Goodbye, Hello

Posted on Thu Dec 9, 2021 @ 10:32am by Lieutenant Commander Zachary Addams

1,004 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: We Will Take Care of You
Location: Mountebank, CT, America, Earth
Timeline: 6 - 2 weeks before relaunch.

6 weeks before launch:

"So the documents are in the safe in the governor's mansion?" Zach said, hiding behind a cluster of bushes.

"The documents are in the governor's desk," Sarah said, crouched next to him. "The entire mansion is a safe."

"So what's the plan?" Zach said.

"Skylight," she said, pointing at the roof. "The latch is alarmed, but with a glass cutter, it's possible to take out a pane and rappel down to the top floor. From there, an intruder would make their way to the governor's office."

"Just like that?" Zach said.

"Well...past the armed guards, the dogs, utilizing a dumbwaiter, a mail chute, avoiding the security cameras and under the ticking clock of an obliterating impact," Sarah said, shrugging. "But, yes, just like that."

"So how do you account for--" he stopped as the cock of a rifle sounded behind them. They put their hands up and stood slowly, turning to face the guards and the weapons pointed at their heads.

"You said this was a safe spot to observe," Zach said.

"I said this observation point was safe for a time, in order to plan. It doesn't mean you can just sit here for hours!" she said.

"You are both under arrest, by order of--"

"Hold on!" they said together.

"You can't just sit in one spot waiting forever. Things move around you; that's how the world works," Sarah said.

"You can't expect people to think on the fly constantly. The whole point is to take the time to plot and plan so they don't get caught," Zach said.

"You are caught," the guard said, raising his rifle.

Zach nodded and held up a hand. "Yeah, yeah, got it." He turned back to his sister. "You need to allow for more time," Zach said.

Sarah huffed. "All right. I'll change their patrols." She looked up. "Computer, end program."

The confused guard, the mansion and the surrounding foliage vanished as the holosuite shut off.

"It's a good story," Zach said, stepping out of his sister's holosuite and back into her study.

"Thank you," she said. "Just wish your laundry list of nit-picks wasn't so long."

"Polishing a jewel is its own reward," Zach said, sagely.

Sarah rolled her eyes at his typical 'wise sayings' and followed him out. "Isn't your leave over yet?"

Zach grinned as he sat down at her desk and put his feet up. "Matter of fact, just got word of a new assignment."

Sarah immediately pouted. "Aw, really?" She sat behind her desk and shoved his feet off the corner. "Feels like you just got here."

"I've been home two months. Starfleet's generosity only goes so long," he said.

"I suppose," she said, shrugging. "Where are they sending you this time?"

"The Delta Quadrant," Zach said.

Sarah's eyebrows shot up. "No kidding...way out there?"

"Well, with the restructuring going on at Starfleet Medical, they need to spread people out a bit. A stint near home has been nice, but I go where they send me, and that's where they're sending me."

Sarah frowned, then did a complete about-face and lit up. "You could send me holoshots of all the planets out there! I would love to incorporate some of those locations into my next project!"

Zach laughed and nodded. "I'll fill half the ship's memory bank with holophotos and detailed descriptions, I promise."

"You better," she said, then stood back up and came around to give him a hug. "Have you told told Erik?"

Zach nodded, hugging back. "Yup. Mom and Dad as well. I'm on my way out tomorrow, so one more dinner of mom's cooking then I'll be off."

"You've been off for years," Sarah said, grinning.

Zach grinned back. "Love you."

"Love you too," Sarah said.

One more squeeze and Zach turned and left the lab, heading back to his own home to pack his bags. He slowed as he approached his vehicle, counting in his head. Three....two....one....

"Oh hey!" Sarah said, rushing out the door behind him. Zach smiled. She'd done that since she was two, when he'd head off to school. One more goodbye. He turned and adopted an innocent look. "Yeah?"

"What's the name of the ship? I'll look her up for everyone."

Zach smiled. "The Victory."

Sarah shook her head. "Why does Starfleet always insist on such pompous ship names?"

Zach gave her an incredulous look. "My last ship was the USS Billings. How is that pompous?"

"It's the way you say it," she sassed.

Zach grinned and blew her a kiss. She waved and watched him drive off, then, just like when the school bus vanished over the ridge, when his car was gone, she went back inside.

3 weeks before launch:

Zach's eyes snapped open. He threw back the covers and stood up, stretching, immediately awake and alert. He had a habit that both amazed and terrified his friends and family of being able to go from deep snoring to wide awake in a split second. He found it efficient. They found it spooky.

"Computer," he said, "how long until we're in the Delta Quadrant?"

"Sixteen hours," the computer said.

"Fantastic," he said to himself. So far the transport was on schedule. He grabbed his trusty hPADD and went for a jog around the corridors. One more week, he thought to himself. The miracle of crossing the galaxy in "merely" a month or so was wonderful. The reality of spending a month being transported somewhere was grueling.

2 weeks before launch:

"Welcome to DQ8," the computer said as Zach stepped through the airlock. He took a deep breath and sighed in relief, happy to stretch his legs. "All right," he said. "Next stop, the Victory." He got three steps in and his stomach let out a rumble that got the attention of several people around him. "Okay. Next stop, food," he said to himself, veering in another direction.

 

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