No Perfect World

Posted on Sat Feb 2nd, 2019 @ 10:49am by

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Deep Space Nine
3064 words - 6.1 OF Standard Post Measure

After their lovely meal, Jessica showed Ludmilla around the station. At least, around the publicly accessible parts. Getting up onto one of the pylons and looking out over the station and the opening wormhole was the highlight, of course. “I jumped when I first saw it open while looking out the window. It was so sudden.”

“You know, all the times I’ve been here, I’ve never actually taken the time to stop and watch it.” Ludmilla replied, enjoying the look of wonder on Jessica’s face as she did, “I’ve really been missing something here.”

“I think if you’re only passing through, and not taking the time to look at all the things of beauty, you don’t notice them”, Jessica suggested. “I also like the view of the station from here. It’s so symmetrical, geometrically perfect, and still it has all these decorative details. Like those mini pylons on the middle ring, they look cute.”

Ludmilla smiled warmly and took Jessica’s hand, “I’m going to try looking at things through your eyes.” She said, “You manage to find the beauty in everything. It’s amazing.” ~Very few people see Cardassian architecture and think ‘cute’ or anything positive, she’s taking it all in without bias or fear…. She should be the most jaded of any of us, but she’s kept a positive outlook. Amazed.~

“If you’ve come from where I’m from, everything else is beautiful by comparison”, Jessica said sarcastically. “It’s not that hard.”

“You’re right. It’s not.” Ludmilla agreed, adding, “But I somehow consistently fail at it. Guess those of us that grew up with everything don’t really appreciate things the way people who didn’t have anything do.” She felt, for the first time, like she was truly spoiled, like she really was a princess, “You’ve given me a new perspective on life. Thank you.”

“It’s good to feel useful, good at something”, Jessica smiled. “I do try not to go on and on about how hard my life was up to now, though. I promise. I know it gets old fast.”

“You haven’t though.” Ludmilla laughed, “You have more right than anyone I know to be bitter and pissed off at the galaxy, yet you’re just a ball of sunshine. You really amaze me. I am more angry and affected by some trivial things than you are by a lifetime of horror.”

“It’s because I know I’m safe now”, Jessica said. “Besides, you develop a certain fatalism. It’s like, oh, what was that phrase? Something like, ‘every planet has its mafia. On Turkana, the mafia has a planet’.” She shrugged.

“Well, now the planet’s mafia or the mafia’s planet doesn’t have you.” Ludmilla reminded her, “And you’ve got friends now, and a chance at a new life.”

They’d been watching for a while, the group of three Nausicaans, seeing the two human princesses walking around like they owned the place. They concluded from how they were dressed that these two had money; they knew the darkhaired one had a bar of latinum in her possession just like they knew they were going to take it from the humans, the easy way or the hard way. As they continued their inane prattle about the beauty of the wormhole the Nausicaans approached, grabbing the blonde by the back of her neck, “Empty pockets, hew-man!”

Jessica gave a startled cry. It took her a moment to process the situation. With a shaky hand, she held out her purse to them. It contained the latinum, and her PADD, nothing else. “This is all I have”, she said in a shaky voice, thrown back, in her mind, to the horrors of home. “Please, don’t hurt her.”

“We do what we want.” The lead Nausicaan laughed, snatching Jessica’s purse and then snatching Ludmilla’s, as well as the necklace off of her neck.

“Hey, give me that, you son of a bitch!” Ludmilla swore, taking a swing at her attacker, who swiftly grabbed her by her throat and hauled her into the air while she kicked and bit futilely.

“No!” Jessica lunged herself at the Nausicaan. She was afraid he’d break her neck, or suffocate her. Jessica had learnt how to fend for herself with a knife, or a big stick. But she had neither, and there were three of them, and they were all stronger and tougher than her. She concentrated on the arm that was holding Ludmilla. “Let her go!”

“Or, better yet.” A gruff male voice called out from behind, “Why don’t you three idiots keep your hands to yourselves, these two young ladies will keep their belongings, and I’ll let you piss off instead of kicking you all three to sleep.”

The Nausicaans turned in unison, now completely ignoring their intended targets, to look into the face of a grizzled older human male, he looked like a piece of that culinary trash the humans called jerky, and they started to laugh.

“You boys laughing at me?” The older man said, his eyes squinty and intense, seeming to stare straight into their souls, “That might hurt my feelings…”

“Silly humans.” The lead Nausicaan laughed, “So soft and…”

His comment was cut off by the human’s fist impacting against his throat, “You were sayin’?” He snarled, directing his attention to Ludmilla and her friend, “You two okay?”

“I’m fine, Gunny.” Ludmilla replied, her voice hoarse from being choked.

Jessica held Ludmilla in her arms, and guided her towards a resting spot, out of the way of the fight. “You know him?” she whispered.

“Oh yeah.” Ludmilla replied with a wicked grin; those idiots were in for it now.

The other two Nausicaans, leaving their friend prone on the deck, charged the old man, though he sidestepped them both easily, slamming his forearm against the one on the left’s back, sending him to the deck, “Ya see, their heads are hard, but if you slam their kidneys they piss blood the same as we do.” He laughed, “Isn’t that right, asshole?”

The Naussican didn’t reply, simply gasping for breath on the deck with his other fallen friend and pointing his other friend at the human, muttering, “Get him!”

The last Naussican standing started barreling ahead at him, intending to push the human through the forcefield into the void if he could, “You’re mine, human!”

“You boys are starting to bore me.” The old man shook his head, sidestepping and tripping the third one, “Might want to rethink your strategy. I’ll give you a minute.”

That comment only seemed to make the ugly brute angrier, and he came up swinging, shots the human easily blocked and feinted before dropping the Nausicaan over his back onto the deck

While the fight was going on, Jessica approached one of the fallen, took the nasty looking blade he had by his side. She wanted to be ready should it go south. “Why are they doing this?”

“Poor breeding, I guess.” The older man laughed as he saw the third one bearing down on him again. His eye caught the contents of the dark haired girl’s purse, “Is that a bar of gold pressed latinum?”

“Yeah, it was a gift”, Jessica said. “Are they dead?”

“Just wishin’ they were.” The old man, the one Ludmilla called Gunny, replied, “Can I borrow that a second? I’ll give it right back.”

“Y.. yes, sure. Just, make sure they’re dead?” Jessica asked. In her experience, those bullies would come back with friends if they weren’t dispatched. She’d been brought up to fight back all the way, and never leave survivors who could tell others who had beaten them.

“Thanks.” Gunny winked, taking the bar and putting it in a towel he’d taken from his duffle, turning to face the now all standing Nausicaans again, “Okay, gentlemen, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gunnery Sergeant Tim Rhodes, and I’m giving you three morons one last chance to haul ass before you make me mad. Otherwise, we’re gonna have a Parris Island dance party.”

The three Nausicaans, apparently not smart enough to leave well enough alone, charged at this Gunnery Sergeant Rhodes, when they were done they would rob him, too.

“You three are a very special kind of stupid.” He sighed, beginning to swing the towel and the encased latinum at them. He impacted against their heads, rib cages, knees, backs, stomachs, and anything else he could hit, sending them all to the deck unconscious. He unwrapped the bar from his towel, which he placed back into his duffle, before presenting it back to the owner, “Ma’am.”

“How did you do that?” Jessica asked. She was competent with knife or staff, but swinging about like that without hitting herself? She couldn’t do that. She took the bar of latinum, now with some tell-tale dents in it, and placed it back in her purse. “Should we just throw them out the airlock?”

“Not that hard. I can show you.” Rhodes replied with a shrug, he’d dropped guys a lot bigger and badder than those three who seemed to be remedial Nausicaans anyway, “As for shooting them out of the airlock, tempting, but they wouldn’t be thrilled about it.” He said, pointing to the coming wave of Bajoran deputies headed their way.

“Sir, we’re going to need you to come with us.” The leader, who looked to be all of twenty said, “We’re taking you into custody until we sort this out.”

“I got no problem with that, Deputy.” Rhodes said, pulling a cigar from his pocket and lighting it, “But you call me ‘Sir’ again and there’s gonna be an issue. I work for a living. Got it, kid?”

“Yes, Si…” He began, going to a full stop intimidated as he was.

“Try Gunny.” Rhodes offered, “That won’t piss me off.”

“Come with us, Gunny.” He said back, adding, “Please.”

“That’s more like it.” Rhodes laughed, puffing his stogie like nothing was going on, “You’re learning.”

“All he did was defend us from those ruffians”, Jessica told the deputies. “These three, they’re brutal for no reason.” She was still holding the knife, but she hadn’t used it, and thus there was no blood on it.

“WHOA!!” One of the Bajoran deputies screamed, jumping back and pulling his weapon, “She’s got a knife!”

“Put it away, you idiot.” Rhodes ordered, “She took it off of one of them to defend herself and the Ambassador’s niece with.”

“Ambassador’s niece?” The baby faced lead deputy gulped, the sudden feeling of being screwed washing over him. He turned to the others, “Take the Nausicaans into custody as well.”

Jessica noticed she still had the knife in her hand. She switched it around so the blade was pointing away from her, holding it by the dull side, handle first towards the deputy. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” The deputy replied, holstering his weapon as he’d been instructed, “I’ll just take that. Evidence.”

“Right.” The lead deputy agreed quickly, “And we’ll go get this all sorted, Gunny. If you ladies will give statements.”

With a shaky hand, Jessica turned the weapon over to the Bajoran. “Could we have a moment?” she asked. Her back was aching, radiating out from her kidneys. The adrenaline glands, she was coming down from her fear-induced high. She had thought this was behind her, had felt safe. “I think I need to…” she backed into a wall, slid down and just sat there.

“JESSICA!” Ludmilla shrieked, falling to her knees beside the Turkanan, “Are you okay?”

“Ludmilla, take her to sickbay, now.” Rhodes instructed, “You can give your statement later, I’ll be fine.”

“I’m… I’m good. Just give me a moment”, Jessica said.

“Besides, shouldn’t I be the one determining who goes where right now?” The lead deputy interjected, catching Rhodes’ icy stare, “Though, I think the Gunny is right. You ladies should probably go to sickbay and get checked out. You know, for the reports.”

“Well, now that that’s settled.” Rhodes smirked, he truly enjoyed toying with lesser men, “Ludmilla, take your friend and move out.”

“She said she’s…” Ludmilla began, then decided she didn’t want to argue with Rhodes either, “Now that you mention it my throat hurts from being choked, we should go to sickbay, Jess.”

Jessica struggled to her feet, rubbing her back. She took a few deep breaths, then nodded. “Okay, yes, if you’re hurt, we need to go.” She took Ludmilla’s hand. “Never fight them, unless they start it”, she said softly. “Just give them what you have, if that’s all they want.”

An hour later the two women emerged from sickbay with clean bills of health and Rhodes waiting on them with the baby faced deputy, “Well, everything check out okay?” Rhodes asked, his voice gruff, but compassionate.

“Yes, she’s fine”, Jessica said. And she was, too, physically. But her confidence was shaken. “Thank you for rescuing us.”

“My pleasure.” Rhodes replied, “Those three were boring me anyway.” He turned to Ludmilla and shook his head, “And what you did back there was damn stupid, girl. You could’ve gotten yourself and your friend killed trying to rescue a necklace…”

“That was given to me by Aunt Anje.” Ludmilla protested.

“Who would kick your ass if she knew what you’d done.” Rhodes cut her off; furious, though you’d never know to look at him, that damn girl knew better, “As it happens, I’m not going to tell her…”

“And when can we expect the Ambassador to arrive?” The deputy asked, command said that the niece had been on the station, in the Ambassadorial suite, for two days already.

A quick glance told Rhodes that Ludmilla has used her Aunt’s status to scam herself the best seat in the house, he thought about ripping into her again, but knew he couldn’t do it without laughing. So, with that in mind, he turned to face the deputy, “Did you really just ask about a Federation Ambassador’s travel itenary?” He growled, “Knowing about the Official Secrets Act?”

“Oh, of course.” The deputy replied, wondering in the back of his mind if the Gunny was about to backhand him, “How silly of me.”

“Right.” Rhodes sneered, “Dismissed.”

“Okay, so I’ll just be going then.” The deputy replied, playing it off, “Got to process the arrests of those Nausicaans. Lots of paperwork.”

Rhodes watched as the Deputy laughed, shaking his head and snickering, “Idiot.” before turning his attention back to Ludmilla, “So, Ambassadorial suite, huh? How many rooms?”

“Like eight.” Ludmilla answered.

“Guess I’ve found my billet then.” Rhodes stated, there was no room for argument, and looked to Jessica, “And what about you?”

Jessica figured formal introductions were in order. She couldn’t assume everyone had seen her video, and despite him being known to Ludmilla and the ambassador, who was to say he’d recognise her face. So she held out her hand and said, “I’m Jessica Clarke. I have a cabin, but I’ve also been invited to stay in the palace rooms.”

“Probably the best idea.” Rhodes said, jerking a thumb towards Ludmilla, “Might be nice to have someone help me keep an eye on this one. Nice to meet you, Jessica.”

“This whole affair, it was my fault. I shouldn’t have taken her up there”, Jessica said. “I thought this place was different. Safe.”

“Okay, stow that.” Rhodes said flatly, “That was not your fault in the least. And this place is different, you just gotta understand there’s an amount of dirtbags and idiots everywhere, you just have to be on your toes. As for you taking her somewhere wrong, those fools would’ve just jumped you somewhere else, didn’t matter where. You did nothing wrong, so put that outta your mind.”

She nodded meekly. “I don’t understand. People have everything they need here. Why?”

“Because, on the whole, people aren’t great.” Rhodes shrugged, he’d never had to articulate this to anyone before, much less an adult, but he could tell this woman was… different. “Some people everything they need isn’t enough, so you get guys like that. They’re few and far between though, so don’t let them color your perceptions.”

Jessica sighed and made a face, clearly unhappy. “I’ll have to get a weapon.”

“Tell ya what, let’s worry about that tomorrow.” Rhodes offered, suddenly protective of this young woman who reminded him of his daughter, Shannon, ~Wonder what she’s doing lately…~ “In the meantime you’re safe with us.”

“That I believe”, Jessica nodded. She’d never seen anyone fight as well, and as relaxed, as this man. Nobody on Turkana had that level of training, at least nobody she knew. “I… don’t usually try to fight this many.”

“And you shouldn’t.” Rhodes nodded, “But you’ve got a meter of guts, I respect that.”

Jessica shook her head. “I was scared, thought they might kill her.”

“Fear can destroy you.” Rhodes said, “Or it can motivate you.” It was a truth he’d known for decades, he’d passed it on to every Marine under him, and he hoped she’d make use of that truth herself, “You got motivated, went into action instead of going all fetal position. That’s impressive.”

“I think we’d both have been hurt, or worse, if you hadn’t shown up”, Jessica said. “In retrospect, it was a useless act.”

“Nope.” Rhodes shook his head, “You stood up to those idiots, bought me time to get there. So that inherently makes it useful.”

“Thank you. You’re very kind”, Jessica said.

Rhodes had to fight the urge to recoil visibly at being called ‘kind.’ It wasn’t a bad thing, per se, but nothing he’d ever been accused of being before. But, the young lady was sweet, so he simply smiled as best he could and said “Thank you.”