What are friends for?

Posted on Sun Jul 21st, 2024 @ 10:34pm by Commander Scarlet Blake & Civilian Lily Blake & Lieutenant JG Aria Rice

2,465 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: To Boldly Go
Location: Mars Station - Observation Lounge
Timeline: Day 2 - before the crew board the Fenrir

[ON]

Lieutenant Junior Grade Aria Rice's non-regulation boots could be heard on the non-carpeted floor of the corridor. Rather than the noise-reducing material, the decks here were metal and the sound of the heels on it wasn't uncommon, just loud. But the dark-haired Security Officer didn't care as she walked with determination.

She had spent the last year on the edges of Federation space, on the USS Saratoga, chasing pirates and smugglers, warning off enemies of the Federation and learning. If anything, she had learned to smile more, and that compassion was still the best thing about Starfleet. Being back in the Sol system though? It felt good. She had already ordered things off Earth to be delivered to her here, clothes and shoes and all the things she had missed because replicated just wasn't as...good? No, that wasn't the word. She liked nice things and being able to say they had been made by people rather than the replicator felt good! Like passions showed and loved.

But the extra pep in her step was more about who she was here to see. Where she had been transferred to was one thing but for her it was more about seeing Scarlet and Lily again. She had missed them. Sure, she had sent subspace messages, even recorded stories for Lily, but it wasn't the same. And after a year of being out there, so far from everyone?

There was a large observation lounge here, where she had agreed to meet them. Because just showing up unannounced wasn't good. Why was she nervous? She was a little bit nervous. It was weird.

"Aaaaaariiiiiiaaaaa!" the gleeful shout of a young girl echoed through the lounge. Without warning, the child bounded across the room and half collided, half grappled Aria's slender legs. "I missed you so much!" Lily Blake declared in a muffled voice from the fierce embrace.

Aria laughed as she reached down, stroking her hair. "My water-Lily! I missed you so much..." she reached and pulled her from her legs, to lift her up in a proper hug. "So, so, so much! You've gotten so tall!" she met her eyes, watching her with a smile.

"I'll be as tall as you soon!" Lily laughed warmly, hugging her tight before nuzzling her face to her hair affectionately. "Where you been! Tell me everything! Every...little...thing!"

Aria laughed as she watched her with love before kissing her hair. She put her down, holding her hand. "That I can do," she said, quickly. "All my adventures patrolling the boarder between the Federation and everyone else!" she looked over at Scarlet, smiling to her.

Scarlet Blake chuckled softly as she caught up with a leisurely stroll, her hands lowering to settle on her hips. "You're looking good, Aria...whatever you were up to over the last year suits you...."

"Oh, keeping the Federation safe," she winked before she moved to her. She hugged her, smiling warmly. "Doing this now while I still get away with it...Captain..." she pulled back and met her eyes, excitement making her positively bouncy.

Scarlet laughed softly as she held her at arm's length to get a proper look at her. "Sorry if you lost a bet after that particular promotion," she teased.

"Don't worry bout it, what's a bottle of Romulan ale between me and Stark," Aria smiled as she met her eyes, holding them. "So...excited? Your own command...your own ship." And she watched Scarlet for any sign of a fib. She better be excited because Aria was.

"I mean, being 'excited' would probably be unseemly for a Captain..." Blake replied, but there was a small smile threatening at the corner of her lips as she rested her hands at the small of her back, looking out of the viewport to the ships waiting. "Let's say...invigorated."

"Fine, invigorated then," Aria said as she laughed, her eyes shining as she picked Lily up. "Thanks for requesting me. It made it so much easier when I requested the transfer as well. Although I think that the bar at the 'Toga will miss my patronage. Oh! Does this one have a bar? Please say it does..."

Scarlet actually rolled her eyes despite her best efforts...but she chuckled all the same. "Yes, Aria, there is a bar. Valhalla...let's hope the name does not turn out to be literal, hm?"

Aria laughed and looked at Lily, her eyes shining. "Oh, I am sure it will not. I brushed up on my Norse weirdness when I was on the Norway a lifetime ago. In Valhalla they drink and eat. It'll be fun..." she looked at Scarlet, her eyes shining. "You know what is going to be brilliant? That I get to spend loads of time with you two."

"You mean it?" Lily looked up to Aria with wide blue eyes that were full of hope. She'd missed her multi-coloured princess after all. None of the other babysitters had made cupcakes with her for a start...

"Yeah!" Aria laughed as she touched her cheek. "I do. And we can finally start those dance lessons if you still want to learn." A year was a long time for a kid after all. She might not want to anymore.

"Yeah!" Lily's eyes lit up with excitement at the mention...not just because she wanted to learn, but because it meant she could watch Aria dance too. She was just magical when she danced. "Can I have a tutu?" she whispered up to her, knowing without looking that her mother would roll her eyes if she heard.

Aria nodded, smiling as she looked at her. "Once you got good enough then yes...a tutu. But first you practice without one. They can make things harder so best to start without," she said, her voice a whisper back to the child.

"Why don't you come and join us for lunch?" Scarlet asked with a small, half smile. Despite the casual demeanour, she hoped she would say yes. She'd missed the vibrant woman. She was a breath of fresh air compared to some of the more straight laced officers in the fleet...and she included herself in that group.

"Yes please," Aria smiled as she met her eyes, holding Scarlet's eyes. "We have so much to catch up on as well. Like, a whole year!" she looked at Lily and winked before she gave the hand a little squeeze. "And I am hungry."

"Yay!" Lily grinned, tugging at Aria's hand to pull her back towards their table. " 'Scuse me...'scuse me....Princess coming through..." she declared boldly as she tried to lead her through the throng.

Scarlet struggled to keep her face straight, walking close to Aria so she could lower her voice. "Missed the royal treatment?" she teased.

"I did," Aria grinned as she looked at Scarlet, with shining eyes. "No one else calls me a Princess. It gets to my head."

"Shame," Scarlet chuckled softly, shaking her head with a small smile of amusement, having missed the easy banter with the other woman. It was Aria's vibrant nature that made it easy, she was sure of that much. It certainly wasn't any kind of easy going nature on her own side. "I'm not sure she would have forgiven me if I hadn't of requested your transfer," she teased.

"Oh, I wouldn't have forgiven you," Aria said with a smile, watching her with warmth. "I had enough time out there, ready for new adventures. Especially with you two. And a new, shiny, retrofitted ship! All ready for new adventures sailing amongst the stars..." she sighed as if it was the most romantic thing ever.

"Think we'll find dragons this time?" Lily grinned as she scrambled up onto her chair, pulling her tall drink close to bow her head over the bright red and white striped straw.

Aria sat down, smiling as she looked at her. "I don't know...dragons can be elusive. Only show up when they want to be found," she said and looked at Scarlet, taking her in for a moment. Scarlet Blake. With her own ship. Aria knew how hard she had worked for it. Knew how much it meant to her. "So, tell me about the ship," she suddenly said.

"It's a Viking ship!" Lily grinned, capturing Lt. Patch, a slightly singed teddy bear, and tucking him under her arm.

"She means it's a Norway class," Scarlet arched an eyebrow to Aria, taking a hold of her coffee as she settled back in her chair. "She's just been refitted, so to all intents and purposes we have a new ship on our hands. And Admiral Takahaya is adamant that we will be using her for the purpose of diplomacy..." there was a glint of humour in her eyes as she said that. The ex-marine hadn't imagined that she would be first pick for such a mission.

Aria grinned at the idea, looking at Scarlet. "Well, clearly they know you get things done," she said before she lowered her voice to be playful. "Hopefully they put an actual diplomat there too to soften it. I can already see it. A banquet...and someone being snobbish and insulting...and finally you getting enough and needing an excuse...oh! I can pretend to be your yeoman, say something important has come up, and then your First Officer or Chief Counselor or someone else gets to do the boring bits and we go exploring!"

"I knew I'd find a use for you if I brought you onboard," Scarlet teased lightly, shaking her head with a slight smile pulling at her lips. "Patience is not my forte. Let's say that's what First Officers are for..."

"Of course it is! You've done your stint of that, time someone else did it. And I am here to remind you that you might be in the big chair, but it doesn't mean you get to grump your way across the galaxy," Aria said teasingly, her eyes warm with playfulness. There was some truth in it. She would not let Scarlet drown in the weight of the Captain's chair.

"I suppose you are just about tiny enough to be the conscience cricket on my shoulder..." Scarlet quirked an eyebrow at her with the outrageous jibe that she was pretty sure no one else would get away with. She lifted a hand ready to defend herself in case she didn't get away with it either...

Aria gasped, eyes widening and she did a playful swat at her. "If anything, I am Tinkerbell!" she declared with a smile. "Jiminy Cricket my ar....backside..." she corrected quickly.

"You'd make a 'mazing Tinkerbell," Lily chipped in at hearing the comment, a grin coming to the young girl as she swung her legs where she sat forward on her chair.

"I would, wouldn't I!" Aria winked as she looked at Lily, reaching out to touch her hair with love. She had missed the girl. Just as she had missed Scarlet. Maybe it was strange, she felt closer to Scarlet, Lily and her best friend Gabriel Stark than her own family. A Starfleet family, chosen by fate and luck and just...well, she wasn't a philosopher so who knew. It just felt good to see Scarlet and Lily again.

"You gonna chase the baddies again?" Lily asked with open curiosity, leaning on the table with both arms as she watched with blue eyes filled with awe.

Aria laughed as she looked at her. "Well, I am hoping that what I will do is less chasing baddies and...more keeping people safe," she said and touched her cheek. "After all, there's more to my job than running around with a phaser. It's making sure everyone is following the rules and no one is taking any unnecessary risks."

If they'd been alone, Scarlet would have been tempted to make a joke about it, but she appreciated the good lesson that she was teaching Lily. Although the girl looked a little confused at the whole spiel. As a child who was in love with all things knights and castles, she clearly struggled with the more complex idea. "Aria's been telling pirates off..." she chuckled softly at seeing the look of awe and excitement pass over Lily's features.

"And smugglers! Don't forget them," Aria said as she looked at Scarlet, smiling at it. She had seen the confusion in Lily and was grateful Scarlet had guided it back to what excited Lily. "But I missed you so when your Mummy got this ship...I had to come. And luckily, Starfleet agreed."

"I missed you too...!" Lily took it as an open invitation to climb up into Aria's lap, watching her with a grin. "No one's hair's as good as yours."

"Really? Wow!" Aria smiled as she wrapped her arms around her, watching her with love. "Well, I am happy to braid your hair if you want me to. Now that I am back, I'm more than happy to spend time with you two, or when Mummy has to be all Captain and have meetings when you're not in class."

"You don't have to," Scarlet said softly with a slight frown, not wanting Aria to think she expected her to suddenly start picking up after them.

"Duh, not about having. I don't *have* to be awesome, I just am," Aria said quickly, smiling as she held Lily, her eyes on Scarlet. "You're going on an amazing adventure. You need your best sidekick around for that."

Scarlet couldn't help but give a conceding smile to that, shaking her head even as she laughed softly at the turn of phrase. "You talk too much to be a sidekick..."

Aria laughed as she shook her head. "Nope," she said, firmly. "You know the stories...Captain Kirk this...Captain Kirk that. And we both know I am not an Ambassador Spock. So..." she winked before she looked at Lily. "I get to have fun being the one in the shadows, throwing sparkles at everyone."

Lily gasped with wide eyed realisation, covering her mouth with both hands. "Like a wizard!" she declared with a dramatic voice before giggling at the image created; multi-coloured hair Aria as a Wizard, shooting colourful sparkles from her hands and staff.

"Exactly!" Aria agreed, motioning to Lily. "Every story needs a wizard to help guide the heroes. Like Gandalf, or Carolinus, or Merlin..." she smiled innocently to Scarlet, almost wriggling in her seat with her energy.

Scarlet sighed, resting her forehead in her hand for a long moment, shaking her head theatrically. "Don't make me regret signing your transfer order..."

OFF:

Commander Scarlet Blake
Commanding Officer

Lily Blake
Civilian Child

Lieutenant JG Aria Rice
Assistant Chief Security

 

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