Home is where the Photons Fly (Jy & Nij)

[Nijil tr'Korjata 0]

He had not expected it to be night here. The computer must be timing this program to the actual beach, hopefully still around. Was it? Nijil did not know. Waves crashed along the shore which stretched into the horizon. The approximation of the smell of salty ocean air brought memories to the surface of a time years ago. Holodecks and holographic imaging chambers could do that like no other technology, well, other than visiting actual locations. The engineer started to walk, stopped, and then grabbed Jylliene’s hand, interlacing his fingers with hers. He kept a leisurely pace just at the edge of the water, looking far into the distance. Nearly a minute of silence passed.

 

Jylliene walked with him, listening to the soothing sounds of the waves. It was a greatly needed scene of tranquility after the mission; that he was sharing this with her was even more restful. She wondered where they were, but didn’t want to break the peaceful quiet to ask.

 

“I had to get away from everyone...everything, except for you,” Nijil remarked. His grip tightened a bit. “Close quarters don’t suit me well over long periods, that Mist Station was no help.” His breathing slowed and he closed his eyes to take in the sounds. No metallic creaks and clanks, just white noise.

 

“It’s serene,” she replied quietly, taking in the ambiance.

 

“Yes. It is. Wish I could really go here,” he said with a somber expression. “Your spots would not go unnoticed.”

 

“So be it,” she said with a grin. “Where is it?” she asked more softly, guessing his answer.

 

“East Umrika, one of the southern continents.” He thought a moment. “Must be summer there now, or would be.” They continued to walk along the shore, in the dark. “If you would like another location...”

 

“Whatever your preference is,” she replied. “It’s your program. The only ones I have are for meditation and hand-to-hand practice.”

 

“I do have a brothel program in storage, the best massages this side of the computer core. And that Sindi woman...her photons alone are worth the price I paid. What do you say?”

 

“I hope by all your Elements that you’re joking,” she said, with an incredulous look toward him.

 

“You would have to decompile the holographic imaging storage to find out,” he stated, staring forward.

 

“I have ways,” she replied, her voice taking on a teasing tone.

 

As much as Niji wanted to keep the ruse going, he did not want to string her along. “I have no program like that, but I’m sure it would be easy enough to find. I don’t think I could keep much from you without guilt setting in.”

 

Jylliene smiled. “Nor I,” she replied.

 

 

“I’m guessing it’s a trait of your people. We, Romulans, would stab each other in the back to get an advantage. At least it’s how many view us. Perhaps the reputation is deserved, perhaps not.” He flexed his hand, then grasped hers again. “I’m sure you don’t wish to walk this beach for clicks on end. I know something, let’s turn here.” Nijil pointed to the left where a path began.

 

Turning with him, Jylliene answered, “Those who have had symbionts know that every host has had secrets. Those who are prepared for joining are aware of that. It shifts your focus a bit; you are no longer the only one with something hidden away. And that, I think, encourages some sense of freedom to reveal them.” She paused, then added, “Though, admittedly, I am reluctant to mention my use of the holo-masseuse,” with a teasing grin and a sideways glance at her companion.

 

“I could have used one on the way back. Someone hit me pretty hard in the back,” Nijil complained. He led her up a set of stairs, then along a winding concrete path. “I think it’s up ahead.”

 

Jylliene rubbed his back as they proceeded along the path.

 

“Mmmm, that’s...” He closed his eyes, spun her around and planted a kiss. “Not right now,” he said with a pleading smile. They came to a shed with a large door. On the panel next to it he entered a code. The door began to slide open. He stood back. “Are you afraid of high speed?”

 

“Is this where I get to experience that low altitude flight you were speaking of?” Jylliene asked with a grin.

 

“It’s a hover cycle if that’s what you mean. And yes. This is unlike the shuttle.”

 

“I’m willing to give it a ride,” she replied with a spark in her eyes.

 

Nijil led her into the shed where the hover cycle sat. He got on first and offered a hand to help her up. She took his hand and sat behind him. The seat seemed built for two, but she could not be sure. He stabbed at the controls and the holographic cycle came to life.

 

Not seeing anywhere else to hold on, Jylliene wrapped her arms around Nijil’s waist. “Ready when you are.”

 

Without a word, the hover cycle jumped up off the ground and jetted out of the shed. Nijil leaned right, heading back toward the beach. A wave off the coast grew larger as they raced toward it; collision was imminent. At the last moment, Nijil pulled up to just skim the crest. The inertial dampener compensated, but not enough to prevent Jylliene from hugging his waist tight. She gazed, wide-eyed, over the oceanscape as they flew at increasing speed, nearly stealing her breath from her. As they picked up speed one of the Romulan moons, Pirek, peeked over the horizon casting an orange hue between the clouds. Jylliene tried to remind herself of the holodeck safeties, but admittedly, it was difficult at that moment. Nijil on the other hand looked oddly rested and at home.

 

They swept parallel to the coast, which Jylliene could almost discern from the glow of the moon reflected by the sands. A blanket of fog hung just over the water up ahead, surely they’d speed around it. Jylliene buried her face in Nijil’s back, not sure she WANTED to know if he’d go around it - she had the feeling he might drive straight through. Whatever her reason for doing so, though, it was relaxing to rest her head against him.

 

Her first thought was correct, he plowed right through the fog, covering them in a sudden horizontal rainfall. Making matters worse, he veered to the right again to head inland. This took them back through the fogbank, soaking them further. From behind Nijil, Jylliene reminded herself of the safeties, and that this was his program, and he had likely done this before, and of the safeties, and that he obviously was comfortable flying the thing, and of the safeties.

 

The ocean waves were replaced by a series of rolling hills. Instead of maintaining a safe altitude, Nijil decided to hug the ground, riding the changes as they came. Jylliene considered the wisdom of looking up, did so, and ducked her head back down behind him.

 

“Oh come on, you should look,” he joked. “We are only going 327 kph, not quite half the speed of this old thing.”

 

“I looked. It’s hard to breathe with that wind in your face,” she said. And when looking means that you start hyperventilating, she thought.

 

“Fair enough,” he said, freeing up one hand to place over hers. “Let me take us up and to a little quieter ride. This will take the actual time it would on Romulus. Are you tired?”

 

“No, I’m not,” she said. The ride really wasn’t bad, as long as she didn’t look. The feel of the speed of the bike and just doing something enjoyable with him - it was nice. Tired or not, Nijil pressed on for the next half hour. The rolling hills merged with a tall forest. Evergreens from the looks of them, towering over the forest floor below. Her warmth against his back felt really good. Unlike when they shared quarters, he stayed wide awake. But it was difficult to do so.

 

Jylliene poked her head out from behind Nijil, enjoying the view now that they weren’t so close to the ground. The tall forest changed to grasslands, then signs of cultivation stretched as far as the eye could see. Nijil altered course and aligned the hover cycle with the patches of different crops. For another five minutes, at that same speed, they continued onward into the horizon. A spire poked out at the edge of visibility. He slowed the craft down and began to circle the spire. Littered around the spire were buildings of various configurations. All was dark save for one.

 

“There, going to land at the base of the spire,” he alerted his passenger. “Hold on.” The hover cycle circled the spire, dropping in altitude and slowing in speed. The buildings came into view more clearly now, even in what should be early morning. A single light lit a patch of ground next to the spire. Nijil rested the cycle right under it, then powered it down. “Here we are.”

 

Accepting his offered hand, Jylliene swung her leg over and stepped off the cycle, wobbling a moment, then took in the view. “Where are we?” she asked quietly.

 

He glanced at the ground at her feet then looked her in the eye. “Home. This is my parents’ farm. The rough translation would be Korjata Acres.” He led her to a bench. “This image was recorded just before I left for the war college of engineering.”

 

Sitting down, she looked around at the buildings, then back up at him. “It’s lovely,” she whispered to him.

 

“I always thought so. It’s very big. Walking to the property line would take a good while. Early morning is the best, or was it early evening in the summer...I can’t remember.” Nijil looked all around, lost in the past. He held her hand as he did on the beach, rubbing with his thumb.

 

She gazed at him, watching him reminisce.

 

“Thank you,” Jylliene finally said.

 

Nijil nodded. “This may be the only way I can visit. I -,” he stopped as the door to his childhood home opened. A figure in a dark robe walked toward them. He did not remember any people in this program. Since it was a holodeck he remained seated, waiting for the person to approach.

 

“Who is this?” A feminine voice called out as she approached. She now stood under the light, then pulled off the hood of her robe. Nijil looked up and could only stare as if frozen in time.

 

Jylliene looked between Nijil and the Romulan woman. “...Nijil?” she whispered, nudging her companion.

 

He uttered one word: “Mother?”