Long Lost Acquaintances

Posted on 02 Feb 2015 @ 4:01pm by Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy & Command Master Chief Markum Quinn

2,118 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Starbase 84: Observation Deck
Timeline: MD12 1427hours

[ON]

It seemed to be becoming a regular occurrence that Dru was finding herself at the observation deck. The same dance as days before was happening outside of the view point, just different ships this time around.

The counselor had asked an old friend to meet her here, she'd prefer to give him the news to his face about her return. Memories of Markum had always stayed with her, when life had been a struggle before he stepped in as a temporary anchor to remind her of the fun in life and to stop and enjoy it.

A smile covered her lips as she remembered that time at the fair...she had held the teddy bear in her few possessions that moved from ship to ship with her.

Quinn was running a few minutes late, as usual. His uniform somehow covered in grease, even though he hadn't really been fixing anything...well...there was his door to his quarters. He entered in through the doors onto the observation deck. He was walking briskly, as he was extremely excited to see his old friend.

As he entered, the area, he immediately noticed the counselor. He quickly moved to her and picked her up and gave her a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Dru! My God, sweetheart, I came as fast as I could after getting your call. I can't believe your on the starbase!"

As Dru found herself wrapped up in an enormous bear hug, she felt the tears stinging the back of her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Markum and hugged him as tight as possible. He never failed to serve as a reminder of the good in life. "You haven't changed a bit old man." The last words with said with absolute affection as a teasing tone lightened her voice.

Quinn held on a few moments longer before setting her back onto her feet. He blushed slightly, though his smile only got bigger. "Can't teach on old dog new tricks, they say. How are you? Your head? I've tried to keep tabs on you, but you're a hard lass to keep up with. You had me worried to death, Dru. I'm so glad you're okay. A lot has happened since I last saw your blue eyes."

Blushing slightly at Markum's words, Dru tried to hide the flash in her eyes as her thoughts turned to the events since they'd last seen eachother. "They took me back to earth for 6 months of rehabilitation. They had to teach me strengthen my walking and speech in that time as there was damage done to the left of my prefrontal cortex...After that starfleet shipped me back out."

Taking Markus' hand, she lead then both over to a nearby couch where she settled him in beside her; her body turned to be able to look at him clearly. Dru kept his hand in hers, not wanting to loose the grounding effect he had on her. "And you? How is Tarishiana and the baby? Well I'd guess Tyra is a toddler by now?"

Quinn's grin faded for a moment at the mention of Tarish. "Well, we got married a while ago, but, well she's back on Betazed. Huge family issue over it and it became more than she could bare. Affected her pretty bad, so it's over, been over for quite a while." His hand tightened around Dru's hand, taking comfort in the warmth from her hand. It had been a long time since he had held anyone except for his daughter. He forgot how soft her hands were, and how soft those blue eyes were and seemed to look right into him. "Tyra is everywhere. She's with her mother for a few weeks, until we ship out, then she'll come back to me."

As Dru watched Markum's face, she felt a stab in her heart to think that somebody could cause the man hurt when he was so kind hearted under that gruffness. Trying to bring that smile back, she focused on where she knew his heart lay, "I only remember Tyra as a tiny baby....tell me what is she like now? Has she got her father's temper?"

Quinn chuckled and and the wrinkles around his eyes softened at the opportunity to brag about his daughter. "Oh, she is my mother's revenge upon me. She is stubborn, mischievous and down right ornery. She got in trouble in daycare for biting a boy that took her cookie."

Laughing at this recollection, Dru reached out and brushed her fingers against lines around Markums eyes that hadn't been there before. While she knew that some were laughter, she was beginning to realise that others were stress and pain. "She sounds like she's taking after her Daddy in some ways, friecely protective of what's hers."

"And how is Markus? He must be half way through the Academy now? Has he doing any ship placement yet?"

Quinn grinned and reached for Dru's hand and cupped it into his own hands. Her hands were soft and warm. "He is waiting to hear where his placement will be. He decided to take the Medical route, wants to get his psychology degree and run a counseling department or something."

A sparkle lit Dru's eyes, as she squeezed Markum's hand. "Give him a message from me will you, tell him to run....Run as fast as he can away from counselling. But seriously...tell him my door is always open if I can help him in anyway."

Turning Markum's hand so his palm faced up, Dru's fingers traced the lines etched into the palm as she seemed lost in her thoughts, "Something's don't ever change...they stay consistent no matter what is thrown their way. Like you...your still not afraid to get down and dirty in an old conduit or using your hands for hard labour."

Quinn smiled at Dru and his hand tingled from her touch. He brushed a lose strand of hair from her face as he caught her eyes. "You know me, I like to use my hands as much as possible. Besides, a little dirt on the hands is good for you."

Laughing, Dru attempted to rub away a smudge of dust on Markum's wrist but only succeeded in making it worse and blackening her fingertips. "I'm not very good at this...." A sadness flashed through the counselor's eyes before she forced herself to push the chief's hand back to his leg and pull her own back to her sides. "Tell me what I've missed while I have been away? What terrors have you gotten yourself tangled in?"

Quinn watched Dru carefully, he could tell something in her was different, or maybe he was finally waking up and admitting something to himself that he had long expected, even knew, but suppressed it. "The ship was assimilated by Borg. The large majority of the ship's crew were affected, including Tyra and Tarish. It was an awful experience, Dru. I'm glad you weren't there."

It took a minute for that news to sink in. It explained a lot...an awful lot. It would also explain why Holiday was more straight laced than ever and why there was a subtile change in the people she had worked with before. But even more...to realise that it had touched Markus so personally and she, as so called friend, had been to deeply wrapped up in her own selfish problems....

Pulling her hands forward to rub her face, the counsellor tried to process the news, before moving closer and giving Markum the biggest hug she could manage, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as if afraid to let go. "I'm sorry....I'm so so sorry."

Markum held Dru tight as his arms went around her. "Thank-you." he whispered softly. "It's fine now. We are all okay. Really messed up a few, but I somehow was missed. No one wants an old man for assimilation. We grip and bitch too much about our aching joints, and we forget shit all the time." he said as his hand rested against Dru's cheek.

Dru managed to must a small laugh as she buried her face agains Markum's shoulder, squeezing just a little bit tighter. "There loss is our gain....You know I still have Markum junior....He's followed me everyone. Just like his successor he doesn't let me out of his sight."

Quinn shook his head and chuckled in surprise. "Really? The bear from the carnival? He needs a sister then. We should revisit that program. I saved it, you know."

Laughing at this, Dru finally loosened her hold as she pulled back, swipping away at the tears which had begun to fill her eyes but didn't yet fall. "That day was fun....You took a poor gal who didn't know her right from her left and gave her a chance to just experience fun. You seem to have a habit of picking up strays."

Quinn chuckled out loud. "It was a great time. You were never a stray, not to me, Dru. I wish you were back on the boat with us. I...I've really missed you. I thought a lot about you after you left, wondering if, if I made the right choices."

Dru's hand paused for a moment as she wiped away the last of the tears, the last comment escaped her as the first sentence stuck in her mind, "You haven't heard? I've been asked back onboard....Assistant Chief Counselor....It's a demotion but after everything thats happened...it's for the best."

Quinn's mouth fell open and his eyes widened. "You? Back? Dru! Dru that's the best news I've heard in a long, long time." he said as he kissed her cheek and hugged her.

Laughing at Quinn's enthuasim, Dru hugged him back again. "Holiday has a way about him that he wasn't going to accept no as an answer anyway....After everything that has happened, I need to be with friends."

"I agree. If you need a place to crash, I have plenty of room." he offered sincerely. "It'd be nice to have room mate again, and I'm up in offiers with families deck now. So lots of room."

Laughing at this, Dru shook her head, "Now now now. And how would that look? A newly single eligible bachelor shacking up with the new counselor? As I'm back as an assistant I'll get a junior officer room sharing with another junior officer. I believe a male although I haven't met him yet. I might take you up on your offer if he has people back alot."

"Deal." grinned Quinn. "I'm glad you're back. Maybe things can now get better, for both of us."

Dru looked at Markum for a minute, her lips parted as if she wanted to say more but a sudden beeping noise interfered with her thoughts and intended words. Looking down at Markum's chest, the counselor smiled sadly before pointed at his breast, "I'm afraid that you seem to be needed elsewhere I assume."

"Damn thing." he grumbled, then tapped it. =^=Quinn here, go ahead.=^=

=^=Quinn, it's Willis. We have a problem on Deck Four. Big one.=^=

=^=Okay, okay. I'll be right there.=^= Quinn looked back at Dru. "Duty calls, sweetheart. Let me know when you get settled."

Dru managed a slight nod and smile before she waved her hand to dismiss Markum. "Go on before they send a search party. You know what Willis gets like when he's kept waiting in the middle of an emergency....Let him know that I send him and wife my regards will you?"

Quinn nodded and gave a playful wink. "Yeah, I'm going, I'm going." he joked. "Make sure you find me after you get aboard and go through the ever so boring ship physical, or I'll come looking for you. Be good." he added before turning and walking back towards the Galileo's docking port and gangway.

Dru watched as Markum walked away, feeling years filling her eyes as memories both good and bad came flooding back. It would be a few days before she would manage to bring herself to go for a medical, she only hoped it wouldn't take aslong before she would see her old friend again.

Wiping away the tears before they fell, the counselor pushed herself to her feet as she moved in the opposite direction, back towards the station promanade, she had things to do and people to see and they took precident first and foremost.

[OFF]

Command Master Chief Markum Quinn
Chief of the Boat
USSGalileo

Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy
Assisant Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

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