Posted by Captain Tralla Sh’Zoarhi (Captain) in Corridors - Embarking on a New Adventure (Open to All!)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Oshekye Aasu (Counselor) in Corridors - Embarking on a New Adventure (Open to All!)
Aasu slumped against a rock and wiped beaded sweat from their forehead. The sun had barely touched the distant Babad Do’ag (Catalinas) when they embarked. Now, it hung high above the desert, firing death rays that threatened to roast the Bajoran. They knew Tucson’s dry and eager heat, but a climb from sub-zero to the mid-twenties by 0900 seemed absurd even for the spring desert. Aasu sucked in a slow breath and shot a crooked smile at their companion, who seemed unfazed by the swelling heat.

“Tired, already?” Raul teased and tossed them a bottle filled with some green-tinted concoction. Electrolytes, they assumed. The man never went anywhere without a canister, snacks, and his beloved ‘antique’ camera. “You better drink up. We’ve got nine kilometres to cover by noon.”

“Nine?” Aasu slapped a hand over their gaping mouth before they drooled lime green. Coughing, they wagged an irked finger at him. “What happened to six an hour ago?”

“I had to motivate you somehow,” Raul pursed his lips in an eye-crinkling grin, “besides… we’re close to the Romero Pools. The peak’s just a hop, skip and seven kilometer jump from there.”

“We better get moving,” Aasu playfully flung the half-drunk bottle at Raul and yanked the straps of their backpack, “wouldn’t want to fall behind, hmm?”

Oshekye scrambled to their feet and shuffled past in what dissolved into a speedy, arm-swinging trek up the rocky trail. Though saguaros and barrel cacti marked the trail’s edge, waging a prickly demise on any who violated the truce, they struggled to avoid the underbrush. They footed the loose dirt and bumbled over the slates where spotted, whip-tailed lizards basked in the sun’s swelling warmth. Behind them, Raul moved with such elegance that Aasu swore he floated. Roll the hip, swing the leg, square the shoulders and push. Simple…ish. Five years conditioned Oshekye to the terrain, but they had yet to master this intricate dance. They were beginning to suspect it was genetic. A human trait, perhaps? They huffed, boosting themself to a higher ledge before extending a hand to Raul.

He grasped their wrist and donned a rictus grin that struck them in a queasy pang. Aasu knew him too well to miss the concern in his puckered brow. Was he okay? He seemed a barrel of self-inflicted joy and bad puns seconds before, but they couldn’t find a trace of that mirth on his face. Where had it gone? Aasu hoisted Raul to the edge, wavering long enough to consider him. He seemed physically well, save a few scratches and scuffs, but they could not say the same for his mind.

“What’s on your mind, Raul?” Aasu refused to encroach on the privacy he held sacred, but they wanted to let him know that they were there if he needed them.

“Hmm?” Raul winced as if forcefully thrust from deep thought, his eyes darting before they focused on Aasu, who smiled apologetically. “Oh… I was just thinking about the future,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “it hadn’t dawned on me that this will be our last hike together.”

“What do you mean?” Aasu started at a leisure stroll, recalling the late nights they spent roaming the SFMA campus in deep, aimless conversation. Dilemmas that plagued them for weeks were solved in a matter of hours. Aasu hoped to recreate that here.

“It’s just…” Raul chewed on his cheek and furrowed his eyebrows in a pensive frown. “We’ve been roommates since the Academy. And we’ve been through a lot together. Clinicals, 0200 crams for an 0800 exam, Sarpk’s neuro-sci nightmare. It just boggles my mind that, after eight years of dealing with your chronic snoring, that we’re going our separate ways. I’m heading off to the Harbinger and you to the Memorial. I know it should be exciting, but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed.”

“As much as I relish the day when the room won’t smell of ‘proats’ and green tea,” Aasu managed an empathetic smile, “I’m going to miss you, too. We may not be living together anymore, but that doesn’t mean we stop being friends. I’ll still be a transmission away.”

“I sincerely doubt you’ll sacrifice sleep for a 0100 chat,” Raul razzed, “but I appreciate the sentiment. Besides… I guess we got to move on at some point, right?”

“I hear that’s how life works,” Aasu stroked their chin, “but according to you, I don’t have one.”

“Haha, very funny.” Raul rolled his eyes and pulled Aasu into a side hug, “just don’t be a stranger, eh?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Roomie.”

---

Aasu watched the world shift, inspiring not invigoration by an unmistakable burbling in their belly akin to dread… or an encounter with curdled oat milk. Transporters had never agreed with them. There was something about their atoms being ripped apart and restitched like an upcycled gown that just didn’t sit right. Or, maybe it was psychosomatic. Aasu didn’t dwell long enough to speculate.

“Permission to come aboard?” Oshekye prompted the transporter tech in a swift gesture to snatch their bag from the neighbouring pad and toss it over their shoulder.

“Permission granted,” she rounded the panel and extended a PaDD to Aasu, “welcome to the Memorial, Lieutenant. Here are your quarters assignment and other onboarding information.”

“Thank you,” Oshekye searched her collar for any indication of rank, “Ensign.”

Aasu wiggled the PaDD in a parting gesture and brushed past the transport tech. Slipping into the corridor, it dawned on them that they hadn’t the foggiest idea which way to go. Left? Right? Aasu supposed either direction would lead them to a turbolift. Besides, it was too late to turn back without gambling embarrassment. Aasu took in a slow, sobering breath and turned left.

— Oshekye Aasu
(OOC: Feel free to pop in!)

“Hello Lieutenant Oshekye Aasu” an emotionless voice sounded while it at first seemed androgynous was starting to lean more towards the Feminine “I am Maizie The USS Memorials’s Entity AI Unit!” Maizie after introducing itself projected a holographic image of an orb that had an audio Waveform for a ‘mouth’ “Is there someone or someplace I could help you find?” Maizie asked kindly

Maizie

“Oh…” Aasu lifted their gaze and deftly masked the shock daring to betray their otherwise tranquil expression, “hello! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mazie.” They wavered, a warm smile playing across their lips, and waited to see if Maize would take on a corporeal-ish form. Their—her? Aasu wasn’t yet sure of Maize’s identity, but their question sparked a moment of thought in the counsellor. “Actually…” they hummed, “do you have any clue where Captain Tralla is at this hour? I’d love to meet her before diving into the nitty-gritty stuff.”

— Oshekye Aasu