Ruca NEtani

Truthfully, I just want to be with my family. Working in retail, the value of material things around the holidays don't really mean much to me. Though I could definitely USE one of those virgin mobile phones. It'd help. :)

My top three fave shows of all time: 1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer 2. Who's Line is it Anyway? (Either version) 3. Felicity I'm a girl .. what can I say.

Happy Unbirthday since I missed your real one. Want some tea?

(Both myself and my character) unsure

I can vouch for the driving thing... I've failed my road test twice. I killed a cone the last time.. ::sobs::

Personally, if it hadn't been for the Academy when I started out .. I never would have gotten into simming at all. It seemed silly to me, until I actually experienced it for myself. I definitely think they are worth it; plus .. it's our way of weeding out the spazballs before they get to our advanced sims.

"Old Friends" -- Part Two Lt. JG Ruca N'Etani, MD Stardate 0311.30 --------------------------------------- Ruca felt like she had accomplished a lot in the few hours she had spent at her desk. Finally caught up with all her reports, the tired redhead leaned back in her chair and exhaled. She wasn't even technically on duty, but wanted a clean slate before her shirt tomorrow morning. Besides, she had hoped to see Trichon when he arrived back from the 'therapy' sessions on the planet. He wasn't back yet, and Ruca didn't feel like just sitting in her quarters waiting. The place had seemed smaller lately, and she felt they needed a little change. She just wasn't sure what yet. She stood from her desk and filed away her things and as soon as her area was perfectly in order, and nodded to the nurses and stepped outside the confines of Sickbay. She stepped into a lift and opened her lips to murmur her deck number; but she stopped. Instead, she cleared her throat and uttered, "Nearest Holodeck, please." --------- "Program load complete, you may enter when ready." Ruca stepped towards the doors and they whirled open, revealing a lush and green landscape. Rolling hills and the sound of a stream nearby. The air was the perfect temperature; not too warm and not too cold. She remembered this place like it was yesterday; when Elizabeth and taken her here for rest and relaxation ... and to convince her that Starfleet was entirely an option... --------- "Let's settle down here .." Ruca said, pointing to a perfect little clearing. Liz nodded and whipped out the blanket; laying it down among the wildflowers and smoothing it out. Ruca set down the picnic basket and began to place out the food. "Isn't this place wonderful, Ruca? I used to come out here as a kid .. every summer. With my family. We'd camp and have picnics like this .. it always helped to clear my mind." Liz said, reminiscing about her childhood. Ruca smiled a bit, unable to relate to that story .. her childhood consisted of serving others for the most part. Lonely and hard. "I think it's a lovely place .. thank you for sharing it with me." "Hey," Liz grinned, " .. you are my buddy. Nearly my sister .. of course I'd share something like this with you." ".. sister. I don't know what it's like to have a sister, but if this is it.. I'm sure I would have liked it." Ruca said, taking a few grapes in her hand and eating them. Liz took a bite of sandwich and looked at Ruca with a question behind her eyes. "What was it like?" "What?" "Being a slave." Ruca swallowed another grape and looked out at the horizon. The sky was a perfect shade of blue. And there was only a few small clouds, and the sun shined gloriously. Ruca imagined that pure joy looked like this, ".. I don't know. I suppose one can't really make a serious judgment about it unless that have experienced NOT being a slave. I am free, but not really truly free.." Liz got a confused look on her face, "But .. you aren't there anymore. How can you not be truly free?" "I am not there. But I still am, in a sense. It envelopes my life as a whole. I still think like a slave. I still expect to cater to others needs unconditionally.. it's just how I am wired now." "But you can break that... do something you love. See the universe in all it's splendor.. if you wanted to. Ruca .. I think you should take the test.." Ruca sighed, sipping on fizzy ginger ale, ".. you know I don't believe I am even remotely smart enough for that. And besides .. what would I do? Study engineering like you? I can't even program my alarm .. and that's supposed to be easy." Liz laughed a little, "No .. not engineering ... but, maybe .. science? Medicine? You've always been very loving and attentive .. perhaps working with people is something you could do...?" She looked at Ruca with wide eyes .. she only wanted her to be happy. She was her best friend .. and knew she was wasting her talents on mundane and mediocre jobs. ".. Medicine. I don't know .. don't you have to be smart for that?" "Ruca, you ARE smart. You just haven't truly applied yourself. Take the test .. see if you can get in. I'm willing to bet quite a bit that you can. I'll even help you study." Ruca looked over at Liz. It was the first time she had ever had a friend like her. Maybe she was right .. maybe it could be an opportunity of a lifetime. What was she afraid of? "Okay .. I'll take the damn test.. if it'll get you off my back already.. now, pass me a sandwich!" The two girls laughed and enjoyed their afternoon picnic. Ruca, though smiling, felt unsure of herself. But what was the hurt in trying? .. maybe she'd be a Doctor after all. --------- Ruca lay back in the grass, smelling the intoxicating fragrance of the flowers around her. Her eyes closed and she just sunk into it .. it felt like laying nature's pillows. The holodeck had done a wonderful job recreating this beautiful place .. and Ruca needed it. Though it still felt a bit empty without her friend there, she decided to spend a few hours there and if anyone needed her .. they could find her in paradise. (TBC)

I would be Persephone. She was a lesser goddess at least.. but she always made sense to me. A balance between light and dark. Good and evil.

I will be working from 4-10pm in the jewelry section of a retail store.. in complete terror as customers rip me to shreds for 14KT gold hoop earrings... at 70% off. WAH! Then I'll eat cold turkey, go to sleep and have nightmares about Black Friday. Yep. I'm thankful.

"Old Friends" -- Part One Lieutenant JG Ruca N'Etani, MD Stardate 0311.25 ---------------------------------------- Ruca walked down the corridor towards the turbolift. Her conversation with Trichon had felt strained. Perhaps she had expected too much. Afterall, their 'relationship' had truly been in the beginning stages before duty and other experiences had interrupted it's flow. She nodded lightly to a crew member passing by before entering the lift. She exhaled a breath and found herself leaning against it's interior wall, "Junior Officer Quarters, Deck 6." The hum of the lift was little comfort to her, as was anything else since returning from the last mission. The lift stopped as quickly as it had started, and the doors whished open with a tiny breeze. It caused her red hair to tickle the back of her neck as she stepped out and made a beeline to her quarters. Inside her small space she could find solace. Ruca had always felt that her own personal space was the most important thing to her. Even back home, when her space was a drafty, damp and cold shack behind a spacious mansion. There she could be who she was without worrying about taking a wrong step, or breaking something valuable. As much as she hated being someone's slave, it was so much simpler back then .. do this, do that .. this independant living was hard to get used to. It always had been ... --------------- "Hello, Welcome to Bellisma's .. home of San Francisco's only REAL Italian food. I'm Ruca and I'll be your waitress today .. any of you care for a drink?" She held a padd poised in her hand, as she looked upon the 4 uniformed patrons. 3 men and a woman. "4 cold ones .. my dear, all around." One of the men said, glancing at the drink menu. Ruca nodded and pressed in the order. "Real or synthahol?" "Rea-", the second man started, but was hushed by the stunning young woman with jet black hair. "Synthahol .. please. We are going to our studies shortly.." She gave her classmates a quick glance and they reluctantly nodded. Ruca smiled a bit, and nodded as well. "4 cold synths.. coming up." Ruca brought our the four bottles on the tray and placed it in front of each of them. The woman looked up and smiled, "Thank you..." she paused to look at her name tag, ".. Ruca. Interesting name. Not from around here I suppose.." She felt flushed .. especially when people inquired about where she came from, ".. no, but .. who is..?" To Ruca's relief, the woman laughed. "I'm Elizabeth.. if you ever happen to find yourself near the Academy by some chance. I get tired of hanging around THESE guys.." "Hey now, Liz.. we're your ride home." Ruca smiled a bit, looking among them. How awful nice it seemed to have friends. Ruca gave them their check and went to the back to grab her things. As much as Ruca enjoyed working at the restaurant .. she enjoyed the walk home even more. She had only taken a few steps out the door when she heard her name called. Behind her .. was Elizabeth. "Hey, .. Ruca, right? Sorry if I seem forward .. it's just, I hang around guys all the time and I guess I got the feeling that you might be open to a friend .. " Liz smiled. Ruca felt taken aback. ".. I, well, .. I wouldn't say I was adverse to the idea .." "Great! Maybe we can go shopping or something one day.. I know! Meet me after my class at 1300 hours tomorrow.. I know this great boutique we could check out. It has amazing clothes!" She grinned and patted Ruca's shoulder excitedly. It even made Ruca feel a bit excited about the idea. ".. where is your class?" "Across the bay .. at the Academy. Starfleet Academy.. you know, where dorks like me try to fit in." Ruca played with the name in her mind. Starfleet Academy. It seemed regal. She nodded, "Okay .. I'll be there." A friend. It would be a nice thing to have. And little did she know it would change her life forever. -------------- "Dear Elizabeth-- So much has happened since my last letter to you. I started my assignment here on the USS Arcadia. I felt scared at first .. unsure of my ability to fit in, and to do a good job as a physician. No matter how much I want to please people .. certainty in myself is always fleeting. I also met a man .. an engineer. I know you would like him. Being an engineer yourself .. you two could discuss millions of things, I know. While it's new .. I really feel like I am beginning to care for him, even if I don't understand him sometimes. But I am also scared, Liz .. I often have let the males in my life walk all over me. It was something I was used to .. considering my upbringing. I'm sure it will be fine and I am over analyzing things as usual. I truly wish you were in the quarters next door .. it would be comforting. Hope all is well on the USS Spitfire.. let me know how you are doing soon. Yours, Ruca" She pressed the button and off it flew into subspace. Perhaps her old friend would make things more clear to her .. and she could worry less about everything.

See, people seem to assume there was something sexual behind that picture.. when it wasn't. I'm actually kind of offended by the assumption. It was supposed to be an ad, like a TV ad for the sim. She wasn't remotely underclothed, the lyrics had NOTHING to do with anything like that.. it was to express her character's SOUL. F-R-I-C-K-I-N A! I'm extremely disappointed right now. I'm not mad at anyone.. but, jeez... look at it for what it was:.. it was supposed to be nice.

::drops it, it bounces over her head and goes into the basket..:: 3 points! (In other words... dude, it's just a discussion, chiiiiiiiiiiiiill. I mean, if you don't like it.. you don't have to actually read it. It's true, it's true.)

I think it'd be cool if we could change our own. I've been on boards that allow you a certain number of characters to do that.

My sentiments exactly.. Red Lobster anyone??

That bad, eh? ;)