SIM:Emi/Sim Archive/SIM:JP - Antero Flynn and Dr Emi MD - The Art of Grace(lessness)

((Esperance - Shuttlebay ))

Antero was sitting, or more like laying, at the helm console of the shuttlecraft Drake with his feet propped up. Sunglasses hid his closed eyes as he lay there reflecting on his ability to find complete strangers to live it up with into the twilight hours before a staggeringly long flight to his new post on the USS Veritas. He had arrived at the shuttle early, pre-flight checks were done and all systems were prepped. Some would call it efficiency, but any of those engineers from the USS Hamilton that had revelled with him late into the night would certainly know it was just an excuse to fall back asleep until his travel companion reported in. Sadly, they did not design the helm stations on these shuttles with naps in mind. Which on reflection...was probably a good thing. He heard the hydraulics of the shuttle hatch hiss open but didn’t move as he spoke.

Flynn: ::Stifling a yawn:: Welcome aboard…

Emi, fatigued from the travel to Esperance from Starbase 118, was desperately fighting a yawn as she walked to the shuttlebay. She glanced around quickly to make sure no one saw her and let it out with a sigh. When Emi graduated from Starfleet, she thought she was going to have some down time before heading to her first posting, but things moved quickly in the fleet it seemed.

She opened the shuttle hatch and walked in to find a strange man sprawled across the helm controls. Now at the final leg of the trip, Emi’s patience was running a bit thin.

Emi: ::Addressing the stranger in a discerning tone:: Emi MD, I was just assigned to the USS Veritas as a medical officer. :: takes in Flynn’s relaxed position at the helm:: I assume you will be piloting this journey? oO Or perhaps something more grandiose if I interrupted a non-regulation nap. Oo

At that the Risian sat up and casually tossed his sunglasses to the top of the console before standing with a small stretch.

Flynn: Ikara Emi. ::He offered a small bow.::

Emi tilted her head slightly, staring at the gesture.

Flynn: I’m Lieutenant Flynn, but you can call me…::He shrugged a little and offered a warm smile:: Whatever you think I deserve. You will in fact be stuck with me for the duration of your journey.

Emi: ::She felt a little relieved the Lieutenant returned to order, but did not return the smile.:: Thank you, Lieutenant. ::Then stood up straight, hoping Flynn would refrain from bowing again.::

Antero smirked at the stoic response and tried to get a read on her. It was not an uncommon character trait in Starfleet, and certainly not a surprise coming from what looked like a Vulcan. Ensign, medical blue, and…::He almost had to crane his neck to look her in the eye:: very tall.

Emi: oO He’s smirking again… and staring. This one’s a real charmer. Oo ::She covered her thoughts with a more appropriate nod. He was a superior after all.::

Emi: Where are you stationed Lieutenant?

Flynn: I’ll be staying on the Veritas as her newest flyboy. Is she your permanent assignment?

Emi: Yes, I expect I’ll be seeing a lot more of you...and your...flying talents.::His less than professional welcome upon boarding left her a bit skeptical.::

Flynn: Some would debate whether that’s a good thing. ::He shot her a little wink and nodded to her duffel:: Can I help get that stowed for you Doc?

Emi: oO What was that odd twitch? Did he have something in his eye? Oo :: She became slightly ruffled and lost her train of thought:: N...no ::then hastily added:: thank you, Lieutenant Flynn. I can take it. ::she clutched her bag more closely.::

Flynn: Coolio. Make yourself at home and I’ll get us on our way, it’s gonna be a long one!

Emi: Yes, of course Lieutenant. ::She turned around and walked to the storage area.:: oO Maybe I can avoid any further odd behavior, if I can stick strictly to my official duties. Oo ::She carefully stowed her duffle and returned to the front of the shuttle.::

With that, he gave a quick nod and was right to business. Turning back to the front of the shuttle he took his seat and went to work getting clearance for departure. Moments later, the stars were before them, several Starfleet and a few civilian vessels docking or in transit in the immediate area. Antero looked out in awe as a Miranda class vessel passed overhead, he had spent a lot of time out here, and had managed the flight space around this very base for a long time, but it never stopped holding his interest.

Flynn: oO Have not seen one of those in a while… Oo

When Emi returned, she saw Flynn staring up at the nearby spacecraft and walked up to peer out of the front of the shuttle.

Emi: Miranda class, isn’t it?

Flynn: Yeah ::A slow nod as he continued to gaze at it.:: Only a matter of time before they all phase out. It has sort of a classical beauty.

Emi: Beauty? You talk about the ship as if she’s an old lover. Erm, Sir. oO What is wrong with me! Oo

He shot a glance toward the Doctor. Perhaps there was more to her than she was letting on. There was admittedly a deep insight in her observation.

Flynn: Maybe so ::His Risian nature leaving him completely comfortable discussing the subject:: A starship should be treated like a lady, you have to handle her with care. The time you spend together is something you never forget, you will remember every ship you serve on, a little piece of it becomes part of you. ::His gaze wandered out to the stars as the vessel passed overhead, his expression soaked in nostalgia:: No two are the same.

Emi: I apologize, that was too personal a subject, Sir. ::She looked down a bit and took a step back realizing she was standing quite close to Flynn. Then attempted to change the subject:: Did you grow up on Risa before joining the fleet Lieutenant? ::Nodding to the Risian mark on his forehead.::

He came back to the present as she took a small step back and adopted a soft smile.

Emi: oO He’s smiling again! How do I stop this from happening...Oo

Flynn: You would have to try harder than that to cross the line with me, Doc.

He laughed softly, reminiscing on the many occasions that reminded him his boundaries were somewhat different than that of most species, and he supposed perhaps even of many of his own people.

Emi: ::cleared her throat:: Sir?

Flynn: I just mean it’s all good. You didn’t offend me. ::He looked to her and tapped his Risian mark twice with his index finger, returning the subject to her earlier question.:: I am from Risa alright. Quite a planet, makes it hard to get used to life anywhere else.

Emi: ::She sighed inwardly with relief that it didn’t come off as inappropriate.:: That’s difficult to imagine. I haven’t traveled out beyond Earth and Vulcan, Sir.

Flynn: Earth is nice, they have good beaches. Made the academy a lot more bearable. Vulcan I have not had the pleasure of visiting but it seems...dusty?  ::He glanced up at her and then gestured to the seat next to him.:: Tell me about it.

Emi: ::Sits in the chair Flynn indicated, but visibly tries to create some distance between them.:: Yes Sir. It’s...quite warm, I find the heat pleasant though. It's full of desserts and mountain ranges.:: She realized her description sounded textbook.:: oO What did he want to know? Oo I didn’t spend more than a few years there, for my…Vulcan training.

Flynn: ::Nods:: I bet it has some good climbing.

At this point the Drake had progressed to full warp, the shuttle well on its way.

Emi: Indeed Sir. I enjoyed mountain climbing there, when I had free time.

Flynn: A fellow climbing enthusiast! ::He shot her a smile:: I’ll have to keep that in mind next time we have a shore leave in a good area.

Emi: I found it more of a solitary activity, but it is important to stay fit during shore leave. I suppose we could...

Flynn: ::He laughed softly:: It’s ok, I respect that. It can be very meditative.

There was something about Vulcans. Flynn had been far from a favorite of his Vulcan instructors at the academy. His carefree, gut feeling style piloting earned him many lectures about the benefits of the tried and true logic behind established protocol and maneuvering.

Since joining the fleet though, since serving with them, he had found a certain wholesomeness to their characteristics. Perhaps it was their honesty, their integrity, or perhaps it was simply the challenge of cracking through their always serious demeanor.

Emi: oO Why does he keep smiling? Did I miss a joke? I’m terrible at recognizing jokes. Oo ::wiggles her nose and turns her eyebrows inward slightly:: Meditative, yes. Finding a meditative state was part of my training on Vulcan, Sir. Why do you…::clears throat:: You seem to smile often. I believe I went to the academy with your sister Zaina. You remind me of her Lieutenant. Is this perhaps a family trait Sir?

His demeanor changed completely, his eyes wide with enthusiasm at the words she had just spoken.

Flynn: Wait, what?! ::He leaned in closer, the second part of her comment completely jettisoning any response he might have had toward the peculiar statement about smiling.:: You graduated with Zaina?! ::He became more animated.:: By the moons you HAVE to tell me what happened in that class! She said she did something totally embarrassing but refused to tell me.

Then he waited, staring at her with a maniacal smile.

TBC

Dr. Emi MD
aka Emi, Daughter of S’ran
Medical Officer, USS Veritas
V239707E10


&

Lt. Antero Flynn
Helm Officer
USS Veritas
C239205AF0

((Shuttlecraft Drake - En Route to USS Veritas))

Flynn waited, staring at her with a maniacal smile.

Emi: oO Now I’ve done it! I was trying to calm him down, not up. Oo ::Saw Flynn moving in and subtly tried to reestablish personal space again.:: Well I... ::She stared at his intense smile:: oO Are we even allowed to talk about the final testing at Starfleet? Oo Is that appropriate Sir?

Her body language spoke volumes, if not her words. Had he taken half a second to consider whether this Vulcan would be receptive to his enthusiastic request and violate the trust of another member of her team, Flynn would have known the answer.

He bit his lip and considered in silence for only a brief moment before continuing.

Flynn: ::His smile still plastered to his face:: It’s ok, it’s ok. I won’t push it.

Emi: oO How do I get this Risian to stop smiling like that! Oo I appreciate the discretion Lieutenant. oO He certainly is charismatic. Oo ::Then shook away the thought.::

Flynn: ::His gaze wandered back to the main view screen.:: Her pride can remain intact for now. ::He gave her a little wink.:: I guess you're off the hook.

Emi: Sir, is something wrong with your eye? It twitches frequently. Perhaps I should take a look at it, Lieutenant. ::She reached down for the medkit underneath the seat and pulled it out.:: Does tourettes run in your family?

Flynn: Uhmm…::He looked at her first with an expression of obliviousness, then his head tilted in confusion. oOWhat just happened?Oo :: Did you just...?

Emi: ::Starts to scan the Lieutenants eyes, and begins a series of clinical questions:: Could you look up for me? ::Pulls out a light to track his pupil movement.::

He shakes his head slowly, still not entirely sure what to make of this.::

Flynn: ::Blankly.:: Nope…::He cocks his head, a faint smile starting to form at the strangeness of the situation.:: I’m not entirely sure this is a good time for a check up Ensign.

Emi: :: tries to soften her voice slightly:: Sir, I ask you to cooperate as I am a doctor. I take my work very seriously. ::pauses:: I take everything very seriously, Lieutenant.

A fact that was becoming more and more obvious to him.

Flynn: Wait you think that I….because I…

Emi: ::continues to scan his eyes:: Well I don’t see anything obviously amiss. ::She took another look at the readings.:: But you should report to sickbay for a physical upon arrival, Lieutenant Flynn. ::Then put the medical kit back where she found it.::

He was starting to piece it together, but kept his expression calm. Flynn had encountered a lot of different cultures in Starfleet, many of them with differing translations for gestures and mannerisms. Had he ever seen a Vulcan wink? Seemed like a dumb question now that he thought about it.

Flynn: I appreciate that Doctor. I was just um...winking.

Emi: Winking, Sir? ::She couldn’t help the confused look on her face.::

Flynn: Yeah, you know. I say something witty, tell you a joke, shoot you a wink.

He winked, long and slow, this time pointing both fingers toward her as he did it.

Emi: ::She examined his wink gesture.:: I am not well versed in understanding the subtleness of jokes, Sir.

Flynn: I guess that...makes a lot of sense...

The two just stared at each other for a long moment, neither quite sure what to say after that. Emi finally broke his gaze and looked away.

Emi: You asked me earlier about your sister’s conduct in class. I was not privy to the performances of other cadets as that information is only for instructors, but I can say she had interesting acoustic tastes. And Cadet Flynn appeared to have succeeded, since I saw her at graduation, Sir.

Flynn: ::He nodded from his relaxed position.:: Yeah that sounds about right.

He still had mixed feelings about Zaina joining, his initial reaction to finding out was something he regretted, but their family history made him...apprehensive. Still, he was truly proud of her accomplishments.

Emi: Do you have other family members in the fleet, Lieutenant?

He felt a pang of sadness at the thought but quickly moved past it. The Risian had learned a long time ago not to dwell. It was something locked inside him that he was terrified to let out.

Flynn: My brother was in the fleet. Smart kid. Had a real head for science. ::He smiled a little at the memory of his younger sibling in his uniform for the first time, his visage glowing with pride..::Much more qualified than his surfer bum of an older brother.

Emi: Was?

The Risian glanced her way at the question for a brief second before looking back to the viewscreen and the stars whizzing past them. His demeanor tightened as he put a reign on his emotions.::

Flynn: ::plainly::His ship was lost.

He kept his eyes fixed forward, afraid that if anyone looked into his eyes right now they might see straight into his soul.

Emi: I certainly didn’t mean to cause you discomfort, Sir.

The awkward silence that followed told Emi she had tread on a painful subject.

Flynn: Ah, well...Some things can’t be changed.

The sadness was so raw at times. A part of him knew he had to properly deal with it someday, but he was afraid that it would be like a tidal wave of emotion if he put even one crack in the dam that he had built up over the years. He turned the focus off of himself

Flynn: What about you? Any family in the fleet?

Emi: Yes, my father served many years in Starfleet as an exobotanist.

Flynn: Oh? ::He returned his gaze to her.:: Where is he serving these days?

Emi: He isn’t in the fleet anymore...::She looked away and avoided Flynn’s gaze.:: ...medically discharged, Sir.

Flynn: Oh I see. ::A crease of concern formed across his forehead, his eyes empathetic.:: It sounds like he went through something difficult.

He let a silence hang in the air, failing to read her expression. Her body language however, led him to a conclusion that she soon confirmed.

Emi: ::She got up from her chair and started to walk away.:: I have grown tired. Please excuse me, Lieutenant.

Flynn: Oh.::He gave a quick understanding nod and straightened in his chair.:: Of course.

The Risian watched her go and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He supposed things had gotten a little heavy...

She made her way to the bathroom and splashed water on her face, attempting to wash away her emotions with tap water. Then she looked in the mirror at her glistening face. oO It’s not like I lost my father on that survey mission. It happened before I was born. Oo

Flynn and Emi spent a long time apart after that. She returned to the center of the shuttle’s cabin and sat on a bench further back from the pilot seat, reading a medical journal on the effects of the snakeleaf plant on appetite. Occasionally, she let out a hmmm or soft sniffle of disbelief. Emi looked up once or twice, feigned interest in a passing star cluster and peered over at the helmsman at the edges of her vision. The Lieutenant was awfully quiet compared to earlier in their journey. He seemed very deep in thought.

End

Dr. Emi MD
aka Emi, Daughter of S’ran
Medical Officer, USS Veritas
V239707E10


&

Lt. Antero Flynn
Helm Officer
USS Veritas
C239205AF0