<USS Avalon> Differing Degrees of Lost

 
Differing Degrees of Lost
by Elishvrachen ch'Thane and Joshua Garrity 
 
He'd been on other ships and stations before and there was one thing that  
Elishvrachen ch'Thane did on each occasion.  He gave himself a tour.   He 
didn't 
usually get lost but, on the rare occasion that he did, he didn't ask  the 
computer for directions.  After all, that was what people were for, he  would 
tell himself.  On this particular occasion, though, there didn't seem  to be 
any 
people about, which seriously made him wonder where he was on the  ship.
 
He walked further, until he heard a noise so soft that another species  might 
have missed it.  Heading in the direction it seemed to come from, he  caught 
sight of a tall, painfully thin Human with what looked to be borderline  
unruly curly hair.  Readjusting the portable chess  set he had with  him 
(having 
just purchased it on the station), he approached the man.  In  his whisper soft 
voice, he asked, "Excuse me, but where exactly am I?"
 
"Izar Station, deck one nine two zero, four steps outside critical core  
supervisory area, area status restricted," a soft voice, barely audible  
answered 
with a sigh before turning from the door to face him. Realizing  his answer, 
though exact, was probably less than helpful, Josh settled on a  simpler if 
somewhat obvious one. "Lost." 
 
"I think perhaps the second answer was more appropriate," Lish hissed  
softly.  He lifted his chin, looking around, realizing that the man was  
absolutely 
right.  "This is what I get for not paying attention."
 
Realizing the man couldn't just go away without some direction, Josh gave  
him his full attention, though he still failed to make eye contact. "Where  
should you be?" he asked, the slight accent to his voice just noticeable as he  
struggled  to keep his tone at audible levels.
 
"The Avalon," Lish replied simply.  He watched the stranger from under  his 
braids, noting that, unlike most Humans, he was not looking him in the  eye.  
He wondered if the man was either shy or simply well attuned to  Andorian body 
language, considering that direct eye contact was often seen as an  aggressive 
sign.  "I simply stopped back to the station to make a small  purchase 
and...ended up here."
 
Josh switched to Andorian, finding it easier to explain in than Standard,  as 
he informed the stranger, "B is dead in the water. C isn't boarding yet. Crew 
 is housed on decks eleven and twelve for now. I'll show you the way." 
 
Lish tilted his antennae forward, acknowledging the offer.  "Thank  you," he 
said softly.  "Are you crew then?  You wear a shipside  uniform."
 
Josh nodded slightly as he led the way. The gold of his tunic told the  rest.
 
"Then I am pleased to meet you as I am just assigned there.  I come  with my 
bond mate and our child," Lish explained.  He sniffed softly in  almost 
amusement.  "Ah and his uncle, who my zhavey feels is necessary to  keep an eye 
on 
me."
 
Josh's brow went up curiously, but he didn't ask. Reaching the lift, he  
gestured for the Andorian to enter. 
 
"It is the nature of many maternal parents to worry after their children,"  
Lish explained in reply to the brow.  "Mine has yet to grow accustomed to  the 
fact that I am a full grown adult."
 
Josh nodded to show his understanding, though it was in truth limited.  
Having no recollection of his own mother, and only recently witnessed others in 
 
that position, he could only guess what would be considered normal.
 
"If I might ask, if you are not station personnel, what were you doing in  
the restricted area?" White lashes blinked over gray eyes.  "Certainly not  two 
of us lost."
 
Josh blushed slightly and shrugged as bright blue eyes took in boot tops  
bashfully. He was sort of lost, after all. Perhaps not physically, but still  
enough to count. Right?
 
"Curious engineer perhaps?  I have a friend to whom locks and signs  mean 
nothing," Lish told him.  "Of course, she also used to do such things  to go 
where there were no people and into the pure logic of machinery."
 
Josh nodded, glad to be saved the need to explain. That was close enough,  he 
supposed.
 
"I have no such luxury, though," Lish mused.  "I am supposed to talk  to 
people."
 
Josh raised a brow at that, and frowned slightly. He'd never manage a job  
with that as a requirement. He wouldn't take it. It was more than he could do  
most days to converse as much as he did now. He stepped back so that the lift  
could close, then shook his head as the man seemed disinclined to move without 
 him. It would appear he required an escort to the right deck. Sighing, he  
stepped into the lift and said softly, "Deck eleven." After repeating it twice  
more the lift began to move... 
 
"I am a counselor," Lish explained simply, watching the other man from  under 
his braids to gauge his reaction.  Hardly thrilled but he was used to  that.  
"I accepted a transfer to Avalon because it had room for  families."
 
Josh nodded, though he found himself wondering if that weren't reason  enough 
to transfer elsewhere. He bit back a sigh of relief as the lift opened,  and 
gestured for the new counselor to disembark. 
 
"Ah now this is quite familiar," Lish stated as he looked around.  "If  I 
were of a mind to, I could blame this entire episode on my bond mate's  
brother-in-law but I will not."
 
Josh sighed, nodding slightly as he continued to wait for the Andorian to  
leave the lift, uncertain why he hadn't yet. 
 
"In any case, Seren had best find this replacement set suitable," Lish  said, 
his eyes crinkling in amusement.  He offered the engineer a tilt of  his head 
and antennae.  "Thank you for your assistance and I should  introduce myself. 
 I am Elishvrachen ch'Thane."
 
"Joshua Garrity," Josh answered near silently, eyes on the floor. Fine.  
Sure. No problem. You're welcomed. Could he go now?
 
Lish offered him a slight bow then stepped out of the lift.  He held  up the 
chess set he still had under his arm.  "If you are of a mind and  care to play 
one day, come find me.  It would be a pleasure to play."
 
Sure, Josh nodded slightly. If he ever got in the mood to play a game  rather 
than doing something productive he could seek out a counselor to spend  time 
with.  Then again, he could just shoot himself and be done with  it.
 
Lish headed back to his cabin (now that he knew where it was), deep in  
thought.  I believe, he told himself, that I shall not hold my breath  waiting 
for 
that to happen.  "That is entirely a shame," he said  softly.  "Most engineers 
are good players."
 
Josh finally drew the breath he realized he'd been holding since the man  
approached. Why did stations always have so many people? Shaking his head  
slightly, he instructed (then repeated) the lift where to go, thinking to find  
someplace more isolated to be.

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