NPC Mary Daniel — And the reason is you
Yogan Yalu
(( OOC: Mary Daniel is hereby retired. Thanks again to everyone who made this throwaway joke of a character so much fun to write for the last couple years. ))
(( Mary Daniel’s cottage, Caldos Prime ))
Autumn had arrived in the village. Some mornings, the weather control system delivered frost, which covered the hills and footpaths in a glaze of pre-winter white. Others, soft rain fell and puddled between the cobblestones. No matter the weather, Mary was up before dawn, feeding chickens and churning cream into butter.
Her new home was quiet. In some ways, blissfully quiet.
She no longer lay awake night after night as Excalibur’s engines drummed their endless rhythmic vibrations through every deck and bulkhead. She no longer heard red alert klaxons at all hours of the day and night. She no longer heard the crackling of energy overloads and the blasts of exploding wall panels. Caldos was designed to be an exact replica of the Scottish Highlands, and it succeeded in every way.
Her new home was quiet. In some ways, heart-rendingly quiet.
Sauerkreemin had decided to keep the baby after all. When she found out his decision was final and he wouldn’t change his mind, Mary made a conscious choice to accept it with grace. The old Mary would have resorted to every dastardly and devious stunt she could think of to get what she wanted. The old Mary would have lied, cheated, threatened, and stolen if necessary.
She wasn’t the old Mary.
She’d been given the gift of precious months with the baby on Excalibur. Although her heart broke when she left Deep Space 224 without him, no one could take those memories away from her. Although her life on Caldos wasn’t what she hoped it would be, it was full of good things. The culture and the community she’d found were everything she needed. Well, almost everything. She found ways to contribute positively to the village, and in time, she wouldn’t feel so lonely.
In time.
In the meantime, Mary busied herself with her household chores. At the end of the day, when the setting sun made reading too difficult, she closed the shutters, curled up in an afghan, and lit a candle.
Life was good.
End story arc for Mary Daniel
Mary Daniel
Retired NPC
USS Excalibur NCC-41903-A
D238804DS0