The Voyage Home

Posted on Wed Feb 10th, 2010 @ 2:20am by Commander Dhindara Vrel & Captain Anna Johnson

2,279 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: FORGING AHEAD
Location: Runabout Celduin
Timeline: current

[Runabout Celduin]

After several hours of sleep Dhindara woke up. She opened her eyes and looked out of her cot into the rest of the room. Anna and Jana were still asleep, it seemed. As quietly as she could Dhindara got out of bed and headed for the sonic shower the small vessel was equipped with.

Elenore wasn't as polite as Dhindara. She wanted to be fed and decided Jana had been asleep long enough. She started sticking her claws out and walking on Jana's back and meowing softly. Jana reached back and grabbed her and sat up, "Okay, I'm awake already." She said and moved over to get Elenore some food and water.

Anna rolled over as well and smiled, "I use to have a cat that would do the same thing. He wasn't too happy with me when I finally got him declawed." Anna said as she searched for the uniform she hadn't worn since leaving the base. They would be arriving there in the next few hours and she needed to be ready to get back to work.

After several minutes in the shower Dhindara stepped back out into the cabin. "Oh, good morning", she said, smiling. "I hope I didn't wake you up." She got a clean set of regulation underwear and a uniform out of her travelling back, following the same reasoning as Anna, and got dressed.

"No Elenore is the one that did that." Jana said. "I may have to look into having her declawed if she keeps waking me up that way."

Anna laughed, "I'm going to grab a quick shower then you can and we can grab breakfast." She suggested.

Jana nodded and grabbed her clothes to have them ready to go.

Dhindara put on her uniform, then held her hands to her belly to feel if she had gained or lost any weight. It felt normal so she was happy. "Have you ever been to a starbase, Jana?"

"I've never been farther than the Mars Colony before now." Jana answered, "Only went there once on a trip with my class."

Dhindara smiled. "Oh, I remember the first time when I went out into space. It was so exciting. There's a lot to explore on the base, and lots of different species to interact with, so you can learn about their ways and possibly their languages."

"Visiting there and living there are two different things though. If you visit there then you try and take everything in as quickly as you can. If you do that when you first get there then everything gets old fast and leaves you feeling like there is nothing to do." Jana said.

"Fortunately, a starbase is ever-changing", Dhindara replied. "There's always new ships and new crews stopping by, new shops opening and old ones closing, new restaurants to try out and so on. It never gets boring."

"I guess." Jana said with a shrug. She looked a lot different now without her make up on. A lot more like Anna except for the dyed hair. "I'm still not sure about all of this." She said as she grabbed a brush and started brushing through her hair.

"You'll find out soon", Dhindara said. "And if there's nothing for you to do you can always stop by and we'll sing. My cabin is just a stone's throw from Anna's... not that I'd want you to test that statement by performing the experiment, mind you."

Jana just rolled her eyes a bit, "So are you in science or medical?" Jana asked.

"I'm the Counsellor", Dhindara said. "I sit around in an office all day. When I'm off shift, I try and find something active to do, to exercise a little, and then mostly read or play music."

"Ahh so that's why you came along then." Jana said as she pulled out her guitar and started to strum a tune.

"Yeah, I wanted to get some time out of the office", Dhindara replied. "Plus, I didn't want Anna to do the trip out to get you all alone, as I said."

"And you thought I might need someone to talk to." Jana added as she continued to play.

"There was that possibility", Dhindara admitted. "But you seem to be doing pretty well on your own."

"I'm good at keeping my emotions together." Jana said but actually meant keeping them hidden. "Anna is one of the few people I can act 'normal' around and be comfortable."

"You have a disciplined mind, for a Terran of your age", Dhindara remarked. "Last night while I was meditating I got images from your dreams. They turned dark, I was about to go and wake you up so you didn't have to deal with nightmares, when you managed to push them away on your own. I was very impressed."

"It comes with practice. If I don't like what I'm dreaming about I try to think about something else." Jana said.

About that time Anna came out of the shower dressed in her yellow uniform. "You can get a shower now if you want." She said to Jana.

Jana placed her guitar down and grabbed her clothes to get a shower.

"Did you two have a nice talk?" Anna asked.

"I told her I noticed her disciplined mind", Dhindara replied. "When she was dreaming last night she pushed the bad dreams away on her own."

"I use to be able to do that. I haven't had to use that skill in a while so I'm out of practice." Anna said as she moved over and began braiding her hair.

Dhindara took the brush. "Let me help you with that", she offered. "And I should be able to train with you, if you want to re-gain that ability."

Anna let Dhindara take over the work of braiding her hair. "I'll think about it though I have a feeling I'm going to be so busy when we get back when I get around to sleeping I will pretty much pass out." Anna said.

"I'll have to make sure that you won't overwork yourself, then", Dhindara replied.

"I will be pulling double duties of operations and executive officer." Anna said. "I won't over do it. I will need to spend time with Jana too."

As if on cue Jana stepped back into the main room. Her make up now in place to complete her look. The paled face the dark lipstick and heavy eye shadow she looked between the two of them. "You can stop talking about me now." She said.

"Nah, it's much more fun when the person we're talking about is listening", Dhindara replied with a smirk.

Jana rolled her eyes once again and moved over to braid her hair into two pony tails.

Anna took a deep breath and attempted to hide a sigh. "So what does everyone want for breakfast?" She asked.

"Woodland creature stew", Dhindara replied. "Though, I'm not sure the replicator has that, so I guess I'll settle for something more common."

Anna moved over to the replicator and retrieved squirrel stew for Dhindara. "What about you Jana?" She asked.

"Bacon, eggs and hash browns please. Oh and coffee double light." Jana said.

Anna got Jana her breakfast, then replicated her own. French toast with eggs and coffee double light then sat down to eat. "So did everyone rest well?" She asked hoping to avoid an awkward silence.

"Indeed, I did. No bad dreams that kept me awake", Dhindara smiled.

"I slept fine." Jana said, "I just hope the beds on the station are more comfortable than the ones here." She said. Elenore sat under her chair purring loudly.

"I'm sure that if you ask nicely the operations manager will be able to get you a bed that's just the way you want it", Dhindara replied. "You won't have to sleep like a Klingon."

Anna rolled her eyes with that statement, "Trust me you'll like the bed." She said then dug into her breakfast.

"You should find most things on the starbase very comfortable", Dhindara explained. "Though, if your sense of direction is anywhere near as good as mine, you'll also find many things are not in the places you expect them to be and you'll get lost a few times before you find your way around."

"Which is why it is a good idea to keep a map of the station handy or at least know where the terminals are for getting directions." Anna said.

"Hey, I've been doing better", Dhindara remarked. "I've got the PADD, I just try not to have to use it."

Anna laughed, "I was more so making a suggestion for when we get there so that Jana doesn't get lost."

Jana was eating quickly and drinking the coffee instead of adding much to the conversation. She was tired of being cooped up and would be glad to stretch her legs once they arrived at the station.

"Well, getting lost sometimes is a good thing, you discover new things that way", Dhindara replied. "Only when you really have to get somewhere fast it's sort of inconvenient."

"Or if you can't find your way back to where you want to be" Anna added.

"I'll be careful, I'll make sure I know how to get back to our quarters. Just please let me explore. I'm not a child I can take care of myself." Jana was beginning to feel like she was with her mother again. She grabbed her empty dishes recycled them and went back to her bed followed by Elenore.

"What did I do wrong?" Anna asked confused.

"I don't know", Dhindara replied. "We were referring to me, after all."

Anna let out a sigh and moved out to the pilot's seat. They should be getting within range of the starbase soon and she wanted to be at the helm to contact them when they did.

Jana started strumming out a tune again and writing down the chords as she did often going back and scratching out one chord and replacing it with another a few moments later.

"Hey Jana?" Dhindara said to get her attention, "we weren't trying to say you don't know how to get around in unfamiliar places... you're what, fifteen-ish? You should be well capable of looking after yourself in many respects."

Jana looked over at Dhindara, "No adult thinks a fifteen year old doesn't need assistance in unfamiliar places." Jana said, "Its their nature to think they have to take care of you."

"There are different kinds of assistance", Dhindara replied. "But you'll have to keep in mind, most fifteen year-olds don't appreciate the same kind of advice that adults gladly take from those who are familiar with the place. That's because adults like to know things before they go somewhere, while teenagers like to explore."

"And it's been how long exactly since you've been a teenager?" Jana asked.

"Uhm, twenty years ago, by Terran years", Dhindara replied. "But that doesn't mean I've forgotten all about it."

Jana shook her head, "Things change a lot in twenty years." she said.

"Are you telling me you don't like to explore?" Dhindara asked. "I remember earlier that you said going out and looking for things is fun, until there's the point that you've seen everything."

"I like to explore yes. I don't like being told when and where I can go. I don't like conforming to the norm so to speak." Jana said.

"I'm with you on that one", Dhindara agreed. "When I'm on duty, I have to. It comes with the job. But off duty, it's not for me."

The shuttle dropped out of warp as they neared the station and Anna opened the com requesting permission to dock. Once they were cleared Anna took the shuttle to on a course to land in the docking area. Once close enough she let the starbase itself take over the controls and moved to and spoke to the other two. "We are here and are docking as I speak."

Dhindara stood. "It's been a pleasure travelling with you", she said. "If I need to make a trip, I'll invite you along."

Anna smiled, "Thanks for keeping me company, it helped more than you will ever know."

Jana placed her guitar in its case and had another case which held her keyboard. She threw a big backpack duffel over her shoulders. Anna grabbed her bag as well and put it on her shoulders. "Can I help carry anything?" She asked. Jana thought for a moment and handed Anna the guitar case she picked up the keyboard and Elenore and said, "Lead the way."

Anna shut down the systems and opened the hatch and as they stepped off they were greeted by people ready to check systems and get the shuttle ready for her next trip out. Many of which were snapping to attention as Anna stepped out. "As you were," she said and led the way to the lift, "Deck 24." Then they were on their way to their quarters.

Following into the lift, Dhindara said. "I wonder how many PADDs are waiting on my desk by now."

"Probably a mountain of them" Anna said with a smile.

As the lift stopped Dhindara stepped out and headed left towards her cabin, to get her bag back before she would get to her office and see about the state of affairs. "If you need anything just call me, okay Jana?"

"Yeah, okay. And thanks." She said as she let Anna lead her to their quarters to settle in.

=/\\= End of Transmission =/\\=

Lieutenant Commander Anna Johnson
Chief Operations / Executive Officer

Lieutenant Commander Dhindara Vrel
Counsellor

Jana Johnson [NPC]
Civilian

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