Where did they go?
Posted on Thu Sep 17th, 2020 @ 5:27pm by
Edited on on Thu Sep 17th, 2020 @ 5:34pm
2,337 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Starbase Sirius, Promenade
Timeline: MD007 1615 hrs
"I have not seen Kalina, have you seen Jayden?" Clarissa asked, as she ran into Zaire on the promenade. She wondered where Jayden ran off too? No doubt overwhelmed by the clothing shopping.
“No,” Zaire shook his head. “I have looked just about everywhere.” He was concerned about how Kalina was handling the news of their arranged engagement and soon to be marriage. It was a lot to take in, he was still trying to wrap himself around it. He had expected that his parents would eventually call to inform him of one but her never expected to hear about it through the ships first officer.
Clarissa was a little concerned. She assumed that Jayden would have seeked out Zaire, but it was clear he was not here with him. "I have not seen her, but I think I know where my man went." Clarissa said, with a concerned look on her face. She wondered what he was upto. Jayden had a big heart, he probably went to see if he could help Kalina through this. Which was sweet of him, but he knew very little about pre-arranged marriages or betazed customs.
“Where do you think he went,” Zaire asked. “I am not sure at this point whether I should approach Kalina or give her time to accept this.”
"The Arboretum. We talked about going there. But knowing him, he might have went to find Kalina and talk to her, he has a big heart. He is a sucker for drama." Clarissa pointed out to Zaire.
Zaire smiled. “He will get a handful there then. This whole arranged engagement has thrown both of us, I think Kalina more than me.” The truth was he thought she was pretty and nice, so far, but with it being handled as it was he needed to handle that first.
"It's not every day a guy walks up to you, and says Hey I am going to marry you, thank your aunt for that." Clarissa suggested to him, trying to get him to see her point of view on it.
“Yeah that was a bit of a shock,” Zaire nodded. “Right up there with Commander O’Flannagain telling me. Probably easier for me because she had no clue who I was until I told her that.”
"Why do you think that is? I think it would be harder for both of you to accept." Clarissa pointed out to Zaire.
“I don’t know maybe because I have been looking forward to one day meeting the woman I will marry.” He thought for a moment. “And I didn’t imagine in my wildest dreams she would be a Solwick and it probably sounds wrong but she is beautiful.”
"And now that you met her, how do you feel?" Clarissa asked, as they started to walk towards the arboretum.
“I don’t really know her that well yet,” Zaire admitted. “But from talking to her, I like her. She seems confident and knows what she wants.” He paused. “I would say I am ready to move forward with our engagement but see if we are compatible.”
"I heard on Betazed, that pre-arranged marriages typically work for your society." Clarissa pointed out to him, she was not sure why that was, but facts were facts.
“They do,” Zaire nodded. “I, personally, have never heard of anyone leaving one. That isn’t to say that hasn’t happened.” He took a deep breath. “The thing for this is more the shock and situation than us being arranged together I think.”
"I can not imagine, being told, who I am going to married. Sorry, but its how I feel." Clarissa said, feeling like a bad friend to talk too. Her mind was preset against the idea.
“I understand that,” Zaire nodded. “You were raised culturally different than we are. The thought of having to compete or find someone to love me is strange and not something I would feel comfortable doing.”
"I never thought of it that way." Clarissa said, still feeling that free will should rule over love. But she was trying to see his point of view.
“I am more nervous about connecting on a mental level,” Zaire added. “I mean what if I feel a connection that way and she doesn’t. For us, it isn’t anything easy to let go of.”
"How often, is a mental connection not achieved?" Clarissa asked, having no reference point. She was not sure if it happened frequently, or rarely.
Zaire thought for a moment. “You know I don’t know. I heard my parents talking once with relatives about a couple and it sounded bad so it’s always been there in the back of my mind.”
"Did you make a connection with her?" Clarissa asked, being a little noisy. She was curious, was he part of the norm or part of the out of norm?
“I felt one,” Zaire admitted. “The moment I saw her standing there.” He took a deep breath. “I had seen her picture but when I saw her in person I felt drawn to her.”
"Does she feel the same way?" Clarissa asked, curious to learn more about Betazed customs and culture. This was so alien to her. So out of her comfort zone.
“I felt something in return,” Zaire said quietly. “But she shut me down which considering she didn’t know who I was at the point I get it.”
"If you felt it, chances are. She felt it too." Clarissa said, with smile on her face. She was trying to give him courage, and hope that it may not be all bad.
Zaire smiled for the first time since they had parted earlier. “I am feeling better. Thank you for listening and for your kind words.”
"Don't thank me yet, lets see what Kalina says." Clarissa said, with a big grin on her face.
“Kalina has to work this out for herself,” Zaire replied. “I think it may be wise for me to let you go get Jayden and head back to the ship and let her have some space right now.”
"What about you, don't you have to work this out too?" Clarissa asked. She was curious, if he focusing to much on herself, that he might have forgotten to focus on himself.
"It is true, I do," Zaire admitted with a nod. "For some reason I am instinctively putting her first." He shook his head. "I am upset about how we were told more than anything."
"You can not forget about yourself, you are no good to her, if you are no good to you." Clarissa pointed out to him, hoping he got her meaning.
"I hate to admit it but I am nervous," Zaire confessed. "What if she thinks I am ugly or I do something she finds annoying." He sighed. "And then there is the whole niece of Ambassador Solwick."
"Be confident, girls like that you know." Clarissa pointed out to him. She went on. "Never allow fear to stop you." Clarissa said to him.
"That is good advice," Zaire nodded. "And Betazed women like to be in charge but most of them don't want a husband who says 'yes' to everything they want. There is a fine line there where my opinion is important."
"I have no doubt, you will find that fine line, and you will have a great relationship with Kalina." Clarissa said to him, with a big smile on her face.
“Thank you for that,” Zaire said with a smile. “We have a lot to go through but I am encouraged.”
"Glad to hear that. Everyone deserves happiness in their life oh, and I hope that you truly find yours with Kalina." Clarissa said still having a reservations about the fact that they barely knew each other in there now going to be getting married.
She hoped for the best and their situation. He was trying not to let her own cultural influences clowder mind.
Zaire smiled at her. “Time will tell as they say.” He sensed that she was wanting to head off and find her man. “I am holding you up from finding Jayden.”
Clarissa was surprised by his response oh, they were still making their way towards the arboretum. "I thought we were going to check the arboretum together oh, I'm pretty sure they're both there."
she wondered if he said something to upset him or offend him in some way that she wasn't aware of.
“If you were Kalina what would you want Jayden to do?” Zaire asked her. “I don’t want to be too pushy.”
"Probably go away." Clarissa said, with a grin on her face. She did not know Kalina, but she had a feeling that she would want to be alone, to process this through.
“Thats why I thought I would leave you to head there and wait until tomorrow to try and contact her.” Zaire sighed. “I am trying to consider her feelings as well as my own.”
"That might be best." Clarissa said, not really knowing what was the best course of action. She really did not know Kalina that well. To be honest, she did not know her at all. She only knew the rumors she had heard, about her upcoming wedding.
“And I am still a bit shell shocked myself,” Zaire admitted. “My parents were at my graduation and said nothing to me about this.”
"Did they know prior to your graduation?" Clarissa asked him. Maybe they did not know. She was not going to assume anything.
“I am pretty certain they did,” Zaire nodded. “They went from not being thrilled about my career choice to being very supportive and when I think about it not surprised when I was pulled off my original assignment and moved here.”
"What was your original assignment?" Clarissa asked. She was very curious, where he was going before the pre-arranged marriage plundered those plans.
"The USS Horizon," Zaire replied. "I was literally on my way to catch a ride when I was called back for reassignment here."
"The Horizon, why would you want to serve on that rust bucket?" Clarissa said with a big snarky grin.
"I didn't particularly," Zaire replied with a shake of his head. "I am glad to be here, it's a much better assignment. I was just saying that they weren't surprised at all at the change."
"Sometimes parents put up strong fronts, to be strong for their children. Or maybe they did know. Either way, it sounded like they are giving you time to process this." Clarissa pointed out to him.
"I think they knew I would have been upset," Zaire replied with a smile. "And they would have been right. Maybe it was better for Commander O'Flannagain to tell me, I couldn't be mad at him."
"The Commander is just a man, you could have talked to him, express your feelings." Clarissa pointed out to him. She did not want him putting Quinn on a pedastool, and making him unapproachable.
"At the academy we were told to always be on our best behavior with the command staff," Zaire replied. "He doesn't take offense to emotional responses?"
"Let me guess, you were trained by Vulcan's?" Clarissa teased him gently. She wanted him to see, it was okay to loosen up. And that the first officer, was a man a person, just like them.
Zaire blinked at her words and then smiled as he realized she was being funny. “So all that stuff should be ignored and I should just be myself.”
"Professional courtsey should be adhere too. But its okay to be you, just do it in moderation. The Captain and Commander, do not want to interact with mindless drones. We are crew, a family." Clarissa pointed out to him.
“That makes sense,” Zaire nodded. “I will remember that next time I get called in, I hope it’s not for a while though.”
"You will be fine." Clarissa tried to re assure him. She could tell he was very tense.
Zaire smiled. “I plan on it. I am anxious just to start work.” Tomorrow would be his first day and he couldn’t wait.
"What are you going to do for the rest of the day?" Clarissa asked, feeling bad for the guy. Not a great way to start a first day. Find out your getting married, and your partner needs time to process the news. Maybe he would want some company.
“I don’t know to be honest,” Zaire said with a sigh. “I have to try and get a hold of my parents which is something I am not looking forward to. It always ends with me feeling like I am a child.”
Clarissa thought he was sharing way to much information. Maybe that was traditional in the Betazed cultural. Or maybe it was standard with him. She listened to comment about feeling like a child to his parents.
She could not imagine what that was like. She had a pretty good relationship with her parents. "Sounds like you both have a lot to talk about. I was going to offer for you to hang out with Jayden and I." Clarissa pointed out to him. She did not want him feeling alone.
Zaire smiled. “I would like that very much.” He almost asked if he was intruding but he had a feeling she would not have asked.
"Then let's go. For the rest of the day, your with us." Clarissa said, with a grin on her face, as the scene starts to fade away.
Zaire smiled, his day was looking up. He put his problems away and looked forward to spending time with his new found friends.
A joint post by;
Lieutenant Junior Grade Clarissa Rockwell
Assistant Chief Engineering Officer, USS Pioneer
Ensign Zaire Byrne
Science Officer, USS Pioneer
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