The Ties That Bind...

Posted on Thu Feb 26th, 2009 @ 11:04am by Captain Elsie Halliwell

2,641 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Citadel Prime
Location: Observation Lounge, USS Archimedes
Timeline: Current

[Executive Officer's Quarters]

Commander Rowena Arkham sighed, sitting back in her favorite chair and settling into a book -- she was done on the bridge for tonight, and she was greatly happy to settle in for the night; it had been a long trip and a tiring journey, and she was beginning to wonder if she was really ready for the task she was about to undertake or if she should have taken a desk job at HQ years ago. Sighing a little, she took a sip of a glass of scotch that she kept at the table at her side.

She heard a door open, and she smiled a little as Catherine entered the room. The doctor had just emerged from the shower and changed into fresh clothes -- a soft wine red sweater and a dark skirt. Her glasses were off for a change, giving the old Commander a look at her ice blue eyes, unobscured by her glasses. Her dark hair flowed freely over her shoulders.

Arkham let out a low whistle. "My God, you're beautiful. Hot date tonight?"

"I'm not even ready yet, you old fool," Halsey smirked, taking a seat on the arm of the Commander's chair and simultaneously drawing her dark hair into a tight bun. "And nope, you were busy flirting with the Master Chief, dear."

Arkham sighed a little, putting her book down on the end table and taking a sip of scotch. As she did so, Catherine ran a hand across the Commander's shoulders, pausing and running her fingers up and down Arkham's neck. "I am sorry."

"I know, dear," Catherine smiled, leaning down and giving the Commander a kiss on her ruined cheek. "But it happened. And I don't like it."

Arkham nodded. "I know, Catherine."

Catherine sat up looking the old Commander in the eyes. "I know you're still hurt after what happened all those years ago. And that's fine -- I'd wait forever for you, and you know that. But if you're finally ready, and it's not me, you owe me enough to at least tell me that. I've given you the best years of my life -- I don't regret it, but I don't want it to be for nothing, either."

Arkham nodded, "What can I do to make it up to you?"

Catherine smiled a little, taking one of the Commander's hands. "I'm having dinner with the Captain and his daughter and Mrs. Gray in the observation lounge. I would love a noble old officer to escort me."

Arkham grimaced a little, looking rather reluctant. "Catherine, you know I'm not good with children, and I--"

She continued her protests, but she soon found her heart wasn't in it.

[Observation Lounge]
As Commander Lane pulled out the chair from underneath, the soft, white cloth draped around the table’s edges tugged out along the seat, dragging against its upholstered fabric. He smiled to Yvaine and as she gently lowered herself to sit.

“Thank you, my child,� she said as he pushed the chair back underneath her frail weight.

Lane then rounded the table and then pulled out his own chair, gripping the back of the chair with his strong hand and dragging the feet across the carpet. He then fell rather heavily into the seat of it with a ‘humph’ as his weight was supported by its frame. Looking to his daughter he smiled. “Another chocolate-milk, kid?� he asked, already pouring the thick, smooth liquid into the tall glass beaker. She simply nodded as she tore apart her bread roll and stuffed the fluffy bread into her mouth. Lane was a stickler for manners, especially when it came to his own daughter, but he figured this time that he would let it slide.

Mrs. Gray was not so lax. “Lorelai!� she barked across the table.

Looking rather sheepish, Rory looked to her father and said, “Please and thank you, Dad,� with an almost charming sarcasm.

Lane simply shook his head as a subtle smile fractured across his jaw. “May I pour you a glass of wine, Nana?� he asked, turning to face the governess.

“A tot of sherry, my dear, would be marvellous, thank you, Coltan,� she replied, almost spying Rory out of the corner of her eye.

“I’ll just be a minute, then, Nana. No, no… Stay where you are.�

It was at this point that Dr. Halsey entered the room, smiling a little. "Well, good evening, Commander, Mrs. Gray, Rory. Thank you for the suggestion of dinner -- by the way, think we can make up an extra plate, Mr. Lane? I talked your First Officer into accompanying me this evening; that was no easy feat, I tell you."

"Yes, yes, you're wonderful," Arkham said bitterly, entering the room. Clad more formally than the others --it was just who Arkham was-- in a white dress shirt and pleated black pants, she smirked a little, sipping from the glass of scotch she'd brought with her from her quarters on Deck 2; she was beginning to think it might be a better idea just to go back to her book. Spotting the Commander's daughter, she turned a little -- Arkham had trouble with children; she couldn't relate to them, couldn't understand them, and more than that, couldn't stand the looks that they often got when they saw her ruined face for the first time. She was every inch the monster from the story books that would bite and bark and come to get them in the dark.

"Good evening, Commander," Arkham rasped, sipping at her scotch. "I'm...ah, happy to be here, I suppose. Thank you."

“Ms. Arkham… I’m glad that you decided to join us.� He winked towards Catherine conspiratously and smiled. “I told you that you could drag her along if you put your mind to it. And I didn’t doubt you for a moment, Doctor.� He motioned emphatically toward a lowly set of empty chairs set behind two dinner plates shining underneath the lights from the bulkhead above. “I took the liberty of already having your place set, Commander, so allow me to welcome you properly. Can I get either of you a drink?� Spying the glass of golden liquid in Rowena’s hand, he turned to face Dr. Halsey. “Doctor, then?� he asked with a smile pulling out his own bottle of scotch. “Good stuff, as you well remember, Ms. Arkham,� he said as he held up the glass bottle.

Arkham smirked a little, nodding somewhat and taking a sip from her own glass. "That it is, Commander. I was just dragged up here mid-glass--"

Halsey smirked, elbowing Rowena gently in the ribs. "Dragged? Please--"

Arkham smirked, and added. "I'll probably break into that bottle of yours before the end of the night, sir. Something tells me I'll need it."

"And for right now," Catherine said, smiling warmly at the Commander. "I'll take a glass of that, if you don't mind."

“Good… Now,� he said, whirling around the table. Firstly, he poured the decanted glass of sherry for Mrs. Gray from the crystal jar. And then, passing behind her, he clutched two glass tumblers from the silver tray and poured the scotch out into them both, placing one in front of Doctor Halsey and one where he was about to sit. “Now, he repeated, “I have only two rules tonight: We leave our pips and surnames outside of this door, and all mission-related talk is strictly off-limits. And you can consider those direct orders. Am I understood?�

"Of course, Coltan," Halsey said, nodding. "Understandable. We might as well have one comfortable dinner before we arrive at Citadel Prime and things get far too busy. Isn't that right, Rowena?"

"Yes, yes, I suppose you're right. And if it's an order, I suppose that I can't very well ignore it anyway," Arkham rasped, rubbing her sore and disfigured jaw tenderly. Turning to the governess, Arkham rasped, "Now, I don't believe I've been properly introduced. Rowena Arkham. Pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

“Oh,� Yvaine chuckled, holding out her wrinkled hand to the officer before her. “I haven’t been called ma‘am in a very long time. But thank you. You can call me Yvie, my dear. And it is such a pleasure to finally meet you, too. Catherine, here, tells me the most wonderful things of you. And, of course Colt does, too.�

Arkham gave as much of a smile as her ruined features would allow as she took the old governess's hand. "Well, Yvie, I can assure you, whatever they've said about me, probably only half of it is true--I'm sure the real me, as damned amazing as I am, is no match for the version they've created."

“Oh, there’s no need for plain modesty at this table, young woman,� she uttered with a snigger. “And something tells me, besides these whippersnappers here, that modesty isn’t a colour you wear often.�

Arkham chuckled a little, sipping at her scotch a little, "Oh, dear God, no. Modesty is for people who aren't me. But I've been told by the more powerful of the two people who live in my quarters -- that would be the one without the three gold pips on her collar-- that my...self-assured demeanor is off putting and to behave myself lest I come out of surgery one day with my mouth sutured shut."

Yvaine chortled in surprise at the Commander’s wit, and found the image rather humorous. “Ah, she is a little pistol, isn’t she?� she chuckled.

Lane smiled at the two as he turned to Catherine. “So, Catherine, how are you finding it rattling about on this big ship? Have you settled, as yet?� he said with a generous smile. “Rory tells me of the adventures you have been getting up to lately poking around. She does tend to have an active imagination. Don’t you, kid?�

Catherine gave the Commander a warm smile, adjusting her glasses slightly. "Oh, this is nothing compared to some of the ships I've been brought onto through the years -- the Commander has served on many a large ship, Coltan. I'm settling in nicely, and I'm very much enjoying all the time I spend with Yvie and your little girl. She's fantastic. "

“Well, thank you very much for saying so,� Lane replied with pride, pratically beaming. “She is, I am afraid to say it, my heart.�

"Speaking of which--" Catherine said, gesturing behind her, "there's someone who has yet to meet her, isn't there?"

Catherine turned to Rowena, smiling a little. The old officer was engaging Mrs. Gray in conversation, sipping at her scotch. Catherine walked over, leaning on the old officer and entwining one of her hands in Rowena's, causing her to look up, "Yes, Catherine?"

"There's someone you have yet to meet, dear," Catherine said quietly, looking up at the officer with pleading eyes. Arkham smirked, but relented, politely excusing herself from her conversation with the governess and allowing herself to be guided by Catherine over to Coltan and his daughter.

"Commander Rowena Arkham, you have yet to meet Rory," Catherine said, smiling a little.

“Nice to meet you, Miss,� Rory said with a theatrical courtesy.

Anything to get attention.

As the little girl lifted her head from the bow, she held Arkham’s disfigured face in her eyes and shuddered, only ever slightly. Her father had “pre-warned� her of the Arkham Horror, but the full glory of the Commander’s scars could never be apparent to an eleven year old unless placed in front of her like an old fashioned Hallowe’en mask. She shuddered not out of fright, but out of shock. The stuff out of school-girl nightmares was dangling before her but it was the woman behind it that saddened her. For her age, Rory could see beyond the eyes and she wasn’t afraid of that.

Arkham smirked a little, looking at Catherine. "Wonderful to meet her. Glad I could help scar her for life. Can we get this over with now?"

Catherine smirked. "Are you even going to say hello to her?"

Arkham gave Catherine a cold look but quickly relented. "So," she said, looking down at the Commander's daughter. "How are you? Enjoying it here? Enjoying Dr. Halsey's company?"

“She’s my friend,� Lorelai said, smiling. “And she’s lovely.�

Lane could see that Rowena was struggling with the familiarity of the child before her and so interjected.

“Rory, come back to the table, kid. Don’t bother the Com... Rowena. Dinner’s about to be served, anyway. Have you washed up?�

Lorelai simply nodded with a smile and then Lane narrowed his eyes on his daughter. She slowly ceased nodding and then began shaking her head with a guilty grin. Lane did not have say another word and Rory removed herself from the table.

“She’s a good kid when she wants to be, you know?� he said.

Arkham nodded, sipping at her scotch. She rasped, "Oh, I'm sure she is -- I've only heard good things from Catherine and yourself. I'm just...not particularly good with kids, and in...recent years it's only gotten more difficult. I prefer to avoid them."

Catherine nodded. "She does. She means well, Coltan. This is just one of those occasions that I have to force her to act like a human being to get through."

Arkham smirked as much as her ruined features would allow and polished off her scotch. "The idea of you using force on me is...intriguing--"

Catherine smirked back, elbowing Rowena gently in the ribs. "Oh, hush you. So, Coltan, you've heard about us. How have you been settling in here? It's been an undeniably busy time for all involved -- perhaps you even more so."

“It has,� he replied, “but I don’t think just especially for me. Every member of this crew has pulled his or her weight over the past couple of weeks and I am proud of each and every one of them. I seem to have been locked up in my Ready Room pouring over reports and whatnot for the most of it. But it is nice to break away from it all and relax, isn’t it?�

He raised his tumbler of scotch to the centre of the table and smiled. “To time away from the Bridge,� he toasted.

Arkham nodded, raising her glass. "Indeed, Coltan, indeed. It's rather nice to be off that bridge, even if I didn't get to spend my evening in my book like I planned. Between you people and the Master Chief dogging my heels, I'll never get any work done."

Catherine frowned a little at the mention of the senior laboratory technician and Arkham noticed. Shooting the doctor a somewhat subtle apologetic look that was only partially accepted -- oh, this was not going to blow over any time soon, Rowena sensed -- she said to the Commander, "So, since my evening didn't work out as planned, let's hope this is just as good, eh? What are we having, anyhow?"

“To appease the more humans of you, obviously myself not included, the cook has prepared breast of an Earth-bird called Quail, I believe to start us with and Welsh lamb with steamed root-vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes for our main. Is that to your satisfaction, ladies? I’m sure that we could replicate something if it wasn’t,� he added, unsure of how his guests favoured the dishes. “With a rich chocolate cheesecake to round it up with.�

Arkham nodded, "Completely fine with me. Catherine?"

Catherine nodded. "Of course, sounds fantastic, Coltan."

“Well, I hope it is as good as it sounds,� he said with a smile



Commander Coltan Lane
Commanding Officer

AND

Commander Rowena Arkham
Executive Officer

 

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