A Little Help From My Friends

Posted on Sat Feb 5th, 2022 @ 8:54am by Lieutenant Myne Redal & Lieutenant Commander Rin & Ebi [Rin]
Edited on on Tue Feb 8th, 2022 @ 8:04am

Mission: Season 5: Episode 3: CAPETOWN
Location: Various
Timeline: MD24
1771 words - 3.5 OF Standard Post Measure

//ON//

Myne and Rin were having their weekly breakfast together. Stuffing waffle bites into her mouth, Rin looked more animated than normal, with a more outward display of happiness than was usual.

"So...I have a friend, a civilian friend, who is joining the Elysium, and his ship should be pulling into the Starbase today. I was wondering if you wanted to meet him," Rin asked.

Myne had to admit that Rin must have magical powers since she managed with determination and persistence to have Myne not only accept to eat pancakes regularly but even enjoy them.

Speaking off, Myne raised her gaze to look at her friend still munching on a pancake utterly drenched in honey. "Civi friend? Really? You know I would love to! If he is a friend of yours, then he must be someone special. For sure!" She excitedly agreed to it. Meeting Rin's other friends was a big step, Myne was nailing this friendship stuff!!

"He's part of the Free Collective. He was very helpful in my first years free and now I get to do something for him. I've said I should do more for us, and this is a place to start. He's going to work in the arboretum."

"The arboretum, bleh." The Trill shivered as she repeated that word. "Still having nightmares about coralling so many kids there. Oh!! Can I just pass future fiascos like those onto your friend? I can check a box in my morale officer boom and not have to deal with unruly, tiny humanoids again!" Taking another bit of her drenched in too much honey pancake, she continued. "This is very nice of you to do Rin. Is he also a Human?"

"No, he is an xB," Rin replied, trying to keep her tone even. "And, no, he was not born human either. His people originate on the far side of the Delta Quadrant. Why do you ask?"

"xB, right! I did mean his original species, sorry. I just like to know things mostly, hence why I ask, even if they might seem trivial. Kind of have an unhealthy amount of curiosity generally. I guess I am like that cat in that human allegory." Myne said looking apologetic. "So, does he like bad jokes? What's his favorite food? Oh!! Does he like sappy Ferengi novels?"

"I suppose you'll just have to ask him. Just...give him a moment to breathe between questions? He's inquisitive, and he likes sharing knowledge."

A sigh of exasperation came from the Trill. "Why does everyone keep telling me that? Do I really talk that much? Honestly, I think I am talking just the right amount! Not to mention, I barely ask a few questions now and then!" Myne clearly was amping up for a whole speech. And obviously another waterfall of words she has made herself known for.

Rin reached out and squeezed Myne's hand. "Then I'll try not to say it. Questions are good. Are you familiar with that whole human allegory? 'Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought him back.' The point is the cat is still fine. People always forget that second part."

Shaking her head, Myne chuckled. "Oh it's fine Rin, you can say it. I know I talk a lot, but I am working on it! I need people to tell me that, but even then complaining about it is a little fun. You know?"

After a leisurely breakfast, the two of them disembarked at SB381 and strolled over to where Ebi's ship would be docking. While they had kept up infrequent communication over the years, Rin and Ebi had not seen each other in person for a decade. Indeed, she had only encountered one other xB since she returned to the Federation.

"He's here," Rin said out of the blue.

"Eh?" Myne asked surprised looking at Rin. "Don't tell me you can communicate telepathically now? Got some Betazoid blood in you?"

At last, a man of curious appearance stepped off: bald with ridges along his skull, bearing his remaining implants, which were somewhat more pronounced than Rin's. He was dressed in a robe of brown and orange.

He smiled at Rin, and she moved to throw her arms around him, then pulled up short realizing he might not want such a display. He reached out for a more controlled hug.

--Hello, Rin.--

The words echoed inside her head. Damn, she had missed being able to connect with anyone through her neural link. It wasn't just words. It was feelings and perception. While each retained their individuality, it was a closeness she felt with no one else.

--Hello, Ebi.-- Her feeling of elation was obvious to him.

"Ebi, I want you to meet a friend from Elysium," Rin said out loud. She was genuinely smiling at the chance to introduce her two friends to one another. "This is Lt. Myne Redal, Assistant Chief of Operations."

Myne was watching the interaction between the two of them with rapt fascination. Though her recent false guess that Rin might be a telepath all of the sudden was making her think really crazy things aimed at her friend. On the off chance, she was right and Rin could read her mind.

That was why she was taken off balance when Rin suddenly spoke, but she recovered quickly and took a few steps towards Ebi offering her hand for a Roman handshake. "Welcome aboard the Elysium Ebi. Erm, handshake or hug? Either way, I'm Myne! Rin's bestest friend here, morale officer and I think the holder of the most words per minute record aboard the ship. I have to say, you look really cool and I'm a bit jealous that you're making Rin smile like that. I've been trying so hard to do it, but my jokes fall kind of flat." Then taking a peak at Rin she smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. "Oh yeah, sorry, Rin asked me to give you time to breathe between my endless tirades."

"Well, I've had plenty of time to breathe on the trip here," Ebi replied. "And I fear Rin has no sense of humor."

Rin made an exaggerated frowny face.

Chuckling, Myne shook her head. "Oh I like you. And no, I think she does have a sense of humor. It is just buried deep deep down, tied to a chair and gagged, held captive by the no humor brigrade. But I think if we work together, we can rescue it!"

"We can see how that goes," Ebi replies.

"If you two are finished conspiring against me, shall I show you around the ship?" Rin quips.

"But conspiring against you is soo much fun!!" Myne pouted and slumped her shoulders. "Fine, let's go sightseeing!" She tried to sound as dramatic as possible, but the grin on her face betrayed how excited she was to poke and learn more about Rin from her friend. "Ebi can tell us more about a certain xB in our presence while we walk though?"

"If you wish to know more about Rin, you should ask her, not me." Ebi says kindly.

--Is she always like this?--Ebi said telepathically.

--Oh, this is one of her slow days-- Rin replied.

--You two are an...interesting pairing. Are you...a couple?--

Rin nearly fell flat on her face as she tripped over her own two feet.

--No no, just friends! But she is important to me. Now stop talking behind her back.--

The three returned to Elysium where Rin showed Ebi the various places civilians could go.

"I know you've described this ship to me before, but I still didn't imagine how immense it truly was," Ebi commented. "Are all Starfleet vessels like this?"

"No, no. They come in a wide variety of sizes. Elysium is one of the largest. One of the reasons for all this is we have a lot of civilians on board."

"It's an impressive waste of space," Ebi replied. Then, "Sorry, that sounded better in my head."

"No worries, I know what you mean."

Ebi turned to Myne. "So, what about you? You must be pretty special for Rin to bring you along."

Myne kept stealing glances at Rin after she tripped, a bit worried as she jumbled reasons in her head. "I just gotta know, do you guys trip a lot? Because this has to be the first time I've seen Rin trip." She mused as she turned and shrugged at Ebi. "Me? Not really, just mostly crazy, loony and quirky. I like to think she thinks I am either funny, or an interesting science experiment. You never know given how hard it is to pry information from her."

Looking around them for a moment Myne chuckled. "You know what Ebi? I think you are right. This is an impressive waste of space. Aaaaaaand energy. I should know, you know how much power the civilian facilities drain daily? It is an exciting nightmare to balance and streamline. The holodecks in particular."

"I would very much like to see a holodeck someday."

"Really? Rin, shall we take him to a holodeck? I can quickly book one if needed be." Myne offered excitedly.

Ebi looked between the two women. "That would be extraordinary, if it's not too much trouble."

Rin nodded. "Not at all. The purpose of them is largely recreational." Rin smiled at Myne. "If you could do so please."

Nodding, Myne pulled out her trust, custom PADD from the satchel she was carrying and started to quickly tap on it. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand holodeck three I think has just been reserved by ops for some reason. Some programs are using too much power. Guess it's time for a extra shift, if you know what I mean." Myne chuckled and winked at them.

--Was that...innuendo?-- Ebi asked across the neural link.

--I'm pretty sure not, but I can never quite tell.--

"So where would you like to go?" Rin asked out loud.

Ebi pondered. "Do you have something in winter? I've never seen snow."

"Never seen snow? Oh, I know! The Humans have this place on Earth they constantly brag about. Himalaya or something like that. I think it means very snowy mountain. Can quickly run a program with it and we can go check out the snow?" Myne proposed given her expertise on all things Human. Or was that a complete lack of understand of all things Human?

"Sounds like a plan," Rin agreed.

//OFF//

Lieutenant Rin
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Elysium

Lieutenant JG Myne Redal
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Elysium

Ebi
Civilian
USS Elysium