The Way Back Home (Open To All) -- (Set Before S1 M4 of Katra Station) COMPLETE

[Arrun Dihsar]

[Earth, San Francisco, Outside of Starfleet Medical]

It was an overcast day, the sky a flint and fossil grey as the sunlight attempted to pierce through the sky. A Bajoran man in civilian wear stepped out from the grand structure of Starfleet Medical Headquarters, his cherry red duffel bag plush full of his personal effects. He took a few steps and turned to look up at the structure he had spend so long inside, getting to know full well its various facilities, staff, and even some of its patients. He remembered feeling somewhat frightened when he first came by, unsure what answers -if any- dwelled within. Now it was not so scary, only slightly sad. For all the technological marvel and summit of minds that the Federation could offer: the man had only a handful of answers when he wanted a full backpack worth. He finally looked away from the structure and strode away from it; trying to be happy, if not content, that he was able to leave it.

A soft chime drew his attention to his bag, so he stopped at a nearby bench and smiled politely at a passer-by; if nothing else, the city was as friendly as he ever remembered it. Even if, his last mission involved this very city and the Starfleet as a whole.

Drinks at the 602? My treat! said the text on the flat Starfleet-insignia'd PADD he had.

He tapped his own forehead with the device in thought. He remembered the old place, the unofficial pilot's lounge of Starfleet and popular hole-in-the-wall for officers looking for somewhere off the Presidum to drink. Even before his time, the place had a certain legendary aura about it. Claims that this or that famous officer had drunk there -true or not- always kept the place just busy enough to be friendly, but not so busy you had to reserve a chair. The Bajoran sighed and looked at the PADD again, as if he could will the invite away. "Sometimes, you just have to dive in." Arrun Dihsar muttered at his PADD; recalling advice from his therapist.

He tapped at the PADD once more, letting his friend know he was on his way. Arrun did not want to see anyone today, especially after such an exhausting morning of filling out paperwork for his official release. But, he was beyond being a hermit on his mountain, seeking the Truth from the Prophets: he couldn't hide away. Even if he hadn't told anyone, except his Doctor, what his intentions were: he could not pretend the universe and the people in it didn't matter to him any more.

The weight of his decision on him, he strode to a nearby transit stop and made his way to the 602 Club.

[Arrun Dihsar]

[The 602 Club, San Francisco]

Stepping into lounge, the walls adorned with various feats of space navigation and signed holographs of various Starfleet Officers: Arrun felt a twinge in his soul for the place. He hadn't been by since the Academy, his posting on the Athena having taken him so far from the place for so long. A few heads turned and noted the civil attire but noted the red bag and thought little more of Arrun than an off-duty officer. Sure, there were locals about who enjoyed the historic bar, but a Bajoran face this far from his homeworld was more than likely Starfleet.

Without any fanfare, Arrun found himself an empty spot at the bar and leaned into it, raising his hand briefly to catch the eye of the bartender. "Orange juice, please."

The 'tender furrowed their brow at him for a moment. "You want something in that?"

Arrun smiled, "Yes, bit of pulp."

With a face that kept asking if there was more to the order, the tender poured Arrun a fresh glass of orange juice. "Name?"

"Dihsar Arrun." he said as he grabbed the glass and sipped at it; although jumja juice was forever his favorite: he had developed an affection for the local fruit: so much so he even knew how to say it correctly.

The 'tender entered the name into the console nearest him and then went on to serve the other patrons. Arrun was just one of many faces in the room, but the hum of conversation and clink of drinks was soothing. Though his friend hadn't come by yet, Arrun passed his time listening and observing the people in the room; occasionally nodding to the nearest patrons that caught his eyes and wondered at him.

[Tess tLhoell]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

When Benjin entered the club a comfortable warmth engulfed his cold skin. He had his hand buried deep in the pockets of his jacket as he looke around. Now he was finally here. He wanted to visit this establishment since he started his studies at the academy. It was legendary.
With a grin he took in the pictures at the walls, some showing his personal heroes. How much he would have loved to meet them. But maybe his picture would hang there at the wall too. Maybe some day.

Focusing his eyes on the bar he made his way over to it. He noticed a single man sitting there, alone. As he approched, Benjin noticed the man's typical Bajoran earring. He never had met one before.
Taking off his jacket and putting it on one of the empty bar stools, Benjin sat down at the one next to the Bajoran. He glanced at the man's drink - was that orange juice? - and then turned his gaze to the portable device that represented the menu card.

The boy felt a little out of place, he noticably was much younger than the patrons that used to hang around here. But Benjin didn't mind. He loved the air about this place.

"What can I bring you?"

Benjin looked at the bartender who on his part looked at the young man with furrowed brows as if he's asking himself what that kid had to do here.

"Um ... ginger ale. Please", Benjin replied as he put the device down.

[Arrun Dihsar]

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Arrun looked over at the young man, wondering at his age as he sipped his drink. "Good Morning." He said simply with a polite raising of his glass to his fellow teetotaler.

[Tess tLhoell]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Benjin waited until he had received his drink and then lifted his glass up to, grinning at the man. "I'm Ben Moreno", he introduced himself. "Are you a pilot, sir?", he asked eyeing the man curiously.

[Arrun Dihsar]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Benjin waited until he had received his drink and then lifted his glass up to, grinning at the man. "I'm Ben Moreno", he introduced himself. "Are you a pilot, sir?", he asked eyeing the man curiously.

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

With a drink and a chuckle, the Bajoran man nodded. "That I am young man. Academy trained: With A Steady Hand We Sail the Stars." He said paraphrasing his Flight Class' motto from what seemed a lifetime ago. "Dihsar Arrun, I'm guessing you're either a cadet or an officer, since you were so quick to give a civilian a sir." He turned and leaned into the bar, comfortable but not willing to sit a stool, enough sitting enough waiting. "My guess...2nd Year or an Ensign. Tell me I'm wrong." For once he leaned on his yellow voices observations, tried to have fun with it.

[Tess tLhoell]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Benjin grinned widely at the rephrasing of the motto. He found that pretty cool. But he was a young man crazy for everything that got to with ships and piloting and flight, he found pretty much everything related to that cool.

Benjin flushed a little when Arrun revealed to be a civilian. "You never can be polite enough, you could have been an officer in casual clothes", Benjin grinned. He was so excited that he forgot the drink in front of him completely. "Close. First year at the Academy", he beamed. "I want to become a pilot. So, when you're saying you're a civilian, what is your job then? And what ship are you flying?" He eyed him curiously.

[Arrun Dihsar]

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

"An officer is half what he does and half what he appears. Keep that spirit up and you'll inspire confidence in others cadet" He quoted once more, turning his gaze to the decorations,
pondering how long it would be before he ever came here again. "As for me, I've resigned. Used to fly the USS Athena." He drank half of the sweetness, swishing it around a little. There, he'd said it out loud.

[Tess tLhoell]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Benjin tried to memorize the phrase to recall it whenever it might be useful to him.

At his admissiokn to have resigned the boy looked at him wide eyed. Being fresh in the academy with all the new and exciting things and impressions it was totally unbelievable to him how someone could quit Starfleet voluntarily. "You got to fly the Athena, sir?", he asked excitedly. "Why did you quit? I mean ... what happened?"

[Arrun Dihsar]

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Dihsar spun the glass slowly on the counter top, watching the white pulp spin just that less quickly in the orange medium, like it was catching up. "Cadet..." he shook his head and looked the man in the eyes, "Mr. Moreno, whatever...hm...false beliefs or revelations you bring with you into service: be sure to burn them away in the crucible of the Academy. Every man has a shadow that chases them, hiding everything they ever doubted in themselves or in others. A despair that creeps after you slowly." He shrugged. "In my case, I let it follow me and when I met my destiny: I was diverted from the path I dreamt of walking. To the point that now, I'm not even sure it was the path I was supposed to walk in the first place."

Arrun smiled at himself, realizing he had slipped into Bajoran theologic when the man had asked him a rather straightforward question. "In short, I once was a good officer, now I'm a man at peace. If ever the two come together again I don't know." He raised he glass. "But do not mistake me, the Athena is one of the finest ships in the Fleet. If you ever have the pick of your assignment as a pilot, I can think of no better calling." He drank the last of his glass and set it down. He then turned his back to the bar and looked at the doorway but did not leave; though, he did not say much else, chasing after the thoughts his own words had evoked.

[Tess tLhoell]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

It sounded rather critical to Benjin what the Bajoran had to say. Though there was something he believed to make out in this: he should remember to think outside the box. Benjin believed it was a good enough advice. But there was also something to it that made him believe something did happen to the Bajoran in the past.

Benjin sat for a moment as he thought about what he'd heard. He couldn't believe one would find anything better than being in Starfleet. To him this was the most exciting thing to do at the moment. But granted, there were lying a couple of years between the boy and the Bajoran.
"So, what's your next destination?", he then asked, eyeing the man curiously

[Arrun Dihsar]

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Arrun blinked a few times, pulled from his thoughts, "Where?" He looked over at the young Moreno. "That I'm still figuring out. I think some time back on my home colony would be nice; see my folks." He grimaced at the thought of telling them he had resigned, but that was a conversation light years away. "Probably goto Bajor, go on a pilgrimage across the provinces of the world, see DS9 again." He smiled at the thought; though it was not his birthplace, he had an affinity for the planet and the culture it managed to hold onto: though, he knew he would be one of the few Bajorans that actually would enjoy the parts of his pilgrimage to the coldest parts of the world. "After that, I will have to see what answers I find within."

He smiled his well-worn over warm priestly smile and nodded to the cadet. "Do not dwell too much on my path Moreno. Everyone's path is different. What of yours? What ambitions do you hold for your career in Starfleet? Fighter pilot, Starship Captain, or maybe you just want to see a star no-one else has."

[Tess tLhoell]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Benjin listened as the Bajoran spoke, his face lightening up. That was his dream. To be able to go anywhere you want to, across the galaxy. Bajor was a place he definitely wanted to visit.

As Arrun listed things for him to achieve, Benjin gave a small grin. "Yep. In that order, please." He chuckled. "Fighter pilot, yes. I crave some action. In my family they're all scientists, my father's an exobiologist, my sister's a doctor. But that's not for me, I'm more into machines than other beings." He grinned.

[Arrun Dihsar]

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

"Don't discount the sciences too quickly." cautioned Arrun with a smile of his own, he was going to miss teaching pilots.
"You never know when the latest paper on warp theory will save your ship from a trap; if a creature produces dilithium-alike waste material; or..." Arrun half remembered a med-bay. "...or, if you'll need to tie a splint. And as for people, you're going fine with me so far: and showing yourself quite curious of some random pilot." He shrugged. "Not that I'm complaining."

[Tess tLhoell]

==NPC Cadet Benjin Moreno==

[San Francisco - The 602 Club]

Benjin nodded. "Every department has its eligibility I guess. And sorry, Sir, if I'm being too curious, I guess its in my family." He grinned. "It's fun talking to you, I just want to get to know as much as I can." He sipped his drink. "I hope I'm not keeping you from anything." He noticed how Arrun had focused towards the exit.