USS PATRIOT: Various Locations (“Catching Up”)

From: V. Rahul Chandra (vrccan_at_gmail.com)
Date: Wed Apr 11 2007 - 02:08:08 PDT


 

 

===========

“Catching Up”

Con’t from Erik’s “A Routine Mission”

===========

Location: EARTH (St. Paul, Minnesota, United States)

Stardate: 2422 [2.7] 0411.0429

Scene: Baseball Diamond -> City Streets

 

<NOTE: Occurrence before the opener>

 

“Come on Danny Boy!” Marty hollered from behind the plate, standing up as
they waited for the next batter to come up.  Their team was leading 7-6 in
the bottom of the ninth inning and there were two outs with a runner on
first.

 

“This next guy’s nothing!” Marty shouted, adding a few more words of
encouragement before squatting back down behind the plate as the batter took
his stance.  In spite of the serious situation Daniel couldn’t help but
smile; his brother had the perfect temperament to be a catcher it seemed.

 

Marty made a signal for a fastball and Daniel nodded.  Getting into his
stretch stance he quickly pumped and fired the ball towards home.  The
batter swung and missed handily, and Marty triumphantly tossed the ball back
to him.  Count: 0 balls, 1 strike.

 

Marty made a signal for a sinker this time and once again Daniel nodded.
Marty had noticed that the batter had overextended himself on the last swing
and guessing correctly that he would be looking for another inside pitch set
his target up on the outer half of the plate.  Daniel threw the pitch and
the batter let it go by for a called strike.  Count: 0 balls, 2 strikes.

 

“One more Danny!” Marty called as he tossed the ball back to the mound.
Daniel wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked in to the target.  Marty
called for a curve ball and Daniel nodded again.  He pumped and threw it in.
The ball didn’t curve as much as he would like and instead of flummoxing the
batter it instead left itself right out over the heart of the plate.  The
batter swung and with a loud crack the ball went sailing out towards the
outfield.  Daniel turned around and much to his dismay the ball cleared the
fence for a home run.  His team had just lost 8-7!

 

“Don’t sweat it,” Marty said, coming out to the mound.  He seemed to be in
good spirits.  “You did a great job considering how little time you had to
prepare.” He slapped Daniel on the back good-naturedly.  “Come on, let’s go
home.”

 

The two trudged through the city streets as they walked from the ball
diamond back to their house.  “So what now?” Marty asked.

 

Daniel shrugged.  “Grab a quick shower and then head back to the PATRIOT,”
he said.  “We’re shipping out soon.”

 

=========

Location: USS PATRIOT

Scene: Marine Deck

 

“Who are we missing?” Maverick asked Morris as the MCO walked into the main
office of the marine deck.

 

“Almost everyone’s checked in,” Morris said, by way of reply.  “Just waiting
to hear from a few stragglers like Samuels, Benoit and Clarkson.”

 

Maverick nodded.  “Well from what I hear unofficially we’re doing a quick
scanning mission,” he said.  “Marines shouldn’t see much action.”

 

“Yes sir,” Morris replied, nodding his head in acknowledgement of the new
information.

 

=========

Location: EARTH (St. Paul, Minnesota, United States)

Scene: Williamson Residence

 

“Has Catherine already left?” Nancy asked.

 

“I think so,” Daniel said.  “I bumped into her on the PATRIOT before we went
to the ball game and she looked like she was going to be staying there for
good.”

 

“Is this hers?” Marty asked, holding up a duffel bag for his older brother’s
inspection.

 

“Looks like it,” Daniel said, eyeing the bag critically before tossing it
over his shoulder with his other bag.  “Anyway, I’m not sure when we’ll be
back next, but I’ll call you when I know for sure.”

 

After sharing a hug and kiss with his mom and a hug with his younger
brother, Daniel was out the door and walking down the street.

 

=========

Location: USS PATRIOT

Scene: Marine Deck -> Corridor -> Turbolift -> Corridor -> Clarkson/Jade
Quarters

 

“It’s about time you showed up Major,” Maverick said, eyeing his
second-in-command critically.

 

“Is something up?” Daniel asked, looking back and forth between Morris and
Maverick.

 

“Nothing at all,” Mav said.  “So you might as well enjoy the downtime for as
much more as you can.”

 

Daniel chuckled.  “Yes sir,” he said, before turning around and heading back
out into the corridor.  The travel down the corridor was quick and painless
and within moments he was in the turbolift.  A few minutes of travel by lift
and then on foot brought him to the quarters he shared with his wife at
which point he walked into the quarters and over to their room; depositing
both bags onto the mattress.  Grabbing a PADD he’d been meaning to read he
turned around to head out only to almost collide with his wife walking into
the room.

 

“Sorry,” Daniel said sheepishly.  “I didn’t hear you come in.”

 

Catherine however had noticed something and looked at him, not quite
accusingly.  “You never told me you got promoted,” she said.

 

Daniel’s mind quickly traveled back through the events of the past few days
and all the times that they’d been interrupted just before he could tell
her.  Remembering all of those events, he quietly muttered another apology.

 

Catherine just laughed, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him.
“Congratulations!” she said happily.

 

Daniel laughed as well, glad that she wasn’t annoyed with him.  “Thanks,” he
said.  They stayed like that for a few moments, enjoying each other’s
company, until Catherine gently extricated herself.

 

“You know about the scanning mission?” she asked over her shoulder as she
took a seat on the mattress.

 

“Yeah,” Daniel said, pending down to retrieve the PADD he’d dropped.  “What
about it?”

 

“I’m going on it,” She said, smiling at him.

 

“Wow,” Daniel said, returning the smile.  “That’s great.  How’d Captain
Jones manage to talk Commander Kenta into doing that?”

 

“Actually, I think it was Commander Kenta’s idea from the start,” Catherine
replied.

 

Daniel was so surprised at that one that he had to do a mini-juggling act to
keep from dropping his PADD a second time.  “*Commander Kenta* wants you to
go with him?” he asked.

 

“I was surprised too,” Catherine admitted.  She got up from the mattress.
“We’re leaving soon though, so I’d better be going.”

 

The couple walked out into the main room of their quarters.  “What are you
going to be doing?” the young woman asked curiously, knowing that this type
of mission didn’t leave much for marines to do.

 

Daniel shrugged.  “We’re scanning and there are no weapons involved,” he
said.  “I am gluing myself to that couch and extending my leave as far as
possible.  I have no intentions of getting up unless the PATRIOT’s shields
are down and we’re losing life support.”

 

Catherine laughed, giving her husband another hug.  “You’re insane,” she
said.

 

“Insanely rested is more like it!” Daniel retorted, theatrically flopping
down onto the couch.  “Have fun on your scan!”

 

Catherine shook her head at him before chuckling and heading for the exit.

 

=========

NRPG: Well, this brings me up to partway through the mission opener.  Will
deal with more mission-related stuff in my next post.

 

=========




 

 
==========
V. Rahul Chandra <vrccan_at_gmail.com>
 
Playing...
 
Lieutenant Commander Jeffrey Gorman, MD
Chief Medical Officer/2nd Officer
GATEWAY STATION, GS-2
 
&
 
Major Daniel Clarkson, MD
Executive Officer - Marine Contingent
USS PATRIOT, NCC 5781-A
 
&
 
Lieutenant Sevlock
Junior ACT Instructor
Starfleet Academy, EARTH
 

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