Picking up the Kids

Posted on Mon Jan 29th, 2024 @ 2:55pm by Lieutenant JG Toareth Rouen (née Darqa) & Lieutenant Faith Hawkins

1,447 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Prelude: Getting Ready to Depart
Location: Daycare / Engineering
Timeline: Prior to Happy Day

Toareth showed up at the Daycare offices to pick up Gabrielle. She showed around the same time as many other mothers and fathers to do just the same. There was still a few minutes before the children would be let out. Toareth spotted the head engineer and stepped up to her. "Chief," she started, "how's the ship?"

"It's still in one piece." replied Faith, looking straight ahead. She'd taken a break from her shift to collect Meredith, who would then be taken on a tour of engineering. Her daughter wanted to see where Faith worked, how different Britannic was to Arundel. "How's sickbay?" she asked.

"In pieces," Toareth replied. "But that is how we like it. We always need to be ready for any form of injury. Medical is not too dissimilar from Engineering I like to think. We keep the organics going. You keep the mechanics going."

Faith nodded. It was a good analogy. "Well, if you didn't keep the crew going, there'd be no engineers to keep the mechanics going." she replied, looking out for Meredith. She'd be out any minute now. Yesterday, Meredith had drawn a picture of Faith in a cape, holding a hyperspanner. If only she felt like the hero Meredith believed her to be. "And before you ask, no, I haven't forgotten my medical."

"Oh, I am not pressing the issue. I don't like doctors," Toareth admitted. "And I like being scanned even less. Being a doctor and performing scans is one thing. Being the patient is another. Besides," and she placed a palm to her forehead over her right eye as a pinch formed in her brain. "I have seen doctors aplenty and," she winced at the pain spreading in her head, the ringing sounding in her ears, "not one can explain these migraines I get." Toareth widened her stance in an attempt to maintain balance should the migraine get worse. She breathed through the pain.

"Well, they always say..." began Faith, pausing. She was surprised Toareth hadn't ordered her to go to sickbay for her medical at the first opportunity. Britannic first, medical second. "...doctors make the worst patients. I'm not a very good one either, if the truth was known."

The pain in her head plateaued and Toar decided to try and ignore the rest and power through this migraine. "And I am told I make the worst patient; always telling the nurse or doctor how to do their job as they are working on me apparently. I just...well...you wouldn't want another engineer to come in and start working on your ship without you there to observe and explain things." Toareth shrugged. "That is how I feel about doctors." She felt the same way about counselors as well. They always felt they knew what was best for their patients, both mentally and emotionally. Toareth had 80 years of experience in this side of space. She felt no need for a counselor at all.

She could hear the children being herded into the next room to wait for their parents. Toareth watched the door, waiting for it to open. "We should do dinner sometime. Get to know each other better. Let the children play."

"If another engineer came here and told me how to look after my ship..." began Faith, pausing to moderate what she was originally going to say. "...they'd be escorted to the nearest means of transportation away from it." she paused, thought for a second. Dinner sounded good. "Yes, we should. I could host if you wish, unless you would prefer to." concluded Faith, watching as the door opened. Meredith appeared moments later, running up to Faith, who picked her daughter up. "Hello Miss Meri. Have you had a good day?" she said, looking at Meredith. It was said by many Meredith looked exactly like Faith, but she wasn't convinced. Faith thought Meredith looked more like her own mother, Meredith's grandmother.

Meredith, always smiling, nodded. "Yes Mummy." She wasn't clutching a new drawing today. Faith would need a bigger wall if Meredith brought many more back to their quarters.

Toareth smiled at the reunion, though it had only been several hours. Still, time apart always felt like stretches of eternity.

"Mama!" came Gabrielle's voice and a pair of feet carried her quickly to Toareth.

Toar scooped her up. "I got you Dearheart. Did you have a good day?" to which Gabrielle hummed an affirmation with a nod. To Faith, "Years ago I never thought I would have an...a child. I am glad I did. Everything changed and for the better."

Faith felt exactly the same. Having children was never something she'd thought about, or planned. She'd always planned to leave providing her parents with grandchildren to Joseph and Keira. But, having Meredith gave her a new purpose. A reason to live. Faith wouldn't have it any other way. As Meredith hugged her, she replied. "I know the feeling, Meredith...she's made me a better person. Haven't you Meredith Jevera?" she then looked at Meredith, who looked at her. Those jet black eyes. Her father's. Meredith simply beamed. That smile melted Faith's heart every time.

"I was going to show Miss Meri around my domain before my shift ends." said Faith, thinking about extending the invitation. "Would you like to join us?"

"How about it Gabby?" Toareth asked her child. "You want to see Engineering?"

"Gabby want to see en...gin...eewing," she said.

"Yes," Toareth spoke to Faith. "We would love to."

Good. Perhaps the proposed dinner could be arranged while there were there, thought Faith. She led the way, talking with Meredith, Toareth and Gabrielle. A turbolift was reached, entered. The talking helped distract Faith from her anxiety, claustrophobia. Toareth could feel that anxiety somewhat and Gabrielle wore a furrowed brow as she eyed Faith, possibly feeling her anxiety as well. Toareth bounded Gabby some. The lift whirred, slowed, stopped. The doors hissed open, Faith made a fairly hasty exit. "Where is it, Mummy?" asked Meredith, now extremely excited. She loved telling her class mates her Mummy was the Chief Engineer. "Just along here, sweetheart." replied Faith.

"Mama," said Gabrielle.

"Yes. I know," Toar replied. "All is well. Do not worry."

Less than a minute later, their destination was reached. Britannic's warp core thrummed away in the background, its gentle blue hue lighting its surrounding vicinity. Engineers went about their tasks, as Faith expected them to in her absence. She ran a tight ship. "Here we are Meri, this is where I work on Britannic." said Faith, as Meredith's head turned in all directions. She was in awe, fascinated. "Wow!" she exclaimed.

"This is Sick Bay," said Gabrielle, "but forw da ship."

"Yes. Something like that," Toareth said. To Faith, "I told her that to help her understand what Engineering is."

"And these are ship doctorws," Gabrielle pointed around.

"And Faith here is the chief of them all. Isn't that right?"

Ship doctor? Cute, thought Faith. In response to Toareth, she nodded. "That's right, I'm the Chief Ship Doctor. I make sure Britannic is working properly and anything that isn't working very well gets fixed." she said, looking at Gabrielle. Meredith was still looking around. "Mummy? What's that?" asked Meredith, pointing at the warp core.

"That's the warp core, Meri." replied Faith. "That's what powers the big engines which make the ship fly really really fast." she then looked at Gabrielle, smiled, then back to the warp core. "It's like a person's heart, but one for space ships."

"Bwitannic has a big hearwt," said Gabrielle. "And it shines bwight."

"Much like you Dearheart," said Toareth.

"Can I be an engineerw when I gwow up?"

"You can be whatever you want."

Toareth, carrying Gabrielle followed Faith a little longer while Gabrielle looked at everything in awe. "Faith, thank you for this. We really should not keep you much longer."

Hearing Gabrielle's wish to become an engineer, Faith couldn't help but smile. Seeing how much she, Meredith were enjoying their visit to Engineering made it worth it. "Don't be daft, you aren't keeping me." responded the engineer. "Before you go, though, we should arrange dinner. Would you like that, Meredith?" Faith then turned to her daughter, who nodded. "When is best for you?"

"Allow me to schedule with Rene. He makes an amazing French Onion soup. I will connect with you tomorrow with a good time."

Faith nodded. That was a good plan. "That's fine." replied the engineer, looking at Meredith. "We're looking forward to it, aren't we Meri?" she asked her daughter. The human-Betazoid hybrid smiled and nodded. "Yes, Mummy." replied Meredith, who then looked at her class mate. "Bye, Gabrielle. See you tomorrow."

 

RSS Feed

Comments (1)