Running the Rat Race

Posted on Mon Jan 14th, 2019 @ 9:34pm by

2,982 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: Meanwhile...
Location: TBD?
Timeline: Prelaunch

-Start-

{Deck Three, Amphitheater Skylight Gantry}

Ling was in her element; hair pinned back in a ponytail and the Utility overalls of the ship's uniform on as she slid nimbly about the girders and other supports in this section. The ship had been a flurry of repairs; upgrades and just a type of playground aside from the Logistic nightmares of filling all the requests. She had to make damn sure that the ship was secure, and followed ann eight hundred item checklist to inspect for quality. The next item forced her into looking around, she had the perfect job for someone that was not her. It was an important job but the tedium it asked was daunting. Part of the good of being higher in the chain is giving jobs through delegation.

=0= Ling to Avor. Ling smiled as she thought of it. Grab a tricorder and a harness I have an important job for you.

=0= Avor here, The tricorder I have already, can you give me an idea of the task so i can harness accordingly?

=0=You will need a rebreather as an emergency safety unit. Ling replied.

=0= We need to double check the seals around the grand portals of the Merchant area. She began to explain, but he knew what she was saying, he was an Ops worker through and through. Anywhere with a window to space needed quadruple redundancies and safeties in place. Each window took twenty minutes to inspect, not to mention the pain in the ass of EVA maneuvers outside the hull.

=0= Acknowledged, but those were installed by Base dockyard personnel. They've passed their checks already?

=0= I love the view but I really do not trust the paid contractor's General scans to be void of micro fractures or pin hole leaks. Those workers were paid stiff, told to take their time to pad the cost. I would, the crew would, feel safer knowing for sure the seals are tight and safeties triple checked.

Ling admitted it was tedious work but the view while doing it should be a boon; feeling like you are surrounded by the stars while walking a probe along the edges.

Avor held his breath, it wasnt so bad as she was was making out, his alternatives were the eternal loading of goods and supplies into the ravenous maw of the cargo bays. He had marveled at how much stuff there simply was to deal with, and still more to go.

Jade wondered if the silence was Avor trying to find a way out, so she added,
=0= I know it might sound boring but you would give relief to all those that walk in the area and can safely stare up into the stars while spending their money. I believe the small problems if not taken care of lead to big problems.

Avor truly had mixed emotions on the matter. It was dreadfully important, and he was sure the base workers did a good job. However, it was their duty to double check. Tedious yes, necessary, also yes. Plus it let him get away from Ina who had occupied his every moment so far with child care and matrimonial disharmony.

=0= Ah, yes well the view of the Starbase interior should be gripping but needs must. I will be there in ten Ling."

Avor pushed his luck a bit further with the situation, "Computer...deliver this message in twenty minutes."

=0= Ina, I will be in EVA most of today, yours truly.

By the time she got it it would be too late to stop him and he would have a day or normal tedium to contend with. He just hoped Jade could keep up her end of the conversation or the day would prove to be long. Without a care to grab anything else, Avor took off towards the airlock access with a sudden lightness to his step.

Jade looked through the window, very glad to have dodged that bullett. She hated EVA, it was clunky, it cramped her neck and shoulders something fierce, and it was so boring. Ticking the item on her list as pending, she moved to the next, a mandate to inspect unlabeled boxes to ascertain their content.

Jade shook her head, avoiding work always yielded more work for the person dodging. Digging through random crates was no better. Still shaking her head in disapproval at her own work ethic she made her way to the Turbolift, summoning it once she got there. Ten minutes of waiting saw Jade beating her head in frustration when movement in the window caught her eye. Avor was already outside.

=0= 'Lo Jade, care for a window wash?

Avors rich voice came over the comm badge like a gentle Hymn. He had a timbre that belied a charm which was winning her over fast. Damn shame he was married, though from the rumor mill she heard most nights were spent screaming at one another, Kas was involved usually too. As a perpetual loner it made no sense why people stayed in those awful relationships. Yes it was tragic when someone died, but why torture yourself forever?

=0= Listen Crewman, none of your famous lip. I expect a solid report in two hours saying everything is in good shape. No tarrying now."

=0= Aye Aye, but just so you know, this will take at least five hours to complete.

=0= Like hell, just because you can't go home without starting a fire doesn't give you the right to loaf on my watch. I run a tight ship Mr.

The turbolift arrived, Jade stepped in, poking her head back out to look at the floating Andorian.

=0= Two hours!

She heard the smile in his voice, the man could charm a wristwatch into lying about the time with that rich sound. He chuckled and the sound of micro-sensor scanning washed over the line. Jade took the five minute trip into account and decided to lean and close her eyes for a moments rest. The rickety lift made so many noises and traveled so slow, she found herself near to drifting into sleep as it lurched in a new direction at the saucer section divergence into Engineering. She nearly fell to the floor, and realized these lifts needed a harness, or seat. Another task for another day.

Exiting at the Cargo loaders on Deck 27, Jade was confronted with a very angry Inia. Somehow she knew who Jade was and found a way to meet her before the Turbolift arrived. Jad felt a phantom of a thought calculating running speed versus the slow turbolift before jumping to the correct conclusion. Inia was fast as hell.

"You assigned my husband to EVA duties all day? How is he supposed to finish his task list or are you his new commander? I requested light duty for him, his family is also a priority correct?"

There was no time to rally, Jade felt ambushed, and did not like it. "Inia right? I've heard stories, none of them good. If you'll excuse me I have duties to attend to."

Inia was smaller than Jade, wearing a flowing sundress in aquamarine accenting the white Aenar tones. She didn't flinch one bit, her gaze was intense, Jade felt the heat. As a deflection she pulled one of her fans from its simple loop on her belt, opening it as if to imply it could keep Inia at bay. The quick fan action caught Inia's attention though, she was a biologist and instantly recognized the material.

"Andevian Silk, where did you get that?"

Jade was astonished Inia changed tenor so quickly. He guard still up, Jade gave Inia the benefit of the doubt and answered honestly. "Risa. Traded my shuttles sensor suite for it, still think I got the better of that deal."

Inia seemed to calm just a little bit. "I respect that you have a role here, as do we all. Avor is renowned for working on the things that are easy, and ignoring what is hard. Our bondmate died nearly two weeks ago. Avor lost what you would consider to be a brother, Kas and I, lost a Husband. He has not spent more than an hour with us without bounding out the doors to accomplish a trivial mechanical task."

Jade grimaced, she had detected the eagerness and guessed this was a possibility already. The tragic look in her face told Jade how Inia was coping with Avor's flighty behavior. He wasn't.

"Listen... Inia, I swear I didn't put Avor on EVA all day, it's a two hour task at best."

Inia played his message sent several minutes ago. Jade heard Avors flat tones and barely recognized the man without his jocularity. He sounded plainly miserable talking to her.

Jade actually felt a tug on her heart strings, Inia was harsh and mean, but what choice did she have?
"Whoa, that's on him. I'm sorry, I had no idea he was using me to avoid you. I can recall him..."

Inia was adamant with a single look, "No."

She did say, "When he is done, send him home for the day. His son nearly broke an arm today when I wasn't watching for a few moments. I need him to come home right away."

Jade was truly uncomfortable now, "Ok, I'll let him know."

Inia didnt leave the path, still blocking Jade.

"Is it customary for EVA workers to be on radio silence."

Jade hated to lie, but she hated this conversation more. "It's his micrometer, it makes comms patchy."

Avor, ever the arbiter of his own doom through careless play, sounded over Jades comm.

=0= You were right to double check. They only put a single layer of the Igneous Cobalt insulation, cheapskates. It passes quality checks-

Jade pressed her badge to cut him off.
=0= Thank you Avor, I'll expect a report when you are done.

Jade had lied to cover for Avor and for that, all of her credibility was shot with Inia. Jade felt guilty for siding with him, it was a knee jerk reaction and now she was committed to the path.

"Crewman Ling, be seeing you around."
Inia moved aside so Jade could pass, though the moment left her knees locked. Inia was terrifying despite her small size, and wielded emotions like weapons.

After a brisk walk down the hallway Jade opened her line to Avor.

=0= Avor, you need to talk to your wife. And do not EVER use me to escape your home life again, understand? I will never ask you for another favor do you have any idea what I just had to go through for you?

=0= Yes.

In a word, Avor relayed his side of the story. At some point, you just became too tired to fight, too tired to stand up for your beliefs. You simply stopped fighting and accepted your fate. Avor had made this hell for himself, it would take all three of them to reconcile it. Jade suddenly wanted nothing to do with any of it.

=0= Report in when you are finished.

Avor replied, the taciturn nature asserting itself monosyllabically. He conveyed the ennui, the fatigue, the soul sucking tragedy that was life for him in a breath.

=0= Aye

Maybe friendship would have to wait, maybe there was no fixing it at all. One thing was for certain, Jade wanted nothing to do with it.

{Deck 27- Turbolift Entrance}

Inia let the emotions stir, for Aenar, self control came naturally. Jade wasn't the source of her trouble so she let the image of standing over the lily white officers body go to whatever place abandoned fantasies go to. She hated Avor for this, his reckless and childish behavior. He indulged Kas to stay away, those two had always felt more of a bond with each other than the rest of the group. He hid from the family like a child shirked responsibility for breaking a priceless heirloom.

In a split second worlds rose and fall inside the tempest of her mind. She would make Avor understand what he did, the weakness of having every need fulfilled and never wanting more. Inia tasted blood and realized she was clenching her teeth and had nipped her lip. Taking exquisite measures to appear calm, she dabbed at her lip and looked at her finger. The pearl of blood ran down her azure skin and she knew she wanted him dead.

She needed to resolve this, it was time to settle accounts. No more chasing two lovebirds who dont know better. It was time to hold them accountable and come home.

=0= Inia to Kas. We need to talk. I'll come to you.

{Kas- Family Quarters}

Inia hadn't stopped talking for nearly ten minutes. A litany against Avor had turned into a solipsistic breakdown into existential crisis.

"...then he is a coward and your love for him pathetic."

Silence filled the space between both women. Kas was larger than Inia but they were both small. Despite this their voices carried and all around imagined domestic Klingons had found roost and turned homicidal.

Kas was not afraid of Inia, but the responsibility she represented. Kas knew there was no denying Inia, she had been left behind. The shame and guilt was just part of the whole mixed bag, now with added burden for Dure's death.

"Are you done, has the absence of breath affected you, I thought vampires didn't need for air?"

"Oh I am not done. The feckless man we are bound to hides from me, your children don't recognize you, I have fulfilled my oath to carry two progeny, and will not carry out two more. You know more than either of those men the toll it takes on me, would you have me bleed my lifes blood simply in service of procreation?

"I nearly died carrying Zala, Kee required surgery to remove. I cannot carry children Inia, why do you hold this against me."

"The Society obliges me. You carry the child, but I must birth it. I cannot do my part without you, but the expectation is on me. I fail Andorra if I do not sire, and you will not let me. I cannot pursue my life until this obligation is met."

Kas shook her head in disagreement the whole time, she had heard this all before. "That is what they tell you, but we are free to choose and love as we will. If our culture is too oppressive to you and you cannot live as you will, do like I did and leave."

"I can't say "to hell" to my family, can you? Oh wait... you can and have. I am well aware you can just pick up and walk away 'Zhen, but I will amount to nothing if I can't do as all Andorians do. I will be disgraced for no action of my own, since Kas Shar'Zhen doesn't feel obligated like the rest of us."

Around in circles, Kas knew this argument, it was the same for years now. Over Subspace, one could claim business or other pressing needs to close the comm. Inia had taken that option away by coming here to confront them.

"Andorra hasnt even found a suitable 'Chaan, this conversation is pointless."

Inia saw right through it, "No Kas, what's pointless is reasoning with you."

For a moment her weakness and emotions rose to the surface, Kas could see the person she really was underneath the strain and tension, the beautiful and intelligent soul that had captured their hearts was still there. This melted Kas's defense like it was butter, and she felt the void in their lives all the more keenly.

"Inia... I miss Dure, I never left home to leave you, Avor is just trying not to feel anything. We are all broken can't you see that? Your anger is so towering, you're right to feel it!"

Once begun, emotions rarely punctuate themselves. Kas felt the tumult emerge organically, as she finally expressed it all to her wife.

"I died on the table Inia, nobody asks me... but when they tried to save me they had to choose between the baby and my life. Andorian law is very clear so I was left to die. If Starfleet didnt have a medical program like they did I would be dead, bled out to let my child live. When I became pregnant with Kee... Dure told me it was my duty as a mother to birth her. Imagine how I felt Inia, everyone telling me how to feel, that my baby comes first, my life a pale second priority."

The softness in Inia remained, Kas was being genuine, and Inias anger found no purchase.

"Dure was an idiot to tell you that."

Such a statement about a dead spouse seemed abrupt, but Inia was finally allowing herself to see the situation honestly. The moment passed when Avor chimed to Kas.

=0= Kas, can we meet? Not in the quarters.

Inia turned colder than ice. Avor called their residence "the quarters" instead of "home."

"Well Avor knows what he wants. Maybe get him to see his children to bed, so he can call himself a father. Tell him I won't be here, that should give him the courage to stop by."

She was clearly done with the conversation, and went into the bedroom where the kids slept, door shutting behind her.

Yet again, Kas found she was drained beyond all measure.

=0= Avor, just stay away for a while. I'll call you but this... situation... needs to end.

With impeccable sadness conveyed with gravitas, he replied only with,

=0= Agreed.

Kas was alone, for which she was grateful. With nobody to see, large, fat tears welled in her eyes. For a moment she wanted to feel Avors hands on her shoulders, but now, there was no solace from him. Their marriage was over, and for all Kas knew, it was her fault.

-End-

Austen
Ben

 

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