Commander Ava Munro - An Audacious Woman
Ava Munro
((The Latinum Spoon Restaurant - Ferenginar))
The restaurant, set atop a picturesque hill, overlooked the shining lights of the capital city. Through the heavy downpour that rattled loudly against the window, the lights had been distorted into bright teardrops.
The waiter that had seated her at the window table, had told her that Ferengi's have 178 unique names for rain, and this was called a Glebbening. A particularly severe rainstorm.
We'll be fine, he had reassured her eagerly, the benefits of being on a hill.
It reminded her of her ancestral home of Scotland during the dull, rainy months, and where she had lived with her Aunt Christy before and after her years at the Academy. Earth had never replaced her home but it had become something close to home for her. It's where she had met Adrian, and they had fallen in love and he had agreed to become a stepfather to Harper.
Bang!
Ava jumped in her seat as a gust of wind struck against the window.
Fitting, she thought. She swirled the amber liquid within the untouched glass of whisky. She leaned forward to take in the heady woody fragrance and tried to soothe her nerves.
The husband was coming. When had he become that in her mind? When he had stopped being the man she loved, Adrian, to nothing more than a figurehead of an abandoned duty. A shadow memory without character.
Only, Adrian wasn't a shadow. He was a person that she cared deeply for, they had come through so much over the years and hadn't he always been something stable and strong for her? Hadn't he been the support that kept her standing when she wanted to fall?
And she was the one at fault, at least in part. She hadn't raised her voice loud enough. But hadn't she tried … had he listened?
When he entered, she felt her breath catch in her throat. He looked good. More distinguished somehow, his dark hair had begun to grey at the sides. He always did look good, she mused. A handsome man, her Achilles heel.
Every hair was carefully combed back, his styling so fashionably Federation. Set against the ornate furnishings of the Ferenginar restaurant, he wore a tailored suit embellished with just a little shine. Handsome, polished and assured.
In the reflection of the window she couldn't help but look at herself. She had allowed her hair to bounce naturally around her head. Its natural wild wavy loose curls were more free than she would allow on duty. Minimal styling. The dress had been bought on her shopping trip with Jovenan, and hastily altered by a Ferengi seamstress. She was bright, messy and brash in comparison to him.
He hesitated slightly when he saw her. Did he grimace?
Coler: :: awkward in greeting :: Ava.
Munro: :: partly joking :: Adrian.
She tried a mischievous smile but it was ignored as he took the seat opposite her. His head quickly turned to look out the window. He let out a frustrated sigh.
Coler: I hate this planet.
Munro: It's a Glebbening.
Coler: :: confused :: What?
Adrian refocused on her, his eyes full of hurt. She dipped her own eyes to the table in front of them. A waiter approached before she had the chance to answer.
Waiter: Welcome Hoo-mons! We have a delightful array of hoo-mon delicacies for your dining pleasure this evening - all at affordable prices :: toothy grin :: I'm your waiter, Nimba.
The waiter slips a PADD in front of both of them.
Coler: :: to waiter :: Can you just - can we just have a few minutes.
The waiter nodded, while Adrian directed his focus on her. Suddenly she felt like a child again. Ready to be scolded.
Nimba: Yes, of course :: nervously :: You will be ordering something? Won't you?
Munro: Bring us a bottle of Tulaberry wine. To start.
The waiter seemed happy with this and sauntered off.
Coler: We could have just met on your ship. This seems ridiculous Ava. You left Earth almost a year ago to do some standard audits and the next thing you're first officer on a starship in the Borderlands. A few months you had said?
Munro: :: weakly :: I also said it could be longer. You didn't respond to my subspace messages? :: shakes her head :: I'm not proud of myself, Adrian. Far from it.
Coler: Because you're selfish. You always have been. You didn't even talk to me before you accepted a new posting?
Her eyes met his at that moment. She had talked to him but had he really ever listened to her? They had been happy, once. Laughter filled their lives and then somewhere along the line, as Harper got older and Adrian gained ranks and responsibilities it just faded away. He would convince her that the fun scheme she had concocted was not in keeping with their status. At times, she felt he had a ready prepared script of dismissive, yet plausible reasons why they couldn't go surfing, or visit Risa for cocktails on the beach. Or any number of things she considered fun.
Somehow, without even her realising it, she knew what was acceptable and what wasn't. Carefully placed walls in which their life could exist, and anything outside of that. Unacceptable.
A carefully crafted list of do's and don'ts that had gradually developed throughout their marriage. It just happened to be everything that she was that had been deemed unacceptable and everything left and permissible was 100% Adrian.
They were the perfect couple. A fine showcase of what Earth society should be. According to Adrian.
Munro: I tried to talk to you, Adrian. You didn't want to listen. You don't listen because you've already decided what's best for us before I even open my mouth. I tried so many times over the years to tell you how I felt. Then when Harper went to the Academy it just -
Coler: Just what?
Munro: :: defensive and reactionary :: I felt I could try and find a little bit of who I was before you. Is that a crime now?
Ava knew it sounded harsh… but was it speaking words to a truth that had laid buried in the ruins of their marriage.
Coler: Oh. It's my fault? You didn't ship off and leave our entire life behind without so much as a second thought?
Adrian shook his head and looked out the window. Seconds passed between them. The server approached and silently laid the bottle and two glasses in front of them before pouring the wine.
Once they had left, Adrian turned back to Ava.
Coler: You know I'm not going to give up my post in the Admiral's Office to play commander on a starship :: laughs :: It's illogical, Ava. We had a life. A really good one. Our future is bright - together. This is some kind of crisis you're having but you don't see how ridiculous it truly is?
Munro: My future was bright :: sarcastically nods :: Filing reports on fleet rotations isn't how I would define a bright future or do you mean I looked good, on your arm while you made strides in your career. I can't sit on the sidelines of your life Adrian, I need to have my own life.
Coler: Not everyone wants to be James T Kirk or Picard or Janeway. Some of us make a difference :: beat :: quietly. Without breaching the Prime Directive every second mission. You've always -
Munro: :: angered :: You don't make a difference, Adrian. You just take credit for the work of thousands upon thousands of officers that put their lives on the line. When they fail you bring them to a court martial and when they succeed you take the credit. Don't pretend it's anything else.
She was lashing out, years of repression unleashing itself in a bitter spit.
Ava grabbed the bottle of wine and took a deep slug, she placed it back down and wiped her lips. Adrian's eyes bulged and his cheeks reddened in a mixture of shock, anger and embarrassment.
Munro: We used to be able to have fun. Remember that trip to Andoria? The mud baths on Pyco? :: begging :: Don't you remember what it was to laugh and not care what people think every minute of every day?
Coler: We still do have fun. This crisis you're having is getting out of control. The Ronin. The Artemis. They aren't where you belong and you know it. You can't seriously think that hanging around the Borderlands is a worthwhile task? :: he shook his head :: Suliban pirates and terrorists :: laughs :: It's hardly changing the galaxy, Ava.
Ava took to her feet.
Munro: I've heard enough.
She grabbed the bottle again.
Munro: I think I might have actually heard as much as I ever want to hear from you. I don't know when you became this man but I don't even recognise you and what's worse is you almost turned me into someone I couldn't recognise. Someone I hate.
Coler: :: patronising sigh :: Ava.
Munro: It's Commander Munro to you :: takes a swig :: Goodbye, Lt. Commander Coler. Have a nice life.
Still holding the bottle, she walked past the waiter.
Munro: :: to the waiter :: He can pay
Adrian got to his feet.
Coler: Ava you can't just walk away?!
Ava laughed, lifted the bottle and her other hand and gave him the peace out sign before she pushed the door open to the restaurant.
She was met with the Glebbening. The rain hit against her like a wall. She stumbled backwards but refused to reenter the restaurant and braced against the force of it. Within seconds the rain had soaked her through her clothes to her skin.
She took another swig from the bottle before she moved fast , fearful that Adrian could follow. She could have beamed back to the ship, but she couldn't face it just yet. Emotions were too heightened, and she didn't want the crew to see her like that.
Wounded.
Eventually she found an archway to shelter in, it was lit with various seating available and heated. She suspected it was available for anyone caught in the rain.
Respite.
She took one of the seats, placed her bottle of Tulaberry wine on the table in front. As the thunderous rain poured all around her she began to laugh. A chaotic, mournful, joyful, wild timbrous laughter. The sound was swallowed by the rain and consumed by the dark clouds above like a sacrifice to the gods of the universe.
She released herself to them. She was, for that moment, no longer anything other than herself. She had cast from herself, like a serpent's skin, the labels of mother, commander, wife, daughter, friend. If only for a moment.
There was only her. An audacious woman.
Now free.
End Scene for Ava Munro.
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2