A quick catch up
Posted on Tuesday 1 March 2022 @ 10:55 by Captain Lukas Fredricks & Lieutenant JG Zirvell Khen
Mission:
First Contact
Location: USS Britannic/USS Merlin
Timeline: prior to "the exploson"
1943 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure
Lukas Fredricks sat on the bridge of the USS Britannic-A. The Rhode Island class vessel had just finished it's scientific mission ahead of schedule. Captain Fredricks had called Rear Admiral Naois Mercy, his former first officer and now Task Group Executive officer, and for some free time to arrange a short lay over with the Merlin so he could see Zirvell.
The Admiral was pleased to hear that the Cardassian boy he had once known aboard the first vessel named Britannic was alive and well and granted Lukas' request.
Now, he was eager to hold his adoptive son in his arms once again. "Time till we arrive at the Merlin?" He asked his conn officer.
"We're just about to drop out of warp, Captain." Came the reply.
"Excellent." Lukas replied as he stood up from the command chair. "Number one, you have the bridge. Contact the Merlin and advise them I'll be transporting aboard as soon as we're in range." He said before turning towards the turbolift. "Oh, and Commander Ren, have Lieutenant Snowdon give the warp core a once over while we are here." He added with a smirk before heading off the bridge.
Zirvell paced the transporter room, and for some reason he couldn't remember ever feeling any more nervous than he did now. he tugged at the hem of his tunic, trying to catch his reflection in one of the panels before casting the transporter chief an anxious smile. He sighed deeply as the transporter engaged, signaling someone was arriving.
Within moments the figure of Captain Fredricks appeared on the transporter padd. As soon as he saw Zirvell standing there a smile creepy across his face. "My boy, it's so good to see you." He said as he stepped down off the transporter padd and opened his arms to give him a hug.
The younger man fell into his father's arms, openly sobbing. "I'm so sorry," he sniffed as he held the man tight to his chest, "I'm so glad to see you now. I'm so glad you're here, finally a familiar face. I missed you so much!" He squeezed gently, for fear of breaking the man who had visibly aged, whereas he himself had not.
Lukas closed his eyes as he embraced his adoptive son. "You have nothing to be sorry for, my boy. The main thing is you are here and alive." He said as he held him tightly.
"That I am," Zirvell whispered between heaves of breaths, "and they've offered a home here and I'll accept it. I've a place to catch up and learn more." He paused, finally releasing the man and wiping the tears from his eyes. "I'll only be a call away though. And I'd love to catch up with Adele and Ollie sometime. How did they fare all this time? Did they do alright?"
"The Merlin is a good ship. I've heard plenty about her so i think staying isn't a bad idea." Lukas replied as he released his grip.on his son. "Adele and Oliver are both well and pleased to hear you've been found found alive and well. Adele is teaching in a primary school in Oslo and Oliver also joined Starfleet. How are you doing? Has there been any side effects from your ordeal?"
"A teacher huh..." Zirvell smiled, "somehow, I'm not really surprised. Ollie joining starfleet...that does surprise me." He paused, considering the last question. "I don't think there are... Just feeling a little out of place but I'll find my spot here somewhen." He gave an odd smile. "Maybe a growing dislike of enclosed spaces...especially small spaces?"
Lukas smiled, "Adele was always meant to teach. She has the right nature to nurture young minds. Oliver on the other hand joined Starfleet to please me." He paused for a moment. "I'm not sure why, I only ever wanted the three of you to do what you wanted to do, i would never push you into anything you didn't want. He hasn't been a glowing officer, he keeps changing fields. Helm, security... At the moment i think he is an engineer. Well, until that bores him."
"Maybe he's looking for something," Zirvell suggested after a moment of thought, "and he doesn't know what he's looking for? Maybe....he should enlist?" The Cardassian shrugged. "I'm sure he'll find what he's looking for. I mean... I'm in Starfleet..." He smiled. "Though I suppose my motivation was different. I've always wanted to help people who need help. Maybe...maybe Ollie should come here, and live with me for a while?"
"Oliver isn't a fighter, the marines won't do anything for him. I suggested he stick with Engineering as he was always good at repairing and tinkering with things." Lukas replied. "You could always offer him a chance to join you here but you know what he's like. Highly strung and only thinks of himself. Anyway, are we going to spend my time here in the transporter room or shall we go for a walk or perhaps a drink?"
Zirvell cast his father a sheepish smile before tugging him out of the transporter room. "I can talk to Captain Jones and see if he could uhm... gain experience here? Though...isn't he a little old to still be in the academy? I mean... he's a decade older than I am now." He bit his lower lip as he thought about it. "He aged, while I didn't..." He led the man down to ship's version of Ten Forward and had them sit down near one of the large windows. "Maybe the captain can pull some strings to get him assigned here."
"He isn't at the academy. He just goes from assignment to assignment. I'm not even sure he has made it passed Ensign yet." Lukas replied, allowing his son to guide him out of the transporter room. "I'm not one to get involved in others business but perhaps he could use some direction. I was proud to see you mature into a fine young man. Perhaps if he spent more time with you then it might rub off on him."
"Hah... I never managed to rub off on him ever dad... not even when we were still teenagers. Plus he's aged a decade on me, do you think he'll listen?" Zirvell laughed, then sobered. "I can try though, I'd hate to see him flounder and waste his life away. Please tell me he at least has a family?"
"Not to my knowledge. I spoke to him very briefly to tell him that you were alive and well, which he is pleased about but i don't know much about his personal life. Neither does Adele, he seemed to keep us at arms length for some reason." Lukas explained as they walked.
Zirvell gestured towards the window seats and sat down. "When did that happen? He was always a little distant when we were teenagers, at least towards me... but I thought he had thawed out a little." He sighed. "Perhaps you should pull some strings and send him here, maybe I can talk to him."
"I could speak to Admiral Mercy, see if he can get him reassigned. Although I'm not sure he will agree to it." Fredricks replied as he began to think of what to say to the Admiral.
"Ollie, or Admiral Mercy?" The Cardassian shrugged. "Let me worry about Ollie, once he gets here."
"Either." Lukas replied with a lighthearted smile. "If he gets here. Anyway, lets not talk about Ollie. Lets talk about you. What does it feel like to lose so much time?"
"Strange... and saddening..." Zirvell shrugged. "I don't really want to talk about it, it makes me feel strange and out of place. I'm just glad they seem to accept me... I mean how many Cardassians serve in starfleet now? Aside from the XO, and me?"
"I believe there is a fair few now in Star fleet, although, I'm not sure of anyone exactly number." Lukas replied. "Its a good organization to be apart of after all." He added with a playful smirk.
"That it is, one I'm still grateful for arriving at my home planet, when it did," Zirvell agreed seriously, "anyway, you talk to Admiral Mercy, and I'll talk to Ollie when he arrives. Heck... I'm sure he can bunk with me if needed."
Lukas chuckled, "I'm sure it won't come to that on a ship this size but we'll see what happens. Britannic is going to stay with Merlin for a few hours, perhaps we can have something to eat together later?"
"That we can. For now I really should return to sickbay, well at least in a few minutes." Zirvell smiled. "I'm really glad you're here, and that you're still in command of a ship."
"They've tried to promote me on more than one occasion, but with you being MIA it didn't feel right to hang up my command hate." Fredricks replied with a tear in his eye. "I always had hope you'd be found."
"I don't think you should ever get promoted out of a command," Zirvell confessed, "I think anything else would make you unhappy even if you profess hating it so much." He smiled sadly. "I'm not sure if I should feel flattered about your reason to remain in command... what if I was never recovered?"
"Then I would have died in the seat." Lukas replied with a reassuring smile. "However, with you being found safe and well perhaps its time to consider retirement..." He said letting the word 'retirement' hang in the air.
"Maybe..." Zirvell nodded slowly, offering a slight chuckle. "Yet I think that part of you isn't ready to retire." He reached out. "And part of me thinks that you're still not quite believing that I am here, and that I am safe."
"Why do you think I'm here, my boy." Fredricks replied. "Its not real unless i can see it with my own two eyes. As for retirement, im in my seventy's now. Running around the galaxy is for the young."
"Is it? Surely in this day, when people live to well over a century, people run around the galaxy longer too?" Zirvell frowned, now scrutinizing his father. "You are healthy right?" Worry creased his brow. "You're not sick, or dying?"
"No, my boy, just tired. I've had a long and successful career." Fredricks said as he looked at the young Cardassian. "I think it might be time for me to do things for myself. There's wonders in this galaxy that even I've not seen."
"Such as?" the younger man prompted, his worry still unquenched. "Maybe just take a long break? I honestly can't see you ever giving up command. You love it too much. Maybe just take the missions that strike your fancy? Surely, Starfleet owes you that much?"
"I want to see they wonders the galaxy has to offer, as a civilian rather than wearing a uniform." Fredricks replied honestly. "Its just an idea. Nothing concrete. We still have several missions in the pipeline so it wouldn't be for a while."
"And maybe you'll change your mind and never give it up," Zirvell smiled, "anyway...you'll be around for a while, right? I really need to get back to sickbay, but I'd love for you to join me later, for dinner."
"Of course." Lukas smiled. "I'll see you later."
The Cardassian youth smiled. "Perhaps you can pick me up in sickbay at the end of my shift," he suggested, giving the man a quick hug.
Ensign Zirvell Khen
Nurse
pnpc Seklar
Captain Lukas Frederick's
Commanding Officer
USS Britannic
