EXETERRPG: (2, 1950) CO, Captain Trip Williams, and FO, Commander Ailynn Bracken

[Will Banowsky]

Mission: A new day dawns
Day: 2
Stardate: 2446.01.29

(Earth- Home of Trip and Ashlyn Williams- CO, Captain Trip Williams, and
FO, Commander Ailynn Bracken - 1950)

"How's Ronnie?" She changed the subject. "Any residual memories"

"She is my favorite person in the universe."

"Good. Then all is well. That's the way it should be. Life becoming normal?"

"We're all still adjusting. The only one who thinks everything is normal is
Ronnie."

"Good. Then I succeeded. In time, all these memories will fade, and she'll
become herself, maybe in years to come in those deepest sleeps she'll have
an odd dream about being a pilot, or something, but I don't think Ronnie
Winters will ever come back.

"How are you coping with that?"

Ailynn shook her head, placing her glass down on the table, feeling the
tears well again. "At the moment I'm not." She sighed. "I can't explain it.
Caity is my soulmate, my lover; but Ronnie was a part of me that I can't
define. I'll get past it, I will, but I'll miss that foul mouthed cow for a
long time yet. I know it's selfish, and it's what had to happen for Ronnie
to be happy."

"She is a reminder of what you lost."

"At first I figured I had to stay away, but I realise that I need to
connect with my 2 year old cousin not my 23 year old one"

"It's understandable. She wasn’t just your cousin, she was your sister."

"Exactly that. The one thing above all else that I wanted." She dabbed her
eyes. " damned smoke."

"But as much as that hurts I know a 2 year old who loves her Auntie Ailsy
very much."

"That's nice to hear. I imagine at some point soon Ash will bring her to
Tuscanny, even just for the day, we'll spend time together. I get to give
her all the things that you tell me I can't. " She smiled gently.

"It will be different, sure. But this Ronnie needs you too."

"I know. Like I said, its selfish of me. Like all grief, it's selfish."

"Besides, I know a woman who wants a sister almost as much as you do. Not
the same, but someone who already loves you."

Ailynn nodded. "Ash." She smiled. "I'll always be around,you know that. I
worship the ground She walks on." Smiling She motioned toward the window
where she could see Ash talking to someone, radiant beautiful.  "She looks
so happy and beautiful Trip. The hell did we do to deserve her?"

"You're grandma decided to have a love affair with a bajoran diplomat and
we reaped all the benefits."

"Point of order they got married, but yeah you're right. I see she's
wearing Ashalon's ear jewellery this evening."

"She rarely takes it off."

"Now I look back, she had the makings of the woman that she is back at
school. Always stayed kind, proud, and never looked down on people, even
when they did to her."

"I got lucky." Trip said with a smile. He took a sip from his beer.
"Honestly, I wish I could just stay here. Open a brewery. Seeing her out
here its a perfect moment in time."

"It is. You can feel the contentment in the air."

"But she and I both know that we're most fulfilled in space."

Ailynn nodded. "It's me you're talking to, I understand completely. It's
going to be so hard walking away from the black. I'm sensing a but though."

"As Ronnie gets older though, I'll probably look for a transfer. There are
no families aboard. No other kids. In 3 years time, I think a move to a
starbase will be warranted.  She needs to have opportunities to grow up
around kids."

"She does need that, but in all honesty given the time involved and five
hundred people, then babies are bound to turn up. Hell you didn't waste
anytime, others will do the same."

"Ailynn, how the hell am I someone's dad?" Trip laughed. "Like first they
trust me with a Starship and now the universe says here are two kids for
the price of one. don't %$#@ them up."

"Fate has a twisted sense of humour. I've always said it."

"I mean I put a telescope in my tree house at 13 pointed at your pool so I
could spy on your mom and Dale. What am I gonna tell Drew, just don't get
caught son"

"Yeah I know, they do too. Mum went mental. And yes, you tell him it's
totally understandable, but very wrong to look at
people…through...a...hole...in...the...fence." She teased him.

"I did that one time. I was trying to find my frisbee, how was I supposed
to know you were sunbathing on the other side."

Ailynn shook her head, but smiled happily. "It was a long time ago, and we
were kids." She sighed, and walked over to a cooler where she grabbed a
juice, opened it and took a sip.

"Im still afraid you aren't coming back."

"I know. I'm still worried about the moment I have to watch my home hit
warp and disappear." She looked at him, her oldest friend. They'd been
through so much together, and now they felt almost further apart than ever,
and with the prospect of the Exeter leaving and her never seeing them
again. It made up her mind about something that she'd been delaying telling
him.

"I'm pregnant Trip." Her voice was a whisper against the evenings noises

"I know."

"Dare I ask?"

"Well had my suspicions.  Emotions, behaviors, mannerisms. Just couldn't
figure out how. Unless you've evolved to reproduce asexually."

"You arse." She blushed and chided good-naturedly. "It was in Toronto. I'd
had the most horrible day." She recounted the visit to the hospital, the
dying girl with cancer, then meeting Caity, then seeing Trip who had fully
become Tristan Steele. "I went home feeling empty and lonely and scared,
and ryelle was there. He held me, held Gabbie, and asked me to marry him. I
said yes, and we...well." She blushed.

"Where you you at the time or Gabrielle?"

"It was me...the hint of Gabrielle possibly leaking through."

"Wow. you really must have cared for him."

Ailynn said nothing, but nodded

"Have you run a dna test? Like is it really his?"

"Human father." She smiled. "I know we shouldn't be surprised, but it was
all real."

"I mean, is it possible that Quella could have plucked Ryelle from the
timeline and brought him there. For you?"

"I have no idea. Can...we not go further down this rabbit hole?"

"Well I hope Quella isn't pregnant with my baby." Trip said trying to add
levity to the revelation.

"I'm sure she's not. That wasn't what she was after. I think"

"In a way I'm happy for you. Excited for you. But selfishly, I think it
means this is where our careers diverge."

"For the moment." She admitted, "I have a lot of options. Even if I return
to the Exeter either Kiera takes command on away missions or I allow you to
go."

"Does your family know? Does Ash know?"

"Mum knows. Ash...is an extremely clever and observant girl. She knows a
lot more about things than she ever lets on."

"$#@%, you're the pregnant Bracken not Ash!"

"To be fair I did mean Ash, but yes."

"Who else knows? Does Caity?"

"Caity?" Ailynn blushed. "She is my rock. She's being so supportive. Like I
said, we've had a lot of conversations."

"I hope it doesn't get weird. That she doesn't get jealous. But if she
leaves you, I'll fire her so don't you worry."

"It's fine. We're good. Ironically; I'm happy Trip. Even if it means I
can't drink at my oldest friend's housewarming."

"Well, Ronnie gets a cousin after all."

"Yeah she does." Ailynn motioned to her abdomen.

"Any other secrets to share or things you want to ask me ?"

"A girl always has secrets. I'd like this off the radar for the moment. I
want my family to know first, before the fleet gossip train."

"Well technically I'm your uncle."

"Silly bugger." Ailynn said amiably.

"Seriously though, we haven't talked about a lot of things since getting
back . We good or do you need to ask me anything about anything."

"I'm assuming you faced similar Admiralty summons to me?"

"summons?"

"Ugh. Detailed detailed decision analysis. You know the drill."

"Yes. every single choice analyzed. Why this and not that? blah blah. yeah.
they suck."

"Truth be told I'm second guessing nearly all of them myself, but we did
what was needed."

“Yeah, like telling a godlike entity you’ll become their prisoner so that
your crew can be free to fight the threat only to have to watch your crew
suffer and beg to be set free to help.”

“Or how many other infinitesimally small decisions that are seemingly
inconsequential, but the desk types focus on. “‘So Miss Bracken…on what
basis did you decide you were qualified to deduce the presence of the
nanite infection.’ MISS Bracken…my blood is still boiling on that one.
Seven years at Med School, one of the youngest Commanders in Fleet History,
and I get addressed as ‘Miss’.”

"Yeah, its almost like they irritate you into saying something stupid."

“Don’t get me started.” She said amiably. “Not bad going for our first 5
months though, shaken up a few things here and there.”

"yeah. definitely enough content for my memoirs " Trip said with a laugh

"I'm told fleet sciences are pleased with us though. Andromeda data has
caused a stir." Ailynn said, passing gossip.

“How could it not. Truth be told, I’m surprised they aren’t keeping Exeter
for study and giving us a new ship.” Trip said smiling.

"Wouldn't surprise me either, look what they did to the Voyager." Ailynn
said sipping her juice and wishing a beer was an option.

(reply none)
(posted by Will and Mark)
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