From: Jamie and Kim (kimtoussaint_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Thu Jan 31 2008 - 10:34:42 PST
"Reconnecting"
( Continued from Ran's "Yesterday she was a doctor...." )
____________________________________________
LOCATION: USS STONEHENGE
Scene: Cade's quarters
Stardate: 2.80131.1022
Time index: Approximately 0300 hrs
____________________________________________
It wasn’t shaping up to be a very good night.
The FedCom broadcast weighed on Cade’s mind, and
he had taken to ‘brooding’ (or moping, as Makena
Kagiso put it) for the rest of his shift. To make
matters worse, Arjan Jos, the person who usually
pulled Cade out of his bitter moods with his irascibly
sunny disposition was suffering from his own worries.
Cade could have kicked himself when he accidentally
let slip that he had met dead air while trying to
contact the Andorian’s brother over the Comm, and ever
since then the usually cheery blue man had grown
increasingly morose.
So his preferred solution of staying in the busy
sickbay and harassing the prettiest nurses, or heading
to the lounge or watching the scantily clad female
ensigns in the Klingon martial arts class were all
thrown out the window. Every one of them had a tinge
of gloom hanging about them.
Not that his quarters were any better. Ever
since his little altercation with Phia, the
insufferable Lilly Kwon had researched his quarters,
office and medical lounges and proceeded to remove
every trace of alcohol he had stashed within. It left
his quarters feeling claustrophobic and dank. Cade
sighed, debating between going out and starting a
fight just to make someone else feel as miserable as
he felt, or just giving up and going to bed. He was
busy kicking the ever living daylights out of a pile
of socks when his communications panel signaled an
incoming message.
“Oh, who the hell wants to talk to me this late?”
he snapped, staring at the screen. “I’m sure that
Makena can solve whatever problem you’re having with
the serum without you bothering Cade Foster for his
brilliant opinion.” He huffed, throwing a sock at the
panel as the screen flickered to life.
{{ "Hi." }}
Daisy looked tired. She was wearing her dress uniform
and sitting at a desk in what looked like a bedroom. His
critically observant eye noticed the additional ribbon as his
mouth fell open. “Daisy…” he murmured.
{{ "This letter is long over-due. I'm sure you've
already seen footage about me on Fedcom and I'm sorry *that*
reached you before I found the time to sit down and
record this letter. " }}
She undid the jacket of her uniform and let down her
hair. {{ "I didn't go looking for this assignment. I
honestly didn't. All I wanted was a couple weeks away
with my kids for the holiday." }}
“Sure you did.” He muttered, but still he found
himself drawn to the screen, sitting down to watch
intently.
She licked her lips and got this look of guilt on her
face when she thought of Ben and the time they'd spent
together. Then, quickly, she snapped back and
continued her recording. {{ "Literally, I was ordered
to make arrangements for my kids and go on this
mission because of my history with Captain Kane. I
had no intentions of returning to command duties. I
was very happy working with you in the sickbay on the
STONEHENGE. " }}
“Happy. Yeah, happy.” Cade grunted. “Happy
when your kids weren’t blowing things up, or you
weren’t being kidnapped, or in traction for some
horrific injury, or I wasn’t in the brig. We’ll go
with happy.”
There was an awkward silence. Then, Daisy walked over
to the closet and hung up her jacket, still recording.
Then, she picked up a hair brush and went back to
the desk. The image reminded Cade of the many times
he'd sat and watched her brushing her long blonde hair
before they'd curl up together in bed.
{{“The crew of GATEWAY had lost their Captain, both
their first and second officers, as well as their
Chief Engineer..." }} She sighed. {{"Captain Kenta
dropped command of the station in my lap and I had to
step up...."}}
Dr. Foster rolled his eyes. “Of course Kenta
did. He wants to keep you uner his thumb? And what
do you do? You sign right up. Because it’s you
‘duty.’ Fine, you always did run away from anything
good that fell into your lap, and God knows Cade
Foster isn’t nearly as attractive as Zuri Davidson, so
why not just run the hell away?” He leaned forward so
far he was nearly shouting into the screen, as if
Daisy could somehow hear him.
Again, she paused awkwardly. Remembering how proud
she was that Ben had trusted her with this command was
painful now that things between her and Ben appeared
sour and she had no clue why. Before leaving on the
PATRIOT, Ben didn't even come to say good-bye and that
made it painful to think about him at all.
{{"I ...ahem....”}} she stammered. She wasn't sure
if Cade knew that Ben was the same man Arjan Jos had
seen her with in San Francisco last year.
She sighed, hoping he didn't. Though she didn't see
herself as ever again settling down or getting married,
she genuinely cared about both Cade and Ben and hoped
to keep them blissfully ignorant about her seeing them
both.
Then, she admitted. {{ "I know I could have asked for
a transfer back to the STONEHENGE once the wormhole
reappeared." }}
This hint of a smile spread across her face as she
imagined Cade waving his fist at the screen and
moaning, 'Damn straight, you could have!'. Then, she
managed a weak laugh and admitted.
{{"Frankly, I was so homesick that I nearly did.
Then, I realized I couldn't leave these people.
I'd come too far with them, gaining their trust and
getting them used to having me around. What's left of
the original GATEWAY crew..." }} Daisy shook her head
and gave him a sad look.
“Of course you couldn’t” he muttered again,
shaking a sock at the screen. “You pick up all the
outcasts and orphans in the galaxy and try to turn
them in to one big happy family. Well, guess what,
Davidson, I’m not an outcast you can add to your
collection.” He didn’t know why, but inside he felt
like he was both hollow and seething.
{{"They lost so many people in battle - the attacks by
the Dominion were brutal. Then, the wormhole was
restored and so many just threw up their hands and
simply ran away back to the Alpha Quadrant."}} She
smoothed back her hair with her hand and gave him a
pleading look.
He paused, staring at the screen. Damn her big brown
eyes, they always caught him.
{{“Please understand I couldn't add insult to injury
and abandon them, too. I can't shake this instinct
that it makes a difference for them, knowing I believe
in what they're doing and why they are here. I
believe in them enough to stay."}}
{{"I'm writing this letter, though - because I hadn't
intended to abandon *YOU* either."}} she smiled
sweetly.
“Yeah, but you certainly could have called
sooner. Hell, your office is still open for you; God
knows who’ll they give it to next.” He snarled at the
screen. He didn’t even want to guess what would be
happening in sickbay now that Daisy was gone.
Then, she nibbled on her bottom lip and admitted.
{{"It's very lonely here sometimes. I was getting
settled in for a while there. I mean, I missed you,
the Aspinalls, Aerdan, Izzy and even that snobbish
bitch, Phia."}}
“Snobbish bitch…” he chuckled a little. “More
like psychotic lunatic if you ask me.”
Daisy added with a smirk. {{" Then, Rixx and I
discovered we were both on the same station."}}
Slowly Cade sat up and blinked, his mouth falling
open. “Shit…”
She paused for a minute to let him, as she imagined
him, digest that bit. {{"Yes, Rixx…the same one we
bumped into on DAGORIN V and ANDALUSIA VII. He wasn't
any happier to see me on GATEWAY than I was to know
about him. He tried to have me killed. My XO and
Drake were there to put a stop to the attempts on my
life." }} Daisy swallowed awkwardly and gave him a
little smile. {{ "Kinda hard to have any freedom to
walk around among the general population when people
are trying to kill you - but I managed to stay in
command." }}
Daisy went back to the closet and pulled out a rather
bland pair of Starfleet issue pajamas. Given the
intimate nature of her relationship with Cade, she
kept talking to him as she changed. He saw the
little bit of alien material in her navel catch the
light and sparkle as she moved to slide the bland,
sedate colored bottoms up over her hips. Slowly he
leaned forward, and despite his holier than thou
attitude, he was captivated.
{{"Rixx escaped. He's still out there.”}} Daisy
continued. {{"And then there was the interview with
Kate.... that publicity about my alien ability has
left me having to fend off some of the morbidly
curious and the rather 'disturbed' people out there.
I have a guard outside my ready room and outside my
quarters and people that watched the footage have
hassled Erika and the boys until I finally decided
they should come closer for their own safety. I
thought I'd get them quarters on Starbase Nine. “}}
“Yeah, I know, I *saw* that report. I’ll punch
that little cheerleader bitch if I see her again.” He
muttered, going over to the replicator to get himself
a cup of coffee.
Daisy got herself a drink of water and then managed a
weak smile. {{"They would have settled in there today
- but Erek had to make a detour to BAJOR to check on
his mother. It seems his family home there was
burglarized and Wangel Oblama was injured. She's
going to be ok but Erek was forced to admit some of
his personal records were stolen and those included
footage of me."}}
A hurt look spread across Daisy's face as she began to
describe how yet another betrayal was revealed.
Before Wangel Erek had gone into teaching at the ACT
program where he'd met Daisy, he was a Science
officer. He couldn't help feeling fascinated by how
Daisy's DNA had been altered.
During visits to the Wangel family home, after Erika
and Gavi had gone to bed, Daisy would go outside and
enjoy long late night runs through the woods in her
feline form.
It was liberating! Climbing trees and even chasing
small animals...Erek recorded her coming and going and
studied the footage of howher transformation process
worked. Even the father of her child couldn't resist
the scientific curiosity of someone being an Associate
of Gary Seven Hybrid. He thought the footage would be
safe in his family home and he only wanted to study it
privately. Then, all the publicity of the wormhole
being restored and her being the new CO of GATEWAY
drew attention both to her children and to the Wangel
family home.
Cade blinked, and his jaw dropped a little. He
hadn’t quite realized how far-spread this thing would
get. Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered
when he had switched over from the dangerous brilliant
boy-toy to the ‘trusted shoulder to cry on’ for Daisy.
She made a sniffling noise and rubbed away a tear.
Then, she changed the subject.
{{"Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't find the time to send
you a letter before now. And I do miss you, Cade. I
hope you can forgive me. And...be safe, ok?
Goodnight."}}
“Goodnight, you cow.” He replied back, in a tone that
was far softer than the words would imply.
With that, Daisy ended the transmission, leaving Cade
sitting in the chair in his quarters, staring at the
blank screen. “What the hell do I do now…” he
murmured to himself, turning to stare at the stars
through his window. “What the hell…”
The wheels started turning in his mind and he jumped
to his feet.
"Computer, public records inquiry - cross reference -
GATEWAY STATION. Is the USS PATRIOT docked at
GATEWAY?"
[[ "Negative" ]]
"Is Captain Ben Kenta at GATEWAY STATION?"
[[ "Negative. Captain Benjamin Kenta is assigned to
USS PATRIOT" ]]
"Computer, open a channel to GATEWAY STATION"
[[ "Channel will be open in five minutes" ]]
"I'm going to put her in her place." he muttered. "That's
what I can do. Bitch thinks she can get me all hot and
bothered and then dash off to shag some 'pup' with
washboard abs and then come right back to me and I'll
not see it? I'll not figure it out? I'll just put up with that
crap?"
He paced, shaking his head. "Not me! I have
my pride! I am Cade Foster! No one strings me along
and two-times me like that. I'm going to get that bitch
out of bed and I'm going to chew her sorry ass out! Then,
I'll have nothing more to do with her! That's IT!! I'm done! "
He waved his fist at the air and his voice cracked with
emotion as he waited for the signal to get through. He
stomped back and forth across the floor all puffed up with
righteous indignation until the Comm system beeped at him.
Eager to yell at Daisy, eager to just "rip her a new one",
Cade sat down with a malicious grin on his face and pressed
the button so the screen would come to life.
Daisy had just gotten out of bed. Her long hair was
adorably disheveled around her face. She looked groggy and
worried until she saw him Then, she lit up and smiled
at him sweetly.
{{ "Hi." }}
He blinked for a second, stunned by how quickly all that
indignation just crumbled. It was like he'd been punched
in the chest and had the wind knocked out of him.
Daisy blinked and smiled again. {{ "Cade, are you ok?" }}
Finally, he sighed and gave her a bit of his usual obnoxious
humor. "Oh, just tired. Didn't get much sleep last night.
You know how it is when they get some new holodeck porn."
The sound of Daisy's laughter resonated through the comm
system and filled the room He watched her replicate a cup of
coffee and she began asking him about his day. Their conversation
fell in place like they'd never been apart - a comfortable balance of
sarcasm, dirty jokes and flirting. Suddenly, his quarters didn't
feel so claustrophobic and dank anymore. Suddenly,
he actually found himself smiling again.....
__________________________________________________________
NRPG:
Jamie - sorry I couldn't stay in MSN. Vinnie started acting up. He's home sick with a
cold and my downstairs neighbor is recovering from Knee surgery - so I had to scramble
to keep Vinnie quiet.
Anyway - I added more to our JP. I hope you like it.
I left it open if you want to continue this 3am suspace chat between Daisy and Cade.
Ran and Justin - Jasmina appears busy. Would you guys like to take care of arresting the reporter?
Kim Toussaint AKA Commander Daisy Byrne Davidson, M.D.
Commanding officer of GATEWAY STATION
---------------------------------
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sat Oct 11 2008 - 03:10:31 PDT