Posted by Lieutenant Commander Avik (XO) in Avik’s Quarters-Side Sim: Family Ties

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Avik (XO) in Avik’s Quarters-Side Sim: Family Ties

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Avik (XO) in Avik’s Quarters-Side Sim: Family Ties
As Avik sat up in bed and twisted her legs about, her soles pressed into the floor. She stood upright then strided to her desk. A hand reached in for a mirror, letting the reflective surface show her appearance. Slight puffiness and delayed response in the irises were notable symptoms over her fitful slumber.

The XO exhaled then set the mirror down. Her eyes flickered to her personal PADD, noting the unread messages waiting for her. Avik bit her lip a moment before she flipped it on.

Two familiar voices erupted from the received data packet causing Avik to pause in her morning routine. She casually propped up the PADD, giving her a better view of her brother Kekec and sister-in-law Cassandra. While Kekec wore a deadpan expression, Avik could tell he was happy. The way he stood beside his human mate gave obvious signs there was no other place he rather be.

Her sharp ears caught their well wishes, catching up over their family’s situation, and requested she send one back soon. The screen went blank as she considered something.

–XO, Avik, Lt. Cmdr

Avik slowly settled back into her chair.
Her finger silently flipped through the numerous files one by one. Her eyes scanned each list until she finally found her target and lingered on it, letting several moments pass. Finally, Avik pressed the play button.

Music played in the background as the sounds drew her into her memories. They were fairly young and close, despite the small gap of twenty-eight years. He stood in front of her with his fingers eagle spread, looking like a ‘mime’ as most humans would say. She watched him carefully. Each of her movements mimicked him precisely in a well-known childhood game. She was only allowed to use her knowledge of him in order to predict his movements. Often Kekec attempted to trick her by making an illogical face or wild gesture, her failure to follow his pattern or his yield to stop the game resulting in the other gaining a point. The first individual to reach five points would win.

An unwanted emotion of depression washed over Avik. Her knuckles tightened and her heart pounded, her mind acknowledging the strange sensation. Slowly she inhaled then exhaled. Each breath released the tension she felt while she reined her emotions in, lessening the effect and retaining control over her demeanor. She abruptly shut off her PADD.

Her head rested into her palm to collect herself.

–XO, Avik, Lt. Cmdr

After several moments, Avik lifted her head upright.

Her eyes drifted to her personal PADD and turned it back on. Her hand flicked open a file causing Danse Macabre by composure Camille Saint-Saëns to play. It was time to move whether she wanted to or not. She ordered her daily breakfast of fruit oatmeal, bacon, and salad from the replicator then sat down to eat. Even as the various strings warred against the booming wind instruments in the music, her thoughts couldn’t help but drift.

*When was the last time she had spent time with her family? * The thought danced around her mind, her mouth carefully chewing her food. Her memories easily answered that. Between her XO responsibilities and habit to avoid uncomfortable situations, she had been practically been avoiding them for years. Logically she could argue it was because she was too busy, but it felt like a lie.

It was an issue she would later have to correct and in a satisfactory manner for both parties.

She idly brushed her fingers toward her calendar, then paused. It was nearing her brother’s birthday, an occasion she regrettably missed often. An idea began to slowly form in her head.

–XO, Avik, Lt. Cmdr

Avik tapped her fingers against the edge. Her bottom lip bit down and seemed to struggle with her, finally deciding on a course of action. She pulled up an email. A few quick taps began to write out a massage to her brother’s mate. A realization washed over the XO that she missed him and he wouldn’t say no to a visit, especially when they often spent his birthday together. With a final sign off, she hit entered then waited for the data packet to send off.

–XO, Avik, Lt. Cmdr