[USS Juno] Into the Woods

Posted on Fri Aug 3rd, 2018 @ 2:50am by Captain Bervag Bers & Crewman Recruit Kerja Aanyo
Edited on on Fri Aug 3rd, 2018 @ 2:50am

1,124 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: [USS Shanghai] S1E2: Encounter in the Abyss
Location: Shuttle/ Bajor
Timeline: MD+4, 0900 Hours

Kerja followed along after Commander Bers, finally catching up so that she was walking alongside him. "How long have you been in Starfleet?" She asked conversationally though her tongue felt sluggish when she looked at him. She made her eyes blink so she wasn't staring. "How long will it take to get down there," a thought crossed her mind and her eyes got a big. "And we're sure they're gone right, the people who attacked?"

"Me personally, about eight years not counting the Academy." he said with a smile, grateful for the conversation. He slowed his pace so Kerja could keep up better. "The way I fly? Not long at all." he said, in answer to the second question as they came up to a shuttle. He pressed the control to call open the hatch. The wait provided him an opportunity to think about the third one. The hatch opened and Commander Bers did the gentlemanly thing. "Ladies first." he said.

Blushing slightly Kerja got on board but stood there, unsure where she should sit. "Are you the kind of pilot that I need to put on a seatbelt?" She asked, factoring in his earlier comments. "I bet you were surprised, finding out the Captain had a daughter."

"I'm a pretty tame pilot. Just like to take the quickest route whenever possible." he said. He nodded to Kerja. "You'd be right on the surprise." he smiled. "Welcome to the Juno." he added.

"Thank you." She finally sat down next to him after he'd seated himself. "And it was a surprise to him too." She made herself comfortable, resisting the urge to put her legs up on the console. She was content to just look out the window and not chatter too much at this intriguing new man she'd met.

Bervag nodded as he started the shuttle. He pulled out of the bay, catching a glimpse of her in his peripheral. "Feel free to get comfortable.' he said. He tried to make small talk. "So, tell me about yourself?

"Umm, not sure what you want to know. More recently I just met my father for the first time, my mother's been kidnapped. I like school, though now it looks like I have to get used to a new teacher. I like history and archeology, I hate math. And I've pretty much decided I'm never joining Starfleet. Think that about sums me up in one paragraph." Feeling a little self conscious she brushed her hair back behind her ear and hazarded a glance at him.

Bervag nodded as he continued to pilot the shuttle, glancing over at Kerja. He smiled. Yeah. That it does. he thought to himself as the ship got closer to Bajor.

"What about you? Are . . . you married? Kids? What made you decide to join starfleet?" She knew some of those were rather personal questions but she asked them anyway.

"We'll for starters, I'm unmarried." he said. "Would like to be someday though. Myself, no children. However like marriage I have entertained the notion." he smiled, liking Kerja already. "As for joining Starfleet." he pondered his answer for a moment. "I guess to be my own person. My parent's were big in science. I thought I'd throw em a curve and join up to be a pilot."

She smiled back at him. It was sort of exactly the same thing she was doing, or at least trying to do. Both her parents were in starfleet and she wanted to be an archaeologist. She could still see the world, but no one would tell her where to go and when. "Yeah, not sure how my dad's going to take the news that I don't want to be in Starfleet."

Bervag let out a small chuckle. "I think I know how that is. For all the time I've known him he's been a fair man. Seems to me he'd be fine with that." he said, speaking as a friend.

"Hmm," Kerja said, looking down at her hands. "Well it's not like I have to tell him right away. Got several years of school left." Maybe she shouldn't have mentioned that. It made her seem really young. She sighed and noticed that they were entering the planet's atmosphere. This part always made her a little nervous.

Bers called into the Bajoran authorities. IDing them as a Starfleet shuttle. Gaining the required permissions and such. He flew in at the easiest angle he could to avoid any nervousness from his passenger.

She was relieved when they finally touched down. "Sorry," She said in a soft voice. "I prefer to beam places. I'll just be a few minutes. Or do you want to come and see the house?"

Should I? he asked himself. She was the COs daughter after all. He thought it over for a quick minute. He determined that it was highly unlikely that the shuttle would fly off in its own. "If you'd like I can come with." he said.

"Sure," Kerja said. The least she could do was show him around since he'd agreed to bring her here. "Not much, just a small house but I like . . . liked it." She corrected herself mid sentence. "It felt warm," Kerja led him through a wood door that wasn't even locked into a small living space. The house itself was made of a light colored brown stone. Windows with actual panes of glas were carved out of it. There was a small kitchen off the living room and hallway that Kerja went down to get to her room, a small semi round structure that had a twin bed, a comforter, some decorations on the wall and a closet to the right side of the door. Kerja sat down on the bed and looked around. "I painted that mural about a year ago." She pointed to the large yellow tropical flower.

"Well done." he smiled.

She shrugged. "I keep practicing. I've heard it makes perfect. Guess it's a hobby." She got up form the bed and grabbed a bag and began packing things into it. Taking each object with consideration. "I know it's silly but do you think my dad would mind if I brought my blanket? One of the Vedek's made it for me. I guess she thought it might remind me of my spiritual path. But it's soft and I'd never be able to replicate a replacement."

"Fine by me." the trill replied.

Kerja gathered up the rest of the stuff she thought she might want with her. Threw the blanket over her shoulder and glanced around the room, trying not to let her emotions overwhelm her. "Alright." She fainlly said. "That's it. Let's get out of here."

"Alright." Bers said.

 

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