Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Posted on Sat Feb 23rd, 2013 @ 9:23pm by Admiral Ricky Wegener & Lieutenant Commander Michael Darwin

Mission: The Struggle Within
Location: USS Hammond - Alternate Universe
Timeline: Current

Rick had finally gotten some time to himself while on the Hammond and took a few moments just to stretch his legs in the temporary quarters he’d been assigned. So far, he’d seen his nephew, Lt. Bryce Kendrick, at the Hammond’s airlock. Kendrick, Rick and Lt. Darwin escorted Suresh to the brig where he was placed on high security status for the short trip back. Rick had instructed Bryce to let his people know that any escape attempt should be met immediately with phaser fire. Considering the instability that they may be going through on the way back, he wasn’t sure that the force fields would hold the entire time and, if Suresh stuck one foot out of his cell, he was fair game. Bryce gave his uncle a wry smile. He’d always liked that guy.

Following that, and a promise to get together with Bryce to catch up on old times once they’d returned to their 900, Rick briefly spoke to Commander Davis to ensure everything was well with the ship and to see if he’d need to coordinate with this universe’s Sakkath for any supplies. He briefed him on their requirements to get home, which Rick was going to leave to Davis, or his science team, to relay to Sakkath at their meeting later. Lastly, he reiterated that movement between this 900 and the Hammond was tightly regulated and only personnel authorized by Rick, himself, were allowed to go. Since this was at the request of Commander Sakkath, he felt it an order that must be followed to the letter. He didn’t want another incident to occur prior to their leaving.

But now, he sat in his quarters with his shoes and socks off, kicked up on the table with a whiskey, neat, in his hands. It was synthehol, and he didn’t expect anything else on the Hammond, but he’d be much happier when he got home to his own stock of spirits to unwind with.

Halfway through his drink the door chimed. He hadn’t been expecting anyone, other than Li, possibly, but he was sure she was off doing the same thing in her quarters. And quite frankly, as fond as he was of his XO and friend, he’d been around Li a little too much lately--and the same could probably be said for her.

“Just a moment!” he called as he quickly slid his socks and shoes back on, slid his jacket back on and slicked back his hair. Finally, he opened the door.

Earlier, on the AU SB900

In one of the Station’s many, many observation lounges - one that wasn’t yet fully operational and that looked out over the Hammond where she was docked, Darwin stood in the darkness and contemplated things. ‘Things’ was a broad term - really, he was only thinking about the cruelty of karma and fate.

And of Amber.

This universe’s Darwin had something he would never have again: Amber. That was rather pointless, of course, since this universe’s Darwin was now dead. Amber was a widow. His widow. The mental gymnastics required to wrap his head around all of it made his head swim. He rubbed his chin, feeling the three-day old stubble there, and startled when a voice said, “Penny for your thoughts, Mike.”

There was a difference between his Amber and this one: his Amber had always called him Darwin or Dar. This one used Mike or Michael. He wasn’t sure which he liked better. Watching her as she stepped forward, bringing herself even with him at the window, he wasn’t sure he cared what she called, so long as she did.

“He-,” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat before trying again. “Uh, not sure my thoughts are worth a penny,” he joked.

“Looks like you and the others get to go back to your lives and your SB900.”

“Looks like,” he agreed and looked out at the Hammond.

She turned her head to look at him. Her Mike was dead, his body unrecovered amongst the debris; there was the very real possibility that his body was gone, reduced to ash or even less by weapons’ fire. So far, she hadn’t had to face that reality. Now, she did and it brought tears to her eyes. “I’ve loved you from the day I met you,” she told him - speaking of her Mike, though.

The thought of making a joke, cracking that she’d only met him a few days ago, crossed his mind. Wisely, he ignored it. “I can’t stay here, Amber.”

“They could use you here.”

She was right, he knew that. He could stay; here, he’d be a Lieutenant Commander - hell, probably higher than that, now, with most of the Station’s command structure decimated. The Station’s recovery would require lots of work and would be a chance for officers to show what they had and move up in rank. It was an exceptionally attractive option, particularly with Amber as part of that package.

But he had parents, a sister, nieces and a nephew; he knew the Darwin here probably had those same people, but they’d be informed that their Darwin was dead and that he was just a replacement. And his would be told he’d voluntarily left them, never to see them again. He couldn’t do that to his folks. “You could go with me.”

“I could stay and be an Admiral.”

He winced inwardly. This Amber had given up her rank and her career to be with him; the Admiralty was a role she could step back into if she wished - and now there was a possible need for her to do so. She touched his shoulder and he turned toward her, ending up with her in his arms. She fit so perfectly....

The Hammond, Admiral Wegener’s Quarters

“Just a moment!”

Darwin waited a moment after hearing the Admiral’s voice call out and then the door slid open. The Admiral looked like he’d just hurriedly reassembled himself for his visitor; Darwin nodded in greeting, “Admiral Wegener. May I come in? I have a personal matter to discuss.”

“Uh, sure,” Rick replied, not used to getting visitors from more junior officers. “Come on in. Need a drink?” he asked.

Knowing that the offer was just for synthehol, Darwin shook his head. “No, thank you, sir.” He strolled in and chose a seat. He didn’t sit, however. Instead he rocked, once, on his toes and hedged, “If this universe’s Commander Sakkath asked to have me stay, could I?”

“Has he asked you to stay?” Rick countered, sitting and indicating Darwin should do the same. This didn’t seem to be a short stand-and-chat type of discussion.

Sitting, Darwin shook his head, “No, but I’d thought I’d ask you first.”

Rick nodded. “Well, to be quite honest, there’s not much I could do to stop you, if this is what you wanted. Assuming the commander authorized it, and their admiralty didn’t have issue with it, I don’t see why you couldn’t stay. But don’t you have family or anyone back home that would miss you, or that you would miss? It’s a big decision to make and, unfortunately, not one that you’d have much time to mull over before we left.”

“I do have family back home. The only thing here is Amber L’Berr... uh, here, she’s Amber Darwin. In our world, she’s Admiral L’Berr, in the Omacht sector of the Alpha Quadrant,” he explained, possibly unnecessarily. Did the Admiral really want or care to know about his personal entanglements? Not likely, Darwin figured. “She’s a civilian here; if she agreed to go, could I bring her back to our universe?”

“Hmmm,” Rick said, thinking about it. “The only problem with that is that Admiral L’Berr is still active in Starfleet. It may be a little strange having our Amber and this Amber, both with matching voiceprints, fingerprints and probably DNA, in the same universe. This Amber could potentially do things because of that which may be frowned upon. I’m not saying she would go around impersonating our Admiral, but it’s something that Starfleet Command would question.” He sat quietly a moment thinking more on it. “However, I’m sure that there would be some way around that. Injecting this Amber with some sort of marker that would indicate who she is, or...something sciency like that.”

“This isn’t the first time this has happened, I’m sure,” Darwin said. “There was the Riker situation, years ago.... Probably others.” He paused, the thumb of his right hand ran along the outer seam of his pants. “It’s a decision I’ll talk with Amber about; no matter which way we go on it, it’ll have a lasting effect on us.”

“That much is true. However, if it’s what you both want, without reservation, I will support it. And to be honest, I doubt very seriously that if she did come on over that Starfleet would bother with trying to send her back. It’s a highly dangerous mission and, if it had been up to them, you, Li and I would probably have just been left here.”

The unpleasant jolt that gave Darwin let him know one thing for certain: he didn’t want to stay here. “Ah, I see, Sir,” he hid his reaction. “If you’ll excuse me, I have some things to discuss with Mrs. Darwin and not much time in which to do so.”

Rick stood as the Lieutenant walked to the door. “Darwin,” he called out, “don’t slack. If she’s going, then she needs to get on board and stay on board. Once we’re gone, we can’t come back.”

“Yes, Sir,” Darwin looked back at the Admiral, “Thank you.”

------------------------
Vice Admiral Ricky Wegener
Apparently the Gatekeeper

Lieutenant Michael Darwin
Riding the Fence

Amber L’Berr
Unknown Element