Sage Advice, Camping, and Smores
Posted on Wednesday, 26 May 2021 - 10:26am by Commander Soral & Lieutenant JG Maximus Mackenzie & Lieutenant JG Hayashi Hamura
Mission:
Operation: Neu Reich
Location: USS Standing Bear | Holodeck
Timeline: 2394 MD 13
ON:
Soral stoked the fire on the holodeck. It had been a long time since he’d engaged in camping. His mind was there but also not there.
“It’s been a long time since the three of us did this,” Mac said sipping his coffee.
Hayashi said nothing.
Mac looked at his two companions. “Okay… what the hell is wrong with you two?”
Hayashi looked up. “Nothing. Just lost in thought I guess.”
Soral looked up. “I too was examining my thoughts.”
Mac sighed. “Alright, out with it. I know that if you two are like this then it has to do with Alex for you,” he said pointing at Soral. “And I’d say engines with you but you’re too sad so I’d say similar issues to that one,” he again pointed to Soral. “Until you two fess up we can’t enjoy this camping trip. We only have the holodeck until tomorrow evening.”
Hayashi got up. “Yeah… I need to take a walk.”
Mac watched Hayashi go and turned to Soral. “Are you messing with people again? I swear if you’re playing cupid with Hayashi…”
“They are made for one another, two sides of a coin.”
Mac groaned. “What is it with you and matchmaking?” Oh, Haru had said that all Vulcans fancy themselves matchmakers but this was ridiculous. “Do you know that our ship is being referred to as the love boat?”
“Indeed.”
“Who are you trying to set poor Hayashi up with?”
“Ensign Sety.”
“The Captain’s yeoman! I mean come the hell on! Didn’t you try this with Eyelaya and Grol?”
Soral looked up. “Yes, and had she lived they would have been happy. As for Hayashi and Sety they both yearn for the same thing. Hayashi has always wanted love and has expended an incredible amount of energy flirting with people but never carrying it through due to fears based on past rejections. Sety, from my information, is a hopeless romantic who, if I am right, will accept Hayashi and honor Hayashi for the truly incredible person that …”
There was a crunch of wood and both looked up in time to see Hayashi strolling their way.
Soral stopped speaking and watched as Hayashi came back and sat down. “I could use help from you both.”
Soral raised an eyebrow and Mac just sighed. He wasn’t going to win this argument with Soral. Hadn’t he learned by now. “Alright,” he said to Hayashi.
“My roommate…Oriana Sety and I have been flirting.”
Mac snorted. “Don’t you flirt with almost every woman? I mean Alex, the other red head….”
“This is different butt hole!”
Mac rolled his eyes. “We have to teach you better insults.”
Soral waved a hand. “You were saying it is different.”
Hayashi sighed. “Yeah. This woman…I feel like I’ve met her before. As if we are connected in some way as if…our souls are connected.”
Soral gave Mac what could only be termed as a smug look. “I see. Have you talked with her, as I told you earlier?”
“Not yet. I just…”
“Fear.” Mac said. “You are afraid she will reject you, not accept your truth.”
Hayashi shrugged. “I’m going off a life time of hurts here.”
“Perhaps all your broken roads have led you to this moment,” Soral said.
“Oh MY GOD!” Mac stood. “If you start singing that old Earth song again, I’m going to light your Vulcan ass on fire!”
Hayashi smiled at the two of them.
“I would suggest you save that talk for Haru,” Soral said.
Hayashi burst out laughing just as Mac launched himself at Soral. It took a minute of grappling but Mac collapsed thanks to a well-placed nerve pinch.
Hayashi wiped tears of laughter. “You know he’s going to be soooo angry when he wakes up.”
“Indeed. Now you were saying.”
Hayashi chuckled. “He is right though; you do brake into the oddest love songs on camping trips. Shall we not do that this time?”
Soral sighed. “Very well I shall not sing for now, however my comment still sands. Perhaps none of the other relationship worked out because they were not right. You said she flirts with you. Like the others?”
Hayashi sighed. “No, not exactly. This is deeper. I can’t explain it but there is a security in how we flirt like it’s the easiest thing and I think she likes me…I…”
“One cannot live in fear, Hayashi. You must speak your truth to her and let her decide. But equally I think she has her own hidden secrets.”
Hayashi sighed. “I know she does. She’s said so.”
“Are you afraid to hear her truth?”
“NO!”
“Will you judge her harshly or listen with an open heart?”
“Open heart.”
“Then why are you not giving her the same opportunity to listen to your truth with an open heart? What does your…gut tell you?”
“You’re Vulcan, Vulcan’s don’t believe in guts.”
“Hayashi, you are avoiding the question.”
Hayashi sighed. “How do I start the conversation?”
Soral considered that. “With the truth. Ask her to listen and not speak until you’ve said what you have, confess your feelings, your past, and tell her your truth.” It wasn’t lost on him that he just gave advice that he himself should take with Alexandra.
“I guess. Next week we both have a day off so I guess I’ll talk to her then.”
“Indeed, I shall hold you accountable.”
“What about you Senpai? Will you speak with Alex?”
He sighed. “I will. I shall expect you to hold me accountable as well.”
Hayashi gave a nod.
Soral looked at Mac and then stood setting him on the sleeping bag and covering him with a blanket. He returned to the fire. “I think it is time for the mellows of the marsh.”
Hayashi laughed. “Marshmallows Senpai. “ Hayashi looked at Mac. “He’ll be pissed that he missed smores you know.”
“He shouldn’t have tried to fight me.”
Hayashi laughed. “This happened the last time we camped too. Sometimes you two are like kids.”
Soral smiled, “Perhaps.”
They spent the rest of the night toasting smores and talking. Mac woke halfway through the night and after a good five minutes of yelling accepted a smore as a peace offering.
Hayashi felt happy for the first time in a long time. Three friends picking up where they left off when they’d last served together. This was going to be an interesting ship.
OFF:
