In the still Darkness
Alice woke up feeling tired, becoming more and more despondent as she laid in bed, thinking. She looked around, but Stryker and Penny was nowhere to be seen. She eventually got up, heading to the shower.
Alice stepped got out of the shower and dressed herself in a sky-blue dress, a matching duster and arm warmers. An obi decorated her waist with flowers and a deep green vein patterns.
Still depressed and tired, and in no mood to go to ten-forward or anywhere else for that matter. She just sat on her bed when the doors opened. Mouse entered the room in her hoverchair. She could see tears beginning to brim Alice's eyes. "Hey."
"Hey yourself." Alice said.
Mouse parked herself in front of Alice. "He is still playing mute ?"
Alice nodded. "He completly withdrew himself from everyone, walking around the ship like a zombie."
Mouse frowned, thinking. "You are the only one who help him now."
"I want to help, but I don't know what is wrong."
Mouse thought about it for a few seconds. "Reach out to him, pull him back from the abyss. Or else..."
"Or else what ?"
"Or else you will lose him and end up as a bitter, crazy old lady with three cats after all." Mouse teased gently, trying to raise Alice's spirits.
"Want some words of wisdom ?" Mouse said. Alice nodded.
"Love conquers all boundaries." Mouse said.
"Are you sure ?"
Mouse nodded, "I am counting on it."
"Thanks Mouse." Mouse smiled. Now we are even, lizard breath.
Holodeck C One was locked, but Alice entered a security override and entered.
A rush of warm air greeted the red haired woman as she walked across the beach. "There you are!" her voice come as the huge double doors closed behind her and disappeared.
She looked at him as she sat down next to him, he stared at the ocean, looking utterly miserable. She reconized the location, about 75 kilometers south of Cooktown. They spent countless days here, relaxing and diving the exploring the Great Barrier reef. He got her interested in the ocean.
"It sure has been a long time since we last came here. I used to come here all the time." Alice said in a dreamy voice. "I used to sit here, and think about things. Just me, the gentle sea breeze and the tranquil sound of the waves."
He did not move, just kept looking ahead as wave after wave crashed gently on the beach before retreating. "Memories work in a strange way does it not ?" she said. "Just when you think that you've forgotten about something, it comes floating back into your heart. I guess it's just lying there in wait. Waiting for that right moment. Why, we might even remember this very moment someday."
Stryker remained silent, choosing to stare at the two t'santari in his hand, the Eidolon (Stryker's icon of namesake) and Primal Eyes (Ael's). Alice looked ahead as holodeck children ran around on the beach and played in the water. "Kids sure have it easy. Remember when we were like that? Not a single care or worry on our minds. Each day filled with newness, fun and excitement."
"We were robbed of our innocence at a very young age, weren't we ?" Stryker said misably.
"Yes I suppose so." she agreed.
"Alice." he said.
She froze, and it was only after a few tense seconds that she could croak out, "Yes ?"
He sat up straight. "Why did you come in here?"
With difficulty she answered, "Well, I, I thought that, mmmm. You trust me right ?"
"Alice." His voice was soft, reassuring. "I still do. I trust you completely, you know that."
"Why did you shut everyone out ?"
No answer. "You said to Mouse, that friends are there to stand by you and help you. But then you go and shut everyone out. Dammit TALK TO ME!"
Another long silence. "Alice ..." he said, fighting with his own emotions, "All the damn drugs in my system unlocked my most painful memory. It was long forgotten and buried very very deep. But I relived it, with every thought, sound and sight, over and over again."
She looked at him, not quite sure what he is talking about. He seems distant to her. "I was two or three years old at the time. We were onboard an borrowed shuttle, my whole family. I remember now. My father and my mother a praelector of two neighboring colleges. They had some time off together and we were heading to a another planet, to visit family."
"The ship struck a subspace mine, proberly planted by the Dominion. I was knocked unconscious by the concussion. I awoke some time later and stood amidst the bodies of others, and tried to shake my mother awake. My parents did not move when I spoke to them, no one else moved, except a girl my age."
He continued at a moment of silence, "We were rescued two days later and they stuck us in hospital for I don't know how long."
Alice was left shocked upon hearing this as she looked at him. He had the appearance of a defeated man. "I thought Nekise and Suelo was your parents." she said softly.
"Suelo was the closest relative that Laenia and I have. She adopted us. Suelo and Nekise are roving ambassadors working with the Guardian Collective, still unretired. Both of them musical, artistic and creative. We are a family that loves to laugh."
Alice took his hand into hers. "You are close to your friends and your family." It wasn't a question, but there was a certain hesitancy in the statement.
"I have no surviving family. My adoptive parents and friends is all I have." he said. Stryker thought of everywhere at home, ten thousand lightyears away. "We are like a hive of fanbites. Every one of us would been at Suelo' home, whenever there is a party or celebration, we would be joined by scores of friends. Compared to humans and some other races, I guess we have a different social structure. Large groups of kids bond with others at a young age, and stay close for the rest of our lives."
"What is a fanbite ?" she asked, confused.
"A humaniod-size insect, looks almost like a praying mantis."
Alice laughed, while trying to imagine what it looks like. He squeezed her hand. A glimmer of hope in his eyes amidst despair. "Welcome back." she said. Alice reached over slowly and kissed him.
Three weeks later
Mouse got out of bed without assistance and was quite very pleased with herself. She skipped to the replicator and got herself a large class of mango juice.
Ray sat up in bed to look at Mouse. He thought back to many mornings when she was anything but that. Mornings when Mouse's legs ached so bad she couldn't stand. Mornings where her dark mood or savage temper appeared. Mornings when frustration made breakfast and other objects fly across sickbay.
"Hey love, I'm pleased to see you so cheerful."
"I am back!" Mouse announced outloud, mostly to herself.
Penny could hear laughter from the doors leading to her quarters. "You two decent?" she called out playfully.
"Hi Penny!" Alice's voice drifted through the door, followed by a few giggles and a shrill, "Stryker !"
"O Lordy," Penny muttered, "I've invited two hormonal kids into my quarters." she sighed good-naturedly as the doors opened. "Well, glad to see you did not destroy my place."
Penny shot them a suspicious glace. "And I don't know what those fake angelic faces were for, but please stay out of trouble."
Alice smiled. "Moi ?"
The five friends celebrated Mouse's recovery, her birthday and their pending return to Earth tomorrow. The room was dark, lit only by dim white candles held in the hands of the present. They stood around the round glass dinner table with a sole platter of flaky white pastries and alien fruit in the center. "I thank you all for coming," Mouse said.
"The second decade is not to be missed," Ray said with a smile.
"Shall we start?" asked MRess.
Mouse nodded. "I suppose so. Specky is proberly held up in astro-metrics."
Ray held out his candle as everyone spread themselves into an even ring around the table. "The first candle. The candle bearing wisdom." He set it down gently before the platter.
MRess now raised his candle, nodding to Mouse as he did. "The second candle; brings distant joy." He placed his candle by the platter, a fifth of the way around from Ray's.
"The third candle," Alice whispered lyrically adding hers to those on the table, "comes with the scent of spring."
Stryker lifted his candle. "The fourth candle; the candle of hope." The flames flickered ever so slightly as he set his down.
"And the last candle," said Mouse, "the candle that is me." She placed hers down, completing the circle. She took a deep breath and blew them all out.
Darkness filled the room. Mouse reached out with her hands, clasping Ray's in one and MRess's in the other. She could feel their movements as they reached out to Alice and Stryker, and knew that in turn those two would reach to each other so they all would be connected. "The circle has been renewed," said Ray, as everyone relaxed their arms.
"Congratulations," added Alice. Mouse smiled at her best friend.
MRess turned lights back on, eliciting a series of groans from the other people. "What ?" he whined in mock self-defense against the glares thrown in his direction. "Besides, now we get to eat!"
Mouse relented and smiled. "I have to warn everyone. Vellorian sandmelon cakes are a little dry."
Her remark earned a few chuckles as Ray set out five small plates. Alice took the little serving spatula and placed two cakes on each plate. Several more still remained on the platter. "Let's see..." Mouse murmured as Ray handed her his wrapped gift. "You said yours was the candle of wisdom, right ?"
He nodded, enjoying the centuries old hinting game that surrounded every birthday celebration. Mouse hmmed. "I bet I know Ray's present, and I have an idea for yours, Stryker." She looked at MRess and Alice. "You two got creative though." Mouse smiled warmly. "So I'd better not be disappointed."
Mouse carefully tugged the ribbon free of its knot. The glittery wrapping paper fell away to reveal the quaint white box beneath. She lifted the lid. Within it, was a small gold necklace with an amber pendant shaped like a heart. "It is beautiful Ray."
Stryker gave her an incredibly detailed, fragile looking carving, made in cristal of Velloria, her homeworld.
MRess presented her with a sheaf of sheet music; the notes and lyrics to an ancient love song. "A distant joy," she murmured, leafing through the song's pages. Mouse grinned, embracing MRess with a warm hug. "Thank you."
Her fourth present turned out to a walking stick. A gag gift ... from Alice, judging by the cheeky smile on her face. "Very funny Alice." This thing could double as a beating stick you know, she mock-threatened her.
Three hours later.
Outside the windows, space debris streaked by, briefly made florescent by the ship's warp field.
Stryker took a sip of his drink. It was the colour of the sun and sparkled like the ocean. The room's lights were lowered. The air warm, comfortably so, like a room with a fireplace. About thirty minutes ago, the three women suggested playing an old human game called "Truth or dare" -- with rather spectacular and embarrassing results to say the least.
MRess turned his head slightly, detecting a new scent. Stryker saw it (he made it a secret hobby to learn the Caitian's barely noticable expressions).
"Right," MRess yawned. "I don't know about you lot, but its way past midnight, and I'm sure that Specky has some report or another to work on, so I am going to say good night. Stryker, Alice, I suggest you go to bed too, as I'm sure that Ray and Mouse have some catching up to do."
Mouse narrowed her eyes at him, "That's really none of your business, MRess."
"I meant talking."
"No you didn't." Mouse retorted.
"Good night all." Alice cut in. She got up and stretched her legs, walking towards the door.
"Night." Stryker said, as he quickly followed Alice upon sensing immediate 'danger.'
"I'll say good night too." Lucida said, still grinning from the MRess/Mouse mini-battle. "I'm exhausted. See you tomorrow!"
The Exeter arrived at Earth a few days before Chrismas.
Stryker went to bed early, hoping that sleep would bring both figurative and literal peace of mind. The hearings of the so-called 'Aurora incident' have been delayed until Romulan ambassadors can arrive. News networks report the Aurora hearings could turn into a out-of-control fiasco, much worse than the 'Enterprise incident' of 2268. Maybe even war.
This might prove to be the case, Romulans love keeping secrets. A love of intrigue seemed to be hardwired into the Romulan psyche. Capable of lying down a labyrinth of treachery, intrigues and conspiracies, the true masters in the arts of misdirection and disinformation.
But why ? Negotiations they started with the Federation two years was going to strengthen both of the Federation and the Star Empire. Neutral zone no more after 219 years. Lasting peace for two quadrants. Now all may be lost.
He turned over, trying to clear his mind. Tomorrow, Stryker have an important duty to perform.
Burial
Return to Fiction
An obi is the sash tied around a kimono. It can be tied in a variety of simple and eleborate ways. An obi may be as wide as one foot and as long as 13 feet. Some complicated styles may take as long as half an hour to tie.
The kimono is the traditional clothing of Japan. Kimono styles have changed significantly from one period of Japan's history to another, and today there are many different types of kimono worn by men, women, and children. The cut, colour, fabric, and decorations of a kimono may vary according to the sex, age, and marital status of the wearer, the season of the year, and the occasion for which the kimono is worn.