You're Leaving Now, There's No Disguising It

Posted on Mon Feb 13th, 2012 @ 10:41am by Lieutenant James Holbridge

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Holbridge Family Quarters
Timeline: Three Weeks Before Loss Of Contact With Alpha Quadrant

Jim looked around the empty apartment in silence, feeling the tears of sadness slide down his face. She’s gone, just like she said she would be. All I wanted to do was feel like I was making a fucking difference again and requested transfer back to Starfighter Corps. She fucking left me because I wanted to fly again! Jim silently raged, hoping the Betazoids on the station were in deep sleep.

The end had happened fairly quickly. Jim had come home after being summarily dismissed by the Academy Superintendent, Captain Drake. Jim didn’t care for the old bitch anyway and was happy he didn’t have to serve under her harpy ass anymore. She claimed his training regimen for her start cadets was “too rough for the children.” What a feeble crock of shit! Kamarov’s survival classes were downright brutal, showing the cadets in graphic detail what Threat Forces liked to do to Starfleet personnel in their prisons.

Jim had arrived back at his apartment after being sacked. He had locked himself into his study and was doing his damnedest to get to the bottom of a bottle of wine when the door opened and Tricia walked in, dressed in a traveling outfit. “There was a message for you from General Whitaker, Starfighter division,” with emphasis on the word “starfighter.”

“What did he say?” Jim asked, not expecting an answer.

“In short language, he said you were free to lie to your wife!” was the heated reply. “How could you go behind my back and request a transfer back to the fighter corps? We’re on a starbase now, you are flying and teaching others to fly like you….

“NOBODY CAN FLY LIKE ME” Jim exploded, hurling his glass across the room. “I fucking hate the damned Academy and ya know what, I was canned like a tuna by old Iron-Ass Drake herself this very morning! The old bitch is so busy sucking up to the CO and humping her hologram, she can’t see that half the fucking cadets she admitted are brainless! Kamarov can scare them with his live visceral shows but when I try to engage in realistic air-to-air scenarios, she blows a gasket! In the Corps, I can fly like I fight, all the fucking way!”

“Don’t you yell at me, James…”

“THEN SHUT THE HELL UP!” Jim shouted, unable to control his rage. “You want me outta here so you can raise the kids in transient quarters or in Brown Sector? Or were you thinking you could just slap a leash on me and say ‘Look Mummy, I broke him just like you said!’” Jim said in a mocking voice, then saw the faces of his three kids staring at him, fear etched in their faces.

Jim quickly stood and walked out the door, past the horrified faces on his family. As he reached the door, he said quietly, “I love you all with all my heart. I’ll fix it with Gunny Braxton to get you all back to your mother’s house.” He exited without another word.

Three weeks later, Jim was standing alone in the apartment, missing his family terribly, and feeling the hollowness of his soul echo in the emptiness of the room. He turned to leave and the computer beeped. =^=There is a personal message for you from Patricia Holbridge=^=

“Play message”

The hologram of Tricia appeared. “Jim, after the last argument, the children and I are going back to Mom’s on Mars. I realize you are happiest when flying, and I can’t compete with that. I thought you’d be happy as a teacher but I was wrong.

“Whatever else you do, know that the kids and I love you dearly. Please don’t take any foolish chances and get hurt. Come see us soon. We’re still your family.”

“End playback, download to personal files. Copy transfer orders to the Marine CO, base CO, and Captain Drake.”

=^=Files copied and transferred=^=

“Notify Flight Control I requisitioned USS Washita for transit back to the Alpha Quadrant: scheduled push time is 1500 hours.”

=^=Acknowledged=^=

Jim hefted his shoulder bag and left what was once his happy home.

A farewell post by

MCPT James Holbridge
Erstwhile Flight Instructor
Starbase 900 Satellite Academy