<SNIP>

“Seriously? Like… for real?” he asked, genuinely. He didn’t roll his eyes. He didn’t laugh. Instead, he gave her a long, quiet stare, let out a low whistle, and leaned back in his chair.

“Well, damn,” he said, voice dropping to something close to reverence. “A real live princess. Honestly, that’s so freaking metal.”

Then he started to laugh, grinning wide.

“And here I thought my dad had high expectations. He just wanted me to slap bass in a jazz band.”

Buddy stood and took a few slow steps toward her.

“Believe it or not, I actually get where you’re coming from—on a smaller scale, maybe, but still.” He flashed a lopsided grin. “I’m the frontman for the number one galactic punk band on Bolarus IX. And let me tell you, I get so tired of my ‘adoring fans’ that if I see anyone with blue skin, I turn around and walk the other way.”

His smile softened, warm and genuine.

“And yeah… I totally agree. It’s all a bit ridiculous.”

-Ens. Cullum
Security Officer

His reaction surprised her in how fast it moved from shock to acceptance. That wasn’t what she usually got. Normally when someone found out about her royal blood, she was proud and embarrassed at the same time–because they didn’t believe her. But Buddy Cullum was standing in front of her with a smile on his face and no signs of distrust about him. Mykl felt muscles at the core of her body relax. These were all good signs that she and Buddy could be good friends if they gave each other a chance.

“Really? You sing in a band? That’s awesome.” She clapped a hand to her mouth, cringing that she sounded like a ‘fan girl’. “Oh my God, that was so cheesy, but I really do think it’s fabulous. It also makes you exceptional in my little world; as you are the only frontman in my friend circle now.” Her ‘friend circle’ included most of the people she’d met repeatedly on the ship, but Buddy didn’t know that.

“So, what’s the dream? Do you want to be a rock star full time? Or has Star Fleet got your number?”

Lieutenant Mykl Najjar
CNS USS Ark Angel

Buddy chuckled, amused by her sudden excitement. It struck him as interesting—he’d mentioned the band at least twice already, but this was the first time she reacted with anything close to fan energy. He figured something had shifted. Maybe it was that strange but welcome moment of connection earlier, or maybe they’d just finally found a shared rhythm.

Whatever it was, Buddy realized this didn’t feel like an evaluation anymore.

This felt like the start of a friendship. And he couldn’t be more thrilled.

He leaned casually against the back of the chair, the smile on his face softening as the conversation turned more reflective.

“I originally joined Starfleet just to see the universe, you know?” he said, his voice quieter now. “Then we started the band our freshman year. And it took off—way more than any of us expected. For a while, I thought maybe… maybe I had options. Like maybe I didn’t have to wear the uniform forever.”

He hesitated. The weight of memory tugged at his chest.

“But after Federation Day…” He trailed off. The images, the names, the silence that followed—he didn’t need to say more. Mykl would understand.

When he spoke again, his voice was laced with that quiet ache of loss. “I think the band’s broken up. We’re all scattered now. Different ships. Different priorities. And yeah, we all went through something that day.”

Then, trying to lighten the moment, he gave her a half-smile. “But hey—who knows, right? The future’s always remixing itself. Maybe there’s an encore in store.”

-Ens. Cullum
Security Officer