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"Of course I reversed my decision," Perry said after Burns took the Stargazer four away to their rooms, leaving just ship's officers and chiefs in the lounge. "It takes some thinking, Sisko. Court-martial's out of the question; we're not a military outfit and never were. I may not even accept her resignation; after all, the woman's overall record is outstanding. In her right mind she's a brilliant organizer, and the hushed-up flap over some horny didoes aboard Jupiter-II also buried an incident of rather heroic improvisation, when that ship got into a nasty jam."
"I haven't heard anything," Ben said.
"That's what I was just saying." Perry made a sour face. "There's no trouble with the two men; they're C-Gating home this very day. Tameron gets the boot, no question about that, he had to know something was horribly wrong, and made no effort to stop it. Buracham---well, the train was already rolling when it got to him. Being summarily demoted knocked his props out, too. I think I'll just send him back without prejudice, let him hunt up a new job in the agency on the basis of what his record shows."
"And what about Calamity Armiger, the gunslinging bitch of the spaceways?" J.M. looked more serious than he sounded
Leaning back, the senator yawned and stretched. "Now that's a problem. Technically, I suppose she mutinied, though if anyone ever had justification to pull the plug, she did. But I expect you all noticed, when it came to testifying, that she doesn't exactly put her best foot forward. I'd hate to see what a starchy inquiry board would do to her at an official hearing."
Ben saw the old man's point. "Could she be returned to Stargazer?"
Perry thought about it. "Depends. What's the time factor?"
After thought Sisko came up with, "Right now by Earth time it's about 17.5 years since that ship lifted out. Cadres 2-A and 2-B are aboard---well, 2-B and whatever Janeway and Armiger left of 2-A. If she C-Gated back there soon----let's see...."
Keeping track of C-Gate lags and time dilations wasn't easy, but after a minute or two Ben said, "She'd find 2-A nearly ten months along in its year of duty, and 2-B about 4."
"And all of them total strangers," said J.M. "Except the 2-A people she'd barely met. I don't think...."
"You're right," said Perry. "She'd have no place there. And some of the crew might resent the disruption she caused."
"There's no rush," said Bend. "You can think about it. And it strikes me, no one's asked her what she thinks."
"That's true." Perry nodded. "Maybe she'd just like to go home and forget it. Which is something I could likely arrange with a little wire-pulling. Meanwhile, I do have to decide about Janeway."356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKeIDPQWFla
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"Sure, Paul," said Jacqueline, sitting at an access console on the bridge. "What is it you want to look up?" This was a good day for Jacqueline; Nyota Uhura was letting her sit regular watch duty for the 1st time, logging sensor data and running calculator checks on time-distance readouts. Tricky stuff, but she thought she was getting the hang of it pretty well. And now Paul Stamets, the drive chief, no less, was asking her help."
"Captain Archer's files on the Stargazer crew. I want to see Yasmin Armiger's."
"Anything in particular? I could find it for you."
"No, that's all right; just call it up and turn me loose. I don't want to intrude on your work."
"Okay." Once the heading came onscreen, Jacqueline moved to another station and picked up where she'd left off. Time dilation had been running kinda high, she found, but now the drive had eased off for a while to even things out. Carefully she blocked out the sections of graphs and readings needed for the daily summary and saved the result into permanent record.
That job done, she went to get a squeezebulb of juice from the dispenser. As she operated the machine, Stamets came over and said. "Thanks. You can have your regular place back now."
"Anytime. Did you find what you wanted?"
Paul nodded. "I think so."
"Anything important?" Well, she was curious.
"Yesterday Nick asked me to take them their meal tray, her and Janeway, and we got to talking. Shop talk. I just thought I'd check the record, see if she's as good as she seems to think."
"Is she?"
"It wouldn't surprise me."
As Stamets left , Jacqueline wondered, good at what? But she hadn't thought to ask soon enough.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFN2GQftznL
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"....would have done, Ben, if you'd been on that ship?"
The trouble was, Sisko had absolutely no idea. Bringing their special tea to Marlena who'd stayed in bed after, he handed her a steaming mug. "When? At what point in my life? Come on, Marlena! That stuff on Stargazer happened during our early day son this ship. I couldn't be here and there both, dammit!"
"But if you had been---?"
"And if the dog hadn't stopped to sniff, he'd have caught the rabbit."
"No, really. You were first male alternate for that cadre. What if you'd been called in? Think about it."
"I could've been, yeah. Well, in that case, I'd've been paired with somebody. And group marriage bed damned, that's how I would've kept it. It may sound trite, but one woman at a time is all my life's got room for. Or ever had."
"But if you were paired with Old Iron Boobs herself. If Tameron were the one you replaced. How would you handle that?"
"Not very well, probably." He'd tried to imagine it. "I suppose, if she brought other men in, I'd move out."
"And just be by yourself?"
"Those duty tours are 1 year each. I was alone, after the divorce, a lot longer than that. Mostly, anyway."
So the tea went fast, and interaction resumed. As Ben thought, briefly, how lucky he'd been to escape that whole mess.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSZFYcczqV
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After Ben left quarters, wanting to put in some full-G exercise before dinner, Marlena considered what he'd said. With most men she'd known, she'd have listened through a screen of skepticism, straining to detect the points where sincerity got lost behind self-deception or downright misdirection.
Not with Ben Sisko. It might get a little awkward sometimes, but there was something to be said for a man who just didn't lie.
Not even to himself, if he could help it.
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Jacqueline always enjoyed having dinner and spending an evening with Ben and Marlena. And since the new 1st had been scheduling the watches, these events came around quite regularly. Often enough so she felt included. The rest of the time she was quite content mingling with whoever hit the galley, or now and then just snacking in her own quarters, either alone or sometimes with Cayla Paulsen or Talia Winters, or both.
Although Cayla was spending a lot of time lately with Charles Tucker; she wouldn't say whether anything was serious yet, but Jacqueline thought it might well be getting that way.
Today was a family occasion, though, and Jacqueline was glad of the chance to talk about what was going on; the people from Stargazer, their fates as decided by the senator, and so on. But then, still at table though finished eating, the three were barely into those subjects when Perry himself came visiting; with him arrived Hoshi Sato and Yasmin Armiger.
As Ben made extra coffee the others rearranged chairs for a more comfortable grouping. When he had everyone supplied, he said, "Is this business, or pleasure?"
Perry chuckled. "We've got a proposition for you. Yasmin would like to sign on here, in Hoshi's place."
Ben looked first surprised and then dubious; Armiger said, "Look, captain, I'm not a troublemaker by nature. The thing on Stargazer was different. I...."
"I know, I know. And I also know why Hoshi would like to C-Gate home. What bothers me are your qualifications. How do I know that you've got what it takes?"
Hoshi Sato butted in. "I'll vouch for her. I checked into Jonathan's life on that cadre. On the practical side, she was one of the top Warp Drive/Despamming people available."
Ben looked to Armiger; she said, "Yup. What we had was a team. James Kirk carried the theory and I knew how to apply it. Like which wrench to turn when, to tune what."
"That's just about the way it works between Paul and me," Hoshi added. "Anyway, I've been quizzing Yasmine, and we went back to the drive room----with Alan Burns chaperoning just in case she tried to hijack us through a black hole or something!----and we went over to the control systems for better that two hours!"
Her nod was emphatic. "Take my word for it, captain; I wouldn't make the recommendation if I weren't sure."
Frowning, Ben turned to the other woman. "Sign on, you say? For the full tour? All the way to destination, not just 1 year's stint like Stargazer's?"
"Yes. By now there's nothing I want on Earth. Anyway, they set the 1 year limit because much longer at .3 gravs, you mightn't readapt. You've got the full-gee ring---and just trying it out. I see we've got a long haul getting back in any kind of shape. But I will."
"All right," said Ben. "I'll tell you what: the next few days, Armiger, you take over. Sato, you observe and keep a log on her work. Then in---oh, say 1 week---we'll...."
"Screw that!" Hoshi Sato could be verbally violent when she wanted to. "1 week here is 1/2 a year for Jonathan. So long as it was necessary I was willing to stay. Now it's not, so...."
By just clearing his throat, Perry got silence. "We can obtain an evaluation right now. Sisko, get me Kathryn Janeway on the intercraft."
Nobody asked Jacqueline, but she volunteered, "Makes sense to me." Ben's glance towards her seemed more appealing than not. He made contact as requested, then yielded to the senator.
Perry kept matters brief and to the point, first having Janeway call Burns, on duty as the hall guard, in to speak. "I want to see Captain Janeway here in the exec's quarters." And: "No, she won't need an escort, just directions." And he gave them. Shutting the comm off, he said, "She's no threat here, and showing a little trust should have her in a cooperative frame of mind."
A few minutes later when the woman entered, to Jacqueline she seemed a bit cautious but largely self-possessed, though not with the somewhat overpowering presence she'd shown at first. Ben offered her a chair and then coffee before Senator Perry began. "Now, I realize that you and Yasmin Armiger have had your differences. Can you disregard those and give me an objective opinion of her astronautic and techno skills?"
Without preliminaries Janeway went to the main question. "Her grasp of warp drive theory isn't profound, but practical knowledge as good as you could ask. with support from Ives on the more esoteric aspects----and it was seldom needed---she kept Stargazer's drive in perfect working order. That objective enough for you, Senator?"
He didn't answer directly, but did thank her. Then: "What do you say, Sisko?"
Ben paused before asking: "Hoshi, are you sure Paul can carry the theory end?"|
"He's been doing. And," partly to Yasmin, "he's easy to work with. Quiet, usually, but never tight with info."
Jacqueline watched her dad make up his mind: a moment before he spoke, she knew what his decision would be. But now how he'd state it.
"Tell Jonathan we'll miss him."356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71mfsmTtit
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"How could you do that?" Marlena asked later, when they two and Jacqueline were alone again. "You won't miss him, and you know it. Was J.M. bullshitting me when he said you never lie?"
"I didn't lie," Ben protested. "I never said we missed him; I just asked Hoshi to tell him we would. Make him feel good, and all. Why not? It doesn't cost anything."
"Except that you got someone else to lie for you."
"No. Merely to repeat what I told her to say."
Marlena fumed. "Somewhere in there you're causing a false statement to be made. But just where?"
"Where the other dollar goes, when the bellboy keeps two."
That was a slippery misdirection problem; Jacqueline never had figured it out. So she gave up on this, too, and they set to speculating what the senator had in mind for Kathryn Janeway.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuy45PGQ3vL
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Alan Burns didn't like it. "Armiger here, she's facing mutiny charges, senator, you can't just let her off the hook."
"I can and have." Holding court in the lounge for maybe the last time, Perry spoke without heat. Ben envied his ability to hold calm; amiable appearance notwithstanding. Burns could be irritating when he got bent out of shape.
"But my job's to take her back to Earth, take all of them. And a full-dress board hearing there might overrule you."
A snort of laughter. "Who are you going to get on that board that I don't outrank? Or if I don't, Rick Berman does. And I've C-Gated him a full report." Overriding Burns's efforts to talk, the old man said, "You're not putting Captain Janeway on trial, either. The person responsible is whoever failed to overhaul her prescription back on Earth, when it came out that Trertaene-12 was unreliable. But hell, you know as well as I do, how easy it is for details like that to get lost in the system."
He continued. "I've ruled that she's on emergency medical leave, and that Yasmin Armiger acted in the knowledge that such leave was necessary, for everybody's good. Armiger's reassigned to this ship, duration yet to be decided. And Jimmy Buracham," looking to where that man sat glumly, "is returning for a new assignment since his designated tour on Stargazer ended 6 years ago and his absence in the meantime was caused by circumstances beyond his control." He looked down his nose at Burns's rebellious expression. "These things are in my reports. You won't want to try to mess with my conclusions."
Burns sighed. "Would you mind telling me what I'm supposed to do? And what happens to Janeway? Sainthood?"
"A whole lot of testing, medical and otherwise, to decide if she gets medical retirement or a new assignment." Kathryn didn't look especially thrilled at the prospects, worse though they could've been, but she made no protest. "You and your team may escort her to the proper facilities at Bolt Park just as you will escort Mr. Buracham to report for reassignment." Buracham didn't seem pleased, either. Even though his ass could be in a very binding sling indeed if Perry so chose.
The senator leaned forward. "But you will conduct Mr. Tameron to the local administrative office where he will be discharged with full pay, including severance allowances, but also with prejudice. He won't work for this agency again."
Of course, Ben reminded himself, the 6 years of unauthorized C-Gatings wouldn't be paying anyone a five cents, let along the normal 1/2 pay for C-Gate time.
Sullen, Tameron looked up. "Hey, why pick on me? Kathyrn called the shots and she gets off scot free. Outside of our little circus there I did my job, stood my watches. I..."
"Like hell you did!" Kathryn Janeway was feeling her oats, Ben decided, as she flared at the big man. "You and Jimmy right from the start, almost, and practically all the men later, she'd haul you off watch or from anywhere you were, to get her duty-chain workouts. You did your job the first six months, true. But once she took over, if you sat in control half a watch it beat your goddam average. Don't tell me about standing watches, between the two of us, I'm the one who did all the work."
"If you wish a board hearing, Mr. Tameron," the senator said quietly, "it will be arranged; you may plead your case. I doubt its results were be as generous as the terms I offer. But if that's what you want, I'll withdraw my report and you're on your own." No response. "Call it."
The man hesitated. Then he gave a lopsided grin. "Aw hell. I fucked up, fair and square. It's just, I'm not the only one, except to get screwed for it. You call that fair?"
"The only one who could've stopped it, too," said Armiger. "And you know it. with you backing her up, though, nobody else stood a chance against the two of you, captain and co-exec. Especially after you hooked Jimmy in. Wasn't for James Kirk you'd all still be gangbanging, the whole pussy-whipped lot of you."
For the first time this session, Buracham had something to say. "I'm sorry, Yasmin. I've already said that. Look: You're really staying on here, sending me back all alone?"
" 'Fraid so, Jimmy. You left me alone often enough, back on the ship. And what the hell, you're C-Gating with Kathryn!"
That woman looked over. "At the same time, only."
Which damn well summed up everything. After 1 pause Burns said, "Look, senator; I didn't mean to be disrespectful or anything, I made my objection, you overruled it which you have every right to do, so now I carry out whatever orders you give, and no funny business. That's the fact."
Perry smiled. "Thank you, Mr. Burns. You're within your rights to express your opinions. And I have no serious doubt of your reliability."
"Good enough, sir. all right; how long's it going to take to get everybody's stuff together and hit the C-Gate?"356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkquPvFHo5v
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For no apparent reason except that she felt like it, Marlena Moreau went with Ben to see the group off to Earth. The senator came too, as did Talia Winters and J.M. Colt. the group from Stargazer had very little tack, just what they'd been issued here on Arrowprize, so Burns and Corman and Seamer weren't burdened with anyone else's gear but their own as they escorted Janeway, Buracham and Tameron to Earthmouth. Yasmin Armiger was still packing and would C-Gate separately when she was ready.
At the Mouth, though, nobody seemed eager to get going. As Ben brought the C-Gate to activation, Kathyrn Janeway stood gazing around as though memorizing this corridor and its equipment. When Sisko looked up she said, "Though none of us intended I should need your hospitality, still I thank you for it. Also, my thanks to Mr. Sulu, whose aid enabled me to understand and clarify my position., And senator..."
Her expression was hard to read, but mouth corners and tilted eyes hinted at a nascent smile. "Your understanding impresses me; I hope to repay your trust."
Looking embarrassed, Perry said gruffily, "That's what I'm counting on."
Nobody else had much to say. With a grunt that likely meant "Let's go," Alan Burns set his duffel in the Mouth, at his gesture the others followed suit. Looking away to avoid the flash, Colt saw only the color flare reflected from bulkheads. And less than 1 minute later the second one, sending all 6 back to Earth.
Perry heaved a sigh. "Well, now we've got some elbow room again. Anyone want to visit the lounge and join me in a drink to that?"
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"You mean besides the macro-C-Gate components, Charles Tucker was saying. As Ben led the group into the lounge, the backup pilot looked over briefly, then turned back to Alfred Nightgazer. "I don't think so, Sulu. Where're you going to find room for all that stuff?"
"Astern will do nicely. It's a good-sized area free of clutter. If they change the design a little---mount the nodes slightly outboard instead of just inside the tail-end perimeter----the usable space goes way up."
Tucker frowned. "You're talking about the DM docking area? Won't that cause problems?"
"Docking, yeah---but that's at destination. If my gadget's not dropped off by that time, they'll simply move it. Look, Charles; all we need is a life-support bulk that can be programmed to decelerate and find itself a stable parking orbit. With living space and Earthgates and the makings of a bigger pair, to bring out a DM for landing and recon..."
Losing track of what J.M. and Talia Winters were saying while the senator listened patiently, Sisko stepped over to ask Nightgazer. "Recon of what? What'd I miss?"
Alfred grimaced. "Well, have you noticed that since we passed belts of higher density---the interstellar gas---we find more stars, sun-class and dimmer, than showed up from Earth?"
Right. In this direction there seemed to be more particle-ridden volumes of space than Stargazer had reported encountering. Not dust clouds, exactly, but definitely the equivalent of obscuring sea fog. And the less spectacular members of the stellar population were now appearing in larger numbers and at closer range than anyone had expected. Still, "So?"
"That ship that crossed ahead of us on a skew course," said Nightgazer. "It sure as hell came from somewhere." Sisko nodded. "So maybe we might pass near its home system, or some other place it's got roots down. And it'd be nice to be able to drop off a recon package, rather than just reporting the place for some other ship to scout, if and when."
"And he think's he's figured out how," said Charles Tucker.
"Not us," Sulu protested. "I have no idea how we could get the needed stuff here and set it up; nobody could possibly work outcraft at these speeds. But later ships..."
"I'm listening."
So Alfred told it. Astern, tucked safely between the drive nodes, affix a mobile space station, stocked with supplies and equipped with computer-sensor control. Nearing any planetary system, ("Well, that sounds really promising!") drop it free, programmed to decelerate at whatever G-force was needed and establish a prechosen orbit. "Then it signals Earth. People can C-Gate into it, and haul out the components to build a junior-grade macro-C-Gate. 2-way, of course, like the big ones. Bring a DM, maybe two, through that one. Supply barges, too. Presto! Instant landing and exploration facility."
Well, hardly instant. But compared to sending out a whole new ship----"And if they don't have occasion to drop it off enroute," said Ben, "it could come in handy as a research station in the destination system. Yes, this is definitely worth suggesting to Earth. And the report goes in over your name."
As Sisko moved over to fix himself a valedictory drink to toast the ending of Arrowprize's involvement on Stargazer's problems, he felt good. Nothing like having a bunch of original thinkers on the crew...356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx0NHTJKnuZ
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Unlike Johnathan Archer, Hoshi Sato clearly relished the going-away party. "I hate to leave," she told Marlena, "but in a way I feel responsible for Jonathan. I keep thinking I may not have been supportive enough---that if I had, he might've been able to handle the things that threw him."
"Oh for heaven's sake!" Almost angry, Marlena protested. "You're not his mommy. The man worked his way up to captain after all. You'd think he could stand on his own two feet."
"And with a little more help, maybe he can again. I have to go find out."
"If you say so." Marlena poured herself one more drink than she'd ordinarily have had. "Anyway, you know we'll miss you."
More than half the crew, nearly everybody who wasn't on duty of some kind, trooped upcraft to Earthmouth to see her off. The goodbye song had it that she was a jolly good spacewoman that nobody could deny.
J.M. Colt, for his part, hoped that Armiger would be another one.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡROVUacW7g7
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Working out alongside Ben in the full-G ring, Jacqueline found the idea of dropaway outposts ingenious enough, but it wasn't as if it had anything to do with this ship. Her lack of enthusiasm seemed to disappoint him, so she tried to work up some interest. "What happens is, the first crew sets up a DM-size C-Gate, and they haul macro-C-Gate components through that, so then they can get a real ship there with just C-Gate lag?"
"That's about the size of it."
"But with us, all we can do is log the coordinates and tell Earth." As he nodded, she had an idea. "Hey, if we happen to spot something good near the far end, some ship could come through out macro-C-Gate and get to it a lot faster."
"Right."
"I hope we do." By now she was panting a little; with all the commotion brought aboard from offcraft she'd gotten lax on her full-G skeds. So she buckled down to work up a total good sweat, doing an extra 15 minutes for luck.
When she headed for her shower she really needed it.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdNtlSN6I2
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She was mostly dried off when the chime sounded. Putting on a robe she went to the door. Cayla Paulsen was too wound up to make sense at first, but eventually, "....what she was doing there! Bruno and I, I thought, pretty soon now, but here was this Armiger woman bold as her brassy hair and lying around in his bathrobe, no doubt what they'd been up to, and...." Talia seemed determined not to cry, but it was getting pretty damn close.
"Here, sit down. Want me to fix you something?" Coffee was quickest; when Talia was sitting at the hot cup Jacqueline said, "You hadn't yet, though---you and Bruno?"
Cayla shook her head. "No. I didn't want to hurry anything, like last time, and after all I'm not married into this ship yet. I wasn't quite sure, you see. Bruno's nice and all, but not good-looking like Osric, which was really about all there was to him so I shouldn't put much stock in that, should I? And heavy---Bruno, I mean, it took a little getting used to. But I really began to think, you know, and now this."
"Yeah." Now this. "Do you want me to talk to anybody?" What she'd say, Jacqueline had no idea, but it seemed the proper offer.
"Oh, I dunno." A shrug. "What's there to say?"
"What did you say to Bruno? Ask him if he's made up his mind or just borrowing?" Strange, talking like this to an adult woman like Talia, but it did strike Jacqueline as a reasonable question.
"I---I don't think I said anything much. Just pardon me for intruding, something like that, but real sarcastic. And stared her up and down, and turned around and got the hell out."
Mmmmm. "You think they're still there, eh?"
"On my way out she said something, she was due on watch anyway, so stick around. (Sniffle) I didn't, of course."
"I think that was smart." Was it? Maybe not. "Any ideas what you do next? Talk to somebody?"
"I don't know. I'll have to think about it." Cayla finished her coffee and waved off the offer of a refill. She stood. "Thanks for listening, Jacqueline. It's helped." She left.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVqOMQXocim
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Jacqueline herself said nothing, to Ben or Marlena or anyone else. She snacked alone in quarters, thinking about the situation. None of her business, but Cayla was her friend and couldn't seem to handle it on her own hook. So when the next watch ended, Jacqueline loitered in the corridor outside the bridge until Yasmin Armiger came out, then moved to walk beside her.
"Can I talk with you a little?" What harm could a few questions do?
The woman looked around at her. "Yes, of course. But about what?"
She was definitely heading for the galley. "Let's get sat down first," and as Armiger loaded up a tray Jacqueline got some fruit juice and a few crackers, then followed her to a little table.
"All right, young lady, what is this all about?" But then, "Jacqueline, isn't it? Jacqueline Sisko. What the hell are you doing here? I mean, a kid you're age."
Tell it true? Yes, but keep it short. "Stepfather trouble. No other family to be with, so here I am. And I'm very glad of it."
"That seems reasonable." And then: "What is this all about?"
There was no way to ease in. "You're deucing with my buddy Cayla."
Armiger blinked. "She came to you with it? Well, all right. Bruno's the only unmatched man on the ship. I asked him was he paired up and he said no, not quite. So I made my play and he took it. How long's this Cayla been..." Smiling, she shook her head. "Oh sure; my last trip through the C-Gates plus the few days since we all came out again, a little over a ship's month, figuring your time ratio. So." She spread her hands.
"So what?"
"So all that time she didn't take him, and he's been left alone I forgot how long he'd said. And even at your age, maybe 3-4 years shy of being interested yourself, I expect you know about how men get. Women too. Just 'cause she was letting him go to pot whether he liked it or not, why should I?"
There was probably an answer to that but Jacqueline was hard-pressed to come up with one, as the woman continued. "He's a little young for me, yeah, and not much in the looks department. Nice guy, though." She leaned forward. "But I don't have a collar on him. We went to bed two times today and maybe it'll happen some more. But neither of us said anything about moving in together."
"Yes, but you've...."
Yasmin shook her head. "You say to your buddy Cayla, if she wants the guy she better tell him. I kinda like him myself, but stealing from babies isn't my style so she gets her chance if she wants it." Done eating, she stood up. "Tell her." And walked away to dump her leftovers and clean the tray.
Leaving Jacqueline totally free of the dislike she'd felt earlier. Plain speaking always did get to her.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb2q3TL5c0U
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Oh, how Ben Sisko purely hated mucking around in other people's personal problems. He'd thought he was done with that but here came yet another mess. Cayla Paulsen wanted to leave the ship.
She hadn't said why, not exactly; just that she'd stayed to fill a vacancy but Talia Winters was here to do t hat, so...
When he tried to pump Jacqueline about her friend's motives she shook her head. "I don't think I should say; anything she told me was just between us. You see?" But Ben wasn't totally obtuse. Item: Cayla had her nose out of joint. Item: Bruno Eustace was strutting around like a young rooster. Item: Yasmin Armiger was no shrinking violet.
And continuing item: the crew now consisted of six couples, Bruno Eustace and the three adult women. Plus Jacqueline, who did not as yet enter into the mating equation and thank God for that! So with Marlena on hand for backing and Senator Perry as a witness or maybe just for the hell of it, he called the four leftovers in for conference. He didn't really think the subject matter was appropriate for his daughter, but she dropped in unannounced and he wasn't about to embarrass her by chasing her off.
He waited until everyone had seats; this was no social occasion so he offered nothing in the way of refreshments. Hoping his internal glare didn't show on the outside, he started: "Normally your private lives are none of my business, but when they lead to my losing my ship's personnel, that's a whole new ball game."
He aimed his gaze at one and then another, looking for some sign of reaction. "Someone care to tell me what the problem is?"
It worked! Bruno said he hadn't meant to hurt Cayla but Kynon was gone nearly 90 days now and Cayla didn't seem to know what she wanted and he just....
Well, sure. So, had he made his mind up yet? Nervously, Bruno Eustace eyed both women. "I've tried to, but..."
Cayla said she'd thought better of him that that (sniffle).
Yasmin looked rueful. "Here I promised you I'm not trouble, skipper, and now look! It's just---well, Stargazer wasn't exactly Monogamy Lane. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." And what was wrong with a little sharing?
Cayla Paulsen didn't believe in that kind of thing. "If that's how it is, I want to sign out and go home."
J.M. Colt spoke. "Even before Bruno makes a decision?"
"He had is chance, just now. And anyway, he's shown it. This bitch barges in and grabs him, and he...."
Armiger flared. "You had a month's start and didn't take him. If you had, I'd've honored that."
"Easy for you to say now!"
"All right, Paulsen," said Ben. "You're relieved of duty. I'll give you a commendation on your job performance to date, with a rider noting that you have an unfortunate tendency towards personal difficulties. You do realize, your departure leaves us shorthanded again."
"No it doesn't!" Glaring at her sometime friend, Jacqueline said, "I can stand watches now; I've been doing it, some. So just go on, if you have to! Who the hell needs you?" As she herself bolted from the room, one step or two ahead of tears.
Looking stricken, Cayla Paulsen said nothing. Ben felt sorry for her, sorrier yet for Jacqueline, but what could he do? "The rest of the proceedings will not concern you. So if you'd rather, you can go and get packed to leave."
Marlena put a hand on his arm. "But there's no hurry, Cayla. Take all the time you want. And we'll throw a party, too."
Sisko shrugged. "Might as well." And then, to Talia. "And you, Winters? Being another extra. You got a problem with that?"
Grave-faced until now, the young lady smiled. "If I were back on orbital work, I'd be doing the young crowd social stuff like everybody else. But not sex, I think; not any time soon. It ties you to somebody, and right now I like being independent. Having friends, but not just one special person." She shrugged. "I want to stay on, clear to destination. There'll be all kinds of people coming then---for landing and recon and starting the colony. And I'll still be under 21. Plenty of time."
Until she changed her mind, anyway. Maybe she wouldn't; Sisko could only hope. He stood. "Then I guess we're through here."
Yasmin said, "Aren't you going to rap my knuckles, sir?"
"What for? Who said you couldn't do what you did? I wish you hadn't, because I hate to lose Cayla here, but what's done is done. I will say, though, that this ship isn't Stargazer, so far as I know, existing relationships are pretty stable. I would take an unkind view of anyone coming aboard new and messing with them.
After a moment she nodded. "Yes, sir."
For the first time, Perry spoke. "That's what we like to hear."
To Sisko's considerable relief, the group dispersed.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ95JMeSb6n2
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With her door propped open just a mite, Jacqueline waited until people began to come out of Ben and Marlena's pad, then give it a few more minutes before going to punch the chime at Cayla Paulsen's door. When Cayla opened and then stood back, Jacqueline took it as an invitation to enter; once inside, she said, "I didn't mean any of that, back there; I'll miss you a lot. I was just so mad! You said you were going to talk to Bruno, and then you just...."
Cayla hugged her. "I did talk with him, but it didn't work out. He said if we moved in together it'd be just us, nobody else. But until we do, what he does is his own business."
"And you didn't want to. Move in, I mean."
"It was blackmail!"
Not quite, but maybe close to it, though. Which, coming from Bruno Eustace, shocked her. Well, being alone ever since Kynon left must've been harder on him than anyone realized. "And there wasn't any other answer? He wouldn't dicker at all?"
Cayla moved back. "I didn't try; I couldn't. Look, maybe you're stronger, maybe you could go head to head with someone, stand up for yourself. I can't. After Osric, guessing so badly, what kind of man he was....." She shook her head. "I don't have any confidence left; how could I?"356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynCaIYPsXQ
"Aw, c'mon!" Jacqueline thought back. "You didn't even pick Osric; you said so, remember? You picked, uh---Pascal Helsing?"
"Correct."
"And then got Osric dumped on you instead. That's not quite your fault, Cayla. So quit hitting yourself. You want to go home, all right, do it. But don't go whipped."
"I am, though. The captain's sending a report on me, in case you've forgotten. All about how I can't handle my personal troubles."
Yes, there was that. Well: "Maybe I can do something."
She hugged her friend and left.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy33l5ZsRcq
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"All right, all right," Ben said. "I'll just say that she had some unusually raw deals here and I'm sure she'll do fine in her next assignment. Will that make you happy?" It damn well better!356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm3hgnXVNzD
"It's the truth, too." Jacqueline wasn't giving away 1 inch. "Neither of those guys were her free choice."
And come to think of it, she was right, there. "Yeah. Well, I'm sorry to lose her. I guess you two made it up okay?" Because he'd been a little worried they wouldn't, with Jacqueline left to regret it later.356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptrnFvDtyM
"Oh sure. I just---well, she explained, and all."
"She came to you?"
"I went there."
Ben nodded. "Right move. Don't be afraid to reach out."
"I'm not!"
"I know you're not. Give us a hug?"356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKq4HLNUmZ4
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The next day Cayla Paulsen got a good turnout at her sendoff. Waiting for Earthmouth to activate, Jacqueline said to her. "I know staying in touch won't work very well from Earth, the time difference and all that." Cayla aging, if she stayed home, more than two years for every month Jacqueline lived. And the four years, at Earth end, of round-trip C-Gate lag. "But hey, you can let me know when you go out next, and where."356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGlBEmyp8Y
"Sure." The equipment was ready; Cayla stepped inside. "Goodbye, Jacqueline; thanks for everything and have a good trip."356Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwfA3vLQXr
The C-Gate flared. Jacqueline missed Kynon Nagada; she'd miss Cayla more. Losing people was no fun at all!
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