Seeking Silence

Posted on Thu Aug 15th, 2024 @ 9:07pm by Lieutenant Fang Lee

1,126 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Lacertae Mortis
Location: Main Engineering| J-Tube Alcove #3 | USS Arcadia
Timeline: Curent

ON:

They were not far from the Gorn array. The buzz of excitement, or perhaps the fear of confrontation was driving the crew to work and to a state of alertness that for sure could not be maintained for long.

It had been this stress, this anxiety that had driven Zai to the alcove. It was a quiet place where he could meditate and try to block out the anxiety that he'd been sensing. If he were being accurate it was already starting to affect him in a not so positive way. It was the same on Capella when the first tribe and the other warriors attacked. The anxiety of his city, of his people, it was overwhelming. Now feeling it here and ... even though he wasn't a stranger to battle it was difficult for him to take.

He sat now, in the middle of the room staring up at the soft white glow of the lights on the ceiling. Zai found that if he focused on the lights... well that made the emotions a little easier to block out. Normally this was not an issue but as of late the lack of sleep and the nightmares were getting worse, they always did as his birthday approached, his real birthday, not the one he'd used to get into Starfleet.


Fang looked at the time again. Zai was late. They were supposed to have a shift change over an hour ago but Zai hadn't shown up and as per the logs he hadn't yet left engineering.

Fang tapped his fingers on the table. ~What is keeping him?~ He sighed. "Computer show location of Lieutenant Zai."

The computers response, although it may be puzzling to some was no mystery to Fang. When it said that Zai was not on sensor range he knew that Zai was, once again, in J-Tube #3. There was a small Alcove that was not penetrable for sensors. It wasn't very big but it had been the area that Zai had escaped to on their previous ship. Every ship had one. It was a place where, if the ship were taken over, the CO could hide. Not very known but for the senior staff they knew enough to keep out...all accept Zai.

Fang sighed again and shook his head. He would have to go and meet Zai there. Turning off his computer terminal he stood and headed down the main Engineering ladder towards his friend's hiding spot.

It didn't take long to find Zai. He was sitting on the floor his shoulders down and his head back watching the light above. Fang stood there a moment surprised that Zai hadn't sensed him yet. "You're an hour late for the shift change."

Zai startled and was on his feet and in an attack crouch within a second. "Zai!"

The voice had come from out of nowhere. He had shut himself off so much that he failed to hear Fang's approach. "Lee Fang! Do NOT sneak up on me."

Fang's eyes met his. "Whyyyy was I able to sneak up on you?"

Zai relaxed and sat back down. "I'm sorry I needed a quiet place...I needed to shut out the anxiety of everyone."

Fang was silent for a long time before he walked over and sat down beside his friend. "You have not been 'overwhelmed' by the anxiety of others in a long time."

Zai sighed. "Yeah."

Fang put an arm around Zai's shoulder. "I'm sorry. I know things have been busy. I should have noticed you were feeling off."

Zai pressed his lips together for a moment. "You have had to step into the chief engineer position while Ito is away. Work before friendship."

Fang clenched his teeth a moment and gave his arm, which was around Zai's shoulder, a shake, causing Zai's body to shake a bit. "Hey. That is not how this works. I will never be too busy, I should never be too busy to notice that you need to talk."

This time Zai did smile and Fangs lips answered in kind. There was something so pure and radiant about that smile, like it was rare to see a genuine one. There was also something familiar about it that Fang could not place. There were moments when Zai would look at him and those violet eyes would shine just as Xingtian's used to...but they were of the same tribe. It was not unusual those lavender eyes were a trait of the people Zai came from. Fang often thought they were what helped them with their empathy.

"It is getting late. You should go and rest. I can figure things out from your end of shift report."

Zai yawned. "I'm not tired. Besides it's quiet here."

"Calm before the storm."

Zai turned his head. "You are expecting the Gorn to be trouble?"

Fang removed his arm from around Zai's shoulders and Zai could swear that he felt a wave of cold whereas a moment ago he'd felt safe and warm. He shook it off. No, he couldn't think like that. How many times had he let himself be lost in memories that were bittersweet.

"The Gorn are always trouble."

"Well I am hoping that this time they will not be." Zai was quiet for a moment. "Can you speak with the Rec supervisor again from Ops? I wish to swim tonight."

Fang gave a nod. "Indeed. Let's go, you should not stay here long. We are permitted here but only for a short time and you, are not supposed to know about this place, only senior staff."

Zai gave a nod. He stood and offered his hand to Fang.

Fang grabbed Zai's arm just underneath the elbow with a tight grip that Zai returned to Fang's arm. He pulled and the man stood in one fluid motion. The two headed out and after a quick rundown of what was left to complete Zai left with Fang standing at the door watching. His forehead creased as he watched Zai go. Something was bothering his friend and he knew not what it was. He knew that Zai would tell him when and if he needed to but as of late the waiting had become hard. He was seeing the toll this was taking on Zai.

He shook his head to clear it and then turned back to the ship. They had a lot to do and shields to check before they were at the Gorn array. He understood Zai wanting some time away, Seeking Silence, gods help him he even needed that himself but it didn't look like he'd get it. He had his list of things to do. On his break he would check on his friend.

OFF:

 

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