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Star Trek: Starbase 777
Mol'Rihan / isha｜rllaillieu-farm
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 01:23 PM
"You sure have a lot of books, Sakkath."
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 01:23 PM
"I did a lot of independent study before the Academy," Was Sakkath's response to comment. With a bow of their head, they excused themself from the common area of the house and headed up to what was to be their new bedroom. The Rllaillieu farm was much more spacious than they had expected. A large farmhouse hidden behind the trees with a few other buidlings on the complex for research or for housing animals in the evening. The cozy cottagecore design of the house was worlds away from the minimalist Vulcan design of their previous homes. Where they expected to see bare walls were beautiful murals of the landscapes on Romulus and Remus. There were also countless knicknacks on the walls. A wall full of decorative mugs, a wall for spoons, their Romulan family fully embraced a their individuality and taste. As Sakkath made their way down the hallway the decore seemlessly transitioned from warm tones to cool tones and with it the murals also changed. A sunset on Romulus turned into twilight on Remus. As they walked, they ran their fingertips against the tops of the shelves, feeling the hard wood as they moved. There was a cabinet filled with painted plates with letters that seemed alien in nature. x_divider
13:23
The distance from the stairwell to their living space was short, but the pace at which they took their journey made it much longer than it otherwise would have been. As soon as they arrived at their room, the first thing they noticed was the sheer size of the space. A beautiful full size bed, complete with a canopy and some sparse decore to match the cool Remus theme in the hallway outside. There were a few plants placed at the windowsil, which was also large enough to sit on. It seemed like it would make a good reading nook. With plenty of storage in the cabinates that laid on the edges of the room. The suite also had a connected washroom with a jacuzzi and triple sinks. It almost felt like a waste that Sakkath would be living here alone, it felt like it was a space for three people, not one. Perhaps their uncle and his two conspirators would make better use of the space, Sakkath thought. The carpet was a cool gray colour, which was virtually silent beneath their feet. They made their way from the washroom back to their bedroom to find a series of boxes sitting beside the bed.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 01:45 PM
This must be the books their uncle was mentioning. There were certainly more boxes than expected, Sakkath knew they had quite a few books, but six boxes worth? They crouched down beside their bed and grabbed the first box and opened it. A wave of nostalgia hit as they picked out their old engineering books. Despite being a communications officer, they had quite a lot of books about software engineering. A path they had once considered in their early days of their Academy years. Even though learning had mostly shifted to digital books via PADD readers and such, Sakkath had always been a fan of physical media. There was something about sitting in the Academy gardens studying with a textbook and a notepad that a simple PADD could not replicate. Putting the first box down they moved onto the second, and then the third. They weren't sure why they were going through each box, they knew exactly what they were going to find. More technical manuals, a few novels as well. ".. What is this?" Sakkath was onto their last two boxes and noticed an unmarked spine. Did their mother send them one of her own books by mistake? Or maybe their mother thought to send them a few extra books. x_divider
13:45
As Sakkath lifted the book from the box they soon realised it was not a book at all-- it was a photo album. They cracked open the album to see their own baby pictures. Each photo clearly labelled; first steps, first meal, first word, first 100 days of life. Sakkath only flipped through the first pages of the first album before picking up the second. Just like the first, the second album had a series of photos all neatly labelled. Some of them with their parents, some without. As they approached their 8th birthday in the album timeline, Sakkath mentally braced themself for what was to come. But it didn't come. Instead, there were empty spaces, like photos had been removed, but the captions remained,
"Last day of school (Sakkath). Sakkath and Rina."
Feeling like something was off, Sakkath flipped through the album only to see more blank spaces. All but one in the sixth and last album.
"Academy Entrance Exam. Sakkath and Rina."
The photo pictured an 18 year old Sakkath standing side by side with a similar looking girl, around 10 years of age. Her hair was styled in a short bob haircut to match Sakkath's, but her hair was dyed blond whilst Sakkath kept their natural brown hair.
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 01:45 PM
"Sakkath, do you need help putting things away?"
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 01:45 PM
"No thank you, Hanaj." Sakkath flipped through to the next page, expecting to find nothing else. After they entered the Academy, they had stopped speaking with their family. What they found was not blank pages, but pages with pre-written captions.
"Wedding. Sakkath and Syrax."
And,
"Wedding. Sakkath and Rina."
Sakkath flipped back a few pages to see the Academy entrance photo again. Then a few more pages back, some photos from them right after the Kahs-wan ritual.
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"Can I at least come in and give you some soup? I know you said you just ate, but Latta has a new recipe and she wanted to get a Vulcan opinion."
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"Alright."
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"Here you are-- Sakkath, you're crying."
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"It's nothing, put the soup on the table, I'll eat it after I finish sorting my things. You were right, I do have a lot of books."
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"Is this about T'Lora? She didn't include any note or anything, she's usually very thorough. She used to make packing lists for when we would be moved to another facility, you should have seen the look on the guards' faces. It got so bad, Jianux and I had to pull the 'may I speak with the manager' card just to stall for time. Luckily the manager was Cerrub Torre'vnau, a kind man who was willing to look the other way,"
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"Hanaj. Ri'ranov doesn't want me anymore," Sakkath resisted the urge to sniffle, even with tears covering their cheeks, they were still trying to hold onto whatever Surak they still had left in them. They put the photo album they were holding down on the ground, open to the page with them and Rina standing in front of the Academy campus in France. "She sent me all of my photo albums... I... Am sure the images are saved digitally but.. these are all my photos, she kept the ones of Rina," Sakkath pointed to the empty spots in the album where photos of their late sister would have been.
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"... That... I can see why you think that."
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"She's scared of me, they're all scared of me, they were never on my side. That's why they sent me all these photos, they would rather cherish the life of their dead child than their living one, they hate me and I hate them too," For the second time in their life, Sakkath actually raised their voice, tossing the boxes towards the wall and gripping their hair with their hands. T'Kath, who was happily perched on their shoulder, prompty bounced to try and get away before it was harmed. "I hate being on this unknown planet with these unknown people-- I just want to go home!"
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"Sakkath. I can't change T'Lora's mind but I promise we'll find a way to make up for all this lost time, we'll make it right. Latta and Arrhae and I all love you and we're so happy you're here. Jaeih said she'll be done laying the stones in the garden today so you can go out there and read or maybe you can invite your nice Conspirator-- Nokkul was his name? I am sure he would love to see the farm."
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
".. Thank you, Hanaj. I know you mean well, I know you all mean well. I want to give this a chance. You.. Deserve that, from me. I'm head of house."
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Narrator BOT 02-Jul-23 02:19 PM
"Forget about that for now. When you're home, you're just Sakkath."
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 02-Jul-23 02:20 PM
"Alright then. I'll just be Sakkath." (edited)
x_scene_end 1
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 02-Jul-23 07:18 PM
[D] After sleeping through half the shuttle flight out, and nervous eating the other, Nokkul had finally made it to Mol’Rihan, a place that he had been both terrified and excited to visit. Once his transport had made it into orbit and it was his turn to beam down, he triple checked that he had everything he needed, hefting the three large duffel bags over his shoulders and nodded to the transporter operator, before dematerializing in a flash of light. After rematerializing in front of a picturesque farmhouse, Nokkul took a second to just…breathe, enjoying the smells of a farm, the light breeze tickling across his skin and the feeling of the soil beneath his boots. He had done his research on the planet, plenty of it in fact, but he had no idea it would feel so…real. It was in equal measures intimidating and exhilarating, but he was here for a reason, a reason that made his heart beat faster in his chest, that made his cheeks flush the lightest tint of green, that made him weak in the knees. He would not let them down, he couldn’t, not this time. He had decided shortly before the transport arrived, he would come as he was, knowing that if Sakkath loved him for how was was, their family surely would as well. With one last look in the reflection of his PADD, Nokkul double checked that his neon pink hair was flowing freely down his neck and not tangled, that his black cropped tank top wasn’t wrinkled, that the simple pair of distressed jeans he wore were clean, and his black boots weren’t scuffed, before he approached the front door of the house with measured steps, and firmly knocked at the door, taking a few steps back to wait.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 03-Jul-23 12:06 AM
Answering the door was none other than Sakkath, with the unmistakable curly brown hair and random streak of blonde. They had changed into long robes, this time they weren't replicated. It was reminiscent of an ao dai, form fitting on top with loose silk trousers on bottom. The attire seems less ceremonial and more casual in nature as the fabric was light and airy. Perched atop Sakkath's shoulder just as always was T'Kath who cooed softly at the sight of Nokkul. Clad in beige, Sakkath was unsurprised to see Nokkul wearing one of his typical eccentric outfits with his hot pink hair. "Jolan tru, welcome, Nokkul," Sakkath greeted as they stepped to the side to allow their conspirator to step into the home. The entrance was spacious and although it did not scream 'luxury' it was clearly well cared for with each bit of space carefully curated. There were no sounds of anyone else in the house, just Sakkath and Nokkul. "My... Family are all outside, one of our epohhs is giving birth," Sakkath told him, holding a hand out so T'Kath could roll down their arm and greet Nokkul too. "Would you like a tour first?"
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 03-Jul-23 01:57 AM
At the sound of someone coming to the door, Nokkul quickly ran a hand through his hair, straightened his clothes, and tried (and failed) to wipe the wide, excitable grin off of his face, just in case it was a member of Sakkath’s family that answered, wanting to make a good impression. When the door opened fully to reveal Sakkath themself, Nokkul let out a short sigh of relief, before letting his full dimpled smile shine. He couldn’t help but take in their outfit, it might have been something about the planet’s atmosphere, but they seemed more radiant, lighter in a way…they were stunning to say the least. “Jolan tru e’lev! You look absolutely gorgeous! Is that outfit real?” Nokkul couldn’t help but ask, after all, in Starfleet, seeing non-replicated clothing was a real rarity. When Sakkath held out their hand, Nokkul copied, excited for a little time with the sweet tribble. When it rolled into his hands, he gave the fluffy little creature a coo, before softly petting it. When he returned his attention back to his lovely conspirator, T’Kath happily rolled up his arm and onto his shoulder, seemingly content to hide in Nokkul’s flowing pink locks. Nokkul leveled Sakkath with another beaming smile and nodded empathically. “Oh yes absolutely! This place is absolutely beautiful! You and your family must be very proud of it!” He said excitedly, slightly glad for a bit of time he could spend with Sakkath before the intimidating prospect of meeting their family.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 03-Jul-23 02:39 AM
"It is," Sakkath replied plainly, their very Vulcan demeanour unwavering even in the face of Nokkul's open displays of emotion. They watched their tribbles interactions with Nokkul when it switched hands, it seemed happy to see a friend again and equally happy to sit atop another shoulder. Sakkath wasn't sure what it was about shoulders, but they made a great tribble perch. "They are, and.. We will start with the kitchen area," Sakkath told Nokkul as they led him and T'Kath down the corridor towards a open kitchen with lots of counter space, a sink, a stove, as well as lots of storage. There were two large windows that overlooked the pasture that sat just beside the house. Sights of little epohh running around with some other Mol'Rihan creatures were visible just grazing outside having a good time. Just like the rest of the house, the kitchen had a few murals, all scenery from the countryside of Romulus. "To be honest I just arrived here a few hours ago, it has been.... Strange to call this space home," Sakkath stated as they approached the kitchen table. Made of hardwood with sturdy legs, the table was adorned by what seemed to be a hand-dyed table cloth. A beautiful swirl of dark blues and greens to make it look like the galaxy.
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Galaxy 3
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 03-Jul-23 03:23 AM
At Sakkath’s refreshingly Vulcan response, Nokkul couldn’t help but chuckle fondly, glad to see that their interactions with their family hasn’t seemed to have too much of an outward effect, something that, when Sakkath told him where they were going during shore leave, he did have some measure of worry for. While he trusted Sakkath and their ability to navigate their way through any interaction they were faced with implicitly, he wouldn’t be a good partner if he didn’t hope that each one would be an overwhelmingly positive experience. He followed them into the kitchen, immediately caught out by just how…lived in the space seemed, bringing back feelings of loss that he hadn’t thought of in quite some time. He thought of all the times as a child he had wished for a big family, for siblings and wondered why his Mother seemed to talk about family, and their history so rarely, and why it seemed so painful for her, but mostly he just, grieved. Grieved for his Mother, and grieved for the family he would never have. He was so glad that Sakkath was getting the chance to reconnect to theirs, even as painful as the process was and he was glad he could be with them, in this warm, full home. The onslaught of emotions only increased when he saw the murals of Romulus, reminding him of his treasured holoprogram, and that little village that he so adored. He had to turn his head for a moment to make sure Sakkath couldn’t catch just how close he had been to tears at the torrent of thoughts cascading through his mind, and the childish longing that reared his ugly head at the life he didn’t have. x_divider
03:23
He blinked, hoping his face didn’t betray everything happening behind his eyes, and gave Sakkath a soft smile, appreciating how…right they looked standing there in the kitchen, surrounded by the trappings of a loving home, one that while they may not be entirely comfortable with yet, he knew they would be. “A good strange I hope?” He asked with a soft, inquisitive tone, a slight smirk on his face.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 03-Jul-23 10:20 AM
Sakkaht watched Nokkul's reaction closely as they were aware that their Conspirator probably recognised the motifs and elements of the decore that they did not. It was just one more thing that made Sakkath feel like an outsider, the fact that they were surrounded by symbols and art styles that were so different. Although they were also raised by a Romulan, T'Lora was more concerned about being seen as a model Romulan following Vulcan ideals than instilling her culture in her child. But Nokkul's oddly nostalgic look was something Sakkath couldn't ignore. The way his eyes looked over the murals, the beginnings of tears that Sakkath caught in the corner of his eyes. They took a deep breath and clasped their hands together as they strolled over to the window that sat beside the dining table. "... I am not sure, to be honest. I... Let us continue the tour," Sakkath looked as if they wanted to tell Nokkul something, but quickly pushed that thought to the back of their mind. T'Kath vibrated and cooed as if trying to tell the Orion what their guardian could not. Unforuantely T'Kath was a tribble and their 'words' were hardly intelligible to other species. Sakkath then led Nokkul towards one of the man living spaces. This was one was open with sofas and a fluffy green carpet. There was a large fireplace against the wall, no fire lit, but freshly cut wood sat beside the brick structure. There were more murals in this section, this time depicting winters on Remus. Icy caves filled with beautiful rocks that reflected the dark blue night sky. In the distance one could see Romulus in the Reman sky. "This is the living room. I.. Apologise for the epohh hair, we do not have much separation between indoor and outdoor animals. We usually keep the babies indoors for their safety and monitoring," Sakkath explained as they pointed to a few epohh beds in the corner as well as a bookshelf and some other knickknacks that laid on the shelves.
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 04-Jul-23 12:48 AM
He was grateful for the change of subject, as even though he was the more freely emotional of the two, he still struggled with the frequency and voracity of his when confronted with reminders of his past, and of his Mother. Once again Sakkath had proven to be perfectly observant and sensitive to his eccentricities, one of the many things he loved deeply about them. At the sound of T’Kath cooing and vibrating, Nokkul raised one of his huge hands to softly pet the distressed or excited animal, hoping to calm the little critter down. He took in the living space greedily, enjoying the hues of green, the warm, comfortable feeling that permeated the space, and once again just how lively it all looked, like the kitchen it reminded him of the images of ‘home’ he had dreamt up as a child, and to see that his beloved had this now filled his heart full. He could imagine that after a time, Sakkath could very much come to see this place as home, and he desperately hoped they would, knowing a happy home to go back to, even just the promise of it, could do wonders for one’s mental health and morale. As Sakkath’s partner, one of the things he had sworn to himself was their happiness, and he knew that this place and the people that inhabited it, could be an excellent avenue to achieve it. x_divider
00:48
With a soft grin and a wave of his hand his dismissed their apology, taking a few steps forward to make sure they knew how happy he was in that moment. “No need to apologize! The fact that your family shares it with their pets shows that this home has an abundance of love, something that I am very glad you get to be a part of.” He said in a soft, almost dreamy tone, his face probably reminiscent of a love-sick puppy. “You deserve all the love, care and devotion that your family myself and any other you choose to give the gift of letting into your life can give!” He said, bringing a hand to hover near Sakkath’s own, no where near touching, but close enough that he could telegraph just how much he meant what he was saying.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 04-Jul-23 01:07 AM
Even though it was technically non-sentient, the tribble had learned that cooing almost always earned it pets which is probably why it made the noise so much. Sakkath also recognised that and was happy to give the critter pets whenever it made such noise and it was nice to see Nokkul noticed the same behaviour. Sakkath ran their fingertips along the brick fireplace, feeling the very unfamiliar texture of the material. In the 25th century they had long passed the need for brick and morter, especially in homes as storms and other natural disasters made such materials very dangerous. Still, there were many homes that had such materials on the inside in order to add 'charm', something Sakkath was very much alien to. Their home on Vulcan and then Surak Prime lacked many of the 'charms' one would normally associate with home. "Love... Hm," A soft sigh left Sakkath's green lips as they turned to Nokkul to see him seemingly enthralled by the atmosphere in the room. They almost envied him for his ability to find what appeared to be nostalgic comfort in the space. "Thank you for your words, Nokkul, I... Actually, I would like to show you something, please follow me," In a very rare event, Sakkath sesemed to trip over their words, a bit of hesitancy and uncertainty as they spoke. "We... Nokkul, would you like to hold hands?" Sakkath looked down to see their conspirator's hand hovering close to their own. Their family was still out helping an epohh deliver babies so it would be a while until they returned.
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 04-Jul-23 01:41 AM
He quirked a brow at their sigh, half concerned, and half curious. Sakkath had seemed…different since he had arrived, and while he knew they would tell him if it was anything serious, he also knew that there were a lot of external factors that had been weighing heavy of them as of late. He wished that there was something he could do, but would simply continue to support them in any way he could. “I would follow you anywhere!” He said with a cheeky grin and a wink, hoping to bring a moment of levity even despite there being something weighing heavy on Sakkath. “I would love to hold hands! I love how well yours fit into mine!” He said happily, before gently lacing his much larger fingers through Sakkath’s, a bright, happy grin on his face, always loving a moment of simple, quiet romance with his love.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 04-Jul-23 01:53 AM
Even Sakkath could not help but blush at Nokkul's comment and with one hand occupied they could only cover their face with their free one. It was sometimes difficult trying to keep their cool in front of someone so enthusiastic about pretty much everything. They loved Nokkul's energy and overall zest for life, but sometimes they were not sure how to respond without seeming too... Cringe. Before responding, Sakkath began to walk down the corridor and towards the study. It was an equally large room that was filled with a variety of engineering contraptions. Some of it seemed quite retro while other things more modern. The items were from simple mundane things like self-sealing stembolts to more complex machines like pocket-sized computers. "This is the study, I put a lot of my old projects here," Sakkath gestured to one shelf that was filled top to bottom with a varity of mechanical parts, all organised and colour coded with the labels written in Vulcan and Rihannsu. x_divider
01:53
And then Sakkath led Nokkul towards a desk in the middle of the room. It looked like any work station, it had a console, some PADDs, and a single photo. "I had mentioned my mother sent me my things from Vulcan. She... Sent me this photo," Sakkath picked up the framed photo and showed it to Nokkul. It was the first day in the Academy photo with an 18-year old Sakkath sporting the Vulcan bowl cut standing next to a messy blonde haired girl who was the only one smiling in the photo. Sakkath's parents were also standing behind them, T'Lora looked oddly similar to current Sakkath whilst the man in the photo almost looked like he wasn't from the same family with how different he looked from the other three. "My mother and I look very similar, she is the Romulan one," Sakkath began to explain, letting go of Nokkul's hand so they could point and hold the photo. "My step father is the man my mother married after leaving my biological father, and.." Sakkath paused for a moment. "That is my sister, Rina. She is the daughter of my mother and V'Lar."
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 04-Jul-23 08:20 PM
Nokkul resisted the urge to make a comment on just how adorable Sakkath was when they were complimented, instead just happily enjoying their physical presence for a few moments, something that he figured would most likely not come again during the trip given that Sakkath’s family would be around. Though, he always treasured the rare moments of romantic intimacy that he shared with his Conspirator, no matter where or when they were given. He looked around the study with open curiosity and awe, having known that Sakkath was imminently talented in engineering, but he had no idea they were this talented! He stood with his jaw dropped at the array of contraptions, thingamajigs and doodads that were spread out all across the room, before whipping his head around to look at Sakkath with thinly veiled wonder. “…Sakkath, I had no idea you were quite so mechanically minded! This is astonishing!” He said excitedly, before his expression softened, the wide, toothy grin replaced by a soft, dopey one. “I learn something new about you every time we are together…you are so amazing…” He trailed off, caught in the gaze of Sakkath’s pretty irises. x_divider
20:20
When Sakkath held up the photo album, Nokkul could feel the gravity and importance of what they were showing him…this was clearly something that was difficult for them to talk about, and simply stood and listened, keeping his breathing and body language calm. He looked on with interest at the picture of a young Sakkath standing near their Mother, an almost exact copy of themself. At the mention of their sister Rina, Nokkul couldn’t help but let out a little exhale, now understanding more about their family dynamic and how it led them to become the person they are today. “Sakkath, e’lev, I know how, difficult this is to talk about for you…you do not know how much it means to me that you are trusting me with this.” Nokkul said momentarily caught up with emotion, before he shook his head slightly and continued. “Did your Mother send you this?” He gestured to the album “You don’t have to answer if that is an uncomfortable question, I am just, glad that you are able to have a record of these memories, even if they are the most positive.” He said, with an open look toward Sakkath. (edited)
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 05-Jul-23 02:03 AM
Sakkath took a deep breath, their eyes darting around the space to get another glance at all of their worldly belongings gathered in one place. As head of the house, this study was their own private area, it was still strange to think they technically owned this entire complex. "Before I decided to go into OPS I considered a career in the more technical side of computer science. The field was sufficiently enjoyable, however I wanted a more... I suppose the term of crew-focused, position. I did not want to sit in engineering labs and tinker alongside other engineers. OPS allows me to interact with many more people and communications is quite an outward facing job, which I enjoy," Sakkath explained their logic to why they had chosen their position. There were a number of Vulcans who liked to work alone or at least, with very few people, such as their friend T'Asha, but there were also those who thrived in a team work setting. Sakkath was incredibly social even if they seemed quite introverted on the surface. "Thank you, Nokkul. I think you are also amazing too," Sakkath said looking at Nokkul once more and seeing T'Kath still hanging out, very much not blending into its surroundings like it did when it was climbing on Sakkath. x_divider
02:03
Back to the topic of their family, Sakkath looked at the photo thoughtfully and closed their eyes for a brief second. "She did," They replied simply, using all of their strength to channel Surak. "She sent me all of my childhood photos," Sakkath placed the photo down and walked over to the other side of the desk to pull out one of the other albums, this was one filled with photos of Sakkath during their late teen years on Surak Prime. The scenery looked very similar to that of Sakkath's holodeck programme. But there was another reason Sakkath chose this album, and when they placed it on the desk and opened it they pointed to a number of blank spots on the pages with captions but no photos. "But took out all of the ones of Rina," Sakkath wasn't sure how much Vulcan Nokkul knew since the entire album was written solely in what appeared to be Vulcan script, a more traditional way to write the language. "I... Can't help but think it was because my mother simply did not want photos of me anymore. Especially considering one could easily download the digital files, she didn't have to take the photos out of the album, but she did. And mother is Romulan, she doesn't do things without intention," Sakkath ran their fingers along the blank spots, marked by the clear lack of yellowing like the rest of the pages. The photos had been very carefully lifted from the page seeing as the only hint that there was even a photo there was the blank captain and white square.
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 05-Jul-23 04:00 AM
He was stunned in place at hearing that Sakkath had once thought of a career so different than the one they had now, but, considering the room around them, it does make sense that they would have wanted to put their substantial talents into use. Having known Sakkath in the fashion he did and for as long as he had, it make complete sense that they would want to be in a job that they would be more social, something he too had considered when deciding to go for command over engineering back in his own Academy days. With a cheeky smile, Nokkul winked at Sakkath. “I think you fit perfectly in OPS, I especially love seeing you at your station on the bridge when I’m at the helm, you always look so pretty when you’re focused on your work.” He said, dutifully ignoring the deep green blush that had made its way from his neck up to the tip of his ears at Sakkath’s compliment. Nokkul unintentionally let out a soft gasp at hearing that their Mother had taken out all of the photos of Rina, hoping that the slowly rising anger Nokkul felt for T’Lora was not visible on his countenance. Their Mother seemed to embody many of the…less desirable elements of Romulan culture, something that he was imminently grateful that Sakkath held no resentment toward himself or the culture he was raised in and lived his life in. Nokkul had absolutely no idea what anything in the album said, only really versed in the written languages of Rihannsu and Standard. x_divider
04:00
Hearing the almost sad tone that Sakkath used when they said that T’Lora had done something heart-wrenchingly petty, Nokkul was practically fuming with righteous anger towards his parter’s Mother, hoping beyond hope that the woman never crossed his path, lest she receive the full brunt of his ire. For Sakkath’s sake, he maintained a calm countenance outwardly, not wanting to upset them, especially with the…harsh realities of their Mother’s despicable actions. Nokkul leaned forward to establish eye contact with their smaller partner, his gaze open and caring, when he spoke it was in his heavily-accent low-toned native Rihannsu, speaking without the aid of standard so Sakkath knew just how much he meant his words. “Love…we both know how intentional, petty and spiteful Romulans can be, but I know, even if she appears harsh and uncaring, that she cares. Even in the improbable case that she doesn’t, you have a whole group of people here, back home on the Starbase and all over that care and love you, regardless of what your Mother may say or do to try and convince you of the contrary. Having a Romulan Mother can be…challenging at the best of times, but I know that down the line she will atone for the error of her ways, and until then, she will have to live a cold, dark life without the radiant, joyful light that is your presence in one’s life.” He said with a solid sureness in his voice, his eyes unveiled love and care. “I love you, I care for you and I value how much you brighten my life and give purpose to my days. You are my everything and you are my e’lev and you deserve far better than what you have been given in the past, and I will make it my duty every day from now on to make sure you know how important, valued and loved you are.” Nokkul said before exhaling deeply, moving closer to Sakkath and resting one of his huge hands on their shoulder, his thumb gently rubbing in circles as he let the air settle from his emotional speech.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 05-Jul-23 04:41 AM
Sakkath blushed once again when they were complimented. They always loved when Nokkul called them pretty, it was such a simple thing, but Sakkath appreciated it. Perhaps because very few people had called them pretty before? Their past partners called them a lot of things, but pretty was amongst the rarer of the compliments they had received. "Thank you, I enjoy my chosen path, and I still get to practice my engineering abilities as a comms officer," Sakkath said, referring to all the tinkering they got to do with wires. In the past, comms was a more linguistics or diplomatic type role, but in recent years it was more about maintaining the systems that allow for communications rather than dealing with the contents of the communications themselves. Additionally, OPS officers also had to take many of the same classes engineers did. As Sakkath explained their family situation, they could sense discomfort growing within their conspirator. Said feeling began to turn into anger and although they were no telepath, it was easy to tell when Nokkul was holding back. At least to them who was already quite adept at reading others' emotions, especially those who were close to them. "I don't know," Sakkath looked right back at Nokkul, their heterochromatic eyes not betraying any of their emotions. "She's always been obsessed with confirming to Vulcan ways, perhaps to keep up appearances with V'Lar or maybe she's ashamed of her past, but.." x_divider
04:41
There was a long pause as Sakkath lifted their hand to rest on top of Nokkul's that was sitting on their shoulder. They still kept Surak close to their heart, but their tone was slowly beginning to waver, adding in contractions, slurring their words together in a very un-Vulcan-like fashion. "I appreciate you defending me and staying by my side," Sakkath said with a soft and airy tone. "I.. Do not want to lie to you though. I don't blame my parents for favouriting Rina," Sakkath took a deep breath and slowly took a step back from Nokkul, adding some distance between the two. "I tried to kill my parents when I was ten years old. I... Know that must sound very Romulan of me, it is the only time in my life I have acted out violently. I deeply regret my actions and have never acted out violently since," Sakkath told Nokkul, knowing that they needed to be honest with what had happened between them and their mother. They didn't want Nokkul to believe they were unfairly antagonised and that their mother did have some justification for how she treated them.
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 07-Jul-23 04:32 AM
At Sakkath’s admission, Nokkul stood stock still, absolutely shocked at their admission. He always knew there would be some point in the interactions between himself and Sakkath that the highly differing ways of being brought up would rear its head, and the point had indeed finally come. In that moment he felt…trapped, unsure of what to say for one of the first times in his life. He was, of course, sensitive to the fact that Sakkath was raised in a Vulcan setting and had completely different morals, values and social norms that they ascribed to, but Nokkul, being raised with what one could consider a completely different set as a Romulan, often did not fully understand the why other cultures had the beliefs they did. He mourned the loss of their physical presence as they pulled away, eyes still locked on Sakkath’s form, but his mind a thousand kilometers away in thought. Once he eventually came back to himself, he resumed his laser-like focus and let out a deep, rumbling exhale. “Sakkath…I am not able to properly put into words how much it means to me that you trust me enough to admit that, and that to put it simply, this does not, in any way, change how I see you or my feelings toward your Mother. You know that I, as a Romulan, have quite a…different way of looking at the world, and while I appreciate, if not understand that your more Vulcan upbringing leads you to see your actions in a negative light, I simply do not. What you did, regardless of circumstances was actually quite a normal reaction in my experience, I myself know of many people who tried to do the same thing to their parents, but I do suppose that is something that is more normalized in my culture than in yours.” He said, with a caring, empathetic look toward Sakkath, unsure what more to offer in that situation.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 07-Jul-23 05:08 AM
Sakkath shouldn't have been surprised at Nokkul's lack of disgust towards them when they confessed their past actions. They were aware in some Romulan traditions, a child killing their parents, especially in honorable duel, was a sign of accomplishment. Although they were naturally a non-violent person, they could not ignore the fact that sometimes they did want to 'wake up and choose violence' when it came to defending their own honour or protecting themself from others. They let their gaze wander for a few seconds as a wave of shame washed over them. "I did it because... Because my parents wanted to force me into an arranged marriage," Sakkath confessed, crossing their arms as their face broke from their Vulcan norm and expression morphed into that of discomfort. "V'Lar, my stepfather, he hated me the most. I could see it in his eyes every time he looked at me. He didn't like that I spoke my mind and called out injustices towards me and my fellow Romulan classmates," Sakkath began to explain, their voice changing from their typical monotone to a more animated and emotionally charged tone. "It wasn't the arrangement that made me angry it was... The fact that I was to marry a Romulan, because.. Because they thought I wasn't to be trusted with a Vulcan, as if advocating for myself and not giving blind obedience to my teachers somehow made me a danger to Vulcan society," Sakkath grit their teeth together as they recalled the event, for the first time in quite a while, they sounded actually angry. "I regret my violent actions, but I don't regret speaking up. I.. Should not have attacked my parents, but up until that point it was clear my words meant nothing to them."
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 08-Jul-23 01:51 AM
The more Nokkul heard about Sakkath’s parental figures, the more he had to reign in his fury, having gone well past anger and disgust towards T’Lora and V’Lar at this point. How any self-described ‘parent’ could do what they had done to such a kind, vibrant soul, Nokkul had no idea. He was not nessecarily a confrontational or aggressive person by nature, but when he felt those he cared about were treated badly or unjust, he admittedly could have ‘big feelings’. The more he heard, the tighter the clench of his jaw became, that was, until he took note of Sakkath becoming angry, at which, he almost instantly lost all the wind in his sails, caring more about their mental state than his own anger toward people he had never even met. When he went to respond, he suddenly found himself without words. “Sakkath, Love…” He trailed off, before exhaling, catching their gaze once again. “I sincerely hope that I never encounter V’Lar, because from what you are telling me, I don’t know if I would be able to restrain myself from having…words with the man. I am so sorry you had to deal with that for as long as you did.” Nokkul said, his heart breaking for his beloved.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 08-Jul-23 03:24 AM
"Your support is appreciated, Nokkul," Sakkath closed their eyes again and took a deep breath, trying to muster the will of Surak once again. They were not going to let their anger control them, even if such a task seemed impossible. Once they opened their eyes again, they took a step forward to be close to Nokkul once more, although this time they didn't make any move to touch him. T'Kath, who had been very quiet this whole time, made a soft cooing noise and vibrated. "I have been so resistant to accepting my Romulan heritage.. I think it's because my parents always told me I would never have the control of a Vulcan. So I did everything to prove to them I could be Vulcan," Sakkath's voice was a lot calmer now, their fog in their mind slowly dissipating. "What..... Made it even more frustrating is they did not show the same attitude towards my sister. I feel like it was because she was V'Lar's flesh and blood. He... Never saw me as his own, and to appease him, my mother took his side," Sakkath was trying to piece together why their parents did what they did. Not that their actions or Sakkath's actions of the past were justified, but they only wished to understand. "I miss home... But my mother made it clear I was no longer welcome there."
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 09-Jul-23 02:00 AM
“And you will always have it my love.” Nokkul said with a open, but serious tone, understanding that now was not the time for cheeky or lighthearted remarks, Sakkath was being so open to him, he would not do anything to jeopardize their feelings or the seriousness of the conversation. Nokkul let out a deep sigh through his nose, biting the inside of his cheek to keep the harsh comments about Sakkath’s Mother and Stepfather back once again, his hands clenched into fists at his side to keep away the urge from gathering Sakkath into his arms in an attempt to keep away the world. “That is perfectly reasonable, and given the circumstances, I understand why you were so reluctant to accept your Romulan heritage, but look at you now! Standing here in a Romulan home, with your Romulan family and a Romulan Conspirator, I would say you’ve gone a long way in accepting that side of you.” He said earnestly. “V’Lar is what Humans would call ‘an ignorant asshole’ that does not know the value of respecting others or how amazing you are, and frankly T’Lora is even worse for what she has done. And why you cannot go home, you can have the satisfaction of knowing that it is not nearly as filled with life and vibrancy as it would be with you there. Though, I do feel sad that you are not able to visit the actual place, with some work that I would be glad to put in, we can make the holographic version look just like it…just without the toxic people that live there.” Nokkul finally concluded his diatribe, his shoulders dropping and, unable to help himself, took another step forward, his eyes roving Sakkath’s face.
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 09-Jul-23 05:39 AM
"Thank you, Nokkul," They were now mere millimeters apart, barely touching. "You... Can hold me, if you would like," Sakkath placed their hands on Nokkul's wrists and then very slowly moved them up to rest on the Orion's shoulders. It was a very slow and sensual motion, something that made T'Kath coo louder at as it slowly inched its way to Sakkath's hand. Sakkath didn't speak for a moment, just thinking how best to collect their thoughts into words. They were still trying to Surak away any remaining anger they felt towards their parents. Although Nokkul seemed to readily jump to their support, there was a part of Sakkath that still wanted to respect their parents and earn their approval. Although they often pretended not to care what others thought about them, in reality they cared a lot. So much that they would often manipulate and lie to be seen in a certain way. It was not something they were proud of. "That is true... I do have you, and my family here and for that I am truly thankful," Sakkath's eyes looked towards the door for a moment, as if worried their family would walk in on them and Nokkul at any time. "I... This is strange, but please do not say ill things about my parents. They... Still sacrificed a lot to give me a good life. There were certainly things they could have done better but because of them i was afforded many privileges that not many others had. I was able to see the Delta quadrant, meet new civilisations thousands of lightyears away, I cannot say my childhood was only suffering," Sakkath stated, the emotion in their voice still lingering as they seemed to stumble over their words. "I do have a programme based on my home.... It's the one we visited. I.. Am not sure I want to keep it. I feel like going back to a place virtually will only make me yearn for it even more. I think it is best to leave it behind as much as I know I will miss it."
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 10-Jul-23 08:35 PM
Nokkul moved closer, wrapping his large hands around their waist as they wrapped their hands around his neck, glancing back at the door when he realized how…scandalous their position was at the moment, mortified at the prospect of this being how Sakkath’s family first encounters him. At Sakkath’s request, Nokkul paled, his eyes going wide and his grip tightening. “Oh my elements, I am so sorry! You know I tend to get…defensive for the people I care about, even against people I’ve never met nor am likely to ever meet. I’ll shut my trap about that, I promise.” Nokkul said, color slowly starting to return to his face. “Parents are a fickle subject and I think I misunderstood some of what you were talking about.” Nokkul said finally, exhaling deeply. “I understand that absolutely, I too have thought about putting my Mother’s program into storage, especially after the emotional deluge I experienced last time I was there.” He said with a slight, humorless chuckle. “Perhaps one day you will return, but I think you are smart to protect yourself from any feelings of yearning or homesickness, I can imagine its a…difficult feeling.”
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Lieutenant Sakkath s'Rllaillieu | OPS BOT 11-Jul-23 01:42 AM
Sakkath was head of house and this was technically there house so if anyone was allowed to have scandalous moments, it was them and their conspirators. With heterochromatic eyes staring at Nokkul, even if their tone was more or less neutral and their expression unchanged, their eyes told the full story of their emotions. Their passion, trust, and loyalty to their conspirator was conveyed in the way their gaze lingered before opening their mouth to speak again. "I appreciate it, Nokkul. One day, I would like to see my parents again... I... Do not want to let my emotions get in the way of reconciling with anymore members of my family," They said with a sigh as they hugged Nokkul tightly, resting their head on his shoulder. T'Kath was still around, stuck right to Nokkul's back at this point, vibrating softly as it made its way to Sakkath's arm. "I never got along with Rina... I wish I could have spoken to her before her funeral," Another detail Sakkath had left out was their relationship with their late sister. It was something Sakkath still wasn't sure if they wanted to tell anyone, but they felt like they owed their conspirator at least a partial picture of what their family was like. "I was jealous of her... My parents let her wear her hair curly and dye it blonde," Sakkath added, no longer tripping over their words but the pauses between each word grew longer. "Maybe we can make a programme together, our own oasis," Sakkath lifted their head to stare at Nokkul once more. "And.. We can always come back to Mol'Rihan."
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Lt. JG. Nokkul Raaze | CMD BOT 11-Jul-23 02:04 AM
Nokkul was absolutely caught in Sakkath’s eyes, overcome by the emotions reflected back to him. It was times like this where he was once again caught up by their beauty, patience and intensity, something that he was sure he would never stop being in awe of as long as Sakkath allowed him to stay in their life and in their prescence. He trusted his heart, his soul, his everything to them implicitly, and he was so glad to have them there in his arms, comforted by their own arms hugging him tightly. “I understand that, perhaps in advance of the meeting, depending on how much warning you are given, you could spend a few days in heavy meditation and solitude. I imagine that would be an adequate way of preparing.” He said, smoothing a large hand down the length of their back, soothing himself as much as them. “Rina sounds like a special individual, I am sure even at the end she knew how much she meant to you, regardless of any feelings of jealousy you had toward her. I imagine you were a fantastic sibling, and you honor her memory by speaking of her now.” He said, getting a sense of the gravity that Sakkath’s relationship to their sister had for them, something he hoped to reassure them was meaningful and proper. He himself had no siblings, so he could never really understand what it meant to have one, but he understood enough seeing siblings interact over the years to know how much the relationships meant. Nokkul lowered his gaze once gain, meeting Sakkath’s and leveled them with a soft, meaningful smile, arms tightening around his beloved. “Both of those sound like wonderful ideas, I’ve quite enjoyed this place in just the small amount of time I’ve spent here, but my love, I would enjoy any place as long as I was there with you…” He said, lowering his head to rest his forehead against Sakkath’s, content to just enjoy the moment.
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