Longing

Posted on Thu Dec 22nd, 2022 @ 5:51am by Consul Andrinn Orin

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Deck Two-Outside Diplomatic Complex
Timeline: MD3--0327 hours
1558 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Consul Andrinn Orin had been crawling through several parts of the tubes surrounding the Diplomatic Complexes on Deck Two. During that time, he had the time to think about everything and everyone else onboard the ship that were going through something similar to him and his two DPT officers.

However, there was one person that he couldn't stop thinking about as they crawled their ways through the ship. It was Sam, who Andrinn had started to form a relationship with over the course of his time onboard the ship. The two of them had just gotten back from climbing the peaks of San Luis, which was an amazing thing and something that Andrinn truly enjoyed.

Thus, it was part of the reason that there were a million things running through Andrinn's head at that moment, most of which included wanting to make sure that Sam was alright at that moment. Another was the sheer fact that Andrinn was worried that Sam could've been in a part of the ship that was severely damaged by whatever happened.

The three officers slowly came to a standstill as Antrani pulled out the tricorder from his belt, scanning the fork in the tubes to see where they should go next to get down to the emergency shelters. There was so much damage to the ship that it was making it harder to see where the trio needed to go next, which caused a bit of frustration for all three of them.

Antrani closed the tricorder and put it back in his belt as he said a little curse under his breath and said, "The tricorder isn't telling me much, sir. Do you want to pick a way to go and see if it leads anywhere?" Orin thought about it for a moment before pointing towards the left fork and saying, "Lets try that way. I think that'll be the best way to go because it'll lead us towards the middle of the deck and it could lead towards a tube downward."

Gallo, the second of the DPT officers said, "Yeah, that could work because if we could get towards a tube leading down or out, we'd be able to get off this deck once and for all."

Orin simply nodded and said, "Onward and...downward!"

The three of them started moving forward again and Orin realized that besides that, the trio had been silent most of the way through the tubes, working hard at trying to get out of the Diplomatic Complexes. As they continued on their journey, Orin asked them, "Do you guys have families onobard?"

Gallo said, "No, most of my family are scattered throughout the Federation on starships for Starfleet or within the Starfleet Marines. Grew up as a military brat on various starships. How about you guys?"

Antrani replied back to Orin and Gallo, "Yeah, I have a wife and a daughter onboard, which is why I'm cursing myself. I should know this ship better than I do and we should be out of this mess already."

Orin stopped and tugged at Antrani's leg to stop him before he got up the tube too far. He sat back against the tube to prop himself up. He looked at the two officers and said, "No matter what happened today or what will happen today, I'll make sure that I get you both back to your families. This was some sort of disaster and it seems like the ship has stayed together pretty well, which means that your wife and daughter are somewhere onboard, safe and sound in one of the shelters already. But, I'll make sure everyone is reunited before too long and that we all make it through this safely."

Antrani and Gallo both nodded their heads as Gallo pulled something out of one of the pack alongside her uniform, pulling out a few protein bars for the three of them. As she handed them to Orin and Antrani, she said, "Thank you for that, sir. While my family were military brats, that's something that always worried my entire family whenever we were all separated for longer periods. We wondered if our parents were going to make it back okay, especially during the period after the Dominion War and the various issues that came out of that. I know that my parents are probably feeling the same thing right now, especially if we're out of the game for longer than a day or two."

Antrani and Orin listened before Orin replied, "My mom and several members of my family were always diplomats, so we were always in some sort of line of fire because of our professions. So, when I was younger, she made sure that all of us got some lessons on how to hand various types of personal weapons, so that in case anything were to happen, we'd be okay. However, she didn't prepare me for a starship going down quite like this."

The trio just laughed after listening to Orin's story. Antrani looked over at Orin and Gallo before saying, "Well, my family wanted me to become a doctor or a scientist, but I couldn't get all that stuff. I could understand my way around a rifle better than I could understand how the water molecule was put together. When I told them that I was enlisting in the Starfleet Marine Corp Academy, they almost broke down. But, once I explained myself and my thoughts about it, they understood it."

Orin looked at Antrani and said, "Well, at least they were loving and understanding after you talked about it. I bet they were some of the proudest parents there when you graduated, just like yours was Gallo. I know you guys probably still have your parents around. Cherish them while you still have them. My mom is still around because she's an El-Aurian, but my dad passed away centuries ago on Trill. Both of my parents helped to make me who I am."

Gallo looked at Orin and asked, "Well, were both of your parents diplomats? I think you said your mom was, but I couldn't remember if you said your dad was too."

Orin nodded and thought about it for a second, reminiscing about everything that his parents had done before his father passed away. "Yeah, they were both diplomats. My parents were brought together by the Vulcans, of all people. My mom was working with the Vulcans as an outside diplomat for them, while my father was a Trill diplomat during the time of first contact on the Trill homeworld. The way that my mom tells me about it, the Vulcans couldn't understand the emotions of the Trill and they needed someone who could come in and be an interpreter for them, which is why my mom was brought in. Something like that?"

Antrani scratched his chin and asked, "Your parents were Endrin and Emory Danthor, were they? Cause they're legends on the Trill homeworld. They helped bring our people out of some of its old, xenophobic tendencies towards outsiders back in the 21st century."

Orin shook his head and said, "Yup, that's my parents. I would still have the Danthor last name if I wasn't joined with the Orin symbiont."

Once Orin confirmed Antraini's suspicions, you could easily see the younger man light up like a Christmas tree. In the moments of silence, Orin and Gallo could see the gears grinding in Antraini's head because of the unlimited questions that he had for Orin.

Yet, before he could ask Orin the questions, Antraini's tricorder started beeping and he opened it up to see what was causing it to go off. It was lifesigns, which were strong and mobile. It couldn't quite make out who they were, but it was telling them that they were nearby. Possibly on the other side of the bulkhead and that meant that there must've been a hatch nearby.

Orin asked what was going on, to which Antraini replied, "Well, sir. It looks like there's someone on the other side of the bulkhead and it appears that they're alive and moving. I'm thinking there might be an exit around here somewhere and if we can match up with them, we all might be able to get out of the tubes and down towards the emergency shelter on deck 11. If you can give me a few moments, I should be able to guide us along the tubes with them, so we don't lose them."

Orin and Gallo let out a sigh of relief, as they knew that they could possibly getting out of the cramped tubes sooner rather than later. Antraini's fingers glided over the tricorder as he quickly worked his magic with it. He realized that the lifesigns were getting closer and realized that on the other side of the bulkhead was an open corridor on Deck 2. He said, "If you two can follow me, I think I've found our exit."

With that, the trio began moving again and before too long, would find an exit back onto Deck 2. However, it was something that was jammed shut. So, Orin and the team began working their magic on trying to get it opened.

Orin thought about it for a moment and said to himself, "I'm on my way, Sam."

OFF:

Consul Andrinn Orin
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Elysium