July Challenge-A Loaf of Bread, A Jug of Wine

[Mistral]

Niklsh looked at her. Nikira flashed dark eyes that seemed to have red fire in them.

“Why, Nick?” Her tone brooked no refusal to answer and Sanjay tugged at his shirt in a nervous manner.

“They are offering me a Challenger-class ship. How can I refuse? Why would I want to? It’s big enough that you could live with me on it. It’s allowed on starships.” He knew the answer before he asked but he had to ask.

Nikira glared at him. “I don’t suppose I’m going to see too many Earth soil samples on a starship. You know that I monitor Earth’s soil poison level. A starship? I don’t think so!” She paced Sanjay’s cabin aboard Cochrane. He watched her go back and forth.

“Damnit, Nick, we were supposed to have a pleasant retirement after this ship. Instead you’re going to run a starship! You know I want to live here on Earth.”

Sanjay looked at her uncomfortably. “Niki, we have survived worse than this.” He hoped, but he knew her response. They had known each other too long.

“Screw you,” she said. “I’m not leaving with you to gallivant around the galaxy!” She looked around their living room. The tasteful room looked almost staged. The little pillows on the chairs all matched the color of the chairs themselves. It was a statement about the marriage they had shared. She turned to Sanjay. “The pillows match the chairs. I don’t remember the last time I sat in one. Do you?”

Sanjay opened his mouth and shut it again. He looked at the beautiful but sterile room they both had failed to go into to have this conversation. He saw the irony of the family room being unused.

“I’m not going,” Nikira stated flatly. “I’m not climbing aboard a starship and abandoning my work here.” She eyed him balefully.

He sighed. Stepping gently over to her, he placed a kiss on her cheek
“I love you, Niki, but I have to accept Starfleet’s offer. I could actually earn an Admiral’s position! This is an opportunity and if you don’t see it-“ Sanjay bit his tongue a little too late.

“I don’t want to be a sailor’s wife anymore, Nick!” Niki crossed her arms and looked at him with a look of exasperation.

Sanjay stared above her head at a picture he didn’t recognize. “I have to take this. It is so far beyond what I have dreamed…” His voice trailed off. He looked at her helplessly.

Niki stared at him for a moment. “You intend to take it-you never asked me, you just planned to take it.”

Sanjay looked at her sorrowfully. “I divorce you.” Niki’s hand flew to her mouth.

“No, Sanjay, don’t do this.”

Sanjay’s face was firm. “I divorce you.” He stood above her as she sat on the couch.

“Please, don’t do this!” Niki was frantic. Sanjay shook his head slowly as her tears started.

“I divorce you.” Niki slid into a tearful huddle on the floor. Sanjay looked down at her, his heart bleeding inside while his face remained stolid. “You are free.” He walked out of the cabin.

“I don’t want to be,” she whispered through her tears.

Out in the corridor, Sanjay leaned with his back against the wall. His hands shook slightly. A tear slipped from his hooded eyes. For just a moment, he considered going back in the cabin. Then he thought about the Buran his best friend Frank had captained. How beautiful she had been before Wolf 359. Nick looked back at the door for a second. Then he headed for the transporter room. Admiral Janeway was waiting for his answer.

 

[Kaziarl]

Very good. Its always hard to have a family when you are in the military. (Yeah yeah.. I know... starfleet supposedly isn't strictly military, but the analogy still fits.) As we said in the army, one of the hardest military jobs is that of the military wife. I could definitely feel the conflict between the two of them.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Ouch...that had to HURT. Though it seems to me that Sanjay is going to pay for this later, since I don't think it's really quite sunk in yet.

Just curious...I think I remember in an earlier Seleya story seeing Sanjay keep Hindu statues. The divorce ritual, though, seems Muslim...or possibly Sikh. I'm curious--is this just a mix of customs that has happened to remain, wherever he was raised (India?) or does he believe in one of those religions (or a blend of both)?

 

[Mistral]

Ouch...that had to HURT. Though it seems to me that Sanjay is going to pay for this later, since I don't think it's really quite sunk in yet.

Just curious...I think I remember in an earlier Seleya story seeing Sanjay keep Hindu statues. The divorce ritual, though, seems Muslim...or possibly Sikh. I'm curious--is this just a mix of customs that has happened to remain, wherever he was raised (India?) or does he believe in one of those religions (or a blend of both)?

I never really stated Sanjay's religion. He did have a mandala on the wall of his cabin-but that is more cultural than religious. The only statues were a jade Buddha and a wood carving of the Cochrane-a gift from a certain Border Service captain as a thank you for some illicit libations.

 

[Gibraltar]

I divorce you thrice. The ugly 'magic' words, but clearly ones that needed to be said under the circumstances. A terrible thing for Sanjay to have to do, but commanding a starship is simply certain people's first, best destiny.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Ouch...that had to HURT. Though it seems to me that Sanjay is going to pay for this later, since I don't think it's really quite sunk in yet.

Just curious...I think I remember in an earlier Seleya story seeing Sanjay keep Hindu statues. The divorce ritual, though, seems Muslim...or possibly Sikh. I'm curious--is this just a mix of customs that has happened to remain, wherever he was raised (India?) or does he believe in one of those religions (or a blend of both)?

I never really stated Sanjay's religion. He did have a mandala on the wall of his cabin-but that is more cultural than religious. The only statues were a jade Buddha and a wood carving of the Cochrane-a gift from a certain Border Service captain as a thank you for some illicit libations.

Ahh, I see.

The reason I was curious was because this divorce ritual seemed to be the talaaq as it would occur with some Sunni Muslims. I was curious if he did this because that is his belief--or because it was just a matter of custom wherever he was raised.

 

[CeJay]

An interesting scene but to be honest I thought it was just too short.

To me, Sanjay comes across as a jerk here, even if he might have very good reasons for doing what he does. My problem is that we don't know what they are.

Is he no longer in love with her, has his career become more important than her or is he convinced that she has stayed with him only because she felt duty-bound to do so ... hence the 'you are free' comment.

I might of course try to read way too much into this. Or not enough.

 

[TheLoneRedshirt]

You definitely nailed the challenge theme - a "major malfunction" if I've ever seen one. I have to wonder if the declaration of divorce was something Sanjay had planned for some time or just a rash decision on his part. Whichever, Nikira gave Sanjay no real choice - she drew the line in the sand and he stepped across.

 

[Mistral]

You definitely nailed the challenge theme - a "major malfunction" if I've ever seen one. I have to wonder if the declaration of divorce was something Sanjay had planned for some time or just a rash decision on his part. Whichever, Nikira gave Sanjay no real choice - she drew the line in the sand and he stepped across.

As she said-he pretty much had decided to take the job without consulting her.

 

[PSGarak]

The dissolution of a marriage is always difficult, particularly when one feels as though one must choose between career and relationship. It seems that both of them are set on their choices, and neither sees the relationship as the first priority anymore. Very sad, but very good! I found myself feeling bad for both of them.

 

[mirandafave]

As reviewed over on Ad Astra:
Poor Sanjay. On the cusp of fulfilling some of his dreams he finds his marriage is not strong enough, or vibrant enough, to cope with the challenges ahead. Neither party wanted to give up on their goals and it ultimately led to this ultimatum. Sad really. And probablky the lot of so many officers within Starfleet.

I found the line 'I divorce you.' a little jarring. In part the phrasing of it and in part he so quickly decided on this recourse. But equally perhaps it was a more formalised expression of his intent or maybe a cultural thing. Not sure.

Though the touch about the matching chairs and pillows in the unused family room, is telling, driving home a point to Sanjay that this marriage is more an outward sham or expression lacking any real depth. The marriage like the room, is not lived in, but is sterile and cosmetic. A nice touch to include Mistral.

 

[trampledamage]

I think this is a story that is weakened because I don't know who the characters are. I have nothing invested in them, so the collapse of their marriage seemed very sudden and also unnecessary. Could they not have just lived apart for the time he was Captain?