by Ensign Hok and Commander Dabin Reece
81214.1500
Concurrent with No Kind of Life
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-=USS Vanguard=-
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81214.1500
Concurrent with No Kind of Life
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-=USS Vanguard=-
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“I’m hungry,” Reece declared. With Kellyn’s surgery complete, Dabin was suddenly aware that he had not eaten anything save a few rations in hours. His stomach growled and his eyes drooped at the adrenalin rush that has fueled his attempts to help save Kellyn wore off. His body was informing him that the needle of his biological fuel gauge was beyond empty.
“I know Reece, I’m going right now.” Dabin rubbed his belly to soothe his demanding symbiont. When Dabin didn’t eat, neither did Reece, and seven lifetimes had a way of making a symbiont ornery when its supper was late.
“I won’t be gone long, Kellyn.” Dabin promised. With McKay offline to protect his emitter and program until they were needed, Reece was left alone to be nurse until they could rendezvous with the Sera. He set the computer to monitor her vitals while he was gone, and stepped out into the corridor, heading for what passed for a galley on the Vanguard.
It was a small room with a table, four chairs, and a replicator. Not exactly the Ritz, but if it had food, it was good enough for Reece. Upon entering, he found Ensign Hok sitting alone at the table nursing some orange colored concoction that Reece could only guesstimate was a Ferengi delicacy that would ruin a Trill’s appetite.
*Best not to think about it,* Reece thought.
“Computer,” Dabin was about to order up a plate of Chinese, but thought of his buddy laying in recovery, and just couldn’t bring himself to have any when he knew Kellyn couldn’t share with him. “Give me a cheeseburger with absolutely everything, a pile of onion rings, a bottle of club soda,” Grinning, he ordered his desert, “And a plate of pink sugar cookies.”
“I miss you Bru,” He whispered as the plate of food appeared. Taking the tray in hand, he pulled out a chair with his ankle and plopped down across from Hok.
“Let me guess,” Dabin began. “They won’t let you near the helm on this thing, too many TI secrets at stake.” Reece took a handful of onion rings and crammed them into his cheek.
"I was told, several times, to go away," said Hok with a sigh.
“Don’t take it personal,” Dabin continued, chewing as he spoke. “Think I wouldn’t like to get my hands on a sensor array that can scan through time? I wish.”
"It does make me wonder about the people in charge," said Hok. "I mean, if we're not allowed to know about the technology, why put us on the Sera as part of the Alchemy Project? For that matter, why have civilians on board?" He shrugged. "Seems to me, for such a classified and important project, security could be a lot better. A Ferengi that isn't as dedicated to Starfleet as I am, would be rich by now." He gave Dabin a quick smile and took a large gulp of his food.
“Let’s just say I’ve known Liisy long enough to know that she knows who she can and cannot trust. Does that make any sense?” Dabin asked, as he crunched on another onion ring. Dabin recalled a few names over the years that had proven to not have the best interests of Zanh Liis’s crews in mind. They didn’t stick around too long. She would tolerate just about any kind of weakness with the understanding that no one was perfect, but betrayal was one strike and you’re out.
“She still keeps me around even though she says I was responsible for getting her old TI ship destroyed, which I wasn’t, by the way. But she knows when the chips are down, Dabin Reece has always got her back. Believe me, she knows the secrets of the Alchemy are safe with everyone on her ship, or they wouldn’t be there. This ship is another story. TI ship, future technology. Can’t have us polluting the timeline by giving it all away.”
It occurred to Hok that what he said could be taken the wrong way. He liked being on the Sera and didn't want to be transferred to another ship. Because certain criminal elements would love to have a private conversation with him, it was also the safest place he could think to be. He needed to make sure Dabin understood just what he meant.
"I didn't mean to cast any doubts on the captain. I was thinking more about the big shots in charge of everything. I like it here. It's just the Ferengi way to look at things from a 'how can I profit' point of view. You know, study every angle." Hok smiled. "Also..."
When his voice trailed off, Hok quickly took another spoonful of his meal. "Things were rough down there."
Dabin paused his eating and set his food down. “Yeah,” He said softly. “Kellyn barely made it.”
Hok just fiddled with his glass. Dabin had a feeling things went on down there while the away team was tied up trying to save Commander Lair, that no one knew about.
“But we aren’t talking about Lair Kellyn, are we?” Dabin asked. “Is there more to that mission you want a talk about?” Dabin could have made it an order, demanded a report, but he was no counselor and formal inquiries gave him indigestion. If something was bothering Hok he hoped the man would think of Dabin not just as a fellow officer who’d been around the block a few times, but as a friend as well. After all, Ensign Hok was going to be splitting duties with February, so Dabin would likely be hearing a lot about the Ferengi.
Hok cursed inwardly that he had given away that something was bothering him. What happened on Lethus, what he had done just before Captain Zanh rescued them, was his decision to live with.
"I'm still recovering from almost getting killed," said Hok. "That, and what the Romulans did to the construction workers. Dengar and I had to round up the bodies and cover them with sheets. Seeing the wounds and their faces... It's something I won't soon forget."
"It's something you won't forget in a long time either," Dabin could not help but wonder if Hok's reply was sincere, or just meant to throw him off the scent. "But we aren't done with the Romulans yet. Those men and women back on the planet may not be the last. Onion ring?" Dabin held out one of the rings towards Hok, draping it over his finger like a wedding ring.
To be polite, Hok reached out to take the greasy morsel, but his hand stopped in midair. He stared at the onion ring on Dabin's finger, the vision of the ring on the dead man's hand, flashing through his mind. He quickly recoiled. "I shouldn't. Hewmon food doesn't agree with me," said Hok.
"Why is everyone so terrified of Terran food?" Dabin wondered out loud. "Is their reputation really that bad?" Hok wouldn't eat onion rings, Rada wouldn't eat Szechuan chicken. Everyone would eat anything Fleur made, so it couldn't be that bad.
"Are you sure? Not even one tiny bite?" Dabin spun the ring on his finger, trying to entice him into at least trying it.
"NO!" said Hok, louder than he should have. Smiling weakly, he gave Dabin an apologetic look. "Sorry. It's just that I don't know where that finger has been. Didn't you just help with surgery?"
"Good call." Now that he thought about it, Dabin wasn't too into the idea of finger food anymore. He dropped the ring back on his plate and decided to go knife and fork for the remainder of his meal. "All I can tell you is this isn't going to be the last time you see death. I have memories riding around in Reece that would make your skin crawl. Eventually you learn to live with what you've seen and move on to perform your duties."
Dabin chewed another bite as he considered what he just said. "Is that really a good thing? Is it ever really acceptable to just get used to death?"
Though Hok patiently watched Dabin begin to philosophize before his very eyes, he sighed inwardly, just wanting to be alone for a while.
"I'm happy right now because Kellyn is coming home alive. What makes her any more important than those construction workers? They all had friends and family too, didn't they? But I'm satisfied with the outcome of the mission because the person I was worried about losing made it out alive. I don't know. Maybe we both need to see Vol Tryst."
Hok cringed. Why was Starfleet so hung up on seeing counselors every time something went wrong? How did people survive through tens of thousands of years, before counselors ever existed? Fearing the worst, he asked a question he didn't want to ask.
"That's not an order, is it?"
"Yeah," Dabin said, seeming to relax again. "Let's make it an order. Next chance we get to see Vol we are making an appointment. Unless you want to see if Liis or Salvek will let you off the hook."
Frowning, Hok slumped his shoulders. "I'll get back to you on that. Until then, would you like to try some of my stew?"
“No thanks, Ferengi food doesn’t agree with me.”
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Ensign Hok
Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC 2012
and
Dabin Reece
Chief Science Officer
USS Serendipity NCC 2012
Ensign Hok
Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC 2012
and
Dabin Reece
Chief Science Officer
USS Serendipity NCC 2012