Pastel Reflections

[Sendai Riko 0]

Pastel Reflections

Ensign Sendai Riko

 

Riko sat in front of the console, awaiting another neutrino surge that would indicate that his own crew was once again meandering the halls of the pink Qob. He had already programmed the computer to lock on to him and set coordinates for the transporter, so he could initiate a site-to-site to reach the area, no matter where it lie, before the cross-over terminated. He would be ready to do whatever gymnastics were necessary to get that crewmember to take his "message in a bottle" back. In the meanwhile, however, he went through the most recent events.

 

Thinking of Random and her state of distress, and the resultant vascillation from crying to hugging and other places in the emotional landscape, he shivered. "I never, ever, want to be hugged again." He then thought of the Random from his own universe, and the differences actually extracted a chuckle from him. "She's not going to believe me when I tell her about her counterpart here."

 

His thoughts then turned to Sargh. While the mentally challenged fellow had annoyed him quite a bit since his arrival in this pastel hell, he actually had to admit that he was the most pleasant individual on the ship, though he'd never admit it to him. Every once and a while, he would see a glimpse of the brilliant mind that he was used to. Out of all of his own crewmates, he wouldn't mind if something of the pink Sargh rubbed off on his counterpart. Though that was about as likely as Riko deciding to dance naked on the bridge.

 

Kwalus was an enigma here, and had been kind, and not nearly as obnoxious as the others. Though the baby thing... his Kwalus would not be amused. Especially considering the fathers. Thinking of the legs brought out another chuckle. That's something that could cross over without anyone's feelings being hurt.

 

Vanroy was another matter entirely, and the odd mute Vulcan and his crossword puzzle were so out of his realm of experience that he couldn't even classify how it affected him. Though the thought of he and Kwalus mating forced Riko to quell a queasy stomach.

 

After a quick check of the sensor readings, he thought about Messner. It was quite a shock to the system to meet this universe's HoD. An indecisive, simpering fool his Messner was most definitely not, and seeing what he considered to be a very good, proud man all primped up and cooing over the Bchs was nauseating. When he returned, he would have to give an account of everything to the man, and it hurt Riko to think about describing this universe's version to him.

 

The Bchs... he felt fortunate that he wouldn't have to face Mn'stral as well, though having to confront HoD Bch with the very perky, gossip-mongering and bouncy version from this universe was not a pleasant thought either, though he hoped that the deep rooted sense of irony that Klingons seem blessed with would temper her disgust. While of course Riko hoped that he could return home soon, he hoped more that he could avoid both Bchs as much as possible while he remained here. While the HoD was annoying and dismissive of him, Mn'stral was much more "hands on." He doubted he would ever be able to remove the sick feeling from his twirling around the lounge, or, worse, the incident in the turbolift.

 

That, of course, left TroNoQ. The Qel was unequivocally mad here. Pink lollipops? Neutrino cookies? Having a hissy fit over recipes? Any attempt at comparing the two versions quickly aborts in a haze of light-headedness and discontinuity. The delight the odd man displayed in making Riko's attempts at returning home seem a result of brain-damage or lunacy was appaling. Even though he'd enjoyed the pleasure of not having to see him today, merely thinking of him dredged up a good well of anger. Riko knew that he would have to avoid the Qel as long as possible to avoid killing him.

 

The fact that he would even consider it without any reservations, not to mention his rather forward and belligerant behavior since arriving here, forced Riko to conclude that he's not quite the mouse that he thought he was. That revelation bothered him in some ways, since he always felt that the taking of a life should be done only if absolutely necessary, but it also heartened him that the shell that he'd erected around himself since childhood was cracking.

 

Thinking about that brought him to Engari, his best-friend and roommate from the Academy. Was he alive in this universe? If so, what was he like? Riko was so out of his reckoning in this universe that he couldn't guess, though he imagined the always happy and friendly Trill would've managed this situation much better than he himself had. Would they have been friends here too?

 

That, of course, brought him full circle. What on Bajor was he like in this universe? Based on the reactions of the crew here, he didn't think that he was posted here, if he was in this universe's Starfleet. Was he dead? Did he perhaps die in the training accident that nearly killed Riko in the regular universe? Whatever the situation, he felt fortunate that he hadn't met himself here, because if the others were any indication, he'd hate the pink Riko with a flaming passion.

 

"May the Prophets give me the strength to endure this," Riko pleaded to the air around him. Though thinking of the Prophets brought up another interesting question. He knew that they existed out of the regular time-flow of his universe, but did that extend to different universes? If not, what would they be like here? Riko definitely couldn't answer that question, considering he had little to no idea what they were like in his own. Only they, and perhaps the Emissary, would know.

 

Sighing, he tore himself away from his inner reflections and focused once again on the console. When the neutrino emissions popped up again, he would be ready.