If Pillows Could Talk (You’d Never Get to Sleep)

[Jylliene 0]

If Pillows Could Talk (You’d Never Get to Sleep) - (Jylliene/Nijil) [sD 2387.191]

 

Jylliene cradled a cup of tea and gazed out the window of her quarters. Out there, somewhere, was Annisha. And out there, somewhere, she had to hope, she had to believe, was someone working on a way to find her and, if she were indeed in danger, to bring her back safely. She had told Nijil as much, and would continue to do so. But without knowing what exactly was being done, she was unsure that she could say anything that would give him any real assurance. She hoped her trust and her feelings were not misplaced on the matter. If she didn’t really believe it, she’d be just as eager as Nijil to do...something. Anything. Not that there was much they could do.

 

The woman turned her attention from the window to Nijil, who seemed to be napping peacefully for now. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she gazed down at him in thought. He had called her mother. He had called her mother to arrange this visit he hoped to surprise her with. She reached out and stroked the side of his face softly.

 

If Annisha were indeed in danger - and the ship were not merely disabled - and she were returned to the station, what then? Well, there was no question that Nijil would likely jump to offer to take her in. Would they let him? He might be the only one Annisha would trust after this, but Jylliene was unsure if they’d allow a single officer to adopt. They could try to adopt her together, but as an uncommitted pair, that was less likely than Nijil on his own - and rightly so. Besides, what kind of family would they make? She nearly chuckled, but then glanced down at Nijil again.

 

A happy one, she increasingly began to think.

 

Placing the empty cup on the table, she lay back down beside him. Her eyelids drooped, and she drifted back into sleep.

 

 

“Nijil!” shouted a voice off in the distance. The world started devoid of sights, smells, and touch. With no warning, he found himself in a darkened room, perhaps an alley. A mist hung over the ground extending over his head. The distant lights above glowed an eerie green. It was hot and humid.

 

“I’m coming Annisha! Stay where you are!” Nijil shouted as he ran. The voice seemed just ahead. After fifty meters of running no girl appeared. He stopped and twisted around to see if he missed something. Frantic he called, “Annisha!” A beat in time passed.

 

Her voice wailed, “Nijil!”

 

The sound came from another direction some fifty meters or so away. Nijil ran even faster this time. “Annisha stay there!” The mist made breathing more of a challenge. The faster he ran the more it taxed his lungs. Running further this time only claimed the same result. His body spun around. His eyes darted all around. Annisha was not there. Nijil cried out again, but a voice interrupted.

 

“Nijil, help me!”

 

He asked again. “Where are you? I can’t find you!”

 

“I’m right here,” a little voice said right behind him. He spun around, looking down. “I’m right here, or at least I was Nijil. I asked if I could live with you on the station, but you said you were too busy.” Annisha dematerialized into the fog. “Now I’m gone,” she exclaimed from an unknown distance.

 

“I’ll come find you!” Nijil shouted.

 

“No you will not Centurion tr’Korjata,” said the distinctive voice of Chirakis at the back of his neck. If distance mattered here, he would have jumped out of his skin. He turned to face her, but something seemed wrong with her face. Her pronounced nose ridge and evil glare caught the engineer off guard. He screamed.

 

“Ahhhhh!” he exclaimed, finding himself in a bed with someone holding him.

 

“Nijil?” Jylliene asked. “Are you okay?”

 

“Wha, where am I. Oh, elements...” Nijil soon realized he had been dreaming - or more like having a nightmare.

 

“Bad dream?”

 

“Annisha, I could not find her. It was dimly lit. I told her I would find her, but then our Captain said I would not.” He covered both eyes with his hands.

 

“Sometimes naps are refreshing, sometimes...less so,” Jylliene remarked. “Anything I can do to help you relax...?” she said, quirking an eyebrow at him.

 

Nijil agreed, “Yeah.” Then he realized what she meant. “Ohh yes,” with a sly grin.