Ideational Representative

The stars seemed to rush past the freighter as the ships speed increased. Rows of shimmering blurs, stars, planets, and nebulae all seemed to be a tapestry of light and color to the colonists on their way to Terra Nova. Kelima Meljat watched the spectacle with everyone else as the smell of warm food enticed her stomach to a consistent growl. She smiled when the Community Liaison arrived to tell them that they could eat. Food rations were scarce and it was only by the generosity of the crew that they were being given extra rations at all.


According to ship rumor, the captain saw how emaciated the passengers were and offered some of the ships excess food to stave off ship wide famine. Kelima was so lost in thought that she failed to get in line early so as to ensure a full plate of food. Cursing her curiosity, she took her place at the end of the line and waited while the other eight hundred people ahead of her got their share of meat and stew.


Being that she was at the end of the line, Kelima was able to take a more scrutinizing look around the passenger cabin than those ahead of her who wanted only to get their fill. As she looked around she saw the lines and lines of bunks stacked five beds high to accommodate the colonists on their journey. Each bed was made up, except for hers, and all of them had the look of a military barracks down to the tucked in blanket corners.


When Kelimas eyes reached her own bunk, she stopped her sweeping gaze, startled by the man sitting on her second level bed. At first she thought it was just her eyes playing tricks on her but the fact that he was staring right back at her disproved her theory. He seemed taller than most Terrans at a little over six feet judging by the length of his legs.


Unlike most of her people, his feet touched the floor of the cabin from where he sat on the bunk level. His skin was lightly tanned from the ships decon chamber and, judging by his clothing, he had just come from there. She couldn't tell from where she stood but Kelima guessed that his eyes were a bluish color like the sky used to be on Earth before the Nuclear Winter set in.


Forgetting all about her place at the end of the line, Kelima went over to investigate this person sitting on her bunk. The man made no move to walk away or avoid her but only sat there, staring, as she came closer step by step. When she was right next to the bunk, he smiled softly and offered her a seat. Smiling back, Kelima sat down next to the strange man on her bunk and waited for him to say something. Seconds, then minutes went by before Kelima, who was tired of waiting, finally started the conversation.


"Hello, I'm Kelima." she said softly. "What's your name?"


"I don't really like my name all that much." The man said as he smiled again. "You can call me Talim though, it's my nickname." His blue eyes seemed to twinkle in the light of the cabin.


Kelima was briefly lost in his gaze and watched as realization of that fact came to the eyes of Talim. He smiled as she continued staring up at his face, not able to tear her gaze away. Suddenly, she realized what she was doing and blushed before shaking her head clear. Recovering herself, she continued her interrogation of the intruder sitting on her bed.


"I haven't seen you at any of the Terran meetings. Are you one of the colonists, one of the crew, or something else entirely?" Kelima asked, half jokingly.


Talim seemed to think about it for a moment before answering. His direct blue gaze seemed to bore into Kelima as he pondered her question and little more deeply than she expected anyone would. Kelima took the opportunity to further admire his long lanky muscular body with its slightly reddened complexion. Still, he didn't answer her question. He shifted in his seat and flexed his muscles as though they were cramped. Then he sighed before looking over to where the rations were being served.


"I think you just missed your meal Kelima." Talim said.


Looking over to where she left a rather long line, she watched as the dispense crew were packing up the rations and stacking everything on a Levitation Board. Crestfallen, Kelima began to cry as she watched them leave the cabin. She watched as everyone else sat at or near the Recreation area belching or laughing as they talked about the great meal they had eaten. The faint smell of stew was still on the air, viciously teasing her for her curiosity.


"Oh well, that's what I get for being curious." Kelima stated as she dried her eyes and turned back to talk with Talim. She smiled sadly as she waited for him to answer her question. Kelima was still curious about him despite missing her meal because of her curiosity.


"How long has it been since you've eaten?" Talim asked suddenly.


"Oh don't remind me! It's been three Earth days since my last protein injection. I haven't eaten in almost two weeks." She explained. Kelima blushed as her stomach growled audibly at the thought of her last meal. She shrugged it off as she looked again at Talim to answer her question about what part of the passenger manifest he belonged to.


"You mean you still want to know?" Talim asked, smiling.


"I do, and quit changing the subject." Kelima ordered as she smiled back. "Especially keep food out of the conversation. I don't think I can make it another week without eating the bulkhead as hungry as I am." They both laughed at this comment and giving a nod, Talim finally conceded to tell who he was.


"I'm Talim Nadet but don't call me that, Talim is fine. I am Terran but my family comes from Sirius-8 in the Orion System going back to four generations in my family. Most of my family are Horticulturists and Geneticists on the planet and on five of the seventeen satellites. The rest of my family are either governmental or mercenaries for the planet. I guess I'd fit into the last category..." Talim blushed as he trailed off. "Anyway, in answer to your question, I guess I'm part of the crew." He finished.


"Thank you Talim, even though that was like pulling teeth from a Ganymede Tiger, I enjoyed hearing your family history." Kelima said softly. She grinned reassuringly as Talim stared at her unsure if she was serious in her rebuke.


"So, what about you Kelima? Are you one of the colonists, one of the crew, or something else entirely?" Talim asked, throwing her own words back at her good-naturedly.


"Well... I--- OW!" Kelima screamed out suddenly. Something large hit the back of her head with a dull thud causing her to scream out. She felt the back of her head for soft spots and gasped in shock when she saw her hand covered in blood.


"Good shot Baracla!" A raucous womans voice said loudly. "Let me try one--Whoa!" Vemile exclaimed as she saw Talim for the first time.


Unlike Kelima, Vemile knew who this man was due to her fathers status as Community Liaison. Her eyes only got wider as she watched Talim comfort the crying Kelima, checking her head over and carrying her out of the passenger cabin. Turning to her friend and hanger on Baracla, she quickly came up with a lie to tell her father about Kelima.


In truth, they had both picked on the woman several times before but they'd never had a someone as credible as Talim Nadet to speak out against them. Vemile prayed that he didn't hear her loud cheering as she told Baracla to hide in the ventilation shaft. Vemiles plan was simple. She would tell her father than Baracla had done it and lead him to her hideout so she could be punished. That plan had worked several times before due to the fact that the younger girl was scared of losing the status as Vemiles friend and would do almost anything to keep in her good favor.