Silent Realities

Posted on Wed Feb 26th, 2025 @ 6:52am by Lieutenant Commander Keishara Davaris & Lieutenant Evelyn Stewart

1,191 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Year One: Strange Bedfellows
Location: Shuttlecraft Apollo
Timeline: MD 29: 15:00 hrs

Evelyn worked behind the console quietly as she prepared the shuttle to go to warp. The trip from Vulcan to Betazed would only take a few hours. She was grateful as she not only wanted to get out of her dress uniform, but she and Keishara would have little to do now that they were at warp. She wanted to desperately get back to her quarters and escape the overwhelming grief she felt since the two of them left for the memorial for their former captain.

Loss was inevitable, especially for an El Aurian. Keishara had her fair share of losses in her life. She'd probably say she'd lost more than she'd gained in her 230 years but she respected and even liked the captain. He'd been there for her in some dark times, they'd fought a war together, survived together, and now he was gone. Safi too.

Starfleet Security were investigating the shuttle explosion that took their lives, too slowly if you asked Keishara, but she hated feeling helpless.

"This is kussinder (bullshit)!" Keishara threw a PADD onto the console in front of her. "Still nowhere!" she frustratingly sighed at the latest investigation report.

Stewart glanced up at Keishara when the PaDD bounced off the console back at the El-Aurian to smack her before clattering on the floor. "Did that help?" Evelyn asked sarcastically before engaging the warp engines.

When the stars were the familiar streams across their bow and the station was secure she turned back to Keishara. "I don't like it anymore than you but you know even if they find something they aren't going to tell anyone. It will classified as an accident and swept under the rug as quickly as possible, especially if there is foul play." Stewart said. She knew Starfleet's hands were never as fully cleaned as they tried to pass them off as. There has been a number of cover-ups throughout the years. Stewart was convinced her brother Desmond's death was one as such cover-up.

"It made me feel better, yes." Keishara said dryly in return as the shuttle began its journey back to the Moore.

"If anyone knew the captain they'd never say it was an accident and if that's what they do report as the cause I'll have something to say about it." She said with an aggressive undertone. "I've challenged them before... but maybe that's why I'm still a Lieutenant Commander and only a second officer." she shrugged. "Too much red tape kussinder (bullshit) the higher you go."

“Can we not talk about this? Starfleet is investigating what caused the explosion. There is nothing else we can do!” Stewart snapped at Kei, glaring at her before turning back to the controls.

Keishara held Evelyn's gaze unflinchingly until Evelyn turned to face her console. Sighing she looked at her own as if wanting to conjure something up to stay this deathly silence within the cockpit of the shuttle. Although truth be told she was fine with silence, made it easier to think, easier to unsociable and keep to yourself than open yourself up to the hurt you feel when you lose someone. Kei had lost many in her life and it never got any easier.

Stewart shook her head after a few moments of silence, reviewing the controls and course multiple times for some sort of distraction. “I don’t even know why Greco sent me with you. You don’t need an escort to fly you to Vulcan.” She complained about the situation, voicing the discontent she felt since they left the ship for the private service. The last place she ever wanted to be again was Vulcan.

"I requested you." Keishara replied sincerely. "I know you didn't ever want to see Vulcan again, but I knew you and the captain were bonded. I keep tabs on the captains security a little more than he knew... so I've seen a lot of bio scans of you entering his quarters... I just wanted you to be able to say some form of goodbye."

Evelyn’s eyes flashed to Keishara’s defensively about the nature of their relationship as well as the fact Davaris was the one behind her coming along. Stryvek’s family had only requested one representative of Starfleet. It made sense it would be his closest colleague who served with him the longest and was also his oldest friend.

After a moment to control her intense emotional reaction, something she was still coping with in the time since the bond was severed, Evelyn relaxed and softened her face. She didn’t want to dwell on the situation. It was still far too painful. “Thank you.” She said quietly, not wanting to discuss her feelings with anyone. She was determined to deal with her grief alone.

Once again focusing on the readings as a distraction, Stewart attempted to lighten the mood. “Though I do think Greco will have something to say about your heightened security measures.” She said wryly about the security chief’s methods.

"Greco always has something to say." Keishara's eye's rolled. "The would have a meltdown if the carpets had dirt on them, or a stray hair out of place... but if it came down to the commanding officer's life being saved because of these measures then he wouldn't be complaining, would he?" she tried to justify it.

Evelyn didn't look up from the console, instead just giving a doubtful "Uh huh" as she worked on diagnostics to keep her occupied. A moment later she felt the impact of Kei's words. Her mind was still racing far faster than her heart could keep up with. Just the mention of saving a commanding officer's life brought a wave of grief that caused her to close her eyes and take a deep breath for a moment while it passed then collected herself. "How are you holding up?" she asked quietly, far less confident than she was a moment ago. Stewart knew Keishara had lost a close friend, one of the few she considered a friend even. It was selfish of Stewart to just thinking of herself at this time.

"Fine." Keishara responded. "People die all the time." she added rather coldly. Truth was she was hurting, deeply. She found it hard to make friends so when she did the connection was deep. Not to mention that she shared a strong connection with Styvek due to their mind meld that saved her life after she saved his. War bonds people, friendships can spawn from a single act, losing him was hard. Closing herself off to grief would be a short term solution but it was serving her just now.

Stewart scoffed at the act Keishara was putting up, even with her, and simply shook her head. She wasn’t going to pry. She offered the woman a chance to open up and be honest with her but she declined. “Okay then.” She commented quietly before tapping back to the controls. “We should be at the Moore in seventeen hours…” She said matter of factly, back to business and shutting herself down the same as Kei as she went silent.

 

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