Gonna Be A Wild Ride

Posted on Sun Oct 23rd, 2022 @ 5:50pm by Lieutenant Xalanth & Ensign Diana Ravenbroke

996 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 113 - No One Left Behind
Location: Starbase 400 promenade

Diana walked quietly beside Lt. Xalanth, pondering everything she had heard at the meeting...and almost running into a wall.

"Worried about the mission Diana?" Xalanth said already having dropped into his policeman's beat stance.

Diana rubbed her neck sheepishly. "Yes, Sir. This is big, like blowing up the Death Star big. I'm scared of what's coming. I'm scared that since I still have memory problems, I'm gonna do something and someone's gonna get hurt or killed as a direct result of my actions. I KNOW that's always a thing in this line of work but..." Diana sighed, not sure how to convey what she was feeling and thinking.

" The what star?" Xalanth inquired puzzled at the mention. Though he quickly spoke up. " You could die breaking up a bar fight depending on the species. Just follow your team leader's lead and we'll get through it." He replied calmly.

"Ops...sorry, Lt.. It's an Ancient Earth series I watched when I was acclimating. Sigh, you all make it looks so easy! I KNOW I'm up to the task, but it's hard to have to keep reminding myself of that," Diana scuffed her foot as they walked.

" Please your too kind." Xalanth replied honestly. " I'm hardly even in my people's elite. Just a legionary grunt with a metal plate in his skull."

Diana's jaw dropped. "Metal plate!? Wow! I mean! Shoot, there you go again, Diana," Diana huffed as her cheeks blushed.

Xalanth grinned as he tapped the side of his head wich still had his parting gift from the first contact between his people and the federation." Still in there. My body healed the bone underneath long ago, but I still keeping it as a reminder. "

"Hm," was all Diana allowed herself to say. "So, how do you do it? Keep it all together when civilians are freaking out?" Diana changed the subject back to what they had originally been discussing.

" I believe the humans have a saying about sheep and sheepdogs don't they." The lizard asked with a stoic look on his face. " I'm sorry but the term civilian is still so strange to me. Everyone in my clan on my homeworld has to know how to use weapons and basic military tactics. The best thing I've found is to remain calm and follow your training. Civilians will recognise the uniform and look to us for guidance."

"That's the part that throws me for a loop...er...makes me uneasy. They look to us and sometimes we still fail. I'm sorry I'll still talking like a Cadet, I'm ecstatic to be able to serve, but I guess because of my LACK of history, I'm still doubting myself," Diana waved to a couple of youths who waved at them as they passed.

" You'll do fine I've only ever met two people from the academy who shouldn't be holding a phaser." Xalanth replied reassuringly.

"Really? Are they aboard? Diana! Sorry, Lt.," Diana was REALLY hoping this wasn't going to be a recurring theme the entire time she was here.

" Nah one got kicked out after sexually harassing my first and the second is in a federation mental asylum," Xalanth responded pushing as he stoped to overlook the shops on the deck.

"Yikes...that is spooky," Diana crossed her arms on the railing, watching the people milling around the shops. "Hold up...they went after someone you care about? What kept you from putting their lights out?" Diana cocked her head, waiting for the Lt.'s response.

Xalanth looked at her puzzled as he replied. " T'para hit her first. My first may be the poster girl from my generation in the academy, but she knows how to defend herself. Luckily for that creep, the academy security got her first. Under my people's own laws I'm entitled to eat her."

Diana's jaw dropped. "That is both disturbing and so very cool! Is that when you two fell in love, or had you and she been together before that?" Diana asked curiously as they began to walk again.

Xalanth smiled as he turned to look out the viewport to the ocean of stars outside. " I fell in love with her the moment I saw her. It was during those nasty riots. Security cadets had been called out to assist the police. i was guarding one of the medical stations when she walked up and gave me a bottle of water. "

He let out a happy sigh as he remembered that day. " We danced around each other awkwardly for three months until we admitted we love each other. " He chuckled slightly as he shook his head. " I was so young back then. Didn't have my head screwed on straight."

Diana's laugh was one of those deep, heartfelt, full laughs that draws others into itself. "That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard!" Diana curled her hands under her cheeks, and if she had been a cartoon, she would have had hearts in her eyes.

" I'm a lucky dragonian. I never thought I find the rest of my soul. Instead, Starfleet has led me to three of them. " Xalanth said as he began gazing to his bonding bracelet.

Diana's jaw dropped...then, if she had been a cartoon, her eyes went heart shaped. "That is so ROMANTIC! I hope someday I'm at least HALF as lucky as you!" Diana realized she was fangirling again, and ducked her head shyly. "Sorry, Sir," Diana mumbled sheepishly.

" I'm sure you will Diana." the lizard replied. " I'm sure your ancestors have a plan for you."

Diana grinned happily as she started to skip away. "Opsi...skipping is for OFF DUTY," Diana giggled sheepishly as she skidded to a stop.

" Slow and steady young one. Slow enough to take in everything, but fast enough to make it look like you've not noticed them." Xalanth said quietly

"Yes, Sir," Diana nodded as she fell into step beside Xalanth. "This is gonna be a wild ride," Diana stated, smiling softly.

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