Quoth The Raven

Posted on Fri Oct 30th, 2020 @ 6:52am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Raven Mattel

Mission: Shore Leave
Location: Holodeck

ON:

Nyx was standing in the middle of a small, cosy living room. There was a fireplace in the middle of a white brick wall, watched by a small couch and two arm chairs either side. Behind this was a large floor-to-ceiling book case, a dark oak table off to the side surrounded by mismatched dining chairs, and a large window with a half-drawn linen curtain on the opposite wall. There were two entryways - one was a thick wooden door that lead into the neighbourhood street, the other was a small archway that lead to a corridor and after that, the rest of the quaint house. Outside, snow was falling across a quiet Copenhagen evening, the sounds of a winter night just casually wafting through. Nyx was not looking at the serene setting around him though, but instead down at his PADD. He tapped a few buttons and the room shifted slightly - the arm chairs disappeared and a Christmas tree appeared in the corner, all decked out in white lights.

Sliding his screen across, Nyx looked back to a picture he was using as a reference guide - this room, in reality, from a photo taken a few years prior. Emilie was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace, her stomach bulging in her eighth month of pregnancy. He noticed the tree was decorating in multi-coloured lights, not white ones, and turned back to his holodeck program to make the adjustments. It had to be a faithful recreation of their old living room; he was going to get every detail right.

Tap tap.

Nyx was so studiously studying his photo that at first he didn't hear the light knocking sound. He just kept on working, perhaps subconsciously dismissing it as the ambient noise of the weather settings for the program.

Tap tap.

This time, he heard it. Looking over to the doorway, Nyx growled, "Who is that? Who could be tapping at my door? I thought I had put privacy protocols on."

Striding over to the entrance, he pulled the door open with a show of great annoyance. However, he was only greeted by an empty, snowy street outside. Nyx leaned further out, white snow gently falling onto his head as he did, and looked around. Indeed, no one was there. The street was completely deserted. He peered deep into the darkness, standing for a long time in quiet confusion. But the silence was unbroken and the stillness giving no indication of anyone being around. Just the empty streets and nothing more.

Closing it shut again, Nyx returned to the centre of the living room. "Computer? Have I activated any holographic characters?" He asked aloud.

The Computer chimed, "Negative."

Tap tap.

"Then what is that?!" He growled with increasing irritation.

Nyx was halfway towards the door again when he realised the tapping was in fact coming from the window on the opposite wall. This side of the house held only a private garden, not the street outside, and no one could have been out there. Nyx was convinced there were bugs within his holodeck program, as he should not have been hearing this tap, tap, tapping, coming from outside. He would have been afraid if it were not for the incredibly low likelihood that anything dangerous could happen on this program, but he still felt pangs of fear flowing through him as he looked at the window.

Tap tap.

With trepidation, Nyx moved towards it and drew back the curtain in full, which revealed a familiar face standing right outside.

"Please let me in!" Raven begged from the garden, her voice shaking from the cold.

In a rush, Nyx quickly lifted up the pane and Raven made a rather undignified entrance. She practically jumped over the window sill and rolled onto the floor, causing Nyx to startle back in his spot. Raven tumbled but then staggered to her feet, before rushing over to the lit fireplace to warm up.

"RAVEN?" Nyx cried in alarm. "What are you doing here?"

Raven held out her hands desperately to the fireplace, hoping it would warm her quickly. Nyx got a proper look of her in the light of the fire, noticing she was wearing what appeared to be a giant black bird costume. Though it was damp and dripping from the winter outside, he could see two folded wings made of black feathers behind her back, only adding to his questions about what she was doing here and where had she come from.

"Can you explain this?" Nyx asked, desperately trying to make sense of what was happening.

"Never... more..." Raven shivered.

"What?" Nyx asked, moving closer to her.

"Never... more..." Raven repeated, trying to stop her teeth from chattering. "Never more will I sit there politely and wait my turn!"

"Oh my. Computer, increase room temperature to twenty-eight degrees." Nyx called out as he crossed the space to help brush off the snow that was covering his surprise guest. "Raven, I don't know what you're doing here, but this is highly inappropriate."

Despite her cold lips and pale cheeks, Raven was still able to give him a roasting side-eye. "Me?! Captain, with respect, I have been waiting on you!."

"You were waiting on me?" Nyx asked, his confusion still evident.

"Yes!" She replied testily. "For the the holodeck."

Nyx pulled over one of the arm chairs and allowed Raven to sit down while she warmed up, and he took a seat in the couch opposite. "Raven, I booked this time in the holodeck to create a personal program. I reserved this space for myself yesterday. I waited my turn like every one else, made a booking like every one else, I'm not taking any liberties here."

Raven shook her faux-feathered wings, the snow falling onto the carpet underneath, as she tried to strip off the layers of her costume. She was starting to feel warmer now, and wanted to see what damage had been done to her attire.

"Look, my wings have gone soggy!" She complained. "I was standing out there waiting because your booking finished forty five minutes ago, Captain. At first, I waited. I thought, he's the Captain, he's probably been through some hectic times lately, I'll give him a small allowance."

Nyx was shocked, "Raven, I would never -"

"Twenty minutes passed and nothing!" She continued, now trying to pat down her soddened costume. "So I tried to chime you. No response. That must have been the settings. Or I don't have clearance to hail the Captain. Whatever. Then after another fifteen minutes, I noticed you hadn't actually locked the doors so I thought, maybe you'd already left and accidentally kept the program running? Rude, but I can forgive it. So I come in. And it's snowing and it's cold and then - where the hell are we?"

"Copenhagen." Nyx replied, sinking into the couch. "I'm so sorry, I didn't realise what time it was -"

"Well! Then I get lost in your little Danish winter nightmare. Street after street of cute little townhouses. All vacant, though, which was a little creepy but still overall the place looks absolutely pleasant.... Why did you make the program so detailed? Why so many streets?" Raven was not abated.

"So we could go for a stroll." Nyx offered. "Emilie and the kids, and I. It's beautiful at night, especially around Christmas."

"Delightful." She said sarcastically. "Boy was I glad to finally find your location... only for you to leave me hanging outside while you check the front door. Then you had me climb through the window? Really?!"

Despite himself, despite how awful he felt for making Raven wait and get snowed on, Nyx couldn't help but laugh. She looked ridiculous in her half-human, half-bird looking attire, her face full of rage but also never losing her usual comedic disposition. He buckled over and starting laughing harder than he had in a long time. Raven at first was offended this, but seeing the joy in the ridiculousness of her predicament, she too started to giggle.

"Stop!" She cried, trying to hold back her own amusement. "It's not funny!"

"It is!" Nyx wheezed, rolling over and trying to cover his face as he laughed. Finally both of them were laughing too hard to keep talking.

[Later]

A short while later, Raven's costume was draped over the back of the arm chair facing the fire as it dried out. She sat on the couch wearing a dressing gown, as Nyx reappeared with two mugs of hot chocolates. He handed one to Raven, which she took with polite gratitude, and he took a seat in the other arm chair to the side.

"This is a nice place." Raven admitted. "Was it yours?"

Nyx nodded, as he blew on his hot drink. "The PADD there shows a photo of the real one. It was mine and Emilie's first apartment on Earth. We'd just arrived from Lucis, Emilie was pregnant with Katrine. It was our first home."

Raven took the PADD with her spare hand and looked at the picture on the screen. "Wow. You're recreating the whole thing? By yourself?"

"Trying to." Nyx shrugged, taking a tentative first sip of his hot drink. "It's an early Christmas present for my family. I figure, we could spend a few days here, just the four of us. Try to act like a normal family again."

She looked to the Captain and tilted her head slightly, "You're not normal now?" She asked with a slight grin.

"I mean, an Earth-based family." Nyx answered. "Being on active service changes everything. The kids are growing up on a starship, everything's artificial. I have a full-time dedication to the ship and crew, they're like a second family to me. It puts a lot of pressure on Emilie to hold everything together." He sighed, staring into the fire, "Sometimes it's too much. And I don't make it easier."

Raven heard his tone and nodded. She didn't know the Captain well enough to enquire into his personal life, but he seemed like he wanted to talk about it, "Trouble in the top decks, sir?"

Nyx gave a short laugh, "It does not get any easier the higher up the ship you go. Unfortunately, Emilie and I have been arguing over my choices. She thinks I'm being reckless, I think I'm trying to get the job done."

"Things have been exciting around here lately." Raven offered, "Is Emilie just speaking from a place of concern, maybe?"

"Of course she is." Nyx nodded, "But I just wish it came with a little bit more faith in me."

"Ah." Raven replied, sipping her drink. "That's a tough one to overcome."

"Tell me about it." Nyx sighed.

"You think a little slice of hometown memories will fix all that?" Raven asked with a slight frown.

"No," Nyx admitted, "But hopefully it'll show that we can have some normalcy while serving here. And that I am always thinking of them, no matter what's going on with the ship."

"Well I think it's sweet." Raven replied, "I'm sure they will love it."

"Thank you." Nyx nodded, taking another drink, "I hope so."

They sat in silence for a moment, both sipping their hot chocolates. Nyx looked at the costume drying on the armchair and smiled.

"Raven?" He enquired, "Why were you dressed like a bird?" He tried to say it normally but the question itself was nonsensical.

"For my show." Raven stated, not taking his tone, "Mindo has put myself and Terrekal in charge of event planning for Little Caesar's. I was hoping to put together a variety show once a month, kind of like the Talent Show we did once before. But more... of just my talent."

"Of course. I heard you had quite the reputation for entertainment back on Risa." Nyx replied with a cheeky grin.

"Don't worry, I'm taming it down for the jumpsuit crowd. Goodness knows I don't want to violate any Starfleet protocols." Raven smirked, "The raven costume is part of a three-song set where I perform a medley of bird-based songs, eventually transforming into a bright rainbow peacock. It's stunning. But I'm a little out of practice, I haven't performed the set for a while."

Nyx nodded along, "Sounds amazing. I hope the costume isn't ruined?"

Raven shrugged, "I may have to re-feather it."

"Oh I'm sure Iggy will be able to fix it." Nyx said casually, however Raven immediately stiffened at the mention of that name. Nyx noticed her change in body language and frowned, "Something... I said?"

"I don't always have to do everything with Ignatius, you know," She huffed, taking a larger swig of her drink.

"I'm sorry, I just assumed he would be doing your costuming." Nyx replied, "Is everything okay there?"

"Yeah, not really." Raven sighed, "We're in a bit of a funk and I'm probably at fault because I haven't been honest about how I feel. Counsellor Kaleri told me I just need to be honest and forthright with him."

Nyx nodded, feeling a spark of recognition for his own situation, "Good advice."

"I just need to work up the courage to do it." Raven replied, "Even though I don't know what to say."

"Well, maybe this is the perfect ice-breaker." Nyx said, "No pun intended. Tell him what happened to the costume and ask for his help fixing it."

Raven stood and moved closer to the fire, her fingers lightly touching the black feathers on the wings. She was standing in front of the fireplace now, casting a long shadow behind her, "Yeah, maybe I'll do that." She sighed, "You know, I thought the biggest problem when coming onboard would be the dangerous places we were going, and crazy races trying to attack us. In truth, I'm struggling most with the people onboard the ship."

"Because you're used to moving on?" Nyx offered, "I know how that feels. You change ships, change situations. Get a promotion, or find a new opportunity. I'm used to people flying in and out of my life. Sometimes you keep in touch, but most often once they've left, you don't really hear from them again. Here, though, we're all onboard together for the long haul. We have to make it work together, because we only have each other."

Raven looked back, the shadow moving with her, "What if we can't? What if we never make it work?"

"We've got plenty of time to try it," Nyx shrugged, still hopeful, "And I'm going to keep trying until Starfleet drags me off this ship. For now, we are here, together, that's all I need."

Raven was quiet for a moment, reflecting on the Captain's determination. "Like you with your family?"

Nyx nodded, "Exactly. I'll do whatever I can for them, too."

"Good," Raven beamed. She then had a thought and it brought her a wry smile, "Whether Temple sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore."

Nyx raised his eyebrows, but he smiled, "Something like that." He watched as Raven retook her seat on the couch, the room filling with light again. He felt lifted by this conversation, if only because it confirmed his resolution to keep trying to make everyone happy. They may have been cast into the shadow of trouble circumstances and moments that have tested their patience and connection, but he felt assured that they would see it through eventually.

After another pause, Nyx said jovially, "Hey you know you could have just asked the computer to pause the snow, right?"

Raven stared at him flatly, "I am never booking a session after you, ever again." She sighed and looked at the time on the PADD. "Looks like I've missed my session too."

"I'll take some liberties this time and get you another holodeck slot." Nyx replied. "it's the least I can do."

"Thank you, Captain," Raven nodded. She finished off her hot chocolate and Nyx stood, "I think I'll take my costume to Ignatius first, see if he can't fix it."

Nyx took the mug out of her offered hand and replied, "That's a very good idea."

"And you should talk to your wife." Raven boldly added, looking at him seriously. "This place is the perfect ice-breaker for you."

"It is." Nyx smiled, looking around at his handiwork. "After duty tonight, I'll bring her here and we'll have the chat."

"Perfect. And I will go chat to Iggy." Raven said resolutely. "Right now, in fact."

"Sounds like a plan." Nyx said as he moved towards the archway that lead to the kitchen, "But... Raven?"

"Yes Captain?" She looked inquisitively at him.

"When you leave, please use the front door this time." He replied, giving a boisterous laugh.

Nyx managed to make it into the corridor before a pillow came flying in his direction.

"Never more!" Raven cried after him.

OFF