Goodbye to a dear friend

Posted on 14 Mar 2010 @ 2:52am by

2,224 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: M3: Shore Leave
Location: D'anal's Quarters
Timeline: Backpost

Ayren fidgeted, walking up and down the lounge in D'anal's quarters. She had to make a call to her previous CO and a dear friend. It was not something she looked forward to, but Tasha should be close to DS5 now and the last thing she wanted was to let Tasha find out by a memo from personnel that she was no longer on the station as Chief Diplomatic Officer. Making sure that the children were playing, she approached the console and requested a channel to Captain Tasha Tahir.

Less than a day from DS5 and Tasha was getting restless. The journey back had been lonely, with only Jayfe for company and he had expressed several times how he missed Earth. Although she had enjoyed the company at first, she was no science officer and he had managed to baffle her on several occasions.
Eventually, she had to tell him as politely as she could, that there was more to life than the analysis of a Nova.

If only he knew how much she missed Earth but lately, she was beginning to think of DS5 as home, though she missed her family and had only had time for a quick chat to her father, Tariq.

He had been busy with his bar but took time out to speak with his daughter. As usually, the conversation had began awkwardly, as he still could not accept that she was now a Captain with her own life and that she should have stayed at home and helped him, but eventually, the conversation turned to family and friends and how Mustapha had been asking her. She found herself thinking of Roman on more than one occasion, so asked after her mother. Tariq shrugged his shoulders and informed Tasha that her mother was on the Planetia plains, taking her annual break with her Aunt Arabella.


"Captain," Jayfe interrupted her reminiscences, "sub space communication on Beta channel."

Tasha leant forward and tapped the console and smiled as Ayrens face appeared on the screen.

"Hello Ayren. What do I owe this pleasure too?" She enquired with a smile.

The smile on Ayren's lips widened and she wished she could place her arms around her good friend, but she knew she bore no great news.

Since Ayren had left DS5 in such a big hurry, after hearing that Da'nal could be in danger or worse, she had been thinking about Tasha. Even though she had not been on the station all that long, she had grown fond of her and she was going to miss her dearly.

"Hi Tasha..." she started, lowering her black eyes for a brief moment, indicating how she felt about this. "I wanted to talk to you in person, but if I wait for that, it might take too long," she said, some regret in her voice. Ayren was a diplomat, but was also brutally honest, and she had a hard time not blurting out everything in the first sentence.

The way in which her head dipped and a hint of regret in voice signified bad news, or news that was not going to be good at least.
"Only a few more hours and I can get out of this cramped craft, but I feel that you won't be on DS5 when I get back." She almost whispered, mirroring the regret in Ayrens voice. "Are you alright? Is Da'nal in danger?" She hedged the questions, shooing Jayfe out of the cockpit area with a flap of hands and turned to him slightly, "Jayfe, make me some tea please." She said, so that at least the 2 women could talk in privacy.

Ayren smiled and a soft light lit her eyes. "Da'nal is fine, he was victorious in a glorious battle," she said with some mirth. "And yes you are right... I...left with the IKV Hed'not to look for Da'nal." she paused, realizing she had so much to tell Tasha. So much had happened. "When he left, I realized that I was in love with him... silly," she smiled ruefully. "But I never knew how he felt until he had sent me a hand made bat'leth with his parents. And then there was this message for me from him.. but it was distorted. So when his father wanted to go look for him, I had to go with..." she said. "I hurt Rianni terribly in the process," she said painfully softly. "She will never forgive me..."

As Ayren spoke, Tasha felt herself smile. There was a light to her eyes and she could see that she was enamoured by Da'nal and though Tasha had known that there was something going on, she had kept to herself. Then Ayrens head dipped again as she spoke of Rianni.

It was strange, but again Tasha found herself thinking of Roman, her departed husband and she remembered how they had been back at the academy.
She shook her head, bringing her attention back to the woman on the screen ahead of her.

"Nonsense, I am sure that when the dust has had time to settle, Rianni will forgive you. We have to take love wherever and whenever we can find it. We cast aside friends and loved ones for that one special person and damn them to hell at the time, but a true friend will let you go and still be there for you when you need them."
Her little speech sounded so banal, but to Tasha it made a lot of sense and she stared to laugh out aloud as she had sounded just like her own mother.

Ayren joined her laughter. "You could be my mother," she said good-heartedly, but then sobered as a shadow crossed her face. "We were a little more than friends..." she said quietly. "But I do hope she will forgive me.... "

Tashas laughter subsided to a smile as she struggled to come to terms with the real reason behind the call from her dear friend.
"Give her time." She uttered, pushing back her hair and leaning closer to the monitor.
"Ayren, I am going to miss you." She said with a frown appearing on her face.

"I miss you already, my friend," Ayren said with a sad pull to the corner of her mouth. "I will continue to bother you from time to time.... I don't have many friends, but you know that," she added. "I am CDO on the Freedom now and if the new CDO needs help, I am available for advice," she said, her eyes brightening with tears forming in them. "But I am certain, the Freedom will dock there again," she said with a bright smile. "We are still in the same Fleet," she said with some irony.

Tasha nodded, wishing she were closer to station and to Ayren. It would take another 24 hours before she were back on the base and goodness only knows how far away the Freedom was at present.
Tasha turned away from the screen, moving her hair behind her ear, missing her customary hairband and saw a squared piece of tissued paper being held by Jayfe.
She swallowed back the tears and took the tissue from Jayfe. "Thanks." She uttered with a quiet voice and turned herself back to the viewer.
"That we are." She said, her voice quivering "And how dare you let a Captain work herself up into such a state." She remarked, doing her best to put on a brave face.

"Silly me," Ayren smiled. "And that a Klingon," she said with some irony. "Tell you the truth..... I fell for the twins first," she said with a wink. "But don't ever tell him that," she giggled, her mischievous self as Ariella climbed onto her lap as if she understood that she was referred to. She was tired so she contentedly nestled on Ayren's chest. "You got a yeoman now?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

Tasha grinned as she looked around to Jayfe.
"Well, I won't tell if you won't, as for a yeoman, I guess Jayfe has been occupying that position of late." Tasha paused for a moment. "What are you going to do?" She asked, referring to her current position on the Freedom, "are you going to stay as a civilian, of for that matter, single?" She winked.

Ayren'e eyes lit up and a soft smile formed around her mouth. "I will stay on as a civilian, sometimes it is better," she said, her eyes sparkling. "Single... no I think not..." she said her smile widening and then chuckled and rolled her eyes. "He is so proper and structured and very traditional, everything that I am not," she giggled.

"You sly old dog!" She remarked as she beamed back a smile. "You kept that to yourself, but I disagree that you are not structured. I have never met another woman who has certain things so well planned, except for me." She started, "Anyway, has he proposed yet, or are you going to ask him?" She pried, tucking the tissue up her sleeve.

Ayren giggled at her comment. "Thank you, but against D'anal I don't know how to spell the word," she laughed and then answered the question. "No, nothing like that yet... " she said smiling. "But if anything happens I will let you know..." she smiled. "We are still getting used to being attached.. well I am," she admitted.

Tasha felt a pang of jealousy. Since Roman, she had only one other man in her life and that was too soon after her husbands death to form any lasting bond. Now her friend was off into one of lifes most precious adventures and Tasha felt lonely and alone.
She eased back a stray lock of hair and tucked it behind her ear.
"Look after each other and treat each and every day as a blessing." She smiled giving her advice. "You never know what is around the corner and Da'nal is in a position of authority which will make him a target." She continued as she shook her head gently left and right. "And tell him you love him every damned day." She said without thinking, recalling how she had not told him how much she loved him on the day he died and for some reason, she blamed herself for not doing so. She felt a surge of anger run through her, not at Ayren, or Da'nal, but at herself. She waved her hand in front of her. "Sorry." She mumbled as she felt the flood of tears come through and rummaged up her sleeve for tissue.

"Hey.." Ayren said softly. "No sorries, Tasha!" Ayren couldn't sense her emotions from so far away, but she didn't need her empathic senses. "And I promise I will cherish every moment... I take nothing for granted, I had messed up in my life enough," she smiled tenderly, stroking the hair of the now sleeping Ariella on her lap. "Can you imagine how we will have to catch up when we see each other again?" she grinned.

Tasha dabbed at her eyes and nodded. "A mug of hot chocolate and our favourite slippers!" She replied withthe beginnings of a smile returning to her face.

Her features sobered a bit as she leaned forward. 'Tasha.... you are a very beautiful woman, and you are a Captain. There will only be a select few people that would dare to approach you. Even in this age, that is too much for most to handle. But I can assure you, the right person will come into your life and make your eyes glitter and your face glow with love. I know it," she said with conviction.

Tasha nodded. "For a diplomat, you make a great counselor," She said leaning forward to the monitor, trying to get a little closer, "and an even better friend. Thank you." She said in earnest, pushing down on the lump in her throat.

"And you too," Ayren said, the tears now threatening in her eyes. she wiped them away quickly and smiled warmly. "Till we see each other again, I wish you all the best of everyting and drink a hot chocolate from *Decadent Drinks* for me. Lemu has his kiosk opposite Mira's Spice Market," she said. The side of her mouth pulled as she remembered the little things that had made DS5 her *home*. Sudddenly she wanted to tell her that Kelly's got a shoe sale on, that Kyeran at Miisla was an excellent designer who opened shop after Tasha had left for earth, but she bit her tongue. "Enjoy that Station of yours, Cappie! And save me some goodies when I come visit!" she said as she leaned forward

It seemed odd, but Tasha placed her fingers on the screen as Ayren reached forward to disconnect the viewer. "Ayren, I am going to miss you. Good luck." She said in parting.

Ayren touched her fingers through the screen and smiled. Leaning back after the screen went black, she looked at Ariella sleeping face, trailing her little cheek and the ridges, formed on her forehead. The sacrifices she had made was worth it, and she wondered smiling whom she fell in love with first, the twins or their father...

Off:

This touching post was brought to you by:

Captain Tasha Tahir
CO: DS5

&

Ayren Kelan
CDO
Previously from DS5, now USS Freedom

 

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