Crewman Annamae Barberra - To Another Dimension
Wil Ukinix
((Flashback - Kitchen, Iko Apartment - Stardate 240110.10))
She found it hard, really heard, to maintain any sort of eye contact with Bec. She felt guilty about that, another layer of guilt to deal with.
She blew across a mug of warm cocoa, before taking a sip. In the silence you could hear it going down as she swallowed it.
Barberra: So, uh-
She sighed, before looking down.
Barberra: I’ve decided I’m going to volunteer for the Talaxian colony on Idrustix. You know, ::half shrug:: help with the build efforts.
Iko: Okay.
She glanced to see that Bec was looking down, seemingly disappointed. She had to explain herself.
Barberra: For me to come back to Starfleet, I need to have a session with a counsellor. ::Voice breaking:: I’m not ready for that yet.
Iko: That’s okay...
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Bec’s eyes darted around for a moment. Annamae felt the need to justify herself futher.
Barberra: It’s just that, I’ve never done any sort of, you know, volunteering for the community. Any community. They you could use me on Idrustix.
Iko: It's fine. The planet may not like me, but it will probably be good for you.
Annamae rubbed her arm and nodded, turning her head sideways, not knowing where to look.
Barberra: I mean, it’s not far. And it’s not forever. Just a couple of months, that’s all.
Bec gripped the edge of the kitchen bench.
Iko: I… ::sharp inhale, tense voice:: I'll just miss you. That's all.
Barberra: Oh, Bec.
Annamae rounded the bench, and rubbed Bec’s arm, before pulling her into her own hug.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she’d hugged Bec again.
Barberra: I’ll miss you too. It’s just-- I approached a Talaxian freighter captain for a position, and she told me they needed people on Idrustix. And the more she explained it, the more it made sense. It just felt right.
((End Flashback))
((Flashback - Talaxian Colony, Idrustix - Stardate 240110.11))
The first cold wintery season had kicked in for the new Talaxian colony. The wind howled through the structures that were mostly only partially built, and the rain felt like it was coming down sideways. It speckled on the bright pink waterproof outfit that Annamae wore. While the cold wind ate at the sides of her face, the rest of her body was toasty warm. And the boots with built in heating kept made her whole body feel like she was sitting in a warm bath, eating a chocolate mousse.
In fact, the only thing that was missing *was* a chocolate mousse. The weather, as bleak as it was, made Annamae feel alive. It was dark, and forbidding, and it made Annamae reveal that wicked smile, for what seemed like the first time since the events of Frontier Day.
Being back on Amity, even though it was far from Earth, didn’t let her escape from the atrocities she had committed as an assimilated implant-less Borg drone. And she couldn’t be around Bec-- the guilt of the actions of that day gnawed at her like a ceti eel in her brain. What concerned her the most about that was the concept of a ceti eel let loose in her brain now *disturbed* her, whereas before Frontier Day she would have volunteered for it to happen as part of some kind of science experiment, just to say that she’d experienced what it was like.
Frontier Day had changed her. And she wasn’t ready for counselling to talk it out. She was afraid of her feelings. Afraid of crying. Afraid that the guilt would wash through her and change her forever.
She liked who she was. Dark. Weird. Left, right, up, down, backward, forwards, and opposite just for being the sake of opposite of centre. Being assimilated had threatened to ruin all of that.
Marvoxx: Are you going to stand there all day in this weather, or can I offer you some delicious roasted Chadre'kab at the Gathering Center?
The cheery Talaxian’s voice grated on her at first. But huge his smile beamed through the heavy rain. How could someone be so happy?
Barberra: “Gathering Center”? Seriously, that’s what it’s called?
Marvoxx: What else would we call it? ::Looking at her luggage:: You must be new here. Come to help with the colony build?
Barberra: ::eyeballs shifting left:: Something like that.
Marvoxx: You’re the eighth outsider to join us this month! Frontier Day get you?
oO I’m running away from it. Oo
She chewed the inside of her cheek. An image of Bec flashed through her mind. She sighed before finally responding.
Barberra: Yeah. Although... I’m not sure I made the right decision.
Marvoxx: Specialty?
Barberra: Oh, uh-- Engineering. Well, science. But Engineering too. I can, ::shrug:: you know. Do both.
Marvoxx: Well not today you can’t! Get inside ya crazy rain lover, come get some chadre'kab. We have some Leola Root Wine to go with it! ::Turns:: Now come in before we both get washed away.
Barberra: I’m not into wine.
The Talaxian lead engineer stopped, before turning back over his shoulder to encourage Annamae to follow him.
Marvoxx: Oh I’d use the term “wine” loosely. We fermented it ourselves, it’s more like paint stripper. Half a glass and it will knock you out of those boots faster than you can say “Leola Root”. Now, come on.... what’s your name?
Barberra: ... okay, you sold me. And it’s Foyle. Doctor Margerie Foyle.
((End Flashback))
((Medical Center, Amity Outpost))
It was good to be back. Really, really good. Being part of the Paxala build (the name of the Talaxian colony, derived from Pax, meaning peace, and Talaxia) had changed her perspective on life. And she hade made *friends*. Real, genuine friends who she’d enjoy the company of.
And she missed Bec. She needed to. As much as she loved being part of the colony build, and becoming an honorary Talaxian... she missed Starfleet. She missed Amity. She missed Peace Park, the lameness of shops on the Mezzanine. Her bingo nights in Paxala had started to draw a crowd, even with some visitors from the Betazoid colonies, but the more popular they became, and the more she could see people having fun, the more she felt ready to come back to Amity, back to Starfleet, back to Bec, to resume her life.
To top that all off, she’d discovered that Commander Ukinix had *freaking time travelled!* What a time to be alive.
Iko: I wanna at least chat with you in the Indy's ready room, Wil. Temporal rules… You don't have to tell us the next seventy years, just how to get through the next seven minutes. Please.
Oh, yes he did have to tell. She wanted to know exactly *everything* about the next seventy years.
Orrey: Somewhere else if at all. No extra contamination. It will only cause other problems.
Wong: In other words, at this stage of the game we need to keep this between us. All of us here know about this situation. There’s just no avoiding it.
oO Time to strike. I *am* Starfleet after all. Oo
Barberra: Yes, agreed, and I want to be there, learning absolutely everything in complete detail, unfiltered, including all the grubby and sordid details of wherever you ended up.
When Wil shook his head, she tutted a little. It was of course expected that he wouldn’t share much, but it was still worth a try just to be disappointed by his refusal, and to give a single tut of dissatisfaction. Oh, it was so good to be back!
Orrey: Wil. Get this over with and get back. You are patched together, I want you in one piece or I may call your rank in on you. I am the CMO here, and you are my friend. Don’t think I won’t.
Wong: And don’t forget I will be keeping an eye on you as well. Which means I will need you to be honest with me if something goes wrong. That’s the only way this works.
Ukinix: Alright. Let’s go via transporter? Yeah?
The Commander seemed urgent, desperate about that suggestion... she wondered why.
Iko: ::calling out to Wil and Wong:: You guys ready or what?
Orrey: ::nodding to the two of them:: Go on with it. ::looking to Barberra:: Crewman stay with me. We may need spare hands down here. Since you are here. You can help. ::looking at Ikaia:: Walking will not work. Site to site transport Indy ready room. ::making a shooing motion with his hand::
Annamae nodded towards Doctor Orrey, then gave a quick glance and an ever so small smile towards Bec. She was back, and she couldn’t wait to spend time with her girlfriend. But being put straight back on duty was a welcome rush of excitement. And it only helped to solidify her goal of atoning for her missteps at the Academy, and become an officer in her own right.
Wong: Then that’s where we’re at. =/\=Wong to Bishop, three to transport to the Indy’s ready room - Myself, Ukinix and Iko=/\=
Ukinix: Oh, thank christ.
Annamae smirked a little at Wil’s outburst, before clasping her hands behind her back and turning to Doctor Orrey at relaxed attention.
Barberra: Doctor Orrey, you may have to record me as officially back to Starfleet. ::To Bec:: I’ll see you soon, Commander.
Iko: Response?
She watched with a small smile as the trio sparkled out of existence to the Indy, eyes firmly locked on Bec’s. The small smile turned delightfully wicked when she saw Doctor Orrey rubbing the side of his temples as he turned towards her.
Orrey: So you have returned to us after Frontier Day.
Barberra: Aye, sir.
Orrey: Feeling better?
She dropped her eyes for a moment.
Barberra: Aye, sir. For the first time in my life... ::looking back at Jansen::... refreshed.
Orrey: Response
Barberra: You know the saying, absinthe makes the heart grow fonder? Well that’s nothing compared to the Leola Root Wine the Talaxians make on Idrustix. It will send your heart to another dimension.
Orrey: Response
Barberra: Sir, ::pointing at herself:: “Doctor Margerie Foyle” sometimes assisted at the temporary hospital in Paxala in an assistant nursing capacity.
Orrey: Response
The reception area holodeck “Emilia” shimmered into existence. She gave a suspicious glance towards Annamae, before turning to Jansen.
Emilia: Doctor Orrey, a patient has just presented herself, it appears the stress of red alert has apparently triggered her labor.
Annamae’s eyes opened wide with delight.
Barberra: Nice! How far apart are the contractions?
Orrey: Response
Tags/TBC!
==========================================
Crewman Second Class Annamae Barberra
Science Specialist
Amity Outpost
V239511WU0