Reflections - Part I

Posted on Sat May 28th, 2016 @ 9:20pm by Captain Li Hawke & Admiral Ricky Wegener & El'Shar Blackhorse

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: IKS cha'Do

* The Galley *

After having passed Li on her way up to the bridge, Rick entered the galley to see El’Shar reading his mind, which was probably not far from the truth. When she had touched him earlier she could probably read that he was dying to have a big ol’ cold cut sandwich with all the trimmings. She was just finishing up two sandwiches, hers being a bit smaller, with a large dill pickle sliced in half for them.

“Oh man...I love you so much right now, you have no idea,” he said as he slid in behind her and kissed her neck a few times.

She smiled and leaned into him for a moment for another kiss to the neck. “I do have an idea,” she replied happily as she cut his sandwich in two. “You seemed famished but I wasn’t sure if you’d be able to eat this whole thing.”

“Probably that one and yours,” he laughed. “Drink?”

“Uh...sweet tea sounds like it would go well with this.”

“Hmm. I agree. Two sweet teas coming right up.”

The two sat at the small table and began to eat in silence for a while. Rick found that he enjoyed watching her eat. Even when she was near starving she always ate elegantly and with a grace reserved normally for royalty. He couldn’t believe how lucky a man he really was.

“So, how did things go with you and Darwin?” she asked, breaking the silence.

“He’s a bit miffed at this whole situation,” he said, downing a bite with a tea chaser. “He doesn’t like that I’m here and he doesn’t agree that Li should be here either. And he’s right, neither of us should be, but I explained to him about the whole CO’s prerogative thing.”

“I’m thinking he didn’t buy that at all?”

Rick shrugged. “I don’t think he was fond of it. I did tell him, though, that he could file a formal complaint when we got back to 900 if he wished. He said it depended upon how this all ended up going.”

El’Shar swallowed a bite and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Doesn’t he know that all complaints like that go to the most senior officer in the sector?”

“To me, yes,” Rick replied. “But as I told him, I think he’s a good officer, I wouldn’t have promoted him otherwise. I will legitimately take his complaint under advisement and, if he’s serious about it, I’ll even forward it to the Chief of Staff for review.”

With a deadpan look she shook her head. “It won’t go anywhere and you know it. All of those people respect you and think you walk on water. I still can’t believe you turned down the C-in-C position.”

He put down his sandwich, or what was left of it, and looked very seriously at El’Shar. “Honey, please, I don’t want anyone else hearing about that. We can discuss it in our quarters back on the station, but please...not out here.”

She put a hand on his. “I’m sorry, but I think you should have taken it and that’s the last I’ll speak of it. Out here, at least.” She stood, kissed his cheek and replaced her plate and glass in the replicator.

“I’ll head back up to the bridge to see what rotation we’ll be taking up there, just as soon as I finish the rest of this monster,” he said. “And thank you.”

With a wink she refilled his tea. “I’ll be in our quarters going over any information we have about this area we’re headed to. Let me know if I need to join you for our turn at the controls.”

As Rick reached the top of the stairs leading down to the galley, Li emerged from the cabin she was sharing with Darwin. She looked him over and smiled.

“Get enough to eat?”

“For a lifetime, almost. Did you see the epic sandwich she was working on? That woman is amazing!”

Li laughed and shook her head. “You’re lucky El-Aurians don’t have cholesterol issues. Darwin is settling in and I was about to go back to the bridge.”

“How do you want to work out the rotation up there?”

“Autopilot will be fine until we get near Borg space, as long as someone is awake to monitor it. Otherwise, we can do six hour shifts but that means someone will be alone during the wee hours,” Li answered. “We need to make the best time we can though.”

“Agreed. Who’s taking the first watch?”

“I can, unless you’re not ready to sleep yet. If not, come keep me company. Darwin’s had a long day, he can get some sleep in peace without me in there making noise and moving around.”

“I can do that,” he said and followed her up to the cockpit of the small vessel. “El’s looking into some information on this area of space and doing her old TA stuff, just in case. So I could use something to do.”

“Given what happened to Ensign Bren, I think it’s a good thing she’s with us.” Li checked the conn, made a slight adjustment, then propped her bare feet on the console. “This ship isn’t huge and it’s close quarters but it’s comfortable. Good thing we all like each other.”

“Wellll….” Rick said, shriveling up his face. “Darwin isn’t exactly happy about any of this. I may have been too quick to just assign him to come along, but honestly, he’s the best person for it right now.”

“He is and I told him that before you got there. It’s just….complicated,” Li finished. “For a few reasons.”

“I’m sure it is. But you may want to school him on the amount of contempt he displays toward people, senior officers or not. If he’s going to keep moving up he’s going to have to curb that attitude of his by a long margin.” Rick released the latch on the side of the chair and leaned it back a bit. “He can’t pretend to be the humongous knuckle-dragger for the rest of his life and be promoted much beyond where he is. I know he’s better than that.”

Li nodded. “It’s his protective streak. He takes his job very seriously and having both of us here for him to look out for, as he sees it, is stressing for him.”

“Then he needs to learn what it means to be off duty. He’s not my nursemaid right now, I’m on vacation, and so are the both of you, technically.”

“I’ll pass that along. It’s just hard to draw the line when the big guy is around, you know? He doesn’t have the same comfort level with you I do, especially given recent developments.”

“Whoa, whoa! I don’t want or need to know what’s happening between you and Darwin. You can keep your...personal stuff personal.”

“That was temporary, obviously.” She waved her left hand where Max’s ring sparkled in the light. “This is something else that appears permanent and he’s keeping under wraps. I think you have a right to know, though.”

“Okay. I guess I’m all ears, then.”

“Well, after the trip to Archadia, things got a little...close you might say.” She paused as Rick cleared his throat uncomfortably. “When Sakkath’s father came, he realized that the link I’d had with Sakkath had found a new partner….Darwin. When Darwin was in Piper, there was a short time when he…..” Li stopped and looked down at the conn, though it was just fine. “He thought he was...Sakkath. Sokar took care of it and we thought that was that. Except it wasn’t. After our second trip to Archadia, Edana and Iggy discovered he seemed to be reading their emotions. When Dr. Harding checked him, the scans revealed a new area in his brain that is identical to mine….the telepathy area. He didn’t tell me but I read all this when he got to the ship. Apparently it’s gone beyond empathic abilities and he’s starting to read thoughts too.”

Rick sat for a moment, taking it all in. He raised one finger. “Okay, first, this is bullshit. I’ve been wanting one of those cool Betazoid brain things for centuries--literally centuries, young lady, and he gets to have one?” Rolling his eyes he continued with another finger. “And now we have a newly, uh, hatched mind reader around who likely has no control of his abilities? I don’t like that on a personal or professional level. You’re going to have to clamp that down for a bit, if that’s possible. You know as well as I that neither of us can have an untrained telepath wandering around in our minds.”

“He’s not that developed yet and he wants me to teach him how to handle it so this trip will be a good time to do that. His security clearance is already at the highest level, so that’s something. We did that when Six moved to Intel since he is one of her contacts in the Pit. He’ll get there but it’s going to be a big adjustment. I’ve had most of my life to adjust and I feel awful that I shoved this on him unaware.” Li sighed aloud. “It’s also….yeah….you don’t want to know.”

He reeled a bit, hoping she wasn’t going to share anything personal that had happened between them. “I do not,” he simply said. “And his security clearance isn’t that high, so just make sure he steers clear of here,” he emphasized his meaning with a tap to his temple.

“Believe me, wandering in people’s heads is the last thing he wants to do. It’ll be fine.” she frowned slightly. “He’s not the only one on edge about this trip. Max isn’t happy about it either. He and Darwin actually agree on something.”

“Heh. I’m betting Max’s reasoning isn’t the same as Darwin’s but most definitely involves him.”

Li glared at Rick for a moment. “Partly. Mostly. I think, too, that now that things are somewhat settled with us, he’s afraid something will happen to screw it up. He actually said he didn’t think it was safe and that has nothing to do with Darwin.”

“Wait, hang on. You glare at me for my comment, then confirm it?” He chuckled. “I love talking to you. It’s always an adventure. But I’m sure everything will work out, for you and Max, for Heavy D back there,” he said, thumbing toward Darwin’s bunk, “and for Seren and everyone with him.”

“Max is worried about us being in Borg and Krenim space and he’s right.” She nodded finally. “Let’s hope so. I don’t want to have to tell Dad….” She stopped and her eyes widened. “Oh dammit. I didn’t call him before we left.”

“I did. Just to let him know I was taking you on vacation, though. I didn’t tell him what we were actually doing.”

“Yeah, that won’t get him curious at all, especially with Max still on the station.” She looked down at the ring and smiled. “He wants to do this as soon as we get back. Will you perform the ceremony? I know you’re not thrilled with this but….” She stopped, looking up to meet Rick’s gaze.

“I only want to make you happy, and if this is what it takes, so be it,” he replied honestly. “And I’d be honored to perform the ceremony.”

“Thank you. Max is...well, you know the story there. Robin may not be overjoyed at such a leap so soon, but I…..I need this for many reasons.” Li fell silent, watching the main viewer. For some reasons that might sound…..disrespectful of Sakkath so I don’t want to give voice to them. I think you know, though.

He winked at her. “You don’t have to explain anything to me, Eyas. Lucius might be a bit dubious, just at the sudden rebound, but you’re a big girl capable of her own decisions. Only you know what is right for you.”

“You know Dad is the one who sent him to my door that night,” she informed Rick. “He thought that the shock of Max turning up unannounced might shake me out of my emotional whirlwind. He was right.”

“Huh. I didn’t see that one coming. It seems your old man actually does know a thing or two every once in awhile.”

Li laughed and nodded. “He knows me well enough. He warned Max I’d try and run. I did but Max was smart enough to head me off at the pass, to use the old Earth term. He just needs to stop worrying about Darwin.” The console beeped and Li made a slight course correction.

“Mm-hmm,” Rick replied. “I’m not worried about you and Darwin. I’m worried about Darwin and you. That man is in his prime and with someone like you, brains and beauty, it could be enough to make him do something, well, stupid. I’m not saying he would, mind you, as I’d like to imagine he has more self-control than that.”

“You should be more worried about me and Darwin,” she admitted. “He knows exactly what it was and has no illusions that it’s anything more than a…..a thing. Me too, but sometimes things can be difficult to resist when they should be resisted.” She shrugged. “I suspect it’s still just the tail end of the whirlwind and nothing to worry about.”

Rick pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “Ugh. You and Darwin, Darwin and you, you and Darwin again...I’m getting confused now. Regardless, it’s not my concern unless it affects your work or he hurts you. That also goes for Max, by the way.”

“He is not his brother,” Li said quietly. “He’s not like that. There were signs with Rhys that I overlooked but since then my eyes are wide open. I am going where I should have been in the first place.” She smiled finally and shook her head. “But I suppose we should focus on the matters at hand, yes? What happens if we get there and something has happened?”

“We handle it, plain and simple,” he replied. “I know it’s a non-answer, but it’s kind of an open-ended question with endless possibilities. We can’t get all worked up on ‘what if’ scenarios.”

“I’ll feel better when we’ve found them and are out of that region of space.” Li made a slight adjustment to their course. “Why don’t you get some sleep so you can come relieve me later on?”

“Sure thing. Four hours sound good?” he asked as he rose from the chair.

“Sure.”

***********
Admiral Rick Wegener
Captain Li Hawke
Captain El'Shar Blackhorse (Ret.)