Moving on

Posted on Thu Oct 14th, 2021 @ 12:17am by Lieutenant Commander Mel Torma & Captain Callisi Verra
Edited on on Thu Oct 14th, 2021 @ 1:02am

Mission: A New Legacy
Location: Mel Torma's quarters
583 words - 1.2 OF Standard Post Measure

No matter how many times she sat, the couch didn't feel right. The pillows were fine, the blanket was fine, something was off. After several attempts to get comfortable, Mel determined that the common factor in the failing wasn't the couch, or the chair, or the bed... it was her.

She couldn't shake the feel of imprisonment. Deprival of freedom. It didn't sit well with her at all, and no matter how she actually TRIED to sit, she just couldn't find a spot. Such a tiny little bother, but it bothered the Dalacari. They were creatures of comfort, creatures of notions and trends. Maybe after a shower, she'd feel better.

She didn't feel better. She felt cleaner, but not better. A fresh uniform, a fresh shower, even a fresh brushing, and while it helped her mentally, there was something still bothering her. She padded to the replicator and snagged up some fresh snacks and some dried beef chews, seasoned to her perfection, and figured some good food would make her forget about the ordeal. Sure it was a nice prison, but it was still a prison. All the explosions, the pops and cracks echoing just outside, and then the run to freedom... Mel knew the job was dangerous but she didn't know just how exposed to danger she actually could be.

Nervous eating habit. She was out of snacks before she felt better. She needed something slightly more tangible that she couldn't actually eat, and while she was surrounded by friends, there was only really one on the ship that actually would know best how to help her. A tap on the commbadge to summon them from the depths of the ship, and a few moments later she'd be ringing the announcer chime. "Come on in." Mel bid, and the door opened to show Callisi, "You called, ma'am?"

"Yeah, come on in. Look, I called you here for a favor. I... We all..." and Mel was stopped by Callisi's raised hand, "Things went bad down there and you need someone to chat with?" and to that, Mel gave a pair of nods. "It was bad. We were captured, and put into a holding room, and there..."

"... were explosions and gunfire everywhere." Mel laid it all out, and Callisi listened as she did so. A nod here, a shaken head there, but all the while those long ears were up and listening.

"Does it go away?" the Dalacari asked the injured Ts'usugi, and the answer surprised her.

"No. Everyday it gets a little better, but you'll always be looking over your shoulder when someone makes popcorn. You'll always wonder about the firepit being too high. It takes a little adjusting, but I've got some good news for you." Callisi paused, then continued, "From the looks of it, everyone else on this ship has been through the thick of it too. They're all coping with their own histories right now. It's easy looking, because they're good at looking adjusted, but I bet that everyone here is going through the same thing you are. You're not alone here." the rabbitess reassured.

Callisi fell silent for a moment before she admitted something softly, "My boot sinks in the mud, and I'm right back on Lessus." a pause, "Would you mind if I got some tea?" and Mel snapped from her stupor to remember that SHE was the hostess. And tea made everything better.

"I hear you got a meeting coming up. Post op debrief. Need a friend?"