Asking for a friend, Part Two

Posted on Sun Oct 12th, 2025 @ 8:20am by Consul Andrinn Orin & Nicholas Mathias

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: Time between MD5 and MD1, 1730hrs
1067 words - 2.1 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

"Well, you see..." Andrinn started out saying, his eyes glued onto the steam that was coming off of his coffee. "Ranul and I...didn't exactly get along while he was alive. Well, you could say that we kind of hated each other while he was alive."

Nick tilted his head and curiously, but cautiously looked over at Andrinn before saying, "Didn't get along? You mean when you still in the training stuff to get the symbiant before joining?"

Andrinn tilted his head before slightly nodding. A chuckle escaped his lips as he looked back at his friend. "Like I said, it wasn't even just not getting along. I used to hate him, Nick. He was assigned to oversee my part of my symbiont candidacy training back when I was barely more than a kid by Trill standards. From the first day that we met, he made it his mission to make my life a living hell and that he did. Nothing that I did was ever good enough for him. Every test, every simulation, every evaluation. He tore it apart. Ranul just tore me to pieces and he even told me that I would never make it as a host. That I wasn't strong enough. That I wasn't worthy."

Nick blinked and asked,“And this was the same man whose memories you’re carrying now?"

"The very same," Andrinn replied, letting out a breath. Looking back at Nick, Andrinn continued, "At one point, I almost walked myself out and away from the program. I figured that if I was destined to fail, why put myself through the agony? But, something inside me pushed me to keep going. Was it stubbornness? Pride? I don't know. Then, when Ranul died, I thought that was going to be the end of it. I figured that I would never have to think about him again."

Andrinn paused for another moment, his eyes a bit glazed over and distant. Coming out of the trance, he kept his eyes forward and said, "Then, I joined with Orin. Suddenly, I was thinking about him again. Every day."

Nick leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “What changed?”

Andrinn laughed softly without any sort of humor within the laugh. "Everything. Turns out that the old bastard actually cared. He had requested to be assigned to my training and I never knew it. He wanted to make sure that I was prepared because he saw something in me. Something that I didn't know or could see within myself. All those harsh words? He wasn't necessarily trying to break me. He wanted to build me up because he believed in me more than anyone ever had."

Dipping his head, Andrinn's voice grew quieter as he continued, "And I never got the chance to tell him I knew that. I never got the true chance to thank him for all that he had done for me during my time with him."

The silence stretched between the pair for a moment that felt like an eternity. It was heavy, but nothing uncomfortable. Nick's grin that could lighten a room softened into something gentler. He looked at Andrinn and finally broke the silence by saying, "Sounds like he left a bigger mark on you than either one of you realized."

“Maybe,” Andrinn murmured. “But that’s not the strangest part.”

Nick’s brow furrowed. “Oh? What’s stranger than finding out your worst critic was actually your biggest supporter?”

Andrinn's fingers tightened around his cup as the vapors were slowly starting to disappear. His knuckles were starting to go white from how tight that he was hanging onto that mug. "During the holodeck program, Ranul said something. Something I know that I didn't put into the code. He looked right at me, as though he was seeing me more than just some simulation before saying, 'It's not over, Andrinn. You were never meant to stop with me.'"

Nick sat back in his chair, silent for a beat. “That… doesn’t sound like the usual holodeck dialogue.”

“No, it doesn’t.” Andrinn’s voice was barely above a whisper now. “And I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Nick studied his friend for a moment, starting to go deep diving into his own mind to think about several things. However, once he spoke again, his tone was both cautious and curious. Nick finally spoke and said, "Maybe, it's just a glitch. Or, maybe...." He trailed off, a spark of intrigue in his eyes. “Maybe it’s something else. Something buried deeper.”

Andrinn wanted to dismiss the thought outright. Wanted not to believe something else was buried deep within the code. Andrinn didn't want to believe that there could still be some ghosts out there of his former host. But, deep down, a part of him wasn't so sure. Ranul had always been one step ahead of him, both in life and now...death apparently.

Looking over to his friend, Andrinn asked, "Tell me something. I had the holodeck character pull all information on Ranul, including anything that he might have written while he was alive. The computer pulled it straight from the archives onboard the ship. I'm just wondering what might be down there that I might have missed otherwise. While I have Ranul's thoughts and memories, I know that there have been reported cases of where memories were intentionally buried. Maybe, something was pulled from his personal archives that were meant for the next host or something? Or even me?"

Nick took the words in that Andrinn said and thought about it for a good little bit. Nick was an archeologist and anthropologist, so this was right up his alley. Andrinn looked over and saw that twinkle in Nick's eye when he caught a bug to do something. Andrinn's shoulders slumped for a second before he let out a happy sigh almost.

"What do you have in mind, Nick?" Andrinn asked before Nick got up and pulled Andrinn to his feet. Nick took Andrinn's hand before looking back and saying, "Just follow my lead, okay?" Before Andrinn could object, the pair was off and making their way towards the unknown and known. Andrinn felt butterflies in the pit of his stomach, but he was excited to see what they could figure out about...Ranul Orin.

To be continued...

[OFF:]

Consul Andrinn Orin
Chief Diplomatic Officer
USS Elysium