Bridging Support

Posted on Mon Jul 18th, 2011 @ 2:09am by Captain Elsie Halliwell & Lieutenant Cedric Shepherd

1,432 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Taylforth
Location: Mess Hall, Deck 2
Timeline: -5 Days to Taylforth

ON:

The flashing text now detailed on the same PADD Elsie had carried with her for three days confirmed Anaia’s travel arrangements to the Ranger, carefully orchestrated by Starfleet Medical. She was to arrive the following afternoon via civilian transport two lightyears off course from their projected destination. Commander Michaels had kindly instructed the diversion without fuss or repercussion and as the Intrepid class vessel veered from the direction of the Taylforth System, Elsie sat in the darkened mess hall at 0300hrs, alone and with only a bottle of Vulcan brandy (gifted to her by her First Officer) for comfort.

The stopper in the elaborately designed bottle was sitting tightly in place and had not yet been released from the grip of the glass. As a personal rule, the captain rarely partook of such indulgences but the situation of late had warranted it more than ever before. She looked silently at the amber liquid and allowed her eyes to lose focus in its rich and vibrant colour. Even in the darkness, it seemed to glow with an usual vigour, begging to be drunk.

Cedric entered the room and took it in quickly, as was his habit. Establishing that it's lone occupant was indeed alone, he smiled as he took the few strides to her table.

Elsie looked up and half smiled, feeling a tinge of guilt as her eyes darted to the bottle sitting before her. She sighed, relieved somewhat of the company. She nodded to the bottle, raised an eyebrow and asked: “Care to join me?â€

"It's been a while since I've tossed one back with a ghost," he quipped. As her eyebrow climbed higher, he added, "you haven't been much of a presence on board the last day or two, Captain."

Her eyes betrayed the intention to cover up the truth almost immediately. She snorted. More of an exhaling laugh and declaration of surrender as she casually smiled to the man and leant over to uncork the brandy. “Could you pass the tumblers?†she asked, sitting back down as Cedric still hovered above her, “And I’ll let you into a little secret.â€

Cedric scratched his chin thoughtfully with the back of a thumb, and then moved to the serving bar, gathering snifters. "My master chief would give you a dirty look for drinking brandy out of a tumbler," he chuckled, setting the wide-bellied glasses on the table before having a seat himself. "I tried it once. He made a noise in his throat a human can't duplicate."

“And here I was thinking that cats drank cream.†Her tone was jestful, but the humour dry. She raised the corner of her mouth, cleared her throat, and easily lifted the bottle to the edge of the rim. As she poured Cedric’s ration, she quickly darted her eyes from the glass and shot it up to his. “Old Man S’teis a bit of a liquor snob, is he?†she asked, now returning her attention back to service and then moving the bottle fluidly to her own tumbler.

"Enormous, and unrepentant," Cedric replied, lifting his snifter and swirling it, bringing it slowly to his face for a deep inhalation of its heady aroma.

“I’m not exactly one for ‘roughing it’, but in the absence of Andorian crystal, a simple, unassuming vessel is good enough for me. And if it’s good enough for your captain,†she hesitated, placing down the bottle and lifting her own beaker, raising it between them both in a salutary custom.

Shepherd lifted his own glass in reply, and sipped, holding the brandy a moment before swallowing thoughtfully. Noticing Elsie looking absently at her glass instead of finishing the salute, he cocked his head slightly, his mind clearly shifting gears. "Is something wrong, Captain?"

Elsie looked away, unsure of whether to divulge the personal information that racked her mind so fiercely. After a moment of unnerving silence, she was unsure of even how to tell the story. But, she raised the glass to her lips, cheersed one last time and took a gulp. “I have a daughter,†she began, looking up to him with wide eyes that appeared to be at the brink of tears. “Not so much a daughter, but a direct genetic descendent harvested from my own DNA. So, effectively, a daughter.â€

The word seemed to make the connection between the two women more real… more tangible. The traceable lineage now defined by a single, powerful noun.

“I – I don’t know what to do,†she finally admitted. “This is as much news to me as it is to you, now. I found out only yesterday.â€

Shepherd's eyebrows had climbed halfway up his head. He schooled them down while he considered a reply. "To be clear, we are not talking about a clone, correct? This is bi-genetic offspring?"

“What little research I have had time to conduct indicates that, no, this is not a cloning facility. I’m not sure where the other genetic make-up of this girl is donated from. Or whether it is artificially constructed. All I’m aware of is that she’s as real as my own flesh and blood.â€

Somehow, saying those life-changing words aloud struck the woman to her own centre, as she lifted the glass to take another gulp.

The big man swirled his snifter, inhaling deeply as he thought. The moment stretched almost uncomfortably before he looked her squarely in the eye and asked simply, "what do you need?" While the phrasing was curt, the tone was not, his concern clear in the offer--the concern of one friend being present and ready to aid another.

She returned his look with pleading eyes, unsure of how to form the words in her mouth to ask for support; for help. She broke his gaze, lifted the beaker once more to her mouth and curled the edges of her lips upwards in a comforted half-smile. “At the moment?†she questioned, now looking back to him. “Nothing. But thank you for asking. I’ve…†she paused, trepidatiously searching for the bridge of her sentence in her mind, “decided to ask her to come on board. To meet her. I can’t not.â€

His eyebrows raised again and her expression reacted. “I may need your assistance then. I can’t be both captain and mother at the same time. At least, not to begin with.â€

"I'll backstop you any way I can," he nodded. "Do you want me to look at logistics and arrangements? Quarters, data access, that kind of thing? Has she got a file of any kind, or any means of identification outside this... preserve she 's lived on?"

“Nothing,†she replied simply. “Her entire life has been contained by the institution.†She looked away in exasperation and stared off into the middle distance. “All I have is the report filed by Starfleet Medical. I can allow you to look at that. But, if you could work with the quartermaster and, as you say, logistically organise her arrival, I would greatly appreciate it.â€

She sighed, the heavy thoughts now weighing upon her mind pulling at her focus. “She’ll also need a guide, Cedric; a guardian for when I’m unavailable.†She paused, now looking up to the man she was beseeching. “I understand that it is outside the jurisdiction of your responsibilities. But I would very much like you to oversee her visit with us for me.â€

Cedric leaned forward and set his snifter on the table. "I can do that," he said, putting pieces together in his head already. "I'll need to bring some others in. I have to at least report this girl's arrival, so it's going to get disseminated to Security. I can emphasize discretion, but my people will all know this is someone close to you. I don't need to put the word ‘daughter’ in any kind of report, but I'm not comfortable replacing the term with an outright falsehood. How do you feel about 'relative' as something vague enough to suffice but not specific enough to set people off?"

The look on Elsie’s face shifted to one of insecurity and worry. But, she understood the importance of disclosure, especially with regard to ship security. “Do what you must to ensure that her arrival is smooth and discreet, Lieutenant,†she asked, her voice soft and low. “I’d appreciate the confidentiality with this. At least until I can decompress what this all means to me as a ‘parent’, and as your captain.â€

"Any time," he replied.

 

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