Posted by Ensign Kalani Kāne (Scientist) in Alindor’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Jarred Alindor (Chief Engineer) in Alindor’s Quarters

Posted by Ensign Kalani Kāne (Scientist) in Alindor’s Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻
https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf5/saracen/notes/7415/ Original post
https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf5/saracen/notes/8271/ snip 1

Snip

“I was asleep and I heard the first phaser shot,” Kalani rubbed her palms on her pants a few times feeling a bit on edge. It was not like this event dominated her life anymore. She did what she had to and didn’t lose too much sleep over it. It was times like this however when she had to tell people she cared about what happened Kalani felt squeamish. Jarred did not fall into the category of loved ones or even halfway affectionate too but the man had the potential. He was also not going to be the first to wonder why she was a twenty-six-year-old ensign with an Academy degree. If things ever went farther there was no way he wouldn’t ask her about the scars. “I flew up from my sleeping bag with my phaser. I thought it was an animal attacking the camp. Fire and sonic emitters usually keep everything at bay but at times curiosity does take over for creatures. Where I tend to go the indigenous life hasn’t learned that humans can be the monsters.”

Kalani broke off her story and took a long sip of her coffee. Part of it was a stalling technique. Part of it was Kalani trying to find the right words. “I thought I could just shoot straight up,” she looked at Alindor hoping for something or some kind of reaction that would fix the events of the past but only God or Q had the power to do that. “It was then I felt this searing pain,” her hand went to the front of her shoulder unconsciously. “It was like my arm was ignited in flame. It was so strong it spun me but I fell into the tent behind me. My head hit something hard. Probably a crate or other object like that in the tent. I just remember feeling the pain and then nothing. Starfleet said I was shot by,” Kalani stopped looking at Jarred and seemed to be looking through him. Her expression showed confusion as if she was working on remembering details instead of just giving him the abridged version. Her tongue poked out between her lips moistening them as she tried to remember what the weapon was actually called.

Ensign Kalani Kane, science

“Compression rifle? Or a disrupter?” Jarred offered, either one could have done the type of impact she described, most phaser beam weapons didn’t tend to fling people but phaser compression rifles, or disrupters could do such an impact. Most species that used disrupters didn’t really think of trying to have stun, so you often got hit with the full force, and while Starfleet used compression rifles and they did have stun features, they tended to be more violent and meant for large scale combat.

Alindor, CE

“Yes a compression rifle,” she said nodding with a slight smirk on her face. The expression was out of embarrassment and not amusement. “Us sciency types don’t tend to pack when we go out in the field. I never thought I would have to actually remember all the weapon types I learned in my security 101 classes at the Academy,” Kalani took a deep breath realizing she needed to continue with her story. Still, this was the hard part to get through especially with people she cared about. Jarred was not family nor close friend but he had the potential to be a confidant or maybe something more. It was this possibility that made Kalani open up to him. She learned the hard way with Nathan that all the cards needed to be on the table from the start.

“So there I was lying on the floor rolled up in the nylon tent,” Kalani took a sip of her coffee trying to avoid eye contact with Jarred, “when I heard this sound.” Her face took on a confused expression as if she were having a hard time remembering the event. “The jungle was eerily silent except for the…screaming. It was so hard to understand what they were saying,” she let the words trail for a second not able to still find a word to describe it.

“We had a lot of animals in the camp we were studying,” she said seeming to go off on a tangent as her eyes finally returned to Jarred’s face. “There were in a few cages and I woke up to them screaming. Not for help but in pain,” she said feeling a shiver run through her body that shook her from head to toe as it coursed down her spine. The counselors had told her the animals voices were her coping mechanism but to Kalani she could remember nothing else.

“I couldn’t see anything but I could hear the rifle was going off in a steady rhythm. Ping. ping. ping. In between the shots were…whimpers…crying,” Kalani felt her chest tighten as she spoke each sound. “I froze. Jarred I didn’t know what to do. I was so scared. I was about to yell out for Jonas when someone yelled out his name. Then they said they took care of it like they planned.” Kalani then let her eyes drift down to Jarred’s nose. This was a simple diplomatic trick to fool someone you were talking too. By looking at their nose they thought you were maintaining eye contact but you weren’t.

“Jonas said something I couldn’t understand and then there was shouting. So much shouting. It was then I realized Jonas was not going to come to save me.” Kalani tried to keep her breathing steady. She could feel her heart racing and wanted to get up and leave but worried her legs would not let her stand. “there was a ton of noise in the camp. Things being tossed around, cursing, and then I felt something then grab my ankle.” Her hand moved down to the spot just like her hand had previously gone to her shoulder. “I started to panic and began to kick. I had no idea what I was aiming for but I just wanted to get away. The hand tightened and began to yank back.” Kalani moved back some on the couch. It was not that she was scared of Jarred but more she always tended to act this way when she told the story. It was as if she needed to have her body tell the story in a sense.

“They tugged and tugged but I was knotted in the tent. The more they pulled the tighter the material went around my body. I wiggled but my arms with pinned by the material. The tugging stopped after a few seconds and then the shot came. Lucky for me they couldn’t see where they were shooting. Whoever it was just shot. God, I don’t know how I didn’t cry out but it probably was what saved my life.” Kalani stopped speaking and closed her eyes for a moment. “I am not a coward but I did not know what to do,” she said repeated to Jarred again.

Ensign Kalani Kane science

“Hey… it’s okay. I am not here to judge you at all. I want you to feel safe as you tell me this.” he said as he felt a need to reach out to her, but unsure if he even should. He decided to be a little bit bold, he placed his hand on top of hers as it rested on her knee but didn’t let it linger. He wanted to encourage her but had no desire to make her feel like he was trying to take advantage of her.

Kalani quickly put her hand over Jarred’s to hold it in place. She liked the feel of how his hand covered hers. It was warm and soft but the amount of pressure he used and the way it engulfed hers made Kalani feel like they had done this a hundred thousand times instead of once. She liked the feeling of security it gave her. “I just don’t want you to think I am a coward or that I let my crew down to save my own skin. It wasn’t like that,” Kalani did move her eyes to his searching for acceptance of her words. “I would have done anything to help them but when they shot me a second time it was meant to leave no one alive. I made a call and some say it was a bad one but I thought if I just played opossum I could get help. I was shot twice and survived so why couldn’t anyone else?” This was the question that haunted her. Not every day or even once a month but always when she told the story.

Jarred found himself squeezing her softly, “You couldn’t know, and I doubt you could have done much with those injuries. You can’t blame yourself. I am sure I am not the first to say this, but you just can’t. I know all about survivors guilt, and it isn’t something to dwell on… it eats at you.

“What happened next?” he said softly, wanting to hear the past fully but feeling like he shouldn’t rush her he had a need to add to his statement. “That is, if you still want to tell me. I don’t want you to feel forced.”

Alindor, CE

“In for a credit in for a pound,” Kalani said softly. “And we are at the good part of the story. The part that made all of it worth it.” As if on cue one furry paw stretched out from the blanket on Jarred’s lap followed by a nose and head. Ralph’s ears were slicked back and a long pink tongue curled out of his mouth like a child’s birthday party blower. As the small fox finished his yawn, he pulled himself halfway out from the blanket before falling limp again on Jarred’s lap blinking heavily as he yawned again and tried to find a comfy spot.

Jarred softly petted the little guy, trying to give him comfort but not wake him all the same.

“I passed out again for a bit. I think it was due to losing blood but this little guy,” Kalani stretched her fingers out to scratch Ralph’s head brought me too. “He was just crying in the middle of the camp. Or so I found out when I pulled myself out from the tenting material. Jonas and his people had slaughtered everything in the camp except for me and Ralph.”

“Turns out Jonas was after our tagging frequencies. We found this out a few days later when all the animals we were studying went off line. The black market loves the rare and exotic. All the animals we were studying were rare and exotic so it was a match made in heaven for Jonas. He could sell them and make a lot of money to people who want to own the rare and exotic. Doesn’t matter to them if it is the last of a species. So, Starfleet busted me down a step in rank saying while I was not outwardly guilty of the event my actions on shore leave constituted an avenue for the act to be perpetrated. I was mad for a while but I got Ralph so in the end, I figure I can make lieutenant again someday but I can’t get another Ralph now can I,” Kalani said in a soothing tone petting the small fox.

Ensign Kalani Kane science

Jarred felt his anger boil slightly, this Jonas sounded like a right tool. “You did the right thing, and in the end it brought you here. I think I really like you here. Might sound silly, but… I don’t know… sometimes things feel right.” he said as he looked down at Ralph, giving him gentle scritches before looking back at Kalani. He felt he needed to do something, and he remembered that sometimes fortune can only favor the bold.

Quickly, Jarred leaned in and gave her a small kiss on her cheek before going back to squeeze her hand tightly. “I think you are braver than you know.” he said softly as he smiled warmly at her.

Alindor, CE

Something about Alindor caused a switch to be flipped with inside Kalani. For the first time in a long time she didn’t end the story feeling less. Maybe it was his words. they weren’t the standard “you were right” or “you’ll get over it.” For the first time Kalani had someone that didn’t placate her but take her story as a statement of fact. Leaning back she crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a coy look. “That was nice but you build me Kalani’s Animal Eden and I will show you what a kiss really is.” If her mother was here, she would have spent the next hour chiding her about manners. Kalani was not the type to kiss on the fly but she had some time to come through with her promise. Alindor had no idea what he was getting himself into with the vivarium. It would be done just about the time Kalani would know if she and Alindor were friends or friends plus.

Ensign Kalani Kane science

“Oh I plan to rock your socks off.” he said as he stuck his tongue out playfully. “So, what time do you want to start? I am all yours during my free time.” he offered, wanting to find the best time to start the project with her.

Alindor, CE

“What if I come by in the morning with a donut for each of us and we can see when we have free. I should have my duty roster by then. For now, though how about we finish the movie,” she gave him a coy look before settling back into the couch but closer this time. As the first movie was wrapping up she was next to him with not a lot of space between them. Kalani was no longer thinking about Luke and Han’s desperate flight from the menacing metal ball of death on a course for Yavin. Her thoughts drifted more to the man beside her and the mental list she had created about things she wanted. He had great hair and amazing eyes. The more she thought about it, if Jarred was balding but not in a weird way she could have made an exception to the first item on her list. His clothing choice was appropriate for the situation and not too revealing for his race. While she never cared about rank, the fact that he was the chief engineer of the ship meant he was able to focus and hold down a job. Two things her last fling was unable to accomplish. Jarred was funny but in the sly slightly sarcastic way that made her grin easily. He did not force the humor card like most men. As the movie continued and Kalani realized she had checked off enough mental boxes to want a second date, she moved and wiggled a bit closer until her head was poised right above his shoulder. Maybe she would test the waters. His kiss was platonic but this action would show she also had interest in him. Lowering in slowly as if is was naturally drifting there from being sleepy she got the first faint whiff of his cologne. The fact he was wearing any was a good sign he hoped the movie hangout might turn out to be something more.

Boom the sound of the death star echoed through the quarters causing her to jump some. It also launched a sleeping Raph from sprawled on Jarrod’s lap to fully standing and yelping up a storm. The fox had no idea what he was trying to scare off but he was giving every shadow and every darkened corner far warning to stand back.

Kalani broke out laughing both at how silly she felt trying like a middle school girl for an hour to put her head on Jarred’s shoulder and Ralph’s reaction.

“Come here to Mommy,” she said patting her hands several times enticingly before opening her arms. Ralph gave Jarred a second glance before sloppily trudging across their laps and into her arms. “We should be going,” she said cradling the tiny creature and giving Ralph a quick kiss on the head. “I had a great time but I think we have had more than enough excitement and taken up more than what you probably planned for your evening. Moving quickly from the couch to the table Kalani shouldered her bag and turned to face the man she knew was behind her as she walked to the door.

Finding herself there, Kalani realized she really wasn’t ready to go; however, she couldn’t just plop back down on the couch and ask for the second feature. “Sooooo,” she drew out the word rocking on her heels slightly buying time.

Lt Kalani Kane Science

“Wait..” Jarred said as he stood up, coming to her he paused as he tried to think of an excuse, anything. “I… you… left the box.” he said, as he grabbed the box and looked at her with a blank stare. WHY did you give her the box? Really? Box is best you have Romeo? he said to himself as he chided himself. “I mean… I…” Jarred had been through so many roller coasters in his life, trying to find a way to properly say goodbye to someone he liked became a chore in and of itself.

“You don’t need boxes.” he finally blurted as he threw it behind him. “But… yeah, guess you gotta go right?” he said as he playfully punched her shoulder while they stood awkwardly at the entrance, trying to find the courage to make a move after the kiss on her cheek seemed to be going worse than the time he tried to get a Selhcat and a Dachshund to mate when he was a kid.

Alindor, CE