SIM:Adyr The Sound of Silence

((First Officer’s Quarters, USS Apollo))

::Cayden hadn’t been far behind Liam in handing over her duty station to the oncoming shift. It had been a task she was quite glad to do, but she hadn’t quite realized just how fatigued she was after the long day until she walked into the cool air of the room she called home. Its familiar scent hit her and immediately she felt the day, with all of its worry and chaos, melt into the background. Taking a deep breath, she let the peace of the room wash over her before she moved forward in search of the other occupant. Her search quickly led her to the sound of running water, and as the door slid open at her approach, the sight of a tired, but welcome face that looked towards her reflection in the mirror.::

Frost: I'm guessing it's safe to say you're as glad to be done with today as I am.

::She grinned one of those grins that you give when you’re tired, but content. Plenty of things could have gone wrong that day, things that she had never fathomed before knowing the memories of Alaryc Adyr, but thankfully none of them had. All of the worst case scenarios that had blitzed through the once totally carefree mind of the young Trill that day had faded into the ‘what ifs’ of another day.::

Adyr: I’d say it is.

::Nodding slightly, she watched him move towards her. Standing still, she fell into his embrace; an act she had waited for since the moment she saw him return from his away mission on the Nelson. It was these simple moments that made the worry and the longing well worth it all. Sure, they might have been fleeting, but more could be said in those short moments than in a million words.::

Frost: I'm meeting Sidney for dinner soon. Why don't you come meet us for a drink later.

::Still caught up in his momentary warmth, she nodded just enough so that he would feel it.::

Adyr: Sure. This day had to be tough on her. I hope she’s alright.

::It had been a difficult day all around, but for the doctor, who held the lives of those both aboard the Apollo, and those who had been rescued from the Nelson in her hands, things had to be that much more trying. Though she had been in sickbay for only a short time, Cayden had to give it to Sidney; the woman had a difficult job and had certainly risen to the challenge. Beyond that, Cayden knew the history between the two and it was times like this that they needed each other. There was an understanding there that transcended anything else; an understanding that seemed to put a look of ease on the man’s face as she stepped back slightly from him.::

Frost: We'll be in holodeck two.

::Slipping her hands into his, she gave them both a reassuring squeeze and shot him a smile.::

Adyr: I’ll be there after a while.

Frost: Response?

::Standing on her toes, she pulled him closer and kissed him before releasing his hands and moving out into the main room. Turning, she watched him head towards the door.::

Adyr: Don’t have too much fun.

Frost: Response?

::Winking at him just before the doors slid closed, she was quickly plunged back into the silence of solidarity. The music of the Expanse had long gone, and now she heard nothing. In that nothing, fatigue gnawed at her mind and even more memories floated around in her head. Many memories of Alaryc had surfaced during times on the bridge that had reminded her of something that lay beneath the surface of her own thoughts, but it was in the dark quiet of herself that most of them appeared.::

::Making her way into the bedroom where the bed she shared lay cold and untouched for some time, she turned and simply fell onto it. Her eyes bored into the ceiling as her vision seemed to blur; history appeared as the present faded into the ever present march of time, occluding the timeline on which all things seemed to exist.::

((Flashback, 14 Years Prior, Medara, Betazed))

::The sun was setting over the dark shadows of the mountains on the edge of the horizon, sending rays of orange and red into the ever darkening twilight sky as night quickly approached. In near silence, something she had gotten used to over the past nearly two years she had spent on the planet, the group of kids simply watched the colors twist and dance in the atmosphere as the stars began to appear one by one in the growing darkness. The starlight illuminated her best friend’s face, which smiled towards her. She returned the smile and closed her eyes as the sounds of the nocturnal insects began to play out into the night.::

::A cool breeze raced down from the now hidden mountains in the distance, bringing with it an air of change, perhaps, but one that none of them would be able to decipher until it was far too late. For now, they each seemed content to let that same breeze rush through their hair and across their skin as the chill of night replaced the heat of the day.::

Adyr (Jazra): Beautiful.

::Jazra spoke more than the rest, but still not nearly as much as she had when she arrived. It was difficult at first, but she learned that there was much to be found in listening to her surroundings. Her friends were careful to communicate as well, which made things a bit easier for her. They seemed far more open to the idea of her presence than more of the older members of society, but that, she supposed, was to be expected.::

Saraa: There’s nothing quite like the transition to night as seen from this place.

::The place was an old, and crumbling, stone wall. It was apparently a remnant from days long gone, but of some historical significance. Now the younger generation was appreciating it, though not exactly in the manner that the elders would have liked. But at that moment, those elders weren’t around to scold them, so the small group sat on the wall and set their eyes to the horizon and the stars beyond. Unlike many, the stars didn’t call to them, but they sure provided the perfect backdrop for what would prove to be one of their final nights spent together.::

Syrit: And this time. ::He paused.:: When the winter comes, it doesn’t quite hold the same appeal.

::Saraa laughed and Jazra looked to see her hand locked in that of the quiet boy beside her. Shooting them both a smile, she leaned back on her hands feeling the grit of the dirt under her skin. It was so vivid and so perfect, it seemed almost real. At least it did until a sudden explosion, coupled with the sight of those same two people in the middle of the street, one limp and the other’s face contorted into a visage of pure pain and hatred, appeared and made the woman on the bed, far away from Betazed, physically jump.::

((End Flashback))

::Cayden gasped for air as she blinked her way back to reality. Slowly, her breathing calmed and she focused on the ceiling above her.::

Adyr: Why do you DO that?

::Not that she was expecting anything, but the sound of silence met her question. Finally, knowing full well that no answer would come, she pulled herself to a sitting position and rubbed her temples as she tried to push the final image and sounds back into the recesses of her mind. Standing, she moved towards the shower where she could at least let the fall of the water take some of the stress of the past day, and her past life, away. It wasn’t more than a band aid for feelings and experiences that were always in her mind, but at least it would help make them fade so that she could enjoy the here and now.::

TAG/TBC

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Lieutenant Cayden Adyr
Mission Specialist/Command Advisor
USS Apollo

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