A Reassuring Ear
Posted on Sun Mar 22nd, 2020 @ 5:50am by Makeba Brown & Ensign Dana Wakefield
Edited on on Mon Mar 23rd, 2020 @ 11:13pm
1,498 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 9 - Empok's End
Location: Makeba Brown Quarters - Deck Two - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 1000 hrs
As she exited the turbolift onto deck two, Dana glanced down at the PADD, she had picked up an extra task, it seemed to have been sitting quite low down the priority list and Dana wanted to show that she was capable of stepping up, after all, she had a lot to prove.
The request was a simple one, the Commander had authorised a replicator to be reconnected for Makeba Brown, so it shouldn't take long, but Makeba wasn't someone she had come across before. As she turned the corner, she noticed two security officers stood, now it made sense to why she was reconnecting a replicator.
"Gentlemen," Dana said as she approached. "I'm here to reconnect a replicator," she said handing over a copy of the orders.
The two men glanced at each other before one took the orders and glanced over the PADD. "Everything seems to be in order," he said before he nodded to his colleague who pressed the door chime.
Makeba sat at the desk in her quarters wearing her kanga and stared at the gold collared uniform. It was the only thing that hung in her closet. It was covered in plasma, and soot from the last day that she wore it. The purple tea that she drank was warm on the lips, and the memory of why she left the uniform behind came unbidden into her mind. She hated Quinn for putting her into the position she was in. It gnawed at her and she had reached her breaking point. The chime just served as a reminder where she was and interrupted her brooding. "Haul you a*$ in here everyone else does."
The bark from behind the door startled her, but Dana put on a smile as the doors opened and she slowly walked in. "Sorry to disturb you, but I'm here to reconnect your replicator."
"I see your XO is a man of his word. At least some people in this fleet still are." Makeba recognized the woman from her review of the Pioneer's crew manifest. However, her name slipped the Maquis officer's mind at the moment.
"Well rather that or you know what they say, keep your friends close but your enemies closer." she blurted out, she didn't mean to sound disrespectful, and she didn't know why those particular words came out of her mouth, but one thing was sure she wasn't in the Commanders good books herself, not after the fight with his wife. "This shouldn't take long," she said tightening her grip on the toolbox as she made her way over to the replicator.
"Say, you're that Ensign who busted down from Lieutenant. Wonder what you did right to get that achievement." Keebs said with a smile. "Rumor mill has it that you are a bit strange. Can I offer you a cup of tea?"
"I'll take a cup, as soon as I get this hooked up for you," she said, cover already removed as she tinkered. "But to answer your question a little disagreement with the XO's wife and a little hair-pulling later I ended up in the brig and then had my ass handed to me on a plate, busted down to Ensign and the other person involved got my job."
Makeba harumphed... "That is the fleet for you. They never pay attention to the big picture. Just what is in front of their smug little faces. So I have had a number of run-ins with dear old Quinn. Does his wife have a stick up her a$% as big as the one up his." Makeba laughed at her own joke as she watched the other woman work. "It is funny that in the time that I have been on this tub, I have only seen and spoken to the Captain once. Interesting to say the least..."
"Oh, I'd say they share the same stick" she chucked as the replicator sprung into life as she began to reattach the covers she had removed. "But to be honest, I deserved it, I was on a self-destructive path because I couldn't live with the consequences of a decision I made, and now well as an Ensign, I don't need to make those decisions anymore, I go where I'm told and I do what I'm told.
Makeba regarded the other woman for a moment and wondered if she had heard correctly. Did Dana actually say that she preferred to be bossed around? "Are you saying that you prefer the do what your told life as opposed to being in the pilot's seat of life. That is not for me, I can't be under anyone's thumb. That is probably why I left the fleet."
Dana hesitated for a moment, it wasn't that she didn't like to be a leader. "No, I..." she mumbled ."I just don't have to make the life or death decisions anymore, I did that once and it almost destroyed me, I killed a ship full of innocent people, who were fighting to protect something they believed in and...." she sighed and drew a long breath, "I didn't like making that call, and until I can live with making those decisions, I'm quite happy just reporting for duty." she offered the women a smile "And I'm sure when the Captain has something for you or needs something, he will come to a calling and there you are, all hooked up."
Makeba thought about what Dana had just said. Keebs thought that way too before she saw what she saw, did what she did. She had those emotions purged from her brain and perhaps that was part of the problem. She wanted to tell the other woman that decisions were a part of life, they came with the territory. However, instead of lecturing, Makeba smiled. "Great how about that tea?"
"Any preference?" Dana asked, simply stating tea was insufficient, she had made that mistake herself once when she had asked for chicken soup, who knew that many varieties existed.
"I love Kenyan Purple Tea, it comes from my homeland. So I will take that..." Makeba's voice trailed off as she stole another sideways glance at the uniform that hung in her closet. "...Ensign if you don't mind me asking. Why do you do it? I mean why are you here?"
Dana gave a smile, "No problem." she said turning back to the replicator. "One Kenyan Purple Tea and one hot chocolate, extra sweet," she stated as her sweet tooth was crying out for something sugary.
The replicator kicked into life almost instantly, which made Dana's smile widen, it was good to know that she hadn't lost her touch when it came to basic repairs. Reaching for the two drinks she back to Makeba.
"Here you are," she said holding out the cup of what was certainly a fine smelling tea. "I've never tried this blend, but it certainly smells nice," she said grasping onto her own hot chocolate.
Makeba took the cup and inhaled the aroma deeply. It was an earthy scent, one that also had a hint of fresh rain. It reminded her of the Serengeti, and home. She sipped and savoured the flavour. For a moment, a brief instant she was home in Kenya with no Maquis, and no Starfleet, no worries or cares. Makeba opened her eyes and turned to Dana. "Ensign I can't help but wonder why you glossed over my question."
Dana took a mouthful of her drink, it was warm and sweet, she didn't like been pressed and it wasn't as though she knew this woman to open up to her any further. "Well, gloss covers the cracks sometimes," she replied, signally Makeba wouldn't be getting anything more out of her. "Anyway, your replicator is now in full working order, of course only food and beverages, it's still restricted for anything else," she said, taking another large mouthful of her drink, not wanting to seem impolite, but she had other tasks to finish and the direction of the conversation was certainly making her uncomfortable.
Makeba knew that she gotten to her, she had gotten through the gloss veneer. She sipped her tea savoring the flavor once again. "Very well Ensign. I am sure you have other duties to attend to. I will say this though, if you ever want to talk to someone. Someone who does not have anything to judge you for I will be here."
Dana nodded, she appreciated the offer, but after all, she knew very little about her, apart from she had an armed security detachment outside her door "Thank you," she said placing her cup down, "And your right, no rest for the wicked." and with that, she picked up her equipment and made a hasty withdrawal.
A Joint Post By
Ensign Dana Wakefield
Operations Officer, USS Pioneer
Makeba Brown
Maquis Tactical Officer
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