With eyes closed tight and as music filled the air, Veirik's fingers danced across the strings of a cello. His hand expertly moved the bow to and fro, playing Camille Saint-Saëns' "The Swan" with absolute perfection.
As the last note rang out, signaling the end of the piece, Anzyl clapped fervently and with bravado. "That was magnificent, Jaaju! I've never heard that piece played with so much…" He tried to find the right words.
Jaaju, or rather Veirik, held an air of joy and suave charm the likes of which the ship and crew had never witnessed. "I believe the word you are looking for, my dear Anzyl, is… passion!" He announced, setting his cello and bow to their stands. "That's something the Federation Orchestra taught me: to do everything with passion!"
Anzyl crossed his arms and smiled, wondering what traits and quirks he had inherited from this vibrant and expressive musician.
"Passion! Energy! Life!" Jaaju boasted as he strode and waltzed around the room. "That is what makes life worth living, my good boy!" He held both hands in a tight grip, the strength of the hands catching his attention in the Captain's full-length mirror.
The large, powerful Illyrian super-soldier that the musician occupied for the duration of the Rite thoroughly caught his attention. Jaaju paused, admiring the sheer physical presence of the man in the mirror.
"I must say, Anzyl," he noted, looking at Veirik's reflection, "you have a fantastic choice of friends. This man is built like a fortress." He stood tall and rolled the shoulders of Veirik's uniform, testing the strength of the Illyrian's frame. "He has the vitality of a hundred men. It is a rare thing to walk in such a capable body."
Jaaju sat down in a chair and looked Anzyl in the eyes, his expression turning more serious. "Do you have anyone close in your life, Anzyl? A confidant? You are supposed to enrich the Praxas symbiote with deep connections and shared experiences."
Anzyl smiled softly as he sat on the couch, but shook his head. "Veirik sees me as his brother. And as his Captain…" Anzyl's voice trailed off. "As the Captain, I don't have many options for true, deep friendship. Starfleet captains are some of the loneliest people in the galaxy." He leaned back and sighed heavily. "Surrounded by people who adore them out of respect for the uniform, but when they return to their quarters…" Anzyl looked around the room solemnly. "No one is there to talk to, or ask how their day went. No one to share a quiet meal with. The room is just… empty."
Veirik/Jaaju shook his head softly. "To be surrounded by so many people, yet be so isolated…" he mused. "But companionship is what makes the music work, Anzyl. It's what makes the colors of the day shine. It's what makes a victory worth celebrating! Having someone to stand by you—that is what makes life worth living!"
Anzyl retorted with a small, weary smile, "I thought my duty to the Alliance made life worth living."
Huffing at the stoic response, Jaaju patted himself on the knees and stood up. "Well, I guess at least one of the hosts in the Praxas line needs to be a hermit," he walked back to the mirror, adjusting the uniform once more. "And probably spend their final years in a quiet room, all by themselves. If one of the hosts has to be the solitary one, I suppose it fell to you, then, Anzyl. Right?"
Despite his attempt to shrug it off, the words Jaaju spoke pierced Anzyl deeply. He fell into a solemn silence, taking the advice about finding a true companion to heart.
As the Captain meditated on his past host's words, Jaaju turned his inner gaze toward the man sharing the body.
"Now I know you can hear me, Veirik." Jaaju spoke within the shared consciousness of the Rite. "I can see the loyalty you have for this man. You view yourself as his guardian, so you listen close and you promise me one thing." Jaaju stared intently at the man in the mirror. "You protect and keep Anzyl safe with all your heart and soul. That man is carrying six lifetimes of hopes, dreams, and memories. You be the friend he needs. You hear me?"
Veirik's reflection gave a sharp, resolute nod.
"And one more thing," Jaaju added, "make sure he knows he isn't alone. Don't let him retreat into that shell of duty."
Veirik's eyes widened slightly in understanding.
"Please," Jaaju pleaded wholeheartedly, "be the brother and the shield that keeps his heart from growing cold."