From: Kim Toussaint (kimtoussaint_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Dec 16 2007 - 09:11:11 PST
" Keep Holding On..."
( Continued from Taylor's 99 )
______________________________________
Location: What used to be Kane's quarters
Scene: Main living area
Stardate: 2.712.16.0900
Time index: Later that evening
_______________________________________
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QXl0RrzS-E
"You're not alone"
_____________________________________
In general, Kane's quarters looked like he had attempted to make them
homely, but hadn't quite succeeded. There are several items of interest scattered throughout that helped define him and Daisy knew these items well. A silver shield with a gold and blue ankh symbol on it - a gift from Cadet Firestorm, another of ACT class 0007, was prominently displayed on a wall.
A rather annoying Betazoid/Klingon hybrid, she'd fancied herself every bit as "mysterious
and beautiful" as she'd considered the design of the shield to be. Rather smitten with
Kane, the ridiculous cadet once embarrassed Daisy in the middle of a San Francisco restaurant because she'd thought Daisy was a threat to her "romantic claim" on the cantankerous Irishman. Michael had sniggered and laughed as the aristocratic half-Klingon beauty poured Daisy's drink over her head and threatened Daisy with bodily harm in the middle of what had been an innocent lunch between friends.
It pained her to remember the Michael she knew before life in command had drained the light out of his eyes. She remembered a warm and funny young man. He could be cantankerous and arrogant, of course. The man that Daisy knew in ACT, though....had a smile that could light up a room.
After debating what to do with the shield, she decided to leave it where it was. If she
had a chance to go back to Earth, she would deliver the shield to Michael's mother
personally. Daisy's own memories of Michael Turlough Kane were precious to her, though.
Too precious to risk shipping any of Michael's belongings and having them be lost on the
way back to his Mother.
Years ago, Daisy went back to the academy for a month of science refresher classes in order to try and join the crew of the USS DISCOVERY as their science officer. She was pregnant with Jason at the time.
Seeing how the weight of command had affected Michael broke her heart. She wanted desperately to take him off that ship and back to earth - to give him back his innocence and his "light" - but there was no talking him out of the life he considered his duty and privelage. Finally, after Jason was born, Daisy accepted a safer assignment for the sake of being closer to her kids and walked away from her long-time friend...unable to stand watching him continue doing a job that seemed to be sucking the life out of him.
What she had considered the tragedy of Michael's life had been directly responsible for
Daisy actively avoiding any command positions for herself. She'd turned down multiple
opportunities for XO duty before Peter and Maddie had managed with their gentle but
constant stubbornness to convince her to give it a trial run. There were times when it
turned out she really did enjoy it and other times when it ranged from utterly tedious
to completely terrifying. Whenever she could, she continued to do shifts in sickbay
to keep her medical skills current. Finally, when Peter and Maddie had reached the point
where Maddie was comfortable with the Brit returning to XO duties - Daisy'd jumped at
the chance to go back to sickbay and simply be nothing more than a Doctor and a Counselor.
Kane also always had his kilt hanging up outside his bedroom closet.
Irish kilts differ slightly from Scottish ones in that they have no sporrans - the big
fluffy thing that hangs on the front - so Irish kilts really DO look like miniskirts. Unfortunately, Starfleet regulations prohibit the wearing of kilts except as off duty wear. His family colours are green and red tartan. Looking at it, Daisy rememebered times when she'd seen him wearing this very thing. It made her smile. Michael's legs were NOT his best features. He
had lovely broad shoulders - but his knees were a little oddly shaped. Daisy grinned
slightly and gently moved the kilt to the back of the closet.
Seeing Michael's guitar, Daisy was reminded of her teenage foster son, LJ. The boy could
barely speak more than a few short, broken phrases. He had progressed enough to put words on a comm screen, though - and to communicate with a guitar that Daisy had provided for him. The boy would play improvised little soundtracks that made fun of things going on around him.
A few energetic bars of something light and cute to mock Erika and Jackie as he watched them playing. Little Jackie Aspinall was approaching five and Erika was approaching seven. As they bounced around their quarters on the USS STONEHENGE giggling and bickering like sisters, LJ's 'Soundtrack' was his way of teasing them.
Approximately 11 years old, Gavirosh's exact birthdate wasn't know. Daisy's adopted son
from her brief marriage to Zuri Davidson, Gavirosh considered himself way more serious
and mature....too mature to run and giggle like the girls and LJ would poke fun at him for
that by playing a gothic death march every time he saw the younger boy entering the room.
It was easier for LJ to be around Erika and Gavi than it was around his own biological brother, Joshua. Nothing about Daisy's children reminded him of his Mom or his Mom's boyfriend and how he'd been abused. Joshua lived with Maverick on the USS PATRIOT and began calling himself "JT" to be more like the older brother he missed.
It had been the hope of getting LJ and JT together over the Christmas holiday that got
Daisy sucked into this whole situation. The Lawrence brothers would still be spending
the holiday with Erika and Gavirosh. Sadly, though....Daisy wouldn't be there.
She sighed as it dawned on her that she wouldn't be there for Erika's birthday, either.
Her little girl would be having her seventh birthday on January 5th and Daisy wouldn't
get to be there to watch her blow out the candles.
If anyone else had tried ordering her to take this command, she'd have resigned, told
them to go to hell, and returned to be with her kids. However, this order came from
Ben. After all the history she'd shared with Ben, if he said she was right for this job and
it ws the right thing to do, Daisy believed him.
Gently, she found an out of the way spot for Kane's guitar. Then, she frowned at the
Uilean Pipes with distaste. To her very "American" eyes, they were strange looking.
The quality craftsmanship of his antique chess set impressed her more, though she gently
packed it away in a box under the bed because she wasn't much of a chess player. Like
with everything else that was Michael's, she would save it until she could deliver it
personally to his mother.
She recognized the knife from Haruko's father and thought to look for Michael's sky-blue
circlet on a silver chain. There was no sign of the heirloom from his mother's family
and Daisy sighed, hoping to herself that Michael had it with him where ever he'd been
taken.
Finally, the doorchime rang.
She paused for a second or two at the bathroom mirror to check her hair. It was
perfectly upkept in a conservative chignon and her red uniform was pristine. Finally,
she stood back in the livingroom area and called out, "Enter".
Though Eishnala's curly hair formed these bouncy tendrils around the crown of her
head, Daisy'd studied enough of the woman's body language to sense the annoyance
and resentment she felt seeing this stranger in what had been Kane's quarters.
"You asked to see me, Doctor Davidson?" Eishnala began coldly.
"I'm nolonger the Chief Medical officer of the PATRIOT." Daisy corrected her patiently.
"I'm aware of that." Lt. Kor replied flatly.
"If you are more comfortable with formality and protocal than the use of first
names...." Daisy sighed, standing with her hands behind her back, "Then you should remember that my wearing a red uniform means it's more appropriate for you to refer to me by my rank instead of my salutation."
Eishnala's lips tightened slightly and she gave a nod. "Understood....Commander."
"You will be removing your belongings from the Security department affective
immediately. Pack up your belongings from your quarters as well."
Eishnala immediately assumed the worst and took a step forward, protesting.
"Sir, Captain Kenta ordered us restored to duty pending a full military trial.
I've not had my trial yet so I don't think it's appropriate for you to have me
removed from the station. I've always done my job well and stood by my Captain."
Daisy held up her hand motioning for the younger woman to be quiet. Eishnala
complied with a look of hurt and anger on her face.
"I'm not having you removed from the station." Daisy smiled weakly. "I'm making
you my First Officer."
Eishnala froze and her mouth dropped open. "Me? Why? You hardly know me."
"I know that Michael trusted you." Daisy smiled, trying to convey that she had
an affection for Captain Kane herself and be friendly to the younger woman.
Eishnala frowned. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"
Daisy corrected her again. "I prefer 'Ma'am' and go ahead."
Eishnala blinked, surprised. Then, she continued. "So, this is a political
decision then? You want a token 'follower of Kane' by your side?"
Daisy sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. Her shoulders sagged a bit
and she gave Eishnala a tired look as she said flatly. "Perhaps I simply want
someone who knows this crew and what they've endured over the past few months
first hand to help make sure I don't screw up. Do you really think so little
of yourself that you believe you have nothing more to offer me than your
having been a loyal supporter of Captain Kane?"
Kor's cheeks turned a slightly darker shade of blue as the younger woman
found herself oddly both embarrassed and flattered by Daisy's question. She
cleared her throat and looked away, hoping she'd get away with changing the
subject.
"Do you have a preference as to who would take my place as Chief of Security?"
Daisy grinned warmly and moved one hand to her hip.
"I'll trust you to handle that, Lieutenant sh'Kor."
A hint of a smile formed on the younger woman's face. "Thank you...Ma'am."
"You're dismissed, Lieutenant."
Once the younger Andorian woman was gone, Daisy went straight to the bed that
had once been Kane's and plopped down with a sigh.
Alone talking to an empty room, she groaned outloud,
"God, I wish Maddie and Peter were here...."
__________________________________________________________________________
NRPG:
Kat - you've gone quiet on me and I thought I owed you this. :) So - I found the time this morning while my husband and two of my kids are still sleeping. I got you established as
the new XO over my morning coffee while Vinnie plays on his desktop computer on the
other side of the room.
Thanks for all your help with the books and getting to know GATEWAY. I wouldn't be
able to get settled in here without you and I look forward to us writing together.
Jerome - I know you said take you off the mailing list - but I couldn't resist including you
for this. :P Hope you like it.
Shawn - we'll work on getting your position established in my next post. :) Or, maybe our new XO will handle that? LOL
Erik and Taylor - I loved both of your posts, thank you.
Ken - if you are able to find the time - I'm sure Daisy would love a visit from Mowree about now. :) If not - I understand. I hope you are having a good time and are as happy to still
be here as we are to have you. :)
Peter - TAG :P
Margie *Waves* I couldn't resist including you, either. While Daisy never got particularly close to your new character, Rharn - she misses Maddie Zanders very much. I think others on GATEWAY miss her, too. :P
Kim Toussaint AKA Commander Daisy Byrne Davidson, M.D.
Commanding officer of GATEWAY STATION
---------------------------------
Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.
From HyperNews_at_youth.net
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sun Feb 17 2008 - 03:10:49 PST