The Begining of the Longest Day

Posted on Fri Jul 22nd, 2022 @ 1:37am by Captain Akeno Misaki & Lieutenant Rania Bhatti

Mission: Arista
Location: Counsellors Suite

It had been a long day for Sistine Fibel. Not only had Starfleet finally found them after eighty years of being trapped in the living hell that was this planet, but now Captain Misaki had vowed to help them against the Tyranians. However the ghosts of the past still haunted her, all the times she had been hunted and eaten, sometimes whilst still very alive. Those vivid memories still came to light, especially now since she knew that she was next.

She had been shown where most of the Wayfarer's facilities were, including the mess hall and medical sections. She had also heard that Starfleet ships now employed trained counsellors on board. She sighed as she found herself outside the door to the counselling suite, she wanted to settle her mind for what remained of her crew and to put herself at ease.

Shaking slightly she reached out for the doorbell. It took a few moments to physically build up the courage to touch it. The soft shime seemed to echo around the corridor as she stood there now staring at the floor.

The chime 'awoken' the Ship's Counsellor who was having a comfortable lounging on one of the sofas in the suite. It wasn't exactly like she was asleep while on duty, just cognitively resting as she mulled through various reports that needed to be completed.

It was the soft echoing of the gentle chime that informed her that she had an unscheduled visitor. No appointments were listed for the next few hours by design, but Rania always welcomed walk-ins as they were few and far between.

Pouncing at the chance to have an actual conversation with someone, Counsellor Bhatti trotted over towards the entranceway. "Please, come in," she called out. When the doors parted, Rania gestured towards the woman. "Please, make yourself at home. Would you care for some tea?"

"Like... Proper tea?" Sistine asked. She had been introduced to the ships replicators, but she hadn't yet had chance to sample what they could do. "Please?" she asked as she wandered in. The room was very different from what she was used to, especially when she had been back in Starfleet. It seemed comfortable, spacious and luxorious.

Rania smirked and cackled slightly "As proper as we are going to get until we stop at a good space station, but the replicators do fairly good approximation of tea" replied the Counsellor who then proceeded to make her way over to the unit installed in the suite.

"Computer, two Kashmiri Kahwa tea, hot," the Counsellor said placing her order and watching the small little light show with with amusement as the glistening form of two glass teacups with steaming golden yellow liquid contents appeared.

Gracefully, Rania retrieved them both and headed over to the area with sofas and a coffee table. She sat one mug down there she intended Sistine to sit, and another across from her where Rania took their seat. "I suspect that you'll enjoy that. Green tea leaves with some saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and a little bit of honey."

Sistine took the tea a little sheepishily before sitting down. "I'll admit. Its not my usual style to talk about what I'm feeling. Back in my day..." she stopped. "Oh look at me, I look sixteen, but here I am yabbering on about how things were back eighty years ago" she said before she took a sip of the tea. Its unique flavour was rather pleasing.

"It's alright," Rania replied reassuringly as best that she could. "They practically let 16 year olds become captains these days. You've met our captain, barely looks a day over 18, short, and a good gust of wind could propel her through the air in my opinion" teased the Counsellor.

Rania took a sip of tea then sat the mug down again. "We do not necessarily need to talk about your feelings. We could discuss a variety of things, where you were born perhaps? How you came to be the way that you are? I am here to listen to whatever you feel like talking about."

A smile emerged across Sistines face. "Yeah, I noticed that Captain Misaki was rather young. So was I when I took command of the Arista" she explained. "Its just its been rough you know..." she ran a finger around the rim of her cup. "I don't know how to explain this, but there's a strange feeling that we all get when its our time to.... well. You know. Be 'hunted down'" she told her. "I don't know exactly how to explain it"

"That is not an uncommon feeling," Rania replied. "There were two wars not too long ago, a terrible one that nearly crushed the Federation. A lot of the officers and enlisted personnel that served on the front lines during them expressed a similar feeling, anxious and on edge as though they were being stalked and just waiting to be hunted down."

The Counsellor observed the movement around the rim of the mug. "It will be a while until that feeling begins to fade, but it goes along way to be in a place where that healing can begin."

Sistine nodded. "I think its more than that though" she told her, her voice dropping to a low tone. "For all we know, they put it into us. But when its 'our time' we do everything we can to flee. We just disappear, its almost like we know we should be running to allow them to chase us" she paused for a moment lowering her head and looking at the floor.

"Trust me. We've tried to stand up to them. But its like instinct, we have to run" she looked back up at the counsellor. "I have that feeling now, I know it means that after sixteen years once again its my time to run. My end is near"

Taking a bit of a different approach, Rania contemplated momentarily before continuing. "But is it them that you are running from?" offered the Counsellor. "The end does not always mean what we subscribe it to be, not exactly at least. It could mean the end of running though."

Sistine pondered for a moment. "I'm not too sure" she replied before taking another sip of her tea. "The way I've always seen it is that we run as the prey. They chase as the hunter" she looked at the counsellor directly in the eyes. "They always catch us though. I remember every time. The last time they chased me was... painful"

"They managed to corner me, four of them surrounded me in the forest" she paused. "The look in their eyes, bright yellow, filled with fire and hunger. They only saw me as what I was, food"

She looked away for a moment before looking down at her stomach. She ran a hand across it as if feeling old scars. "They didn't kill me there and then. They held me down whilst two of them ripped me open right here" she said. "The pain paralysed me. Then slowly they ate me, piece by piece. I remember it all. Every time they get us in a different way"

She looked up at Rania. "How am I supposed to be a good leader knowing this is everyones fate? We all get reborn yes, its like respawning in a game. But we have to learn to grow up again, just to face this end over and over again"

"Sometimes, it is the pain that helps us grow, all good leaders go through excruciating pain physically or psychologically" stated Counsellor Bhatti. "Just because your fate seems to sealed, does not mean your actions don't serve a purpose. Maybe there is something more to this respawning?"

"I don't know" Sistine replied. "I imagine its to keep us as food stock. I'm not sure if they have other species like this" she told her. "The only thing we know is that they come back to only eat the oldest, and none of us get past the age of sixteen. It could be they only like that age, like we're the most tender or something" she shrugged. "Although, being a colony full of young and teenage girls, we can speculate sometimes"

"Being consumed and all that pain and darkly grim stuff aside," Rania said with a forced smile. "You get to grow and mature to what some would say are the better years of their lives. Perhaps, a silver lining?"

"Perhaps" Sistine replied. "I'd just love to eventually grow up again properly you know. I used to think that one day I'd have my own children and family"

Perhaps one day that will be a reality for your people Rania thought to herself. "Even if things seem to be fate for now, I believe that hope can keep those dreams alive."

"I hope so" Sistine replied. "We kinda need some men for that though?"

Rania smiled "I suppose you don't have the luxury not to need them"

Sistine nodded with a slight smile. "I'm not going to lie. Since you turned up here and began to help us. I saw no end in sight" she paused. "I feel a little conflicted, I have been considering returning to the Academy and making my way back into Starfleet again. But that means leaving everyone else behind"

"Sometimes, I journeys are solo and at other times, they involve others. In the end, only you will know what is right for you" the Counsellor replied. "It may not be an easy decision, but very few ever are."

Sistine sighed. "I guess. I've been their leader for over eighty years now, and all I've ever achieved is to be stranded on a planet and raised as livestock" she looked down. "I want this all to be over" she looked up again at the counsellor. "I've decided that once this is over and once everything is done, I'll rejoin Starfleet"

"By being there, you go through the same cycle. You try to lead your people but for nearly a century, it has been leading livestock to slaughter" Counsellor Bhatti said. "By leaving, you may be able to find a means to save them. You can't seem to from where you have been. A new perspective may be needed."

Sistine slowly rose to her feet. "I hope so counsellor. All I've ever dreamed of is getitng off this planet and stopping all this" she paused for a moment. "I have a lot to think about, thank you for seeing me. I should return to my quarters, tomorrow is going to be a long day. Perhaps a historic one"

"Enjoy every second of a long day, a new day, the start of a new and long life."

Sistine nodded as she made her way to the door. "At least now I can look forward to something other than being hunted down and eaten alive". She gave the counsellor a weak smile as she stepped into the sensor range of the door causing it to swish open. "Good night Counsellor"

"Good night, and I hope we get more time together," the Counsellor replied with a warm smile.

Posting by

Lieutenant Rania Bhatti
Chief Counsellor
USS Wayfarer

Sistine Fibel
Ex-Starfleet Captain
USS Arista/Arista Colony