Things Never Change

Posted on Mon Mar 2nd, 2009 @ 6:40am by

716 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: In The Dark
Location: Quarters of the Executive Officer, USS Archimedes
Timeline: Current

For the second time that evening, Commander Rowena Arkham collapsed into her favorite easy chair, leaning back and sighing deeply – though it had been a long evening for the aging officer, it had been a moderately enjoyable one; she’d forgotten how enjoyable it was to have dinner with a group of people, even if it interrupted her much-desired quiet evening. Rolling up the sleeves on her white dress shirt to about the elbow, she reached once more for her book, pouring herself a glass of scotch.

“Well, that was enjoyable, wasn’t it, Commander?� Catherine said, breezing into the room, and taking down her hair, allowing it to flow freely over her pale, supple shoulders.

Arkham nodded, her eyes not leaving the page of her book. She’d been looking forward to finishing it – an old piece of Earth literature by a man named Jonathan Carroll, who had been a visionary if Arkham had ever known one. She debated lighting up a cigar, but elected to wait until after Catherine went to bed for the night, “Oh yes. Lovely. I enjoyed it.�

Catherine smirked, walking over toward the Commander and taking a seat on the arm of her chair. Running a hand through the Commander’s thick, short grey hair, she said, “No you didn’t – but thank you for pretending you did. You made me very happy by coming tonight.�

Arkham smiled as much as her ruined features would allow – it was slight, but Catherine knew it was there. After a moment of profound silence, Arkham rasped, “Of course, Catherine.�

Catherine chuckled a little. “I love seeing you like this, you know.�

Arkham looked puzzled, “Like what, Catherine?�

Catherine chuckled, her hand slipping down to Arkham’s shoulder. “Seeing you as you were tonight – being there to make me happy and proving that…it isn’t asinine to believe that everything in the universe has an in-built sense of goodness. Because normally we all know you’re only one spit away from being a shopping mall bomber.�

Arkham smirked, looking up at the Doctor. “I’m sorry you think I’m that bad.�

Catherine frowned, drawing close to the officer, “Dear, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just…you know, when I met you I realized that no one ever tells you when you’re young that when people are broken in certain ways, they can’t be fixed. And even…even after all of the ways you were broken, you still try for me. And I love that, Rowena—you compromise still, even when …when one looks at the compromises the world made with you, it makes one kind of sick. I’m never lying when I say that Megan Ellard would be so unbelievably proud of you.�

Arkham smiled, shaking her head. “I don’t know about that Catherine. The person Megan Ellard knew—she was…�

Catherine sighed, “Please, dear. It’s been years and you were terribly injured, but I highly doubt that you’ve changed that much. I think in the end, our natures triumph no matter what – I think even back then you were dour and a little cold, distrusting, unwilling or unable to accept the idea of magic existing within the bounds of a normal life, ignoring the small and gentle observation that make life so worth living, acting more frightening and eccentric than you are so you won’t be seen as merely an interchangeable cog in the machine, and waiting for fate to bring about the changes that you should have brought about yourself.�

Arkham sighed, rubbing her temples. “Indeed, Catherine. Indeed.�

Catherine stood, smiling a little as she turned away and made her way toward her bedroom. As she reached the doorway, she turned once more, leaning in the doorway of the room and smirking a little. “Are you…going to be joining me tonight, Commander Arkham?�

Arkham smiled sadly. “No, Catherine – I’m…�

Catherine nodded, her smile disappearing. “I understand. Just…well, you know by now, Rowena.�

Arkham sighed, rubbing her temple tiredly with one hand and lighting a cigar she’d had prepared to smoke and had stuck in her pocket for safe keeping. Inhaling deeply, she sighed once more. Perhaps Catherine was right.

Perhaps things never did really change.

 

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