Alone

Posted on Thu Apr 10th, 2025 @ 1:01am by Lieutenant JG Nezuko & Lieutenant Talia Johnson

854 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Andromeda
Location: Talia’s Office
Timeline: The night after “The Worst Duty”

It was late on the first night things were calm after their unintended journey. The first opportunity for Nezuko to check in on her friend.

Thomas was gone. Where he was, whether he was safe or even alive, no one knew. Nezuko’s friend was missing, but it was Talia’s husband. The father of her unborn child.

Despite the hour, Talia was still in her office. It made sense. Her own room, alone, would be hard. So she chimed the door and waited.

Talia had sensed Nezuko’s approach, calling for Nezuko to enter she offered the best smile she could muster from where she sat next to a pile of bedding she’d brought in to set up on her office sofa for sleeping. “Hi Nezuko.”

The Amphea sat next to her friend on the couch, sliding some of the bedding over, and gave her a big hug. She didn’t need a semi-psychic rapport to see how much Talia was hurting.

Talia hugged Nezuko back holding onto her tightly until she finally let go. “He’s gone Nezuko, Tom is…gone.” She clenched her hands together as she spoke. “I couldn’t feel it at first because of the sedatives I had in my system, but my bond with Tom is…” she paused. “It’s not there…a bond only breaks after…” she stopped talking fighting back tears.

Nezuko typed messages on her PADD, uncertain how well any kind of telepathy would work given how Talia was feeling. There is always hope. It may have broken, and many things may have gone wrong, but we don’t know for certain that he is truly gone.

After Talia read it, she added quickly But you don’t need to hold back your feelings with me. I’m your friend and I’m here for you.

Talia nodded as she wiped her eyes. "Thank you Nezuko, I don't know what I'd do without you!" She took a few moments to calm herself down, she didn't need to complicate her pregnancy by raising her blood pressure too much. "I'm not giving up hope, I refuse to give up hope!"

Nezuko set her PADD down and held both of Talia’s hands in hers for just a moment. Just to reinforce the idea that Nezuko also had hope, they would hold out hope together.

She then picked up the PADD to type again. You’re sleeping here then? She then gestured to the bedding.

Talia nodded. “I was going to, I can’t face being in our quarters alone, unless…” She gave Nezuko a teary eyed look. “Would you mind if either I stayed with you, or you stayed with me?”

I’ll stay with you, Nezuko wrote. In your quarters. Mine will be harder for you. She would just need to get a nightguard for her rebreather. She was pretty sure she’d left one in Thomas and Talia’s quarters anyway.

She stood and gestured for Talia to follow. The bedding could be cleaned up later. The sooner they got settled comfortably, the sooner Talia could relax with the comfort of knowing someone who cared for her was there.

Talia nodded. "Thank you Nezuko, I don't know what I'd do without you." she offered the best smile she could muster.

Nezuko gestured between the two of them and then clasped Talia’s hand. The symbol was clear: we’re in this together.

“The Captain came to see me” Talia wiped away a few tears. “To make it official, that Thomas is lost.” She took a deep breath. “Of all the things I saw coming I didn't even consider this, being a single parent and a widow.”

It was always a possibility, Nezuko knew. She had lost friends over the years. Doctor Febin had been a potential very close friend, snatched away during the crash in the nebula. And now Thomas. And it being official. Lost wasn’t confirmed dead, of course, but still, its official-ness gave it ana air of permanence.

They were soon in Talia’s quarters, eerily empty. She replicated herself some sleepwear and a mouthguard. She quickly signed that she would get changed and Talia should go lie down.

Talia nodded as she headed into the bedroom, pausing to look at the bed that now seemed cold and empty without Thomas. Sighing she changed out of her uniform and got ready for bed.

Nezuko came out in pink silk pyjamas and clipped the guard onto her mouthpiece. It wasn't too uncomfortable and it guaranteed that her respirator wouldn't fall out of her mouth while she slept. She lay down next to Talia, not in Thomas's spot, but rather in the middle, so she could hold her friend tight.

Moving closer to Nezuko, Talia wrapped the covers around and cuddled up. She was more tired than she wanted to admit, and it didn’t take her long to start drifting off to sleep.

END


Lieutenant Talia Johnson
Chief Counselor, USS Tokyo

Lieutenant jg Nezuko
Chief Operations Officer, USS Tokyo

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