<USS Avalon> The Path: Destiny Uncertain Part 3 by Junior Lieutenant Anthony Manson

The Path

Destiny Uncertain: Part 3

by Junior Lieutenant Anthony Manson

Everything had gone quiet between the two. It felt awkward, like there should 
have been something there to break the silence; anything- yet it stayed. 
Anthony didn?t quite understand it himself when it came to this silence. He was 
also uncertain wether to respond to Alder?s letter. It wasn?t that it was 
disconcerting, or scary, but now he had to come clean about his own little 
commonality with Alder. And that particular part he didn?t know how to go about 
it. He never had to do that, considering he never had to actually be open with 
anyone about himself. It just never came up. And he had to admit, Alder did 
interested him. Maybe more than he cared to acknowledge. Telling someone that 
he had the same feelings for them felt tacky in his view, more of vulnerability 
then anything. But he knew that it was just because he didn?t know it how to 
deal with this.

As far as Alder, he knew that Alder didn?t know anything at all about him. 
Aside from having a rather secluded childhood, nothing was ever mentioned about 
what Anthony did. And it also surprised him that Alder still stuck around- 
Anthony after all wasn?t all the forthcoming about anything, but trying things 
out maybe let Alder think it was worth the effort. 

Then the letter came, and Anthony was surprised even more. He knew how Alder 
felt, but maybe lesser to a degree since he didn?t much think about it. Yet he 
couldn?t help but wonder why Alder had grew feelings for him. Here was this 
good looking guy in his mid twenties liking the anti-social that wouldn?t have 
anything to do with anything at all if he could wiggle out of it. He knew he 
wasn?t outgoing, or sociable, or a conversationalist. It should?ve been the 
other way around since Anthony knew he missed the parts of him that was what he 
had been; the social, the outgoing, the friendly. Missing the parts of him that 
had long since been dead for almost ten years or so, his reclusive life was not 
attractive. 

So because of the wonderment of responding, the pondering of "why me?" and the 
hardest part of which was to bridge that common feelings between them; he 
waited. It seemed like the best solution after all, and it seem to be the best 
thing for he thought Alder would be wanting to talk about this. He was wrong, 
and he realized that Alder may have taken it the wrong way about this and 
probably presumed that he was angry, or felt extremely uncomfortable, and 
decided to end this friendship.

It wasn?t about to end.

Looking up from his console, he saw Alder vividly looking at his instruments 
and at the viewscreen that gave the stars blinking in random sequences. He had 
been at that this entire time. Anthony would?ve liked to talked to him, but 
wasn?t to sure about that either. 

He was getting tired of not knowing or reflexively unwillingly to clear this 
out. A cold way of putting it, but best for all concerned. 

He looked at the console again, and there was nothing to report: nothing but 
power readouts, and everything else had been the same. He looked up and saw 
that the conn station wasn?t occupied anymore. Alder left pretty quickly and he 
didn?t even noticed. Sighing in frustration, he kept his post.

~ ~ ~ ~

Duty couldn?t have ended any sooner. Anthony got into the turbolift.

"Computer, locate Lieutenant Shimbrodus."

"Lieutenant Shimbrodus is in the mess hall." 

The computer clicked off, and Anthony redirected the lift. He headed towards 
the Mess hall that seemed to be teeming with people. Upon entering the Mess 
hall he looked around, peering his head left and right trying to find Alder, 
and hoping that he didn?t leave as there were people coming in and out 
constantly. At last he saw Alder sitting by himself, commanding the stars to 
his view. He didn?t look as if he was looking, but more disembodied from it. 

Weaving through the crowd, Anthony took a quick breath and pulled up the chair 
that was on the opposite of the table. Alder looked up, frowning a little as he 
saw Anthony take a seat and looked at him squarely in the eyes.

Dropping the noise that crowded them, and concentrating on his intentions, 
Anthony just simply said, "it?s time we talked."



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