Earning Our Wings, Part 4 - Farewell, old friend
Posted on Fri Dec 25th, 2020 @ 2:48pm by Sublieutenant Gedak K.I.A. 238702.10 & Sublieutenant Miles Lynn & Lieutenant Mila Lynn & Colonel Sehan t'Varis & Centurion Nancy Gable & Taryn Stephenson & Lieutenant Xia Idris & Major Ashley Rogers & Lieutenant Kaol Ralaa & Lieutenant Hatham tr'Krotash & Lennon Stephenson
3,225 words; about a 16 minute read
Mission:
Chapter II: Spreading our Wings
Location: I.R.W. Ourainavassa
Timeline: 238701.12
The last few hours had been hectic, but organised. The injured crew were the first to be transferred, which was quickly done using both ships' transporters. Once that was done, the Claw’s transporters were shut down, and those of the Ourainavassa used to transport over cargo, equipment, and personal belongings of the crew. Even before they had left Drozana, Gedak had assigned quarters and offices based on the schematics Raven had been given, so every member of the crew knew where what needed to go.
Still, the sudden nature of the move had left many rather unprepared, and there were some members of the crew still packing up their possessions in their old quarters, while others were already unpacking in their new homes.
Raven had made sure everything in her ready room had been packed up, and stood on the bridge of the Raven's Claw, with Eavy on her shoulder. This ship had been her home. Her first command. It held so many memories. And now, the time to say good-bye had come.
After feeling the almighty explosion rock the ship, Taryn picked up the pace. It was clear that this elderly vessel wasn't going to be in one piece for much longer, and it was unlikely Lennon would know this was the case. As the galley was enroute to the shuttlebay, Taryn decided to warn Lennon and give her a chance of escaping.
"Lennon?" Taryn called, as she entered the dark mess hall.
Lennon had picked herself up from the floor just as she heard Taryn's voice call out her name.
"I'm here," Lennon said, walking out from the kitchen.
Taryn replied, "Good. This bucket of bolts is going to blow, so you've got about five minutes to rescue whatever you can."
"There's no way I can pack that fucking quickly, Taryn!" Lennon responded.
Taryn shrugged. "Less yakking, more packing."
In just over three minutes, Lennon had retrieved her own kitchen apparatus, whilst Taryn went to Lennon's quarters and packed up what little the chef had brought along with her. After reaching the shuttlebay, she found that Lennon was already there waiting for her. After starting the process to open the hangar doors, Taryn ran over to Kestrel and handed Lennon's bag to her.
"Alright, let's get the fuck out of here," Taryn said, entering the code to open the starboard access hatch.
Once Taryn had climbed aboard, she ran to the cockpit and powered up the craft, while Lennon deposited her belongings in the pilot's quarters. Now Taryn was away from the Raven's Claw, this was the perfect opportunity for Lennon to apprehend her and turn the synth over to her uncle.
Once Kestrel had lifted up from the deck and turned 180 degrees, Taryn piloted the craft out of the hangar and jumped to warp speed once at a safe distance from its doomed mother ship.
Her destination was home.
Ash headed straight to the medical bay when she heard that Miles was injured. The euphoria of a successful mission and a chance to fly the fancy new Romulan ship to blow up some Klingons was quickly replaced by concern for the kid. She recruited Miles and Mila to the crew, and the last thing she wanted to do was get them hurt in the process.
"Dr. Rala!" she called out as soon as she entered the medical bay.
Kaol turned his head at a voice he would honestly prefer to never hear from. "What is it, Centurion?" he asked, trying to remain composed.
"Miles Lynn. I heard he was injured during the mission. Where is he?" she demanded.
"He's resting," Kaol said, leading Ash to the biobed he was lying in. "Before you rip my head off, his reinforced skeleton is quite impressive."
Ash breathed a sigh of relief as she sat down next to Miles. "You better be okay, kid. Because I sure have a lot to tell you about flying the Ourainavassa. Got to be the first one out of this crew to fly it around and shoot some bad guys."
Kaol furrowed his brow and backed away slowly as the wrath of Rogers turned into something he didn't expect to see. Was this psychopath capable of being... nice?
Miles, half-asleep, looked over at Ash. "Don't worry 'bout me. Reinforced skeleton, remember? Hurts like a bitch, though."
Ash reached over and patted Miles gently on the shoulder, seeing him wince. "I'll go ask the best doctor in the quadrant to get you some pain medication. You and your sister did good. Now heal up and get your ass back in a pilot seat." She shot a glare in Kaol's direction.
Once she'd finished with some minor injuries from others thrown around on the Claw, Nancy had noticed Rogers come in and ask about Miles. Since then she had been watching with a sort of amused wonder. Was Ash -- high functioning sociopath assassin, Ash Rogers -- actually acting a little...maternal?
There was similar puzzlement on Kaol's face, and Nancy slipped over to him. "If I were you, I'd go offer that kid a pain killer," she suggested sotto voce.
Kaol looked at Gable with confusion. "You've known her longer. Is this normal for her, or should I do a complete physical workup? I'm not sure what happened with the boarding party. Perhaps a concussion?"
Nancy swallowed a laugh. "She is capable of caring about people. But when she does, it's best not to let them hurt." Since Kaol seemed flummoxed, she went over to Miles herself. "You're just coming out of anesthesia, but if you're in pain I can give you something to take the edge off. Might be for the best." She tipped an eyebrow toward Ash. "Rogers might sprain something, since her concerned-for-others muscles don't get a lot of workout."
Ash shot a look at Nancy. They've known each other a long time, and quite frankly she wasn't wrong in her assessment. "Thanks, doc," she said, as she stood up to talk to Nancy privately. "Look, I brought Miles and his sister on, and I'd hate for them to get hurt. They're kids that needed a place to go, you know? Can you just...make sure he's taken care of? I still have to move my things from the Claw, and probably help Mila too. I don't say this to too many people, but I trust you. Even if you aren't the best doctor in the quadrant," she teased. Damn Nancy for knowing her so well.
Nancy pressed her lips against too much of a smile. Ash being all protective in a non-scary way was new, and sort of awkwardly cute. Not that she would ever tell Ash that. "Of course. Go take care of your other lost duckling. I'll make sure this one is okay,” she cast a sideways glance toward Kaol, "since 'the best doctor is the quadrant' seems little afraid of doing anything now."
Ash looked at Nancy semi-threateningly. "I'm not getting soft...but thank you.: She went back to Miles, "Hey, kid, looks like we're moving up in the world. I'm going to make sure Mila is okay and get you both moved to your new quarters here. I'll be back to check on you. Doctor Gable is the best. And if Kaol hurts you, just let me know.”
Ash headed towards the door, stopping at Kaol and whispering in his ear threateningly, "If anything happens to the kid... I won't. Be. Happy. And if I'm not happy, I'm not a pleasant person. Understood?"
Kaol froze up and nodded quietly, watching Rogers leave the medical bay. "Dr. Gable... I think Rogers is fine..:”
Ash made her way back to the Claw. It wasn't the best ship she ever worked on, but it did have character. But character can easily be replaced with functional replicators on the Ourainavassa. She reached Miles and Mila's quarters, hoping to find Mila.
Xia had gone over to the Ourainavassa and checked out the old warbird’s communications systems. They seemed in surprisingly good condition for how long it had been sitting derelict. She figured she would need to replace a few ODN lines and EPS junctions, but right now she had the system running a level one diagnostic. She would have a full report in a couple hours.
In the meantime, Xia packed up her things. Being new to the crew, she hadn’t really unpacked much, and she had learned to live light as a freelancer. So she had everything in her space duffel over her shoulder, and had gone down the hall to find Mila struggling with packing up all her things and her brother’s things, since he’d been hurt and was in sickbay. So when Ash entered the room, Xia was already there, helping the turquoise-haired girl pack.
“Uh oh! Mama bear’s home!” Xia teased, as if they’d been caught doing something naughty together.
Ash furrowed her brow, making her expression more scowling than usual as she saw Xia in the room. But she smiled at Mila, attempting to sign to her that Miles was going to be okay, and that Dr. Gable would be taking care of him. "I really hope what I signed was actually what I intended to say. Miles is going to be fine, I just saw him in the med bay. Dr. Gable will take good care of him."
She looked over at Xia and then Mila again before signing, What's going on here?
Mila was sitting on her bed, layering some shirts into the last remaining suitcase. Seeing Ash sign at her, she shrugged. "The lieutenant offered her help getting our things packed up and brought over, and since Miles is out of commission, an extra pair of hands is very welcome," she said out loud. Not only would signing have been a little rude, it was a bit difficult to do with her hands full. Finally, she nodded, and clicked the last suitcase closed. "Thank you, Xia. Now we just need to get these over to the Ourainavassa."
Deftly, she jumped to her feet, and tapped her rank badge to activate its built-in communicator. "Lynn to Gedak, all packed up. Could you get one of the gorillas to come pick up the stuff?"
On the other end of the line, the Ferengi was heard chuckling. "I am starting to like you, kid. I'll send the next available 'gorilla' your way."
The young scientist nodded as the line closed, and turned to Ash. "So, did you check on my dear brother? How broken is he?"
She begrudgingly nodded at Xia. "Thanks for helping her out." Maybe people can just be nice.
Ash then chuckled at Mila. "Yes I did. He insists that his reinforced skeleton has made him invincible. He's in quite a bit of pain though. Although, looking at how much work both you and Xia have done, I think he's just getting out of packing and moving duties. I'm going to have to make sure he makes it up to you. Maybe I'll make him help me unpack."
"I understand someone requested a 'gorilla'," Hatham said, appearing in the doorway. He tipped his head, smiling. "Not sure what that is exactly, but if it means big, strong, and able to carry stuff, I guess I'm it."
"Now that I know you're moonlighting as a mover, I'm definitely making you move my crap after this," Ash said to Hatham before turning to Mila. "You be nice to Hatham, he's my favorite gorilla."
"Thanks, boss," Hatham replied sarcastically, then grinned. "But I can move your crap. Carrying it -- and you -- would only mean I could skip a couple reps in the weight room."
“Great,” Xia said, and picked up one of the bags, handing it to Hatham. She handled it easily, but Hatham found it heavier once she handed it off.
Xia looked to Mila. “And I’m definitely taking you shopping next time we have leave,” she promised the teenager. “And maybe we’ll hit a club.” She winked at her. “I hear DJ Dred is playing the Zero G on Drozana Station next month.”
Mila smiled. "Sure. I mean, if it gets too noisy I can just switch off my hearing."
After helping Mila and Miles move -- or more like watching Hatham move the twins' belongings after Xia helped Mila pack -- Ash hadn't been back to her own quarters in what felt like forever.
It's not that she had much to pack. She had always kept things simple. Not much to carry around everywhere. The last time she had actual decorated quarters on a ship was during the war. It was a different life, before it was turned to shambles when the ship was destroyed. She could blame the Section for betraying her, but she made choices that she had to live with. Choices that led to her being a POW and later a Federation prisoner for treason, definitely two living situations that weren't conducive to individual customization.
It wasn't until after that she had started to rebuild her life, where she first met Nancy and thought she could perhaps be more than the Section 31 assassin that she was groomed to be. But clearly that didn't work out either, as much as it came close. Ash walked out on that life by choice, left behind a future with Renee and a respectable career as a Starfleet officer for this, a few boxes of clothes, weapons, and a stash of alcohol that she will inevitably use to pay off her bet with Hatham.
The two things she did keep for sentimental reasons were always kept on her person. A knife that was once used to try to kill her was kept in a sheath in her boot, and her old Starfleet comm badge, the only reminders she needed.
She tapped her communicator to call Hatham. "Still up for carrying some boxes? I've got some booze in it for you."
Her door opened. "Yes, I am." Hatham grinned. "I was just passing by. My packing is done." He patted an old Galae duffel slung over his shoulder. For years it had been the limit on what he could bring on any assignment, and out of both habit and practicality, he'd kept to that as a mercenary.
"Your timing is impeccable as always. Is that all you have? I thought I traveled light. Most of this stuff came from our little shopping trip on Drozana!" She gestured at her three boxes and opened one of them, exposing a collection of quality and rare bottles of alcohol. "Be gentle with that one and I'll let you pick something out from there. I've managed to acquire some halfway decent stuff over the years."
Xia got to her new quarters on the Ourainavassa and tossed her duffel on the bed as she looked around. It was bigger than her quarters on the Raven’s Claw, the benefit of a larger ship, though still not up to the size it would have been on a Starfleet vessel. And it was clean. She reached out with her mind and didn’t sense any Cardassian voles or other vermin that might have multiplied on a derelict over the years. And they had apparently kept the cleaning bots running, as there was very little dust.
Xia unpacked her clothes, a couple tactical outfits, some everyday where, and a couple dresses for fancier occasions, or for going out. She tossed the leather roll containing her knives out onto the bed, and several padds. Finally she withdrew a couple small holocubes and put it on the table. Activating one, it rotated among holopics of her parents and sisters, some friends from the USS Winchester, and her former Blackwatch team, as well as some friends she had made in Project Thalion that she hadn’t seen in sometime. Dobri was there, along with all the complicated feelings he brought up inside of her.
Finally she activated another holocube. This one had various board games programmed into it: chess, go, backgammon, even kal-toh, though she was still learning that Vulcan game. Xia activated the cube, and a chess board appeared. Xia studied the position, then smiled.
“Sneaky bastard, pinning my knight,” Xia said. She pushed a pawn to threaten the bishop and force it back before turning off the cube again.
Finally Xia went to the matter synthesizer. “Fresh sheets,” she ordered. “Purple. And pillows.” The vrump of the matter synthesis working would take some getting used to. She withdrew the linens and went to make her bed.
Raven looked at her ready room on the Raven's Claw, now all empty save for the desk and chair. Everything here, as well as in her quarters, had been moved over to the Ourainavassa. In fact, pretty much everything that wasn't firmly integrated into the ship had been moved, and engineering had made sure to strip as much of the useable parts as possible. Now, the old warbird was almost as derelict as it had been when Raven and her crew first found it.
It was a strange feeling, as she wandered down the corridor towards the bridge. The whole crew had transferred over to their new home, and was busy settling in. The only living creatures left on the old bird were Raven and Eavy, happily trotting along behind.
"This is the last time we'll see our old home," Raven said to her little companion, with genuine sadness in her voice. Further assessment by engineering had confirmed that there was little that could be done to repair the vessel without stripping out and replacing the entire drive system. The young Colonel sighed as she sat in the command chair one last time. All essential controls had been redirected to the panel in the chair, and she swiftly engaged the undocking procedure, moving the old warbird to a safe distance from the Ourainavassa. When that was done, she entered a simple combination of codes.
"Confirmed. Self-destruct engaged, countdown, two minutes."
Raven stood and picked up Eavy, cradling her in her arm, and tapped her badge. "Raven to Ourainavassa, transport."
As soon as she materialised on the Ourainavassa's bridge, Raven opened the internal communication system.
"All crew, this is your commander. I hope everyone is settling in nicely to our new home, and that none of you forgot anything on the Claw. There is no going back now. She served us well for the past two years, but it is high time we retire the old bird."
A solitary tear ran down her cheek, as she looked at the old T'Varo-class warbird floating in the calm of space. She quietly counted down. "Three. Two. One." Right on cue, the Raven's Claw’s warp core overloaded, and the old ship was swallowed up by a fireball.
"Farewell, old friend," Raven muttered, as she wiped the tear away. Time to get back to work.
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