[JP] Mikali sh'Shar & Luna Walker - Loony Luna
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David Adams
Feb 25, 2021, 7:15:37 AM2/25/21
to Gorkon
(( Red Carrier Employees Domicile 14, Iana Station ))
Mikali sh'Shar had another name on her list of names to apologize to. This one was going to be rough.
She sat at her desk, folded her hands into her lap and touched her PADD, opening the connection. The symbol of the Federation flashed on the screen as the computer tried to connect.
Even the short delay worried her. What if Luna didn't pick up? What if she lost her nerve?
(( Personal quarters, Utopia Plantia shipyards))
Luna ran a hand through her shock of pink hair as she chased after the squealing dark haired boy running through their quarters.
Walker: Ben Walker! If you don't stop this instant... :: She shook her head in surrender as he disappeared around the corner, continuing to herself more quietly:: I'll chase after you like usual. :: She smiled as Alex looked up from his PADD, smiling at the drawing he'd made there. Something that would have pleased her more if the PADD was on. A chime from an incoming call sounded, and she tried to make herself look a little less flustered as she answered it. ::
After a second or so, though, the connection went through. Mikali's antenna perked up.
sh'Shar: Luna!
Seeing her old friend standing there shocked her enough that she almost fell back into the chair behind her.
Walker: Mika? What are.. wow! How are you?
Mikali smiled warmly, leaning in toward the camera, her antenna facing toward the screen.
sh'Shar: It's good to see you, Loony Luna. Wow. It has been a minute, hasn't it?
She leaned back against the table, chuckling at the former nickname.
Walker: A minute? Not unless you've been time travelling without me. It's been years! Sorry for the mess in the background.. but glad to see ya!
Time travelling? That piqued her interest, but Mikali put it at the back of her mind and just smiled broadly.
sh'Shar: How've you been? Can you believe that Benna is... nine now? Nine! It's crazy, isn't it?
She blinked slowly as the reality of it trickled back to her. Nine years ago, back on the Indy.. she remembered helping Mikali.. even helping watch Benna... but..
Walker: That's crazy. Of course, then again.. I've had a few changes since then too. :: She gestured to her boys, who slowly came into view of the screen. :: Let me introduce Ben and Alex Walker-James. My wife Danni is taking her shift off.. you know.. doing engineering.. while I do the hard work of keeping these two occupied.
Mikali's eyes widened like moons.
If there was anyone in her life she never expected to have children, it was definitely going to be Luna Walker. Then again, she, herself, was definitely not the kind either, so...
B. Walker: Mooom! Why is she blue?
A. Walker: Duh... she's sad.. 'member Momma D said she was feeling blue..
Mikali gave a little titter, antenna leaning to one side awkwardly. Ooh boy.
sh'Shar: Ah, haha... ah.
Walker: Boys, this is an old... :: She smirked for a moment as she paused:: a friend of mine I've not seen in awhile.
sh'Shar: I knew your mother a long time ago. I'm Benna's mother.
A. Walker: See, toldja Ben's a girl's name. :: He giggled ::
Ben's face grew thunderclouds as he pouted and grabbed at his mom.
B. Walker: Mom! Tell him to shut up! Ben is too a boy's name!
Walker: So, Mikali. Are you willing to make a trade here? I'm fairly sure that I could convince Danni to take on a 9 year old in exchange for two 4 year olds... :: She smirked slightly as she teased her sons. ::
Mikali smirked broadly.
sh'Shar: Oh, I think we can work something out.
Walker: So, what's going on with you? I love the call.. but figure there was a reason for the timing..
Mikali bit the inside of her cheek, looking away for a brief moment, her antenna sagging.
sh'Shar: Ah, things are... ::she didn't know how to answer properly so just said it:: A few years ago I relapsed. And I got thrown in the clink again. And discharged. But... I'm trying to change that.
She sobered swiftly hearing that. She might have held the nickname of "Loony" but "Banshee" was normally causing more of the direct problems.
Walker: Do you need any help? I'm... ::She looked around the room, realizing she couldn't just drop everything like before. :: What can I do?
That was Luna. Always trying to help her. The question was one that drew a little sardonic smile across her blue lips.
sh'Shar: Well, if you're doing time travel now, maybe you can go back a few years and kick me in the head so I don't screw everything up. You officially have permission to head-kick me. Just... make sure I remember why.
Luna paused for a moment before smirking broadly.
Walker: Well I could kick you in the head.. but you didn't remember me doing it the first time. :: chuckling:: Seriously Mikali... you know I've got your back.. what do you need?
Mikali hesitated, her smile fading.
sh'Shar: I don't think there's anything you can actually do, though. Really. It's something I will just have to do on my own. I'm trying very hard, for the first time ever, really... it just seems impossible. There's so much ahead of me, so much bad behind... but despite it all, you know, I'm trying.
The half-romulan thought back to everything she'd been through herself. Rough didn't cover it. Thinking about Danni, she almost asked if there was someone else for her to talk to, but realized the answer was obvious.
Walker: Any time you look at Benny.. you'll find the way to move forward. The past is behind you, learn from it for her.. and you'll stubborn your way forward. And when it get's too rough on your own, you reach out to your crazy friends.
Her antenna drooped back down again.
sh'Shar: I just... wanted to reach out, and say I'm really sorry for how I acted back when we were serving together. I dumped a lot on you back there, including taking care of Benna, and I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry. You are a better person than that, and you deserved better from your friends. From me.
Walker: Hey. Honestly, you gave me a lot more than you think. When we met, no one else was really interested in talking to me unless work was related. I was self isolating, and feeling kind of sorry for myself. You pulled me out of that kicking and screaming, and even more.. trusted me with your child. Don't you dare make that something either of us should be ashamed of.
Luna always had a way of making her feel better, even when everything around her was falling apart.
sh'Shar: You know, that is good advice.
Walker: Okay. In that case, make a trip to us. Come meet my wife and kids in person? Let me see Benna in person again... Do that and I'll call it even.. for now. Until the next time you feel guilty and then come back again. :: Grinning::
The appeal was so tempting, so raw that it hurt, but whatever traces of Mikali's smile faded fast.
sh'Shar: I... I can't. You know I'd love to, you know I'd love to see you and those sprouts and this wife of yours, and I'm sure they'd love Ben-Ben, but I... ::softly:: I lost custody.
Luna cocked her head to the side, confused.
Walker: Lost custody, what? How?
Mikali brushed back a strand of her hair, tilting her head up, trying to handle it all with a dollop of dignity and acceptance that she really didn't have.
sh'Shar: Apparently being stoned out of your mind makes for "an unsafe environment for a thriving child". I'm... I've been clean for five years now, and I think it's time. I'm doing this program that will hopefully help with that.
The romulan hybrid was stunned by the news. It'd been years, but if Mikali had been clean for five years, then Benna would have been lost for only a short time after she'd seen her last. Unconsciously her face fell as she realized if this was bad for her..
Walker: I didn't.. :: She shook her head:: The program. What did, or does, it do?
It was a horrible, awkward, transition. But her mind was drowning in reaction to what'd been shared.
sh'Shar: Basically, it's this thing for... addicts. It's not about getting clean — you're assumed to be clean when you come in — it's just about getting trust back, showing you can work and be reliable, and you know, care for dependents, that kind of thing.
Walker: Five years is a ton of time to show you are reliable. I.. I hope you get her back soon, Benna needs her Mom.
More than Walker realised, most likely, but there was just no way to explain exactly what was happening with Benna's school troubles without getting into detail that Mikali simply could not bring herself to do. Not again.
sh'Shar: If, when, I get Benna back, I would love to come visit you. And that's a promise. Okay?
Uncharacteristically, Luna found herself unable to speak. The glib comments, the jokes.. they'd all dried up and been blown away by the revelation. She sniffled as she fought back tears.
Walker: You'd better. I've got a number of years to make up with someone important. :: Smirking:: You know, Benna. I mean all of the sweets and bad holovids before I send her back home.
Milkali's eyes watered too, her freshly-replaced prosthetic one most notably. She sniffled too, reaching up and wiping away the moisture with a blue hand.
sh'Shar: She's very important to me and I have a lot to make up for. And... hey. She appreciated those bad holovids. Talked about them... b-back in the day.
Walker: Anything I can do, just say it. Be safe. I don't have nearly that many friends, so I'm not gonna accept anything else.
"Didn't have many friends." The words hit hard, and Mikali knew exactly how they felt. She, too, didn't have many. Especially from those times. Especially who were still alive.
sh'Shar: You have me. You'll always have me, Loony Luna.
Luna shook her head and smirked at the nickname.
Walker: I'd say don't scream it Banshee.. but that seems more punny than necessary. :: pausing:: don't take too much longer ok? I'd rather my kids knew you.
Mikali reached up and touched the screen.
sh'Shar: Okay. I gotta go to work. Stay safe, and keep in contact, okay? I'll let you know how it's going.
Walker: You'd better, otherwise I'll go find you.
sh'Shar: I'll talk to you later. Promise.
Walker: Be safe Mikali.
The connection winked out, and Mikali was left staring at her own reflection in the now blackened screen. She lowered her hand.
Luna...
Luna had landed on her feet. Working in Utopia Plantia was a great honour; Mikali had applied too, years ago, but it had come to nothing. Application politely shuffled into the bin.
The memories of the good times with Luna came trickling back, soon becoming a flood. Operation: Bright Star. The Independence-A, where they'd met. Crying together on DS-17's promenade. Mikali's heart hurt as she sat there, breath coming quicker. Catscratch would be back from whatever she hell she was doing and... and Mikali wanted to be composed when she returned. As though nothing had happened.
Her place to be weak and vulnerable was with Carys. It couldn't be here. It couldn't be in this place, this shared quarters of hers.
The seconds ticked away, melting into minutes, and with it Mikali's composure. It started with a soft whimper. She put her face in her hands, staring at the black screen, and she let it out. All the emotions she had kept bottled in for hours. Days. Weeks. Months.
sh'Shar: Benna... maayaa! Maayaa...!
And out it came.
Catscratch would just have to deal with a mess today.
fin
--
Luna Walker
Utopia Plantia shipyards
I238010BW0
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