The Sins of Being Stranded

[Cdr Rian Kwai 0]

The Sins of Being Stranded

 

I can’t believe I dropped my jacket in the confusion.

 

And I can’t believe I was stupid enough to leave my commbadge in the pocket of my jacket instead of on my shirt where it was suppose to be.

 

A sin of vanity. I had wanted to blend in with the civilian crowd below decks, not be recognized as a ‘Fleet officer. I didn’t want to be looked upon as someone ‘in-charge’ or approached as if I was the woman from the information booth. I wanted to visit my old haunts, see the station from an old familiar view, and not be treated differently because I was an Officer.

 

But where did that get me?

 

My commbadge is on the other side of a locked down air-lock door and no one knows where I am. I’m sooooo in trouble now.

 

I’m thankful now that I’m with a friend who can help. Ryliek is another Trill, a young man that I’ve known since I was a small child. Both of our families worked in the freight trade, and now he has inherited his father’s shipping line. A sin of envy, I’m jealous that he has a symbiont and I don’t at times –but then again, considering my adventures on Republic, if I had one I’d probably would have killed it (and myself)by now.

 

Ryliek was quick to grab my arm and drag me down the other end of the airlock shaft with access to his ship. At least someone was thinking at that moment. I promise I’ll kick myself later for my stupidity. In the meantime, I’m concentrating on all I need to do as the two of us weave our way through the corridors of an ancient freighter. It is amazing how navigating this maze of corridors is second nature to me.

 

In the blink of an eye, we are on the bridge. I make a bee-line for the communication console so that I can contact Republic to let them know where I am. Ryliek sits down at the back of the bridge and starts fiddling with a console.

 

I can’t hear what he’s doing until I finish my communications with Republic. Apparently as I tried to check in with my ship, he was tuning in to the news reports coming in. While I’m told to stay where I am and await further instructions, the news isn’t good. He motions for me to sit next to him, and both of us stare at the news feeds in shock. I want to get up and do something, but Ryliek has to gently remind me that I’m stuck until the station takes us off lock down or someone transports me off the civilian freighter. Besides, too many hands with not enough to do might cause more trouble. Just sit tight, and let them evaluated where you’re best needed. I feel like I’ll be marked as being lazy. I feel terrible that there is nothing I can do for the moment.  (“Rian…you can’t go anywhere!”)

 

We stop arguing long enough for one of Ryliek’s own crewmembers to arrive on his bridge for instructions. Joined gods I forgot there would be other people aboard this freighter. Without my universal translator (which is built into my commbadge…), I can’t understand a word the human man says. Ryliek, of course can, and gives him instructions back in Trill – which of course the human seems to agree with. My frustrated expression won me a smirk from the Trill, then a civilian commbadge when I threaten to pull his lip up over his spotted forehead.  

 

Yes, I’ve succumbed to the sin of anger. Don’t laugh at me when I can’t understand Russian to Romulan. I only know two, maybe three, languages. Unless it is Federation Standard, Trillian or some part human English, forget about it. If he laughs at me one more time, so help me…

 

Twenty minutes of waiting. Twenty minutes of wondering. Twenty minutes of worrying. There is not much I can do in twenty minutes except watch the news reports and talk with Ryliek. This isn’t want I expected…or wanted for my shoreleave. Perhaps a visit with my best friend Evie. Maybe see if I could catch a ride out to see my father. Or even just spend some time with a familiar childhood friend like Ryliek. But not locked down in an ancient freighter, staring at news reports and trying in vain to carry on a casual conversation under a stressful situation.

 

Perhaps we need to get some food...we might be here a while.