One Step Closer

Posted on Mon May 29th, 2023 @ 7:40pm by Lieutenant JG Jericho (Marsh) Aldaje

Mission: Starship Side Quest
Location: Starbase
Timeline: Before going to the USS Relentless

While She waited to board the USS Relentless, Jericho couldn't help feeling as if something had been stolen from her. As she sat alone in the messhall of the base, she watched people come and go. That was how it usually was for her--Jung So was her only friend but he wasn't usually by her side all the time. They met up when she returned home, and sometimes Jung So would visit her on board what ship she'd be stationed on, but her life was slowly flowing away with her wandering the galaxy alone.

Talon pushed to her hind legs and rested her front paws on Jericho's thigh forcing her to look down at the husky. When Talon set her head on Jericho's thigh, Jericho shoved the rest of her burrito into her mouth and patted her pet's head.

"I'm okay," she told the dog in Korean. "You don't always have to be so worried about me."

Talon made a sound in her throat then went back to lying by Jericho's feet. Tilting her head, she watched the dog for a moment then went back to her meal. After about an hour of sitting there, she checked the time and realized the Relentless was there but she had plenty of time before she had to report on board.

Gathering her things, she took Talon on a walk--an extra long one like she usually did before reporting on board. She stopped at the market to pick up a few things she would only get from the replicators on board but liked the real thing better.

"Lt. Aldaje?" A tentative voice called her name.

Talon growled.

"Talon." Jericho called. "Sit."

Talon didnt right away. She stared at the Andorian woman.

"Talon!" I barked.

She sat but didn't take her eyes off her.

Jericho lifted her eyes to the intruder into her private space and frowned. It wasn't hard to forget her. Ensign Bohl Th'otithrot took it upon herself to be in directo competition with Jericho in the academy. She'd tried her best to one up Jericho on everything and each time she failed, Ensign Bohl Th'otithrot would become angrier and angrier.

At one point, she was place on a psychiatric hold--Jericho didn't know if that had anything to do with the competition or not.

The only win Ensign Bohl Th'otithrot had gotten was a human guy she didn't really want but went after because she found out Jericho had her eyes on him. When she floated into the room to tell Jericho that her and the guy were now dating, Jericho had smiled and stepped in close.

"You can keep the boy." Jericho told her. "I'll take top of our graduating class."

Jericho wasn't sure why Bohl Th'otithrot thought that would bother her. Though Jericho had dated a little, being a relationship had never been at the forefront of her mind. She'd spent much of her energy succeeding at the Academy and staying under the radar, praying no one would find out who her father was.

The scream Bohl Th'otithrot let out that day was like the world ending.

Now, Jericho had the rank of Lt.Jg and Bohl Th'otithrot was still at Ensign.

There was something wrong there--sure, not everyone moved up in the ranks at the same rate. Some went faster than others, but to still be stuck at Ensign with her aptitude--something was definitely not right and her superiors could feel it as well.

"What can I do for you, Ensign?" I asked, straightening my spine.

"Congratulations on your promotion." She squeaked.

I tilted my head. "We were never friends, Ensign."

"Do we have to be friends for me to congratulate you, Lt?" Bohl Th'otithrot asked.

"In your case?" Jericho asked. "Kind of. You've never had a kind word to say to me ever since the day we met. While I'm still unsure of why you hated me so much, I'm still not over the fact that you couldn't have seen we were both women and should stand together and fight for our dreams. I really do not wish to be your friend."

Bohl Th'otithrot hung her head. "My apologies."

"There was a time when that would have meant something." I told her.

Whistling, Jericho turned to leave.

Talon trotted after her.

Jericho stopped. "And Ensign. There's a lesson to be learned her. Though we may be different species, life is tough enough being women. We cannot aford to further set divides between us. There is enough room at the table for all of us and you have to do better."

"Yes, ma'am." Bohl Th'otithrot nodded.

Giving her one final look, Jericho continued out of the area with Talon at her side.

"Come on, girl." Jericho grinned down at her friend. "We have a new place to learn and new adventures to experience. I sincerely think this is about to be very interesting. What do you think?"

Talon barked.

Jericho laughed. "Me too, girl. Me too."