Purple Telegram

Posted on Mon Dec 29th, 2025 @ 5:06pm by Lieutenant JG Zai Walker & Lieutenant JG Aiden Poe
Edited on on Mon Dec 29th, 2025 @ 5:10pm

1,203 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shore Leave - Starbase 1
Location: Earth, North America, Canada
Timeline: Three Days before Current Time

ON:

The door chime rang a second time. Aiden who'd been in his room packing in hopes that his new post would be a new start hurried down the stairs tripping all the way. "WAIT! DON'T GO AWAY I'M COMING HOLD ON!"

Today was the day he would find out which ship he was on. He’d applied to five, the USS Arcadia again for the millionth time. He doubted that he’d get it but his heart hoped. He had this feeling that that was where he needed to be and the cards said that he would begin a new chapter so he had hope.

He tripped on the last step managing to grab the banister avoiding the face plant that would have been inevitable if the banister was not there. He gasped for breath. "Why did I choose the attic room!" He hurried to the door pulling it open and hitting the screen a little too fast falling out of the old style home he rented a room in and into the arms of some poor stranger.

"Oh! I'm sorry, sorry!" He pulled back quickly his eyes meeting that of the stranger and his mouth forming an O. "Holy Sugar Bowl you're hot and you have purple eyes!"

Zai's lip twitched. You're perfect Aiden Poe "I believe what you meant to say was hello Commander how can I help you."

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry." He stood up straight and puffed out his chest giving a salute. "Hello Commander. How can I help you?"

Zai shook his head and extended the orders. "Lieutenant Junior Grade Aiden Briar Poe welcome to the USS Arcadia. Your orders to report on board ASAP are all here."

Poe's mouth dropped open as he stared at the orders. "Th...the USS Arcadia! As in the ship that rejected me like a thousand times."

Zai smiled. "Well you weren't ready or rather the ship wasn't so now it's ready. Here you go."

Poe took the orders. "Thank you sir!"

Zai tipped his uniform hat. "Well. I shall leave you to pack."

"Cool! Um... before you go sir. Are you Xenexian? You have the same eyes as me. Although I can't grow a beard like that." Aiden watched the stranger. He was more beard then human but the eyes…they were mesmerizing. He wondered if his own were like that but quickly squashed that idea.

Zai smiled. "We're both member's of the purple eyed club. Can I give you some advice Lieutenant?"

"Yes sir."

Zai smiled. "Your XO is a bit of a rough bear. He's recently lost someone...don't take his attitude personally."

"Yes sir."

Zai gave a nod. "Well then. Good Luck with your new posting." He turned and walked away. Down the street and around the corner a familiar form waited for him.

"Well! You're wearing a Commander's uniform and the beard is a nice touch. If it weren't for the eyes... well I wouldn’t recognize you." Shariel sipped his coffee. "How was it?"

"The Lieutenant is a mess. He's accident prone, over excited and overly perky. He's perfect."

Shariel snorted. "Can we go back now?"

Zai looked around. "Yeah. Let's go to the collective. It's in the hands of the fates now." He sighed.

"Excellent," Shariel clapped his hands. "So why did you rank up only to Commander?"

Zai shrugged. "I would have gone Admiral but I didn't want to appear too greedy."

Shariel snorted. "I would have gone with a higher post then that."

Zai laughed. "I'm sure you would have. Your ego knows no bounds."

"One day, my son, you shall understand your father."

Zai shook his head. "Perhaps. But that is a disturbing thought for later. Off we go then. One more stop."



=/\= Back at Aiden Poe's House =/\=

Aiden closed the door and shot up the stairs with a speed and coordination that surprised even him. He let out a whoop as he burst through the attic door and threw himself into packing. This was his last night in this place, a small home to come to on leave. He’d shared the house with an older couple helping them with chores when he was back and maintaining things. Now he would be leaving for the last time because he had gotten accepted to the ship of his dreams and this was a chance for a new start.

He grinned as he shoved his belongings into bags and crates. There wasn’t much but it was still tiring and it was exciting at the same time.

“Well you look excited.”

Aiden turned to see Mrs. Hawkston standing at his door with a cup of tea. He grinned. “Yes! I finally got onto the Arcadia.”

“Well! That’s wonderful.”

He smiled. “Yes. It’s going to be a new start for me Mrs. Hawkston. Maybe I can change how people see me and I can be more then just a screw up historian.”

She sighed. “Aiden.” She walked over to him and took his hand leading him to sit on the bed. “You are more then a screw up historian. You are a historian who knows more about the history of Federation planets and alien planets then anyone I know. You are an Alien Archaeologist and Anthropologist who has published several papers. You are the young man who works himself to the bone all the time when he’s here so that me and my husband can rest. You are a caring and kind young man and you are the perfect you.”

He sighed. “I wish I could believe that.”

She smiled. “You’ve had it rough kid. Give yourself some grace. As you said this is a new chapter. Take the time on your favourite ship to find who you are and start living for you. Be the best you that you can. You care too much what others think and you try to please everyone but in the end you only hurt yourself.”

He sighed and shrugged.

Mrs. Hawkston put an arm around him. “This will be a wonderful new start. You’ll see. Now come on and pack and I will go get lunch on the table.”

He smiled. “Thanks Mrs. Hawkston. I’m going to miss your cooking, you know?”

She smiled. “Well I’ve packed some cookies you could take with you and some recipes. It’s time you learned to cook Aiden. Don’t rely on those replicated things. Ship food is horrible. My husband always came home thinner then he left.”

He snorted. “Yeah, me cooking. With my luck I’ll burn down the whole ship.”

She laughed. “I could see that but you’ll try cooking nonetheless cause it’s going to be your promise to me.”

He grinned. “I need that in writing just in case I need to give that to the captain when my cooking goes terribly wrong.”

She laughed and headed out shaking her head. She would miss him. After their son died Aiden had filled that void both for her and her husband and he’d needed proper parenting. It had worked. She only hoped she had fixed some of the damage his own family had done.

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