<USS Avalon> Back On Earth:Showing Ensign Cate Around Cmdr Skyler & Ensign Cate

"Back on Earth: Showing Ensign Cate Around"
written by:
Cmdr Skyler & Ensign Cate


       Stardate 20405.13 XO's log:

        We have finally arrived back to Earth in our own time. Unfortunately, 
we lost several people in the process. They will be missed, but they gave 
their lives with honor and valor. 

       In the process, we did manage to bring back two members from the ISS 
Tempest. First a Lt, now an ensign Cate and her friend James. F I feel that 
once they are adjusted to this time period they will become a valued asset to 
the 
crew of the Avalon.

       End Log.

       Skyler finished her short and brief log while waiting for Mehdi. She 
didn't know how long he would be so she contacted Ensign Cate.

       "Ensign Cate, this is Cmdr Skyler. Please report to my office as soon 
as possible."

       Now it was just a matter of waiting. Time would tell if their 
friendship would stand the test of time.

Lyryn came out of her meditative trance and began to stretch.  It was the 
second thing that she did every morning to focus for the day.  The first thing 
was an intense martial workout.  After the restless night she had, she was 
tempted to skip it, but order was important to Lyryn.  She pushed on through 
her 
workout.  
James had been very patient about it and not interrupted her in the least, 
though he was still quite leary about her having brought him on board.  

"Lyryn," James spoke from behind her.  "Commander Skyler called over the com 
about five minutes ago.  She wants to see you in her office as soon as 
possible. I didn't want to disturb you."

He looked so solemn that Lyryn was inclined to cock her head to one side and 
study him for a moment.  What was he thinking?  Was he angry?  Accepting?

Saying nothing, she nodded assent and walked towards her bathroom to shower 
from the morning's workout.

"I laid a towel out for you," he commented with a smile as she walked by.

Lyryn turned around and tiptoed to place a kiss on his cheek.  "Thank you," 
she said quietly as she continued on to the bathroom.

After she was showered and properly dressed in her new Starfleet uniform, 
which she found to be highly confining and slightly itchy, Lyryn made her way 
to 
Skyler's office.  She had surprisingly taught her way around the ship rather 
quickly.  It was the years of security training, she supposed.  Find your 
weaknesses, your entrances and exits and commit them to memory.

As she approached the office, she was slightly surprised to see Skyler 
standing in the doorway.

Noticing Lyryn's surprise, Skyler commented, "I called your room again.  
James told me you were on your way."

Lyryn smiled and raised her eyebrows slightly in a questioning gesture.  

"You wanted to see me about something important?  I could've made it sooner 
if I had known.  I just figured I'd wash away the sweat before I repelled the 
rest of my crew members for the day."

It's nice to see this side of her, Skyler thought as she gestured for the 
former Lt. to enter her office.


       Skyler looked at the new Ensign in her uniform. "Well, I see you found 
your uniforms and such. I hope that everything is within your size and meets 
with your approval. I am sure that it is rather cumbersome and uncomfortable, 
not what you expected is it?"  Skyler smiled. 

       She was trying to put Lyryn at ease but got the feeling it wasn't 
working too well. 

       "The reason I called you here is very simple. We are on shore leave 
and I thought that perhaps Mehdi and I could show you and James around San 
Francisco. Especially since you have never been to this time period, let alone 
Earth. If you are interested, you may go change out of that stuffy uniform and 
put 
some more comfortable clothing and meet us outside in, oh say, half an hour? 
Will that work for you?"

       Skyler hoped it would, because she still had to persuade Mehdi to join 
them.

Lyryn beamed an excited grin at Skyler.  The Earth That Was!  She had always 
read such fascinating stories about it - the artwork and old buildings!  
Surely James would be just excited as she.  They had had many discussions on 
what 
it would've been like to tour old England and see a real castle that the 
history programs spoke of.  The closest they had gotten was a holo-program and 
it 
just wasn't the same.
"Half an hour?  We'll be there," Lyryn said full of more enthusiasm than 
Skyler had seen yet.
"Excellent," Skyler couldn't help but smile back.
Lyryn made her way back to quarters.  James was waiting on her.  This is 
kinda nice, she thought, as she had never shared quarters with anyone before.  
It 
was a pleasant feeling to know that she wasn't coming home to an empty room.
Seeing Lyryn's grin as soon as she entered the room, James asked, "What? Did 
you get a promotion already?  Typical."  He rolled his eyes good-naturedly.
"Humph, and here I was going to offer to show you around Earth with Skyler 
and I.  I s'pose I'll just go myself.  I don't need Mr. Sarcasm along spoiling 
my day," she teased.
"Earth That Was?  Blim!  We get to see it?"  His excitement seemed to match 
hers.  Lyryn loved that bit of spark in his eyes.  It was quite endearing.
"That's what Skyler said.  Wanna go?"
"Of course."
"I just need to change clothes.  I see you found your civies.  It will be 
nice to get out of this itchy thing," Lyryn continued talking as she looked for 
her clothing.  She stepped into the bathroom to change, though still holding 
her conversation with James.  "I wonder if I will ever get used to this 
confining thing.  I miss my flight suit.  What did you think about the 
uniforms?" She 
asked as she emerged from the bathroom.
"I didn't try it on."  Taking a deep breath, he explained, "Lyryn, I don't 
know if I really want to stay here.  I'm sorry.  Maybe starting all over as an 
Ensign sits well with you, but I had to work really hard to reach Senior 
Lieutenant and I'm not as young as you are.  I've been thinking that...I don't 
want 
to start my career over."
"But...but what would you do?"
"I don't know.  At one time I thought I had my life fairly well mapped out, 
but things change, don't they?"  His lips turned up into a half-hearted smile.
"I'm so sorry.  I just...I can't explain.  I guess I was being selfish and 
didn't want to go through all this alone.  I mean, all the sudden I just 
realized that you meant something more to me that just a casual friend as I had 
always kept in mind."  Her eyes drifted to the side, being slightly embarrassed 
at 
her revelation.
Sensitive to her uneasiness and knowing that she wasn't one to talk about her 
feelings, James was quite touched.  He reached for her hand and brought her 
into a quick embrace.  When he released her, he touched her nose with his to 
make it do that cute little crinkly thing that he liked seeing so much.
"We'll talk about it later, okay?  Let's go explore Earth," he offered.
They clasped hands as they made their way to Skyler's rendezvous.

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