Posted July 9, 2022, 9:33 p.m. by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) (Jennifer Ward)
Posted by Lieutenant Commander Markus Woods (Chief Star Fleet Science Officer) in Rest and Relaxation (TAG Woods)
(snip)
“Oh, I have better boots,” Mark said, letting a little of his drawl out, just for a moment with a lopsided grin. It was more of a slip than deliberate, and a sign of how tired, and perhaps stressed he was. It was a kind of bone-weariness rather than needing to go to bed right then. “And I could have just replicated that you know,” he sad, glancing up at the hat. He wasn’t sure the brown fit for him, but he liked the hat overall. And it was a gift from Rende. He silently vowed to never let it go, not unless passing it to someone else special.
Mark
Markus sounded tired to her, and not the kind that was helped with a cup of coffee. The lopsided grin made him seem younger, and Rende wanted to just hug him and make it better. He needed some fun, to stop brooding so much. The debriefings had been rough. Rende’s having been delayed while she was recovering in medical. They had grilled her endlessly and questioned everything about her. Bringing up a past she and El had thought they had left far behind. They questioned her loyalty, unable to figure out how someone as old as her, with El-Aurian talents hadn’t known what to do before it all started. In the end she was the only one responsible. She’d trusted that Kohr was Kohr and had given the imposter the access code to Hab’rabi’s ship. She put them all in danger, with poor judgement. It had eaten at her that she’d been unconscious and unable to sit beside each of her officers.
“Well if I replicated it then I wouldn’t get to spoil you.” Rende grinned as she leaned against the counter, arms crossed, head tipped to the side, looking at him, and then her gaze travelled the store, and stopped. Rende sauntered across the store and back, stopping behind him. She snatched the brown hat off and plopped a white one on his head, with a tan and black woven band with frayed ends. She glanced at him in the mirror, “Ah, there’s our good guy hero. Or we could go for the dark mysterious stranger and get you a black hat.”
“Good guys wear black,” he countered with a grin. “But either way works.” He took a look in the same mirror, turning his head this way and that, then nodded. Then gave a quick shake of his head left and right, testing the fit. It seemed she’d guessed his hat size just right. There was no real play in it and it sat just right. Though perhaps it felt a little ridiculous to be wearing one inside of a climate controlled starbase. But who cared. He was off duty.
Then there was the weight of a heavy leather duster across his shoulders. “Really it’s more practical than anything. Oed V is open and the atmosphere clean, but they are still terraforming and there is a lot of dust. You’ll thank me when Sharah isn’t fussing at you for dragging dirt all over your quarters. Eldorin used to have absolute fits when I would come home from archeology digs and leave a trail from the door to every room in the house.” She laughed quietly as if she took great pleasure at arguing with Eldorin about it.
Rende
“I take it the dust in the atmosphere cooled the planet down a good bit,” Mark asked, shrugging his shoulders under the weight of the material. If it were canvas, he’d have ot make sure it was treated properly but leather meant he’d just have to treat it now and again and wipe it down. Or see if it was safe for the clothes refresher.
Mark
Rende shrugged, “What’s the fun in that if I tell you?” She shrugged, “There is still a lot of work to be done and the planets natural seasons haven’t come about. You’ll have plenty of time to read all about it and discover it for yourself. And that is all the fun.” She looked over him and nodded, “It’s a good look for you, Markus. I insist you have it.” With the purchases paid for and the packages being delivered to Markus’ quarters, Rende took his arm again and led him further along the deck, taking their time to finish a circuit before returning.
Sharah had stayed in the Asam quarters and had helped to clear the rest of their meal. Julin and Mecona had requested her presence. They were sad that they were leaving again. They liked having her around. She understood it was hard for them. There was a lot of fear there, losing people they loved. She adored them, and loved spending time with them. She didn’t know if she ever would or if she should have children of her own, but being around Tabris’ kids made her want to have her own.
Much as Uncle Olly had given her a bonsai when she was young, Sharah had spent time with Neltus and given him his own Bonsai. Actually all the children had one, but there was a connection there with Neltus. She was glad that Rende and Eldorin had come back into Tabris’ life. He didn’t know how to use or control his empathy, but Rende had been showing Tabris and Neltus how. Sharah had tried to help Neltus but Betazoid empathy didn’t work the same. Neltus had spent quite a bit of time with her. He was nervous, he was going to be in charge of taking care of their tiny tress, and Tabris’ fig tree for the rest of their journey. He was afraid he’d mess up. “Neltus don’t worry. The bonsai’s are in stasis boxes. And your dad has carried that fig tree with him for centuries. He knows what to do. It will be okay.”
Vedi too had to comes say good bye. The family would be leaving much earlier than Markus and Sharah. Early and that meant and early bed time for the older boys than normal. Vedi sat at the table, finishing his drink and kept glancing at her until finally Sharah sat down and hugged him. “What is it Vedi?”
He shrugged his shoulders, “What if they don’t like me? People hate Cardassians. They did horrible things. What if they think I’m like them? Not everyone is like you, Aunt Sharah. That they look at who I am and not what I look like.”
“I know it’s scary, and I won’t say it won’t happen, but you have your dad and your brother. And I don’t think there is anyone in the universe that would offended you and risk your grandpa finding out. OR,” Sharah shuddered just to make him laugh, “your grandma. You have people who love you a lot and they won’t let that happen to you. So you stay you, Vedi, don’t let them change you, okay?” Vedi nodded and hugged her before going to bed. Even though the boys were 8 almost 9, Tabris and Eldorin still put them to bed. Sharah thought it was wonderful. She stayed in the living room staring at the box with the new pip in it and the PaDD with her orders. The Star felt heavy against her chest and she removed it, putting it away. She knew without a doubt that Rende felt she deserved it and why. She couldn’t argue about it. But she really didn’t want it.
She sat on the couch, quiet, staring out at the stars, floating as best she could amongst the noise. They were leaving tomorrow so for the moment it was easier to let it batter her, drag her under and spit her out a bit, than try to master it. Tabris and Eldorin chatted quietly while they repacked things for their departure the next day. The lights were low and Eldorin had requested some music that Sharah wasn’t familiar with, but it was pleasant. That’s how they all were when Rende and Markus returned.
Sharah
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