Spring 2383

Posted on 31 Mar 2016 @ 1:55pm by Lieutenant JG Lenaris Marika

845 words; about a 4 minute read

Meluni, Kendra Province, Bajor, 2383


Standing in front of a … well, it had been a sculpture of a dragon. Now it was more akin to a … oddly long lizard. Marika grimaced at it. Her talent at making a near perfect model, and then screwing it up at the last moment was one she was not very fond of. Oh well. They’d have to do with a lizard.

Turning to the entrance of her studio as she heard the door open, she grinned and dropped her instruments, promptly running to the door to greet her intruder with a hug.

“So? Are you in? Of course you’re in. They’d be stupid not to let you in. And we know how much they love to walk around and parade just how bright and brilliant they are. So when do you start?”

With a light laugh, the young woman who’d just stepped in, hugged her friend back with vigor, before pushing her slightly away in order to face her. “Three months. Enough time to finish school and find myself a nice apartment in the city.” Slowly she let go of her friend and advanced on the sculpture of what she could only guess was a lizard. But knowing her friend, it had probably started as something more.

Turning back with a quizzical look, she pointed at the terminal on the other side of the room. “You’ve got a blinky light, and it’s the right day. Have you checked?” She started towards the terminal well intent on checking out for herself.

With a shrug, her Bajoran friend went back to her sculpture and picked up her dropped instruments. “It’s either Starfleet or the Daystrom Institute. Either way I know it’s a yes. I should not have touched it after I got the whiskers right.” She groaned lightly, trying to picture a way to make it at least a little better.

Yui lit up the terminal and pressed a button. Immediately a smile appeared on her face and she excitedly turned around. She stopped, staring at her friend. “­Jiejie … you should be much more excited… what’s going on?”

Shrugging once more, Marika continued staring at the ‘lizard’. “I’m a little miffed I screwed up this sculpture I want to offer your parents.” She glanced back at her friend, spotting the open terminal. “So who said yes?”

“Starfleet…” Yui responded, slowly making her way towards the Bajoran woman. “Really what’s …. Oh! You finally worked it out in that big brain of yours, exactly what you leaving means…” She offered a sympathetic half smile, her eyes reflecting both pride and sadness.

Having never been very comfortable with such emotions Marika’s response was not immediate. She genuinely tried to process the idea of not having Yui around when she’d go out her door. No longer would she smell the Prima flowers her mother planted, or the Seelah her father brewed in the morning. No longer would she spend hours listening to Mr and Mrs Chin talk about Chinese history and culture or simply recounting their day.

She flinched visibly, and for a second Yui thought her friend might actually cry. But she didn’t. A strange peaceful sorrow set place as Marika returned her friend’s smile. “It comes with life doesn’t it? Change is something to strive and look for, not fear. We both know that. I guess … I guess the idea of losing you is more difficult than I expected.”

Yui reached out to her friend and cupped her cheek affectionately. “You won’t lose me dummy. I’ll only be a subspace call away.”

With a soft smile, Marika enjoyed the touch of her friend before responding. “I know that. Still, it will be an adjustment I am not looking forward to. Which is,, somewhat odd in itself, but understandable I guess. One does need time to recover from the loss of a limb or any other part of oneself.”

Yui felt tears well up in her eyes. Marika likening her to a limb really hit the spot. It was exactly how she felt. Yet, it was also an important part of life wasn’t it? They both hugged for a long time, burying their faces in one another, until they naturally came apart.

Marika grinned and looked at her friend. “Starfleet eh?” She nodded with satisfaction. “I was hoping it would be them. Something about galloping around the universe to help people seems right.”

Looking back at her friends face, Yui nodded. It really did. For Marika anyways. It was a strange feeling to know your closest friend was about to leave and be sad at the idea, but also happy, because you knew this was exactly what that person needed in order to fulfill her potential. “It does.”

Looking past her friend at the sculpture on the table, Yui finally got it. “You were trying to make a dragon right?” Her friends muffled giggles was the only answer she needed.

Tags: Chin Yui, Teenager, Dragon

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