An akward reunion

Posted on Saturday 14 November 2020 @ 16:37 by Civilian Sansa Draxx-Jones & Lieutenant Commander Hayley Godding

Mission: A Whale of a problem (We're going to need a bigger boat)
Location: Main shuttlebay
Timeline: MD6 1900
1317 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Fay found herself stood in the shuttlebay waiting. Why are we here? she though in her head.

Sansa's voice replied inside her head "Hayleys coming back and I want to see her, make sure she's ok."

Fay thought "You care for her a great deal don't you?"

The instant reply came back "Yes. I love her. I've seen your memories... Of you and Tann together. Of your feeling for him and missing him. Have you not seen my memories of Hayley?"

"I have refrained from probing your mind before I had your consent" Fay replied.

She could now feel Sans's embarrassment "I'm sorry, I didn't... I mean I...."

"It is ok. I am sharing your body. My thoughts are yours. you said you wanted to know about our race." Fay responded.

"Then you may look at all my memories. I should warn you, I grew up... a little faster than most people.."

Fay took an involuntary breath as she saw all of Sansa's memories. Her accelerated ageing, feelings for her mother, her father.... for Hayley."

The sound of the shuttle touching down broke her out of her inward analysis.

"Thank you for sharing that with me. You've had an.... interesting life." Fay finally thought.

"That's one way of putting it. Sansa thought back.

"I'm beginning to understand you better," Fay said aloud, know Sansa would hear her.

During this internal exchange, the shuttle had finished landing procedures and the back door was opening.

The ride up from the planet had felt like an eternal torment, alone with her thoughts in the back of the compartment. The emotional roller-coaster she was on right now was difficult enough to deal with under the best of circumstances, but add to that blend of strife the confusion of the conflict between understanding her own thoughts and feelings and those of Tann. The post-link impression that he'd left would be with her forever, much similar to that of a total Vulcan mind-meld where two minds truly became one. It had been an incredibly intimiate experience which had been borne out of a necessity for the safety of the ship and her crew. Hayley had never once flinched from the necessity that she would have to sacrifice for her ship & crew, but now not only was she having to deal with the after-effects of what they'd gone through - but the complexity of the fact that the woman she had done all this for, had willingly given herself over to the Megapteraians as a transport vessel, and the Captain's quick acquiescence to this arrangement.

Prepping the incoming diplomatic staff for what they were about to go through hadn't been diverting in any way, but had in a perverse way merely reinforced the mental anguish and damage that she'd been forced to endure. She no doubt had a bleak future spent on Caroline's couch for the foreseeable, just hoping against all odds that she wasn't ruled unfit for duty. Right now, she needed that distraction, but before that - she wanted a bath and a good night's sleep.

However, she doubted very much she'd get what she wanted as the door hatch at the aft of the shuttle opened and revealed Sansa standing on the shuttle deck, looking to all the world as if nothing had happened. Mixed emotions flooded through her at the sight of Sansa stood there; relief that she looked okay, concern at what she'd gone through, a warm fuzzy feeling that she'd come to meet her... becoming blurred by the fact that some of it was clearly Tann's feelings that 'he' was glad to see Fay... this soon devolved into feelings of hurt, betrayal, anger, loathing and hatred.

Striding down the aft ramp, it was all she could do from slapping Sansa hard across the face, trying as hard as she could to keep her face comported in a professional expression. "Why are you not off being diplomatic, Megapteraian?" She said coldly to Sansa. "Where is your security detail? Who let you roam freely around the ship without supervision? Have I really got to do everything myself?"

While her tone and attitude were lost on Fay, Sansa immediately picked up on it and cringed inwardly.

Fay replied in her usual echoing voice “Sansa insisted that we be here on your return. I’ve spoken to mo.... Melody. She spoke to me after we returned to the ship.” She then recited the rules that Melody had asked her to follow. “My comm badge is being monitored by security and we cannot enter any secured area of the ship like the bridge or engineering without a security escort. I also cannot access any computer terminals besides the replicators for food. We can use the....” she frowned for a moment trying to remember the word “holowdeck and We can use the library information terminals but under the supervision of the ship’s librarian.” She unconsciously pushed a stray stand of hair out of her face just like Sansa did. “I believe Melody would like to see you, now you have returned. She suggested someone help me adjust to life onboard. We have requested that it be you.”

Hayley's eyes flared at the final part of that for a brief moment, then narrowed in judgement. "Oh you have, have you?" Hayley replied, stonily. "I am confident that we have much better trained personnel for such diplomatic assignments than myself and I have many onerous duties that preclude me from 'frolicing' around the ship with the being who has commandeered my girlfriend so you can go play space-tourist." Hayley fumed and began marching her way across the shuttlebay. Frankly, the less time Hayley spent with 'them' would probably go a long way towards improving relations between the Federation and her species.

“Wait.” Fay called her to stop and walked over to her. “I did not commandeer anyone, Sansa gave herself willingly. I would not be able to remain here if she was not willing to have me. Also, she hopes you understand why she did this.” She stopped and frowned for a moment. Then her face almost took on a sad expression. “She will not speak to you until you have ‘calmed down’ and I cannot force her to. Those are her words. But she asked that you think about it.”

She shook her head. “We will return to our quarters for now. Melody has provided some not far from her own so she can keep an eye on us.”

Hayley turned rapidly so that her hair flew around her. "That I 'understand'?!" She snapped. "No I don't 'understand' and I am not going to 'calm down' either! You made this decision on your own without any regard for anyone else's feelings whatsoever! Fine, you want to do this, that's up to you, but do not put this on me! So don't you DARE make me in to the bad guy here, Sansa Draxx-Jones!" Tears were streaming down her face as emotions overpowered her stoicism and pushed past her compromised psychological walls. "You didn't care how I felt about it before you did it, you sure as hell don't care now! You were ready to jump into bed with the people who were this close to torturing all of us, let alone your mother for their entertainment! So you'll forgive me if I don't share your sense of enlightenment and need to understand whales!"

With all hope of controlling her emotions gone, Hayley dashed off the deck and out of the doors to find the nearest lavatory.

Fay’s face remained neutral. She said to herself out loud. “I don’t think that was the response you were hoping for.

Inside her head, Sansa responded quietly. “no...”

OFF: