An unwelcome face from the past

Posted on Wednesday 10 August 2022 @ 20:04 by Lieutenant Ricardo Draxx & Captain Melody Jones

Mission: Revelations
Location: The Ba'Ku Planet
Timeline: MD7 1100
1157 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Melody had just popped out for a moment to have a chat with Sansa, having seen her, Hamish and Belle setting out for a walk leaving Draxx with the twins for a moment.

"Well well, we meet again Lieutenant" An unexpected voice interrupted the quiet, revealing a man dressed in a Starfleet uniform sitting in the chair in the corner of the room as if he had materialised out of thin air.

"So you married Melody Jones? That s quite an accomplishment but unfortunately, I'm not here to talk about your family, I'm here because of the experiment. You remember, don't you?"

Draxx shuddered. “Like it was yesterday and yes crowning achievement of my life to date marrying that one. If she catches you in here you do realise you're leaving without genitals. My position hasn’t changed. No one needs or is getting access to those materials.”

The man simply smiled "Come now, is that any way to greet an old friend." He laughed out loud. "Good old Draxx, you always did know the right witty come back Besides, I don't think it will be I who is in danger of losing their genitals should delightful Captain Jones discover what you were getting up to while she thought you were patrolling the Beta quadrant. Since you haven't told her yet, I take it you're not in a rush for her to find out. All you have to do is tell me the information I came for and I'll leave you in peace with your lovely family."

"It was eyes only. I was ordered NOT to tell anyone. I've been a good Starfleet Lieutenant following orders. And if for a moment you think you will tell my wife, she will understand that the position she's in," Draxx said. "I mean seriously do you think I'm privy to everything that happens on the Merlin?" he laughed at the man. He had more faith in his marriage than what this idiot seemed to think. "And "what I was up to was down to those damn scientists and their experiments." So take your blackmail and jog on. I'm not telling you diddly squat."

The man laughed again. "Blackmail? Who said anything about blackmail? Come now, we're both gentlemen here. There's no need to make things ugly with such petty talk as blackmail. I'm sure we can come to some sort of arrangement here that makes both of us happy. That arrangement is you tell me what I want to know and I leave, for the time being."

"Nope. The arrangement is you're going to walk out that door now or you're going to meet my fists. If you need me to slap you with a glove to be more gentlemanly it can be arranged," Draxx told him seriously.

Melody's voice came from the doorway. "Come now dear, you're not wasting a perfectly glove on this person, are you? May I ask what you're doing here Commander?

"Captain Jones. A pleasure to see you again. You're looking.... well. I was just here to get some information from your husband and then I'll be leaving."

Melody put her hands on her hips. "I believe my husband has given you your answer and asked you to leave and now I am doing the same. You have 30 seconds to get out of this cabin and I would recommend you do not come back."

The man smiled and stood up. "Well, I suppose I can wait for the information a while longer. I'm curious if you'd like to know what your husband was really up to those months you thought he was mapping the beat quadrant.

"She trusts her husband. It was eyes only and I followed orders," he stated. "You sling your hook or I will let her remove your genitals. I'm not even sure the wonderful effects of Ba'ku would help you in that situation."

He chuckled "That might change if you knew...."

Melody held her hand up. "Let me save you some time. I already know. I know about the experiments, I know about the lives that were lost. Now you're down to 15 seconds and you're still here..."

“I wondered …” Draxx said quietly.

Sensing he was not going to get what he wanted now, he tipped his head slightly. "Captain... Lieutenant..." And with that, he walked past Malody and out of the door.

"And here I thought this was going to be a relaxing holiday.." Melody said wistfully as she approached Draxx and wrapped her arms around him.

“How long have you known?” He said. His face was pale and negative emotions and the memories associated with them were suddenly flooding his being. He felt his knees buckle.

"Hey, I've got you." Melody said as she felt Draxx'x leg go from underneath him. There was a sofa not far from them and she gently sat down with him next to her. "When we were separated and I was assigned back to the Merlin I pulled in a few favours at Starfleet intelligence to keep an eye on you.... purely out of concern for your safety." She added with a smile. "I... I wanted to make sure you were safe You can't blame a girl for being worried about the man she loves." This last statement caused her cheeks to burn red.

Draxx nodded biting the inside of his cheek. "Then you know ... know well that this information cannot be allowed to other parties. It caused too much misery already. And not even in our existence. Red .... no one else can be allowed to restart those experiments and try to get the compound. I memorised it and erased it from everything else. I had a counsellor. A trusted Vulcan one help me lock it away. But now I'm worried. What if they come after you and the kids? They can get to me even on holiday."

Melody kissed him. "Don't you worry. I checked at the time and as far as Starfleet Command is concerned, this research is dead and buried so whatever the Commander is up to, it's obviously off the books. I've still got a few favours at Starfleet security to call on."

"Then get some intel on him in case this gets nasty and he comes back," Draxx said dryly. He knows about you and the babies. Sansa. Our whole family. I do not wish to put you in danger."

"What makes you think I haven't done that already?" she replied with a sly smile. "Something he probably knows already which explains why he left without much of a fight. We look after each other, always," she added as she embraced him. "Anyway, cheer up. Sansa and Hamish are coming over for dinner this evening."

OFF:

●●●● Captain Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin

●● Lieutenant Ricardo Draxx
Assistant Operations Officer
USS Merlin