Apologies

Lieutenant Kreli Nekamormi was having a very bad day. After a boring double shift monitoring the hyperdrive navigation array she all but collapsed in the hallway. Just to then be rudely awoken by some kind of not quite Folpron staring into her soul. One panicked moment that lead to an afternoon of regret, over killing the unknown contractor. Which turned into utter humiliation and confusion when Major Chozkov arrived to announce not only did this Noah Bannon, a human, survive he had insisted on all charges being dropped.

A revelation that gave Kreli enough time to shower, and change into a clean uniform before going back onto a double shift on the bridge. Half way though said shift she got called into the captains office for a chewing out, polite as it had been it was still a chewing out. One that compelled her to one of the workshops which the computer assured her contained, and was assigned to, the offended human. With some hesitation she rang the door bell to the room. The doors slid open without any answer revealing the human and two Roschani.

“Hello!” The human shouted, “Welcome! In, in. Come” his voice was fairly accented, yet not hard to understand. The human beckoning with one of his hands, ‘the one without a wounded shoulder’ shot across Kreli’s mind.

“What are you doing here Lt. Nekamormi?” The larger Roschani said, a Lieutenant Commander if Kreli remembered correctly, “I don’t believe anyone here was expecting you to appear any time soon.” A cold but not totally unfriendly tone saturated her voice.

“I was hoping to talk with Mr. Bannon.” Kreli was praying that she was pronouncing that name close enough to not offend the human.

“What about?” The smaller Roschani in a nurse’s uniform asked. Her voice was professional, but equally cautious.

“My earlier outburst.” Kreli attempted to keep her shame from her voice. “While it has been impressed that a formal apology should be filed I was hoping to present one in person.” Kreli attempted to direct her reply at Mr. Bannon despite replying to the nurse.

Mr. Bannon looked at her, the words clearly lost yet Kreli thought he understood her tone. This was quickly confirmed with his next words, “I sorry for frightening. We friends.” When Kreli stood there dumbfounded he turned to the nurse and started to converse in what sounded like a hybrid of two or more languages.

Kreli got a bit worried when the back and forth got a bit heated and then the nurse made an exaugurated head roll, “Noah wishes to apologize for startling you, and is hoping that the two of you can put this mess in the past.” She paused as Mr. Bannon continued to dictate for translation, “Noah also apologizes for his lack of Galactic Common skills. To translate literally, ‘I wasn’t using what I didn’t need until recently.’ Which I have to agree with.”

Kreli felt like she needed to reboot the conversation, “I am here to apologize to him.”

“Not.” Mr. Bannon interrupted, “I reset. I am sorry.”

“As you can see he is insistent that you are not at fault.” The nurse clarified.

“Yes,” Mr. Bannon said before turning to the Lieutenant Commander “Team friend.”

The Lieutenant Commander looked confused for a moment before realizing what it was Mr. Bannon was trying to get at, before conversing in what was clearly Rokorn between the trio. Clearly confirming something. Mr. Bannon was clearly insisting again. She then turned back to Kreli, “Lieutenant Nekamormi, I have been tasked with setting up a team to go on away missions. I cannot deny Noah’s conclusion that having you onboard would be beneficial.” Mr. Bannon was clearly trying to get more enthusiasm into the proposal. The Lieutenant Commander continued, “Thus I’d like to ask if you would be interested in joining a team lead by myself and consisting of the other two here.”

Kreli didn’t know what to say to that. When the desire for new teams was announced she had wanted to get a team. After it was made clear she wasn’t going to be able to getting the chance to be on a regular away team was the kind of thing she thought she needed to climb the ranks. Yet with the reputation of the Folpron, and her own less than stellar reputation, it felt like something that would be impossible. However it was now sitting in front of her. Delivered to her by the latest person to sully her chances at achieving this goal. “Are you serious?” Was the only thing she could think to say.

Mr. Bannon gave the two Roschani looks of, ‘What did you say to the poor girl.’ The nurse looked at the Lieutenant Commander clearly putting the decision on the future leader of the team. Who then pondered for a moment before sighing, “Yes I am, despite my own reservations.”

That comment brought a wave of relief to Kreli. As much as she didn’t want to admit that she was seen as a dangerous wildcard, it was something she knew she had to live with. Yet that answer resolved Kreli’s answer. “If you will have me I would be more than eager to join your team.”

After Mr. Bannon expectantly glared a better understanding out of the nurse he exploded with babbling questions, and excitement. All of which weren’t translated by either of the Roschani. Which lead to another set of disappointed looks before he switched back to his rudimentary Galactic Common, “I have big questions. Want many answers. Feel free come back. All come back. Need teach, need learn, many understood.”

As bad as his language was he was clearly excited and that energy flooded though all three women. Who then properly introduced themselves. The Lieutenant Commander introduced herself as Vazhchayvr. The nurse as Kazhvoyova. It felt strange to Kreli that the Roschani didn’t publicly share their family names. She knew that her own was a relic of a previous life, one that wouldn’t take her back even if she wanted to return. Yet it was one that neither side had any way to expunge from reality. She was at least thankful that it was a hidden mark from the larger community. Kreli wondered how much worse her reputation would be if everyone understood the shame still held by her family’s name.

Mr. Bannon all but bullied the thoughts from her mind as he started attempting to pictogram out his knowledge for her, it seemed the two Roschani were already versed in what he was able to do, gathering three chairs anyway and wheeling over a white board from it’s spot next to a wall. It was impressive how little and how much he could present with a simple white board and colored marker. Kreli quickly came to understand that while Mr. Bannon’s knowledge was certainly Earth, as the Human’s planet was called, and Human focused; none of it wasn’t fundamentally sound. His outdoorsman skills were focused on sorting plants and animals into ‘hand’ and ‘not hand’ as the pictograms would illustrate. While Kreli thought his criteria were basic, her suspicion was that he didn’t know how to tell her.

After the first ship hour Kazhvoyova stood up and started to translate Mr. Bannon’s squiggles of a script into the common one. Which helped immensely with everyone’s understanding. Yet after the second it was clear that Mr. Bannon was falling asleep on his feet. Thus Kazhvoyova scolded him in their seemingly shared language and shooed everyone off to bed.

“Thank you! Friend.” Mr. Bannon said to Kreli, those words carrying such a genuine excitement it wamed her heart.

“You’re welcome?” Kreli said unsure of what else to say.

“I’m going to walk him home before he ends up sleeping in the hallway.” Kazhvoyova said watching the human stumble off.

“Alright. I’ll keep in touch,” Vazhchayvr said turning to leave. “Lieutenant do you mind walking with me for a moment?” Kreli was shocked to find that it was a complete request.

“Yes.” Kreli said falling in beside the Roschani.

“I feel I must apologies for earlier actions on my part.” Vazhchayvr’s voice had wisps of various emotions, “While I may not have any specific events to confess to currently. I will make an effort going forward.”

Kreli stood there shocked. “T-that’s not,” stumbled out of her.

“That’s what should be the standard,” Vazhchayvr said, “Besides it is the least I can do for a member of my team. Do you mind if I ask how long you’ve been an officer?”

“Four years, all of them aboard the Ambition. I got picked up as a minor enlisted and commissioned when I came of age.” Kreli pushed down the embarrassment that was trying to break free.

“You enlisted as a minor?” Vazhchayvr took another look at Kreli, “I thought that wasn’t something Folpron did.”

“I am an exception to most of the rules. I’d prefer if we could leave it at that.” Kreli now unable to control her embarrassment. “I do believe it is the reason I have been unable to promote though the ranks as expected.”

“Is it something that would impede our team?” Vazhchayvr asked, her voice carried no hostility or accusation. That earnest desire to understand if there were issues coming squashed Kreli’s embarrassment.

“Not likely. It is possible, although I would be able to see it coming. The circumstances make it easy to predict on my end.”

“Okay, I will yield to your judgement. Welcome to the team Lieutenant Neakamormi,” Vazhchayvr gave Kreli a salute that Kreli quickly returned. “With that I have to go prepare for my shift. I will square away the paperwork and you will hear from me soon.” Vazhchayvr paused for a moment, “I think our first course of action will be getting Noah speaking properly. Think you could help with that?”

Kreli signed in agreement, “I can do that. Thank you for the assignment.”

Vazhchayvr scoffed and waived as she turned to leave, “I think I’ll speak for all of us when I say loosen up. If Noah realizes how formal you’re being he’ll probably beat me and Kazhvoyova brown and green, and whatever your appropriate colors would be.” With that Vazhcayvr left.

Those last words hit Kreli with realization. Leaving a few questions: Who was it she had struck this morning, and what was it she had really signed up to? She knew time would only tell.