Counsin Chat

Posted on Sun Jun 23rd, 2024 @ 1:21am by Lieutenant JG Astrja Kyan

Mission: Character Development
Location: Astrja's quarters
Timeline: Before into the Qniverse
1400 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Astrja pulled on a nightshirt. “Is the connection ready?”
“Yes, Lieutenant. Lieutenant Sayffier is ready,” said the Computer.
“Put her through,” said Astrja.
The holographic image of Njalia appeared, seated comfortably at a terminal. “Hello, Za.”
“Jalia,” said Astrja sprawling out on her bed, “It is so good to be able to talk to you. Things have been ridiculously busy here.”
“Za, I have missed talking with you as well," said Njalia. "I have been doing some deep programming for a project I am not allowed to discuss.”
"That sounds exciting, I look forward to hearing more when you can talk about it," said Astrja.
"It was a lovely challenge and it gave me a chance to work with some very interesting people," said Njalia. "But our time on the Nelson is at an end, we get to bob around Esquimalt Station until the repairs on the Vesta are done. The Nelson was interesting but the Vesta is home."
"I am glad you have found a place at last, I am settling in pretty well here," Astrja said. "The people are good and I have had some interesting tasks. But they are giving us some shore leave on one of the pleasure planets after out last mission which was pretty stressful, so I cannot complain."
Njalia shook her head. "I have never known you to complain about anything that had pleasure in the title, Za."
"That is mean, Jalia," said Astrja sitting up. "But, yes, it is a fair cop. I like pleasure, ei? You could use a little more of it in your life too."
"We can discuss that next time we meet antennae to antennae," said Njalia. "Until then, be careful, I always worry about you."
"And I you, Jalia, you are my best friend," replied Astrja. "But I am still working on making new friends here, a few steps in that direction but no breakthroughs yet."
"I am trying too," said Njalia, "but their was only a skeleton crew on the Nelson. There is a new crewman, in Intelligence, who is half Andorian though. He is interesting."
“Not the one with the cybernetic antennae?”
“The very same,” said Njalia.
“Do you tell him you did a paper on his antennae in the Academy?” asked Astrja.
“Isi, no, not yet, it is not easy to bring up in casual conversation. ‘Did you know your antennae are so unusual that I did an entire paper in Starfleet Academy on them?’” said Njalia with a faint smile.
“Sounds like a good icebreaker to me,” said Astrja with a grin. “Is he good-looking?”
“I guess,” said Njalia. “He likes to play basketball.”
“So he is fit, yes?”
“Yes, but he is in intelligence,” said Njalia.
“So?” asked Astrja
“You know how I feel about the culture of secrecy that Intelligence fosters.”
“Yes, but that is the job, not the person. Maybe he does not like it either.”
“Ei,” said Njalai noncomitially.
“Well, get to know the person before you make firm commitments about them,” said Astrja. “But speaking of strange coincidences, one of the marines that was posted to the Athena was an Andorian.”
“That is not so unusual,” said Njalia.
“I know, that in not the unusual part, that in the introductory framework,” said Astrja with an amused curl of her antennae. “Anyway, Specialist Chyne is the sister of one of the nurses on the Tanjura.”
“Small universe.”
“Sometimes,” agreed Astrja. “Anyway, she had a brief, audio-only message that her sister and the ship is well. She could not tell me more or maybe did not know. But still, good news, ei?”
“Certainly it is. Being on the Nelson, I have . . . worries about the Tanjura,” said Njalia.
“They are safe for now and the Tanjura was build by the Andorian Yards.”
“That had slipped my mind, I have every confidence in the Andorian Yards,” said Njalia.
“Ala, I remember something that you had not! I will make a note in my personal log.”
“You yina! Good thing for you I am not there, I would tickle you until you begged for mercy.”
“Ha, promises, promises!” laughed Astrja. “You can do it next time we meet up.”
Njalia laughed as well. “I love you, Za. I hope we can meet up in person soon. I miss you.”
“I miss you too, Jalia, and I love you too. I am sure we will get a chance soon enough. Starfleet ships are always crossing paths. Besides, I really want to see the Vesta.”
“And I the Athena. Funny that we both ended up on ships named after goddesses from the same Terran pantheon,” said Njalia.
“It is, but the Terrans seem to have a lock on ship naming conventions,” said Astrja. “I am impressed our people got the Tanjura through.”
Njalia nodded. “You know your goddess, Athena was a virgin goddess, right?”
Astrja grinned. “I did know that, she would be very disappointed in me, I fear. But I do my best with the war, wisdom, and crafts part. Yours is the goddess of the hearth, so get on finding some potential family members.”
“I am trying,” said Njalia. “Maybe I can meet some people on Esquimalt before we head out again.”
“Do your best, I hate to think of you being lonely,” said Astrja.
“Do you . . . what would you . . .” began Njalia.
“Ask away,” said Astrja, sitting up, suddenly curious as to what would cause her cousin to question herself.
“What if I was interested in a non-Andorian in a romantic way?” Njalia finally forced it out.
Astrja was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered. “I would be overjoyed. The heart wants what the heart wants, it does not care about skin color or what minerals make up your blood. May I ask who has caught your eye.”
“Not yet, I need to think on how to approach him. I do not know if he is even interested in romance, cross-species or not,” Njalia said. “It only just clicked as a possibility.”
“Well do try, it would be good for you.”
Njalia sighed. “I know, it is nice to have people to be with. To have friends again. My last posting, we were too much on the move, too busy. The Vesta, is like a home.”
“Which goes well with the ship’s name.”
“So true,” agreed Njalia. “I have considered building a shrine in the fashion of the Ancient Romans in my quarters.”
“Oh, that is a good idea,” said Astrja. “That would be a nice conversation starter for visitors.”
“As long as you show respect,” chided Njalia.
“I tease, goddesses are not to be trifled with.”
“Good, we respect ourselves when we show respect to others.”
“I know, it was a lesson our teachers were very intent in teaching us,” said Astrja. “You got the cadence just right by the way.”
“Thank, I practiced,” said Njalia. “But it is an important lesson and one that has served me well.”
“It has worked for me as well,” said Astrja. “Though I am more casual than you,”
“You always have been.”
“True, we are such different people,” mused Astrja. “Sometimes I wonder if we had not been cousins if we would have become friends.”
“I like to think so,” said Njalia. “But family ties did play a big part in throwing us together.”
“To families.”
“Agreed, to families,” said Njalia.
“And as lovely as it has been to talk with you, I need some rest,” said Astrja with a yawn.
“I would not want you to be anything other than alert and awake for your shore leave, Za.”
“That is my hope as well, Jalia. Let me know when you get back on the Vesta.”
“Will do, sweet dreams.”
“Goddesses watch over you.”
“Now I will have to build that shrine,” laughed Njalia. “May they watch over you too.”
“I like the shrine, idea, it would be a good conversation starter.”
“I will send you some ideas for a design, we can have similar shrines,” said Njalia.
“I love that idea, another way to be together while being apart,” said Astrja.
“I like that too, I will happily sleep on that.”
“I as well. Talk to you after shore leave.”
The holographic image faded as the connection ended. Astrja smiled and pulled a pillow close to herself. Talking with Jalia always made her feel safe and loved. In a few moments, she was asleep.