Post by Lt. Commander Alyssa Jenison on Jan 20, 2013 8:10:17 GMT -8
In the short time that Alyssa had served aboard the Talon, she had never taken the time to explore Etimon. She'd heard marvels about the planet. As with many planets, Etimon had it's beauty, but Alyssa never realized just how true that fact really was.
She found herself leaning upon what reminded her of an oak tree. Of course, she knew how unlikely it would be for Etimon to have oaks. It was a close enough comparison to her. What was more important was the river that flowed through the area. She could hear the gentle stream flowing into the harsher rapids in front of her.
Alyssa always enjoyed rapids more than any other part of the river. They were adventurous and thrilling. They put a challenge in the journey downstream. Perhaps more of all, rapids reminded her that life is not always the gentle stream people wanted it to be. Oftentimes the steep increased, the stakes raised, and life became a turbulent journey.
"You always had a way of being profound," came a voice from behind. Alyssa turned suddenly to look into the eyes of a hauntingly familiar face. Hunter chuckled a moment, and stepped up in line with Alyssa. "Of course, you never liked people thinking about you that way."
Alyssa sighed and straightened up. "I'm a security officer, not a philosopher. I don't need to be profound." Her hair fell upon her shoulders. Since she was not on duty, she decided to style in different for her visit to Etimon. It gave her a more feminine appearance, instead of the crisper security shape she usually boasted.
Hunter merely shook his head. "Always the stubborn, 'Lis." He looked at her attire--a maroon blouse and complementary black pants that had an interesting balance between the casual and professional. "At least you know to dress the part."
Alyssa gave his wink a long stare. "Hunter, what are you doing here? I thought I wanted to be alone."
Hunter shrugged, and sat upon a nearby boulder. "I guess thought is the key word there. Obviously, there's something more on your mind. Spill."
Alyssa rolled her eyes, as she allowed another small sigh out. "Should I wish you a happy birthday?" She'd known for a while that the anniversary of Hunter's birthday was approaching. Surprisingly, it didn't bother her as much this year than in past years. She was grateful for that, at least.
"Only if your not avoiding the subject at hand," Hunter astutely replied. He brought up his knee, rested his hand upon it, and then laid his head on his hand. He struck the very overt pose to remind her that he wasn't giving this topic up.
Alyssa narrowed her eyes at him for a moment. He mockingly returned the glare. Alyssa moved a couple footsteps away from Hunter, as she considered the thought process that had inevitably brought him here.
"I'm starting to move on," Alyssa quietly admitted. Though, the statement was less like a explanation, and more like a confession.
Hunter smiled. "That's great! It's been so long. I'd started to fear you never would." He took a moment to think, and then stood from his boulder. "That...eh...Nathan guy. Interested in him?"
Alyssa didn't respond to the question. She remained still, expect for the fidgeting she was doing with her for finger and her thumb. "I'm not supposed to be moving on."
Hunter's face scrunched into confusion and disagreement. "Like hell your not? It doesn't take a warp theorist to know that people grieve and they move on. You are certainly long past the marker for moving on, 'Lis."
"No, I'm not," she replied quietly, still turned away from him.
Hunter stepped another foot closer. "Why?"
"You know why!" Alyssa replied louder this time. She didn't move, but her emotions were becoming less controlled, and more volatile.
"Tell me anyway," Hunter insisted. He wanted her to say it. She had to say it.
"Because of her!" Alyssa yelled, finally turning to her. "Because I was responsible for her, and now I have to pay the price! I can't move on. I won't move on!"
Hunter gave her a moment to let the feelings sink in. Alyssa back off of Hunter, and turned away. She was more angry right now than sad, but she knew it would follow. She sat on the grass next to Hunter's boulder, where he soon returned.
"Feel better?" Hunter asked insensitively. He knew she didn't like pity, and he wasn't going to give her any.
"No!" Alyssa replied forcefully. She could feel the second wave approach, but it wasn't anger this time. A tear formed. She let a much quiet and somewhat more honest response. "Yes..."
"Good," Hunter replied calmly. "I listened to you. Now it's time you listen to me." He positioned himself towards Alyssa. "What happened was horrible. It was tragic. But it was an accident. It was not your fault. And don't you give me your stubborn crap rejecting that idea. I'm saying it, which means some part of you agrees with it."
Alyssa looked towards Hunter, and was about to start up on him again, but something from within held her back. It told her to listen. So she kept quiet.
Hunter smiled. "Thank you. 'Lis, you have to let yourself move on. You have to get past this. This Nathan you like-" Alyssa opened her mouth to respond. "-and I know you like him-" She shut up. Hunter chuckled again.
"'Lis, tell him. Tell him what happened. Tell him about me. Tell him about her. Stop carrying this burden alone. You've been so strong. Maybe it's time to finally rest."
More tears streamed down her cheek. She sniffed, and used her shirt to wipe away the tears. "Maybe your right..."
"Of course, I am," Hunter replied with a mock arrogance.
She let out a brief laugh. "You were always so confident of yourself, weren't you." She looked at Hunter one more time, and than towards the river. "There were times I'm sure you were crazy..."
"Hey, I'm not the one talking to a bird now, am I?" Alyssa looked back towards the boulder, and found Hunter was gone, and something that resembled a cardinal was giving Alyssa a curious glance.
Alyssa chuckled again. "That I am." Alyssa looked back towards the river once again, and added one more thought. "Happy Birthday, Hunter."
She sat by the boulder awhile longer and thought about it all. She thought about Hunter. She thought about the past, the accident. She thought about the Talon and Nathan. She wasn't sure who's idea it was. Whether it was Hunter's or her idea, or some combination therein, Alyssa knew it was time.
Tag: Nathan
She found herself leaning upon what reminded her of an oak tree. Of course, she knew how unlikely it would be for Etimon to have oaks. It was a close enough comparison to her. What was more important was the river that flowed through the area. She could hear the gentle stream flowing into the harsher rapids in front of her.
Alyssa always enjoyed rapids more than any other part of the river. They were adventurous and thrilling. They put a challenge in the journey downstream. Perhaps more of all, rapids reminded her that life is not always the gentle stream people wanted it to be. Oftentimes the steep increased, the stakes raised, and life became a turbulent journey.
"You always had a way of being profound," came a voice from behind. Alyssa turned suddenly to look into the eyes of a hauntingly familiar face. Hunter chuckled a moment, and stepped up in line with Alyssa. "Of course, you never liked people thinking about you that way."
Alyssa sighed and straightened up. "I'm a security officer, not a philosopher. I don't need to be profound." Her hair fell upon her shoulders. Since she was not on duty, she decided to style in different for her visit to Etimon. It gave her a more feminine appearance, instead of the crisper security shape she usually boasted.
Hunter merely shook his head. "Always the stubborn, 'Lis." He looked at her attire--a maroon blouse and complementary black pants that had an interesting balance between the casual and professional. "At least you know to dress the part."
Alyssa gave his wink a long stare. "Hunter, what are you doing here? I thought I wanted to be alone."
Hunter shrugged, and sat upon a nearby boulder. "I guess thought is the key word there. Obviously, there's something more on your mind. Spill."
Alyssa rolled her eyes, as she allowed another small sigh out. "Should I wish you a happy birthday?" She'd known for a while that the anniversary of Hunter's birthday was approaching. Surprisingly, it didn't bother her as much this year than in past years. She was grateful for that, at least.
"Only if your not avoiding the subject at hand," Hunter astutely replied. He brought up his knee, rested his hand upon it, and then laid his head on his hand. He struck the very overt pose to remind her that he wasn't giving this topic up.
Alyssa narrowed her eyes at him for a moment. He mockingly returned the glare. Alyssa moved a couple footsteps away from Hunter, as she considered the thought process that had inevitably brought him here.
"I'm starting to move on," Alyssa quietly admitted. Though, the statement was less like a explanation, and more like a confession.
Hunter smiled. "That's great! It's been so long. I'd started to fear you never would." He took a moment to think, and then stood from his boulder. "That...eh...Nathan guy. Interested in him?"
Alyssa didn't respond to the question. She remained still, expect for the fidgeting she was doing with her for finger and her thumb. "I'm not supposed to be moving on."
Hunter's face scrunched into confusion and disagreement. "Like hell your not? It doesn't take a warp theorist to know that people grieve and they move on. You are certainly long past the marker for moving on, 'Lis."
"No, I'm not," she replied quietly, still turned away from him.
Hunter stepped another foot closer. "Why?"
"You know why!" Alyssa replied louder this time. She didn't move, but her emotions were becoming less controlled, and more volatile.
"Tell me anyway," Hunter insisted. He wanted her to say it. She had to say it.
"Because of her!" Alyssa yelled, finally turning to her. "Because I was responsible for her, and now I have to pay the price! I can't move on. I won't move on!"
Hunter gave her a moment to let the feelings sink in. Alyssa back off of Hunter, and turned away. She was more angry right now than sad, but she knew it would follow. She sat on the grass next to Hunter's boulder, where he soon returned.
"Feel better?" Hunter asked insensitively. He knew she didn't like pity, and he wasn't going to give her any.
"No!" Alyssa replied forcefully. She could feel the second wave approach, but it wasn't anger this time. A tear formed. She let a much quiet and somewhat more honest response. "Yes..."
"Good," Hunter replied calmly. "I listened to you. Now it's time you listen to me." He positioned himself towards Alyssa. "What happened was horrible. It was tragic. But it was an accident. It was not your fault. And don't you give me your stubborn crap rejecting that idea. I'm saying it, which means some part of you agrees with it."
Alyssa looked towards Hunter, and was about to start up on him again, but something from within held her back. It told her to listen. So she kept quiet.
Hunter smiled. "Thank you. 'Lis, you have to let yourself move on. You have to get past this. This Nathan you like-" Alyssa opened her mouth to respond. "-and I know you like him-" She shut up. Hunter chuckled again.
"'Lis, tell him. Tell him what happened. Tell him about me. Tell him about her. Stop carrying this burden alone. You've been so strong. Maybe it's time to finally rest."
More tears streamed down her cheek. She sniffed, and used her shirt to wipe away the tears. "Maybe your right..."
"Of course, I am," Hunter replied with a mock arrogance.
She let out a brief laugh. "You were always so confident of yourself, weren't you." She looked at Hunter one more time, and than towards the river. "There were times I'm sure you were crazy..."
"Hey, I'm not the one talking to a bird now, am I?" Alyssa looked back towards the boulder, and found Hunter was gone, and something that resembled a cardinal was giving Alyssa a curious glance.
Alyssa chuckled again. "That I am." Alyssa looked back towards the river once again, and added one more thought. "Happy Birthday, Hunter."
She sat by the boulder awhile longer and thought about it all. She thought about Hunter. She thought about the past, the accident. She thought about the Talon and Nathan. She wasn't sure who's idea it was. Whether it was Hunter's or her idea, or some combination therein, Alyssa knew it was time.
Tag: Nathan