Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Side Sim- Holodeck- A rare moment of vulnerability

Posted by Lieutenant William Hampton (Chief Engineering Officer) in Side Sim- Holodeck- A rare moment of vulnerability

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Side Sim- Holodeck- A rare moment of vulnerability
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
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Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Hampton focused on the Captain’s words and attitude as much as any drunk man could in that situation. “Mr. Cobb,” He eventually got out. “I very very very very much appreciate yo… your attitude towards my dilemna. And believe me Cap’n I would love,” Hampton raised a glass. “Love, love, love, a female companion, but right now, in this moment, I am more focused on just finding a friend.” He took a sip from the glass and put it down. He slumped off the chair at the bar and wobbled over to Cobb. “That being said Cap’n, if you know an…any interested women, do let me know.” He giggled and went back to the bar to retrieve his glass.

Lt. William Hampton- CE

His own glass empty, Cobb made his way behind the unmanned bar and, for several moments, delivered unyielding focus to searching the shelves. “Kandora champagne, pah, a girl’s drink. Jelinian ale, Whelan Bitters, Nut Ale. Why, is there nothing on offer here for the discerning palate?” Then finally he paused and emitted a loud “A-ha!” before turning back to Hampton and waving a large, dark brown, bottle at him. “Yridian brandy. Just the ticket.”

In his newly-claimed role of barman, Zachariah produced two fresh glasses and filled them to three-quarters with the amber liquid. Then, remaining on the opposite side of the bar but taking up a position directly across from the engineer, Cobb placed a hand on the other man’s shoulder. “You already have a friend, Mr Hampton. Me.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Hampton took the newly filled glass and flashed Cobb a goofy grin. “Thank ya captain.” He said. Was Cobb his friend? Hampton had never considered him to be one, simply because he was the captain, and Hampton did not imagine an informal relationship with superior officers to be a thing. He raised his glass to Cobb. “To friendship Cap’n.” He took a large gulp and put the glass down. His usual look of alertness and determination gone, replaced with a whimsical curiosity. “So what do you have in mind exactly Cobbler?” Hampton chuckled, the joke wasn’t funny, but he thought it was.

Lt. William Hampton- CE

Cobbler? Zachariah raised an eyebrow at that, but made no other comment. As for what he had in mind…

“Well now,” the captain continued, leaning an elbow against the bar, his own expression softening now with every additional drop of the brandy. “I reckon we could do to get you out into the lounge more. I’ve heard all the stories, lad. I know where you spend most of your spare time. And believe me, you’re not going to find companionship locked away on the engineering deck. Or, at least, not the right kind of companionship, at any rate.”

He sipped thoughtfully at his drink. In the whirlwind of finding his feet amongst the chaos of the ARU, Cobb had not paid any special attention to the females of his crew. Of course there was that crewman, Jessie was it? She seemed like someone who could handle the engineering chief. Or possibly Casela? Although if the scuttlebutt was true then she was already busy with the charmer that was his Number One. And then there was the good doctor, who might be able to bake her way to Hampton’s heart, if she didn’t scare the lad half to death with her unique bedside manner first.

“I dunno, Will,” he shrugged. “I guess we just need to get out there and see who takes your eye, eh?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“Sir I like my lab,” Hampton protested, “it’s the only place I feel genuinely safe.” He frowned. “ And the lounge???? Why would I want to go there?” He put his chin on the surface of the bar. “ I haven’t met anyone that I like yet Cap’n.” He sighed, “I may be doomed to solitude forever.” It was definitely the alcohol, because Hampton would never cry sober. He just put his head on the bar and began to softly cry. “Like stinks when nobody loves you.” He sobbed.

LT. William Hampton- CE

Cobb’s eyes widened slightly and he rubbed at the back of his neck. He had not been expecting such a display of emotion from the usually stoic Hampton and, never one for subtlety when faced with a delicate matter, it made Zachariah decidedly nervous.

“Why, come on now, lad,” he tried, desperate for a physical distraction and settling on grabbing the bottle and adding a few more drops to each of their glasses. “There’s no call for tears. Life does indeed stink and there’s the bare truth of it. But…”

What would Casela have said in this moment? Or Prim? By the gods, what he would give for his own measure of female companionship in that moment, if for no other purpose than to soothe the young man with the tenderness that he lacked.

”…every now and then, you stumble upon some flowers amongst the stink. And when you sniff at ‘em, it makes it all worthwhile.”

There would be no awards for poetic creativity bestowed upon Zachariah Cobb. But, alcohol and all other things considered, what it lacked in elegance it made up for with pure function…

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Hampton slammed his fist on the bar. “What am I doing?” He growled, the tears stopping. He looked up at the captain. “Sorry sir this is embarrassing, I have had a little too much to drink I think.” He nodded to Cobb as he poured another round. “I don’t have a habit of getting emotional cap’n, I guess our little conversation has brought it out of me.”
He wiped his eyes. “That’s won’t happen again sir.”

LT. William Hampton- CE

“Ah, it happens to the best of us, lad,” Zachariah shrugged, attempting to banish Hampton’s shame with a wave of his hand. “What is it they say? The problem with the world is that everyone else is a few drinks behind?” He chuckled, then picked at a frayed hem on the sleeve of his tunic, for a moment lost in the vast caverns of his own thoughts.

“What brought you to this ship, Will?” he asked after a few moments. “With your skill you could have been running some R&D facility planetside by now. Why space? And why anomalous space, of all bloody things?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

At Cobb’s question Hampton’s expression changed from one of embarrassed melancholy to deadly serious anger. “I did not have as many options as I deserve captain.” His voice returning to its normal stoic tone. “I have no home to go to, I have lived in space my whole life.” His voice lowered to a growl. “And people don’t appreciate me for the man I am.” His empty hand clenched into a fist. “People in this part of the galaxy like to think they are virtuous, enlightened, and most importantly,” he looked up at Cobb, “correct.” He took a sip. “People like me don’t fit in well with the society they have built on Earth or for the rest of Federation.” He took another sip.

“People around here tend to think that at their core the races of the galaxy deserve the benefit of the doubt. That most living creatures, are, at the end of the day, good. They believe this, because they want to see themselves as virtuous and noble.” His look turned to a glare. “They aren’t. They are just naive individuals who would rather stick their head in the sand then actually deal with the problems our galaxy has to offer.” He paused, “My existence reminds them of the reality they are so desperate to ignore. People like me point out that races like the Romulans are dangerous and should be put under the thumb of the Federation. To hell with treaties and negotiations, we are superior to them, the gall that race has to oppose us.” He shook his head. “And we let them do it. The Cardassians have the right idea, that’s how they became so powerful. They learned that in order to be strong, in order to ensure security, you must subjugate all that are weak and oppose you.”

He exhaled. “You all pretend your way is better, that somehow instead of destroying our enemies, we should hand out hugs like ration packs, and sign treaties to simply delay inevitable conflicts. But what you can’t stand, is the ever so rare person, like me, who comes along and points to history, who points to the inevitable result of interactions between civilizations, war. Instead of listening to people like me, Starfleet throws us away. Too many sensitive admirals and officers, who earned their stripes not through firing a phaser but rather signing their names on a document. ” His fist began to thump on the table. “They have no idea what suffering is like, they have no idea what real conflict is like. And the damning part of it all is, they don’t want to.” Hampton stared into this glass. “I don’t fit the federation mold, so I have to be dealt with in some way. I am labeled evil by some for my beliefs, I am not a “tolerant” or “open minded” man. I don’t believe in mercy and I damn sure don’t believe in diversity. Diversity gets everyone killed.” He held up his glass. “These beliefs make me a problem, because I remind everyone on Earth that they aren’t saints, that humanity is not a race of saints, and I will never be one in their eyes.” He shrugs. “So they put me out here, where I can be shuffled off, and never heard from again.”

He looked back to Cobb, “My existence is a reminder to the Federation that their organization is built off half truths and lies. For that reason, I must be swept away under the rug.” He chuckles. “So you see Captain, I didn’t have much choice at all.”

Lt. William Hampton- CE