Catching Up, Without the Green
Posted on Mon Mar 18th, 2019 @ 8:20am by Captain Luka Mahone & Alex Flynn
1,107 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Groundwork
Location: USS Io
Timeline: MD -20 - 1728 Hrs
Luka had to hand it to Seshi Macae; she managed to make his job all that much more exciting. Between her attempts to get him to relax and the attempts to get him to taste the newest concoction of her father’s, Luka was put through the wringer of odd jobs.
Quite like today, when he was forced to sit himself down and make a connection with the colony all so Aarav could get in contact with his manager, whoever that was. He had made four different video calls in the past three hours trying to reconfigure the older technology Seshi insisted upon using, each call reaching a different point of the colony. Eventually, he would reach the right location, or at least someone who could give him the proper number.
The fifth call would be the last of the day, considering how long the first few took. Everyone was just so chatty. As the screen blipped on, Luka let out a sigh. “I do not mean to be curt, but I’m hoping this is the Sumi Saloon…”
“The Sumiest!” Alex said with feigned customer service excitement. “That is to say, yes. How can we serve you today?” Alex asked the man, who had a familiarity she couldn’t place.
Shoulders relaxing, Luka breathed a sigh of relief. This ordeal was almost over, or so he would think. "Good to hear. I have Mr. Macae in the other room, almost ready to communicate about the..." he trailed off, leaning in closer to the screen to get a good look at who he was speaking with. "... I'm sorry, that was rude. You looked like someone I knew at one point."
“You’re not a Doctor, are you?” Alex asked, plumbing the depths of her memory for the man’s face and voice. “Doctor... Mahone?” She said as it clicked.
After a beat of processing, Luka's eyes lit up. "Commander Flynn. I didn't think the universe was so small, but it's good to see you again. What are you doing all the way out here? Did Starfleet send an attachment of officers already? I thought by now they would have reported in..."
“Nothing like that. I’m on holiday. Well, it started as a holiday and turned into a working holiday. But it’s not so bad here. Hot and cold running replicators.” Alex said. “But how can I help?” She asked as she remembered this wasn’t just a catch-up.
"Is there something wrong with your replicators?" Luka perked up, brow furrowing in concern. "Because if you let me know now, we might have just enough time to pick up supplies..." He held up a hand to stop himself. "I was actually trying to see if the long range communications were working aboard the ship, and a special request was made to make sure everything was alright in the Saloon. What's this about a holiday?"
“I started out with some time off after we made friends with the Dominion. Ended up staying here and taking a job. But everything here works how it should, most of the time. What ship are you on? Are you in the sector?” She asked, having been hesitantly fiddling with her packet of rooster mountain cigarettes below the view of the receiving imager. She took one and lit it, Doctors judgement be damned.
Luka's lips pressed together at the sight of the cigarette. He always had an issue with Alex's vices, but without the blue uniform, there was little he felt he could say. "Well..." he decided to attempt to ignore it. "I'm headed in your direction right now. Coincidentally, the Io is the ship assigned to ferry the citizens and the latest shipment of goods to the colony. It's been an odd upward momentum for myself, but I think I much prefer this. I feel like I can really do some good."
“If you brought some terraforming equipment they might just build a statue of you. Everyone says it gets to be a special kind of cold around these parts. Some new faces would be a treat though. You’ll have to stop in when you’re here!” She said with restrained excitement, she hadn’t seen a familiar face since she’d arrived.
"I don't know if terraforming equipment was part of our accepted requisitions," Luka admitted, "But I know it's on the work order for another time." He resisted the urge to bounce in his seat, Starfleet decorum getting the better of him. His eyes did light up at the prospect of being able to see an old colleague. "I'll certainly have to. I'm certain the Io will be able to make a prolonged stop to make sure the colony has everything it needs. Hopefully the cold won't keep for too long, but then we could catch up for sure."
“I’ll replicate another jumper then. Are you lot just unloading for our benefit or is there some local curiousity on your schedule too?” She asked, disappearing from view for a moment to reach the ashtray.
"I'm not sure." Luka gave it a beat, suddenly concerned. "There isn't a Dominion spy in your midsts or marines ready to take over the colony are there?"
“I’ll have to double check, but I’m confident we’re clean. I don’t think I’ve seen any Marines since gamma. I’m okay with that.” Flynn said honestly, no longer being limited by Starfleet propriety, not that she was one to censor herself even when in uniform. “You’re not bringing any, right?” She asked with sudden concern.
"No, thankfully. The Io is equipped with science sensors and extra freighter space. None of the marine-necessary equipment. Or the people with it." Luka breathed a sigh of relief. "You know, maybe one day this whole Dominion thing will be behind us and we'll have something new and exciting to deal with."
"The Saloon is my mistress these days, I don't have the luxury of exciting new missions every week. But I'll get the Chef to program something special into the replicators, can't have you fancy Starfleet types going unimpressed. We need all the good reviews we can get." Alex said earnestly.
"If we have time, I'll be sure to make it a stop." Luka was certain it would not take much to convince the Captain that there was something recreational that needed doing. "It'll be good to catch up in person."
“I’m looking forward to it. See you soon, Doc.” Alex said, stubbing out her smoke, and wondering how this new arrival would complicate what she needed to do.
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