A personal Request

Posted on Thu Jan 17th, 2019 @ 1:52pm by Ensign Kara Hoffman & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: Season 2: Episode 3: Determination is not always a good thing
Location: Main Sickbay - Recovery ward
Timeline: Present
2358 words - 4.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Kara took a deep breath, and let out a heaving sigh. Whispering to herself, she held onto her comm-badge. "You can do this, you can. You can do this, don't be afraid just do it. Call him. Call him. C'mon stop being a coward and do it!"

Pressing the comm-badge she nearly shouted into it. =A=Commander Taylor it's Lieutenant Kara Hoffman I need to see you it's important please come to sickbay thanks =A= She pressed the comm-badge again to end her message, dropping it onto her lap and took another big breath. "Not nervous, your not nervous. Oh i'm nervous, no! No your not nervous." She continued to repeat to herself over and over trying to stay as calm as she could, not doing a very good job of it. "How do i ask this, what do I do. I've never had to do anything like this before. I'm really worried..." She said to herself. "Anyone listening to me would think I'm over-reacting it's just a silly little question..." Kara sighed. She wanted to scream.

Gary was in his quarters when his com chirped and Kara's message came through saying she needed to see him and he was in Sickbay. He frowned at that bit of information of being in Sickbay but then reflected he needed to talk to her as well. =^' Taylor to Hoffman. I'm on my way and I'll see you shortly.=^=.

A few minutes later he was in Sickbay and a nurse directed him to Kara's biobed. She looked to be deep in thought. "Lieutenant? Kara." He said softly as he came to stand next to the bed. "What happened?"

Kara's eyes went wide. ~Oh shit~ "Oh uh, hi Gary" She started then shook her head and quickly added, louder "Commander! yes, well uh, little run in, with, uh, a holographic warrior, that...stabbed my leg." She smiled, but it was such an uncomfortable smile that her face must have looked like a three hundred year old tree, twisted in pretty much all the wrong directions. "Sorry to disturb you, I know you're...probably quite busy. Um. So. Yes, I have a...question for you."

He frowned at her statement. "Stabbed in the leg by a holographic warrior? You had the holodeck safties off." He didn't ask, he knew. "Kara, that wasn't very bright. You could have been killed." He was about to say more but stopped as he saw the look on her face. It was clear she already felt bad over her lapse in judgment. He sighed, "A question? Okay, what's the question?"

She took a deep breath of air, and in one big sentence it all came flowing from her heart. "I really want to ask Gallia to marry me but I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing and I don't know what to do or anything and I want to ask the Captain to marry us but i'm to nervous to ask her myself so please could you ask her on my behalf please so that I can stop freaking out?!" With another big gulp of air she continued. "Also I want you to be the one who hands us the rings y'know whatever it is that they call that person that stands at the side and everybody looks at to hand the rings over, cause it's a really very special thing to do and I want you to do it. Also I need your help in finding a ring and Your probably way better at this stuff than I am cause your old, i mean not older but...well...you know what i mean!" She stared at her Commander, having just spilled her guts out to him.

Gary took a step closer to the biobed as Kara fired off her and then request. He took her hand in his and spoke quietly. "Marry Gallia huh? I think that is wonderful. Are you sure she feels the same way? I mean not that she doesn't love you but getting married it's a big step. However I will talk to the Captain about marrying the both of you. I'm sure she would be thrilled. You want me to be the ring bearer. I would be honored. Thank you very much. Yes/ I'll help you find a ring even though I'm old." He teased. "Or you could design a ring for the both of you that is uniquely yours." He smiled as he looked down at her, "When do you want to do this? Have the ceremony I mean? You don't want to rush it." He looked at her bandaged leg. "How long are you going to be here?"

She sighed relief. "I won't be in here much longer. Maybe half a day longer and I'll be good to go, That's if the doc agree's." Kara paused to think. "I don't know how to explain this commander. I just, know. Gallia and I, it's something you just feel. Like instinct but...more. I know she'll say yes. I am going to ask her once Liorga is found, and everyone is back on-board safely. As for designing a unique ring? I never really thought about, although, it would make alot of sense. we're both engineers, we're both masters of the technical. Maybe we could work together to design and create a ring with parts of both our personalities and love?" She smiled. "I'm happy you said yes. To be honest, I didn't know anyone else to really ask if you had refused for some reason. I'd have been left high and dry, to paraphrase a bit. As for when, I don't have any date in mind. It'll take some time to prepare everything, maybe a couple of months or so. I don't want to rush anything, but I don't want it too take too long either. You know..."


"I understand perfectly Kara. You and Gallia are soulmates. My Catlin and I were like that. I think it's wonderful that you found someone that not only you can love but loves you back the same way. Tayalas is very lucky to have two wonderful parents." He nodded, "Think about creating a ring. I'll help find one if you want to go that route. I'm honored to be the ring bearer and never let it be said that Gary Taylor left two lovely ladies in distress." He smiled, "A couple of months is a good time frame and whatever you do don't rush."

"I feel much better now that everything is off my chest, thanks commander! So, fill me in, what have I missed being holed up in sickbay for th past little while? Have they found Liorga yet? I haven't exactly given you much of a chance to speak..."

"It's alright Kara, I'm a good listener. No, we haved found the Chief yet but we will. We have one of the hostage takers in the brig right now. Command Holmes is speaking with her. I'll be beaming down to the planet to speak with Commander Brett and the others on how to get the Chief back safely. She'll be back on board before you know it."

"Aye, she will. Poor Estelle's been cracking up over it, and I can hardly blame her. I'd be going cuckoo if Gallia had been abducted."

"The Chief will be back for supper." He assured her. "As for going cuckoo, I think not. You're stronger than you give yourself credit for. So is Dr. Hertz."

Kara smiled. "That's true. She aint no pushover. Strong woman. Us aberdonians are brought up in a traditional manner, but she is somethin' else. A pure heart of fire she holds for Liorga. I could tell as soon as she mentioned her dissaperan---kidnapping. They were made for each other I think.

Kara's comment about aberdonians caused Gary to remember his other reason for coming to Sickbay. "When your released from Sickbay, come by my office. i have something I need to talk to you about. Nothing bad, nothing to stress over. Just a talk. " He knew he was being vague but he didn't want to get into a talk about Kara's birth parents in Sickbay.

"Oh crap! He wants to talk?! Oh no, I guess this stunt has raised a few eyebrows about my competence. Shit. This is even worse than I thought. I can see it now. I'm pulled in, the chief, the captain and commander Taylor, even... no... Admiral Marcus. "Kara you are hereby dishonourably discharged for reckless endangerment. You are deemed unfit for duty. Turn in your uniform and go home." I can't drop out of starfleet! That's not an option! NO NO NO!"

Kara was in a sheer panic. "Nothing bad, nothing bad. Of course the commander would be great at hiding the seriousness of a situation like this. I'm an officer in a senior position, what I did is a bad example to the rest of the crew, especially the juniors on-board. What do I say to Gallia. How do I explain this to my parents? Captain Trease...he'll be so...dissapointed in me." Having not realised it, she had just said the entirety of her thoughts, out loud. Her face turned pale, as she stared at the commander. "Did I just...I did didn't i.."

Gary had a bemused smile on his face as he looked down at her. "Yep." He nodded then followed it up quickly by adding. "Kara, don't worry, don't get wound up. For some reason I can't remember a thing you were talking to me about just a few seconds ago." He wanted to assure her that her comments would go no farther than himself. "Your not going be discharged from Starfleet, you aren't being demoted. I promise. Stop stressing." He ordered. "Though I'm flattered or think I am, that you think I would be great at hiding the seriousness of a situation." He bantered. "Now promise me you'll stop imagining the worst or I'll call Gallia and have her beam back up here to set you straight."

Kara took a breath, and nodded. "You know just how strong Gallia and Tayalas have made me?" She looked down to the crib where Tayalas coo'd quietly. "I've always done everything for myself, to prove I could. However, with Gallia and this little one around now, something has changed, commander. I don't want to fail. They give me so much strength, even though Tayalas can barely say three words right now, she gives me so much strength. All I can do, is keep pushing myself, further, for them. They have made me a better person, without me ever really realising it, until I ended up here in this hospital bed. I want Tayalas and Gallia to be proud of me. I love them both so very much, that my heart burns. As much as I want Gallia to come and see me, right now she has a job to do, a job that I cannot do at all now that I'm here. I'm counting on her, to help Estelle, because I couldn't. I cannot be selfish anymore, can i...I have a new family of my own to work for."


Gary nodded at Kara's statement and saw the earnest honesty of the statement. "Kara, you, Gallia and Tayalas are a family and like with any family, they are your number one priority. You say Tayalas gives you strength. Think what you give her. Love, stabilty, someone she can count on. Think what you and Gallia give each other. Love support, understanding not to mention strength to deal and get through anything." He paused for a moment, "You aren't going to be here forever. When you are released you can pitch in and do your job to help not just Gallia or Estelle but the entire ship." He reached a hand out and gently tapped her forehead. "Just think, young lady. As you said you have a family that needs you as much as you need them."

Kara reached up to her forehead, rubbing it a little with her index finger. "Yeah, your right." She eventually said. "We each have several families. We have our families back on earth, or wherever our home planet is. then we have our family of crew and compadriates on-board whatever vessel we may be attached with. Then we have our personal family. I have to get outta here, so I can get back to helping everybody. Which means..." She stretched her arms wide and yawned. "Which means, there's nothing to do right now but rest and do what the doc says. that's the only way this'll work." She smiled and laughed, surprising herself a little. "Honestly, I thought about breaking out of here a few times, i really meant it too. But that wouldn't set a great example to the junior officers. Plus we'd probably be having a very different conversation right about now."


Gary listened to Kara's observation of how they each had several families. It was an astute observation and one she was soon going to find out applied directly to her. "If you broke out or tried I can guarantee we would be having a much different conversation. However you're already thinking like a senior officer and realised doing such would only land you in a world of trouble." He smiled, "I'll go so you rest. Don't forget to come by and see me when your released."

Kara nodded. "Will do. I'll see you as soon as I'm given the all-clear. Thanks for coming to see me commander, and for promising me to help with the wedding. As i said before, I'd be totally lost if you have refused, I'd have had to go to the Captain personally which..." She took a small pause. "The Captains a lovely woman, but her position of such authority causes me to get nervous and it would have been a real struggle to get across how I felt. I'm sure you understand."

Gary nodded in understanding. Thank you asking me Kara and I'm glad to help you. I do understand and don't worry your secret is safe with me."