Call from Home
Posted on Mon Jun 6th, 2022 @ 2:51am by Captain Samuel Woolheater
Mission:
Rejoinder
Location: USS ELYSIUM - DECK THIRTY-TWO - CABIN NORA 12
Timeline: END OF SHIFT
Tags: Selkan, Johanna
1529 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure
[ON:]
=== USS ELYSIUM – NCC 89000 – DECK THIRTY-TWO - MARINE HEADQUARTERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE COMPLEX – 1600 HOURS ===
“Starting tomorrow, you’ll be on gamma shift Lieutenant. Today was just to put your toe in the water while we’re still moored in spacedock. Have a good rest of your day.” And that was the end of Sam’s first day on the job. Most of it was administrative paperwork. Filing out forms, signing up for this, registration for that and getting familiar with the office. Woolheater spent the first half of the shift organizing the desk the way he liked it. He was a bit of a neat freak. The rest of the shift, while meeting the few people he could, he was reading the mission logs for the detachment. And when it was finally quitting time, he was relieved.
=== CABIN NORA-12 – WOOLHEATERS QUARTERS ===
Sam stepped into his quarters and undid his tunic. Taking it off and hanging it up, he took off his boots and set them aside neatly too. Then he laid down on the bunk and exhaled a long, slow, sigh of relief.
The comm beeped three times. Then the computer ID’d the incoming call, =A= Incoming transmission from Office of the Diplomatic Mission, Joanna Vandergrift =A= And the transmission beeped again. Sam rolled off his rack and sat down in from of the terminal. He knew that this was coming. He tapped the panel. His older sister Joanna appeared on the screen. She was the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for the Federation mission to Pacifica. Pacifica was already a member world, but the Federation still maintained a field office here and she oversaw that.
“Sam? I called as soon as I found out. I couldn’t get a hold of you until you got your new PCS (permanent change of station). Sam? How are you doing?” It was night on Pacifica and Sam did the time calculation in his head; it was late too. Joanna was home and she was in her study. On her face was concern and worry.
“Hey sis. I know, I know…long story about how I got here. And yeah…its been a rough few days” he said.
“I am so sorry Sam. We first heard about it over the comm. But, as usual, FNN had it first and that’s how we found out. Is Emily…” she asked delicately.
“Yeah. She didn’t make it. No survivors” he said.
“I’m so sorry Sam. I know that you two were getting serious. And I was so happy for you little brother. Is there anything you need?” Sam appreciated her concern. In the background, her husband, Thomas came into view and then sat next to her. “Hey Sam. We heard about what happened. We’re devastated with you.”
“Hey Tom. Thanks. Yeah…I’m y’know still processing it. I haven’t had much time to do much of that. Past few days have been a blur.” Tom nodded and looked at Joanna, “Well, I just wanted to give you my condolences. We’re here for you. If you want to come home and take a break?” Sam answered back, “Thanks. I appreciate that. But, I don’t know, getting back into work takes my mind off of it…off of….losing her and it helps.” Thomas nodded and got up to let them have a private conversation. He kissed Joanna a good-night kiss and let them be.
“Listen” she said as she sat closer a little and adjusted the video camera, “I do know that working is helping. Not dealing with all the emotions right now…”
Sam sighed, “Jo - - please don’t start.”
She overrode him, “I think you should talk to a counselor. Don’t you think that talking it out with someone else would help?” Sam rolled his eyes, “I don’t know. Maybe. But what’s the point? I go in, talk about my shitty feelings?” Here he mimed a fake counseling session, “They agree, ‘Yes – you are feeling bad.’ ‘Try not feeling bad?’ See you next week.”
Johanna said, “Now you know that it won’t go like that. Look. I can’t make you go. But I think it would be a good idea. It can’t hurt. Prove me wrong then. I give you permission to tell me that I was wrong and going to a counselor was a complete waste of time.” Sam was quiet and he looked away. “Just think about it? Just get it off your chest. Externalize it and get it out. The hurt that I know is there.” She pressed him further, “OK? Just think about it? Promise me that? I’ll tell Mom and Dad where you are if you don’t.”
“OK…ok…I’ll…think about it. Don’t tell mom or dad. I don’t…I can’t deal with them right now” he said. She nodded, “Well, it’ll be a few weeks before they’ll start asking anyway. So, you’re safe until then. Can I tell Barclay?”
Sam asked, “How is the dipshit?” She sighed, “Doing better. He’s in rehab and off the streets. Dad was riding him hard. He misses you. He misses talking to you. It would be great if you two could at least start talking?” Then she said, “I’m not calling to guilt you into anything little brother. I know that you have been through a lot. I don’t know if you can hear this? I think you’re doing good. I’m pretty sure you must be doing something right if you’re on a starship now. I know that it’s a calamity to hear that you’re doing something right but. I hope you know its true. I’m proud of you. And I call because I care.”
He answered, “Yeah, thank you Jo. I appreciate it. I’ll try and call more often OK? I’m shitty at it I know.” She agreed, “Yes, you are. But don’t worry about it. I know how to track you down. How’s your new ship?”
“MMmm? So far so good? I guess? I pulled my first duty shift and I do it again in…” he checked the chronometer and did the calculation, “…seven hours. I was just resting when you called. I’m glad you called you know? I really appreciate you too big sistah. You and Tom and your little monsters.”
Johanna smiled and laughed just a little, “They’re getting better. They are just kids Sam.” He corrected her, “They are little monsters. Hoodlums in the makings.” He jested and cracked a smile. “Uh huh…I wonder where they learned how to misbehave? Could it have been a certain uncle or two?” Sam smiled and sheepishly said, “Mmmmaybe? I’m not committing myself to anything.” She grinned back, “Monkey see; monkey do I think.” She got a concerned look again, “I know you must be tired. I’ll let you go. Can you call me after you’ve seen a counselor?”
Sam said, “Let me think about it first, OK? This whole ship has been through hell, and I think the counselling staff is going to be busy for weeks to come. I said I’d think about it and I will. I made a promise; I will keep it.” She gave him a sideways look, “OK, I believe you. Hugs to you Sam from across the light years.” “Thank you. Thanks for calling. Thanks for, y’know…checking on me. It means a lot. Really.” Johanna nodded, “Call me when you can.”
Here she ended with a traditional Pacifican blessing. Palms facing one another, wrists toughing, elbows open wide. It looked like the letter “V”; it was hands for prayer. Johanna said in Selkan, “Lit de see lûd meitsje” (Let the sea make a noise) And Sam, putting his hands together in like manner said the response, “En alles wat deryn is.” (And all that therein is) ” And her meaning was layered. Because in that prayer was the affirmation that life began in the sea and ends in the sea. A kind of saying like, “All roads lead to Rome” as was said on Earth centuries ago. An acknowledgement that Emily was not forever lost. Now, in the age of interstellar travel, Selkans (the people and animals native to Pacifica) considered the firmament ‘the sea’. Now knowing that life came from the stars and may have ended up in the sea.
Sam was no cosmologist; but he was once an altar boy and a scout. And he knew that Johanna still held these beliefs. She smiled, “You still sound like somebody from the south seas.” She referred to his accent. All the Woolheater children learned Selkan and Federation standard. Sam’s accent was just lazy. “See you Sam” she said before closing the channel. “See you sis” he said as the channel closed.
[OFF:]
1st Lieutenant Samuel Woolheater
“Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas”
Division VI, MARDET 62nd Company "Spartans", 2nd Platoon CO
=/\= USS ELYSIUM - NCC-89000 =/\=
