Wherever we may Roam

Posted on Mon Aug 23rd, 2021 @ 8:47am by Skylah McBride [Lalor] & Lieutenant Baeryn Whavi-Tonelly

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: USS Elysium
Timeline: MD6 sometime during the day
1532 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Upon looking up from the report in her hand Baeryn caught sight of a small child walking ahead of her. Roaming about with not a care in the world. It seemed strange for a child of her size to be wandering about unattended so, discreetly, Baeryn continued her path but kept an eye on which direction the little girl went. There was a lot of danger one so small could find themselves in and having that on her conscious was a no go for the lieutenant.

Skylah, ignoring the ringing words from both teacher and Aunt, had again slipped out of school and had made her way to deck 14. It was the Academy deck. She had found it in the ships deck listing and was curious about the Zero G training area, her aunt had told her that when they had been found they had been floating in Zero G and Skylah wanted to know what it was like. She didn't notice the officer behind her, as she skipped down the hall checking door labels as she went.

Stopping outside the one that was labelled ZERO G CHAMBER, the 5 year old grinned and reached up to open the door.

Baeryn stepped up slightly behind Skylah, "You know I've always thought these rooms reminded me of swimming without water." She smiled down at her, she decided that accompanying the little girl would be less harmful then scaring her off or diminishing her for her curiosity.

Gesturing to the door she added, "Mind if I join you? I could use a break from all this adult stuff anyway." She said waving the padd.

Skylah looked up at the tall woman in uniform. She tilted her head curiously. "Ok." She said carefully. "If you want to."

“I would love to. Shall we?” Baeryn smiled warmly and pointed to the door letting Skylah open it.

"My name is Skylah" she chripped as she hit the door release with a slight jump. "Whats yours?"

"Baeryn, but you can call me Ryn if you like." After hearing the little girls name it clicked whom she belonged to, and what she had recently gone through making Baeryn all the more glad she decided to keep an eye on the youngster.

The door opened and Baeryn gestured for Skylah to enter first.

Skylah all but skipped through the doors looking around as she did so. Her curiosity was clearly evident as she moved towards the transparent wall of the Zero G chamber.

Chuckling at the little girls innocence Baeryn met her at the next door. "Ready to go for a swim?" She asked before accessing the lock on the door.

"Yes!" Skylah said and she kicked off her sneakers. Skylah looked up at Ryn "So ... you really like Zero G?"

"It was my favourite part of the academy." She reached down for Skylah's hand. "Jump in together?"

Skylah nodded and allowed the woman to take her hand. "Good plan" she said.
"On 3?"

"On 3." Baeryn repeated, grinning and putting a slight bend in her knees to prepare for the jump.

"One, Two.. Three!" Skylah called out and launched herself into the zero G with a laugh.

Skylah's laugh and pure enjoyment was sure to be the highlight of Baeryns day. Jumping on cue she held fast to the little ones hand as they flew through the empty air. "You should try a flip!"

Skylah nodded and tucked herself into a ball and spun for a moment. "Ah... that didn't work" she groused as she straightened out.

Baeryn laughed, "Here," She reached out both hands towards Skylah, "I'll propel you." Once she had a hold of her small hands Baeryn pulled her forward and down in hopes of flipping her.

It worked and the child did a flip. Ungraceful but it was a flip. Skylah cheered as she came right side up. "WOO!"

Baeryn folded both arms behind her head, closed her eyes and leaned back as she floated through the air. She sighed as her body relaxed, "This is nice, exactly what I needed." She peaked an eye open as she asked, "School not your cup of tea today Skylah?"

The five year old's eyes skittered away from Ryn. "Its boring" she said casually. "I don't like sitting in one place."

Baeryn closed her eyes again and proceeded nonchalantly as she probed Skylah to go on. "Do you feel your not learning fast enough? Or that you already know what the teacher is teaching?"

"Both" The 5 year old replied as she pretended to breaststroke through the Zero G like a frog. "Today they were going to learn about the 2250's I was born then, i know what it was like."

"Well I bet you could of taught them a thing or two!" Baeryn moved like she was laying on her side, head propped in her hand. "I'm sure if the teacher knew how you felt she would have asked you to share, would that be something you would like to do?"

Skylah shook her head "no." She replied. "I am not about to do that." She hated the very idea. She was already apart from other kids because of her circumstances and that had not changed in 100 years. She rolled onto her back and looked up, "My Aunt told me we were found in Zero G, unconscious. She woke in Zero G, I woke in a medical bay"

Slowly the pieces were starting to come together, "So you were curious what it was like huh? Zero G."

"yes" Skylah was smiling now. "Its fun, and my Aunt says that if I get a job in Starfleet or anywhere in space, I need to be able to handle Zero G"

"She's right, there's always the possibility our artificial gravity sensors could go array and we would have to perform our jobs in zero G. Do you think you might want a career in Starfleet when you get older?" Baeryn asked.

Skylah shrugged "I dunno. My mother was training to be a teacher, and my uncle ran the family estate, Aunt Sam says there is a lot of things I could do."

"Don't fret, you have plenty of time to figure it all out. I was 17 when I decided to join Starfleet, before that I never planned to leave my home world, Earth. My dad was an architect who build houses. He always told me I could do and be anything I wanted, and as long as I was happy, he was proud." Baeryn started swimming like a frog.

Skylah considered it. "Aunt Sam says I should just have fun being a kid... but she is gonna be mad at me for this."

"Your Aunt is right, you're only a kid for so long Skylah. There's no need to rush growing up." Baeryn considered her question before adding. "I think she will be upset, mostly due to worry. It's not safe to be roaming a starship alone.... especially when you should be in class. I'll make you a deal.... we go get ice cream, then I take you back to class. Where you'll stay. And then I'll have a talk with Aunt Sam. Deal?"

Skylah considered it. "Okay... but will she listen to you?"

"Its worth a shot isn't it?" Baeryn said hopefully.

The 5 year old studied Baeryn and then slowly nodded "Okay." She said softly.

With a smirk Baeryn challenged the child, “Race you to the door?!”

Skylah's eyes lit with challenge. "On three?" she asked impishly. "1... 3!" and she shoved off and headed for the door.

"Hey!" Baeryn shouted in the mist of laughter as she took another few seconds before moving towards the door with every intention of allowing Skylah to reach it first.

The 5 year old laughed and spun her arms as if swimming as she headed for the door. She reached just seconds ahead of Ryn, she cheered "whoo!"

When Baeryn's feet met solid ground she grinned down to the child, "Looks like someone knows how to handle Zero G like a pro! Your really an expert aren't you?" She teased.

Skylah grinned at her. "Nope. But it was a lot of fun"

Baeryn picked up her Padd and gestured for Skylah to follow her out of the room and into the hall. "So do you have a favorite ice cream flavor?"

Skylah nodded "yup. Bubblegum" She said brightly. "Whats yours?"

Baeryn scrunched her nose when she smiled, "Mint chocolate chip. Have you tried it? I used to mix ice cream flavors when I was your age."

"My Aunt likes something called rum and raisin but she won't let me try it. But she did allow me to mix chocolate with caramel the other week"

"Oh that's a good combinations! One of my favorites!" Baeryn led Skylah towards the turbolift that would lead them towards the promenade. "There's an ice cream cart run by an elderly bajoran, it's my favorite spot on the ship, she moves her cart occasionally but I always seem to be able to find her on the promenade, so well head there first. Sound good? and maybe on the way you can tell me some things you emjoy about school?"

"Sure" Skylah grinned.