Posted March 1, 2021, 9:53 p.m. by Commander Daniel "DaVinci" Colter (Chief Intelligence Officer/ 2nd Officer) (Terry Sullivan)
Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Hannah Lori Asimina (Doctor) in My Past. My Present. My Future? (Tag DaVinci)
Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Hannah Lori Asimina (Doctor) in My Past. My Present. My Future? (Tag DaVinci)
(snip)
Stardate 2395
She’d formed a friendship with someone named Geoffry. They hung out while the ship was in dry dock. She mentions him briefly once or twice but it’s obvious to Daniel he’s nothing more than a friend as far as she is concerned. “I miss home. I wish you were here. I’d take you with me and show you. I know it’s a primitive world, but the nature preserve is beautiful, and since I grew up there, we’d actually get preference to enter the nature preserve.” She stares at the screen for a while, just quiet, like she can see him on the other side. And in a way she does, holding on tightly to the memories. She lets out a slow breath, continuing with her letter, “You know, it always surprises me how some people from other worlds are still so..prejudicial. Geoffry is apparently one of them. Even after all the training we’re given, I don’t understand how a star fleet officer can be like that. Apparently he’s going to be working at an embassy as a diplomatic officer. I guess we will be losing that world as a Federation member.” Hannah shrugs, obviously not thinking much of this ‘friend’ after some recent discussion. Hannah doesn’t have much use, and never has, for people who are prejudicial and look down on others, having faced it enough herself. “What are you doing now? Are you almost ready to come home? Are you still practicing your sign? Do you remember this one?” She points to herself, crosses her arms over her chest, and then points at the screen. I love you.
She’s angry, beyond that, she is piping pissed off. Her signs are extremely specific curses and swear words about someone. It would be hard to tell right now if she’s adorable or scary when she’s mad. Her signing is pronounced rather than flowing, and very exaggerated reflecting her anger. I thought Geoffry was my friend. I made it a point to tell him that. I told him ‘no’ how many times to offers of a date? He was holding my hands (she emphasises the plural) not because he’s being sweet and pushy; I told him I didn’t want him doing that. He was grabbing my hands because my signing embarrasses him. So he restrains me. Takes away my voice! Said it wasn’t acceptable if we were going to date! Why are men SO PUSHY! Oh! And he wants to fix my voice, wants me to get a voice modulator so I don’t sound so strange. ‘What’s that noise, why are doing that?’ I’m laughing. Then don’t do it, he says, it sounds disturbing. Get internal implants, then no one knows you’re different. The discomfort is worth it, Hannah, to be normal. She air quotes “Don’t worry Hannah, I’ll fix you, I’ll make you ‘normal’.” I don’t even think about him like that! I couldn’t, I wouldn’t! She makes a face as if she might be sick. I just thought he was my friend. Apparently not. I told the counselor I wasn’t interested in a ‘love life.’ She picks up something, small, off her desk and throws it across the room and then flops into her chair. I’m not weird! I’m NOT! She stares at the screen and then looks away, embarrassed and maybe slightly ashamed. I’m waiting for you, I always will. No one is like you. You don’t care I’m not normal, you don’t care that I sign or that I sound strange. Still not looking at the screen she pulls out the dog tag holding it. She can be heard tapping on the screen and music can be heard beginning to play. After several silent moments, she wipes the tears off her face and the screen goes black. https://youtu.be/zzjWrAWWEIg
She pulls the dogtag out and smiles, looking rather happy with herself. “We had a contest this week. Free climbing.” She looks positively smug. “Somehow, and I swear I had nothing to do with the setting, they used that bluff, our bluff, on the holodeck. I was already finished eating by the time the rest made it to the top.” Which of course is probably an exaggeration. But Hannah had a lot of experience on that climb. “I wish I could race you to the top again. Your birthday is next month. I’d even let you win.” She holds up one hand, I love you.
Hannah’s wearing the baseball cap, she has a U of Wyoming jersey on with his number. His dog tags, as always, are hanging from their chain against the jersey.“Happy Birthday, Daniel. We’re having beer and nachos for your birthday this year.” She smiles softly. “So I’m rewatching your games again this year. It’s the only way I get to see your face anymore. Whenever we see each other again, we’re going to celebrate just like this, okay? I don’t know when that will be, if ever, but I hope so. Happy Birthday, Crixus,“ she grins and winks. “Love you.”
“I’ve hit a dead end here on the Fearless. Tavanagh is a great department head, but I want to do more. I’ve put myself up for a transfer. I may not get it for awhile, but I’d like to try something new. It’s been too many years in the same place. I think it’s time, I need to move on to something new.” I love you.
OOC: One more partial year after this
Lt jg Asimina, DoctorOOC: And that’s the last of them
Stardate 2396
Hannah is sitting in the familiar office area of her quarters. The same books and brick brack covering the shelves behind her. As always she pulls the chain and dog tag out from under her shirt, silently showing she’s always keeping him close. “I’ve been transferred. I had the option of leaving tomorrow, but I have a few experiments that I want to finish up. So I’ll be leaving in a few weeks. I’m going to the Saracen. It’s a different type of ship than the Fearless. No promotion, but I get to work with one of the best doctors in star fleet. Natasha Knight. Apparently I’ll be the only other general practitioner there. Her husband, Dante Knight, is the CO. I’m excited to learn from her.” She looks away in thought. I’ll still be waiting for you. “So that’s where I’ll be, on the Saracen. You’ll come find me there, okay?” She looks back at the screen, “Where are you, Daniel?” I love you.A few weeks later there is another message recorded. “I’m going to send this letter out, and hope it gets to you. I know I’m setting myself up for disappointment, but after all this time, I need to finally know. I can’t access your records, I’m not family. It’s been five years. I just want to know. It won’t change anything, but at least I’ll know: one way or the other. I don’t want to ruin your happiness if you’ve found it. I just…I need to know. I love you, I always will.” She pauses looking around, the room is slightly different, still Star Fleet standard but the layout is different. “I’ve arrived, and Saracen is different. It looks dangerous, wicked, and savage. It’s late here, and my room is a single. It’s strange, but at least I’m not dealing with someone else’s constant noise and chatter. I don’t have to worry about them listening to my letters while I record them. I can take off my implants and not worry about having to talk to someone when I want it to be quiet.” She blinks several times, and then takes a slow deep breath, “Wherever you are, in this life or the next, Daniel, be happy. Get your knee fixed and go play football.” The red alert klaxons go off and there is a shuddering and sounds of explosions and damage happening. The screen goes dark and Daniel would realize that that was the moment Saracen had gone through the rift. It was three days before Hannah had sent the message. She had waited until they had crossed back through the rift, 3 days later. But as things tend to happen, the file didn’t arrive right away. It was a large file, containing all her letters. It was only going a few decks away, but until it all downloaded it didn’t appear on Da’Vinci’s terminal. It took a whole extra day for it to appear, and he’d had knee surgery the day she sent them..
Lt jg Asimina, Doctor
DaVinci continued to watch the videos in stunned silence. His chest hurt every time he sensed the pain and frustration in Hanna’s voice and actions. He smiled and chuckled at each of her joyous and playful moments, and, he cursed himself for not reaching out when he had seen her on the station two years ago. He had convinced himself she had moved on and had foolishly disappeared without a word when he had seen her. Through it all, she never stopped missing him, never stopped loving him, never lost faith or gave up hope that he would come back for her someday, somehow. . . .
The CIO came to a conclusion that he had to do something in return for her. . . .
DaVinci hurried to Hannah’s quarter’s, only stopping momentarily in the arboretum to pluck a single red rose for her. The whole way there, he kept rehearesing the words he was going to say. Only, each time he said the words they came out more rehearsed that the time before. Each time they sounded less sincere and that was no good.
Finally, reaching Hannah’s quarter’s, he stepped inside and handed her the rose. “I viewed all your letters, ALL of them and all I can say is that you are the most stubborn. . . caring, loving, beautiful, incredible woman I have ever known and loved. I can’t even find the right words to tell you how I feel, Hannah, so I’m going to let the music to the talking. Computer, play Daniel & Hannah, track 1.”
As the music started, he took Hannah’s hand and pulled to to her feet and began slowly dancin with his arms around her. . . .
Colter (CIO)
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