Slow Ride (Part 2)

Posted on Thu Jun 24th, 2021 @ 10:53am by Lieutenant Commander Amaya Capac & Lieutenant Cyrus Jericho
Edited on on Fri Jun 25th, 2021 @ 10:25am

1,251 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Mission 8 - A Blast from the Past
Location: Shuttle Craft: Griffin
Timeline: 2296/03/11 1715

[PREVIOUSLY]

Cyrus paused before lowering his head. He shook it slightly before throwing it back and letting out a laugh. After a few seconds he looked back to her, letting out a sigh, as his laugh ended in a smile. For a brief moment, he leaned forward looking to the cockpit, raising his hand slightly as he shouted. "Check please." He laughed again, looking back to Amaya, before saying. "Open mouth. Insert foot, eh?" Cyrus let out another sign before saying. "I am sorry, Ma'am. I should have done more digging before laying it on so thick. Allow me to make it up to you. I could open the door and leap out into space or perhaps my first born." He said joking before holding up his cat carry on. "You wouldn't happen to be a cat person, would you? Capellion power-cat. Very exotic." He finally put the cat case down and smiled again. "Again, Miss, I am sorry. I should have gone with my first instinct to ask. I hope I didn't make you think badly of me before we had a chance to be together. Work!" He shouted quickly. "I meant work together."

[CONTINUED]

"Sorry about what?" she asked. "I didn't think you were laying it on too thick." She shrugged. When he said he was headed for the America, she'd put off telling him her position because she was afraid he'd lose interest in her once he found out. She wondered if he'd be more comfortable with her seated farther away. It might also give him a chance to let his cat out.

Cyrus got up from his seat and took the one next to her, taking a deep breath, to find his next words. He never liked talking about his past, but at the moment, it was necessary to explain one of his bad quirks. "I grew up on a very hostile planet. Not only were higher ups corrupt and dirty, but police were too. I was born..." He paused slightly, not sure how much he should divulge so as not to turn her away, so he went with being as vague as he could. "I was born in a bad area. We weren't poor, by any means, but we were in a section that others didn't look fondly on. So, as a result, my mother and brother instill a strict set of rules. One of which being never to overstep with someone in authority. Police weren't very pleasant, and bring from where we were, it didn't make it any better. They would arrest whomever they didn't like, no matter how the situation happened, just because they could. Often bring overly rough and violent. Laughing the entire way. My mother and brother always feared what would happen if I ever got caught up with one. Always telling me to tread lightly and don't push unnecessary buttons, in fear that, should they ever come to get me it would only make things worse. Sirius, my older brother, would always say. Cy, don't give them any reason to take you. Stand your ground, but never push their buttons. Don't make them take you away from us. So, I never did, and my default has always been to show restraint when it comes to someone in authority."

"I've met a few bureaucrats like that," she said. "They let you work on their planet until you find something interesting, then they accuse the team of breaking a law so they can confiscate what you found and sell it." She shook her head. "I'm sorry you grew up in a place like that."

"Joining Starfleet, I notice things are far different, but it’s hard to not sink back to my old habits because I've had them since I was a child." Cyrus said as he leaned back slightly, looking over to her, a slight smile. "You all are so nice and helpful that it’s a bit odd to me. I've come to learn, especially where I come from, that when someone is nice it’s only a matter of time till the proverbial shoe drops and they are asking you for something. I haven't put down my defenses, so to speak." He let out a slight chuckle before adding. "Don't get me wrong. You are very beautiful and I like hearing that you have this background in archeology and you aren't hiding it in some way. I've known many women who have all these amazing and curious interests, but they kept it hidden because, they are afraid people will think they are reached far above their station. Not you. Not only do you enjoy getting your hands dirty and looking for stuff long since forgotten you want to learn more about it. Not because you need to, but because you want to. You know?" He laughed slightly. "Am I making things worse?"

She chuckled softly. "I don't know. It depends on what you're trying to do." She smiled at him. "I grew up in a relatively small city in the Andes on Earth. There's a lot of history in the area. To me it was natural to want to learn more about it." She shrugged. "I've never been accused of reaching above my station, but I have been called a nerd and a geek." She grinned. "I kind of like being different."

"I like different." Cyrus replied softly with a smile. "I like you." He looked into her eyes before looking away a bit, clearing his throat. "Do you think it's okay to get homesick? Even for a place that was so horrible and dirty?"

Amaya was momentarily speechless. "Yes," she said quietly. "I think it's okay. Bad as it may be, it's still your home."

"It's odd, you know." Cyrus said as he looked back to her with a smile. "Push so hard to get out of a place only to remember how much it's been a part of you. What about you? Do you miss your home?"

"Sometimes," she admitted. "I talk to my family, and I try to visit when I can. But sometimes, when things get busy, not so much." She liked to put prints of the Andes on her wall to remind her of home. "I miss the mountains most of all."

Cyrus nodded his head. "Mountains huh?" He repeated, smiling a bit, before crossing his arms on his chest. "I came from a big city. My mountains were skyscrapers and corporate buildings. In order to even see the stars, you had to get to get to a roof, but you had to make sure it was the right one, or you'd be looking at smoke and smog most of the night." He added a laugh before looking away. "Still... there was a rhythm to it. It had its own music if you really listened to it." Cyrus smirked a bit before looking to her. "And the smells. You stand in the right place, at the right time of day, the smells will overwhelm you. Fresh baked bread. Pretzels. Grilled food from around the sectors. Enough to make your stomach groan whether you had just eaten or not. No matter how dirty and bad it was it did have its own way."

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant JG Cyrus Jericho
Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS America

Lieutenant Commander Amaya Capac
Chief Communications Officer & First Officer
USS America

 

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