The falcon cannot hear the falconer

Posted on Sat Jul 6th, 2024 @ 3:18am by Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani

Mission: Season 6 HIATUS
Location: Shuttle Bay
Timeline: MD10 1800
744 words - 1.5 OF Standard Post Measure

"You want a what, son?" CPO Coco Hath looked the Andorian dead in the eye.

"A transfer, chief." Ran Th'shyniq replied. "Out of flight. Preferably to Ops, but I'm happy with whatever. Just don't want to be here anymore."

"Oh really?"

"Not after everything. Want a fresh start."

"Oh you do, do you?"

Ran tried not to shuffle his feet. He felt about eight years old trying to con sweets out his mothers.

He was saved by an interruption in the form of a bristling Tellurian. "Chief!" barked Wath Jav Tram. The Tellurite was fuming. "Have you seen what she's done? I'm on the same shift as Dovel? How are we supposed to manage the children?" The shuttle engineer threw his hands up. "I need you to change this."

Hath gave him a sharp look, knuckles going white around the stylus in her hand. "Get your tongue under control Tram, and I'll give it a shot."

"Good." the tellurite crewman said with a clipped tone. He noticed Ran then, and gave them both a quick nod before retreating.

Hath pinched her nose. "Thats the second one today, not counting you. That girl is giving me migraines." She huffed out a breath. "We're thirteen million light years from home, and you want a 'fresh start'?" Hath continued. "There's nothing fresh out here except the horizon. And you want to go do Ops? We not good enough for you, crewman?"

Ran wilted a bit under the withering gaze. "No Chief. But I think it would be better if I wasn't around here. Not after everything."

"I see. And that's it, is it? Sure the real reason isn't, say, about one-eighty five tall and about seventy five kilos?"

Ran hoped he wasn't blushing. "Chief?"

"Don't play dumb with me," Hath said sharply. "I am many things, Th'shyniq, but blind ain't one of them."

"I, er."

Hath sighed and reached for a padd, meaning to annotate the rota again. She put the bent stylus down and picked up her spare. "This rota is two days old, and I've been asked to change it twice, not three times, already and now this. Be grateful I like you, Ran."

"Thanks chief." Ran beamed at her,

"Don't thank me yet, not promising to get you moved. You'll need to give it a - "

"Chief!" Another member of flight control came over, looking shattered. "Chief, please. Please put me back on the night shift. I am not a morning person."

Coco closed her eyes, counted to ten. "Noted, petty officer Sora, but we had to move someone and Raoul-"

"Maybe you should just ask the Dread Pilot Pinkie to do the rota again, chief?" Ran suggested

There was a sharp snap. Chief Hath put the broken stylus down and picked up a third one. "We make do with what we have." It sounded more like a mantra than any real answer. "She's only goin to have to do it again if I pack you off to Ops."

"Your going to Ops?" Sora asked, their earring chain swinging sharply as they turned to the new gossip.

"Not yet he isn't." Hath said firmly. "I need to square it with whoever's running ops, and then She has to sign it off. Which I might as well get on with. Computer, where is Ensign Derani?"

"Ensign Derani is in counselling."

Ran's antenna rose up in surprise. "Wonder what she's doing there?"

"Haven't you heard?" Sora grinned, pleased to be first on the gossip this time. "I heard from someone in security that her memories are coming back. She's gone to let the telepaths have a root around, find out who tried to kill her."

"Fantastic!" Ran sat on the urge to punch the air, "Finally people will stop lookin me at funny."

"I hate to break it to you, but that's not the reason." Sora grinned. "Its because we're all wondering what our stern sensible Salot sees in your frosty blue arse."

Ran couldn't help the violet flush. "Does everyone know about that?"

The bajoran's grin got wider, as bright as the stone in their d'ja pagh. "You can't hide amongst numbers any more. We all know each other's business now."

"Well you won't know my business much longer. I'm getting out of here, with any luck. Just as soon as the Chief sorts it out. And you won't make me wait too long, will you-" He turned to Hath, "Chief?"

But Hath had gone.