Thinking About the Future

Posted on Sat May 9th, 2020 @ 4:55pm by Lieutenant JG Gallia Norris

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Deep Space 9, Luxury Rentals
Timeline: day after Help Me!
935 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure

After the constables had finished interviewing Richard and Melissa about how quickly the Promenade had turned into the OK Corral, they'd left with the younger woman, Catlin, back to their rental, where she'd been provided with everything she needed and slept on the couch in their living area. Richard and Melissa now sat on the bed in their master bedroom, he was reading about the Elysium on his PADD, "Dae ye shee thish, Melissa?" Richard asked, "They've got their own bloody academy on that ship, is' so big."

"Academy?" Melissa raised an eyebrow and laid her closely cropped grey head on her man's shoulder, after all these years he was finally hers, "You thinkin' about comin' outta retirement as a teacher?"

"Well, if it'll get me on Elyshium where I can be with my granddaughter and great granddaughter, aye, I'll give it a shot." Richard replied, "They're currently without a commandant, maybe I apply for that."

"I can see that." Melissa smiled, "And maybe I'll see if they need an Ops instructor. I've been outta the game a while, but I haven't forgotten anything."

"Tha's true." Richard nodded approvingly, glad to see Melissa planned on coming along; he wanted Tayalas to have a good family support system and knew Melissa would treat her like her own, "I think I'll transmit my resume, might shee if I can get Anje off of her soapbox long enough to put in a good word."

"Anje as President." Melissa laughed hard, "Lord help us."

"She's a damn shight better than Tommy Grogan." Richard groaned, he didn't personally have a problem in the world with Thomas Grogan, he just didn't want the man to be President; to him that would be like the old short story where the evil scientist handed his rival's retarded son a loaded gun, at best.

"Not sure anybody outta that bunch you two ran in should be President." Melissa said honestly, "But if my choices are Anje or Grogan, I'll take Anje. Shame Admiral Picard isn't interested, or Siral chi-Trei isn't still alive."

"Well, with Anje in charge, me getting this spot and making the Elysium our new home is almost assured." Richard smiled, though she was worried that the Aubrey Tate escape scandal might blow up on Anje, though for the life of him he couldn't figure out who was sending Marisol Lopez in the wrong direction and why.

"Don't even think it." Melissa warned, she knew that expression he had, it was the one that he had when he wanted to call Anje Zhukov to get back into the game, Melissa had no intention to let her pull Richard back into the undercover life, "We're not spending our golden years with you dead, got me?"

"Alright, alright, calm yourshelf." Richard laughed, though he had seriously been giving thought to offering to chase down Aubrey Tate for Anje, "I jusht thought I could posshibly help was all."

"Whatever you're thinking I guarantee you Anje's got younger, healthier men on call to do it for her better than you can anymore." Melissa said, "Besides, you're settling into life as a Grandpa and school teacher, helping raise the next generation of Starfleet officers while taking Tayalas for walks and ice cream. Oh, yeah, and eventually you're gonna do the right thing for me and offer me a ring. Can't do any of that if you get killed doing... whatever in hell you were planning to offer to do for that crazy Russian bitch."

"Oh, nothing much, darling. Jusht going to go track down Aubrey Tate for her." He shrugged, though he was internally bracing himself for her fury.

"The HELL you will!" Melissa snapped, fury was the least of it, "You might have been one of the best wolves in Marcia King's pack, but that was decades ago. Sorry, 007, that ain't you anymore, and even at your best you weren't a match for that thing."

"He'sh a man, Melissa, nothing more." Richard shook his head in dismay, the aura and legend of Aubrey Tate he felt would prove to be far stronger and more enduring than the actual man himself, "And if he bleedsh, I can kill him."

"Really? Because so far nobody else has been able to." Melissa fired back, it angered her that no sooner was Dr. Bashir about to save his life than he was trying to throw it away chasing after a monster who had killed hundreds of people for Anje Zhukov's benefit, "What makes you so sure that you'll do better?"

"I've got training that the othersh didn't." He replied, "But, you're right, I cannae rishk drawing his attention and bringing him to Gallia or Tayalas."

"That's right." Melissa replied, arms folded, she was pissed he even thought of it, "I just went through hell trying to make sure I didn't lose you, now you want to go sacrifice yourself on some ego trip."

"Calm down, love, I'm not going." Richard sighed, she wsa so emotional sometimes.

"You're damn right you're not." She snarled, "I'll chain you to the bed if you make me."

"Right, right." Richard nodded, sending a message to the Elysium attention Captain Lalor, "Alright, so there we are, my first steps into the world os Grandparenting and Academia."

"Much better." Melissa smiled, her tone now calm and sweet as she laid her head on his shoulder, "Can't wait to meet the kids."

"Me, either." Richard smiled, kissing her forehead gently, "And no more manhunts for me, promise."

"Good, so that means no more for me, either." She joked, causing them both to laugh.