Is the end? Or just the beginning?

Posted on Sun Oct 20th, 2019 @ 10:09am by

1,172 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: What Stalks The Night
Timeline: Before the Away mission.

USS Asger - Lounge

Nim sat at the table at the back of the lounge, her head lowered slightly as she aimlessly stirred a small straw through the drink she had in her hands. It was her second drink, a little dutch courage to ease the way into a conversation she knew was going to be at best awkward, and at worst entirely difficult.

Hearing the doors open, she looked up, watching quietly as Vic entered the lounge, got his drink and started toward her table. It was only after he had sat down, Nim finally spoke. "I'm sorry to demand your time on such short notice," she said quietly. "But... well..." she sighed heavily. "I needed to talk to you."

Vic had been bored in his office spending most of his time thinking about her. The dates they had enjoyed while on shoreleave. He knew that it was almost time for the Asger to head back out. They would get busy and not have all this time to spend together. After hearing the tone of her voice his heart started to split at the seams. He gulp and could barely respond. "What is it, hun?"

"I've really enjoyed the time I've spent with you," she said softly, meeting his eyes for just a moment before looking back down at her glass, turning it in her hands before picking it up and taking a long sip. Finally, with a deep breath, she looked across at him and met his eyes again. "I'm being reassigned," she said softly. "My orders came through this morning. I've been granted CMO on the USS Dreadnought. I leave at zero eight hundred tomorrow morning. There's a transport on the station waiting to take me to Earth to meet with them."

Vic's jaw literally dropped open and he looked at her then her drink. He could not believe this. They where only one mission in and she was being moved. 'What in the actual hell' he thought as he turned to the bar. "Double please!!" He turned back to the women who took up his thoughts most the time. "Well shit what do we do now?"

"I don't know," she said quietly, looking down at her glass again, turning it between her fingertips. "I didn't expect this, not at all. It's taken me by surprise..." She sighed softly. "I've enjoyed spending time with you, but if I'm relocating..." She paused, taking another long sip of her drink. "I'm sorry."

Vic's drink came and he shot it back. Slamming the glass down hard. He looked up at Nim's gorgeous eyes. A smile came on his face as he felt the warmth of the liqour hit his belly. "If your reallocating, then I am as well."

Nim leaned forward, resting her hand over his. "Vic, you don't have to," she said softly. "If your home is here, I understand... I mean, what we have... if we have anything, it's new." She watched him closely, waiting for his reaction. "I would never ask you to give up your home on a whim."

Vic looked around the lounge and then back to her. "This isn't home. I have only been here for one mission. My home if I have one is to be in the stars with you." He said staring a hole into her soul.

She smiled slightly, her hand sliding under the weight of his palm as her fingers entwined with his. "I'll be honest, that makes me happy. I've enjoyed spending time with you, I don't want it to end just because I'm being reassigned..." She looked down at their hands and sighed softly. "But I leave in the morning, time is running out. I don't even know if StarFleet could do anything before then."

"You don't serve as long s I have and not collect some people that owe you favors." He said with a smile. "I will call in as many as I need and meet you at the transport." his mind was racing as to who all he could call. Maybe he would go straight to Rear Admiral James.



== 0800 Hours -- Transport Aurion -- Destination - Earth ==

It hadn't taken Nim much to get packed. In truth she had never really unpacked, most of her belongings had remained in the storage crates they had been in when she arrived on the Asger. It was only once she had stepped onto the transport and received her seating assignment that the extent of everything had started to hit her. She was being reassigned. She hadn't heard back from Vic since they had spoken the evening before so she wasn't sure if he was coming or not.

She hadn't had a chance to say goodbye to those she had come to consider, not just her crew mates, but her friends. Valeria, Dina, even Commander Anderson himself... After everything that they had endured, as a team on Everbright, they had forged a bond, all of them. She sighed, settling into the over sized seat that was hers, turning her attention to the view port next to her, her gaze settling on the sight of the Asger momentarily before she closed her eyes, waiting for the transporter to depart.

"This seat taken?" Vic said as he stood over Nim. He had handed off his bags before coming on board.

She opened her eyes, looking up at him, her face lighting up in a smile. "I wasn't sure if you'd make it," she said quietly, motioning for him to sit. "But I'm glad you did."

While the seat was oversized for her Vic had to squeeze in the best he could. "I told ya I knew people." He said with a grin as he reached over and kissed her on the forehead.

At the gesture of affection, Nim leaned into his shoulder and smiled, resting her head against him for a moment. "I really am glad you're here," she said quietly before her attention moved back to the view port and the view of the Asger that now felt like it was tormenting her. "Did you get to say goodbye to everyone?" she asked softly.

"I did." He said as he settled in. "I went by and saw Keith and explained the situation. He is a good man and I think he will do well with the Asger. Other then that I spent my time on the horn calling in favors." He said with a grin at Nim

She looked at him, remaining silent for the longest of moments as she just watched him, overwhelmed by the realisation of how much effort he had gone to in order to be transferred with her, something that seemed truly remarkable given the early stages of their relationship, if that were even what it could be called at this point.

Finally, she smiled. "Well, I guess that's it then," she said softly. "Dreadnought, here we come."

"Dreadnought or Bust." He boomed with a chuckle as the two settled in for the ride Into the future.

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