A/N: As a reminder, this weird version of Star Trek is based on my life, so there's no telling what will happen because life is unpredictable.
Ode to A Starship by Lina Shay
Chapter Eleven: Music from Above
Time passed and there was no word from Ston. It was beginning to bother me. Sisma asked me to go to the Funeral with her. She showed up all in black, saying, "I read up on human death rituals since Steve was human. Look, I'm all in black." She said this with a big smile, which make me shake my head at her.
The captain of the Reeder got up and gave the eulogy. It was nice, talking about his good qualities and contributions. When the captain gave the order to eject the casket, Sisma yelled really loudly, "Wait"
The captain stopped the sequence as Sisma ran forward with a nicely-wrapped box. She made them open the casket so she could give her present to him. Indignatly, she returned to where I was standing.
"Can you believe they almost didn't let me give him his present?" She muttered.
The entire congegation stared at her.
"What?" She asked. "If I had known you were going to throw his body out the nearest porthole after the eulogy, I would have given my present to him earlier. You may go ahead with your human ceremony now."
I think that Vegans have a healthier way of looking at death.
When we had returned to the ship, I went to my quarters for a nap. I stopped at my door when I heard the faint music of the ballaclavion. It was my favorite Bajoran intrument. I started to follow the music down the hall until I came to the entrance to a jefferies tube. I climbed inside and continued to follow the music until I came upon a junction where a human male sat in civilian clothes playing a ballaclavion. He wasn't finished and I did not wish to interrupt, so I just watched for a moment. He had a soft facial structure covered in a black, neatly-trimmed beard. His eyes were dark and intense.
When he noticed me sitting there, he stopped playing and looked at me.
"Come to stone me?" He asked. "I suppose I have offended you with the shoddy playing of a Bajoran hymn."
"Not at all," I laughed. "I thought you were really good. Do you mind if I ask why you're playing a ballaclavion in a jefferies tube?"
"Good acoustics," he said, tapping on the wall. "Besides, it bothers my roommate. I sought out this nicely-ventilated place so I could bother the entire ship. It's more fun."
I laughed again. "It was kind of weird to hear distant Bajoran music."
"Thought the prophets were calling you?" He asked with a handsome smile.
"Something like that," I smiled back.
"So, how have you been?" He asked as if we were old friends.
"Tolerable," I shrugged.
"That's not good," he seemed genuinely concerned. "Why doing so poorly?"
"Ever feel like everything's against you?" I asked. "Like every time you start to feel all right with life, something comes along to pull you back down."
"Funny, I never got the Make Life Harder for Lina memo," He said, putting the ballaclavion into its case. "I'm sorry you aren't getting along with life very well."
He had this strange look which made me feel like he really cared. Then it hit me that he had said my name.
"I'm sorry," I muttered, embarrassed. "I don't remember your name."
"You don't remember me at all," he smirked. "I'm Evans. You met me during shoreleave. You, me and Kaytee were the only ones who remained on the ship."
"Yes," I said, coming to the painful realization. "You're Kaytee's boyfriend."
He nodded.
"Perfect," I muttered to myself.
Evans and I talked a little while longer. He kept coming up with strange witticisms which made me laugh. Each moment being with him, I was more and more attracted to him. Before I forgot that he was taken and Kaytee was a friend, I decided to make an excuse and left. I went back to my quarters and shoved my face in my pillow.
Every time you start to feel all right with life, something comes along to pull you back down.