<div dir="ltr"><span id="gmail-docs-internal-guid-1c3899fd-7fff-b6f9-8dfb-3f43ed4110c2"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Mission: Space was cool before it mattered</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Day: 1</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Stardate: 2446.04.25</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Cheron - Cockpit - CFO Lt(sg) Trinity Frost and Chief miner Gawain Frost - 1545)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">With no small amount of trepidation Gawain approached the cockpit of the vessel that had rescued him and his crew. It wasn’t himself that he was worried about, of course, but an eye for an eye.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Tapping the frame of the door slightly, he refrained from entering the cockpit prior to invitation. It had been a while since he’d been around pilots, and even then it had been drunken crop dusters flying craft a couple of centuries old. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Knock knock? Permission to come aboard?” Even back on the colonies, you never just stepped onto a pilot’s rig without asking. Manners ran deep.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Turning slightly in her seat, surrounded with beyond state of the art instruments, Trin waved her father to the co-chair. “Sit. Listen. If I give you an order, you  perform it immediately, Headset.”  </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Taking the offered seat he put on the headset shifting in the seat before finding the controls at his side.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Thank you.” He said, to a nod from his daughter who’s attention was consumed by all the multitude of screens that illuminated her face; a face that he had once known, but didn’t recognise the focus on until now. He saw her manner, correcting their course minutely, even at warp, keeping one eye on local traffic, a second on the deep range trackers, and seemingly a third on the warp field, heading, speed, and looking at the screens around Trinity, who knows how much information.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Please, speak.” Trinity said, not yet forgiving her father, but still wanting him to speak.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Look…Trinity…Lieutenant…”</span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Trin smiled. Trin is fine.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The aging man looked at his daughter. “I was wrong. Okay? Look, I see a lot of my sister in you. Proud, forthright.” He sighed, worried about his next sentence.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“Just say it?” Trin interjected.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Smiling at his daughters irritation, he spoke openly. "I saw so much of her in you. Your aunt was an able pilot, not to your level but able nonetheless. She was loved by everyone. After her death I saw more and more of her in you. I was stupid, blind even, but I vowed not to let the same thing happen to you."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Trinity heard her fathers voice crack with emotion as he continued to open up about his sister.  For the first time in her life she thought about people's actions towards her with a different eye. Where she had only seen people holding her back, she realised that they'd been trying to keep her safe. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"I guess I never understood." She replied "I only ever saw it as being held back."</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">"I know. And that's on me. I never talked to you. When you flew into that storm I knew. Knew how wrong I'd been, but I couldn’t let go. The arguments that we had…”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Trinity winced, remembering the things that she’d called her dad. ‘Uncaring and loathsome’ was about the kindest. She could only just begin to imagine the hurt that it had caused. “For what it’s worth I am sorry.” She managed, her eyes flicking over the screens. “For all of it.”</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Gawain waved a hand, watching his daughter’s look of fierce concentration. “No need. The failure was all my own. It…killed me and your mum when we woke up that morning and you’d gone,  It came home to me then how bad a father I’d been. Look, I’ll leave you be, I don’t ask or expect forgiveness; just to see you safe and know that you’re happy, that’s all I need. You’re working. I’ll leave you be.” </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Trinity opened her mouth to object and tell him that it was okay for him to stay, but no sound came out as she did so. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">“It’s an amazing ship.” Patting his hands on the door frame as he left she turned and looked at her. “I saw your approach to the maintenance bay. Seriously good flying. I’m proud of you Trin, I know that I don’t have that right anymore after I hurt you so badly, but I am. Be well baby girl.” Leaving the cockpit he went back to join the others, leaving Trinity with so many words that she wanted to say, so much in her heart that she’d found she’d been bottling up. The pain from her actions from the nanite infection were still raw in her heart, but the pain that ran deeper was that despite her bad feeling toward her father, she still loved him deeply, her mother and baby sister too. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">A tear ran down her cheek, uncharacteristically emotional, she looked toward the door, and yearned for him to walk back through it. “Daddy?” She whispered, finally fully understanding the deep chasm deep pain that she had herself caused when she had simply walked out. Her father wasn’t blameless, but he also wasn’t the monster that she had always taken him for.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"> </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Reply none needed)</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:10pt 0pt 0pt"><span style="font-size:14pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";color:rgb(29,34,40);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">(Posted by Mark)</span></p></span><br class="gmail-Apple-interchange-newline"></div>