Family Reunion
Sept 8, 2006 4:39:08 GMT
Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2006 4:39:08 GMT
<Starbase Conqueror... Deck Seven... morning>
Space being at less of a premium than on a starship, Xin-Ling’s quarters on Starbase Conqueror’s Deck Seven were a bit more ornate than those she used while on duty aboard the USS Hepta. Consisting of a kitchen, dining area, living room, and two bedrooms (each having its own bath), she lived quite comfortably when the starship had returned to space dock.
First-time visitors to her apartment – she hated calling it her “quarters” – were always pleasantly surprised when they entered. The first thing that greeted them in her foyer was a small fish pond with large goldfish, six or seven inches in length, swimming gracefully through it to the tune provided by a small waterfall. Ferns and other tropical plants graced the area, and offered the visitor a serenity, for which many visitors gratefully exchanged their tenseness.
She had decorated her apartment in cool colors, with red accents placed here and there in deference to the Chinese meaning of the color.
The living room had a distinct nautical theme, with many of the items there resembling ships, anchors, and various sea creatures. A collection of shells under a glass top was built into her coffee table. The only item in her living room that seemed out of place with the nautical theme was a sizable picture of twentieth-century martial artist legend Li Siu Leung, a handsome young man with a full head of hair and what were very dark eyebrows for an Asian. Often Xin-Ling gazed at the picture – the man was her hero, and she often tried to pattern herself after him. By the door were her shoes. Like many Asians, she never wore them in her apartment, and asked her guests to also remove theirs. No one ever complained. The carpets she had installed were thick, soft, and warm.
WHY did the alarm have to ring so loudly?
Her eyes still closed, Xin-Ling reached a sleepy hand toward her bedside clock, shutting off the alarm and turned over to get a few more moments of rest. Such was not to be, however. Not sixty seconds after the alarm had sounded, her computer switched on and greeted her for the day.
”Incoming communiqué from the Commandant’s Office...” its voice announced. Despite the fact she had had the computer programmed to make its announcements in Li Siu Leung’s voice, she was sorely tempted to deliver a swift kick to its monitor.
“Ai-ya!” she cried in exasperation as she finally rose from her bed. She strode angrily into her living room, still wanting to bring her computer to its dying breath for conspiring with her clock to wake her out of a sound and much-needed sleep, but thought better of it when her eyes fell on the picture of her hero.
“Very sorry, sifu,” she said humbly, and activated the mailbox file. To her pleasure, there was also a communiqué from her younger sister arriving at that moment, and she happily selected the incoming mail from her sister.
“Hey, Xin-Ling,” said the image on the monitor, a petite and bubbly girl of about eighteen with a face slightly wider than Xin-Ling’s. “I call to let you know we all coming your direction. We arrive at Starbase by tomorrow. You in from star-hopping for awhile?”
“We just come in from training mission, Wah,” answered Xin-Ling. "We here for several weeks until Hanson ship return.”
The Asian Warrior’s eyes sparkled in anticipation. It had been at least three years since she’d seen her family, and the thought of visiting for a few days with her two brothers, younger sister, and parents thrilled her.
“Not just us,” Lai Wah added. “Number One sister come too.”
“Mei-Ling come?” Xin-Ling echoed, her eyes lighting in pleasure even more.
“Yeah!” Wah answered in her typical sing-song rhythm when she wanted to emphasize something. “She get off for a couple of weeks, so we all come by.”
The two made plans to meet at Asian Garden, and, after a short session of family chit-chat, they broke connection. It was only then that Xin-Ling remembered the communiqué waiting from Commodore ONE’s office. She switched to his mail...
”This is a reminder that you have an appointment at 0900 hours at Commodore ONE’s office today. Please do not be late.”
It had slipped her mind! Quickly, she shut down her computer, showered and dressed, then rushed out of her apartment. If she hurried, she would just have time to make it to Deck Four where the Commandant’s office was located.
No time for breakfast... she would grab something afterwards on the Promenade.
<Tag – ONE>
Space being at less of a premium than on a starship, Xin-Ling’s quarters on Starbase Conqueror’s Deck Seven were a bit more ornate than those she used while on duty aboard the USS Hepta. Consisting of a kitchen, dining area, living room, and two bedrooms (each having its own bath), she lived quite comfortably when the starship had returned to space dock.
First-time visitors to her apartment – she hated calling it her “quarters” – were always pleasantly surprised when they entered. The first thing that greeted them in her foyer was a small fish pond with large goldfish, six or seven inches in length, swimming gracefully through it to the tune provided by a small waterfall. Ferns and other tropical plants graced the area, and offered the visitor a serenity, for which many visitors gratefully exchanged their tenseness.
She had decorated her apartment in cool colors, with red accents placed here and there in deference to the Chinese meaning of the color.
The living room had a distinct nautical theme, with many of the items there resembling ships, anchors, and various sea creatures. A collection of shells under a glass top was built into her coffee table. The only item in her living room that seemed out of place with the nautical theme was a sizable picture of twentieth-century martial artist legend Li Siu Leung, a handsome young man with a full head of hair and what were very dark eyebrows for an Asian. Often Xin-Ling gazed at the picture – the man was her hero, and she often tried to pattern herself after him. By the door were her shoes. Like many Asians, she never wore them in her apartment, and asked her guests to also remove theirs. No one ever complained. The carpets she had installed were thick, soft, and warm.
• • •
WHY did the alarm have to ring so loudly?
Her eyes still closed, Xin-Ling reached a sleepy hand toward her bedside clock, shutting off the alarm and turned over to get a few more moments of rest. Such was not to be, however. Not sixty seconds after the alarm had sounded, her computer switched on and greeted her for the day.
”Incoming communiqué from the Commandant’s Office...” its voice announced. Despite the fact she had had the computer programmed to make its announcements in Li Siu Leung’s voice, she was sorely tempted to deliver a swift kick to its monitor.
“Ai-ya!” she cried in exasperation as she finally rose from her bed. She strode angrily into her living room, still wanting to bring her computer to its dying breath for conspiring with her clock to wake her out of a sound and much-needed sleep, but thought better of it when her eyes fell on the picture of her hero.
“Very sorry, sifu,” she said humbly, and activated the mailbox file. To her pleasure, there was also a communiqué from her younger sister arriving at that moment, and she happily selected the incoming mail from her sister.
“Hey, Xin-Ling,” said the image on the monitor, a petite and bubbly girl of about eighteen with a face slightly wider than Xin-Ling’s. “I call to let you know we all coming your direction. We arrive at Starbase by tomorrow. You in from star-hopping for awhile?”
“We just come in from training mission, Wah,” answered Xin-Ling. "We here for several weeks until Hanson ship return.”
The Asian Warrior’s eyes sparkled in anticipation. It had been at least three years since she’d seen her family, and the thought of visiting for a few days with her two brothers, younger sister, and parents thrilled her.
“Not just us,” Lai Wah added. “Number One sister come too.”
“Mei-Ling come?” Xin-Ling echoed, her eyes lighting in pleasure even more.
“Yeah!” Wah answered in her typical sing-song rhythm when she wanted to emphasize something. “She get off for a couple of weeks, so we all come by.”
The two made plans to meet at Asian Garden, and, after a short session of family chit-chat, they broke connection. It was only then that Xin-Ling remembered the communiqué waiting from Commodore ONE’s office. She switched to his mail...
”This is a reminder that you have an appointment at 0900 hours at Commodore ONE’s office today. Please do not be late.”
It had slipped her mind! Quickly, she shut down her computer, showered and dressed, then rushed out of her apartment. If she hurried, she would just have time to make it to Deck Four where the Commandant’s office was located.
No time for breakfast... she would grab something afterwards on the Promenade.
<Tag – ONE>