sadness and guilt. “I know you and sister can move on but somethings are not as easily forgotten. Good soldiers follow orders, I did not."

Nesh watched him for a long moment before she sighed. She moved closer to him and put her hand to his cheek, resting it there. "So maybe you are not a good soldier. You are a person who made a call. Right or wrong. What matters is the end result, right? We are alive. You are alive. She is alive."

His hand raised as it settled over hers, the warmth from both spreading across his cheek. “But at what cost, I cant go back and face everyone not after everything that happened, its one thing being alive but its another to actually live. How can anyone trust me, i don't even trust myself anymore." Luke manged blinked the tears away for now.

Nesh watched him before she smiled at the words. "You mean, like when I popped off in a tantrum, leaving my studies behind, ran away to this ship and had to face the crew? It was one of the most embarrassing things of my life...and you know that? You...just go out there and deal with it. Does thing change? Yeah. Maybe not for the better, but we change with them. I trust you. I think you made a stupid decision, but you did what you thought was right. Just like Lirha always does. Just...this time, you weren't right. You weren't wrong either though or you wouldn't be here."

"This is different Nesh" Lukes hand dropped from hers, "This isn't about being embarrassed its about bring reliable how can Lirha or anyone look to me when i might refuse, i am thankful for your trust and your acceptance but for the first time in my life I refused an order, it was easy to carry on when things were going on but now all I am left to do is reflect and..."

"And dwell," Nesh said and sighed, nodding as she pulled her hand back. "I am the Queen of Sulk, as you may remember. If you want to brood over it like a teenager, then fine...your call. But the way I see it...you were found not in breach by refusing, because you still have your career. You are doing no one any favours by sitting here and dwelling. Go out there. Talk to people, go to the gym...the stuff you always have done."

Listening to her words Luke knew she wasn't going to budge, “If I was sulking like a teenager id have a large tub of ice cream half eaten already" Luke half smiled, "Have I ever told you that you remind me of Abbey" He wasn't sure what made him say it maybe it was the idea of eating icec ream and how he and his daughter would have sat for hours watching cheesy old earth shows eating triple choc ice cream by the bucket load.

Nesh looked at him at the words before she gave a small smile. "I think that's one of the biggest compliments I have ever had," she said before she nudged him. "So, do I go and replicate the ice cream, or will you? If you are going to do this, you need to do it right..."

Rolling his eyes Luke slowly pushed himself off the floor before offering her his hand to help her up. He then moved over to the replicator and ordered two large bowls of triple choc chip ice cream with spoons. “Here" He said passing her a bowl as he sat down on the sofa.

She took the bowl and sat down beside him, taking some to try. She sighed as she closed her eyes, taking it all in. "I'm sorry for stabbing you," she said and opened her eyes, licking the spoon. "Although I will always maintain you walked into my knife..."

"Its ok" Luke said having finished the spoonful of ice cream before adding "I'm sorry for walking into your knife although I will also maintain the fact you stabbed me" he chuckled licking the spoon again. "How is your sister doing?"

"You know Lirha...she's as if nothing happened. On the outside anyway," Nesh said and gave a weak shrug before she took more ice cream. "She will tell me. Eventually."

Luke thought for a moment taking in some ice cream as he did and licked the spoon clean. "Are you still wanting to join Starfleet?" He wasn't sure what relevance the question was but he guessed that after all this even he'd have to reconsider his life choices.

"No," Nesh shook her head before she hesitated, considering it...and it was clear she was really considering it. "Maybe. Just wouldn't know where to slot in if I did. Science didn't suit me. Art...is more me."

"What about medical? You knew how to patch me up alright and in a way treating a patient can be a kind if art, needing steady hands" Luke could see Nesh as a doctor, she certainly in his opinion had the personality and the ability. "Or what about a journalist, put those creative skills into writing and drawing?"

Nesh chuckled and shook her head, slowly, but she was clearly thinking. "Who am I kidding, they would not want me," she said after a moment. "I ran away from my own family to avoid getting married."

"A marriage you didn't want" Luke reminded her taking a scoop and eating it, "Starfleet would be your choice no one else's. I mean without sounding mean Nesh you can't live under your sister's shadow for the rest of your life, your bright, beautiful, and kind you have every possibility of doing whatever you want to do and so much more."

She looked at Luke, holding his eyes for a long moment before she narrowed her own. "You trying to appease me?" she asked, but it was all playful now. Whatever anger she had held against him, it had disappeared when her sister set her foot back on the deck.

He chuckled looking to face her "I'm just telling the truth, and maybe trying to avoid another stabbing, the paperwork for one is a nuisance at the best of time even more so when you're the one with the hole inside of you," He said winking as he licked his spoon clean.

"Well, I left my knife collection at home..." Nesh said before she chuckled, shaking her head. "Maybe law. I could do law. Actually, I could do the opposite too...I would be a brilliant pirate."

"Oh yeah, maybe we could amputate your right leg and replace for a peg" He teased doing a sawing motion with his spoon above her right knee. "But seriously Law is good, what kind of law though? Civilian, Military?" He asked trying to keep her thinking.

"Starfleet," she said before she took more ice cream. "If I was going to do law, it would have to the ship's law. All those planets out there, how do you choose? And my people aren't known for their...law...so it would have to be Starfleet."

"Well..." Luke started taking in a small scoop of ice cream, "You're taking to the right person, being security isn't supposed to be just about shooting phaser were also the ships law enforcement so when it comes to the law we uphold... Mostly" He said the latter part somewhat sadly.

"Depends on the ship," Nesh said lightly before she smiled, eyes shining suddenly at the idea. "I mean, some ships never see action. Some ships are...normal..."

Luke nodded, "and some ships see too much action. Its luck of the draw really, the best place for someone wanting to follow law would be on a station." He suggested, stations were cities in the sky with their own law enforcement, nesh would thrive there.

Nesh smiled warmly as she looked at Luke, unable to stop her smile. "I would be pretty good on a station..." she said lightly, in a sing-song voice.

"That's the spirit, and here's me thinking you was here to cheer me up" He teased tipping the now empty pot of ice cream and placing it upside down on the table in front of them. "I win!"

Nesh groaned as she closed her eyes, pushing her pot to the side. "Finish mine, the ice cream finished me..." she said with a small smile. "I came here because I wanted to."

Shrugging as he took the mostly finished pot "Your loss, can't believe you're not finishing it Nesh you've disappointed me" He nudged her with his shoulder playfully. "And for the record I'm glad you came."

"Good," Nesh said and smiled to him before she shook her head. "We have both seen, said and done things. I don't want it to change us too much to be honest. Because at the core, we are the same people we were a couple of months ago."

"You should think about being a counselor" he teased before feeling a wash of tiredness, "I think it might be time for this old man to go to bed." Luke stretched out a yawn and his arms over his head as he over emphasised his tiredness.

"You should be an actor with those performance skills..." Nesh grumbled and stood, looking at him. "Go and get some rest. I...will see you around?"

Standing to let her out he nodded "Certainly" He said shortly before adding, "Well see each other around and who knows maybe ill invite yiu round again for some more ice cream" Luke smiled as he stood next to the now open door. "Goodnight Nesh"

She nodded and walked to the door, smiling weakly. "Sweet dreams, Luke," she said softly before she left.

[OFF]

--

Lt Cmdr. Luke Wyatt
Chief of Security
USS Galileo-A

Nesh Saalm
Civilian
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Vansen]

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