What We Leave Behind

Posted on Thu Oct 19th, 2017 @ 2:57am by Captain Remas McDonald

1,437 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: S1: These Are The Voyages...
Location: Arivek's Office
Timeline: Mission Day 1

Arivek Zhuri found himself standing in front of a large set of bay windows, staring out at the Traveller beyond. The ship was set to launch soon, thus bringing a close to the project he'd poured himself into for the past three years.

Three years...

It was hard to believe it had been so long since he came online. Some days it seemed longer as if he'd been this way his entire life. Some days he almost forgot he wasn't flesh and blood anymore. But his work never changed. And it was the only thing that had kept him going this entire time. The busy schedule of Long Jump and the pressing needs of the Engineering department was just enough to keep his mind off of his situation.

But now the project was coming to a close. He would accompany the Traveller to the rendezvous spot and watch as they all left the galaxy. A feat accomplished by his hard work and dedication to the project.

"Lieutenant Zhuri?" a young feminine voice asked, jarring the man from his thoughts.

He turned to look at the young Ensign with a red collar. "Yes?"

The woman held out a PADD. "Lieutenant Commander McDonald would like to see you."

"But he's not beyond being a gentleman and coming to Muhammad," the lilting voice of Remas McDonald said as he stepped into Arivek's office. He nodded a passing thanks to the receptionist and watched her leave before returning his attention to Arivek.

He then laughed and embraced the man in a fierce hug.

Arivek had a look of annoyance on his face as the man invaded his personal space. “Must you always do that?” he asked as the man finally released. He brushed the arms of his uniform to remove the crumples. “What can I do for you, Commander?”

“Well, I came to see how you were doing all truth be told. I’ve been gone for over two weeks keeping Starfleet Command from deciding which Warp Nacelle they’d rather we didn’t take with us,” Remas shook his head, looking around the office and thinking. “This was meant to be a grand enterprise, Ari. A flotilla of Starships, a purpose-built mobile Starbase and multiple resupply missions. And now...one ship. Three automated freighters with AI software for a crew, and a barge full of folks I think are running from justice from a half dozen civilised worlds.”

He let out an explosive sigh.

“But, in all truth, me lad, I’ve come to see if you have a dress uniform folded away somewhere?”

“I do not,” was Arivek’s simple response as he walked towards his desk. He sat down and pulled up his Computer terminal, “And I highly doubt Starfleet is trying to reduce the Traveller by an entire warp nacelle. Surely they understand that warp propulsion technology requires a dual warp coil sys-”

“Ari, Ari!” Remas said, holding up his hands and stifling the laughter bubbling up from his chest. “My good friend. Fear not, I did indeed inform the Brass Collar’s on Earth that we need the pair of them to make any headway where we’re going.”

“Well, not just where you’re going.” Arivek looked up. “Any starship would need dual warp coils in order to achieve warp drive. Did you explain to them that no starship should be reduced to a single warp-coil system?”

“I did, I did,” Remas said with all due gravitas. “Even went so far as to remind them of the disastrous designs of the Saladin and Freedom class ships that were all the rage for maybe twelve seconds. One nacelle does not make a ship, was how I put it.”

Arivek breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s good to hear. Is there anything else you need?”

“Yes. I need you to replicate a dress uniform for the launch ceremony tonight. Everyone’s going to be there, even the leaders of the colonists Eliza and Nathan Briarwood,” Remas said. “I need the fella who built this contraption to help explain how it works to all and sundry.”

“I’m sure my assistant can do a perfectly fine job,” Arivek said, looking back at his Computer terminal as he began to type.

“And I’m sure having the man who was able to use his expertise in nanotechnology to build the accelerator rings atom by atom, or thereabouts, will keep the Briarwoods from demanding more cargo space on the Traveller,” Remas said, pleading almost. He turned and leaned on the desk, looking at the engineer. “Ari, my very good friend...I wouldn’t be asking if I had a plan B here. I could have Daton stand up and give a lecture, but I think that breaks the Yellowstone Treaty on the use of biological weapons. Man could make a Vulcan fall asleep.”

Arivek’s eyes went wide at the idea. “I’m still surprised Daton is able to perform autonomous functions, much less pretend to be competent at his duties.” Ari brushed the man’s hands away from his desk, immediately taking out a cloth to wipe away the prints that were left behind. “I won’t allow his name anywhere near my work. This project has been too important to allow it in subpar hands at the eleventh hour.” He sighed a sigh of resignation. “I will attend but only to speak of LongJump. I will not be asked to socialize.”

“That's all I ask. You’re there as technical support to the Captain of the Traveller and nothing more. Anyone comes up to us to socialize, I’ll step in and give them my usual charm and whit. That works,” Remas nodded, removing his hands as Ari went to work polishing away his fingerprints.”

Arivek nodded. When he had finished wiping away the smudges, he threw the cloth into the trash can. “I do have something to ask of you.”

“Well seeing as I’m throwing you to the sharks of the sea of social interaction, I think you’re owed a question to two. Hit me.”

“Do you…” Arivek sat there for a few seconds in silence, clearly calculating in his head what he wanted to say. “Are there…” Another moment of silence.

“I am curious if there are any positions aboard the Traveller that could use my expertise.” Arivek sat back in his chair. “As we come to the end of this project, I find that I have been so busy I did not think of what was to come after the project concluded.”

“Arivek…” Remas began to say, before softening his tone. “Ari, my friend...If I’d known you had such an inkling in your heart I would have such a place for you in a moment. But here, and now on the eve of the thing we set ourselves too? You never once allowed me a thought that you were interested in this grand endeavour.”

“I wasn’t,” Arivek said, quickly. “The thought of leaving behind my research for a chance to explore the far reaches of the universe holds very little interest to me,” he said, shrugging off the idea as if he didn’t care. “I was merely looking for an easy next step.”

“It’s a big step, potentially a very final step for one and all,” Remas walked around the table and reached out to put a hand on Ari’s shoulder, before stopping himself short and retracting the hand. “We know as much about Messier 4 as I do about the human heart. Out beyond the Hard Data Frontier there will be dangers few of us can imagine. I do not doubt your courage Ari, or your heart.”

“I think you are reading too much into the question, Commander,” Arivek said, his eyes locked onto the hand that threatened to cross his personal boundaries yet again. “I just thought I would ask, for your sake. I have plenty of prospects within our galaxy. Far better prospects that can put my immense knowledge to good use.”

“Well, that's good. Good,” Remas nodded, stepping aside and gesturing to the door. “I’ll see you later then? 1800 hours on the RecDeck of the Traveller?”

“I will be there,” Arivek said. He turned back to his Computer terminal and ignored the man.

“Aye, it’ll be a grand time,” Remas said, his mood darkening slightly as he left the office. What had meant to be a grand farewell was beginning to be clouded by the melancholy realisation that he was leaving behind a lot more than the skies of his forefathers.

 

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