Old Friend

Posted on Fri Dec 8th, 2023 @ 8:56pm by Indigo (*) & Chief Armoury Rormu Yazlin

Mission: Fractures
Location: Starbase 66
Timeline: December 2397
1571 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

Indigo had always been a wanderer, following the wind's whispers to distant planets and causes, leaving behind fragments of her life like scattered puzzle pieces but she always returned back to Freecloud eventually which would be nice after the last couple of months of rolling around the universe for this or that. The Starbase would be where they parted company with the crew of SS Mary Rose for awhile. Which was why the heart of a bustling base, she nervously awaited the arrival of a dear friend she had not seen in ages.

The base was an old style that she was surprised was still in service as she had not see one quite like this run down and grubby in at least 50 years. Her heart quickened as the door chimed with the old fashion bell that most likely had been there since the base was new , and there stood Rormu, the friend who had once been more involved in her life. Time had woven lines of experience and laughter onto her faces, but she hoped that the connection between them was as vibrant as ever. “I was not sure you would come.” She admitted as the woman weaved through the tables of the quaint cafe that she had chosen.

Yazlin her stoic face gave the slightest hint of a smile as she approached Indigo, making her way towards her whilst bumping into one or two patrons sat at the tightly spaced tables. It had been far too long since last they met and immediately, "After what you did for me on Nelvana? Rest assured, you call, I'll always come." She embraced her friend and pecked a kiss on her cheek before leaning back and looking her straight in the eyes, "always."

Nelvana was a long time ago to Indigo, a lot had happened in her life since then. Both good and bad had happened but just a lot of it. “Even so I was not sure.” Indigo squeezed her back before she shifted into her chair and looked around the cafe before settling down. “You are a busy lady now with a new ship.”

There was a bit of a hesitant shrug, "I don't know. It takes a little getting used to, feels like settling down." It was certainly not the case that she was bolted down to one location, but it was a lot more stability than she had enjoyed over the past years. "The galaxy is changing. Or maybe I'm the one changing. Either way, it felt like I could be more helpful to the people around here on a ship than hidden in the underbrush peering through my scope."

"Both are changing," Indigo said. She was old enough to have seen the universe change several times. It was a story as old as time in her opinion but to most people, it only happened to them once. "The crew are good people. I really like them." Indigo assured hoping that if there were any doubts that she had about the crew that changed it.

Yazlin nodded, "I should've probably consulted with you before taking the job. I talked to Mirok and he pointed me in their direction." She looked around the establishment and got the attention of one of the waitstaff. "Do you carry Spring wine?" When the waiter looked a bit hesitant she immediately held up a hand, knowing that if there was hesitation there probably wasn't any good stuff in stock, "I'll have a Risa Sunrise." She looked over at Indigo, as a sign for her to put her order in.

Indigo smiled and gave over her whisky order to the waiter before she thought on her answer. “Mirok and me are of the same mind.” Indigo assured quietly. She did not often venture from the same mindset of her fellow Fenris Ranger. They had discussed it often that they were of the same mind on most things. The only thing they were not was on good choice.

With a bit of a flourish Yazlin offered her wristband to confirm the transfer of credits from her personal account. It took a moment for them to get back with the drink orders, during which the conversation just seemed to linger on pleasantries. After the first two sips the Bajoran turned a bit more serious; "Whenever I'm not out on assignment I feel like I'm just drifting. I hope this'll anchor me a bit."

Indigo had attempted to catch the waiter to pay but the other woman got there first. The blue haired woman would pay next time without a doubt. It was hard catching up after they had left things so fractured but Indigo was trying. “It anchors me.” She assured the woman. “Gives purpose when sometimes it’s a hard thing to find in the universe right now.”

"Feel good to have a purpose then?" Yazlin knew what drove people to organisations like the Fenris Rangers, same could be said for her just as easily. When it came to Indigo, they always felt like good friends but they knew very little about each other it seemed.

Indigo smiled and nodded at the question. She had always had a purpose with the Watchdog in her long life but being with Kaylin and Teav was certainly something more. “Very much. Something more than Freecloud could certainly offer.”

"All of Freecloud's offerings are wrapped in starlight and neon, but all of them feel fleeting." Yazlin remembered, although remembered might not have been the right word regarding nights on Freecloud. A fairly popular series of holonovels was set there where one wakes up after a long night out with no recollection of the past day, puzzling together everything was the challenge there. It was probably based on tall tales of nights on Freecloud. "Kaylin and Teav are good people."

“Should come to Freecloud more often if that’s how you feel about it.” The blue haired woman teased just a little. “They are. Exactly the right type of people to be doing what we do.” She was there as she gave the illusion of someone young but she was double everyone’s age and then some.

"I'm sure you're exactly where you need to be as well." Yazlin wasn't so sure herself, it mostly seemed like she just happened to have landed where she sat now. Could be something completely different next month. "So. Any news of the front?"

“Nothing really out of the ordinary. Railroad is going well and other things.” Indigo’s eye lit up as thought about all the chess pieces that had in ply on different operations. It was impressive to her let alone to anyone else. “Are you exactly where you want to be?” Indigo had not missed the tone.

"It feels like I'm where I need to be right now." This was said without hesitation. It had never been a problem for Yazlin to be living in the moment, it was the question whether or not that moment would last that usually bugged her. "The job seems good. The people are good. The ship is... interesting. At least it has some armaments. At one point in time it was the strongest Federation vessel in Starfleet, at least that's what I've been told."

"Interesting is a good way to sum her up. Have you seen the figure on the hull yet?" Indigo wondered with a grin. It always made her laugh when she saw the haunting visage from an old wooden ship that was connected to the hull of the ship. The figure belonged to something from the 1500s but Gregnol was fond of it for some reason. She had never found out the reason other than Gregnol liked to be reminded of what it meant when things were simpler and he had been part of a duo with the original Captain.

"It's at a bit of an awkward angle at the current docking port. Bit difficult to see the entire thing." Yazlin didn't really know what Indigo was talking about but was sure she'd find out sooner rather than later considering the ship was now supposedly her home. "Any tactical or security weaknesses I should know about? Any crewmembers I should keep an extra eye on?" It was always good to get an outsider's perspective on those things.

Indigo chuckled into her drink as she thought about the reaction the woman was going to have to the spectacle that was the ships mascot on the aging constitution class. “Nothing that you would not have already checked into or have on that mental check list of yours. Maybe the Kalahaeia t'Leiya … Romulan but not one I or Taev know. But no one that I would look into too deeply but I would certainly get to know Leiddem Kea. Captains brother in law and one of your team. He is a good man who would have your job if it was not for Gregnol’s rules on promoting family.”

"Good to know." Yazlin was sure there was some damage control that needed to be done in regards to Leiddem, make sure he would come along with the change in leadership in the department and not run a shadow department behind her back, undermining her every move. She also made note of the Romulan name, having an unknown on board was always a tricky situation to navigate. "Here's to privately operated freighters." She raised her glass.