The girl with the golden PaDD

Posted on Wed Feb 16th, 2022 @ 5:29pm by Lieutenant Myne Redal & Lieutenant JG Damien Blackford

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Damien's Cabin
Timeline: Set after mission
2986 words - 6 OF Standard Post Measure

//ON//

The chime on Damien's cabin kept ringing over and over and over again on a loop. Outside the door Myne stood there in a full blown-out panic, trying to not scream and run away or anything. She needed help and she was on the verge of tears. Tears she had been fighting back for a while now. It was either this or go with what Vede proposed. And Vede was already eroding at her willpower too much.

Damien hurried out of the kitchen, making sure to turn the heat down on the oven. The last thing he needed was to set the fire suppression system off because of an overcooked chicken. "I'm coming, I'm coming." He yelled at the door, wiping his hands on his trousers. He'd already changed out of his uniform and into more comfortable jeans and shirt. Pressing the button to open the door, the complaint about noise died on his lips as he took in the image of Myne standing before him, his face instantly softening. "Myne?" He said, instantly moving to wrap an arm around her shoulder, ushering her into his quarters, the door shutting behind them. "What's wrong?" He asked softly, leading her over to the sofa.

Myne entered as he guided her, leaning against him before reaching the sofa and dropping down onto it, burying her face into her palms. "I fucked it up so badly!! So freaking badly. I think I might get arrested soon, get sent to the brig. My career is over, and I am not going to jail again. Nope, fuck it, nope. I need to steal a shuttle, run away while I still have time, crap crap crap. Damien, I fucked it up." She tried to explain in a rather panicked tone clearly not being much able to focus.

Damien knelt in front of her, taking her hands into his, giving them what he hoped was a reassuring squeeze. "Hey. Hey. Myne. Calm down. Take a deep breath." Prison again? That would have to wait until later. Right now, he needed to calm her down. "Wait here." He said softly, before hurrying into the kitchen, filling a glass with water, going to leave, before turning back and grabbing the bottle of whiskey he kept in the cupboard. "Might help." He muttered to himself, before hurrying back into the living room, passing her the water. "Here. Drink this. Take a deep breath. Look into my eyes. Then explain what's happened. From the beginning. Slowly."

Accepting the glass of water she downed in a heartbeat before giving it back and reaching for the whiskey. Though, a few deep breaths later and Damien's previously holding of her hands to help calm her down, Myne was a bit more in control over her emotions. "I met a new friend, a marine captain. She seemed fun and we did have fun, but she told she came from a really sad, bad world. I wanted to cheer her up, so I rigged a spider bot equipped with a corrosive gel to help erase its presence. Then inside I placed an inverted teddybear. Places a small, very tiny mining AI on it to help it navigate the Jeffrey tubes and through some of the walls until it reached her cabin in Marine Country. There it reverted to the teddybear and melted its metal components into fluff basically. Apparently, she didn't like the gift and told me I can get into trouble, face brig time and more for breaking security protocols. All for a stupid gift." Damn, when Myne spoke, she spoke a lot.

Damien let her take a few sips of the whiskey, before taking the bottle back. "Alright. That's enough of that. Your mind might have centuries of experience, but your body certainly doesn't." Taking a sip of it himself, he put it down on the floor, before turning to face her again, listening as she explained her situation, biting his lip nervously, sighing as she finished, running a hand nervously through his hair. "Alright, Myne. Let's... let's take this one thing at a time. What exactly did the Captain say? Did she actually threaten you with brig time?" He asked softly, his mind racing a million miles a minute as he thought back to all the security regulations he'd had to memorise back in the Academy. Maybe there was something to help her.

The whiskey helped, certainly, but Myne had a small coughing fit from it. Sure, mean spider boy took the bottle back, making her pout miserably but Myne did not fight him over it. "Yeah, not used to alcohol in this body." She agreed and sighed, looking down and shaking her head. "No, no she told me other things." Myne had a moment of indecision as if she was trying go back through the conversation. Separating what had been Vede's words and Natacha's was hard.

"She chastised me a lot and told me about some incident on the Enterprised, with T-Cells, caused by a Trill scientist that almost killed the crew. Also something about temporal anomalies. It is all so confusing." Myne trembled and hugged her PaDD so very tightly to her chest before looking up at Damien. "Am I going to be in trouble? Did you hear anything about the marines requesting Security to apprehend me?"

Damien couldn't help but grin at her pout. "Alcohol is not the solution to your problem." He said softly, listening as she calmed herself down and started explaining again, nodding when she finished. "Yeah. I read about that in the Academy."

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair. "No requests have been made. And I doubt any will be. Listen, I won't say that you aren't going to get in trouble." No use in lying to her now. "You did break some rules. But there was no malicious intent behind what you did. If anything, you may have helped to highlight some flaws in Marine's security." Standing up, he moved to sit on the sofa next to Myne. "Look. I imagine the Marine is going to make a report about this. Worst-case scenario, I imagine the Captain will get involved. You might lose a few privileges and be confined to quarters. Best-case scenario, it goes no further than your department head. You get some kind of note put into your file."

"I can't promise this is what will happen mind you." He quickly added. "I'm not a legal expert, and in the end, it's down to the ship's captain to decide on what course of action to take. This is just based on what I know about the regulations. And I had to memorize a lot of them." He said, chuckling softly.

Letting out a breath she had not known she was holding as he spoke, Myne leaned to the side, resting shoulder to shoulder against him. "Are you really sure alcohol won't solve my problem? Sudra used to love the stuff." Myne said staring at the bottle pondering on its alluring effects.

"Thank you spooder dude. Really feels good to hear that. My mind already went to dark places, such as getting shot by a marine squad or worse. Why am I such an idiot?" She let out another deep sigh and poked his ribs suddenly. "Where's Vira? Aren't you two supposed to live together? I don't want her to see me like this."

Damien lent against her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, giving her a quick, comforting hug, squeezing her arm as he did. "I'm positive. Alcohol may seem like a good idea to begin with, but trust me, it always ends badly."

He let out a soft chuckle at her use of his nickname. Well. She was clearly feeling better. "You were worried. And scared. Our minds tend to imagine the worst in these situations. And I'm sure having more than one personality in your brain doesn't help." He teased slightly, before flinching slightly at the sudden poke. "Hey. Mind those fingers, Worm Girl." He said, grinning at her. "Besides, you don't need to worry about that. Vira and I don't actually live together."

"So I get an upgrade to crazy girl now? Stick to worm girl, sounds cooler!" She teases him and pokes his ribs again. "So why haven't you asked her to move in with you? Afraid of commitment? You know she is like a total catch, right? She can do like, soooo much better!!" Leaning back against the couch she stretched and laughed for the first time, looking more relaxed. If anything, this back and forward helped take her mind off of things so much more. Looking at him for a moment she gave him a playful bump on the shoulder. "Thanks spooder boy. For you know, being here and stuff like that."

Damien chuckled slightly, gently punching her in the arm. "Hey, crazy is temporary. But that worm hanging out in you, is forever." He grinned at her, rolling his eyes, before shrugging slightly. "I dunno. I'm not afraid of commitment. I love her, but we've only been together a little while. What if I freak her out and scare her off?" He sighed, leaning back on the couch, smiling over at her, shrugging. playfully punching her shoulder back. "No worries, Worm Girl. Any time."

"That sounds so much like that Earth thing that says that diamonds are forever. The crazy is temporary but the worm inside of your is forever! You know, for some reason that sounds so funny." Myne chuckles and shoved a finger into his ribs in retaliation. Being with Damien was always relaxing and yet engaging. Myne herself did not have any siblings, but some of the previous hosts did, and that is what being around him felt like. It was comforting. "So spooder boy can take on dark creatures from the darkness of space, face legions of huge spooders, dash into danger at a moment's notice, but won't ask his girlfriend if she wants to move in? Are you sure Security is the proper domain for you?" She teased him while just simply patting his shoulder to let him know she was not trying to push him more on the subject. But she was also not going to miss a chance to make fun of him either.

Damien smirked at her, rolling his eyes slightly. "Worms inside you are forever!" He sang, grinning at her, playfully punching her shoulder again. It was good to see her smiling and laughing again. Seeing her worked up and worried was... well it was worrying. "That's different." He argued, sitting up straight on the couch. "Creatures from space, and diving headfirst into danger? That's what I was trained for. I spent four years in classes and simulations preparing me for any kind of scenario. They don't have classes on how to ask cute Transporter Specialists to move in with you!"

The battle did rage on, and every punch was met with another jab to his ribs. "Good song, you'd be a hit on Trill for certain!" Though Myne did stop and let her smile grow more affectionate and encouraging for a moment as Damien spoke. "You know, joking aside and me teasing you put on hold for a moment. If you want, maybe I can lend a hand? Do the coaching part, help you build up your courage to ask her? If that is what you want of course. Believe me when I say this, she's a very good person to have by your side."

With every jab, he just playfully continued jabbing her in the shoulder. "You know I can do this all night, right?" He said, teasingly. "Was that a compliment?" He asked, grinning, listening as she spoke, feeling a warm feeling spread throughout his chest. She might be annoying sometimes, but Myne really did have a good heart. "Hang on a minute. Compliments, and an offer of help. Who are you, and what have you done with Myne?" He asked, jokingly, before a genuine smile danced onto his face. "Thanks for the offer. I'd like that. You're right. She is. We've only known each other a little while, but I don't know what I'd do without her."

After that comment and last jab, Myne threw her hands in the air in surrender. "Alright, I give up then! You win!! Plus, I think I might be starting to bruise up there, you are a brute spooder boy!" She chuckled and rubbed her shoulder where he kept jabbing her.

Shaking her head she continued. "Nope, just me. I have my moments. When I am not busy trying to take over the galaxy or running a pirate ship that is. Listen, I don't know what strange mating rituals you Humans have, but us normal people do tend to see things differently. And by normal I meant Trill and you know it!!" She raised her tone and pointed a finger to stop the comment she was sure he wanted to make about her calling herself normal. "As I was saying, time has nothing to do with how you feel. I've been married several times now, been a mom and a dad. It doesn't get easier to be honest, but at the same time, the regret of not trying when you had the chance? That's one of the worse feelings to bear. So yeah, if I can help my two friends get to be together and happy, I want to do it. Bring a little happiness into the world, you know?"

Damien grinned, throwing his arms up in victory. "Yes. I win." He proclaimed. "Victory drink." He said, leaning down, grabbing the bottle of whiskey, taking a sip.

He chuckled, raising an eyebrow at her comments, before pouting at her finger, flicking it gently with his finger. "Meanie." He said, sticking his tongue out at her, before smiling and nodding. "You are very wise. Maybe I should start calling you wise old worm." He teased, chuckling, before suddenly jumping up as a small beep started coming from the kitchen. "Oh cheese balls!" He exclaimed. "My chicken!"

"Share the spoils you greedy gremlin!" Myne protested reaching out trying to get at the bottle of whiskey wishing for another sip herself. After of course sticking her tongue out at him for him flicking her finger. "I am the wisest. The Wise Old Worm of the West! Like in your fairytales. The Wise Old Worm Fairy Godmother!" She chuckled until she saw him jump up. "Chicken? Wait, are you growing dinosaur descendants in your kitchen? That's against regulations you know!!"

Damien chuckled, rolling his eyes. “If we’re gonna drink, we’re gonna do it like civilised people. I’ll get us some glasses.” As he ran into the kitchen, he quickly turned the heat down on the oven, grabbing some oven mitts and pulling the, slightly charred, chicken out and placing it on the side. Hearing her words, he stepped into the doorway, raising an eyebrow at her. “What? No. I'm cooking my dinner.” He said chuckling, before ducking back into the kitchen, grabbing a couple of glasses for the whiskey. “You’re welcome to stay for dinner, if you want.” He offered, sitting next to her, grabbing the bottle and pouring a couple of glasses, passing her one.

"But your people didn't invent glasses until tens of millenia into your evolutionary process. Your instincts should be calling for you to lap that drink from a puddle or stream!!" Myne called out after Damien in her best neutral, curious tone to hide the obvious tease and jab. She accepted the glass and inhaled deeply the scent filling the room. After a moment to take a sip of whiskey she sighed. "Charred Human food? You know how to tell a guest to skiddadle back to her cabin alright! Much as I would enjoy seeing you rip like a primate into your charred dinosaur descendant, I have delicious worms and bettles waiting for me in my cabin. Yum!"

Damien chuckled, shaking his head. “That might have been the human urge centuries ago, but we’re a bit more civilised these days. Hence, the glasses.” He said, grinning at her. He grimaced at her mention of what was waiting for her back in her cabin. “Ugh. Remind me to never accept a dinner invitation off of you.” He teased gently. “And I don’t ‘rip into it’. I use a knife and fork. Like a civilised person.”

Finishing her whiskey, Myne got up and sighed. "Yeah, you say that, but I still think you're better off going back to the basics you know? Also, I wouldn't invite you over to dinner, I doubt you can stomach Ferengi food in the first place. It's too good you know? It's exquisite, unlike the charred food you like so much, so... I guess I'll be seeing you later then!"

Damien smirked, finishing his own whiskey. "I've seen the food you eat, and I can safely say that I won't be accepting a dinner invitation from you anytime soon." Rolling his eyes, he shook his head. "You are aware I haven't charred it on purpose, right?" He said, smirking. "I just got distracted and forgot to take it out the oven." Smiling, he stood up, wrapping an arm around her in a short hug. "I'll see you later. Any problems, feel free to come see me again."

"That's because you can't my food." Myne hugged him back. "You're too squeamish. Remember to throw some coals over your chicken to get it really crisp!" She chuckled and patted his shoulder. "And thank you again Damien, for helping me calm down. Enjoy your charred food!" With that she winked and with a last wave she began making her way to her own cabin.

//OFF//

Lieutenant JG Damien Blackford
Security Officer
USS Elysium

Lieutenant JG Myne Redal
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Elysium