Shore Leave (part 1)
Posted on Sat Oct 1st, 2016 @ 11:00am by Captain T'mpest Michaels & Commander Rylie Cattmor & Lieutenant Commander Morai Keen & Lieutenant Commander T'kaarch
1,026 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission: A Civil Act
ON
[Captain's Quarters]
T'mpest was taking a bit of a break -- at least for her. She'd spent the best part of the day going over the data from the planet. Darenor, from what she'd read. Sammi and Salem had done a very good job of integrating the new data into her science database and she was reading over logs from the city beneath the surface. Starfleet Science had been very pleased with the data and was organizing a permanent team to move into the undercity. She was even more pleased when she was informed that families would be going. The AIs would be pleased to see children again.
Salem stretched and jumped onto the desk. "You should take a break."
T'mpest looked over to the computer avatar that resembled a black cat. "I am taking a break."
"I mean, from your computer. You do realize it's been 18 hours," the cat said in a slow, satirical tone.
T'mpest raised an eyebrow. "No, I did not. But I am taking a break from command. I have 48 hours of shore leave, which leaves me 29 hours, 42 minutes and 6 seconds left."
The cat sighed. "You know I can't watch episodes of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch while you do that," the cat said petulantly.
T'mpest chuckled. "Have you not seen every episode a dozen times? You quote the lines when you watch."
"I'm a computer avatar, of course I quote lines. That doesn't mean I don't want to watch."
T'mpest quickly activated the holo matrix and loaded in the first episode. "Now, you can watch it in 3D in the other room."
"Spoilsport," the cat said, jumping off the desk and walking out of the bedroom.
****
They were en-route to starbase one-thirteen; not that it really meant anything special, just a little downtime for the four day journey from Darenor to the closest Federation starbase. People seem to have been making good uses for the time, doing things that were recreational for them; T'mpest and her databases, Phillips in astrophysics too pouring over the data, Keso in engineering trying to find applications for the shielding technologies used to hide everything from bio-readings to transporter and communication signals, Reuter playing with rudimentary computer models of the AI to see if it could boost the efficiency of the standard Federation one, especially with the connection it seemed to have with the captain. For Rylie though, she just focused on her job.
Of course there were down times; times she wasn't required on the bridge or in her office, or anywhere else. She always found those times the hardest to get through, to focus; the mental chatter of everyone in her surrounds constantly bombarding her head like the background noise from a packed stadium at a final game of a major tournament. It almost gave her a headache. There were few on board that would understand, even fewer that would be able to help. Since the inlusion of similar shielding that was used around the Intel offices and the captain's quarters, things had been better, she actually had some form of escape, to at least dull the noise to a mere whisper. "Computer, play music, please."
"Specify composition."
"I don't really mind." Rylie said picking a random book from the shelf and flicking through the pages. "Something classical." A concerto wafted over the speakers before she requested the computer take it down a notch in volume, and sat down in her lounger chair, and closed her eyes a moment completely pushing the book she held out of mind, while enjoying the relative silence.
****
Keen did not flop as he usually did into the comfortale chair; not with Anthony cradled in his arms and a bottle in hand. Kitten deserved a little rest so when the 'Cub' was restless Keen took the duty as there was a lot to this parenting thing he had still to learn. No misconceptions, he was new at this and there is no way around it.
STill having the little guy here and now sluping on a bottle it was just another little facet of life; as teh prophets might say, to be the one to look out for teh helpess baby. Keen chuckled as he did not see himself so much older than ANthony in the eyes of teh Prophets who watched over him. He was a Vedek; still is to a degree but not the Bajoran responsibilities, he had taken the message out to the stars.
While not a convert he and Kitten; raised a human on Earth, had long ago decided there was anafterlife and reasons being that who ran this paradise had been a point they avoided strictly arguing upon. It is enough there is a heaven and that He and Kitten would see it together in what he hoped was the far future?
"You will be introduced to the Prophets my son; they will look upon your face with favor." Keen started. "I know this because it is they who allowed you to ebe our blessing. Your Mother is the best woman in the universe; she will always have loving arms for you..." Keen left out the part that he had to share those arms with Anthony now, "It will be a good thing for you. You are part of a clan; The familly of your mother will definitely be taken with you I assure you." He told his son quietly. "I will do my best to show you the love of the prophets and not make them seem secondary to the love I have for you." He chuckled to himself at the paradox he just created in his mind. "It is a diffrent type ofcaring by the Prophets ... and hopefully by the time you grow enough to ask I will have a good answer for you because right now it would be hard to explain. Just know no mortal can love you more than your mother and I."
That seemed good enough for Keen and his son for the moment.
(To be continued...)
Captain T'mpest Michaels
Commanding Officer
Salem
Computer Avatar
Commander Rylie Cattmor
Executive Officer
Lieutenant Commander Morai Keen
Chief Counselor
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