Clearing the Air ....and Resolution (Rough Flight, pt. 3)

Posted on Sat Feb 15th, 2025 @ 8:46am by Lieutenant Commander Rin & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Shuttle, Deep Space
Timeline: After current mission
3474 words - 6.9 OF Standard Post Measure

---Recap - Gary and Rin have crashed on an unknown world. As they wait for rescue, they've been forced to address the broken friendship between them---

"Fine Rin, I've apologized, and I am sincerely sorry for my actions and words. I don't know what else I can do other than show you through my actions." Gary replied in a frustrated but even tone. He then got up and went to the front of the shuttle looking at the gauges as he did. "We have a problem." He stated calmly and then expanded on his comment. "It's going to get very hot in here shortly. Cooling system is overheating. Probably one or more of the exhaust ports for it are clogged. I'll go outside and see if I can clear away any of the debris. It will necessitate me go under the shuttle."

"It was a clarification," was all Rin said in reply. Apparently, Gary was allowed to correct her use of the word impasse, but it was somehow offensive to explain that, yes, impasse was exactly the term she was looking for. She hadn't been looking for another fight. Just trying to clarify in a conversation rife with miscommunication. Instead, it just seemed to be getting increasingly petty.

Thank goodness for a life-threatening emergency.

---and now....---

She nodded in acknowledgement of Gary's words as she dropped into the pilot seat, trying to coax more helpful information from the shuttle's computer. "I'll let you know if the gauge moves."

Gary didn't reply, he felt it was better to say as little as possible at least right now. He had said he was sorry, and he sincerely was. he would let his actions do his talking. Yet, he couldn't help but feel that while they talked and cleared the air, no progress had been made in their personal relationship. Rin said she didn't trust him and that hurt. He shook his head; he needed to concentrate on the task ahead. He moved to rear of the shuttle and started putting on the enviro suit. Once it was secure, he grabbed the small utility belt and buckled it about his waist. "I'll let you know what I find." He told Rin as he walked to the shuttle entrance.

Pressing the door release switch Gary stepped out and door hissed closed behind him. He looked out at the vibrant colors of the plateau he and Rin had landed on. There was thick vegetation surrounding the shuttle. of all different shapes and sizes. with colors to go along. There were green, red, some blue and even some yellow plants and trees. All stunning in their beauty. He reminded himself he was here to do a job and needed to get to it. "Heading to rear of shuttle." He announced not really expecting a reply. It was more of a courtesy to Rin. Reaching the rear, he could see damage to that portion of the shuttle. It didn't especially bad. He was more concerned about the damage under the shuttle. "Going under the shuttle." He again relayed to Rin.

Bending down, he got under the shuttle so he could assess the damage. His eyes followed the scorch marks from reentry to where the exhaust ports for the cooling system were and stifled a sigh. They were a mess. Bent, and collapsed in on themselves. he could see debris sticking out of a few of them. he contacted Rin again. "The ports are in a bad way; some are twisted in on themselves and others are clogged with debris. " He stated. "I'm going to try and clear those first. Keep an eye on the gauge please."

"Yes, sir," she acknowledged. "Otherwise, we could reverse the airflow and try blowing the debris out." Neither option was great. Debris going in either direction could cause more damage, and her solution meant venting atmosphere. But it was at least a second option.

"Good idea. We may have to consider that if clearing the ports doesn't lower the heat." Gary answered. Lying on his he was acutely aware of the oppressive heat and the cloying atmosphere even through the suit. This was going to take time, and he needed to pace himself. "Alright, starting to clear the first port." Twenty minutes late, he had cleared a small mountain of debris from the port. "Any change in the reading Rin?"

"Cooling system is back online, but struggling. You should at least come in and catch your breath," she suggested.

"Online but struggling. Okay, means some more ports need to be cleared. Let me try to clear one more and we'll see if that makes more of an improvement."

"Yes, sir."

Gary got back to clawing, digging the debris away from a second port. it was slow, tedious hot work. He was breathing hard when the second port was cleared. "How does it read now Rin?" He asked between deep breaths.

"Better. Running at 67% efficiency," Rin reported. "If we need to do further work, at least let me swap out. You're clearly exhausted, and my body is better suited for the environment."

Gary nodded not that Rin could see. "That is better. Okay coming back to you." he answered as he called out from under the shuttle. Standing on shaking legs he slowly made his way back to the hatch. Standing there for a minute to collect himself, he hit the door release and as soon as it opened, he staggered inside, taking off the helmet and sitting tin the pilot's seat. "That does feel better." He admitted.

Rin took the helmet from him and packed it away while he caught his breath. Returning to the cockpit, she handed over a hydration bottle as she took a seat.

"First thing the xBs did on Tavara for our rescuers was resource gathering in the wastes," she shared. "Most life can only survive in the coastal areas. The rest of it is far too hot and toxic. But that's where the mineral deposits are, so we went out and mined. Of course, I was more Borgy back then. I don't have the internal cooling systems anymore, but I still have some regulators and resistances, and my pulmonary system is more efficient."

Gary took the bottle gratefully and drank. Not greedily but drank. When finished he looked at Rin. "Borgy?" He smiled tiredly at the word. "It's hot Rin and the soil is thick and sticks to everything which adds to clearing it out. Let's see how it goes but thank you for offering."

She shrugged with a hint of a smirk. "It's succinct, and anyone who knows me knows what it means."

"Ah. Got it." He replied and took another sip from the bottle.

Gary placed the bottle down. "I'd like to more about your time on Tavara if you would like to talk about it."

Rin settled back into her seat. He was asking about 8 years of experiences, from the moment she escaped the Collective to the moment Federation officers initiated First Contact. She took a long moment considering what would make good conversation vs. what would just be...weird.

"In many ways, we were children," she started. "We didn't know where we were or what traumatic thing had just occurred, other than now we were in a chaotic, lonely world outside the Collective. The native people were relatively isolated - by choice. They had strong ties to their world and didn't see a lot of value outside of it, so they had no idea what we even were. Which was probably for the best.

"Some helped us. Some used us. Many fell somewhere in the middle. The xBs supported each other best they could, best they could even understand the concept. Some did better than others. Making choices as an individual, sometimes without even the counsel of others, is a hard skill to re-learn. Being responsible for it, even harder.

"Ebi was one of the good ones. He recalled a lot of his past. That was an anchor for him. Helped to pull the rest of us up. But Tavara was too small for him. It time, it was for a lot of us. We were welcomed, but outsiders. People left to find home or see the wider universe or just better understand themselves."

Gary listened in silence as Rin told her story. he was amazed at what she and the other XBs had been through. They had not only survived being separated from the Collective but grew as people and regained their individuality. When she finished, he looked at her, " Rin, you and the other xBs were literally babes in the woods. Learning and trying to and eventually in succeeding in building new lives for yourselves." He grew silent and after a moment he continued, "Ebi sounds like he helped you and the others a great deal. I'm sorry I didn't get to know him better. Very sorry. Do you remember your past? If the question is indelicate, I withdraw it. "

"Not indelicate," Rin assured him. "And, no, by and large, I don't. Of late, more bits and pieces have come back as inhibitors have broken down, but most of the data is probably simply gone. Honestly, it's pretty confusing when I do remember. I've spent years building new memories with family, and suddenly remembering something from 40 years ago is... weird. Out of context. My lack of memory bothers other people far more than it bothers me. James has years of memories of us from before, and I... don't. He saw his wife, and I saw a stranger. I did, however, remember a certain sense of him. First time we met after my return, I knew he was safe. I hadn't felt that way around anyone else. I had no idea who he was, other than what I had been told, but I knew I was safe with him."

Once again Gary listened in silence as Rin told her story. When she finished, he spoke. "You are an amazing person Rin to have not only survived what you have been through but to overcome it and build a new life. That is truly awe inspiring. Sometimes feeling safe with someone is all you need to know to give you peace. I am glad you felt it with James. You said your lack of memories bothers others more than you, are you referring to family members?"

Rin nods. "Yeah. Parents. James. That's about it. Most everyone else I knew was on the London."

"I'm sorry Rin." Gary said and truly was. "I would think they would be glad to have you back and build upon that."

"Oh, no!" Rin exclaimed. "They have all been most welcoming, and we have built upon that. But... there's a lifetime of memories that only go one way. I don't remember my own wedding. That's rather a gut punch to everyone who thought it rather memorable. They don't blame me, but it can be uncomfortable for them, and I understand that. It's why I don't go by Nicola. I don't have her memories. I don't even have her personality. Apparently, she was an extrovert. My parents are still my parents. James is still James. But you can't expect me to be Nicola."

Gary nodded, "Well no, they can't and shouldn't if you don't have her memories. You are two different people. I understand how your parents and James feel as well. How it can be awkward and uncomfortable. However, you can build new memories, and I think you are, I hope you are. Is there a chance you could recover the memories you lost or are they gone forever?" He questioned. Hoping there was chance Rin could regain her lost memories if it was slim.

"I think it unlikely. But that's OK. I don't have to be her. It's been 34 years, and I've been Rin for 17 of them," It's fine. Really."

"No, you don't have to be her. I think you do just fine making memories and being Rin and there isn't a thing wrong with that"

As an awkward silence again filled the shuttle cabin, Gary decided to try and change the subject. "Say, what have we got to eat? We'll need to keep out strength up. We may be here for a few days."

Rin headed back to the store of supplies, pulling out a pack of rectangular packages. "Nutrient bars that promise to taste like chicken, Nutrient bars that promise to taste like stroganoff, nutrient bars that promise to taste like hasperat. I suspect all of these are lies."

Gary laughed heartily, "I think you are spot on correct Rin and as far as how they taste. I'm going to say they probably taste closer to cardboard. I mean they are MRE nutrient bars, made to last for years. Which one are you going to be brave enough to try RIn?"

"I'm going to live dangerously and try the hasperat," Rin said flatly.

"You are living dangerously." Gary agreed. "I think I'll try the stroganoff. I mean how bad can it be?"

Rin dropped back into her seat with the two packages, handing one to Gary. That's when another alarm went off on the console.

"Looks like it's my turn to go outside," she commented as she headed to the back to grab a suit.

Gary was on his feet instantly and looked at the console. "Coolings system. " He announced. "Not offline yet but if we can't at least stabilize it, it will be." He saw Rin get an enviro suit. he wasn't going to pull any macho BS. She was just as qualified as he was to do repairs and as she noted, he was exhausted. "When you get under the shuttle, pace yourself. You'll be in a tight space and the heat encases you."

Rin stepped outside in her suit and slid under the shuttle, which was slightly tilted on the uneven terrain. A pile of debris had collected under the ship, both from the crash landing and Gary's earlier efforts to clear the intakes. The filtration system was damaged, so it kept sucking up bits of rock and vegetation.

She was relieved Gary had simply let her come out here for a shift. Her impression from her earlier offer was that he was going to "chivalrous" and insist on doing it himself, which would absolutely have pissed her off again. But he didn't, so she wasn't going to dwell on it.

Something pinched her finger, though not enough to cut the suit, She pulled her hands free and found a crustacean-like thing dangling from her hand.

"We've got a critter who has decided our intake port should be home," she commed Gary. "I think maybe now that it's gone we'll have more luck... assuming it doesn't have family."

Inside the shuttle, Gary key his eyes on temperature. it was slowly rising again. He heard Rin's comment about them having a critter who decided to take up residence in their port intake. "No problems with said critter Rin?" He asked as not being able to see the creature she encountered, he didn't know if it was a problem or annoyance or something not to be concerned with. "Nothing else out there deciding to keep you company is there?"

He glanced back at the gauge; it had risen five degrees in the short time he had talked to Rin. "Temp has risen five degrees in the brief time we've talked, and cooling unit is operating at 58 percent." He advised her. "I'm going to take it offline to take the operating stress off it."

"Critter has been neutralized," she reported. "By which I mean I hit it against a rock. Do we have anything we can install as a makeshift filter? So nothing crawls up there again after it's cleaned out?"

Gary heard Rin's question about a filter. " Good way to neutralize a critter." He joked and then grew serious. "Hold on one minute Rin." As he looked about the shuttle for a suitable even if temporary filter. Then he had it. He took off his tunic and took off his t-shirt. Opening the com again he asked, "How big a filter to you need Rin?"

"Ideally big enough to fit over the whole port. Otherwise, I'll just have to be clever."

"Got just what we need. Stay there, I'll bring it to you." Gary replied as he put his tunic back on and began to put the enviro suit began on.

Finally, something going at least half right for us, Rin thought as she wiggled out from under the shuttle.

Gary finished putting the suit on and stepped out of the shuttle and headed to where Rin was working. At first, he didn't see her then he saw wiggling out from under the shuttle. "Got what we need. I had to improvise but this should work." He told her as he handed her his t-shirt.

Rin chuckled. She had been expecting some sort of wire mesh or porous polymer or even a filter from some other system that she'd have to jury rig into place. She had been wracking her brain trying to think up what appropriate thing the shuttle might carry.

"My hero," she quipped as she disappeared under the shuttle again. "Sir Gary of Taylor."

It had been ages since she had thought about that incident in the holodeck, back before the accident. Over the suit coms, Gary could hear her make a noise that sounded almost like a giggle.

Standing there, Gary heard what sounded like a giggle and it brought a smile to his face. It was a holo- program that had run amuck that They had been trapped in. It had been quite the adventure. "Rin daughter of Khan and the Borg Queen." He whispered. It made him all the more aware of the friendship they had and enjoyed and where they were now but hearing what sounded like a giggle, well maybe there was hope for them yet.

"That was the weirdest day ever," she mused while bonding the fabric to the outside of the vent. "Starfleet officers have plenty of weird experiences, but that was the weirdest."

A few minutes later, she slid back into view. "Hopefully that'll hold. Let's get back inside."

"I'm all for getting back inside." Gary looked at her, "You, okay?" He asked as they walked to the front of the shuttle.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" she asked once they were back inside, pulling off the enviro-suits.

"No reason you shouldn't be Rin; I was just checking because of the heat and the tight space you were working in." Gary replied as he sat down and picked up his stroganoff MRE. "You know, I think I'm going to suggest every shuttle and runabout have a Taylor filter aboard them." He said before he started laughing.

Rin chuckled a bit at it as she opened her own MRE. She hadn't previously been hungry, but the foray out of the shuttle had been a bit exhausting. She eyed the readouts. "Cooling system holding at 67%."

Gary nodded at Rin's statement. "Excellent. Good work Rin." He looked at the MRE in his hand and then over at Rin. "Well, here goes nothing." He remarked as he opened the box and looked at the nutrient bar. "This has got to be the most unappetizing stroganoff I have ever seen."

He eyed her MRE, "And that does not look like any Hasperat Soup either for that matter." He commented before a silence again
engulfed the pair, but this was a comfortable silence not awkward, and tension filled. Gary wasn't sure where they stood but he felt they were in better place than when the mission started and he would count that as progress.

"The taste pretty much matches the looks," she confirmed.

Silence descended again as they ate. She was tired, both physically and emotionally. Like Gary, she felt they were in a better place than where they had started. "I think we're ok," she said, eventually. She refrained from adding more or less. They had gotten as far as she suspected they would, that they could. She was willing to accept that.

Gary had bitten his MRE and made a face. "It tastes like carboard." He answered then nodded at her pronouncement. After a few seconds later added. "I am grateful and happy to hear you say that Rin. Very grateful." He repeated.

This time a comfortable silence settled over the pair and for the next few days they settled into a routine of quiet, enjoyable conversation until a message came through from the Elysium, stating the ship would be in transporter range in 25 minutes and for them to be prepared for transport.

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