The ORVILLE: Tales

"Ode to The Milky Way"

"Fly me to the moon
And let me play, among the stars
Let me see what spring is like, on Jupiter and Mars. In other words, please be true In other words, I love you"

She remembers a man. His distinguished face and his friendly, soothing voice, visited her one day. She smiled as she laid her head to rest on her pillow beneath a luminous pool of stars wedged between a vast darkness. She moved her eyes to meet these stars, glistening over them with invitation. She wished to see him again. As he was less cruel to her than those who claim to be her "people".

One day, during a very strenuous time, he came back to visit her again. This time, she could make out his shape, see his whole face. Even the jacket he adorned. It was a brilliant blue. He turned to the door he stepped through, to look at a Krill woman. She curled her lips in anger at him.

"I hope you enjoy this time with her, Captain. As It will be your very last". She stated with folded arms. She had two henchmen behind her and they had guns. She noticed this. The aura within the room filled the little girl with fear. But the Captain turned around to her and quickly remembered to smile. He cleared his throat with a slight movement of his fisted hand to his lips before walking to the little girl and introducing himself, for the first time. He sat at the end of her bed, not facing her completely. He looked at the wall adjacent to her bed, up at the dome window above and then to her, once again.

"Hello again, Anaya. We've met before, remember? You called my face, funny-looking". The Captain pointed to his face as he giggled at the memory and so did she. He remembered her as a little girl but, she has grown a lot since.

"I remember you". Anaya responds. "You were kind to me". She adds with a warm smile. He nods. "I try to be, especially to those I'm only meeting for the first time. Plus, it's also my job". He chuckles.

There's a brief silence.

He continued to show weight on his mind as he needed to mentally remind himself to smile when he looked at her. In his hand, he held a golden circular item of sorts. He held it so tight that it would break if it could. "What is your name"? Anaya notices him pondering on a thought and wanted to break the creeping. silent void. "It's Ed Mercer". He replies. Anaya giggles. "A funny name to match a funny face". She points. Ed almost bursts into laughter but holds it in.

"You're running out of time, Ed! Say whatever you need to say to her and be on your way. I'm sure your people will be worried if you're gone too long".

He turns to the krill woman. "Why are you rushing me"?!

"Because you aren't even supposed to be here but—" She huffs in frustration, angrily putting her hands on her hips firmly.

"But what, Teleya"! Ed shouts back at her with malice. "Say it". He demands.

"Hurry up! And I will not remind you again"!

Ed turns back around to Anaya again, remembering to smile, again. He moves further into the bed, opening his hands to her to give her what was in them. "Here, It's a locket that I had made to order, just for you". He explains softly. A bit reluctant, she gently scooped it from his hands. She opened it slowly and it started to play a song, with a digital picture of a moon and its many phases. As it did, Ed began to sing the lyrics to her. He closed his eyes and held a hand of hers in his.

"Fly me to the moon and let me play, among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on Jupiter, and Mars. In other words, please be true! In other words, I love you".