The Demands of Memory

Posted on Tue Aug 2nd, 2011 @ 3:33am by Lieutenant Commander Aral Aix & Lieutenant JG Shoshanah Sima

Mission: Tomorrow's Arizona
Location: Sickbay, U.S.S. Arizona
Timeline: Prior to 'Visions of Demons of Air and Darkness'

Aral Illio Aix strode into Sickbay with purpose. The beginnings of a smile touched the edges of his mouth and his eyes were alive with mischief. Having spent the morning between analysing long range sensor results in Astrometrics and attending to the colossal amount of paperwork the Commodore had delegated him, the Second Officer was not merely pleased, but delighted to find in that very paperwork a source of pleasant distraction. One document that required command approval was the routine crew rotation that had been undertaken at Starbase 900, Aral had been required to read it and note any remarkable features before passing it up to the Colonel. Upon scanning the names of the junior officers one name stood out, that of Lieutenant Shoshanah Sima.

Sima was a well known symbiont, one Aix was familiar with both in person and disembodied form, the symbionts having been peers during their early years in the pools of the Mak'ala Caves. Zalia Aix, Aral's previous host, had been cared for on and off by Kyla Sima on Trill during Zalia's dotage. Aral remembered well how annoyed she'd been when Kyla had retired. The prospect of a reunion with Sima was an entirely pleasant one. In his enthusiasm Aral had scarcely had time to read over the host's biographical details. As the doors slid shut behind him, the Chief Science Officer inhaled and attempted to push doubt to the back of his mind. Had Sima heard about what happened with Aral? Aix knew, and knew well, that the circumstances of his joining with Aix were far more common than the Symbiosis Commission liked to publicise, nevertheless whenever he encountered other joined Trill, however familiar their symbionts, Aral was plagued by inner doubt.

Unsure whether to announce himself to the room or stalk around, Aral remained rooted to the spot until taken in hand by Ensign Wildman, the staff nurse. "I'm looking for Lieutenant Sima." He said hopefully.

The blonde woman looked the Chief Science Officer up and down, appearing to take something approaching professional umbridge, "If it's a medical problem I'm sure I could be of some help..."

Aral shook his head, "It's strictly personal... you could say we were old friends."

Shoshannah was out of the line of sight when she heard her name being asked. She stopped for a moment to process the sound of the voice. She didn't recognize the voice, but she did recognize the name of Aix. Shoshannah wasn't sure how she felt about meeting someone from a past host. Even if it was just the symbiot, not the host. Shoshannah still had trouble at times dealing with her joining and all the memories that came with being joined. Sometimes she wished she had listened to her parents and resigned her commission to remain on Trill for more training dealing with being joined, but she knew that Sima had too much history to just stay on Trill doing nothing, plus Shoshannah's love for traveling and helping others just couldn't let her remain. She took a deep breathe and moved out of her 'hiding' spot.

"Hello, I am Lieutenant Sima" Shoshannah said walking up to Aral.

"I know that!" Aral replied loudly gesturing to the sides with both arms. "New host I see," he began to look about Shoshannah as though she were a statute on exhibit in a museum. After a length he gave his verdict: "I approve." Before she could comment further he was talking again, "Still a nurse I see although I hope to be able to avoid your services for some years yet..."

Shoshannah shook her head. "I guess Sima just keeps getting lucky to remain in the medical field." Shoshannah said. Sima walked over to a counter with medical stuff on it and picked up a padd to look over the suplies. "I can see you also have a new host. I will have to think on it before I approve or not." Sima said seriously, but with a twinkle in the eye.

Shoshannah was alittle unsure of what to talk about with Aix. She always felt akwards when it came to discussing Sima's past hosts. "So how long have you been on the Arizona?" She asked Aix.

"A few weeks." Replied Aral still smiling at the nurse's comment. "... quite an eventful tour of duty so far." He paused, resting his hand on a bio bed and casually leaning, "Our away team were captured on Archadia..." Aral let the sentence trail away; he had thought he was going to meet his end in that prison cell.

Shoshannah noticed the pause from Aral. "I take it not something you really want to talk about. I understand." Shoshannah said. Shoshannah cleared her throat and decided to ask Aral a personal question. "Have you adjusted well...with your joining?

"No." Aral replied and looked at the floor, the bio beds, the tray of immaculately maintained medical equipment, the bulkhead behind Shoshannah's right ear, his eyes were anywhere but hers.

Shoshannah wasn't sure what to make of his body posture. "I'm sorry if I caused you difficulty. I won't ask again. I just wondered if it got easier. I feel like I don't even know who I am anymore since being joined." Shoshannah said.

"Don't apologise; never apologise." Aral replied, in a rush of warm energy. "The truth is, it went wrong. I died on a transport and I was the only unjoined Trill in light years... I was seventeen." He exhaled, "you can imagine what happened." Aral let the conclusion hang in the air. "It took years. Starfleet helped. I'm happier now than I've ever been."

"I guess I was lucky. I was prepared, but they don't completely prepare you for the joining and the loss of your individuality. I am hoping though that it gets better in time. I do seem to be doing better though." Shoshannah said. "I'm glad there's another Trill onboard that I can talk to, and an old friend at that." Shoshannah said with a smile. "I think though that I better get back to my duties before the Chief Medical Officer gets mad at me for not doing my duties."

Aral nodded, "Feel free to blame me if you need to."