Providing a Listening Ear - Part 2

Posted on Sun Jun 15th, 2025 @ 7:19pm by Aseek Tarnala & Lieutenant Niami Troga
Edited on on Sun Jun 29th, 2025 @ 7:39pm

1,323 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Sole Survivor
Location: Hydoponics
Timeline: After - Ghost Story

"I could tell me how much you liked it." Niami responded, as she placed the towel in the dirty cloth bin. "Shall we proceed to the Arboretum? You loved this, I feel that the Arboretum you will find even more amazing." the dark haired counselor proceeding to the door.

He followed, "My reaction wasn't enough?" He replied with a good natured jest. "But yes it was fantastic...like nothing we had on my world."

Niami chuckled. "Well your reaction was wonderful. It mirrored my own reaction when I first came inside here. I fell in love with this part of the ship. Shall we?" looping her arm with his as they strolled out of the Hydroponics area towards the turbo lift. When they stepped inside, she spoke. "Deck 3" the lift rising upwards.

It glided to a stop, the door opening, "Now to the next wonderland." Niami grinning from ear to ear.

There was a pang of guilt mixed with appreciation as held his arm. To him it had only been days since has said good by to his wife before watching her pod close and recede into it alcove as her hibernation cycle began. Now she was gone and her remains stored on this technological marvel of a ship.

From the...amenities...he had seen or been told of these seemed more like resort than a spacecraft but every time he was in his room her could see the stars and the curve hull of the ship. He wondered if he would be allowed to see the ship from a distance sometime. Breaking the silence, "You know, there are times I almost forget this is a spaceship."

"I too at times forget that I am on a ship when in the gardens." Niami giving a gentle smile.

Niami having felt his sadness as well as guilt emanate from Aseek, she gave his arm a comforting squeeze. She could understand his feelings, she had lost someone back on the USS Shanghai, lost, but not forgotten in that other universe. "I am sorry for your loss, and if you are able to, tell me about your wife, I would like to hear about her."

A small smile spread over his face as he remembered. "A brilliant biologist. Beautiful inside and out but a regular terror if you got on her bad side. She would wear her hair in a mess bun..." cocking his head slightly. "Well with her glasses and lab coat, she was the definition of the sexy scientist. What she saw in me I never knew."

A soft chuckle, "I was asked by someone I loved, what I saw in him. I told him that there was just something about him that spoke to me, he had a sense of humor, made me laugh. And shared my burdens and troubles. We both did that for each other. We didn't like all of the same things, but we did have common interests as well." Niami sighed slightly as she remembered her loss, of the one she loved.

"Do your people have a tradition or celebration to remember those who have passed on?" Niami wanting to find out more.

He nodded, "We do. Well we did anyway. Member of the individual cast would cremate the deceased and the remain would be incorporated into a family or communal garden used specifically for our youth thus giving of themselves to ensure the next generation. The harvesting of those gardens are festive celebration with special meals prepared for the children. Unfortunately it will probably be some time before those rights can be obsevered...if ever."

"Perhaps you can do that, at the very least for your wife. To help in doing some healing, to honor her. I would be willing to participate in doing such." Niami responded. To her having some closure and to honor the passing of a loved one. It helps.

"While I appreciate the gesture I will have to wait. Your Captain mentions that there was a search on for a colony site for me and the embryonic remnant of my people. I will have to defer my personal closure so I can teach the next generation of my people. ..That is if there is a next generation."

"I have faith that there will be a next generation of your people and that they will not disappear in the mists of time." Niami replied, with an encouraging smile. Inside the Arboretum they stepped, Niami not saying a word letting Aseek take in its beauty.

The door before them had been a heavier set than the doors he had passed through since waking up. Stepping in he looked around and up, his mouth a gape. As he turned the room ha two levels over an above the level they were on. One held a balcony type walkway and the top level had another balcony, to what he couldn't see.

All round him were walking paths with benches, shaded by full sized trees. In the center was a raised pond with small babbling streams or falls into smaller pools of water. Kneeling he ran his hand over the grass. "This is real..."

Walking off the path to one of the trees, bearing a red and yellow skinned fruit, he plucked one. It was real too. Taking a bite the fruit was crisp sweet and mildly tart ant the same time. It was amazing. "This ship is Amazing!"

"Yes it is." A warm smile appeared. "Especially here and the hydroponics." Niami knelt down to feel the grass with her hand then looked up towards Aseek. "You know you are allowed to take your shoes off, and walk barefoot. Can't deny yourself that sort of treat." she slipped her own shoes off, to feel the soft blades of grass against her feet.

Aseek stood watching her for a moment. Then biting into the fruit to hold it in his mouth he dropped to the grass and began removing his own shoes.

"How does that feel? Doesn't it make you feel better?" Niami grinning ear to ear. She was delighted in indulging the desire of being barefoot.

Wiggling his toes in the grass he couldn't help but smile. "I haven't been able to do anything like this in...", He looked over to the women near him smiling. A beautiful woman, beautiful setting. A pang of sorrow returned and he grabbed his footwear and stood quickly. "Thank you for the tour ma'am but I should be going."

Niami looked up at Aseek. She understood the way Aseek reacted, survivor's guilt, needing to process the loss of his beloved. She could feel it pouring out from him in a wave. She put her shoes back on, rising gracefully. "I am sorry to have brought you more sorrow." a compassionate expression could be seen. " I will have someone direct you to where you are staying if you prefer."

He stopped but didn't turn back. "Thank you but I will be fine. I know your are just trying to help...it's just a lot to absorb all at once. I will...just take a walk."

"I do understand, I will take my leave as well." Niami drawing in a breath, she still felt regret. And as he requested she will let him walk and take moments to think about what has happened. "Walk around here, at times it is best to think of things here in a peaceful area. May the stars watch over you." Niami made her way around Aseek, and disappeared through the doors of the Arboretum.

He watched her leave and had intended to walk the ship and think. Instead he walked back to one of the benches and after putting his shoes back on he picked up the fruit and took another bite. Thinking to himself as a tear rolled down his cheek, ~Lahara would have loved these...~


Lieutenant Niami Troga
Chief Counselor

Aseek Tarnala
Sole surviving Pricari

 

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