PL - Lia Fanelli Part 1 (First Assignment Part 9)

Posted on Mon May 15th, 2023 @ 4:51am by Ensign Kato Reon

1,244 words; about a 6 minute read

PL - Lia Fanelli Part 1
By Ensign Kato Reon

      Personal log, supplemental,

            I just got back from the party my crewmates had here on Earth. I got to meet some of the crew, including a few of the senior staff. I got to briefly meet Captain House who is the crew's XO who actually took it upon himself to cook some of the food served at the huge grill there. The one senior officer I was able to have a somewhat longer conversation with than the rest was the Chief of Security, Lieutenant Sheme. She seemed really nice. A little serious for my taste, but definitely someone I already can tell I can rely on while in the most stressful of times on duty. The food was really good and the ambiance was really comfortable. I'm glad whoever threw it, whether Starfleet or the brass, or even the Commodore herself, being a spacebound flag officer of the brass herself. Only problem is, I'm finding it a little difficult to sleep. I don't know what to do with myself right now. It's 2200 hours and I want to make sure I get up early enough tomorrow before boarding the ship while getting enough rest. End Log.

      Reon was in his bed in his quarters at the Academy barracks. Laying on his back with his hands behind his head and looking at the ceiling, thoughts racing about what he will experience once he's finally aboard the ship. Everything from what the transporter room would look like in person or the warp core, or being only able to see space most of the time out his window instead of the blue vs space-like blackness of the Earth sky every day. It made his heart almost start to pound. He had already tossed and turned for over an hour before finding that position, so he started just thinking. He knew though, that he had to do something else because he didn't want to have to turn to other methods of trying to get sleep if he didn't have to.
      Finally, something in his being told him to get out of bed. He put on casual clothing for the outdoors, and while he put on his new shirt, he looked outside his window and saw, obviously, there was little activity out on the quad that late at night. Occasionally he would see someone who was working late, or a Vulcan walking or someone of another species who didn't normally require much sleep, but nothing like the daytime. Once he was ready, he took a walk out into the night.
      The weather was warm, somewhat humid, and the environment was quiet. There was enough light to see around the campus though. Whenever he would see anyone walking, it would be someone he didn't know. He still couldn't help but he distracted by thoughts about what he will do or see once he's aboard the Aldrin.
      "Uf!" he exclaimed after turning a sharp corner at a building. When he looked at who he had just bumped into, it was another Starfleet officer in a blue shirted uniform. Female, a little shorter than Reon, brunette hair, blue eyes, and light skin. He had to admit she looked familiar, and by the expression she gave when she laid eyes on him, it seemed like she knew who he was too. Especially since they were gripping onto each other's upper arms in response to the bump, which many people tend to do in reaction to that, "I'm so sorry..."
      "Kato?" she said, leaning her head back a little and giving him a double take as she let go of him.
      "Yeah..." he replied, letting her go too, "So I'm guessing you know me, and I'll admit, you look familiar."
      'Well I hope so," she said casually, "I'm Lia Fanelli," she waited for a response from him, but he still looked clueless, "We actually had a class together somewhere each of our four years in the Academy," again, he looked confused, "You dated my best friend, Latika Bey?"
      He took a moment to think, then still shook his head slowly, not remembering who she was talking about, "Uh.... Name doesn't ring a bell... You sure it was me?"  
      "What? You two dated for over six months in sophomore year. You also dated Shiva ch'Thaliannorin."
      "Don't remember the name either." he had to admit.
      "Debra Culpepper?" she said. She saw him shake his head, "Jali?" which he shook his head to again, "Tava Genun?" then she sighed heavily, "Okay, how about Raanis?"
      That was when he finally snapped his fingers, "Ohhhh yes. I definitely remember her."
      "So of all of them, you remember a girl you only went on two dates with?"
      "Well yeah, anyone I don't care who you are... Would remember being involved with a crazy Orion Woman. Come on now..." he chuckled, to which she gave out a slight chuckle of her own in response, which made him raise his eyebrow, "Wait, how do you know so much about my dating history? You follow me a little closer than you probably should?"
      She shrugged, "Well... You were always around. And you were kind of known as a ladies man. But how I really knew you was... Do you remember one day when you were walking down the north quad with someone, you saw someone getting bullied by a quartet of mean Hermats behind the main logstics building sometime during Freshman year?"
      He took a moment to think, "Hmm.... Yeah, I think I do. I was trying to get close to one of the girls in my spatial dynamics class when I saw a human girl getting kicked around by four Hermats. I was shocked to see that no one was helping her, so I...." then he realized, "That was you?"
      Fanelli nodded, "Yeah. You got in between all of them and told them off. They looked like they were about to attack you too, but for some reason, they backed off. They never bothered me again."
      "Wow, I have to admit.... I didn't recognize you. And I'm sorry I don't remember really seeing you after that day..."
      "That's okay," she said with a somewhat awkward sigh, "but I just wanted to say.... Thank you."
      "It was nothing...."
      "No, it was..." she assured him, "You see, I've come from quite a battered upbringing. I joined Starfleet because I knew I always had the brains to. I thought it would help me build my character to where I wouldn't let my past get to me anymore. When you saved me from that situation, it really woke me up. Made me feel like I don't have to be a doormat anymore. That, standing up for myself never can go wrong, and that there are good people out there, even if they are guys who date half the quadrant by the time you finally meet them."
      He chuckled again, "I appreciate that... And I'm glad to see that you were able to stick to your career path and be an officer of the future," he took a moment to think again, then with a smirk, he folded his arms, "Say, if you have some time, would you like to grab a bite? Maybe tell me some more about yourself and vice versa. I'm sure you're wondering why I'm still here when we already graduated months ago."
      Fanelli nodded and smiled, "I'd love to."

TBC

 

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