EXETERRPG: (2 - 2010) CO Cpt Trip Williams and FO Cmdr Ailynn Bracken

[Mark Howard]

Mission: Murder on the Exeter Express

Day: 2

Stardate: 2445.12.02

(USS Exeter - Ready Room - CO, Captain Trip Williams, FO, Commander Ailynn
Bracken- 2010)

“There is no easy way to say this, so I’m going to get to the point.
Commander Tyko knew about Ronnie.”

Ailynn swore, and sank into her chair. “That...complicates things” She
said, her mind wandering slightly down several paths of thought.

“It was in one of his classified logs. He knew. I don’t know when he found
out, but apparently Starfleet Intelligence and Temporal Investigations have
known about her since the moment she jumped into our timeline.”

“I can’t say that I’m surprised, I’d imagine they’re quite tight on
incursions like that.” She replied, not actually sure where this
conversation was going, normally she could figure it out beforehand, but
this one had come from leftfield.”

“And here is the crazy thing. Both agencies declared the matter of Ronnie a
case closed. No need for monitoring, she’s no threat to the timeline.
Apparently some hot shot Captain with clout, went it and got both agencies
to, well, classify the matter and move on.”

She picked up a glass and poured some water, taking a deep drink. “Mmm. I
have a nasty feeling I know where this is going.” She said somewhat
obliquely, as she undid the collar of her uniform.

“It was Dale.”

Nodding, she answered as she sighed. “And...there it is.”

“There it is.”

“Dale has a lot of influence, less so now...maybe, maybe not, but what
isn’t well known is that she was the personal field agent for Admiral
Voight, Fleet StratOps back in the day. It was on one of her final missions
that she...well, we know how Bajor went down for her.” Ailynn said
obliquely.

“Yes we do.”

“Seriously though,” Ailynn continued, Tyko Nix was a Lieutenant Commander,
mid range at best, rest his soul. This is high up level intel for someone
that mid spec. Also, Dale convincing Intel that it’s safe and classified,
is one thing, but staring down Temporal Affairs?”

“His clearance is actually higher than I let on.” Trip said rubbing his
eyes. “He was tasked with hunting down a singular universe jumper, and what
I am about to tell you is classified, the only one that really exists.”

Ailynn nodded a simple acceptance. “Okay.”

“There had been a merge of sorts, classified, not many are aware of it.
Every duplicate from alternate universes that existed in this timeline, and
there were a few, like supposedly there were at least three versions of
Remae Ktell, they all merged into one. With some of the memories of each.
Then there was a soft reset. As if all those duplicates never existed and
only one of each ever did. We are living in a timeline that isn't quite the
one we were born into, well that's not true, we were always here. But I
should know there were at least three Remae’s, but I don't. I’ve only ever
known  the one. So they tasked him to find the only jumper in the known
universe. That’s why he knew about Ronnie. Because it was important he knew
she existed. So he wouldn’t target her. But her case was deemed unimportant
and not to follow from the get go. And my guess is Dale knows more than she
is letting on, about a lot of things.”

The news of the merge only partly surprised her, she’d heard rumour from a
number of sources, and whereas the details from the differing sources
hadn’t been exactly identical, there had been enough similar details to
make Ailynn realise that something had indeed happened. Her mother and
grandmother had been characteristically noncommittal about explanations
however.

“I’d heard rumour about that,” Ailynn admitted, “scant details, but enough.
So Dale convinced Intel and Temporal Affairs that Ronnie was a closed case,
but here’s the Commander looking for somebody?”

“He stated explicitly it wasn’t Ronnie, if that is what you’re worried
about. Besides the visitor is newly arrived, Ronnie has been here for
years.”

“There’s still so many unknowns. I’ll speak to mum, see what she can tell
me about nanites. How much leeway do I have to talk about what’s happened?
She’s going to wonder why I’m suddenly asking.”

“Tell her it's classified. Might be funny to see her face with the shoe
being on the other foot for a change.” Trip said with a laugh.

Ailynn laughed. “I do like you, you’re funny.” She stuck her tongue out.
“Seriously though...Gran...I could pull the ‘classified’ nonsense, but
mum?” She shifted in her seat slightly.

“Give her the bare minimum, just say that you heard mention of some quick
dissolving, paralyzing nanites as like part of a research study or
something.”

“Sounds reasonable. She knows as well as you do that I’ll always be a medic
at heart, no pun intended exactly.” She smiled at him. Her oldest friend,
aside from Ronnie and Erin, he was her most trusted confidante. Sighing
deeply, she carried on speaking, though her brain had moved to another
topic slightly, airing a view that had been bugging her slightly for a
short while now. “I dunno Trip; Bajoran death cults, three murderers
running loose; What the hell happened to ‘second star to the right, keep
going ‘till morning?’ She half smiled, her face relaxing, her head lay
backward onto the headrest of the chair.

“Part of life I guess. Not every ship gets to be the Enterprise. Sometimes
ships get to deal with the shitty stuff. Could be worse though.”

“Oh?” She replied simply.

“Ever hear of the California class starships?”

“Rings a faint bell, but that was part of an optional unit.”

“They were active in the late 2370’s and early 2380’s. Smaller vessels
whose primary function was dealing with second contact issues. Not getting
to explore strange new worlds or new civilizations, they dealt with all the
crap after first contact. Boldly going where someone else had gone before.
Basically all the boring administrative stuff.”

“Ouch.” She said, frowning slightly, “that would get to you I admit.”

“So while we’re kind of doing some of that stuff, at least we get to have
some, umm, exciting stuff to shake things up.”

“That is a fair point, however a mission where my health, physical or
mental isn’t under immediate threat would be nice.” again she stuck her
tongue out, but it was accompanied by a deep smile. “So...? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just ready for things to be done. We’re close. I know it. I feel it.
Just feel like we’re missing the last piece of the puzzle.”

Ailynn nodded and half-smiled once more. “Yeah...had that feeling since
lunchtime. I need to go talk to the body and stuff again, but I also need
sleep. Ronnie’s staying over, my alibi.” she smiled gently.

“Now you make me feel bad. Because I know you need sleep and I’m sending
you out to work with Ire to see if you can’t figure out the distorted
voice. But you also need serious rest.”

Ailynn shrugged. “I’m tired sure; but I’ve done this before Trip. Let me
ask something, do you remember when we were larking around that night, and
I dislocated my shoulder at midnight? Do you remember going to ER with mum
and I?”

“Sure, it was summer, I think that was the last time we roughhoused, you
know before it became, umm, inappropriate. I remember the ER was full.”

“Busy wasn’t it!” She smiled. “I’ve worked ER shifts, its a 24 hour slog,
you sleep when you can doze, if you get time. “Trauma surgery rota too. You
remember the guy...with the leg?” She shuddered.

“Not really. But I get your point. You can run on fumes.”

“Sure I’m tired. You get used to it though.”

“Yeah. I learned that in the fighter wing, 24 hour on call nights, just in
case.”

“Same thing.” She smiled.

“So Ronnie is over?”

“I needed company.” Ailynn nodded and shrugged. “Movie, PJ’s and popcorn.
I’d just got into my favourite PJ’s too, StarFleet bears…” she drew
breath.  “kinda wish I hadn’t said that…” Her train of thought re-railed.
“Why?”

“Dunno, guess Tyko’s log has her on my mind.” He sighed.

“I understand that.” She answered. “Seriously man, what’s on your mind, you
can’t hide from me.”

“I mean I know I’m her dad and not her dad. It’s the me from another
timeline. But over the last few months, I’ve come to love her as a
daughter, my daughter. And I guess with Drew on the way, it just hits me
that it sucks that no version of me got to see her grow up.”

“I understand, and so does she, I totally see you as a psycho protective
dad if you were raising her, can you imagine her heading out to senior
prom? Guys like...well...guys like your sorry ass?” she winked.

“Yeah, I’d have them pick her up while I’d be in the yard doing yard work
without a shirt, and be like, hey want to hear how I got all these scars.”

Ailynn laughed gently, smiling to her soul.

“She’d have been at the Ranch all the time, riding horses, running with the
dogs. It would have been fun.”

“I taste regret in the air…” Ailynn twisted her head, and picked up the
glass of water, finding it was now room temperature, she sipped, scowling
to find that it was now room temperature, but drained it anyway.

“I just hope, I hope that I don’t overcompensate with Drew. Like over
parent him, because I never got the chance with Ronnie.”

Ailynn shook her head, “Big difference. Father/son and Daddy/daughter are a
very very different bond. Drew you’ll be letting out at all hours, he can
look after himself...your daughter now…” she left it hanging.

“Yeah, pretty sure Gabe is scared of me.”

“Quite right too. I’d be scared of you, coming off all machismo if I was
dating your daughter, regardless of how serious things were.” she smiled.

“Even though I’m a teddy bear?” Trip laughed, he could be a teddy bear, but
he was a champion wrestler and a trained fighter. Amongst races without
enhanced strength on board, he was probably, pound for pound, the strongest.

“Asking the wrong person, but any father of a Fleet brat girl is insanely
protective.”

“Lynn, can I ask a personal question?”

“I think you know me well enough not to need to ask that bud.” she shrugged.

“I know we talked about it before we left Starbase Freedom, but a family,
you still thinking about it?”

Ailynn smiled deeply, “I can’t lie, I have no idea how the next year or two
will pan out, but there’s a part of me that yearns for that level of
normal. Now, given all things, I have no idea how that would work, but do I
want to be a mom? More than you can imagine.”

“It’s only natural. I mean I can’t wait to meet my little dude.”

“I know it complicates things, I know that you couldn’t send me probably to
my death, I’d possibly need to step down as FO; but yeah, I want children.”
Her voice was half deeply longing, half regretful.

“I wouldn’t make you step down because you want a family. And the thing is
you know the risks. I would hate to leave an orphan but….as long as we wear
this uniform, that is a risk we take. And it sucks. It @#$%#@$ sucks.”

She looked at her oldest friend, however rarely had they rendered open
their souls to each other as they just had. “I’m scared as well Trip.” She
managed to reach out and tap the back of his hand with the side of her
clenched fist. “Ronnie’s getting to you isn’t she.” It was worded as a
question, but not sounded such.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to be to her. Her captain, her friend, her
father. I just….you have it easier. Genetically she’s your cousin. She’s
the same age as you more or less. That relationship is more clearly
defined. But regardless, I’d do anything to protect Ronnie. But I don’t
know who I’m supposed to be to her.”

“Oh Trip…” She shook her head, disparingly “You are such a man. Did you ask
her? Ask her what she wants from...well, anything? She’s scared T. Until
last month she didn’t know if the wrong decision would erase her from
existence...Have you actually...you know...spoken to the girl? Not to the
uniform, not to the rank or the job...but to her?”

“No. I need to though. Maybe you could do some recon?”

“I’ll always be your wingman, but this is not my mission flyboy.” Ailynn
said committedly,  “I’ll give you pointers, but this has to come from you,
she’ll know my words from yours.” Her look was friendly, but in a certain
light, stern.

“Fine, then I have a different recon job for you.”

Ailynn looked at Trip and sighed. “Okay, hit me.”

“Do you think Ronnie is Ronnie? Could she be the visitor? I need you to
find out. You know her best.”

Ailynn’s face fell serious immediately, and she nodded, she opened her
mouth a few times, starting assorted different sentences, eventually, her
eyes tightened slightly and she nodded. “Leave it with me.” She sighed
deeply, standing up. “I need to have a quick wash, try and awaken, then
speak to mum, and then I’ll hit the acoustics with Ire.” She did up her
collar. “With your permission?”

Trip smiled. “Thanks. And when this is over. I guess it’ll be time to ask
Ronnie if she wants a daddy-daughter date.”

“Good call.”

“Dismissed.”

Ailynn stepped out of the Ready room, a whole lot more on her mind than
when she entered, her heart bled for Ronnie, an orphan of another universe,
however that facade hid something, what that something was, Ailynn couldn’t
yet figure out, but mark her words…

...she would.

The door closed behind her.

(reply none)

(posted by Will and Mark)
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