Exsilium Interrumpitur
Posted on Wed Mar 20th, 2024 @ 6:40pm by
1,563 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Things Past
Location: Deneva Prime
THREE MONTHS AGO...
Osher watched with field glasses from the hide as the two Starfleet officers examined the prefabricated cabin. Something remotely like a smile crossed his lips as the young woman politely touched the senior’s chest, preventing him from knocking on the door. The woman made a quick circuit of the cabin, tricorder in hand, before coming back around. Osher listened to the conversation through an ear bud.
“I doubt if he lives here,” the woman said, “I think it’s a bluff and he’s probably living in a cave nearby. He’s probably watching us right now. Probably…” she nodded in Osher’s general direction, “Up there somewhere.”
“Why-“ the man began.
“Because he doesn’t want visitors, sir,” the woman explained, “I read his file. If he wants to likely he will go to ground and it would take a dedicated search to find him.”
“Well, then, what do you suggest, lieutenant?”
“Politely ask him to meet us, sir. I’m sure the cabin has listening devices.”
The older man hesitated, then said aloud, “Osher! It’s Mercot. Could we please meet face to face?” he hesitated, then added, “You could wait us out; we have to leave in twenty four hours. But I would appreciate it if you would at least hear me out.”
Osher frowned thoughtfully. He could indeed wait them out. But…Captain Mercot was being polite, after all. Osher pulled out his comm badge and tapped it.
“There is a narrow footpath hidden by some branches, you passed by it a kilometer back,” Osher said, his voice coming out of a small speaker above the door. Mercot gave a start, the young woman didn’t, “If you can find it then I will meet you.”
Osher shut off the comm badge and slithered out of the hide. He would have just enough time to get cleaned up for his guests…
* * *
Last time Osher had seen Mercot he had been a lieutenant commander. He looked fit enough as a captain. The young woman stood in the mouth of the cave off to the side so she had a clear line of fire. Osher regarded her with a measure of respect.
“Osher,” Mercot began as he glanced around the cave, “You look…haggard.”
Osher smiled slightly and scratched his beard, “Ah, well, rough living will do that to you. Coffee? I am growing beans on the north face and I have become quite good at using the grinder. I am not certain if it tastes better than replicated or if that’s just the effort taken makes it better, but…”
“No, thank you,” Mercot replied.
“I’ll take a cup,” the woman said, “My name is Joi.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Joi. I watched your work. You take no chances. Are you certain the coffee won’t be poisoned?”
“Depends on how bad the coffee is, I suppose,” Joi replied. She glanced over at the corner at the cave’s other occupant, “What is your bird called?”
“Polly.”
“Not very-“
“Amorous.”
Joi grimaced, which only made Osher grin. It hurt his face.
As he walked over to the table in the corner and prepared the coffee he said, “Don’t try and pet her right away; you need to talk to her a bit, let her get used to you.”
“She bites?” Joi in inquired.
“Oh my, yes. I have learned to respect her boundaries,” there was a high pitched whistle, “She knows we are talking about her. African Greys are quite intelligent, and-hey!”
Polly had spread her wings and seemed ready to take flight, Osher pointed at her, “No coffee beans! We talked about this! Coffee beans are bad for you!”
“petaQ” Polly called out, but she withdrew her wings.
Osher sighed, “She knows a thousand words. A hundred of them are insults in different languages."
As Osher prepared the coffee Mercot said, “So, you live in a cave. It’s…Well, it’s sad, really. I mean, Osher, really. You’ve been here, what, almost a year, just…sulking in this hole in the side of a mountain.”
“Don’t knock it; at least I have gotten a lot of reading done, Captain,” he approached the pair at the small table with the tray containing three steaming cups, “No one is trying to kill me here. I am not exposed to whatever horrors the universe is sending my way.”
Mercott accepted his cup, he took a sip and grimaced, “Strong.”
“It is that,” Osher agreed. He sipped his, “Yes, making your own coffee does make it taste better.”
“Are you happy, lieutenant?” Joi inquired mildly.
“I was happy a year ago, lieutenant,” Osher replied, “I doubt ‘happiness’ will be a state of
being I will ever experience again.”
“Well, you won’t know hunkered down in this cave.”
Osher sipped, regarded Joi for a long moment.
“You’re a counselor, aren’t you?” he said, “I’m guessing you were coached to play the part of a security officer. Probably a gray haired senior non-commissioned officer, them shaking their head in frustration as they tried to fit a square peg into a round hole.”
Joi grimaced and glanced at Mercot, “Damn.”
Mercot hid his smile behind his cup
The three sat in almost companionable silence for almost a minute, then Osher said, “What was your plan ‘B’?”
“Kidnapping you was an option we explored,” Mercot noted, “But that seemed counter-productive. Appealing to your sense of patriotism was another idea, but that seemed a stretch.”
“Do it for Polly.”
Osher had been about to reply when he was brought up short. He regarded Joi.
Joi continued, “You think it’s fair to her to loiter in this cave with your miserable self?”
“Polly comes and goes as she pleases,” Osher noted, “You think she would be any happier on a ship or a station?” He frowned. Damn it, he was conversing with a Counselor. That never ended well.
“Polly would have social stimulation, interaction with people. She would love that, wouldn’t she?” she turned in her seat, “Would you like that, Polly? To be around other people?” she turned back to Osher before he could speak, “Did you and your wife leave Polly alone in your quarters?”
“…No. We had a perch for her in the recreation room. But-“
“So there. Do it for Polly’s mental well-being.”
“You are manipulating me.”
Joi smiled crookedly, “I remember this hand-to-hand instructor at the Academy who eschewed forms and styles of combat. His motto was ‘whatever works’.”
“Mister Vinogradav,” Osher smiled despite himself, “At least two or three broken bones a semester, a concussion or two. Pain is the best teacher.”
“I think you’ve learned enough here in this cave, lieutenant,” Joi noted quietly.
“I noticed you haven’t brought up my wife.”
“Seemed a bit obvious. Mister Vinogradav would have dislocated my shoulder if I tried a move like that.”
Damn it, Osher thought wryly. He could almost come to like this woman.
“If I could make some small contribution,” Mercot noted, “I wouldn’t want to place you in the Tactical position. I’d like you in Ops.”
Osher’s eyes narrowed, “Ops is a natural progression towards Command. You aren’t…”
“You never turned down a challenge before, Showei. I think you need one now. In Tactical you would be too…comfortable. Besides, throwing yourself in harm’s way for senior officers is a young person’s job, don’t you think?”
“I’m not that old,” Osher replied gruffly. He hesitated, then asked, “How…much time do I have to think about this?”
Mercot was about to respond when Joi said, “If you haven’t made up your mind in the next ten or fifteen minutes I don’t think another hour would make a difference. It should only take you five to pack whatever is worth bringing, I think,” she stood, “Captain, I think we are done here,” she turned back to Osher, “The coffee is terrible.”
“That’s brutally honest.” Osher noted wryly.
Joi smiled, “I never lie to a patient. I hope to see you on board, lieutenant.”
Captain Mercot stood as well, “We’ll keep an eye on the mouth of the cave. If you don’t come out in-“
“Fifteen minutes.”
Mercot turned and scowled at Joi, but she was already heading for exit. Mercot sighed, “She reminds me of someone, can’t place my finger on it.”
“Can’t imagine whom,” Osher noted blandly.
Osher watched as Mercot strode briskly to catch up to Joi. After a minute Polly glided over to the table and landed in front of him. He absently scratched her head and she gave delighted cooing noises.
“I haven’t been very good company, have I?” Osher noted, “Truth is, I’ve been pretty selfish. You don’t deserve this. Maybe if I gave you to a nice family you would-ow!”
Polly had given him a good nip, she turned her head to regard him with a baleful eye as she worked her jaw. Osher smiled and held up his hands, “Okay, you want me to keep you?”
Polly held out her wings and ruffled her feathers.
“And you want to leave this musty old cave?”
Polly’s head bobbed up and down as she whistled.
“Well, then, yes, ma’am…”
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