Learning to be Alone

[JJLexi 0]

The cool air was mildly intoxicating. A slight breeze caressed his face. The sun was setting to the ocean, while two dimly lit full moons rose above the foothills behind him. The blue sky was gently giving way to vibrant purple and orange hues. It was one of the most picturesque sites in all the sovereignty. It was the Flyrian shores, and it was where Jyrd Lexi called home.

 

At least it was his home as portrayed by the holodecks of the USS Reaent. A fact, for an hour everyday, JJ chose to ignore. Each day he would sit on the black sands and stare out towards the ocean, as he did each day as child with his family. Only here, he was alone. In fact, there wasn't a single soul aside from him sitting on that beach. And each day the same thought would cross his mind 'This is too beautiful of a sight to be wasted on just one soul.'

 

It had been nearly 3 years since his Deharmonization, yet he was still adapting to life alone. As a child, the concept of being alone was something completely foreign to him. His language didn't even have true words for terms like "one" or "myself", or "alone". The Brythton term for the number "one" literally translated into Federation Basic as "not two". Other terms were similar, with some even being cognates from other species languages such as Talarian. JJ tried not to think about being alone that often. He preferred to immerse himself in his work as much as he could. His off time was mainly spent either in his quarters or here in the holodeck, where he could keep the temperature at a reasonable level.

 

When he could, he spent time trying to research hobbies. He hadn't found a non-Brythton hobby that he could really sink his teeth into. At Starfleet Academy, JJ had been coaxed a classmate of his to join an intramural rowing league. They called it "crew", though JJ had no idea how or who came up with that name, or what sense it made. Despite that, JJ became quite involved in it and won a few intramural and even intermural regattas at both the coxless pairs and the coxed eight. He quite enjoyed doing that, however, it was rather difficult to row here, on a vessel, by one's self.

 

There was one old pastime, however, that JJ had found himself partaking in. . .Singing. In the Sovereignty, singing by one's self was considered Taboo, and looked upon with great scorn and disdain. However, JJ was no longer in the Sovereignty. He was out of harmony, and he had been counseled to "keep the memory of Brythton culture alive in his heart and in his mind". And JJ felt that there was no better way to do that than to sing, which was the oldest and most cherished part of Brythton culture. 'No matter where you are, may your voice always be joined in the chorus that is our Song'. Such were the words written on the archway of the Grand Hall, visible to all as they exited through the Sovereign Doors. Recently, JJ had begun to take that literally. Singing in his quarters and at his station, he even had found himself singing to the sunset here in the holodeck, as they would back home.

 

The Holodeck abruptly shut off. The hour timer he had set for this holo had expired. With a quick check of the time, JJ adjusted his uniform and exited the deck. It was time to report back in to work.