Small Universe We Live In
Posted on Sun Oct 23rd, 2022 @ 10:56pm by Ensign Lynette Bishop 'Highlander' & Captain Elizabeth F. "Liz" Beurling & Chief Warrant Officer Karuta Roromiya & Petty Officer 1st Class Yoshika Miyafuji
1,691 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Sand Sea Fun and Surf
Location: USS Tokyo (NCC-91101), Shuttlebay 1, Deck 4
Timeline: The eve before the transport is scheduled to leave for Risa
At some point shortly after midnight, a Type-8 Shuttlecraft touched down in the Tokyo's shuttlebay, carrying with it a small handful of condolers who had gone to pay their respects to the crew members of the Oceania. Still bleary-eyed from the memorial service, they slowly gathered up their belongings and began to disperse, yearning for nothing more at that very moment than to put this trying time behind them.
Amongst those who shared a similar mindset was Lynette, having attended the service to say her last goodbyes to Uncle Lethy. Yoshika had been there for emotional support, and for once Lynette was glad to have the company; she wasn't sure if she would've had the fortitude to get through this by herself.
Yoshika stepped down off the ramp with the rest of the shuttle passengers. "It was a nice service wasn't it?" she asked.
"It was," Lynette sighed. "And getting to see the family again was nice as well..."
A part of her wished she could've introduced Yoshika as her girlfriend, but they were hardly past the point of friends at this point in their relationship. Wilma appeared to have her suspicions, but she hadn't bothered to bring it up when the two of them spoke.
Descending down the shuttle's ramp behind Lynette and Yoshika was Liz. Her mind was preoccupied with other thoughts, because at the service, she had reunited with John and Gavin, the only surviving members of the Brotherhood from her time now that fellow clubhouse bitch Linda had passed away, and she had also met the new generation of The Brotherhood, all of whom had shown up with Canadian flags to support Penney and honor the man who came to mean so much to her.
As Liz descended down the shuttle ramp, Liz didn't pay the Ensign and the Petty officer standing and talking on the deck much heed as she bummed a cigarette and was preparing to light it.
Yoshika saw that Liz was about to light a cigarette. "Lieutenant. You know that smoking is bad for you right?" she said as she turned her attention to the 1st Lieutenant. "Its really not good for your lungs, if you want we can help you in sickbay get over your habit if you want to be healthier?"
Liz looked up from her lighter at Yoshika.
"Petty officer, I've been smoking for longer than you've been alive, and I doubt it'd be as easy as you think to help me kick it." Liz said. "Besides, nothing warms your lungs on a cold Canadian winter's night quite like a breath of burning tobacco."
Yoshika shivered slightly, for some reason what the Lieutenant had said went right through her and shot up her spine. "Well ok. But isn't it a fire hazard?" she asked curiously.
"Well, that's why God invented the ashtray." Liz smirked. "Really, I'm not as uncivilized as you think, Petty Officer. Now, if you're done badmouthing my lifestyle, I have a letter to write to the chapter president of the Brotherhood. She's very curious about what the club was like in my time."
"The Brotherhood?" Lynette replied with a look of curiosity. "You wouldn't happen to mean those guys at the memorial service, would you?"
"The bikers with the Canadian flags?" Liz asked. "Yeah, that was them, unless you're referring to a different group?"
"N-nope, not at all..." Lynette stammered, evidently put off by Liz's devil-may-care attitude and possible affiliation with a biker gang.
"Yeah, the reason they were there was because of an extraordinary girl, Penney." Liz explained. "Hell, even the two remaining old dogs besides myself showed up for her."
Lynette blinked in surprise. "You mean Aunt Penney? I, um... I wasn't aware you knew her..."
Liz blinked twice in surprise herself.
"You mean she never told you about her 'godbikers' John and Liz?" Liz asked. "My goodness, she really did you a disservice there, Ensign."
Liz slid the unlit cigarette back into her pack and pulled out her old wallet, emblazoned with the club logo.
"Let me see, it should be in here somewhere..." Liz muttered as she appeared to be searching for something. "A-ha! Here it is!" She exclaimed as she pulled out an old picture and stepped over. "Is this wonderful young lady posing in the center of the picture your aunt?" Liz asked as she presented the picture. "If so, you're a lucky woman."
The picture consisted of a young woman posing with a bunch of smiling bikers. One of the ones standing close to the young woman was obviously identifiable as Liz.
"T-that's her!" Lynette gasped. "I wonder why she never told me about you, though..."
"Beats me, Ensign." Liz said. "She was always so happy to see us, especially after a couple of the guys beat up her bullies. It was something of a comfort to her after that knowing that the delinquent bikers had her back. Hell, if I hadn't witnessed that event, I might not have even been in that picture. Sadly, most of the guys in that picture are dead now: The only ones still kicking are myself, John, who you see on Penney's other side, and that nerdy looking boy way off to the side, Gavin."
The large blast doors that led into the corridor from the shuttlebay opened and a woman dressed in a blue uniform walked in. She looked around the room silently before spotting Lynette.
Chief Warrant Officer Karuta Roromiya walked over to the Ensign holding a PADD. "Ensign" she said simply, no expression in her voice.
Lynette blinked awkwardly for a second or two, and then upon realizing she was speaking to, quickly snapped to attention. "M-Ma'am, yes, Ma'am!"
"There has been some changes made in the arrangement of the Starfighter Squadrons. Since the departure of the current CAG. I am here to inform you that you have been transferred to D Squadron." Karuta informed her simply. She held out the PADD with the transfer orders on.
Lynette took the PADD and carefully skimmed over its contents. D Squadron... so that meant she was going to be working with Nozomi, which was good, but who was this Iowa Riverside...? The name rang a bell, but she couldn't quite put a face to the name.
Furrowing her brow with mild curiosity, Lynette proceeded to pull up Iowa's file, which would hopefully jog her memory somewhat.
Ah, so that was where she remembered her... the two of them had stormed the bridge together back when the Tal Shiar had seized control of the ship. Her initial impressions of her were that she was something of a "larger-than-life" personality- comparable in gusto to, say, Joseph Montferrand. She tended to speak her mind- damned what everyone else thought of her for it- and she wasn't above pulling some crackpot maneuvers in battle to gain the upper hand.
All personality traits that Lynette felt she lacked...
"I would suggest you report in with your new squadron leader as soon as possible Ensign," Karuta told her plainly. "I have more pilots to reassign, good day." And with that the Half Vulcan Half Human woman turned on a heel and walked off out of the shuttlebay without another word.
"Squadron D huh?" Yoshika asked.
"Looks like," Lynette sighed. "Though, for the life of me, I'm not sure whether to be elated that I'm finally working with Nozomi, or mildly intimidated by the new Squadron Leader..."
"Whats with Nozomi?" Yoshika asked curiously.
"O-oh! She's, um... she's a friend of mine," Lynette fumbled, realizing she hadn't told Yoshika about Nozomi yet.
Yoshika giggled. "Well I know that!" she giggled. "What I meant, is why is it so bad to be working alongside her?"
"Well, if you two don't need me, I'd best be off to go write that letter to the chapter president." Liz muttered, tapping her foot. "If I could have that photo back, please?
"O-oh! Yes! Here you are; sorry about that..." Lynette apologized as she handed the photo back to Liz.
"Much obliged." Liz said as she returned the photo to its place in her wallet. "Well, I suppose the next place I'll be seeing you is on Risa, so, ciao."
And with that, the two of them watched as Liz disappeared around the corner.
"So what do we do now?" Yoshika asked. "Have you packed your stuff for Risa?"
"Um... I guess I'm going to have to report in to the new squadron leader," Lynette replied. "I'm... not looking forward to it, to be honest..."
"Why not?" Yoshika asked.
"Well, I mean... talking to Nozomi's one thing, since she's an Ensign like myself, but... this Riverside girl? She's almost something of a folk hero; what if I don't immediately live up to her expectations?" Lynette explained, twiddling her thumbs nervously.
Yoshika smiled. "You'll be fine, trust me." She replied. She placeda reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Stop worrying."
The tension in Lynette's nerves dissipated as she felt Yoshika's soft, gentle hand cradling her shoulder. While it made her long for a day where she could finally say to Yoshika what she had been wanting to say for the past couple of months, she could at least take some mild relief that Yoshika would be there to assuage her troubles- perhaps not as a lover, but certainly as a friend.
"Thanks, Yoshika; I'm... I'm going to need it," she sighed.
"No problem. Go make a good impression, I'll see you later" she replied with a cute smile before heading out of the shuttlebay.
Lynette waved back, a faint shade of scarlet creeping up her cheeks as she did so.
Posting By (In Order Of Appearance):
Ensign Lynette Bishop
Fighter Pilot, USS Tokyo (NCC-91101)
Petty Officer, 1st Class Yoshika Miyafuji
Nurse, USS Tokyo (NCC-91101)
1st Lieutenant Elizabeth Beurling
Marine Executive Officer, USS Tokyo (NCC-91101)
Chief Warrant Officer Karuta Roromiya
Starfighter Air Boss, USS Tokyo (NCC-91101)
RSS Feed