The Order Comes In, A Parting of Ways

Posted on 15 Jun 2026 @ 6:00pm by 1st Lieutenant S'earr & Lieutenant Alexandra Lee

1,602 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: General Sim Postings
Location: Starbase 51

ON:

S'earr sat in his assigned temporary quarters looking over the screen for what felt like the fifth time, his orders had finally come in. His transfer to the U.S.S. Tomcat now containing a timeline hung on the screen etching out his next stop. While he knew this was coming part of his however knew that even in this short time, he'd enjoyed spending time with Alexandra and sharing in his culture to which she seemed genuinely interested in.

Orders however were orders and soon he'd be departing for his next assignment. Alexandra had been kind enough to spent much of her free time with him, even if it were to explore Caitian culture and traditions and it felt wrong to him that it would just come to a sudden end. Sat at his desk he felt that he couldn't let that just happen, suddenly, coldly. He stood up and walked to the bag he brought with him. Inside was packed the scrolls that Alexandra had read before but returned to him, the wrapping, the cloth they were wrapped in.

Carefully he removed it from around the storage container and neatly folded it to the size no bigger than a dinner plate. While the hour was not late it was hardly social, but in the morning he was set to leave and he had to do things properly.

Armed with his delicate cargo between his hands he walked to Alexandra's quarters hoping that she was in but also that she was not asleep yet. Given the situation he hoped that tradition would be understanding of his intent as he pressed the door chime, and waited.

Lee was startled by the chime of someone at her door as it was rare she had visitors at her quarters and it was rather late. However, she was not one to judge others as all cultures have different customs. She grabbed her robe and covered up her almost naked body and move to the door and pressed the control to open it.

"Well, this is very unexpected and yet so pleasing. Excuse me for how I am dressed. Had I known I was getting such a visit, I would have dressed for the occasion." Lee stated as the door slide open and she saw S'earr. Her robe covered her for the most part but she did not get it tied tightly and so some of her flesh was exposed to her visitor. "Please come in if it will not bother you as I know you are scent sensitive. I am certain this place is cleaner compared to my office as I don't bring relics or such to my quarters." She then stepped aside to allow him entrance.

S'earr bowed as tradition dictated when the doors opened and he saw her. He nodded, then entered and stood to face her once the door closed from his passing. While there may have been no relics in the room this was still her home, her sanctuary, and her scent was laced in its air strongly which he tried to not focus on. "Please forgive the hour, I do not mean to be unsocial or impolite" He explained.

"I... have been given my orders, I leave for the U.S.S. Tomcat in the morning, early regrettably. I have enjoyed your company and wanted to give you this, a gift, a thank you." Her gift, she'd recognize it from the wrapping his scrolls container came in before in her office.

"I am honored for such an offering of appreciation. I should really be thanking you. I am the one who really benefited from our time together. You helped me learn more about a culture and that means a lot to me given my passion for the topic which is why it is also my profession." Alexandra replied. "I have a bit of news to share with you as well. I also leave for the Tomcat in the morning as I have requested to be the full-time anthropologist/archeologist for the ship since they do not have one. This way as their new missions advance I can be there to assist with culturally significant situations and help if new artifacts are discovered."

"A fortunate turn of events indeed." S'earr spoke. "I have a few texts you can read if you wish to pass the time." He wasn't fully sure how long the transit would be, but if he could aid a female in helped to pass that time, he'd be honoured to.

"Well, I have just finalized the storage of my office's belongings. It is a good thing, Commander Dodd is a good friend and has a lab on the station. He allows me to store artifacts and such in his extra space. His lab is where he has his SANS project in the works. This is a type of specialized environmental suit with some great adaptive features, I am sure he will have one adapted for you. So my personal gear is all packed for transport and I have already made my arrangements for my quarters on the Tomcat." Lee replied. "I appreciate your offer for texts to read while travelling. I think we can fill our time continuing our exchange of information or more or less you educating me. I have yet to get the feeling I know all about Cait or Caitians. I am really enjoying this and getting to know you. I have never felt the way I feel about anyone in the way I am feeling about you. I could not risk letting you go and never having this complete feeling I have right now. So I hope this means that maybe we can continue our current relationship once we board the Tomcat."

"I would be honoured." S'earr spoke, and he truly would. To help a female in any regard is honourable and he viewed himself as such. "It will take a long time to fully understand our ways, what binds a male to what is so and for a female is very different. Each have different expectations and laws. "I mentioned before that a single act can have many meanings. I hope your visit with me to the Holodeck demonstrated that."

"The experience while holographic was amazing. Cait seems like an amazingly beautiful world. However, I am still needing to experience more to fully comprehend your society. I will say that you are an amazing person and the third Caitian I have ever met in person. You have been so kind and accommodating to my quest for knowledge. I feel that there could be more to you. I want to know what that is. So I will take you up on that offer don't doubt it." Alexandra stated firmly yet holding back any direct physical contact as she knew what that would mean and she wanted to continue this growing togetherness. She enjoyed letting a relationship take root before moving on to the more serious aspects. This one if it came to that would be even more of a challenge with it being interspecies and her being so fragile compared to him.

S'earr listened to what Alexandra had to say, he was glad she enjoyed herself, both personally and professionally. He was proud that he was able to assist a female in such a venture. "As you wish, ma'am." He responded, once again demonstrating the matriarchal superiority over him. "The hour is late, I should let you rest, our journey is early and I suspect not a brief one."

"I agree on both fronts." Alexandra stated as she knew it was a long period within the holosuite and yet it was still early in them getting acquainted. "I look forward to our next encounter. Maybe then we can focus on cuisine, as I am certain that not a lot of Caitian cuisine is available off of Cait. I for one love to try new foods as I do feel you can learn a lot about a culture from the food they eat and how it is prepared. While I don't look the part, I am far from diet girl and love me some fresh meat and I have eaten a vast array of culinary delights and some duds."

"Perhaps ma'am will permit me to cook traditional meals for you to try, though I should warn you that our meals can be overpowering in flavour." Alexandra wouldn't be the first person to try traditional Caitian foods and make a number of faces at the strength of the flavours involved.

"I can't wait. I am sure I will surprise you. I have had many interesting meals while living with natives on several primative worlds. Once I had to eat some sort of rodent that was flavored by marinating it in a vat of some bird dropping for three days. If I did not eat it, I risked being exiled to the dead island on Octavia Alpha VIII which would have been the death of me. Anyway, I am looking forward to enjoying the experience." Lee replied.

"As you wish, ma'am." S'earr replied, he bowed his head as tradition demanded. "Goodnight ma'am."

"Goodnight to you as well, I have enjoyed this very much." Lee responded as she felt more comfortable with her future of returning to the Tomcat about to happen.

[OFF]



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