One Way Ticket

Posted on Thu Aug 18, 2016 @ 10:52pm by Civilian 'Arrival' Selah Zanaz

1,250 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Interlude - Day 1
Location: Docking Ring, Deck 201
Timeline: MD01 - 2300 hours

The way back to the docking terminals had been significantly easier than finding the drop off point in the first place. Selah had come to the docking port and it was closed off. The shuttle she flew in on nowhere to be seen. What the... She thought to herself as she was trying to find the nearest communication terminal. The United Federation of Planets logo lazily spun on the screen waiting for a new command. Even if the shuttle was departing they should've contacted her. She was on the passenger list, they wouldn't leave without at least checking where she was, they knew she was flying back with them.

Selah put in the contact details for her boss back on her home planet. That snivelling bastard would have to arrange for a new ticket. It took a long time for him to answer the incoming call.

The screen jumped to life and showed a grumpy Andorian looking back at her. His white hair and half open eyes showing that she must have woken him up.
"What is it now? It's the middle of the night!"

"Your friend left me here on the station, Tyr'aeir" Selah spat at him, she took a sharp breath in through her nose and waited for him to respond to her.

Tyr'aeir his eyes opened up a bit as he slowly leaned forward in his chair.
"And why wouldn't he?"

That was a response Selah had not anticipated.
"Because..." She stuttered, for a rare moment she was at a loss for words.
"Because I ran an errand for you and I need to get back home."

"That wasn't part of the deal, though, was it." Tyr leaned back in his seat and reached out of sight of the camera with his left arm. When it came back into view a cigar was in his hand and he started to prepare it for smoking.

"What do you mean? I'd get the parcel to this woman in the Box of Delights." Selah pulled the PADD from the messenger bag and showed it to him.
"I did, she signed, work done. I get paid, I catch a shuttle back home."

"The deal was I send you to Deep Space Five, you deliver the parcel, you get paid." A large puff of smoke was blown into the air as he came towards the screen. With his free hand he punched in some commands to the console.
"Now that I've received the proof that it was delivered you'll find that I've kept my side of the bargain."

Selah was besides herself with rage.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean! I'm stuck here!"

"I fail to see where that becomes my problem, doll." Tyr took a big tug of his cigar, letting the smoke roll in his mouth before theatrically blowing it skyward.

"It's your problem because if you don't help me then I will fucking put out that cigar in your eyeball!" Selah threatened him, pushing herself towards the camera at the top of the terminal.

"Bwhahahahaha!" Tyr burst out laughing before calmly taking another deep breath in through his cigar.
"How are you even going to get here on your paltry salary? Nobody will take you back here for that money." He then smiled and lifted his chin.
"Unless of course you give them something more valuable than credits."

Selah's fists were clenched fiercely together, the knuckles flaring up white as her eyes shot lightning bolts at the Andorian on the other end of the line.
"Fuck you."

"Nah. I'll pass. But I'm sure some lonely shuttle pilot would love to take you up on that offer." Tyr'aeir seemed to amuse himself greatly with the current situation.
"Call me when you're back, alright? I might have some more jobs for you by the time you get here." He started laughing again before the connection cut out.

Seething with rage Selah almost literally punched in the contact details for her brother.
"Pick up Frudan. Please." Her fury slowly sliding into desperation. The UFP logo didn't really seem in much of a hurry to connect her through.

The screen flickered and showed Frudan in a robe, his hair wild and unkempt.
"Hey, sis. Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"No I don't. Sorry to be calling so late but, please, I need your help." Selah was still shaking with anger, seeing her brother did calm her nerves a bit though.

Frudan visibly sighed at that request. Even though he didn't even know what she was going to ask yet he was apparently already disappointed in the fact that she needed his help at all.

Selah wasn't discouraged by the sigh, a bit hurt perhaps but not discouraged.
"Your mate, Tyr, left me on this forsaken space station."

"He's not my mate. He had a job, you needed a job, it was that simple... What do you mean?" Frudan rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked at his sister visibly confused.

"When I got back to the docks the vessel was gone. Nobody to take me back." Selah was exasperated at the whole ordeal, she needed to get off this tin can.

Frudan shook his head.
"You were like those guys once, Selah, what else did you expect? They use you as long as you're useful and then dump you like a spent plasma coil."

Selah her mouth opened a bit in shock at that statement.
"Look at me, look at me, Frudan. I'm not like that anymore. I did my time!" She shook her head, still shocked that her brother would talk like that to her.
"Are you saying that I had this coming? That I deserve to be stranded here, in the arse end of nobody gives a fuck?" She was genuinely hurt by the comparison.

"Don't be like that Selah, don't make it out to be my fault. You know what you did in your past life." Frudan sighed and leant back in his chair.
"I'm sorry sis, but I can't help you. I can barely feed myself. I can't fly you all the way back here. Maybe you should find some work there, save up and come back. Turn this into a positive experience."

Still shaking her head, Selah tried to find the words to respond to her brother. Working an honest job long enough to get the credits necessary to get back to her home planet would take ages.
"Maybe I will. Maybe I'll find a job..." Her eyes were fogging up, she knew she'd be stuck here for a long time.
"Maybe I'll find someone willing to help me."

Frudan's eyes immediately widened.
"Don't you dare, Selah. Don't you dare throw away the past six years. Don't you dare let them be in vein."

"You think so lowly of me, Frudan. How can I ever redeem myself in your eyes if all you feel is contempt" Selah wouldn't risk being caught again, at least that's what she told herself. Didn't mean she couldn't run a small, no-risk, victimless, con to get off this scrapheap.

"I don't feel contempt for you, sis." Frudan looked a bit lost in the sudden torrent of emotions from his sister.
"I just worry, that's all."

"There's no need to worry about me, Fru." Selah wiped at the accumulated water in her eyes with her sleeve.
"I'll find a way, I always have."

OFF

Selah Zanaz
Lost in Space
"Not all who wander are lost."

 

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