The Illusion of Isolation

Posted on Friday June 26th, 2020 @ 4:38am by Lieutenant Shalmira Heddan

495 words; about a 2 minute read

ON:

The black, warm sand was damp underfoot as her bare feet left an evanescent trail along the moonlit crescent beach. Of the three moons of Tyrus two hung gibbous just above the horizon, their reflections glimmering on the oceans expanse. The third moon, and by far the largest, Gion, hung overhead – looking like a looming cyclops with its one large visible crater in the lower quarter. Evidence in the moon's distant prehistory, when it had witnessed some devastating impact.

Shalmira stopped running, a slight sheen of sweat on her bare arms. Beyond the beach’s high tide marks purple undergrowth whispered and wavered in a chill night wind. The low trees and other flora rose to cover the jagged, dark basalt cliffs and craggy hills that made up much of the volcanic island.

“Computer… record personal log tag in date and time specifics” Schen said to the whispering wind, as she’d hoped an early morning run would clear her thoughts. “I have reported to the Poseidon’s CO , Captain Johnson, and he seems… Pause recording”. She wondered about her first thoughts and perceptions of her new CO – he seemed friendly enough and competent though, from what she knew of his service record, perhaps a little young and inexperienced.

“Continue personal log… Captain Johnson seems competent enough though, like many humans, perhaps over friendly with the lower rank and file for a Command Level officer. On other matters I will see how my new Assistant Department Head, this Lt Finnegan, gets along following the forthcoming departmental staff appraisals… Perhaps I’ll delegate the appraisals and see her recommendations”. Schen nodded to herself making a mental note.
Shalmira paused as, from the lush dark undergrowth, a first wave of morning noises erupted from the chirping of insects to the high-pitch caterwauling of the local fauna and the large flightless avian life that lived on the jungle floor. The noise level arose as, across the horizon, the first sliver of dawn lit the heavens leaving a slight halo around the two smaller moons.

Her thoughts drifted back to her time on the Helos V when the Romulan ship first surveyed the mostly ocean-covered M-Class planet Tyrus and its three moons. They’d surveyed the complex interactive tidal systems as the oceans where dragged this way and that by the interaction of the planet’s three satellites. Registering massive tsunamis when Gion aligned with the two smaller moons to raise tides on a titanic scale. Swamping the equatorial islands with a cleansing, destructive force.

She often thought of her own emotions seeming to mirror the ebb and flow of Tyrus’s tides - at times peaceful and placid, the next raging and destructive. Shalmira smiled to herself, shaking her head.

“Computer end program” she muttered and the expanse of dark sand, the moons and distant jagged hills all faded from view. She stood there, bare foot, in the Poseidon’s Holodeck. Her thoughts a little clearer…

OFF.

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