Private Just a Moment

[Meri Vale]

The galley wasn't silent. Not exactly. The ship always had a voice if you listened for it. A low hum in the deck plates, the faint tick of cooling metal, the distant whirr of something mechanical settling into a steady rhythm. It was calm in a way that let her breathe, which was why Meri had come here instead of staying tucked away somewhere smaller.

She stood at the counter with both hands wrapped around a battered metal mug, the heat seeping into her fingers. Hot chocolate. Real hot chocolate. Thick, a little too sweet, and carefully rationed. It was one of the few personal luxuries she allowed herself, a habit carried forward from childhood that she had never quite been willing to let go of. The scent alone made her shoulders ease, just a fraction, grounding her more effectively than any meditation ever had.

She took a careful sip, eyes half-lidded as if the taste required full attention. It wasn't something she drank quickly. Hot chocolate deserved patience. It was warmth and memory and comfort all at once, and she let herself have that moment without apology.

The galley door hissed open behind her.

Meri paused, not startled so much as gently pulled back into the present. Her grip on the mug tightened for a heartbeat before relaxing again. She turned, curiosity replacing inward focus as she took in the newcomer.

"Oh," she said softly, realizing she'd drifted enough to forget the space was shared. She shifted a half-step aside, instinctively making room. "Sorry."

A small, polite smile followed, tentative but genuine.

"I'll just be a minute," she added, glancing down at the mug as if that explained everything. Steam curled upward between them, the faint scent of chocolate lingering in the air as the ship continued its quiet, steady breathing around them both.

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

I am not used to small spaces. And although this vessel is probably a standard size; I am just used to being within living quarters of a grander scale. Even while living on the run, I am certain to not allow myself to feel cramped. I do not have claustrophobia as far as I am aware, but perhaps just a hint of it is possible.

There are no wine glasses in my quarters, and so I carried my bottle with me to the galley. I am not desperate enough for a drink to do so from the bottle itself. That is highly uncivilized and unlady-like.

To my surprise the young hire was there, cradling a mug of what smells like hot chocolate to herself in almost the same manner that she always carries her notes. And she was equally as apologetic as I would be. The two of us both seem to avoid conflict as though the situation itself was an illness.

"Quite all right. You were here first. I will not be long, myself." There were no wine glasses that I could see in the cupboard, and so I just picked out whatever glass was available - and the cleanest - before I poured some of my wine into it.

I am not used to being around children - let alone teenagers. Nor am I used to being a part of a crew, however temporary it may be. The proper decorum here is different than what I, myself grew up in.

"Any ideas as to where we are headed next?"

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri listened, eyes attentive over the rim of her mug, and gave a small nod at Liin's words. She didn't comment on the space itself, only the tone behind them.

"That makes sense," she said softly. "Shared spaces take some getting used to. I don't mind company, as long as it's quiet like this."

At the question, she glanced down at the hot chocolate again, considering, then answered plainly.

"I don't know yet," Meri said. "I wasn't given a destination." She looked back up, expression calm, almost apologetic. "I was hired to map what we find and to research wherever we end up. Context, history, that sort of thing."

Her fingers tightened slightly around the mug before relaxing.

"So I'm waiting, too," she added gently. "I'll understand the place better once we're there."

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

I listened to her politely. Only during her pause did I have a small sip of my wine. I used to be bolder and more articulate. I used to command a room that I entered. I used to have to present grand speeches. But now I am a far cry from that. I am quite reserved. In some ways it makes it easier when one is overlooked that way. It gives a more proper reason other than no one caring to notice or hear me.

Living on the run and being hunted is also the cause.

Seeing that I am becoming distracted with my own thoughts; I return my focus to Meri. "Doing research is a terrific line of work. The more that one does it; the broader one's mind will be." I pause for a moment and have another sip of my wine before I continue with a question that I utter almost timidly, "Is the business of mapping and research the same line of work as your parents?"

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri didn't answer immediately.

She took another small sip of her hot chocolate, more to give herself a moment than because she needed it, eyes lowered to the dark surface of the drink as if the answer might settle there first. When she finally looked up again, her expression was polite and composed, but quieter than before.

"No," she said softly. "Not really."

Her fingers tightened slightly around the mug, then relaxed.

"My parents died when I was young," Meri continued, choosing each word with care. "I was… too young to understand what they did. I remember routines more than professions. Schedules. Expectations. The way things were supposed to be done."

A faint pause followed, not heavy, just honest.

"I don't think research is something they would have planned for me," she added. "But I think they would have approved of it. Learning. Preserving things. Asking questions instead of rushing to answers."

Her gaze drifted briefly to the galley wall, then back to Liin.

"So this is something I chose," Meri said gently. "Not something I inherited."

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

How recent it had been since they had passed, I do not know. Nor would I dare to ask. It is not my place to do so. I am never the type to pry into anyone's affairs.

I had another sip of my wine and swallowed it down before responding with; "Living under another's shadow can be difficult, while forging your own path can leave you free of expectations."

For me at least, it had been liberating. No longer was I the object of disappointment amongst the business elite. No longer was it hurtful to be ignored by them either. Now I wanted to be. The only people that wanted me now are unable to find me. The Galaxy is vast and I am but a tiny speck of it. And once my research was over; then they too would cease their efforts in finding me, and I could find myself a small corner of the Galaxy to retire and live out the rest of my days in peace and quiet. I may be considered too young to do so, but why would I care about what others think? I owe them nothing. They owe me nothing. My disappearance would be entirely unnoticed.

"I shall leave you to your hot chocolate." As promised, I had no intention of staying long or bothering her. I turned to head back to my small quarters with my bottle and glass in hand.

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri's fingers tightened around the mug as Liin spoke, the warmth suddenly secondary to the words themselves. She listened closely, not just to what was said but to what lingered underneath it, the way someone speaks when they have already decided how small a space they intend to occupy in the galaxy.

When Liin turned to leave, Meri reacted before she had time to talk herself out of it.

"Wait—"

The word slipped out softer than she meant, barely louder than the hum of the ship. She immediately flushed, shoulders drawing in as if she'd overstepped some invisible line. Her free hand lifted halfway, uncertain, then stilled in the air, fingers curling slightly before she let them drop again.

"I…you're not bothering me," Meri added quickly, almost apologetically. She glanced down at her mug, then back up, forcing herself to meet Liin's eyes for a heartbeat. "I was actually…enjoying the company."

A small, hesitant smile followed, careful and unassuming.

"You don't have to stay," she said, meaning it, even as the words cost her something. "But…if you wanted to sit a little longer, that would be all right."

She shifted her grip on the mug, thumb tracing the rim as if grounding herself.

"Sometimes it's nice," Meri said quietly, "to talk with someone who understands what it's like to step out of a shadow. Even if only for a moment."

She didn't move to block Liin's path or insist. She simply stayed where she was, hand still faintly raised, the invitation there without demand, hoping the gesture alone might be enough to make the older woman pause.

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

My departure seemed to have been premature; for I heard her ask me to wait. I paused my next step and turned slowly on my heel to face her.

She seemed a little nervous or shy in even asking me to stay, yet had somehow drawn up the courage to ask. Maybe it was the hot chocolate?

I was going to ask her if she was sure, but in my mind I already knew the answer. Besides, she would not of brought up the suggestion if she truly did not want me to be around for a little while longer. And so I once more returned to where I once stood. "All right. I suppose that it would not hurt. But I am just not used to providing comfort to others. If anything I spent most of my time with others having to explain myself to them." And that does not always go so well. Afterall I have too many flaws for them to point out.

I had another sip of my wine and invited her to ask me whatever she wanted.

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri's shoulders eased almost immediately when Liin turned back, relief soft enough that it barely showed unless you were looking for it. Her fingers tightened around the mug for a moment, grounding, before she let out a small breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"You don't have to comfort me," she said quietly, a quick shake of her head as if to make sure that was clear. "I just…didn't want the moment to end yet."

She glanced down at the surface of the hot chocolate, watching the faint steam curl upward, then looked back up at Liin with a tentative, earnest expression.

"I'm not very good at starting conversations," Meri admitted. "Or stopping them, apparently." There was the faintest hint of a smile at that. "But it's nice, having someone else here. Even if we're just…existing in the same space."

She hesitated, choosing her words with care, then nodded once as if deciding it was all right to ask.

"You said you've spent a lot of time explaining yourself," Meri said softly. "Do you mind if I ask…what it is people usually get wrong about you?"

Her tone wasn't prying or demanding, just open, an invitation rather than an expectation, as she lifted the mug again and waited.

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

"I am sorry," I let out with a bit of a sigh. "I have just gotten so used to being by myself, that conversations are mostly kept within the confines of my mind as I think about old memories." It is not as though I was implying that I am old, it is just that my recent past and present are reason enough for me to of gained the habit of being silent.

I sat myself down at a nearby chair and took another sip of my wine while I contemplated just how to answer her question. It was not one that I was used to being asked. And more likely than not it would not be the last time that it was asked eother. Still; I had to pick out which part to say first. "Mostly everything. A lot of people question my research and have their own reasons behind it as to what I am conducting my research for. Yet mostly they are wrong. I find myself far more comfortable while being alone because every time I even so much as have a bodyguard or have a visit by a friend; people are so desperate at seeing me having a lovelife that they create a fantasy where my bodyguard or friend has magically turned into a lover that I am trying to hide. It is absurd and hurtful that they would make up those lies about me." I swallowed down a lump in my throat while I recalled those memories, for I did not want my emotional barriers to break. Especially with anyone there to watch. That too would be embarrassing.

"It is what caused me to leave my job, to sever any ties with high society and change my life's direction. I did not wish to be a mockery any more." I refilled my glass of wine, topping it up so to speak before continuing. "At least now they have all forgotten that I even existed." I know that to be true because none of them have tried to contact me in any way. And the same occurred with every place of sanctuary that I have come and gone to; and there has been many. They are all busy with their own lives and other people. My presence matters little.

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri listened without interrupting, her mug resting untouched between her hands as the older woman spoke. She did not fidget, did not rush to fill the spaces where the words grew heavier. Some things deserve to be met with stillness first.

When she did speak, her voice was quiet, careful, but sincere.

"I wouldn't do that," Meri said. "Not to you. Not to anyone." She lifted her eyes, meeting Liin's without pressure. "I would never try to imagine a love life for you, or make stories about it. I don't…really understand why people do that."

Her fingers tightened slightly around the mug, then relaxed again.

"I don't even have one of my own," she added, almost apologetically, as if that explained everything. A thought of Elian Abrantes brushed past her mind, fleeting and unspoken, and she let it go just as quickly. "So it would feel strange to invent one for someone else."

She hesitated, choosing her next words with care.

"It sounds lonely," Meri said softly. "Not the being alone part. I think there's a difference. But being…turned into something you're not. Talked about instead of listened to." Her gaze dropped briefly to the surface of her drink. "I don't think you deserve that."

After a moment, she looked back up again, earnest.

"You matter here," Meri said, not loudly, not dramatically. Just as a simple truth. "At least to me. And I'm glad you stayed."

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

"I am uncertain of why people make up such stories either. Perhaps they are looking for gossip to spread and for some reason or another, I was targeted for it." Did they have ill will towards her for it? I cannot be certain. But it was cruel to me. And it just goes to show that the only way that they see me is if I had some lover by my side. Alone I am as invisible as a ghost. I felt that often enough during meetings and special events. The broader stage of the Galaxy is a cold and lonely place. I have no place there but to be arm candy to someone else.

Only for my research was I seen for something more than that. But there were many that just wanted to kill me and steal my research; either to destroy it or to exploit it. And then there were others that only sought my mind and what they could do with it. Neither option was appealing to me. Both caused great harm. So that too was a good reason to live on the run.

I took another sip of my wine as I returned my focus to the young lady before me. "Thank you. I do not believe that anyone deserves that and I hope that you do not have to go through it yourself when you get older." I regarded her comment about staying very lightly, for I knew well enough that I cannot stay for long. I just needed a little extra credits to help fund my research a little longer. "I am unsure of the length of my tenure here. I was hired for my skills as a scientist, so I will utilize those here to the best of my ability."

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri listened without interrupting, her attention steady in a way that made it clear she was taking every word seriously. When Liin finished, she didn't rush to fill the space. She let it settle first.

"That sounds… very lonely," Meri said quietly, not pitying, just honest. Her fingers curled lightly together in front of her mug, thumbs rubbing once, a small self-soothing habit. "And unfair. Being seen only when you're attached to someone else, or useful to them, like that's the only way you're allowed to exist."

She hesitated, choosing her words with care.

"I don't think you're invisible," she added, softer still. "Not like that. You notice things. You think deeply. That matters, even if the galaxy is very bad at showing it."

At the mention of people wanting to use or destroy her work, Meri's expression tightened just a fraction, understanding flickering there. She didn't comment directly on it, but the recognition was clear.

"I hope I don't go through that either," she said after a moment, giving a small, almost rueful smile. "But… if I do, I hope I remember that it isn't because I did something wrong."

She glanced down at her drink, then back up.

"I'm glad you're here for now," Meri said simply. "Even if it's only for a little while. And I think it's good that you're using your skills on your own terms."

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

Back on New Cov - before the foreign occupation - I was never treated in such a way. There I had my place and worked my way up to the Board of Directors through my hard work and due diligence. There I was known and respected. But out in the Galaxy? I am a nobody, or a mad scientist, or a joke.

I had another sip of my wine while I listen to Meri quietly. Her words seem to hold a lot of truth to them. She seemed a little wiser beyond her years. But more often than not I was always regarded as being naive to the Galaxy; similar to that of a child. So maybe that is why I feel some empathy towards her, and a bit of a kinship.

"Thank you. And I do try to conduct my life on my own terms, rather than someone elses. At least that gives me an ounce of control, where I otherwise do not have any." I paused for a moment to have another sip of my wine before asking her; "How long will your tenure be with this crew?"

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri listened without interrupting, both hands wrapped around her mug as if it were an anchor. When Liin paused, she took a small sip of the hot chocolate, letting the warmth steady her before she spoke.

"On your own terms sounds…important," she said quietly, not arguing the point, just acknowledging it. "I think that kind of control matters more than people realize."

At the question, she hesitated just a fraction, eyes dropping briefly to the surface of her drink before lifting again.

"I'll be with them until school starts," Meri answered softly. "After that, I'm supposed to stay on Naboo."

She took another careful sip, then added, almost apologetically, "It isn't permanent. Just…long enough."

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

I gave her a little nod, although I was unsure of how long it was until school was to begin. A few weeks? A month? Two months? Everywhere was different. And who knows how much time had already passed. She was on the ship before I was, afterall. But by how much time, I am uncertain.

"Well, I am sure that we will have a little bit of an adventure. Perhaps we will even be able to do a bit of exploring. There are quite a number of environments that I have yet to encounter. I have spent much of my life in a bubble, afterall." That was one way of putting it.

I allowed myself another sip of my wine as I paused before continuing; "How about you?"

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri considered his question for a moment before answering, eyes drifting briefly toward her mug as she wrapped both hands around it again, letting the warmth settle into her fingers before she spoke. It gave her something to hold onto while she gathered her thoughts.

"I've been to a few places," she said softly. "More than I ever expected, really."

A small, thoughtful smile touched her lips.

"Deserts, forests, coastal worlds, places with too much rain and places that barely had any water at all," she continued. "Some were beautiful. Some were… just difficult. But they were all survivable, at least for me."

She shrugged lightly, not dismissively, just honestly.

"Nothing extreme," Meri admitted. "Nothing that an Epicanthix couldn't manage with a little planning and care. I've never been anywhere that truly felt impossible."

Her gaze lifted back to him, curious but gentle.

"I think most of my traveling was about learning how to adapt," she added after a moment. "Figuring out how to stay steady even when everything else was unfamiliar."

She took a small sip of her hot chocolate, then smiled again, a little warmer this time.

"So… maybe we'll both get to see something new," she said quietly. "Together."

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

Well she had already surpassed me. But that is to be expected when one like myself has lived their life in a bubble and sheltered. Now all that I do is run, from one makeshift laboratory to the next, keeping myself ahead of those that are only after my mind.

I finished off my wine and rose to put the glass aside. "Perhaps we will." It was all that I could think of to add. Which I then followed with a small yawn. "But not until after some rest. It has been quite the long day for me. Do you mind if I retire?"

Tag: Meri Vale

 

[Meri Vale]

Meri noticed the yawn immediately.

It was small, almost reflexive, but to her it said more than the words that followed. Exhaustion layered over thoughtfulness. A long day, finally catching up. Someone who had been carrying too much for too long and was only now letting herself feel it.

She set her mug down carefully and straightened a little in her seat.

"Oh," Meri said softly, a hint of concern slipping into her voice. "Of course. You should rest."

She offered a small, warm smile, shy yet sincere.

"It…it was really nice talking with you," she added. "I'm glad I got to."

She hesitated for half a heartbeat, then inclined her head politely, the way she had learned to do when she wanted to be respectful without being stiff.

"Have a good night, ma'am," Meri said gently. "And…sleep well."

Liin Terallo

 

[Liin Terallo]

I gave her a small nod with a touch of relief added to it as I carefully stored the wine glass into the sink. "It was nice talking to you too, Meri." I have turned towards her, doing my very best not to get into her way as I moved around the small galley.

"And make sure that you get some rest as well. Who knows what the Captain has planned for us. So we will need to be sure that we are fully refreshed and ready." A touch of my upbringing slithered in; always be at your best. Always get enough sleep. It sharpens the mind, and helps one to look their best. Those lessons feel like a lifetime ago, and yet I still cling to them. They were lessons from home. And they were all that is left of a most perfect life that I used to have. Before the outside Galaxy interfered.

I miss that life and who I used to be within it. But it does no good to dwell and mourn the past. I carry my bottle of wine with me to my quarters to store it safely. Tomorrow is another day, and it is strange to not know of what was to become of it. I much prefer a strict routine.

Tag: Meri Vale