Breakaway Chat from the Fond Farewell

Posted on 12 Mar 2012 @ 5:39pm by Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy
Edited on on 12 Mar 2012 @ 8:57pm

2,630 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 00 - Pre-Deployment
Location: Starfleet HQ, Banquet Lounge
Timeline: MD05 - 1900hours

Dru looked around at everyone talking to eachother and suddenly noticed a young Andorian boy standing in the corner, away from everyone else. She recalled from earlier that he had been part of the group who came in with Admiral H'Rhar. Feeling bad that he was all on his own Dru walked over to him, trying to dodge waiters who kept trying to refill her glass.

Ayden watched the girl approach him and deftly pulled her to the side when a waiter blindsided her. He'd seen her dodge the waiters. "Perhaps you should put down your glass if you don't want a refill," he suggested quietly.

Dru looked down at the man's hand on her sleeve in shock. She wasn't used to people touching her,"Tha...Than..." Dru closed her eyes and took a breath before opening them back up,Calm down Dru, he's an Admiral's son, he's safe, be professional "Sorry. That last waiter caught me by surprise. If I put down my glass then I'll have everyone around me trying to give me a new one and asking why I'm not drinking. It's easier to keep one in my hand and take tiny sips, the rate alcohol is being drunk around here, noone will know any different soon." Dru turned to smile at the Andorian and bit her lip,"Um...I'm Lieutenant JP Drusilla McCarthy by the way."

"Why not take a glass of water then?" Ayden suggested with a slight smile. He removed his hand from her arm and held it out to her. "Cadet Ayden H'Rhar," he added, smiling shyly. His antennae swayed slightly as he spoke, not really sure what else to say. "I'm in my final year," he continued, by way of defense should she think he was far too young to be here.

Dru took Ayden's hand and smiled at him,"You know what, water would be a good idea, but what happens when one of those waiters catch me and pours wine ontop of it....even though I guess at least it'd be watered down wine...wonder how that'd taste..." Dru blushed as she realised she was rambling and pulled back her hand as she realised she was still holding Aydens."Cadet? Which course?"

"Medical ma'am, though I'm already a qualified coroner." He let his hand drop back to his side when she released it, not sure what else to do with it. "As for watered down wine...you could just on occasion grab a drink elsewhere or indeed just lose the glass and tell them you've just had a drink?" He studied her and took note of her blue collar. "How about you ma'am? Medical, science or counseling?"

"Qualified coroner? Well that's an interesting area to decide to go into. Why study being a coroner?" Dru blushes as she realises the questions she is asking,"Sorry...I think you can guess my role."

"Ship's inquisition?" Ayden arched an eyebrow as he smiled. "It was just something to pass the time outside school really, and I found it interesting to do. My area of medicine will probably lead me to be a pathologist, or something. Quiet patients are so much easier to deal with than well...talkative ones, you know? I don't mind the quiet..."

"So you must be absolutely hating standing here with me rambling on at me." Dru bit her lip and looked down at the glass in her hand."I'm sorry, I try to over compensate in social situations for my shyness."

"Ah..." Ayden wasn't sure what to say to that, being a little socially awkward himself. "No I don't hate you ma'am, not at all. I'm really sorry if I gave you that impression, I really am.." Now who was rambling?

"You'd think as a counsellor I'd know how to talk to people easier. By the way, can you do me a favour? Can you drop the Ma'am, it's Drusilla or Dru." Dru smiled up at Ayden still slightly blushing.

"Yes ma'am, I'm sorry ma-," the Andorian caught himself and turned a deeper shade of blue, his antennae drooping a little. "I'm sorry. It's a habit, you do outrank me, by a fair way. That and my mother always taught me to be respectful towards women ma'am." There he did it again, though not on purpose. "You're a counselor?"

"Not as impressive as the ship's inquisition I'm afraid. I promise I'm a better counsellor to others then I am showing myself to be here today. Do you mind if I just call you Ayden?" Dru smiled up at Ayden as she found herself relaxing abit easier.

"Well I don't rate a sir just yet, so Ayden's fine," the young Andorian replied slowly. "Have you been on this ship long? I was introduced to the captain earlier.." His blush deepened as he recalled he'd barely gotten a word out and had been staring at her like a freshman in love.

"Lir...." Dru paused and blushed as she realised what she was about to say,"Captain Saalm? She takes abit of getting used to alright. I remember our first meeting she kept touching my arm and such. She's very affectionate in her mannerisms, comes from her Orion background I guess. But she is one of the nicest people who'll meet, she's a good Captain to us aswell.""

Dru looked down at the glass in her hand as she frowned. She knew she shouldn't be thinking of the Captain in such familiar terms but it felt...confusing. As Dru looked back up at Ayden she felt he might still be abit awkard in the banquet lounge,"I've an idea, fancy a walk? I believe there is some beautiful gardens outside."

Promptly, Ayden offered her his arm; it felt only right to play the gentleman and escort her out. "Please. So what made you go into counseling?"

Dru looked down at the offered arm before taking it and smiling up at Ayden,"I wish we had more gentlemen like yourself in this universe."As Dru allowed Ayden to lead her out she thought over his question,"Honestly? My first love was medicine, it's what I went into the academy to study, but my grades weren't strong enough so I figured the next best thing to medically helping helping people was to mentally help people." As they stepped outside towards the gardens Dru looked up into the night sky, watching the ships pass over the night sky almost like shooting stars."And you? Why medicine?"

"The need to help. I lost my father when I was very young, and there was no-one to help him before he died. My mother saw many people injured during her service and it just instilled a need in me to help. My mother's background is in security, you see. And now I'm doing my internship aboard the Sarek, before returning to the academy to defend my thesis. I have the grades that allow me this break from it all, and see a bit of the universe." He smiled. "Not to mention to spend some time with my mother and her new partner. It honestly doesn't bother me that he's only thirteen years older than me. He's good to her, and she's happy and that's what matters. Right?"

Dru thinks over which part she should ask him about first,"There's a phrase i always used when I wanted to go into medicine, if you can take away the pain for one millisecond from someone who's hurting or you can cure a person of something which has inflicted them for a long time, doesn't it make it all worth it? It sounds like you have a similar way of thinking."

Spotting a seat nearby, Dru gently tugged on Ayden's arm to lead him over to it."Apart from the age, how do you feel about your mother's new partner?"

"He's the chief of intelligence. I would've expected him to be a little shady but he strikes me as an honest man, and I can see he loves my mother and I also think he'll be a good father. I'm not sure what to think on having a brother or sister now...to be honest. Am I too old to be a big brother now? I have no other siblings..not many Andorians do for that matter."

"Why not would you think your too old to be a big brother? If anything your at a better age. As the child grows up you'll be in a better position of your experiences in live and matured to be able to help guide him or her." Dru paused for a moment as she remembered growing up with her own brother put pushes it back, she can't let personal interfere if she's trying to be a friendly ear for someone." A brother is someone who help's to protect and guide from the guidelines. When the child's parents are being over bearing and intense, his or her brother is someone they can turn to for advise, or even to just have a rant at."

Dru touched Ayden's arm gently,"I don't know you long but I think you'd make a good brother. You've a passion inside of you which shows through your aims you've set yourself in medicine and you obviously care alot for your mother, so much that you want to ensure her new partner is good enough for her. You've a head on your shoulders, you've planned well your years in the academy and where you want to go and what you want to do. Your a person anyone would be lucky to have as a brother."

"I'm old enough to be his or her father. I'm old enough to have children of my own," Ayden argued. "Do you have siblings?"

Dru tried to think of a way to bring this back around to Ayden,"What does age matter?"

"It matters to me. Please answer my question?"

Dru hesitated before standing up and walking over to one of the flower beds, leaning down to brush her fingers against a petal,"Yes. I have one sibling."

"Are you close to him or her?" Ayden asked as he watched her. He didn't need to be a telepath to know she was uncomfortable. "As I explained, I don't know what it's like to have siblings. I only had my mother growing up as my father was killed when I was fifteen."

"It's abit more complicated then that. Sometimes sibling relationships aren't black and white they can be grey. You can't compare me and my brother to you and yours, there is only 2years between me and Brendan." Dru picked up a disregarded petal from the ground before straightening back up.

"As I said, I can't relate. Plus I don't know yet if I'll have a brother or sister, it's too early to tell and he or she won't even be full Andorian. Commander Kentar is Bajoran even if he doesn't look it because he doesn't have the nose ridges." Ayden seemed a little frustrated but truth to be told, he was just scared about becoming a big brother. What if he failed?

Dru breathed a sigh of relief the subject was pulled away from her and walked over to crouch infront of Ayden so we would have to look directly at her,"Your relationship with your brother or sister is made by you and you alone. The relationship you have will be dictated by the person you are. As I said earlier your a good person. Of course it's unknown what your going into but so is everything in life. How did you feel when you first left home for the academy? I know your close to your mother, you were facing into the unknown."

"I was scared as anyone," Ayden admitted, "and I suppose I'm still scared. I'm not the warrior everyone expects me to be you see. I didn't grow up on Andor, I wasn't subjected to the rigors of my mother's home planet. Earth is my home, even though I do prefer the colder continents. I'd rather be in northern Scandinavia, than the campus in San Francisco. We'll see how I'll fare with being a big brother. It'll be a few months so I can get used to the idea."

"Ayden just remember one thing. Be yourself, don't be a person someone else expects you to be. Not everyone is a warrior, you'd be surprised how many aren't. I used to know of an Andorian who was CMO of a hospital on one of Starfleet's colonies, that's a big task and he was entrusted with it."

Dru handed Ayden the petal she held in her hand."Take this and remember, it's separated from it's family but yet it continues to show it's true colours, to represent it's family. If you put it in the middle of a book and press it, it will still retain it's colour and be there whenever you wish to look at it."

"There are other means of preservation," Ayden pointed out, "like fixing it with plastics, and putting it in plastic. Then it will never wither away." He smiled slightly, then leaned in to kiss her cheek. He had no ulterior motives with it, he simply wished to express his gratitude. "Thank you."

Dru blushed deeply at the kiss on her cheek, raising her hand before she realised it to touch her cheek. As Dru quickly brought her hand back down she smiled softly, willing the redness in her cheeks to disappear,"I forgot I'm talking to a future Doctor who can sometimes be a scientist of sorts. At least in plastic it'll be always in your line of sight."

"That too, and it'll make me remember you." The young Andorian smiled. "You do look rather cute when you blush."

Dru stands there unsure how to respond, and feels the blush coming back again."Um...thank you?um..." Dru tried to clear her throat to say something more so she didn't seem like a blundering idiot.

"Come, we should return lest people start to see things that aren't there. My mother likely would want to return to the Sarek by now, after all we do have a mission to prepare for ourselves and she is the captain. And Kentar is the intelligence chief, and well...our mission has that kind of nature so he'll want to brief the staff." He got up and offered her his hand.

Dru looked at the hand Ayden held out and stepped forward to take it,"I guess being one of the senior crew members I am probably being missed myself. Is the Sarek heading out again soon?"

"Yes ma'am, tomorrow morning if not tonight already. May I contact you some time?" He glanced sideways as he escorted her back inside like a proper gentleman.

Dru laughed and looked over at Ayden,"On one condition. You drop the Ma'am and call me Dru."

"Only when we are off duty and not at a formal function," Ayden stated as counter condition.

"In which case, thank you for a nice break from the evening Cadet." Dru smiled over at Ayden before gently squeezing his hand on arm and taking her hand away. She found she liked this Andorian, despite his confidence in himself, Dru recognised a strong soul buried deep underneath. She knew that no matter his worries, he would pull through them and do himself proud.

"IT was my pleasure ma'am," Ayden responded politely, offering her a slight bow. "Goodbye." Another bow by way of farewell and the Andorian disappeared into the crowd.


tag/end

OFF:
Cadet 1st Class Ayden H'Rhar
Medical Intern, USS Sarek
apbL RAdm Talla H'RHar
TFCO 72/CO USS Sarek

Lieutenant JG Drusilla McCarthy
Chief Counsellor
USS Galileo

RSS Feed